Neuheisel: Prescient or Just Lucky?

I've noticed that a few readers have quite the passion for Mr. Neuheisel. As you probably already read, as well, he received the head coaching position at UCLA. This was much to his delight, as he is an alumnus and for assistant coach for the team. I want to congratulate Rick on the promotion.

However, I have to wonder if something bigger is going on here inside Mr. Neuheisel's brain. Rick was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens - a team coached by Brian Billick, the former offensive coordinator of my favorite pro team, the Minnesota Vikings. Billick was the OC for the 1998 Minnesota Vikings that should have TROUNCED the Atlanta Falcons and Jamal Anderson in the NFC Championship...but Dennis Green got outcoached by Dan Reeves and got beat at home. My Vikes would have gone on to plow the Broncos into the ground that year, as Randy Moss was a ROCK STAR at the time...BUT, I digress...The fact of the matter is that Billick was considered (and considers himself) an offensive genius with the Vikings and the Ravens. Therefore, he called all the plays for the Ravens. That makes me wonder why they had an OC to begin with? Dress rehearsal? My Vikings have a similar setup with Darrell Bevell. Brad Childress used to be the OC at Philly and still calls the plays in Minnie. Bevell is relegated to "running the offense". Whatever that means. Either way, the job couldn't have been that great for Rick Neuheisel. I'm guessing it was a little boring and demeaning living under the shadow and ego of Brian "I'm not going anywhere next year" Billick. Good move for Rick.

However, Billick didn't seem to know that the ax was about to fall on his (and everyone else's) head. He made a rather grand proclamation during a press conference that, despite his 9-game losing streak, he was not planning to be fired and that most people should shed the notion.
On Black Monday, he and the whole staffed were tossed...less than a week after Neuheisel jumped ship and took the offer at UCLA. Makes me wonder if, while he coveted the UCLA job, he didn't know that, somehow, the ship was sinking in Baltimore and he was tethered to it. It seemed that even Billick didn't know.

So, question. Rick Neuheisel: Lucky or wise? You decide.