Holmgren

On February 14, 2005, CHARLES E., beloved husband of Bertha E. Holmgren (nee Lacher), devoted father of Gary N. Holmgren, Glenn B. Holmgren, and Valerie L. Atkinson, dear brother of Phyllis Brooks. Also survived by eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services and Interment are private. The family requests donations may be made to the American Lung Assn of Maryland, 1840 York Rd., Suite M, Timonium, MD, 21093. Arrangements by the Mc Cully-Polyniak Funeral Home, P.A., (Pasadena)

Mike Shanahan agreed Tuesday to become the coach of the Washington Redskins, the latest step in a major overhaul of a troubled franchise. Shanahan's decision to join the team was confirmed to the Associated Press by an official within the NFL. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team was not commenting on its coaching search. The Redskins announced that they would hold a news conference today, although they did not say why. The deal with Shanahan is for five years, The Denver Post reported on its Web site.

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Flyers coach Paul Holmgren looks as if he could lace up his skates and go out there and knock a few heads right now.His stomach is flat. His legs are strong. His hands can still make fists big enough to put the fear of a haymaker into your head. And the desire is still there. Oh, yes, the desire is still there. One look at his glazed eyes after a particularly tough loss and you know the man still has the psyche of a player.Holmgren, 35, who ended his 10-year playing career in 1985, uses his head to play hockey these days.

Playing for their playoff lives, Eli Manning and the New York Giants were efficient, focused and dominant. Playing for their new general manager, the Washington Redskins (4-10) did a good job of convincing the boss that maybe everyone ought to be fired. The Giants kept themselves in the postseason hunt Monday night with one of the most lopsided victories in the long, storied series against their NFC East rival. New York scored on six of its first seven possessions and controlled every facet of the game in a 45-12 win that wasn't as close as even that margin of victory would indicate.

M&T BANK Stadium is big, but it may not be big enough tomorrow for the robust egos of both Mike Holmgren and Brian Billick. Entertainingly robust egos, we must point out. Both men have Super Bowl rings. Both have Brigham Young/Bill Walsh/Bay Area/quarterback roots and connections. And both have had to stand tall against heavy criticism about their respective decisions to install young, inexperienced quarterbacks as insta-NFL starters. But whereas Billick unceremoniously showed veteran Trent Dilfer the door after the Super Bowl win, Holmgren merely asks Dilfer to stand on the sideline and give the Seahawks a backup quarterback who knows how to manage a game.

The closer Mike Holmgren gets to the end of his coaching career in Seattle, the more reluctantly he seems to be going. Recently, Holmgren said he might not be done with coaching and even raised a question about the sabbatical he has planned with his wife. Two weeks ago, he gave his version of how his divorce with the Seahawks took effect. Holmgren said he told the front office he probably would retire after the 2008 season, then went to Phoenix for a vacation with his wife. Upon his return, he told the team he might want to discuss an extension.

SEATTLE -- About the only thing Bill Parcells and Mike Holmgren appear to have in common are long coaching careers and Super Bowl wins. But don't completely believe what you see. Parcells is the iconic, 65-year-old Dallas Cowboys coach who has a 19-year NFL head-coaching pedigree built upon rugged defenses. His reputation is also rugged, hardened by coaching both New York teams for a combined 11 years. Parcells is irascible, often caustic, to inquisitors - many, he believes, try to "antagonize" him. "A legend," is what Holmgren calls his self-described friend on the eve of their first postseason meeting since the Super Bowl in January 1997.

In less than a week, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has twice been the warm-up act for Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren.Haslett, 43, is in Baltimore today interviewing for the Ravens' head coaching job. Holmgren, the top coaching candidate for several vacant jobs throughout the league, is expected to meet with Ravens owner Art Modell and his front-office staff tomorrow before finishing the final leg of his three-city tour Sunday...

Mike Holmgren is new to the Seattle Seahawks, but he knows their neighborhood. It is smack in the middle of mediocrity, just south of football nirvana.The Seahawks haven't seen the klieg lights of the postseason since quarterback Dave Krieg and coach Chuck Knox threw the switch in 1988 after a 9-7 regular season. That 10-year playoff drought ranks as the longest in the NFL, but it's nothing new to Holmgren, Seattle's first-year general manager and head coach.When Holmgren reported to Green Bay as a rookie head coach in 1992, the Packers hadn't been to the playoffs in nine years and three coaches.

Baltimore will be the second stop on a three-city tour for Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren within the next seven days, and his agent confirmed last night that no decision will be made until next Tuesday after all the visits are completed.Bob LaMonte, Holmgren's agent, said that his client, who wants to become a head coach/general manager, will fly to Seattle today and meet with the Seahawks tomorrow. Holmgren, 50, then will travel to Baltimore on Friday night, meet with Ravens owner Art Modell and his front-office staff all day Saturday and leave for Philadelphia by noon Sunday.

Former Seattle and Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren says he would be interested in working for the Browns. Holmgren said on his weekly radio show on Seattle's KJR that he has not yet spoken to Browns owner Randy Lerner , who is looking for a "serious, credible leader" football authority to run his struggling team. Holmgren did not say if he would like to coach again, but indicated he would welcome the chance to take on a rebuilding project like the 1-8 Browns. Holmgren was Seattle's GM and coach for four seasons.

Seeking a vice president of football operations, Browns owner Randy Lerner intends to contact former Seattle Seahawks coach and general manager Mike Holmgren , ESPN.com reported Monday. The role would be similar to the one held by Bill Parcells with the Miami Dolphins, the Web site reported. Lerner said in an e-mail response to the Associated Press that he would not comment on "rumors/speculation." In other news, the Browns have not yet sold out Monday night's game against the Ravens and are facing their first TV blackout since 1995.

The closer Mike Holmgren gets to the end of his coaching career in Seattle, the more reluctantly he seems to be going. Recently, Holmgren said he might not be done with coaching and even raised a question about the sabbatical he has planned with his wife. Two weeks ago, he gave his version of how his divorce with the Seahawks took effect. Holmgren said he told the front office he probably would retire after the 2008 season, then went to Phoenix for a vacation with his wife. Upon his return, he told the team he might want to discuss an extension.

And now comes Mike Holmgren opening the discussion about possible retirement (not the first time). Or maybe staying for a final year. Or even re-upping for the future. There used to be a time when, if an NFL team made the playoffs, the last thing on the organization's agenda was looking for a new coach. This year, though, the Washington Redskins' Joe Gibbs unexpectedly quit. Admirably, Gibbs is choosing family over profession. That was followed by the annual Tony Dungy soul-searching in Indianapolis.

SEATTLE -- About the only thing Bill Parcells and Mike Holmgren appear to have in common are long coaching careers and Super Bowl wins. But don't completely believe what you see. Parcells is the iconic, 65-year-old Dallas Cowboys coach who has a 19-year NFL head-coaching pedigree built upon rugged defenses. His reputation is also rugged, hardened by coaching both New York teams for a combined 11 years. Parcells is irascible, often caustic, to inquisitors - many, he believes, try to "antagonize" him. "A legend," is what Holmgren calls his self-described friend on the eve of their first postseason meeting since the Super Bowl in January 1997.

On July 8, 2006, CONSTANCE ONEIDA PALMIERI (nee Holmgren); devoted mother of Paul M. and Diane C. Palmieri; dear grandmother of Michael and Donna Palmieri and Michelle English; loving sister of Oscar Holmgren; beloved great-grandmother of Lauren and Collin. Friends may call LORING BYERS FUNERAL DIRECTORS, INC., 8728 Liberty Road, Randallstown, MD (2 miles west of 695 beltway, exit 18-B), on Tuesday, July 11, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Prayer Service will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday at 10:30 A.M. Interment Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery.

Antonio Freeman will understand if Mike Holmgren leaves the Green Bay Packers this month for the chance to reign over his own organization.That's because Freeman, the Packers' All-Pro wide receiver, says he understands the motivation behind Holmgren's bid for autonomous control as coach and general manager.Business. Strictly business."At our team meeting [Monday], he said, `The only way I'll leave is if I'm granted more power to run my own ship,' " Freeman said. "Which of course means [being]

The Ravens are expected this week to interview several candidates to replace Ted Marchibroda as their head coach, and one of them will not be former San Francisco coach George Seifert.And thanks to Seifert's former team, the Ravens can begin to pursue Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren. He is widely expected to leave the Packers, who were eliminated in the NFC's wild-card playoff round yesterday by the 49ers.The Ravens already have contacted Holmgren's agent, Bob Lamont. The team will attempt to secure an interview with Holmgren soon.

DETROIT -- Darrell Jackson may be the player who most exemplifies the underdog Seattle Seahawks in Sunday's Super Bowl. The six-year veteran is one of the NFL's best receivers that no one knows. Unheralded as a third-round draft pick in 2000, Jackson quickly outdistanced, among others, his one-time University of Florida teammate, Travis Taylor, who was chosen 10th in that draft by the Ravens. Still, after 378 career catches and despite two big games in this year's playoffs, Jackson, 27, feels he is slighted in any discussion of the league's elite receivers.

In a sport that breathes change, both drastic and instantaneous, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks have been rewarded for their managerial patience. That these two teams - and particularly their two coaches - will meet in Detroit for the NFL's 40th Super Bowl in two weeks is proof positive that staying the course has merit. It would have been understandable for the Steelers to dump Bill Cowher after the 1999 season. Eight years into his tenure as Chuck Noll's coaching successor, Cowher seemingly had come full circle.