Spokane7
50°
September 23, 2009 in Sports, City
Shock fire Shackleford, hire Keefe
The Spokesman-Review Shock head coach Adam Shackleford has assistant Rob Keefe looking on.
(Full-size photo)
Adam Shackleford is out as head coach of the Spokane Shock and he will be replaced by former Shock standout Rob Keefe, The Spokesman-Review has learned.
The Shock, who are on the verge of moving into a new league that is expected to compete at the highest level of arena football, issued a press release late Wednesday morning announcing Shackleford won’t be back for a fourth season as head coach. Spokane went 19-1 in Shackleford’s final season, winning the ArenaCup title last month in Las Vegas.
“We really gave ‘Shack’ a month to get off the (ArenaCup) championship and come back down and get ready for next season,” Shock majority owner Brady Nelson said. “Unfortunately we didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy the championship because we know we’re playing in this new league and it’s going to take another level or commitment and work.
“The more and more we started working toward our goals, the more we felt we wanted to go in a different direction.”
Shackleford was disappointed with ownership’s decision.
“I wanted to be here, I planned on being here and was still working hard, and I was fired,” said Shackleford, who coached Spokane to three division championships, two conference championships and one ArenaCup title in three seasons. “I don’t want anybody to think this is what I wanted.”
Keefe was an assistant for the Shock this season, coaching the defensive backs and coordinating special teams. He was a standout defensive back on Spokane’s 2006 ArenaCup championship team and went on to play for Philadelphia, which captured the Arena Football League championship in 2008.
Pros give precious pointers 
omaha on September 23 at 1:39 p.m.
Wow, what a shock. Jeez, you go 42-6 (in 3 regular season) with an Arena Cup in your trophy case and you lose your job.
spokanada on September 23 at 1:44 p.m.
Nice move! Fire a proven, experienced coach and replace him with a coach with one year of experience while moving to a more competitive league. I wonder how this will work out.
jimdraft on September 23 at 1:47 p.m.
What a moronic thing to do. For a minute I thought I was in Seattle where they always send away their best guys. MORONS!
wazzu99 on September 23 at 2:33 p.m.
Rob Keefe is a great guy………..but this is a money move….nothing else but money and they got Rob cheap.
spokanecougar on September 23 at 3:57 p.m.
Always thought Shackleford looked funny with no neck, but still, he did not deserve to be fired after what he did for this team as coach. Sounds like there is something more to this then what is being said. Guess if you are going up to the big league you have to act like it.
Oh well, I actually never followed this team anyways, its owned by a Mormon. :-p hahaha
SeeRed on September 23 at 4:21 p.m.
I saw in one of the articles on KREM or KHQ websites and the GM said they wanted someone that would get them to success at the next level. The SHock are gonna be playing major markets next year and you gotta have a coach that knows the game at the AFL level. Its like Paul Wulff at WSU…very successful at the I-AA level and trying to do the same thing at the I-A (BCS conference) level with the same coaches and same game plan and everyone knows how that worked out. Keefe is gonna be a great coach and the assistants probably won most of those games last year, especailly Keefe and Sirianni’s D.
Pat O'Leary on September 23 at 4:46 p.m.
If you change directions when you’re at the top, the only way to go is down. Unbelievable!
ericdx on September 23 at 6:43 p.m.
We fired a coach who hads lost 6 games in 3 years? Who just coached up to the Arena Cup? Who took is to 1 play away from the Arena Cup last year? Who put us in the playoffs for 3 years in a row?
WHY???
They keep sayint that we are moving up to a better league, yet they do not even have all of the details worked out. They are beinging 4 AF2 teams up, and there are supposedly some teams from the bankrupt AFL in it too? Unless they are planning on putting a limit on the player salaries like they did in AF2, then it is going to be who spends the most money, and I will guarentee that the Shock will not be deep pockets. Shack did a great job, and now he will probably get picked up by another Arena team, and come back and beat our butts.
THIS IS A STUPID MOVE. Glad I did not go buy season tickets like I was thinking of.
jddavis on September 23 at 10:12 p.m.
A proven system, a tremendously impressive win-loss record, effective leadership, knows how to put a winning team together and make them perform. Time for him to go!
What in the world was the ownership thinking? Unbelievable!
eagleproducer on September 24 at 10:37 a.m.
seered: If you call successful at Div IAA barely above .500 and not winning a national title despite having superior talent at skill positions, then Wulff was successful.
This was an aesthetic move. Shacklefat won’t look good in HD when the Shock move to the next level. Simple as that!
eagleproducer on September 24 at 11:22 a.m.
pat oleary: Where else is there to go but down once you reach the top. Higher than the top? Side to side? Help me out, man!
kity on September 24 at 5:57 p.m.
Today is my birthday,and i got a present from boyfriend.It is my favorate Replica Watches and is better than my old watches.The color,bracelets,and knobs etc interest me.What’s more,it’s very accurate.I havn’t been late for any class,party,meeting and some important activity,thanks for the rolex watch,it helps me to arrange my life more rythmic.072
ScottyWard on September 25 at 8:04 a.m.
It is all about the money. Cheap @#$@&!!!!
RoadRunner4 on October 21 at 11:33 p.m.
@ Ericdx - the holidays will be HELL for you
raymero on December 14 at 11:57 p.m.
I was flabbergasted when my wife called to notify me about Coach Shackleford had been fired. I wish the Shock the best but just inwardly hope that when they face Coach Shackleford and his new team they get their AZZ handed to them on a platter.