And one way or another, two initials factor into this:

V.Y.

Vince Young is the Titans' future. His development at quarterback is essential if the franchise is to continue its climb back up the NFL charts.

As of today, head coach Jeff Fisher decided that the marriage between offensive coordinator Chow and Young simply wasn't working. Whether it was Chow's offensive scheme or his coaching style, the perception was that Young's talent and production were not being maximized.

After being named NFL Rookie of the Year in 2006, Young regressed in some areas in his second year. It's impossible to ignore the telling ratio of nine touchdown passes to 17 interceptions. His passer rating of 71.1 was No. 26 in the league.

Is that entirely Norm Chow's fault? Of course not. Chow had virtually nothing to do with personnel decisions, which means he can't be blamed for the Titans' sub-standard receiving corps and lack of offensive weapons.

Still, there often seemed to be a disconnect between Chow and Young. Chow is an old-school coach who expected certain things from his quarterback. Sometimes he got them from Young. Sometimes he didn't.

It is also no secret that Chow didn't appreciate Young's intermittent temper tantrums and moodiness. He expected more professionalism, even from a quarterback who is still in the formative stages of his pro career. The two just could not get on the same page.

As for Chow, he never could get ahead of the curve on his college-to-NFL transition. The X's and O's that worked so well at BYU and Southern Cal never fully translated into the pro game.

In his first NFL season in '05, Chow clearly was in over his head. Barely two months into the season, he so much as admitted it when he said:

"This is the biggest challenge of my life. ... This is hard. Honestly, it's harder than I thought it would be. Defenses are just so good, so fast. It's such a challenge to find ways to attack."

A year later, Young was drafted and Titans owner Bud Adams fast-tracked him into the huddle.

After two seasons together, Chow is out. Young is in. Draw your own conclusions.

While I'm not suggesting that Young marched into Fisher's office and demanded that Chow be fired, I doubt that the quarterback is terribly upset with the move.

But be careful what you wish for, Vince.

Word has it that the new/old sheriff headed to town is Mike Heimerdinger. He was the Titans' offensive coordinator in 2000-04. And he's a tough nut.

If your ego bruises easily or you can't take criticism, you're going to have a hard time playing for Heimerdinger.