Tennessee general manager Ruston Webster thinks Mike Munchak helped the franchise that drafted him back in 1982 through a challenging time through three seasons as head coach. Unfortunately for Munchak, loyalty to the NFL team with which he spent 31 seasons just wasnt enough anymore. The Titans fired Munchak on Saturday after spending the past week talking about changes needed for a franchise that has not reached the playoffs since 2008 and last won a post-season game in January 2003. "In the end, we were not able to agree just on the future or the direction of the franchise, and I felt it was time to make a change," Webster said at a news conference. "We move ahead into the next phase of the Tennessee Titans and look for the next coach, and also looking for great things." Munchak became the seventh NFL coach fired. He said in a statement issued through the team that he had hoped this day would never come and that he couldnt express his sadness at leaving a franchise he had been with for more than 30 years. "My goal as head coach was to do things the right way with the right people, and I felt confident that the results would follow," Munchak said. "Sometimes rebuilding a team and its culture takes time, but I truly believe we were on the verge of great things. Unfortunately, my vision did not match that of the organization, so we will part ways." Webster now has to oversee this franchises first coaching search since February 2011 when Munchak was promoted and only the second since this franchise left Texas for Tennessee in 1997. Munchak flew to Texas on Friday morning to meet with team president and CEO Tommy Smith and Webster. They returned late in the afternoon. Smith said in a statement that those talks continued into Saturday before the decision to let Munchak go. "Ultimately, we decided it was best to move in different directions," Smith said. "As I told him, we appreciate his efforts as head coach and I think he helped us progress as a team." Munchak had a season left on his contract and was 22-26 overall. He had been with this franchise since 1982 when the then-Houston Oilers made him a first-round draft pick, and he joined the coaching staff as an assistant the year after he retired. The Titans made Munchak their 16th head coach when late owner Bud Adams promoted him after firing Jeff Fisher. But Munchaks first off-season was wiped out by the NFL lockout before his only winning season at 9-7. He went 6-10 after the second off-season was chewed up when Adams ordered his front office to chase Peyton Manning. Adams spent more than $100 million this past off-season to restock the Titans roster and made it clear he wanted a playoff berth. That spending spree landed 13 new free agents, along with seven draft picks making the roster. Smith, Adams son-in-law, was named president and CEO a week after Adams died in October. The Titans went 7-9 losing six games by one possession and also won six games decided by a possession. They also dropped eight of 10 games in one stretch, including five straight at home, with fans showing their displeasure by staying away by the thousands. That didnt change in the season finale with Smith watching even as the Titans beat Houston 16-10. Webster, who praised Munchaks professionalism, said the decision was shared by telephone Saturday. "He was a bridge between having a long tenured coach that had just left, and things had been done a certain way, and an older owner who in his tenure passed away," said Webster, promoted to general manager in January 2012. "I think weve been in a pretty major transition and he was part of that. Hes actually made the place better." Munchak had made it clear over the past couple of weeks that he thought having quarterback Jake Locker available for all 16 games likely would have been the difference in the two or three wins needed to earn this franchises first playoff berth since 2008. Webster wouldnt comment when asked if Munchak wanted an extension past 2014, and changes to the coaching staff likely was another issue. Defensive co-ordinator Jerry Gray and senior assistant coach for defence Gregg Williams both have expiring contracts, and special teams had problems on kick and punt returns until the team signed Leon Washington late. Munchak also promoted an old friend, Chet Parlavecchio, already on his staff as linebackers coach for 2013, and a young group featuring Zach Brown, Colin McCarthy and Akeem Ayers struggled most of the season. Asked if Munchak had been asked to fire six assistants as a condition to stay, Webster called that a "big number." 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The Mavericks played without trusted reserve Vince Carter, who was suspended for the game for elbowing Oklahoma Citys Steven Adams on Wednesday. The Wolves led by 11 in the third and eight with less than 4:30 to play, but had to hold their breath down the stretch. Calderon hit his sixth 3 of the night, Ellis scored on a drive to the bucket to make it 105-102 Minnesota with 2:24 to go. Love, who just missed his first triple-double of his career, hit a 3 on the other end, Ricky Rubio foiled Elliss drive to the basket and Love sealed it with a 17-foot Nowitzki-style fade-away on the baseline with 1:13 to play. Nikola Pekovic had 15 points and six rebounds for Minnesota. Jae Crowder had 10 points and six rebounds for Dallas. The new-look Mavericks have been one of the best offensive teams in the league, with Ellis and Calderon making a seamless transition and flourishing as role players surrounding Nowitzki. Elliss has been remarkably efficient in comparison to his volume shooting ways with the Warriors and Bucks, entering the game shooting 55 per cent on 2-pointers.dddddddddddd That efficiency wasnt there on Friday night as Ellis needed 24 shots to score 23 points. The Wolves appeared to be taking control midway through the third quarter with a 16-4 surge that put them in front by 11. But the Mavericks came right back, getting two 3s from Calderon and another from Ellis during a 13-3 run that cut the deficit to one point. For much of the game, Love was the Timberwolves best passer, even with Rubio on the floor. He hit Brewer for several home run passes and racked up six assists in a sensational first quarter. He also had nine points and six rebounds in the period. Rubio had six points on 2-for-8 shooting and four assists and he was bottled up for most of the night by Spanish countrymen Calderon, who didnt fall for the sleight of hand that Rubio uses to keep defenders off balance. 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