General Manager/Head Coach Interview Discussion

[The Cooler King]

Sorry dplank

[TheWorldBreaker]

Josh McDaniels level disfunction with this guy when he was the head guy for the Raiders. Tied with Greg Schiano for the biggest dick I met during my 7 year stint working around these people. An absolute human cunt. And was known as such amongst the hundreds of people I met around the league, mostly worker bee types in tech/video - you learn a LOT listening to those guys as they transcend coaching staffs (meaning, coach gets fired, tech crew stays on - most work for their teams for 20-30 years) - so they have really strong insights into these people as they see countless of them flow through their doors over the years. And, it's not unheard of for them to be called by prospective teams to be asked about how the coach treated the staff, what type of building culture did he set. I know for a fact that one tech guy in video prevented Greg Schiano from landing an NFL gig because they didn't want his toxic culture in the building.

Maybe he's learned, he was awful young to be the head guy in Oakland. But he was such an unreasonable fuckwad, my guess is it's in his DNA. Would truly be a bitter pill to swallow if we hired him.

I just thought he wasn’t equipped to be a head coach, him being a dick on top of that is discouraging.

Kind of makes me hope they just hire Eberflus on Monday, to be honest.

[PaulM]

The McCaskey's are totally incapable of playing 4D Chess.

Well...incapability isnt a fault!
Its a fault not to realize that and to go on with, instead of changing your action.
Maybe it happens now

[dave99]

The McCaskey's are totally incapable of playing 4D Chess.

All of us here, I'm guessing, have lived through the last 20 years + of Bears football so I don't feel obligated to list it all. I'm certain you guys know.

Everytime the McCaskey's try and do something intelligent they get shit on their thumb. It's what they do.

I'm sure George is good at something. Maybe he was a good lawyer, I don't know. But he is in way over his head with the Bears. He desperately needs to (somehow) find someone who does know what they're doing, hand him the keys and get the hell out of the way. His job should be limited to signing checks and sitting in the owners box trying to look excited.

[Hiphopopotamos]

Ehhhhh.



Honestly - I'd be fine with Caldwell - he's a good coach who could put together a good staff. But if its true that Pederson and Frazier are the other 'highly thought of candidates' - good god we are in for a world of hurt.

[UOK]

I don't think Caldwell is as bad as people think. I think he'd do alright in Chicago. He seems like a true head coach, a steadying hand, and a coach who knows how to delegate. Plus he is widely respected around the NFL.

[IotaNet]

I don't think Caldwell is as bad as people think. I think he'd do alright in Chicago. He seems like a true head coach, a steadying hand, and a coach who knows how to delegate. Plus he is widely respected around the NFL.

Not to mention the fact that he won in DETROIT. He's the last coach with a winning record there in almost 70 years.

[The Cooler King]

I don't think Caldwell is as bad as people think. I think he'd do alright in Chicago. He seems like a true head coach, a steadying hand, and a coach who knows how to delegate. Plus he is widely respected around the NFL.

I worry about whatever health issues made him step away from Fins assistant job. I'd want to see him bring in a young promising successor to be his assistant head coach so that if things go well there is a possible succession plan in place.

He's a good coach. Better than Frazier among that archetype. But not exciting.

[IotaNet]

... But not exciting.

With all due respect, I don't care about excitement -- I want wins.

[The Cooler King]

... But not exciting.

With all due respect, I don't care about excitement -- I want wins.

My excitement window is a function of how high I think their wins ceiling will be.

Caldwell hopefully has a high floor, but then we come back to age combined with past possible health issues and maybe the floor isn't even high.

[Otis Day]

What Bears' coach has been exciting? Weird.

[wab]

I would be really underwhelmed if it's Caldwell, but he IS a good coach. This just feels like a John Fox thing all over again though.

[The Cooler King]

I would be really underwhelmed if it's Caldwell, but he IS a good coach. This just feels like a John Fox thing all over again though.

A lot comes down to motivation. It really sounds like Fox was kind of checked out. With an older candidate it's okay, and maybe even preferable if they want to delegate, but they still gotta be driven and engaged. The fact Caldwell already stepped away from a Miami gig just adds to that concern.

Fox also failed to build a staff. Gase did pretty well with the O, but once he left that side of the staff was embarrassing. I feel better about Caldwell putting together an O staff. D staff, eeehhh history. Could he keep Desai and staff?

[The Cooler King]

Ooohhh him and Fields can bond on multiple levels. Maybe gonna covert the whole O.

[IE]

I think of Caldwell like Marinelli... really good position coaches who should not be HC. Caldwell had Stafford in his prime, and Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate. They were weak at RB in those days but always had a decent line. The defense during those years was pretty good especially on the Dline and at CB. I think you look at that roster and expect 9-7 ish. Which is what he accomplished and I don't find that particularly interesting. I don't see getting anything particularly modern or innovative or worthy of JF1 in Caldwell.

[IE]

This just feels like a John Fox thing all over again though.

This is where I'm at. I liked Fox - and who wouldn't. It is just signing up for average. So no thanks. It is the WR Screen of coaching hires. We want a FB-blocked running game, RB Screen and Deep Cross coaching hire.

[TheWorldBreaker]

I don't think Caldwell is as bad as people think. I think he'd do alright in Chicago. He seems like a true head coach, a steadying hand, and a coach who knows how to delegate. Plus he is widely respected around the NFL.

Not to mention the fact that he won in DETROIT. He's the last coach with a winning record there in almost 70 years.

He was like 9-7 and had Matt Stafford and Megatron, I’m not sure that is worthy of any accolades.

And whatever you think of his coaching, if he’s already the guy before the Bears have completed their interviews that would mean the Polian hand picked one of his friends and he will be forced on a GM candidate.

Didn’t we see already this movie with Ernie Acorsi and Ryan Pace? It doesn’t work and would indicate that the Bears have learned nothing.

[Hiphopopotamos]

I don't think Caldwell is as bad as people think. I think he'd do alright in Chicago. He seems like a true head coach, a steadying hand, and a coach who knows how to delegate. Plus he is widely respected around the NFL.

His ability to put together a staff, because he is so widely respected, is probably his biggest selling point.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

This just feels like a John Fox thing all over again though.

This is where I'm at. I liked Fox - and who wouldn't. It is just signing up for average. So no thanks. It is the WR Screen of coaching hires. We want a FB-blocked running game, RB Screen and Deep Cross coaching hire.

With that style of offense in mind, who do you like, IE?

[Hiphopopotamos]

Not to mention the fact that he won in DETROIT. He's the last coach with a winning record there in almost 70 years.

He was like 9-7 and had Matt Stafford and Megatron, I’m not sure that is worthy of any accolades.

And whatever you think of his coaching, if he’s already the guy before the Bears have completed their interviews that would mean the Polian hand picked one of his friends and he will be forced on a GM candidate.

Didn’t we see already this movie with Ernie Acorsi and Ryan Pace? It doesn’t work and would indicate that the Bears have learned nothing.

He was 36-28 in 4 years he was in Detroit. They had a winning record 3 of 4 seasons and was only 7-9 in that losing season. In the 4 years before Caldwell the Lions were 27-37. The 4 years after 17-46. The Lions have been to the playoffs 3 times in the last 21 years - Caldwell coached two of those teams.

I'm not sure why people are complaining about the Acorsi/Polian parallels - this entire NFL is a 'who you know' business. Its why minority/diversity hires are so few and far between. These guys hire friends and family - its true for 32 teams across the NFL.

[UOK]

[dplank]

Sure sounds like we could land him if we tried hard to do so. Make it happen George, you are the one person who can make this happen!

[TheWorldBreaker]

He was like 9-7 and had Matt Stafford and Megatron, I’m not sure that is worthy of any accolades.

And whatever you think of his coaching, if he’s already the guy before the Bears have completed their interviews that would mean the Polian hand picked one of his friends and he will be forced on a GM candidate.

Didn’t we see already this movie with Ernie Acorsi and Ryan Pace? It doesn’t work and would indicate that the Bears have learned nothing.

He was 36-28 in 4 years he was in Detroit. They had a winning record 3 of 4 seasons and was only 7-9 in that losing season. In the 4 years before Caldwell the Lions were 27-37. The 4 years after 17-46. The Lions have been to the playoffs 3 times in the last 21 years - Caldwell coached two of those teams.

I'm not sure why people are complaining about the Acorsi/Polian parallels - this entire NFL is a 'who you know' business. Its why minority/diversity hires are so few and far between. These guys hire friends and family - its true for 32 teams across the NFL.

Great, so he under achieved less with hall of fame caliber players. Not super impressive or a reason to give him the job.

It might be a who you know business but Bill Polian isn’t the General Manager, he’s a consultant. After he gets his buddy a pay day he’ll be gone.

The General Manager that accepts the job (who will almost certainly not be the best candidate because why would you want a job were your first hire is forced on you?) will probably not be exactly on the same page since it wasn’t someone he hired and there might be some underlying resentment.

Which could lead to things like the GM ignoring the coaches opinion on players.

Again, if this is what is happening I don’t know how anyone can be okay with it. We literally just saw this happen with their last GM hire.

It doesn’t work.

[wab]

He was 36-28 in 4 years he was in Detroit. They had a winning record 3 of 4 seasons and was only 7-9 in that losing season. In the 4 years before Caldwell the Lions were 27-37. The 4 years after 17-46. The Lions have been to the playoffs 3 times in the last 21 years - Caldwell coached two of those teams.

I'm not sure why people are complaining about the Acorsi/Polian parallels - this entire NFL is a 'who you know' business. Its why minority/diversity hires are so few and far between. These guys hire friends and family - its true for 32 teams across the NFL.

Great, so he under achieved less with hall of fame caliber players. Not super impressive or a reason to give him the job.

It might be a who you know business but Bill Polian isn’t the General Manager, he’s a consultant. After he gets his buddy a pay day he’ll be gone.

The General Manager that accepts the job (who will almost certainly not be the best candidate because why would you want a job were your first hire is forced on you?) will probably not be exactly on the same page since it wasn’t someone he hired and there might be some underlying resentment.

Which could lead to things like the GM ignoring the coaches opinion on players.

Again, if this is what is happening I don’t know how anyone can be okay with it. We literally just saw this happen with their last GM hire.

It doesn’t work.

Well if Caldwell IS hired, Champ Kelly is going to be the GM. I'm almost 100% positive of that.

[UOK]

Well if Caldwell IS hired, Champ Kelly is going to be the GM. I'm almost 100% positive of that.

And for what it's worth, a lot of current Bears love Champ Kelly. I'm not entirely sure if Champ is ready, but I think you could do worse.

[Hiphopopotamos]

I can't imagine a worse outcome. Ireland was terrible in Miami and his attitude/actions there should disqualify him. Allen was a Trestman level disaster in Oakland. So, sure, lets team them up here in Chicago.

[TheWorldBreaker]

Great, so he under achieved less with hall of fame caliber players. Not super impressive or a reason to give him the job.

It might be a who you know business but Bill Polian isn’t the General Manager, he’s a consultant. After he gets his buddy a pay day he’ll be gone.

The General Manager that accepts the job (who will almost certainly not be the best candidate because why would you want a job were your first hire is forced on you?) will probably not be exactly on the same page since it wasn’t someone he hired and there might be some underlying resentment.

Which could lead to things like the GM ignoring the coaches opinion on players.

Again, if this is what is happening I don’t know how anyone can be okay with it. We literally just saw this happen with their last GM hire.

It doesn’t work.

Well if Caldwell IS hired, Champ Kelly is going to be the GM. I'm almost 100% positive of that.

Do the Bears at least get the draft compensation if they hire/promote him? Or does that only happen if he’s hired to another team?

I think promoting someone from the previous regime almost everyone was happy to see go and then forcing him to hire one of the consultants buddies is a far more likely Bears move than aggressively pursuing someone like Harbaugh that will excite the fan base but shake up the culture at Halas Hall, unfortunately.

[UOK]

One GM is hired.

[Hiphopopotamos]

One GM is hired.

Does he take Daboll or Frazier with him - or does he try to hire the Brooklyn native with HC experience in Flores?

If it is Flores do they make the big move and try to trade for Watson.

Really intriguing situation there in NY.

[TheWorldBreaker]

Well Schefter just tweeted that the Giants are offering Schoen their GM job.

Probably means Daboll is going there if the rumors about him being Schoen’s number one option at HC are true.