General Manager/Head Coach Interview Discussion

[dplank]

IMO, by interview HC and GM candidates simultaneously, they are moving pretty quickly. I think it's pretty fair to say that each GM candidate has said "out of who you've asked to interview, here's the 2-3 guys I'd interview for HC".

Also - has any other team with an opening hired someone? It's not as if positions are being filled and the Bears are lagging behind.

I'm saying that the HC interviews are a waste of time unless you want George picking the HC and not the GM. And i do NOT want George telling the new GM the 2-3 guys to interview for HC - this is the exact scenario that concerns me.

Regarding timing, no one has hired anyone yet - true. But unless you have a crystal ball, you can't predict when that first domino will fall and if that first domino is the best person for the Bears job and is now off the table. In business, your best starting the dominoes falling (because you were better prepared and out hustled your competition, not because you rushed it) than you are scrambling for your place in line after they've begun falling. Be aggressive, be prepared, and make your own luck and remove the risk of someone else beating you to the punch.

I won't belabor it further. I'm genuinely shocked at the trust you all have in George, he hasn't earned it. I'm just hoping for a blind squirrel moment here.

[thunderspirit]

I also think that the Bears are getting an idea of who the GM candidates like, and if they've already talked to one that can allow the selected GM to move on their chosen candidate quickly. And on the flip side, if a GM prospect's list of candidate didn't impress, it gives more information on that GM candidate than you had before. "Why do you like <name> as your head coach? When we talked to them we saw <issues>. Can you explain why you've seen something different?"

[The Cooler King]

How are playoff teams relevant with regards to the GM search?

Because I believe they fall under the same restrictions coaches do. I mean even non playoff execs still have to go through a request/approval process. I don't think it's accidental thst the unemployed guys are all done early and they're still working through scheduling with the rest.

[The Cooler King]

Agree.
George does seem to be better suited to be the one helpful guy a the DMV.
Halas Hall does not set the schedule, the market sets the schedule. And the market may close down while George is checking boxes.
Or put another way, this is high stakes musical chairs and music can stop at any time.

Yes well put. George works on George time, but the rest of the league tends to outpace us regularly. We're dinosaurs. When the tumblers start to fall and coaches start getting hired, it could go fast and we'll be left with no dance partner or sloppy seconds.

I mean historically speaking the Bears being beat to the punch has not been this issue. Pace, Fox, Nagy were all quick to the punch. And I recall both Emery and Trestman being pretty expedited searches too. Bears have not in these most recent been beat to searches or played second fiddle.

[wab]

IMO, by interview HC and GM candidates simultaneously, they are moving pretty quickly. I think it's pretty fair to say that each GM candidate has said "out of who you've asked to interview, here's the 2-3 guys I'd interview for HC".

Also - has any other team with an opening hired someone? It's not as if positions are being filled and the Bears are lagging behind.

I'm saying that the HC interviews are a waste of time unless you want George picking the HC and not the GM. And i do NOT want George telling the new GM the 2-3 guys to interview for HC - this is the exact scenario that concerns me.

Regarding timing, no one has hired anyone yet - true. But unless you have a crystal ball, you can't predict when that first domino will fall and if that first domino is the best person for the Bears job and is now off the table. In business, your best starting the dominoes falling (because you were better prepared and out hustled your competition, not because you rushed it) than you are scrambling for your place in line after they've begun falling. Be aggressive, be prepared, and make your own luck and remove the risk of someone else beating you to the punch.

I won't belabor it further. I'm genuinely shocked at the trust you all have in George, he hasn't earned it. I'm just hoping for a blind squirrel moment here.

You really don't think the GM candidates being interviewed are saying "yeah, Daboll is my guy" or "Flores is at the top of my list" or "hey, I like this list, but I'll be requesting an interview with Josh McDaniels".

You think George is sliding them a slip of paper saying "hire Leslie Frazier"?

[dplank]

Yes well put. George works on George time, but the rest of the league tends to outpace us regularly. We're dinosaurs. When the tumblers start to fall and coaches start getting hired, it could go fast and we'll be left with no dance partner or sloppy seconds.

I mean historically speaking the Bears being beat to the punch has not been this issue. Pace, Fox, Nagy were all quick to the punch. And I recall both Emery and Trestman being pretty expedited searches too. Bears have not in these most recent been beat to searches or played second fiddle.

I think it's a greater risk when you have to fill both GM and HC. And, last time that happened we ended up getting Pace and forcing a HC on him that he didn't want. We should seek to avoid doing this again, no?

[Hiphopopotamos]

IMO, by interview HC and GM candidates simultaneously, they are moving pretty quickly. I think it's pretty fair to say that each GM candidate has said "out of who you've asked to interview, here's the 2-3 guys I'd interview for HC".

Also - has any other team with an opening hired someone? It's not as if positions are being filled and the Bears are lagging behind.

I'm saying that the HC interviews are a waste of time unless you want George picking the HC and not the GM. And i do NOT want George telling the new GM the 2-3 guys to interview for HC - this is the exact scenario that concerns me.

Regarding timing, no one has hired anyone yet - true. But unless you have a crystal ball, you can't predict when that first domino will fall and if that first domino is the best person for the Bears job and is now off the table. In business, your best starting the dominoes falling (because you were better prepared and out hustled your competition, not because you rushed it) than you are scrambling for your place in line after they've begun falling. Be aggressive, be prepared, and make your own luck and remove the risk of someone else beating you to the punch.

I won't belabor it further. I'm genuinely shocked at the trust you all have in George, he hasn't earned it. I'm just hoping for a blind squirrel moment here.

No, they're not. Despite what we may think - even a GM with sole authority to hire/fire (as the Bears are allegedly giving this one) is going to make a hire in collaboration with other people in that FO including George. These aren't deep dive interviews they're doing with HC candidates - these are all about introductions and interest.

And even if a GM has a HC candidate at the top of his list - if that guy came in and took a shit on George's desk - he isn't getting hired.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the level of animus about the process - but seemingly there is no right answer that isn't going to upset 33% of the fane base. Too fast. Too slow. Too many candidates. Too few. Too many people in the search committee. Not enough.

[dplank]

I'm saying that the HC interviews are a waste of time unless you want George picking the HC and not the GM. And i do NOT want George telling the new GM the 2-3 guys to interview for HC - this is the exact scenario that concerns me.

Regarding timing, no one has hired anyone yet - true. But unless you have a crystal ball, you can't predict when that first domino will fall and if that first domino is the best person for the Bears job and is now off the table. In business, your best starting the dominoes falling (because you were better prepared and out hustled your competition, not because you rushed it) than you are scrambling for your place in line after they've begun falling. Be aggressive, be prepared, and make your own luck and remove the risk of someone else beating you to the punch.

I won't belabor it further. I'm genuinely shocked at the trust you all have in George, he hasn't earned it. I'm just hoping for a blind squirrel moment here.

You really don't think the GM candidates being interviewed are saying "yeah, Daboll is my guy" or "Flores is at the top of my list"?

maybe, that wasn't what I was saying at all though. I was saying that I don't want GEORGE telling the GM - choose between these 3 guys that I like.

[thunderspirit]

Last time they hired a GM, they interviewed five guys and hired Ryan Pace.

Time before that, they interviewed four guys and hired Phil Emery.

Getting a broad array of candidates is different than what they've done previously. No guarantee it will work any better, of course.

[The Cooler King]

IMO, by interview HC and GM candidates simultaneously, they are moving pretty quickly. I think it's pretty fair to say that each GM candidate has said "out of who you've asked to interview, here's the 2-3 guys I'd interview for HC".

Also - has any other team with an opening hired someone? It's not as if positions are being filled and the Bears are lagging behind.

Only 3 teams with GM openings. NYG have only interviewed a few more candidates than Bears. Looks like no coaches. Vikings have interviewed 1 GM and 1 HC.

It's possible Dolphins, Texans, Broncos, Jaguars could beat the Bears to a HC, but that was always gonna be a risk of a clean sweep with the FO change. Broncos are the only possible market setter of those franchises IMO. And even they are actually a big question mark on ownership. Miami, Houston and Jacksonville shouldn't be outclassing Chicago and stealing good coach candidates.

Theres also Raiders who are TBD, but I think it's as likely that they are doing the clean sweep than just a coach search.

[Artbest]

Have a bad feeling we’re ending up with a Champ Kelly-Leslie Frazier combo

[o-pus #40 in B major]

The GM and ownership should be on the same page, insofar as the concept of a "good head coach". To me, that means they should be in agreement about the actual next HC.

I think it does make good sense to perform your own due diligence on the HC candidates before interviewing your short list of GM candidates - then you'll know whether any of your (final) GM interviewees are blowing smoke up your ass about why they like this or that coach.

And I definitely agree that the GM interviewee better have a HC that he likes in mind, otherwise he's unprepared and out the door.

Why does he like that particular candidate? Are there any others that he would like?

If he does want someone that the ownership really doesn't like, it's very important that that disagreement be brought to light and fully considered before hiring the guy as GM.

[dplank]

I think it does make good sense to perform your own due diligence on the HC candidates before interviewing your short list of GM candidates, so you will know whether any of your (final) GM candidates are blowing smoke up your ass.

And I definitely agree that the GM interviewee better have a HC that he likes in mind, otherwise he's unprepared and out the door. Why does he like that particular candidate? Are there any others that he would like?

Why is George McCaskey qualified to have an opinion on HC? It's bad enough he has to choose our GM, but this is precisely the type of thinking that concerns me. We should be seeking to minimize George's input on football matters, not amplifying it. What you've laid out here is George acting in the role that we all hoped Trace Armstrong (or equivalent) would handle.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

I think it does make good sense to perform your own due diligence on the HC candidates before interviewing your short list of GM candidates, so you will know whether any of your (final) GM candidates are blowing smoke up your ass.

And I definitely agree that the GM interviewee better have a HC that he likes in mind, otherwise he's unprepared and out the door. Why does he like that particular candidate? Are there any others that he would like?

Why is George McCaskey qualified to have an opinion on HC? It's bad enough he has to choose our GM, but this is precisely the type of thinking that concerns me. We should be seeking to minimize George's input on football matters, not amplifying it. What you've laid out here is George acting in the role that we all hoped Trace Armstrong (or equivalent) would handle.

Yeah, I share your concern. The best process is no better than the boss. In this case it really sucks, but its not over yet - there is still hope.

[The Cooler King]

I mean without saying it , we're basically just asking "does George have to be the owner?" and I think we know the answer here.

And obviously any new Pres decision long ago passed, especially if you already have concerns the Bears aren't acting soon enough on GM/HC.

Last thing on Trace or someone like him. I think there are probably still some big logistical and substantive hurdles to put someone like him in a "Football only" role at the top and not undercut the GM search. In a business focused role, it would be different.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

McKaskey's gonna McKaskey and that's the way it is.

It's still a lot better entertainment than the rest of the world, so I will take whatever George dishes out, like it not.

[dplank]

Hahaha

[The Marshall Plan]

I think it does make good sense to perform your own due diligence on the HC candidates before interviewing your short list of GM candidates, so you will know whether any of your (final) GM candidates are blowing smoke up your ass.

And I definitely agree that the GM interviewee better have a HC that he likes in mind, otherwise he's unprepared and out the door. Why does he like that particular candidate? Are there any others that he would like?

Why is George McCaskey qualified to have an opinion on HC? It's bad enough he has to choose our GM, but this is precisely the type of thinking that concerns me. We should be seeking to minimize George's input on football matters, not amplifying it. What you've laid out here is George acting in the role that we all hoped Trace Armstrong (or equivalent) would handle.

There is presently no one residing within Halas Hall whatsoever that is even remotely qualified to hire a HC or GM.

It's most likely why they're interviewing like 50 people for each job.

They have no fucking clue what they're doing.

If it were me I would've called Harbaugh and Day during the season and just be like look I'm 99% sure Nagy is gone. Are you interested in the HC job? Yes or no. What would you want?

If both of those were a "no", then you move down the list and game theory the motherfucker. OK if this guy gets fired. This guy is out there right now. Etc. etc. etc.

But then they had Flores and were supposedly extremely impressed. Flores shouldn't have left town without a job offer because they were extremely impressed.

Like the job market for normal people right now with the labor shortage and The Great Resignation. You get a great candidate walk in the door? That job offer better be there by the time they get home otherwise somebody will snatch them. Unicorn hunting amongst job candidates is the dumbest thing you can do.

[Artbest]

IMO, George's biggest challenge has been Ted Phillips' inability to get the football side "right." We're NEVER supposed to hear from the Chairman of the Board. When we used to hear from Michael McCaskey, he wasn't he Chairman - he was the team President. When his mother kicked him upstairs after he butchered the Dave McGinnis hire, we never heard from him again.

This makes the GM hire the most consequential decision for the franchise, arguably, since Mugs Halas turned the football operation to Jim Finks in 1974. He HAS to get this right - this individual will be running the entire football side of the operation, reporting directly to George. After this hire, we shouldn't hear from George or Ted until they have something to say about Arlington Heights. I have no reason to believe he'll get it right - but it's the only hope we have.

[The Cooler King]

Why is George McCaskey qualified to have an opinion on HC? It's bad enough he has to choose our GM, but this is precisely the type of thinking that concerns me. We should be seeking to minimize George's input on football matters, not amplifying it. What you've laid out here is George acting in the role that we all hoped Trace Armstrong (or equivalent) would handle.

There is presently no one residing within Halas Hall whatsoever that is even remotely qualified to hire a HC or GM.

It's most likely why they're interviewing like 50 people for each job.

They have no fucking clue what they're doing.

If it were me I would've called Harbaugh and Day during the season and just be like look I'm 99% sure Nagy is gone. Are you interested in the HC job? Yes or no. What would you want?

If both of those were a "no", then you move down the list and game theory the motherfucker. OK if this guy gets fired. This guy is out there right now. Etc. etc. etc.

But then they had Flores and were supposedly extremely impressed. Flores shouldn't have left town without a job offer because they were extremely impressed.

Like the job market for normal people right now with the labor shortage and The Great Resignation. You get a great candidate walk in the door? That job offer better be there by the time they get home otherwise somebody will snatch them. Unicorn hunting amongst job candidates is the dumbest thing you can do.

The NFL HC/GM market is not the normal job market. We're not talking about an Accounts Payable specialist here.

[The Cooler King]

Fwiw

[Hiphopopotamos]

[dplank]

Fwiw

It’s just nonsensical man. If George wants a GM first then who cares how the interview went and why bother doing it? Waste of our time and his. We have like 6 more GM interviews to do, focus on getting those done so you can move on Daboll if he’s the guy. You’re either ok with George hiring both coach and GM or you aren’t. If you aren’t, then he shouldn’t be interviewing coaches.

I’m against it, unless it’s Harbaugh lol.

[Grizzled]

Should (hopefully) have a new GM within the week.

I'm wondering how the guys (Daboll, Frazier, Hackett, Bowles, Leftowich, etc.) whose teams are hot in the playoff hunt feel about being announced as the HC of another team. Do they worry about the effect on their current team? Will this slow down any possible acceptance until after their team gets eliminated or wins it all?

I'm also getting a feeling that McCarthy may be booted in Dallas after that disaster yesterday versus SF. Jerry has to be wondering if McCarthy an ever win him a championship by this point.

[Grizzled]

More fuel linking Daboll to Miami...
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bria ... ead-coach/

Forgot about that. He was the guy who was OC on Alabama's 2017 national championship team. He recruited and coached Tua, who won that game for the Tide. Strong ties. Got to believe Daboll has faith that Tua can do the job, which is what Miami's GM and owner want to hear.

[The Cooler King]

Fwiw

It’s just nonsensical man. If George wants a GM first then who cares how the interview went and why bother doing it? Waste of our time and his. We have like 6 more GM interviews to do, focus on getting those done so you can move on Daboll if he’s the guy. You’re either ok with George hiring both coach and GM or you aren’t. If you aren’t, then he shouldn’t be interviewing coaches.

I’m against it, unless it’s Harbaugh lol.

If they're open to being wowed by a HC, they're open to it. They never said otherwise, even if they said otherwise is their preference.

Is nuance dead?

[The Cooler King]

Should (hopefully) have a new GM within the week.

I'm wondering how the guys (Daboll, Frazier, Hackett, Bowles, Leftowich, etc.) whose teams are hot in the playoff hunt feel about being announced as the HC of another team. Do they worry about the effect on their current team? Will this slow down any possible acceptance until after their team gets eliminated or wins it all?

I'm also getting a feeling that McCarthy may be booted in Dallas after that disaster yesterday versus SF. Jerry has to be wondering if McCarthy an ever win him a championship by this point.

Sounds like Jerry pretty unequivocally has supported McCarthy's spot already.

[The Cooler King]

More fuel linking Daboll to Miami...
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bria ... ead-coach/

Forgot about that. He was the guy who was OC on Alabama's 2017 national championship team. He recruited and coached Tua, who won that game for the Tide. Strong ties. Got to believe Daboll has faith that Tua can do the job, which is what Miami's GM and owner want to hear.

If that was his only offer I'm sure he'd feel strongly about it, but that's a pretty threadbare connection to say that'd be his preferred spot. These guys are smarter than that.

[dplank]

It’s just nonsensical man. If George wants a GM first then who cares how the interview went and why bother doing it? Waste of our time and his. We have like 6 more GM interviews to do, focus on getting those done so you can move on Daboll if he’s the guy. You’re either ok with George hiring both coach and GM or you aren’t. If you aren’t, then he shouldn’t be interviewing coaches.

I’m against it, unless it’s Harbaugh lol.

If they're open to being wowed by a HC, they're open to it. They never said otherwise, even if they said otherwise is their preference.

Is nuance dead?

It’s bad process. If you admit you’re just a fan and not qualified to assess “coach stuff”, then why would you trust it even if you are “wowed”. He could be wowed by Marc Trestman and he’s already admitted he doesn’t have skill in this area.

[Hiphopopotamos]

If they're open to being wowed by a HC, they're open to it. They never said otherwise, even if they said otherwise is their preference.

Is nuance dead?

It’s bad process. If you admit you’re just a fan and not qualified to assess “coach stuff”, then why would you trust it even if you are “wowed”. He could be wowed by Marc Trestman and he’s already admitted he doesn’t have skill in this area.

Is Bill Polian qualified? Ultimately George McCaskey is going to sign off on any hire - whether that's for a Football President, or GM, or Head Coach. So if the idea of George McCaskey signing off on a HC hire pisses you off - get ready to be pissed off.