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Otis Day
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Harbaugh, college status, he finally beat OSU, he was placed on god status. I believe he was using the NFL for a money grab from Michigan.
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Texans went 92-100 during his tenure - a mediocre body of work, IMHO.
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Ditka’s dictaphone wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:19 pm
Arkansasbear wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:16 pm

I wonder if in the interview process they are asking potential coaches who would be the GMs they'd like to work with and vice versa. That way if the hone in on a particular GM they have a list of coaches they know he likes and can cross reference with the coaches that like him.

They'd hire the GM and do a second round of interviews with the coaches that line up with the GM they pick.
Yes that might work as a similar idea.
Now wait just a minute. It might workin theory but nobody does that in interviews. Maybe on Seinfield but not in real life.

I remember how a friend of mine chased away a great candidate by asking him how he felt about specific people he was going to have to work with.

Interviewees get up and walk out on stuff like that. I have seen it.
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I'm pretty sure Ohio State and Michigan State are telling potential recruits that Harbaugh's leaving Michigan and he's doing the same regarding Ryan Day. It's how they play it in college.
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Otis Day wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:22 pm Harbaugh, college status, he finally beat OSU, he was placed on god status. I believe he was using the NFL for a money grab from Michigan.
I think the same..
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pus wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:45 pm Texans went 92-100 during his tenure - a mediocre body of work, IMHO.
In fairness, however, he wasn't really fired - he had to leave due to family emergency - and right after his departure, they won 10 & 11 games the next years.
He left them in pretty good shape.
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Otis Day wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:22 pmHarbaugh, college status, he finally beat OSU, he was placed on god status. I believe he was using the NFL for a money grab from Michigan.
I don't think so. Mel Tucker's (insane!) deal has already set the floor. Especially since Michigan doesn't like to be second to MSU in ANYTHING.
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He left the Texans to be with his wife, who eventually succumbed to cancer. Sad story.

That being said, after reading this article I feel like he might have kind of, sort of, turned into a bit of a weirdo:

https://theathletic.com/1596742/2020/02 ... -his-life/
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G08 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:32 pm He left the Texans to be with his wife, who eventually succumbed to cancer. Sad story.

That being said, after reading this article I feel like he might have kind of, sort of, turned into a bit of a weirdo:

https://theathletic.com/1596742/2020/02 ... -his-life/
Losing a spouse like that will change people. I know it would change me. Dunno if that makes him weird, or would make weird(er), to be fair.

His expressed philosophy on onboarding rookies is an interesting one, though.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
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thunderspirit wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:03 am
G08 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:32 pm He left the Texans to be with his wife, who eventually succumbed to cancer. Sad story.

That being said, after reading this article I feel like he might have kind of, sort of, turned into a bit of a weirdo:

https://theathletic.com/1596742/2020/02 ... -his-life/
Losing a spouse like that will change people. I know it would change me. Dunno if that makes him weird, or would make weird(er), to be fair.

His expressed philosophy on onboarding rookies is an interesting one, though.
If he's studying eastern meditation and mindfulness/staying present philosophies, it's not a bad thing. Like at all. Don't know if it should be the cornerstone of your GM player strategy, but they can be great tools.
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Bears Whiskey Nut wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:06 am
thunderspirit wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:03 am

Losing a spouse like that will change people. I know it would change me. Dunno if that makes him weird, or would make weird(er), to be fair.

His expressed philosophy on onboarding rookies is an interesting one, though.
If he's studying eastern meditation and mindfulness/staying present philosophies, it's not a bad thing. Like at all. Don't know if it should be the cornerstone of your GM player strategy, but they can be great tools.
Phil Jackson, anyone?
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thunderspirit wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:03 am
G08 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:32 pm He left the Texans to be with his wife, who eventually succumbed to cancer. Sad story.

That being said, after reading this article I feel like he might have kind of, sort of, turned into a bit of a weirdo:

https://theathletic.com/1596742/2020/02 ... -his-life/
Losing a spouse like that will change people. I know it would change me. Dunno if that makes him weird, or would make weird(er), to be fair.

His expressed philosophy on onboarding rookies is an interesting one, though.
Yep. I read that and immediately thought of what Soup Campbell is doing and that the Bears obviously clearly value him.

I also loved the part where he talks about his next gig, he isn't limiting his view to just a de facto personnel guy. He wants to embrace the big picture. Thats precisely what I expect out of a GM candidate. Not a ego driven person obsessed with putting thier fingerprint directly on the roster.

My Smith preference is growing.
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I have enthusiasm for this hire
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thunderspirit wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:03 am
G08 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:32 pm He left the Texans to be with his wife, who eventually succumbed to cancer. Sad story.

That being said, after reading this article I feel like he might have kind of, sort of, turned into a bit of a weirdo:

https://theathletic.com/1596742/2020/02 ... -his-life/
Losing a spouse like that will change people. I know it would change me. Dunno if that makes him weird, or would make weird(er), to be fair.

His expressed philosophy on onboarding rookies is an interesting one, though.
No I get it but I will be honest in just reading how he spoke and his philosophies etc, it came off as a touch eccentric. I am saying this as a selfish, piece of shit Bears fan and not as a regular human being.
“You don’t go through the experience I just went through and come out on the other side the same,” he says. “It’s a transformational experience. My thought process, my self-awareness, all is exponentially better. I have a new perspective on almost everything, and it enhances all the skills I had before. I have a more global perspective. I have a richer view of life that will enhance whatever I do.”

That includes how he parents, how he takes care of himself, and maybe, how he will run a football team.

...

“We spend so much time, resources, energy, attention on draft evaluation,” he says. “We have huge dossiers on these players, where they are from, how they learn, personal lives, social skill set, scores, their history, everything. After the draft, all that information about that player we learned doesn’t get integrated into his onboarding. I think that’s a mistake. You can onboard players and utilize all that information to put a plan together that gives them a chance to give them a better chance to be a better man, better member of the organization, and a better football player. There is a holistic approach to player development we are missing.”
Again, as a selfish, piece of shit Bears fan I don't need "a better man, better member of the organization". I want to fucking win and that means make them the best possible player on the field. We already tried the "everyone hold hands in the shower and sing kumbaya" with Trestman and it failed miserably.
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He’ll need some good co-ordinators alongside him
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I like the fact that he has prior experience in the job. The existing model of hiring someone who will grow into the job is clearly not working. This may be because there is no one at Halas Hall to smooth the transition, Ted is first and last a number cruncher and George apparently spends his work days wandering Halas Hall with a big red nose and floppy shoes.

This guy has been there and done that. He doesn't have a perfect resume (not many Theo Epsteins out there after all) but it does sound like he has given some thought to his life and drawn some conclusions. He will make some mistakes and hopefully learn from them.

This could prove to be a welcome change from past hires who seemed incapable of making adjustments to strategies that were clearly not working.

This guy feels more like Jim Finks and less like Phil Emery.
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@d@dave99 I do like that he has experience and that he wants to set a vision for the franchise.

He's also "only" 50 years old and has some hits on his draft record.
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bearsoldier wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:32 am I think everyone really needs to really listen to how he speaks. He really is a good leader, teacher and motivator. He has a great personality and it is hard for anyone not to like him. Listen to his press conferences.

Don't discount the connection to the 85' Bears, its a good thing fellas, not bad. Not sure why so many act like its too meatball to want a guy who had success here and knows what it is like to win in Chicago.

Keep in mind, many players coming out of college are still very young men and the locker room is always in need a good mentor who is almost a father figure to them. Frazier can be that guy, much like Lovie Smith was.

Yes, his time with Minnie was unsuccessful but it is clear he has learned and grown tremendously as a coach since then. He is one of the most experienced candidates and has proven to be successful as a coach when considering his whole body of work in the league.

The one and only concern for me is... How exactly he could gain the right offensive minds to help build a winning team to complement Justin Fields and the group of young players we have on the roster??
Can you expound here how it is clear that he has learned and grown tremendously as a coach?
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He had a lot of first round hits, but a lot of his later round stuff was nothing to write home about. Not a lot of value in there.
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Bears Whiskey Nut wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:23 am He had a lot of first round hits, but a lot of his later round stuff was nothing to write home about. Not a lot of value in there.
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Bears requested an interview with Steelers VP Omar Khan:

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Khan has a pretty solid resume... 20 something years with the Steelers.
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The Cooler King wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:24 am Just can't help but feel it's a cringey forced 85 Bears hire.

His Ds when he was a HC sucked, but he's had lots of strong Ds as coordinator. Hard to blame too much of his W-L failure as a head coach with the QBs they had.

But I can't shake the underwhelming feeling.
Second this post. Feels like this is an interview (and hopefully not a hire) that George can use to defend himself when he gets attacked by the Bears Alumni for not engaging with former players. This is a pass for me and I'm not sure he'd even be on the interview list if he wasn't an 85 Bear.
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G08 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:32 pm He left the Texans to be with his wife, who eventually succumbed to cancer. Sad story.

That being said, after reading this article I feel like he might have kind of, sort of, turned into a bit of a weirdo:

https://theathletic.com/1596742/2020/02 ... -his-life/
We must've read different articles, because it felt to me like he'd simply become more introspective.

And I wholeheartedly agree with him when he says "There is a holistic approach to player development we are missing.”
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Smith is in my top 5 for sure
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Are the Bears....doing...a......a......a good job?

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G08 wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:07 am
thunderspirit wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:03 am

Losing a spouse like that will change people. I know it would change me. Dunno if that makes him weird, or would make weird(er), to be fair.

His expressed philosophy on onboarding rookies is an interesting one, though.
No I get it but I will be honest in just reading how he spoke and his philosophies etc, it came off as a touch eccentric. I am saying this as a selfish, piece of shit Bears fan and not as a regular human being.
“You don’t go through the experience I just went through and come out on the other side the same,” he says. “It’s a transformational experience. My thought process, my self-awareness, all is exponentially better. I have a new perspective on almost everything, and it enhances all the skills I had before. I have a more global perspective. I have a richer view of life that will enhance whatever I do.”

That includes how he parents, how he takes care of himself, and maybe, how he will run a football team.

...

“We spend so much time, resources, energy, attention on draft evaluation,” he says. “We have huge dossiers on these players, where they are from, how they learn, personal lives, social skill set, scores, their history, everything. After the draft, all that information about that player we learned doesn’t get integrated into his onboarding. I think that’s a mistake. You can onboard players and utilize all that information to put a plan together that gives them a chance to give them a better chance to be a better man, better member of the organization, and a better football player. There is a holistic approach to player development we are missing.”
Again, as a selfish, piece of shit Bears fan I don't need "a better man, better member of the organization". I want to fucking win and that means make them the best possible player on the field. We already tried the "everyone hold hands in the shower and sing kumbaya" with Trestman and it failed miserably.
I think you're misreading/over-reading it mostly. How you handle player development outside the gridiron doesn't have to impact the way you play the game between the hashes.

I'll use an analogy.

I think everyone knows the story about Richard Dent. Coming out of college he was not the weight he needed to be to be successful. Someone at the Bears found out he had issues with his teeth that were related to his issues putting on weight as his teeth always hurt. They fixed it. He put on weight. He's a HOF.

Now today's athletes are as physically well cared for coming in then they ever have been. While I'm sure there are still physical development edges to be gained, if no one else truely is focused on whole development, you potentially gain a competitive edge to perhaps pursue guys with mental/emotional issues other teams red flag. Or even for guys with no obvious red flags, your whole development may drive their physical development.

To me it really trends well with my issues in that everyone is so hyperfocused on talent acquisition. Let's pull up their draft history. Let's see how they signed in FA. All that stuff. If I have a A+ talent evaluator who is a D and F in all aspects, I will fail. This GM hire is bigger than a talent scout. I have zero doubt there's plenty of brilliant talent eyes already in the building. The key is unlocking the complete picture.
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wab wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:01 am
G08 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:32 pm He left the Texans to be with his wife, who eventually succumbed to cancer. Sad story.

That being said, after reading this article I feel like he might have kind of, sort of, turned into a bit of a weirdo:

https://theathletic.com/1596742/2020/02 ... -his-life/
We must've read different articles, because it felt to me like he'd simply become more introspective.

And I wholeheartedly agree with him when he says "There is a holistic approach to player development we are missing.”
Don't get me wrong, I like him, but I am getting a weird "kumbaya" vibe from that article.
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The Cooler King wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:37 am
G08 wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:07 am

No I get it but I will be honest in just reading how he spoke and his philosophies etc, it came off as a touch eccentric. I am saying this as a selfish, piece of shit Bears fan and not as a regular human being.



Again, as a selfish, piece of shit Bears fan I don't need "a better man, better member of the organization". I want to fucking win and that means make them the best possible player on the field. We already tried the "everyone hold hands in the shower and sing kumbaya" with Trestman and it failed miserably.
I think you're misreading/over-reading it mostly. How you handle player development outside the gridiron doesn't have to impact the way you play the game between the hashes.

I'll use an analogy.

I think everyone knows the story about Richard Dent. Coming out of college he was not the weight he needed to be to be successful. Someone at the Bears found out he had issues with his teeth that were related to his issues putting on weight as his teeth always hurt. They fixed it. He put on weight. He's a HOF.

Now today's athletes are as physically well cared for coming in then they ever have been. While I'm sure there are still physical development edges to be gained, if no one else truely is focused on whole development, you potentially gain a competitive edge to perhaps pursue guys with mental/emotional issues other teams red flag. Or even for guys with no obvious red flags, your whole development may drive their physical development.

To me it really trends well with my issues in that everyone is so hyperfocused on talent acquisition. Let's pull up their draft history. Let's see how they signed in FA. All that stuff. If I have a A+ talent evaluator who is a D and F in all aspects, I will fail. This GM hire is bigger than a talent scout. I have zero doubt there's plenty of brilliant talent eyes already in the building. The key is unlocking the complete picture.
I guess this is where my "selfish, piece of shit Bears fan" comment comes into play. I don't care if they're good people, I want the best football player on the field period. If he's nuts, if he kicks puppies (personally I'd rip his head off for that), I don't care. In my football world, I'll put winning above everything (it's gross. I know.)

Now, if there is some evidence that this holistic approach does create a better product/player on the field, then I'm all for it. I'm just not sure how that would supersede weight lifting, watching tape etc etc.
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