Bears to interview Brian Flores

[Hiphopopotamos]

The OC carousel is definitely a concern and something he will have to have answers for when he interviews. Ultimately, for me, it comes down to the fact that he was able to take a pretty chicken shit roster and turn it into a pretty decent chicken salad. Now, there were definitely a few raisins in there and he'll have to explain what the fuck that was/is all about - but the end of the day it was chicken salad I'd gladly make a sandwich out of.

I'm sorry. What were we talking about?

Oh, yeah - Flores. At the end of the day he did a pretty good job in Miami even with all of the turnover and the Tua stuff. So lets see if he has answers and how he's going to approach this situation/opportunity differently. Because as opposed to someone like Daboll (just as an example) we know that Flores is capable of being a Head Coach - lets see if he is capable of identifying his own shortcomings and coming up with ways to resolve them. If he can do that in an interview - I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't want this guy as my next Head Coach.

[The Cooler King]

Anectodally the culture issue seems to be a common theme for ex Pats guys. No one is gonna have success trying to implement the Patriot way in another org. While there are likely plenty of good ideas to borrow from that org, "the Bears way" has to be its own thing, and it's probably hard to know what that is until they're in the building, but rigidity isn't what anyone should want.

[Hiphopopotamos]

Personally for me, and with the offensive concerns, I'd want to see offensive staff in hand with Flores. If he can't assure me he has a quality O staff ready to sign the dotted line with him I have real concerns with that aspect.

So like a Flores/Caldwell pairing would eliminate my concerns.

As far as the personality stuff: while I'm always hesitant to compare my life/sports experiences with that of a professional athlete, I'm sure most of us have had a coach who was a hard ass who communicated well and got a message across who we respected and a hard ass coach who we hated and failed to actually communicate and teach beyond being a hard ass. I imagine it's probably similar even in the pros. You're not there to make friends, and it's probably hard to describe the difference except you know it when you see it.

Listened to an interesting podcast the other night too with Dominique Foxworth as one of the guests. One area he talked about that was interesting was that it isn't necessarily a coaches job to install culture. He said culture exists without a coach and it's the coaches job to install his philosophies and meld with existing culture. So they might move culture a lot, but a guy can't necessarily come in with my way or the highway attitude. His example was with Harbaugh, and granted they had an established culture with HOFs on the roster, but I thought it was still an interesting point. No coach can come in and install a new culture on day one. It's incrimemtal.

Prospective staff is always, to me, one of the biggest selling point a Head Coach candidate can have. Who have you worked with and how many of them are willing to come work for you. If you've got 20 years in the NFL but the only guys willing to work with you are newer guys looking for promotions - thats going to throw a huge red flag.

Conversely - these things always have to be taken with a grain of salt. How many times have we heard Head Coach 'X' is bringing an all-star lineup of assistants with him only to have most of the names end up elsewhere.

[Grizzled]

As Polian puts it: he doesn't care if anyone likes the HC. But all the players have to respect him. From what I've read, Flores got their respect in Miami.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Well obviously we want to maximise Fields talent but that is priority number 2 really.
We want a winning team first and foremost.
We want to maximise every player’s talent.
It’s no good having Fields shine on offense if our defense can’t hold water and our special teams are failing.

It all goes hand in hand, you can’t build a team on one side of the ball. Fields won’t thrive if his field position is rank and he won’t thrive if every time he gets the ball the opponents have scored another 7. He’ll feel the pressure and lose morale.

I’m not all in on Flores but he seems like the best option out of the 9 interviewed.

[HurricaneBear]

The OC carousel is definitely a concern and something he will have to have answers for when he interviews. Ultimately, for me, it comes down to the fact that he was able to take a pretty chicken shit roster and turn it into a pretty decent chicken salad. Now, there were definitely a few raisins in there and he'll have to explain what the fuck that was/is all about - but the end of the day it was chicken salad I'd gladly make a sandwich out of.

I'm sorry. What were we talking about?

Oh, yeah - Flores. At the end of the day he did a pretty good job in Miami even with all of the turnover and the Tua stuff. So lets see if he has answers and how he's going to approach this situation/opportunity differently. Because as opposed to someone like Daboll (just as an example) we know that Flores is capable of being a Head Coach - lets see if he is capable of identifying his own shortcomings and coming up with ways to resolve them. If he can do that in an interview - I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't want this guy as my next Head Coach.

If he can answer the offensive staffing questions I dont have a problem with the guy. I just dont know if there is an answer he can give that would make me go with him unless all the other candidates suck. I like that I know what he is as a head coach. i like that hes been able to have some success. I dont like the smoke around his personality. But the only deal breaker for me is who is his offensive staff and if I would believe what he said as to why it wont be an issue this time. The franchise needs to be built around Justin Fields and he needs stability.

[HurricaneBear]

As Polian puts it: he doesn't care if anyone likes the HC. But all the players have to respect him. From what I've read, Flores got their respect in Miami.

Ok, not many(is anyone?) are disagreeing that he got players respect. The question remains - what about his staff for the offense? Why is he not going to churn threw coordinators on offense like he did in Miami?

[Burl]

When it comes to hiring head coaches, the Bears tend to vacillate wildly from offensive guru who will finally modernize the offense back to defensive minded authoritarian types who will bring back “Bears football”.

Lovie - Trestman - Fox - Nagy … we’re due for another overcorrection. It’ll be Flores.

[Hiphopopotamos]

When it comes to hiring head coaches, the Bears tend to vacillate wildly from offensive guru who will finally modernize the offense back to defensive minded authoritarian types who will bring back “Bears football”.

Lovie - Trestman - Fox - Nagy … we’re due for another overcorrection. It’ll be Flores.

Lovie was hardly an authoritarian - and was likely too 'open-minded' or 'liberal' when it came to the offensive coordinator hires.

Fox was a necessary but failed correction. Trestman was in over his head and they needed a coach who could come in Day 1 and have the players respect and wouldn't be learning on the job.

[Hiphopopotamos]

Regarding Flores carousel of OC's - the issue isn't so much that he cycled through them as much as that he just made bad hires. His first OC - Chad O'Shea was a long time Patriots WR coach who, as far as I know, wasn't on anyone else's list of prospective OC's. He had never called plays before and was in over his head.

Flores then hired Chan Gailey. The 67 year old former NFL and College head coach was enjoying retirement when Flores recruited him to Miami. Predictably that didn't work out either.

Then this last season Flores decided to stay in house (no idea how much of that was because they had fired their two previous OCs after one season) and promoted two position coaches to Co-OC title.

As I said - Flores needs to have a good answer for how he plans to handle the offense and Fields in Chicago. I think he will.

[dplank]

Regarding Flores carousel of OC's - the issue isn't so much that he cycled through them as much as that he just made bad hires. His first OC - Chad O'Shea was a long time Patriots WR coach who, as far as I know, wasn't on anyone else's list of prospective OC's. He had never called plays before and was in over his head.

Flores then hired Chan Gailey. The 67 year old former NFL and College head coach was enjoying retirement when Flores recruited him to Miami. Predictably that didn't work out either.

Then this last season Flores decided to stay in house (no idea how much of that was because they had fired their two previous OCs after one season) and promoted two position coaches to Co-OC title.

As I said - Flores needs to have a good answer for how he plans to handle the offense and Fields in Chicago. I think he will.

He would need more than a good answer to convince me - he would need actual names, confirmed as available and interested in the job. And some assurance from Flores that he won't fire him at least for 2 seasons. Really if we are heading down this road, I'd just target McDaniels.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

As much as I like the Flores hire, I don’t think he’ll choose the Bears.

The Giants reportedly want him and he’s a New Yorker.
The Texans want him and he’s on record with his wish to work with Deshaun Watson and they have interviewed him.
We’ll probably be below those 2 in his wish list. Unless the Texans have the inside track on Watsons legal issues?

[otis]

doubtful on houston. watson won't play for the owners. so he would look like an ass if he went back because of the coach.

[Hiphopopotamos]

[Hiphopopotamos]

Regarding Flores carousel of OC's - the issue isn't so much that he cycled through them as much as that he just made bad hires. His first OC - Chad O'Shea was a long time Patriots WR coach who, as far as I know, wasn't on anyone else's list of prospective OC's. He had never called plays before and was in over his head.

Flores then hired Chan Gailey. The 67 year old former NFL and College head coach was enjoying retirement when Flores recruited him to Miami. Predictably that didn't work out either.

Then this last season Flores decided to stay in house (no idea how much of that was because they had fired their two previous OCs after one season) and promoted two position coaches to Co-OC title.

As I said - Flores needs to have a good answer for how he plans to handle the offense and Fields in Chicago. I think he will.

He would need more than a good answer to convince me - he would need actual names, confirmed as available and interested in the job. And some assurance from Flores that he won't fire him at least for 2 seasons. Really if we are heading down this road, I'd just target McDaniels.

McDaniels went 11-17 in Denver before being fired and then several years later completely screwed over the Colts.

The only thing he and Flores have in common is a shared former employer.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

doubtful on houston. watson won't play for the owners. so he would look like an ass if he went back because of the coach.

Could they both end up in NY?

[o-pus #40 in B major]

I like Flores, but I have to agree that George won't be comfortable with him.

[Grizzled]

He's a strong NY guy. He's also still tied to Watson but I don't see him going to Houston because of Watson's toxic relationship with the owner. NY does have 2 high 1st round picks and could send a QB back....

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I think he’s getting an unfair press. He’s no some cold uncompromising asshole. This guy cares and in his final dolphins post game interview he looked genuinely upset that he was about to lose his job

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

[Hema2.0]

Fuck me. Harbaugh better take the damn job then.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

Fuck me. Harbaugh better take the damn job then.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Fuck me. Harbaugh better take the damn job then.

Are you going to take the GM job Hema?

[wab]

I think there’s a LOT of moving parts to the whole Flores/Watson package to NY. I could see it happening, but the timing is going to have to be right.

If he brings Caldwell to the Bears with him as OC, count me in on Flores.

[The Marshall Plan]

I really don't know how to feel about a HC candidate I like who is excessively hitching his wagon to a QB who either might be going to jail or at least paying out a shit ton in settlement money for allegedly using women as prostitutes or whatever.

It's a combination of whiny summer camp I WANNA BE ON HIS TEAM crap coupled with stupidity.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I’m pretty sure the McCaskeys won’t want anything to do with Watson, so if Flores makes Watson a condition then it’ll be a “no” from us.

Watson has sat out last season and who knows if/when he’ll take another NFL snap. It’s a very stupid association from Flores. If he’s a close friend you might want to distance yourself from him. This is your career, don’t hang it on someone who’s facing legal issues.

I wonder if Flores was making demands about Watson at Miami leading to his sacking, or if he engineered his sacking to facilitate hooking up with Watson.

[Burl]

Watson is a really good QB, but before anything can happen you've got to know that (a.) he's settled his hand job/massage therapist issues and (b.) that the league isn't going to take any action against him in terms of a suspension.

Personally, I think I'd let another team take on that drama.

[HurricaneBear]

There is no way the McCaskeys are gonna let someone come in and trade Fields. Especially not for Watson(or anyone with legal troubles). George is on record as a big fan of Nagy and if reports are true, Nagy's handling of Fields was the last nail in the coffin.

If Flores won't go without Watson then Chicago is out. If Flores is as smart as some of you say then he will not be Watson or bust. And honestly, if he likes Watson that much, Fields is another hard working leader with a similar temperament as Watson with none of the off field issues. Easy jump to make that Flores would like Fields.

I'm starting to warm up to Flores if he's bringing Caldwell or a similar type as his OC. We could do alot worse than that for Fields.

[Grizzled]

I wonder if Flores would try to hire Jim Caldwell as OC? Caldwell was the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach under him in Miami in '18 but had to leave the job because of health issues. Caldwell has helped with the development of several prominent QBs and could do the same for JF.

[mshu7]

I wonder if Flores would try to hire Jim Caldwell as OC? Caldwell was the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach under him in Miami in '18 but had to leave the job because of health issues. Caldwell has helped with the development of several prominent QBs and could do the same for JF.

I think this is exactly why they requested to interview Caldwell so quickly after interviewing Flores. Also, same with their request to interview Reggie McKenzie, who has been with the dolphins the last 3 seasons.

Caldwell was supposed to be the OC in Miami with Flores until the health issues forced him to step down. I think it’s a safe assumption to think Flores’ plan is to try and bring Caldwell with him as OC.