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Replacement GM thread
- Thread starter AcresHomesTexan
- Start date
We all seem to love the torture.
Hervoyel
BUENO!
EXACTLY! Why would anyone do that?
And didn't even get an interview with the McNair's.
More of the same, not thinking outside the box.
"work with friends and be near family" is a great example of plausible deniability.
Useful to cover the tracks in so many ways. [hehe]Unless Brian Gaine is a Rick Smith clone or he's a placeholder for Smith's return, there has to be something there when he's in "alignment" with O'Brien but Rick Smith is not.
Gaine was Smith's right hand man. So he's either a clone or there is something fundamentally different about the guy that O'Brien feels they can work together cohesively going forward.
There is a lot of chatter - locally and nationally - that Gaine was often more in agreement with O'Brien than Smith, which led to Smith letting go of such a valuable and highly respected executive to what was essentially a lateral move to an AFC competitor.
ahh, I gotcha'. I guess my point was wishing McNair would actually hire a traditional GM instead of this patchwork responsibility that leads to organizational finger pointing for the bad decisions.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
"work with friends and be near family" is a great example of plausible deniability.
That just happened to pop up in unusual circumstances right when RS wanted to dump Gaine?
Plausible deniability is more complex than plausible reality.
adama51
Walk-on
I made myself watch the Steelers game and I was shaking my head the whole time. I could've done 500 other thing but I just had to watch that game knowing the result......I just made myself sad
Reality?
We're talking on a football MB, who wants reality?
Reality is right now the Texans on field product is a mess.
Lateral FO moves to conference opponents are not that common unless someone wants someone else to be gone. Closer to family is a nice cover, but then family ain't that important at the end of the day as it pertains to career advancement.
And it's not really that complex. Gaine was in O'Brien's corner and was a threat to Smith. At the first opportunity, Smith endorsed a way to remove him without the messy public scrutiny that he has always avoided.
Obviously, both of us are speculating here. What is obvious is that the Texans thought highly of Gaine and he was really the only candidate from a four person committee and professional consultation firm other than an obligatory Rooney rule interview.
Why let someone so highly qualified and highly thought of go so easily? That sure is nice of the Texans to let quality talent go for the sole reason of being close to family. What a way to stay competitive.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Didn't say just for family. He worked with the assistant GM in Miami.
And sure we are speculating. Yours doesn't explain how Gaine just happened to be let go right when a very unusual post-draft GM change was made.
But like many things Texans, we'll likely never know.
And sure we are speculating. Yours doesn't explain how Gaine just happened to be let go right when a very unusual post-draft GM change was made.
But like many things Texans, we'll likely never know.
Porky
Hall of Fame
And the end result is exactly as I suspected - the known, safe choice without a hint of another interview with an outside candidate. I have no clue what this search firm did, but their search amounted to finding your own dick inside your own pants and claiming you were searching for others but couldn't find any. Not exactly shocking.
I get the whole senior bowl thing to a point, but it seems to me we still have scouts and the GM hire is (or should be) a long term move. It's way more important to the long term health of this team to get the GM spot right then to rush the pick so he can get to the senior bowl.
All of that said, Gaine might be a homerun, but I doubt it. This feels like BOB's water boy to me. Gaine will carry OB's water and get him what he wants where possible. So when the HC basically is in charge of the GM (an inverse pyramid) then sure, that's alignment. It's basically BOB aligning with himself.
While I am not opposed to Gaine, I'm also not excited. My reaction can be summed up as "meh". I would have rather had an outside guy with a totally fresh perspective. Someone to challenge the status quo, not implement it. Someone that will run a top down organization, not bottom up. At the very least, interview some outsiders to get....well...an outside perspective. This is like standing in an echo chamber or preaching to the choir. Does anyone really believe Gaine will turn this organization upside down or bring a ton of fresh ideas? I don't - I see status quo.
However, one thing is clear. This is now BOB's team in all facets. Sure, Gaine may be making the public moves, but BOB will be the puppet master Geppetto pulling the strings behind the scenes imo.
This upside down arrangement CAN work (see BB/NE), but will it? That remains to be seen, but I wouldn't bet any money on it. In any event, I must say that BOB is betting on himself in a huge way, and all of us should hope he wins big on that bet.
I get the whole senior bowl thing to a point, but it seems to me we still have scouts and the GM hire is (or should be) a long term move. It's way more important to the long term health of this team to get the GM spot right then to rush the pick so he can get to the senior bowl.
All of that said, Gaine might be a homerun, but I doubt it. This feels like BOB's water boy to me. Gaine will carry OB's water and get him what he wants where possible. So when the HC basically is in charge of the GM (an inverse pyramid) then sure, that's alignment. It's basically BOB aligning with himself.
While I am not opposed to Gaine, I'm also not excited. My reaction can be summed up as "meh". I would have rather had an outside guy with a totally fresh perspective. Someone to challenge the status quo, not implement it. Someone that will run a top down organization, not bottom up. At the very least, interview some outsiders to get....well...an outside perspective. This is like standing in an echo chamber or preaching to the choir. Does anyone really believe Gaine will turn this organization upside down or bring a ton of fresh ideas? I don't - I see status quo.
However, one thing is clear. This is now BOB's team in all facets. Sure, Gaine may be making the public moves, but BOB will be the puppet master Geppetto pulling the strings behind the scenes imo.
This upside down arrangement CAN work (see BB/NE), but will it? That remains to be seen, but I wouldn't bet any money on it. In any event, I must say that BOB is betting on himself in a huge way, and all of us should hope he wins big on that bet.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Texans' GM search hardly wide-ranging
By Brian T. Smith, Houston Chronicle
January 11, 2018 Updated: January 12, 2018 12:56pm
The Texans needed a search firm for this?
Seriously?
Brian Gaine's name shot to the top of the next-man-up list as soon as the latest shakeup began on Kirby Drive. The Texans' expected new general manager was employed by the team from February 2014 until May 2017. He didn't want to leave then and departed for Buffalo only because the Texans' old ways were holding him back.
But it took a nationwide "search" for the 4-12 Texans to pinpoint a rising NFL name who was working inside NRG Stadium for years?
No wonder Rick Smith received a 12-year job evaluation before the McNairs finally realized what their previous GM was lacking.
If this all works out and Bill O'Brien gets his guy along with a new contract extension, it will take years to fully evaluate whether Gaine was the right hire at the right time. But while money and years are still being finalized - more security and power for O'Brien; Gaine getting his first GM gig - it's impossible to ignore the facts that have been presented.
Owner Bob McNair bought into what O'Brien was selling and is now betting big on his demanding coach finally figuring it all out in Year Five.
O'Brien is set to enter the 2018 season out of excuses. He has a young franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson, a GM who actually has his back, and more personal influence over the roster than ever before. If the Texans fail, the next fall guy is obviously the head coach.
Jimmy Raye III, the only other candidate interviewed, also was already in the building. In a world of divided sides, Raye was viewed as a Smith guy. Which meant the moment it was decided that the Texans were sticking with O'Brien, a coach with a 31-33 career record had a 99 percent chance of getting a new GM viewed as an O'B guy.
The next time we see O'Brien, he better be beaming and dishing out high-fives. Few NFL coaches survive 4-12 and six consecutive losses to end a broken season. Fewer get it their way the year after.
Still unexplained: Why not conduct a real search? Multiple interviews with national names. A who's-who collection of executives on the rise, all yearning to build a roster around Watson.
And why did the Texans allow/force Gaine to leave in the first place?
That's the question I'm still trying to wrap my head around.
If O'Brien is coaching the Texans in the AFC championship game in a few years and Gaine has modernized the organization, it won't matter as much. But right now, the fact the Texans are about to hand a GM job to a man they pushed away eight months ago - and that they interviewed only two internal candidates during a brief, confusing search process - again tells you how conflicted Kirby was in 2017.
Much has been made of the Texans' other interview requests being denied (New England, Philadelphia), turned into a promotion (Green Bay) or simply turned down (Dallas). That's just the game being the game and the NFL's greasy machine grinding away.
The real issue is the Texans conducting a "search" that resulted in only two viable names, both of whom could have dialed McNair's home number at any point during the past year.
Raye wasn't getting the call with O'Brien already standing taller. Which means the Texans ultimately looked at just one name - the same one who was forced to head to Buffalo when the Texans overlooked him the first time. THE REST OF THE STORY
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Korn Ferry is the same firm that made the Browns the "success" they are..........involved in installing the new Browns front-office troika of Sashi Brown, Paul DePodesta and Andrew Berry.
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How to hire an NFL coach or GM: A view from the inside
The literature is typically sent out around the three-quarter mark of the season, when frustrated NFL owners realize their team is not making the playoffs and they've exhausted enough resources behind their current head coach, general manager or both.
The 18-page booklet, from executive search firm Korn Ferry, is called "The First Year Challenge: A Game Plan for General Managers and New Head Coaches," and it lays out solutions for teams in the market for new talent. It features quotes from Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri and Toronto Blue Jays CEO Mark Shapiro -- leaders of the big-thinking alternative movement that has become en vogue across major sports for the last decade. It talks about communication strategies and culture-building, talent assessment and why you need to make impactful decisions from Day 1.
It is unabashedly aimed at the top, written in a buzzword-heavy language meant to appeal to the Paul Allens or Jimmy Haslams of the world, which is why the firm has had its stamp on some of the most significant coaching and general managers of late, including Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Seahawks GM John Schneider. Of course, there were also some missteps, like former Jets GM John Idzik. Korn Ferry was most recently involved in installing the new Browns front-office troika of Sashi Brown, Paul DePodesta and Andrew Berry.
"What we try to do is, we try to get alignment around the stakeholders," Jed Hughes, the head of Korn Ferry's sports division, told me last week. "The key is alignment. Making sure the owner, general manager and head coach agree on what the plan is and how it will be executed." THE REST OF THE STORY
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Jed Hughes of Korn Ferry comments on pairing John Dorsey with the Browns
Jimmy Haslam has used Jed Hughes of Korn Ferry pretty extensively in a couple of Browns-related searches.
By Chris Pokorny@DawgsByNature Dec 28, 2017, 3:07pm EST
If you don’t remember who Jed Hughes of Korn Ferry is, check out our article on him from January 2016. He is an executive head hunter who helped lead to the hiring of Hue Jackson as the Cleveland Browns’ head coach.
This is a case where I don’t really think we can go back in time and blame Hughes for zeroing in on Jackson for the Browns, because it was seen as a big-time hire by the franchise at the time. Sometimes, things just don’t work out. Team owner Jimmy Haslam has used Korn Ferry for Flying Pilot J searches before too, so he continued using that familiarity when the team conducted its GM search during the 2017 season.
In an article with the Associated Press today, Hughes is profiled a little bit, including a quote about uniting the Browns with John Dorsey. First, much of the article touts the hirings that Hughes helped make for the Jacksonville Jaguars this year to get their franchise clicking. That segues into the Browns’ hiring of Dorsey:
The company puts together alignment sheets and an assortment of questionnaires and specs — some look as lengthy as a game plan — that reference the qualities the team or organization want, and the qualities the candidates bring. It doesn’t hurt, Hughes says, that he has long-standing friendships and bonds with so many people in the sports business.
Cleveland’s recent hiring of John Dorsey as general manager is a case in points, Hughes explains. The Browns began searching for someone much earlier in the season, and Hughes not only had a relationship with Dorsey, but recognized the skills Dorsey showed as GM in Kansas City — solid draft picks, salary cap management — were what Cleveland’s owners sought most. “He could manage a roster and a team’s assets the most effectively,” Hughes says.
In a day and age where it is difficult to keep secrets, Hughes managed to keep the entire process a secret while also fulfilling the league’s minority candidate interview requirements. Hughes also adds that because of the competitiveness of any hiring process, they do not take on more than one client at a time.
One has to wonder if Hughes advised Haslam not to conduct another head coaching search in 2018. If so, that certainly could’ve been a reason why Haslam went out of the way a few weeks ago to express the fact that Jackson would return in 2018, despite the team’s winless record.
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Seems like Korn Ferry still manages to play the game from more than one angle (Texans/Packers).
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How to hire an NFL coach or GM: A view from the inside
- By Conor Orr
- Around The NFL Writer
- Published: Nov. 30, 2016 at 01:31 p.m.
- Updated: Jan. 2, 2017 at 02:07 p.m.
The literature is typically sent out around the three-quarter mark of the season, when frustrated NFL owners realize their team is not making the playoffs and they've exhausted enough resources behind their current head coach, general manager or both.
The 18-page booklet, from executive search firm Korn Ferry, is called "The First Year Challenge: A Game Plan for General Managers and New Head Coaches," and it lays out solutions for teams in the market for new talent. It features quotes from Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri and Toronto Blue Jays CEO Mark Shapiro -- leaders of the big-thinking alternative movement that has become en vogue across major sports for the last decade. It talks about communication strategies and culture-building, talent assessment and why you need to make impactful decisions from Day 1.
It is unabashedly aimed at the top, written in a buzzword-heavy language meant to appeal to the Paul Allens or Jimmy Haslams of the world, which is why the firm has had its stamp on some of the most significant coaching and general managers of late, including Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Seahawks GM John Schneider. Of course, there were also some missteps, like former Jets GM John Idzik. Korn Ferry was most recently involved in installing the new Browns front-office troika of Sashi Brown, Paul DePodesta and Andrew Berry.
"What we try to do is, we try to get alignment around the stakeholders," Jed Hughes, the head of Korn Ferry's sports division, told me last week. "The key is alignment. Making sure the owner, general manager and head coach agree on what the plan is and how it will be executed." THE REST OF THE STORY
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Jed Hughes of Korn Ferry comments on pairing John Dorsey with the Browns
Jimmy Haslam has used Jed Hughes of Korn Ferry pretty extensively in a couple of Browns-related searches.
By Chris Pokorny@DawgsByNature Dec 28, 2017, 3:07pm EST
If you don’t remember who Jed Hughes of Korn Ferry is, check out our article on him from January 2016. He is an executive head hunter who helped lead to the hiring of Hue Jackson as the Cleveland Browns’ head coach.
This is a case where I don’t really think we can go back in time and blame Hughes for zeroing in on Jackson for the Browns, because it was seen as a big-time hire by the franchise at the time. Sometimes, things just don’t work out. Team owner Jimmy Haslam has used Korn Ferry for Flying Pilot J searches before too, so he continued using that familiarity when the team conducted its GM search during the 2017 season.
In an article with the Associated Press today, Hughes is profiled a little bit, including a quote about uniting the Browns with John Dorsey. First, much of the article touts the hirings that Hughes helped make for the Jacksonville Jaguars this year to get their franchise clicking. That segues into the Browns’ hiring of Dorsey:
The company puts together alignment sheets and an assortment of questionnaires and specs — some look as lengthy as a game plan — that reference the qualities the team or organization want, and the qualities the candidates bring. It doesn’t hurt, Hughes says, that he has long-standing friendships and bonds with so many people in the sports business.
Cleveland’s recent hiring of John Dorsey as general manager is a case in points, Hughes explains. The Browns began searching for someone much earlier in the season, and Hughes not only had a relationship with Dorsey, but recognized the skills Dorsey showed as GM in Kansas City — solid draft picks, salary cap management — were what Cleveland’s owners sought most. “He could manage a roster and a team’s assets the most effectively,” Hughes says.
In a day and age where it is difficult to keep secrets, Hughes managed to keep the entire process a secret while also fulfilling the league’s minority candidate interview requirements. Hughes also adds that because of the competitiveness of any hiring process, they do not take on more than one client at a time.
One has to wonder if Hughes advised Haslam not to conduct another head coaching search in 2018. If so, that certainly could’ve been a reason why Haslam went out of the way a few weeks ago to express the fact that Jackson would return in 2018, despite the team’s winless record.
****************************************************************************************
Seems like Korn Ferry still manages to play the game from more than one angle (Texans/Packers).
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Seems like Korn-Ferry is very overrated at their jobs.
But they've fooled owners into thinking otherwise.
But they've fooled owners into thinking otherwise.
Shishkabob
All Pro
kind of 2 pointless teams to bring up patriots gm is their head coach, Pittsburgh's has been with them since 2000. If the article teaches you anything Korn Ferry is like everyone else, sometimes they hit sometimes they miss
banned1976
sleeper mode
In a more positive tone, I'm hoping Brian Gaine can bring Tyrod Taylor over here. He took a pay cut last year to stay in Buffalo. Brandon Beane recently said he and the Bills are still looking a franchise QB. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Taylor. Bills HC Sean McDermott benched Taylor in favor of 5th round rookie Nathan Peterman in 2017. It's pretty clear Tyrod Taylor has one foot out of the door. The Bills would save 10 million in cap space by letting him go.
The Texans desperately (at least in my mind) need a capable back-up to Watson. It would be a hard sell to get him to accept a back-up role. But I think Gaine could make a deal with Buffalo to get him here. And Taylor isn't a diva QB. He's a humble guy just like Watson.
What are y'alls opinion on Tyrod Taylor to Houston?
The Texans desperately (at least in my mind) need a capable back-up to Watson. It would be a hard sell to get him to accept a back-up role. But I think Gaine could make a deal with Buffalo to get him here. And Taylor isn't a diva QB. He's a humble guy just like Watson.
What are y'alls opinion on Tyrod Taylor to Houston?
TripleTap
Dead Wood
OK, GM is not HEAD COACH, but this is how a serious NFL team conducts a serious search for an important position:
As shown on PFR’s Head Coaching Tracker, the Cardinals have cast a wide net in their search:
As shown on PFR’s Head Coaching Tracker, the Cardinals have cast a wide net in their search:
- Keith Armstrong, special teams coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed on 1/8
- James Bettcher, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed on 1/3
- John DeFilippo, quarterbacks coach (Eagles): Interviewed 1/5
- Brian Flores, linebackers coach (Patriots): Interviewed on 1/6
- Mike Munchak, offensive line coach (Steelers): Interviewed on 1/7
- Matt Patricia, defensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed on 1/6
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed on 1/5
- Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed on 1/5
- Steve Wilks, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interviewed on 1/10
Mr. White
Retired OLine Coach
I like him but I think he'll be a starter somewhere else or at least competing for a starting job.
texanhead08
All Pro
Its a lazy hire, but typical for the cheap conservative organization.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Houston Texans Rumors: Brian Gaine should be the new GM by Friday
by Brian K. Patterson1 day agoFollow @brkp1999
The Houston Texans so-called intensive general manager search has apparently ended with them tapping Brian Gaine, hiring the guy that had been the favorite all along, making the point of the team’s decision to hire a search firm moot. Here’s the skinny on how this hire will materialize and look.
Houston Texans fans — for a minute there, I wasn’t sure if the team was going to rush in hiring a general manager since things had been silent for the past week or so about the move. To be honest, there’s no rush for the team to hire a general manager as the staff that’s in place is more than capable of making sure the operation is running smoothly.
The last time I checked, Jimmy Raye III is still the assistant general manager for the Houston Texans and probably is the interim GM until their guy is in place. We all know now what likely the team knew all along.
Earlier today, Ian Rapoport reported that the Houston Texans have found their man to head up the front office:
With the deal still not official just yet, the Chron’s John McClain provided additional details about the situation with Gaine as well as Bill O’Brien‘s:
McClain also mentioned that a deal should be wrapped up by Friday and then the O’Brien’s deal will fall into lockstep with his. It’s natural for a deal like this to fall in tandem because the head coach and the general manager typically spend a lot of time working together.
Now it remains to be seen how much Rick Smith and O’Brien worked together before his leave absence but at least the Texans are doing this deal right since Gaine is their guy.
Gaine is expected to have full control of the personnel as well as the football operations side of franchise and will report directly to Bob and Cal McNair.
Since he O’Brien and he have established a positive relationship when he was the director of player personnel from the 2014-16 seasons, this may be the beginning of the two making beautiful music together or a the footnote to flawed concoction of fusion fueled with promise.
The Texans want to have his hire wrapped up before the start of the Senior Bowl at the latest — so Gaine can attend as a member of the franchise — to which the annual shindig is scheduled for Jan. 27. I’d imagine a deal will be done well before then.
My feelings are of indifference with this hire — I had a feeling this would happen and I told you all that the New England Patriots’ director of player personnel Nick Caserio would’ve been the best hire this organization could possibly make because of his exceptional versatility and keen eye to spot and poach the best talent under most circumstances.
The fact that Caserio isn’t here speaks to the fact that either he didn’t want the job or the Texans weren’t willing to wait on the Pats’ season to end to which it possibly could be in February once again. In fact, McClain notes that Bob McNair wants a deal done “sooner than later.”
But Gaine was reportedly well-respected in Texans’ front office circles so the hire will come with mostly positive fanfare from that end.
This will be the first general manager gig for Gaine as he started his journey in working with people as well as managing talent with the New York Jets (1999-04), Dallas Cowboys (2005-07) and the Miami Dolphins (2008-13) before stepping onto the scene in H-Town in the 2014 season.
My initial ask out of Gaine is that he’s more transparent than Smith, who rarely went public with any of his dealings going on. I don’t always have to know how the cow is being slaughtered but it’d help if we’d know the logic behind some of the decisions that he’s about to make moving forward.
As fans, we deserve that and I think it would certainly help usher in a new era of how a functional yet desirably transparent department of the Texans should operate.
by Brian K. Patterson1 day agoFollow @brkp1999
The Houston Texans so-called intensive general manager search has apparently ended with them tapping Brian Gaine, hiring the guy that had been the favorite all along, making the point of the team’s decision to hire a search firm moot. Here’s the skinny on how this hire will materialize and look.
Houston Texans fans — for a minute there, I wasn’t sure if the team was going to rush in hiring a general manager since things had been silent for the past week or so about the move. To be honest, there’s no rush for the team to hire a general manager as the staff that’s in place is more than capable of making sure the operation is running smoothly.
The last time I checked, Jimmy Raye III is still the assistant general manager for the Houston Texans and probably is the interim GM until their guy is in place. We all know now what likely the team knew all along.
Earlier today, Ian Rapoport reported that the Houston Texans have found their man to head up the front office:
With the deal still not official just yet, the Chron’s John McClain provided additional details about the situation with Gaine as well as Bill O’Brien‘s:
McClain also mentioned that a deal should be wrapped up by Friday and then the O’Brien’s deal will fall into lockstep with his. It’s natural for a deal like this to fall in tandem because the head coach and the general manager typically spend a lot of time working together.
Now it remains to be seen how much Rick Smith and O’Brien worked together before his leave absence but at least the Texans are doing this deal right since Gaine is their guy.
Gaine is expected to have full control of the personnel as well as the football operations side of franchise and will report directly to Bob and Cal McNair.
Since he O’Brien and he have established a positive relationship when he was the director of player personnel from the 2014-16 seasons, this may be the beginning of the two making beautiful music together or a the footnote to flawed concoction of fusion fueled with promise.
The Texans want to have his hire wrapped up before the start of the Senior Bowl at the latest — so Gaine can attend as a member of the franchise — to which the annual shindig is scheduled for Jan. 27. I’d imagine a deal will be done well before then.
My feelings are of indifference with this hire — I had a feeling this would happen and I told you all that the New England Patriots’ director of player personnel Nick Caserio would’ve been the best hire this organization could possibly make because of his exceptional versatility and keen eye to spot and poach the best talent under most circumstances.
The fact that Caserio isn’t here speaks to the fact that either he didn’t want the job or the Texans weren’t willing to wait on the Pats’ season to end to which it possibly could be in February once again. In fact, McClain notes that Bob McNair wants a deal done “sooner than later.”
But Gaine was reportedly well-respected in Texans’ front office circles so the hire will come with mostly positive fanfare from that end.
This will be the first general manager gig for Gaine as he started his journey in working with people as well as managing talent with the New York Jets (1999-04), Dallas Cowboys (2005-07) and the Miami Dolphins (2008-13) before stepping onto the scene in H-Town in the 2014 season.
My initial ask out of Gaine is that he’s more transparent than Smith, who rarely went public with any of his dealings going on. I don’t always have to know how the cow is being slaughtered but it’d help if we’d know the logic behind some of the decisions that he’s about to make moving forward.
As fans, we deserve that and I think it would certainly help usher in a new era of how a functional yet desirably transparent department of the Texans should operate.
edo783
Hall of Fame
As a person who was recruited by Korn-Ferry for an executive job in high tech I can say they are/were very thorough. By the time they put me in front of their client they knew every thing about me except perhaps my short size and they may have known that. This particular deal doesn't seem like it was constructed like their normal searches are done
TejasTom
All Pro
This deal fealt more like: We’re hiring Brian Gaine. We need you (Korn-Ferry) to publish a list of believable candidates that have legitimate excuses for us to not interview them. Thanks, here’s your check.
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banned1976
sleeper mode
How the sausage is made on Kirby is becoming more and more apparent. The McNair's really are like 5 year olds waiting to open their Christmas presents. They don't wait at all, they go up to the attic, sneakily tear a piece or two of tape off the wrapping and 9 times out of 10 the one present they open is pink bunny pajamas. If they waited they could have revealed the Red Ryder BB Gun. And shot the lens out of their glasses. Again?
I do remember steelb telling us that O'Brien said, "I just coach the players Rick gives me" (...over and over LoL)
Does that count as "blaming Rick"??
Now I've always maintained that no HC just lets the GM "throw players over the fence to him without said HC giving that player his 'okay'....
I found this looking for the quote steelb attributed to O'Brien....
https://scout.com/nfl/texans/Article/In-Focus-Bill-OBrien-on-Running-the-Houston-Texans--74901407
Bill O'Brien opens up about his relationship with Rick Smith and how they try to run the Houston Texans.
In an interview with Sports Radio 610 (Houston), O’Brien discussed how over the past four years, the two have worked together to build the Houston Texans.
“You know, Rick and I, the way that the organization is structured here, we’re partners running this football team and so my part of that partnership is to evaluate the prospects and give my opinion, and when Rick asks my opinion on certain players I give him my opinion,” O’Brien said.
When it comes to draft night, Smith remains in charge of steering the ship but works closely with O’Brien regarding the prospects in whom the team is interested. The coaching staff has strong input on the rookies brought to Houston because it will be up to the staff to teach them the Texan way.
“I’m not in charge of trading up and trading, that’s not part of my deal,” O’Brien continued. “When I come into the building on draft night, I want to be sharp in giving him a snapshot opinion when he asks me what I think of this player. He’s not gonna draft guys we don’t want, but you have to have a clear opinion; you can’t go off on a short story about a guy because there are decisions that need to be made.”
O'Brien made it a point to clarify the relationship between him and Smith, about which so many onlookers have been curious. O’Brien admitted that while the two do not always agree, he and Smith have open lines of communication at all times to keep a pulse on the team.
O’Brien explained, “If we agree on every decision, then what’s the deal there? It’s not a bed of roses, that’s just the way it is, it’s the NFL.”
“We talk all the time and we have no problem; we are at ease talking to each other. This is a very competitive business, as you know. When you’re in the season, or you’re in the offseason or you’re getting ready for the draft this is intense. It’s intense and everyone’s got opinions and in the end, when it relates to the team we’re the two decision-makers,” O’Brien stated.
If a decision cannot be agreed upon, O’Brien just follows what his contract says, which is to take the issue to owner Bob McNair. However, it has never gotten that far between O'Brien and Smith.
“Now, we agree on a lot of things, there are a lot of things we agree on, but just like any organization, any successful place, you’re going to have some disagreements in the end,” O’Brien said. “One of the things that it states in our contract is we go to Bob (McNair) if we have a disagreement. We have never had to do that, we just work it out. Maybe there’s something that Rick saw that I didn’t see or vice versa, but we’ve been able to work it out and make a decision.”
With O’Brien and Smith working side by side running the Texans, the lines of communication regarding the team stay open 24-7.
“We get along, we talk, we text, we talk on the phone, we were together yesterday,” O’Brien said of Smith. “Do we talk every day? Probably not because once I’m coaching the team it’s hard to maybe have that meeting every single day, but I’d say it’s rare that a day goes by where we don’t talk.”
“You know, Rick and I, the way that the organization is structured here, we’re partners running this football team and so my part of that partnership is to evaluate the prospects and give my opinion, and when Rick asks my opinion on certain players I give him my opinion,” O’Brien said.
When it comes to draft night, Smith remains in charge of steering the ship but works closely with O’Brien regarding the prospects in whom the team is interested. The coaching staff has strong input on the rookies brought to Houston because it will be up to the staff to teach them the Texan way.
“I’m not in charge of trading up and trading, that’s not part of my deal,” O’Brien continued. “When I come into the building on draft night, I want to be sharp in giving him a snapshot opinion when he asks me what I think of this player. He’s not gonna draft guys we don’t want, but you have to have a clear opinion; you can’t go off on a short story about a guy because there are decisions that need to be made.”
O'Brien made it a point to clarify the relationship between him and Smith, about which so many onlookers have been curious. O’Brien admitted that while the two do not always agree, he and Smith have open lines of communication at all times to keep a pulse on the team.
O’Brien explained, “If we agree on every decision, then what’s the deal there? It’s not a bed of roses, that’s just the way it is, it’s the NFL.”
“We talk all the time and we have no problem; we are at ease talking to each other. This is a very competitive business, as you know. When you’re in the season, or you’re in the offseason or you’re getting ready for the draft this is intense. It’s intense and everyone’s got opinions and in the end, when it relates to the team we’re the two decision-makers,” O’Brien stated.
If a decision cannot be agreed upon, O’Brien just follows what his contract says, which is to take the issue to owner Bob McNair. However, it has never gotten that far between O'Brien and Smith.
“Now, we agree on a lot of things, there are a lot of things we agree on, but just like any organization, any successful place, you’re going to have some disagreements in the end,” O’Brien said. “One of the things that it states in our contract is we go to Bob (McNair) if we have a disagreement. We have never had to do that, we just work it out. Maybe there’s something that Rick saw that I didn’t see or vice versa, but we’ve been able to work it out and make a decision.”
With O’Brien and Smith working side by side running the Texans, the lines of communication regarding the team stay open 24-7.
“We get along, we talk, we text, we talk on the phone, we were together yesterday,” O’Brien said of Smith. “Do we talk every day? Probably not because once I’m coaching the team it’s hard to maybe have that meeting every single day, but I’d say it’s rare that a day goes by where we don’t talk.”
I posted this - from O'Brien's own mouth - to show that Rick Smith, and now Gaine (assuming McClain is right about this hiring) did not and Gaine WILL NOT pick players without consulting with O'Brien. It was that way with Kubiak and, now, from O'Brien's own mouth, you see it was that way with him. So if we neglected the O-line or don't have enough quality depth, both the coaching staff and GM & scouts bear equal responsibility. Makes no sense to b!tch about one part over the other.
They work as a team.
For those who don't like boardroom decision making, tough nookies. That's how it is and always will be over in McNair-Land.
Enough intellectual energy expended for this morning. My leftover black-eyed peas are getting cold.
zshawn10
All Pro
5 year contracts for both Gaine and BOB
John McClain
✔@McClain_on_NFL
In 2014, Rick Smith hired Brian Gaine as director of pro personnel and promoted him to director of player personnel during his three seasons with the Texans. Gaine worked on four drafts and free agent periods for the
Texans before he left for Buffalo in May of last year.
8:59 AM - Jan 13, 2018
John McClain
✔@McClain_on_NFL
During his three seasons, including 4 drafts and 4 free agent periods, with the Texans, Brian Gaine was well-respected by the personnel, coaching and administrative staffs. His familiarity with the organization helped him get the job.
9:00 AM - Jan 13, 2018
John McClain
✔@McClain_on_NFL
Brian Gaine will have control of personnel and football operations. He'll answer to owner Bob McNair and vice chairman Cal McNair.
9:01 AM - Jan 13, 2018
John McClain
✔@McClain_on_NFL
In 2014, Rick Smith hired Brian Gaine as director of pro personnel and promoted him to director of player personnel during his three seasons with the Texans. Gaine worked on four drafts and free agent periods for the
Texans before he left for Buffalo in May of last year.
8:59 AM - Jan 13, 2018
John McClain
✔@McClain_on_NFL
During his three seasons, including 4 drafts and 4 free agent periods, with the Texans, Brian Gaine was well-respected by the personnel, coaching and administrative staffs. His familiarity with the organization helped him get the job.
9:00 AM - Jan 13, 2018
John McClain
✔@McClain_on_NFL
Brian Gaine will have control of personnel and football operations. He'll answer to owner Bob McNair and vice chairman Cal McNair.
9:01 AM - Jan 13, 2018
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
He also states in that article that Rick is responsible for moving up or down in the draft....which really is the mechanism that failed in 2014 when Rick was too patient and we were jumped twice...For all we know Bridgewater at the end of the 1st and Garappolo in the 3rd were higher on BoB’s list than Smith’s. So while both may have agreed on the actual pick they wound up making, it doesn’t necessarily mean that BoB and Smith had the same level of enthusiam about said players. BoB could’ve been hot to trot for Garappolo and wanted to move up to make sure they got him....Smith could’ve been like “I like him too, but it’s gonna cost too much to move up to get him...let’s wait it out and see if he drops to us. If he doesn’t, well we both agree Tom Savage is a good prospect so we can always go after him later in the 4th..”.
Agreement doesn’t necessarily mean “agreement” if u understand what I’m saying here.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Aaron Wilson@AaronWilson_NFL 6m6 minutes ago
Bill O'Brien and new general manager Brian Gaine have a strong rapport and mutual respect and should work well together. They meshed well when Gaine was previously with the Texans in terms of philosophy, work ethic, evaluations of talent, scheme fit, etc.
The extension and promotion for Texans senior vice president of administration Chris Olsen is a key move. Olsen is the Texans' primary contract negotiator and manages the salary cap. He also was the negotiator for the Texans on the Bill O'Brien extension and Brian Gaine contract
New Texans general manager Brian Gaine has a strong reputation around the NFL. He's a Bill Parcells disciple. He replaces Rick Smith
Bill O'Brien and new general manager Brian Gaine have a strong rapport and mutual respect and should work well together. They meshed well when Gaine was previously with the Texans in terms of philosophy, work ethic, evaluations of talent, scheme fit, etc.
The extension and promotion for Texans senior vice president of administration Chris Olsen is a key move. Olsen is the Texans' primary contract negotiator and manages the salary cap. He also was the negotiator for the Texans on the Bill O'Brien extension and Brian Gaine contract
New Texans general manager Brian Gaine has a strong reputation around the NFL. He's a Bill Parcells disciple. He replaces Rick Smith
zshawn10
All Pro
Aaron Wilson
@AaronWilson_NFL
Bill O’Brien and new general manager Brian Gaine have a strong rapport and mutual respect and should work well together. They meshed well when Gaine was previously with the Texans in terms of philosophy, work ethic, evaluations of talent, scheme fit, etc.
9:33 AM – Jan 13, 2018
Aaron Wilson
@AaronWilson_NFL
The extension and promotion for Texans senior vice president of administration Chris Olsen is a key move. Olsen is the Texans’ primary contract negotiator and manages the salary cap. He also was the negotiator for the Texans on the Bill O’Brien extension and Brian Gaine contract
9:35 AM – Jan 13, 2018
Aaron Wilson
@AaronWilson_NFL
The extension and promotion for Texans senior vice president of administration Chris Olsen is a key move. Olsen is the Texans’ primary contract negotiator and manages the salary cap. He also was the negotiator for the Texans on the Bill O’Brien extension and Brian Gaine contract
9:35 AM – Jan 13, 2018
John McClain
✔
@McClain_on_NFL
Bob McNair "One of the things I like bout Brian is that he’s been with 5 different organizations and has worked with 5 philosophies as to how to run the draft and free agency. His philosophy fits with ours. His philosophy is compatible with the culture of our organization.’
9:36 AM – Jan 13, 2018
@AaronWilson_NFL
Bill O’Brien and new general manager Brian Gaine have a strong rapport and mutual respect and should work well together. They meshed well when Gaine was previously with the Texans in terms of philosophy, work ethic, evaluations of talent, scheme fit, etc.
9:33 AM – Jan 13, 2018
Aaron Wilson
@AaronWilson_NFL
The extension and promotion for Texans senior vice president of administration Chris Olsen is a key move. Olsen is the Texans’ primary contract negotiator and manages the salary cap. He also was the negotiator for the Texans on the Bill O’Brien extension and Brian Gaine contract
9:35 AM – Jan 13, 2018
Aaron Wilson
@AaronWilson_NFL
The extension and promotion for Texans senior vice president of administration Chris Olsen is a key move. Olsen is the Texans’ primary contract negotiator and manages the salary cap. He also was the negotiator for the Texans on the Bill O’Brien extension and Brian Gaine contract
9:35 AM – Jan 13, 2018
John McClain
✔
@McClain_on_NFL
Bob McNair "One of the things I like bout Brian is that he’s been with 5 different organizations and has worked with 5 philosophies as to how to run the draft and free agency. His philosophy fits with ours. His philosophy is compatible with the culture of our organization.’
9:36 AM – Jan 13, 2018
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Mark Berman@MarkBermanFox26 19m19 minutes ago
#Texans VP/administration Chris Olsen, who negotiated the contracts for Brian Gaine and Bill O'Brian, had one year left on his contract. He's promoted to senior VP/administration and gets a 4-year extension.
#Texans VP/administration Chris Olsen, who negotiated the contracts for Brian Gaine and Bill O'Brian, had one year left on his contract. He's promoted to senior VP/administration and gets a 4-year extension.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
John McClainVerified account@McClain_on_NFL 24m24 minutes ago
Texans also extended the contract of VP of administration Chris Olsen for 4 years and promoted him to senior VP. He handled the negotiations for Gaine and O'Brien. They finished the negotiations at 3 AM.
Texans also extended the contract of VP of administration Chris Olsen for 4 years and promoted him to senior VP. He handled the negotiations for Gaine and O'Brien. They finished the negotiations at 3 AM.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Aaron Wilson@AaronWilson_NFL 23m23 minutes
Texans' contract extension for Bill O'Brien and deal for new general manager Brian Gaine both negotiated by agent Brian Ayrault of CAA.
Texans' contract extension for Bill O'Brien and deal for new general manager Brian Gaine both negotiated by agent Brian Ayrault of CAA.
Are saying O'Brien lied?
I still haven't seen anyone post a quote (or I forgot it, which is also possible) where O'Brien SAID, "I wanted Jimmy Garappolo bad and Rick wouldn't get him". Show me that or it didn't happen.
Uncle Rico
Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
Gary Kubiak Era = inherit a horrendous team .. bring it to consecutive 10+ win seasons and have one bad year ... Hit the road jack.
Bill OBrien Era = inherit a talented team. Keep them mediocre or above average. Have one bad year ... Handing out extensions, bonuses, promotions .. what galaxy am I in?
Bill OBrien Era = inherit a talented team. Keep them mediocre or above average. Have one bad year ... Handing out extensions, bonuses, promotions .. what galaxy am I in?
And instead of keeping them average, he actually dismantled them.
Particularly the OL, secondary and depth
powda
The bridge between stupid and useless is short.
I think the article has a lot of value as far as revealing the structure of decisions but I still have questions.
If a draft has 400 eligible draftees do you think the Texans board has 400 people on it? I don't.
I think that number gets trimmed down for a number of reasons - talent, character, health, scheme fit, etc. Clearly the coaching staff would play a significant role in deciding the pool of players we'd find draftable. So if the original number of players is 400 and staff narrows it down to say 80 guys we would draft, the coaching staff can say "they're all players we agreed on."
What this doesn't say is the gm wants player A in the 3rd round. The coach wants player B in the 3rd round. Who wins?
I guess my black eye peas haven't been cooked yet.
Traditionally we've got a very solid 1st round draft history. Our 2nd to 4th round picks have been an outright disaster. Rick was here for a lot of it, Ob and gain for part of it. Based on longevity alone durring that time frame I naturally find it easier to blame Rick. Maybe that's not fair. Maybe they're collectively culpable?
I'm beyond giving a damn about it anymore. What I do know is we are at best a 9-7 team until it changes.
I think a talent deficiency costs us 3-5 games a year. Poor game management by the hc costs us 2-3 games a year. Bad luck and injuries (injuries excluding the the 2017 season which saw an ungodly amount of injuries) costs us the rest in a normal season.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
C'mon, ObsiWan.............something like that doesn't get said publicly by a HC unless he leaves the organization (and not even then if he wants to maintain respect in the NFL) or retires.
Here's a hint...
Honoring Earl 34
Something Witty !
Am I missing something here ? You always say Bill left the cupboard bare but that's not what the coach does . GM is the dealer and deals the coach a hand and the coach plays the cards he's dealt .
You know me Doc, we've talked this before...C'mon, ObsiWan.............something like that doesn't get said publicly by a HC unless he leaves the organization (and not even then if he wants to maintain respect in the NFL) or retires.
bring data or
it's ...just ...a ...guess
No, they work together. The GM usually gets the players the coach wants. This has been confirmed repeatedly.
It's why we got rid of Kubiak players and went after Patriot retreads and guys for OBrien's system.
Honoring Earl 34
Something Witty !
C'mon, ObsiWan.............something like that doesn't get said publicly by a HC unless he leaves the organization (and not even then if he wants to maintain respect in the NFL) or retires.
Discount Rack Rick is always looking for a deal . I think RS thought he could get Teddy in the 2nd and JimmyG in the 3rd . Teddy was picked in the 1st and DRR picked XSF because his ace in the hole was Jimmy G who got picked in the 2nd . IMO it was a total miscalculation of where the QBs would fall and to rub salt in the wound ... XSF .
Honoring Earl 34
Something Witty !
If they work together they don't have a big rift and Bill doesn't say I only coach the players that are given to me . Brock O was a gift to Bill from Rick and the McNairs or somebody would have gotten fired .
@JaysonBraddock: @Mike_Zierlein @adamclanton They were considering Jimmy G at 33 & trading up into the first but OB loved "versatility to play all 5 OL positions" so took him over Jimmy. Had Savage in 4th to fall back on & was working trade for Mallett during draft. It was on OB.
They didn't like each other. But OBrien still got the guys he wanted
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Great source! Braddock, the local O'Brien hater from the very beginning.
Honoring Earl 34
Something Witty !
Dude ... have an original thought and then apply some critical thinking .
If you consider a QB at 33 you better take him because you're not banking on a 4th rounder to be your franchise QB . Rick missed on three other guards who are much better that were taken after XSF . Two of them in the 3rd round . They could have gone Clownney , Jimmy G , and Watson or Turner . Why do you think CJ got an extension ?
The point is he works with OBrien on the draft
Honoring Earl 34
Something Witty !
Maybe but Rick did what he wanted in the end . I think he gave CJ an extension because he picked him in the 3rd that year . XSF hits the early round bust quota for 2014 and JimmyG in the 2nd and two SEC stud guards waiting for you in the 3rd is 10x better than XSF in the 2nd and CJ in the 3rd .