Do GM's talk and tell each other the truth?

[NorthwestDallas40]

As Rolando McClain leaves NE without a contract, had me wondering. Do GMs have honest conversations with each other about whether or not they have or intend to make an offer to a player? Obviously, they wont divulge what the offer is, but is there an unwritten gentleman's agreement that GMs help each other call player's and agent's bluffs? i.e., if the player and agent say "we have an offer from New England" to gain leverage and drive up the price, will Bellichick tell Stephen, "no we have not made an offer"?

 

[big dog cowboy]

 

[Biggems]

I believe they are straight forward to an extent. I also think there is always an agenda behind any info they offer, which makes sense. The longer they are on the job and the more relationships they build, they probably share more info with one another, and confide in each other about players and coaches.

 

[T-RO]

I suspect it varies from one GM to the next, and there are some GMs that forge working relationships—friendships even with their peers.

Al Davis and Jerry were two owner/GMs that come to mind who seemed to have an alliance of sorts. It's probably easier if you are in different conferences.

 

[JBell]

The Houston Astros Front Office's emails were hacked last year, and the leaked discussions they had about player values and trades with other GM's sounded just like your typical fantasy league owners.

Some will be straight up with their discussions, and some will completely overestimate their player's values and try to get away with highway robbery.

I suspect it's the same thing in other major sports.

 

[Doc50]

Yes...........and no.

 

[Doomsday101]

In regards to football operation I think they are pretty forward with each other, when it comes to personnel I think it becomes a game of high stakes poker and you don't let them see the cards your holding until you have too.

 

[maxdallasfan]

GMs, all of them, have a secret meeting place, much like the Freemason's did, where they talk, devise schemes, and laugh over whiskey and cigars at the various ways to make us peasants spend more and more $$ on their teams.

We are all puppets I tell you. Puppets.

 

[jazzcat22]

GMs, all of them, have a secret meeting place, much like the Freemason's did, where they talk, devise schemes, and laugh over whiskey and cigars at the various ways to make us peasants spend more and more $$ on their teams.

We are all puppets I tell you. Puppets.

They have a decoder ring, the logo of their team. They put in hidden place inside a phone booth. Lets them in a secret part of a building posing as laundry shop.
There they all wear hoodies and sun glasses while plotting to over throw Goodell...but little they know, Kraft and Mara have Goodell in their pockets.....

JJ says...as he throws down another shot of JWB...we have traitors amongst us...we need to find the moles...you know who you are...where is my bottle of JWB, someone clean my glasses....
Rowdy runs out from behind a curtain with lens wipes....the ghost of Al Davis can be heard howling in the halls...do what you want, then sue the league like I did...what the heck can the do, you control the league, not the evil commish....rise up my fellow owners...take control....

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I think the ones who are honestly friends with one another, or have great working relationships with each other probably do to some extent.

I'll bet anything though that owners of rival franchises, or between two owners who just don't like one another, absolutely do not.

 

[jazzcat22]

Jerry Jones and Al Davis as we all know were pretty close.
IIRC, Al called Jerry and suggested he go after Haley in SF, since he was disgruntled there, and SF was with him too.

After the trade, Al called Jerry back and said...congratulations, you just won the SB...

 

[DBOY3141]

It's like any business. The more you are comfortable with the guy, be it, long time friends or even family the more honest you will be with the guy vs a complete unknown or someone you know is not on the up and up. In the end, if you are completely dishonest, you will get run out of business as no one will work with you. In the NFL, it's a small clique and your reputation will get around.

 

[visionary]

Of course
CEOs of multimillion dollar franchises are honest about their strengths and weaknesses with their direct competitors

 

[cej757]

I know San Fran pulled a fast one on Jerry the year they traded up to get the Safety Eric Reid. They told Jerry they were looking at a offensive player when all along they wanted Reid.

I remember watching the behind the scenes trade the year the Cowboys drafted Safety Roy Willams. I think the Chiefs were trying to trade with the Cowboys and I remember Jerry asking very sternly "ARE YOU TAKING ROY WILLIAMS" and the Chiefs GM was like no Jerry I promise you we're looking at a offensive player. Jerry made the trade but he was taking a huge gamble doing it.

I think it very shady on draft day and I wouldn't trust any GM.

 

[NorthwestDallas40]

Funny responses and of course no GM divulges draft strategy or the amounts of offers to free agents when other teams are competing for the same players. My question is a little more nuanced: since it is all GMs interests to call agents' bluffs about the existence of an offer, is there an unwritten "code" that GMs will be truthful with each other at least on that?

 

[DBOY3141]

I know San Fran pulled a fast one on Jerry the year they traded up to get the Safety Eric Reid. They told Jerry they were looking at a offensive player when all along they wanted Reid.

I remember watching the behind the scenes trade the year the Cowboys drafted Safety Roy Willams. I think the Chiefs were trying to trade with the Cowboys and I remember Jerry asking very sternly "ARE YOU TAKING ROY WILLIAMS" and the Chiefs GM was like no Jerry I promise you we're looking at a offensive player. Jerry made the trade but he was taking a huge gamble doing it.

I think it very shady on draft day and I wouldn't trust any GM.

Had not heard that about SF. Just curious but why would Jerry care who SF took. No way Reid was going to fall to 31. I wonder who they would have took, if they had not done the trade with SF.

 

[cej757]

Had not heard that about SF. Just curious but why would Jerry care who SF took. No way Reid was going to fall to 31. I wonder who they would have took, if they had not done the trade with SF.

Broaddus talked about it before. There were some rumblings that Dallas might take a safety and Reid was projected to go late 1st rd that year. San Fran did what they had to do I guess to get their guy. Plus Jerry and Stephen were trying like heck to trade down that year so I don't know if they really cared anyway.

 

[DBOY3141]

Broaddus talked about it before. There were some rumblings that Dallas might take a safety and Reid was projected to go late 1st rd that year. San Fran did what they had to do I guess to get their guy.

Interesting. I thought Reid went where most folks thought he would. Wonder if JJ has scratched SF off his draft list..lol.

 

[cej757]

Bill Belichek almost cost us getting Dez bryant. Jerry and Belichek had agreed to the trade and then Belichek called Ozzie Newsome and told him he was about to make a trade with Dallas and asked him if he wanted the pick instead. Ozzie said no and Dallas and New England eventually made the deal. I remember thinking there was no way Dez would make it past Baltimore because they needed a receiver that year.

Baltimore had a behind the scenes draft recap video and many people in their orginazation thought they were about to get Dez and thought Dallas jumped them. Not knowing all along that Ozzie had already talked to Belichek and turned it down.

 

[Idgit]

I imagine they're fairly forthcoming with each other when it's possible to be so, and that they're upfront in situations where they can't be. They probably even intentionally mislead each other at times, leading up to the draft, for example. That seems like it's all part of the NFL game.

In the McClain situation, for example, it might well have been in Dallas' interest to be fairly forthcoming with the reasons why they didn't offer the guy a larger contract, because that might keep other teams from blowing McClain away with an offer Dallas wouldn't match.