FWST Blog: Assistant director of pro scouting Brian Gaine joins Dolphins

[Dodger12]

And you don't want to get a reputation of being an owner who stands in the way of his people bettering themselves... get that rep, and nobody worth a hammered crap will ever come to work for you...

But hey, let's all rip on Jerry, for stuff that's entirely beyond his control... that's a game that seems to be extremely popular at all times in here... when you get good, people raid your talent... the Cowboys aren't the first team this has happened to, and the sky is not falling...

People raid a coaching staff, that happens all the time when a team is successful. But how many teams raid another team's front office?

And you don't want to get a reputation as a guy who vacates promotional positions below the GM level.

But let me ask you a serious and honest question Bear. Did you not cringe, at least a little, when Jerry made the comments relative to Ireland's job, how he nonchelantly described it in a minimizing way and stated that the position would not be filled? I did for two reasons: first, it changed an organizational structure that was highly successful and, second, because of how it would be viewed by other people in the personnel department.

 

[silverbear]

what's funny is, until gaines left, he probably didn't even know the name.

now it's tragedy.

I'll guarantee that NONE of the critics in this thread knew the guy's name before this thread...

 

[zrinkill]

This is what happens when you have a deluded oil man who thinks he is a bonafide NFL general manager.

Scouts know there is a ceiling to their advancement here because Jones will never give up his fake GM duties.

The ones in Dallas are constantly on the lookout for better jobs where advancement is possible.

So if the Cowboys personel heads down the shatter you know exactly who to blame yet again.

Don't blame Bill Parcells.

Blame Jerry Jones for not being man enough to admit he isn't a GM and step aside for Jeff Ireland.

I think people stopped caring about what you think when you started wishing injury and death on our own players and Owner.

 

[silverbear]

I probably have forgotten more about the Cowboys than you have ever known.

I believe you... I believe if you ever knew ANYTHING about football, you long ago forgot it... now, all you have left is this seething, mindless hatred of ol' Lizard Face... you probably don't even remember why you hate him, you just know you do...

 

[windward]

I'll guarantee that NONE of the critics in this thread knew the guy's name before this thread...

you're probably right.

 

[Alexander]

Jerry would have been an idiot to promote Ireland to GM, the guy has zero qualifications for the job...

Zero qualifications? You mean like Jerry Jones had when he installed himself as the general manager?

This statement truly shows how myopic and obtuse your train of thought here is.

If there was someone born to be an NFL personnel executive, it is Ireland. He has been preparing for it his entire life.

Don't take my word for it. Read his bio.

And once you are done, please feel free to run down Jerry Jones' list of impressive qualifications that he brought to the table his first day as a GM and compare them so we can all understand your brilliant and well thought out statement.

evaluating talent is his strength, and that's just one part of being a GM... he has to negotiate contracts, with the salary cap in mind at all times, and in that area, Jeff has no experience at all...

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Just like our novice owner did when he made himself the general manager.

 

[silverbear]

It is the perfect foil to your excessive and unfounded optimism.

The kvetching is based off a substantial and documented series of events regarding the draft and personnel from 1994-2003.

Which is precisely what makes it so completely ridiculous... 2003 was 4 years ago, Jerry's been doing just fine here lately...

But the mindless crew known as the Jerry Haters, they're just certain that he's just waiting, biding his time, for that moment when he can once again screw up the team he has so much money invested in...

Jerry Jones' track record during that time period is undeniably dismal. One thing that he was missing was a conscious. Now, he is right back to that state.

On what exactly do you base that ludicrous assertion?? The fact that his staff got raided?? How in God's name can you blame him for that??

That's actually a COMPLIMENT to his general managerial skills, that he's put together a staff filled with talent that the rest of the league covets...

 

[silverbear]

Dangit, silverbear, are you ready for the offseason of the Jerry bashers?

I've whipped better Chicken Littles than this crew just to GET to a good flame war...

 

[Dodger12]

What I am also not is one of those who has damned this team to 5-11 just because we lost a couple of scouts.

A couple of scouts? These are GM quality people with a proven track record. I wouldn't minimize their importance to the frachise; it's that type of thinking that got us into trouble before.

 

[silverbear]

This thread should just end with this post. It is dead on. The next step up for gaine is Irelands former position. The next step up from there is Stephens position, and the final step the gm is Jerry's.

Why would a talented man in his early 40s stay when the best he can accomplish is to know he has leveled off professionally. It makes no sense.

It makes no sense to move to a team where you're a good bet to FAIL, either... the Fins won't be winners for at least a couple-three years, and all of the staff associated with them while they're losers will pick up that taint, leaving them less desirable commodities when they're back on the open market...

 

[windward]

A couple of scouts? These are GM quality people with a proven track record. I wouldn't minimize their importance to the frachise; it's that type of thinking that got us into trouble before.

Regardless, losing them does not doom us to the dregs of the NFL.

 

[silverbear]

Whoa, whoa I am not talking about hiring someone immediately. We have bigger fish to fry at the moment.

OK, we're back on the same page, then... the good news is that the raiding of the roster will stop until after the playoffs...

I am not thrilled at losing Gaine and do feel that making a good hire is beneficial to the long term health of the franchise. My statement you quoted was just disappointment that we lost Gaine. What I am also not is one of those who has damned this team to 5-11 just because we lost a couple of scouts. I think Jerry will hire a solid replacement for Gaine.

Or promote somebody deserving from within...

We're on the same side of the debate here, I don't want to be a victim of friendly fire.

Well, that was actually one of the few flip remarks I've made in this thread... I was bein' funny...

 

[windward]

OK, we're back on the same page, then... the good news is that the raiding of the roster will stop until after the playoffs...



Or promote somebody deserving from within...



Well, that was actually one of the few flip remarks I've made in this thread... I was bein' funny...

Either way, I think we'll be fine.

 

[silverbear]

How is it beyond his control?

He stated in very certain terms that there was no room to advance.

You have no idea that's why Gaine left... that's just an assumption on your part...

If "out of his control" means that his ego makes it impossible, then we agree.

I think it's asinine of you and the other Jerry haters to assume he'd let that ego override his business sense... I think that he recognizes that his old way of doing things, the way you are so dead morally certain he's set on returning to, didn't work, and conversely the new approach he tried yielded positive results... and I think that recognizing that, he's WAY too smart to return to the bad old days...

And without meaning to get personal with you about this, intending this as more of a generic observation, I think it's quite idiotic of y'all to assume that he even WANTS to go back to the ways that didn't work...

As for getting people here to work, now that he has made it clear that the highest level you can attain is "assistant director of pro (or college) scouting" what up and coming personnel executive worth a "hammered crap" is going to aspire to be in that position?

Anybody who sees the job as a possible springboard to bigger and better things with another club down the line... this seems to be happening to Cowboys staffers with some frequency, come to Dallas, and find yourself a hot commodity on the open market in a couple-three years... so young, up and coming personnel executives with aspirations would be quite happy to come work out at Valley Ranch...

Jimmy Johnson didn't have too much problem finding good people when his staffers moved on to other teams, did he??

 

[theogt]

145 post thread about a guy most of you didnt even know existed 1 week ago, good times

LOL. .

 

[Alexander]

Which is precisely what makes it so completely ridiculous... 2003 was 4 years ago, Jerry's been doing just fine here lately...

With several sets of eyes helping him. Bill Parcells arrived in 2003. That changed the entire landscape, whether you or others will ever admit it. His eye for talent got this franchise back to the point it is at right now.

But the mindless crew known as the Jerry Haters, they're just certain that he's just waiting, biding his time, for that moment when he can once again screw up the team he has so much money invested in...

Nobody is stating Jones has evil intent. Nobody wants to win more than he does, I do not deny that. But he is a victim of his own ego and insecurity. Otherwise, there would be no reason to remind everyone at nearly every opportunity who exactly it is that makes the "final call".

He cannot help himself.

On what exactly do you base that ludicrous assertion?? The fact that his staff got raided?? How in God's name can you blame him for that??

You missed the point.

Bill Parcells changed the organizational structure here. In many ways, Huzienga is paying him to do exactly what he did in Dallas, which is change the environment in which decisions are made and install a system where everyone can be successful.

You are going to lose members of the staff when you are successful.

But his reluctance to replace those lost in the process is what I have an issue with.

He tore down what Parcells left and rebuilt what existed prior to his departure.

He handled the whole exodus wrong.

Instead of basically stating that this franchise was in the middle of a playoff run and he would address the front office issues after the season, he went into detail with how this was an open and shut case and that things will continue with him solely in charge and without Ireland's position. He also again had to remind everyone who was in charge and would continue to be in charge. To top it all off, he also stated he was streamlining the process and eliminating an upper level executive position.

Someone made a brilliant point earlier in that there has not been a mass exodus of individuals like this before. I have never seen anything like it.

Coaches, absolutely. Personnel executives? Never.

 

[windward]

You have no idea that's why Gaine left... that's just an assumption on your part...



I think it's asinine of you and the other Jerry haters to assume he'd let that ego override his business sense... I think that he recognizes that his old way of doing things, the way you are so dead morally certain he's set on returning to, didn't work, and conversely the new approach he tried yielded positive results... and I think that recognizing that, he's WAY too smart to return to the bad old days...

And without meaning to get personal with you about this, intending this as more of a generic observation, I think it's quite idiotic of y'all to assume that he even WANTS to go back to the ways that didn't work...



Anybody who sees the job as a possible springboard to bigger and better things with another club down the line... this seems to be happening to Cowboys staffers with some frequency, come to Dallas, and find yourself a hot commodity on the open market in a couple-three years... so young, up and coming personnel executives with aspirations would be quite happy to come work out at Valley Ranch...

Jimmy Johnson didn't have too much problem finding good people when his staffers moved on to other teams, did he??

Yeah, if I am aware that there is a certain organization that can be a springboard to further career advancement, I'd go for it. There will be no dearth of young talented scouts willing to get their legs under them in Dallas. Now it's up to Jerry to hire said people and I believe after 19 seasons as owner he knows what kind of guy he wants.

 

[silverbear]

It could have been tough to swallow because he had been talking for several days that everything was fine because he had a college director (Ciskowski) and a pro director (Gaine).

His disappointment could also be the result of having a defection he wasn't prepared for.

If you're talking about Jerry, I think you're exactly right; he was blindsided by Gaine...

But fecal matter happens, you have to roll with the punches, adapt and improvise... that's pretty much what Jerry had to do LAST offseason when Parcells up and quit on him, and that turned out OK...

So if recent history in the "adapt and improvise" department has been positive, why are you so quick to assume that this sudden need to adapt and improvise won't turn out equally well, or even better??

Jerry had his problems, but they are some years in the past... in the more recent past, he's done his job pretty damned well, actually... so I see no reason to believe he won't do a good job this offseason as well...

 

[silverbear]

The organizational structure has already reverted. There is no VP of college and pro scouting anymore. There is now the GM and two junior level assistants, well maybe even one if Jones believes that Gaine is unnecesary as well.



You are more forgiving than I am then. I have already experienced it and I don't want it repeated.

Unlike you, I won't waste my time with that kind of worry until I see a reason to worry about it... recent history suggests a repeat of what you fear is highly unlikely...

 

[theogt]

Bill Parcells changed the organizational structure here.

What, at all, did he change about the organizational structure?

Someone made a brilliant point earlier in that there has not been a mass exodus of individuals like this before. I have never seen anything like it.

Coaches, absolutely. Personnel executives? Never.

We've never had 2 personnel executives leave in the same year? Have we ever had a personnel executive leave to become a GM? Is it wholly unusual for a new GM to bring some people with him?