If its "pretty clear", by all means feel free to share any actual information supporting the fact that Joe Philbin reports directly to Jeff Ireland. I've seen nothing that actually supports that. All the information available suggests that Ireland, Philbin, and Aponte all report directly to Stephen Ross. Suggesting that the EVP of Football Operations is strictly a business-side title is pretty dubious, considering that it specifically says football in her title. Further, its nearly impossible to separate football from business. You can't set the football budget without actually being involved in football. Football and business are intertwined. Joe Philbin and Dawn Aponte's relationship goes back to last season. Aponte attended every practice, and regularly had discussions with Philbin before and after practice. It has also been reported that she had a hand in the hiring process. She is pretty rooted in the football operations.
That's pretty well normal. The number of NFL players who sign a second contract with the team that drafted them is pretty low.
It's still fascinating to me that so many people think it was so terrible to talk to a potential new coach before firing the old one. Teams and coaches, including Sparano, routinely look for replacements when someone isn't performing well long before firing or cutting the non-performer. In fact, to do any differently would be universally perceived as sub-moronic. You don't cut your starting QB until you have his replacement on the roster. You don't bench a player unless you already have someone better than him who is ready to step in. If you have a position of weakness, you wait until you have fortified it in the draft before you get rid of the guys you have. So Tony Sparano was miffed that the team was looking for his replacement while they continued to pay him (and ultimately even extend him)? Boo hoo. Sparano was not a good coach. By all indications, Harbaugh is much better. But it was far from a sure thing that we'd get Harbaugh, so they kept Sparano while they talked to Harbaugh. I realize that it was perceived as a PR blunder, but I have no problem with it. As for Ireland, his job was to advise Ross on the coaching issue. If he thought Harbaugh was a better coach than Sparano, then go try to get Harbaugh, regardless of whether your wife goes shopping with Sparano's or whether you personally like Sparano. If you think Sparano is the better coach, then that is a problem. I don't know for sure, but I suspect Ireland played a role in getting Sparano the extension when Harbaugh signed with SF and thereby did him a "solid."
Amen. It happens in the business world all the time as well. This is a combination of Harbaugh being Harbaugh and the local media's agenda.
The issue is that these things are so widely publicized. Yes, Sparano was not a good coach. How do you think players felt when the owner essentially admitted that Sparano wasn't a good coach, but they still had to play for him? It pretty much undercut Sparano's authority and hurt team morale. This does happen in the business world regularly, but its kept secret. You never want someone to know that you're considering replacing them.
I'm sure the players had no idea that Sparano was horrible coach until they tried to hire Harbaugh...........
They likely did, but they never had the owner acknowledge it. Once the owner says it, but still sticks with Sparano, its essentially telling the players they're being set up for failure.
95% of it is low information, emotion based posting that could just as easily be filtered to Soapbox.
At this point, you have to be trolling. The existence of a relationship is not at issue. Of course they have a relationship, they both hold high level titles in an NFL franchise. It would be singular if they didn't. The fact that Philbin apparently takes his advice from Aponte, going so far as to meet with her before every press conference, is at issue. That is highly irregular. Name other NFL franchises that operate in this manner, because I know of none.
Translation: no evidence that supports your theory. Its pretty common for a head coach to take advice from football executives. I'm not sure how this is even controversial.
So I'm clear, grown men who know their coach is bad are completely fine playing for the loser coach UNLESS the owner admits it? I mean you're actually arguing that they have less hope if the owner tries to replace or is at least aware the coach sucks.
I think you can classify it as controversial due to the manner and frequency with which Philbin and Aponte meet. I mean, she's fixing his tie during a radio show; that's strange if nothing else.
