Believe me, Ive hammered Armando for his articles as much as anyone. But, I really think he has done a fine job of sports journalism with this piece. Armando Salguero: Stephen Ross needs a (right) hand in order to clean up Miami Dolphins Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/...ando-salguero-stephen-ross.html#storylink=cpy What I like about this specific article, is Armando didnt write this as an Armando opinion piece. He actually went to an expert for this article. "So, today I offer Stephen Ross advice. No, not my advice, although he could probably use that, too. I sought out the advice of Jed Hughes, who is vice chair of the executive search firm Korn/Ferry and head of its global sports practice. Hughes coached for two decades under Chuck Noll, Bud Grant and — Ross will love this — Michigan’s Bo Schembechler, among others. He placed CEO Mark Murphy with the Green Bay Packers. He placed general manager John Idzik and club president Neil Glat with the Jets. Hughes, who has a master’s degree from Stanford and a doctorate from Michigan, has authored three books on leadership, intercollegiate sports and the sports entertainment business. So Hughes is more than just a headhunter. He’s a head-crowner." Hughes gives some very good insight into whether or not you should keep or fire a GM. The general manager pool isn’t as well-trained and sophisticated as the coaching pool,” Hughes said. “It’s much more difficult to find a qualified general manager than it is to find a qualified head coach. That’s based on normal development and who’s really out there developing and training people to become general managers. “I mean, there are so many things you have to do as a general manager now as it relates to finding talent, development of talent, scouting, operations, the pro side, the college side, free agency, contract negotiations. It’s a very, very complex job and requires decisions [by the owner hiring] whether you want talent evaluators or somebody that’s more a leader that will manage the different parts underneath it.” I think we all get caught up in talent evaluation. But, maybe we are looking at talent evaluation from the wrong viewpoint. Maybe how effective a GM is in getting the right scouts underneath him, is the most important thing. What kind of networking person is he? Personally, I think this is an area where Ireland fails. He doesnt present himself as a communicator. How receptive is he to scouts opinions? What kind of relationship does he have with personnel departments of other franchises? I will concede he did well getting Cam Wake. And some of his lower round players have done well, like Reshard Mathews...I would assume players like these were found by his scouting department.
Can't blame the scouts. Drafting in the first 3 rounds is not about the scouts, it does not take more than being a fan to draft in the first 2 rounds. But he constantly takes an approach of finding acorns which is what you do in the 7th round and FA. He is an idiot and needs to go. The right GM will show up for the first 2-3 rounds to prevent needs, coaches, scouts from having any input, and he will draft big name big college big playmakers, and then he will go home and let other draft the rest of the way.
Honestly this is just Armando continuing his effort to see Philbin and the coaching staff fired while keeping Jeff Ireland. He's been completely transparent about this for months. His position is IF Jeff Ireland goes (and he shouldn't) then the Dolphins need to clean sweep everyone. And with this piece he's essentially trying to get a football czar hired to oversee Philbin and Ireland. Which of course assumes Ireland stays.
CK...just to clarify...you DONT think Ireland should go? Also..how much of a role does a scouting department have in finding the correct players to draft? Is the first few rounds as easy as what some seem to suggest, IYO?
I think Ireland should go. What I'm saying is that for months Armando has backed Ireland and gone like an attack dog after Philbin, Aponte, the assistant coaches, pretty much everyone.not named Ireland. Sometimes he's quoted sources that said flat out untrue things, such as one source referring to the players defending Richie Incognito as "a revolt" against Philbin. He quietly edited that blog post once it came out that Philbin told the players specifically to defend themselves that day, giving them permission to comment. Armando just erased the "revolt" accusation from his source altogether as if it never happened. His critiques of Ireland have been powder puff, meant only to try and walk a tenuous line between straight up advocating for him and giving the guise of objectivity. That's where this "if Ireland goes, Philbin and everyone else have to go too" thing comes from. If everyone is fired then it looks better for Ireland as he seeks new employment. He can say in his interviews that they just hired the wrong coach and he got caught up in the consequences. If HE is fired and the coach is not, that looks bad for him as he seeks employment elsewhere. It gives everyone the impression that the owner reviewed everything and decided that he individually was the problem. So, on the heels of articles blasting Philbin, blasting Aponte, an article explaining that Jonathan Martin was approved by everyone in the draft room including and especially Philbin and Ross, an article that cane DANN CLOSE to implying an improper relationship between Philbin and Aponte, an article going full attack dog on Jim Turner for the offensive line woes (as if the talent acquisition at that spot has nothing to do with the results), and a continuing narrative throughout suggesting that if Ireland goes then everyone has to go...now we have an article that found a head hunter who said some things that are probably quoted out of context suggesting that it's difficult to find a qualified GM and you shouldn't fire your GM as easily as your head coach. BIG SURPRISE THERE. Armando turns that into a suggestion that the Dolphins need to hire Carl Peterson (who originally hired Jeff Ireland as a scout in Kansas City) to be the team Czar and oversee Ireland and Philbin (who conveniently keep their jobs).
Seriously!!! Huge games coming up in the next few weeks. I can understand a reporter doing his job but as a fan of the team I don't understand why Ireland is even on anyone's mind at this point.
There are a lot of moving parts to this situation and these types of articles. We have another one out there with Omar advocating gutting the organization if we don't go 9-7. And the team, with their archaic media policies, are partially responsible for their portrayal in the media. The way this team is portrayed you would think they are 1-9 and in the gutter with Jacksonville. This as opposed to being 5-5, coming off a huge conference win and with another big season defining game tomorrow. What I think can reasonably be assumed is that Ireland and Philbin are not in sync in terms of running the team. I see a divorce coming similar to what occurred in Pittsburgh in the early 2000's. Here, like what happened there, I see the coach winning out and actually increasing his influence over the team.
Until the investigations are complete and the season over, there is no way to really do anything but speculate and write stuff that has no foundation to suggest anything.
Could be because he provided the team with the rotating chairs with the 475# Gorillas sitting around in the locker room - and trying to play as an offensive line. As much as I defended Ireland before, with the offensive line fubar we have had this year, when fans see the pace for sacks allowed which looks like a waterfall as well as a sporadic, at best, running game - How can Ireland not be on the minds of the fans - except possibly during the course of the game..?
So where does the Ireland bias come from then with all the off-field destructive PR? Why does Armando show so much support for a GM that quite frankly is at the centre of the storm? Football CZAR? This isnt a national drugs problem or crime gang.
Basically then its a totally biased opinion based on Armando and his career and not on the general picture? I get it.
Well Mike McCarthy spoke glowingly of Philbin recently and in the past. I doubt Ireland has anyone of that statute in the league that will vouch for him like that. The sad reality is that the tepid nature of their relationship has leaked into the consciousness of the fanbase and the media so you can speculate how bad it actually is behind closed doors.
I also believe that it is imperative that Aponte and Philbin learn how to manipulate the local media better. Setting up draconian policies and ignoring the local beat writers isn't helping. You know it's bad when the mild mannered Barry Jackson starts taking some shots at Philbin like he has in recent weeks.
Phins_Fan_87: big words! hope you didn't really mean what you posted. personally, I'm in favor of keeping Ireland & I'm neither incompetent nor a fool. I'm sure there are others who might find your post a bit hubris too!
This town is a cesspool of beat writers who don't know sh&$ about football but everything about being a shock jock.
Ireland needs to go. Last year he drafted a QB in the 1st round and then openly admits to Peter King that he has no real weapons to throw to. This year he has assembled the worst OL I have ever seen. What else do you need?
I was wondering how long it would be before one of the local writers threw Carl Peterson's name out there. Despite Armando's bias, I do think the article is fairly credible since he used the quotes of a known head hunter, though he did obviously slant it towards how hard it is to hire a qualified GM. Makes me wonder what quotes he left out, considering that Jeff Ireland himself is not a qualified GM.
What do you think about the absentee owner aspect? I think someone on-site needs to be in charge but I'm not sure technology hasn't closed that gap.
I definitely think we need a President/CEO type, but I don't necessarily think that this person should be involved in personnel decisions and such. I'd like to see a set up like Green Bay where Mark Murphy is the President. My fear is that this is the way Ross will go, but it won't be Carl Peterson that acts as the on sight owner, so to speak. It will be Dawn Aponte.
I can see where you are going with this, as Ireland was 1st hired by Carl Petersen. The two are buddies and its unlikely Ireland goes if Petersen is hired to be Czar. But what if the NFL gives Ross an ultimatum - Ireland and Philbin go, or you lose draft picks, what happens then - even if Petersen is hired ?
We'll no one can really blame you for not watching other teams' offensive lines. But it does kinda explain why you're all confused.
I think if Peterson were to be hired, Ireland would be gone. I think the big reason it hasn't happened to this point is because if Carl came on board, he would want the final say over the roster and such. The only way Ireland would be retained would be if he took a demotion. Carl has experience from his KC days of running both the football and business aspects of the organization, and he would clearly want to have power over all football decisions. Carl would probably keep Joe Philbin. He was a part of that interview, and he stated that Joe's interview was the "best presentation by a coach he has ever interviewed."
Bills, Ravens, Colts, Chargers, IMO. That's just from the teams we have played so far. It's easy to pick on the OL but it's not that simple.
