DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Take it for what it is worth. Clearly the Bears and Ballard are interested. I think the Bears are lined up to meet with Ballard on Wednesday and are meeting with some other GM candidates today / tomorrow. My guess is by Friday Bears will introduce their new GM, if not sooner. @AlbertBreer: Per source, Kansas City's Chris Ballard has turned down the Jets' interview request. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connorbear Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Take it for what it is worth. Clearly the Bears and Ballard are interested. I think the Bears are lined up to meet with Ballard on Wednesday and are meeting with some other GM candidates today / tomorrow. My guess is by Friday Bears will introduce their new GM, if not sooner. Agreed. I put it at least a 50% chance that Toub is our next head coach. Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Agreed. I put it at least a 50% chance that Toub is our next head coach. Peace I guarantee they interview him and they clearly have a comfort level (which is so key in the grand scheme of things). I still think Bowles is a guy they'll put the press on, but it will probably be too late and it will take a heck of a sell job by Ballard, imo. I think Bowles is pretty much signed, sealed and delivered to the Falcons. I think once Ballard is in, we'll see him potentially branch out to some other guys who he might be comfortable with as well (on top of the existing list). I expect that it will be at that time, that you might see some experienced coaches brought in. Right now i think the Bears are focused on the hot assistants and at least having connections with them as timing is a little more critical in their regards, especially for teams still in the playoffs. Accorsi and Polian are both very high on Ballard. I also think the most interesting part of these young coaching candidates is who they have tabbed to be their coordinators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'TD' Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 It may be because the signs point towards the Jets are going to hire Marrone. It's possible he is asking for personnel decisions, especially after the supposed disapproval of the Watkins trade. Ballard turned down Lovie last year, because Lovie wanted the last say in personnel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 It may be because the signs point towards the Jets are going to hire Marrone. It's possible he is asking for personnel decisions, especially after the supposed disapproval of the Watkins trade. Ballard turned down Lovie last year, because Lovie wanted the last say in personnel. It very well might be that he has concerns over certain structural matters in New York. It isn't like he has the job in Chicago yet. He can think he has it but bottom line, until the process is over and he is extended an offer, he doesn't have the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 If Marrone is hired as GM, and Toub is hired as HC, who are the likely OC's and/or DC's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connorbear Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 If Marrone is hired as GM, and Toub is hired as HC, who are the likely OC's and/or DC's? You mean if Ballard is hired as GM. I have no idea on OC or DC. Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 It very well might be that he has concerns over certain structural matters in New York. It isn't like he has the job in Chicago yet. He can think he has it but bottom line, until the process is over and he is extended an offer, he doesn't have the job. Tell that to Dave McGinnis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 If Marrone is hired as GM, and Toub is hired as HC, who are the likely OC's and/or DC's? Looking at KC's staff, since Toub is there, I am just throwing some names out with offensive experience: Brad Childress and Tom Melvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Tell that to Dave McGinnis. Wasn't that more the Bears can't think they have someone until he has accepted our offer. Didn't we do something like schedule a press conference prior to his acceptance and that rubbed him the wrong way so he passed and than we moved on to Jauron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASHKUM BEAR Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 Ballard also declining interview with Eagles. It seems pretty clear were he is going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chitownhustla Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I wonder if the Bears are the only one offering TOTAL control and that's why he is declining the Jets and Eagles Which would mean Teddy is going to be on the business side only.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger226 Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I wonder if the Bears are the only one offering TOTAL control and that's why he is declining the Jets and Eagles Which would mean Teddy is going to be on the business side only.... kinda sounds like its a done deal, Ballard here , of which I dont like his ties to the Bears, seems to much like the same old crap. But I honestly think Toub will make a good HC if its a tag team special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chitownhustla Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 kinda sounds like its a done deal, Ballard here , of which I dont like his ties to the Bears, seems to much like the same old crap. But I honestly think Toub will make a good HC if its a tag team special. Part of me agrees. Same old same old. As others have said, he is highly touted by everyone. Either way anyone will be better than Trestman and Emery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scs787 Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 Part of me agrees. Same old same old. As others have said, he is highly touted by everyone. Either way anyone will be better than Trestman and Emery. Ya the fact that he's being so highly touted by everyone should ease everyone's mind. It isn't the Bears that are throwing fluff out there either. After reading all the good press on him I'd actually be a little disappointed if he wasn't in the conversation. Decosta has turned everyone down and Polian has said he's staying with ESPN, so Ballard seems like the next best thing and that is something everyone should want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bears4Ever_34 Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I saw somewhere that Bowles prefers Atlanta over all the other jobs. Two names I've heard connected to Ballard are Toub and Frank Reich. One of those two will probably end up as the coach if Ballard is hired, which is what it's looking like as of this moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ54 Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 When you set it up so that your best candidate is your last interview you are setting the stage for a quick hiring decision should things work out as expected. Ballard canceling visits to other teams indicates there is a strong desire on his part to let the Bears know he's all in. Ballard worked with the team for 12 years, and at a very high level. That builds a strong personal relationship among owners/management and him. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears haven't already conducted an extensive phone interview with Ballard and Wed is really the second interview. It's odd twist that on one hand we've been frustrated that DeCosta wouldn't interview for other jobs yet our top candidate Ballard has taken a somewhat similar tact focusing solely on the Bears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 When you set it up so that your best candidate is your last interview you are setting the stage for a quick hiring decision should things work out as expected. Ballard canceling visits to other teams indicates there is a strong desire on his part to let the Bears know he's all in. Ballard worked with the team for 12 years, and at a very high level. That builds a strong personal relationship among owners/management and him. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears haven't already conducted an extensive phone interview with Ballard and Wed is really the second interview. It's odd twist that on one hand we've been frustrated that DeCosta wouldn't interview for other jobs yet our top candidate Ballard has taken a somewhat similar tact focusing solely on the Bears. It is great and I think it is a similar situation (with a couple twists). I think for one hand, the familiarity Ballard has with our ownership group and structure is huge. The known is typically better than the fear of unknown. On the flipside, I also think the Bears position probably offers the most personell control. He can pick his coach and have full say where as in Philly Chip Kelly has greater control and it appears the Jets are headed down a similar path with Maronne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Luciano Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 Wasn't that more the Bears can't think they have someone until he has accepted our offer. Didn't we do something like schedule a press conference prior to his acceptance and that rubbed him the wrong way so he passed and than we moved on to Jauron? it's been a while and the rumors are a bit vague but i seem to remember that yes they did schedule a press conference before they finalized the deal. i think there was problems in regards to his assistant coaches. it seems to me that the bears wanted him to low-ball his assistants in salary and force a one year opt out deal dependent on how the bears management viewed the job they did. it was a complete mess what they wanted him to do and unheard of by any other franchise i can remember and before he would sign wanted to negotiate those terms. the bears figured it was such an honor for anyone wanting to come to chicago that he would accept anything thus the press conference. they were wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackerDog Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 the bears figured it was such an honor for anyone wanting to come to chicago that he would accept anything thus the press conference. they were wrong. I recall Mike McCaskey had a vacation scheduled or some such thing and wanted to press ahead even though all the details weren't finalized. You could be right about those details, I just don't remember. But it was such a dramatic FAIL that Mikey was fired by his mother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted January 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 One thing to think about...whomever we hire, we have to be patient with. We can't be an organization who fires another GM quickly (or another head coach in 2 years). We have to give that person the rope to literally hang themselves. That means the GM gets 2 attempts at a coach (so if he misses, he gets another shot) and the coach gets 3 years. If you don't, you quickly enter Browns / Raiders territory and that is a tough territory to get away from (as literally you won't be able to attract top talents because they won't believe they get a fair shot). PS: I think the whole cluster that happened at Halas this year was total justification to make the moves that were made (and we know I was preaching for it from week 5). However, that means more than ever, we have to get this next one right cause this time, no matter how bad you screw it up, you can't have this quick of an axe, imo. Good news is, I think Ballard is going to be a really good hire. Very charismatic, bright, great background. Type of guy you want meeting with players when trying to sign a FA and the type of guy who understands what can be coached and what can't be coached and really how to coach too, which I think helps so much from a talent evaluation perspective as well as the right traits to look for in coaching candidates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Luciano Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I recall Mike McCaskey had a vacation scheduled or some such thing and wanted to press ahead even though all the details weren't finalized. You could be right about those details, I just don't remember. But it was such a dramatic FAIL that Mikey was fired by his mother. i just don't remember all the details anymore either. it just seems to me that also they wanted some kind of control over the salaries and/or control of the assistant coaches that would have made mcginness look like an idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixote Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 It doesn't matter, McGinness looked like an idiot in Arizona, so he did not need out help to establish the fact. It was however an embarrassment. On the positive side, Mikey was exposed as the idiot we all knew he was. Hopefully we will make the correct moves to bring back respect & success to this organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearFan2000 Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I don't think we should hold past association with the Bears against either a GM or HC candidate, Ballard is very well thought of in many circles. Just because he has past connections with the Bears doesn't mean same old same old. If he's the best candidate for the job and and get the Bears back on the right track I'm all for it. From what I've heard, read, and seen the Bears are focused on getting the best guys they can. Having a connection previously or not will neither help or hinder a candidate. Just like head coach being a calm guy or a screamer or an offensive guy or a defensive guy mean less than whether or not he can lead players. There is not direct correlation to style or offensive/defensive leaning with success. It's easy to wan the opposite of what you just fired. So having had a calm/quiet coach you might want to think we need a screamer with some fire/passion. This time around does feel different than in the past. In the past the Bears would have allowed Trestman/Emery to hang around long after it was clear they needed to be gone. Firing a head coach after two seasons in Chicago is unheard of, and Emery only there 3 years. Both had 2 years left on their contracts but rather than let bad continue, the Bears made the decision based on what they felt was best for the Bears to right the ship. Whether the guys we hire to be GM and HC pan out and things start turning around remains to be seen but it's clear a change was needed and the George had the stones to make the change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixote Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 This time around does feel different than in the past. In the past the Bears would have allowed Trestman/Emery to hang around long after it was clear they needed to be gone. Firing a head coach after two seasons in Chicago is unheard of, and Emery only there 3 years. Both had 2 years left on their contracts but rather than let bad continue, the Bears made the decision based on what they felt was best for the Bears to right the ship. Whether the guys we hire to be GM and HC pan out and things start turning around remains to be seen but it's clear a change was needed and the George had the stones to make the change. I agree, it is different. When everyone was certain Emery & Trestman would get the Axe I was not so sure. The Bears have had a tendency to ride a horse into the ground. Wanny, Juaron & Lovie had long tenures as HC. Angelo was also kept around way too long. So the fact that they made these changes this quick was surprising, and quite frankly, encouraging to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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