Post by JABF on Dec 20, 2017 15:33:01 GMT -6
Deja vu all over again... this article came out in 2014:
"Phillips' longevity should tell him this. His ability to last through so many transitions practically makes him an honorary McCaskey. At best, it's an odd dynamic rooted in loyalty but, at worst, it's one that potentially limits the Bears' ability to hire the right men now. The McCaskeys think they need Phillips' expertise. But GM and coaching candidates quietly might wonder why the family business consistently puts so much trust in the judgment of a non-football guy."
"Phillips' longevity should tell him this. His ability to last through so many transitions practically makes him an honorary McCaskey. At best, it's an odd dynamic rooted in loyalty but, at worst, it's one that potentially limits the Bears' ability to hire the right men now. The McCaskeys think they need Phillips' expertise. But GM and coaching candidates quietly might wonder why the family business consistently puts so much trust in the judgment of a non-football guy."
LINK
Ted Phillips' presence a hindrance in fixing Bears football operation
DECEMBER 30, 2014 8:28pm
I would wish Bears fans a Happy New Year but, given Ted Phillips' persistent presence as team president, it would be wasted breath because most of them already appear to have lost hope for 2015.
Surprisingly, the day after the Bears made the wildly popular moves to fire general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman, local antipathy for Phillips exceeded ecstasy for progress. The only place that might not have been true was Halas Hall, though nobody polled employees by secret ballot.
Everywhere else around town, and even the league, the inclusion of Phillips during Monday's news conference created a negative response that muted the positive results of change. Phillips sat next to Chairman George McCaskey during the 40-minute session. The Bears would have been better off with Phillips sitting in Libertyville. Unconfirmed reports have Jay Cutler inviting Phillips to sit next to him at his next podium appearance just to feel more appreciated.
As a result of Phillips' public role in shaping the message, external focus quickly shifted from everything the Bears did right in starting over to what they did wrong in keeping Phillips. Whether the media was mainstream or social, thanks to Phillips appearing alongside McCaskey, many interpretations of Monday's events buried the lead on a day intended to trumpet a bold, new era. That really should have ticked off Virginia McCaskey.
In the perception-is-reality world NFL teams live, to ignore that would be ignorant for the Bears. They don't have to like it but they cannot deny it. This process could go smoothly and still be obscured by Phillips' participation in it. The NFL Network reported that respected Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta wouldn't be interested in the Bears' GM job if Phillips still was involved in football decisions. What other quality candidates agree?
That unofficially confirmed Phillips as the Bears' Crane Kenney, the polarizing high-ranking team executive who was forced to assume a low profile for the sake of the brand. The jobs of coach and general manager of the Bears should stand out as premier positions in the NFL, attracting the best and brightest candidates. Yet idiosyncrasies inherent in the organization and the uncertainty of Phillips' actual input muddy the waters. Before the Bears can find the right people, they must establish their work environment and hierarchy as one more prone to winning than dysfunction.
In terms of optics, the next time you see Phillips should be when he shakes the hand of the new general manager or coach on the way back to his seat in the Halas Hall auditorium. However the Bears do it, they need to establish their simultaneous search for a general manager and coach as an Ernie Accorsi-George McCaskey production. If McCaskey truly has taken charge of this situation as insiders report, by George, then he would be wise to distance himself perceptually from Phillips — especially given Tuesday's reaction.
Top coach must be Bears top priority over general manager
Among other things evident in their 5-11 season, the Bears clearly have an image problem. As we bid adieu to 2014, you know it has been a remarkable year in Chicago sports when the Cubs are viewed as a baseball Shangri-la and the Bears are perceived as a football toxic-waste site. Much of the negativity surrounds Phillips, the team president since 1999 who has survived 16 seasons of mediocrity defined by the 129-127 overall record during his tenure. As recently as last week, McCaskey considered reassigning Phillips to a business-only role — a decision he should revisit — but ultimately decided the institutional knowledge and league contacts of a man who has spent 31 years with the franchise outweighed any potential PR fallout. Consider that a bigger gamble than giving up on Trestman or Emery.
If Phillips wants the Bears to benefit from his experience, behind the scenes, he will reinforce the perils of hiring a coach before the general manager. A strong chain of command depends on the general manager's compatibility with a coach he chooses — not one forced on him. It's interesting that the Bears requested permission Tuesday to interview NFL coordinators Adam Gase and Todd Bowles for their coaching vacancy, which is best filled by somebody with experience. But the names of possible GMs on their radar carry more significance because that represents the Bears' logical first move.
Phillips' longevity should tell him this. His ability to last through so many transitions practically makes him an honorary McCaskey. At best, it's an odd dynamic rooted in loyalty but, at worst, it's one that potentially limits the Bears' ability to hire the right men now. The McCaskeys think they need Phillips' expertise. But GM and coaching candidates quietly might wonder why the family business consistently puts so much trust in the judgment of a non-football guy.
It's a fair question the Bears raised themselves by inserting Phillips into the middle of the organization's most pivotal moment in years.
dhaugh@tribpub.com
Twitter @davidhaugh
Ted Phillips' presence a hindrance in fixing Bears football operation
DECEMBER 30, 2014 8:28pm
I would wish Bears fans a Happy New Year but, given Ted Phillips' persistent presence as team president, it would be wasted breath because most of them already appear to have lost hope for 2015.
Surprisingly, the day after the Bears made the wildly popular moves to fire general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman, local antipathy for Phillips exceeded ecstasy for progress. The only place that might not have been true was Halas Hall, though nobody polled employees by secret ballot.
Everywhere else around town, and even the league, the inclusion of Phillips during Monday's news conference created a negative response that muted the positive results of change. Phillips sat next to Chairman George McCaskey during the 40-minute session. The Bears would have been better off with Phillips sitting in Libertyville. Unconfirmed reports have Jay Cutler inviting Phillips to sit next to him at his next podium appearance just to feel more appreciated.
As a result of Phillips' public role in shaping the message, external focus quickly shifted from everything the Bears did right in starting over to what they did wrong in keeping Phillips. Whether the media was mainstream or social, thanks to Phillips appearing alongside McCaskey, many interpretations of Monday's events buried the lead on a day intended to trumpet a bold, new era. That really should have ticked off Virginia McCaskey.
In the perception-is-reality world NFL teams live, to ignore that would be ignorant for the Bears. They don't have to like it but they cannot deny it. This process could go smoothly and still be obscured by Phillips' participation in it. The NFL Network reported that respected Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta wouldn't be interested in the Bears' GM job if Phillips still was involved in football decisions. What other quality candidates agree?
That unofficially confirmed Phillips as the Bears' Crane Kenney, the polarizing high-ranking team executive who was forced to assume a low profile for the sake of the brand. The jobs of coach and general manager of the Bears should stand out as premier positions in the NFL, attracting the best and brightest candidates. Yet idiosyncrasies inherent in the organization and the uncertainty of Phillips' actual input muddy the waters. Before the Bears can find the right people, they must establish their work environment and hierarchy as one more prone to winning than dysfunction.
In terms of optics, the next time you see Phillips should be when he shakes the hand of the new general manager or coach on the way back to his seat in the Halas Hall auditorium. However the Bears do it, they need to establish their simultaneous search for a general manager and coach as an Ernie Accorsi-George McCaskey production. If McCaskey truly has taken charge of this situation as insiders report, by George, then he would be wise to distance himself perceptually from Phillips — especially given Tuesday's reaction.
Top coach must be Bears top priority over general manager
Among other things evident in their 5-11 season, the Bears clearly have an image problem. As we bid adieu to 2014, you know it has been a remarkable year in Chicago sports when the Cubs are viewed as a baseball Shangri-la and the Bears are perceived as a football toxic-waste site. Much of the negativity surrounds Phillips, the team president since 1999 who has survived 16 seasons of mediocrity defined by the 129-127 overall record during his tenure. As recently as last week, McCaskey considered reassigning Phillips to a business-only role — a decision he should revisit — but ultimately decided the institutional knowledge and league contacts of a man who has spent 31 years with the franchise outweighed any potential PR fallout. Consider that a bigger gamble than giving up on Trestman or Emery.
If Phillips wants the Bears to benefit from his experience, behind the scenes, he will reinforce the perils of hiring a coach before the general manager. A strong chain of command depends on the general manager's compatibility with a coach he chooses — not one forced on him. It's interesting that the Bears requested permission Tuesday to interview NFL coordinators Adam Gase and Todd Bowles for their coaching vacancy, which is best filled by somebody with experience. But the names of possible GMs on their radar carry more significance because that represents the Bears' logical first move.
Phillips' longevity should tell him this. His ability to last through so many transitions practically makes him an honorary McCaskey. At best, it's an odd dynamic rooted in loyalty but, at worst, it's one that potentially limits the Bears' ability to hire the right men now. The McCaskeys think they need Phillips' expertise. But GM and coaching candidates quietly might wonder why the family business consistently puts so much trust in the judgment of a non-football guy.
It's a fair question the Bears raised themselves by inserting Phillips into the middle of the organization's most pivotal moment in years.
dhaugh@tribpub.com
Twitter @davidhaugh
