Daily Rumor Mill.... Fins G.m. Gig Butt Ugly?

[CpuFan]

DAILY RUMOR MILL

by Profootballtalk editor Mike Florio

POSTED 5:38 p.m. EST, January 6, 2004

FINS G.M. GIG BUTT UGLY?

As the Miami Dolphins continue to search for a General Manager, there is growing concern that they will have trouble finding someone to take the job.

"The job would be a lot of more attractive for quality candidates if Wannstedt wasn’t on-site," said one league insider. "It wouldn’t surprise me if several of the real candidates become 'not interested' after interviewing."

Among those who are "not interested" is Bills assistant G.M. Tom Modrak, who recently characterized the position as a lateral move. Some league insiders suspect that Modrak is merely trying to save face given that he might not be the front-runner for the job. As one insider put it, "How is going from Assistant G.M. of Buffalo, living in Philly and really only an out of office Director of Player Personnel to Miami as G.M. a lateral move?"

Still, the ongoing presence of coach Dave Wannstedt in Miami arguably makes the G.M. position in Miami no more meaningful than the seat Bob Ferguson occupies in Seattle.

One person who might not be a serious contender for the job is Jaguars exec Charles Bailey. Per a league source, "There is no way that Bailey will ever possibly be anything more than a token interview based strictly on the current NFL climate. To talk about him any more is simply wasting space. He’s got no chance. The people who are trumping Bailey are probably down in Jacksonville because they want to see him leave. . . . The Dolphins are interviewing a ton of people for the job but some of that is just a league mandated smoke-screen."

The thinking is that the job will go to ESPN.com scribe Randy Mueller, Baltimore exec Phil Savage, or Tampa player personnel director Tim Ruskell, with Dolphins personnel guru Rick Spielman as a fall-back candidate who would, if given the gig, move one step ahead of the guy who used to be his boss.

Though many consider Mueller to be the leading candidate at this juncture, some within the league are scoffing at praise that was heaped on him recently by Dolphins president Eddie Jones.

In response to Jones' characterization of Mueller will work with the head coach and he's "not a me-guy," one insider told us that "Mueller is loyal to one thing: his ego and making money. Yeah, he's loyal, like when he was putting his nose up the owner of the Falcons' ***, trying to get that job when he was still G.M. of the Saints -- and trying to do the same thing in getting back to Seattle."

 

[finfan54]

Well, its not as bad as paper writers make it seem. There is defenitely interest in this job with alot of people. This is not Arizona. This is Miami where the owner stays out and pays well. This is a chance to take an already good team with a solid base of great players and take it to the next level. People like Modrak are controlled by the powers that be in buffalo. Donohoe is the key there. donohoe never liked us, thats why he didnt take the job. Now he is our enemy. thats all that is. politics. Modrak just might kick himself in the backside one day not to put himself in the ring. But to me, i wouldnt want him anyways. Ive seen some of his work.:D
I think the thing thats in the works right now with Wolf being a part time consultant with Rick Spielman as GM would be great. I just think Spielman could do so much more with the power now and he already has a relationship with Wannhandthroughhair.

 

[RHoffman]

Florio is biased against the fins

so put his article in the circular file where it belongs.

Its another Pete Prisco.

 

[Section126]

Of course.......full control of player personnel for a prized franchise like the Dolphins plus around a million and a half a year is a crappy job......:hmmm:

 

[Cranx]

Always consider the source when you're quoting PFT; they are nothing but a sensationalist rag. Some of the stuff they write is entertaining but it's rarely accurate, always inflammatory, and often completely fictitious. They have a very, very bad case of a "Napolean Complex" around there where they're the little guys (really little I might add) always challenging and calling out the big guys. The funny thing is, for all their huffing and puffing, they are completely ignored by everyone else in the industry; it's kinda' funny in fact.

Anyway, read their stuff for its entertainment value not its accuracy otherwise you're going to be disappointed since most of their "sources/moles" are mailroom mongrels who know nothing more about the team for which they work than most of us know about the 'Fins.

 

[seble24]

Not necessarily agreeing with it, but I think their point is that around the league people feel that the new GM will not have much control. They're not saying it's a bad franchise or owner or anything, just that with Wannstedt still around there are some doubts about who is in control.

 

[Mindwarp]

ill take it .. im horrible at drafts and personal moves..

 

[bigmiamifan]

That article is BS. Ruskell said today he liked his interview and the organization and it's a wait and see game and that Miami will announce next week. That doesn't sound like a guy who doesn't want the job.

Grier backed out because of miscummincation in the media IMO, and Modrak was nervous about loosing his job in Buffalo or something. I didn't want him anyway.

 

[ckparrothead]

They are just pointing out something that is a problem and that is the gray area concerning hiring and firing the head coach. Jones seems to insinuate everything from that our new GM will definitely have the ability to fire Dave Wannstedt, to that authority depending on what GM candidate we're talking about (what GM candidate wants to hear THAT? They hire you but dont give you that authority where they would have given it to a different guy?)...and now Jones talks about how no owner walks into the office and finds out his head coach is fired by the GM so the authority is limited, etc.

The problem is the current head coach is being demoted, and there's a big gray area over how much control the new GM will be given over the current head coach, who is staying no matter WHAT the GM wants. How long before Wannstedt becomes tangible to the new GM? I don't think its being made explicit to the candidates.

Then again this is all overblown. The only guys backing out are Ron Wolf, Tom Modrak and Bobby Grier...and Grier is backing out because he thinks he's not a serious contender, while Wolf just does not want to come out of retirement, and Modrak well heck league circles have been blasting Modrak for quite a while now. It seems PFT has everything right in the story except the title and premise...the idea that Miami won't be able to find someone to be their GM is absurd considering 4 guys already have committed to trying to get the job and interviewed.

I still think, based on comments, that Ruskell is the leading candidate. I think they view Savage as a numbers guy who can't see the big picture...they like Spielman but its very difficult to just have him leapfrog his old boss in authority...and contrary to what Jones said to the press I think they DO view Mueller as a "me-guy" who will have trouble working with Wannstedt. Jones just said to the papers exactly what he is afraid of with Mueller (see Freud). Ruskell on the other hand doesn't have high credentials but he did knock their socks off in interview apparently.

But they will continue trying to pry Ron Wolf out of retirement until the minute they sign papers with their new GM. I just wish now that Miami would have grabbed Tom Donahoe when we had the chance, back when we first hired Spielman.

 

[fin-atic]

Re: Florio is biased against the fins

Originally posted by RHoffman
so put his article in the circular file where it belongs.

Its another Pete Prisco.

Amen

 

[SDFinFan]

The Fins have supposedly already chosen their new GM. The series of interviews is just a "process". According to the rumor mill, our new GM will be Jimmy Johnson.

 

[musphinzfan]

Originally posted by finfan54
Well, its not as bad as paper writers make it seem. There is defenitely interest in this job with alot of people. This is not Arizona. This is Miami where the owner stays out and pays well. This is a chance to take an already good team with a solid base of great players and take it to the next level. People like Modrak are controlled by the powers that be in buffalo. Donohoe is the key there. donohoe never liked us, thats why he didnt take the job. Now he is our enemy. thats all that is. politics. Modrak just might kick himself in the backside one day not to put himself in the ring. But to me, i wouldnt want him anyways. Ive seen some of his work.:D
I think the thing thats in the works right now with Wolf being a part time consultant with Rick Spielman as GM would be great. I just think Spielman could do so much more with the power now and he already has a relationship with Wannhandthroughhair.

We want the top people here in this Org right???...Everyguy so far has shunned away from the G.M job in Miami because Wanny will still have hands on!!!.....This is where Wayne has to send Wanny packing!!!...Wanny is not working here and unfortunatly the future is a dim as hell with him on our sidelines!!!