Favorite GM candidates? | Page 2 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Favorite GM candidates?

Highsmith is my favorite for GM for his excellent work in GB but I'd like him to concentrate on player personnel and have someone over both him and Philbin.

Parcells old job and the guy that deals directly with Ross. That is probably the only way we get a top name to come here. Total control.

The story was Ross planned to do this all along and that's why Jeff bolted. At least that the story they put out.
 
J. David Wannyheimer said:
I think Highsmith is a legit candidate due to his connection with Philbin and the fact that the team has gone out of its way to state that it wants someone with a scouting background and who can work well within the existing organizational structure.

The two reasons he intrigues me are:

1. I think he would be more inclined to tap that South Florida pipeline of pro talent. He's from the U, he understands what we're missing out on.
2. Between the end of his NFL career and the start of his scouting career, he was a heavyweight boxer. Pretty good one. 27-1-2. In my own life, I've found that people who have diverse life experience often bring a lot of hidden assets to the table. Blows to the head might be a concern, though. :lol:
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I like Highsmith a lot. The boxing thing was off putting at first. I'd rather my potential main decision maker's hobby not involve getting hit in the head a lot, then I remembered that Bill Walsh was a boxer in college. He used to set up a speed bag in the 49ers locker room and go down there and hit it better than any guy on the team could hit it, to remind them he wasn't just some fluffy college professor type.

Another thing about Highsmith that's worth noting: he's affable. He's genuinely likeable. Given what we've had around here for, ****, since Jimmy... that's something worth factoring in.

I'm going to post a 15 minute video here, and trying to get people to watch 15 minute videos is like trying to get kids to eat their vegetables, but I'm going to do it anyway. It's an interview -- poorly filmed, it must be said -- that Highsmith did a few years ago with Eric Winston, former Hurricane and then RT of the Texans. Watch this and tell me this is not a guy who you'd be proud to have represent your team. He talks about his early life growing up in Canada, moving down to Miami, his college career and at the end gets into his career as a scout and his aspiration to be an NFL General Manager.

This is a guy players are going to be able to relate to. This is a guy who's going to know how to relate to the city of Miami, to know how to earn their trust.

[video=youtube;alRhoD3HBnM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alRhoD3HBnM[/video]

I'd doubt there'd be a Gator Day if he was the GM. They spend a good two minutes discussing their mutual hatred of the Gators. Which, hey... I'm a Gator. Didn't bother me, though.

Btw, if Winston wants to get into scouting after he's done playing, I'm hiring that guy. Has always been one of the sharpest NFL players around, and he speaks his mind bravely, too.
 
Yo Candian FinFan, suck it bro you always thumbs down my posts but then don't even contribute the thread.
 
futurescout said:
Eric DeCosta
Jason Licht
Brian Gaine
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As far as I know no effort has been made to contact Decosta. My apologies if I am wrong about this.

I really want someone from outside the organization. I really want a fresh set of eyes.
I like Gaine, based on the respect that he commands internally, but we are not a winning organization and are in no position to promote internally.

From the names listed...
Like many of you I keep cycling back to Highsmith.
Positives-
1. Really wants the job(per what folks have said)- I cannot underscore how important this is IMO. Not just coming here for career advancement or ambition but wants to be a part of our org. I think that resonates with all others around him and really get positive energy.
2. Local Guy- Really ties into the first point, but Miami Fins have a perception problem and he would go a long way to being a positive ambassador.
3. Scout/Pure Personnel Guy- This is a positive and a negative but the positive aspect is that he would cleanly fit in the way the Dolphins want to do business.
4. Green Bay History- Not only is this an enormously successful regime, but one would assume that there is homology already in place with Philbin. Our team needs to hit the ground running so we can maximize our young franchise Qb.
5. We basically will own the blueprint for GB in this years draft. Not a bad thing to have in your back pocket.

Negatives
1. Scout- Can he be effective when asked to move beyond simply scouting. Does he have the Acumen. Jeff Ireland was an excellent scout at Dallas, but failed miserably when his duties were elevated.

Ultimately Highsmith is probably the perfect fit for this , Joe Philbin, regime. Is he the perfect fit long term, down the road. Who knows?
 
TheWalrus said:
I haven't had time to go through all the announced candidates in detail, but my initial list of favorites would be in order (I'm leaving Gamble out because I don't consider him a possibility anymore, but he would be #1):

1. Ray Farmer
2. Alonzo Highsmith
3. Marc Ross
4. Jason Licht
5. Lake Dawson
6. Lionel Vital
7. Omar Khan
8. Brian Gaine
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Now that I've read a little more and thought a little more, I'm changing my order. It's now:

1. Alonzo Highsmith
2. Jason Licht
3. Lionel Vital
4. Marc Ross
5. Ray Farmer
6. Lake Dawson
7. Omar Khan
8. Brian Gaine

My reasoning boils down to this. Based on what I know of the Dolphins' current scouting staff, it's strength is on the pro personnel side. The assistant GM -- now acting GM -- Brian Gaine, came out of pro personnel. The director of pro personnel, Anthony Hunt, is considered a rising star. And Chris Shea, the assistant to Hunt, is also widely respected. Jeff Ireland come out of the college scouting side and functioned as part of that side of the scouting operation, not just the overall boss. That's why when you look over there you see Chris Grier, who's father was a longtime personnel man and at one time had a red hot reputation, and Joe Schoen, who I don't really know much about.

Long story short, I think we'd do better with a guy who's background is more in college scouting. That way we'd have at least two top names on the college scouting side to go with the three we have on the pro personnel side. If we hire a Ray Farmer, for example, that leaves us with four pro personnel guys and just two college guys, of which I've only heard good things about one.

College scouting is what Highsmith did/does. Licht has been on both sides and as I learn about him he might actually eclipse Hightower as my number one pick. Likewise Vital comes from the college scouting side, as does Ross. I listed Vital ahead of Ross because the last several Giants drafts have been abysmal, some of the worst in the league.

As far as the "buzz" I've heard about these guys... Farmer and Ross are considered the two top names. As I've said in other threads, looking at the success of these teams and judging how good these guys are at doing their jobs is a crapshoot process, at best. Nevertheless this is how my list stands right now.
 
Alonzo Highsmith, the guy is a proven winner and overall badass..

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Based on what I read in this thread, I want Alonzo Highsmith. I am assuming most of the top candidates are fairly even with their evaluation skills, so what separates it for me is his ties to Green Bay and that Philbin is still our HC. I am counting on them to be able to check their egos and work well together because no matter how they slice it when the Dolphins win, it's a feather in everybody's cap, not just the GM or just the HC.
 
TheWalrus said:
I haven't had time to go through all the announced candidates in detail, but my initial list of favorites would be in order (I'm leaving Gamble out because I don't consider him a possibility anymore, but he would be #1):

1. Ray Farmer
2. Alonzo Highsmith
3. Marc Ross
4. Jason Licht
5. Lake Dawson
6. Lionel Vital
7. Omar Khan
8. Brian Gaine
Click to expand...

I really like your top 3 and agree on Gamble.
 
Highsmith - to me - makes the most sense. Played high school and college ball in Miami, and he's been a key part of a very good scouting department. Just makes a too much sense.
 
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