“It’s the Rubik’s Cube of sports.”

Hear it here!

 

Who to hire as your General Manager and coach of your team.

How do you go about getting the right combination to make it all work?

And while we’re talking, let’s add a franchise quarterback to the mix.

The more you think about it, it involves all three.

There are a bunch of NFL teams on the lookout for one or the other or all three for that matter.

If it were that easy, everybody would do it. But they can’t.

As of this writing there could have been a few hirings already made but for most the search goes on.

There is no one size fits all to this, but there are certain factors that lead to a better chance of success than others.

For one thing, if an owner is looking for a head coach before he hires a GM that’s a major trouble sign.

That puts the coach ahead of the General Manager in the organization which rarely works. The GM is in charge of building the roster including the draft and free agency.  The coach manages the players on the roster. The two usually work hand-in-hand. It’s crucial that the GM is in charge of the roster. The head coach calls the shots as to who plays. It’s as simple as that.

But when an owner, who made millions or billions in business thinks he’s smart making decisions he knows little about, that’s where the problems start.

Owners who meddle rarely win. Owners who make the right decision on the man running the organization and let him do his job are the successful ones.

Sometimes owners ask the wrong people for their opinion and run into trouble.

Now, let’s get specific.

The most in demand coach out there is John Harbaugh. But after last week’s collapse by the Green Bay Packers, Matt LaFleur may be right there with him. Apparently, that’s not going to happen. The Pack wilted the last month or so, then lost a huge lead to the hated Bears to exit the playoffs early. Meanwhile, Harbaugh was surprisingly let go by the Baltimore Ravens after their kicker missed a game-winning field goal against the Steelers that would have given the Ravens a division title and a playoff berth. Instead, Pittsburgh survived, captured the NFC North crown and a spot in post-season. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season in 19 years, but those avid Steeler fans wanted Tomlin’s scalp because he hasn’t won a playoff game in ages.

By now you know that the Texans won the game and Mike Tomlin resigned the next day.

Harbaugh, like Tomlin has been an utterly successful head coach for the most part for 18 years. They both have won a Super Bowl.  So, Harbaugh kind of has his pick of the litter.

Where will he wind up? It’ll be a team with a highly regarded quarterback, a General Manager he knows he can work with, and an owner who is stable and stays out of the picture.

I believe the Giants may be his best bet. I think they check all the boxes, if Harbaugh and GM Joe Schoen can be compatible.

The others have question marks in at least one of the three non-negotiables. The Dolphins could make sense, but they have a question at quarterback. Now, here’s a long shot. What about the Las Vegas Raiders? Can you see Harbaugh, endorsed by part-owner Tom Brady, taking the job and having Mr. Brady help develop a #1 draft pick named Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s, 6’5” Heisman Trophy winning quarterback who’s playing for the college championship against Miami on the 19th.

Maybe a long shot, maybe not.

There are other prime head coaching candidates, including Kevin Stefanski, fired in Cleveland after the season and regarded highly.

A major decision teams have to make is whether they want a proven play-caller either offense or defense, to lead their team or whether they prefer a CEO-type, who hires assistants to call the plays and manages the game himself. Sometimes play-callers are so involved with their side of the ball they don’t see the big picture. I like the CEO guy like Belichick was, and Tomlin, Harbaugh have been. But that’s my preference.

In any event, these are crucial times for teams in the market for those who will shape their franchises looking forward.

Some will strike it rich as the Bears, Patriots, and Jaguars have exhibited this season.

Others will continue on the treadmill of mediocrity.

It’s all as simple as figuring out Rubik’s Cube.