Q & A with G-man, courtesy of Observer's Jones (edited with more commentary re: draft strategy)

[heelinfine]

Johnathan Jones interviewed Dave Gettleman, and asked a few questions regarding Cam, Hardy, Smitty and the receiving  corps, as well as Rivera.  His answers were close to the vest in regards to specifics of course, but his responses pretty much re-affirm notions that he is fiscally conservative and fair-minded when it comes to contracts. He seems like a man who is willing to compromise and come to a meeting of the minds, but yet refuse to sacrifice the bigger picture by signing a bad contract, regardless of who's sitting at the other end of the negotiating table.

 

Although I believe that we are in no danger of losing Cam, as G-man seems supremely confident that all parties involves can and will come to an agreement provided that Cam wants to be here, the only thing that I can say with real surety is that Ron Rivera will not enter the season as a lame duck. As for Hardy, G-man acknowledges that the Kraken is a piece of the greater puzzle that will have to be figured out, but at the end of the day all he said is that "We'll see."

 

G-man also mentioned that he believes that there comes a time in a player's life that he has to determine whether he is going to keep chasing the biggest dollars---being a "gypsy" in effect---in lieu of the stability of being in one place where he can contend for championships, albeit with a more modest deal in terms of money and length of contract.

 

The most interesting information that I have come away with from reading this interview---because we pretty much knew everything else---is that G-man believes that life after Smitty may include some young players that are already on the sidelines, not that it's a sure thing,

I've thought many times, that if I were an NFL player, I would have course want to be compensated fairly related to my ability and performance, but I would bend as far as I could to stay on a team with the talent to win Championships year in and year out. I know that players need agents that are well versed to the legal and business side of the Game, but there are so many Rosenhause types that have hurt the NFL as a whole. I miss the days that more players finished their careers with the team they started with than players that did not.

[Kevin Greene]

.From mediocrity to one good year in 3 with Rivera.

And improving the record each year he's been here, culminating with a division title and playoff berth.  Rivera has earned an extension, and the players have been vocal about being completely behind him.  So if the team lets him go into the season as a lame duck, it will become an issue.   

 

 

 

No it won't.

[Kevin Greene]

It also undermines a head coaches authority and sends signals to players that they have no faith in the head coach.

Also coaches will spend more time trying to secure future employment, rather than be completely focused on the team.

 

 

There is a track record in Carolina and it's Jerry Richardson is frugal and will let a HC go into a season with one year left on his contract even after an 8-8 season. Witness one John Fox.

JR gave Fox a contract extension after 3 years when he took the Panthers deep in the PLayoffs two of his first 3 years extending him out 5 years even though he still had 2 years on that current contract. In the next 5 years Fox never won another PLayoff game. All stuff JR is probably considering now. Let's just slow the back slapping down.

Dom Capers coached 4 years before being let go, did he sign a 5 or more year contract I don't recall?

Seifert was only let go early after a 1-15 season.

 

 

Jerry Richardson does not like to pay Coaches who no longer work for him, if he has any reservations whatsoever about Rivera he might wait until next year to see.

I would.

[teeray]

There is a track record in Carolina and it's Jerry Richardson is frugal and will let a HC go into a season with one year left on his contract even after an 8-8 season. Witness one John Fox.

JR gave Fox a contract extension after 3 years when he took the Panthers deep in the PLayoffs two of his first 3 years extending him out 5 years even though he still had 2 years on that current contract. In the next 5 years Fox never won another PLayoff game. All stuff JR is probably considering now. Let's just slow the back slapping down.

Dom Capers coached 4 years before being let go, did he sign a 5 or more year contract I don't recall?

Seifert was only let go early after a 1-15 season.

Jerry Richardson does not like to pay Coaches who no longer work for him, if he has any reservations whatsoever about Rivera he might wait until next year to see.

I would.

That was an anomaly that had the lockout looming.

I would not use Fox situation as a precedent. If you have a coach that took a 2-14 team to a 12-4 team in just 3 seasons and don't treat him right, good luck ever hiring a quality coach again.

We would have coaching searches like the Browns this year.

[Kevin Greene]

That was an anomaly that had the lockout looming.

I would not use Fox situation as a precedent. If you have a coach that took a 2-14 team to a 12-4 team in just 3 seasons and don't treat him right, good luck ever hiring a quality coach again.

We would have coaching searches like the Browns this year.

 

 

I have no interest in giving a player or a coach a contract based on what they've done. It's what I'm confident they'll do in the future.

As far as losing assistant Coaches clearly no one is going to hire McDermott to be a head Coach this year and the Panthers wouldn't let him go when he's under contract for the same DC position elsewhere. Anyone who would like our OC is welcome to him.

 

Any potential Head Coach who couldn't see the Blue Sky in Carolina next year if Rivera failed and is let go I don't want to work for me. This is a great opportunity.

This isn't freaking Cleveland.

[teeray]

I have no interest in giving a player or a coach a contract based on what they've done. It's what I'm confident they'll do in the future.

As far as losing assistant Coaches clearly no one is going to hire McDermott to be a head Coach this year and the Panthers wouldn't let him go when he's under contract for the same DC position elsewhere. Anyone who would like our OC is welcome to him.

Any potential Head Coach who couldn't see the Blue Sky in Carolina next year if Rivera failed and is let go I don't want to work for me. This is a great opportunity.

This isn't freaking Cleveland.

Who would want to.work for a franchise that doesn't reward coaches for success?

He took at 2-14 team to 12-4 in just 3 seasons and improved their record every year.

Any decent coach would look at that and say to themselves "These guys don't take care of their coaches"

By this logic we should only sign coaches to one year contracts in perpetuity.

When future coaches get called by the Panthers the first thing they are going to do is call John Fox and Ron Rivera.

When Fox says "They didn't extend me after winning the South in 2008" and Rivera says "They didn't extend me when I won the South in 2013" any good coach in their right mind would say "I am going to wait for a better situation with better management that will take care of me when I have success"

These coaches are interested in coaching wins, but also financial and employment security. And if management is not treating their coaches in an equal or better manner than the 31 other teams, who would want to work there?

If I had a choice in the private sector between several companies, I would rather work for a company that rewards me for my successes, and not the company that looks at my success and says "Ahh you just got lucky so I am not going to give you your bonus yet"

[teeray]

BTW, the Browns have a top shelf defense and one of the most dynamic receivers in football. They also have a poo ton of first round picks.

Yet they could barely hire a coach. Management matters.

[Kevin Greene]

Who would want to.work for a franchise that doesn't reward coaches for success?

He took at 2-14 team to 12-4 in just 3 seasons and improved their record every year.

Any decent coach would look at that and say to themselves "These guys don't take care of their coaches"

By this logic we should only sign coaches to one year contracts in perpetuity.

When future coaches get called by the Panthers the first thing they are going to do is call John Fox and Ron Rivera.

When Fox says "They didn't extend me after winning the South in 2008" and Rivera says "They didn't extend me when I won the South in 2013" any good coach in their right mind would say "I am going to wait for a better situation with better management that will take care of me when I have success"

 

 

 

You can keep saying the same thing over and over but it won't change my mind.

 

 

So after 2008 you would have been in favor of extending Fox the 2 years left on his contract plus another 3 years?

5 years without a Playoff win with Fox as our HC in 2010 was enough for me, glad he wasn't extended further in 2008.

[Kevin Greene]

BTW, the Browns have a top shelf defense and one of the most dynamic receivers in football. They also have a poo ton of first round picks.

Yet they could barely hire a coach. Management matters.

 

Indeed, Management really does matter, and when Hurney was finally shown the door and Getts was brought in we upgraded our Management nicely.

 

Now what Fox and Rivera can tell prospective Head Coaches is they were allowed to coach out there contracts.

Chudzinski, Shurmaur, Mangini can all say they weren't in Cleveland.

Again, Carolina is not the shyt hole that Cleveland is. A team that has won more than 6 games only once in the last 11 years.

[teeray]

You can keep saying the same thing over and over but it won't change my mind.

So after 2008 you would have been in favor of extending Fox the 2 years left on his contract plus another 3 years?

5 years without a Playoff win with Fox as our HC in 2010 was enough for me, glad he wasn't extended further.

By that point John Fox had been coach 6/7 seasons already and had already earned a healthy paycheck. It is a completely different scenario.

I am in favor of treating coaches right. Allowing him to go lame duck would be bad for the franchise and it's future.

[Kevin Greene]

By that point John Fox had been coach 6/7 seasons already and had already earned a healthy paycheck. It is a completely different scenario.

I am in favor of treating coaches right. Allowing him to go lame duck would be bad for the franchise and it's future.

 

 

I believe Rivera is being compensated to the tune of $3 million Dollars per year currently. 

I think he's doing just fine in his current position and contract.

[teeray]

Indeed, Management really does matter, and when Hurney was finally shown the door and Getts was brought in we upgraded our Management nicely.

Now what Fox and Rivera can tell prospective Head Coaches is they were allowed to coach out there contracts.

Chudzinski, Shurmaur, Mangini can all say they weren't in Cleveland.

Again, Carolina is not the shyt hole that Cleveland is. A team that has won more than 6 games only once in the last 11 years.

All coaches would rather be rewarded for successes than coaching out their contracts.

Coaches would rather get fired and get paid for a year to map out their future than have management force them to go lame duck.

[teeray]

I believe Rivera is being compensated to the tune of $4 million Dollars per year currently.

I think he's doing just fine in his current position and contract.

Any coach would rather have security and be able to keep their assistants.

You are right, we are not the Browns. What you are suggesting is how you become the Browns.

[teeray]

KG, would you work for a company that did not reward you for your successes that puy more money in management's pocket when every other company in that field does reward their employees?

I wouldn't.