If Rick has no influence either positive or negative that DOES NOT mean his replacement will do the same. Chances are his replacement COULD HAVE a net positive impact. btw..., having a zero sum impact doesn't mean you should KEEP your job. Negative, No, and Low, impact personnel should be replaced every year with potential positive personnel. That evaluation process should continue year after year. In sports you can't do it every year but at least every 3+ years.
Nope... just saying that sort of power usually goes with the job nowadays. Belichick has always wielded full control (with a couple of fall-guys/patsies getting the actual GM title). BOB was a high-demand coach who probably had enough of a preference list of wants/desires that the Texans met, having some sort of final say on roster/free agent/draft decisions being one of them. Kubiak had the same deal as well when he signed on... then brought in Rick Smith to be his fall guy in year 2. The fact that the fall guy survived the regime change is particularly telling as far as Smith's actual role on building this team. You can bring on a new "architect" all you want... but its only until that person brings in "his" coach that he's truly the guy in charge.
Its not just Rick Smith's fault. Its the culture of this team, from top to bottom. The coach "looks like" a no-nonsense guys who likes to drop the F bomb to show how tough he is, but when the team actually needs to be ready to play on the field, from all aspects like preparation, play calling, discipline ect. The coaching is also close to a joke. Dropping F bombs on Hard Knock may raise some eyebrows, but its getting old really fast when your team is sucking so bad and your only answer in the press was : " it starts from me, I need to do a better job." game after game. And of course, who doesn't like the owners going out to declare : NO, we are not in rebuilding mode, we still can win and compete, but then at the same time, he doesn't give a fork about how his team is performing and holding no one to be responsible for their decisions.
Isn't that part of the problem? A good GM is instrumental in constructing a good team. Even from hard knocks it was obvious he at least has a hand in how this team is built. If he isn't doing much than replace him with someone who will; if he is doing a lot than he's terrible at it and needs replacing anyway.
I'd say a good coach is slightly more instrumental... Can you name the GM of the Patriots? Or the GM of the Seahawks?(and what he was doing prior to Pete Carroll coming there?). Ozzie Newsome (who trained under Belichick for his current job) may be the last surviving old-school GM there is... the Packers guy probably as well. The Niners were knocking on the door with Harbaugh with the GM doing very little... now the GM hand-picked his "guy" and they are who they are. Thomas Dimitrioff pretty much was given the credit for building this Falcons team... then he gets fired, the coaches change, and now they're winning again with the same talent but much improved coaching scheme. A lot of NFL GM's either have a subservient working relationship with the coach, or the coach has almost as much say.
How many of you credited Rick Smith when the team went 9-7 last year after the coaching turnover with the likes of Kendrick Lewis, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Pickett, and Mike Mohamed?
mr. mcnair wont fire rck smith because then all eyes would turn to him.. mr mcnair is a business man and doesnt want the blame to fall on him. He will keep rick smith around until a miracle happens and the texans are finally a legit team
Its the nature of being an NFL GM vs. any other GM... and the power a NFL head coach has vs. other league's head coaches.
The handling of Mallett after the "woke up late incident" was one, just his overall demeanor just comes off as a non authoritative patsy.
I really wish Rick Smith knew how to tackle Devonte Freeman. Or return kicks past the 20 yard line. Or play Right Tackle. I really wish he could create turnovers like every other team seems to be able to do. But he can't. He's gotta go.
He acquired the guys who are supposed to do this and he leads the scouts who recommended these players
We've had this conversation already lol. But what the heck. How come when the team over-achieves, it is because of the coaches? But when they under-achieve, it is because of the GM? All OBrien said in his press conference was "I gotta coach better" not "Rick Smith gave me scrubs". Everyone thought Vince Wilfork was a great signing yet Freeman was killing the Texans up the middle. The coach chose the QB, not the GM.
I don't think most NFL coaches are given the same personnel liberties that Belichek is given. Especially if they're new coaches not named Chip Kelly, but he was highly sought after or was very convincing in selling the Oregon system. I would be surprised if they just handed BOB the keys to the team. He's not BB or Carroll, and Carroll still works with a strong gm. Schneider is a Ted Thompson guy. And the scouting system is still Rick's. The director of pro personnel could have been a BOB hire, but the head college scout was promoted from within after being here for 7 years. Unless the whole front office turned over within the last two years, then Rick and or Gary still have their fingerprints on this team.
Well yea BOB is the guy who chose the players. I agree and I think BOB should be fired too. But it seems like Rick goes out and overpays for guys the coaches want so he keeps his job
I will give you that but the only guys I've heard you say they overpaid are Joseph and Cushing. I guess Schaub should be included in that too. Every GM has players they have overpaid. Remember how much money Seattle paid Matt Flynn only for him to get outplayed by a rookie? Or Dallas and Roy Williams? Or Washington and Haynesworth? The list goes on. I feel the same way about Rick Smith as I did Randy Bullock. Sure you can upgrade them but you are picking the wrong position that needs the upgrade the most.
