I saw that, and find it interesting because it was only a week-10 days ago that the owner was standing behind his GM. What changed in 7-10 days? I can only speculate that HC candidates were rebuffing the Jags opportunity because of the GM? At some point, when enough candidates turn down, or walk away from the opportunity, you have to consider that the candidates aren't the problem. Kudos to the owner for taking steps to identify and attempt to rectify the issue. Time will tell if it's the right solution, but based on nothing but results during his tenure, I don't think the Jags are losing anything by moving on from Baalke.
But that makes me wonder....do the Saints have the same problem? Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson weren't even interested in TALKING to the Saints. We can speculate that Vrabel to Pats was his dream scenario and was always going to happen, but what happened with Ben Johnson? He was willing to consider the Raiders! The Raiders, for chrissakes! Since when are the Raiders a more preferable destination than the Saints, for the SAME candidate? And there's another candidate out there who I think would be an excellent HC....has done a LOT with very little, and continues to sustain it....Liam Coen of the Bucs. Why aren't we at least TALKING to this guy? I understand he turned down the opportunity to be DAs OC. I can maybe understand that....why hitch your wagon to a HC that you don't think will have a very long tenure. But why turn down the opportunity (if it was even offered....if it wasn't, shame on the Saints) to interview for the HEAD COACH position? Coen was rumored to be the front-runner for the Jags, but wanted a different GM (allegedly), and turned down the Jags to sign an extension as OC with the Bucs. Is this demonstrative of Coen's view of the Saints situation? I don't know, but I think it can't be ignored. Do the Saints have a GM problem when it comes to attracting the "HOT" candidates, whether for OC, DC, or HC. (notice I didn't say "top"....that's debatable....but I think we'd mostly agree that the "hot" candidates don't even want to talk to us). That FLOORS me, and I'm struggling for an explanation other than a perceived GM problem?
Regardless of whether the Saints GM is an impediment, or a solution, I've been saying I don't have a strong preference (yet) for any specific coach. I've just been saying in a broad and generic fashion that I want the criteria for a HC to be "we believe this guy is going to win a SB someday, and we want it to be here"; as opposed to "we think this guy can fix this mess and get us back to the playoffs." That's how I define the "swing for the bleacher seats" hire. And with that clarification, I have to admit that neither Vrabel, Johnson, Coen, and now Glenn...do not fit the criteria. How can the Saints view these guys as potential SB winners, when the coaches themselves don't see themselves winning a SB here. You gotta believe you can do something before you can show the world that you CAN, and none of those guys believe they can do it....at least not in NO. So it's "next" candidate up....
In the meantime, I think it's an honest question to be asked. Do the Saints have a perceived GM problem, like the Jags did? If we do, I still hold out hope that we land that future SB winner, like we landed CSP. Not each other's 1st choices(?), but still wildy successful in spite of that. I'll take that!