(01-07-2025, 10:59 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Breaking News: Man Gets Fired For Incompetence, Tells Anyone Who Will Listen He Was Actually Super Competent And THEY Were Holding Him Back

(01-07-2025, 11:06 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: The fact that Pollack wanted Humphrey has been well known for quite a while. It’s been discussed on this very board. Mims also just stated that Pollack was the one who “stood on the table” to draft him. Carman was 100% on Mike Brown.

As for Pollack and Zac not seeing eye to eye that was obvious. They weren’t at all a good fit. Frank comes from under center/wide zone. It was always trying to fit a square peg in a round hole with these two. The next guy needs to better suited to what Zac and Joe want to do.

(01-07-2025, 10:56 PM)samhain Wrote: No idea how valid this rumor is, but James Rapien, I believe casually dropped this tidbit yesterday: Pollack wanted the team to draft Creed Humphrey over Carman.  It was on the Locked on Bengals podcast during a discussion of the firings yesterday.

Also, don't recall of it was on that show or on Malik Wright's pod yesterday, but apparently Zac and Pollack never saw eye to eye, particularly with the run game coordination.  Zac was more or less forced to fire his homeboy in Turner, and Pollack was in the position of being the guy that ownership was familiar with.  We know how the fam loves familiarity.  

Why does this matter?  As to the Carman/Humphrey alleged overruling, you have wonder who made the call to take Carman.  Was it Zac?  Seems unlikely that it was.  Seems generally unlikely that it was a decision made by an actual current football person.  I'd say Piano Man blessing and a local background pulled on Mikey's heartstrings.  He loves local guys.  Alexander is gone, but far from forgotten in the organization.

The Carman impact was brutal.  Imagine having arguably the best center in the league to pair with the top QB in this offense.  We got a guy that started 6 games and stayed in the doghouse.  

Both tidbits should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt (If you really have no understanding of how the family historically operates).  IMO these occurrences should temper expectations in the current hiring processes.  As Big Willie once said, these guys want to hire their friends first and foremost.  Dudes they know and have worked with.  It's also unlikely that Zac wants an in-house threat to his job as a DC.  When they don't get to hire their guys, things can get dicey.  Then again, Willie also vouched for Carman......

Also, it doesn't matter what a new DC or OL coach may have as a personal vision if there's always a possibility of them being overruled by non football people up in the suites.

(Yesterday, 12:12 AM)jj22 Wrote: This was old news. Zac’s big mistake was letting BC get to Cleveland. Surely he would have wanted to coach with his son and disciple. Who stopped that from happening is the question? The FO? Zac had already shown he didn’t want Pollack when he passed him over for Turner.

MB just wanted him back to use all the practice equipment and gadgets they bought for him the first go round with the team. 

(Yesterday, 12:46 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: You can debate decisions and success but Mike Brown is not a non football petson, he played college and has been involved in nfl football since 1968

(Yesterday, 12:12 AM)jj22 Wrote: This was old news. Zac’s big mistake was letting BC get to Cleveland. Surely he would have wanted to coach with his son and disciple. Who stopped that from happening is the question? The FO? Zac had already shown he didn’t want Pollack when he passed him over for Turner.

MB just wanted him back to use all the practice equipment and gadgets they bought for him the first go round with the team. 

(Yesterday, 12:46 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: You can debate decisions and success but Mike Brown is not a non football petson, he played college and has been involved in nfl football since 1968

(Yesterday, 12:12 AM)jj22 Wrote: This was old news. Zac’s big mistake was letting BC get to Cleveland. Surely he would have wanted to coach with his son and disciple. Who stopped that from happening is the question? The FO? Zac had already shown he didn’t want Pollack when he passed him over for Turner.

MB just wanted him back to use all the practice equipment and gadgets they bought for him the first go round with the team. 

(Yesterday, 01:24 AM)pally Wrote: Bill Callahan has said more than once that he would only work on the same staff as Brian if Brian was HC.  So as long as Brian was our OC, Bill wasn’t coming here.  And as he had plenty of other opportunities, he didn’t need the job

(01-07-2025, 10:56 PM)samhain Wrote: No idea how valid this rumor is, but James Rapien, I believe casually dropped this tidbit yesterday: Pollack wanted the team to draft Creed Humphrey over Carman.  It was on the Locked on Bengals podcast during a discussion of the firings yesterday.

Also, don't recall of it was on that show or on Malik Wright's pod yesterday, but apparently Zac and Pollack never saw eye to eye, particularly with the run game coordination.  Zac was more or less forced to fire his homeboy in Turner, and Pollack was in the position of being the guy that ownership was familiar with.  We know how the fam loves familiarity.  

Why does this matter?  As to the Carman/Humphrey alleged overruling, you have wonder who made the call to take Carman.  Was it Zac?  Seems unlikely that it was.  Seems generally unlikely that it was a decision made by an actual current football person.  I'd say Piano Man blessing and a local background pulled on Mikey's heartstrings.  He loves local guys.  Alexander is gone, but far from forgotten in the organization.

The Carman impact was brutal.  Imagine having arguably the best center in the league to pair with the top QB in this offense.  We got a guy that started 6 games and stayed in the doghouse.  

Both tidbits should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt (If you really have no understanding of how the family historically operates).  IMO these occurrences should temper expectations in the current hiring processes.  As Big Willie once said, these guys want to hire their friends first and foremost.  Dudes they know and have worked with.  It's also unlikely that Zac wants an in-house threat to his job as a DC.  When they don't get to hire their guys, things can get dicey.  Then again, Willie also vouched for Carman......

Also, it doesn't matter what a new DC or OL coach may have as a personal vision if there's always a possibility of them being overruled by non football people up in the suites.

(01-07-2025, 11:06 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: The fact that Pollack wanted Humphrey has been well known for quite a while. It’s been discussed on this very board. Mims also just stated that Pollack was the one who “stood on the table” to draft him. Carman was 100% on Mike Brown.

As for Pollack and Zac not seeing eye to eye that was obvious. They weren’t at all a good fit. Frank comes from under center/wide zone. It was always trying to fit a square peg in a round hole with these two. The next guy needs to better suited to what Zac and Joe want to do.

(Yesterday, 10:47 AM)Whatever Wrote: Mike really needs to quit listening to his former coaches and players regarding draft prospects.  It was TJ who did him dirty by vouching for Burton's character issues.  These guys just play him for a sucker time and again.