Pollack, Carman, Humphrey, OUCH.

[Essex Johnson]

(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.

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