Are GMs Just As Irrational As Fans?

**Area 51** · 02-21-2012, 02:10 AM

Earlier today somebody implied that a GM would have no emotional ties to players. As if fans are the only ones who let personal feelings influence their opinions and evaluations of players. I'd say most GMs get just as attached to certain players and allow it to cloud their judgements.

Teams will almost never keep a UDFA over a top draft pick or high priced FA because GMs and personnel directors never want to acknowledge they've screwed up with a bad pick or a lousy signing. Major emotional ties there, but not because it's a favourite player. Because they want to protect their jobs. As much as they like to spout off about how it's all about winning, most are more concerned with their own agenda than for the team.

Barker pulled Owens off the scrap heap in Montreal and hit on a winning lottery ticket. Major coup for Barker to get one over on Popp and Trestmen. The more hype Owens gets the smarter Barker looks - - "3,000 yards baby, 3,000 yards!" Doesn't matter if he's a liability as a receiver, just keep throwing to him and he'll catch one eventually. Pretty sure Barker doesn't have an autographed picture of Owens on his wall - - the attachment is self serving because when it comes time for performance reviews Barker can point out his great accomplishment of discovering Owens. Problem is, when it's time to sign him, Barker has to either overpay or risk losing the feather in his cap. Then the black hole, and the emotional attachment, gets even deeper. Cut him now and the "discovery" doesn't seem so fantastic, plus Barker looks like a fool for overpaying. Double whammy.

It's never about putting the best players on the field. There's always some type of pressure to do what's not best for the team - - pressure to keep the bust draft picks and lousy contracts around...pressure to hand a starting job to a pet project...pressure to look the other way from the drug use...pressure from an agent who's owed a favour and needs one of his deadbeats to make the team.

Anybody who's been in the corporate world knows what it's like when there's pressure at work and people are afraid for their jobs - - it's nothing but bag licking and backstabbing. Feeling pressure usually leads to stupid decisions. No different in football. GMs get caught up in short term panic and covering mistakes to maintain short term employment. What they should be doing is leaving the emotions out and acknowledging the screw up then getting it fixed.

**argonaut11xx** · 02-21-2012, 07:28 AM

WOW...while i agree with the concept of what your saying. I think youve completely overblown the idea.

**1argoholic** · 02-21-2012, 11:30 AM

GM's are human and fall in football love with certain players. But eventually if a player and GM stay with the same team long enough it could get difficult when the tough call has to be made about the payers future.

**Ron** · 02-21-2012, 02:31 PM

Some GM's are. And some GM's are not. Popp and Buono for example have no problems letting go of guys they were high on when the time comes.

**ArgoRavi** · 02-21-2012, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by Ron

Some GM's are. And some GM's are not. Popp and Buono for example have no problems letting go of guys they were high on when the time comes.

Well said, Ron. You have to know when to let the vets go and those two have it down to an art form. Both have let popular vets go just as Barker has been forced to do recently.