Why Interview So Many Candidates?

[Forty-six]

To this point, I believe the Bears have interviewed 9 different candidates for HC. McCarthy's interview today brings that number to 10 and the Bears literally have another 8 or 9 candidates they've requested permission to interview. Meanwhile, the Patriots have already interviewed and hired their guy, Vrabel. I cannot support this strategy which seems cartoonish, amateurish and unserious. I get wanting a wide ranging search and leaving no stone unturned. But the Bears have gone overboard. It's too much. A list of 5 or 6 guys seems normal. 10 to 20 guys? Insanity.

To me this strategy says the Bears have no defined vision of what direction they want the franchise to go in because they've interviewed old guys, young guys, OC's, DC's, pro guys, college guys, (if they interview Freeman which the Bears have expressed interest in doing), former HC's, guys with no HC experience, guys currently in the league, guys currently out of the league.

Maybe the Bears have targeted Ben Johnson but know they cannot hire him until the Lion's season is over, maybe as late as mid-February, and the Bears are just killing time. Or maybe it ends today with the hiring of McCarthy. Can anyone explain to me what the Bears are doing?

 

[JUSTFINGWIN]

Yes, they don’t know what they are doing.

 

[BearDown104]

To this point, I believe the Bears have interviewed 9 different candidates for HC. McCarthy's interview today brings that number to 10 and the Bears literally have another 8 or 9 candidates they've requested permission to interview. Meanwhile, the Patriots have already interviewed and hired their guy, Vrabel. I cannot support this strategy which seems cartoonish, amateurish and unserious. I get wanting a wide ranging search and leaving no stone unturned. But the Bears have gone overboard. It's too much. A list of 5 or 6 guys seems normal. 10 to 20 guys? Insanity.

To me this strategy says the Bears have no defined vision of what direction they want the franchise to go in because they've interviewed old guys, young guys, OC's, DC's, pro guys, college guys, (if they interview Freeman which the Bears have expressed interest in doing), former HC's, guys with no HC experience, guys currently in the league, guys currently out of the league.

Maybe the Bears have targeted Ben Johnson but know they cannot hire him until the Lion's season is over, maybe as late as mid-February, and the Bears are just killing time. Or maybe it ends today with the hiring of McCarthy. Can anyone explain to me what the Bears are doing?

No, and neither can the Bears front office.

 

[UChiLAbear]

To this point, I believe the Bears have interviewed 9 different candidates for HC. McCarthy's interview today brings that number to 10 and the Bears literally have another 8 or 9 candidates they've requested permission to interview. Meanwhile, the Patriots have already interviewed and hired their guy, Vrabel. I cannot support this strategy which seems cartoonish, amateurish and unserious. I get wanting a wide ranging search and leaving no stone unturned. But the Bears have gone overboard. It's too much. A list of 5 or 6 guys seems normal. 10 to 20 guys? Insanity.

To me this strategy says the Bears have no defined vision of what direction they want the franchise to go in because they've interviewed old guys, young guys, OC's, DC's, pro guys, college guys, (if they interview Freeman which the Bears have expressed interest in doing), former HC's, guys with no HC experience, guys currently in the league, guys currently out of the league.

Maybe the Bears have targeted Ben Johnson but know they cannot hire him until the Lion's season is over, maybe as late as mid-February, and the Bears are just killing time. Or maybe it ends today with the hiring of McCarthy. Can anyone explain to me what the Bears are doing?

Yea....they're chasing their own tails.....I agree 100% with your take.....da Bears 'strategy' in finding a coach is sickening imo.....they don't know what they really want in a coach and hoping there's a coach who can tell them what they're looking for....it's so backwards....the McCaskeys are so weak as owners of an NFL team and seem very weak as people in general. The curse of the eloping daughter continues.

 

[GoDJtop10]

If the rumors are true that ownership doesn’t want anyone using cuss words, then that would help explain why the organization is a bottom feeder and laughingstock.

 

[gallagher]

Suppose that they are targeting one from Johnson, Kingsbury, Brady and Monken (not my list, but just as an example), and yet there are more than four open HC positions. They could each choose to go elsewhere and you are stuck high and dry.

How would you identify the best option among the rest but to interview them all?

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Maybe it's because they want Ben Johnson and because they have to wait for him they have to fill that time somehow?

If that's the case then doing all these interviews to help make your organization more football smart isn't a bad idea.

 

[Neckbeard]

Their only supposed top target that they don't have to wait on is the guy they are interviewing today. Otherwise, they have to wait. No idea what the fist shaking is for from anxiety ridden Bears "fans".

 

[Rise]

Maybe it's because they want Ben Johnson and because they have to wait for him they have to fill that time somehow?

If that's the case then doing all these interviews to help make your organization more football smart isn't a bad idea.

Yeah until they get told Johnson wants the job by his agent they should operate under the assumption he doesn’t want it. Meaning keep interviewing and vetting out your preferred candidates.

They have time. The 20th is when you will start to see in person interviews for all teams and hiring after that. Johnson, unless they lose Saturday can’t be talked to until the 27th (unless you’re Tom Brady then you get to do what you want).

 

[Anytime23]

They’re hiding their incompetence behind the guise of “thoroughness”.

 

[Rise]

Their only supposed top target that they don't have to wait on is the guy they are interviewing today. Otherwise, they have to wait. No idea what the fist shaking is for from anxiety ridden Bears "fans".

Correct, and honestly where is he gunna go? He will wait it out. If I were a coach and it was here or the saints but I need to wait say 6 days for an answer I can wait. Saints really want him they will wait as well. I don’t even think Saints fans would blame him.

 

[Neckbeard]

They’re hiding their incompetence behind the guise of “thoroughness”.

Tell us what you'd do right now for interviews.

 

[Anytime23]

Tell us what you'd do right now for interviews.

Specifically, what would you like to know?

 

[Neckbeard]

Specifically, what would you like to know?

It's not a trick question. Who would you interview and when.

 

[Anytime23]

It's not a trick question. Who would you interview and when.

The only person left worthy of interviewing is McCarthy and I would have not interviewed half the names of the people they already did.

They aren’t learning anything with this “intel gathering” that people think is happening. They never learn anything. All of their thoroughness led them to Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus.

Stop wasting peoples time.

 

[Szlachcic]

I totally agree with OP take. This operation is a joke, surely they must know what kind of individual they want. Why waste time in pursuit/interview candidates knowing that some are not qualified. Why not pick few who are accomplished and spend the time and effort to thoroughly research them and start negotiations. Right now Bears seem insincere and unseries..

My 2 ₵

 

[Phibbulous]

I read a report that said they were interviewing so many candidates to get insight into how other organizations are run. The implication was they are trying to learn and change the Bears dysfunctional culture. Pretty sure it was on yardbarker so likely just speculation.

 

[modo]

There is nothing wrong with interviewing a group of successful coaches. It helps get different perspectives...

At some point it would become a circus. But this is fine...

There is no right or wrong answer here.

The Bears management needs all the perspectives they can get...

 

[DeerBrinker34]

Bears interviewing panel: "how would you fix this football team?"

All of the 47 candidates: "you need to improve significantly in the trenches on offense and defense."

George: "let's up the O-line budget from $11 to $14. That should do it."

Poles: "I think we need more DBs."

HR lady: "I think a monthly pizza party would be a really nice touch as well.

Some of these candidates must leave the interview room laughing their asses off at what a joke this front office is.

 

[Dumpster Fire]

If they interview twenty candidates and simply implement the changes that the twenty candidates agree on, the team would be much better off. I don't really care how many people they interview, assuming their #1 target is Ben Johnson who still has a job. Is Ben Johnson going to lose interest in the job because they interview a bunch of people? I would hope not, but maybe, I guess.