Selling the job

[Mr. Scot]

In a lot of ways, our current head coaching interview process feels reversed. We're trying to convince somebody to come take the job because it doesn't exactly sell itself.

So how do you do that?

The most obvious selling points are big money and control, but what team with an opening doesn't offer those things? Might Tepper pay a few million more than another guy? Sure, but at the NFL level of competition, that doesn't really guarantee anything.

What, then, are the other selling points you use to try and convince someone to throw their future into the Panthers?

...

Commitment to total no ownership interference absolutely must be one of them, of course. That's non-negotiable.

Here's one that I doubt everyone would agree on, though...

You gotta sell Bryce Young as a current positive.

It's likely impossible to pretend Young isn't the team's commitment right now, so don't try.

Let the candidates talk to Young and see whether they click with him.

If they don't, then c'est la vie, but the reality is you can't trick somebody into taking a job and then expect them to be passionate about doing it.

So don't try...

These are my thoughts. I'm interested in hearing what others have. And yeah, I know there are some who will say there's not a single thing we can offer.

But I gotta ask

Edited January 15, 2024 by Mr. Scot

[Captroop]

6 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

You gotta sell Bryce Young as a current positive.

This is a losing proposition. You're gonna scare off any quality candidate if they think they're hitching their wagon to Young's star. 

I'd sell it as, "he's your QB this year, try to make it work. Next year, it's your pick at QB and I'll have no say in if whether it's Bryce or not."

I don't believe in sunk cost fallacy, so building a roster and hiring a staff that's dedicated to propping up Young is a bad idea. Rather we should start positioning for our post-Bryce future. 

[Mr. Scot]

5 minutes ago, Captroop said:

This is a losing proposition. You're gonna scare off any quality candidate if they think they're hitching their wagon to Young's star. 

I'd sell it as, "he's your QB this year, try to make it work. Next year, it's your pick at QB and I'll have no say in if whether it's Bryce or not."

I don't believe in sunk cost fallacy, so building a roster and hiring a staff that's dedicated to propping up Young is a bad idea. Rather we should start positioning for our post-Bryce future. 

It might be, but I think that's a chance you have to take.

I get why people would disagree though...

[mrcompletely11]

6 minutes ago, Captroop said:

 

I'd sell it as, "he's your QB this year, try to make it work. Next year, it's your pick at QB and I'll have no say in if whether it's Bryce or not."

 

I agree 1000% however there is no way that is what tepper or any gm is telling a coach

[Waldo]

It's going to be such dud hires again. There are zero signs Tepper is going hands off enough to succeed. He already broke the S2 and next up is Sportsorgy or whatever.

Not forcing your staff and players as more than maybies would be a huge step forward but that doesn't look on the table. It all feels backwards and not even a new approach for a failing team. There are so few positives it's really amazing the implosion Tepper has achieved.

[OldhamA]

34 minutes ago, Captroop said:

This is a losing proposition. You're gonna scare off any quality candidate if they think they're hitching their wagon to Young's star. 

I'd sell it as, "he's your QB this year, try to make it work. Next year, it's your pick at QB and I'll have no say in if whether it's Bryce or not."

I don't believe in sunk cost fallacy, so building a roster and hiring a staff that's dedicated to propping up Young is a bad idea. Rather we should start positioning for our post-Bryce future. 

I think it's the opposite.

Bryce Young is the elephant in the room that needs to be addressed in the interviews. Everything from "How would you tailor an offence around his skillset" to "What would your plan be to move on from him this season" should be on the table. 

Sadly I don't think Tepper is man enough for that conversation, so he'll force Young, Tabor and Evero on the next guy. 

[Davidson Deac II]

50 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

You gotta sell Bryce Young as a current positive.

 

How I would sell it is this.

The perspective coach has one year to judge whether Bryce can be an effective NFL qb.  If he can, then great.  If not, then the new coach is very likely to have a high draft pick to grab someone new.  

[Mr. Scot]

Just now, Davidson Deac II said:

How I would sell it is this.

The perspective coach has one year to judge whether Bryce can be an effective NFL qb.  If he can, then great.  If not, then the new coach is very likely to have a high draft pick to grab someone new.  

I wouldn't argue with that.

I do think having the candidates communicate with Bryce directly should be part of the process though if for no other purpose than chemistry.

This is who you're going to be working with starting off. How well do you think you can get along?

[thennek]

Maybe even a tougher sell than selling Bryce is convincing the new HC candidate that he can run his program without interference from Tepper. The entire Frank fiasco does not help this interview process and sends red flags. If there was any doubt about the type of owner Tepper is, I would say all doubt was removed that he is a meddling owner and an extremely difficult person to worth for. 

[hepcat]

They royally f*cked up trading up to pick Bryce. It was a huge gamble and they lost in every way possible. They aren’t going to be able to sell Bryce as a positive. His tape is garbage. 

They should be open to finding his replacement ASAP with any candidate and that might help attract a better candidate. 

[45catfan]

Tepper is going to sell the lack of interest as the process being 'methodical.'  Probablay some BS about 'taking his time and leaving no stone unturned' when in reality he's just getting little interest.  Candidates are simply parlaying Tepper's interviews as leverage for the jobs/money they really want.

[Mr. Scot]

16 minutes ago, thennek said:

Maybe even a tougher sell than selling Bryce is convincing the new HC candidate that he can run his program without interference from Tepper.

You gotta put that in writing.

if a promise of non-interference isn't included in the contract, we're likely to be a very tough sell.

[Waldo]

9 minutes ago, hepcat said:

They royally f*cked up trading up to pick Bryce. It was a huge gamble and they lost in every way possible. They aren’t going to be able to sell Bryce as a positive. His tape is garbage. 

They should be open to finding his replacement ASAP with any candidate and that might help attract a better candidate. 

It's going to look like Wilks' year in Arizona but worse. Rosen wasn't sitting on the team yet and Tepper is going to have to throw the bank at even a crappy hire. The worst part is if Tepper keeps the crappy hire in 2025 and pisses away the chance at another good to great QB then...

[Waldo]

5 minutes ago, 45catfan said:

Tepper is going to sell the lack of interest as the process being 'methodical.'  Probablay some BS about 'taking his time and leaving no stone unturned' when in reality he's just getting little interest.  Candidates are simply parlaying Tepper's interviews as leverage for the jobs/money they really want.

A HC and GM, both good candidates, have already been hired. He will end up with a bottom of the barrel guy while he is used for leverage and interviewing experience. The spin on this hiring cycle is going to be even funnier than the all-star squad from last offseason.