He was more qualified because he had a solid background in football as a player, coach, and working for several different NFL teams in different capacities. Tanny was a freaking bean counter and attorney. I think his only qualification was that he had interned with an NFL team. There's no question that Idzik was more qualified judging by their resumes. Tanny's aggressive nature helped him for a while, and he listened to Bradway, Rex and the Scouting Dept. because he had no clue when it came to personnel. Those things eventually served as his undoing. Idzik had worked in personnel for several teams. That doesn't mean that he had a great eye for talent, just that he had some experience. Idzik's slow, methodical, introverted, conservative nature did him in.
They're pluses, but NOT the primary requirement for an NFL GM who is charged with making personnel decisions.
You could argue they had similar resumes, but compared to Idzik, Tannenbaum was the more qualified guy. He was hired by Belichick in Cleveland, learned there, was hired by Parcells to join the NYJ in '97 and was personally mentored by him. Prior to being promoted to the big chair, Tannenbaum served as Senior Vice President of Football Operations and Assistant General Manager. It's hard to be assistant GM and not be involved at all in talent evaluation.
IMO it doesn't matter if he ever saw the field. At least he played the game and had some understanding of it. He also had a lot of experience in the NFL and some coaching experience. Tanny had none of that. I think your last two sentences are spot on. Even if he hadn't done anything else wrong, not getting a better WR out of last year's draft was a fireable offense imo.
Tanny was the cap guy. Belicheat and Parcells may have told him something about personnel, but Parcells wasn't the greatest judge of talent, either. Being told something about personnel is different than having worked in personnel and having been a scout. Their two resumes aren't even remotely comparable. Tannenbaum was NOT the most qualified. I'm sorry, but that's just ridiculous.
I have seen those references to him being involved in personnel in Tampa, etc. But those descriptions are all pretty vague and amorphous. I have seen zero testimonies of former execs who worked with him which would support the idea that he had any kind of eye for talent. The guy's strengths were clearly in the finance / accounting / negotiations / administrative aspects of football operations. You could argue the same about Tannenbaum (and I would agree), but I would still give the edge Tannenbaum by a considerable margin.
I never heard that one before. Even blaming Idzik for putting Sanchez in a game. And saying that Idzik wanted to sabotage Rex by not signing a cover corner when the facts show he tried to sign Davis and DRC. There was competition for both players and they chose other teams. I disagree on both counts. Anyways both guys were fired.
WRs coach for one year at Division 3 (at the time) Buffalo. "graduate assistant" at Duke. All of that crap doesn't really matter though. You don't need to play or coach the game to be a good GM and Idzik was a disgusting failure so his resume is pointless.
This Idzik rage to me is insane. But you all have a right to your opinions. Some of you would have made Rex our coach for life. He really looks fat in his Bills gear doesn't he.
I can't prove it, but I'm telling you what I think. It was reported by multiple sources that Sancho went off on Idzik immediately after the injury happened. If you watched Rex's comical press conference after Snoopy Bowl, I don't see how you could come to any other conclusion. Rex was obviously covering for his boss. I am not claiming that Idzik was trying to get him injured, but simply that it was Idzik's call to play him. It makes zero sense for Rex to decide that on his own. Even if Rex had already determined Sanchez was going to be the backup, you don't put your backup in harm's way against 3rd and 4th stringers trying to make a team behind your own team's 3rd- and 4th-string OL. Whether it was his intention to sabotage Rex or not, he ended up undermining him by literally signing dudes off the street to try and cover Demaryius Thomas, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, etc. I am not trying to bash Idzik here. Actually, I sort of feel bad for the guy in a way. He was in over his head, and never should have been hired in the first place. All I'm saying is he deserved to get fired, and it was the right move.
I agree (and have always said so) that Tannenbaum lacked the creds to be a GM in this league. But in my opinion, if you are comparing him to Idzik, I don't see how Idzik was clearly the superior, more qualified guy at the time he was hired.
The story I heard is that Rex inserted Mark into the game then because Geno was playing poorly and that he was hoping Mark would play well (esp against the 3rd stringers) and win the job. Never heard that Idzik version even from the Idzik haters. I personally do not believe that Idzik was micromanaging Rex and giving him orders on who to play, etc. Sure Rex had to work with Idzik and visa versa as all coaches and GMs do.
http://nypost.com/2013/10/09/irate-sanchez-yelled-at-idzik-after-shoulder-injury/ Why would he direct his anger at Idzik if it was Rex who wanted him in the game? How would playing well against 3rd stringers prove anything?
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, but if you're really curious to find out how Idzik was more qualified than Tanny, find and take a look at what the teams/GMs have said who he worked for. Look at his resume. His is a football resume. Tanny resume is being an arrogant ass.
It's remarkable how the first 1 or 2 years of a head coaches' first gig can be so misleading. Parcells started out 3-12 his first year before going 9-7, 10-6, and 14-2. Bill Walsh went 2-14 and 6-10 before going 13-3 in year 3. Herm made the playoffs his first 2 years with Jets. Mangini made the playoffs his first year. In the case of Parcells and Walsh, I guess they inherited teams that were starved for talent. In "Bill Walsh": A football life" they talk about how a number of teams, including the Jets, passed on Walsh when he was seeking his first head coaching opportunity circa 1980.
I'm not an Idzik lover, but he did come in under BAD circumstances.....bloated contracts, no franchise QB, forced to accept the incumbent HC, up against the cap, best player coming off injury and reminding the Jets that Tanny promised him huge bucks, on and on. 2 yrs later he had the team SET UP with $60M in cap space, drafted the best player in the draft, and in position to make the monster moves he no doubt promised Woody back in 2012. Would Idzik have made the exact same moves as Mac recently made? No clue, but the point is everything Mac had to work with is thanks to that disgusting, no talent GM we had.
I understand where you're coming from. If you look at Wikipedia or something like that, there is a more impressive list of titles in various places. I concede that. Honestly, I don't really know what being "Vice President of Football Admin" means. Based on stuff that I read at the time he was hired, Idzik's known strengths were as a cap guru, contract negotiator, and more on the administrative side than the scouting side. If you are asking me, though, gun to my head, if I am forced to choose who I would want as my GM, I would take Tannenbaum over Idzik. And I'm no fan of Tannenbaum.
