Pompei: "Why didn't the Bears want Jim Harbaugh as head coach? It's a mystery."

Toast88

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A little preview:

Jim Harbaugh’s record as a head coach is 166-67.

Harbaugh went 49-22-1 as head coach of the 49ers. He took them to one Super Bowl and three championship games.

The reigning college coach of the year, Harbaugh is coming off a remarkable season at Michigan, having finished 12-2 and made it to the College Football Playoff before a loss to Georgia, the eventual national champion. His record at Michigan is 49-22.

His record at Stanford, a perennial loser before his arrival, was 29-21. He took the Cardinal to their first bowl game in eight years and gave them their first bowl game victory in 14. At the University of San Diego, he was 29-6.

Harbaugh is a proven head coach, a proven winner.

And he’s something else.

He’s a Bear.

But from all indications, he was not interviewed for their head coaching job.

This ranks higher on the mind-boggling scale than offering former center Olin Kreutz $15 an hour.

The fact that Harbaugh played for the Bears was not why he should have been interviewed. But the fact that he played seven years for the Bears after they chose him in the first round of the 1987 draft made him a stronger candidate. Harbaugh understands the Bears organization and its specific challenges better than almost any other declared candidate could have, except former Bear Leslie Frazier. Consideration of Harbaugh would have been a popular move with alumni, some of whom feel ignored or alienated by the team.

But there were better reasons he should have been a candidate.

Harbaugh is a natural-born leader. That was evident from his rookie training camp when he stood up to the teammate the others called “The King,” Dan Hampton. The defensive lineman took exception to Harbaugh’s running around and shoved him. Harbaugh shoved back. It wasn’t long before Harbaugh had followers of his own.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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Maybe they just looked at what happened to the raiders with Jon Gruden and said "fuck that, we don't want to be on the hook for paying him for seven more years if he flames out after three."
 

Rise

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With Harbaugh it’s all “well look at all that could go wrong”. But with Eberflus it’s all “look at all that can go right”.

The Bears don’t make these type of power moves with higher risk because their fan base does not demand it.
 

Ares

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With Harbaugh it’s all “well look at all that could go wrong”. But with Eberflus it’s all “look at all that can go right”.

The Bears don’t make these type of power moves with higher risk because their fan base does not demand it.

The Owners know Eberflus will be bland enough people won't care.

1 year of exciting "Omg what if?" football
1 year of mediocre "Maybe they just need this?" football
1-2 years of terrible "Well clearly these guys are not going to win anything" football

Fire GM and HC and bring in a new regime to do it all over again.

They know it keeps making money, why would they stop?

These sociopaths keep raising prices in spite of their product being absolute trash year after year.
 

Rise

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The Owners know Eberflus will be bland enough people won't care.

1 year of exciting "Omg what if?" football
1 year of mediocre "Maybe they just need this?" football
1-2 years of terrible "Well clearly these guys are not going to win anything" football

Fire GM and HC and bring in a new regime to do it all over again.

They know it keeps making money, why would they stop?

These sociopaths keep raising prices in spite of their product being absolute trash year after year.

You forgot in year 3 or so it will leak out how Poles was handcuffed during this hiring process and deserves “his” coach. Insert inexperienced offensive minded HC hire.
 

Canth

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With Harbaugh it’s all “well look at all that could go wrong”. But with Eberflus it’s all “look at all that can go right”.

The Bears don’t make these type of power moves with higher risk because their fan base does not demand it.

That's probably true, at least to a degree. And it will be based on Harbaugh previously being a head coach and being abrasive. So, you have evidence that he can have/create a dysfunctional relationship with a front office. You have evidence from former NFL players that they grew weary of dealing with him. He nearly got fired at Michigan and had to take a massive paycut to stay there. Now, obviously he turned that around this past year in time to get blown out by Georgia. There are just going to be more questions, and yeah, they are going to slant negative because he can be abrasive and there is history there.

As Eberflus has not previously been a head coach, none of that evidence exists. Players that played for him as a position coach and as a coordinator have had nice things to say about him and how he really helped them. The Colts GM obviously liked him and has nice things about him. I don't think it should be ignored that he was actually originally supposed to be the DC for Josh McDaniels and yet made it work with Frank Reich when they knew little to nothing about each other. So, he gets a more positive vibe.
 

ZOMBIE@CTESPN

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They don’t want him cause they don’t like eating contracts of failures. If harbaugh didn’t workout after 3 years on a 10 year deal they would shit themselves instead of eating contracts. I still don’t think harbaugh wanted to come to the nfl. I think he is making u of m sweat for making him take a pay cut
 

r1terrell23

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Perhaps I am unaware, but I haven’t seen a lot of other teams seeking him out.
Probably because his status is unclear and teams want to move fast to get their coach with 7 openings. If he said for sure he was returning to the NFL, every team with an opening would have interviewed him.
 

Bust

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You forgot in year 3 or so it will leak out how Poles was handcuffed during this hiring process and deserves “his” coach. Insert inexperienced offensive minded HC hire.

No doubt, if the offense and fields is still struggling in year 3 the excuses and finger pointing will be directed at everyone but the qb.

It'll be a repeat of Jay Cutler era when he got all his coordinators and QB coaches fired, heh
 

Canth

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As a follow up to the Zimmerman tweet, I do believe that NFL front offices look at Harbaugh as a headache that will want a level of control most are not willing to give him. So, they have to ask themselves, is he worth the headache and do they trust him mid to long term with that level of control? So far, the answer has been no. It only takes one to change that and it may happen. But, I think it's a bit disingenuous to act like that isn't a valid concern or question based on his history.
 

Rise

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That's probably true, at least to a degree. And it will be based on Harbaugh previously being a head coach and being abrasive. So, you have evidence that he can have/create a dysfunctional relationship with a front office. You have evidence from former NFL players that they grew weary of dealing with him. He nearly got fired at Michigan and had to take a massive paycut to stay there. Now, obviously he turned that around this past year in time to get blown out by Georgia. There are just going to be more questions, and yeah, they are going to slant negative because he can be abrasive and there is history there.

As Eberflus has not previously been a head coach, none of that evidence exists. Players that played for him as a position coach and as a coordinator have had nice things to say about him and how he really helped them. The Colts GM obviously liked him and has nice things about him. I don't think it should be ignored that he was actually originally supposed to be the DC for Josh McDaniels and yet made it work with Frank Reich when they knew little to nothing about each other. So, he gets a more positive vibe.

See you’re doing it now! All negative about Harbaugh and all positive about Eberflus.

How about Harbaugh wins everywhere he goes, took 49ers to three straight championship games, only Andy Reid has better results.

Eberflus has done what exactly?

Just saying look at both sides to the coin. I prefer the sure thing as this is the largest market team in the nfl (split NY), we should have the best. I don’t care if the owners have to eat a little money at the end.
 

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