I'll just comment on Douglas, I think we keep him and not fall prey to this "ya had three years and didn't get it done; you're OUDDAHERE!!!" mentality.
Longevity, in the front office and if you're lucky, on your coaching staffs - is the one common denominator for the most successful, most emulated teams in the NFL. The S…
I'll just comment on Douglas, I think we keep him and not fall prey to this "ya had three years and didn't get it done; you're OUDDAHERE!!!" mentality.
Longevity, in the front office and if you're lucky, on your coaching staffs - is the one common denominator for the most successful, most emulated teams in the NFL. The Steelers (three head coaches in 53 years). The Patriots. The Packers.
Here's why Douglas must stay. His DNA. He worked with Ozzie Newsome for fifteen years.
Ozzie Newsome was the greatest NFL GM over the past twenty years. He was the Ravens GM from 1996 - 2018. Joe was learning from him from 2000, i think to 2014. And I'm gonna go over the Ravens records in that 2000 to 2015 time frame. Am also including notable names either who was coaching, or great players (which Ozzie brought in...) during those years --
2011 12-4 (lost AFC Championship) (Terrell Suggs DPOY)
2012 10-6 Super Bowl Victors (Joe Flacco SB MVP)
2013 8-8
2014 10-6 (lost Division playoff)
2015 5-11
2016 8-8
2017 9-7
2018 10-6 (lost Wild Card playoff)
2019 14-2 (lost Division playoff) (Lamar Jackson MVP; John Harbaugh COY)
2020 11-5 (lost Division playoff)
Though Newsome left after 2018, I included the 2019 and 2020 seasons because for at least a couple seasons after his retirement, the teams were still essentially the same personnel groupings he had put together, especially the drafted players. Newsome drafted Lamar Jackson in his last year as GM; Lamar was the league MVP the year after.
Now, why would I spend all this time/writeup about an outside GM? Because Joe Douglas was there for 15 years. He was part of two Superbowl wins, saw consistent excellence; was there when the team had losing records, and was there when the Ravens bounced back from a losing season (which they never had two consecutive losing seasons in this period) and returned to contender form. He was there when the Ravens drafted Jamal Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson. Two Hall of Famers in that group. As Ozzie was putting together these teams, Douglas was right there next to him. OH, and by the way, Ozzie hired John Harbaugh, coach now for 15 years and counting.
Ozzie's knowledge and record speak loud and clear. His longevity, especially returning from losing seasons back to not only respectability, but league-wide excellence, simply blows any "three strikes yer OUT!" approach to NFL management. That's like comparing Chess to Tic-Tac-Toe.
Joe Douglas learned all this. And all the knowledge, experience, wisdom that Ozzie shared with Joe, is here now with him as our GM.
Now, I don't know if GOD gives football teams and fans much thought, but since I Know for a Fact that GOD made me a Jets fan (see my profile remarks), I pray that Woody Johnson does not get rid of Joe, keeps him and lets Joe mold our Jets into a team that can do the above, just like he saw Ozzie do it with the Ravens.
Now LaFleur, on the other hand? That's another conversation...
hey Steve -
I'll just comment on Douglas, I think we keep him and not fall prey to this "ya had three years and didn't get it done; you're OUDDAHERE!!!" mentality.
Longevity, in the front office and if you're lucky, on your coaching staffs - is the one common denominator for the most successful, most emulated teams in the NFL. The Steelers (three head coaches in 53 years). The Patriots. The Packers.
Here's why Douglas must stay. His DNA. He worked with Ozzie Newsome for fifteen years.
Ozzie Newsome was the greatest NFL GM over the past twenty years. He was the Ravens GM from 1996 - 2018. Joe was learning from him from 2000, i think to 2014. And I'm gonna go over the Ravens records in that 2000 to 2015 time frame. Am also including notable names either who was coaching, or great players (which Ozzie brought in...) during those years --
2000 - Superbowl victors
Season Records over those years:
2000 12-4 (Ray Lewis, DPOY & SB-MVP) (Brian Billick coach 2000-2007)
2001 10-6
2002 7-9
2003 10-6 (Jamal Lewis OPOY, Ray Lewis DPOY, Terrell Suggs DROY)
2004 9-7 (Ed Reed DPOY)
2005 6-10
2006 13-3
2007 5-11
2008 11-5 (lost AFC Championship game) (John Harbaugh coach 2008 - *
2009 9-7 (lost Division playoff)
2010 12-4 (lost Division playoff)
2011 12-4 (lost AFC Championship) (Terrell Suggs DPOY)
2012 10-6 Super Bowl Victors (Joe Flacco SB MVP)
2013 8-8
2014 10-6 (lost Division playoff)
2015 5-11
2016 8-8
2017 9-7
2018 10-6 (lost Wild Card playoff)
2019 14-2 (lost Division playoff) (Lamar Jackson MVP; John Harbaugh COY)
2020 11-5 (lost Division playoff)
Though Newsome left after 2018, I included the 2019 and 2020 seasons because for at least a couple seasons after his retirement, the teams were still essentially the same personnel groupings he had put together, especially the drafted players. Newsome drafted Lamar Jackson in his last year as GM; Lamar was the league MVP the year after.
Now, why would I spend all this time/writeup about an outside GM? Because Joe Douglas was there for 15 years. He was part of two Superbowl wins, saw consistent excellence; was there when the team had losing records, and was there when the Ravens bounced back from a losing season (which they never had two consecutive losing seasons in this period) and returned to contender form. He was there when the Ravens drafted Jamal Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson. Two Hall of Famers in that group. As Ozzie was putting together these teams, Douglas was right there next to him. OH, and by the way, Ozzie hired John Harbaugh, coach now for 15 years and counting.
Ozzie's knowledge and record speak loud and clear. His longevity, especially returning from losing seasons back to not only respectability, but league-wide excellence, simply blows any "three strikes yer OUT!" approach to NFL management. That's like comparing Chess to Tic-Tac-Toe.
Joe Douglas learned all this. And all the knowledge, experience, wisdom that Ozzie shared with Joe, is here now with him as our GM.
Now, I don't know if GOD gives football teams and fans much thought, but since I Know for a Fact that GOD made me a Jets fan (see my profile remarks), I pray that Woody Johnson does not get rid of Joe, keeps him and lets Joe mold our Jets into a team that can do the above, just like he saw Ozzie do it with the Ravens.
Now LaFleur, on the other hand? That's another conversation...
CGVet58
Jets 4 EVER