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Random sidenote: I still don't think the interview should necessarily be the selling point. Hopefully they liked his track record, references, etc. I'm sure Bears have pretty good relations with Payton and were able to talk to him. Than again, I'm sure we heard good things about Kromer too ;)

 

Excited to hear his press conference. I am also curious to hear what Ernie's feedback was (or if the Bears will address that or not) during the press conference. One thing I do wonder is whether anything will leak about Ballard not being as interested or what.

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 02:57 PM)
Random sidenote: I still don't think the interview should necessarily be the selling point. Hopefully they liked his track record, references, etc. I'm sure Bears have pretty good relations with Payton and were able to talk to him. Than again, I'm sure we heard good things about Kromer too ;)

 

Excited to hear his press conference. I am also curious to hear what Ernie's feedback was (or if the Bears will address that or not) during the press conference. One thing I do wonder is whether anything will leak about Ballard not being as interested or what.

 

Early reports are that it wasnt the case of Ballard backing out. I think it was Zaidman that reported that they were prepared to offer the job to Ballard and were leaning towards him but Pace just blew them away.

 

 

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QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 03:01 PM)
Early reports are that it wasnt the case of Ballard backing out. I think it was Zaidman that reported that they were prepared to offer the job to Ballard and were leaning towards him but Pace just blew them away.

 

If this is the case, I'm kinda glad it went down this way, it means they weren't even sold completely on Ballard and were half ass hiring him since he has history in the org and to reach Bowles quicker for the HC job.

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QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 01:01 PM)
Early reports are that it wasnt the case of Ballard backing out. I think it was Zaidman that reported that they were prepared to offer the job to Ballard and were leaning towards him but Pace just blew them away.

I just think interview is just a component, you got to look at background and track record and everything else too. Maybe Chris was more realistic with the Bears in the interview and the rebuliding than Pace, who knows. I really don't like the fact that our GM doesn't have an extensive background in college scouting and the draft, which to me is one of the biggest part of being a GM (not the only part but you can't be a successful GM without successfully drafting, imo). Of course I base this on what his bio said and for all I know he was always very involved in the draft room and did actually have a lot of input / say in draft picks in New Orleans.

 

He is more experienced than Ballard from the standpoint that he almost served as the quasi GM this past off-season. Of course the Saints off-season was a lot like the Bears, a lot of paper championships were awarded but on the field results were the opposite.

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Some reaction. Lot of good feedback in there and I liked what Glazer talked about, basically that Pace (similar to Ballard) had been waiting out for the right spot. Makes me feel good. I'll end my negativity.

 

@JayGlazer: Ryan Pace is a fantastic hire by the Bears. He's been ready for years but always wanted to wait for his dream spot. Great move

@Hub_Arkush: Ryan Pace & Chris Ballard very similar candidates but McCaskey got it right! Pace no past ties to Bears. Shanahan?

Jason La Canfora:

Have heard nothing but positive things for quite a while about new Bears GM Ryan Pace. Bright young executive

@JeffDuncan (New Orleans Beat Reporter)_: Ryan Pace is a major loss for the #Saints organization, the most talented young talent evaluator in the building. Great hire by Bears.

@DavidHaugh: Look around Chicago. Theo. Jed Hoyer. Stan Bowman...George McCaskey saw other bright, young GMs succeeding. Word is, George was blown away.

Interesting ‪#‎Bears‬ situation today. acc. to sources, Todd Bowles was waiting and waiting in the Halas Hall lobby for his interview for HC job, turns out team was busy hiring Ryan Pace as GM. Then brought Bowles in for his HC interview with Pace as the new GM.

 

@dan_bernstein: #Bears source: Team really liked Ballard, but wanted to break from the past, and Pace better articulated big picture, multi-year plan.
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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 03:23 PM)
HE is in fact the youngest GM in the league. Now the next exciting part...who will the coach be.

 

He is the guy that was waiting in the hallway for a couple hours for his interview earlier.

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Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer 10s10 seconds ago

Rival exec on Bears' hire of GM Ryan Pace: "Excellent. Coaches love him. Good pro guy. Hard worker. Very conscientious."

 

Larry Holder ‏@LarryHolder 5m5 minutes ago

Loomis on Pace at '14 Senior Bowl: "I kind of feel like he's been our secret for a while, but look, he's a great, young personnel director"

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Now this gets me excited (maybe, while never having a direct title, he was involved in the draft)

 

Peggy Kusinski ‏@peggykusinski 2m2 minutes ago

 

Per #Saints media new #Bears Pace responsible for unearthing guys like jermon bushrod, jahri evans, marques colston and pierre thomas.

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Greg Gabriel: "Chris Ballard knew where the problems were in the organization, and what he told the Bears on how to fix it, the Bears didn't like"...

 

He also mentioned that Sean Payton respects Pace as much as anyone else in the league and has for a long time.

 

Confirmed Bears probably wanted to break from the past.

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 03:23 PM)
HE is in fact the youngest GM in the league. Now the next exciting part...who will the coach be.

 

The Trib has a picture of him up on its website. He looks like he's 23. I know its ridiculous and I sound like an old man, but seeing that didn't exactly fill me with confidence.

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 01:44 PM)
Greg Gabriel: "Chris Ballard knew where the problems were in the organization, and what he told the Bears on how to fix it, the Bears didn't like"...

 

He also mentioned that Sean Payton respects Pace as much as anyone else in the league and has for a long time.

 

Confirmed Bears probably wanted to break from the past.

I totally believe Gabriel's first quote, haha. I hope it isn't true but I could very much see it being the case. I could imagine Ballard came in and told it like it was and what was needed to fix and they didn't like it cause it impacted too many within the organization. Pace came in and had a good pitch, which wasn't near as negative on the organization and it blew them away. Hopefully I'm wrong but I don't find that very alarming. The settling point is Acorsi was involved too.

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Some say Ballard spent more time talking about the structure within the organization that needed to be put in place and less time discussing the roster and those components (which is understandable). Doesn't sound like Bears liked it or were ready for that much change. A lot of this I think is Gabriel speculating based upon past conversations he has had with Ballard about it (I don't think they have talked recently).

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 03:44 PM)
Greg Gabriel: "Chris Ballard knew where the problems were in the organization, and what he told the Bears on how to fix it, the Bears didn't like"...

 

He also mentioned that Sean Payton respects Pace as much as anyone else in the league and has for a long time.

 

Confirmed Bears probably wanted to break from the past.

 

I believe what Gabriel said. He knows Ballard and probably did talk with him. I'm surprised he gave that info up. LOL

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QUOTE (shipps @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 01:53 PM)
I believe what Gabriel said. He knows Ballard and probably did talk with him. I'm surprised he gave that info up. LOL

Bernstein has said it was more that Ballard spent too much time on organization and not enough on roster where Pace knocked it out and spent his time on roster. My problem is, no GM in the world can do it on their own. We need as many bright football people in the building as possible. Just hearing some of this stuff makes me cringe because in theory, Ballard has seen how it is done in halas and how it is done elsewhere and essentially knows what is broke in Chicago and could legitimately offer ways of fixing it. Not knocking Pace, just disappointing if it was the fact that Ballard was more negative and more pointed about what needed to change internally (in addition to roster...but maybe not as focused on roster).

 

Part of me says the roster is largely a work in process anyway which starts with the draft, so how much time should you really spend on it other than maybe giving your opinion of systems that you like, your general view of the players, etc, and clearly an opinion of what went wrong on the field last year. I dont' want someone coming in and making an imaginary roster or something. That is a bunch of fluff anyway.

 

I just picture Pace going...see I trade Cutler for Rodgers and than do this and that and bam...superbowl contender. Not really but kind of like that and McCaskey and Phillips going, oh we can get Rodgers...oh yeah that would be great.

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QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Jan 8, 2015 -> 03:50 PM)
Some say Ballard spent more time talking about the structure within the organization that needed to be put in place and less time discussing the roster and those components (which is understandable). Doesn't sound like Bears liked it or were ready for that much change. A lot of this I think is Gabriel speculating based upon past conversations he has had with Ballard about it (I don't think they have talked recently).

Ballard knew after 12 years here where the skeletons of this mess of a franchise were hidden and management does not want to give real power to anyone not connected to a McCaskey. If Ballard pulled out good for him.

Edited by Soxfest
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