For once, I actually agree with Kaplan........ Kaplan: A.J. Smith's biggest problem was people skills This week, the big argument of the A.J. Smith Chargers era -- Philip Rivers versus Drew Brees -- played itself out on the local radio airwaves. On Wednesday, The Darren Smith Show interviewed Chargers QB Rivers about his relationship with Smith, here’s what he said: I’m not saying this in a disrespectful way, I don’t know that you would call it a relationship, other than I wanted to play like crazy for him (AJ) and Norv and the organization, and the fans. Other than that it was a working relationship, with few words spoken between us over nine years, really. He had his way of running the team and I was trying to do my job of being the quarterback. It wasn’t a case of there being a lot of conversation or communication between the two of us. On Thursday, Brees was interviewed on The Scott and BR Show, and when he was asked about his relationship with the Saints front office, here’s what he said: I would say I absolutely have the relationship with the GM and head coach and guys in the front office to go in and talk to them about those things, (personnel decisions). I also know my place. I would never go in and say we have to draft this guy or we have to trade for this guy, my opinion is asked a lot, and I lend it when they ask about things. Because in the end we all want the same thing, we all want to win a championship. For example, I trained with Darren Sproles during the lockout, I was calling coach Peyton all the time saying we gotta get this guy. Here’s the point: What ultimately doomed Smith, besides the obvious fact of giving away star players who ultimately came back to haunt him, was the fact that the man had no people skills. Forget about how he treated the media, it was how he treated the players, or in the case of Rivers, the lack of professional respectful relationship. Star quarterbacks must represent the locker room, and sometimes that is uncomfortable. Rivers should have been there to defend the team, on the verge of a Super Bowl run, when Smith single-handedly crushed the team with the Jackson/McNeill holdout, but Rivers clearly didn’t feel like his opinion was welcome. It’s time for Rivers to take over this franchise before his time runs out. Scott Kaplan is co-host of U-T TV's Scott and Amber Show. Weekdays, he also has an afternoon radio show on Mighty 1090 AM with former Chargers linebacker Billy Ray Smith.
That same day, on Darren's show, Marty Caswell said she had talked to McNeil about his relationship with AJ and he had nothing bad to say. Funny how Scott left that part out. In the grand scheme of things, no one would give a rats *** if AJ was a people person or not if hadn't wasted draft picks on guys like English, Buster Davis, and Ryan Mathews (For the cost of trading up to get him), and had replaced the talent he let walk with good players. People would still be yelling "In AJ we trust". But his drafts sucked, and he was fired because of it.
Doesn't change the fact that a GM who doesn't talk to people is not a smart way to run a football organization. AJ didn't talk to Marty at all....... how ****** up it that? That's not the way a front office should operate, it doesn't matter how many picks the GM hits on. Dysfunctional is still dysfunctional.
Not saying it is right or wrong, just pointing out that he was fired for his poor draft picks, not because of the way he treated people
I believe that Blue's contention is that his interpersonal relationships had a direct, negative impact on his poor team management.
According to players who have signed, Rivers, Gates, McNeil, and others, they didn't have a negative personal relationship with him.
I didn't say that they had the bold. Rivers has said that he had no relationship with Smith, which is what I was actually talking about.
I see the two as being related. When you don't get input or advice from others, you're more apt to make bad choices. AJ thought he was smarter than everyone else....... he wasn't. How else do you explain a pick like Larry English, or trading up for Hester? Nobody else thought these guys were worthy of being taken where they were.
How many GMs have relationships with players? That kinda puts you too close to players you might have to cut/trade/play hardball with? Besides AJs horrible attitude and bedside manner apparently didn't stop players from either pouring into SD OR from re-signing, see Gates & McNeil as example
Who says he didn't get input and advice from others? All we know is he didn't get input from Rivers, and we don't know if that was because AJ told him he didn't want it, or if it was because Rivers didn't give it. No matter, if he had drafted better, he would still be here even if he was a complete a** hole
We know for a fact he didn't talk to Marty, and he was the head coach. Do you think they are any other GM/HC relationships in the NFL where they aren't even on speaking terms? I'd go as far as to guess none. Face it, AJ was anti-social and unsuited to being a GM. Picking players is only part of the job, and he had spotty results just at that part. He was a complete failure at the rest.
If AJ didnt suspend Gates in '05 and then give him a paltry 6 year, $24 million deal, the chargers wouldve made the playoffs. Celek got a 88 mill contract a year or two later, with way less deserving play/stats.
And that is why Marty was fired and AJ got to hire a guy he wanted. His relationship with Marty has nothing to do with his ability to get free agents or his ability to draft good players. I never said AJ wasn't an anti-social a-hole, what I said is that is totally irrelevant if he could actually draft players worth a sh*t. His inability to draft good players is why he is unemployed right now, not because he was an a-hole
The fact is that if the Chargers had continued winning, no one would have any patience for all the masturbatory nit-picking: AJ's demeanor, his phrases...his goddamn SHIRTS for crissakes!!! (p.s.: Interesting that in the only example Brees offers, he's talking to the coach)
Consider the source, that's all I'll say. Kaplan is a f'n tool. Scott and BR are still swinging from Brees' nuts and they never forgave AJ for letting Brees go.
