I don't know if Xanders was originally given final say in personnel decisions, as Bowlen's "true GM" statement would indicate, but would was very clear is that sometime shortly after that (it not at that time), McDaniels was given final say in player moves.
The only real place you and I disagree is that you are calling Xanders all kinds of names for DOING what his bosses, and the owner of the organization, told him to do.
It makes sense but I may not be able to convince you.
was he not promoted to a higher position? was he not previously in postion focusing on contracts and cap? so he was promoted to the same job? why would they do that?
Was he not mentioned as a leader in the organization to work along side Josh to build a team? a lot of face time for the defacto pencil pusher.
why is not possible he actually was working with Josh in lock step -- until the day Josh get's fired and he sees an opportunity to distance himself.. Happens all the time..
anyway.. almost game time..
Here's my take on it and this has been my take for almost 2 seasons now. McD was never officially given full control. He took it and nobody stepped up to stop him-not Ellis, not Bowlen, and not Xanders.
I think McDaniels saw that he could sell his good relationship with Xanders as a way to remove the Goodmans. Remember Jim Goodman had been here 11 years and I am sure McDaniels questioned or at least feared how much influence Goodman had especially knowing the drafts under Goodman had been much better than they were with Shanahan having the complete control.
Ultimately McDaniels knew that Xanders was either weak and wouldn't disagree or knew Xanders would go along with McDaniels' vision. At the least, McDaniels may have felt X would be an easy scapegoat later on. Who knows.
In the end, I have always said that McD had full control. People always countered that X was the true GM. I never stood by that and have always said he is simply a cap and contract guy. I always pointed to the lack of questions being pointed at Xanders with ANY OF THE PERSONNEL MOVES!
However, he was NAMED GM. Why take that title and do it in a public fashion if you aren't going to try to put your mark on the organization as such?
I guess that was done in haste on my part. I will edit that post. Like nevercraw has pointed out, either side of the argument doesn't reflect well for Xanders.
Last edited by jhildebrand; 12-19-2010 at 04:13 PM.
Why was Dennison promoted to OC when he wasn't really the OC? Come on, you know that titles don't mean crap in the NFL or in business.
Because the reporters that are in Dove Valley every day said at least as early as this past off season that Xanders had no real power, that McDaniels had Shanahan like power.
You are saying "why is it not possible" as your proof, rather than believing the people that make their living covering the team, which happens to correlate with the 'official' team version.
Anyway, as fun as this has been, I'm going to go watch the savior of our franchise.
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