The Search Firm Swindle
January 15th, 2019
“Need a new coach? Or how about an escort for the evening? I can hook you up.”
Joe is dead serious as he types the following sentence.
Joe has to find out what it takes to get into this NFL search firm racket. If you can lift six-figures from an NFL ownership group just to tell them the best candidate to fill a head coach opening is the most qualified coach looking for work, that’s the kind of business Joe needs to invest in.
As incredulous as Joe thought hiring a headhunting company was at the time (and still thinks so), Mike Tanier of Bleacher Report was aghast that it took an executive search firm to point Team Glazer to Bucco Bruce Arians (while pocketing serious dough).
Buccaneers hire Bruce Arians.
The Buccaneers hired a search firm called Korn-Ferry to assist with the search, which led to one of the most famous coaches on the market, which is a lot like hiring a travel agent to identify top family vacation destinations and then going to Disney World.
Next time, the Buccaneers should just save some money and research Sean McVay on Ancestry.com instead.
What next, Team Glazer is going to toss another mountain of loot at a search firm that identities cute cheerleaders?
Don’t give Joe this security angle. Teams employ retired detectives and some teams hire ex-FBI agents to work security for them. Same with the league. You mean to tell Joe these guys don’t know how to dig up dirt on people? C’mon.
A dude walking around with a white cane could have pointed out Arians, all for a ride home after work so he doesn’t have to dodge the neighborhood mongrels who make his life miserable.
A guy at the end of the bar at Hooters would have told Team Glazer to chase Arians for two pints of Bud Light and a plate of wings.
January 15th, 2019 at 8:57 am
Joe knows more than me regarding the glazers, but it seems that this was an insurance policy if they lost Arians. Given their past trouble with Parcells and Kelly, it seems fairly shrewd.
January 15th, 2019 at 8:59 am
Now they need to hire this fim to help them find a running back joe!lmao.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:01 am
BRAVO!!! 🙂
January 15th, 2019 at 9:04 am
Whatever. I applaud the Glazers using whatever tools necessary to find the new HC. Other teams have hired search firms and often have had good results.
They’ve got the money.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:13 am
Perhaps the search firm was for (and would have been more valuable), for “plan b” in case Arians didn’t work out … and would have been too late to bring them in on the process if they waited for BA confirmation before engaging?
January 15th, 2019 at 9:15 am
Hmm if it sounds ridiculous it’s probably cuz you’re missing out on additional information.
This same firm has assisted with Quinn in Atlanta, pederson in Philly, and Carroll in Seattle. All common sense hires at that time. All successful.
It may seem unnecessary but why do team’s keep hiring them? Hmmmm
Seems like they did a little more than repeat a name.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:16 am
It’s like buying insurance and then complaining that you didn’t need it because there was no hazard….
You simply can’t second guess the decision…..what if Arians said no?
And…..with the millions the Glazers have spend on coaching contracts that didn’t run their full course…..this is peanuts.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:26 am
LMAO Joe. Awesome line by Mike Tanier … “a lot like hiring a travel agent to identify top family vacation destinations and then going to Disney World.”
Out of curiosity Joe, am I the only one in the world who thinks this was ‘pre-ordained’ long before Coach Arians interviewed here? Sounds like his staff was all put together BEFORE he interviewed (kinda sounds like someone who KNEW he was getting the job?). He’d already stated an interest in only the Cleveland & Tampa Bay jobs it sounds like (and I didn’t see anything anywhere indicating that the Browns were pursuing him). BA already had a relationship with Jameis, a 1st Rnd QB selection (that Coach has favored in the past), as well as a relationship with our GM. Bucs have a decent core of players, although we obviously need a LOT of improving (and my gut keeps telling me that they gave BA carte blanche to get this thing turned around fast). Yup … preordained.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:44 am
Are we absolutely certain these guys led the Glazers to BA?
Years from now the real story will come out. For all we really know Licht and the Glazers had been dealing with BA for a couple of months.
They knew Koetter was gone. The problem is that BA is not going to openly negotiate with any team that still has a coach…professional courtesy and respect…but behind the scenes in quiet when EVERYBODY knows the current coach is done?
So everybody involved in the BA comes to Tampa deal had motivation for secrecy…BA…Licht…The Glazers.
I’m not saying they wasted their money on the search firm though. What if BA had backed out…like that has never happened to the Bucs…or failed his physical. Then the search firm would have provided some value.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Cut us all in on the money Glazers. We all said Bruce too! Great job if you can get it indeed. Man anyone see that Gase press conference yesterday? Thankful the Bucs didnt hire him. No way i could look at those meth eyes all season. The guy had to be on something
January 15th, 2019 at 9:53 am
My guess is the glazers hired the search firm to make sure that other high quality candidates were brought in so licht didn’t just hire his friend with no competition.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:54 am
Don’t forget the Glazers had to comply with the Rooney rule. Lining up appropriate candidates to check that box may have been worth the cost to the G-team? Idk, not my money.
January 15th, 2019 at 9:57 am
Smoke and mirrors to offer the veneer of seriousness in case Arians fell through.
January 15th, 2019 at 10:04 am
I can cut down my own tree branches, But I hire a company that is licensed and insured so if something goes wrong, its on them!!!!!! After the Matt Patricia hire, I could see why they would want a third party to blame if something from 20 years ago pops up from not just the head coach, but the coordinators and staff as well!!!!! Its a layer of deniability and know team Glazers can claim that they did everything in their power to screen candidates!!!
You don’t buy insurance because everything works out fine!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 15th, 2019 at 10:19 am
I think you’re making mountain out of a mole hill… As the Media usually does.
January 15th, 2019 at 10:22 am
I would like to be the point man on that search for cute cheerleaders.
January 15th, 2019 at 10:24 am
Joe, is the six-figure amount confirmed? No. –Joe
Because I looked at the Korn-Ferry website, and it does not have the appearance of a six-figure agency.
January 15th, 2019 at 10:26 am
Why do people care if billionaires waste their money?
January 15th, 2019 at 10:43 am
What’s wrong with hiring a search firm?
If you don’t know anything about plumbing, you find someone in the know who will find you a good plumber.
If you don’t know anything about coaching an NFL football team, you hire someone in the know to find you a good coach (especially after recent “do it yourself” failures).
By doing this, The Glazers are finally admitting their past mistakes.
I applaud the move as a step in the right direction. Most rich folk think they know everything about everything for no other reason than they’ve acquired the inherent arrogance that comes with the cash. The Glazers have been humbled and are admitting it.
January 15th, 2019 at 10:46 am
A typical search like this for a coach is 50% of the 1st year contract value so the payment to Korn isn’t six figures , it is definitly 7figures. If BA is set to make 5 million, then 2.5 million will be paid to Korn. Korn placed Hue jackson with the Browns and that was the fee structure. Hopefully, the glazers named a feww names like BA, and said if we hire him then its just a smaller payment.
January 15th, 2019 at 11:03 am
“This is what happens when you move up in the 2nd round and pickup a kicker…sooner or later no one believes you”
Kobe Faker
January 15th, 2019 at 11:16 am
bonzai…omg lol
Korn Ferry is one of the top 3 retained firms in the country, and it was probably only a 1/3 of what they would have paid if the candidate came through them. Glazers got off cheap.
January 15th, 2019 at 11:18 am
it’s 1/3 on initiation, 1/3 on presentation of candidates and 1/3 after interviews.
33% of salary usually.
January 15th, 2019 at 11:22 am
yeah, we’ll find out years from now BA was their 3rd choice….lol…
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…#GO BUCS!!!!!
January 15th, 2019 at 11:30 am
we need to hire that same firm to help @realist find accountability and not EXCUSES!!!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…#GO BUCS!!!!!
January 15th, 2019 at 11:40 am
I don’t care how they arrived at the Arians hire. Just glad they didn’t cheap out again or try to be “innovative” by hiring some dim wit college coach.
Glad Bruce Arians is here. The guy has a resume of being a proven winner.
Not the bride left at the altar this time. /up yours Parcels
January 15th, 2019 at 12:31 pm
Got no complaints about the coaching search.
We finally caught the big fish!!! It’s all that matters. We been hearing about the Big Tuna the Chip Kelly & Big Tuna again for years. Only to lose time and time again. Our owners finally stood up to the pitch and cracked one outta the park!!!
Hiring that search form could have been the single most greatest thing this staff never did.
January 15th, 2019 at 1:07 pm
I doubt a search firm led them to BA Because that desire to coach was already out there as well as the relationship with licht. I’m sure what the search firm really had was information not actually doing any search for a coach, Glazers paid for data and as bad as they have been at hiring coaches I’m glad they took that extra step to stop a bad trend. Whether it was worth their money or not who freaking cares other than those who need something to write about to keep content flowing
January 15th, 2019 at 1:07 pm
Joe, seriously you say some funny sh1t. LOL
January 15th, 2019 at 1:11 pm
Just so you guys knows the search firm was in place to find out the medical history of B.A. There are very strict laws that only allow certain folks access to medical records, and that group is one of them
January 15th, 2019 at 1:18 pm
I heard one of the talked ng heads say that you interview the young up and coming guy……but when you bring in somebody with the tenure of Bruce he is interviewing you.
You have to impress Bruce for that interview not necessarily the other way around.
Perhaps this firm helped the Glazers be prepared the interview and reception they gave to Bruce. If that’s the case I say they deserve a bonus.
January 15th, 2019 at 1:51 pm
Search firm does the background check. Licht probably brought them on to verify what he already knew.
Remember, “Trust but Verify.”
Besides, if billionaire owners are fine with paying Mike Smith millions of dollars not to coach, they can shell out a couple hundred grand to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on the next head coach
January 15th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
No one can accuse the Glazers for not trying.
January 15th, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Ask Justin P to play you the Bucs take I sent in to explain how Korn works, & the background of the partner they used (has a PhD and is an expert on succession planning).
The above article leaves out a LOT of the services they provided in this process which I’m sure Licht was happy not to have to do himself so he can focus on the draft and the current roster issues this team will have bc of the cap.
Also, if Arians is the Bucs coach next year (or maybe longer depending on the guarantee the Glazers negotiated) for any reason, eg, health issue etc, KF will do the search again for no charge (see insurance comments above).
January 15th, 2019 at 3:10 pm
Isn’t
January 15th, 2019 at 4:19 pm
i think the search firm is the reason you saw so many interviews with emerging coaches before the team settled on Arians. it also gives the team much more leverage than doing what they did in the case of Lovie Smith: Lovie was competing against zero other candidates and basically had carte blanche to dictate his terms
January 15th, 2019 at 5:31 pm
It’s a bit over the top to take them over the coals for this. You don’t know what services were provided, and you certainly don’t know what dirt (if any) they had on other candidates that might’ve altered the search towards this conclusion. A bit of an open mind and some actual investigative journalism might have been a more reasonable approach to take.
January 15th, 2019 at 5:39 pm
I was reading a book from the CEO of Compaq, who started business under the name Gateway. Anyways they knew they had to change their name at some point in time when they had success, but they put it off and put it off. Anyways as they get ready to go to market with their first computer all the numbers are telling them it’s going to be a huge hit and so they must get a name – and they can’t come to an agreement on anything. So they hire a firm in California that will give them 5 “quality” name ideas – for only $9,000 – and that’s in like 1982 I believe, so that’s basically $25,000. Talk about a great scam. Five names for $25,000? Wow. Anywho if anyone is interested let me know and I’ll cut them a deal, I’ll give them five names for just $22,000 and I’ll have them to you in 30 minutes or less! What a deal.
January 15th, 2019 at 7:16 pm
“A dude walking around with a white cane could have pointed out Arians, all for a ride home after work so he doesn’t have to dodge the neighborhood mongrels who make his life miserable.”
——————————————————————-
As long as the dude isn’t Jameis Winston and the ride isn’t from Uber!
January 15th, 2019 at 10:11 pm
Thought they were confident in Lynch?
Tax right off?
Trying to impress fans! HEY Renew those season tickets!
Raise the ticket prices! Got to pay the research team😂😂😂😂😂