Dominik Says Chucky, TV Impacts Draft
April 26th, 2011
At this rate, Joe wonders when agents are going to start producing — and airing — their own infomercials for soon-to-be-drafted clients.
Sure, there’s plenty of game film on these players, but what about seeing the player read books to children, talk to his mommy, and get grilled by coaches paid to spend time with him. Maybe even play other sports to showcase his athleticism.
Per Bucs general manager Mark Dominik, speaking during an exclusive interview with draft guru Justin Pawlowski on WDAE-AM 620 tonight, all that peripheral stuff really does matter. Dominik said the Jon Gruden quarterbacks special is part of his evaluation process.
Justin Pawlowski: Do GMs put an emphasis in a TV show like [Gruden’s quarterback camp]?
Mark Dominik: The bottom line is it’s part of the evaluation. Jon makes it hard on those guys, puts them in a little bit of a grinder. Having been around Coach Gruden, he’s really good with those quarterbacks in how he kinda challenges them mentally. He knows how to just trick’em enough where, you know, they get in a comfort zone and Jon left hooks you real fast and he wants to see how they can handle it. So I think it’s a good show to watch, certainly. I watch it. And I think it’s interesting to just see how a player interacts with another person — anytime. Just like I watch the NFL Network and their Path To The Draft. I watch those because they bring players in and you see how he interacts in a social setting. … It’s just another piece of what I call the big puzzle.
Hey, if Joe were a GM, he’d watch everything, too. But Joe’s just leery of taking the edited, made-for-TV fluff that is the Chucky special too seriously.
Again, let Joe be the first to say that homemade prospect infomercials will be seen sooner rather than later. With a little product placement, advertisements and the magic of YouTube, it could even be a moneymaker.
April 26th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
This is one of the things that I think make Dominik a very good GM. He seems to evaluate players in every way possible, both traditional, and in this case, non-traditional. In my opinion, every little thing you can possibly learn about a player is beneficial in choosing the right guy. I would be very interested to learn how many GM’s take the same philosophy.
April 26th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
Well, Mallett from Arkansas went up in my mock draft from watching him with Gruden:)
April 26th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
I have only 2 words about Gruden Camp.
Cam Newton.
April 26th, 2011 at 9:38 pm
@joebuc…are you gonna put up the interview, or can i find it on 620 somewhere, was at work and missed it but def wanna hear it..
April 26th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
Joe,
I know you hate BSPN, but did you watch (or are you watching) the Bill Parcells draft special? Very interesting stuff.
April 26th, 2011 at 10:49 pm
Hawaiian Buc:
No, Joe’s been working tonight (real job).
April 26th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
bucnoleguy22:
After the interview is broadcast on WDAE-AM 620, Joe hopes to be able to link the audio, with permission from Joe’s good friends at Clear Channel.
Of course, the station has first dibs on the interview as Joe is sure you can understand.
April 26th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
Joe,
That was the best show I’ve ever seen as far as how a team grades and picks players. It was extremely detailed, and it gives me an even greater respect of all the work that goes into drafting the right guys. You might want to unlock BSPN and watch it. I’m sure they will play it 400 more times before Thursday.
April 26th, 2011 at 11:17 pm
Hawaiian Buc:
Dominik sort of comes from the Parcells school of scouting and I’ve heard Pat Kirwan — who worked with Parcells — talk about all the detail that goes into scouting. I’m not a huge Parcells guy. He had the New York media wrapped around his finger and they still chug his Kool-Aid. Parcells was an above-average coach without Bill Belicheat.
Parcells without Belicheat is Shannahan without Elway and Father Dungy without Peyton Manning.
I do know, like Parcells, Dominik puts zero stock into the combine outside of interviews. Like Parcells, Dominik wants his scouts to finish their grades before the combine. Like Parcells, Dominik doesn’t waste his time with pro days.
The combine is slightly better than a pro day which is nothing more than a dog and pony show.
April 27th, 2011 at 6:46 am
Well, it’s clear Dominick does not use Brighthouse.
/signed sour grapes.
April 27th, 2011 at 11:00 am
I bet Dominik doesn’t even listen to The King-David Show!