Search firm (not Neinas)

[junglehusky]

This is a couple days old, sorry if a repost:

@JFowlerCBS 8 Nov
Buzz I'm hearing is UConn plans to use Parker Executive for its football coaching search

https://www.parkersearch.com/sports

 

[ruskin]

Hate hate hate hate this. Waste of money. No problem with Warde chartering a plane from Teterboro to Brainard but this is totally obsolete. Warde makes good coin -- now, if he wants outside people to bounce his ideas off fine but these guys are straight-out leeches.

I'd rather see the money go to lobbying the P5 effort.

 

[Adios]

Schools (and bowl organization) that used them for sports programs.

Dartmouth
Oregon
Notre Dame
Tennessee
Houston
TCU
Iowa
Arizona State
Rose Bowl
Boston University
Georgia
Rutgers
Georgia Tech
Oklahoma
Northern Illinois
Minnesota
Rice
Nebraska
American University
Loyola College
Arkansas

 

[UCONNJACK]

Did Parker Search vetted Mike Rice & new AD at Rutgers and Bobby Petrino at Arkansas? If so I think UConn should find another search firm.

 

[Fishy]

Using a search firm lets you make contact with candidates in ways that that you might not ordinarily be able to do so.

This is not rocket science.

 

[ruskin]

Using a search firm lets you make contact with candidates in ways that that you might not ordinarily be able to do so.

This is not rocket science.

Sorry Fish. The interwebs have completely changed the search process. Very easy to identify, research and contact prospects. Once you indentify your top 5-10 then due dilgence with background checks (cheaper than search firm). This is an unneeded cost.

 

[Fishy]

Ah, no.

The internet...Jesus.

The game is chess and you're forever thinking it's checkers.

 

[SubbaBub]

Plans???! Plans to use? WTF, we should know what the poential candidates feed their pets by now. By all means use a firm as a go between, but that list isn't that impressive. Unless Oregon means they hired Chip Kelly and not the water polo coach, I count four of the 21 references that hired a decent outside FB coach that wasn't an obvious candidate, TCU, Georgia, Northern Illinois, and Minnesota. Minnesota hired a guy with serious health problems and I am stretching to include Georgia, because it isn't all that difficult to attract top candidates to Georgia.

 

[huskymedic]

We were having this discussion in the "Next Head Coach" thread... The same "plans to use" question came up. I'm cutting and pasting my opinion from there - here:

"If it "leaked" out - that tells me they've narrowed down the field and want to get down into the nitty gritty dirty work

>>When a university signs a deal with Parker Executive Search, access to this database is the big draw. It's truly like a dating service, complete with a prospective coach's mug shot in the top left corner of the screen. Also included in the firm's fee, which typically runs between $60,000 and $90,000, plus expenses, is what it believes is soup-to-nuts service, including:

- Handling all calls inquiring about the coaching vacancy
- Reviewing its database with search committee members and providing all members with a private log-in to access the database remotely
- Contacting coaches or agents to request interviews
- Arranging for travel and accommodations for candidates who will be interviewed
- Conducting public records searches -- credit, criminal and motor vehicle reports -- of all candidates
- Confirming academic degrees
- Receiving a signed statement from candidates confirming information and affirming that nothing else need be disclosed
- Negotiating a contract on behalf of the university
- Receiving signed terms of an agreement from the coaching candidate and all parties before the introductory news conference

The real meat, though, is the database, a veritable treasure trove of information. The profiles of more than 1,000 basketball coaches and 2,000 football coaches are a click away.<<"

Tennessee used PES for Butch Jones, Vandy for Franklin and ND for Brian Kelly. There are successes and flame-outs for each of these firms.

In the end - the choice is the AD's. - not the search firm.

 

[junglehusky]

Sorry Fish. The interwebs have completely changed the search process. Very easy to identify, research and contact prospects. Once you indentify your top 5-10 then due dilgence with background checks (cheaper than search firm). This is an unneeded cost.

OK, let us know what you come up with when you contact your top 5 over the internet. Narduzzi favorited a tweet from coachingsearch that I RT'd, so we're already covered there.

 

[Dooley]

After the messes that occurred at Notre Dame (O'Leary), Pitt and RU (just to name a few), I think these functions are critical:

- Conducting public records searches -- credit, criminal and motor vehicle reports -- of all candidates
- Confirming academic degrees
- Receiving a signed statement from candidates confirming information and affirming that nothing else need be disclosed

This is such an important hire that I don't care if UCONN hires every single search firm out there. UCONN is not only looking for a coach that can succeed, but they are likely looking for a guy that will energize the fanbase into buying tickets and show the country a commitment to football. Captain Obvious doesn't need to say that any kind of scandal with this upcoming hire would be another crushing blow to UCONN. Especially on the heels of a (likely) winless season.

 

[ruskin]

Ah, no.

The internet...Jesus.

The game is chess and you're forever thinking it's checkers.

yeah all those idiot writers who have identified potential coaches don't know what they're talking about. You have stock in Parker?

 

[ruskin]

After the messes that occurred at Notre Dame (O'Leary), Pitt and RU (just to name a few), I think these functions are critical:

- Conducting public records searches -- credit, criminal and motor vehicle reports -- of all candidates
- Confirming academic degrees
- Receiving a signed statement from candidates confirming information and affirming that nothing else need be disclosed

This is such an important hire that I don't care if UCONN hires every single search firm out there. UCONN is not only looking for a coach that can succeed, but they are likely looking for a guy that will energize the fanbase into buying tickets and show the country a commitment to football. Captain Obvious doesn't need to say that any kind of scandal with this upcoming hire would be another crushing blow to UCONN. Especially on the heels of a (likely) winless season.

I agree with all of this. Maybe it's the term "search firm" that's outdated. Maybe "vetting firm" is a better fit.

I just don't want a repeat of the last experience with a search firm.

 

[huskymedic]

I agree with all of this. Maybe it's the term "search firm" that's outdated. Maybe "vetting firm" is a better fit.

I just don't want a repeat of the last experience with a search firm.

Did you forget that he "last experience" was run by Hathaway!

 

[coachcap]

My only comment is if the University is going to use a search firm, why wasn't this negotiated WEEKS ago? The hire should be done by Thanksgiving so that the new coach can solidify his staff, evaluate current talent (or lack thereof) on the roster, & hit the recruiting trail to solidify commitments.

 

[Chin Diesel]

The whole purpose is to have all the background work done outside of the public eye and FOI's. The firm does all the dirty work of contacting prospective coach's agents, puts out the price range for salary and acts as a go between.
Ultimately the school pulls the trigger on the hire.
Universities don't have spare employees with hiring process experience. Most companies don't either. That's why Parker and other companies exist.

 

[Dooley]

I just don't want a repeat of the last experience with a search firm.

Agreed. If we end up with the same type of candidate pool as what Neinas provided, then we are screwed. There are differences between the two searches and the most important difference is timing. Pasqualoni was a result of having to find a coach after the coaching hiring season came to a close near Signing Day under the tutelage of an incompetent AD (evidenced by giving PP 5 friggin' years with large buyouts!!!), an interim AD, and way too much focus on CT high school football. This time around, we've had a 2-3 month jump on every school except USC and Miami of Ohio, we have a connected football guy as our AD, a President committed to university growth, and the recruiting focus seems to be a bit more nationally focused.

I re-read that linked article and found this buried at the bottom:

"I have a very effective network," Neinas told USA Today. "I wouldn't call it 'old boys.' Maybe I'm old, but a lot of the coaches are in their 30s."

The throw-away line of the article seemed to be the most predictive. With so much emphasis on "old", the doomsday writing was on the wall as to who we were going to end up with.

 

[Dooley]

My only comment is if the University is going to use a search firm, why wasn't this negotiated WEEKS ago? The hire should be done by Thanksgiving so that the new coach can solidify his staff, evaluate current talent (or lack thereof) on the roster, & hit the recruiting trail to solidify commitments.

My guess is that WM wanted to assess TJW and give him a fair amount of time to try to claim the job. He did say in his press conference that TJW would be a candidate if he won. Once we were officially eliminated from bowl eligibility, the search firm search began.

 

[FDNY99]

I don't think Manuel is using Parker to compile a list of candidates.....he has a list compiled and like what others have stated in other posts Parker will be used to vet a list of candidates given to them by UCONN.

 

[junglehusky]

My only comment is if the University is going to use a search firm, why wasn't this negotiated WEEKS ago? The hire should be done by Thanksgiving so that the new coach can solidify his staff, evaluate current talent (or lack thereof) on the roster, & hit the recruiting trail to solidify commitments.

If the hire is made by Thanksgiving then you are basically eliminating candidates who are currently employed, which is probably ~96% of the pool of guys you want. If the hire is made around Christmastime then you can go for the up-and-coming assistant type (or the Tubberville / Mullen type situation), if they have a bowl game they can stay with their current team for that game and start at the new job the day after. If we hire in the next few weeks it would be a Houston Nutt type which is probably not the way you want to go.

 

[ruskin]

Did you forget that he "last experience" was run by Hathaway!

Very much so. Neinas fleeced an incompetent dolt and got a helluva two-fer. Collected an easy $50K (or whatever it was) and derailed UConn in CR in one fell swoop. Neinas is the kind of mercenary who makes my skin crawl.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

Using a search firm lets you make contact with candidates in ways that that you might not ordinarily be able to do so.

This is not rocket science.

In today's environment, every available coaching prospect and everyone representing schools seeking a coach are being tracked by anyone with a wireless link. Headhunters keep things stealthy; or try. Look at our reaction to SH's Chicago trip to see an example of what can happen.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Ah, no.

The internet...Jesus.

The game is chess and you're forever thinking it's checkers.

come on Fishy... Just google 'top 5-10 fb coaches' for Uconn.
Boom. just saved a bunch of coin.

 

[Fishy]

come on Fishy... Just google 'top 5-10 fb coaches' for Uconn.
Boom. just saved a bunch of coin.

Someone owes me $50K.

 

[huskymedic]

Someone owes me $50K.

Yeah... top 5 links and one is the BY

WM should just get you, Temery and Nan to pin a poll @ top and just go from there!