Best General Managers In Sports

[CincyRedsFan30]

A difference exists between a fanatical view and one of respect, you mofo.

[DravenX]

I don't know must of those GM's but JS should be higher than 42.

[BnGBleeder]

I can't believe the following are in front of Kevin Colbert,Steelers GM:

Rich McKay,Atlanta Falcons
John Paxson,Chicago Bulls
AJ Smith,San Diego Chargers

[HollywoodLeo]

I can't believe the following are in front of Kevin Colbert,Steelers GM:

AJ Smith,San Diego Chargers

Have you not seen what AJ Smith has put together in his 2 and a half years as Chargers GM?

[BnGBleeder]

Have you not seen what AJ Smith has put together in his 2 and a half years as Chargers GM?

Yes I have,and the Chargers wouldn't be nearly as good if he didn't inherit LT.

He has done a great job with the defense drafting Merriman (possible Roidhead) and Castillo and making the trade for Rivers and the picks to get Merriman and Kaeding...but a lot of GM's could have pulled that one off.

I wasn't high on the Cromartie pick in the 1st round last year,but I think it'll end up being good as long as Cromartie doesn't end up a frequent visitor to the DL.

But so far he has two one-and-done playoff appearances and one year betwee where his team didn't even make the playoffs.

I can't remember if he took over in 1999 or 2000,so I am going to go from 2000 (Steelers missed playoffs in 1999,fyi).So he has made the playoffs in 4 of 6 seasons (01,02,04,05) with 3 AFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl win.Also,three of the four appearances came as division champs,and two times we had home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

I think part of the reason AJ Smith's name is so well-known is due to the fact that he made the trade for Rivers instead of just drafting him (and then having Drew Brees become a Pro Bowler after getting Rivers,the fued with Shottenheimer was much in the public eye,and then firing Marty as late as he did.

Colbert has never had that much contreversy surround him,so he's more in the background.His name is brought up around draft time,but rarley ever does his name ever pop up in the papers or even on message boards other than draft time.

[realmofotalk]

Yes I have,and the Chargers wouldn't be nearly as good if he didn't inherit LT.

Granted, the final decision to draft LT was John Butler's, but Smith was Butler's #2 man so you'd expect that Smith had his boss's eyes and ears on personnel matters. This is unlike an outsider coming into an organization and inheriting the foundation of a team and taking credit for its success i.e. Jerry Krause with the Bulls.

but a lot of GM's could have pulled that one off.

Like who? Neither Herschel Walker nor Ricky Williams were can't miss #1 overall draft picks. Nor did they hold the proverbial gun to the head of the G.M. before they were traded.

But so far he has two one-and-done playoff appearances and one year betwee where his team didn't even make the playoffs.

The G.M. doesn't make game saving tackles, avoid dumb penalties on the field, or make the opposition shank field goals.

[HollywoodLeo]

Yes I have,and the Chargers wouldn't be nearly as good if he didn't inherit LT.

That's lame reasoning. John Butler had LT and had the team in cap hell. This is as ignorant as saying Rivers wouldn't have had a good year if not for LT.

He has done a great job with the defense drafting Merriman and Castillo and making the trade for Rivers and the picks to get Merriman and Kaeding...but a lot of GM's could have pulled that one off.

That's only part of what he's done, but thanks for helping my argument.

I wasn't high on the Cromartie pick in the 1st round last year,but I think it'll end up being good as long as Cromartie doesn't end up a frequent visitor to the DL.

Still yet to be seen whether this is a good pick or not. But judging off his other drafts I'm confident.

But so far he has two one-and-done playoff appearances and one year betwee where his team didn't even make the playoffs.

He took over in 2004, that's not really fair. 2006 came down to coaching. If the players played in the playoffs like they had all year they would've been in the AFC Championship game.

I can't remember if he took over in 1999 or 2000,so I am going to go from 2000 (Steelers missed playoffs in 1999,fyi).So he has made the playoffs in 4 of 6 seasons (01,02,04,05) with 3 AFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl win.Also,three of the four appearances came as division champs,and two times we had home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

I'm not saying the Steelers GM hasn't done a good job.

I think part of the reason AJ Smith's name is so well-known is due to the fact that he made the trade for Rivers instead of just drafting him (and then having Drew Brees become a Pro Bowler after getting Rivers,the fued with Shottenheimer was much in the public eye,and then firing Marty as late as he did.

Colbert has never had that much contreversy surround him,so he's more in the background.His name is brought up around draft time,but rarley ever does his name ever pop up in the papers or even on message boards other than draft time.

How much of this controversy was created by Marty, though? Sometimes two people just can't get along.

And to judge a guy's job by how many times ESPN talks about them is completely irrelevant and ignorant.

Pretty much everyone of the key players that make the Chargers as good as they are are locked up till at least 2007.

AJ knew what he had in Drew Brees, but he also knew what he had in Philip Rivers. (He didn't know what he had in Drew at the time of the trade, obviously, but after Drew's 2003 season that's understandable.)

AJ Smith has put together quite possibly the most talented team in Chargers history, and he's only been in full control for 3 years.

[ATLien]

how many playoff games has an LT-led team won?

[HollywoodLeo]

how many playoff games has an LT-led team won?

Are you suggesting Kevin Faulk is a better running back?

[BnGBleeder]

AJ Smith has put together quite possibly the most talented team in Chargers history, and he's only been in full control for 3 years.

True,he has done that.

Did SMith draft Gates?If so,just totally forget everything I said before and he deserves to be #1.

[ATLien]

Are you suggesting Kevin Faulk is a better running back?

no, but I am suggesting that you lay off the kool-aid.

zero playoff wins.

[Witlon]

True,he has done that.

Did SMith draft Gates?If so,just totally forget everything I said before and he deserves to be #1.

Gates went undrafted, as he didn't play football in college.

[SLAM]

Brian Colangelo should be #1 in that list.

[HollywoodLeo]

no, but I am suggesting that you lay off the kool-aid.

zero playoff wins.

Suggesting I drink Kool-Aid, compelling argument.

[HollywoodLeo]

True,he has done that.

Did SMith draft Gates?If so,just totally forget everything I said before and he deserves to be #1.

Gates went undrafted. AJ signed him as an UDFA