NFL hires Rod Graves as senior V.P. of football administration

Brian in Mesa

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NFL hires Rod Graves as senior V.P. of football administration

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ves-as-senior-v-p-of-football-administration/

Per a league source, the NFL has hired Graves to “oversee all club and game-related initiatives concerning the Competition Committee, general managers, and head coaches,” according to the email communicating the hire to the teams. Graves also will “develop and implement new strategic programs within our Football Development group,” which includes the Scouting Combine, the Regional Combines, high school initiatives, and the Career Development Symposium.

While the memo doesn’t specifically state that Graves is replacing long-time league employee Joel Bussert, who retired earlier this year, the email mentions Bussert and explains the latest move as something that “will streamline our leadership and help us deliver clarity, credibility, and consistency to our clubs, players, fans, and colleagues.”

It doesn’t take a genius (which qualifies me immensely) to read between the lines. Graves will be expected, among other things, to prevent hiccups from becoming hash tags. Current leadership failed to do that on January 18, 2015, and the pungent fumes of #DeflateGate not only undermined the Super Bowl but will now hover over the start of a new season, and possibly all of it.
 

Goldfield

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Omg I used to think the NFL was an unstoppable force. But I now believe it's going down hill fast after this news.
 

Cheesebeef

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for all those that said the NFL is going down the drain because of Goodell, I finally have reason to believe you're right!!!
 

Chris_Sanders

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Because the human snail is exactly the sort of decision maker I want dealing with the fast paced world of social media and public relations.
 

Cheesebeef

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this guy must have gotten a buttload of compromising pictures on every NFL owner/executive from some crazy party at one of the league's winter meetings back in the day. it's the only explanation for how he keeps falling upward.
 

Cbus cardsfan

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I guess thinking like this explains why it's taking so long to hear a decision on Washington :).

Graves will fit right in with fast pace workings at NFL headquarters.
 

Harry

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Seems like a good hire to me. The NFL offices need to bring in more people who know nothing about football to get a broader perspective.
 

Mitch

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I guess I have a different reaction, because I think Rod will be good in this role. He's a very good ambassador for the game. He was not a particularly effective GM or head of football operations, but he's a thoughtful, diplomatic and conscientious liaison. I imagine that Michael Bidwill endorsed him very enthusiastically for this position and with good reason.
 

blindseyed

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So does that mean the regular season schedule will come out after the 3rd week of the regular season now?
 

Capital Card

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I love me some Keim, but Rod gets way too much hate on this board.

Cardinals ended 50 year play-off win drought his first year with the organization.
GM for Cardinals only Superbowl team.
Brought a players approach to the organization and ended the Bidwill policies of charging players for socks, drinks, food, etc.

Not saying I want him back, or that he was a top-tier administrator, but far from the total cluster-#@$% some of y'all make him out to be.

He strikes me as a genuine good, nice person, and I wish him well in his new position.

Go Cards!!!
 

Redneck Voodoo

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I guess I have a different reaction, because I think Rod will be good in this role. He's a very good ambassador for the game. He was not a particularly effective GM or head of football operations, but he's a thoughtful, diplomatic and conscientious liaison. I imagine that Michael Bidwill endorsed him very enthusiastically for this position and with good reason.

:thumbup: I agree, Mitch.
 

Bert

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Seems like a good hire to me. The NFL offices need to bring in more people who know nothing about football to get a broader perspective.

I feel like you just won. :D
 

Catfish

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Whoa there, all I will say about that is that the NFL had better be prepared for a huge slow-down in how football operations continue from this point forward. UNBELIEVABLE !!
 
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