If we are praising the job Schoen is doing, do we need to tip our cap to Mara?

[MightyGiants]

Mara was under a lot of pressure from the fans and sections of the media to clean house after the season (I was among them).  There were even planes flying over the stadium calling for change.


John Mara stood firm against the pressure and held on to Joe Schoen (and Brian Daboll), and the reward seems to be a really good draft and a solid free agency. 

So, should John Mara get some credit?

Would a different GM and HC have done as well?

[Ed Vette]

He absolutely does.

[Gmo11]

Credit for knowing his role and shutting his mouth? I'll give him credit for that. If he had done that about three years ago this team might be a contender right now but at least he seems to have learned his lesson

[DaveBrown74]

I like Mara because I think he's a good man, but do I think he deserves to have bouquets thrown at him simply because he didn't meddle and mess things up? I'd say that's going a little far.

I'm throwing credit out to the scouts, coaching staffs, and front office for this and for the way they collaborated.

I'd also add that none of these guys have even taken a practice snap for the Giants let alone a regular season snap. While I have given an A to this draft and am feeling very good about it right now (as well as free agency), I need to see this team showing material signs of development on the field this year before we put this offseason in the books as a big time offseason.

[EDjohnst1981]

I am not sure how much due Mara should receive for not bowing to fickle fans, many of whom are happy with the off-season performance from the GM. 

I think that's the baseline for an owner, rather than something to applaud. 

[MightyGiants]

I am not sure how much due Mara should receive for not bowing to fickle fans, many of whom are happy with the off-season performance from the GM. 

I think that's the baseline for an owner, rather than something to applaud.

Just the "fickle fans"?  How about the worst record in the league and a nearly bad record the prior season?  Do you think that might have created pressure to move on?

[bamagiantfan]

Most fans love their team's draft every year. This one has some promise but I'll save any cap tipping until the end of the season. Continuous improvement and meaningful games in December is all I ask.

[Doc16LT56]

Credit for winning the offseason? These guys haven't even practiced yet.

[EDjohnst1981]

Just the "fickle fans"?  How about the worst record in the league and a nearly bad record the prior season?  Do you think that might have created pressure to move on?

Depends if he believed in the vision of Schoen. If he believed. It was right to keep him.

Regardless of the outside noise.

[MightyGiants]

Depends if he believed in the vision of Schoen. If he believed. It was right to keep him.

Regardless of the outside noise.

Regardless of belief, results (like records and team performance) matter, and I find it hard to believe that objectively bad results wouldn't create pressure to move on.

[Doc16LT56]

Just the "fickle fans"?  How about the worst record in the league and a nearly bad record the prior season?  Do you think that might have created pressure to move on?

https://imgflip.com/i/9s37mm

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I give Mara credit for just letting new style GMs do their thing, instead of meddling and relying on the fat men from the old guard of the late 1900s. I think it has sunk in, that the modern way of building a team using analytics (and probably AI) and scheming beyond "punching the ball up the middle", and grinding out wins by a strong run game. He's smart to sit back, get out of the way, and give Schoen the chance to build the Giants into a 21st century team. So yeah, some credit goes to Mara

[EDjohnst1981]

Regardless of belief, results (like records and team performance) matter, and I find it hard to believe that objectively bad results wouldn't create pressure to move on.

Fair enough but it's not simply results. Many factors impact results - including but certainly not limited to - poor play from oft injured key players. Injuries all round, meddling owners etc. 

If decisions were simply made on the pure results of a season - far more teams would be making changes.

[Bob In PA]

No.

[Ed Vette]

He could have fired Schoen and Daboll and started the thing all over again. That's usually a 3-year do-over. It was a ballsy call. He also told them he wanted to see improvement, and that prompted Schoen to solidify the QB position with two Veterans. He didn't demand they draft a QB, at least publicly. The keywords are "Some Credit".