Did we just dodge a bullet with Harbaugh?

[SFVikeFan]

Now that the shock wore off, I'm glad we didn't get Jim.  Look he is a sexy pick, would have excited the fanbase, almost in a way Brett Favre did.  He has a proven track record.  But after listening to KAM'S P.C. about the type of HC they want, collaboration,  etc. I  start to cringe.

Deep down you know this was like picking a hot girlfriend to marry but not picking a wife.  Hot girlfriend is hot, fun, exciting in the honeymoon phase and all your friends are jealous, looks hot on social media.  But behind the scenes - is she calm wanting to find common ground instead of fighting?  Or is she controlling and you're the one who always has to give in to keep her happy?  Is she a good mom with raising kids?  Is she loyal, dependable?  Or are you worried after 3-4 seasons she's secretly on Tinder looking for the next thing?

Harbaugh has bounced everywhere he's been ... San Diego, Stanford,  SF, Michigan.  Now he's willing to dump Michigan to join us?  So how long before he dumps us?  I want longterm stability.  

Khakis King would have made great headlines but the more I think about the fit, the more I think it was destined to fail.  If we want communication, collaboration,  NO EGOS per KAM, I just don't see how it was going to fit.  I'd rather go the option of true team concept, quietly go about our work, give a young offensive mind who just wrecked receiving records with Cooper Kupp and hand him a Justin Jefferson, Thielen, Cook and say "here's just a handful of toys" that have arguably more talent than LA and let him scheme these guys open.

Maybe O'Connell is the hot wife we didn't know about because he wasn't all over the media wanting the spotlight?  And let's face it Harbaugh was going to be the face of MN whether good or bad he was bound to be the headline here.

Sometimes after 6-7 years of marriage you look back at the crazy hot chicks you dated and you've matured and you're like daaaamn glad that didn't work out. 

[Guest]

My thoughts exactly!

The more heard about Harbaugh the more I thought “this isn’t the guy that the Wilfs were describing” when they told us what they wanted to put together.  Harbaugh is a short term fix as you pointed out.

I think the Wilfs are trying to put together a top quality organization of very talented people all working as a team.  Not a one man coach that serves one term, gets the organization back on track and the. moves on.  As one blogger pointed out Harbaugh did this for Michigan and then was ready to move on to what he wanted to do next.

I like the way the ship is headed.

[Guest]

Using your wife/girlfriend anallogy.  Put Harbaugh on the hot crazy scale and I’ll take mega hot and mega crazy because coaches don’t have shelf lives anymore. Burn hot, burn bright. Get me a superbowl. Then he can leave or stay or do whatever he wants. 

[Guest]

This will also make O'Connell the fourth current NFL head coach stemming from the coaching tree of the Rams' Sean McVay: O'Connell, the Bengals' Zac Taylor, the Chargers' Brandon Staley, the Packers' Matt LaFleur.

That's a pretty solid track record.

One other thing occurred to me, was how the Rams adjusted to a new QB and the loss of Bobby Trees. They were still able to maximize Kupp. How much credit belongs to KOC is hard to determine, but he was definitely a voice in the room.

Not gonna lie, my initial reaction to Harbaugh was skepticism, followed by acceptance, followed by "" HOLY SHIT, HE'S GONNA TAKE US TO THE SUPER BOWL!"

But, from what I've read, O'Connell seemed to be the clubhouse favorite of many in the organization. Harbaugh came in thinking it was a done deal. Not exactly ego suppression. His track record with his peers and ownership is not what we're looking for.

Dodged a bullet? More like automatic weapon fire via a drive by.

[Guest]

Hard to say and we'll never know. I'll focus on what we have and not what might have been. In fact, it could be that it was never going to happen with Harbaugh if his expectations were he was going to get the job regardless of the interview. Presumptive if true and tone deaf to some extent. Not what the new culture is about and Kwesi did his due diligence with Harbaugh.

[Guest]

Remember also that even with Harbaugh he could not guarantee a SB and if he didn’t get one he likeley ould be gone in 5ree years.

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
Hard to say and we'll never know. I'll focus on what we have and not what might have been. In fact, it could be that it was never going to happen with Harbaugh if his expectations were he was going to get the job regardless of the interview. Presumptive if true and tone deaf to some extent. Not what the new culture is about and Kwesi did his due diligence with Harbaugh.

If Viking fans can't focus on "what might have been"......????????
Oh geez another 10 years of therapy down the toilet.   

[Guest]

If KOC does well and dare I say it takes us to the promised land then yep great hire and the Wilfs/KAM are geniuses. If he's gone in 3-4 years then nope, brutal decision. Really as simple as that.
The shock of getting left at the altar by Poles and then not closing the deal with Harbaugh is still fresh but give me the unknown of O'Connell over another year of Zim any day of the week so it's still a reason to be excited.
Rest of the offseason should be a lot more tranquil and pleasant for me... until the Kirk extension news hits .

[Guest]

@pattersaur said:

If KOC does well and dare I say it takes us to the promised land then yep great hire and the Wilfs/KAM are geniuses. If he's gone in 3-4 years then nope, brutal decision. Really as simple as that.
The shock of getting left at the altar by Poles and then not closing the deal with Harbaugh is still fresh but give me the unknown of O'Connell over another year of Zim any day of the week so it's still a reason to be excited.
Rest of the offseason should be a lot more tranquil and pleasant for me... until the Kirk extension news hits .

Why were we left at the altar by Poles?

[Guest]

...eh...

...maybe it's because the now-previous coach had declined so sharply, but I honestly was fine with any of the "finalists".

Harbaugh is old enough that I was worried about him being a short-term situation, if I'm honest...but, in terms of communication, he deals with young athletes all the time as a college coach and has had success in the NFL, so I wasn't against his hiring.

As for Poles, Chicago has some market advantages, and some historical things...but, I'd honestly be terrified to move my family there and consider it to be one of the worst cities on Earth.  I think he made a tragic error.