Return to 'Triangle of Authority' - Upside and Risk
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/vikings-return-triangle-of-authority-brings-both-upside-risk
Vikings' Return to 'Triangle of Authority' Brings Both Upside and Risk
Perhaps the biggest question about the Vikings' hire of Nolan Teasley as general manager is how well he'll work with Kevin O'Connell and Rob Brzezinski.
The Vikings appear to be going back to their infamous "Triangle of Authority" structure of leadership. This time, they're hoping the approach yields better results.
That's the name that was given to the Vikings' power structure in the late 2000s, when decision-making authority was split between VP of player personnel Rick Spielman, VP of football administration Rob Brzezinski, and head coach Brad Childress (and then Leslie Frazier). Under that trio, the Vikings won two division titles and fell just short of a Super Bowl appearance in 2009 before coming unraveled with disastrous seasons in 2010 and '11.
On Monday, the Vikings officially announced the hire of former Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley as their new general manager, confirming the reports that emerged on Saturday. In the team's press release/official story, they made it clear that Teasley will be working hand-in-hand with head coach Kevin O'Connell and Brzezinski, who was a candidate for the GM job but will instead return to his previous role as EVP of football operations.
"Putting Nolan together with Kevin O'Connell and Rob Brzezinski gives us three strong leaders with complementary skillsets," said owner and president Mark Wilf.
"We are confident this dynamic structure of Nolan, Kevin and Rob is the best outcome for the Minnesota Vikings," said owner and chairman Zygi Wilf.
Each of Teasley, O'Connell, and Brzezinski was also quoted as looking forward to working with the other two.
It certainly could work. There's a lot to like about what all three leaders bring to the table in their different roles. O'Connell has established himself as a high-level head coach in the NFL, even if he's still searching for his first playoff victory. He has a combination of leadership skills and offensive football acumen that's hard to find. Teasley was a big part of the Seahawks' recent success and comes with rave reviews from those who worked with him in Seattle. Brzezinski, who has been with the Vikings for almost 30 years, is one of the best salary cap gurus in the league.
But even if the upside of this trio is immense, it cannot be ignored that going down this route comes with some degree of risk. The Vikings are banking on Teasley, O'Connell, and Brzezinski working well together and establishing consensus as they make decisions. If there's any question about who has the final say, the possibility of tension or discord will exist, especially in times of adversity. Indications are that Teasley and O'Connell will both report directly to the Wilfs, who obviously have a long-standing relationship with Brzezinski.
LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN
The Lions do it this way....and so do a handful of other teams formally. Its not new nor some kind of 'lesser than' type scenario. I guess Viking's fans and the media love their TOA terminology. Results are what matter, not the means. Find good players.....find good coaches to coach those good players....have a plan and work that plan....the rest is just white noise. Oh yeah, it all looks SO much better when you have a really good starting QB, no matter what hierarchy you have installed. When KOC has a pretty damn good QB (Darnold, Cousins), good things happen. Teasley appears to be a dude that could be very good.
If the QB1 for this upcoming season plays well, the team is going to be pretty good. Period.
every team has at least a triangle, some likely run squares, and I am sure you would find some pentagons and maybe even an octagon if you really looked. I dont know that there has ever been a more over blown issue than this one. the concept wasnt new, only thing new was putting a name to it. its not the concept that failed, it was the people involved. you can never have to many competent professionals, it only becomes a problem when egos or ignorance get involved.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
What about the Octagon of Obstinacy? The Duodecahedron of Decisionality? The Quadrangle of Quietude? So many possibilties...
Sorry but the TOA was a failed model and the Wilfs finally acknowledged that when they promoted Rick from Leg of the Triangle to General Manager way back when. They watched Les Frazier insist on Donovan McNabb and said we've had enough of the Kumbaya Kommittee approach.
Committees are fine but I'm of a belief that in the NFL you need a strong leader who can make tough decisions and lead. Running every organizational choice through a committee is an abdication of responsibility imo.
Does Teasley coming in amidst a flurry of both glowing praise and constant reminders that he must "fit in" with the guys already in power mean it's a new TOA? Maybe. Maybe the embedded country club TCO culture, filled with guys who've been there forever is just threatened by an outsider, a new voice, a guy who might cost them their comfy jobs? I don't know.
The only thing that matters are results. If Teasley builds a perennial contender instead of the current situation of, "Hey maybe we'll make the playoffs this year!" then no one will care how the power is distributed at TCO.
And if the average results continue and the championship is always over the horizon someday, then I imagine eventually there will be yet another regime change, sooner or later.
I hope he succeeds, I ain't gonna live forever while I wait for the ship to arrive in Valhalla.
There's really change in structure from the Kwesi days. Andrew Miller is still President of Football operations. Brzezinski is back still doing the job he was doing before. The VIkings are being very polite because 1) Brez is respected for what he does and 2) He did a decent job navigating the team through the draft. They need to acknowledge those accomplishments while passing over an internal candidate. Happens all the time in business.
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