Bobby Grier has passed away

[Hammer of Thor]

Bobby Grier passed away this AM. He was 82. Very good scout for us, but his GM tenure left a lot to be desired. Condolences to his family.

Longtime Pats executive Bobby Grier dies at 82

 

[PatsFan2]

Saw that RIP Bobby G.

 

[sb1]

RIP

 

[signbabybrady]

RIP to one of the guys who scouted TB12

 

[borg]

RIP to one of the guys who scouted TB12

And overruled Parcells to draft Terry Glenn

 

[XLIX]

 

[TheRainMaker]

He really struggled taking over for Parcells after the 1996 season. Who knows what role he had in the Martin decision, but it looks like it was mostly Kraft. Carroll wanted Martin to return badly and warned management that Martin wasn't happy with the lowball offer and was going to leave. The drafts from 1997-1999 was absolutely awful. Hitchcock leaving backfired as both Canty and Tebucky Jones were atrocious at CB. Letting Sam Gash and Willie Clay walk was just weird. The premature signings of Max Lane and Todd Rucci instantly backfired.

After all this, I don't think BB drafts Tom Brady without Grier's connection with Lloyd Carr. Sad to see anyone go. RIP.

 

[Brotherblues]

He really struggled taking over for Parcells after the 1996 season. Who knows what role he had in the Martin decision, but it looks like it was mostly Kraft. Carroll wanted Martin to return badly and warned management that Martin wasn't happy with the lowball offer and was going to leave. The drafts from 1997-1999 was absolutely awful. Hitchcock leaving backfired as both Canty and Tebucky Jones were atrocious at CB. Letting Sam Gash and Willie Clay walk was just weird. The premature signings of Max Lane and Todd Rucci instantly backfired.

After all this, I don't think BB drafts Tom Brady without Grier's connection with Lloyd Carr. Sad to see anyone go. RIP.

Wrong thread for a long list of misfires imo

 

[TheRainMaker]

Wrong thread for a long list of misfires imo

It is what it is. He wasn't a good GM during that time period. It doesn't mean I think he was a terrible person. And had he not had his misfires, Kraft would have no reason to fire Carroll. And without BB, he doesn't hire Rehbein who doesn't recommend Tom Brady. Again, without Grier's connection, BB may not have drafted Tom Brady.

 

[Zuma]

Grier was in personnel when the Patriots drafted several very good players.

 

[TheRainMaker]

And overruled Parcells to draft Terry Glenn

Parcells initially wanted Cedric Jones, Tony Brackens or Duane Clemons. Jones was luckily taken. I really liked Glenn, but that pick fractured the relationship. Parcells staying and running the show probably gets the Pats to the Super Bowl by 1999.

 

[upstater1]

His son won a national championship with Boston U. hockey and then had a pretty good career in the NHL. His son was well liked here in Buffalo for the Sabres.

One thing people forget about the whole 1996 draft fiasco is that Parcells left the room after the selection of Terry Glenn and he actually slammed the door and didn't come back.

So, while we can credit Grier with taking Terry Glenn over Cedric Jones or T Brackens (Parcells' picks), we don't know whether his later selections of Lawyer Milloy and Tedy Bruschi were picks that Parcells wanted. As well, they took Christian Peter, and that seems 100% like a Parcells guy to me.

Later the drafting fell off, but we still got Brandon Mitchell who started at DT for the 2001 Patriot Super Bowl champs.

Damien Woody, Kevin Faulk and Greg Spires were the others he selected who had long NFL careers. Robert Edwards who won NFL rookie of the year had his career cut short at the Pro Bowl, obviously.

So, over 4 years, Grier selected Terry Glenn, Lawyer Milloy, Tedy Bruschi, Brandon Mitchell, Damien Woody, Kevin Faulk and Greg Spires. 8 players in 4 drafts is NOT enough, but while the quantity was not there, the quality certainly was, as all these players were very quality players.

As the team's top scout, it's really unknown what role he played in the selection of Ty Law, Curtis Martin, Willie McGinest and Troy Brown.

 

[upstater1]

Parcells initially wanted Cedric Jones, Tony Brackens or Duane Clemons. Jones was luckily taken. I really liked Glenn, but that pick fractured the relationship. Parcells staying and running the show probably gets the Pats to the Super Bowl by 1999.

One thing to remember: Parcells already made the dirty deal with the Jets BEFORE that draft. That was part of the controversy.

Parcells went to Kraft and redid his contract so that it would be reduced to one year and there'd be no buyout. Kraft caught the drift of what was going on.

What isn't known however is the degree to which Kraft interfered with Parcells to make him seek out the Jets prior to the 1996 season.

My only point is that the relationship had already ruptured BEFORE the 1996 draft. I can't blame Kraft for not giving the future Jets GM/HC full sway over the 1996 Patriots draft, but since I don't know what made the two men break things apart prior to that, I can't fully blame Parcells either.

I do think Kraft's meddling with 3 HOF coaches in Parcells, Carroll and Belichick lead to dysfunction in the last years of all 3 coaches. But I also know know Parcells had a falling out with the Giants, then also the Patriots, and when he gave up full control of the Jets, he became the Cowboys HC one season later, so it's not like the guy was trustworthy at all.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Another person who gets unjust critism here. RIP. Without those draft picks the 2001 Super Bowl never happens. He drafted much better than the BB and the Mayo led recent drafts

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I don't think BB drafts Tom Brady without Grier's connection with Lloyd Carr.

A very good man, a very good football guy.

He had his downs, but so did Bill Walsh and most anybody else.

 

[upstater1]

Another person who gets unjust critism here. RIP. Without those draft picks the 2001 Super Bowl never happens. He drafted much better than the BB and the Mayo led recent drafts

The quality of his picks was high, but the quantity was pretty low. Go back and look, we did better than an average of 2 starters a year recently.

If in 3 years you win a Super Bowl with our current players plus more sprinkled in, you can see how some similar players drafted recently would comprise the vets of a winner.

In retrospect, guys like McGinest, Bruschi, Milloy look great. But I can't be the only one who remembers the constant disappointment with McGinest and his injuries, he was verging on being a bust. Bruschi was an afterthought, a fringe pass rusher, not a regular. Milloy was a thumper but limited in coverage. It just all came together in 2001.