Paraag Marathe Thread

Originally posted by gold49digger:
he has a very punchable face.

Somebody needs to create a gif of this face where it starts out small and pops/zooms up 3 or 4 times to this large size.

I swear this doot sold me lotto tickets this morning at the AM-PM

John Lynch describes Paraag Marathe as a 'tremendous asset'
February 8, 2017 at 6:58 PM
By Site Staff

In January, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports called San Francisco 49ers chief strategy officer Paraag Marathe "a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled." While team CEO Jed York had the final say during the search for a new general manager and head coach, Marathe was in the room with York during interviews. Robinson identified Marathe's excessive involvement as one of the numerous obstacles that former 49ers head coach Chip Kelly had to endure during his one year with the team.

There have been reports of Marathe sitting in on football meetings with coaches, leaving many to wonder if he was overstepping his authority. New 49ers general manager John Lynch has heard all of the concerns but decided to create his own opinion and not let outside chatter influence it. He has formed a different opinion of Marathe during his interactions with him thus far. While Lynch believes that he brings numerous strengths to the organization, he admits that salary cap management is not one of them yet. It is something that Lynch intends to learn.

"You need people like Paraag who can help you out along the way," Lynch told Mike Florio in the latest edition of PFT Live. "I can tell you he's been a tremendous asset. People say, 'Are you an analytics guy?' I'm not a Moneyball guy but I'm also a guy that thinks it would be foolish not to embrace some of that, particularly where we reside. I'm looking out the door – there's Google. It's all right around here and we'd be foolish not to embrace that a little bit and see if we can glean any competitive advantage that we might be able to.

"No, those guys (like Marathe) won't be in the booth, in Kyle's ear saying, '34-percent of the time, we should run the ball here.' That's not the way it's working. But, in the back of the building, introducing ideas, introducing things that are innovative. That's the way this organization was made great by a guy named Bill Walsh who was incredibly innovative in his own way and ahead of the curve so I'm going to embrace a guy like Paraag to the fullest extent. I think he's got a bad wrap over the years. I don't know where that story developed in terms of being a meddler. All I know is that in the short time I've been here, he's been a tremendous asset."

Marathe has been with the 49ers for 16 years. He is the team's chief contract negotiator, salary cap architect and oversees the team's football analytics department. In 2015, Marathe was reassigned from his position of team president to his current role.

In January, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media stated on KNBR that he was baffled by the local perception of Marathe. "Paraag is a really respected name in the NFL, which is why it's so interesting to me locally that it is so different," Rapoport said. "And I'm not quite sure how that happened. I guess probably because the wins have not come and everyone sort of looks to the two faces that are kind of out there. But I'll just say as far as nationally (and) around the league, from the candidates I talked to – I try to talk to all of them – to the other GMs, I know Paraag is considered a very respected person."

See more at: http://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/103450-john-lynch-describes-paraag-marathe-tremendous-asset/#sthash.BZTVj2Df.dpuf

Hopefully that's the end of all this drama and blurred lines of power/roles!


Even with changed behavior, this is why Chip Kelly never had a shot with 49ers

Charles Robinson
Yahoo Sports USJan 3, 2017, 3:26 PM

When Chip Kelly was close to taking the San Francisco 49ers job nearly one year ago, he was warned by some of those he trusted that it wasn't the most stable situation. Part of the fan base had soured on team owner Jed York. The hometown media was hammering general manager Trent Baalke. The roster quality had depleted. And the new stadium added significant financial pressure to recapture a Super Bowl window that closed as quickly as it had opened.

It was obvious from the start that Kelly was looking at a messy opportunity, one rife with internal strife that would contribute to his undoing after only 347 days on the job. After speaking to multiple sources – some close to Kelly, some inside the 49ers franchise and some in the NFL personnel community – what has emerged is a picture of a hire that was exactly what many perceived it to be: awkward and doomed from the start. And it started from the moment York zeroed in on a coach he believed could save a franchise that was crumbling internally.

Kelly was told as much by some close to him, too. If he took the 49ers job, his hire was going to be sold as the adrenalin shot to reinvigorate the franchise. He would be expected to pull off something transformative in 2016, despite a jagged union of personalities and agendas. It meant working for an impetuous and involved owner in York; sitting in football meetings with head of football operations Paraag Marathe, a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled; and navigating his way alongside Baalke, who – fairly or not – had been tagged by some in the personnel community as untrustworthy.

Most would have surveyed those icebergs and steered elsewhere. But Kelly's belief in himself and his coaching abilities are seemingly unrivaled. And that's a large part of why he took the job. That, along with a concrete contract and the backing of York and front-office executive Tom Gamble, a Kelly ally when both were working for the Philadelphia Eagles.

"He thought he had Jed [York] behind him," said one NFL personnel source close to Kelly. "And [assistant general manager] Tom Gamble was there, so he had a guy upstairs in his corner. [Chip] wasn't going to be getting involved in [personnel] decisions, but that support was important. … He just thought it was a place where he could go and turn it in the right direction. That's the part [about Chip] that people have right – he has the confidence and self-belief that he can coach up any situation."

In hindsight, that confidence was a mistake. But two other factors also helped drive Kelly forward, sources say: First, he felt burned by the fallout with the Eagles, specifically executive Howie Roseman. Kelly wanted to get back on his feet quickly and right his career. Second, the 49ers materialized as the most concrete (and only) NFL head coaching opportunity available. While friends reached out to Kelly and invited him to spend some time with their organizations as he regrouped (including the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick), York was the only one who immediately expressed interest in snapping up Kelly.

All of those factors played a part in blinding Kelly. Said one longtime NFL evaluator who knows Kelly and also has personal insight into the 49ers and York: "Chip had no idea what he was walking into. He had no idea what that job was going to be."

That it was going to be different from the Philadelphia experience was apparent quickly. After the Eagles divorce, Kelly felt like his involvement in the push-and-pull between ownership and personnel decisions was the battleground that destroyed him. So while some assumed he would try to again dabble in those affairs with the 49ers, Kelly actually swung the opposite way. And at times it seemed dramatic.

According to one 49ers source, Kelly seemed very careful to avoid problems with Baalke from the moment he stepped into the building. So much so that the 49ers source said Kelly basically took a backseat to Baalke on draft weekend, operating with a low-key demeanor that left some in the war room thinking he was making a point of not inserting himself into some of the decisions. Another source close to Kelly said it was more along the lines of him being observant and thoughtful before inserting an opinion. But his approach on draft weekend left the impression with some that Kelly was going out of his way to let Baalke control the room.

Yet, even taking that backseat wasn't going to make the Kelly-Baalke marriage feel less forced. If anything, it compartmentalized the two from each other. Despite having his thoughts on the team's makeup and players, sources say Kelly made it a point to steer clear of anything that might make it seem like he was trying to sway York or undermine Baalke. But 49ers sources said that never quite brought the two men together. Instead, they often seemed to be working independently of each other.

There were other gripes, too. There was an unspoken curiosity about Marathe's role in the franchise and why he was sitting in meetings that encompassed football evaluation. And there was a running joke – also shared by some on the outside of the 49ers organization – that Baalke wanted to be both a coach and general manager.
How much any of that played into Kelly's short stint is debatable. This isn't: The losses and uncertainty with Baalke's job status took their toll on everyone in the building. Then the situation got more uncomfortable in early December when Kelly's father died unexpectedly. According to one source, Baalke called a staff meeting at some point during Kelly's two days away from the franchise, apparently hoping to send a message about rallying down the stretch. Some in the building felt calling such a meeting was inappropriate with Kelly out of town.

Whether that was the breaking point between the two is unknown. But it quickly became obvious to those close to Kelly that Baalke wasn't in the coach's corner. It also became clear that Baalke was going to be fired regardless of how the team finished.

Finally, despite a Week 16 win against the Los Angeles Rams, one team source told Yahoo Sports that "everyone in the building" was being evaluated and was subject to being fired, including Kelly and his coaching staff. And within a few days, word leaked that both Kelly and Baalke would be fired.
While York wasn't specific about the toxic state of the environment, he opened a window when speaking with the media Monday about what he wants going forward.

"I think the most important thing is having the head coach and the general manager working together, battling for each other and being on the same page," York said. "That's paramount. I've certainly seen that in my time. That's my focus and that's my goal to make sure those two are together, they're working on the same page and they know that they have the opportunity to build this thing the right way together."
Working together. Battling for each other. Being on the same page.

That the 49ers brain trust failed to achieve this over the 347 days of Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke wasn't a surprise. Even a year ago, when Kelly was being sold as the answer by York, such harmony seemed far-fetched. It's clear now that this coach and general manager weren't working together at the end, weren't battling for each other and most definitely weren't on the same page.

By some accounts, maybe they never were at all.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/even-with-changed-behavior-this-is-why-chip-kelly-never-had-a-shot-with-49ers-232607163.html

Originally posted by NCommand:

Most would have surveyed those icebergs and steered elsewhere. But Kelly's belief in himself and his coaching abilities are seemingly unrivaled. And that's a large part of why he took the job. That, along with a concrete contract and the backing of York and front-office executive Tom Gamble, a Kelly ally when both were working for the Philadelphia Eagles.

"He thought he had Jed [York] behind him," said one NFL personnel source close to Kelly. "And [assistant general manager] Tom Gamble was there, so he had a guy upstairs in his corner. [Chip] wasn't going to be getting involved in [personnel] decisions, but that support was important. … He just thought it was a place where he could go and turn it in the right direction. That's the part [about Chip] that people have right – he has the confidence and self-belief that he can coach up any situation."

In hindsight, that confidence was a mistake. But two other factors also helped drive Kelly forward, sources say: First, he felt burned by the fallout with the Eagles, specifically executive Howie Roseman. Kelly wanted to get back on his feet quickly and right his career. Second, the 49ers materialized as the most concrete (and only) NFL head coaching opportunity available. While friends reached out to Kelly and invited him to spend some time with their organizations as he regrouped (including the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick), York was the only one who immediately expressed interest in snapping up Kelly.

All of those factors played a part in blinding Kelly. Said one longtime NFL evaluator who knows Kelly and also has personal insight into the 49ers and York: "Chip had no idea what he was walking into. He had no idea what that job was going to be."

If anything, he was blinded by 24 million dollars.

This article sounds like Kelly's agent trying to keep his client's NFL reputation alive.
But TBH it makes Kelly look weak in the leadership department.
Anyway, good luck to Chip. Maybe he can find a spot under Belichick.

"Kelly was told as much by some close to him, too. If he took the 49ers job, his hire was going to be sold as the adrenalin shot to reinvigorate the franchise. He would be expected to pull off something transformative in 2016, despite a jagged union of personalities and agendas. It meant working for an impetuous and involved owner in York; sitting in football meetings with head of football operations Paraag Marathe, a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled; and navigating his way alongside Baalke, who – fairly or not – had been tagged by some in the personnel community as untrustworthy."

Craziness...

Originally posted by jcs:
"Kelly was told as much by some close to him, too. If he took the 49ers job, his hire was going to be sold as the adrenalin shot to reinvigorate the franchise. He would be expected to pull off something transformative in 2016, despite a jagged union of personalities and agendas. It meant working for an impetuous and involved owner in York; sitting in football meetings with head of football operations Paraag Marathe, a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled; and navigating his way alongside Baalke, who – fairly or not – had been tagged by some in the personnel community as untrustworthy."

Craziness...

that look in PM's eye's

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:

Originally posted by Joecool:

If this dude tries to pull anything about suggesting who to draft or anything related to football that is not simply submitting raw stats to the football staff, then I hope Lynch spears him.

10 bucks says Lynch throws him out of the luxury box window on draft day

ONe can only hope.

Originally posted by jcs:
"Kelly was told as much by some close to him, too. If he took the 49ers job, his hire was going to be sold as the adrenalin shot to reinvigorate the franchise. He would be expected to pull off something transformative in 2016, despite a jagged union of personalities and agendas. It meant working for an impetuous and involved owner in York; sitting in football meetings with head of football operations Paraag Marathe, a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled; and navigating his way alongside Baalke, who – fairly or not – had been tagged by some in the personnel community as untrustworthy."

Craziness...

So crazy that he begged for the job and then begged to stay.

"sold as the adrenalin shot to reinvigorate the franchise...." nothing that any new hc isnt told....

Originally posted by pasodoc9er:

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:

Originally posted by Joecool:
If this dude tries to pull anything about suggesting who to draft or anything related to football that is not simply submitting raw stats to the football staff, then I hope Lynch spears him.

10 bucks says Lynch throws him out of the luxury box window on draft day

ONe can only hope.

lynch was very blunt during his interview process, i'm sure he will get his way.

The guy is a really skillful contract negotiator. Lets leave it at that.

Originally posted by NinerGM:

Originally posted by NCommand:
Hopefully that's the end of all this drama and blurred lines of power/roles!

Even with changed behavior, this is why Chip Kelly never had a shot with 49ers

Charles Robinson
Yahoo Sports USJan 3, 2017, 3:26 PM

When Chip Kelly was close to taking the San Francisco 49ers job nearly one year ago, he was warned by some of those he trusted that it wasn't the most stable situation. Part of the fan base had soured on team owner Jed York. The hometown media was hammering general manager Trent Baalke. The roster quality had depleted. And the new stadium added significant financial pressure to recapture a Super Bowl window that closed as quickly as it had opened.

It was obvious from the start that Kelly was looking at a messy opportunity, one rife with internal strife that would contribute to his undoing after only 347 days on the job. After speaking to multiple sources – some close to Kelly, some inside the 49ers franchise and some in the NFL personnel community – what has emerged is a picture of a hire that was exactly what many perceived it to be: awkward and doomed from the start. And it started from the moment York zeroed in on a coach he believed could save a franchise that was crumbling internally.

Kelly was told as much by some close to him, too. If he took the 49ers job, his hire was going to be sold as the adrenalin shot to reinvigorate the franchise. He would be expected to pull off something transformative in 2016, despite a jagged union of personalities and agendas. It meant working for an impetuous and involved owner in York; sitting in football meetings with head of football operations Paraag Marathe, a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled; and navigating his way alongside Baalke, who – fairly or not – had been tagged by some in the personnel community as untrustworthy.

Most would have surveyed those icebergs and steered elsewhere. But Kelly's belief in himself and his coaching abilities are seemingly unrivaled. And that's a large part of why he took the job. That, along with a concrete contract and the backing of York and front-office executive Tom Gamble, a Kelly ally when both were working for the Philadelphia Eagles.

"He thought he had Jed [York] behind him," said one NFL personnel source close to Kelly. "And [assistant general manager] Tom Gamble was there, so he had a guy upstairs in his corner. [Chip] wasn't going to be getting involved in [personnel] decisions, but that support was important. … He just thought it was a place where he could go and turn it in the right direction. That's the part [about Chip] that people have right – he has the confidence and self-belief that he can coach up any situation."

In hindsight, that confidence was a mistake. But two other factors also helped drive Kelly forward, sources say: First, he felt burned by the fallout with the Eagles, specifically executive Howie Roseman. Kelly wanted to get back on his feet quickly and right his career. Second, the 49ers materialized as the most concrete (and only) NFL head coaching opportunity available. While friends reached out to Kelly and invited him to spend some time with their organizations as he regrouped (including the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick), York was the only one who immediately expressed interest in snapping up Kelly.

All of those factors played a part in blinding Kelly. Said one longtime NFL evaluator who knows Kelly and also has personal insight into the 49ers and York: "Chip had no idea what he was walking into. He had no idea what that job was going to be."

That it was going to be different from the Philadelphia experience was apparent quickly. After the Eagles divorce, Kelly felt like his involvement in the push-and-pull between ownership and personnel decisions was the battleground that destroyed him. So while some assumed he would try to again dabble in those affairs with the 49ers, Kelly actually swung the opposite way. And at times it seemed dramatic.

According to one 49ers source, Kelly seemed very careful to avoid problems with Baalke from the moment he stepped into the building. So much so that the 49ers source said Kelly basically took a backseat to Baalke on draft weekend, operating with a low-key demeanor that left some in the war room thinking he was making a point of not inserting himself into some of the decisions. Another source close to Kelly said it was more along the lines of him being observant and thoughtful before inserting an opinion. But his approach on draft weekend left the impression with some that Kelly was going out of his way to let Baalke control the room.

Yet, even taking that backseat wasn't going to make the Kelly-Baalke marriage feel less forced. If anything, it compartmentalized the two from each other. Despite having his thoughts on the team's makeup and players, sources say Kelly made it a point to steer clear of anything that might make it seem like he was trying to sway York or undermine Baalke. But 49ers sources said that never quite brought the two men together. Instead, they often seemed to be working independently of each other.

There were other gripes, too. There was an unspoken curiosity about Marathe's role in the franchise and why he was sitting in meetings that encompassed football evaluation. And there was a running joke – also shared by some on the outside of the 49ers organization – that Baalke wanted to be both a coach and general manager.
How much any of that played into Kelly's short stint is debatable. This isn't: The losses and uncertainty with Baalke's job status took their toll on everyone in the building. Then the situation got more uncomfortable in early December when Kelly's father died unexpectedly. According to one source, Baalke called a staff meeting at some point during Kelly's two days away from the franchise, apparently hoping to send a message about rallying down the stretch. Some in the building felt calling such a meeting was inappropriate with Kelly out of town.

Whether that was the breaking point between the two is unknown. But it quickly became obvious to those close to Kelly that Baalke wasn't in the coach's corner. It also became clear that Baalke was going to be fired regardless of how the team finished.

Finally, despite a Week 16 win against the Los Angeles Rams, one team source told Yahoo Sports that "everyone in the building" was being evaluated and was subject to being fired, including Kelly and his coaching staff. And within a few days, word leaked that both Kelly and Baalke would be fired.
While York wasn't specific about the toxic state of the environment, he opened a window when speaking with the media Monday about what he wants going forward.

"I think the most important thing is having the head coach and the general manager working together, battling for each other and being on the same page," York said. "That's paramount. I've certainly seen that in my time. That's my focus and that's my goal to make sure those two are together, they're working on the same page and they know that they have the opportunity to build this thing the right way together."
Working together. Battling for each other. Being on the same page.

That the 49ers brain trust failed to achieve this over the 347 days of Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke wasn't a surprise. Even a year ago, when Kelly was being sold as the answer by York, such harmony seemed far-fetched. It's clear now that this coach and general manager weren't working together at the end, weren't battling for each other and most definitely weren't on the same page.

By some accounts, maybe they never were at all.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/even-with-changed-behavior-this-is-why-chip-kelly-never-had-a-shot-with-49ers-232607163.html

So again, I'm all about accuracy in reporting and we need to look at this article; although it's written by Robinson, he took 60% of this article, including the quote you focus on from Jay Glazer here:

He's learned from the Philly thing. I talked to him last night, I've talked to him for the last few days. When he got brought in there by Jed York, here's what happened. For weeks and weeks and weeks, he's known that Trent Baalke has been trying to undermine him and get him out. And other people said, go in there and defend yourself. And he's kinda learned from the Philly thing, I'm not gonna do that. I'm just gonna go, I'm gonna coach, I have my chance.

And he really thought that, like the Colin Kaepernick thing like you said, that locker room never fell apart, and we were talking about that on presidential debates. And that locker room didn't fall apart, so you're right, he did a phenomenal job. I don't think he saw it coming, well he told me last night, he didn't see it coming that badly. But here's a guy, in Trent Baalke, who, he has been controversial because of his role in the Jim Harbaugh affair. Went back to Singletary before that. Jim Tomsula.

And then I reported yesterday on FOX NFL Sunday that two years ago, they were hiring Adam Gase for that job instead of Jim Tomsula. They were hiring Adam Gase. John Lynch knows, he was back in Denver, packing his stuff up to go to San Francisco, and at the last second, Trent Baalke went to the owner and completely undercut it. And Gase, I talked to Gase about it, and he is still angry and bitter about it. So, 49er fans could have had Adam Gase this entire time, if there wasn't so much politics that went on inside that organization.

So, the politics are gone, Trent Baalke's out of there, obviously, Chip is out of there. Chip is saying to me last night, I'll go be an offensive coordinator somewhere. He wants to be a football guy.

http://www.ninersnation.com/2017/1/2/14148884/jay-glazer-chip-kelly-trent-baalke-jed-york-what-a-mess

So either Robinson and Glazer share sources or Robinson got his story from Glazer; in both cases they are almost reporting verbatim the same folks. So if this is credible to you then this should be also:

http://www.knbr.com/2017/01/02/glazer-chip-kelly-knew-baalke-had-been-trying-to-get-him-fired-for-weeks/

and this

http://www.ninersnation.com/2017/1/4/14168248/jay-glazer-chip-kelly-clarify-trent-baalke-undermining-him

So who's right? Not sure. What I'm pointing out is if this is going to be our reference then so should all the other Glazer-sourced reports which talk more about Baalke than Boogeyman Paraag.

Most importantly, I like what Lynch says here which was again ignored by and needs to be taken at face value:

"No, those guys (like Marathe) won't be in the booth, in Kyle's ear saying, '34-percent of the time, we should run the ball here.' That's not the way it's working. But, in the back of the building, introducing ideas, introducing things that are innovative. That's the way this organization was made great by a guy named Bill Walsh who was incredibly innovative in his own way and ahead of the curve so I'm going to embrace a guy like Paraag to the fullest extent. I think he's got a bad wrap over the years. I don't know where that story developed in terms of being a meddler. All I know is that in the short time I've been here, he's been a tremendous asset." - See more at:
http://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/103450-john-lynch-describes-paraag-marathe-tremendous-asset/#sthash.6r9SPbyY.dpuf

I know where that BS came from:

Google "kawakami Paraag" there are 50 plus articles where Kawakami is fixated with Paraag. Oh yeah and the infamous 2005 article from Kevin Lynch that is the source of this rumor that Paraag forced Walsh out which is complete BS. Now I love NinersNation - they have some good writing, but let's be clear here; there's a difference between Maiocco and socalijoe writing an article and drawing conclusions based on what he's read in ESPN. IMHO, that's no different that you or me posting here and drawing out our conclusions. Quoting it as a reputable source is debatable at best. Who is Stephanie McCarroll? And why have her tweets been taken as gospel? She's a fan like you and me and maybe knows a little more.

I've read article after article on this topic and this it how it usually reads; unnamed sources says x, maybe we should start to look at y, we DO know that z is happening based on that source but we're not sure. The press naturally questions everyone, but just because something isn't completely explained, questions are raised.

That's great and all, but questions aren't facts. And this is my problem with the whole Paraag thing; QUESTIONS being reported as facts by unnammed sources.

Yeah, there's been a lot of damaging accusations with quotes of "meddling" and coaches wondering why Paraag is sitting in on personnel meetings, up in the booth on game days and being "a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled" and "moneyball" over many many years by various writers and 'sources.' There's probably some truth in all of this but probably not to the degree it's being spun.

But logically thinking, if I was him, had the President of Football Ops title, was a second family member to the Yorks and besties with the CEO, I might be tempted to flex my power muscles a bit too. So there's probably some truth to this. But a lot of this is probably overblown too and really, it's mostly speculative b/c of how secretive his real role has really been...the only interviews he's ever had have been outside the organization and he's never had to answer the media, even with that title.

Personally, I just pasted the articles for everyone here...they can draw their own conclusions. The only thing I said was, "Hopefully that's the end of all this drama and blurred lines of power/roles!"

I just hope we don't have to question roles/power going forward and I hope the money ball tactics just went right out the window to a large degree with John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan on board and with many more football guys being added (Peters and JL alluded to even more coming into the FO soon).

Like I said from day 1...free agency will be the first sign if we're staying with money ball tactics or there is a genuine interest in turning this organization around (b/c we ALL know both Lynch/Shanahan are aggressive in nature and their job is to bring in as many of the best players as possible).

Originally posted by NCommand:
John Lynch describes Paraag Marathe as a 'tremendous asset'
February 8, 2017 at 6:58 PM
By Site Staff

In January, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports called San Francisco 49ers chief strategy officer Paraag Marathe "a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled." While team CEO Jed York had the final say during the search for a new general manager and head coach, Marathe was in the room with York during interviews. Robinson identified Marathe's excessive involvement as one of the numerous obstacles that former 49ers head coach Chip Kelly had to endure during his one year with the team.

There have been reports of Marathe sitting in on football meetings with coaches, leaving many to wonder if he was overstepping his authority. New 49ers general manager John Lynch has heard all of the concerns but decided to create his own opinion and not let outside chatter influence it. He has formed a different opinion of Marathe during his interactions with him thus far. While Lynch believes that he brings numerous strengths to the organization, he admits that salary cap management is not one of them yet. It is something that Lynch intends to learn.

"You need people like Paraag who can help you out along the way," Lynch told Mike Florio in the latest edition of PFT Live. "I can tell you he's been a tremendous asset. People say, 'Are you an analytics guy?' I'm not a Moneyball guy but I'm also a guy that thinks it would be foolish not to embrace some of that, particularly where we reside. I'm looking out the door – there's Google. It's all right around here and we'd be foolish not to embrace that a little bit and see if we can glean any competitive advantage that we might be able to.

"No, those guys (like Marathe) won't be in the booth, in Kyle's ear saying, '34-percent of the time, we should run the ball here.' That's not the way it's working. But, in the back of the building, introducing ideas, introducing things that are innovative. That's the way this organization was made great by a guy named Bill Walsh who was incredibly innovative in his own way and ahead of the curve so I'm going to embrace a guy like Paraag to the fullest extent. I think he's got a bad wrap over the years. I don't know where that story developed in terms of being a meddler. All I know is that in the short time I've been here, he's been a tremendous asset."

Marathe has been with the 49ers for 16 years. He is the team's chief contract negotiator, salary cap architect and oversees the team's football analytics department. In 2015, Marathe was reassigned from his position of team president to his current role.

In January, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media stated on KNBR that he was baffled by the local perception of Marathe. "Paraag is a really respected name in the NFL, which is why it's so interesting to me locally that it is so different," Rapoport said. "And I'm not quite sure how that happened. I guess probably because the wins have not come and everyone sort of looks to the two faces that are kind of out there. But I'll just say as far as nationally (and) around the league, from the candidates I talked to – I try to talk to all of them – to the other GMs, I know Paraag is considered a very respected person."

See more at: http://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/103450-john-lynch-describes-paraag-marathe-tremendous-asset/#sthash.BZTVj2Df.dpuf

"Bad wrap"? Come on, man.

Originally posted by NinerGM:

Originally posted by NCommand:
Hopefully that's the end of all this drama and blurred lines of power/roles!

Even with changed behavior, this is why Chip Kelly never had a shot with 49ers

Charles Robinson
Yahoo Sports USJan 3, 2017, 3:26 PM

When Chip Kelly was close to taking the San Francisco 49ers job nearly one year ago, he was warned by some of those he trusted that it wasn't the most stable situation. Part of the fan base had soured on team owner Jed York. The hometown media was hammering general manager Trent Baalke. The roster quality had depleted. And the new stadium added significant financial pressure to recapture a Super Bowl window that closed as quickly as it had opened.

It was obvious from the start that Kelly was looking at a messy opportunity, one rife with internal strife that would contribute to his undoing after only 347 days on the job. After speaking to multiple sources – some close to Kelly, some inside the 49ers franchise and some in the NFL personnel community – what has emerged is a picture of a hire that was exactly what many perceived it to be: awkward and doomed from the start. And it started from the moment York zeroed in on a coach he believed could save a franchise that was crumbling internally.

Kelly was told as much by some close to him, too. If he took the 49ers job, his hire was going to be sold as the adrenalin shot to reinvigorate the franchise. He would be expected to pull off something transformative in 2016, despite a jagged union of personalities and agendas. It meant working for an impetuous and involved owner in York; sitting in football meetings with head of football operations Paraag Marathe, a numbers guy whose influence over ownership was unparalleled; and navigating his way alongside Baalke, who – fairly or not – had been tagged by some in the personnel community as untrustworthy.

Most would have surveyed those icebergs and steered elsewhere. But Kelly's belief in himself and his coaching abilities are seemingly unrivaled. And that's a large part of why he took the job. That, along with a concrete contract and the backing of York and front-office executive Tom Gamble, a Kelly ally when both were working for the Philadelphia Eagles.

"He thought he had Jed [York] behind him," said one NFL personnel source close to Kelly. "And [assistant general manager] Tom Gamble was there, so he had a guy upstairs in his corner. [Chip] wasn't going to be getting involved in [personnel] decisions, but that support was important. … He just thought it was a place where he could go and turn it in the right direction. That's the part [about Chip] that people have right – he has the confidence and self-belief that he can coach up any situation."

In hindsight, that confidence was a mistake. But two other factors also helped drive Kelly forward, sources say: First, he felt burned by the fallout with the Eagles, specifically executive Howie Roseman. Kelly wanted to get back on his feet quickly and right his career. Second, the 49ers materialized as the most concrete (and only) NFL head coaching opportunity available. While friends reached out to Kelly and invited him to spend some time with their organizations as he regrouped (including the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick), York was the only one who immediately expressed interest in snapping up Kelly.

All of those factors played a part in blinding Kelly. Said one longtime NFL evaluator who knows Kelly and also has personal insight into the 49ers and York: "Chip had no idea what he was walking into. He had no idea what that job was going to be."

That it was going to be different from the Philadelphia experience was apparent quickly. After the Eagles divorce, Kelly felt like his involvement in the push-and-pull between ownership and personnel decisions was the battleground that destroyed him. So while some assumed he would try to again dabble in those affairs with the 49ers, Kelly actually swung the opposite way. And at times it seemed dramatic.

According to one 49ers source, Kelly seemed very careful to avoid problems with Baalke from the moment he stepped into the building. So much so that the 49ers source said Kelly basically took a backseat to Baalke on draft weekend, operating with a low-key demeanor that left some in the war room thinking he was making a point of not inserting himself into some of the decisions. Another source close to Kelly said it was more along the lines of him being observant and thoughtful before inserting an opinion. But his approach on draft weekend left the impression with some that Kelly was going out of his way to let Baalke control the room.

Yet, even taking that backseat wasn't going to make the Kelly-Baalke marriage feel less forced. If anything, it compartmentalized the two from each other. Despite having his thoughts on the team's makeup and players, sources say Kelly made it a point to steer clear of anything that might make it seem like he was trying to sway York or undermine Baalke. But 49ers sources said that never quite brought the two men together. Instead, they often seemed to be working independently of each other.

There were other gripes, too. There was an unspoken curiosity about Marathe's role in the franchise and why he was sitting in meetings that encompassed football evaluation. And there was a running joke – also shared by some on the outside of the 49ers organization – that Baalke wanted to be both a coach and general manager.
How much any of that played into Kelly's short stint is debatable. This isn't: The losses and uncertainty with Baalke's job status took their toll on everyone in the building. Then the situation got more uncomfortable in early December when Kelly's father died unexpectedly. According to one source, Baalke called a staff meeting at some point during Kelly's two days away from the franchise, apparently hoping to send a message about rallying down the stretch. Some in the building felt calling such a meeting was inappropriate with Kelly out of town.

Whether that was the breaking point between the two is unknown. But it quickly became obvious to those close to Kelly that Baalke wasn't in the coach's corner. It also became clear that Baalke was going to be fired regardless of how the team finished.

Finally, despite a Week 16 win against the Los Angeles Rams, one team source told Yahoo Sports that "everyone in the building" was being evaluated and was subject to being fired, including Kelly and his coaching staff. And within a few days, word leaked that both Kelly and Baalke would be fired.
While York wasn't specific about the toxic state of the environment, he opened a window when speaking with the media Monday about what he wants going forward.

"I think the most important thing is having the head coach and the general manager working together, battling for each other and being on the same page," York said. "That's paramount. I've certainly seen that in my time. That's my focus and that's my goal to make sure those two are together, they're working on the same page and they know that they have the opportunity to build this thing the right way together."
Working together. Battling for each other. Being on the same page.

That the 49ers brain trust failed to achieve this over the 347 days of Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke wasn't a surprise. Even a year ago, when Kelly was being sold as the answer by York, such harmony seemed far-fetched. It's clear now that this coach and general manager weren't working together at the end, weren't battling for each other and most definitely weren't on the same page.

By some accounts, maybe they never were at all.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/even-with-changed-behavior-this-is-why-chip-kelly-never-had-a-shot-with-49ers-232607163.html

So again, I'm all about accuracy in reporting and we need to look at this article; although it's written by Robinson, he took 60% of this article, including the quote you focus on from Jay Glazer here:

He's learned from the Philly thing. I talked to him last night, I've talked to him for the last few days. When he got brought in there by Jed York, here's what happened. For weeks and weeks and weeks, he's known that Trent Baalke has been trying to undermine him and get him out. And other people said, go in there and defend yourself. And he's kinda learned from the Philly thing, I'm not gonna do that. I'm just gonna go, I'm gonna coach, I have my chance.

And he really thought that, like the Colin Kaepernick thing like you said, that locker room never fell apart, and we were talking about that on presidential debates. And that locker room didn't fall apart, so you're right, he did a phenomenal job. I don't think he saw it coming, well he told me last night, he didn't see it coming that badly. But here's a guy, in Trent Baalke, who, he has been controversial because of his role in the Jim Harbaugh affair. Went back to Singletary before that. Jim Tomsula.

And then I reported yesterday on FOX NFL Sunday that two years ago, they were hiring Adam Gase for that job instead of Jim Tomsula. They were hiring Adam Gase. John Lynch knows, he was back in Denver, packing his stuff up to go to San Francisco, and at the last second, Trent Baalke went to the owner and completely undercut it. And Gase, I talked to Gase about it, and he is still angry and bitter about it. So, 49er fans could have had Adam Gase this entire time, if there wasn't so much politics that went on inside that organization.

So, the politics are gone, Trent Baalke's out of there, obviously, Chip is out of there. Chip is saying to me last night, I'll go be an offensive coordinator somewhere. He wants to be a football guy.

http://www.ninersnation.com/2017/1/2/14148884/jay-glazer-chip-kelly-trent-baalke-jed-york-what-a-mess

So either Robinson and Glazer share sources or Robinson got his story from Glazer; in both cases they are almost reporting verbatim the same folks. So if this is credible to you then this should be also:

http://www.knbr.com/2017/01/02/glazer-chip-kelly-knew-baalke-had-been-trying-to-get-him-fired-for-weeks/

and this

http://www.ninersnation.com/2017/1/4/14168248/jay-glazer-chip-kelly-clarify-trent-baalke-undermining-him

So who's right? Not sure. What I'm pointing out is if this is going to be our reference then so should all the other Glazer-sourced reports which talk more about Baalke than Boogeyman Paraag.

Most importantly, I like what Lynch says here which was again ignored by and needs to be taken at face value:

"No, those guys (like Marathe) won't be in the booth, in Kyle's ear saying, '34-percent of the time, we should run the ball here.' That's not the way it's working. But, in the back of the building, introducing ideas, introducing things that are innovative. That's the way this organization was made great by a guy named Bill Walsh who was incredibly innovative in his own way and ahead of the curve so I'm going to embrace a guy like Paraag to the fullest extent. I think he's got a bad wrap over the years. I don't know where that story developed in terms of being a meddler. All I know is that in the short time I've been here, he's been a tremendous asset." - See more at:
http://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/103450-john-lynch-describes-paraag-marathe-tremendous-asset/#sthash.6r9SPbyY.dpuf

I know where that BS came from:

Google "kawakami Paraag" there are 50 plus articles where Kawakami is fixated with Paraag. Oh yeah and the infamous 2005 article from Kevin Lynch that is the source of this rumor that Paraag forced Walsh out which is complete BS. Now I love NinersNation - they have some good writing, but let's be clear here; there's a difference between Maiocco and socalijoe writing an article and drawing conclusions based on what he's read in ESPN. IMHO, that's no different that you or me posting here and drawing out our conclusions. Quoting it as a reputable source is debatable at best. Who is Stephanie McCarroll? And why have her tweets been taken as gospel? She's a fan like you and me and maybe knows a little more.

I've read article after article on this topic and this it how it usually reads; unnamed sources says x, maybe we should start to look at y, we DO know that z is happening based on that source but we're not sure. The press naturally questions everyone, but just because something isn't completely explained, questions are raised.

That's great and all, but questions aren't facts. And this is my problem with the whole Paraag thing; QUESTIONS being reported as facts by unnammed sources.

There are plenty of articles over the last 13 years by writers other than Kawakami and Lynch about Marathes meddlsome involvement in this team...

Too many leaks from too many people no longer on this team have his name brought up too many times as both a meddler and potential leaker over his entire tenure here from the Walsh, McVay to the "Rat" comment Singletary dropped to the public strife between Harbaugh and the FO, to this most recent GM search which may have ended with a rookie because no experienced guy would give up so much power and stick their neck out to a numbers guy....

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/csp/mediapool/sites/PressDemocrat/News/story.csp?cid=2061822&sid=555&fid=181
http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/11/19/9698608/paraag-marathe-the-man-behind-the-curtain
http://www.bayareasportsguy.com/49ers-demise-not-just-the-fault-of-jed-trent-jimmy-tom-and-kap/
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jim-harbaughs-relationship-with-49ers-brass-is-getting-worse/
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/12/04/reports-49ers-demoting-team-president-paraag-marathe/
http://ninernoise.com/2015/12/04/49ers-reassign-paraag-marathe-from-president-role-per-report/
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/2/24/5442024/jim-harbaugh-san-francisco-49ers-cleveland-browns-trade
http://archives.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/offensive-line/Content?oid=2158707
http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2005/07/26/gridiron_guru/

Originally posted by captveg:
"Bad wrap"? Come on, man.

LOL. TBT, Lynch has only been here 5 minutes. He'll form his real opinion over the years. And he is widely respected in the league as a contract guru (and rightfully so). It's the inside stuff that is highly speculative but that's Jed's fault too on many levels.