worst GM in sports?

[General Mike]

who has done the worst job in pro sports at running their franchise?

My vote: Glen Sather

[VPI97]

Billy Knight, Atlanta Hawks

[Anthony]

Any Knicks GM.

case closed.

[PSUColonel]

Ed Wade

[samifan24]

Ed Wade of the Phillies or Jim Rutherford of the Hurricanes.

[Z²+]

Cam Bonifay of the Pirates was pretty bad throughout the 90's...

[Crapshoot]

Kenny Williams.

[Maple Leafs]

who has done the worst job in pro sports at running their franchise?

My vote: Glen Sather
Interesting choice. Probably not the first one that would have occured to me, but hard to argue with. Has any GM ever gone from genius to dummy over the course of a career like Sather did?

[Young Drachma]

Gord Ash, former Blue Jays GM.

Presently? I dunno. I do know two of the best are based in Jersey.

[Maple Leafs]

Gord Ash, former Blue Jays GM.Another interesting call. I always liked Ash, if only because he started with some low-level front office job and literally worked his way up to become GM. What sports fan hasn't dreamed of that?

Speaking of the Canadian teams, I get the feeling Omar Minaya might be on the list in a few years.

[Ragone]

Whoever has been running the Arizona Cardinals? :P

[msf518]

Elgin Baylor, Clippers

[Young Drachma]

Another interesting call. I always liked Ash, if only because he started with some low-level front office job and literally worked his way up to become GM. What sports fan hasn't dreamed of that?



That part, I agree with. I think it was awesome. He started with the team in the beginning as a ticket office guy and worked his way up to GM and that is cool. And I'm probably too hard on him because he was screwed when ownership changed during his tenure.

But we sucked and so, I guess I blame him.

[Swaggs]

Cam Bonifay of the Pirates was pretty bad throughout the 90's...

Bonifay was terrible. He made a lot of useless players into millionaires.

[Glengoyne]

Pretty much anyone and everyone who has ever held the position for the Clippers.

[stevew]

Pretty much anyone and everyone who has ever held the position for the Clippers.

Baylor has not been awful for the clips. Every year he seems to make good draft picks, even though they may be high ones. Its just that their owner rarely wants to pay to keep the team together, or to add additional players. Donald Sterling redefines cheap.

[stevew]

Speaking of the Canadian teams, I get the feeling Omar Minaya might be on the list in a few years.


My thoughts exactly. He's running the Mets like he took a GM course from Isiah Thomas.

[duckman]

Jerry Jones.

[Travis]

I vote J.P.

Anytime you refuse to take a Canadian in a deal (Gagne) and insist on Prokopec instead (that worked out well), that's just bad, but considering what he's done to our bullpen and his Delgado replacement plan, he's making a serious case for himself on this list. Now had he resigned Woodward, he'd easily make the top 3.

[streetballer22]

Elgin Baylor, Clippers

Amen to that one. The Clippers are always getting top talents in the draft just to let them go to FA.

[MrBug708]

Mitch Kupchek

[MrBug708]

Amen to that one. The Clippers are always getting top talents in the draft just to let them go to FA.

He's actually done a great job IMO. It's the owner that does a crappy job. The Anti-Steinbrenner

[Chief Rum]

Amen to that one. The Clippers are always getting top talents in the draft just to let them go to FA.

Read above. It ain't Elgin lettin' these guys go. Not saying he's the greatest GM (Lamond Murray and Kandi are two big examples of mistakes he made), but he's pulled off some good moves, too, bringing in Brand for the pick that became Chandler, making a move for Maggette when everyone thought he was just an athlete with questionable basketball IQ, picking out terrific under-the-radar talents like Jaric and Simmons, etc.

No, the problem is Donald Sterling, who would immediately get a vote from me if someone started a similar thread about worst owners.

CR

[stevew]

Read above. It ain't Elgin lettin' these guys go. Not saying he's the greatest GM (Lamond Murray and Kandi are two big examples of mistakes he made), but he's pulled off some good moves, too, bringing in Brand for the pick that became Chandler, making a move for Maggette when everyone thought he was just an athlete with questionable basketball IQ, picking out terrific under-the-radar talents like Jaric and Simmons, etc.

No, the problem is Donald Sterling, who would immediately get a vote from me if someone started a similar thread about worst owners.

CR


Potentially the Clips could be one of the better teams in the league soon if they can keep Simmons, and if Livingston develops like expected. But there's little chance of that happening.

[MrBug708]

I dont think the Clips taking the Kandi man was a bad move, he was just the top pick that everyone else probably would have done in that position

[KeyserSoze]

Any NY Knicks Manager. Isiah Thomas specially.

If you have a low budget, maybe you are forced to do some weird movements (Clippers, Pirates), but if you have a big budget, you have to be an contender any year

[Vince]

Read above. It ain't Elgin lettin' these guys go. Not saying he's the greatest GM (Lamond Murray and Kandi are two big examples of mistakes he made), but he's pulled off some good moves, too, bringing in Brand for the pick that became Chandler, making a move for Maggette when everyone thought he was just an athlete with questionable basketball IQ, picking out terrific under-the-radar talents like Jaric and Simmons, etc.

No, the problem is Donald Sterling, who would immediately get a vote from me if someone started a similar thread about worst owners.

CRThe Yorks in San Francisco trump even Sterling, I think. But I have the Red-and-Gold tinted glasses on, which make me blame them for everything bad that ever happens to the team. With those on, they're by far the worst owners in any sport, at any time throughout all of history, for ever and ever.

That being said, Sterling is friggin horrible.

Edit: End threadjack :)

[condors]

I want to throw another vote for Ed Wade Phillies GM. He ran a team that was always battling for the cellar with a limited payroll. With the new stadium the owners have opened the pocketbooks up some and we still haven't made it to the postseason. We fire managers only the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays have a GM with as long a tenure and no post season.

Case and point this offseason offered Placido Planco 2b-abitration not because we wanted to keep him but because he wanted compensation for when he signed elsewhere. So now we have a backup 2b making 5 million dollars and putting undo pressure on prospect 2b Chase Utley. Neither have been moved and the Phillies sure could use another pitcher. Also after this was awarded the Phillies signed 3 relief pitchers all making under 1 million dollars who stink but will be cheap and will balance out the extra money being paid to the backup 2b by having a bad bullpen. Way to go Ed.

You can also point to the last 2 seasons the Phillies were close to being in the mix to making a wild card spot and at the trade deadline we get other teams old bad relief pitchers when we needed a center fielder and a good relief pitcher. Wade refuses to deal his "gems" from the minor leagues (overall the farm system is rated close to the bottom last i checked which Ed has to shoulder some responibility for) yet the best guy to come thru Scott Rolen left because he felt the team was poorly run, go figure.(there isn't another guy who come thru the system in the last 15 years that has done much of anything).

[MIJB#19]

Worst GM in sports?

Okay, call it off topic, but there's a funny catch in there...

[Leonidas]

Spielman for the Dolphins is so bad he's not even good enough to be called incompetent. I think utterly unqualified it the right description. Although he's not really the GM by name, and Nick Saban has pretty much relegated him now to a guy who sits in an office collecting checks until his current contract expires.

[stevew]

I want to throw another vote for Ed Wade Phillies GM. He ran a team that was always battling for the cellar with a limited payroll. With the new stadium the owners have opened the pocketbooks up some and we still haven't made it to the postseason. We fire managers only the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays have a GM with as long a tenure and no post season.

Case and point this offseason offered Placido Planco 2b-abitration not because we wanted to keep him but because he wanted compensation for when he signed elsewhere. So now we have a backup 2b making 5 million dollars and putting undo pressure on prospect 2b Chase Utley. Neither have been moved and the Phillies sure could use another pitcher. Also after this was awarded the Phillies signed 3 relief pitchers all making under 1 million dollars who stink but will be cheap and will balance out the extra money being paid to the backup 2b by having a bad bullpen. Way to go Ed.

You can also point to the last 2 seasons the Phillies were close to being in the mix to making a wild card spot and at the trade deadline we get other teams old bad relief pitchers when we needed a center fielder and a good relief pitcher. Wade refuses to deal his "gems" from the minor leagues (overall the farm system is rated close to the bottom last i checked which Ed has to shoulder some responibility for) yet the best guy to come thru Scott Rolen left because he felt the team was poorly run, go figure.(there isn't another guy who come thru the system in the last 15 years that has done much of anything).

Wade is awful, too, I will agree. In the past 5 years, roughly, our win total has gone from 86 to 86 while the payrol has gone from 30 million to roughly 90 million. Last season he trades Silva and some other players for Milton. Then Silva has a superior season to Milton, and will sign for about half as much. Existing contracts on our payroll suggest that the team has little to no chance to add salary anytime soon. Its possible that Rollins will be too expensive for us to keep(not that Wade wouldnt overpay him if he could).

Then you factor in all the little things like giving picks for Leiber, but not getting any out of Polanco. Past draft transgressions like taking JD Drew, and then not being able to pay him, and oodles of bad trades. I agree he sucks, but i hope when we lose 80+ games this season the front office brings in someone with a clue.

[Ramzavail]

I know Hockey is in nobodies mind, but how can we not mention Mike Milbury?

[cubboyroy1826]

Any Chicago Blackhawks GM or puppet GM for Mr Wirtz.

[gstelmack]

... or Jim Rutherford of the Hurricanes.
Got to agree here. I listen to sportscasters talk about him like he's a highly respected hockey mind, but since this team moved to Carolina they've played hard for a grand total of about 1 season. They got motivated enough one year to squeak into the playoffs and play the Devils tight, then turned things around one December and managed to finish a season with a trip to the finals, and that's it. I watched them lose more winnable games just through lack of effort than I can count. I remember a must-win game vs. Montreal where the only people chasing down pucks were Gary Roberts and most of the Canadiens, in a down year for Montreal.

He may be able to find talented players, but he needs to start finding some talented MOTIVATED players for once.

[Chubby]

Kodos, he's run his team into the ground!

[Huckleberry]

Wade isn't that bad. He had some underperformance issues from his players last year. He did overspend on Wagner, though. Thanks on that one from an Astros fan.

Cam Bonifay had about the worst stretch of GM performance in my lifetime for the Pirates. Just awful. It was like the guy went out and took a player's career-best in each statistical category, combined them all into one super player, and then paid the guy as if his performance would match that ridiculous expectation on a yearly basis until the player turned 45.

Just amazing.

[sterlingice]

Any Chicago Blackhawks GM or puppet GM for Mr Wirtz.
I was thinking of suggesting that, but it's a group effort because even with the league's best GM, Wirtz's tightfistedness would prevent them from doing anything more than a decent job.

SI

[General Mike]

I know Hockey is in nobodies mind, but how can we not mention Mike Milbury?

Hockey is always on my mind. I cant believe there are so many bad GMs in New York (Sather, Milbury, Thomas, Accorsi, Bradway and i guess Minaya, but I'm not ready to throw him under the bus yet)

[Logan]

Interesting choice. Probably not the first one that would have occured to me, but hard to argue with. Has any GM ever gone from genius to dummy over the course of a career like Sather did?

Interesting parallel: Any player who comes to the Rangers goes from a stud to a dud.

And yet I still think Milbury is worse...

[mhass]

I have beef with the McCasky family. Now that Jerry Angelo is in town, things appear better, but Mike M. sucked from the fan's perspective.

[Maple Leafs]

I know Hockey is in nobodies mind, but how can we not mention Mike Milbury?
Excellent call.

[Raven Hawk]

Any Chicago Blackhawks GM or puppet GM for Mr Wirtz.
I'd agree with you, but methinks the problem isn't with the GM as you alluded to. The problem is with Mr. W.

[SunDevil]

Whoever is running the Arizona Cardinals, though I have no idea who it is.

[General Mike]

Whoever is running the Arizona Cardinals, though I have no idea who it is.

Denny Green

[Glengoyne]

Baylor has not been awful for the clips. Every year he seems to make good draft picks, even though they may be high ones. Its just that their owner rarely wants to pay to keep the team together, or to add additional players. Donald Sterling redefines cheap.
I'd frankly say it is too soon to say that Baylor has sucked.

[NevStar]

Jerry "You mean I was supposed to check that box?" Angelo.

[tucker342]

Basically every GM in the NBA

[mhass]

Jerry "You mean I was supposed to check that box?" Angelo.
I said it was better, not good.

[Subby]

Any Bullets/Wizards GM Prior to Ernie Grunfield.

- Drafted Rasheed Wallace instead of Kevin Garnett
- Traded Rasheed Wallace for Rod Strickland
- Traded Chris Webber for Mitch Richmond
- Drafted Kenny Green instead of Karl Malone
- Drafted Kwame Brown #1
- traded Rip Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse
- traded Ben Wallace for Ike Austin

[sooner333]

Any Bullets/Wizards GM Prior to Ernie Grunfield.

- Drafted Rasheed Wallace instead of Kevin Garnett
- Traded Rasheed Wallace for Rod Strickland
- Traded Chris Webber for Mitch Richmond
- Drafted Kenny Green instead of Karl Malone
- Drafted Kwame Brown #1
- traded Rip Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse
- traded Ben Wallace for Ike Austin

But they did manage to trade Tom Gugliotta and three picks for Webber.

I think any Warriors GM has done a terrible job. I mean, Penny and three picks for Webber for Gugliotta, for Donyell Marshall might be the worst progression of a trade in the history of basketball.

Or Tim Hardaway and Chris Gatling for Bimbo Coles and Kevin Willis.

Joe Smith for Jim Jackson and Clarence Weatherspoon (although Smith wasn't that great and he was going to walk anyway...but still....)

Adonal Foyle
Todd Fuller
Andrew DeClerq

[clintl]

If you go back a couple of decades, Joe Thomas (49ers) and Tom Haller (SF Giants) were about as bad as it's possible for a GM to get.

[Schmidty]

The worst GM of the past 10 years is Randy Smith, the former GM of the Tigers.

It's not even close, guys.

[General Mike]

bad trades are making my head spin.

[Emiliano]

Any NY Knicks Manager. Isiah Thomas specially.

Agreed, clearly the winner. Also Mitch Kupchak and the last 49ers GM (I think was Donahue) receive nominees.

[General Mike]

bump for Isiah

[TazFTW]

Matt Millen wasn't mentioned?

[Neuqua]

Kenny Williams.
He didn't do so bad now did he?

:)

[JS19]

Being a die-hard NY Mets fan, so maybe im a tad bit bias, but anyone care to explain why they believe Omar Minaya is already a candidate or well on his way?

[General Mike]

Being a die-hard NY Mets fan, so maybe im a tad bit bias, but anyone care to explain why they believe Omar Minaya is already a candidate or well on his way?

Because he has never traded for or signed a player and given up less than market value. He's overpaid for everybody. And not just as Mets GM. Trading Sizemore, Lee and Phillips to Cleveland for Colon back in 02 for a 4 month rental, sure made alot of sense.

[JS19]

I'll agree with that somewhat. He may have semi overpaid for Beltran, but what you need to realize is that i'm sure he would have gotten as much, or right around what he did, from another club. So by paying him the extra $$$ he lured him to Queens. As we all know he did underperform but this is a guy who averages around 25 HRs, 90+RBI and 30 SB and he's only 29. Pedro's contract I believe is justified, he would have won the Cy Young last year had it not been for Looper. He addressed that problem by bringing in Wagner, among others. He did get Delgado at less than market value I would say. For a hitter of his caliber the biggest thing he gave up was Petit, time will tell on what happens there.

I do agree with that Colon trade though, but if i remember correctly, weren't the Expos actually contending for a playoff spot that year?

[General Mike]

Expos were close to a playoff spot that year.

As far as Omar's trades, I don't have as much of a problem with the Delgado deal, but the LoDuca and Benson trades were horrible deals.

[JS19]

The LoDuca and Benson trades weren't the best. Giving up Hernandez for LoDuca seemed a bit much but the Mets did need a catcher after Molina turned down their offer. Julio for Benson was horrible, Benson was a good back end of the rotation starter. The worst trade, in my opinion, was getting rid of Seo. Not many have heard of him, but this guy was lights out on many of his starts, finishing the year 8-2 with a 2.59 ERA. Anyway, my point is I really dont see how Minaya can be viewed as one of the worst GMs.

Isiah Thomas however, thats another story...

[General Mike]

I agree. While I think Omar is a middle of the pack GM, compared to the other crap in the NY area (milbury, Bradway, Sather before this season) he is one of the better ones.

[Schmidty]

The worst GM of the past 10 years is Randy Smith, the former GM of the Tigers.

It's not even close, guys.

I am still right about this.

The guy destroyed one of the greatest franchises in baseball.

[larrymcg421]

M.L. Carr and Rick Pitino

[pennywisesb]

But they did manage to trade Tom Gugliotta and three picks for Webber.

I think any Warriors GM has done a terrible job. I mean, Penny and three picks for Webber for Gugliotta, for Donyell Marshall might be the worst progression of a trade in the history of basketball.

Or Tim Hardaway and Chris Gatling for Bimbo Coles and Kevin Willis.

Joe Smith for Jim Jackson and Clarence Weatherspoon (although Smith wasn't that great and he was going to walk anyway...but still....)

Adonal Foyle
Todd Fuller
Andrew DeClerq

Don't remind me of all this. It makes me sick to my stomach. :p

[DeToxRox]

The worst GM of the past 10 years is Randy Smith, the former GM of the Tigers.

It's not even close, guys.

If Juan Gone signed that 130 million dollar contract there'd be no thread because it'd be unanimous.

[stevew]

If Juan Gone signed that 130 million dollar contract there'd be no thread because it'd be unanimous.

Higginson making 11 million in a season is pretty strong evidence enough. Juan Gone probably cries when he thinks about all the money he ended up leaving at the table.

[Oilers9911]

who has done the worst job in pro sports at running their franchise?

My vote: Glen SatherYou mean 6 time Stanley Cup winner Glen Sather or the GM of the first place Rangers Glen Sather?

[Young Drachma]

I vote J.P.

Anytime you refuse to take a Canadian in a deal (Gagne) and insist on Prokopec instead (that worked out well), that's just bad, but considering what he's done to our bullpen and his Delgado replacement plan, he's making a serious case for himself on this list. Now had he resigned Woodward, he'd easily make the top 3.

No way JP is worse than Gord Ash before him. Gord Ash was only the GM out of loyalty and he had no business doing what he did to that team. JP has at least rebuild our farm system to where we used to be - one of the best in baseball - and while some of his signings haven't been the best...and we DIDN'T KEEP DELGADO, which was stupid, especially given the money they've thrown around this year, I still say that the jury is still out on JP.

But given how bad the Raptors have been, JP isn't even the worst GM in the province.

[ice4277]

I have trouble looking outside of the Big Apple. Isiah and Milbury are (were) awful.

[kcchief19]

Matt Millen wasn't mentioned?That's what I was amazed at. Man, Detroit has gotten the short-end of the stick when it comes to GMs lately.

[Schmidty]

That's what I was amazed at. Man, Detroit has gotten the short-end of the stick when it comes to GMs lately.

Well, it seems that they either have the worst (Millen, Smith), or they have the best (Dumars, Ken Holland).

[EagleFan]

To cast a vote from last year, I would say Ed Wade.

Now I would say Billy King of the Sixers, though he was right up there with Ed Wade last year too.

[Karlifornia]

Dave Twardzik of the warriors a few years ago was just horrific. Sooner mentioned most of it already....just...ugh...Garry St. Jean wasn't too far behind..

Sooner, how does it feel to have a winning team in OKC?

[General Mike]

You mean 6 time Stanley Cup winner Glen Sather or the GM of the first place Rangers Glen Sather?

Well it was over a year ago when I posted that, when the Rangers were absolute dreck.

[JS19]

Brian Cashman anyone?? Ok, obviously not one of the worst, considering the Yankees accomplishments. However, with the amount of money he is given to spend each and every year, I wonder if another GM could fulfill the Yankee requirements of winning the title every yr. For whatever reason, he seems to get a free pass each yr when the Yankees lose, and all the criticism is aimed at Torre. Lets remember, it's his job to put the team together, and it's clear they haven't had enough talent these past yrs to win it all. My point is, I think a better GM, having what seems to be unlimited resources, may be able to put together a dynasty to the likes of which we have never seen.

[MrBug708]

Mitch Kupchek

[BishopMVP]

Brian Cashman anyone?? Ok, obviously not one of the worst, considering the Yankees accomplishments. However, with the amount of money he is given to spend each and every year, I wonder if another GM could fulfill the Yankee requirements of winning the title every yr. For whatever reason, he seems to get a free pass each yr when the Yankees lose, and all the criticism is aimed at Torre. Lets remember, it's his job to put the team together, and it's clear they haven't had enough talent these past yrs to win it all. My point is, I think a better GM, having what seems to be unlimited resources, may be able to put together a dynasty to the likes of which we have never seen.Don't worry, Theo and Lucchino are well on their way :)

[Young Drachma]

J.P. Riccardi.

[miami_fan]

Brian Cashman anyone?? Ok, obviously not one of the worst, considering the Yankees accomplishments. However, with the amount of money he is given to spend each and every year, I wonder if another GM could fulfill the Yankee requirements of winning the title every yr. For whatever reason, he seems to get a free pass each yr when the Yankees lose, and all the criticism is aimed at Torre. Lets remember, it's his job to put the team together, and it's clear they haven't had enough talent these past yrs to win it all. My point is, I think a better GM, having what seems to be unlimited resources, may be able to put together a dynasty to the likes of which we have never seen.

I think in the past, people gave Cashman a break since you never really knew if the moves the Yankees made were Cashman's move or an George Steinbrenner move. Now, with George out of the day to day operations and Torre gone, I think you will see more scrutiny on Cashman's moves.

[JS19]

I think in the past, people gave Cashman a break since you never really knew if the moves the Yankees made were Cashman's move or an George Steinbrenner move. Now, with George out of the day to day operations and Torre gone, I think you will see more scrutiny on Cashman's moves.

I agree 100%. Steinbrenner pretty much ran the show, saying "i want this guy and that guy, make it happen".

[chesapeake]

That would have been Wes Unseld, Subby, for all of those decisions. And he was awful.

However, the correct answer is Isiah Thomas. Everything he has touched as a front office guy has turned to crap. He drove the Raptors into the ditch and his awful performance with the Knicks is up there for all to see. For me, however, his magnum opus is the CBA, which he bought in 1998 and, in just two years under the his "leadership," the league declared bankruptcy and disbanded.

[Hoya1]

Rob Babcock of the Toronto Raptors was horrible.

[gkb]

I was going to say Matt Millen, but after reading some of the convincing evidence put forth here I'll go with Isiah Thomas.