Uh oh! Lions release Kellen Moore and Joseph Fauria

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Before getting into the secret of successful recruiting, however, I want to respond to HR trainers, consultants, college professors, and coaches out there who may have concerns about my thesis that “real managers are born not made.” The logical extension of this statement is that training (or education) is not required for managerial development. On the contrary, I firmly believe training is crucial for developing people no matter their role or job description. I contend, however, that training delivers the best results when trainees possess the correct aptitudes for their particular work.

If trainees have these innate abilities, they’ll naturally be more inclined to seek relevant training in order to become better. Plus, their desire to improve will make them more attentive and more engaged students in the classroom. What this means for trainers, consultants, professors, and coaches is that everyone is best served by having a classroom full of students who possess the aptitudes needed to be successful in their specific job or the job to which they aspire. Why? Because trainees who possess the innate abilities required for their job will be more engaged in the training process, more capable of grasping the curriculum, and more motivated to apply the knowledge gained in their work.

With that said, let’s turn our attention to a lesser-known, recruiting method I hinted at earlier. In fact, this personnel recruiting game-changer was discovered over 40 years ago by none other than the National Football League (NFL). But, before I reveal this secret, let’s learn some NFL history. The key to understanding the NFL’s longstanding success lies in the evolution of the NFL’s recruiting philosophy from the 1920s to the present day. Hence, our historical review begins in the 1920s when the league was initially formed. NFL stars of that era were Jim Thorpe, Red Grange, and Bronko Nagurski to name a few.

Certainly these are familiar names to diehard football fans, but in those early years, there were also lesser known players such as 5 ft. 1 in., 119 lbs., blocking back, Jack “Soapy” Shapiro. Surprised? You may ask yourself, as I did, “How did a 5 ft. 1 in. running back make the roster in the NFL considering the uber-sized, gargantuans of the gridiron we see today?” NO WAY could Mr. Shapiro slip into a team’s roster in modern times due principally to his physical shortcomings. So, what happened to the league’s recruiting philosophy between the 1920s and now that significantly reduced the chances of athletes like Mr. Shapiro becoming players in the NFL? Answer: The introduction of the NFL Combine.

The Combine was formed in the early 1970s to serve as a talent screening process for college athletes interested in playing in the NFL. By qualifying athletes via the Combine, based on their “natural born” aptitudes for playing football, the league consistently filled team rosters with ONLY “good to great” players.

Fauria had ongoing issues with a nagging ankle injury this offseason after the 6-foot-7 red-zone threat slipped while chasing his puppy — Lil’ Rufio — down the stairs of his house last September.

His fate was sealed when the Lions traded for former Buccaneers and Patriots tight end Tim Wright early in the week.

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