And your comment about Julio Franco doesn't make sense.  What has Julio done for baseball?  Has he thrown 7 no-hitters or own the strikeout record? Or is he a hall of famer or future hall of famer?  Probably not.

Dont be quick to think what Im saying is stupid but Ryans credintials are way better.  To make an argument out of how long the were in the MLB is just plain stupid.

I love what JD is doing in rebuilding our farm system.  It had to be done and it requires patience...not only from our fans but from Mr. Hicks as well.  To change strategy at this point would be extremely upsetting and I'm not sure I could be a Rangers fan anymore.

The only positive I really see from having Ryan here is that it could possibly add some legitimacy to the franchise, making it more enticing for a big time free agent to come here in a few years, once we are good...assuming we will be good.  

If Hicks is really that unsure about JD or doesn't like his philosophy, it seems like nonsense to bring in Ryan to undermine Daniels.  If Hicks feels that way he should just fire Daniels and hire Ryan as the teams new GM.  I would be totally against that, but this current situation seems either to be either superficial or really dumb.

They were fighting over Clemens too, though the Rangers never won that battle.

I like what I know about Nolan... I hope it works out.

I loved Nolan as a player, but I just don't know what he's going to do for this franchise as its President and apparently he doesn't either right now.  It would have been nice to hear that he had some sort of plan, be it on the baseball side or the business side.

But on the baseball end of things, the fact that JD was extended speaks volumes, I think - he's the guy with the plan, and I think extending him means that this team may have finally comitted to the future, something that we should have done a long time ago. JD should continue to handle the baseball side of things the way he sees fit, with occasional input from Nolan, which, you would think, will be positive. In fact, as far as baseball input goes, hiring Nolan might also help us become a more pitching-oriented franchise, something that should fit right in with JD's plan.

There are still a few unawnsered questions about what his role will be, but personally, with JD getting extended, I'm having a hard time finding the downside in the hiring of Nolan right now.

hmm.

oh well, the dude can sell air conditioners and foundation repair.  love me some olshan

If there is synergy between JD's team constuction plans into the future, and Ryan's aspirations to eventually (say) own the Rangers, or even if his role is minority partner but he's an officer of the organization, I'm pleased.  

How it works is tied to so many dependencies I have to sit back and wait.

1. I feel like Adam and some others that are wary of this. I don't trust Hicks' ability to recognize management talent, and as I've mentioned before, his chain of command policy and overall management style are just horrible, and I think the poster just above has a couple of really good points on Hicks. He's added another layer into the baseball brain trust but has never shown interest in allowing that person to take his place. It will be interesting to see how he handles it, whether he's smart enough to stop doing interviews and thinking that he really has any valuable input to add when it comes to baseball decisions.
2. I've never concerned myself with how smart or wise Ryan is, and that's something else that I'd be a bit wary of, but I will say that he has identified maybe the number one problem with Tom Hicks. He said that he thinks that the organization has constantly changed direction and management personnel and that what he thinks it needs is continuity. If Daniels really is on the right course, which it looks like he is now, and Ryan will trust him, that would be a really positive influence from Ryan, maybe the most positive thing that a team president could add, if Hicks would cooperate. And, really, that is the sort of thing that a President should impact, the stability of the franchise.
3. Ryan talked about the fact that his focus in baseball terms was to build a steady flow of talent from the minor leagues, particularly pitching and acknowledged that it was already starting to happen. That's always a good focus to have, and it's good that his head seems to be in the same place that Daniels' is. I think that I really like some of the people that Daniels has surrounded himself with, in particular my man crush AJ Preller and the pretty venerable Don Welke. If Ryan will involve himself more with the general focus in this area and consistency in that, rather than micromanaging or once again shifting personnel, he can be an advocate for Daniels in Hicks' ADD infested ear.
4. In the interview I heard Ryan do after the press conference, he didn't exactly speak glowingly about Daniels, although he was talking to pretty clueless folks in Galloway and Engel. At any rate, I was really happy to see the extension given to Daniels because I was uncomfortable with that particular situation after listening to the interview. And as far as their relationship, if Ryan has an open mind, I tend to think that Daniels will gain his respect. Daniels knows the right things to say and the right attitude to have and I have to assume will make an impression on Ryan just as he has on others with his intellect.