It was time for Whaley to go...in January.
I like McDermott but it's usually the GM that picks the coach. Last I remember is Rex and Chizik in NY and that was a disaster. Of course, Chizik hated Rex.
Bringing in Beane from Carolina will ensure the GM and coach get along which is important. However, from my understanding Beane is more of a numbers guy. He will need a strong scout team and asst. GM. If that happens, doesn't sound too shabby.