BillsVet

If it happened a year ago today, we'd have the double whammy: DJ retained on 12/30 and Buddy Nix as GM on 12/31. It didn't happen a year ago, so it doesn't matter. It happened today. Thinking in hypotheticals is worthless.

That's just it, this franchise always has an out when it comes to draft picks. Now, they can say it was DJ's fault whenever something goes awry. Modrak has been part and parcel of each draft since 2001. So naturally he doesn't get any blame because TD was here. We've had him for 9 seasons now, so his book is pretty much written. We've give him 9 years, 4 of which weren't with TD. Does that mean those 4 can be blamed on DJ? See a trend here? Only the guy who's not here is to blame.

Nothing against Buddy, but he retired and came out of it early this year? How many NFL GM's were pulled out of retirement and eventually headed an organization? At 68, he was the #2 in SD with no other team interested in making him their GM, despite several opportunities. The Falcons chose Tom Dimitroff over Nix not all that long ago. I know/knew a lot of people that are talented in a single area, but weren't cut out for management. And so they advanced to a certain level. Buddy Nix is probably a great scout and personnel director. Now he's in charge of a whole lot more. This isn't about complaining. It's constructive criticism of an organization, that as we all know, is 0 for its last 10 in playoff appearances. Pardon me for not trusting what they do. Now, if they hire Cowher, well fine. But that's not happening. I see them getting a Jim Fassel type.

Jerry's consistent griping about Buffalo making the playoffs, winning against the Patriots, and keeping a great roster stocked with superior talent is getting old. Sure, there's a lot to get excited about. Forgive Jerry for not trusting Bills management to do the right thing.

I love how so many Bills fans are upset that other fans are angry with this move. After all, with a track record like Buffalo has, they should not be praised at the outset. Look at the last few men RW has hired as GM, and it's clear that the owner does not know football men or operations. I'm fine with trusting teams like the Giants, Eagles, Chargers, Colts, Steelers, and Patriots. They've earned a solid rep from years of NFL success. They have the benefit of the doubt whenever they make a move and that remains until they devolve into perennial losers. OTOH, the Bills haven't done anything right in a decade, yet look at how many fans are confident this one move is going to work. Where does this unbridled confidence come from? IMO, when the team is so bad for so long, they've lost credibility. Until they earn it back, the only natural thing to be is skeptical. Buddy Nix is a straight shooter. But if he doesn't have authority over football ops, it doesn't matter. He must have the authority to change the franchise. And I'm not sure he does.

I like this point the most. As a leader of people, anytime you say you're not that bright it makes them wonder how capable you are. The question, given this organization, is how much control will Nix have? How much interference does he get from RW, Littman, Mr. Smithers, and Overdorf? Levy came in and made no changes. Brandon was technically GM and made no changes. Now Nix is in and we're wondering if he will even be able to make changes, as in firing Modrak, Guy, and Overdorf. I don't think so.

And you've got to be lucky. As in, lightning striking twice in the 50 year history of the team.

It's not enough to simply hire a football man, which is lost on most fans. That's not the bare minimum criteria here. People who work in management peak in their career around their late 40s/50s. Not in their 70s. And that is especially the case here. The NFL is a young to middle aged man's business environment. Russ is young, but has never been trained in personnel. Nix is old and never proved enough to get a NFL GM job. Look around the league and tell me how many 70+year old GM's there are. If Buffalo is the only one, there's an issue. Kinda like when the team didn't have a GM from 2006-2009.

Fewell. He comes recommended from Ralph/Littman/Brandon/Overdorf. Actually, he comes ordered from them.

You don't understand something quite simple: 70 year old men don't get their first GM gig in the NFL. It doesn't happen. If by the age of 70 with many years in the NFL a guy hasn't gotten the top football job for a NFL team, there's a pretty darn good reason why. Some people a #1's, some are #2's, and most aren't even that. Buddy has a fine track record, but there no coincidence that he wasn't hired before as GM. Besides, how long is he going to be around? Most men (Ron Wolf, et al) are retired by this point. They found someone who works cheap, won't stand up to Littman/Ralph, and is just happy to have the job.

To me, and I'll go conspiracy theory for a moment, this is another move to bide time until the owner's passing for the team to be sold to the highest bidder. They cannot make long term plans, as their owner's advanced age dictates everything. The fact that they refuse to hire a GM from the outside tells me they've got stuff to hide. They don't want anyone knowing, and Nix doesn't need long term security, i.e. 5 years, like a younger guy does. Sad sack organization.

UN ing believable. Well, believeable with Ralph being the owner he is. Now Fewell can be retained. Happy New Year!

Best post of the thread.

So A.J. Smith did nothing but sit back and watch Buddy do his wonder work? If that's the case, wouldn't the rest of the league know Smith was a figurehead and Nix played Coach Klein to Red Beaulieu? Common sense isn't so common anymore.

Expectations are low and people have been mentally trained to accept less. 10 years of bad football have taken too many to this point. And it's because they follow no other NFL football but the Bills, which means it's been a decade since a real front office was in place. And because they fear not supporting the team will force them to move. They don't understand the team moves or doesn't regardless of them.

It won't.

I've held off long enough: How old are you? 12?

So why did Brandon go "underground" as Chris Brown pointed out in the Atlanta Bills Backers meeting or whatever it was? Did he have the H1N1, or is he really on the witness protection program...cause if the Bills do this move we're all thinking, then, he may need help from the FBI. Just kidding of course.

When #2 guys never get the top job, it's telling and not a matter of them being unlucky. People talk and talent is recognized. You don't see 60-70 year old guys getting their first HC job all that often in the NFL. Nix is a classic #2 guy who assists a GM, and he's been darn good at it. Promoting him to GM would be like DJ making Schonert OC: they're close, will work cheap, but haven't done the job before. Being GM is a heckuva lot different than running the college scouting department.

Long term planning, if Nix becomes GM, is something the Bills ignore. I think there's a reason behind it, but naming Marv GM, and (big if) Nix gets the job, where are they going. Ralph's 91, and he isn't making plans for 5 years from now. What's the long term vision of the franchise if Nix gets the job?

Why on all three points? 1. Modrak getting the job means status quo, no house-cleaning, and RW/Littman run the show. Besides, Modrak has refused offers to be the GM before. He likes being in FLA and acting as top scout. 2. Nix won't be controlling the purse strings. It's ironic that he's been in the NFL for a long time, and hasn't been promoted to being a GM. Now at 70 he's capable. K 3. He's a solid mind, but he won't have control over football operations. Promoting him would be the Bills saying their front office is good enough, which it isn't. Guy, Modrak, Overdorf, et al need to go.

If so, that's a quick analyzation of the team, and represents another move made with little long term planning involved. Marv's hiring had no succession plan in place, and having Nix fill the GM role isn't the answer. I know the guy has been a part of some good drafts, but 70 year olds are retired, front office execs and coaches, in the NFL.

RW has promised a full review of the team. I find it hard to believe they're promoting someone from within at this early juncture. Certainly not saying it can't happen, but IMO it's unlikely. Still, if there's a way to cue up some drama, it's called holding a PC on New Year's Eve Day.

Gotta love a good dumpster fire!

12/30-Bills issue statement declaring that Dick Jauron is retained for the 2009. Late Feb-Buffalo signs UFA QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and C Geoff Hangartner 3/2 -Buffalo signs UFA CB Drayton Florence 3/7 -Buffalo signs UFA WR Terrell Owens to one year contract 4/17-Buffalo trades LT Jason Peters to Philadelphia 4/25-NFL Draft; Bills uses first round picks on DE Aaron Maybin (11th) and G/C Eric Wooc (28th). Also selects S Jairus Byrd (42nd) and G Andy Levitre (51st) 7/27-Training camp begins at St. John Fisher 8/7 -First preseason game (HOF game) 8/21-DE Aaron Maybin signs contract after missing all of training camp 9/4- Bills fire OC Turk Schonert 9/14 -Bills lose on MNF when team yields 2 TD's in final minutes to New England 10/11-Bills lose one of the worst NFL games in 2009; a 6-3 loss at home to woeful Cleveland 10/18-Bills surprise Jets, after interception prone rookie QB Mark Sanchez tosses 5 picks 11/15-Jauron pulls starting QB Trent Edwards, who will not see field until being injured in Week 15. Ryan Fitzpatrick becomes the starter. 11/18-Owner Ralph Wilson fires HC Dick Jauron; Perry Fewell takes interim position 12/3 -Bills lose to Jets 19-13 in Toronto 12/27-Bills start former GB practice squad QB Brian Brohm against Falcons; 3rd QB to take meaningful snaps in 2009 Added Schonert and Maybin events. What is missing?