BillnutinHouston Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 As Mr. #2 in Bills land, Russ needs to get a backbone and go to Ralph to get the green light to hire a consultant such as Ron Wolf to evaluate the organization, and report his findings on what needs to change. Even if Nix is a great hire as GM (which I'm OK with over the SHORT TERM), he can't last in that job too long at his age. Soon the organization will be back where it started. An OUTSIDE professional football man needs to come in and give an assessment, to give this team a blueprint to follow - like "Building a Football Team for Dummies". Ralph is too old/insular to look to outsiders for help. He needs a push, and Russ is the only one with enough clout to tell Ralph it needs to be done. Russ, step up to the plate.
BillsVet Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 BNH, it's too late for that. Many fans here have advocated hiring a consultant last month to help the team transition into a new regime. Unfortunately, nothing has really changed. Smithers was not going to hire anyone he didn't know, and probably sold RW on that same idea. And that's why no consultant was ever considered. Smithers actually thinks he can do it himself. If they were serious about revamping their entire operation, it would have started with a league wide search for a GM, not a team-wide one. I think Smithers has become RW's chief football adviser, but the old man cannot see he's being led down a dark path.
SDS Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 BNH, it's too late for that. Many fans here have advocated hiring a consultant last month to help the team transition into a new regime. Unfortunately, nothing has really changed. Smithers was not going to hire anyone he didn't know, and probably sold RW on that same idea. And that's why no consultant was ever considered. Smithers actually thinks he can do it himself. If they were serious about revamping their entire operation, it would have started with a league wide search for a GM, not a team-wide one. I think Smithers has become RW's chief football adviser, but the old man cannot see he's being led down a dark path. Nix isn't ideal because of his age, but we could have done worse. I think we got lucky this time.
JohnC Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 BNH, it's too late for that. Many fans here have advocated hiring a consultant last month to help the team transition into a new regime. Unfortunately, nothing has really changed. Smithers was not going to hire anyone he didn't know, and probably sold RW on that same idea. And that's why no consultant was ever considered. Smithers actually thinks he can do it himself. If they were serious about revamping their entire operation, it would have started with a league wide search for a GM, not a team-wide one. I think Smithers has become RW's chief football adviser, but the old man cannot see he's being led down a dark path. BillsVet, Your analysis is backwards. You are making it appear as if Brandon is leading the aged owner astray. That is not the case. It is the owner who is not receptive to outside views and different approaches. The reclusive owner exists in his own little shell and doesn't want to deviate from what he has always done. When Donahoe's disasterous term was over the owner reached out to the ill-equipped and clueless Marv Levy to be his imitation GM. The single most important attribute that he had, which appealed to the reclusive owner, is that he knew Marv and he trusted him. Whether the 80 yr old Marv Levy was qualified for the position wasn't a serious consideration. When Levy was hired he was out of the NFL for a good five years. In my view it was a peculiar hire. But not for the paranoid owner who was not going to allow another GM type to cut him out of the action. For the past few years the Bills front office has been divided with no strongman running the operation. That odd organizational structure is a Ralph Wilson creation. That is why when a reporter asks who made a partiular personnel decision it is rare that anyone in particular is going to acknowledge responsibility. A lot of people are blaming Modrak for the Maybin pick. But Modrak claims that he preferred Cushing. Some people believe that it was Jauron who made the pick. But no one outside the organization knows for sure who did what. What an idiotic opaque organizational structure. It is outright zany. One Buffalo News reporter stated that Russ Brandon presented the owner a list of GM prospects he wanted to interview for the position. The reporter claims that Ralph Wilson saw the list and only knew Buddy Nix and didn't know any of the other outside candidates. So the owner quickly selected the in-house candidate, good old boy Buddy Nix, because he knew him and didn't know the others. What kind of search process is that for the most critical position for a spinning out of control organization? Some people can view the third rate search process as stupid and others as outlandishly laughable. Russ Brandon works for Ralph Wilson; not the other way around. The owner is clueless and out of touch with today's NFL. That is why the franchise is where it is.
BillsfaninFl Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 As Mr. #2 in Bills land, Russ needs to get a backbone and go to Ralph to get the green light to hire a consultant such as Ron Wolf to evaluate the organization, and report his findings on what needs to change. Even if Nix is a great hire as GM (which I'm OK with over the SHORT TERM), he can't last in that job too long at his age. Soon the organization will be back where it started. An OUTSIDE professional football man needs to come in and give an assessment, to give this team a blueprint to follow - like "Building a Football Team for Dummies". Ralph is too old/insular to look to outsiders for help. He needs a push, and Russ is the only one with enough clout to tell Ralph it needs to be done. Russ, step up to the plate. Why would Brandon do that? He's at the top of his game, being successful at bringing in the cash. He is in the inner circle, having been promoted twice in the last two years. He's the number two man in an organization where the owner runs it like a family-owned business. And historically, anyone who challenges Ralph (Bill Polian, Wade Phillips), even if he makes the team a winner, is gone. Under those circumstances would you confront Wilson?
fansince88 Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 Russ Brandon works for Ralph Wilson; not the other way around. The owner is clueless and out of touch with today's NFL. That is why the franchise is where it is. The owner is clueless. period! I dont really think he has his right mind. Have you seen his pressers in the last two years?
BillnutinHouston Posted January 16, 2010 Author Posted January 16, 2010 Why would Brandon do that? He's at the top of his game, being successful at bringing in the cash. He is in the inner circle, having been promoted twice in the last two years. He's the number two man in an organization where the owner runs it like a family-owned business. And historically, anyone who challenges Ralph (Bill Polian, Wade Phillips), even if he makes the team a winner, is gone. Under those circumstances would you confront Wilson? Well, I know in my career I've faced moments of truth where I'm standing at a fork in the road and have to decide what I stand for. Do I take the easy or selfish way, or do the right thing? I've actually had a few of those, I've done the right thing at personal cost and it's resulted in some pretty crazy things (without getting specific) taking place, but I've always landed on my feet and actually elevated my standing in the company. Of course my company is run by clear-headed people who saw my motivation and respected that. I believe Russ is smart enough to know he's in over his head as a "football man", but he needs the courage to nicely tell Ralph that an outside evaluator is needed. Even if it means upsetting him and rocking his world a bit. Russ has the best chance of anyone to break through Ralph's myopic bubble and allow some reality to enter the picture. He just needs to have the stones to do it.
Malazan Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 Do any of you people have jobs? Do your workplaces operate in the manner you advocate the Bills be run? I imagine if they did, those of you who do have jobs wouldn't have them anymore. Welcome to reality. I've enjoyed my time here and I hope you will too.
BillsNYC Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 If no ownership change, then Ralph needs to demote Brandon back to the Marketing and Sales Department and either give the full reigns over to Nix or some other football mind. No coach wants to report to Smithers who is a make believe GM. People need to stop living in denial, Brandon is calling the shots at OBD. I said it the day Nix was hired and Brandon was promoted that Brandon's promotion would screw us and was attacked by everybody here. Well, look whats happened.
Nevergiveup Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 Well, I know in my career I've faced moments of truth where I'm standing at a fork in the road and have to decide what I stand for. Do I take the easy or selfish way, or do the right thing? I've actually had a few of those, I've done the right thing at personal cost and it's resulted in some pretty crazy things (without getting specific) taking place, but I've always landed on my feet and actually elevated my standing in the company. Of course my company is run by clear-headed people who saw my motivation and respected that. I believe Russ is smart enough to know he's in over his head as a "football man", but he needs the courage to nicely tell Ralph that an outside evaluator is needed. Even if it means upsetting him and rocking his world a bit. Russ has the best chance of anyone to break through Ralph's myopic bubble and allow some reality to enter the picture. He just needs to have the stones to do it. Tried and failed. Short of walking away from a lucrative job, there is not much that can be done and probably does not change anything. I am sure you have faced moments of truth, but turning your back on a CEO job with an NFL team is not something many people would do. Sorry no link.
JohnC Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 Russ Brandon works for Ralph Wilson; not the other way around. The owner is clueless and out of touch with today's NFL. That is why the franchise is where it is. The owner is clueless. period! I dont really think he has his right mind. Have you seen his pressers in the last two years? Yes, I have seen Ralph make "controlled" short appearances a few times. What I saw is a 90-91 yr old man behaving as a 90-91 yr old man. In those "guided" appearances he was struggling to be responsive and coherent. I am not trying to ridicule Mr. Wilson. All of us have to deal with difficult issues of aging with family members and relatives. What is very frustrating is knowing that he, at this stage in his life, is still very involved in the critical decisions of the franchise. In my opinion,Mr. Wilson is not physically vigorous enoung or mentally clear enough to deal with the very challenging and complex issues facing this dysfunctional organization. Not too long ago I saw clips of Sen. Byrd of West Virginia on TV. There was a tribute for him in which he started responding incoherently and had to be quickly usherd out by his staff. It was a sad situation. At this stage of his life he has no business being in the Senate voting on very important issues. I feel the same about the owner of the Bills. It is time for him to let go and let others more capable assume responsibility for the franchise.
BillsVet Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 Nix isn't ideal because of his age, but we could have done worse. I think we got lucky this time. I really hope so with Nix. My primary concern is how much latitude he'll have to manage the team. Right now, they've kept the same people in the front office, and I sense much of the bad drafts from 06-08 are somewhat blamed on DJ. At the same time, it's apparent that they need another rebuilding. How long is BN going to be around for to see that through?
BillnutinHouston Posted January 16, 2010 Author Posted January 16, 2010 Tried and failed.... Sorry no link. OK no link but any more details of what was reported along the lines of my original post? I do not recall this.
Nevergiveup Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 OK no link but any more details of what was reported along the lines of my original post? I do not recall this. You wouldn't recall it because it hasn't been reported.
Nevergiveup Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 If no ownership change, then Ralph needs to demote Brandon back to the Marketing and Sales Department and either give the full reigns over to Nix or some other football mind. No coach wants to report to Smithers who is a make believe GM. People need to stop living in denial, Brandon is calling the shots at OBD. I said it the day Nix was hired and Brandon was promoted that Brandon's promotion would screw us and was attacked by everybody here. Well, look whats happened. He could be part of the problem they are having with acquiring a coach. However he is not calling the shots.
Haven Moses Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 Kinda hard to talk about a long range plan with a guy who is 91 years old
BillnutinHouston Posted January 16, 2010 Author Posted January 16, 2010 You wouldn't recall it because it hasn't been reported. Yea - trying to give the benefit of the doubt but I should have known better.
BillnutinHouston Posted January 16, 2010 Author Posted January 16, 2010 Kinda hard to talk about a long range plan with a guy who is 91 years old I'm not talking about a long range plan. I'm talking about a full outside review of the organization to determine what, organizationally, needs to be done NOW.
Sisyphean Bills Posted January 16, 2010 Posted January 16, 2010 Russ Brandon works for Ralph Wilson; not the other way around. The owner is clueless and out of touch with today's NFL. That is why the franchise is where it is. Yes and no. Watch the latest press conference. Wilson is frail at best. Wilson makes several comments and then looks for and asks Brandon to confirm what he just said. There is little doubt that there is cooperation and trust between these two. They are working in concert. This is not an unheard of situation either. It is well known in Washington that Duke Short was the person with the power, the "real" Senator from South Carolina and you had to go through him to get the vote. Thurmond's staff may have worked for him, but they also helped him "remember" his position on the issues.
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