Bobby April: Why No Interview?

[Arkady Renko]

Did it ever come out why Perry Fewell, who I thought did a good job nonetheless, was selected over April for the interim job? And why did April not get an interview for the head job? It's not as if special teams coaches don't make good head coaches (Levy, Harbaugh).

[Kingfish]

Because they interviewed him the last time around.

[Phlegm Alley]

I heard he declined.

[DarthICE]

Well why didn't anyone else interview him for a HC job? No one else thinks he is qualified either.

[rsxfirefighter]

Well why didn't anyone else interview him for a HC job? No one else thinks he is qualified either.

Because the other teams only interviewed people that made the league say that they met the Rooney Rule...and last time I checked..April doesnt fit that category

[Arkady Renko]

Because they interviewed him the last time around.

 

Not Buddy Nix. Did the interview go that badly?

[rsxfirefighter]

Not Buddy Nix. Did the interview go that badly?

Problem is Old Ralphie is taking a page out of Al Davis Interviewing Process Rule Book. Attempt to interview co-ordinator of teams that compete against you to get inside information of their operations. Then go with the hire you planned on all along and kept hidden in a secret vault.

[Sisyphean Bills]

How do you know that the Bills were the disinterested party? The guy reportedly took a buy out, no? When someone does that, they usually aren't looking to stay around longer.

[Ray]

The way he motives guys and organizes everything he probably would be a very good HC. Could not hurt to interview the guy....I, too was a little surprised he did not at least get an interview b/c I think he did hold the title of assistant HC.

[NobesBLO13]

How do you know that the Bills were the disinterested party? The guy reportedly took a buy out, no? When someone does that, they usually aren't looking to stay around longer.

I think the disinterest went both ways, the FO didn't think April was the best choice on the staff to replace DJ in the interim but maybe he'd be the best choice as our permanent coach?

[eSJayDee]

Personally, I thought the reason he wasn't named Interim coach was largely due to the Rooney Rule.

IMHO, it was Ralph/Russ's intent to hire Shanny or perhaps Cowher as their "football guru" & go from there. As they can't do that w/o fulfilling the Rooney Rule, having Fewell in place facilitated meeting that obligation.

Once it was apparent that their intended hires weren't interested, it was back to business as usual.

April, being Asst HC & again IMHO actually in the best position to act as Interim HC (he's familiar w/ most of the players AND most importantly his duties are typically only 1 play at a time, thereby allowing him to devote more attention to clock issues, etc unlike PF who had to continue to work as DC) obviously felt snubbed (rightfully so).

Knowing he'd be in demand elsewhere, why stick around here when it's apparent that you're not held in particularly high regard, or at least your treatment demonstrates so.

[sharper802]

Did it ever come out why Perry Fewell, who I thought did a good job nonetheless, was selected over April for the interim job? And why did April not get an interview for the head job? It's not as if special teams coaches don't make good head coaches (Levy, Harbaugh).

Beacuse he was a sepcial teams coach and not qualified to be a HC.

[Sisyphean Bills]

I think the disinterest went both ways, the FO didn't think April was the best choice on the staff to replace DJ in the interim but maybe he'd be the best choice as our permanent coach?

Um, no. This is a logical fallacy.

 

Just because Fewell took the interim title does not mean he was their first choice nor even the best choice. All it means is that he was the one that agreed to take on a bad job.

 

There is almost an unwritten code when it comes to mid-season dismissals among coaches. Someone that eagerly jumps into the situation could easily get themselves blackballed and with the amount of coaching movement in the NFL, making enemies isn't a priority. Or, as in Fewell's case, jumping in is a token move where you are just coaching out the string and fired yourself. An experiences assistant with a good reputation isn't going to see any professional upside in taking over a beat down team from his former boss and friend. The writing is on the wall.

[NobesBLO13]

Um, no. This is a logical fallacy.

 

Just because Fewell took the interim title does not mean he was their first choice nor even the best choice. All it means is that he was the one that agreed to take on a bad job.

 

There is almost an unwritten code when it comes to mid-season dismissals among coaches. Someone that eagerly jumps into the situation could easily get themselves blackballed and with the amount of coaching movement in the NFL, making enemies isn't a priority. Or, as in Fewell's case, jumping in is a token move where you are just coaching out the string and fired yourself. An experiences assistant with a good reputation isn't going to see any professional upside in taking over a beat down team from his former boss and friend. The writing is on the wall.

It does not mean Fewell was the one that agreed to take the job it was reported that April was pissed and felt overlooked that it went to Fewell, which was a big reason why he decided to opt out.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4797796

 

Halfway down the article Tim writes "Also factoring into April's decision was a belief he no longer had a future with the Bills after Dick Jauron was fired in November. April also held the title of assistant head coach, and felt snubbed when the team promoted defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to finish the season as interim head coach."

 

The Bills weren't interested in him and after getting overlooked he wasn't interested in the Bills

[Sisyphean Bills]

It does not mean Fewell was the one that agreed to take the job it was reported that April was pissed and felt overlooked that it went to Fewell, which was a big reason why he decided to opt out.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4797796

 

Halfway down the article Tim writes "Also factoring into April's decision was a belief he no longer had a future with the Bills after Dick Jauron was fired in November. April also held the title of assistant head coach, and felt snubbed when the team promoted defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to finish the season as interim head coach."

 

The Bills weren't interested in him and after getting overlooked he wasn't interested in the Bills

Thanks for the link. I hadn't read that.

 

Did you notice it was Russ Brandon's decision?

[Nevergiveup]

Thanks for the link. I hadn't read that.

 

Did you notice it was Russ Brandon's decision?

 

 

SB...that report is 100% accurate. April was very very upset. "Expressed" is a polite way to say that he blasted Brandon big time for the decision. It was over for both parties after that.

[NobesBLO13]

It does not mean Fewell was the one that agreed to take the job it was reported that April was pissed and felt overlooked that it went to Fewell, which was a big reason why he decided to opt out.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4797796

 

Halfway down the article Tim writes "Also factoring into April's decision was a belief he no longer had a future with the Bills after Dick Jauron was fired in November. April also held the title of assistant head coach, and felt snubbed when the team promoted defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to finish the season as interim head coach."

 

The Bills weren't interested in him and after getting overlooked he wasn't interested in the Bills

My bad that was Clayton that actually wrote the article...the big picture of Tim on there made it seem like he did...I love ESPN

[Sisyphean Bills]

My bad that was Clayton that actually wrote the article...the big picture of Tim on there made it seem like he did...I love ESPN

[GrudginglyPessimistic]

Personally, I thought the reason he wasn't named Interim coach was largely due to the Rooney Rule.

IMHO, it was Ralph/Russ's intent to hire Shanny or perhaps Cowher as their "football guru" & go from there. As they can't do that w/o fulfilling the Rooney Rule, having Fewell in place facilitated meeting that obligation.

Once it was apparent that their intended hires weren't interested, it was back to business as usual.

April, being Asst HC & again IMHO actually in the best position to act as Interim HC (he's familiar w/ most of the players AND most importantly his duties are typically only 1 play at a time, thereby allowing him to devote more attention to clock issues, etc unlike PF who had to continue to work as DC) obviously felt snubbed (rightfully so).

Knowing he'd be in demand elsewhere, why stick around here when it's apparent that you're not held in particularly high regard, or at least your treatment demonstrates so.

While anything is possible (so perhaps the Rooney Rule was the major motivation and perhaps space aliens will land tomorrow- its all possible) I do not think we have seen any tangible evidence that this team (or any other for that matter) is making its final hiring decisions in some attempt to game the Rooney Rule. If you want to do that why bother to go through some convoluted strategy involving actually hiring a person of color coach when the Rooney Rule in no way requires you to hire a particular coach .

 

You can meet the Rule (and then ignore it if you choose to) merely by holding one serious interview with a minority assistant coach for the permanent HC job.

 

Why hatch some convoluted conspiracy theory about meeting the rule when Seattle showed that in real life a team can simply flat out ignore complying with it under certain circumstances. The team that got fined heavily for ignoring was DET who got nailed early in the process of the rule being set up and did so hamhandly (the good ol boy network clearly had the fix in at the start of the allegedly open process). The good ol boy approach also then proved to be stupid as Mooch did not last long either.

 

Is there any tangible evidence that this is a "logical" theory mostly in your head or is there anything to support this theory?

[todd]

Really? All the rooney rule does is say you need to intevew a minority candidate. How would hiring someone is interim head coach satisfy that rule? Or maybe you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

Personally, I thought the reason he wasn't named Interim coach was largely due to the Rooney Rule.

IMHO, it was Ralph/Russ's intent to hire Shanny or perhaps Cowher as their "football guru" & go from there. As they can't do that w/o fulfilling the Rooney Rule, having Fewell in place facilitated meeting that obligation.

Once it was apparent that their intended hires weren't interested, it was back to business as usual.

April, being Asst HC & again IMHO actually in the best position to act as Interim HC (he's familiar w/ most of the players AND most importantly his duties are typically only 1 play at a time, thereby allowing him to devote more attention to clock issues, etc unlike PF who had to continue to work as DC) obviously felt snubbed (rightfully so).

Knowing he'd be in demand elsewhere, why stick around here when it's apparent that you're not held in particularly high regard, or at least your treatment demonstrates so.