The Bills Are Doing Things Right

[Casey D]

Baltimore Ravens fans think Billick is a joke, or Washington Redskins fans? If it's the Ravens' fans, I really don't get that. Before Billick came in, the last time the city of Baltimore celebrated a SB parade was 12 years before the Colts abandoned the city, and they abandoned the city in 1984! Folks, that makes a total of 29 years between SB wins, and the second one was with the re-named stolen Cleveland Browns, for Gods' sake! Come on, we are all Bills' fans out here. If Levy's crew could have somehow won just ONE of those 4 SB's, Marv would be forever considered a Saint in Western New York. If another team thought about hiring him at 90 freakin' years old we would have congratulated them on a wise choice! It seems that the only big problem the Browns...er...I mean Ravens had during Billick's run was QB. Well, didn't the Ravens have scouts and a GM working with Billick? Why was he blamed completely for trying to turn Boller into a real NFL starter? Why didn't Ozzie and his guys draft another QB or two to compete with poor Kyle?

 

Sorry, as much as I enjoyed reading your excellent take on the Bills' coaching search, I cannot see how such a pathetic, lost organization like our beloved Bills can simply ignore a coach who won a SB ring 10 years ago. Look at all the chances Marty Sr, Norv Turner, Wade Phillips & DJ got and keep getting, and those coaches have won squat! I think its' a shame the Bills have not at least invited Billick in for that interview.

Baltimore fans are happy Billick is gone. Harbaugh took a 3-13 team under Billick and has made two straight playoff appearances. Ozzie Newsome built this team and he is almost Polian like in what he does, Billick benefited mightily from that. And Billick is a very smug, irritating personality...CD

[Casey D]

they did nothing to change the front office.

Untrue. Nix is the GM and Guy will not be renewed in May.

[Casey D]

I like your analogy but I'll take it a step further. The problem is if Jessica and Heidi find out that you asked Scarlett out, and she said no, they are likely to rebuff you too. They will figure if he's not good enough for her why should I date him? Fact is, the easiest time to find a new girlfriend is when you have one already. Just like in football, the best time to find a coach is when a lot of people want the job.

 

In the Bills situation, perception or reality (and I'm not saying I agree), it appears they are desperate. How many potential candidates already said no thanks? IMO, there is nothing wrong with the city of Buffalo or prospects for improving the team. They way the league is structured all 32 teams have pretty much the same chance of success.

 

The issue is with ownership, past decisions, and a reputation for interference. But even with meddling, you have that elsewhere in sports, Jones and Snyder in football, Steinbrenner in baseball, maybe Cuban in basketball. On the other hand I cannot question any of them for their commitment to winning. Can you say that about Ralph? He’s committed to winning?

 

I think that is the main concern for potential head coaches. The owners lack of commitment, real or perceived, to winning and how that impacts the job. Not money, not organization. No high profile candidate with a drive to advance is going to take a chance on a head coaching job that will make them look like a failure and stifle their career.

Let's see who is the next coach before reaching the conclusions you do.

[May Day 10]

Untrue. Nix is the GM and Guy will not be renewed in May.

 

it was a smokescreen. Brandon still calls the shots on the football side of things. Ralph said as much in that press conference.

[CardinalScotts]

Well that is coming with the demise of RW and the consequent move of the Bills to Toronto/LA/San Antone

 

why do we type this crap again the Bills arent going anywhere -

[Tasmo]

Thanks. As for other reactions about how everything sucks and we need an entire housecleaning, well that is not going to happen. The only way for this franchise to be a top destination would be to have a first rate stadium. Buffalo--the people of Greater Buffalo-- cannot afford that, so if you are waiting for this team to be Dallas, Washington, NE or Philly is terms of being desireable, then you'll have to wait until the team moves to LA or Toronto.

 

This team needs to be luckier than most to have a chance to win the SB given the new economics of the NFL. We need to hit most everything right, coach, picks, etc. to have a chance. That is the nature of a franchise in Buffalo, which will only get worse if the NFL goes to a MLB revenue sharing type system... CD

 

Agreed that this situation needs to get better in terms of wins. With a series of wins this city in terms of new stadium commitments and expanded league interest would be as viable or more so than say, Detroit, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Kansas City, San Diego, Baltimore, or even the Tennessee, Green Bay, and Pittsburghs, of the world. Small market teams are small market teams. Some are more recognizable because of WINS and fan support$$ as well as seats in stadiums.

 

Change the story. Say, the Bills never started down this road 10 years ago and remained a viable winning team that maybe pulled off another appearance or a win in the SuperBowl or a competitive force in the conference playoffs 5 out of the last 10 years and we wouldn/t be talking about this gloom today feeling sorry and negative.

 

Nix is the best shot right now and is out doing what he knows. Looking for talent. He isn't pis*ing in the wind. Just doesn't strike me as that kind of person. Just wait and he will produce. What else is there to do? Drink heavily?

[Pygskin36]

As with others on the Board, I grow weary of the hyperventilating over the coaching search. Now I read Jerry Sullivan today and he sounds like my first wife. Notiwthstanding all the whining, the Bills are trying to do exactly what most fans want in their coaching search.

 

First, the Bills hired a "real" GM. Is he the only guy they could have hired, who knows? Who knows if GM candidates were more interested in the Bills than hot coaching candidates given the Bills situation. But we got a real football guy, so we have to see what he does. Hopefully better than Donahoe, the big name guy we got last time.

 

Now, on to the coaching search. The Bills are in a hole as a team given their record over the past 10 years, the QB situation, the labor situation, the ownership uncertainty, and a city that is perpetually in an economic hole with a fourth rate stadium from a revenue perspective. OK, we are not the most desireable coaching job in 2010--what a shock. The only way to get more desireable when you've hit bottom is to get to work and change things. The Bills are doing that, and we are the only coaching job right now, which is a lucky break.

 

Now, the Bills have set their coaching sites very high despite their situation. Would you want them to do less? They have not been trolling at the bar at closing time looking for anyone with a pulse. Cowher, Shanahan, Gruden, Harbaugh, Leslie Frazier, Brian S., Russ G.--these are the cream of the crop in terms of what is out there. If you ask out Jessica Biel, Heidi Klum and Scarlett Johanssen and score only one date, have you failed? It's not like the Bills have been courting the Three Stooges.

 

Some folks want a Billick or Fassel, mostly to hire someone now so they can reduce their blood pressure. Obviously, the Bills don't want these guys--they are selective too(there, I said it). I live in Washington, and when Billick's name comes up as a possible candidate for the Bills, sports talk folks down here think it's a joke. "Good luck with that" they say. His rep down here is that he is an arrogant and difficult person whose success is mixed despite the SB ring. Not wanting him is not crazy, it's a reasonable judgment. That's why these guys are unemployed.

 

If the Bills end up with a guy like Frazier, and for all we know the Bills have told him he's the guy, we will have landed a top prospect as a coach. Given the Bills situation, that is a very good outcome--the best you could hope for given where this franchise is right now. The fact we don't get to tell three other pretty girls we won't date them may make us feel less special, but at the end of the day we only need one good coaching prospect. And the Bills seem intent on getting one. The rest of the media firestorm is just BS, designed to fill air time and internet pages... CD

 

 

 

Nice Post.. Well done

[Bob in STL]

they did nothing to change the front office.

 

 

They made moves but the organization is still unclear.

 

1 - Promoted Buddy Nix to GM. GM is a position that have not had in years. It is basically the position to run the entire football side of the business.

 

2 - Moved Brandon to President of Operations. Essentially this puts him inbetween Nix and Wilson. He will handle everything except football decisions (hopefully). His biggest job is keeping Ralph happy and away form Buddy and the new coach -(hopefully).

 

Potential Change 3 - The staus of john Guy, Director of Pro Personel, is still undetermined. He is still under contract but for how long?

 

4- The staus of Tom Modrak, Director of college Scouting, is so far unchanged. I think this is good. I do not blame him for the drafts. His job is to provide the data, rank the players and advise. The GM should be responsible for making the selections. we have not had a GM since Donahoe. The Marv/ Brandon/ Ralph/ Jauron/"Inner Circle Thing" was a huge failure that is largley responsible for problems we are having today getting top coaching interest.

 

5 - Jim Overdorf - Still responsible for cap management and contracts.

 

6 - Millie the secretary - Fired. Ralph never liked her coffee very much.

[Tasmo]

They made moves but the organization is still unclear.

 

1 - Promoted Buddy Nix to GM. GM is a position that have not had in years. It is basically the position to run the entire football side of the business.

 

5 - Jim Overdorf - Still responsible for cap management and contracts.

 

6 - Millie the secretary - Fired. Ralph never liked her coffee very much.

 

7- Millie the secretary's husband - in therapy. Millie is home all day now and is driving him insane.. and her coffee still stinks.

[BillsVet]

I understand, but they don't want Billick for a variety of reasons. They won't interview someone they won't hire.

 

Why then did they interview Fewell, who simply received a token interview. He was never a candidate.

 

As for the franchise, they have lost the benefit of the doubt in national football experts eyes. There is a reason for this, and it's the result of bad and short-term feel good decisions since Donahoe was rightly fired.

[Coach Tuesday]

The Bills absolutely are NOT doing things right. If they Bills were concerned about doing things right, Ralph would - RIGHT NOW - sell all or a portion of his ownership interest to a group committed to keeping the Bills in Buffalo long-term. Maybe there's no such group out there - if so, I'd like to know that information. But assuming such a group exists or could be put together, there is nothing other than Ralph's selfish taxation strategies that is keeping the organization at rock bottom right now.

[zazie]

why do we type this crap again the Bills arent going anywhere -

Oh, Gee, Umm....OK.

 

Righto.

 

Keep dreaming.

[PushthePile]

Why then did they interview Fewell, who simply received a token interview. He was never a candidate.

 

As for the franchise, they have lost the benefit of the doubt in national football experts eyes. There is a reason for this, and it's the result of bad and short-term feel good decisions since Donahoe was rightly fired.

It was a professional courtesy in the case of Fewell. It's standard practice with most interim HCs but I do think Fewell was well liked around OBD. In the end, he would never have been accepted by Bills fans and I'm sure everyone involved knew this wasn't going to happen. The enire coaching staff was fired for a reason.

 

The Bills don't deserve the benefit of the doubt anymore, for sure. Although, I could care less what the so-called national experts think of this organization. To the original posters point, the team is doing all they can to right the ship (if reports are true). In the end, I'll be happy with one of the hot coordinators, as long as Buddy makes the decision. If it's going to go badly again, at least a football mind will have screwed it up.

[jack_spikes]

When I heard that 'Harbaugh was offered and turned down' an offer to be the Bills' head coach my level of skeptisism immediately skyrockted! It's not that I have any amount of faith in the way this 'operation' is interviewing coaches but come on ... the only way you offer a job to someone is if during the interview they gave some sign of wanting the job. Could it be that some media-type doesn't want to see Frazier coming to Buffalo so he planted the idea that the Bills actually offered the job to Harbaugh?

 

None of us who are Bills' fans or who truly love Western NY can be happy with the state of the team or how this process is going forward. There is no doubt that some underlying issue (Ralph or the bean counters in Detroit) have dissuaded assistant coaches from even taking a peek at the opportunity.

 

So, if there is an issue then I ask where are the true journalists (not these sports' radio types or wannabe's) who could uncover the story.

 

All that being said ... I have no problem with Frazier taking over. And, I don't think the Bills are doing things right! We needed to see more of a shake-up over at the Ralph but here we are sitting back and January 15th has come and gone.

Why would Harbaugh agree to an interview if he wasn't interested in taking the job? Makes me wonder who was interviewing whom?

[sabres...yawn]

they did nothing to change the front office.

 

Exactly.

Evidently, the Bills ARE satisified with their performance.

 

Mind boggling.

[bobinaz]

Thanks. As for other reactions about how everything sucks and we need an entire housecleaning, well that is not going to happen. The only way for this franchise to be a top destination would be to have a first rate stadium. Buffalo--the people of Greater Buffalo-- cannot afford that, so if you are waiting for this team to be Dallas, Washington, NE or Philly is terms of being desireable, then you'll have to wait until the team moves to LA or Toronto.

 

This team needs to be luckier than most to have a chance to win the SB given the new economics of the NFL. We need to hit most everything right, coach, picks, etc. to have a chance. That is the nature of a franchise in Buffalo, which will only get worse if the NFL goes to a MLB revenue sharing type system... CD

 

 

Great first post and I agree with your response. I agree, the Bills won't see a new stadium any time soon. The economy can't support one. As cleaning house, Brandon knows what he's doing in marketing the team; let him do that. Buddy Nix is what the team needs; a "Football" knowledgeable person. I don't think he's going to hire just anyone. I think the coach he does hire will have been scrutinized. I for one don't believe Harbough was offered the job. If Frazier was so high on their list, then why offered the job to JH? Maybe JH was interviewed before Frazier was and it's just finally being reported. As for Guy and Modrak, maybe with Buddy lurking over their shoulder and having more say in the draft and FA's coming in, maybe we'll see a better product.

 

If the Saints win next weekend, I'm sure we'll see the announcement of Frazier in the week to come. Nobody thought Rex Ryan was going to get the Jets anywhere (sure they backdoored their way in) but he's got them believing and look at them now! Jauron had no passion, no fire. I think Frazier, with some good drafting, will get this team on its way.

[Endzone Animal]

Nix is a "real" GM? My, my... how low the standards have become in Buffalo.

 

The Bills are smart to label Frazier as "their guy"? No, they've been rejected by everyone else so far, including a full blown contract offer that was just summarily dismissed by Harbaugh. If this is making Frazier "their guy" it's sure a funny way of showing it.

 

This OP shows me - perhaps more than any other post - just how low things have gotten in Buffalo, and I offer sincere pity to this fan base which has apparently hit rock bottom.

[May Day 10]

2 - Moved Brandon to President of Operations. Essentially this puts him inbetween Nix and Wilson. He will handle everything except football decisions (hopefully). His biggest job is keeping Ralph happy and away form Buddy and the new coach -(hopefully).

 

 

Brandon still runs the football department. Ralph Wilson said so blankly. He is also the name you see people refer to when they speak of the coaching search.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Re: Billick being arrogant.

 

Do you think Parcells, Belichick, Johnson, etc. aren't arrogant? Rex Ryan rubs many people the wrong way with his brashness. Frankly, in a field full of arrogant personalities, not interviewing someone because they think he might be arrogant is short-sighted out-of-touch stupidity. Whatever happened to wanting to surround yourself with the best and most qualified people, aka, a commitment to winning?

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

Brandon still runs the football department. Ralph Wilson said so blankly. He is also the name you see people refer to when they speak of the coaching search.

You're on drugs, Ralph never even hinted that Brandon was charge of football decisions. He made it clear that Nix was the football guy.

 

Brandon's name came up when he interviewed Mike Shanahan, which occurred before the Nix hire, and the way it was reported, the so-called interview was more about "hi Mr Shanahan, I'm here to tell you about the Bill's organization and why you should consider working here..."