Don't blame Ralph for not hiring Marty

[DC Tom]

How badly does Ralph want the Bills to stay in Buffalo? How much pressure is the rest of the league putting into the situation in an effort to force them out?

 

If there's any desire to move the team out of Buffalo, it's from the league. Again, it's not attendance, it's maximizing the revenue from the TV contracts they care about.

[Malazan]

Why do national reporters consistenly say the Bills have a hard time filling the stadium....fan support....blah blah and never get called on it? The tone is always negative when it comes to the Bills.

 

Just today Kornheiser's reaction is:

 

Gailey is the guy you hire when you're going out of business.

 

Why isn't the media called on it in general and allowed to get away with this "deep background" source stuff? It keeps being lapped up though. People keep going to read it. I see non-stop criticism of ESPN, but people just keep going back and watching sportscenter or going to the website. They don't give a crap *why* you're watching.

[beerme1]

Et tu Buddy.

 

Man, this old cat better as !@#$ know what he's doing, chasing off Marty like that. What's funny is every time I listen to Buddy talk, I become more impressed. He's sharp, he really is, and he is the dominant personality in the Buddy/Chan tandem relationship. Fine, Buddy, you get your "yes man" in Chan. Now go make it work. Go get the stud players that can run Chan's crappy offenses. Vindicate my belief in you, especially since you ran off a sure thing in Marty. Get that whip ready for Chan. Make sure he busts his ass gameplanning, teaching, leading, building out the offense and defense, and most of all, whip Chan like a dog if he makes game management mistakes. Nobody wants another Jauron. In Buddy we trust, for now.

 

 

Wow! Your post rings true. I am with you because I have to be but I have the same feeling right now that I had when we hired Dick and we know what that got us in the end. Dick

[TheChimp]

Et tu Buddy.

 

Man, this old cat better as !@#$ know what he's doing, chasing off Marty like that. What's funny is every time I listen to Buddy talk, I become more impressed. He's sharp, he really is, and he is the dominant personality in the Buddy/Chan tandem relationship. Fine, Buddy, you get your "yes man" in Chan. Now go make it work. Go get the stud players that can run Chan's crappy offenses. Vindicate my belief in you, especially since you ran off a sure thing in Marty. Get that whip ready for Chan. Make sure he busts his ass gameplanning, teaching, leading, building out the offense and defense, and most of all, whip Chan like a dog if he makes game management mistakes. Nobody wants another Jauron. In Buddy we trust, for now.

Pretty much my thoughts on this whole thing.

[liverpoolkev]

I know it's hard to believe, but it was not Ralph that shot down Marty. Yes, Marty wanted the job. He wanted it well before Buddy was even hired. But it was Buddy's call. I am sure Buddy did not want that to be public having worked with Marty. I don't know how it was spun back on Ralph. He makes his share of mistakes, but that one was not him.

 

I am not necessarily supporting the hire, But in the end, Buddy needs someone he can work with and if he thinks that is Gailey and not Marty, that probably has the best chance of working anyway.

 

Regarding Thurman, does anyone think that someone who goes on WGR every other day has access to any inside information from the Bills? I guess you can value his opinion. But he will likely never have any inside info.

Buffalo fans want someone that can put together a team ,give credibilty to the organization, and win.....If its Buddy call then Buddy wasn't the right hire I could care less what Buddy (whom never been a GM) was comfortable with. If he cant get the best candidate because he cant handle the coach then he was too weak to begin with and shouldn't have been Part G.M. that makes his hire shady from the beginning and shows why BILLS fans wanted a GM that was outside this organization .....................

[Buftex]

OK, lets remember the timeline here. Nix was a great hire last season for the Bills. He was not an entrenched member of this front office. He is a fresh face.

 

I know its not popular to appreciate Ralph due to our constant losing, but don't think that they just settled on Nix. That man is impressive. Football guy to the core.

 

 

Marv Levey was impressive, football to the core...and a terrible GM for the Buffalo Bills. Nix has a lot to prove...he is off to a rocky start, it seems, amongst fans. Fans don't always know what's best, but, I wouldn't say the Bills owner has a real stellar track record either... Ralphs "commitment to winning" spewed just a few weeks ago, is a cruel joke on Bills fans. He may want to win, but he hasn't a clue how to do it anymore, and is apparently too afraid to let anyone else really help him. I guess Ralph isn't tired of losing, like he said, it seems he is just tired.

[Buftex]

What?

 

 

I think Clip Smith is trying to let us know that he knows the identity of Nevergiveup...

[Buftex]

I edited my previous post. Kornheiser's reaction today was:

 

Gailey is the guy you hire when you're going out of business. Stuff like that makes me wonder.

 

 

I got a chuckle out of some article I read earlier today that said something to the effect of "Chan Gailey is hardly the big dollar purchase that Bills fans were hoping for. This isn't the 60-inch Hi-Def tv that you dream of buying, and do months of research on, before making your purchase...this is more like the pack of orange tic-tacs you buy on whim at the convenience store, when you go inside to pay for your gas."

 

Man, you gotta have a sense of humor about this stuff...

[zazie]

I know it's hard to believe, but it was not Ralph that shot down Marty. Yes, Marty wanted the job. He wanted it well before Buddy was even hired. But it was Buddy's call. I am sure Buddy did not want that to be public having worked with Marty. I don't know how it was spun back on Ralph. He makes his share of mistakes, but that one was not him.

 

I am not necessarily supporting the hire, But in the end, Buddy needs someone he can work with and if he thinks that is Gailey and not Marty, that probably has the best chance of working anyway.

 

Regarding Thurman, does anyone think that someone who goes on WGR every other day has access to any inside information from the Bills? I guess you can value his opinion. But he will likely never have any inside info.

The weight of the evidence collected over several decades about RW, says the Gailey hire and Marty rejection was wholly RW induced (w/ Jeff Littman), for financial reasons.

 

It is clear to me.

[gobills28]

When Chan Gailey was first reported to be the new head coach, I was like WHAT THE F@#&^%&^%???????

 

I then finally got to a place where I was at peace with the decision was ready to back it up and start the season with Chan as our head coach. (with short patience). I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because he's been successful when given the chance.

 

...and everything was fine and dandy for me in Bills land....until I go on the internet and read that my numer one choice for the job (even above Cowher), Marty Schottenheimer, wanted to be the Bills head coach badly and WAS TURNED DOWN BY THE BILLS.

 

Now I'm back to square one. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr. WEO]

Claiming that Ralph did not have a strong hand in picking CG over Marty is just impossible to believe. Given the public attititude surrounding the importance of a big score at a new HC, no way Buddy Pyle is going to, on his own, dismiss Marty out of hand.

 

Does anybody really think that an unemployed Marty, desperate to get back in the game, would demand "full control" before he would take a job? Complete nonsense.

 

Nevergiveup clearly is a Bills employee of some type (Chirs Brown?) and this post is meant to deflect blame from Ralph and to make it seem that the once nearly-retired Nix is a man in his own right over there at OBD.

[Nevergiveup]

Claiming that Ralph did not have a strong hand in picking CG over Marty is just impossible to believe. Given the public attititude surrounding the importance of a big score at a new HC, no way Buddy Pyle is going to, on his own, dismiss Marty out of hand.

 

Does anybody really think that an unemployed Marty, desperate to get back in the game, would demand "full control" before he would take a job? Complete nonsense.

 

Nevergiveup clearly is a Bills employee of some type (Chirs Brown?) and this post is meant to deflect blame from Ralph and to make it seem that the once nearly-retired Nix is a man in his own right over there at OBD.

 

 

Just trying to provide some legitimate information. Ralph can be blamed for many things. All I was pointing out was that this was Buddy's decision. The last thing I am is an apologist for Ralph. No one has time to cover for all the missteps he has made. However I thought you would want some legitimate information on this situation. My mistake. Go on believing whatever you like.

[birdog1960]

Just trying to provide some legitimate information. Ralph can be blamed for many things. All I was pointing out was that this was Buddy's decision. The last thing I am is an apologist for Ralph. No one has time to cover for all the missteps he has made. However I thought you would want some legitimate information on this situation. My mistake. Go on believing whatever you like.

You stated in an earlier post that a less expensive coach hire would indicate that Littman was still in control. Is that no longer true? Your posts are starting to read like a Le Carre novel. Anonymous informants sometimes have ulterior motives in his books. btw, if you knew about schott wanting the job before Nix was named GM, why not let us in on that? Would you have divulged that info if Graham had not?

[thebandit27]

You stated in an earlier post that a less expensive coach hire would indicate that Littman was still in control. Is that no longer true? Your posts are starting to read like a Le Carre novel. Anonymous informants sometimes have ulterior motives in his books. btw, if you knew about schott wanting the job before Nix was named GM, why not let us in on that? Would you have divulged that info if Graham had not?

 

In the thread in which Nevergiveup broke the Nix hiring, he flat out says as much. I belive the direct quote is "if Buddy wants Marty, he'll get him". Just check his post history.

[KOKBILLS]

I know it's hard to believe, but it was not Ralph that shot down Marty. Yes, Marty wanted the job. He wanted it well before Buddy was even hired. But it was Buddy's call. I am sure Buddy did not want that to be public having worked with Marty. I don't know how it was spun back on Ralph. He makes his share of mistakes, but that one was not him.

 

I am not necessarily supporting the hire, But in the end, Buddy needs someone he can work with and if he thinks that is Gailey and not Marty, that probably has the best chance of working anyway.

 

Regarding Thurman, does anyone think that someone who goes on WGR every other day has access to any inside information from the Bills? I guess you can value his opinion. But he will likely never have any inside info.

 

Well...Here's what this says to Me...

 

I realize Marty is a VERY popular figure in the NFL and his Record as a HC speaks for itself...But he was removed as a winner, a BIG winner in San Diego and there are reasons for that...Nix was part of that FO and has all the info he needs on what happened there...Whatever it was that happened it must have scared Nix off of Marty for good...He must have seen trouble on the horizon for himself, a 1st time GM, if he brought Marty-Ball to town...So he passed...Makes sense to me...I'd still rather have Marty, but makes sense anyway...

[papazoid]

Just trying to provide some legitimate information. Ralph can be blamed for many things. All I was pointing out was that this was Buddy's decision. The last thing I am is an apologist for Ralph. No one has time to cover for all the missteps he has made. However I thought you would want some legitimate information on this situation. My mistake. Go on believing whatever you like.

 

you nailed the Nix hiring before anyone.

 

you nailed the Gailey hiring before anyone.

 

your probably right on this one too.......(Tim Graham still puts it on ralph and WGR radio is playing it constantly).

 

you know where you stand with me:

 

RELIABILITY METER

 

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#11- Thurman Thomas

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Buddy said in the presser yesterday that he would only bring someone he offered the job to up to meet Mr. Wilson, and this was as a token of courtesy and respect to the owner. If you believe this (and I do) it means Nix had complete control of the search and hiring process.

 

Following this line of thinking, with the history Buddy has with Marty, it makes sense that Buddy would only bypass Marty for sound reason(s). He would know Marty better than most - things you could only know by working with someone.

 

There's gotta be something else there - something that there's no way any outsider (including the media) would know.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Just trying to provide some legitimate information. Ralph can be blamed for many things. All I was pointing out was that this was Buddy's decision. The last thing I am is an apologist for Ralph. No one has time to cover for all the missteps he has made. However I thought you would want some legitimate information on this situation. My mistake. Go on believing whatever you like.

NGU, thanks for your information. I, and other fans, appreciate it.

 

It's still not that clear cut to me. Having served in management in various jobs personally, I know that big decisions are a consensus forming process with the big boss. Hiring who will probably be Mr. Wilson's last HC and last chance is a big decision (to say the least) and Buddy is going to do what Mr. Wilson is comfortable with regardless of whether it is nominally "Buddy's decision" or not and regardless of his personal druthers. Now, Buddy may have never even talked to Ralph about Marty's interest for whatever reason or they (plural) decided not to pursue the matter. Whatever the case it is quite strange as Mr. Nix did pursue (and eventually hired) coaches directly or indirectly from the Marty Schottenheimer coaching tree: Cowher, Brian Schottenheimer, and Chan Gailey (via Cowher).

 

One last point, if this was 100% Buddy's decision, given the negative backlash of that information, I have to question his suitability for the job he now holds. To not even run one of the most respected names in the coaching profession by the boss would be really mind boggling and an action someone could be fired for in many businesses.

[Fan in Chicago]

Buddy said in the presser yesterday that he would only bring someone he offered the job to up to meet Mr. Wilson, and this was as a token of courtesy and respect to the owner. If you believe this (and I do) it means Nix had complete control of the search and hiring process.

 

Following this line of thinking, with the history Buddy has with Marty, it makes sense that Buddy would only bypass Marty for sound reason(s). He would know Marty better than most - things you could only know by working with someone.

 

There's gotta be something else there - something that there's no way any outsider (including the media) would know.

Saved me a bunch of typing as I agree. It makes sense that Nix did not want to ruin his personal relationship with Marty and Ralph took it upon himself to be the 'fall guy' for the non-hire.

Once Shanahan was gone, I was hoping we got Marty. But instead of beating up on Gailey, I would like to give him a chance. His choice of DC will be a good first indication of how he thinks. A solid, proven hire will go a long way to bumping up his credibility and Nix's. I am a tad less concerned about OC because Gailey himself has been an OC and a fairly successful one at that. Is Mike Nolan available to be our DC ?

[Sisyphean Bills]

Buddy said in the presser yesterday that he would only bring someone he offered the job to up to meet Mr. Wilson, and this was as a token of courtesy and respect to the owner. If you believe this (and I do) it means Nix had complete control of the search and hiring process.

 

Following this line of thinking, with the history Buddy has with Marty, it makes sense that Buddy would only bypass Marty for sound reason(s). He would know Marty better than most - things you could only know by working with someone.

 

There's gotta be something else there - something that there's no way any outsider (including the media) would know.

This could be the way it went down, of course. But, that doesn't say much about the lines of communication.

 

BTW, Buddy initially said he would narrow the field of candidates down and take "2 or 3, no more than 3" to Ralph and discuss. He took 1 candidate to Ralph and they hired him.

 

They have every vested reason to paint the search in a positive light (anything less would be idiotic). Since he's not telling, no one knows if the self-proclaimed 15 calls Nix was getting a day were from qualified people or not.

 

He was on the job search roughly 18 days. If he got 15 calls a day, that is 270 coaches asking for interviews. That comes to roughly 8.5 coaches per NFL team. There aren't that many qualified candidates on each team's staff, to put it bluntly. Even if you say half of them were from the college ranks (or wherever), that is still about 4 calls per team, which would still be more than are highly qualified.