Modrak gets endorsement from RW & Buddy Nix

[dave mcbride]

Huh? Self Serving fluf piece? When did Gaughan start working for Bills?

 

The bottom line is... none of us, not you, not me, none of us, knows if Modrak is a good evaluator of talent because we don't know who he has picked. This article seems to suggest that the disfunction in the last 10 years has not been with incorrectly assessing talent, but instead incorrectly selecting talent. BIG difference here.

 

Now, IF, and it's a big IF... Modrak has recommended the guys we've picked in the last 10 years when it's our turn to pick, then he and anyone associated with that are fair game.

 

Again, we don't know that and this article would seem to point to the fact that he has not had significant influence over the decision making process.

Modrak fessed up to making an errror about Mike Williams. He said something to the effect of that sort of tackle couldn't play well in the NFL anymore, and he didn't realize it at the time. He saw him as a run mauler and didn't account for the change in the game towards passing. At least he admitted it.

[billsfreak]

Even if Modrak is right and recommended the best pick to his boss every year, and his boss usually (always) ignores the recommendation, then you are still failing at your job as you are not assertive enough.

I agree, if you can't blame any of the draft disasters on him, then you can't blame the rare draft success either,right? So why exactly is he even here, much less have been here for so long. He along with Ralphy are the two common things that have been here throughout this disastrous decade plus, so keeping him and making excuses for doing so is not a good sign that things are turning around.

[LGB]

Ralph confirms that Modrak is the one person that puts the draft board up. Okay, thanks Ralph…fire the coaching staff every three years, but let's not change the guy who puts the draft board together.

 

Let's face it, whoever has made up the draft board and draft decisions, has not been getting the job done. Ralph said it best: "In the draft, there's no question it's a big disappointment that we haven't had more impact players, players that make a big difference, go to the Pro Bowl.”

 

The problem for the Bills is that they have not done much of anything well for over 10 years except for marketing their team to playoff-starved fans.

 

And Nix is not concerned with what happened before?!? Wow, thanks for that…thanks for not learning from the past and what has not worked.

 

Okay, I know...this year is different...this is the year Modrak's draft board will be exactly what the Bills need and from this 2011 draft board it won't matter who is picked because whoever is on that board will be a fit on this team and be successful players for this set of coaches.

 

Let’s really hope that this is the year and Modrak has done his job - because there might only be only two years left - with Chan onboard the Bills coaching carousel. But rest assured Modrak fans...his job (EDIT: lifetime appointment) is safe.

Edited January 27, 2011 by LGB

[mattsox]

I was talking to a long time Bills fan/season ticket holder tonight, and he was utterly disgusted with the Bills, and said he might not renew his tickets next year. He also said he thought Nix was a disaster and totally unfit for G.M., and that the Bills entire organization had turned into a laughingstock - citing the loss of talent - Peters, Pat Williams, Winfield - and coaches - April and Lebeau - all of which left and were replaced by inferior talent. Coaches don't want to come here - turn down one of only 32 like jobs in the world. And finally, the Lynch fiasco - not making calls and getting proper value for him, and also not making upgrades in F.A. when teams like the Jets, who are already way better than us, go off and make real upgrades while we sit still... and then there's the money to Kelsay. And all the first round busts.

 

I listened to this loyal fan who'd spent probably 25,000 dollars over the last 20 years on the Bills, going to games and merchandise say all this.

 

I said, "well, I'm going to give Nix another year and see what he does. I think he knew last year we weren't close, so he gave Gailey one year to see what he really had to work with, to find out if there was any hidden talent, and to see where he needed to chop. I also think that explained their approach to F.A., and to the draft. I think Spiller, Troupe, and Carrington were all picked with their sights on 2011 and 2012. So, now they know what they have, now Nix is calling the shots, now Gailey can pick his QB from the draft to mentor, and Wanny can help with the defense. We have a bunch of Free Agents coming up that will be available. Between the draft and F.A. we will see, regardless of what is said, by their actions, whether or not this team has been righted."

 

He looked at me and shook his head. They stink. I'm done with them. They aren't good, and they aren't even close to being near as good as the good teams. In fact, I'll bet there'll be a further gap between them and the Jets and Patriots after this year, when those teams actually do get even better.

 

I'm an optimist - but, reading that article, I can see both sides.

 

I Agree with you. This is their last chance before losing me as a fan, and they better make some damn good progress. I simply won't stand by and support and inferior product on the field.

 

Buddy Nix is on the Clock and he better be making the greatest decisions he's ever made in his short career as GM this March-April.

 

He's gotta go after and sign the Big Name free Agents, even if that means overpaying them. This team can't simply be built through the draft with all the holes the Bills have. He's gotta get impact players out of the 2011 draft that will come in and start on this team. The 3rd Pick should be on the field come September and be an immediate contributer to the Team.

 

Failure to do so, or the I'm napping come FA rederick from Nix, and I'm done. I'll come back when we get an owner that wants to win. I'm not sitting here and gonna watch another 4-12 season. Life's too short.

[Mr. WEO]

After reading that it is hard to blame Modrak for draft failures since he never had final say. Who knows maybe he wanted the guys that us fans wanted but was short circuited by GMs, Brandon (What was Ralph thinking) and Dickie J who supposedly wanted Maybin. Nix has made great picks in the past so he must feel Modrak is scouting well. Hopefully Nix realizes that you take the best available person at the position you need and will leave the WRs alone, which we have more than enough of. That first pick had better be front 7, OT or QB ,any other pick will show that he is out of touch in todays NFL were you don't have 5+ years to get the job done. Spiller picks are for superbowl contenders not teams that were/are desperate for Tackle help.

 

So as the man in charge of college scouting in SD, Nix was responsible ("made") for all those "great picks" (i.e., it wasn't Smith, their GM), yet Modrak, who is in charge of college scouting in Buffalo, is NOT reponsible for the Bills awful drafts?

 

Interesting.

 

 

Then your buddy will miss the turnaround. He can always climb back on.

 

PTR

I bet you post this every year.

 

 

Huh? Self Serving fluf piece? When did Gaughan start working for Bills?

 

The bottom line is... none of us, not you, not me, none of us, knows if Modrak is a good evaluator of talent because we don't know who he has picked. This article seems to suggest that the disfunction in the last 10 years has not been with incorrectly assessing talent, but instead incorrectly selecting talent. BIG difference here.

 

Now, IF, and it's a big IF... Modrak has recommended the guys we've picked in the last 10 years when it's our turn to pick, then he and anyone associated with that are fair game.

 

Again, we don't know that and this article would seem to point to the fact that he has not had significant influence over the decision making process.

At the very least, Modrak put the names at the top of the list, unless you are going to argue that, for 10 years, 3 or 4 different GMs have routinely ignored the advice of the man in charge of college scouting--yet still employ in that position.

 

Yeah, I can buy that.

[The Avenger]

Wait a minute, wait a minute. Are you really thinking that Modrak had Maybin pegged for the 7th round (where he obviously belonged) and the "powers that be" said, no, let's pick him in the first??

 

No...I'm confident that's not what happened. Now, I am with you here. Maybe Modrak DID have Orakpo ahead of Maybin on his board and got "overruled" but Maybin must have been close enough behind on the board to even enter into the conversation (e.g. still rated as a first rounder, just maybe later in the round or early second).

 

Sorry, this is STILL a big error in scouting. Okay, Todd McShay couldn't see that Maybin was going to suck, but our professional "scout" is supposed to be able to see this clearly.

 

 

I'm with you on this. Maybe Modrak didn't have the say on who was picked, but hercertainly has a big hand in rating the players and letting whomever makes the pick know how they rank. I can see maybe missing the boat on Maybin (the Bills certainly weren't the only people heading into the draft that felt he was first round talent), but to me the most damning thing is that year after year the Bills draft board has guys considered first round talent who are nowhere near first round talent - Maybin, Whitner, McKelvin, Losman, McCargo. Some of these guys are bigger busts than others, but regardless of who makes the pick the fact that these guys are even in the mix means that the talent evaluation and ranking is wrong - that's on Modrak.

[Thoner7]

To me, another piece of BIG news from the article is that Ralph definitively, and for the first time I'm aware of, removed the cloak of secrecy around who makes the final call - at least for the 2011 draft. Ralph was quoted as saying,

 

"I feel good about the fact that Buddy Nix is making the final call."

 

We know from this that Buddy's officially and unequivocally been put out on the limb. This franchise is on Buddy's back right now.

 

If this is true them I am scared and afraid as I don’t think we have much hope. Spiller at 9- Pre draft I didn’t think he was a 1st rounder and I was given no reason to change my mind. Troupe that high in the 2nd? Others ha him as a 4th rounder and I could see why last season., and over all the other talent (Gronkowski, Spikes, L.Houston)? Im sorry to say but that’s not very promising at all…

 

Even if Modrak is right and recommended the best pick to his boss every year, and his boss usually (always) ignores the recommendation, then you are still failing at your job as you are not assertive enough.

 

^ agreed. He is the director of scouting and needs to MAKE his voice heard. Its been 10 years, if he was very adament for 3 years and no one listend to him, and the players he wanted went on to be great, years 4-10 would have went much different.

 

Wait a minute, wait a minute. Are you really thinking that Modrak had Maybin pegged for the 7th round (where he obviously belonged) and the "powers that be" said, no, let's pick him in the first??

 

No...I'm confident that's not what happened. Now, I am with you here. Maybe Modrak DID have Orakpo ahead of Maybin on his board and got "overruled" but Maybin must have been close enough behind on the board to even enter into the conversation (e.g. still rated as a first rounder, just maybe later in the round or early second).

 

Sorry, this is STILL a big error in scouting. Okay, Todd McShay couldn't see that Maybin was going to suck, but our professional "scout" is supposed to be able to see this clearly.

 

You sir are spot on. I was ridiculed by many people and posters on this board by calling Maybin a 3rd-4th rounder at best prior to the 2009 draft. Im no super genius by any means but his incredibly high level of suck was plain as day. Where was Modrak voicing that opinion?

 

I don’t believe for a second that Jaruon picked Maybin, as this article leads you to believe. Maybe it wasn’t Modrak or Brandon, but if it wasn’t them it was Ralph.

 

There is no way that they gave the final say and what was essentially veto power less than 4 months after SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING FIRING HIM. In case you forgot, the “Inner Circle Jerk” met for a couple days to discuss the firing of Dick and after much deliberation decided not to. Those same people would NOT have given him that type of reign in the draft room. That’s just common sense.

 

This is a propaganda piece through and through.

[Gabe Northern]

As Ralph acknowledges, "He puts the [draft] board up."

 

Personally, I'd rather have a team of monkeys putting name placards on the wall in a random order.

 

I know the success rate wouldn't be any worse.

 

My sense from the article is that his contract goes through this year's draft and Ralph refused to pay him not to work.

[tombstone56]

figures don't lie, liers figure.

 

ARE YOU AS BIG A MORON AS YOU'VE JUST PORTRAYED YOURSELF AS?

[Green Lightning]

Exactly. And if you accept the article on its face, Ralph should fire himself (or step aside). That's the real issue.

 

 

That's just stupid talk. He's the frickin' owner. Like him or not, he kept the Bills in town and I'm happy for it. I'm also happy Nix is making the calls. Nobody bats 1,000, not even "genius" Belichek. I like our last draft and looking forward to next year. If Buddy says Modrak was'nt the problem, I'm going with that. DJ made the Maybin call and not Nix. Either you have faith in Nix or you don't. I do, you don't. We'll see.

[SouthernMan]

I found the most interest part of the whole column at the very end. Ralph Wilson quoted as saying, "If there is not a quarterback at No. 3 we like, we're not going to reach and take him," Wilson said. "We're going to take the player we like best."

 

In spite of Gailey's consistent support of Fitzpatrick, is Ralph exposing his hand somewhat by mentioning "quarterback at No. 3".

In other words, could we interpret this to mean that if the QB they like is there at #3, they'll take him? Would the Bills take Newton?

[billsfreak]

That's just stupid talk. He's the frickin' owner. Like him or not, he kept the Bills in town and I'm happy for it. I'm also happy Nix is making the calls. Nobody bats 1,000, not even "genius" Belichek. I like our last draft and looking forward to next year. If Buddy says Modrak was'nt the problem, I'm going with that. DJ made the Maybin call and not Nix. Either you have faith in Nix or you don't. I do, you don't. We'll see.

What has Nix done that makes you happy he is making the calls? Was it drafting C.J. Spiller in the top ten picks of the draft-How did that turn out? Was it turning down a 3rd round pick for Lynch on draft day, then ignoring other teams like the Saints who wanted to give at least a 3rd round pick for him only to trade him to Seattle for a 4th round pick? Was it throwing millions at a washed-up, one strike from a year long suspension, linebacker who hasn't played a full season in about 4 or 5 years, and when he was on the field he wasn't even a slight resemblance of his oldself?

Edited January 27, 2011 by billsfreak

[ricojes]

citing the loss of talent - Peters, Pat Williams, Winfield - and coaches - April and Lebeau - all of which left and were replaced by inferior talent.

Pat Williams was probably the biggest (no pun intended) non-draft mistake, the guy was solid and wanted to stay in Buffalo. And Winfield would have been nice to keep as well. But I still can't blame the Bills for getting rid of Peters, they way he/his agent handled the situation was wrong, although they probably should have got more for him. As for the coaches, they had no say in Lebeau leaving. He had a chance to go back to Pittsburgh, where he and his family reside, it was a no brainer. He was great with the Bills and a huge loss, but the Bills had zero chance of keeping him. They had zero chance of keeping April after he was not named interim head coach, he was fuming about that. But that's what happens when you fire a HC mid-season, chances are the rest of the staff gone at seasons end as well. So, I can't blame them for that either.

 

The draft and FA is another story. This is where the front office, including Ralph, get 100% of the blame. IMO Marv Levy set this team back 5 years alone, I love the guy, but he was no GM. Look at the Stillers roster and see how many of their draft picks over the last 5 years made that team great. The draft can make or break a team and Bills are broke when it comes to that. But for some reason I have faith in Nix and Gaily. I liked last years draft picks. Spiller at #9, while not a need, is going to be a good player for the Bills. I think this season was not a good gauge of his true talents. This year was more like one long training camp in which Gaily evaluated talent. A good draft this year and a couple FA's and this team can compete. They are, at least, a couple years away from competing with the Patsies and Jests, but I think they can turn it around with this staff. For this first time in a while, I have some optimism. GO BILLS!

Edited January 27, 2011 by ricojes

[FightClub]

This is crazy talk... every expert in the country had Maybin going in the first round at the time. Did you ever see him play at Penn State? Sure, he may have been a 1 year wonder, but he was DOMINANT against college kids that year. He obviously hasn't and probably won't make the transition to the NFL, but to say that he should have been a 7th round pick is hindsight prognosticating at it's best.

 

You're kind of making my point for me. An NFL Scout is supposed to differentiate between reality and what Kiper and McShay are seeing. Otherwise, why not have a bunch of us get together and vote based on what we are reading on the internet for who the Bills should pick? Lots of players look good in college, but a scout has to be able to judge whether the player has the tools, size, attitude, tenacity, etc. etc. to do that at the NFL level.

 

Where do you think Maybin was on Ted Thompson's board? Bill Polian's? I guarantee these guys did not have Maybin in the 1st round on their boards, despite what McShay was spewing and what walterfootball.com said.

[dpberr]

It would be fun (or depressing) to compare Modrak's picks and the ones ultimately selected.

[EastRochBillsfan]

That's just stupid talk. He's the frickin' owner. Like him or not, he kept the Bills in town and I'm happy for it. I'm also happy Nix is making the calls. Nobody bats 1,000, not even "genius" Belichek. I like our last draft and looking forward to next year. If Buddy says Modrak was'nt the problem, I'm going with that. DJ made the Maybin call and not Nix. Either you have faith in Nix or you don't. I do, you don't. We'll see.

 

+1

 

You're kind of making my point for me. An NFL Scout is supposed to differentiate between reality and what Kiper and McShay are seeing. Otherwise, why not have a bunch of us get together and vote based on what we are reading on the internet for who the Bills should pick? Lots of players look good in college, but a scout has to be able to judge whether the player has the tools, size, attitude, tenacity, etc. etc. to do that at the NFL level.

 

Where do you think Maybin was on Ted Thompson's board? Bill Polian's? I guarantee these guys did not have Maybin in the 1st round on their boards, despite what McShay was spewing and what walterfootball.com said.

 

 

And you don't have a frickin clue where Modrak had him rated either. Assume all you want but it doesn't prove a thing.

[Sisyphean Bills]

It would be fun (or depressing) to compare Modrak's picks and the ones ultimately selected.

 

The guy has set the board here for 9 years (edit: this will be his 10th year) and 3 years in Philadelphia. He set the board means that he went over each player, signed off on their final grade if not ranked them himself, bracketed them with a group of players that he thought would be available at the Bills pick, and placed those names in their groupings on the Bills big board. For 1st round picks it would be highly irregular if he didn't scout every name personally.

 

Sure, we don't know who he'd have selected out of those groups, but we have abundant evidence of who was in those groups and how effective his overall stocking of the board has been. Does it really take another 200 picks or more to figure it out? How many outstanding football players have the Bills drafted the past 10 years? How many elite players fell in our laps after a run at a position? It's all ample evidence as to the scouting department's effectiveness.

 

Ask the owner: "Our drafting has been terrible."

[South Jersey Bills Fan]

After reading that it is hard to blame Modrak for draft failures since he never had final say. Who knows maybe he wanted the guys that us fans wanted but was short circuited by GMs, Brandon (What was Ralph thinking) and Dickie J who supposedly wanted Maybin. Nix has made great picks in the past so he must feel Modrak is scouting well. Hopefully Nix realizes that you take the best available person at the position you need and will leave the WRs alone, which we have more than enough of. That first pick had better be front 7, OT or QB ,any other pick will show that he is out of touch in todays NFL were you don't have 5+ years to get the job done. Spiller picks are for superbowl contenders not teams that were/are desperate for Tackle help.

 

I think my dislike of him goes beyond the draft results. As I recall, he did not move to western NY even when promoted. And honestly, how do you stand by and not voice your opinion louder when the likes of Aaron Maybin and JP Losman are being selected (and traded for) ahead of obviously more solid choices. He has stood by and witnessed the disintigration of this franchise, giving up little resistance. It appears as though he has taken the approach of, "oh well, at least it's a pay check". I can understand that attitude in certain jobs, but this is one that will affect you for a long time as well.

[Guest three3]

I think my dislike of him goes beyond the draft results. As I recall, he did not move to western NY even when promoted. And honestly, how do you stand by and not voice your opinion louder when the likes of Aaron Maybin and JP Losman are being selected (and traded for) ahead of obviously more solid choices. He has stood by and witnessed the disintigration of this franchise, giving up little resistance. It appears as though he has taken the approach of, "oh well, at least it's a pay check". I can understand that attitude in certain jobs, but this is one that will affect you for a long time as well.

 

the clear message of this article is that modrak will continue to successfully deflect criticism and probably get yearly raises. especially now that nix is "responsible" for present and future draft failures.

Edited January 27, 2011 by three3

[Cash]

+1

 

 

 

 

And you don't have a frickin clue where Modrak had him rated either. Assume all you want but it doesn't prove a thing.

 

No, we don't know where Modrak had Maybin rated. But according to Ralph in Gaughan's article, Modrak is the one who sets the board. Do you really think there's any way that Maybin was something like #108 on the board, but Jauron picked him at #11, and that flew? That's ridiculous. Sure, I'm willing to buy that Modrak had other available players ahead of Maybin on the big board. But realistically, it couldn't have been many. And it seems pretty likely to me that Modrak had Maybin as his #1 rated DE, ahead of Orakpo. It's just hard for me to believe that Jauron would overrule the draft board within a position. I totally get the idea that Jauron wanted DE, so he overrode Modrak's recommendation of a LB, but it's far-fetched to think that Maybin wasn't still very high on that draft board.

 

And that's not the only example, either. What about John McCargo? Is there any way that the Bills traded up to get him if he didn't have a first-round grade on the draft board that Modrak put together?