Russ Brandon named President/CEO

[jimmy10]

John,

As you may be aware, Mr. Wilson has provided me the extraordinary opportunity to lead this storied franchise into the next generation of Buffalo Bills Football.

As new Team President and CEO, I can promise you three things.

We will be a progressive, forward thinking organization and we will challenge each other every day to provide our fans with the best possible experience at Ralph Wilson Stadium. You deserve a fun, safe and exciting environment at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Our staff will work tirelessly to provide these essential elements to you.

We will leave no stone unturned in bringing this franchise to a championship level. Our first order of business is to identify a Head Coach who can lead us into the next generation of success for the Buffalo Bills. After that, General Manager Buddy Nix and his team will continue their preparation for the 2013 Draft, building on a roster that continues to improve and develop.

Lastly, we are focused on the long-term success of this franchise. The new lease provides us a wonderful opportunity to develop dynamic, extended range plans that will ensure that Buffalo remains our home for a very, very long time.

The only way we can accomplish our goals is through the passion and support of season ticket holders like you. Season ticket holders have always been the foundation we have used to build this franchise. It is this very foundation that we will use to bring this franchise back to a place we can all be proud of.

Thanks again for your support. I want to wish you and your family a very Happy New Year!

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Russ Brandon

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

You mean he didn't write to me personally?

 

[thebandit27]

If you were not interested because of Ralph, and Ralph handed the torch to Russ, wouldn't you necessarily need to have confidence in Russ (and Buddy, and Whaley) for it to suddenly change your mind? The torch was not being passed to Bobby Beathard or Bill Walsh.

 

I'm sure you'd have to have a level of confidence in Nix/Whaley to do their job...as far as Brandon goes, I think it's more along the lines of feeling like he's less likely to get in the way than Ralph was...or at least I think that's what Coach was implying.

 

For me, I think any coach would want to feel good about the front office before taking a job, at least in terms of his ability to work with them and be on the same page as far as the direction of the franchise.

[RuntheDamnBall]

You mean he didn't write to me personally?

 

That two-timing SOB sure knows how to get off on the wrong foot. I'll bet he even just wrote this to every season-ticket holder and then sent it as a form letter to save money. Russ is cheap!

[papazoid]

You mean he didn't write to me personally?

 

 

russ and i are on a first name basis......

[mrags]

 

 

You mean he didn't write to me personally?

 

i got one too. Haha (points and laughs)

 

 

 

russ and i are on a first name basis......

me too. He even called me Michael. That's like my mom yelling at me or my fiancé calling out my name during..... (That's for me to know the rest)

[JPS]

I'm sure you'd have to have a level of confidence in Nix/Whaley to do their job...as far as Brandon goes, I think it's more along the lines of feeling like he's less likely to get in the way than Ralph was...or at least I think that's what Coach was implying.

 

For me, I think any coach would want to feel good about the front office before taking a job, at least in terms of his ability to work with them and be on the same page as far as the direction of the franchise.

Totally agree. So when the question is asked whether the "Brandon announcement" made Buffalo a more attractive landing spot, my reaction based on the lack of a proven track record of the front office is - No. It just means there's one less clown in the car. To me anyways.

[26CornerBlitz]

Totally agree. So when the question is asked whether the "Brandon announcement" made Buffalo a more attractive landing spot, my reaction based on the lack of a proven track record of the front office is - No. It just means there's one less clown in the car. To me anyways.

 

That's a rather harsh assessment my friend.

[VABills]

That's a rather harsh assessment my friend.

 

And yet two of the big name candidates have already signed elsewhere. Seems like we still are scrapping the bottom just begging someone to sign with us.

Edited January 4, 2013 by VABills

[26CornerBlitz]

And yet two of the big name candidates have already signed elsewhere. Seems like we still are scrapping the bottom just begging someone to sign with us.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if Reid and Kelly were being courted during the season while Buddy was preaching continuity with Chan. The Bills were late to the party. They can still get a good HC among the interested candidates.

[SDS]

And yet two of the big name candidates have already signed elsewhere. Seems like we still are scrapping the bottom just begging someone to sign with us.

 

Sort of ridiculous to say when we showed no interest in Reid.

[JPS]

That's a rather harsh assessment my friend.

 

Again. To me. It's reality. I've been through too many of these "shuffling of the deck chairs" to be optimistic. I sincerely hope I am proven wrong.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

And yet two of the big name candidates have already signed elsewhere. Seems like we still are scrapping the bottom just begging someone to sign with us.

 

The Bills didn't even pursue Reid.

 

But keep spinning.

[jimmy10]

 

 

The Bills didn't even pursue Reid.

 

But keep spinning.

 

That the front office has not yet even TRIED reanimating the corpse of Vince Lombardi shows a stunning lack of commitment and creativity on the part of our new "president" and CEO. Blow it up!

[1B4IDie]

 

 

And yet two of the big name candidates have already signed elsewhere. Seems like we still are scrapping the bottom just begging someone to sign with us.

Who is the second "big" name?

Are there only two?

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Who is the second "big" name?

Are there only two?

 

Don't worry about him.

 

He's loose with the facts.

 

In all the forums.

[Nanker]

Sort of ridiculous to say when we showed no interest in Reid.

... and Kelly hasn't signed yet with the Brownies either.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

That the front office has not yet even TRIED reanimating the corpse of Vince Lombardi shows a stunning lack of commitment and creativity on the part of our new "president" and CEO. Blow it up!

Zombie Lombardi. I like it.

 

PTR

[JohnC]

And yet two of the big name candidates have already signed elsewhere. Seems like we still are scrapping the bottom just begging someone to sign with us.

 

Getting a big name coach shouldn't be the goal of the organization. Getting the right coach for this organization and team is what should be driving the search process. There are plenty of good candidates available that are capable of doing a good job in Buffalo.

 

I have been critical of Chan Gailey. But that doesn't mean that he isn't a capable coach. The front office under Nix set him up to fail. Buddy Nix had three drafts to bolster a roster for Gailey to work with. In those three drafts he found only one impactful player, namely Spiller. I believe that Gilmore is going to be a good CB, but from an impactful standpoint he won't be a major difference maker due to the nature of his position.

 

How was Gailey going to succeed when in his three year stint the qbs he had on his roster were Fitz-Thigpen-Jackson-Levi Brown? No Hc, even an elite HC, is going to succeed under such bad circumstances. Was Gailey a good play caller? I can't fairly say. It very often didn't matter because his starting qb was incapable of executing many of the called plays. It stands to reason that if the glaring limitations of your qb forces you to limit your play selections that it is going to straitjacket the coach callling in the plays.

 

Now that the owner is out of the football business I see a change in how the organization is operating. There is a normalcy and rationality to the hiring process compared to the mercurial way decisions were made by the Michigan contingent. Although it is very early in the Brandon era I am encouraged that the organization is doing their due diligence in finding a quality HC. That's not the biggest challenge. The real challenge is putting the new HC in a position to succeed. Until a legitimate franchise qb is taking the snaps all the other efforts are going to be sabotaged.

 

It is about time that this organization came out of the stone age and entered the real modern world of the NFL of today. Finally, I have a glimmer of hope.

[thebandit27]

Getting a big name coach shouldn't be the goal of the organization. Getting the right coach for this organization and team is what should be driving the search process. There are plenty of good candidates available that are capable of doing a good job in Buffalo.

 

I have been critical of Chan Gailey. But that doesn't mean that he isn't a capable coach. The front office under Nix set him up to fail. Buddy Nix had three drafts to bolster a roster for Gailey to work with. In those three drafts he found only one impactful player, namely Spiller. I believe that Gilmore is going to be a good CB, but from an impactful standpoint he won't be a major difference maker due to the nature of his position.

 

How was Gailey going to succeed when in his three year stint the qbs he had on his roster were Fitz-Thigpen-Jackson-Levi Brown? No Hc, even an elite HC, is going to succeed under such bad circumstances. Was Gailey a good play caller? I can't fairly say. It very often didn't matter because his starting qb was incapable of executing many of the called plays. It stands to reason that if the glaring limitations of your qb forces you to limit your play selections that it is going to straitjacket the coach callling in the plays.

 

Now that the owner is out of the football business I see a change in how the organization is operating. There is a normalcy and rationality to the hiring process compared to the mercurial way decisions were made by the Michigan contingent. Although it is very early in the Brandon era I am encouraged that the organization is doing their due diligence in finding a quality HC. That's not the biggest challenge. The real challenge is putting the new HC in a position to succeed. Until a legitimate franchise qb is taking the snaps all the other efforts are going to be sabotaged.

 

It is about time that this organization came out of the stone age and entered the real modern world of the NFL of today. Finally, I have a glimmer of hope.

 

I agree with much of this, except for excusing Chan in the QB situation.

 

Ask yourself this: do you really believe that the conversation happened this way?

 

Chan: Buddy, I need a better QB

Buddy: Chan, you'll have to make do with Fiz

[Bill from NYC]

Getting a big name coach shouldn't be the goal of the organization. Getting the right coach for this organization and team is what should be driving the search process. There are plenty of good candidates available that are capable of doing a good job in Buffalo.

 

I have been critical of Chan Gailey. But that doesn't mean that he isn't a capable coach. The front office under Nix set him up to fail. Buddy Nix had three drafts to bolster a roster for Gailey to work with. In those three drafts he found only one impactful player, namely Spiller. I believe that Gilmore is going to be a good CB, but from an impactful standpoint he won't be a major difference maker due to the nature of his position.

 

How was Gailey going to succeed when in his three year stint the qbs he had on his roster were Fitz-Thigpen-Jackson-Levi Brown? No Hc, even an elite HC, is going to succeed under such bad circumstances. Was Gailey a good play caller? I can't fairly say. It very often didn't matter because his starting qb was incapable of executing many of the called plays. It stands to reason that if the glaring limitations of your qb forces you to limit your play selections that it is going to straitjacket the coach callling in the plays.

 

Now that the owner is out of the football business I see a change in how the organization is operating. There is a normalcy and rationality to the hiring process compared to the mercurial way decisions were made by the Michigan contingent. Although it is very early in the Brandon era I am encouraged that the organization is doing their due diligence in finding a quality HC. That's not the biggest challenge. The real challenge is putting the new HC in a position to succeed. Until a legitimate franchise qb is taking the snaps all the other efforts are going to be sabotaged.

 

It is about time that this organization came out of the stone age and entered the real modern world of the NFL of today. Finally, I have a glimmer of hope.

 

Good post as usual, from top to bottom.

 

Yes, Gilmore probably will be good some day, but the impact factor does have to be weighed. And I agree with you wrt Gailey. He has what I consider a very good offensive mind, but little can be accomplished sans a quarterback.

 

As for the "glimmer of hope" I will wait until after the draft. Call me crazy, but I expect them to draft Dee Milner at #8.