The new tone at OBD: What they're saying

[Kemp]

Even as a child I understood that what people say is worth zero. What they do is everything. If a coach says we are learning or building or going for the Super Bowl right away could not be more meaningless. Praise Marrone after the team accomplishes something, not before the first exhibition game.

[Bill from NYC]

If you are going to disagree that Parcells was great at quick turnarounds then I don't know what it would take you to actually agree on something.

 

He took over the Jets coming off a 1-15 season and brought them to 9-7 in his first season.

 

He took over the Cowboys after 3 straight 5-11 seasons and took them to 10-6 in his first season.

 

He took over the GM/president job of the Dolphins, coming off a 1-15 season.......hired Tony frickin' Sparano and won the division at 10-6.

 

I mean, seriously......nobody turned teams around like that guy. NOBODY. Not even close.

 

The issue was that he really didn't have a great plan other than capitalizing on the blind faith of his players.

 

Not having Belichick certainly hurt long term......Belichick is a HOF'er in waiting......but he turned around Dallas and Miami instantly without him.

 

That's the power of that kind of perception. And that's why hiring cold-product nobody's like GW, Mularkey, Jauron and Gailey has put the Bills a step behind before they've ever started.

 

I will say this, at least Marrone was at room temperature when they hired him.

 

He wasn't coming off just one good season as a DC like GW, or nearly being fired in Pittsburgh like Mularkey, a terrible retread like Jauron or a recently fired OC like Gailey.

 

AT LEAST he has that.

 

I sincerely hope that Marrone has a better overall plan than Parcells did at his last two jobs, but it will be important for him to not come out and fall flat on his face and think that it won't have a long term effect on his program.

 

This organization is USED to losing. More losing will equal same-old-same-old to the players and that will just make it harder to execute the plan when the FO eventually feels the sense of urgency regarding personnel......which usually happens in offseason year 3 for a typical Bills HC in the 21st century.

 

Parcells WAS great. I once heard him say how much easier it was to find a wide receiver in the draft than it was to find a good guard. I do wonder how he would apply this train of thought today given the rule changes.

 

The Bills eally could use a man like Parcells to oversee things in lieu of a lackey like Brandon.

[KeisterHollow]

As much as we've heard this optimistic talk every time a new coach comes in, there are differences. Namely, most of us TRIED to find things to be positive about with the Gailey hire. He wasn't who we wanted. He also kept a terrible QB. And, his Defensive Coordinators were perhaps the worst in Bills history - or close to it. That is not a tough act to follow. Gailey isn't alone there - how many of the string of coaches who've been here since Levy and Wade have had legitimate experience or had decent coordinators?

 

Pettine is a serious talent at DC. He'll immediately make the defense better. And, depending on how much more talent he gets via the draft, UDFA, and FA, he could have us anywhere from top 10 to top 15 in total defense. Sure - Marrone doesn't come with NFL HC experience, but he was a hightly coveted candidate. This is the first time since Wade Phillips we've had a coach like this.

 

Now, as far as player talent goes, I agree with the people who say the NFL is close, team to team, in talent, with the exception of a few powerhouse teams like San Fran and Seattle. Still, with the right decisions in the draft, there's no reason to think Buffalo couldn't be pressing for a playoff spot in December. We simply need to strike gold with the QB, and add a few more offensive and defensive talents - realistically, if we get a good starting ILB, WR, TE, and a legit QB we'd have enough talent to compete with just about anyone. Buddy has a real shot at doing that this year, because the draft is unusually deep.

 

Lastly, we have Whaley waiting in the wings, and Brandon overseeing things, as opposed to Ralph. It is a new time for Buffalo, and for the first time in over ten years we have reasons to be optimistic. Our team was awful last year - terribly coached and we had the worst QB I've seen in a long time. It wouldn't take much to improve on that - and a good coach could probably add 3 or 4 wins to last year's season just by the schemes and a different QB. It really wouldn't take much to bump us up to a 10-6 season.

[machine gun kelly]

Well said Keister Hollow!

[BADOLBILZ]

As much as we've heard this optimistic talk every time a new coach comes in, there are differences. Namely, most of us TRIED to find things to be positive about with the Gailey hire. He wasn't who we wanted. He also kept a terrible QB. And, his Defensive Coordinators were perhaps the worst in Bills history - or close to it. That is not a tough act to follow. Gailey isn't alone there - how many of the string of coaches who've been here since Levy and Wade have had legitimate experience or had decent coordinators?

 

Pettine is a serious talent at DC. He'll immediately make the defense better. And, depending on how much more talent he gets via the draft, UDFA, and FA, he could have us anywhere from top 10 to top 15 in total defense. Sure - Marrone doesn't come with NFL HC experience, but he was a hightly coveted candidate. This is the first time since Wade Phillips we've had a coach like this.

 

Now, as far as player talent goes, I agree with the people who say the NFL is close, team to team, in talent, with the exception of a few powerhouse teams like San Fran and Seattle. Still, with the right decisions in the draft, there's no reason to think Buffalo couldn't be pressing for a playoff spot in December. We simply need to strike gold with the QB, and add a few more offensive and defensive talents - realistically, if we get a good starting ILB, WR, TE, and a legit QB we'd have enough talent to compete with just about anyone. Buddy has a real shot at doing that this year, because the draft is unusually deep.

 

Lastly, we have Whaley waiting in the wings, and Brandon overseeing things, as opposed to Ralph. It is a new time for Buffalo, and for the first time in over ten years we have reasons to be optimistic. Our team was awful last year - terribly coached and we had the worst QB I've seen in a long time. It wouldn't take much to improve on that - and a good coach could probably add 3 or 4 wins to last year's season just by the schemes and a different QB. It really wouldn't take much to bump us up to a 10-6 season.

 

Kolb is on par with Trent Edwards 4 years ago. Most teams would have said no way to either of them as the top QB on their depth chart. So far, that is where Kolb sits on the Bills depth chart.

 

I was very critical of the George Edwards hiring because he was an unproven chrony being brought in to change schemes, but you talk like we KNEW that he and Wannstedt were going to be that awful. Wannstedt was a two-time SB winning DC and had great defenses in Chicago and Miami as a HC. There was no way of telling he would be that awful.

 

Brandon, Whaley, Nix......these guys have all been in Buffalo since the Gailey era began. They are as responsible as anyone for the past 3 losing seasons. The only upside on those guys is that they have made plenty of mistakes to learn from.

 

In short, there aren't many differences AT ALL.

[BADOLBILZ]

Parcells WAS great. I once heard him say how much easier it was to find a wide receiver in the draft than it was to find a good guard. I do wonder how he would apply this train of thought today given the rule changes.

 

The Bills eally could use a man like Parcells to oversee things in lieu of a lackey like Brandon.

 

Parcells was a "planet theory" guy. He felt that there were only so many big "athletic" players on the planet, but that small athletic players were much easier to find. Therefore, you get your big players early.

 

Things have changed in the NFL, but the defensive overreaction to the increase in passing offense is a mistake, IMO and I know you feel the same way. People talking about drafting a safety or a cb in round one when this team doesn't even have a top 32 NFL QB on the roster.......that's just idiocy.

 

Contrary to the new theory that you build a team around cornerbacks and safeties.......the teams that have been making the SB in recent years have had SUSPECT secondaries......yet for some reason people think having 3 starting safeties is the answer for this organization.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I was very critical of the George Edwards hiring because he was an unproven chrony being brought in to change schemes, but you talk like we KNEW that he and Wannstedt were going to be that awful. Wannstedt was a two-time SB winning DC and had great defenses in Chicago and Miami as a HC. There was no way of telling he would be that awful.

 

This. Or if there were ways to tell, most of us fans weren't ginned up on them.

 

We were all "yeah, Supermario, yeah, Gilmore, Dareus improving, KW coming back from surgery, this is gonna be Grrrrrrrreat! Fear the 'stache!"

 

Kinda makes me feel retrospectively nauseous. Then came preseason where we were getting lit up like pinball machines and stymied on O and it was "wtf?"

Edited April 15, 2013 by Hopeful

[Mr. WEO]

 

 

Pettine is a serious talent at DC. He'll immediately make the defense better. And, depending on how much more talent he gets via the draft, UDFA, and FA, he could have us anywhere from top 10 to top 15 in total defense.

 

 

It is a new time for Buffalo, and for the first time in over ten years we have reasons to be optimistic.

 

Too many here have short memories. It was less than a year ago that many here were saying Wanny was going to turn this into a top 5 defense.

[The Big Cat]

 

 

Too many here have short memories. It was less than a year ago that many here were saying Wanny was going to turn this into a top 5 defense.

 

I always had my doubts about Wanny. My buddy--a huge Pitt fan--reported back about how boring uninventive and unaggressive Wannys defenses were. After that, I personally was cautiously optimistic...at best.

 

So I'm not sure specifically which people you're talking about...

[FleaMoulds80]

Can't win in this league with an average defense and no QB. Don't care who the coach is.

 

That's all

[Bills4]

As much as we've heard this optimistic talk every time a new coach comes in, there are differences. Namely, most of us TRIED to find things to be positive about with the Gailey hire. He wasn't who we wanted. He also kept a terrible QB. And, his Defensive Coordinators were perhaps the worst in Bills history - or close to it. That is not a tough act to follow. Gailey isn't alone there - how many of the string of coaches who've been here since Levy and Wade have had legitimate experience or had decent coordinators?

 

Pettine is a serious talent at DC. He'll immediately make the defense better. And, depending on how much more talent he gets via the draft, UDFA, and FA, he could have us anywhere from top 10 to top 15 in total defense. Sure - Marrone doesn't come with NFL HC experience, but he was a hightly coveted candidate. This is the first time since Wade Phillips we've had a coach like this.

 

Now, as far as player talent goes, I agree with the people who say the NFL is close, team to team, in talent, with the exception of a few powerhouse teams like San Fran and Seattle. Still, with the right decisions in the draft, there's no reason to think Buffalo couldn't be pressing for a playoff spot in December. We simply need to strike gold with the QB, and add a few more offensive and defensive talents - realistically, if we get a good starting ILB, WR, TE, and a legit QB we'd have enough talent to compete with just about anyone. Buddy has a real shot at doing that this year, because the draft is unusually deep.

 

Lastly, we have Whaley waiting in the wings, and Brandon overseeing things, as opposed to Ralph. It is a new time for Buffalo, and for the first time in over ten years we have reasons to be optimistic. Our team was awful last year - terribly coached and we had the worst QB I've seen in a long time. It wouldn't take much to improve on that - and a good coach could probably add 3 or 4 wins to last year's season just by the schemes and a different QB. It really wouldn't take much to bump us up to a 10-6 season.

 

Thank you. You and I feel the exact same way. Pettine alone will bring us into the top 15 without adding any other players. There was alot of talent on the defensive side of the ball last year and it was completely wasted by an awful coach with an awful scheme who refused to adapt. Instead of admitting his scheme sucked, he put it all on player performance and would say that his scheme has guys lined up in the right spot if they do their jobs. Wanny is not an NFL caliber d-coordinator.

I feel positive about what Marrone brings to the table as a head coach in leadership ability and he coached in the NFL under Sean Peyton - one of the best offensive minds in the game today.

 

Add a couple talented players through the draft, hopefully find a qb in there, and I think this team will at least be entertaining. Everything hinges on the Bills finding the next franchise qb. And I just dont know if there are any in this draft.

[ganesh]

There is very little doubt in my mind that the right man will look at the Bills head coaching job as one of the very best opportunities to do something really special. Not to get too cheesy, but winning a Super Bowl in Buffalo is the stuff that movies are made from. It's a tremendous challenge given the recent history and can be particularly motivating to the right person. You couple that with the history of the team and some of the (unfair) characterizations of the region and you have history in the making.

 

Winning a Super Bowl in Buffalo would be similar to Cleveland winning a World Series (or the Cubs, but probably not at that level). The coach who accomplishes these things is forever immortal.

 

They said the same for New Orleans...A team that barely had made to a playoff game in over a decade...And with the right coaching staff and the right QB, they were able to pull it off, in the midst of a hurricane attack. Winning a super bowl for the Bills would be like......nothing else in this world....

 

Thank you. You and I feel the exact same way. Pettine alone will bring us into the top 15 without adding any other players. There was alot of talent on the defensive side of the ball last year and it was completely wasted by an awful coach with an awful scheme who refused to adapt. Instead of admitting his scheme sucked, he put it all on player performance and would say that his scheme has guys lined up in the right spot if they do their jobs. Wanny is not an NFL caliber d-coordinator.

I feel positive about what Marrone brings to the table as a head coach in leadership ability and he coached in the NFL under Sean Peyton - one of the best offensive minds in the game today.

 

Add a couple talented players through the draft, hopefully find a qb in there, and I think this team will at least be entertaining. Everything hinges on the Bills finding the next franchise qb. And I just dont know if there are any in this draft.

 

Kyle was injured..>Dareus was in Mourning....Williams was playing with a bad wrist the 1st half of the seasons....and we had the worst LB crew in the league where each one was free-lancing. If you straighten this out (which falls on the shoulder of the coaching staff), this defense can go places.

[swnybillsfan]

I always had my doubts about Wanny. My buddy--a huge Pitt fan--reported back about how boring uninventive and unaggressive Wannys defenses were. After that, I personally was cautiously optimistic...at best.

 

So I'm not sure specifically which people you're talking about...

well, he could be talking about people like me. i am always optimistic, i always have seconds on the kool aid and i always try to find ways to convince myself that THIS time it's gonna work.

[dave mcbride]

 

 

I disagree about Parcells....I dont think he did that much without Belicheck

 

I'm calling BS on this. A major part of being a great coach is hiring a great staff and getting loyalty from them. Parcells identfied Belichick early on as talented before anyone else did and then hired and retained him for years and years. Not only did he win two SBs with the Giants, he built a great staff with Coughlin and Belichick (a coach just about as good as BB). When he went to the Pats, he brought in BB and had a terrible team in the playoffs in his second year and a SB appearance in his fourth year. Then he brought BB to the Jets because BB was LOYAL TO PARCELLS AND HIS PHILSOPHY. Again, he took over a terrible team and had them at 12-4 and in the AFC championship game in within two years.

 

Parcells deserves a ton of credit for finding BB in the first place and -- as they say about players -- "putting him in a position that maximized his skills."

Edited April 15, 2013 by dave mcbride

[The Big Cat]

well, he could be talking about people like me. i am always optimistic, i always have seconds on the kool aid and i always try to find ways to convince myself that THIS time it's gonna work.

 

Good on you. When people aren't accountable for their opinions, then the posters who disagree with them get to argue with whatever made-up point they want, after the fact.

 

And "cautiously" optimistic is still very much optimistic.

Edited April 15, 2013 by taC giB ehT

[Bills4]

well, he could be talking about people like me. i am always optimistic, i always have seconds on the kool aid and i always try to find ways to convince myself that THIS time it's gonna work.

 

I am the same way. I dont think I could take being a Bills and Sabers fan if I had no hope. Every off-season, I watch the Bills make FA pick ups, and then go through the draft, and then tell myself how nasty they are going to be.

 

This year, is the first year in many, I feel like I am not expecting much. I just want to see some progress. I hope that the new coaching staff lives up to my expectations of them, and that we find a franchise qb, and most importantly that the franchise turns around. I want to see the Bills play with some heart. I doubt we are going to find the franchise qb in this draft so my expectations are limitted. But I do feel positive about the changes that have been made at OBD.

 

I like that Marrone has not come in and spent a ton of money in free agency. I think it is smart. He wants to figure out what he really has and evaluate the talent himself this season before he goes out and spends big bucks on what he feels are the needs of the team. I think the Bills will pick some more FA's and UDFA's after the draft but I dont see them bringing in any stars.

 

I love that the Bills hired Pettine. I strongly believe our defense will bounce back this year and bounce high. I think Kevin Kolb will be servicable and at least puts us in a better position than we were before. Id like to see Wood stay healthy through the season because if he gets injured, we will be in a tough position next year after losing Levitre to free agency this year. Id like to see the Bills lock up Byrd before the season is over, and Id like to see a new receiving threat emerge to give Stevie some help.

 

I am not hoping for playoffs, but Ive learned to set my goals to be be attainable like the above

[eball]

I am the same way. I dont think I could take being a Bills and Sabers fan if I had no hope. Every off-season, I watch the Bills make FA pick ups, and then go through the draft, and then tell myself how nasty they are going to be.

 

This year, is the first year in many, I feel like I am not expecting much. I just want to see some progress. I hope that the new coaching staff lives up to my expectations of them, and that we find a franchise qb, and most importantly that the franchise turns around. I want to see the Bills play with some heart. I doubt we are going to find the franchise qb in this draft so my expectations are limitted. But I do feel positive about the changes that have been made at OBD.

 

I like that Marrone has not come in and spent a ton of money in free agency. I think it is smart. He wants to figure out what he really has and evaluate the talent himself this season before he goes out and spends big bucks on what he feels are the needs of the team. I think the Bills will pick some more FA's and UDFA's after the draft but I dont see them bringing in any stars.

 

I love that the Bills hired Pettine. I strongly believe our defense will bounce back this year and bounce high. I think Kevin Kolb will be servicable and at least puts us in a better position than we were before. Id like to see Wood stay healthy through the season because if he gets injured, we will be in a tough position next year after losing Levitre to free agency this year. Id like to see the Bills lock up Byrd before the season is over, and Id like to see a new receiving threat emerge to give Stevie some help.

 

I am not hoping for playoffs, but Ive learned to set my goals to be be attainable like the above

 

I think this pretty succintly sums up where my head is as well -- although I'm always hoping for playoffs.

[Sisyphean Bills]

I like that Marrone has not come in and spent a ton of money in free agency. I think it is smart. He wants to figure out what he really has and evaluate the talent himself this season before he goes out and spends big bucks on what he feels are the needs of the team. I think the Bills will pick some more FA's and UDFA's after the draft but I dont see them bringing in any stars.

 

Don't get fooled again

No, no

Yeah!

Meet the new boss

Same as the old boss

 

Gailey started out 0-8 evaluating the players left over from Jauron...

[GaryPinC]

I am the same way. I dont think I could take being a Bills and Sabers fan if I had no hope. Every off-season, I watch the Bills make FA pick ups, and then go through the draft, and then tell myself how nasty they are going to be.

 

This year, is the first year in many, I feel like I am not expecting much. I just want to see some progress. I hope that the new coaching staff lives up to my expectations of them, and that we find a franchise qb, and most importantly that the franchise turns around. I want to see the Bills play with some heart. I doubt we are going to find the franchise qb in this draft so my expectations are limitted. But I do feel positive about the changes that have been made at OBD.

 

I like that Marrone has not come in and spent a ton of money in free agency. I think it is smart. He wants to figure out what he really has and evaluate the talent himself this season before he goes out and spends big bucks on what he feels are the needs of the team. I think the Bills will pick some more FA's and UDFA's after the draft but I dont see them bringing in any stars.

 

I love that the Bills hired Pettine. I strongly believe our defense will bounce back this year and bounce high. I think Kevin Kolb will be servicable and at least puts us in a better position than we were before. Id like to see Wood stay healthy through the season because if he gets injured, we will be in a tough position next year after losing Levitre to free agency this year. Id like to see the Bills lock up Byrd before the season is over, and Id like to see a new receiving threat emerge to give Stevie some help.

 

I am not hoping for playoffs, but Ive learned to set my goals to be be attainable like the above

 

I'm not sure that spending big money on free agents is Marrone's decision. Agree that not doing so is smart though. With all due respect to people like Marrone and Eric Wood, it is a rebuilding year as the new staff and their schemes hit the ground and see where the holes are and exactly where/how this team needs to be led. It makes no sense to spend top money on free agents this year.

 

I also have no problem with them getting BPA's early in the draft, even though we have pressing needs. If a franchise QB isn't there don't reach for one, get a 2-4th round guy to develop. Seems like next year will be better for QB anyways. With a new staff, first year is always rebuilding time. Critical question is how much is needed? That's where my fingers are crossed. Buddy Nix is a decent judge of talent but one of the least shrewd GM's in the league so he can't restock a cupboard quickly.

 

Like you, I just want to see solid progress this year.

[HeHateMe]

Make no mistake about it, Gailey was in over his head as a head coach and the game had past Wanntrash by... I don't think you could put a worse tandem together to lead your team... I'm expecting the coaching to be much better.

 

I disliked the Gailey hiring and didn't think the Wanntrash promotion would really change anything since he had already been a member of the coaching staff the year before for a terrible defense.

 

I like the Marone hiring and really like bringing in Pettine..