Buddy Nix Steps Down as GM

[eball]

Not accusing you of that. My point is certain people are redefining success and it's a final desperate attempt to avoid blaming OBD. .

 

No one gets credit in the NFL for building rosters and those who state this in lieu of actual on-field results clearly can't be objective and a fan.

 

Pretty much any reasonable take supporting Buddy that I've read (or posted) starts with the admission he has not "succeeded" and his record is incomplete, but he has "left" the Bills in a better position than when he arrived. To the contrary, lots of folks are pointing at the W-L record and labeling him an abject failure. It's that sort of black-or-white evaluation I take issue with.

[Webster Guy]

Damn, I missed my 5,000 post. Guess ill have to wait until 10K to post my LAMP.

Hey congrats anyway. That's a good milestone for sure. the mods should send you a cake or something............

[C-Man]

While I like Buddy, I have to give his tenure a C or C-. If we win nine games this year I will move it up to B. Three years is enough time to show some progress. We have not really shown any. On paper we have a better squad than we did when he took over, but the W-L does not lie.

[Leelee Phoenix]

16-32. Solid F.

[26CornerBlitz]

While I like Buddy, I have to give his tenure a C or C-. If we win nine games this year I will move it up to B. Three years is enough time to show some progress. We have not really shown any. On paper we have a better squad than we did when he took over, but the W-L does not lie.

 

You are definitely grading on a curve. 16 out of 48 is a well earned F as Leelee Phoenix pointed out. Next era!

[Leelee Phoenix]

I normally enjoy John Murphy's show... but, I can't listen to Buddy and Bills shills pretending like the team is better off now because of him. Ralph must have reeeally liked Buddy.

[BADOLBILZ]

The oddest thing about this entire process is the 'transition' from Buddy to Whaley.

IF you believe Whaley is your GM then promote him to GM, why do you need a transition period? To me that does not sound good for Whaley. Over thinking on my part? Maybe. Can anyone tell me the last time they can remember a situation like this?

 

Maybe Russ is contemplating whether he should name himself the GM.

 

Perhaps it is unfair to paint Brandon as power hungry, but he was already the GM once despite zero player personnel experience. When the first person he talks about Buddy "assisting" is him I can't help but think of Russ rationalizing that maybe Doug Whaley needs a little more seasoning so perhaps Russ should fill that GM role and be the guy to deal with all the other league GM's. I know it's inconceivable based on how his last stint as GM went, and my primary belief is that Whaley is the guy.........but this organization has been very disfunctional for a very long time. That is the kind of garbage that happens with this team.

 

I really don't care if he isn't forthright with the fans......but the way to handle that is to NOT be in front of the microphone at every opportunity.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

Maybe Russ is contemplating whether he should name himself the GM.

 

Perhaps it is unfair to paint Brandon as power hungry, but he was already the GM once despite zero player personnel experience. When the first person he talks about Buddy "assisting" is him I can't help but think of Russ rationalizing that maybe Doug Whaley needs a little more seasoning so perhaps Russ should fill that GM role and be the guy to deal with all the other league GM's. I know it's inconceivable based on how his last stint as GM went, and my primary belief is that Whaley is the guy.........but this organization has been very disfunctional for a very long time. That is the kind of garbage that happens with this team.

 

I really don't care if he isn't forthright with the fans......but the way to handle that is to NOT be in front of the microphone at every opportunity.

It is unfair but that didn't stop you from dumping a bucket of paint on the man.

[BADOLBILZ]

It is unfair but that didn't stop you from dumping a bucket of paint on the man.

 

I was always a fan of the regionalization that Brandon was allowed to embark on when Donahoe took over but the closer he has gotten to the on-field product the worse the team has gotten. That is a fact whether you like it or not.

 

It was his brief stint at GM that made hiring a head coach so difficult when Buddy got hired. His tenure as GM was batsh*t crazy and it took any shred of credibility the organization had and tossed it out the window. What GM let's one of the worst head coaches in NFL history......based on 7 losing seasons in 8 tries......then choose his own players in the upcoming draft? And what GM utterly decimates his OL in the offseason, including trading the only All Pro player that the team had in the entire decade of the 2000's and then signs a tired, unwanted TO? It was an utterly ridiculous time and it lead to the team only being able to hire an unwanted HC to replace Jauron......which got us 3 more years of losing. So PLEASE Russ......stay away from the warroom and personnel decisions in general. Stick to marketing and let the professionals do their jobs.

[truth on hold]

16-32. Solid F.

When viewed objectively that's the only conclusion. Its incredible how attached many on this board became to the 3 headed monster of nix-gailey-fitz.

[GG]

 

 

I was always a fan of the regionalization that Brandon was allowed to embark on when Donahoe took over but the closer he has gotten to the on-field product the worse the team has gotten. That is a fact whether you like it or not.

 

It was his brief stint at GM that made hiring a head coach so difficult when Buddy got hired. His tenure as GM was batsh*t crazy and it took any shred of credibility the organization had and tossed it out the window. What GM let's one of the worst head coaches in NFL history......based on 7 losing seasons in 8 tries......then choose his own players in the upcoming draft? And what GM utterly decimates his OL in the offseason, including trading the only All Pro player that the team had in the entire decade of the 2000's and then signs a tired, unwanted TO? It was an utterly ridiculous time and it lead to the team only being able to hire an unwanted HC to replace Jauron......which got us 3 more years of losing. So PLEASE Russ......stay away from the warroom and personnel decisions in general. Stick to marketing and let the professionals do their jobs.

A bit revisionist? No matter what you think of Brandon, you can't argue that the main contributors to the team during Buddy's years came in during Brandon's stint as GM, the teams record was better than Buddy's and are you really claiming that it was Brandon who hired Jauron? The biggest reason high profile coaches avoided Buffalo in 2010 was Buddy's elevation to GM.

 

It helps to check a calendar when slinging crap.

[DrDawkinstein]

The biggest reason high profile coaches avoided Buffalo in 2010 was Buddy's elevation to GM. Ralph

[MRW]

A bit revisionist? No matter what you think of Brandon, you can't argue that the main contributors to the team during Buddy's years came in during Brandon's stint as GM, the teams record was better than Buddy's and are you really claiming that it was Brandon who hired Jauron? The biggest reason high profile coaches avoided Buffalo in 2010 was Buddy's elevation to GM.

 

It helps to check a calendar when slinging crap.

I think you're reading stuff into that post he didn't say. He said Brandon let Jauron choose his own players after he had already compiled a record of futility, but I didn't see any claim that Brandon hired Jauron.

[GG]

 

I think you're reading stuff into that post he didn't say. He said Brandon let Jauron choose his own players after he had already compiled a record of futility, but I didn't see any claim that Brandon hired Jauron.

 

Yeah I did misread that, but fact still remains that Jauron turned out to be a better talent evaluator than Nix as far as building a full team goes. That in itself speaks volumes.

 

And s's for decimating the OL, why do people always ignore Overdorf's shadowy presence in all personnel decisions?

[BADOLBILZ]

A bit revisionist? No matter what you think of Brandon, you can't argue that the main contributors to the team during Buddy's years came in during Brandon's stint as GM, the teams record was better than Buddy's and are you really claiming that it was Brandon who hired Jauron? The biggest reason high profile coaches avoided Buffalo in 2010 was Buddy's elevation to GM.

 

It helps to check a calendar when slinging crap.

 

I know the timeline. I also know the Bills have finished LAST in the AFC east in each year since Brandon was first elevated to GM. SCOREBOARD.

 

Brandon took over a team with poor talent and no heart and he added the final ingredient.....no hope. Who did you think was going to want to come work for an organization who elevates a suit with no scouting experience to run it's NFL personnel department? Is the ridiculousness of that lost on you?

 

Apparently so.

 

You act like he out-GM'd Buddy. He HIRED Buddy you idiot. And he hired Buddy because he didn't know who else to hire. They said as much when they hired Buddy. Brandon had no idea what he was doing, he was still an outsider wrt football operations.

 

Buddy made some terrible decisions with regard to not drafting quarterbacks......but he was AT LEAST a personnel man by trade and that helped the Bills distance themselves from the George Costanza-like elevation of Brandon to GM.

 

Basically, it has taken 5 years since the hiring of Brandon to get the Bills accepted again as a legitimate organization to work for. Not necessarily good, but at least good enough to get a head coaching candidate with some promise.

 

My concern is that Russ now thinks he has an opportunity to get another crack as a personnel man. it's one thing to have an OWNER who isn't a football guy meddling in the personnel department unsuccessfully for 50 years but to have a frickin' marketing employee pick up where he left off is somehow actually WORSE.

[Best Player Available]

When viewed objectively that's the only conclusion. Its incredible how attached many on this board became to the 3 headed monster of nix-gailey-fitz.

Probably not a stretch to say that some fans on this board have never seen a winning Bills team. Or maybe one year?

Hope springs eternal. You would think Vince Lombardi drafted EJ. I hope the kid succeeds along with a new coach (with the college record of 25-25 in a weak conference.) As for Whaley, just like Nix was he will become a first time GM. There's a lot of IF's in this new regime. With very few proven FO personnel. Hard to fathom just what Nix could teach any of them?

Nix as a GM ranks as one of the leagues worst. Cornell Green anyone? The Merriman hire should cement his place as a poor judge of talent past it's prime. And, it reeked of cronyism just like some coaching hires his HC made. One year ago on this board people were praising the coming of the Stache. How awesome his cowboy's D's were, on and on. How did that turn out?

Now it's Doug Marrone as someone wrote "was the hottest coaching prospect" out there this year. Really?He can't hold C. Kelly's jock in turning a college program around nor his won/loss record.

I have tempered hope that maybe some moves were made correctly. Marrone doesn't feel like a Nix hire. I'd be thrilled with a 8-8 record, and a D that actually becomes responsible for some of those W's.

Enough of the unbridled optimism, the proof is in the W's. And they have been far and few between during the Nix "dynasty".

Edited May 15, 2013 by Best Player Available

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Probably not a stretch to say that some fans on this board have never seen a winning Bills team. Or maybe one year?

Hope springs eternal. You would think Vince Lombardi drafted EJ. I hope the kid succeeds along with a new coach (with the college record of 25-25 in a weak conference.) As for Whaley, just like Nix was he will become a first time GM. There's a lot of IF's in this new regime. With very few proven FO personnel. Hard to fathom just what Nix could teach any of them?

Nix as a GM ranks as one of the leagues worst. Cornell Green anyone? The Merriman hire should cement his place as a poor judge of talent past it's prime. And, it reeked of cronyism just like some coaching hires his HC made. One year ago on this board people were praising the coming of the Stache. How awesome his cowboy's D's were, on and on. How did that turn out?

Now it's Doug Marrone as someone wrote "was the hottest coaching prospect" out there this year. Really?He can't hold C. Kelly's jock in turning a college program around nor his won/loss record.

I have tempered hope that maybe some moves were made correctly. Marrone doesn't feel like a Nix hire. I'd be thrilled with a 8-8 record, and a D that actually becomes responsible for some of those W's.

Enough of the unbridled optimism, the proof is in the W's. And they have been far and few between during the Nix "dynasty".

 

Yeah, really. Adam Schefter said as much on Twitter and numerous times on ESPN, and I venture to guess he knows a bit more about which guys teams wanted than you do. Russ' connection with Marrone from Syracuse probably had something to do with a sought-after coach actually choosing the Bills.

[PromoTheRobot]

Isn't amazing how some people love failure so much they spend all their time figuring out how EVERY move the Bills make is a bad one? Even before anything bad has happened yet, they pick stats and spin events to argue we are already doomed, and make sure everyone knows it.

 

PTR

Edited May 15, 2013 by PromoTheRobot

[truth on hold]

Probably not a stretch to say that some fans on this board have never seen a winning Bills team. Or maybe one year?

Hope springs eternal. You would think Vince Lombardi drafted EJ. I hope the kid succeeds along with a new coach (with the college record of 25-25 in a weak conference.) As for Whaley, just like Nix was he will become a first time GM. There's a lot of IF's in this new regime. With very few proven FO personnel. Hard to fathom just what Nix could teach any of them?

Nix as a GM ranks as one of the leagues worst. Cornell Green anyone? The Merriman hire should cement his place as a poor judge of talent past it's prime. And, it reeked of cronyism just like some coaching hires his HC made. One year ago on this board people were praising the coming of the Stache. How awesome his cowboy's D's were, on and on. How did that turn out?

Now it's Doug Marrone as someone wrote "was the hottest coaching prospect" out there this year. Really?He can't hold C. Kelly's jock in turning a college program around nor his won/loss record.

I have tempered hope that maybe some moves were made correctly. Marrone doesn't feel like a Nix hire. I'd be thrilled with a 8-8 record, and a D that actually becomes responsible for some of those W's.

Enough of the unbridled optimism, the proof is in the W's. And they have been far and few between during the Nix "dynasty".

Excellent post

[GG]

I know the timeline. I also know the Bills have finished LAST in the AFC east in each year since Brandon was first elevated to GM. SCOREBOARD.

 

Brandon took over a team with poor talent and no heart and he added the final ingredient.....no hope. Who did you think was going to want to come work for an organization who elevates a suit with no scouting experience to run it's NFL personnel department? Is the ridiculousness of that lost on you?

 

Apparently so.

 

You act like he out-GM'd Buddy. He HIRED Buddy you idiot. And he hired Buddy because he didn't know who else to hire. They said as much when they hired Buddy. Brandon had no idea what he was doing, he was still an outsider wrt football operations.

 

Buddy made some terrible decisions with regard to not drafting quarterbacks......but he was AT LEAST a personnel man by trade and that helped the Bills distance themselves from the George Costanza-like elevation of Brandon to GM.

 

Basically, it has taken 5 years since the hiring of Brandon to get the Bills accepted again as a legitimate organization to work for. Not necessarily good, but at least good enough to get a head coaching candidate with some promise.

 

My concern is that Russ now thinks he has an opportunity to get another crack as a personnel man. it's one thing to have an OWNER who isn't a football guy meddling in the personnel department unsuccessfully for 50 years but to have a frickin' marketing employee pick up where he left off is somehow actually WORSE.

 

For the life of me I don't comprehend the infatuation with "football people running a football operation." I think it's been proven conclusively that most people in football are idiots, with many who are promoted to the Peter Principle level based solely on being another lucky guy's roommate 20 years ago in college, or some other random happenstance that has nothing to do with being a successful manager in their line of work. Why is it that sports resist to the concept of professional managers who can run a successful operation. NFL is no different than any other talent driven business, and in many of those, outsiders come in and do very well, especially when they need to completely overhaul a dying operation.

 

That's why it's not a coincidence that when Bills fans and the brain-dead press clamored for a "football man" to run the Bills after the apparent disaster that Russ Brandon was in his first tenure, you got Buddy Nix, who had impeccable credentials as a football man, but would be laughed out of any position that required minimal managerial skills. So it shouldn't be a surprise to you that despite his lifetime in football, his Bills teams delivered a worse performance than that of the newbie to football GM Brandon, because Nix was not a good manager.

 

Then if we were to borrow the experiences from other leagues or teams, exactly how much lifetime baseball experience did Brian Cashman or Theo Epstein possess before they got the reigns of franchises that are far more storied that the Bills? How did they work out?

 

You nitpick on Brandon's years as GM, but don't acknowledge that he inherited a bigger mess from Levy, and actually was on a path to restore the roster. The OL fiasco wasn't his doing, he certainly didn't hire Nix, as it was Wilson panicking that he needed a football man to run the team. That was the move that put off the high profile coaches out of the running, because that was more incomprehensible than having a marketing guy run the operation. Then, I'd venture to guess that if the amateur Brandon was still the GM, he would not have ignored the QB position over 3 drafts that were deep in QBs.

 

So while you like to focus on titles, I focus on results and look at who in the organization can deliver them. Despite the obvious fact that Brandon may not be liked by a lot of insiders and outsiders, he's done a great job for the franchise and his early job as GM was not a disaster, which puts him ahead of the four guys who had the job in the last decade.