Whaley named Bills GM

[26CornerBlitz]

ICYMI Doug Whaley Press Conference: http://itmpodcasttrack.com/podcast_track.mp3?iTunes=play&stationId=2858&episodeId=6380078&url=http://podcast.wgr550.com/wgr2/3998488.mp3?rhidownloadlink=true

[PS 56]

I am good with it but can't he at least release a new picture smiling a bit?

[tennesseeboy]

You just can't help yourself, can you? If Whaley is successful I guarantee you he gives much of the credit to Buddy.

Right...if he is relying on Buddy certainly won't be successful. If he's successful I don't care who he gives credit to.

[eball]

Right...if he is relying on Buddy certainly won't be successful. If he's successful I don't care who he gives credit to.

 

And you apparently won't believe him either.

 

By the way, Russ was on SiriusXM while I was listening at lunch, and they (Rich Gannon and some other punk) asked him if Buddy's decision to step down was "suggested" or planned in any way. Once again, Russ stated emphatically, "I can assure you, the decision was completely Buddy's."

 

So unless you think he's an out-and-out liar, everyone bashing Russ for his "Buddy will be our GM for a long time" statement may want to back up a bit.

[tennesseeboy]

And you apparently won't believe him either.

 

By the way, Russ was on SiriusXM while I was listening at lunch, and they (Rich Gannon and some other punk) asked him if Buddy's decision to step down was "suggested" or planned in any way. Once again, Russ stated emphatically, "I can assure you, the decision was completely Buddy's."

 

So unless you think he's an out-and-out liar, everyone bashing Russ for his "Buddy will be our GM for a long time" statement may want to back up a bit.

Hey Pollyanna, do you think he's going to say he fired the guy? That's not the way it works in pretty much any business. Its called face saving. Is it lying? Hell yeah...but its accepted in the real world.

[Kelly the Dog]

 

So unless you think he's an out-and-out liar, everyone bashing Russ for his "Buddy will be our GM for a long time" statement may want to back up a bit.

I personally don't believe a word that Russ Brandon says, although, I do think that he is very good at his job, and I'm glad he is in the position he is in for my favorite team. He's a marketing and PR guy at heart, and their job is to lie the way a lawyer's job is to lie.

 

That said, it made sense to me about his comment about not making the announcement of the new GM in the "very near future." Whaley basically held two positions as the assistant GM and he had to go out and make two substantial hires from outside organizations to fill those positions. Obviously the team wanted to wait until they did to make the announcement. Brandon didn't know if Whaley could fill those two extremely important positions in one day or three or three weeks. He got it done immediately and so they could make the announcement today, relatively soon after the Buddy step down.

[Coach Tuesday]

And you apparently won't believe him either.

 

By the way, Russ was on SiriusXM while I was listening at lunch, and they (Rich Gannon and some other punk) asked him if Buddy's decision to step down was "suggested" or planned in any way. Once again, Russ stated emphatically, "I can assure you, the decision was completely Buddy's."

 

So unless you think he's an out-and-out liar, everyone bashing Russ for his "Buddy will be our GM for a long time" statement may want to back up a bit.

 

I'm not an employment lawyer or benefits expert but it strikes me that a voluntary retirement may entitle someone to benefits that wouldn't be available if he or she were fired. Could be the reason Brandon is saying what he's saying.

[BillsWatch]

I'm not an employment lawyer or benefits expert but it strikes me that a voluntary retirement may entitle someone to benefits that wouldn't be available if he or she were fired. Could be the reason Brandon is saying what he's saying.

It is the opposite. If you leave voluntarily you do not get benefits from things like unemployment. Does not matter in this case since he is taking another paid position with the Bills.

[eball]

Hey Pollyanna, do you think he's going to say he fired the guy? That's not the way it works in pretty much any business. Its called face saving. Is it lying? Hell yeah...but its accepted in the real world.

 

Yeah, businesses usually "fire" guys and then keep them on the payroll while telling the world they're still going to be a significant part of the organization. Additionally, they usually allow the "fired" employee to go on a media tour afterwards.

 

Who's the naive one?

Edited May 16, 2013 by eball

[JohnC]

Yeah, businesses usually "fire" guys and then keep them on the payroll while telling the world they're still going to be a significant part of the organization. Additionally, they usually allow the "fired" employee to go on a media tour afterwards.

 

Who's the naive one?

 

The Buddy departure was handled with class and dignity. Did Brandon lie regarding how long Buddy was going to stay? Absolutely. Should Brandon be castigated for telling an obvious fib? Of course not. Brandon handled the situation with a lot of humanity and Buddy acted like a trooper who knows how the football business operates.

 

Nix has no reason to be bitter. He was given an opportunity to be a GM, the top job in a profession in which he was involved in for most of his life. Nix is 73 yrs old. When he took the job as a 70 yr old man he knew his tenure was not going to be for very long.

 

The organization has done right by him. He will continue to be on the payroll (an act of generosity and respect) and he will do most of his work watching tape back home in Chatanooga, Tenn.

 

The organization has transitioned from the backwater Wilson era to a more modern approach to managing a NFL franchise under Brandon. While Ralph Wilson was involved with the francise it clinged to the past with the expected results. Now a younger core of staffers are operating the franchise with fresh eyes and new vigor. It is going to take time to move up the ranks but at least now there is a reason to be optimistic.

[Dorkington]

I really like that he said he's not going to negotiate through the media. Keep it professional.

[eball]

The Buddy departure was handled with class and dignity. Did Brandon lie regarding how long Buddy was going to stay? Absolutely. Should Brandon be castigated for telling an obvious fib? Of course not. Brandon handled the situation with a lot of humanity and Buddy acted like a trooper who knows how the football business operates.

 

Nix has no reason to be bitter. He was given an opportunity to be a GM, the top job in a profession in which he was involved in for most of his life. Nix is 73 yrs old. When he took the job as a 70 yr old man he knew his tenure was not going to be for very long.

 

The organization has done right by him. He will continue to be on the payroll (an act of generosity and respect) and he will do most of his work watching tape back home in Chatanooga, Tenn.

 

The organization has transitioned from the backwater Wilson era to a more modern approach to managing a NFL franchise under Brandon. While Ralph Wilson was involved with the francise it clinged to the past with the expected results. Now a younger core of staffers are operating the franchise with fresh eyes and new vigor. It is going to take time to move up the ranks but at least now there is a reason to be optimistic.

 

That's a nice take, and could be accurate, but I'm still not completely buying it. I think Buddy did surprise them a bit; the reason for the delay in announcing Whaley was his need to hire additional people into the organization. Buddy was so "natural" in his interviews and discussions about "why now?" that it just couldn't have been scripted -- at least not in my opinion. In any event, I whole-heartedly agree with your last paragraph. Go Bills.

[Best Player Available]

Yeah, businesses usually "fire" guys and then keep them on the payroll while telling the world they're still going to be a significant part of the organization. Additionally, they usually allow the "fired" employee to go on a media tour afterwards.

 

Who's the naive one?

I have no skin in this argument. But, I have seen (during the 90's) exactly what you say doesn't happen.

And, it happens with way more regularity than you might suspect. Especially if the corporation has a very competitive business and is multi national. The corporation I refer to is a dow 30 component. They are pioneers in the backlit lcd screen business.

Friendly or even hostile corporate takeovers do it regularly for a variety of reasons. Most of which are common sense PR.

 

It occurs even more often in the entertainment bizz,( music, film music, and Motion pictures for sure) which NFL football in someway falls into that category. I don't know if it's fair to say one is naive on this. Just sayin.

[JohnC]

That's a nice take, and could be accurate, but I'm still not completely buying it. I think Buddy did surprise them a bit; the reason for the delay in announcing Whaley was his need to hire additional people into the organization. Buddy was so "natural" in his interviews and discussions about "why now?" that it just couldn't have been scripted -- at least not in my opinion. In any event, I whole-heartedly agree with your last paragraph. Go Bills.

 

Buddy is acutely aware how the football business is run. He is an upstanding person and has a lot of pride. He knew the direction the organization was evolving and that this was the best time for him to leave on his own term. Why stretch out the inevitable and be in the uncomfortable position of having your influence diminish within the organization?

 

As you noted the Whaley announcement was delayed until some subordinate positions were filled by Whaley. The point of my prior post is that all the parties involved in the GM transition handled themselves with diginity and class. Sometimes those types of "transitions" turn out to be very awkward with a lot of hurt feelings. I thought the organization handled itself very well.

Edited May 16, 2013 by JohnC

[RkFast]

I personally don't believe a word that Russ Brandon says, although, I do think that he is very good at his job, and I'm glad he is in the position he is in for my favorite team. He's a marketing and PR guy at heart, and their job is to lie the way a lawyer's job is to lie.

 

 

Excuse me...Im a marketer and PR guy. If I "lie", both me and my company are breaking the law. Ever hear of truth in advertising laws? Puffery laws? Go learn something.

[kota]

Sorry gents. I take Russ Brandon, Whaley and Buddy at their word. The world has become a mess of conspiracy theories and mis trust. I like how they handled the transition and I also believe that Buddy is the one that called it quits.

[peterlaw]

Not blown away by the press conference. Would be interested to know what Doug Whaley's best and worst decisions have been in the 3 years in the Bills organisation to earn the job. Working hard and long is not enough. We are told its about results so what brilliant free agent or draft signings are you responsible for Doug in your 1000 + days with the Bills. Strikes me as a guy who will suck up to Russ Brandon. Loved the comment by Russ about him and Doug on an NFL course getting their work assignments done quickly so they could go out in the evening. That's a bad habit Russ !!

[Kelly the Dog]

Excuse me...Im a marketer and PR guy. If I "lie", both me and my company are breaking the law. Ever hear of truth in advertising laws? Puffery laws? Go learn something.

I meant in things like press conferences, or trying to sell a client on something (even if it were a tiny lie), or all the times marketers tell someone "this is the best" when it is clearly not, when you do damage control, when you tell the public or anyone that "everyone was on board with this" when you know full well they were not. And saying when you lie you are breaking the law is a lie. Only in specific instances is a lie breaking the law, most of the time it is not.

[peterlaw]

Only 2 people in the organisation can turn the ship around. That's EJ and Doug Marrone.

 

Russ - time for your marketing trip to Toronto ! Why don't you give away some more home field advantage. My tip to you is keep as much homefield as you can. Oh sorry I thought it was all about results when clearly for you it's all about $$$'s !

 

Doug W. - time to get the DVDs out to watch some college football. Here's a tip for 2014. I hear Texas A&M have got a useful QB so that may save you a plane ticket!

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

 

Just conjecture on my part, but it looks like Whaley's finger prints are all over this draft and UDFA class. IMO, the torch was privately passed from Buddy to Whaley upon Russ Brandon's takeover at OBD.

 

No man.... He was hired as GM in training and Nix's eventual successor. Buddy hired him as his own replacement. Russ may have accelerated the transition, but it was clearly the plan the day they brought him in.