Is Russ Brandon to Blame?

[GunnerBill]

Someone from outside the organization with no connections. Has been involved in 1, preferably multiple repeat deep playoff run organizations. Has an extensive rolodex of possible gms and coaches as well as credibility and respect. Has a handle on current trends in the league as well as respect for probability/risk management. Has a willingness and desire to take on this challenge (and not think he is some dignitary making 7 figures).

There are not many people I think fit that bill.

 

Personally I don't mind a czar helping conduct a search for a new GM and / or HC and advise on reporting structures but I do not want a czar in a permanent role. It is just another level of unneccessary management.

 

The way the Jets used Casserly and Wolf (I think it was that duo) in their last search I am okay with.

Someone from outside the organization with no connections. Has been involved in 1, preferably multiple repeat deep playoff run organizations. Has an extensive rolodex of possible gms and coaches as well as credibility and respect. Has a handle on current trends in the league as well as respect for probability/risk management. Has a willingness and desire to take on this challenge (and not think he is some dignitary making 7 figures).

There are not many people I think fit that bill.

 

Personally I don't mind a czar helping conduct a search for a new GM and / or HC and advise on reporting structures but I do not want a czar in a permanent role. It is just another level of unneccessary management.

 

The way the Jets used Casserly and Wolf (I think it was that duo) in their last search I am okay with.

[chef4131]

C'mon, man. The Sabres have gone from terrible to mediocre.

But at least the Sabres have a plan, it was obvious the plan was to tank....Do the Bills have a plan?

[K-9]

For the people that want a Czar brought in, can I ask a simple question: What qualifies a person as a Football Czar?

Pretty much anyone that isn't currently with the organization.

[Wayne Cubed]

Pretty much anyone that isn't currently with the organization.

Someone who has a cushy network TV job!

[K-9]

Do you really think people buy tickets because of some genius marketing scheme?

 

It's the NFL in western NY. As passionate a fan base as anywhere in the nation.

 

This fan base wasn't always as passionate as we like to think. Lots of half full stadiums and blackouts during the many, many, many, many down years.

[GA BILLS FAN]

Some people, in this case fans, are more comfortable with the status quo and view change as a bad thing, they have an almost unhealthy comfort with the given and a fear of the unknown. Changing the culture of an organization is difficult and requires bold moves at the highest levels. Part of me thought the ownership transition would be enough to change the culture at OBD, that clearly is not the case. The losing culture is so embedded in that building it reeks and the performance of this franchise over the past 16 years, where mediocrity is considered success is pathetic.

[May Day 10]

Having a winning football program.... even a halfway competitive one would obsolete marketing efforts.

 

 

I just listened to two national radio guys laugh about the Bills and the game tonight. They couldnt even think of anything to talk about. They were having Steve Tasker on in a bit and they said "Steve Tasker.... he was a Buffalo player.... he played against the Jets many times......" and then laughter. This organization remains in neutral and irrelevant. How can this not be seen by everyone who follows this team?

 

 

 

Almost 4 years ago, Brandon stood there and told us he was fully clear and responsible to make this organization a winner. He made it clear he was the guy and everything goes through him. It sounds like he has had influence on the football team (and a pretty easy argument can be made that this "promotion" was all just a ruse to maintain the status quo a few more years anyway)

 

 

 

 

 

"Obviously I am honored and humbled in his confidence in me to lead this organization into a new era and provide a clear direction and winning pathway into the future"

 

"He (Mr Wilson) told me he was passing the torch to me to run this franchise in totality. He has granted me full authority to run this franchise with zero restrictions and zero limitations."

 

We certainly understand and appreciate the frustration of our great fans and supporters. We acknowledge it; we own it and we will never run from it. This is an organization with a proud tradition, but I will tell you that this brand has been tarnished. Its relevancy has been tarnished and it is unacceptable because we just have not won enough games. As Buddy (Nix) says all the time, it is a production business. That is what we are in this for is to win games.

 

It is time to start, create and lead this franchise into the future with a new legacy. I make three promises to our fans. Number one, I can promise you that this will be a forward-thinking, progressive and attacking organization heading into the future. One of the items that I am going to spend a lot of time on with Buddy, with Doug Whaley and with Jim Overdorf is we are going to create and establish a very robust football analytics operation that we layer into our entire operation moving forward. That is something that is very important to me and very important to the future of this franchise.

 

I also will promise that anyone who knows me and has worked with me knows that I will leave no stone unturned in taking this organization to a world class level.

 

I will identify and I will hire world-class people to bring into this organization, but most importantly I will empower people to do their jobs.

 

I am going to be real clear about one thing because I know you are going to ask it. I will not be drafting people. I will not be making the final decision on a free agent. I will empower the general manager, Buddy Nix, to do that. Do I have final authority and say? Yes. That is what Buddy Nix, the general manager, does. He identifies personnel. He runs that side of our operation. OK? I cannot be any clearer than that. I think my track record on that side of the house when you look at how we have run an organization we have had great, the overused word, continuity within our organization. We have been enormously successful. My goal with Buddy is to continue that legacy to bring in a top end head coach and keep developing our football side of the house. Hopefully we do not have to sit here many more times in the future.

I am going to address Buddy’s situation real quick because there has been a lot of incredibly false information that has been reported for some reason. Buddy Nix is our general manager. Buddy Nix will run the football operation much like he has run it for the last three years. When you look at where we are today compared to where we were three years ago, it is unquestioned that our personnel and our roster is in a much better position than it was three years ago—which makes this a very attractive opportunity.

 

 

Q: Did people around here not have the ability to make decisions? You said you will empower people to do what they need to do. Were they not allowed to?

RB: Our organization moving forward is the structure that I mentioned. Mr. Wilson is a Hall of Fame owner. This organization and this community is blessed to have him. For us moving forward, that will go through me and to me alone. I welcome that opportunity.

 

Q: Given that aside from a new coach you are maintaining continuity in the football operation side, what gives you confidence that you can turn this around?

RB: I think when you look at our roster and you look at our personnel it is much better than it was three years ago. A lot of people, and when I came to this organization I was blessed to work very closely with John Butler, who again John was a mentor and he was like a second dad to me. I learned so much from John. The guy who I spent probably more time with next to John was Buddy Nix. There is not a better evaluator of talent in my opinion when it comes to pure scouting than Buddy Nix. He has done it. He is a pure football man. He has played, he has coached and he has scouted. He knows football. He knows talent. He has sort of raised me in this business along with John. I have great admiration for Buddy. I believe in him 100-percent. We also have identified a good young man in Doug Whaley, which Buddy will talk about. We brought in Doug three years ago as assistant general manager from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Doug is a very forward-thinking, progressive young man who has done a lot in this business at a young age. Really has been a protégé of Buddy’s for the last three years.

***When he talks like this, I have little doubt he fancies himself as a football man, capable of making any football-related decision.

 

Q: How is the head coaching search going to work and who is going to conduct the search?

RB: As soon as we get off this podium we go to work. I cannot wait to get off this podium. Buddy Nix, Doug Whaley, Jim Overdorf and myself will all head out of here and start that process. We will go through a thorough and exhaustive search. We will make the right decision. We are not focused on the quick decision.

 

Q: As it stands right now, we haven’t heard from Buddy yet, everybody with the exception of title changes and the head coach is still in place. Ralph owns the team… could you give some examples about how things are going to change?

RB: I’m not prepared to have specific examples now, but I am prepared to do a top-to-bottom full evaluation of everything that we do in this organization. Organizations win championships and people win championships. That’s an old Marv Levy saying, but it’s the truth. Everything you do in this organization has a part of how this organization is viewed and how people accept it. We’re going to look at everything. Buddy and I will do that collectively on the football side of the house. But as I mentioned, I’ll leave no stone unturned. We are going to get better. However we do it, we’re going to get better and I’ve had a lot of time and spent a lot of time with this guy (Buddy Nix) and we’ve talked about a lot of things over the last 24-hours as well as the rest of my staffs. The No. 1 focus right now is on the head coach.

Edited September 15, 2016 by May Day 10

[BillsVet]

Personally I don't mind a czar helping conduct a search for a new GM and / or HC and advise on reporting structures but I do not want a czar in a permanent role. It is just another level of unneccessary management.

 

The way the Jets used Casserly and Wolf (I think it was that duo) in their last search I am okay with.

 

There are not many people I think fit that bill.

 

Personally I don't mind a czar helping conduct a search for a new GM and / or HC and advise on reporting structures but I do not want a czar in a permanent role. It is just another level of unneccessary management.

 

The way the Jets used Casserly and Wolf (I think it was that duo) in their last search I am okay with.

 

Hiring an independent consultant who will objectively critique the way things are handled at OBD is at least a decade overdue.

 

And I would hope that consultant would tell TPegs that there is interference in football operations which needs to end for his 1.4B company to ever proceed beyond mediocrity.

[Gordio]

You have homework to do, too. Wake me when you need help with a new subject and not one that's been the point of countless threads and that many more posts over the last 10 years or so.

 

Not that you'd let self-edification get in the way of your incessant moaning and groaning about everything wrong with the Bills, anyway. That's a full time hobby for you from what I can gather.

 

Have a nice evening.

 

 

I got to agree with Scott, the poster asked a simple question. What has Brandon done in the past 15 years. When people see Brandon in the draft room, at all the news conferences, as the acting GM for several years, people have a right to link him as a big part of the problem. Is he the only problem, of course not. But he has been the one constant here during this playoff drought.

 

Not sure how you could read that presser that May Day posted & still think that RB has not been a big part of the problem. I don't care if you have inside dealings at one bills drive or not. Your wrong.

Edited September 15, 2016 by Gordio

[May Day 10]

 

There are not many people I think fit that bill.

 

Personally I don't mind a czar helping conduct a search for a new GM and / or HC and advise on reporting structures but I do not want a czar in a permanent role. It is just another level of unneccessary management.

 

The way the Jets used Casserly and Wolf (I think it was that duo) in their last search I am okay with.

 

 

I agree, just need to check off as many boxes as possible as strongly as possible. And no, I don't believe it needs to be someone in a permanent role. I think they need to fix/restructure things, make hires, and advise/teach Pegula. Pay a nice salary, and perhaps even wrap in some bonuses based on how the team goes. Maybe this person could be on the books longer as a consultant to Pegula.

Casserly and Wolf are guys I (and most football writers) were expecting Pegula to bring in. It does look like the Jets are a great deal closer than the Bills in just 1 year (10 wins) and beat up a Superbowl contender and barely lost last week. Making these changes does not need to mean (and shouldnt mean) a 5 year bottom out rebuild.

[thebandit27]

Some people, in this case fans, are more comfortable with the status quo and view change as a bad thing, they have an almost unhealthy comfort with the given and a fear of the unknown. Changing the culture of an organization is difficult and requires bold moves at the highest levels. Part of me thought the ownership transition would be enough to change the culture at OBD, that clearly is not the case. The losing culture is so embedded in that building it reeks and the performance of this franchise over the past 16 years, where mediocrity is considered success is pathetic.

Welcome back.

 

It actually has zero to do with fear of change.

 

In fact, I'be been swayed enough by Coach's post to say that maybe Brandon's ouster wouldn't be an altogether bad idea.

 

It has everything to do with misdirected outrage. Folks saying Brandon has too much influence because he told Pegula that he should move quickly to hire the guy he already wanted to hire.

 

I've said all along that Whaley and Rex should be given this season, and if the results aren't satisfactory, then they should go.

 

I'd be fully in favor of a guy like Cowher or Coughlin being brought on in a LaFontaine-like role to hire the next GM (and I'd hope to pry Will McClay away from Dallas with full control over the 53).

Edited September 15, 2016 by thebandit27

[Saxum]

It's the NFL in western NY. As passionate a fan base as anywhere in the nation.

 

Passion is not the same thing as having torches, nooses and rocks ready at a moment notice. Do not see same thing in Green Bay fan base even when they were at low point and they never had trouble selling out.

[GA BILLS FAN]

Welcome back.

 

It actually has zero to do with fear of change.

 

In fact, I'be been swayed enough by Coach's post to say that maybe Brandon's ouster wouldn't be an altogether bad idea.

 

It has everything to do with misdirected outrage. Folks saying Brandon has too much influence because he told Pegula that he should move quickly to hire the guy he already wanted to hire.

 

I've said all along that Whaley and Rex should be given this season, and if the results aren't satisfactory, then they should go.

 

I'd be fully in favor of a guy like Cowher or Coughlin being brought on in a LaFontaine-like role to hire the next GM (and I'd hope to pry Will McClay away from Dallas with full control over the 53).

 

Fear of change might not be your motivation, but, I grew up in WNY and still have most of my family and friends there. I think to a lot of them and to other fans, Russ represents someone who is one of them. He's from the area, he went to school locally and he's the local boy that made it big. I think a lot of fans love him because they believe he has their best interests at heart. In turn, they fear an outsider coming in and the unknown.

 

I also believe Brandon's influence is at a low point, but, he's still there whispering in Pegula's ear and advising him on all things (including football), i.e. hiring Rex. Granted, I know Pegs fell in love with Rex's BS, but, a strong President or strong football czar would never have let Rex into the process. The day Rex was hired was my low point as a Bills fan.

 

A football czar is the way to go. I tell people, had Pegs been owner when Polian was GM, who knows what kind of run this team could have had. A strong GM with a deep pocketed owner is a recipe for success. Unfortunately, I think Pegs will have to stumble blindly into a strong GM or football czar, he doesn't seem like he's going to get there on his own.

[thebandit27]

 

Fear of change might not be your motivation, but, I grew up in WNY and still have most of my family and friends there. I think to a lot of them and to other fans, Russ represents someone who is one of them. He's from the area, he went to school locally and he's the local boy that made it big. I think a lot of fans love him because they believe he has their best interests at heart. In turn, they fear an outsider coming in and the unknown.

 

I also believe Brandon's influence is at a low point, but, he's still there whispering in Pegula's ear and advising him on all things (including football), i.e. hiring Rex. Granted, I know Pegs fell in love with Rex's BS, but, a strong President or strong football czar would never have let Rex into the process. The day Rex was hired was my low point as a Bills fan.

 

A football czar is the way to go. I tell people, had Pegs been owner when Polian was GM, who knows what kind of run this team could have had. A strong GM with a deep pocketed owner is a recipe for success. Unfortunately, I think Pegs will have to stumble blindly into a strong GM or football czar, he doesn't seem like he's going to get there on his own.

Seems more to me like the Pegulas are following the same model as they did with the Sabres.

 

Leave the structure in place for a few years and let them sink or swim.

 

With the Sabres, when it didn't work out, they brought in a de facto czar in Lafontaine. My guess is that they will (or would) do the same here.

[GA BILLS FAN]

Seems more to me like the Pegulas are following the same model as they did with the Sabres.

 

Leave the structure in place for a few years and let them sink or swim.

 

With the Sabres, when it didn't work out, they brought in a de facto czar in Lafontaine. My guess is that they will (or would) do the same here.

 

If that is the end game, I can live with that process.

 

The Sabres have the right blueprint.

[jms62]

 

Hiring an independent consultant who will objectively critique the way things are handled at OBD is at least a decade overdue.

 

And I would hope that consultant would tell TPegs that there is interference in football operations which needs to end for his 1.4B company to ever proceed beyond mediocrity.

 

Hiring an independent consultant is worthless if those under TPegs still have the owners ear and total confidence. If this is the case anything this consultant says that calls into question will be summarily dismissed by these people that have circled the wagons. I have seen this movie over and over in the business world and know the ending quite well.

[QB Bills]

Having a winning football program.... even a halfway competitive one would obsolete marketing efforts.

 

 

I just listened to two national radio guys laugh about the Bills and the game tonight. They couldnt even think of anything to talk about. They were having Steve Tasker on in a bit and they said "Steve Tasker.... he was a Buffalo player.... he played against the Jets many times......" and then laughter. This organization remains in neutral and irrelevant. How can this not be seen by everyone who follows this team?

 

 

 

Almost 4 years ago, Brandon stood there and told us he was fully clear and responsible to make this organization a winner. He made it clear he was the guy and everything goes through him. It sounds like he has had influence on the football team (and a pretty easy argument can be made that this "promotion" was all just a ruse to maintain the status quo a few more years anyway)

 

 

 

 

 

"Obviously I am honored and humbled in his confidence in me to lead this organization into a new era and provide a clear direction and winning pathway into the future"

 

"He (Mr Wilson) told me he was passing the torch to me to run this franchise in totality. He has granted me full authority to run this franchise with zero restrictions and zero limitations."

 

We certainly understand and appreciate the frustration of our great fans and supporters. We acknowledge it; we own it and we will never run from it. This is an organization with a proud tradition, but I will tell you that this brand has been tarnished. Its relevancy has been tarnished and it is unacceptable because we just have not won enough games. As Buddy (Nix) says all the time, it is a production business. That is what we are in this for is to win games.

 

It is time to start, create and lead this franchise into the future with a new legacy. I make three promises to our fans. Number one, I can promise you that this will be a forward-thinking, progressive and attacking organization heading into the future. One of the items that I am going to spend a lot of time on with Buddy, with Doug Whaley and with Jim Overdorf is we are going to create and establish a very robust football analytics operation that we layer into our entire operation moving forward. That is something that is very important to me and very important to the future of this franchise.

 

I also will promise that anyone who knows me and has worked with me knows that I will leave no stone unturned in taking this organization to a world class level.

 

I will identify and I will hire world-class people to bring into this organization, but most importantly I will empower people to do their jobs.

 

I am going to be real clear about one thing because I know you are going to ask it. I will not be drafting people. I will not be making the final decision on a free agent. I will empower the general manager, Buddy Nix, to do that. Do I have final authority and say? Yes. That is what Buddy Nix, the general manager, does. He identifies personnel. He runs that side of our operation. OK? I cannot be any clearer than that. I think my track record on that side of the house when you look at how we have run an organization we have had great, the overused word, continuity within our organization. We have been enormously successful. My goal with Buddy is to continue that legacy to bring in a top end head coach and keep developing our football side of the house. Hopefully we do not have to sit here many more times in the future.

I am going to address Buddy’s situation real quick because there has been a lot of incredibly false information that has been reported for some reason. Buddy Nix is our general manager. Buddy Nix will run the football operation much like he has run it for the last three years. When you look at where we are today compared to where we were three years ago, it is unquestioned that our personnel and our roster is in a much better position than it was three years ago—which makes this a very attractive opportunity.

 

 

Q: Did people around here not have the ability to make decisions? You said you will empower people to do what they need to do. Were they not allowed to?

RB: Our organization moving forward is the structure that I mentioned. Mr. Wilson is a Hall of Fame owner. This organization and this community is blessed to have him. For us moving forward, that will go through me and to me alone. I welcome that opportunity.

 

Q: Given that aside from a new coach you are maintaining continuity in the football operation side, what gives you confidence that you can turn this around?

RB: I think when you look at our roster and you look at our personnel it is much better than it was three years ago. A lot of people, and when I came to this organization I was blessed to work very closely with John Butler, who again John was a mentor and he was like a second dad to me. I learned so much from John. The guy who I spent probably more time with next to John was Buddy Nix. There is not a better evaluator of talent in my opinion when it comes to pure scouting than Buddy Nix. He has done it. He is a pure football man. He has played, he has coached and he has scouted. He knows football. He knows talent. He has sort of raised me in this business along with John. I have great admiration for Buddy. I believe in him 100-percent. We also have identified a good young man in Doug Whaley, which Buddy will talk about. We brought in Doug three years ago as assistant general manager from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Doug is a very forward-thinking, progressive young man who has done a lot in this business at a young age. Really has been a protégé of Buddy’s for the last three years.

***When he talks like this, I have little doubt he fancies himself as a football man, capable of making any football-related decision.

 

Q: How is the head coaching search going to work and who is going to conduct the search?

RB: As soon as we get off this podium we go to work. I cannot wait to get off this podium. Buddy Nix, Doug Whaley, Jim Overdorf and myself will all head out of here and start that process. We will go through a thorough and exhaustive search. We will make the right decision. We are not focused on the quick decision.

 

Q: As it stands right now, we haven’t heard from Buddy yet, everybody with the exception of title changes and the head coach is still in place. Ralph owns the team… could you give some examples about how things are going to change?

RB: I’m not prepared to have specific examples now, but I am prepared to do a top-to-bottom full evaluation of everything that we do in this organization. Organizations win championships and people win championships. That’s an old Marv Levy saying, but it’s the truth. Everything you do in this organization has a part of how this organization is viewed and how people accept it. We’re going to look at everything. Buddy and I will do that collectively on the football side of the house. But as I mentioned, I’ll leave no stone unturned. We are going to get better. However we do it, we’re going to get better and I’ve had a lot of time and spent a lot of time with this guy (Buddy Nix) and we’ve talked about a lot of things over the last 24-hours as well as the rest of my staffs. The No. 1 focus right now is on the head coach.

Just so I know what to tell my doctor, is it still considered bulimia if I need to regurgitate my lunch and come back to read this instead of using the old two-fingers-and-push-down-on-your-tongue method?

[May Day 10]

Seems more to me like the Pegulas are following the same model as they did with the Sabres.

 

Leave the structure in place for a few years and let them sink or swim.

 

With the Sabres, when it didn't work out, they brought in a de facto czar in Lafontaine. My guess is that they will (or would) do the same here.

 

I dont give Pegula much credit for that. He botched the Sabres. It wasnt intentional.

 

Lindy Ruff's firing was forced at a terrible time. It was early in a season, after an offseason AND a half season lockout. Would have been nice to go in a new direction earlier. The move was made because the crowd in the arena was turning very ugly and reached a crescendo the night before.

 

Darcy's firing was similar. Early in a season when again, this type of thing is best executed in the offseason. Similarly, the home crowds were getting pretty unruly to the point of an embarrassment for the franchise. It started getting National press.

 

Then you have the quick, sudden, and mysterious LaFontaine firing/resignation.

 

 

 

I love Pegula and all.... very appreciative.... but I dont have much faith in his ownership decisions and structure.

[TheFunPolice]

I think Russ being president of Pegula's entire sports empire is a move toward getting him out of any type of football decision and having him focus on the business part of things.

 

However, the story about him calling UDFA was a bit unsettling.

 

All that said, I bet Russ would be a lot better at whatever he does if Tom Brady played here the past 15 seasons.

[K-9]

I got to agree with Scott, the poster asked a simple question. What has Brandon done in the past 15 years. When people see Brandon in the draft room, at all the news conferences, as the acting GM for several years, people have a right to link him as a big part of the problem. Is he the only problem, of course not. But he has been the one constant here during this playoff drought.

 

Not sure how you could read that presser that May Day posted & still think that RB has not been a big part of the problem. I don't care if you have inside dealings at one bills drive or not. Your wrong.

 

This argument started 10 years ago. I am not inclined to keep repeating myself on this issue. Anyone who still asks what good Brandon has done has little working knowledge of how things were before he arrived in '97. He turned things around immediately. Long before he had anything to do with the football side of things; about 10 years before actually. Yet he still takes crap for being the "one constant"? Shortsighted, uninformed crap. He had nothing to with anything on the football related side while Butler and Donahoe were here and next to nothing when Levy and Jauron were running things.

 

I suppose we can ding him for his "de-facto" GM duties after Marv left, but there were so many others actually running football ops at the time who deserve it more.

 

So that brings us to the hiring of Buddy who had final say on all personnel. Brandon had input, was informed, but left it to the scouts and Buddy to get it right. An indicator of Brandon's level of deference to Buddy is found in that article linked above. Brandon was just named president, was given unprecedented autonomous reign from Detroit, and he mentioned Buddy how many times in that article? A cycnic could say he was just passing the buck, but bucks are passed after the fact, not before.

 

If we really want to be accurate, we can hold Brandon accountable for the time he actually held the reigns, which in reality is a fraction of the last 16 years. A far cry from the tired "one constant" crap.

 

Just don't tell me he hasn't done anything when, in his first 6 years here especially, he had dramatic impact on the bottom line at a time when other things couldn't have gotten done otherwise.

Seems more to me like the Pegulas are following the same model as they did with the Sabres.

Leave the structure in place for a few years and let them sink or swim.

With the Sabres, when it didn't work out, they brought in a de facto czar in Lafontaine. My guess is that they will (or would) do the same here.

I'm gonna laugh when everybody's head explodes after learning Russ Brandon actually made the decision on hiring the football czar.