Is Russ Brandon to Blame?

[Nanker]

Yes. It's got to be Russ's fault. And all along I thought it was Chuck Lester's. But he's been gone for awhile now, so it has to be Russ. Yes. Definitely. Russ is at fault.

[eball]

It's Billy Buffalo's fault. Don't believe me? Check the date he first appeared.

[OldTimer1960]

I don't think it is Russ' fault at all. Whether he adds anything to the franchise I am less convinced but he isn't the reason they haven't been winning. It is bad GM choices, bad HC choices and bad QB choices.

I agree. The biggest problem is that the franchise hasn't been able to find a great QB. Without a great QB, every other part of the team needs to be excellent and that is hard to do. A great QB can cover some weaknesses at other positions.

[Gordio]

Here is an article from when the "hired" Buddy Nix. It is a good read and shows you how nothing has changed. Also, these discussions were happening before then and became so loud, they were 'forced' to hire a GM. Its not a "blame game" for me. I have had this point of view for about 10 years now. (the article is funny too because it mentions Whaley as a guy who should have gotten consideration).

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/01/bills-decision-to-hire-nix-draws-criticism/

 

“Russ [brandon] and I scanned a list of possible candidates,” Wilson said Thursday, per Sullivan. “We didn’t know them. I

didn’t know them. I don’t think Russ did. We narrowed it down to two candidates for the job of

general manager of football, two in-house candidates.”

And we wonder whether Wilson took into account the fact Brandon has a strong interest in avoiding an outsider whose first order of business might have been to marginalize Brandon and/or eventually lobby for his termination. It’s a common dynamic in situations like this; last year in Detroit, for example, an 0-16 finish resulted in Martin Mayhew being promoted to the job of G.M., likely due to the significant influence that Tom Lewand has over ownership."

 

Wow pretty damning article & looking at it 5-6 years later it was spot on. Brandon has been a big problem, I think more so when Wilson was running the team though as it seemed he was the only person in the building Wilson trusted. Hopefully that has changed since T Pegs has took over but the quote when they were hiring Rex when Brandon said "don't let him leave the building" makes me think he has more influence on the football side at One Bills Drive than anybody cares to admit. Noone will ever convince me that Whaley was fully behind bringing in Ryan. My guess is he wanted to bring in Hue Jackson.

[May Day 10]

The problem is, these choices don't fall out of the sky and magically plague the Bills. Brandon has been at the forefront of most major decisions.

 

I don't understand the lack of desire here to try someone from outside the organization to take the reins

[thebandit27]

Only if one desires to find a singular scapegoat for 16 years of futility.

 

The problems are quite simple: they don't have a franchise QB or a coach that is capable of assembling a world-class D that can win in spite of a deficiency at QB.

 

How that falls to Russ because "he's in the room" will always be a mystery to me.

 

Seattle's team president and marketing manager Peter McLoughlin is always around the GM and coach (even in the draft room), but you never hear him get credit for their success.

[Fadingpain]

But...but...Russ is building a robust analytics department!

 

Can't fire him now!

[MarkAF43]

Only if one desires to find a singular scapegoat for 16 years of futility.

 

The problems are quite simple: they don't have a franchise QB or a coach that is capable of assembling a world-class D that can win in spite of a deficiency at QB.

 

How that falls to Russ because "he's in the room" will always be a mystery to me.

 

Seattle's team president and marketing manager Peter McLoughlin is always around the GM and coach (even in the draft room), but you never hear him get credit for their success.

 

 

But do people want him fired?

[zow2]

I don't think it's Russ Brandon's fault at all. But i becoming irrational about this non-playoff "curse" and starting to think about Indian burial grounds, etc.. In other words, i pin it on Russ that training camp moved to St. john Fisher and that has also been the one constant. I'm starting to wish they move it back to Fredonia or anywhere else in WNY, just to get away from that place.

[TSOL]

I wonder if Russ and Whaley are tied to each other. Like in this respect, what if the Bills fire Whaley, does Brandon stay? Does Brandon have input on the new GM? Is it like, Pegula and Brandon interviewing new GM's? Or is Russ completely out of the equation? I feel like Russ will be here til hes 85? Or at some point does Pegula pull the plug?

 

These are questions no one can really answer, but how much more time does Whaley get? Forever? I, personally am done with Whaley, but say Whaley loses his job after this year. Who is recruiting the new GM?

 

Russ' fault? Nah. But are Russ and Whaley tied to each other?

[thebandit27]

I wonder if Russ and Whaley are tied to each other. Like in this respect, what if the Bills fire Whaley, does Brandon stay? Does Brandon have input on the new GM? Is it like, Pegula and Brandon interviewing new GM's? Or is Russ completely out of the equation? I feel like Russ will be here til hes 85? Or at some point does Pegula pull the plug?

 

These are questions no one can really answer, but how much more time does Whaley get? Forever? I, personally am done with Whaley, but say Whaley loses his job after this year. Who is recruiting the new GM?

 

Russ' fault? Nah. But are Russ and Whaley tied to each other?

Doubt it.

 

If Whaley goes, I suspect Russ and Terry will hire a football Czar to pick the new GM, much like Terry did with Lafontaine when he hired Murray.

[quinnearlysghost88]

It's Billy Buffalo's fault. Don't believe me? Check the date he first appeared.

 

Age 16. shittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

Edited September 14, 2016 by quinnearlysghost88

[Nihilarian]

Its the whole organization and he has been at the front of it and is to blame.

 

Since Donahoe was sent packing, this organization circled the wagons around Brandon and they kept everything very internalized with people Ralph Wilson could trust. They have insulated the team from outside influence and as a result, have insulated the team from entering the 21st century. Brandon is still involved in the football dept. It was just revealed he was right there in the cut-meetings. He has whiffed every time he has been in on a decision or hire.

 

I don't mind if he remains in a high role with One Buffalo or the Bills or whatnot. They just need someone from the outside to run the football program. Brandon needs to be completely walled off from influence on that side.

 

 

I know "One Year" and all that... but this 16 year pattern is in no way a coincidence or a run of misfortune.

While I don't agree with everything said here I do agree with most of it.

 

Brandon didn't gain any real power as a GM until Marv Levy retired as GM in Buffalo in 2007 and at that time Mr. Wilson was still making most of the important "football" final decisions IMO. Wilson put the stop on hiring Marty Schottenheimer and instead Nix went on to hire Chan Gailey. It was Wilson who hired Buddy Nix an ex-chief scout who used to be with the org 1993-2000 as a scout, and then returned as a scout again in 2009. At the time of his hire, he was a 70-year-old retired scout who had never been a GM previously. The same with Marv Levy who really wasn't qualified to be an NFL GM. Russ Brandon was hired as CEO in 2009 and afterwards, Buddy Nix was named GM.

 

So, one could easily surmise that Brandon has had his share of involvement in the football side of things since taking over as CEO in 2009 either directly or indirectly. How much responsibility he has had nobody outside the org knows and that's the way he likes it so as to not take any responsibility or accountability for anything other than the marketing / business side of the team.

 

From a known person who works inside the org,

 

"Russ has a big part in scouting and the draft process. He is definetly involved.

 

The guy is a sports genius, we are lucky to have him as the president of Buffalo sports.

 

Remember he was our GM not that long ago.

 

 

Imo "

If that isn't enough to convince you that Brandon is and has been involved in the football side. Now here you have a statement right from ESPN and in black and white that Brandon used his considerable influence to sway the new owners to themselves hire the new head coach in Rex Ryan rather than allowing the GM to do it. So, in my view, Brandon should have stayed out of it and let Whaley make the choice on the hire. Now the team is in free fall again in making bad decisions to change the defensive and defensive schemes.

"It was almost a year ago, in early January, when the Buffalo Bills called Rex Ryan back for a second interview for their head-coaching vacancy. Team president Russ Brandon was so impressed that he told owner Terry Pegula not to let Ryan out of the building."

http://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/22828/playoff-promise-among-rex-ryan-statements-that-will-likely-prove-false

I don't want Russ Brandon gone from the org as all I want to see is a football man at the top of the football chart making the "football" decisions. To me, Doug Whaley has already proven he can't handle the job as here it is three offseasons later and the team still doesn't have a solid starting roster with holes in it and little depth at many positions. After this first game of the 2016 season, the questions are already starting that the team is still lacking that franchise QB. While I'm not advocating firing Whaley, I think he just needs some help from above in helping make the proper football decisions on how to build a team that can actually compete with the New England Patriots for the division title.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This franchise is in desperate need of a team president of "football operations" to take those football decsions away from the owners and anyone, not an experienced senior football man.

[Jauronimo]

 

While I don't agree with everything said here I do agree with most of it.

 

Brandon didn't gain any real power as a GM until Marv Levy retired as GM in Buffalo in 2007 and at that time Mr. Wilson was still making most of the important "football" final decisions IMO. Wilson put the stop on hiring Marty Schottenheimer and instead Nix went on to hire Chan Gailey. It was Wilson who hired Buddy Nix an ex-chief scout who used to be with the org 1993-2000 as a scout, and then returned as a scout again in 2009. At the time of his hire, he was a 70-year-old retired scout who had never been a GM previously. The same with Marv Levy who really wasn't qualified to be an NFL GM. Russ Brandon was hired as CEO in 2009 and afterwards, Buddy Nix was named GM.

 

So, one could easily surmise that Brandon has had his share of involvement in the football side of things since taking over as CEO in 2009 either directly or indirectly. How much responsibility he has had nobody outside the org knows and that's the way he likes it so as to not take any responsibility or accountability for anything other than the marketing / business side of the team.

 

From a known person who works inside the org,

 

"Russ has a big part in scouting and the draft process. He is definetly involved.

 

The guy is a sports genius, we are lucky to have him as the president of Buffalo sports.

 

Remember he was our GM not that long ago.

 

 

Imo "

If that isn't enough to convince you that Brandon is and has been involved in the football side. Now here you have a statement right from ESPN and in black and white that Brandon used his considerable influence to sway the new owners to themselves hire the new head coach in Rex Ryan rather than allowing the GM to do it. So, in my view, Brandon should have stayed out of it and let Whaley make the choice on the hire. Now the team is in free fall again in making bad decisions to change the defensive and defensive schemes.

"It was almost a year ago, in early January, when the Buffalo Bills called Rex Ryan back for a second interview for their head-coaching vacancy. Team president Russ Brandon was so impressed that he told owner Terry Pegula not to let Ryan out of the building."

http://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/22828/playoff-promise-among-rex-ryan-statements-that-will-likely-prove-false

I don't want Russ Brandon gone from the org as all I want to see is a football man at the top of the football chart making the "football" decisions. To me, Doug Whaley has already proven he can't handle the job as here it is three offseasons later and the team still doesn't have a solid starting roster with holes in it and little depth at many positions. After this first game of the 2016 season, the questions are already starting that the team is still lacking that franchise QB. While I'm not advocating firing Whaley, I think he just needs some help from above in helping make the proper football decisions on how to build a team that can actually compete with the New England Patriots for the division title.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This franchise is in desperate need of a team president of "football operations" to take those football decsions away from the owners and anyone, not an experienced senior football man.

 

Quoting Leroi but without links or source? Why wouldn't that be enough to convince everyone?

[Mike in Horseheads]

Doubt it.

 

If Whaley goes, I suspect Russ and Terry will hire a football Czar to pick the new GM, much like Terry did with Lafontaine when he hired Murray.

That worked out well for Lalala

[The Big Cat]

[Dorkington]

It's Billy Buffalo's fault. Don't believe me? Check the date he first appeared.

I knew it

 

--

 

FWIW, I don't really have an opinion on Brandon, the OP is slightly tongue in cheek. I have no answer to why the Bills have failed for so long, other than a trend of bad decision making by many parties.

[thebandit27]

<p>

 

While I don't agree with everything said here I do agree with most of it.

 

Brandon didn't gain any real power as a GM until Marv Levy retired as GM in Buffalo in 2007 and at that time Mr. Wilson was still making most of the important "football" final decisions IMO. Wilson put the stop on hiring Marty Schottenheimer and instead Nix went on to hire Chan Gailey. It was Wilson who hired Buddy Nix an ex-chief scout who used to be with the org 1993-2000 as a scout, and then returned as a scout again in 2009. At the time of his hire, he was a 70-year-old retired scout who had never been a GM previously. The same with Marv Levy who really wasn't qualified to be an NFL GM. Russ Brandon was hired as CEO in 2009 and afterwards, Buddy Nix was named GM.

 

So, one could easily surmise that Brandon has had his share of involvement in the football side of things since taking over as CEO in 2009 either directly or indirectly. How much responsibility he has had nobody outside the org knows and that's the way he likes it so as to not take any responsibility or accountability for anything other than the marketing / business side of the team.

 

From a known person who works inside the org,

"Russ has a big part in scouting and the draft process. He is definetly involved.

 

The guy is a sports genius, we are lucky to have him as the president of Buffalo sports.

 

Remember he was our GM not that long ago.

 

 

Imo "

If that isn't enough to convince you that Brandon is and has been involved in the football side. Now here you have a statement right from ESPN and in black and white that Brandon used his considerable influence to sway the new owners to themselves hire the new head coach in Rex Ryan rather than allowing the GM to do it. So, in my view, Brandon should have stayed out of it and let Whaley make the choice on the hire. Now the team is in free fall again in making bad decisions to change the defensive and defensive schemes.

"It was almost a year ago, in early January, when the Buffalo Bills called Rex Ryan back for a second interview for their head-coaching vacancy. Team president Russ Brandon was so impressed that he told owner Terry Pegula not to let Ryan out of the building."

http://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/22828/playoff-promise-among-rex-ryan-statements-that-will-likely-prove-false

I don't want Russ Brandon gone from the org as all I want to see is a football man at the top of the football chart making the "football" decisions. To me, Doug Whaley has already proven he can't handle the job as here it is three offseasons later and the team still doesn't have a solid starting roster with holes in it and little depth at many positions. After this first game of the 2016 season, the questions are already starting that the team is still lacking that franchise QB. While I'm not advocating firing Whaley, I think he just needs some help from above in helping make the proper football decisions on how to build a team that can actually compete with the New England Patriots for the division title.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This franchise is in desperate need of a team president of "football operations" to take those football decsions away from the owners and anyone, not an experienced senior football man.

Leroi is right sometimes and wrong others--it happens.

 

He's wrong about that.

 

Right from the horse's mouth:

 

http://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2015/10/bills_sabres_president_russ_brandon_new_role_criticism_unbelievable_year.html

[The Big Cat]

I knew it

 

--

 

FWIW, I don't really have an opinion on Brandon, the OP is slightly tongue in cheek. I have no answer to why the Bills have failed for so long, other than a trend of bad decision making by many parties.

 

Simple answer: lousy quarterbacks.

 

They have chosen quarterbacks poorly and poorly allocated resources to acquire and/or develop one.

 

There's really nothing else to see here.

[thebandit27]

That worked out well for Lalala

I like Pat, but he's notoriously difficult to work with.

 

Regardless, the point was that a "hockey guy" was brought in to put an organizational structure in place, which is what I believe would happen if Whaley were dismissed