Russ Brandon and others...

[TheFunPolice]

Get a QB and suddenly everyone is a genius.

 

Just look at Del Rio. This is a guy who was a joke as HC and had a player injured chopping wood with an axe in some stupid locker room stunt.

 

Now he's an elite HC. What changed?

 

http://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?id=1634325&columnist=pasquarelli_len

Edited December 8, 2016 by TheFunPolice

[Fadingpain]

Get a QB and suddenly everyone is a genius.

 

Just look at Del Rio. This is a guy who was a joke as HC and had a player injured chopping wood with an axe in some stupid locker room stunt.

 

Now he's an elite HC. What changed?

 

http://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?id=1634325&columnist=pasquarelli_len

 

It's not Del Rio's fault the idiot punter doesn't know how to swing an ax without cutting his foot off.

 

I do agree it was an idiotic stunt though, but that is the sort of crap all NFL head coaches do. They are trying to motivate the players anyway they can, and most of these guys are pretty dumb and have the mentality of children. At least a lot of them do.

 

Going the "show and tell" route with the ax and stump props makes sense in that context.

[Gregsbills 74]

If I failed to do a satisfactory job at my employment for seventeen years, my employer just might let me go.

Btw..so tired hearing this guy's name year after year during our run in futility.

Maybe, just maybe Brandon, is not good?

[DriveFor1Outta5]

Get a QB and suddenly everyone is a genius.

 

Just look at Del Rio. This is a guy who was a joke as HC and had a player injured chopping wood with an axe in some stupid locker room stunt.

 

Now he's an elite HC. What changed?

 

http://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?id=1634325&columnist=pasquarelli_len

Del Rio really wasn't that bad of a coach in Jacksonville. He went to the playoffs with David Garrard as his QB. Derek Carr has obviously helped him a great deal, but the guy has actually shown he can coach.

[hondo in seattle]

Unless you have insider knowledge, I don't know how you can blame Brandon - or Kim, or Terry, or whoever.

 

Nor do I understand why we need to look that hard.

 

It's clear that our roster is not as talented as some others. Blame Whaley.

 

And it's clear that we're not coached as well as some other teams. Blame Rex.

 

I don't see why we need to look farther than the obvious.

 

While neither guy is horrible, Whaley is no Bill Polian and Rex is no Bill Belichick. They're both pretty average at their jobs and they're giving us average teams.

 

The question is, I guess, is this their ceiling? Will they learn from their mistakes? Will they make changes to their staffs to better the results? If not, let's move on.

 

If we don't move on in an appropriate time frame, it becomes time to blame Terry and Kim. I'm not there yet.

[JohnC]

"Rusty" (that is funny, btw), has transcended the front office in the larger scope of PGE. His role governs the entire operation, from the Bills to the Sabres to their minor league teams to Harbor Center to their country and western record label, etc. He will be involved in doing the cleaning vs. being cleaned out himself.

 

He's a permanent fixture in the Pegula empire and you and others should probably reconcile that psychologically.

What is obvious based on Pegula's assessment/opinion of Brandon is that he has a lot of confidence in him to the point that he has expanded his role to overseeing his wide-ranging business conglomeration. Brandon didn't achieve his status with Pegula based on a long association with him because he didn't have an association with him prior to his involvement with the auction of the franchise.

 

I don't understand how people can deny or diminish Brandon's accomplishments while working for Wilson in keeping the Bills financially viable in a rapidly changing NFL market. He not only maximized the market but he successfully expanded it making it an attractive product in auction. It must be remembered that Ralph Wilson held a tight business circle. He embraced Brandon not because he hustled his way into the tight knit circle but because he did a terrific job for him. The longer he worked for Ralph the more confidence he earned from the old school owner.

 

Too many people are looking back to the unique circumstances at the end of the Wilson era when judging Brandon's current involvement with the football operations. At this point he is managing Pegula's conglomerate. He isn't making football decisions but that doesn't mean that he doesn't sit in the room when important decisions are made within the football operation. As far as I'm concerned that is very normal.

 

Was Brandon involved in the football operation during the waning Wilson days? Absolutely, because he had no choice. There was a major void/vacuum during the Levy interlude. Was Brandon involved in the hiring of Rex? Probably so. But there is nothing unnatural or wrong with someone in his position to have a say in a critical hiring.

[thebandit27]

Unless you have insider knowledge, I don't know how you can blame Brandon - or Kim, or Terry, or whoever.

 

Nor do I understand why we need to look that hard.

 

It's clear that our roster is not as talented as some others. Blame Whaley.

 

And it's clear that we're not coached as well as some other teams. Blame Rex.

 

I don't see why we need to look farther than the obvious.

 

While neither guy is horrible, Whaley is no Bill Polian and Rex is no Bill Belichick. They're both pretty average at their jobs and they're giving us average teams.

 

The question is, I guess, is this their ceiling? Will they learn from their mistakes? Will they make changes to their staffs to better the results? If not, let's move on.

 

If we don't move on in an appropriate time frame, it becomes time to blame Terry and Kim. I'm not there yet.

 

 

What is obvious based on Pegula's assessment/opinion of Brandon is that he has a lot of confidence in him to the point that he has expanded his role to overseeing his wide-ranging business conglomeration. Brandon didn't achieve his status with Pegula based on a long association with him because he didn't have an association with him prior to his involvement with the auction of the franchise.

 

I don't understand how people can deny or diminish Brandon's accomplishments while working for Wilson in keeping the Bills financially viable in a rapidly changing NFL market. He not only maximized the market but he successfully expanded it making it an attractive product in auction. It must be remembered that Ralph Wilson held a tight business circle. He embraced Brandon not because he hustled his way into the tight knit circle but because he did a terrific job for him. The longer he worked for Ralph the more confidence he earned from the old school owner.

 

Too many people are looking back to the unique circumstances at the end of the Wilson era when judging Brandon's current involvement with the football operations. At this point he is managing Pegula's conglomerate. He isn't making football decisions but that doesn't mean that he doesn't sit in the room when important decisions are made within the football operation. As far as I'm concerned that is very normal.

 

Was Brandon involved in the football operation during the waning Wilson days? Absolutely, because he had no choice. There was a major void/vacuum during the Levy interlude. Was Brandon involved in the hiring of Rex? Probably so. But there is nothing unnatural or wrong with someone in his position to have a say in a critical hiring.

 

You both nailed it.

 

/thread

[Best Player Available]

The Pegulas hate Brandon so much they made him the President of the Sabres too.

No one has ever accused him of not being able too sell sand in the desert.

 

It's his other " responsibilities" real, imagined or rumored. That make him a target for getting dumped in re organization.

One would guess that if a high end GM or higher candidate came up. He would not want Brandon having any power on football

related matters. IMO.

One example in the 2016 draft is leaving the Bills war room after the draft ended and signing baby Gronk pronto.

Did Whaley need to chase down a pizza?

He can remain with the Sabres. He needs to be out of the loop of ANY football related decisions. Which during the search for a new HC. He was anything but. everyone knows this. But Bills ticketes sell themselves. Even after over 20 years of suck.

If he is Pegulas go to guy this team is more f****d than it even appears.

[fridge]

He's a permanent fixture in the Pegula empire and you and others should probably reconcile that psychologically.

 

This always sounds so personal for you. Why do I need to reconcile anything? I don't think for a second that he's not a permanent fixture. His recent promotions tell us this, and it's painfully obvious to anyone paying attention that Russ Brandon will be the President for a long, long time. I still despise the guy. I'd think the Buffalo Bills forum is a great place to discuss that, no?

 

Was Brandon involved in the football operation during the waning Wilson days? Absolutely, because he had no choice. There was a major void/vacuum during the Levy interlude. Was Brandon involved in the hiring of Rex? Probably so. But there is nothing unnatural or wrong with someone in his position to have a say in a critical hiring.

 

Help me understand how I can detest the Buddy Nix, Doug Marrone, and Rex Ryan hires, acknowledge that Russ Brandon was a significant contributor in those hires, and still be supportive of him as the President.

 

Keep in mind that I am a fan that only cares about winning. Perhaps I'd rather someone else be having a critical say in those decisions?

Edited December 8, 2016 by fridge

[TSOL]

Its undeniable that Brandon had a heavy hand in the Nix hire, the Whaley hire, the Marrone hire and the Rex Ryan hire.

 

I think thats why Brandon falls under so much fan critism. Its as simple as that. He plays part time football descision maker almost like, from the shadows. Fans dont like that, especially cos were sitting at 8-8 for like, 50 years now

[thebandit27]

Its undeniable that Brandon had a heavy hand in the Nix hire, the Whaley hire, the Marrone hire and the Rex Ryan hire.

 

I think thats why Brandon falls under so much fan critism. Its as simple as that. He plays part time football descision maker almost like, from the shadows. Fans dont like that, especially cos were sitting at 8-8 for like, 50 years now

 

Ralph wanted Buddy Nix...Ralph was big on trust, and big on getting a football guy back in charge of personnel.

 

So sayeth Nevergiveup many moons ago.

[fridge]

 

Ralph wanted Buddy Nix...Ralph was big on trust, and big on getting a football guy back in charge of personnel.

 

So sayeth Nevergiveup many moons ago.

 

Pretty sure Ralph Wilson was legitimately senile at that point, and Russ Brandon's title was CEO at the Nix hire, operating as the teams effective owner.

[thebandit27]

 

Pretty sure Ralph Wilson was legitimately senile at that point, and Russ Brandon's title was CEO at the Nix hire, operating as the teams effective owner.

 

Ralph wasn't senile. Never was--old and past his time as a football man, sure, but never senile.

 

Buddy was hired the same day that Brandon was promoted to CEO. Both were Ralph's decisions, and were meant to separate the business and football side.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

Its undeniable that Brandon had a heavy hand in the Nix hire, the Whaley hire, the Marrone hire and the Rex Ryan hire.

 

I think thats why Brandon falls under so much fan critism. Its as simple as that. He plays part time football descision maker almost like, from the shadows. Fans dont like that, especially cos were sitting at 8-8 for like, 50 years now

Great post. People are sick of losing, and tired of seeing Brandon as a sort of mascot. I for one am just tired of seeing his smiling face trying to sell us a pile of turds year after year. That's reason enough for many of us to wish he'd get be let go.

 

Your point about coaching hires is spot on as well. He is a marketing guy, he has no business making these decisions. Brandon has no football personnel experience credentials whatsoever. It's like taking a fan off the street and allowing them to so. The guy has his dream job. He has gotten to play real life Madden. This team was known around the league as being dysfunctional while Ralph was owner. My question is what has changed since Pegula took over? Not much, so things are probably still viewed that way. The Marrone hire was especially disgusting since Rusty grew up in Syracuse as a big SU fan. How can anyone respect an organization where its front office is making fan boy hires?

[Gordio]

 

 

 

You both nailed it.

 

/thread

 

 

I don't think so. In fact my friend actually said that Rusty urged Pegula not to bring in a football Czar telling him it wasn't necassary & Rusty is the big reason why Polian didn't want to come here. He didn't want a football man in here because my guess is that the football Czar would look at the past 17 years of this franchise, look at who has been here the longest, look at the complete failures of this franchise & tell Rusty & his side kick Oherdorf to both hit the road. This guy is a snake & he will do anything he can to build a big wall around that inner circle close to Pegs. & do not for a minute think this guy doesn't want in a personal moves. In fact there was an old article when Wilson was alive that stated that some of the GMs would get a laugh out of Rusty, because in these league meetings he would portray & come off as some football guru but the guy doesn't have the background to carry on a intelligent conversation about football with these other GMs. I am not sure why you or K-9 have such a hearton for this guy(I think you guys are both very intelligent posters on this board, 2 of the most intelligent). I don't know how any bills fan could support this POS A-hole anymore & that is exactly what he is.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Gordio

[Rico]

 

 

I don't think so. In fact my friend actually said that Rusty urged Pegula not to bring in a football Czar telling him it wasn't necassary & Rusty is the big reason why Polian didn't want to come here. He didn't want a football man in here because my guess is that the football Czar would look at the past 17 years of this franchise, look at who has been here the longest, look at the complete failures of this franchise & tell Rusty & his side kick Oherdorf to both hit the road. This guy is a snake & he will do anything he can to build a big wall around that inner circle close to Pegs. & do not for a minute think this guy doesn't want in a personal moves. In fact there was an old article when Wilson was alive that stated that some of the GMs would get a laugh out of Rusty, because in these league meetings he would portray & come off as some football guru but the guy doesn't have the background to carry on a intelligent conversation about football with these other GMs. I am not sure why you or K-9 have such a hearton for this guy(I think you guys are both very intelligent posters on this board, 2 of the most intelligent). I don't know how any bills fan could support this POS A-hole anymore & that is exactly what he is.

Thanks again, excellent post & still no surprise at all.

[Reed83HOF]

[Peevo]

Years ago, there was a well sourced, well written piece about this very problem in the Buffalo News during the early days of the Doug Marrone era.

 

 

How was it acceptable for an NFL Head Coach, and GM to not have control over who they want to run their athletic training department? If Marrone wanted Bud Carpenter gone, how on earth does "the business guy" have a say in that decision? This, above all other problems the Bills have, in my opinion is the biggest problem to the team's 21st century growth. And yes, I know Jeff Littmann is no longer employed by the team. But every one else named a "lifer" in said piece from 2014 remains.

 

 

If you've been employed by the Bills since 1985, you need to go. Now. The Pegulas can easily hire the top MBA/sports business graduate from wherever school to run their business at a 3rd if not a 4th of the salary Russ earns. Same for their jerky, and difficult to deal with PR staff, at the top of the heap is Scott Berchtold who has a very negative reputation among respected media members in this market.

 

 

What exactly does Jim Overdorf do by the way? You can hire an analytics guru, some whiz kid MIT Stats masters degree, to run excel and make better salary cap decisions than they currently make.

 

 

At the very least it would be some relief for a very cynical, burnt out fan base who await the yearly Russ Brandon buzz word postmortem speech on WGR. "Continuity," "Inventory," "Market size," "Synergy," "OneBuffalo" "Injuries." The man is a suit-wearing, corporate, smiley, glad-handing, sycophantic, soulless, buzz-word, market-researched, spineless sell out. The dude represents everything wrong with professional sports business culture. Somehow, after 20 years, he is completely absolved of any responsibility, and GETS PROMOTED. How typical.

 

 

The team recognizes him as a GM from 2008-2009.

 

 

His football decisions alone deserve him a place on the heap of fired Bills employees. He's directly responsible for the Bills in Toronto series, and subsequent extension of said series, arguably his greatest failure. He drafted Aaron Maybin. Traded their starting LT to the Eagles a week before the 2009 season started. Signed Terrell Owens in one of the cheapest, hollowest publicity stunts from a team that's made several dubious free agent signings. These are just moves from 2 seasons under his watch as official GM. I can keep going.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Peevo

[pepsicat17]

When the Pegulas bought this team they were very forthcoming about having littte knowledge about the NFL way and football in general. They need people around them to give advice on the actual football operations, not the business side, but the football side. Who exactly to you think has their ear in these matters. If Rex and Whaley go in the next couple of years do you as a diehard Bills fan want Russ Brandon anywhere near making those decisions? In any context? I know I sure as hell don't cause every football decision he has made or had I put on in the forum of public knowledge has had a direct result of us being a middle of the pack team with no clear direction forward at best. Call the Pepe's on or title whatever you want but the Pegulas need a football expert to make these important football decisions, not the marketing guy who feels like he's covered in teflon. How can anyone disagree with that is beyond me. Let Russ, if he must stay, do his marketing thing and his only input should be in those matter. Personally I'd rather he just get fired cause a monkey could sell out the stadium and come up with massive campaigns like lead the charge and others. Did anyone here buy a ticket or merchandise cause Russ wanted us to lead the charge? Didn't think so. The opportunity for real actually change is at hand and I hope the Pegulas have the guts to do the right thing and not be happy with this middling product we've been seeing for, let's be honest, over 20 years now. Thank you to them forever for keeping the Bills in Buffalo but we would like a chance at a championship at some point as well.

[Rico]

More great posts, thanks.

 

Impossible to defend the indefensible.