AP John Wawrow interview with Terry Pegula

[PromoTheRobot]

Did Wawrow post the "even more" he was promising in his tweets?

[Augie]

I read that Rex asked to speak to Mr. Pegula alone, without Whaley, after a three-way conversation. Rex then asked if Mr. Pegula was going to fire him after the season or keep him on. In the press conference, Whaley said that kind of decision would usually be made after the season ending reviews. Since Mr. Pegula had already made up his mind after the Oakland game and before having that season ending review, Mr. Pegula did what Rex wanted and told him then. Someone said, perhaps Rex wanted to see the Clemson game. Who knows. The point is that Mr. Pegula would have waited, discussed it with Rex, Whaley (and maybe Brandon, too) and then fired Rex. He didn't tell Whaley he was going to do it because he was responding, like a man, to Rex's question.

 

There seems to be a lot of fans here that don't think the owner should be involved at all in making this sort of decision. I just don't think that is reasonable. Terry and Kim Pegula paid over a billion dollars for the Buffalo Bills.

I don't know if that's what happened, but that's all reasonable and well said.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Exactly. Doug didn't do himself any favors saying stuff like it never crossed his mind whether or not Rex should be fired. I guess technically he could even say this because he never flat out asked himself that. But it's just nonsense.

 

Actually now that the transcript is out and I can read it, I kind of interpret it differently.

Q: Did you ever get the sense that Rex was in trouble with the Pegulas? Were you ever moved to maybe come to his defense?

A: I’ll have to say this again, we hold those conversations at the end of the year, usually for the evaluations. So I had no need to go and talk to them about Rex. We were focused on the season. We always focus on the game ahead.

Q: You had no word that he was in trouble though?

A: No.

Q: You didn’t know that he might get fired?

A: No.

(...)

Q: Did you agree with the decision to fire Rex?

A: I won’t get—I’ll say this much, I haven’t even thought about it. My focus now is going ahead.

Q: You didn’t have any kind of “well ok I agree,” or “wait a minute, I’m a football guy and you’re not football people. Maybe we should talk about this?” Just to have a discussion?

A: That wasn’t in my thought process.

(...)

Q: So you have not thought about the decision to fire Rex Ryan?

A: I have not because my job is to go from the decision, and move this organization forward. So that would be wasted time, and I’d rather put that time and effort into going forward.

Q: So whether it was a good call or bad call, that never came up in your mind?

A: No. It’s onward and upward.

 

I think Whaley is telling the truth that firing Rex had not been previously discussed between himself and the Pegulas, and it was a surprise decision to him at least on the timing.

At least publically, Whaley is the "organization man" and accepts the lines of authority he's been given. So he is not going to second-guess the Pegulas in public, or say anything that sounds like second-guessing them.

But I think he's answering these questions in the context of "during the phone call from Pegula informing him of the firing" and subsequent actions - needing to communicate with Lynn, with Tyrod Taylor, needing to pull the trigger on starting a HC search in addition to all the normal season-end hustle and bustle.

 

I don't think he's meaning to say he's never thought about whether it's a good or bad call in any of the time since. But even if he has, he's not going to say what he thinks.

 

If I were a fly on the wall, I wonder if Rex got a little "salty" with Mr Pegula about all the rumors flying around and said something to precipitate the "executive decision" Pegula now says he made.

[BADOLBILZ]

You guys, who are two of my favorite posters by far, need to have a kumbaya moment. Badol is absolutely right about the media in a provincial and very old (relatively speaking, demographically) community like Buffalo, and you're absolutely right about Shady -- largely because Badol (and myself, to be honest) felt that good running backs are a dime a dozen (which they are!) and didn't realize that Shady is actually a Barry Sanders-like talent. But he's right about the media there. I know a ton of middle-aged to old people in Buffalo whose news comes from the local media. Really. It's the sort of thing that led Dems to discount the white working class in the Midwest by thinking that these people didn't exist (metaphorically) in electoral terms anymore. They do. But you were also absolutely right about McCoy. He's a phenomenal player.

 

 

Whooooooooaaa there with the Barry Sanders talk.

 

He might be the closest thing to it in a pass first league where shifty water bug backs are all but entirely extinct as teams want bigger backs to pound smaller defenses and soften them up for the pass.

 

But BS was good for 1ypc above league average in his day and Shady is only good for about half that in his career. That's a huge difference over a career. Big. Not in same category.

 

I was wrong about McCoy being cut after 2016......but so far that's it.

 

I very accurately predicted his issues in 2015...from the nagging injuries continuing, to lack of focus, to taking most of his runs to the sideline and missing the holes............ and I also outlined what he could do to reverse the trend and he worked hard and got his head right and did it.

 

If he had repeated the performance and antics of 2015 it would have been a mess and he'd very likely have earned his way out of town as I predicted. Good on him for focusing and correcting his issues but he's still reaching that age and his Eagles deal wouldn't have expired until AFTER next season so the jury is out on whether they made a mistake extending it.

 

But YES......it's foolish to think that the publicity generated by the media doesn't help drive fan interest CONSIDERABLY. And interesting the locals in the product is a critical aspect because it creates energy in the stands which makes the product much more interesting for people to watch on TV.......where the real money is made.

[Mr. WEO]

Whaley pretending he didn't know is the ultimate slap in the face to the Bills fans. It's completely unbelievable. This guy is shameless.

[KOKBILLS]

I look at this interview as nothing but positive...

 

If Pagula saw what we saw on Defense and decided it's not good enough, from a guy that promised greatness on Defense, than good for Pagula! Well done! Because it was not even close to good enough...And I'm glad we have an owner who can make these tough decisions based on the obvious...

 

Pegs was not pulled down by the continuity talk...Poor Defense is poor Defense...And if Rex Ryan cannot provide a top 10 Defense as a HC, then why have Rex Ryan as your HC? It's really that simple...

[Mr. WEO]

I look at this interview as nothing but positive...

 

If Pagula saw what we saw on Defense and decided it's not good enough, from a guy that promised greatness on Defense, than good for Pagula! Well done! Because it was not even close to good enough...And I'm glad we have an owner who can make these tough decisions based on the obvious...

 

Pegs was not pulled down by the continuity talk...Poor Defense is poor Defense...And if Rex Ryan cannot provide a top 10 Defense as a HC, then why have Rex Ryan as your HC? It's really that simple...

 

 

You mean his own continuity talk?

 

“You have to have continuity,” Pegula told USA TODAY Sports during the NFL meetings this week. “I don’t care if you’re drilling oil in gas wells or you’re running a sports team. If you keep changing things, nothing’s going to work.”

That was just over 2 months ago..

[long suffering bills fan]

Whaley pretending he didn't know is the ultimate slap in the face to the Bills fans. It's completely unbelievable. This guy is shameless.

Not sure why it is a slap in the face of Bills fans. The media was trying to get him to admit to something so they would have a juicy headline to write. Whaley would not take the bait

 

Now, 17 years without a playoff appearance, now that is a slap in the face and a kick in the jewels.

[transient]

to taking most of his runs to the sideline and missing the holes...

 

If he had repeated the performance and antics of 2015 it would have been a mess and he'd very likely have earned his way out of town as I predicted. Good on him for focusing and correcting his issues...

Don't feel like finding the quote, but when Roman was fired Shady intimated that the offense would feature a more north/south running game.

[ganesh]

 

As for your last paragraph, I can turn it around and say that he took a job that was essentially a grave yard for NFL head coaches and was the most successful HC for that dysfunctional franchise in the past 17 years notwithstanding injuries, suspensions, and bottom half QB play. He was only given 31 games. Even the Chargers gave McCoy a full four years even though he had a lesser winning percentage with Philip Rivers.

 

 

Rex was fired because his team was ill-disciplined and there was no improvement on it in year 2. His defense became worse...Three 200 yard rushers, plenty of mistakes and provided no support to an offense that was suffering from significant injuries and lack of depth. His defense was supposed to take control and have TT be a game manager. His defense failed and showed a significant regression in year two, especially when Rex was given the freedom to cut the folks that did not fit his system. Injuries to Shaq and Ragaland did not help, but that is the nature of the Not For Long League.

[BADOLBILZ]

Don't feel like finding the quote, but when Roman was fired Shady intimated that the offense would feature a more north/south running game.

 

I suspected that Lynn changed things to FUNNEL Shady to the inside runs.

 

Shady knew last offseason that he was regularly missing the same inside holes that MG and Karlos were taking to huge gains and that was why they put up the 5.5 ypc and were scoring regularly and he was not.

 

The horizontal runs to the sideline had been an issue in Philly as well. There was hardly any of that this season. He made some huge changes. Much credit to him.

[Peter]

Rex was fired because his team was ill-disciplined and there was no improvement on it in year 2. His defense became worse...Three 200 yard rushers, plenty of mistakes and provided no support to an offense that was suffering from significant injuries and lack of depth. His defense was supposed to take control and have TT be a game manager. His defense failed and showed a significant regression in year two, especially when Rex was given the freedom to cut the folks that did not fit his system. Injuries to Shaq and Ragaland did not help, but that is the nature of the Not For Long League.

With respect, I disagree.

[Kelly the Dog]

Actually now that the transcript is out and I can read it, I kind of interpret it differently.

Q: Did you ever get the sense that Rex was in trouble with the Pegulas? Were you ever moved to maybe come to his defense?

A: I’ll have to say this again, we hold those conversations at the end of the year, usually for the evaluations. So I had no need to go and talk to them about Rex. We were focused on the season. We always focus on the game ahead.

Q: You had no word that he was in trouble though?

A: No.

Q: You didn’t know that he might get fired?

A: No.

(...)

Q: Did you agree with the decision to fire Rex?

A: I won’t get—I’ll say this much, I haven’t even thought about it. My focus now is going ahead.

Q: You didn’t have any kind of “well ok I agree,” or “wait a minute, I’m a football guy and you’re not football people. Maybe we should talk about this?” Just to have a discussion?

A: That wasn’t in my thought process.

(...)

Q: So you have not thought about the decision to fire Rex Ryan?

A: I have not because my job is to go from the decision, and move this organization forward. So that would be wasted time, and I’d rather put that time and effort into going forward.

Q: So whether it was a good call or bad call, that never came up in your mind?

A: No. It’s onward and upward.

 

I think Whaley is telling the truth that firing Rex had not been previously discussed between himself and the Pegulas, and it was a surprise decision to him at least on the timing.

At least publically, Whaley is the "organization man" and accepts the lines of authority he's been given. So he is not going to second-guess the Pegulas in public, or say anything that sounds like second-guessing them.

But I think he's answering these questions in the context of "during the phone call from Pegula informing him of the firing" and subsequent actions - needing to communicate with Lynn, with Tyrod Taylor, needing to pull the trigger on starting a HC search in addition to all the normal season-end hustle and bustle.

 

I don't think he's meaning to say he's never thought about whether it's a good or bad call in any of the time since. But even if he has, he's not going to say what he thinks.

 

If I were a fly on the wall, I wonder if Rex got a little "salty" with Mr Pegula about all the rumors flying around and said something to precipitate the "executive decision" Pegula now says he made.

I agree with 90% of that. But as I said earlier, he was technically correct but just parsing words. He watches the games with Pegula. Don't the guys watching the games with you know exactly what you think about Rex Ryan and whether he should be the coach next year? He was saying publicly that he never had that conversation. But saying that it never crossed his mind is very hard, impossible to believe. He never thought, during the season, hey if Rex isn't here would I consider hiring Anthony?

[What a Tuel]

so you lose interest in the Bills because the Pegula's won't talk to Jerry Sullivan?

 

I'd say its more so that I lose interest in reading articles calling people bozo's more than I would ever lose interest in the Bills because the organization won't tolerate local media temper tantrums.

 

 

With respect, I disagree.

 

How can you disagree with that?

Edited January 3, 2017 by What a Tuel

[Mr. WEO]

Not sure why it is a slap in the face of Bills fans. The media was trying to get him to admit to something so they would have a juicy headline to write. Whaley would not take the bait

 

Now, 17 years without a playoff appearance, now that is a slap in the face and a kick in the jewels.

 

He GAVE them the juicy headline..!

 

Doug Whaley: I don’t know why Rex Ryan was fired

 

Bills GM Doug Whaley was unaware Rex Ryan was going to get fired

[4merper4mer]

With respect, I disagree.

So you feel the defense was well disciplined and did not give up 200 yard rushers 3 times? And it succeeded?

[Peter]

So you feel the defense was well disciplined and did not give up 200 yard rushers 3 times? And it succeeded?

 

Context:

 

Rex's defense was better against common opponents than Schwartz's defense even with all of the injuries/suspensions and even though PFF rates the Eagles's starters higher than the Bills' defensive starters.

 

As far as I know, Rex was not there on Sunday and that was the biggest cluster f*&k I have seen. It looks like Rex was keeping it all together.

 

Pittsburgh had Jay Ajayi run for 200 yards against them the week before the Bills and had problems with the wrong number of players on the field against the Bills . . . .

 

In the end, less than two years is not enough, and I would like to see how he could have done without the injuries, suspensions, whispering campaigns, and leaks to the media minutes before a game . . . .

Edited January 3, 2017 by Peter

[26CornerBlitz]

 

Context:

 

Rex's defense was better against common opponents than Schwartz's defense even with all of the injuries/suspensions and even though PFF rates the Eagles's starters higher than the Bills' defensive starters.

 

As far as I know, Rex was not there on Sunday and that was the biggest cluster f*&k I have seen. It looks like Rex was keeping it all together.

 

Pittsburgh had Jay Ajayi run for 200 yards against them the week before the Bills and had problems with the wrong number of players on the field against the Bills . . . .

 

In the end, less than two years is not enough, and I would like to see how he could have done without the injuries, suspensions, whispering campaigns, and leaks to the media minutes before a game . . . .

 

He's gone and deservedly so. Next!

[BADOLBILZ]

 

I'd say its more so that I lose interest in reading articles calling people bozo's more than I would ever lose interest in the Bills because the organization won't tolerate local media temper tantrums.

 

 

 

That's cuz it hits too close to home.

[What a Tuel]

 

Context:

 

Rex's defense was better against common opponents than Schwartz's defense even with all of the injuries/suspensions and even though PFF rates the Eagles's starters higher than the Bills' defensive starters.

 

As far as I know, Rex was not there on Sunday and that was the biggest cluster f*&k I have seen. It looks like Rex was keeping it all together.

 

Pittsburgh had Jay Ajayi run for 200 yards against them the week before the Bills and had problems with the wrong number of players on the field against the Bills . . . .

 

In the end, less than two years is not enough, and I would like to see how he could have done without the injuries, suspensions, whispering campaigns, and leaks to the media minutes before a game . . . .

 

Jay Ajayi averaged 99.75 yards in 12 games starting with the Titans. (Titans are when he started taking over the backfield)

 

Jay Ajayi averaged 77.7 yards in 10 games starting with the Titans. (excluding the 2 Bills games.)

 

The Bills run defense accounts for a 22.05 yard per game swing in his per game average and 35% of his total rushing yards this season. (again starting with the Titans when he started getting a full workload.)

 

Jay Ajayi is a good player, but we made him look like freaking Le'Veon Bell out there. (who also ran for 200 yards on us)

 

That's cuz it hits too close to home.

 

Sorry buddy, but the Buffalo News is in its death throes and is trying to remain relevant through "journalism" worthy of a youtube comment section. At least they get you guys riled up.

Edited January 3, 2017 by What a Tuel