Derek Boyko Named Vice President Of Communications

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

Did Berchtold make Whaley look foolish in that press conference?

 

He did not, but I'm not sure that's the useful question

This is HUGE news. I do not know if people realize the power that Berchtold has had over there for a LONG time. This is very, very interesting.

 

Kirby, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like you to say more about this.

[TSOL]

Im giving him 3 games, if he dosent win us the superbowl by then, i say can him.

[eball]

I'm hoping the new slogan for 2017 is "Bills Pass Deep."

 

Get 'er done, Derek!

[BUFFALOTONE]

Berchtold is bad at his job. The Bills media handling strategies have been woeful for as long as I can remember.

 

I was intensely critical of how they handled the last 4 or 5 weeks of the season. From the pre-Pittsburgh leak to the end of season presser and subsequent Pegula interview with JW they got just about every single handling call wrong. It helped the media to push their narrative of dysfunction because it was uncoordinated, patchy and a mess.

 

The leaving Lynn to whistle in the wind that final week was a disgraceful way to treat someone who seems to have been a good foot soldier and well liked here the last two years.

Getting your media right doesn't lead to wins on the football field but it is part of running a good organisation. I'm glad this guy is coming from Philly because the example of how the Bills should have handled the Rex firing is how the Eagles handled getting rid of Chip a week early the year before.

I see what you're saying but a lot of that comes from the people above him in all likely hood telling him to tow the line. Don't say anything we can't deny in the end essentially. Our pressers give new meaning to the word vague.

[Kirby Jackson]

I see what you're saying but a lot of that comes from the people above him in all likely hood telling him to tow the line. Don't say anything we can't deny in the end essentially. Our pressers give new meaning to the word vague.

What I am saying is that it works in the opposite direction. Berchtold controls the image of the team. He advises and directs and controls the message. He knows the vision that those above him (which was only Russ and the Pegulas) have. He constructs the message with that in mind. They defer to him though on the message.

 

Sports are different than most other businesses. If a guy gets arrested for example the guy in Berchtold's position puts together the message and provides it to the GM, owner or whomever. The GM will be the one to speak on it but he will basically relay the message that Berchtold would have crafted. He preps him and tells him when not to answer, what to avoid, etc.... It doesn't always follow the script exactly but for the most part it does. The message though doesn't come from the Pegulas down necessarily, it goes from Berchtold up. That is how it was with the teams that I was with as well. When something would happen Harold would put together the message and then they would all meet to discuss it.

[GunnerBill]

I see what you're saying but a lot of that comes from the people above him in all likely hood telling him to tow the line. Don't say anything we can't deny in the end essentially. Our pressers give new meaning to the word vague.

 

It isn't just what is said it is the haphazard way in which the whole thing is structured. Part of your job as a Head of Media, VP of Media Relations or whatever the title was is to get your bosses to do media even when they don't want to and persuade them as to its benefits. I remain very firmly of the view that Terry Pegula should have faced the press after the Rex Ryan firing and if old Scotty boy couldn't persuade him of the benefits of that approach then he was not effective in his job. I've had to get Government Ministers to go and face the music when things haven't gone as planned and guess what.... they never want to do it.... it is your job to persuade them that they have to do it.

 

People who think all his job entailed was to stand by the podium and say "just a couple more guys" completely misunderstand that role. The Owner, the President, the GM, the Head Coach they should all see him as their communications expert when delivering key messages. They should be going to him and saying "Scott how do you recommend we handle this....?" If that was not happening and furthermore he wasn't even able to persuade them to take his advice (giving him the benefit of the doubt that he as offering it) then he needed replacing.

 

Does this make us a playoff team? No, but you shouldn't willingly let your media operation stay an utter mess just because it doesn't affect results on the field. He had to go and this move will improve the organisation.... even though you won't see it in the W column.

[Delete This Account]

 

Excellent points, but do you think Berchtold was perhaps a source of some of the leaks coming out of OBD? While they don't relate directly to onfield performance, they paint a very poor picture of the organization. Since McDermott was hired many of us have commented on how much of a tight-lipped ship they appear to now be running.

 

Scott is as loyal to the Bills as anyone can come.

 

jw

[BUFFALOTONE]

 

It isn't just what is said it is the haphazard way in which the whole thing is structured. Part of your job as a Head of Media, VP of Media Relations or whatever the title was is to get your bosses to do media even when they don't want to and persuade them as to its benefits. I remain very firmly of the view that Terry Pegula should have faced the press after the Rex Ryan firing and if old Scotty boy couldn't persuade him of the benefits of that approach then he was not effective in his job. I've had to get Government Ministers to go and face the music when things haven't gone as planned and guess what.... they never want to do it.... it is your job to persuade them that they have to do it.

 

People who think all his job entailed was to stand by the podium and say "just a couple more guys" completely misunderstand that role. The Owner, the President, the GM, the Head Coach they should all see him as their communications expert when delivering key messages. They should be going to him and saying "Scott how do you recommend we handle this....?" If that was not happening and furthermore he wasn't even able to persuade them to take his advice (giving him the benefit of the doubt that he as offering it) then he needed replacing.

 

Does this make us a playoff team? No, but you shouldn't willingly let your media operation stay an utter mess just because it doesn't affect results on the field. He had to go and this move will improve the organisation.... even though you won't see it in the W column.

All good points. And I touch on my original point initially that the leadership is bad and needs vast improvement. Terry is no stranger to success and failure I am sure, maybe his reluctance to face the music comes from being so green in the NFL. I can't imagine he would have issues speaking to the Heads of the EPA and other govt entities. Hopefully this improves with time.

[Delete This Account]

Where did I insinuate he had anything to do with Marv being hired? I'm talking about the clown show pressers that have been going on for years now. During the initial days of the Mularkey resignation / Marv GM hiring wasn't there a bunch of technological type mishaps delaying the start of the pressers? And seems like I remember them being generally disorganized, and kind of bizarre.

 

jeebers.

yes.

Scott was going to go on stage and stop Ralph Wilson from riffing with Marv about how "young" they were.

and of course, Scott is the one who pushed Mularkey out the door, and then hired Marv in hopes he would take over as coach before finally being reeled in by Ralph.

and it was Scott who insisted Donahoe go on the radio and call the fan "a jerk."

and he was behind the wheel of Lynch's car when he struck the pedestrian downtown.

and, of course, he actually pulled the mat out from under Kevin Kolb just at the moment he stepped on it, slipped and hurt his knee.

 

now the full story can be told.

 

 

jw

[GunnerBill]

 

and, of course, he actually pulled the mat out from under Kevin Kolb just at the moment he stepped on it, slipped and hurt his knee.

 

 

So what you're saying JW is he wasn't all bad?

 

 

[Delete This Account]

My take fwiw

1 Part of Prichard's job is preparing Doug Whaley for a press conference . Doug is they ask this you can say ...... or if they ask this then pivot to .........

on the other hand

2. I am still not convinced that Whaley didn't get exactly what he wanted out of the presser. He got the owners to come out of hiding and face the press. He is a smart guy. He knew what he was saying and how it would play.

 

who the hell is "Prichard"

 

jw

[BUFFALOTONE]

 

jeebers.

yes.

Scott was going to go on stage and stop Ralph Wilson from riffing with Marv about how "young" they were.

and of course, Scott is the one who pushed Mularkey out the door, and then hired Marv in hopes he would take over as coach before finally being reeled in by Ralph.

and it was Scott who insisted Donahoe go on the radio and call the fan "a jerk."

and he was behind the wheel of Lynch's car when he struck the pedestrian downtown.

and, of course, he actually pulled the mat out from under Kevin Kolb just at the moment he stepped on it, slipped and hurt his knee.

 

now the full story can be told.

 

 

jw

I heard Scott was the second gunmen on the grassy knoll.....

 

who the hell is "Prichard"

 

jw

Scott's alter ego....the one blowing up the press conferences.

[Delete This Account]

I heard Scott was the second gunmen on the grassy knoll.....

Scott's alter ego....the one blowing up the press conferences.

 

also behind the Bowling Green Massacre.

 

jw

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

This sums it up well.

 

The sequence of events from the moment the rex rumors started the morning of the Pittsburgh game to the Pegula damage control 'interviews' were amateurish, unacceptable, and not surprising.

 

I do believe these things have an indirect effect on the on-field product as well. The organization appears to be dysfunctional with self-inflicted and unnecessary errors such as these. It hits the mainstream. NFL media on a National level were hitting the Bills hard on how they forced Lynn to twist in the wind, and that Whaley "thing". These things weigh into decisions NFL personnel make when they look at Buffalo vs Denver, Tennessee, KC, etc... You want a well oiled machine.

 

I also really think the organization.... especially on the PR and Marketing side, really are/were in need of fresh ideas and modernization. This seems like a great step

Not only other people around the league but what about the perception of the team from our own fellow Bills fans? The fans who tweet directly to the players on a daily basis or see them at the grocery store during the season. Or relationships with the media who grill the players 3 times a week when they're preparing for a big game.

 

PR is about influencing perception and perception can create reality. If firing Berchtold and bringing in a highly regarded guy from the outside results in just one extra fan adding to the home field advantage on a Sunday then I can only be happy about it.

 

Its like when the Bills sign a minor special team linebacker and people make fun of it with 'championship now right?' No its not Aaron Rodgers but do you want them to be good at special teams or not? Do you want them to have depth or not? Likewise this might mean even less than a 3rd string linebacker but if they're getting better it can only help.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

 

jeebers.

yes.

Scott was going to go on stage and stop Ralph Wilson from riffing with Marv about how "young" they were.

and of course, Scott is the one who pushed Mularkey out the door, and then hired Marv in hopes he would take over as coach before finally being reeled in by Ralph.

and it was Scott who insisted Donahoe go on the radio and call the fan "a jerk."

and he was behind the wheel of Lynch's car when he struck the pedestrian downtown.

and, of course, he actually pulled the mat out from under Kevin Kolb just at the moment he stepped on it, slipped and hurt his knee.

 

now the full story can be told.

 

 

jw

Man, talk about a stretch...Geesh so sorry for saying something negative about your buddy. You clearly have an agenda here. For someone who writes for a living your comprehension skills seem to be a little off. I'm merely saying that over the years the Bills have not exactly "come off well" during a lot of crisis moments. It may be hard for you all that never leave the WNY bubble to realize that. No schit he can't control what people say off the cuff but as the head honcho of that department, I'd say he bears the overall responsibility for what's getting put out there and the manner in which it happens.

[Delete This Account]

Man, talk about a stretch...Geesh so sorry for saying something negative about your buddy. You clearly have an agenda here. For someone who writes for a living your comprehension skills seem to be a little off. I'm merely saying that over the years the Bills have not exactly "come off well" during a lot of crisis moments. It may be hard for you all that never leave the WNY bubble to realize that. No schit he can't control what people say off the cuff but as the head honcho of that department, I'd say he bears the overall responsibility for what's getting put out there and the manner in which it happens.

 

and the drought. don't forget the drought. he's solely responsible for that.

 

as for these crisis moments you speak of, the crisis are self-inflicted by higher-up mismanagement, be it how Doug Whaley mishandled himself this past season over a variety of issues, not only his season-ending presser, which was a coup-de-gras, or the various power struggles that continue to emerge in the posts above him.

 

i said i respect the job that Scott did, because it wasn't an easy one, knowing the daily demands and pressures that have come with it.

 

you seem to suggest that he failed to protect the franchise's image, as if he could stick his thumb in the dam and stop the water from bursting through.

 

you suggest i have an agenda here. dunno.

i respect Scott. can't say i count him as a "friend." i've had only a few drinks with him ever, and that was one evening at training camp.

 

as for this WNY bubble you suggest I live in, i'd counter with the naysayers like you on this board constantly harping on one thing that has nothing to do with the other thing, as if: "Yes, this will solve the problem."

 

yes, Scott bears responsibility. but not at the expense of others who should take a large amount of the blame but go scurrying off and hide behind no comments or "i'm not privvy" statements when the going gets rough.

 

pretty certain this clears up any questions about my comprehension skills, but lord only knows with you.

 

jw

[Nanker]

30 years of company loyalty and they toss him away like an old shoe.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

 

and the drought. don't forget the drought. he's solely responsible for that.

 

as for these crisis moments you speak of, the crisis are self-inflicted by higher-up mismanagement, be it how Doug Whaley mishandled himself this past season over a variety of issues, not only his season-ending presser, which was a coup-de-gras, or the various power struggles that continue to emerge in the posts above him.

 

i said i respect the job that Scott did, because it wasn't an easy one, knowing the daily demands and pressures that have come with it.

 

you seem to suggest that he failed to protect the franchise's image, as if he could stick his thumb in the dam and stop the water from bursting through.

 

you suggest i have an agenda here. dunno.

i respect Scott. can't say i count him as a "friend." i've had only a few drinks with him ever, and that was one evening at training camp.

 

as for this WNY bubble you suggest I live in, i'd counter with the naysayers like you on this board constantly harping on one thing that has nothing to do with the other thing, as if: "Yes, this will solve the problem."

 

yes, Scott bears responsibility. but not at the expense of others who should take a large amount of the blame but go scurrying off and hide behind no comments or "i'm not privvy" statements when the going gets rough.

 

pretty certain this clears up any questions about my comprehension skills, but lord only knows with you.

 

jw

Wasn't that easier than just being a dick from the get go?

 

Still don't see where I insinuated all that but ok. I'm entitled to my opinion about the situation as are you.

Edited February 24, 2017 by billsfanmiami(oh)

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

Maybe we'll stop getting edited transcripts now

 

That would be nice.

[Delete This Account]

Wasn't that easier than just being a dick from the get go?

 

Still don't see where I insinuated all that but ok. I'm entitled to my opinion about the situation as are you.

 

actually, i'm pretty confident i was still attempting to be dickish.

 

jw