What Was “The Worst Kept Secret” About Russ Brandon?

[BuffaloRush]

For some reason I’m able to read 5 free article from the BNPaywall.  One was a Q and A of shorts about the Russ Brandon situation.  While they tried to provide more answers on the incident, I think in some cases they actually left more questions.  

 

http://buffalonews.com/2018/05/04/you-asked-we-answered-is-brandons-resignation-tied-to-metoo/?utm_medium=more_stories

 

Case and point - the questions below:

 

From u/Burnin_that_2_Smoke on Reddit: How long were the allegations known against Russ before this was all released to the public?

Graham: The inappropriate relationship that became the first domino in Brandon's downfall was one of the worst-kept secrets among the Bills and Sabres rank-and-file employees and prominent people within the local business community. I began hearing about it in early November. The relationship was considered consensual. So, to me, it was nothing more than gossip.

 

From u/Badlandsmeanie from Reddit: My question would be, how are the Bills still able to keep the fuller details of the story quiet? There has to be more to this story, but for some reason the media won't report it. How come?

Graham: Brandon has been too brazen about his relationships for complete secrecy to be realistic. We in the media, however, must be judicious in vetting every detail. And not every tawdry detail is newsworthy, despite the number of clicks it could generate.

 

 

>>>>>> Ok here’s where I’m confused.  Graham makes it sound like it was common knowledge what the “misconduct” is.  Yet many fans and media members are left speculating (in many cases inaccurately) speculating as to what went down.

 

So if it is so common as to what the transgression was, does anyone have a clue what Tim Graham was about about.  Feel free to post speculation because I’m in the dark.

 

Also I believe our own @BadLandsMeanie was the one who asked the last question. 

[MrEpsYtown]

He says it was common knowledge among the "rank and file" people in the know. Not the general public. I suppose he feels it wasn't newsworthy to report on until this point. It would be almost inappropriate for them to report that Russ was having an inappropriate, yet consensual sexual relationship with an employee. It almost crosses into libel or defamation. Now that he has  resigned, it is newsworthy, but up until this point it really wasn't. 

[Wayne Arnold]

The worst kept secret about Russ is that he is a massive douche bag who sucked at his job and was responsible for all of the pre-McDermott leaks to the press about how incompetent the Bills were.

[BuffaloRush]

14 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

He says it was common knowledge among the "rank and file" people in the know. Not the general public. I suppose he feels it wasn't newsworthy to report on until this point. It would be almost inappropriate for them to report that Russ was having an inappropriate, yet consensual sexual relationship with an employee. It almost crosses into libel or defamation. Now that he has  resigned, it is newsworthy, but up until this point it really wasn't. 

 

“Rank and file...and prominent business people in the business community.”  So it seems that more than those at OBD knew about this

[BadLandsMeanie]

23 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

For some reason I’m able to read 5 free article from the BNPaywall.  One was a Q and A of shorts about the Russ Brandon situation.  While they tried to provide more answers on the incident, I think in some cases they actually left more questions.  

 

http://buffalonews.com/2018/05/04/you-asked-we-answered-is-brandons-resignation-tied-to-metoo/?utm_medium=more_stories

 

Case and point - the questions below:

 

From u/Burnin_that_2_Smoke on Reddit: How long were the allegations known against Russ before this was all released to the public?

Graham: The inappropriate relationship that became the first domino in Brandon's downfall was one of the worst-kept secrets among the Bills and Sabres rank-and-file employees and prominent people within the local business community. I began hearing about it in early November. The relationship was considered consensual. So, to me, it was nothing more than gossip.

 

From u/Badlandsmeanie from Reddit: My question would be, how are the Bills still able to keep the fuller details of the story quiet? There has to be more to this story, but for some reason the media won't report it. How come?

Graham: Brandon has been too brazen about his relationships for complete secrecy to be realistic. We in the media, however, must be judicious in vetting every detail. And not every tawdry detail is newsworthy, despite the number of clicks it could generate.

 

 

>>>>>> Ok here’s where I’m confused.  Graham makes it sound like it was common knowledge what the “misconduct” is.  Yet many fans and media members are left speculating (in many cases inaccurately) speculating as to what went down.

 

So if it is so common as to what the transgression was, does anyone have a clue what Tim Graham was about about.  Feel free to post speculation because I’m in the dark.

 

Also I believe our own @BadLandsMeanie was the one who asked the last question. 

Indeed. It was me! I guess I am now a published author 

 

I am as confused as you are about what made the difference. I think it is as MrEps says, it wasn't news til he got fired for it. 

 

So to me the usual version of a story like this goes something like: Brandon was a dog and played around a lot and everybody  knew it but it is considered personal. Then for some reason it either got back to the Pegulas who didn't know. Or maybe they did know but recently it became time to use it against him for some other reason we will never know. 

 

Then the "other issues" would usually be something to do with using his expense account to pay for dinners and such with his dates so his wife wouldn't find out. You know, the stuff wouldn't show up on the family credit cards and such. 

 

That kind of story is as old as the hills really.

 

But what I wonder about is why in some quarters they keep suggesting it is much, much, darker than that.

 

Even in that same article Tim G says employees are relieved it is over. Why would they care so much? I dunno. Maybe we never will. So my question there was more about how are they managing to keep a lid on it, of there is really more to the story.

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by BadLandsMeanie

[BuffaloRush]

Just now, Wayne Arnold said:

The worst kept secret about Russ is that he is a massive douche bag who sucked at his job and was responsible for all of the pre-McDermott leaks to the press about how incompetent the Bills were.

 

What makes you so sure it was Russ.  I’ve heard a number of suspects:

 

Jimmy Sexton (Rex Ryan’s agent)

Doug Whaley

Scott Berchtold 

 

 

[White Linen]

He wanted the Bills to move to Toronto.  

[jr1]

thank God he's gone

[Ol Dirty B]

11 minutes ago, BadLandsMeanie said:

Indeed. It was me! I guess I am now a published author 

 

I am as confused as you are about what made the difference. I think it is as MrEps says, it wasn't news til he got fired for it. 

 

So to me the usual version of a story like this goes something like: Brandon was a dog and played around a lot and everybody  knew it but it is considered personal. Then for some reason it either got back to the Pegulas who didn't know. Or maybe they did know but recently it became time to use it against him for some other reason we will never know. 

 

Then the "other issues" would usually be something to do with using his expense account to pay for dinners with his dates so his wife wouldn't find out.

 

That kind of story is as old as the hills really.

 

But what I wonder about is why in some quarters they keep suggesting it is much, much, darker than that.

 

 

 

 

 

The last paragraph here, because I respect your opinion I'm genuinely asking and would not be surprised if you knew more than me.

 

The segments of people you are hearing suggest darker things, are they just people here or people you deal with in every day life, who are just fans? Or do you hear this from people whose opinion you really respect and think they might know details or know a direct source with some details? Be it just a Twitter source, reporter, or whatever.

 

Because I've only read people insinuating or even just purporting something really heinous happened on here. And it's not from posters whom I would hold in an esteem of genuinely knowing anything. Just the typical Brandon haters that have existed for the last 15 years.

 

Again, I only ask because I would not be surprised if you knew more than me or had an inkling something heinous happened.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by Ol Dirty B

[BadLandsMeanie]

3 minutes ago, Ol Dirty B said:

 

The last paragraph here, because I respect your opinion I'm genuinely asking and would not be surprised if you knew more than me.

 

The segments of people you are hearing suggest darker things, are they just people here or people you deal with in every day life, who are just fans? Or do you hear this from people whose opinion you really respect and think they might know details or know a direct source with some details? Be it just a Twitter source, reporter, or whatever.

 

Because I've only read people insinuating or even just purporting something really heinous happened on here. And it's not from posters whom I would hold in an esteem of genuinely knowing anything. Just the typical Brandon haters that have existed for the last 15 years.

 

Again, I only ask because I would not be surprised if you knew more than me or had an inkling something heinous happened.

 

 

I say that because Chuck Pollock who is a good sports writer in Olean, and a friend of Terry Pegula's, compared Brandon to Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstien, Roger Ailes, Kevin Spacey and more. People who who are criminals and who used coercion, force, or drugs to subdue people. 

 

Maybe he is just an irresponsible jackass to write that but he never seemed to be one before. Those people were very bad and not just guys who couldn't keep it in their pants.

 

So that is the most solid source that I got the idea from, that it is pretty bad what happened.

[leonbus23]

26 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

What makes you so sure it was Russ.  I’ve heard a number of suspects:

 

Jimmy Sexton (Rex Ryan’s agent)

Doug Whaley

Scott Berchtold 

 

 

Don't forget Overdorf.

[Ol Dirty B]

8 minutes ago, BadLandsMeanie said:

I say that because Chuck Pollock who is a good sports writer in Olean, and a friend of Terry Pegula's, compared Brandon to Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstien, Roger Ailes, Kevin Spacey and more. People who who are criminals and who used coercion, force, or drugs to subdue people. 

 

Maybe he is just an irresponsible jackass to write that but he never seemed to be one before. Those people were very bad and not just guys who couldn't keep it in their pants.

 

So that is the most solid source that I got the idea from, that it is pretty bad what happened.

 

Interesting. I respect that. He's the first guy with credentials that I've heard of coming forward and suggesting such a thing.

 

If that's the case, then I believe some more details will trickle out.

 

Good to know, thanks.

[BuffaloRush]

13 minutes ago, BadLandsMeanie said:

I say that because Chuck Pollock who is a good sports writer in Olean, and a friend of Terry Pegula's, compared Brandon to Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstien, Roger Ailes, Kevin Spacey and more. People who who are criminals and who used coercion, force, or drugs to subdue people. 

 

Maybe he is just an irresponsible jackass to write that but he never seemed to be one before. Those people were very bad and not just guys who couldn't keep it in their pants.

 

So that is the most solid source that I got the idea from, that it is pretty bad what happened.

 

Interesting because Graham has made it clear that it wasn’t criminal activity - it’s more of an issue of morals, ethics, and the type of behavior that they wouldn’t want their officials to be associate with.  So I tend to think it was closer the scenario that Meanie suggested:

 

From Evan Zinger: Any clue on whether sexual misconduct referred to workplace harassment or a consensual relationship deemed inappropriate?

Graham: I specifically didn't use the phrase "sexual misconduct" because that's a legally defined term in New York State. It's a Class-A misdemeanor, with lack of consent an express condition. The standard of "sexual misconduct" within the workplace is spelled out by company human-resources policies — if at all — and varies from employer to employer. For instance, some companies permit bosses and subordinates to have personal relationships, to date, to get married. I used the phrases "personal misconduct" and "inappropriate relationships" carefully.

I also mentioned "other job-related issues that were uncovered" in reference to discoveries the Pegulas made about Brandon's general job performance.

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by BuffaloRush

[Logic]

I know what the "worst kept secret" was...

It's a doozy. 

Are you ready?

Okay...

He eats his Snickers bar with a fork and knife.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Edited May 5, 2018 by Logic

[Paulus]

Worst kept secret?

He did interfere in on the field operations. It sucks, bc the second I bought thier lies, this happened and stories surfaced.

[BuffaloRush]

16 minutes ago, Logic said:

I know what the "worst kept secret" was...

It's a doozy. 

Are you ready?

Okay...

He eats his Snickers bar with a fork and knife.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

 

Yeah... not funny

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, MrEpsYtown said:

He says it was common knowledge among the "rank and file" people in the know. Not the general public. I suppose he feels it wasn't newsworthy to report on until this point. It would be almost inappropriate for them to report that Russ was having an inappropriate, yet consensual sexual relationship with an employee. It almost crosses into libel or defamation. Now that he has  resigned, it is newsworthy, but up until this point it really wasn't. 

I mean what more do you need to know? The dude was pounding some pvssy in the office. Not the first or the last exec to do that and get canned for it.

[3rdand12]

1 hour ago, BadLandsMeanie said:

I say that because Chuck Pollock who is a good sports writer in Olean, and a friend of Terry Pegula's, compared Brandon to Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstien, Roger Ailes, Kevin Spacey and more. People who who are criminals and who used coercion, force, or drugs to subdue people. 

 

Maybe he is just an irresponsible jackass to write that but he never seemed to be one before. Those people were very bad and not just guys who couldn't keep it in their pants.

 

So that is the most solid source that I got the idea from, that it is pretty bad what happened.

Chucks a responsible old dude as far I have been able to tell. has opinions. but no click baiting

[3rdand12]

56 minutes ago, Logic said:

I know what the "worst kept secret" was...

It's a doozy. 

Are you ready?

Okay...

He eats his Snickers bar with a fork and knife.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

he's a witch. see if she floats !
 I thought this was going to be about his panty hose fetish. Wearing them , that is.

10 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

I mean what more do you need to know? The dude was pounding some pvssy in the office. Not the first or the last exec to do that and get canned for it.

oh. just that. well let's keep moving on then.

and to our left we have the our Orangutan Cage. You will notice the males expose themselves often to the females. and on your right we have our next exhibit . Oops , this is the Russ Brandon office again.

 

[Logic]

1 hour ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Yeah... not funny

Not a Seinfeld fan, I guess? Oh well, can't please everybody.