Will Wolford: 1986 Bills Tanked in Week 9 To Get Hank Bullough Fired

[FLFan]

23 minutes ago, vincec said:

But it only lasted a few years. The drought on the other hand...

Yes, the drought was sole draining, but I have heard many people around here describe Bills teams during that time, including last year, in ways that would indicate some horror show.  My response - not even close.  The only team I have seen perform worse over the last 30 years is the Browns under Hue Jackson.  Talk about sole draining.  ?

[dezertbill]

I met Kent Hull in a hotel bar in Vegas one night.  Nicest guy in the world. 

[Tcali]

1 hour ago, Albany,n.y. said:

Years ago I heard an interview with Fred Smerlas (who hates Bullough and calls him "brain cell" because according to Fred, he only has one brain cell) and he said the same thing about players telling the other ones they'd kill them if they made a tackle.  If I recall correctly, Freddie attributed the threats to Bruce Smith.  

i never heard this....but i believe you 

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

The Bills have made a lot of bad hires. They hired John Rauch from Oakland and then he proceeded to use OJ as a decoy. He lasted one year. 

that was unforgivable

[vincec]

1 hour ago, FLFan said:

Yes, the drought was sole draining, but I have heard many people around here describe Bills teams during that time, including last year, in ways that would indicate some horror show.  My response - not even close.  The only team I have seen perform worse over the last 30 years is the Browns under Hue Jackson.  Talk about sole draining.  ?

I don't know. I was there too and it really wasn't that bad. Playoffs in 1981 and .500 in 1982 and 1983. They drafted Jim Kelly and Darryl Talley in 1983 and Bruce Smith and Andre Reed in 1985 so there were things to get excited about even in those brutal years of 1984 to 1986. By 1987 the were on the ascent big time. It was over in a flash. By comparison, the Dick Jauron years seemed like never ending mediocrity with no end in sight.

Edited March 30, 2019 by vincec

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

2 hours ago, BillyWhiteShows said:

According to Wolford, the culture of the Bills under Bullough was very "North Dallas 40-like" in 1986.  He claims players were smoking cigarettes at halftime and drinking cases of beer in the locker room. 

 

Ahhhh. The good old days.  

 

[BADOLBILZ]

9 minutes ago, vincec said:

I don't know. I was there too and it really wasn't that bad. Playoffs in 1981 and .500 in 1982 and 1983. They drafted Jim Kelly and Darryl Talley in 1983 and Bruce Smith and Andre Reed in 1985 so there were things to get excited about even in those brutal years of 1984 to 1986. By 1987 the were on the ascent big time. It was over in a flash. By comparison, the Dick Jauron years seemed like never ending mediocrity with no end in sight.

 

When people are young they perceive time to pass more slowly so bad seasons seem interminable as a kid/young adult...........as you age it passes progressively quicker and the seasons seem subsequently less painful.......hence the people here now recalling that relatively brief time between the early 80's Bills and late 80's Bills as so long and tragic...........and compare it to the Bills current 19 year run of never being in contention for a division title let alone a SB.

 

It's not even close.........the 2000's Bills are by far the low point of the franchise.

 

I honestly feel awful for fans who didn't at least go thru the 90's as a Bills fan.........it's been a sh*tshow on the field but at least there is the gallows humor.

[BobbyC81]

8 hours ago, K-9 said:

Yep. The players took the sails right out of Bullough’s wind. It’s old news though. Years ago Smerlas recounted stories of how he and other vets threatened younger players if they made a good play.

 

Didn’t he also say something like “putting a sweater over their head” instead of “pulling the wool over their eyes”?

[Chandler#81]

Dispelling this narrative -which I’ve heard before, is the way the game WAS played, and I remember it well. We were certainly the underdogs, but we played with a heart and determination not seen in a few years. ‘86 was the USFL’s (Trump?) gift to pro football with the influx of star talent which had abandoned the League. With virtually no fanfare, Kent Hull, Tremaine Johnson, Scott Norwood and a couple defensive stars (Radicik, Kelso) also joined the Bills from the USFL ashes. 

Simply put, the game was fascinating! Kelly was already entrenched as “God” after the Opener vs NYJ and jaw-dropping passes @ Cinci. Robb Riddick was a stud RB, starting for an injured Greg Bell, despite breaking his left arm a week earlier. He played with a full cast on it, yet ran with authority and even caught passes! Crazy turnovers, ping pong ball passes and special teams plays hi-lighted an unexpected chance for a road victory. The game came down to the last drive, trailing by 4. Kelly would foretell the next 9 seasons by taking the opportunity and seizing the moment, virtually willing the team down the field as the clocked ticked away. WNY was on their toes, fingers crossed and oblivious to the world around them as we watched “God” perform like nothing we’d ever seen before. Final play, 2 seconds left, we’re at the TB 4 yard line. Kelly -under immediate duress- stood tall and slung a laser to Riddick just inside the goal line..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the ball bounced off his cast, incomplete.

 

Kelly lay prone, face down at the 6 yard line for what seemed an eternity. Crushing!

 

So, to the OP’s retelling of the oft heard narrative, regardless of veteran threats, the New Bills team fought like hell to win this and every game they played for the next decade plus. That we beat the Steelers in our next game (with Levy as new HC) wasn’t as shocking as the pundits claimed and had little to do with Marv. A new team was born that year.

[298Woody]

10 hours ago, BillyWhiteShows said:

 

I don't know about Bruce, because at the time Bruce would have been a 2nd year player.  In the interview Wolford says "some of the veteran players."  Not sure you'd put Bruce in that category after 1 season. 

 

When I hear "veteran players" I think of Fred or Eugene marve....but who knows?

Worse that Stephenson?  He won about two more games that Kay in about the same amount of time.  Though Stephenson did win 8 games his first year

Hank was brutal to Bruce Smith when he was here, I remember quotes about how fat and out of shape he was. I don't know if it because of him but Smith turned it around and became a beast and never looked back. He probably hated Hank but maybe should thank him as well.

 

[machine gun kelly]

10 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Sounds like Smerlas and Haslett.  Those 2 were clowns.  Their radio show was comedy gold and I don’t think they even it meant it to be.  They were just buffoons.  I know Haslett broke his leg in the preseason but he was still around the team.  

 

As I’m reading this thread, I was thinking the same.  Who cares though?  It was in the 80’s and Ralph made the biggest mistake not staying out of the way of Knox.  He turned this team around and won against the Dolphins for the first time in 10 years and had a terrific resume turning around the Rams.

 

Then Mr. Wilson in his infinite wisdom fires the best coach we had since Saban.  

[mannc]

11 hours ago, BillyWhiteShows said:

I've never heard former Bills RT Will Wolford give an interview before, but man he was pretty good.  You can hear him in this podcast below (Moranalytics Podcast) and he shares a story that I've never heard of.   So Kay Stephenson was "Hue Jackson bad" in his final two years (2-18 in his last 20 games) as head coach, it prompted Ralph to fire him in Week 5 of the 1985 season.   Ralph replaced Kay with Hank Bullough the team's Defensive Coordinator.... who was also a bad head coach (4-17 record).

 

According to Wolford, the culture of the Bills under Bullough was very "North Dallas 40-like" in 1986.  He claims players were smoking cigarettes at halftime and drinking cases of beer in the locker room.  People wouldn't believe how negative the atmosphere was in Buffalo and that everyone was out for themselves. 

 

Wolford claims in his rookie season of 1986, that there were a lot lot of veterans who did not like Hank Bullough as head coach.  When the Bills played Tampa Bay in Week 9, they heard a rumor that if the Bills lost to Tampa Bullough would get fired.  He said that the veterans threatened players if they played well and that the team went out and "lost on purpose."  Sure enough the next week coach Bullough was fired and Marv was brought in.

 

Will does say that Marv changed the culture around and that the addition of Jim Kelly helped as well.

 

So I wasn't following the Bills in 1985 or 1986.  Can anyone say whether this seems plausible?  I've never heard this rumor before but it sounds crazy!

 

Hear for yourself....the Bullough talk starts at the 20 minute mark.  This is a real good interview

 

http://moranalytics.com/ep-105-will-wolford-former-buffalo-bills-great/

I lived in Buffalo then and I don’t remember hearing that, but Wolford is a very credible guy.  If he said that, I believe it.  I do remember that Bullough was a clown and fully deserved to be fired, though.

[mannc]

10 hours ago, JohnC said:

The Bills have made a lot of bad hires. They hired John Rauch from Oakland and then he proceeded to use OJ as a decoy. He lasted one year. 

Actually, “Johnny” Rauch somehow lasted two seasons.  He was succeeded by Harvey Johnson, though, who also felt O.J. was best utilized as a decoy.  He was one-and-done.

[BillyWhiteShows]

7 minutes ago, mannc said:

I lived in Buffalo then and I don’t remember hearing that, but Wolford is a very credible guy.  If he said that, I believe it.  I do remember that Bullough was a clown and fully deserved to be fired, though.

NY Upstate actually reported on it:

 

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2019/03/losing-for-levy-how-throwing-game-led-to-buffalo-bills-hiring-hof-coach.html

[mannc]

1 minute ago, BillyWhiteShows said:

NY Upstate actually reported on it:

 

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/2019/03/losing-for-levy-how-throwing-game-led-to-buffalo-bills-hiring-hof-coach.html

I remember one of my friends at the time actually played for Marv in KC.  He liked him but did not think he would succeed in Buffalo.  Too conservative.

[Steve O]

12 hours ago, Albany,n.y. said:

Years ago I heard an interview with Fred Smerlas (who hates Bullough and calls him "brain cell" because according to Fred, he only has one brain cell) and he said the same thing about players telling the other ones they'd kill them if they made a tackle.  If I recall correctly, Freddie attributed the threats to Bruce Smith.  

This is exactly as I recall it

Edited March 30, 2019 by Steve O

[plenzmd1]

11 hours ago, bilzfancy said:

The Bills were so bad in those days, I had seasons and sometimes there would be 20,000 fans at the stadium, and Bullough was the reason why, maybe the worst HC the Bills ever had, so I can definitely believe this. 

 Not sometimes 20k, every game besides the opener had 20k

11 hours ago, Helpmenow said:

Matt’s beer ball in the lockeroom.

Late 70s we would bring one of those into games ...just had to have a ticket for it!

[JMF2006]

Thankfully I was living half way across Canada back then in Winterpeg Manitoba.

 

The Bills were bad and there wasn't much coverage and no TV games only the game recap/stat line in the sports section.

 

I loved my job but I missed living in Niagara Falls and going to see the Bills play at Rich.

 

Kay and Hank were definitely a low point in BB history. 

[JohnC]

47 minutes ago, mannc said:

Actually, “Johnny” Rauch somehow lasted two seasons.  He was succeeded by Harvey Johnson, though, who also felt O.J. was best utilized as a decoy.  He was one-and-done.

I stand corrected. Thank you. The prevailing history of mediocrity is directly related to the incompetent people who were hired. 

[Steve O]

28 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

 Not sometimes 20k, every game besides the opener had 20k

 

This is when "the wave" was starting to catch on. I remember NFL highlights showing the wave in Chicago" and showing 65,000 people doing it. Then they switched to the wave in Buffalo, and two people were doing it.?

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

29 minutes ago, JMF2006 said:

Kay and Hank were definitely a low point in BB history. 

Stephenson always found a way to complement the team for its ‘character’ after a loss, whereas Bullough was just a buffoon.