Speculative article on friction between McDermott and Staff?

[BuffaloMatt]

1 hour ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

https://www.golongtd.com/p/it-was-a-bad-bad-situation?s=r

 

“You preach accountability,” one player said. “But you don’t practice it.”

I liked the read, but I for one couldn't say with certainty that the Bills would have one it all. I think they would have had a really good chance but they could have lost to either team. And if they lost to Cincy or the Rams the articles still would say "what if" just like the newspapers and websites were reporting in SF, GB, Tennessee and KC. Unless you win it all it's always gonna be "What if" . .. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

If true, this is about the most damning thing you can say about a leader other than incompetency.  A normal and healthy amount of friction is expected in a high pressure organization like the Bills.  But it bears watching to see if a lack of accountability is really an issue. 

 

I thought that the logical point of friction between Daboll and McDermott/Beane was the allocation of resources.  Premium draft picks and higher priced FAs flowed far more freely to the defensive side of the ball (which is McDermott’s) than the offensive side (Daboll’s).

With every head coach, doesn't matter the success, you can find a player that disliked him.

 

 

[Doc]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

One person left for a lateral move with Daboll - Bobby Johnson. The only other staff member he took Shea Tierney was a promotion from assistant QB coach to QB coach. They were also the only two offensive coaches on the staff in whose hiring Daboll had a hand. 

 

Yeah and Johnson was addition by subtraction while they replaced him and Tierney with better coaches.  

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, Doc said:

 

Yeah and Johnson was addition by subtraction while they replaced him and Tierney with better coaches.  

 

They definitely upgraded Johnson with Kromer. Have they actually replaced Tierney?

[jethro_tull]

friction good.  it is an emotional competitive high pressue game

[teef]

This is a big ole meh for me.  It does get some giddy though. 

[BarleyNY]

4 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

With every head coach, doesn't matter the success, you can find a player that disliked him.

 

 

Sure you can.  Some people don’t even like ME.  But that’s not what we’re talking about.  Accountability is. Specifically the contention that McDermott preaches it, but does not personally take it.  I’m not taking this accusation as gospel, I’m just saying that it bears watching.  Seems reasonable to me. 

[finn]

1 hour ago, HereComesTheReignAgain said:

Does anyone else find stories that are completely based on anonymous quotes really annoying?  You can say anything that you want, and simply state that you have sources that didn't want to be named.  

Yeah, but I'll take them if the alternative is nothing at all. I for one want to know there might be resentment simmering among the staff and players. Speculation is fine, too, as long as it's made clear it's just speculation. For example, I think it's plain, albeit not a "fact," that the coaches blew that game. It wasn't the players, who played their hearts out, but the coaches. And it's likely there's a connection between that failure and Heath Farwell leaving for a parallel position. After that, it's pure speculation. Did Farwell not get the message to pooch kick? Did he get it and disobey? Did he get it and botch the communication to Bass? I noticed, by the way, that while McDermott didn't throw anyone under the bus specifically, he pushed the blame away from himself with his his "communication" comment, along with the "I'm ultimately responsible" line. 

 

So, speculating: I suspect McDermott was justifiably furious at Farwell for botching the kickoff and basically fired him. And he's justifiably furious at Frazier for his utter incompetence in the ensuing 13 seconds of play. And he's probably furious at himself for all sorts of reasons (not taking strategic timeouts, not overruling Frazier, etc.). Anger is a toxic emotion. He also has to deal with his players' anger, also justifiable. You come all this way and the coaches blow it? My worry is that he's ignoring the anger, clapping his way through it, so to speak. To be fair, it's a very difficult situation to handle. I would vote for complete candor: put it all out there and talk through it. I don't think that's McDermott's way. But that's just speculation.

[noacls]

44 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

So let's just follow this to its conclusion.  If McDermott says that, then the X's and O's squad will be breaking down role/responsibilities for that call and looking at which players did or did not execute those responsibilities.  It will end by fingering specific players - which is something McDermott seems to want to avoid.

 

And given that we know players who got key penalties or visibly missed a block or the like in a playoff loss have LITERALLY GOTTEN DEATH THREATS from fans, I'm with McD here.

Link?

[MJS]

1 hour ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

https://www.golongtd.com/p/it-was-a-bad-bad-situation?s=r

 

“You preach accountability,” one player said. “But you don’t practice it.”

So if they interviewed a bunch of players, why did they only include this one, single quote about this?

 

Seems like they got one player to say what they wanted and then filled the rest of the article with speculation.

[LABILLBACKER]

31 minutes ago, Lake Ontario said:

Is it true Bass posted a video of himself squib kicking a day or few days after the game?  I didn't know that.  1. I'm sure it pissed off McDermott who wanted this locked down.  2. On the surface you have to accept that means he wasn't asked to kick it short.  That's a surprise to me.  I think if it was 100% on McD (the kick) he would own it.  Seems possible the ST coach either blew the communication or overruled the HC.

His idea of owning it is repeating the same tired cliche.  "It starts with me and execution".  At this point I don't care anymore. It's not going to bring back 13 seconds. The players know there were coaching mistakes and all we can do now is hope they don't repeat?

[billsfan_34]

Oh it is definitely the off season 🤣

[BuffaloBillyG]

5 minutes ago, MJS said:

So if they interviewed a bunch of players, why did they only include this one, single quote about this?

 

Seems like they got one player to say what they wanted and then filled the rest of the article with speculation.

The unintentionally hilarious part of all this is how the whole thought process plays out. 

 

"McD preaches accountability, but doesn't practice it so I'm gonna be critical of that. But also, keep my name out of it because I don't want to be accountable for what I'm saying".

[BillsVet]

55 minutes ago, Rico said:

Can’t trust a total hack like Tyler Dunne to not make things up for hits to his website. Maybe Whaley was his source again.

 

When does the next Sammy Watkins puff piece drop?  LOL

 

36 minutes ago, Beast said:

Did anyone really jump ship with Daboll?

 

I think this is a nothing story.

 

Coaches not leaving doesn't mean there aren't issues.  If players are under contract and frustrated with the HC, that'd have nothing to do with what's going on. 

The NFL coaching fraternity talks among themselves and it's plausible that current and former coaches have made it known there's friction.  How much is another question. 

[GoBills808]

11 minutes ago, MJS said:

So if they interviewed a bunch of players, why did they only include this one, single quote about this?

 

Seems like they got one player to say what they wanted and then filled the rest of the article with speculation.

It very much reads to me as the one single even slightly controversial thing said over the course of an entire interview…and then making that the focus of your article.

[muppy]

1 hour ago, Stank_Nasty said:

so another way of saying this that would make it a non-story is "insiders confirm theres a normal and healthy amount of friction amongst staff".... got it. moving on.

I haven't read all the replies posted so pardon if this was already stated. This article screams click bait to me ....he throws the  "juicy provocative lure"..in the offseason...after the horrific 13 seconds that will  be bantered about until  the end of time. ......stir that pot Yo..

 

pfft. The process means unity and focus to win not always agreeing.......what kind of kiss *** organization That would be ya know? Im agreeing this post is a big yawner .......

 

as far as McDermott is concerned he takes full responsibility in the media for what happened..He either learns from past mistakes and keeps it moving forward or Fails and we all suffer. I obviously hope for the former.

[Cray51]

I read the article from Dunne - it screams of little child syndrome more than anything.  McD took accountability for the choke job in the playoffs several times both immediately after and weeks after the game.  What more accountability does someone realistically expect?  Do we want him to go second by second pointing fingers at everyone/anyone who may have played a part in the breakdown?  Let's live in reality here.

 

When you write lines like "You can't clap your way through this loss" I dont really know how you can be taken seriously.  It's fandom writing and not journalism.

[Doc]

42 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

They definitely upgraded Johnson with Kromer. Have they actually replaced Tierney?

 

I meant versus Tierney being the QB coach in Buffalo.  I don't think they've hired an assistant QB coach yet.  They may not.

[Mr. WEO]

1 hour ago, SWATeam said:

I've basically seen all of McD's interviews since then.  He includes himself in the failed execution and never once has named anyone else.

 

Coaches don't execute plays.

[Dr. K]

33 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

It very much reads to me as the one single even slightly controversial thing said over the course of an entire interview…and then making that the focus of your article.

One of the quotes that article cites is a player saying "You don't get over a game like that."

 

Duh. No kidding Sherlock. 

 

This quote says nothing about McDermott or anybody else. The writer just sticks it into his innuendo so that in that context it LOOKS LIKE it supports his implications about McDermott. That's what I mean when I say this is written like a 1956 Hollywood Confidential gossip column. It's adolescent BS pretending to be journalism. 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Dr. K