Whaley interviewing for Steelers GM

[Tulsabillsfanz]

I have an overall negative opinion of Whaley’s tenure as GM.  It might be that Beane has been so good, that Whaley looks very bad in comparison.
 

 BTW, I was just watching the NCAA tournament game being played tonight in Buffalo. When the TV cameras spotted Beane in the stands & his face apparently went up on the big screen, the crowd roared, with some fans giving him a standing ovation.  I just don’t think the reaction to Whaley on the big screen would’ve ever been like that when Whaley was GM. 

[YoloinOhio]

3 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

Well he did pick Tre

(or did he?)

Sean

[MrEpsYtown]

36 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Well I was trying to give Whaley credit for something....

In my mind he is responsible for the Marronne years drafts. Robert Woods, Kiko Alonso, Nikell Robey, Sammy Watkins 🤮, Ronald Darby. Those three drafts. After that, Rex was really in control. 

[JohnNord]

46 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

But if Whaley gets a job, then who will be Tyler Dunne's anonymous source to ***** on the Bills for literally anything they do?

I don’t think Whaley was his source on any articles recently.  He’s been out of the NFL since 2017

[Bruffalo]

2 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

I don’t think Whaley was his source on any articles recently.  He’s been out of the NFL since 2017

I know, just joking, Whaley is still really salty about it though if you listen to even recent interviews.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

5 hours ago, somnus00 said:

Not a popular opinion here, but I liked Whaley. Ialways felt that he was in a terrible position here. Meddling owner, had Nix as a weird co-GM/boss/mentor hybrid. Russ Brandon 'nuff said. Then he had Rex shoved down his throat.

 

I'm not saying he would've been great. But he certainly wasn't given a real shot.

 

Completely agree. Sounds like he wasn't in favor of Rex and not sure he really wanted Marrone either.  Not sure I'd blame RW much though as by the time Whaley arrived RW had kind of turned everything over to Russ Brandon, which there lies the problem.

 

Do think Whaleys problem was he wasn't forceful enough, when Marrone and Rex was pushed by Brandon, he didn't scream NO loud enough, he just would go along with everything.

[Helpmenow]

whaley still sitting with Murray at the Bar

[The Dean]

5 hours ago, Maybe Someday said:

If he’s grown a backbone he could be a halfway decent GM. Chances that has happened?  

 

I'm pretty certain none of us know the details/nitty gritty of exactly who was making any particular decision back then.  But your take is pretty much mine, as well. I don't believe he ever wielded full GM power, or anything close.

 

It seems as though he was pretty passive in accepting that role. If all that is true (who knows?) does that seem like one of the qualities you want in a GM?

 

I suspect some organizations are looking for a malleable candidate. 

[Ross Murdock]

His ridiculous Watkins trade should have consigned him to Walmart greeter for life.  

[JohnNord]

47 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

Completely agree. Sounds like he wasn't in favor of Rex and not sure he really wanted Marrone either.  Not sure I'd blame RW much though as by the time Whaley arrived RW had kind of turned everything over to Russ Brandon, which there lies the problem.

 

Do think Whaleys problem was he wasn't forceful enough, when Marrone and Rex was pushed by Brandon, he didn't scream NO loud enough, he just would go along with everything.

It’s amazing how many people are giving Whaley a pass for not doing his job.  I will never understand why so many make excuses for him.  He wasn’t THE only problem…but he was part of the problem at OBD

7 minutes ago, Ross Murdock said:

His ridiculous Watkins trade should have consigned him to Walmart greeter for life.  

That trade is exactly why never should have never been a GM in the first place.  He tried to make a big move to impress the new owners and to help save his failed QB in EJ Manuel.  
 

Many outside of Buffalo laughed at his gamble and rightfully so.  

1 hour ago, MrEpsYtown said:

In my mind he is responsible for the Marronne years drafts. Robert Woods, Kiko Alonso, Nikell Robey, Sammy Watkins 🤮, Ronald Darby. Those three drafts. After that, Rex was really in control. 

This is hardly a stellar draft resume.

[BullBuchanan]

5 hours ago, JohnNord said:

So you say his strength is the draft and then admit most of his picks didn’t turn out to be great players? 

Nope. That couldn't be further from what i said.

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

 

That trade is exactly why never should have never been a GM in the first place.  He tried to make a big move to impress the new owners and to help save his failed QB in EJ Manuel.  
 

Many outside of Buffalo laughed at his gamble and rightfully so.  

This is hardly a stellar draft resume.

None of that happened. Like literally none of it.

[Buftex]

8 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

I didn't mind some of the moves he made, but he wasn't as consistent or methodical as Beane. Didn't care for his personality at times, wither. Still seems like a good fit for Pittsburgh.

 

That Hughes trade was righteous.

He wasn't consistent, because ownership never gave him the authority that he should have had to be an effective GM. Doug Marrone was not his choice as head coach, and then he had the buffoon Rex Ryan foisted upon him.  He was put in an "end the drought now" position, without a QB. And, as much as I didn't really like Marrone, they were on the verge of breaking through, I think.  Then Marrone quit, the Pegulas hired Rex (Whaley did not want him) and they basically tore apart a very good defense (the strength of the team when Ryan took over),and had to start from scratch. Ryan was the de-facto GM.  He was a fool.  Whaley didn't get the support from either owner that he should have, in my opinion.  His last year, with McDermott, everyone know the coach was calling the shots. There were stories, even at the time of his last drat in 2018, that Whaley wanted to draft Mahomes.  

 

People criticizing his public speaking, I think, are mistaking his awkward speaking as poor communication...but I think it was the result of somebody having to say things he knew weren't necessarily true or accurate, to hide the franchise dysfunction.  He was doing what a lot of sports people do, trying to sound like he is saying something, without saying anything.  It's not a great position to be in.  Thank god the owners got things right with the Bills (and, maybe, finally with the Sabres?), but their inexperience with the league really showed through early on.

 

Beane is great with the media, and seems very honest... he sounds like a guy who has all the confidence in the world that ownership is behind him...and why wouldn't they be.  You just can't understate the relationship between the owner, GM and head coach being on the same page.  Whaley never had that luxury.

 

I really hope he gets the job, because I am really curious as to how he will do with good ownership. If he is terrible, at least it won't be on the Bills dime.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Buftex

[LeGOATski]

40 minutes ago, Buftex said:

He wasn't consistent, because ownership never gave him the authority that he should have had to be an effective GM. Doug Marrone was not his choice as head coach, and then he had the buffoon Rex Ryan foisted upon him.  He was put in an "end the drought now" position, without a QB. And, as much as I didn't really like Marrone, they were on the verge of breaking through, I think.  Then Marrone quit, the Pegulas hired Rex (Whaley did not want him) and they basically tore apart a very good defense (the strength of the team when Ryan took over),and had to start from scratch. Ryan was the de-facto GM.  He was a fool.  Whaley didn't get the support from either owner that he should have, in my opinion.  His last year, with McDermott, everyone know the coach was calling the shots. There were stories, even at the time of his last drat in 2018, that Whaley wanted to draft Mahomes.  

 

People criticizing his public speaking, I think, are mistaking his awkward speaking as poor communication...but I think it was the result of somebody having to say things he knew weren't necessarily true or accurate, to hide the franchise dysfunction.  He was doing what a lot of sports people do, trying to sound like he is saying something, without saying anything.  It's not a great position to be in.  Thank god the owners got things right with the Bills (and, maybe, finally with the Sabres?), but their inexperience with the league really showed through early on.

 

Beane is great with the media, and seems very honest... he sounds like a guy who has all the confidence in the world that ownership is behind him...and why wouldn't they be.  You just can't understate the relationship between the owner, GM and head coach being on the same page.  Whaley never had that luxury.

 

I really hope he gets the job, because I am really curious as to how he will do with good ownership. If he is terrible, at least it won't be on the Bills dime.

You're not wrong, but we can't disregard his inability to take control over his situation in Buffalo. If he was completely helpless like you say, then that in itself is a problem with him as a leader.

[Buftex]

1 minute ago, LeGOATski said:

You're not wrong, but we can't disregard his inability to take control over his situation in Buffalo. If he was completely helpless like you say, then that in itself is a problem with him as a leader.

Yeah, but he is still an employee...gotta make the boss happy, or be an ex-employee

[Richard Noggin]

I'll never forget watching Whaley, upstairs at Tempo, physically mocking Trent Richardson's footwork to the delight of Shady McCoy and others. This was probably right after the Bills acquired McCoy (every big trade, signing, or impactful development resulted in a private function upstairs at Tempo during Russ Brandon's executive tenure). Whaley really hammed it up, pantomiming taking the handoff whilst stomping out like 5 or 6 heavy, unnecessary back-and-forth steps before moving forward at all. 

 

I mean, he wasn't wrong in his talent evaluation in this case. At all. But in such an interconnected league, where word of that kind of disrespect (albeit hilarious and accurate) from an NFL exec probably spiderwebs outward through player and agent backchannels like so much gossip...damages the credibility/professionalism of Whaley and the Bills in league circles. 

[GunnerBill]

10 hours ago, Limeaid said:

He likely would do a better job than Jerry Reese (Giants) and Rick Spielman (Vikings) but again would need help with the speaking portion.

 

On Reese, agreed, but Rick Spielman was a darn good GM in Minnesota. I get why they decided it was time for a change after a decade but when you look at the list of guys he drafted it is pretty impressive. 

[purple haze]

5 hours ago, The Dean said:

 

I'm pretty certain none of us know the details/nitty gritty of exactly who was making any particular decision back then.  But your take is pretty much mine, as well. I don't believe he ever wielded full GM power, or anything close.

 

It seems as though he was pretty passive in accepting that role. If all that is true (who knows?) does that seem like one of the qualities you want in a GM?

 

I suspect some organizations are looking for a malleable candidate. 

That was the chance he had to be a GM.  He tried to make it work with the constraints involved.   The organization was dysfunctional in those years, in general.   I don’t think Whaley ever had full autonomy.    
 

He has ability to identify talent.  The media part he did not excel in.  Speaking in front of cameras and microphones is not natural.   It’s a skill.  He works on radio these days so maybe he’d be better at that the next go around.

[Big Turk]

14 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

 

Whaley worked for the Steelers for 10 years rising to be a pro personnel coordinator before accepting the Buffalo Bills job as Assistant general manager.

He is familiar with organization which is advantage to him. 

 

He unfortunately is a poor public speaker and should (already should have) lessons to help him.

He would be better as an assistant rather than "face" of franchise.

If he is smart he will not rule out being part of staff if he does not get GM role.

 

Whaley reminds me a lot of Spelman Boyle from the TV series Limitless

[Billzgobowlin]

14 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

This is a weird comparison. I think WFT would do it again in a heartbeat, regardless of how Beane reacted. It's just how they're run.

 

Hands down, Beane is a much better leader. I agree with the previous poster, Whaley was a great talent evaluator, but struggled with every other aspect of GMing.

I'm not sure if I agree or disagree with that statement.  He thought Watkins would be good, which I would say he is but he overvalued him by trading a lot for him and not getting much return.  I think he can see talent but tends to overrate talent for the compensation.  I think we can all agree Whaley's marque move was trading for McCoy and that he didn't even initiate.  Scout? Yes, Director of personnel? Maybe.  GM?  I would hope not.  

[PonyBoy]

15 hours ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

He’s swroous, alright. 

 

To quote the famous John McEnroe " Surely you can't be Swroous"!!