What I do now If I am Pegula

[BarleyNY]

3 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

Blow up everything and hand it to the OC after 2 games with zero playoff experience?  

What could go wrong?

 

Did you actually read my post? That literally is the reason I said it is unlikely a realistic option. Still, if I were the owner then I’d have a good read on Brady and would have a good opinion on whether he’d be up to it. Still, it’s a very tall task. 

 

Ofc we already know exactly what will go wrong if we stick with McDermott. So there’s that. 

[Bruffalo]

2 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

Everything good = Beane

Everything bad = McDermott

 

Solid thinking, bro.  Beane has never made a bad move

Way to put words in my mouth and come out of the gate aggressive. Great conversation starter, bro. 

 

You think that if we have an offensive head coach we still go Boogie Basham over Creed Humphrey? I kind of doubt it. 

 

Beane is a decent GM, who has focused on signing/drafting defensive players because that's what the head coach wants and believes will make the team successful.  It's not a crazy concept. 

 

[mannc]

I no longer live in WNY, so I don’t have my finger on the pulse of the organization like others do who are exposed to the local media on a daily basis, but from my vantage point it seems like Pegula-land is in disarray. Terry rarely speaks to the media and when he does, it’s usually pretty bad.  Kim’s mysterious illness has been handled in an utterly bizzare fashion, etc.  And it’s not at all clear what the command structure is within the organization…does Beane report to McDermott?  Which one has Terry’s ear?  If my perception of the organization is correct, I think it’s unlikely McDermott gets canned, even though he richly deserves it. I just think it would be too heavy of a lift for this operation.  Much more likely that they just ride it out and see what happens next year.

[T.E.]

I like the basic idea of the plan, but this is something that takes months to implement, not a few days.

[FilthyBeast]

I'll expand on what I just said in another thread, but maybe instead of getting fired the Pegula's and McDummy agree to a mutual separation (i.e. resigning) in which he can still collect some money but not the full remainder of his contract.

 

Obviously we don't know the specifics of the contract extension he just signed but maybe there's an out in there for both sides and would look better on paper for McD similar to the whole sham with Frazier deciding to 'take a year off'.

[Ray Stonada]

I thought about making Brady the interim coach too, but it's just too rash to me when playoff chances are alive.

 

Maybe you could try it if we lose to KC and Dallas, and sit at 6-8?

 

You'd need to add a defensive coordinator. 

[BuffaloBillyG]

44 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

He wants to fill the new stadium. Raised ticket prices and PSL fees with a declining team is not a winning formula. If anything, that will be the reason Pegula puts pressure on McDermott and Beane to fix this.

Wholeheartedly agree. Which IMO leads to him NOT getting rid of McDermott this year and waiting until next if he falters again. Then he can sell PSLs off the hope a new coach will bring exciting new results. March in a whole new era so to speak. 

[LabattBlue]

There is 0.0% chance McDummy is fired in season, and less than 5% chance he is fired after the season.  I think Pegula views him as his version of Tomlin who provides leadership, stability, blah blah blah….

[May Day 10]

If I am Pegula, I might do some of the things in the OP.  I would already be conducting an extensive search for an innovative offensive-minded up-and-coming coach, enlisting the help of industry experts.  I would be monitoring the current team and McDermott though.  They way they are playing lately is a definite plus for McDermott staying.  I would also probably have very confidential talks with Beane and Allen about coaching and the path forward.

 

However, Pegula has never done anything the way I would have done it.  After his horrific struggles with Sabres ownership, I had figured he would have a team of people advising him through the Bills purchase and there would be a major overhaul.  Instead Russ Brandon "impressed" him and he was elevated to continue running the franchise.  He has resisted getting experienced help on the hockey side since day 1.  

 

My guess is that McDermott is very safe, as long as the team doesn't quit over the next 5 games, the franchise gets embarrassed, and Pegula's hand is forced.  To be honest, with Pegula's overall track record, I don't trust him to do any better than McDermott.

Edited November 28, 2023 by May Day 10

[margolbe]

1 hour ago, Bruffalo said:

Way to put words in my mouth and come out of the gate aggressive. Great conversation starter, bro. 

 

You think that if we have an offensive head coach we still go Boogie Basham over Creed Humphrey? I kind of doubt it. 

 

Beane is a decent GM, who has focused on signing/drafting defensive players because that's what the head coach wants and believes will make the team successful.  It's not a crazy concept. 

 

This makes a lot of sense.   He is constantly trying to get players who fit into McD's scheme.  Priorities would change with an offensively minded head coach, which is what we really need.

[CincyBillsFan]

1 hour ago, BarleyNY said:

My only decision is whether I'd wait until the off-season to make a change at HC. I think today would be better as it would give the team a chance to win this season, but McDermott has gotten rid of every coordinator with the experience to become interim HC. If I thought that Joe Brady was up to it I'd pull the trigger now, but I doubt that is the case. So it is likely I'd have to wait until the offseason to find my new HC. I'd let him decide what to do at GM.

Pegula should wait until after the season to remove McD.  There is value in giving McD one last chance to save his job.  If McD can rally the team and lead them to the playoffs by winning 4 or 5 of the remaining games then it would be hard to fire him.   I don't think this has a snowballs chance in hell of happening but to prospective new coaches it will be a real selling point that Pegula treated McD as a professional and gave him a legit chance to keep his job.  Compared to the chaos of the Raiders or Panthers this would be a huge selling point for the Bills.

 

 

[RyanC883]

this is not a bad plan, but I would have canned McD on Monday.  Meet with the players and thank then for their hard work, and let them know we will be letting them, not the coaches, dictate the outcome of the game.  Let them know that I will be doing everything I can to put them in a position for success, and not being scared of them making mistakes by refusing to play to the end of regulation, and burning TOs prior.  

 

I then make Brady the interim HC/OC, and Babbich (who Milano has called the best coach he's had) the DC.  Let's see if they turn this around.  If not, new HC at end of year.  

 

I keep Bean for the reasons the OP mentioned.  

51 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

There is 0.0% chance McDummy is fired in season, and less than 5% chance he is fired after the season.  I think Pegula views him as his version of Tomlin who provides leadership, stability, blah blah blah….

 

at least Tomlin and Ben won a SB by now in their tenure.  Plus, they likely would have won 3 at least if not for the cheating Pats.  

[Dillenger4]

2 hours ago, Ray Stonada said:

What would you do, if you were Terry or Kim Pegula, the Bills (for the Sabres, I have no clue)?

 

Curious to hear.

 

For me, number one, take advantage of the bye: this week, I call McDermott and Beane separately into my office. I have a consultant with me who is ready to present them with the numbers on the late-game and overtime collapses from the 2019 playoffs to now, and where this ranks among NFL teams (it may well be dead last over that time). The consultant will have also ran the numbers on other top coaches' records in similar situations (tied or within one-score in the fourth quarter). 

 

Say that our goal is to being a Super Bowl victory to Buffalo, and that their progress so far has peaked in 2020 with the AFC title game appearance, and gone in reverse each season since--with the exception of the 2021 playoffs where we looked unstoppable but for another defensive collapse against Kansas City. 

 

Ask each (again, separately) why they think these issues are happening. Is it that our players are at fault? Is it that the players are tired, that they're not prepared, or they are not executing the plan? Or is the plan itself not right? Is it end-game strategy, and game management?

 

Having heard their diagnosis, I ask what their plan to stop these collapses from happening is.

 

I ask each if the other is currently up to the task of fixing this.

 

If McDermott and Beane are on the same page, I ask the consultant to gather a group of advisors (drawn from high level NFL ex coaches, players, and GMs) to give us advice on their diagnosis and their plans to fix it. And we empower them to put that plan into place, NEXT WEEK. 

 

That's the best chance I can imagine giving them to stop this insanity.

 

If they can't, then we don't make the playoffs, and I am interviewing new head coaches in January, and getting rid of McDermott.

 

Beane gets to meet the new head coach and see if there is a fit between them. To my mind, Beane has done the job lately... From the 2023 draft, Kincaid and O'Torrence look good, Dorian Williams is promising. In 2022, Beane picked Cook, Terrell Bernard, Khalil Shakir, and Christian Benford. He finds good veterans, like Daquan Jones, Leonard Floyd, Rasul Douglas and Linval Joseph. Where he could improve is finding real STARS, not just good NFL starters. Whether Beane stays will depend on how he reacts to the new head coach.

 

Essentially, if I owned the team I would not be firing McDermott till the end of the year. But I would doing investigation of whether he is capable of fixing this. (I have my doubts.)

 

Cool story bra! I see you work at a Pot shop.

[CaptnCoke11]

I think he’ll get next year for sure.  I can’t see Terry wanting to make a change after just extending him a new contract.  

[Don Otreply]

1 hour ago, CodeMonkey said:

Sell both teams to Taylor Swift.  It's the only hope.

She is only worth a smidge over one billion, she can’t afford either, 😁👍

[RoyBatty is alive]

Stay the course, keep continuity, dont jump from coach to coach because you hit a dry spell which will ALWAYS happen and staying the course is exactly what will happen.

[Albany,n.y.]

Terry should tell everyone: "McDermott is my coach, this season, next season and the season after that, and if you don't like it, you can get out of town."  

[Nephilim17]

I hope Pegula can bring in an experienced third-party advisor but I fear he will not (or doesn't know where to turn).

Just my gut feeling, but he looks a big like a pushover when it comes to things he doesn't know well (like football NOT oil) and I bet McChoke has him buying the whole stability/we're very close narrative...

[SCBills]

I think you give McDermott the season, but at the same time.. if we come out of the bye and lose to KC with our Offense looking like it has under Joe Brady but more Defense/Coaching blunders hold us back... man.... I'm getting real close to Joe Brady Interim HC territory to see what he can do leading a team before we open a full blown search for a new HC.  

[T.E.]

1 hour ago, FilthyBeast said:

I'll expand on what I just said in another thread, but maybe instead of getting fired the Pegula's and McDummy agree to a mutual separation (i.e. resigning) in which he can still collect some money but not the full remainder of his contract.

 

Obviously we don't know the specifics of the contract extension he just signed but maybe there's an out in there for both sides and would look better on paper for McD similar to the whole sham with Frazier deciding to 'take a year off'.

What incentive would McD have to do this? If he's fired, they have to pay him the remainder of his current deal.