Tyler Dunne story on McDermott - 3 parts, 25 interviews, one damning conclusion

[Alphadawg7]

14 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

I've said this for several years. You can be a high character guy, yet still be incredibly stupid. And unfortunately for our team, that's where McDermott falls.  Nice guy who makes stupid decisions late in games.  You're not winning SB's with that combination. 

I don’t disagree with this, except I would argue we still can win a SB with him.  Worse HC’s and worse teams have won SBs.  But it would be nice if he at least reduced some of these late dumb decisions like the timeout at end of Philly game.  He may still make that kick regardless, but to make it easier was about as stupid as it gets. 

[Jauronimo]

McDermott was added to the no fly list this morning.  That is going to present some really interesting logistical problems.

[BillsPride12]

31 minutes ago, Rico said:

This HACK is no Sully.

No way Sully would rely on a clown like Doug Whaley for his material.

You know this whole thing is a complete mess when people are praising the work of Jerry Sullivan 🤣

[hondo in seattle]

2 hours ago, wettlaufer said:

 

It's lightly sarcastic. Sorry, I didn't know you are so fragile.

 

The one quote you chose is about accountability. McD took none after 13 seconds and he's been replaying that evasion since.

 

I was pretty sure you didn't read the piece. Thank you for confirming. That's lazy and not thorough. You have few grounds to complain about the article without doing the work. 

 

Fragile?   Lazy?  Clearly, you don't know me.  I have numerous flaws but nobody who knows me or served with me would call me either of those two things.

 

Again, I don't know why you chose to disagree with personal attacks.  

 

 

 

 

[Billsfan1972]

4 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

I don’t disagree with this, except I would argue we still can win a SB with him.  Worse HC’s and worse teams have won SBs.  But it would be nice if he at least reduced some of these late dumb decisions like the timeout at end of Philly game.  He may still make that kick regardless, but to make it easier was about as stupid as it gets. 

Worse HC's????  Since you are an expert name them and explain what you see in McD that makes him so good?  

 

Again the in game decisions and late game defense has been atrocious.  Lost to Mac Jones and outcoached on defense not just the last drive, but all game long.

[Rico]

2 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

You know this whole thing is a complete mess when people are praising the work of Jerry Sullivan 🤣

Admit it, you were a big Doug Whaley fan. It’s OK. 

[Rico]

4 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Fragile?   Lazy?  Clearly, you don't know me.  I have numerous flaws but nobody who knows me or served with me would call me either of those two things.

 

Again, I don't know why you chose to disagree with personal attacks.  

 

 

 

 

I don’t think his story is quite working out like he planned.  

[Alphadawg7]

5 minutes ago, Billsfan1972 said:

Worse HC's????  Since you are an expert name them and explain what you see in McD that makes him so good?  

 

Again the in game decisions and late game defense has been atrocious.  Lost to Mac Jones and outcoached on defense not just the last drive, but all game long.

You are literally not worth the time to discuss this with.  You already proved your petty dislike since year 1, there is literally no possibility for an objective discussion on the matter with you.  You’ve made your mind up 7 years ago.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Alphadawg7

[DrDawkinstein]

19 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

 Rex, Randy moss, shefter on their pristine high horses about this right now. Sam ponder got it right imo. 

 

I've been a fan of Schefter, but I'm done with that dude. Just such over the top pearl clutching about what is really the smallest part of the overall story.

 

Bruschi did ok, identifying it more as McD's issue landing speeches sometimes. He referenced the woman in the river speech as well. Made it more about the overall coaching job than one bad speech. I think Sam did as well.

 

 

[Dr. Who]

Just now, Ethan in Cleveland said:

You can interpret the article however you feel, but it appears he got the facts correct.

McDermott can assert it is an attack on his character but he did not deny what he said. You can argue he apologized quickly but it doesn't mean he didn't make an asinine reference.

His comments are not the reason to fire him, but if they use it as the reason to fire him I don't care. I just want him gone. 

I was responding to the context of a particular comment, not the article itself in what you quoted. I do think Dunne has an agenda. I don't think he would go out of his way to gather opinions that counter that agenda. There may also be substantial truth in much of what he asserts. Nonetheless, interpretation shapes facts, and ultimately determines judgment. I am ambivalent about McD, but have been pushing for Ben Johnson for a while now. I'd be happy for the team to spark and make a SB run. I'd be glad for McD to win, but I doubt it happens.

[Terry Tate]

41 minutes ago, Jauronimo said:

McDermott was added to the no fly list this morning.  That is going to present some really interesting logistical problems.

Should have spoken up at the SNL writer's meeting, because this is a better joke than what aired. "In related news, TSA announced the entire Buffalo Bills organization has been added to the no-fly list"

[wppete]

this is the podcast Tyler Dunne and Isiah McKenzie had together. 🤔 

[wettlaufer]

16 hours ago, RichRiderBills said:

This thread is taking a concerning trend. We see this on the legal threads and the film watcher threads etc.  You don't have to be a reporter to interpret Dune's piece.

 

Everything has a sniff test of authenticity and Dune is putting this out to everyone, not just reporters. Therefore, you better expect it to connect or add up or face the consequences. 

 

I don't need to be a comedian or movie maker to tell you "Freddy Got Fingered" ( IMO the worst movie of all time) is a horrible movie. The sniff test.

 

Dunne's piece does not pass the sniff test. 

This is where anyone who knows anything about journalism is going to object.

 

The guy talked to 25 sources and he quoted them, good and bad. He reported on why this team has so many late-game fails. Every wonder why? Oh, you do? But then you assail the guy that works his read end off to try to help people explain it.

 

The article passes the smell test for most who read it and for most who have some modicum of knowledge of you to critically assess the media and journalism. The emotional, non-factual rejection of the work is very McDermott-esque.

15 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

 

Yup

 

Search the web to find all of the stories of how horrible it is to play for Belicheck, as if the poor players were almost prisoners of war...

 

And all the Pats and Belicheck did was win 6 Super Bowls, earn the respect of the vast majority of players who played (and coached) for him, and become the best head coach to ever coach in the NFL.

 

Dunne cherry picked his info from the fired, dismissed and otherwise disenfranchised former Bills--you can do this to almost ANY highly successful person, across fields, because that is the price of success and of wanting things done well.

 

The problem is Belichik isn't tight and doesn't panic late in games. McD does. Over and over and over again.

[YoloinOhio]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

I've been a fan of Schefter, but I'm done with that dude. Just such over the top pearl clutching about what is really the smallest part of the overall story.

 

Bruschi did ok, identifying it more as McD's issue landing speeches sometimes. He referenced the woman in the river speech as well. Made it more about the overall coaching job than one bad speech. I think Sam did as well.

 

 

Rex’s outrage was rich as well as if he hasn’t said some of the stupidest ***** of all time 

[hondo in seattle]

Look, I understand Dunne is a journalist and journalists aren't supposed to write puff pieces.   But I agree with Micah Hyde when he calls it a low blow:

 

"But to me, I think it's a low blow to question Sean's character. And I don't think there's any good coming out of that.  I think a lot of us are, would, not to knock on you guys, but the media reporting the story, but I think in the locker room and stuff, we're all here to lift each other up.  So, for guys to do that, it's kind of messed up in my eyes. You know me, I'm pro-Sean McDermott. I trust in everything that he's done around here, and what he's going to continue to do, and I'm going to back him any day of the week, twice on Sunday."

 

Many years ago, another manager in my company sent a voicemail to my boss questioning the integrity of some of the results my team was producing.  But she accidentally sent the voicemail to a group of about 50 company managers.  When my team found out, they were deeply hurt that their good work was sullied by dishonest speculation.  Years later, I was asked to contribute a monthly opinion piece on any topic of my choice to a company newsletter.  One of my contributions was a front-page article with my old adversary's smiling photo praising her heartily as a high-achieving brand ambassador (which she was).  Months later, she spotted me at a company event and interrupted my conversation to give me a long, emotional hug.  The axe was buried.

 

Confucius said, "To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it."  Stoic philosophers likewise teach us to ignore the wrongs people have done to us.  Most spiritual traditions promote kindness and forgiveness.  

 

Dunne could have listened to his higher angels and taken a higher road.  He could have, for example, chosen not to write a hit piece.  Or if he felt compelled to write a piece on McD, he could have found more positive quotes and comments to include in the article to make it more balanced.  When a man publicly goes after another man's character, job, and reputation in a one-sided way like this - to Micah and me, it's wrong.  

[JohnNord]

So I’m going to share Part III next which l found to be much better than Part II.   If I get chance, I’ll give a recap of that too. 
 

But Part III was all about Josh and it questions whether McDermott is the best match for the QB.   This was a very very interesting read and much better than what you read about the team in services like The Athletic etc.

 

Of course, there were a few sour grapes comments from former players/coaches:

- McDermott “trashed” Cam Newton in film sessions.

- McDermott allegedly upset that Josh was distracted by his house being built.

- The  claim that McDermott fixes drills so the defense gets the better of the offense in practice.  
 

But the most interesting discussion was the dynamic between McDermott and Allen.  There is a believe that they have a professional relationship but not a super close one like Daboll and Josh.   A far cry from other elite coach and QB duos.  

Josh is a fiery competitor but also very respectful and non-confrontational.  He’s going to listen to his HC and won’t ruffle feathers even when he should. 
 

The article mentions how McDermott was critical at times and wanted Josh to slide rather than finishing his runs.  This prompted one former teammate to say that they need to trust Josh to run given his durability and that “if he gets hurt, he gets hurt.”

 

The article then deviates into a comparison of Josh and Brett Favre and it brings up a really interesting point.  Coach Mike Holmgren came from the Bill Walsh WC offense focused on footwork and time.  However Holmgren didn’t force that on Brett and allowed him to play his own game.   This is where Dunne said that Ken Dorsey failed as OC.  
 

The final part of the article gets right to the point of the dilemma in Buffalo.  McDermott is a good coach who will probably never bottom out to get fired - especially with Josh.
 

However there’s some doubt as the whether he’s the right coach in Buffalo and whether he truly gets the most out of his franchise QB.   

The dream scenario one player said was for the Bills to fire McDermott, retain Brandon Beane, and trade for Brian Daboll.  

 

One former player mentioned that there are a half-dozen franchise QB’s, but that there are a LOT more coaches who can win, especially with Allen.   The same player felt it would be hard for a new coach to take over and have less success than McDermott.   Dunne also speaks to the “it can get worse” fears of the fan base saying that it’s true - but it also can get better.  
 

So the question again, is can a defensive minded McDermott evolve his defensive mindset enough to completely embrace what he has in the unicorn at QB?

 

If he can’t, what will it take for Terry to fire him?  Because record wise along will probably never be enough to force the issue.

 

Again, this was an outstanding article that I felt had less of slant/bias as the previous 2 editions

[WotAGuy]

14 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Months later, she spotted me at a company event and interrupted my conversation to give me a long, emotional hug.  The axe was buried.

 

 

On behalf of all of us: Would ya?

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by WotAGuy

[Jrb1979]

1 hour ago, Alphadawg7 said:

You are literally not worth the time to discuss this with.  You already proved your petty dislike since year 1, there is literally no possibility for an objective discussion on the matter with you.  You’ve made your mind up 7 years ago.

 

 

IMO the problem with the Mclappity lovers is they are afraid if he gets fired the drought years will return and the Bills will be irrelevant again. It's great Mclappity got the Bills to the playoffs and made them relevant again. He's never going to get them over the hump.

[YoloinOhio]

21 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

So I’m going to share Part III next which l found to be much better than Part II.   If I get chance, I’ll give a recap of that too. 
 

But Part III was all about Josh and it questions whether McDermott is the best match for the QB.   This was a very very interesting read and much better than what you read about the team in services like The Athletic etc.

 

Of course, there were a few sour grapes comments from former players/coaches:

- McDermott “trashed” Cam Newton in film sessions.

- McDermott allegedly upset that Josh was distracted by his house being built.

- The  claim that McDermott fixes drills so the defense gets the better of the offense in practice.  
 

But the most interesting discussion was the dynamic between McDermott and Allen.  There is a believe that they have a professional relationship but not a super close one like Daboll and Josh.   A far cry from other elite coach and QB duos.  

Josh is a fiery competitor but also very respectful and non-confrontational.  He’s going to listen to his HC and won’t ruffle feathers even when he should. 
 

The article mentions how McDermott was critical at times and wanted Josh to slide rather than finishing his runs.  This prompted one former teammate to say that they need to trust Josh to run given his durability and that “if he gets hurt, he gets hurt.”

 

The article then deviates into a comparison of Josh and Brett Favre and it brings up a really interesting point.  Coach Mike Holmgren came from the Bill Walsh WC offense focused on footwork and time.  However Holmgren didn’t force that on Brett and allowed him to play his own game.   This is where Dunne said that Ken Dorsey failed as OC.  
 

The final part of the article gets right to the point of the dilemma in Buffalo.  McDermott is a good coach who will probably never bottom out to get fired - especially with Josh.
 

However there’s some doubt as the whether he’s the right coach in Buffalo and whether he truly gets the most out of his franchise QB.   

The dream scenario one player said was for the Bills to fire McDermott, retain Brandon Beane, and trade for Brian Daboll.  

 

One former player mentioned that there are a half-dozen franchise QB’s, but that there are a LOT more coaches who can win, especially with Allen.   The same player felt it would be hard for a new coach to take over and have less success than McDermott.   Dunne also speaks to the “it can get worse” fears of the fan base saying that it’s true - but it also can get better.  
 

So the question again, is can a defensive minded McDermott evolve his defensive mindset enough to completely embrace what he has in the unicorn at QB?

 

If he can’t, what will it take for Terry to fire him?  Because record wise along will probably never be enough to force the issue.

 

Again, this was an outstanding article that I felt had less of slant/bias as the previous 2 editions

There are loads of issues that have been discussed but the bolded part to me isn’t an issue at all. Brady and manning didn’t have close personal relationships with their HCs. I don’t think that matters as long as they are on the same page professionally (are they? That’s critical). I’m sure there are other examples but those two just come to mind. 

Edited December 10, 2023 by YoloinOhio

[Hotdog water]

Bottom line is the Buffalo Bills need a change at Head coach. If not, we will lose Josh. Time to say goodbye to the clown Ronald McDermott