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

[JoeF]

If Dunne ever shows his face at OBD again, I would expect a full nelson, sleeper hold and a quick pin....

[LABILLBACKER]

16 minutes ago, beer can shower said:

Reading here and other Bills message boards, that if McDermott doesn't make the playoffs he should be fired.
Does the Bills getting in the playoffs absolve McDermott of all his faults, as discussed so widely here and there?

So someone throws a hail mary and it gets the Bills in the playoffs then that makes McDermott worthy of continuing to be the Coach.

And would that hail mary be thrown by McDermott?

14 out of 32 Teams make the playoffs.  Is that the bar that "Football Fans here" want for the Bills coach,  JUST make the playoffs?

 

And why when a writer in Buffalo is critical of the Bills, they are chastised so much.

Every opinion can't be like GR ( Home of the Bills)(Paid by the Bills)?

 

If you read the reactions of 50% of the fans here both last year and now, the answer to your question would be yes.  And that's just a sad commentary on the acceptance of this group of fans (McD supporters).

[beebe]

The article would have been much more effective without the editorialization. I don't question the writer's integrity as far as taking direct quotes from actual people who are involved (then and now.) But it's a rough read when he takes the tone that he does himself. 

[TheFunPolice]

This quote from the Florio article linked above lends credibility, IMO, because it sounds like a genuinely perplexed player trying to find a McDermott friendly explanation for bringing up 9/11:

 

Dunne has quotes from multiple unnamed players and coaches regarding the incident.

 

“I don’t know why he’s that awkward but his social skills are lacking,” an unnamed player told Dunne. “Maybe he’s just wound-up thinking about ball. You’ve got to talk to the team every day. That’s one where maybe he heard it on a podcast. Next episode! That’s not the one to lead with. He was trying to bring the team together. It was a horrible, horrible reference. He missed the mark.”

Edited December 7, 2023 by TheFunPolice

[HappyDays]

8 minutes ago, MJS said:

You can literally say anything and just say "sources claim".

 

No, journalists cannot just make up a story sourced by 7 people. Because if it was denied by several people that would know, Ty Dunne would lose all credibility forever.

 

And yeah that 9/11 story is incredibly bizarre. What the hell was he thinking?

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by HappyDays

[folz]

I have not read the entire article, so there may be some damning quotes to back up the opinions, but from the excerpts that have been shared here, this is exactly why I have problems with articles like these (regardless of if you want McD fired or not). Let's face it, this is not a news story, it is an opinion piece. And all too often these days, writers blur the lines between what are their opinions and what are the actual words of the people they quote. For instance, here is one excerpted segment. Actual quotes are in red, Dunne's opinion/or conclusions are in green.

 

Those who’ve worked with the head coach on a day-to-day basis predicted all of this — months in advance — because they’ve seen how McDermott operates on a day-to-day basis. How tangibly nervous he gets in close games. How he has never truly appreciated his gift from the football gods: Josh Allen. How he’s quick to blame everyone but himself in defeat. That’s why one coach — in June — began by asking a simple question: “If they fail again this year? What does ownership do with Sean?”

 

Three seconds later, he answered his own hypothetical.

 

“Next year if they fail, you know who’ll be the first person he serves up? Ken Dorsey.”

 

The coach wasn’t quite sure how McDermott would manage to put Dorsey’s head on a stick. After all, it’s the head coach’s beloved defense that has melted in four straight postseason losses. The honeymoon period with fans ended a long time ago — pointing a finger at his breadwinning quarterback, again, surely wouldn’t work. Yet even back in June, this assistant knew his old boss would find a way to deflect blame.

 

“Watch,” he said, “if they sputter at all during this year, the narrative’s going to be the offense.”

 

So, one coach (that may have worked under Sean---Dunne intimates it but doesn't confirm it) back in June said that if the team fails, Sean will create a narrative that it's the offenses fault and "serve up" Dorsey. But Dunne led into the quote with "Those who've worked with the head coach on a day-to-day basis predicted all of this.." You have one person quoted, who are "those", is it all 25 people you talked to or is it just this one unnamed coach. He leads you to believe that all of his sources thought this, predicted it. But we don't know if it's more than just this one or not, or how many.

 

And look at the terminology that he, Dunne, (not his sources) uses:

"tangibly nervous" "Never truly appreciated his gift from the football gods: Josh Allen" "He's quick to blame" "put Dorsey's head on a stick" "head coach's beloved defense that has melted" "honeymoon is over" "pointing a finger at his breadwinning quarterback" "find a way to deflect blame"

 

None of those are quotes from his sources, that is Dunne painting the picture he wants you to see, and leading us to believe that his opinions are actually those of all of the people he quoted. And well if 25 people are saying this, that's a lot, so it must be true and everyone across the organization feels this way.

 

 

Here's the other excerpt that was posted:

 

He’s a coaching relic routinely paralyzed by fear late in games. He never imagines what could go right with 20 seconds left in regulation, instead forever horrified of what could go wrong. Oblivious to the reality that he employs one of the sport’s most talented quarterbacks. The word you’ll hear constantly from those who’ve been around McDermott is “tight.” He’s so incomprehensibly tight, they say, players cannot help but stiffen up themselves. As if the head coach uses the 2-minute warning to administer mass lobotomies on his team.

 

Again, the entire actual quote that he is using from his source is "tight." 

 

The rest is all Dunne again, and honestly, look at the words and phrases he is using to emotionally sway us to his opinion. No doubt this writer has some sort of axe to grind: "a coaching relic routinely paralyzed by fear" "forever horrified of what could go wrong" "Oblivious to reality" "the head coach...administers mass lobotomies on his team."

 

I mean, come on, those are not quotes or even opinions from his sources, that is all Dunne's opinion, but when you read the article the two things get blurred together that you start thinking that Dunne's opinion is how everyone in the building feels, because I mean he interviewed 25 people. Yeah, but what did these people actually say (compared to Dunne's opinion and creative writer's license) and who are these people, what's their perspective, their level of objectivity. If he quotes one person, am I to assume the other 24 people all feel the same way, etc.

 

This post has nothing to do with whether McDermott should be fired or not, just pointing out that we need to read articles like these with our critical hats on and take them with a grain of salt.

Edited December 7, 2023 by folz

[Gregg]

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/during-2021-team-meeting-sean-mcdermott-cited-9-11-attacks-as-example-of-teamwork

[Low Positive]

This story feels like a personal grudge that Dunne released at the worst time to inflict maximum possible damage. BTW, after this, Pegula will never fire McDermott. He simply wouldn't give Dunne the satisfaction. It seems to be personal for both of them, and we all have to suffer the consequences. For those of you reading all of this with satisfaction, because you've been proven right on the Internet, I hope that you enjoy a return to being a dysfunctional organization that makes players cry after being drafted. Between Von Miller and this story, this has been one of the worst weeks in Buffalo Bills history and they didn't even play a game.

[Warcodered]

19 minutes ago, I Am The Liquor said:

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/during-2021-team-meeting-sean-mcdermott-cited-9-11-attacks-as-example-of-teamwork

 

“At St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, N.Y., McDermott’s morning address began innocently enough,” Dunne writes. “He told the entire team they needed to come together. But then, sources on-hand say, he used a strange model: the terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. He cited the hijackers as a group of people who were all able to get on the same page to orchestrate attacks to perfection. One by one, McDermott started asking specific players in the room questions. ‘What tactics do you think they used to come together?’ A young player tried to methodically answer. ‘What do you think their biggest obstacle was?’ A veteran answered, ‘TSA,’ which mercifully lightened the mood.”

 

This is absolutely bat sh*t crazy if true lmfao.

***** Christ, the writer better hope it's true if he's writing ***** like this.

[balln]

It’s just too weird to be made up. 9/11 and some of the stuff w Chad hall. It’s just too weird to not be true. 
 

 

[TheFunPolice]

I think of it this way. Players get cut all the time. Coaches are jerks all the time. Assistants get fired all the time. 

 

That's the NFL. 

 

None of that seems to rise to the level of animosity displayed here.

 

Why is there seemingly a motivation to destroy McDermott? 

 

 

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, Low Positive said:

This story feels like a personal grudge that Dunne released at the worst time to inflict maximum possible damage. BTW, after this, Pegula will never fire McDermott. He simply wouldn't give Dunne the satisfaction. It seems to be personal for both of them, and we all have to suffer the consequences. For those of you reading all of this with satisfaction, because you've been proven right on the Internet, I hope that you enjoy a return to being a dysfunctional organization that makes players cry after being drafted. Between Von Miller and this story, this has been one of the worst weeks in Buffalo Bills history and they didn't even play a game.

 

If Terry wants to sellout the new stadium with raised ticket prices and PSL fees, then he will do what is in the best interest of the Bills. If that means moving on from McDermott, then he will do it. I don't think he cares what some writer thinks.

[Low Positive]

Just now, TheFunPolice said:

I think of it this way. Players get cut all the time. Coaches are jerks all the time. Assistants get fired all the time. 

 

That's the NFL. 

 

None of that seems to rise to the level of animosity displayed here.

 

Why is there seemingly a motivation to destroy McDermott? 

 

 

Because the Bills won't give Tyler Dune media access.

[Yobogoya!]

Just now, Low Positive said:

Because the Bills won't give Tyler Dune media access.

 

Honestly I think McD would revoke all media access if he could. 

[eball]

37 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

It does if you look at McD was using Dorsey to implement the offense that he thought best complimented his defense.  It also makes sense if you look at it as McD wanting Allen to play differently as he thought that would compliment his defense best. 

 

What I'm saying is that when it came to the offense this season McD created the strategic vision and was relying on Dorsey to tactically execute that vision.  And when it came to how Allen's game needed to evolve McD provided the strategic vision and left Dorsey to handle the tactical details. In McD's mind Dorsey failed and was the one at fault so he was fired.  But IMO the real issue is that McD's strategic vision for the Bills offense and Allen was the failure.

 

So who is responsible for the changes since Brady took over? I don't know.  I suspect that Pegula stepped in and told McD to let Allen be Allen and Brady was to help him do this.  We know that McD meets with Pegula after every game and it hardly could have escaped the notice of the Bills owner that Allen was playing the game differently then he had in previous seasons.

 

Alternatively the McD supporters can say that McD made the decision to let Allen be Allen and that Brady was better then Dorsey.  Fine but then the question becomes what took so long.

 

 

I'm no McD apologist but this still doesn't make sense.  If McD is the control freak Dunne makes him out to be there is no way he was allowing Dorsey to handle all of the "tactical details" regarding the offense.  McD has openly said he wants Josh to play loose and have fun; I don't think for one moment he was trying to stifle him.  If you listen to what McD said about the offense it is that it needs to be complementary and everything can't rest on Josh's shoulders.

 

I am on the record that I don't think McD can get them over the hump and that he chokes in the big moments, but I also think people are going waaaay overboard with their theories of what goes on behind closed doors.

 

[Malazan]

Is there a single named source among the 25?

[TheFunPolice]

Just now, Low Positive said:

Because the Bills won't give Tyler Dune media access.

 

Well, either it's true, or he made up 25 sources and concocted the entire story, or the 25 sources all made it up and are lying to Dunne

 

BTW, does Leslie Frazier still work for the Bills? Why is that a question that is so hard to answer? At first I was worried that something was wrong with him, but then he's out there attending the NFL's head coach symposiums trying to get a HC gig in 24. 

 

It's just weird. Imagine if Spagnolo suddenly decided to "take a year off to rest" and the chiefs and Reid wouldn't say what's going on, whether he would be back, or give any updates. Then Spags is out there hawking himself for a HC gig. All the while KC tries to act like he wasn't fired, didn't quit, but won't tell you anything else. 

 

[T master]

5 hours ago, CincyBillsFan said:

Damn this is prophetic:

 

Those who’ve worked with the head coach on a day-to-day basis predicted all of this — months in advance — because they’ve seen how McDermott operates on a day-to-day basis. How tangibly nervous he gets in close games. How he has never truly appreciated his gift from the football gods: Josh Allen. How he’s quick to blame everyone but himself in defeat. That’s why one coach — in June — began by asking a simple question: “If they fail again this year? What does ownership do with Sean?”

 

Three seconds later, he answered his own hypothetical.

 

“Next year if they fail, you know who’ll be the first person he serves up? Ken Dorsey.”

 

The coach wasn’t quite sure how McDermott would manage to put Dorsey’s head on a stick. After all, it’s the head coach’s beloved defense that has melted in four straight postseason losses. The honeymoon period with fans ended a long time ago — pointing a finger at his breadwinning quarterback, again, surely wouldn’t work. Yet even back in June, this assistant knew his old boss would find a way to deflect blame.

 

“Watch,” he said, “if they sputter at all during this year, the narrative’s going to be the offense.”

 

Sounds like some of the stuff the fans write here !! 

[BillsSbSoon]

4 hours ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

Is anyone shocked? 

 

He came to Buffalo trumpeting a "physical run game" to play in "snowy weather". 

 

He'll tell you himself that he's seen it all, done it all, thought of everything, knows what it is supposed to look like, in his same low-volume, generic platitude, monotone style. 

 

The team is managed exactly like a Defensive Coordinator as Head Coach would be - picks and resources devoted to the defense, a franchise QB given one big time weapon and a cast of low round misfits (Allen said it again yesterday referencing how Buffalo feels like Wyoming - literally yesterday). 

 

It's clear that we have peaked with him as a Coach, but Buffalo is going to hold onto 2017 and breaking The Drought. All I can hope as a fan is that the Bills add more brainpower to the offensive coaching staff to compete with the other best coaches in the world, and Allen stays motivated to stay in Buffalo because he is fond of reminding everyone how small and uninteresting the city is in every interview he gives. 

 

Terry loves him, calls him a faith based leader. All we can do is pray for offensive investment. 

Which interview did Josh say Buffalo was uninteresting?

[JohnNord]

11 minutes ago, folz said:

I have not read the entire article, so there may be some damning quotes to back up the opinions, but from the excerpts that have been shared here, this is exactly why I have problems with articles like these (regardless of if you want McD fired or not). Let's face it, this is not a news story, it is an opinion piece. And all too often these days, writers blur the lines between what are their opinions and what are the actual words of the people they quote. For instance, here is one excerpted segment. Actual quotes are in red, Dunne's opinion/or conclusions are in green.

 

Those who’ve worked with the head coach on a day-to-day basis predicted all of this — months in advance — because they’ve seen how McDermott operates on a day-to-day basis. How tangibly nervous he gets in close games. How he has never truly appreciated his gift from the football gods: Josh Allen. How he’s quick to blame everyone but himself in defeat. That’s why one coach — in June — began by asking a simple question: “If they fail again this year? What does ownership do with Sean?”

 

Three seconds later, he answered his own hypothetical.

 

“Next year if they fail, you know who’ll be the first person he serves up? Ken Dorsey.”

 

The coach wasn’t quite sure how McDermott would manage to put Dorsey’s head on a stick. After all, it’s the head coach’s beloved defense that has melted in four straight postseason losses. The honeymoon period with fans ended a long time ago — pointing a finger at his breadwinning quarterback, again, surely wouldn’t work. Yet even back in June, this assistant knew his old boss would find a way to deflect blame.

 

“Watch,” he said, “if they sputter at all during this year, the narrative’s going to be the offense.”

 

So, one coach (that may have worked under Sean---Dunne intimates it but doesn't confirm it) back in June said that if the team fails, Sean will create a narrative that it's the offenses fault and "serve up" Dorsey. But Dunne led into the quote with "Those who've worked with the head coach on a day-to-day basis predicted all of this.." You have one person quoted, who are "those", is it all 25 people you talked to or is it just this one unnamed coach. He leads you to believe that all of his sources thought this, predicted it. But we don't know if it's more than just this one or not, or how many.

 

And look at the terminology that he, Dunne, (not his sources) uses:

"tangibly nervous" "Never truly appreciated his gift from the football gods: Josh Allen" "He's quick to blame" "put Dorsey's head on a stick" "head coach's beloved defense that has melted" "honeymoon is over" "pointing a finger at his breadwinning quarterback" "find a way to deflect blame"

 

None of those are quotes from his sources, that is Dunne painting the picture he wants you to see, and leading us to believe that his opinions are actually those of all of the people he quoted. And well if 25 people are saying this, that's a lot, so it must be true and everyone across the organization feels this way.

 

 

Here's the other excerpt that was posted:

 

He’s a coaching relic routinely paralyzed by fear late in games. He never imagines what could go right with 20 seconds left in regulation, instead forever horrified of what could go wrong. Oblivious to the reality that he employs one of the sport’s most talented quarterbacks. The word you’ll hear constantly from those who’ve been around McDermott is “tight.” He’s so incomprehensibly tight, they say, players cannot help but stiffen up themselves. As if the head coach uses the 2-minute warning to administer mass lobotomies on his team.

 

Again, the entire actual quote that he is using from his source is "tight." 

 

The rest is all Dunne again, and honestly, look at the words and phrases he is using to emotionally sway us to his opinion. No doubt this writer has some sort of axe to grind: "a coaching relic routinely paralyzed by fear" "forever horrified of what could go wrong" "Oblivious to reality" "the head coach...administers mass lobotomies on his team."

 

I mean, come on, those are not quotes or even opinions from his sources, that is all Dunne's opinion, but when you read the article the two things get blurred together that you start thinking that Dunne's opinion is how everyone in the building feels, because I mean he interviewed 25 people. Yeah, but what did these people actually say (compared to Dunne's opinion and creative writer's license) and who are these people, what's their perspective, their level of objectivity. If he quotes one person, am I to assume the other 24 people all feel the same way, etc.

 

This post has nothing to do with whether McDermott should be fired or not, just pointing out that we need to read articles like these with our critical hats on and take them with a grain of salt.

This is so spot on…people here want to treat it like it’s some kind of bombshell expose when really it’s a commentary