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

[MasterStrategist]

2 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

They published it now because the current climate will foster the most reads and discussion. It's a "kick them while they're down" mentality or maybe more appropriately a "pour gasoline on the fire" mentality, but it's not about derailing the team. It's about getting the most business.

 

You wait until the team is already derailing/losing and the media market is in a frenzy, and then you release the article. Not the other way around. 

Agree and disagree.

 

This is going to generate clicks/business whenever it gets released.

 

It becomes a bigger distraction in season, when the team is still in a playoff race.

 

That's the "agenda" that Dunne has, is getting Sean fired

[GoBills808]

2 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

Hyde was clearly enthusiastic in support. He was the only one we've heard who was considerably enthusiastic.

Not to me

 

Not for a guy who's been here from the beginning. That was as tepid as could be from Hyde imo

[MasterStrategist]

4 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Also concur.

 

Wondering about the quotes on "supposed"?

Not sure if the timing was confirmed/happened night before Bengals game.  Perhaps that has been confirmed 

[LeGOATski]

1 minute ago, Kincaid Kool-Aid said:

Disagree. I didn’t come away thinking there was a ton of passion. Felt like something he felt he had to say.

He clearly didn't have to say anything. No one else has said much of anything. He was objectively 100% supportive by his own free will. It's not arguable for me.

2 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

Not to me

 

Not for a guy who's been here from the beginning. That was as tepid as could be from Hyde imo

Well, everyone has a wrong opinion sometimes.

[PBF81]

7 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

Hyde was clearly enthusiastic in support. He was the only one we've heard who was considerably enthusiastic.

 

It's hardly been a wellspring of support.  Again, the silence from the big name offensive players is deafening.  

 

 

[LeGOATski]

4 minutes ago, MasterStrategist said:

Agree and disagree.

 

This is going to generate clicks/business whenever it gets released.

 

It becomes a bigger distraction in season, when the team is still in a playoff race.

 

That's the "agenda" that Dunne has, is getting Sean fired

Maybe that is his agenda. But he'll be much more successful in achieving that goal (and the business will profit more) when the team is already derailing/losing. The circumstances dictate when you take your shot. That's all I'm saying.

[Kincaid Kool-Aid]

1 minute ago, LeGOATski said:

He clearly didn't have to say anything. No one else has said much of anything. He was objectively 100% supportive by his own free will. It's not arguable for me.

I guess we have to agree to disagree. Maybe as a defensive captain he felt compelled, particularly as nobody else seems to be rushing forward. As someone else said, for a guy who’s been here 6-7 years under McD, It felt like he was going through the motions and saying the minimum expected.

[DrDawkinstein]

12 minutes ago, Since1981 said:

Agreed. A large dose of truth, otherwise the story would have died )quietly in interweb). Bill Belacheat has complaints, he just shrugs them off: “tough, that’s me”. Boy, would great to hear a drunk Daboll. 

McD simply isn’t comfortable in his own skin or with his own decisions :13, :20, 12 men

 

This. The insecurity from McD is palpable.

 

I think there are plenty of other coaches who are far more comfortable in their own skin (Belichick, Carroll, Rex, McDaniel, McVay, etc) who if a story such as this 9/11 speech leaked would meet the press and laugh it off like "Yeah, hey, us coaches have to make a LOT of speeches and they can't all be winners. I used a horrible analogy in my 2nd training camp as a still-new coach, and sure learned a lesson there, haha. We still laugh about it around the office to this day."

 

OWNING mistakes is how you get people to move past them. A bit of self-deprecation can actually get people on your side. All this apologizing and explaining and excusing and re-explaining, and making up stuff about losing loved ones in the attack... just keeps the fire alive and digs a deeper hole.

 

But he isnt secure enough to do that. And it shows in this situation, and on the field, and with the players.

[LeGOATski]

Just now, Kincaid Kool-Aid said:

I guess we have to agree to disagree. Maybe as a defensive captain he felt compelled, particularly as nobody else seems to be rushing forward. As someone else said, for a guy who’s been here 6-7 years under McD, It felt like he was going through the motions and saying the minimum expected.

Eh, you're trying hard to read into it and spin it a certain way when it's not even necessary. He's the one guy who was clearly 100% supportive by his own free will. I agree that it might be concerning he's the only one who spoke up in that way. But his reaction indicates he's clearly in full support of McDermott. That much is not arguable.

[Kincaid Kool-Aid]

Just now, LeGOATski said:

Eh, you're trying hard to read into it and spin it a certain way when it's not even necessary. He's the one guy who was clearly 100% supportive by his own free will. I agree that it might be concerning he's the only one who spoke up in that way. But his reaction indicates he's clearly in full support of McDermott. That much is not arguable.

Here’s the thing though…it is arguable. Matter of fact, we’re arguing it right now. Not worth belaboring the point. Agree to disagree. 

[PBF81]

7 minutes ago, PBF81 said:

It's hardly been a wellspring of support.  Again, the silence from the big name offensive players is deafening.  

 

@CaliBills

You posted a red-x of disagreement with the above.  Just curious, what do you disagree with?  

 

Did I miss unequivocal statements by Allen, Diggs, Dawkins, Morse, Davis, Knox, Cook, Kincaid, etc. downplaying it?  

 

 

[LeGOATski]

3 minutes ago, Kincaid Kool-Aid said:

Here’s the thing though…it is arguable. Matter of fact, we’re arguing it right now. Not worth belaboring the point. Agree to disagree. 

We're not arguing. I'm just pointing out how wrong you are.

[FireChans]

2 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Bills are 6-6 now with Dorsey's replacement.  Is Brady next to go?

No, McD is.

[Warcodered]

8 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

 

and yet the NFL never said a word about it.

So what, we dodged a bullet so it shouldn't be addressed? Other teams weren't as lucky, and it was the entire WR room.

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

If that article is the best example of players supporting McD, then McD is sunk. And all this article talks about is McD again addressing his 9/11 speech with the team.

 

 

Ok, so Hyde, which we already knew. Let's see what the Offensive players have to say in pouring out support and love for their coach...

 

 

Nothing major from Sherfield there other than stating the obvious. We know McD doesnt support terrorism.

 

How about from the rook...

 

 

Hmm, how about from the vet Latavius Murray...

 

 

Ok, so a whole lot of talking about McD again addressing the speech from 2019. But not a single quote about how wrong the article is, and nothing about it misrepresenting McD or how the players feel.

 

Maybe they just weren't asked the right question. But I've had great bosses/leaders and if something like this came out about them, I would be front and center to whoever would listen railing against the BS.

 

Reid Ferguson had the most supportive quote

 

The point of the meeting as it's been described was to clarify things for the players that weren't with the team at the time, the ones that had been here he'd already done that with immediatly after making the mistake. So all these comments make a lot of sense from that perspective.

38 minutes ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Not sure I agree with that.  If I loved my boss and I was the face of the company... I'd be giving my support in this situation.  My guess is that Josh will speak on it after the pr team tells him what to say.  Maybe I am wrong but I dunno, I just feel like thats what I would do.  I would never let anyone slander someone I care about and not say *****.

I wouldn't be surprised if the thinking from Allen or even Diggs is that the response should be on Sunday. Hell they're bound to get interviewed after the game anyway.

[Kincaid Kool-Aid]

1 minute ago, LeGOATski said:

We're not arguing. I'm just pointing out how wrong you are.

Ok, argue, debate, whatever synonym you choose frame the exchange, your opinion is not indisputable nor is it fact. I think we’re good here. 

[FireChans]

15 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

This. The insecurity from McD is palpable.

 

I think there are plenty of other coaches who are far more comfortable in their own skin (Belichick, Carroll, Rex, McDaniel, McVay, etc) who if a story such as this 9/11 speech leaked would meet the press and laugh it off like "Yeah, hey, us coaches have to make a LOT of speeches and they can't all be winners. I used a horrible analogy in my 2nd training camp as a still-new coach, and sure learned a lesson there, haha. We still laugh about it around the office to this day."

 

OWNING mistakes is how you get people to move past them. A bit of self-deprecation can actually get people on your side. All this apologizing and explaining and excusing and re-explaining, and making up stuff about losing loved ones in the attack... just keeps the fire alive and digs a deeper hole.

 

But he isnt secure enough to do that. And it shows in this situation, and on the field, and with the players.

Belichick would laugh it off with the media? Drop a couple “haha’s?”

 

have we officially spun off the planet?

[LeGOATski]

1 minute ago, Kincaid Kool-Aid said:

Ok, argue, debate, whatever synonym you choose frame the exchange, your opinion is not indisputable nor is it fact. I think we’re good here. 

There are no synonyms or opinions from my end on this. I'm just stating the fact and using the same words you use in order to avoid confusion.

[Scott7975]

I am going to post below part of an email that Dunne sent to people who subsribed.  I don't believe this breaks any ToS here nor any copywrite laws because it's not a published news piece or anything like that.  If I am wrong on that then mods feel free to delete this post and correct me.  It's not much but he does make some comments on the timing of the article so I thought people should hear it.  I am not giving my opinion on it.  Just delivering it.  Make of it what you will.

 

Quote

Greetings.

Quiet 48 hours, eh? Figured I’d check in to say hello.

On Thursday, we posted a three-part series — “The McDermott Problem” — that has generated interest and, reflecting a bit here, I first want to thank you.

In a world where a large number of people would rather slop around in the social-media pigsty, you are making Go Long part of your life. You are carving out valuable time in your life to read more than 20,000 words about a football team. I never take that for granted. The goal of this site — since Day 1 — has been to dive deeper, to find NFL stories beyond the podium. Because if anybody deserves to know how this league truly works, it’s those who make the NFL a multi-billion-dollar business. That’s always at the forefront of my mind running this business.

The Buffalo Bills are a contender with an all-galaxy quarterback whose Super Bowl window has been closing since “13 seconds.” I wanted to figure why. So, over the course of this season, I’ve chatted with players and coaches and personnel. Many spoke on the record. As you saw, a handful of named players did have positive things to say about their head coach. Many other sources requested anonymity to freely discuss life as they saw it at One Bills Drive. On a project like this, that’s how much truth is gleaned.

A quick note on “timing.” We discussed Thursday night on the Happy Hour, too, but in a nutshell: The series was posted this week because the series was completed this week. It was not finished after the Cincinnati loss or the Denver loss. And, as written, the loss at Philadelphia appeared to encapsulate this era of football under Sean McDermott. At 6-6, the Bills are now at a crucial crossroads.

I loved getting to meet so many new readers on our Happy Hour. If you all have more questions, more thoughts or simply want to hang out, let me know in the comments and we’ll fire up another Zoom next week.

Below are all three stories in one spot. There’s a lot to unpack from the workplace environment, to how exactly a “tight” coach creates a tight team, to what really happened that night at Arrowhead, to everything Josh Allen and why maximizing the quarterback should be Priority No. 1. Hopefully this helps explain what you’ve been seeing on Sundays.

Everyone have a great weekend.

 

[GoBills808]

27 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

He clearly didn't have to say anything. No one else has said much of anything. He was objectively 100% supportive by his own free will. It's not arguable for me.

Well, everyone has a wrong opinion sometimes.

I'm not saying this to make anyone mad or be provocative. But I don't think I've been wrong on McDermott since he lost me at 13seconds. People got big mad when I called him a fraud this off-season. That word has now been revealed to be used liberally in description of him. People got big mad after week4 when I said he wasn't very bright. That's almost unequivocally true at this point. Is there confirmation bias wrt this article and how I've viewed McDermott for the last 2 years, absolutely. But it rings 100% dead center accurate to me.

 

[Scott7975]

5 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

So what, we dodged a bullet so it shouldn't be addressed? Other teams weren't as lucky, and it was the entire WR room.

We dodged a bullet because there was no bullet to dodge.  The NFL loves its fine money.  If there was a violation they would have at the very least spoke on it.  There was nothing.  No media about it.  No word from the NFL.  Absolutely nothing.  When the Titans had practice outside their facility when they shouldn't have been, it was all over the news everywhere.  The team did nothing wrong.  Had they of, the NFL would have done something.

 

8 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

I wouldn't be surprised if the thinking from Allen or even Diggs is that the response should be on Sunday. Hell they're bound to get interviewed after the game anyway.

 

I just dunno.  I don't really even want to guess.  All I can say is what I would do in that situation.  I would have spoke up and defended my coach if it was me and we had a good relationship.  If I didn't have a good relationship, I would probably say nothing.  So far we have seen nothing.  Thing is that the longer they don't say anything the more I am going to think it's just PR that tells them what to say.  

 

I will say this... I said this way long ago in this thread... I get the timing of the article but I don't like it. Only because I don't want our team being distracted by it.  Game is too huge for it.  Maybe they haven't said anything because they don't want to be distracted, I don't know.  All I know is they haven't said anything as of yet.  I don't want to make guesses on why.