"John Butler dishes on split with Bills and desire to be ‘in charge’"

[Richard Noggin]

Interesting (by design) piece in The Athletic by Tim Graham. WTF? So intensely out-of-touch from average Bills fans' perspectives, what even comes BEFORE the blank ad break. What comes after is downright embarrassing. 

 

 

The same way Buscaglia bizarrely wedges in post-hoc, un-provable Tremaine Edmunds evaluations, to then somehow reflect upon Terrel Bernard, who logged more impact plays in one half season than his predecessor did in 5 full seasons! Just bonkers, obviously disingenuous arguments being made.  

[Beck Water]

Yeah, that was weird.  

Graham states that per Butler and per McDermott, Butler left on amicable terms.  There is the implication that he wanted to receive the DC job, and that he left after he got passed over for Bobby Babich.

 

Then Graham several times implies it couldn't have been amicable - earlier than the piece you quoted he alludes that "amicable parting" is a term used to cover-up a some internal brangling:

Quote

Butler’s exit was called a “mutual parting of the ways,” a euphemism often used by companies instead of “it would be too embarrassing if we explained what truly happened.” 

 

But, he offers no evidence to support his implication and in fact quotes Butler several times as saying no scandal, amicable, no crazy story.  Then he uses examples like Brady leaving the Patriots and the Beatles breaking up (well known to have rancor behind them) to conclude if those could happen "an assistant coach can conclude it's time to move on".  

 

Either Graham is obtuse, or he's being too cute with trying to imply that there's something shady going on behind the scenes without offering any evidence.

 

It seems logical to me that if Butler thought he should be tapped as DC, he wouldn't be happy sitting in a meeting room with Bobby Babich as his boss.  Personally from what I can tell, Babich may be more qualified, but the ultimate judgement on that is of course McDermott's.

 

I thought there were a couple of glaring omissions in Graham's Ode to Butler as our DB coach.  One of them was the mysterious case of Kaiir Elam, a first round pick who had some good play at the end of last season and then seemingly fell down the depth chart to game-day inactive.  He has talent, so if Butler is a great talent developer, why is Elam collecting splinters in his butt?  Then there are some questions about key breaks in coverage at key moments.

 

Not dissing Butler, he's obviously done some great work here, but I thought Graham's article had some weird aspects.

[Richard Noggin]

37 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Yeah, that was weird.  

Graham states that per Butler and per McDermott, Butler left on amicable terms.  There is the implication that he wanted to receive the DC job, and that he left after he got passed over for Bobby Babich.

 

Then Graham several times implies it couldn't have been amicable - earlier than the piece you quoted he alludes that "amicable parting" is a term used to cover-up a some internal brangling:

 

But, he offers no evidence to support his implication and in fact quotes Butler several times as saying no scandal, amicable, no crazy story.  Then he uses examples like Brady leaving the Patriots and the Beatles breaking up (well known to have rancor behind them) to conclude if those could happen "an assistant coach can conclude it's time to move on".  

 

 

Isn't that last, bolded block of historic breakup analogies (old Brady/New England and of course the still-young effing Beatles) ABSOLUTELY ABSURD AND HYPERBOLIC when applied to the "mutual parting of ways" of an obscure DB coach who hasn't generated squadoosh for genuine outside interest, and a successful-ish defense with multiple rising coaching talents? It's obscene. It's laughable. 

[Neo]

There are times when the pressure to write something is greater than the anything that becomes the topic.

[Neo]

PS:   We may have gone to school together if you saw the post title and had the following come to mind.

 

 

Edited February 27 by Neo

[SoonerBillsFan]

5 hours ago, Beck Water said:

Yeah, that was weird.  

Graham states that per Butler and per McDermott, Butler left on amicable terms.  There is the implication that he wanted to receive the DC job, and that he left after he got passed over for Bobby Babich.

 

Then Graham several times implies it couldn't have been amicable - earlier than the piece you quoted he alludes that "amicable parting" is a term used to cover-up a some internal brangling:

 

But, he offers no evidence to support his implication and in fact quotes Butler several times as saying no scandal, amicable, no crazy story.  Then he uses examples like Brady leaving the Patriots and the Beatles breaking up (well known to have rancor behind them) to conclude if those could happen "an assistant coach can conclude it's time to move on".  

 

Either Graham is obtuse, or he's being too cute with trying to imply that there's something shady going on behind the scenes without offering any evidence.

 

It seems logical to me that if Butler thought he should be tapped as DC, he wouldn't be happy sitting in a meeting room with Bobby Babich as his boss.  Personally from what I can tell, Babich may be more qualified, but the ultimate judgement on that is of course McDermott's.

 

I thought there were a couple of glaring omissions in Graham's Ode to Butler as our DB coach.  One of them was the mysterious case of Kaiir Elam, a first round pick who had some good play at the end of last season and then seemingly fell down the depth chart to game-day inactive.  He has talent, so if Butler is a great talent developer, why is Elam collecting splinters in his butt?  Then there are some questions about key breaks in coverage at key moments.

 

Not dissing Butler, he's obviously done some great work here, but I thought Graham's article had some weird aspects.

You address what I did in another post. Butler can post all the stats he wants about his secondary, but it's easy to do when at one time he had essentially 2 all pro safeties and an all pro CB.   But he gets a 1st round pick in Elam, and the kid is crap so far.

3 minutes ago, Neo said:

PS:   We may have gone to school together if you saw the post title and had the following come to mind.

 

 

Same here.  

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

I mean, the motive doesn't have to be complex here. The one they are explicitly saying out loud seems plausible.

 

Eric Washington and John Butler are older than Babbich, and were heads of their position groups longer. Going a season with no DC and then being passed over is a common reason to move elsewhere in a lot of professions. God knows I've done it.

[BuffaloBillyG]

IIRC Butler called the plays in one of our preseason games last year. Was possibly an audition of sorts to see what he could bring. Maybe they didn't like what they saw there. So after having that opportunity and then getting passed over for the DC job, I can see how he would feel it's time to move on. I think it's in some was similar to watching Chad Hall leave before after not getting the OC job. 

 

That said, of the two I feel like they picked the correct guy in Babich. A bit younger with more room to learn and develop as a coordinator. 

[juno999]

I found it curious to see Babich get interviews as a DC candidate but don't recall Butler receiving any himself.  Butler may have been perceived by other teams as the favorite to get the Bills DC job and therefore didn't draw any interest.  Can't blame Butler for leaving.  He was passed over and that's hard to come to terms especially if you feel you paid your dues and believe you can do it.

[Sweats]

The Butler did it!!!

[boyst]

55 minutes ago, Neo said:

PS:   We may have gone to school together if you saw the post title and had the following come to mind.

 

 

i was wondering what Graham was doing pulling him out for a story. besides, didn't he pass away?

[julian]

57 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

You address what I did in another post. Butler can post all the stats he wants about his secondary, but it's easy to do when at one time he had essentially 2 all pro safeties and an all pro CB.   But he gets a 1st round pick in Elam, and the kid is crap so far.

Same here.  

Only, Elam really hasn’t been “crap”, which is why it’s weird that he hasn’t earned a starting role and maybe it was ego or personal feelings between position coach and player, either way for Butler, it doesn’t look good having Elam on the bench.

 

 

[Snappysnackcakes]

1 hour ago, Neo said:

PS:   We may have gone to school together if you saw the post title and had the following come to mind.

 

 

Man, that’s exactly what my first thought was!! 

[The Jokeman]

7 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

Interesting (by design) piece in The Athletic by Tim Graham. WTF? So intensely out-of-touch from average Bills fans' perspectives, what even comes BEFORE the blank ad break. What comes after is downright embarrassing. 

 

 

The same way Buscaglia bizarrely wedges in post-hoc, un-provable Tremaine Edmunds evaluations, to then somehow reflect upon Terrel Bernard, who logged more impact plays in one half season than his predecessor did in 5 full seasons! Just bonkers, obviously disingenuous arguments being made.  

While my guitar gently weeps....

[4merper4mer]

Tim Graham has to alternate between cute innuendo and outright falsehoods.  He’d be exposed too rapidly if he were a one trick pony.

[Just Jack]

1 hour ago, Neo said:

PS:   We may have gone to school together if you saw the post title and had the following come to mind.

 

 

 

I'll always remember, back in the Empire Sports Network days, he was on the Paul Maquire show with Steve Christie.  Paul mentions that Christie contract was up, and would have to be renewed.  Christie laughs and throws his arm around John, but Butler has this shocked look on his face, like he did not know.  That very next season Butler was gone to San Diego.  

 

My other JB story, Hall Of Fame induction for Jim Kelly, leaving the area on our bus we are following a car, and come across a police sawhorse blocking the road.  The driver of the car in front of us gets out and moves it.  As he turns to get back in his car, we realize it's John Butler.  

 

50 minutes ago, boyst said:

i was wondering what Graham was doing pulling him out for a story. besides, didn't he pass away?

 

April, 2003.  

 

Edited February 27 by Just Jack

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

2 hours ago, Neo said:

PS:   We may have gone to school together if you saw the post title and had the following come to mind.

 

 

Goo goo g'joob, classic era.

For modern day version, please see 'Reid, Andy'.

[benderbender]

The sudden thirst for truth about DC is odd considering we swam in a sea of ambiguity for a few seasons now. When you juxtapose that with non-answers for 13 seconds, the Cincinnati acute emotional exhaustion, Frazier's coaching status, and the Dorsey getting fired for the special teams letdowns, it just proves that we not only don't need definitive answers, we don't even want them. 

Edited February 27 by benderbender

[colin]

the gap in our d's numbers in the reg season vs playoffs is just shocking.

 

my pet theory is like a boxer who has great d by preventing his opponent from punching by keeping him off balance, controlled, or just moving out the way vs slower guys.  when we face people who have answers tho, we breakdown our fundamentals and either shell up and become a punching bag, or make the wrong moves and try to do too much.  im not sure of the exact answer, but i think it involves being more aggressive at times but we have to do so in an effective way.  the sell out telegraphed blitzes aren't it.

 

hopefully they made the right choice for some new blood leading the show.  given how our LBs tend to play, and the embarrassment of spectacular stat sheet filling play by TB in his second year, i think bobby babby might be the man for the job.

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, The Jokeman said:

While my guitar gently weeps....

I guess nothing sells without drama, real or imagined…,