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Curious about Marv's 1987 draft reference


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Yesterday Marv again related one of his staunchest decisions ever (as HC): to draft Shane Conlan over someone who he says is in jail. He's related that story a few times already since he's been named GM. It's piqued my curiosity about who he is alluding to; I looked through the 1987 draft results but couldn't figure it out. Anybody know?

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Yesterday Marv again related one of his staunchest decisions ever (as HC): to draft Shane Conlan over someone who he says is in jail. He's related that story a few times already since he's been named GM. It's piqued my curiosity about who he is alluding to; I looked through the 1987 draft results but couldn't figure it out. Anybody know?

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has to be Mike Junkin

 

Cleveland Mike Junkin ILB Duke

 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/years/1987

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Yeah but Junkin was picked prior to the Bill's selection, s oMarv really didn't have a decision trhere and was Reggie Rogers in the 87 draft?

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It's probably Marv being his "old" self again. Reggie Rogers was picked one selection above the Bills. I didn't see anyone else on that list in the next few picks or first round that went to jail, but perhaps. And, oh, yeah, Marv and the Bills signed Rogers out of jail in 1991.

 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/years/1987

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Didn't we have the #3 pick that year and traded down to #8 and get the extra 2nd rounder?  Maybe Marv is referring to taking Rogers at #3 instead of trading down and getting Conlanat #8.

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It really wouldn't matter from what Marv said. In order for him to say that before the trade he would have had to know, prematurely, that Conlan would have been available at #8 when they traded for #3, and would have had to be strongly considering Reggie Rogers at #3 who went at #7. That seems highly unlikely. It also seems a little unlikely that as a relatively new coach, coming off a 4-12 season, with an egomaniac (though excellent) GM, that Marv would have even been in a position to say "No, we're taking this guy". In all likelihood, it was Polian's pick, and Marv strongly lobbied for Conlan and Polian said lets go with it.

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It also seems a little unlikely that as a relatively new coach, coming off a 4-12 season, with an egomaniac (though excellent) GM, that Marv would have even been in a position to say "No, we're taking this guy".

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Polian would have surely deferred to Marv's judgement. They operated on consensus and Bill respected Marv's opinion very much.

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Polian would have surely deferred to Marv's judgement.  They operated on consensus and Bill respected Marv's opinion very much.

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The boss would have deferred to the coach in the one job the boss is most responsible for?

 

I am sure they operated on consensus when consensus was possible. I am sure he respected Marv's opinion very much. I wouldn't doubt that if he was in a quandry over the two and he couldn't decide, and Marv was strongly in favor of one that he would say okay, let's go with that guy. But it is Polian's job and decision, and if he really wanted Player A and Marv really wanted Conlan, I think Polian would have taken Player A.

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The boss would have deferred to the coach in the one job the boss is most responsible for?

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Yep, in my opinion he would have (and did). Any GM who picks a player his HC doesn't want is a fool, and Bill was certainly not that. Ergo the trade down to #8 and landing an extra second round pick in the process.

 

"I want players who can go to the Super Bowl."

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Yep, in my opinion he would have (and did).  Any GM who picks a player his HC doesn't want is a fool, and Bill was certainly not that.  Ergo the trade down to #8 and landing an extra second round pick in the process.

 

"I want players who can go to the Super Bowl."

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So if you were GM of the Bills. And Marv was your coach. And you couldn't get a consensus on a pick in this year's draft at #8. And you really wanted D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Marv really wanted Huff, who you didn't like, you would say okay, Marv, we'll go with your guy?

 

And again, as I stated earlier, it would have been almost impossible for that conversation to happen before the trade was made.

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And again, as I stated earlier, it would have been almost impossible for that conversation to happen before the trade was made.

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How would it have been impossible? They were drafting #3, so had the luxury of looking at virtually anyone they pleased prior to the draft.

 

From the article I linked:

 

"Polian plucked quarterback Jim Kelly from the USFL shortly before Levy arrived. Later, he and Levy collaborated to stock the roster with Levy’s kind of players."

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How would it have been impossible?  They were drafting #3, so had the luxury of looking at virtually anyone they pleased prior to the draft. 

 

From the article I linked:

 

"Polian plucked quarterback Jim Kelly from the USFL shortly before Levy arrived. Later, he and Levy collaborated to stock the roster with Levy’s kind of players."

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Because Marv says there was not a consensus and they chose between Conlan and a guy that went to jail. I assume that meant Reggie Rogers, who went at #7. I didn't see anyone else that I knew went to jail in that first round that I linked. In order for that conversation to happen before the trade, Marv would have had to have seen the future. He would have had to wanted Conlan, known for sure that he would be available at #8 and the other Bills brass would have had to have strongly considered taking Rogers at #3, which is all unlikely. The more likely case, IMO, is Marv just forgot that Rogers was taken ahead of Conlan that year. That Marv wanted Conlan, and thought they could get him at #8. They made the trade because the players in the top half of the draft that year were not huge names. And it worked out that way, especially because of who the players taken in the spots 3-7 were.

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In order for that conversation to happen before the trade, Marv would have had to have seen the future. He would have had to wanted Conlan, known for sure that he would be available at #8 and the other Bills brass would have had to have strongly considered taking Rogers at #3, which is all unlikely.

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Rogers was rated higher (by the draftnicks like Kiper) than Conlon in the '87 draft. He was that year's Mario Williams. Conlon was a top-10 guy, but had nowhere near the buzz to ensure that other teams would reach on him prior to the 8th spot.

 

It would've been very easy for Bill and Marv to decide to bypass Rogers in putting together their draft board, knowing that other teams coveted him.

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Reggie Rogers.....gee... and I  thought our beloved Bills only had players  on our roster that were pure, innocent and beyond reproach!

press sarcasm button now.

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WILSON URGED ROGERS' SIGNING

The Buffalo News

March 5, 1991

 

Ralph Wilson either will take the credit, or the blame, if Reggie Rogers winds up significantly helping the Buffalo Bills in the 1991 season.. It was on Wilson's recommendation that General Manager Bill Polian signed the former Detroit Lions defensive end and No. 1 draft pick as a free agent last week. . The signing came two weeks after Rogers served 121/2 months of a 16- to 24-month prison term for negligent homicide, stemming from a 1988 auto accident.

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