From an ACTUAL Source

[KOKBILLS]

Best case scenario, all you nay sayers (98% of Bills fans) are finally satisfied with a guy whose character and good nature you've always taken for granted.

 

Taken for granted? WTF is that?...You're kidding right?...3 consecutive losing Season and we're taking Dead Dick for granted huh? Please... Character and good nature? We're not in Church Choir with the Guy...We want him to win Football Games not Mr. Congeniality...

 

Look...everybody knows that Dick's a decent guy...But this is the NFL and we are Buffalo Bills Fans...We want to go to the Playoffs again before we all die...This Team that DJ has lead to a 21-27 Record over these 3 Years has his fingerprints all over it both on and off the field...His Record speaks for itself and all the good guy, "gee wiz he's swell" garbage matters not...7 losing Seasons out of 8 as a HC in the NFL...That's all that matters...IMHO Jauron is blessed beyond imagination that he is still a HC in this league...When HC's like Shanahan and Gruden got canned Dick must have felt like the luckiest man on earth to keep his job...I still can't believe we kept that loser...If The Bills do Win in 09 it will be inspite of Dick not because of him because He's a career loser...He's WAY overmatched as a HC in the NFL...

 

Nice Guy? Yes...NFL HC? Not so much...

[Sisyphean Bills]

Best case scenario, all you nay sayers (98% of Bills fans) are finally satisfied with a guy whose character and good nature you've always taken for granted.

Are you sure it isn't 74.284781% of Bills fans? Afterall, the draft concluded two days ago proves the ship has been righted.

 

No, we're not pulling "facts" out of thin air around here.

[Beerball]

I'll ask again, is it Hub Arkush?

Is that a real name? You've got to wait until later in the day to hit the sauce. I think ML is his source.

[Buftex]

You don't remember correctly.

 

I've never heard the name. Had to look him up.

 

 

Sorry, somebody here, was a roommate to Hub's son...my apologies.

[The Big Cat]

Taken for granted? WTF is that?...You're kidding right?...3 consecutive losing Season and we're taking Dead Dick for granted huh? Please... Character and good nature? We're not in Church Choir with the Guy...We want him to win Football Games not Mr. Congeniality...

 

Look...everybody knows that Dick's a decent guy...But this is the NFL and we are Buffalo Bills Fans...We want to go to the Playoffs again before we all die...This Team that DJ has lead to a 21-27 Record over these 3 Years has his fingerprints all over it both on and off the field...His Record speaks for itself and all the good guy, "gee wiz he's swell" garbage matters not...7 losing Seasons out of 8 as a HC in the NFL...That's all that matters...IMHO Jauron is blessed beyond imagination that he is still a HC in this league...When HC's like Shanahan and Gruden got canned Dick must have felt like the luckiest man on earth to keep his job...I still can't believe we kept that loser...If The Bills do Win in 09 it will be inspite of Dick not because of him because He's a career loser...He's WAY overmatched as a HC in the NFL...

 

Nice Guy? Yes...NFL HC? Not so much...

 

Firstly, you misread me. I said it was his character and demeanor we've taken for granted, not the man.

 

Secondly: Dick haters say W/L = the coaching barometer. The Big Cat says certain intangibles are equally important. You really can't convince me otherwise, I've played enough sports, had enough good AND bad coaches, and heard enough about Dick Jauron that you can't tell me he's a bad coach SOLEY because of a few errors on game day. A FEW. Some of you zealots make it seem like the errors are chronic, they're really not.

 

I've got cookies in the oven so I'm not going to take the time to look up "a week in the life of an NFL team" to demonstrate the minuscule exposure to team activities a "fan" has. I understand that game time is the most valuable time there is, but when you're BUILDING a team, which has always been the case under Jauron, those minutes during the game are peanuts compared to everything else going. By all accounts he has "everything else going on" well under wraps.

[BillsVet]

I love it when, if a person has nothing left, they resort to saying you don't know what it's like in the NFL to suppress any and all arguments.

 

TBC- There's no other way to quantify a NFL HC than by wins and losses. This isn't HS football where the coach may be the likable teacher or an administrator. When a team's payroll is in the nine figures, likability isn't a job requirement, it's optional. Wins and playoff appearances are mandatory however. It's why Gruden and Shanahan lost their jobs, despite success a few years ago. DJ doesn't have that either.

 

Winning above all else is what matters. Sure, I don't want a Brad Childress throwing the coaches under the bus when Reggie Bush returns 2 punts for TD's against me.

 

I would hope your assertion that wins and losses aren't as important as other intangibles is merely a ruse. You can't be serious, although I've see worse on TBD.

 

To quote Leo Durocher, "Nice guys finish last."

 

EDIT: BTW, Bob Dole wants his third person references back.

[Tcali]

Its not shocking to me...I still have several friends in various NFL circles, and he is very respected in the league. In fact, many felt his 2007 coaching job after Kevin, the bad break in Den and Dall and the worst case of injuries in the league that year, was one of the better coaching jobs in the league. Some have even said that if we made the playoffs (as we had a chance to) he may have won coach of the year...Then last year he was again being spoken of in the coach of the year rumblings after the 6-2 start until it derailed. Again, most lay this on JP and Edwards struggles and the injuries more than DJ from the people I talk to.

 

Its the fans that are down on him the most. A friend of mine played one year for him in Chicago and he said that he gets more out of his guys than most beacuse people play hard for him.

 

His biggest problem in Buffalo has been lack of an established QB to lead this team and injuries, and hopefully with all the new weapons and OL additions, Edwards can make the leap forward this year and be that guy. All coaches make in game mistakes, but when the team isnt winning they get magnified. Mike Tomlin probably made more coaching mistakes than most other coaches this year, but it doesnt get talked about because they overcame them and won.

thats all well and good---but the guy makes too many headscratching mistakes. The fans are down on him because they watch the games and have eyes to see. I don't think he is a bad coach...Just mediocre overall.

[Cynical]

Firstly, you misread me. I said it was his character and demeanor we've taken for granted, not the man.

 

Secondly: Dick haters say W/L = the coaching barometer.

 

Then Dick Jauron must be a Jauron hater. According to Matt Bowen, who actually played with the guy, said this:

 

"Dick always used to say “we are judged by wins and loses” in the NFL. And isn’t that true? Of course. Good coaching is one thing, relationships are another, but winning — that’s all that counts at this level."

 

You can argue what you want, but even the Dick knows: no wins = you suck.

 

The Big Cat says certain intangibles are equally important. You really can't convince me otherwise, I've played enough sports, had enough good AND bad coaches, and heard enough about Dick Jauron that you can't tell me he's a bad coach SOLEY because of a few errors on game day. A FEW. Some of you zealots make it seem like the errors are chronic, they're really not.

 

I've got cookies in the oven so I'm not going to take the time to look up "a week in the life of an NFL team" to demonstrate the minuscule exposure to team activities a "fan" has. I understand that game time is the most valuable time there is, but when you're BUILDING a team, which has always been the case under Jauron, those minutes during the game are peanuts compared to everything else going. By all accounts he has "everything else going on" well under wraps.

 

Here's where we disagree on. The problems of the team are systematic errors. The blunders and the screw ups are not the root cause of the team problems. They are the result of failures in the system.

 

I have said it now for years. Get rid of Jauron, bring in a competent coach, and watch how miraculously all the little BS problems disappear.

[LancasterSteve]

The list of bad game day decisions for Dick and his coaching staff is so long I doubt anyone here can recall them all. It is NOT JUST BAD PLAYERS. There are certain "rules" that I can't figure out why this coach and his staff can't seem to figure out such as:

 

1.) if the run is working. Keep running.

2.) if the opponent is out of time outs and is behind, don't give them the sideline pass.

3.) if you are deep in your own end zone near the end of a half or game and your are ahead and the opponent is out of time outs, run the ball.

4.) field goal % goes way up when you get the distance to 42 yards or less.

5.) When windy weather is a huge factor - GENERALLY - run into the wind and throw when it is at your back.

 

I also have never seen a coach who is worse at challenges. My God he even challenged the number of players on the field and got THAT wrong.

He is AMAZINGLY bad -so much so - that he does not challenge when he should and challenges when he should not. Why can't the Bills pay someone - anyone - to sit near a phone and a TV and buzz him when to challenge? That method could not possibly make things worse.

 

It has also seemed that the players have very little passion on the field. How many times have you asked yourself, "do I care more about winning than they do?" (I mean a LOT MORE). One thing about TO - he hates losing. I doubt he will sit around quietly when the other team runs up the score or does a cheap shot.

 

my 2 cents

Good post Rich......I'll add another: How many times did we get called for delay of game or have to waste a timeout because the play was late getting sent in.

[Lori]

Good post Rich......I'll add another: How many times did we get called for delay of game or have to waste a timeout because the play was late getting sent in.

Agreed. That's stuff I'd expect to see from a high school team. No, wait, that's insulting some of the better high school teams I've seen.

[The Big Cat]

I love it when, if a person has nothing left, they resort to saying you don't know what it's like in the NFL to suppress any and all arguments.

 

TBC- There's no other way to quantify a NFL HC than by wins and losses. This isn't HS football where the coach may be the likable teacher or an administrator. When a team's payroll is in the nine figures, likability isn't a job requirement, it's optional. Wins and playoff appearances are mandatory however. It's why Gruden and Shanahan lost their jobs, despite success a few years ago. DJ doesn't have that either.

 

Winning above all else is what matters. Sure, I don't want a Brad Childress throwing the coaches under the bus when Reggie Bush returns 2 punts for TD's against me.

 

I would hope your assertion that wins and losses aren't as important as other intangibles is merely a ruse. You can't be serious, although I've see worse on TBD.

 

To quote Leo Durocher, "Nice guys finish last."

 

EDIT: BTW, Bob Dole wants his third person references back.

 

No, I'm the guy who's formed his opinion based on countless other corroborating accounts from people who DO know what it's like in the NFL. And sorry to those whose 'sources' are guys who played here in Chicago for a year or two, but my guy knew him better and longer.

 

You're right, it is about wins and losses.

 

It's about having a team that wins.

 

2006 and 2007 weren't win-or-go-home seasons. They were BUILDING seasons. I'll even split hairs over the 2007 injury rash and extend the re-build mode through 2008

 

I'll say this again, here are the guys who were on the roster prior to Jauron taking charge in 2006:

 

Evans

Reed

Schobel

Lindel

Moorman

Kelsay

Parish

Denney

 

That's a kicker, a punter, three guys "on the trading block" two starters on the hot seat, and ONE position player to whom we've committed long term.

 

In three years this team has been blown up and rebuilt.

 

 

It's been rebuilt prudently but certainly not perfectly. I believe we're NOW at a point where the team has enough experience/talent on the field to be true contenders.

 

In 2006, 2007, and 2008 the team was in transit, it had a lot of very young guys expected to contribute, and it relied on marginal but experienced players brought in early to plug some immediate holes (Fowler, Royal, Price, etc).

 

Sure, we could have tried a big name FA here and there, but when Donahoe was let go, the game plan was to build a NEW team and build it from the ground up. Buffalo's stayed to true that philosophy- to their credit (IMO). Plus big name FA's only seem to come to Buffalo under rare circumstances anyways ($$, one shot at redemption).

 

When a team has enough talent/chemistry it takes an incredibly poor coach to f-ck things up. 9/10 coaches bad enough to BLOW it for their talented players are egomaniacs, not Jauron. I think Jauron's the right coach to build a young team around, but only has the game-management skills to coach a veteran team that goes out, executes the game plan, and plays consistently smart. Any sort of curve balls, and the sh-t's hit the fan.

 

Up until now, I can't say that Buffalo has fielded that team for Jauron on Sundays.

 

Young players/marginal players = curve balls galore.

 

But in the meantime, we're getting all the benefits that come with having a highly respected, extremely generous, trustworthy leader of men behind the scenes. The non-numerical, non W/L intangibles.

 

Jauron's style is very pro-player, meaning he probably doesn't micro-manage. That's EXACTLY how you coach a talented, cohesive team. Jauron's style breeds cohesion, the missing element IMO has been talent.

 

I know he's had a "say" on talent up to this point, but folks need to a.) be realistic about what can and can't happen for the Buffalo Bills in FA and b.) the talented we've drafted were just that...drafted. If there was one consensus this past weekend about the draft: it's that it's a total crap shoot.

 

So, now's the time. They've had four drafts, and four FA's. They've now addressed every unit in the first three rounds or through significant FA signings.

 

Their new foundation (Poz, Lynch, Whitner, Edwards, McKelvin, Butler) has some professional games under its belt. The new guys are hungry, the old guys are desperate.

 

We'll see how things come together in training camp, but if our talent is playing full speed ahead, Jauron won't be an issue.

 

Edwards is the wild card this year.

 

My conclusion remains the same: when it comes to Jauron, he gets the benefit of the doubt.

[John from Riverside]

Firstly, you misread me. I said it was his character and demeanor we've taken for granted, not the man.

 

Secondly: Dick haters say W/L = the coaching barometer. The Big Cat says certain intangibles are equally important. You really can't convince me otherwise, I've played enough sports, had enough good AND bad coaches, and heard enough about Dick Jauron that you can't tell me he's a bad coach SOLEY because of a few errors on game day. A FEW. Some of you zealots make it seem like the errors are chronic, they're really not.

 

I've got cookies in the oven so I'm not going to take the time to look up "a week in the life of an NFL team" to demonstrate the minuscule exposure to team activities a "fan" has. I understand that game time is the most valuable time there is, but when you're BUILDING a team, which has always been the case under Jauron, those minutes during the game are peanuts compared to everything else going. By all accounts he has "everything else going on" well under wraps.

 

This is the thing

 

I dont hate DJ.....and I dont condemn him for making a mistake here and there on game day (by the way folks.....ALL of these coaches make "mistakes" on game day......it is just that some teams are talented enough to overcome those mistakes and still when....making the coaches look like geniouses.

 

My problem with DJ is that when things go bad he seems to crawl into a shell where he says "I am not going to make things worse by making rash decisions"

 

Im sorry but when a team goes on the losing streak we did last year then YES...you should do exactly that at times......his press conferences were maddening after a loss in the 2nd half of last season.....

 

The thing is....if the team was talented enough I dont think we go into that tailspin.......you have to put talent on the field

[The Big Cat]

This is the thing

 

I dont hate DJ.....and I dont condemn him for making a mistake here and there on game day (by the way folks.....ALL of these coaches make "mistakes" on game day......it is just that some teams are talented enough to overcome those mistakes and still when....making the coaches look like geniouses.

 

My problem with DJ is that when things go bad he seems to crawl into a shell where he says "I am not going to make things worse by making rash decisions"

 

Im sorry but when a team goes on the losing streak we did last year then YES...you should do exactly that at times......his press conferences were maddening after a loss in the 2nd half of last season.....

 

The thing is....if the team was talented enough I dont think we go into that tailspin.......you have to put talent on the field

 

Do you think that talent is there now?

[John from Riverside]

Do you think that talent is there now?

 

Honestly I am not sure......my worry now isn't necessarily LT as much as it is cohesiveness on the O line

 

- This coaching staff loves Hangarter so much that I think they have seen enough to know he is very good

- I think Butler can play RT fine

- I think Langston will play well most of the time....but will get beat at times too

- I think Wood will start at LG.....and I think he will be the mean and nasty cuss we all hope he is going to be

- I have not seen much of Levitre.....but I think he will start at RG

 

 

That gives us THREE new starters on the OL and two of them are rookies.......it is going to take time for them to gel and while I expect the running game to be much better I also think there will be breakdowns

 

 

On the defensive side of the ball I dont think they will put too much pressure on Maybin early...he will be part of a rotation which mean a lot there depends on how well Schrobel comes back from injury......if this all falls right we might actually be getting some pressure this year

 

I worry about Ellison because he is a poor tackler and not good against the run......I hope he is not hte opening day starter

I like our secondary just fine

Special teams will be special

 

I just dont know what to expect from this team

[Dan]

Honestly I am not sure......my worry now isn't necessarily LT as much as it is cohesiveness on the O line

 

- This coaching staff loves Hangarter so much that I think they have seen enough to know he is very good

- I think Butler can play RT fine

- I think Langston will play well most of the time....but will get beat at times too

- I think Wood will start at LG.....and I think he will be the mean and nasty cuss we all hope he is going to be

- I have not seen much of Levitre.....but I think he will start at RG

 

 

That gives us THREE new starters on the OL and two of them are rookies.......it is going to take time for them to gel and while I expect the running game to be much better I also think there will be breakdowns

 

 

On the defensive side of the ball I dont think they will put too much pressure on Maybin early...he will be part of a rotation which mean a lot there depends on how well Schrobel comes back from injury......if this all falls right we might actually be getting some pressure this year

 

I worry about Ellison because he is a poor tackler and not good against the run......I hope he is not hte opening day starter

I like our secondary just fine

Special teams will be special

 

I just dont know what to expect from this team

So will this be the excuse this year when we finish 7-9 with several poorly coached games in for good measure? Peters is gone, the new LT gave up 10 sacks. The other guys are still rookies. And so on and so forth. Edwards this. The weather that. At what point, do we say we have enough talent on this team to compete in the NFL?

 

Can anyone honestly say that our players, as a whole, are in the bottom 3rd of the NFL? In recent years, we've seen former Bills that were considered vastly inferior go to other teams and contribute. Look no further than Gandy on the Cards and Leonard on the Ravens. Just 2 examples of players that supposedly shouldn't even have been in the NFL let alone start while with the Bills, yet other coaching staffs figured out how to use them.

 

So what gives? At some point, isn't it the coaches job to put the players in a position to win? Yeah, the players have to execute and all those great cliches, but when it's 3 and 4 and you motion Reed to the side that you're running to for the 20th time that game while 8 and then 9 defenders rush in presnap.... well you're just not getting it done as a coaching staff. I'm sorry.

[John from Riverside]

So will this be the excuse this year when we finish 7-9 with several poorly coached games in for good measure? Peters is gone, the new LT gave up 10 sacks. The other guys are still rookies. And so on and so forth. Edwards this. The weather that. At what point, do we say we have enough talent on this team to compete in the NFL?

 

Can anyone honestly say that our players, as a whole, are in the bottom 3rd of the NFL? In recent years, we've seen former Bills that were considered vastly inferior go to other teams and contribute. Look no further than Gandy on the Cards and Leonard on the Ravens. Just 2 examples of players that supposedly shouldn't even have been in the NFL let alone start while with the Bills, yet other coaching staffs figured out how to use them.

 

So what gives? At some point, isn't it the coaches job to put the players in a position to win? Yeah, the players have to execute and all those great cliches, but when it's 3 and 4 and you motion Reed to the side that you're running to for the 20th time that game while 8 and then 9 defenders rush in presnap.... well you're just not getting it done as a coaching staff. I'm sorry.

 

Point taken

 

I think we telegraph plays way too much

[The Big Cat]

Point taken

 

I think we telegraph plays way too much

 

We'll see how our OC does in his second year of calling plays.

[Dan]

Point taken

 

I think we telegraph plays way too much

I completely agree. And please don't take my comments as an attack on yourself. I was merely using your post as a sounding board because I can see those arguments already. I consider myself as patient as any person. I gave Jauron 3 full years. And the fact that he posted 3 consecutive 7-9 seasons is not what concerns me the most. What concerns me is exactly what you just alluded to.

 

For 3 years we've been vanilla, predictable, and apathetic on the field. You would think at some point the offense would improve and not continually make the same mistakes. You'd think the defense could recognize a slant pattern after 3 years and do something to break one - just one - up. You'd think so many things that we as fans sitting on our coaches see as plainly as the noses on our faces could be recognized and corrected by our coaching staff. But, they're not.

 

The only summation I can arrive at is this coaching staff doesn't have that ability. Now, with a 4th year approaching, all we can do is wait and hope that this is the year Jauron et al. put it all together. And of course, we'll wait and watch in anticipation. But, I find it hard to believe that the light will suddenly come on. If I had some reason to, perhaps, but where's the glimmer?

[WellDressed]

No offense, but this isn't making one bit of difference come game day.

[Sisyphean Bills]

This is the thing

 

I dont hate DJ.....and I dont condemn him for making a mistake here and there on game day (by the way folks.....ALL of these coaches make "mistakes" on game day......it is just that some teams are talented enough to overcome those mistakes and still when....making the coaches look like geniouses.

 

My problem with DJ is that when things go bad he seems to crawl into a shell where he says "I am not going to make things worse by making rash decisions"

 

Im sorry but when a team goes on the losing streak we did last year then YES...you should do exactly that at times......his press conferences were maddening after a loss in the 2nd half of last season.....

 

The thing is....if the team was talented enough I dont think we go into that tailspin.......you have to put talent on the field

John, all teams in today's NFL are watered down. The expansion, the smaller rosters, the turnover in front offices and coaching staffs getting faster and faster, free agency, the salary cap, as so on have all watered down the product on the field greatly. On the positive side it has evened the playing field. Last year's Super Bowl teams were not the "greatest teams ever". The Cardinals were 2-4 to close out the season and didn't win over a team outside their division since before their bye week in October, before they got hot in the playoffs. They were a very flawed team and they nearly won the Super Bowl.

 

But, having said that, it is not a coincidence that the most successful teams in the NFL have been associated with certain coaches and regardless of which team that coach was coaching or who his QB was. Certain coaches are just plain better than other coaches and this game has become one of coaching and juggling of short- and long-term team management.