Archives for January 2006

‘The fourth factor in Sherman’s corner at this point is stability for the Bills’ franchise. Levy, the oldest GM in the league at 80 years old, probably won’t hold the position for more than four years. After that, the Bills would be out looking for someone to fill his spot. In the event that they hire Sherman, that won’t be the case.’

‘The Bills’ search for a head coach continued Thursday as James Lofton, current wide receivers coach of the San Diego Chargers, is in Buffalo to interview for the position left vacant when Mike Mularkey resigned on January 13.’

‘Money could be a factor in the decision. Sherman made $3.2 million per year in Green Bay, while Jauron was paid $2 million annually when he coached the Bears. Both have the credentials to lead the Bills.’

‘During four of his six seasons in Green Bay, Sherman also served in the capacity of general manager. He probably would like to continue to have a strong say in personnel. However, he may be open to accepting a reduced role with the Bills, given that he is not a candidate for any of the three other coaching openings, in Houston, Oakland or St. Louis. Sherman interviewed with the New Orleans Saints, but that job went to Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach Sean Payton.’

‘Sherman reportedly would have selected quarterback J.P. Losman in the 2004 draft, before the Bills traded back into the first round and selected Losman 22nd overall.’

‘Wilson, who handed the dour and sometimes combative Donahoe more power than any executive in team history, said it was a mistake to trust one person with the entire operation and took back the title of team president. In hiring Levy, he’s hoping his old coach – who took the Bills to four Super Bowls in the early 1990s – can rekindle the sense of teamwork that made Buffalo a model franchise for so long.’

‘The decision to let go veteran Drew Bledsoe and hand the reins to the untested Losman, a 2004 first-round pick, proved disastrous for the Bills, in part due to a shocking lack of commitment to the former Tulane star. Losman was benched after just four games and a 1-3 record as former coach Mike Mularkey feared the season was slipping away, and although Losman regained the job for four games, he was never able to regain his confidence or the respect of his teammates.’

‘Buffalo’s top personnel men under fired general Tom Donahoe – assistant GM Tom Modrak and pro personnel director John Guy – appear safe in their jobs for 2006. With the college draft and free agency around the corner, it’s important that the Bills maintain continuity, at least for this off-season, even though Modrak and Guy must share in Buffalo’s 31-49 record since 2001.’

‘Sherman joins Dick Jauron and Bobby April as official candidates for the Bills head coaching job. The team is obligated to interview at least one minority candidate for the job. That’s a requirement that hasn’t yet been met.’

‘Changes at the top in Buffalo finally did Mularkey in. Although he showed the utmost respect for Levy, the beleaguered coach was weary of the Bills direction. First, he learned of the team’s plans to make decisions by committee, with Levy and Assistant General Manager Tom Modrak collaborating on scouting and player personnel issues. Then Mularkey learned of another change that promised to sap more authority from him. “I’m going to take back the presidency,” a frail Wilson said, 5 years after handing the title, and too much of the team’s control, to Donahoe.’

‘Jauron and Sherman are considered the front-runners, providing team owner Ralph Wilson and new general manager Marv Levy a clear choice of whether to go with an offensive- or defensive-minded coach. Jauron, a former Pro Bowl defensive back, is a defensive specialist while Sherman has solely coached offense.’

‘Sherman’s troops have also been among the league’s least penalized teams in three of his seasons, ranking third in 2003 following fifth- and eighth-place finishes in 2000 and 2001, respectively.’

Kelly had talked to Dylan Hunter and Knights goalie Adam Dennis, both Buffalo Sabres draft picks, about the city. “He lives there and he told us about where to go to find the good places to eat,” Hunter said. “It was great to meet him.”‘

‘Those four candidates should not just be interviewed for a head-coaching job because they’re minorities. They ought to be interviewed because of their qualifications. Unfortunately for these men, the Bills are about as likely to hire one of them as I would be to eat calamari. It just isn’t happening.’

‘It appears the Bills are leaning toward hiring someone with prior head coaching experience.’