May Day 10

Whos greg Gabriel?

Nope. Wait for continuity to kick in. Year 1

Last in the nfl in valuation. Lots of envy out there?

Continuity. Be patient

All splitting hairs and arguing aside.... If this team fails this year to the tune of 0-6 wins... would anyone object the bills throwing open a window and letting in fresh air (21st century nfl)? Would pegula searching and finding a completely outside person to fully and without interference head up the football program really set the bills back?

Such a likeable guy compared to the other one (from miami?).

It is worth mentioning that the sales were sluggish and things werent looking good until flutie magic started.

Do we think Tom Brady would have an identical career trajectory if the Bills drafted him instead of the Pats? I dont. I believe a lot of NFL players, even Quarterbacks are a product of their environment. Even if it is "just a quarterback" that is needed.... this franchise has had 16 years + to replace Kelly, most of those years picking in the top half of the draft. Still failed. Has anyone who matters currently at OBD ever identified, obtained, and groomed a decent QB?

I like Rex Ryan a lot. I wanted him to coach here. I like his personality and would love to "have a beer with the guy". I would love it if he and his brother were able to run the table here, win the Superbowl, dedicate it to their dad and go down in football history. However, you see the things that Jets fans/media as well as the entire Football world warned us about when we get excited. Too much chatter/showmanship, lack of discipline, sloppy in-game management. It has all come to fruition. It makes me doubtful this is going to produce any positive results

Continuity personified. Should be a super bowl contender any decade now

What if they win tonight???

I don't think he 'gave up' as much as he didn't want that structure again and to surrender control. At that point the circled the wagons and successfully isolated the organization from the outside world.

Someone said in this thread or a similar one.... something like: The gap between most NFL players isn't that large. It all boils down to preparation, coaching, and risk management/aversion. That is the Patriots' biggest 'secret' and why they always think it is a good idea to make 20 trades at the draft for quantity. The Bills still trade up, have foolishly spent up to the cap, constantly shoot themselves in the foot with Personal Fouls and silliness, shoot themselves in the foot with "communication issues", getting offensive plays in late, and depending on Rex Ryan throwing the challenge flag based on what angles the scoreboard shows and the player lobbying in his ear. Not to mention the constant and endless pattern of leaks and distractions coming from OBD on every subject.

Outside the heart of the Jim Kelly time period ('88-'95): 1 playoff win in the Superbowl Era Outside those years: 42 seasons, 8 playoff games. 1 win, 8 losses. 2 Home Playoff Games. Not a very good comparison to Green Bay and their "patient" fans I feel like Ralph's "vision" for this team should have been re-vamped quite a bit more.

I could talk myself into thinking Arizona coming to the East Coast with the Bills having an extra 3 days is a winnable game.... then beating the Brady-less Pats in week 4 is a possibility.... leading into the SF and LA games which should be winnable.

I dont give Pegula much credit for that. He botched the Sabres. It wasnt intentional. Lindy Ruff's firing was forced at a terrible time. It was early in a season, after an offseason AND a half season lockout. Would have been nice to go in a new direction earlier. The move was made because the crowd in the arena was turning very ugly and reached a crescendo the night before. Darcy's firing was similar. Early in a season when again, this type of thing is best executed in the offseason. Similarly, the home crowds were getting pretty unruly to the point of an embarrassment for the franchise. It started getting National press. Then you have the quick, sudden, and mysterious LaFontaine firing/resignation. I love Pegula and all.... very appreciative.... but I dont have much faith in his ownership decisions and structure.

I wont give up. Way too long to look forward to September of 2017 and too early to start worrying about the draft. Probably will hang in there until mid November (hopefully) as per usual.

I agree, just need to check off as many boxes as possible as strongly as possible. And no, I don't believe it needs to be someone in a permanent role. I think they need to fix/restructure things, make hires, and advise/teach Pegula. Pay a nice salary, and perhaps even wrap in some bonuses based on how the team goes. Maybe this person could be on the books longer as a consultant to Pegula. Casserly and Wolf are guys I (and most football writers) were expecting Pegula to bring in. It does look like the Jets are a great deal closer than the Bills in just 1 year (10 wins) and beat up a Superbowl contender and barely lost last week. Making these changes does not need to mean (and shouldnt mean) a 5 year bottom out rebuild.

Having a winning football program.... even a halfway competitive one would obsolete marketing efforts. I just listened to two national radio guys laugh about the Bills and the game tonight. They couldnt even think of anything to talk about. They were having Steve Tasker on in a bit and they said "Steve Tasker.... he was a Buffalo player.... he played against the Jets many times......" and then laughter. This organization remains in neutral and irrelevant. How can this not be seen by everyone who follows this team? Almost 4 years ago, Brandon stood there and told us he was fully clear and responsible to make this organization a winner. He made it clear he was the guy and everything goes through him. It sounds like he has had influence on the football team (and a pretty easy argument can be made that this "promotion" was all just a ruse to maintain the status quo a few more years anyway) "Obviously I am honored and humbled in his confidence in me to lead this organization into a new era and provide a clear direction and winning pathway into the future" "He (Mr Wilson) told me he was passing the torch to me to run this franchise in totality. He has granted me full authority to run this franchise with zero restrictions and zero limitations." We certainly understand and appreciate the frustration of our great fans and supporters. We acknowledge it; we own it and we will never run from it. This is an organization with a proud tradition, but I will tell you that this brand has been tarnished. Its relevancy has been tarnished and it is unacceptable because we just have not won enough games. As Buddy (Nix) says all the time, it is a production business. That is what we are in this for is to win games. It is time to start, create and lead this franchise into the future with a new legacy. I make three promises to our fans. Number one, I can promise you that this will be a forward-thinking, progressive and attacking organization heading into the future. One of the items that I am going to spend a lot of time on with Buddy, with Doug Whaley and with Jim Overdorf is we are going to create and establish a very robust football analytics operation that we layer into our entire operation moving forward. That is something that is very important to me and very important to the future of this franchise. I also will promise that anyone who knows me and has worked with me knows that I will leave no stone unturned in taking this organization to a world class level. I will identify and I will hire world-class people to bring into this organization, but most importantly I will empower people to do their jobs. I am going to be real clear about one thing because I know you are going to ask it. I will not be drafting people. I will not be making the final decision on a free agent. I will empower the general manager, Buddy Nix, to do that. Do I have final authority and say? Yes. That is what Buddy Nix, the general manager, does. He identifies personnel. He runs that side of our operation. OK? I cannot be any clearer than that. I think my track record on that side of the house when you look at how we have run an organization we have had great, the overused word, continuity within our organization. We have been enormously successful. My goal with Buddy is to continue that legacy to bring in a top end head coach and keep developing our football side of the house. Hopefully we do not have to sit here many more times in the future. I am going to address Buddy’s situation real quick because there has been a lot of incredibly false information that has been reported for some reason. Buddy Nix is our general manager. Buddy Nix will run the football operation much like he has run it for the last three years. When you look at where we are today compared to where we were three years ago, it is unquestioned that our personnel and our roster is in a much better position than it was three years ago—which makes this a very attractive opportunity. Q: Did people around here not have the ability to make decisions? You said you will empower people to do what they need to do. Were they not allowed to? RB: Our organization moving forward is the structure that I mentioned. Mr. Wilson is a Hall of Fame owner. This organization and this community is blessed to have him. For us moving forward, that will go through me and to me alone. I welcome that opportunity. Q: Given that aside from a new coach you are maintaining continuity in the football operation side, what gives you confidence that you can turn this around? RB: I think when you look at our roster and you look at our personnel it is much better than it was three years ago. A lot of people, and when I came to this organization I was blessed to work very closely with John Butler, who again John was a mentor and he was like a second dad to me. I learned so much from John. The guy who I spent probably more time with next to John was Buddy Nix. There is not a better evaluator of talent in my opinion when it comes to pure scouting than Buddy Nix. He has done it. He is a pure football man. He has played, he has coached and he has scouted. He knows football. He knows talent. He has sort of raised me in this business along with John. I have great admiration for Buddy. I believe in him 100-percent. We also have identified a good young man in Doug Whaley, which Buddy will talk about. We brought in Doug three years ago as assistant general manager from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Doug is a very forward-thinking, progressive young man who has done a lot in this business at a young age. Really has been a protégé of Buddy’s for the last three years. ***When he talks like this, I have little doubt he fancies himself as a football man, capable of making any football-related decision. Q: How is the head coaching search going to work and who is going to conduct the search? RB: As soon as we get off this podium we go to work. I cannot wait to get off this podium. Buddy Nix, Doug Whaley, Jim Overdorf and myself will all head out of here and start that process. We will go through a thorough and exhaustive search. We will make the right decision. We are not focused on the quick decision. Q: As it stands right now, we haven’t heard from Buddy yet, everybody with the exception of title changes and the head coach is still in place. Ralph owns the team… could you give some examples about how things are going to change? RB: I’m not prepared to have specific examples now, but I am prepared to do a top-to-bottom full evaluation of everything that we do in this organization. Organizations win championships and people win championships. That’s an old Marv Levy saying, but it’s the truth. Everything you do in this organization has a part of how this organization is viewed and how people accept it. We’re going to look at everything. Buddy and I will do that collectively on the football side of the house. But as I mentioned, I’ll leave no stone unturned. We are going to get better. However we do it, we’re going to get better and I’ve had a lot of time and spent a lot of time with this guy (Buddy Nix) and we’ve talked about a lot of things over the last 24-hours as well as the rest of my staffs. The No. 1 focus right now is on the head coach.

Someone from outside the organization with no connections. Has been involved in 1, preferably multiple repeat deep playoff run organizations. Has an extensive rolodex of possible gms and coaches as well as credibility and respect. Has a handle on current trends in the league as well as respect for probability/risk management. Has a willingness and desire to take on this challenge (and not think he is some dignitary making 7 figures).

http://buffalowins.net/buffalo-bills/my-diatribe-rant-against-russ-brandon.html

no cordy, richardson returning.... bad news for the Bills' O. Jets 26-Bills 13

He said "no stone unturned"

the problem is, Brandon is/was influential in Nix, Whaley, Gailey, Marrone, Jauron, and Rex. That is as influential as it gets and nothing has worked out. In fact, I would categorize it all as a disaster and a disjointed mess. *If* this team falls on its face to the tune of 0-5 wins and Pegula decides a change is needed.... I think it is imperative that outside eyes need to be brought in. If Brandon is allowed to go on another "no stone unturned" search for a GM and/or Head Coach, nothing will change. Maybe we can have a meaningful December game someday or gloriously go one and out in a road playoff game... but this will never be a model football program.

I'm almost not so much anti-Brandon as much as I am for a complete rebuild of a sloppy and futile football program. A rebuild executed from someone from outside the organization (and NOT chosen by any input from Russ Brandon). The fact that there are leaks all the time. Embarrassing ones. Fights with the Coach, GM, and "Marketing Guy" on the field, this person's job is in jeopardy, people in the Bills think EJ will prove he is the starter.... etc..... Watkins wakes up with his foot hurting.... is pretty damning. Its a recurring pattern. Then you have the Pats. One player punches out a star and nobody hears about it until 18-24 months later. Outside eyes is all I want. I want an NFL team built for sustainable success. Ralph's hires did not have that as a primary objective, nor have they delivered.