May Day 10

Didnt Nix hire Marrone? He was the GM.

I think you are both right. Brandon goes on his big spiel about how winning at all costs, all resources, etc. Then his first moves are extending the Toronto series (which does sacrifice some degree of competitive edge), and also the Fitzpatrick salary deferment to the 2014 cap.

You dont think more is possible? They used to sell over 80,000 tickets a game. Even the "non-sellouts" were 10,000 more tickets sold than current capacity. And now we have the benefit of all this awesome and successful "regionalism". Your not around here, but when the team has one of their hot starts, my phone blows up with people asking me where to find tickets (Im in a group with STs). I look on stubhub for them and you can find anything <$100. I cant think of a fan base that would perpetually sellout with this many listless consecutive seasons (and looking at who knows how many more)... in any sport. Look at the Redskins. Their attendance is putrid one year after a great season I would kill for (and keep me energized for another decade). Pittsburgh is another one. Nobody is showing up now that they arent front-running. Brandon throwing the failures of his team on the fans is a slap in the face (as a loyal STH). He does not go anywhere out of his way to thank or show appreciation to the fans... at least on a regular basis. We hear more about our inadequacies.

... but only marketing though

Those are the two examples of overzealous, overinvolved, unqualified, over-egotistical owners. There are about 30 teams who have been able to figure it out. The Bills and the Browns for some reason cant. 14 years without making the playoffs in a league where almost 40% of the teams make it is not excusable and is almost a statistical impossibility. Also factor in that they have only been close 1 time, and that was after a terrible start and made possible by playing every bad team in the NFL in succession. All these bad decisions you name, and really no accountability (since Donahoe's firing). The answer is always to fire whatever inadequate head coach is in place, ask whatever curmudgeon they have sitting as the GM to resign, promote Russ Brandon more and shuffle chairs around a bit. Then the result is more false hope and false optimism, followed by more of the same.

He is fine. He has put an unprecedented amount of resources toward growing the franchise in scouting and facilities. They are doing the right thing right now that will pay off. His big error was to trust the guys who were already spinning their tires and stale. As a Sabres fan, I couldnt be happier he is the owner. I also dont need to look over my shoulder anymore worried the team is going to leave. That is a buzz-kill. Just look at the Sabres' crowds during the bankrupcy years when it looked like relocation was imminent.

I disagree with this in general. This team/franchise could be so much more than the sorry state it is in. There is very little effort put into the team, and we are told by them that we, as a region are being "maxed out" which is a slap in the face. I think the people would attend these games with or without Brandon. I would love to see the day that a new, excited, positive owner takes the reins and creates waves through the fan base.

I think he is very involved. He was front and center when they brought Mario Williams in. As mentioned, he was the front-man for the coach/GM "search" back in (2009)? You see him in that draft war room picture. He is right in the middle, and he has plenty of informative materials directly in front of himself. And if you were him, you wouldnt want to live out your dream in that type of role? I know I would.

common denominator. and is the "marketing" side of things really that stellar? The in game "production" is 3rd world compared to other NFL teams. The material played on the Jumbotron is awful and amateurish. People died at a game last season (and you can partially blame the new stadium lot rules for them). The Toronto thing was/is a disaster as far as marketing and spreading the brand. Commercials, shows, general coverage is not very good. In Philadelphia, they would have promos in the newspaper multiple times a week. Player posters, cheerleader posters, etc... very well produced network TV shows at times people watch TV, commercials that get your heart racing, etc. Here its like a wasteland. You can give him credit for training camp in Rochester, but that was bound to happen with any up and coming kid who gets brought on in sports marketing. The rationalization, I would argue, would have happened naturally anyways. Canucks love to come here, shop, and party.

Here is the draft room. Brandon was trying to figure out how many pom poms to get for the opener.

Yeah, wasnt he travelling around, meeting with Shanahan and whatnot? Its obvious that Brandon has been the functioning arm of this team for a long period of time.

Brandon's ascent through the ranks is correlated with the franchise becoming more and more irrelevant. The same people give him "credit" for selling a lot of tickets as poop on the fans for "only" "legitimately" selling out "2" games this season. If I won Mega Millions 3-5 times, and bought the team, you bet Brandon would be out on his ass. I would also be willing to wager he wouldn't sniff anything close to his current position. His tenure here is a joke. This franchise is a joke. If you think he is sitting on the sidelines when it comes to football decisions, you are kidding yourself. Listen to him speak on interviews. He fields questions on personnel without deferring anything to Whaley. Put yourself in his position? Wouldnt you want to work on that side of it? Is this team really marketed well? I have lived in other markets and the Bills' "marketing" is a joke. Unless you count his weekly radio spots where he constantly kicks sand in the faces of the fans in order to justify his Toronto debacle as marketing... Under Brandon, the team fails. Continues to fail, and will fail next year and the year after that.

I have detached from the team, as of about 3 years ago. Now, I can miss games and not care. They lose and I laugh more than get upset about it. They win (in games that matter) I still get pretty happy, but the highs arent as high, because I know it wont amount to anything. Not going to the Dolphins game. I made a pledge 3 years ago as well, that I am dont going to meaningless games.

I dont think Russ Brandon lasts this long (not even considering the yearly promotions) with any other owner in the league, while the team remains in the ditch.

I did like how he paid tribute to the 2 "victims" and painted a real picture of their last hours (as opposed to the typical stories that say they were stopping at the game in between saving kittens from a burning tree and volunteering at the hospital). Laying out what really happened and that these people were no angels (just like us) made it hit home.

I dont think that Ron Burgandy character is funny at all, and neither is most of Will Ferrell's material.

Mike Williams and McKinney were neck and neck. People were split, experts and fans alike. The thing with McKinney was his attitude appeared to stink. The Bills chose poorly

Also John Guy was a stiff. Donahoe failed, to a point, but they were more relevant during his tenure than now, and I would take my chances with him, if I knew that his successors would be Levy(Brandon), Brandon, Nix (Brandon), and Whaley (Brandon).

Heck, If I were under the age of 20 I would consider those the golden years of the franchise

Agreed on NCAA. Ill watch that for 15 hours sometimes if Hawaii is home. NFL I can barely stomach outside the Bills.

who has been hiring all these people who commit blunder after blunder? It has now been 14 years with no playoffs, and no playoff wins in 17 years. The Constants are the most powerful people: Wilson, Brandon, Littman, and Overdorf. I also don't believe for 1 second that Brandon ever fully relinquished the GM role. Without Jim Kelly, this franchise has won one playoff game post merger. This is a loser franchise that has no hope until there is a different owner. Unfortunately, that might bring a relocation.

Same old crap. Worse yet, legions of fans buy in to the excuses every year and repeat them like catch phrases. Meanwhile, 32 other teams are able to hit bottom and turn it around very quickly and effectively. Here, it is always a rolling 3 year process.

Brandon's ascent through his current position is directly correlated to the team drifting further and further into irrelevance. Its amazing, really. All because he "figured out" that holding training camp at his alma mater in Rochester instead of Dunkirk/Fredonia would be a good idea.

I do think the bubble will burst on the NFL a bit as they continue to forget their fans. The amount of commercials and officials' reviews are completely out of control. The "product" itself is fairly vanilla. Players are too gifted, big, athletic, and technical. It all becomes somewhat of a wash on the field. Take away big hitting and there really isn't all that much left. I much prefer the NCAA game as some "weaker" players lend to much more variability and excitement. The fan atmosphere also destroys the NFL. this is a very good point. Big plays arent as exciting anymore. You used to wait to see a flag on TV, then the graphic. If none were seen you could get go nuts and get excited. Now excitement is tempered that much more until the next play goes off.

Great post. Agree 1000% Would suggest a few breaks in the paragraph though so more are inclined to read it.