All_Pro_Bills

Ralph is running a basic command and control management system. He calls the shots. I suspect its the same with all his business interests. The GM may have the GM title and the official accountabilities that go along with that position, and the pro personnel director, and the director of college scouting, and so forth. You're not really the GM, or the pro personnel director, or the director of college scouting. You are an information gathering assistant to the owner. No decision of importance is made without final consent of the owner. Some might think this is okay, even the way it should be. After all, its his football team, isn't it? But for an organization to function well, the owner needs to set the basic parameters and objectives for the operation and the employees, the budget, strategy, goals, marketing, and financial objectives, and for on-the-field performance. Then get out of the way and let the people hired to do the football and operational jobs do their jobs. Ralph isn't going to change, he won't do what I suggest above. In most instances, highly skilled and experienced people won't work in a highly directed environment where authority is not delegated to them. This is true in any business field not just football.

I have no visibility into the decision making process at One Bills Drive. But if I was in the position of either Guy or Modrak, and my input was consistently ignored (whether its true or not, who knows for sure?), and as a result I acquired a reputation as a poor evaluator of talent it would not sit well with me. I'd either let it be known publicly through whatever means was available that the draft selections and free agent signings were not my recommendation or simply quit. Because if my intent was to continue making a living in a football front office, somewhere, I'd do whatever would be necessary to protect my reputation and livelihood. Since neither of the above has happened, IMO you've got to assume they've had a heavy hand in the selections and the decision making process.

My concern with the coordinator route has nothing to do with the qualifications or potential of any of the candidates. Some of them will probably turn out to be great NFL head coaches. The problem is the Bills simply stink at identifying coordinators to hire as their head coach. In the 50 year history of the Bills, I cannot remember former coordinator they hired to be head coach that was successful. The 3 most successful coaches I remember, Saban, Knox, and Levy were head coaches in the league (Saban at least on his second tour).

Frazier might turn out to be a great head coach. From what I've read (not knowing the guy personally) he seems competent and well respected by his players. But the right choice for the Bills right now is a guy with head coaching experience. IMO the choice of a coordinator is not logical, and perhaps lacks total common sense for the Bills. This is because of two thing, their current situation, and their history of failure with bringing coordinators into the head coach position. Its simply a matter of risk, you pick a guy with experience and a past of success and you know what you're getting. Right now, after all the fumbling and bumbling of the past decade, the Bills as a franchise cannot afford to miss on a coach again. Selecting a coordinator with no NFL head coaching experience is risky, and that's not a risk the Bills should be taking given the situation. The Bills are like a hunter with bad aim and one bullet. He sees two deer. One huge buck and another smaller one. The big buck is 300 yards away into the wind. It would take a great shot to hit him. An experienced hunter would have a better chance of making it but you have been down on your luck recently and your aim has been off. So what do you do? Take a big chance on hitting the big buck and probably going home empty handed, or take the easier more probable shot at the closer target? The Bills taking a coordinator right now for head coach is like the hunter with bad aim shooting 300 yards into the wind. Take the easier shot, hire a guy with experience. It's that simple.....

He always seemed like an odd choice to me because up until the Jets backed into the playoffs when the Colts and Bengals rolled over, most Jets fans I know wanted this guy fired because his play calling was terrible. Personally, I have no opinion of his play calling but find to disparity in perception strange.

On my drive to work this morning I was listening to the Boomer and Carton show on WFAN. Billick was a guest this morning. The discussion centered around the playoffs, notably the Jets, the match ups this weekend, and what Brian did during his tenure with the Ravens to prepare the team for the playoffs and Super Bowl. IMO, some interesting remarks, articulate comments and insight by the former coach. Carton asked him 'when will you be announced as the next coach of the Buffalo Bills'? To this Brian remarked the team appears to be going in a 'different direction' seeming to prefer the 'hot coordinator' route to fill the head coaching vacancy. After the interview, Boomer made a few candid remarks, to paraphrase what I remember, 'If you're a Bills fans you've got to want a guy like Brian, someone who knows how to build and manage an organization'. To continue, 'The Bills have good players on their roster and an experienced head coach like Brian is what that team needs right now.' Prior to the discussion I had no issue if the Bills hired Billick. And after listening to the discussion it didn't change my opinion. My fear with the 'hot coordinator' route is unless we get lucky, we go back to learn on the job mode for another 3 years and basically go nowhere.

Agree, and considering the heartbreak this franchise has endured any coach that brings the Super Bowl championship to Buffalo would achieve immortality, be revered as close to God as a man can get. Sure you can go coach Carolina or Dallas, or wherever, win it there. Who will care? But win it for the Bills and you'll be remembered forever in Buffalo, and in football folklore, as the guy that brought success to this suffering but proud city and franchise. What other head coach opening can offer that?

No problem with Nix, but IMO this is the first step in bringing this organization up to speed. Making a run for Cowher would make sense, and make him assistant GM along with head coach with the idea of grooming him into the GM positon full time in 3-4 years (then Cowher picks the next HC) when age and workload might catch up to a guy in his mid-70's. Putting a succession plan from full time coach to full time GM in place could be a real selling point and something other potential suitors may not be in a position to do at the moment. Letting Modrak and Guy go next would be progess too. Not saying this is the plan, rather what I'd like to see unfold in the next couple weeks....

I suspect the fundamental reason Holmgren took the Cleveland job was the level of automomy he was granted to run the entire show. Something other posible opportunities did not clearly provide. Citing tradition as a reason for accepting the job is just standard sports cliché.

I thought he faired well given the circumstances, say a 6.5. But IMO, rating Brohm's performance is like critiquing NASCAR driver Jimmy Johnson in a Yugo at the Daytona 500.

Yes, if only the Bills offensive plan could utilize a parked car to screen off the defender we might stand a chance to put up some points. Seriously, Fitz has thrown for what? Under 100 yards per game the last 3? The upside with him running this offense is close to zero. Letting Brohm play would at a minimum give us a reason to watch the game. At least for the 1st quarter....

Miami also put a claim on Incognito. Keeping them from getting him is reason enough to sign him. And assuming he plays on Sunday maybe he'll give Mr. Wolfolk a taste of his own medicine?

I think you're right. As important as skill is, a great quarterback needs to be THE leader. The Bills offense lacks an identity which is manifested in its QB. TO is not a leader, Lee is a spokesman but not a leader in the truest sense. The Bills don't have a QB that's a leader right now. When I hear a QB say 'its all on me' and he starts using 'I' vs. 'we' when dicussing failures to execute then I know where headed in the right direction. A great quarterback enables the offense to dictate the play to the defense. The offense is consistently in down and distance situations where the defense has the edge (e.g. 3rd and longs all the time). That said we need to be realistic, an upgrade at quarterback without addressing the O-line during the offseason won't be enough. If QB is #1 upgrading the O-line (most notably OT) is #1A.

I do agree with this statment from Sullivan: "Wilson needs to nudge Brandon aside and do a serious restructuring of his football department". Looking for a coach prior to addressing the front office situation is illogical. A real football GM with experience at finding and acquiring pro and college talent is needed first. IMO we need a proven GM more than we need a proven head coach. Given that any accomplished GM would require hiring his own guy as coach as a term of employment, what does the search for a coach now mean? That Mr. Wilson has no intention of revamping the front office or more likely the current search for a new coach is being performed to identify candidates with an interest in the Bills position but we shouldn't expect any hiring of a new head coach until after the season when a new GM is named.

Just added TO to my Christmas card list! Assignment for TO: Next complain about Guy and Modrak....

This is a great point and in IMO, the most critical factor to success. Many call it continuity but I think it boils down to developing and sticking to a system and philosophy that breeds excellence at all levels of the organization, from the front office, free agency, drafting, to the sidelines, to performance on the field defined by winning. Teams like the Steelers, Eagles, Colts, and the system Parcells brought to several places, most recently to Miami are examples of high performance systems. The Bills management system, by all measures except fan interest and filling the stadium, is a complete failure this decade. The front office, pro scouting, drafting (this year's class looks good except our #1 to this point), head coach, offensive and defensive approaches, are all incapable of producing the results needed to win in the NFL as demonstrated by 10 years of futility. We don’t need any more evidence to see a change from the top on down is needed. One possible solution is easy. Look at what others do that are successful and then try to emulate them. Bring in people that have a demonstrated record of success and be willing to pay for it in time, effort, and money. Please, no more on the job 'B list' trainee's.

I won't be happy either until Jauron's successor is in place. My fear is Ralph goes back to the market and brings in another clunker vs. a seasoned and successful former/current head coach. A new coach has also got to be part of a new GM/HQ combo to get this franchise moving in the right direction after a decade of futility and frustration. Dick might be one of the worst head coaches of all-time but his current personel crew gets an 'F' grade too...

I'd be willing to give an unfounded assumption a try vs. attempting to violate the laws of physics by using small defenders to take on big blockers - mass times velocity = pancake, squish, crack.....

I believe you are correct. Even worse than the non-descript set of coaches from the mid-80's 2-14, 4-12 era. The real comedy of this is the Bills acted with such urgency to sign Dick to an extension last year. After all, he is such a hot item in the coaching profession that I'm sure there must have been a dozen other teams waiting to sign him if the Bills failed to come forward with an extension! Like Henny Youngman used to say 'take my coach, please'!!

Converting Bryan Scott to LB may seem completely stupid to any informed fan. But when you play 'dick ball' it makes perfect sense. Now the rationale for drafting all those DB's is clear. So what would you do? Scott 6-1 219 Harris 6-2 232 Maybin 6-4 250 What's the over/under on how many plays it will be before Scott gets injured from having to constantly take on blocks from 300+ lb offensive lineman?

I saw the ads for the 2012 movie and was speaking to a buddy of mine, a fellow Bills fan. The basic premise is the world comes to an end on December 21st, 2012. So we're talking about it, and he says 'The plot is missing a key ingredient. Yeah, the world comes to an end in 2012. Right after the Bills clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs and are the clear favorite to win the Super Bowl!' Hadn't laughed that much in a while.

The FG would have made sense if they needed two scores and having no timeouts didn't appear to enter the thought process. Andy played it a different way and screwed up. He put faith in the defense to get the ball back and they didn't deliver. Give the 'Boys kudo's for staying aggressive and getting the first downs to get the game to knee-down mode.

All true. The real problem here is the only person capable of doing anything about 'the decade of disappointment' either does not see the problem/solution or refuses to take action.

Tell them to donate the tickets to the county prosecutors office. This should drop the crime rate when those inclined to break the law find out that instead of going to jail they will be forced to attend a Bills game at season's end. But it probably should be cleared with the Supreme Court to see if it violates the doctrine of 'cruel and unusual punishment'.

Writing this season off, I've taken to looking at draft position for 2010. The Bills currently sit in the 10th spot. This means there are 9 other teams that are worse from a win-loss perspective. After watching the Bills pathetic offense and valiant but over-matched and tired and spent defense I have to say that's amazing. There's just a lot of bad football in the NFL this year. I enjoy watching good NFL football too but with the exception of a handful of teams the NFL product in 2009 is not entertaining. There might be 5 or 6 great/good teams this season. The rest either suck or aren't worth the time to watch. Tonight's Saints/Falcons game might a good one but IMO there wasn't one decent game yesterday. Focusing on the Bills, the mid-80's were just as bad or worse, but I cannot remember ever being this disinterested. I think the discouragement is the result of a couple things: 1) the widespread availablity of information via the net, e-mail, blogs, etc., and numerous media outlets that didn't exist back then, 2) the likely root cause to the problem, bad coaching, poor drafting, substandard front office, is fairly obvious to most observers. Yet the one guy with the power to turn things around either doesn't see it or doesn't care to act.