2003Contenders
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Not to say there is anything in Leo's article that is really news -- but I'm not nearly as put off by the article as many of you are.
Maybe, just maybe RW and Marv themselves haven't reached a decision yet about who they will hire. And even if they do already know which coach they will hire, it is prudent for them to at least keep that information to themselves until they have concluded all of the interviews so as not to present the subsequent interviews, including the mandated minority one, as a charade. Right?
Leo, who has covered the Bills for many years now, is pretty much just making an educated guess that he thinks that they'll ultimately lean toward Jauron because his salary demands are likley less than Sherman's, he has a prior "relationship" with Marv, and is less likely than Sherman to demand full control of the team.
While this conjecture is not really any more insightful than anything we write on here, at least I think he carries more weight than the guys at ESPN. And the truth is, until it leaks out that a decision has been made, what's he supposed to do?
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Wouldn't that be funny if RW called a PC tomorrow -- and named Lofton the new HC?
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By NFL Insiders I guess he's talking about Mort and Clayton...
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I'd be inclined to flip this and say that he had one BAD year.
2001: As you stated, this was by all accounts a very good draft. TD moved up and down the board -- and wound up converting our original first rounder into Clements, Henry and Brandon Spoon.
2002: While I agree that this draft was TD's worst, primarily because of Mike Williams' being a bust, I think in hindsight that there was some wheat amongst the chaff. Recall that we were desperate for a QB in that draft -- and TD wound up trading for Drew without parting with a single pick in that draft. I know I know... he did trade away 2003's #1 pick, which could lead to another discussion regarding the value of trading Drew for the 2003 #1 (which I personally STILL feel was a good move). I still feel that Josh Reed holds some value, so I am unwilling to call him a bust, especially considering how much better he looked last year. The Denney pick wasn't a good one, but I think it was more TD trying to stick it to the Steelers, who were all set to take him. The Wire pick (Why is he still even on the team?) wasn't a very good one either.
2003: TD deserves high marks here for McGahee and McGee alone. Remember that we wound up with Willis BECAUSE of TD's decision to trade away Peerless, which was a great move. You said it yourself: four starters in McGahee, Crowell, Kelsay, and McGee. Granted, Kelsay hasn't lived up to expectations. But I'd have to definitely give this draft a passing grade.
2004: Evans has already proven his worth. If JP ever comes around, then this could prove to be a VERY GOOD draft. Tim Anderson showed me some real progress as the season wore on. Finally, remember the number of promising UDFA's that TD brought in that year (including Peters, Baker, and Greer) too.
2005: It is simply too early to tell. If Roscoe is the next Santana Moss we may be thanking TD for his farewell draft. It's too bad that Everette got hurt so early on, as we never really got a chance to see if he could be the answer to our non-pass-catching TE problem we've dealt with for so many years now. Let's hope he's ready to go by training camp. For all of our cries for OL help, what if Duke Preston turns out to be a reliable interior lineman? Or Geisinger? While it's true that this draft didn't help us right away, there are very few players taken in ANY NFL draft that make an immediate contribution. Considering that we had no #1 pick, that is even moreso the case. In that way, the final grade for the 2005 draft, much like the 2004 draft, rests on whether or not Losman is able to get the job done.
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Isn't funny how no one wants to talk about all the MISTAKES that the Pats made in the game that were far more important to its outcome than the "shoddy officiating"?
-- 2 very bad INTs by Brady, one of which was at least a 10 point swing in the game.
-- Unforced fumbles by such reliables as Kevin Faulk and Troy Brown.
If the Pats want to talk about the game they lost to the Broncos this is where they need to start. Oh, and their record this year was 10-6. Had they not been the division winners of our crappy division, they wouldn't have even MADE it to the playoffs, as I'm sure any Chiefs fan will tell you.
The Pats and their fans have come to expect hand-outs so much that it is almost shocking when a call doesn't go their way for a change. Give them a year of mediocrity -- and let's see if the Pats and their fans are so arrogant.
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Looking at guys like Parcells and Belichick, you hear about their coaching trees. You hear that so-and-so got his start under someone like that, only to become a successful head coach elsewhere in his own right.
Marv was in the league for many years as a head coach. How many successful head coaches or coordinators currently in the league got their start under Marv? I don't know of any. So I'm not expecting Marv to do that great a job selecting the Bills' next head coach.
Your point is well taken. As, there are 7 current head coaches in the NFL or at a top college program that came from the Belichick tree, while Marv has none.
I think some of this has to do with a variation in coaching styles -- and what the head coach himself brings to the table.
Marv wasn't really a footbal guy perse. He was no great innovator or strategist. Rather, he was a master delegator -- and a guy intelligent and congenial enough to deal with a vast array of personalities. As such, Marv was always content to fill his staff with coaches who were ALREADY highly qualified -- and he placed the faith in them to do their jobs. He has/had the unique ability to talk to a room full of people -- and wind up with each person feeling that he was talking directly to them. A great communicator.
Conversely, you have guys like Belichick, and Walsh that are football guys through and through. These guys have larger than life egos and surround themselves with young, bright assistants that marvel at what they can learn from the "master". These coaches also tend to be quite regimented in how they go about their business, which makes for a sound learning environment for up and comers.
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For whatever reason, with the recent exception of guys like Roy Williams and Sean Taylor, the top Safeties usually do not go high in the draft. Since it isn't such a premium position, we can probably find a quality player at that position -- maybe even one that can start right away -- in the 2nd or even 3rd round.
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Sounds like an echo of Marv's words at his introductory PC.
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According to Leo Roth's article this morning, the Bills may be considering Art Shell.
If that is the case, I hope they give him a fair shot and don't just bring him in as the "token" minority interview.
I've never understood why Shell never got another shot at a HC gig after a pretty good run in Oakland (er, LA). And I think he'd actually be a pretty good choice for us -- definitely the kind of tough coach (and former player) that the players would respect.
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The WCO offense may not work in Buffalo, but if Sherman elected to go in that direction, we do have much of the personnel that could run it. In fact, I think it would match well with JP's skills. The drawback, of course, is that it normally takes a QB a couple of years to pick it up.
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After the game as the players and coaches crossed paths, Sherman told Sapp that what he did was " a chicken sh-- thing to do." Sapp then started screaming "Put on a jersey!"
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You know, I do find it very interesting that we have heard NOTHING from TD since the season finale. In fact, it's never even been clear to me whether he was fired or resigned. Ralph hinted that the parting of ways was a mutual decision.
I just find it odd that TD never had some kind of a press conference or at least a press release stating that he did the best he could but it just didn't work out. At least Gregg Williams came across as very classy in his goodbye address, which I am sure helped him quickly land the gig in Washington.
I just find the TD silence to be a bit ... eerie.
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He's the guy many of us whined about the year we traded that #1 pick to the Patriots for Drew. Recall that the Pats ended up swapping that #14 pick with the Bears, who ultimately took him. To date, it looks like we're better off having used the later pick that we got from Atlanta to draft Willis, as Haynes really hasn't done much yet in the pros. But he was a very good college pass rusher, that's for sure.
Considering Marv's Chicago connection -- and his knowledge that Haynes hasn't lived up to first round draft potential -- I would find it unlikely that he'd be interested in him. Then again, maybe Marv feels that the kid has never had much of an opportunity in Chicago and likes that he has a chip on his shoulder...
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Those attributes do sound a little like what Marv described as the attributes he was looking for in a head coach in last week's PC.
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I really like April's intensity. For example, did you see how he pled his case to the officials in the Cinci game over the second-half on-sides kick? Not sure if he is HC material, but Marv should do whatever is necessary to retain him at least in his current position. Considering Marv's infatuation with Special Teams, I would expect him to do exactly that.
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Here are the reasons for the interview...
1. The Chicago connection.
2. Like Levy, Jauron is an Ivy leaguer
3. Jauron worked as a DB coach here back in 85
For those begging for Haslett, Jauron made the playoffs more recently (2001, as opposed to 2000 for the Saints and Haslett) and was named COah of the Year.
The knock on Haslett is that he "underachieved" with the Saints. If anything, Jauron overachieved. Even in his final year with the Bears, he got them to (I believe) 7-9 with a ridiculously bad (and injury-plagued) roster.
I'm not saying that he's my top candidate, but he it is unfair to call the guy a bum.
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Carthon has developed a reputation of not being liked by his players.
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You know I was just thinking about that tonight. Having Flutie on the team -- even in a backup role -- is like having the kiss of death come playoff time. This year with the Pats... Last year with the Chargers... Before that with our beloved Bills.
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Well, with that scruffy beard, Jake the Snake is looking more and more like the old Snake, Kenny Stabler. Hmmm.
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Did it ever occur to you that the leaks to Mort and Clayton are intentional. That is, last week we heard from Mort that it looked like MM was on the way out. Maybe Ralph used the national media to help create an environment in which MM would ultimately quit?
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... for a head coach. Since Buffalo isn't likely to be at the top of anyone's list, if he wants a qualified HC, he is going to have to pay some real money. Let's just hope that Marv can get this through to him.
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Although the Williams hiring seemed to come out of leftfield back in 2001, it really shouldn't have. I think the fact that TD waited to interview Marvin Lewis after the Super Bowl and the fact that the two had a history dating back to their days in Pittsburgh, signalled to most observers that Lewis was going to get the job, much like everyone knew last year that Romeo was going to get the job in Cleveland. That's why the GW hiring seemed like such a shock.
What everyone misses is that statistically speaking, GW's Titans actually had the #1 defense in the NFL that year. And the year before, GW had been coaching the Titans' defense in the Super Bowl. Thus, it is actually surprising that GW wasn't more sought after than he actually was. Suffice to say that at the time his credentials were at least on a par with those of Fox and Lewis. And with their interviews following the whirlwind of the Super Bowl understandably not going nearly as well as GW's, the GW hiring made sense. Thing about it: If you are an employer interviewing three equally qualified candidates for one job, you are going to hire the one that has the best interview. I've never understood folks for making fun of GW for "interviewing well".
It's just another example of how something didn't work out. Based on the information that was at hand, TD felt that he made the best possible choice. He turned out to be incorrect. When things don't go right, there doesn't always have to be someone to "blame". Like I said, sometimes things just don't work out.
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Just one thing? How about Rich Kotite then?
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That also explains why Dick Jauron's name was listed as a candidate.
Sherman to be named Bills HC?
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
It's not that the site is unreliable -- it's that by their very nature they report information that come from OTHER sources already in print. In this case, they are quoting Leo's article from this morning, which was mostly speculation.