timtebow15

From reports I think Polian and Marrone are kindred spirits - they think they know more than anyone else and don't work well with others. I'm glad Polian didn't come and I'm glad Marrone left. Even if you don't think Whaley is getting you what you need you have to build a relationship and trust to get on the same page and help Whaley get you players you prefer. Instead Marrone creates a power struggle, blames others even though he preaches accountability and is just as guilty as Whaley for not seeing improvement in certain areas. I'm not a big fan of Whaley as I do think he's made poor choices on the offensive side of the football so I think Brandon and Whaley need to go as well but I think we all have worked with people like Marrone that make it not make work torturous but also create a dysfunctional environment where you will never be as successful as you should be. I hope Marrone gets burned by his antics and he never gets another chance as head coach. Just the fact he is meeting with the Jets behind the Bills back before the end of the season shows how unethical and selfish he is.

All I can say is thank you to the people that monitor this board. The Jets board is classless! The language is embarrassing. When Marrone came here he said he was a Buffalo guy but he is NYC all the way. Buffalo is way too honest, decent and hard-working for him!

A first time retread is the best candidate. They have experience to learn from the second time around. Unless they are clearly hardheaded. For example, I think Marrone will have the same problems everywhere and will end up a college coach where everything can go completely his way and he doesn't have to work with equal partners.

Not sure but in my opinion the best hire is always a marginally successful second term head coach. They have to show they are not completely incapable of being the top guy and they learn tons from that first experience. Think Belicheck with the Browns and many other examples. He might be a guy to give a second chance to but I didn't follow the Lions that well either. Did great with the D this year.

It takes longer in hockey. You can't just tank for one year like the Colts did and get a franchise QB. The Sabres have stockpiled early draft picks. Wait until two years from now 2016-2017.

Marrone has a huge ego and when it wasn't clear Pegula was going to get rid of Whaley and give Dougie a huge pat on the back he decided to leave. The Jets ownership and GM are awful so good luck with that. I am glad we didn't end up with Polian as he'd get his son involved who is supposed to be a real idiot. Can anyone say the Colts made a mistake getting rid of the Polians when they did? I'm hoping we get Dungy and/or Cowher in here.

I love what Pegula has done with the Sabres. Instead of fielding teams capable of sneaking into the playoffs but little chance of advancing because they are full of mediocre players in front of a decent goalie he tore the thing down, hired a good GM and stock piled first round draft picks with three more coming this year. They already have one of the strongest farm systems. After next year they will bring these guys along together and really compete for quite awhile in my opinion. You can already see the improvement but they need McDavid or the other guy in this draft to really set things up. It's a solid plan. I think he is interested in building a great team - not just a playoff team. I wouldn't mind at all if the same was done with the Bills. I suspect he is also upset the idiots traded away the Bills number one pick this year when it wasn't necessary. I can't figure out why Whaley is still here unless Cowher is a fan and his play will be to get Cohwer in here. Russ is buddies with Whaley so there is that dynamic as well.

It all depends what happens from here. There is too much dysfunction - I agree a fresh start is needed at this point. We need a really good President and GM combination and I'd go with Schwartz as head coach if he can get a really good OC in here and keep the defense playing great. I think he's learned from his first head coaching role.

I enjoyed that!

How is it incorrect? This wasn't the deepest year at WR? Going into this year we had a strong D and questions at QB and OLine. They said they have a plan. How are we not in the same position as last year and now without a number one pick? What is the plan? The plan was to hope EJ improved, go all in with the big trade to make the playoffs, get Chris Williams to be the big free agent pickup at guard and add Kujo to the OLine. What is the plan for next year?

This was a deep year for WR - I could have fallen into a 900 yard receiver without trading a number one pick. Made a few good calls on D but most was in place before him.

Problem is I have zero confidence Whaley can find a slightly better QB. Look what he brought in to fill the Guard spot everyone knew was a weakness! Look at the other QBs he's gone after.

I agree, the Sabres were smart to tear things down and rebuild. Mediocrity is always the enemy and fools you into staying the course. Who cares about making the playoffs every once in awhile? The goal is to build a team that can be elite for a solid period of time like the Bills were in the 80's.

I suspect Marrone hates Whaley and Brandon. One side has to go. IMO it is Whaley and Brandon. They knew last year the team's biggest needs were QB and OL. They gave Marrone NOTHING to work with in those two areas. I'd be upset too. Then Marrone and Hackett take the blame for an offense that sputters. If Whaley and Brandon stay I would not be surprised if Marrone left on his own terms. I would too because we are never going to win with Whaley and Brandon. Orton's retirement also makes the Bills look like idiots. If they knew he was going to retire they should have started EJ to see if he's learned anything.

I agree! The more I think about it the more I hold Whaley responsible. We are in the same position as last year with the QB and OL. He managed to go two years without solving our most pressing problems. Marrone did not have many options and he can't go out and get his own players.

I don't see where Whaley gets so much credit. There has been some roster improvement but the biggest improvement has been we have had two good DCs now. Whaley has gotten some pieces here but has been really, really bad on the offensive side of the football. Has been horrible at evaluating QBs, horrible at bringing in talent for the o-line (Williams and Kujo wouldn't be good anywhere - Williams was a known poor player), looked desperate pulling the Watkins trade which I might have defended if the WR class wasn't well-known to be the best ever (we could sure use a number 1 pick next year), etc. Frankly, half of the posters here could have done a better job in those most important areas!

I agree 100%! Like Whaley he brings checkers to a chess match. They are clearly not going to outsmart anyone but themselves.

I agree. Although he's not the solution either. I sure wish it looked like someone had a plan. Why does it always feel like our organization is bringing checkers to a chess game?

While panic is not the right wood Whaley did go all-in on the trade to keep his job with the new owner and lost. He's got to go. Don't just think about the trade but opportunity lost. Knowing WR was deep we could have traded way down and still drafted a capable player and had a lot more to work with. Whaley acted like we were one player away which we all knew we weren't. Then he "fixes" the OLine with Chris Williams and Kujo? And think of all the weird QB decisions. Can anyone say the front office has a coherent plan? This trade is evidence that they took a huge gamble - not to build a championship team but just to make the playoffs in an attempt to solidify their jobs for new ownership. Whaley is average at best and we aren't going to take a step forward with this kind of decision-making. We need someone who can outsmart other GMs - not play fodder for them.

I know I'm not sick of Eric Wood. He's been hurt bad a couple times and plays with more passion than most of our team. I'm sick of our front office knowing we have a problem and bringing in players like Williams and Kujo - who most everyone in the NFL said were not good players - to solve the problem! I'd like to see if Wood comes back to form with a couple decent guards playing next to him. I suspect he'd look a whole lot better.

I guarantee Marrone will not win 8 games if he stays on. Just because we won a few more games you guys are missing the offensive regression, the weird decisions, dysfunctional environment and lack of an overall plan. When last year ended even causal fans knew what was needed and it wasn't to mortgage the 2015 draft to trade up for a player at the strongest position in the draft. What would New England have done in our position? Trade down of course and still get a heck of a receiver! We needed to find a QB solution and have a solid 2nd option if EJ didn't improve, fix the guard position, learn how to use a dynamic back like Spiller (I am sick of all these guys like Sproiles and that nobody San Diego drafted running all over the field and not Spiller) and score enough points to let our defense shine. We have the exact same problems we had last year! I don't call that progress.

I hate starting over as much as anyone but here are the facts (as I see them of course): Russ has to go for several reasons...he is a marketer than talked himself into a football role and needs to be responsible to a)selecting the coaching staff that has not delivered on their "promise" (as evidenced by their mortgaging the near-future to make the playoffs) and allowing a rift to exist between Whaley and Marrone, in part bc he clearly is a Whaley guy. This rift creates a dysfunctional atmosphere that is not going away. Whaley has to go because, while he has hit on a few, he has whiffed on the most important decisions. Went all in on EJ, brought in Williams to be the answer at guard when even casual fans knew he was awful, brought in the other Williams at WR who brought about some incredibly weird handling this year, selected Kujo who most GMs did not think could play and were proven correct while wetried to outsmart everyone and gave up too much (whether he turns out to be a good player or not) to draft a position of incredible strength in this year's draft (think of what we would have if he traded down to take one of many of the other fine receivers that went later because there were so many great prospects - you have consider opportunities lost as well). Marrone has to go - think about it...he has been amazingly blessed by the DC he's had but the side of football he was most responsible for is a train wreck. We need a coach inventing the next brand of football played but Marrone's strategy is already behind the times - an offense that relies to heavily on defense when the rules are set up to score points, punts when behind in the 4th quarter, mismanages the offensive line, confuses players regarding their roles, expects the D to play the same on the road as at home which just does not happen (must be more aggressive on the road to score), has a poor relationship with the GM - he's a dysfunctional head coach who might make the playoffs someday on the strength of our D but will never advance far. Hackett has to go because of his poor system. He is essentially trying to move the ball downfield with a 4 yard passing attack where you have to go 3-3 to move the chains far too often. Last time I checked if you are throwing the ball 10-20 yards downfield you only have to complete 1 of 3 passes. Additionally, then your screens and draws might work. When you have no running game and run play-action you give away the fact that you are never going to outplay a capable defense. The problem is we need extraordinary individuals running the show. Each of these guys can run the show, however, mediocrity will always be the result and it starts at the top. Quite awhile ago they said they had a plan, talked about metrics and such. It is clear after two years they have no plan. It is haphazard and dysfunctional and, I am sorry to say, the results will never be any different with these people running the organization. There will always be an excuse. No QB, no OL, too few draft picks bc they were wasted or traded away, misses on free agents, infighting, not enough depth, etc.

For the 9th pick we better find a Gronk - a TE who can do everything. We are going to run a lot and with our weather we need a TE who can block too. I hate to say it but Gronk is perfect. Campbell is an ok tight end but he is not more than good at anything. He struggles to block on the move because he isn't athletic like Gronk. But Campbell doesn't quite hold up at the line always either. We need a TE who is tough, physical and can stretch the field a bit. We don't need a "soft" TE that plays like a receiver. I have not studied the players that closely. I don't think Ebron fits my description though and think we could get a TE like this later if we trade down there are so many to choose from. We also have Gragg - does he have any promise? I don't want a TE who is just marginally better at Gragg or Campbell - we need to find someone without a weakness. For those of you who know who do you think fits that description?

I agree - talk about uncomfortable situations! He should be fired for being creepy! Well, rich is a matter of opinion. They won't get millions out of it but they will get back pay for up to six years and they may get personal damages for some of the other aspects of the suit. It's actually not their fault and I'm not referring to the tests and standards and such but they were taken advantage of as independent contractors. Even a simple thing as not being covered by worker's comp comes into play. If they got hurt performing they were out of luck. Whether or not anyone likes cheerleading or not they should have been paid for their time like any other employee.

There will be a lot of rich cheerleaders soon. The DOL is really looking at contractor's vs employees and this is one of the worst abuses you could imagine. Ten or twenty years ago some of these statements might fly such as they knew what they were getting into or they signed a contract but not now. Do you know how much tax revenue this has cost the federal government? As employees they should have been paid hourly at minimum wage and OT if applicable. And you must be paid for charitable work if you are "volunteering" in the same capacity as your job description. I'm not sure if the Bills have successfully shielded themselves from this by hiring a company to supply the entertainment but they have the deep pockets so the lawyers will go after them. Cheerleading squads just got a lot smaller if they continue to exist at all!