ndirish1978

These press conferences are pretty useless. Apart from maybe a funny anecdote we're never going to get actual information. The team is obligated to meet with the media and so we get canned answers like "we'll evaluate everything" and "we will make the best decision for this organization" or "we have to get things right." This leads to frustration by the media and in TBN's case, leads them to generate their own content through turmoil. There are other teams where the HC and GM report to the owner directly - Jenny Vrentas' article confirms this. What we have here is a case where the owners don't like press scrums, but they are the people who made the actual decisions here. Of course Whaley and Lynn were left "twisting in the wind", they didn't have the information that the press wanted and they were hounded for it. Would it have been nice to have some more info on the whole process? Sure. Are we owed that information? No. Do I believe this team is dysfunctional? More likely than not. Is it possible that things are exactly what they're saying they are? Sure. It's entirely possible that the Pegulas listened to the wrong person in hiring Rex (Brandon), saw that they made a mistake and attempted to correct that mistake by letting Rex go when he asked about his future and are attempting to right the ship by letting Whaley head up the search. None of this is helped by the contentious relationship Whaley obviously has with the media. He needs to be better at managing these press conferences because they distract focus from his stated goal of improving the team.

These are people who are writing about sports in a local paper in a small market, we're not talking about people at the top of their profession. As in many other professions were there is a "big league" and minor leagues, the people in the lower reaches tend to pump themselves up so they can feel validated. I'm sure TBN reporters think they are "holding the organization accountable" and being mavericks asking "tough questions." The problem is, these reporter aren't good at their jobs. I got more information from Jenny Vrentas and Wawrow's articles than I did from that whole 40 minute press conference. I didn't need a 40 minute press conference to tell me that the organizational structure here is a poor one; I have been posting for weeks about how Whaley has little real power and how I think it's a huge mistake not to empower your GM.

To clarify. I AGREE with the article, I just think it's interesting that it's finally becoming a story now. Brandon has been IMO the driving force behind most of the bad decisions made around here over the past decade. He was even de facto GM when Levy resigned. Does anyone really believe the guy was took on the GM role, while completely unqualified to do so, failed miserably and then got promoted isn't the puppet-master here?

This is actual journalism. I didn't know Rex had made that promise to Tyrod. Imagine that, someone made some calls and actually pieced together what happened.

The playoffs are coming up. You think anyone outside of Buffalo cares about the Bills end of the season presser other than just to have an excuse to make fun of a team they barely watch? There are literally 10 things that happened yesterday that were bigger "national news." Russ Brandon was mentioned at the presser in passing, the fact that there are now articles being written by national media insinuating he's pulling the strings behind the scenes indicates someone pointed them in Russ' direction.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/03/russ-brandon-still-looms-over-bills-football-operations/ Looks like someone has a major bone to pick with the Bills FO, this is like the 5th takedown job they've put up in the past couple of days at PFT. I mean yes, it's mostly all true, but it's not new news, it's just all of a sudden important for some reason.

I like how Bucky, Sullivan and Time Graham actually have links for people to retweet supporting them getting better pay. Who would ever retweet and help these guys get paid?!

I bailed on this season once my Irish decided they would rather just be awful than actually play football. I know very little about this year's draft class. What's the consensus on sites for good write-ups?

Perhaps it would be best to remember we are ALL fans of the same team and are in the boat together? No one "got what they wanted" here. No one WANTED Rex to field an undisciplined underachieving team. No one WANTED to miss the playoffs yet again. No one WANTED to be sitting here looking down the barrel of a hopeless offseason. Some people simply believed that the current head coach was not going to change the culture on this team, as the play-caller on defense was directly responsible for the regression of our best unit and voiced that someone else needed to coach the team.

I agree it was a terrible press conference. I can only surmise that this team could care less about media perception. I can't really think of another reason why Whaley is so dismissive of the local media. He basically just came out and danced around, dodged every question and then said "you guys make up whatever stories you're going to make up anyway, I'm confident real football people know me and know what I'm about and won't care what you write." I guess we'll see if he's right.

Link? I'd like to hear more about this?

The issue here doesn't seem to be the facts as I see them, the real issue creating this story is two-fold: 1- Ownership really doesn't give a damn about the media so Whaley blows off questions with canned deflections, these have become so ridiculous that he says with a straight face that he has no opinion on Rex's firing. IMO Pegula gave Wawrow that interview to support Whaley, who he send out to take the flak as a good underling. This really wouldn't be an issue if we had a winning franchise. Belichick and Parcells before him routinely rip on reporters who ask stupid questions, no one called this dysfunctional or irresponsible because the teams were winning. Once Parcells stopped winning, the media got a foothold to tear him down. 2- The media in general believes they have a "right" to question everyone on everything. Any time an athlete tells a reporter to screw off there are 20 articles on PFT talking about how that player has a "responsibility" to talk to the media. I call BS. Reporters live in a 24 hour news cycle and now believe part of their job is to create drama to justify their jobs. I keep hearing over and over how they are flabbergasted that the coach reports to the owner and not to the GM. Guess what, like Yorke just said in SF, owners don't get removed. If someone wants to pay billions of dollars for a team, it's their prerogative to run that team however they want. If things work out, then the owners will make money and the fans will be happy. If things don't work out then the owners will not make money and changes will have to be made. What is the point in complaining about the hierarchy of the organization? That the coach and GM both report to the owner is not news, Rex laid that out last year. Why does the media make this such a big deal now? Why did we get treated to a 40 minute discussion about the hierarchy of decision-making instead of asking about what is happening going forward. I'll tell you why, it's because they needed gotcha quotes and they new any football-related questions would just get the same canned answers. When reporters are tweeting that they are glad Dennis Thurman is leaving because he was a boring interview, it's clear the reporters aren't interested in football, they just want people who can generate content and sell a story. How is it that the same people who were calling for Rex's head a week ago can now ask questions about not having continuity with a straight face?

Say no to Kelly, as it is I want him fired from ND

Unfortunately for Sully he makes such a tool of himself on a regular basis that even when he writes something with a kernel of sense or truth amidst his vitriol most people will discount it because it comes from him. The press conference should have been preceded by more than a short written statement on Rex's firing because that would have shown at least a modicum of class, but that point is lost in Sully's mindless hyperbole.

True. I think this is worth everyone remembering. We may not agree on a lot of things, but we are all tied together by this common experience. There are really no fair-weather Bills fans, we should probably try and be nicer to each other. I guess I'll try and do that myself.

I thought Lynn handled the dumb "gotcha" questions pretty well. He seems like he enjoys talking to the media about as much as I enjoy watching them try to generate click-bait quotes. That said, in my opinion the organization has bumbled this firing. I dislike the complete lack of transparency from the FO and the cloak and dagger way they avoid getting up in front of the press and explaining why they fired the HC, which I think they did have an obligation to do, both to the fans, the outgoing coach and the incoming interim coach. Combine that with the leaks and spin we have been seeing coming out of OBD the past few weeks and you have to believe the reports about a "toxic" environment in the building. I do find it interesting that similar reports of a "toxic" environment came up when Marrone walked out on the team. When you have the same time of issue upon 2 different HCs leaving it's hard not to conclude that the FO is the common factor here and maybe not the coaches, as the spin would have you believe. This is obviously all conjecture, but it doesn't take a lot to read the tea leaves and see we have a GM fighting for more control, possibly to the detriment of the team. It's also pretty clear they told Whaley he gets one shot to turn things around or else he is gone with the next HC, why else would they publicize that he will be in charge of the HC search?

Because my Dad is a Bills fan and raised me as one. Unfortunately once I pick a team I don't switch off my fandom just because they stink. I expect it's a similar story for most fans who don't live in Buffalo.

I don't agree that his benching necessarily means we are not keeping him next year. Benching him gives us the flexibility to choose whether or not to keep him and yes we are probably not pushing to win this game too hard so need need to start him. Hire a HC and ask HIM what he wants to do with TT. His contract cap hit next year is not so high that we NEED to get rid of him, so keep him around and let our new HC make the call on whether or not he wants to give it a go with TT.

Do NOT get fired for underperforming? He's a defensive coach with a terrible defense and poor game management skills. Exactly how do you know that was done as a humiliation tactic? Were you in the room? Is Tuesday a particularly more offensive day than Wednesday or Thursday to you? Anthony Lynn has been on the top coordinators to watch for HC jobs lists for half the year. Please name 4 REALISTIC options that you think would be so much better. Hi If this is true it's actually worrisome. The guy may have been incompetent but players all around the league have loved playing for this guy. This makes our locker room sound a bit toxic. You need a hug bro? I've rarely seen someone feign this level of righteous indignation. You realize you're upset about a below average coach and football is still just a game right?

You had a 50% chance of being right in your guess, he was fired, no proof he already knew

You've always been delusional, but this is the dumbest thing I've seen on here in a while

This team is gutless. Beyond McCoy everyone can go

Despite the record, no one who watches this team could possibly believe this team is trending up.

I have a feeling everyone is coming back next year and Whaley AND Rex both get the "playoffs or else" ultimatum. We will be mathematically eliminated in November and finally drop the hammer

Super encouraging game... for those who want Rex gone