Fan in Chicago Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 All this talk of a coach, but nothing about how old Ralphie promised a top-down cleaning and sorry, if we hire a coach FIRST, does that not HURT our chances to nab a really smart GM?? Just because there is no word about talks with potential GM candidates does not mean nothing is going on. How about we save the Ralph bashing till such time as the final staff is in place ? We have bought ourselves some time by firing Jauron before the end of the season. If in the next 3-4 weeks we don't hear anything then it is ample reason to get worried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 As usual, Ralphie is going about his "clean-up" ass-backwards. They need the football mind first and that sure isn't Brandon. So until Russ is gone, along with the rest of the FO monkeys, it is pointless to talk about a coach, who is about the 10th consideration. Once the GM/President of Football operations is found, then the real hiring begins. Problem is, if Ralph cleaned out the stable, he (and his buddy Marv} would be the one left finding the football mind and how do you think that would go? Coach-talk is wildly pre-mature. the full evaluation will begin at the end of the season. in the meantime, does everyone expect the Bills to sit on their hands until then? just asking. jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 the full evaluation will begin at the end of the season. in the meantime, does everyone expect the Bills to sit on their hands until then? just asking. jw too much logic, reasoning, and patience for this place, john. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayboy54 Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 My feeling is that a top-tier coach would like some say in who he will be working with at GM. A guy like Shanahan likely has a short list of GM's he want to work with. The Bills know this and assuming that Shanny or someone of that level wants the job, they will make the play for the coach and the preferred GM at the same time. If the Bills do not land a top-tier HC then you might see a football GM hired before a 2nd-tier coach is brought on. The only exception to this, IMO is if Parcells is interested. Then, all bets are off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bflojohn Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 To the contrary, John W., I love the proactive stance that Ralph is pursuing, at this time. It is high time for these proposed changes,and indeed, Buffalo may be a tough sell, but it is my assertion that this is the perfect storm for Ralph because of the glut of BIG NAME candidates! Last years' hiring frenzy sets the Bills up well in their attempts to rectify the current dilemma. The liklihood of one of these coaches taking a Head Coaching position with the Buffalo Bills is strong, IMO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartacus Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Yes. The only way we can draw abig name is by giving them the keys and the check book Also yes. A GM/HC combo rarely works. You need somebody to bounce off of. When a HC is also the GM no one is going to disagree with you or look at things differently. I am in favor of hiring a GM first. Polian's kid or Randy Mueller, the UFL commish who was the Saints GM, and who put together their current team. The problem for some Bills fans is that will mean we don't get a marquis coach. And that's sad...because history says SB winning coaches do not do well in later jobs, yet that is what fans want to feel better about all this. I can see Mueller bringing in the cream of the UFL. The Bills don't need famous coaches, they need good management, good talent, good coaching, and a hunger to be the best. PTR This is true The Bills need a solid foundation in the front office more than a glamor coach with a huge ego. These HC /GM combos are all failures because the GM side consistently gives the HC side less than stellar talent. A lot like Pat Riley. Pat the coach is a great motivator and great coach. unfortunately, Pat the GM hates young players and consistently trades young talent for the old overthehill vets who breakdown. Pat the coach would have won more championships if Pat the GM had forced him to play young talent. Shanahan vastly overrates his abilities as a talent evaluator and general manager. He is reckless with his personnel decisions and management of cash and the salary cap. He may be able to coach, but this team needs a strong GM to set the foundation and reign in the egomanic coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I think what you're missing, my dear primate, is that Shanny and Cowher could potentially act as both GM and coach. never a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChimp Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Shanahan could very well be looking for the GM job. It seems pretty likely that Fisher will be the next coach. Oddly winning all these games with VY is probably the last straw fro Adams. Fisher fought the change tooth and nail. Now the Titans are winning. This is making Fisher look stupid. Despite his bird flipping anti-Ralph antics, Adams may be even more angry with Fisher than he is with Wilson. Once he cuts Fisher loose. Shanny and Ralph will pounce. Shanny many even be announced as coach to make us look innocent, but he is GM. You know that really long handled tool thingy they use to cut branches off trees 50 feet up while standing on the ground? I don't know why, but that's all I could picture when I was reading that. First off, I'm not bashing the old fart in this thread, so much as I am asking why all the publicity is going to this "coach search", when hiring a coach THEN a GM seems disastrous to me. No, what this strikes me as, and the reason I started this thread, is that Ralph is just appeasing the masses by hiring another coach and opening up his cobweb-filled wallet to pay for it, but his Front Office, the REAL PROBLEM (as much as he, himself is the problem) will remain exactly the same as it is now, and thus nothing good will come of it. But the appeased masses will have already bought their season tix for next year by the time we all realize what happened. OK, so maybe I am bashing the old fart. He deserves it. He's a snake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewHampshireBillsFan Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 You know that really long handled tool thingy they use to cut branches off trees 50 feet up while standing on the ground? I don't know why, but that's all I could picture when I was reading that. First off, I'm not bashing the old fart in this thread, so much as I am asking why all the publicity is going to this "coach search", when hiring a coach THEN a GM seems disastrous to me. No, what this strikes me as, and the reason I started this thread, is that Ralph is just appeasing the masses by hiring another coach and opening up his cobweb-filled wallet to pay for it, but his Front Office, the REAL PROBLEM (as much as he, himself is the problem) will remain exactly the same as it is now, and thus nothing good will come of it. But the appeased masses will have already bought their season tix for next year by the time we all realize what happened. OK, so maybe I am bashing the old fart. He deserves it. He's a snake. It is a question of who has the final authority. Top name coaches like Shanahan don't want to do both the job of HC and GM, they just want the final say over the GM as to personnel matters. Basically the GM reports to the HC instead of the other way around. Chuck Knox had this arrangement with the Bills and he did a great job both on the field and making the final personnel decisions. Bringing in a top GM first means likely not bringing in one of the very top HC candidates but rather a up and coming coordinator to be a first time coach. Look at KC this year and Miami as examples of that and the Bills under Donahoe. Personally I would rather bring in a top HC and let him bring in his own personnel people so that the whole team is on the same page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 It is a question of who has the final authority. Top name coaches like Shanahan don't want to do both the job of HC and GM, they just want the final say over the GM as to personnel matters. Basically the GM reports to the HC instead of the other way around. Chuck Knox had this arrangement with the Bills and he did a great job both on the field and making the final personnel decisions. Bringing in a top GM first means likely not bringing in one of the very top HC candidates but rather a up and coming coordinator to be a first time coach. Look at KC this year and Miami as examples of that and the Bills under Donahoe. Personally I would rather bring in a top HC and let him bring in his own personnel people so that the whole team is on the same page. right on the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lofton80 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Chimp is dead on. I believe if Ralph gets nowhere with Shanny or Cohwer, he will hire a traditional GM. The fact that a proven winner is available will make that process a little different than usual. I cannot fault him for taking a run at two of the winningest coaches of all time. right on the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realtruelove Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 The pursuit of candidates at this time is very smart. This is the last time the Bills will have leverage due to them having the only open GM/Coach position at this time. This was probably Russ's idea and he sold it to Ralph. Once the season is over and multiple teams fire their coaches, the Bills will lose that leverage. On the other side, the potential candidates could wait until the end of the season to see what is available, which is probably what most will do. What we have here is a sense of urgency on the Bills behalf, knowing they can court all the highly qualified candidates and the knowledge by the candidates that the Bills want to get a deal done relatively quickly, giving them some leverage. For those interested, like Shanahan, this could mean a good deal and a chance for them to get a jump start on evaluating the team, assessing needs and building a short list for the the new staff. Both sides are ripe for a deal and I predict the Bills close this search out before the end of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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