During the search for new leadership

[JohnC]

Funny thing...teams that do it this way win more Super Bowls than teams that do it the "Dan Snyder way." So Bills fans want to win a Super Bowl...but want our owner to do what history shows doesn't work. How is that logical?

 

If you could buy a title...more teams would do it. What we don't want to hear is that it takes the ability to recognize talent, not money, to win a title. And a little luck doesn't hurt either.

 

PTR

 

No one can claim that the Bills have been competent in evaluating talent over the past decade. What is very odd about this fading franchise is that the talent evaluators who have been abject failures are retained by the owner while the masterful evaluators such as Polian and A.J. Smith were driven out of the organization by the same owner. When is this stupidity going to stopl Now the owner makes it clear that he is going to throw around big money to get a celebrity HC to undo what the owner, himself, has done. Stupidity added on to stupidity. What is clear to me is that the 91 yr old baron owner doesn't have the sound judgment to do what is required to turn things around. In my opinion, and others, what the owner needs to do is get a quality GM and let him make the football decisions such as hiring the HC.

[Dan]

Funny thing...teams that do it this way win more Super Bowls than teams that do it the "Dan Snyder way." So Bills fans want to win a Super Bowl...but want our owner to do what history shows doesn't work. How is that logical?

 

If you could buy a title...more teams would do it. What we don't want to hear is that it takes the ability to recognize talent, not money, to win a title. And a little luck doesn't hurt either.

 

PTR

While I completely agree with you, I'm not sure Ralph is trying the Snyder way - at least not yet. He's currently attempting to hire a highly credentialed and respected HC. A HC that would also serve as the GM. Hence, the concern that we need a GM first is negated if Shanahan is hired. If Shanahan turns down the offer, then I'll agree and completely fall into the "get a good GM first" camp.

 

However, I see absolutely nothing wrong with going after Shanahan. For once, Ralph is going after one of the best names in the game. Yet, this is somehow bad? I asked the question earlier and, predictably, got no response. But, what would all the Ralph haters be posting today if he came right out and said Shanhan, Cowher, Gruden were not an option? What if he said he wanted to hire some relatively unknown, and completely unproven guy, to head up the FO and they were looking at any number of hot coordinator and college prospects to become HC? You and I both know what would be all over this board.

 

So, if Shanny is hired, will it work? Will it get us to a Super Bowl? I don't know. But, it will almost certainly establish the Bills as a legitmate franchise. It will help to acquire FAs. It will go a long way to changing the losing atmosphere that currently surrounds the team. For now, I can live with that. In a few years, then we can talk about what it'll take to get to the Super Bowl. But, IMO, you have to learn to walk before you can run. And right now, the Bills are barely crawling.

 

The point of my initial post, here, was proven by JohnC's repsonse. He doesn't care what Ralph does. He has little regard for the man and will, therefore, find fault in whatever moves are made. I suspected as much, but was hoping other posters might benefit from that insight. Consequently, they may take is comments regarding Ralph with a grain of salt.

[Doc]

Doc, Everyone wants an instant solution to problems which have developed over an extended period of time. Dimitroff did a masterful job in his first year. He cleared out half his roster, hired a solid HC, brought in some very good free agents (RB Turner was an outstanding pickup) drafted his franchise qb and bulked up his OL. They made the playoffs in his (Dimitroff's) first year. Compare that to the stuck in the mud Bills. The Bills haven't had a credible OL in more than a decade, they haven't had a franchise qb since the Kelly days (fifteen yrs ago) and their HC who was a foolish hire was given an extension in the same year he finished the season 2-8. The Falcons might not make the playoffs this year but they are a very competitive team. Compare that to the embarrassing and irrelevant Bills.

Despite missing the playoffs the past decade, the Bills have been competitive more often than not, usually falling-short in the final month of the season. The point is that one year in the playoffs doesn't equal success. Compared to the Bills, who haven't made the playoffs in a decade, making the playoffs just once IS more success, but I'm looking for more than just that.

 

With respect to Pioli KC was bad for a long time before he took over the franchise last year. Give him some time. Does anyone doubt that he has more football knowledge than the marketing guru, GM Russ Brandon, of the Bills? The Bills have been bad for almost a generation. The owner of the Bills has been very instrumental in hiring and firing staffers. I would rather have a football person such as Dimitroff, Parcells, Pioli etc making critical decisions than a 91 yr old owner who has led his franchise over the cliff.

The Chefs had talent. They had a Pro Bowl TE, RB, Pro Bowl caliber WR, drafted top linemen the past couple drafts, and traded for a "hot" QB. Yet they look no better than before, and certainly not as good as the Falcons did last year.

[JohnC]

While I completely agree with you, I'm not sure Ralph is trying the Snyder way - at least not yet. He's currently attempting to hire a highly credentialed and respected HC. A HC that would also serve as the GM. Hence, the concern that we need a GM first is negated if Shanahan is hired. If Shanahan turns down the offer, then I'll agree and completely fall into the "get a good GM first" camp.

 

However, I see absolutely nothing wrong with going after Shanahan. For once, Ralph is going after one of the best names in the game. Yet, this is somehow bad? I asked the question earlier and, predictably, got no response. But, what would all the Ralph haters be posting today if he came right out and said Shanhan, Cowher, Gruden were not an option? What if he said he wanted to hire some relatively unknown, and completely unproven guy, to head up the FO and they were looking at any number of hot coordinator and college prospects to become HC? You and I both know what would be all over this board.

 

So, if Shanny is hired, will it work? Will it get us to a Super Bowl? I don't know. But, it will almost certainly establish the Bills as a legitmate franchise. It will help to acquire FAs. It will go a long way to changing the losing atmosphere that currently surrounds the team. For now, I can live with that. In a few years, then we can talk about what it'll take to get to the Super Bowl. But, IMO, you have to learn to walk before you can run. And right now, the Bills are barely crawling.

 

The point of my initial post, here, was proven by JohnC's repsonse. He doesn't care what Ralph does. He has little regard for the man and will, therefore, find fault in whatever moves are made. I suspected as much, but was hoping other posters might benefit from that insight. Consequently, they may take is comments regarding Ralph with a grain of salt.

 

Dan, The franchise is in a shambles primarily because of the decisions the owner has made. I don't trust his judgment. Why would anyone do so? Look at his miserable record and then tell me why you would have confidence in his strategy to put this organization on the right track.

 

At lot of people are mesmerized by the Shananahan reputation. Look at his record the last few years in Denver. His personnel moves were not very smart. He kept churning players in and out and he kept bringing in overpriced and underperforming free agents. The owner, who was one of his best friends, fired him and ended up eating a very expenisve contract.

 

What the Bills need more than anything else is a GM who knows how to BUILD a franchise, top to bottom. I don't believe that this pathetic franchise, owned for half a century by a befuddled owner, is going to be salvaged by a highly expensive HC whose recent record in personnel decisions is very suspect.

 

Would Shanahan be an upgrade as a HC and acting GM? Of course he would. So would Bozo the clown. What this desperate franchise needs more than anything is an upgrade in the front office and an investment in the scouting department, in the college and pro ranks. Atlanta under Dimitroff had a very quick turnaround and Miami under Parcells had a very quick turnaround. Most of that success can be attributed to smart personnel decisions.

 

Am I suspect anything that the Bills' owner does? Of course I am. I think he is an arrogant and narcisstic fool who considers the franchise his little toy he can play with. He enjoys tinkering with his toy while the fans have to be subjected to the garbage he has put forth for a very long time.

 

If you want to offer your adulation to this owner then that is your choice. I have little regard for this petty baron. The franchise is in a shambles primarily because of HIM. I don't know how any fair minded person can come to any other conclusion. If you don't believe me then just look at the record for the past decade.

[lifefan]

Does anyone think that RW would hire someone (consultant) to guide the selection process for a new GM? If he really means what he says that he will do whatever it takes to bring a championship to Buffalo, is he willing to say that he needs someone else to help with getting the "right guy" for the job?

 

I, too am not comfortable to trust RW to do this on his own. He needs to be a "big boy" and let someone with a football background help guide the process.