dubs Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Like any good organization or business, success or failure is largely determined by the leadership and the culture they promote. If you take companies like Apple or IBM, they became successful because their leaders instilled a culture that cultivates the values that are important for that industry. Apple, for example, goes to great lengths to promote creativity and innovation. Wal-Mart takes cost savings to an obsession by keeping track of even little things in the corporate headquarters, such as pens, pencils, and paperclips. Coca-Cola promotes their heritage and pride by using the color red in everything you see at their headquarters. My point is, the Bills have no vision, no brand, and no real culture that breeds success. I think this is the fatal flaw of the organization. In my opinion the NFL is a collection of smaller businesses that compete with one another and the primary measure of that is success on the field and accountability. Ultimately, it seems that the Bills lack that accountability because Ralph seems unable to manage an organization giving his current age and health. The real leaders are not "football" people, Brandon and Littman. They are marketing and finance people, respectively. Both crucial to an organization, but in a supporting role. The Bills (Ralph), needs to bring in a new CEO to lead the organization, but a person with a successful football past. Brandon needs to either be realigned to Head of Sales and Marketing (which I think he's done a good job with) or let go. The new CEO needs to be present, visable, and hold the GM accountable for the product on the field. He needs to know the league, have experience, and contacts and use these to bring in a new GM and ultimately new coach. Secondly, the new culture needs to be based on a standard of excellence. You see it with the Patroits. As much as we hate Bill, after every game he's talking about how the Pats need to get better, no matter what the score. No excuses, no BS. The Bills need to emulate that and get the right people in place. The NFL is a crazy organization where from year to year teams can vary. Personally, I think we have a decent group of players that can be very competitive in this league. I think if we get new leadership and a new culture as described above, the team isn't that far off from making some noise. But we need to do this as soon as the season ends, becasue it takes time. Unfortuantely, I think we are at a critical juncture with the Bills. I think fans are sick and tired of losing in the way that we are, without seeing any tangible progress. I worry that if things don't materially change, the Bills are going to lose perhaps the greatest asset they have, a passionate and committed fanbase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JÂy RÛßeÒ Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 All that left with Bill Polian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananathumb Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Could be sarcastic here, but instead I will totally agree that we need a "big pciture" football guy...but unfortunately Ralph already tried that (Donahoe) and it burned him. So expect the organization currently in place - very de-centralized - until his final breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubs Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 Could be sarcastic here, but instead I will totally agree that we need a "big pciture" football guy...but unfortunately Ralph already tried that (Donahoe) and it burned him. So expect the organization currently in place - very de-centralized - until his final breath. Totally agree, bananathumb, that is probably what Ralph was/is thinking. It would be frustrating to think though it means scrapping the whole idea. Just because Donahoe didn't work, doesn't mean the next one won't. Step 1 is getting the framework in place and step 2 is getting the right people in place. Donahoe was a miss. I'd love to see Polian fill that role. Probably a pipedream though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPS Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 You can take all your logic, common sense and sound football acumen and hit the road sir. We like the likable around here. Competence not required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmur66 Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 (edited) It all comes down to Accountability. Right now they are all just "a ridin the gravy train" in self preservation mode. Edited December 17, 2012 by bmur66 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey D. Clown Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I'm getting a little tired of the front office and coaching merry-go-round. It doesn't seem to matter what the hell they do, or who the hell they hire, so who cares if everyone is gone at the end of the year, what will replace them is more of what we already have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cale Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I've said this before. We can get the best players. "Re-organize" etc. But it really is the culture. When we jettisoned Polian, Butler and Wade, they jettisoned the culture of winning. None of them were "yes" men. And guess what that got them? The door! No wonder independently minded executives don't make a bee line for the Bills. Until the owner makes a commitment to changing the culture, it ain't gonna happen. Unfortunately, I do think he is set in his ways. And nothing is gonna change until there is change in ownership or control either through sale, successsion or death. And just to be clear, I am only wishing for some kind of organic change of ownership that keeps the Bills in town. So I'll just tune them out - for now. C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All_Pro_Bills Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The Bills are simply a dysfunctional organization and we as fans are stuck supporting this lousy product on the field each Sunday. The fact that most of us are still around is either testimoney of our unwavering devotion to our team or an indiction of our willingness to inflict pain on ourselves and our loved ones. Anyone that has ever tried to change or 're-engineer' a business culture knows that without support and commitment from the top it is impossible to pull off. And here its clear that ownership is not committed, nor has any desire, to any fundamental changes. To change winning needs to be established a a priority of the organization. Winning as its been said is not everything, its the only thing! But who among us really believes that winning is or ever will be a priority of this owner and organization? Sadly and more than that depressing, is the fact that we're stuck with this can't teach an old dog new tricks situation until ownership changes hands which comes with a lot of unknowns at this point. So expect more bad coaches, lousy front office, poor drafting, and losing on the field until that happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpan Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 All that left with Bill Polian. Hire him back? Am I dreaming with that request? I think that bridge has been burned..... To go along with what the OP said - how come they are constantly talking about building a new stadium in Buffalo but not in Green Bay? Lambeau Field is a national landmark. They have built history there. Why couldn't we do that with the Ralph? O yea bc we suck. Maybe we need a new stadium simply to re-brand? Maybe build a dome simply because this 'outside cold weather team BS simply hasn't brought us any success? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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