OldTimer1960 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 It seems that many here will be unhappy with whomever the Bills hire unless it is Bill Parcells, Jon Gruden, Don Shula or Vince Lombardi (yes, I know he is dead). Look at the teams that have been good over the past few years and where their coaches came from: 1. New England - Bellicheck bombed in Cleveland and NOBODY here would have been worried when the Pats hired him. He might be the best coach in the league, but maybe it is mostly Tom Brady???? 2. Baltimore - John Harbaugh was not a "big name" hire, but he has kept them competitive. Harbaugh was a ST coach for 9 years, then was a DB coach for one year before the Ravens hired him. 3. Pittsburgh - They missed the playoffs this year and might be aging, but they have been good for a long time. Mike Tomlin was an aggressive assistant, not a huge name Jimmy Johnson type. Tomlin was DB coach in Tampa where they had a good defense, then was DC in Minnesota when they led the league in D against the run, but were last against the pass. He was a young "hot-name". 4. Houston - Gary Kubiak - former backup QB and OC under Shanahan. Has done a pretty good job, but was in a bit of trouble until Wade Philips turned his defense into a monster. May be in trouble again if Houston's fade continues. 5. Indy - Didn't matter who was the coach when Peyton Manning was there. Bruce Arians is a hot name now, but I'd be leery of him - did he just get lucky that Andrew Luck played very well and the team was ultra-motivated to do well for Chuck Pagano? 6. Giants - Tom Coughlin - boring and old, but has done a great job keeping the Giants competitive for years. I think he came from Boston College which was no college football power. 7. Philly - Andy Reid - Eagles were always challengers until the last 2 years. I think he is a good coach, but there are questions about his player evaluation skills. 8. Green Bay - Long-time assistant who spent time "developing" immortals like Rich Gannon, Elvis Grbac, Steve Bono and Aaron Brooks. The year before GB hired him, he was SF's OC and they finished last in the NFL in points scored and yards gained. He is doing a great job in GB, though - is it mostly his QB? 9. SF - Jim Harbaugh - he was a hot name after doing well at Univ SD and Stanford. I've probably missed one or two good teams, but the point is that a lot of these guys were not considered "great hires"/"saviors" when they were hired. Their backgrounds are varied. As the Bills go into their coaching search, keep the different backgrounds here in mind and try to maintain an open mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiterateStylish Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 I understand your point, but I'd still rather have a proven winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbillsfan Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 For instance ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBuff423 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 your point is well stated and well taken and I don't fully disagree...however, the issue is as much perception as it is reality....the fans and the players want to truly "believe" in the next HC and trust his abilities. more than just thinking this guy knows football and how to run a team, this guy WILL bring Buffalo to the promise land, plant their flag in it, and take residence in the arena of greatness....Chip Kelly or McCoy might be those guys, but some feel more comfortable with the likes of Reid and Lovie Smith because of their resume....personally, Kyle Shanahan is growing on me but just want to see this organization make some good damn football decisions!!! HC, OC, DC are first....QB is next...those three will literally buy the BILLS organization another two years of fan patience....without it, and this team is on the cusp of losing their fanbase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlbillsfan1975 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 The point you are making is that guys can win if given the right situation. Sometimes guys do learn from their 'mistakes' as a previous HC. Or a good college coach could transition into a good pro coach. The coaches need the full backing of the franchise. Which means a great scouting department down to a good coaching staff. This means money. We shall see what resources Brandon has and thus able to promise to the coach he tries to hire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 1. New England - Bellicheck bombed in Cleveland and NOBODY here would have been worried when the Pats hired him. He might be the best coach in the league, but maybe it is mostly Tom Brady???? Belichick didn't "bomb" in Cleveland. They were 11-5 and won a playoff game in his fourth season and were 3-1 in the fifth season when Modell announced the team was moving to Baltimore - they finished 5-11. Ozzie Newsome and many others credit Belichick for showing them how to build a franchise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan714 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 I just got done watching Cleveland 95 on NFL network. Belichick took the Browns to the playoffs going 11-5 and won a playoff game in 94, early in the 95 season it was announced the Browns would be leaving for Baltimore and it took the air out of the team. He was building that team. But I wouldnt say he "bombed" in Cleveland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milehiLou Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 (edited) Kyle Shanahan has been around pro football for his whole life, he was around superbowl winning teams in his formitive years, has been coaching in the NFL for 9 years already and is 33 (which means he plays/ has played MADDEN FOOTBALL, which is a huge learning tool for game management) and has learned firsthand from a very good coach. IMO, Shanahan WILL be a HC in the NFL very soon, why not now? The first season is almost always a wash, no matter who is coaching due to lack of knowledge of the talents of his players, so I say hire the young coach who has been around the game his entire life, and IMO is the very best candidate for this young teams future. Edited January 1, 2013 by milehiLou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTimer1960 Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Belichick didn't "bomb" in Cleveland. They were 11-5 and won a playoff game in his fourth season and were 3-1 in the fifth season when Modell announced the team was moving to Baltimore - they finished 5-11. Ozzie Newsome and many others credit Belichick for showing them how to build a franchise. The Browns were 5-11 in his last season in Cleveland (after that 3-1 start) and his overall record in Cleveland was 36-44 (.450 winning percentage). The point wasn't so much that Bellichick was a bad coach in Cleveland, but rather that a great coach could have a losing record in a previous stint and do (much) better in a different situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Also remember...the front office doesn't choose the coordinators, the head coach does. It drives me nuts when I hear wishes for a certain head coach and a certain coordinator who was a former head coach. The head coach will want his guy. It may be a big name, but don't count on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTimer1960 Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 I think the two most important qualities the new coach has to have are: 1. leadership - it needs to be clear that he is in charge and that he can command the respect of his players. 2. Can attract a quality assistant coaching staff - This is part ability to identify good coaches and part having the right connections to get those coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 You simply cannot be a good or great coach unless you have a good or great QB. Gailey never had one here, nor did Jauron. Belichek has Brady, Dungy had Manning, Sean Payton has Brees, Tomlin has Roethlisberger, Green Bay has Rodgers, Kubiak has Shaub (plus a stud WR and RB), Fox has Manning, John Harbaugh has a decent QB, Flacco...but clearly not good enough yet to get them to a SB. Anyway, the point is...get a great QB and you can plug in any number of coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiterateStylish Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 (edited) Belichick didn't "bomb" in Cleveland. They were 11-5 and won a playoff game in his fourth season and were 3-1 in the fifth season when Modell announced the team was moving to Baltimore - they finished 5-11. Ozzie Newsome and many others credit Belichick for showing them how to build a franchise. That was not why that team went 5-11. They were bad. Just like the 2011 Bills went 3-1 and were bad. The previous year was lightning in a bottle, ala the 2011 Detroit Lions. Belichick was 20-28 in his first 3 years in Cleveland. Dick Jauron was 21-27 in his first 3 years in Buffalo. Just to put it into perspective. Edited January 1, 2013 by LiterateStylish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Also remember...the front office doesn't choose the coordinators, the head coach does. It drives me nuts when I hear wishes for a certain head coach and a certain coordinator who was a former head coach. The head coach will want his guy. It may be a big name, but don't count on it. Mike Tomlin inherited Dick LeBeau in Pittsburgh. Just because something is not common practice doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Every possible approach to staff building has to be considered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Mike Tomlin inherited Dick LeBeau in Pittsburgh. Just because something is not common practice doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Every possible approach to staff building has to be considered. Correct...I did say that it could be a big name, but should have also said that the front office *usually* doesn't choose the coordinators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 That was not why that team went 5-11. They were bad. Just like the 2011 Bills went 3-1 and were bad. The previous year was lightning in a bottle, ala the 2011 Detroit Lions. Belichick was 20-28 in his first 3 years in Cleveland. Dick Jauron was 21-27 in his first 3 years in Buffalo. Just to put it into perspective. bull ****. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 bull ****. In Bellichick's third season with the Browns, he was 7-9, and they lost 7 of their last nine games. Their DC was Nick Saban. They had a decent roster, neither good nor bad. They gave up more points than they scored. They were middle of the pack on offense and defense. They were no better at all than the year before's 1992 team, finishing with the same record and losing 6 of their last nine games. He would, almost without question, been run out of town and fired in Buffalo with those exact same records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiterateStylish Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 bull ****. Well thought out. Its absolutely true. That team was bad. In Bellichick's third season with the Browns, he was 7-9, and they lost 7 of their last nine games. Their DC was Nick Saban. They had a decent roster, neither good nor bad. They gave up more points than they scored. They were middle of the pack on offense and defense. They were no better at all than the year before's 1992 team, finishing with the same record and losing 6 of their last nine games. He would, almost without question, been run out of town and fired in Buffalo with those exact same records. Yup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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