my skepticism

[GG]

What it boils down to is that one reporter--- Tim Graham--- is accusing another reporter--- Adam Schefter--- of lacking journalistic integrity.

 

Do I have that right?

 

Ever wonder how Schefter "broke" the story of Bills hiring Marrone at 5AM?

[Kelly the Dog]

Somehow I have a feeling it was a well discussed topic at the watering holes.

 

Imagine that, all the parties who gave glowing reports on Marrone have the same agent. I'm shocked I tell you, shocked.

There were all kinds of other guys without the same agent who gave glowing reports of Marrone. Sean Payton, Herm Edwards, Mickey Loomis, Brandon Moore, Jason Witten, Jon Stinchcomb, Jon Gruden (perhaps some of these have the same agent I am not sure, but there were glowing reviews everywhere. I didn't hear a bad thing about him in fact, from anyone who knew him and worked with or played for him.

[Punch]

Ever wonder how Schefter "broke" the story of Bills hiring Marrone at 5AM?

 

It certainly goes a long way in explaining it.

 

By pushing the narrative that Schefter was complicit in espousing how great of a hire Marrone is kind of goes too far towards an actual accusation that he was "bought off" in some way--- perhaps with the reward of the "scoop".

[GG]

There were all kinds of other guys without the same agent who gave glowing reports of Marrone. Sean Payton, Herm Edwards, Mickey Loomis, Brandon Moore, Jason Witten, Jon Stinchcomb, Jon Gruden (perhaps some of these have the same agent I am not sure, but there were glowing reviews everywhere. I didn't hear a bad thing about him in fact, from anyone who knew him and worked with or played for him.

 

It would be very odd for someone in the industry to bash Marrone when he got the job. I think that jw's and Graham's beef (and I imagine the rest of the Bills local reporters) is that the glowing reports were orchestrated and fished out by Bills and the agent's PR machine, and not so much by people jumping up and down on their own to say "What an awesome hire!"

Edited January 23, 2013 by GG

[Kelly the Dog]

It would be very odd for someone in the industry to bash Marrone when he got the job. I think that jw's and Graham's beef (and I imagine the rest of the Bills local reporters) is that the glowing reports were orchestrated and fished out by Bills and the agent's PR machine, and not so much by people jumping up and down on their own to say "What an awesome hire!"

While that is true, the reports were universally glowing and came from everywhere he has been, as far back as Jason Witten when Marrone was his TE coach at Tennessee. Players, coaches, head coaches, pundits, executives, everyone. Everyone around Syracuse seemed to love him. Pettine obviously liked him. It's much easier to imagine that the reports are legitimate than fabricated or embellished or "marketed".

 

Now, do I believe anything that comes out of Russ Brandon's mouth? No.

[Doc]

Hiring the Jets' defensive coaches allayed my fears about Marrone. And since he was a former OC (regardless of whether Payton called all the plays), and that Nathaniel Hackett is the son of Paul Hackett and daddy might be the Bills' QB coach, I'm less concerned there as well. What they need now are the players.

[thewildrabbit]

No offense, but you sound like you work for the front office.

 

Again, no offense, but it's your kind of support, generally speaking, and in not being able to assess things better than the media does because they have to be supportive in a large way, that helps keep perpetuating this charade.

 

Check this article out if you haven't already.

 

http://auburnpub.com...8c7d596681.html

 

It's the best brief piece I've read yet and he addresses your core point(s). I've agreed with that piece before he wrote it.

 

I too question to what extent things were "turned around" at SU given that two seasons ago he was 8-5 also before having gone 6-7. This season he would have been w/o Nassib. You really think he would have improved there? I don't.

 

As they say, caveat emptor.

 

Go ahead and give him the benefit of the doubt. The odds are so stacked against his success given the staff that he's assembled that it'll be half a miracle if he produces a winning team here in Buffalo. Think otherwise if you will, but when neither of your coordinators has called plays for even a season, well, IMO that speaks volumes.

 

He has his work cut out for him and this ain't the NCAA with its "everyone's a winner" cheap bowl games. It also ain't the Big East football conference.

I will give him the benefit of the doubt

 

... Marrone hasn't made any moronic player moves yet, no Cornell Green at RT. Announcing the starting QB, giving him all the reps in pre season and then cutting after two games. Both those two moves alone helped cause an 0-8 start in 2010. Announcing the starting RB in 2010 for opening day only to bench him after 4 plays because he didn't know how to do his job on the field.

 

,,,hasn't tried to force a broken QB to try an win games while almost ignoring perhaps the most gifted RB in the league most of the season.

 

....hasn't tried to run 5 WR empty backfield sets with only one decent WR. Smoke and mirrors stopped working midway thru the 2011 season. but that didn't stop anyone from calling the same plays over and over.

 

....hasn't hired the two worst DC's this franchise has ever seen. Both set franchise records for being bad. The latter set both franchise and NFL records for being bad with a 100 million dollar DE!!

 

Gailey was a clustermess from the start. As bad as Fitz was, Gailey was lucky to have him, otherwise the Bills win maybe 2 games each year.

 

The Bills hired a man who has had some success in taking a bad program and turning it around. I'm more willing to give him 3 years then a guy who was fired from his last job with a lesser title.

[BillsVet]

There are enough information sources within the NFL to see that Brandon was not truthful about the hiring process. All of this would be moot if the Bills started winning and weren't so focused on rebutting criticism.

[Doc]

There are enough information sources within the NFL to see that Brandon was not truthful about the hiring process. All of this would be moot if the Bills started winning and weren't so focused on rebutting criticism.

LOL! They interview a bunch of guys and hire a guy with NFL OC'ing and college HC'ing experience, whose hiring is praised by several "experts," and the criticism comes out because they might not have been as "exhaustive" as they said they'd be. Nevermind that if they'd actually "left no stone unturned," they'd likely have lost-out on Pettine and his crew, and probably even Marrone himself.

 

But yes winning will be the true test. Not whining about statements interpreted concretely.

[eball]

There are enough information sources within the NFL to see that Brandon was not truthful about the hiring process. All of this would be moot if the Bills started winning and weren't so focused on rebutting criticism.

 

Umm, I think Brandon came right out and called the Bills "tarnished" and said it is "unacceptable." If that's your definition of "rebutting criticism" I'm at a loss.

 

I don't understand all the hub-bub about their hiring process. They interviewed at least five guys and got either their 1st or 2nd choice. People want to nitpick about whether that fits the definition of "no stone unturned" in a vacuum. It's ridiculous.

[Lurker]

Nevermind that if they'd actually "left no stone unturned," they'd likely have lost-out on Pettine and his crew, and probably even Marrone himself.

The Bills were fast out of the gate in starting the HC search and had one of the most aggressive interview schedules of any team looking to fill a vacancy.

 

IMO, Chip Kelly was likely their #1 target, but when he made it obvious he wanted major control (and was unlikely to go with a small market team), they moved on and Marrone, who they probably viewed as the next best candidate. I don't think they were going the retread route (Wiz, Lovie) and were really intent on charting a new course for the HC selection.

 

I actually like the fact they acted decisively on Marrone, rather than continuing to interview coordinators simply to be exhaustive.

 

If, after five interviews, they were convinced he was a guy who could turn the ship around, letting him slip through their fingers simply to keep "turning over stones" would have been an even more egregious mistake. Being flexible and adapative is an advantage I see with Brandon in charge, rather than stodgy and predictibale like Ralph would have been.

 

Then there's the past (bad) experience with Chan getting a late start on assembling a staff due to his late hire. I agree that Pettine is absolutely with the Bills due to the quick HC pick. And the coaching staff is that much further down the road in looking at how the Senior Bowl prospects might fit into what they'll be trying to do this year.

[CodeMonkey]

Umm, I think Brandon came right out and called the Bills "tarnished" and said it is "unacceptable." If that's your definition of "rebutting criticism" I'm at a loss.

 

I don't understand all the hub-bub about their hiring process. They interviewed at least five guys and got either their 1st or 2nd choice. People want to nitpick about whether that fits the definition of "no stone unturned" in a vacuum. It's ridiculous.

I tend to agree with you. But I believe Brandon opened up the can of worms with his "no stone unturned" comment.

Would have been better off keeping his mouth shut. But what marketing guy can do that?

[papazoid]

i'm a big fan of john wawrow.....but this post confuses me.....as it borders on professional suicide.....

 

in my own opinion of course, what sticks out to me in this whole thread is that it appears that with the changing of the guard from ralph to russ......that john wawrow has temporarily lost some of his "access" to the main power guy. john's valid but unanswered questions has led him to speak out publicly to some degree. while he has every right to say whatever is on his mind, my advice to him would be to bide his time.

[LynchMob23]

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/press-coverage/2013/01/doug-marrones-assistants-set-to-meet-the-media.html

Hopefully some of the media can get the questions they want answered from all staff now that they'll be available...

 

The Buffalo Bills will hold a pair of press conferences over the next two days to introduce some of new coach Doug Marrone's staff to the Western New York media.

[Kelly the Dog]

http://blogs.buffalo...-the-media.html

Hopefully some of the media can get the questions they want answered from all staff now that they'll be available...

The Bills are never going to say anything other than we had an exhaustive search, it became clear quickly that Marrone was our guy, we had several talks with him, everyone agreed he was our guy and we moved quickly and forcefully to secure him. Marrone has already come out and said publicly that every single one of his hires was the guy they wanted all along. I believe it with Pettine and (maybe) Hackett. Everyone else I am not so sure about, including his cronies from Syracuse he eventually signed like Wheatley. I could easily imagine Marrone, for example, calling Pete Carmichael and offering him the job of OC, but PC saying he would prefer to stay in New Orleans, or another RB coach that for whatever reason (it doesnt have to be bad), turned down the job. .

[LynchMob23]

The Bills are never going to say anything other than we had an exhaustive search, it became clear quickly that Marrone was our guy, we had several talks with him, everyone agreed he was our guy and we moved quickly and forcefully to secure him. Marrone has already come out and said publicly that every single one of his hires was the guy they wanted all along. I believe it with Pettine and (maybe) Hackett. Everyone else I am not so sure about, including his cronies from Syracuse he eventually signed like Wheatley. I could easily imagine Marrone, for example, calling Pete Carmichael and offering him the job of OC, but PC saying he would prefer to stay in New Orleans, or another RB coach that for whatever reason (it doesnt have to be bad), turned down the job. .

That I get Kelly. I'm hoping this takes the edge off some of the feelings of the media re: the cloak of invisibility at OBD. Will it in truth? I doubt it.