#2) Buddies Puzzle

[BSN Bills Fan]

Every year Bills fans go in thinking this is the year we will make it to the pay offs, & yet our seasons have fallen to years of futility in the NFL . But one man has had a plan all along since his hiring, unlike the fans he has had the patience to see it through.

 

Buddy Nix started a few years back as our GM & most Bills fans followed their normal non complimentary ways in saying " he's to old - thats just like Ralph to hire someone that doesn't know what he's doing - it's the old boys club" & so on, add the hire of Gailey as his first move as GM & the fur along with the negativity was really flying .

 

When Nix & Gailey took CJ Spiller as the 9th over all pick (i billeave in their first draft) with a RB corp of Marshawn & Fred already set on the team as a good back field, WOW !! the negativity was turned up yet another notch . Bills fans were at their best in bashing Nix & then coach Gailey for wasting a draft pick on a RB with 2 good ones already on the team.

 

Added flame to the fire when CJ wasn't used properly the bust moniker was given to him, which CJ has since went on to prove all Bills fans that laid claim to him being a bust & him being a bad pick .

 

But Buddy has followed his corse & has as much as admitted he made a mistake with the Gailey hire, proving as much when he let him go after last season . With the team showing that Gailey's decision's from making Fitz his #1 man, to the hire of Wanny as D coordinator were taking the team in the wrong direction . But they had added some good players through the Nix led drafts which pretty much went unheralded by Bills fans due to our record .

 

But once again Buddy has followed his course of action & along with Whaley's & our new president's input went with a new coach & staff on the other end of the coaching spectrum, young , innovative, (if you can call the reinstalling of the K-gun O innovative) & not afraid to go out on a limb or to take a chance on a pick to make the team better .

 

I for one at first didn't like the Marrone hire, with Lovey out there, & Trestman making the most sense to hire with the Bills being the only team to play a Canadian series of games, but i am coming around to Buddies way of thinking, or drinking the Nix kool aid if you will ?

 

Along with the pick of CJ , Buddy has added Marcel, Gilmore, Bradham, Hairiston, Glenn, EJ, Kiko, Woods, then you add in the additions through FA & UDFA's + the veterans that he got rid of (which i expect to see more of this year) you can see that Buddies visions were the same as the fans it's just his puzzle is taking a bit longer to put together than ours .

 

I think we as fans will be happy with the progress this year that our beloved team has made with Buddy at the helm, but we the fans need to see what Buddy needs for it to come together & be more patient than we have been with him & see what is happening right before our eyes .

 

I think the picture of Buddies puzzle will be becoming more apparent this year & we need to give credit where it is due ! I think when it is all said & done we will look back on Buddies tenure as the Bills GM & say he was one of the better GM's in Bills history even though it took him a bit of time !!

 

GO BILLS !!!

[bowery4]

Most GMs are bust or boom based on the QB they draft. If Manual works out Buddy will leave a legacy. If it is a grand scheme, really or just shaping the roster with the guys you think will help you coaches.....there have been mistakes and still are holes. The building through the draft thing is hard to do.... but I think he (or his staff) is still learning and improving that part. We will see how it goes, I am hoping to be optimistic and like some of the new changes and can see the logic in some moves.

[BuffaloBill]

Nice attempt at trying to excuse the results Buddy has achieved so far. The facts are that theBills continue in their irrelevance and non-productive ways.

 

This is not to say that thisis a new day. If Manuel is the right choice and if Marrone is the right coach things can turn around. At the end of the day this is a QB and coaching driven league. If a team lacks both then you get the results we've lived through for the past decade.

 

I think Buddy gets this season and next to prove he has righted the ship. Maybe Whaley takes over after this season. Hard to say as much will rest on EJ Manuel's shoulders.

[outsidethebox]

Is that you buddy?

[T master]

I still think there are a few pieces of the puzzle missing but i think we are on the right track .

 

This season will go a long way in seeing if that is a fact ...

[Wing Man]

Manuel IS a night and day improvement from Fitz and company. Marrone looks like a fresh face and a real improvement over Gailey. Pettine IS an improvement. Ray Charles would be an improvement over Ralph.

 

This time of year we forget that even great GMs swing and miss half the time. Who those ghastly busts from this year that will make us throw things at the tv are will identify themselves soon enough. A first year QB fresh from the draft who lights up the league is the exception, but I'd like to be optimistic too. Manuel doesn't strike me as "Buffalo billboard" material.

[CarolinaBill]

Manuel doesn't strike me as "Buffalo billboard" material.

????

[thewildrabbit]

Is that you buddy?

naa, its Mrs Nix

 

 

 

Welcome, no offense but Nix has way to go to prove he isn't one of the very worst GM's so far. 16-32 isn't just Chan Gaileys record, and who hired Gailey. This draft makes Nix look so much better, although it also very much depends on "IF" Marrone will be a good NFL HC, and "IF" EJ will be a good NFL QB, and "IF" those players with troubled pasts actually work out. Just keepin it real.

Edited May 11, 2013 by FeartheLosing

[KeisterHollow]

Nix has certainly made some mistakes as a GM. However, the truth is, none of us know the real scope of Nix's control, influence. We don't know for certain if Nix has the same resources at hand to lure potential coaches in, we don't know for sure if Nix has the same scope of control over the business/roster; however, we do know that when Nix took over he took over a DISASTER, and there were NO well known coaches who wanted to coach in Buffalo.

 

Now, I believe Nix could have chosen a better prospect as a coach than Gailey, and yet, I also believe had Gailey hired a better defensive coordinator, he'd of made the playoffs by his 3rd year and we might still have him as a coach (something I'd despise).

 

Whatever the case may be, Nix brought in enough talent that this time around, despite there being 8 Head Coaching vacancies in the NFL, one of the top candidates chose to come to Buffalo, and perhaps the top D.C. came to Buffalo with him. I'm on board with the draft this year, and all in all, I think Nix will look like an old genius if Manuel pans out, and if Marrone and Pettine are as good as they look to be capable of.

It comes down to that, though - if Marrone is talented and Manuel plays good Nix will look good. Still, all things considered, I like what Nix has done to this point. I wouldn't have traded better decisions two years ago if it included a playoff appearance and Gailey still being here, because, ultimately, I think this game has to be about Championships and Gailey didn't have IT, whereas I think Marrone and Pettine DO.

[ganesh]

Nice attempt at trying to excuse the results Buddy has achieved so far. The facts are that theBills continue in their irrelevance and non-productive ways.

 

This is not to say that thisis a new day. If Manuel is the right choice and if Marrone is the right coach things can turn around. At the end of the day this is a QB and coaching driven league. If a team lacks both then you get the results we've lived through for the past decade.

 

I think Buddy gets this season and next to prove he has righted the ship. Maybe Whaley takes over after this season. Hard to say as much will rest on EJ Manuel's shoulders.

 

Completely agree. Buddy took three years to realize that we need a Franchise QB and a Good HC to succeed (Time will tell if Manuel and Marrone are Franchise and Good respectively).

 

Nix has certainly made some mistakes as a GM. However, the truth is, none of us know the real scope of Nix's control, influence. We don't know for certain if Nix has the same resources at hand to lure potential coaches in, we don't know for sure if Nix has the same scope of control over the business/roster; however, we do know that when Nix took over he took over a DISASTER, and there were NO well known coaches who wanted to coach in Buffalo.

 

 

Another revisionist theory. RW had courted Mike Shannahan before settling in for Gailey. Nix could have hired any HC he wanted. He chose a retread Gailey after Shannahan and Cowher turned him down.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Manuel doesn't strike me as "Buffalo billboard" material.

 

????

 

I think he means that there will not be a future where fans are buying billboard space saying that "EJ Must Go!!!"

 

Nix has certainly made some mistakes as a GM. However…. we do know that when Nix took over he took over a DISASTER, and there were NO well known coaches who wanted to coach in Buffalo.

 

Now, I believe Nix could have chosen a better prospect as a coach than Gailey, and yet, I also believe had Gailey hired a better defensive coordinator, he'd of made the playoffs by his 3rd year and we might still have him as a coach (something I'd despise).

 

Whatever the case may be, Nix brought in enough talent that this time around, despite there being 8 Head Coaching vacancies in the NFL, one of the top candidates chose to come to Buffalo, and perhaps the top D.C. came to Buffalo with him. I'm on board with the draft this year, and all in all, I think Nix will look like an old genius if Manuel pans out, and if Marrone and Pettine are as good as they look to be capable of.

It comes down to that, though - if Marrone is talented and Manuel plays good Nix will look good. Still, all things considered, I like what Nix has done to this point. I wouldn't have traded better decisions two years ago if it included a playoff appearance and Gailey still being here, because, ultimately, I think this game has to be about Championships and Gailey didn't have IT, whereas I think Marrone and Pettine DO.

 

Great post and I've been saying for awhile now that Nix can change his legacy as Bills GM. Absolutely it was a blessing that Chan hired Wanny because now both are gone and we can actually try to build a real contender instead of a middling contender.

 

Another revisionist theory. RW had courted Mike Shannahan before settling in for Gailey. Nix could have hired any HC he wanted. He chose a retread Gailey after Shannahan and Cowher turned him down.

 

What you say doesn't refute what Keister said. Keister said that no one wanted to come here.

 

This is true whether he had carte blanche or not.

Edited May 12, 2013 by San Jose Bills Fan

[San-O]

 

I think the picture of Buddies puzzle will be becoming more apparent this year & we need to give credit where it is due ! I think when it is all said & done we will look back on Buddies tenure as the Bills GM & say he was one of the better GM's in Bills history even though it took him a bit of time !!

 

GO BILLS !!!

 

 

Wow. So Buddy has it all figured out? I guess he's really pulling one over on the rest of the GMs in the leagur also.

 

[Wing Man]

Buffalo Billboard: FIRE CHAN GAILEY or any number of billboard material that has either appeared or needed to appear in the area.

[Thurmal34]

 

Another revisionist theory. RW had courted Mike Shannahan before settling in for Gailey. Nix could have hired any HC he wanted. He chose a retread Gailey after Shannahan and Cowher turned him down.

 

So Nix could have hired any HC he wanted, but two HCs turned him down?

 

Huh?

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Every year Bills fans go in thinking this is the year we will make it to the pay offs, & yet our seasons have fallen to years of futility in the NFL . But one man has had a plan all along since his hiring, unlike the fans he has had the patience to see it through.

He hired Chan Gailey and signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to a contract extension, so patience can only get you so far... at least now he's finally admitted the error of his ways.

[ganesh]

So Nix could have hired any HC he wanted, but two HCs turned him down?

 

Huh?

 

The original quote was that Nix did not have any control on who he could hire. I am just disputing that there was no such evidence. The evidence that he could hire anyone was that they interviewed Mike Shanahan. The question was not who Nix could have hired.

 

Nix also had a shot at taking his Franchise QB in that same year or the next. Instead they went with the retreads in Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick both of whom had horrible plays in the previous season. Nix does not get a pass for that.

 

He hired Chan Gailey and signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to a contract extension, so patience can only get you so far... at least now he's finally admitted the error of his ways.

 

And he took a long while to do both. In fact last November, he even got angry that Reporters wanted Chan gailey canned. He emphatically said that Gailey will be the HC next season. Similarly, he felt that Fitzpatrick could turn it around and he couldn't influence his HC to at least give Tavaris Jackson a chance to play, even in meaningless games.

[Thurmal34]

The evidence that he could hire anyone was that they interviewed Mike Shanahan. The question was not who Nix could have hired.

 

Sorry dude, that's not evidence. Shanahan could have had myriad reasons for interviewing with no intention of ever taking the job.

 

The facts are simple. The top two (that we know of) candidates said "no". That means Nix could NOT have hired anyone he wanted.

[thewildrabbit]

My take on the Mike Shanahan / Bill Cower debacle was because it was publicly stated that the Bills would pay 10 mill per to obtain the right head coach, and that was the only reason both interviewed for the Bills HCing job. Obviously the Bills never had any real intention of paying 10 mill per to either coach as both would have taken that amount, since the current highest paid NFL head coaches only make around 7+ mill per.

 

http://sportsgmtalk.wordpress.com/head-coach-and-manager-contracts/nfl-head-coach-contracts-salaries/

 

It was widely known that even many HC's and assistant coaches turned down interviews for the Bill HCing job, so Nix was getting desperate to find a suitable candidate. Don't forget that the Bills were looking for an experienced NFL HC with a winning record. Gailey did have an 18-14 record as the Cowboys HC in 1998-1999. Besides, he was a good ole boy, what could go wrong....

 

 

Nix has certainly made some mistakes as a GM. However, the truth is, none of us know the real scope of Nix's control, influence. We don't know for certain if Nix has the same resources at hand to lure potential coaches in, we don't know for sure if Nix has the same scope of control over the business/roster; however, we do know that when Nix took over he took over a DISASTER, and there were NO well known coaches who wanted to coach in Buffalo.

Now, I've kept reading that inaccurate statement for the last three years, even Buddy Nix himself thought the team was close because one of his statements was ...

 

"It doesn't matter what kind of splash we make today. What matters is two years and three years down the road, if we have this thing turned around in the right direction and we're winning," Nix said. "I know before I'm asked this, you're going to think I'm crazy, but we're not that far away."

 

The fact is that Buddy Nix replaced only about 3 starters, and eight players total on the opening day roster in 2010 from Dick Jauron's 2009 roster. So, he indeed must have thought the team was close to being a winner because of the lack of actual turnover.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4785461

 

 

2010 draft, RB CJ Spiller the only starter on a supposedly disaster of a team, and he sat on the bench a year and a half.

 

2011 draft, DT Marcell Dareus, RT Chris Hairston, SS Da' Norris Searcy

 

2012 draft, CB Stephon Gilmore, LT Cordy Glenn, WR TJ Graham

 

So, out of 27 players drafted the last three years 7 starters.

 

 

Just to give you an idea of what a disaster of a team really is, in 1985 (2-14) to 1986 (4-12) the Bills under Bill Polian changed eight starters on offense alone, and another five on defense, so 13 out of 22.

 

 

All we can do as Bills fans is hope Buddy Nix got it right this year, and the team finally starts down a road to winning seasons.

[voodoo poonani]

The results speak for themselves. We've spent a ton of money and draft picks and have done nothing. Aside from CJ, the 2010 draft was a joke. The Gailey hire was a joke. " he's won everywhere he's been." yeah right. I have no reason to be optimistic. The Brandon move looks like we're trying to make a change without changing. I'll wait and see what happens, but I won't get my hopes up just yet. We've been burned too many times before.

[BuffaloFan68]

Hall of Famers go on the Billboard

 

A good GM would have kept Perry Fewell as HC & then brought in Chan as OC. At least Fewell already knew that Edwards had to go and that getting a legit QB was a top priority instead of waiting 3 years!

[Mr. WEO]

 

Give him a few more years, he'll figure this one out.

[San-O]

+ 1

 

Awesome.

 

 

Also, while Buddy is "piecing" this puzzle together, he's losing other pieces or forgetting where he put them.

 

The puzzle analogy is really priceless, IMO.

Edited May 12, 2013 by SoCal-Surf

[KeisterHollow]

As much as I give Nix credit for finally bringing the Bills to a place where we could see them begin to be truly competitive, and I allow for his having to deal with a tough owner/control situation - I also admit that he's far and away A FAR CRY FROM BEING PERFECT.

 

There are some things he's done that are close to being inexcusable, in my opinion (switching defenses back and forth in a matter of 3 years - and the consequential inability to draft appropriately for defense - it's only luck that the defense we want to run now is a combination of both 3-4 and 4-3, so that his flip flopping might actually have brought in desirable types on the defense; allowing Fitz to remain the top QB for so long, allowing Wanny to finish out the year, passing on Kaepernick and Wilson, letting Lynch go for a 4th rounder!). It's DESPITE those things that Nix has us finally in position to succeed. I don't get into "what if's"; I'm the type of person when if I like the present, I accept everything that's happened in the past as necessary to lead up to this point. I happen to like where we are now, so I'm not going to say I wish we would have done things differently.

 

A lot rides on this year - but the only guy on the Buffalo Bills whose total career rides on this year is Nix. Everyone else will get a pass if things don't work out. That's the situation, and it's the situation Nix helped to create - and, I'm glad he still has a chance to right the ship and go out on top.

Edited May 12, 2013 by KeisterHollow

[Best Player Available]

As much as I give Nix credit for finally bringing the Bills to a place where we could see them begin to be truly competitive, and I allow for his having to deal with a tough owner/control situation - I also admit that he's far and away A FAR CRY FROM BEING PERFECT.

 

There are some things he's done that are close to being inexcusable, in my opinion (switching defenses back and forth in a matter of 3 years - and the consequential inability to draft appropriately for defense - it's only luck that the defense we want to run now is a combination of both 3-4 and 4-3, so that his flip flopping might actually have brought in desirable types on the defense; allowing Fitz to remain the top QB for so long, allowing Wanny to finish out the year, passing on Kaepernick and Wilson, letting Lynch go for a 4th rounder!). It's DESPITE those things that Nix has us finally in position to succeed. I don't get into "what if's"; I'm the type of person when if I like the present, I accept everything that's happened in the past as necessary to lead up to this point. I happen to like where we are now, so I'm not going to say I wish we would have done things differently.

 

A lot rides on this year - but the only guy on the Buffalo Bills whose total career rides on this year is Nix. Everyone else will get a pass if things don't work out. That's the situation, and it's the situation Nix helped to create - and, I'm glad he still has a chance to right the ship and go out on top.

Mr Nix is 16-32 as GM. he's on his 2nd head coach, I've lost count of DC's, his previous drafts have been mediocre. He is deep into gutting the team he built in year 4. To this day many of the better players/starters are DJ leftovers. He's got a long way to go before he's a candidate "to go out on top."

[KeisterHollow]

Mr Nix is 16-32 as GM. he's on his 2nd head coach, I've lost count of DC's, his previous drafts have been mediocre. He is deep into gutting the team he built in year 4. To this day many of the better players/starters are DJ leftovers. He's got a long way to go before he's a candidate "to go out on top."

Hey, I understand anyone's gripe with Nix - I just happen to think a lot of people are a bit tough on him. He's not perfect, as I said - there are definitely great GM's in this league, and Nix isn't going to be confused with one of them - HOWEVER, if Manuel pans out, and the rest of this draft class ends up being as good as it seems, and Marrone and Pettine work out, NIX WILL LEAVE HAVING TURNED AROUND THIS FRANCHISE, LIKE IT OR NOT. Obviously he made some mistakes along the way, and obviously others have contributed to both the bad and the good, but if we turn the corner this year, I think people should give Nix credit where credit is due - he will have turned the team around, back into a respected team, and left it to Whaley in good all around shape (his drafts have been hit and miss, but the overall talent on this roster is pretty good).

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Most GMs are bust or boom based on the QB they draft. If Manual works out Buddy will leave a legacy.

 

Yup wasn't it Bart Scott who declaimed BillBelicheck was 1 Mo Lewis hit away from the unemployment line?

[3rdand12]

i am glad someone posted up that there is much more to being a GM for the previously inept Bills than what is on the surface.

Buddy might have built an office that is finally competent. It isn't just the players folks. I say let him ride..

[ganesh]

Sorry dude, that's not evidence. Shanahan could have had myriad reasons for interviewing with no intention of ever taking the job.

 

The facts are simple. The top two (that we know of) candidates said "no". That means Nix could NOT have hired anyone he wanted.

 

Again you are missing the point. There was no restrictions from within OBD as to who he could hire as a HC.

 

Hey, I understand anyone's gripe with Nix - I just happen to think a lot of people are a bit tough on him. He's not perfect, as I said - there are definitely great GM's in this league, and Nix isn't going to be confused with one of them - HOWEVER, if Manuel pans out, and the rest of this draft class ends up being as good as it seems, and Marrone and Pettine work out, NIX WILL LEAVE HAVING TURNED AROUND THIS FRANCHISE, LIKE IT OR NOT. Obviously he made some mistakes along the way, and obviously others have contributed to both the bad and the good, but if we turn the corner this year, I think people should give Nix credit where credit is due - he will have turned the team around, back into a respected team, and left it to Whaley in good all around shape (his drafts have been hit and miss, but the overall talent on this roster is pretty good).

 

All your "Ifs" are betting on the future and we have no control over that. The only thing we can look at as a body of work is his last 3 years as a GM and that has been mediocre. I hope for the Bills sake, this 2013 draft is their biggest hit draft that turns them around.

[BillsVet]

Hey, I understand anyone's gripe with Nix - I just happen to think a lot of people are a bit tough on him. He's not perfect, as I said - there are definitely great GM's in this league, and Nix isn't going to be confused with one of them - HOWEVER, if Manuel pans out, and the rest of this draft class ends up being as good as it seems, and Marrone and Pettine work out, NIX WILL LEAVE HAVING TURNED AROUND THIS FRANCHISE, LIKE IT OR NOT. Obviously he made some mistakes along the way, and obviously others have contributed to both the bad and the good, but if we turn the corner this year, I think people should give Nix credit where credit is due - he will have turned the team around, back into a respected team, and left it to Whaley in good all around shape (his drafts have been hit and miss, but the overall talent on this roster is pretty good).

 

How many good teams have mediocre let alone bad GM's? And how many GM's get to a second chance to rebuild a franchise after their first attempt fails?

 

What has Buddy done to instill any level of confidence that everything will come together now in 2013? It must be May.