Doug Whaley joined L.A. Bills Backers to watch games this morning

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Was lucky enough to watch the early games in LA with Doug Whaley this morning where we watch the games every Sunday. It was great. Thanks to AKC and Matt for setting it up. He didn't really say all that much that was controversial. We got to spend a few hours with him though. Had some wings and some drinks at 10 am. Was there with his wife and brother who were terrific, too.

 

First of all, what a great guy. Just as you would imagine. He just introduced himself to anyone who walked up to him as "Hi, I'm Doug." No pretension whatsoever. Really impressive guy.

 

He didn't say anything I was really surprised by. The most interesting thing was he said Orton at practice is yelling at the receivers, and told them if they weren't trying and open in practice he wasn't throwing to them in the game. And they all smartened up quick. That was great. Which led him to say that EJ tries to please everyone and is too nice, and any leader in any business has to be a dick sometimes, and EJ isn't at that point yet.

 

Other tidbits:

 

Loves Robert Woods, couldn't stop talking about him.

 

Thinks it will be hard to re-sign Spikes. Really wants to re-sign Hughes but has no idea how it will go. Agreed that if they look at it as paying the front seven instead of four, it can be rationalized.

 

Loves Aaron Williams and that was the reason they didn't try harder to re-sign Byrd.

 

Said Mike Williams trade thing really was all his agent but he's not happy he's not playing. He wouldn't bite when I challenged him about Williams, Watkins and Woods are better than Hogan. I couldn't read him on that. But we talked about him getting the four guys Watkins, Williams, Woods and Goodwin who all do different things well and it hasn't worked out that way. He also said that they didn't know they would be able to get Watkins when they got Williams so he went from being thought of as a #1 guy to kind of 2a.

 

Loves Preston Brown. That's why they won't overpay for Spikes, who will probably want a good contract and to play three downs.

 

Wants to upgrade TE but like everyone, knows they aren't a lot of good ones. Could of had a good one in Amaro, instead of slug Cyrus Kouandijo

 

He does not particularly like New England or any of Massachusetts. Ha. That was pretty funny.

 

He loves living in Buffalo and said it's a known fact around the league that players hate coming to Buffalo and then hate leaving it.

 

Definitely building the Bills after the Steeler teams that he grew up with. Then said they couldn't take the next step until they got Big Ben.

 

He spends four to five days a week on the road scouting, he's visiting five different schools in five days this week. Talk about how college coaches will let him know when a player of theirs is trouble, without ever saying it. Mostly because they have to do the same thing with high school coaches about players they are recruiting.

 

He doesn't like Jameis Winston as the face of a franchise at all. YAY!

 

Loves Kiko obviously, who he says is healing fast.

 

Said when they were looking for a coach, him and Buddy and Overdorf and Russ got together and came up with an idea of what kind of guy they wanted, before they started talking about any specific guy. And they started with didn't want a retread, wanted a young guy who could be there 20 years, wanted someone out of the box, wanted a tough guy, and they liked Marrone because he fit every one of their criterion. Which would also explain them wanting Chip Kelly who also fit all of them.

 

Said the only time he was ever nervous at a game was visiting Oakland because he was scared walking through the parking lot. Ha.

 

He wanted the Dolphins to lose but understood both sides of the argument.

 

Great day and just a great guy. Perfect ambassador for the Bills. His brother watches the games with us on Sunday in LA. Nothing earth-shattering, and he was diplomatic as you'd expect when I asked him hard questions but he answered them well. Couldn't have been more impressed with him.

 

Hopefully sees Connor Cook as the face of the franchise.

 

Sorry to break this to you but he still really likes EJ.

 

he better get over that quick or he will be looking for a new job.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

I think it may more be due to the fact that for the first month Orton was here he was working wit hthe 2nd team as was Hogan so they built up some chemistry. I recal lit was the same whe nFitz took over he had chemistry with Stevie as Stevie was a backup at that point too.

 

 

I wonder is that has anything to do with the drop in playing time for caveman, and the increased play time for hogan. Hogan and Orton have alotttt more in common. And I couldn't imagine Orton being a big Fan of his actions off the field this season and in the past

[Jim in Anchorage]

Just seems odd to me that a NFL GM spends a football Sunday sitting in a bar.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Just seems odd to me that a NFL GM spends a football Sunday sitting in a bar.

It's not odd when you factor in that it's an off-week, that part of the job is an ambassadorship of sorts, and that it's quite obvious that he's doing his job fairly well.

[Jim in Anchorage]

It's not odd when you factor in that it's an off-week, that part of the job is an ambassadorship of sorts, and that it's quite obvious that he's doing his job fairly well.

I would have thought he'd be at a NFL game looking at potential FAs.

[YoloinOhio]

I would have thought he'd be at a NFL game looking at potential FAs.

pro scouts are there.

[Captain Hindsight]

I would have thought he'd be at a NFL game looking at potential FAs.

Guy works 70 hours a week doing exactly that. He can afford to have a few beers on an off week

[Jim in Anchorage]

pro scouts are there.

So if he wants to be a ambassador for the team why not go to a sports bar in Buffalo? Why LA?

[YoloinOhio]

So if he wants to be a ambassador for the team why not go to a sports bar in Buffalo? Why LA?

He was at the UCLA game last night. Working.

[Punching Bag]

Maybe, he ripped off several reasons why, younger, faster, more athletic, hits harder, etc. It was kind of the idea that Williams was almost as good, and younger, and would cost 3m less a year, so it was a better choice for them.

 

I am sure his bad feet and hips were a factor too.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Orton is one of them pinko liberals, i guarantee that he hates Joe Arpaio and hates you for making that insinuation.

 

NOOOOOO say it isn't so! :sick:

[Pills -N- Bills]

 

Orton is one of them pinko liberals, i guarantee that he hates Joe Arpaio and hates you for making that insinuation.

 

I didn't mean Orton was like sheriff joe, I tried to think of an example of two extremely diffrent personalities. That's the one thT came to my mind

[NoSaint]

 

He was at the UCLA game last night. Working.

 

And has family in the area.

[Maybe Someday]

You should have pulled up the "caption this" thread regarding the training camp argument with Marrone & Brandon and asked his take. That would have been some interesting insight lol.

 

Thanks for posting. That's some great stuff.

Edited November 3, 2014 by 3 --> 10 Connection

[RuntheDamnBall]

He was at the UCLA game last night. Working.

Stop poking holes in the "Whaley is a lazy partier who just wants to move the team to L.A." narrative.

[Kelly the Dog]

Another thing he said was "our bad" concerning not having a QB coach last year because Hackett was in his first year on the job and was dealing with all the injuries and really didn't have time to spend with EJ during the season and EJ would often be on his own. Coaches usually hire staffs like that.

[bowery4]

Another thing he said was "our bad" concerning not having a QB coach last year because Hackett was in his first year on the job and was dealing with all the injuries and really didn't have time to spend with EJ during the season and EJ would often be on his own. Coaches usually hire staffs like that.

Mistakes were made

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y34RlJ0L0xE

 

Thanks for your post, sounds like you had a great time and lots of good questions. Cheers!

[Rubes]

Another thing he said was "our bad" concerning not having a QB coach last year because Hackett was in his first year on the job and was dealing with all the injuries and really didn't have time to spend with EJ during the season and EJ would often be on his own. Coaches usually hire staffs like that.

 

Awesome stuff, thanks for sharing. The Dog and Doug show!

[gomper]

Kelly- Well done. Sounds like a fun a morning/afternoon. You've answered every question I've thought of already. All but one....what did the man have to drink?

[thewildrabbit]

Great stuff Kelly, thanks for sharing.

 

No queries about what has happened the last two years with the OG position? I would have loved to inquire about that to find out what happened with about the only real huge weakness on the team. Is it him, or is he listening to Buddy Nix on this issue, or is it Marrone, Hackett, the O line coach? Or is this the analytic department at work?

 

I love what Whaley has done in every area of the team except that one position. Finding Kiko, Carpenter, Orton, Spikes, and all the defensive players, a better punter. Henderson at RT. I just don't get the thinking with Chris Williams, Pears.

Edited November 3, 2014 by FeartheLosing