Russ Brandon - The [Silent] Common Denominator

[fridge]

Or that he was some puppeteer in the war room on draft day, pulling the strings of Whaley, Marrone, and the rest of the staff. It's just not true.

 

No one said that...

[TSOL]

I just think personnel descisions should be between the HC and GM alone. Period. I think the layers of management that our descisions have to go through undermine the true football peoples philosophies.

Not to be insulting, i think Russ has been chirping in our GM's ear for too long. Im sure change is on the way

[K-9]

Too many cooks spoil the broth. The more people involved in the descision making process on personel, often times adds up to a compromise in philosophy. Whatever system they have been using for the last 15 yrs is not working. Russ is the only constant so its natural to blame him first.

 

There may be something to this, but Russ was preceded by John Butler,Tom Donahoe, who enjoyed unprecedented autonomy, and the Levy/Jauron tandem for most of those 15 years. And we can't dismiss the influence of the Detroit office during that period. Brandon has really enjoyed autonomy since the end of the 2012 season.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[thewildrabbit]

Using that analogy, you have a problem with every single front office in the league which ultimately answer to a man who made his bones in business before having final say on football matters.

Is what you actually said.

 

He was the defacto owner prior to El Pegual purchasing the team. Every HC and GM ultimately answers to the owner. I cannot be anymore clear than that.

 

Belichek answers to mac and cheese magnate Bob Kraft at the end of the day.

He was the CEO under Ralph Wilson, and once the Pegula's took over as owners it was announced that Russ Brandon would then be demoted to the president of the business side, and answering to Kim Pegula. Although the Bills website now lists Terry Pegula as the team owner / CEO

 

That really didn't happen tho as both the GM & HC still are reporting to the no longer de facto owner / CEO of the team. Russ is now the president of the entire team, both business and football.

 

After this year ends I don't care what Brandon does as long as he is no longer involved in the football side of operations. Is this difficult to understand, or do you still need to reply with cryptic answers?

[TSOL]

 

 

There may be something to this, but Russ was preceded by John Butler,Tom Donahoe, who enjoyed unprecedented autonomy, and the Levy/Jauron tandem for most of those 15 years. And we can't dismiss the influence of the Detroit office during that period. Brandon has really enjoyed autonomy since the end of the 2012 season.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Yeah, thats true. We all just want a complete rounded team!

[K-9]

To be fair though, the structure that Pegula puts in place to manage the team need not have any resemblance to the one Ralph had. So there is no comparison.

 

Russ Brandon was the guy that told everyone "everything goes through me" in his press conference after his last promotion to proxy-Owner/President by Ralph Wilson. I've read several posts preaching the angle that Russ is a hands-off delegator who wants to avoid the sticky stuff flying off the decision fan. But it is not forgotten that in the press conference a couple years ago, he said he had complete control and everything went through him and said this very emphatically.

 

FWIW, I happen to agree that he prefers to delegate responsibility.

 

I don't maintain the structure Pegula puts in place needs to resemble anything. I assume he'll name a new president if he ends up firing Brandon, as this is pretty standard in the league and it mirrors the structure he put in place with the Sabres. Having a strong sense of the sheer work involved on the football side leads me to believe that there won't be enough time in the day for a president to micromanage the football operations side on the level Brandon is accused of here.

 

Yes, Brandon emphatically stated that everything goes through him when Mr. Wilson handed him the unfettered reigns at the end of 2012. But you need to appreciate the context of what that meant, which was that the Detroit office was no longer the power center; it had been relocated to One Bills Drive. In no way was he suggesting that Nix/Whaley needed his OK to conduct their operations on the football side.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Sisyphean Bills]

I don't maintain the structure Pegula puts in place needs to resemble anything. I assume he'll name a new president if he ends up firing Brandon, as this is pretty standard in the league and it mirrors the structure he put in place with the Sabres. Having a strong sense of the sheer work involved on the football side leads me to believe that there won't be enough time in the day for a president to micromanage the football operations side on the level Brandon is accused of here.

 

Yes, Brandon emphatically stated that everything goes through him when Mr. Wilson handed him the unfettered reigns at the end of 2012. But you need to appreciate the context of what that meant, which was that the Detroit office was no longer the power center; it had been relocated to One Bills Drive. In no way was he suggesting that Nix/Whaley needed his OK to conduct their operations on the football side.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Your points might be better received if they didn't come across as you talking down to everyone.

 

I know there were daily meetings with three guys in a room. Whaley, Marrone, and Brandon.

[TSOL]

Plus those high level marketing guys are just so weasley!

[Kirby Jackson]

 

Change marketing and finance guy with owner. Like HC and GM answering to macaroni and cheese mogul.

I think that this more than anything is what people are missing. Since early in 2012 or 2013 (I don't remember) he was the de facto owner. RW conceded evey decision to RB and solely RB. He wasn't acting as a "marketing guy" but on behalf of ownership. Think of power of attorney when one of your relatives gets sick. He acted EXACTLY as anyone in an ownership capacity would.

[K-9]

Your points might be better received if they didn't come across as you talking down to everyone.

 

I know there were daily meetings with three guys in a room. Whaley, Marrone, and Brandon.

 

Sorry if it reads that way. Talking down is not my intention here, I'm just putting words on a screen. Perhaps you are in too defensive a posture to take them in the manner intended.

 

What do you imagine takes place in the daily meetings among Brandon, Whaley, and Marrone? Do you think Brandon attends the planning meetings when the coaches install the offensive and defensive game plans for the week? Do you think they seek his input on those matters?

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

I think that this more than anything is what people are missing. Since early in 2012 or 2013 (I don't remember) he was the de facto owner. RW conceded evey decision to RB and solely RB. He wasn't acting as a "marketing guy" but on behalf of ownership. Think of power of attorney when one of your relatives gets sick. He acted EXACTLY as anyone in an ownership capacity would.

 

Good point, Kirby. Russ Brandon had been Mr. Wilson's face at league functions for several years preceding his promotion to CEO at the end of 2012. He had ceased being just a "marketing guy" long before that, too.

 

I find it ironic that Ernie Accorsi got his start in the league as a PR guy on the heels of a journalism career and now we would welcome him as the "football consultant" for the Pegulas. That is funny.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[TSOL]

Sammy Watkins trade is a perfect example. That deal has Russ's fingerprints all over it. Ralph would have never approved such a trade. As soon as Russ has complete power he goes and rubber stamps a huge risky deal that was poorly thought out with no viable QB option. That looks poorly thought out at this point. Now i think Sammy is great, but trading away next years first for a wide reciever on a team that needs one piece of the puzzle to win the SB would be one thing. We just simply are not in the position for Sammy to make that kind of difference.

[fridge]

I find it ironic that Ernie Accorsi got his start in the league as a PR guy on the heels of a journalism career and now we would welcome him as the "football consultant" for the Pegulas. That is funny.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Why is that funny? Certainly if Russ found success this would be different. You live and die by the sword.

 

I never felt like he was qualified for his expanded role, but if the team was successful it would be easier to give him credit.

[BADOLBILZ]

Sorry if it reads that way. Talking down is not my intention here, I'm just putting words on a screen. Perhaps you are in too defensive a posture to take them in the manner intended.

 

What do you imagine takes place in the daily meetings among Brandon, Whaley, and Marrone? Do you think Brandon attends the planning meetings when the coaches install the offensive and defensive game plans for the week? Do you think they seek his input on those matters?

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

 

 

Good point, Kirby. Russ Brandon had been Mr. Wilson's face at league functions for several years preceding his promotion to CEO at the end of 2012. He had ceased being just a "marketing guy" long before that, too.

 

I find it ironic that Ernie Accorsi got his start in the league as a PR guy on the heels of a journalism career and now we would welcome him as the "football consultant" for the Pegulas. That is funny.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

I think you sometimes take irrelevant points.......like the casual fan likely not knowing what meetings between those 3 are like......and use that as a reason why fans shouldn't question.

 

You feel you have a better perspective.

 

However, at the same time yours is also the opinion of the completely uninformed apologist of the past 15 years.

 

It's easy to say the professionals know better.

 

The question shouldn't be whether fans know better it should be why aren't the results better.

[K-9]

Sammy Watkins trade is a perfect example. That deal has Russ's fingerprints all over it. Ralph would have never approved such a trade. As soon as Russ has complete power he goes and rubber stamps a huge risky deal that was poorly thought out with no viable QB option. That looks poorly thought out at this point. Now i think Sammy is great, but trading away next years first for a wide reciever on a team that needs one piece of the puzzle to win the SB would be one thing. We just simply are not in the position for Sammy to make that kind of difference.

 

I'm willing to bet that in all his years evaluating personnel, compiling and reading scouting reports, Doug Whaley didn't see more than a handful of ratings higher than Sammy Watkins'. A unanimous blue chip prospect if there ever was one.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Kirby Jackson]

Sammy Watkins trade is a perfect example. That deal has Russ's fingerprints all over it. Ralph would have never approved such a trade. As soon as Russ has complete power he goes and rubber stamps a huge risky deal that was poorly thought out with no viable QB option. That looks poorly thought out at this point. Now i think Sammy is great, but trading away next years first for a wide reciever on a team that needs one piece of the puzzle to win the SB would be one thing. We just simply are not in the position for Sammy to make that kind of difference.

I think that this is the perfect example of how to divide up blame if that's what we are doing. If you don't like authorizing next year's 1st then Russ shares some blame. If you don't like the player or the fact that they did it without a QB that's really not him. He empowers the football people to address those issues. He could have said "we won't trade next year's 1st for anyone." He wouldn't say "we can trade next year's 1 for a WR when we have no QB." It's not his job to decide which players the Bills need or don't. It's his job to manage the resources (ie contracts, cap space, picks, etc...). If Whaley says "we need ____ guy" his response will be go for it. If Whaley says "we need to make Lee Smith the highest paid player in the league" he will probably want a a conversation. At the end of the day though if Whaley thinks that is in the best interest of the team he would have Russ' blessing. Edited December 24, 2014 by Kirby Jackson

[thewildrabbit]

I don't know about the other posters. All I'm saying is Brandon might not have made even a single decision on anything related to the football side of things, who knows. OTOH he might have had a direct influence on everything.

 

Its more the fact that the Bills needed, and still are desperate for a senior football mind at the top of the food chain. Someone who would know better then to keep Pears, Urbik the past two years, and bring in scrubs for the line like Doug Legursky, Chris Williams.

Make a trade for WR Mike Williams only to not use him when the red zone offense is so bad all season, and the special teams gets the added attention instead of a league bad offense. The trade for Bryce Brown, and the trading away of Stevie Johnson. The dysfunction between the GM & HC needs to end. The offense being in the top 10 worst for the second year in a row, and Brandon out there preaching continuity.

[K-9]

Why is that funny? Certainly if Russ found success this would be different. You live and die by the sword.

 

I never felt like he was qualified for his expanded role, but if the team was successful it would be easier to give him credit.

 

No doubt. The proof and credibility is always found in the W-L records. Agree one hundred percent. And I doubt RB gets a pass on any of that.

 

I just happen to find irony funny at times. Can you imagine if the internet were around when Accorsi started out?

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

I think you sometimes take irrelevant points.......like the casual fan likely not knowing what meetings between those 3 are like......and use that as a reason why fans shouldn't question.

 

You feel you have a better perspective.

 

However, at the same time yours is also the opinion of the completely uninformed apologist of the past 15 years.

 

It's easy to say the professionals know better.

 

The question shouldn't be whether fans know better it should be why aren't the results better.

 

With the exception of your last sentence, all the rest is utter bull.

 

LMAO with the "apologist" remark. It's classic. And couldn't be farther from the truth.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[TSOL]

 

 

I'm willing to bet that in all his years evaluating personnel, compiling and reading scouting reports, Doug Whaley didn't see more than a handful of ratings higher than Sammy Watkins'. A unanimous blue chip prospect if there ever was one.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Ralph would have never allowed that trade, even if we were up for SB contention. The minute they made the announcement, i said, jeesh, they better hope EJ can get him the ball or theyre gonna look like fools. Four games later they bench their QB. Just dosent seem well planned out. Seems like the move of a marketing guy trying to make a name for himself playing junior owner. Now, we have no 1st next year, no real prospects at QB and a blue chip reciever. It dosent add up to me

 

Its just indicative of the mess thats created by having too many people in on personnal descisions. I bet Marrone was like, eh, on the Sammy trade. I wonder if they even asked him.

Edited December 24, 2014 by mastershake

[K-9]

Ralph would have never allowed that trade, even if we were up for SB contention. The minute they made the announcement, i said, jeesh, they better hope EJ can get him the ball or theyre gonna look like fools. Four games later they bench their QB. Just dosent seem well planned out. Seems like the move of a marketing guy trying to make a name for himself playing junior owner. Now, we have no 1st next year, no real prospects at QB and a blue chip reciever. It dosent add up to me

 

I think that's just too easy to say. Mr. Wilson certainly would have needed some convincing, but if ever anyone in the organization was attracted to shiny new toys, it was him. I'm positive Brandon needed some convincing as well. I don't agree with your suggestion that Brandon conceived of the trade and THEN sold his football people on the idea, and then DEMANDED Whaley make it happen. It just didn't happen that way. I don't know what more to say. Besides, it's all moot at the moment.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[TSOL]

Agreed that its moot of course. Not only do i not agree that Ralph would have allowed it, but id go as far to say Russ would have never even proposed it to Mr. Wilson. You and i have been following this team long enough to know that that was never Ralphs style.

 

I think we could all agree that we have FO issues and its not scouting.

Edited December 24, 2014 by mastershake