Blame Runs Deep - Excellent Article By Tim Graham

[JPL7]

There is no better time for the Pegula's to blow it ALL up than now. And i mean ALL OF IT! They can start completely from scratch. As a still relatively new ownership group, they have the rare chance to complete build from the ground up. Fire Rex, fire Whaley, fire Brandon, fire the whole staff, fire anyone who was under the Wilson regime. The Pegula's did the noble thing by keeping the status quo and not completely leveling Ralph Wilson's legacy. But forget it, its time. According to Spotrac.com, approximately 32 contracts come off the books this offseason anyway (plus Tyrod's would be an easy dump too). Perfect time to completely overhaul everything.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/

I would presume that a new GM and staff would prefer a completely clean slate anyway so they could really put their stamp on things with minimal interference, obstacles, or financial hindrances. Look I am not going to pretend I have all answers here necessarily, but im saying if a team could ever use a fresh start, its the Buffalo Bills. And given the various circumstances laid out above, what better time than now??? They (meaning the Pegula's and new staff) dont have to worry about building a winner in one season, so who cares if they suck in 2017 or even 2018? Its to be expected after a complete overhaul. I would have to imagine that the fanbase, at this point, would have to be understanding and appreciative of a complete rebuild project. The Bills simply cannot keep doing this treading water thing and expect to get better by slapping band-aids on different positions year after year.

THE TIME IS NOW, PEGULA'S!!!

[nucci]

 

I have to disagree. He wants a player and you don't think he puts pressure on whomever is negotiating the contracts to get it done?

I'm sure he goes to Pegula that he wants to sign a player and Overdorf is told to sign him and Overdorf handles the negotiations...doubtful Whaley says to include certain clauses

[ndirish1978]

The only way Brandon is gone is if fans make a huge stink about him. Go stand outside obd with signs for him to be fired and it will at least register with the team owners

[TXBILLSFAN]

Brandon was a failure as a GM, a failure as the head of football operations and a failure as an advisor to the owner on football related matters.

 

Regardless of the role he has today (pick one from the above list), he's failed.

 

This team has failed for over 17 years.

 

The objective is to win, PERIOD.

 

If you want to change the culture you start by getting rid of Brandon and gutting the rest of the FO, the GM and the coaching staff. Sure, in the process, some good people will be victims of the purge, but, in the end, create a winning culture from scratch, this team is TOXIC.

 

Why would/should fans trust Brandon to play any part in any decision that impacts the on the field product ??

Edited December 12, 2016 by TXBILLSFAN

[NoSaint]

Ya, come to think of it, you're right. That rascal Tim Graham tried to play all of us.

 

All is well at OBD. Move along people. Nothing to see here.

To be fair tim can be mostly right in his point and not great in his technique/process. I've felt that way reading many of his articles... the obvious conclusions aren't unfair but he sometimes takes liberty or stretches to help create the narrative to get there.

[MDH]

 

I have to disagree. He wants a player and you don't think he puts pressure on whomever is negotiating the contracts to get it done?

 

Of course he does but I seriously doubt he has input on the minutia of a contract. If he did he'd be the one doing them. I'm guess Whaley outlines the basic parameters of what he thinks a player is worth and leaves it to Overdorf and the agent to hammer out all the specifics.

 

Unless Whaley is given more power I won't be blaming him for every little thing that goes wrong with the organization. I'm all for consolidating power with a guy who runs the entire show but until that happens there's no "buck stops here" guy other than the Pegulas.

[vorpma]

It's called persuasive writing.

 

He is persuading the reader to buy into his thesis, which is that the Bills organization is dysfunctional and needs to be re-structured in total.

 

Have a read through the posts in this thread.

 

The persuasion is working.

Ya, the nerve of Graham to call out this losing organization and ruffle the feathers of gullible fans! The kool aid continues to flow!

To be fair tim can be mostly right in his point and not great in his technique/process. I've felt that way reading many of his articles... the obvious conclusions aren't unfair but he sometimes takes liberty or stretches to help create the narrative to get there.

HOW? What is not accurate?

[nucci]

another Kool Aid reference....how original

[vorpma]

Brandon was a failure as a GM, a failure as the head of football operations and a failure as an advisor to the owner on football related matters.

 

Regardless of the role he has today (pick one from the above list), he's failed.

 

This team has failed for over 17 years.

 

The objective is to win, PERIOD.

 

If you want to change the culture you start by getting rid of Brandon and gutting the rest of the FO, the GM and the coaching staff. Sure, in the process, some good people will be victims of the purge, but, in the end, create a winning culture from scratch, this team is TOXIC.

 

Why would/should fans trust Brandon to play any part in any decision that impacts the on the field product ??

How can so many not get this?

another Kool Aid reference....how original

Take another swig; everything is fine. Next year!

[jms62]

 

Of course he does but I seriously doubt he has input on the minutia of a contract. If he did he'd be the one doing them. I'm guess Whaley outlines the basic parameters of what he thinks a player is worth and leaves it to Overdorf and the agent to hammer out all the specifics.

 

Unless Whaley is given more power I won't be blaming him for every little thing that goes wrong with the organization. I'm all for consolidating power with a guy who runs the entire show but until that happens there's no "buck stops here" guy other than the Pegulas.

 

The injury provision is hardly Minutia.

[yungmack]

I don't doubt it. At the same time, Saint Doug was in line for several HC positions before he ended up OL coach of the Jags, so I don't doubt he's a grade-A !@#$up no matter the story.

 

None of which makes the conjecture that "Marrone left because he was sick of two years of dysfunction after three days of new ownership" make any sense whatsoever. And Graham's article is full of nonsense like that.

Exactly. Boom!

[bananathumb]

I didn't much like Ralphie boy, but I think he'd be firing a few of these FO knuckleheads today. Maybe not his money men, Like Oberdork and Brandon, but he'd be upset at how Schwartz's defense has been decimated by the two fools named Ryan. They'd be gone already

and he'd be very disappointed in Whaley's horrible drafts. He'd be gone today. Trouble with Ralph is, he'd hire Jim Kelly as Coach, Thurman as OC, Bruce as DC and bring back Marv as Football Czar. What a nightmare! Can we change ownership too?

[hondo in seattle]

Brandon is the "President" of the Bills franchise. So of course he's involved. The open question is how involved is he in football decisions? Or, to say it differently, how much blame does he bear? Without more information than TG presented, I'd hesitate to share an opinion.

 

But we can see from the product on the field that something's going wrong. The Bills aren't terrible, they just aren't good. And those two observations worry me because average, middle-of-the-pack performances usually don't cost a guy his job or bring about dramatic change.

 

Looking at the roster, Whaley hasn't done a terrible job. But he's clearly not a top echelon GM.

 

Looking at the team's W-L record, Rex isn't doing a terrible job. But he's no Bill Belichick.

 

Looking at his on field performance and passer rating, TT isn't terrible. But he's no Tom Brady.

 

Are any of these guys so bad they should be replaced? Well, if the Super Bowl is our goal, then maybe all of them need to go because none of them are producing at the Super Bowl level.

[T master]

Yes i agree to a point Brandon if he is allowed to stay around which i'm thinking he will be should be taken completely out of the decision loop as it pertains to players & coaches !

 

With that said i think Whaley & his team if given the chance to truly do their jobs & not have to move left or right to bring Brandon's opinions into the fold could have a better track record than with Brandon's input !

 

Taylor was brought in because he was Rex's guy & Whaley THOUGHT Rex knew what he was talking about but it's showing maybe not . Taylor is a lot better than EJ but that's not saying much .

 

So move on to the future how ever they do it with out the none football people making decisions & maybe things can change !!

[TXBILLSFAN]

Brandon is the "President" of the Bills franchise. So of course he's involved. The open question is how involved is he in football decisions? Or, to say it differently, how much blame does he bear? Without more information than TG presented, I'd hesitate to share an opinion.

 

But we can see from the product on the field that something's going wrong. The Bills aren't terrible, they just aren't good. And those two observations worry me because average, middle-of-the-pack performances usually don't cost a guy his job or bring about dramatic change.

 

Looking at the roster, Whaley hasn't done a terrible job. But he's clearly not a top echelon GM.

 

Looking at the team's W-L record, Rex isn't doing a terrible job. But he's no Bill Belichick.

 

Looking at his on field performance and passer rating, TT isn't terrible. But he's no Tom Brady.

 

Are any of these guys so bad they should be replaced? Well, if the Super Bowl is our goal, then maybe all of them need to go because none of them are producing at the Super Bowl level.

 

Famous leadership book, Good is the enemy of Great -- in Bills case, Mediocrity has been the enemy of Good, so no path exists to be Great

 

 

 

Yes i agree to a point Brandon if he is allowed to stay around which i'm thinking he will be should be taken completely out of the decision loop as it pertains to players & coaches !

 

With that said i think Whaley & his team if given the chance to truly do their jobs & not have to move left or right to bring Brandon's opinions into the fold could have a better track record than with Brandon's input !

 

Taylor was brought in because he was Rex's guy & Whaley THOUGHT Rex knew what he was talking about but it's showing maybe not . Taylor is a lot better than EJ but that's not saying much .

 

So move on to the future how ever they do it with out the none football people making decisions & maybe things can change !!

 

The point on Brandon that has to be highlighted to all his defenders is that he's been involved over the past 17 years of a failing organization. The defenders want to debate his exact involvement, I no longer do. The fact that he has had ANY influence says it ALL. He's failed when he's had 100% control and he's failed when he's had 10% control.

 

I don't want him to be a Bills employee or have Pegula's phone number when they search for the next GM or HC or even a football czar.

 

The fact that he was partly responsible or full responsible over the past 17 years says it all

Edited December 12, 2016 by TXBILLSFAN

[Webster Guy]

I find articles like this funny.

 

They just slam everybody at every turn, and pick out examples that make no sense (Darby has been benched for part of a game so Whaley stinks at drafting!)

 

Mack over Watkins! Gimme a break dude. They were both dominant in college and are both elite nfl players now. Julio and A.J carry their teams to the playoffs all the time and Sammy was just as good in college as they were.

 

Saying everyone should be fired is such a lame take. If you don't have a stud qb your upside is limited. Duh. Some years (like E.J's draft) there isn't a single qb that will have nfl success. We should fire all the colleges for not producing qb's.

[TXBILLSFAN]

I find articles like this funny.

 

They just slam everybody at every turn, and pick out examples that make no sense (Darby has been benched for part of a game so Whaley stinks at drafting!)

 

Mack over Watkins! Gimme a break dude. They were both dominant in college and are both elite nfl players now. Julio and A.J carry their teams to the playoffs all the time and Sammy was just as good in college as they were.

 

Saying everyone should be fired is such a lame take. If you don't have a stud qb your upside is limited. Duh. Some years (like E.J's draft) there isn't a single qb that will have nfl success. We should fire all the colleges for not producing qb's.

 

How many 1st, 2nd or 3rd round picks have the Bills used over past 20 years on the most important position in team sports ?

 

How many successful GM's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

How many successful HC's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

 

EDIT (with answers):

 

Most important position in team sports and no franchise QB: they've used 3 picks in first 3 rounds over 20 years !! --- criminal

 

Not one successful GM (0 for 5), not one successful HC (0 for 7) over past 17 years

 

Keep defending

 

Keep tolerating mediocrity

 

Keep Brandon

 

What a !@#$ing joke !

Edited December 12, 2016 by TXBILLSFAN

[LabattBlue]

Whaley doesn't negotiate contracts for players

He has to have some say. There is no way Littman or Overdorf(whichever member of Ralph's inner circle is left) is determining both dollars and term without some input from Whaley?

 

Please tell me I'm correct? If not, this team is screwed up from the Pegula's on down.

[MDH]

He has to have some say. There is no way Littman or Overdorf(whichever member of Ralph's inner circle is left) is determining both dollars and term without some input from Whaley?

 

Please tell me I'm correct? If not, this team is screwed up from the Pegula's on down.

 

There's no way to know exactly how much input Whaley has. It's clear he doesn't have total control of contracts but other than that it's just speculation.

[Haslett_Stomp]

As much as I despise the team that consistently wins the AFC East, they turned it around as an organization when they brought in Parcells as coach in 1993 followed by Kraft purchasing the team in 1994. Those of us who live(d) in the Boston area at the time will remember the dysfunction that existed in that organization prior to that time. Kraft brought in new people to run the front office, had a bit of luck along the way (i.e. Marcia) and here we are today.

[CommonCents]

As much as I despise the team that consistently wins the AFC East, they turned it around as an organization when they brought in Parcells as coach in 1993 followed by Kraft purchasing the team in 1994. Those of us who live(d) in the Boston area at the time will remember the dysfunction that existed in that organization prior to that time. Kraft brought in new people to run the front office, had a bit of luck along the way (i.e. Marcia) and here we are today.

If your going to use them as an example I would remind you to mention Bledsoe.

[vorpma]

 

How many 1st, 2nd or 3rd round picks have the Bills used over past 20 years on the most important position in team sports ?

 

How many successful GM's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

How many successful HC's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

 

EDIT (with answers):

 

Most important position in team sports and no franchise QB: they've used 3 picks in first 3 rounds over 20 years !! --- criminal

 

Not one successful GM (0 for 5), not one successful HC (0 for 7) over past 17 years

 

Keep defending

 

Keep tolerating mediocrity

 

Keep Brandon

 

What a !@#$ing joke !

Thank you for this response; it might have saved my sanity! You get what you deserve and boy are we getting it!

[dave mcbride]

 

How many 1st, 2nd or 3rd round picks have the Bills used over past 20 years on the most important position in team sports ?

 

How many successful GM's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

How many successful HC's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

 

EDIT (with answers):

 

Most important position in team sports and no franchise QB: they've used 3 picks in first 3 rounds over 20 years !! --- criminal

 

Not one successful GM (0 for 5), not one successful HC (0 for 7) over past 17 years

 

Keep defending

 

Keep tolerating mediocrity

 

Keep Brandon

 

What a !@#$ing joke !

I'd go back to 1995. By my count, they've spent top-three round picks on 6 QBs - Todd Collins, Rob Johnson (effectively), Drew Bledsoe (again, effectively), JP Losman, Trent Edwards, and EJ Manuel. (Plus a 4th on Cardale Jones.) The bigger issue is that none have been any good.

[TXBILLSFAN]

I'd go back to 1995. By my count, they've spent top-three round picks on 6 QBs - Todd Collins, Rob Johnson (effectively), Drew Bledsoe (again, effectively), JP Losman, Trent Edwards, and EJ Manuel. (Plus a 4th on Cardale Jones.) The bigger issue is that none have been any good.

 

 

A distinction without a difference.

 

In the last 12 drafts, only EJ was selected in the first TWO rounds.

 

We complain about not having a franchise QB, but show me the urgency and commitment this Brandon led organization has had for this position ??

 

Criminal

[Haslett_Stomp]

As much as I despise the team that consistently wins the AFC East, they turned it around as an organization when they brought in Parcells as coach in 1993 followed by Kraft purchasing the team in 1994. Those of us who live(d) in the Boston area at the time will remember the dysfunction that existed in that organization prior to that time. Kraft brought in new people to run the front office, had a bit of luck along the way (i.e. Marcia) and here we are today.

 

 

If your going to use them as an example I would remind you to mention Bledsoe.

 

Excellent point.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

 

 

A distinction without a difference.

 

In the last 12 drafts, only EJ was selected in the first TWO rounds.

 

We complain about not having a franchise QB, but show me the urgency and commitment this Brandon led organization has had for this position ??

 

Criminal

Great point. Everyone points to bad luck at the QB position, but sometimes you have to make your own luck. Things don't happen if you don't even give them a chance to. Not drafting at the QB position is an example. I could however make the argument against the picks needing to be in the first round. We've hardly drafted QBs at all, even beyond the first round. In a couple drafts where QB was still a need some good ones where found in the second and third rounds as well. We drafted no one. Add the fact that Manuel was a guy with limits who we reached for, you get what we have now.

[Reed83HOF]

 

 

A distinction without a difference.

 

In the last 12 drafts, only EJ was selected in the first TWO rounds.

 

We complain about not having a franchise QB, but show me the urgency and commitment this Brandon led organization has had for this position ??

 

Criminal

 

It really is, the most important position has been entirely overlooked for 2 decades. Any person with any level of authority needs to be jettisoned for gross incompetence; it surely isn't a simple oversight, especially as the rules of the game changed to favor passing offenses.

 

Getting rid of Ryan is an easy way to hit the rest button on the entire franchise; he should have did it when he bought it, but I can accept the fact that we had a good defense and they wanted to try to tweak the offense to get over the hump. It didn't work, over the past 5 years we were what 5th (?) in total money paid out in contracts and we are a mediocre/average team. Those players are aging and we have a ton of holes to fill this next year, maintaining continuity in the FO changes nothing, same decision makers making the same type of decisions. Most have been around long enough with all of the trash coaches we have had as well. A smart owner torches it now and starts fresh.

[dave mcbride]

 

 

A distinction without a difference.

 

In the last 12 drafts, only EJ was selected in the first TWO rounds.

 

We complain about not having a franchise QB, but show me the urgency and commitment this Brandon led organization has had for this position ??

 

Criminal

I don't disagree. There have been a couple of unorthodox stabs, however, and I think it's worth mentioning. They gave up a ton for Rob Johnson. If memory serves, the Jags got Fred Taylor with that pick.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

 

How many 1st, 2nd or 3rd round picks have the Bills used over past 20 years on the most important position in team sports ?

 

How many successful GM's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

How many successful HC's have the Bills had in the past 20 years ?

 

 

EDIT (with answers):

 

Most important position in team sports and no franchise QB: they've used 3 picks in first 3 rounds over 20 years !! --- criminal

 

Not one successful GM (0 for 5), not one successful HC (0 for 7) over past 17 years

 

Keep defending

 

Keep tolerating mediocrity

 

Keep Brandon

 

What a !@#$ing joke !

 

WORD. Anyone who defends this franchise at this point needs medication.

[Reed83HOF]

They gave up a ton for Rob Johnson. If memory serves, the Jags got Fred Taylor with that pick.

 

They did indeed get Taylor with that pick...

[vorpma]

 

WORD. Anyone who defends this franchise at this point needs medication.

Back at you, some get it! How can you not?

[jms62]

I think this is the most unified these boards have been ever on this issue. Time to hit CNTL-ALT-Delete on this organization

[BrooklynBills]

If you look at ANY team that has turned around a consistent losing stretch, they have brought in a strong football guy to steward the operation.

 

Patriots - Parcells, continued by Belichek

Jets - Parcells, slow decline since then

Seahawks - Holmgren, continued by Carroll

Colts - Polian

Falcons - Dan Reeves

Cardinals - Whisenhunt/basically raided Bill Cowher's Steelers staff.

 

Sorry, we have reached a point where small fixes and tweaks will not suffice. Major changes need to take place.

[BuffaloBillsForever]

BILLS RUN DEEP

Sincerely,

 

Russ Brandon

President and managing partner of Pegula Sports Entertainment

Edited December 12, 2016 by BuffaloBillsForever

[Fadingpain]

Brandon is the "President" of the Bills franchise. So of course he's involved. The open question is how involved is he in football decisions? Or, to say it differently, how much blame does he bear? Without more information than TG presented, I'd hesitate to share an opinion.

 

But we can see from the product on the field that something's going wrong. The Bills aren't terrible, they just aren't good. And those two observations worry me because average, middle-of-the-pack performances usually don't cost a guy his job or bring about dramatic change.

 

Looking at the roster, Whaley hasn't done a terrible job. But he's clearly not a top echelon GM.

 

Looking at the team's W-L record, Rex isn't doing a terrible job. But he's no Bill Belichick.

 

Looking at his on field performance and passer rating, TT isn't terrible. But he's no Tom Brady.

 

Are any of these guys so bad they should be replaced? Well, if the Super Bowl is our goal, then maybe all of them need to go because none of them are producing at the Super Bowl level.

Not only are they not producing at the Superbowl level, they are not performing at the "make the playoffs" level.

 

In a weird year with a lot of luck, our absolute ceiling is that team that makes the playoffs as a wild card, and is beaten in that first game.

 

That's as good as it's going to get until this thing is stripped clean and rebuilt in the image of the best organizations in sports.

 

I'd try to copy the St. Louis Cardinals, Steelers, Patriots.

[May Day 10]

Not only are they not producing at the Superbowl level, they are not performing at the "make the playoffs" level.

 

In a weird year with a lot of luck, our absolute ceiling is that team that makes the playoffs as a wild card, and is beaten in that first game.

 

That's as good as it's going to get until this thing is stripped clean and rebuilt in the image of the best organizations in sports.

 

I'd try to copy the St. Louis Cardinals, Steelers, Patriots.

 

I have even recessed from that "goal". I just want the team to stay in it (legitimately) into the last week or 2. A few meaningful late season games. Can't even get to that point.

 

Completely agree with looking at the best organizations in sports and trying to emulate their structure and management. The same goes with the Sabres too, where Pegula has also failed to do this. There has been a lot of dysfunction since the Pegulas bought the team. The Bills need a factory reset

[Reed83HOF]

Not only are they not producing at the Superbowl level, they are not performing at the "make the playoffs" level.

 

In a weird year with a lot of luck, our absolute ceiling is that team that makes the playoffs as a wild card, and is beaten in that first game.

 

That's as good as it's going to get until this thing is stripped clean and rebuilt in the image of the best organizations in sports.

 

I'd try to copy the St. Louis Cardinals, Steelers, Patriots.

 

We've tried to copy the Steelers since we hired Donahoe; I'm over that. Let's not copy anyone and just find good football people and try to be ourselves...

 

BTW as a franchise our goal was to make the playoffs. Goal should always be to win the whole damn thing...

Edited December 12, 2016 by Reed83HOF

[Bill from NYC]

I don't disagree. There have been a couple of unorthodox stabs, however, and I think it's worth mentioning. They gave up a ton for Rob Johnson. If memory serves, the Jags got Fred Taylor with that pick.

Yes and a 4th round pick.

[Malazan]

 

Completely agree with looking at the best organizations in sports and trying to emulate their structure and management. The same goes with the Sabres too, where Pegula has also failed to do this. There has been a lot of dysfunction since the Pegulas bought the team. The Bills need a factory reset

 

The Sabres are copying the exact format of Stanley Cup winners from the last several years...not sure what you're talking about there..

[May Day 10]

 

The Sabres are copying the exact format of Stanley Cup winners from the last several years...not sure what you're talking about there..

 

Pegula started off with the same errors. Throwing money at bad management. This didn't fix problems, but magnified them (sounds familiar). Did the same things like blaming injuries. Blew up into the need to completely 'tank'

 

They had the right idea with LaFontaine. His philosophy was right on. Also brought on Craig Patrick as a consultant. LaFontaine brought in who looks like a pretty good GM prospect in Murray. Meanwhile, there was apparently some sort of struggle between "Pegula's guys" and LaFontaine. LaFontaine left in what appeared to be a 1-day mysterious blowup. Batista eventually walks away. Ted Black (who was doing a great job from my view of a fan) has been removed for Russ Brandon (fan experience has been diminished). Craig Patrick was not retained.

So after the mess shakes out, we have Tim Murray standing alone as GM. Not sure how I feel about that. He seems like a good scout (even though we are yet to see any fruits of that)... but seems to lack interpersonal skills. Has made some trades that do not look so good and has burned through a lot of assets. The farm team stinks and is barren.

 

Things havent really stopped churning in management for almost 6 years now, and I suspect we aren't even at the "stopping point. I cannot fathom why someone who is in the process of buying a pro sports team would not have someone lined up to install directly underneath ownership. Especially in the case of the Bills and Sabres.

 

The Sabres IMO still do not seem even-keeled or well-oiled. Toronto did it the right way and appear to be surpassing the Sabres, even when they started the process well after. There is a whole lot more to what Pittsburgh, LA, and Chicago have done than "get a top pick".

 

The thing that really scares me, is if Murray doesnt pan out at GM... we are going to have Pegula and Brandon looking for a Sabres GM.

Edited December 12, 2016 by May Day 10