It's February 15. What's going on at OBD?

[Shaw66]

Wouldn't you love to see what's going on at OBD today?   I would.   Just walk up and down the halls, asking people what they're doing.

 

Like Brian Daboll.  What's he doing today.   Some part of his work is reviewing scouting reports, on college agents, on guys who are potential free agents, on guys the Bills have on the roster.   He's reviewing film.   He's giving his views about players to McDermott, Beane and the scouting team.  He's asking questions about these guys.   But he's probably also studying film and designing his offense.   Where does he start doing that?   He's managing his team of assistant coaches, giving them assignments.    Maybe he's doing some preliminary plans for workouts when the team starts to get together for spring workouts.    He's planning the preliminary installation of the offense.    He probably has a worklist, a to-do list.   McDermott has tasked him with things to do, and he's doing those things.  

 

That's happening up and down the halls.  Everyone has a job to do this morning, this afternoon, and this evening.   They're working hard.   

 

Beane is talking to coaches in the building.  He's on the phone to scouts, telling them what new information they need to dig up.   He's talking with cap people about how they could manage the cap to acquire players he's interested in.  He's working on big decisions, like do they want Cousins, and if he's already answered that he's moved onto other decisions.   He's talking to other GMs about what's happening in the league, thoughts about players, possible trades, interest in moving up or down in the draft.   He's collecting information. 

 

Some other people are trying to figure out how to sell more tickets.  

 

We're sitting around yakking about some sports witer's latest tweet, but those guys in Orchard Park are working all day long, working to implement plans and directives, all designed to get ready for (1) the beginning of free agency, (2) spring workouts, (3) the draft, (4) training camp.   

 

I'd love to see it.  

 

 

[The Now Moment]

This is a part that most fans don't get to see and a lot don't understand.  We complain from our armchairs about how they make so much money and some don't produce what we expect from them.  We don't see the preparation that goes into the play on the field.  Sure we get to watch a few training camps but everything else is somewhat of a mystery.  I would certainly be interested to see what they are doing on an offseason day like today.  

[baskingridgebillsfan]

I would hope vey long meeting discussing all the qb options.   

[The Crowing Rooster]

Just ask Dunkirk Don he should know. 

[26CornerBlitz]

Putting their draft board together and talking UFAs from the Bills and other teams.

[Shaw66]

9 minutes ago, baskingridgebillsfan said:

I would hope vey long meeting discussing all the qb options.   

They've had that meeting, a month ago.   They met again to talk when Smith was traded, and they met briefly when Garoppolo got his deal.   But they know pretty much where they want to go.   If there's a guy in the league now that they're interested in, they've already had the first informal talks with people like Cousins' agent, the Eagles GM about Foles, agents for the VIking QBs.    This is the period where everyone bends the rules a little bit - they're trying to figure out how the game is going to be played for a guy like Cousins, but they aren't allowed to talk contract yet.   

 

But after Beane's had a conversation or two today about the QBs, he's done and moving on to other stuff.   I think they're busy with stuff all the time.  

[whatdrought]

25 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Wouldn't you love to see what's going on at OBD today?   I would.   Just walk up and down the halls, asking people what they're doing.

 

Like Brian Daboll.  What's he doing today.   Some part of his work is reviewing scouting reports, on college agents, on guys who are potential free agents, on guys the Bills have on the roster.   He's reviewing film.   He's giving his views about players to McDermott, Beane and the scouting team.  He's asking questions about these guys.   But he's probably also studying film and designing his offense.   Where does he start doing that?   He's managing his team of assistant coaches, giving them assignments.    Maybe he's doing some preliminary plans for workouts when the team starts to get together for spring workouts.    He's planning the preliminary installation of the offense.    He probably has a worklist, a to-do list.   McDermott has tasked him with things to do, and he's doing those things.  

 

That's happening up and down the halls.  Everyone has a job to do this morning, this afternoon, and this evening.   They're working hard.   

 

Beane is talking to coaches in the building.  He's on the phone to scouts, telling them what new information they need to dig up.   He's talking with cap people about how they could manage the cap to acquire players he's interested in.  He's working on big decisions, like do they want Cousins, and if he's already answered that he's moved onto other decisions.   He's talking to other GMs about what's happening in the league, thoughts about players, possible trades, interest in moving up or down in the draft.   He's collecting information. 

 

Some other people are trying to figure out how to sell more tickets.  

 

We're sitting around yakking about some sports witer's latest tweet, but those guys in Orchard Park are working all day long, working to implement plans and directives, all designed to get ready for (1) the beginning of free agency, (2) spring workouts, (3) the draft, (4) training camp.   

 

I'd love to see it.  

 

 

 

I wonder if the relief over the streak ending is palpable... These guys know they're playing with house money and they have a lot of freedom to work with. 

[Shaw66]

3 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

Putting their draft board together and talking UFAs from the Bills and other teams.

I don't think they're putting the draft board together yet.   They're probably still gathering info.   I think the scouts all have work lists - things they have to do every day this week, people to see, data to collect.   I'd guess that in some meeting McD told Beane that he's interested in learning more about that guard from Montana State or that DB from Kentucky, and Beane has told the head of his scouting division that they need this info or that about these guys by the end of the week.   So some scout is on the road to meet with coaches at Montana State.   I'm just guessing, but I think that stuff is going on.   If you could know the travel plans, and if you could see the cell phone records, of the scouts, you could figure out who the Bills have some special interest in.  

 

When they're done with that data they work on the draft board, I think.

[prissythecat]

18 minutes ago, The Monk said:

Just ask Dunkirk Don he should know. 

 

 

I seem to remember him saying that he already knew what the Bills draft board was....   

 

Where is the guy anyway?   Was he banned?  Would be good to have some comic relief during the low tide before start of new season.

[Shaw66]

16 minutes ago, whatdrought said:

 

I wonder if the relief over the streak ending is palpable... These guys know they're playing with house money and they have a lot of freedom to work with. 

I don't think so.   If you listen to Belichick, he's processed last season and the Super Bowl.   He's working 100% on 2018, and he's dwelling on the fact that he lost the big one.   He doesn't have time.   He knows that time spent thinking about 2017 is opportunity lost for 2018.

 

McD operates the same way.   Every day, he's fighting the temptation to pat himself on the back for last season.   He does that in some quiet moment one night sitting at home, relaxing.   At work, he's working, and last season is irrelevant.

 

Except, there is still a lot of work being done reviewing last season's game films.    There's information about players to be mined there. 

Edited February 15, 2018 by Shaw66

[The Crowing Rooster]

3 minutes ago, prissythecat said:

 

 

I seem to remember him saying that he already knew what the Bills draft board was....   

 

Where is the guy anyway?   Was he banned?  Would be good to have some comic relief during the low tide before start of new season.

2

I actually thought he was quite entertaining myself. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

17 minutes ago, prissythecat said:

I seem to remember him saying that he already knew what the Bills draft board was....   

 

Where is the guy anyway?   Was he banned?  Would be good to have some comic relief during the low tide before start of new season.

 

Hard to say if he was banned or went into exile.  He did say he would stop posting after Jan 31.   Some speculated that was when he went to start his prison sentence. 

 

Sorry to derail Shaw .   

 

19 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I don't think so.   If you listen to Belichick, he's processed last season and the Super Bowl.   He's working 100% on 2018, and he's dwelling on the fact that he lost the big one.   He doesn't have time.   He knows that time spent thinking about 2017 is opportunity lost for 2018.

 

McD operates the same way.   Every day, he's fighting the temptation to pat himself on the back for last season.   He does that in some quiet moment one night sitting at home, relaxing.   At work, he's working, and last season is irrelevant.

 

Except, there is still a lot of work being done reviewing last season's game films.    There's information about players to be mined there. 

 

I do see McD emulating BB here and there.  You should learn from the best 

[KDIGGZ]

Feb 15, 2016...Rex and Rob are sumo wrestling in the hallways and then walking into an assistants office and farting and then running away giggling

[Shaw66]

1 minute ago, ShadyBillsFan said:

 

I do see McD emulating BB here and there.  You should learn from the best 

When he came to Buffalo, some article said McD had bookshelves full of notebooks full of his notes about how to be a coach.   He's been studying coaching for 10 or 15 years.   I think it's only natural that he'd be emulating stuff that he's seen Belichick do.  

 

In fact, I think if you asked him, you'd discover that he emulates Belichick A LOT.  I see it several things.    I've heard a few interviews with Belichick lately, where he talks about what he does, what he's thinking about, how he sets goals.   A lot of what I've heard sounds like the way McD approaches things.   

 

That's why, for example, I think the Bills are interested in Cousins.   Cousins is a Brady-type guy in the sense that he's always thinking about how things work, always trying to build his knowledge, always practicing the things he needs to do better.   I'm guessing that McD sees how Belichick has been able to leverage that kind of guy at QB, and I'm guessing that McD is looking for that type of guy.   

5 minutes ago, kdiggz said:

Feb 15, 2016...Rex and Rob are sumo wrestling in the hallways and then walking into an assistants office and farting and then running away giggling

And that, my friend, is exactly the difference between the last regime and this one.  

[blacklabel]

44 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

They've had that meeting, a month ago.   They met again to talk when Smith was traded, and they met briefly when Garoppolo got his deal.   But they know pretty much where they want to go.   If there's a guy in the league now that they're interested in, they've already had the first informal talks with people like Cousins' agent, the Eagles GM about Foles, agents for the VIking QBs.    This is the period where everyone bends the rules a little bit - they're trying to figure out how the game is going to be played for a guy like Cousins, but they aren't allowed to talk contract yet.   

 

But after Beane's had a conversation or two today about the QBs, he's done and moving on to other stuff.   I think they're busy with stuff all the time.  

 

Things will really start to ramp up the week of the Combine. That's when coaches, scouts, team executives from all 32 teams convene alongside 250+ potential pro players and their agents. 

[Shaw66]

I forgot about the Combine.  You're right.   There's planning going on about whom they want to meet, what kind of information they want to get from the kids, what kind of side-bar conversations they want to have with other GMs and coaches.   I'm sure they're 100% prepared when they show up at the Combine. 

[Lfod]

I don't envy Brian Daboll right now. I am curious as to what he thinks. I wonder what his plan is to fix a very broken passing game. I wouldn't feel job security in the Bills OC position. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

24 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

When he came to Buffalo, some article said McD had bookshelves full of notebooks full of his notes about how to be a coach.   He's been studying coaching for 10 or 15 years.   I think it's only natural that he'd be emulating stuff that he's seen Belichick do.  

 

In fact, I think if you asked him, you'd discover that he emulates Belichick A LOT.  I see it several things.    I've heard a few interviews with Belichick lately, where he talks about what he does, what he's thinking about, how he sets goals.   A lot of what I've heard sounds like the way McD approaches things.   

 

That's why, for example, I think the Bills are interested in Cousins.   Cousins is a Brady-type guy in the sense that he's always thinking about how things work, always trying to build his knowledge, always practicing the things he needs to do better.   I'm guessing that McD sees how Belichick has been able to leverage that kind of guy at QB, and I'm guessing that McD is looking for that type of guy.   

 

 

Being in the DC region you get to hear audio clips.  they often poke fun at Kirk by playing one where he has said a number of times "I'm a process oriented guy"

 

• "I’m a little bit more process-oriented and there have been games where I’ve thrown for a lot of yards and felt like I played nearly flawlessly but we lost."
• "I walk away saying, ‘I’m getting better, I’m doing really good things, I’m about the process, and my process was really good today. I can’t control the outcome but the process was really good.’ But the noise on the outside is, ‘He’s got to get better, he’s not doing enough, we didn’t come away with the win.

Edited February 15, 2018 by ShadyBillsFan

[frostbitmic]

In terms of Daboll and his offensive staff ...

 

1. Study the tape of guys he already has and figure out if they're a fit for his offense

2. Study the tapes from a long list of available free agents that can fit his offense

3. Study the tapes from the top couple hundred offensive players in this years draft whom can help his offense.

 

Frazier and his staff are doing the same with defensive players.

 

It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall listening in to their meetings.

 

[Shaw66]

4 minutes ago, frostbitmic said:

In terms of Daboll and his offensive staff ...

 

1. Study the tape of guys he already has and figure out if they're a fit for his offense

2. Study the tapes from a long list of available free agents that can fit his offense

3. Study the tapes from the top couple hundred offensive players in this years draft whom can help his offense.

 

Frazier and his staff are doing the same with defensive players.

 

It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall listening in to their meetings.

 

Right, but at the same time isn't he also creating a playbook?    I suppose he knows 90% of the plays, but if he isn't being creative about the next 10%, he's already a step behind the best.   So I'd think he's doing that.   

 

And he's supervising his assistants, who are probably the ones who really are doing the film study.