Before You Slam Russ Brandon, Know He Saved The Bills TWICE!

[BuffaloRush]

Check out the 20 minute broadcast below from the D and C:

 

 

Sal and Leo defend Russ Brandon.  I’ve never heard this before but Sal says that Russ saved the Bills twice from Ralph Wilson.  Now these are their words, not mine, but I know Sal and Leo are pretty credible reporters:

 

1.) Apparently Ralph had threatened relocation several times, including in 1998 after the luxury boxes were built.  If the boxes didn’t sell, he was threatening to move th Bills to San Antonio.  Sure enough, Russ sold the boxes to local businesses and Wilson made some nice $$$$ and was happy to keeping.

 

2.) Russ steered the sale of the Bills to the Pegula’s because he knew they’d keep them

in Buffalo.  

 

Also, Russ brought the Bills training camp to St. John Fisher - which was a much better location and better experience for fans than SUNY Fredonia so there’s that. 

 

On a side not to those who have my popular features “Hits and Misses.”  Sal confirmed that Russ admitted to him that while he served as GM for 2 season, he never actually drafted players.  That was Tom Modrak.  Still, I give Russ very high marks for he strong selections Modrak made while he was GM.

 

So while people want to dump on Russ, know it was Russ Brandon....not Ralph Wilson that kept the team in Buffalo!

 

Edited May 2, 2018 by BuffaloRush

[Steptide]

I think Russ is gonna take alot of flack and it's unfortunate because he did do alot for the bills. I don't know the situation and 8m not gonna sit here and judge a guy that I don't know whatsoever. If he did wrong, then he got what was coming to him, however I'm appreciative of him bringing the bills to Rochester for training camp and expanding the bills brand 

[BillsfaninChicago]

I do remember that back in 1998,  if I recall correctly didn’t Ralph put threating ads in the Buffalo News saying “The Houston Bills” (they were without a team at the time) trying to get all of the luxury seats sold.

[Wayne Arnold]

I'm sure Pegula buying the Bills had nothing to do with Terry being the highest bidder.

 

It was all because of Rapey Russ Brandonfinger.

[PromoTheRobot]

It's heresy to suggest Russ Brandon did anything good for the Bills.

Edited May 2, 2018 by PromoTheRobot

[ddaryl]

I have no issues with Russ. He was a marketeer.

 

but him being released or resigning really has 0 effect on me

[May Day 10]

Suggesting that he steered the bidding process toward the Pegulas blows all credibility of anything else said.

 

$1.4 Billion dollars cash steered the bidding process toward the Pegulas.

[ndirish1978]

I can slam Russ Brandon and be aware of these two incidents at the same time. The fact that he did a couple very good things doesn't change the fact that he was a snake oil salesman. 

[The Wiz]

So I should blame Russ for my alcoholism.   If the team would have left I would be a healthier person.  Thanks Russ...

[Royale with Cheese]

What kind of slam?  

 

 

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

I think slamming something else (probably at least twice) is what caused him employment difficulty...

[BuffaloRush]

7 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

So I should blame Russ for my alcoholism.   If the team would have left I would be a healthier person.  Thanks Russ...

 

Probably a few lighter as well... it’s the case with most Bills fans

[teef]

8 minutes ago, ddaryl said:

I have no issues with Russ. He was a marketeer.

 

but him being released or resigning really has 0 effect on me

that's where i'm at with it.  i just don't care.  

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

7 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

So I should blame Russ for my alcoholism.   If the team would have left I would be a healthier person.  Thanks Russ...

 

True, but relief from playoff stress drinking must have helped?? 

[BuffaloRush]

1 minute ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

I think slamming something else (probably at least twice) is what caused him employment difficulty...

 

We don’t know this for sure.  His press release said it was time for him to move on

[Wayne Arnold]

8 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

So I should blame Russ for my alcoholism.   If the team would have left I would be a healthier person.  Thanks Russ...

 

Sounds like a potential lawsuit to me.

[njbuff]

Is this thread even serious?

 

It's a glorious day for Bills fans to NOT have Brandon around anymore. FACT.

 

Instant credibility has been restored to this franchise not having that clown here.

[teef]

Just now, Wayne Arnold said:

 

Sounds like a potential lawsuit to me.

if fans can sue for getting too many texts, this one should be in the bag.

[eball]

22 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

<snip>

 

 Now these are their words, not mine, but I know Sal and Leo are pretty credible reporters:

 

They are?  

[KD in CA]

So Russ saved us from having Trump own the Bills?  Can you imagine the twitters on draft day??

[JoPar_v2]

So Russ saved the Bills by orchestrating the sale of the team to the people who made the highest bid? So brave, so bold.

 

jokes aside, if the seedier rumors about his firing end up being true, I could care less what he did, or didn’t, do. He’s a scumbag.

[Robert James]

Apples and oranges.  Harvey Weinstein was a highly-successful film producer.  Matt Lauer did great things for NBC's bottom line.  Charlie Rose was a widely-lauded interviewer.  Neither they nor Brandon have been accused of being bad at getting the core aspects of their jobs done well.  It was the [alleged] abusing of other human beings that people had a problem with.

Edited May 2, 2018 by Robert James

[Guest K-GunJimKelly12]

It was Doug Flutie who was responsible for selling those boxes and anybody who was in Buffalo at that time knows that.  Russ Brandon is the all-time leader in extracting glory from circumstances beyond his control.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

We don’t know this for sure.  His press release said it was time for him to move on

 

“but the Buffalo News reported that his resignation is tied to an internal investigation into Brandon's workplace behavior and allegations of personal misconduct having to do with allegations of inappropriate relationships with female employees at PSE.”

 

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/570708002

 

[GunnerBill]

29 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

On a side not to those who have my popular features “Hits and Misses.”  Sal confirmed that Russ admitted to him that while he served as GM for 2 season, he never actually drafted players.  That was Tom Modrak.  Still, I give Russ very high marks for he strong selections Modrak made while he was GM.

 

 

I mean I don't wanna say I told you so, but..... 

[May Day 10]

The 1998 thing was scary, but I remember the business community rallying together to try to find others to pledge to fill the boxes.  Maybe Brandon was behind that, but he was still a hungry marketing exec trying to carve a name and career for himself.  20 years later is a much different animal.  You also had Flutie-mania pop up at the time.  Most people then credited that for the uptick in sales. 

 

[BringBackOrton]

9 minutes ago, Robert James said:

Apples and oranges.  Harvey Weinstein was a highly-successful film producer.  Matt Lauer did great things for NBC's bottom line.  Charlie Rose was a widely-lauded interviewer.  Neither they nor Brandon have been accused of being bad at getting the core aspects of their jobs done well.  It was the [alleged] abusing of other human beings that people had a problem with.

Ha ha, no.

[colin]

russ also saved that poor intern from a loveless life!

[Mr. WEO]

28 minutes ago, Leonhart2017 said:

I do remember that back in 1998,  if I recall correctly didn’t Ralph put threating ads in the Buffalo News saying “The Houston Bills” (they were without a team at the time) trying to get all of the luxury seats sold.

 

 

Shameless bluff.

[WhoTom]

28 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

So I should blame Russ for my alcoholism.   If the team would have left I would be a healthier person.  Thanks Russ...

 

If they'd have left, I'd have saved a bunch of money by not paying for DirecTV and Sunday Ticket all these years. Thanks, Russ...

 

[The Wiz]

23 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

 

True, but relief from playoff stress drinking must have helped?? 

Self-medication at it's finest.

[BuffaloRebound]

Ralph was never going to leave.  He just used the threat to get WNY businesses and individuals to open their wallets.  Brandon should've been selling used cars instead of running an NFL team.  The Terrell Owens experiment hand his fingerprints all over it and basically sums up his tenure running the Bills.  

[Fadingpain]

44 minutes ago, ddaryl said:

I have no issues with Russ. He was a marketeer.

 

but him being released or resigning really has 0 effect on me

The problem was his position within the organization grew to much more than that, despite still just being a marketer.

 

Don't forget, this dude was de facto OWNER at one point as well as GM.

 

He influenced the hiring of the team's HC, weighed in on draft selections (almost certainly) and whispered in Ralph's ear saying God knows what for a long time.

 

He has his detractors for a reason.

 

 

Edited May 2, 2018 by Fadingpain

[Thurman#1]

38 minutes ago, njbuff said:

Is this thread even serious?

 

It's a glorious day for Bills fans to NOT have Brandon around anymore. FACT.

 

Instant credibility has been restored to this franchise not having that clown here.

 

 

You have deep confusion about the difference between facts and opinions.

 

Sal and Leo are saying he was never much involved with the decision-making on the football side. He admitted that to them at the time, that he wasn't involved in making picks. He was always on the business side and it's pretty much universal among nearly anyone involved that he did a terrific job at that. If he was involved in bringing in Rex (Whaley should also carry a very large portion of the responsibility there), then that was a horrible decision. But even that's questionable. Yeah, he said, "Don't let him out of the building." There's no evidence on how much impact that had.

 

Sounds like he's "retired" for good reason. If what's alleged is true, he deserves what he's getting. 

 

But Sal and Leo are saying just what has seemed through the years as the most likely thing. There's never been much or any evidence he's been involved in making the decisions. Yup, he's been in the room. No, not everyone in the room has much of an impact.

Edited May 2, 2018 by Thurman#1

[Guest K-GunJimKelly12]

3 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

You have deep confusion about the difference between facts and opinions.

 

Sal and Leo are saying he was never much involved with the decision-making on the football side. He admitted that to them at the time. He was always on the business side and it's pretty much universal among nearly anyone involved that he did a terrific job at that. 

 

Sounds like he's "retired" for good reason. If what's alleged is true, he deserves what he's getting. 

 

But Sal and Leo are saying just what has seemed through the years as the most likely thing. There's never been much or any evidence he's been involved in making the decisions. Yup, he's been in the room. No, not everyone in the room has much of an impact.

It could easily be Russ, who is seems to be a shady guy, telling Sal and others he had nothing to do with the picking of players to deflect blame for the mess the organization became.  Russ is basically like, it's not my fault and Sal is like, well that' good enough for me.

[ddaryl]

11 minutes ago, Fadingpain said:

The problem was his position within the organization grew to much more than that, despite still just being a marketer.

 

Don't forget, this dude was de facto OWNER at one point as well as GM.

 

He influenced the hiring of the team's HC, weighed in on draft selections (almost certainly) and whispered in Ralph's ear saying God knows what for a long time.

 

He has his detractors for a reason.

 

 

 

 

Again none of that phases me. He was the GM by desperate default.

 

If Ralph chose to listen to him then you blame Ralph, not the guy doing the whispering. If I had a million $ job and my boss wanted to hear my input you bet I'd be giving it right or wrong.

 

I have no issues with Russ, here or gone

[BarkLessWagMore]

1 hour ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

So while people want to dump on Russ, know it was Russ Brandon....not Ralph Wilson that kept the team in Buffalo!

 

 

That is a laughable sentence. 

[BuffaloRush]

1 hour ago, Robert James said:

Apples and oranges.  Harvey Weinstein was a highly-successful film producer.  Matt Lauer did great things for NBC's bottom line.  Charlie Rose was a widely-lauded interviewer.  Neither they nor Brandon have been accused of being bad at getting the core aspects of their jobs done well.  It was the [alleged] abusing of other human beings that people had a problem with.

 

Terrible.  You want to compare Russ with those other guys?  The difference is, not one person has come out with an allegation against Russ.  Also you are jumping to the conclusion that it’s some kind of sexual harassment.  Workplace misconduct can be a lot of things.  It’s wrong to make those claims.

 

As you drink from your Bills pint glass tonight, have a few extras on Russ Brandon.  Because he kept the team in Buffao

[dpberr]

He's still an idiot for sh**ing where he eats.  I never understand why anyone, male or female (...Nashville mayor) does it.  

 

My biggest complaints about him was not firing a lot of the hall walkers that plagued the team for years and his disastrous input into coaching hires. (Williams, Ryan)

 

 

[Robert James]

1 hour ago, BuffaloRush said:

 

Terrible.  You want to compare Russ with those other guys?  The difference is, not one person has come out with an allegation against Russ.  Also you are jumping to the conclusion that it’s some kind of sexual harassment.  Workplace misconduct can be a lot of things.  It’s wrong to make those claims.

 

As you drink from your Bills pint glass tonight, have a few extras on Russ Brandon.  Because he kept the team in Buffao

 

What I said is based on the following as reported in the Buffalo News and the Democrat and Chronicle:  "his resignation is tied to an internal investigation into Brandon's workplace behavior and allegations of personal misconduct having to do with allegations of inappropriate relationships with female employees at PSE."  I noted that this is "alleged" misconduct.  My post responds to the OP's suggestion that Brandon perhaps should not be slammed due to his role "saving" the Bills:  he is currently being slammed for his alleged misconduct not for his general performance of his duties within the organization.  He can be both "slammed" and appreciated based on those different aspects of conduct attributed to him.