Mt Rushmore of Buffalo coaches (Bills and Sabres)

[JetsFan20]

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Ted Nolan

[KD in CA]

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Punch Imlach

[bilzfancy]

6 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Punch Imlach

That's the answer, maybe in a few years add McDermott

or the opposite

Harvey Johnson, Hank Bullough, Phil Housley, Dan Bylsma

[KD in CA]

Just now, bilzfancy said:

That's the answer, maybe in a few years add McDermott

or the opposite

Harvey Johnson, Hank Bullough, Phil Housley, Dan Bylsma

 

Yeah....I was thinking it would be a much better debate to pick four for Mt Turd.

[Gugny]

30 minutes ago, JetsFan20 said:

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Ted Nolan

 

Ted Nolan deserves his own mountain, a bronze statue and a place on the Bills' Wall of Fame for the relations he had with EJ's mom.

[K-9]

22 minutes ago, KD in CA said:

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Punch Imlach

That’s really the ONLY answer at this point.

[jwhit34]

I see it says Bills and Sabres but throw the Braves in there too...

 

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Dr. Jack Ramsay

 

Ramsay did a remarkable job with one superstar (Bob McAdoo), an emerging player in Randy Smith and a bunch of good role players. He should have been retained as coach after the '75-76 season but had a falling out with Paul Snyder and all he did was win the NBA title the next year with Portland.

 

Imlach was only coach for a couple of seasons (outside of Levy and Ruff, that seems par for the course with Buffalo coaches) and really made his impact more as a GM. 

Edited May 27, 2020 by jwhit34

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Washington - Lou Saban - Two championships, two coaches of the year. The story of Buffalo Sports starts with Wilson and Saban

Lincoln - Marv Levy - despite being outcoached in all four SuperBowls he still has the most success of any HC in Buffalo history and the brightest wit

Jefferson - Ted Marchibroda - the architect of the our democracy and the architect of one of the great offensive systems the NFL has ever seen.  

Roosevelt - Scottie Bowman - both mavericks and both equally or more known for their accomplishments outside of their respective tour of duty as President or HC of the Sabres.  

 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Ethan in Portland

[Herc11]

3 hours ago, jwhit34 said:

I see it says Bills and Sabres but throw the Braves in there too...

 

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Dr. Jack Ramsay

 

Ramsay did a remarkable job with one superstar (Bob McAdoo), an emerging player in Randy Smith and a bunch of good role players. He should have been retained as coach after the '75-76 season but had a falling out with Paul Snyder and all he did was win the NBA title the next year with Portland.

 

Imlach was only coach for a couple of seasons (outside of Levy and Ruff, that seems par for the course with Buffalo coaches) and really made his impact more as a GM. 

 

If you're gonna throw in the Braves, might as well throw in the only championship winning franchise in Buffalo (so far), the Bandits. A quick google search shows Les Bartley as the head coach for 3 of the 4 national champion Bandit teams.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

31 minutes ago, Herc11 said:

 

If you're gonna throw in the Braves, might as well throw in the only championship winning franchise in Buffalo (so far), the Bandits. A quick google search shows Les Bartley as the head coach for 3 of the 4 national champion Bandit teams.

NIce call out. I was going to add him as an honorable mention - of course after I looked up who it was...

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Marv, McDerdmott, Saban, Lindy.

 

 

[oldmanfan]

I think Levy , Saban, and Ruff are no brainers. I’d throw Floyd Smith out there for consideration.  Short term but got the Dabres to the finals.

[vincec]

8 hours ago, KD in CA said:

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Punch Imlach

Punch Imlach was only with the Sabres for a year and a half after spending his entire career with the Maple Leafs, right? Isn't he really a Maple Leaf and not a Sabre? I don't think he would belong on a Buffalo Mt. Rushmore.

Edited May 27, 2020 by vincec

[Brennan Huff]

8 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

Ted Nolan deserves his own mountain, a bronze statue and a place on the Bills' Wall of Fame for the relations he had with EJ's mom.

Ok I need to hear this story, even if it’s completely made up..

[CSBill]

9 hours ago, KD in CA said:

 

Yeah....I was thinking it would be a much better debate to pick four for Mt Turd.

 

Well, then, you have to have Rex Ryan, no pile of turd would be complete without him at the top of it.

[spartacus]

1 hour ago, oldmanfan said:

I think Levy , Saban, and Ruff are no brainers. I’d throw Floyd Smith out there for consideration.  Short term but got the Dabres to the finals.

chuck Knox returned the team to relevance for a while

[oldmanfan]

7 minutes ago, spartacus said:

chuck Knox returned the team to relevance for a while

True

[Greg S]

Knox should be in the discussion. When he came to Buffalo the Bills were a mess. He built that team into a contender. If they could have beaten the Colts once in 80 then they would have had homefield advantage. The Bills probably beat the Chargers and Raiders if the games were at Rich Stadium.

[Victory Formation]

I suspect Sean McDermott will be on that list one day.

[VirginiaMike]

My 4 - 2 each:

  Lou Saban

  Marv Levy

  Scottie Bowman

  Lindy Ruff

 

 

6 hours ago, Herc11 said:

 

If you're gonna throw in the Braves, might as well throw in the only championship winning franchise in Buffalo (so far), the Bandits. A quick google search shows Les Bartley as the head coach for 3 of the 4 national champion Bandit teams.

Not the only championship winning franchise in Buffalo:  let's not discount the 2 AFL Championships that the Bills won in the 60's..  

[Bob in STL]

8 minutes ago, VirginiaMike said:

My 4 - 2 each:

  Lou Saban

  Marv Levy

  Scottie Bowman

  Lindy Ruff

 

 

Not the only championship winning franchise in Buffalo:  let's not discount the 2 AFL Championships that the Bills won in the 60's..  

 

Punch over Bowman.  Punch went from nothing to the Cup finals in five years by winning in the much tougher East Division.  Punch built a deep team that Bowman leveraged off of.   Punch drafted and traded for the more iconic players. .  

[plenzmd1]

10 hours ago, bilzfancy said:

That's the answer, maybe in a few years add McDermott

or the opposite

Harvey Johnson, Hank Bullough, Phil Housley, Dan Bylsma

Credit to PMT...they are calling the worst of something ...Mount Flushmore!

 

My 4 

 

Lindy 

McD( yep, already)

Saban

Knox

 

Never was a Marv fan..totally  outcoached in XXV. when should have won the game

 

From there won AFC with superior talent, weak conference, destryed when playing teams with as much talent as his team had...

 

He was not a  coach  " who can take hisn and beat yourin, or take yourin and beat hisn"

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob in STL]

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2020 at 5:26 AM, vincec said:

Punch Imlach was only with the Sabres for a year and a half after spending his entire career with the Maple Leafs, right? Isn't he really a Maple Leaf and not a Sabre? I don't think he would belong on a Buffalo Mt. Rushmore.

Wrong.  He was the GM longer than than a coach.    Punch’s team made the Cup finals in 5 years, Bowman never got there and Bowman started with a good team.  Punch drafted and acquired the most and best talent in his tenure.  Buffalo became a big hockey town instantly because of Punch’s ability to put a competitive product on the ice quickly.  Bowman built off of Punches team. Punch started with nothing. Given this Punch should rank ahead of Bowman. 
 

If anything, Punch is the first one on the mountain.  

Edited May 28, 2020 by Bob in STL

[Manther]

11 hours ago, JetsFan20 said:

Marv Levy

Lou Saban

Lindy Ruff

Ted Nolan

I was sort of hoping for a picture too...

[4_kidd_4]

And the plaque at the foot of the mountain shall read;

 

”Buffalo; Where Great Coaches Go To Be Mediocre, And Where Mediocre Coaches Are Considered Great.”

[Marv's Neighbor]

No Mt Rushmore till we actually win something.

[Alphadawg7]

Do I love Levy.  Yes, very much so.  

 

BUT...if I remove my homer glasses, he is over rated.  He squandered a roster FULL of HOF players and couldn't win the big game.  The end game play calling alone against the Giants is a black mark as much as the missed FG is.  He was out coached in all 4 Super Bowls...just flat out was.  He was up against 3 of the greatest HC's of all time, and also one DC that would become the GOAT ever at HC and DC.  So no shame in that, not like he was out coached by some weak HC that had the luxury of a great roster.  But, none the less, he wasn't able to close the deal even against a mediocre backup QB despite having the superior roster.  

 

I have an unpopular opinion.  Its going to get crapped on left and right the moment I say it.  BUT...5 years from now, I am supremely confident I will be proven right.  That is:  Sean McDermott will end his tenure in Buffalo some time way down the road being known as the best HC is Buffalo history.  Is he there now, no he doesn't have the resume just yet.  But I strongly feel we are going to win a Super Bowl in the next 5 years, and once we do, he will catapult his way to the top.  

 

I think McD is on his way as being one of the best HC's of this next generation.  From how he built the culture, how he commands respect, how he commands discipline, how he helps players be their best selves, but all the while still being a players coach.  Thats a rare trait in a coach.  Most players coaches resemble the Rex Ryan's and dont have discipline, balance, culture, etc.  

 

Being fully transparent, McD today reminds me of a young Bill Belichick.  The guy with a great defensive mind, but also knows he needs the offense to go with it and has been very vocal about building a team to score more points.  But most importantly, the guy who knows how to get the most out of players, how to build a team first culture above all else.  To find the right fits for his culture and system.  

 

I know he has to prove a lot more before earning a true comparison to BB, but he really reminds me of that young BB.  I don't know he will reach the same accolades BB and the Pats did as a dynasty, I mean it would be unfair for anyone to have expectations that McD (or any current coach) will leave the NFL as the GOAT.  BUT...I do believe he will leave the Bills at some point far down the road as our best HC in team history with a resume to confirm that.  

 

 

 

 

[Special K]

I heard a joke where the guy said "Why do we use Mt. Rushmore as a standard for anything....to be honest, Mt. Rushmore isn't even on the Mt. Rushmore of face carvings in stone!!"

[Herc11]

5 hours ago, VirginiaMike said:

My 4 - 2 each:

  Lou Saban

  Marv Levy

  Scottie Bowman

  Lindy Ruff

 

 

Not the only championship winning franchise in Buffalo:  let's not discount the 2 AFL Championships that the Bills won in the 60's..  

 

Yes, but AFL was not a national championship.

[VirginiaMike]

2 hours ago, Herc11 said:

 

Yes, but AFL was not a national championship.

Not sure about that logic - The AFL was a different league than the NFL, but was not a minor league to the NFL.  The Bills championships in 64 & 65 were as high as the Bills could go in their league.  

[BillsPride12]

I understand some people feel Marv was overrated but it's laughable to not have him on the Buffalo Mt. Rushmore he was the head coach during the greatest era of Buffalo football.  He was a great leader of men and watching the Last Dance and seeing the way Phil Jackson was able to handle the larger than life personalities of Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman had me thinking back to Marv Levy and how all of our star players from back then credit the effect Marv had on them.  People tend to forget how big the ego's were on Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Cornelius Bennett and so on and so on....I've never believed the narrative that any coach off the street would have had the same success or better success with that group.  I'm not sure we get over the Bickering Bills phase as smoothly without the leadership of Marv.  

[Doc Brown]

7 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Credit to PMT...they are calling the worst of something ...Mount Flushmore!

 

My 4 

 

Lindy 

McD( yep, already)

Saban

Knox

 

Never was a Marv fan..totally  outcoached in XXV. when should have won the game

 

From there won AFC with superior talent, weak conference, destryed when playing teams with as much talent as his team had...

 

He was not a  coach  " who can take hisn and beat yourin, or take yourin and beat hisn"

Never a fan of the guy who helped lead us to our only four Superbowl appearances?  It didn't work out for us in the Super Bowl but you need to be a special coach to lead a team to four straight.  Hell, Belichick hasn't even done that yet. 

 

Plus, I recall his regular season record against the elite NFC teams being pretty good during that stretch so I wouldn't say he was "destroyed when playing teams with as much talent as his team had."  We were only favored in one of those Super Bowls and if Norwood kicks the ball straight we win that one.

[US Egg]

Imlach

Saban

 

Done.

[plenzmd1]

1 minute ago, Doc Brown said:

Never a fan of the guy who helped lead us to our only four Superbowl appearances?  It didn't work out for us in the Super Bowl but you need to be a special coach to lead a team to four straight.  Hell, Belichick hasn't even done that yet. 

 

Plus, I recall his regular season record against the elite NFC teams being pretty good during that stretch so I wouldn't say he was "destroyed when playing teams with as much talent as his team had."  We were only favored in one of those Super Bowls and if Norwood kicks the ball straight we win that one.

I get the 4 straight, and that was great, but even back then i thought he was an average at best head coach. He had superior talent across the board, and they never won a championship. 

 

You mention  Norwood missing a kick...i might say a better head coach recognizes the D that was being played against them and has a chat with JImbo and Ted to change the Offensive calls and maybe no Norwood kick is needed at the end.maybe, but maybe not.

 

to whom much is given, much is expected

[vincec]

7 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

Wrong.  He was the GM longer than than a coach.    Punch’s team made the Cup finals in 5 years, Bowman never got there and Bowman started with a good team.  He drafted and acquired the most talent in his tenure.  Buffalo became a big hockey town instantly because of Punch’s ability to put a competitive product on the ice quickly.  Bowman built off of Punches team. Punch started with nothing.  
 

If anything, Punch is the first one on the mountain.  

Ok, but I thought this was for the “Mount Rushmore of Buffalo coaches.” If we are talking about GMs then Bill Polian needs to be up there.

[GreggTX]

I think you need to coach the team to a 'win it all' season to go here and Lou Saban is the only one that qualifies.

[Buftex]

9 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

Wrong.  He was the GM longer than than a coach.    Punch’s team made the Cup finals in 5 years, Bowman never got there and Bowman started with a good team.  He drafted and acquired the most talent in his tenure.  Buffalo became a big hockey town instantly because of Punch’s ability to put a competitive product on the ice quickly.  Bowman built off of Punches team. Punch started with nothing.  
 

If anything, Punch is the first one on the mountain.  

Thanks....I know the Sabres were always competitive under Bowman, but I always think of his tenure in Buffalo as a huge dissappointment.

[ChevyVanMiller]

Knights Manager Pop Fischer deserves a mention.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Natural_(film)

[jwhit34]

18 hours ago, Herc11 said:

 

If you're gonna throw in the Braves, might as well throw in the only championship winning franchise in Buffalo (so far), the Bandits. A quick google search shows Les Bartley as the head coach for 3 of the 4 national champion Bandit teams.

 

Indoor lacrosse  isn't nearly on the level of the NBA, it's a minor league and a minor sport. Same reason Bisons (baseball) are not included. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

6 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

I understand some people feel Marv was overrated but it's laughable to not have him on the Buffalo Mt. Rushmore he was the head coach during the greatest era of Buffalo football.  He was a great leader of men and watching the Last Dance and seeing the way Phil Jackson was able to handle the larger than life personalities of Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman had me thinking back to Marv Levy and how all of our star players from back then credit the effect Marv had on them.  People tend to forget how big the ego's were on Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Cornelius Bennett and so on and so on....I've never believed the narrative that any coach off the street would have had the same success or better success with that group.  I'm not sure we get over the Bickering Bills phase as smoothly without the leadership of Marv.  

Agree. I dont think he should be in the HOF but he is still greatest HC in Buffalo history