Buffalo Bills 2016

[Stoner]

After he fired DeHaven over the home run throw forward, he brought in a buddy to run special teams. The buddy was/is an idiot & when he wouldn't fire him he found himself w/out a job.

As badly as I want to even our score at 1, I'm not going to do it. I'm just not.

I gotta trot this one out:

That's a new one on me! Wonderful.

[Iron Crotch]

We need thinner coaches.  :wacko:

[qwksndmonster]

Hehehe best X-files scene ever.

[LGR4GM]

Only an idiot fires a coach 2 games into the season. They should have waited til the bye-week before making a decision. Also who fires the offensive coordinator after you drop 31 points? Granted I think the offense sucked most of that game but still, the defense was worse. Pegulas are clearly meddling in this, no doubt. At the end of this season, if no playoffs, they should fire everyone. They should then hire a competent GM and let him go out and get a coach that fits with the players they have. Football is one of the dumbest sports when it comes to hiring a coach. You have a defense that runs a 3-4 really well, let's hire a coach who runs a 4-3. You have an offense that spreads out the defense and throws a lot over the middle, let's hire a coach who likes to keep passes to the outside and runs the ball 60% of the time. You have a mobile QB who can extend plays with his legs, let's hire a coach who hates mobile QB's and only wants a pocket passer. Go out an hire a coach that fits your personnel. 

[Drunkard]

So after listening to Rex's presser, I think there's a pretty good likelihood that canning Roman was indeed at Rex's initiative, and not forced by TP/KP. (Not certain though by any means.)

 

In particular, it sounded like Rex did not like the way TT was being utilized. I'd guess that Rex wants to see TT using his legs more. Rex also mentioned wanting to get more out of Watkins -- entirely reasonable after the way he was used in the first 2 games.

 

I may be kidding myself, but I also have a hard time believing that TP/KP really ordered Rex to fire Roman. I don't think I've ever heard of anything like that happening in week two of an NFL season. They might have asked Rex a bunch of tough questions about the offense, but that isn't the same thing as a ordering him to fire his coordinator.

 

So if in fact this was Rex's call, he is really going to have to deliver a good rest of the season in order to save his job. And, I have to believe that if Rex goes, Whaley is definitely gone and quite possibly Brandon as well. (Let's remember that Ted Black was given his walking papers by the Sabres after failing in a similar role to the one Brandon has now.) That would mean probably a much stronger front office next season, including the draft – with grown-ups making decisions on trades and so forth.

 

Or, Rex and Lynn really deliver the goods by unlocking the potential of TT, Watkins, Clay, McCoy and Dareus, and the Bills make a miracle run to 10 and 6.

 

Either of those works for me.

 

I thought the Pegula's were the ones who decided on Rex. I remember reading that Whaley actually preferred Hue Jackson (formerly of Oakland, now HC in Cleveland but at the time was an assistant in Cincinatti) in part because he was an offensive coach that planned on keeping Schwartz as our DC. A quick google search on my end didn't turn anything up and where ever I read it may have been inaccurate but if it's the case then Whaley shouldn't be responsible for Rex.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Drunkard

[nfreeman]

I thought the Pegula's were the ones who decided on Rex. I remember reading that Whaley actually preferred Hue Jackson (formerly of Oakland, now HC in Cleveland but at the time was an assistant in Cincinatti) in part because he was an offensive coach that planned on keeping Schwartz as our DC. A quick google search on my end didn't turn anything up and where ever I read it may have been inaccurate but if it's the case then Whaley shouldn't be responsible for Rex.

 

Well, I have a similar impression as to Rex being more the Pegulas' guy than DW's, but I nevertheless believe that if Rex gets canned it will be part of a broader housecleaning that will include DW.

[That Aud Smell]

I thought the Pegula's were the ones who decided on Rex. I remember reading that Whaley actually preferred Hue Jackson (formerly of Oakland, now HC in Cleveland but at the time was an assistant in Cincinatti) in part because he was an offensive coach that planned on keeping Schwartz as our DC. A quick google search on my end didn't turn anything up and where ever I read it may have been inaccurate but if it's the case then Whaley shouldn't be responsible for Rex.

 

that would make perfect sense. i remember whaley saying that he wanted the new coach to be in a position to work with EJ (ha!) and bring him along/back. that would seem to have implied a preference for an offensive coach, i.e., hue jax.

 

come to think of it: how stupid and stubborn is whaley to have featured that in his interviews with prospective coaches? they say that moving up for watkins was doubling down on EJ. so was that coaching search an attempt to triple down?

 

Well, I have a similar impression as to Rex being more the Pegulas' guy than DW's, but I nevertheless believe that if Rex gets canned it will be part of a broader housecleaning that will include DW.

 

absolutely. but please, please, football gods: jettison brandon too. or have him formally removed from football ops.

[Drunkard]

Well, I have a similar impression as to Rex being more the Pegulas' guy than DW's, but I nevertheless believe that if Rex gets canned it will be part of a broader housecleaning that will include DW.

 

I'm ok with showing Whaley the door is it's part of a total front office cleansing (including tell Russ Brandon to pack his stuff) but if the Pegula's did push for Rex it would be completely unfair to hold it against Whaley.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Drunkard

[That Aud Smell]

I'm ok with showing Whaley the door is it's part of a total front office cleansing (including tell Russ Brandon to pack his stuff) but if the Pegula's did push for Rex it would be completely unfair to hold it against Whaley.

 

I have every confidence that Rex worked his charms on the Pegulas, and got himself a $25M contract for his efforts. Fair play to him, really. The Pegulas are going to have to eat that contract. Soon.

[Stoner]

Well, I have a similar impression as to Rex being more the Pegulas' guy than DW's, but I nevertheless believe that if Rex gets canned it will be part of a broader housecleaning that will include DW.

And you want the Pegulas to do the housecleaning and the redecorating? How is it you don't want Hillary to come in and clean up Obama's mess?

 

Terry needs to have dinner with Frank Reich, bring Frank in as football president, have Frank hire the football GMTM, fire Frank after it's revealed that Frank swears like a longshoreman, then go and buy the Florida Marlins and stay the in Florida!!!

 

Whoooo hooooo aaaaa aaaa aafternoon delight. I'm so high right now!

[nfreeman]

And you want the Pegulas to do the housecleaning and the redecorating? How is it you don't want Hillary to come in and clean up Obama's mess?

 

Terry needs to have dinner with Frank Reich, bring Frank in as football president, have Frank hire the football GMTM, fire Frank after it's revealed that Frank swears like a longshoreman, then go and buy the Florida Marlins and stay the ###### in Florida!!!

 

Whoooo hooooo aaaaa aaaa aafternoon delight. I'm so high right now!

 

I'm glad you're feeling no pain!

 

In all seriousness, I would freaking love Frank Reich or Bill Polian or someone else with credibility to come in and act as special adviser to TP/KP in the hiring of a new GM after TP/KP fire Brandon, Whaley and Rex (and Overdorf, Littman, etc.).

[That Aud Smell]

And you want the Pegulas to do the housecleaning and the redecorating? How is it you don't want Hillary to come in and clean up Obama's mess?

 

Terry needs to have dinner with Frank Reich, bring Frank in as football president, have Frank hire the football GMTM, fire Frank after it's revealed that Frank swears like a longshoreman, then go and buy the Florida Marlins and stay the ###### in Florida!!!

 

Whoooo hooooo aaaaa aaaa aafternoon delight. I'm so high right now!

 

Hmmm - Frank Reich as president of football operations? That I might like. Maybe?

 

Also: Are you high with gloating?

 

What is it that was famously said about pessimism? Something about how pessimism has the benefit of usually being right about things - but any great accomplishment is born of optimism. 

[TrueBlueGED]

I'm glad you're feeling no pain!

 

In all seriousness, I would freaking love Frank Reich or Bill Polian or someone else with credibility to come in and act as special adviser to TP/KP in the hiring of a new GM after TP/KP fire Brandon, Whaley and Rex (and Overdorf, Littman, etc.).

 

Why does Frank Reich have any credibility as a team executive? To me, digging into the names of past Bills is the antithesis of establishing credibility for the franchise.

[Claude_Verret]

I love Frank Reich, Jim Kelly and Bill Polian, but if the Bills were ever to really clean house and bring in a football czar then it should be someone with absolutely no previous relationship with the organization.

 

edit: yeah, what TrueBlue said

Edited September 19, 2016 by Claude_Verret

[Stoner]

Hmmm - Frank Reich as president of football operations? That I might like. Maybe?

 

Also: Are you high with gloating?

 

What is it that was famously said about pessimism? Something about how pessimism has the benefit of usually being right about things - but any great accomplishment is born of optimism. 

Gloating, yes. I am too square to do anything else. So it only took about 24 hours for me to begin to pleasure in all this.

 

Actually, I wouldn't say I was ever pessimistic about Terry. More realistic. The handwriting was on the wall on Day One. ("I like hardworking, gritty players. ... Of course Darcy will go through me (paraphrase). ... I can work with him. ... Lindy ain't goin' nowhere."

I'm glad you're feeling no pain!

 

In all seriousness, I would freaking love Frank Reich or Bill Polian or someone else with credibility to come in and act as special adviser to TP/KP in the hiring of a new GM after TP/KP fire Brandon, Whaley and Rex (and Overdorf, Littman, etc.).

I think where you're going off track is when you want that someone to "advise" the Pegulas. That's not enough of a firewall. The Pegulas have to understand that they are in over their head and have to hand off control. I think it's going to be really tough for them, because I think Terry thinks he knows the game and I think Kim thinks she can learn it.

Edited September 19, 2016 by PASabreFan

[nfreeman]

Why does Frank Reich have any credibility as a team executive? To me, digging into the names of past Bills is the antithesis of establishing credibility for the franchise.

 

I love Frank Reich, Jim Kelly and Bill Polian, but if the Bills were ever to really clean house and bring in a football czar then it should be someone with absolutely no previous relationship with the organization.

 

edit: yeah, what TrueBlue said

 

Both of these are quite fair.  I think Reich has made a reasonably good name for himself as an offensive coordinator, so he knows the NFL reasonably well, but I don't have a strong preference for a former Bill -- just someone who knows the league.

 

 

Gloating, yes. I am too square to do anything else. So it only took about 24 hours for me to begin to pleasure in all this.

 

Actually, I wouldn't say I was ever pessimistic about Terry. More realistic. The handwriting was on the wall on Day One. ("I like hardworking, gritty players. ... Of course Darcy will go through me (paraphrase). ... I can work with him. ... Lindy ain't goin' nowhere."

I think where you're going off track is when you want that someone to "advise" the Pegulas. That's not enough of a firewall. The Pegulas have to understand that they are in over their head and have to hand off control. I think it's going to be really tough for them, because I think Terry thinks he knows the game and I think Kim thinks she can learn it.

 

Well, I guess this depends on how you feel about the PLF/GMTM prow-cess.  My sense was that PLF was in charge of finding good GM candidates, but that both PLF and TP participated in the interviews with all of the candidates and in the selection of GMTM -- with the understanding that GMTM, once hired, would choose a coach, pick the players and generally run the team like a GM typically would (although that would certainly include meeting with ownership from time to time).

 

That's kinda what I'd like to see with the Bills.  If they get to, say, 2-6, they should fire Brandon, Whaley and Rex, let Anthony Lynn coach out the string, hire a PLF-type adviser immediately to help them find a GM ASAP, and then let that GM hire the new coach, run the draft, etc.

 

EDIT:  I suppose your post means that you don't think TP/KP would step back from the Bills in the same way that they seem to have done with the Sabres.  You could be right, of course, but I think it's more likely that they would act in the way they've previously acted.

[Eleven]

Did everyone read / listen to everything that came out Sunday and today?  Doesn't sound like there was much meddling at all.  Sounds to me like the Pegulas wanted to confirm what the players thought of Roman before allowing Rex to fire him--not unreasonable given the amount of money at stake.

[That Aud Smell]

The things said about Reich above are all more than fair - including the fact that he's apparently done well for himself as someone who can think the game. I'm not above having a guy from the glory days come in. 

 

I think where you're going off track is when you want that someone to "advise" the Pegulas. That's not enough of a firewall. The Pegulas have to understand that they are in over their head and have to hand off control. I think it's going to be really tough for them, because I think Terry thinks he knows the game and I think Kim thinks she can learn it.

 

In over their heads. Bucky'd.

 

Kim's on record, btw, saying she has no interest in the player-personnel-football-operations part of the scene. She had that line about how they get off the elevator, and she goes on way and he goes another. Of course, that could be evolving.

 

Did everyone read / listen to everything that came out Sunday and today?  Doesn't sound like there was much meddling at all.  Sounds to me like the Pegulas wanted to confirm what the players thought of Roman before allowing Rex to fire him--not unreasonable given the amount of money at stake.

 

The stuff that got "leaked" after a national reporter had a different source tell him something quite different seemed fairly transparent to me: Institutional controllers (like Brandon) went into damage control mode, got in touch with people like Capaccio (sp), and fed them a company-line about everything's okey dokey at OBD.

[wjag]

I for one am glad they made a switch at OC.  Roman refused to use the talent he had.  Put Clay, Watkins, McCoy, Bush in play.  Use the middle of the field.  Should take a month to sort itself out with new OC.  

 

Now 'bout that defense that made Fitz look like Brady...  Gilmour probably had his worst day as a pro.  Figure out what is up with that (injury, confidence, ability) and fix it,

[nfreeman]

The stuff that got "leaked" after a national reporter had a different source tell him something quite different seemed fairly transparent to me: Institutional controllers (like Brandon) went into damage control mode, got in touch with people like Capaccio (sp), and fed them a company-line about everything's okey dokey at OBD.

 

This is certainly possible, but I'm not aware of any reason to favor that narrative over 11's.

[Stoner]

This is certainly possible, but I'm not aware of any reason to favor that narrative over 11's.

Right. Sports teams don't use friendly voices in the "media" to cover their tracks when the truth about their operations comes out.

[Eleven]

Right. Sports teams don't use friendly voices in the "media" to cover their tracks when the truth about their operations comes out.

 

I don't live in the suburbs, but I have family who do.  I saw an unusual number of black helicopters flying over WGR's studios over the weekend.

[nfreeman]

Right. Sports teams don't use friendly voices in the "media" to cover their tracks when the truth about their operations comes out.

 

Well, as I said, Aud's scenario was quite possible.  It's also quite possible -- and frequently the case -- that sports media figures, eager to advance their own careers, promote sensationalist stories such as "meddling billionaire owner forces ill-conceived agenda on coach" -- which are then seized upon by locals as "evidence" supporting their personal pet theories.

[calti]

Did everyone read / listen to everything that came out Sunday and today?  Doesn't sound like there was much meddling at all.  Sounds to me like the Pegulas wanted to confirm what the players thought of Roman before allowing Rex to fire him--not unreasonable given the amount of money at stake.

I agree.BUT it doesn't show extreme confidence in Rex.-Which is good because only a crazy person or Ralph or Little Danny would have extreme confidence in Rex.

While we are at it I propose a permanent ban for those calling on EJ to play or for Captain Checkdown to unretire .

Edited September 19, 2016 by calti

[Eleven]

I agree.BUT it doesn't show extreme confidence in Rex.-Which is good because only a crazy person or Ralph or Little Danny would have extreme confidence in Rex.

While we are at it I propose a permanent ban for those calling on EJ to play or for Captain Checkdown to unretire .

 

It's a lot of money.  I think Roman was the highest paid OC in history or something.  Double-checking wasn't a bad idea.

 

Agree on your second point.  Same goes for those calling for Cardale Jones to start.  (That's mostly WGR--I haven't seen it here yet.)