tom webster
-
Posts
8,207 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by tom webster
-
-
Much of the responsibility for the sorry state of affairs at One Bills Drive, the Bills offense, etc, can be placed on the shoulders of Russ Brandon, and his actions/inactions during his tenure. I honestly think Pegula extends the Bills' failure chain by involving Brandon in decisions that are outside his expertise. He should have never been promoted beyond the marketing department.
Pegula appears to be making the same mistake he made with Regier, only this time with Brandon.
The best course of action would be to release all the Wilson era holdovers, and start with a clean sheet of paper.
Yeah cause why would you want to keep the guy who put the team on solid financial footing, helped orchestrate the sale of the team that kept the Bills in Buffalo and helped reorganize the football department to stick around?
-
In general, of course not. I suppose it depends on the level of his involvement in the interview. I just don't want him involved in football decisions in any meaningful way, as I remember his tenure as GM to be quite the mess for the team on the field.
I agree completely but I think it's the new reality that these franchises are run like large corporations and some of the decisions involve millions of dollars. I've interviewed for positions worth a lot less then seven figures that the President of the company sat in on.
Like you said, I don't want Brandon or even Pegula deciding who the QB will be or whether to go for it on fourth and one but to believe they won't be part of the decision on who they will hire for the second or third most important person in the organization is naïve.
-
Oh, FFS. Enough with Brandon's involvement in this stuff already. Unless how the coach looks on the front of the media guide is some big concern or something.
The CEO/ owners and the President are sitting in on the interviews for the organizations biggest hire, is that really unusual?
-
Even if the trade could have been done for the 2014 2nd, that's the same value as the 2015 first for all intents and purposes if you believe in the "a pick this year equals a round earlier next year" valuation. So whatever.
Jerry West once said in player evaluation, if you're hitting over 50% you're doing a good job. In other words everyone misses, just don't miss more than you hit. I think Whaley has more hits than misses with his moves. I'm not married to the guy, but I don't think his job to this point warrants the hate it seems to be getting.
I agree and I'm not just saying that because I need to improve my percentage of approvals
-
I also agree that the trade probably could have been made for our 2014 1st and 2nd, but we can't say for sure. We can only judge based on what it actually took to make the deal, otherwise we could speculate that he should have held out for a trade of the #1 and Craig Urbik. Who knows.
I won't really care in a few years, since success in sports is mostly about who has the most elite, matchup winning players. Our Defense is great because we have matchup winning players all over our d-line. Watkins looks like a matchup winning WR for years to come. Opponents have to double him, leading to one-on-ones with Woods, etc.
Keep in mind that Nix was quoted the season prior that he will acquire a franchise quarterback as part of his legacy as Bills GM. I think that Manuel was the last reminants of the Nix era. But without concrete factual proof, that is a debate that could go on for ages with no resolution.
Some can be sure because they read it on the internet and all the experts said it.
-
None of what you're saying excuses taking a mediocre prospect in the first round. I don't even understand your argument. Essentially all of your posts lately have been telling everybody they're wrong without providing a sliver of evidence as to what is right.
So because other teams were smart enough to not waste a first round on a highly questionable QB in that draft it's okay that Whaley did? Got it.
Also, I'm sure if you made a list of GMs who whiffed terribly on first-round QBs and didn't properly address the position in the years after you would likely see a very high (say 100%) percentage of guys who were fired. ###### up the most important position in football isn't a good thing.
I don't hate Whaley. He has potential and isn't scared to go for it, but his two biggest moves yet were bad moves. I'm hopeful that he's ready to make up for it with the looming decisions at QB and coach.
The argument is that they all make mistakes or they aren't trying. He's been the GM two years and in my opinion the organization is better for it.
Your biggest problem is that you continue to state your opinion as fact. While the prevailing opinion was that EJ wasn't a first round talent, there were those that thought it was a risky but good pick. It's not like he picked him over Luck or Newton.
As you said, he has proven he's not afraid to take risks. I think he has earned the right to finish the job and I'm glad that for now he is staying.
-
Besides putting my fingers in the food disposal the rest of my hand is pretty good.
Again, make me a list of those available GM's that went out and unearthed a QB that no one else knew was a slam dunk. Even Seatle waited till the third round on Wilson and only after throwing huge money at Matt Flynn.
If making a mistake on picking a QB was a fire able offense, the whole league would be looking to replace their talent evaluators!
As for Polian, what the hell was he expecting the job to be. If you believe all the reports, he didn't want to hire a coach, deal with dysfunction in the organization and be paid like a consultant. Apparently he wanted President money to put his stamp of approval on everything.
-
Just noticed that Nick Foligno signed a nice extension. Good gor him.
-
I know, that's why the smiley.
It was just an odd string of topics where you were pointing out mitigating circumstances for the success or failure of certain people. I do think luck plays a rather significant role, but much as we must come to the Movies with a willing suspension of disbelief, we come to sports message boards with a willing suspension of fatalism.
Well said
-
People complain about Hackett
People complain about Orton
People complain about the O-Line
People praise the defense
Then they go and complain when a coach takes those 4 things into consideration to make the call he feels is best for the situation.
That is something I never understood.
-
I want a coach who knows exactly what won't work.
One who knows exactly how you can never really measure performance.
One that understands that no one is really a success or failure because they are simply a product of the QB, the other linemen, the system, the O-Line, or the circumstances.
I want Tom Webster. :)
I guess I have beat that drum to death. Hopefully you know that I don't really believe in such an over simplification. I do, however, strongly believe in circumstances and luck. Obviously there is a lot more to it and there is a lot to be said for being able to maximize your return when those circumstances and fate come calling.
Like JJ said, very few coaches and general managers have been able to duplicate their success at a second or third career stop. Did they become less able, or did circumstance and fate not smile on them again?
-
Reinhart, Baptiste, and Bailey should be a good start. Hopefully they can find another Tim Schaller type or two as well.
Reinhart will not be in the AHL next year. He will be in Buffalo.
-
The Bills need a big name coach with a successful past. One that was touted by many after he left the team he had so much success with. A coach whose new team was assured immediate success. One that went to another team and put them in playoff contention year after year. Like Mike Shanahan.
Not dismissing a Shanahan/ Cutler combo but his four years at Washington
6 -10, 5-11, 10-6 and 3-13. Not exactly playoff contention year after year
-
I'm not referring to anything post-Marrone, but him, Mularkey, Chuck Knox, the parade of guys -- including assistants! -- who declined to be interviewed before they hired Chan Gailey...it's pretty much unprecedented.
If you are talking about a span of years like that, I can't see it being unprecedented. Every franchise has gone through their dark days. Granted, on the average the Bills are behind the curve but they are headed in the right direction again. Let's hope TP swings for the fences though and brings in someone with successful head coaching experience. Now is not the time to take a step back with some assistant going through on the job training.
-
Okay. Your ideas?
These guys are considered good candidates by more than just message board kids.
Easy. I didn't respond because you are a kid on a message board. I responded because you are wrong.
-
What exactly has Reich done to deserve a shot so soon? The Chargers imploded at the end of the year and he has one year under his belt. Now that Marrone is gone, you got to shoot higher then that
And, Schwartz? Hasn't Detroit proven he was in over his head?
Hamilton? Is he bringing Luck with him?
-
Isn't this the equivalent of not caring if Larry Quinn hung around after Terry bought the Sabres? How can any fan who has suffered for lo these many years not want a housecleaning from top to bottom? Again, I will hold my fire. But maintaining the status quo would be right out of Terry's playbook.
Because history has proven it really doesn't matter. Luck into a quarterback and you become a genius. I know it's hard for those who want it to be about so much more, but it really isn't.
-
I've also read that there was a need for Nashville to retain salary and that Edmonton was at max contracts. Whatever. Clearly, though, this is a team that is serious about finishing last.
By trading for Roy instead of picking him up they now can trade him at deadline without first having to expose him to waivers. That, and Nashville retaining salary were the reasons for the way the transaction was handled.
-
I would still consider it a rental with one year left. If he had three years remaining I would feel better about giving something up for him. If he was here for only a season how does that help us especially when we aren't set for a playoff run? It gets us some more goals for a year and then we will have lost him and whatever we gave to get him. I say look for players with multiple years left on contract to get more bang for our buck.
I wasn't advocating acquiring him. I'm with LG on this one. I was just pointing out the contract situation
-
I would explore the option if I were TM. If we pursue it I think Col would want Myers. He is still young and has shown moments of competent position play even though he has yet to live up to his rookie year. Works for us for obvious reasons and we have shown we can compete (if that's the right word) in Myers absence.
Ya there's that too.
Honestly I think this year is to establish confidence and change an old negative culture. To build a competitive them your need consistency in the lineup and locker room not a revolving door of rentals so who knows. Then again maybe he would actually resign here. I guess waiting until FA would be a better option than taking on a guy who doesn't fit.
O'Reilly has another year on his contract
-
He does but I saw him absolutely destroy several lineman this year
Yep. And that play against the Browns, stripping the ball, recovering it and returning it for a TD was special as well. The question is one of value and how much you want to spend on one position and what position is easiest to replace.
-
Changing gears a bit: Cliff Avril kind of sets the standard for Jerry Hughes deal. He got 4 years, $28.5M. I was originally thinking to pay him Tamba Hali money but he just isn't at that level.
The highest I would go is 4 years, $32M with $20M of guarantees in the first three years.
I would agree. The question with Hughes is how much he benefits from the other 3 lineman.
-
In a three year span this group will have wasted 2 of its 3 first round picks. Just consider that.
And it won't matter if they stumble upon a quarterback. New England can't draft to save their lives. Their assistants routinely fail when they get positions with other organizations. The common denominator for the ones that don't? They find a quarterback.
-
I wouldn't be saying he's a bust if he was drafted where everybody expected and thought he should've been (3rd-4th rounds). I wouldn't have drafted him until the 4th.
You can keep saying it but it still won't be true. While most "experts" or at least those who pose as experts agreed he was a reach, there were those that liked the pick. It definitely wasn't everyone.
Buffalo Bills 2014
in The Aud Club
Posted
I'm not falling for anything. I am a results guy he has gotten the results. While I will let you decide what to believe or not believe as far as his role in the sale, what is indisputable is that his efforts made the team much more attractive to TP.