Marv's book, "Where would you rather be"

[jpdex12]

How many of you out there have read this book and what is your analysis of his coaching abilities compared to his GM abilities?

After reading this book (which I just finished last night) I am going out on a limb and saying that this is Ralph's last ditch effort on winning a SB before Ralph sells the team or passes away. I am not worried that we wll lose our team because I think they stay in NY no matter what, but I commend Ralph on his effort if this is true. Pure speculation on my part.

When you stop to think about it, it is truly unbelievable that a team went to the SB 4 times in a row. That will never happen again! Yes we lost, but that is amazing. Levy did it with players of true character. He noly had high quality players on this team and it is appearant that this is what he is attempting to do now. I feel confident that we are on the track to the playoffs even though a lot of people out there think we are heading in the wrong direction.

[Jan Reimers]

I read the book a while ago, and came away with even more respect for Marv than I had before. He is a great football man, but more importantly, a great man.

[JoeMama]

Maybe if the next few years pan out for the Bills, he can write a sequel.

Or a second edition; this time with the superbowl ending.

[Jeff1220]

I read the book about a year or so ago and really liked it. I love when he talks about his ideas on football and how he applies certain philosophies and values to it. The stuff about his younger days is somewhat boring, but necessary in understanding where he came from and how he got to where he is now. It is clear that Marv values one thing in a football player more than anything and that is the work ethic/desire to give everything he has on the field all the time.

[ublinkwescore]

This is like hall of fame thread material - perhaps I will look for Marv's book later on today when I'm looking for my new Bills Jersey.

[patmoran2006]

Got a signed copy on my mantle..

Good read.. I love when he talked about his time in Kansas City

[ublinkwescore]

I have a really short attention span, but I could honestly say that I know I could read this book from end to end just because of who wrote it, and the tremendous amount of respect for him that I have.

[jpdex12]

I read the book about a year or so ago and really liked it. I love when he talks about his ideas on football and how he applies certain philosophies and values to it. The stuff about his younger days is somewhat boring, but necessary in understanding where he came from and how he got to where he is now. It is clear that Marv values one thing in a football player more than anything and that is the work ethic/desire to give everything he has on the field all the time.

Yeah, when you stop to think about some of those players...the list is long. Tasker, Beebe, Kelso, Kelly, DArby Jackson, Mark Pike, Hull, Brooks, Lofton, Talley, Conlan, etc.

Who on today's team would fall into this character?

I'd say Losman, Evans, Crowell, Schoebel...Whitner should be.

[gr8slayer]

Great book.

[don137]

I read the book a while ago and you could see how some of the things he says in the book he is implementing in his current role: high character guys, defense wins championships so last year in the draft he drafted big on defense, OL is a tough position to draft since there is a big learning curve and he likes to get free agents for the OL.
Some of Marv's critics say Polian was the genious behind the Bills success and anyone could of led that team to the super bowl. While Polian did help bring in some great talent I think these people forget it takes more than just a few stars to build a great team. It takes all the players to play as a team. Some athletes are naturally gifted and play for the money. Marv wanted no part of those players. Those players don't last long in this league. They may be ranked high on draft boards but they have the bust label written all over them.
I got more respect for Marv after reading that book because it showed truly how successful he has been as a coach/GM.

[jpdex12]

I read the book a while ago and you could see how some of the things he says in the book he is implementing in his current role: high character guys, defense wins championships so last year in the draft he drafted big on defense, OL is a tough position to draft since there is a big learning curve and he likes to get free agents for the OL.
Some of Marv's critics say Polian was the genious behind the Bills success and anyone could of led that team to the super bowl. While Polian did help bring in some great talent I think these people forget it takes more than just a few stars to build a great team. It takes all the players to play as a team. Some athletes are naturally gifted and play for the money. Marv wanted no part of those players. Those players don't last long in this league. They may be ranked high on draft boards but they have the bust label written all over them.
I got more respect for Marv after reading that book because it showed truly how successful he has been as a coach/GM.

Couldn't agree more. He is placing his own spin in this team as GM.

[chernobylwraiths]

I really liked the book. It is funny how he was brought into the professional ranks under George Allen, but doesn't seem to subscribe to his "trade draft picks and get good veteran player" theory, and I'm glad. As I see it, the biggest contribution he has made at GM is that he listens to the ideas of others before making a decision and that is his greatest asset. I just hope that he keeps in contact with Bill Polian and bends his ear about any future talent evaluators for the future of this team. He is a very smart man and knows his time isn't limitless and he needs to find his eventual replacement and bring him into the way things should be done.

[jpdex12]

I really liked the book. It is funny how he was brought into the professional ranks under George Allen, but doesn't seem to subscribe to his "trade draft picks and get good veteran player" theory, and I'm glad. As I see it, the biggest contribution he has made at GM is that he listens to the ideas of others before making a decision and that is his greatest asset. I just hope that he keeps in contact with Bill Polian and bends his ear about any future talent evaluators for the future of this team. He is a very smart man and knows his time isn't limitless and he needs to find his eventual replacement and bring him into the way things should be done.

If there's one thing he does, it's plan for the future!

[Statman]

.After reading this book (which I just finished last night) I am going out on a limb and saying that this is Ralph's last ditch effort on winning a SB before Ralph sells the team or passes away. I am not worried that we wll lose our team because I think they stay in NY no matter what, but I commend Ralph on his effort if this is true. Pure speculation on my part.

You're really stepping out there, huh. LOL Ralph's what, 90 now, 89? So you think this is his "last ditch effort?" Getting out of bed tomorrow could be his last ditch effort too. Not to be disrespectful to him, but he is 17 years past the average male life expectancy.


When you stop to think about it, it is truly unbelievable that a team went to the SB 4 times in a row. That will never happen again! Yes we lost, but that is amazing. Levy did it with players of true character. He noly had high quality players on this team and it is appearant that this is what he is attempting to do now. I feel confident that we are on the track to the playoffs even though a lot of people out there think we are heading in the wrong direction.

When you really stop to think about it, we have more talent than the Giants and were a better team than the Cowboys in '93. So why we couldn't beat either or both of those teams, should at least in part, a good part, be attributed to coaching.

If you're right about being headed for the playoffs then we should have at least an 8-8 season this year.

[jpdex12]

You're really stepping out there, huh. LOL Ralph's what, 90 now, 89? So you think this is his "last ditch effort?" Getting out of bed tomorrow could be his last ditch effort too. Not to be disrespectful to him, but he is 17 years past the average male life expectancy.



When you really stop to think about it, we have more talent than the Giants and were a better team than the Cowboys in '93. So why we couldn't beat either or both of those teams, should at least in part, a good part, be attributed to coaching.

If you're right about being headed for the playoffs then we should have at least an 8-8 season this year.

Marv always placed emphasis on turnover ratios and we sucked in every SB with turnovers. A coach cannot make a RB hold onto the ball tighter.

[ublinkwescore]

You're really stepping out there, huh. LOL Ralph's what, 90 now, 89? So you think this is his "last ditch effort?" Getting out of bed tomorrow could be his last ditch effort too. Not to be disrespectful to him, but he is 17 years past the average male life expectancy.



When you really stop to think about it, we have more talent than the Giants and were a better team than the Cowboys in '93. So why we couldn't beat either or both of those teams, should at least in part, a good part, be attributed to coaching.

If you're right about being headed for the playoffs then we should have at least an 8-8 season this year.

The Cowboys teams we faced had perhaps some of the nastiest lines ever assembled in the NFL, and no shortage of all-star talent behind them.

The Giants were coached by perhaps one of the most consistent and weathered coaches in the NFL who apprenticed another good coach just like him - Bill Bellichik (sp?)

[Historian]

I loved the book....but I also loved Smerlas' By a Nose, and Abramowski's Tale of the Tape too.

I love reading about what goes on behind closed doors.