The Bruce DeHaven Theory

[rocketman]

Anyone ever wonder where the Bills would be if we hadn't fired Bruce Dehaven?

After the Music City Mistake, Bruce Dehaven was fired and replaced by Ronnie Jones who had never before coached special teams. Bruce DeHaven was an elite special teams coach and well respected in the league. In 2000, Ronnie Jones posted the worst special teams record in the NFL and Mr. Wilson put his foot down and said it was time for him to go.

In his three years with the Bills, Wade Phillips was 10-6, 11-5, and 8-8. He took us twice to the playoffs in his tenure. When Mr. Wilson asked Wade to fire Ronnie Jones, he stated, " if he goes, I go," and off the both of them went. Now, ironically, Wade did admit that he probably should not have hired Ronnie to coach special teams, stating he was an accomplished defensive coach.

I know that we are all getting tired of living in the past, but I cannot help to wonder if Bruce Dehaven had not been fired, where would we be today? Since then, we have been through three head coaches and three GMs (if you count Butler) and we appear to be stuck in football purgatory.

Just a thought,

Rocketman

[YardRat]

Re: The Bruce DeHaven Theory

Wade ****ed up a lot more than just choosing Ronnie Jones to coach special teams. He might have stuck around one more year, maybe even two, if he'd done what Wilson wanted and fired him, but he still wouldn't be coaching the team today.

[Goobylal]

Re: The Bruce DeHaven Theory

Wade would have been gone after the 2001 season, in any case. With the cap cuts they had to make after the 2000 season, no one was going to succeed with that team. Losing Cowart early (in 2001) just made it worse.

[LtBillsFan66]

Re: The Bruce DeHaven Theory

That indeed was the first part of the downfall.

[Night Train]

Re: The Bruce DeHaven Theory

Let's bring back some of those " Bring Back Wade " threads.

As if he took over the Bills and Cowboys, completely void of talent.

[churchinski]

Re: The Bruce DeHaven Theory

DeHaven should have been fired
He was responsible for the Bills being eliminated in a year where they had a legitimate shot at reaching the super bowl.

So how can anyone say that the coach who's special teams were the cause of failure in a year with a legitimate chance at achieving the only objective is a derisable candidate for a job as a coach with the same team he let down ?

Any idiot can figure out that with only seconds left on the clock the Titans were going to pull something out of the bag.

DeHaven's players weren't prepared in any way shape or form.

The entire object is to win the super bowl.
So when your special teams gives up a play like that you negate whatever positives you brought as a coach.

As far as I'm concerned he brought nothing positive because when the test presented itself it was demonstrated that he as a coach had zero preparation.

In other words he only had the illusion of competence until the moment of truth arose.



All that idiot Dehaven was responsible for was special teams.
A very well paying job, a full time job with only one task...special teams
And at that wage and with a single resposibility he still was unable to demonstrate competence.
And it's just football not science.
He very definitely should have been canned.

[rocketman]

Re: The Bruce DeHaven Theory

Night Train,

I am not suggesting that Wade is or was the answer, but it does seem to be the point where the franchise starts its decline. Now that I am thinking about it though, Butler was on his way to San Diego as well. Without a doubt, that had a greater impact on the organization than Bruce DeHaven being fired, so my theory doesn't hold.

I must still be suffering the effect of the MNF loss.

rocketman