Sources: Bills' top candidate to replace Levy has business, marketing strengths

[circlethewagons]

Just saw this on ESPN and didnt see anyone post it yet-

Buffalo Bills (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf) owner Ralph Wilson will stay in-house to fill its top front-office vacancy, ESPN.com has learned through multiple league and team sources, and Bills executive vice president of business operations Russ Brandon has emerged as the frontrunner.


The opening was created when Marv Levy stepped down as general manager two weeks ago. A Hall of Fame coach who led the Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances, Levy had come out of retirement two years ago to serve as the Bills' general manager.
The team likely will announce Levy's successor next week.
Brandon has worked for the Bills for 11 years, and in 2006 was appointed to his current position, in which he joined Levy in overseeing the club's front-office operations.
If Brandon does land the job, as anticipated, it will probably result in a reconfiguration of the Bills' front-office structure. Because his background is more in the business and marketing side of the organization, and he does not have direct experience in personnel matters, it is unlikely Brandon will receive the title of general manager.
He would report directly to Wilson, however, and would be ranked below only the Buffalo owner in the front-office structure.



http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3193278


I really didnt think Russ Brandon would become a canidate - he has almost no experience in the personnel department

[shelby]

Thanks for the find.
i edited your post as we can't post articles in their entirety, it's a copyright infringement issue.

[historypete]

Great, our new GM has absolutely no football experience. I know Brandon has done a great job marketing, but how is that going to translate to improving the product on the field by finding players?

I think that by not upgrading the GM position with a football guy we are taking a major step backwards. I know people will point to Donahoe, but I'd still take my chances over a guy with marketing experience. Then again, Brandon's experience may prove important because they are going to have to do a wonderful marketing job to sell this move.

[That Guy]

As it basically states in the article, it looks like somebody else will be handling personnel matters.

Basically so he can save money I assume..


I probably shouldn't have said that.. :deadhorse:

[ParanoidAndroid]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks to me that this promotion will have no negative or positive effect on the "product on the field." The people that have been buiding this team through the draft are still here except for Marv. I guess we will see how much Marv had to do with the last couple of rather successful drafts.
One way to look at it would be from a continuity perspective. If this franchise believes that they are doing a good job of building a team, why bring in someone from the outside, give them GM powers and responsibilities, and possibly throw a monkey wrench in the works?

[yordad]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks to me that this promotion will have no negative or positive effect on the "product on the field." The people that have been buiding this team through the draft are still here except for Marv. I guess we will see how much Marv had to do with the last couple of rather successful drafts.
One way to look at it would be from a continuity perspective. If this franchise believes that they are doing a good job of building a team, why bring in someone from the outside, give them GM powers and responsibilities, and possibly throw a monkey wrench in the works?So... We lose Marv..... and we add no one? No effect? So, you feel Marv did nothing? Can't argue much because I don't exactly know what Marv did, but either way, I was hoping for a positive effect. You know, some kind of positive addition.

I'm not in favor of promoting a guy who specializes in profit, not wins.

[YardRat]

Looks like a few titles are going to be switched, some responsibility shifted around a little and that's about it.

[circlethewagons]

Thanks for the find.
i edited your post as we can't post articles in their entirety, it's a copyright infringement issue.

Thanks- i didnt realize that- ill keep that in mind in the future

[Meathead]

yeah that sounds like it to me. sort of a general management by committee

well it could work. if marv architected a good structure and culture perhaps they can just keep it going as it was. all we can do is keep our fingers crossed and see what happens

[streetkings01]

I'm starting to think the only way we make the playoffs is by accident!

[justasportsfan]

This may mean Dick will have the power to make all the football decisions which is why its been implied he will have more power.

[ParanoidAndroid]

So... We lose Marv..... and we add no one? No effect? So, you feel Marv did nothing? Can't argue much because I don't exactly know what Marv did, but either way, I was hoping for a positive effect. You know, some kind of positive addition.

I'm not in favor of promoting a guy who specializes in profit, not wins.

I know what you mean......I really do.

The promotion itself has no effect on how the team makes decisions about players in terms of scouting....the product on the field. Losing Marv will have some effect and I did ask that same question; how much will losing Marv effect our player decisions?

Why wouldn't you want someone who knows how to market, be in charge of marketing? If anything, Brandon is taking more responsibility away from Ralph Wilson, which would be seen by many as a good thing. It appears as though he will have no real say in personnel matters.

Hiring someone from the outside is never a guaranteed positive. If you like the way this group has been building the team since Donahoe left (I know I do, anyway) then why mess with a good thing? If this team is serious about continuing and finishing what they started, it will show over the course of the offseason.

[mybills]

The guy has two first names.

[bigbub2352]

another move to MEDIOCRACY, way to be CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP, anyone who thinks this is a good move, look at how long this guy has been employed by the Bills and look at how long we have not made the playoffs, but that is what u do promote from within, this is truly a sad day for the Bills MEdiocracy

[yordad]

I know what you mean......I really do.

The promotion itself has no effect on how the team makes decisions about players in terms of scouting....the product on the field. Losing Marv will have some effect and I did ask that same question; how much will losing Marv effect our player decisions?

Why wouldn't you want someone who knows how to market, be in charge of marketing? If anything, Brandon is taking more responsibility away from Ralph Wilson, which would be seen by many as a good thing. It appears as though he will have no real say in personnel matters.

Hiring someone from the outside is never a guaranteed positive. If you like the way this group has been building the team since Donahoe left (I know I do, anyway) then why mess with a good thing? If this team is serious about continuing and finishing what they started, it will show over the course of the offseason.Maybe I am jumping to conclusions. I don't really have a firm grasp on what these guys do specifically.

It isn't as clear as it is after a game, but it feels like a loss.

[raphael120]

So the guy that has done such a great job of selling the crap that Buffalo has put on the field for the past 11 years is getting a promotion.

Well, it makes sense.

If he can keep making money off of this crap franchise then how can you blame them. For as many times as people say Ralph is stupid, I think the fans that have continued to put up with it sometimes and keep going to the games may be the ones with the wool over their eyes.

Lesson?

This crap sells, and Ralph has the people in place to keep making money off it.

[Nighthawk]

Just saw this on ESPN and didnt see anyone post it yet-

Buffalo Bills (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=buf) owner Ralph Wilson will stay in-house to fill its top front-office vacancy, ESPN.com has learned through multiple league and team sources, and Bills executive vice president of business operations Russ Brandon has emerged as the frontrunner.


The opening was created when Marv Levy stepped down as general manager two weeks ago. A Hall of Fame coach who led the Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances, Levy had come out of retirement two years ago to serve as the Bills' general manager.
The team likely will announce Levy's successor next week.
Brandon has worked for the Bills for 11 years, and in 2006 was appointed to his current position, in which he joined Levy in overseeing the club's front-office operations.
If Brandon does land the job, as anticipated, it will probably result in a reconfiguration of the Bills' front-office structure. Because his background is more in the business and marketing side of the organization, and he does not have direct experience in personnel matters, it is unlikely Brandon will receive the title of general manager.
He would report directly to Wilson, however, and would be ranked below only the Buffalo owner in the front-office structure.



http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3193278


I really didnt think Russ Brandon would become a canidate - he has almost no experience in the personnel department

That makes him a perfect fit for the most mediocre organization in the NFL.

[BillsFever21]

So... We lose Marv..... and we add no one? No effect? So, you feel Marv did nothing? Can't argue much because I don't exactly know what Marv did, but either way, I was hoping for a positive effect. You know, some kind of positive addition.

I'm not in favor of promoting a guy who specializes in profit, not wins.

That is probably why Ralph hired him. Ralph himself cares more about the profit then the number of wins on the field. They must have a good connection with one another.

If Ralph had a choice between winning 50+ games over the next 5 years along with maybe winning a SB but only breaking even with profits or being a .500 team and making 100 million dollars you know which one he is going to choose. He has made that choice for most of his ownership.

A lot of other winning teams make far less money then Ralph does a year because their money is invested in the players on the field and the people in the front office. Winning is the most important thing to them not counting their millions at the end of every season.

You would think that at Ralph's age and wealth that winning would be the most important. He must be worrying about setting his family up even better after his death.

[Historian]

So the guy that has done such a great job of selling the crap that Buffalo has put on the field for the past 11 years is getting a promotion.

Well, it makes sense.

.

That's about the gut of it.

Welcome to losing 101.

I give up.

[Night Train]

We all know Levy was a hands on GM and busy putting in 16 hour days.Come on.

Ralph can give these folks any titles he wishes and it's no real different than before. We already have Guy running the pro side, Modrak running the college side and Jauron telling them what he needs.

Marv offered input and shook hands.

[Jan Reimers]

We all know Levy was a hands on GM and busy putting in 16 hour days.Come on.

Ralph can give these folks any titles he wishes and it's no real different than before. We already have Guy running the pro side, Modrak running the college side and Jauron telling them what he needs.

Marv offered input and shook hands.
I agree, and would offer that Modrak is a great talent evaluator who should continue to draft well for us. In a situation like this, I think either Jauron or Modrak will emerge as the leader and de facto GM in those rare instances when there is a lack of consensus on personnel issues.

[Michael82]

Marv offered input and shook hands.

That's basically what this whole thing shows. He was nothing more than a figurehead. No wonder he didn't want to come back. He had little to no power. :ill:

[patmoran2006]

Great, our new GM has absolutely no football experience. I know Brandon has done a great job marketing, but how is that going to translate to improving the product on the field by finding players?

Let me give you the easy answer to an excellent question....

Ralph Wilson cares more about a great job marketing than a great product on the field. If this is not living proof, then I do not know what is.

[YardRat]

That is probably why Ralph hired him. Ralph himself cares more about the profit then the number of wins on the field. They must have a good connection with one another.

If Ralph had a choice between winning 50+ games over the next 5 years along with maybe winning a SB but only breaking even with profits or being a .500 team and making 100 million dollars you know which one he is going to choose. He has made that choice for most of his ownership.

A lot of other winning teams make far less money then Ralph does a year because their money is invested in the players on the field and the people in the front office. Winning is the most important thing to them not counting their millions at the end of every season.

You would think that at Ralph's age and wealth that winning would be the most important. He must be worrying about setting his family up even better after his death.

You wouldn't happen to have a link that shows how the teams rank in terms of net profit, would you?

[ParanoidAndroid]

Let me give you the easy answer to an excellent question....

Ralph Wilson cares more about a great job marketing than a great product on the field. If this is not living proof, then I do not know what is.

I'm sorry, but you don't know what you're talking about. Be honest.

[DMBcrew36]

Dick Jauron = coach + GM ... he gets blamed twice as hard if we fall on our faces