Billick assembling staff already for Bills job?

[T-Long]

Per Paul Hamilton...

http://www.wgr550.com/Is-Billick-rea...ffalo-/6030763

Paul Hamilton Reporting

One league source has told me that Brian Billick is already assembling a staff to come to Buffalo. There are two ways this could be going. Is he putting together a staff because the Bills have hired him as head coach or is he putting together a staff so he's ready if the Bills want to hire him as head coach?

Yahoo sports reported on Saturday that Billick will interview this week. He was quoted as saying he hadn't talked to the Bills yet.

Last month Billick said on the NFL Network, "Why would anybody want the Buffalo job", but obviously that's changed.

[Demon]

Very very interesting.

[Slim]

This is out of the blue. i thought the billick comments were renegged on yesterday?

[DraftBoy]

I do not want Billick here.

[patmoran2006]

What would you guys think of that?

[THATHURMANATOR]

While I like Billick and he is a HUUUUGE upgrade over Jauron. I would be majorly dissapointed not getting Cowher.

[DraftBoy]

What would you guys think of that?

I think Id want to throw up to be perfectly frank, a lot would depend on the staff obviously, but he low on my list.

[ptd86]

don't want billick

[Nighthawk]

I'd rather have Cowher or Schottenheimer, but I would be Ok with Billick. He is a good HC and he has won in this league. His history developing QB's is not something that gets me excited, but I would not hate that hire.

[trapezeus]

with or without cowher, i don't want billick. he's an offense guy and his offenses suck. he didn't get more out of baltimore...he got exactly what the talent provided.

Buffalo isn't going to be good for him. I'd rather go coordinator route than Billick.

Big name is not important to me. getting the best coach possible is. Cowher is first, and then i'd rather look at up and coming OC/DC's.

[Demon]

I would love the Billick hiring. The more it looks like Cowher was using us as leverage and by being the only team out there, he said thanks, no thanks.

I wonder who WGR's source is? Thurman Thomas maybe.....

[clumping platelets]

Billick :puke:

[Don't Panic]

Wasn't there mention of Billick doing some Bills bashing on the air as recently as a week ago? Any Zoners remember that? I was lukewarm before then, cold after. Bottom line - dude had Ozzie assembling the team, including one of the greatest defenses of all time. In his time there, he never developed a QB... and his specialty is offense. I don't see it... and I hope these reports are wrong.

[PECKERWOOD]

He wouldn't be the worst hire, but why hire him before you get a chance to interview Rivera, Grimm & Frazier?

[RockStar36]

When I first went on a rant about only wanting a coach with a SB victory on their resume, I think Billick was the last person on that list.

Not really impressed with this if it's true.

[mikemac2001]

Cowher
(FOX 2 if he gets fired)
Shotty
Grimm
Billick

[patmoran2006]

I'll be honest, while Paul Hamilton is the man over at WGR and could very well be right, I've heard nothing from Nix or any of the actual Bills people that I communicate with about Billick.

in fact, the guy from yahoo sports (Cole) is the only bit of Billick I've heard.

Of course who knows, cant tap phones at OBD, though that would be fun.

This move would surprise me, as he is not a name I've heard associated with by anyone involving the BIlls

[bigbub2352]

Billick knows how to put a staff together
and won a ring
that is better to me than an unproven cordinator who is hot
just my opinion
Billick put together one of the best Ds of all time as well
get him a solid OC and we are in business he at least has a plan hopefully

[Nighthawk]

I'll be honest, while Paul Hamilton is the man over at WGR and could very well be right, I've heard nothing from Nix or any of the actual Bills people that I communicate with about Billick.

in fact, the guy from yahoo sports (Cole) is the only bit of Billick I've heard.

Of course who knows, cant tap phones at OBD, though that would be fun.

This move would surprise me, as he is not a name I've heard associated with by anyone involving the BIlls

And thus the reason I believe it's true...nobody has heard anything about it. Anytime something happens with the Bills, nobody knows or sees it coming.

[JJamezz]

Ugh...

I'd absolutely hate it.. Problem is, Bills fans in general will be satisfied, so from a marketing perspective it's a feasible move (unlike Cam Cameron, Jim Haslett). How much of the Raven's success was his doing - they're doing pretty well w/o him.

And not to blow a single comment out of proportion that T-Long mentioned, but what does it say about a guy that openly badmouths a team and city, but jumps at the opportunity to live and work there. It's not so much the comment that bothers me, but what it says about his character and how much he'd be invested in the team vs. his own legacy and ego.

[Luisito23]

We could a lot worst than Billick!

[Jan Reimers]

In draft lingo, I think Billick has "bust" written all over him.

[trapezeus]

let me put it this way. if billick is the hire, i'm taking donations to put up a billboard that tells Billick to go home. any donors interested?

[justasportsfan]

I'd take Fox over Billick

[Beastie Bills]

oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god!!!

Please let this happen. Billick has been #2 on my list all along (after Gruden).

[Canadian'eh!]

DO. NOT. WANT.

[WeAreArthurMoates]

Hells ya If we don't Cowher, or Marty I'd love Billick.

[Demon]

I want the Bills to get someone who wants to be here. Cowher obviously doesn't. It's between us and CBS and we are losing the battle. I do think he used us as leverage because he knew both Carolina and Tampa wouldn't open, just maybe one of them.

As far as coordinators go. Over Billick? Why? Denver fired Shanahan and hired an offensive guru as head coach, young, up and coming guy who everyone wanted and look how that worked out for them.

[Nighthawk]

I want the Bills to get someone who wants to be here. Cowher obviously doesn't. It's between us and CBS and we are losing the battle. I do think he used us as leverage because he knew both Carolina and Tampa wouldn't open, just maybe one of them.

As far as coordinators go. Over Billick? Why? Denver fired Shanahan and hired an offensive guru as head coach, young, up and coming guy who everyone wanted and look how that worked out for them.

It's a coin flip either way, but I've seen how the hiring of a new guy plays out and I not up for that again. I'd much rather watch a different movie (i.e. - an experience, winning, NFL HC) then to see the same type of movie all over again.

[Demon]

It's a coin flip either way, but I've seen how the hiring of a new guy plays out and I not up for that again. I'd much rather watch a different movie (i.e. - an experience, winning, NFL HC) then to see the same type of movie all over again.

Exactly. Billick made some mistakes in Baltimore. Everyone has. Even Cowher or Shanahan have their defaults. Russ Grimm as popular as he is, did interview for other jobs for HC and was passed over. Not saying anyone who gets passed stinks but he's been passed over.

[HHURRICANE]

At some point beggers can't be choosers.

It at least sounds like the Bills attempted to get both Marty and Cowher.

So you have to ask yourself, do you want a guy that has won a Superbowl as a head coach or a guy that have never been a head coach?

[T-Long]

Guys, the guy has won a Super Bowl. Do you honestly think you want one of these coordinators that haven't won a thing as a head man? Hell No. If you have head coaching experience and success and have led your team or won a Super Bowl, then you are welcome here IMO. I don't care if he has a big ego or not, look at Dick freaking Jauron! Billick is the opposite of that dead corpse! Get it done Buddy!

[madness]

I'll be honest, while Paul Hamilton is the man over at WGR and could very well be right, I've heard nothing from Nix or any of the actual Bills people that I communicate with about Billick.

in fact, the guy from yahoo sports (Cole) is the only bit of Billick I've heard.

Of course who knows, cant tap phones at OBD, though that would be fun.

This move would surprise me, as he is not a name I've heard associated with by anyone involving the BIlls

The way I see it is, he's doing his homework for the interview. If he's serious about this job, he wants to show the GM how prepared and ready he is. Don't forget we've heard the same thing about Cowher too. I don't really know if this is standard protocol but if I was serious about returning to coaching, I'd definitely like to get a jump start on putting my staff together even in the preliminary stages.

[BillsWin]

I like Billick as a head coach and Buddy seems to know what he is doing. I think the pair of them could do just fine.

[mybills]

Where did Zorn go?

[Demon]

The way I see it is, he's doing his homework for the interview. If he's serious about this job, he wants to show the GM how prepared and ready he is. Don't forget we've heard the same thing about Cowher too. I don't really know if this is standard protocol but if I was serious about returning to coaching, I'd definitely like to get a jump start on putting my staff together even in the preliminary stages.

Mort on ESPN said Russ Brandon and Ralph Wilson flew to North Carolina a week ago to meet with Cowher. Besides Sal, nobody even knew the two sides had talked. And nobody knew Brandon/Wilson even flew, unlike when Brandon went to sell the job to Mike Shanahan.

The Bills and Billick could have had similar talks. Maybe the Bills gave an offer to Cowher and he just wasn't interested? I think Billick and Bills talked about a game plan and maybe he was Buddy Nix's #1 guy to target?

Cole from yahoo sports is one of their top guys. He never gets any inside info wrong, and not just for the NFL. He's reported a lot of breaking news. When i saw Cole report we were in talks with Billick and then saw reports that said that was false, it was either A. Cole was right and others wrong or B. Bills already picked a coach but were waiting to fulfill Rooney rule obligations.

[homeslice5484]

who is going to get better coordiantors? Billick or a first time head coach?

I will take Billick, I think.

[Philagape]

I don't get the reasoning that he couldn't make lemonade out of lemons at QB. If Bills fans know anything, it's that some QBs just can't be developed. Coaches aren't magicians. He had crap to work with at QB. Boller became the backup for the Rams, that really speaks well of him!
That leads to the line that his GM got him great defensive players ... by that same reasoning, they got him crappy QBs. People credit the FO for his success on one side and then blame Billick for failure on the other.
Double standard.

[BillsWin]

Isn't Zorn an offensive guru?

Billick + Zorn?

[Demon]

Where did Zorn go?

Zorn got fired by Washington.

I do know Zorn is friends with Billick. I doubt Billick brings him as a O.C. but maybe as a QB coach?

[mybills]

Zorn got fired by Washington.

I do know Zorn is friends with Billick. I doubt Billick brings him as a O.C. but maybe as a QB coach?
I know he got fired from Wash..that's why I asked where he went.

[Demon]

I know he got fired from Wash..that's why I asked where he went.

I heard he got fired at 4am and had to clean out his office at that point, so he probably cleaned his office, went to DD for coffee then took his wife for breakfest at dennys. Now, he's sleeping like a baby.

.... unless Billick called and woke him up. lol

[bigbub2352]

Any coach u put up to the block there will be detractors from
Cowher took like 14 years to win a superbowl and tried to pass off Kordell Stewart and tommy maddux as NFL QBs
Shanahan same thing after losing Elway didnt do much in denver that other established coachs didnt do
i think u have to look at it that Billick has been to the dance and won knows how to put together a staff and would come in here with a REAL plan not like Greg williams

Just saying Billick would also attract other assistant coachs to come here and that is all part of why he was successful

at this point we need to change up the whole roster and if i had someone out there who built one of the best Ds of all time available? why not give him a shot cant do worse than the last 10yrs
Even Jim Kelly in his interveiw said Defense wins championships

[mybills]

4 am? lol..what if they hire Zorn instead of Billick..he must have known he was getting the boot..maybe they've already had contact with him.

[Demon]

4 am? lol..what if they hire Zorn instead of Billick..he must have known he was getting the boot..maybe they've already had contact with him.

You'd think. According to Sunday night football Zorn said he has heard nothing to suggest he was getting fired. When the plane landed in D.C. he was told the news to clean his office out. Approx at 4am. Crazy... lol

[BillsWin]

I think we can do much worse than a Super Bowl winning coach who put together arguably one of the best defenses of all time and won said Super Bowl without a QB worth remembering.

[Demon]

Wonder if he recruits Adalius Thomas from the Pats? He was a beast in Baltimore under Billick and struggled in Boston and recently has been in Belly's dog house.

[mybills]

You'd think. According to Sunday night football Zorn said he has heard nothing to suggest he was getting fired. When the plane landed in D.C. he was told the news to clean his office out. Approx at 4am. Crazy... lol
According to Eb's thread in the nfl forum, he's been expecting it for months. I heard about it Sunday afternoon. :idunno:

[Jeff1220]

Overall, I do not like Brian Billick as a HC.
He made many of the same crappy calls (run, run, pass, punt) and horrible clock/time-out management that we've become frustrated with over the past decade of incompetent HCs in Buffalo.

Boller was his hand-picked young QB (against Ozzie's draft choices) and he turned out to be a huge bust.


The best things I can say about Billick are that:

1. He has a firey attitude that his players feed off of - it gives the team an identity.

2. He lets his coordinators do their jobs, but will step in if they're not doing it well (he took over play calling duties in Baltimore a couple of times when the offense was struggling).

[Buckets]

Anybody rember the last HC candidate that came in here with all his assistants listed and graded? Greg Williams was so organized Ralph gave him the job. This does not impress me

[Philagape]

Boller was his hand-picked young QB (against Ozzie's draft choices) and he turned out to be a huge bust.



Link?

[Demon]

Wonder if Billick can bring Jim Fassel in as O.C.?

[Historian]

And not to blow a single comment out of proportion that T-Long mentioned, but what does it say about a guy that openly badmouths a team and city, but jumps at the opportunity to live and work there. It's not so much the comment that bothers me, but what it says about his character and how much he'd be invested in the team vs. his own legacy and ego.

Jm Kelly did it.

[Jeff1220]

Link?

Billick had a bunch of QBs that sucked and blamed the offense's failures on the position, so appealed to Newsome and Co. to let him get the QB he desires in the draft. This was pretty common knowledge around here (Baltimore area) - he even earned the nickname Kyle "My Man" Boller because he was Billick's guy. Anyway, the best corroboration I can find in a link at this point is here:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/saraceno/2005-10-11-keeping-score_x.htm

In 2003, the Ravens — in essence, Billick — traded a second-round pick and a No. 1 in 2004 to move up to draft Boller, who had one solid season at Cal and suddenly was selected 19th overall.

and here's a good article by Mike Preston (Baltimore Sun) as to what led to Billick's downfall in Baltimore:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bal-sp.preston01jan01,0,1815687.column

[Jeff1220]

Wonder if Billick can bring Jim Fassel in as O.C.?

That was pretty disasterous in Baltimore - he was one of the OCs that Billick stripped of play calling duties because of sucktitude.

[Nighthawk]

Billick had a bunch of QBs that sucked and blamed the offense's failures on the position, so appealed to Newsome and Co. to let him get the QB he desires in the draft. This was pretty common knowledge around here (Baltimore area) - he even earned the nickname Kyle "My Man" Boller because he was Billick's guy. Anyway, the best corroboration I can find in a link at this point is here:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/saraceno/2005-10-11-keeping-score_x.htm


and here's a good article by Mike Preston (Baltimore Sun) as to what led to Billick's downfall in Baltimore:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bal-sp.preston01jan01,0,1815687.column

I just looked over them quickly, but where does it say in either one of those that Billick was the one who made Newsome pick Boller and Newsome was against it?