The GM announcement

[trapezeus]

I'm so confused on why Jim Kelly and Thurman were there with big smiles for simply Buddy nix. I feel like that is the most telling that the coach hire, whoever that is, will be worth noting.

Buddy on his own couldn't possibly have brought Jim and thurman out. If it's just to show that they are more involved, i'll be disappointed like a 6-10 season with a dud coach that 98% of the fans knew wouldn't be able to do jack.

[patmoran2006]

Because they are paid Bills employees, and thats what their roles are.

Ambassadors to the team

[trapezeus]

but didn't they seem much more excited? like they knew what the plan was and that something was happening behind the scenes?

Perhaps i read too much into things, but they didn't need to send thurman up to the podium. This was the thing that made me feel most positive. the thing that makes me feel the most negative is the 31 years of mostly suckage the bills have caused during my lifetime.

[Nighthawk]

The reason they were there was to show they are behind a very questionable move by this organization. They wanted to put a pretty face on it and some fans will buy into it. IMO, that is why they were there.

[MikeInRoch]

I suppose, if you really think it's a questionable move...

[trapezeus]

The reason they were there was to show they are behind a very questionable move by this organization. They wanted to put a pretty face on it and some fans will buy into it. IMO, that is why they were there.

seems odd for those two though. theyve been the most vocal about how business as usual has made the franchise a joke. So i'd have thought they would have the most intregrity to stand up to same old same old tactics.

Maybe i am just grabbing at thin air, but i really thought that was the sign that there was a bigger project amist.

how would thurman in good faith watch a GM get hired from a very small sampling of only in house guys and say, "yeah, this was a great move." How could he say that "we fans were going to be excited?" it doesn't make sense to me. but perhaps it's just me grabbing at nothing.

[Historian]

Because they've got some history with the guy.

[ddaryl]

I really don't have much issue with Nix being hired as GM.. He has been involved in helping San Diego become a powerhouse.



Career

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (I did not know this, did you )

Nix had a successful college football coaching career with the Chattanooga Mocs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Tennessee_at_Chattanooga), which included the recruitment of Terrell Owens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrell_Owens).
Buffalo Bills

Nix was a regional scout under John Butler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Butler_(American_football)) from 1993 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_NFL_season) to 2000 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_NFL_season) for the Buffalo Bills (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Bills), specializing in the southeast.
San Diego Chargers

Nix left Buffalo with John Butler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Butler_(American_football)) and A. J. Smith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._J._Smith) after the 2000 season. He was initially the Director of Pro Player Personnel (2000-2001), but after Butler died, Smith was promoted to General Manager, and Nix to Assistant General Manager.
Nix's job with the Chargers was to oversee both pro and college scouting and to be one of the main decision makers in each NFL Draft. Nix was a major reason the Chargers turned around from a losing football team to a rebuilt, winning team. In 2004, three players Nix drafted were selected to the 2005 Pro Bowl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Pro_Bowl). In 2005, six players Nix drafted were selected to the 2006 Pro Bowl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Pro_Bowl). In 2006, eleven players Nix drafted were selected to the 2007 Pro Bowl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Pro_Bowl). In 2007, eight players Nix drafted were selected to the 2008 Pro Bowl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Pro_Bowl).

Nix is considered by some<SUP> </SUP>to be one of the top five talent evaluators in the NFL. The Chargers won four out of the last five AFC West (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFC_West) titles with Nix as Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel, in charge of college scouting and instrumental to the decision making process of their NFL drafts.




Overall the guy has experience in finding quality football players, and guess what the Bills need... a talent evaluator, and they got one.


So I do have some confusion as too why Nix would be an upsetting move for some... If his job is to evaluate, draft, and find the occasional FA pickup then do we not have a competent man for the job ???

Now in regards to the HC position I want real proven winning HC experience, but NIX as a GM seems like a move that will definitely upgrade us where we need it... drafting/talent evaluation

[trapezeus]

it just sounded like we already had nix for his expertise. there was no need to promote him....i didn't get the sense he was going to go look for a GM job elsewhere.

I'm ok with him for the time being if it was part of a bigger plan. if it was just business as usual and ralph too afraid to meet with the big names and give up some control, then i have no faith that 2010 will be any different.

[ddaryl]

it just sounded like we already had nix for his expertise. there was no need to promote him....i didn't get the sense he was going to go look for a GM job elsewhere.

I'm ok with him for the time being if it was part of a bigger plan. if it was just business as usual and ralph too afraid to meet with the big names and give up some control, then i have no faith that 2010 will be any different.


Now we have his expertise and HE now he gets final say. Last year he just brought the opinions.. this year he makes the calls... and that is the difference maker we need

Nix was hired in Jan 2009 so he barely had much say in the 2009 draft. He provided data I'm sure, but probably had 0 input on draft day IMO

[trapezeus]

i'm not disagreeing with you daryl, but i think he did have a huge impact in drafting. look at the 2008 class. Reggie corner was the only guy on the field. Look at the 2009 class, Wood and Levtrie look good. Byrd was awesome. Langster showed promise in preseason. Maybin was a waste so far, but there is time next year to see what he's got.

i'm not sure he gets final say. especially if a big name is brought in. i like his eye for talent. i just thought the bills could have at least done a real search and then picked nix.

like i say, if nix is part of the puzzle with a strong coach, i'm on board. if he is suppose to find one of his buddies and get his son hired or some other pal that they think would get a good shot at the bigs, i'm not impressed.

[Throne Logic]

Now we have his expertise and HE now he gets final say. Last year he just brought the opinions.. this year he makes the calls... and that is the difference maker we need

Nix was hired in Jan 2009 so he barely had much say in the 2009 draft. He provided data I'm sure, but probably had 0 input on draft day IMO

That's exactly my thoughts on this.

How could we, as outsiders, have any idea what was really going on in all those meetings? Nix could have been over-ruled by Dick on multiple decisions for all we know. Those inside the game seem to have a great deal of respect for him. He certainly has been involved with successful team building in the past. And, for what it's worth, seems to be taking the fixing of the Bills very seriously so far.

I'm not sure what people really wanted around here. Who could come in as GM with a concrete history of success? Holmgren? I wouldn't consider him an upgrade. Shanahan? No thanks. I don't like the same person in the GM and Coaches role - too many responsibilities to be able to focus enough on either job. Besides, Shanahan hasn't done much since Elway retired. Who else?

I think the Nix promotion was a smart move. Just because he happened to already be on staff, doesn't necessarily imply this is the same old crappy Bills business as usual.

[trapezeus]

i agree...but given their track record of just going internal, you hvae to wonder why it wasn't opened to ron wolf and charlie casserly and likes like that. just for the interview. Ralph's speech on he didn't know names so he cut the list was a little disheartening.

I'll say nix was new and hasn't been here for 10 years, and i think the good picks the bills made in 2009 were probably more due to him.

[BoyILuvLoznStupidly]

One thing is for sure, I heard the name Cowher more times from Buddy, Kelly, and Thurman during the presser then on the zone.