Sullivan: Coaches Send Message To Bills

[Night Train]

http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/columns/jerrysullivan/story/926307.html

Can't argue with anything he says. Wilson is killing us.

[Canadian'eh!]

You can't really argue with anything Sullivan says. This team is in a great deal of trouble.

Can't attract coaches, how you gonna attract players?

The worst part is you can't even hope for the day when Wilsonis no longer around to destroy the franchise, because chances are there won't even be one once he's gone.

[Typ0]

the sad thing is Wilson knows this that's why he's been desparate to hire people all along...he just questions whether anyone will even work here. I'm sure he thinks it's because of the city and the weather though...

[YardRat]

I think some of the posters here might want to consider suing Sully for plagiarism. Many of his comments sound like they were lifted right off of these boards.

[Novacane]

Are you saying he is wrong?

[Novacane]

Cue all the Sullivan just hates the Bills posters in 3....2..............1.......

[SABURZFAN]

I think some of the posters here might want to consider suing Sully for plagiarism. Many of his comments sound like they were lifted right off of these boards.


Sully would be reading it from the realists. :bravo:

[BigZ]

I think some of the posters here might want to consider suing Sully for plagiarism. Many of his comments sound like they were lifted right off of these boards.

I agree and was going to post my own comment before I saw yours. Sullivan probably is on this board anonymously and has probably been posting some of those comments himself. Otherwise he got a whole column by just spending about 30 minutes on the board and piecing them all together.

IT IS DEPRESSING AND PROBABLY MOSTLY ACCURATE.

[homeslice5484]

I wish Ralph would just go away and never come back..and whatever happens to the team happens. He will once again steal our money and give us garbage.

[ddaryl]

He will once again steal our money and give us garbage.


Ummm... Not if you don't give it to him...


I haven't bought a single Bills item in over 3 years.


I do subscribe to the Sunday Ticket but that more then likley will be cancelled this season as well.. I will then have no financial involvement with the team or league... I will return when they start playing acting like a franchise dedicated to winning a superbowl

[homeslice5484]

my dad pays for the tickets so we all can spend the day together. Has had season tickets for over 30 years...he wont cancel them and it would just cause an argument if I do not go.

He likes giving his money to the old dumbass. Its hard because I love the enviroment at the stadium and spending the day withi friends and family. But on the other hand we keep showing them that we will pay for garbage.

[jimbohastle51]

the sad thing is a guy like billick, arrogant as he is, is out there basically asking to get a interview and has a staff in place and we wont even look at him. i dont know if its as much we are being turned down or we are not being realistic with the people we interview? Cowher? shot in hell, shotty? advisor at best, shannahan? never was going to come, but needed to drive his price up, shotty Jr.? why would he leave a situation where he has total offensive control in a huge market? garrett and grimm? both these 2 know they will have a HC job, garrett has already turned a few down but when you are turning down the falcons and ravens who have tons of talent you are def not taking the buffalo job. now guys like Billick, Marriucci, Fassell, these are the guys we should have been interviewing all the time. ALL have had post season success and all are offensive coaches. Marriucci is the reason T.O. is T.O. as well as the reason we even know jeff garcia's name. Billick again as arrogant as he is, is a PROVEN winner weather you like how he wins or not he gets to the playoffs almost every year and him and ozzie both did all those great drafts. finally Fassell, sure he had a mess in baltimore but billick doesnt give up power and the last head coaching job fassell had he did pretty good and revived a QB's career (kerry collins), a trait we could use right now.

[Cleve]

It's about time the media started to hold Ralph Wilson responsible for the failures of this organization.

All I've ever seen them do is toss softballs to Wilson, Brandon, and Levy (when he was here). The mainstream sports media should be hammering both Wilson and Brandon at any of their pressers on the various failings of the team.

[elltrain22]

I thought it was about time for another column from Sully on how Ralph is the worst human on earth. With that said, great column

[kelly2reed4six]

I'm not sure if Sullivan hes ever written a more accurate article in his life. That article really puts it into perspective how much of a joke this organization has become.

It's sad.

[Billz_fan]

A great read and all of our thoughts articulated into a wonderful piece on the sad state of a once proud franchise ruined by the very man who brought it to us and kept it here against the odds so many years.

Ralph sadly is our worst enemy as Bills fans. The irony is strong here. Without Ralph we never would have had a team to care about. With Ralph we are destined to be regarded as one of the worst places to work and play in the NFL. It hasn't always been this way. The Bills and Ralph were once just like everyone else in the league.

It is now however more clear than ever and has become undeniable by anyone that Ralph has taken Buffalo off the radar as a possible place for a top tier coach to work in the league. We all started out with such hope when this coaching search began. The names of Shanahan,Cowher, Holmgrean, Gruden and Dungy in all our minds. I don't know any of us that didn't just giggle a little at the possibility of landing one of these guys. Even the most cynical of us were in for a wake up call. Buffalo has indeed bevome the NFL version of Siberia.

This team is going nowhere until Ralph is no longer in charge. Sadly when he does relinquish control that may mean Buffalo no longer has a team. Who knows though, that may turn out better than any of us suspect.

[Historian]

It's about time the media started to hold Ralph Wilson responsible for the failures of this organization.

All I've ever seen them do is toss softballs to Wilson, Brandon, and Levy (when he was here). The mainstream sports media should be hammering both Wilson and Brandon at any of their pressers on the various failings of the team.

Which is why I appreciate Sully.

He's the only objective voice in a town of syncophats.

In fact, after reading this one, I wrote him and told him so.

[Saratoga Slim]

I found the summary of how many coaches and front office guys have left on very bad terms to be particularly troubling. I hadn't really put that together before.

As much as it is hard to argue with anything in that article, I am a little annoyed, that as a fan, Sully couldn't wait until after the hiring process was complete to write something like this. It appears that we need every ounce of good PR we can get right now if we're going to persuade a qualified candidate to take the HC job. Whether or not any of the guys we're after ever read the Buffalo News, Sullivan's timing could have been better.

[bigbub2352]

Spot on as usual
u cant argue that RW is the single problem he cares nothing about what his fans say and continues to rip us off
so lame we are being tortured

[Mad Bomber]

As Grimm says, there are only 32 of "these jobs." But that doesn't make the Bills one of the top 32 jobs in football. If Harbaugh isn't interested in leaving a second-tier college job, that means lots of top college coaches would turn their nose up at Wilson. So the Buffalo job isn't even close.

Ouch.

In 45 years of being a Bills fan, I can't ever remember this franchise being in this much disarray.

[Typ0]

Why should he wait? Every step of the way there is more and more writing on the wall. Wilson needs to be called on it. The bad blood between OBD and the fans should be grown and grown and Wilson's arrogant and ignorant attitude thrown in his face. Potential hires already know all this stuff. It's the fans with the blinders on that need to be woken up they are supporting someone that thinks they are fools.


I found the summary of how many coaches and front office guys have left on very bad terms to be particularly troubling. I hadn't really put that together before.

As much as it is hard to argue with anything in that article, I am a little annoyed, that as a fan, Sully couldn't wait until after the hiring process was complete to write something like this. It appears that we need every ounce of good PR we can get right now if we're going to persuade a qualified candidate to take the HC job. Whether or not any of the guys we're after ever read the Buffalo News, Sullivan's timing could have been better.

[YardRat]

Are you saying he is wrong?

Not really...some of his points are valid, but in all honesty he does tend to take the most negative view possible in most of his columns.

I was just pointing out that his comments are damn close to being word-for-word what some posters here have said. Too close to be coincidence, possibly.

[baalworship]

I am starting to think this is more a vote against Nix than Ralph. Ralph Wilson had no problem interviewing Charlie Weis, Mike Sherman, Marvin Lewis, John Fox, and others recently.

But in 2010 the Bills are getting absolutely shut down when we weren't just a few years ago. Ralph is no more meddlesome than in the past, in fact he is probably less involved. It has to be Nix as the reason why no one wants to come here.

Now there are two ways you can go on this. Either everyone in the NFL knows Nix sucks or it is more a perception issue of a team that hasn't made the playoffs in ten years with a 90 year old owner hiring a 70 year old scout to be GM.

I will keep my fingers crossed that this perception will turn out to be wrong. Afterall, Martz and Billick would come here despite Wilson and Nix. And finally Nix has to be 10 X better than Marv Levy...

[Oldbillsfan]

I think that article came straight from the message boards. it's lame. Jim Harbaugh was offered the job without even an interview? He must be really good.

[Saratoga Slim]

Why should he wait? Every step of the way there is more and more writing on the wall. Wilson needs to be called on it. The bad blood between OBD and the fans should be grown and grown and Wilson's arrogant and ignorant attitude thrown in his face. Potential hires already know all this stuff. It's the fans with the blinders on that need to be woken up they are supporting someone that thinks they are fools.

Show me a fan who has blinders on at this point, after ten years without a playoff appearance. Everybody knows that our ownership leaves a lot to be desired. This coaching search just reinforces that historical fact. Indeed, the fact that qualified people are turning him down has to speak much more loudly to RW than anything Jerry Sullivan could write.

Thus, true or not, I don't really see any positive out of writing an article about how no one should want to coach this team while the front office is simultaneously putting its sales pitch out to the last remaining candidates. What the hell good does that do us? Even assuming the candidates already know that this is a 2nd or 3rd tier HC job, it may not hurt, but it sure doesn't help.

Regardless of what message needs to be sent to Ralph, I'd still like to see a decent coach hired for 2010. If Grimm or Garrett is in Buffalo right now, already hesitent about the opportunity and now reading that editorial in their hotel room, I say Jerry Sullivan deserves a big "f**k you."

[Typ0]

Show me a fan who has blinders on at this point, after ten years without a playoff appearance. Everybody knows that our ownership leaves a lot to be desired. This coaching search just reinforces that historical fact. Indeed, the fact that qualified people are turning him down has to speak much more loudly to RW than anything Jerry Sullivan could write.



A very high percentage of fans are what have you done for me lately. Things are so up in the air right now that there just is not much to feel good about. However, the team serves a purpose in their lives and they will be back on board in a month or so. No matter what the choice is people will be adopting the false hope being sold by OBD and buying up tickets and merchandise. That is what Wilson banks on every year. There really is nothing to speak to Wilson because there is no long term plan he has in place to build up this team. Instead, he's hanging in their till death trying to preserve it's value.

The people on the inside of the NFL belong to a private club. They feel isolated in that way and don't care too much what the media or fans say because they don't see anything as a true threat. That's the culture that's been built in the NFL. Sullivan is not talking to Wilson he's talking to his readers who happen to be the fans. If every time you walked down to 1st and main street you got robbed at gunpoint would you continue to walk there?

[Zero]

Show me a fan who has blinders on at this point, after ten years without a playoff appearance. Everybody knows that our ownership leaves a lot to be desired.

At the begining of this season there were alot of fans with blinders on. In fact people on this board who called themselves "realists" were ostriscized and labled "pessimists" or "negative" and their concerns or complaints disregarded. I wont point fingers but those on this board know which side of the fence they were on.

Now it seems most fans are finally smelling what this franchise has been shoveling down our throat for years. I hope, if anything, that this is a turning point for the better...

[Saratoga Slim]

A very high percentage of fans are what have you done for me lately. Things are so up in the air right now that there just is not much to feel good about. However, the team serves a purpose in their lives and they will be back on board in a month or so. No matter what the choice is people will be adopting the false hope being sold by OBD and buying up tickets and merchandise. That is what Wilson banks on every year. There really is nothing to speak to Wilson because there is no long term plan he has in place to build up this team. Instead, he's hanging in their till death trying to preserve it's value.

The people on the inside of the NFL belong to a private club. They feel isolated in that way and don't care too much what the media or fans say because they don't see anything as a true threat. That's the culture that's been built in the NFL. Sullivan is not talking to Wilson he's talking to his readers who happen to be the fans. If every time you walked down to 1st and main street you got robbed at gunpoint would you continue to walk there?

I don't wholly disagree with your big picture. Ralphie has us in the very ****ty position of having to decide whether to protest his lack of direction by hitting him where it hurts--at the box office--or, to support the team at the box office to help ensure that they remain a viable franchise in Western NY. It sucks.

I'm just saying that there was zero reason that article had to be written THIS week. If there's even a million to one chance that one of our prospective candidates could be influenced by it, then that's really unfortunate. Why provide a nice, neat summary of all the reasons that the front office sucks for the interviewees to review on their way out of town.

[Ebenezer]

Great piece by Sully but some I gave a full list of reasons why RW shouldn't even have been voted in the HoF.

Hope those who disagreed are changed their tune.

http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?t=169638

[YardRat]

Ralph belongs in the HOF, so there's no reason to change any tunes.

[BillsWin]

Did Schefter ever give a reason why Frazier was unlikely to be hired by Buffalo?

[madness]

Great piece by Sully but some I gave a full list of reasons why RW shouldn't even have been voted in the HoF.

Hope those who disagreed are changed their tune.

http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?t=169638

Great piece of crap filled with Sully logic. Garrett can turn down other HC jobs because he is happy where he is but every other single candidate is obviously turning down the job because they don't want to deal a 91 year old owner on his last leg while coaches of Shotty and Cowher stature have nothing but compliments for organization. Let's not forget Nix is bad hire because B. Shotty is happy where he is and his dad wants to stay retired. Funny... wasn't it rumored Marty was going to bring Nix along to Atlanta if he took the job and said it was about time Nix got a shot as a GM?

Brilliant!

[Ebenezer]

Great piece of crap filled with Sully logic. Garrett can turn down other HC jobs because he is happy where he is but every other single candidate is obviously turning down the job because they don't want to deal a 91 year old owner on his last leg while coaches of Shotty and Cowher stature have nothing but compliments for organization. Let's not forget Nix is bad hire because B. Shotty is happy where he is and his dad wants to stay retired. Funny... wasn't it rumored Marty was going to bring Nix along to Atlanta if he took the job and said it was about time Nix got a shot as a GM?

Brilliant!
Explain to me why the Raiders can't get a winning coach...

[madness]

Explain to me why the Raiders can't get a winning coach...

The same reason as the Bills and almost every other team with a losing record.

Patriots, Jets, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Colts, Texans, Chargers, Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings, Packers, Saints, Falcons, Cardinals. What do they all have in common besides a winning record? What position is the most unstable on almost all of the teams with a losing record?

[Saratoga Slim]

The same reason as the Bills and almost every other team with a losing record.

Patriots, Jets, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Colts, Texans, Chargers, Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings, Packers, Saints, Falcons, Cardinals. What do they all have in common besides a winning record? What position is the most unstable on almost all of the teams with a losing record?

ooo, oooo, oooo!! I know! quarterback! quarterback!

[Ebenezer]

The same reason as the Bills and almost every other team with a losing record.

Patriots, Jets, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Colts, Texans, Chargers, Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings, Packers, Saints, Falcons, Cardinals. What do they all have in common besides a winning record? What position is the most unstable on almost all of the teams with a losing record?

I didn't ask why the Bills don't have a winning HC (meaning Williams, Mularkey and Jauron). I am asking why nobody wants to come here to coach. You honestly think that the only reason the Bills are having trouble finding a new coach is because of the QB position?? That's rather naive.

[madness]

I didn't ask why the Bills don't have a winning HC (meaning Williams, Mularkey and Jauron). I am asking why nobody wants to come here to coach. You honestly think that the only reason the Bills are having trouble finding a new coach is because of the QB position?? That's rather naive.

:rofl: I think you better check who's being naive, Mr. Wilson hater. Nobody had a problem with Ralphy when we had a winning franchise QB, now did they?



If Cowher does return to coaching, the Giants already have one ingredient Bettis knows is a prerequisite: Eli Manning.
"That's where he's got his eyes," Bettis said of the Giants. "Let me tell you the one thing I do know. I do know, because he told me, he doesn't want to go anywhere that doesn't have an established quarterback.
"He said he's tired of doing the 'let me find a quarterback' thing because in Pittsburgh he never had a quarterback until [Ben] Roethlisberger and then he was like, 'Hey, I'm ready to go. I finally got a quarterback.' That's not what he's going to do again. He's going to have an established quarterback wherever he goes."


Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/giants/bettis_cowher_giant_in_waiting_68Pd4vhJyflWPhNyH09wlN#ixzz0d0CProFB

[Ebenezer]

:rofl: I think you better check who's being naive, Mr. Wilson hater. Nobody had a problem with Ralphy when we had a winning franchise QB, now did they?


People have had problems with RW all the way back to the beginning of the team...I got it, now....you support RW no matter what...but all you do is knock the Sabres management. Amazing.

[madness]

People have had problems with RW all the way back to the beginning of the team...I got it, now....you support RW no matter what...but all you do is knock the Sabres management. Amazing.

Eb, take a deep breath and walk away from the computer. You obviously have the wrong guy. I don't even watch hockey. :doh:

[Cntrygal]

:sigh:

[Ebenezer]

Eb, take a deep breath and walk away from the computer. You obviously have the wrong guy. I don't even watch hockey. :doh:
doh..my bad...confused the name...apologies, please.