BBD: Bills Announce Culture Change [Archive] - BillsZone.com

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 04:30 PM

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8799106/ralph-wilson-buffalo-bills-owner-cedes-full-control-team-russ-brandon

Besides getting the title of "President," what exactly has changed again? Brandon is still reporting to Wilson, so really, nothing has changed.

-Bill

Wilson is no longer needed for any kind of final approval. How are people not understanding how big of a change this is?

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DB, what are your thoughts on RB as leader/face for the franchise?

I think you have a young, smart, and passionate guy leading this team now. Brandon is well regarded around the NFL and he wants nothing more than to keep this team in Buffalo and for it become a winner again. You can't ask for much more than that right now.

bf1

01-01-2013, 04:31 PM

I'll believe it when I see it. There is zero reason for me to believe that there will be any culture change.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 04:49 PM

Wilson is no longer needed for any kind of final approval. How are people not understanding how big of a change this is?

Right... And Brandon doesn't have anything to do with the "football" side of things, either. Remember when they tried to shovel that **** on when Nix was hired? Sorry, I don't buy any of it.

I think you have a young, smart, and passionate guy leading this team now. Brandon is well regarded around the NFL and he wants nothing more than to keep this team in Buffalo and for it become a winner again. You can't ask for much more than that right now.

I don't recall anyone in the NFL ever saying that Brandon was "well regarded." If he's so interested in keeping the Bills in Buffalo, why did he start selling games off to Toronto, when it's quite obvious that nobody (fans and players) likes it at all? The only person that benefitted from the entire Series was Ralph Wilson, by pocketing $78 million. It didn't "regionalize" the team at all... Hell, there were more fans of other teams in the SkyDome than there were Bills fans. Yet, after 5 years of it failing, Brandon will likley double down on it and extend the Series.

Thus far, the only positive I see out of this is that Brandon could be the next out the door if he doesn't produce results on the football field.

By the way, your article is wrong... The relocation fee is $400 million, not $500 million.

-Bill

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 04:57 PM

Right... And Brandon doesn't have anything to do with the "football" side of things, either. Remember when they tried to shovel that **** on when Nix was hired? Sorry, I don't buy any of it.

Name one decision you can prove Brandon had to do with since Nix has been named GM? Ill wait.

I don't recall anyone in the NFL ever saying that Brandon was "well regarded." If he's so interested in keeping the Bills in Buffalo, why did he start selling games off to Toronto, when it's quite obvious that nobody (fans and players) likes it at all? The only person that benefitted from the entire Series was Ralph Wilson, by pocketing $78 million. It didn't "regionalize" the team at all... Hell, there were more fans of other teams in the SkyDome than there were Bills fans. Yet, after 5 years of it failing, Brandon will likley double down on it and extend the Series.

Thus far, the only positive I see out of this is that Brandon could be the next out the door if he doesn't produce results on the football field.

Because he understands business and that regionalization is the only way to keep the team viable given its current disaster. That move has netted the Bills millions, its one of the most successful business moves any NFL team has made. We should double down on the series, are you kidding me. Its 75-100 million for the team, especially if you expect Ralph to even consider financing part of a new stadium.

The fee is $500 million, 400 to Erie County and 100 to NFL.

By the way, your article is wrong... The relocation fee is $400 million, not $500 million.

coastal

01-01-2013, 05:05 PM

Here's a culture that won't change next year... missing the playoffs.

Wolffman

01-01-2013, 05:09 PM

For the naysayers:

What exactly, up to this point, should they have done to show a "real culture change"?

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:10 PM

Here's a culture that won't change next year... missing the playoffs.

Short sighted views are what have hurt this team the most.

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:11 PM

For the naysayers:

What exactly, up to this point, should they have done to show a "real culture change"?

Sign a new lease locking them into WNY
Remove a meddling owner

Wait a second...

The only thing they haven't done that many wanted was to remove the GM. Which will happen right after the draft per La Canfora.

coastal

01-01-2013, 05:16 PM

For the naysayers:

What exactly, up to this point, should they have done to show a "real culture change"?
The team needs to be sold.

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Short sighted views are what have hurt this team the most.
I love me a 3 year rebuild.

Novacane

01-01-2013, 05:21 PM

For the naysayers:

What exactly, up to this point, should they have done to show a "real culture change"?

Not leave the press conference to go interview a loser! I realize Wisnehunt has worked for an organization that may be worse than ours so it may not be his fault. I don't care. Not a good start if you just finished a PC about "real culture change"

Typ0

01-01-2013, 05:22 PM

I think things are really different. No real coach is going to want to come here if he constantly has to give Wilson updates and take feedback on what to do. That is total BS. They have a much better chance of getting a good coaching staff now. People forget Mularkey ran like hell from this team. There is a reason for that it just was a bad situation for a coach.

It's not easy to change a culture but today was a step in that direction. Now the proper hires will further that goal....

Typ0

01-01-2013, 05:23 PM

Not leave the press conference to go interview a loser! I realize Wisnehunt has worked for an organization that may be worse than ours so it may not be his fault. I don't care. Not a good start if you just finished a PC about "real culture change"

Where do you get the idea he was leaving the presser to interview Wisenhunt though?

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 05:23 PM

Name one decision you can prove Brandon had to do with since Nix has been named GM? Ill wait.

Keeping Nix, for one.

Second, it's been noted that he'll be making the trips to interview the potential next Head Coaches. Or are picking a Head Coach and deciding the fate of the GM not "football decisions"?

Because he understands business and that regionalization is the only way to keep the team viable given its current disaster. That move has netted the Bills millions, its one of the most successful business moves any NFL team has made. We should double down on the series, are you kidding me. Its 75-100 million for the team, especially if you expect Ralph to even consider financing part of a new stadium.

"Netted the Bills millions"? No. Netted RALPH WILSON millions. Again, the "regionalization" didn't work, it takes a home game from the team and the crowds favor the opposing team more than the home team. As for it being a "successful business move," ask the Rogers group how successful it was, when they were giving away tickets, just to make the stadium look full. Sucessful for Wilson's wallet? Yes. From any other angle, it was a disaster.

I honestly don't beleive that Wilson will have any part of financing a new stadium, anyway. Hell, he got $78 million from the Toronto Series and he is only putting $35,455,000 into the RWS renovation... That's less than half of what he made out of the deal.

Besides, if Brandon "understands business" so well, he should know that the #1 thing that sells tickets is a winning team on the field. Yet, he's been here since 1997 and they have only had a winning season once since then.

As far as the Relocation fee, last I knew, the relocation fee just to the NFL was $275 million... Granted, that was a couple years back, but I would figure that number would only go up, not down.

-Bill

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:23 PM

The team needs to be sold.

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I love me a 3 year rebuild.

Like I said short sighted issues that have become a plague with this fan base.

Novacane

01-01-2013, 05:26 PM

Where do you get the idea he was leaving the presser to interview Wisenhunt though?

I'm going on what's being reported. It could be bs press I know. Maybe it is all a cover to interview Chip Kelly while in AZ. That would be awesome!

coastal

01-01-2013, 05:26 PM

Like I said short sighted issues that have become a plague with this fan base.
How is understanding the need for ownership change short sited?

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:27 PM

How is understanding the need for ownership change short sited?

Its not but its also unrealistic so asking for is pointless. You just got what you asked for as Wilson has no say in the Bills decisions, but you can't see that.

coastal

01-01-2013, 05:35 PM

Its not but its also unrealistic so asking for is pointless. You just got what you asked for as Wilson has no say in the Bills decisions, but you can't see that.
I've consistently been out here saying Brandon needs to go.

he just got "promoted".

Typ0

01-01-2013, 05:39 PM

I have been on the fence that the problem is either Brandon or Wilson or both of them together. Today they did the very thing necessary to find the problem. Got to give them Kudo's for that!

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 05:39 PM

For the naysayers:

What exactly, up to this point, should they have done to show a "real culture change"?

I won't even go with the obvious: Selling the team to a local owner who gives a **** about winning and will keep the team in WNY.

Here's my answer: Guarantee success.

Something like, if the Bills only win 50% of their home games and don't make the playoffs, season ticket holders get 50% of their money back.

Or, set aside a specific home game (the one against the Patriots would be ideal). If the Bills lose, everyone gets a refund.

It's been done before, so that wipes out the whole "no team would ever do that" theory: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8693660/phoenix-suns-offer-fans-money-back-fun-guarantee

On Dec. 6, the Phoenix Suns will be the first team in NBA history to guarantee its fans that they will have fun at the game or they can get their money back.

The Suns aren't doing anything special Dec. 6. They're not offering concessions at special prices or featuring a famous performer at halftime. They're not connecting any sort of rebate with winning, the way other teams who have missed the playoffs have done for season-ticket holders.

What the team does every home game is enough, the Suns believe, to get someone to sample what they have to offer. And if they don't like it, they can get their money back in its entirety. Simply fill out an online form and send it in with your ticket.

"We know there's a risk to this," Rowley said. "But all we're doing is standing behind my product."

Question for any season ticket holders: Have you ever been offered a percentage off for renewing (or money back from the previous season) when the Bills didn't make the playoffs? Basd on the above, other teams do this.

If Russ Brandon is such a "marketing genius" and really "has full control," why not do something like this?

-Bill

Typ0

01-01-2013, 05:40 PM

and I will add if Wilson is the problem then firing Brandon doesn't address the problem and Wilson can't get out. Where we are today is so much further ahead of where we were yesterday...

Typ0

01-01-2013, 05:42 PM

I won't even go with the obvious: Selling the team to a local owner who gives a **** about winning and will keep the team in WNY.

Here's my answer: Guarantee success.

Something like, if the Bills only win 50% of their home games and don't make the playoffs, season ticket holders get 50% of their money back.

Or, set aside a specific home game (the one against the Patriots would be ideal). If the Bills lose, everyone gets a refund.

It's been done before, so that wipes out the whole "no team would ever do that" theory: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8693660/phoenix-suns-offer-fans-money-back-fun-guarantee

If Russ Brandon is such a "marketing genius" and really "has full control," why not do something like this?

-Bill

you can't compare the NBA to the NFL. Apples to oranges.

Wolffman

01-01-2013, 05:43 PM

I should have used the word "realistic".

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:44 PM

I've consistently been out here saying Brandon needs to go.

he just got "promoted".

As he should of been. No reason to get rid of Brandon, he has been a success in his role since getting him out of Football Ops.

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:45 PM

I won't even go with the obvious: Selling the team to a local owner who gives a **** about winning and will keep the team in WNY.

You have that EXACT thing now in Brandon, he's local, passionate and a wants to win. You were never going to get an ownership change but you get everything else but you're still not happy.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 05:46 PM

you can't compare the NBA to the NFL. Apples to oranges.

Sure I can. It'a pro sport. My guess is, the NFL teams make far more than their NBA counterparts.

If an NBA team can afford to do it, certainly an NFL team could.

Besides, what's the risk? With Brandon in charge and Ralph not in the picture, everything is gonna be great, right?

Let's see Brandon put his balls on the line. Let's see how much he believes his own bull****.

-Bill

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:48 PM

cookie G

01-01-2013, 05:48 PM

For the naysayers:

What exactly, up to this point, should they have done to show a "real culture change"?

Show a commitment to improving the product as opposed to the marketing of the product?

Marketing hasn't been an issue for more than a decade. And for that, Brandon gets props.

On the other hand, the product itself IS the issue, and has been for more than a decade. One of the biggest complaints about this organization, rightly or wrongly, is that people are encouraged, if not expected to accept this inferior product.

How does appointing your top salesman as head of the operation, instead of a top football person, "change this culture"?

Does it change it, or does it perpetuate the same complaint people have been making for a decade?

Had they announced that Polian was returning, or that they somehow stole Ozzie Newsome from Baltimore, you can argue that this is a culture change.

If nothing else, the move indicates where their priorities lie.

We'll see what he does. He's shown no commitment to improving the product as of yet.

coastal

01-01-2013, 05:48 PM

In order for any company to be successful longterm, sales and operations don't work in silos.

they work hand in hand.

right now sales is the only thing valued by Ralph. He proved that with today's circus.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 05:49 PM

You have that EXACT thing now in Brandon, he's local, passionate and a wants to win. You were never going to get an ownership change but you get everything else but you're still not happy.

So, Brandon owns the team now? It's NOT the exact thing. It's not even CLOSE. it's just Ralph's long-time "yes man" getting another promotion after another failed season and another failed coach.

I also will GUARANTEE that there will be an ownership change. Ralph will die someday, likely sooner than later. My guess is, with a new owner, Brandon will be shown the door as well, because he's part of the problem, not the solution.

-Bill

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:50 PM

So, Brandon owns the team now? It's NOT the exact thing. It's not even CLOSE. it's just Ralph's long-time "yes man" getting another promotion after another failed season and another failed coach.

I also will GUARANTEE that there will be an ownership change. Ralph will die someday, likely sooner than later. My guess is, with a new owner, Brandon will be shown the door as well, because he's part of the problem, not the solution.

-Bill

Who is the one with final authority now? That's all that matters.

You can assume whatever you want, I'd prefer to deal with the reality that is today and today is a great day.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 05:52 PM

Wait...what?

Pretty self-explanatory. NFL teams are pro teams, as are NBA teams. Therefore they can be compared.

If an NBA team, who makes less money than an NFL team, can offer a "guarantee" promotion like the Phoenix Suns did, certainly, an NFL team can offer it as well. They simply choose not to.

-Bill

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 05:53 PM

Pretty self-explanatory. NFL teams are pro teams, as are NBA teams. Therefore they can be compared.

If an NBA team, who makes less money than an NFL team, can offer a "guarantee" promotion like the Phoenix Suns did, certainly, an NFL team can offer it as well. They simply choose not to.

-Bill

No they can't. That's a ridiculous over simplification of the two.

Novacane

01-01-2013, 05:56 PM

Who is the one with final authority now? That's all that matters.

You can assume whatever you want, I'd prefer to deal with the reality that is today and today is a great day.

That remains to be seen.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 05:57 PM

Who is the one with final authority now? That's all that matters.

You can assume whatever you want, I'd prefer to deal with the reality that is today and today is a great day.

The one with final authority is and has been Ralph Wilson. My first post here: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8799106/ralph-wilson-buffalo-bills-owner-cedes-full-control-team-russ-brandon

Owner Ralph Wilson, 94, relinquished his title as team president to Brandon, who already held the title of CEO. In his new role, Brandon will report directly to Wilson.

If you're reporting to someone, you don't have "full authority." If you did, you wouldn't report to anyone.

We'll see how "great" today is when the Bills hire a Head Coach. We'll see how "great" today is when we're seeing whether or not the Bills are in the Playoff Picture at the end of the 2013 season. We'll see how "great" today is if we're talkning about hiring yet another Head Coach after another failed 3 seasons for the 2016 season.

You have hope on your side. I have history on mine. We'll see which one wins out.

-Bill

coastal

01-01-2013, 05:59 PM

Today was a PR stunt.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 06:03 PM

No they can't. That's a ridiculous over simplification of the two.

Again, if an NBA team can afford to take a risk like that, then so can an NFL team.

Besides, if there's such a "culture change," the Bills will win the "guarantee" game (or meet whatever "guarantee" they put out) and nobody will care about a refund.

Like I said, let's see them put their balls on the line. Until they back it up, it's all talk. The same talk we've heard for the better part of 53 seasons.

Most times, the Bills haven't backed up their talk. I don't expect much different this time. They'll have to prove me wrong.

-Bill

Typ0

01-01-2013, 06:06 PM

Sure I can. It'a pro sport. My guess is, the NFL teams make far more than their NBA counterparts.

If an NBA team can afford to do it, certainly an NFL team could.

Besides, what's the risk? With Brandon in charge and Ralph not in the picture, everything is gonna be great, right?

Let's see Brandon put his balls on the line. Let's see how much he believes his own bull****.

-Bill

The risk is amount of tickets sold because of the ### Of games on the schedule...and that there are a lot less repeat ticket buyers in the NFL than the NBA. In other words, you could only claim one time you didn't like the product to a game...and there are a lot more tickets being sold to NBA games because there are 41 home games compared to 8 in the NFL. I did a rough calculation and came up with roughly one million more tickets sold to an NBA venue than an NFL one.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 06:15 PM

The risk is amount of tickets sold because of the ### Of games on the schedule...and that there are a lot less repeat ticket buyers in the NFL than the NBA. In other words, you could only claim one time you didn't like the product to a game...and there are a lot more tickets being sold to NBA games because there are 41 home games compared to 8 in the NFL. I did a rough calculation and came up with roughly one million more tickets sold to an NBA venue than an NFL one.

We all know ticket sales don't mean **** in the NFL... The real money is in the TV contracts. Those pay every dime of the players' salaries and then some.

Ticket sales are pure profit. Refunding tickets for one game would only hurt the owner's wallet.

Besides, like I said, if the team meets the conditions of the promotion that they put out, it wouldn't be an issue.

-Bill

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 06:18 PM

The one with final authority is and has been Ralph Wilson. My first post here: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8799106/ralph-wilson-buffalo-bills-owner-cedes-full-control-team-russ-brandon

If you're reporting to someone, you don't have "full authority." If you did, you wouldn't report to anyone.

We'll see how "great" today is when the Bills hire a Head Coach. We'll see how "great" today is when we're seeing whether or not the Bills are in the Playoff Picture at the end of the 2013 season. We'll see how "great" today is if we're talkning about hiring yet another Head Coach after another failed 3 seasons for the 2016 season.

You have hope on your side. I have history on mine. We'll see which one wins out.

-Bill

That link does not say what you're trying to make it say.

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Again, if an NBA team can afford to take a risk like that, then so can an NFL team.

Besides, if there's such a "culture change," the Bills will win the "guarantee" game (or meet whatever "guarantee" they put out) and nobody will care about a refund.

Like I said, let's see them put their balls on the line. Until they back it up, it's all talk. The same talk we've heard for the better part of 53 seasons.

Most times, the Bills haven't backed up their talk. I don't expect much different this time. They'll have to prove me wrong.

-Bill

Who cares what somebody can afford to do? That doesn't make the sports at all comparable which is what you said they were.

psubills62

01-01-2013, 06:21 PM

Well, you have to start somewhere. Just have to see where this goes.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 06:26 PM

That link does not say what you're trying to make it say.

Pretty clear what it says to me... Brandon reports directly to Wilson, as he always has.

Who cares what somebody can afford to do? That doesn't make the sports at all comparable which is what you said they were.

It's called putting your balls on the line. Standing behind your product. Being accountable.

You're right, in the case of the Bills, it's not comparable. The Bills don't put their balls on the line, don't stand behind their product and certainly aren't accountable.

Hell, in recent years, the Bills have shown how accountable they are by promotiong one of the people who many feel is a part of the problem, while the team hasn't made the playoffs in the 21st Century.

-Bill

DraftBoy

01-01-2013, 06:37 PM

Pretty clear what it says to me... Brandon reports directly to Wilson, as he always has.

Which in no way disputes the fact that it is now Brandon and not Wilson who holds all authority to make decision with regards to the team.

It's called putting your balls on the line. Standing behind your product. Being accountable.

You're right, in the case of the Bills, it's not comparable. The Bills don't put their balls on the line, don't stand behind their product and certainly aren't accountable.

Hell, in recent years, the Bills have shown how accountable they are by promotiong one of the people who many feel is a part of the problem, while the team hasn't made the playoffs in the 21st Century.

No its called you can't compare two sports just because they are both professional leagues. That's asinine.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 06:52 PM

Which in no way disputes the fact that it is now Brandon and not Wilson who holds all authority to make decision with regards to the team.

If he "holds all authority," he wouldn't be reporting to anyone.

No its called you can't compare two sports just because they are both professional leagues. That's asinine.

Like I said, it's not even about comparing the NFL to the NBA. The Suns, apparently, are willing to put their product to the test and guarantee a fun time. Why can't the Bills do something like that? Especially if they feel the "culture" has changed? The publicity they would get from such a promotion would almost assuredly guarantee more ticket sales.

I posted this a while back, but here it is again. It's from January 20, 1969: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082018/5/index.htm

A man who maintains a large stable of racehorses and has owned a share of the Detroit Lions (with his father) plus a piece of the collapsed Detroit soccer franchise, Wilson is not given to dilettantish dabbling in sports. His AFL team is a profitable enterprise, and he means to keep it that way, even if it means moving to the Yukon. "Buffalo is an excellent sports town, like all major Great Lakes cities, and I don't regret for a minute having located the Bills there, but now they've got to move ahead, develop for the future."

While acknowledging Buffalo's image problem, Wilson firmly denies that it is that bad. "Buffalonians will support a loser as well as any city, and our attendance the past two years has proved it. Despite a losing 1967 season we sold 22,000 season tickets this year, and I'd expect sales to go as high as 45,000 with a new stadium. The city's weather is no worse than a number of other big-league towns, although it does get a lot of snow after the 15th of November—when it doesn't really matter."

This article, written over 40 years ago, might as well have been written yesterday. Wilson's #1 goal has and always will be making a profit. He knows that "Buffalonians will support a loser," because hell, that's mostly what the Bills have been in their entire existence. He also mentiones that the weather "doesn't really matter" after November 15th... Why doesn't it matter? After all, the football season does and always has gone after November 15th... Unless he's talking about playoffs or needing to sell tickets after November 15th not mattering...

Yet, after 50 plus years, when Wilson supposedly "hands the keys over," it's not to a football guy... It's his marketing guy. The guy who sells the Bills to the fans... The guy that makes sure that Wilson continues to make a profit, regardless of how ****ty the on-field product is.

But really, why should we be surprised? After all, Wilson's #1 priority is making sure the Bills make a profit... Everything else, including success on the field, is secondary, as it has been for 53 years.

Again, you have hope on your side that now, after 50-plus years, things will magically be different. I, on the other hand, have history that says nothing will change. Guess we'll see who's right.

-Bill

X-Era

01-01-2013, 08:31 PM

The one with final authority is and has been Ralph Wilson. My first post here: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8799106/ralph-wilson-buffalo-bills-owner-cedes-full-control-team-russ-brandon

If you're reporting to someone, you don't have "full authority." If you did, you wouldn't report to anyone.

We'll see how "great" today is when the Bills hire a Head Coach. We'll see how "great" today is when we're seeing whether or not the Bills are in the Playoff Picture at the end of the 2013 season. We'll see how "great" today is if we're talkning about hiring yet another Head Coach after another failed 3 seasons for the 2016 season.

You have hope on your side. I have history on mine. We'll see which one wins out.

-Bill
I don't agree.

Russ has full authority. He has full authority to spend money as he chooses and do with the team as he wishes. I'm sure if he starts to run the team into the red Ralph may take his power back. Ralph can do that. But Russ won't do that and we know that's true because of how Russ operates. I think that will be only way Ralph takes the team back. I don't think it will be if they have more losing seasons actually.

He's giving him full autonomy. That's what it is. Russ will not be asking for permission for any move he makes. That's why this is a new day.

BLeonard

01-01-2013, 09:09 PM

I don't agree.

Russ has full authority. He has full authority to spend money as he chooses and do with the team as he wishes. I'm sure if he starts to run the team into the red Ralph may take his power back. Ralph can do that. But Russ won't do that and we know that's true because of how Russ operates. I think that will be only way Ralph takes the team back. I don't think it will be if they have more losing seasons actually.

He's giving him full autonomy. That's what it is. Russ will not be asking for permission for any move he makes. That's why this is a new day.

I guess we'll see... The first telltale sign, IMO, will be who they interview and then hire as Head Coach.

If Brandon has "complete control" (and specifically, I mean of the checkbook) then paying for coaches should no longer be an issue, meaning that guys like Gruden, Holmgren, Reid and Cowher (the first three have expressed interest in coaching) should all be interviewed. As Brandon said "No stone unturned."

Brandon also said that he was "good friends" with Gruden. So, interviewing him should really be a no-brainer.

If Brandon has "complete control," then Ralph wouldn't have to be "comfortable" with a guy like Marty Schottenheimer, if Marty is still interested in coaching.

If they go out and get some retread, especially one that nobody has on their radar (like they did with Gailey) then it's just more of the same to me and proof that Ralph Wilson still has the ultimate final say on how things are done and more specifically, how the money is spent.

-Bill