Marrone clashed with team officials, "dared" them to fire him

[Pinkerton Security]

Just got a notification from ScoreMobile that Jason LaCanfora is reporting that Marrone got in a shouting match with team officials and dared them to fire him.

I actually really like Marrone and think he is a solid coach - we are a QB away from being a good team.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-canfora/24695455/buffalo-tension-boils-over-in-shouting-match-for-marrone-bills-officials

[Skooby]

You knew this was over player decisions, which really comes down to the whole Front office needing to be canned. You hired a guy to do a job, then try to micro-manage the event from your position as a boss. What does Brandon know about football anyways, he's a marketing guy & needs to go back to the marketing board.

[better days]

Because I'm sure LaCanfora witnessed this, he should know.

[Pinkerton Security]

You knew this was over player decisions, which really comes down to the whole Front office needing to be canned. You hired a guy to do a job, then try to micro-manage the event from your position as a boss. What does Brandon know about football anyways, he's a marketing guy & needs to go back to the marketing board.

Agreed - if I had to guess, it would be Marrone saying "GIVE ME SOMETHING TO WORK WITH!" - or so I'd hope. Its either that or Marrone is a firm believer in EJ and the FO isnt..

[Pinkerton Security]

Because I'm sure LaCanfora witnessed this, he should know.

so you know it didnt happen?

[Skooby]

Agreed - if I had to guess, it would be Marrone saying "GIVE ME SOMETHING TO WORK WITH!" - or so I'd hope. Its either that or Marrone is a firm believer in EJ and the FO isnt..

I think it boils down to their all worried about their jobs.

[better days]

so you know it didnt happen?

I don't know if it did or did not happen...............anymore that LaCanfora does.

[Homegrown]

Channel 4 is reporting it was "double dare" .....

[SpikedLemonade]

Saint Doug.

The Syracuse Saviour.

[Buffalogic]

The Urbik and Woods thing is weird. Hopefully Marrone isn't some weird egomaniac that makes the wrong decision just to show that he is the boss.

[Skooby]

The Urbik and Woods thing is weird. Hopefully Marrone isn't some weird egomaniac that makes the wrong decision just to show that he is the boss.

I think Whaley is the more likely Ego.... needing to show his authority.

[ublinkwescore]

Great... you are welcome Cleveland...

- - - Updated - - -

Great... you are welcome Cleveland...

[BuffaloRedleg]

I've done that before. It's actually a very effective tool when someone is riding your ass, showing them you aren't going to take their ****. Everything usually gets ironed out after that and there aren't any passive aggressive issues etc.

[coastal]

Saint Doug.

The Syracuse Saviour.
Your malice is misdirected.

brandon and Whaley are the incompetent players at the table.

Marrone is a competent coach whose hands are tied by dip and his brother sh1t

[Dude]

I don't know if it did or did not happen...............anymore that LaCanfora does.I'm fairly certain that he, like every other reporter, has verifiable sources that he trusts. Given that this was also reported locally, I feel pretty confident that LaCanfora isn't making this up for ****s and giggles.

[Buffalogic]

I think Whaley is the more likely Ego.... needing to show his authority.
Whaley isn't benching players who have performed well in the past for us. That is Marrone.

[stuckincincy]

I'm fairly certain that he, like every other reporter, has verifiable sources that he trusts. Given that this was also reported locally, I feel pretty confident that LaCanfora isn't making this up for ****s and giggles.

I agree. LaCanfora is a decent sports writer.

[Buffalogic]

I agree. LaCanfora is a decent sports writer.
He's a terrible analyst. When he was on NFLN he said the dumbest ****. As long as he keeps his nerd opinion out of his articles he is ok. But you can tell he's a nerd that just started following football after college.

[OpIv37]

Agreed - if I had to guess, it would be Marrone saying "GIVE ME SOMETHING TO WORK WITH!" - or so I'd hope. Its either that or Marrone is a firm believer in EJ and the FO isnt..

The FO has to be a firm believer in EJ. They spent two first round picks on a WR. They wouldn't have done that if they didn't believe in the QB.

[Homegrown]

I'm fairly certain that he, like every other reporter, has verifiable sources that he trusts. Given that this was also reported locally, I feel pretty confident that LaCanfora isn't making this up for ****s and giggles.

And don’t forget, the Bills are so irrelevant that no National Media type is going risk his/her reputation making crap up about the Bills …<o:p></o:p>

[Novacane]

Pretty unprofessional to do that in public and in front of the players imo. I hope they're all gone when the new owner takes over.

[GreedoII]

Front office just has to be eliminated by Pegula. They just have too! This crap has been going on for 30 damn years!! Russ Brandon is the biggest clown and fake going. He's a shady character and needs to stop making pernol decisions he has not clue on making! Overdorf/Littman/Carpenter/Brandon/Whaley/Monos/Nix(still lurking about with that stupid hillbilly grin)

[Turf]

If they had any brains, they would have wanted to fire Hackett but Marrone wouldn't. Bigger mistake than EJ. If we had brought on rookie defensive coordinators, we'd really be in bad shape, and that's he biggest problem.

[coastal]

Front office just has to be eliminated by Pegula. They just have too! This crap has been going on for 30 damn years!! Russ Brandon is the biggest clown and fake going. He's a shady character and needs to stop making pernol decisions he has not clue on making! Overdorf/Littman/Carpenter/Brandon/Whaley/Monos/Nix(still lurking about with that stupid hillbilly grin)
Festival of screw-ups!

[HAMMER]

Funny how all the armchair GM's around here have it all figured out.

[DraftBoy]

Fire him then.

[BLeonard]

I think you're now seeing why no coach that's worth a **** will come to Buffalo...

They don't want to deal with the suits in the front office, many of which have been here during the entire 14 year playoff drought.

The sooner people realize that the ex-owner's yes-men are a major part of the problem, the quicker they can hopefully be dealt with by the new owner.

-Bill

[DraftBoy]

I think you're now seeing why no coach that's worth a **** will come to Buffalo...

They don't want to deal with the suits in the front office, many of which have been here during the entire 14 year playoff drought.

The sooner people realize that the ex-owner's yes-men are a major part of the problem, the quicker they can hopefully be dealt with by the new owner.

-Bill

And what happens when the new owner (Pegula) comes in and keeps Overdorf, Littman, and Brandon?

[Skooby]

And what happens when the new owner (Pegula) comes in and keeps Overdorf, Littman, and Brandon?

Never in a Million years will all 3 stay, Littman isn't controlling Terry's money for sure.

[BLeonard]

And what happens when the new owner (Pegula) comes in and keeps Overdorf, Littman, and Brandon?

Then, you'll see the same **** that you've seen for the past 14 seasons... That's what.

But, my guess is, Pegula won't give them 15 more years to turn it around like the ex-owner did... Instead of firing them, the ex-owner actually promoted Brandon multiple times.

-Bill

[Bill Cody]

I would like to know what it was about

[WagonCircler]

He's a terrible analyst. When he was on NFLN he said the dumbest ****. As long as he keeps his nerd opinion out of his articles he is ok. But you can tell he's a nerd that just started following football after college.

This isn't analysis, though. This is reporting. It would be bizarre to just make something like this up, or two report it without verification.

When you combine it with earlier reports of public shouting matches between the two Dougs, it makes sense.

And when you look at it through the prism of the amateur personnel moves made during the Whaley tenure, it really makes sense.

[BLeonard]

I would like to know what it was about

This says it all to me:


The front office has also bristled at how certain players are being used, sources said. Team executives believe tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, this year's second-round pick, warranted more of a long look this summer, were unhappy that emerging receiver Robert Woods was benched at times, and they were also at odds over guard Kraig Urbik, who the personnel side believes is a quality guard (he just received a contract extension a few years back) but who Marrone has soured on (the team explored trades for Urbik before roster cuts, league sources said).

In short, the Front Office is trying to make decisions that are made by the head coach.

-Bill

[Turf]

Front office just has to be eliminated by Pegula. They just have too! This crap has been going on for 30 damn years!! Russ Brandon is the biggest clown and fake going. He's a shady character and needs to stop making pernol decisions he has not clue on making! Overdorf/Littman/Carpenter/Brandon/Whaley/Monos/Nix(still lurking about with that stupid hillbilly grin)

Littman = Stew Barber. It wasn't until Stew Barber was removed that the Bills turned the corner in the late 80's

[Turf]

This says it all to me:



In short, the Front Office is trying to make decisions that are made by the head coach.

-Bill

They should have thought of that before they hired a rookie head coaching staff. That being said, you can see how this season will play out. EJ will not be under the bus, but Marrone, and as others have suggested if things sour mid season, Schwartz will slide in to save face with upper management trying to keep their jobs.

[Fletch]

The expletives continued and finally team president and acting owner Russ Brandon tried to defuse the situation by getting involved in an attempt to get all parties to "shut up," as one source put it. But that too escalated into more yelling and hollering, with Brandon and Marrone ultimately separated by their peers and Marrone, in earshot of players, making remarks along the lines of "go ahead and fire me," before order was restored and the team took the field for practice.


OK, so who were all the heroes lecturing the rest of us on being positive and how Marrone's getting irate at Hughes and others meant that he was in control?

This is anything but in control. Sounds like he's a good candidate for a mid-season firing.

What a joke this organization has become. This is bush league ****.

[WagonCircler]

Littman = Stew Barber. It wasn't until Stew Barber was removed that the Bills turned the corner in the late 80's

Pat McGroeder, Stew Barber, Littman, Brandon, they're Ralph cronies who held the team back, but Ralph preferred yes-men to winners like Saban, Knox, Polian and Butler.

[Mr. Miyagi]

You knew this was over player decisions, which really comes down to the whole Front office needing to be canned. You hired a guy to do a job, then try to micro-manage the event from your position as a boss. What does Brandon know about football anyways, he's a marketing guy & needs to go back to the marketing board.
If you read the article you'd know that the argument was between Marrone and Monos, who is the director of player personnel. So he should know a thing or two about players.

[Turf]

If this is true, its pretty troubling about Marrone:

Sources said Marrone has referred to himself as "Saint Doug" at times, referencing the fact that it takes two miracles to be canonized as a saint, and that he already pulled off one miracle by winning at Syracuse and alluding to the fact it would take another miracle to win in Buffalo.

[BLeonard]

They should have thought of that before they hired a rookie head coaching staff. That being said, you can see how this season will play out. EJ will not be under the bus, but Marrone, and as others have suggested if things sour mid season, Schwartz will slide in to save face with upper management trying to keep their jobs.

I'm saying that this has been going on long before Marrone... If I had to guess:

There is a good possibility that the reason that Mularkey quit, because the FO wanted control over the things that the HC controls.

This would also explain why we were treated to the likes of Dick Jauron and Chan Gailey... Two guys who were out of football and willing to take any job offered, even if it meant being handcuffed by their own front office.

You think any head coach worth a damn (like Schottenheimer, Shanahan, Cowher, Gruden, as examples) would be taking the advice of Russ Brandon on who to play at Offensive Tackle, or any other position, for that matter?

The ex-owner never paid for a quality front office, instead opting for cheap yes-men who were just happy to be employed by an NFL franchise. In turn, the FO has hired cheap yes-men head coaches, who were just happy to have a Head Coaching gig in the NFL... It's very telling that NONE of the Bills head coaches since Wade Phillips have had any other head coaching opportunities since, with the exception of Mularkey, who got one year in Jacksonville before being relegated back to OC status.

-Bill

[swiper]

Your malice is misdirected.

brandon and Whaley are the incompetent players at the table.

Marrone is a competent coach whose hands are tied by dip and his brother sh1t

The Marrone/ Manuel combo sound more like the Mularkey/Losman combo every day. At what point was it that Mularkey just walked out?

Everything Brandon is involved in turns out bad.

[stuckincincy]

Eh. Sports drips with egomania. It's a necessary condition.

Forget words like "leaders of men" and such pap...very few turn out to be captains of industry, chased after. Most ride the sports horse until their dying day.

It's a closed shop.

[BLeonard]

Pat McGroeder, Stew Barber, Littman, Brandon, they're Ralph cronies who held the team back, but Ralph preferred yes-men to winners like Saban, Knox, Polian and Butler.

Bingo.

You know what's sad about Polian? The fact that it took Terry Bledsoe having a heart attack in order for Polian to take over as GM...

How ****ty is that that the Bills can credit their best period in team history starting because the GM had a heart attack...?

-Bill

[JohnnyGold]

OK, so who were all the heroes lecturing the rest of us on being positive and how Marrone's getting irate at Hughes and others meant that he was in control?

This is anything but in control. Sounds like he's a good candidate for a mid-season firing.

What a joke this organization has become. This is bush league ****.

LOL!

I made a thread on twobillsdrive.com the hour that story broke on ESPN about Marrone calling out Hughes and making the team do windsprints. I said that Marrone had lost control of the team, and the wheels had completely fallen off. I also predicted that they would have their throats stomped on against Tampa in the preseason game, because the players know theyre playing for a bad, lameduck coach who will be fired as soon as new ownership takes over.

I got called a troll. So i responded that they were a bunch of **** who had their heads so far up each others asses they were unable to objectively see the trainwreck taking place in front of their eyes.

I then got BANNED! :haha:

And the worst part was, my thread was changed by the mods from "Marrone has players running wind sprints, he has LOST THE TEAM" to something along the lines of "How successful do you think Marrone's second year as a head coach is/will be?"

Lol!

***** the Bills.

Can't wait for Pegs to blow this pile of trash sky high. The reek of this organization permeates the NFL.

Thank god the majority of fans are too stupid to realize how poisoned and dysfunctional this organization is. They continue to show up in droves every year, and that (and that alone) is going to keep the Bills in Buffalo.

[Thurmal]

The front office is pissed at Marrone because he won't embrace incompetency. Typical of the Bills...they'll let lifeless losers like Dick Jauron and Chan Gailey coach for years and suck, but they finally get a decent coach with some fire and they give him NO chance whatsoever to succeed.

Russ Brandon, to me, is no different from the owner in Major League.

[swiper]

Never in a Million years will all 3 stay, Littman isn't controlling Terry's money for sure.

But Littman is part of the trust, you dumb ass. He and Brandon will look for assurances of their employment before they vote yes for any given candidate.

[Novacane]

This says it all to me:



In short, the Front Office is trying to make decisions that are made by the head coach.

-Bill

I can see why. His decisions are very questionable starting with Hackett and his buddy coaching special teams. His grudge against Urbik is strange at best. I'd love to know what Marones problem with Woods is. Every time the guy plays he produces. The only one I agree with Marone is CK. He was terrible.

[swiper]

Well two of those 3 players are o-linemen. To me, the jury is still out on Marrone. But whatever you think about him as a head coach, I don't think anyone questions that he knows linemen. So if he says Urbik stinks, then I would tend to believe him.

[BLeonard]

But Littman is part of the trust, you dumb ass. He and Brandon will look for assurances of their employment before they vote yes for any given candidate.

I've thought about this as well. Certainly could be the case with Littman, but Brandon does not have a vote.

The good news is, Littman's vote means nothing if the other three vote in favor, as 75% of the trust must agree.

I also don't see how that would work... The new owner would almost have to put it in writing that Littman's job is secure... Otherwise, what prevents him from canning Littman the instant the papers are signed?

But, as I said, the point is moot if the other three agree to sell.

-Bill

[Skooby]

But Littman is part of the trust, you dumb ass. He and Brandon will look for assurances of their employment before they vote yes for any given candidate.

LOL, no way is that relevant.

[BLeonard]

I can see why. His decisions are very questionable starting with Hackett and his buddy coaching special teams. His grudge against Urbik is strange at best. I'd love to know what Marones problem with Woods is. Every time the guy plays he produces. The only one I agree with Marone is CK. He was terrible.

The point is, they hired Marrone to coach the team. If Brandon and the suits want to make the decisions about who starts and who sits, why not just have Brandon be the Head Coach?

If Marrone's decisions end up not working, then he gets canned. But, when the front office suits are trying to make on-field decisions, it's not really fair to criticize the coaches if the moves don't work.

As Bill Parcells once said: "They want you to cook the dinner; at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."

-Bill

[swiper]

LOL, no way is that relevant.

Skooby dooby idiot

[EDS]

I've thought about this as well. Certainly could be the case with Littman, but Brandon does not have a vote.

The good news is, Littman's vote means nothing if the other three vote in favor, as 75% of the trust must agree.

I also don't see how that would work... The new owner would almost have to put it in writing that Littman's job is secure... Otherwise, what prevents him from canning Littman the instant the papers are signed?

But, as I said, the point is moot if the other three agree to sell.

-Bill

If Littman wanted to ensure his post-sale employment, and the buyer was willing, then Littman would get a multi-year employment contract with a severance package.

[OpIv37]

Funny how all the armchair GM's around here have it all figured out.

Unfortunately some of the armchair GM's on here have been right a lot more than the so-called "professionals."

The organizational incompetence that Ralph brought to this team disgusts me.

[paladin warrior]

I bet Marrone will quit until 12 week with 2-10. And let take Jim Schwartz become a new head coach and fire all staff coach until season over

[DraftBoy]

Never in a Million years will all 3 stay, Littman isn't controlling Terry's money for sure.

Because he's done such a bad job with Ralph's?

I know everybody loves a scapegoat but look at this for a moment. The only successful part of this team in the last 15 years has been its ability to market itself and make money. I think anybody assuming Brandon and Littman are gone with a new owner (Pegula) may have another thing coming when it happens.

Overdorf brought the Bills out of some serious cap hell after Butler and kept the Bills out of it even with questionable contracts to guys like Kelsay. His future is likely the next GM's call more than an owners but again it wouldn't surprise me at all if he sticks.

- - - Updated - - -


Then, you'll see the same **** that you've seen for the past 14 seasons... That's what.

But, my guess is, Pegula won't give them 15 more years to turn it around like the ex-owner did... Instead of firing them, the ex-owner actually promoted Brandon multiple times.

-Bill

So the team making money and being profitable? Yea I don't know why a new owner would want that.

[coastal]

If Littman wanted to ensure his post-sale employment, and the buyer was willing, then Littman would get a multi-year employment contract with a severance package.
I can promise you every single one of the Ralph sack suckers have golden parachutes ready for when their jetisoned.

ralph's post mortem reward to them for making him and his family a pile of money while feeding us sh1t for all but 6 or 7 years.

[stuckincincy]

Unfortunately some of the armchair GM's on here have been right a lot more than the so-called "professionals."

The organizational incompetence that Ralph brought to this team disgusts me.

So true. Folks that have watched football for years and years do learn things, see trends, see good and bad things.

There's a former so-so MLB player named Tracy Jones who shares a radio spot in CIN with the self-important announcer Marty Brennerman. Jones was fond of dissing call-ins by saying "You didn't play the game!'

Finally a caller shut him up by saying ok, then it's a waste of time and money to go see games. You and yours would be shoveling out manure from horse stalls without us.

[HAMMER]

Unfortunately some of the armchair GM's on here have been right a lot more than the so-called "professionals."

The organizational incompetence that Ralph brought to this team disgusts me.

We know Op, you are always right. If you are as disgusted with the team as most of us are with your pompousness, then please do us a favor and go root for the Skins.

[HAMMER]

God forbid that someone show emotion, God forbid that there is an argument. People make such a big freakin deal about everything here it is ridiculous. Stop overANALyzing every little thing.

[BLeonard]

So the team making money and being profitable? Yea I don't know why a new owner would want that.

I have zero issue with the team making money and being profitable... It's when making money and being profitable trumps winning games on the field that I have an issue with it.

I'm hopeful that the new owner (regardless of who that may be) will prioritize winning over profits... Because it's quite obvious the ex-owner didn't, as evidenced by the past 14 seasons.

Contrary to what some believe, it is possible to make money and be profitable, while also winning games on the field...

-Bill

[BLeonard]

Overdorf brought the Bills out of some serious cap hell after Butler and kept the Bills out of it even with questionable contracts to guys like Kelsay. His future is likely the next GM's call more than an owners but again it wouldn't surprise me at all if he sticks.

Not hard to keep out of cap hell when you end each season with double digit millions under the cap...

At this moment, the Bills are $11,842,008 under the cap, according to the NFLPA... Think some of that 11 MILLION might have been beneficial to use on players this past offseason...?

Maybe use some to keep Byrd? Maybe use some to keep Levitre (or even Rinehart) last offseason? Maybe use some to extend Spiller? (which they may yet do, but I wouldn't hold my breath).

Hell, it took them until last week to realize that they might wanna get a backup Quarterback worth a damn...

-Bill

[SpikedLemonade]

They should have thought of that before they hired a rookie head coaching staff. That being said, you can see how this season will play out. EJ will not be under the bus, but Marrone, and as others have suggested if things sour mid season, Schwartz will slide in to save face with upper management trying to keep their jobs.


If this is true, its pretty troubling about Marrone:

Sources said Marrone has referred to himself as "Saint Doug" at times, referencing the fact that it takes two miracles to be canonized as a saint, and that he already pulled off one miracle by winning at Syracuse and alluding to the fact it would take another miracle to win in Buffalo.

That is what I was referring to above.

[Novacane]

Unfortunately some of the armchair GM's on here have been right a lot more than the so-called "professionals."

The organizational incompetence that Ralph brought to this team disgusts me.


If the "armchair GM's" around here had their way we'd of had Ngata over Whitner, Orakpo over Maybin, Russell Wilson instead of TJ Graham just to name a few.

[OpIv37]

We know Op, you are always right. If you are as disgusted with the team as most of us are with your pompousness, then please do us a favor and go root for the Skins.

It's not about me. It's about the frequency that this FO gets things wrong and the fact that even the coach is getting upset about it.

[justasportsfan]

Nice. Last time we had bickering bills we ended up in 4 straight sbs.

[DraftBoy]

I have zero issue with the team making money and being profitable... It's when making money and being profitable trumps winning games on the field that I have an issue with it.

I'm hopeful that the new owner (regardless of who that may be) will prioritize winning over profits... Because it's quite obvious the ex-owner didn't, as evidenced by the past 14 seasons.

Contrary to what some believe, it is possible to make money and be profitable, while also winning games on the field...

-Bill

I didn't say it wasn't possible, I'm saying that the assumption that two of the guys most notably responsible for keeping the team profitable despite a ****ty product are going to be done is a large assumption in my opinion.

- - - Updated - - -


Not hard to keep out of cap hell when you end each season with double digit millions under the cap...

At this moment, the Bills are $11,842,008 under the cap, according to the NFLPA... Think some of that 11 MILLION might have been beneficial to use on players this past offseason...?

Maybe use some to keep Byrd? Maybe use some to keep Levitre (or even Rinehart) last offseason? Maybe use some to extend Spiller? (which they may yet do, but I wouldn't hold my breath).

Hell, it took them until last week to realize that they might wanna get a backup Quarterback worth a damn...

-Bill

I said it was a mistake to let Byrd walk.

Let's see what happens with Spiller. He only just signed an agent last week.

[trapezeus]

my thoughts;

1. marrone may suck, he may be an ego maniac that has lost the team. We won't really know that until the season plays out because we don't see the inner workings on a day to day basis. But what we are hearing isn't what winning teams go through. I don't like his blind trust in hackett, but if he isn't getting a chance to be a HC in the same manner that 31 other coaches manage their team, then guess what? he's not the problem. it doesn't make him a great coach, but it lets him sink or swim on his own merit.

2. marrone very well may be a competent guy and is getting micro managed to a frustrating degree. with the exception of Marv, this seems to be a historical trait passed down over the years. it's not a hard story to believe that whaley is a nobody. He was a low rung guy in pitt, was allowed to leave to come to buffalo. No one believes he has the ability to be a GM, and that's why he was able to sit in the assistant role for as long as he did without a single offer. Even in a world of the rooney rule. That says something. Look at Pettine. He was never a headcoach. came to buffalo with a good track record, performed well here, and got a chance to move up. Other coaches and GM's leave bad programs based on their perceived worth and how they present themselves. So it is very odd whaley never got a sniff. And frankly, i think the GM has gotten a tough position in the littman/ralph/overdorff regime. it's be under cap, winning doesn't matter, just keep finding fodder as injuries come up and it will all work out. Whaley may be just as much under the micromanagement veil as marrone. and both are left helpless and that's why it's becoming as big an issue as it seems to be becoming.

3. to me, either the FO and coaching needs to go, but the FO for sure needs a complete scrubbing. Coaching could stay, but brandon needs to be out the door. the new ownership needs to take a best of breed approach from the top 5-10 teams and start developing a scouting department that can deliver talent on a regular basis. Look at the draft of 2011 (3 years later and can judge if it went well). Dareus was a concensus pick and played well in spurts. His personal issues are hard to predict. Aaron williams came into his own, but plays out of position and never filled the need we wanted him to fill. Kelvin sheppard is out of football. Johnny white, chris white, justin rogers, and Michael Jasper are off the team. Searcy has filled in ok. not a superstar, not a star, not bad, not good either. So we got 1 servicable guy out of position in Williams, and an underperforming #3 pick in Dareus.

This is not going to build a team to do any better than 8-8 when you thoroughly suck at drafting. This 2011 draft is not an anomoly. 2010 we have CJ spiller and Easley as only guys on team. Wang was cut before camp ended. 2012 has gilmore and glenn. 5 of next 7 picks aren't with the team. one is nigel bradham who will be suspended and ron brooks is a dime back.

We've been talking about this since 2002 and mike wiliams. Finally in 2010 the bills total bust of first rounds have stopped. picks like whitner, maybin have stopped and there has been some level of excitement of the first round guy, but we aren't filling a team. No coach is going to make this better with getting 2 servicable players from a draft. you need to get 4-5 people who are good and able to be around for 2-3 years. The bills don't do that. it requires a real front office. and real change. no more shuffling deck chairs on the titanic. that wasn't important to ralph or russ. new owners hopefully should have a different way to run a team.

[BleedinGreenNC]

What a circus!:funny:

[BLeonard]

I didn't say it wasn't possible, I'm saying that the assumption that two of the guys most notably responsible for keeping the team profitable despite a ****ty product are going to be done is a large assumption in my opinion.

Like I said, I'm hopeful that the new owner will prioritize winning over profits... The ex-owner didn't, which is why those guys stuck around and in Brandon's case, was promoted multiple times.



I said it was a mistake to let Byrd walk.

Let's see what happens with Spiller. He only just signed an agent last week.

Well, if the ex-owner were still in charge, I could tell you exactly what would happen... Spiller would walk, while some of the brain-dead fanbase would try to justify it with one or more of the following:

"He doesn't wanna be in Buffalo."
"He wanted too much money."
"We can get a better player for cheaper."
"We've already got Bryce Brown."

Same **** happened with Levitre. "Guards aren't worth that much... They're a dime a dozen." If that's the case, how's come the Bills offensive line isn't worth a ****? Last I checked, both Levitre and Rinehart are both starting on their teams, while the Bills have been scrambling for help on the O-Line.

Like I said, the hope is the new owner says "enough of letting our good players walk for nothing, so I can save a few extra bucks. I bought a football team to win football games, not to pocket unspent salary cap money every year."

-Bill

[coastal]

The crap about how Marrone has lost the team is pure crap.

If he's empowered in his role, that's not an issue... unless of course you're a player that doesn't want to be held accountable, and in a proper organization, the coach tells the player to hit the ****ing bricks... and mgmt supports it.

oh no... Not here... we extend stiffs like Urbik and then when the coach doesn't want to play him because he's a pile of sh1t... they all melt.

**** Russ Brandon and I hope Ralph is rotting in hell.

[DraftBoy]

Like I said, I'm hopeful that the new owner will prioritize winning over profits... The ex-owner didn't, which is why those guys stuck around and in Brandon's case, was promoted multiple times.

Why can't he prioritize both equally? Again they aren't mutually exclusive concepts.


Well, if the ex-owner were still in charge, I could tell you exactly what would happen... Spiller would walk, while some of the brain-dead fanbase would try to justify it with one or more of the following:

"He doesn't wanna be in Buffalo."
"He wanted too much money."
"We can get a better player for cheaper."
"We've already got Bryce Brown."

Same **** happened with Levitre. "Guards aren't worth that much... They're a dime a dozen." If that's the case, how's come the Bills offensive line isn't worth a ****? Last I checked, both Levitre and Rinehart are both starting on their teams, while the Bills have been scrambling for help on the O-Line.

Like I said, the hope is the new owner says "enough of letting our good players walk for nothing, so I can save a few extra bucks. I bought a football team to win football games, not to pocket unspent salary cap money every year."

-Bill

Ok...

[justasportsfan]

. The only successful part of this team in the last 15 years has been its ability to market itself and make money. I think anybody assuming Brandon and Littman are gone with a new owner (Pegula) may have another thing coming when it happens. I agree. Russ had a hand in making money with a bad product. I would keep him if I bought the bills but keep him away from making football decisions. Imagine what he could do marketing a good product.


.Overdorf brought the Bills out of some serious cap hell after Butler and kept the Bills out of it even with questionable contracts to guys like Kelsay. His future is likely the next GM's call more than an owners but again it wouldn't surprise me at all if he sticks.



So the team making money and being profitable? Yea I don't know why a new owner would want that. :up:
We are all making assumptions as to who did what.

[coastal]

Any chance that Ralph's intentions were to both be financially successful and have a successful on the field product, but he was just grossly incompetent in structuring and leading an organization?

[trapezeus]

overdorf has some value as a cap specialist. and perhaps he's just balanced the books as requested. i think if you give him the "we don't need to be cash to cap compliant. we need the best team and we want your cap expertise to take care of this this", i'm fine with him staying.

it's really just brandon's zero value add that needs to go. a marketing genius sells you stuff you don't want. we all love football. the whole region. he's done nothing that amazing.

[BLeonard]

Why can't he prioritize both equally? Again they aren't mutually exclusive concepts.

He certainly could... The problem with the ex-owner was that he let the people in charge of the money/profit aspect make decisions on the football/on field aspect of it, which led to the latter suffering.

Its not like it's anything new with the Bills organization, either... The day that the ex-owner decided to side with Jeff Littman (his money manager) over Bill Polian (his football GM) was the day that making money and profits trumped winning on the football field.

The results post Polian/Butler speak for themselves.

-Bill

[BLeonard]

Any chance that Ralph's intentions were to both be financially successful and have a successful on the field product, but he was just grossly incompetent in structuring and leading an organization?

That's what happens when you let people who know zip about football (Littman/Brandon) make football decisions, based on how those decisions affects the finances.

Sure, there can be a balance, but anytime there was a conflict between the money people and the football people, the ex-owner sided with the money people every time.

-Bill

[cookie G]

St. Doug responds to rumors of his recent beatification:

Question: So, you never referred to yourself as "Saint Doug"?
Marrone: I'm gonna get a lot of crap about that. That's the one thing that, when he said it, I said I'm gonna get crushed by the people that know me well.

http://www.wgr550.com/pages/9034669.php?pid=425502

Love him or not, I sure hope he fares better than the original St. Douglas

Father Douglas came to England about ten years after his ordination to serve the country�s Catholics persecuted under Queen Elizabeth I. It was while laboring thus that he was arrested a first time, but was thereafter released. He was arrested a second time at Ripton in the northern county of Yorkshire. Father Douglas was sentenced to death for �persuading to popery,� that is, for winning converts to the Catholic faith. At York he was executed by drawing and quartering, manifesting great fortitude during his torments.

He takes them to the playoffs this year..I'd be fine with a canonization.

Which sounds better...

St. Douglas di Marrone?
St. Douglas di Siracusa?

[BLeonard]

I don't follow the Sabres, but I'm curious about three things:

1: How many times has Pegula or anyone in the Sabres Front Office used the term "Cash to the cap"?
2: How many times has Pegula or anyone in the Sabres Front Office complained about being in a small market and not being able to compete financially?
3: How many home games has Pegula sold off to another city (or country) in order to "regionalize" the Sabres?

-Bill

[OpIv37]

I don't follow the Sabres, but I'm curious about three things:

1: How many times has Pegula or anyone in the Sabres Front Office used the term "Cash to the cap"?
2: How many times has Pegula or anyone in the Sabres Front Office complained about being in a small market and not being able to compete financially?
3: How many home games has Pegula sold off to another city (or country) in order to "regionalize" the Sabres?

-Bill

1. Under Golisano, that's how they acted. Not under Pegula. If anything, he made poor decisions by overspending.
2. None that I am aware of.
3. None unless you count an occasional preseason game in Rochester to drum up support for the Amerks.

[trapezeus]

1. Under Golisano, that's how they acted. Not under Pegula. If anything, he made poor decisions by overspending.
2. None that I am aware of.
3. None unless you count an occasional preseason game in Rochester to drum up support for the Amerks.

addendum to 3....he also owns the amerks, so it's really the synergization he's drumming up in the region for the hockey heaven he wants to build.

while his plan is taking a while, it's at least got a distinct vision and clear goals. he may not succeed, but he isn't just taking pennies off the top and asking for people's patience.

[sudzy]

Don't know if post yet.

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2014/09/05/doug-marrones-actions-shows-he-wont-last-long-with-buffalo-bills/

[DraftBoy]

Now reports that the players don't respect Marrone:
http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2014/9/5/6111825/bills-players-dont-respect-marrone

[Novacane]

So encouraging to hear 2 days before the season starts

[DraftBoy]

This team is a complete cluster**** right now.

[kingJofNYC]

This team is a complete cluster**** right now.

All that needs to be said really, haven't been this down on the team in years believe it or not.

It's not Marrone vs the front office and fans picking sides. They all seem to be in over their heads at this point. Just look at the messages they send out with their personnel moves, coach hirings, and behavior in front of the team and media. Completely disorganized.

When Pettine's men all jumped ship that was a huge red flag for me. Some of them were promoted, others may have been promoted within our own org but chose to leave anyway, bottom line they all jumped ship. Now we have to change up our D once again. I know coaching circles stick together, but I can't help but wonder if there was more here. Hilliard was tossed aside asap. It's amazing that the grass is always greener...

It's going to be a truly lost season. None of us should be taking sides, who's right, who's wrong...it doesn't matter. WE ****ING DESERVE BETTER! I'm sick of the circus, we shouldn't turn on each other, our sights should be set on the men that run/lead this clown show, get them the **** out of here, and hope it's righted when new ownership takes over. I've seen enough from all these clowns, time to hit reset once more.

I hope one day we'll be able to land a big fish as HC.

[cookie G]

I have $20.00 that says Russ barges into Marrone's office and screams "You're starting Willie Beamen on Sunday!!"

Another $10.00 that Marrone responds by saying, "he's a fictional movie character, you dumbass."

[Buffalogic]

It's pretty obvious it is Marrone's problem. Who flips out at signing a backup who can actually play ball? The guy is unraveling and his coaching hires outside of DC were a joke. Ready for an entire new coaching staff.

[Night Train]

If so, Marrone has just become 10 times more popular with me.

He's not settling for mediocrity and doesn't care about perception, based on draft position or contract numbers.

I'm sure that's why Orton is here and he wishes to establish a very good OL, not settling for average with overpaid backups (Urbik).

[kingJofNYC]

Lot of the Bills beat guys denying the accuracy, but the bottom line is that someone is reporting this ****, so there's plenty of friction and mud slinging going around.

[YardRat]

This says it all to me:



In short, the Front Office is trying to make decisions that are made by the head coach.

-Bill

I haven't read the entire thread yet, so forgive me if I've missed something, but #1 is there a link? and #2 you do realize how ridiculous the Urbik comments are, right? Does anybody believe that the trade talks were coming from the HC's office, behind the backs of management?

[Buffalogic]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/3214/kyle-orton

If this is the case, Marrone is the difficult one to deal with, not the FO. You are going to throw a fit over EJ's confidence? Sorry we can't only carry one QB on the roster because our number one pick qb is a fragile little girl. So now our qb is scared to make a throw longer than a checkdown and he is fragile minded. If he can't take the pressure of a damn backup qb how is he going to handle winning a playoff game?

Then the Urbik thing. He benched him. The coach benches players. Even if you are trying to trade a guy you don't bench him outright. Woods plays as a second teamer? No way that was the FO decision. They spent a 2nd on Woods and a 6th on Williams.

Marrone is a clown who hired a clown OC. It's becoming clearer every day.

[WagonCircler]

Don't know if post yet.

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2014/09/05/doug-marrones-actions-shows-he-wont-last-long-with-buffalo-bills/

If the near brawl means anything, it is that whoever the new owner of the Bills is surely plans to fire Whaley, Brandon and Marrone.

Can't come soon enough.

I don't have that much of a problem with Marrone. I'd like to see what he could do if he had a real QB. But the other two? Give 'em a boxed lunch and a bus ticket, Terry.

[BLeonard]

I haven't read the entire thread yet, so forgive me if I've missed something, but #1 is there a link? and #2 you do realize how ridiculous the Urbik comments are, right? Does anybody believe that the trade talks were coming from the HC's office, behind the backs of management?

1: The link is literally in the first damn post in the thread... The 5th paragraph.

2: Don't really know what you're getting at regarding Urbik, but if they hired Marrone to coach the team, maybe they should let him make the decision on who should play on the offensive line, given that that's his supposed area of expertise...? Or, are you more comfortable with Russ Brandon deciding who plays where?

The point is really simple here: Some of Front Office Suits (including Brandon, Littman, Overdorf and Scott Berchtold) are involving themselves in decisions that the football people (Marrone and Whaley) should be making. This sort of meddling was mentioned in February, as well: http://www.syracuse.com/axeman/index.ssf/2014/02/buffalo_bills_doug_marrone_russ_brandon.html


Scouts and coaches have been aggravated with decisions made by chief financial officer Jeffrey C. Littmann (with the team since 1986), senior vice president of football administration Jim Overdorf (with the team since 1986) and senior vice president of communications Scott Berchtold (with the team since 1989).

Marrone and Whaley -- unusual young guns compared to the Tom Modraks, Dick Jaurons and Chan Gaileys the Bills have hired in the past -- want to fix the team's this-is-the-way-we've-always-done-it culture.

But Marrone and Whaley haven't made as much headway as they'd like over the past year and have grown increasingly frustrated, sources tell me.

Team sources also told Graham that executives such as Littmann, Overdorf and Berchtold s haven't afforded Whaley or Marrone as much control as either feels he needs to correct a losing culture in Buffalo. Marrone and Whaley would like more control over personnel decisions, especially free agents.

According to this link, Marrone and Whaley aren't even allowed to pick their own training staff: http://bills.buffalonews.com/2014/02/23/sources-bills-coaches-want-change-training-staff-front-office-might-agree/



Buffalo Bills coaches want to change the organization's old-school culture, but they seem to be encountering internal resistance.

Key members of the staff have told me they want to update the training staff by replacing long-time head athletic trainer Bud Carpenter, but the front office is reluctant to support a switch.

Within the past few days at the NFL scouting combine, coach Doug Marrone and General Manager Doug Whaley have stressed player health is a top priority for the organization in 2014.

Marrone and Whaley also are said to be highly interested in changing the Bills' this-is-the-way-we've-always-done-it culture.

Carpenter has been a fixture with the Bills. He's entering his 30th season with the team and his 19th as its head trainer.

But the Bills' coaching staff is much younger than Carpenter is. When Carpenter was getting his start with the Bills, most of the current coaches were teenagers.

Sources told me at the NFL scouting combine the coaching staff is weary of Carpenter's old-school methodology. These sources believe Carpenter's "stim and ice" therapy is too outdated for today's athlete.


Like I said before, I'm starting to see why no respected head coach would want to coach the Bills in their current state:

Could you imagine a coach like Bill Cowher having to sit and have a discussion with Russ Brandon about who to have on the offensive line?

Can you see The Mara Family telling Tom Coughlin that he can't fire the team's trainer...?

This is why the Brandon's, Overdorf's and Littman's of the Bills Front Office need to go... They refuse to stay down the ****ing hall and do their jobs, while letting the football people do theirs.

-Bill

[cookie G]

This team is a complete cluster**** right now.

The only way this could get worse is to learn the team's best LB actually quit football to host a really bad cooking show.

- - - Updated - - -

It just got worse

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/eDPKpfrfSTs?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[YardRat]

1: The link is literally in the first damn post in the thread... The 5th paragraph.

2: Don't really know what you're getting at regarding Urbik, but if they hired Marrone to coach the team, maybe they should let him make the decision on who should play on the offensive line, given that that's his supposed area of expertise...? Or, are you more comfortable with Russ Brandon deciding who plays where?

The point is really simple here: Some of Front Office Suits (including Brandon, Littman, Overdorf and Scott Berchtold) are involving themselves in decisions that the football people (Marrone and Whaley) should be making. This sort of meddling was mentioned in February, as well: http://www.syracuse.com/axeman/index.ssf/2014/02/buffalo_bills_doug_marrone_russ_brandon.html



According to this link, Marrone and Whaley aren't even allowed to pick their own training staff: http://bills.buffalonews.com/2014/02/23/sources-bills-coaches-want-change-training-staff-front-office-might-agree/



Like I said before, I'm starting to see why no respected head coach would want to coach the Bills in their current state:

Could you imagine a coach like Bill Cowher having to sit and have a discussion with Russ Brandon about who to have on the offensive line?

Can you see The Mara Family telling Tom Coughlin that he can't fire the team's trainer...?

This is why the Brandon's, Overdorf's and Littman's of the Bills Front Office need to go... They refuse to stay down the ****ing hall and do their jobs, while letting the football people do theirs.

-Bill

1. Thanks.
2. Unless I misread the comments, it indicated friction between the coach and the front office regarding the use of Urbik, then also indicated that trade feelers were sent out by Buffalo regarding Kraig. Do you think Marrone, who supposedly isn't high on Urbik, was burning phone lines for the swap, or incredulously the front office that allegedly supported Urbik was trying to make a trade? It's half-assed, either way, and makes no sense.

[YardRat]

Just for the record, Littman and Overdorf can't leave soon enough IMO, but I've always thought Brandon has done a good job over the years, except for his brief stint as an actual GM. I see no reason why any new owner would want to jettison him, but if he still is trying to be as deeply involved on the football side as some obviously think he is, that would change my mind.

[BLeonard]

Unless I misread the comments, it indicated friction between the coach and the front office regarding the use of Urbik, then also indicated that trade feelers were sent out by Buffalo regarding Kraig. Do you think Marrone, who supposedly isn't high on Urbik, was burning phone lines for the swap, or incredulously the front office that allegedly supported Urbik was trying to make a trade? It's half-assed, either way, and makes no sense.

To me, it sounds like the FO reluctantly tried to trade him, since Marrone doesn't like him.

For all we know, Marrone might have wanted to cut Urbik if a trade didn't materialize, but the suits wouldn't allow it, as they'd look foolish, having just extended Urbik recently.

Hell, knowing the way this team operates, I wouldn't be surprised if Brandon, Littman and Overdorf picked the entire 53 man roster, since apparently, they won't even let Marrone make a decision regarding a team trainer.

Maybe the difference between Marrone, Gailey and Jauron is that Marrone isn't willing to put up with all of the Front Office's bull**** quietly, like Jauron and Gailey were.

-Bill

[don137]

If EJ actually looked like an NFL QB none of these issues would of taken place. With that said its not EJs fault he was asked to do something he is not capable of doing. The front office selected EJ and now are panicking because he looks so putrid in preseason. Oh, the life of a Bills fan.

[Mr. Pink]

Maybe they should have fired him.

He won't be here next year anyway.

[kscdogbillsfan1221]

Maybe they should have fired him.

He won't be here next year anyway.

hopefully neither will they

[BillsImpossible]

When the Bills beat the Bears none of this will matter.

[Mr. Pink]

hopefully neither will they

I got no problem with that either.

[Turf]

Kudos to Marrone for standing up for what he believes, and not coddling these pussies for players. Poor me, he works me to hard. **** you, that's why you lose every year. Still did a bad job at OC.

[Mace]

The whole thing is embarrassing and reflects poorly on us, as if we need more stuff making us look silly nowadays.

Take the gripes into private rooms and it matters not at all, except they can't, so they all need to go because it must be just that bad.

But they said it didn't happen ! Righto.

[coastal]

If so, Marrone has just become 10 times more popular with me.

He's not settling for mediocrity and doesn't care about perception, based on draft position or contract numbers.

I'm sure that's why Orton is here and he wishes to establish a very good OL, not settling for average with overpaid backups (Urbik).
Exactly.

That is my read on him as well.

i just think he's a guy who bullsh1t where he sees it, and well considering he's an employee of the Buffalo Bills... well he's getting pretty vocal.

[coastal]

Just for the record, Littman and Overdorf can't leave soon enough IMO, but I've always thought Brandon has done a good job over the years, except for his brief stint as an actual GM. I see no reason why any new owner would want to jettison him, but if he still is trying to be as deeply involved on the football side as some obviously think he is, that would change my mind.
Are you insane.... Brandon is responsible for the last decade +

a good job?

he is totally incompetent.

[CommissarSpartacus]

Didn't Brandon hire Marrone?

It's possible they could both be incompetent.

I have nothing against Marrone but he hasn't impressed me either and getting into public screaming match with anyone is a troubling sign.

[Mace]

Exactly.

That is my read on him as well.

i just think he's a guy who bullsh1t where he sees it, and well considering he's an employee of the Buffalo Bills... well he's getting pretty vocal.

I don't really understand why anyone is all over Urbik. He's a decent not spectacular guard and a capable backup center, he's a perfect utility lineman (your replied to, post). I can't see how he's overpaid. His 3.4 million number is reasonably priced in the modern NFL and only gets up to iffy 4 million in 2016.

Average is not a bad thing when it is not below average.

Seriously, why are the Bills trying to use a small lineman agile zone blocking scheme with big power linemen anyway ? This should be Marrone's bread and butter. Why are they using a west coast fast read scheme with an iffy QB ?

Marrone made some of the bullsh1t.

[BLeonard]

Are you insane.... Brandon is responsible for the last decade +

a good job?

he is totally incompetent.

Gotta remember, it's technically not Brandon's job to win football games... His primary job is to sell the product.

After a 14 year playoff drought, selling somewhere around 50,000 season tickets to suckers... err... Bills fans, when in reality, the Bills should be competing with Jacksonville in the "how much of your home stadium can you tarp off" department, I'd say Brandon has done a phenomenal job at what he's actually there to do.

Unfortunately, he wields power in departments that he has no business in, such as which offensive linemen make the squad and which trainers the football people can or can't fire.

So, yeah, he's certainly responsible... But, what do you expect from the former Marketing Director of the Florida Marlins, the biggest con job in Major League Baseball... No wonder the ex-owner hired and continually promoted Brandon.


Didn't Brandon hire Marrone?

Well, yes and no: http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2013/01/07/background-on-coach-search-from-doug-whaley/



Whaley says all four Bills officials took part in the interview process, as the team talked to five candidates during their time in Phoenix. GM Buddy Nix took the lead role in the questioning.

“Buddy headed the whole thing,” Whaley told John Murphy. “He leaned on us for expertise for picking up different things that came from that interview that maybe he was concentrating on the next question. Or just different nuances—my expertise on personnel, maybe I interjected on that. J-O (Jim Overdorf-Sr. VP of Football Administration) answered if the coach had any questions on the cap or contract negotiations. And Russ Brandon was there to handle stadium lease questions and the ownership situation. So we all had our areas of expertise, but Buddy was the main focal point of the interview.”


So, if you believe that, all four (Whaley, Overdorf, Brandon and Nix) had a hand in hiring Marrone.

-Bill

[stuckincincy]

17059

[stuckincincy]

17060

[stuckincincy]

17062

[Jan Reimers]

If we don't turn it around this year, all of this will be moot. New ownership will clean house, firing everyone in the front office and coaching staff, from Brandon all the way down to the third assistant equipment manager in charge of face mask adjustments.

[pmoon6]

Pat McGroeder, Stew Barber, Littman, Brandon, they're Ralph cronies who held the team back, but Ralph preferred yes-men to winners like Saban, Knox, Polian and Butler.Hit the nail on the head. Bills' history is littered with bad decisions by Ralph as far as coaches and GM's.

I can give Ralph a pass on Saban because Lou like to move around. If you look at his coaching history, he never stayed in one place too long. Knox and Polian were two of the most boneheaded decisions in the history of pro football.

[pmoon6]

Well, 99 times out of a hundred, when you lay an ultimatum at the feet of your employer, it doesn't end well. I managed a crew and when one guy said "If you don't do this, I'm quiting". I fired him immediately. As a manager, you can't back down and placate the employee or you lose the respect of the rest of your crew. Then, you lose the ability to manage effectively.

Marrone's days are numbered, especially if the Bills' falter early.

That said, I can't help but admire Marrone for speaking his mind and standing up. He seems like a mans' man. Depending on what they were arguing about, it could translate to success on the field. The players may have gained respect for Coach. The downside is when the management team isn't on the same page, the conflict may be damaging.

[YardRat]

To me, it sounds like the FO reluctantly tried to trade him, since Marrone doesn't like him.

For all we know, Marrone might have wanted to cut Urbik if a trade didn't materialize, but the suits wouldn't allow it, as they'd look foolish, having just extended Urbik recently.

Hell, knowing the way this team operates, I wouldn't be surprised if Brandon, Littman and Overdorf picked the entire 53 man roster, since apparently, they won't even let Marrone make a decision regarding a team trainer.

Maybe the difference between Marrone, Gailey and Jauron is that Marrone isn't willing to put up with all of the Front Office's bull**** quietly, like Jauron and Gailey were.

-Bill

Meh...all speculation, trying to create a reality out of bits and pieces.

Why would a front office that is allegedly so heavy-handed and involved in the roster make-up acquiesce to a HC and 'reluctantly' try to trade a player they allegedly like? Wouldn't it be more plausible that they would hammer down some more and tell Marrone 'Look...we just paid this guy and think he's pretty good, so you better have him in the starting line up'?

Also, how funny is it that for years Gailey and Jauron were railed upon for their personnel decisions and now they are given a pass because they supposedly were ridden hard? Wasn't Maybin Jauron's call, from the start?

[pmoon6]

Meh...all speculation, trying to create a reality out of bits and pieces.

Why would a front office that is allegedly so heavy-handed and involved in the roster make-up acquiesce to a HC and 'reluctantly' try to trade a player they allegedly like? Wouldn't it be more plausible that they would hammer down some more and tell Marrone 'Look...we just paid this guy and think he's pretty good, so you better have him in the starting line up'?

Also, how funny is it that for years Gailey and Jauron were railed upon for their personnel decisions and now they are given a pass because they supposedly were ridden hard? Wasn't Maybin Jauron's call, from the start?Well, speculation is all they have along with the need to point the finger when they don't get what they want and that is to rub their pathetic peckers on the TV screen when their team wins.

Blame and victimhood are part of New Age America. If you don't get what you want, cry about it like petulant children. At the very least, you get to vent and maybe garner sympathy.

[swiper]

Well, speculation is all they have along with the need to point the finger when they don't get what they want and that is to rub their pathetic peckers on the TV screen when their team wins.

Blame and victimhood are part of New Age America. If you don't get what you want, cry about it like petulant children. At the very least, you get to vent and maybe garner sympathy.

I like that. You should copyright it.

[Historian]

Hit the nail on the head. Bills' history is littered with bad decisions by Ralph as far as coaches and GM's.

I can give Ralph a pass on Saban because Lou like to move around. If you look at his coaching history, he never stayed in one place too long. Knox and Polian were two of the most boneheaded decisions in the history of pro football.

Next to Lamonica...

[Historian]

It was funny watching Marrone on the news last night (Ch 2) laugh the whole thing off....with Scott Berchtold standing right behind him!

Berchtold is like the Bills version of Minister of Propaganda.

Another part of the problem that needs to go.

[GreedoII]

If Littman wanted to ensure his post-sale employment, and the buyer was willing, then Littman would get a multi-year employment contract with a severance package.

No way in hell Littman stays. He's Ralph's money guy not Pegulas

[JoeMama]

OK truth time.

Who here -- if hired as HC of the Bills -- wouldn't spend 90% of their day screaming at the Bills front office personnel for all the stupid **** they do?

I'd barely have time to catch my breath, let alone coach a football team.

[chris66]

I think it boils down to their all worried about their jobs.how can they not be. new owners coming in. Very questionable at the qb position. Its sink or swim. especially Whaley he took some big gambles and if they dont work out hes gone

[starrymessenger]

Doug M is a volatile guy, that's for sure.
I watched the Lions game on Detroit TV.
At one point they were showing Doug on the sidelines having an animated conversation so they started talking about him...until they realized that he didn't have a headset on and nobody was within earshot of him.....there followed a moment of uneasy silence and then plain vanilla comments about the stadium upgrades there.
So we could be in for more hilarity before the year is out.
it may be a sideline rant where Doug wrings his own neck on national tv or he may go berserk at a post game presser after an ugly loss.
Coaching this team will do bad things to you. Remember how Chan went from looking like a normal person when starting out to sort of hobo level disheveled there at the end.

[YardRat]

I wonder if he called Brandon a 'pancake-eating mother****er'?

[Ingtar33]

St. Doug? seriously? Marrone calls himself St. Doug? what type of ****** ego do you need to give yourself that nickname.

that said... from what i saw of Kujo, he should have been cut. That the FO wants him playing is an indictment of their ability to judge players. Woods, i don't get why he was benched at times last year either, i can only assume marrone has a doghouse and woods can't get out of it. As for Ubrick... Ubrick is the best guard we have on the team, and we have him as a backup and Marrone wants to cut him. I can only assume this is another case of a player being in Marrone's doghouse. What i get out of this is we have a standard "god complex" college football coach who treats his professional football players like they're 18yo kids who depend on his good will to keep their scholarship.

And a front office which has no idea how to evaluate talent and zero confidence in the head coach they hired.


BTW: the players will only put up with this type of coach if the team is winning.

[BertSquirtgum]

It's pretty obvious it is Marrone's problem. Who flips out at signing a backup who can actually play ball? The guy is unraveling and his coaching hires outside of DC were a joke. Ready for an entire new coaching staff.

I wish they would have just fired him when he told them to and promoted Schwartz. Hated the hire then and I still hate it today. Was willing to him a chance but he is just awful.

[DetDannyWilliams]

Tasker tweet... Marrone NEVER clashed with team officials and dared them to fire him Jason LaCanfora is an egotistical maniac and delusional! I should know as someone who works at CBS Sports as an analyst he twists the story all around to get readers to read his stories and says what he wants. He just has it out for the Bills.

[swiper]

Tasker tweet... Marrone NEVER clashed with team officials and dared them to fire him Jason LaCanfora is an egotistical maniac and delusional! I should know as someone who works at CBS Sports as an analyst he twists the story all around to get readers to read his stories and says what he wants. He just has it out for the Bills.

Where? Link? I don't see it here: https://twitter.com/stevetasker89

[pmoon6]

I wonder if he called Brandon a 'pancake-eating mother****er'?I thought it was pig-eyed sack of ****.

[pmoon6]

Next to Lamonica...Hmmm. One player versus a HC that got us to the playoffs for the first time in 13 years and the architect of the best era in Bills' history?

I think not.

[sudzy]

What a way to open a season. Ranks right up there with the year that Jauron fired Schonert the week of the opener.

[sudzy]

Tasker tweet... Marrone NEVER clashed with team officials and dared them to fire him Jason LaCanfora is an egotistical maniac and delusional! I should know as someone who works at CBS Sports as an analyst he twists the story all around to get readers to read his stories and says what he wants. He just has it out for the Bills.

Not sure who to believe. I know these "NFL insides" are not above manufacturing stories. But, this is twice, with two different insiders. And I could see Tasker doing damage control for the Bills.

[YardRat]

Leave it too that ****head Mortensen on ESPN to have the story this AM...he's still butt sore over his buddy TD getting canned. *******.

[CommissarSpartacus]

Marrone goes one-up. It wasn't a super-impressive victory but a win's a win. Let's see if it continues.

[HAMMER]

The sky is falling. A couple of people that work 100 hrs a week together had an argument, imagine that.

[Jry44]

The sky is falling. A couple of people that work 100 hrs a week together had an argument, imagine that.

Seriously....

This story was three weeks old before lacanfora ever reported it. Monos wasn't even present; it was Russ a Whaley. Joe Buscaglia and Tim Graham tweeted about the argument the night it happened in camp!

Lacanfora is an utter dip**** that NEVER reports acurate information or breaks news. Ever...