Tim Graham talks to Pegulas

[Mace]

What traits were most important?

TP: We are not going to disclose any of the things we used to pick our coach




TP: I don't want to mention any other names.


TP: I think those are all personal matters I don't need to discuss.



TP: I don't want to discuss that. It's a private matter.


KP: It doesn't do us any good to get into that.


TP: That's a decision I would rather keep private,




TP: That's our business.





TP: There should be absolutely no confusion. Zero. Where is this confusion coming from?

Ok.

http://buffalonews.com/2017/01/12/terry-pegula-accusations-bills-dysfunctional-consider-insult/

[WagonCircler]

That was not comforting.

Not even a little bit.

Pointless is more accurate.

I guess wide right is as close as we're ever going to get.

[Ed]

Terry should just let Kim do all the talking.

[Cali512]

That was not comforting.

Not even a little bit.

Pointless is more accurate.

I guess wide right is as close as we're ever going to get.



Dude they answered every question people have had and none of what they said made it seem like there incapable of being good owners. This is the first time someone elaborated on every head powers responsibility.

[Historian]

The Pegulas are perfect.

It's the world that's wrong.

[YardRat]

Is there anybody in the organization that can handle the media without butchering their answers?

[feldspar]

Lol, I don't get it.

People want full disclosure?

This isn't a court proceeding.

This is a business where it's in your best interest to actually NOT tell everyone what you are thinking in every particular.

[DraftBoy]

I don't really see what people are upset about.

Also this interview was well-received by the media and Graham himself commented that he completely understood where the Pegula's choose not to answer specific questions and that he was thankful for the opportunity to interview them.

[Historian]

Is there anybody in the organization that can handle the media without butchering their answers?

If you watched the press conference when he bought the team, Terry Pegula tends to trip over his tongue, he is a terrible public speaker.

I can't hold that against him, as not everybody can speak with the eloquence of Ronald Reagan, or Bill Clinton.

HOWEVER....If you're going to enter this type of endeavor, you better be damn sure that the people who are going to speak for you, have clearly defined roles, and that you are there to back them up when addressing the press.

Sending Lynn out there by himself was a cowardly act.

And as for the incredulous retort about "How would they know we're dysfunctional???" Jeezus, just look at the results.

Even Levy, who was a great communicator himself, had a media consultant for the coaches and the players.

Why?

Because words matter.

And more importantly, they can be distorted, or mis-interpreted.

[HHURRICANE]

Sounds like Kim handles the big decisions.

[DraftBoy]

Even Levy, who was a great communicator himself, had a media consultant for the coaches and the players.

Why?

Because words matter.

And more importantly, they can be distorted, or mis-interpreted.

Those public comments and actions have reactions and I'm not quite sure they completely get that yet. This isn't a private enterprise where you can issue a clarifying press release, button up shop and not address the issue ever again.

[Novacane]

He Terry. Don't bother sending me my season ticket invoice. Why? That's a decision I'd rather keep private!

[OpIv37]

This whole thing reads like a corrupt government official who is facing a congressional hearing over a minor ethical violation,trying to answer the questions without incriminating himself on the mountain of illegal stuff they don't know about yet.

[WagonCircler]

Dude they answered every question people have had and none of what they said made it seem like there incapable of being good owners. This is the first time someone elaborated on every head powers responsibility.

Answering a question with "I'm not going to answer that" is not answering a question.

[WagonCircler]

Those public comments and actions have reactions and I'm not quite sure they completely get that yet. This isn't a private enterprise where you can issue a clarifying press release, button up shop and not address the issue ever again.

Kim Pegula, alleged wunderkind, allegedly has a degree in public relations.

[feldspar]

This whole thing reads like a corrupt government official who is facing a congressional hearing over a minor ethical violation,trying to answer the questions without incriminating himself on the mountain of illegal stuff they don't know about yet.

No it doesn't...

[DraftBoy]

Kim Pegula, alleged wunderkind, allegedly has a degree in public relations.

That doesn't mean anything to me.

[WagonCircler]

That doesn't mean anything to me.

You make the point that you're not quite sure if they completely "get" that public comments have reactions. Well, get used to it. They're not going to "get" it.

Oh, wait, I get it. You're being a dick. Or you just are a dick.

[Saratoga Slim]

I'm not saying the Pegulas deserve a lifetime pass on tough questions. But c'mon people, they deserve far more benefit of the doubt than half this board is already giving them.

Two years ago our choice was
a) neophyte sports owner with deep pockets and wholehearted commitment to Buffalo, or
b) management groups with either no intention of keeping the Bills in Buffalo or only temporary commitment to doing so

Knowing what we know now, I'm still happy it worked out the way it did. If you're not, go call someone in San Diego and see whether they'd take the Pegulas over the Spanos family right now.

[Turf]

I didn't think the interview was that bad, but Terry does come off as being quite defensive, something that permeates throughout the organization. I would be an awesome owner at interviews. "Sure what do you want to know"/

Q: Why did you fire Ryan
A: He was brought in for defense and it regressed.

Now Terry did say that eventually, if he had not been so protective and just said it up front it would have saved him a lot of grief.

He needs to understand that people aren't out to get him and that they appreciate what he's done for Buffalo. If he would just get up there, smile, kid around, and be frank about stuff, all this would go away. If he lost, just say I HATE losing and we're going to get it right. Quit Hiding.

[elroy16]

The Pegula's lay it out pretty clearly, including at the end.



Sports ownership being the unusual animal that it is, how do you balance your approach as a private business owner with what the public wants?TP: This business is so competitive. You can't just disclose your plans. 'What's your objective in the draft this year?' Why would we answer that question? 'What are you going to do with this player? What are you going to do with that player?' We can't disclose the secrets and plans for our team. Otherwise, we'd be giving every other team an advantage. I can understand everyone wanting to know, but they should also understand if we divulged everything that went on in our meetings we probably wouldn't win a game.
KP: For sure, it's a delicate balance. Those are tough decisions that we and our staff have to make on a regular basis, balancing what the fans want and what's best for the organization.



Of course they aren't going to answer every single question.

Pretty much every question I think they should have answered, they did. They were asked about the coaching search and front office structure and answered most of the questions about those topics. They didn't want to go into detail about what they were looking for in a coach, that's fine. They didn't want to discuss Tyrod, because they are going to leave it up to the GM and HC to figure that out, that's fine.



I don't see the issue here.

[Homegrown]

TP - I'm a huge proponent of both Miranda Rights & the 5th Amendment

[DraftBoy]

You make the point that you're not quite sure if they completely "get" that public comments have reactions. Well, get used to it. They're not going to "get" it.

That public comments and actions have a different reaction in the world of sports than it does in private enterprise. I'm just not sure what having a degree in Public Relations is supposed to matter.


Oh, wait, I get it. You're being a dick. Or you just are a dick.

Option 2.

[Saratoga Slim]

The Pegula's lay it out pretty clearly, including at the end.






Of course they aren't going to answer every single question.

Pretty much every question I think they should have answered, they did. They were asked about the coaching search and front office structure and answered most of the questions about those topics. They didn't want to go into detail about what they were looking for in a coach, that's fine. They didn't want to discuss Tyrod, because they are going to leave it up to the GM and HC to figure that out, that's fine.

I don't see the issue here.

I am reassured that they're leaving the Tyrod thing to the GM/HC. I was a little concerned that they weren't.

[DraftBoy]

I am reassured that they're leaving the Tyrod thing to the GM/HC. I was a little concerned that they weren't.

I don't think they did originally.

[DesertFox24]

I feel somewhat better after to reading the article but still wish someone with a proven background to run a football operations department (Ron Wolfe, etc...) would have been brought in to help steer the ship until they figured this thing out correctly.

Unlike most, Brandon does not bother me at all, if TP is speaking truthful and he is there to learn and listen but not offer opinions or vote on football decisions then I have no problem with that. Brandon has been great for the bills getting a larger footprint, more money to stay viable while staying in the area, and honestly we should all thank him a little as he was on the team to pick the owners so he was instrumental in keeping the bills in buffalo.

I am not sure I still understand how football decisions are made. I agree that the Head coach and the GM should have a say and should work in concert with each other, but in the hopefully unlikely event of a disagreement who gets the vote (a football VP or Czar would be preferred here).

As for Tyrod I commend them for noticing if they did he is not good enough to win a championship, we all know that. That said what is their plan to get better than him?

Cutting Tyrod and letting Cardale or rookie starts means this team will struggle next year more than likely. Keeping Tyrod says they think they can make a push for the playoffs but at what cost?

I still have questions but based on that interview they are not going to answer them, which I guess is the perogative.

[feldspar]

, but Terry does come off as being quite defensive....

Somebody who is being attacked comes off as being defensive? Ponder that for a moment.

The guy is not responsible for 17 years of Buffalo futility...only for a couple of few.

Who really cares about how firing Rex went down? Pegula should probably have went door-to-door and kissed all of our babies on the cheek? The way that all was handled wasn't NEARLY as bad as it was taken by a lot of people.rex was fired, then we want to inspect management's ass-whole with a microscope?

Time to move on, I says...

[chris66]

What I got out of this.

Terry doesnt want to hear anymore about the playoff drought.

This is Kims shiny new toy. Terry seems disinterested in day to day operations.

[WagonCircler]

That public comments and actions have a different reaction in the world of sports than it does in private enterprise. I'm just not sure what having a degree in Public Relations is supposed to matter.



Option 2.

It should at least help you to discern that simple insight. I mean, even you were able to.

[Historian]

Pretty much every question I think they should have answered, they did. They were asked about the coaching search and front office structure and answered most of the questions about those topics.

Buffalo Biscuits!

No one is asking him for the nuclear launch codes.

No one is asking him to lay out the Xs and Os of draft strategy, or the team's playbook. (probably doesn't understand it in the first place)

They asked him what qualities he was looking for in a coach. Probably the most innocuous question of the lot.

All he's gotta say is...hard working....detail oriented...yadda yadda yadda, as opposed to clamming up and stating " it's a private matter. "

You have a history of two teams over half a decade who have both gone backwards under their ownership, and he gets his dander up over questions of their competency?

Unreal.

Unless part of the job description is to service his wife once a week.

How ****ing silly.

[Bill Cody]

that interview is painful to read. Peg comes off as a know nothing, arrogant dick. The Brandon section is probably the worst. Peg only addresses the "breaking down film" part of the question but even that is alarming. WTF is a business guy doing breaking down film? And Peg likes to break down film? But there's no disfunction, nothing to see here, any suggestion to the contrary is an "insult", no football czar is needed. Ok....

He sounds like "we do what we do because that's what we want to do and why is our business". Gives you a warm fuzzy feeling that all is well, no?

[WagonCircler]

that interview is painful to read. Peg comes off as a know nothing, arrogant dick. The Brandon section is probably the worst. Peg only addresses the "breaking down film" part of the question but even that is alarming. WTF is a business guy doing breaking down film? And Peg likes to break down film? But there's no disfunction, nothing to see here, any suggestion to the contrary is an "insult", no football czar is needed. Ok....

He sounds like "we do what we do because that's what we want to do and why is our business". Gives you a warm fuzzy feeling that all is well, no?

The worst part, to me, is this notion that they're somehow protecting company secret procedures. Like ANYONE wants to emulate them.

[Thurmal4lifeyo]

What I got out of this.

Terry doesnt want to hear anymore about the playoff drought.

This is Kims shiny new toy. Terry seems disinterested in day to day operations.

well then we're in a lot of trouble. She's young and healthy - she's probably going to be running things for the majority of the rest of our lives. She met the billionaire, Terry, who was 20 years older than her, while she was a waitress at a restaurant he went to. He gave her a job shortly after, while they were already dating, and now we're here.

If Kim is already handling more than Terry, expect that gap to widen as time goes on, and he gets older. So yea, waitress vs self made billionaires throughout the NFL - good luck to us.

[Mace]

He was trying not to reveal his McDermott statement where he pretty much said most of the things he said he didn't want to. He could have worded it different and come out more assertive and aware in both, imho anyway.

I'm ok with Pegula not being the most assured public speaker, but I don't understand why he tries harder not to be.

[Strongman]

Terrance is in denial if he thinks there's no dysfunction. The leaks alone indicate that not everyone is on the same page

[WagonCircler]

Terrance is in denial if he thinks there's no dysfunction. The leaks alone indicate that not everyone is on the same page

And the leaks are from Whaley.

[Strongman]

And the leaks are from Whaley.

Probably. The sad part of the article is TP thinks everything is hunky dory and is content to listen to his "football" guys Whaley and Russ (who attends everything and yet supposedly has no input). They have TP and Kim snookered into believing everybody else is the problem.

This is going to be a 7 to 9 win football team for the foreseeable future.