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View Full Version : There are two issues no one is bringing up...



Mudflap1
01-12-2006, 09:55 AM
In regards to the search for the offensive and defensive coordinators. This is serious, and think about it:

1. Money. Mike Mularkey is one of the lowest paid head coaches in the NFL. He is making $1.4 million for the next three years. There are several job openings in the NFL. If you were someone like Norv Turner, Jim Haslett, Dom Capers, or even Ted Cotrell, someone who has been a head coach before and is a very, very accomplished coordinator, are you going to come to Buffalo to work on the cheap? I mean, it's not possible that they could pay one of these guys even close to what Mularkey is getting paid, or more, is there? I don't think so. Remember, this is about opportunity, winning, blah blah blah, but it's also about money. If Mularkey is one of the lowest paid head coaches and there are several job openings, wouldn't you at least look first to a comparable position somewhere else where you could make more money? And don't think Gregg Williams getting $8 over 3 years that was just announced helped any. He alone is making leaps and bounds more than Mularkey. I'm sure Haslett, Capers, and Turner, guys who were all making more than Mularkey last year, see that number that Williams is making (since they are all very accomplished coordinators), and would like to shoot for something like that, rather than know they are going to make less than the $1.4 million a year that Mularkey is making.

2. What kind of seasoned coordinator in their right mind would ever want to come here and work for Mike Mularkey? Everyone saw what happened last year, and how he was wishy washy with his veterans and with the quarterbacks. Everyone knows we were highly touted going into the season but fell face first. I suppose a defensive guy might be interested in the talent that we have here, since before last season we were good on defense. The only allure for the offensive guy I can think of is that he could be in line to succeed Mularkey. Between the team being bad, all the competition with coaches out there and job openings, and the money situation described above, that isn't a really strong reason in my opinion.

The truth is that we are a substandard NFL franchise. Period. We had our day in the sun 10-15 years ago. I love Marv, and would rather see him in here than Tom Donahoe. He's a smart guy and knows football and players. However, he's also not what you would call "one of the prized candidates" out there in the market for top GM available. He's inexperienced, he's old, and he's Ralph's buddy who is probably working on the cheap. That being said, I'm a huge Marv fan, so I believe in him, and think he's got a real shot to be successful. However, with Mularkey, etc., I just don't see what these guys see in him. I know football is a business, but everytime I see Mularkey I can't help but think "nice guy, but underqualified at the time of his hiring, was just another Tom Donahoe puppet that he hired over a true candidate like Lewis, Fox, Crennel, or Weis that would've have challeneged the way things are done around here." Maybe since Marv is so tight with Ralph, he can be that guy in his own "rah rah" way. But, the fact is, I just don't see us in the short term getting some of the most coveted coordinators out there, for the reasons described above.

Just trying to be realistic.

Jon

OpIv37
01-12-2006, 10:40 AM
Mularkey's on a short leash. As far as coordinators wanting to work under him, that is a problem. But as far as having to pay an OC or DC more than Mularkey, if it has to be done Mularkey would be wise to just STFU. Without good coordinators to help him out, Mularkey won't be getting a paycheck at all by this time next year.

Mudflap1
01-12-2006, 11:19 AM
I agree it's not Mularkey's choice ultimately, but it's not realistic either that the Buffalo Bills as we know them are going to go out and hire two coordinators that are seasoned, and pay them more money than their head coach. Just not realistic.

Jon

alohabillsfan
01-12-2006, 11:58 AM
the reasons why a coordinator would choose Buffalo;

Offensive Coor. Young QB, RB, WR's and OT's need to solidify C/G could be a good offense under the right coor.

Defensive Coor- LB's DB's need to plug middle and find dominant DE (draft) either way some pieces in place not starting from scratch.

Anyways the guys that come in may see some potential in these teams which may get them another shot at HC or take over for a bunch of Mularkey.

Mudflap1
01-12-2006, 12:08 PM
You guys just don't get it. We are not more attractive than the other teams looking for coaches (St. Louis, New Orleans, Oakland, New York, Detroit, and Houston).

The Rams have excellent offensive talent, and some good defensive talent. They also play in a weak division.

New Orleans is a challenge because of the hurricane, but it appears they will be returning to New Orleans full time next season, and they have some decent talent on offense as well.

Oakland has a ton of talent on offense, and is in a decent climate.

New York is New York. Tough media, but it's also "top of the world." The Jets have also been a playoff team 3 times recently.

Detroit has been bad, but has also underachieved. They have a lot of young talent, they just need to get Millen to plug their holes.

Houston has a lot of young talent also. They just need to build an offensive line and get a few defensive players.

Granted, there is more to it than this, but Buffalo is not a much more attractive destination for any assistant coach than any of these other franchises. Add in the factor that they will not get paid that well (since you can't get paid more than your head coach, who is one of the lowest paid coaches), and the fact that the head coach is going into this season with a "lame duck" reputation, wants to call his own plays, etc., and the recipe is we are going to get more guys that have had no experience and are "reaches", as opposed to top coordinator prospects who may not have experience, but are highly touted (see Brad Childress' choices), or top coordinators with years of seasoning (Capers, Haslett, etc.).

We are a substandard franchise, and are well on our way to underachieving once again this coming year.

Jon

Jeff1220
01-12-2006, 12:08 PM
This is absolutely right on. I've said it before too. Ralph is cheap when it comes to coaches and their staffs. The Bills have never, that I can think of, hired a coach with a solid track record of success - and the biggest reason is $.

Earthquake Enyart
01-12-2006, 12:15 PM
The truth is that we are a substandard NFL franchise. Period. We had our day in the sun 10-15 years ago. I love Marv, and would rather see him in here than Tom Donahoe. He's a smart guy and knows football and players. However, he's also not what you would call "one of the prized candidates" out there in the market for top GM available. He's inexperienced, he's old, and he's Ralph's buddy who is probably working on the cheap. That being said, I'm a huge Marv fan, so I believe in him, and think he's got a real shot to be successful. However, with Mularkey, etc., I just don't see what these guys see in him. I know football is a business, but everytime I see Mularkey I can't help but think "nice guy, but underqualified at the time of his hiring, was just another Tom Donahoe puppet that he hired over a true candidate like Lewis, Fox, Crennel, or Weis that would've have challeneged the way things are done around here." Maybe since Marv is so tight with Ralph, he can be that guy in his own "rah rah" way. But, the fact is, I just don't see us in the short term getting some of the most coveted coordinators out there, for the reasons described above.

Nothing will happen until we get rid of Mullarkey. It will be like it was a few years ago when TD made GW dump out his staff and he hired Gilbride. :puke:

Mudflap1
01-12-2006, 12:17 PM
This is absolutely right on. I've said it before too. Ralph is cheap when it comes to coaches and their staffs. The Bills have never, that I can think of, hired a coach with a solid track record of success - and the biggest reason is $.

Thank you, you get it. It's not 100% about money, but that's a big part of it, and you can probably argue that that is the short answer.

The line of progression is...

We had Tom Donahoe, he wanted young coaches with no experience that he could control (the antithesis of Cowher -- young coach who was fiery and challenged him and ultimately forced him out).

Tom Donahoe hired Mike Mularkey over guys like Crennel and Weis.

Mike Mularkey got a five year deal at $1.4 mill per year. Mularkey was basically not on anybody's list except for ours, he was not a highly sought after prospect at all. Why the hell did he get a five year deal? Furthermore, he is one of the lowest paid head coaches in the league.

Mularkey had a good first year, rallying to a 9-7 finish.

Mularkey had a very poor second year, finishing 5-11, having trouble with veterans, screwing around with the quarterback situation too much, and overall barely hanging on to his job, walking into this next season with a "lame duck" tag on. The only reason he stayed is because he threw his coordinators and some other assistants under the bus.

There are a lot of job openings out there, and some good coordinators. There is a lot of competition. When there is a lot of competition, the aggressive head coaches with good reputations that make moves early and are able to be competitive in terms of compensation are the head coaches that get the good coordinator assistants. We cannot be competitive with compensation because Mularkey is one of the lowest paid coaches (therefore the coordinator can't make more), we cannot be competitive with timing (Mularkey is looking to hold interviews after the Senior Bowl in February), and we cannot be competitive with our reptuation (perennial underachieving team with a league-wide reputation of having a lame duck coach who is only sticking around because he threw his coordinators under the bus just to keep his own job for another year, in the middle of a complete organization restructure).

Again, the recipe is to get more guys with no experience. That itself isn't so bad, but the guys we are going to get aren't going to be highly sought after either. It's going to be more "reaches" guys that are going to be learning on the job. Grrrrrrrrrreat.

Jon

Jeff1220
01-12-2006, 12:26 PM
::(:

Bill Cody
01-12-2006, 12:40 PM
Might as well go cheap on the assistants. They're only going to be here a year and then MM and gang will be given the boot.

Mudflap1
01-12-2006, 01:49 PM
Might as well go cheap on the assistants. They're only going to be here a year and then MM and gang will be given the boot.

Exactly why this franchise is going the wrong way fast again. If everyone in Western New York knows Mularkey has to make the playoffs or get fired, why is he even here? Marv is going to have to dazzle us and assemble the greatest roster in the NFL for us to have a chance to go to the playoffs with Mularkey and his piss-poor, underqualified staff of young turks he is going to hire.

Jon

Mudflap1
01-12-2006, 05:32 PM
ahem...

Jon

Michael82
01-12-2006, 05:38 PM
ahem...

Jon
Good thread! :bf1:

Bill Cody
01-12-2006, 05:42 PM
Might as well go cheap on the assistants. They're only going to be here a year and then MM and gang will be given the boot.

Wow that year really flew by.:funny:

Mudflap1
01-12-2006, 05:46 PM
Wow that year really flew by.:funny:

:lmao:

Why not just cut to the chase?

Jon