Whaley started the internet on fire today

[X-Era]

Either that or Whaley wouldn't be here. Maybe he didn't want to give an ultimatum to his brand new boss.



I guess so, although nobody knows how much. I don't think either argument really matters as I'm convinced the two are tied together at this point anyway. If one fails, they will be let go together.

I don't think they necessarily are tied together...

Getting the groceries for the cook doesn't mean the cook cant screw up the dish...

I think the right approach would be to look at who had ownership over what.

Whaley:

Personnel moves
Draft
Free agency adds/losses

Ryan:

On the field performance

If we're not winnng the question is two fold... Do we have adequate talent to win? Is the team being coached well enough, and are the game plans strong enough to win?

In my opinion, Whaley has provided adequate talent for a playoff caliber team. I think we have to have a franchise QB to win a SB but that we could make the playoffs with the talent level that Whaley has assembled.

[Joe Fo Sho]

I don't think they necessarily are tied together...

Getting the groceries for the cook doesn't mean the cook cant screw up the dish...

When it comes to restaurants, I agree. In the NFL, it's been seen countless times when a coach is let go, so is the front office. It doesn't happen every time, but I feel like it happens more often than not. Does anyone know the length of Whaley's extension? I couldn't find it, but I wonder if it ends the year before Rex's or the same year as Rex's.

I don't know if this means anything, but Pegula didn't hire Whaley. If he lets Rex go, he may just want to clean house and start fresh with his own guys. Who knows.

I think the right approach would be to look at who had ownership over what.

Whaley:

Personnel moves
Draft
Free agency adds/losses

Ryan:

On the field performance

If we're not winnng the question is two fold... Do we have adequate talent to win? Is the team being coached well enough, and are the game plans strong enough to win?

That certainly seems like a logical approach. Logic isn't always the motivating factor when NFL teams make decisions, though.

In my opinion, Whaley has provided adequate talent for a playoff caliber team. I think we have to have a franchise QB to win a SB but that we could make the playoffs with the talent level that Whaley has assembled.

I'm a fan of Whaley. I'm not gonna tie his success solely to finding a franchise QB like a lot of people do. I do wish he was as good at evaluating offensive talent as he is defensive, though.

[OpIv37]

Either that or Whaley wouldn't be here. Maybe he didn't want to give an ultimatum to his brand new boss

Yeah, a much better option is to allow his new boss to waste millions on the wrong guy and look like an idiot in front of the entire football world....

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Whaley could have said "I absolutely do not want Rex here" and Rex would not be here. The final decision was Pegula's, but Whaley could have nixed it and he didn't.

I don't know why you assume that, the Pegulas were very publicly playing tonsil hockey with Bill Polian to act as a football czar and oversee Whaley. It's obvious that they were not comfortable giving him full authority.

[OpIv37]

I don't know why you assume that, the Pegulas were very publicly playing tonsil hockey with Bill Polian to act as a football czar and oversee Whaley. It's obvious that they were not comfortable giving him full authority.

Are you people that hell bent on defending Whaley that you can't comprehend this?

I didn't say anything about giving Whaley full authority. What I'm saying is that it would not be in Pegula's interest to force a coach on Whaley and create a strained relationship (actually 2) at the top of the organization. If Whaley really didn't want Rex, Pegula would not have forced the issue.

And honestly, if the Pegula's distrusted Whaley so much, why keep him?

[X-Era]

Are you people that hell bent on defending Whaley that you can't comprehend this?

I didn't say anything about giving Whaley full authority. What I'm saying is that it would not be in Pegula's interest to force a coach on Whaley and create a strained relationship (actually 2) at the top of the organization. If Whaley really didn't want Rex, Pegula would not have forced the issue.

And honestly, if the Pegula's distrusted Whaley so much, why keep him?

Let's re[lay the thread here. Whaley was blamed for the Rex hiring which at worst was something he only influenced.

Whaley cannot be blamed for the Rex hiring... he didn't hire him. He simply agreed that he should be the choice. Poor judgement on Whaleys part? Sure. Because he either did actually like him as the best option or didn't want to go against the new owners and brass who did.

[OpIv37]

Let's re[lay the thread here. Whaley was blamed for the Rex hiring which at worst was something he only influenced.

Whaley cannot be blamed for the Rex hiring... he didn't hire him. He simply agreed that he should be the choice. Poor judgement on Whaleys part? Sure. Because he either did actually like him as the best option or didn't want to go against the new owners and brass who did.

Holy logical gymnastics, Batman!

You said he used poor judgment but can't be blamed. He can't be blamed entirely but if he used poor judgment, some blame and criticism is warranted.

This is the problem with too many of my fellow Bills fans. They insist on defending the very people who are responsible for the losing. You admit Whaley used poor judgment that hurt the team, yet you are jumping through hoops to defend him.

[Joe Fo Sho]

Yeah, a much better option is to allow his new boss to waste millions on the wrong guy and look like an idiot in front of the entire football world....

I don't know if you're trying to be funny here, but yes that's a better option for Doug Whaley. It wasn't a certainty (and still isn't) that it would be disastrous and Whaley gets to keep getting paid.

My only point is that you don't know anymore than anyone else here about what happened, no matter how much you want Whaley fired.

[OpIv37]

I don't know if you're trying to be funny here, but yes that's a better option for Doug Whaley. It wasn't a certainty (and still isn't) that it would be disastrous and Whaley gets to keep getting paid.

My only point is that you don't know anymore than anyone else here about what happened, no matter how much you want Whaley fired.

I get it- some of you want to insist that Whaley had no say in the Rex decision and Pegula just went over his head so it doesn't shatter your delusion that Whaley is good at his job. Believe what you want- that's just not how things work in the real world.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised though. The FO has had a culture where accountability is utterly lacking at least since Brandon's arrival. Eventually, the mentality was bound to spill over to the fans. We suck, but it's never anyone's fault.

[swiper]

Blinders are in full bloom on this board. Not only do Rex Ryan, Whaley and Brandon suck. The new owner has been nothing short of horrible.

[BillsImpossible]

Blinders are in full bloom on this board. Not only do Rex Ryan, Whaley and Brandon suck. The new owner has been nothing short of horrible.

Dude, put down the whatever your're drinking or smoking.

The 'new owner,' has a winning record after his first two seasons with the Bills.

'Nothing short of horrible.'

Where would the Bills, Sabres, and downtown Buffalo be today without Terry and Kim Pegula? (and fracking...)

It would be horrible.

They've owned the Bills for less than two seasons.

What do you expect them to do, wave a freaking magic wand and pull a rabbit out of their hats?

[Mace]

What do you expect them to do, wave a freaking magic wand and pull a rabbit out of their hats?

Yes. That would be very awesome, especially if they did it at the Allentown art festival wearing tie dye, or at the Italian Festival dressed like ancient Romans.

[X-Era]

Holy logical gymnastics, Batman!

You said he used poor judgment but can't be blamed. He can't be blamed entirely but if he used poor judgment, some blame and criticism is warranted.

This is the problem with too many of my fellow Bills fans. They insist on defending the very people who are responsible for the losing. You admit Whaley used poor judgment that hurt the team, yet you are jumping through hoops to defend him.

I simply won't blame Whaley for hiring Rex Ryan. And if I was rebuilding everything I'd keep Whaley.

He's not the problem. I think he can absolutely be part of the solution.

[swiper]

Dude, put down the whatever your're drinking or smoking.

The 'new owner,' has a winning record after his first two seasons with the Bills.

'Nothing short of horrible.'

Where would the Bills, Sabres, and downtown Buffalo be today without Terry and Kim Pegula? (and fracking...)

It would be horrible.

They've owned the Bills for less than two seasons.

What do you expect them to do, wave a freaking magic wand and pull a rabbit out of their hats?

You're an idiot.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Are you people that hell bent on defending Whaley that you can't comprehend this?

I didn't say anything about giving Whaley full authority. What I'm saying is that it would not be in Pegula's interest to force a coach on Whaley and create a strained relationship (actually 2) at the top of the organization. If Whaley really didn't want Rex, Pegula would not have forced the issue.

And honestly, if the Pegula's distrusted Whaley so much, why keep him?

Again, why are you assuming this? You are acting like an owner meddling in the affairs of the team is an uncommon occurrence. Whaley wasn't Pegula's guy, he was elevated to GM while Ralph was alive. It's not even clear that Pegula liked Whaley when he first took over the team. Pegula secures the team in October 2014, by January 2015 he's openly courting Bill Polian to run the thing.

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/12/23/247898/

Last January, Bills owner Terry Pegula pursued Polian to oversee the team’s football operation, serving in the capacity of a “football czar.” At last March’s NFL owners meeting in Arizona, Pegula revealed to The Buffalo News that at one point he was having “two-hour daily” phone conversations with Polian.

“It was like talking with the Pope,” Pegula joked.

...

After failing to land Polian nearly a year ago, the Bills went about the search for a head coach to replace coach Doug Marrone, who exercised an escape clause in his contract that allowed him to depart the club with $4 million, and eventually hired Ryan. General Manager Doug Whaley, whose job was considered in serious jeopardy if Polian were hired, wound up leading the coaching search along with Managing Partner/President Russ Brandon.

And then this, claiming that Pegula is taking direction from another person outside the team
http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/12...onnel-matters/

LANDOVER, Md. -- In what might not bode well for Doug Whaley's future as the Buffalo Bills' general manager, team owner Terry Pegula is accepting outside NFL consultation on what to do about some of the problems that have led to the franchise headed to a 16th consecutive season without a playoff appearance, according to a league source.

...

The Bills nearly parted ways with Whaley last offseason when they were in pursuit of Bill Polian to run their football operation. La Canfora reported and the The News can confirm that Pegula is still open to the idea of hiring someone to provide big-picture oversight of the football operation while also finding a new GM.

We'll never know whether Whaley truly wanted Rex, but I am comfortable thinking it wasn't his decision to make. Pegula has been trying to demote him practically since Day 1.

[Mace]

Yes. That would be very awesome, especially if they did it at the Allentown art festival wearing tie dye, or at the Italian Festival dressed like ancient Romans.

I find it hard to believe no one else would think it awesome to see Terry Pegula dressed like a roman centurion with glasses and waving a tinfoil gladius as he produced a rabbit from Kim's um, roman woman hat, to the delight and wonder of the crowd.

[OpIv37]

Again, why are you assuming this? You are acting like an owner meddling in the affairs of the team is an uncommon occurrence. Whaley wasn't Pegula's guy, he was elevated to GM while Ralph was alive. It's not even clear that Pegula liked Whaley when he first took over the team. Pegula secures the team in October 2014, by January 2015 he's openly courting Bill Polian to run the thing.

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/12/23/247898/


And then this, claiming that Pegula is taking direction from another person outside the team
http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/12...onnel-matters/


We'll never know whether Whaley truly wanted Rex, but I am comfortable thinking it wasn't his decision to make. Pegula has been trying to demote him practically since Day 1.

Nothing you said makes any sense. If Pegula doesn't like Whaley, removing him is Pegula's call alone, especially if Whaley doesn't like his coaching pick.

[YardRat]

I would be willing to bet that 95% of us lowly fans on this (and other) message boards would not have hired Wrecks if one of us were the multi-billionaire that bought the team, and would have replied "What? Are you ****ing stupid?!" if the idea was even floated by Whaley and/or Brandon.

[TacklingDummy]

I would be willing to bet that 95% of us lowly fans on this (and other) message boards would not have hired Wrecks if one of us were the multi-billionaire that bought the team, and would have replied "What? Are you ****ing stupid?!" if the idea was even floated by Whaley and/or Brandon.

I would have be a meddling owner and promoted from within, Schwartz.
I wouldn't have traded for a dime a dozen position like Running Back.
I also wouldn't have given Dareus a boat load of money who has done basically nothing the past 24 games.

[Bill Cody]

I would have be a meddling owner and promoted from within, Schwartz.
I wouldn't have traded for a dime a dozen position like Running Back.
I also wouldn't have given Dareus a boat load of money who has done basically nothing the past 24 games.

I feel like better than half the guys on this board could have done a better job as GM of this team over the past 15 years, not joking. I'd have a $10 draft guide and a beer tap in my office and it would be better than it has been.