ScottNorwood
Footballcutie
Bills will fire GM Tom Donahoe, Profootballtalk.com reports.
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If they let Moulds go they're going to need another starting WR. And yes I realize they have plenty of other needs to address. Just sayin.Whoever they bring in better not draft a WR in the first round.
nah....it sucks for me expecting that our bum coach will be coming back and I won't have an interest in football next year outside of FF. But he'll be gone eventually and then I can be optimistic again. If they were gone for good, that would be many times worse.Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
The Bills are painful to watch, and just as painful to listen to or read about. Honestly, I'd rather have no team in town (and $100+ million back in the state coffers) than the garbage they're spewing out, year in and year out.
I don't know, the NFL is a TV sport, and it's very easy to sit back and watch whatever team you want with the Sunday Ticket. Personally, I hate the corporate welfare the NFL squezes out of state and local goverments. I was against giving the Bills the $100+ mil in subsides and stadium improvements 7 years back, and will remain opposed to corporate welfare for any sports team in the future, particularly the NFL.nah....it sucks for me expecting that our bum coach will be coming back and I won't have an interest in football next year outside of FF. But he'll be gone eventually and then I can be optimistic again. If they were gone for good, that would be many times worse.Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
The Bills are painful to watch, and just as painful to listen to or read about. Honestly, I'd rather have no team in town (and $100+ million back in the state coffers) than the garbage they're spewing out, year in and year out.
I think Mularkey can coach... and coach and COACH. Over think and OVER coach. Last year I felt he did a very good job, this year I think his playcalling along with CLemons was the worst in the NFL. Not only that they would do things in certain times of the game that would completely KILL the momentum, like a playaction pass at the goalline on first and goal... MORON.So in my eyes he is 1-1. He will probably get another year, and he is warranted as so. But if he gets canned, I for one won't blink an eye.Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
The Bills are painful to watch, and just as painful to listen to or read about. Honestly, I'd rather have no team in town (and $100+ million back in the state coffers) than the garbage they're spewing out, year in and year out.
You obviously forget the 0-4 then 1-6 start in 2004... yeah they ripped off 8 straight against BAD competition, but when it cam e to a meangful game against 3rd string competition, Mularky couldn't get it done.He's a BAD BAD BAD 0-2 in my book.I think Mularkey can coach... and coach and COACH. Over think and OVER coach. Last year I felt he did a very good job, this year I think his playcalling along with CLemons was the worst in the NFL. Not only that they would do things in certain times of the game that would completely KILL the momentum, like a playaction pass at the goalline on first and goal... MORON.So in my eyes he is 1-1. He will probably get another year, and he is warranted as so. But if he gets canned, I for one won't blink an eye.Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
The Bills are painful to watch, and just as painful to listen to or read about. Honestly, I'd rather have no team in town (and $100+ million back in the state coffers) than the garbage they're spewing out, year in and year out.
Very true. But I can't really blame the fact the defense couldnt do anything and Bledsoe YET AGAIN blows a game. Malarkey is working with what he has. A horrible Oline (THanks Donahoe), HUGE questions at the QB position (THanks Donahoe), no real TE threat (THanks Donahoe), and a gaping hole left by Pat williams filled in with practice team players essentially (Thanks Donahoe).I dont think Malarky is all that good, but he is far from a BAD BAD coach otherwise he would of never rattled off 8 straight wins no matter who he played. I think his coaching this year has stunk... PERIOD. But Im giving him the benifit of the doubt and would be willing to give him another year, maybe he understands that trick plays while you got the momentum is not always the best thing.You obviously forget the 0-4 then 1-6 start in 2004... yeah they ripped off 8 straight against BAD competition, but when it cam e to a meangful game against 3rd string competition, Mularky couldn't get it done.He's a BAD BAD BAD 0-2 in my book.I think Mularkey can coach... and coach and COACH. Over think and OVER coach. Last year I felt he did a very good job, this year I think his playcalling along with CLemons was the worst in the NFL. Not only that they would do things in certain times of the game that would completely KILL the momentum, like a playaction pass at the goalline on first and goal... MORON.So in my eyes he is 1-1. He will probably get another year, and he is warranted as so. But if he gets canned, I for one won't blink an eye.Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
The Bills are painful to watch, and just as painful to listen to or read about. Honestly, I'd rather have no team in town (and $100+ million back in the state coffers) than the garbage they're spewing out, year in and year out.
Didn't Donahoe sign an extension before this year?Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
Yes, but it was reportedly only for 1 year.Didn't Donahoe sign an extension before this year?Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
I'd swear last year you would have said he was "a genius" for McGahee and getting rid of Bledsoe and getting something for Henry and....whether you did or not roll with this a sec OK?Do you think it's wise to be so quick with the hook on a GM? Or is it best to accept some well intentioned moves and see what comes about? John Butler(RIP) was wonderful IMO. Do you think Buffalo struggles to find a GM as good as he was or are they just trying to find a good GM? Are they being held to an unfair standard?I think Donahoe has done a better job of drafting and acquiring talent than most others give him credit for, but I'm not going to be disappointed to see him go. The team has been consistently disappointing for quite awhile now and after 5 years and 2 different head coaches, he's had a fair enough chance to get things turned around.
This just gives the new GM an extra year if he waits 1 season to fire the HC.It would be highly unusual for an incoming GM to not have the option to make a move at HC. However, plenty of incoming GMs prefer to keep a HC around so they can evaluate them directly before hastily bringing someone aboard. Logically, a GM is better off using Year One as a "mulligan" anyway...no one will kill a 1st year GM if the incumbent sucks, meanwhile the GM gets a 12-month lay of the land and determines where the organization needs changing [coaches, players, attitude, facilities] before he's really on the clock.
I am much more appreciative of Donahoe's hits and more forigiving of some of his misses than most other Bills fans. But, that isn't to say that he doesn't have his faults. I think the biggest mistake he has made was not doing everything in his power to hire Marvin Lewis 5 years ago when he had a chance. Mike Williams turned out to be a major bust, but I can't fault him for trying to land an elite LT with the #4 overall pick...most offensive linemen taken in the 1st round do pretty well, so I'd say that was just some rotten luck on his part. I think he's generally drafted pretty well, and also done a pretty good job with regard to trades and free agency (Takeo Spikes and Peerless Price moves were huge, IMO). John Butler was a great talent evaluator, but not a great GM. The team Donahoe took over 5 years ago was in salary cap hell thanks to the bloated contracts handed out by John Butler, and Butler's last draft might have been the worst of all time for the Bills.The Bills apparently are the only AFC team to not make the playoffs in the past 5 years (not counting the expansion Texans) under Donahoe's watch. He is also extremely arrogant and comes off as God's gift to football, which doesn't play well in a blue collar city like Buffalo. Even the owner Ralph Wilson sounds like he's sick of Donahoe at this point. He gave him total control over the organization so he is going to take the fall when the team consistently fails to deliver, as they have. The Bills record in 5 years under Donahoe is 31-49. It just doesn't seem like the team is showing any kind of progress and he's failed pretty miserably on his 2 head coaching hires.I'd swear last year you would have said he was "a genius" for McGahee and getting rid of Bledsoe and getting something for Henry and....whether you did or not roll with this a sec OK?Do you think it's wise to be so quick with the hook on a GM? Or is it best to accept some well intentioned moves and see what comes about?I think Donahoe has done a better job of drafting and acquiring talent than most others give him credit for, but I'm not going to be disappointed to see him go. The team has been consistently disappointing for quite awhile now and after 5 years and 2 different head coaches, he's had a fair enough chance to get things turned around.
John Butler(RIP) was wonderful IMO. Do you think Buffalo struggles to find a GM as good as he was or are they just trying to find a good GM? Are they being held to an unfair standard?
appreciate the long responseI am much more appreciative of Donahoe's hits and more forigiving of some of his misses than most other Bills fans. But, that isn't to say that he doesn't have his faults. I think the biggest mistake he has made was not doing everything in his power to hire Marvin Lewis 5 years ago when he had a chance. Mike Williams turned out to be a major bust, but I can't fault him for trying to land an elite LT with the #4 overall pick...most offensive linemen taken in the 1st round do pretty well, so I'd say that was just some rotten luck on his part. I think he's generally drafted pretty well, and also done a pretty good job with regard to trades and free agency (Takeo Spikes and Peerless Price moves were huge, IMO). John Butler was a great talent evaluator, but not a great GM. The team Donahoe took over 5 years ago was in salary cap hell thanks to the bloated contracts handed out by John Butler, and Butler's last draft might have been the worst of all time for the Bills.The Bills apparently are the only AFC team to not make the playoffs in the past 5 years (not counting the expansion Texans) under Donahoe's watch. He is also extremely arrogant and comes off as God's gift to football, which doesn't play well in a blue collar city like Buffalo. Even the owner Ralph Wilson sounds like he's sick of Donahoe at this point. He gave him total control over the organization so he is going to take the fall when the team consistently fails to deliver, as they have. The Bills record in 5 years under Donahoe is 31-49. It just doesn't seem like the team is showing any kind of progress and he's failed pretty miserably on his 2 head coaching hires.I'd swear last year you would have said he was "a genius" for McGahee and getting rid of Bledsoe and getting something for Henry and....whether you did or not roll with this a sec OK?Do you think it's wise to be so quick with the hook on a GM? Or is it best to accept some well intentioned moves and see what comes about?I think Donahoe has done a better job of drafting and acquiring talent than most others give him credit for, but I'm not going to be disappointed to see him go. The team has been consistently disappointing for quite awhile now and after 5 years and 2 different head coaches, he's had a fair enough chance to get things turned around.
John Butler(RIP) was wonderful IMO. Do you think Buffalo struggles to find a GM as good as he was or are they just trying to find a good GM? Are they being held to an unfair standard?
I'm not sure who else they can get though. Retaining Modrak for the football side of things would hopefully maintain some consistency in the player personnel side of things, which I think has done a pretty good job overall. My biggest fear with getting someone new is always that the person you wind up with will be even worse than the guy you just fired. But, the past few years have been mostly disappointment after disappointment and Wilson doesn't have much time left in his life. It's pretty clear that the status quo isn't going to get us very far so I think some major changes are needed. If there's a quality coach out there we can get, then I hope that happens too.
How much worse can a new GM and coach do anyway? The team just went 5-11 and will be picking in the top 10 of the draft. If they don't blow that huge lead against the Dolphins, I'm sure everything would be a lot different right now. But, that was a huge wakeup call...just like the Bills losing to the Steelers scrubs a year ago was.
Blow it up and we'll take our chances starting over if we have to.
Isn't he like 80 years old?I may have been half asleep, but I thought I heard a Mort report on Sportscenter last night that said Marv Levy was riding back into town to take over the front office....
I always thought they kept the right guy. Donahoe's last few drafts with the Steelers were awful.He "resigned" in Pittsburgh in January, 2000. Between 1996 and 1999 the Steelers used picks in the first 3 rounds on:There was a fair amount of criticism by some in Pittsburgh that the Rooney's fired the wrong guy when the Donohoe-Cowher power struggle was in full swing.
Needless to say I think they kept the right guy.
just heard the same report on fox radiomarv levy is going to be running the show in buffaloIt's up on ESPN now:
Former Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy, 77, will return to the team to oversee the football operation, and president and general manager Tom Donahoe will be fired Wednesday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports.
Link
very interesting.looks like Levy will be the man in charge and I'm sure Wilson trusts him as much as anybody out there. the fans will be psyched to see Marv back in town, and even at his age he should still have at least a few good years left to try and get things turned around. His greatest strength was always delegating responsibilities among his staff, and it looks like he should have a solid group to work with. Tom Modrak will apparently take over the personnel side while Russ Brandon will take over the business side.It's up on ESPN now:
Former Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy, 77, will return to the team to oversee the football operation, and president and general manager Tom Donahoe will be fired Wednesday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports.
Link
1) Name the two NFL teams to make the NFL playoffs every year from 2001-2004.2) Name the five teams have made the playoffs four times between 2001-2005.Interesting quote from the article at espn.com:
"Except for Houston, which joined the NFL in 2002, the Bills are the only AFC team to not make the playoffs since 2001."
parity, anyone?
I know the Eagles were one...having been to the NFC Championship game in each of those years. Offhand, I can't think of the other...1) Name the two NFL teams to make the NFL playoffs every year from 2001-2004.2) Name the five teams have made the playoffs four times between 2001-2005.Interesting quote from the article at espn.com:
"Except for Houston, which joined the NFL in 2002, the Bills are the only AFC team to not make the playoffs since 2001."
parity, anyone?
3) Prior to this year, the Bengals hadn't been to the playoffs since 1990. Which 2005 playoff team had the second longest playoff drought prior to this year, and when was the last year they made it?
1 - Eagles & Packers2 - Eagles, Patriots, Packers, Colts, & Steelers1) Name the two NFL teams to make the NFL playoffs every year from 2001-2004.2) Name the five teams have made the playoffs four times between 2001-2005.Interesting quote from the article at espn.com:
"Except for Houston, which joined the NFL in 2002, the Bills are the only AFC team to not make the playoffs since 2001."
parity, anyone?
3) Prior to this year, the Bengals hadn't been to the playoffs since 1990. Which 2005 playoff team had the second longest playoff drought prior to this year, and when was the last year they made it?
Someone help me out here. What's wrong with calling a play action pass on first and goal from the one. The run fake has to be taken quite seriously. You see this all the time from successful teams who then slip a T.E. or F.B. out into the flat or just over the goal for an uncontested catch or slide a slot receiver straight over the middle to where the safety just vacated in an attempt to play run first. This is also your classic Tackle eligible set up. How is this an example of poor coaching?I think Mularkey can coach... and coach and COACH. Over think and OVER coach. Last year I felt he did a very good job, this year I think his playcalling along with CLemons was the worst in the NFL. Not only that they would do things in certain times of the game that would completely KILL the momentum, like a playaction pass at the goalline on first and goal... MORON.So in my eyes he is 1-1. He will probably get another year, and he is warranted as so. But if he gets canned, I for one won't blink an eye.Mularky has another 3 years on his contract, and Ralph is notoriously frugal in paying out dead contracts for coaches and management. That's the ONLY reason Mularky will be here next year, and it sucks too, because Mularky CANNOT coach.
The Bills are painful to watch, and just as painful to listen to or read about. Honestly, I'd rather have no team in town (and $100+ million back in the state coffers) than the garbage they're spewing out, year in and year out.
Just like it passed Gibbs by and like it passed Vermeil by? Or how about Paterno?Wow, cant say I like the Levy news if I were a Bills fan. Arent you guys woried that the game has passed him by? (seriously)
Just like it passed Gibbs by and like it passed Vermeil by? Or how about Paterno?Wow, cant say I like the Levy news if I were a Bills fan. Arent you guys woried that the game has passed him by? (seriously)
LHUCKS, your point is well made...when it comes to coaching. I've argued as you have that guys like Gibbs and Vermeil never forget how to coach, because no matter how much we like to talk about innovative offenses and defenses, there's very little that's new in the game of football [just recycled.]But where I think this situation differs is that Levy isn't coming back to coach, but to run the organization and front office. And that most certainly HAS changed since he made his great run in the 90s.Just like it passed Gibbs by and like it passed Vermeil by? Or how about Paterno?Wow, cant say I like the Levy news if I were a Bills fan. Arent you guys woried that the game has passed him by? (seriously)
Point well taken, but I usually give the benefit of the doubt to the guy that's been to several Superbowls. After 47 years of coaching, Marv retired on December 31, 1997. He will be remembered not only as the winningest coach in Buffalo Bills history and a Hall of Fame football coach, but also as one of the NFL's most classiest individuals. Levy not only molded football players but he also molded men character, class and pride.But where I think this situation differs is that Levy isn't coming back to coach, but to run the organization and front office. And that most certainly HAS changed since he made his great run in the 90s.
Free agency and the salary cap are HUGE differences between now and how the NFL landscape looked in Levy's heyday. And the cap situation only gets more difficult as the league's CBA issues mature [i.e., less years to pro-rate contracts].
I'm not saying Levy can't navigate the new landscape, but I would assign a SIGNIFICANTLY greater risk to his failing as a front office man than I would have to his [or another steely veteran] returning to the sidelines.
Even if it wasn't official, I'd suspect that Levy was an advisor to the Bills over the years since his coaching retirement. He's not exactly coming in cold, which means that he may be more likely to axe Mularky rather than wait.It would be highly unusual for an incoming GM to not have the option to make a move at HC. However, plenty of incoming GMs prefer to keep a HC around so they can evaluate them directly before hastily bringing someone aboard. Logically, a GM is better off using Year One as a "mulligan" anyway...no one will kill a 1st year GM if the incumbent sucks, meanwhile the GM gets a 12-month lay of the land and determines where the organization needs changing [coaches, players, attitude, facilities] before he's really on the clock.
Fixed.I was shocked they hired Mularkey to begin with. He was never that great IMO.
Pitts O has looked much better since he left Big Ben arrived.
Agreed. I couldn't wait till Mularky and his "bag o' tricks" was gone. What characterized his tenure as Steeler OC was trying to hammer gimmick plays into the flow of the game regardless of the situation. You could just tell when one was coming and would be blown up by the defense. Sorry that Buffalo fans will be subjected to him for possibly another year.I was shocked they hired Mularkey to begin with. He was never that great IMO.
Pitts O has looked much beeter since he left.
Agreed. But to be fair, there are two perrenial Pro Bowlers and two longtime Steeler starters in there (Witman and Chad Scott). The rest are real indicative of Donahoe's philosophy of drafting for need instead of best availble. Case in point is the miserable drafting of Troy Edwards when the Steelers were desperate for fresh O-line help and John Tait, Matt Stinchcomb, and Luke Petitgout sat on the board. You do hit on a key point, though. Donohoe was excellent on his mid to low round picks. Much better than the current Steeler GM up until this year.I always thought they kept the right guy. Donahoe's last few drafts with the Steelers were awful.He "resigned" in Pittsburgh in January, 2000. Between 1996 and 1999 the Steelers used picks in the first 3 rounds on:There was a fair amount of criticism by some in Pittsburgh that the Rooney's fired the wrong guy when the Donohoe-Cowher power struggle was in full swing.
Needless to say I think they kept the right guy.
1996 - Jamain Stephens (1), Steven Conley (2), Jon Witman (3)
1997 - Chad Scott (1), Will Blackwell (2), Paul Wiggins (3)
1998 - Alan Faneca (1), Jeremy Staat (2), Chris Conrad (3)
1999 - Troy Edwards (1), Scott Shields (2), Joey Porter (3)
That's only 2 NFL quality players in 12 picks over 4 years in the first 3 rounds of the NFL draft. He was able to snag Aaron Smith (6, 1999), Hines Ward (4, 1998), Deshea Townsend (5, 1998), and Earl Holmes (4, 1996), but the guy got had a serious run of bad drafts before the Steelers wisely chose Cowher over him.
The Steelers' drafts have been much better since he left.
But Marv is 78 while Gibbs is 65. That's not the same.As for Donahoe going, yes he had to go. I didn't like the report when he told off a telephone caller on some weekly radio call-in show about 5-6 weeks ago.Just like it passed Gibbs by and like it passed Vermeil by? Or how about Paterno?Wow, cant say I like the Levy news if I were a Bills fan. Arent you guys woried that the game has passed him by? (seriously)
Yes. I'm very nervous as to how this whole thing will pan out.Wow, cant say I like the Levy news if I were a Bills fan. Arent you guys woried that the game has passed him by? (seriously)
:(Rudnicki, you've got a lot of nerve editting my post without asking me first.