101 replies to this topic

[BMWR100RT]

Summary....."We'll keep putting lipstick on this pig". I actually feel a bit sorry for this guy. All the money in the world couldn't make me enjoy that job.

[zow2]

You could tell he was trying to mask serious disappointment but still towing the company line of "i have confidence in the coaches and GM".  He did say the last 2 weeks have been unacceptable...from the D and Fitz on down.  This Arizona game, from the team psyche to future ticket sales to the entire outlook for the rest of the season is huge.
He said Miami has 5,000 tix left which will be a challenge to sell out in 6 weeks...and the last 3 home games they have a long way to go (he did not say so but you could read between the lines that they'd have to sell at least 20,000 tickets for each of the last 3 games).  Those are going to be some embarrassing crowds unless the team strings together a few wins.

[CodeMonkey]

BMWR100RT, on 10 October 2012 - 07:26 AM, said:

Summary....."We'll keep putting lipstick on this pig". I actually feel a bit sorry for this guy. All the money in the world couldn't make me enjoy that job.

Give me Brandons salary and I would enjoy the hell out of that job.

[kobe808lak]

Simon tried to get an answer about the future of ownership and why Ralph will not put something in place now to ensure the team won't re-locate after he is gone (similar or like Art Modell did)....  but he dodged the question.

[dwight in philly]

that is

kobe808lak, on 10 October 2012 - 08:06 AM, said:

Simon tried to get an answer about the future of ownership and why Ralph will not put something in place now to ensure the team won't re-locate after he is gone (similar or like Art Modell did)....  but he dodged the question.

that is what frys my behind.. no info whatsoever from the  F O on the teams future.. unacceptable!

[JohnC]

dwight in philly, on 10 October 2012 - 08:09 AM, said:

that is that is what frys my behind.. no info whatsoever from the  F O on the teams future.. unacceptable!

There is information regarding to what is going to happen to the franchise when he passes. You and others should know exactly what is going to happen at that point. The team is going to be auctioned off. There is no hidden agenda with Ralph.

From a financial standpoint there isn't much challenge for the state and county to make the numbers work to finance a stadium renovation. The only thing standing in the way is for the owner to agree to some sort of committment to stay for a reasonable time frame. The franchise side of the negotiation, at least to this point, is not going to agree to it because from their perspective it would diminish the value of their asset to outside bidders.

Ralph Wilson has clearly stated that as long as he is the owner the team will stay in the region. He is 94 yrs. old. That is all he is promising. He has also made it clear that the team is going to be sold when he passess. What more clarification do you want?

Edited by JohnC, 10 October 2012 - 08:31 AM.

[nucci]

zow2, on 10 October 2012 - 07:45 AM, said:

You could tell he was trying to mask serious disappointment but still towing the company line of "i have confidence in the coaches and GM".  He did say the last 2 weeks have been unacceptable...from the D and Fitz on down.  This Arizona game, from the team psyche to future ticket sales to the entire outlook for the rest of the season is huge.
He said Miami has 5,000 tix left which will be a challenge to sell out in 6 weeks...and the last 3 home games they have a long way to go (he did not say so but you could read between the lines that they'd have to sell at least 20,000 tickets for each of the last 3 games).  Those are going to be some embarrassing crowds unless the team strings together a few wins.

I've been to games with 20,000 during the '77 and '84 seasons.

[KOKBILLS]

dwight in philly, on 10 October 2012 - 08:09 AM, said:

that is that is what frys my behind.. no info whatsoever from the  F O on the teams future.. unacceptable!

No info? Well...No details yes...But heck even Goodell is on record saying there is a plan in place that they have been working on for some time...It seems to me that, for whatever reason, Ralph is insistent on one thing...No one talks about it while he is alive...So no, we're not going to get the details of exactly what the plan is because Ralph does not want it out there...And we can assume anything we want...But I'm assuming we're all going to be surprised at how quickly it all becomes clear once...well you know what has to happen first...

[marauderswr80]

I remember when i used to care!

[Captain Hindsight]

CodeMonkey, on 10 October 2012 - 07:48 AM, said:

Give me Brandons salary and I would enjoy the hell out of that job.

It has to be disappointing. Hell the amount of time we as fans devote to this team, it hurts us when they play poorly. I cant imagine the boss is enjoying it. Brandon helped write some awful big checks this offseason

[Joe W]

BMWR100RT, on 10 October 2012 - 07:26 AM, said:

Summary....."We'll keep putting lipstick on this pig". I actually feel a bit sorry for this guy. All the money in the world couldn't make me enjoy that job.

There is no reason to feel any sympathy for Brandon. He created this mess, he hired Nix to succeed his reign of error as GM, and Nix is even more inept than he was. This guy is an absolute tool.

That they don't hold his feet to the fire regarding a succession plan is unbelievable.

[CodeMonkey]

Captain Hindsight, on 10 October 2012 - 08:41 AM, said:

It has to be disappointing. Hell the amount of time we as fans devote to this team, it hurts us when they play poorly. I cant imagine the boss is enjoying it. Brandon helped write some awful big checks this offseason

I write big checks all the time and it does not sting nearly as bad if it is not your money.
No matter how disappointing the team is, he gets paid stupid money to run essentially an entertainment company.  His decisions affect a football team.  He is not making life or death decisions, not making decisions that ruin peoples lives (except maybe a few sad fans).  I would take that job in a heartbeat and always enjoy it, no matter how poorly the team is playing at any given time.

[bananathumb]

Man, was he stumbling and bumbling today. bet he wishes he had never agreed to come on GR every week to be pestered by the likes of Howard Simon. He was especially steamed when Howard brought up Jim Kelly and his talk about keeping the Bills in town. Obviously, he wishes Kelly would disappear.

Can't really blame Brandon for all his backpedalling.  He's probably sweating about being fired by the old guy. (Not that he doesn't deserve to be.)

[Peter]

Say what you will, Russ Brandon is doing a good job. By that, I think that he is doing everything he can do to make sure that the franchise is viable in WNY. If I recall correctly, he is from Syracuse or thereabouts. I think that he has a passion for making sure that the team stays in Buffalo.

Count me as at least one person who is glad he is with the Bills.

I know this site is where some people go to take a big **** on people. It would be "funny" if there were sites devoted to each of us where people could go and post the kind of stuff that is posted here about how we perform our jobs and what we do in our personal lives.

Just my two cents.

Edited by Peter, 10 October 2012 - 09:26 AM.

[Dopey]

Peter, on 10 October 2012 - 09:25 AM, said:

Say what you will, Russ Brandon is doing a good job. By that, I think that he is doing everything he can do to make sure that the franchise is viable in WNY. If I recall correctly, he is from Syracuse or thereabouts. I think that he has a passion for making sure that the team stays in Buffalo.

Count me as at least one person who is glad he is with the Bills.

I know this site is where some people go to take a big **** on people. It would be "funny" if there were sites devoted to each of us where people could go and post the kind of stuff that is posted here about how we perform our jobs and what we do in our personal lives.

Just my two cents.

What are you talking about? Everyone here is the best of the best at their jobs. We expect nothing but the best from the Bills. They have to meet our standards. Either we don't have jobs or we are wasting time at work(oops, I mean multi-tasking).

[Captain Hindsight]

CodeMonkey, on 10 October 2012 - 09:02 AM, said:

I write big checks all the time and it does not sting nearly as bad if it is not your money.
No matter how disappointing the team is, he gets paid stupid money to run essentially an entertainment company.  His decisions affect a football team.  He is not making life or death decisions, not making decisions that ruin peoples lives (except maybe a few sad fans).  I would take that job in a heartbeat and always enjoy it, no matter how poorly the team is playing at any given time.

I would take the job too. I'd love that job. I still would feel like **** when my team does poorly

[Webster Guy]

Maybe he is doing a good job, I don't know or care unless he helps the team succeed, which we don't seem to be doing.   Playing Seattle in Toronto instead of Orchard Park doesn't seem like it helps the team, I think it hurts us.  

I do know that he's the worst interview ever.    Never says anything of substance, total corporate lingo, avoids every tough question.

My favorite Russ reply was after Schopp asked him who makes the final decision in the draft "Well we have a committee for that, but Buddy has complete autonomy"

Okay that clears it up dude.   Perfect.   Thanks Russ.

"our last two performances have been unacceptable"     Really?  Because we all thought that setting ALL TIME NFL records for worst defensive performance ever was perfectly fine.

[Captain Hindsight]

Would you rather he said he was cool with it?

[May Day 10]

I have said it before, but the Bills' marketing in WNY is brutally embarrassing.

A commercial shot with a 90's middle school A/V cart of Stevie Johnson talking about the fans isnt selling tickets.  I really dont see them being marketed anywhere.  I was in Philly and the Eagles were marketed a ton more, and a lot more professionally... and I believe they are sold out anyway.  I have lived in a few other markets too, and the Bills fall way short of anything I have seen.  Minor league.

[C.Biscuit97]

May Day 10, on 10 October 2012 - 10:09 AM, said:

I have said it before, but the Bills' marketing in WNY is brutally embarrassing.

A commercial shot with a 90's middle school A/V cart of Stevie Johnson talking about the fans isnt selling tickets.  I really dont see them being marketed anywhere.  I was in Philly and the Eagles were marketed a ton more, and a lot more professionally... and I believe they are sold out anyway.  I have lived in a few other markets too, and the Bills fall way short of anything I have seen.  Minor league.

How bad can it be?  The Bills sell out games in one of the poorest areas of the country for a team that hasn't made the playoffs in 12 years.  The only games they struggle to sell out are December games when the weather is bad and the team is out of the playoffs.  The Bill struggled to sell out games in the 90s when they were great.

Brandon is probably the best friend the fans have in keeping the Bills in Buffalo.  A WNY guy who loves the area.