DO IT DO IT!!!

Wasn’t this guy spotted golfing in Rochester with Russ Brandon over the summer?

Buffalo has contacted and is in the process of arranging a meeting with former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, according to two NFL sources.

Two sources is good.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4667849

PLEEEEEASE!!! PLEASE!!!! AND BRING KYLE WITH YOU AS A COORDINATOR!! KYLE, MIKE SHANAHAN AND PERRY!!!!

if this is for a HC position – will that hinder our ability to get a good GM to run our organization?

although – Marty is a proven good HC, so maybe not. But it’s something to think about

Would it be weird if they offered him a GM role and then promise the head coaching after the season ends? I know it doesnt really make much sense but in a way it does. I dont know if theres ever been a precident set like this in the league before?

If the rumors/speculation about Buffalo wanting a GM first are trrue, does that mean Buffalo’s looking at Shanny for a HC position or a front office position? Or both? (he did run his own drafts in Denver – not to much success)

Gotta get one a dem first…can’t be looking to hire a coach THEN the personnel guy.

Its going to be sad when he shoots us down by tomorrow like he did the Skins…

Love this. To me this is a step in the right direction. Would love to have him as a head coach or in the front office. I also like how this is happening now and not at the end of the season.

They might have interest in a CFL guy? Oye

as rotoworld write:

The Bills are reportedly “in the process” of setting up a visit with Shanahan, and The Mastermind “is willing to listen.” While the Browns are targeting Mike Holmgren to be their overseer, Shanahan has emerged as Bills owner Ralph Wilson’s desired candidate. Shanahan’s hiring, which wouldn’t occur before January, would likely cost current Bills GM/COO Russ Brandon his job.

There’s more than just Shanahan on the Bills coaching list.

this is just a preliminary meeting….if Shannahan doesn’t hear what he wants, he will have plenty of other teams calling for his services in January. The Bills need to have a clear mission of what they want from Shannahan for it to work, and Shanny needs to believe he can have the control he desires. Just hiring Shannahan as the HC won’t work….if the current FO is still in tact. But this is the 1st sign that Ralph realizes how important this transition is. And if he talks to enough of these type of people, maybe Ralph will glean insight into what it will take to be successful as well….even if he doesn’t hire one of the “big” names

In my eyes the sooner we bring him or anyone on board the better. I won’t venture to define the front office and head coaching structure they’ve laid out, but having expert eyes on us for the remainder of the season would be a huge step up in evaluating talent and developing a personnel strategy. Not to mention further motivation for the current players to come to play.

I can’t speak 100% of his draft success/failures but at least on the offensive side of the ball he boded pretty well…though a lot of his picks seem pretty anonymous (read: busts)

Cutler – 1st round
Brandon Marshall – 3rd round
Eddie Royal – 2nd round
Clinton Portis – 2nd round

Not to rain on everyone’s parade-I love me some Shanny-but…we’re forgetting something. The Rooney Rule. We CAN’T hire Shanahan, nor can we even seem like we’re going to hire him because we’d be in violation of the Rooney Rule. That’s probably ESPECIALLY true given our current coach is black.

By the way-does anyone remember what the Lions penalty was for violating the Rooney Rule w/ the Mariucci hiring? No draft picks right???

and weis for OC….i’m hoping that this is the dawn breaking on a very long and dark night in buffalo

is a better Cordinator then HC.

Keeeep walkin’.

in the midst of our excitement about Shanahan do we have to hear about the likes of Gilbride and Haslett? This frustrates me. If we can’t get Shanahan, can’t Gruden or Schottenheimer or Billick or Cowher be the next options?

This is only exploratory. We need a GM first – Mike(!!) wants to get back into coaching from what I understand. If we hire the right GM, in January/February, and Mike likes the situation – he might come here.

You simply do not hire a coach before a GM. I honestly don’t want him as our GM because he’s been pretty mediocre in that role

  You pissed off Ralph and he’s motivated. I think he’s just going to talk with Shanny and get his opinions on things, talk about young talent that could make a great GM, maybe hire him as a consultant. I’m actually pissed that this info got leaked out because it might turn Shanny off. But, on the positive side, the rest of our candidates will know that Ralph is serious and wants to stroke out some heavy checks.
  Ralph is far from done. He’s going to interview several guys and pick the GM and new coach that he sees fit. We’re going A-list this time guys. Across the board.
  If you were in your 80’s, a Billionaire, your clock ticking…….. what’s a few million to restore your beloved club to glory. A few million is a drop in the bucket.
My priority at coach:
1. Cower.
2. Gruden.
3. Martyball.
4. Billick.
5. Shanny.
6. Fassl.
7. Haslick.
No Holmgren. Absolutely not as GM.
Who do you guys rate?

I am not enthralled with this right now. If they have him in now they are a) looking at hiring him as GM in some capacity or b) looking to keep the Inner Circle concept but change a few pieces or c) bring him in as a consultant. I don’t like any of those options right now. I want a GM before a coach and I don’t want Shanny as GM.

WE’VE BEEN ON THE FRONT PAGE OF ESPN.COM TWO DAYS IN A ROW!

There’s no guarentee right now that we’re even planning to hire a GM.
Besides, even if this is totally smoke and mirrors, it makes the Bills look like someone who is wanted by a big name.

Schefter was just on WGR with Schopp and the Bulldog. He said the thing with Shanny only coming with complete control is a myth. He just wants some say over his players. HE also gave his reasoning behind Haslett and Gilbride and let me tell you the Gilbride one was pretty bad.

Bill Cowher as GM?
Shanahan as HC?

We need the HC and GM to be two separate entities. Being that Shanahan isn’t the best defensive coach, maybe our GM needs to be heavily Defense oriented to balance out the HC.

First, when January rolls around people like Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones will be parking dump truck loads of cash under the noses of the available big names. Firing Jauron now allows Buffalo to be the only team with a coaching vacancy, the only game in town as it were. Each of those big names wants back into the NFL and each of them knows there will only be so many seats around…and that none of them want the chair tethered to Al Davis. Buffalo has a chance to secure the services of a coach who wouldn’t look twice at the Bills in January.

Second, taking over a team during the season allows for much more than mere player evaluations. Entire offensive schemes can be implemented. After all, given that the expectations for the remainder of the year will have been ground to dust, there’s no real push to win games. Instead, fans can get genuinely excited as they see the new system begin to take root and produce—yards and TDs if not wins. The sense of building towards next year—as opposed to building during next year—will be palpable.

Third, as touched on above, there is no accountability for the current year. It simply doesn’t matter if the new coach wins in 2009 or not. In a deeply cynical sense, it’s almost better to be epically bad in that it leads to better draft position. In short, it’s a no-lose proposition for the new coach.

I’m actually not that high on Shanahan. I agree with several ealier comments which noted that Shanahan rode John Elway to a pair of Super Bowl rings and that his personnel decisions could at times have been better. However, Shanahan ultimately brings a winning record to the table and he had some significant ‘hits’ in personnel decisions as well. Shanahan represents a clear upgrade over Jauron. That doesn’t mean that Shanahan is the best fit for the team.

I guess a lot depends on how serious Wilson is about getting a REAL general manager. Shanahan isn’t going to want to have someone looking over his shoulder. Likewise, I can’t see Shanahan being happy with just assuming GM duties. He believes he can do it all. Why would he settle for less?

my take if u can get him great but in a perfact world he wouild be a oc he will bring bob slowlik with him shanny likes yes men around him he will heip your off but hurt u D in the long run

Why is every one so worried about this? It’s not like bringing in a player….. if you bring in a coach you clearly understand what he wants, if it is true that he is holding out to find a team which will let him be the GM and the HC than Ralph knows this and is either willing to do it or talk him out of it. He would not interview Shannahan if he was not willing to spend the money/give him the power.

What if Shanahan is just coming here as a professional courtesy to Ralph? They’ve both known of each other for a long time. Who’s to say that there might not be a deal in place where Shanahan helps Ralph pick out a FO guy? I still don’t think Brandon is the right guy to assist Ralph in that respect.

I thought I read somewhere that Shanahan kind of enjoyed this season, as it gave him a chance to “learn” more about football. He’s visited pro and college teams so far just to keep in touch with the game. Maybe this is just another visit by Shanahan to “learn.” There’s nothing to prohibit him from helping out Ralph as a consultant while he continues to sort out and evaluate his future options.

Like most Rumblers, I don’t believe hiring a coach before a GM is in place is a logical sequence of events or an ideal scenario. But when has Ralph ever been logical when it comes to the Bills? I have a feeling that Ralph believes that he has a sort of GM in Brandon (and a guy he trusts) and just needs a better coach who can run the football personnel department. I’m not sure he’s thinking COO/President, GM and coach as separate entities.

He’s tried the committee approach to personnel evaluation and might like the one-stop shopping he would get with a respected name like Shanahan. This is in spite of the evidence that this type of combo-package is usually not successful in the NFL, former Bronco’s coach included. But Ralph does his own thing, even if it seems out of step with the prevailing wisdom.

The whole Shanahan thing will probably wind-up being a big nothing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out up being much much more. A guy who was alive when World War I was being waged isn’t likely to change. Chuck Knox anyone?

How are the Bills even considering a guy who made worse personnel decisions than the current regime? No thanks to Shanahan as a GM. Head coach, yes, in a New York minute. GM, no way. The only guy I would even consider for a dual GM/HC role is Bill Cowher.

With that said, however, I believe the traditional separation of GM and HC into two separate positions works best over the long haul. Look at how well Polian and Levy worked together, and the product that steadily improved on the field during that period.

Sadly, Polian would probably still be working for Ralph today if egos hadn’t collided. Look at how the Bills have steadily declined into mediocrity since Polian left, and you can see the true cost of that firing.

If he contacts you, don’t stare in his eyes, and just back away… slowly….

Who was the defensive coordinator under Shanahan in Denver? None other than the beloved Greg Robinson, soon-to-be former defensive coordinator at Michigan after the team has smashed program records for defensive futility.

Be afraid!!