The BUFFALO Sports Bar

[Nickdfresh]

That's what I think. But he forces it too much and "locks-on" to one or two receivers, but God knows this staff was not giving him much help.

I mean, when the head coach takes away the play-calling duties from the O-coordinator (Tom Clements), and fucks it up even worse, what can you say?

He needs a good year at least before any epitaph is written.

In Mularkey's defense, the fans here can be tough, and it's a small town with big football. Not unlike Green Bay or something. But he came across (much like the guy before him, Greg WILLIAMS) to be a bit thick when at the podium, and he did lose the team. I think the article I read in the Buffalo News stated that he was afraid also that he was being set up on a third-year probation, and that he wouldn't get good assistants and free-agents as a result...

[POJO_Risin]

You know Nick...your description of Mularkey in front of the Mic is a lot like how Browns fans described Belichick his first go around...

not comparing Mularkey to Belichick by any stretch....lmfao...

That being said...they need a good young mind in there...that actually has coaching experience...

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
You know Nick...your description of Mularkey in front of the Mic is a lot like how Browns fans described Belichick his first go around...

not comparing Mularkey to Belichick by any stretch....lmfao...

That being said...they need a good young mind in there...that actually has coaching experience...

There's some truth to that, but some of Mularkey's problems here stem from his ties to DONAHOE, and the "Pittsburgh" crony label and the fact that GREG WILLIAMS was a complete, pompous flop...

And he committed a sin that was unforgivable here. BUFFALO once had a coach named HANK BULLOUGH that routinely mangled all language while on the podium, and is known to be the dumbest guy ever to coach an NFL team. Mularkey's quote I posted above, which was replayed here on local sports-talk radio nearly everyday, didn't help his case much.

[POJO_Risin]

Oh...I'm not siding with Mularkey by any stretch...

I'm just saying...you can't judge a book by it's cover...

Mularkey is an excellent offensive coach...who will find another job in a couple of years...

my bet...is that Whisenhunt gets a job somewhere...and Mularkey lands back in Pittsburgh...

like I said...Levy would do good in finding a young guy with previous head coaching experience...

I'd actually be banging on Mariucci's door...although I doubt very much he'll coach in another administrative clusterfuck like in Detroit....

[Nickdfresh]

That's the rap here, we need a coach that's been around. But part of the problem goes back to RALPH WILSON, he's always tried to do it in the cheap...

The guy tried suing WADE PHILIPS, to try to get his get his money back, after he fired him because he had a year or two left on his contract...

BILL POLIAN also had a lot of problems with WILSON money wise (low-balling player contract offers, and not paying him what he was worth)...

[POJO_Risin]

Maybe they should hire Levy...

I've always said that you need to hire the best...and pay the best...because coaches salaries don't fall under the cap...a good coach will save you money by coaching better...

but you'll see the Bills get another coordinator...

Hell...if they were smart...they'd call the guy in Louisville...

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
Maybe they should hire Levy...

I've always said that you need to hire the best...and pay the best...because coaches salaries don't fall under the cap...a good coach will save you money by coaching better...

but you'll see the Bills get another coordinator...

Hell...if they were smart...they'd call the guy in Louisville...

Honestly, I'd love to see ex-VIKES/JETS/BILLS' def. coor. TED COTTRAL get a shot. There's a guy that's been overlooked by this league...

First he was too black, now he's too old. LOL

[POJO_Risin]

yeah...but compared to fucking Levy...he's a fucking kid...

[POJO_Risin]

Christ...compared to Levy...he's ALIVE...

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
yeah...but compared to fucking Levy...he's a fucking kid...

Oh I know. In fact I think his age is not an issue at all (after 70, then we're worrying about that).

I just mean that team GM's are the same as any HR-dolts that all want a 40-something guy that looks exactly like a suave PETE CARROLL. I mean, didn't ROMEO CRENNEL, or the other Pat's coordinator, get his stomach stapled so he could get a job by looking thinner?

[TLR]

At the risk of being coined "stalker" by posting in this thread, here's a story on the Sabres I just found on espn.com:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=2290162

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by TLR
At the risk of being coined "stalker" by posting in this thread, here's a story on the Sabres I just found on espn.com:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/column...ott&id=2290162

Posting in threads doesn't make you a stalker...

Especially good articles...

Yes, the SABRES are a nice little success story (for any sport and any team) that show a good team shouldn't have to break the bank if they draft very well and get a good coach.

Unfortunately, they have more injuries that a US Marine Company in RAMADI at this point...

And they're not sneaking up on people anymore...

[POJO_Risin]

Similar to the Canes...

they aren't still sneaking up on anyone...healthy...

and still winning...

yeah...Charlie Weis had his stomach stapled...Crennell is still a fat ass...

but Weis did it so that he didn't die...not to get a job...although being alive certainly helps you getting a job...

[Nickdfresh]

This is true. Being alive improves one's employment prospects...


Why Mularkey walked away from his remaining three-years...

Bills Insider Chris Barili

As if Marv Levy's new job wasn't hard enough already, Head Coach Mike Mularkey decided Wednesday night to inform Ralph Wilson of his resignation. So now the Bills are tossed into the head coach hunt a couple of weeks behind the rest of the coach-less teams.

So while Marv fishes around for a new leader, fans are left wondering what the hell just happened. Did their head coach resign for personal reasons, or is he just a quitter.

We'll probably never know for sure, but here's how I see it.

First, if the reports of his wife and children are being harassed around Buffalo are true, shame on the fans that did that. His family should have been treated no differently than anyone else in the Buffalo community, and anyone who dished out verbal abuse to them should go root for the Raiders or the Eagles or some other team whose fans are known for being uncivil. Real Bills fans don't want that kind of rubbish around.

That said, there were much better ways of dealing with that kind of thing than quitting. Many head coaches live away from their team's hometown for just such a reason, and Mularkey probably could have done the same. School bullies can be dealt with, and harassment can be handled as well. While I understand Moo's concern for his family, I fear that the lesson he just taught his kids is that when the going gets tough, run away. Quit. Take the easy road. Don't face your problems. Did Andy Reid run away under fire in Philly? How about Jim Haslett in New Orleans? Nope. They rode it out until someone else told them their services were no longer wanted.

But I suspect Mularkey's reasons for quitting went far deeper than concern for his family. Mr. Wilson mentioned over and over again the "detractors" around Buffalo, the negativity from the fans and media. If that really factored into Mularkey's decision, then I'm afraid head coaching just isn't for him. Hell, any public life probably isn't for him. Imagine if he'd been in New York City, Philly, or Chicago--he'd have been reduced to tears in his first press conference. Marv Levy said it best today, when he said that there would always be criticism when a team is losing. You silence that by "getting back on track." By winning. Not by running away.

Finally, numerous news outlets are reporting that Mularkey didn't like the direction the team is headed, and didn't want to compromise his character. Couple that with the fact that he went to Wilson instead of new GM Levy, and that it all follows the dismissal of his good friend Tom Donahoe, and it looks to me like Mularkey has a problem with the way the GM situation was handled. If that were the case, he should have followed TD out the same day, rather than waiting until the team was behind the power curve looking for a replacement.

So if you ask me, Mularkey's decision was based on three things.

1. His family was taking crap--unacceptable, but quitting is not how you deal with that.

2. He got tired of the fans and media wanting a winning team--something a real head coach ought to be able to handle.

3. He didn't like the way his friend Tom Donahoe was fired--sounds like a personal problem to me. If your loyalty is with Donahoe more than the team, you're not needed here anyway.

So in my opinion, Mike Mularkey quit. He didn't resign, but he took the easy way. The going got tough and he whimped out. Granted, we don't have all the information. But you know, he can change that too. He could make more than a minimal statement himself, saying why. He could come out and tell the fans what his reasons are in something other than the vague, ethereal crap-talk he gave in his short letter.

He won't, though. Just like he did with his resignation, and just like the team he led did so many times this season, he gave up. It was easier to walk away, blaming the fans and the media like his buddy TD did than face the truth like a man and confront the issues head-on.

So good riddance Moo; I was one of your supporters. I thought giving you a second chance was a good idea. Now I know I was wrong. This team needs a winner. Not a quitter.

Another Marv Levy quote says something about your actions speaking so loudly that no one can hear what you say. That applies particularly well in this case.

[Nickdfresh]

For anyone that cares, the BILLS confirmed interviews of Dick Jauron & Mike Sherman for this week. It's assumed they will talk to HASLETT...