04/19/24
January 04, 2006
Nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills.: ESPN.com reports that 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. Did I just read that right...Marv Levy? Press conference schduled for 2:30 pm ET Wednesday...
posted by the red terror to football at 10:04 AM - 18 comments
I'm thinking of this move the same way I think of Vinny Testaverde rejoining the Jets. The Bills had to do something, and Marv certainly knows the area, so it's no big thing for him to grab an office and pitch in for a year or two while they find a longer-term deal. And hey, he's younger than Joe Paterno. As far as on-field? Well, Willis McGahee & JP Losman are going to get their chance, so Kelly & Thomas can sit tight. But if Andre Reed is free, Eric Moulds could sure use a mentor...
posted by chicobangs at 11:46 AM on January 04, 2006
Owner Ralph Wilson says he is taking back title of President. He also says the Bills depression got him prescribed 20 milligrams of Prozac to start the season, and is now up to 100 mg. He also looked like the last guy on earth who'd heard Mortensen's rumour about Marv Levy, he looked surprised and mystified when reporters started asking about it.
posted by the red terror at 01:54 PM on January 04, 2006
Ralphie also apolgized to the fans, he says he was outraged when he read in the newspaper that stadium security was confiscating anti-Donahoe signs and paper bags that fans wanted to wear over their heads. He said that is not the policy of the Bills, and did his own investigation to see who implemented it. He would not name-names, but did admit that it came from head office, but that it didn't come from him and he was mightily miffed about it.
posted by the red terror at 01:59 PM on January 04, 2006
though Marv Levy didn't win a Super Bowl he did get the Buffalo Bills there four times in a row. I hate to say this (being a Patriots fan) but he can do great things for the Bills even in his elderly age.
posted by triplexxxhhh at 05:12 PM on January 04, 2006
In my view, there's one more shoe to drop before the Bills can start to improve. I've stated numerous times, atarting at the end of the 2004 season and all through the debacle of the 2005 season, that the team will go nowhere with the retread Pittsburgh Steelers running the show. One retread was thrown off today, and there's one more to go.
posted by The Casual Observer at 05:26 PM on January 04, 2006
Screw Jim Kelly ... bring back Frank Reich!
posted by wfrazerjr at 06:40 PM on January 04, 2006
The Bills had to do something, and Marv certainly knows the area, so it's no big thing for him to grab an office and pitch in for a year or two while they find a longer-term deal. That's really what's behind bringing Levy in. He loves Buffalo, and the people love him. Donahoe was a pompous ass who thought he was too good and too smart for the people of western New York. Wilson put a lot of faith in him and backed all his moves, and he failed miserably. Levy will be a great ambassador for the Bills around the area and still has the fire and passion necessary to help the Bills (hopefully) move forward. It's also good to see Ralph Wilson still show emotion towards improving the team (and being loyal to the rabid fans that always back the Bills). Telling off the nitwits that confiscated the anti-Donahoe, etc. signs was a great message to send.
posted by dyams at 06:58 PM on January 04, 2006
Good decision....After all, Levy actually met the real Buffalo Bill at a wild west show once.
posted by texoma-slim at 07:22 PM on January 04, 2006
Screw Jim Kelly ... bring back Frank Reich! That would be his best comeback yet.
posted by yerfatma at 07:59 PM on January 04, 2006
That's really what's behind bringing Levy in. He loves Buffalo, and the people love him. hopefully, he can return Buffalo to it's almost championship form.
posted by gronir_ hitrops at 12:13 AM on January 05, 2006
So, the two guys in charge of the Bills have a total age of 164. Nice youth movement.The Pats should be the divisional champs for the next 15 years - or as long as Brady and Belichick stick around.
posted by rockamora at 01:50 AM on January 05, 2006
So, the two guys in charge of the Bills have a total age of 164. Nice youth movement. News flash: Wilson and Levy don't perform on the field. Don't ever bash Wilson, because he deserves respect as one of the most influential individuals in the entire AFL-NFL history. Both he and Levy probably have more on the ball at their advancing age than you do.
posted by dyams at 05:48 AM on January 05, 2006
Yeah. And it shows in their number of Super Bowl rings.
posted by rockamora at 06:38 AM on January 05, 2006
rockamora, Levy and Wilson have 4 AFC Championships on the mantel, which I'm guessing is more impressive hardware than anything you've got laying around the house. It's easy to root for the team that's won three of the last four Super Bowls, maybe not so easy when your favorite team has actually been your favorite team for more than the last four years. Not that I'm calling you bandwagon or anything. I'm just sayin'.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 08:44 AM on January 05, 2006
Really, Black Hand, come on. Don't you remember all those millions of Patriots fans prior to three, four years ago? Sarcasm aside, neither do I. Good post.
posted by dyams at 11:34 AM on January 05, 2006
I have a Steve Grogan poster on my bedroom wall, honest! My wife hates it...but my mom says I can keep it.
posted by gronir_ hitrops at 03:18 PM on January 06, 2006
Actually, I DO have a Randy Vataha autographed picture.
posted by dyams at 06:28 PM on January 06, 2006
What's his first move going to be, sign Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas to long term deals? Maybe he would prefer to go with OJ Simpson at RB. Good for Marv for not sitting on the couch and wasting away during retirement, though.