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Bills' Brandon excited about future under Pegulas' ownership [The Buffalo News, N.Y.](Buffalo News (NY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 19--The question clearly caught Russ Brandon off guard. So much that it seemed as though he was absorbing the information for the first time. Only one person involved in the sales process of Ralph Wilson's beloved Buffalo Bills remained with the team after Terry and Kim Pegula bought it this month. The trustees handling the sale no longer are with the team. Brandon is the link. What does that feel like? "I've been so busy I haven't thought about it all that much," Brandon said Friday behind his desk at One Bills Drive, "except I'm honored to carry on the legacy of ..." Brandon's eyes turned glassy. He stared into the distance and raised his index finger to request a moment with a cracking voice. He regained his composure to note it would have been Wilson's 96th birthday. "It's an honor," Brandon said. "This franchise and this community and these fans meant so much to Ralph and Mary Wilson. To be transitioning with the Pegulas, who I am so excited to be involved with, it's humbling. It's an honor, a true honor. "To do what I do in the region I grew up in and love, you can't even ... Sometimes I have to pinch myself how special it is. I never take it for granted." Brandon, 47, lost his CEO title when the Pegulas took over the Bills last week, but he remains the team's president. After this season, Brandon still will have three years left on the last contract he signed with Wilson. Social media and call-in shows suggest many Bills fans are dubious about Brandon's future. The Bills haven't made the playoffs 14 straight seasons and already are showing signs of strain heading into today's game against the Minnesota Vikings in Ralph Wilson Stadium. But Brandon has been the architect of the Bills' business platform, and the team just sold for a record-smashing $1.4 billion. He was involved in striking the stadium lease agreement with Erie County and has overseen two stadium renovations that came in on time and on budget. He was behind the successful move of training camp to St. John Fisher College, his alma mater. With Wilson rarely able to leave his Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., home two years before his death, Brandon was responsible for maintaining government, business and community relationships in the owner's absence. In a minimalist corner office, Brandon's workspace doesn't seem suited for a Western New York power broker. There's little memorabilia aside from a framed "Hit Heard 'Round the World" photo signed by Mike Stratton. On a table are some bison sculptures. A large flat-screen television tuned into ESPN, the sound muted. On his desk were neat stacks of binders with budgets and business analyses and who knows what inside. A Starbucks iced coffee and a bottle of water were at the ready. Brandon's office setting was so organized it looked downright serene, betraying the tense seven months in between Wilson's death and the Pegulas' finalized purchase on Oct. 8. He admitted to being nervous about the sale and enduring sleepless nights about the possibilities. "I always felt the final outcome would be what our fans and stakeholders yearned for, and that was stability for this franchise heading into the future," said Brandon in a black, long-sleeved pullover, dark jeans and sneakers. "But there was so much noise on the outside, circling, that it could be deafening at times. You just wanted to pound your head against the desk." The sweetest release happened two days after the Bills opened their season with an overtime road victory against the Chicago Bears. The trustees accepted the Pegulas' offer. "The greatest three-day stretch of my career," Brandon said. "That was phenomenal. "That was the time to pour a vodka and say, as Ralph would, 'Job well done.' I thought of him then because it's been a hell of a ride." Brandon's experienced glory before. He formerly worked for the Florida Marlins when they won a championship. His next mission is to dwarf the exuberance of those three October days by helping the Bills win a Super Bowl. "I've got a World Series ring that means the world to me," Brandon said. "Nothing, nothing would mean more to me than to put that one in the case and put another one on with a big Bills logo on it." For about 90 minutes Friday, Brandon sat down with The Buffalo News for a Q&A about his role under new ownership, the futures of coach Doug Marrone and General Manager Doug Whaley, the prospect of a new stadium and other issues surrounding the Bills. BN: It has been only a week, but how different does it feel that the Bills are a Pegula organization now and not a Ralph Wilson organization anymore? RB: "Overall, there's been so much work that has gone into the transition over the last few months that I think it sort of hit me in pregame last Sunday, when the festivities were beginning, that it truly was the passing of the torch to the Pegulas. It was emotional in a lot of ways because I know how proud Mr. Wilson would have been that Terry and Kim and their family took over the franchise and have it on a great path into the future. It was a joyous occasion. I know the respect Terry and Kim have given to the Wilson family for 54 incredible years. It's really been a special few months." BN: How does your role change given the adjustment of your title from CEO and president to just president? RB: "I think it's too early for that. My responsibility is the same for the day-to-day operation and driving the business of the organization, which really has been my focal point for the last 17 years -- to put the organization in a position from a viability standpoint to have the outcome that it had by keeping the franchise on solid financial footing. "On Jan. 1, 2013, when Mr. Wilson relinquished some of his responsibilities, the one main focus was to make sure we had a football person running the football operation, which we did in Buddy Nix, and then transition to Doug Whaley. That hasn't changed. Doug Whaley has full control over the personnel and the 53-man roster, and Coach Marrone has full control over the coaching staff and on-field product. That hasn't changed at all to date. "What that transition is moving forward? Terry, Kim and I will sit down and discuss all that and look forward to it." BN: Terry Pegula gave you a public stamp of approval at the news conference. What did that mean to you? RB: "I'm privileged and humbled to be a part of the future of the organization. I love this area. I grew up in Syracuse and went to school in Rochester. This is my 18th season with Buffalo. This is my home. I'm thrilled to be a Buffalo Bill. I can't wait for the day when this turns around for this community and this region because it will be the most special time. "It's a great time to be a Buffalonian because you see what's happening with the medical campus, everything going on downtown, with what the Pegulas have done to impact this community over the past four years. To see the cranes downtown ... For too long, we have educated our kids and then watched them leave." BN: Part of the education has been telling them they should be prepared to leave if they wanted to maximize their opportunities. RB: "Right. And now there's a feeling that we're going to turn that cycle around. It's an exciting time. I can't wait for the future." BN: What have the Pegulas told you about your job? RB: "Really, nothing. They tell me 'Just keep forging ahead, and do what you do.'" BN: Have there been assurances? RB: "Yeah. I feel good about the future. We built a pretty damn good business here over the past 17 years. I'm really proud of what we've done off the field in a challenged market for many of those years and with a product that wasn't performing on the field. "To put this franchise in the position we have from a business standpoint is a credit to a lot of people around here, a credit to our fan base, a credit to our business stakeholders in our community who've worked very close with us. It was a monumental task. It was very, very gratifying when the sale was finalized." BN: So with 14 straight years of no playoffs, why should Bills fans or the Pegulas believe you're the right man for the job? RB: "I've only been president since Jan. 1, 2013, and have hired only one coach, Doug Marrone, and one GM, Doug Whaley. They have complete autonomy to run the football side of the operation. "If someone wants to grade me since I was hired in 1997, it should be for building our business model and keeping the franchise financially competitive. I have a passion for what I do, and I'm going to continue to do everything I can for this franchise and continue to build this business. My credentials stand for themselves here." BN: Last week, CBS Sports reported the Pegulas would hire a consultant to oversee the transition for football operations. How necessary is that? RB: "Anything that helps this organization, I am 100 percent behind it. I'm very pleased personally with the job that Whales has done in building the roster since he's taken over. Buddy did an excellent job also. When Buddy took over, the cupboard was pretty bare. "When you look at the Jerry Hughes trade, Ty Powell off Seattle's practice squad, Stefan Charles off Tennessee's practice squad and some of the other moves [Whaley] has made, he's put us in a very good position moving forward. He's revamped the personnel department since he took over by bringing in Jim Monos from New Orleans to oversee player personnel and Kelvin Fisher from Pittsburgh to oversee college scouting. "He has not sat on his hands since he took over as GM, and whether people did like the move or didn't like the bold move to trade up for Sammy Watkins, it shows a lot of conviction on his end. I give him a lot of credit for that." BN: After the Pegulas' introductory news conference last week, you made reference to Doug Whaley having only this year's draft on his resume. Many viewed that as an attempt to distance Whaley from taking EJ Manuel 16th overall in 2013. What did you mean by that statement? RB: "To me, it's really simple. Being brought up in this business by [former Bills GM] John Butler, he had a term called 'pulling the tag,' which was the person responsible for making the call in the draft room. "Buddy Nix completely ran the football operations. You have your scouts and your personnel, but at the end of the day the responsibility of every draft is the person pulling the tag. I was just stating the facts. In the 2013 draft, Buddy Nix was general manager. "My responsibility is to empower people, and Doug Whaley is empowered to run the football operations. This year was his first draft as general manager. That being said, no one is running away from anything. Doug was very involved in that 2013 draft. There's ownership across the board, but my point was that was Buddy's draft. "At the end of the day, the general manager makes the decision, just like Whales made the decision to move up and take Sammy Watkins. That was his job, his responsibility, and that's what he'll be graded on down the road." BN: What do think about having greater separation between football operations and the business side? RB: "I really ... I don't ... That's a good question. There is distinctly a football side and a business side here. You probably don't know the names Peter McLoughlin and Joe Ellis. They're the two presidents of the teams in the Super Bowl last year. We all have similar roles. Look in our division. You probably don't know the names Neil Glat and Tom Garfinkel. They're the presidents of the Jets and Dolphins. "When it comes to the football decisions, Doug Whaley and Coach Marrone have 100 percent full autonomy. They are empowered to make those decisions. We talk as a group, as an organization. But I think we're set up like most organizations where your coach and GM collaborate and make decisions that are football decisions. "I don't get involved in who we draft or how we draft. I get involved in the administration of the day-to-day operation, and my responsibility is to make sure they have every resource to be successful. I feel that we have continued to provide them with everything they need to be successful as we continue with this process. I think we're built like most organizations that way." BN: Most fan bases, though, don't know the name of their team's CFO. Many Bills fans know Jeffrey Littmann and consider him someone who left fingerprints all over the club. Ralph had a reputation -- deserved or not -- for meddling behind the scenes. You used to be the general manager. RB: "I will say this. In my time here under Ralph Wilson, never once did he turn down anything relative to making this football operation better, whether it was technology for the video department for the coaching staff, whether it was weight-room equipment. And I can also promise you that every penny of the salary cap was available to our football people to make sound decisions. There was never a budgeting edict for them not to spend to the cap." BN: Then why wasn't more money spent on players? RB: "I think there's a misperception that the organization was frugal, when the facts show we were above league average over the last decade in team spending and team cash. Spending was never an issue with our organization." BN: How much influence do you anticipate having on the futures of Doug Whaley and Doug Marrone? RB: "I will sit with Terry and Kim, and we'll discuss and evaluate everything regarding the organization. "I think we're 22 games into their collective careers. I've stated it often that Coach Marrone was brought here in early January 2013 to change a culture and build a franchise that everyone's proud of, and Doug Whaley took over in May of that year. They're in their infant stages of building that process. "We've had a lot of change here since 1998, and that is not a formula for success. Obviously, everything is a discussion at the conclusion of the year." BN: Why is continuity the way to go now? RB: "I've done many organizational studies over time. If you look from 2000 to 2010 and look at the successful franchises, the one common denominator is stability at the general manager and coach levels. "Many of those franchises also had top-flight quarterbacks. But when you're changing coaches and changing coordinators and changing systems, and then you've been drafting for a 4-3 defense and then you bring in a 3-4 coaching staff ... It's a cycle that does not reflect a successful model. "That's why I believe in continuity and stability and having a plan to build." BN: So let's go back to when Dick Jauron was coach and you were general manager. Since then the team had coach after coach, coordinator after coordinator ... What's going through your mind when disruptions keep happening here? RB: "Obviously, you know my belief, which I just stated. That's the responsibility of the coach and the general manager at the time and the ownership. You pull your bootstraps up and do everything you can to get it turned around. "I know -- and rightfully so -- our fans are frustrated over 14 years of non-playoff football. I can promise you the people here in this building are frustrated also. But that is not on Coach Marrone, and that is not on Doug Whaley. They've been 22 games into the job. They're trying to turn around a ship and point it in the right direction. I know they're working hard to get that done." BN: What are the Pegulas' feelings regarding continuity with football operations? RB: "We've had some conversations, but we have not sat down and had a good, long discussion on that. We're all in the education phase right now, trying to go through everything in the organization, which will take a few months on the business side. There's so much going on right now. Obviously, the football side, we're right in the middle of it. "I've been very public in my feelings on that, and I'm not going to waver from it. But those are discussions that will be had as we go through the evaluation process." BN: Ralph was opinionated on many issues that potentially kept the Bills from exploring certain opportunities. For example, stadium naming rights or appearing on "Hard Knocks." How might that perspective change under the Pegulas? RB: "That's a good question. That's all part and parcel of future discussions." BN: Are there things you would like to do that you couldn't before? RB: "I'm for anything that enhances our brand. We have a strong, strong brand in the National Football League. Anything that we can do to highlight and spotlight it, that's our job. "We'll take a look at everything. It'll be interesting to get their philosophy on 'Hard Knocks.' I don't know if they'd love it or want to steer clear of it." BN: What's your opinion of the Bills starring on "Hard Knocks" RB: "While it enhances the brand, it is something your football operations need to be very aware of. So knowing Coach Marrone and Doug Whaley, I don't think they would be running to the front of the line to get involved in that. "That's where the business and football sides have interesting discussions." BN: What about naming rights? RB: "That's another conversation we will have. It'll be interesting to get their take on it." BN: What do the Pegulas bring to the table that maybe was lacking? RB: "Obviously, Ralph the last couple of years wasn't around as much. The Pegulas will be around more. I think that's great, not only from an organization and team standpoint, but also a community standpoint. "They've done so much great work in our community with the Sabres and HarborCenter. Their active involvement is a tremendous asset to everyone in our region and the National Football League." BN: With the Florida Marlins you worked for an owner, Wayne Huizenga, who had teams in different sports leagues. What can Bills-Sabres synergy mean? RB: "What we have to be mindful of in the National Football League is commingling items on the business side. There are hard and fast rules on that. You can't even commingle Bills and Sabres [logos], for example. "There will be a lot to learn, but from a community-relations standpoint or a team-interaction standpoint, I think there's going to be some great opportunities. There are really good people who work for the Sabres and a great crew at Pegula Sports and Entertainment. I think there will be tremendous opportunities for us to collaborate." BN: You've been on the record touting patience about a new stadium. Is there a stadium question you would like to have been asked or anything new you can add? RB: "Everyone needs to temper their thoughts. I know I've said it a hundred times if not a thousand times that we are heading into our fourth game of a brand-new, renovated stadium. "The best part of the lease is that there's an activation for us to take a look at the potential of a new building down the road. The greatest gift that we have is time, and we can take a very quantitative look at what makes sense not only for the Bills, but also for the community and the Pegulas. "So let's enjoy the renovations and let's build a road map over the next five to seven years of what the potential can be because no one truly knows. The work needs to be done, and the work needs to be thoughtful and methodical." email: [email protected] ___ (c)2014 The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.) Visit The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.) at www.buffalonews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |