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 December 2007 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: Feature
By Christopher Schobert Photos by Terry Vine
Forever Young: What’s your average day like during the season? Marv Levy: There’s not a blueprint; various things come up, so it can vary from time to time. It also depends on what day of the week it is. Right now I’m very closely engrossed in studying game film. I’m in here around 7 a.m, and most of the time I leave around 7 p.m, but sometimes even later than that. In terms of my responsibilities, in some ways the title of general manager is a misnomer. A more accurate title is director of football operations. I do nothing with the business aspect of the organization or the marketing, and I do nothing with contract negotiations. It’s all player personnel awareness, coordinating with the coaching staff, the directors of scouting, areas of that nature. FY: How different is game day as a general manager, as opposed to game day as a coach? ML: That’s the greatest difference between the jobs. I used to have 200 different decisions to make, and 30 seconds to make each of them. Now I sit in the press box and try to look wise. You look at the game and you have some questions you might have for the coach later. But I’m very careful not to say, “How come we did this? Why didn’t we do that?” That’s an absolutely destructive approach. But every now and then, there is something to be discussed, like the medical status of one of the players. To tell you the truth, general manager is not nearly as demanding a job as coaching. It’s fun, but in a different way. FY: You had the experience of working with two well-respected GMs — Bill Polian and the late John Butler. Does the relationship you had with them help you in your dealings with Dick Jauron? ML: You hit on a very accurate point. I profited tremendously from having been a coach, and working with general managers like Bill and John. They had just the right touch for when not to interfere, and when not to micromanage. Dick and I don’t have a set of guidelines here. It’s a good working relationship, and he’s a great person to work with. With all those coaching decisions, I’m not in there saying, “Have you thought about ... ?” But of course, we do discuss matters. FY: You’ve already referred to the demanding nature of your schedule. Do you enjoy the business of your day? ML: Yeah, I do. Some of the day I do take time out to exercise. We have a great facility here in Orchard Park, and I’ve loved to exercise all my life, so I’ll take an hour and half for that. It’s not necessarily a structured routine, but I am very careful. I might eat dessert once a month, or I’ll have bacon and eggs, but not often. I eat the fruits, the vegetables, all that stuff. Plus, I do exercise. In coaching, I’ve worked closely with strength and conditioning people, so I know what a good workout is. I do cardiovascular work three days a week, and I do work with weights, but not heavy ones.
FY: What did your wife think about your return to football? ML: I think she said, “Oh that would be interesting, and it could be fun.” It wasn’t, “What are you doing that for now?” We have a lot of friends in the game, so she had an equanimity about it. It sounded fine to her. FY: Personally, did it excite you to return to Buffalo, a place where you had so much success? ML: The idea was very intriguing. We have a lot of friends here, and I’m very comfortable living here. I know what the fans want, and I know the atmosphere that surrounds the operations. I had a lot of regard for so many people in the community, and people in the organization. All of this made it very compelling. FY: You’ve always been very active with different organizations and charities, and recently received the Theodore Roosevelt Exemplary Citizenship Award from the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site in Buffalo. Is being involved in the community something that’s important to you? ML: When you have a voice that maybe the public does listen to, to a degree, I think it’s very worthwhile to encourage people to do things which are personally healthy, and can help everyone. There’s gratification when you can do that. I can’t say that I’m out attending meetings, but I am concerned about health practices, citizenship, and also the prevention of cruelty to animals.
ML: I feel we’ve got a lot of people here who are contributing. I’m gratified we’ve won some games, but with every accomplishment comes the need for a new effort. That’s the fun. FY: You presented Thurman Thomas for induction to the Hall of Fame over the summer, and he’s the latest player from the Bills teams of the late-80s and early-90s to be inducted, joining James Lofton and Jim Kelly. It must make you feel proud to see so many of your old players being enshrined. ML: It’s tremendously gratifying to see the recognition of players with whom I had a kinship. Going back there, you see guys who were inducted many years ago and they still have that glow — “Am I really in there?” FY: Finally, even though you’re not on the sidelines anymore, is it still thrilling to watch the team play on Sunday? ML: Oh, sure. It’s exciting, but a different type of feeling — you’re a little powerless. But there’s still that atmosphere, the “where else would you rather be” feeling. On Sunday, there’s no place I’d rather be. back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |
