shoretalk

Does anyone watch any Thursday Night games or even talk about them?? I think these are one of the No-Fun-League's biggest marketing failures. I cannot get into watching a game on Thursday night ... and it throws my Fantasy League planning off since I'd rather wait until Saturday night to put in the line-up. I can't remember the Jacksonville game but I do remember a Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit when OJ ran wild turkey .... The NFL should be Sundays only with a great Monday Night Football game tossed in to make the weekend!

To the old men whose days have past them by ... I have written it before ... what elements do we want to see from our team on the field? I see these as being the responsibility of a winning head coach: 1. A desire to win and to keep on winning throughout the game without laying back (WGR sports' hosts may differ). A team attitude that every time we get the ball we want to score because it is a game about winning not playing to avoid losing. FEWELL has this approach 2. Emotions on and off the field; proof that players care and want to get the crowd involved (remember Talley's working the fans along the sidelines?). Supposedly one of the reasons for Wood and Levitre was that they have "attitude!" Well these last two weeks there has been fire in the blood ... anger when things go wrong and jublilation when it goes right. And, who is the leader ... FEWELL 3. A coach not caught up in personalities or salaries/draft positions of his players; someone who will go with the guys who are willing to put it all out on field. A coach who praises his players to the nth degree after the game or admits that he's ticked at them. Mr. "My Player has HUGE GONADS" FEWELL again ... Ok, it is just two games ... but I love watching Perry work the sideline and boy do I love seeing this team play with emotion. Sure, the "Dick School of Physical Training" has led to so many injuries that I think the water guy is playing line for us and HEAD COACH FEWELL (sounds so good doesn't it) doesn't have a lot to work with talent-wise so we can't expect him to get us to the playoffs ... but if the team keeps fighting (his defenses have never stopped even when the DICK offences kept doing the 3 and out dance) and gets really ticked when the lose ... I want this type of team because when the talent returns healthy and when we add just a few pieces this has the making of a really good team that we will all want to watch. So, the money ... GENERAL MANAGER (we need to get lucky and find that up and coming guy from a great program ... don't need a name but need someone who has learned under a good one); PRO SCOUTING DEPARTMENT (top to bottom); COLLEGE SCOUTING DEPARTMENT (I wonder how much influence DICK had in making picks such as MAY-HAVE-BEEN GOOD IN COLLEGE BUT?); and I so agree we need a Rusty Jones type of guy to keep the players in shape but again I think the fact that FEWELL works them is a plus (Philadelphia Inquirer just did a story on Andy Reid's training camp horrors of push push push and how at the end of the season the Eagles seem to come on stronger in the 4th quarters and in the games versus other teams perhaps because he was hard on the team early on to build them up.). Let's get off the ego trip about names that are in our sports' history books ... Shanahan isn't going to bring Elway back and he failed at the end ...Gruden is better off in the booth ... and even Cowher ... not sure if we want him or can get him. We have an energized Fewell ... moving our Bills along ... and right now I feel pretty good about that.

PERRY ... WOW! Emotions ... GONADS ... kicking players butts and making them practice in the elements ... and going for the win without any let up ... keep scoring and playing until it is clearly all over. It's clear to me that 'The Dick' kept Perry bottled up because after all Jauron was the head coach. But, what we have seen is what we want from a head coach ... someone who cares ... someone who is bold ... and if you think about it, do we really want a new coach who is able to get a senior citizen discount when he goes out for dinner who was no longer wanted in his previous place of employment (Shanahan, Gruden, etc.)? What the BILLS need is a front office clean up ... spend some big bucks there and just chill a bit on the head coach search to see if we have found our diamond in the rough. The winning programs in the NFL today with few exceptions do not have coaches who were previously head coaches for other teams but who left those teams for their new program. Do we really want Holgram? Perry is willing to make changes ... and given the right support from the office he could very well be the guy. He may not be a "players' coach" who played the game and kisses up to them but in the end players want a winner who will give his all to win. Perry will scream at the ref's aka Big Bad Bill ... he will get in his players faces ... but he'll join them in celebration when good things happen. I can't wait for Thursday night ... and it's been a long time since I had this energy for a Bills game ... We can't judge Perry on his record because 'The Dick's' method of coaching has led to a team with so many injuries that I can't believe any blocking is happening on the field. Let's judge his energy and 'leadership' skills ... and let's keep him if things keep going like they have these first two weeks. I agree with TO ... this is a change that should have happened two weeks earlier (if not at the end of last season).

Since a fall day in 1962, when my dad took me to see the Bills play the Dallas Texans play in the ROCK PILE ... I have told everyone I have met wherever I have lived that I "bleed Buffalo Bills' 'Red, White, and Blue.'" I can still see the seats we had this many years later. Like many fans I have survived ups and downs ... cheered the "Juice" and wallowed in the pit of the awful years ... and shouted with glee 'THE BILLS MAKE ME WANT TO SHOUT' during the Kelly years. I have overly defended coaches and the owner through the years because I wanted to believe in my team and I wanted every win I could celebrate and never would wish a loss on the team. This season ... actually the second half of last season ... has pretty much emptied the blood out of my system. Watching a team coached by someone who strives not to lose rather than to win has led to our having a team whose most outspoken member (Whose signing I celebrated because I thought he'd be screaming if the fire continued to be missing.) isn't even screaming to the highest heavens about how bad we are. This team has lacked any fire in the belly for all too many years ... they go through the motions and then say they'll review film or it wasn't all that bad or it was close or the other team had a good day. No one is kicking in the walls of the locker room ... no one is challenging their non-productive team members ("They are all business-like and don't see a need to be emotional or 'fired-up.'"). For years, our team has suffered a greater percentage of injuries to our starters and their replacements than any other team in the league (Where have you gone Rusty Jones?) and is that due to the players not playing with a 100% attitude because my experience is that you are more likely to get hurt playing half speed than full speed. We have an owner who is lifted up as someone whose most significant contribution to this world has been keeping a team in Buffalo yet he refuses to sign a binding legal commitment that will keep this team here in perpetuity ... his greed is sickening. He paid $25,000 for the team and his family even if selling the team to a low bidder who is willing to keep the team in Buffalo will still make hundreds of millions of dollars. Ralph ... prove yourself a Hall of Famer ... get the lawyers together and show that this fan base that you have abused emotionally will have a team in the future. Yesterday may have been the final blow ... I recorded it but saw the score and knew I was going to be ill. If Jauron isn't fired or if he isn't man enough to resign (I know that is the most unrealistic expectation any of us could have because he plays to not lose ... the man will never be a winner.) then there is no reason to watch the rest of the games this season. The most significant thing the fan base can do is just stay away on a nice Sunday afternoon or what would have more impact would be to tail-gate let the nation know we didn't just forget the schedule but refuse tot go into the stadium. A Bronco fan told me last night that through the years her team's management has "always been fair" to their fans. They have had bad years but those are addressed and the philosophy is always based on trying to field a winning team. Just look at their team this year ... not that talented but they are undefeated ... in the end it's attitude. I am sad ... I am mad ... I am disconnected with a key element that has run through my veins for almost my entire life ...the Bills have kept me emotionally connected to Buffalo even though I have not lived there since the late 1980's. Maybe ... maybe ... someone with wisdom will shake up Ralph but the rapid erosion is starting to pull all of us away ... it just may be too late now ...

This is exactly the point ... doesn't matter if it's spray paint on a renewable lawn or not. When anyone says this is ok it opens the door for the next act of violence. This was WRONG ... what Lynch, Hardy, et. al. did were WRONG too. There is nothing funny in the least about this ... and it is scary how many think this was a good thing. But then again how many of us with kids have sat watching the game at THE RALPH as someone cursed a total blue streak towards the ref's, opposing team/coach, or Bills' players/coaches some how thinking that their elementary tirade will impact the individuals on the field never once showing respect (my there's a word that seems to have been flushed down the toilet a long time ago) towards those in their immediate vicinity. I still believe that a day at the stadium deserves to be a family experience not just one for drunk, foul mouthed guys trying to rediscover their teen years.

Thank yoiu JW! As I read the postings and reactions it is so easy to see how this could happen. We as a society have lost it ... the fact that so many responses are vaguely supportive of this criminal act just because Leodis played poorly is truly sad. I had hoped to find this board's thread providing information on a group of people who were getting together to repair the damage for Leodis. Since I am heading up to Buffalo for the game I was expecting to see a work crew being organized to show that true fans as well as the "City of Good Neighbors" help each other rather than attack each other. But no ... there are the snow references of how we could color his lawn yellow as well as those cheering on this juvenile attack. It appears that a significant percentage of society keeps wanting to live their lives as high school bullies rather than mature adults. JW, make room for me at the prayer rail ... we need prayer big time! Someone please show civility and citizenship by offering to repair the damage ...

Lori, If you have started cleaning things up I apologize ... I do not know who is on the staff and therefore didn't realize he was staff rather than one of the many readers who are just so tired of the juvenile attitudes. My reply was to support Rich, who I thought was another reader. The denigration of the discussions here gets very frustrating and when they stuppidly sink into mocking someone's speech patterns it strikes way too close to home and after a long day at work I had to speak out. The moderators have a very difficult job because there are more and more individuals who just like to attack rather than criticize. GO BILLS and HOORAY for those individuals with disABILITIES who use their abilities to succeed in spite of the challenges in their lives!

As the parent of a 24 year old daughter who is disabled and who had severe speech problem for a significant part of her life I am saddened that the moderators of this board have continued to allow the vicious attacks on Ellis Lankster. Frankly I am not surprised that the same people who post the amazingly infantile non-contructive items about the team seem to be foaming at the mouth to say something cruel about his stuttering problems. Are so many of you still thriving in your high school mentalities that you have to bully someone with some type of disability or a physical issue that is just part of who they are? Are you that low that you need to keep getting excited about seeing a manufactured video of a young man who stutters? This is a young man who has successfully gone from high school to college and not to professional football while dealing this this very embarassing problem. Are you the same people who mocked kids like my daughter in the hallways of school thinking it's fun to pick on the special ed kids? As my recent postings have shown ... I am a fan of the Buffalo Bills who wants my team to win as many games as possible. I am not about name calling but I totally agree that this is a place to criticize what happens with our team. I am not an apologist for the owner, Russ, the "vice presidents of talent," the scouts, the coaches, nor the players. It actually is possible to have a civilized discussion of the faults of the team without sinking to our basest levels and certainly it is sad when any one who thinks of themselves as a fan wants their team to lose. But these attacks on Lankster .. the snickering, slobbering bullying just needs to stop. I again challenge the moderators to be bold and say no more ... the stuttering doesn't affect him as a player ... let the boards talk about him on the field but let's stop the sickening level of bullying that just lowers this board to an embarassment rather than what I thought it was ... a place to talk about Buffalo Bills' football.

This is so true!! The Bills lack any fire in the belly .... yes, we know that Dick fails to inspire any but think about the offensive offensive lines we have had the last few years because none of them could push forward for a one yard gain when we needed it and none of them seemed to care. These guys are nasty ... yes, the changes should have been made earlier but I too think there is a decent chance that the fire we see from this seemingly physically fit line (I have not noticed any rolls of fat hanging over the belts of the guys who are left) will bring some life to this listless team especially when combined with a more simple playbook that will be about moving forward rather than rocket science. GREAT POST!

Ok ... since a 1962 Dallas Texans - Bills' game in the ROCKPILE as a young boy, I have been a fan of the Buffalo Bills. All too many bad years ... a few years of glory ... a few more years of maybe this year ... more of mediocrity ... and then some really incredible it's embarrassing to be a Bills' fan years. Even in those very worst years ... even when I have been totally ticked off at coaches, management, players or the owner ... NEVER as a fan of this team would I hope for the team to be embarrassed by a team in our division. NEVER ... I am a fan and will always bleed some variety of Bills' 'red/white & blue.' So ... here you are posting that on National TV you want to have our team embarrassed, which will lead to those of us who are fans throughout the nation to be equally embarrassed when our friends and co-workers come up to us the next day ... to what purpose? Would that inflate the ego's of all the critics of the team who post here to such a high level that you'd be floating in air? Do you think that One Bills Drive would implode and none of us would have to ever have to worry about rooting for an NFL team based in Buffalo? I want the Bills to totally EMBARASS the PATRIOTS!!! I want the national viewing audience to have their jaws wide open at the touchdown receiptions of TO and Evans and to be talking about this Jackson guy and how Maybin had totally rattled Brady. Why do I want this? Not because I am a supporter of the owner ... not because I think Russ is a genius and definitely not because I think Dick is the Head Coach we should have right now ... I want this EMBARASSMENT of the PATRIOTS to happen because I am a BILLS FAN! And, then I want to see the BILLS EMBARASS every other team ... Do I really think this will happen? Of course not ... but I still have hope. Shonert's offense clearly showed no energy, direction or effectiveness so I can't see how anyone can be totally critical of his firing ... let's hope that Alex's common sense and knowledge of the benefits of a limited playbook can get this offense thinking KICK BUTT rather than dig deep into their minds to remember which little spin was required from the thousands of plays and formations that were pushed upon them over the last two years. As for the offensive line ... we all can only hope ... but I do know that today we cut a guy who always seemed fat rather than primed and fit for line battles. If this new line can be nasty and psyched towards winning at all costs then again ... we will have something that we haven't had in a long time. If you want the Patriots to embarass our Bills ... I am sure that New England has a nice discussion board for people like you ... clearly you are not a fan because fans don't want their teams blown out of the water. We can criticize their bad play, the coaching, the ownership, the drafts, the pro personnel dept. (wait, do have a pro dept?), etc. but when it comes time to play FOOTBALL ... Fans always want their team to WIN and WIN BIG!!! Go have your ego battle with the ownership elsewhere.

:pirate:It is amazing how this board apprears to be a gathering place for those itching to unleash vicious attacks on posters those who want to realistically talk football. One of my very early postings was ripped by a frenzied member of the 'half-empty glass' club who obviously cannot survive a day without finding something wrong with everything but his/her own efforts. Although I am too new to know who JW is it certainly sounds like JW was someone with an analytical point of view, which I am sure totally frustrated those who just want to name call and rip the target of the day. I have no doubt that the board will continue to spin downward because those who love the stench are thriving while those of us who want to have an honest bulletin board to discuss the team we are fans of (I really wonder how many of the 'half-empty glass' club are really fans based on what they write ...) grow weary of the muck we have to read through. AS for the team ... whoever posted about the Super Bowl Bills' limited playbook gives us hope if Van Pelt includes at least a few pass plays whose targets are all at least 10 yards down field. We are all tired of the 2 yard passes to Roscoe. Some of these offensive coordinators think this is rocket science but if you have a basic playbook and execute we have proof that you can be a winner. Obviously we also need this offensive line to work but let's see what happens in the first three weeks ... As for Trent ... the Arizona injury and Cleveland games certainly impacted a player whose greatest trait was bold leadership on the field. But I will share an analysis from a Jets' fan who is a football junkie ... he really likes what he has seen from Trent but says he needs a coach who will either just 'give him the ball' or challenge him to be on the attack (obviously this counters the play to not lose philosophy). Finally ... biggest frustration (and sadly Copeland to Detroit reflects this) is that our players don't seem to have their motors running at game time nor do they get down when they are down. The fevered win at all costs and destroy the opponent attitude is needed on every play. TO is going to have a field day with the national media if the Bills continue their complacent attitude.

If you have Verizon and unlimited texting then you have already paid for the Text messages. It's something that the Bills are actually doing that's right. I received notication of the Limp One's press conference early in the day and made sure to be online when it was held to see what the news was.

The only place one finds negative reviews of Bell are right here ... to my knowledge the media stories have all been positive or at least optimistic and the comments from the Bills "coaching" staff also give us some hope. Thankfully this is a board for opinions not facts because I would hate to think that there is anyone out there accepting each and every post as factual.

Peters looked weak on most of his pass blocks but frankly (and I am not a supporter of any man who says he needs $11 million to feed his family) on his run blocks he was very impressive. He ran downfield with quickness and was effectively blocking the Jacksonville defenders. Obviously, most of us want him to not succeed and all of us know he was not PRO BOWL last year (I think the players conspired their votes so he could feed his family because I can't imagine any one voting for him otherwise.).

It is one preseason game ... the offense played one series and looked good until Levitre didn't get enough leverage on his block forcing TE to make a bad throw (but Levitre came off the field ticked at himself and when he went back in he showed why he has great promise) ... TO is the real thing ... and there are way too many Wall posters who want to find the negative in every player rather than seeing their promise. Let's see what the team looks like in a couple of weeks. But, what totally frustrates me and most of us is the Bills' classic no ethusiasm 'I am a pro attitude' on the field. No fire in the gut ... no desire to show the world how good the team but instead there is a philosophy of not pushing the button and just gliding along; the 'let the other team make more mistakes so we can win' approach rather than take it to them! There were butt kickers on our championship teams ... we rolled up the score on the Raiders long after we had the game won ... the Talley's and Kelly's of the world were always wanting more. That being said ... look at the new players ... Wood is a true beast and ready to take on all comers!! What a refreshing young man and Levitre has some of that same intensity. Harris had a great game hitting people everywhere as did last year's rookie Bowen! We all know that one thing TO brings is a willingness to speak out if the team is laying back so Turk better have a system designed for points in place or else the national media will be hearing TO's rants. So ... instead of being the undermining force of negativeness we need to look at the possibilities. We have gotten rid of some of the players w/o heart and there is hope and possibility ahead. Let's hope that fires get lit and we see some butt kicking football this year!

Sadly the team showed no fire in the belly with few exceptions ... my goodness this kid WOOD is going to be the real thing! I thought his play was outstanding ... Levitre will learn and seemed really ticked after the QB pressure that led to the interception (something we didn't see last year from the linemen). On defense Bowen seemed fired up but Dante in particular seemed to be cruisin and not willing to mix it up.

Two words .. GARY MARANGI!

And if these two guys really want to start this year and if they are as intelligent as we are told then they should be telling their agents to get it done! This game that goes on with most Round 1 and 2 picks needs to end (only 2 first round picks are signed). The next agreement should establish a dollar figure for each pick and then let them earn the monies rather than having untested rookies break the bank for nothing (which Subway are you at Mike Williams?).

Ok ... I have kept my mouth shut since I was criticized for a satirical comment by "experienced" wall writers but this posting is another example of how desperate many of the posters to the wall are for a life. Let training camp begin and the calls to bring Marangi in at quarterback! Wait a second ... why isn't he on the Wall?

So, let's see ... no one wants to give a contract to an old offensive tackle who has a collection of injury issues and has trouble even moving around much less playing football? Can't figure that one out ... Runyan will make a great line coach but his playing days are long gone ...

We certainly seem to want to rip apart Maybin who has already shown an interest in learning skills from veterans from throughout the league ... who is already out in the community ... and who Chris Brown reports is showing skills even though the OTA lack of live contact. Of course the evaluation from Chris is no guarantee but he is basically all we have plus some limited news stories and each one has been postive. None are saying that Maybin is a slacker ... none say he came to the OTA's overweight ... they all imply highly skilled and motivated. So, let's see what happens once the contract is signed and the pads come on. Down in the Philadelphia area ... people like him and think he'll do well and as a Bills' fan until he stops showing all of these positive signs and until we get some negative reports about him in the media ... I am not going to be thinking about him motoring around the corner and sacking Brady on opening day!!

And, how many criticized Reggie Corner who now according to Chris Brown was the best player at OTA's and now is in line to be our nickle corner? I'd rather have had a good look at DB's to know what they bring in case we lose everyone back there like seems to be our habit ever since Rusty Jones was let loose ... Rusty always seemed able to keep everyone in the line-up. '

Great post ...

Are the BISONS taking advantage of the opportunity to cross market the Bills too? We need an owner commited to Buffalo but realizing that Ralph is just too stubborn to do the right thing for all of us then we have the second best option of giving Toronto a game while preserving the team here. Hopefully something will stir our economy to create the business support for the team but the fan base is here. And, if corporate write-off's for suite and box purchases become less appealing nationally then we are in a great position.

According to my inner management sources at Wikipedia ... Edwards has a very serious arm problem that has reduced his capabilities for throwing anything in the air more than a few feet. Sadly this is a genetic condition that will leave him only capable of typing inane comments on the Stadium Wall in future months. Anyone who is doubting must have missed the following ... If you read this Buffalo News story very carefully you would have picked up on this serious genetic and progressive health issue "Edwards threw a ceremonial first pitch (in the dirt to Jays outfielder Vernon Wells)", which is one of the reasons Losman hasn't signed anywhere. The Bills are bringing him back as our started but want to wait until the season ticket sales are over.