May Day 10

whats a "playoffs"?

While I can understand why/how Marrone is viewed as a complete asshat here... There were rumblings of discourse between him and the long-time team FO from training camp on. Even with one of 32 jobs in hand, with a moderately successful team, with a wealthy incoming owner, he voluntarily walked the plank. Management was retained (who has not been able to produce a winning product in a generation). Marrone left. People just 2-3 weeks before (in the leadup to the Raiders game), in a similar discussion were calling Marrone a large accomplishment/feather in the cap for Brandon/Whaley and potential NFL coach of the year. Instead, in typical Billsy fashion, it was reduced to embers. IMO the truth of the matter is in between on both sides. I also recall Mularkey voluntarily walked the plank. The only 2 guys who produced winning records in what feels like (is) an eternity just left. As far as blaming the Pegulas... yes. They needed to bring in someone from the outside to run/fix the organization. I do not believe they know a lot of detail on football schemes/alignments/strategy. With that said, as they have committed this far, I support giving the staff another year or 2 to experience success... but if it doesn't come, the whole program needs to be built from the top down and NOT by Russ Brandon.

Its possible... However, Im not sure I buy the 'playoffs or bust' ultimatum. I would be more inclined to believe with "this team had better not take a step back" ultimatum.

But who made the environment where the coach chose to leave? Who made the choice to hire the coach who came in with a conflicting scheme?

Yeah, that game at RWS for UB had a decent amount. Probably more like 15K Id say (I was there) the weather was still poor... but it was as big a game as they could have... and was hyped all season. I would say optimistically if they built up... UB could draw 15-20K game in a decent stadium... and it doesnt need to be indoors. I would go to more games, but UB Stadium is the worst venue I have ever seen. Maybe if they advanced into a better conference, Joe and Jane sports fan may be more interested? I could see a conference be interested in our TV market and new stadium. Temple took off. I could see them maybe getting a Final Four... possibly a frozen four there but would a 63K seat stadium be applicable to that? Wrestlemania cant be there every year, it moves around like the Super Bowl. Ultimately, Im fine with whatever. Im grateful to be having this conversation. By then, Ill be 10 years older and probably in a different frame of mind. Right now I do think there is a gigantic aesthetic difference between, say the Lions home games and the Steelers, Broncos, Seahawks, Bills, etc.

WGR has played nice with the Sabres and Bills and they are fed info, exclusives, interviews, etc. They figured it out. TBN has remained in the perpetually critical zone and are constantly bypassed by PS&E... if not blatantly set up for embarrassment such as this.

I still dont understand what events are going to be held in a 63,000 seat indoor stadium between January and April that the FNC cant hold. I guess UB can play there, but they cant draw any fans. Maybe a Final Four one time. Maybe a Wrestlemania one time? Doubt they will start a low level bowl game because nobody local would show up. I also dont understand how there is a need for high end amneties and seats here that would require an indoor stadium. There isnt that kind of clientele in WNY... at least not a whole lot.

Especially with things like "garbage time", playing hobbled, bad matchup, etc. Its a short 16 game season full of outliers and variables. Baseball works because the sample size is huge and the variables are limited.

Football's sample size doesn't lend well to analytics IMO.

so we are back to "one year in", huh? Hiring Marrone who quit 2 years later, that period should be stricken from the record? I was told that the "new regime" started when Brandon took the reigns (officially) from Wilson... and we need to give them a chance. Pegula came in and stayed the course. Only the Head Coach voluntarily walked away (which can be a interpreted as a negative window into the front office). Im not down with tearing this thing down and Im glad that Whaley/Rex are retained... but if this team regresses back into the 4-6 or 7 win range next year/takes a step back... its going to be tough to support this continuity and not hope/wish for a manager from the outside to fix this organization once and for all.

yes. so if the AFC East is awful and they get in at 7-9 everyone is safe? But 10-6 but miss the playoffs they clean house?

whaleys going rogue and signing himself to an extension

Its a step forward... past where this organization has been in nearly 2 decades. IMO thats a satisfying season. I, too have cringed at how the ultimate goal changed to "playoffs" over the years... I don't like the concrete ultimatum if its true (and I kind of doubt it is true). There are so many variables. If this team is a "good" 8-8 or 9-7 (w/o playoffs) with injuries, fixable things, lost some close games to NE, SEA, ARZ, etc... should they blow it up? If the team falls back into the 4-6 win range, then yes, I think it may be time to re-imagine the football side (without any input from Russ Brandon)

someone at OBD loves to feed this crap. I highly doubt Vic makes stuff up

I think it is quite obvious that some of the evidence was fabricated and there was procedural misconduct abound... which should have invalidated the entire case against Avery. If one thing was 'planted' or tampered with by authorities, it all is garbage. Who knows what is real and what is fabricated. No other leads seem to have been taken into account. Maybe Avery did it... who knows? The "authorities" blew the chance at finding the truth which is criminal. A lot of this "other evidence" that is coming out doesn't necessarily implicate Avery for a murder (and some of that in that article WAS covered in the series). Dassey's confession may have been more detailed and less urged-on... but it had countless holes in it, numerous versions changed (including versions where nothing happened)... I cant figure out why/how they performed a grisly murder, cut hair, but not a shred of DNA anywhere.... maybe they cleaned it really good, but why leave the care covered up by a 5x5 board with Avery's blood in it on the property like 200 yards from a car crusher? Why leave a key in the middle of the floor? This documentary was one-sided... but so was the lead-up to the case. The prosecution and media made sure that Avery was considered guilty before the trial began. In the doc, the lawyers were going over the survey of 100 people where like 99 people thought he was definitely guilty.

Ill be excited regardless

I smell a sitcom!

Hmmmmm 1. Denver (Manning winning makes NE fans and Brady sad) 2. KC 3. Carolina 4. Arizona 5 Minnesota 6. Houston 7. Bay of Green 8. Cincinnati 9. Washington 10. Pittsburgh 11. Seattle (dont want them with a shot at tying the Bills' 4 straight Conf Championships) 12. New England

That "play" was awesome

We lead the league in fun

Bills fans are setting themselves on fire hoping to be reincarnated as Steelers fans

He did. Unfortunately right on top of the fire

I can't speak for everyone, but I have had these feelings for going on a decade.

its really a shame.

Pegula seems to have chosen the path here with Brandon-Whaley-Rex. I would rather nothing changes and we see if this boat sinks or swims in 2016 and 2017. If the thing is spinning its tires for any reason... then a new path must be taken. Then bring in the man to install at the top of the Football department and allow him to build the program from the top down. I want a sustainable winning football program (AKA what the Bills have never been save for a blip in the late 80s/early 90s). Partial changes, half-assed things only buy time for all the others. This is only "Whaleys 1st year", "Brandons 1st as ultimate president", "Buddy needs to build the squad", "Marrone's 1st year", etc.... its a long line of this. Let these guys see if they can do it. That is the direction Pegula chose (which I disagreed with), but it must be seen through at this point.