All_Pro_Bills

Guess we need to define competitive. IMO, this team has not been competitive since the 2004 season when they couldn't beat the Steelers 2nd string to qualify for the playoffs. So I think it's a mistake to question fan support. Only a handful of fan bases would support a team stuck in such a streak of mediocrity and Bills fans can be counted among those few. And I think if a couple dollars more per ticket would assist in fielding a competitive product most Bills fans would be on board. The fact is the team’s fate is not certain. There's no guarantee they are moving or staying in Buffalo. There are many variables at play with the new owners the most critical. Look at Jacksonville. We all thought that team was on the way out with low attendance in a small market and lack of fan support, destined for LA. But a new owner comes in and apparently has a desire to make it work there even though he could make more money somewhere else besides Jacksonvile. That goes to show that not every potential owner or group is seeking maximum revenue and profit without regard for other objectives. So far he's saying and doing all the right things to this point (hope this link works). Don't be surprised if somebody like Jeff Fisher ends up here. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/nfl/12/16/jaguars-khan.ap/index.html?sct=nfl_t2_a12 So with a long history in Buffalo and a fair number of well-heeled potential owners all is not lost when the time comes for ownership to pass to another party. And as many others have said in many treads in many ways, nothing is going to change to turn the results on the field around until that happens.

It got cold! Wow. While I don't live in WNY any longer (in NJ now) I cannot really recall people ever complaining or bemoaning about the cold and snow. It was just something you dealt with. If you want to, you can look at any place in the world and find negatives about the weather or life there in general. Things like: Hurricanes. Mud Slides Wild Fires Floods Droughts Oppressive 100+ degree heat at midnight (you can't even go outside) Earthquakes Tornados Red Necks Nobody that speaks English Religious fanatics Serial killers Traffic Generally uncivil social norms People who can’t figure out how to drive in snow! Here’s a clue – it’s slippery! Holiday wishes to Bills fans everywhere and perhaps another win before the end of the season.

Of course the size of the market matters and its going to be a factor but winning is one something that is going to assist you in reaching your maximum potential in that market. But how do you explain the difference between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers? Both play in the same market and at the same venue. Yet one is highly followed while the other is an afterthought. Tradition plays a big role for sure but one is a winning organization and the other is a perenial loser.

Corporate sponsors marketing departments want to associate their company and products with a winner. Firms like Nike, Reebok, etc. If the Bills were winning they would attract a lot more corporate dollars than they are now. A firm does not needs its HQ in a city for it to market itself with a sports organization. For example, how many corporate HQ's are in Green Bay? Look at owners like Jerry Jones who many dislike. They know they value of winning in financial terms is going to be greater off the field than on the field. The Bills brass are content to milk maximum cash flow annually out of minimal effort. Honestly, is there a person among us that really believes that Bills' ownership and the front office (non-football guys) have any commitment to win or place any organizational priority on getting to the Super Bowl?

I think the debate over a franchise QB will rage on until the Bills actually find one. The discussion has been and continues to be a good and rational exchange of opinions and ideas. Do I think Fitz is a legitimate NFL QB? Yes, but I don't expect he'll ever play at or be considered elite. IMO, the question is not whether you need to draft a franchise QB or not. Ultimately, the solution is consistently hitting on your #1 selection regardless of the position. In next year's draft I have my preferences about which position to address that might differ from what others express here (I think we need a franchise LT, then go OLB). But you've got to hit on the selection and the player needs to be a starter and contribute. That's been the Bills problem for over a decade. Most of their #1's have been a swing and a miss. You won't win in any league in any sport with a front office operation that cannot make good draft selections..

Another factor to consider is the mental strain Maybin may have felt being here. 1st round pick, big contract, high expectations. The stress might have been too much for him to handle given his age and maturity level. With the Jets there was no immediate objective other than making the team. And I recall he was released initially but then re-signed later so the hand of fate had some role in the results for both the team and the player. It's all 'water under the bridge' now but given how woeful the Bills pass rush has been for what seems to be forever, I was never clear on why they didn't give the guy more reps. What would it hurt? None of the other potential OLB's were getting any pressure on the QB anyway so him not getting to the QB is pretty much what you get with the other options. The other factor is the 5 yr, $25 million deal. What were the numbers guys thinking? My bet is the bean counters couldn't stomach carrying that big number on the payroll for a player they didn't see the coaches utilizing. So like Evans, Hangartner, etc., the deciding factor might have been no more than a salary dump rather than anything else. But that's just my jaded view of the Bills dysfunctional front office organization coming through at the moment...

What Harrison's cheap shots boil down to is a lack of respect for his fellow players. And there's a big difference between headhunting and playing physical. When's it going to end? When he breaks somebody's neck and paralyzes the guy? I say next time its 8 games and fine the Steelers a percentage of their revenue sharing. That will get the point across.....

I agree you can't just let Johnson walk. You don't get better by creating more needs but rather by filling them. I like you're list but IMO we need a franchise LT. There are a few of them (Kalil - USC, Martin - Standford, Reiff -Iowa) rated near the top of the draft where the Bills can be expected to pick. I don't see any of the OT's on the roster filling this need. I like Bell but he can't stay on the field for more than 6 or 7 games a season and I think the Bills low sack's against total is more a function of the gameplan vs. the stength of their pass blocking.

Given everything is a function of price, for 5 to 7 million a season and control of personnel decisions he might re-evaluate that stipulation.

I suspect these draft experts are content to sit in the skybox and make their picks without any consequences but I think it might be of value to use evaluations from guys like Mayock and Kiper as an input (but not the only input) in developing your draft board and validating the teams consensus opinion of specific players. For example, Nix decides to pick a particular player with the 2nd round pick next April and the consensus of draft 'experts' slot the guy as a 4th round selection rather than a 2nd. That should raise a 'red flag' and cause them to examine the reasoning behind the pick. They might still decide to pick that player but at least there's a conscious effort to think through the selection using some external and hopefully unbiased input.

You've succinctly described the business model for all of professional sports. They create the illusion of loyalty and attachment to the fans and the city. And most critically, they get people to believe that somehow being a fan of a championship team increases their own self-worth. As year after year goes by I find myself caring less and less...

In life you get what you pay for. Ralph will never, ever, pay the going rate for a top NFL caliber front office so we're constantly subjected to bargain basement management and at a competitive disadvantage with almost every team in the league before the players even step out onto the field. Me personally, I don't have any dislike of Buddy and Chan. They are what they are. Good, but not great, football people but from the results in over their heads right now.

Looking at the last 9 Super Bowl winners yields an interesting view. 2010 Green Bay - 10th in points scored and 2nd in points allowed. 2009 New Orleans - 1st in points scored and 20th in points allowed. 2008 Pittsburgh - 20th in points scored and 1st in points allowed. 2007 New York Giants - 14th in points scored and 17th in points allowed. 2006 Indianapolis - 2nd in points scored and 23rd in points allowed. 2005 Pittsburgh - 9th in points scored and 3rd in points allowed. 2004 New England - 4th in points scored and 2nd in points allowed. 2003 New England - 12th in points scored and 1st in points allowed. 2002 Tampa Bay - 18th in points scored and 1st in points allowed. 6 of the 9 SB champions had defenses ranked higher in points allowed (3 - 1st, 2 - 2nd, 1 - 3rd) vs. their offenses in points scored. To me this points to an element of truth in the saying 'defense wins championships'. Even looking at the losers all the teams, with the exception of Arizona in 2008 at 28th, had defenses in the top 10 in points allowed. Only New Orleans with the #1 scoring offense in 2009 won the SB.

IMO, relocating the franchise would increase the 'value' of the franchise but would it really be more profitable? Moving to a bigger market would surely increase revenues but there are also costs associated with such a move. The need for a new facility is one. In today's environment very few states and municipalities are going to be in a position to fund a new stadium. So in the most likely case private financing would be needed. So an owner relocating to, say LA, would need to put down something like $600 million for a new state-of-the-art facility. How many seasons would it take to recover that investment and turn cash flow positive? Right now the Bills franchise is running at a revenue rate that is below almost every other franchise in the league but the teams profit and positive cash flow are near the top. The is where I believe Mr. Wilson is a savvy and competent owner/investor. Why move and incur massive costs, legal expenses, political issues, when the amount of free cash flow your getting from the team each season now more than likely exceeds that of moving? In the long run moving might lead to higher profit and cash flow but it might take 8-10 seasons to reach break even and at 93 would you be interested in entertaining long range decisions? And I got to believe that the finance team are a bunch of smart people and they've run the numbers on a lot of these relocation scenarios over the years and reached the same conclusion.

Not sure which 'this' you are referring to but I'll try to answer your question as best I can. I think the Polian incident is pretty much common knowledge. Surely he wasn't fired for performance issues? I have 25+ years of professional experience observing and defining organizations so while I have no firsthand information on the working within OBD it seems obvious to me how the organization operates. It isn't that difficult to read between the lines and fill in the blanks to develop a plausible view. The finance people call all the shots and football decisions and on-field performance is secondary. Frankly, I think there is an element of dishonesty and lack a lot of integrity at work here. They are doing little to produce a winning quality product for their customers while building the illusion of constant attempts at progress all the while pocketing a tidy sum of loot. Only in a monopoly environment can such an organization survive.

Absolutely, Littman is most famous for having a disagreement (about budget and spending) with Bill Polian during the Super Bowl run. And Ralph fired Polian who went on to the GM job in Carolina (got them to the Super Bowl) and then to the Colts where he remains today. Littman and Overdorf have final say over all decisions made at OBD. Whatever the org chart might say reality is that Nix reports to them and they report to Mr. Wilson.

From a statistical view each season is an independent event so your chances of making the playoffs in year 1 would not impact your chances of making or not making the playoffs in years 2, etc. But after 12 years of falling into the 37.5% population of teams not making the playoffs it indicates one or more serious issues with some variable (or variables) impacting the outcome. Fundamentally you are doing something wrong and fail to correctly address the problem. Its as they say the defintion of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. What the 12 year drought points to is a lack of ability or desire to address the fundamental problems involved with missing the playoffs for 12 seasons.

2 teams? Sounds like wishful thinking considering that history has shown the area is not interested in supporting a single team. I suspect the league would be happly to locate one team in LA Metro and then evaluate for several seasons how it goes before plunking down a second franchise.

If the Bills pick a player like Dareus with their No. 1 pick for the next couple seasons we're going to be in good shape to compete. IMO, Dareus has performed as expected. With Williams out, the problem lies with the surrounding cast and what seems to be confusion about exactly what they're playing. Is it a 3-4, or a 4-3, or something else? I'm not clear. When you claim to be playing a 3-4 and your starting outside linebackers are Spencer Johnson and Chris Kelsay you're going to have issues. They've been competent defensive linemen at times but neither is your prototypical outside linebacker in a 3-4. Let's see how they address this in the offseason along with a problem at OT.

Yes, a bit of a head-scratcher in the decision department. A paradox of sorts. I'm not clear on whether or not Nix is a good GM but he's probably a good GM relative to the funds Ralph's bean counters budgeted for the GM's salary. Look around the league at the top front office talent and ask yourself if the Bills are ever going to be willing to pony-up the millions to pay the going rate? We've got a minor-league level front office budget mandated by ownership's finance guys (and signed off by the owner) and that's the way its been since day 1. It's not going to change. We're just going to have to rely on luck (hiring Polian and Levy on the cheap) and the concept of random variance (the blind squirrel theory) to produce a winner on the field sooner or later. Our front office is simply outmanned and outgunned by almost every other front office in the league and everybody in the football world knows that. On a more positive note I wish Bills fans everywhere a Happy Thanksgiving......

No state or local government is going to provide tax money for a stadium. They're all broke and can't even fund their own obligiations, like pensions and health insurance or putting enough police on the streets. Floating a 500 million bond issue to build a stadium for a private enterprise (an NFL team) is political suicide and has close to zero possiblity of passing. The days of public funded sports facilities is pretty much over. There will be a lot of resistance in putting an NFL franchise in Toronto, especially from the CFL and its political assoications. LA might be the destination but they've shown it already that the city cannot or has no interest in supporting an NFL team. It might be the countries 2nd largest 'media market' but so what? With large Asian and Latino populations that don't place football as a sport of interest there's probably more hardcore football fans in WNY than there are in the LA Metro area. My guess is the Chargers take the trip a few clicks up north which makes their local SD fans take a decent hike north but keeps the territory as it is now. And if Ralph wants to run the Bills as a business enterprise focused on maximizing profit without concern for putting a quality and winning product on the field I have no issue with that as long as they are not deceitful in pretending to the fan base that ownership actually puts winning as a priority.

You're on to something here. How many times do you find yourself yelling 'turn around' or 'play the ball' at the TV during the season? Too many times to count for me. It seems possible to play DB this way because I observe it while watching other teams play during the season. Even the street free agents NE played last night knew enough to turn around and look for the ball when it was in the air. I think its coaching or more specifically, a lack of it. It would be a good question for DC Edwards or HC Gailey.

A great synopsis of the situation but I don't believe for a minute that Nix has the 'green light' from ownership and the Detroit finance guys to go out there and spend the money needed to provide a significant upgrade to the talent pool via veteran free agency. Or the ability to retain 'high priced' veteran backups. Recall this team is running around $30+ million under the cap. That budget is a severe constraint on Nix and Gailey. I believe it will be 2013 when we'll see some relief here when teams are forced by the current collective bargaining agreement to spend at or near the cap. It's not my intent to absolve Nix from any resposibility for the talent situation, certainly he could and should have done better, but he's operating under funding contraints that the majority of other GM's do not have to deal with in performing their jobs.

And that's the Buffalo Bills. McKelvin (benched), Maybin (cut) and Spiller (limbo) are just about the equivalent of three forfeited high draft picks. Cannot compete with those kind of drafts. McKelvin drives me crazy. He's around the ball most of the time but his 'ball' skills are completely lacking. I watched a little of last nights NE/KC game where NE had a bunch of street free agents and practice squad guys playing DB. The seemed to do all right. Do you think its all talent, or maybe coaching? Do you think there's a possibility that if McKelvin was 'coached up' he might perform better? Maybin is a situational pass rusher and nothing more. Not much you can say here other than the Bills wasted this pick. Spiller should be getting more touches. I can't label him a bust yet. Why can't they apply his talent to the offense like SD/NO did with Sprolls and what NO did with Bush? IMO, the problem with the Bills is not with the players, its with the organization. The truth is, Ralph and his finance guys have never, and will never, spend the money needed to put a top level organization around the team that we see on the field. So bad management leads to bad draft picks, bad scouting, bad coaching, bad reputation, and bad performance. This is pretty much true in any business, not just sports. Last year I looked at the Bills drafts over the previous 10 years and it was pretty sad, so lousy or questionalble picks has been the norm rather than the exception over the life of the franchise. We're stuck with what we have until ownership passes to another party and then its a roll of the dice what happens to the team.

You're making the mistake of thinking rationally and assuming the decision makers have the desire to address the problem. They're $30 million under the cap this year and dumped vets like Evans and Hangartner because the finanace guys decided not to carry their contracts. I'll be surprised if they diviate from the budget contraints imposed on Nix and Gailey to address the talent gaps and depth problems that are obvious right now. I suspect we're going to continue to see the focus on the draft and picking over the scraps from other teams. My wish in the draft is a franchise OT, then LB or DB.