Red

Ah, Rathman and Alstott. Now those were two backs I could believe in!

I'm intrigued by Jeff Garcia.

Question: With the CFL's Calgary offensive coordinator Cortez now being rumored to being close to signing with the Bills, and with his success in developing Flutie, Garcia, Brooks, and Boller, and with our current need for a true starting QB, does anyone see perhaps a slight chance of Jeff Garcia being signed for perhaps 2 years until we develop/draft "the future"? I've always loved Garcia, and minus his stint in Cleveland he has lit it up everywhere he has been. He would atleast be the same as McNabb, he would be better than Troy Smith, and he would- IMO- be a much better and bigger help than Vick. He's not being mentioned at all, but when he last played it does not appear that he has lost much (if any) all of these years. What does everyone think about Jeff Garcia as a short-term solution at QB?

It is strange and highly unusual to hire a staff prior to getting a coordinator.

I'd have to say, in terms of impact on the field and the playoffs (and Super Bowls) they brought, it would have to be between 2 players: Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly. Although Bruce is my all-time favorite football player, period...I would have to say that Jim Kelly was perhaps the greatest Bill of all time.

Those last few seconds are telling between the character of those Super Bowl Bills to those of the past decade. Take Thurman's comments on what Wilson means to him, and compare them to the stupidity of Mcgahee. Thurman was "thankful" that Ralph Wilson (I almost typed 'George') gave HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN THE NFL. McGahee was given a chance not only to be drafted in a high spot after having completely destroyed his knee in a Bowl game, but also given an entire season to SIT AND REHAB his knee while still getting paid. His response? Play hard for 1 season (because he was competing for playing time with the then-starter, Travis Henry), and then play like a limp noodle until his dismissal and then PUBLICLY INSULT THE TEAM (move to Toronto), THE WOMEN OF WNY, AND LIVING IN WNY WITH THE "LACK" OF ENTERTAINMENT. Jason Peters is similar, sans the mouthpiece. The Bills took an undrafted (read: nobody wanted) rookie TE and turned him into a Pro Bowl (debatable) LT. Turned a scrub into a superstar. Their reward? 2 consecutive seasons of holdouts where his play deteriorated and money became the sole motivating engine for anything. To get back to the Super Bowl we need less McGahee's and Peters, and more Thomas'.

I agree with the Ngata thing. At this point, Whitner has done little (besides talk) to justify his draft selection. Ngata was clearly the better choice. I would go further and state that Canadian league sack-master Cameron Wake was being talked to by the Bills last offseason; but he ultimately decided to sign with Miami. Why he was not pursued harder and not given a greater cash incentive to choose the Bills is beyond me. But hey, John Guy is gone. That, atleast, makes me happy.

I agree. Our secondary, along with our RB's, Kicker, and Punter, are probably the only 2 areas on the team that have been solid this past decade. The secondary is probably strong in part because of Catavalos, but also in part because of the incredible investment of high draft picks FOR the secondary the Bills have had for the past 10 years. Bob Sanders probably has squeezed the most out of the least last season, as besides Schobel, Williams, and Johnson the defensive line is weak. Kelsay seemed somewhat improved this past year, with which I attribute it to the techniques of Sanders. And I love the return of Bruce DeHaven. I'd **** bricks if the Bills brought back Rusty Jones.

Indeed. Living outside of DC, this past season when listening to the local news, etc it was apparent that the Bills and 'Skins were eerily similar to the other from the top down.

Dude, settle down. The dust has not even settled from Nix being promoted to GM. John Guy is finally gone. Gailey is still finalizing his staff. Buffalo is rumored in 3 different QB scenarios (McNabb, Vick (please, NO!), and Smith), has the 9th overall selection in April, and has some dead weight currently on the roster that could be moved to free up some cash. I have a better feeling about all of this than anything this past decade. Sure, I'm excited to see if they keep Modrak around, who they find to replace Guy, and if Overdorf and his miserly ways will be reigned in by Brandon as CEO. Sure, Edwards fell apart. Brohm does seem like someone to groom, and I don't want to give up on Edwards just yet. Especially with Gailey's reputed ability to squeeze the most out of his QB's. Rome was not built in a day. These things take time. With Nix as GM and Guy gone, I'm feeling a breath of fresh air at OBD. Sure, 10 years of mediocrity may breed negativity. I don't blame you. But to write it all off before we've even drafted, found a defensive coordinator and strength coach, obtained a QB, etc is just plain premature on your part. Now, I'm not advocating once again drinking from the kool-aid trough, but let's sit back and see what develops.

For all of his questionable or outright dirty tactics when he has played the Bills, I would love to have him on our team in the interior of our defensive line. The guy IMO is one of the top 3 defensive tackles in the game today.

That's not what one gets by reading Williams' statement. And it should also be noted that this is not the first time that he has uttered this (the last time was the week before this year's Bills/ Saints game). I may be reading too much into it, but his comments on both counts sound like somebody with more clout decided to go in a different direction.

Right. Certainly NOT a 1st, based on his age alone. I would feel comfortable giving a 2010 3rd or 4th rounder with a conditional late round pick in 2011 depending on performance.

Interesting. I would think that we would now be moving to a 3-4, as a true 4-3 does not really consider its linebackers "inside" or "outside"; rather "middle", "weak", and "strong" side. 'Tis a bit strange to be hiring LB coaches prior to a defensive coordinator, though....

Yes, but sit back and just think about this for a moment. Did he diss Buffalo, sure. I, personally, would not want to live in the humid swamp that is Louisiana, but that's me. But think about two things. 1.) Who decided against Brees? Is that person still in the organization (Modrak, Overdorf)? And, 2.) Can you imagine...if we had gotten Brees...our entire decade would have changed. No wasted 1st round draft picks on Losman and Bledsoe. Or our current plight. Will this make 3 first round draft picks this decade on hopeful QB's? How would those 2 extra high picks have altered the rest of our roster? Granted, with Modrak calling the shots, we probably would have had 2 more Mike Williams'. But to think of a Brees, Jackson, Evans offense....shivers down my spine, man!

Which is my only concern with the new Bills regime. I'm happy with Nix, happy Guy is finally gone, and am waiting to hear what happens with Modrak. I even feel that the Brandon move to the top of it all, is a good move. The only question for me is that Overdorf is still holding the purse strings, and there is a consensus among some 'in the know' that it was Overdorf who was in control with player contracts, letting key free agents walk (Williams, Winfield, Fletcher), and signing bargain, garbage players (Dockery, Walker, Tripplett, Royal) and keeping the Bills in the mediocre department for some time. With Brandon now at the top of the hierarchy, how does this affect Overdorf's say in it all? Will Brandon have final say and control over Overdorf, or as evidenced this past decade, will Overdorf still have the ear (and favor) of Ralph?

this is relevant because....

I love that Raiders and Al Davis tag. I figured that alot of the noise coming from that blowhard in LA was a sales pitch. Create some controversy. Or, like seems to be the strategy at ESPN, throw it all on the wall and see what sticks. I will say this again: outside of the CA teams, the only viable option to move are the Jaguars. The 49ers and Chargers would gain little by moving a mere few hours away. The Raiders could use their own market, but something about the Oakland Raiders is just too nostalgic to pass up. And 'ol Al moved FROM LA to Oakland for some reason. Sure, trying to fill a stadium of 100,000 for 8 games per year proved impossible, but the fickle fan base in LA, despite its media rankings, also caused the LA Rams to leave for St. Louis.

I disagree with your opening but agree with your follow up. I think people who deny that most (if not all) of professional, NFL players are on some sort of anabolic PED are the equivalent of ostriches burying their collective heads in the sand to avoid seeing the obvious. As far as your other point, just because one does not test positive does not mean that they are not guilty of cheating.

That is based on so many circumstances, man. Where was Warner last year as far as rankings? I don't recall the AZ O-line being heralded as anything special, either. The AZ owner is a much bigger miser than good 'ol Ralphie (don't remember the Warner contract fiasco AFTER GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL????). The owner was playing hardball with his franchise QB, RB, and WR before the crowds were evening leaving the site of the Super Bowl. Talk about no appreciation for your players or fans. My point is that Warner always has run a pass-happy offense. It's his strength. Who can argue with his numbers?

The proof will be in the pudding, fellas. Settle down, and let time tell us the story. With John Guy gone, and Nix as GM, I'm feeling much more optimistic about the future of the Bills. And who really cares who the coordinators are? It's ridiculous to be down on guys that no one has any real clue on how they will translate into the pro game. This guy's bio sounds great in terms of developing a strong running game; which is something we could certainly use as we maximize our strength and search for a QB that can lead this team out of the doldrums. If you want to talk about ridiculous, I think anyone that salivated over Brian Schottenheimer was a tad foolish. Talk about not being proven as a head coach. Let's wait and see who the replacement for Guy will be, and if Modrak will still be sticking around. Either way, I feel that this organization is indeed getting a breath of fresh air.

The only thing I care about at this point is that John Guy has finally been fired...

My friend, you obviously aren't up to speed on Nix's relationship with the elder Schottenheimer. The two are golfing buddies. They've known each other for years. One of the first people to call Nix when he was named GM was Schottenheimer. I don't know where you got this rumor that he wanted to coach but Ralph could not handle it...

???????? Where did you get this nonsense from?

It was soooo overdue...best news of the week/