Red

Either you are extremely bull-headed, or you are simply incapable of carrying on a conversation. Hmmm...that Robot moniker is suddenly taking on new significance....

Me too. Certainly not enough to pay for it. I have a handful of teams that I like (49ers, Broncos, Raiders, Redskins, Browns, Cardinals, Colts), but none that I would subscribe to Sunday Ticket simply to follow like I do the Bills. Alot of that affection too comes mostly from historical stories of greatness (49ers Super Bowls, 'The Hogs', 'Just Win Baby' Raiders mystique), or from old players I liked (Howie Long, Charles Mann, Roger Craig, Eric Metcalf). If the economy of WNY truly hampers Ralph to the point of never being able to field a truly competitive team, then I agree he should either sell or move. Leaching WNY'ers out of their hard-earned income to field a mediocre product borders on the criminal.

Promo, I think the point here is not a question of deer-in-headlight-kool-aid-drinking-I-sleep-and-live-in-Buffalo-Bills-underwear-undying-loyalty, rather being such a fan and truly wanting a better product to the point of asking yourself why are we doing this to ourselves? Especially when we realize that we, the fans, ARE the NFL. The money (and time) we spend watching the game effects ratings. Advertisers invest millions of dollars to show their product to the greatest amount of people. The shows with the greatest amount of people often are coupled with higher ratings- thus, more money. New jerseys (TO, anyone?) of players, new designs, new logos, etc also urge a fan base to spend, spend, spend more on the product. Every year new jackets, hats, T-shirts and the like come out, prompting new purchases. Ticket prices to the stadium, subscriptions to NFL Sunday Ticket, magazines, internet sites, etc all are created and live on the interest generated by the fans. Now, what is wrong with paying hundreds of dollars every year as indirect owners of the NFL (which we all are) on tickets, memorabilia, jerseys and other related merchandise, and asking (I say demanding) for a better product on the field? Nothing. Businesses do it all of the time. Quarterly, even. If we fans all acted like responsible little NFL CEO's, then Ralph would have no choice but either sell the team to someone who cares or field a winner. Now, THAT sounds like something I can believe in.

Oh, will you just get over yourself!

I think that the key phrase you uttered was "if Nix believes". I agree. IF NIX believes in a QB, then I am onboard. I just question if Modrak is the one in charge of scouting the QB Nix believes in....

You know, in some way I think that is a major bummer for college football, and for USC. Carroll built a great program in SoCal, and he has created a modern day legacy that should he remain could mirror the legacies of Joe Paterno of Penn State and Bowden in FSU. 60 minutes did an interesting piece on Carroll a couple of seasons ago, and Carroll seemed completely fulfilled in the college game and at USC. He never succeeded in the NFL because his antics and behavior are better suited to college football players, and not professionals. Carroll coached at New England, and with the Jets. Both teams under his watch both suffered from a general lack of direction, and once he left those clubs each time the players sighed relief that both he and his collegiate atmosphere were gone. Seattle is on the West Coast, not too far from California, and I could see Carroll having a place in his heart still reserved for the Pro game and wanting to make it right. I just don't think that he ever will. Too bad for USC, and too bad for the NFL and Seahawks.

Based upon Owens' age and tendency to drop balls along with his contract of atleast $6 mil per season, and what I believe was his desire to get a big pay day after this season, I would say lose him. Owens signed a 1-year deal. When he left Dallas, rumors were swirling confirming his reputation of a locker room divider prima donna. San Fran, Philly, then Dallas all said the same thing. Problem for TO was, he still has some gas in the tank, but nobody called. Baltimore was rumored to have a luke-warm interest, but it was the Bills that ultimately surprised everyone and went completely off script and signed him. Do we have offensive issues? Obviously. Firing your offensive coordinator days prior the opener against your division rival on MNF, no less, and cutting your starting RT (after switching him to LT in a stop gap move) and trading away your Pro Bowl LT in the same offseason indicated that there were going to be problems. So, its not TO's fault that the offense stank. 9 seasons of statistics confirms that no single player is responsible. However, his age, cost for production, and his history of divisiveness, IMO, warrants his dismissal. Based on the lack of market last offseason, I don't doubt at all that the sole reason TO was "quiet" this year, was because he was probably being constantly reminded by Rosenhaus that if he just behaved and "played ball", teams would see that he was indeed NOT the locker room menace he was being made out to be, and that he was simply a victim of people hating his success. Anyone who thinks that the lack of antics this season was anything but acting humble for a bigger pay day with a bigger and better team, needs to get a grasp on reality. Now, is Hardy the answer? It is so hard to say based on his limited playing time. His constant injuries certainly do not help. But, in his defense most receivers take a good 2 to 3 seasons to produce. If I remember correctly, Jerry Rice had a miserable 1st and 2nd season, only to explode and become the Rice we all know from his 3rd season on. Moulds also stunk his first couple of seasons, only to become a dominant WR later on. It does take time. We have also been plagued with not only horrible offenses and personnel, but also a constantly changing offensive staff and philosophy. The lack of clear direction, and the lack of talent to even allow your QB a couple of seconds to read a defense hampers any ability to improve and score. I'd love to see Hardy turn into that solid #2, who can take heat off of Evans for some time to come. But based upon Modrak's tenure thus far, I'm tending to think that he may be another Modrak bust.

That is some good homework. Though I can agree with the Maybin and Whitner picks, the rest are 20/20, picking and choosing. Hindsight is always clearer.

I've always liked that Raiders mystique from the 70's and 80's, but the last time the Raiders were even relevant, besides that Super Bowl run a few years ago was in 91 when the Bills beat them 51-3 to go to Super Bowl 25 (can we finally get rid of the roman numerals?). I always like the Silver and Black, marauding image. But those days have been a long time coming. Al Davis is a turd, and that is certainly no way to treat your alumni. No wonder they suck.

With the exception of Nelson, the TE position needs to get better. The RB position also needs to improve as Corey McIntrye just does not do it for me. At all. We may be back to square 1 with the #2 receiver, as I am not sure either the oft-injured Hardy or Johnson are ready (or capable), and Reed may not be back. Bottom line: This offense has been a cellar dweller for the past decade. Besides the coaching staff and the recent additions to the offensive line, Evans, and Jackson...I'm hoping that the offensive personnel are also blown up.

Yeah, I could all of possibly 3 teams needing a QB before us, that being Oakland, St. Louis, and Washington. Are there QB's worthy of drafting in the top 10, though? Experts don't seem to be in agreement on that one. The Lions don't need a QB. And since Millen is no longer the GM to screw things up, the Lions will probably be the smart team and take Suh. My hope is that McCoy will fall to #9 or that LT- Okung.

Didn't Nix want someone with proven head coaching experience? I know that the Jets offense is reasonable, but it's hardly amazing. Personally, I feel that the elder Schottenheimer would be a choice worth salivating over; not junior.

So, you guys can't tell me that that's real...

I like Nix. His Maybin read is right on. Maybin, to me, is a luxury pick. Luxury, in that when you are competitive team already loaded with talent and in the playoffs, he is a pick you select and then put on a shelf and allow him to develop to eventually take the reins. If he fails, ah well. In the Bills case, we need instant success in our draft picks. We don't have the team to spend valued choices on luxuries. Orakpo, Cushing, or even Oher would have been better selections. I mean, for the love of Pete, let's be honest here guys!! We could have fixed a great deal of our offensive line woes this year by drafting Oher AND Wood. We could have a top defensive line for years to come if we had drafted Ngata instead of Whitner, Orakpo instead of Maybin, and made it impossible for Cameron Wake to sign with Miami. Nothing special would have had to be done. All of these choices were available to us. But our decision makers are horrible!!! Guy and Modrak should be fired. Nix should change things, but success has slipped through our fingertips much too often this decade because of terrible player selections.

Thank you! Well, there goes that theory.

Well, as of right now, Guy and Modrak- the architects of our decline in talent this decade- are still employed at OBD. Overdork is still in charge of the money. Brandon, the marketing guy-turned GM- turned CEO, is now in charge of the whole enchilada. Nix is a bright spot and I'm interested again. Losing the coaching staff is nice (though I would have like a definitive firing of the staff, and not this PC garbage). But most of this inept front office is still in place, they have just been reshuffled. I'd like to see Guy fired before May so that we can get his replacement before Mini camps start. I'd like to see Modrak, if not fired, given an ultimatum of producing in the next season or he is out. I'd like to see some scouting turnover. And if Overdork is still the hidden power broker of the Bills, then I am concerned that the front office moves are mere window dressing.

Thanks, man. Another point to mention is that historically speaking, as far as I have ever read, a candidate always flies or is flown into a potential team. It just seems to me, as you mentioned, that ALL of the candidates (even the ones not currently employed) don't care to travel to the Bills to interview and instead the Bills are flying everywhere to meet with them. It may or may not be league rules for an employed coach (which I don't believe it to be), but I ain't buying it. It appears to me that something doth stink in Bills land. Something the rest of the league knows but the Bills are not admitting to.

Question (man, did I just feel like Dwight Schrute for typing that): what station is broadcasting the Super Bowl this year? If it is not CBS (which I don't think that it is), then what is the last game for CBS to broadcast (i.e.- what is the last game Cowher will be working in the studio)? Could it be possible that Cowher is waiting until the last week to announce that he is leaving CBS for the Bills head coaching job? That would atleast make the date have some sort of logic to it. Cowher did seem somewhat more chipper this past weekend on the worst NFL pregame show on TV.

Schottenheimer was pretty successful with the Browns and Chargers...

Again, that does not explain Shanahan. Russ flew to Denver and met with him for reportedly 4 hours.

Perhaps. But then that doesn't explain Shanahan....

Isn't that a cowardly way of handling it? Like 'allowing the coaches to accept other offers' rather than fire them? Sounds like a marketing ploy to not be too offensive. I'd like to see some authority in these decisions. I think Overdork, modrak, Guy, and Brandon have had alot to do with fielding this decade of garbage and to place it squarely on the coaches is wrong. That being said, they were a part of the futility, and in the case of John Allaire may have even been partly responsible for it. So they should be gone. So why not just be confident and authoritative and 'fire' them? Letting Guy just peacefully go on his way also stinks of passivity. I mean, his track record is horrendous. We should not wait until May. He needs to be fired TODAY! And what would that mean about finding his replacement if we wait until May? Wouldn't the Bills be limiting themselves in finding an outside candidate by waiting?

That is my conclusion. If they want to publicly state how they are committed to the area (to keep local fans buying), but then privately be linked to moving to LA (or being targeted for moving), and to have all of these potential big name coaches not bite despite the ability to be making millions of dollars more (Shanahan), something is not right in Bills land. Has not been right for a decade. Nobody with a reputation seem to want to anything to do with the Bills. This is after the organizational shake-up of moving Russ to #1 (over Overdork) and moving proven personnel guy (no pun intended) Nix to GM post. Something is just not right. I would have to cite the cash-to-cap spending strategy limiting the Bills from truly competing for NFL talent. Letting guys like Williams, Winfield, and Fletcher walk when they all should have been retained and built around since both Williams and Winfield were developed in the Bills program. It's all spilled milk now. I keep crying over those 3, but I realize that they will never be back. But my concern is that the higher ups have not learned the lesson. If they either a) don't want to compete with the rest of the NFL or b) can't, then they need to do what is necessary to be able to compete successfully and stop with this dithering. Ralph, I know you may be constipated these days, but either $#!t or get off of the pot!!!! If you can't make it Buffalo, then leave! Stop dragging out this thing and killing the fans who pay hundreds of dollars a year for this mediocre garbage. Just leave. Or do it right.

That has got to be the best assessment of Whitner. And to think, Ngata was there for the taking...

And there post makes them a better interpreter because....