Red

you know...the Scott Pitoniak article currently posted on the Two Bills Drive main page...

I have always liked Lynch. Still do. But I question that carefree attitude during a horrible losing season when you are atleast a part of the reason the team is struggling so bad. What is there to laugh about when you are 3-5, with no hope in sight? Ultimately, I agree with you. Jauron sets the tone and the whole "winning is hard" thing sounds pathetic. I never heard any of the NFL Hall of Famers talk like this. Or any winning franchise, for that matter. My greatest fear is that the Bills will make Jauron the sole scape goat of this debacle, and he will be the sole departure. Brandon really hung him out to dry after the Cleveland loss, as if he was not responsible for selecting alot of the players currently on this roster. Modrak and Guy have also had too much of a free pass to escape this time. With Gruden at head coach, I don't think Lynch would have much to be laughing about on the sideline. Look at Owens. I think he is being quiet and a good soldier for us because he knows he only signed a 1 year deal, and after this year he is gone. But he gets extremely frustrated when he makes a mistake. He carries himself a certain way on the field- something foreign to this Bills roster. Call it pride, or pedigree, or ego...but Owens carries himself like a professional. And I don't remember seeing him laughing after a loss.

I read the article, and man, to hear that Kelly is ready with a group to buy the team is the only positive thing I have read about the Bills in a long, long, long time. I think Kelly would have enough sense to fill his front office with solid, proven, successful personnel men, and then get out of the way.

I'm officially ashamed to be a Bills fan.

Ya see, now I'm pi$$ed off again, guys! Marshawn can laugh and goof around all he wants on the sideline of a losing effort, but having other teams disrespect you like that is just unacceptable. Why do I get angered over this? Shouldn't it be Jauron that changes his ideology?

So sad, but true. I would add Reese in a heartbeat. The Titans have been one of the most consistently tough, competitive teams in the NFL the past decade. Reese is certainly a big part of that. I agree that Ralph is the one in charge of all of this. I know that Darth Donahoe and his iron grasp of the franchise terrified Ralph into fractionalizing the power structure of the Bills front office. It took him 5 years to realize that Donahoe was the problem, but I think it can safely be said that "GM-by-committee", as the Bills FO currently operates, is just as bad. Ralph overreacted and threw the baby (a central football GM in charge of football operations) out with the proverbial bathwater (the Donahoe regime). But I am still scratching my head over what Ralph sees in Modrak and Guy to have kept them on since Donahoe's departure. Reese would be a solid addition.

You know, besides the now obvious dastardly intentions of one Mr. Donahoe, I truly do not believe that anyone in the Bills front office, nor the owner, are truly evil. However, with that being said, though evil they may not be, misguided they truly are. Case in point: signing TO served a two-fold purpose. 1.) Hardy was coming off an injury, and is only a second year player still trying to find his rhythm. Thus, TO provides Hardy the cushion to learn and develop on the shelf, so that when TO's contract expires, Hardy would have absorbed all of his knowledge in a sponge-like fashion and 2.) TO helps sell seats in Toronto. I think the intent of this idea was well founded. However, by allowing the offensive line to flounder, and TO playing true to form and leading the league in dropped passes, it was not the best decision. I want Hardy to start getting on the field. He is another high round draft pick of the Modrak/ Guy regime that has found trouble finding the field.

The true answer to what has ailed the Bills. Well, that, and the fact that Modrak and Guy are still on the Bills payroll. But you are 100% correct. If Ralph looked at the evil Donahoe as the epitome of absolute power corrupting absolutely (which was the correct interpretation), then surely Ralph will be observant enough to see that the antithesis of absolute power- that being power by committee- is equally as terrible in terms of success. Hopefully, Ralph can see that sooner rather than later and fill the front office with a single vision.

Should start out by firing Modrak and Guy, otherwise your draft and free agents will be worthless. Can't agree with re-signing TO, and I don't believe that he would re-sign. He leads the league in dropped balls with 8 at the halfway point this season, as he did last season. He can still play, but that money would best be spent on the lines.

Agreed. Taking digs at Harris, are similar to taking shots at anyone drafted this season (Maybin included). Its simply too early to tell. The same can be said for later round picks of the past 2 seasons. Later round picks typically take longer to develop and make less of an immediate impact. Time is needed to gain an accurate assessment. Harris shows the potential, and seems to be in more control than Ellison. He also is a rookie, with a lot of room for growth.

Its funny, but when I saw that hit I thought of Antoine Winfield...

You know, the marketing expansion can be both a blessing and a curse for the Bills. A blessing, as it allows players such as TO to be brought in as gate attractions for the Canadian dollar, but a curse because if the team does not change its fortunes, nobody will be paying for an inferior product...Canadian or not.

As a transplanted Buffalonian living outside the metro DC area, you don't know how often I turn on the local sports talk shows down here and think that I am back home listening to WGR gripe against the current state of the Bills.

Could not agree more. Modrak and Guy have had what, 10 years to show what they can do? Over the past 9 years and 12 first round draft picks, 5 are no longer with the team, 1 was traded to move up and select Losman, 6 are still with the team- though 1 (McCargo) is likely gone after this season and another (Whitner) is being upstaged by Byrd and may not get to see the field anytime soon- which would place that number at 4. A whopping 4 players, in 9 seasons of drafting players in the first round. If Texans coach Kubiak is right, that you build your team through the draft (which he is), then the Bills with Modrak in charge of the draft and Guy in charge of free agents are killing the Bills. Haloti Ngata is looking much better than Whitner right about now.

Since the rosters of the entire league at practically every position are juiced to the gills, anabolic steroid, GH, IGF-1, use etc would not explain the situation that the Bills always seem to be facing. The undersized nature of our players is a point. So is the lack of training and the more relaxed atmosphere of Club Jauron a likely contributor. Allaire may be responsible, as overuse and overtraining or unbalanced training may be to blame as well. I also think that you have something with the inferior talent point. Modrak and Guy should have been fired with Donahoe.

I would also say quality free agent, as well. But I agree. Anyone calling for Jauron's head should also be calling for Modrak and Guy's.

Which is really the central point of my argument. Modrak and Guy have been the only 2 constants over multiple QB's, coaches, and even 2 GM's. You are correct in your assessment of the structure being the issue. I believe that a real, proven, football GM needs to be put in place. Modrak and Guy, in all of their futility, should be gone. I like Buddy nix coming back to the team last year. He should be in charge of the draft. Former Tampa GM Allen was recently rumored with the Bills. I would hardly discount him as not being worthy of consideration .

my sentiments exactly! Firing Jauron will only do so much if Guy and Modrak still have jobs with the Bills.

Could not effin' agree with you more on Nic Harris. After the preseason, he looked amazing! I am surprised that Ellison still is on the roster, with a player like Harris.

No. But one must be careful in understanding that the Bills "brain trust" involves more than just Jauron. As I have posted many times, Jauron is only the latest fall guy. We had Williams, Mularkey, and now Jauron. We had Bledsoe, Johnson, Flutie, Holcomb, Losman, Edwards and Fitzpatrick. Yet somehow, the lack of reaching the playoffs has remained consistent. Tom Donahoe and Marv Levy also have been through OBD. The only people associated with the on-field product who have been with the team (besides Ralph) is Tom Modrak and John Guy. Those 2 clowns have little to do with coaching, but have alot to do with the level of talent on the field for the past 10 years. It is my fear, that if fans fever for firing Jauron succeeds, the same fans will forget the main reason for our failing coaches...the failing front office.

YEah, I was thinking about this too today. Butler is pretty solid, I like the play of Wood as well. Chambers is horrible, and at the very least the depth improved with Meredith and McKinney as Chambers should finally be cut after this season. Levitre seems to be improving, and could be seen pushing defenders downfield after a play today. I would not give up on him yet. And unlike others, I don't see an issue with Hangartner. A 1st rounder on a LT would be a smart move. But, to be honest, I don't watch enough college football (read: none) to even have a faint idea of who is a worthy 1st round LT in this upcoming draft. Maybe signing a capable, veteran free agent RT once John Guy is fired would round out the offensive line for next year.

And who's fault is that? Modrak and Guy!

Not sure if you are agreeing with me or not. I don't single Lynch out AS THE REASON for the offense failing so bad for so long now, but clearly his lack of emotion in the closing seconds of a game whereby he was clearly held in check along with his offensive teammates, the team is actually getting worse, and he feels carefree enough to be laughing and having a grand old time on the sideline has me wondering if one of our "premiere" "Pro Bowl" players actually gives a darn. I'm a fan, and I'm more pi$$ed off than him? Why am I supporting this team with my money again?

I could not agree with you more! The players love it, because it prolongs their careers from physical wear-and-tear. The problem is that they won't have a career because they are either always injured or they never put in the work it takes to actually become a professional football player. Last year's break that Jauron kept the team from practicing outdoor in the snow for that Cleveland game (imagine that, a Buffalo team practicing in the snow- why would they want to do that ?). Needless to say, our 2 California "saviors" (Edwards and Lynch) either could not throw a pass because of the wet ball or couldn't catch it or keep their footing BECAUSE THEY DID NOT PRACTICE IN THE SNOW!!!

It's crazy, and a few have attempted to take jabs at me for suggesting just such a thing, but despite being polar opposites in terms of on-field production, their results are the same. Wilson pinches pennies in his front office and coaching staff so as to not affect his bottom line, and Snyder throws caution to the wind by chasing good money after bad. Same results. And similar issues. Living in DC, Vinny Cerrato as GM of the Redskins is the main culprit responsible for the 'Skins failure. The Bills promoted their marketing "genius" to GM. Both teams need serious GM's and scouting staffs before they can begin to return to greatness. As things currently stand, neither is close to a sniff of success with their current GM situations.