starrymessenger

Was at the game. Wake up Bills fans!!! What the Bills need is a quarterback. I don't think I have ever witnessed a more disgusting display. Ryan Fitzpatrick is horrible.. With anything close to half way quaterbacking the Bills would have won. WoW! Where the hell were those balls going?????

Looks like you are right. The leagues broke off negotiations in 2008 due to the Bills in Toronto series. Interestingly, the parts of the agreement dealing with NFL access to players in Canada entering the option year of their contracts appears to have survived the formal agreement that terminated in 2006 since it applied to Cam Wake who joined the Dolphins over the summer. Probably his contract was entered into when the agreement was still in place. The Agreement never dealt with the situation of coaches however.

Yes there are lots of other possibilities needless to say.

As some of you will know Trestman is under contract to the Montreal team for another year. Their GM has already said that they will not release him. A payment or other consideration could resolve this of course but without an agreement between the Bills and the Allouettes he is not going anywhere. Commisioner Goodell would definitely not permit it and there is a deal between the two leagues that I believe governs such matters.

ok, thanks. I suppose it makes more sense if Ted Rogers was getting something for his money. He was definitely one of the sharpest business heads ever up here.

Don't understand this relocation fee thing. If the Detroit Lions moved to Toronto, I might see Ralph being entitled to something because its in his market (maybe another 78MM). But if the Bills were bought and moved to Toronto don't see why there would be a fee payable to anyone. My take: the Bills are not moving to Toronto. After a couple of years whatever stadium they were playing out of would look like Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville did last week. As a business matter, the Bills best asset is its fanbase, which is Buffalo & Western NY, so why alienate it?

I live in Montreal but work at Front & Bay. Can't believe how dead this whole Bills thing in Toronto is. Brandon and Ralph are true geniuses. Incredible that Ted paid USD 78MM for this. And that stadium is the pits. Reminds me of the atmosphere in the Big O when the Expos were playing there. Its what killed the franchise.

While Brohm did not cost much (other than a roster spot and the resources that will be expended in trying to bring him along) it is right to avoid having high expectations. Had he come out his junior year there were some (Sporting News) that projected him as high as #1 overall. He had a lousy combine, particularly in the passing drills and wound up going late in the second round (56th I think). Some people think that he should have had a leg up because they think Louisville's offence was "pro-style". I think it was still very much a system. While his drops should be well rehearsed its when he comes out of them that you have a problem. B. Petrino's offence was a "one read" scheme for the QB, which is the farthest thing from replicating the demands that the pro-game (specifically NFL defences) impose on the QB position. And sure enough he has to date been unable to adjust to the speed of the game and been unable to read NFL defences or see the field. Hence lots of checkdowns and a reluctance to go downfield. Sound familiar? He obviously has some skills and here's hoping that he will be successful but he is probably facing an especially step learning curve because I suspect that he needs not only to learn to transition well but also perhaps unlearn certain things as well.

You are quite right in saying that the chance to turn this deadbeat franchise around has to be a powerful incentive for any man eager to cement his reputation as a football genius. The problem is that there are other deadbeat franchises, like Washington, where he would face a comparable challenge.

Yes, that is one problem. And the reason he had this problem is because he does not do a good job evaluating defensive talent.

Which is why they are making a big mistake. Just hire a good GM and let him hire a good coach. End of story. Stop chasing wannabe football czars and promising them the moon.

How about 50MM, a piece of the team and total control just to go 8-8 and miss the playoffs. Where's that on your misery index Promo? Re 50MM- I don't care. Its Ralph's money. Re a piece of Ralph's property- I don't care, its Ralph's property. Re total control, I don't like it. Shanny would be a great coach, but I don't want one person trying to do two jobs. Why not do it right, like KC for example. Go out and find a good GM and let him hire a good coach. Let both these guys focus on their respective assignments. That is the way to get best value for your buck. The tried and true way. Unless all this is just another brilliant R Brandon marketing ploy, Ralph appears to have lost his senses. Its starting to look like a recipe for disaster. Looks to me loke we are out there chasing big names to impress people, like the national football media, who despise us anyway.

All of this is true. If in fact he is permanently damaged goods or never really had it in the first place then really there is nothing more to be said. Just move on. If however there is anything there that can be salvaged or improved on, then there are also a few things worth thinking about. Playing the QB position well at the NFL level may be the most difficult thing to do in all of sport. Also the step up in degree of difficulty and complexity is exponential between the college and professional ranks. It is an enormous divide, the Grand Canyon of sports, into which many talented athletes who have played the position since childhood fall to disappear from sight forever. How many early first rounders. It also means that young pro quarterbacks have to learn their trade, and have to be brought along carefully, even those, like Joe Flacco, who can enjoy some success immediately (Ravens kept it simple for him last year and continue only to gradually add to his responsibilities). I take issue with the Trent- A. Rodgers comparisons. Rodgers had three years to sit and learn at the knee of the great one before he saw the field (and yes I know the Pack has a much more complex offence than we do-but the simplicity of our schemes engenders its own problems, for example total predictability, which in the NFL represents a kind of suicide). And he sucked pretty badly before he started to come into his own. He was not what he is today from the get go. I almost regret (though not really) to say that Chad Henne is the real deal. What a game he had against the Jets last month. But Sparano and the OC there have been extremely careful to bring him along in a very measured manner. They are also good coaches. Trent has had none of that, and it is crucial. Ron Jaworski has said many times how lucky he was to have Dick Vermeil. Then I look at guys like Jason Campbell. I see a ton of talent and little success. But I also see a dysfunctional organization featuring lousy coaches, just as we have had here. I don't think I am a Trent apologist. And there are things about his personality that turn my stomach too. I'm just tying to figure things out and find the truth. Many people, me included, think he has enough in the way of physical tools. He is also clearly intelligent, how much I don't know, but certainly smart enough to learn the playbook. So the problems are mental (as well as with the playbook itself) and perhaps attitudinal/psychological. He needs to find some balls and some nasty. He needs to hit Donte in the back of the head with his best fastball next practice - "sorry Donte, it just slipped out of my hand, and BTW if you run your f@#kin mouth again I'll kill you". Then go out and back it up with a good game. Maybe if all this doesn't kill Trent, it will make him stronger. Here's hoping (a forelorn hope, I expect). I am also with those who think TO has a lot to do with the QB change. TO is not a tolerant man, nor should he be. No great player is. Nice apple pie Tom Brady publicly dissed Joey Galloway, formerly an outstanding WR, with bad body language exactly like TO did Trent. Galloway was released. Trent has been benched. You cannot ignore TO. He is like a mountain in the middle of the road. He looks even bigger in a confined space like a clubhouse. It is easy for this future HOFmer, who can still get it done, to influence the views of his younger teammates on both sides of the ball. It is clear that this team was about to implode at the end of the Titan's game. The sideline hysterics were both a reflection of this and a catalyst for change. Whether you like the Tampa 2 or not, I get the impression that Perry Fewell is a man i.e. not a coward. After last week can't really see how he could start Trent this week. Once he gets things under better control (including TO) it will be interesting to see whether he reverts to Trent. Why should he? Because RF has zero upside and, though it might take a miracle, I think Trent might. "Its my job and I'm going to take it" -hilarious.

Agreed. One of the best coaches and finest men in the game (still don't know about Vick though).

Spartacus, this is a good board. There is another one thats good and a third that seems to be reserved for alchoholics.

Right, or maybe you're just a bonehead.

He really seems to be having a lot of fun. Best MNF in years.

Stroud out, Kyle Williams limited in practice - worst run D in football and MJD behind an improved Oline. We should get killed but it doesn't matter. We just got cut free from that ball and chain. Happy days.

Think Archie, not Peyton. Anthony Calvillo is brett Favre old. Give him two weks off and the rust sets in.

Yes, and when I say that TO is intolerant of his own mistakes, I am really referring to his dedicated work ethic more than to the fact that he would admit it publicly (though in fairness he has said he needs to play better). In spite of the drops, he remains a great player IMO and is still capable of performing at a very high level in the right circumstances i.e. not here in Buff.

My view is that TO is almost certainly not a bad person. In many respects he is probably a good guy. Many of his teamates wherever he has played like and respect him personally. But TO is not a tolerant man. In particular, he has not been able to accomplish all that he has as a player being tolerant of mediocrity, either with reference to his own performance as well as that of his teammates. And the truth is, for any number of reasons that we need not get into, Trent has struggled and been downright mediocre at times. TO continues to be a remarkable and potentially dominant player. Give him an A Rodgers and give Rodgers a good Oline (or perhaps even without one) and TO will still light it up (in spite of the drops). But that is not the situation that TO parachuted into in Buff. It was a very different situation. That is why signing him was a dumb football move, IMO. But none of changes the fact that RF should not be starting ahead of Trent, for the reasons I have mentioned. I know that many astute observers on this board and others have completely given up on Trent, and I can understand why. Just saying that I am not personally convinced that there is nothing there to work with and no room for improvement. There is zero upside with RF.

I think you and Peter are correct on this one. I too believe that TO has been undermining TE, not openly in pressers of course (that might cost him and Drew R money on his next contract) but in his interactions with other players, Reed and Evans notably, but also guys on the other side of the ball i.e. Wittner. For better or for worse, TO is a very heavy dude with tremendous presence, credibility and influence especially with younger players. He is a first ballot HOF with a very strong personality. Younger or less strong willed teamates will tend to follow him, and endorse his views and attitudes. I can sort of understand TO's "frustration" with Trent (though he has ben less than perfect himself). I think we all share those frustrations. But in the end the fear that many observers, in Buff and elsewhere, had that TO might contribute to destroying a young QB have sort of come true. Recruiting TO was a briliant marketing ploy, but ultimately a dumb football move. In spite of his obvious difficulties, TE is much better as a current prospect for a starting job. RF has exactly zero upside and his current capabilities are extremely limited. It is possible, and I hope, that Fewell is simply starting RF to give TE a breather while he gets better control of the situation, meaning of TO. Starting TE after the Josh Reed/TO sideline hysterics last Sunday could be a bit more than he can deal with right now- but maybe not against the jets. We will see.

I saw a number of his games his senior year in Louisville. For what its worth I really was not impressed with him even in college. I was surprised he was projected by some analysts as a first round pick. He obviously has not (yet) given any indication of transitioning to the pros. I would not expect anything but... nothing ventured.

I agree and I also worry that we may be going about this in the wrong way. Ideally you would first hire a (good) GM and then a (good) coach. But I just don't think that is what we are actually doing. My guess is Russ does not see himself relinquishing responsibility/power through this process. That is why we appear to be looking for a coach and not a GM, at least officially that is.

Russ Brandon should not be thrown under the bus. IMO he has wanted to get rid of DJ since the Jets game end of last year. What do TO and Shanny have in common? They are both winning moves from a marketing point of view. IMO Russ is behind not only the firing of DJ, (I think he finally prevailed upon a reluctant RW). but I think he is behind the move to try and land Shannahan. I think he wants to be successful as a GM, and I do not see his job title/position changing. Whether he will be able to overcome his non-football background and participate in making informed personnel decisions and show good judgement in the dificult process of talent evaluation will determine whether he becomes successful or not in his current role. Getting a coach who is good in that regard would obviously be a big step forward in his learning curve.