Beebe's Kid

I have to laugh at this, and I am not comparing real life to Madden, but... I fired Richard Jauron at the end of season 1...hired Norv Turner, and have gone on a 3 SB winning streak on All-Madden. The GM, of course, was me. This proves two things... 1. The OP is absolutely right 2. I should be the GM. Again before somebody blows a gasket about Kool-Aid and young fans and Madden, I am fully aware that Madden is not real life, and am not comparing it to real life. I just imagined there were some fellow Madden players out there that might enjoy that.

Thank you for a positive thread. I think there is a lot of good on this team. If the players that are actually expected to be on our NFL team are on the field together, we have fewer holes than is commonly assumed. I believe that Mitchell, while aging, was still all over the effing place, and was only on the field with Poz for half of a game. I think a LB would be a huge help, and with a tweeking of our DL, through adding a physical DE (or 2) and/or another DT, I agree we are top 10. I like Whitner. I stand alone, or so it feels, but I think he and Byrd give us a formidable safety duo, to go with our wealth of CB's. Running back is set. Lynch will lose the extra weight, and come back, and in my opinion, leave the new coach with little choice, but to return him to the featured back roll. Jackson is awesome. He is versatile and a hard worker. We are fortunate to have these two. OL is coming together... I like Incognito...I like him at RG, Wood to C, Levitre at LG, and I hope Butler can stay healthy at RT, because he can be a star there. I hope we can get a proven LT early in FA, so we don't have to draft one early. OL seems to be a position that you need to grab early if you hope for immediate impact, and I would love (read love, love, love) to get McClain in the 1st round. QB is our glaring weakness, although Brohm looked like a QB. We need to track down a coach that has a proven track-record at developing QBs. I know we probably need to bring in another QB as well, and I always liked TE, but I don't know if he is mentally tough. Evans needs the ball...I love Lee, and long for the day I get to see a 75 yd TD again....#2 Receiver could be solved internally, but I like grabbing a bigger guy in FA as well. There will be a few out there, there always is. I am glad we aren't talking about burning all of our gear, or the hopelessness and Kool-Aid, and all the negative crap...this is a refreshing change. Thanks again.

I am one of those buffoons. I wasn't being self-righteous, I am just tired of hearing "I'll walk away..." then walk away. That's what I am saying. I was replying sepcifically to the self-righteousness concerning Vick, and having a #2. I apologize if my intent was not clear. I don't think I said I was happy with the state of this team, and if I implied that, I would apologize again. I don't have hair on my balls. Happy New Year.

I would hazard a guess that if you put an electric fence in front of Fitzy he would still have trouble making throws. Manning would be good with any line in front of him. I am sure that this will get twisted to the extreme, so let me clarify, any line in the NFL...so an OL that consists of 5 Gary Coleman clones does now count in this example. Rodgers is good with a line that is suspect, as is, I hate to say this, Ben. Guys that know how to escape danger, and make throws....and if there is nothing, throw it away. This is different than what we are seeing. I am struggling to really think of a good thrown this year, let alone a throw outside of the pocket. Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with the "roll up and take the sack" position that our QB's go into. When we have gone with a moving pocket, we have had at least a little success...now, it the QB would realize that when the ship is sinking, you have to swim. I do not, by any means, think that our line is ready for prime time, nor do I discount the importance of an OL. I am just stating that a QB like Peyton is good...period. Good QBs make their lines look better, and vice versa, but to say that Peyton wouldn't be a good QB without a line is, in my opinion, incorrect. I sincerely hope that we can AVP. I like Pitt, I respect all of AVP's time with the organization, but let's call a spade a spade. I am not fine with him being returned to QB's coach either, we are obviously far behind the curve in QB development. AVP, gentleman, nice guy, not cut-out for the NFL.

I bet Painter would be worth a look.... If our guys can't evaluate talent, we should try to snag the guys that Polian picked up!

Byrd? I don't think he is quite ready for this list just yet. I agree that he had a great year, or fraction of one, and look forward to seeing great things to come from him, but to put him on this list is a bit premature.

Hmmm...maybe there is something to this. The Lions must have a very similar QB development program to ours. The guys in the league that were #1 picks were picked that high because on an insane amount of talent, the "busts" usually got drafted by a horrible team, in immediate need of a QB, they were rushed to the field, and expected to get their horrible teams into games. The team was usually behind, so it became a pass first situation, and they had no O-line, or defense, and on and on. Then their confidence was completely shattered.... I would think if you wanted to get a good QB, it would start with a good QB coach and OC, which we apparently don't have. I bet Harrington and/or Carr could still be a decent QB in the NFL, and I bet they would each like a shot at redemption. The problem is we flame out QBs, not help them. We have had 2 young talents completely trashed here in the last 5 years. AVP, you ain't gotta go home, but you can't stay here.

This is covered in about 193,245 other threads on here. Although, you have a very fresh insight on the QB and OT situation, not talent, complete rebuild blah blah blah blah. Thanks for your pessimism.

That is how I felt about him. Also, people are screaming for him to see the field, but it is not exactly like he has been training and improving since he was hurt. In fact, a guy that couldn't run in the first place, didn't run for a year, so he is below where he was when he was active.... Steve Johnson looked like he might have promise, but before you call for TO's head, please remember he has 12 career catches. I would like to see a poll, not of TBD posters, but of NFL QBs... "Pick the receivers you would like to throw to, choices are: TO, Evans, Hardy, Stevie "Muthaflippin'" Johnson, and Josh Reed. Please pick your top 3." I would cut ties with Reed. I like "our guys" as much as anybody, but I really believe we could use an upgrade there.

If signing Vick would make you walk away...don't go away mad, just go away. If you even have a "#2" team, by all means, please go. If you really are just looking for an excuse to not root for the Bills, leave now and don't look back. Don't worry, if you can even consider walking away, your heart wasn't really in it anyway, no matter what you tell yourself.

I he's in Hawaii, he will be on vacation. The Pro Bowl is in Miami this year. Although I have been frustrated by Maybin, I will wait another year. I don't agree with the idea of a team that had so many immediate needs to draft a project, but all's well that ends well....let's hope the Aaron Maybin project works out. I am glad that we will see a little Brohm. It will be behind a JV line, but I want to see him throw... I want to see 4 Qtrs of trying to find receivers, I want to see some freaking hope!! I am realistic that this is not the optimal audition for the lad, but I don't really give a s#$t. We need a QB, and we need one fast. I can appreciate the "If you build it, they will come" attitude about the OL, but as has been mentioned experience is a major if not the defining quality of good OLmen. So I would really like to see LT addressed through free agency. I think Incognito could work out, and Levitre is solid. I would like to see Wood come back and play C. that would leave us with the RT, which Butler looked very good at until week 2. If Butler stays on the field I take the mix of who we have with a FA LT. McClain would be awesome, and I would love to not have to have a QB in that spot. Jason Campbell is different guy, same results, and FA class is thin to say the least. I wouldn't mind Vick, and I would consider Tavaris Jackson. I would really not gamble on an aging FA, that hasn't panned out...Bradford has the ability to be solid, and his injury doesn't concern me much, especially if given an Doc's okay. It really depends on Brohm's quick audition here, which is sad behind this line, and the small sample size, but if he shows flashes of brilliance, I say we go DT, DE, or LB in rd 1.

Yes! I agree with this pick up. Carr and Brohm in camp for the spot. I wouldn't mind Jackson either, but Minnesota might be reluctant to let him go when Favre starts doing the annual "Should I stay or should I go?" routine....which is closely followed by "I'm going," and all of the highlight reals and tears shed, then "I'm back," followed by a bunch of jersey sales and an impeccable first half of the season....and so it goes. For what it's worth, Jackson had 9 TD to 1 INT last year. Campbell, while I am intrigued at a QB not named Fitzy or Edwards, I think I would look elsewhere. If posters are correct, and Cleveland actually lets Quinn go, that would be another interesting pick up.

I believe he came across this up his arse, whilst searching for his gerbil.

I just threw up in my mouth. I agree we need to address the lines in the draft, but I have to disagree that Fitz is okay for next year. If we would have had a QB worth a damn on this roster, we would have been able to make a playoff push. That's really how I feel. Fitz is not ready for prime time...nice guy, smart guy, just not cut out to be a starting QB...on the Bills anyway. I really don't even see him as a quality backup. I keep hearing he would be a great backup, but if the starter goes down in a close game, or in a...if you can imagine...playoff game, do you want Fitzy to come in launching errant passes 7 yards downfield? That would be in between him taking sacks of course.

I respectfully disagree with your assessment of Lee Evans. I felt that another big receiver would compliment him and allow him to make the big plays we were accustomed to, when we had a QB that could sling the rock 50yds. We have two QBs that couldn't get the ball downfied,and when they did, on a rare occasion, a lot of balls had to go TO's way. He is the outspoken superstar. I feel that at the end of yesterdays game, we go a little bigger sample of what Lee is capable of doing. He goes after the ball and makes great catches. He makes plays. You need to throw the ball towards him...in his general vicinity, and he will make a play. Fitzy didn't throw on good pass to him yesterday, and he was going after it. I don't think he is getting enough looks. Sadly enough the Harvard man, and the Stanford man couldn't figure out what the Tulane man figured out....throw the ball to Lee. If he was on the Colts or Saints, it would be game over. I was about to call fan services and report AVP and Fitzy for ruining my fan experience. A QB worth a damn on this roster with a real NFL OC, and we are in the AFC Playoff hunt. I know that will be blasted and we can blame Whitner, Poz, Lynch, but let's be honest those guys at least have talent, and with some more talent around them, you may see some synergism. I am not interested in getting rid of our proven talent, only to see them be perennial Pro-Bowlers in another city. I think we should draft a big defender, best front 7 guy around in the 1st round, then grab OT in 2nd. Our OL blows, no secret, but our front 4 on defense are embarrassment. Kelsay/Denney, Schobel, Stroud and Williams....KW is the only one I would miss.

I thought it was interesting that using last years Pro Bowl rosters, of the 21 OL-Men on the rosters, 11 were 1st round picks, 5 were 2nd rounders, and 5 were undrafted.

Kawika, via Twitter...suked balls, LOL, ROFLMAO, FML!! In typical TBD fashion, people are ready to run him out of town already!!! No denying the guy has talent. He has some issues. I think I'll give him until the end of the Atlanta game.

I don't know what is funnier... Your obsession with Kool-Aid, or how miserable it must be to be in the same room with you. I am glad that us "bullschitt-buying" younger fans have cynical, bitter, fans like you to save us from ever getting excited about, what we foolishly see as, a game. You always let us know it is in fact a conspiracy by the Bills to ruin our lives. Thank you. Maybe you should play some Madden to take your mind of all of this. It is a video game played for enjoyment. You are too old to know about video games and/or enjoyment, so, here, have some Kool-Aid and we'll show you... You are too tormented by your own genius. You seem to think that people confuse Madden for real-life... who's delusional? You groundbreaking take on the OL is a true breath of fresh air. All the talk about how to build a team, and nobody ever brings up an OL, but you...you are on to something here, old timer!!! I was playing Madden and in my franchise the Packers were 9-5 and heading to the Playoffs with an OL that is a work in progress and a really high rated QB. I had to LOL because all I could think about was how that would never work in real life!! Besides who wants to go to the Playoffs? Maybe the Kool-Aid-drinking-whippersnappers, but you and I know that 18 year rebuilding project would be a lot more fun than playing football in January!!! Thank you, again, for delivering us from the throes of our own stupidity... It is a lot better in this dreary, miserable, hopeless world you have shown us.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I think that landing a "name" is just that, a name. In my opinion, unless it is Cowher...I'll pass. I couldn't be happier to see Shanny go to Washington, and I hope he talks mad s$%t about our team, and gives a young up and comer a little chip on the shoulder. An interesting note, in regard to our coaching search being announced completely dead approximately 3000 times on this board, in the last week. WE STILL CAN'T TALK TO ANYBODY THAT IS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED WITH AN NFL TEAM. WE CAN TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FIRED FOR INCOMPETENCE OR THAT HAVE RETIRED BECAUSE THEIR HEYDAY IS BEHIND THEM. I froze my noots off today, to get that little glimmer of hope at the end, only to have it crushed by the dangling dong of destiny, which is professional (?) football in Buffalo. I will freeze (presumably) my noots off at the Colts game in two weeks, then the train wreck of '09 will be over, and the coaching/GM (the real issue) searches will, hopefully, be in full force. Go Bills.

No, no, no!! You can't blame Stroud. He wasn't a draft pick. You can only blame everything on draft picks! You have to look up the draft, find somebody at another position that was taken later, and blame that! I have been asking about Stroud all year. He had a sack in the Tampa game, and has been invisible since. For all the talk about shipping out every player that does have an ounce of talent on this team, the front 4 never get name called... Williams is being praised because he is, at least, effective once or twice a game. Kelsay, Schobel, and Stroud need to be history...oh, and if there's any room in the car, they can take Denney with them too. I think that if our injured players come back next year, and we land an NFL Tackle, and replace the front 4 we could make a serious run at the East. Of course we would need a QB, as well, but I think that a front four that could provide some effing pressure would help out the LBs and secondary immensely.

Good new...it was a fake!! Steve Johnson still has the only REAL key to the city!!

Dead on assessment. Trust me, I've spilled more than you've drank.

I am not old enough to have been there, but I have seen videos of the "Talkin' Proud" team, and remember the Kelly days...The 12th man didn't make Rich Stadium the toughest place to play because they were all rattling their jewelry too loud....and the videos I have seen of the Rockpile must have been the cheap seats, because they all looked pretty blue-collar and loaded. It was appalling when I thought about the high society patrons that ripped the goal post from the endzone to deliver it to the owner. We need to remember, that the crowd will not always be the same as church, but to some of us, it is church.

My boys were forced to park next to a crew It's an age thing... You are obviously getting older, and with getting older comes certain resentments of youth. I am not condoning the actions of today's youth, but this "crew" was what young people are doing...they are young, a little crazy, have been partying all weekend....I don't know about you, but I can relate. I have gotten older, and used my semester at ECC and now have a job in management at a 9-5, and a mortgage, and a son, with another on the way...Ob la di, Ob la da. I am 30. I listen to hip hop, and whether it is Bob Dylan, Jay-Z, or Charles Mingus, I play it loud. You can almost assure that I will be listening to something a little loud on gameday... I wouldn't blast you for listening to Genesis (Phil Collins era) or your favorite Yes album...it's your thing, do what you want to do. I do not have a chinstrap beard, just a full manly sort of beard, but I do have a Lynch jersey, actually two. They go with my 2 Poz, Whitner, Edwards, Milloy, 2 Kelly, Thomas, B. Smith, TO, 2 Lee, Jackson and Maybin jerseys. I could wear my Lacoste or Polo to the Ralph, but it is a football game, so I go for a jersey. Funnels beers.... Now, I personally don't drink....this makes some of the obnoxious drunks more obnoxious, but it's their thing.... as much as you would like to think that crew wanted to "hang" with you...probably not. They were partying with their friends...I am sure somebody had to have partied at Yale when you were there. You did say that they were in their early 20's, and while they may not be as sophisticated as you were in your 20's, I for one find it refreshing that the youth is into the Bills. The Ralph is not an exclusive club, and when it is, it will lose it's charm. You could go to the Yacht club, sip on an aged scoth eat some humus, all while enjoying the game in a quiet, sophisticated, smoke free environment. The best part is, they can charge you as much as you would like!!!! I think the Bills being such an integrated part of the community is great. Even as I get older, and realize I am not going to bring my 2 year old to a game for quite a while, I think it is nice to see youth embracing the Bills. It would be a lot easier to like the Pats* or Steelers or whatever, especially in this age of information, where you can watch all the games anywhere, but they suffer with us... At the end of the day, if you're a Bills fan, we are on the same team. I am in Erie, and the Bills following here has all but disappeared. We need to stick together, not get petty. If raising the price of tickets helps us get better players, let's do it, but if you think $10-$20/ ticket keeps out the youth, rething this plan. Also realize what it would do to the displaced worker who is your age, or older, that once was firmly entrenched int he middle class, that has been laid off, and now one of their only joys is putting on their Zubaz and coming to the Ralph.... I am sure you will bash this post, as that is where you are coming from. I hope that you at least take one second and realize YOU were kind of being the d-bag here... I am sure you wouldn't admit it, but I hope for 1 second this message reaches you up there in your perch above all of the commoners... Thanks for your time, I know it is valuable, and I am flattered that you could check into TBD between phone calls from The President, and The Pope.

Bill, I hope you enjoy your experience at The Ralph. Tailgating is everywhere. All of the lots around the stadium are going to have something going on. Getting there at 10, you should be able to get into any of them. When I tell you tailgating is everywhere, I mean it. You are not going to have to search too hard. Steeler gear? You have to? I don't know how anybody else feels, but if by some strange twist of fate, I were to find myself at a Steeler game with no Bills present, I would probably just leave my gear at home. I wouldn't do this because of fan reaction, but more because I didn't want to be "that guy." If you are pulling for the Bills, grab a knit hat from one of the vendors outside of the stadium for $5, and root for the Bills!!! You can also pick up a TO jersey....and get your popcorc ready, but I think a hat will suffice! It will remind you of your trip to stadium, so you can always remember us clubbing the Pats* I personally don't park in the main lots, I meat buddies from college, and we grill in a lot around the Red Carpet Inn, so unfortunately I don't have an invitation to extend, if you are looking for where all the insanity is. Dress warmer that you are thinking the wind in the Ralph can get a little nasty, and you will be freezing by the 3 Qtr, and I wouldn't plan on warming myself by Fitzpatrick when he catches fire. If your name isn't Bill Bellicheat* you won't get away with just wearing a nasty old hoodie. I hope you have fun, and enjoy the Bad News Bills beating up on the Pats*