BillsfaninSixburgh

I was going to get excited, but I guess not. Give the kid credit though (and it doesn't sound like he is a scumbag). Maybe he will eventually become the next Vic Carucci. His Bleacher Report bio: Greg Haefner is an aspiring sports writer from western NY. His areas of expertise include NBA and NFL, and that's where he focuses most of his writing. Greg currently attends the University of Missouri School of Journalism as a member of the class of 2013.

The rumblings here are that it would take two first rounders (or a first rounder and a first round caliber player) for any serious consideration to begin. In my opinion, if I'm the Steelers, that makes sense. One experienced 2 time Super Bowl winning QB age 28 /in his prime = at least 2 first round players

While highly unlikely, don't be totally surprised if a Ben trade happened. I live in Pittsburgh, and since the Georgia DA gave the details of the events, I'd say the overwhelming majority of Steelers fans who have called in to various talk radio shows (both news based shows and sports talk shows) either support, or could live with a Roethlisberger trade. No team official has yet to come out and publicly support Ben. A local company pulled a sponsorship deal. Last night, at a highly visible dinner where he was awarded "Citizen of the Year", Steeler's owner Dan Rooney (also US Ambassador to Ireland) said he had no comment when asked if he supported Ben. The fact that he offered absolutely no inkling of support for Roethlisberger speaks volumes. He is considered one of the beloved and respected men in Pittsburgh. (A year ago when the Vegas scandal came out, Rooney and Tomlin were present and supportive when Ben held his press conference on that incident). I said in a post yesterday that as much as Bills fans bleed red, white and blue, Steelers fans devotion to the team (as opposed to any player) is remarkable. The City paints the friggin' fire hydrants black and gold! Ben has embarrassed the Rooney's, the Steelers and the City of Pittsburgh. The fans here are not stupid. They know a QB with Ben's talents are rare, but the vast majority of Pittsburghers have enough personal and civic pride that they currently find the thought of this guy being the face of the Steelers and the City nauseating. Local Steeler sports columnists have said over the past few days that the possibility of trading Roethlisberger, while unthinkable even this past weekend, is now something the Steelers are, and should be considering. Even before this latest scandal, Roethlisberger was regarding as an arrogant jerk by many who had come in contact with him. Since the Georgia story first broke, there have been almost daily stories emerging of local encounters where the guy came off as borish, arrogant or rude. Obviously, winning 2 Super Bowls in 5 years bought him a lot of acceptance. But most people were fine seperating Ben the jerk, from Ben the Super Bowl winning QB. With the exception of the most die-hard Steeler fans and Ben supporters, this latest episode and the graphic details that came out have eroded people's willingness to compartmentalize the QB vs. the Jerk (and possible rapist). His demeanor and appearance (greasy mullet / golf shirt) at his statement Tuesday night was viewed by many as indicative that he still does not get it. (He apparently got it before meeting with Goodell yesterday as he was sporting a new suit and haircut less than 12 hours later). Again, I don't think it will happen. But in the best interest of the Bills, I have been quietly pushing a "BANISH BEN TO BUFFALO" trade rumor. Some will ask what's the difference between Ben being the face of the Bills and the face of the Steelers. It' simple - the Bills have done enough to embarrass themselves the past 10 years. They have also been willing to deviate from their "character guy" philosophy on lesser talents. My feeling is if they're going to go for a guy with character issues, go for a franchise QB like Ben. (If it were to happen, I would just make sure my sister and nieces stay away from any of the places he is likely to hang out). Reality check - when the commotion dies down, the Steelers will most likely come to that same conclusion and Ben won't be going anywhere.

If he goes to the Hall of Fame, then we can consider him a former Bill. Since it looks like he's going to jail, he's a former Dolphin in my book.

Where there's smoke....you can usually find Santonio Holmes!!!!!!

You got that right! I figure he paid for a high priced lawyer to get him off, so he had to go cheap on the hair stylist when he addressed the media. Ben's public relations manager ==>

Bradshaw's brutally honest with Ben.......... Bradshaw's best quote ""There's nothing greater if you're single than to walk into a bar with beautiful women, and have them just fill your ego up. And you ask yourself, 'Would they pay any attention to you if you weren't, you know, who you are?' Of course not. Because I'm not that attractive, and neither is Ben!" My wife said...."why is that so funny, Bradshaw's right"

This is the Rooney's sending a loud message to Ben Knuckleheadberger that NOBODY is above the Steelers' organization. I lived in Buffalo for 30 years and Pittsburgh now for five years, so I understand how the Bills fit into the WNY community. But as much as the Bills "define" Buffalo, it pales in comparison to how the Steelers define Pittsburgh. The Rooney's are involved in just about everything in the 'Burgh. They are the "First Family." As much as the Bills mean to Buffalo, Ralph is still a out-of towner and viewed as such by the fans. The Steelers and the Rooney's are the face of Pittsburgh. They don't like to be embarrassed by the kind of nonsense. (IMO Steelers 6-1 vs Bills 0-4 Super Bowl records has a lot to do with this perception as well). Obviously, Ben's off the field problems create a quandry for them. If it was anyone else at any other position with similiar issues, they would be gone too. But they also know that franchise QBs like Ben don't come along often. I think by dumping Holmes, who was Ben's favorite target for virtually nothing, they are saying loud and clear to Ben - "GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER OR YOU WILL BE NEXT! WE DON"T CARE WHO YOU ARE!" I agree with one of the previous posters who made the point that many of the people complaining today about the Bills not going after Holmes are the same ones that are saying "trade Lynch". The Bills don't need choir boys, but I'm personally glad they decided to pass on yet another knucklehead. The Bills need to keep the focus on getting football their house back in order, not all this off-field garbage.

Dad...is that you....I was just kidding about the dying crack. You still have me in the will though, don't you?

That's right...."you can stab it with your steely knife, but you just can't kill the Beast"!! (We could trade him to Detroit though!)

Look at the records each year as opposed to the two year combined record and you make my point. Dolphins 2008: 11-5; 2009: 7-9 Missed playoffs - smoke / mirrors (i.e. Wildcat) in 08 led to regression in 09. The Fish could as easily get worse as get better. Falcons 2008: 11-5 2009: 9-7 Missed playoffs - not quite as much smoke, but still a step back from 08. I do think Falcons are a team on the rise. I would love for the Bills to go 11-5; 9-7 over the next two season, Although I think their likely progression would more likely be 7-9 then 11-5. I don't consider myself a defeatist, but after watching the Bills and the NFL for about 40 years, I'm intelligent enough to know that quick turnarounds (while they do happen occassionally), aren't the norm. They also require quite a bit of luck (i.e. Ryan's early performance for the Falcons), or a really smart "strategery" like Tony Soprano and Tuna Fish cooked up in Miami with the Wildcat. I'm not saying the Bills should go 2-14; but somewhere between 7-9 and 9-7 this year with a visible plan for the future is a reasonable and optimistic expectation. Anything more than that is gravy (and unlikely).

Well said. BTW...you spelled media wrong.

(Angel's signing) Ahhhhhh-mennnnn!!!!

There is a difference between lowering expectations and having realistic expectations. Yes it would be nice if the Bills won and rebuilt. I think that's what most fans hope. But I'd rather them build the foundation of a long-term winner and go 7-9 or 6-10 one more year, than to go 9-7, 10-6 with smoke and mirrors like the Dolphins did in 2008. Do the Dolphins have a good foundation? Maybe, maybe not. But they regressed in 2009 in part because they took the short-term gain in 2008. The Jets really have been building a foundation for the past few years. They addressed key positions on their lines and other positions prior to last year's drafting of Sanchez. They drafted a QB when they really believed the right guys was there. No question the Falcons turned things around post-Vick with Matt Ryan. But everyone was surprised with his rookie performance in 2008, and they regressed somewhat last season. So for the win now crowd, I hope your right. But if you give me the choice of building a beautiful house of cards or a solid brick house that doesn't look so good going up, and you can see the progress during construction, but sure is functional for a long time when its done, I'll take the brick house.

The Bills select QB...(cough! cough!)...check that...came out wrong....... "The Bills select LT Bryan Bulaga University of Iowa" Because (see my previous 50 posts on the subject), because Bradford will be gone, I'm not impressed with Clausen, and they need a safe pick at No 1 who will immediately start and have impact, and the lines (in particular o-line) have been a problem for years.

Welcome. It will also be helpful for you to undertsand there are usually three generations of Bills fans on the board. They go like this: Newbies - born between 1985 to present. They either don't remember or never new the greatness of what the Bills were or can be. They became fans of the Bills because they live on the memories of geezers (like me). This group includes my sons. Geezers - guys like me who were born between 1960 and 1985. Similiar to newbies in that we grew up in late 60's/early 70's when the Bills were doormats. However, unlike newbies (at least so far) we saw our Bills grow into greatness. We trace our Bills roots first to OJ (before the murder), but we really came of age with the Kelly gang. It was a wonderful ride which we now always refer to when talking to newbies as "the Glory Years, the Kelly Era or the Good Old Days" For geezers, there is one unbreakable rule newbies must follow:, If you mention Kelly's name in a post, please remember to genuflect. Jim Kelly Really old geezers (many of whom are dead or dying) - They refer to the "good old days" as the 64-65 AFL Championship Bills. Out of respect to my own father (who falls into this category), Geezers like me pay homage to them to keep them happy and remain in the will. In reality, I'm too young to remember those Bills. (But I still bow my head in respect to Jack Kemp). Really old geezers refer to the Kelly (genuflect) years as the days of those "young whipper-snappers". It doesn't matter which category you fall in, as true Bills fans are always welcome. And if anybody ever berates our Bills during these years in the desert, remember my favorite saying.......... Da Bills - they may be an ugly mutt, BUT THEY'RE MY MUTT!!!!

Define "win big." All of us would like to see them go 16-0 and win the Super Bowl next year. Unfortunately that is highly unlikely. For that matter, even making the playoffs is highly unlikely. At this point, the Bills are still the 4th rated team in the AFC East. Even with a great draft they don't look to be in a position to go into the season ranked any higher than 3rd (and most non-Bills fans would tell you jumping over Miami to 3rd in the division is a stretch). As much as it hurts to say it, the Bills have been a 10-year doormat and have glaring needs at almost every position. In my mind, "win big" or just having a good season would entail finally addressing both lines and laying the foundation for the future; playing competitive,entertaining and well-coached football; and showing the fans that there are finally some competent people running the franchise again. As far as the QB position, the QB of the future is probably not on the roster today. I don't know if he's out there in this draft either. The safer pick right now is a LT or stud DL. They can't afford to blow another 1st round pick. In my mind, your 1st rounder has to play and have an immediate positive impact. If a solid QB prospect is available anywhere between the 2nd and 4th rounds, go for it. A QB in the draft this year is going to be watching from the sidelines, so that isn't going to help "win big" this year. I know impatient fans don't want to hear that reality. I hate to keep referring to the "glory days/Kelly era". But young Bills fans (under 25) either don't understand or seem to have forgotten how the Kelly era team had to evolve over three to four seasons. From 1983 to 1985 the Bills were one of the worst teams in the league, going 2-14 in 1984 and 1985. Kelly (and C Kent Hull) came to Buffalo from the USFL for the 1986 season. Even with Kelly (who was ready to be the starter the day he arrived), we knew they weren't going to the playoffs, and they finished 4-12 that year. Still, you finally knew the team was going in the right direction. Hopes were a little higher for 1987 (they drafted Shane Conlan) . The Bills finished 7-9, but you knew it was now a team on the doorstep of success. Then they drafted Thurman Thomas in 88, and that was their breakout year going 12-4. From 88 to 1996 (Kelly's last year) they were perenially playoff/Super Bowl contenders. They built that team primarily through great drafts from 1985 to 1989, along with a few good free agent signings and trades (like James Lofton and Cornelius Bennett). Despite progress each year, the wins did not come overnight. So even though they didn't "win big" in 1986 or 1987, they were still a fun and exciting team to watch, and you knew better things were on the horizon. Teams can rebuild much more rapidly in today's NFL with the current free agency rules, but there weren't many good free agents out there this year. So it's back to the draft, which will take a little longer, but will likely yield better long term results.

I'll second that!!!!

I prefer a Jimmy Clausen hiaku: Clausen- oh please no! The guy quite frankly might blow Bulaga o-line (Editor's Note: For non-literary types: Hiaku - a form of Japanese poetry 5 syllables first line 7 next line and 5 for the third three lines in total the first two lines set up for the resolution in 3rd line Rhyme not necessary). Now, back to deep thoughts.........

I didn't know they had him to cut him!

Saints GM is a Bill Polian disciple: "...and if you don't like it, GET OUTTA TOWN!"

1st Choice; Scenario 2; 2nd choice Scenario 4. Nicely put together post!

The Internet is making print news on a national level obsolete (everyone knows that). The past couple of weeks I've read articles from The Buffalo News (Allen Wilson), Rocherster D&C (Bob Mathews), Olean Times Herald (Chuck Pollock), as well as some of the smaller town rags (Wellsville, Hornell, etc) that were based on news that was at least two to three days old. The only possible reason that they still even write such stories is that there are still a handful of people who don't get there news via the Internet. (BTW, I read them all online!) The bigger problem is that the news reader, regardless of whether the story is on the Internet or in print, has to be even more careful about the reliability of the source. Too many ameteur / hack journalists (like me), who can write a reasonable and intelligent-sounding story can make it sound like they know more than they do. Yesterday's discussion thread on how easy it has been for some of these bums out there passing themselves off as "draft experts" to gain a a national audience is a perfect example. Free flow of information is great and there is no going back to the Walter Cronkite (most trusted man in America era). But the reader needs to be more alert than ever before when considering the source of the information. Now....didn't that sound reasonably intelligent?

I'm thinking for $14.50 I can get quite a few beers, save a few bucks, and still pick as well as most of these guys!

I like it. Kiper likes it too. He will be reporting it on ESPN later today. He will cite it as a "highly placed source" he has inside the Bills organization.