richNjoisy

that certainly nails it Dibs For those that have a very negative view of the upcoming season (I judge those to be the 6 wins or less crowd), I ask you "how many wins did you expect the Bils to win last year?". if the number is the same as this year, then kudos to you - you were a lot smarter than I. Of course, injuries played into last year's outcome. In fact, for me, what really URKED me last season was the benching of JP - I am so upset that the Bills went 5-11 and the guy played for so few games. I know he was hurt for some of them but he should have played more - especially week 17. I expected about 10-11 wins last year. The defense crashing from top five to bottom five was totally unexpected. Can they recover? I am pretty certain that they can return to top 10 if TKO comes back and the Tripplet - ??? duo can stop the bleeding up the middle. On offense, in my mind it comes down to two things : 1.) Can the line give the Bills QB sat least > 3.5 seconds on a regular basis? 2.) Can Nall/Losman complete 55% + of their passes? - notice I exclude Holcomb from this equation because Holcomb as QB = top five draft pick next year IMO. My dream draft saturday is somehow DaBrick falls to 8 (forgetaboutit) After that, I am alright with Bunk-Ngata-Huff-Davis (whatever) but in rounds 2 -3 - 3 I want to see offensive/defensive linemen galore drafted. If I see CB's S's, RB and LB's I will throw up. BTW - I am o.k. wit h AJ if he falls to us at 8 (nevagonnahappin either) -RnJ

Thanks - Your comments suggest strongly that, even when given time to throw, JP threw poorly? Or, is it more accurate to say that since JP could not read defenses quickly enough, blitzes killed him? I don't recall a lot of blitzes myself, I recall normal rushes and no time to throw. If true, there is no hot read. Only during blitzes are they in order. Please post your assessment of the 2nd half of the season when you can - if you remember, pm me to let me know your thread is out there thanx -RnJ

http://www.gbnreport.com/2006teampreviews.html I wish for the umpteenth time that I had kept my tapes of all of JP's starts (I only keep wins) but I continue to be befuddled by the incredibly negative, "he's a definite bust" conclusion of both "experts" and fans alike of JP's skills (or lack thereof). I have already stated my view - that he is young, had little or no time to throw, and still managed to perform (IMO). Moulds , again IMO, gave up on him and this meant a player barely trying in a key position for every pass play. I am thrilled, however, that it appears that a legitimate battle for the starting role will take place this summer. AN d I contineu to reiterate this: If Holcomb wins the battle, the Bills will lose big time. I am not saying that the other two QB's should be given the job. On the contrary, I am saying if Holcomb is the best of the three, we are screwed. Kelly is an adeqaute backup..period. In fact, I would be thrilled in Kelly ends up at #3. As to the GBN evaluation of the draft...no, I (opinion again folks) DO NOT think the Bills will use a high draft pick (or any of their picks in fact) on a QB. linemen linemen linemen Puleeze. Go Bills! -RichNJoisy

sabres outplaying the flyers but flyer goalie playing hasek-like totally legal knockout hit on flyer (Umberger) by brian campbell - he's batman, says umberger . scary - I thought we'd killed him miller playing well but only seen about 16 shots or so. flyer goal must be near 45 shots + 2nd OT coming up......

Culpepper Could Miss Entire 2006 Season -- Thu Apr 20, 2006 --from FFMastermind.com # The Pioneer Press reports there is a chance that Dolphins QB Daunte Culpepper's rebuilt knee could keep him out the entire regular season with Miami. That's o.k. The fish have ONE (that's right, 1) other QB on their roster right now: Cleo Lemon. I Know, I Know....."Who?" must be great...I mean, Saban likes him..... seriously, could this be where Kerry Collins ends up? Or Jamie Martin perhaps?

Bill - I love DBrick but no way do I trade any picks from this year to move up. This is reportedly the best draft in years. No way do I trade up. Down maybe...but not up.

Beerball - that was the second link I provided.....I put it under "skill" (ha ha) PIZ: I remember the Walker draft vividly - and I was irate. It worked out great though didn't it? l But, I almost always want the Bills to draft OT's. I still cry over the old days of the Bils having a great offensive line. Surprise surprise...it was wthe last time the Bills were any good..... SO, in reply, I will cry my eyes out if D'Brick is there at 8 and we pass on him for ANYBODY ELSE (except Mario Williams but...c'mon. Brick and Wiliams being available at 8???? )

Hey Rich - Rick is the 'expert" right? Might as well put this draft in the bank, huh?

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...0/1049/SPORTS01 "skill" reminder: http://www.thehuddlereport.com/top100/index.shtml I would be doing backflips in my front yard if we got this guy

the numbers match up exactly on the nfl draft value chart

I agree about Ngata being the pick but not if brick or Hawk are on the board but it is moot, they won't be, so your prediction should hold true. Draft SHOULD go Bush - Williams - Leinart - Brick - Hawk - Davis - Young Then Bills select from Ngata - Bunkley - Huff - Justice I think they will go with Ngata I like the other three fine, though. The guy who might fall , in my opinion, is Davis. I would be ecstatic if they get Davis. A trade up MIGHT change the order a bit (Denver is salivating over Davis - to get him, they would have to trade with someone in 1-5 slots. Green Bay should be the match for the broncos (cheapest spot to get their guy). San Fran, unable to grab Davis might then go for Ngata but they might take Hawk then. Interesting how Hawk starts to slide south if Denver butts in........

you will find this interesting (I think): http://www.thehuddlereport.com/top100/index.shtml here is gosselin's "competition"! http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/mockdraft.html I cannot believe that Leinart will fall to number 7

I hear that google.com has $10 billion in funds due to their stock sale. Howsabout Google.com presents Buffalo Bills Stadium?

I hear that google.com is just sitting out there with $10 BILLION trying to figure out what to do with the dough. Google stadium may reek but for $5 mil per year for 50 years......it's yours!. payment in advance please. BTW...wanta buy a team as long as you keep it in WNY??? The Megamillion lotto is now at $220 mil. Almost enough to pay for that 35% myself (of course the lump sum is a weeeee bit less than that. and then there IS those durn taxes...... )

http://www.sportsoutlaw.com/mockdraft.html ..neveh gonna happen sigh

what you say may be true - but (I assume you are not a billionaire?) like the rest of us, we are not incredibly rich and, Ralph is a rare individual. One who has built himself up a tremendous fortune. Your assumption that he "could care less about making more money" MAY be true but I know I can't assess this for one second. To even be in his position, by defintion, makes him different from most people (and believe me most people want more money anyways!) but Ralph has been able to amass a fortune. To assume he doesn't want more is, in my opinion, a stretch. yeh yeh yeh - he already has enough money to buy himself a country (or two) but we can't presume to know what drives him. We simply can't. But - he will certainly like you fully supporting his position. So - please chime away!!! Write your congressman/woman. Like I said, I am not concerned if Ralph is "playing games" with people's heads. I am simply raising - as a possibility - that he IS playing games (to better his position). He's has done it before. He may be being totally forthright about his views on the current situation for small market teams or he may be being the shrewd businessman he has been his entire life.

strike me for my pessimistic view of family dynamics in the Wilson family but I am under the impression that the kids are none to ready to let their new mommy inherit all of daddy's moola upon his death. I suspect he has already established that upon his death his three girls get mucho inherito and that new momma is not in line to get anything close huge % (let alone 100%, aka Da Bilz). If the current Mrs. Wilson does inherit the Bills, then other than her wanting to bail out, then one would think the Bills in Buffalo are relatively safe. But, like I said, I doubt that she inherits the Bills 100%...or even 50%. my 2 cents ....

good post just to chime in, your point #3 is the key issue and represents the main unknown factor - even Clayton admits this is his article. Ralph has always been a shrewd businessman. Due to his age, he is obviously having to deal now with ageist views. How much he has actually "lost it" due to his age, cannot be accurately assessed by the likes of us (TBD crew and the media etc). What is clear is that Ralph wants to position his business (the Bills) as profitably as he can. How "real" his "concerns" are (in other words, how much is he deliberately crying wolf to use fear and misdirection to position himself , how much is he alerting people to real problems/unfairness/gotchas, how much he is simply losing it cannot be assessed by us) We simply don't know what the CBA actual has set in stone and what is still-to-be-determined. Your point about the naming rights is fair as well. Tell me this: Why are the naming rights of RWS assumed to be so much lower than , say, in DC or Philadelphia? How much does the name actually matter locally (as is assumed) vs nationally? Isn't the NFL a national (even world-wide) product? How much LESS value is a FritoLay Stadium in Buffalo worth than a Honda Stadium in San Francisco?? My opinion is WAAAAYYY too swayed by my emotions. I don't care what Ralph does or says if it helps make the Bills more lucrative and increases the chances of keeping them in Buffalo. Thus, keep on crying wolf Ralphie - you got my support (FWIW ) Go Bills!!! -RnJ

Mark - I think you have been around long enough to remember when Ralph came off as a cheap, stingy bastard in WNY. Recent history has proven this wrong to some extent but my point is that he is quite capable of squeezing his players, the city and the state for $$. The fact that he has not done this recently has made some of us forgetful. My OPINION on the state of affairs is that Ralph has struck preemptively to sway public opinion and establish the not-yet-fixed details of the new CBA in his favor. While he is at it, he is also pressuring local and not-so-local politicians to get involved with the NFL CBA to some extent. I do believe he wants to keep the Bills in Buffalo but he also wants them to stay here competitively AND profitably. (The latter is a big reason for his maneuvers I grant ya! - but that is not a sin but shrewd business practice on his part). As to Nate, the Bills have gobs of room under the cap and have never been way under before for long. If they go into the season way under...it will be the first time in their history they have done so. Interestingly, a number of teams are under the cap this year. Nate is "cheap" right now (cost for his salary is not too bad for a player of his caliber). Holding out is his only option if he is unhappy but does this FORCE the Bills to trade him? I'd say no. Nate has to play to get paid and if he holds out , he not only loses a VERY lucrative year in his career, he also loses the "can't franchise more than twice in a row" rule (new). On the other hand, the Bills do have lots of room in the cap to pay him with. I see no reason to assume there is a significant problem yet. In a world where "rumors" are king, there have been none. Thus, neither side is even posturing yet. I think this means negotiations are ongoing. Nate not signing his contract is just part of the dance. I am not too worried yet and I do not expect them to trade him my 2 cents.....

PTR: could you clarify point #1? Are you saying that ANY new owner of the Bills would not get the extra moneys put aside for lower revenue teams? You are NOT, I assume, talking about the sharing of TV revenue and the like, correct? Do you , or does anyone at TBD, have any sense of how the majority of owners feel about the importance (or lack thereof) of the current makeup of the 32 team cities? I bring this up because Cleveland and Baltimore both lost teams and then got them back. I know that I LIKE the NFL to have no team s move and that the makeup of the curretn cities is "as it should be" or, in other words, makes the NFL what it is and should remain (rivalrys the big reason for this). I chimed in in a thread yesterday (started by Hammer) where I mentioned the need for STATE (NY) support for the Bills. Question: Do either the Jets or Giants pay any NYS tax and how does their presence in NJ impact NY? Correspondingly, what do the Bills give NYS? There was some differing of opinion on what the Bills mean to NYS outside of WNY. THAT is a huge issue IMO. Ralph is, is he not, appealing to those in power outside of WNY to enlist support for the Buffalo Bills remaining in Buffalo. I plan to retire near Buffalo in 12 years or so. Will my Bills still exist?? -RnJ

I agree to some extent but do any of us really think it is Erie County's responsibility to be the main "money squeeze" for the Bills? I am not sure what Ralph expects from meeting with Joel or anyone else in Erie County. The money to keep the Bills in Buffalo needs to come from: 1.) The STATE 2.) The Private sector and maybe with help from the NFL (although many of us are suspicious that the NFL prefers the Bils be elsewhere say......like LA?) I plan to buy that magamillions ticket tonight. Some I am chipping in. you betcha

My plan exactly this is why I keep buying lottery tickets. Megabucks is ay $162 mill right now. Could buy me a small piece of Da Bilz

I have us picking Huff but will be thrilled if they go with Davis. Some draftniks have davis going before # 8 (a few have Huff going earlier too). I believe in those scenarios that AJ Hawk is still there. Question John: If AJ is still there , do you take him?

At this point one month ago, I had my "likely" ontheboard/possible pick for the Bills a # 8 down to Ngata/Davis/Huff with Ngat being the "expert" favorite and Davis being my personal favorite. Although there has been some conjecture that one of the following 5 might drop to the Bills, I doubt it so let me remove the following names (assuming no Bills trade): Leinart/Bush/Mario Williams/Ferguson/AJ Hawk I also think Cutler and Young will be gone but it is possible one or both will be there. This leaves Ngata/Davis/Huff It seems to me that Huff is the best fit considering the Bills needs and the strength at the DT/OT and TE position after round 1 (not to mention the Bils already signed a DT, a TE and drafed a TE in round 3 last year). I wouldn't cry one tear if the Bills trade down (should Cutler or Young be there at 8) and then grab OT Winston Justice who's value has been on the rise. But, in any event, I am predicting we draft Huff at #8. -RnJ

Weiler usually is unreadable but, egad, I found his article informative and I agree with it although that part was easy since I am on the "let's give JP a real chance before we judge him" bandwagon. A real chance means - more than 2 seconds to throw 2/3 of the time, receivers that try on 2/3 ofthe plays, and a run game that averages over 3 yards per attempt.