caracara

VY is the best QB on the roster, but that's only going by wins, stats, experience and accomplishments. I have to agree with the psychiatrist who weighed in earlier on this thread and diagnosed Vince with borderline personality disorder. His signing is a huge question mark. Maybe we can keep him in a padded room and just pull him out when Buffalo plays the Giants or travels to Houston. He's never lost to NY or in Houston. Other than that lets stick with the proven commodities that have been successful so far. Hell of an intelligent thread.

There is so much media, and everybody is competing like hell for traffic. Polarization, counterpoints and controversy is where the money is, especially during off season.

Young is learning the offense. I wouldn't begin to doubt that acquisition just yet. Also, we won't get any super positive reports on any QB but Fitz.

Kellen Heard didn't want to miss "free waffles and hushpuppies week" at his favorite catfish buffet. he's shooting for 400lbs by july.

Hola, Hopeful. Dredging up this thread again to reply. I was paraphrasing of course, but he's mentioned it a couple of times in interviews (the importance of being "the Guy"), and it is totally understandable. I'm not trying to put the man down. It makes sense that you wouldn't want to be looking over your shoulder while you have a job in front of you. But as far as leadership goes, it is easier to lead a football team if your teammates know without a doubt that you're the best QB on the team. Fitz is going to have to prove it in games. He'll need to win early imo, for his own confidence. When a QB is bringing a team back from a big hole he can throw caution to the wind to some extent. It is the charm of having nothing to lose. It gets a bit dicier when you are about to catch-up or overtake the opposition, but by then your team is high on destiny. Vince is an imposing QB in the locker room. He's usually the tallest guy in the room and he has some swagger. He makes friends easily. For RF's own peace of mind, I think, it would be good if he came out of the blocks strong this season, and like I said earlier, take-over on the practice field, in the clubhouse and obviously in games. As soon as he feels some mo he should assume the MFIC hat just like Brady or Manning or Fouts. The one problem with some super smart guys is that they think too, much. and of course the panacea is winning. Well, not for VY in Tenn, but in most other instances. BTW I've never seen Vince throw a pass in the snow. Bad weather used to mess Aikman up. Some QBs really can't handle it. Cheers, and Go Bills. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PupUuFUEd1o

Fitz is a smart guy. He should learn the trombone in his spare time then show up on Frerotte's porch at about 3am, play 'lets go Buffalo."

Thanks, BillnutinH-town. Just to be straight up, I'm a big VY fan, not that objective, and I think he should be starting in the NFL, but since his signing in Buffalo I've come to really respect the organization, and fans on this board (most of them). I'd love to see a Bills resurgence and a Lombardi Trophy in Buffalo. No city deserves it more. There needs to be a playoff game in Buffalo this year, 2012. I hope Vince can contribute to that somehow, even in a small way. Go Bills!

Fitz seems like a good man. However I've noticed a few things in the 3-4 interviews I've watched. He doesn't want to compete for the starting job. He's stated that he plays better and is able to make more confident throws when he's the undisputed starter. This is probably true for almost all QBs. In interviews he never fails to make a remark designed to ingratiate himself with the "great unwashed" of Buffalo. I think he wants to be the fan's choice and not the elite big brain from Harvard. The flannel shirts at Walmart remark is a pretty pointed effort in this regard, but there is something like this in almost every extended interview I've seen. Fitz would be a more effective leader of the team itself, if he beat out the QB competition in practice and games. If Vince is sitting in the "catbird seat" (which I took back because it sounds overly predatory) this is why. Despite what you have read Vince is actually an outstanding leader when it comes to inspiring teammates and leading football teams to victories. Actually the best thing that Fitz could do for himself is to put on the Dan Fouts' MFIC hat. He's got the beard for it. There was a bit of this in his last interview when he displayed a lot of confidence in his ability to read Ds. Fitz needs to win the first game of the 2012 season, then take this team over and start driving/riding his teammates, including Vince. That's the best thing he can do for himself.

"The catbird seat" was a poor choice of words by me. I think he's in a comfortable position relative to other times in his NFL career. And actually it's because he's being given the benefit of the doubt by the Bills organization and a good portion of the Bills nation. Backing up Fitz isn't quite the same as backing up Vick in Philly with their current expectations. He has all summer to study and acclimate, just more breathing room.

I've watched interviews with Vince since he was a kid. The main difference, other than his improved speaking ability, is that he understands finally how dependent he is on his coaches. VY has always been the type of player who could take the offense out of an OC's hands. NFL coaches don't like that, they're not impressed with it, and the NFL is too tough for any player to win consistently on physical ability alone. VY's never been the fruitloop that he's been made out to be, but he's obviously matured and brightened up from where he was three years ago. He also must feel like he's sitting in the catbird's seat. He's backing up a guy who has never won anything significant, who has a worse record and is slightly older, but with fewer tattoos. Vince has won a lot. He's played under the brightest lights, under loads of pressure and expectations. His tattoos are boss. My impression of that interview is that he's very loose, in a good way.

Bills should be careful about letting him talk. Last year he meant to compliment his new Philly teammates by saying he felt like he was on a dream team, and that was it. Media jumped on it, blew it up, took it out of context and it was a curse for the Eagles all year.

Nobody knew VY suffered from depression until it was publicly diagnosed/discussed by a very concerned Jeff Fisher, his chums in the Nashville PD and the Titans front office. Not even VY. He was quite shocked and surprised to hear that he was suicidal and suffered from depression. But it was confirmed again today by Fisher's pal Merril Hoge. Vince is a fragile, basket case. Stay tuned for more revelations from the same trustworthy sources.

Gotcha. and I hate to hear folks regurgitating garbage that was generated from within the titans front office. And you're probably not interested in the percentage of pro QBs who grew up in the ghetto with no dad and had an unstable mom on crack, and then got so popular that the mayor is trading on his name to get votes. " It's pretty hard to drive someone crazy unless you're already on the road, with the car pointed in that direction." but that is your car pointed in that direction. Anyway, I'm glad, hopeful, that you're at least willing to take a "let's see" attitude.

before we go on, what would constitute good evidence for you, cynical? I don't have surveillance tapes that catch Fisher planning a smear. so tell me what you would need to be even slightly persuaded that there is politics and cronyism in the nfl and that Vince has been caught in the middle of it.

I'm interested in the Bills winning, and I hope that this time next year you look back and say VY was a bargain and it was a shrewd free-agent pickup. Not so much interested in butting heads on this message board with the doubters, or going through a long game of connect the dots. right now, today, it looks like VY has a fresh start. I'm happy to let his conduct and play speak for itself.

This is such a difficult question, because it doesn't seem possible to keep players safe without spoiling something essential in the game. I do notice that a lot of these guys who are suffering from brain trauma are guys known and loved for playing with reckless abandon above and beyond the norm. It would be an interesting but almost impossible study to brain scan a cross section of players in High school and follow those who ended up in the show, scanning them along the way.

hopeful, I could start linking you evidence to support my case, but I don't want to go down that rabbit hole y/you. If Vince does good, just please accept it and be happy. Don't hold a grudge because you were wrong. if all your doubts about VY are validated by his performance in Buffalo I will be the first to admit I was drowning in the vY koolaid and you tried to save me.

Hopeful, I think you have good points. But VY isn't going to lobby or politic or subvert. He just has a winner's aura. He get's teammates believing. another good question. He actually did come out with the eagles and beat the super bowl champ giants, but then melted down with multiple picks in the other games, playing catchup. But I agree. I wish he had showed better. He was backing up Vick. There was no wildcat in Philly. The situation was slightly different than here. but he should have done better. true.

Bud Adams the hated owner, moved the Oilers out of Houston, to Nashville. everybody has always hated Adams everyplace he's been. Even other owners hate Bud Adams. VY is a legend in Houston, from the inside out. He is the definition of a hometown (Bigass City) hero. Then he wins an NC with UT. The Houston mayor led a campaign to convince the Texans to draft Vince. For Bud Adams, acquiring Vince was a way of thumbing his nose at Houston. Understandably Fisher (a USC grad btw) didn't want anything to do with that. He didn't want Vince. Vince really couldn't have ended up in a worse situation. I believe Fisher is or was a good football coach, but his ego drove him to orchestrate a very cold-blooded attack on a QB who was pushed down his throat by an idiot owner.. Vince was blindsided by it. He probably thought that he'd get the same kind of support a highly paid franchise top-5-pick QB usually gets, especially since he came out hard and won games with the Titans as a rookie. so basically san jose bills fan is right on the money. but there is a little back-story.

Vince and Mack Brown are very close. In fact Mack was at a big fundraiser for VY's foundation last week. but The Bills don't need anything from Mack Brown for Vince to succeed. Vince has been dominating in sports since the day he picked up a ball. All that "suicide and depression" talk. That is all crap. That is all "leaked" from Fisher's Titan front office. I think if Vince is designated to be a role player in certain schemes, he'll be a good one and he'll fire up the offense. If he gets a chance to start, he'll make hay w/the opportunity.

I'm happy Vince is in Buffalo. I think this franchise is hungry to win again, and the ownership, coaches and fans seem to be on the same page ( other than ex-GM Bill Polian who hates VY with a passion). Anyway, I don't see a bunch of political crap and division in Buffalo. I'm glad VY is getting a fair shot despite the general perception out there.

I'll quietly bide my time with guys like you.

Vince is a born leader who lifts up the players around him. That is how he comes off the bench in a winless season and takes a team on an 8 game winning streak. As far as being a locker room problem, he could be a problem if the coach wants another QB to start and most of the players would rather Vince be the QB. But he isn't a malcontent or a crybaby or soft. When he came in for a workout he was described as "aggressive." Yeah he is. Fisher didn't want VY at all, but the owner Adams forced it. By his passive/aggressive sabotage of VY's career Fisher sent a message to Adams (and owners in general) that you cannot force a QB on a tenured NFL coach. Football is a coach's game and the NFL is a coach's league, so Fisher and his front office got a lot of support, and is still getting it. Truthfully, Fisher literally drove him nuts, so he could say "I told you so." If Chan and co are honest with him, there is nothing to worry about. One thing for sure, there are certain media people who hate Vince and who will dog him to the end. But you have never heard VY say anything negative about his teammates or coaches. His work ethic is good. He earned his ROY and pro-bowls on a team where the head coach had a severe conflict of interests. But VY has no conflict. He wants to win championships.

Hey y'all. Unabashed VY freak from TX here, and new Bills fan. I'll refrain from being too obnoxious about Vince. Just a couple of things. I love that the Bills front office and coaches, and some fans, are giving VY a fair shake. I think Gailey is about as straight-up as you get in the NFL. He's humble, but he's not going buckle to the group think. Also, look into Chris Johnson's stats with Vince at QB, and without. Yeah, Vince can run the wildcat., but I'd love to see him as a starter with a coach who supports him. That hasn't happened yet. And check out his YT highlights from 09-10. He's a starter imho.