[Byrd signed tender [update: may still want to be traded]]

Perhaps some of them were, but they were ALL based on a real report from a local source:

 

https://twitter.com/...801383921500160

 

Benigni has no reason to lie

I don't see a problem with him asking for this? No, he isn't the top free safety in the league (yet). But the agent's job is to sell the player and get as much $ as possible. Why not ask... someone may pay it. He is worth as much as someone is willing to pay him. Is Joe Flacco the top QB in the league? No... just the last one to get paid.

[Byrd signed tender [update: may still want to be traded]]

According to Ian Rappaort he says there is still ill will between the Bills & Byrd & that Byrd would be open to a trade DUH !!

 

If there is a chance that he can make just Stupid money that is what they all are about now there is no sense of loyalty only to the all mighty dollar !!!

 

If that be the case though i hope they would trade him for a #1 & put both our #1 this coming year & the one they pick up together to get the #1 over all to get Clowney !!

 

Be smart with the situation Bills FO if he don't want to be here find out & don't waste time & energy on some on that doesn't want to be here !!

As with many of these cases, the "ill will" is likely squarely between the GM and the agent. As a player of his caliber at this stage of his career, he wants to play where he can 1)make the most money, and 2)win. Right now, Buffalo is neither of those things. That could change. But you can't fault the guy for wanting to make as much as he can while he can, his stock is higher than it has ever been, or may ever be, and there is the threat of a career-ending injury anytime he steps on the field.

[The Ralph will be empty for FIVE straight weeks in Nov/Dec]

I'm a long-standing UK Bills fan. When I retired I saved up my pennies and flew over to see the Patriots game in Sep 2011. Loved the game, the city, the people (and the Philharmonic orchestra concert on the Saturday evening). I've saved up more pennies and booked to fly over for the Jets game on 17 Nov (and a BPO concert the previous evening). I'm hoping that the Bills will still be 'relevant' in some way (hopefully still in Playoff contention) unlike recent Novembers. I'm sure that is the secret to getting fans-on-seats. The (successful) Packers seem to have no problems attracting crowds and I'm told it gets cold in Green Bay!

Exactly, same is true in Pittsburgh, etc.... meanwhile in Jacksonville FLORIDA they tarp over half the stadium. It's not the weather, folks.

[Who do you think will start Game 1 ?]

No Tuel votes so far? #tueltime

[The Ralph will be empty for FIVE straight weeks in Nov/Dec]

Thats because the play offs are going through Buffalo this year !! God has put it all in place, the players , the coach & the fans have always been here !!

 

He has just looked down & said OK the Bills fans have struggled long enough i will have them change the schedule but i will make it up to them in the post season !!

 

Don't worry be happy !! GO BILLS !!!!

I recall a playoff game from January in the early 90s where it was in the 60s.

[Question about the Toronto games...]

The NFL won't allow it. The Bills used to have a charity fund raiser for a couple of years called Jumbogate, where you could pay to go into one of the indoor endzone clubs, get food, and see the game on the jumbotron. Then the NFL cracked down and said no more, not just for the Bills, but any group viewing of any NFL game. There's usually an article or two you can find around Super Bowl time, where some church will want to do a fund raiser and the NFL says no.

Yeah, I can definitely see the difference between college and NFL. It is too bad because the Ralph is one of the very few (I can think of Arrowhead in KC as another) NFL stadiums left that is in a "residential" area where you can pay to park in people's driveways. Such a great atmosphere.

[Question about the Toronto games...]

Problem with the Hamilton stadium was that it was also supposed to be part of the Pan AM Games coming to Toronto and Southern Ontario and it became a huge mess about where it should/would go and what was to be built. Theres no way the bills would leave Buffalo for Hamilton, Hamilton is almost like the buffalo of Southern Ontraio, only advantage is its a bit closer to Toronto and no border bridge to cross to get there. Toronto is where a team would go, and Torontonians won't have "their" team located anywhere else but in Toronto. If/when getting an NFL team in Toronto gets closer to reality, they will build a stadium for them that may also be used partially by the Argos for the CFL.

 

As for the bridge, Friday afternoon if you tried to cross to go to the family day pre-season game, you would have been in line for about 1-2 hours to cross over. All you have to do is walk the parking lots prior to a game at the Ralph and you will see more Canadian plates in the lot then from anywhere else outside of NY State.

 

I take offence to that, I consider myself a real Bills fan from Canada and I don't hate the toronto game because I understand the point to it and what they are trying to do with it which is hoping that they can increase the fan base for the team to strength it and keep the team in Buffalo. Sure, I would prefer to see games in Buffalo because its much cheaper and a quicker and easier drive (if you take out the occasional hassle of the bridge). But seeing as how I'm not a big drinker, and rarely drink when i go to games, tailgating isn't a huge part of going to a game for me. I'm in the minority that when I buy a ticket to a sporting event or concert, I'm not there to get drunk or high or whatever, I'm there to see the actual game.

 

I'm sure if/when the Bills ever move from Buffalo, they could always take the property that RWS sits on now, level it and install a couple of giant drive in movie screens with parking spaces and broadcast any football game on the screens every sunday and just allow people to come out and tailgate/get drunk and many would be satisfied. They would save some money/have extra beer money by saving on paying for game tickets, and they can enjoy the part many have made the focal point of an NFL football game. I'm surprised that the NFL hasn't tried this with other areas that don't have teams yet.......

I find this suggestion funny in that this actually takes place already at Ohio State campus on gameday. The stadium seatss 100k+ but no way can everyone who wants to go to the game get a ticket or wants to pay the price for one. There is easily another 200-300k outside the stadium before, during and after the game but specifically during the game, they have several "party" areas set up sponsored by various companies where there are huge movie screens, they sell food & beer and everyone stands around for these "watch parties." For the November games, they also set this up inside the Schottenstein Center (where the B-ball team plays) and people watch the game in the arena while drinking.

[Question about the Toronto games...]

I live in Ohio - sorry, I just wasn't aware

[The Ralph will be empty for FIVE straight weeks in Nov/Dec]

I think it's don't let 5 weeks go by without an actual home game. I don't need 3 dec games and i dont need 5 straight "away" games. Just a balance.

The thing is, you can't control the weather so the NFL is probably trying to do its best to not get guys hurt or have 6-3 games (remember the game Bflo played in Cleveland circa 2007 that was an absolute blizzard.. couldn't see anything or do anything). But remember, we don't want to play in a snowstorm anymore than our opponent does.. although I do think we are built to do so with CJ/Freddy and EJ at QB (one of the reasons they drafted him so high was his abaility to show that he could throw downfield in a driving rainstorm).

[Manuel Update(Rumor)]

At the time these guys started starting they were considered to have "high upside". Every QB that gets his first starting gig has "high upside". EJ has "high upside". So what? What does that even mean? I think it means they have potential which Bill Parcell's says means, you ain't done nuthin' yet.

I also noticed he got the "Most Promising Award" for Training Camp. I had to laugh, considering that means to me "He hasn't really done anything yet, but we think he might someday." As a QB, I think that is appropriate. It is the hardest position to play in the league, and he hasn't played his first game yet. Now the most impressive rookie was Goodwin and CJ as MVP. I concur!

[Question about the Toronto games...]

If it was the only condition standing between them getting a team and not getting one, it would be built, they would just use the Rogers Centre until its done. They won't build one just for one game a season though and without the guarantee of a team coming there. Theres already talk about the Argos wanting a new stadium and getting out of the Rogers Centre, and even some quiet talk about the Jays needing a new place.

 

I really wish that Canadians would take this same attuitude towards going to games at the Ralph cause guess what, a nice big chunk of the fanbase at those home games have to go through that same hassel and added expense too.

Really? I did not know that there were that many folks from Canada coming to the Ralph. I haven't been to a game there since the Bledsoe years.

[The Ralph will be empty for FIVE straight weeks in Nov/Dec]

I have noticed this the past few years... their schedule is heavy with home games at he beginning of the season. I think that is what had led to them starting off well and then finishing poorlly. By contrast, San Diego's schedule is heavy with home games at the end of the year. They are known for a slow start and finishing well. I do think weather is a factor on how they schedule. I wish it wasn't, because one reason they didn;t want to put a dome on the Ralph was for the competitive advantage of the December weather.

[TMQ column Bills mention .... not kind to Buddy!]

http://espn.go.com/n...-tougher-safety

This is a reach, TMQ. No mention of any of his good picks, just those that aren't stars (yet)? Plus, you could literally pick apart every team's draft and write the same article. Laziness.

[Question about the Toronto games...]

I don't live in the area anymore so don't hear a lot of PR from OBD. Do they do anything to incent non-season ticket holder fans who live in WNY to go to the Toronto games? I hate that those games at the Rogers Centre are sooo quiet and nothing like the Ralph. But it is a pain to go across the bridge for a lot of people, plus the passport issue for those who don't wouldn't otherwise travel to Canada it is an added expense. Just wondering, as I really want this to be akin to a real home game and not a disadvantage on their schedule. The score had a lot to do with it, but Seattle game last year, at least on TV, appeared absolutely brutal.

[Maybin Cut on Hard Knocks]

I think those names are why the pick is so infuriating. If the Bills pick Orakpo, Matthews or Harvin it goes down as one of the best drafts in their history (to add to Wood, Byrd and Levitre).

Wasn't that also the draft where they took Ed Wang?

 

What HK episode was it? Did they give it a name or #?

 

I'd like to watch it if it's rebroadcast.

 

Thanks!!

I am sure HBO will re-run it this week... it was the new episode that aired last night. They probably also will have it On Demand.

[Von Miller suspensed for 6 games (ed.)]

The Broncos have certainly had their share of "tabloid-esque" headlines lately. Good grief, it's almost something every week. Misbehaving executives, mounting injuries, suspensions...and don't forget the Elvis Dumervil fiasco.

 

Wonder what Peyton thinks about all of this...he comes from such a squeaky clean background and you never heard stuff like this out of Indy. Probably just focusing on the offense, but man...

Peyton: Von who? Did we just sign a new WR? Oh - never mind then.

 

Those glasses dont make him look smart

LOL, when I first saw him on draft day I thought, wow, this is a guy who takes things seriously and is very intelligent. It was totally the glasses. LOL.

 

in order to officially get the six games it must have been pretty ugly in its execution

Next time, call me Von. I'll tell you how to explain away the specimen handling - Ryan Braun

[Maybin Cut on Hard Knocks]

This is what hurts the most!! How can the Bills be so stupid.

Poor scouting and decision-making.

 

I am perplexed by the fans who consistently vent their anger at the player (Whitner, Maybin) and not at the GM's and coaches who drafted them That said, i do see a lot more venom directed at Marv for the Whitner pick.

 

It's not Maybin's fault he was selected at 11. Blame Dick!

FWIW Whitner was WAY better pick at 8 than Maybin at 11.

[Maybin Cut on Hard Knocks]

What enraged me was the indifferent attitude when he got cut. Represented his play.

I have a feeling the producers gave him a heads up that it was going to take place and would be filmed. He probably knew it was coming, especially as they showed him getting zero playing time. Also, he could have been more emotional about it but chose to do so off camera. Interesting how the LB coach said in the meeting beforehand that he just didn't need to play him because they had been ahead in both games and didn't need to come out of their base defense. He wasn't dying to get rid of him, but saw no reason to keep him. It started me thinking about who those guys are on the Bills.

[Maybin Cut on Hard Knocks]

1) Orakpo was the clear pick that year... flat out the Bills blew it. 2) Maybin is so much smaller now than he was as a rookie. It really makes me question his final year at Penn State leading up to the draft.

As a Buckeye fan, I remember losing to Penn State his senior year, at home, and Maybin was all over Terrell Pryor that game. He looked awesome. I didn't really watch any other PSU games that year. I remember he was considered a "project" in the draft - many thought he had 1st round talent when it came to potential, but that he would not be an immediate contributor. Clearly a bad pick from all angles, we needed starters.

[Manuel Update(Rumor)]

Hope they put EJ up in the booth next to Pettine for the next 2 games to get his take on reading a defense.

I don't think this will happen. EJ will be on the sidelines with a headset, listeing to the plays being called and watching it all unfold. Right where he should be.

[Maybin Cut on Hard Knocks]

That was the worst 1st round pick in Bills history....

Fortunately, we got Byrd and Wood in the same draft (and Levitre, FWIW)

[EJ not ruled out for wk 1, Tuel competing for starting spot]

My kids are trying to figure out a way to get to camp today to see if Manuel is out on the field at least observing.

Russ Brandon is taking fan questions on Twitter this morning, and he said that EJ is rehabbing and attending team meetings today

 

As much as a win would be nice, for a few reasons (standings, momentum, confidence), splitting with NE on the season would be fine by me .... as long as we sweep NYJ and MIA.

Splitting with NE this year - VERY happy. Winning both? Nirvana.

[Maybin Cut on Hard Knocks]

Hearing Maybin's name gives me the urge to punch Dick Jauron. I still recall standing on the turf at RWS during a Bills draft party when Maybin's selection was announced. I can still hear the groan of a thousand fans,

 

PTR

Players drafted after Maybin: Brian Cushing, Brian Orakpo, Clay Matthews, Percy Harvin, Michael Oher, LeSean McCoy

[Does Goodwin make you rethink the McKelvin deal?]

Color me doubtful. If he plays well at CB I don't think he is a returner. He's got some nagging injuries and there's no reason to 'over expose' him.

I agree with the injury-proneness (word?) but I got a bit nervous with Robert Woods returning punts last week. He is going to be a very important cog in this offense and we have enough bench WRs/DBs to do that. I say throw ol' B Smith out there. Utility man extraodinaire.

[Maybin Cut on Hard Knocks]

I felt bad for him for being cut on national TV. I feel worse for the Bills for drafting him so high and paying so much bank for absolutely no return. I also hope he saved his $. I could not believe how small he looked. The image that is branded in my mind is of him sitting at the presser on the day he signed (after a holdout, ahem) with Bruce Smith's # shaved into one side of his head and his # on the other side, saying he wanted to be the next Bruce. Excuse me while I am sick.