Dan

If JW doesn't pick up what I considered fairly obvious sarcasm, he's not half the poster I thunk. So, no worries.

Care to reveal your sources on this?? Otherwise, I'm calling it BS, sloopy reporting!

I would suggest that your problem is ...expecting more starters from the draft. We got a couple solid defensive line starters in FA. Outside of the first round (which I think we got a starter there), and maybe 2nd, you should only expect day 1 starters if your current roster blows. I would contend that our roster going into the draft, did not completely blow. And finally, who would you have liked seen drafted that would be these multiple day 1 starters?

The Bills defense has been horrendous for years! We've been unable to do anything with any consistency - stop 3rd and long, force turnovers, pressure the QB, stop the run. You name it. Quite honestly, slant patterns and pass caching TEs have been instant 1st down conversions for opposing offenses for so long, I've just given up thinking they could EVER be stopped. I truly hope this defense comes together. At this point, I'd settle for adequate.

Didn't Painter come in after Collins was lost for the season?

That's exactly how I see it! We have pretty well addressed every area of need in this off season (although, WR a little less so). But, if these picks pan out to be starters (in some cases) and decent depth (in others), this team going forward is completely rebuilt in 3 years. Obviously, it depends upon how these guys play, so I'm not calling it job complete. But what I like is Buddy is addressing the areas of need and doing it in a way that should work. In some respects, I would argue that that's all the GM can do. Now its up to the players and coaches to do their jobs. I am absolutely loving this draft and off season as a whole.

Maybe I'm clueless... but I don't recall Jones ever looking like a legit #2. Its because of his drops, poor effort and injuries that we need a WR so badly now. Of all the WRs currently on the roster, he's the first one I'd like to see cut.

Exactly. It always amazes me how people look at a draft and immediately draw direct conclusions of success. These guys are all rookies and it generally takes several years before any player can contribute consistently. The idea that you can re-make your offense in one off season with rookies is jsut ignoring the obvious. Quite honestly, if I were a Colts fan, my biggest worry would be who's going to block for Luck? He's going to struggle enough as it is being a rookie. Do you really want him running for his life on every down as well?

... you don't kick a sleepin dog.

IMO, TJ was a good pick. We need a deep WR threat. That's what we got (hopefully). For me the only puzzling thing was why they traded up to get a player that pretty much everyone had going several rounds later. But, in the end, we just gave up a 7th rounder. So I'm not concerned; just curious more than anything. What's the rules for names on a jersey? This kid should just put his first name on the jersey, if the league lets him. It'd be an instant top seller.

.. dead bears don't growl.

That's the only rationale I can see for trading up to pick him. They wanted Posey, made a trade, but he was taken one pick before. So they just went with the next WR on the list. ??? I'm not saying whether he'll be good or bad, but it does beg the question... why make a trade to move up a couple spots just to take a player that the general consensus is he would certainly still have been on the board? (especially for a GM that has repeatedly said he values every draft pick and dislikes moving up)

I began working for the NYC Dept. of Health just a few months prior. On the12th, I had volunteered to help man the City's missing persons hotline. By that night, I was asked to be the Health Department's representative at the on site Incident Command Center. As things happen, one thing leads to another and for the next several months, I was on site helping coordinate all of the City's Health and Safety operations for the rescue and recovery workers. I did many things there that I'm proud of and worked with some of the best people I've known. It was a hell of a deal all the way around.

A couple things kinda stand out, when I think about it. Academically: Survived the academic system long enough to obtain my Doctorate In Biological Sciences. I'm the only member of my immediate or extended family to earn a PhD.-- I'd like to think I could do it again, but I just don't know if I have the energy any more. Professionally: I was on the pile on 9/12 through the end of that December doing all sort and manner of things.-- I hope to never do something like that again, and hope no one else ever does either. Personally: I accomplished my childhood goal of saving up, buying a car and seeing what was beyond that curve in the road just outside the small town I grew up in. -- Still doing that to this day.

You're forgetting it takes 2people to sign a contract. Nix apparently did make an offer to Bell. But, he can't force him to sign. It would seem, because Bell is now an Eagle at roughly $7mill/yr, that Nix didn't feel he was worth that much money and most ctainly offered him less. So you're advocating that we sign players regardless of what we perceive their value to be? I agree wih you, it does suck that we lost, what appeared to be, a decent LT. But given his injury history, it seems the FO decided the price tag was too high. And, quite honestly, I'm not sure they're wrong. I suppose only time will tell. But, its a gamble either way. Signing Bell would not have guaranteed that LT was no longer a "need", just as using Hairston/draft pick is no guarantee. In the end, we just have to hope the FO has a better handle on Bell's health/ability than we fans do.

So you're suggesting we could have tagged Bell. He would have signed the offer. And then we could have traded him to the Eagles for a mid-round pick, and Bell gets the same contract from the Eagles... now taking a pay decrease for 2012. ?? If you can swing that deal, you most certainly need to be an NFL GM. Because that would be quite a feat!

Spoken like someone playing Madden or something. The franchise tag for a left tackle is around $9.5mill. Are you prepared to pay that for Bell? You just asssume we could tag him and trade him and get picks in return. But, that's not guaranteed at all. Does Philly still go after Bell if they have to give up a 1st round pick for him? I doubt it.

A big part of what made football such a good sport is the immediacy of the game and the importance of every drive. You had one day, each week and only a few weeks (when you think about it) to watch. You get 4 downs, move forward or give up your possesion. Make it to the playoffs, you get one game - win or go home. Overtime, any one play could end then game. All these new rules are just watering down the sport, if you ask me.

I think you can transfer music, pics, etc. via iTunes in windows 7. However, if your ipad is already tied to another computer, you might could try dropbox or some similar app. But, I think iTunes is the only way to really get music on the ipad and have it show up in the music app. I believe the recently released iPad 3s have a retina display.

I've been saying this for years. There's absolutely no reason for the Ref on the field to have to run to a special monitor on the sideline and wait for the video to be cued up before making a decision. If anything, they proved how silly it is this past season when they started reviewing every TD upstairs.

I would agree with much of what you posted. The FO clearly either likes Hairston to start or have plans to take a LT at 10 (or in the 2nd) given that they're playing hard ball with Bell and looking at no other FA tackles. Personally, I'm not sold on Hairston, but what do I know. I can live with either a WR or LT taken at #10. It just depends on who's there and, more importantly, who's likely to be there in the 2nd.

May I ask: What is this industry standard? Who set it? How was it determined to be "safe"? Do McDonalds' cups now have to have a warning stating that their contents are hotter than industry standards? I ask because it seems that arguement is based on an arbitrary number and some implied safety it provides.

I think you have to add Left Tackle to the list of needs, especially with no Bell on the team. As it stands now, the most important, arguably perhaps, position on our OLine is a easily our weakest position on the line. So I could see a left tackle being taken early as well.

Going into FA, I was hoping we'd sign a DE and WR. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe we'd actually put up the money for Mario nor that he would sign here. When they brought in Meachem and Williams, I got excited that this FO finally had a clue. It kinda sucked to see Meachem walk away, and I really thought it was a matter of time before Mario did the same. But, in the end, seeing Meachem's contract with SD, I was a little relieved they didn't sign him. And now, seeing them bring in Anderson, I'm really glad we didn't land him. Because, I don't think they could have afforded both. So, it was probably one or the other. Although, they may not have considered Anderson till after Meachem and a few other WRs came off the market. IMO, what they've done is effectively address the DE situation. We now have the players on the line to Pressure any passer in the league. And that, makes us a better team than getting a high-priced WR. So, whether by design or not, I think it's worked out for the best to bring in Anderson over Meachem. I just hope my optimism is rewarded next season.

So.. now I'm supposed to read a book while I'm backing up? How is that any safer than talking on my cell phone or drinking a beer while I back up. I just don't get it.