Typical TBD Guy

Robert Quinn. He's the 3-4 Sam LB of our dreams. Other than Luck, I'm not sure there is a better player for the Bills in this draft.

Why again does the San Francisco metropolitan area need 2 teams? NYC is the only metro area that should have 2. Move the Raiders to LA, Jags to Toronto, and keep everyone else where they are already. Then we can stop talking about relocation nonsense.

Our front office sucks. They don't sign our quality practice squad players to the active roster, thereby letting valuable talent leak out the bottom of this now sinking ship. This is probably a result of Ralph being his usual cheap self, as well as Nix not knowing how to be a real GM in the modern NFL.

It's not all doom and gloom. 4 billionaires (Robert Rich, Jeremy Jacobs, Tom Golisano, and Terry Pegula) have publicly gone on record as stating they would have an interest in buying the Bills and keeping them in Buffalo should the time ever come that the franchise is available for purchase. An additional 2 billionaires have been rumored to have an interest (Danny Wegman and Donald Trump). Plus you have Jim Kelly and his ownership group, which may happen to include any combination of the aforementioned 6. As has already been mentioned, Buffalo has an adequate stadium and a dedicated fanbase already in place. Make the playoffs at least once a decade, and there are no issues with blackouts. Can you say the same for LA or Toronto? It should be noted that the state of California is bankrupt, and that many Canadians are not too fond of the NFL encroaching on their CFL product. So there will probably be no public funding of a new stadium, which means that a new out-of-town ownership group must pay an additional ~$1.5 billion - compared to the Buffalonian ownership competition - for their own stadium plus the relocation fee.

No, not at all. I actually didn't realize your iron intake from lentils would be that mild. Cases of severe iron overloading from diet alone are usually pretty rare, anyway, since only a small percentage of iron from food actually gets absorbed (the rest just gets crapped out). Too much iron intake is mainly of concern when people take specific iron supplements. Do keep in mind, however, that the only ways absorbed iron exits the body is through sweating, hair growth, nail growth, skin cell shedding, and blood loss. So it's a much slower removal process than most other excesses of vitamins and minerals which can usually be pissed out in large amounts. In all honesty, Sage, I strongly discourage you from attempting this diet for a full year - even with your brother's advice. Why not just one full month? There's a reason why they say one should eat a "well-balanced" diet. Even assuming lentils and vitamin supplements provide you with the full range of nutrients (which I highly doubt...for example, have you properly accounted for all 22 amino acids?), the human digestive system just won't absorb these nutrients at the same efficiency as with a combination of diverse foods. Plus you're in college and a poor diet can really screw with the energy levels needed to sustain a full course workload. My recommendation: try a strict vegan, gluten-free diet for a year. If planned right, you will easily meet all of your caloric and nutritional needs while at the same time depriving yourself of all the "food luxuries" you aim to eschew. I respect your reasons for wanting to attempt this lentil-only diet, and I certainly don't doubt your willpower...I'm just questioning the safety of it all.

Good post. Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin, so it's really hard to take in dangerous levels provided one is drinking a LOT of water. Iron is a different story, however. The only real way to flush out very excessive iron levels from the body is through forced blood loss. My biggest concern with Sage's proposed diet is the mistaken belief that one can just magically get all of the essential nutrients from daily vitamins. The absorption process of the small intestine is not nearly so simple. Bottom line: consult a qualified nutritionist before embarking on this diet. Maybe try a strict vegan or vegetarian diet instead? Hey if you are really into this "deprivation for enlightenment" experience, you can try going without alcohol or sexual activity (though I'd recommend waiting until after college to do this).

So...let's see: 1. Team hasn't made the playoffs since the 1999 NFL season. 2. Team hasn't won a playoff game or a division title since the 1995 NFL season. 3. The future of the franchise in Buffalo is in serious doubt. 4. The team gives up one home game a year to a bunch of indifferent Canucks. 5. Uninspiring new GM hire proceeds to draft an underperforming skill position player in the first round, make Cornell Green his marquee free agent signing, then pay Christina Kelsay like she's an elite LB. 6. Uninspiring new HC hire chooses to start Trent Edwards for the season and has his team playing hard for him despite finding novel ways each week to choke in close games (a la Bills performances from the early years with Jauron, another loser HC whom Bills fans initially praised). 7. Only 3 wins this season that came against a trio of equally perennially underachieving 21st century franchises - Lions, Bengals, and Browns. 8. Massive roster holes at RT, TE, most of the defense's front 7, and now possibly SS and CB. 9. Current 14-game losing streak to Patriots with no end in sight. 10. Uniform leftovers from the Tom Donahoe era still look like ****. And 60% of Bills fans are happy with the Buffalo Bills?! PATHETIC.

San Antonio and Toronto. Plus LA wants two teams, not just one.

How about that nasty hit Bills OLB Eddie Robinson had on Jets QB Chad Pennington back in 2002?

5 players. Maybe more. See my earlier post in this thread. Care to answer my post? Care to explain how each of our rookie front 7 draft picks plus Dwan Edwards will fit in a 4-3? You really want to throw all that out for Christina? The Vikings completely abused our vaunted 4-3 last Sunday. Teams are still running for at least 150 yds each week and facing little pass rush. Seems to me that her amazing play as a 4-3 DE isn't making that big of a difference. No opposing teams are altering their game plans for this sissy. Stick to the !@#$ing plan.

I'd be okay with going back to the 4-3 if someone can convince me that the following 5 players can be effective in this system: 1. Troup, 3-4 NT...4-3 DT 2. Carrington, 3-4 DE...4-3 DE or DT? 3. Edwards, 3-4 DE...4-3 DE or DT? 4. Moats, 3-4 OLB...4-3 OLB or DE? 5. Batten, 3-4 OLB...4-3 OLB or DE? That's 4 draft picks and 1 expensive free agent we'd be throwing away because our 4yr/$24 million princess, Christina Kelsay, can't handle her OLB assignments. In my opinion, just stick with the original plan in the offseason. For one thing, the 3-4 is a superior scheme simply because of the greater number of pass rushing options. But also, Nix will have another offseason to add 4-5 more draft picks and 1-2 quality free agents. We can get this thing turned around quickly if we stick with the plan. Williams is a beast no matter what system we play, and Posluszny is versatile as well. A healthy and slimmed down Stroud can adequately finish out the last 2 years of his contract, and Maybin...well okay this loser sucks in any defensive system and so doesn't really factor into this decision...but for what it's worth, his best hope of making it in the NFL is as a 3-4 OLB.

Not really. For one thing, San Diego needs a NEW STADIUM to attract the Bills. If the citizens and politicians don't have it in them to get one built for their own Chargers, what makes anyone think they will later do so for the Bills? Furthermore, having the Chargers remain in the general region probably reduces the urgency to fill the San Diego market, as one can assume a sizable portion of the San Diego fanbase will still remain loyal to the Chargers. There are also the travel issues and division realignment issues involved with moving the Bills to the West Coast.

INJURE TOM BRADY.

You should seriously have a talk with your fiance about the option of abortion. My advice would be to wait until you have a career or at least a steady job before playing grownup. The financial and emotional toll that just one child brings is gigantic. Also, why marry so young? Play the field a bit to really see the variety of women that are out there for you and with which you might have greater compatibility. Don't just pick the first girl who decides to put out. Also, as most young adults get older, they undergo a lot of personality changes from age 20 or so until 30.

I appreciate the more cerebral comments that Fitzpatrick makes in these press conferences. He'll usually make a few technical comments here and there to let us know what went wrong on certain plays or with the general gameplan, which reassures fans like me that these guys are at least capable of making good use of Monday's film review sessions in order to learn from mistakes and get better. The results on offense so far support my theory. As a unit, they've made steady progress since benching/cutting Trent and did a great job with yesterday's second half adjustments. Wish I could say the same for the defensive crew. Every week, it's "guys are just making too many mistakes" and "we've got to play better" with no substantial week-to-week improvement. This is football, not !@#$ing rocket surgery. You're being paid millions to learn the 3-4 / 4-3 hybrid assignments. So !@#$ing learn them already!

Golisano is WAY better than Wilson. It's not even close. For one thing, Golisano actually cares about the WNY community and wants to see Buffalo's pro sports teams remain long term. For another, Golisano's only financial request has long been that the team be capable of breaking even - not even making a profit. Wilson, on the other hand, routinely makes millions per year regardless of the on-field product. In Golisano's case, his cries of "small market" status are fair given the very different nature of NHL vs. NFL finances. Also, the fact of the matter is that the Sabres have been way more successful than the Bills in the time that Golisano became owner. 4 playoff series victories, 3 playoff seasons, 2 division titles, 1 President's Trophy. Regier and Ruff, despite their obvious faults and culpability for the Sabres' recent woes, are widely respected around the NHL and would have jobs the day they are fired. It's hard to fault Wilson for the Donahoe disaster (though he was rumored by Mortenson and Co. to be a major meddler during those years), but no one was clamoring for Levy/Jauron/Nix/Gailey...other than the bumbling Bills. In Golisano's case, his hockey people have generally failed him; in Wilson's case, he has mostly himself to blame for the sorry state of his front office personnel. Oh yeah, and Golisano is owner of the Buffalo Bandits pro lacrosse team, perennial playoff contenders and 2008 Champion's Cup winners. To rabid WNY lacrosse fans like myself, that matters a lot. EDIT: didn't mean for this to be such a pro-Golisano rant...I actually don't think he's been a great owner...it's just that I think Ralph Wilson is a REALLY bad owner.

Flowers was a late 1st round pick, lasted 6 years in the league, started 6 games, and had 5 sacks plus an interception. At this point, I'm not so sure Maybin ever plays in another NFL regular season game. I think the OP has a solid argument here. At least guys like Patulski and Mike Williams played for some years and made some meaningful contributions here and there. Epic busts no doubt, but it's hard to fault Buffalo's front office for making those picks when they did. Maybin might have had a late first round grade for a few front offices, but was probably a third rounder for the vast majority of credible NFL front offices. No one but the Bills was dumb enough to pick Maybin that high. I would also generally rate draft busts as more significant the closer they are in time to the present day, as football scouting has gotten much more sophisticated over the years.

I wasn't implying that the Bills never made the playoffs from 1967-1986, only that their futility back then was on the approximate level of putridity as the 21st century Bills have been now. 3 measly playoff seasons (and 1 playoff victory) in a 21-year span kind of reasserts my point, don't you think? My point is and has been that Ralph Wilson - with respect to the on-field product - is one of the least competent owners in pro sports history. He's probably a Lou Saban and Bill Polian away from being THE definitive worst, and the sad thing is that meddlesome, overbearing Ralph ran those guys off the same way he does with all sorts of other decent football personnel - Knox, Phillips, Butler, etc.. What else you got for us besides your trusty sports almanac information? Another Jason Peters rant? A funny Mike Leach quote? Get bent, fu ckface.

No offense, but anyone who remotely follows the Bills and the NFL has already surmised that the team has a somewhat better than 50% chance of staying in the Golden Horseshoe region. The only 3 realistic options have long been Buffalo, Toronto, and Los Angeles. Why not ask more specific, salient questions for Ralph to get a better gauge on that percentage?

How about just asking some direct, pointed questions about the team's drafting failures or about the franchise's future? If Ralph chooses to prevaricate or remain silent on these questions, then report that. But at least ask some !@#$ing relevant questions! At least attempt to avoid getting nothing but cliched Jauronesque responses. Is this really that big of a demand from our local sports media? If so, maybe these guys need to find another line of work.

And thanks for coming to this message board and taking some heat. I give you a lot of credit for doing that. But my 3 questions remain...

Well I guess that answers why they wanted to keep Kelsay, but not why they gave him that much money to stay around. This franchise constantly complains about its small market status, but then wrecklessly pays way more than market value for marginal players. How about my other three questions? 1. Why is Modrak still on the payroll? 2. Where does the team expect to be playing after July 30, 2013? 3. Why won't he allow Jim Kelly's financial group to buy into a minority ownership of his franchise? I just read Wawrow's article, and it was predictably more of the same. Our local sports media coverage is just as terrible and irrelevant as the team.

Did you actually ask Ebenezer Wilson tough questions? Such as: 1. What was the reasoning behind Kelsay's contract? 2. Why is Modrak still on the payroll? 3. Where does the team expect to be playing after July 30, 2013? 4. Why won't he allow Jim Kelly's financial group to buy into a minority ownership of his franchise? Or should we expect more of the usual, like: 1. Team isn't playing well and needs to execute better. 2. More talented players are needed. 3. We're staying the course and have faith in coaching staff. 4. Keep buying tickets and stop asking questions.

And who was the owner of the Bills from 1967-1986? That's TWENTY !@#$ING YEARS on top of the ELEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING that we have right now. You !@#$ing Ralph Wilson apologists disgust me. The bottom line is that he is one of the worst owners in pro sports history, and he doesn't give a !@#$ that the team likely moves to LA/Toronto after his death. Ralph Wilson is Al Davis without the Super Bowl rings.

To answer your 3 questions: 1. While casual, "off-the-record" remarks about women's bodies and sexual performances are common among frat guys, actual physical documentation of such remarks is most definitely not. 2. No idea, but I'm guessing that Ms. Karen Owen is a 12 credit-per-semester communications major and not some quadruple major engineering student. 3. Her parents are probably more concerned for their daughter's health than anything else: potential alcoholism, STD's, and date rape on top of the intense depression and shame that she is undoubtedly feeling right now. On top of that, they can't be too happy with her career prospects right now. Companies and grad schools tend to look down upon irresponsible and inconsiderate behavior (as well as disparaging comments about Asians). You completely missed the point . It's not about her promiscuity, it's about publicly objectifying and denigrating 13 young men (particularly the young men who didn't rank so highly on her list).