Bob in STL

Thanks for making me laugh.

good comments but clarify what you mean by LB $? Are you suggesting his pay would be different if he was a LB versus a DE?

Easy to look back isn't it. Eric Flowers was drafted by John Butler about 100 years ago so let's get off of that one please. Why not lament about drafting Booker Moore or Walt Patulski? "McCelvin" might have a good career ahead of him. How abut giving him at two full seasons before you throw him over board. We have been through the Maybin-Orakpo-Cushing-Oher thing a million times. I personally liked all of the above better than Maybin. We have who we have. Time to move forward.

We need blockers. Did you miss the 2009 season. We need offensive tackles. Unless we can get a legitimate NFL caliber starting LT in free agency, we will have to draft one in round 1 or 2.

I agree. Draft linemen on both sides of the ball and build a foundation. Parcells does this everywhere he goes. The Jets did it. Imagine Sanchez with our line? The Blueprint to success is right in our face. To compete in the AFC North you need to be string in the trenches.

So Ralph offers a guy a 35% raise, the guy doesn't take it, and then goes to one of the wealthest clubs at the time .. because that club's owner broke an agreement that Ralph would not break ... and you blame Ralph for being cheap? Then you believe that this incident is the reason why Scott Norwood misses a FG in the SB, against that same team 25 years later. Makes sense to me.

Lets blame Ralph for EVERY single player that left here over the 50 years. The coaches and GM had nothing to do it.

You need to understand the situation. Back then there was not a common draft. College players were drafted by both leagues. That was tough enough for the upstart AFL to have to compete with the NFL for rookies. Maybe Ralph should have given him a raise but none of the owners would have taken part in a bidding war either. Ralph did them a favor and sent a message for the better of the league at that time. About that same time Ralph was helping to negotiate a sweet TV deal for the NFL. His lending money to help Al Davis in Oakland and the Sullivans in Boston (Pats*) were key to keeping the league together. Ralph is in the HoF because he was a key builder of this league. He works as a partner with his fellow owners for the better of the league and the fans. Today he is no longer well connected in the league. He is not buddies with Jones, Synder and that other clown in Boston. He is not perfect. He has made mistakes, but your barking up the wrong tree on this example.

Gogolak's jumping was a major moment. Another one was when Joe Namath signed with the Jets instead of the NFL St. Louis Cardinals. The NFL really took notice of this. A few years later Namath of course went on to lead the Jets to the first AFL Super Bowl win in SB III. Joe "Willie" Namath gauranteed the win against Don Shula's powerful Baltimore Colts. I was so proud of the Jets. Back then you rooted for the AFL no matter what. It's different now of course.

Not from the NFL ... They picked up Cookie Gilcrest from the CFL and he was probabaly the best all around football player in the league. Maybe both leagues? He loved to block and seemed to want to hurt people. He had tailback speed and could block like a pulling gaurd. He was bigger than most linebackers and stronger than most lineman. He was our first 1,000 yard rusher. He could catch and throw. He even kicked for the Bills for awhile! Off of the field and in the locker room he was troublesome. He was always asking for more money and looking for ways to make money. One year Ralph let him sell Christmas Trees in front of the Rockpile! (Rockpile = War Memorial Stadium) They traded him to Denver which was the worst team at the time. He had one more good season and then he started to fade. Great stuff. The Bills had some of the best players to ever play in the AFL.

bobcat in hibernation?

I was reported in a recent news article. First Buddy said he did not favor one years wonders (reference to Maybin, and also said that Modrak was pushing for Cushing. We need to have Nix stand up and be accountable for the draft, just like Donahoe was, and Butler before that, and Polian before that. There is no one to blame since Donohoe left because no one was fully responsible for running the football side of the business at OBD.

I third this.

I am amazed at the press, especially CNN/SI and ESPN, for bashing the entire city because the team has struggled. There is no accountability in the media. So much BS is printed and reprinted that the BS start to become real. I was once told by a very wise person that "Perception is Reality" ... Now I get it.

What we don't know is who has been making the picks over the last 10 years? Donahoe was in charge fo the draft during his regime. Afetr that there was this "Inner Circle" consensus for making decisons. So who made ther calls? Levy? Brandon? Ralph? Jauron? all of the above? some of the above? Modrak alegedly did not get invited into the "Inner Circle" until last year. It just amazes me at how poorly this FO operates. It is hard to blame Modrak when he is clearly not the GM. Reports have already leaked out that he did not like the Maybin pick and was big on Cushing. Buddy knows if Modrak is competent or not. If he keeps him around then there is your answer. The more important thing is that Buddy will be responsible and accountable for ALL of the picks here on in. Keep Ralph and Brandon out of it. Buddy makes the picks. He should only be listening to Modrak and his people for their analysis, and of course Gailey and his staff for their needs. Modraks reputation is still very good but his track record has been tainted by Donahoe's flamboyance and the past crimes of the "Inner Circle".

Please stop making sense. Its so much more fun to bash an old man.

Perfect! I am happy that some Nix has some gonads. After 4 years of Jauron this could be interesting.

You missed one. ESPN radio played Nix ranting about the "15 calls a day" and his comment on Oakland. They are calling him Slim Pickens ... some people think it is funny and so do I. There is just something about Buddy that I like. He Reminds me of a Southern-style Polian but without the charm school training.

Sorry for you. I will make the trek back to WNY and go to at least two home games next season, and forever, until I can't physically do it.

Buh-bye

This could make sense. Is it possible that Marty may have wanted to be coach and GM? Something bad happened in San Diego involving Marty and AJ .... Buddy must know exactly what it is. Thanks Jimbo ... er uh Nevergiveup!

I would much rather have Marty who maybe would have brought in his son to be OC. Marty has turned around several moribund franchises in the past. What could Ralph have been uncomfortable about? Oh well ....

BS. Most of the posters on the board were against Frazier. Here are some of the many criticisms: - He has been called Jauron Lite, - Called uninspired and unemotional, - Would rather keep Fewell, - Hate the Tampa 2, - Anyone can coach with his talent at Minnesota, - Rather have a offensive minded coach, - Rather have someone with HC experience, - We already tried Williams and Mularky. I would have been happy to get Frazier but I am willing to give Gailey a chance.

Wow. Is that new math?

Hangartner was a good pick up. He was solid, steady and reliable.