Tolstoy

This is a great post. Dead on.

I am in complete agreement. Nice post. Whitner and McCargo have not been hearing all about themselves for the last four months, like all the other top tens on everyone's mock drafts. I think all that press can ruin a guy's head, making him think he has arrived when he hasn't even gotten started. Every single player drafted needs to improve to play in the NFL. Most have to get stronger, and all have to study technique, playbooks and film. That is why I kind of like these picks. Both players we drafted in Round 1 seem like students of the game: hardworkers who will put the time in to improve.

This is correct. To all those of you who are complaining about the Bill's draft, please try to follow this: You are complaining that the Bills drafted badly today, not because the players they drafted won't turn out well (afterall, as you admit, no one knows how these players will turn out), but because the players did not represent "good value." In other words, the Bills could have had the same players by trading down. Now I want you all to ask yourself one simple question: What is the objective "value" standard that you are using to judge the worth of the players that we drafted? Is it Kiper's mock draft? Kirwan's? Brandt's? Scouting Inc's? Some other organization that sells its rankings to the media? On what grounds can you claim that these sources have a notion of a given player's value that is objectively better than the collective opinion of the football men in the Bills organization? More to the point, on what grounds can you claim that any other NFL team uses these same sources to derive their notion of a given player's value? Other teams rely on their own scouts for player rankings. If the Bills think a player is awfully good, don't you think it is possible that other teams feel the same way? Of course, with all the secrecy going on, the Bills don't know how other teams have players ranked. So from the Bills' perspective, it is entirely likely that other teams have also seen the same tape and combine workouts, and have arrived at the same opinion. In other words, isn't it entirely possible that one or more teams other than the Bills had their eyes on the same players that we drafted? PUT SIMPLY, WHY DO YOU ASSUME THAT EVERY OTHER NFL TEAM IS FOLLOWING KIPER'S MOCK DRAFT?

To all those of you who are complaining about the Bill's draft, please try to follow this: You are complaining that the Bills drafted badly today, not because the players they drafted won't turn out well (afterall, as you admit, no one knows how these players will turn out), but because the players did not represent "good value." In other words, the Bills could have had the same players by trading down. Now I want you all to ask yourself one simple question: What is the objective "value" standard that you are using to judge the worth of the players that we drafted? Is it Kiper's mock draft? Kirwan's? Brandt's? Scouting Inc's? Some other organization that sells its rankings to the media? On what grounds can you claim that these sources have a notion of a given player's value that is objectively better than the collective opinion of the football men in the Bills organization? More to the point, on what grounds can you claim that any other NFL team uses these same sources to derive their notion of a given player's value? Other teams rely on their own scouts for player rankings. If the Bills think a player is awfully good, don't you think it is possible that other teams feel the same way? Of course, with all the secrecy going on, the Bills don't know how other teams have players ranked. So from the Bills' perspective, it is entirely likely that other teams have also seen the same tape and combine workouts, and have arrived at the same opinion. In other words, isn't it entirely possible that one or more teams other than the Bills had their eyes on the same players that we drafted? PUT SIMPLY, WHY DO YOU ASSUME THAT EVERY OTHER NFL TEAM IS FOLLOWING KIPER'S MOCK DRAFT?

The 2006 World Cup kicks off!

Sam Johnson. He is a an 8 pounder with good verticals and excellent hand to mouth coordination. Rooting reflex is strong and quick. Explosive bowel movements. High motor. Good upside. A bit light right now for an NFL player, but scouts project him at 250 pounds in twenty years. He should be available in the late rounds of tthe 2026 draft. God I hate this draft lunacy.

Hey Nervous guy: What I said actually makes sense! It's the truth! Don't put me in the category of the Frenchy blatherhead. Please.

Ok Monsieur. The problem with all of these silly references is that there is not even a remote connection with the truth. Heidegger was not Hitler's right hand man: he was simply Rector of Freiburg for a few years, temporarily supporting the Nazi cause. Even if we were to see an analogy between Jauron and Hitler (though I fail to see it), there simply is no connection between Heidegger and Marv Levy. None. None at all. It is a silly attempt at pretense that fails miserably because very few here know who Heidegger is. Oh, and by the way, Lacan will tell you that the Real cannot be rendered in the Symbolic (e.g., language)--it represents a rupture of the Symbolic. Hence, if the Real is supposed to be represented in your post, it has yet escaped. Lord almighty: this board is getting miserable. We need more football.

There is nothing worse than someone trying to appear more intelligent than they are. People who truly know Heidegger or Lacan or foreign languages or Odin don't feel a need to drop their names at the Buffalo Bills message board, and certainly not in such a blatantly gratuitous fashion.

I do the academic philosophy myself, as a professor at a liberal arts college. I found out long ago that the profession is such that there is very little of the genuine stuff going on anymore. It can get rather depressing. What area of philosophy are you interested in?

Hey, are you an academic philosopher, or just a lover of wisdom in the genuine sense of the word?

During the superbowl years, the Bills had their share of star players. Just as important, however, were the role players who we rarely heard about--guys with character who did their jobs in the trenches. Every championship team has these guys, but these guys rarely get any press. What is my point? I think that of these two needs--(1) getting star players, and (2) filling out the team with excellent character guys who can play--the latter is more difficult. However, that is precisely what Marv is trying to do through free agency--and getting slaughtered for it. We want big name free agents for top dollar; granted, they are important, but so too are the types of players that Marv is already bringing in. Give him a chance. I suspect that Marv knows that there is no easy way to build a championship team. It has to be done from the ground up.

My impression is that, more so than other sports, free agent spending splurges rarely if ever bring an NFL team to the promised land. What is wiser is careful selection of one or two free agents who can offer a lot, and fill some holes in your lineup. See the NE Patriots the last few years. I have no hard facts at my fingertips here, however. What this means is that we should not expect the Bills to go crazy in free agency, nor should we be disappointed if they only grab a couple of players. If the Bills are going to get good, it will be through good drafting, good cap management, and good coaching. Free agency is but a part of the puzzle. That being said, I hope to God they grab a good OLman and DLman.

Just speculation: Assuming that Marv has some effect on Jauron, I think things look good for JP Losman if he can win the starting job. Why? Marv is not the kind of guy to switch QB's week to week. I recall in the Kelly years, even when Jimbo was declining, Marv would say "Jim Kelly is our starting QB, end of discussion." Moreover, if memory serves, he also followed the same policy with Todd Collins. In other words, he gives his QB's his vote of confidence, and allows them to have bad weeks. For Losman (if he has the right stuff) faith from his coaching staff and regular playing time is all he needs.

I know this is unfair, since you asked for an "annual event," but I have to go with the Soccer World Cup, since at least this year, it beats out all other events for me.

Marv Levy and Dick Jauron, two very good football minds, are working their tails off right now to make the Bills a Superbowl contender.

Is it just me, or does everyone else feel like we are going through a terrible Bills information famine? I guess this is the norm for the offseason, I just forget every year how bad it is.

Boy, I wish we could fire a lot of these fans, the way they have been reacting. But no, one doesn't dare criticize the sacred 12th man! That would be undemocratic. That would fail to pander to the masses. Can't do that. Go! go! 12th man! We may be all beer drinking slobs without a clue, but we know what's best!

Bates or Haslett sounds good to me. No Gray for you? Even though he had one bad season? Couldn't it be lack of run-stopping talent that killed him?

I do think it was time for Donahoe to go (not necessarily Mularkey), but I suspect we poisoned the well for Donahoe. We were on his back constantly until he lashed out and became defensive. He is a good football mind, but could no longer operate in this environment.

You know what I think? I think that we are so impatient that we do not allow a team to develop properly. We want instant gratification, and when it doesn't come, we carp and carp and carp and carp until there is paranoia in the front office and on the sidelines (how many of you could make sound decisions with this kind of constant rabid impatience and scrutiny?) and everyone gets fired. Then, we start all over again. No immediate results? No immediate wins? Carp and carp and carp and carp. Front office and coach fired (or resigns because of hostility of fans and city). What is absolutely absurd about this is that this time, we haven't even given the guys a chance. Not one day in office, before we have crucified the coach and hung Marv Levy in effigy. I think the problem with some cities is that the fans have no patience, and they force owners and GM's to act hastily. Fans can and do cause their own misery. So eat your hearts out Bills fans. I say, three cheers for Levy and Jauron. Go get 'em fellas. I'll judge you after three full seasons, and while I might criticize here and there, I will never go overboard and start calling for your heads until then.

Nice post kid. Really. We can't go anywhere if we are constantly bludgeoning our coach and GM over the heads. The atmosphere gets poisoned, and they become defensive.

It seems to me that whether we hire a retread OC and DC or some fresh young blood (or, in the case of Jerry Gray, keep the old), what we need is: on offense: (1) someone willing to work with JP and help him improve, but also to know when to pull the plug if need be (2)a guy committed to a solid running game, with a good O-line, and a history of some innovation in the passing game on defense: (1) a guy with a solid track record of producing top caliber defenses--period. By the way, I think we ought to give Gray another shot, provided we give the guy what he needs--another Pat Williams in the middle! Thoughts? Am I asking for too much?

Nice post.

Folks, we are all overreacting. Here is why: (1) The media could be wrong--it has happened before! (See the 2000 election: ABC News--"Gore has won Florida!") (2) Even if Jauron is the HC, let Marv speak about the hiring process. Let Jauron introduce himself to the fans. Since when do you judge a man from hearsay, and not for yourself?? Lets hear about his program and plans, his OC and DC, etc. All of these things might make a difference in how we feel about the hire. Finally, I would like to say that with Jauron, you get a defensive-minded coach. All things being equal, I would rather have that than an offensive-minded coach. Why? Defense wins championships, and with a defensive-minded coach, it is less likely for the defense to be ignored, and more likely to get a championship defense.