ChasBB

Polian's Career: Buffalo Bills Playoffs '88, '89, '90, '91, '92, '93 Missed Playoffs '86, '87 Carolina Panthers Playoffs '96 Missed Playoffs '94, '95 Indianapolis Colts Playoffs '00, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08 Missed Playoffs '97, '98, '01 '09 -- 5-0 so far That's 15 playoff appearances in 22 seasons as GM and soon to be 16 in 23 seasons. Very impressive.

Is there magical part of the country where a weak offensive line, a weak defensive line, a weak running game, and laid-back defensive scheme can be successful? I know what you're saying -- you'd better be able to run and stop the run on a blustery December day, but sound football is sound football in all corners of the country.

I think it would be a mistake to assume your GM must have been an NFL coach. Not saying that is a bad quality for a GM by any means -- just saying there are other paths to becoming a successful GM. Consider Bill Polian's path - http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-62...nd-winding.html. Now his path did include a bit of collegiate coaching, but it was just a small piece of how he became who he was. A GM has to be well-traveled, a businessman, a deal maker, a salesman, have an eye for talent, and understand the game, too. He's got to have ALL of these abilities and not simply be an ex-coach.

Why not?! There is nothing to lose by trying Kelly (assuming he wants to take on that role).

Let's see what Hamden can do. That would make me watch, at least.

Nice -- 11 games remaining in the season and Ralph is essentially saying we're going to just ride it out with a lame duck coach who has no prayer of winning many games. 11 games! How do you just throw away the season like that? OK, barring a miracle, an interim is not going to get this team to the playoffs, either, but psychologically, it would be so much easier to watch this team under an interim coach for 11 weeks than Jauron.

OK, this season Bobby April has certainly not done anything to enhance his status. He seemed brilliant last season, but doesn't seem to have it going on this year and one can argue that his special teams are the reason we are not 3-2 instead of 4-1. However, having said that, I would STILL take April as Interim HC over a full season of Jauron.

So true -- gotta get the new guy in place before you tell the old guy to walk.

Here it is 7:42 PM and he has not been fired yet. Here's hoping it is because they are inking the contract for the new HC.

It's beyond ridiculous. Edwards is just as bad as Dick. "I have to look at the tape." "We need to correct our mistakes." "Blah, Blah, Blah" Just watching Denver defeat the Pats*. Nice emotion by the HC. Must be nice.

In case anyone doesn't recall this -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN1fN3WlhgE...feature=related (filmed at the old Rockpile)

WGR "Drive of the Game" -- 7 plays, 15 yards, field goal -- says it all.

Also, what are they doing in the training room/weight room? They just seem to be weak. It's a tough call about training camp. Hate to see guys go down for the year in August, too.

Very glad to hear that Ralph is pissed! That means he still cares at least. My concern has been that he Ralph had disconnected with the team's success, so good to hear this.

If this is even remotely true -- that Ralph is negotiating with people -- then he's essentially writing off the 2009 season. The Bills can pick up and leave anytime as the lease is essentially in a year-to-year phase (http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/sto.../03/story2.html) so there is effectively nothing tying Ralph to Buffalo. If this is true, then there will be no firing of Jauron or any real concern given to the losses. It just doesn't matter to Ralph *if* he is really negotiating the sale of the team to a Los Angeles interest. I hope this story is false.

Hey, that's not a bad idea! Has a coach ever in the history of the NFL been fired in the MIDDLE of a game? I say fire Dick at halftime! It would be history-making!

Six guys?!!! Six f'ing guys?! C'mon. Seven-Eleven interviews more people than that while looking for people to dispense Slurpies. WTF? That's not a coaching search. What the hell kind of effort is that -- 6 guys? Unreal.

I have ALWAYS held this opinion. EVERY season should start out with the goal of being league champions. If that is NOT the goal then WHAT THE HELL ARE TEAMS PLAYING FOR?!! It's a total crock to have any lesser goal. True, as fans, we tend to lower our expectations to merely having a playoff appearance after a 10-year drought, but the bottom line is being champs is what it is all about. I love Ryan's approach to the game. This is how it is supposed to be. Re-building is BS -- especially in the age of free agency.

Yes, in retrospect, Levy has made some horrible decisions that make him no better than Donahoe. Let's face it -- Levy was a very good special teams coach and a decent motivator -- a quality that is very important and not to be dismissed, so I don't want to totally bash Levy here, but the fact is that Ted Marchibroda was the brains behind that powerful offense. Levy was a decent game manager and performed his role well and got those around him to work hard and effectively, but I don't think he was any sort of a coaching genius when it came to X's and O's. The HC should be both a motivator and a very good X's and O's guy and needs to understand all phases of the game as Belichick does and not just defense or just offense or just special teams. Whatever guy fits that description is the guy we are looking for.

It's never an easy decision. I remember when Marv Levy was hired that a lot of people said "oh, no -- not another re-tread". And he worked out pretty well (though he did inherit quite a bit of talent and had the best GM in the business). So, there's just no certain way to know how a guy is going to work out at HC. On the other hand, you've just got to wonder how thoroughly the guys they have hired have been evaluated. Apparently not carefully enough.

Agree. Why not use Roscoe in a similar way the Patriots use Welker? One of Welker's biggest assets is his shiftiness to make the first guy miss on those quick tosses on the line of scrimmage. He makes the 1st guy miss, picks up maybe 8-12 yards and moves the chains. Seems like Roscoe could be used that way. Roscoe can make that 1st tackler miss. And that type of throw doesn't require Trent to locate his small receiver over large linemen and others.

It's Wilson's team! Why the hell is ANYONE rushing the owner off the podium? Ralph should have said "get your hands off me, next question please". Ralph is being "handled" just like our worthless political leaders -- too much.

"If" we lose to Cleveland? Do you mean "When" we lose to Cleveland? Dick will not win another game this season so long as he remains the HC.

Exactly!

Top 10 rants: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G17zp0_26xU...feature=related