SouthernMan

This was exactly the subject of my (ignored) post from yesterday. How is it they find these gems in the later rounds and as FA walk-ons, but totally whiff on what should be the lowest risk pick that come in the early rounds of the draft. My question is, do Ralph and the bean counters make the final decisions on the high dollar players, and only let the boys in the offices at One Bills Drive decide the FA scrubs and lower round guys. BTW - I might even be inclined to add 2nd rounder Byrd to the list of potential busts. Time will tell. In spite of his 2009 ball-hawking skills in Perry's defensive scheme that made him a rookie phenom, so far he's no more than an average DB in regard to the more pedetrian assignments and duties of an NFL safety. If interested, here's the post from yesterday: http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/123534-good-scouting-micro-management/

The BIG difference is that in the NBA you could conceiveably build the entire starting lineup with 5 seasons. Not only that, the difference between college hoops and the pros is minimal compared to the college-pro transition in football. In other words, you don't usually have the same breaking in period. In the NFL, there are 22 starters, not counting specialists. Not really an apple to apples argument.

A little off topic but..... Anyone else notice this: Imagine one of those fun-house/carnival photo stands that you put your face into the painted image of the circus strongman. Now imagine Playboy tycoon Hugh Hefner doing it. Would look just like Ed Hoculi.

It looks like T.O. might be saying, "they're real, and they're spectacular!"

I don't believe it's the majority who want the Bills to lose - just the bedwetting draftnik types who have nothing better to do than drool over greenhorn college talent every Saturday. I think if you could have a scientific poll, most real fans want the wins. And, in regard to overall effort, it's really better than just "2 straight". The 3 games prior to the wins were losses by a combined 9 points. In the last 6 games, going back to the Jaguars contest, the Bills have outscored opponents 152 to 151 point. These are the signs of a team coming together. A gelling still in it's infancy for sure, but it's promising nonetheless. And yet, there's still a number of supposed Bills fans more interested in the damn draft in April than the actual games. Go figure!

I'm seeing a team that may be turning the corner in their maturity. What I'm witnessing are handful of scrappy guys that were not top draft pickks, but are are just "football players". The kind of lunchbucket guys that are embraced by blue collar Buffalo and could be the foundation for a very good team in the future. I'm thinking of guys from the '86-'87 teams like Talley, Tasker, Ken Jones, Devlin, Metzelaars, Bentley that were hardly household names at the time, but became important elements in the climb to the top - a big part of building that team chemistry. Today I see similarities in the likes of Donald Jones, Fred Jackson, Steve Johnson, Kyle Williams, David Nelson, et al. As bad as the Bills have been drafting in the early part of the draft, they've done a good job with undrafted FAs and mid-round or late picks. How do they miss so badly on these low-risk top choices, but then find these hidden gems. Leads me to believe a lot of the whispers that there's just too much micro-management(meddling)out of Detroit when it comes to the big $$ picks. Can't help but wonder how good this team would be with high round picks that panned out resulting in players now in key contributing roles. Instead we suffer the likes of aftertoughts like McCargo, Losman, McGahee, Maybin, Lynch, Hardy, etc etc etc Sure, all teams miss on a few in he draft, but we're not just talking missing the bullseye - this is completely missing the dartboard. Some may argue for Lynch, but just using his eventual trade value as a guage, it's obvious it was a big "miss". Imagine if the Bills had hit on just half of those picks and had say a top DE and/or LB and maybe something besides a FA rookie offensive tackle. I'd say another DT, but the jury is still out on the seldom used Troup. Imagine the team with three top level players in those key positions. Ralph, are you listening? No? TURN UP THE VOLUME ON YOUR HEARING AID!

Yep. Developing a winning attitude and the team believing in themselves is huge at this point. I can't even believe so-called "fans" want the Bills to lose so they get the top draft choice. Want a stupid mentality! It's not as if garnering that top pick is guaranteed to pay off with the next Brett Favre or Tom Brady and a superbowl trophy. And what the short-sighted nitwits wanting the top choice for a QB are missing is that it isn't even the first position that needs to be addressed in the draft for the Bills! Ryan Fitzpatrick is far from being the weak link on this team. I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice to have a top tier QB, but there are more important issues, and the odds of a QB coming off the draft board and playing lights out pro bowl level are slim to none. Put it this way: if the Bills draft that superstar QB, assuming it take until year 3 to really be up to snuff (and fill the numerous other voids), we're looking at January 2015 (playoff time) before it would pay off any dividends. If you had a house that was falling apart from termite infestation and a limited budget for upkeep and repairs, you don't go out and contract new granite countertops for the kitchen 'cause it will impress the in-laws. Maybe it's not the sexy choice, but the Bills need some premier talent in their front 7 to stop the running game and pressure opposing QBs. Anyone who can't see this is blind and doesn't really understand pro football.

yeah, I've also heard that it was started by some guys from Buffalo. And they're another one of those places with a Buffalo/wing logo, since wings are supposedly their claim to fame. Wouldn't you think that they could have figured out the right wing sauce recipe? Their sauce is not very good, and at the very least, it's not "authentic" Buffalo-style sauce. But, they do sell beef on weck on Wednesdays. Not Charlie the Butcher or Schwabl's, but they're passable. Buffalo's Cafe in the northern 'burbs of Atl (almost the same logo as Taco Mac)have very good authentic sauce. They also have damn good bleu cheese dressing. Unfortunately, they've been getting cheap with the wings. Typically wings are bought by restaurants by the pound, even though they're sold to customers by the piece. What this means is that if they buy the tiny wings, they can get more wing pieces for the same dollar. I've had a couple wings that were barely 2 inches long. I asked the server if the bird was just hatched!! Also, it's a shame that the wing cooks still haven't figured out that it's not cooking the snot out of the wings that makes them crispy, but rather draining them properly. Can't tell you how many times I've asked that they be a little crispy, and they either come to the table as usual (rubbery skin), or they cook them until they're burnt to a crisp with all the tenderness fried right out of them. BTW, I believe Galla's @ 4849 Peachtree Road, in Chamblee still has a good Bills crowd. Owned by a Buffalo guy. Lots of Bills stuff on t he walls. Authentic Buffalo-style wings, pizza, fish frys, beef on weck. http://www.gallaspizza.com/ Sidelines in Marietta used to host a Bills crowd. Don't know if they still do.

I don't think anyone has explained the relevance. Do you know? What is a Nike Pro Combat Uniform Design? Is it the equivilant of a concept car? Is this a design actually being considered? Is it a trial balloon to guage fan reaction? Is it the work of some computer geek with nothing better to do than indulge in his gay little 21st century version of playing with paper dolls? So, someone has a web site with this link. Whatsit mean? And my 2 cents about the design - sometimes less is better. (use best queer guy voice) It's just too busy. To many stripes.

In a reading comprehension test, this gang would fail miserably. if you don't know what "chronilogical" means, look it up [Thurman]. And, in response to the post about the Tampa in Buffalo streak (33 years before playing there!), that came to mind immediately when reading the original post. With the current rotational setup , that should never happen again. If it stays the same, I know the Bills will be back in Atlanta in 2017. We know Detroit will be back in Buffalo in 2018*. And so on. Within the same conference, the divisional positioning means the likelihood of more matchups, which is why Jacksonville has practically become a divisional rival for the Bills. *assuming the Toronto fiasco has expired, Ralph hasn't, and the Bills remain in Buffalo.

You're an idiot. (somebody had to say it)

If the QB was the final piece, or even one of the final pieces to the puzzle I'd say go for it. But waste megamillions on the first pick to watch the guy get beat up, frustrated, and lose confidence is not the answer for the Bills. If they have a solid unit in place, it makes it a lot easier to groom the inexperienced QB or to attract a decent free agent QB. The Bills need an impact player or two on defense. On offense they have a good running game. They may have the makings of a decent receiving corp if the injured Easley comes through on the potential he showed before being injured, and the continued play and improvement of Nelson, Johnson, Parrish, and Evans. And considering the Bills recent draft history, they need to steer clear of the QB position, which historically has been very unpredictable. The NFL scrap heap is littered with "can't miss" QBs taken in the first few picks. The other thing that is never mentioned is that Fitzpatrick is still growing and learning. He's a young QB. When it was Rob Johnson or Losman, all we ever heard was "they just need time". Fitzpatrick has the equivilant of approximately 2 seasons worth of playing under his belt. He's playing pretty good ball right now, and he may show further improvement. And you think the Bills should spend the millions and the precious 1st round pick on a QB?

Haven't read the whole thread, so forgive me if this is being repeated. This "get the first pick" crap is getting old. With that mentality, why not lose every game from now until eternity? First pick every year - yea! This sounds like Leo Roth's stupid column today. Getting the # 1 is not some new form or winning. The idea is to win each contest. That's how you create a winning atmosphere - by actually winning. Secondly, what's the big difference between getting the first overall or say one of the picks out of the next 5? In reality, if they picked at # 5 they should be able to get an impact player and the salary will be exponentially lower than Mr. # 1. And I'm about sick of hearing about Newton, Luck, Mallet, etc. The best teams build from the inside out. Give me a pass rush specialist DE who can put pressure on the opposing QB. By hurrying a QB, you're suddenly getting a whole lot more bang from for the buck from your high priced DBs. How about a pro-bowl caliber linebacker or two? Maybe a center or O-tackle that can give our QB time to make reads and throws. Y'ever notice that nearly every top tier NFL team has at least one all-pro caliber tight end? Fitzpatrick may not be the next coming of Jim Kelly, but he's far from being the weakest link on this team. By taking a QB as a the top pick, you've essentially conceded several more crappy to mediocre years while the kid is being developed. Meanwhile, there's still the glaring weaknesses in the defensive front 7 and the O-line. Personally, I think it's more important that this team develop that winning attitude that they can carry into next season. If they don't screw up the first pick, they should still get an impact player. Even picking at # 5 (for example), they still have 2 picks out of the first 37. Hopefully, they can get some production out of this year's group as well. It's football season for god's sake. I'm rooting for the here and now, not the annual April pageant.

Translation: The NFL doesn't really want another superbowl in Atlanta. I live here. From a tourist standpoint, there's very little in this town. They've got a new aquarium - that's nice And ummmmmmmmm....well, did I mention the new aquarium? I intentionally left out the World of Coca-Cola. Unless you're a nostalgia Coca-Cola memorablia collector type, you can skip that overblown advertisement for Coke. I think the only reason people go there is because they've already done the aquarium. There's the usual stuff like the 2nd rate zoo, science and art museums. There's the strip clubs - not exactly family fare. That's more for the convention crowd. Beyond that, there's not much in Atlanta. The nightlife absolutely blows compared to other major metropolitan cities. There are a few nice restaurants scattered around town. Compared to other major cities, there aren't all that many 5 star restaurants, especially if you're looking for something that's in the middle lots of the action with foot traffic - think Times Square. There is no real central party/entertainment district populated by plenty of revellers where you can feel safe walking the streets. It doesn't exist in Atlanta. If you're into random gang violence and the sound of gunshots in the night, this might be the place!

Are you serious? You'd like to know who these higher ups are? It's not exactly a mystery Red, but I'll give you a hint: there's both a stadium and field house named after him. God bless the old man. I actually think he's a great guy, but he ought to quit micro-managing the team from his Detriot headquarters along with his team of bean counters.

And for all the regular Flutie-Johnson debate that never seems to die, it's interesting to hear an opinion directly from a guy who'd been in the huddle with both and was on the receiving end of passes from each QB. He didn't leave any question that as a player, his preference was Flutie. Regardless, it sounds like another case of the meddling machine from motor city.

Here's a little secret to speed up the customer rep wait - pssst....keep this under your hat. When you get to the voice prompts, just say (clearly) the word "cancel". Watch how fast you get a real person on the other end of the phone! Works every time for me.

So what do you believe? The recent intimations suggesting a long term plan for the Bills residency in WNY, or Ralph's prior quotes regarding the team "going to the highest bidder upon his death", effectly saying that whatever happens, happens, and it's out of his hands. The NFL has to understand that some NFL team locale has got to be at the bottom in terms of economy, population, gate revenue from ticket prices/PSLs,etc. It just so happens that the Bills are in the bottom for all categories. Kinda fitting that their offense, defense, and special teams have all joined that exclusive and rather dubious club. In some ways, the Bills may be in best position possible, compared to past team movement and threats of movement. There just isn't much in the way of viable cities with vacancies waiting to be filled by an NFL club. L.A.? 3 of the 32 existing teams once resided there. 4th time's a charm? After the honeymoon period, it would be the same as it ever was...empty seats, fan apathy, and low TV viewership. Oh by the way, their economy ain't exactly going gangbusters lately. Toronto? I think we have a pretty good handle from the Rogers Center experiments what sort of fan base they'd produce. Anyway, the diehard Canadian fans from those parts prefer the Orchard Park experience, others are devout CFL'ers, and the rest couldn't care less about American football, especially after the first faceoff at Maple Leaf Garden. Any other city that comes to mind would have difficulty, if for no other reason than the economy is in really rough shape. The only real advantage some cities have over Buffalo is the ability to sell private boxes and the like to locally based corporations. Well guess what? When times get rough in the corporate world, the first thing to be cut from the budget are the luxuries like high priced private boxes. This isn't exactly a great economic climate to be marketing a transplanted team. I don't foresee anything that would make sense for moving the team anytime soon.

There's a lot of George Edwards bashing going on this evening, but I wonder how justified it really is. He might totally suck, but how can we truly gauge his skill as a defensive coordinator when he has the Keystone Cops to work with. What defensive coordinator could make this group of journeymen-level players winners? There is not a single star on the defense. Not a one. And don't think Byrd is a star. He had a fluke season in which he played centerfield and racked up some stats. Name one player on the current defense that would have started for the Bills during their glory days. How many would start for today's Patriots or the Saints? We were snake bitten by injuries taking out first stringers the last several years, but our current level of starters is below the "replacements" we were fielding in those times. Might turn out that George Edwards is the suckiest DC ever, but when converted DE Chris Kelsey is all we got to cover tight ends, I don't think we can categorically blame him just yet. If there's any finger pointing going on, it should be directed at all the so-called personnel staff and the bean counters at One Bills Drive who have been making absolutely horrible personnel decisions for 10+ years. I think a monkey with a deck or tarot cards could do better. I don't mean this as a personal attack on the players, because I'm sure they're fine human beings, and give their all, and want to win as badly as we do, but for the most part, they're simply not superbowl-caliber players.

Sorry if this has been covered previously, but after watching yesterday's debacle, I couldn't help but wonder why on earth the Bills switched to a 3-4 scheme before they had the personnel to play it. Don't successful coaches generally try to fit the scheme to the players, rather than the other way around? They barely had enough decent linebackers with the 4-3. Well, actually, they didn't. They sure as hell don't have them in a scheme that calls for 4 linebackers (and ample supply of backups). So instead, we have career defensivve end Chris Kelsey imitating a linebacker, and forced into pass coverage. I almost think it would make more sense to convert "Beast Mode" into a linebacker. If the Bills were so hell bent on going 3-4 this season, why didn't they make a huge splash in the linebacker pool through the draft and free agency? Instead they wait until the 6th round before taking a linebacker and sign some scrubs to fill out their LB squad? This could be a long season.

The other laughable Maybin play came on a Packer's TD pass. Maybin, knowing his bullrush move is non-existent, tries a Bruce Smith-style spin move. Only thing is that a spin move is only effective if they use the opposing blocker for leverage to gain an advantage. The "spin move" Maybin so ineptly executed showed him basically doing a 360 degree turn - in space - while the blocker stood there motionless waiting for Maybin to finish his pirouette. By the time Maybin finished with the dance, he was in exactly the same spot as when he started - face to face with the blocker. Only now, there was zero momentum and Rogers had released the pass. There was a another play in which he was late man in on a tackle, well, actually he just dove at the player after he was already down, and then he engaged in a half-hearted victory dance as if it was his greatest tackle ever. It might have been! I can't believe this guy is still on the roster.

But in some respects, the Bills have drafted well, and done decently in undrafted free agents. They've found some real gems in later rounds, and have gotten good value from undrafted players. It's just their incredible ineptitude for the high-round picks that is so amazing. Other than Lee Evans, they've gotten minimal value from the last decade's first round, where the frequently picked in the top 15 or had multiple picks. They should just let the Bills personnel folks handle rounds 2-7 and free agency. Let the fans, Mel Kiper, Street & Smith's or anyone else with a prospect ranking at their disposal make the picks. Just imagine for a second having on the roster 5 or 6 additional players with pro-bowl talent or something approaching that level. It's just plain weird that the 2 most low-risk methods for adding top players (drafting high 1st round picks and signing proven veteran free agents) the Bills don't have a clue, and yet they find decent players in the bargain bins of the NFL market.

Just watched Marshawn's 1st quarter performance from Detroit game. Just more of the same crap that put him behind Freddie on the depth chart. He is not a good running back. Let me repeat.....NOT A GOOD RUNNING BACK. No vision, terrible change of direction ability, rarely breaks a tackle. Seriously folks....if you didn't know who he was, or that he was a 1st rounder, would you want that player seen last night on your team? If he were only a FA signee, would you for a second think he could make the team? I just wonder if there's any chance he might be cut. I know it sounds out of the question, but why? I think they'd trade him if any team would offer up something as much as a 4th round pick, because that may be about all he's worth. Probably less.

Dick Cunningham. Total pain in the ass.

Since I didn't expect to be there until now, I haven't really paid attention to the tailgate thing. What are the details? What's the cost of ticket? You're not all gonna be sitting there talking to each other with laptops, right? I guess the answer to your question is "both". I'll even bring the wienies and rain ponchos! If there is no game ticket, I wouldn't have much motivation to fight the traffic for the tailgate party.