brihs2005

I would feel better about the odds of JP being successful because he watched Patton if it can be verified that DB watched Dr. Strangelove

BASTARD!!! Had me fooled for the first time today... Nuts!

It is important to recognize that our line is not the strongest in pass blocking, but is getting stronger in terms of opening up holes for Willis. This is not a large concern to me as it is possible to scheme for pass blocking to make up for the lack of talent on our line in that department. Someone can correct my memory but i do recall several formations with three players split wide not far from the tackle. Those players that were often in that formation were Moulds, Shelton, and Aiken? They would typically chip defenders slowing them down and then breaking into their routes. Also tight-ends (if we ever get any of those healthy on the roster) may add to helping our o-line in pass protection by chipping and then finding empty space in the secondary. I do remember we held Jason Taylor tackle-less once this year by gameplanning our blocking schemes around him. Similar attempts in this fashion may happen in order to bring our line up to par. I like that we have physical receivers that are willing to block (i guess the knock on Matt Jones if he ends up coming here is that he doesn't like to block) and who can be effective when called upon to do it, whether it is downfield or at the line of scrimmage. I will surely have my eye out for our pass blocking schemes at the start of the season. Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

While not wanting to seem too confident that the Shelton deal will go down in some fashion, i think our O-line is settled at this exact moment. LJ,BA,TT,CV,MW Now guard becomes less of a need, and may mean that we do not need to trade up to select Baas or a solid guard. May we now be focusing on selecting the best available center in the second round to hopefully come in and start? or to replace teague at the end of his contract? I think we have more glaring needs but wouldn't surprise me. There are a lot of ways we can go with our first pick, it will be an exciting draft day (or at least it better be or i will scream).

"Dillhole"

I appreciate advice from everyone and anyone on this topic. I am currently finishing my undergraduate degree and a prof. of mine has been a great influence to me. I am his student assistant and have been for the past two years. He has become an advisor, a mentor, and a friend over time. I want to do something nice for him considering i am leaving the school and the state (currently residing in Indiana) for good in May. He is a young guy, early to mid 30's (married with kids), loves to ride and work on his several bikes. I wonder if there is some type of gift i can give this prof. that has meant so much to me. Looking to spend between $50-$100 (or a little more if the gift is worth it). Any advice on what someone may like, whether its a novelty/collectible item or something else entirely would be a great help. Thanks All.

In 2004 he was the only returning starter on the offensive side of the ball. Yeah we need help on the line but i will be smiling from ear to ear if we get this kid. Ten years from now it will be the best second round pick in franchise history... do we pass that up for a need (that could be filled in other ways).

Nothing new to report

I heard this on the radio this morning driving to class and thought it was worthy of people's opinions. The commentators named the great sports venues in the major sports where there is a certain aura about them. They are places that sports fans go to see a game, not because of the teams but because of the location. The stadiums they named are as follows... Yankee Stadium Fenway Park Wrigley Field Lambeau Field Texas Stadium (only because the Cowboys have been America's team for so long with that stupid hole in their roof) Madison Square Garden (for basketball) Notre Dame's Stadium The Rose Bowl They said that there would have been more hockey arenas but a lot of them have been replaced by newer arenas. I really can't agree more with their list, and am struggling to pick more sites that i have to see a game at before i die. Sports fans, let me know what you think.

I still think that the Shelton deal will go down. I am guessing around the 15th pick in the draft Shelton will be a Bill, and Henry will be a Cardinal and the Bills will receive an additional pick (in a round i am not certain of). Here is why. Cards have 8th overall pick. They WILL pick one of the top three backs in the draft. But they will be gone by them, leaving them no-choice but to trade down or fill one of their other glaring needs. Green will draft the best player for his team at this position and will now be in need of a quality back considering none fell to him in the first round. Now the trade goes down. The Bills get LJ and a pick, the Cards get TH. I do feel we will be screwed if one of the top three falls into that 8th spot. Then no trade, and Tom got played. But if that unlikely scenario doesn't happen, Tom pulls off a huge deal for our club. The only reason i feel the trade hasn't gone down yet is because it has only been straight up, player for player. The Cards don't need Henry enough, because they can still get one of those backs, but as soon as that is out of the question, they will be scrambling for TD's cell phone number. As for the Guard position. Draft it baby! Get a player such as Baas, and we are all set. If that option isn't available, i do like the idea of signing that Anderson feller from Baltimore. I know he has trouble pulling so we keep progressing Bannon all off-season and get him some reps. He was successful as a replacement for L.Smith when he came in on odd plays last year, i see no reason why he can't have the same success if that is what we need. Williams Villarial Teague Baas Shelton And all the skeptics can go to hell. I hope all i have just said above is how it goes down. I think it would be fabulous for our team. I think there is a chance. I can say that i Billieve. I have hope. Beat reporters will rue the day they tried to criticize TD. Off to class. Feel free to flame, give opinions, or join me in a collective prayer each night that our line is the aforementioned.

WHAT!?!?!?!?!? Travis on the trade block for a 6 pack of Twisted Tea!! Deal!!! Make sure its packaged safelt in a foam cooler and that it arrives chilled so i can drink it out of the package. Otherwise - no deal.

That website has had more hits in the lifespan of this post than it has in the past year combined.

Williamsville/20/Butler University (Indianapolis)

Not disagreeing that the division thing may cross Denny's mind and prevent a trade to the Rams. But Denny is considering Shelton a bum that is not a starter on his team (whether its personal, or he feels its his talent is really yet to be determined... probably a mix of both---think about it, if TKO had a falling out with MM do you think he would be benched or would they find a way to work it out... if you are a starter in this league, you start) so therefore he may feel that it may be a benefit to send his "cast-offs" inside the division. This is a strange parable to this situation, but if we were offered a trade for John Fina by the Dolphins a few years back, would you have made it? Fina sucked in the later part of his career, our defense would get better simply by him being on their o-line. (if you disagree with me that fina sucked, pick another O-lineman for sake of argument) Anyway i don't see trading in the division a big deal for Denny.

I agree to a certain extent. I think the relationship that the players and fans had is far different today than it was 12 years ago. The fans will always support the team, but it was really different. The players loved the organization, the players loved the city and fans, they loved Ralph. Its not that i don't see it in our current players, but its different. Our players from the early 90's bled red white and blue, our current players don't have that same feel to me. They are competing because thats what they love; they are in Buffalo to win a championship. Still it doesn't seem like they embrace the city the way the old school players did, or maybe the fans haven't embraced the players in the same way. There was a core of the team that had been together for several years in the late 80's. They had been together for four or five years as friends and teammates before they started the superbowl era. Today we look at our leaders and stars... they aren't the same. We have TKO, Fletcher, WM, JPL, LE, TV. Some are too young to really have taken the area by storm the way the big three of those years had. Some are free agents who have only been here a few years and don't feel as strong a connection to the city as those who had been here for four or five years. I left out two names, Moulds and Clements. They seem to be players that are made of the old cloth. They are players that i feel represent the organization's history in the way they carry themselves and the way they play on the field. Moulds in particular. There was a post the other day discussing the pride he takes in wearing a Bills uniform, and the history of the players that come before them. I don't know if others in that locker room truly feel the same way about the Bills' history. Does Lee Evans put on his jersey and think of Dre once in a while? Does JP say he is proud to be the QB we have been looking for since JK retired? or is he just happy to be starting in the NFL? Athletes born in the mid-60's are far different than athletes born in the late 70's. Just have a different feel to them, the way the approach the game, play the game, interact when outside the game. Just a peice of my mind.

Michael Moore!!! I know its only two words, but he is so big that each word should count for 1.5 words. Like his work, his talent, but man the guy needs to lay off the twinkies and the rhetoric and let his work do the talking for him.

I posted the rest of the AFC East simply for comparison purposes. The rest of the teams i expected to all sound similar to the Bills. "They are smart, do a good job, etc." Surprisingly i found very little of that, while not being overly negative towards any team, they were clear to knock a team if it didn't think their structure was up to par. Anyway, happy reading. AFC EAST Buffalo Bills Tom Donahoe: President/general manager Tom Modrak: Assistant general manager Mike Mularkey: Head coach • Although Tom Donahoe runs this organization and is one of the best in the business, the Bills are blessed to have two very strong guys at the top. Tom Modrak has GM experience and has been with Donahoe for a long time, dating back to their successful days at Pittsburgh. They know each other, and they complement each other's strengths and do it without big egos. Both watch film and are front office executives who are heavy on the evaluation side of the business, rather than just relying on others' opinions. • They have a very experienced group of scouts and do a great job of being thorough and knowing their areas. College personnel director Doug Majeski does a solid job organizing the draft and has a significant voice, while pro personnel director John Guy is a veteran who is well-respected on the pro side. Jim Overdorf handles the cap, but he is more of a business guy than an evaluator. • Mike Mularkey doesn't have huge input on personnel decisions, but Donahoe and Modrak will certainly listen to his needs and wishes. The Bills do have some assistant coaches who have some juice in free agency and the draft. • Both line coaches, Jim McNally (OL) and Tim Krumrie (DL), have a lot of input regarding their position, as does defensive coordinator Jerry Gray. • This is a front office with a lot of age as well as experience, and you might expect it to be conservative and structured in its approach to personnel. However, the Bills are just the opposite. They are not afraid of risks and make tough decisions when necessary. Miami Dolphins Nick Saban: Head coach Scott O'Brien: Coordinator of football operations Rick Spielman: General manager Bryan Wiedmeier: Executive vice president and COO • If you want a clear picture of what the Miami front office is going to look like under Nick Saban, look no further than the New England Patriots. Saban is a Bill Belichick disciple who will run every facet of the front office and will be the final decision maker when it comes to player acquisitions. He prides himself as a shrewd talent evaluator and will make tough personnel decisions regardless of what other people think. • Saban's right-hand guy will be Scott O'Brien, former special teams coach at Carolina, and the two go back to their days together in Cleveland. O'Brien will oversee the front office, keep everything organized and develop a lot more power than it might initially appear. • The man in limbo is GM Rick Spielman, who has been on a roller-coaster ride in the last year with all the changes in Miami. He is pretty well regarded around the league, but right now his power is limited, and it is Saban's style to clean house and put his own people in place. Spielman could easily take the bullet for all the things that have gone wrong in Miami over the last couple of years. • Bryan Wiedmeier is a competent cap guy without much of a football background, but the tough cap situation Saban inherits probably won't help Wiedmeier's future. • George Paton runs the pro personnel department and is considered an up-and-comer in NFL circles. He is a guy Saban might grow to trust and keep around. Ron Labadie is the college scouting director and has been an information gatherer along with his scouts, bringing the data to Spielman, but that information now goes directly to Saban and O'Brien. • In all likelihood, Saban will strip this roster and make a lot of changes over the next few months as he rebuilds the team with his own philosophy and is likely to do the same with his front office. New England Patriots Scott Pioli: Vice president player personnel Bill Belichick: Head coach • As great as the Patriots are on the field, a significant part of the world champions' success is what they do off the field. They have a unique front office dynamic, and many NFL organizations are trying to simulate their structure and philosophy. At the end of the day, this is a two-man decision-making process, and the two voices are Belichick and Pioli. • Belichick has the reputation as the most hands-on coach in the NFL in terms of player evaluation and player acquisitions, and while he probably delegates a little more now than in the past, he still runs free agency and the draft with Pioli. The recent departure of senior VP and COO Andy Wasynczuk opens the door for Pioli to manage the salary cap and run this department as a true GM. However, one of Pioli's strengths is knowing exactly what Belichick wants, then carrying out the plan. • The only other voice that has any juice might be that of Tony Dimitroff -- only because Pioli has confidence and a history with him. The rest of the scouts are information gatherers with little input on final decisions. • This can be an interesting organization and is not a warm and fuzzy group. But you can't argue with the Pats' success. In fact, the scouts are not even in the primary draft room on draft day. They sit in outer offices and are available for opinions but not decisions. • Pioli and Belichick know how to work their salary cap; they massage the draft; and they make tough and sometimes imperfect personnel decisions that always seem to work. The coaches have input on personnel decisions, but even they have defined roles in decisions regarding player acquisitions. This is a two-man show! New York Jets Terry Bradway: General manager Herman Edwards: Head coach Jesse Kay: College director Mike Tannenbaum: Senior vice president of FB operations/assistant GM • The Jets have one of the largest personnel departments in the NFL, with a lot of voices and opinions, but the one that really counts is Bradway's. • They have eight college scouts, two pro scouts and various directors on both the college and pro level, and obviously the Jets are able to provide thorough coverage to free agency and draft prospects. • Jesse Kay is Bradway's college scouting director and seems to have his ear; assistant college director John Griffin is also a hardworking guy. • Assistant GM Mike Tannenbaum is a well-respected cap guy and has had chances to leave the Jets. Unlike a lot of his peers, he watches some film and evaluates players, especially on the pro side. • Jo Jo Wooden and Brian Gaines are the pro scouts, but they don't have a lot of power and final say in free agency. From the outside, this front office looks top-heavy on the college side and only average on the pro side. • Herm Edwards defers to Bradway, and they seem to have a good working relationship, but Herm might be a little better and more involved in personnel than a lot of people realize, especially in free agency. He is a system coach and knows what he wants in a player, but he doesn't go overly deep when it comes to the draft. His coaching staff has moderate input but not a lot of sway. • You would think that, with so many voices and varied personalities, this would be a disjointed front office, but Bradway pulls it all together and everybody appears to be on the same page. It is also an organization that isn't afraid to take chances if the situation warrants it.

we can't have our QB named after a charachter played by one of the worst actors in recent memory. its not that original but i think if the ralph all shouted J--P in unison it would sound pretty tight (sort of like the Bandits goalie from years ago O--Toole, or Johnny--T)

I don't know if offers existed for those players or not. I just listened to the audio from RD and while a confident man, he sounded fuzzy about the whole free agency process. He referenced his agent a lot which may mean that he is sort of following his agents lead at the moment and that means he will visit several teams and gather several offers. This may be more posturing by TD, because any player that listens to their agent that closely will trust what the agent says, esspecially on a first visit. I don't think TD wanted to overpay for RD and wanted to let the market determine his value. If TD makes the first offer then it isn't the market, but TD that made his value, which is risky. Maybe if this was his last visit, he would have had an offer from us that was competitive with other teams' offers. That make any sense?

I am not sure if that is accurate. I know that Vincent took a few visits after Buffalo and took a while to do decide if he wanted to play in Buffalo or not. Then again TV and Demulling are at two different points in their career. That is the only supporting evidence off the top of my head, but i think a few others left town without signing and eventually signed with us.

Winning the Conference tournament, or advancing to the finals with almost ALL of the other bubble teams losing in the first round of their Conference Tourney's. Also, no upsets in Conference Tournaments. You don't want the 11 seed in the Big 10 to somehow win the conference.

I was going to start a post about this tomorrow and explain my perspective, but i might as well do it now. I honestly think, like all things in this business, is about making money. We had a winning season last year, things are looking up, new QB, etc. so we can afford to be a bit more secretive in our moves this off-season. Being secretive hopefully has some advantages in the world of a GM. Last season, and the two seasons prior TD was not able to be secretive. He had to get people excited, he had to sell tickets. Bringing players in generates excitement and excitement equals ticket sales. I think that TD feels we will have a hell of a product this year, and he doesn't need to show his whole hand before the draft just to get people talking about the Bills. Good strategy, PR and football wise.

Here is the link: http://nhl.com/intheslot/read/features/laf...rity030405.html What a special guy and special athlete. Was anybody at the fundraising event at the Arena? I can imagine it was a blast.

Used that scene in a presentation for a Business Management class. Had the entire class roaring. What a great cast and great screenplay by Mamet. I think salaries of the stud actors of today have gotten too high to ever have an ensemble class like that on the stage at once. Pacino, Lemmon, Arkin, Baldwin, Spacey, Harris; never again will there be such a great cast all used to their potential.

This was the Guard i wanted (other than Wahle) from the moment FA started. I hope TD didn't/doesn't let him get on a plane without agreeing in principle to a contract. Heres hoping!