JDG

I think that they would have to take a look at him. He isn't an abysmal GM (see: Matt Millen), but I think "highly regarded" is just a bit too much. Or to put it another way, if the Titans are foolish enough to fire Jeff Fisher, I think that he could pretty much pick whatever opening he wants. I don't think TD will be in that category.... he has a track record now of either being at cross-purposes with his head coach (Cowher) or else hiring weak and ineffectual coaces (Williams and Mularkey.) JDG

Repeat after me, football is not baseball, football is not baseball, football is not baseball.... Bledsoe has zero shot at the HOF. JDG

1) I'm not sure that Donahoe is "highly regarded" in the NFL. There is no doubt that he is "highly regarded" among the media - in part because he's good buddies with all of the ESPN types. 2) Buffalo's GM position is attractive because, well, there's only 32 of these positions. If you are a rising front office type, you can't be picky about those things. 3) In general, GM positions open up for bad teams.... with the exceptions being death and early retirement. If you are a rising front-office type looking for a job, you can't expect to be taking over a playoff team (which has its own risks of trying to stay at the top, now that the fans except the playoffs every year as their birthright.) 4) I think a lot of people could look at the NFL and see that a good core is in place. On offense, you have Losman-McGahee-Evans-Parrish, and maybe Everett. On defense, you have a few bits and pieces in McGee, Schobel, Fletcher, and Spikes. You have the best-darn special teams in the League. So, its not like you need to build *everything*, sure there is work to be done - but this isn't Arizona or Houston. JDG

What's a "#2 Receiver?" JDG

According to whom????? According to today's statement he was suspended for one game without pay for missing practice this week, and he was locked-out of practice this week by Mike Mularkey *beacuse*???? JDG

I disagree. In the few Notre Dame football games I have watched this season, they have looked, well, *Patriot-like*. Its scary. And just look at the way he has developed Brady Quinn in just one year. The guy can flat-out coach at the highest level, and just about every NFL team that passed up interviewing him the last three years because they wanted to hire a guy before the playoffs ended aught to be kicking themselves. JDG

And why wouldn't he? The guy has managed to create a second Miami, with an overall talent level that allows him to simply outclass his competition most weeks. JDG

The difference being that Weiss was a *great* NFL Coordinator, perhaps the greatest NFL offensive coordinator in decades. He's quite seriously a football genius. On the other hand, if there is a "proven" head coach out there available for our selection, by definition he's also a *proven failure* for having been fired by his previous employer in the first place. JDG

Our curent starters, listed in descending likelihood of staying: Defense: Locks: McGee, Fletcher, Schobel, Spikes, and either Edwards/Bannan Likely: Kelsay, Vincent, Clements Unlikely: Milloy, Posey, Adams Offense: Locks: Losman, McGahee, Evans, Peters, Shelton, Villarrial Likely: Campbell, Gandy, Teague Unlikely: Moulds (*grmbl*), Anderson JDG

Well, while our three amigos are our core - that doesn't necessarily mean that they are good just yet..... and I think that that, as much as our sorry defense and poor offensive line explain the 4-8 record. Evans, after all, despite the flashes is in just his second year, and we all know about the apparent 3-year development timetable for NFL WR's. Parrish is in the core too, but he's hardly played. McGahee is currently in a multiple-game funk where he not only has had abysmal stat lines (see 1.9 ypc for 3 quarters vs. Carolina), but has also failed to delivery any game-breaking plays for us. He hasn't been a difference-maker. And then, of course, there is JP Losman. I like JP Losman. I think JP Losman *could* be a fine QB in the NFL someday. I think that JP Losman has shown signs of progress this year. *But*, just think of how many games it is at least *arguable* that he lost single-handedly for us. In weeks 2-3-4, the boy couldn't hit the broad side of a barn - and perhaps most greivously, he led us to a loss against the woeful New Orleans Saints. At home against Carolina, he failed to generate a single TD-scoring drive *at home*, in a game we lost be 4. And most egregiously, in the Miami game, Losman committed two *terrible* turnovers in the red zone - if either one of those is converted into just 3 points, we win the game. So again, I think that TD has built a core - but that core has certainly not reached maturity. JDG

Well, in part because the mere fact that we don't know exactly what happened also indicates that this was hardly a TO/Keyshawn/Moss-caliber type of incident. All signs point to it being reasonably small potatoes that Mularkey managed to blow-up into a full-grown circus. JDG

Although, in fairness, Weiss *is* lusting after a head job in the pro game. The guy even had stomache-stapling surgery because he thought it would help him get more interviews for pro HC jobs and do better in them. He took a good gig at ND when Notre Dame made him an offer he couldn't refuse, and after years of frustration at not getting a pro HC job. So, while Weiss won't leave this year, he will be back in the pros eventually - just you wait. JDG

Last I heard, Bledsoe couldn't win on the road....... where have I seen that film before???? JDG

Interestingly..... over the last four years, the NFL average and NFL median for wins is 30. The Bills currently have 27 wins over the last four years, tied with Cincinnati (who may pass us) and the Jets (whom we might be able to pass). So, let's say we finish with one more win than the Jets down the stretch, that places us 23rd in the 32-team NFL over that stretch. Solidly below-average. Toss in the 3-13 year, though, and suddenly Chicago, Washington, Oakland, and San Francisco all pass us, with Cleveland just one game behind us. So, add in that fifth year - and the Bills end up standing on the brink of Houston/Arizona/Detroit territory - the horror stories of the NFL. Suffice to say, we haven't been good in a very long time - and just about everyone in the NFL save "the abysmal three" has had success of some sort or another during that time. JDG

Simple. If they gave out a Nobel Prize for football, Charlie Weis would win it.....

For 2005 - what better QB was available than Kelly Holcomb? Jeff Garcia? Kurt Warner? Quincy Carter? You might have better luck coming up with a better OLineman available than Gandy, but again, only a few. Your other general complaints are that other FA's signed by Donahoe have been old, overpaid, or just not very good. Well, that's the nature of the FA market. Pro Bowl-caliber players rarely get onto the FA market, and Donahoe was extremely fortunate to land one of them like Spikes. And again, if you compare our FA activity compared to the FA activity of other NFL teams, I think you will see that we will appear to have been fairly active. JDG

Does Losman-McGahee- Evans-Parrish and possibly Everett not count as a "core"? JDG

I don't know that there is any honor in surrendering and firing yourself. I think the honorable thing is to keep fighting to be better until you are relieved of your duty - which I do think that Donahoe is doing, depite his mistakes with Williams and Mularkey. JDG

But this is all 20/20 hindsight. At the time, Donahoe was landing some of the top FA's available - whether they panned out or not. JDG

O.k., I don't get how you, and so many other people on TBD can say that "we are STILL no better off cap wise." The Bills are currently projected to be $8mil under the cap, and that is before releasing Mike Williams or letting anyone else go, and before restructing anybody. Secondly, Donahoe has done nothing if not sign premiere free agents. In 2001, even in our "cap hell" year, he signed Larry Centers. O.k., nothing to get excited about. In 2002 he signed London Fletcher, Chidi Ahanatou, Trey Teague, and Mike Hollis. In 2003 he signed a tagged Takeo Spikes, Jeff Posey (first day signing), Sam Adams, Rian Lindell, Olandis Gary, Bobby Shaw, and Lawyer Milloy - a massive FA haul by any NFL team's standards. In 2004 he signed Chris Vilarrial and Troy Vincent - a solid FA haul. In 2005 he signed Mike Gandy and Kelly Holcomb. The Bills have been free agent players in each of the last four years, and arguably the top FA player in the whole darn League in 2003. Moreover, just look at our history of "compensatory" draft picks for the last four years compared to those of the rest of the NFL to really tell the tale of the tape on our net-play in free agency. So, in short, I don't think that your above criticism adds up. The Bills have been a player for top-line free agents under Donahoe, and he has continued to keep our cap situation under control. JDG

What leads you to believe that the ownership is more concerned about selling boxes and tickets than improving the on-field product? What leads you to believe that the management is more more concerned about selling boxes and tickets than improving the on-field product? I don't think the problem is concern, I think the problem is bad decisions....... JDG

The Bills can't tamper *during* the season. But Weis is free to interview for a HC job after the season. All the Bills had to do was wait for the Patriots to end their season, instead of trying to jump on Gregg Williams and Mike Mularkey before anyone else did so. JDG

With us all-but elimianted from the playoffs, it doesn't really matter that much. I'd be concerned about Wyche's voice, and it would be a nice guesture to Gray to give him some experience for his resume. JDG

Built to be led by the old guard???? There's only one person left on this team from the year 2000 roster! JDG

I don't think anyone is saying that Mularkey is doing this for "no reason." Rather, I believe that Mularkey may be over-reacting to something in bringing down the Keyshawn/TO treatment, but that his mis-management of the situation with a veteran player may have made a mild situation into a full-blown bad situation with accompanying media circus. JDG