Nostradamus
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Great point. Mallet's back-up did have an excellent game. Not sure if that's exposing Mallet or just showing the depth on their roster....
Very difficult to say... one thing that it exposed to me was Mallett's lack of precision in the short passing game. The kid Wilson was putting balls right on the money and their receivers, particularly Childs, was catching the ball in stride and just shredding the Auburn secondary. Mallett definitely has some problems with touch passes and timing. There are times when a receiver will turn around at the same time Mallett's pass is going 80 mph through his hands or over his head.
That being said, Mallett still intrigues me. He has an absolute cannon, and can make all the passes. Unlike Losman, who threw an excellent bomb and not much else, Mallett is capable of throwing every type of NFL throw on a rope, including deep outs and post routes in between defenders. I can't remember the last NFL quarterback that had the same kind of golden arm that Mallett possesses. (Maybe Cutler?) Mallett seems to have improved every season, and is a lock to throw for 300 yards in every game that he starts and finishes at the college level.
It is worth remembering that even Manning initially struggled at the short passing game coming out of school, but through coaching, extreme dedication, and high football IQ, he has since perfected that aspect of his game. It's highly unlikely Mallet will make those kind of strides, but the short passing game is something that can be coached up at the NFL level. With the thinking that Mallet can improve his all around accuracy, I think he is a legitimate 1st overall prospect and potential franchise QB. That's not to say I think the Bills should draft him at no.1... I'm still not sure. But his skill set should make him worthy of consideration at that spot.
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This is exactly what I was thinking. In addition, Kelly might be making strong statements to keep others from even trying to make a run at buying the team. Make them think "Hmm, there's a strong commitment from a group to buy the team and keep it there. Do I really want to get into a bidding war?".
As far as WHO might be Kelly's financial backer, I've been telling my friends that I think its Donald Trump. I think Kelly's had a good relationship with him since the New Jersey Generals days and of course he has the means. I never thought of Danny Wegman but I like the idea of him being involved.
Never thought of Trump, but that would be outstanding! Everyone is questioning why Ralph wouldn't publicly claim that he was selling the Bills to Kelly, thereby bringing joy and relief to the western New York area, and I have several ideas as to why that would be the case.
1. He has no great incentive to do so. While we as a community would rejoice, he wouldn't derive any tangible benefit from announcing the sale now. It's not as if we'd be buying him rounds at the bar or free lunches were he to make the announcement.
2. This isn't a landlord tenant-lease, and he isn't selling Jimbo a baseball card. This is the sale of a NFL franchise approaching 1 billion dollars. Being an attorney, I can say there are hundreds of details and nuances to a sale that need to be worked out. It's understandable if both parties would want to keep a lid on this thing until it's finalized. One could argue that the lid is starting to come off with comments such as the ones Kelly just made.
3. Ralph is a proud person, and I'm sure his pride has taken a beating over the course of the past ten years. However, I'm sure he wanted to get this thing turned around; there is no reason that he wouldn't want to do so. While, I would agree that this teams decisions border on the bizarre and would almost appear that he is deliberately sabotaging the team, one has to realize that the franchise is devaluing itself as the team suffers. A winning team could ultimately net Wilson an additional 100 or 200 million dollars. So... I think Ralph wanted to prove to us and the fans that the franchise was capable of turning itself around under HIS ownership. That would have given him piece of mind heading into the afterworld and given him one last accomplishment in a lifetime that has been full of them.
One almost forgets that as recently as two years ago, it sure looked like he had finally re-routed the franchise back to prosperity. Sadly, it now appears that he will be unable to do so, and his own words indicate that he may not see Bills football as it should be again in his lifetime. He seems resigned that the team will only begin to prosper again with new ownership.
Interestingly, his words given to John Wawrow (whose insight would be greatly appreciated) corresponded with Jimbo now sounding far more open and forward about taking over the reins. You think maybe they are communicating with one another?? Also as an aside, why hire Jim Kelly at all if you are looking to relocate the franchise or even sell to the highest bidder upon your passing? Ralph knows that Jim's first priority is not just keeping the team here, but OWNING the team, albeit as a minority owner. That being the case, if Ralph didn't want to sell the team to Kelly, you would think he would want to keep him as far away from the franchise as possible. Instead, he hires him...
I, like most people, have no personal knowledge of the situation at One Bills Drive. But, just from analyzing the situation objectively, I now have a strong belief that the Bills will be staying in Buffalo for the foreseeable future.
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I think you are on to something. Over the last two or three years, Kelly has been speaking with such confidence, assuring everyone the Bills aren't going anywhere...and then some comments that Thurman Thomas has made during that time, make me thing that Kelly isn't just talking out of his ass...he knows something that we don't know, about the Bills future.
The only thing that puzzles me, in this scenario, is why Mr Wilson wouldn't make some sort of announcement, before he passes. You would think that the criticism he continues to be leveled with, has to be getting to him a little bit. He acknowledged that he "hears it", just this past week.
I thought he might announce something at his HOF induction last year...but it never materialized. Or at his ring ceremony at the Ralph, but nothing... Thurman Thomas made some murky claim that "an announcement is going to be made, in the very near future, that will make every Bufflao Bills fan "in WNY" very happy". Dick Jauron was still around for another (half) season, so I don't think he was referencing that...and he kept emphasizing the "WNY" and "Buffalo" Bills thing...it seemed like he had been let in on some big secret that only Ralph Wilson and Jim Kelly knew about...but again, nothing materialized...there were overtures from Kelly, during last years Super Bowl hype week, that something "big" was on the horizon. I like Chan Gailey okay, but hiring him to replace Dick Jauron was hardly earth shattering...all that for Terrell Owens? It seems like there is a cat in the bag, but Ralp Wilson and Jim Kelly don't want to let it out just yet...
I remember Thurman even gave a date in which something big was going to happen... and it never materialized. However, the writing is on the wall. With Thurman moving back to Buffalo, Kelly's comments which have become more and more direct, Wawrow's recent optimism AFTER speaking with Ralph, one can actually say that the future of the Bills in Buffalo looks better than it has in years, despite this dismal team. If the Bills end up picking first overall, don't be surprised if the move were to take place before the draft. New owners would certainly pay a little extra to have their say in the first pick overall.
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Here's another article in which Jim Kelly touches upon the future of the franchise. At first glance, it seemed to me more of what we already know at this point... that he is looking to put together a group of investors to purchase the team upon Ralph's demise.
But, reading the paragraph closely, one can infer that things have progressed a lot further than we have thought. The first example is when Kelly states "if that day comes when he decides, "It's time for me to relinquish the ownership..." "then I do have people in line that will want to purchase the team and keep it in western New York."
Two interesting things about this statement. First, the beginning of the sentence seems to indicate that Ralph would consider moving the franchise before he passes, a concept that has, to this point, been rejected by Ralph. Second, while Jim has been making noise for awhile about a group of potential investors, I never remember him being so declarative as he is when he states "I do have people in line that will want to purchase the team and keep it in Western New York." That suggests he has all his ducks in a row, and has everything set up in his corner for a purchase. No longer is the situation theoretical...he now has his people ready to make a move. Of course, that gives rise to speculation as to who those people are?
Other then the usual suspects, (Rich, Golisano, etc I have no idea who those people could be.) Although, I do think it's interesting that Paladino has been so chummy with Thurman of late. Paladino doesn't have the necessary funds to be a majority owner, but he could certainly chip in as a minority owner. At any rate, unless Jim is completely making things up, which seems unlikely, it appears he has assembled a legitimate group of buyers committed to keeping the team local.
What really grabbed my attention though, is the next sentence. "Because I do not entertain any offers from anybody looking to move the Buffalo Bills from western New York." Whoa... that makes it sound as if Jim is in the position to take offers from potential buyers. Only Ralphie would be in that position... unless a future sale was all but a done deal. Now Jim could have been talking about people making offers to join his ownership group... but he did not say that. Further, it seems unlikely there would be any offers to Jim from foreign investors looking to relocate, since everyone knows he is 100% committed to keeping the team here.
It could have just been clumsy wording on his part, or clumsy writing. But, this article, supplemented by John Wawrow's cryptic comments on WGR about him betting"70-30" the Bills would be here long term after his conversation with Ralph, definitely have me believing that Jim has something in the works and picking up steam.
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This "Poz only makes tackles 10 yards downfield" bull **** is ridiculous. Number one, he plays behind the line so that's where most of his tackles are normally going to happen. Number two, our d-line is among the worst in the league and Poz is the only one on our team that cleans up their mess. He is always around the ball and is in the worst possible situation he could be in here in Buffalo.
The ironic thing is that is exactly what everyone used to say about London Fletcher, leading to Poz being drafted in the first place. Now, it appears likely they will jettison another fairly good player while getting nothing in return, creating another hole on a roster that is now almost entirely full of them. Meanwhile, they go out of their way to carry dead weight like Kelsey for another 4 years.
This franchise is an embarrassment and not worthy of anyone' s support. At this point, most of us are just supporting the memory of what Bills football could be like, as opposed to the team itself.
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another day at the office.
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I really wanted to believe Nix and Gailey were different, but if they invest this much money into this worthless clown, they are as bad as anyone we have had at GM/ HC
Maybe worse. At lease when Levy extended him, he was coming off his best season and was supposedly entering his prime. This move would be the equivalent of going back and somehow drafting Maybin 11th overall all over again.
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If Ralph had a shred of dignity left, he'd sell the team.
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Thank you. Wasn't it Jerry Sullivan that started that rumor?
And here is another common misconception debunked:
http://www.wgr550.com/Jim-Kelly-tells-KSPN-Bills-will-stay-in-Buffalo/8152735
I've definitely heard Schopp and Bulldog perpetuate that rumor routinely. It's much easier for them to state something they hear than to actually do any kind of research or fact-finding. IF Wilson is a willing audience, it is entirely possible for Jimbo and friends to have a plan in place upon Ralph's death.
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The only problem is Jim's plan everytime I hear it is that if RW passes b4 he sells they will have to be high bid. I hope his friends have the deepest pockets in the country!! And RW has never publicly said he will sell b4 he dies.
I want to beleive him but that is the facts.
BTW nice post and thanks
That is not true and is a common misconception. Upon his death, unless Ralph specifies otherwise, the team would become part of the residual estate. A trustee would then control the team until its sale. A trustee is obligated under New York State law to work within the best interest of the estate. That may or may not mean selling to the highest bidder. For example, if the trustee, who would be someone close to Ralph or possibly his heir, were to say that it is within the interest of the estate and/and or Ralph's legacy to keep the team in Buffalo, then a sale to a locally owned group for slightly less than maximum value would be entirely legal under New York State law.
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My recollection of Flutie was he was done as soon as the rest of the NFL had the book on him. Defenders stopped biting on his "pixie hop" move when he passed and it was all over.
PTR
By the time Flutie arrived in Buffalo, he was past his prime. His arm strength clearly declined over the course of his last few years in the NFL. Had Flutie played in the NFL throughout his prime, he probably would be comparable to a Tony Romo or someone of that stature. His "pixie hop" move was a small part of his repertoire, but should serve as a reminder that he could do things that other QBs just couldn't do.
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A second medical opinion and x-ray revealed the clots to merely be mammoth sized jelly donuts from Krispy Kreme.
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WOW, that sucks for Dennis Green, .... I guess his son is who he thought he was...
I wonder if they'll let him off the hook???
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Bad logic. Because some great college coaches flame out in the NFL, you take that to mean that a mediocre (at best) college coach will be successful in the NFL. A classic logical fallacy, my friend.
Gailey's "rep at Dallas" was uneven, despite the Jerry Jones quote you love to cite. Yes his teams made it to the postseason - but they were also boring and, at times, unprepared in key situations.
The correct logical reasoning, unfortunately, would be that if even great college coaches have trouble in the NFL, than average college coaches will fail Miserably. We shall see...
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McCargo plays well one play and embarrasses himself the rest of the season Maybe a little salad, intensive training, and a heart transfer with a baboon will do him some good.
Fixed.
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Whether Spiller will ever equal the success of Chris Johnson, with whom he's frequently compared, is uncertain. What is becoming increasingly clear is that Spiller is one of the highest character individuals to wear a Bills jersey in a long time.
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If history is any indicator, we are closer to 21 than 31. However, I'd rather have us finish 2-14 than 6-10. Rock bottom might be a necessary condition for the franchise to turn things around. And that may be what Nix and Gailey were thinking when not adding why a QB or left tackle this season.
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whatever
You clearly put a lot of time and effort into this thoughtful and insightful response.
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I am starting to agree. Also look at Baltimore's draft they are killing us, Kindle, Cody, Arthur Jones, much better defensive selections than ours.
Agreed. The frustrating thing is they are the all the sort of players it sounded like Nix would be drafting. Guys with a track record of success that dominated at a very high level. Cody was a linchpin of a national championship winning defense. Troup was second team Conference USA. Who was first team Conference USA at tackle?? Why didn't we draft them instead?
The draft is not just about taking the player you like most on the board... it is about taking some risks and management. New England has proven that repeatedly. They've stockpiled picks by doing things like trading down, getting an extra pick, and grabbing a guy like Troup 20 picks later. There is little reason to think Nix couldn't have traded down for a team coveting Claussen, grabbed Troup, and obtained an extra fourth and grabbed a guy like Bruce Campbell.
It appears that Nix ran this draft from a scouts perspective as opposed to a GM. Instead of wheeling and dealing and taking risks, Nix played the draft straight up, seemingly picking the guy he felt was the best player available as opposed to looking at the bigger picture and figuring out a way to turn other teams needs into his advantage in the forms of extra picks or players.
And for a team that doesn't have a QB and is so woeful on the Offensive Line, that may have been the biggest risk of all.
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Really?
I think it's a lot closer to being the equivalent of a lower-income person taking what little discretionary cash they have and investing it in an up-and-coming business venture, realizing fully well that they'll remain cash-strapped in the short-term while putting their long-term financial future at the forefront of their thinking. The strategy being that you can always go out and work more hours/do more odd jobs to make more short-term cash, but you can't go back in time and make the right investment.
With that thought in mind, what would be so wrong with drafting a QB at #9, provided the team spends, say, 4 other picks on OTs? Even if you're only right 25% of the time, you still get a quality starting OT and a young, talented QB.
After all, there are more good OTs currently playing in the NFL that were drafted after round 1 than there are QBs (I don't need to re-hash the #s for you, as we've had that discussion before).
Just my 1 cent.
What he's saying, and it's an interesting theory, is that one of the reasons Losman, Johnson, and Edwards never evolved is that playing behind such atrocious lines stunted their development and made them perpetually gun shy.
Not sure if I agree with it, but, many people would agree that Edwards was never the same after Wilson laid him out. Johnson, I remember was hammered repeatedly behind a poor line. Losman, I think was just jittery and without optimal circumstances was bound to fail in this league. Still, given our recent history, I think there is something to be said that putting a QB behind a porous line may have long term ramifications for both the quarterback and the franchise.
Still, it seems possible that when we pick at 9, there will be no one on the OL or DL worthy of that pick. If either Claussen or Spiller is available, there will be someone looking to move up to get them. Trading down where we can get an extra pick to help shore up both lines will be Nix's first move to restore credibility to the franchise. If we can get guys like Saffold and Cody in the late first/ second rounds, we should worry about QB next year.
Claussen may be a franchise QB. But, with the rest of our supporting cast at the moment, we may well turn him into the next first round bust
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we really have NO IDEA how Marshawn Lynch actually feels, or what he is thinking, or even how he has been spending his time. EVERY statement regarding why Lynch hasn't shown up for VOLUNTARY practices is based solely on assumptions and opinions.
furthermore, we have NO IDEA what contact the team has had with Marshawn Lynch and/or his agent. Or any idea what the new regimes plans are.
just sayin
Actually, we do have an idea... while the workout's are 'voluntary', most players did show up. If Lynch was on a mission to impress upon the new regime that he wants to be a starter and wants to be a team leader, he would have showed up. He would have reached out to them. Instead, Gailey has gone on record to say that he hasn't heard from Lynch, while stating that Lynch could be an important piece of the teams offense. That seems to indicate that Lynch is distancing himself from the team and is the same pistol toting, weed smokin, hit and run artist that we know him to be.
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It's extremely disappointing that Lynch doesn't see the new regime as being an opportunity to reclaim his starting job and start fresh. You would think that, if he truly matured, he'd be busting his tail to prove that he has put his propensity for the thug life behind him and is now ready to concentrate on being a top tier running back.
While Jackson is a fan favorite, consumate professional, and an overachiever, it's hard to believe that the new coach and front office wouldn't at least give Lynch a shot at the starting job if he showed up in great shape with a good attitude. Someone in his shoes should be grateful for a shot at redemption. Instead, he still appears to have a sense of entitlement that he is owed something.
His poor character would make him a cancer in any locker room, and more than offsets his ability as a football player. While some team may take a flier and offer us a mid round pick for him, it's looking like he is joining Donte Whitner and John McCargo as another colossal first round bust from the Levy era.
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He was 249# at the combine. Who knows what he actually played at last year.
He was tweeting that he gained 10lbs in the past couple weeks prior to arriving in Buffalo. More proof that he is not a natural 245 lbs, but has to go on binges just to get there. The guy doesn't have the size to play in an NFL front 7.
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Good lord. The words "Russ Brandon" and "genius" should not be used in the same paragraph from now on.
Buffalo News Vote For Worst Player In The NFL
in The Stadium Wall Archives
Posted
I'll never understand it. A 220 lb defensive end who didn't even perform that well at the combine compared to other speed rushers that have had success at the NFL level. A guy who racked up statistics playing against teams like Coastal Carolina, but didn't even do all that much against Big Ten competition his one successful season. The Bills draft picks are atrocious enough (Whitner, McCargo, Maybin,) to suggest deliberate sabotage on the part of the organization.