MattM

Much more likely, "Rodney-style", had he gone to the Pats*--I'm not too worried about it with him going to the 'Fins.....

Moved from the upper deck, Row 4 at about the 15 to upper deck, Row 11 at about the 40. First time in 3 years that I've been able to upgrade, FWIW.

Out of curiosity, what was he doing in White Plains? I live in Larchmont here in Westchester myself, but obviously need to get out more!

The negative nancy's have a field day on this board. Our "sack free" defense was ranked 14 last year in yardage, IIRC. That was without it's best DE for most of the year and its best LB for the whole season and, most importantly, playing with our woeful O (remember, the D is just the other side of the O coin--if our O can't stay on the field, our D will get more yardage against it by definition). So, our D that really only lost Greer--who was more than ably replaced by Leodis, Florence and Youboty (also out almost all last year as well)--and is getting back Schoebel and Maybin to the pass rush is going to be worse than last season's slightly better than average D? Most importantly, even bigger strides were made on O, the most important being TO, the new rookie linemen we're all so excited about and last but by no means least, Trent having another full year under his belt. I'd wager that this O, despite losing Peters, Dockery and Royal and Marshawn for 3, is better than last year's. Just a hunch. If it is even slightly better--say moving up 5-6 spots in the rankings, I see no reason why our D can't be Top 10, barring a really bad injury run. Is this team an "elite team" yet? No, I don't think so. But are we a bottom feeding 3-13, 4-12 kind of team as many here seem to think? No, they aren't either.

He*, like the rest of your "team," has an asterisk next to his records, unfortunately. Blame Belichick for that. And before you hop on how he shouldn't have an asterisk, consider the HBO Inside Sports story last spring in which an unnamed "former Patriots star offensive player" who played on some of those teams was quoted as saying "of course it helped us immensely--we knew exactly what the defense was going to do before they did it". I'm personally shocked that no one else ran with that story and I also personally guess that it may have been Antowain Smith or perhaps Deion Branch--clearly someone no longer with the team and a skll position player, since you don't typically call linemen "offensive stars."

Didn't he resign with the Colts last week?

Amen, brother.....

Bill, here's a way it translates to the field, which is what you seem to be focused on (understandably to some of us). Someone with such character and maturity is a heckuva lot more likely to (a) work his arse off to make the most of the God-given football talent that he has, (b) be a smart player on the field and © not do self-destructive things off the field that hurts both himself and his team (are you listening, Mr. Lynch?). All of that is to the positive in terms of getting a better Bills product on the field, and it's just an added bonus that he's actually a decent guy to boot.....

Sounds a lot like Matt Cassel to me--I don't think he can hit the broad side of a barn more than 20 yards from what I saw last year, yet he's being touted as the second coming of Favre......

As someone else noted above, it's nice that the WR spot is finally actually a real strength on this team. Between TO, Evans and Reed and if, and this is a big if, Hardy, Johnson and/or Nelson emerge as a real playmaker to boot, teams are really going to have trouble covering us. We just need to make sure that Trent has the time needed to deliver the pigskin and a major weakness might really become a great strength.

I actually agree with you on Wilfork not being old for his position--DTs do play well into their 30s, as do OL in some cases. Speed is what goes first on athletes, which is why it's RB, WR, LB, DB and DE that you don't want on the wrong side of 30. If I were a Pats* fan, however, and after I contemplated suicide long and hard, I'd personally be worried that Big Vince is going to suffer a career ending knee injury when someone else gives him a Vince Wilfork-style cheap shot--and I'm only half joking about that. I never root for injuries, but he might be one guy I'd consider an exception for.....

I hate the 'Pokes, too, but also hope that everyone is okay after this.....

That link is busted--I got nothing when I clicked on it, but then again, considering the source, I'm not surprised. I agree that your D-line is good--hopefully you'll be able to re-sign both Wilfork and Seymour when they come up as FAs after this year, but somehow I doubt it. As Hobbs said this week, "guys got to get paid"--he's smart enough to realize that the days of playing in NE for below market deals is over since they have no rings to show for it lately. I also agree that your D is getting younger, but since it's with unproven draft picks and second year players, that hardly equates with quality. I was actually laughing at your other post on Crable--he sucked last year before going on IR and is apparently in BB's doghouse for lack of a work ethic (as per your own board). As for Meriweather, it helps when you have a D-line that can actually get pressure, but I'm still not convinced about him myself. My favorite memories of him are watching him get absolutely ripped apart by the Giants in that SB. Unlike you I'm sure (unless you're a masochist, but coming here and hanging out to get beaten on, maybe you are?), I've watched that 4th quarter on TIVO about 20 time and I laugh every time, especially on the Steve Smith catch where Brandon just got faked out of his jock and missed his man, leading to a key first down. And that after 19 games in the League, so I don't want to hear the "he was a rookie excuse"--priceless......

The O-line is the main thing that worries me. All 5 playing new positions and starting two rookies, plus no natural left tackle. If the line plays better than expected, especially early on, this team has a chance. Longer term, other than TO and McGee, I don't think we lose anybody in 2010 and the only "age" concern at that point among probable starters is Schobel, so if we this draft turns out as good as we expect, we get our usual 1-2 quality FA's next year and have a solid 2010 draft, I think this team will be set to make a good run at anyone in the League at that point.....

Great article, Tim. The other thing I noticed is that if you read the reader comments on this one, there were two folks posting who actually are from Maybin's home town and both spoke very highly of him as a person as well. Contrast this, for ex., to a recent article on Ron Paulus, where there were several comments by readers who knew him personally or through local reputation in Syracuse and said he was an arse.....

It's common knowledge that Moss would only rework his deal for the Pats*, hence the Pats* were the only ones who could have made that trade. IIRC, his salary went from something like $8-9 million a year to $3 million. I'm surprised that I, a Bills fan, remember this, but you a Pats* fan do not. Actually, I'm not surprised, since Pats* fans seem to mysteriously blank out on the all the scumbaggy things their team does generally (see numerous examples above, plus others like running up the score in 2008 and then, when karma bit them squarely in the jewels in the Super Bowl, Bill "Good Sport" Belicheat running off the field early before the game was over, I honestly suspect so no one would see him break down in tears after the game, like more than a few Cheatah* fans I'm sure ). Moss bitched and non-hustled his way off the Raiders to the Pats*' benefit. As noted above, one of the benefits of winning by cheating was getting players to come at below market rates. We'll see how much longer that lasts now that the Lombardi's have stopped, and, in my opinion, ain't coming back any time soon.....

That's hysterical--your own article actually names the Pats* as the team accused of doing this and is the only example provided, no other team is mentioned as videotaping opponents' signals! It's also well known that Banks is a Pats* homer; he lives in Boston and follows the Sox, so go figure where his NFL allegiances lie. That's probably where he got the information for this article on cheating--from his Cheatriot sources! He and Peter King (who now also lives in Beantown) knob gobble New England and Belicheat worse than just about anyone to the point it's been known to makes an objective observer physically ill on occasion.

"Past performance is no guarantee of future returns, as they say in my business. An aging team generally (although that's nothing that some old HGH can't cure, just ask Rodney), an unproven secondary (they're only proven players there are old guys), an O-line that got exposed in the SB, a QB who may or may not come back all the way, running backs on the wrong side of 30 (HGH might help these guys, too) except Maroney the bust, linebackers slow as dirt, for some starters. Don't get me wrong--I don't think they're going 1-15, I just don't think they're the elite team they were or that their fans think they are." To make it easy on you, here's where I gave my opinion as to why they won't be dominant going forward. I added to this in other posts above as well, but here's just one example of "responding to your post" as I was accused of not doing.

Links, please, showing that "everyone does it"? I provided a link, which included multiple quotes from League sources, to back up my point--where are yours? Just like a Pats* fan to level the charge that "everyone else cheats" so it's not a big deal, but then have no evidence to back it up. Not saying you're a Pats* fan, but that is exactly the arguments that their delusional bandwagon fanbase trots out, without any evidence. An interesting comparison is Bills fans' reactions to Lynch's suspension. He, too, was caught doing something wrong and was punished, in some ways more harshly (so far, depending on the results of his appeal) than others who'd done worse (Brandon Marshall anyone?), but you don't find masses of people here griping about how unfair his punishment was. Compare that to the crap you'd find last year on Pats* fan boards about Spygate, where they all acted as if the league was out to screw them and just them, despite massive evidence to the contrary (like Goodell's destroying the evidence on their behalf and Goodell being a choice of Kraft's for commissioner.) Please read above where I've given the reasons for why, IN MY OPINION, which history may show is right or wrong, I think that the Pats* will not be as dominant a team as they were in the past. I also think it's funny that folks defend them as some kind of "dynasty" when they haven't won a Lombardi in going on 5 years ,while the Stillers have won two since then. Their fans should also wonder why they alone are hated League-wide--travel from coast to coast and you'll find Pats* haters. It has nothing to do with being a "dynasty" and "all dynasties are hated, which is the line they inevitable trot out". I myself admire and like the Steelers and Colts--classy organizations that do build from within with humble and likeable coaches and, in the Rooney's case, owners, unlike New England. The reason people hate the Pats* is their a-hole coach and his proven cheating ways and "win at all costs, right or wrong" mentality, their obnoxious owner (trademarking "19-0, the Perfect Season" before they had won that last all-important game?) and their bandwagon, moronic fanbase (they had 19,000 season ticket holders in the early '90s, in a city 5 times Buffalo's size). I'd also have to add Brady's arrogance and obnoxiousness to the list after reading that Esquire article last fall, in which he talked about running up the score on us, among other things (karma had a funny way of correcting him after he gave that interview, no?)...... I'm through trying to talk sense to someone who obviously has a soft spot in his heart for the Cheatahs despite reams of evidence to the contrary. Game. Set. Match......

THAT I could have spelled....

Pats* Fan Since 2001 and D*mn Proud of it, I'm sure. I swear, I've never seen a bigger group of smug *ssholes in my life. It's going to be fun watching them tank one of these years. Wait a second, it's BEEN fun watching them tank since that Giant Super Bowl! Worst choke job EVER! This past season was a lot fun, too, being a "dynasty" and all, but still not making the playoffs. Changing the subject is the only thing he's an expert at, since he keeps doing it every time he gets smacked around here.....

"Mucilage" got me in the County Jr. High Spelling Bee in 7th grade. Never heard the word used before or since (and I'm in my 40s.) The word the girl who won got after me? "Academy". There is no justice.....

You want to talk about mighty drafts--how about the Colts a couple years ago having NO ONE in their starting line up who had ever played for another team. That's talent evaluation.....

Way to change the subject, dude. We weren't talking about the Bills drafts--we were talking 'bout the "mighty Patriots"* and their last few "mighty drafts", drafts that really garnered them no one but Mayo, IMHO. They're living on their drafts from earlier this decade (you know, the decade I'm sure you started following them--probably a Cowboys fan before 2001) and Bob Kraft's wallet (which I suspect may be shrinking by the day, since his other business is a paper company (think Dunder Mifflin) in an increasingly electronic age and since Patriot Place is a bust in this down economy). Say what you will about our drafts since 2006, but I'd take ours over yours any day of the week, and I'm not saying that as a Bills homer, just looking at the players themselves. A few more drafts like the last few and with Brady and Moss each being 32 and I'd say you guys should be levelling out at 8-8 in within two to three years. Maybe that's why Bob really wants to go uncapped next year, so that he can continue to buy the talent he can't seem to draft any more..... PS As for Ngata, I wanted the Bills to draft him way back when (he or Bunkley), but since he went mid first round, I'd guess that means that half the league passed on him, too, no?

Yeah, they "drafted" those guys, didn't they? Please read above before posting, moron.....