Dr. Trooth

???????????????????????? WTF is talking about? Wait til he sees his property tax bill on his 2 car garage, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, $175K home near Buffalo.

If he was so overrated and benefited soley from double teams on Bruce and Reggie, why weren't the players that preceeded him at his postion as effective as he was? He won a defensive NFL def. MVP award. Paup was the ideal 3-4 ss linebacker. The Bills got optimal performance from him because they needed the exact skills he brought to the table. So, I don't understand why he is overrated. He wan't as effective in GB or Jax as he was with the Bills only because of coming off a groin injury plus their defenses were set up differently and they asked him to do things he didn't excell at nor was comfortable with. He was a 'close to line of scrimmage LB' that was very strong against the run and could 'bring it' bigtime off the edge. He was very unique... but very limited and one dimensional... but still couldn't be stopped as a Bill. The only thing that did him in was tearing his groin muscle. That totally ruined his explosiveness. He was what he was... and plugged in like the Bills had him he was outstanding, not overrated.

Fine... if that's how it shakes out. Regardless, the Bills have to do the right thing with the #12. But, like I stated, if a RB (Peterson or Lynch) is drafted at #12, the heat is on for him to perform... more so than any other position drafted. They will be penciled in to start from day one, unlike most other positions. Since I'm somewhat superstious, and, you can't deny history... it happened... and with alarming consistency. The Bills are 1 for 10 with 1st rd. RBs in their 46 previous drafts, plus they selected @ #12 twice, laying eggs both times (Dokes & Hunter), the combo of #12 and a RB scares the bejeezes out of me. God, if there ain't a gifthorse staring at them when their #12 selection comes up, I say trade down and get the best value you can.

So, based on that, the Bills should draft a RB in Rd. 1??? Granted... it doesn't take a genius to realize the Bills are in need of help at CB, DT, LB, RB. RB is probably the easiest postion to plug a rookie in as a starter. Fans may cut a rookie CB or DT 1st rd. pick some slack if they don't start or if they don't immediately produce. But not RB... if they are a first rounder... and especially so, if the team doesn't have an established starter... and A train would not be that, the expectations of a 1st Rd. running back would be enormous. A rookie RB 1st rounder would have to not just equal McGahee's production... he'd have to trump it. Whatever McGahee did for the Bills, wasn't enough, and there's more expected of that RB from the coaches. So, if the Bills draft a RB, then they better damn well be dead on right because the heat will be on from the people that matter... the paying customers. Is Peterson or Lynch the real deal? Or, are guys like Darby, Pittman, Irons, etc. going to bring as good, or, better results and value in rd. 2 or 3 or 4. It comes down to who's available at #12 and the recognized immediate impact he can make... be it a LB, DT, CB, RB. If there's no one there to give the Bills bang for their buck... trade down, get extra picks, either for this draft or the next draft. And, if the Bills think Turner's the real deal, they might be able to get him for less than SD's advertised price... SD has to make a deal on or before draft day if they want to move Turner and get something of value in return. Otherwise, next year is a talent rich and deep draft for RBs... and that's counting only the seniors... not any underclassmaen that may declare. I just don't think it's a slam dunk for Lynch or Peterson... even if they both are available at #12.

Damn... I can't wait til you 2nd graders go back to school tomorrow. Nowhere in my post did I say the Bills shouldn't draft a RB with their #1. I said... they 1) they have a miserable track record (fact) and 2) since they're not a very good team now, they better be right if they select a RB. Here's another fact... the Bills have never drafted anything but busts with the 12th selection... at least since 67... the first year of the common draft. Twice they've drafted 12 and twice they got zeroes... Phil Dokes (only DT taken #1 by the Bills since the common draft) & Tony Hunter (only the 2nd TE selected by the Bills since the common draft... Reuben Gant the other). Their safest choice by far is a DB or WR... except for James Williams & John Pitts, they have a decent record at drafting DBs in the first round. And, except for Perry Tuttle, they done very well at drafting 1st rd. receivers. Add to this Ernie Davis in 62 (died of Leukemia), Mike Dennis in 66, Booker Moore (Barre-Gulaine disease) in 81 as RB s drafted in rd. 1 by the Bills... and you can see, overall the Bills are 1 for 10 drafting RBs in Rd. 1. So if the pull the trigger on a RB in round 1 the damn well better be right this time... because they've not done well.

FYI... The Bills have a horrible track record of drafting first round running backs... Juice... OK... no problem... but it took him 3 years to get untracked. Terry Miller... one season wonder. Greg Bell... Average, but he didn't like running between the tackles. Ronnie Harmon... Below average... and he didn't like running between the tackles. either. Antowain Smith... he was supposed to make us forget Thermal... I still can't. Willis McGahee... supposed to be the 2nd coming of juice. Someone made a miscalculation... he as the 2nd coming of Greg Bell. That's a miserable track record. 1 for 6 since 69? Three 2nd rounders fared better... Joe Cribbs, Thurman Thomas, & Travis Henry. Moral of the story... draft smart. If you're going to use a 1st rd. pick on a RB, A) you better be a damn good team loaded with talent and can afford to be wrong, or B) You better be dead on right... especially if you're a rebuilding team, because if you're wrong, it will set you back 2-4 years.

Let me go out on a limb here. I've got a feeling that Ralph still has memory of drafting a RB in the first Rd. having come off an injury as a senior (see McGa-hee-haw). $1,000,000 says, if Bush gets drafted by the Bills, it won't be til the 3rd rd... and maybe not even then. Mark this down... There is a greater chance that Rosie O'Donnel will be our next president than the chances the Bills would waste a first or second rd. pick on Bush.

Jus the doc here "keeping it real" Let me see if I understand you... You'd love to see a soon to be 34 year old running back, that's played 15 games in the past 2 seasons, in a Bills uni? Do you just want him to play "dress up" with you, or actually suit up to play? Dude... I hear Thurman Thomas aint too busy... why not him? God... like I said before. There ought to be an age or IQ minimum to post on this board. Thank God today's the last day of spring break. I don't know if I could take one more post from a 2nd grader.

so, why exactly would you choose to take up an argument with a 2nd grader?

So... what exactly the problem here at MLB??? The current Bills depth chart has a starting MLB named Angelo Crowell. They also list Spikes and Ellison as the OLBs. With Spikes status a little cloudy, I'd bet my house that the Bills recognize that they might be a tad thin at LB. Since neither one of us is privy to what's happening behind the scenes at OBD, why would you assume this is not being addressed?

Dude... you throw this subject matter out, and fail to explain why!!! Hogwash. The Bills had 3 defensive starters on defense that were not 1st rounders. End of story. The Bills may, or may not go "D" in the first round. It depends on who's available and the perceived value at #12.

Please. It's a totally ridiculous question to ask... period. The Bills don 't even have to put a team on the field until September. The time to ask that question is a third or halfway through the season. Is the Oline not better? Of course it is. Is the RB situation better... yeah... simply by subtraction. Any scrub can get 3.8 ypc. We all know this will be addressed appropriately in the draft and the Bills will get a productive runner and be a more diversified offense as a result. Is the defense better? We don't know, but it has to be. Spikes can't play any more. London could make tackles downfield but not in the opponents backfield, plus Nate is gone. Who knows who will be out there in FA after June? If the Bills need to fill a hole here and a hole there for jut a season, there are always good vets that have a season or two left in them that will play for near minimum. ? The safeties should be solid. The DEs are solid. The questions have to be answered at one CB position and DT. Who's to say Youboty won't step up, and McCargo and Williams Matthews can spew out what ever he wants. It doen't mean you have to buy it. Use your head. He can make a case for any team he wants. He can say the Pats have significantly improved. On paper, they have. But, the reality is if Brady and/or Wilfork go down with serious injuries, the Pats may as well piss on the fire... because the hunt is over. So grading a team 6 weeks before the draft and 6 months before the season opener is retarded.

What do I think? I think you stole my thunder. We'll see what happens on draft day. It's a crap shoot. From last week...

Sorry... but This looks like Parrish's highlight real from Miami. I see a bunch of punt returns, a few reverses and pass receptions where he outruns everyone. I don't see anywhere which would indicate that he can withstand a jam at the los, nor get clean separation from an NFL cb. Doesn't mean he can or can't, but for every good wr drafted in round 1 there's a bust. Mike Williams, Charles Rogers, JJ Stokes, Troy Edwards, Perry Tuttle, Lam Jones, Tim Carter, etc. There are greater needs that this team needs.. specifically on defense, that need to be addressed before pulling a 'Donahoe' and going for the 'sexy' choice. This is a deep draft for WR... if the Bills so choose, they can still get good value by drafting a wr anywhere from Rd. 3 on.

How do you "know" that? You mean you "guess" that. Last I checked there are no FBs on the Bills roster. With the recent OL signings, there "may/might" be a consensus among the offensive coaches that they've solidified that position significanlty and no loger see a need to keep a back or TE in to assit in pass protection. So, going double TE (H-back) or diversifying and going 3 wide may be their answer. They used a lot of Cieslak at FB (h-back)and TE last season and there doesn't seem to be any panic or hurry to add a FB to their roster. Plus, there is a strong sentiment that the Bills will draft a WR on day one. If that's the case, the Bills are still paying Evans, Reed, Price, and Parrish. If they draft another WR, it would seem to me they have intentions of running single back, 3 wide formations.

I'm effective in "space".

"FEELINGS" are based on emmotion... and they change with the wind, sun, moon, stars, and whateveer yanks your chain. "FACTS" don't change, Willis won't either. He is what he is. A leopard can't change it's spots. You're fanatasizing, I'm keeping it "REAL".

Dude... lighten up. There is no conspiracy. Willis flat out sucked! That's why he got traded... PERIOD. I defy anyone to covinc me this bum is an impact player to any degree. What's his game? Power? speed? elusiveness? savvy? intangibles? leadership? stamina? He's got none of these.

I would agree with that... but wasn't Holmes a FA and not traded to the Chiefs? I'm only talking trades. When you make a trade for someone, you give up more than the money... you take a double hit... the money's gone to spend on another player, plus you're minus draft pick(s) to continue moving a rebuilding team forward.

This would be way off the blue print/pattern this regime has displayed to date. Re-signing a 30 yr. old RB who has huge limitations and a 28 yr. old RB with a history of injuries would be a huge risk. If they sign either, or both, they are coming in at minimum wage or slightly above. Rhodes, if signed, cannot... I repeat, CANNOT, be depended on as an every down back. If they sign him, he's a passing down RB. I think the Bills get their every down back on draft day... and not in round 1... cuz I don't really believe there is a RB in this year's draft worthy of a higher pick than 20. there are 3 backs that I think fit their blue print... Ken Darby, Marshawn Lynch, Kolby Smith because of their versaility in both the running game and passing game. I know everyone's favorite seems to be Marshawn... but... I think pulling the string on him at number 12 is too high. I don't think this kid is anywhere near as good as the Pat's Maroney and he was drafted last year at 20 something.

I don't know how anyone can say that. He's never had to carry the load for more than a game or two. How do you know he isn't Kenneth Davis re-incarnated? Kenny was good as a backup to Thermal, but as an everydown back he had his limitations. You've got to be real careful when you go after a RB that has promise but his own team is willing to give him up. The chances you could lay a huge egg are much greater than striking gold... Lamont Jordan... Kevin Barlow... Derrick Blaylock... Darrick Holmes... TJ Duckett... Ron Dayne...Samkon Gado are backs that had a few very good games and got traded to other teams... only to disappoint. On the other hand, Ahman Green is one success story. At this stage of the Bills rebuilding... you need to have a stone cold premonition on a guy like Turner before you throw draft picks/players/big money for him.... because if you're wrong... it could easily set the franchise back a couple of years... and I don't think a fan, such as yourself, would accept that too well.

The first thing it would take is consensus with Marv and the coaching staff as to whether this dude is a viable candidate as starter or a backup/change of pace RB. If they believe the former, they wait til after at least their 2nd round choice on draft day and then talk trade. If they believe the later, then why bother wasting a phone call?

That's why the Bills kept Tuten Reyes. He can block as well as Shelton, has better hands, and is probably a little more elusive.

Who?