ronbaskin

That's because the team hasn't gotten any better in the past few years. Different players, maybe, but the same problems. Can't stop the run. Can't run. Trick plays. Shoddy quarterback play. Shall I continue? When you need gasoline you don't buy a quart of oil.

You do? Based on what? You might recall he made a similar error last season in Tampa Bay. I actually blame JP and Steve Fairchild. When your QB and OC don't realize where they are on the field you've got trouble. A coach has to put players in position to win. What was there about the second half that made anybody think an offensive line that couldn't convert 4th-and-1 was somehow going to give the QB enough protection to throw a deep pass from his own 8-yard-line? The good news is these mistakes can be corrected this season. Even better, in my estimation, is the team fought hard. I said before the season progress would be remaining competitive in the 4th quarter. My criticisms notwithstanding I think the Bills--though they'll miss the playoffs--will be a very entertaining team to watch.

As a "realist" allow me to say that Wilson was entirely correct in his original complaint. I have negotiated several labor agreements with, among others, ABC and the major Hollywood studios. There is no such creature as a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which can be thoroughly, or thoughtfully, scrutinized in the 45 minutes allotted to the NFL owners. Wilson and Brown were correct in voting against it for that reason alone. I won't haggle about the percentages because I believe workers (in this instance players) are entitled to whatever they can get from management. But, clearly, this deal was being ram-rodded because the majority owners feared a strike. What you may not realize is the television network contracts contain language requiring the league to indemnify them in the event of a strike. That could result in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars because the networks will no longer accept "scab" games as they once did. However, players stand to lose just as much--if not more--than the owners if there were to be a strike, so it was pretty much a game of "chicken" that saw the owners blink first. So, Wilson was not senile. The fools were the owners who put their signatures on the document without fully realizing what was in it.

The truth is the offensive line, led by Alan Faneca, did not embrace Big Ben in the beginning. Review the press clippings from the time and you'll find many were griping about their season being lost behind a rookie. The difference is they didn't simply gripe and throw in the towel. Maddox is well liked in the locker room, so it was natural his teammates would try to protect his position while he was hurt. Then, it became obvious Roethlisberger had a special chemistry with his receivers and that the running game would still be potent. TD and MM assured the fans Buffalo's record would be better with Losman at the helm instead of Bledsoe. When it became apparent that wouldn't happen, the coach and general manager panicked. Otherwise, I believe most Bills fans were willing to suffer through Losman's early mistakes and give him time to develop. Despite the moves in the offseason, most fans and observers seem to accept the fact that either Losman develops into an above average starter or we start looking for another quarterback in the offseason.

Actually, I was more encouraged by the clips. I obviously haven't seen a full workout, but Losman's mechanics seem to be improved. Watch his front shoulder when he throws. It doesn't droop. Now, if they can only give him some protection.

After saying a couple years ago his children didn't want the team, in part because of the inheritance tax issue, Mr. Wilson retreated a couple months back and indicated there was a chance he would leave the team to one of his kids. The speculation inside the Bills organization is he would leave it to his daughter, Linda Bogdan, who was recently promoted to the title of corporate vice president. She's been with the team for 18 years, most notably as a scout. Her new responsibilities include long-term planning for the team. Whether Wilson wills the franchise to someone else there are serious questions--as others have noted--to keeping the franchise in western New York much longer. The population base is in steady decline. Over the past 30 years the Buffalo television market's rank has nosedived from 24th to 47th. Jobs and people are fleeing. Future government assistance is uncertain with both the city and county government finances overseen by control boards. It is not a pretty picture.

The issue is somewhat valid when you consider the fact that, as General Manager, this is now Levy's program--his team to build. That causes one to wonder just how many years he has left in an extremely stressful position. General Managers don't just sit around in their offices making trades and deciding which players to retain. They are on the road quite a bit--even during the season--scouting players. Tom Modrak takes some of the load off for college scouting and John Guy does the same in the pro ranks. Still, the GM needs to see a lot of players. So, you have to ask, will Levy be able (or even want) to do this job three or four years from now, when he'll be nearing 85 years of age. He's a marvelous physical specimen and there certainly isn't anything wrong with his mind now. Maybe--just maybe--he can pull it off. I wouldn't bet against him. But that doesn't mean questions about his age are not valid.

Be very happy Levy has admitted the obvious. The problem with most team officials in professional sports today is they avoid the "r" word with the plague, even though it's there for the whole world to see. There is no greater satisfaction for any fan than to cheer his/her team on from doormat to Super Bowl champs. But it all has to start somewhere. Championship teams don't materialize from thin air' they are built through hard work and shrewd talent assessments. I have more than my share of questions regarding some of the moves Levy has made, but I'm more than willing to give him huge cred for his veracity on this issue. What that means is the team isn't where Levy wants it to be, yet. That's really a good acknowledgement because we know it's not a playoff contender. It also indicates Levy has a plan for the future and he plans to stick with it. The Bills don't have to make a playoff run this season to satisfy me. They just have to show consistent improvement and competitiveness. At least nobody can accuse Levy of misleading the fans.

Saints owner Tom "Boogie" Benson isn't as interested in moving to Los Angeles as he is his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. He would still be in a larger television market (37 vs. 43). Along with the sale of luxury boxes--which owners covet--there is also the matter of increasing the television universe, another primary reason small market owners seek larger territories. Local broadcasting rights are not included in the revenue sharing formula. You get to make more money selling these rights in New York than in Idaho.

That ranking is correct. The only legitimate receiver on the roster is Lee Evans, who becomes the top guy. Expect him to see more double coverages and zones rolle his way than he's seen in his entire life. Peerless Price flamed out in Atlanta and flopped in Dallas, where Bledsoe lobbied on his behalf with Bill Parcells. Sure, he could thrive if utilized properly, but based on his production after leaving the Bills he'll have to prove it. Andre Davis is a burner when healthy, and that's the rub. Roscoe Parrish also has durability issues and I don't have to remind anyone how undependable Josh Reed has become. Of course, it's tough to catch balls when the quarterback can't get them to the receivers. Brett Favre would have a tough time operating behind what passes as an offensive line in Buffalo. And nobody is accusing Losman, Holcomb or Nall (especially Nall) of being in Favre's class.