Búfalo Blanco

I just got off the phone with DTV to straighten some things out... Then I get on here and see this thread! Thinking about calling back now... I've had the NFL ST every year since 96'... At that time it was around $100 a year... It has gone up every single year, and I feel as if it is too much now, but I can't live without it at this point. I'm paying the $270 "early bird"... They automatically add the early bird NFL package every year because I've been doing it so long... However the last couple of seasons I've gotten the "Superfan" as well... I didn't want to pay it this year ($100 extra) so I canceled it back in May... I've had to call 3 times now because they keep adding Superfan back on.. So tonight, they gave Superfan to me for free, free Showtime for 3 months and another $25 credit... Not nearly what SDS got, but I'll take it! I may be calling back even though I agree with the moral issue... However I've been loyal to them for 13 years and given them a lot of money... and the NFL ST cost is beginning to get a little ridiculous... I hope their monopoly on it is over soon, so we can see some competition...

And that would be a much better decision... I've thought about that many times and have seen it mentioned here as the best choice during a season... But the point that I meant was that a guy like Wilson will believe he's going with the "fan favorite" in AVP... Ya know, like bringing back Marv... Wilson:"I can sell a guy like AVP being a former player and all..."

I believe someone already predicted this, but I think it could very well happen.... Van Pelt will be the interim HC by the end of the season... Or the new HC next season... With guys like Cowher, Schotty, Gruden and Shanny out there, the ever brilliant Wilson will give the job to AVP... the "fan favorite"... This could get ugly... The OC change may not be a huge deal... but what comes next is what worries me....

Yeah but then we would sign him... I don't think I could take that... and neither could Mort!

Hey Zazie... You're absolutely correct, I went back and checked. I got confused on McKelvin's pick which was off Vince Young... But, yes, Corner picked Mortensen and ran it all the way in... Regardless, it was a joy to watch anyone from our secondary pick the son of Mort and, as DazedandConfused states, send the pretender to the booth to join his overly arrogant pop! I guess that talent isn't working out for us, eh Mort??? Go Bills!!!

After questioning our franchise for years, isn't it fun to see the detractor's son get picked off by Leodis McKelvin..? That was one of the highlights of the night for me... Edit: Strike that... Reggie Corner, not McKelvin...

I completely agree with you on Gruden and I've said it here before... I think the guy runs a W.C. offensive scheme that would be ideal for Trent Edwards... He could possibly turn Trent into an all-pro. But I also think it may be a pipe dream given Ralph Wilson's history of not paying coaches... and would Gruden want too much control? I agree with a lot of what you are saying and I think there is a chance he could end up in Dallas... But two things to consider... RBs do not make the decision for him, but the Cowboys have the biggest offensive line in the NFL by average size and weight. Shannahan likes a small, athletic OL for his zone-blocking scheme, no? Also, wouldn't there be a power clash between an ego like Shannahan and Jerry Jones, who likes to have control over his HC ala our favorite ol' boy Wade Phillips?

Like I said, the franchise tag is an option at the end of the year... That doesn't mean it will happen... I honestly think T.O. is stop-gap while James Hardy develops and gets back into things after his injury. Hardy will hit that "magical" 3rd year in 2010 and could take off... If that happens, they don't need T.O. Another thing to consider is that T.O. was brought in to help ticket sales... Some people were pissed when Jauron was retained. Wilson needed a band-aid for that. People got excited again when they signed Owens... Now if the coaching staff fails yet again, the next incentive to keep season ticket holders around might be a new, higher-priced coach. Ultimately, I think re-signing or more likely franchising T.O. depends on two things... James Hardy's development and how much we win this year. Regardless, I highly doubt the organization locks up Owens before the season is over. They will wait and see how the season plays out...

The Bills might also have a card to play by franchising Owens if things work out well with him this season... Not sure if that happens, but they could consider it an option.

Makes me wanna go poopie...

Damn I miss that team... Looking at it now really puts in perspective how great they were.

NO!!!

Randy Moss went to NE only to break the season TD record his first year... and he cost, what was it, a 4th round pick?

Yeah... Its quite obvious a small market team would've never given him that...

Only problem is that, once again, its a very important division game... and if its anything like last year, it will be like playing on a neutral site... or worse. Why does the NFL feel they have to put the Bills most important home games in Toronto??!!

I couldn't agree with this statement more... This is the time for Trent Edwards especially to step up and make this his team. If he "can't deal with a strong personality" as you say, how does he ever expect to become a leader and Super Bowl contender? Would Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Ben Roethlisberger put up with one of their skill position players calling them out or throwing fits on the sideline? Of course not... Edwards shouldn't either. If we happen to see T.O. up to his antics with this team, (which I hope we don't) Edwards should step up and tell him exactly where his place is... He's the one who should, because I don't believe Jauron can... Jauron has already knocked us all back down to earth.

Say what...?

Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy...

The great thing about the WC offense is that you can mold the scheme around your QB's strengths.... I believe Shanahan could have adjusted to Trent's strengths while greatly improving our ground game. Not that our ground game is horrible, but there would be much more emphasis since Shanahan has always used it to his advantage correctly and setting up the pass through a zone running scheme... You are correct that the zone-blocking scheme does not suit our current OL and I said as much in the last post... We would have to completely rebuild it. But I believe the WC offense is the correct scheme for Trent Edwards... Perhaps Shanny is not the most perfect WC mind for Edwards, although as I said, the scheme is made to adjust to a particular QB... But Shanny would be a huge upgrade over what we have and, again, make our rushing game unstoppable... Actually a guy in the mold of John Gruden might be the best WC scheme fit for Edwards... He made guys like Gannon and B. Johnson incredibly acurate in his scheme... and they never had what you might consider an Elway arm. In fact, I thought a couple of Gannon's seasons during the Gruden era were the best I'd ever seen ... and a lot of that was short range and dump-off passes that Edwards would excel at... But this is all a pipe dream at this point anyway... There would need to be changes at certain positions, and I'm not sure Lee Evans would benefit from a short range passing game. He's locked up now for a while... I just felt that since we're talking about the pros/cons of Trent, the West Coast Offense could really bring out his talent. Unfortunately, we may never see that...

I've been saying this for a while... A WC offensive scheme would suit Edwards best. Using a conservative, run-oriented version of it along with a more aggressive style defense similar to Lebeau's blitz schemes could do wonders for this team, although at this point, I don't believe this team is completely built for those schemes... A guy like Shanahan would have been the perfect WC guy for Trent Edwards... but we would have had to go through another rebuilding transition to mold the zone-blocking OL Shanahan likes among other personnel changes... and it may have taken time. But the team would have moved forward instead of staying in neutral... which is where we'll be for a while. And of course, Wilson would have had to shell out extra cash... God forbid... Its tragic because I believe Edwards would be on the cusp of greatness in the right WC offense... Too bad Ralph didn't take a chance like this, because he's gonna lose even more of that precious money he likes to conserve losing season ticket holders... and then the sphincter will pucker up so tight, he really will turn Buffalo into his home town... GO LIONS!!!

Crazy... And I've been saying for a while that I believe Trent Edwards would really benefit and flourish with a "West Coast" coach... I think that offense suits him. But we get to stick with Dick.... Brilliant!

The Bills will show their resilience as always, keep it close, then lose it somehow in the 4th... Probably by one of their signature heartbreaker calls or mistakes. And, assuming the extension reports are true, Jauron will stay... with the help of the players lobbying for his return. Which I have no doubt they will do... On top of that, ol' Ralphie will have a hard time swallowing that extension money... and then, (even if that happens) will not go give a gargantuan contract to Cowher or Martyball... it'll be some el cheapo assistant again. But my money is on Jauron staying... Ralph has an ace in the hole with his fans.... He knows we are some of the most loyal fans in the NFL. I mean how can we not be with some of the abuse we've gotten in the past and just keep coming back for more. Maybe he loses some... most will stay. And he knows that...

He is cheap... If you'd actually look at the cap totals, you'd see that they are well under the cap... These are some of the most current totals I could find. Granted, Lee Evans extension came after the season started, but even with that added the Bills still have plenty of space... http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=63559 http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showt...=0#entry1206805 But you sound like the type who just wants to be a contrarian and get people's blood up cause you're bored with your pitiful life... Bring it on... I've read some of your posts, and you sir don't strike me as an intelligent fan... Ralph is cheap... And if you're trying to tell me that we would offer as much bonus money to Haynesworth or Peppers as certain other clubs, you haven't been paying attention to Buffalo's offseason signings... There's a surprise, judging from your mindless warble... I have paid very close attention to this team for over 20 years... Sure, he spent SOME money on SOME players... SOME of which should not have gotten the contracts they got... Therefore the Bills have tied up what little money they spend, compared to other clubs, on SOME solid (not all-pro) talent, SOME mediocre talent, and SOME bad talent. Not the smartest investments for a team that spends less... This part of the post shows how pathetic your assumptions are... Where's your evidence of my biography...? You have no clue who I am... so don't assume. I've watched more NFL games and read more NFL articles than you could possibly know... He didn't spend enough money... and what money he did spend, which all owners must do to a certain degree if they want to keep their fan base, was not wisely spent. So I'm actually making both arguments... He's cheap and he spent unwisely. Yes, the O-Line went from bad to average... "Pretty good"..? I disagree... and to go from a bad O-Line to average with $74 million spent on two players is a bad investment. Why not take that $49 million you spent on a guard and get a Haynesworth instead? This is where he spent the most money recently of any of their acquisitions... but for a team that is more fiscally conservative, each investment needs to be worth it. Otherwise, you are throwing away what little you spend... The D-Line...? "Pretty good"???? Are you kidding...? 22 sacks to date..? With Denney leading the team with 4 sacks? I understand Schobel has been injured for some time this year, but many teams have won the Super Bowl with many injuries... Its not an excuse. I was all for re-signing Evans... for what money Wilson did shell out... but what do you mean "Evans was key"..? From a production standpoint, no he hasn't been... 3 tds and 900 yards? 2 bad investments..? More like some bad investments and some mediocre investments... with less spent than the Snyders and Jones of the league... I haven't seen any of the signings as great investments to this point.

At this point, I'm not even convinced Jauron will be fired... He may be with us for a while... But if he is fired, do we really believe Wilson is gonna go out and get an experienced, Super Bowl coach in the mold of a Bill Cowher? Based on his track record, that's highly unlikely... On top of that, assistants high on the HC interview list will be in demand this year with all the other vacancies... but you can bet that, hypothetically, Wilson will want to sign a cheap assistant who's green as a HC... If it were me, I'd heavily look into offensive-minded assistants who are cutting edge West Coast Offense schemers and can groom a QB... I believe this is the best type of offense for Trent Edwards and perfectly fits his style. A ball-control WC scheme that can keep the defense off the field... If the Bills Organization does that though, it would be a miracle... because it would mean thay are actually doing something that makes sense...