folz Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I know it seems that for the last 10 years we have been in rebuilding mode every 2 to 3 years and many fans are sick of it and want to win now (so do I). but the Bills haven't really tried to rebuild this team since 2000 (albeit unsuccessfully at that time) when Donahoe and Greg Williams came in. They did actually blow up the team, got rid of the older guys, fixed the cap situation, and tried to start again with young players. Problem was they didn't draft well and therefore never developed a core of young players to build around. Sure, we changed coaches (and GMs) twice more during the last 10 years, but we never actually tried to rebuild again. When Mularkey was hired, Donahoe was still running the show, so nothing was blown up. They continued on down the path they were on (talent-wise) and tried to bring in some big names to get over the hump. When Jauron and Marv came in, things franchise-wise (not just roster) were in such disarray that they did bring a modicum of stability back to the organization, but in order to do that, they didn't blow up the team, they kind of just worked with what they had and tried to fix what they saw was wrong (which they didn't do well). And Brandon (although I like the guy and think he is very important to the organization) was in over his head as a football GM and so he wasn't going to start from scratch with a solid plan built on experience, he was just going to try to fill some holes and hope for the best (again with what we already had). When a team rebuilds, they have to find (draft) a core of young talented players that can grow and learn and take their lumps together in order to become (hopefully, eventually) a well oiled machine (and I think that started with last year's draft for the Bills). FA is then to fill in the role players on the team and/or maybe a couple of starters in places of need where the drafts may be weak. A team needs to grow together (coaches and players)...its not just about having the most talented players, its about talented players playing as a team (in sync with each other). I don't think the Bills are giving up on next season and only looking to the future. But when you are actually rebuilding, if you sacrifice the future to be slightly better next season you are doing yourself a disservice. We aren't going to win the Superbowl next year...so bringing back the older guys (TO, Reed, whoever) would just be another season of not letting the young guys get the experience they need (which I feel was one of the problems under Jauron). We need to get young, hungry, talented players in here and then let them grow together over the next couple of years (in one system) by getting experience together on the field. Bringing in a couple of big name FAs (or by trade, say a McNabb) or resigning our older guys isn't going to guarantee us success next season, let alone make us a competitive team for the next 5 years (when those older players will probably be retired or out of fuel). Even if we aren't a playoff team next year, I will be excited if I see a group of young talented players learning and growing and getting better together. It usually seems to take 3 drafts (supplemented by FA) to rebuild a team...I count last year's draft as draft 1, this year will be 2, and the following season will be 3. So, I'm not expecting the Bills to be great next year, but if the new FO and coaches draft well (big "IF" but after last year's draft I have hope), we should be improved this season, be stocked up the following season and getting better and then hopefully as the young guys become experienced young veterans, we will have a competitive team for a number of years. After what we've been through, its tough to say we have to have some more patience with this process...but I'm excited that we actually look to be finally rebuilding again and not just temporarily patching the holes that will just reopen again. Instead of expecting to win immediately (playoffs/Superbowl this season), enjoy watching a young team come together... think the Bills team of 1986 to 1989, it can be exciting to watch a team get closer and closer to success... instead of running in place, which is what we've been doing for the last how many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PearlHowardman Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 Marv Levy Drew Bledsoe TO et al Bills owner Ralph Wilson has no desire to field a Super Bowl caliber team. That cost too much time and money. His goal is to make money and nothing beyond that. So he hires TOKEN big names like Levy, Bledsoe, TO, et al, every now-and-then to keep fans interested and buying. Period! And gullible fans line up with their money to BUY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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