O.J., Chuck Knox, Jim Kelly, ???

[John Gianelli]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

[billsfreak]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

Not sure it is just one individual, but the whole organization seems to be out of whack for the past decade plus. Most of the moves they make turn to crap, few draft picks pan out, etc. Those are three of the biggest names in Bills history, but I think they are just figureheads. To prove my point, I don't think Ralph has ever hired anyone who was successful in the NFL before coming here other than Knox, he usually goes for the unknown, a coordinator or a recycled head coach who wasn't that great before. Even Levy didn't have much success before here, maybe that is why Ralph tries with people like Juaron and Gailey, hoping they come here and finally have success like Marv did.

[John Cocktosten]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

I think you forgot JP Losman in your timeline.

[Just Jack]

I think you forgot JP Losman in your timeline.

And Drew Beldsoe.

[Conch]

Teams need leaders. The Bills do not have any that stand out. That more than anything hurts this teams progress.

 

The Sabres have Miller but he only plays one end of the ice. Where would this team have stopped if they had two leaders for the playoffs like Drury and Briere?

[jester43]

ralph has thrown a truckload of **** up against the wall over the years...no harm in hoping a little bit of it will stick once again. don't hang your hat on it, but a miracle is no more or less likely today than it was then.

 

the real test comes when things start going well and somebody at OBD actually gets hungry to win- can we go all the way before Ralph runs all the competent ones out of town and hands more power over to the remaining dullards? I vote no on that.

[The Tomcat]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

 

We had it, but now the Chroise in no longer!

[BillsPhan]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

 

When our kids were younger, they used to love to watch "Angels in the Outfield", with Danny Glover playing a hilarious role as the frustrated California Angels manager with anger issues. In one scene, he's in the empty Angels Stadium stands talking to his owner and he says; "There's a thing called talent, and they don't have any!", talking about the lousy team his owner straddled him with.

 

Those eras you mentioned, picking out just one man from each, all had much more in common....other players with lots of talent. Where would O.J. have been without the Electric Company and Lou Saban deciding young QB Fergy needed to hand him the ball 25 - 30 times a game? Chuck Knox had the number one defense in football and an exciting offense led by Fergy and Joe Cribbs and Jerry Butler. And Jim Kelly? Bill Polian and John Butler supplied Jimbo with a Hall of Fame coach, a Hall of Fame running back and a Hall of Fame defensive end - and more Hall of Famers to come from his era! And lets' not forget another Hall of Fame reciever who spent the last 5 years catching balls from Jimbo - James Lofton!

 

I believe Buddy Nix has a keen eye for real football talent, and within a couple of years it will start showing up. I have serious doubts that Chan and his gang from Georgia Tech are the right coaches, but I will reserve judgement on that after the first couple of seasons.

[Rockinon]

There is no single charismatic person that is going to come in and be a savior and there never has been one. If my memory serves me right OJ didn't do it by himself. The "Juice" had the "Electric Company". Jim Kelly had a lot of help too. People like Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Cornelius Benett, Steve Tasker and Marv Levy also contributed in big ways.

 

The point is, the great teams always were made up of multiple player roles. I have been sitting back and watching all of these armchair experts on this board moaning about not getting the next Jim Kelly and a high draft pick for left tackle. It's kind of amusing because even if we had the best left tackle and the best QB in the league, this team would still struggle. Individual players simply do not come in and become saviors. The team as a whole does that. The concept seems to escape so many people. Standout players can come from any position on the field and it takes multiple roles to be successful.

 

Hopefully the big defensive changes, the new coaching staff and guys like Spiller, Easley and Wang can breath new life into this struggling team.

 

When I see the term "Savior" I start getting a sick feeling because I know that no man is going to be that person unless his name is Jesus.

[Mr_Blizzard]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

 

We blew up everything in the off-season - Basically a new front office. I want to see how Chan does with the tools Buddy and Co have provided for this season. Hopefully we are in every game this year and no more pathetic coaching decisions. I'll reassess after the 2010 season.

[John Gianelli]

There is no single charismatic person that is going to come in and be a savior and there never has been one. If my memory serves me right OJ didn't do it by himself. The "Juice" had the "Electric Company". Jim Kelly had a lot of help too. People like Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Cornelius Benett, Steve Tasker and Marv Levy also contributed in big ways.

 

The point is, the great teams always were made up of multiple player roles. I have been sitting back and watching all of these armchair experts on this board moaning about not getting the next Jim Kelly and a high draft pick for left tackle. It's kind of amusing because even if we had the best left tackle and the best QB in the league, this team would still struggle. Individual players simply do not come in and become saviors. The team as a whole does that. The concept seems to escape so many people. Standout players can come from any position on the field and it takes multiple roles to be successful.

 

Hopefully the big defensive changes, the new coaching staff and guys like Spiller, Easley and Wang can breath new life into this struggling team.

 

When I see the term "Savior" I start getting a sick feeling because I know that no man is going to be that person unless his name is Jesus.

 

What I meant was, there seemed to be one identifiable person to pin our hopes on. I remember those eras well. I lived in Buffalo at the time, and it was exciting to think that there was a guy who either had the talent or the coaching ability to win a game that we should have lost, and bring out the talent of those around him. And of course there were a lot of talented athletes around those guys. I could still name most of the starters on offense and defense from those teams.

 

Maybe I should have just asked the question, in 2010, is there anyone on the roster or the coaching staff who you can get excited about in the same way people got excited about OJ, Knox and Kelly?

[ChasBB]

I think the savior this go round is Nix. The guy is the real deal when it comes to talent evaluation.

[Lurker]

in 2010, is there anyone on the roster or the coaching staff who you can get excited about in the same way people got excited about OJ, Knox and Kelly?

Brian Moorman...

[nero47]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

How quickly we forget the lou saban years. it was team concept both times. after he left both times the team had a slide. It's not about the super star or the super coach, it's about who can get a team to play together. I believe Gailey will be that coach.

[Las Vegas Calling...]

I agree with you all that all the great Bills teams had a team concept. However, in order to bring in the talent to win, the Bills have often had a coach or one superstar player in which to build around ( your Kellys, OJ's, Knox's, Saban's, ect). Hopefully the Nix/Galley combo will be able to accomplish this. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that we have gone ten years without a playoff game!

[NewHampshireBillsFan]

I've been a fan since '63, and have never felt this sense of the Bills being unable to get back to the top of the heap, nor the lack of a "savior" figure to pull us out of the doldrums. After the terrible years of the late '60s we had the coming of O.J. After the awful late '70s there was a proven coach on the way in Chuck Knox. After the mid-'80s, Jim Kelly would be the man. But now, we lack any such charismatic figure or proven winner.

 

Of course I'll be thrilled if we can get back to the top through a team concept, not having to rely on any single individual. Let's hope that starts happening now.

 

I have been aware of the Bills since 1966 and I would say hopefully that Nix and Gailey represent a good turn of events. But overall, I think you are correct. And the sad thing is even the fans have a defeatist attitude that as a small market team we don't really have a chance, etc. Through at least the mid 1990's the thinking was never that we couldn't win because we can't compete against the elite teams.

 

The truth of the matter is that Ralph Wilson has done a lousy job as the owner because he refused to take seriously the front office aspect of winning and even the importance of top quality coaching for extended periods of time. Compare us to the Steelers, the cities not that different is size during the last half century, and look at the different results, mainly because the owner hired good football people and let them do their job without interference. We have gone 45 superbowls without winning a single one. That falls on the owner and no one else.

 

And it falls on the city, county, and state govts. that we are such a sad sack area that would have to risk losing a team to a "bigger" city or market. Why did the economy go so bad in Buffalo--because of excessive taxes that drove off companies and kept new ones from coming in, because of public service unions that run the city to ruin. In 1960 Buffalo was the 10th largest metropolitan area in the country and that didn't include the Rochester area that also supports the Bills. The state and local leaders messed up a great city. When you live in other parts of the country you see how much better govts. are run than NY state and Buffalo.

[CodeMonkey]

When I see the term "Savior" I start getting a sick feeling because I know that no man is going to be that person unless his name is Jesus.

So you think we need to draft someone from Mexico or South America??

[billsfreak]

I think the savior this go round is Nix. The guy is the real deal when it comes to talent evaluation.

I think everyone hopes your right, but I am not getting my hopes up. Only time will tell, kinda the same thought alot of people had when they brought Donohue in here too.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

When our kids were younger, they used to love to watch "Angels in the Outfield", with Danny Glover playing a hilarious role as the frustrated California Angels manager with anger issues. In one scene, he's in the empty Angels Stadium stands talking to his owner and he says; "There's a thing called talent, and they don't have any!", talking about the lousy team his owner straddled him with.

 

Those eras you mentioned, picking out just one man from each, all had much more in common....other players with lots of talent. Where would O.J. have been without the Electric Company and Lou Saban deciding young QB Fergy needed to hand him the ball 25 - 30 times a game? Chuck Knox had the number one defense in football and an exciting offense led by Fergy and Joe Cribbs and Jerry Butler. And Jim Kelly? Bill Polian and John Butler supplied Jimbo with a Hall of Fame coach, a Hall of Fame running back and a Hall of Fame defensive end - and more Hall of Famers to come from his era! And lets' not forget another Hall of Fame reciever who spent the last 5 years catching balls from Jimbo - James Lofton!

 

I believe Buddy Nix has a keen eye for real football talent, and within a couple of years it will start showing up. I have serious doubts that Chan and his gang from Georgia Tech are the right coaches, but I will reserve judgement on that after the first couple of seasons.

 

I agree... minor detail is that Bruce was actually drafted in 1985, Terry Bledsoe was GM.

[BillsPhan]

I agree... minor detail is that Bruce was actually drafted in 1985, Terry Bledsoe was GM.

 

Good point. I think Polian was promtoed around December of 1985. I don't remember if Bledsoe quit or was fired first. Bruce, Andre Reed, Darryl Talley, Freddy Smerlas and the all time greatest back up QB in NFL history (of course I'm biased), Frank Reich, were already here waiting for Polian to bring Jimbo to town in 1986.