When Bruce Smith was demoted to 2nd Team on The Bills

[Nanker]

Innerestin' Article on Bruce. Makes one think about that perspective thingy that so many here are sorely lacking in.

No wonder that Buffalo's All-Pro nosetackle, Fred Smerlas, was saying just after the draft, "You always see these rookies who are supposed to come in and burn down the house, and when they get here they can't even light a match. We can win with Smith, and we can win without him. A pass-rush specialist can't save you if you get behind and the offense can't score." Prophetic, that. The Sack Man didn't have one before Sunday's game, and his deficiencies against the run were evident when the Jets rushed for a whopping 288 yards against the Bills two weeks ago, humiliating them 42-3. Of the Jets game, Smith says simply, "I had a bad day at the office."

Not to worry if you don't read the whole article - or even if you do. Bruce turned out to be reasonably okay - according to most around these parts.

[Lori]

Another interesting fact: by the cover date on that issue of SI, Kay Stephenson was no longer the Bills HC, and Smith was back in the starting lineup to stay a week later.

[Nanker]

I was chuckling reading that, remembering what Smerlas said he said to Smith in what turned out to be Bullough's last game as The Bills HC. Something to the effect that, "you make a sack and Bullough stays - you're dead meat", not at all a correct quote, but I believe that was the gist of it. They wanted him out soooooooo bad.

[ieatcrayonz]

Is being completely worthless at the outset of your career a guarantee of future success? If so, Maybinot and Hardly should get a discount on tickets to Hawaii now.

[1B4IDie]

What is your point? Give Maybi a chance?

The issue with Maybi is not that Maybi had a bad rookie year, it was we could have a much more proven quantity in Orakpo.

 

Whatever Maybi does in his career he has to do better than Orakpo in order for him to be deemed a success.

 

Plus the internet was not publicly available during Bruce Smith's rookie year, so unless Two Bills drive was part of DARPANET I doubt anyone around here had anything to post

[ieatcrayonz]

Plus the internet was not publicly available during Bruce Smith's rookie year, so unless Two Bills drive was part of DARPANET I doubt anyone around here had anything to post

And Bruce didn't waste 75% of his time posting on Twitter.

[bartshan-83]

What is your point? Give Maybi a chance?

The issue with Maybi is not that Maybi had a bad rookie year, it was we could have a much more proven quantity in Orakpo.

 

Whatever Maybi does in his career he has to do better than Orakpo in order for him to be deemed a success.

What?

 

If Maybin goes to 3 pro-bowls and Orakpo goes to 4 then Maybin is a failure?

 

I'm not defending Maybin...the jury just left the box on that one. But to measure his worth against a different player in a different system with different coaches and teammates makes no sense.

[ieatcrayonz]

What?

 

If Maybin goes to 3 pro-bowls and Orakpo goes to 4 then Maybin is a failure?

 

I'm not defending Maybin...the jury just left the box on that one. But to measure his worth against a different player in a different system with different coaches and teammates makes no sense.

Maybinot can certainly afford to go to 3 pro bowls and watch Orakpo. He can probably even afford great seats. Does that make him a success?

[bartshan-83]

Maybinot can certainly afford to go to 3 pro bowls and watch Orakpo. He can probably even afford great seats. Does that make him a success?

Depends...does he fly first class?

[ieatcrayonz]

Depends...does he fly first class?

Depends?

 

I thought that is what Maybinot used in case the other team had a fullback run toward him.

[bartshan-83]

Depends?

 

I thought that is what Maybinot used in case the other team had a fullback run toward him.

I don't think he'd fly to the pro-bowl on another team's plane. And even if he did, you think the coach would allow running in the aisle?

[BuffaloBill]

Those were the days. I lovew watching Bruce highlights - in his prime he was unreal, just unreal.

[Las Vegas Calling...]

Those were the days. I lovew watching Bruce highlights - in his prime he was unreal, just unreal.

I remember Smith tearing through a team's defense and taking down the QB with ONE ARM while being tackled/blocked by the opposing teams defense. Something you don't see today.

[Red Squirrel]

I was chuckling reading that, remembering what Smerlas said he said to Smith in what turned out to be Bullough's last game as The Bills HC. Something to the effect that, "you make a sack and Bullough stays - you're dead meat", not at all a correct quote, but I believe that was the gist of it. They wanted him out soooooooo bad.

 

I think you got this story a little bit backwards (but the message remains the same); Smith was the one who threatened teammates...as I recall from Smerlas' book, Bruce said something along the lines of, "anybody makes a play, and I'm kicking their ass". But both of them hated Bullough. The whole team did; another story I remember from Smerlas' book was that he drove by a 7/11 and saw a bunch of people standing on a line circling around the building, and one of them was a teammate. Fred stopped and asked what was going on; the teammate said the Lotto jackpot was up around 50 million, and if he won it, the first thing he'd do was walk up to Bullough and punch him in the nose. Fred proceeded to get on line, too.

[Red Squirrel]

I remember Smith tearing through a team's defense and taking down the QB with ONE ARM while being tackled/blocked by the opposing teams defense. Something you don't see today.

 

You say one arm; I say one hand. I used to marvel at when Bruce would take a really wide angle around the LT and just grab at the QB with one hand, leave his feet, be completely horizontal, and yank the guy to the ground. I remember thinking I'd be scared to death to shake his hand....he'd either crush bones, or pull my arm out of it's socket.

[sabres...yawn]

Fred Smerlas wishes he was 10% of the player Bruce Smith was.

[Nanker]

I think you got this story a little bit backwards (but the message remains the same); Smith was the one who threatened teammates...as I recall from Smerlas' book, Bruce said something along the lines of, "anybody makes a play, and I'm kicking their ass". But both of them hated Bullough. The whole team did; another story I remember from Smerlas' book was that he drove by a 7/11 and saw a bunch of people standing on a line circling around the building, and one of them was a teammate. Fred stopped and asked what was going on; the teammate said the Lotto jackpot was up around 50 million, and if he won it, the first thing he'd do was walk up to Bullough and punch him in the nose. Fred proceeded to get on line, too.

I believe you're correct. That also reveals how BS assumed command of the D and the respect of his teammates - by his actions on the field. We're still waiting for someone, anyone to step up to the plate.

 

By the time Bullough left town most of the town wanted to punch him in the nose. History's repeated itself here a lot.

[Scraps]

Innerestin' Article on Bruce. Makes one think about that perspective thingy that so many here are sorely lacking in.

No wonder that Buffalo's All-Pro nosetackle, Fred Smerlas, was saying just after the draft, "You always see these rookies who are supposed to come in and burn down the house, and when they get here they can't even light a match. We can win with Smith, and we can win without him. A pass-rush specialist can't save you if you get behind and the offense can't score." Prophetic, that. The Sack Man didn't have one before Sunday's game, and his deficiencies against the run were evident when the Jets rushed for a whopping 288 yards against the Bills two weeks ago, humiliating them 42-3. Of the Jets game, Smith says simply, "I had a bad day at the office."

Not to worry if you don't read the whole article - or even if you do. Bruce turned out to be reasonably okay - according to most around these parts.

 

So what's your point?

[Sisyphean Bills]

I think you got this story a little bit backwards (but the message remains the same); Smith was the one who threatened teammates...as I recall from Smerlas' book, Bruce said something along the lines of, "anybody makes a play, and I'm kicking their ass". But both of them hated Bullough. The whole team did; another story I remember from Smerlas' book was that he drove by a 7/11 and saw a bunch of people standing on a line circling around the building, and one of them was a teammate. Fred stopped and asked what was going on; the teammate said the Lotto jackpot was up around 50 million, and if he won it, the first thing he'd do was walk up to Bullough and punch him in the nose. Fred proceeded to get on line, too.

WTF? Do you mean there were players interested in not being embarrassed professionally back then?

[Max997]

I really dont get the point of this thread...is this in defense of Maybin who was drafted to play a position he clearly didnt fit?

 

Bruce Smith had Forty-six collegiate sacks which is pretty amazing

Maybin started one year at Penn State and only got that because the player ahead of him on the depth chart got hurt

 

Bruce had more sacks in that one game mentioned in the article then Maybin had his entire rookie year

 

I hated the Maybin pick, it should have been Oher but I do think the Bills switching to a 3-4 will benefit Maybin more then any other player on the team...I actually think he can turn out to be a very good OLB