tonyjustbcuz Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I think I am one of the more cautiously optimistic fans on this board. I like the moves we have made in the offseason. But we still have big question marks at QB and O line. This is where I think our new head coach will put a much better scheme together that will give the players we do have a much better chance of succeeding. (I think many of us fans have forgotten or failed to realize how very bad our offensive game planning, coaching and teaching was under Dick Jauron) If nothing else there should be much more cohesion, purpose and direction under Gailey. This guy has always been a winner, and will get whatever talent we do have to play up to its potential. Barring a severe rash of injuries as we have had in years past, I see us competing for a wild card spot late into the season. A big test for this team will be week 2 in Green Bay. For the opener, we will be obviously jacked playing our hated rivals at home. They do not have much offense, so a strong defensive performance with a solid conservative gameplan that minimizes mistakes should get us a victory. But the following week going on the road against a VERY good offensive team, we will need the offense to play lights out to have a chance. In past years, this was the kind of game we absolutely got smoked in. Jauron never had the team in any frame of mind to compete against a juggernaut offense. (We never had the mentality to compete matching point for point) The weather will still be good in Wisconsin in September, so I will be very interested to see the scheme we come up with that gives us a chance to win. That is always the mark of any good coach, giving your team a chance to win. I hope Gailey is that guy, because Jauron and his predecessors certainly were not. I also hope that Gailey is the guy, but I'm not optimistic like you are. I wish I were, but their draft told me a lot about the direction the Bills are going and in my opinion it is south. We agree about OLT & QB positions not being properly addressed, but I think we will be saying the same things after a 5-11 season plays out! Just like the Fram oil filter commercials use to say...u can pay me now or pay me later!!! We'll probably pay w/a poor record rather than payin big bucks at QB and OLT ! The Bills 1st win probably won't come until week #5 at home against Jacksonville IMO....I hope that's not the case and they win them all, but that would be irresponsible to predict, but it would fulfill optimism based on love for the team only! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glory Bound Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I'm just curious about the make up of some of the people on here. Is it in your genes that some of you are so pessimistic of the Bills? Is it so deeply ingrained in your souls that the outlook is so bad? I know that most of us here have an optimistic outlook of the Bills, no matter how bleak things have looked for a while. The majority of us have read up and studied our team and know things haven't worked out the best for years. But we realize things can go better. How can things go worse? We've upgraded our D and we have a man in charge who is known for making the most of an O. If we had upgraded our O in the draft instead of the D, I bet some of you would still find something to complain about. Seriously though, I'm just curious, have some of you been so pessimistic all your life? I'm not saying at all that you shouldn't post. I actually like reading your points of views at times because it's good to see different aspects and views of the game. But really, pessimism can go too far. I'de much rather read optimistic posts from people who do their research (like a lot of people here do). Thoughts? I am VERY optimistic that the Bills will be awarded one of the top three draft picks in 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabres...yawn Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 You seem very angry. I can help for $150 an hour. Good one. HaPpy Independence DaY- the best holiday... -no church, beer, BBQ and a trunkload of explosives- (J. Kimmel) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsCelticsAngelsBama Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Some people are just really unhappy with their lives. They haven't made the best choices and are stuck in a poor job (Would you like fries with that?) or they don't have connections with other people so they need to act out. It's not that they are purposefully trying to be debbie downers. They don't know how to be anything else. They only understand disappointment so they latch onto a football team, not as a fan, but as way to find some sort of meaning they lack personally. If the team doesn't win or have success then there right back where they started. They can't by definition be a 'fan' of the team because they're not watching the team as entertainment. They have a deeply vested interest int he team's success and it is a harsh reminder of their lack of control in their own lives when the team makes a decisions that doesn't pan out. It also helps to find an easy target. No one makes fun of the most popular kid. They will gang up on the weak link and make fun of the shortcomings. It's easy to always say the Bills will lose than crow when they do suffer a loss. That moment is the highlight of their life. They were 'RIGHT'! It's a brief moment in a depressing series of days where they feel like they are unable to do anything. However, the Bills lack of success if a salve for their wounds. They PREDICTED they would lose because THEY are incompetent. It's much easier to deal with one's own lack of success when you can point to the failings of others. A sports team is a focal point for that and provides an audience of other fans who they can point out just how RIGHT they were about the team. Posts like this only inflate their sense of ego. My advice is to be fan and stop worrying about the personal problems of others. They're not paying you by the hour to counsel them. The Bills could lose for the next fifty years. I'll still be a fan, I'll still watch the games. That is what being a fan is about. Sorry bro but that's the biggest bunch I've generalizations and nothingness I've read on this site in awhile. Everyone is different and the incompetent crap you just threw out there is pathetic. And by the way did someone ask for your ADVICE ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharper802 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Because the offensive line has a chance of being worse than last years.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Anyone predicting just 4 wins is an idiot. Mike with all due respect, it isn't about predicting wins imo. Wrt the Bills, it is about the consistently stupid moves the team makes. The Bills continue to lose for a host of reasons. They draft poor players and ignore the most important positions with their most valuable resources. They hire incompetent people to run the team. Worst of all, they seem to have a meddling owner. Now, do I like the Nix/Gailey regime better than Levy/Jauron? Of course. Levy and Jauron were perhaps the biggest pair of incompetents I have ever seen in more than 40 years of watching football, so being better than them really isn't a far climb. Aside from Spiller, I even think that the 2010 draft was a good one. But the Bills, no matter who is GM, continue to repeat very odd moves, such as signing RTs from the Raiders and using 1st round picks on "skill players." Now, we have the 1st running back drafted all set to go with a Raider castoff at RT and a collection of pure garbage at LT. If this makes sense to you in terms of winning games, I would love to know why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsner Posted July 4, 2010 Author Share Posted July 4, 2010 I think i was a bit too vague with my first post. What I really was trying to get at was: Are the pessimists on this board just pessimistic about the Bills are are you all pessimists in general with all things? I think we all get pessimistic from time to time. It's only natural. I've read people calling themselves "realistic pessimists" on here. I consider myself a realistic optimist. Definitely not a blind optimist. Realistic: I agree that our 0-line needs more talent and more experience. We are not set at QB yet. Our D needs time to learn the new system. We have a new HC and we all know what happened with the last 3. Optimism: Our HC has a history of making more with less in the NFL. Our young players will gain more valuable experience this season. I'm not trying to bash you pessimists. Just trying to understand my fellow fans. We're all in this together. The more successful people in life seem to have a more optimistic view rather than a pessimistic. I hope that most of you pessimists don't let the pessimism control your whole viewpoint on life. I think most HC's are realistic about the talent they have and are also optimistic/positive about their abilities to mold and make a team into a contender and win. Ok it's the 4th of July and it's time to clean up and fire up the grill. I wish all you optimists, realists, pessimists, and every combination a Happy 4th of July! Go Bills!! Oh and Red, I was in HS during the glory years too. Started watching the Bills in 87-88 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glory Bound Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I think i was a bit too vague with my first post. What I really was trying to get at was: Are the pessimists on this board just pessimistic about the Bills are are you all pessimists in general with all things? I think we all get pessimistic from time to time. It's only natural. I've read people calling themselves "realistic pessimists" on here. I consider myself a realistic optimist. Definitely not a blind optimist. Realistic: I agree that our 0-line needs more talent and more experience. We are not set at QB yet. Our D needs time to learn the new system. We have a new HC and we all know what happened with the last 3. Optimism: Our HC has a history of making more with less in the NFL. Our young players will gain more valuable experience this season. I'm not trying to bash you pessimists. Just trying to understand my fellow fans. We're all in this together. The more successful people in life seem to have a more optimistic view rather than a pessimistic. I hope that most of you pessimists don't let the pessimism control your whole viewpoint on life. I think most HC's are realistic about the talent they have and are also optimistic/positive about their abilities to mold and make a team into a contender and win. Ok it's the 4th of July and it's time to clean up and fire up the grill. I wish all you optimists, realists, pessimists, and every combination a Happy 4th of July! Go Bills!! Oh and Red, I was in HS during the glory years too. Started watching the Bills in 87-88 I am an optimist in ALL things, except my football team this year...which happens to be the Bills since birth. I am optimistic not only for a high draft pick in 2011, but I am optimistic that the money I save by canceling my Sunday Ticket will be put to good use. I am optimistic that the pressure will be off by our BYE week. I am optimistic that my wife will stop considering enrolling me in anger management classes on Sunday afternoons. I am optimistic my kids will say this fall..."my dad seems a lot happier this year." I am optimistic that all the "real Bills optimists" out there will realize we're the 4th best team in our division, & it's gonna remain that way for a while. Gonna take several years to right this ship. Bummer! How I miss the early 90's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
folz Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I have no problem with people evaluating the team, seeing holes and question marks, wondering why they did or didn't make certain moves and then based on their opinion saying its going to be a rough season in the win column for the Bills. I also understand being cautious about what to expect from Nix, Whaley, Gailey, etc. because we have been through coaching and GM turnovers that didn't work out and sometimes change doesn't mean improvement. What I have a problem with is the people who guess 0-2 wins (we had six last year amidst a perfect storm of problems), trash players on the team (not evaluating how good they are or not or if we should stick with them, but just throwing out personal attacks), failing to recognize the talented players we do have (like one post I read that said everyone of our starters could be upgraded by third stringers from other teams), etc., etc. I have no problem being realistic about the team (even though I'm one who is optimistic), but how realistic is 1 win? How realistic is "we don't have one player that would start for another team?" There is a spectrum of optimism and pessimism and anyone on either extreme is not being realistic. The rest of us can discuss the issues, players, moves, coaching, etc. We can be critical of the team or players while still supporting them and not attack them personally. We're all Bills fans...but I think what people get tired of are not the people who aren't optimistic (trying to be realistic) about this upcoming season or coaching staff or whatever, but the ones who can never see anything positive about the team and trash the team any chance they get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullim4 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 It's hard not to be pessimistic after the following has happened to us over the last 10 years: - Ten years of no playoff appearances. - Never being so poor as to get a top 3 pick but not quite good enough to get a playoff spot. - Greggo Williams, Meathead, and Dick Jauron as head coaches. - Humiliating nationally televised MNF losses to the Cowboys, Browns, and Patriots*. - Not enough money to sign free agent talent. - Not playing the full slate of 8 home games every year. - Having your team under constant threat of being moved away. I think we MIGHT be on the upswing, but it's a long road to the playoffs and we're at step 1 or 2. At this point, I think the team's goal should be a winning record in the division, including at least one win over New England*. Screw the playoffs, I would be overjoyed if they could finally beat that team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glory Bound Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 It's hard not to be pessimistic after the following has happened to us over the last 10 years: - Ten years of no playoff appearances. - Never being so poor as to get a top 3 pick but not quite good enough to get a playoff spot. - Greggo Williams, Meathead, and Dick Jauron as head coaches. - Humiliating nationally televised MNF losses to the Cowboys, Browns, and Patriots*. - Not enough money to sign free agent talent. - Not playing the full slate of 8 home games every year. - Having your team under constant threat of being moved away. I think we MIGHT be on the upswing, but it's a long road to the playoffs and we're at step 1 or 2. At this point, I think the team's goal should be a winning record in the division, including at least one win over New England*. Screw the playoffs, I would be overjoyed if they could finally beat that team. My mama always used to say, "When all else fails, lower your standards!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kota Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I personally don't understand alot of the attitudes i see from people on this board. People love to trash players on the team they supposedly love. It just doesn't make any sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meathead Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 4. Really really small penis you bastard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I'm just curious about the make up of some of the people on here. Is it in your genes that some of you are so pessimistic of the Bills? Is it so deeply ingrained in your souls that the outlook is so bad? I know that most of us here have an optimistic outlook of the Bills, no matter how bleak things have looked for a while. The majority of us have read up and studied our team and know things haven't worked out the best for years. But we realize things can go better. How can things go worse? We've upgraded our D and we have a man in charge who is known for making the most of an O. If we had upgraded our O in the draft instead of the D, I bet some of you would still find something to complain about. Seriously though, I'm just curious, have some of you been so pessimistic all your life? I'm not saying at all that you shouldn't post. I actually like reading your points of views at times because it's good to see different aspects and views of the game. But really, pessimism can go too far. I'de much rather read optimistic posts from people who do their research (like a lot of people here do). Thoughts? Your pessimism is in the real world called realism. Sure, I get that there are pessimists out there, but most of us are only realists, yet get called pessimists constantly by all of the cockeyed optiimists who think there's no question that the Bills will be in the playoffs this year. The Bills haven't been good in a very long time, and haven't made nearly enough changes to be good this year. Can't speak for anyone else, but I think there's a good chance that this regime can turn things around give two to three years. I'm not counting on it, but I think there's a good chance. That's (reasoned) optimism. Thinking that we can turn everything around this year is counting on about a 1 - 2% chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbillyfootballcoach Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I've watched football for over 45 years. I know a 1st year rebuild with new offensive & defensive systems when I see it. I've also learned a team isn't built in a day. This team has a lot of holes. A realist fan is not always a pessimist. As San Jose said in another thread, it can be very enjoyable watching a bad team grow into a good team over the course of a few seasons. It's time to remember the goal is to play in and win the Super Bowl, not be satisfied because the Bills won the game you watched even though they lost 2 or 3 times as many games by the end of the season. 7 wins this year would be an improvement. I find 7 win seasons unacceptable. I'd rather my team totally stink a season or two & win a Super Bowl a couple of years later than 3-4 years from now be a team that sneaks into the playoffs every year & never has a chance of getting by the 1st or 2nd round. So the way I see it, this team is undermaned at C, OT, QB, WR on offense. I don't care if Chan Gailey has done a lot with little, he doesn't even have little with all the holes on the offense. Chan can't work miracles, he can only get the best out of players & the best our QBs & OTs can give might still result in a very poor offense. If one or 2 young WRs can prove they're NFL players & we can get a QB & LT in the next offseason, there's cause for a lot of optimism-next year, not this year. The team is switching to a totally new defense with question marks about the NT, DE, & the former DEs switching to LB has a lot of room for improvement. If a foundation can be formed on defense, the future could look bright. Right now our goal should be watching players who will be around for a Super Bowl run, not getting on the case of people who think the W-L record is going to be dismal. The odds are pretty good the record will be dismal. If it's the 1st year of a rebuild, so be it. Here's something to think about. In the 1990s I used to look at old programs from the mid 80s & see how many of the guys on our really bad teams were destined to play in the Super Bowl as Bills. The 1984 team had 2 guys who made it, 1985's team had 7, and the 1986 team had 16. That 1986 team had almost 1/3 of the Super Bowl teams, yet still won only 4 games-with Jim Kelly. How many of the current Bills could be on a Super Bowl team in 3-4 years? Here's my estimate: QB -none; RB Spiller; WR Evans, Easley; TE Nelson; OL: Wood, Levitre, Meredith, Wang, Calloway; DL: Troup, Williams, Carrington; LB: Batten, Posluszny, Maybin(?), DB: Corner, Langster, McGee, McKelvin, Byrd, 1 more who stays among vets. So my total is 21, about 40% of a potential future Super Bowl team. Take 2-3 away for the optimism I have on this rookie class & it would be closer to 1/3rd. A little better numbers for the 2010 team over the 4-12 1986 team, but that team had future HOFers at QB & DE, and some more wall of famers. If I conclude 4 to 5 wins for this team, it doesn't make me a pessimist if I have an eye towards the future. The optimists around here who are thinking they have to win every week, even though they know they won't will look at the small picture, "feel good" the week the Bills win that 4th game and miss the bigger picture. As I've said before, Herm Edwards had it all wrong, you don't "play to win the game" you play to win the Championship. The record a year, 2, or 3 years before that championship becomes irrelevant when you've got the Lombardi Trophy. amen to that. where have you been all my life? Finally someone who sees the whole picture and "gets it" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbillyfootballcoach Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I'm just curious about the make up of some of the people on here. Is it in your genes that some of you are so pessimistic of the Bills? Is it so deeply ingrained in your souls that the outlook is so bad? I know that most of us here have an optimistic outlook of the Bills, no matter how bleak things have looked for a while. The majority of us have read up and studied our team and know things haven't worked out the best for years. But we realize things can go better. How can things go worse? We've upgraded our D and we have a man in charge who is known for making the most of an O. If we had upgraded our O in the draft instead of the D, I bet some of you would still find something to complain about. Seriously though, I'm just curious, have some of you been so pessimistic all your life? I'm not saying at all that you shouldn't post. I actually like reading your points of views at times because it's good to see different aspects and views of the game. But really, pessimism can go too far. I'de much rather read optimistic posts from people who do their research (like a lot of people here do). Thoughts? This isnt church where we all "pray" for our team to win...and then they do... Its called evaluating and opinions, We are all disgusted with bad game day decisions and even worse personnel decisions. It seems to me every year there is just one or two guys who ruin it for the Bills and keep them out of the playoffs. Heres a list, forgive my dates they are approximations... 1999-2001 Rob Johnson- hi, i am an idiot. 2002-2004 Kevin Gilbride-hi, i pass every third down, no matter what. 2004-2006 Gerry Gray- hi i always blitz, when that doesnt work,I blitz more. 2007-present Dick Mauron/Trent Edwards - Hi its hard to win/ Hi its hard to throw past 5 yards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsner Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share Posted July 5, 2010 This isnt church where we all "pray" for our team to win...and then they do... Its called evaluating and opinions, We are all disgusted with bad game day decisions and even worse personnel decisions. It seems to me every year there is just one or two guys who ruin it for the Bills and keep them out of the playoffs. Heres a list, forgive my dates they are approximations... 1999-2001 Rob Johnson- hi, i am an idiot. 2002-2004 Kevin Gilbride-hi, i pass every third down, no matter what. 2004-2006 Gerry Gray- hi i always blitz, when that doesnt work,I blitz more. 2007-present Dick Mauron/Trent Edwards - Hi its hard to win/ Hi its hard to throw past 5 yards I never said I prayed for us to win. I'm a realistic optimist. Nothing less and nothing more. please don't put words in my mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfreak Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Why are some of you so Pessimistic?, Dear God, good heavens why? Are you for real? Do this-Get the book "The Buffalo Bills History" (if it really exists), check the Bills records for the past decade or so and see what they have in common. Ok, now if you have half a brain when you look over the past decade, you can answer your own question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I don't get it either. Why root for a sports team if you think they will lose all the time? Doesn't make any sense to me. There are some pessimists out there, the ones who say every single year that we'll be lucky to win one game. But most of the ones you think are pessimists are realists. We DON'T think they will lose all the time. We think they will lose next year. And we've thought so for several years now. The fact that we were right has taught us that teams that don't have the personnel to be great ... don't win a lot of games. When we get the personnel to become a playoff team ... when we don't have tons of holes throughout the lineup, the pessimists will still predict one win, but the realists will start to be more positive. We aren't there yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 over the years ive learned that when it comes to sports some people have fun having faith their team will be good every season while others have fun trying to evaluate the team and predict how they will do each season ive also observed that each approach doesnt like to do it the 'other' way. even more still, each side often cant understand wth anyone would want to do it the other way i am definitely the latter. and to me the case is simple: * all new coaches - so everybody has to get to know how each other works * all new systems - so all the players and some of the coaches have to get to know new mechanisms * many players playing in new positions - sometimes for the first time ever * generally modest talent base - some mediocre to bad drafting leaves the team light on established playmakers most teams have at most one of those things to deal with. this bills team has hit the jackpot and is dealing with them all at the same time put it all together and my decades of football fandom says: four wins or you could just have faith Excellent post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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