Bills challenged to overcome losing legacy

[Delete This Account]

my piece from camp today.

 

Bills challenged to overcome losing legacy

 

jw

[The Dean]

Very good, right on the money and mostly fair, I think.

 

My only question is the use of Smerlas as a source, as if he is a loyal and/or interested ex-Bill. Fred has been hypercritical of the Bills from the minute he left the team. On Boston radio he regularly lashed out at the team, the city and the fans. An uninformed reader might think he was some sort of objective former player giving an honest assessment. His history suggests otherwise.

[PromoTheRobot]

Agree it's well written and fair but Fred Smerlas is the LAST ex-Bill I would be soliciting commentary from. First, Fred has a bug up his butt for the Bills since Marv Levy replaced him with Jeff Wright just before the Super Bowl run. Second he's a Billy Belli-cheat suck-up as you can see by his quote.

 

In fact that's a pretty ignorant statement (nothing new really) for Freddy Flintstone to make about Chan Gailey. Gailey has a very respectable coaching resume and a solid reputation as an offensive coach for Fred to suggest he'd be at some tactical disadvantage against the Pats*.

 

The Bills tried to hire a superstar coach. Gailey is not a sexy name but a respectable hire nonetheless. We'll see how things shake out in Week #3.

 

PTR

[The Dean]

Agree it's well written and fair but Fred Smerlas is the LAST ex-Bill I would be soliciting commentary from. First, Fred has a bug up his butt for the Bills since Marv Levy replaced him with Jeff Wright just before the Super Bowl run. Second he's a Billy Belli-cheat suck-up as you can see by his quote.

 

In fact that's a pretty ignorant statement (nothing new really) for Freddy Flintstone to make about Chan Gailey. Gailey has a very respectable coaching resume and a solid reputation as an offensive coach for Fred to suggest he'd be at some tactical disadvantage against the Pats*.

 

The Bills tried to hire a superstar coach. Gailey is not a sexy name but a respectable hire nonetheless. We'll see how things shake out in Week #2.

 

PTR

 

 

I suspect Fred would have managed to find a negative with the Bills hiring Cowher or Shanahan, too.

[BillsGuyInMalta]

Very good article JW.

 

I hope Gailey shoves Smerlas' words right down his throat this year.

[Pilsner]

my piece from camp today.

 

Bills challenged to overcome losing legacy

 

jw

 

 

Pretty fair I'de say. Wow is Smerlas normally a pessimistic guy or what?

[PromoTheRobot]

Pretty fair I'de say. Wow is Smerlas normally a pessimistic guy or what?

He hates the Bills, but it doesn't stop him from coming to alumni events.

 

PTR

[CarolinaBill]

Smerlas has a bit of revisionist history goin on here.

 

Belechick was ran out of cleveland after a largely unsuccessful stint as the head coach for the browns, after that he wound up in NE and the rest is history.

 

Chan has had one shot as a NFL HC in which he made the playoffs both years, this is now his 2nd shot (as we all know).

 

Point being, Billy B wasnt a "great" hire when he came to NE, time will tell if Chan can follow the trend.

[Delete This Account]

i appreciate the comments on Smerlas, and understand where many of you are coming from.

 

in my opinion, i know that he is a wannabe politician and hoping to one day run back in Buffalo, and if he wants to be a straight-shooter (that's his intention), well then let it be so.

 

also, and more important in my thoughts, his perspective -- if you want to call it that -- was relatively fresh and different from some of the players, whom i respect, but are quite close to the team and, to some degree, barred from making negative comments, especially to the degree of Smerlas.

 

jw

[PromoTheRobot]

i appreciate the comments on Smerlas, and understand where many of you are coming from.

 

in my opinion, i know that he is a wannabe politician and hoping to one day run back in Buffalo, and if he wants to be a straight-shooter (that's his intention), well then let it be so.

 

also, and more important in my thoughts, his perspective -- if you want to call it that -- was relatively fresh and different from some of the players, whom i respect, but are quite close to the team and, to some degree, barred from making negative comments, especially to the degree of Smerlas.

 

jw

Well Fred will provide better quotes than, say, Steve Tasker. Don't worry about the Fred stuff. It was a great article. We just hate Fred.

 

As far as a future in politics, I hear he may be Sarah Palin's running mate in 2012. Somebody to make her look smarter.

 

PTR

[Pondslider]

Smerlas has a bit of revisionist history goin on here.

 

Belechick was ran out of cleveland after a largely unsuccessful stint as the head coach for the browns, after that he wound up in NE and the rest is history.

 

Chan has had one shot as a NFL HC in which he made the playoffs both years, this is now his 2nd shot (as we all know).

 

Point being, Billy B wasnt a "great" hire when he came to NE, time will tell if Chan can follow the trend.

 

Belichick didn't go right from Cleveland to New England though. He was Parcells' Defensive Coordinator with the Patriots and then was DC/Assistant Coach with the rebuilt Jets teams. When Parcells retired the Jets wanted to keep Belichick as head coach, and even announced he would be the coach until Belichick backed out for the Patriots job. Belichick had rebuilt his reputation as a top coordinator long before he got another Head Coaching job. Gailey hasn't done that.

 

I'm not being critical of the Gailey hire either. I like him. I'm just saying it's a very different situation.

[The Dean]

i appreciate the comments on Smerlas, and understand where many of you are coming from.

 

in my opinion, i know that he is a wannabe politician and hoping to one day run back in Buffalo, and if he wants to be a straight-shooter (that's his intention), well then let it be so.

 

also, and more important in my thoughts, his perspective -- if you want to call it that -- was relatively fresh and different from some of the players, whom i respect, but are quite close to the team and, to some degree, barred from making negative comments, especially to the degree of Smerlas.

 

jw

 

 

I hope if Smerlas tries to get into Buffalo politics, someone breaks out the tapes of his Boston radio tirades against Buffalo. He regularly insulted the city, the people, etc. As far as I'm concerned, Fred is a classless POS.

 

But yes, I can understand why you would use him. I just wish you had some other, more rational, ex-players to quote. I have a feeling Fred isn't very representative of former Bills. But then again, I might be wrong.

[DC Tom]

You referred to the "Music City Miracle" without mentioning it was an illegal forward pass. You are officially on my ****-list for one day, starting...

 

...wait for it...

 

Now.

[Rubes]

i appreciate the comments on Smerlas, and understand where many of you are coming from.

 

in my opinion, i know that he is a wannabe politician and hoping to one day run back in Buffalo, and if he wants to be a straight-shooter (that's his intention), well then let it be so.

 

also, and more important in my thoughts, his perspective -- if you want to call it that -- was relatively fresh and different from some of the players, whom i respect, but are quite close to the team and, to some degree, barred from making negative comments, especially to the degree of Smerlas.

 

jw

 

That sounds fair enough to me.

[John from Riverside]

I always enjoy your articles JW

 

This is what I find interesting about this year.....

 

- I have heard it said many times and I agree that in order for this team to start moving in the right direction on a CONCEPTUAL level. It started with the HC and front office......out with "money men" and in with "football guys" by this I mean Buddy Nix. It was smart to understand that in the beginning it is going to be VERY hard to attract free agents to a team that like ours.....so the emphasis becomes biulding a foundation of drafting very well......its not pretty but it is necessary

 

- The 2nd was bringing in a HC that can get the most out of what he's is got.....enter Chan Gailey. Not a flashy coach but somewhat of an offensive guru who understands the need to run the ball as the staple of the offense. I also love everything he has done this offseason from a "making a point" standpoint from having the first day of practice in pads to pulling the tv's out of the weight room.

 

I find it interesting about comment "putting a cat in with a lion" Match at tiger up with a lion and he will get his @ss kicked every time

[CarolinaBill]

Belichick didn't go right from Cleveland to New England though. He was Parcells' Defensive Coordinator with the Patriots and then was DC/Assistant Coach with the rebuilt Jets teams. When Parcells retired the Jets wanted to keep Belichick as head coach, and even announced he would be the coach until Belichick backed out for the Patriots job. Belichick had rebuilt his reputation as a top coordinator long before he got another Head Coaching job. Gailey hasn't done that.

 

I'm not being critical of the Gailey hire either. I like him. I'm just saying it's a very different situation.

gailey did well in his stint with miami as an OC, and did have a winning record at GT, he also improved the chiefs offense statistically before the egomaniac Haley came in and took control.

[Beerball]

You were fair, but we hates Smerlas & being reminded of the playoff loss to Tenny (on my birthday ferchrissakes) will always be painful. Thankfully you didn't mention the fact that playing Johnson was the right move. That would have gotten the flutopians up in arms.

[Spiderweb]

I hope if Smerlas tries to get into Buffalo politics, someone breaks out the tapes of his Boston radio tirades against Buffalo. He regularly insulted the city, the people, etc. As far as I'm concerned, Fred is a classless POS.

 

But yes, I can understand why you would use him. I just wish you had some other, more rational, ex-players to quote. I have a feeling Fred isn't very representative of former Bills. But then again, I might be wrong.

 

I would have to agree with Dean wholeheartedly with respect to Fred "offsides" Smerlas.....

[In-A-Gadda-Levitre]

Very good, right on the money and mostly fair, I think.

 

My only question is the use of Smerlas as a source, as if he is a loyal and/or interested ex-Bill. Fred has been hypercritical of the Bills from the minute he left the team. On Boston radio he regularly lashed out at the team, the city and the fans. An uninformed reader might think he was some sort of objective former player giving an honest assessment. His history suggests otherwise.

I was going to say exactly the same thing. +1

 

Agree it's well written and fair but Fred Smerlas is the LAST ex-Bill I would be soliciting commentary from. First, Fred has a bug up his butt for the Bills since Marv Levy replaced him with Jeff Wright just before the Super Bowl run. Second he's a Billy Belli-cheat suck-up as you can see by his quote.

 

In fact that's a pretty ignorant statement (nothing new really) for Freddy Flintstone to make about Chan Gailey. Gailey has a very respectable coaching resume and a solid reputation as an offensive coach for Fred to suggest he'd be at some tactical disadvantage against the Pats*.

 

The Bills tried to hire a superstar coach. Gailey is not a sexy name but a respectable hire nonetheless. We'll see how things shake out in Week #3.

 

PTR

+1

 

Smerlas loves to hear himself talk negatively about most everything.

 

but, overall good article JW.

 

just a suggestion for a followup, maybe during the preseason, ask other ex FO, coaches, ex players where they see it...

[Steely Dan]

Very good, right on the money and mostly fair, I think.

 

My only question is the use of Smerlas as a source, as if he is a loyal and/or interested ex-Bill. Fred has been hypercritical of the Bills from the minute he left the team. On Boston radio he regularly lashed out at the team, the city and the fans. An uninformed reader might think he was some sort of objective former player giving an honest assessment. His history suggests otherwise.

 

I'm positive that when Buffalo plays NE he roots for NE.

 

 

Agree it's well written and fair but Fred Smerlas is the LAST ex-Bill I would be soliciting commentary from. First, Fred has a bug up his butt for the Bills since Marv Levy replaced him with Jeff Wright just before the Super Bowl run. Second he's a Billy Belli-cheat suck-up as you can see by his quote.

 

In fact that's a pretty ignorant statement (nothing new really) for Freddy Flintstone to make about Chan Gailey. Gailey has a very respectable coaching resume and a solid reputation as an offensive coach for Fred to suggest he'd be at some tactical disadvantage against the Pats*.

 

The Bills tried to hire a superstar coach. Gailey is not a sexy name but a respectable hire nonetheless. We'll see how things shake out in Week #3.

 

PTR

 

I have never wanted the Bills to beat the Pets twice as much as I do this year, and that's sayin sumpin.

 

 

Smerlas has a bit of revisionist history goin on here.

 

Belechick was ran out of cleveland after a largely unsuccessful stint as the head coach for the browns, after that he wound up in NE, with video cameras and dishonest practice's, the rest is history.

 

Chan has had one shot as a NFL HC in which he made the playoffs both years, this is now his 2nd shot (as we all know).

 

Point being, Billy B wasnt a "great" hire when he came to NE, time will tell if Chan can follow the trend.

 

Fixed!

 

You were fair, but we hates Smerlas & being reminded of the playoff loss to Tenny (on my birthday ferchrissakes) will always be painful. Thankfully you didn't mention the fact that playing Johnson was the right move. That would have gotten the flutopians up in arms.

 

I'm sorry I didn't see a thread for your birthday. Happy Birthday Buddy!