Ralph Wilson says we're number 1!

[BMWR100RT]

I don't post here much, but I'm always entertained. So thank you. But I'm compelled to write after hearing Ralphs comments...and my interpretation of what he said.

 

"Our drafts in the last 10 years have been terrible." (But we'll keep the same draft mastermind anyway)

 

"This team amazes me. I guess it's because they play hard. A lot of them were overlooked in the draft. A lot of them were cut by other teams that didn't have enough patience with them. All of those things play into it. So we should be much, much better next year." (So I guess this is working out for me again....these peaople from Buffalo...for lands sake, what a bunch of sheep)

 

 

Ralph...channeling the late great Don Meredith, thanks for telling us we're number one with your middle finger.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

I don't post here much, but I'm always entertained. So thank you. But I'm compelled to write after hearing Ralphs comments...and my interpretation of what he said.

 

"Our drafts in the last 10 years have been terrible." (But we'll keep the same draft mastermind anyway)

 

"This team amazes me. I guess it's because they play hard. A lot of them were overlooked in the draft. A lot of them were cut by other teams that didn't have enough patience with them. All of those things play into it. So we should be much, much better next year." (So I guess this is working out for me again....these peaople from Buffalo...for lands sake, what a bunch of sheep)

 

 

Ralph...channeling the late great Don Meredith, thanks for telling us we're number one with your middle finger.

 

Umm...what? Ralph admitted that we've drafted poorly, but said we've got some diamonds in the rough that we can build on for next season.

 

The man doesn't exactly have my faith, but this is raising the middle finger how?

[bowery4]

??? The Bills have had the equivalent of a second draft in picking people off other teams this season (with basically none of the expenses and with players who were slotted pretty high/ have some potential and some even have some experience) it has worked out pretty good IMO, RW is right. Nix might have made a couple of mistakes but his record so far is pretty likable .

[Sisyphean Bills]

??? The Bills have had the equivalent of a second draft in picking people off other teams this season (with basically none of the expenses and with players who were slotted pretty high/ have some potential and some even have some experience) it has worked out pretty good IMO, RW is right. Nix might have made a couple of mistakes but his record so far is pretty likable .

With something like 10,000 players on the Bills IR list (I kid ... I think), how were the Bills going to avoid bringing in players off the street and FAs off other practice squads? Just wondering.

[BMWR100RT]

Umm...what? Ralph admitted that we've drafted poorly, but said we've got some diamonds in the rough that we can build on for next season.

 

The man doesn't exactly have my faith, but this is raising the middle finger how?

 

Maybe my dislike of the man has clouded my judgement, but I read it as "look at these underachievers getting better, I guess its not that important that I fire Modrak"

 

I love how hard this team is playing, I really like Fitzpatricks gunslinger mentallity, etc. But show me wins, and playoffs. My mom recently passed after being a lifelong fan of futility and bad judgement by ralph. I'm just frustrated, thinking we're all headed for the same fate.

 

I want to be excited by this rag tag bunch, but I see a lot of 5 win seasons wthout better players.

[DrDawkinstein]

Maybe my dislike of the man has clouded my judgement, but I read it as "look at these underachievers getting better, I guess its not that important that I fire Modrak"

 

I want to be excited by this rag tag bunch, but I see a lot of 5 win seasons wthout better players.

 

You do understand that the Scouts dont actually make the draft picks, correct? They simply compile data and then give their opinions on who might be a good choice. It's still up to the GM, or in the Bills case previously the "Inner Circle", to make the picks.

 

Modrak did not pick Whitner. Modrak did not pick Lynch. Modrak did not pick Maybin. It has been stated by the Bills FO that Modrak had preferred Cushing over Maybin.

 

I think the conclusions you have drawn from separate Wilson quotes are missing the mark a little bit.

 

We have a new sheriff in town with Nix. It seems that he will be "THE Decider". Let's see how we do with the Football Guy running the show. If we can keep the team, and the momentum that we currently have, and add a few players through the draft and FA, we might not be that far off.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Maybe my dislike of the man has clouded my judgement, but I read it as "look at these underachievers getting better, I guess its not that important that I fire Modrak"

 

I love how hard this team is playing, I really like Fitzpatricks gunslinger mentallity, etc. But show me wins, and playoffs. My mom recently passed after being a lifelong fan of futility and bad judgement by ralph. I'm just frustrated, thinking we're all headed for the same fate.

 

I want to be excited by this rag tag bunch, but I see a lot of 5 win seasons wthout better players.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I think that's a secret fear of all Bills fans, that we won't live to see the Superbowl, or that the team moves before they win one.

[Doc]

Go back to lurking.

[BillsVet]

You do understand that the Scouts dont actually make the draft picks, correct? They simply compile data and then give their opinions on who might be a good choice. It's still up to the GM, or in the Bills case previously the "Inner Circle", to make the picks.

 

Modrak did not pick Whitner. Modrak did not pick Lynch. Modrak did not pick Maybin. It has been stated by the Bills FO that Modrak had preferred Cushing over Maybin.

 

I think the conclusions you have drawn from separate Wilson quotes are missing the mark a little bit.

 

We have a new sheriff in town with Nix. It seems that he will be "THE Decider". Let's see how we do with the Football Guy running the show. If we can keep the team, and the momentum that we currently have, and add a few players through the draft and FA, we might not be that far off.

 

Modrak did nothing. He just compiled information and never advocated a certain player who would become a bust. After all, he wanted Cutler over Whitner, wanted Cushing over Maybin, and probably would have taken Revis over Lynch . That guy is teflon around here and it's partly due to him covering his tracks by leaking information to his buddies like Pasquarelli.

 

How does anyone know what goes on at OBD? Overdorf is the VP of Football Operations, which seems like a fairly lofty title. And with no cap this season, what precisely does he do? Nix is the GM sure, but it doesn't mean he's the decider.

[2003Contenders]

I read Ralph's comment completely differently. I think he was doing the following:

 

1. Applauding the Buffalo players for their intensity and consistent effort this season. Essentially, he was saying that this collection of "diamonds in the rough" has managed to turn heads largely because so many of the more heralded players over the years haven't worked out. I think the image of the Bills as a rag-tag bunch of no-names is beginning to catch on around the league, and Ralph was echoing that with pride.

 

2. Applauding the coaching staff for doing more with less.

 

3. Re-emphasizing the importance of being patient and staying the course in difficult times, especially with young players.

 

Also, I think the admission that the last 10 drafts have been bad was a stab at past regimes (Donahoe's, in particular) and perhaps even an admission that he allowed non-football guys (like himself, Marv, Jauron and Brandon) to have too much say in the post-Donahoe years.

[flmike]

Did anyone else notice this? Nice that he admits it, but why say this in front of the very guys you "terribly" drafted? Not cool, really.

 

"Our drafts in the last 10 years have been terrible. So I mean, these guys, before each play you read the scorecard to see who's in there. That's what amazes me. We pick up a guy in the middle of the week and he starts on Sunday."

[BMWR100RT]

You do understand that the Scouts dont actually make the draft picks, correct? They simply compile data and then give their opinions on who might be a good choice. It's still up to the GM, or in the Bills case previously the "Inner Circle", to make the picks.

 

Modrak did not pick Whitner. Modrak did not pick Lynch. Modrak did not pick Maybin. It has been stated by the Bills FO that Modrak had preferred Cushing over Maybin.

 

I think the conclusions you have drawn from separate Wilson quotes are missing the mark a little bit.

 

We have a new sheriff in town with Nix. It seems that he will be "THE Decider". Let's see how we do with the Football Guy running the show. If we can keep the team, and the momentum that we currently have, and add a few players through the draft and FA, we might not be that far off.

 

good points, but didn't we just use a #1 draft pick on CJ Spiller? I'm fired up about Chan, and Buddy entertains me when he speaks, and I want to believe that we are headed in the right direction, but I've seen Ralphs sit on his hands when he knows a few late seaon wins will lead to season ticket sales. I could hear it in his voice yesterday.

[Sisyphean Bills]

"We started with no players": who's job is it to bring in players in the off-season?

 

"Our drafts in the last 10 years have been terrible": who's been involved in the draft each and every one of the past 10 years?

 

Of course, Ralph goes on to praising the players and coaches for fighting against the odds and not giving up -- as well he should after the first divisional win in 2 years. Whether you want to call it a parapraxis or not, some of those comments were barbed.

[CodeMonkey]

I don't post here much, but I'm always entertained. So thank you. But I'm compelled to write after hearing Ralphs comments...and my interpretation of what he said.

 

"Our drafts in the last 10 years have been terrible." (But we'll keep the same draft mastermind anyway)

 

"This team amazes me. I guess it's because they play hard. A lot of them were overlooked in the draft. A lot of them were cut by other teams that didn't have enough patience with them. All of those things play into it. So we should be much, much better next year." (So I guess this is working out for me again....these peaople from Buffalo...for lands sake, what a bunch of sheep)

 

 

Ralph...channeling the late great Don Meredith, thanks for telling us we're number one with your middle finger.

Of course this could be interpreted (by those that think Ralph is cheap) as:

"We have done so well with castoffs and undrafted players that we pay squat, and drafted so poorly ourselves, that we don't need or want to draft (and pay) top talent. Chan and Buddy will continue to improve the team just the way they have this season."

[Jim in Anchorage]

Maybe my dislike of the man has clouded my judgement, but I read it as "look at these underachievers getting better, I guess its not that important that I fire Modrak"

 

I love how hard this team is playing, I really like Fitzpatricks gunslinger mentallity, etc. But show me wins, and playoffs. My mom recently passed after being a lifelong fan of futility and bad judgement by ralph. I'm just frustrated, thinking we're all headed for the same fate.

 

I want to be excited by this rag tag bunch, but I see a lot of 5 win seasons wthout better players.

Sorry to hear about your mom. Mine passed in 2003, would lock the door and disconnect the phone when the Bills where on TV/radio. Kinda took the fun out of it for me when I couldn't call her after the game and listen to her rant rave/jump for joy over the Bills.

[DrDawkinstein]

Modrak did nothing. He just compiled information and never advocated a certain player who would become a bust. After all, he wanted Cutler over Whitner, wanted Cushing over Maybin, and probably would have taken Revis over Lynch . That guy is teflon around here and it's partly due to him covering his tracks by leaking information to his buddies like Pasquarelli.

 

How does anyone know what goes on at OBD? Overdorf is the VP of Football Operations, which seems like a fairly lofty title. And with no cap this season, what precisely does he do? Nix is the GM sure, but it doesn't mean he's the decider.

 

 

good points, but didn't we just use a #1 draft pick on CJ Spiller? I'm fired up about Chan, and Buddy entertains me when he speaks, and I want to believe that we are headed in the right direction, but I've seen Ralphs sit on his hands when he knows a few late seaon wins will lead to season ticket sales. I could hear it in his voice yesterday.

 

 

Dont get me wrong, I wasnt trying to say that Modrak is completely innocent. Just that, if you are unhappy with our past drafts, there are others to blame before Modrak.

 

I think we can all agree that Ralph is the biggest one responsible. Whether it is his hiring of unqualified people to make those decisions, or his meddling in those decisions.

 

I just personally think that the scouts have the least amount of input when it comes down to the final decision on our big picks. Which also could be the problem.

 

Who knows. Go Bills!

[JohnC]

I read Ralph's comment completely differently. I think he was doing the following:

 

1. Applauding the Buffalo players for their intensity and consistent effort this season. Essentially, he was saying that this collection of "diamonds in the rough" has managed to turn heads largely because so many of the more heralded players over the years haven't worked out. I think the image of the Bills as a rag-tag bunch of no-names is beginning to catch on around the league, and Ralph was echoing that with pride.

 

2. Applauding the coaching staff for doing more with less.

 

3. Re-emphasizing the importance of being patient and staying the course in difficult times, especially with young players.

 

Also, I think the admission that the last 10 drafts have been bad was a stab at past regimes (Donahoe's, in particular) and perhaps even an admission that he allowed non-football guys (like himself, Marv, Jauron and Brandon) to have too much say in the post-Donahoe years.

 

I agree with your interpretation of his comments. I'm certainly not an admirer of the owner. There is simply an over-reaction and too much delving into the meaning of his comments. I understand what he was saying and meant. He was being complimentary of this group. It was as simple as that.

[birdog1960]

I read Ralph's comment completely differently. I think he was doing the following:

 

1. Applauding the Buffalo players for their intensity and consistent effort this season. Essentially, he was saying that this collection of "diamonds in the rough" has managed to turn heads largely because so many of the more heralded players over the years haven't worked out. I think the image of the Bills as a rag-tag bunch of no-names is beginning to catch on around the league, and Ralph was echoing that with pride.

 

2. Applauding the coaching staff for doing more with less.

 

3. Re-emphasizing the importance of being patient and staying the course in difficult times, especially with young players.

 

Also, I think the admission that the last 10 drafts have been bad was a stab at past regimes (Donahoe's, in particular) and perhaps even an admission that he allowed non-football guys (like himself, Marv, Jauron and Brandon) to have too much say in the post-Donahoe years.

is 10 years not patient enough? he seems satisfied with doing more with less. what i'd like to hear and i'm sure many others would too, is that doing more with less is a thing of the past. that he'll do every thing in his power to produce a winner and bring in more talent. we'll never hear that... but one thing good about wilson is that he's never been a liar.

[Captain Caveman]

I don't get it. He's saying pretty much exactly what I've been thinking. Not sure what the big deal is. Also, I don't think Ralph's fingers still work.

[silvermike]

I think a happier Ralph means more authority to Nix and Gailey and less to himself and Brandon.