st. pete gogolak Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 The St. Petersburg Times ran an article today called "Top Ten Most Underappreciated Buccaneers". Pretty interesting stuff. Since it's a bye week, thought I'd run through my list of all-time underappreciated Bills (in no particular order). And no, you can't include Phil Hansen. If you're name is on the friggin' wall, you can't be friggin' underappreciated. 1. Jim Braxton. Did the dirty work for O.J. Powerful runner in his own right. 2. Bobby Chandler. One of the best possession receivers in Bills' history. Great blocker for O.J., especially for someone his size. Had a bunch of productive seasons after being traded to Oakland. 3. Mark Pike. Bad luck being a great special teams player on a team with the best special teams player of all time. 4. Frank Lewis. Jerry Butler had more flash but Lewis put together several strong seasons with the Bills. 5. Jim Ritcher. What was it? Something like sixteen years of solid left guard play? 6. Charles Rhomes. I remember him being a pretty good cornerback for us for a long time. 7. Pete Metzelaars. Strange career. Started for us for a bunch of years. Got benched for a few years in favor of Keith McKellar and then started again for a bunch of years after McKellar was gone. Strong blocker and dependable receiver. 8. Derrick Burroughs. He was really, really good. Better CB than Nate Odomes. Always thought we would have won Super Bowl XXV if he hadn't suffered career ended injury in 1989. 9. Daryl Talley. Underappreciated for first half of career. Pretty well appreciated after 1990. 10. Fred Jackson. He'll be off this list soon enough. Pay the man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Let's see - I think Aaron Schobel deserves mention. He was all the pass rush we've had since Bruce retired, and he never got credit for it. London Fletcher was a very good middle linebacker who was let go for Poz. Rian Lindell has been very reliable for a long time now. For older players, there's always Kenny Davis, who kept Thurman fresh without letting us down, either blocking or running, and of course, big Ted Washington, who is well regarded but is really the only player of his kind we've ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st. pete gogolak Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 Spot on with your choices. Ted Washington was the key to that defense and never got enough credit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Bob James!!! A great CB whose career was cut short by injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I think, in general, all Bills greats (except possibly OJ Simpson) are underrated, depending on who is doing the rating. I am always shocked to see some of the stuff that people here post about the greatest players in team history...it seems, somewhere along the way, it became in vougue to trash the Super Bowl era greats... but anyway, off my soap-box. Some of my all-time favorite Bills, most aren't mentioned as franchise greats: 1- Travis Henry: sure the guy was a complete maroon off the field, but I don't think there was any guy, in this dark decade, who gave it his all, more consistently, when he was on the field, than TH! 2- Peerless Price V.1: Leaving Buffalo was bad for his career, and, as it turned out, bad for the Bills too. IMO, for about two years, he had some of the sweetest after the catch moves in recent times...Roscoe Parrish could learn a thing or two, watching the good Price. He created his own space. In his second stint with the team, he clearly had lost a bit, but still was a team leader, and seemed to appreciate his time in Buffalo, after straying from the fold. 3- Steve Freeman- Still one of my favorite Bills of all time...not the fastest safety ever, but one of the smartest. Played on some gawd-awful Bills teams, so he isn't thought of much. 4- Eugene Marve- just missed out on the glory years of the Bills going to Super Bowls. Solid linebacker, was under-appreciated before Talley made it popular! 5- Luscious Sanford- see Eugene Marve 6- Joe Cribbs- okay, most knowledgeable Bills fans realize this guy was a phenomenal player, but, over recent years, every time this topic comes up, posters who likely never saw him play, say he wasn't any good, and recall more about him going to the USFL, than they do all the great times he spent on the Knox-era Bills teams. Had he been with a more stable franchise, I believe, Cribbs would be considered one of the greatest players of the 80's. 7- Antwain Smith- I know I will get crap for this, but I think, almost more than anything else, one of Wade Phillips greatest blunders as Bills head coach, was letting Joe Pendry relegate, by far, our best running back, to spot duty, while mediocre talents like Jonathan Linton and Sean Bryson took turns gaining 1.2 yards per carry. Smith was clearly the best RB of the trio, but, for whatever reason, could not stay on the OC's good side...it shortened his time in Buffalo. I can still remember, many, many games where the "not-so dynamic duo" would struggle to get yards, Smith would come in for a few carries, get 5-7 yards per, only to get dragged back to the bench. Waste of a talented player. Just a handful that come to mind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I think, in general, all Bills greats (except possibly OJ Simpson) are underrated, depending on who is doing the rating. I am always shocked to see some of the stuff that people here post about the greatest players in team history...it seems, somewhere along the way, it became in vougue to trash the Super Bowl era greats... but anyway, off my soap-box. Some of my all-time favorite Bills, most aren't mentioned as franchise greats: 1- Travis Henry: sure the guy was a complete maroon off the field, but I don't think there was any guy, in this dark decade, who gave it his all, more consistently, when he was on the field, than TH! 2- Peerless Price V.1: Leaving Buffalo was bad for his career, and, as it turned out, bad for the Bills too. IMO, for about two years, he had some of the sweetest after the catch moves in recent times...Roscoe Parrish could learn a thing or two, watching the good Price. He created his own space. In his second stint with the team, he clearly had lost a bit, but still was a team leader, and seemed to appreciate his time in Buffalo, after straying from the fold. 3- Steve Freeman- Still one of my favorite Bills of all time...not the fastest safety ever, but one of the smartest. Played on some gawd-awful Bills teams, so he isn't thought of much. 4- Eugene Marve- just missed out on the glory years of the Bills going to Super Bowls. Solid linebacker, was under-appreciated before Talley made it popular! 5- Luscious Sanford- see Eugene Marve 6- Joe Cribbs- okay, most knowledgeable Bills fans realize this guy was a phenomenal player, but, over recent years, every time this topic comes up, posters who likely never saw him play, say he wasn't any good, and recall more about him going to the USFL, than they do all the great times he spent on the Knox-era Bills teams. Had he been with a more stable franchise, I believe, Cribbs would be considered one of the greatest players of the 80's. 7- Antwain Smith- I know I will get crap for this, but I think, almost more than anything else, one of Wade Phillips greatest blunders as Bills head coach, was letting Joe Pendry relegate, by far, our best running back, to spot duty, while mediocre talents like Jonathan Linton and Sean Bryson took turns gaining 1.2 yards per carry. Smith was clearly the best RB of the trio, but, for whatever reason, could not stay on the OC's good side...it shortened his time in Buffalo. I can still remember, many, many games where the "not-so dynamic duo" would struggle to get yards, Smith would come in for a few carries, get 5-7 yards per, only to get dragged back to the bench. Waste of a talented player. Just a handful that come to mind... Love The Eugene Marve mention. One terrific DE for the Bills who is too often forgotten is Ben Williams. -In my book a better player than Schobel and a few other better known Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 aaron maybin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billieve79 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I agree on Pike. He was the first name that popped into my head. He always seemed to come up with a big play. How bout Kenneth Davis? Whenever he spelled Thurman the offense didn't miss a beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in San Diego Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 (edited) I would add Reuben Brown. Solid lineman for many years. I want to do that cross country ride with him one of these years. Edited October 19, 2011 by Fan in San Diego Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth on hold Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 (edited) Mario Clark! Biggest hitter we've ever had in the secondary. Lifting mercury Morris over his head and body slamming him = priceless 25 picks by age of 27. Got a ring after being traded to 9'ers Edited October 20, 2011 by Joe_the_6_pack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsMagic1 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Tom Day. always extended his hand to qb after he scaked them. Inderrated for our championship teams of 64 and 65. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VirginiaMike Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Of those mot mentioned: Phil Hanson and Mark Kelso come to mind for me from the more recent Bills. Harry Jacobs and Billt Shaw come to mind from the old time Bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardinalScotts Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 QB- Doug Flutie -even with all the hype he covered for a line that wasnt very good RB- Greg Bell -good back who could catch and run and brought us Bennett - thank you Greg RB- Robb Riddick -pretty descent all around back, bounced back from a broken leg in year two WR- Chris Burkett -was a pretty descent performer WR- Bob Chandler -despite never having a partner to work with pretty good reciever TE- Ruben Gant -I'd take him today OT- Joe Devlin -I always thought one of the best we ever had OT- John Fina -we should have built around him instead we left him by himself OG- John Davis -the o-line was never as good as when he was in there OG- Tim Vogler -really solid O-lineman OC- Will Grant -undersized for even back then ------------------------------------------------------- DE- Sean McNanie -not a great player but he could start on this team NT- Mike Kadish -one of few solid players at the time DE- Art Still -we got him too late but was still a good player LB- Lucious Sanford -active linebacker solid player LB- Eugene Marve -this poor guy was one hell of a player on some bad teams LB- Scott Radecic -another blue collar guy I would take today LB- Sam Rogers -always knew his assignments solid player CB- Derrick Burroughs -career cut short right at the time he was coming on CB- Antoine Winfield -have been trying to find his replacement still SS- Jeff Nixon -knew where to be never a hard hitter but smart FS- Rod Kush -punishing tackler P- John Kidd - good punter on some lousy teams PK- Rian Lindell - he's been a great kicker even though his team hasn't been very good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cocktosten Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Fred Jackson pre 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Joe ferguson would be on my list as would: Bobby Chandler Brian Moorman Frank Reich Reggie Mckenzie Sam Gash Not taking away from others listed Tom Cousineau (sp?) belongs here also as without his trade the greatest era of the Bills may never have gotten off the ground Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EasternOHBillsFan Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Marlon Kerner Nate Odomes Leonard Smith Henry Jones John Fina Joe Ferguson Reggie McKenzie Daryle Lamonica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 QB- Doug Flutie -even with all the hype he covered for a line that wasnt very good RB- Greg Bell -good back who could catch and run and brought us Bennett - thank you Greg RB- Robb Riddick -pretty descent all around back, bounced back from a broken leg in year two WR- Chris Burkett -was a pretty descent performer WR- Bob Chandler -despite never having a partner to work with pretty good reciever TE- Ruben Gant -I'd take him today OT- Joe Devlin -I always thought one of the best we ever had OT- John Fina -we should have built around him instead we left him by himself OG- John Davis -the o-line was never as good as when he was in there OG- Tim Vogler -really solid O-lineman OC- Will Grant -undersized for even back then ------------------------------------------------------- DE- Sean McNanie -not a great player but he could start on this team NT- Mike Kadish -one of few solid players at the time DE- Art Still -we got him too late but was still a good player LB- Lucious Sanford -active linebacker solid player LB- Eugene Marve -this poor guy was one hell of a player on some bad teams LB- Scott Radecic -another blue collar guy I would take today LB- Sam Rogers -always knew his assignments solid player CB- Derrick Burroughs -career cut short right at the time he was coming on CB- Antoine Winfield -have been trying to find his replacement still SS- Jeff Nixon -knew where to be never a hard hitter but smart FS- Rod Kush -punishing tackler P- John Kidd - good punter on some lousy teams PK- Rian Lindell - he's been a great kicker even though his team hasn't been very good My 26CornerBlitz came from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloboyinATL Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Wray Carlton. Great RB in the 60's no one remembers. Do Phil Hansen or Bryce Paup count as under appreciated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picnic Table F'er Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Ruben Brown. Dude was solid for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsadale Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Kurt Schultz would CLEAN YOUR CLOCK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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