Did Ralph pick Spiller?

[Jerry Jabber]

In 2010, almost everyone scratched their heads when the Bills picked CJ Spiller in the first round, considering the enormous amount of holes on the team. But, was this pick ordered by Ralph Wilson? The article below states how Ralph feels the team need excitement:

 

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Ralph-Wilson-on-Tim-Tebow-Denver-panicked.html

 

"The Denver Broncos gave up a lot to acquire former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the much debated University of Florida quarterback.

 

They traded their second-round, third-round and fourth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens to obtain the 25th overall pick to land Tebow.

 

In the opinion of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, it was a mistake.

 

"Denver panicked,' Wilson said. "He's a good player but we had no interest in taking Tebow. We were not moving up to take Tebow."

 

Bills general manager Buddy Nix and Wilson both denied that the Bills were interested in moving up to try to get Tebow.

 

Wilson is thrilled with the acquisition of speedy Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

 

“I agree with Jon Gruden, I think he was the best player in the draft,’’ Wilson said. “We’ve been dull for 10 years … no excitement. We’ve got to create some excitement.’’

 

There have been rumors that Marv & Jauron wanted Revis, but Ralph wanted Lynch. Also, Eric Moulds stated the decision to put Rob Johnson in over Doug Flutie in the playoffs came "from upstairs" (meaning Ralph).

 

My questions are, is Ralph ordering his management to choose certain players & draft picks? If so, is Ralph hurting the team by doing this?

Edited February 16, 2012 by Jerry Jabber

[DDD]

At this point I don't know if Ralph Wilson even knows what position CJ Spiller plays. And I sadly say that in all seriousness.

[Captain Hindsight]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_NFL_Draft

 

The only guy I would have taken besides Spiller at that point was pierre Paul who IIRC was considered a bit of a project and we still had that guy maybin from a year before. Spiller was the best player available. The guy we were gonna trade back into the first for was D. Thomas who played for Gailey at G.Tech

[DrDawkinstein]

How can anyone have scratched their heads, or blame Ralph, when from the moment he got here Gailey talked about needing "a quick, waterbug type Running Back".

 

It was a frustrating pick as it wasn't a huge need, but Gailey basically told everyone in February who we were drafting in April.

[Mr. WEO]

Ralph thought he was drafting Jerry Stiller.

[mikecole1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_NFL_Draft

 

The only guy I would have taken besides Spiller at that point was pierre Paul who IIRC was considered a bit of a project and we still had that guy maybin from a year before. Spiller was the best player available. The guy we were gonna trade back into the first for was D. Thomas who played for Gailey at G.Tech

 

Considering their pronounced O-Line needs at the time (and with FJ and Lynch in the fold), I'll never ever fathom how Buddy could have passed over Anthony Davis OT who went no. 12 (two picks later) to the Niners. While I'm biased having gone to Rutgers, this to me was an absolute no brainer. He fell right after Spiller. He was projected by all draftniks around that no. 10 slot (right where he went) and he has proved to be a worthy starting tackle (he has started all 32 games since the draft albeit at RT). Never made any sense. I'm surprised no one has ever second-guessed that one.

Edited February 16, 2012 by mikecole1

[mob16151]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_NFL_Draft

 

The only guy I would have taken besides Spiller at that point was pierre Paul who IIRC was considered a bit of a project and we still had that guy maybin from a year before. Spiller was the best player available. The guy we were gonna trade back into the first for was D. Thomas who played for Gailey at G.Tech

 

I think we were moving up for Dan Williams, a guy who was billed as a prototypical 3-4 NT.

[Homey D. Clown]

How can anyone have scratched their heads, or blame Ralph, when from the moment he got here Gailey talked about needing "a quick, waterbug type Running Back".

 

It was a frustrating pick as it wasn't a huge need, but Gailey basically told everyone in February who we were drafting in April.

 

 

every skill position is a huge need, and I personally felt a potential elite RB was as big a need as any the team had that draft day. Lynch and an unproven Jackson was not an elite option at the time. If this kid plays like I think he will, then this will no longer be an issue. He'd be starting almost anywhere else in the league from day 1, and this board would point out how the Bills missed on him. Sometimes you can't win for losing around here.

 

I have been and will remain very happy he is a Buffalo Bill.

 

Forget the argument that the team had bigger holes to fill elsewhere, because when you're perennially 5-11, 4-12, 6-10, 7-9 and you haven't had a running back on the roster to lead the league in any category other than fumbles since Thurman retired, I can't see how the team could have picked anyone else that day.

Edited February 16, 2012 by McKinleys Curse

[Captain Hindsight]

I think we were moving up for Dan Williams, a guy who was billed as a prototypical 3-4 NT.

Hmm also a good possibility

[PDaDdy]

In 2010, almost everyone scratched their heads when the Bills picked CJ Spiller in the first round, considering the enormous amount of holes on the team. But, was this pick ordered by Ralph Wilson? The article below states how Ralph feels the team need excitement:

 

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Ralph-Wilson-on-Tim-Tebow-Denver-panicked.html

 

"The Denver Broncos gave up a lot to acquire former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the much debated University of Florida quarterback.

 

They traded their second-round, third-round and fourth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens to obtain the 25th overall pick to land Tebow.

 

In the opinion of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, it was a mistake.

 

"Denver panicked,' Wilson said. "He's a good player but we had no interest in taking Tebow. We were not moving up to take Tebow."

 

Bills general manager Buddy Nix and Wilson both denied that the Bills were interested in moving up to try to get Tebow.

 

Wilson is thrilled with the acquisition of speedy Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

 

“I agree with Jon Gruden, I think he was the best player in the draft,’’ Wilson said. “We’ve been dull for 10 years … no excitement. We’ve got to create some excitement.’’

 

There have been rumors that Marv & Jauron wanted Revis, but Ralph wanted Lynch. Also, Eric Moulds stated the decision to put Rob Johnson in over Doug Flutie in the playoffs came "from upstairs" (meaning Ralph).

 

My questions are, is Ralph ordering his management to choose certain players & draft picks? If so, is Ralph hurting the team by doing this?

 

If Ralph did pick Spiller good for him. Spiller is a player and has shed the luxury pick bust label in the eyes of people that look at his actual performance. Projecting his stats for the games he started for a year with his limited touches he would be a top 10 RB in the league. They don't always have to come in the first round but guys like that don't grow on trees.

 

I love FJ too and unlike many who love FJ and HAVE to hate Spiller how many years will 31 year old Freddie continue to produce? Spiller is the obvious heir apparent, is ready for the job and I'm glad we have both. With Spiller getting more touches we can keep FJ healthy and fresh for an entire year and with any luck into the playoffs.

Edited February 16, 2012 by PDaDdy

[JohnC]

I don't believe that Ralph was involved in the Spiller pick. I have no doubt that he has directed the drafting of other players in prior years. Odds are that Ralph was informed prior to the drafting of Spiller that the new regime was interested in taking this dynamic and highly rated player. There is nothing wrong with that. Just about all the owners are informed ahead of time of the drafting strategy of the front office. If you sign the checks you should be aware of what's going on, even if you are a clueless owner.

Edited February 16, 2012 by JohnC

[DrDawkinstein]

every skill position is a huge need, and I personally felt a potential elite RB was as big a need as any the team had that draft day. Lynch and an unproven Jackson was not an elite option at the time. If this kid plays like I think he will, then this will no longer be an issue. He'd be starting almost anywhere else in the league from day 1, and this board would point out how the Bills missed on him. Sometimes you can't win for losing around here.

 

I have been and will remain very happy he is a Buffalo Bill.

 

Forget the argument that the team had bigger holes to fill elsewhere, because when you're perennially 5-11, 4-12, 6-10, 7-9 and you haven't had a running back on the roster to lead the league in any category other than fumbles since Thurman retired, I can't see how the team could have picked anyone else that day.

 

I agree with all of this 100%. While "RB" in general wasnt a huge need, I couldnt argue with taking what was considered the most talented playmaker on the board.

[1B4IDie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_NFL_Draft

 

The only guy I would have taken besides Spiller at that point was pierre Paul who IIRC was considered a bit of a project and we still had that guy maybin from a year before. Spiller was the best player available. The guy we were gonna trade back into the first for was D. Thomas who played for Gailey at G.Tech

I agree 100% even by Hindsight Spiller was the pick.

[NoSaint]

In 2010, almost everyone scratched their heads when the Bills picked CJ Spiller in the first round, considering the enormous amount of holes on the team. But, was this pick ordered by Ralph Wilson? The article below states how Ralph feels the team need excitement:

 

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Ralph-Wilson-on-Tim-Tebow-Denver-panicked.html

 

"The Denver Broncos gave up a lot to acquire former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the much debated University of Florida quarterback.

 

They traded their second-round, third-round and fourth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens to obtain the 25th overall pick to land Tebow.

 

In the opinion of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, it was a mistake.

 

"Denver panicked,' Wilson said. "He's a good player but we had no interest in taking Tebow. We were not moving up to take Tebow."

 

Bills general manager Buddy Nix and Wilson both denied that the Bills were interested in moving up to try to get Tebow.

 

Wilson is thrilled with the acquisition of speedy Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

 

“I agree with Jon Gruden, I think he was the best player in the draft,’’ Wilson said. “We’ve been dull for 10 years … no excitement. We’ve got to create some excitement.’’

 

There have been rumors that Marv & Jauron wanted Revis, but Ralph wanted Lynch. Also, Eric Moulds stated the decision to put Rob Johnson in over Doug Flutie in the playoffs came "from upstairs" (meaning Ralph).

 

My questions are, is Ralph ordering his management to choose certain players & draft picks? If so, is Ralph hurting the team by doing this?

 

Were you honestly surprised or scratching your head?

 

He was a good pick. He was the right pick. He was the obvious pick.

 

Any examples of ralph helping the team or has he just been tearing it apart for 50 years as a cruel joke?

[Trader]

In 2010, almost everyone scratched their heads when the Bills picked CJ Spiller in the first round, considering the enormous amount of holes on the team. But, was this pick ordered by Ralph Wilson? The article below states how Ralph feels the team need excitement:

 

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Ralph-Wilson-on-Tim-Tebow-Denver-panicked.html

 

"The Denver Broncos gave up a lot to acquire former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the much debated University of Florida quarterback.

 

They traded their second-round, third-round and fourth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens to obtain the 25th overall pick to land Tebow.

 

In the opinion of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, it was a mistake.

 

"Denver panicked,' Wilson said. "He's a good player but we had no interest in taking Tebow. We were not moving up to take Tebow."

 

Bills general manager Buddy Nix and Wilson both denied that the Bills were interested in moving up to try to get Tebow.

 

Wilson is thrilled with the acquisition of speedy Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

 

“I agree with Jon Gruden, I think he was the best player in the draft,’’ Wilson said. “We’ve been dull for 10 years … no excitement. We’ve got to create some excitement.’’

 

There have been rumors that Marv & Jauron wanted Revis, but Ralph wanted Lynch. Also, Eric Moulds stated the decision to put Rob Johnson in over Doug Flutie in the playoffs came "from upstairs" (meaning Ralph).

 

My questions are, is Ralph ordering his management to choose certain players & draft picks? If so, is Ralph hurting the team by doing this?

 

 

 

it's a qualified yes. Ralph is always at the Bills table on draft day so I do think he picks the first player. If the other guys hated it then I do think he would back off. But they won't stand their ground with a player that might have a high upside. RB's, especially very fast ones are "safe" pick. So are fast DB's. Spiller needed to produce the second half of last season or the fans would be screeming for blood. Fortunately for the Bills management he bought himself another year.

 

Ralph wanted to sell ticket's in Toronto and he wanted a flashy offensive pick. Also think about this. The few years in the Bills history that they have had any success at all they had a great or outstanding running back. Gilcrest, Simpson, Braxton- Cribbs, Thurman. The only year that I don't remember a great one was the second year they won the AFC championship. I think they traded Gilcrest for Billy Joe that year and he was hardly great. But they may have had the best D in all of football that year.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Trader

[Jerry Jabber]

Were you honestly surprised or scratching your head?

 

He was a good pick. He was the right pick. He was the obvious pick.

 

Any examples of ralph helping the team or has he just been tearing it apart for 50 years as a cruel joke?

 

Not surprised with the Spiller pick, especially with the horrible picks from the previous 10 years. Don't get me wrong, Spiller is a very good player and could possibly turn out to be an elite RB in the league. There were rumors that the Bills were trying to trade back into the 1st round to get NT Dan Williams. At that time, with so many holes on the team, if there were teams willing to trade up to get the #10 pick from the Bills, the Bills should have done it, that way that had extra picks and have gotten a need (NT) in the process. The Pats have been doing a great job at that over the years.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Jerry Jabber

[BADOLBILZ]

every skill position is a huge need, and I personally felt a potential elite RB was as big a need as any the team had that draft day. Lynch and an unproven Jackson was not an elite option at the time. If this kid plays like I think he will, then this will no longer be an issue. He'd be starting almost anywhere else in the league from day 1, and this board would point out how the Bills missed on him. Sometimes you can't win for losing around here.

 

I have been and will remain very happy he is a Buffalo Bill.

 

Forget the argument that the team had bigger holes to fill elsewhere, because when you're perennially 5-11, 4-12, 6-10, 7-9 and you haven't had a running back on the roster to lead the league in any category other than fumbles since Thurman retired, I can't see how the team could have picked anyone else that day.

 

 

If there is an argument for taking Spiller......it's not your argument.

 

RB was not a need. It was the team's strength. Everyone knew the Bills had good backs. This point became even more clear when Fred Jackson played like the best RB in the league for most of 2011 and Lynch rushed for 1200 yds and 12 TD's.

 

Not that rushing numbers equate to success on the field. The last 3 NFL rushing leaders didn't even play for teams that qualified for the playoffs. What's more, no rushing champ has played on a SB winner since Terrell Davis in 1998. And that was a "system" running game.

 

Wake up and stop blaming some stupid curse. The only curse is the curse of bad football decisions.

 

Not being able to run the ball has not been high on the list of the Bills problems since the SB era.

[thewildrabbit]

How can anyone have scratched their heads, or blame Ralph, when from the moment he got here Gailey talked about needing "a quick, waterbug type Running Back".

It was a frustrating pick as it wasn't a huge need, but Gailey basically told everyone in February who we were drafting in April.

Exactly right, Spiller was all Chan Gailey.

 

In retrospect I wonder If Gailey still picks Spiller, or drafts JPP or an OT that year, or a TE Gronkowski 2nd round - Graham 3rd round

 

Even looking at last season with all those 4-5 WR sets I gotta wonder if he would rather have drafted AJ Green. stating that the Bills could have even drafted Andy Dalton as they picked before Cincy in round 2.

 

 

 

But then I still gotta question the talent level in the Buffalo Bills scouting dept that missed on so many in that 2010 draft

 

I agree with all of this 100%. While "RB" in general wasnt a huge need, I couldnt argue with taking what was considered the most talented playmaker on the board.

I could, and usually do every chance I get.

 

The problem is with both the HC who wanted Spiller very badly, and the GM who did care to trade back and get more picks plus a player who could have made an immediate impact that season. But then looking at the entire 2010 Bills draft not one player became an immediate starter and made an impact that year

[Buffalo Barbarian]

In 2010, almost everyone scratched their heads when the Bills picked CJ Spiller in the first round, considering the enormous amount of holes on the team. But, was this pick ordered by Ralph Wilson? The article below states how Ralph feels the team need excitement:

 

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Ralph-Wilson-on-Tim-Tebow-Denver-panicked.html

 

"The Denver Broncos gave up a lot to acquire former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the much debated University of Florida quarterback.

 

They traded their second-round, third-round and fourth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens to obtain the 25th overall pick to land Tebow.

 

In the opinion of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, it was a mistake.

 

"Denver panicked,' Wilson said. "He's a good player but we had no interest in taking Tebow. We were not moving up to take Tebow."

 

Bills general manager Buddy Nix and Wilson both denied that the Bills were interested in moving up to try to get Tebow.

 

Wilson is thrilled with the acquisition of speedy Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.

 

“I agree with Jon Gruden, I think he was the best player in the draft,’’ Wilson said. “We’ve been dull for 10 years … no excitement. We’ve got to create some excitement.’’

 

There have been rumors that Marv & Jauron wanted Revis, but Ralph wanted Lynch. Also, Eric Moulds stated the decision to put Rob Johnson in over Doug Flutie in the playoffs came "from upstairs" (meaning Ralph).

 

My questions are, is Ralph ordering his management to choose certain players & draft picks? If so, is Ralph hurting the team by doing this?

if so then yes but who knows. However picking players for excitement is stupid and short sighted and can't help but think Ralph's "philosophy" has hurt the Bills over the years. Tebow would have been more exciting than Spiller, just think of all the #15 Bills jerseys would have been sold (cha-ching) and no players was polarizing and thus exciting to watch and he did get his team to the playoffs which would have been way more exciting than this past season.

[NoSaint]

Exactly right, Spiller was all Chan Gailey.

 

In retrospect I wonder If Gailey still picks Spiller, or drafts JPP or an OT that year, or a TE Gronkowski 2nd round - Graham 3rd round

 

Even looking at last season with all those 4-5 WR sets I gotta wonder if he would rather have drafted AJ Green. stating that the Bills could have even drafted Andy Dalton as they picked before Cincy in round 2.

 

 

 

But then I still gotta question the talent level in the Buffalo Bills scouting dept that missed on so many in that 2010 draft

 

 

I could, and usually do every chance I get.

 

The problem is with both the HC who wanted Spiller very badly, and the GM who did care to trade back and get more picks plus a player who could have made an immediate impact that season. But then looking at the entire 2010 Bills draft not one player became an immediate starter and made an impact that year

 

In hindsight I bet he considers them. Before the draft JPP was the workout warrior that wasn't actually good, gronk was a huge medical risk and Graham had played about a dozen games of football in his life. None were gimme type picks.

 

if so then yes but who knows. However picking players for excitement is stupid and short sighted and can't help but think Ralph's "philosophy" has hurt the Bills over the years. Tebow would have been more exciting than Spiller, just think of all the #15 Bills jerseys would have been sold (cha-ching) and no players was polarizing and thus exciting to watch and he did get his team to the playoffs which would have been way more exciting than this past season.

 

Perhaps the fact that the thought process doesn't make sense even when accepted at it's purest level is an indicator that it's not totally true?

 

I'm also still waiting on the "Ralph made a great choice..." example. I think the lack speaks more to our fanbase than talons decisions. Surely we don't believe hes gone this long without any real foresight?