Why do the last 12 years get lumped together

[spartacus]

Because it sounds worse to rant about the last 12 years instead of the last two. It also saves them the brain cells needed to actually analyze what went wrong instead of just making easy blanket condemnations.

 

Very little of the last 12 years had to do with money, IMO. First was Wade and Ralph getting into a pissing match. Then hiring Whitey Donahoe and giving him control. Then Ralph getting burned by Donahoe and running to old friend Marv Levy who couldn't hire a babysitter much less a coach. Then letting Dick(less) Jauron make draft decisions. Then Shanny and Cowher turning down the Bills no matter how much money was offered.

 

Luckily the promotion of Nix, which seemed like a last resort move at the time, much like hiring Bill Polian was in 1986, seems to be working out.

 

PTR

 

another 3 years of building thru trhe draft and Nix/ Gailey might finally match Jauron's 7-9 record

[San Jose Bills Fan]

What comes after trifecta?

 

One thing I'm optimistic about is that Tom Modrak and John Guy who were both hired in 2001… one year after the Music City Miracle, are finally gone.

 

One or both had occupied a high office in the football department throughout the Bills decade of futility. Nix fired Guy immediately upon being named GM and fired Modrak after last year's draft.

 

Nix has completely revamped the personnel department.

 

Unfortunately, Brandon, Littman, and Overdorf still have the owners ear.

 

However I would say the Bills while occasionally cheap in their spending, have been a bad team primarily because they have been inept and incompetent on the football side, not the finance side.

 

So if you believe like I do that the purging of Modrak and Guy, and the addition of Nix, Whaley, Chuck Cook and Tom Gibbons is a huge positive, then you have good reason to be optimistic about the Bills.

[Tcali]

Too early to condemn Nix or to praise him that much either.

This team is full of holes.More than most NFL teams.-The result of

the maybin/donte-like decisions over many seasons.-Problem is its really hard to dig out of a hole like this

because there is absolutely no room for mistakes or injuries.One injury to a key piece like Kyle devastates

a front 7 that has only 2 other legit starters on it. One lousy first round pick and the team either slides backward

or treads water-while a guy like Fred ages and becomes less part of its possible winning future.

 

Thats why I and others preach building this team from the inside out.And hoping we get lucky with the picks and avoid injuries

to key players like Kyle.

Not optimistic about this team ,,But not necc blaming it of Buddy either.

[thewildrabbit]

The reason why the last 12 years get lumped together is this:

 

76-116.

 

That's 116 losses in 12 years to just 76 wins. Put it in other terms, the Bills have won LESS than 40% of the games they have played in the past 12 years. That spans three coaching and front office regimes. Chan and Nix have won 31% of their games (10% less than the previous two regimes won).

 

There has been only one constant during that 12 year stretch: the triumbrant of Littleman, Overdorf, and Mister Wilson. THAT'S the trio that's running this team. That's the trio that continues to run this franchise into the ground. I didn't want to believe that at first, but after THREE regime changes without any improvement in the fortune of the Bills leaves little doubt that it's NOT the revolving door at the head coaching spot and GM but rather something wrong at the head of the franchise. And things will not change until Wilson is gone. He's either unable or unwilling to build a winning team in Buffalo.

 

That's why these years are lumped together.

 

 

This is the type of post that makes me cringe.

 

We as fans have a right to B word about what we perceive as weaknesses on our team just as you have the right to blindly defend your team or choose to ignore reality. It doesn't make either one of us a "better" fan. It just makes us different people. I'm the sort of person who doesn't think unconditional love of a team means having to pretend that team is flawless. I'm the sort of person who thinks that it's the fans' job to point out the flaws -- not out of malice or "hater-ism" -- but out of a sense of responsibility. I want nothing more than to see the Bills win the Super Bowl. Multiple Super Bowls if I had my way.

 

I know that might sound crazy because after all I'm just a guy on a message board. I live in reality and understand that owners, GMs and coaches don't run their teams based on the whims of its fans. To paraphrase Marv, if they did that they'd all be out of a job. But that doesn't mean that the fans have no impact on the direction their franchises take. Fans, as a whole, are what drives the sport. And as such, fans have always had the ability to incite change within their favorite teams. You see it happen all the time in every sport -- coaches go on the hot seat, players get traded -- sometimes in large part due to trying to keep the fans happy. Now, thanks to the internet and social media, fans have more access to players, coaches and GMs than ever before. And I believe that fans have the responsibility to talk openly about the flaws on their teams in hopes of improving their team's chances of winning a championship.

 

I believe that the Buffalo Bills are not being managed well. I believe that Ralph Wilson does not possess either the ability or the desire to build a winning team. I believe that Nix is a backroom hire and has done just enough to get by but not enough to build a winner. I also believe that Fitz is not capable of leading a team to a Super Bowl.

 

But I'm still a fan of the Buffalo Bills.

 

To me it's far better to voice your concerns than it is to hide your head in the sand and wish for things to improve on their own. I'm too much of a control freak to think that way -- even though I realize that thinking my opinion will somehow influence change is kinda ... nuts. But it makes me feel more connected to the team I cheer for. It makes me care more if I believe I can actually have an impact on the fortunes of my team.

 

Hell, isn't that why we all love going to the games in person? We want to be there and cheer as loudly as we can to impact the game and help the Bills win. If you're like me, you have superstitions -- like wearing a lucky jersey, watching the game from a certain spot. As a rational person I know these superstitions aren't really going to impact the game ... but it's more fun to believe.

 

And that's my way of supporting my team. Doesn't make it better than yours. Doesn't make it worse. But it's not bitching just to B word.

 

Excellent post, couldn't have said it any better!

 

 

 

Fans younger then myself looking out over the past decade of losing teams, bad coaching and talent evaluation ineptitude must truly think that Buddy Nix is the next Bill Polian. That Chan Gailey is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. Perhaps both men are better then any since GM John Butler, and HC Wade Phillips.So far neither have proven to be even close to those two in terms of wins. There was a time when the fans and media were far more critical of the mistakes made by the GM and HC.

 

While Nix has done some very good things to change the team I still have to question why it takes 3 years to find a pass rusher, 3 years to build the line. I get that fans want to defend the guy because he IS better then anything since John Butler, but that doesn't justify all his mistakes the past 2 years in my view. Still waiting to see the proverbial baby!!

[BigBuff423]

I sound like a broken record, but I love how sometimes we (all of us at one time or another) forget to put facts into perspective. There is so much history to review I just don't have the patience to go through it all but let's recap for just a moment: Nix came in just a few months prior to the draft, and yes he was scouting and one cog in the wheel of evaluating the players but also relied on a number of other scout and information provided by people who in his second season were fired for their lack of capability, and then in his second year was prevented from moving too hard in any direction in the area of FA due to a work stoppage and pending negotiations between the players and owners but had a solid Draft since he took over the responsibilities and oversight....administrative overhaul took place under Nix and let's face it, therein lied the most substantial issues: football evaluation and management dysfunction, which he's addressed. And for those who believe Nix didn't have any experience in the Draft or administration on football operations, go to some other sites who document Nix's career and several, including the Chargers themselves, who give Nix a great deal of credit for the Chargers' drafts who landed the likes of Brees and Rivers, LT and Castillo, Merriman and VJax just to name a few...is he perfect? Absolutely not...does he have all the answers, NO b/c no one ever will....will mistakes be made?? YES!! All administrations make mistakes, in evaluations in choosing coaches or players but one thing you CANNOT fault Nix or Gailey is that they are willing to make any change to accomplish the goal of winning a Super Bowl....if you can't play no matter where you're drafted you get cut...if you can't coach no matter where your roots may have been, you get fired....they've sent a clear message: they want to WIN!!

 

Hiring Edwards to run the Defense was a mistake....that's a given, but don't forget Edwards was ALREADY hired by the Florida Gators, post National Title, to run their Defense and the BILLS brought him in to do the same thing, so he was on the upswing when they got him....THEN after a miserable year of failure Dave W. was brought in to bring balance and I believe a little mentoring for Edwards in addition to being a "back-up" plan if the failure continued....a way of allowing the players to get to know him a bit and for him to get a feeling of the Defense's strengths and weaknesses so that in the event Edwards continued to fail, during this time of year when they're evaluating talent and needs, Wanny would have good insight and he wouldn't be playing catch-up...

 

To the talent that was already here: Stevie was a good draft by the Jauron/Levy/Brandon committee....but he never saw the field...so what good was drafting him if he didn't play?? It was Gailey who saw the potential and gave him the chance to play, he deserves that credit...Fitzpatrick was here, and it was Perry Fewell who first gave Fitz the opportunity to start at QB, but when Nix got here, they didn't see Trent for themselves and as Nix said (and I've reposted ad nauseum) they wanted to evaluate ALL the players for themselves before letting them walk just to see them play somewhere else...in the end, they figured to evaluate and be patient and allow the team to develop under their guidance without rushing anything...that's where this adminstration is far and away better than most of us fans: they're patient and know they're making the right decisions, but it will take time....

 

As to one of the responder's questions about "how does it take three years to find a pass rusher?"...well, in the first year, Maybin was still on the roster and they were still evaluating talent for themselves - as mentioned just a moment ago, then the second year there was a work stoppage preventing Nix from being "aggressive" - that is not to say they would have been but coulda, woulda, shoulda...all scenarios you can't even begin to speculate due to the circumstances of the leauge, and now this year, they have a Defensive Coordinator who has years of experience and knows exactly what he needs and with two years of evaluation the BILLS themselves know what they do/don't have so NOW is the time....and, yes the BILLS initially thought the switch to 3-4 would be best, and they were wrong....so if you want to take the proverbial Buffalo out back and shoot it, then do so....in the meantime, maybe we can all take a breath and be happy about where this team is heading instead of lamenting about where it "could" have been if this, or if that had happened....

 

Nix is not off the hook by any means, nor is Gailey, but to say we're in the same position we were 3 years ago, despite a worse win/loss record, is delusional IMO; this team had all the makings for a playoff push had it not been for a substantial injury bug and we ALL KNEW going INTO the season the BILLS lacked depth and that we depended on good health to be competitive for the year, well good health didn't happen and lo and behold we failed....shocker!!

 

And as for what Gailey did in his first year: you can't spout off about how Nix and Gaiely "inherited" all of Jauron and Levy's talent in one breath and how Nix didn't do anything good and then not realize just how far more productive Gailey was with that same talent in his first season....how quickly we forget just how miserable that Offense was under Jauron, and somewhat with Fewell and with virtually the same players how much MORE productive that Offense was under Gailey!! The Defense was terrible, but with the same Offensive players there was far more production against some very good teams, ala Pittsburgh with Stevie's drop, Baltimore with a fumble at the end, and others.....

 

Nix and Gailey still have yet to prove they can form a talented and competitive team, I don't think anyone is satisfied if the team were to stop progressing today, but Nix has said (and seems to be proving his words to be true, most recently especially) they will be "aggressive" in FA and they will continue to build a team to contend for a Super Bowl title, so this year is THE year where we see exactly what this team will do in order to achieve that end and IF, a BIG IF, the talent will translate into a Super Bowl title....okay, I'm officially over the debate of Nix vs. previous regime....if a good fan can't see the difference between what Nix and Gailey, and Whaley, are doing vs those who were in charge prior to their arrival - I seriously question if they're paying attention to what is ACTUALLY transpiring at OBD or if they're so bitter from past year's failure and ineptitude that they have given up hope and determined themselves to be bitter for disappointment's sake....

[26TrapDraw]

Fact of the matter is all 12 yrs this team has been eating chips and dip during the playoffs I have faith in what this coaching staff and front office is doing right now. In the eyes of the league and more importantly our fanbase until we reach the post season nothing the Bills do will be relevant.

[CosmicBills]

...All administrations make mistakes, in evaluations in choosing coaches or players but one thing you CANNOT fault Nix or Gailey is that they are willing to make any change to accomplish the goal of winning a Super Bowl....if you can't play no matter where you're drafted you get cut...if you can't coach no matter where your roots may have been, you get fired....they've sent a clear message: they want to WIN!!

 

Everyone wants to win.

 

Gailey and Nix so far have done everything BUT win. They're record is 10-22 and have finished dead last in the AFC East each year. That's 4 less wins than Jauron and Brandon had entering their third year.

 

This is year 3 of a rebuild. This should be the year that the Bills not only go above 500 for the first time in the Nix regime, it should be the year where they make the playoffs. No team needs more that 3 years to "turn it around". Three years is an eternity in the NFL. So far the only thing Nix has done is retain his own players (a good thing), come Tuesday we will see how serious the Bills REALLY are about winning.

[BigBuff423]

Everyone wants to win.

 

Gailey and Nix so far have done everything BUT win. They're record is 10-22 and have finished dead last in the AFC East each year. That's 4 less wins than Jauron and Brandon had entering their third year.

 

This is year 3 of a rebuild. This should be the year that the Bills not only go above 500 for the first time in the Nix regime, it should be the year where they make the playoffs. No team needs more that 3 years to "turn it around". Three years is an eternity in the NFL. So far the only thing Nix has done is retain his own players (a good thing), come Tuesday we will see how serious the Bills REALLY are about winning.

 

Not to much to say to disagree with except to qualify my statement about Nix and Gailey wanting to win...yes, everyone in the NFL wants to win, but we've seen many times in the NFL coaches and owners willing to keep their "favorites" despite a failure to produce, with this new regime we've seen they don't have any loyalty except to a winner and more importantly to the Team as a whole, willing to release anyone at anytime.....as for the losing record: have you forgotten the state of this franchise when Nix and Gailey took over?? Or that EVERYONE on this board was complaining about the total lack of talent before Nix and Gailey got here? Comparing Nix and Gailey to Jauron's time when 7-9 was the total expectation each year when this organization has undergone a virtually complete overhaul is asanine IMO...there was an Offensive shift in philosophy, a Defensive shift in philosophy and players who were either cut or traded....go through the list of players who were in the roster at the time Nix and Gaiely took over and then look at the roster now....yes, there were players playing then that are playing now, I would friggen hope so, but look at all the players who are no longer here and except for Lynch and maybe Whitner, no one else is tearing it up elsewhere....and don't say Maybin, that would only be a revelation of how little thought would go into that statement instead of bolstering your point.....but to each his own, choose to believe/think what you like - that's the beauty of our great nation - but I for one will reserve judgment....what I DO agree with you on, is that this year SHOULD be a year when they take a big leap forward

[CosmicBills]

Not to much to say to disagree with except to qualify my statement about Nix and Gailey wanting to win...yes, everyone in the NFL wants to win, but we've seen many times in the NFL coaches and owners willing to keep their "favorites" despite a failure to produce, with this new regime we've seen they don't have any loyalty except to a winner and more importantly to the Team as a whole, willing to release anyone at anytime.....as for the losing record: have you forgotten the state of this franchise when Nix and Gailey took over?? Or that EVERYONE on this board was complaining about the total lack of talent before Nix and Gailey got here? Comparing Nix and Gailey to Jauron's time when 7-9 was the total expectation each year when this organization has undergone a virtually complete overhaul is asanine IMO...

You're right. We can't compare it because Jauron still managed to win more games. Jauron came in to a team with as little talent as Nix and Gailey had (if not less) and still won more games. Does that make him better? No, Jauron was a trainwreck. But the purpose is to WIN games, not feel good about ALMOST winning.

 

In the end, you're judged by what you did, not what you wanted to do. And so far Nix and Gailey have won 31% of their games.

 

there was an Offensive shift in philosophy, a Defensive shift in philosophy and players who were either cut or traded....go through the list of players who were in the roster at the time Nix and Gaiely took over and then look at the roster now....yes, there were players playing then that are playing now, I would friggen hope so, but look at all the players who are no longer here and except for Lynch and maybe Whitner, no one else is tearing it up elsewhere....and don't say Maybin, that would only be a revelation of how little thought would go into that statement instead of bolstering your point.....but to each his own, choose to believe/think what you like - that's the beauty of our great nation - but I for one will reserve judgment....what I DO agree with you on, is that this year SHOULD be a year when they take a big leap forward

This has been the problem with the Bills -- they have been reshuffling the deck for so long they're mired in mediocrity. Actually, calling it mediocre is being kind. Now you and the others look at what Nix and Chan are doing and say, "things are on the upswing!" But we've been here before. We've been here with Greggo, we've been here with TD, we've been here with Jauron, and now we're here with Chix.

 

It's more of the same. It's more "look at this flashy toy and ignore the real problem with this team" ...

 

Mr. Wilson.

[BillsVet]

What comes after trifecta?

 

One thing I'm optimistic about is that Tom Modrak and John Guy who were both hired in 2001… one year after the Music City Miracle, are finally gone.

 

One or both had occupied a high office in the football department throughout the Bills decade of futility. Nix fired Guy immediately upon being named GM and fired Modrak after last year's draft.

 

Nix has completely revamped the personnel department.

 

Unfortunately, Brandon, Littman, and Overdorf still have the owners ear.

 

However I would say the Bills while occasionally cheap in their spending, have been a bad team primarily because they have been inept and incompetent on the football side, not the finance side.

 

So if you believe like I do that the purging of Modrak and Guy, and the addition of Nix, Whaley, Chuck Cook and Tom Gibbons is a huge positive, then you have good reason to be optimistic about the Bills.

 

Guy was fired three plus weeks after Nix was hired. And given that Brandon couldn't fire Jauron when he was GM, it stands to reason it wasn't all Nix's to make when Guy's job was on the line. What's ironic is just 2 years previous, both Guy and Modrak were promoted to be Vice Presidents at OBD. And, this was after they signed Dockery and Walker to those big contracts.

 

No matter who the public face of the franchise is, there are still people lurking behind them who have power. The names are familiar, but the result remains the same and until new ownership comes on board, those 12 years of sheer futility will be grouped together.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

One thing I'm optimistic about is that Tom Modrak and John Guy who were both hired in 2001… one year after the Music City Miracle, are finally gone.

 

One or both had occupied a high office in the football department throughout the Bills decade of futility. Nix fired Guy immediately upon being named GM and fired Modrak after last year's draft.

 

Nix has completely revamped the personnel department.

 

Unfortunately, Brandon, Littman, and Overdorf still have the owners ear.

 

However I would say the Bills while occasionally cheap in their spending, have been a bad team primarily because they have been inept and incompetent on the football side, not the finance side.

 

So if you believe like I do that the purging of Modrak and Guy, and the addition of Nix, Whaley, Chuck Cook and Tom Gibbons is a huge positive, then you have good reason to be optimistic about the Bills.

 

Guy was fired three plus weeks after Nix was hired. And given that Brandon couldn't fire Jauron when he was GM, it stands to reason it wasn't all Nix's to make when Guy's job was on the line. What's ironic is just 2 years previous, both Guy and Modrak were promoted to be Vice Presidents at OBD. And, this was after they signed Dockery and Walker to those big contracts.

 

No matter who the public face of the franchise is, there are still people lurking behind them who have power. The names are familiar, but the result remains the same and until new ownership comes on board, those 12 years of sheer futility will be grouped together.

Well basically I'm saying that we finally have some good football people in place who will be able to maximize the constraints placed on them by those above them in the organization.

 

You're saying that as long as the same ownership/upper management exists that nothing will change and that Nix and company will be powerless to build the team into a viable contender.

 

I'm an admitted optimist who considers himself a realist.

 

You've been accused of being a pessimist who considers himself a realist.

 

Only time will tell which one of us is closer to the mark this time.

 

 

[BigBuff423]

You're right. We can't compare it because Jauron still managed to win more games. Jauron came in to a team with as little talent as Nix and Gailey had (if not less) and still won more games. Does that make him better? No, Jauron was a trainwreck. But the purpose is to WIN games, not feel good about ALMOST winning.

 

In the end, you're judged by what you did, not what you wanted to do. And so far Nix and Gailey have won 31% of their games.

 

 

This has been the problem with the Bills -- they have been reshuffling the deck for so long they're mired in mediocrity. Actually, calling it mediocre is being kind. Now you and the others look at what Nix and Chan are doing and say, "things are on the upswing!" But we've been here before. We've been here with Greggo, we've been here with TD, we've been here with Jauron, and now we're here with Chix.

 

It's more of the same. It's more "look at this flashy toy and ignore the real problem with this team" ...

 

Mr. Wilson.

 

Really??? Wow...that seems like revisionist history to me...Dockery?? Drafting Whitner at 8? Getting back into the 1st Round for McCargo? Losman was a carry over, but not getting a good QB should fall on their shoulders just as much as failing to draft good talent....as for FA, Dockery and Walker jump to mind, Melvin Fowler would be another....letting Greer walk, drafting Lynch with McGahee already playing....and yes, you can say the same about Spiller, the difference is FJ is getting older, not drafting for the provision of his age would be foolish....so they hit on Wood, Levitre, Byrd, and KW, but I'm not saying they didn't draft ANYONE worthwhile, I'm saying overall there were far more misses than hits and some very poor FA signings along with overall bad drafting for years....Maybin?.....if you don't see the difference, this whole conversation is moot.....as for it being a flashy toy, the only flashy toy I can remember was T.O who was brought in under, ummmmm, Jauron and T.O had his best games with Fitz, who Fewell put in to start, so where does that leave this debate??? Point being, I'm not "satisfied" with where we are....I'm "satisfied" with where the BILLS appear to be heading, their overall positive change and development as a team...you can say the record this or that, but the record out of context is like anything else out of context: meaningless.....so, we shall agree to disagree

[San-O]

 

Buddy said show me the baby, not me. The Bills went 1-8 in their last 9 games. They gave up 49 straight points to their division "rival" on the last game of the season. How's that baby looking?

 

If I'm suppose to temper my doubt you Pollys should temper your baseless enthusiasm. Until then, I'll continue to post not to be right at the end of the year but because it's what I see. Thanks bud.

 

+ 1

[BillsVet]

Well basically I'm saying that we finally have some good football people in place who will be able to maximize the constraints placed on them by those above them in the organization.

 

You're saying that as long as the same ownership/upper management exists that nothing will change and that Nix and company will be powerless to build the team into a viable contender.

 

I'm an admitted optimist who considers himself a realist.

 

You've been accused of being a pessimist who considers himself a realist.

 

Only time will tell which one of us is closer to the mark this time.

 

And a lot will be demonstrated come Tuesday at 4PM. I don't expect them to sign Mario Williams or Vincent Jackson, but it's hard to differentiate the end results from earlier this decade compared to 2010-11. We'll know after this season whether the decisions made in the front office, in coaching, and players are significant progress or just a re-arranging of the deck chairs.

 

After all, it's hard to go 12 seasons without a playoff appearance. The last team that Buffalo was tied with for this mark of futility had the Matt Millen millstone around their neck.

[San-O]

And a lot will be demonstrated come Tuesday at 4PM. I don't expect them to sign Mario Williams or Vincent Jackson, but it's hard to differentiate the end results from earlier this decade compared to 2010-11. We'll know after this season whether the decisions made in the front office, in coaching, and players are significant progress or just a re-arranging of the deck chairs.

 

After all, it's hard to go 12 seasons without a playoff appearance. The last team that Buffalo was tied with for this mark of futility had the Matt Millen millstone around their neck.

 

 

1 winning season in 12 years. 1, one, UNO.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Buffalo_Bills_seasons

[Danny]

So many good points being made on both sides of the arguement. BigBuff423 made an excellent post earlier.

 

The only point i can add is that, with the ultimate goal obviously being winning a SuperBowl and nothing less- i feel way better about this 6-10 team than i ever did about any 9-7 team in the last decade.

[CosmicBills]

Really??? Wow...that seems like revisionist history to me...Dockery?? Drafting Whitner at 8? Getting back into the 1st Round for McCargo? Losman was a carry over, but not getting a good QB should fall on their shoulders just as much as failing to draft good talent....as for FA, Dockery and Walker jump to mind, Melvin Fowler would be another....letting Greer walk, drafting Lynch with McGahee already playing....and yes, you can say the same about Spiller, the difference is FJ is getting older, not drafting for the provision of his age would be foolish....so they hit on Wood, Levitre, Byrd, and KW, but I'm not saying they didn't draft ANYONE worthwhile, I'm saying overall there were far more misses than hits and some very poor FA signings along with overall bad drafting for years....Maybin?.....if you don't see the difference, this whole conversation is moot.....as for it being a flashy toy, the only flashy toy I can remember was T.O who was brought in under, ummmmm, Jauron and T.O had his best games with Fitz, who Fewell put in to start, so where does that leave this debate??? Point being, I'm not "satisfied" with where we are....I'm "satisfied" with where the BILLS appear to be heading, their overall positive change and development as a team...you can say the record this or that, but the record out of context is like anything else out of context: meaningless.....so, we shall agree to disagree

The only reason the record is out of context (to you) is because you're under the belief these last 2 years are somehow "new" when my point is they are just more of the same ... and if anything, LESS than the same in terms of wins losses. They're the same because it matters not who's calling the shots on personnel when Ralph, Little-man and Overdork are really the ones running the show.

[BigBuff423]

The only reason the record is out of context (to you) is because you're under the belief these last 2 years are somehow "new" when my point is they are just more of the same ... and if anything, LESS than the same in terms of wins losses. They're the same because it matters not who's calling the shots on personnel when Ralph, Little-man and Overdork are really the ones running the show.

 

 

Sooooo......we're back to the Ralph is cheap argument?? Great....well, now at least I know where your mind-set is...thanks for clarification and despite our difference of opinion, I'm gald there are other BILLS fans out there passionate about the team in one way or another....one poster previously stated they felt better about this 6-10 team than any of the other 7-9 teams of the past, say what you will, but I'm in the same boat....and just clarify my perspective as well....

 

I moved around a lot as a child, between Florida, Georgia, New York and Virginia....my life finally settled in upstate New York when I was 14 years old, 1990, just when the BILLS were on the cusp of greatness, and great they were just not worthy of a title known as "greatness", and my fan-dom was born at the height of the franchise, not because of their winning but because upstate New York was the first place that truly felt like home...and even though the Giants and Jets were New York teams, they didn't feel like they were apart of me and me apart of them; they lived and played in a world detached from my reality, so I loved the BILLS nearly from the beginning....to watch this team devolve over the last decade and a half or so has been hard and full of disappointment...and while we're all fans and we love the sports aspect of the game, the brutal hits, the incredible physical feats, we are still "emotional" about our team...watch us throw a remote, scream at an inanimate object known as the televsion, dress our pets in BILLS gear, etc...and I have that connection to the BILLS regardless of their record, the only thing that would change that is their location b/c as mentioned earlier I'm connected to them based upon their geographic location....as for their success and failure, it is painful...it hurts the mind and heart, and I've been extremely frustrated on a number of occasions but that doesn't change my objectivity and I truly do believe this team is under better management and is going in the right direction....that doesn't excuse this upcoming year or give them a pass should another sub-par year ensue, it simply means I put recent history in "perspective", as that was something I mentioned earlier....again, you're entitled to your opinion, and in no way have I disparaged you personally, and I wouldn't as we are all passionate about this team, but we will simply agree to have a divergence of opinion and I for one, am optimistic about what this next year brings....sorry not to be pissing in the cornflakes with you, instead I'll just pour me another bowl and grab my New York cowed milk from the fridge and be ready to consume when FA begins and hungry for another bowl when the Draft starts....

[CosmicBills]

Sooooo......we're back to the Ralph is cheap argument??

 

I don't think Ralph is cheap. I think he either lacks the ability or the desire to build a winning team. There's a giant difference.

[BADOLBILZ]

The simple answer is: The only thing Buffalo fans like more than the Bills or Sabres is... complaining.

 

It makes it easier for them to complain, and hate on the team and current regime and the moves they are doing. No matter what happens, the Bills are damned if they do and damned if they dont. People will always complain about the moves because they want to set themselves up to feel good about the failure if it happens again. Lame.

 

I agree with your entire post.

 

Go Bills!!

 

Sorry to break it to you, but sports fans are essentially all the same. The only difference is that some root for winners and others are stuck with losing teams.

 

That's all. Nothing more than that. I know it makes you feel better about yourself because you feel you are optimistic in the face a decade of losing but the truth is that you are just one type of the larger profile......which is the same as that of any other fan base.