JÂy RÛßeÒ Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Angry Bruce Smith Says Bills Fans were 'Robbed and Cheated' The Buffalo News -- February 12, 2000 By Allen Wilson Bruce Smith said goodbye to the Buffalo Bills, but not before delivering a few parting shots. Smith was reflective after he, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed were released Thursday. After having a full 24 hours to think about it, Smith's disappointment turned to anger. "This organization did not show any class in this situation," Smith said Friday from his home in Virginia Beach, Va. "This is an awful way to treat guys who have given so much not only to this organization, but to the community as well. The people that I feel the most sad for are the fans of Buffalo. I feel that they got robbed and cheated. This organization will have to live with the consequences of its actions." I believe we are still living with the consequences of this action. The unceremonious dumping of 3 of the best players this league has ever seen. Buffalo went from a desirable destination for players & coaches to being the NFL's figurative (if not literal) Siberia. Having to completely over-pay marginal players to come here in free agency. High draft picks playing out their initial contracts to get away via free agency (if not forcing a trade before then). The Butler/Donahoe/Levy/Brandon/Nix carousel at GM making draft blunder after draft blunder. Retread coaches or middling coordinators put in charge of the team on the field. All of this eroding the fan-base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brambills Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I blame it all on Corey McIntyre... think about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven Moses Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 The way Lonnie Johnson was handled was terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SACKMARINO Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I say Karma due to Benching Flutie.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills of Boston Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Ah yes, I remember it fondly.... my 14th birthday from sports hell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 All i can say is that several of us middle aged fans predicted this. I sat in the stands at Super Bowl 25 & 28. I sat and drank beers with buddies and we all agreed., it's a guarantee that Buffalo will pay dearly for those dominant Kelly, Thurman, Bruce, Reed...years when we didn't win it all. I said back then we'd be stuck in a generation of futility after reaping a decade of success. Well, we're in it up to our necks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 All i can say is that several of us middle aged fans predicted this. I sat in the stands at Super Bowl 25 & 28. I sat and drank beers with buddies and we all agreed., it's a guarantee that Buffalo will pay dearly for those dominant Kelly, Thurman, Bruce, Reed...years when we didn't win it all. I said back then we'd be stuck in a generation of futility after reaping a decade of success. Well, we're in it up to our necks. I was an adolescent during the glory years. My dad and I started going to games in 1986-87, and by the time I was old enough to really grasp what was happening, we were starting the upswing and winning the division. We attended every home game through the glory years (and beyond), but after each dominant win he would tell me "Son, don't get used to this kind of football. Savor every game and every play as much as you can. This isn't how it normally is. This isn't a normal team. This will not last forever." Well, unfortunately, he was more correct than he ever knew at the time. Success for Ralph Wilson is and always has been, more luck than brains. Whether it is simply a return to the norm for this franchise, a curse by a star player, or payback for a few years of success... it sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 who placed a curse on them from '66 to '89? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JÂy RÛßeÒ Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 who placed a curse on them from '66 to '89? I'm betting it was Gilchrist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Romes Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Bruce could still play. Dominated in his last game as a bill. It was not the benching of an ineffective Flutie per se that was wrong. It was the fact the owner mandated it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Question: who placed a curse on them from '66 to '89? Answer: Bruce could still play. Dominated in his last game as a bill. It was not the benching of an ineffective Flutie per se that was wrong. It was the fact the owner mandated it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gianelli Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I did it. On a service trip to Mexico, instead of going with the rest of the group to visit a sick lady in her home, I went to the priest's rectory to watch the Bills-Titans playoff game on his t.v. Home Visit-Stay Back = Homerun Throwback. Bills haven't been the same since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marauderswr80 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Lost respect for Bruuuuuuuuuce ever since he stiffed me fan an autograph years ago! I was like 14 years old! I have not been the same since! I cursed the team due to that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fansince88 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I say Karma due to Benching Flutie.... Untill Ralph sits on the 50 yard line and says he is sorry to Doug, we are doomed to mediocracy at best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EasternOHBillsFan Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I say Karma due to Benching Flutie.... It was Flutie's fault for Andre Reed's limited playing time anyway... karma my butt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seq004 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Bruce was great, but he was NEVER happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 The way Lonnie Johnson was handled was terrible. His play on the fake punt against Green Bay in 1997 was fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I blame the small font size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 This season's crash and burn, as history will show. Was caused by the Moorman curse. Add that with the existing Flutie curse, and figure on 15 more years of pain, at the minimum. At least he's still getting plenty of work with the cowgirls though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills!Win! Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 who placed a curse on them from '66 to '89? McKinley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesDog91 Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 The Ralph/Wade/Flutie debacle ruined everything, what once was a respectable 11-5 team became a cellar dwellar in a matter of two years after Flutie, Wade, and all the veterans departed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 [/size] I believe we are still living with the consequences of this action. The unceremonious dumping of 3 of the best players this league has ever seen. Buffalo went from a desirable destination for players & coaches to being the NFL's figurative (if not literal) Siberia. Having to completely over-pay marginal players to come here in free agency. High draft picks playing out their initial contracts to get away via free agency (if not forcing a trade before then). The Butler/Donahoe/Levy/Brandon/Nix carousel at GM making draft blunder after draft blunder. Retread coaches or middling coordinators put in charge of the team on the field. All of this eroding the fan-base. What's with tiny print all the time? We are bound to get a new owner sometime and the "curse" will be lifted. All i can say is that several of us middle aged fans predicted this. I sat in the stands at Super Bowl 25 & 28. I sat and drank beers with buddies and we all agreed., it's a guarantee that Buffalo will pay dearly for those dominant Kelly, Thurman, Bruce, Reed...years when we didn't win it all. I said back then we'd be stuck in a generation of futility after reaping a decade of success. Well, we're in it up to our necks. Thanks Zow, why didn't you say we would be dominant for centuries cuz we didn't win the four SBs. Losing them was bad enough do we really need more failure? It's all your fault Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extrahammer Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 As long as we keep signing oversized contracts with quarterbacks who have a handful of good games and no large body of work, we're doomed. (i.e. Rob Johnson, Ryan Fitzpatrick). Add to the fact Nix wants to draft a QB this year when the QB class of last year's draft was MUCH deeper, we're doomed even more. But I like to be an optimist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 [/size] I believe we are still living with the consequences of this action. The unceremonious dumping of 3 of the best players this league has ever seen. Buffalo went from a desirable destination for players & coaches to being the NFL's figurative (if not literal) Siberia. Having to completely over-pay marginal players to come here in free agency. High draft picks playing out their initial contracts to get away via free agency (if not forcing a trade before then). The Butler/Donahoe/Levy/Brandon/Nix carousel at GM making draft blunder after draft blunder. Retread coaches or middling coordinators put in charge of the team on the field. All of this eroding the fan-base. Can you post in a smaller font WTF!?!?!?! Think of us older guys Curses are known to be broken by good blocking & tackling, both of which we lacked over the years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Can you post in a smaller font WTF!?!?!?! Think of us older guys Curses are known to be broken by good blocking & tackling, both of which we lacked over the years push control on your keyboard and roll the wheel on your mouse upward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Ah yes, I remember it fondly.... my 14th birthday from sports hell My 21st birthday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonborn10 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I'm just asking? What evidence is there that the city and this team can't attract FA's? The Bills have signed guys to big contracts all the time. They have horrifically whiffed on resigning their own guys like Pat Williams and Winfield. No way I owuld have matched Clements offer but I would have made Jason Peters the highest paid LT in football. They made Dockery the highest paid guard. Now maybe it is true the Bills can not hire top level coaching talent due to RW. I think there is good evidence that he does something to rub the coaches the wrong way. I think the whole league knows it and that is why they never get a top tier coach - and no Levy was neer a top tier coach. Levy was the beneficary of Polian, Kelly, and Marchibroda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Lost respect for Bruuuuuuuuuce ever since he stiffed me fan an autograph years ago! I was like 14 years old! I have not been the same since! I cursed the team due to that! He signed around 100 autographs for me. He even paid for 4 straight games of centipede against me. I should've known what the future would hold for Bruce and the gang. He was 0-4 in centipede. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benderbender Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 who placed a curse on them from '66 to '89? Ralph "the Cryptkeeper" Wilson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Untill Ralph sits on the 50 yard line and says he is sorry to Doug, we are doomed to mediocracy at best! He'd have to apologize to Polian and John Butler, too. I'm just asking? What evidence is there that the city and this team can't attract FA's? The Bills have signed guys to big contracts all the time. They have horrifically whiffed on resigning their own guys like Pat Williams and Winfield. No way I owuld have matched Clements offer but I would have made Jason Peters the highest paid LT in football. They made Dockery the highest paid guard. Now maybe it is true the Bills can not hire top level coaching talent due to RW. I think there is good evidence that he does something to rub the coaches the wrong way. I think the whole league knows it and that is why they never get a top tier coach - and no Levy was neer a top tier coach. Levy was the beneficary of Polian, Kelly, and Marchibroda. Ralph's a meddling owner - it's just not as prominent as some of the others because Buffalo doesn't get the media attention. I'm sure the whole benching Flutie thing really ticked off Wade Phillips and made the whole 2000 season a mess to deal with. I don't doubt Mike Mularkey saw this after 2005 and got the H out of there. When he tried to release the control to Tom Donahoe, TD failed miserably, so Ralph took things over again. I'm sure this is widely known around the league, which makes it difficult to attract good GMs and coaches. When you know your decisions are going to be overruled on a weekly basis, then why bother taking the job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 did bruce utter that curse after waking up from behind the wheel of his running car at that intersection ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearwater cadet Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I blame it all on Corey McIntyre... think about it! Your the same guy that always make fun of Jaurons teams, just because there no weapon x. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey D. Clown Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I say Karma due to Benching Flutie.... Boom!! I'd agree with this if not for my firm belief that the city is still under the spell of one dead president... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 push control on your keyboard and roll the wheel on your mouse upward Sweet! I just learned something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Sweet! I just learned something You're welcome my good chum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FitzShowUsYourTitz Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Bring back Moorman! End the curse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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