The Sporting News preview with Jay Skurski

[TC in St. Louis]

I was at my local store getting some breakfast and I grabbed the Sporting News football preview. The guy who wrote the piece is Jay Skurski, who I think was writing for the very popular daily brochure, the Niagara Falls Gazette. This guy really trashed the team. He had very little good to say about this team. I put the magazine back on the shelf.

 

I thought for a minute that he trashed them to give them the old double reverse double whammy reverse psychology reverse jinx. You know, where you talk like your team is horrible, and then they don't suck and you secretly relish that. But then I remembered that it's been 13 years since we have made the playoffs, and realized that he probably just thinks that the Bill suck.

 

I think the Bills are in for a good year. Last year they won 6, but easily could have won 9 games. If they had won 9, we would probably still have Chan, Fitz, and Butty Nix. We would not have what we have right now, which is the feeling of optimism.

 

Which I feel every year.

[uncle flap]

FWIW, Skurski writes for the Buffalo News. Not sure if you were being sarcastic.

 

The thing about the Bills we have now is that one can make a reasonable argument either way. There are just as many reasons to say they'll suck as there are to say they'll be good.

 

Considering all the youth slated to play prominent roles, it's also pretty easy to imagine that they'll eventually be consistently good, or even simply trending upward, but still have a lousy record.

 

In a season preview, it's probably safest to say, no matter how good you think they Bills will be over the course of the next few years, that they probably won't be all that good this year.

 

Don't worry TC, we will hear from plenty of writers that will claim the Bills are on the brink, and that they're this year's sexy sleeper pick for the playoffs, etc.

 

Which I also feel every year!

Edited June 17, 2013 by uncle flap

[TC in St. Louis]

He used to write for the Gayzette, but now he writes for the Buffalo News. Much better. but he graded the team C- in a few areas, and I think D- in linebackers. Come on. We're not that bad.

 

Thanks for the vibe though.

[Malazan]

Actually, it was a glowing article, but then Sullivan got his hands on it and edited it.

[White Linen]

He used to write for the Gayzette,

 

Oh my..

[MichFan]

My most optimistic outlook is that 2013 Bills are the next generation of the 1987 Bills. Critical pieces in place, learn to play as a team this year, start kicking butt next year.

[PromoTheRobot]

It makes you wonder why on earth anyone writes team previews. a) Bills suck. b) Bills bring in new players and coaches. c) These new people have not played yet . d) With no evidence to the contrary, the Bills still suck. There's your 2013 Bills preview.

 

At the risk of getting into another spat with John Wawrow, whom I do respect, I wonder how reporters who have covered the Bills for years have no ability to judge what is happening in front of them, other than to remind everyone of the long history of failure.

 

Here's the new coach and staff. How do they look? Any better/different than the last coach? The coach before? Are the players faster? How quick are they learning? How does this OTA/camp look compared to Chan's? Jauron's? Mullarkey's?

 

Here's an idea...hire an ex-coach as a reporter...but maybe not one with an ax to grind. (Dickerson)

 

PTR

Edited June 18, 2013 by PromoTheRobot

[TC in St. Louis]

I understand that it is almost pointless to predict at this time. However, for somebody who lives and writes in Buffalo to give such crappy grades....it just irritated the crap out of me, to the point where I just chose not to buy the damned thing.

[biglukes]

Skurski's claim to fame is that he somehow managed to not only land, but marry Melissa Holmes from Channel 2.

 

Other than Mark Gaughan, John Vogel, and occasionally Tim Graham, the Buffalo News Sports department is pretty happy churning out the same crap constantly; like Bucky's I'm smarter than and fire Darcy Regeir cause my fake sources said so, and whatever Mike hissy fit Harrington is whining about.

[jaybee]

I understand that it is almost pointless to predict at this time. However, for somebody who lives and writes in Buffalo to give such crappy grades....it just irritated the crap out of me, to the point where I just chose not to buy the damned thing.

 

Keep in mind that these reporters always try to stir controversy. It sells copy...and gets web hits. Dont sweat it man. Doesnt matter what anyone says. All that matters is how the team executes.

[atlbillsfan1975]

My most optimistic outlook is that 2013 Bills are the next generation of the 1987 Bills. Critical pieces in place, learn to play as a team this year, start kicking butt next year.

I have thought this as well. It is all hinged on EJ=Jimbo. Or at least his production. By 87 Jimbo had 3 years of pro ball under his belt. Times have changed and rookie QB's are developing faster than ever before. Here is hoping EJ can lead this team back to a constistently good team.

[CodeMonkey]

It makes you wonder why on earth anyone writes team previews. a) Bills suck. b) Bills bring in new players and coaches. c) These new people have not played yet . d) With no evidence to the contrary, the Bills still suck. There's your 2013 Bills preview.

 

At the risk of getting into another spat with John Wawrow, whom I do respect, I wonder how reporters who have covered the Bills for years have no ability to judge what is happening in front of them, other than to remind everyone of the long history of failure.

 

Here's the new coach and staff. How do they look? Any better/different than the last coach? The coach before? Are the players faster? How quick are they learning? How does this OTA/camp look compared to Chan's? Jauron's? Mullarkey's?

 

Here's an idea...hire an ex-coach as a reporter...but maybe not one with an ax to grind. (Dickerson)

 

PTR

A) No one knows what the Bills have or don't have this season. Too much new and/or unknown.

B) Writers have to write something. An article stating " I don't know, I'll let you know after preseason" would probably get them on the unemployment line.

C) After the last 13 years of suck, predicting a 14th year is the safe bet.

[thewildrabbit]

It makes you wonder why on earth anyone writes team previews. a) Bills suck. b) Bills bring in new players and coaches. c) These new people have not played yet . d) With no evidence to the contrary, the Bills still suck. There's your 2013 Bills preview.

 

At the risk of getting into another spat with John Wawrow, whom I do respect, I wonder how reporters who have covered the Bills for years have no ability to judge what is happening in front of them, other than to remind everyone of the long history of failure.

 

Here's the new coach and staff. How do they look? Any better/different than the last coach? The coach before? Are the players faster? How quick are they learning? How does this OTA/camp look compared to Chan's? Jauron's? Mullarkey's?

 

Here's an idea...hire an ex-coach as a reporter...but maybe not one with an ax to grind. (Dickerson)

 

PTR

Logic dictates the best predictor of future performance is past performance.

 

 

The Bills hired new HC right out of college who came in 4th in the division with an 8-5 record, and with less NFL experience then the previous HCes. This man must now compete in the same division against the winning-est HC the division has seen the past 20 years. Not really a whole heck of a lot to get amped up about from an outside stand point. Bills fans don't have any accountability for anything. Sports writers deal with realism's and not dreams.

 

 

That said, I'm very intrigued by this new regime, much more so then I have been in any the past decade or so. So far they have made some smart moves IMO. Cutting T-Jax was one good move because you really can't give 3 QB's enough reps to prepare them properly. Now, that may seem like an insignificant move, but it really matters.

 

Not much happening between now and July 28th when camp opens, so I highly doubt any reporter anywhere is gonna go out on a limb and predict great things for this team this year. Really, its still to early to tell.

[JohnC]

It makes you wonder why on earth anyone writes team previews. a) Bills suck. b) Bills bring in new players and coaches. c) These new people have not played yet . d) With no evidence to the contrary, the Bills still suck. There's your 2013 Bills preview.

 

At the risk of getting into another spat with John Wawrow, whom I do respect, I wonder how reporters who have covered the Bills for years have no ability to judge what is happening in front of them, other than to remind everyone of the long history of failure.

 

Here's the new coach and staff. How do they look? Any better/different than the last coach? The coach before? Are the players faster? How quick are they learning? How does this OTA/camp look compared to Chan's? Jauron's? Mullarkey's?

 

Here's an idea...hire an ex-coach as a reporter...but maybe not one with an ax to grind. (Dickerson)

 

PTR

 

There are plenty of ex-players, coaches and executives who are in the media business. Not one of them will say that the the current rebuilding Bills is going to be playoff or good team this year. If they did they would lose credibility and be laughed off the stage. The NFL analysts in the media who have been saying for more than a decade prior to each season that the Bills are not a good team have been unsurprisingly correct.Their job is to make fair-minded assessments, not cater to and play down to the fanciful fringe of the fanbase.

Edited June 18, 2013 by JohnC

[Malazan]

There are plenty of ex-players, coaches and executives who are in the media business. Not one of them will say that the the current rebuilding Bills is going to be playoff or good team this year. If they did they would lose credibility and be laughed off the stage. The NFL analysts in the media who have been saying for more than a decade prior to each season that the Bills are not a good team have been unsurprisingly correct.Their job is to make fair-minded assessments, not cater to and play down to the fanciful fringe of the fanbase.

 

This is the type of mental mediocrity that is so very annoying. Sure, it's much easier to just go "BILLS SUCK" and whine like a 2 year old in Wal-mart who can't get a 3 lb chocolate bar and that's fine for a message board, but someone who's job is provide analysis should actually do that.

 

If you're a writer and hanging your hat on the Bills sucked for the last 13 years without actually explaining why they will suck this year, then you should be in the employment line. Sure, it's fun watching the fanciful fringe of the fanbase on this board whine incessantly about the Bills sucking, but I expect more from a 'reporter'.

 

Break it down, what are the Bills weaknesses, what matchups went the Bills way last season? Did Mario do well against certain formations and struggle against others? What's the difference or lack of difference between Stache's defense and Pettine's? There's a lot of interesting thing that can be explored, but like many of the Bills players over the past few years, the reporters for this team take the easy way out.

 

Then again, I guess their job is to get people to read, not provide objective analysis, which their antics manage to do and then they get a bunch of people going "THEY TOLD ME THE BILLS SUCK AND I SAID THE BILLS SUCK SO I AM GENUIOS!"

[MDH]

At the risk of getting into another spat with John Wawrow, whom I do respect, I wonder how reporters who have covered the Bills for years have no ability to judge what is happening in front of them, other than to remind everyone of the long history of failure.

 

Every year I see you rip the writers for their negative pieces about the Bills seasons (and denounce other posters as well) and yet every year those other posters and those writers are the ones who are correct and it is you who are wrong. Yet you say they have no ability to judge what is happening in front of them?

 

I'll agree that the people who say everything the Bills do is wrong are ridiculous in their assessments but it's equally ridiculous to always applaud their moves particularly (and you're not going to want to hear this) with their history of failure.

 

I don't think anybody is unable to see what the Bills are doing. I think they're just unsure if it's going to work. I say that's a legitimate concern as there are no guarantees this youth movement across the board works. I, for one, like what I've seen this offseason but I don't begrudge anybody their doubts or negative previews of the Bills season.

[RuntheDamnBall]

My most optimistic outlook is that 2013 Bills are the next generation of the 1987 Bills. Critical pieces in place, learn to play as a team this year, start kicking butt next year.

Who is this year's Brian McClure?

[JohnC]

This is the type of mental mediocrity that is so very annoying. Sure, it's much easier to just go "BILLS SUCK" and whine like a 2 year old in Wal-mart who can't get a 3 lb chocolate bar and that's fine for a message board, but someone who's job is provide analysis should actually do that.

 

If you're a writer and hanging your hat on the Bills sucked for the last 13 years without actually explaining why they will suck this year, then you should be in the employment line. Sure, it's fun watching the fanciful fringe of the fanbase on this board whine incessantly about the Bills sucking, but I expect more from a 'reporter'.

 

Break it down, what are the Bills weaknesses, what matchups went the Bills way last season? Did Mario do well against certain formations and struggle against others? What's the difference or lack of difference between Stache's defense and Pettine's? There's a lot of interesting thing that can be explored, but like many of the Bills players over the past few years, the reporters for this team take the easy way out.

 

Then again, I guess their job is to get people to read, not provide objective analysis, which their antics manage to do and then they get a bunch of people going "THEY TOLD ME THE BILLS SUCK AND I SAID THE BILLS SUCK SO I AM GENUIOS!"

 

Jay Skurski is a writer for the News who covers the Bills. You take one article he wrote and treat it as his body of work in analyzing the Bills. It isn't. Very often when writing pieces for other publications there are very strict limitations in the length of one's story. Thus a vapid and brief article.

 

For nearly the past generation the Bills have been one of the easiest teams and organization to analyze. You don't need to be an incisive analyst to describe the state of the franchise that repeats itself most years. The focus usually is on its numerous weaknessess and very limited strenghts.

 

Any analyst, including Skurski, who has stated over the prior decade that the Bills will struggle and be at the bottom of the heap has been correct in their assessment, not wrong. Very often fans don't want to hear what is painfully obvious to others who are not so invested with the hometown team.

 

The NFL is still far away from the regular season. If a very preliminary and superficial report on the Bills bothers you now, how are you going to handle it when the reporting is on real game performances?

Edited June 19, 2013 by JohnC

[PromoTheRobot]

[/size]

 

Every year I see you rip the writers for their negative pieces about the Bills seasons (and denounce other posters as well) and yet every year those other posters and those writers are the ones who are correct and it is you who are wrong. Yet you say they have no ability to judge what is happening in front of them?

 

I'll agree that the people who say everything the Bills do is wrong are ridiculous in their assessments but it's equally ridiculous to always applaud their moves particularly (and you're not going to want to hear this) with their history of failure.

 

I don't think anybody is unable to see what the Bills are doing. I think they're just unsure if it's going to work. I say that's a legitimate concern as there are no guarantees this youth movement across the board works. I, for one, like what I've seen this offseason but I don't begrudge anybody their doubts or negative previews of the Bills season.

 

I think you make the error assuming that I am always positive since I am anti-negative. Other than being overly-optimistic predicting wins a few times, I generally stay out of the prediction business because I know I don't know enough about football to make such assessments.

 

In fact I have not made a single prediction about the success of the Bills this season. I have no idea how good/bad they will be.

 

I can be a jerk to those who I feel are being negative for negative sake. Rooting for failure doesn't make one Nostradamus.

 

PTR

Edited June 19, 2013 by PromoTheRobot

[ganesh]

My most optimistic outlook is that 2013 Bills are the next generation of the 1987 Bills. Critical pieces in place, learn to play as a team this year, start kicking butt next year.

 

However, 2013 is not the same as 1987. Fans and Front Offices are not patient to give a group of players/coaches a long run. As the Colts, Redskins and Seahawks showed in 2012 you will have to start winning right away when new programs are bootstrapped. There is no more hand-holding in the NFL.