TC in St. Louis Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 We're like Flounder and Pinto at the beginning of Animal House.....we get shuffled into the corner with Jugdish the other guys, because we just don't matter. People hear "The Bills" and the next thing they think, if anything at all, is "loser" or "they suck." They don't even have to think about it. They don't know what we know. It takes energy to know all about football. There are 32 teams, and even the most ardent fan doesn't give a tinker's damn about the Bills. We're so far down the list, we're actually below the Mendoza line. Nobody cares to take the time to observe anything about our team. Remember the year we started 4-0? Suddenly we were important. Then Adrian Wilson put Trent Edwards into another dimension, and the season was over. We haven't really been heard from since then. Although the year we signed Mario and brought in Wanny, we became a popular pre-season pick to make the playoffs. When we sucked that year, I think the media turned their backs on us once and for all. It will take a blistering start to get the focus back on this team. We have tons of talent. We're easy picking for the pundits right now. Wait a few weeks and see what happens. We will be relevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filthymcnasty08 Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) When you are as good as the Pats have been for this long, you get the benefit of the doubt every year. When you are as bad as the Bills have been for this long, you do not. Pundits will be the last ones to tell America that the Bills are good. Edited September 3, 2014 by filthymcnasty08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I like the optimism. If we beat Chicago, the media will all be about how the Bears are overrated. If we beat Miami, we'll be thought of as the second-best team in the division. If we beat San Diego, we'll be thought of as a legitimate wild card contender. If we beat New England...then they'll be on the bandwagon. It just takes wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fadingpain Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) A lot of people on here seem to think we have the most talent in a very long time. I don't disagree with that. So then let's wait and see. How much gumption does the team have? Can they find ways to win games instead of lose them? Can they hang onto leads late in games? Can they muster a small comeback when necessary? Will they hold each other accountable and demand that every teammate brings his "A" game every week, for the full game? Our Superbowl teams did those things in spades! That's why they won a hell of a lot of games. Let's see what happens! I hope they have all decided over there that it is time to win. Edited September 3, 2014 by Stopthepain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Caveman Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Does anyone really care how we are perceived? I just want to start winning, or at least playing well enough to feel like winning is a possibility. I don't care what anyone says / writes from a media perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 We're like Flounder and Pinto at the beginning of Animal House.....we get shuffled into the corner with Jugdish the other guys, because we just don't matter. People hear "The Bills" and the next thing they think, if anything at all, is "loser" or "they suck." They don't even have to think about it. They don't know what we know. It takes energy to know all about football. There are 32 teams, and even the most ardent fan doesn't give a tinker's damn about the Bills. We're so far down the list, we're actually below the Mendoza line. Nobody cares to take the time to observe anything about our team. Remember the year we started 4-0? Suddenly we were important. Then Adrian Wilson put Trent Edwards into another dimension, and the season was over. We haven't really been heard from since then. Although the year we signed Mario and brought in Wanny, we became a popular pre-season pick to make the playoffs. When we sucked that year, I think the media turned their backs on us once and for all. It will take a blistering start to get the focus back on this team. We have tons of talent. We're easy picking for the pundits right now. Wait a few weeks and see what happens. We will be relevant. I totally agree with this. Of course, I am bracing myself for the chance they are "right" but its not even that they would be right. it is a mailed-in assessment every year. They did no research on the team - why would they? They can pick them to lose every year with their eyes closed and until they prove them wrong they will continue until they are forced to wake up and pay attention. I know this roster can be special. Whether it will translate to W's or not, I don't know. No one does, yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDIGGZ Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 2nd, 3rd, 4th best team in the AFC East. who cares? nobody will care until we are 1st in our division. then 1st in the conference. then 1st in the league. isn't the goal to win the Super Bowl? i remember when our expectations were much higher for our team. if our goal was just to sneak in to the wild card every year then Wade Phillips would still be the coach. if i didn't live in Buffalo and grow up a fan then i wouldn't think twice about the Bills either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC in St. Louis Posted September 3, 2014 Author Share Posted September 3, 2014 Does anyone really care how we are perceived? I just want to start winning, or at least playing well enough to feel like winning is a possibility. I don't care what anyone says / writes from a media perspective. I think Bills fans are loyal no matter what happens. Yesterday somebody did a survey on transplanted fans, and when I looked there was not one single person who changed allegiances. Once a Bills fan, always a Bills fan. I'm just saying that our being irrelevant to the media makes their opinions irrelevant as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotAGuy Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I think Bills fans are loyal no matter what happens. Yesterday somebody did a survey on transplanted fans, and when I looked there was not one single person who changed allegiances. Once a Bills fan, always a Bills fan. I'm just saying that our being irrelevant to the media makes their opinions irrelevant as well. Dr Trooth takes exception to the bolded part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fadingpain Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 The funny thing is that we have lost a TON of games for a long time now by small margins. One key play here or there that goes differently, an extra made field goal, one less interception thrown....this is the stuff that could have really changed our record in some years. The key to this season (I think at least) is to see if we have made that extra step so that we do those 1 or 2 extra relatively small things needed to make the difference between a loss and a win. And then if they can do those 1 or 2 things consistently. Suddenly a 5 or 6 win team is a 9 or 10 win team. We don't have to improve 500% to have a much better record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) The funny thing is that we have lost a TON of games for a long time now by small margins. One key play here or there that goes differently, an extra made field goal, one less interception thrown....this is the stuff that could have really changed our record in some years. The key to this season (I think at least) is to see if we have made that extra step so that we do those 1 or 2 extra relatively small things needed to make the difference between a loss and a win. And then if they can do those 1 or 2 things consistently. Suddenly a 5 or 6 win team is a 9 or 10 win team. We don't have to improve 500% to have a much better record. I think that is part of the reason why they have been drafting players from winning programs and signing guys from winning NFL teams. They go out on the field expecting to win. Despite some teams having this QB or that QB most NFL games are pretty close because every team has talent. Its not like college where the gap is much bigger between certain programs. I truly believe the Bills can beat any team on their schedule. The only one I see as a sure L is at Denver. But SD went there and beat them last year in a night game, and it was by running the football down their throats. Edited September 3, 2014 by YoloinOhio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I like the optimism. If we beat Chicago, the media will all be about how the Bears are overrated. If we beat Miami, we'll be thought of as the second-best team in the division. If we beat San Diego, we'll be thought of as a legitimate wild card contender. If we beat New England...then they'll be on the bandwagon. It just takes wins. True, but certain teams are paid attention no matter what. It mostly has to do with recognizable stars, though, and not the size of the market. If the Bills are pedestrian and start the season 2-3, they'll do so with incredible anonymity. If the Browns (formerly in the same boat) start a pedestrian 2-3, Johnny Manziel will be gettting headlines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fadingpain Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 I think that is part of the reason why they have been drafting players from winning programs and signing guys from winning NFL teams. They go out on the field expecting to win. Despite some teams having this QB or that QB most NFL games are pretty close because every team has talent. Its not like college where the gap is much bigger between certain programs. I truly believe the Bills can beat any team on their schedule. The only one I see as a sure L is at Denver. But SD went there and beat them last year in a night game, and it was by running the football down their throats. One of the huge differences between the NFL and college is that, as you note, the performance differential between NFL teams is relatively small. It is staggering how LARGE the performance differential can be between even major top 20 programs at the college level. I am thinking of the national championship game recently between Alabama and Notre Dame. That was like an NFL practice squad against a high school in terms of everything. Size, stamina, depth, and raw talent. And that was the #1 team vs. the #2 team at the time! At least on paper based on an admittedly meaningless polling system. Anyway, a lot of big time college programs pick up a whole lot of wins every year simply by playing teams nowhere remotely close to them in talent, despite everyone involved being a so-called "major program". There are not free rides like that at the NFL level. All rosters, even the bad ones, are collegiate all stars. I realize I am largely stating the obvious, but I do find this distinction between the NFL and major college football interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 One of the huge differences between the NFL and college is that, as you note, the performance differential between NFL teams is relatively small. It is staggering how LARGE the performance differential can be between even major top 20 programs at the college level. I am thinking of the national championship game recently between Alabama and Notre Dame. That was like an NFL practice squad against a high school in terms of everything. Size, stamina, depth, and raw talent. And that was the #1 team vs. the #2 team at the time! At least on paper based on an admittedly meaningless polling system. Anyway, a lot of big time college programs pick up a whole lot of wins every year simply by playing teams nowhere remotely close to them in talent, despite everyone involved being a so-called "major program". There are not free rides like that at the NFL level. All rosters, even the bad ones, are collegiate all stars. I realize I am largely stating the obvious, but I do find this distinction between the NFL and major college football interesting. Yep. Imagine if the draft and the salary cap didn't exist in the NFL - if there was a completely free market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddenboy Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) Case in point: From NFL.com http://www.nfl.com/standings Lists the current standings of all teams by division. Bills are listed last. We are alphabetically first. Why? None of the divisions is listed alpha. And its not reverse-alpha either. And its not by who won the division last year (see: St Louis listed first in the NFC west). Somebody set this up in this order on purpose. Edited September 3, 2014 by maddenboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Case in point: From NFL.com http://www.nfl.com/standings Lists the current standings of all teams by division. Bills are listed last. We are alphabetically first. Why? None of the divisions is listed alpha. And its not reverse-alpha either. And its not by who won the division last year (see: St Louis listed first in the NFC west). Somebody set this up in this order on purpose. Meh. Assuming some intern inputted these at 3 am, do you really fault whoever that was for associating the Bills with last place? It's not what I'd call "on purpose". The Bills are just the 4th team that comes to mind when people think of the AFC East. For the record, the high profile Giants and Falcons are also listed last and the Superbowl champion Seahawks are listed 3rd in their division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Why should it matter that they don't matter to other people? It's like your value of the Bills is set by people other than you. Very unhealthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I like the optimism. If we beat Chicago, the media will all be about how the Bears are overrated. If we beat Miami, we'll be thought of as the second-best team in the division. If we beat San Diego, we'll be thought of as a legitimate wild card contender. If we beat New England...then they'll be on the bandwagon. It just takes wins. You nailed it. i don't have a problem with everyone on the TV and radio stating we will have a 3-13 season. i don't. We sucked in the pre-season and we have not made the playoffs in 14 years. If you lived in texas, would you identify the Bills as an up and coming team. We won't get any respect unless we have a real winning record like you mentioned above up to the Patriots game. We beat the Pats and are on a roll, and we finally will get the nation looking at us. The cahnces of this are minimal unless EJ does a 180, or he sucks so bad Orton comes in and looks like the second Alex Smith (of the last three years). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kkspike Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 And then you wonder why the cowboys play 12 prime time home games a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonborn10 Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Everyone of us made fun of Matt Millen and the Lions. I'm sure we all hope the Raiders continue to suck but they have been to a SuperBowl and got Tuck Ruled out of another since the last time the Bills came close to the playoffs. Well the Bills are worse. Own it. Accept it. We can't make Brandon go away. We can't change our loyalty to the team. All I can do is hope the Oakland game means something because I already scheduled that weekend off. It's a short flight from Portland and I would love to go if the playoffs are on the line. Christ the Bills are so bad only three people are willing to bid to buy them and one of them wants to move the team to Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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