LabattBlue Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 NFL football in Buffalo NY may all be running out of time. 241680[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sound_n_Fury Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I just think that today's release of Bledsoe, a guy we spent a first round pick to get after 3 years of him as the starter is an admission that it was a mistake. 241632[/snapback] So??? Hindsight's great. But projecting the future is a crap shoot. Sorta like picking tomorrow's lottery number. Hey, anyone got any clues about what numbers I should play on my Take 5 card? Baby really needs a new pair of shoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightRider Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 You also might look at the Bledsoe deal from Ralph Wilson's standpoint. There is no question Drew Bledsoe put fannys in the seats, and while obviously that is not enough, I get the feeling RW want to make sure the Bills stay in WNY after he is gone. His marketing of the Bills has been masterful, and somewhat decoupled the level of interest in the Bills from the team's success. Ryan Denney is not a failed pick just because he does not start. He is a solid backup. No, TD has not drafted a dominant DE to make us forget BS. No, DB did not turn out to be JK. But he was better than AVP. No, TH is not TT. But he was better than AS, and WM might be as special as TT. MW was much improved by the end of the season. I would not be surprised to see him in the Pro Bowl next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightRider Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 He did a nice job on the defense but it wan't exactly in a shambles when he arrived. 241680[/snapback] The salary cap and age gutted the 2000 defense by Sept 2001. It was in shambles. Dead money in the cap does that to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 While I think there are some valid points on both sides here....I think it is important to note that TD could JUST as easily have said "Oh wait....we went 9-7 last year" Lets Keep Drew here a few more years...pay him his bonus....keep Losman on the bench bla bla bla That right there is a picture of what I DONT think should happen.... - Drew didn't want to be a backup - Drew asked for his release rather then be traded - Drew has run his course here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 So??? Hindsight's great. But projecting the future is a crap shoot. Sorta like picking tomorrow's lottery number. Hey, anyone got any clues about what numbers I should play on my Take 5 card? Baby really needs a new pair of shoes. 241708[/snapback] Sure its a crap shoot but that is what separates the also-rans from the legends, the mediocre from the great. The whole reason GM's are so important to a team and why they make the big bucks is to win those crap shoots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 The salary cap and age gutted the 2000 defense by Sept 2001. It was in shambles. Dead money in the cap does that to you. 241766[/snapback] As bad as they were, they weren't as bad as the offense which positively reeked. So I stand corrected, they were not as much in shamble as the offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 You also might look at the Bledsoe deal from Ralph Wilson's standpoint. There is no question Drew Bledsoe put fannys in the seats, and while obviously that is not enough, I get the feeling RW want to make sure the Bills stay in WNY after he is gone. His marketing of the Bills has been masterful, and somewhat decoupled the level of interest in the Bills from the team's success. Ryan Denney is not a failed pick just because he does not start. He is a solid backup. No, TD has not drafted a dominant DE to make us forget BS. No, DB did not turn out to be JK. But he was better than AVP. No, TH is not TT. But he was better than AS, and WM might be as special as TT. MW was much improved by the end of the season. I would not be surprised to see him in the Pro Bowl next year. 241742[/snapback] The question is whether he was better than the guy they could have taken with that first round pick, not whether he was better than AVP. You pick up able back-ups in the 4th round or later, you don't trade up in the second to get a back-up, solid or otherwise. Denney may be a lot closer to being off the roster than to ever being a starter. Besides, that isn't my opinion. The coaches themsleves must feel that way hence the Kelsay pick. Again, think of the people we could have had instead of the mediocre guy we ended up with. That is what separates the losers from the dynasties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNRed Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 The question is whether he was better than the guy they could have taken with that first round pick, not whether he was better than AVP. 241951[/snapback] No, that's not it because getting DB gave the Bills a legitimacy they hadn't had since the Super Bowl years and helped us bring in top line free agents like Spikes, Fletcher, etc. He also helped give Peerless Price his big season which, in turn, got us a first round pick. He did enough good here that making that trade is hardly a disaster. It's tough to say if things would have been better or worse if we had just held onto the pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Sure its a crap shoot but that is what separates the also-rans from the legends, the mediocre from the great. The whole reason GM's are so important to a team and why they make the big bucks is to win those crap shoots. 241935[/snapback] Who's a better GM type in your opinion...Polian or Pioli (not officially a GM). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BF_in_Indiana Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Who's a better GM type in your opinion...Polian or Pioli (not officially a GM). 242035[/snapback] Pioli Polian has had the same problem in Indy he had here in Buffalo. He has put together an offense to win the Super Bowl, but his defense just doesn't cut it because all the money is on the offensive side of the ball. The ONLY reason Buffalo never won a Super Bowl was their defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 The question is whether he was better than the guy they could have taken with that first round pick, not whether he was better than AVP. You pick up able back-ups in the 4th round or later, you don't trade up in the second to get a back-up, solid or otherwise. Denney may be a lot closer to being off the roster than to ever being a starter. Besides, that isn't my opinion. The coaches themsleves must feel that way hence the Kelsay pick. Again, think of the people we could have had instead of the mediocre guy we ended up with. That is what separates the losers from the dynasties. 241951[/snapback] Wrong. The Donahoe philosophy has always been to pick the best player on the board, regardless round, position, or need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous Guy Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Pioli Polian has had the same problem in Indy he had here in Buffalo. He has put together an offense to win the Super Bowl, but his defense just doesn't cut it because all the money is on the offensive side of the ball. The ONLY reason Buffalo never won a Super Bowl was their defense. 242047[/snapback] so...the measure is a SB victory? My bet is coaching had more to do with it than personnel. JMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightRider Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 As bad as they were, they weren't as bad as the offense which positively reeked. So I stand corrected, they were not as much in shamble as the offense. 241941[/snapback] You are fun to have a discussion with. The question is whether he was better than the guy they could have taken with that first round pick, not whether he was better than AVP. You pick up able back-ups in the 4th round or later, you don't trade up in the second to get a back-up, solid or otherwise. Denney may be a lot closer to being off the roster than to ever being a starter. Besides, that isn't my opinion. The coaches themsleves must feel that way hence the Kelsay pick. Again, think of the people we could have had instead of the mediocre guy we ended up with. I suspect we might have taken Harrington if he had lasted and skipped Bledsoe entirely, and that would had been a disaster. Yes, 4th and later is more for backups, but some 4ths become starters, too. As for Denney, the point I am trying to make is that not every player has to be an all pro to be valuable, and you don't cut someone just because they have underachieved. I don't think there was that much drop-off from Kelsay to Denney to warrant cutting him. I think the Kelsay pick had to do with very little depth at the time. Chidi & Aaron were starters and Chidi was gone. Throw in the fact that that draft was rich in DL, and it makes sense. Now the DE crew is young, good, but not spectacular, and it should be a stable corp for the next 2-3 years. Who could we have had? Without Bledsoe, who knows where we would have picked in the 03 draft? It probably would have been a DE, but T would be possible if we hadn't taken MW on 02. Who would you have taken in 02? Freeney is the only one I think has performed better than his draft position... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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