THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Lament - The 2017 Season Begins

[Shaw66]

The Rockpile Review – by Shaw66

 

Lament - The 2017 Season Begins

 

I ache.

 

It doesn’t really hurt; it’s just a little ache. It doesn’t keep me from leading a more or less normal life.

 

I can’t describe exactly where it is. It’s kind of all over and nowhere at the same time.

 

I don’t feel it every hour of every day, but sooner later most days I notice it.

 

I’ve had the ache for a long time. Ten or fifteen years or more.

 

I ache for a winner.

 

I think where I ache is in my soul. It’s the same place, or non-place, where I ache for a loved one who has passed away, for a lover who doesn’t share the affection I have for her, for a friend with a fatal illness.

 

Now, before you accuse me of trivializing important life events by comparing them to how I feel about the Bills, wait. I get that these things are different, quantum levels more important, more meaningful, more painful than the feelings associated with being a Bills fan. What I’m saying is that the ache is in the same place as those other feelings. It occupies only a tiny part of that space and is easily crowded out when seriously important life events demand the attention of my soul.

 

Mercifully, my life has not been filled with personal loss and crisis. That’s left time and space for this little ache. It’s a little ache, trivial in fact.

 

I tell my friends about the ache, and they “suffer” along with me. Some of my friends are Red Sox fans, so they know, or knew, what the ache is like. One of my friends is a Mets fan; he gets it. Another worked inside the Jets organization; he really gets it.

 

For eight months a year, I watch the Bills make changes and I hope that those changes will lead to my ache going away. I try to imagine how the changes will make the team better, how players will improve and how the Bills will start winning the games they’ve lost for years. I try to imagine the joy that will replace the ache.

 

For four months a year, I watch as the changes play out, always in a different way, but always leaving the ache behind. It’s happened so long, it seems like the ache will be there forever.

 

Now the 2017 season is about to begin, and the Bills have made another collection of changes. This time, the changes are so big it’s difficult to imagine how the team will perform this year.

 

Some of the best performers from the past few seasons are gone. The quarterback position is, again, unsettled. The team seems thin at certain positions. The new coach has installed new offensive and defensive schemes, and the team has had clear growing pains with each. The general manager is taking the team in a new direction.

 

Where will it lead? It’s difficult to imagine. I’ve become so accustomed to the ache, it’s difficult to imagine that all these changes will finally make the Bills a winner.

 

Still, I can’t wait for Sunday. Maybe this year things will be different.

 

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team.

[richardb1952]

I feel your pain.

 

Every year I have high hopes that this is the year the pain finally goes away only to discover that moment when you realize that it's still there and will be for another off-season, no matter where we are in this season.

 

I'm glad we have at least chosen a different course of action, radical as it may first seem to be. I couldn't have taken another season of what we went through the last two years.

 

For now I will have high hopes, but there is a part of me that is real nervous about the first game of the year, one the Bills should win, but one they have found a way to lose in the past.

 

I am hopeful this year is the beginning of things being different, maybe this year the ache will begin to subside.

 

Go Bills

[r00tabaga]

HeyeyeyYe

[Heavy Kevi]

I hear you, Shaw....

I think that is pretty universal around here.

I don't have high expectations this year for just about the first time ever before the season even started.

 

But of course I will watch every minute of every game hoping that someday we will return to prominence. It just has to happen at some point, right? RIGHT?

[co_springs_billsfan]

The Pats* loss last night is like Tiger Balm for my Bills ache

[Gugny]

You better get yourself a few tubes of Ben Gay. It's gonna be a couple years.

[Big Turk]

Not going to a pleasant year I feel but I think with 6 picks in the top 100, and add in the possibility to add another 3rd compensatory pick if we make a few roster moves by week 10 and I think we we have positioned ourselves well to pull a Titans "get good quick" move if we use them wisely.

Edited September 8, 2017 by matter2003

[Figster]

The list of symptoms brought on from being a life long Bill fan is long ranging from anger and sadness to denial and madness causing some posters to become so bitter even the best memories from days gone by become twisted / distorted.

 

This is a quote from Marv Levy on the thought process before the best team in Bills history was constructed: " Bill Polian and I agreed when we 1st came together with the Buffalo Bills that we would bring players only of high character to the team" Polian and Levy went on to build a high character football team that carried them to 4 straight Superbowl appearances.

 

The Bills new HC McD Is leaving no stone unturned even going as far as sitting down for dinner with some of the biggest names in Bills history to gain as much info as possible on what made them so succesful.

 

Men of high Character...

 

Thanks OP

[Gugny]

The list of symptoms brought on from being a life long Bill fan is long ranging from anger and sadness to denial and madness causing some posters to become so bitter even the best memories from days gone by become twisted / distorted.

 

This is a quote from Marv Levy on the thought process before the best team in Bills history was constructed: " Bill Polian and I agreed when we 1st came together with the Buffalo Bills that we would bring players only of high character to the team" Polian and Levy went on to build a high character football team that carried them to 4 straight Superbowl appearances.

 

The Bills new HC McD Is leaving no stone unturned even going as far as sitting down for dinner with some of the biggest names in Bills history to gain as much info as possible on what made them so succesful.

 

Men of high Character...

 

Thanks OP

 

"Polian and Levy went on to build a high character football team that carried them to 4 straight Superbowl appearances."

 

This is categorically false.

[Antonio]

For the first time in 10 years I didn´t feel the need to go to my annual Buffalo trip. But I will be watching every bitt of the season.

[Ayjent]

Yeah...it's hard to keep get excited with change, when the change seems to be only a change in the way the same unsuccessful W/L record is achieved not an improvement in the results.

 

As fans we all love to rationalize why this time will be different, while at the same time keeping our guard up as we scrutinize the moves and decision-making looking for that signal to understand how this regime is going to disappoint us. This gets worse each time it happens, until we just have a sliver of optimism and a heavy dose of pessimism.

 

This season seems particularly frustrating because even though a significant majority of Bills fans understood, especially with the hindisght of today, that Whaley and Rex should've been fired, there was an opportunity with a weak division outside of New England and relatively weak batch of AFC contenders to possibly sneak into the playoffs. The GM and coach are looking more long term than that, and that's understandable. However, I am fearful that they are little too prone to throw out the baby with the bath water in disassociating themselves from the players drafted by Whaley and his staff, and that the Beane/McDermott "process" may require more time to be successful than they realistically will get. This is exactly what I was getting at earlier, I'm looking at things and I'm finding flaws. I don't want to be looking for these flaws, but I constantly question whether I should trust these guys. We have learned over 17 years not to trust these guys, and that as fans watching moves unfold and having serious reservations to be proven right in having those reservations.

 

I think the most frustrating thing in a lot of ways since 2010 is that when they start making some progress on one side of the field, they seemed destined as a franchise to constantly throw out the baby with the bath water each time they make a necessary change - that is organization issues at higher levels than coaching and we all see that has been the biggest problem with this franchise.

[Charlottebillsfan2]

I have a feeling after this season your ache's will be gone!!! Lets go Bills

[transplantbillsfan]

Love it, Shaw!

 

Great way to articulate our suffering, especially those of us who truly feel suffering after Bills losses. Like you, I've been fortunately spared from personal misery, so that's probably as good an explanation as any for why I feel so much pain when the Bills lose and joy when they win.

 

I've actually never thought about it like that.

 

Nice write-up

[GottaRun]

The Pats* loss last night is like Tiger Balm for my Bills ache

 

No kidding. I thought I didn't care about this season. I thought I would be going through the motions. Then last nights game came along and I was yelling at my TV and giving the finger to every sad sack Pats fan they showed.

 

This morning my thoughts of the Bills going 6 - 10 this year have magically turned to thoughts of the Bills going 10 - 6. We haven't even played yet. The Pats losing is one mighty strong tonic.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Are we sharing emotions now?

[ohio bob]

Really hard to get pumped up for another season. My expectations are low so if the Bills are crappy wont lose any sleep over it.

[LABILLBACKER]

Hey, we can't suck forever...can we? We have to time our completed rebuild with the Bill & Tom retirement. Once this happens we'll have a fighting chance.

[oldmanfan]

 

"Polian and Levy went on to build a high character football team that carried them to 4 straight Superbowl appearances."

 

This is categorically false.

. I suppose it depends on how you define character.

[Shaw66]

No kidding. I thought I didn't care about this season. I thought I would be going through the motions. Then last nights game came along and I was yelling at my TV and giving the finger to every sad sack Pats fan they showed.

This morning my thoughts of the Bills going 6 - 10 this year have magically turned to thoughts of the Bills going 10 - 6. We haven't even played yet. The Pats losing is one mighty strong tonic.

I feel the same way. We're all crazy!

[Marty McFly]

"Polian and Levy went on to build a high character football team that carried them to 4 straight Superbowl appearances."

 

This is categorically false.

Big time falsehood. Idk why everyine keeps pounding that button. We were party animals. Talent is talent no matter how they behave as long as they show up to work on time, play as a cohesive unit and do their job idk why people get so caught up on that.

No kidding. I thought I didn't care about this season. I thought I would be going through the motions. Then last nights game came along and I was yelling at my TV and giving the finger to every sad sack Pats fan they showed.

This morning my thoughts of the Bills going 6 - 10 this year have magically turned to thoughts of the Bills going 10 - 6. We haven't even played yet. The Pats losing is one mighty strong tonic.

Hell yeah it is. I think were gonna win more than 6 and enough to piss away a good draft spot. Doesnt matter tho, do eveything u can to trade up for a QB, this is the year, jus pick a good one

Not going to a pleasant year I feel but I think with 6 picks in the top 100, and add in the possibility to add another 3rd compensatory pick if we make a few roster moves by week 10 and I think we we have positioned ourselves well to pull a Titans "get good quick" move if we use them wisely.

 

Those 7 picks in the top 100th are gonna go down to 3 when we trade up for a qb tho.

[Sherlock Holmes]

The Pats* loss last night is like Tiger Balm for my Bills ache

Ah it was so soothing

[Ayjent]

Big time falsehood. Idk why everyine keeps pounding that button. We were party animals. Talent is talent no matter how they behave as long as they show up to work on time, play as a cohesive unit and do their job idk why people get so caught up on that.

 

Hell yeah it is. I think were gonna win more than 6 and enough to piss away a good draft spot. Doesnt matter tho, do eveything u can to trade up for a QB, this is the year, jus pick a good one

 

 

Those 7 picks in the top 100th are gonna go down to 3 when we trade up for a qb tho.

Well this is where we'll see if this combo of McDermott and Beane are truly focused on building a long term sound team or think a franchise QB will solve all of the ills. I think you have a great situation for a young QB to come into and you keep Tyrod around until you find the guy you are sure is better - it may be next year it may be the following year. You don't need to be at the top of the draft class to get the best QB for your team, and they would be silly to let Tyrod go before they have clearly secured a better option. To let him go would be making the same mistake they have been making for many years of this 17 year drought - he brings stability and talent to a position that provides a situation for a young guy to prove it and outperform Taylor- not thrown to the wolves because there is no better option.

 

However, this team will need to start replacing the aging stars like Incognito, Wood, Williams ASAP and they don't have the luxury of throwing multiple high picks into one player - that is a recipe for disaster, even if they hit on that player. You take your best shot at a QB where you draft without reaching and you build a young, talented OL and DL - this is where I hope Andy Reid's influence on McDermott occurs.

[Marty McFly]

Well this is where we'll see if this combo of McDermott and Beane are truly focused on building a long term sound team or think a franchise QB will solve all of the ills. I think you have a great situation for a young QB to come into and you keep Tyrod around until you find the guy you are sure is better - it may be next year it may be the following year. You don't need to be at the top of the draft class to get the best QB for your team, and they would be silly to let Tyrod go before they have clearly secured a better option. To let him go would be making the same mistake they have been making for many years of this 17 year drought - he brings stability and talent to a position that provides a situation for a young guy to prove it and outperform Taylor- not thrown to the wolves because there is no better option.

 

However, this team will need to start replacing the aging stars like Incognito, Wood, Williams ASAP and they don't have the luxury of throwing multiple high picks into one player - that is a recipe for disaster, even if they hit on that player. You take your best shot at a QB where you draft without reaching and you build a young, talented OL and DL - this is where I hope Andy Reid's influence on McDermott occurs.

 

Word. Reid did trade his 2018 and 17 1st round picks to move up to 10 to draft Mahomes tho. Jus how many picks is it cost without reaching cuz there are lots of holes on this team that need to be addressed over the next 2 years. Were gonna need talent.

[Ayjent]

Word. Reid did trade his 2018 and 17 1st round picks to move up to 10 to draft Mahomes tho. Jus how many picks is it cost without reaching cuz there are lots of holes on this team that need to be addressed over the next 2 years. Were gonna need talent.

I'd say KC is in a much better position to do what they did than the Bills to do the same, and at the same time you have to question whether the Bills could've used that pick on Mahomes if QB was the position they were so focused on improving. To me to pass on a guy that a good coach (not great btw) that has had sustained success with QBs and offense in this league moved up to get in order to stockpile draft picks would be baffling to then turn around and trade away to move up for a QB, and it would always be scrutinized as Mahomes vs. the 2018 Bills' QB pick. They need to turn that trade into two solid starters from the 2018 draft class (their own pick and the KC pick).

 

The Bills chances of hitting on picks as solid starting talent increases with the number of players they put on the roster in the top 3 rounds. I would've like to have seen Dawkins make more of a push for a starting job.

Edited September 9, 2017 by Ayjent

[Shaw66]

Ayjent and Marty

 

Interesting discussion. Particularly about Taylor. It will be interesting to see if Taylor plays well enough to cause them to pass on a first round qb. If Taylor plays well and the Bills go 9 and 7, those two first round f picks won't be high enough to move up for a star qb.

 

I don't think Beane thinks he has a lot of holes to fill. In the next three years only Kyle and Richie are likely to retire. I think Beane figures he's already in @@nstandard annual continuous improvement mode. With six picks in the first three rounds he can find replacemeets for those retiring players and improve a couple other positions.

 

I agree about Dawkins, but that just means he isn't likely to be a star. I hope he grows into a quality starter, taking the RT spot later this year or next year.

[Marty McFly]

I'd say KC is in a much better position to do what they did than the Bills to do the same, and at the same time you have to question whether the Bills could've used that pick on Mahomes if QB was the position they were so focused on improving. To me to pass on a guy that a good coach (not great btw) that has had sustained success with QBs and offense in this league moved up to get in order to stockpile draft picks would be baffling to then turn around and trade away to move up for a QB, and it would always be scrutinized as Mahomes vs. the 2018 Bills' QB pick. They need to turn that trade into two solid starters from the 2018 draft class (their own pick and the KC pick).

 

The Bills chances of hitting on picks as solid starting talent increases with the number of players they put on the roster in the top 3 rounds. I would've like to have seen Dawkins make more of a push for a starting job.

We all expected darkins to take the starting job but i guess he needs more time to get his pass pro up. Its always a gamble in the draft theres not always sure things and whether they like it or not Mahomes success will always be compared to what they do with that 2018 1st rnd pick. Mahomes walks into a better situation than he would in Buffalo. KC has a better team better OLine and better coaching. Im not sure Buffalo could even develop QB talent properly. They havent shown they could yet. Time will tell tho.

[Figster]

Big time falsehood. Idk why everyine keeps pounding that button. We were party animals. Talent is talent no matter how they behave as long as they show up to work on time, play as a cohesive unit and do their job idk why people get so caught up on that.

 

Hell yeah it is. I think were gonna win more than 6 and enough to piss away a good draft spot. Doesnt matter tho, do eveything u can to trade up for a QB, this is the year, jus pick a good one

 

 

Those 7 picks in the top 100th are gonna go down to 3 when we trade up for a qb tho.

Going to 4 straight superbowls showed high character. Players like Kent Hull, Steve tasker, Phil Hansen or Mark Kelso just to name a few showed high character. Marv Levy himself was a class act and showed high character along with the men Levy/Polian recruited.

 

Drinking or Bickering didn't change anything...

Edited September 9, 2017 by Figster

[Gugny]

Going to 4 straight superbowls showed high character. Players like Kent Hull, Steve tasker, Phil Hansen or Mark Kelso just to name a few showed high character. Marv Levy himself was a class act and showed high character along with the men he recruited.

 

Drinking or Bickering didn't change anything...

 

Going to 4 straight super bowl means they were a very good football team. Has nothing to do with character. In fact, 2/3 teams who beat us in those super bowls were about as low character teams that you'll find in the history of the NFL.

 

I don't care if these guys smoke crack and bang hookers 7 days/week, personally. Just win on Sundays.

 

But saying that the Bills teams of the 90s had high character; I simply disagree.

[Marty McFly]

Going to 4 straight superbowls showed high character. Players like Kent Hull, Steve tasker, Phil Hansen or Mark Kelso just to name a few showed high character. Marv Levy himself was a class act and showed high character along with the men Levy/Polian recruited.

 

Drinking or Bickering didn't change anything...

Right but dont paint them as boyscouts. Im jus against signing less talent bc they arent clean cut. As long as their professional show up on time and give it 100% they should be on the team. High character doesn win rings. LTs smoking crack on the way to the stadium and they beat us. Half of the Cowboys are running through rock star lines ans hookers on gameday and they beat us twice. That high character talk is bull ****

Edited September 9, 2017 by Marty McFly

[Figster]

Biggest douchebag of all according to some would take his whole Oline out to dinner and buy them gifts for a job well done.

 

what a scumbag

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

Drinking or Bickering didn't change anything...

 

I tend to disagree. drinking and having a lenient HC that did not set a curfew led to them losing the big game(s). instead of doing as they had all season, basically dominating, they failed in the big dance 4 straight times.

 

yes, one could say they were out coached since in the case of the giants game where bill and billy had two weeks to prepare for the k-gun the bills partied like it was 1999. had they been more focused they may of not lost and come out with at least one or two sb victories.

Edited September 9, 2017 by DaBillsFanSince1973

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

So Kelly and co were dickwads.

 

The brought us 4 ina row.

[Figster]

 

I tend to disagree. drinking and having a lenient HC that did not set a curfew led to them losing the big game(s). instead of doing as they had all season, basically dominating, they failed in the big dance 4 straight times.

 

yes, one could say they were out coached since in the case of the giants game where bill and billy had two weeks to prepare for the k-gun the bills partied like it was 1999. had they been more focused they may of not lost and come out with at least one or two sb victories.

Treating men like men...

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

Treating men like men...

 

so being lenient is treating men like men?

 

 

they deserved to lose and it fell on the HC and his inability to set standards. but hey, he treated them like men so in the end it was more about that then winning the big dance...smh

[Gugny]

Biggest douchebag of all according to some would take his whole Oline out to dinner and buy them gifts for a job well done.

 

what a scumbag

 

Again ... you're misquoting me. But that's okay.

 

You're also failing to comprehend why my opinion is what it is.

 

One last thing - the primary two reasons we lost the super bowl to the Giants ... Jim Kelly and Marv Levy.

 

I know you worship them. Many do. I find it unfortunate that you can't realize their imperfections and you think they were these infallible, supreme beings, just because the Bills made it to four super bowls.

 

One - they weren't.

 

Two - if they were REALLY that great, they wouldn't have lost all four of them.

[Figster]

Right but dont paint them as boyscouts. Im jus against signing less talent bc they arent clean cut. As long as their professional show up on time and give it 100% they should be on the team. High character doesn win rings. LTs smoking crack on the way to the stadium and they beat us. Half of the Cowboys are running through rock star lines ans hookers on gameday and they beat us twice. That high character talk is bull ****

So what your saying here is in comparison to other teams the Bills were saints.

 

thanks

 

so being lenient is treating men like men?

 

 

they deserved to lose and it fell on the HC and his inability to set standards. but hey, he treated them like men so in the end it was more about that then winning the big dance...smh

Thats just your opinion.

 

My opinion is Buffalo was out coached and out played, no excuses.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

Thats just your opinion.

 

My opinion is Buffalo was out coached and out played, no excuses.

 

excuses?

 

opinion or otherwise, they had a weak HC and a team that was not disciplined and free to do as they pleased. they chose to get drunk and roam until all hours of the night. not a very good recipe when facing the biggest game of their careers.

 

 

I guess some just can't face that and would rather blame it on being "out coached".

[Peace Frog]

During the off season, my ache is usually in my belly. During the regular season, it's in the fillings of my teeth.

[Figster]

 

excuses?

 

opinion or otherwise, they had a weak HC and a team that was not disciplined and free to do as they pleased. they chose to get drunk and roam until all hours of the night. not a very good recipe when facing the biggest game of their careers.

 

 

I guess some just can't face that and would rather blame it on being "out coached".

With all due respect Da every coach has a different approach on handling the men he coaches.

 

Buffalo was out coached and out played.

 

Now If you think about my commment for a minute we may be in agreement here.

[Ayjent]

Ayjent and Marty

 

Interesting discussion. Particularly about Taylor. It will be interesting to see if Taylor plays well enough to cause them to pass on a first round qb. If Taylor plays well and the Bills go 9 and 7, those two first round f picks won't be high enough to move up for a star qb.

 

I don't think Beane thinks he has a lot of holes to fill. In the next three years only Kyle and Richie are likely to retire. I think Beane figures he's already in @@nstandard annual continuous improvement mode. With six picks in the first three rounds he can find replacemeets for those retiring players and improve a couple other positions.

 

I agree about Dawkins, but that just means he isn't likely to be a star. I hope he grows into a quality starter, taking the RT spot later this year or next year.

I don't think they will pass on a 1st round QB whether Taylor plays well or not, if that QB is a player they feel can run their offense better than Taylor. That's just the sense I get, but I hope that they do it wisely and not just make a move because they want their guy. Taylor gives them the luxury of being patient and taking a chance on a 2nd to 4th round pick panning out if the cost is too high to get the most coveted QBs that are in the top 10. There are likely going to be 4-5 first round prospects this next draft, but things seem to change a lot between the start of the college season and the actual draft. I'd really like to see them make this OL the real strength of the team and then have a young guy developing and pushing Taylor. That seems like the smartest way forward.

 

I get the concept of changing culture Beane and McDermott had in mind in the roster turnover, but nothing changes a culture like winning and it's hard to win when you churn the roster.