Which Bills Decision Infuriated You?

[Buffalo Barbarian]

3 hours ago, 1st&ten said:

I'm old so there's tons of them---

 

Trading Daryl Lamonica to the Raiders

Not building the stadium in Lancaster

Cutting Fred Jackson

Hiring Rex Ryan

 

I could list about 50 more.

 

 

 

Why Lancaster?

 

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Buffalo Barbarian

[Alaska Darin]

Firing Bill Polian

[Elite Poster]

9 hours ago, THE SLAMMER said:

Right now its the entire Richie Incognito situation

 

This can be worked out. placing all the blame on Richie is a big mistake.

 

Like I always say, if the situation makes no sense there is always more to the story.

 

The Bills are not completely blameless

 

I couldn't disagree more. You agree to a contract by signing, reading, and understanding it. The Bills are running a business not a charity. He didn't go over the details and he got burned. 

 

He could have easily pursued other opportunities if he didn't like the number. He lied about injuries, had a Twitter meltdown, then admitted it was about the money. I'm not sure if you noticed, but he's been completely silent all social media since his fiasco. Someone seems to have gotten through to him to stop talking for once. 

[reddogblitz]

11 hours ago, Epstein's Mother said:

 

Not sure I understand this one.  Maybe you meant starting Johnson over Flutie in general but in this instance when Rob Johnson walked off the field for the last time that day he was ahead.

 

if RJ hadn't fumbled the football out of the back of the EZ for a safety, that forward lateral "TD," would still not given them enough points to win. After the resulting free kick giving them excellent field position and motivation, they scored their only TD  of the game. Flutie starts that game we win going away.

 

The other one I didn't like was dumping Fred when we did.

Edited May 14, 2018 by reddogblitz

[Elite Poster]

9 hours ago, Utah John said:

Here's another:  Letting Jim Kelly take a call from the USFL in the Bills office, when he was ready to sign as a rookie.  He ended up spending a couple of years in the USFL instead of with the Bills.

 

I mean, hard to blame the Bills for that. The man left on his own accord.

[HOUSE]

1 hour ago, Elite Poster said:

 

I couldn't disagree more. You agree to a contract by signing, reading, and understanding it. The Bills are running a business not a charity. He didn't go over the details and he got burned. 

 

He could have easily pursued other opportunities if he didn't like the number. He lied about injuries, had a Twitter meltdown, then admitted it was about the money. I'm not sure if you noticed, but he's been completely silent all social media since his fiasco. Someone seems to have gotten through to him to stop talking for once. 

 

A good business doesn't take a 3 year in a row pro bowler and ask for a pay cut now do they?.  How do you know he lied about his injuries?

You do realize that agents have the power to ok a deal without having the player present, right? The players don't hop a jet for buffalo, this is why you hire an agent...most likely the reason for firing

Completed deals are electronically sent for approval sometimes without the player completely understanding the terms....it happens

Geeez, glad I don't work for you....90 % of this is hear say your honor....lol

Edited May 14, 2018 by THE SLAMMER
change wording

[Wily Dog]

3 hours ago, The Frankish Reich said:

Those are my Top 2.

I started following football about 1971 or so. Lamonica's Raiders were always good and exciting to watch. I remember being astounded when my dad told me that he used to be on the Bills. I couldn't figure out how that could have possibly happened. You know what? I still can't.

According to rumors at the time there were ' Mitigating " circumstances in the trade of Lamonica

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Elite Poster said:

 

I mean, hard to blame the Bills for that. The man left on his own accord.

Spending those two years in the USFL was the best thing that could have happened for Kelly’s development. He came to us knowing how to read defenses and I doubt he would have learned as much under Kay Stephenson and Co. vs. what he learned with Mouse Davis.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

4 hours ago, Ralonzo said:

 

A guy who wasn't well thought of that got traded up for in the first round: John McCantgo.

 

FIFY

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, THE SLAMMER said:

 

A good business doesn't take a 3 year in a row pro bowler and ask for a pay cut now do they?.  How do you know he lied about his injuries?

You do realize that agents have the power to ok a deal without having the player present, right? The players don't hop a jet for buffalo, this is why you hire an agent...most likely the reason for firing

Completed deals are electronically sent for approval sometimes without the player completely understanding the terms....it happens

Geeez, glad I don't work for you....90 % of this is hear say your honor....lol

 

I hear all the time players say football is a Man's game, for "Grown-Ass Men"

 

 If a "Grown-Ass Man" reads and signs something he doesn't understand, what difference does it make if transmitted electronically, by Fed-Ex Next Day, or by carrier pigeon?   It's still on an adult not to sign something he doesn't understand.  Call your agent.  Call your lawyer.  Call your massage therapist who's moonlighting while working her way through law school.  

 

I made that last up, but the rest is "Grown-up 101": don't read and sign something you don't understand.  If you need help to understand a contract, get help.  For some folks that's problematic as they don't have the money, but Richie doesn't have that limitation.  Maybe drop a word out of the "Grown-ass man" phrase. 

 

And yes, an agent can agree to a deal, but they can't sign it for the player (unless player gave them a Power of Attorney I guess- see above about Grown-up 101)

 

I don't know whether or not Richie lied about his medical exam: needing to retire because kidneys and liver shutting down.  If I'm in the business of staffing a football team, neither option raises his value to the GM.  Either he lied about it, in which case he's not honest, or he didn't lie about it, in which case I'm uninspired to pay more bucks for a sick puppy.

 

[JoeF]

60's Making OJ a decoy his first two years.  Thanks, John Rauch.

70's - early 80's Not retaining Chuck Knox

Early 80's version of Rex Ryan was Hank Bullough 

1987-1995 - Letting Polian Go...Ralph, Littman and Linda couldn't take the honesty

Letting John Butler and then Wade Phillips go 

2000's becoming an NFL farm team with the talent we did obtain - Winfield, Williams, Clements, Poz and then drafting horribly and signing crap like Langston Walker, Chris Williams (who was damaged when we signed him).

Focusing on marketing with moves like TO instead of the on the field product

 

I agree with the posts about not shoring up the Bills weakest area ever.    The Bills really needed to try not to make the playoffs for 17 years...

 

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by JoeF

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, Wily Dog said:

According to rumors at the time there were ' Mitigating " circumstances in the trade of Lamonica

 

 

I'll bite..........who was he bangin'?

[Hsker4life]

The obvious answer for me is choosing RJ over Flutie.

 

I firmly believe we beat the Titans with Flutie under center. RJ was terrible, going 10-22 with 131 yards passing and 1 crucial turnover. 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Hsker4life

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Wily Dog said:

According to rumors at the time there were ' Mitigating " circumstances in the trade of Lamonica

 

Say more, you Wily Dog you

[Golden Goat]

Trading up for T.J. Graham.

[Doc Brown]

This is the first thought that popped into my head and it was an in game decision.  It was a 2002 home game against the Pats when we started 5-3.  We were down 10 points in the 3rd and had a 4th and 2 on the New England 32.  We punt in a game that was supposed to be a shootout.  New England ends up blowing us out.  It's probably not close to the most infuriating decision, but I find it the perfect microcosm of the Bills during the drought.  

[Punching Bag]

Getting rid of BBMB without ensuring first that members got psychiatric care.

[KD in CA]

Trading multiple high picks for the fifth best WR in the draft.

[aceman_16]

15 hours ago, THE SLAMMER said:

Right now its the entire Richie Incognito situation

 

This can be worked out. placing all the blame on Richie is a big mistake.

 

Like I always say, if the situation makes no sense there is always more to the story.

 

The Bills are not completely blameless

Is this Ritchie's stealth account?

[Dadonkadonk]

1. Marv letting Kelly keep throwing the ball in the best chance to win a SB in franchise history

2. Not paying Jason Peters

3. Hiring Marv as GM

4. Hiring Dave Wannstedt as DC

5. Allowing Rex to dismantle the Jim Schwartz defense.  I had no issue with Rex as a HC hire.  I thought wrongly that he would retain Schwartz and just add a few blitz/coverage wrinkles to what Schwartz was doing.  If Rex had simply played the role of HC, both he and Whaley would be here now with multiple playoff seasons.  

 

9 hours ago, BurpleBull said:

 

I honestly was still in shock that they would trade Alonso after he showed so much promise as a rookie even with McCoy being the player they swapped for.

Then you only watched the first 8 games he played and not the second 8. 

[Dadonkadonk]

15 hours ago, folz said:

When Whaley released Fred Jackson!

Really?  He didn't do anything in Seattle.  He was done.  Great guy but there must be 100 or probably 200 more infuriating moves than releasing Fred Jackson.  Hell with RBs alone, there is letting Cribbs go, trading Lynch, misusing OJ early in his career, drafting Spiller and McGahee, and if you want to add cutting aging players - releasing Thurman Thomas who could have still played a year and retired never having worn a Dolphins jersey.

[BobbyC81]

4 hours ago, Golden Goat said:

Trading up for T.J. Graham.

 

I remember watching the draft with a friend, who follows college football more than I do.   I said "Who?" and started to look him up when my friend blurted out "had a 4th round grade".

[BurpleBull]

4 hours ago, Dadonkadonk said:

1. Marv letting Kelly keep throwing the ball in the best chance to win a SB in franchise history

2. Not paying Jason Peters

3. Hiring Marv as GM

4. Hiring Dave Wannstedt as DC

5. Allowing Rex to dismantle the Jim Schwartz defense.  I had no issue with Rex as a HC hire.  I thought wrongly that he would retain Schwartz and just add a few blitz/coverage wrinkles to what Schwartz was doing.  If Rex had simply played the role of HC, both he and Whaley would be here now with multiple playoff seasons.  

 

Then you only watched the first 8 games he played and not the second 8. 

 

What does that even mean? 

 

Promise is promise whether you think it showed in just the 1st half or 2nd half of a rookie season.

 

I'm pretty confident that they moved him because of injury concerns after he missed the entire next season and not because of the final eight games of his rookie season.

[Another Fan]

Not really a decision but Super Bowl 28 bothers me more than 25.  After that Thurman fumble I tend to think a better coaching staff would've been able to take control versus the demons

[Billzgobowlin]

I don't think there was any bigger mistake than firing Polian.  He would have most likely gotten us a Super Bowl win and just look at how many on his staff went on to be GMs, Gettlemen, AJ Smith, Telesco, Butler, etc.

7 hours ago, Golden Goat said:

Trading up for T.J. Graham.

when we could have drafted Russell Wilson.....

[mead107]

Nothing, it’s a game I have no say in.  

[Dr. K]

Hiring Rex, which necessarily meant getting rid of Schwartz. Moronic move, and I put it on the Pegulas. 

[CLTbills]

The decision to hire Rex was the thing that infuriated me the most. And it's not close.

[Soda Popinski]

Taking a RB in the 1st round.    Which one?   Pick one

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, Dr. K said:

Hiring Rex, which necessarily meant getting rid of Schwartz. Moronic move, and I put it on the Pegulas. 

Just remember, 'Iago' and 'Aaron the Moor' were there whispering, "Don't let him out of the building".

Edited May 14, 2018 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[Wroughting]

So many bad decisions, this team has been governed by emotion, luck and marketing for a long time now. They are the fish at the table and they either don't know or don't care. 

[The Jokeman]

23 hours ago, Fixxxer said:

Getting rid of Pat Williams

 

Whitner over Ngata

 

Aaron Maybin over Orapko.

 

Overpaying for Kelsay

 

Drafting McGahee

 

Rex over anyone. 

The bolded statements. Signing Doug Flutie, hated him before and during his Bills tenure. Another one is being "passive" in Super Bowl XXVIII just before half time and not trying to score a TD. 

[Epstein's Mother]

12 hours ago, reddogblitz said:

if RJ hadn't fumbled the football out of the back of the EZ for a safety, that forward lateral "TD," would still not given them enough points to win. After the resulting free kick giving them excellent field position and motivation, they scored their only TD  of the game. Flutie starts that game we win going away.

 

I think that Flutie had some good years but looking at it 1999 probably wasn't his best:

75.1 passer rating

19 TD's - 16 INT's

6.6 YPA

Bills averaged just over 19 points per game

Those are not good numbers.

 

The one number everyone points to:

10-5 win-loss record.

However, the defense gave up a total of 110 points in those 10 wins.  11 points allowed per game is nice support.

 

In contrast which QB in Bills history had this stat line?:

84.9 passer rating

19 TD's - 14 INT's

7.1 YPA

Team averaged 18.75 points per game

 

Hint:  It's 2006 JP Losman

 

I think that Flutie wasn't great in '99 and it made this decision much easier.  As for winning the game going away I don't think Kelly in his prime wins that game going away.  He might win it but let's remember the Titans were a 13 win team that year not a bunch of stiffs.

[Dr. K]

3 minutes ago, Epstein's Mother said:

 

I think that Flutie had some good years but looking at it 1999 probably wasn't his best:

75.1 passer rating

19 TD's - 16 INT's

6.6 YPA

Bills averaged just over 19 points per game

Those are not good numbers.

 

The one number everyone points to:

10-5 win-loss record.

However, the defense gave up a total of 110 points in those 10 wins.  11 points allowed per game is nice support.

 

In contrast which QB in Bills history had this stat line?:

84.9 passer rating

19 TD's - 14 INT's

7.1 YPA

Team averaged 18.75 points per game

 

Hint:  It's 2006 JP Losman

 

I think that Flutie wasn't great in '99 and it made this decision much easier.  As for winning the game going away I don't think Kelly in his prime wins that game going away.  He might win it but let's remember the Titans were a 13 win team that year not a bunch of stiffs.

Watching the Bills try to score points under Flutie in 1999 was agonizing. People don't remember that he was being bailed out by the defense all season. 

Then Johnson comes into the last game against the Colts, who were 13-2 at that point, had won 11 in a row, and needed to beat the Bills to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs. And under Johnson the Bills had their best offensive showing of the season and beat the Colts 31-6. 

 

THAT's why Flutie was benched for the playoff game against Tennessee.  

[eball]

I think a better topic would be which move by the McD/Beane era is most controversial.  After all, the number of "infuriating" decisions made by the Bills over the past 17 seasons (prior to McD/Beane) is staggering.

 

I think the decision to start Peterman against the Chargers was McD's worst move to date.  Thankfully he owned up to it immediately and never lost "the room."

 

2nd place is the decision to punt in OT of the snow game.  It worked out, but that was a pretty awful decision as well.

[BuffaloRush]

Many great choice in this thread.  The thing I’m wondering though, is how many of these situations were you infuriated with at the time, as opposed to in hindsight.  Because it seems like a few of these selections are looking back in hindsight.

 

Case and point, the Rex Ryan hire.  Looking back I am infuriated that they were duped by that clown show.  But at the time, the majority of the fan base was pretty excited.  

 

 

[Epstein's Mother]

3 minutes ago, Dr. K said:

Watching the Bills try to score points under Flutie in 1999 was agonizing. People don't remember that he was being bailed out by the defense all season. 

Then Johnson comes into the last game against the Colts, who were 13-2 at that point, had won 11 in a row, and needed to beat the Bills to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs. And under Johnson the Bills had their best offensive showing of the season and beat the Colts 31-6. 

 

THAT's why Flutie was benched for the playoff game against Tennessee.  

 

I was at the Colts game the last game of that year and I thought Johnson looked like a stud.  Of course it didn't turn out that way but against the Colts he was impressive and I was very happy when he got the start against Tennessee.

[Dr. K]

7 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

Many great choice in this thread.  The thing I’m wondering though, is how many of these situations were you infuriated with at the time, as opposed to in hindsight.  Because it seems like a few of these selections are looking back in hindsight.

 

Case and point, the Rex Ryan hire.  Looking back I am infuriated that they were duped by that clown show.  But at the time, the majority of the fan base was pretty excited.  

 

 

I spoke out about the Rex Ryan hire at the time. You could look it up. I thought it was a mistake from day one.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

11 minutes ago, BuffaloRush said:

Case and point, the Rex Ryan hire.  Looking back I am infuriated that they were duped by that clown show.  But at the time, the majority of the fan base was pretty excited.  

 

 

There were more than just you.  I remember branding him as the return of 'Professor Harold Hill' / 'Mordecai Jones'.  Should have ridden him out of the building, tarred and feathered, on a rail.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[BigBuff423]

13 hours ago, THE SLAMMER said:

 

A good business doesn't take a 3 year in a row pro bowler and ask for a pay cut now do they?.  How do you know he lied about his injuries?

You do realize that agents have the power to ok a deal without having the player present, right? The players don't hop a jet for buffalo, this is why you hire an agent...most likely the reason for firing

Completed deals are electronically sent for approval sometimes without the player completely understanding the terms....it happens

Geeez, glad I don't work for you....90 % of this is hear say your honor....lol

 

Um, actually in the NFL they do....take a look at teams who cut bait with players in contracts all the time. Patriots are unfortunately notorious for this and other teams have taken aging, very good players, and either traded them or simply out-right cut them to save money or to get younger. In this case, the Bills were willing to keep him, but at a reduced price and we have to realize that some of what NFL players get paid for (if not MOST) is for what you project they will do, not what they have already done. Their history of success obviously points to what they can do, but the FA wire is littered with guys who were believed to have been great signings or "gets" only to find a year or two later, they're looking for a job. Richie is not immune to this effect.