THE ROCKPILE REVIEW - Dreams

[Shaw66]

The Rockpile Review – by Shaw66

 

“Dreams

 

Sports fans have their dreams.  For some, the dream becomes an obsession:  Cubs fans, Red Sox fans Eagles fans and Bills fans, probably others.   Red Sox fans had their dream come true in 2004, and several times since.  For Cubs fans, it was two years ago.  The Eagles did it last year. 

 

Bills fans are still waiting.  We live in a fantasy world, believing out team will find the magic for one dream season, or even better, one dream team.

 

When I was packing to move a few years ago, one of the movers caught me wistfully looking at my Jim Kelly bobblehead.   He asked what it was, and all I could say was “the stuff dreams are made of.”

 

For Bills fans, the dream is to win the Super Bowl.  The details of the dream keep changing.  Bledsoe to Price and Moulds.  Losman and Edwards and Jauron’s stingy defense.  Manuel fools his critics.  Rex’s bravado.  When you’re dreaming, your dreams are all you have, and you want to believe them.  But dreams aren’t real and as Bills fans know, dreams often become nightmares.  It’s as though we’re in the State Farm ad where the father gives his daughter her first car and she shouts “is THAT my car?!!!”  We’re the other guy in that ad, the guy who finds his car up on blocks, the tires gone, the guy who shouts “is THAT my car?!!!”

 

The most recent nightmare ended when Rex departed, followed by Doug Whaley.  Bills fans could begin to dream when Sean McDermott was hired, but for most of us, he wasn’t enough to get us fantasizing.   A young, unproven bald guy talking about the process isn’t what we imagined.  Then the Bills asked us to buy the magic Beane.  “Not so fast,” we said.  “We’re not some kid named Jack.” 

 

Even when the Bills made the playoffs , Bills fans were joyous but knew it was no Cinderella story.   Yes, the Bills were going to the ball, but it felt more like they were parking attendants at a Herman’s Hermits revival tour than the prince’s dance partner.  The 2017 playoffs were only the slightest hint of a new dream.

 

Bills fans’ latest honest-to-goodness fantasy began with the 2018 draft.  Just like 2004, the Bills traded up for a strong-armed quarterback.   Maybe THIS quarterback, with THIS coach and THIS GM can do it.  Maybe this Beane stalk will grow into the clouds where we will find the goose that lays Lombardi Trophies. 

 

But we’d seen too many dreams turn into nightmares, and whenever we found ourselves starting to dream about Josh Allen, we pulled ourselves back to reality.  It will be midnight soon enough, and that carriage will turn into a pumpkin.

 

And then …, and then there was that touchdown pass against the Panthers in the Bills’ first preseason game.  We watched it over and over.  Did a Buffalo quarterback actually find THAT receiver and make THAT throw?   Am I dreaming?  Pinch me.

 

Yes, it WAS a Bills quarterback and he actually DID make that throw.  But wait - Trent Edwards made a nice throw once in a while, too.  Calm down.  Come back to reality.  You’re still just a wooden puppet, dancing to strings in the hands of Roger Goodell and Bill Belichick.

 

And then it happened again.  The touchdown pass against the Browns in the second preseason game.  Was THAT guy actually wearing a Bills uniform?  He made THAT move in the pocket and THAT throw on the run?  Yes, Wyoming, there IS a Santa Claus.

 

A coach who teaches and leads men?  A GM with guts and savvy?  A quarterback who looks like the QBs who have dominated the playoffs for the past 20 years?  I take a quick look in the mirror – no, my nose isn’t growing.

 

I can dream, can’t I?

 

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.

[BruceVilanch]

Great post, I always appreciate the time you put into these. That wooden puppet controlled by Goodell and Belicheck had me rolling. I think the dream will be real soon! I billieve. Go Bills

[Buffalo716]

Thanks for writing this Shaw!

[Royale with Cheese]

Great write up Shaw!

 

The title of this matches this song and it actually matches perfectly to the tone of the article.

 

 

[Pete]

I can never die until the Bills win the Superbowl.  So I feel I am going to live forever!

[Shaw66]

16 minutes ago, Pete said:

I can never die until the Bills win the Superbowl.  So I feel I am going to live forever!

Unfortunately, I am not going to live forever.   I need the Bills to get the job done pretty soon.

[Figster]

23 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Unfortunately, I am not going to live forever.   I need the Bills to get the job done pretty soon.

lol, you and I both

 

Nice posting OP

 

(Dream on by Aerosmith comes to mind)

Edited August 20, 2018 by Figster

[RoyBatty is alive]

Great write up as always Shaw but the shameless plagiarism from the Maltese Falcon, ".... caught me wistfully looking at my Jim Kelly bobblehead.   He asked what it was, and all I could say was “the stuff dreams are made of.”

 

I have NEVER been this excited for pre-season in my life, not even close.  What J Allen has demonstrated thus far stuns me.  Yes it is only 2 pre season games but this is the most hope I have had since the Kelly years and it is even close.

 

I think we have a POTENTIAL QB that is going to match the greatness of Kelly.  After this long long drought it really does fell like it is almost a dream.

 

And thank God Kelly has already annointed Allen as the new franchise QB for the Bills, he has done that multiple teams, last one was EJ and look how they al worked out.

[Shaw66]

21 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

Great write up as always Shaw but the shameless plagiarism from the Maltese Falcon, ".... caught me wistfully looking at my Jim Kelly bobblehead.   He asked what it was, and all I could say was “the stuff dreams are made of.”

 

The whole thing was shameless.

[RoyBatty is alive]

13 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

The whole thing was shameless.

 

"And then …, and then there was that touchdown pass against the Panthers in the Bills’ first preseason game.  We watched it over and over.  Did a Buffalo quarterback actually find THAT receiver and make THAT throw?"

 

THAT play and in particular that throw that changed my mind, i probably watched in 20 times.  I was wondering if he knew how tight that would be,  did he get away with one?  It is hard for me to recall a throw that was that good.  How many NFL QBs would even dare make the throw, a handful.

[Foxx]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

The Rockpile Review – by Shaw66

 

“Dreams

 

Sports fans have their dreams.  For some, the dream becomes an obsession:  ...

 

...I can dream, can’t I? ....

nice post, Shaw.

 

somehow this seems appropriate

 

[GoBills808]

Terrific. My feelings are a little different though...I got caught up in the Pegula-to-Marrone/Manuel days in a way I hadn't been in a long time. When that fizzled out, I thought I was done. When the Ryan era began, I was totally apathetic. Didn't expect anything, wasn't disappointed. Those two years were a write-off for me personally, zero expectations. 

 

Then last season I felt something again. It started with some moves that the pundits dubbed tanking but were pretty clearly designed w/ the future in mind. A big departure from the previous 3-4 seasons' philosophy. Then the season started and you could tell the players had bought in, and the staff and FO rewarded them with a consistent, professional approach week in and week out that you see from teams used to competing for playoff spots. I started feeling a sense of stability in the franchise, from the top down to McD, that (most importantly) had begun resonating with the team. It felt like everyone was on the same page, and the ones who weren't or didn't quite fit were traded for future assets. Just felt like a totally professional approach to me. Playoffs was just a bonus.

 

So my feeling isn't one of excitement so much (I got that fix last season w/ the admittedly fortunate playoff push) but of contentment. I have no idea whether this iteration of the Bills is going to win a Super Bowl, but it doesn't matter to me. What we appear to have is a GM acting as the perfect conduit between staff and ownership, a motivated and savvy HC, and buy-in from all levels on the direction of the franchise. Oh and what looks to be a possible 15 year franchise guy in Allen. And a cornerstone type LB picked by the guys who identified Kuechly. And a second year DB with the drive to back up his all-pro caliber talent if reports are to be believed. Haven't felt this way about the team in a long, long time...hard to put into words but I feel like I'm watching an evolution (or process if you will) instead of a bunch of isolated moves and games. There's a cohesiveness that makes it a lot easier to stomach the inevitable pitfalls like preseason injuries or heartbreaking losses because you know there's a clear plan moving forward and the right people in place to achieve it.

[Ayjent]

Last year was nice, but I'm still in the wait and see mode with the GM and coach.  They've done a lot of things I don't really understand: 

• they put the team in a bit of a talent deficit getting rid of guys like Glenn, Tyrod, Watkins, Dareus and letting other guys move on
• they amassed a lot of draft picks but then used a lot of them to move up for Allen
• they haven't addressed the OL enough and I don't understand why they think Juan Castillo is a good OL coach.

Last year was the honeymoon, now its time to see if the marriage is worthwhile.

[Maine-iac]

Nice post Shaw.  I'm not there yet but I feel it.  Allen has shown some things.  The new offense has shown some things.  I already believed McDermott could put a defense together but post Dareous I want to see how the run D holds up.  All that said, as skeptical as I've been, I could see things coming together.  Like I said I'm not all the way there yet but maybe, just maybe we can put it together.  It's possibly the Charlie Brown syndrome that these same Bills have given us for so many years.  If I had a dollar for ever year we've finished the first 5 or 6 games looking like this year was the year only to fall flat.  Still I'd settle for that excitement and the hope that we don't.  Just need to see some regular season games and signs that when things count we can do this.

[nucci]

2 hours ago, Pete said:

I can never die until the Bills win the Superbowl.  So I feel I am going to live forever!

if only we could get 4 chances at a win

[Charlottebillsfan2]

Shaw well done buddy well done. But we can all stop dreaming and accept reality. The Bills are back and ready to roll!!! 

[The Senator]

19 and 0 baby!!!

 

GO BILLSSS!!!!!

[Sky Diver]

"Having dreams is what makes life tolerable".

 

 

[LABILLBACKER]

Good post Shaw. My dream sees Josh beating Darnold just like Jim beat Dan. Once the B's are finally gone we can reclaim the AFCE and more...someday we'll all walk into that corn field and see a Championship on the other side...

[SoCal Deek]

Shaw, being an old timer like you I stopped dreaming a while ago now. But...I am always excited at the start of every new season to see if the players and coaches actually care as much as I do, or if it’s just a job as they pass through WNY on their way to their next gig. I have high hopes for new coaching staff. Mainly because I think our head coach is so new that he’s still trying to win. (I never thought that of Jauron or Rex.) 

 

If the Bills ever do make it back to the big game I’m vowing to just enjoy it in the moment. 

[Jay_Fixit]

I think I need a glass of wine.

[Paulus]

Is no dream. Is here. Thanos Allen is here... 

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Paulus

[Domdab99]

Nice post

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Good post Shaw. My dream sees Josh beating Darnold just like Jim beat Dan. Once the B's are finally gone we can reclaim the AFCE and more...someday we'll all walk into that corn field and see a Championship on the other side...

Haha! Wish I'd thought of that.  Nice. 

[Shaw66]

10 hours ago, Ayjent said:

Last year was nice, but I'm still in the wait and see mode with the GM and coach.  They've done a lot of things I don't really understand: 

• they put the team in a bit of a talent deficit getting rid of guys like Glenn, Tyrod, Watkins, Dareus and letting other guys move on
• they amassed a lot of draft picks but then used a lot of them to move up for Allen
• they haven't addressed the OL enough and I don't understand why they think Juan Castillo is a good OL coach.

Last year was the honeymoon, now its time to see if the marriage is worthwhile.

Dream, pal, dream.

 

If losing those guys created such a talent deficit, why did the team do 9-7.  Why not give the Beane and McDermott credit for figuring out they could win without those guys.

 

Do you not like Allen?  If you do, why are you disappointed that the Bills traded picks to get him?

 

They can't address the entire roster all at once.  Can't.  

 

McDermott was quick to can Dennison.  McDermott must see some things in Castillo that you don't. 

 

But none of that is the point.  The point is that seeing Allen makes me dream of what could be.  

 

 

[Lfod]

I believe we have a HC and a GM. It's starting to look like we may have a franchise QB. We have awesome owners. You don't have to dream. You can see it in this team. Upgrading weight room is serious. 

 

I never expect Rome to be built in a day but you can see Rome is being built. You can just see the results. It won't be very long my friend. The Bills are going to be owning the division and beyond. 

[Shaw66]

23 minutes ago, Lfod said:

I believe we have a HC and a GM. It's starting to look like we may have a franchise QB. We have awesome owners. You don't have to dream. You can see it in this team. Upgrading weight room is serious. 

 

I never expect Rome to be built in a day but you can see Rome is being built. You can just see the results. It won't be very long my friend. The Bills are going to be owning the division and beyond. 

It looks that way to me, too.  But it's way, way too early to bank it.  

[Bring it]

Dreams! I’m in my early 50s. None of really knows how much time we have left; we are not guaranteed a tomorrow! I don’t dream much. Maybe because in life more often than not you are left disappointed.

In two short appearances Josh Allen has “wowed” me! Obviously the 2 touchdowns. But it’s been the other things too. The poise, athleticism, accuracy and decision making have beyond his experience. That incompletion to Thomas at the end of the first half was impressive. He bought time escaping to his right and fired a bullet toward Logan Thomas who had a defender on him with his back to Allen. He couldn’t get set enough to fully jump and pull the ball in, only touching it with one hand. What a throw in that situation. It’s my guy or no one! Hauschka then kicks the field goal.

I keep telling myself don’t dream. Not yet. No, there may not be a tomorrow! I’m going to dream!! And dream BIG!!!!

 

Go Bills!

[Shaw66]

2 hours ago, Bring it said:

Dreams! I’m in my early 50s. None of really knows how much time we have left; we are not guaranteed a tomorrow! I don’t dream much. Maybe because in life more often than not you are left disappointed.

In two short appearances Josh Allen has “wowed” me! Obviously the 2 touchdowns. But it’s been the other things too. The poise, athleticism, accuracy and decision making have beyond his experience. That incompletion to Thomas at the end of the first half was impressive. He bought time escaping to his right and fired a bullet toward Logan Thomas who had a defender on him with his back to Allen. He couldn’t get set enough to fully jump and pull the ball in, only touching it with one hand. What a throw in that situation. It’s my guy or no one! Hauschka then kicks the field goal.

I keep telling myself don’t dream. Not yet. No, there may not be a tomorrow! I’m going to dream!! And dream BIG!!!!

 

Go Bills!

Yes Thomas in the end zone.  

 

And Holmes on the right sideline for the first down. And a dozen more. 

 

Impressive. 

[Ayjent]

12 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Dream, pal, dream.

 

If losing those guys created such a talent deficit, why did the team do 9-7.  Why not give the Beane and McDermott credit for figuring out they could win without those guys.

 

Do you not like Allen?  If you do, why are you disappointed that the Bills traded picks to get him?

 

They can't address the entire roster all at once.  Can't.  

 

McDermott was quick to can Dennison.  McDermott must see some things in Castillo that you don't. 

 

But none of that is the point.  The point is that seeing Allen makes me dream of what could be.  

 

 

I will give McDermott a lot of credit for the 9-7 record, but here are a couple of things about that record: 

• Tyrod was the QB and he limited turnovers which helped the Turnover Differential a lot - the defense was very opportunistic - chances are that the current roster of QBs and the defense are not going to keep that differential where it was (these things have a tendency to even out)
• After trading Dareus there was a dropoff defensively against the run and the team was in a 3 game tail spin for various reasons, but it coincided with the Dareus trade
• The coaching on the OL was very problematic in that 3 game tail spin and as much as people want to blame the QB, the interior line was really to blame for the Offensive problems - moreover, the OL lost its best two remaining players after the Glenn trade - Dawkins is now the best player on the line, and Beane didn't do much to address these positions outside of Bodine and a couple of UDFAs.
• Yes Dennison was quickly canned, but I still think the loyalty to Castillo based on their long history of coaching together is given too much of a pass - we shall see.  To me this is the biggest problem the Bills have and nothing works well Offensively without a decent line with decent coaching - I'm not sure that they have either with Wood, Glenn and Incognito gone and Castillo as coach with the Bills wasn't good last year.  Maybe Castillo is on a short leash this year - I don't know, but I saw a significant drop off and I'm not sure how much of that had to do with Dennison.

I wasn't a big fan of them drafting Allen - but he has looked decent so I'm cautiously optimistic.  I thought that they had a real shot in the draft of addressing many, many positions with all of their picks and thought that they should have kept Tyrod  or gone after Bridgewater as the bridge QB - instead they used a lot of what they had amassed to move up to get Allen - so yeah they couldn't address everything they would have liked to because they made one gaping hole that they had to fill with a high risk and high cost (and I get it to some degree - they didn't see Tyrod as the long term guy, but they hit a hard reset rather than a smooth transition - and there is a possibility it may come up snake eyes).  Again, it may all work out in the long term- but I'm not that optimistic about this season because of the OL and the inexperience at QB.

 

I agree that they have a more measured plan now and I don't discount that they are getting rid of talented guys that have value around the league but don't necessarily fit that well with their plan or are just too expensive for what they provide to the team. One thing seems better though - the cohesiveness of the plan and the head coach seems to garner respect from the team as opposed to the last two coaches which I think had their issues and the former GM that really didn't seem to have any idea beyond win now regardless of the longterm costs.

 

Edited August 21, 2018 by Ayjent

[T master]

I dig it good post !! I think it fits a Bills fans out look on what has & is about to happen !!

 

GO BILLS !! 

[Stanley Lombardi]

 "Yes, Wyoming, there IS a Santa Claus."

 

Well done, sir.

[stuvian]

the dream is closer than it's been since Marv roamed the sidelines. We have the coach, GM, owner and hopefully the QB to realize it