RIP Daryle Lamonica

[Ralonzo]

1 hour ago, Bills1961 said:

loved him... made the Bills look like they were clueless on that trade - RIP Mad Bomber

“We don’t throw long because we got Lamonica. We got Lamonica because we throw long.”

 

- Al Davis

[BringBackFlutie]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I'm definitely NOT Billy Shaw.  However, I've been using his photo as my avatar for so long that now when I see it, I think it's a picture of me.  

 

Billy Shaw was special.  He'd fill the OG hole in a hurry!

 

I mean, you'd be earning serious alumni brownie points for all the added effort.

[Buffalo716]

8 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I'm definitely NOT Billy Shaw.  However, I've been using his photo as my avatar for so long that now when I see it, I think it's a picture of me.  

 

Billy Shaw was special.  He'd fill the OG hole in a hurry!

Shaw and Joe D would make us ferocious!

[Shaw66]

The Lamonica trade didn't work out, but it wasn't foolish on paper.  I'm pretty sure three players went each way.  I don't remember them all, but the Bills got Tom Flores, who'd been a solid QB in the league, and Art Powell, who was the talent the Bills really wanted.  Guy was an absolute stud receiver.   In seven seasons in Oakland, playing 12 and 14 game seasons, he went over 1000 yards, well over, five times.   

 

When he got to Buffalo Powell disappeared overnight.  Flores never produced.  And Lamonica took off.  In retrospect, Bills history changed with that trade.  With Lamonica at QB, the Bills never would have had a couple of horrible late-60s teams, and they never would have drafted OJ.  

 

RIP, Daryl.  Never will forgot you.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Shaw66

[cba fan]

1 hour ago, Buffalo716 said:

That's actually not 100% true

 

The person with the Billy Shaw username was not Billy Shaw 

 

I saw a lot of people ask him and he told me himself he was not.. so that's one at least 

 

I do know there were some ex bills on the site but the Billy Shaw told me he wasn't him

 

 

i believe it was to certify they are the real person like if Billy Shaw was really Billy Shaw he needed to cert that he was the real deal.

 

EX: If I want to be Gary Marangi username i don't need to cert. I of course should then point out i am not the real deal.

 

correct me if i am wrong anyone.........

 

[ExWNYer]

I was a baby during the Bills' AFL Championship days so I am not old enough to remember Mr. Lamonica's playing days but I remember my dad telling us about him and watching his cannon of an arm in old AFL highlight reels. Dad was a big fan of his and would have been 80 himself this December. Sad on a couple of levels for me. R.I.P., 'Mad Bomber'.

[Ned Flanders]

Very sad news.   The Mad Bomber was a huge part of the AFL's success and should be in the Hall of Fame.

[par73]

Half of the great QB duo that led the Bills to back-to-back AFL Titles. Those were great times. Very sad day.

[st pete gogolak]

Keeping Lamonica and trading Kemp certainly would have been controversial.  Kemp was coming off two AFL titles and three straight AFL East crowns. Belichick certainly trades Kemp and keeps Lamonica but it's a different age.  Plus the Wilson loan to the Raiders and Lamonica causing "locker room" issues, who knows exactly what was behind the trade.  Both Powell and Flores were done by the time they got to Buffalo.  In hindsight, it's the worst trade in Bills history.   

[dhg]

My dad's favorite Bill. So much so that I'm named for him. 

 

RIP Mr. Lamonica 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

 

 

[BringBackFlutie]

6 minutes ago, dhg said:

My dad's favorite Bill. So much so that I'm named for him. 

 

RIP Mr. Lamonica 

 

Daryle H Gaughan?

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Drafted in the 23rd round, wow.  Imagine the coverage that would require from ESPN!  Front office must have brought sleeping bags to the draft!

[Chandler#81]

2 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

That's actually not 100% true

 

The person with the Billy Shaw username was not Billy Shaw 

 

I saw a lot of people ask him and he told me himself he was not.. so that's one at least 

 

I do know there were some ex bills on the site but the Billy Shaw told me he wasn't him

 

 

I’m not Booby Chandler#81. Neither is the other Bobby Chandler#81 here. We’d be dead if we were..😳

2 hours ago, Clark Rotary said:

One last time: “We want Lamonica!!!”

WE WANT LAMONICA!!

[SoCal Deek]

How sad. Remember those days well…and never knew he was from Clovis, a suburb of Fresno. I’m actually speaking at a conference in Clovis today and tomorrow. Go figure!

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, eball said:

Worst trade in Bills history, right?  That's what my dad always said.

 

 

Strictly from a one-move basis..........trading the Mahomes pick to KC was worse.

 

There is no guarantee that Buffalo wouldn't have become a bad team with Lamonica as the roster aged out...........it wasn't nearly as much of a QB driven league then and even so, Lamonica never won a SB.

 

Mahomes has won a SB............and it's technically harder to do that now than it was pre-expansion in Lamonica's days...........and Mahomes directly blocked the Bills from advancing in the playoffs and likely the SB twice already.    

 

But both trades are examples of why you should never risk giving a conference rival a tremendous QB prospect.

[MJS]

2 hours ago, Niagara Bill said:

12 game season I think

Didn't even think of that. Even more impressive.

 

That's 4,400 yards and 45 TD's if it were a 16 game season. That's incredible. Defenses were allowed to play back then and QB's were beaten into the turf.

 

[ColoradoBills]

Our house was split between Kemp and Lamonica.  I was for Daryl.

Thanks for all the memories!

[GreggTX]

The Lamonica trade was symptomatic of the malaise the Bills franchise has suffered for most of its existence. He wasn't good enough for us, but immediately upon his arrival in Oakland, he took the Raiders to the SB. I don't even know what we got in return, but that had to be our worst trade ever. He was clearly better than Jack Kemp too.

26 minutes ago, MJS said:

Didn't even think of that. Even more impressive.

 

That's 4,400 yards and 45 TD's if it were a 16 game season. That's incredible. Defenses were allowed to play back then and QB's were beaten into the turf.

 

It was 6 preseason games and 14 regular season games.

[Billzgobowlin]

3 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

Yeah not sure how many people know that but it was him.

Thats cool.  I remember telling him how much he meant to the championship teams.  Didnt know it was him

[TAinLack.]

R.I.P. Daryl Lamonica!  Bill, Raider and alumni of Notre Dame.

[Helpmenow]

Who is left from those teams, Butch, Booker, Billy Shaw, Al B

Wells, Charlie Smith, and Fred B were the guys with #3

[hondo in seattle]

5 hours ago, MJS said:

"Lamonica was an All-Pro again in 1969 when he led the AFL with 3,302 yards passing and 34 touchdowns. The 34 TDs still stand as the franchise’s single-season record more than a half-century later."

 

Those stats are good even today. Amazing.

 

Yeah.  Lamonica tossed 34 TDs in 1969.   NFL MVP, Roman Gabriel, was the next best pro QB that year with 24 TDs.  HOFer Fran Tarkenton threw 23.  It wasn't close.

 

Lamonica threw 2.4 TDs/game, leading his team to a 12-1-1 record back when RBs were still kings of the gridiron.  That year, in fact, a RB (named OJ) was the first pick in the draft.   5 RBs were drafted in the first round in 1969 versus 2 QBs.  

[Ta111]

Met Daryle in the 60’s while I was a in Little League football in Williamsville. Our coach knew him and brought him to one of our practices. He was a real class act. RIP.

[Punching Bag]

3 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Drafted in the 23rd round, wow.  Imagine the coverage that would require from ESPN!  Front office must have brought sleeping bags to the draft!

 

How many front office personnel should be fired for passing on him so many times?

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

24 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

How many front office personnel should be fired for passing on him so many times?

 

My comment was more directed toward just the fact that it was 23 + rounds long.  Who are they drafting, the 3rd string punter or something.    Admittedly was a different situation as no free agency, so these players you had long term unless cut or traded.  On the other hand some amazing players drop to the 23rd round like Lamonica.

[Sierra Foothills]

7 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

That's actually not 100% true

 

The person with the Billy Shaw username was not Billy Shaw 

 

I saw a lot of people ask him and he told me himself he was not.. so that's one at least 

 

I do know there were some ex bills on the site but the Billy Shaw told me he wasn't him

 

 

 

Who said he wasn't who? Him?

 

6 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I'm definitely NOT Billy Shaw.  However, I've been using his photo as my avatar for so long that now when I see it, I think it's a picture of me.  

 

😅  Are you occasionally startled when you look in the mirror to shave?

 

Does your wife recognize you as yourself or as Billy Shaw?

 

6 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

Keeping Lamonica and trading Kemp certainly would have been controversial.  Kemp was coming off two AFL titles and three straight AFL East crowns. Belichick certainly trades Kemp and keeps Lamonica but it's a different age.  Plus the Wilson loan to the Raiders and Lamonica causing "locker room" issues, who knows exactly what was behind the trade.  Both Powell and Flores were done by the time they got to Buffalo.  In hindsight, it's the worst trade in Bills history.   

 

Are you the real Pete Gogolak? If so, how's Charlie doing?

 

2 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

How many front office personnel should be fired for passing on him so many times?

 

23rd round! That kinda puts the Brady 6th round thing in a new perspective.

[CowgirlsFan]

RIP   Thanks for the memories.

 

 

 

[Sierra Foothills]

 

I'm fairly old but I don't remember Lamonica as a Bill.

 

I do remember him as a Raider though. One of my most memorable early NFL games was a Chiefs-Raiders game in around 1971 or so. Len Dawson vs Daryle Lamonica. Bombs away. Biletnikoff was playing for the Raiders as was Marv Hubbard, Raymond Chester, Jack Tatum, George Atkinson, Ben Davidson.

 

The Chiefs had Otis Taylor, Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, Ed Podolak, Bobby Bell, Jim Lynch, Jim Tyrer, Curly Culp, Marvin Upshaw... there must have been 7-8 future Hall of Famers in that game. The two greatest franchises in AFL history, the black and silver versus the red, the unis were beautiful. Even as a 10 year old I was transfixed in front of the TV. I knew even then I was watching a great football game.

 

RIP Daryle. You were awesome.

[Buffalo716]

2 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

My comment was more directed toward just the fact that it was 23 + rounds long.  Who are they drafting, the 3rd string punter or something.    Admittedly was a different situation as no free agency, so these players you had long term unless cut or traded.  On the other hand some amazing players drop to the 23rd round like Lamonica.

There basically almost drafted every position .. including multiple flankers and running backs.. multiple offensive lineman and defensive lineman

[BillsfaninChicago]

9 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

Yeah not sure how many people know that but it was him.

Wow I didn’t realize that was actually him. He was probably the most knowledgeable poster over there. Amazing QB and even better human. Prayers to him and his family.

Edited April 22, 2022 by BillsfaninChicago

[Buftex]

8 hours ago, I'm Spartacus said:

I think the coach was Lou Saban?

Slightly before my time (I was 9 months old when they won their second AFL Championship), but I think the coach in question was Joe Collier. He was Saban's D-coordinator during the championship seasons.  Ralph hired him at 33, then the youngest coach ever in pro-football- Of course, he looked closer to 63...but people just looked older back then!

 

[starrymessenger]

Sad. RIP DL.

[freddyjj]

9 hours ago, MJS said:

Didn't even think of that. Even more impressive.

 

That's 4,400 yards and 45 TD's if it were a 16 game season. That's incredible. Defenses were allowed to play back then and QB's were beaten into the turf.

 

It was a 14 game regular season in 1969. The AFL always played 14 games since its inception.  The NFL played a 12 game schedule from 1947-1960.  The NFL went to 14 games in 1961.  

 

In 1978 the now merged NFL went to a 16 game regular season schedule 8 years after merger. 

Edited April 22, 2022 by freddyjj

[BobbyC81]

12 hours ago, Greg S said:

Per WFAN in NY. He was 80. 

Unfortunately I didn’t get to see The Bomber as a Buffalo Bill.  Vaguely recall him as a Raider.  I remember Blanda more because I remember one Raiders season in the early 70s where Blanda won several games in the last minute, both as a kicker and a QB.

[Rico]

11 hours ago, dwight in philly said:

Kemp was more or less the Man , but whenever he stumbled , Lamonica would get the call. Joel Collier was the coach. Who made the decision to trade him? not sure .. maybe it was Ralph 

When in doubt, always best to blame Ralph.

[dwight in philly]

1 hour ago, Rico said:

When in doubt, always best to blame Ralph.

In this case i do believe he played a part because i believe Harvey Johnson was a GM  in name only.. i could be wrong. but one got the impression after Saban left it was because of his inability to get along with Ralph. I am not a guy who historically would "blame Ralph" as was prevalent back then, just an assumption in this situation.

[Marv's Neighbor]

Al Davis ate Ralph's cheap lunch, on that trade.  Tom Flores & Art Powell??? 

 

We were blessed to have had Daryl, along with that very early QB controversy.  RIP Daryl!

[machine gun kelly]

Before my time, but heard a lot from my Dad’s generation.  Hopefully it was peaceful for him.

[eball]

12 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Strictly from a one-move basis..........trading the Mahomes pick to KC was worse.

 

There is no guarantee that Buffalo wouldn't have become a bad team with Lamonica as the roster aged out...........it wasn't nearly as much of a QB driven league then and even so, Lamonica never won a SB.

 

Mahomes has won a SB............and it's technically harder to do that now than it was pre-expansion in Lamonica's days...........and Mahomes directly blocked the Bills from advancing in the playoffs and likely the SB twice already.    

 

But both trades are examples of why you should never risk giving a conference rival a tremendous QB prospect.

 

Yeah, I hear ya, but I still think there’s a hell of a lot of 20/20 hindsight that goes on with respect to Mahomes and how “can’t miss” of a prospect he was.

 

I’ll reserve judgment on how the Bills and Chiefs fared from that trade at the end of Allen’s and Mahomes’ careers, not now.