The 90's Were the Exception

[LasBillzz]

Depressed as we all are this season, it hurts to reflect on all the talent that this organization has cast aside, people who are now doing some of the finest work in the NFL: Ted Cottrell, Wade Phillips, Bill Polian, Pat Williams, Antoine Winfield, Sam Cowart, A.J. Smith, to name some.

 

I know some of the players were lost through unavoidable circumstances. However, there is no salary cap for management or coaches. Those men were unecessarily lost, but they left anyway- either of their own volition, or through firing. Given the fact that there are very few true talents and many pretenders in the ranks of NFL management and coaches, the main difference between teams is the quality of the people in the front office. We all know this.

 

And so should Ralph. Yet he squandered opportunities to keep Polian, Smith, Cottrell, and Phillips (any combination of which would still have the Bills competitive or better) and instead chose Donahoe, Greggg Williams, and Mularkey. Does it all boil down to the fact that Ralph somehow does not engender loyalty in his top people, or the idea that he is somehow not willing to go above guaranteed revenue to put a pile of money in front of a top talent?

 

Ralph clearly did not know who he had in Polian, who built the Bills we remember with pride. Aside from the 90's and the AFL teams of '64-'65, however, the NFL Bills have been a study in mediocrity. Lou Saban returned (then was gone again- why?) Chuck Knox had a few good teams (and knew how to swing deals- OJ for everyone) but didn't last. Aside from that, there have been excruciatingly long stretches where this team has been run by jokers like Harvey Johnson...and Tom Donahoe.

 

To be a Bills fan, alas, is to suffer- mostly in the back waters of second and third tier teams, knowing precious few moments on the national stage. Should we be happy with this? No. Should we get used to it? We have no choice.