OBD - So far so good, I am quite impressed.
by keysh67 on Mar 9, 2010 11:51 AM EST
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PrintJudging by the amount of Rumblers who have been extremely critical by the lack of FA signings thus far, I will probably get lambasted for this article but I feel it's worth mentioning and I am a big boy so I can take the criticism.
First of all, let me say that I was quite skeptical of the Chix hiring and so far I am quite impressed. What I like is that they definitely know where they want to go and they are sticking to their plan. I have no clue how good the plan will turn out but just the fact that they have a solid plan and are so focused is very refreshing.
1) Nix said right off the bat that he didn't care about public opinion and he wanted an experienced guy, preferably an offensive minded guy that was a great teacher. He hired Chan Gailey. You can say a lot of things about Chan Gailey but nobody can argue that he fits all criteria that Nix set. Nix got criticized but like he said, he didn't care.
2) Chan Gailey said he'd hire great teachers not necessarily the most popular coordinators out there. Again, he did not seem too concerned about public opinion. He knows what he wants and he went out and got it. I don't think many people could argue that the guys he brought in are all great teachers but also they fit his plan. The best example is Edwards, a great Linebacker teacher who has a lot of experience, he's coached both the 4-3 as well as the 3-4 and more importantly he coached a transitioning team from 4-3 to 3-4. One of our biggest investments currently on the team (Maybin) should prosper under the tutelage of a great Linebacker coach/teacher.
3) Nix said in his opening speech that he was very concerned with the rash of injuries the past few years and that he's pay special attention to trying to fix that problem. Chix went out and hired two Strength coaches, something that has probably never been seen before. I don't know if it will be good or bad, actually I can't imagine it being a bad thing at all but regardless, Nix was true to his word once again, he's pulling out the stops trying to fix a serious problem that has handicapped our team for several years now.
4) Nix said that he strongly believed that you re-build a team through the draft not through free agency. He clearly indicated not to expect anything but a few depth additions in Free Agency. Nobody should be upset or surprised by what has transpired since last Friday. Again he seems to be very true to his word.
5) Specifically as it pertains to Free Agency, Nix also said that he believes in keeping his players and building from within. Rewarding the players that were drafted by the team and developed by the team. Often you see a new administration come in and cut everyone only to start over with their guys. When Nix suggested that he thinks he has some quality at the QB position and that he doesn't necessarily need to change anything there, I was surprised. Not for the reasons you might think, I was surprised because he once again is true to his word. Edwards was drafted by this organization and has not been dealt the best hand the past few years (carousel of bad coordinators and lack of a real system). Edwards did show some glimpses of stardom and then he also looked just about as bad as can be. I don't know if his career can be salvaged but I sure has hell like the fact that Nix has the jewels to actually consider keeping him to give him another shot.
6) The last few days we've seen a bunch of visits being planned with round 1-2 prospects. One thing I can say about this new administration is they definitely seem to be thorough and they seem to work hard. It would not surprise me at all if they schedule more 1:1s than any other administration we've had in the past. I get the impression that they believe in drafting the best player on the board, which is probably why they are doing they homework properly.
In conclusion, whether you agree with the approach or not, Nix definitely is demonstrating through his words as well as his actions, that he has a plan. And this my friends, is miles better than we've had in a very long time.
Buddy, keep it up - you are earning my respect.
Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.
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I couldn’t agree with you more. IMO, as Bills fans, we are indoctrinated into not believing in the FO/Owner/coaching staff….. it is quite refreshing to see Nix have the stones to smack down the typical Buffalo media nonsense, put his plan out there, follow it and not be swayed into mortgaging the future or making moves just for the sake of making them. My only hope is that he can truly “spot a football player” and it is reflected in a strong, PRODUCTIVE draft class this year.
"The ball is like a cold to Clifford Franklin..... Clifford Franklin the only one catchin' it....Clifford Franklin the only one comin' down wit it!"....... Clifford Franklin
rec'd and agree
true to their word has been the motto and while it may or may not produce on sundays, it is very different from saying we build through the draft, and then acquiring 100 million dollars worth of offensive lineman that don’t pan out
On the hunt... Bills in the playoffs 2010
Refreshing post...
Very nice change of pace. I am happy with the way that they are operating and am excited to see the product. Good work Key
Despite any moves Nix has made/hasn’t made so far, I gotta say I love the guys moxie. He’s stepped into a complete mess of a front office, taken charge and made it his own.
And right now with the way this franchise has been going, that’s all we could ask from him.
I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.
Syracuse Basketball 2010: Big East Champs!!! G'Orange!
I know, I know.........im so negative..........
I’ll be impressed when I see if things have really changed when mini-camp, preseason, season starts……….and I see the fruits of the labor……
Because as far as my eyes can tell……..some names and faces have changed……but thats it.
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Mar 9, 2010 12:36 PM EST reply actions
Rome wasn't build in a day
For me the way I will evaluate success is by how many draft rookies pan out and crack the starting lineup.
I am not expecting any miracles in 2010, and even if we finish with only 3 wins I will not view it as a lost season, as long as I see positive results (ie switch to 3-4), improvements by Maybin, improvements by both lines and a solid improvement in offensive game management
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
well thats great and all.......
and Im trying to be as nice as I can when I say this………
But I will evaluate success with wins and losses.
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Mar 9, 2010 2:41 PM EST up reply actions
you cannot do that in a complete re-build year. Let me tell you right now that you will be disappointed my friend.
Creating an offensive identity, switching to a 3-4, retooling the whole roster, all new coaches except for two, a whole new ST approach… C’mon man, you can’t honestly tell me that you are going to expect a winning record? Wins/Losses won’t mean much this year but they will next year. This year we need to look deeper to find success, deeper than just the win/loss record, we need to look and see how successful their implementations are.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
oh I know that 2010 is going to be rough year (in the wins department)
But wins and losses still mean alot………this year…….you think the guys are gonna keep trying hard, and we’re gonna bring in any type of even decent FA if it doesnt look like this team is going in the right direction?
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Mar 9, 2010 3:39 PM EST up reply actions
I understand. All I am saying is that there are other factors than just W/L to determine if we are successful and headed in the right direction. And I don’t think Buddy’s philosophy will change from this year to next year, I doubt that he’ll be looking for any major FAs next year either, if you believe what he says, he will be quite content to rebuild through the draft.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Im sorry but to continue to ignore FA's would be a mistake.....
sure dont break the bank with one…..but if there is a guy who you can bring in (who wants to come here) I dont see why he wouldnt if he could be an asset to the team…….
Alot can change in a year…..
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Mar 9, 2010 4:45 PM EST up reply actions
I understand your point of view but I don’t think that Nix views it that based on his press conferences and interviews. He really seems to believe in building from the inside out, drafting, teaching & training, once they get to blossom, extend them. The beauty of this approach is a complete buy-in in the system and philosophy. Sometimes, bringing in big FAs can disrupt team chemistry.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Im sorry but I dont see how you cant say the same thing about chemistry with a rookie either
they both are in essence new to the team…..and new to how the team does business.
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Mar 9, 2010 7:08 PM EST up reply actions
The veteran that had success with other teams doesn’t necessarilly buy into the Chix coolaid the same way a young impressionable kid does coming out of the draft.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
well my friend we can go back and forth on this one all day :-)
but if the guy can play……and help the team win………..he should be brought in……..no matter the avenue.
But I thank you for the discussion.
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Mar 9, 2010 7:16 PM EST up reply actions
You know, it IS possible to look like you’re a franchise going in the right direction without winning 10 games every season.
Did you see the Lions this season? They look like a franchise with an all right future.
I call it... The Avaslug!
I am the 1st and probably only official member of the David "Dr." Jones fanclub. Until I get the newsletter out, anyway.
Syracuse Basketball 2010: Big East Champs!!! G'Orange!
by UZ on Mar 10, 2010 6:27 PM EST up reply actions
and I rec'd your OP
because its well written and well argued………..Keep up the good stuff :-)
The only cure for a bad today is tomorrow.
by norcaliangelsfan on Mar 9, 2010 2:42 PM EST up reply actions
Finally someone not complaining
Thank you for this post, I couldn’t agree with you more about everything. It is nice to finally see someone who is not constantly complaining about not going out to get this guy or we need to draft a Clausen or Bradford or we are doomed. You are absolutely right about everything the new regime has done so far. I am also happy with the way everything has been going under them so far.
I mostly agree keysh
I will say though, in regards to having a plan, we don’t really know exactly how it’ll play out so it’s tough to say what they’re doing is correct. They seem to have a plan (3-4 switch for example), which is very refreshing, but how this plan is implemented is what we need to judge. Right now, they’ve pretty much done nothing, so all we have is a blueprint. Once player movement and more additions/subtractions take place, we can then begin to understand and agree/disagree with this plan. The plan can’t be what we judge, the actual implementation of it is. We have to see how this plays out first (and hope that OBD is doing the right things…).
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
All I said was that he had a plan and he seems to be sticking to it. Never said that the plan was good or bad.
And I did finish by saying that he is earning my respect, I did not say “earned”.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
All I'm saying
is that the plan is meaningless if it’s not implemented correctly. I said it’s refreshing to finally have a plan, so that’s a good thing. I just want to see it play out before really approving of it.
I understand what you’re saying.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
completely agree
the draft and subsequent FA period will tell us much more, and I want to see how they navigate at least. so far, a slow start to FA does not surprise me.
i will not drinketh thy coolaid...
Jauron had a plan too. They wanted to get faster and added Triplett and Whitner. Then they wanted to improve the OL and the running game so they signed Walker and Dockery and drafted Lynch. Everybody has a plan. You’re right that it’s more about implementing the plan than the plan itself. Let’s hope that Nix and co. don’t overpay for average guys, find some studs in the draft and don’t try to fit square Langston Walker shaped pegs into round LT shaped holes.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
by kaisertown on Mar 10, 2010 7:54 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
No
They’ll come up with new and improved ways to screw-up. I’m kidding, I hope.
by buffalobacker on Mar 10, 2010 8:48 PM EST up reply actions
I think in langston’s case is was a very round peg in a tight square hole
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
TWSS
as a very round peg in a tight square hole
by NorCal BillsFan on Mar 11, 2010 1:04 AM EST up reply actions
Then they wanted to improve the OL and the running game so they signed Walker and Dockery
Then they should have waited a year and signed Faneca.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Mar 11, 2010 1:38 AM EST up reply actions
I enjoyed your post and liked your reasoning My only concern however is that when Dick Jauron was hired, I heard about how good of a teacher he and his staff were, It is one thing to say it, it is a whole different thing to back it up…lets hope its not lip service all over again
Well when Nix was hired they said he was a draft guru, a guy that strongly believed in rebuilding through the draft not Free Agency, a guy who believed in teaching up young players quickly, etc. So far he has lived up to the lip service. We still need to see how good the guy is at recognizing talent, I remain very hopeful.
Will Gailey live up to his lip service? We’ll see by the start of the season.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
"the Chix hiring"
let’s not forget that these are two different men in two different roles and they are not the same hire.
i will not drinketh thy coolaid...
I hope this is sarcastic because they have yet to prove to anybody that they have improved this team. So far they’ve brought in a washed-up RT, who Raiders-fans were exuberant to see leave. I’ve a feeling that Buddy and Chan are being greatly limited economically to spend by Ralph and his frugal nature because we aren’t even bringing guys like Dwan Edwards, Nick Eason, Anthony Becht etc. to town.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 9, 2010 4:19 PM EST reply actions
not at all
I would bring your attention to the fact that I made no mention of “improved team” anywhere in the article.
I simple wanted to state the fact that Nix has been true to his word in every action he’s take so far since getting the top job. I personally find it encouraging to see that he seems to have a plan, whether the plan is good or bad is not being debated here, simply that the guy has a plan and he seems to be sticking to it. And I find it refreshing that someone taking over such a de-railed organization as the Buffalo Bills is able to remain focused and patient and able to let the media and fans insults just roll over his back. He is not looking for the quick hit, he seems to be focused on the long term, which is quite refreshing.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Everybody has a plan – the Jauron-regime had a plan – what matters is that they execute it to near perfection and aqquire as much talent as possible and thereby win as many games as possible. Buddy hasn’t acquired talent to this roster at all. It’s still below-average with a ton of holes and it doesn’t seem like he intends on changing that before the draft.
As far as Buddy being true to his word, that might be true, but when we finish 4-12 next year, we’ll regret not spending some more money on potentially important players to our 3-4 defense, our offensive line, and depth. I get that we’re building through the draft, but if we intend ONLY to build through the draft, I can guarentee you it’ll take 4-5 years before we are competitive again.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 9, 2010 5:08 PM EST up reply actions
Not sure that I agree with your 4-5 year projection (see my article The PLAN from a few days ago)
As far as the Jauron Regime goes, well there’s the problem right there! Jauron was a coach not a GM and he was focused on the current as opposed to Nix that is looking a few years down the road.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Buddy hasn’t acquired talent to this roster at all
FYI – it’s March
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 9, 2010 8:06 PM EST up reply actions
As far as Buddy being true to his word, that might be true, but when we finish 4-12 next year, we’ll regret not spending some more money
Because signing Tony Pashos, Jamal Williams, Chad Pennington, Fujita, and Joey Porter = 12-4? I don’t think any number of free agents the Bills signed this year would have put them anywhere near the playoffs.
YES WE CHAN!
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 10, 2010 8:06 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I don’t think any number of free agents the Bills signed this year would have put them anywhere near the playoffs.
couldn’t agree more with this statement.
I just get the sense that people think building a terrible team into a playoff contender is to get a few popular names in FA.
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 10, 2010 9:07 AM EST up reply actions
I agree
How many playoff teams have high priced FAs? not many
Brett Favre aside, who’s left? As I’ve said in other articles, you build properly through the draft and in y3 or y4 if you need one position to get you over that hump then maybe but the Dan Snyder/Jerry Jones way of building a team just does not work.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
But the Vikings were a playoff team without Brett Favre. He’s a bad example.
YES WE CHAN!
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 10, 2010 2:03 PM EST up reply actions
Matt, you still have to admit that the Vikes would not have made it that far without Brett.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
But even then it fits with your scenario – Favre was the one FA that got them over the hump. They were a great team already – he was the last piece. The Bills are nowhere near that, which is what you’ve been saying (and Nix has been acting on) all along.
2010 Bills' truth in advertising: "Look out Cleveland, this year we score 6!" - bluecollarbuffalo
by thefourwinds on Mar 10, 2010 4:45 PM EST up reply actions
Well no but you said playoff teams. They were a playoff team before their high-priced free agent Favre.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 11, 2010 10:06 AM EST up reply actions
I think we misunderstood each other…
if you need one position to get you over that hump then maybeI did not define the hump. Could be the hump to get into the playoffs or the hump to get to the big dance (like for the Vikings)
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
I get it. :-) Favre put them over that hump, surely.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 11, 2010 2:21 PM EST up reply actions
Yep
High $ FA is for getting over the hump.
Otherwise you fill holes with cheap FAs, You spend the big money when you are 1 or 2 players away.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Mar 11, 2010 1:43 AM EST up reply actions
Did I state that? No, I didn’t. But signing just some of those guys would help this team a lot. Cornell Green is not exactly going to help us. Ralph must be loving this – not spending any money in FA – raising prices on tickets.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 11:09 AM EST up reply actions
Somehow at 91 years old I don’t think he’s all that much concerned about the money side of it. He is an old man set in his ways – sure. But I am not certain that every decision along the way is always based on the money. Specifically in this case, I think Buddy was brought in Jan 2009 with the firm intention of giving the GM position to him at the conclusion of the season (if he wanted it). I think Buddy was brought in to rebuild this thing the right way and somehow I think Ralph is not butting in, I think Buddy is completely running the show.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Ralph is an old man who continues to butt in imo. He’s a shade of his former great self and shouldn’t be remotely involved in anything; unfortunately he is. For shame
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 12:34 PM EST up reply actions
I most definitely agree with you that he stayed too long at the helm of this ship. I am certain that Buddy Nix is in constant communications with old Ralphie but somehow I think Ralph respects him enough to let him execute his plan. I doubt the reason for not bringing in big named FAs is because of Ralph’s frugal ways, I belive that it’s Nix that simply does not want to go that route. He was part of an organization that really rebuilt a very crappy franchise and made it into a perennial contender, he’s definitely sipped his own coolaid and believes that he can do it again using the same recipe.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
I think Buddy was brought in to rebuild this thing the right way and somehow I think Ralph is not butting in, I think Buddy is completely running the show.
I agree, this year doesn’t have Ralph’s fingerprints on it, it seems we are taking a sane non marketing approach so far.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Mar 11, 2010 1:46 AM EST up reply actions
Green
Why are you sure that Green will contribute nothing?
by buffalobacker on Mar 10, 2010 12:29 PM EST up reply actions
But I still don’t understand why I or anyone else will regret them not signing more free agents. Are the one or two extra wins really worth 10+ million dollars to the fan base?
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 10, 2010 2:04 PM EST up reply actions
not to me
2010 Bills' truth in advertising: "Look out Cleveland, this year we score 6!" - bluecollarbuffalo
by thefourwinds on Mar 10, 2010 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
Great Post!
Couldn’t agree more… So far so good as far as the new regime is concerned, hopefully they will prove that they can bring “Long Term” success. So far I am certainly optimistic!
Good Change of Pace
Very good article. I completely see where you are coming from here however at the same time the organization won’t be earning my respect until I see some actual fruits of their labor…or lack there of it for those who think they are not doing enough. Remember you could be the greatest architect in the world but if you don’t have competent proven contractors to implement your plans then your plans are completely useless and irrelevant. At this point I am going to reserve judgment until training camp and the season begins because in reality that is where we will know how good the architects plan is coming together and whether or not he hired competent contractors.
Where else would you rather be than right here right now - Marv Levy
Agree
I agree with everything you said. I have thought the same things you put in this article. It is nice to finally see a clear vision at OBD.
Too early for me...
I like the 3-4 switch. I like the names that were shown the door and the ones that we tendered (except maybe Incognito). Other than that, on the player-personell front there just isn’t enough to be “impressed” by for me… yet.
I think they are generally headed in the right direction. Does this mean that we should all agree to agree that every move they make is a part of some unseen master plan? Nope.
They are working with what they have to work with. I buy that, at least.
i will not drinketh thy coolaid...
Good write Keysh....
well thought out, almost as if you picked my brain…. Or what’s left of it…
To all else… Quickly, name me one decent offensive coach the Bills have had in the last 4 years….
…………
……………
……………..Anyone????
Anyway… To me, that is already a significant improvement to our team and even if we had to go into this year with the current players, I expect this team to be better!!! Yes, because of the simple fact we have REAL coaches, experienced coaches, I at least expect these same players, to be better than last year…
Quickly, name me one decent offensive coach the Bills have had in the last 4 years
Jim McNally. Sean Kugler. Eric Studesville.
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by Brian Galliford on Mar 9, 2010 6:59 PM EST up reply actions
Good post.
All we can do now is hope the plan works out.
"The horse jumped over the f#@king fence."
- KV
Agree, good post
However, The RT may be settled(If the guy will stop committing penalties) but I would like to see at least one more need addressed in free agency. How many draft picks can become instant starters v.s. our how many needs we have? How many can REALLY hold down a position? Two? Three?
"This is what happens Larry!, This is what happens! "-Walter Sobchak
by BigEasyBillsKrewe on Mar 9, 2010 7:21 PM EST up reply actions
Am I missing something
How is the talent better on our team now than previously? You win football games because of talent. I will give credit to Nix when we win football games our he makes strides in improving our football team.
A couple specific issues:
Nobody should be upset or surprised by what has transpired since last Friday. Again he seems to be very true to his word.
So I shouldn’t be disappointed that he has not made an effort to fill the significant amount of holes our football team has, that just doesn’t make sense. The logic of “because he said so” really doesn’t provide me any warm fuzzies, especially for a team with underwhelming talent.
Nix also said that he believes in keeping his players and building from within. Rewarding the players that were drafted by the team and developed by the team. blockquote>
Did I miss something? Other than Wilson has he resigned anyone? Furthermore, I am disappointed that he let Reed walk.
So far I have not seen Nix make a decision which has provided our team with more talent. Until we get more talent in here, we are not going to be a better football team.
How can we be expected to get better through the draft (or better this year than in year’s past) when we retained the same advisor (Modrak).
I will give Nix credit when he fires Modrak, fills a couple of the holes on our team (outside of the draft) and we start winning games. Till then he is very much unproven. The first step is to fire Modrak, we simply cannot start fresh, until we are a “new” OBD.
I got nothing.
by Jason from OH-IO on Mar 9, 2010 7:20 PM EST reply actions
Crap… I always screw block quotes up.
I got nothing.
by Jason from OH-IO on Mar 9, 2010 7:21 PM EST up reply actions
Dude, you’re right. Everyone is an idiot for not doing exactly what you say. Why don’t you just take over the team and fix all our problems, over night, for us?
Obviously if we fired Modrak and kept Reed we’d be in line for the playoffs, maybe a super bowl ring.
"The horse jumped over the f#@king fence."
- KV
Obviously we will just agree to disagree.
I got nothing.
by Jason from OH-IO on Mar 9, 2010 10:21 PM EST up reply actions
hopefully not on Josh Reed. if he’s a sticking point for you then you need to re-evaluate his importance to this team.
Reed has been a starter on this team and a starting slot receiver for the Bills for 8 years and he has a grand total of 10 TDs.
That’s about 1 TD per SEASON.
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 10, 2010 9:12 AM EST up reply actions
That’s true but in the past 2 years, he’s been way more relevant. He was horrible in the first few years.
Now please don’t get the wrong impression because I am quite happy that he’s gone, I think Scuba Steve can easily take his place. Stevie is a great run-blocker, he is a big target and he is agreesive and not affraid over the middle. I think he’s done really well every opportunity that he’s gotten so far since being drafted. I thought he should’ve gotten some of Reed’s reps last year.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
I thought he should’ve gotten some of Reed’s reps last year.
oh absolutely.
On Reed though – last year should have been a good year for him. He had Lee and T.O. on each side and ran intermediate routes all the time. you wouldn’t think he would have had done a lot more than he did. especially with the QBs on the roster like trent who feels more comfortable hitting those short/intermediate routes.
I just don’t see how losing a guy like Reed is an issue at all
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 10, 2010 9:51 AM EST up reply actions
He was horrible in the first few years.
He was actually awesome his first year, they were using Moulds as a decoy in his prime to get Reed catches when he was a rookie, Unfortunately it went downhill from there.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Mar 11, 2010 1:51 AM EST up reply actions
Jason, respectfully the goal of my post was simply to say that so far Nix seems to have a plan and he sure as hell seems committed to following it. You might not agree with his plan and that’s fine, hell you might be right! All I know is that is take balls to stick to what he belives in because there are a lot of fans like you that want instant success, that want to to shoot at everything that moves.
I kinda agree with the principals of rebuilding this team properly through the draft, keeping money to resign & extend your own by not going crazy in free agency. I wrote another article a few days ago called THE PLAN in which I explained how I think they are purposely taking a step back. I think in 3y we can be a much better team if we can stick to the plan. Lets be honest, do we really want to win 6-8 games next year if it means not getting our franchise QB? What if I told you that we could fill at least 3 important positions this year and then 3 more next year, would you start drinking some of the coolaid? I look at what the chargers did from 2000 to 2004 and I believe my friend, it certainly can be done. The chargers hit rock bottom in 2000, the year they had Ryan Leaf but look at the rest of the team – they had absolutely nothing but garbage!!! the only decent guys they had were Rodney Harrison, Junior Seau & Jamal Williams who wasn’t that hot in 2000. My point is by 2004 they were perenial playoff contenders and the most important part of all this is they did it through the draft not FA.
And just for the record, I am quite impressed that Nix kept Modrak. I don’t think Modrak was the problem and I think he’s a good evaluator of talent. Nix has surprized me so far and I really look forward to the draft and more importantly to see how many draftees make it to the starting lineup.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Buddy was a perfect fit for Ralph – a person who wasn’t going to spend a lot of money on anything.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 2:35 AM EST up reply actions
Indirectly that might be true. But I would prefer to believe that Buddy was hired because he knew how to rebuild a franchise properly with a very strong foundation – through the draft. See below, the draft classes from 2001-2006, look at the Chargers today and try to name me a bunch of free agents on that team and you won’t be able to.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
They re-signed Wilson and Bryan Scott.
YES WE CHAN!
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 10, 2010 8:08 AM EST up reply actions
How many starters will come from the draft? Two? Three? v.s. how many needs we have. LT, DE, NT, WR, QB, that’s five off the top of my head. Chix will HAVE TO sign SOME FA STARTING talent.
"This is what happens Larry!, This is what happens! "-Walter Sobchak
by BigEasyBillsKrewe on Mar 9, 2010 7:25 PM EST reply actions
You’re expecting to win right away. This is not the plan, and not the way to rebuild a franchise. Nix is looking at the long haul.
2010 Bills' truth in advertising: "Look out Cleveland, this year we score 6!" - bluecollarbuffalo
Marv had something to say about that.
“When you say you’re building for the future, that’s an incomplete sentence. You’re building for the future coach and general manager, is what you’re doing.” – Marv Levy
"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
by Calvert on Mar 9, 2010 8:55 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And Marv benefited from that very thing when he was hired and had a bunch of Hall of Famers on his roster that was built before he got there. :-) He would know!
YES WE CHAN!
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 10, 2010 8:09 AM EST up reply actions
Sorry calvert – but Marv is great at quotes – not building winning football teams. proof is in the pudding.
If it wasn’t for Bill Polian – Marv would have been just another coach in Buffalo that didn’t amount to much
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 10, 2010 9:13 AM EST up reply actions
Agreed. Looking back, I think Levy’s one season as a GM, in which they tried to win right away, went worse than anything Donahoe ever did. They tried to win right away by filling holes in FA with players like Robert Royal, Anthony Thomas, Peerless Price, Melvin Fowler, Larry Triplett and Anthony Hargrove. They had modest success that first year going a surprising 7-9 after only winning 5 games the year before. They looked like they were on the right path by being active in FA again the next offseason signing Walker and Dockery. But they never developed a good enough young core of players or a QB and things eventually went terribly south after overly depending on mediocre FAs to make a difference.
What Buffalo needs to do is make this draft the focus of their offseason. Let the kids play this year and see what they’ve got between last year’s draft, this year’s draft and other young players like Bell, Hardy and Johnson. Then you go into the 2011 FA and draft ready compliment the roster both by adding players at specific positions or adding size/speed/toughness/smarts/leadership or whatever you’re lacking. Maybe you even make the big FA or trade splash if that’s what’s needed.
All you’re doing by signing players now is limiting you’re FA options in the future in exchange for marginally improving a team that’s not winning this year anyways. There’s a right and wrong way to build. All the best teams have built fromt the ground up and through the draft and not by signing a long list of FAs in year one.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
by kaisertown on Mar 10, 2010 8:15 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
EXACTLY !!!
Very well said! You know Nix said something that stuck in my mind, he said that by week 8 they are not rookies no more, which tells me that he fully intends on playing the kids as you said. There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting them play to see exactly what you really have. In our case even if we finish with a 3-13 record or close to it, who cares? We’ll be picking high up again next year. What counts to me is the amount of draftees that crack the starting lineup.
Just a not about last season, I wrote many posts suggesting to get Scuba steve some playing time over Reed and Owens and I got completely lambasted for suggesting it but I was 100% right. Cause now both those guys are gone and we have absolutely no clue what we have in Stevie Johnson. I personally remain convinced that he can get it done but it would have been very prudent to favor him over Reed, especially since Reed was becoming a FA. But I digress… I think those types of errors will not happen with the Nix era, he seems like a very smart football guy.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
by keysh67 on Mar 10, 2010 11:30 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I recall telling you that Perry Fewell wasn’t going to do that. I didn’t lambaste you. Fewell wanted wins for his resume.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 11, 2010 10:09 AM EST up reply actions
Many Rumblers were against the idea of giving Scuba Steve some of Reeds playing time. I do recall many discussions around the fact that Fewel was auditioning for the HC position and was concerned with wins. It’s unfortunate that we did not have a GM in place at the time because trying to get 2-3 more wins did nothing but hurt us:
a) We could have had our pick at one of the top 2 QBs or one of the top two LTs or one of the top 2 NTs. Now we must settle for whatever falls to us.
b) We could have played our young guys like Stevie & James and gotten a much better idea going into this season. Do we need to draft another WR? Who knows? As I said in numerous posts, Reed was in his final year and Owens was probably gonzo at year end so why not play the younger guys and at least get some valuable game film on them.
People are so focused on winning games at all costs that they forget to look at the bigger picture. Building a strong perennial playoff contending franchise take time and planning. Like this year for example, I want to win games but not at the expense of 3 years down the road. I am so fed up of losing it’s not even funny anymore. You cannot find game enough game changing players in the draft when you always finish 7-9 or 8-8. You need to be picking near the top.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
by keysh67 on Mar 11, 2010 11:12 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
They tried to win right away by filling holes in FA with players like Robert Royal, Anthony Thomas, Peerless Price, Melvin Fowler, Larry Triplett and Anthony Hargrove.
Marv screwed up in three places, the Dockerry signing and Royal and Triplett. He really blew it with those three, if he had waited a year for Faneca, we might not be having this conversation.
.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Mar 11, 2010 2:00 AM EST up reply actions
Thomas wasn’t a bad pickup, or Peerless or Hargrove, we didn’t break the bank to get them. Melvin Fowler, he suck, but didn’t break the bank, the real gaffles were Dockery, Royal and Langston.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Mar 11, 2010 2:05 AM EST up reply actions
And
Triplett, that was a major screw up too.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Mar 11, 2010 2:06 AM EST up reply actions
He also screwed up big time
really reaching to get Whitner and then selling the farm to get McCargo,
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
All you’re doing by signing players now is limiting you’re FA options in the future in exchange for marginally improving a team that’s not winning this year anyways
Awesome. Rec’ing the hair off that thing.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 11, 2010 10:08 AM EST up reply actions
I love when the defenders of Nix say winning right away isn’t the the plan. If winning games isn’t the plan than what is the plan!
You play to win the games.
I got nothing.
by Jason from OH-IO on Mar 9, 2010 9:02 PM EST up reply actions
the plan is to get this once proud franchise out of the gutter
and make no mistake, we are waist deep in the gutter after spending ten years down there. I dont care one bit for snapping up a playoff season and then sinking right back down into the muck. I want to be PROUD of my team again. I want to dominate our division and make our opponents fear us every Sunday, every season. And that is what Nix should be planning for.
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
by poz on Mar 9, 2010 9:18 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly. The plan is to build a consistent winner. And that doesn’t happen in one offseason.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
You play to win the games
correct to a point – you play to win a championship. That’s their plan – to win a championship. not go to 8-8 or 9-7 this year – but to win a championship. that’s what they are building for.
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 10, 2010 9:14 AM EST up reply actions
I definitely think that you are not a “rebuild through the draft” type of guy and it’s OK, you are definitely entitled to your opinions.
When you rebuild through the draft you actually want it to take a few years. Let me explain, our two largest needs are LT & QB, quickly followed by NT & LB. Franchise LTs & QBs are had in the top 3-8 any given year. Rarely will you find a Franchise LT or QB in later rounds. Don’t get me wrong, it happens but not often. This year we are choosing #9, there are only 2 QBs and the jury is still out if they are Franchise type QBs, the LT selection is much better and the chances of us landing one at #9 are quite high. We go LT this year and then NT, LB or what ever. If we finish 8-8, we lose our opportunity at Locker or Mallet for next year. I am not suggesting to throw away the season far from it but I do understand that building a good foundation takes time.
Imagine if in y1 we get Bulaga/Williams and say Thomas and then a few decent LBs or DEs in later rounds. We finish the year at 3-13 but show promise for the future. The tranition to 3-4 is complete and Maybin is starting to come allive.
Then in y2 we get Locker and then a monster DE or LB in rd2
Our team would be way better off for the future than trying to pull out stops right away in y1 and losing the opportunity to get a locker or Mallet next year. Anyway I believe in rebuilding through the draft and you do not so let’s agree to disagree.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Agreed
I agree Jason, but Signing FA doesn’t ensure a winning season. I fully expect that they play is yr. with intent to win. I feel anything less than last yrs record is a failure.
by buffalobacker on Mar 10, 2010 10:02 AM EST up reply actions
not necessarily
Let’s say we go LT, NT this year and our transition to the 3-4 goes really well and one of our incumbent QBs does a decent enough job and we finish 7-9. I would be happy because I see improvement but I also would realize that we’ve lost our chance at a franchise QB – and the same argument could be said if we picked up Claussen this year and missed out on a Franchise LT next year. I understand that maybe a rd2 or 3 guy could become a “franchise” guy but it’s highly unlikely.
So I guess my point is, if we draft well and our rookies perform at a high level and our transition goes well but we end up 3-13 or 4-12 how can that be considered a failure? Are you taking into account the change in schemes both offensively and defensively? Complete change of coaching staff, complete re-shuffle of players & roster. C’mon, how can you expect to match last years record?
I think they decided to switch to a 3-4 this year for exactly the reason I mention above, that they can afford to finish with a worse record, which will better position them for the second year (draft-wise). For me, if we can get 2-3 of our draftees this year to become immediate starters, if Maybin starts showing why we drafted him so high and our trenches improve, I will consider the year a success, regardless of the W/L record. We are building for the future and that take time and patience.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
by keysh67 on Mar 10, 2010 10:35 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Expectations
I expect the team to do better than last year, First off they were decimated with injuries last year. They have a new system and new coach and new FO. With that being said opposing teams won’t know what to expect. We should catch some teams off guard. I maybe a little optimistic, but that’s just me!!
by buffalobacker on Mar 10, 2010 12:37 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly and if this team isn’t in the playoffs in three years, these guys will be gone.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 11:11 AM EST up reply actions
*/should be gone
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 11:11 AM EST up reply actions
EXACTLY !!!
Look at the Chargers from 2000 onwards, look at the drafts from 2003 to 2006 – wow man, that’s some impressive stuff!
2001 draft class
2002 draft class
2003 draft class
2004 draft class
2005 draft class
2006 draft class
Now I look at this and I don’t see many of their superstars coming from free agency, do you?
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Not to mention depth…
"This is what happens Larry!, This is what happens! "-Walter Sobchak
by BigEasyBillsKrewe on Mar 9, 2010 7:26 PM EST reply actions
I hope we trade out of #9 to get more picks.seems our only hope
"This is what happens Larry!, This is what happens! "-Walter Sobchak
by BigEasyBillsKrewe on Mar 9, 2010 7:27 PM EST reply actions
Agree with you here, that stockpiling picks (to pick up more good talent sooner) is a great way to build an organization.
2010 Bills' truth in advertising: "Look out Cleveland, this year we score 6!" - bluecollarbuffalo
When Ralph clearly limiting our GM as always economically, we’ll HAVE to stockpill picks because we simply have too many holes everywhere (QB, LT, 2. WR, NT, DE, LB-depth) to not address them.
If Ralph isn’t too cheap, we ought to go out and sign Dwan Edwards and Torry Holt, then we would have added a starter at DE over Spencer Johnson, which is important, and a 2. WR, who could teach Steve, James a couple of tricks.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 2:40 AM EST up reply actions
I understand that it’s your OPINION that Ralph is cheap and won’t let Nix sign any FA’s, but I think you should stop phrasing your OPINION as fact. It is NOT clear that Ralph is economically limiting our GM, and it seems there are plenty of people around here that are happy we aren’t wasting money on mediocre FAs just to placate fans like yourself with maybe 1 more win next season.
"The horse jumped over the f#@king fence."
- KV
Definately Rec'd
I’m happy to have read this because I couldn’t agree more. The guy (Nix) has definately done everything he’s said he was going to do. I had been skimming around most of the stuff on here over the weekend and was astonished (well… maybe not astonished, afterall we are all human after all) by how much negativity there was surrounding our moves, or lack thereof in FA so far. First of all it’s a marathon not a sprint, and second our GM said from the word go that he was going to do this. It’s very refreshing to see someone giving the guy some credit! I think Buddy is going to do his best to make this team better for years to come… not just for right now, and I’m thankful for that. Great post!
Nice read keysh67 ..... rec'd
I am encouraged by what I have seen, but let’s face it, we haven’t seen very much so far. It is a good start and there are some reasons to hope things will get better, but this could also go south in a hurry.
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Please illuminate me because all of you optimist’s are absolutely baffling me: What EXACTLY makes you think these two guys are ANY better than what we had before? Why are you encouraged, when they have yet to do anything to improve this team??!?
I like Buddy – I think he’ll be able to do a solid job in the draft, but I have ZERO confidence in Gailey and his mediocre ability as a coach.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
We know.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Mar 10, 2010 12:45 PM EST up reply actions
Good.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
No Way
No way to defend Gailey, That’s why they play the games. I’ll reserve my criticism till his record as coach warrants it. Until then I give them benefit of doubt.
by buffalobacker on Mar 10, 2010 12:46 PM EST up reply actions
I get your way of thinking. I just have a very hard time giving the Bills the benefit of the doubt after all these years of futility. The Bills have a way of getting the best of me
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 1:38 PM EST up reply actions
I just have a very hard time giving the Bills the benefit of the doubt after all these years of futility.
I agree to a point – you have to understand though that this, right here, is the start of a new regime.
so pinning past regimes failures onto this regime isn’t all that fair – plenty of crap teams like ours have risen from the dead to be good again – all it took was a good football guy with a plan. we seem to be on that path
We got the tools, We got the talent
by J2 on Mar 10, 2010 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
I hear you man
I’ve said this story before but it bears repeating…
I drive down from Montreal 3-4 times per year to catch a game. I’ve had 4 season tickets since 2007. I remember a strech where I drove down to see us kick a field goal against the 49ers and lose and then a few weeks later against the Patriots we didn’t even get on the board. So two trips, 28hrs of driving, approx $1100 worth of expenses to what amounts to a field goal… I really hear you man!
I highly encourage you to take a serious look at how the Chargers did it because it’s therapeutic! It really can be done through the draft but we need to be patient.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Maybe, just maybe
What Chan needed was Buddy Nix as his boss? Yes, you’re right in saying that Gailey has never proved that he could win anything but he has proven that he is able to rebuild a team. Maybe having Nix calling the shots and drafting the players will help Gailey get over that mediocrity bump?
I am willing to wait and see. So far, all I can say is that I am somewhat impressed by his choice of coaching staff, I think he did what he said he was going to do assemble a staff of great teachers. We cannot judge him on his performance because there’s nothing to judge him on yet.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Agreed
We cannot judge him on his performance because there’s nothing to judge him on yet.
Exactly!!!!! and we have no choice. CHIX are in charge. Might as well give them the benefit of the doubt until they actually do screw up…….or maybe they will surprise us. I guess I am just not willing to walk around pissed off until the draft because we didn’t hire Cowher.
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
Agreed
I agree Joe, but I think we tried to hire Cowher didn’t we? All I’m saying is you can’t say we didn’t try to get big name coach. They just turned Ralph down.
by buffalobacker on Mar 10, 2010 1:55 PM EST up reply actions
correction
they turned Nix down.
Nix was a shoe in before the season ended IMO
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
And that took me some time to get over
Would Cowher or Shanny or Frazier or Grimm have come here if the Bills had hired DeCosta or one of the other young GM prospects? No…no…no…..not going to think about it……maybe I am not over it after all :-)
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
I’m not pissed that we didn’t hire Cowher because from the looks of it, we did EVERYTHING we possibly could to land either him or Shanahan. I just didn’t like the hire Gailey-hire at all. No doubt the guy knows offense – a very strong offensive mind, but not a good HC.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 4:03 PM EST up reply actions
There’s not much you can do about it now. For better or for worse he is the Head Coach for the foreseeable future so at one point you are going to have to save us all and accept it. Complaining about it at this point is not going to change anything. Give him a chance to prove you wrong and if he does, we all win and if he doesn’t, well you are on record having said in advance that you thought he was bad – how’s that?
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Absolutely, I have no problem admitting that I don’t think Chan Gailey is a good HC, but I still root for the Bills and I hope to death that Ralph once and for all got lucky with one of his hires. My gut, though, tells me we hired another average coach who will plead this franchise with three or four more years of mediocrity,
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 10, 2010 4:36 PM EST up reply actions
how can you keep saying Ralph is cheap and should stay out of things
and then say we did everything we could to land Cowher and Shanahan? You are obviously aware, based on that statement, that Ralph threw millions upon millions of dollars at these guys and made the correct call to go after them. So how can you keep calling him cheap and a shell of his former self?
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
Because I still believe – even though the Bills pursued both of them hard – that he’s cheap, i.e. not willing to spend a lot of money when our team really could use some players to our 3-4 defense.
As far as Ralph needing to stay out of things, it speaks for itself that an old, tired 91-year-old shouldn’t be making critical decisions for a NFL-franchise. For crying out loud, the guy hired Buddy Nix and did it supposedly because he was the only one he knew well enough; the other candidate being freakin John “I wouldn’t be able to spot a good free agent if my life depended on it” Guy.
"The one commonality in both places (Oakland and Buffalo) is an aging owner who keeps interfering too much. Ralph Wilson continually butts his nose in the football operation and tells the team who to draft"
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Mar 11, 2010 12:05 PM EST up reply actions
wow
really good read keysh, thanks.
You also opened my eyes to something I totally missed…
The best example is Edwards, a great Linebacker teacher who has a lot of experience, he’s coached both the 4-3 as well as the 3-4 and more importantly he coached a transitioning team from 4-3 to 3-4
Bam! Wow, good point. Never noticed that or thought about it. But now that you’ve raised it, I like that a lot.
Now if someone could help me dig up some Buddy Nix quotes on stuff he hasn’t done yet, we’ll get ourselves a nice decent picture of what to expect this year.
rec’d.
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
Agreed. That was a great point and an underrated hire.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
Except he hasn’t been a DC before and that scares the crap out of me. He was an assistant DC in Washington, but that’s about it. That’s the only thing that concerns me. I understand that being a DC isn’t exactly like being an OC in terms of playcalling, but I’m still concerned.
Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
duly noted.
For the record, I believe he was the Asst-DC in Washington in 2002 and and interesting sidenote is that the DB coach was George Catavolos. Then as per Wikipedia, he was DC in 2003.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Oh. Good call. With some light research on pro-football-reference, it doesn’t appear that the Redskins’ D was particularly formidable that year. Of course, there are a lot of factors in this type of thing, but slipping from 5th to 25th in yards allowed is concerning. Conversely, it appears that they did better in takeaways in 2003 than in 2002. Of course, Spurrier was the coach and lord knows he wasn’t exactly cut out for the pro game, but it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of Edwards either.
Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
Edwards was DC in Washington in 2003.
You can't have CHANGE without CHAN.
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by MattRichWarren on Mar 11, 2010 9:55 PM EST up reply actions
Great post Keysh.
Personally, I’m not impressed by anything OBD has done so far. I like Russ Brandon’s role on the team, even if I’m one of the few. I thought the Nix hiring was pretty good. I’m not a fan of the Gailey hiring, but he’s not exactly a bad coach either. Buffalo did as well as I thought they could in putting the rest of the staff together. I thought they overspent on Green some and while the lack of signings doesn’t bother me, they do need to add some depth at some point.
I’m not impressed, but I’m not unimpressed either. So far, everything just seems standard to me. They’ve got a plan, but who doesn’t? They want to build through the draft, but who doesn’t? I like that they’re not trying to do over do things this offseason. I like that they are making changes. And I’m not exactly in the wait and see category, but I think it’s too early for me to be impressed. I’ll have a stronger opinion after the draft.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
LOL!!!!
I’m not impressed, but I’m not unimpressed either.
Don’t go “Jauron” on us :-)
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!
yeah I was going to say something...
Kaisertown, whaz-up with that? Riding the fence are we? LOL
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
haha, I guess that is a little Jauronian of me. But like NorCal says right below “too little to appreciate, too little to critique”. I’m not impressed that OBD has a plan because everybody has a plan. There isn’t a directionless team in the league. Even the Raiders have a plan. It might be an awful plan that simply includes drafting the best athletes they can, but it’s still a plan. I’m also not impressed by the lack of FA activity because that’s pretty standard for first year GMs and HCs who are looking to rebuild. And pair that with the capless based awful FA class and Buffalo didn’t really have much of a choice other than the route they are taking. The one exception could have been to acquire a QB somehow, but Mike Vick might be the only viable long term option out there if Kolb isn’t available and Buffalo was unwilling to pay a big price for McNabb.
It’s not just a wait and see attitude that has left me somewhere between impressed and unimpressed. I’m also in the middle because the moves the Bills have made have kind of balanced each other out to me. I thought the Buddy Nix hire was a good one, but I wasn’t a fan of Gailey. I liked some of the coaches they brought on, but I thought they overpaid for Green and have no clue why they paid Kelsay that roster bonus. I’m glad they let the FAs walk except for the only couple guys who were worth keeping and I’m not a fan of going into next season with Edwards as a starter, but it looks like that’s a fairly strong possibility. So, it’s tough for me to be impressed with what’s been done this offseason when I don’t think they’ve made one move that’s all that impressive. But it’s also really early in the process and I don’t think they’ve made any major mistakes yet, so I’m not unimpressed or discouraged by how the offeason has gone.
I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute
WOW
You actually did a dam good job of explaining the not impressed but not unimpressed comment!! I agree I thought Green was somewhat overpaid as well, but finding a veteran LT with little mileage must have been a priority for OBD. I suspect that because they are probably not willing to promised a starting job probably makes it harder to find a FA to come in here. Not making excuses for them, just trying to make some sense of it..
I have to say that Kelsay had a pretty decent year, actually almost as good as his best in 2006. I was still a bit baffled myself when they picked up the Roster bonus but maybe they just want to keep their options open. There might be a trade market for Kelsay come draft day, $500k is not that big of a price to pay to retain his rights. Besides he might also be a decent option at OLB, Maybe Edwards saw something he likes that he thinks he can work with? Kelsay is pretty solid against the run afterall.
Options at QB, man I am not certain at all about Vick and the more I think about it the less I like the idea. WILL G suggested getting Shaun Hill for a 7th and I like the idea. He’s an upgrade over Fitz and probably cheaper. When I look at Hill I get the impression that he could be the next Rich Gannon but in any case he’s solid and a quality QB2. The way I figure it, we are either drafting Claussen this year or drafting Mallet next year. If Claussen ain’t there and we go with a LT, let Hill/Edwards/Brohm fight it out. Go into the season with those three and let all the young guys play and gain valuable experience. Next year we’ll be in a position to get Mallet and we’ll be on our way.
I will be very critical of their first draft. I expect 2-3 rookies cracking the starting lineup. I’ll admit that being impressed at this point in the season does not carry the same weight as being impressed come September. Still, I like the fact that they (a) have what seems like a solid plan and (b) Are sticking with it, no matter what the media is saying
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
I understand you man
he is doing what a competent coach is supposed to be doing so far…too little to appreciate, too little to critique
by NorCal BillsFan on Mar 11, 2010 1:21 AM EST up reply actions
Sounds Like
Reading your post Kaiser I come away confused. Like you can’t decide if you like or don’t like OBD moves or lack thereof. I come away thinking you can’t have a opinion, no one can, till they do something to crititique. I guarantee everyone will have formed a opinion after the draft. Please don’t think I was criticizing your post. I wasn’t. Just never read something by you that wasn’t direct and unwavering in your opinion.
Not a Pats fan of course..
But every year I watch them fill holes in their team well after the draft as the preseason comes to a close and teams rid themselves of expensive Vets in favor of younger players..Pats take the older ones for a lot less money and let them fill the holes for a year or 2 as the young talent improves..Nix could very well be planning to do the same thing..Teams that splurge in FA spent right to the cap,and as that doesn’t apply this year it still does apply that You can only have a certain number of players on a team..It ain’t over till it’s over this whole Free Agency thing..
Never argue with an Idiot,they'll drag You down to their level and beat You with experience every time..
This is over the top
I don’t see how anyone can be “quite impressed” with OBD at this point. Three months into the new regime, there is nothing tangible accomplished yet. That’s not knocking them; the personnel turnover is going to take two drafts in my opinion to be complete; I just find it funny that you’re lauding them at this point when their only player acquisition is a RT that no Bills fan know particularly well, but by all accounts available, is suspect at best.
I’m also still holding out hope that giving the talentless Edwards another chance is all just lip service at this early juncture despite the courage you see in what would be a move beyond belief (it’s not courageous to willingly jump in the polar bear cage; it’s idiotic)…we’ll see how it unfolds and by May of 2011, we can look at the depth chart and have an idea of how Chix did in fixing Jauron’s folly.
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
when their only player acquisition is a RT that no Bills fan know particularly well
I’m guessing you did not read the article or understand why I am impressed. It is precisely the lack of action towards the higher priced FAs that I applaud. I am glad to see that Nix is not letting himself be pressured by anxious fans and media into bringing in guys too soon. The last thing we need is to bring in a high priced vet that brings us to a .500 mediocre record and far away from next years top picks. The most effective medicine normally tastes bad.
My point throughout the article is that Nix is focused on the prize and he doesn’t let external factors deviate him from his course, which is essential if this rebuild is to succeed.
Of course you are entirely entitled to your opinion.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
nope
I read the article and simply didn’t buy it. It’s totally grasping at straws to be “impressed” with Buffalo’s inactivity. It’s ridiculous to believe that Buffalo would be “pressured” by anxious fans in the first place; they don’t get bonus points for avoiding an imaginary obstacle. Please don’t misconstrue simple disagreement with a lack of reading comprehension.
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
your words not mine
I just find it funny that you’re lauding them at this point when their only player acquisition is a RT that no Bills fan know particularly well
The reason I said that you did not read or understand was because you implied that somehow the RT acquisition had something to do with why I was praising Nix…
I am not grasping at anything my friend, I am truly impressed so far.
they don’t get bonus points for avoiding an imaginary obstacleThis probably felt good to write but I’ll remind you that this is the place that put up a billboard to fire the last guy, there was nothing imaginary about that obstacle. Nix must contend with talking heads criticizing him for not doing much and most fan blogs or at least the guys blogging are up in arms because they wanted some big named FA. I applaud the fact that he can ignore what seems to be the popular approach to stick with what he believes in.
Don’t construe this article as a final approval because it isn’t. I just wanted to outline the fact that Nix is sticking to his guns and letting himself be sawed by public opinion, which I find refreshing. I also agree with the principal of rebuilding slowly but surely through the draft.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
I like fan blogs.
But if OBD is concerned with what people write in fan blogs, we’re in a world of trouble. I don’t give bloggers that much credit to believe they matter to that degree…I only brought up the Cornell Green signing because that’s the only tangible you can judge OBD’s roster makeover on so far. In essence, you can’t judge them positively or negatively yet. Now if Trent Edwards is under center on opening day…
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
I wasn’t judging the roster makeover… That’s my point.
I have no opinion so far on any roster makeover because they haven’t done anything yet.
I personally do not think that Edwards can ever be effective again but I am willing to be open minded about it. If he is under center on day one because he’s earned it then I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, until proven wrong. Will you still be this unhappy if Edwards is under center and does a good job? He did show some promise for a 5-6 game stretch, enough so that he definitely warrants a second look.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Well, your point seems to be that OBD deserves praise for not being swayed by public opinion. I don’t see how this is “refreshing” in any way. It’s not like Buffalo has been losding with the big name coaches, high profile QBs, flashy free agents, or popular draft picks over the last several seasons and us ignorant fans are simply demanding more of the low brow moves that has kept the team out of the playoffs for a decade. OBD has NEVER been swayed by their loyal fans for better or worse. All of their failures have been their fault internally and they don’t deserve credit for ignoring external pressures when that’s been their M.O. for 50 years and counting.
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
Well, your point seems to be that OBD deserves praise for not being swayed by public opinion
lol – no – I’m not sure how you got that………..
He’s saying that they are implementing the plan that they have in place. Nothing more, nothing less – sometimes we read into things way to much. his article is at face value
We got the tools, We got the talent
From the author
“My point throughout the article is that Nix is focused on the prize and he doesn’t let external factors deviate him from his course, which is essential if this rebuild is to succeed.”
It’s an opinion piece. It’s an interesting opinion whether I agree with it or not. It’s why I read the article and took the time to comment to the author.
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
I don’t want to get into a pi$$ing contest with you but TO last year was a classic case of trying to appease the fans. What it did, is prevent us from playing the younger guys that we already had on the roster. A few years before we did a similar move by bringing two overpriced Offensive linemen and before that it was Bledsoe.
I’ll admit that Ralph doesn’t really seem to care what we think and proof is that he brought back Jauron for the 4th year.. It took pressure from angry fans and Billboards to get the guy fired or maybe he would have been fired anyway – who knows.
And for the record, I did not entitle my article properly because it was more about Nix than OBD.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
The Owens signing WAS out of character for the team, but then again, fans were against bringing back Jauron at a 90% count in “The Buffalo News” last year. Apparently, OBD felt like they weren’t that far away ffrom contending and in that light, Owens made sense. Obviously, they were wrong and the fans were actually right…I’m rooting for Nix too. For the record, I’m encouraged that the Bills scrapped the Tampa 2 (the more expensive, time-consuming move) and brought in an offensive=minded head coach (since their offense has been remarkably abysmal since November, 2002). Hopefully, I’ll be praising them soon as well. My initial reaction to your article is that you jumped the gun a bit; just one opinion.
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
I’m just so tired of rehashing the same stuff. When I saw so many visits being organized with potential rd2 picks that were not even supposed to be on our radar I realized that this administration seems pretty thorough when it comes to their draft preparations, which is what enticed me to write an article.
It’s was something positive to talk about, which seemed like a good break from the same-old-same-old
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
And whether it’s window dressing or not, I was glad to read this morning that Nix actually went to Stillwater, himself to visit with Okung…I don’t think a marketing guru would make that flight. We’ll see how it works out, but I’m much more optimistic in March, 2010 then I was in March, 2009.
Just say no...to Trent Edwards at QB.
I agree, I was glad to see him make the trip. He seems to be a very hard worker.
I like that he’s exploring guys that are projected higher but that might slip a bit. By making the trip, it tells me that he is doing his homework properly. If ever come draft day, Okung was to slip a bit – maybe we trade up or maybe we don’t but in either case, I feel comfortable that he knows why.
Nothing left to say... the clock is ticking...
Sadly, Agreed
It’s way to early for any kinda performance review. I think the author was just happy nothing stupid has occured and by all indications the guys in charge aren’t showing their butts. Overly optimistic to some, good sign to others.
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