Never NEVER Give-up

Read on ESPN.com (I think) that Lee had 2 balls thrown to him (0 catches) and his mere presence opened up all the underneath stuff for Flacco & the Ravens offense. Just sayin . . . it's still 0 catches and yards, 0 fantasy points (tho I don't play) and I'd rather the Bills go 'young' and work with guys who can get open anywhere on the field. I am confident one (or more) of these guys will be able to stretch the field for us, as well as catch slants and run intermediate and deep middle routes. And gain separation from their defender. Lee could only stretch the field. Still a great guy and a benefit to any team he's on, but it was time for the Bills to move on.

On Offense: Fitz & Wood - they are clearly the spokespeople Special Teams - Moorman & someone from the return side Defense: Kyle Williams for sure. Nick Barnett-maybe, but he may not have been here long enuff - but I LOVE his attitude. Shawne Merriman-also hasn't been here long enuff and frankly, hasn't demonstrated he can stay on the field for an appreciable amount of time - but he too has the right attitude. Kelsay for perseverence alone, but I like someone with more cred.

The Bills had 2 on the list . . . Kyle Williams is considered a red chip & Haloti Ngata is a blue ch - - oh wait, we drafted Whitner . . . nevermind! @#$%&*(!!!!!

. . . NGU aka Nevergiveup is not the same person as Never NEVER Give-up! Just sayin . . .

It'll be interesting to see how fans react to his twitter-rant yesterday. He's an undeniable talent, but a little short on smarts and class. (Oh and one pet peevbe I have - it's " I couldn't care less . . .". Not "I could care less . . " - if you did (care less), you wouldn't say it!!!.........mini rant over.)

Good for him! He SHOULD go up there, sign a 3-year deal and learn the game. If he does, then he can come back to the NFL.

Antowain Smith doesn't fit in this group (same as McGahee, Travis Henry, Donte Whitner) because they were servicable players, maybe even decent or good. However, they were ultimately let go in some fashion and went on to other teams. Maybe they played a little better or worse - but they were still servicable. They didn't go from bust to star. Yes Antowain won couple of Super Bowls, but NE didn't win because of him. Now if Aaron Maybin becomes a star - that would be a story because he was a bust here. Ditto for McCargo, Walt Patulski, Cousineau, Losman, Erik Flowers, OL Mike Williams, Tony Hunter, Perry Tuttle, Terry Miller (more like a one year wonder), Phil Dokes, Tom Ruud (& Steve Nelson in Rd 2 too!!), and Al Cowlings - these were just the 1st rounders!! Great post - I am sure there are quite a few - a real head scratcher - this link will help if someone really wants to dig - I just looked at our beloved Bills. http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/fulldraft?teamId=0610&type=roundbyteam Filter by team and start digging!!

As said by Kelly the Fair & Balanced Dog - a couple of wins & everything will be fine. Agreed - winning cures everything. Remember Evans only had 4 TD's last year and remember he had 3 against the Ravens - no wonder they liked him. The problems his leaving causes the Bills (in no particular order): 1-He was a team leader; 2-He drew coverage away from Stevie & the other wideouts; 3-He stretched the field; 4-He was well liked. The solutions to 1-4? 1-Someone needs to step up (rarely are WR's leaders); 2&3-Someone needs to prove themselves a deep threat & teams will pay more attention to them - right now, maybe it's Stevie who will draw the coverage and create openings for the others; 4-This will dissapate, it's a business and based on how much Evans was liked, no one wanted to trade him. Nix and Gailey were effusive in their praise ofLee the man. In 2-years, the move will be considered good, Lee is only getting older and his production last year wasn't stellar (it may not have been all his fault, but it still wasn't what we need). I'm starting to like Chandler the TE - good blocker, big target and decent hands. A little slow, but manages separation and with his size may help in the red zone if we ever get there!

Hangartner isn't as stout at the point of attack - they want someone stronger in the middle of the line to deal with Scioli (Mia), Wilfork & Haynesworth (NE) and at one-time Jenkins (NYJ).

You say to stop watching ESPN, but I have the NFL Network and all they do is visit Jets, Pats, Eagles & Viking camps. They don't talk about anyone else - it's frustrating. Someone said it above and to paraphrase, no one will give the Bills their due until they beat someone and win at least 8 games. We have been irrelevent for over 10 years. Despite disagreeing with the reasons the pundits give for our morass, we have no success when we scream "they are wrong", because we aren't winning and no one cares to take the time and delve into the reasons - the bottom line is we have been losing for too long. Take the OL - for so many years most have been saying we need OL - us too & we have all be right - but the Bills have been trying to build it in an unconventional way (OK - I am being kind). Maybe this year the Bills will be right - but Bell and the right side will need to prove Buddy right. They do that by keeping Fitz upright and helping the team win 8 games - then Buddy can say I told you so! If the Bills struggle (only win 4-5 games), pundits will say it's because we have had OL problems since 2000 and haven't adequately addressed the issue either in the draft or FA.

I echo everyone's sentiments - Thank you! And please keep doing it - I can visualize your words and they are helping me get stoked for the real games starting soon. Lastly - it looked like Naaman Roosevelt was catching things all over the field ! I was thinking he could end up as a final cut - maybe he's turning into something special !

228 lbs !!! I wish I weighed only 228 lbs !!!

I think Barnett trumps Poz too - regardless of the experts at ESPN Scouts Inc

Yeah!! Bring back Donahoe!! Are you crazy?!?!? That's why Buddy is building thru the draft. The streets are lined with former GM's who, like Donahoe, tried to outsmart everyone and draft guys like McGahee & Roscoe, when they needed linemen and LB's . . . and sign free agents with sizzle (Bledsoe) when they have little to nothing left. Buddy has the right plan - but he needs to deliver in the draft. We are clearly trying to go young. Already after saying the draft would be his M.O., he showed he's not inflexible and afraid to go out and get a FA if he thinks they will help (See Barnett and Merriman). Also, the more I think about Brad Smith, the more I like the signing. This WILL hurt the Jets and will help us. NY media, ESPN & NFL Network all say the same thing. I think it will hurt the Jets more than it helps us, but that's OK too. Stay calm and let him work his plan. It won't get fixed overnight. I will be curious to see how the Eagles, Pats, Jets and Seahawks do with all their new FA's. What baggage do those guys bring? How will they do in 2011? We'll see - but I can virtually guarantee it won't be all roses!!

I would be willing to do 2 years for $7MM

More details from ESPN's FA Tracker: Poz was scored as an 84, Barnett a 76, the scores translate to: 90-100: Elite Player Player demonstrates rare abilities and can create mismatches that have an obvious impact on the game. ... Premier NFL player who has all the skills to consistently play at a championship level. ... Rates as one of the top players at his position in the league. 80-89: Outstanding Player Player has abilities to create mismatches versus most opponents in the NFL. ... A feature player who has an impact on the outcome of the game. ... Cannot be shut down by a single player and plays on a consistent level week in and week out. 70-79: Good Starter Solid starter who is close to being an outstanding player. ... Has few weaknesses and usually will win his individual matchup but does not dominate in every game, especially when matched up against the top players in the league. That said, here's the "Expert's Take" on both: Poz: After missing most of his rookie season with a major arm injury, Posluszny has played at a high level for the past three years. He has good size and strength with just above-average athleticism for the position. He is not a great athlete for the spot but is rarely out of position because of his first-step quickness and smarts. Posluszny is effective to take on blocks and uses his hands well to shed. He has improved in coverage and looks fluid in his zone drops. He isn't great in pure man schemes but does understand route progression in the passing game. He is an instinctive player who understands angels, run fits and how to leverage the football. He is a solid tackler, delivering power and punch on contact. Poslunzny is a high-energy defender who wins with toughness, technique, intelligence and quickness, and should continue being a very productive linebacker for Buffalo in the coming years. Barnett: Barnett is an excellent athlete with deceptive strength and great instincts. His speed and quickness give him outstanding range from sideline to sideline. Barnett is a quick reactor as plays unfold and has a knack for attacking the line of scrimmage. He is a solid tackler with pop and power on contact. Barnett can work thru trash well to stay alive to the ball. He has natural coverage ability with quickness, lateral agility and speed to be effective in both man and zone schemes. You decide. To me it looks like we need Barnett more than Poz, regardless of those scores (not sure why Poz is rated higher - only 8 pts).

Hysterical post !!! For those who agree with it - you are the glass-half-empty pessimists that need to calm down. Go see the Merriman article from today's Bflo News & posted here on TBD! Take note the Bills are talking to Burnett, Clabo and Babin!! Now if they would just go after Zack Miller . . . .

Free Agents that helped teams to the SuperBowl: Charles Haley (SF & Dallas), ditto fo Neon Deion. Saints picked-up Brees, Jabari Greer, Anthony Hargrove & Darren Sharper. Was Steve Young a FA? Chas Woodson & Ryan Pickett were key players last year for the Pack. Plaxico Buress for G-men. Jonathan Scoot by Steelers last year (ok - I had to slide that in there). I am sure there are others - it goes to show that they can be and should be a means by which the Bills add a player or two each year to help them improve.

You cannot JUST rely upon building through the draft when you have years like 2007 - Poz's draft year. Now that he's gone, we have none, zero, nada players from that draft!!! Four short years ago and not one player drafted that year is on the roster. Granted it was not on Nix's watch, but it points out the fallacy in his thinking. One or two Free Agency pieces per year - at least one of them a starter, should be their target as long as the team dwells in the lower half of the league, maybe the lower 75%. Heck, even Buddy says they chart all the FA's and if there is a guy out there that will improve the team, they will go after him. So my question is if you were, say . . . 4-12 last year, & had only 1 pro-bowler, dontcha think there might be 1 or 2 guys out there who can help you???? It is an insult to our intelligence to say no. Now it's only Wed, and Fri 6pm is when players can actually sign; and Thurs - all teams will be making some roster adjustments . . . so Buddy may still get a player or two, let's hope he does or this will be another 4-12 to 6-10 year. Since trades are becoming more scarce, the draft and Free Agency are really the only ways you can build a team. I agree the draft should be your foundation and FA's should be the missing pieces that can get you over the top. But when your draft choices either fail to make your team or they choose not to sign a 2nd contract after 4-5 years, you REALLY need to utilize Free Agency to avoid falling behind your competition.

By Jason La Canfora | Published: July 26th, 2011 | Tags: Paul Posluszny, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars Veteran LB Paul Posluszny agreed to terms on a six-year deal with the Jaguars, a league source said Tuesday. Posluszny had difficulty leaving the Bills, who fought hard to keep him, but the chance to move to a 4-3 defense and some opportunities the Jaguars provided led to his decision.

Calm down - no one can be signed until Friday.

Calm down. This is no big deal. Remember, the owners were all in Atlanta yesterday. SOME Player Reps were in Washington and others were scattered. Not to mention, those 32 Player Reps need to get buy-in from the 1900 or so rank & file members. That said, the Player Reps didn't have he same docs the owners had last night - so they couldn't vote on it at their 8pm conf call. So in our world of constant gratification (& electronic media), we all wanted an answer from the players right away. However, last night without all the necessary information, may players & player reps were skeptical of the owners and fearful they were executing a power play and PR campaign to cast the players in a bad light if they didn't quickly ratify the new plan. So overnight, D. Smith andthe Reps reviewed the docs and feel better about the plan. It was much ado about nothing. Give the players a few days. First they have to agree they like the plan informally. Then they need to re-establish the union, then they can all vote on it. Just a few more days . . . .

Maybin is the poster child for why the Bills only win 4-7 games/year. Misses like this in our drafts over the last bunch of years have crippled us. This year, if Spiller, Troup and Carrington do not look like guys the Bills can rely on for the next 5-10 years - 2010 will be another bad draft year despite the later round success. Geeze, every time I hear Maybin, I think Orapko . . . When I hear Whitner, I think Ngata . . . it goes on & on McGahee . . . Lynch . . . Just think how good we'd be if we had hit on 50% of these choices!!! Oh well. Water under the bridge, right? But 2 of the 3 from last year - Spiller, Troup and Carrington need to come thru this year. The 2011 class needs to do the same, led by Dareus. I like Buddy & Chan, but if the top 3 picks from the last 2 drafts do not result in 4 solid Bills players for the forseeable future, Buddy will need to go! ======= By the way. There have been other topics about the worst thing thing that has happened to the Bills or the top 5 bad things . . . there's only one answer . . . the black cloud formed when Polian left. Everything else was tolerable compared to that.

How could they be nasty???? They wouldn't dare!! After all, we GAVE them SB XV !!

A few years ago I wanted to do the same thing for different reasons. My dad and I went to the Administration Building and just asked - we drove over to the tunnel and walked out onto the field!! It was pretty cool. My suggestion is: > be humble and polite in your request > be honest (not saying you wouldn't be) > go at a time when little or nothing is going on at OBD Ya never know . . .