GaryPinC

To be honest I'd rather deal with those threads rather than worry your backup QB can't get it done if Fitz goes down. Having watched Quinn play in Cleveland, I do think he still has some upside in this league. After what he did to Tebow, there's no way I want him on our team. It'll be interesting to see how much longer Quinn is even in the NFL.

Cleveland Browns really need receivers also. Here's a PD article on FA receivers and they listed Stevie 4th with a good write-up http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/02/deep_pool_of_free-agent_receiv.html

Not to mention that they've previously discussed terms so Stevie's put forth his perceived market value and the Bills theirs. When he does test the market and if he gets offers that meet or exceed his own estimates, even if the Bills decide to match an outside offer, would Stevie really come back here after being significantly undervalued by the franchise that knows him best? The franchise that's dragged its feet trying to resign him? This is all a business game but these are human beings involved and sometimes a little respect goes a long way. I still hope to see Stevie back here but don't expect to. Only thing working in our favor is that there appear to be a lot of FA WR this year.

Agree with you 100% about the edges of the O-line with Hairston and Pears vs a pass rush. I think Fitz is better than you give him credit for but excellent post otherwise IMO.

Whoops, my bad. Apologies for wrong Jackson.

Sounds like Philly keeps him for at least 1 more year: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/DeSean-Jackson-reportedly-to-get-Philadelphia-Eagles-franchise-tag-021212

I think you're probably right on tgregg but that doesn't mean I can stop worrying because my overall assessment of Buddy and Chad will be determined after 2012 season is over. In all honesty Buddy's made some decent moves at times and other times I'm not so sure. That only increases the worry for now! Thanks for clarifying, I'm with you then! I try and be a realistic optimist about things. Nobody's perfect but I do feel we're actually making forward progress.

I generally agree with your points but for me next year would be the year to call bull ****. No off-season lockout, another year of maturity for this team for 2012. FO has a three year plan to be in the playoffs and year 3 is here. I feel we have been building some player stability/talent and this year will be critical both in whom they jettison (Bell, Stevie) and what they choose to do in FA. I don't like to assume drafted players will have an immediate impact as starters, though some depth should be provided. In all honesty even if they didn't make the playoffs I might cut FO slack if the on-field talent is more evident than 2011. Kind of like the 87 bills. What's really killed this franchise is the lack of stability and direction both in FO and players. I know that blowing up the FO and players only guarantees us at least 3 more lousy years and Buffalo probably isn't a preferred destination for top coaches and GMs.

For Fitz being on the field with his injury: both options were probably true to some degree. We do need better depth at the QB position IMO. In regards to your "severe" lack of talent comment: People (including respected posters on this board) said the same thing about our O-line in 2010 when we were 0-8. Few paid any heed to the fact that this was a young offensive line that hadn't learned to play together and were also trying to adjust to a brand new offensive scheme. That's a real double whammy and a significant factor why 2010 started so poorly. People also thought the front office was nuts to not go after a bunch of O-line FA before 2011. Our O-line did just fine this year. Could it have been better? Definitely. Will it get better? Definitely. Young talent can take time to develop (ex. Spiller). That doesn't mean it isn't there. I do believe with Wanny simplifying the defense we will get a better idea for our talent level on defense next year. As far as you referring to Fitz as "elite": Buddy and Chan are on record as thinking they could win a superbowl with Fitz. I haven't heard any of them refer to Fitz as an elite quarterback and he is not payed like it. I may have missed something but I don't think any of Fitz's supporters on this site refer to him as "elite". To me, he is an average to very good quarterback and the reality of that still remains to be determined. My respectful opinion is that during the offseason your blinders come off long enough only to put a different set on.

Certainly a lack of talent is another reason but OBD indirectly confirms: http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2012/01/30/wannstedts-defense-keeps-it-simple/ I do believe Perry Fewell had the same problem when he was here (though lack of talent was magnified). I think the Giants were ready to run him out of town until he simplified things: http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2011/12/back_to_the_basics_giants_defe.html Hopefully Wannstedt's leadership will give us a huge turnaround on defense next year.

I think he's saying the opposite, that we didn't draft enough guys built for a base 3-4 the last 2 years. I kind of wonder if Buddy Nix simply has much more expertise drafting 4-3 players.

Mead107 had the best advice for you. You can find what you're looking for in a lot of places in the US. Just need to know what you want and go find it. When you've got a house to buy make sure you talk to your future neighbors before buying. I live on the east side of Cleveland on the edge of rural and still about 30 min from downtown. Plenty of things to do, good parks, concealed carry, taxes are ok, not great but ok. Columbus is an ok town too, but not to my liking (lot of yuppies still). But it comes down to what place fits you and your wife and has jobs to offer.

I don't think it's unacceptable but I know someone who works with the Cleveland Browns and was told there's an unwritten rule that most players consider it at least a minor insult to have to play out the last year on your contract. The fact that there's no news on Stevie's contract probably means he's going to hit free agency and is most likely gone, though that's not a surprise. People are always griping about the Bills retaining their talent, well it starts by taking some chances and signing your guys before they're at the end of contract. Obviously they've done it at times in the past, but they need to do a better job of it. I understand them not signing D. Bell because of injuries and am hoping it won't be a mistake.

Love the line at the end of the article: If we're so able to vividly remember the worst a man did, can't we also remember the best?

Great point, that will be interesting to see. My understanding is that during the season, toradol was a must before the game and at various times during the week until last year when the NFL started realizing the potential long term side effects and potential liability.

Why do you think the big issue with Toradol is addiction? It's an NSAID. Has any stand-alone NSAID ever been shown to be addictive or have withdrawl symptoms? My understanding was Toradol is a short-term drug because of the cardiac, stroke, GI, and kidney risks. Here's a newer version (nasal) that provided some info about low addiction potential: http://www.sprix.com/Meet-SPRIX/Ketorolac-History.aspx As an NSAID, ketorolac does not bind to opiate receptors. A study to evaluate the sedative and addictive potential of ketorolac showed no withdrawal symptoms upon cessation of dosing with ketorolac 30 mg IM four times daily for 5 days. Ketorolac IM also has no significant adverse effects on psychomotor measurements, including reaction time, computerized driving skills, ataxia, and sedation. I work with a couple ER docs who see quite a few addicts come in "in pain" hoping to get an opiod for relief. Docs told me they give toradol to treat the pain not the addiction. Vioxx is related to toradol but extra selectivity for COX II heightens cardiac/stroke/high blood pressure side effects over GI/kidney. Back on topic, Kramer's article will probably focus on the fact that toradol was the widespread analgesia of choice for a lot of the NFL players until recently. NFL Docs were all too willing to give it but did they do long-term harm to player's kidneys, heart, GI?

Hmmm, sounds like an occasion to develop an involuntary, nervous clenching. But hey, it was all for science right? And probably paid for with our tax dollars! On a side note, it's been a good 5-10 yrs since some naturalist/biologist has shown off an ape who "communicates" with hand signs. Seems like we're due for the latest version to justify dumping more grant money into projects like this.

Awww c'mon. I truly sympathize with these researchers who so much want their data to fit the hypothesis. I'm rooting for them I tell you, I'm rooting for them. There's got to be some empathy there right? Rats are very bright and socializable. You're right in that it is very impressive given their size and place on the evolutionnary tree. They'd make great pets for people that aren't turned off by their image.

And considering both animals were most likely the same sex (male) you think they would have focussed their paper on this facet. Seems just as likely as empathy.

Emapathy? I love when scientists go over the top in interpreting their data. It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to realize that a highly social rat placed in a foreign (thus stressful) environment would seek out one of its own. This was the clincher for me: "To push the limits of the rats’ goodwill, Bartal and her team pitted a trapped rat against trapped chocolate, forcing a rat to choose which one to release. “These rats adore their chocolate,” she says. The results astonished Bartal: The rats were equally likely to free a rat in distress as they were to free the sweets. To a rat, a fellow rodent’s freedom was just as sweet as five chocolate chips." So said rat is equally likely to choose chocolate chips over freeing his trapped buddy. Nice empathy. Astonishing what gets funded sometimes.

it all comes down to the entrenched, corrupt local government. I'm sure they're licking their lips ready to funnel the money for their own purposes. Buffalo needs an FBI corruption investigation like Cleveland had a couple years ago. It's their only hope to try and force some change in their govt.

Reggie Hodges for the Browns (though he tore his achilles and was on IR this year)

Great. Maybe Chan will let him interview for our open Quarterback coach position.

Don't forget the bandaids for your untreated and probably cancerous forehead moles.

Probably not, those who think Fitzy has a weak arm should spend some time watching Colt McCoy throw. The trajectory and spin of his throws utterly disintegrate over 20 yds.