All_Pro_Bills

IMO the key to success is they've found a consistent approach to the game and have stuck with it. And people they bring in, whether front office, coaches, or players have to buy into the formula and play their parts in the scheme. Looking all the way back to the 70's it seems as if the Steelers have had the same approach. Tough defense, adaquate special teams, run first, ball control offense. Whether you like the franchise or not, you have to admire their results. And over the years they've done it by being smart, not overspending. You did hit the key factor too. Ownership. Be smart enough to hire the best people possible. Key an eye on things but stay out of their way and let them do their jobs. The Bills on the other hand have issues with the owner, the front office, and the coaching staff which are never going to get resolved until ownership changes hands.

Maybe my math is bad but to raise 425 million from a 3/8 of a cent tax levy it would take sales of around $11.3 trillion dollars. I had no idea the KC economy was that robust. 3/8 of a cent is $.00375 per $1. To get $425 million you have to generate sales of $11,333,000,000. My math skills are a little rusty but is this right?

I agree. I have friends and coworkers that are fans of many other teams. None of them say the Bills are a terrible team or a joke. In fact, most think they are the victim of some bad breaks and bounces. Many seeing them play only one or two games are year wonder why this team doesn't do better (e.g. 'does Lynch run like that every game? How did these guys lose that game?'). As I do, some do point to the HQ as a major source of the team's current futility and blunders. We know what the problem is, it starts at the top. The owner would rather take a few million more to the grave than go out a winner. The front office is over-matched by every team in the division. The coaching staff needs a skill upgrade. I don't blame the players on the field. Over time all businesses become a reflection of the inclinations and desires of the people at the top. Football is no exception. Some say they will continue to support the team no matter what. I envy you guys because I find it hard to continue doing that after all the years of rooting for this team and seeing what is no doubt mediocrity as the standard this owner aspires to meet. If anyone is viewed as a joke by the rest of the league it is not the city, not the fans, not the players. It is the owner.

The guy with no mortgage retains more of his income because his expenses are lower. Assuming the other guy has a 30 year mortgage at prevailing rates he spends roughly $108k per year servicing his mortgage. The guy making $100k is better off because of a much higher cash flow. Like a friend of mine says 'its not how much you make its how much you keep that counts'.

I'm trying to get over it for now because unfortunately we're stuck with coach Juron for 2009. Unless the season starts with some kind of a disaster, like 0-6, then Ralph is going to be content to let things play out. My problem is not the play calling issues, time management mistakes, misuse of challenges, game management or planning. The problem I see is no learning curve here. Sure people make mistakes. We all make mistakes at work and in personal dealings. But usually we learn from those errors, make corrections, and move forward. Looking through the 16 game season I don't see any of that. In the last month of the season you'd expect these blunders to be worked out, but that is not what we saw. Maybe Turk gets a pass but Juron has too much time as a head coach to use inexperience as an excuse. Rather the problem is incompetence. So can we expect anything to improve next season? As Bills fans we need to hope but when I look at it objectively I can't hold out much hope that all of a sudden Juron is going to match wits with Mr. Bill in New England.

Whatever they want to call the Bills defense it doesn't seem to be working. When watching on TV I sit and wonder, unclear why the receiver always seems to catch the ball with no defender in the picture. After he takes about 3 or 4 running steps with the ball the viewer then gets the idea that there actually are defensive backs on the field as they finally show up to make a tackle 20 yards downfield. Its time to dump this scheme....

I've got 30+ years of the same so I'm with you here. I can't recall a time when I've felt more hopeless for the future after a bad season. Usually there is some glimmer of hope to take away from the final few games but this year leaves me empty. With the status quo non-moves by Mr. Wilson I believe its going to take luck and a few miracles to turn this team into one that can contend for a wild card or division title. The front office simply lacks enough 'football people'. Donahoe was no shinning star in his time here but at least he had an idea of how to build a front office, coaching staff, and team on the field. The view I get of the Bills at present is they're being run like a Ma and Pa country store at a time the rest of the league has evolved to being run like Walmart. And Juron? We've said it all here already. For an Ivy League graduate there's just no learning curve here. The lights just never going to go 'on' with him.

I always felt Buffalo could be a prosperous place once again if the politicians could do more than keep raising personal and business taxes. Instead of constant talking they need to do something to attract and retain businesses like develop a credible growth plan and execute it. Cities like Baltimore used to be real dumps (some parts still are) until they got it together and developed a master plan that contained things like developing the harbor area. There's no reason Buffalo cannot do something similar. The area has abundant natural resources (e.g. lots of fresh water, wind farm potential) and open space, a relatively low cost of living, hard working people, good colleges, proximity to Canada, and except for a little snow (which if its 2 feet is handled better than an inch where I live now), a very low likelihood of natural disaster. If only local and state officials would start thinking about making the small market a bigger market. Longer term this would solve the problem of supporting the team and keeping it in Buffalo. If I'm a little off-topic I apologize. That said, I expect the Bills to sign a couple free agents but I wouldn't expect any of the marquee players to be among them. We're going to need an exceptional draft and immediate contributions because of the brutal schedule next year.

Notice how they blitz. Typically outnumbering the offense to the left, right, or center. Maybe our esteemed coaching staff is watching today's game and will pick up some strategy for next season?

The fact is the NFL is a monopoly that doesn't have to worry about competition and the marketplace. And no matter how much the small market owners cry about the revenue sharing system the fact is no NFL franchise is losing money. The Bills are easily cash flow positive and while they do not make a profit at the level of some of the larger market teams , Mr. Wilson is certainly not losing money each season. The growing perception is he simply does not care about winning. If it happens fine, if not, oh well he's still making multi-millions per year on his initial investment of around $35,000 (I think it was this amount to buy the original franchise). And he's content to play on the loyalties of Bills fans. Counting on them to continue to 'buy' his product, regardless of the results on the field. Betting the sting of the decision to bring back an extremely unpopular and ineffective coach will be forgotten once the draft, training camp, and the season begins. And the results on the field start in the front office before the season even begins. Look at his 'inner circle'. The treasurer, a marketing guy elevated to psuedo-GM, and a part time personnel guy who won't even live in Buffalo when the position would seem to require a 24 by 7 mentality. I'm sure they are all competent in their perspective nitches but are they up to the task of running an NFL front office, finding players, and coaches to build a winner? So far the results say a big no on this one. So while I agree money isn't eveything having top notch football people is. That is what we need - a front office team that can go punch-for-punch with NE, NY, and Miami. Its clear we don't have that and the owner seems content with that situation. As a 30+ year loyal Bills fan that is what disturbs me, much more than the results on the field for 2008. I cannot see how 2009 will not be a repeat of 2008 if nothing changes at the top where it counts the most.

The article is good. It sums up the problem and it has nothing to do with the player on the field or what happens on Sunday. Ownership does not have a commitment to winning. Fact is it never did and never will. My only hope is ownership will pass to a group with the foresight (and money) to keep the team in Buffalo and do what it takes to bring a championship to this deserving city. With the commissioner and several political and business heavyweights in our corner I'm hopeful this scenario will play out. That will be a day to celebrate. But until then.....

There is some talent on this team and I think this team is about 5 position upgrades from becoming a playoff contender. That said, its still up to management to find the necessary talent and coaching to get that talent playing to its full potential. The sad fact is our front office and coaching staff is no match for the 3 teams in our division. And the Jets are intent on significantly upgrading their coaching position. Expressing an interest in Shanahan, Cowher, etc. So ask yourself this, given history and ability, how does a Dick Juron coaching staff stack up against Mike Shanahan possibly in NY, Bellichek in NE, and Sparano mentored by Parcells in Miami? As a fan of 30+ years I cannot recall of time of more frustration, anger, and disenchantment. I really feel sorry for some of the players too. They're going to waste their most productive years playing under this clueless and overmatched HQ. Right now Wilson is playing on the emotions and deep loyalty of Bills fans. Figuring he can get away with holding onto Juron and saving the money required to buyout him and some of the coaching staff while the loyal fans fill the stadium and buy merchandise. This baffles me. Realistically, how many seasons does he have left until he passes on? And he's content to waste one more season with no chance of winning the title? If it was me out go 'balls to the wall', spend and do whatever it takes, and go for it before my time to comes to leave this Earth. What's the difference if you die with $2 billion or $3 billion? Either way, your family is going to be well taken care of. How about taking care of the fans who have stood behind your team since its inception and leave them something they covet? A Super Bowl champion and nothing less should be acceptable. The question is, are Bills fans going to buy 'it' next season? Given the current state of affairs I for one will not.....

Bingo. A good coaching staff will put their players in the best position to win. At that point its up to the players to use their abilities and execute the schemes. We never get to find out what these players are capable of because they're rarely used effectively. The O-Line was a great example. You got big guys up front? So just go man on man and bury the defense. We saw some of that late in the season but then we see the 3rd and 1, 4th and 1 empty backfield formation. When I see that I just walk away from the TV. Nothing personal but Juron is a bad coach and Wilson is a bad owner that could care less about winning or the fan base as long as the cash is rolling into his bank account. Only when Ralph's vested interests are at stake, his cash flow and the franchise value will he do something. And the only way for that to happen is for us fans to stop spending our hard-earned money. Some will say the risk is losing the franchise to another city but that's no excuse to accept mediocrity as a way of life. Buffalo and the fans deserves better...

Good insight. You're right. It's incomprehensible to me how someone in his situation, an aging NFL franchise owner, would be content to leave this Earth with a legacy of losing when he's got the resources at his disposal to go out a winner. Fair or not, I suspect future generations of football fans will remember Ralph Wilson as the penny pinching owner of a team that couldn't win the championship, not as a guy who built a fortune out of nothing. Regards.....

One thing is obvious, Ralph is not motivated by winning. I know very little about his other business interests. Perhaps others do but I wonder if he would stand for sub-standard management in those other businesses? I suspect that since the NFL is essentially an uncompetitive monopoly, the business not the conflict between franchises for the title, he can do pretty much whatever he wants and get away with it. The reality is that no team is ever eliminated from the league for poor performance. In his other businesses, if there is actual competition that would endanger the survival of the business enterprise I suspect he'd move pretty quick to oust Juron-like managers (or would never hire them at all). These issues aside, Happy New Year to all...

Its possible but that didn't stop Dolphins ownership from hiring Parcells and writing an opt-out clause into his contract in the event the team was sold. Using a little foresight. Estate tax rates are expected to be increased as well as capital gains. Given all the talk we've heard about the Kelly group wanting to buy the team and keep it local I expect they'd be in the mix to buy the team when the time comes. We've also got some political heavyweights in our corner, Schumer and the Commissioner. If they do move where would they go? Everybody keeps talking L.A. but I don't see it because California is broke. About $45 billion in the hole this year and with the cities near bankruptcy who is going to pay for a new stadium? Given the fiscal stress almost every state and city is going to face into the foreseeable future I suspect we're about to witness the end of taxpayer financed stadiums for private sports franchises.

Unfortunately Ralph is playing on the loyalty of Bills fans betting they'll support the team regardless of his callous decision to retain Juron. He's just too cheap to eat the cost of the extension, which is probably equivalent to one year's salary for a top flight coach. Whatever product he puts out he figures the fans will support it. But even the most loyal fanbase in the league, Bills fans, have limits to the pain and suffering they'll put up with. And there's alway the 'threat' of moving the team if the fans don't support it. Given the state of the economy, plus massive state and local budget deficits (and likely declarations of bankruptcy and bailouts of states and cities coming) I seriously doubt any city or state is going to find the funding needed to build an NFL stadium. And we've got the commissioner in our corner looking out for Bills fans too, a WNY native. I also feel sorry for players like Lynch and Jackson. Here's a couple guys coming into the prime years of their careers in a position not known for longevity. It will be sad to see their best years wasted working under a clueless bungler like Juron. With any luck (I hate to use the word luck) they'll start out 2009 at 0-8 and it will force Wilson to pull the plug on Juron, maybe promote April to HQ in the interim, and then find somebody decent for 2010. After 30+ years supporting the team I'm calling 2009 a 'bye year'. The hard truth is we won't have a winner, unless by chance, until ownership passes to somebody with the desire and a plan to put a winner on the field.

I 2nd your assessment of the previous analysis. I DVR'd the game and watched the Bills last possession of the 1st half several times. They ran 11 plays in 4:18. 6 runs and 5 passes. 3 of the passes were check downs to the TE. Twice they wasted about 40 seconds wandering around and huddling when they should have been in hurry up mode. It left me wondering if they even practice the 2 minute drill? Juron insists they have preparing during the week for every situation yet the hesitation, indecision, casual use of timeouts, and puzzling play calls leads me to conclude they are not prepared for Sunday.

WFAN in NY was bemoaning about the Jets late season crash and the commentator said 'If Dick Juron wasn't the worst coach in the league the Jets would have dropped their last 5, not 4 of 5." So yeah, its no secret. Phil Simms was on later talking about Cowher and how keeping the current GM and bringing in Cowher's 'people' should not be a show stopper. He said 'you're spending what, about $127 million on players, and you can't find the money to bring in one more guy into the front office"? I thought of the Bills plight with a penny pinching owner and since because I was driving at the time I had to avoid crashing from laughter...

Ralph's tactic of putting the HQ into an 'I quit' scenario if he doesn't tow the line and fire a couple assistants is bush league management. This makes me wonder if we're ever going to get quality independent thinkers, with integrity and vision, to work the front office and the coaching staff while current ownership remains in place. If Mr. Wilson made a mistake signing Juron to an extension then he needs to 'man-up' and eat the cost of his mistake. Get a professional football GM in here for God's sake (and the fan base). Just because Donahoe didn't work out the way it was intended doesn't mean that approach is wrong. Look at a few other teams where the owner meddles, Dallas, Oakland, and Detroit (until the junior Ford chimed in). These franchises are dysfunctional. So are the Bills under Wilson, that's the only way to describe it. Ralph should know better. When he pulled this stunt with Wade he refused to pay the man. In the end, the courts and the league ruled in Phillip's favor and awarded him the remaining monies on his contract. If you don't want to keep Juron show some professional courtesy and deal with Dick openly and honestly man to man. He might not be the world's greatest coach (not even close) but treat the guy with some dignity and respect.

There are only 32 head coaching jobs in the most prestigious sports league in North America, arguably the world. And in a typical year only a handful of teams have vacancies. Getting somebody of stature to come to Buffalo is not impossible given the right offer and opportunity. Outside of a couple perceived glamour locations, like NY (or really NJ), most U.S. cities are basically the same if you’re out there slugging out a living. A lot of board members would argue with the following statement but I believe this team is about a half dozen player upgrades away from contention. No top to bottom rebuilding job is needed given the right Front Office and Coaches. A good coach would have squeezed out 2, maybe 3, more wins out of this bunch. Now if ownership would only see the light and bring in a first class management and coaching team we could move forward and contend.

The problem Ralph faces is any changes in estate and capital gains taxes enacted in 2009 will be retroactive to January 1st, 2009. That's why the Dolphin and Steeler ownership agreements have been completed prior to December 31st, to avoid the potential higher rates.

I have to agree with Sully here even though my expectations yesterday were pretty low. The staff's approach to this game was certainly not consistent with that of a team with nothing to lose. They coached and played afraid. Afraid to make mistakes, afraid to take chances, afraid of big bad Bill. At the end of the 1st half they had 2 timeouts plus the 2 minute warning and 4:16 on the clock. They ran 11 plays, most of them rushing plays with the wind at their backs. Three of the passes were check downs to the TE for minimal yardage. And they wasted up to 40 seconds between plays on 2 occasions I can recall. It looked to me like the offense never practices the 2 minute drill. The staff was content with playing for a FG attempt to tie the game at the half. Only when the game was out of reach did the play calling open things up. Too late. But this all seems like Juron's standard mode of operation, play not to lose, keep it close, and hope to pull it out. If Wilson is commited to improving the staff by bringing in someone with a high level of competence (and hoepfully experience) I say make the change at HC. But if he's going to bring in another second tier head coach why make the change from one dud to another? C'mon Ralph. Play to win....

Sullivan can be a bit caustic but his message seems logical. Until the Bills have a coaching staff that is capable of matching wits with the likes of Patriots (and now the Dolphins it appears) they will be at a competitive disadvantage. And after several failured attempts this decade it seems unlikly ownership is willing to make the investment to resolve this gap. Firing Juron makes no sense unless Wilson is serious about upgrading the coaching staff.

I figure the Jets already got their Xmas present from the Bills last week and blew their chance against Seattle. How many favors do these guys want? That said, I'd enjoy seeing the Bills beat NE although it would mean dropping a couple slots down in the draft.