All_Pro_Bills

If he was playing hurt and the Bills failed to report the injury would that be a violation of the NFL rules regarding the reporting of injuries?

I would agree except for the use of the term 'crackpot'. But don't you agree that generally those types of theories exist only because the conventional explanation is lacking in some respect? How do we explain that an organization, in a profession where the rules are designed to enhance competition, consistently under-performs its peers for over a decade? Defying the laws of probability in relation to the odds of success. The answer must be the organization is not seeking the same objectives as those the rules seek to support. In this case winning a championship on the field of play or at least competing for one. The bottom line is results. And I'm hard pressed to believe that this organization regards winning as any kind of primary objective. And the one constant through the entire era of ineptitude on the field has been Wilson/Overdorf/Littman. Whoever the GM is they'll be subject to the same constraints and oversight so I cannot see why anyone would expect significantly different results regardless of who held the position.

I agree with you in principal but a couple comments. 1) The concept that the 'bean counters' are really running the show can never be proven since if it was then the whole facade of how the organization functions would be revealed. To work it must not be public because if the fans 'knew' the team wasn't being run by the football guys making football decisions then support would disappear. 2) All we're talking about is a credible hypothesis about how the organization makes decisions based on the evidence we have, subject to interpretation by the observer. I don't think any of us can offer up enough 'evidence' to meet the 'beyond a reasonable doubt' threshold of judgment. IMO, a lot of the 'evidence' lends to the credibility of the idea that Ralph's finance guys are the real power behind all the major decisions at OBD. Do I know that for a fact without any firsthand knowledge of the decision process? No. Can I prove it beyond a reasonable doubt? Again, no. But using what events I can observe and what 'facts' I have available along with my personnal experiences, and some cognitive reasoning, plus a review of the events of the past 10 years or so (and looking around the league at successful organizations), it seems highly likely to me that there is an element of truth behind this hypothesis.

The Bills defensive game plan for each and every game is the same without much customization to suit the offense of a specific opponent. What it does is give the other team a high degree of certainty in what they are going to have to play against. This to me is a coaching and management issue.

You hit it. You are not rebuilding if you constantly create new needs, by letting good players go, and then spending draft choices or free agent money signing replacements. You are running in place playing a zero-sum game. When I read the OP the thought that came to mind was the Bills simply do not have a system in place that works. IMO, Buddy's last draft was good but to use some language consistent with his 'if you don't plug the drain the sink's ever gonna fill up'. Not re-signing Johnson will be a huge mistake..

Guess we need to define competitive. IMO, this team has not been competitive since the 2004 season when they couldn't beat the Steelers 2nd string to qualify for the playoffs. So I think it's a mistake to question fan support. Only a handful of fan bases would support a team stuck in such a streak of mediocrity and Bills fans can be counted among those few. And I think if a couple dollars more per ticket would assist in fielding a competitive product most Bills fans would be on board. The fact is the team’s fate is not certain. There's no guarantee they are moving or staying in Buffalo. There are many variables at play with the new owners the most critical. Look at Jacksonville. We all thought that team was on the way out with low attendance in a small market and lack of fan support, destined for LA. But a new owner comes in and apparently has a desire to make it work there even though he could make more money somewhere else besides Jacksonvile. That goes to show that not every potential owner or group is seeking maximum revenue and profit without regard for other objectives. So far he's saying and doing all the right things to this point (hope this link works). Don't be surprised if somebody like Jeff Fisher ends up here. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/nfl/12/16/jaguars-khan.ap/index.html?sct=nfl_t2_a12 So with a long history in Buffalo and a fair number of well-heeled potential owners all is not lost when the time comes for ownership to pass to another party. And as many others have said in many treads in many ways, nothing is going to change to turn the results on the field around until that happens.

It got cold! Wow. While I don't live in WNY any longer (in NJ now) I cannot really recall people ever complaining or bemoaning about the cold and snow. It was just something you dealt with. If you want to, you can look at any place in the world and find negatives about the weather or life there in general. Things like: Hurricanes. Mud Slides Wild Fires Floods Droughts Oppressive 100+ degree heat at midnight (you can't even go outside) Earthquakes Tornados Red Necks Nobody that speaks English Religious fanatics Serial killers Traffic Generally uncivil social norms People who can’t figure out how to drive in snow! Here’s a clue – it’s slippery! Holiday wishes to Bills fans everywhere and perhaps another win before the end of the season.

Of course the size of the market matters and its going to be a factor but winning is one something that is going to assist you in reaching your maximum potential in that market. But how do you explain the difference between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers? Both play in the same market and at the same venue. Yet one is highly followed while the other is an afterthought. Tradition plays a big role for sure but one is a winning organization and the other is a perenial loser.

Corporate sponsors marketing departments want to associate their company and products with a winner. Firms like Nike, Reebok, etc. If the Bills were winning they would attract a lot more corporate dollars than they are now. A firm does not needs its HQ in a city for it to market itself with a sports organization. For example, how many corporate HQ's are in Green Bay? Look at owners like Jerry Jones who many dislike. They know they value of winning in financial terms is going to be greater off the field than on the field. The Bills brass are content to milk maximum cash flow annually out of minimal effort. Honestly, is there a person among us that really believes that Bills' ownership and the front office (non-football guys) have any commitment to win or place any organizational priority on getting to the Super Bowl?

I think the debate over a franchise QB will rage on until the Bills actually find one. The discussion has been and continues to be a good and rational exchange of opinions and ideas. Do I think Fitz is a legitimate NFL QB? Yes, but I don't expect he'll ever play at or be considered elite. IMO, the question is not whether you need to draft a franchise QB or not. Ultimately, the solution is consistently hitting on your #1 selection regardless of the position. In next year's draft I have my preferences about which position to address that might differ from what others express here (I think we need a franchise LT, then go OLB). But you've got to hit on the selection and the player needs to be a starter and contribute. That's been the Bills problem for over a decade. Most of their #1's have been a swing and a miss. You won't win in any league in any sport with a front office operation that cannot make good draft selections..

Another factor to consider is the mental strain Maybin may have felt being here. 1st round pick, big contract, high expectations. The stress might have been too much for him to handle given his age and maturity level. With the Jets there was no immediate objective other than making the team. And I recall he was released initially but then re-signed later so the hand of fate had some role in the results for both the team and the player. It's all 'water under the bridge' now but given how woeful the Bills pass rush has been for what seems to be forever, I was never clear on why they didn't give the guy more reps. What would it hurt? None of the other potential OLB's were getting any pressure on the QB anyway so him not getting to the QB is pretty much what you get with the other options. The other factor is the 5 yr, $25 million deal. What were the numbers guys thinking? My bet is the bean counters couldn't stomach carrying that big number on the payroll for a player they didn't see the coaches utilizing. So like Evans, Hangartner, etc., the deciding factor might have been no more than a salary dump rather than anything else. But that's just my jaded view of the Bills dysfunctional front office organization coming through at the moment...

What Harrison's cheap shots boil down to is a lack of respect for his fellow players. And there's a big difference between headhunting and playing physical. When's it going to end? When he breaks somebody's neck and paralyzes the guy? I say next time its 8 games and fine the Steelers a percentage of their revenue sharing. That will get the point across.....

I agree you can't just let Johnson walk. You don't get better by creating more needs but rather by filling them. I like you're list but IMO we need a franchise LT. There are a few of them (Kalil - USC, Martin - Standford, Reiff -Iowa) rated near the top of the draft where the Bills can be expected to pick. I don't see any of the OT's on the roster filling this need. I like Bell but he can't stay on the field for more than 6 or 7 games a season and I think the Bills low sack's against total is more a function of the gameplan vs. the stength of their pass blocking.

Given everything is a function of price, for 5 to 7 million a season and control of personnel decisions he might re-evaluate that stipulation.

I suspect these draft experts are content to sit in the skybox and make their picks without any consequences but I think it might be of value to use evaluations from guys like Mayock and Kiper as an input (but not the only input) in developing your draft board and validating the teams consensus opinion of specific players. For example, Nix decides to pick a particular player with the 2nd round pick next April and the consensus of draft 'experts' slot the guy as a 4th round selection rather than a 2nd. That should raise a 'red flag' and cause them to examine the reasoning behind the pick. They might still decide to pick that player but at least there's a conscious effort to think through the selection using some external and hopefully unbiased input.

You've succinctly described the business model for all of professional sports. They create the illusion of loyalty and attachment to the fans and the city. And most critically, they get people to believe that somehow being a fan of a championship team increases their own self-worth. As year after year goes by I find myself caring less and less...

In life you get what you pay for. Ralph will never, ever, pay the going rate for a top NFL caliber front office so we're constantly subjected to bargain basement management and at a competitive disadvantage with almost every team in the league before the players even step out onto the field. Me personally, I don't have any dislike of Buddy and Chan. They are what they are. Good, but not great, football people but from the results in over their heads right now.

Looking at the last 9 Super Bowl winners yields an interesting view. 2010 Green Bay - 10th in points scored and 2nd in points allowed. 2009 New Orleans - 1st in points scored and 20th in points allowed. 2008 Pittsburgh - 20th in points scored and 1st in points allowed. 2007 New York Giants - 14th in points scored and 17th in points allowed. 2006 Indianapolis - 2nd in points scored and 23rd in points allowed. 2005 Pittsburgh - 9th in points scored and 3rd in points allowed. 2004 New England - 4th in points scored and 2nd in points allowed. 2003 New England - 12th in points scored and 1st in points allowed. 2002 Tampa Bay - 18th in points scored and 1st in points allowed. 6 of the 9 SB champions had defenses ranked higher in points allowed (3 - 1st, 2 - 2nd, 1 - 3rd) vs. their offenses in points scored. To me this points to an element of truth in the saying 'defense wins championships'. Even looking at the losers all the teams, with the exception of Arizona in 2008 at 28th, had defenses in the top 10 in points allowed. Only New Orleans with the #1 scoring offense in 2009 won the SB.

IMO, relocating the franchise would increase the 'value' of the franchise but would it really be more profitable? Moving to a bigger market would surely increase revenues but there are also costs associated with such a move. The need for a new facility is one. In today's environment very few states and municipalities are going to be in a position to fund a new stadium. So in the most likely case private financing would be needed. So an owner relocating to, say LA, would need to put down something like $600 million for a new state-of-the-art facility. How many seasons would it take to recover that investment and turn cash flow positive? Right now the Bills franchise is running at a revenue rate that is below almost every other franchise in the league but the teams profit and positive cash flow are near the top. The is where I believe Mr. Wilson is a savvy and competent owner/investor. Why move and incur massive costs, legal expenses, political issues, when the amount of free cash flow your getting from the team each season now more than likely exceeds that of moving? In the long run moving might lead to higher profit and cash flow but it might take 8-10 seasons to reach break even and at 93 would you be interested in entertaining long range decisions? And I got to believe that the finance team are a bunch of smart people and they've run the numbers on a lot of these relocation scenarios over the years and reached the same conclusion.

Not sure which 'this' you are referring to but I'll try to answer your question as best I can. I think the Polian incident is pretty much common knowledge. Surely he wasn't fired for performance issues? I have 25+ years of professional experience observing and defining organizations so while I have no firsthand information on the working within OBD it seems obvious to me how the organization operates. It isn't that difficult to read between the lines and fill in the blanks to develop a plausible view. The finance people call all the shots and football decisions and on-field performance is secondary. Frankly, I think there is an element of dishonesty and lack a lot of integrity at work here. They are doing little to produce a winning quality product for their customers while building the illusion of constant attempts at progress all the while pocketing a tidy sum of loot. Only in a monopoly environment can such an organization survive.

Absolutely, Littman is most famous for having a disagreement (about budget and spending) with Bill Polian during the Super Bowl run. And Ralph fired Polian who went on to the GM job in Carolina (got them to the Super Bowl) and then to the Colts where he remains today. Littman and Overdorf have final say over all decisions made at OBD. Whatever the org chart might say reality is that Nix reports to them and they report to Mr. Wilson.

From a statistical view each season is an independent event so your chances of making the playoffs in year 1 would not impact your chances of making or not making the playoffs in years 2, etc. But after 12 years of falling into the 37.5% population of teams not making the playoffs it indicates one or more serious issues with some variable (or variables) impacting the outcome. Fundamentally you are doing something wrong and fail to correctly address the problem. Its as they say the defintion of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. What the 12 year drought points to is a lack of ability or desire to address the fundamental problems involved with missing the playoffs for 12 seasons.

2 teams? Sounds like wishful thinking considering that history has shown the area is not interested in supporting a single team. I suspect the league would be happly to locate one team in LA Metro and then evaluate for several seasons how it goes before plunking down a second franchise.

If the Bills pick a player like Dareus with their No. 1 pick for the next couple seasons we're going to be in good shape to compete. IMO, Dareus has performed as expected. With Williams out, the problem lies with the surrounding cast and what seems to be confusion about exactly what they're playing. Is it a 3-4, or a 4-3, or something else? I'm not clear. When you claim to be playing a 3-4 and your starting outside linebackers are Spencer Johnson and Chris Kelsay you're going to have issues. They've been competent defensive linemen at times but neither is your prototypical outside linebacker in a 3-4. Let's see how they address this in the offseason along with a problem at OT.

Yes, a bit of a head-scratcher in the decision department. A paradox of sorts. I'm not clear on whether or not Nix is a good GM but he's probably a good GM relative to the funds Ralph's bean counters budgeted for the GM's salary. Look around the league at the top front office talent and ask yourself if the Bills are ever going to be willing to pony-up the millions to pay the going rate? We've got a minor-league level front office budget mandated by ownership's finance guys (and signed off by the owner) and that's the way its been since day 1. It's not going to change. We're just going to have to rely on luck (hiring Polian and Levy on the cheap) and the concept of random variance (the blind squirrel theory) to produce a winner on the field sooner or later. Our front office is simply outmanned and outgunned by almost every other front office in the league and everybody in the football world knows that. On a more positive note I wish Bills fans everywhere a Happy Thanksgiving......