purple haze

Romney is a proven success in some quarters, but he also presented himself as a man with no conviction. He was a hawk during the GOP primaries then agreed with Obama on damn near every foreign policy initiative during the last debate. He was for a woman's right to choose as a candidate running for MA Senate. And at other times. During the primaries in the spring, he wasn't. Until he was again the past month. He chose a partner that would have cut funding to FEMA by 45%, he himself said during the primaries that organizations like FEMA would need to be downsized. Until Sandy happened and its aftermath and all of a sudden FEMA was a good and valuable thing and he wouldn't cut it. It's not a sad day for America. It's sad for American's who don't agree with Obama's policies. As it would have been for those who don't see eye to eye with Romney's. With the economy supposedly as bad as some would have it. With a President some believe can do nothing right, somehow, Romney and the GOP STILL couldn't win. Ask yourself why? It's not the media's fault. It's not Chris Christie's fault. It's not that Romney wasn't conservative enough. The GOP is running on outdated demographics and haven't managed to be conservative and inclusive in its ideals. The white male vote is losing value the past three election cycles and will continute to lose value going forward based on projected demographic models. The GOP will need to speak to people across ethnic and class lines in a way that engages them and addresses their concerns or they will die off as a major political party. Simple as that. In truth America needs a viable third, fourth and fifth party to truly end Washington deadlock.

No it wouldn't. Any time a team can add talent, at a reasonable price, they should do it. Bowe is a better WR than anyone on the Bills not named Stevie Johnson (and I love Nelson and like Jones and T.J.) and he's as good as Stevie. You add talent constantly. QB will be addressed. Doesn't preclude them from getting Bowe now. Fitz won't always be the QB. And if he doesn't pick it up he won't be the QB once the new league year starts in March. More talent allows more options going forward.

Why can't you believe I quote that as a fact. It was reported Gillette showed up with Kelly and they, or at least, Gillette met with Roger Goodell that day before the game. If you re-read my post nowhere did I mention Gillette's skills as an owner because that is irrelevant to the point. I would think if Gillette showed up with Kelly they know each other. Gillette has been said to be interested in the NFL. You put two and two together or not if you want to.

I'm posting from my phone so I have to break up my post, butto finish... There is no substantiation that I have seen that the Bills do not want to kick any money for the renovation. In fact, it's been reported that they might actually be looking to kick in money and ask for a matching amount through an NFL program. Mr. Wilson does have an ego. He donated money to HOF anda bldg. is named after him. He named the stadium after himself. Which brings me back to the idea that Mr. Wilson is well aware of his legacy and what it is tied to. The new lease is probably tied questions about new ownership and the plan. The County and State officials know the info fans want to be made public . None of things I mentioned are rose colored glasses. My sentiments are based in part on facts, in part on grapevine things we all have heard and reading tea leaves. NO businessman as successful as Mr. Wilson has no plan for his business. Just doesn't happen at the level of business he operates on.

The WGRZ report was also backed up by other news sources. Fact. Jim Kelly has said for years he has access to money people who want to keep the team in Buffalo. Fact. Jim Kelly shows up at the 2011 Pats game w/George Gillette, a man whois beyond wealthy and has owned a couple professional sports teams and the two of them meet w/Roger Goodell that day, before the game. Fact. Ralph Wilson has kept a football team in WNY when he had opportunities to move them DECADES ago. Fact.

I've asked this time and again, but why do people really believe a man who has been a successful business owner for more than fifty years has no plan for his business once he's gone? Mr. Wilson's legacy is tied to the Buffalo Bills. His pioneering w/the AFL. His donations to the HOF and his HOF membership.You all really believe he's leaving all that up for auction? There might be an auction between Buffalo connected ownership groups (like the ones reported by WGRZ and various local outlets last spring), but that's it. If I were Mr. Wilson I wouldn't say anything either. That's business. Public knowledge could undermine what he wants to do. Could allow other entities to make a mess of things; be they political or rival business operatives. And I wouldn't want people talking about my passing constantly either or my family's finances. None of our business. Could they move? Yea, but I highly doubt it. It seems to me folks just like to be nervous and stay scared about it. Relax & keep the faith.

Here's some irony for all of us: Leodis McKelvin is one of the best players on the team in his role (kick and punt returns).

Fitz does not lead the team on sustained drives. That keeps the D on the field. Fitz cannot hit open WR's down the field which leaves points that could be had off the board. Which combined with the bad D lvs us w/ blowout losses. It's Fitz and the D's fault.

The D is horrific. But Fitz has got to be able to hit open receivers down the field. Simple as that. Starting NFL QB's convert those types of throws. Is Fitz totally to blame? No. The D is heartless. But Fitz consistently misses opportunities to put points on the board with his weak arm. He needs to be a backup. And the D needs to start benching mofo's too. If this is the annual losing streak Gailey's teams have gone on the past two seasons he should be ojt the door too. He tied himself to Fitz and Wannstedt. Bills do have talent. They seem to be lacking leadership and mental toughness. That is on the head coach.

And for all of us who know we need a difference maker at the QB position, the D is so terrible, our need for Impact LB's and DE's might actually be greater.

I wish i could say I think the Bills' will make a comeback, but I think they are done for the day. D is horrific. Fitz can't make consistent throws downfield. Chan and that wildcat has to be stopped. Everyone knows they won't throw out of it. Rinse and repeat. SIGH...

Nix hasn't addressed the QB position bc the Bills had too many other needs across the board. He can't get everything at once. A young QB is more likely to succeed with a good team around him. Same for an avg QB like Fitz. Also, folks need to stop thinking it would be easy to trade up. The Rams wanted to do a deal. There is no guarantee whichever team has the opportunity to take the top QB in the draft will want to deal. They might prefer to take their QB in spite of the picks they are offered. GM's can find QB's outside the top 10. By April, Smith, as good as he looks, might not be the consensus number 1 QB anyway. He could be there at 10 or 15. Other QB's could move ahead of him. Folks seem to forget the groundhog nature of the NFL draft buildup and political elections. Same ish everytime.

Yeah, the Union requirements drive up costs, but when I spoke of the cost of doing business in New York I was talking more about the corrupt state, county and local political officials. And of course our old buddies in organized crime.

You forget to factor in the most important part of that. Houston is in Texas. Buffalo is in New York. New York State will always have some of the higher costs. Not necessarily because there should be a higher cost, but because the cost of doing business in NY.

I was born at Sister's Hospital. My parents moved me down to DC when I was 6. Like you, I spent every summer in BLo up through my High School years. We'd return for Thanksgiving. Then come back for Christmas. Then in the Spring. So even though I wasn't living there year around I still felt like it was home. I still go online and read the Buff News. I used to go to Training Camp and scrimmages and pre-season with my Uncles and Cousins. Since Grad School I return for one regular season game a year with my father and cousins. Buffalo means family. Love it. The beautiful summer and fall. The first snow fall. The Looooooooooooooooooong Winter and Spring. LoL. And it was always home, even after we moved away. Bocce's, Ted's, GiGi's, Parkside Candies and a bunch of other great mom and pop food spots that have long since closed. And a special shout out to Mighty Taco who sponsored my first little league team in Shoshone Park. No place is perfect, but there is a lot to love about Buffalo. I think the thing about Buffalonians, even those that have moved away for various reasons, we all never lose that affection for the city. And I CANNOT STAND people talking slick about the city and have never even been there to know how wrong they are. I love the neighborly atmosphere. The family atmosphere. Even though times change and Buffalo needs new industries to carry it into the future, I LOVE the blue collar roots of the city. My grandfather's worked for Amtrak and General Motors. My father and uncles spent time working at Bethlehem Steel in the summers during school. Buffalo is a city of workers and nothing lasting happens without work. I'm a Western New Yorker til the day I die.

Isaiah Robertson should be on that list too. My top 5: The Juice Bruce Smith Thurman Thomas Nate Odomes Jerry Butler Romes, Reed, Donald Wilson, Talley, Winfield, Sam Cowart, Cribbs, Mario Clark, Ferguson, Frank Lewis Derrick Burroughs - I don't know why I bothered trying to pick just 5. But truthfully I could put another 20 players in that list.

How do you know they could have traded up for Randle? Maybe the Giants didn't want to trade out of that spot because they wanted Randle. Maybe the teams in front of them didn't want to trade out so they could get a player they targeted. Don't assume what they could or couldn't do.

Maybe not. Hairston has talent too. And a year in the system with a full set of OTA's and Training Camp.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/09000d5d8289608d/article/mark-barron-in-high-demand-for-safetystarved-nfl-teams

He's the OC and Running Back coach. He was a college coach at TCU and Georgia Tech when Gailey was there. He was also an assistant with Gailey when he was with the Cowboys and Chiefs. He also was an assistant in Arizona. He is being groomed to be a legit Offensive Coordinator. Gailey said he would one day turn over the duties of an OC. Like Whaley for G.M. Modkins is being groomed.

Not high on him? All the evaluators have him as a first round draft pick and one who will go in the top 15 picks in round one. Third rated doesn't mean they aren't high on his talent.

He took Mario over Bush when everybody said he was crazy to do it (including me at the time). He also said he wouldn't take Cam Newton in the first round. The draft is a dice game. Casserly worked in the NFL for over twenty five years for a reason. It's not because he was incompetent.

No offense taken. Whitner is a different athlete than Barron. OSU is a big time school that plays big time comp. Bama is a bigger time school that plays bigger time comp. How many NFL'ers has Baron competed against over the years on a weekly basis? And keep in mind Wilson is all over the field on Sundays. The designation SS and FS in the Bills defense hasn't been a big one. Both Byrd and Wilson have played deep coverage responsibilities. And because Whitner didn't turn out to be elite doesn't mean Barron wouldn't. Two different players. Two different time periods. Two different coaching staffs. They could take Floyd, they could take an OT or a Gilmore, Kirkpatrick, etc. and that player could be less than stellar. We don't know until we know. Again, when you look at the situation as a whole, Barron wouldn't be a bad pick. If he were the pick I wouldn't be upset. if they didn't and took a CB or a LB or an OT that would be fine with me too. The Bills are getting better. They have more options with that pick and that's a good thing.

Barron wouldn't be a bad selection at all. Has nothing to do with Whitner's pick years ago by a different regime or his less than elite production. Barron is a quality player from a big time school who played well against big time competition and has that history of production. He fits the NIx profile. Secondly, WIlson is over 30. The team has to start preparing for him to slow down. I would rather have the best safety, who can be a potentially impactful playmaker on defense, than the second or third best OT prospect, etc. Taking Barron at 10 does not preclude an OT being selected in the second or third. It also does not preclude the CB's they need being drafted in later rounds as well. Or LB's. Keep in mind Nix has given a vote of confidence to Hairston. Keep in mind Nix has said that the draft is deep at CB and WR and OT positions. Nix says what he means and does what he says. He is so right when he says people don't listen to what he says. One would think that by now folks would know he's a straight shooter. Byrd will be back. I don't even think that's a concern. Wilson plays well, but a bigger, younger guy with upside is a good player to have. Searcy is a guy with good potential too and he didn't look bad when he stepped in for George last season. But again, REMEMBER Nix AND Whaley said the Bills want to stack players on top of players. They want to create competition at every position. So he wouldn't be concerned with adding Barron.