BillsfaninSixburgh

Marv's not even close. He didn't do much as the Bill's GM, but he wasn't around long enough to even be in a discussion of worst Bills GM's, let alone worst all-time NFL GM's. The Bills are still trying to recover from the Donohoe era. If you were a fan of the team in the late 60's, most of the 70's and 80's between the '82 strike and '86 arrival of Jim Kelly & Co, the Bills have been a lot worse off. Yes, ten years is the longest period without a playoff appearance. However, that's more on Donahoe than Marv. The Bills are still trying to recover from blown 1st and 2nd round draft choices under Donahoe more than anything else. TD's top two picks in the 2001 draft (his first in Buffalo) brought Nate Clements and Aaron Schoebel. He was off to a good start. However, from 2002 to 2005 Donahoe picked these players in the first two rounds: Mike Williams, Josh Reed, Willis McGahee, Chris Kelsay, Lee Evans, JP Losman, Roscoe Parrish and Kevin Everett. The only stud in the bunch was Evans. Williams - HUGE BUST; Reed - good steady player, but not game changer; McGahee - head-case/spotty, but for a first rounder - a bust; Kelsay - average at best; Evans - good pick; Losman - consolation prize as Big Ben went 2 picks earlier/bust; Parrish - gimmick player/reach; and Everett - career ending injury. Marv was at helm for 2006 and 2007 drafts. Bills took Whitner, McCargo, Lynch, and Pozluzny in first two rounds. Except for McCargo, the other three have mostly been above average and big contributors. (Yes I know this past year Lynch was a no-show, but he was the team's bright spot his first two seasons). As for the entire NFL, to be considered the all-time worst GM, you have to look at someone with more than a track record of two years. I'd start the discussion with Mike Brown. He's been in the position with the Bengals for what seems like forever, and his overall track record is terrible. Only in the past few years have the Bengal's done anything since the Esiason era. Millen definitely has to be on the list, as does whoever has been in charge of the Cardinals up until about 3 years ago. Finally, at this time is hard to think of putting anyone in the Saints in this discussion, but they didn't even have a winning record in ther first 20 years of existence, and until this year I believe they only won one other playoff game ever. Marv the coach - A- (win me at least one of those Super Bowl's to get an A+) Marv the GM - Incomplete (let's wait another year or two to see how Lynch and McCargo fare under new regime). If I had to grade Marv the GM right now. D+ or C-

This article puts it to rest... http://showbiznews.info/2008/03/16/jim-kel...ars-kelly-gang/ While it doesnt mention Pat by name, it mentions Jim had all his brothers with him at this 2008 event for Hunter's Hope. One of his older brothers also played some football at either the college or professional level briefly (although I can't remember which one, it probably was the East Brady Pat Kelly). Bottom line the Rochester Pat Kelly is not the East Brady Pat Kelly.

You got the wrong Pat Kelly. All of Jim's brothers grew up with him in East Brady. For people of Irish decent, the names Pat and Kelly are about as common as they get. (I speak form experience, my family is Irish).

Doubt Steelers will let him go. All the reports down here from local beat writers and so-called insiders is that Steelers will put franchise tag on Hampton if they can't sign him. His franchise tag salary will be about the same as they paid him last year so it won't be a big financial hit for them.

The Ralph vs Heinz Field I'd like to know specifically what upgrades the Commissioner wants to see at RWS. Before moving, I had Bills season tickets, and now I have Pitt (Panther, not Steelers-always a Bills fan!) season tickets at Heinz Field. From a football perpsective, the Ralph is just as nice. Not to mention that RWS holds about 8,000 more than Heinz and 5,000 more than Philly's The Linc. Parking is a heck of a lot better in OP than in Pittsburgh. The luxury boxes at Heinz are a litte nicer, newer and larger, but Heinz doesn't have anything like the corner clubs at the Ralph. The food at both stadiums is similiar (i.e. highly-overpriced, stadium food). So what's the real reason you never hear the league calling for an upgrade at Lambeau or Heinz. Simple - "WINNING TRADITION". If the Bills had the same winning tradition the Steelers or Packers have had over the past 40 years, they wouldn't be a target. Everytime there is talk of moving a team, its always the LOSER franchises that get targeted. A few years ago, before they started winning, it was Minnesota and New Orleans. Now it's Buffalo, St. Louis and Jacksonville. The best way to keep the Bills in Buffalo......PUT A WINNER ON THE FIELD!!!!!

Maybe we could go after Kaeding from San Diego since he is so great in the regular season. The fact that he has choked in meaningful playoff games would be a moot point in Buffalo.

I've got to agree with DCfan and Max, Bills inability to tackle or stop Otis Anderson in general (which resulted in Giants 40+ minutes time of possession), and Mark Ingram on the infamous 3rd and long were the primary reason Bills lost. As painful as it is to watch "Wide Right" each year when they show the past SB highlights, the Ingram play is the real stake through the heart.

More on The Daily Beast coverage of Tiger's woes. The Beast cites two unnamed friends if Elin Woods as saying that Elin found texts on Tiger's cell phone from one of his mistresses. Well I just spoke with six unnamed fans of Tiger who say it was all a prank that Tiger was planning to play on Elise and have Ashton Kucther jump out and yell "You've Just Been Punk'ed" on national TV. There, now that the truth has finally come out.....TIGER PLEASE COME BACK TO GOLF!!!!! Now that's journalism at its best!

If Tom Terrific had taken that high/low hit, he would have had Gizzelle rubbing his ankle on the sideline and telling him how pretty he is the rest of the game instead of getting it retaped and going back into the game like Favre did.

Thanks for making my point in two ways: 1) If the unnamed source won't go on the record, then they shouldn't bother saying it. 2) If they still say it, then as a reporter why report it unless you are willing to cite your source for verification and credibility purposes? Especially on the topic of sports. I thought "off the record" meant just that. Keep the quote out of the record. I can see the need for unnamed sources in some situations like crimes, but this is just football!! (Oh I know, some people claim Bills football is criminal!) I guess I'm old school. As we used to say, "just 'cuz everone does it, doesn't make it right". And for the record, despite the "unnamed sources", I agree with the point the article is trying to make. Anyone who has followed either team in recent years could draw those conclusions even without the expert opinion of all those unnamed sources. My point is - is there any real journalism anymore? Or should everything out there be taken with a grain of salt. When NBC News considers the The DailyBeast a credible news source (see this morning Today Show latest on Tiger Woods news), I can only say, "let the buyer (or reader) beware!"

Those of us who lived through it learned how to live with the pain of the Bills losing Super Bowls, so what's one more. I'd root for my son and be proud to say 'Well they were the first team to get there 5 times and lose all of them" (now that the Vikes have been eliminated this year). However, like some of the other readers, I would have to disown him (and he knows that) if he played for the Patriots, Dolphins or Cowboys!

I agree that it is a good piece and probably spot on accurate. But why can't all those unnamed sources go on the record? Do they work for the Bills or Raiders? Do they hope to keep their options open with the Bills and Raiders? I would put a lot more credibility in those statements if I know they are coming from a Bill Polian, AJ Smith (both successful and with an ax to grind with Wilson if they wanted) or Joe Banner, than I do if they come from Matt Millen. PFW cites five or six unnamed sources. Not one would go on the record? It would be nice to know what some of these unnamed sources own record of success (or lack thereof) has been.

Bring back Mike DeGeorge and The Clipper!!! (God rest his soul!)

Uhmmm.......losing 4 Super Bowls! Hey, but let's not put them in the same category as the Bills. It took them 7 years to lose 4. (1969-1976).

I hate the stuff..........but my beloved Grandmother used to drink a six-pack a day!!!

Four out-of town articles posted on Two Bills Drive, as well as Colin Cowherd's show on ESPN Radio today bash either the Bills and/or Buffalo. The Detroit and Vegas article question and criticize the Bills decision to hire Nix and Gailey. The Minnesota article says Bills blew it by not hiring Les Frazier. Cowherd says Buffalo is next to last (thank you Raiders) in terms of the best places to coach in NFL. The worst article was Mike Rosenberg's CNN/SI piece where in addition to mocking the hiring decisions, he takes the following shot at Buffalo fans - If you're a Bills fan, and the whole country makes fun of your city, and your team is best known for losing Super Bowls, and the best player in franchise history turns out to be ... O.J. Simpson. My rebuttal to each: Minnesota - ok, I give you Frazier might have been a good choice. I personally probably would have picked him over Gailey. But given Buffalo's offensive woes of the past decade, I can't argue with the Bill's decision to go with an offense oriented approach. Vegas - does any sportswriter in Vegas have any credibility. Oh yeah, Vegas - home of the UFL's Locomotives whose QB is JP Losman (who got cut by Buffalo). More people read posts on Two Bills Drive than read Vegas papers. Detroit - 0-16 / worst team of the decade (who are you to criticize anybody's football team). 'Nuf said. Cowherd - honestly, I like Cowherd's show. Much in the same way I loved Cliff Clavin on "Cheers". It's always fun to listen to the village know-it-all, even though you also know he is also the village idiot. Finally...Rosenberg..... Yes, most of the country makes fun of Buffalo - until they spend any time there! (BTW - I left Buffalo for a job 15 years ago and have lived around the country - there might be glitzier places, but there aren't any homier places!!). Dude - you live in Detroit!! Who are you to throw stones!! OJ the best player?? I guess you never heard of other guys like Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Jack Kemp, or Thurman Thomas . I forgot, you were probably covering the Wayne Fontes Lions at that time. I can see why you might have missed some of those names. (But I do understand that the OJ comment was a quick and easy way to take a cheap shot at Buffalo). And yes, those 4 Super Bowl losses. Can't argue it would have been nice to win at least one of them. But getting there four years in a row was still a lot of fun That's still something no other team has ever done - not even Bellicheat's Patriots. Not to belabor the whole Detroit angle - but last I looked, the Lions HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN TO ONE! So..for all you writers out there. Feel free to bash the Bills as that comes with the territory. But before you start bashing the people and fans of Buffalo, come join 75,000 of us some December Sunday afternoon at One Bills Drive when our team is 4-10 and its snowing (if your tough enough!). We will show you what fans and community (and tailgating) are all about. The Bills - "it might be an ugly mutt, but they are still MY mutt"!!

Quitting on the Bills is like quitting on your 15 year old, blind, arthritic, three-legged mutt. You know you should have him put down, but ya just can't do it. Cuz after all, even though he ain't much of a dog...he's still YOUR dog!! These are my Bills...always will be (unless of course they move to Toronto!), but until then..... LONG LIVE CHAN!!!! GO BILLS!!!!!

I'll get worried if he hires Dick Jauron as his D-coordinator.

As I recall, none of the three you mention (Aikman, P. Manning and Big Ben) had the question marks that Tebow, Bradford, Claussen or Pike had. The fact is there is no "sure thing when it comes to 1st round QBS - even when they are "sure things". If so , how does a Marino go 27th after Todd Blackledge and Tony Eason, (not to mention Elway and Kelly). And how does Montana go in the 3rd round and Brady in the 6th round. While Akili Smith, Alex Smith, and JP Losman all go in the 1st round.

Nix would have really impressed me if he had said to the media..."and if you dont like it, GET OUTTA TOWN" (ala Bill Polian for all you youngsters!)

I think they should get stud OT or D-lineman in round 1, and if they aren't convinced that Brohm can suffice for at least one year then see which QBs are available in Round 2. A 1st round QB will do nothing to improve this team in the short-run, and in fact would be a wasted pick this year. 1st round lineman (unless of course said lineman is Mike Williams!!) tend to start and have a much greater impact as rookies than QBs do. With all the question marks attached to so many of the big name QBs coming out, there is quite likely going to be at least one left at the 41st slot (Bills 2nd round pick).

NO!!! Not until they upgrade significantly at QB, O-line and D-line.

When Bill Clinton ran for President, he kept quoting to his staff...The three most important things are "the economy, the economy and the economy". To paraphrase, the three most important things to the Bills are "the players, the players and the players". No players = lousy team!

Like most Bills fans, I'm not crazy about about this hire, but was anybody really thrilled when Marv was hired in '86? He was an almost 60-year old retread from KC and the CFL best known for running the Wing-T. The big difference between 1986 and 2010 is that Marv came on board and had Kelly, Reed, Smith, Talley, Tasker, etc. (not to mention that the O-line had Hull, Ritcher and Wolford) just as they were all about to hit their prime. Right now, the Bills have no QB, the O-line is in shambles. Until player evaluation, acquisition (and retention) gets better, the Bills head coach position will continue to be a 3-year revolving door. It's sort of like President Obama - love him or hate him, his success is our success. His failure is our failure. Let's hope the blind squirrels at OBD have found another nut like Marv in the hiring of Gailey.

Back in 86 no one had heard of Bill Polian, and Marv Levy was a KC and CFL retread. That seemed to work out ok. Give the guy a chance.