tennesseeboy

Read it...agree with Justice Stevens 90 page dissent. Now everyone go spend the entire weekend reading the decisions and varying concurring and dissenting opinions, take notes and report back on Monday for a discussion and seminar.

We need a quarterback eventually, but right now our offensive and defensive lines should be the number one priority. If we fixed the offensive and defensive lines (I'm including the linebackers as part of the defensive "line" problem) Fitzpatrick would be good enough for the next year ande we might make the playoffs. We might get the opportunity with a trade for Lynch or possibly Lynch and a lower round draft pick to get a good quarterback, or we might even find someone in free agency. However that doesn't fill the bill to build a first rate contender, so I would think we'd be drafting the "franchise" quarterback next year or the year after. Thigpen might or not be better than Fitz and we might get him if the price isn't too high and he might be passable next year as our lines gel. I'm not seeing a new quarterback as being an important part of the plan for this year, unless some opportunity falls to us in the free agency, trade process. Remember we got Kemp off waivers and the Saints didn't knock themselves out to get Drew Brees.

not excited about the guy. Let's see what these guys actually do in the next few months with the draft, free agency and trades. The jury's out.

oh hell...now I guess I'd better read the darn thing.

you mean a post about vick that means we can't post about vick?

This is a great idea because our defense will be onthe field most of the game with our qb on his ass during the various 3 and outs from not having an offensive line. Changing the defense drastically is a great idea and kind of reminds me how Hansen retired when Greggo decided the defense had to meet his 4-3 scheme. I imagine it will be the final straw to Schobel retiring but what the hell. This is such a great idea. This draft and the next should be devoted to getting the personnel to switch to a 3-4 and getting a closer look at Maybin in a position he might conceivably not be such a dud in.

Clausen is NOT a franchise guy. If he were a franchise guy we would be talking about him as a top five pick. It would be a waste of the 9 pick to pick either clausen or bradford. Neither one of them is that good, and we have a putrid offensive line that needs one of the two very good LT's that will be available at 9.

Pretty expensive quarterback roster. I suspect that this is a negotiation ploy--If I don't get a great deal for him I'll be delighted to keep him. What do you expect Andy Reid to say...I'll dump him for almost anything because my qb roster is overcrowded and expensive and I have both my short term guy (McNabb) and my long term guy (Kolb) and having this other guy is better than having a very high first round draft pick or two?

no brainer...go with the OT Bulaga or Davis. In fact if it were at all possible I'd be tempted to trade up for Okung. Bradford isn't all that great.

I like your thinking, but i'd draft all of those guys PLUS either Davis or Baluga at 9. Never can have too many good offensive linemen, and with injuries you have to be fairly deep. I see the QB thing being fixed for the time being as a trade or free agent signing. Actually If we were going to get McLain or a great defensive lineman at 9 I would certainly be able to live with it.

Was watching Mike and Mike at the gym this morning and they had a number of hall of famers talking. The consensus of M&M and Munoz and later (non hall of famer...but a voter!) John Clayton was that Rice was a shoo in and that Chris Carter was the front runner of the other receivers. The way I see it Rice is without a doubt a hall of famer. Chris is a border line hall of famer, and I don't see Tim Brown or Andre Reed getting in. Shannon Sharpe is a weird pick and I don't see him getting in, but he has a unique background as a TE/WR. The Buffalo Bill who I think should be next to go into the hall of fame is Steve Tasker, but I'd be surprised (and delighted) if that happened.

The only criticism I have of Saban was the Gilchrist trade, but his work before and after more than makes up for that error in my book. I think you are right and that we would have been in the first superbowl had he been coaching, and he would be in the Hall of Fame had he stayed with the bills one more year. He was the guy who made the team work for OJ. He built the line, and made it clear to one and all that we were a run first last and always team while we had a back like OJ. He was a great mind who knew how to make the most of the talent that he had.

Actually Buster himself was an east tennesseean, so I suspect his family (east tennesseans as well as far as I know) would probably be more concerned about the redneck white trash incest talk than about the empirical fact that the guy is dead. Newsflash..he died long before Chan became coach, and from pneumonia. Hopefully no one actually thinks he might have chosen to off himself in anticipation of Chan becoming coach and asking him to be defensive co-ordinator. I would have hoped that most would have realised this. Given the fact that he is credited with being a father of the 4-3 defense, he might have been a good choice.

I agree that it seems these two have a ton of potential. Hardy was injured though. For this upcoming season he should be given a good look and if he shows what we think he has in the way of talent, should be given the opportunity to start. Nelson should get a good look too, but I suspect we might be looking at tight ends in free agency, and Nelson is going to have to earn starting time against some stiff competition. Hopefully the two of them will be productive.

all in all a terrible tragedy.

Saban and Levy were very good, Knox and Phillips were good, none of the others were even good.

You have to give last year's draft a chance to work out. Maybin may be better than Bruce in the long run!

In retreospect it is a "terrible" joke. It sets forth a possibility that the rather elderly triumvirate of Wilson, Chan, and Buddy might possibly be tending to bring in tired old assistant coaches to a moribund and disaffected team with retread assistants such as Cottrell, DeHaven and what have you. I figure if you are going bring in retreads you might as well bring in the old ones (who actually were pretty good coaches). Unfortunately the old coaches who might actually help are dead. I would hate for anyone to think we shouldn't have all the confidence in the world in Ralph, Buddy and Chan's old guy strategy. I'm sorry and am certain this Don't trust anyone under 60 mantra will bring us to the superbowl next year. I say next year because the triumvirate must realize they don't have a lot of time.

Was he driving a Toyota?

Geez...I guess I'd better not discuss the idea of hiring Lou Saban as offensive co-ordinator

I understand and agree with the argument that favors a bad team trading down. In this year I don't think that would be best as it is almost a given that there will be one of two "blue chip" left tackles available at 9, Bauga and/or Davis. I gotta say go with whichever one is available as it is an opportunity to give our offense a major improvement.

Coming from you that's a compliment. How did you get away from your nazi board?

Bruce Smith on D and Jim Kelly on O. Draft and free agency for the OT and DT positions which also need to be filled. If I had to get the best to fit the major needs? Jason Peters on O and Pat Williams or Ted Washington or Fred Smerlas on D. That being said I'd be crazy not to take the two hall of famers to fill two positions that are of secondary need. I think there is enough talent in the draft and free agency to get at the O-line and other D line problems.

nah..at this state of the game I'm a tennesseean. Actually given the age of the names being bandied about I kind of assumed Buster would have been approached had he not passed on. I like the Walt Corey suggestion though.

In the case of Reed from the Buffalo Bills: Reed benefited from a pass-orientated offense; was on a team that has six Hall of Famers with one being quarterback Jim Kelly; and generally didn't dominate despite the famous K-Gun offense. Not to mention a tendency to pull dumb penalties in major games, milking injuries, and a piss poor attitude. Yup...he deserved a few pro bowls and the wall of fame in buffalo. Not a hall of famer. Tasker should get in first from the bills.