tennesseeboy

In my prayers and thoughts.

I was big on that Jared guy at Subway but he's looking kind of thin. I'm also not impressed with that Pillsbury doughboy that we drafted in the first round a few years ago for offensive tackle.

I suspect Bates is still in the mix. There may be a number of issues to resolve before he decides to come. I think his "sitting out" is leverage and as it comes down to actually sitting out versus coaching a fairly talented defense, he'll chose to coach. I would think there are discussions about Clements and Adams and which side of the ball the first draft pick is going to fall, which might influence Bates' decision almost as much as money.

They slaughter dogs, we slaughter chickens and cows...what's the big deal?

Next year? 4-3. We could go for a 3-4 the next year, but with existing personnel and the limited amount we CAN do in the draft I think we would be wise looking at getting a quality DT and going 4-3. We don't have the right amount of quality linebackers right now for a 3-4 and I don't think our present defensive ends would make it work either.

Ditto...Its like getting an undergrad degree in Law before you go to law school...not a good idea. Here are some sights on eventual grad programs that may offer undergrad degrees. Most of the International people I know who were successful followed Benedicts route, including a year abroad (and the SUNY programs are some of the best.) and intensive language study.

Of the ones you've mentioned Boston College (assuming money is no object) international programs. I have pretty strong views about an undergraduate curriculum in international relations and would be glad to share them with you privately.

Cookie Gilchrist...have seen him fight.

no...The Greatest Play In Buffalo Bills History...bar none...was Mike Stratton bone crushing tackle of Keith Lincoln in the championship game against San Diego in 65 or 66. That made us league champions and defined the team as one that practiced what a recent BB coach termed "smash mouth" football.

Even Jim Kelly didn't do much with "the bickering bills" Remember the bickering was mostly about a poorly performing offensive line. Marv knows that more important than finding another Jim Kelly (and there is no Jim Kelly or Dan Marino or John Elway in this years draft) is building a quality offensive line. And for my money JP Losman is unfinished business and may very well be the quarterback of the future. DJ has to put him in and let him play before we will know whether we have the key to quarterback puzzle under contract.

Shaq at tight end, gaurd or tackle. Hell...I might want to try him out at Defensive end. Lots of precedent (Pete Metzlarrs and Tony Gonzalez for big b-ball players at the TE Position. Not a lot of precedent for golfers in pro football (John Daly?)

Another possibility in that there are plenty of OT's and DT's available in the late first and early second is to go for another area of real and immediate need. Reluctantly (because we NEED DT and OT so badly) might be to take Vernon Davis at Tight End. We have 1a needs (OT and DT) but tight end would be our 1b need. For me this would be a consideration given the above scenario and NO chance to trade down. Definitely a tough situation.

Eric Winston? Certainly not an 8 so far, but he is good and fills a need. That would not be the best scenario for us.

oh..in that case from his lips to God's ear. Ferguson would be just what we need. Another rookie quarterback would not be something we should waste a high pick on.

yes...maybe cutler getting knocked on his ass by onrushing defensive linemen will be better than Losman or Holcomb getting knocked on their ass by defensive linemen.

I for one don't believe the bills defense is all that bad. Two defensive tackles and we have a playoff contender on D this next season. The defensive coaching was bizarre this season (and the loss of Spikes was a very tough break). As has been pointed out we have aging safeties, but they are still pretty good. I think a good DC could do very well here.

Let's assume he wants to be head coach some day (probably a pretty safe assumption). Sitting out is not a good way to remain in the spotlight (He's not the Bill Parcells, Jim Mora, colorful guy whose going to remain in the spotlight as a newscaster.) The money he's getting by sitting is NOWHERE near the very high salaries being given to Asst. Coaches this year. Also I don't think RW hasn't noticed that the price of doing business with Assistant Coaches has skyrocketed. That being the case, and with the paucity of DC positions, we might want to stay with Bates a while, let him think and maybe come up with more money. He'll almost certainly go to ONE of the teams looking for a DC and I suspect we are as good as any of them. Jauron seems a good guy to work for. Clements, Spikes, Schobel, McGee and Vincent are a pretty good base to work with and if he gets some assurances about strengthening the D-Line in free agency or the draft (Ngata?) we should be relatively attractive.

Had an interesting experience last year. First night in Ukraine I turned on the tube and realized all TV was in Russian. Never watched it unless to brush on Russian language skills for six months. I haven't gotten back into much of a TV mode since I've been back other than to watch occassional sports or a neat movie on tv. Haven't seen any of the sitcoms..read a few good books and spend evenings with family and friends away from the tube. Gave up reality tv for reality.

Singletary, Cottrell...who else is out there right now?

Hung Guns?

Cotrell would be okay. Haslett might be better as DC, and he is pretty much running out of aces in the coaching derby so he might be receptive, but I wonder how burned his bridges might be with Marv and Ralph. If I were DJ I would be tempted to go with Haslett and stand up to Marv and Ralph as a matter of staking out my turf early. I'd have Haslett's loyalty and ambition to get back into head coaching to fuel an aggressive (and they didn't come much more aggressive than Haslett) defense. Hurt, hungry and with a lot to prove. I'd like that in a defensive co-ordinator.

Or "Grumpy Old Men."

Hasn't Teddy (or various parts of him) been preserved? Maybe we could get his head, transplant it onto Posey's body (which is preserved from not doing much this year) and have him be defensive co-ordinator?

The quarterbacks coach is not a big thing right now. Wyche was okay, but there are a million more out there, and Jauron has worked with a number of new and struggling QB's. Furthermore, it is sink or swim time for JP and a coach can only take you so far. Change may be good here. Simon may have been a little strong but he has a point that there isn't a lot that has to be done to improve this team. He doesn't have a point here in that the clowns running the operation should have seen what had to be done sooner and should have addressed the problems then, either by not letting Jennings and Williams go, or by addressing their departure in the drafts or free agency.

I think we would be wiser channeling all of our strength and anger on behalf of the team on the field. Whupping Miami would be the best revenge and holding them to zip on offense would hurt MM a lot more than any overweight beer-swilling low life swearing at him from the stands.