GA BILLS FAN

I won't buy or trust anything that comes out of Brandon's MOUTH ! . . . I only look at actions here forward --- (1) What will he do with Toronto series ? (disappointed media didn't dig deeper into this question at presser, why not ask "Russ, with all due respect, you were instrumental in creating the TOR series, negotiated it, have watched each game, last year extended the series, what information are you lacking in your self-proclaimed, "we will look into it" comment in order to determine if this series should continue ? --- "do you personally think the TOR series gives this team a "true" HOME game ? ---"what if team had missed playoffs by one game ?" --- (2) CAP (again, disappointed no media member asked Russ his strategy on CAP and how that is inherently inconsistent with providing all resources necessary to WIN --- (2a) What happens with Byrd -- if he bolts for another losing team for $8M/year, then he was all about money --- if he leaves for a contender (say Philly, Chic, Cincy, Ariz) -- then he makes statement that he (Byrd) has NO FAITH in this FO/Team --- (3) What team does with "losing culture" -- will Crossman be fired (I'm hoping Marrone tells his friend to find another job and they announce in a few weeks that Crossman is resigning to go be HC at some small college ---- what players are released/traded to change culture ---

I stopped listening to him entirely about a year ago --- I only listen to Simon in the am and Murph podcasts and a bit of Sabre talk ---- but was stuck on channel after Bills end of year presser ---- he really doesn't belong on an all sports format station ---- there's gotta be guys on this board that would be more knowledgeable and entertaining --- maybe that's a topic to post --- who on this board should replace Schopp

Mike Schopp is an idiot --- on tirade now saying you can't coach turnovers --- really ?? --- didn't Tom Couglin coach Tiki how to hold onto the ball ? --- didn't Pettine coach Bills on attacking ball in secondary, 2nd in league in INT's --- we need new Buffalo media that actually know football so they can respectfully but directly confront and challenge the Bills FO --- this putz Schopp doesn't know a 1-gap vs. 2-gap assignment or weakside vs. strongside and he gets all the access to these guys --- no wonder Brandon isn't challenged --- the guys in the room are drones

The sight of him makes me sick to my stomach ---

Agree --- what media was at the event ?? --- softball after softball thrown at these guys --- Brandon should have been grilled on CAP and TORONTO --- in addition, Marrone should have been grilled on Crossman ---

Not ONE question on under spending the cap and philosophy going forward --- had great opening when Brandon said "we'll provide all resource" --- BUFFALO MEDIA SUCKS !! ---

U serious or being sarcastic ? . . . . if serious, please study defenses and learn to watch film . . . . Kyle Williams does exactly what you want DT to do in this type of defense --- big plays have mostly been issue with inexperience at LB and failure on safeties ---

There is a definitive trend in NFL toward offensive minded HC's -- that should keep Pettine here another year --- thankfully

I read it the same way, which is encouraging if Bills do in fact, rollover the unspent portion --- I also have the same ?? on whether they can re-roll $$ from 2012 into 2013 and then into 2014 --- stay tuned, but at least there is hope they can use that money --- let's see if they do I have no doubt that Brandon wants to WIN --- my issue is when the smartest short-term business decision conflicts with winning, I expect him to always pick winning --- the long-term smart moves are to do the things that help you win --- I don't believe other owners and presidents operate this way with teams that win --- I'm sure it happens with Jags, Bengals and Raiders --- as well as Royals in baseball and others in that sport --- but that is NOT what happens with perennial championship teams like Pats, Steelers, Yankees, Red Sox etc ---- I realize this is Buffalo, but the NFL has stacked the deck in a way that a small city team can compete --- and make money --- also, why in the hell does a 93-year old owner care about profit ?

Are you sure ? I thought the last year for that provision was 2012 money rolling into 2013 --- I thought I read somewhere that teams can no longer rollover dollars ? --- can you refer to a source if you have one -- I think a smart executive would realize that winning WOULD maximize profits ---

My issue with your logic is that you are defining success in terms of profits/losses and Brandon's ability to manage the team against that dimension, in my mind, that is flawed and the biggest issue I have with him -- he is not managing this team to win ---- I take exception to your point that he's only had control of the team for a year --- in that year, he cut Fitz and pushed $10M of his dead money into 2014 when the team has almost $20M in unspent cap money in 2013 -- so, in 2014, the Bills start out with $10M less in money to spend --- Kirby --- if you can give me ONE plausible reason why someone who wants to win would do this, please let all of us know --- I've challenged and posted that same question many times on this board and have yet to get a response that has any merit --- I want the Bills to win --- I think Brandon wants them to be profitable --- the two are not always consistent, when they are in conflict, I want him to error on the side of WINNING not making money --- to me, that defines an exceptional NFL (or other sports) executive

Top 25 ? . . . how is that possible when this franchise hasn't been in a playoff game in 15 years, what measurement criteria are you using, nice guy ? ability to get people to buy tickets to a losing team ? ability to get money to upgrade a stadium that is completely obsolete instead of investing in new stadium ? . . . . . I don't know Russ, but my measurement criteria is simple, has he created an organizational culture that wins. Answer NO.

We are stuck with Brandon as long as Ralph is the owner. What fans can do is ACT --- write letters to Brandon and others in Buffalo front offices and ask them the tough questions -- we as fans want a WINNING first philosophy --- put pressure on the media and sponsors to hold the organization accountable to their supposed stated goal (winning) and the actions they take (Toronto series, underspent CAP) --- and stop going to games until they win --- I know it's hard to get over the FEAR factor of losing the team if attendance truly drops, but that's the only way to send the message --- Whaley, the coaches and players are giving it 100% to win -- Brandon must do the same for it to work ---

WOW ! I can't believe so many on this board are defending Brandon. Let's start with a simple question: "what's your definition of success in the NFL?". Mine is simple, WINNING. On that dimension, every person associated with this franchise over the past 15 years has failed and the accountability for that failure only increases as their positions ascend organizationally and no person other than Ralph himself has held a more prominent role over a longer period than Brandon. Second, he is responsible for one of the worst football decisions of this decade when he agreed to extend the Toronto series. I don't blame him for the creating the series originally, I, in fact, applaud the ingenuity and the risk he took to see if it was possible to enhance the revenues of this team without hurting it on the field. But, when it was clear this series was hurting the chance of this team winning football games, why would you extend it ? That to me speaks to the biggest issue with Brandon, he focuses on the profit/loss and not winning. Thirdly, he has been in "complete charge" for the past year and is sitting on almost $20M in cap space in 2013 while moving $10M in Fitz's dead money to 2014 and refuses to extend or restructure the contracts of players to provide this organization with the maximum financial flexibility in 2014 and 2015. Fourth, he is not a marketing genius, what he is at his core is a guy who is selling FEAR to the WNY fans. His veiled threat after the Bills-Falcons game on WGR was appalling. Saying that Bills fans couldn't sell out most of this season's games and putting more "inventory" into WNY could prove to be troublesome was an embarrassment to this community. A marketing genius would first and foremost insist on having a good product, win some games and seats will be sold. Lastly, to those who defend Brandon, please hold him and this team to a higher standard. It's easy to fall into the trap he sets to sell "hope" and how hard he works and how much he wants to win. Watch his actions and ignore his rhetoric, as long as this guy is in charge, this team will need a miracle to win consistently. It hurts as a Bills fans to watch this franchise suffer this long and put one of the folks responsible for that suffering in charge of the team. For those defending Brandon, name ONE thing he has done during his career with the Bills that has resulted in the team WINNING on the field, you can't, because this franchise hasn't won since he's been associated with it.

Couldn't agree MORE ! . . . Living in Texas, I rely on online TBD and Buffalo News for local coverage as well as GR --- however, STOPPED listening to Schopp and Bulldog over a year ago --- tend to listen to Simon/Jeremy, they get better guests and are generally more positive and more knowledgeable, probably because no one wants to put up with S&B

It starts and ends with Brandon (for now) -- until they fix that dysfunctional situation, the football operation is fighting with one arm tied behind it's back --- complain all you want about Marrone/Hackett/Pettine or whichever coach --- in the end, spending under the cap EVERY year, playing 9 road games and consistently under-investing in coaching and scouting translates to one thing --- losing ---- Mr. Brandon WORDS ARE CHEAP !! ---

This OP only deserves one comment --- WTF are you smoking ?

At first I thought it a bit hypocritical that the NFL embraced fantasy football so much, but it brings in so many casual fans and keeps level of interest in games that mean nothing, they put their morale dilemma to the side --- in essence, they've embraced gambling --- and for those that think it's not gambling, the stakes in some leagues are significant --- I don't think it's hypocritical anymore, because I believe the NFL is overtly embracing gambling with fantasy and "Vegas" type wagers to keep interest at a high level --- one of the biggest changes in the game since the 70's ---

Officiating is inconsistent and too big a part of the game and the players are becoming whiners (like NBA players) --- on every incomplete pass WR's are looking for interference -- on every hit they are looking for unnecessary roughness --- it's getting ridiculous --- in addition, the rules are favoring the offense too much -- at some point, defenders will only be able to 2-hand touch QB's -- the call on Byrd was a joke --- I think NFL has to be careful, between inconsistent officiating, rule changes that help the offense they are heading down a path that is materially affecting the product on the field --- not to mention the incredible amount of commercial timeouts that slows down play and makes the games harder and harder to watch ---

At the Ralph, the other team's fans are eating filet mignon and we are getting spam sandwiches ---

+1 The so-called "marketing genius" should hire an actual marketing genius (ME!) --- I'd say one thing "FOCUS EVERY EFFORT ON WINNING GAMES" --- it's been almost a decade and a half since the playoffs -- my son is in 10th grade and has yet to see a winning Bills team --- the Bills are like a restaurant that serves bad food and wonders why no one goes there to eat -- so, what do they do, they cater the same crap food to another city and another restaurant and wonder why those people don't like it --- the food stinks --- fix the food and people will go there to eat --- marketing 101,

Actions speak louder than words ! All of you on this board that are defending Brandon or saying he is now "enlightened" because of what he said, need to look at his actions and realize ONE THING, he is managing this team for profit, not winning. That does not mean he doesn't want to win, it means profit is #1, not winning. Look no further than the spending in 2013 versus the salary cap. I feel like I've said it a hundred times, why are the Bills not spending to cap ? Why are they pushing Fitz dead money into next year's cap when they'll need that money to bolster their roster with FA's and extensions. As for the Toronto series, let's face facts -- it was Ru$$ who stood up on Jan 1 to tell (lie) to all of us that it was a "new day" --- less than a month later he extends the Toronto series for 5 more years ---- the same series that for the past 5 years was a major embarrassment --- Ru$$ acting shocked and surprised at the series after the Atlanta game ?? --- where was he for the Chicago game up there ? . . . the Miami game ?? . . . Talk is cheap, Ru$$ needs to start acting the part of an NFL executive 100% focused on WINNING --- I want to see a change in the cap management strategy -- I want to see the Toronto series ended --- stop talking about wanting to win and have actions to match the rhetoric.

I guess misery loves company ---

Only the TJ Graham pick made me sick --- Wilson was a 3rd-4th round consensus coming out --- the fact the Bills didn't take him and instead traded up to get TJ Graham will go down as Buddy's worst move as GM ---- and this isn't a hindsight is 20/20 deal -- the Bills needed a young QB and Buddy said he didn't see one worth taking --- crap, crap and more crap and we pay for it every time you see Wilson on the field -- the guy is a young Drew Brees !! ---- as for this draft --- when all is said and done, Bills will pick in the 8-12 range -- we'll win at least 2 more games and finish 6-10 ---- at that point Mack and Evan will both be in play --- I'd take Mack, I think we can get a TE in 2nd and LG in FA --- those are the 3 BIG HOLES to fill ---

I think Toronto wants to wait until end of the CFL season --- if we schedule earlier, why not schedule 2 games up there in August --