PBF81

Belichick had Brady. Are you comparing McD comparably to Belichick then?

That's fair. But here's the thing, something's clearly up with Diggs. We know what we know, but some of what we know is that McD hasn't been honest in dealing with the public. So in part he's responsible for a lot, most, if not all of this. Secondly, there's clearly a rift between/among Diggs/Allen/Dorsey, and since Dorsey was (apparently) Allen's hand-picked OC choice, it would therefore line up that the rift is between Diggs and Allen/Dorsey. Point being, when you (McD) don't come clean, then contradict yourself, when it gets put out that it's not football related when it clearly is, you're more or less inviting the speculation and criticism. And frankly, which is worse, the lies/spin/contradictions, or what may very well be dishonest reporting as you imply here? Then there's the thing with Frasier. More obscuration there. Who was really responsible for "13 Seconds" and the idiotic Cincy D play-calling? If Frasier was that problematic for McD, why didn't he get rid of him earlier? Did Frasier quit? Was he "forced" out? It wasn't his contract like some state, he still had it. There was obviously some dissent there between the two. What about Daboll? There are also rumors there of similar. And what for the love of pete is this obscure "Process" that we've heard about. Sounds more like some mechanism to say "STFU, you don't know anything" specifically designed to keep criticism at bay, more than anything that's been defined or which has even remotely become clear. This Diggs thing isn't going away whether we want it to or not, unless we play a perfect season that is and Dorsey makes the most of the offense while keeping Diggs and Allen, the two top paid players, satisfied. Odds of that happening? This "lazy, bad media trend" that you point out has been around for decades in sports, probably longer. It's nothing new. But couldn't similar be said about the media handling of the same issues and internal affairs by McD? I mean we hear all this rhetoric about character, but when you behave like that you contradict yourself. Just something to think about in contrast. As much as many of us would like for this season to go smoothly, everything and all of the offseason changes to work our perfectly, for us to go 14-3, win the division, and finally win the AFC and the Super Bowl, that's incredibly unlikely with the way things sit right now. McD would do himself a service to start coming a lot more clean when addressing the media, aka the fanbase, because IMO he's in over his head this season taking on both the head-coaching duties alongside calling the D, in a league where D-minded coaches typically don't ultimately succeed, A, and also given his quite average 17th ranked scoring D performance over 6 seasons in Carolina, his only stint as DC. Are we going to get his 2nd or 6th ranked scoring D in two of those 6 seasons, or are we going to get the 26th or 27th ranked ones, including his last season there, or something in between like his other two 18th and 21st below-average Ds? He may wish he'd have bought that good-will with fans and media here at some point soon. Just sayin'.

The source is "someone close to the Bills' locker room" according to one of the prominent articles on the topic. As to this "disliking" thing, I have to question why everyone that's critical of a player or coach, or GM or owner for that matter, "dislikes" that person. Couldn't it simply be that they are critical about their professional performance without some sort of dislike or otherwise "hate" (hatred) or other animosity for them? I'm extremely critical of both McD and Beane, but I have it on great faith that both are really nice guys. I've never met either one, never been invited to anything by them, gone out for wings & beer with them, been at any social gatherings with either. I don't know either one personally, how could I dislike them? Again, I am critical of their coaching and management. So what? Criticism is an expected part of the fan element and aspect of this sport. And quite frankly, unless they're beyond criticism what's the problem? This is a business we're told. How many people have known people at work that are great people as people go, but simply not particularly competent in what they do? It's difficult to imagine that anyone doesn't know one or more. I don't understand this personal emotional offense taken whenever McD is criticized. The notion that they think otherwise is understandable, but that's not personal, it's professional. As to defensive minded coaches, they're generally taking a hit in today's NFL, and why not, they're not as effective generally speaking as offensive minded ones are. FWIW

On that note, I'm more or less expecting what he did there, which was incredibly inconsistent. In 6 seasons, 4 were below average in Scoring D, twice way below at 26th and 27th, one of which was his last season. His successor, Steve Wilks, came in and made it 11th the following season. He averaged 17th in scoring D and he had some great players too, Kuechly among them. On top of that he's gotta run the entire team. I'm not sure it inspires confidence. McD doesn't seem to be very good in new situations. IMO, if there's any hope this season in the playoffs it's going to have to come from changes and improvements in the Offense.

Still concerned about MLB/ILB. But to your point, they have Floyd to keep MIller's spot warm until and if he comes back with anything. At 34 coming off of a major knee injury is hardly a shoe-in to be above average. Either way they have Floyd. Not sure how they use Floyd when Miller does get back though. I can't imagine him replacing Rousseau on the other side. I'm more thinking that the offense can be a monster, best Bills offense ever if they conduct it optimally. That would include running more and by hook or by crook find our short higher percentage passing game. I hope Allen's elbow is 100%. The Flaming Homer?

Warm as in what, precisely? How many seasons of doing that with the expiration date on Allen getting closer before a change is made? I don't have shred of confidence that after Allen's time we'll ever get closer.

I know where you stand! Sheesh! 😁

OK, so same question to you that I asked Doc but haven't gotten an answer on yet; Suppose that it plays out that we go through the season again, make the playoffs whatever the circumstances, and lose either in the Wild-Card or Divisional Round by not playing our best and/or by losing to an inferior team. What are your thoughts then?

Well, 9-8 plus 4 more wins is 13 wins. Going 14-3, or better, winning a WC game and losing in the D round, or even winning in the D round and losing the CCG would result in more wins. I'm only asking because some that I've exchanged with here have stated plainly that they're quite content with merely winning seasons and winning the division regardless of what happens afterwards. I only bring it up because that would be a huge explanation as to peoples' differences in the way that they view our coaching. I'd take slinking into the playoffs at 9-8 as the 7th seed, taking third in the division, with a Super Bowl win over the Patriots' 2007 season any day.

Well, I thought that I was being pretty reasonable. LOL

You don't care about a championship? You'd rather go 14-3 and lose in the WC or D round than to go 9-8 and win it all?

Losing season? LOL ... come on now. They could put Allen on any one of the teams during the drought era and we wouldn't have a losing season. Is that your expectation, minimally, a winning season? As to looming issues, if you don't see any then that would explain any differences in our views. To start, I'd be willing to make a friendly wager that the whole Diggs issue revives itself and in no small way at some point during the season.

Well, I can, I did, based upon other indicators. But at this point what's the sense in arguing over it? The season's going to play out one way or another, right? No one's going anywhere before the season. Is anything that you or I say going to alter it? But allow me to ask, and hopefully you'll answer the question. Suppose that it plays out that we go through the season again, make the playoffs whatever the circumstances, and lose either in the Wild-Card or Divisional Round by not playing our best and/or by losing to an inferior team. Will your stance then be the same? As to his play-calling on Defense, here's what I'm expecting, about what he did in Carolina, which was an average of I believe it was 17th ranked Scoring D and 13th ranked Yardage D on average, essentially perfectly average, and that with players like Kuechly, one of the league's best then, Davis, Johnson, Addison in his prime, Lotulelei when he gave a crap. That while also keeping an eye on the offense. Should be interesting, perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised, I hope so, but for purposes of forming my opinions I'm big on expecting what patterns and trends have revealed. That's the only one we have to go by since everyone here says that to date it's all been Frasier.

The season hasn't started. LOL But allow me to ask you, do you know with absolutely certainty that this season is going to go well? Do you see any potentially looming issues?

Not sure I see anyone diminishing what he's accomplished. All that's being said is that he's plateaued. Hit a ceiling. If there's stuff to criticize, as you say you do, then it's possible that those issues are terminal to us winning a championship. Right? His apologists claim that we don't know the "inside stuff" for lack of a better term, but to wit, we also don't know the inside stuff on Diggs, Frasier, Daboll, Dorsey, etc. Those are all significant issues that once known, either directly or indirectly, can easily do terminal damage depending upon the truth. Otherwise, as to what he's accomplished, part performance is not a guarantee of future performance. He may have been great to bring us out of our drought funk, but the question as to whether he's capable of closing looms large.

Let the season play out, no sense in arguing this now. At the end of the season McD's apologists can transfer their opinions to that Eating Crow thread. If not, then we will, and we'll be happy. The NY Post Diggs piece linked on the homepage tells us all we need to know. Anyone thinking that this is going to be a drama-free season is going to be disappointed. How McD & Beane avoid accountability for that remains to be seen. And BTW, they said that it was a personal issue and not football related. It certainly not only was, but is a football issue and it wasn't personal. So those were now exposed lies told to us, questioning what else they've lied to use about. Looking Frasier & Daboll's way here.

Bashing Gabe Davis seems to be pretty popular.

Exactly right, so why get all worked up about things. Right?

OK

I hear ya. But rather than use "ignore," if I get to a post that I simply think is over the top, I ignore it. Some people seem to want to deliberately argue with everything that I post, why would I respond to those. Things can get tiresome if you let them. About a week ago I stepped away from here altogether for about a week because I needed a break, and rather than risk getting testy with anyone, I simply went away. Forums are always controversial. Posting online is a lot different than sitting next to or across from someone at the Big Tree and having a discussion. Things get lost, contexts are misconstrued, complexities arise as a direct result. Then things can get out of hand. That stuff doesn't happen in person It's part and parcel of discussion forums. Try going to a political one sometime. Oy! LOL I generally hate forums for the rough reasons stated above. I much prefer back-n-forth via e-mail, but people seem to like the mass approach. But that's when things get out of hand. And BTW, when you mentioned post counts before, consider, how many do I have in this thread simply having a decent conversation with you? By the raw numbers it might look like something else. Just sayin'.

But in fairness to me, every one of those is in the context of a conversation with someone. Not arbitrary posts, and at least one of those conversations was quite lengthy. I don't recall too many other people chiming into the one in particular, so that "post-count" is a bit misleading in that way. That's all I'm saying. BTW, there are plenty of threads that I don't participate in because I have no opinion or because I don't think that they're relevant. At least not to me. I see absurd thread titles just like everyone else, doesn't mean I'm going to jump in and say that. LOL

I've got one tucked away that I'm not going to mention lest I have to take a shower to wash the rotten veggies and eggs off of me. Seriously though, there's on in particular and a couple others that I'm going to keep my eye on just in case. All currently OCs. Ben Johnson would seem as if he'd be in the mix though.

Congratulations on your son's first father's day. That is awesome!! Your first grandfather's day? LOL @ the "someone you need to talk to." IDK, maybe it wasn't you. Had to do with Sherfield. 10 O/U I think. I have it filed somewhere. I'll probably forget by the time the season ends, one way or the other, unless I'm reminded.

Well, to start, and I think you know this, but I'm one of those that has seen enough from him. Do I want him fired right now? No, of course not, that makes zero sense. However, if the season plays out as I think it will, and neither you nor I know for certain how it's actually going to play out, then yes, I'd like to see someone else in the role. If someone respectfully disagrees, like you do with me, great, no issues. I can live with that. Why do you and I seem to get along better when my take is the take that you can't stand. And to your point, maybe I missed it, but I don't think that given a choice, anyone would have him fired right now, in late June, just before camp starts. That'd be idiocy. Like you and I decided and and agreed to do, just see how things play out and discuss as the season goes on, eh. It would hardly be the first time here that a major narrative were shattered, right. LOL I think everyone bought into Rex Ryan hook line and sinker, and look what happened. Just one example from the coaching side. From the player side there's Watkins, Zay Jones, Ford, Epenesa, etc.

I'm not frequent on this one, but in responding to other posters, not arbitrarily, I've been on several others. I don't call that crusading though. I'm also not "getting off on it" but I've been accused of that. Sometimes it helps to simply step back and enjoy the posting fury. LOL I always marvel at how and at the rate at which threads deteriorate, A, from the original point made, and in terms of the hostilities. [snicker] Sometimes you simply have to take things with a grain of salt. The discussions here sometimes devolve into board-like discussions as if we as a community have to make the decisions. Enjoy your fathers day! Presumably you're a dad, if so, happy fathers day!!! Don't let this stuff get to you and just agree to disagree. That's what we did on one point that we made a friendly wager on.