RJ (not THAT RJ)

We all want the Bills to succeed, and no man who hates Bill Belichek with such intensity can be all bad, so I will not drag this argument out any further. I do understand the point you are making, AKC, but if 2004 and 2006 are your only examples here, they show how much your argument is a matter of perspective. In 2006, one could just as easily argue that the Bills managed to get not only a very promising DT in McCargo but also a promising safety and strong leader in Donte Whitner. Two important defensive pieces in one round is not a bad thing, and McCargo was indeed a first-round pick, if one is hung up on defining players by when they were drafted. In 2004, it is worth remembering that the Bills were coming off a season in which their offense had become stodgy and putrescent, and drafting a WR was widely applauded as a smart call. (We can debate the drafting of JP Losman, of course... but that is another thread!). Tim Anderson was a bust, yes, but he was also a first day pick on the DL, who came from a top program and had good ratings. Not exactly proof of ignoring the DL, or if you insist on it, it is a question of degree. My point with all this is not to say that the Bills have made nothing but brilliant moves. They have made plenty of mistakes. Most of those mistakes, however, are the product less of bad draft strategy, since their selections are not that different from other teams (since 2000, the Bills have drafted a D-lineman in the first round twice, in the second round twice...) than of the natural risk involved with the draft. Some players rise to expectations, some players fail to live up to them. That's why they play the games, right? Go Bills!

Oh come on... This is beneath you. The Bills have drafted "young big bodies" for their defensive line in the first or second round several years running, but that is not good enough for you. Why? Because you do not think the players are good. See my comment. You are entitled to your opinion, but do not pretend that there is some master plan that the Bills or Lions or anyone is missing the boat on. Every team wants good players, at every level... but getting them is a multifaceted process.

Amen, brother! It is not a matter of drafting linemen early and somehow magically becoming a better team. I mean, each of these O or D linemen was a first-round pick for the Bills: Mike Williams Al Cowlings Walt Patulski Phil Dokes Did drafting them lift the Bills to glory? No. And I only have to mention Tony Mandarich to symbolize the dangers that come with assuming a high draft choice will anchor your O-line forever.... Of course, there were some good first round linemen choices too, from Paul Seymour to Jim Ritcher to Bruce Smith... But the Bills' best O- and D-lines were not made up solely of early round draft choices either. No team's lines have ever been; they have always been a combination, of early and late choices, trades and (in more recent years) free agent signings. Picking bad players is bad; picking good players is better, no matter what the position. There is no secret one-size-fits-all formula for building a winner.

Holy Purple Eagles, Promo!

I met Billy Shaw when he came to the Furman U. campus to speak to the FCA in 2000, thus after he had been elected to the HOF. He lives in Toccoa GA, which is not too far from Greenville SC. I was on the faculty at the time, and was the only non-student there. I brought a Bills sweatshirt, which he signed. He gave a very inspirational speech, but the kids did not seem to know much about him at all, and there were not many questions. At the reception, I asked him about Kemp/Lamonica and other stuff. He was very nice to both men, but basically said that "Daryle had a problem with self-control," which hurt his standing with the team. He is a fine gentleman in every sense of the word.

Marlin more or less accused Saban of blocking him from playing QB when he arrived in Denver. He claimed that Saban purposely did not invite him to QB meetings, and basically did not believe a black man could be QB. Saban also got rid of James Harris, if one is seeking a pattern here...

Speaking of Hollywood references, did I just read that Henry's attorney is Steve Zissou? From the Life Aquatic to the Client Idiotic....

Actually, no, it is not.

Yes, the Colts were one of the best teams in the league that year. And it was the first game after Lou Saban quit (again!). It was also Fergy's last full game that season... by the following week, all those folks chanting "We want Marangi" were going to get their wish....

Thanks, my Bills brother!

That was my first game too! I was 9,OJ caught a TD pass... and there were snow flurries in freaking October!

Had to fix that one for you. Otherwise, good post!

For JC, in honor of a creative comeback.

Ah, he's a graduate of the Institute... that explains it. RJ, CHS '85

As spelling fits you, Mr. Curtis.

So, does the fact that Brown said that indicate a simple reflex response, or does it mean the team in general was aware that rules were being bent? If the latter is the case, that suggests that the team leadership was encouraging both a culture of rule breaking (which raises questions about earlier HGH discussions, no?), and that players were encouraged to downplay its significance.

It is a very fine negative example of a sportswriter in CNY looking for a "hook" in both directions... Sometimes a columnist just goes for the first facile comparison that comes to mind.

The worst part of that game was that it opened with a blocked punt and a quick TD for Thurmal.... God, it still hurts!

Nothing takes the steam out of an ironic criticism faster than a misspelling in the first word....

Man, that Redskin organization is class all the way.....

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you proof of the WNY motto: "For every silver lining, there is a cloud...."

Amen brother.... I grew up around the corner from Viola's Elmwood... the smell alone sets the mouth a-waterin'..... mmmmmm

Well, getting your but handed to you is not so bad as long as they keep their hands off your and and or...

Oh my Gosh... you are right... they suck! Why did I not see this after the 15 other threads that started this way? The scales have fallen from my eyes... thank you for freeing me from doing anything so silly as to choose to be happy and optimistic about a child's game and introducing me to the oh-so-healthy practice of looking for reasons to be unhappy in a world that produces enough of them already! I am sure I speak for many others when I say that messages like this are what makes TSW such a joy to visit.....

This is not a criticism, but an observation... you realize that every one of those KFFL news flashes is just taken from the article in yesterday's Buffalo News, right?