RJ (not THAT RJ)

Very true. He became so unrealistic in his expectations that he was not willing to wait.

Oh no... you did not just play the "Realism means viewing everything in the most negative way" card, did you? Skepticism is definitely a good thing, but relentless negativity is no more realistic than relentless optimism. And it makes you a lot less fun to be around.

All that head-banging must be interfering with your reading comprehension, or your sarcasm detector. You should see someone about that.

No worries, I did not mean that to sound like a knock, and am sorry that it did. You may be right, but to be honest I think there are many good reasons for not hiring Marty, so am not inclined to jump to the conclusion that Ralph's opposition, however strong or determinate it was, is purely irrational.

Al Davis thinks that he is a genius for picking youngish, first-time coaches who become awesome, since he hit with John Madden and Tom Flores. Since then Gruden is his only other success, and the past is littered with his failures, but he keeps plugging away...

No, of course not. Harbaugh only turned the Bills down because Ralph Wilson is an old man. [/TBD idiot]

I note that you posted this quote on both threads, but will only reply here. The Jimbo quote is indeed interesting, but what does it tell us? Not much, mainly because it does not tell us the meaning of "didn't care for him." The Ralph-bashers will jump on it to say it proves that Ralph has some irrational old man hatred of Marty. But it could also mean that Ralph did not think Marty was really interested in the job, or that he would not be sufficiently hungry to do what needed to be done.

*shaking fist at heavens" "Belichek, you magnificent bastard!!!!!" By the way, I like you avatar too.

I happen to agree with the principle here, but there is another problem. Anyone who buys this franchise will have to leverage it pretty heavily, and that would produce immediate pressure to move, since it is not clear that the annual profit of the team would look good as amortization on, say, $600 million in borrowed money. Selling the team thus would endanger it more immediately than waiting. Just a thought.

I agree there, Mike. Of course, that also means that one should not view everything said (or not said) or done (or not done) as mere confirmation of their pre-existing positions. We need to see what the Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan accomplish in this coming season. Skepticism is sensible; mindless negativity is pathological.

It should be. But it won't be.

Such is the message interpreted by those whose minds were already made up.... I fail to see how anything Ralph or Russ can say or do in the short term will satisfy their critics.

I sure hate to get in the way of the mindless Ralph- and Russ-bashing, but has it occurred to anyone that they may not have been at the PC because they wanted to send a clear message that Nix, the "football guy" is the man in charge for these decisions? You know, like how most of the Ralph- and Russ-bashers have been demanding? Just a thought.

Well said, Bandit, and welcome back, TC! Despair is the demon with whom we must all struggle. Any nobility in life comes in that struggle. Go Bills!

If you think Ralph does not want to win, you are a fool. It is dangerous and simplistic to confuse results with intentions...

Florio is neither better nor worse than other media types. He has to provide copy, and when necessary merely cranks up his "cliche-o-matic." He does not hate Buffalo, he simply does not have the time, energy, or interest to say original things. I'm surprised he did not mention snow, since that is constitutionally required in all negative national media commentary on Buffalo.

It would be wonderful indeed... just like listening to commentators suddenly rediscover the simple joys of "blue collar towns with passionate fans..." Well, wonderful and nauseating. I hate football, and hate sports media more. I only love the Bills. There, I said it.

Now Bill... but if they dumped all three, who would remain to rile your blood pressure? Seriously, I wish Bills fans would run, not walk, away from the idea of giving away draft picks for another old QB.

Indeed.... and besides, a later Beebe bomb was wiped out by a phantom false start penalty... and a game-ending INT on a weak Roughing the Passer... any game has so many moments that could go either way... How about Eddie Robinson letting an INT go right through his hands?

All true enough, and Bill is spot on as usual. Though remember, the 90s Bills were also criticized for having a DL that was too small and was easily pushed around in big games by monster Olines such as NYG, Wash, and Dallas... no one is perfect.

The WSJ article is fun, but it does not really tell us anything we did not know. All sports are essentially stupid and pointless--gloriously, delightftully so. What gives them meaning is not the few moments of true excitement, but the emotions and tension and anticipation that fans invest in them. Otherwise, it is just genetic freaks in Halloween costumes.

No worries man... nice to know there is another geezer out there who remembers 1971!

Ahem....

Good point, Mike.

Dolphins-Chiefs on Christmas Day 1971 went into the second overtime.