patfitz

I agree wholeheartedly with Doug Marrone when asked to reflect on his first year as HC of the Billls. He offered no excuses, that their record was not acceptable. I think most would concur. I therefore recomend that Marrone and his staff be replaced and we start with a new regime that has a better chance of succeeding. Best wishes to Doug et. al at the very least he admitted his inability to turn things around and that is the best that anyone could ask.

The Bills' braintrust was desperate. They did not want to risk bringing in an experienced HC. So it was no to Lovie Smith or Ken Wisenhut, and forget CFL rising star Marc Tressman , they needed someone who could "sit in" for the time being, and there it is, we have an aspiring, yet unknown, in Doug Marrone. Here is hoping that Doug Marrone will become the "Vince Lomardi" of our Buffalo Bills. Yet, before we can annoint him that distinction, Marrone will need to understand his shortcomings and address them. I would characterize his first year as a mixed bag, some positive, some less so. Among his strenghts, are a willingness to take no excuses for the outcome, despite the poor hand dealt to him. He could have easily have ducked behind the long list of key injuries, especially at the start of the season, and having a rookie QB, that also suffered growing pains and key injuries, along with just plain bad luck, and inexperience, etc, But he has yet to cite those as excuses, as much as they are indeed plausible. The other side of the equation is Marrone's shortsighted or perhaps naieve belief that he or any of his understudies could "coach up" the rookie QB and do it without injecting even a modicom of competition, let's face it Kevin Kolb was a smoke screen at best. Add to that his accepting at face value, a very inept offensive line, that Marrone mistakenly believed could be "coached up" to competentcy. and after that didn't work, he eventually conceded and started tinkering with the almost weekly replacements. Yet perhaps most egregious was deferring to an OC' that, while well intentioned, was clearly in over his head. I would add to that he was guilty of failing to provide due diligence, by not extending the courtesty of even considering retaining Joe A. (former O lne coach),and Pete M. (former TE coach) and anybody, short of Ronnie Jones, as the Bills' special teams coach, instead he opted for favors owed or hiring past S.U cronies (even excusing Nathaniel Hackett, although I think the senior Hackett would have been a far better choice as O.C. and son Nate as the QB coach). I have personally been paying close attention to a recent trend that involves hiring experienced coaching assistants (e.g.. over the age of 65) to serve as mentors. I am fascinated by this concept and would hope that the Bills' regime is open to the idea. Hey Marv, how about returning as Bills' special teams mentor?

Having endured the almost full season of the Bills and the nearly first half of the Sabres season this year, I have come to wonder if "coach speak' is actually contagious? From my personal observations, not based on any scientific statistical analysis, it does seem to be. Case in point the overuse of the word "obviously" in Bills' HC Marrone's vocabulalry, that in turn seems to be echoed from the mouth of Russ Brandon all the way down to the local sports radio talk show "parrots". The same phenomenon seems to be happening with the Sabres. I cite both B.R. and A.R. (before and after the "Regier and Rolston" review, now including the "Pat and Ted" dynamic duo) as well as G.R, when I listen to the WGR sports the regulars now routinely refer to the "C" word, as in "compete" when describing the Sabres' performance. I personally have had it up to my gills in "obviously and compete". Are there any other ways that our professional sports team navigators can verbalize their sentiments? Maybe I am too harsh but I obviously care about my level of compete!

It seems for some inexplicable reason that Ralph Wilson decided to hand over the keys to the current Bills' "kingdom" to a person who has not demonstrated anything significant, short of following Boss Ralph's orders. And now it appears he is even wavering on his lone signinicant "accomplishment", by publicly acknowledging he is reconsidering the infamous "Bills Toronto" series, which on both sides of the Peace Bridge, has been doomed since its very inception. We only need to look back at his short lived stint as interim GM, following TD's dismissal, to see firsthand that Russ is clearly not a "football man"then . But exactly what is he? He doesn't appear to be a marketing genius either. He does have a resonant voice, perhaps he was really destined to replace the iconic John Facenda on NFL films. Otherwise I am at a loss?

I was just 13 years old when, then Bills' rookie QB, Dennis Shaw was selected rookie offensive player of the year. I can vaguely remember Jack Kemp, as I was still at the time a Bills' neophyte fan in training. I do recall being with my father, the "ultimate" Bills' fan who for better or worse molded me in the Bills' tradition, at the old rockpile and we were watching Dan Daragh, Jim Harris (who I thought could have been the Bills' franchise QB of his day) and even a utility player named Eddie Rutkowski who would fill in as the "emergency" QB. Yet it was when rookie QB Dennis Shaw, arrived on the scene, that I was convinced this was "my guy" and that our "bottom dwelling" Bills were destined for brighter times ahead. Well unfortunatetly that didn't last very long as I recall, his understudy Gary Marangi would soon become the next saviour in line, and others tried and failed, until Arkansas rookie draft pick, QB Joe Ferguson solidified the position (I still vividly remember the infamous Bills-San Diego playoff game, Fergie delivered such has such a gutsy performance, he was hobbling with an ankle injury. He hung in there the entire game and the Bills almost pulled it out as a heavy underdogs), and yet even the resilient Fegie eventually gave way to the likes or dislikes of Vince Ferragamo and Joe Dufek, etc. until the real deal, Jim Kelly, arrived. The rest is of course history. Having factored in the latest successors to the throne from Todd Collins to Ryan Fitzpatrick, after hearing today that EJ Manuel broke Dennis Shaw's Bills' rookie TD record, I felt as though an invisible yet heavy veil was lifted, that indeed finally the tide is turning and.....story to be continued.

I agree thank you.

Point noted. Thank you

Let's face it, the days of Vince Lombardi drawing up a power sweep on a chalkboard have long since passed. Yet for the most part, NFL play calling has remained relatively prehistoric, relying on "football IQ", rather than based on probable outcomes. In this age of instant replays, slow motion and multidimensional camera angles it is just a matter of time before artificial intelligence supplants previous experience or gut instincts. I wonder how long will it be before, say sensor technology will be embedded in the "playing field", woven into the fabric of the sidelines and first down markers, so as to "unequivocally" determine whether a player has stepped out of bounds or made enough, after of course calculating the forward progress, to make a crucial first down. I, personally applaud the Bills' front office, for creating an analytics dept. I do believe that this is a positive step in the forward thinking direction, and therefore I am cautiously optimistic, looking forward to the end results. I, however, recognize that this is not something that necessarily happens overnight and as Bills' head coach Marrone has indicated, that he "obviously" believes that to be effective, it has to be "obviously" designed internally. In other words, this requires building the knowledge base in a not such an "obvious" manner. That part, I also understand. But I also obviously hope that this can be ultimately used to, not only assist in not so "obvious" play selection, and as part of determining what are "obvious" formations on both sides of the ball, when to run, run to blitz etc.but also when to defer on kicking off or receiving, when to challenge a call, go for it on 4th down or punt, all of the options. I also suspect that, it won't be long before the "Sharpie" and whiteboard are replaced (e.g. the placards that are used to diagram the plays and highlight the options available in a particular down and distance scenario) and also conveniently serve to conceal the signaling and verbal as well as hand gestures of those who are actually calling the plays. Yet doesn't it seem just a bit archaic? How soon will this be replaced by the latest "IPOD like" device and helmet embedded bluetooth or whatever (oh wait that part is already in place, wonder how soon it will be before holograms are adopted. It may ultimately fix the QB protection problem, after all you can't injure a hologram can you? Or is it 15 yards for unnessary photoshopping...). Stop it already you say! This is too far fetched, that it willl never happen in my lifetime. After all we have all heard it before (see the World is flat. I mean you don't realy believe that Copernicus fellow now, do you? ). The truth be told, the proverbial "camel", already has his nose firmly "embedded" in the professional sporting world tent. Technology has in itself undeniably leapfrogged the ability of one, two or three people, or make it four with special teams coaches, etc. to effectively deal with the increasing complexitiy of the game or the "techno sport", as I prefer to call it. And it is already too late to go back in time as much as some may wish. You can't "uninvent" progress. I firmly believe, that it won't be too long, before officiating will be largely automated. By using a combination of robotics, sensor technology (embedded in uniforms, in head cams, etc.) we can effectively replace the decision making prowess of even say an expertly trained official. So why not be the innovator and start to "adapt or die", we all know the doctrine of survival of the fittest. If the Bills can embrace the future now rather than later there is a good chance (e.g. high statistical probability) that, not only will the current historic playoff drought end, but for a time the technocentric Bills will be dominating the league. I can just envision Chris Berman saying "nobody circles the cosmos like the Bufallo Bills", at least until the rest of the NFL or IFL (international or intergallacitcal Football League, etc.) catches on. Who after all needs an NFL team in LA, Toronto or London, for that matter, when you can have all of Mars? But technology changes almost at the speed of light (maybe faster) and so, therein, lies the conundrum. For example, just recently some renowned Japanese physicists proposed a theory that the Universe, " as we have come to know it" could very well be just an astral projection, some type of celestial hologram. What a mind blowing concept! At least there is always good old fashioned football to serve as a diversion! Here is for a Bills' victory in the "Techno Bowl" in 2025! , Personally, for the time being, I will settle for just "old school" analytics. P.S. Before the usual suspects post their patently derisive responses (i.e, if you find this to be all too mentally challenging to contempate please defer), I implore you to first stop and think. Do you "DVR games", are aware of "All access 21", etc? If so, you are officially technologically empowered, whether you like it or not. You are welcome to disagree but how about offering a logical rebuttal. Is that really too much to ask? After all a mind is a terrible thing to waste, at least from what I heard tell.

Speaking of squirley..., sorry Ralph er "Mr. Wilson" apologist if we pinched a nerve. The fish always rots headfirst. Nuff said.

Some skeptics (me) may rightfully question whether the Bills' second (or third if you still count Ralph in the picture), in command is still among the living or if our GM, Doug Whaley is even "alive and well"? I fear maybe he is holed up somewhere as a captive in enemy territory (maybe New England in Bob Kraft's secret torture chamber) but whatever pain and suffering he may be undergoing, can it be worse than for the Bills' faithful? This lack of visibility/accountability (as is the Bills' buzzword of the week) does however, raise a red flag, perhaps Doug "double ya" (not to be confused with the other Doug, HC Dougly "Accountability" Doright) finds himself in over his head (for that matter both our dynamic duo of Doug's may in fact be in over their collective heads). All of a sudden I am getting flashbacks to former President George W. Bush and his sidekick the always affable Dick Cheney (shoot your friends first and than your enemies). Who is really in charge here? Perhaps our last saviour of the franchise, Buddy "I won't retire until we have our franchsie QB..." Nix is still really in control, functioning as the "silent GM" after all he has been seen at practice, at the Ralph, etc., or possibly even worse, maybe the position is currently vacant, and the Bills' braintrust doesn't want to shake the fans' confidence that we actually don't have a GM? Or maybe it's that Doug W. is just the silent type. Whatever the reason just to reassure an anxious Bills' nation could could someone in the Bills braintrust prop him up and maybe even take some pictures of him at the very least relaxing poolside with a smile holding a cocktail? In this tumultuous time, Doug W. we really need to hear from you! How about a fireside chat like FDR used to do? Ralph, Russ I implore you can't someone ...(ergo just forget I even mentioned it).

Yes as do I, and I am by no means an Edgar Casey, and to cite yet another philosopical pop duo from "the Royal Scam", Fagan and Becker, it is always possible that ...."Just by chance you crossed the diamond with the pearlYou turned it on the world That's when you turned the world around". Anything is possible!

I hesitate to sound like a fatalist but I personally do not believe that anyone will. And as so say the great philosophers (not Kant or Nietzsche) but rather I cite, Sonny and Cher, so "the beat goes on".

For those who have studied management theory there is something referred to as the Peter principle where people in authority actually rise to their level of incompetence. Yet someone has to serve as the enabler for this to happen. I have as a Biils' "draftee at birth", personally witnessed this in my five+ decades as a Bills loyalist. I will also posit the "Ralph principle", that those who are insecure in a position of authority. tend to promote those to a position of authority that will not challenge them, and they in turn will hire the same and the chain keeps on repeating itself. One can see this where Russ Brandon is named a President of a professional football team. Where Doug Whaley is promoted to the GM position (where is Doug exactly anyway? Is he the latest incarnation of Booth Lustig? The only time I have heard him at all is pitching some high rollers on buying into private suites at the Ralph.) And the only times, for those new to the Bills' tumultous history, that the Bills have ever had success is when someone was brave enough (or perhaps had the inner confidence to call a spade a spade) to challenge their superior commander, unfortunately they are too few and way too far between. Whereas I can't think of an example that would be as contemptuous as say General Douglas MacArthur and President Harry S. Truman, I can think offhand of but a few exceptions where as a subordinate he challenged his superior and "commander in Ralph", I cite as these examples, former Bills' GM Bill Polian, and also former Bill's head coaches Chuck Knox and Lou Saban (yes twice), who fit that description, meanwhile we have had to endure the collection of "yes men" who have predominated the Bills history, I offer as such notorious examples, the likes of the Kay Stepenson's, Harvey Johnson's, Jim Ringo's and Chan Gailey's, Dick Jauron's, Buddy Nix's (I could keep going but it is a very long list) these individuals were not going to question their supreme commander and chief. One might seriously doubt Doug Marrone will be any different. Why should we expect anything else. He may have lucked out on Mike Pettine (time will tell), but also hired Nate Hackett because why? Nate won't challenge his mentor. See the pattern? I contend that Marv Levy was more a victim of good circumstance, being the benefactor of Bill Polian's brilliance and, add to that, Marv, being a Ralph contemporary, was not someone who was going to rock the boat after all he was a former NFL HC reject at KC and who had his only previous success in the CFL and USFL (I actually attended a Chicago Blitz game where Marv was coaching when living there). At times the Bills ship desperately needed to be rocked, perhaps the last person to try this was former Bills' President and GM Tom Donahoe (Ralph subsequently declared that this would be the last time he would see to it that he would so delegate such authority, this in itself calls into question the Russ Brandon appointment as Bills' el Presidente), also as an aside it it was just after Tom D. was the loser of a power struggle in Pittsburgh to HC Bill Cowher, so he naturally wasn't going to hire another coach who challenged him and hence we ended up with Greg Williams. Does anyone else see a pattern? It is truly the pefect strorm the "Peter and Ralph principles" at work. Doesn't get any better than that especially in the NFL!

I wish my Mom was still here to make me breakfast, (speaking as someone who has followed every game since 1967, although I have a picture at age 3 in my wallet that shows me on my Dad's lap listening to a Biils' radio broadcast circa 1960, no I don't remember the score), yet besides Lou Saban, Chuck Knox and Marv Levy, I can't recall another Bills' coach that I could give a damn about, Marrone included.

Did anyone else not hear Marrone's post game apology for the poor performance when he indicated that he expects "most of my coaches to be back next year", seems something as a veiled threat. Hackett can pack his bags he is good as gone next season.

Perhaps there has never been a reason to before, let's see C. Gailey, D. Jauron, G. Williams, anybody for 4 in a row! Yes Herr Hitler we shall not question him. Or better yet get real. Why should we not question him? What are you the TBD SS? Get with the times friend, it is America you are free to question without persecution.

It is clear from the HC's mouth to all ears that leadership comes from him. Does it really? I think most successful coaches believe that it comes from their players. Can you even imagine Jim Kelly passively sitting by when Marv decides to punt on 4th and five, down two scores in the 4th quarter on the opponents 40 yrd? Neither can most of us. He just doesn't seem to get it. "The only thing that comes to these times and it happens and you get questioned quite a bit, is where does the leadership come from? It comes from me and that’s the most important thing. I asked each player, coach and myself, ‘Did we do what we needed to do to win that game yesterday?’ Obviously the answer is no. That’s not good enough. In a profession, and make no mistake about it, I’m here to win. That’s the reason why I chose to come here, that’s the reason why I wanted to be here and I know we can make that happen. The coaches have to understand that, it starts with them next. After that it’s the players. The players are here to win, not just to play, not just here to coach, but we’re here to win. We have to understand that. In doing so, what gives you the opportunity to have that chance to win is to make sure that we’re holding each other accountable." -Doug Marrone

First try fielding a legitimate team in over a decade and than we can decide if the blackouts are a penalty or a blessing. It's time to wake up Ralph or maybe reboot the Bills el presidente, Russ Castro.

Sorry to say I missed it. Why do you ask was "Dumb and Dumber" on?

Everyone loves Forrest Gumps' wittiscisms except that they don't necessarily translate to sound NFL coaching philosophy. Listening to Marrone's post game conference when questioned about the decision to punt early in the 4th quarter, already down by two scores on 4th and 5 around the Pitt 40 yard line I thought I heard him say, "momma says field position is like a box of chocolates if you don't punt you will never know..." , well you get the picture. Maybe the Bills' new Director of Analytics turns out to be Lieutenant Dan at least we can all hope. In the meantime we can expect more of gems like, "I'm not a smart man... but I know what football is about..."

http://www.chicagonow.com/lists-that-actually-matter/2011/08/11-more-overused-phrases-dumb-people-say/

I have listened to all Doug Marrone's press conferences and sound bites since the preseason and I detected one intriguing point, the more the word "obviously" occurs in his comments, the worse the Bills' performance, for example after today's game "Head Coach Doug Marrone: Obviously I really thought we didn’t play well today. I think that’s obvious. I think early on in the game we had a turnover. We go down there. We have to settle for three points. It seems like that’s a theme. It’s something we’ve talked about before. We tried to change some things up in that area of the field. Obviously we were 50 percent on it. I think early on in the game you have to score. You have to try to get those seven points going. I think Pittsburgh, offensively, they did a nice job on third down. I thought they kept the chains moving at a pretty good pace. They had some big plays that caught us, big chunk plays that put us in a tough situation. I think that’s what happened on defense. I think the wind obviously was a tough wind out there, nothing that none of us have been used to before. Some of those punts and things that were low – they got some yardage there on us. Offensively, I thought we could have run the ball better at times. That’s what we needed to do. Obviously we had a drop here or there". This is a 4 score obviously that resulted in the worst performance this season. A win = .5 "obviously" amd a close loss around 1 "obviously". So without even knowing the final score I could accurately determine the outcome by counting the "obviously". Try it for yourself and see if it works. That leads me to wonder maybe what the Bills HC really either believes or understands is far less than "obvious".

If Thad continues to perform at or above the level he did for the Bills vs. Bengals do you think the Bills' Front Office should lock him in with a contract extension that would be comparable to that bestowed upon the "average" NFL backup QB, compared to a contarct for a practice squad promotion? I wonder what the current Bills FO actually offered or would have paid Ryan Fitzpartick to stay on as the backup QB? Would Thad Lewis even be in that ballpark? Or even in Matt Flynn's signing range? What say you?

Let's cut our losses and get Haslett, a guy who bleeds Buffalo, red white and blue, and can at the very least add some credibility. Chan is clueless and even worse he is guilty of hiring a guy in Wanny that he owes a favor. That alone is reason for firing him. Ralph do the right thing for once before you meet your maker.

Can you imagine how much worse the result would have been! Who is this week's scapegoat? Stay tuned for "as the stomach Chans", this team is a soap opera (a bad one)