SouthernMan

My god - what a bunch of whiners! Anyone ever heard of a little thing called a free market - ya know, capitalism and all that jazz. Kind of a basic American economic principle. It's all about supply and demand. If the product is not worthy of the asking price, you have free will not to buy whatever it is they're selling. When the consumer revolts by eschewing the product, the price comes down. Economics 101. You don't need a friggin union or some moronic 1st quarter boycott. Y'all sound like the whiny liberal blue collar union d-bags who forever hate anyone with wealth because of their evil greed. Envy turned inside out becomes hate in your world. Nobody's putting a gun to your head making you subscribe to what the NFL offers. There are alternatives - HS or college ball for example. Plenty of other stuff to do on a Sunday afternoon in October. There are still at least 3 or 4 NFL games you can watch absolutely free every week with over the air broadcasts provided by the local affiliates in most American cities. I agree about the excessive commercials and so on. Guess what? I started voting with my wallet. I stopped going to games in the past couple of years because it's not a good bang for the buck when you include the price of parking, concessions, tickets, not to mention the atmosphere created by the jerk-offs that inevitably end up sitting next to or in front of you. I stay home, record the games to DVR, start watching about an hour into it, and skip through all the annoying pauses in action. Problem solved. Ooooh, those evil rich people. I'm just waiting for someone to blame the excessive commercial timeouts on George W. Bush.

Scanned through this thread, and sorry if I missed it, but has anyone suggested the idea of the helmet color, white or red, having the more modern metal-flake or metallic sheen that a lot of teams now have, (Giants, Eagles, Cowboys, etc). Before this latest uniform stuff came out, I've imagined how the uni would look with something like a metallic candy-apple red helmet. I absolutely hate the current single color pre-schooler pajama look for home games and the clown outfit for road games. The design shown in the links looks great. It looks to me like how football players should look. If the Bills go with something similar to those shown in these links, a metallic white helmet with the charging metallic blue Bison would be icing on the cake.

There's wayyyy to much money at stake for all parties involved. Eventually, an agreement will be reached. I think sooner than later. There's far more money (to be lost) for players today than there were back in '82 or '87. Also, I think there's a wider gap between the haves and have nots these days - meaning a greater percentage of lower paid players willing to cross the lines or give in more quickly to management, thereby compromising solidarity. Would someone who's smarter than me about these things (labor issues) help me understand something - since this is an industry in which the primary workers (NFL players) negotiate individual contracts with a wide range of salaries, years of commitment, bonuses, etc....why is a union such a necessary part of the league? These guys are all paid well enough to be able to afford decent health benefits for their families. A large number of them will make more money before they're 28 years old than many of us will make up to age 65. I guess I'm wondering why retirement packages, insurance, and everything else aren't part of the negotiated individual service contracts, although salaries are.

I'm not typically one of those "I've heard of him - let's sign him" guy. On the contrary. Usually they're expendable for a reason. But in this case, I think it would be a great move for the Bills to shore up the TE position with a talented and experienced TE like Shockey. Nearly every championship team has something in common - a top tier tight end. Rarely does an NFL team succeed without one. I wonder if Maybin (excuse me) WHEN Maybin gets cut, if some casual fan out there will say, "I've heard of him - let's sign him!" Nahhhhhh.

It was interesting looking back at the predictions, reactions, comments, etc from this gang of opinionated fans following the 09 draft. What's most interesting is that collectively, we at TBD got it right and One Bills Drive got it wrong - and not the first time. I didn't even remember chiming in on that thread til I saw my handle - and yep - I predicted BUST for Maybin. I think in the list of all time Bills 1st round busts that include the likes of Booker Moore, Perry Tuttle, Terry Miller, Mike Williams, Reuben Gantt, AC Cowlngs, Tom Ruud, and John McCargo, Maybin has got be # 1 on the list as the worst pick ever. What a wasted pick. Meanwhile, Orakpo, the guy that many of us perferred over Maybin, is all-pro. Way to go (overpaid)Bills personnel guys.

Modrak is no idiot. Possibly a genius. There's a method to Modraks madness and staying employed. He lives in Florida full time. He knows that if he goes to the office in Orchard Park he runs the risk of running into Ralph or one of his henchmen. All those other guys Ralph fired? Guess where their desks were? Right there next to the trophy case with all the 2nd place hardware. Easy pickin's for Ralph. He probably doesn't even know who he's firing half the time. It's just some poor bastard who wanted a window office. Ralph probably thinks he's firing Lou Saban. Mike Mularkey quit 'cause he was sick of Ralph callng him "Kay". Modrak figures it this way: outta sight, outta mind. Even easier when the mind is one in which information is more likely to go missing - like outta the noggen of some 100 year insurance salesman. The combination of living out of state and having caller ID has kept Modrak getting paychecks with a Bills logo for 10 years. This is like something George Costanza would have cooked up.

I found the most interest part of the whole column at the very end. Ralph Wilson quoted as saying, "If there is not a quarterback at No. 3 we like, we're not going to reach and take him," Wilson said. "We're going to take the player we like best." In spite of Gailey's consistent support of Fitzpatrick, is Ralph exposing his hand somewhat by mentioning "quarterback at No. 3". In other words, could we interpret this to mean that if the QB they like is there at #3, they'll take him? Would the Bills take Newton?

Great job. Kids, just be thankful that Ralph Wilson and Jeff Littman weren't in charge...budget restrictions would have forced you to all get oranges shirts, form a big circle to make the Browns logo.

For What It's Worth dept.....watching Broncos/Chargers. They displayed a graphic showing top defensive prospects for the upcoming draft. The broadcast crew singled out The Bills as "being high on Nebraska's Prince Amukamara" - a cornerback. They could have easily stopped after describing the Bills as "being high" God help us.

With all that corporate-speak, you'd think you would have spelled pairadigm correctly. Irregardless, point taken.

The second, third, fourth pick, or first for that matter, what't the difference....they should still be able to grab the top rated DB, running back, or tweener DE/LB that was "their pick all along". I'd include a smiley face in the post if I were kidding.

Exactly. Build from the lines out is a common cliché for a reason - it has merit. A stellar o-line can make an average running back look like a star (see Denver's string of plug & play 1000+ rushers), and a dominant d-line can suddenly improve the defensive backfield tenfold. Pressure the opposing QB and watch the bad throws off the wrong foot, errant high floater passes, fumbled balls, midreads where routes get jumped, etc. The Bills front seven is the glaring need on this team. Decent OLBs can help the DBs in passing situations and give run support. Kyle Williams can't do it all by himself. He needs help stopping the run. I wouldn't be disappointed if they go DE or LB, assuming they can get someone who can step right in and be a ball player. When I think of the players the Bills whiffed on (Maybin) when they could have had someone like Clay Matthews, it's frustrating. Of all the blown early draft picks over the past 10 years, just imagine if only 3 of them were proven starters making an impact. Picking a defensive back would be a huge mistake. Find players who can stop the run and pressure the QB. In a nutshell, those are the primary issues plaguing the Bills.

Why is everyone so hung up on Fred Jackson's age? You act as if 29 or 30 is the magic age to shut it down for a running back. Fred is still relatively fresh. Plenty of good RBs have lasted into their early to mid 30s. Emmitt Smith took a lot more pounding than Fred Jackson in his first 7 or 8 seasons, and was still approaching 1000 yards at the age of 35. Fred Taylor was still productive in 2007 with 1200 yards as he approached his 34th birthday. How long has Sammy Morris been around? As Marv used to say, chronological age is only an approximation of where you are physically. Fred Jackson may or may not be nearing his end as a feature back. I don't see any indications of slowing at this time. He may well have another good 3-5 years and RB won't have to be a concern for the Bills and their fans. With all the issues for the Bills and their steller 32nd ranked run defense, I don't know why anyone is even having a conversation about the running back position at this time. That should be about the least of anyone's worries. Besides that, RB is one one of the easiest positions in the NFL to backfill with adequate talent after a good O-line is in place. At the risk of sounding like a homer, Fred Jackson is currently one of the top RBs in the league, irregardless of what the future holds.

Aren't you conveniently forgetting someone? OJ's heir apparent and a college star who gained 1000 yards for the Bills as a rookie.... http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MillTe00.htm CJ has a lot of talent. Not sure if that translates into a feature back role or not. I have my doubts. I think the Bills need to find ways to put him in space where he can use his quickness to juke a defender or two to break a long one. That may mean more of a slot receiver or kick return guy but not an every down back. He hasn't shown much ability to squirt through tight spaces the way Fred does (and Thurman did). Can he learn to be a more patient runner and use his blockers better? Time will tell whether he's more like Thurman or more like our 1978 top pick.

Not with the team, but with posts in this forum in which the poster attempts to make a witty pun using the name Moats. There is no common phrase or saying in English that has anything to do with crossing a moat. Saying "Don't cross the Moats" is not clever or funny. Now, for my feat of strength, I will lift up Aaron Maybin and throw him out the front door of One Bills Drive.

OJ didn't hit his stride the first 3 years - not because of lack of talent or experience, but because of poor coaching and a bad offensive line. Both issues were immediately corrected with the return of Lou Saban in 1972. Maybin should have his picture in the dictionary under the word "bust". At least Flowers, Williams, Tuttle, Patulski, and some of the Bills other all time 1st round busts earned some playing time. Maybin can't even crack the active roster. Probably the Bills worst 1st round pick ever.I have no expectations that he'll ever amount to anything in the NFL. His NFL career will end in 9 days.

2 things... He's got to learn to be a more patient runner and let his blocks set up before he runs into a pile of other players. He needs to study film of Fred Jackson. Secondly, the coaches need to design plays specifically geared toward his skill set and take advantage of his incredible quickness. Something more than just getting to the outside. I know this has shades of OJ and head coach John Rausch in 1969, but I wouldn't mind seeing him used more as a receiver - get him in space as an outlet receiver. The guy has talent, but I still think the draft choice could have been put to better use.

I have family members that are alumni and that wasn't a slam on Cornell at all, but rather on Olbermann, who wasn't admitted to the private prestigious Ivy League Cornell that has very strict admissions standards, yet he tries to act as if he is. My understanding is that Olbermann was admitted to the agricultural school of Cornell, which is not exactly the school of engineering, and has much more leniant admission standards. I don't claim to understand exactly how the two schools are separated, but I think it's like having played for the Cincinatti Swords farm team while claiming to have been a player for the Sabres 1975 Stanley Cup team. Anyway, Fitz does not come of as some pompous blueblood Bostonian with a Hav-ahd Diploma who would shove it in your face. He seems to be well liked and respected by his teammates, and shows it by throwing his body in harms way as a blocker to help gain a few extra yards. He is a blue collar kind of guy who just happens to be pretty damn smart and got the education to go along with it.

Maybe he's saying that Fitz doesn't act like a pompous "better than thou" a-hole with his Ivy League education, the way Keith Olbermann does with his pretend Ivy League background.

Ralph has slowed down, though he's still light years faster than most whose birth year was 1918, where they're generally on the shady side of the astroturf. God bless him. We should all be grateful for what he's done for Buffalo. He could have moved the team years ago when lucrative offers were out there. So what if he looks like Timmy from Southpark - he's still pretty sharp. BTW - is that Clint Eastwood in the red hat behind Ralph? I know Ralph is a Ford Taurus man. Thought maybe he saw Clint's movie "Gran Torino" and got in touch with Clint to compare Fords and reminisce about the Model T.

Did you even listen to the press conference? Chan made an excellent point when he stated (paraphrasing)that the defense deserves credit for holding them to where they were forced into field goals - long ones at that! None of Carpenters field goals were gimmes. The defense came up big when they had to. Give credit where it's due.

I can think of at least one reason Newton wouldn't want to play in Buffalo.

Damn straight. Think about it....why waste 2nd or 3rd rounder on a player you know will not play in 2011, and may not for the foreseeable future. Who's sitting there in those rounds that'll suddenly leapfrog both Brohm and Brown, not to mention Fitzpatrick? Remember, there's only 1 QB on the field at a time. How about a linebacker in the 2nd? Maybe a TE? A defensive end? Backup OT? To be honest, I don't see the Bills taking a quarterback at all, unless Gailey and staff have had enough time to size up Brohm and Brown and don't think they have any potential. If that's the case, bring in a FA veteran who can substitute for a 1 or 2 week if injury dictates. This team has too many needs to waste high draft picks on couple years into the future. The future is now.

I think a lot of it has to do with a large portion of the (non season ticket)fan base that whose payckecks take them from week to week. That being the case, when tickets go on sale at the end of December, the cookie jar is usually empty after taking care of the wife and kids at Christmas. Also, the cold reduces the numbers of willing attendees. In September those aforementioned wife and kids are ready for the tailgate festivities and a nice day at the ball park. Once the 15 degree temps come, those whiny kids who'd rather be at home with their new video games and a wife who has to remove 10 layers of clothes to pee aren't quite so willing anymore. Add to that the seniors who are a lot less likely to brave the cold, and suddenly the majority of the willing ticket buyers are limited to a bunch of hearty single guys who are always up for a party and something to do after hunting season has ended. I really think Christmas spending was the biggest factor in the poor playoff ticket sales. If I had little kids, I'd have a tough time telling them they couldn't have their Johnny 7 automatic rifle this year cause pop has come up short after having to chip in for a keg of beer, pay $25 for parking, spend $30 at Wegmans, and another $65 or more for a playoff ticket, plus overpriced concession beverages. The difference between Buffalo and most major cities is the shortage of corporate-owned season tickets. The Bills depend on those week to week blue collar workers.

Something Positive about the 2010 Bills