Sound_n_Fury

Just put him on ignore and save the server space...

Sorry, I misunderstood with all the brickbats flying around! You may be correct!

The no huddle had about 5-7 basic plays. Even Jim could remember that. Gotta good laugh out of your suggestion, though, so thanks for brightening an otherwise dreary day.

Should have hit Tim Robbins up side his head 30 seconds after they met him!

Who cares what's said Monday thru Saturday....

So TD called the plays there, too! Little did we know

Enough with the Ross Tucker stuff. If he could play, one of the other 30 teams in the league would've signed him by now. He's a "high motor" version of Pucillo, nothing more...

Probably WGR trying to stir the pot (as if it needed it)...

Better get out the Nexis "wayback machine" and look at the press coverage of that whole process, then. TD was the only team to wait out the playoffs to even interview Lewis. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REJECTIONS OF LEWIS REIGNITE NFL MINORITY HIRING; CONTROVERSY ALLEN WILSON; News Sports Reporter February 4, 2001 When the Buffalo Bills hired Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to be head coach instead of Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, it reignited the issue of minority hiring practices in the National Football League. Much of the criticism isn't necessarily directed at the Bills. After all, Bills President and General Manager Tom Donahoe did interview Lewis and former Bills defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who now works for the Jets. The problem is no one else spoke to Lewis, even though he topped the list of hot assistant coaches after masterminding a Ravens defense considered to be one of the best in NFL history. Detroit (Marty Mornhinweg), Washington (Marty Schottenheimer), Cleveland (Butch Davis), Kansas City (Dick Vermeil), the Jets (Herman Edwards) and the expansion Houston franchise (Dom Capers) made their choices before talking to Lewis. Edwards, formerly Tampa Bay's assistant head coach and defensive backs coach, was the only African-American. Arizona (Dave McGinnis) and Cincinnati (Dick LeBeau) both retained interim coaches with losing records. Edwards, Tampa Bay's Tony Dungy and Minnesota's Dennis Green are the only African-American coaches. There have been just six in the NFL's 80-year history. Lewis said he's not disappointed he didn't get the Bills' job, but he felt uncomfortable accepting any offer without a chance to see the area. His interview with Buffalo took place in Baltimore. Lewis told the Baltimore Sun there was pressure to take the Bills job if offered because of his race. But he didn't want it for that reason. "It had to be the right situation for me and my family," he said. "I think our people will appreciate the fact that you don't have to take every job because it is extended out there. I'm not looking at this as a negative. We just won the Super Bowl. My family is ecstatic we're staying here." "I'm happy Marvin is coming back," Ravens free safety Rod Woodson said Saturday from Hawaii. "But we all know he deserves to be a head coach in this league. It's a shame some teams didn't see it that way." Dungy suggested to Sports Illustrated Thursday the lack of head coaching opportunities for Lewis might have been racially motivated. "You would have thought more than one team out of nine (counting Arizona and Cincinnati) would say that here's a guy that should be at least talked to," Dungy said. "And you can only beg the question in your own mind: If he were white, would it have been one out of nine? I don't think so. I think it would have been more than one out of nine." Dungy's disappointment comes from having been passed over so many times in his first 15 years as an NFL assistant. Since his hire in 1996, only two African-Americans (Edwards with the Jets and Ray Rhodes in Green Bay) have filled the league's last 42 openings. Seeing retreads like Bill Belichick and Dave Wannstedt get second chances after failing elsewhere only adds to the frustration. "Here is a guy (Lewis) who constructed what may be the best defense ever, but only one out of seven or eight teams talked to him," Dungy said. "Everything happens for a reason, and Marvin will end up in a better place. But that doesn't let the league off the hook. There is something wrong with the process. It's flawed." The "flaw" is the NFL's anti-tampering policy that prohibits franchises with openings from speaking to assistants until their seasons are over. A couple of deals made during Super Bowl week in the early '90s precipitated the rule. Former Bills offensive coordinator Ted Marchibroda agreed to be Indianapolis' coach before Super Bowl XXVI. Wannstedt, the Dallas defensive coordinator, signed with Chicago before the Cowboys' victory over the Bills in Super Bowl XXVII. In January, 1995, the Carolina Panthers were the first offenders as the NFL fined them $ 150,000 and stripped them of second- and sixth-round draft picks for talking to Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dom Capers before the Steelers' season was done. The rule certainly hurt Lewis and New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox, who is white. The Bills were the only team that bothered to wait for both men. "The coaches that were in the Super Bowl were at a little bit of a disadvantage because of the pressure of the game and just being exhausted from the week," said Donahoe, who said he chose Williams in part because he was so prepared for his interview. "There's no question that the NFL should look at the whole situation with talking to coaches in the playoffs. There has to be a better way to do it. "In most businesses, you get rewarded for doing a good job. But in the National football League when it comes to hiring a head coach, if you're successful enough to get to the Super Bowl, you're at a disadvantage. A lot of teams won't wait for you. Most teams didn't." Dungy agrees the anti-tampering rule is unfair, but also feels teams aren't patient enough. "People get concerned about the pool drying up," he said. "They think they need to work fast, but what happens is some deserving candidates get left behind."

Did Lewis draft Carson Palmer? Palmer would make a big difference if he were the Bills QB.

Did he really do that? I saw video of MM talking to the media last night on the Channel 2 sports wrap up.

I thought he was the kid who mows Clark's grass...

I agree with you there. But we suffered through entire 14-game seasons during the 70s that resembled yesterday more than I want to remember

Beat me too it.

I sure hope they don't trade him to the Fins...

First off, we don't "hear" much about guys taking less money for several reasons. GMs who lost a guy who went with a smaller $$ contract elsewhere will never say anything because it reflects poorly on them/their team. Agents won't say anything for the same reason. That said, here are a couple of examples from 30 seconds of googling: Jeremiah Trotter Dwayne Rudd and Randall Godfrey

Yeah sure. Like Mike Brown and Ralph are the same guy.

The thing I keep laughing about is all the "that was the most embarassing game in team history" stuff over there. Yikes...if only that were true. "Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it" sure comes to mind today.

LOL! How many years have you been a Bills fan? As putrid as yesterday's performance was, it was not even close to the top 10 most embarassing games in team history (ugh...it hurts to type that ).

If you think TKO's blowing smoke, that's OK. I happen to think he wants to win...and get paid, in that order: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPIKES BRINGS WARRIOR MENTALITY TO BUFFALO ALLEN WILSON; News Sports Reporter March 15, 2003 Takeo Spikes' first name means "Great Warrior" in Japanese. Seems like an apt description. For the past five seasons, Spikes displayed the fire and passion that made him one of the best young linebackers in the National Football League. However, he toiled in obscurity for a woeful Cincinnati Bengals team that didn't seem to share his desire to win. Maybe that's why Spikes was wearing a big smile Wednesday after being formally introduced as the newest member of the Buffalo Bills. Spikes took the high road when asked about the Bengals, though he looked relieved to finally be rescued from pro football's abyss. Wednesday was a time to look ahead. Any bad feelings about his past gave way to good thoughts about his new team, new city and a new beginning for a productive yet unfulfilled career. "I feel born again," said the 26-year-old Spikes. "I'm looking forward to meeting all of the guys, building up the camaraderie and enjoying life. I'm happy with where I'm at, I'm happy with everything that comes along with it and I'm looking forward to starting up." Spikes is pleased to be reunited with former Bengals head coach Dick LeBeau, who joined the Bills as assistant head coach this week. Under LeBeau's tutelage, Spikes led the Bengals in tackles four times and recorded 100 or more stops each of his five seasons. He missed only one of 80 games, and that was due to his father's funeral. An ideal combination of size (6-foot-2, 245 pounds), speed and athleticism, Spikes can deliver crushing hits at the line of scrimmage, run down ball carriers sideline to sideline and drop back into pass coverage. "He's an impact-type player who can do a lot of things," said John Guy, Bills' director of pro personnel. "He's also a solid character guy and a team guy. He doesn't have to carry the leadership of this team. There's a difference when you can contribute and not have to carry the burden. I think he had to carry the burden before, and now all he has to do is play his game and contribute." The burden of losing was tough on Spikes. The Bengals have won just 19 games since drafting him out of Auburn with the 13th overall pick in 1998. He had grown tired of the Bengals' losing ways. He was even more offended by teammates who had become "Bengal-lized," a common affliction in which players go through stages of shock, anger, frustration and ultimately acceptance of their fate. Spikes refused to accept mediocrity. "I have a quote that I always live by from the great Joe DiMaggio," Spikes said. "He always said you always want to give a great performance because you never know who's watching for the first time. You always want to leave a great first impression in somebody's mind." Spikes certainly made a strong impression on the Bills, who last week signed him to an offer sheet that the Bengals chose not to match. "It's a fresh, clean start for Takeo," said agent Todd France. "He's very excited about it and he can't wait to get started." Spikes already has an acquaintance on the team. He and left tackle Jonas Jennings are Georgia natives and have been close friends for about seven years. Jennings was enthusiastic about Spikes coming aboard. "This is the same guy we studied three, four hours for," Jennings said of recent games against the Bengals. "His name was No. 1 on the Cincinnati (game plan). Now we just get to play with him in practice." Spikes joins Jeff Posey as the Bills' new starting outside linebackers, joining middle linebacker London Fletcher. They are expected to be an upgrade over Eddie Robinson and Keith Newman, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. "I enjoyed playing with Eddie and Keith, but I'm excited to be able to line up with Takeo Spikes and Jeff Posey," Fletcher said by phone from Cleveland. "I've played with some good linebackers, but never someone of Takeo's caliber. I can't wait for the season to start. It's going to be fun." Although Spikes has never made the Pro Bowl, his six-year, $32 million contract means the pressure will be on him to perform at an all-star level. But Spikes insists his motivation stems from something other than money. "What motivates me is the love I have for the game," he said. "I want to be great. When I walk away from the game, I want somebody to say, 'Takeo Spikes did everything possible that he could do to be the best player that he wanted to be.' I want to be looked at as a guy who will do whatever it takes to win -- a total team player." I have a lot of personal goals. But I know my personal goals will never be accomplished without thinking through a team concept. I've learned as a player, you never reach your full potential unless you have other great players around you. All that will take care of itself because I'm going to do the things necessary that put me in position to make plays and help this team win." Before meeting the media, Spikes visited patients at Women's and Children's Hospital for a couple of hours. Spikes was active in child-related causes in Cincinnati through his TKO (Taking Kids On) Foundation. "It's something I've always done ever since I got into the league," he said. "It's kind of how I've been brought up. I always feel you should always give back because you are a role model whether you like it or not. I enjoy putting a smile on someone's face." Newman's signing with the Falcons comes as no surprise. He had his best season in Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense, recording a career-high eight sacks in 2000. Phillips is Atlanta's defensive coordinator. Newman, who also visited the Houston Texans, had just 6 1/2 sacks in two seasons in Gregg Williams' 4-3 alignment. There is still no news on free agent Pro Bowl defensive tackle Sam Adams, who visited the Bills last week. Adams' agent, Angelo Wright, is optimistic a deal can be reached. Adams has other teams interested, but the Bills remain his first priority, Wright siad. Wide receiver/kick return specialist MarTay Jenkins, who was scheduled to visit Wednesday, is expected to arrive today. Jenkins may be a better option than Kevin Dyson, who met with the Bills earlier this week, but is talking to other teams. He was scheduled to sit down with the New York Jets today.

Bupkis. Guys like Spikes want to win...and know they'll get their jack wherever they play. And by the way, here's the headline from TKO's first game as a Bill: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW BILLS RIGHT ON THE MONEY; DEFENSIVE ACQUISITIONS PAY INSTANT DIVIDENDS IN 31-0 ROUT OF PATS MARK GAUGHAN; News Sports Reporter Talk about instant gratification. Buffalo Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. is paying out $21.83 million this year alone for four new defensive starters -- Takeo Spikes, Sam Adams, Lawyer Milloy and Jeff Posey. What does Wilson think of his investment after watching the Bills' 31-0 season-opening destruction of the New England Patriots? "I tell you, it's better than the stock market," Wilson roared in the jubilant Bills locker room. That was the understatement of the day after one of the greatest coming out parties in Bills history. The Bills exorcised demons from last season and made a dramatic statement in scoring their most decisive opening-day victory since 1992 and their first opening-day shutout since blanking the New York Jets by the same 31-0 score in 1981. Attention football world: The Bills' rebuilt defense is for real. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I disagree. The Bills were making a significant push to sign FA talent when Spikes signed. They had one of the top defenses in the league his first few years here. The team was moving forward and Buffalo was a very attractive spot for many high profile vets. Revisonist history in the wake of this season's meltdown is BS...

Come on. Ralph is not senile and could probably whip your ass on a tennis court from a physical perspective, too. He's stepped up to the plate every time his football people have asked for something the last 15 years and its a shame that TD has crapped out on building a team worthy of RW's investment (emotional as well as financial). Ralph does not hire the coaches, so the blame rests solely with TD. Rest assured that Ralph will show Donohoe the door if this season truly melts down.

Ironic, isn't it. I had the same thought watching yesterday's train wreck...

Add Sam Adams to that underperforming veteran list....