BillsVet

No, but it's how gomer homers avoid the real issue that the team isn't good and remain miles from competing with the big boys. It can't possibly be bad coaching and worse players. Never.

The real story is why Buffalo went into the season with: 1. A LT who is returning from an ACL tear backed up originally by a former GB practice squad scrub. Now, it's anyone's guess who that is. 2. A RT who was a Raiders cast-off and predictably released. Now, the spot is held by a practice squad castoff from Seattle. 3. A swing tackle cut during the season, another signed as a UDFA during the season, and currently a guy from the Seahawks practice squad. 4. A chief backup interior OL with no one with NFL experience. 5. A RG, while promising, who was returning from a devastating injury. He's been dinged up this season, and the backup is a former Steelers practice squad guy. When you enter the season razor thin in depth and with so little experience, it's inevitable that injuries will quickly decimate you. And people wonder why they have issues blocking anyone in the run and pass game. It is no consolation that the opponent had a solid pass rush because you've got to beat teams like this if you're ever going to make the playoffs. End of story. But they played hard.

Bright spot? Staying in contention for the #1 pick and RW having to pay 50M+ guaranteed to a rookie.

This isn't even funny anymore.

Oh well. They're playing really hard. Good enough for me.

Great we can run the ball down 24 points. That'll surprise 'em.

Keep celebrating Jairus. Apparently he's learning from Donte.

It couldn't possibly be that offensive genius Chan Gailey doesn't have good enough players. Nah.

You're supposed to be happy they're playing hard. That's all that matters I'm told. They're trying their best.

Offensive geniuses sometimes don't have the players to win either.

Undoubtedly. How many Whitner late hits does it take to prevent him from getting a contract extension? He leads the league in hits delivered after a receiver catches a pass.

Wilcots: Kelsay so good at rushing the QB?

How many QB hits does it take to equal a sack? You don't find NFL LT's all that often late in the draft for a reason.

Demetrius Bell is getting his QB killed today.

why did this team take Spiller? Anyone? Ah, he sells tickets.

Draft Day 2008 looking worse by the game. That's what happens when you have a marketing guy running the front office. But they're trying hard.

The average fan would wilt under the pressure of having to garner ratings covering a team with 60 wins this decade. Losing gets old, especially for talk show hosts who have to develop discussion topics and deal with mouth breathing fans at the same time.

Two wins is a sign of turning around? I though this was about the baby, not the labor pains?

Where did I mention the GM or who that happens to be, or insinuated that he's an idiot? This issue goes straight to the highest level and what their priority is. Perhaps we should revisit the SD rebuild earlier this decade that homers credit to Nix. They signed free agents, drafted possibly 2 HOFers with their fist two picks, and it still took them 4 off seasons and 3 regular seasons to be a good team. And that was a team that had Butler, AJ Smith, and Buddy. Guess what, it's not easy filling a roster with enough talent to win. Some teams do it, some perennially can't. UFA isn't the basis for rebuilding, it's a means if augmenting and accelerating the process. No one in sports speaks their mind all the time this side of Ozzie Guillen. I certainly didn't expect Buddy to come out and say he'd been denied multiple times to interview HC candidates in January. But that's not the point here. Buddy does not run this franchise, he's the GM. He works within a budget set up by the top people in the franchise, to include the treasurer, COO, and RW himself. And, he was hired into an organization low on the credibility meter the result of hiring people like Marv and Mr. Smithers-Brandon as GM. That'll get you noticed negatively in the league I guarantee you. Do I trust Buddy to speak the truth? Heck no and that's fine. No GM ever reveals everything, which is the way it should be. Then again, this is a guy who said they got 35 calls a day for the HC vacancy and continued by saying they weren't that far away. So whom do you trust, the guy who says the franchise may not be committed to winning, or a guy who said their phones were jammed while many respected assistants were saying no to even interviewing. It goes both ways. Subterfuge happens and is accepted, but blatant exaggeration in the face of overwhelming evidence shouldn't. It insults fans' intelligence.

This is not a pro or anti Gailey argument. A HC does not operate in a vacuum, but exists as a part of a bigger entity. Gailey can't sign UFA's nor has all the power in the draft room. Gailey merely coaches what he's given with some input but not final say on personnel. This is a bigger problem than you seem to comprehend. Building a roster is an organizational endeavor and if the front office is unwilling to commit the resources to sign quality free agents and draft the best players, HC's aren't going to your team. Plain and simple. No self-respecting coach wants to work in an environment where he has anything less than full support from the front office and a budget to back it up. Unless he can't find a job elsewhere. If you don't openly wonder why people declined Buffalo's request to interview for their HC position, your hand is stuck in the sand. This is about giving the HC the resources to succeed or not. And if the Bills elect to pass on signing quality free agents, it tells me they're not committed to winning as quickly as possible. And I'm not talking about paying for head-cases like Haynesworth or signing mega deals like Peppers. Some quality free agents can be had for less, and the HC would absolutely want someone who can help now as opposed to a bunch of street free agents or unproven (but hyped) rookies. You can't teach experience, and HC's know this.

The more I see of Demaurice Smith and his trial lawyer tactics the less impressed I am. The players cant absorb what the owners can. These negotiations arent going to be Tagliabue and Upshaw friendly.

You list 6 positions featuring at least 7 players the team needs more talent at to be successful. That's almost a third of the starting roster, including 2 of the 3 most difficult to find: LT and 2x OLB. Finding players like this takes a couple years and isn't a slam dunk with Buffalo's recent draft history. Then again, Buffalo's mastered the ability to perpetually rebuild while creating hype to make it appear progress is actually happening. The point isn't Gailey being hired. The point is why Russ Grimm, Ron Rivera, Leslie Frazier, Brian Schottenheimer, and Jim Harbaugh declined an interview or pulled their name from consideration before Gailey's hiring. Five name candidates turning the job down tells me that a lot of people know the organization isn't going to do its utmost to help a HC win. It cannot be assumed this franchise will expedite the rebuilding process via free agency either. And if not, why? The fans have been waiting 11 seasons for a playoff team and Gailey himself can't do it (that's win) without help from the front office.

The issue isn't whether fans should give Chan a chance. It's whether or not the front office gives Chan a chance to succeed. This point is why so many candidates avoided Buffalo like the plague this past off-season. A HC wants to work in a place he'll have a reasonable opportunity to succeed. In Chan's case, he was hired because he was willing to take the job, whereas Ron Rivera, Jim Harbaugh, Brian Schottenheimer, Leslie Frazier, and Russ Grimm weren't for unknown reasons. It's very likely that respected coaching candidates know something's amiss in Buffalo and have reacted accordingly.

Better for insurance to pay them than the team. This is a business after all people.

What comes around goes around. More money for the Tom Condon's, Ben Dogra's, Eugene Parker's, et al of the NFL agent world. That article will have a lasting effect on the sports agent world for some time to come.