BillsVet

Schopp has admitted not being much of a Bills fan. He looks at the team from a strange angle, but nevertheless talked about DJ being fired after the Dallas MNF game. I think Brad Riter, especially when he's got Ruben Brown on, is a much better option.

Isn't is funny to see Brandon come out when they sign TO to a contract, yet when the team is imploding 5-10 days before the season begins he's nowhere to be found. The last time I recall RB being out there during tough times was during the Peters 2008 holdout. I can't wait to see which excuses they cook up for this season. They'll be one about the young OL, one about the inevitable injuries, or perhaps the new OC. They're never at fault for anything.

Marv talked about building consensus, because he knew that it would take others to assist him in re-building the team. There is no such thing as consensus at OBD. RW is the man making the big decisions, particularly financial. Who is making the decisions is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the team. Unfortunately, the front office dynamic is shrouded in mystery, so no one takes the blame. There is no one with personnel experience in the front office charged with making decisions. And it shows in these rash moves just prior to opening Day 09.

TD's final season in Buffalo was his fifth and final non-playoff season. Marv decided to begin the rebuild process of a team that finished 5-11 and featured a lot of dead weight. Gone were Adams, Moulds, Milloy, and Teague among others. Four years later, the 2009 Bills are at least looking like 2005. There may not be as many over the hill veterans, but it sure appears to be another 5-11 6-10 type team. The operative question to ask is, how much has really been accomplished in four seasons if the 2009 Bills aren't a playoff team? And if the team isn't winning, aren't they simply perpetually rebuilding? And if they're perpetually rebuilding, isn't this a concrete indictment of the current management structure featuring GM Ralph Wilson, COO Brandon, along with Modrak and Guy? Nevermind DJ, we know he's bad. This season will expose RW, Littman, and Brandon as unqualified to lead the on-field product. Kinda like TD in 2005.

Walker was losing first team reps at GB earlier in the pre-season with Bell taking his spot. Some on this board wondered aloud if Walker, after learning he'd be the LT when Peters was dealt, would take off some weight. Apparently that wasn't important to him, although I don't think it would have mattered. He's not nimble or particularly strong.

At least the Marlins won those titles and had a relevant front office that could spot talent. Small market teams are at a disadvantage, but not anything insurmountable. You must have people in the front office who can recognize and develop talent, which the Bills do not and are unwilling to build. Buddy Nix is a nice story, but all NFL teams have an executive at GM or similar position to bring it all together. Buffalo's management structure consists of a 91 year old man, business guy with no power, and holdovers from the TD regime. I used to think only CIN and OAK had it worse with their owners running those teams. Now I'm not so sure.

How many teams rebuild or semi-rebuild twice within four seasons? The franchise needs to rebuild in one area before the actual players-the front office. Russ Brandon is a GM in name only, because RW is making all the moves aside from probably draft picks and some UFA's. A 91 year old man running the franchise is not encouraging. Only Oakland goes down as a team worse than Buffalo's front office. Furthermore, the Bills have taken saving money to a new height. With the release of Walker, they save 3M, but his contract counts 4.5M against the cap. This is how to hit the cap minimum without spending to it. Peters counts against the cap, but isn't on the team. This is a nasty trend. More Bills fans need to research the league and learn how other teams work. Management is horrible, and it is absolutely unequivocally not acceptable to rebuild or semi-rebuild again. This team is all about hype and getting fans to buy tickets. But they have not delivered a playoff team in many years.

Sullivan gets ripped for doing his job: commentary and opinion. He's right on one front: hope is not good enough entering a regular season. Substance is all that counts, and starting rookies on the OL, banking on a new OC, and thinking DJ will suddenly turn into a good coach and those are gigantic ifs.

Drinking lots of metamucil. They are gone: Tripplett, Royal, Fowler, P. Price, Bowen, K. Thomas, A. Thomas, Nall, Reyes, A. Davis (2006) and Dockery, Walker, Whittle, Webster. 14 for 14 in two years.

If RW is running the show a la C. Montgomery Burns, is Russ Brandon his Waylon Smithers?

The man has turned teams around before and after the salary cap was instituted. I can't think of one other GM in the NFL who was successful in both periods. BTW, Aundray Bruce, Jeff George, David Carr, Courtney Brown, Tim Couch, Kenneth Sims, and Tom Cousineau say hello.

For the record, the "addition by subtraction" mantra was preached quite heavily around these parts when Fairchild exited stage left of Colorado State and TS came on as OC. I think AVP will be different, and he'll not let his ego get in the way. I'm hopeful, but none of us know what to expect. It may be something that this offense doesn't start clicking until later in the season, especially considering the youth and lack of talent on the OL.

Talk about development. How many QB's in their first 3 NFL seasons can handle 3 OC's? I know they've all run similar offenses, but that's a bit much to ask. Edwards still has to show a lot this season with the weapons he's got. This franchise has made a habit out of setting people up to fail. RW set up Levy and Brandon to fail. DJ set up TE to fail when he hired an also-ran QB coach to be OC. And now AVP is being told to put together a game plan for the offense with 10 days against one of the best team this decade. Just once I'd like to see the team set people up to succeed.

Well, in thinking it over perhaps DJ could have been responsible, with a push from RW. I'm sure during the off-season, particularly after the TO signing, that it was made clear they needed to win. It's a classic case of being backed into a corner and fighting back with all you've got. Perhaps DJ saw the light. As for the team, there's so much uncertainty. I'm glad TS is gone, but I fear it's too little too late. We'll be able to tell a lot by about 10PM on 9/14.

KnightRider answered the question with one minor exception: Teams in which owners run the show do not win. Does anyone ever hear of the Rooney family talking to their coach? Or how about the Mara/Tisch families? Perhaps Bob Kraft, Jim Irsay, et al. The trend here is that owners with a hands-on approach rarely get results. Jones' Cowboys haven't won a playoff game in 13 years. Mike Brown has 1 playoff berth in 18 seasons. Al Davis is, well, Al Davis. And Ralph isn't much better than those three.

Just a thought, but why in the heck is RW meddling in meeting the new co-offensive coordinators? Did the Mara's/Tisch's meet Kevin Gilbride or Arthur Blank need to discuss X's and O's with Mike Mularkey? Bob Kraft isn't asking Bill Belichick who's calling the plays this year after McDaniels left. I cannot understand for the life of me what RW is going to add to hiring another coordinator. Is he simply saying get it done or else? Because that should have been made clear last October when he re-signed DJ to a contract extension. RW may have been an owner for 50 years, but it doesn't mean he know the intricacies of the game.

I can definitely agree that it was DJ's idea to fire Schonert. If of course you ignore DJ's entire tenure in Buffalo and RW's 50 year ownership of the Bills. DJ's loyalty and RW's meddling cannot be ignored here. Although I will say the guy had to go, he never should have been hired in the first place.

No wonder the salary cap went up this past year. 09 Cap Increase The owners have to be kicking themselves for signing Tagliabue's CBA back in early 07. The players have a sweetheart deal that DeMaurice Smith will not want to depart from. I can see labor strife very soon. This also reminds me of just prior to the NFL lockout when it was found players were getting the lion's share of revenue. And we know how that went, even though it's two vastly different leagues.

It's one thing to be pessimistic on this team, which I freely admit. The team is run by a 91 year old owner and the direction just doesn't seem there. It's still no reason for single-minded posters to hurl insults at anyone that suggests something they disagree with. Still, the obnoxious posters have become too much and John Wawrow along with others know it. I realize there are varying levels of football knowledge on this board, but when a reporter comes onto this board it's a good thing. We collectively benefit as a message board because of them. The Bills should be criticized if they cannot win and advance to the playoffs this season. Collectively though, criticism needs to be done in a more considerate manner.

I think it's also worth noting re: NE is their penchant for finding players who can be play different positions. They've gone after Adalius Thomas and Jerod Mayo who both can play inside or outside. I have no doubt people like Warren and Wilfork could be DT's if they were asked to be. Flexibility is something BB values, because it adds another dimension to their game plan. And I have no doubt because he basically doubles as a GM, that the scouting staff and team makeup are coordinated very closely. I still hate them.

"The signing of Terrell Owens after his release from Dallas was a desperation move -- one that Wilson himself has acknowledged was made in an effort to improve ticket sales." RW may be nearing 91, but he's still with it in terms of making a dollar. He knew keeping DJ would rankle the fan base, and I don't think many astute fans believed RB, DJ, or Trent was behind the move. But, he's hitched his wagon to a coach that clearly will never figure it out. There should be no question now that Russ Brandon is a figurehead like his predecessor. No wonder people like Polian, Butler, and AJ Smith didn't want to work for this guy. He knows it all.

How many times can NE swindle OAK before the commissioner has to step in? The Patriots* have won the division 7 of the last 8 seasons. The best way to make the playoffs is winning the division so you're not competing for 2 WC spots among multiple teams. I don't think this move takes away from their pass rush, because 3-4 DE's aren't called on to be great sack/pressure guys. In a 3-4 it comes from the OLB's. And so a 4-3 change means less of a need for a 275# DE. BTW, this house has been in disarray for a long time. And from what we've seen this week, that's not changing anytime soon.

Actually, cutting Rhodes is a slight departure for the franchise. I recall two years ago when the Bills chose to keep Anthony "Slow-train" Thomas and play him more than Fred Jackson. At the time though, AT played more because he had better pass pro skills whereas people didn't think Fred Jackson did. Hence, AT played more frequently. I'm concerned about Omon in pass protection, but he did outplay DR.

Maroney hasn't been stellar, mainly because he seems injury prone. Meriweather will be a starter, but they haven't had much from beneath the 1st in recent years and I'll grant you that. They've gotten older that's for sure. NE has defined in the salary cap era how to remain competitive without going into total rebuild move. There aren't many teams that have a track record of success for nearly a decade aside from perhaps IND. I hate the Patriettes (and Red Sox), but I'll grudgingly admit they have one of the finest front offices in the NFL.

Beerball-You don't miss anything. I remember around draft time each year that teams college scouting staffs are already looking forward to the next year's draft. Even though the regular season hasn't begun, I'd say OT and LB are areas the Bills will need to address. I just hope thy don't find themselves with a need at QB.