dave mcbride Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/columns...ory/892512.html
Fastro Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Thanks for the link, the article makes some good points. It is hard to root against a win so that they can get a high draft pick but it unfortunately seems to be a reoccuring theme this time of the year. Given their draft track record, a higher pick would seem to inspire more confidence in choosing the right guy. It also would allow the opportunity to trade down for more picks. The Bills could certainly use an injection of talent on the team in LB, DL, and QB.
Albany,n.y. Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Jerry Sullivan = Trent Edwards Both not Bills fans. Jerry does have some good points & I'm looking forward to what his take is after the game in both his column & on WGR. I'm listening to the pregame show on 97 Rock & the combination of KC's poor starts and their weak secondary gives the Bills an excellent chance of getting ahead early & never looking back. I wonder what Jerry will say after the Bills win.
Magox Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 So is he suggesting that the players should tank the rest of the season?
gobillsinytown Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Jerry Sullivan doesn't have an emotional investment in the Bills? Yeah. It's one thing to look at the merits of finishing with a lower record. It's another to actually root for the team to lose. If the players go out there with that mentality, there are going to be more injuries. Can't play the game at half speed. The one thing that Jerry doesn't take into account is the fact that the first round of the draft is a guessing game, with a success rate of just about 50 percent. I don't care how much money some of the other teams have and how much they're willing to spend, or how cheap Ralph is perceived as being. What businessesman would waste millions of dollars on someone that turns out to be a bust? How much money on the Williams contract did they have to eat? No businessman however wealthy just throws away that kind of money. Another thing that Jerry conveniently overlooks: Most of the top teams in the league like to trade down or out of the first round altogether. Why is that? Because they know first round picks are agent and hype driven.
Buffalonian-at-Heart Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 So is he suggesting that the players should tank the rest of the season? No. I think he's saying the players won't do that, so Wilson Should force Fewell to play all the young guys to induce a loss. And from the fans perspective, he understands we can't root for losses, but we should understand that it's best for the franchise.
The Senator Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 No. I think he's saying the players won't do that, so Wilson Should force Fewell to play all the young guys to induce a loss. And from the fans perspective, he understands we can't root for losses, but we should understand that it's best for the franchise. The obvious self-contradiction that I'm sure has escaped Sullivan: he wants to 'lose-out' to improve our draft position, his proposal is to play the young guys to evaluate them while losing games - what happens if they start Brohm (et al) and he turns out to be, as I suspect he will, the best QB on our roster and the Bills end up 'winning-out' instead of 'losing-out' as Sullivan would like? Then we end up 8-8, Jerry, with a worse draft position than our current #7! The Bills should definitely start the young guys - not, as Sullivan suggests, to help us lose games and improve our draft position, but to evaluate them as potential future Bills, give them experience, and - hopefully - teach them how to WIN games. I don't think we're gonna get Suh, who's the only player I truly covet in this draft - and, as a true Bills fan (unlike the idiot Sullivan), I never advocate losing.
PromoTheRobot Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 I can vividly recall how one Jerry Sullivan pilloried head coach Wade Phillips for giving up on the playoffs while the team was still mathematically in the race. Funny how Jerry's opinion has changed. While unlikely, if the Jets, Pats* and Dolphins should lose 2 games each the Bills are in the thick of the AFC East race. Sort of like when Wade Phillips was head coach. But now Jerry says we need to lose? Spare me. What Jerry is really saying is he does not want Perry Fewell and these current Bills to succeed. PTR
BillsVet Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Jerry Sullivan = Trent EdwardsBoth not Bills fans. Jerry does have some good points & I'm looking forward to what his take is after the game in both his column & on WGR. I'm listening to the pregame show on 97 Rock & the combination of KC's poor starts and their weak secondary gives the Bills an excellent chance of getting ahead early & never looking back. I wonder what Jerry will say after the Bills win. Forgive an opinion columnist for not having an emotional attachment to team. For the record, Allen Wilson is on record (in a recent chat) of not being a fan either. It is their job and not a personal feeling that precludes them from being a homer. They know, as journalists, that being invested in a team like the Bills removes impartiality. And that is required to cover a pro sports team. The Bills are what they are: a 4-8 team playing an opponent with a slightly worse record. Buffalo has an interim HC, no game-changing talent, a slew of practice squad vets, UDFA's, and street free agents rounding out the roster. The front office is run by a 91 year old owner, and this is the 10th season without a playoff appearance. Forgive Sullivan for being pessimistic.
BillsWatch Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 If Bills "lose out" as Suckivan suggests it will just give him more ammunition for his anti-Bills rants which is exactly what he wants. When the Bills win he concentrates on attacking any one he feels that can justify his attitude. Best thing to do is opposite whatever Jerky suggests.
John from Riverside Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 It may not be a popular stance but I agree with him here...... You dont play to lose.....you do however need to think about evaluating your younger players so you know what drafted players/free agent players you need to bring in for the following year. And in doing so you will probably lose.
Malazan Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Why does anyone care? Does he have new or interesting ideas that weren't already discussed on this board?
mikecole1 Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 my take is I root for the win as sometimes moving up has unintended consequences i.e. mike williams. I point to NBA: Heat won a last game during a lost season six years ago vs. the raptos. They would have ended up with Chris Bosch earlier had they lost & ended up instead with Dwayne Wade one pick later as Bosch went first. All things being equal I'll stand on the side of pride and root for my team to win.
DarthICE Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Jerry Sullivan = Trent EdwardsBoth not Bills fans. Jerry does have some good points & I'm looking forward to what his take is after the game in both his column & on WGR. I'm listening to the pregame show on 97 Rock & the combination of KC's poor starts and their weak secondary gives the Bills an excellent chance of getting ahead early & never looking back. I wonder what Jerry will say after the Bills win. Bull ****. I have been for decades and always will be a Bills fan and I say LOSE THEM ALL!!! It is what is best for this franchise to get as high a pick as possible.
jester43 Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/columns...ory/892512.html i usually agree with sullivan but not this time. it doesn't matter where you draft if you have the right people picking the players (not that ralph can hire them, but that's another issue). i can never root for the bills to lose no matter what the circumstances.
PromoTheRobot Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Game ball for Jerry Sullivan....shoved up his caboose. PTR
bschmoove Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Nice rant Jerry - try calling the Bills locker room 10 minutes before the kick off and tell them that. Of course you'll have to talk loudly over the laughter when they hear Jerry Sullivan from the Buffalo News wants them to throw a game for a draft choice. The WGR hacks are saying the same thing - amazing. Players do not lay down and die. You play to win the game.
BADOLBILZ Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 I can vividly recall how one Jerry Sullivan pilloried head coach Wade Phillips for giving up on the playoffs while the team was still mathematically in the race. Funny how Jerry's opinion has changed. While unlikely, if the Jets, Pats* and Dolphins should lose 2 games each the Bills are in the thick of the AFC East race. Sort of like when Wade Phillips was head coach. But now Jerry says we need to lose? Spare me. What Jerry is really saying is he does not want Perry Fewell and these current Bills to succeed. PTR I think Sully touched on that issue. That team wasn't leading people on. They had talent and were coming off of I believe 10 playoff appearances in 12 previous seasons. Their defense could play with anyone and they had enough talent on offense to beat playoff teams on a given day. This team, the past 4 seasons in particular, was never legitimate. They have had relatively easy schedules which facilitated the 7 win seasons, despite Jaurons horrifying record against winning teams. The few times they have played the better teams in the league they have often been chewed up and spit out.
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