Ask Tim Graham: Part III

[Arkady Renko]

When will you bring out that story you have been sitting on regarding Lynch?

[boyst]

Hey Tim! I've said it before, and I am sure I'll say it again, thanks for giving us that extra insight in to the Bills! Hope all is well with that new house, and I can't wait until some of the OTA's and mini camps start!

[TimGraham]

True. Takes at least three years to grade a draft.

 

How do you feel about Spiller? He's certainly a talented football player but was this a luxury pick? A luxury we couldn't afford given the needs at QB and LT. I guess it really speaks to how Nix felt about the QBs available in the draft. Any thoughts about this? Thanks.

 

Love the player, mildly dislike the pick. I don't think it helps the Bills for 2010, but they're not putting together a team to compete this year. Spiller will look much better in 2011 or 2012 when other pieces have been added.

[TimGraham]

Hey Tim! I've said it before, and I am sure I'll say it again, thanks for giving us that extra insight in to the Bills! Hope all is well with that new house, and I can't wait until some of the OTA's and mini camps start!

 

Thanks much. Everything is great with the house aside from having to mow a yard for the first time in three years. Tiny lawns down there in Florida.

[BUFFALOTONE]

Love the player, mildly dislike the pick. I don't think it helps the Bills for 2010, but they're not putting together a team to compete this year. Spiller will look much better in 2011 or 2012 when other pieces have been added.

 

Are you insinuating that this regime is actually trying to build a franchise properly? You must be loving the weather up there now. It started getting pretty steamy down here already.

[TimGraham]

Are you insinuating that this regime is actually trying to build a franchise properly? You must be loving the weather up there now. It started getting pretty steamy down here already.

 

I like the way the Bills are doing it so far. They'll take their lumps, but be better for it.

 

I'm guessing one or two rough seasons of rebuilding would have gone over much better had the Bills done it in, say, 2004 and 2005. Better to get it over with now than continue the path they were on.

[BUFFALOTONE]

I like the way the Bills are doing it so far. They'll take their lumps, but be better for it.

 

I'm guessing one or two rough seasons of rebuilding would have gone over much better had the Bills done it in, say, 2004 and 2005. Better to get it over with now than continue the path they were on.

 

That goes without saying. They just never had the right people in the right positions. They are doing it right no matter what the rest of the outside world thinks.

[Arkady Renko]

Any chance we could have some knowledgeable ESPN people give their take on who among Edwards, Fitzpatrick and Brohm has the best chance to succeed?

[Tortured Soul]

Hey Tim,

 

Can you give us a general impression of what you're hearing about Flozell Adams around the league (an original Gailey pick)? Is the perception that he's shot, or wants too much money, or is waiting for an injury for a chance to start? Thanks in advance.

[Leonidas]

Tim,

 

Can you please tell Mike Reiss to STFU? I'm so sick of hearing about the Patriots practice squad additions on the ESPN NFL main page. In fact, can we just get rid of the ESPNBostons and ESPNNewYorks already? I know it's not your call, but...still. Thanks.

[CarolinaBill]

Love the player, mildly dislike the pick. I don't think it helps the Bills for 2010, but they're not putting together a team to compete this year. Spiller will look much better in 2011 or 2012 when other pieces have been added.

just wondering, how does adding the most explosive offensive player in the draft, at one of the easiest positions of transition not help the Bills this year?

[4BillsintheBurgh]

Tim,

 

I was wondering if there was any word on Tom Modrak's status with the Bills. With Guy being let go and talk at the time Tom could be next (after the draft), I assume we should know something either way pretty quickly.

 

Thanks.

[TimGraham]

Any chance we could have some knowledgeable ESPN people give their take on who among Edwards, Fitzpatrick and Brohm has the best chance to succeed?

 

 

I guess I don't count.

[TimGraham]

just wondering, how does adding the most explosive offensive player in the draft, at one of the easiest positions of transition not help the Bills this year?

 

The Bills are in a state where their fourth-round pick helps them this year.

 

The Bills are missing players that make guys like Spiller work, namely tackles to help him get outside.

 

There were better picks for 2010. The Bills are not drafting for 2010. They are drafting with their eye farther into the future.

[TimGraham]

Tim,

 

I was wondering if there was any word on Tom Modrak's status with the Bills. With Guy being let go and talk at the time Tom could be next (after the draft), I assume we should know something either way pretty quickly.

 

Thanks.

 

If Modrak wasn't going to be with the team and they were just using his scouting department's reports for this draft (which seems highly illogical to me), then I doubt the Bills would have put him on the podium three days in a row to talk about the draft picks. They would have put only Nix out there to speak for the team.

[VABills]

I guess I don't count.

Who are you?

[TimGraham]

Tim,

 

Can you please tell Mike Reiss to STFU? I'm so sick of hearing about the Patriots practice squad additions on the ESPN NFL main page. In fact, can we just get rid of the ESPNBostons and ESPNNewYorks already? I know it's not your call, but...still. Thanks.

 

Mike Reiss is a good friend of mine and is one of the finest journalists in the country.

 

Those sites are huge moneymakers. Not counting ESPNNewYork because it's too new, but every other ESPN regional site has the highest traffic of any sports site in that market. In other words, ESPNChicago outdraws the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Comcast SportsNet, etc. ESPNBoston outdraws the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. ESPNDallas outdraws the Dallas Morning News. If ESPN started an ESPNBuffalo, it would throttle the Buffalo News and WGR combined.

 

As I'm sure you know, ESPN.com has unlimited bandwidth. If you don't like what's on the main page, I'd suggest investing four more seconds and making another click or two to find other NFL stories in a number of different places such as the Blogs index or the Draft page or the Rumors page or the Teams page or the Videos page or the columnists index.

[Arkady Renko]

I guess I don't count.

 

I didn't mean it like that, but often times you invite third parties to come in and weigh in... like scouts and film people.

[Leonidas]

Mike Reiss is a good friend of mine and is one of the finest journalists in the country.

 

Those sites are huge moneymakers. Not counting ESPNNewYork because it's too new, but every other ESPN regional site has the highest traffic of any sports site in that market. In other words, ESPNChicago outdraws the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Comcast SportsNet, etc. ESPNBoston outdraws the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. ESPNDallas outdraws the Dallas Morning News. If ESPN started an ESPNBuffalo, it would throttle the Buffalo News and WGR combined.

 

As I'm sure you know, ESPN.com has unlimited bandwidth. If you don't like what's on the main page, I'd suggest investing four more seconds and making another click or two to find other NFL stories in a number of different places such as the Blogs index or the Draft page or the Rumors page or the Teams page or the Videos page or the columnists index.

 

So is that a 'no' then on the Mike Reiss/STFU question?

 

Maybe Mike Reiss is a 'fine' journalist. Maybe he just got stuck with a ****ty job. Or maybe it's considered a dream job for some since all he has to do is report on what the Patriots do, allowing him to tweet about an uninspiring signing and golf the rest of the day away. The weather in Massachusetts is nice this time of year, I should know.

 

But I know I'm not the only one sick of the front page flooded with his crap. Look under the "FOLLOW THE NFL ON TWITTER" section sometime. I'll give you a quick rundown of an average day:

 

@MikeReiss: Patriots sign kicker off the street. Belichick likes his work ethic.

@MikeReiss: Welker unable to practice but reads playbook during physical therapy.

@espncowboysblog: Dez Bryant's mother wasn't a prostitute. Who knew?

@wingoz: <says something stupid, without fail> can't believe how much hot sauce they put on my hot dog!

@NFLRumorCentral: <insert completely baseless rumor here> Favre to sign with Atlanta? It's possible.

@Adam_Shefter: <insert real, but effectively irrelevant signing here> OG Roberto Garza to sign 1-year deal for league minimum with Cleveland

@MikeReiss: Hoyer goes 15 for 20 in Brady's absence in mini-camp. Belichick looked impressed.

@espncowboysblog: Jerry Jones apologizes to Bill Parcells...again.

@NFLRumorCentral: T.O. to sign with St. Louis? It's possible.

@MikeReiss: Moss says injury is all healed up and ready to go.

@wingoz: I haven't worn a dress since high school!

@espncowboysblog: Herm Edwards likes Dez Bryant.

@MikeReiss: Patriots added more practice squad fodder. Stay tuned.

@Adam_Shefter: WR David Tyree signs 1-year incentive-laden deal with Kansas City.

@NFLRumorCentral: Jerry Rice to sign with Green Bay? It's possible.

 

See where I'm going with this? ESPN has taken a stupid idea in Twitter and brought the stupidity into their sports world to compound the problem. But I wouldn't expect you to bash your employer. I guess the rest of us will just have to wait and hope that someday we'll see an ESPNMiami or an ESPNBuffalo or an ESPNBaltimore or an ESPNCincinatti or an ESPNCleveland or an ESPNPittsburgh or an ESPNHouston or an ESPNIndianapolis or an ESPNJacksonville or an ESPNNashville or an ESPNDenver or an ESPNKansasCity or an ESPNOakland or an ESPNSanDiego or an ESPNPhiladelphia or an ESPNWashington or an ESPNDetroit or an ESPNGreenBay or an ESPNMinneapolis or an ESPNAtlanta or an ESPNRaleigh or an ESPNNewOrleans or an ESPNTampaBay or an ESPNPhoenix or an ESPNSanFrancisco or an ESPNSt.Louis or an ESPNSeattle.

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

So is that a 'no' then on the Mike Reiss/STFU question?

 

Maybe Mike Reiss is a 'fine' journalist. Maybe he just got stuck with a ****ty job. Or maybe it's considered a dream job for some since all he has to do is report on what the Patriots do, allowing him to tweet about an uninspiring signing and golf the rest of the day away. The weather in Massachusetts is nice this time of year, I should know.

 

But I know I'm not the only one sick of the front page flooded with his crap. Look under the "FOLLOW THE NFL ON TWITTER" section sometime. I'll give you a quick rundown of an average day:

 

@MikeReiss: Patriots sign kicker off the street. Belichick likes his work ethic.

@MikeReiss: Welker unable to practice but reads playbook during physical therapy.

@espncowboysblog: Dez Bryant's mother wasn't a prostitute. Who knew?

@wingoz: <says something stupid, without fail> can't believe how much hot sauce they put on my hot dog!

@NFLRumorCentral: <insert completely baseless rumor here> Favre to sign with Atlanta? It's possible.

@Adam_Shefter: <insert real, but effectively irrelevant signing here> OG Roberto Garza to sign 1-year deal for league minimum with Cleveland

@MikeReiss: Hoyer goes 15 for 20 in Brady's absence in mini-camp. Belichick looked impressed.

@espncowboysblog: Jerry Jones apologizes to Bill Parcells...again.

@NFLRumorCentral: T.O. to sign with St. Louis? It's possible.

@MikeReiss: Moss says injury is all healed up and ready to go.

@wingoz: I haven't worn a dress since high school!

@espncowboysblog: Herm Edwards likes Dez Bryant.

@MikeReiss: Patriots added more practice squad fodder. Stay tuned.

@Adam_Shefter: WR David Tyree signs 1-year incentive-laden deal with Kansas City.

@NFLRumorCentral: Jerry Rice to sign with Green Bay? It's possible.

 

See where I'm going with this? ESPN has taken a stupid idea in Twitter and brought the stupidity into their sports world to compound the problem. But I wouldn't expect you to bash your employer. I guess the rest of us will just have to wait and hope that someday we'll see an ESPNMiami or an ESPNBuffalo or an ESPNBaltimore or an ESPNCincinatti or an ESPNCleveland or an ESPNPittsburgh or an ESPNHouston or an ESPNIndianapolis or an ESPNJacksonville or an ESPNNashville or an ESPNDenver or an ESPNKansasCity or an ESPNOakland or an ESPNSanDiego or an ESPNPhiladelphia or an ESPNWashington or an ESPNDetroit or an ESPNGreenBay or an ESPNMinneapolis or an ESPNAtlanta or an ESPNRaleigh or an ESPNNewOrleans or an ESPNTampaBay or an ESPNPhoenix or an ESPNSanFrancisco or an ESPNSt.Louis or an ESPNSeattle.

 

next time, just order a half-caf.