Tim Graham - "Rest of AFC East leaving Bills Behind"

[Doc]

For one, the Pats didn't need to improve themselves to be much better than the Bills, especially since the Bills have went backwards with their moves, or lack there of. And if trading for and signing possible the best WR in the NFL isn't improving your team, I don't know what is. I am a huge Bills fan, but face the truth, it is going to be at least a two team race (Pats, Jets) for the division with the Dolphins competing for a wild card possibly. All the while that happens, the Bills won't even be competitive with the rest of the division and will for all intense and purposes, be out of it by week 4 or 5.

Really? You know they'll be out of it by week 4 or 5, before even seeing the schedule? Impressive.

 

The Pats took a step back. The Dols at best stayed the same. The Bills rid themselves of an inept coaching staff, found a legit GM and assistant GM, and got rid of some guys while reassigning others to where they'd fit best. I'd say that's addition by subtraction. And despite all the Bills' problems last year, they went 2-4 in the division, narrowly losing to the (then much stronger) Pats.

 

Now I'll admit that the Bills took a step back at WR by not re-signing TO. That doesn't mean I don't think that Gailey can't still improve the offense, but I'd rather have TO on it than not. And if they trade Lynch, that's another step back and hole they have to fill.

[Malazan]

These type of articles are born from message board posts. It's nto hard to see a trend emerging on ESPN and other major media outlets that they hire people who spend sum up message board posts (what better way of giving people articles that they 'want'?) and then just re-post twenty other stories.

 

How much actual reporting is being done here? Instead we get 327322 stories about Clayton's latest mock draft. Many sports journalists appear to be afraid to do anything that might jeopardize their access to athletes and their teams, so they've supported the PR efforts to carefully craft the outside appearances of sports figures, and are largely hesitant to do anything to upset these appearances...like actual reporting.

[MattM]

For one, the Pats didn't need to improve themselves to be much better than the Bills, especially since the Bills have went backwards with their moves, or lack there of. And if trading for and signing possible the best WR in the NFL isn't improving your team, I don't know what is. I am a huge Bills fan, but face the truth, it is going to be at least a two team race (Pats, Jets) for the division with the Dolphins competing for a wild card possibly. All the while that happens, the Bills won't even be competitive with the rest of the division and will for all intense and purposes, be out of it by week 4 or 5.

 

If Randy Moss gets hurt or starts to show his age (he's now 33), the Pats* will be lucky to win 7 games next season--it's that simple. Who does Tommy Boy have to throw the ball to? Moss, Edelman and who? Welker's out at least half the year and Ben Watson's gone (not a huge part of the passing game (except against us), but still a better target than they have now in an old Crumpler). They've done nothing for a weakening D except resigning their own (and will still probably end up cutting Thomas since it seems there are no takers). Age, too, is a factor--Springs is ancient, as are their RBs (but, as we all know, HGH is a helluva drug--out of curiosity last year I did a tour of the NFL's website looking for backs 32 or over and found 2 other real names league-wide, while the Pats* have 3 alone. There's a reason "old vets" go there, and it ain't just for a chance to win championships). They really don't scare me, even with all their draft picks--anyone else notice how bad their last 4-5 drafts have sucked? And many of those were WITH Pioli and Dimitroff.

 

The Jets on the other hand, have improved greatly on a good core, IMHO. They're building a very good team there, one that I think will not just knock NE off their perch, but kick them squarely in the teeth while doing so. Glad to see someone do it, but too bad it won't be us.....

[Lori]

These type of articles are born from message board posts. It's nto hard to see a trend emerging on ESPN and other major media outlets that they hire people who spend sum up message board posts (what better way of giving people articles that they 'want'?) and then just re-post twenty other stories.

 

How much actual reporting is being done here? Instead we get 327322 stories about Clayton's latest mock draft. Many sports journalists appear to be afraid to do anything that might jeopardize their access to athletes and their teams, so they've supported the PR efforts to carefully craft the outside appearances of sports figures, and are largely hesitant to do anything to upset these appearances...like actual reporting.

Interesting take, since John Clayton's name has appeared on Tim's blog precisely four times since March 1, and not once in regard to a mock draft. Perhaps you're thinking of someone else?

[sven233]

OK.....Here is the thing. I am not going to go out predicting anything major for the Bills this upcoming season, BUT I think that we all can agree that the main reason that we didn't win more games last season was because of how bad our offense was. We couldn't score. Our offense was predictable and boring. Easy to defend.

 

If nothing else, I think we are all fairly confident that we will be able to score a little bit more on offense this season just because we should have something that resembles a real NFL offense. I took a quick look back at last years losses and I just looked at the games we would have won scoring just 1 more TD a game. The total was at least 4. So, if our offense under Gailey can just put up an average of 5-7 more points per game, we might be in some games.

 

Again, I am not going to predict anything, but I am just hoping that Gailey can improve our offense. If he can't he obviously was the wrong pick. Guess we will see what happens.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

The Jets have Shonn Greene running the ball this year. Not sure why everyone's getting wound up one way or another about Tomlinson.

[Malazan]

Interesting take, since John Clayton's name has appeared on Tim's blog precisely four times since March 1, and not once in regard to a mock draft. Perhaps you're thinking of someone else?

 

I understand your desire to purposely not understand the underlying context of the statement considering your situation, but since you wish to do so..

 

Repost Article

 

Boston Herald Repost

 

Scouts Inc Repost Article

 

Miami Post Repost

 

Sando Repost

 

Sando Repost

 

I was going to keep going, but since those are all recent articles without skipping one..

 

If you read through those articles, you'll see he makes numerous references to memes. I don't have any problems with someone doing this. I think as a blog, it's exactly what you'd expect. However, as with all the blogs on ESPN, it's passed off as 'reporting'. It's not. These type of blogs are on the same level of being 'informed' as a message board post. Slapping ESPN does elevate the opinion of the writer.

 

I fail to see why we need to post because a writer on ESPN said something that had already been pointed out, discussed and well documented already on this board.

 

I imagine many other will disagree with me in addition to you. You'll also have to excuse me since it was a rewrite of a previous post that was removed by a moderator with no notification of an infraction against board rules so I assumed it was an error and rewriting something already written may have caused me to not illuminate as well on my point. I hope this post clears up any confusion.

[Lori]

Easy fix, if you don't wish to read either his blog or the posts referring to it: don't click on them.

 

And a reminder: http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/index.php?showtopic=106793

[Malazan]

Easy fix, if you don't wish to read either his blog or the posts referring to it: don't click on them.

 

And a reminder: http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/index.php?showtopic=106793

 

I wasn't aware that criticism of ESPN was off limits because Tim Graham made a post on the message board.

 

I'm not referring to my desire to read them. I'm referring to undue weight given to certain media outlets because they are a 'media outlet' when they are often operating on the level of posters or bloggers posting to fan forums who are not working for a media outlet.

 

It's the same thing as the Tim Tebow phenomenon. Tebow is an easy story and so many stories are written about him. Then stories are written about how many stories are written about Tim Tebow. If the media creates a self-fueled story then I think it's quite fair to point that out.

 

You could use the Jerry Jones article in which the major sports outlets are blaming bloggers of fueling 'bad journalism' by posting and discussing that video. They've now written a story about a story being written on their own sites and taking a potshot at independent bloggers.

 

I happen to appreciate the efforts of independent bloggers, shows such Coach Sal or posters such as nevergiveup who provide information and discussion.

 

ESPN has the point of getting hits. If they see that trashing Buffalo (it being justified aside) gets a thread that goes four or five pages then they are likely to continue doing this. I think that's a valid point in the conversation.