A Question

[Bill from NYC]

First, let me say that I have indeed calmed down after being traumatized by the Spiller pick. I still am angry at the pick mind you, but am thrilled at the rest of the selections, despite the fact that I admittedly know next to nothing about them.

My thing is if we are going to miss on a pick, please let's miss on a big, tough player instead of Ashton Youboty. Nix is a football man who took a look at the weak sisters brought in here by Levy/Jauron and saw that the Bills needed to get bigger and stronger. If any 3 of these big guys turn out good, the team will instantly improve and gain respect. I applaud and seriously appreciate this philosophy.

 

The above leads me to the following question:

 

After Ralph's quote about the team needing "excitement," etc., I am wondering how many of you believe that the selection of Spiller did NOT involve the sale of tickets and profit? To be clear, I make the case that taking a RB at #9, let alone a small one who might be more of a 3rd down back, was a poor decision. BUT, Spiller will sell tickets and Ralph will profit. This is a given.

 

So again, without doing a poll, how many of you think that the Spiller selection was motivated more by Ralph's profit motive than Nix wanting him to improve the football team?

[playman]

it was nix saying the team lacks playmakers. spiller is a playmaker. and very likely the highest rated player on their board.

 

sure he will sell tickets. but the main reason to take him was to improve the team.

[Virgil]

I think it was all about Gailey wanting to put his stamp on the offense with "His" guy. I think that if it was a Ralph Wilson thing, they would have gone QB early.

[gobillsinytown]

First, let me say that I have indeed calmed down after being traumatized by the Spiller pick. I still am angry at the pick mind you, but am thrilled at the rest of the selections, despite the fact that I admittedly know next to nothing about them.

My thing is if we are going to miss on a pick, please let's miss on a big, tough player instead of Ashton Youboty. Nix is a football man who took a look at the weak sisters brought in here by Levy/Jauron and saw that the Bills needed to get bigger and stronger. If any 3 of these big guys turn out good, the team will instantly improve and gain respect. I applaud and seriously appreciate this philosophy.

 

The above leads me to the following question:

 

After Ralph's quote about the team needing "excitement," etc., I am wondering how many of you believe that the selection of Spiller did NOT involve the sale of tickets and profit? To be clear, I make the case that taking a RB at #9, let alone a small one who might be more of a 3rd down back, was a poor decision. BUT, Spiller will sell tickets and Ralph will profit. This is a given.

 

So again, without doing a poll, how many of you think that the Spiller selection was motivated more by Ralph's profit motive than Nix wanting him to improve the football team?

 

 

Every NFL team considers ticket sales and profit in everything they do. However in this case if they were looking only at ticket sales and profit and going for the pure hype, I would think they would have picked:

 

1. Clausen

2. Tebow

3. Some other hyped up guy

 

The reality of the first round is that it's a complete crap shoot. The odds of a first round pick actually making a contribution to the team are about 50-50.

The real draft starts with rounds 2-7. If the Bills picked the right guys in rounds 2-7, they'll have a good team pretty quickly. If not, it sets them back another 2 to 3 years.

[RI Bills Fan]

Bill, we all know that you firmly believe that there isn't a DB, RB, or WR worthy of a draft pick and the only place to find those type players is as Street Free Agents.

 

But remember, Buddy said, before the draft, that he wanted a specific type of running back and CJ Spiller is the prototype of the Home Run Hitter at Running Back.

 

So NO, I don't believe that the pick was a cynical "sell tickets" decision. I believe it was a solid, "Make the Buffalo Bills a BETTER Team" decision.

[Tortured Soul]

Bill, I won't believe it is motivated by selling tickets until you (or anyone else) find one person that will say he wasn't buying tickets before, but will to see Spiller. I'm not sure that person exists.

 

Now, if Spiller improves the offense to the point where they start winning games because of him, and that sells tickets, how can you fault that?

[Coach Tuesday]

Bill, my belief is that the top brass, including Ralph, had pre-draft meetings where they laid out for Ralph several scenarios and approaches to the draft as a whole, and Round 1 in particular. There were probably discussions about whether to go with the safer route by taking Bulaga or Dan Williams, or swinging for the fences and taking the BPA, Spiller. These options would've been presented to Ralph and he would've given his input/directive. The ticket sale impact definitely would've played a role in Ralph's view, but I do believe Spiller was also probably Nix's first choice as well. In other words, it was probably presented to Ralph as, This is where we'd like to go but you should know that there are safer alternatives, and he said, Go for it. Does that make sense?

[Mike in Syracuse]

I continue to be puzzled by the thought that ANY of the QB's available in this draft would be able to come in and help this team. I just don't believe that Clausen or McCoy have exponentially more talent than Edwards. I had real concerns about Clausen's ability to step into a huddle and take command and I believe he'll fold under pressure. For whatever reasons, I just don't have a lot of faith in McCoy. Apparently a lot of NFL front offices felt the same way.

 

As for Bradford, he may be all world on paper but 2 injuries in his last 2 games does not make me want to hand him $50 million.

 

I'm willing to give Gailey a chance to make Edwards work.

[OldTimer1960]

Bill, my belief is that the top brass, including Ralph, had pre-draft meetings where they laid out for Ralph several scenarios and approaches to the draft as a whole, and Round 1 in particular. There were probably discussions about whether to go with the safer route by taking Bulaga or Dan Williams, or swinging for the fences and taking the BPA, Spiller. These options would've been presented to Ralph and he would've given his input/directive. The ticket sale impact definitely would've played a role in Ralph's view, but I do believe Spiller was also probably Nix's first choice as well. In other words, it was probably presented to Ralph as, This is where we'd like to go but you should know that there are safer alternatives, and he said, Go for it. Does that make sense?

 

What makes Dan Williams or Bryan Bulaga a "safer" choice than CJ Spiller? I don't see it. It isn't as if Spiller was a one-year

producer or has questionable character/work ethic or a history of major injuries.

[IndyMark]

Every NFL team considers ticket sales and profit in everything they do. However in this case if they were looking only at ticket sales and profit and going for the pure hype, I would think they would have picked:

 

1. Clausen

2. Tebow

3. Some other hyped up guy

 

The reality of the first round is that it's a complete crap shoot. The odds of a first round pick actually making a contribution to the team are about 50-50.

The real draft starts with rounds 2-7. If the Bills picked the right guys in rounds 2-7, they'll have a good team pretty quickly. If not, it sets them back another 2 to 3 years.

 

 

...what he said. I believe the 'average' Bills fan - again AVERAGE fan, who is NOT a draftnik, would not have been able to identify CJ Spiller out of a line up of 3 footbally players. And in fact, for the AVERAGE fan, NOT draftnik, the idea we drafted a RB probably would make one not buy tickets. So, I think the Spiller pick is one of complete intent to build a better team.

 

Tebow would sell tickets, Spiller will once he scores on a play covering more than 50 yards, which will be in game one.

[Coach Tuesday]

What makes Dan Williams or Bryan Bulaga a "safer" choice than CJ Spiller? I don't see it. It isn't as if Spiller was a one-year

producer or has questionable character/work ethic or a history of major injuries.

 

By safer I mean more conservative in that they address immediate, short-term needs.

[Ramius]

If you think Spiller is a "small 3rd down back," then you've never really watched much college ball and are merely whining because the pick wasn't an OL.

[Phlegm Alley]

I don't think the selection of Spiller was made with the thought that it would sell tickets. If you remember Nevergiveup's posting about who the Bills would likely draft, he said that if the top two OTs fell to us, they would have, more than likely, taken one of them.

 

People who think that the Spiller pick doesn't fill a need on this team, need to think about how many playmakers this team had to begin with before the draft. He is also one of the only guys that was available that could come in and contribute on Day 1. He makes this team better and I think the fact that it will put people in the seats is just an added value.

[thewildrabbit]

I don't think the selection of Spiller was made with the thought that it would sell tickets. If you remember Nevergiveup's posting about who the Bills would likely draft, he said that if the top two OTs fell to us, they would have, more than likely, taken one of them.

People who think that the Spiller pick doesn't fill a need on this team, need to think about how many playmakers this team had to begin with before the draft. He is also one of the only guys that was available that could come in and contribute on Day 1. He makes this team better and I think the fact that it will put people in the seats is just an added value.

I agree

 

I was at first upset even thinking about taking another RB in the draft weeks ago when Charles Davis had him going to the Bills in his mock draft, I got over it once I started watching him play.. I think the Bills even tried to move up in the first round again to tab Brian Bulaga and then stopped trying once GB selected him, hence all the talk about the Bills going after Tim Tebow. The Bills took the best player available to them every round from what I saw.

 

 

Spiller is going to put fear in the hearts of opposing defenses... just the thought of lining him up in the slot has got to scare the crap outta them.

 

Have you guys ever watched him play ...? When the guy is 100% he is a blur and a game changer.

 

[purple haze]

First, let me say that I have indeed calmed down after being traumatized by the Spiller pick. I still am angry at the pick mind you, but am thrilled at the rest of the selections, despite the fact that I admittedly know next to nothing about them.

My thing is if we are going to miss on a pick, please let's miss on a big, tough player instead of Ashton Youboty. Nix is a football man who took a look at the weak sisters brought in here by Levy/Jauron and saw that the Bills needed to get bigger and stronger. If any 3 of these big guys turn out good, the team will instantly improve and gain respect. I applaud and seriously appreciate this philosophy.

 

The above leads me to the following question:

 

After Ralph's quote about the team needing "excitement," etc., I am wondering how many of you believe that the selection of Spiller did NOT involve the sale of tickets and profit? To be clear, I make the case that taking a RB at #9, let alone a small one who might be more of a 3rd down back, was a poor decision. BUT, Spiller will sell tickets and Ralph will profit. This is a given.

 

So again, without doing a poll, how many of you think that the Spiller selection was motivated more by Ralph's profit motive than Nix wanting him to improve the football team?

 

Lord have mercy, if one more of you says Spiller is a third down back... The dude is a RB who can do multiple things well and be used in multiple ways. But he is a RB. Did you watch his games at all?

 

They don't need Spiller to sell tickets. They sell out every game already and will sell out this year too, even if they had drafted an OT. They drafted Spiller because, as Nix said and we all know, the Bills need players who can put the ball in the end zone and gain large chunks of yardage as well as create match up issues for the opposing defense. Spiller does all of those things at a high level. I don't get how folks have a problem with that. If Okung or Williams was there at 9, fine. But you see where Bulaga went in the draft. You see where Dan Williams went in the draft. Why is that? The Bills are the only team that didn't think they were worth being drafted that high? And I have no problem with them passing on Davis either. He's too risky. The guys Nix drafted, all of them, are said to be high motor, hard working guys that can also play the game well.

[uforesircher]

I think it was all about Gailey wanting to put his stamp on the offense with "His" guy. I think that if it was a Ralph Wilson thing, they would have gone QB early.

 

spot on - coach wants his branding on his team - and btw i think you are right about the qb thing also

[uforesircher]

First, let me say that I have indeed calmed down after being traumatized by the Spiller pick. I still am angry at the pick mind you, but am thrilled at the rest of the selections, despite the fact that I admittedly know next to nothing about them.

My thing is if we are going to miss on a pick, please let's miss on a big, tough player instead of Ashton Youboty. Nix is a football man who took a look at the weak sisters brought in here by Levy/Jauron and saw that the Bills needed to get bigger and stronger. If any 3 of these big guys turn out good, the team will instantly improve and gain respect. I applaud and seriously appreciate this philosophy.

 

The above leads me to the following question:

 

After Ralph's quote about the team needing "excitement," etc., I am wondering how many of you believe that the selection of Spiller did NOT involve the sale of tickets and profit? To be clear, I make the case that taking a RB at #9, let alone a small one who might be more of a 3rd down back, was a poor decision. BUT, Spiller will sell tickets and Ralph will profit. This is a given.

 

So again, without doing a poll, how many of you think that the Spiller selection was motivated more by Ralph's profit motive than Nix wanting him to improve the football team?

 

the spiller selection was a great football move - i think you will warm up to it by the 3rd or 4th game of the season this year

[Joaquin1119]

There no way i can see spiller as a third down back..NO WAY, coach Gailey going to use this kid all the time.

[Thoner7]

it was nix saying the team lacks playmakers. spiller is a playmaker. and very likely the highest rated player on their board.

 

sure he will sell tickets may improve the team. but the main reason to take him was to improve the team ticket sales.

 

JMO

[BLZFAN4LIFE]

Bill, we all know that you firmly believe that there isn't a DB, RB, or WR worthy of a draft pick and the only place to find those type players is as Street Free Agents.

 

But remember, Buddy said, before the draft, that he wanted a specific type of running back and CJ Spiller is the prototype of the Home Run Hitter at Running Back.

 

So NO, I don't believe that the pick was a cynical "sell tickets" decision. I believe it was a solid, "Make the Buffalo Bills a BETTER Team" decision.

 

I completely agree with your assessment. I can only add that living down here in ACC country, I can tell you that a lot of people, including former NFL players, are very high on Spiller and his star potential. Hopefully his small size doesn't become a negative for us. I think once the pre-season rolls around, this kid will convert complainers into Billievers.