Adam Schein on the Bills

[JPS]

Guys like Schein are masters of the rear-view window. All these ratings are based on where we were.

 

PTR

One of the best things I've read on this site. "Masters of the rear view window". Love it. It doesn't take a genius to process next year's schedule through last year's team.

[EastRochBillsfan]

Question for the blind on this board. HAS THERE BEEN ONE, JUST ONE PERSON IN THE MEDIA WHO'S SUPPORTED THE BILLS OFFESEASON/NIX/GAILEY?

 

Can't say I really care what any of the media thinks about the Bills. Pretty soon our Bills will be better and everyone will jump on the bandwagon.

 

Its quite simple. BillsVet calls it "correct," because he'd rather be right and have the Bills suck so he can post on just how "right" he was. If the Bills were good, he wouldn't have anything to B word and whine about, so we'd never actually see him post anything on here.

He'd still find something.

[cale]

I'm making the point that any national writer/personality who says Buffalo won't be good is always attacked for their opinion on TBD. Nothing more, nothing less. Usually, this means saying the personality has made a bad prediction at one time, hates the Bills, or doesn't know the NFL.

 

I happen to agree with Schein's assessment in that the team has too many question marks and their leadership selections at GM and HC were the result of Buffalo's reputation being damaged beyond repair.

 

Got it. Thanks for clarifying. Hard to decipher tone on the InterWeb. Sarcasm noted :-)

[BillsVet]

Absolutely ridiculous. There are exactly 32 of each of those positions available -- in the world. The Bills' reputation is not "damaged beyond repair." Sure, if a guy has his choice of organizations, he will choose one over the others for any of a multitude of reasons, but that's true for any job. Until someone proves otherwise, I refuse to believe the Bills were blackballed by GM and HC candidates.

 

By the way, "Shanahan and Cowher didn't come here" isn't proof.

 

Russ Brandon interviewed Shanahan in late November, though Nix wasn't hired until 12/31. And Buddy admitted the GM thing came about a week before the introduction PC. So, what was Brandon doing from late November to about Christmas and why couldn't he get any other interviews? Teams generally don't have major problems finding candidates to interview for their GM position. Buffalo does.

 

You can think they're conducting a GM search like any team, but I'll continue to believe the door was repeatedly slammed in their face and only Nix and Guy were willing to interview. With Guy's dismissal, they in effect interviewed one candidate, and he was in-house. Who finds their GM this way?

[John Cocktosten]

Can't say I really care what any of the media thinks about the Bills. Pretty soon our Bills will be better and everyone will jump on the bandwagon.

The point is that the media isn't blinded by fandom....you are.

[apuszczalowski]

Just a thought...What plan is that?????? Nevermind, a plan of no QB, no left tackle, no right tackle, no wide receivers, and no pass rush. Wow, that's a great plan...

Thats all in your opinion.

 

QB - Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Brohm, and Brown

Edwards had the fans optimisium up just over a year ago thinking he was the saviour, now he is useless trash. Fitzpatrick has shown he is atleast a very capable #2 who can fill in as a starter when needed. Brohm was a potential 1st rounder just 2 years ago, and has some potential, he hasn't had much time to show it yet. Brown is atleast a project that they can work with over the next few years. TheFront office didn't feel that they needed to upgrade because they probably didn't know exactly what they had due to the last coaching staff. Unless you are willing tobelieve that the system the Bills used on offence was a good one that the players were just so bad that they couldn't execute it.

 

They don't have a set LT yet, but have some prospects at this point totry and build off of. If Meredith doesn't win the starting spot at LT, he will go back to RT where he did hold his own and play decent for a young player. Bell is a project that has the potential and atleast needs some more time to develop. LT is a question mark right now, but as Nix said when he started, and around the draft, they can't fix it all in one offseason. And remind me again of the Bills success when they had a great Pro Bowl LT named jason Peters compared to last year when they had a revolving door at LT?

 

At WR they have alot of unknowns at this point. The only known one is Evans at #1. Theres still Hardy, a 2nd round pick who spent most of the year hurt, The Boards favorite in Stevie "Future HOFer" Johnson, The possibility of a coaching staff that might use Roscoe correctly or atleast get more out of him, Spiller can be used as a WR, and they picked up a couple of decent WR's in the draft that could have an impact.

 

no pass rush? how do you know that with alot of players playing different positions then last year in a completly new system that everyone was scream and B8tching for all year!

[PromoTheRobot]

Which announcer/writer do you have any rerspect for at all?

 

 

Promo, that's how it's done, unless you have contacts with Mr. Wizard and can get him to reset the controls of the Wayback Machine to the future. You look at the past (including stuff like hiring Gailey and Nix as well as the 2010 draft) and try to intuit the future.

 

There's no other way to do it. Except, I guess, the well-known WAG method (Wild-Ass Guess) or the "16 - 0 Every Year Method." No other reasonable way to do it, put it that way.

 

My point is no one really knows. So they repeat what happened last year. That makes them right 40-50%. That doesn't make them experts.

 

PTR

[PromoTheRobot]

The point is that the media isn't blinded by fandom....you are.

And you are blinded by negativity...so there.

 

PTR

[John Cocktosten]

And you are blinded by negativity...so there.

Good one

[mpl6876]

Thats all in your opinion.

 

QB - Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Brohm, and Brown

Edwards had the fans optimisium up just over a year ago thinking he was the saviour, now he is useless trash. Fitzpatrick has shown he is atleast a very capable #2 who can fill in as a starter when needed. Brohm was a potential 1st rounder just 2 years ago, and has some potential, he hasn't had much time to show it yet. Brown is atleast a project that they can work with over the next few years. TheFront office didn't feel that they needed to upgrade because they probably didn't know exactly what they had due to the last coaching staff. Unless you are willing tobelieve that the system the Bills used on offence was a good one that the players were just so bad that they couldn't execute it.

 

They don't have a set LT yet, but have some prospects at this point totry and build off of. If Meredith doesn't win the starting spot at LT, he will go back to RT where he did hold his own and play decent for a young player. Bell is a project that has the potential and atleast needs some more time to develop. LT is a question mark right now, but as Nix said when he started, and around the draft, they can't fix it all in one offseason. And remind me again of the Bills success when they had a great Pro Bowl LT named jason Peters compared to last year when they had a revolving door at LT?

 

At WR they have alot of unknowns at this point. The only known one is Evans at #1. Theres still Hardy, a 2nd round pick who spent most of the year hurt, The Boards favorite in Stevie "Future HOFer" Johnson, The possibility of a coaching staff that might use Roscoe correctly or atleast get more out of him, Spiller can be used as a WR, and they picked up a couple of decent WR's in the draft that could have an impact.

 

no pass rush? how do you know that with alot of players playing different positions then last year in a completly new system that everyone was scream and B8tching for all year!

 

Hey, I read what you said. Thanks for agreeing with me...

[BillsFanInLV]

Guys like Schein are masters of the rear-view window. All these ratings are based on where we were.

 

PTR

 

[Thurman#1]

"correct" is a funny way to put it. I'd say the results on the field don't prove it to be the "correct" way at all. I'd rather believe every year and be happy rather than make myself miserable. Some people like miserable though. Everybody should look at it the way that they feel best about...I feel best about enjoying Bills Football whether they win or lose.

 

 

 

Talk about missing the point.

 

You assume that just because we think that the Bills aren't going to do well this year that we feel miserable about it. I can't speak for all of us, but most of us don't. Many of us have made it clear that we feel pretty happy that there is at least a decent chance that with a football man as GM that we may be headed in the right direction after all this time regardless of the fact that it seems pretty obvious that we're going to suck this year.

 

The results on the field don't prove it to be correct? So, if I predict, oh say, 6 - 10, and the Bills finish at 6 - 10, then you think I'm wrong? Is the guy who predicted, in all seriousness, 13 - 3 more correct than I am when we actually finish 6 - 10?

 

You say that you enjoy Bills football whether they win or lose? Wow, you must have loved the last ten years, then. Nonetheless, I stop short of wishing you ten more years like them. I, and most people, feel a lot better when the Bills win than when they lose. But predicting wins and then watching losses doesn't make me any happier. Just the opposite.

 

So far, this looks like a season somewhere between 3 - 13 and 8 - 8. I'll narrow that down more as time passes and we learn more. If I'm wrong and we go 12 - 4, nobody would be happier than me. But the odds against that happening are a heck of a lot higher than the odds of them going 7 - 9 again. Doubt it? Check with the Vegas oddsmakers.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Guys like Schein are masters of the rear-view window. All these ratings are based on where we were.

I actually watched the video. Schein clearly addresses things that have happened this current off-season in his monologue. Technically, that is the past as well, but it is the current regime and the actions that they have taken and it is part of his prognostication. Of course, it is a guess like any other prediction of the future, even guesses filled with pure optimism and fueled by hope and wishful thinking.

[JohnC]

Russ Brandon interviewed Shanahan in late November, though Nix wasn't hired until 12/31. And Buddy admitted the GM thing came about a week before the introduction PC. So, what was Brandon doing from late November to about Christmas and why couldn't he get any other interviews? Teams generally don't have major problems finding candidates to interview for their GM position. Buffalo does.

 

You can think they're conducting a GM search like any team, but I'll continue to believe the door was repeatedly slammed in their face and only Nix and Guy were willing to interview. With Guy's dismissal, they in effect interviewed one candidate, and he was in-house. Who finds their GM this way?

 

Russ Brandon was doing his do diligence in putting together a list of GM candidates. The list was brought to Ralph Wilson who wasn't familiar with most of the candidates. Nix was hired by Ralph because the fading owner didn't know the legitimate candidates from other organizations. In Ralph's cloistered manner of doing business he is very uncomfortable with hiring "outsiders". That is why Nix was hired. This is a pure and simple a Ralph hire.

 

Russ Brandon had every intention of doing a professional league wide GM search. The process was short circuited by the tired owner. The paradox in Ralph's amateurish hiring process is that although it was a sham he got someone who is (in my view) qualified and has a credible plan to, in time, rebuild this very fractured franchise.

[Thurman#1]

Thats all in your opinion.

 

QB - Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Brohm, and Brown

Edwards had the fans optimisium up just over a year ago thinking he was the saviour, now he is useless trash. Fitzpatrick has shown he is atleast a very capable #2 who can fill in as a starter when needed. Brohm was a potential 1st rounder just 2 years ago, and has some potential, he hasn't had much time to show it yet. Brown is atleast a project that they can work with over the next few years. TheFront office didn't feel that they needed to upgrade because they probably didn't know exactly what they had due to the last coaching staff. Unless you are willing tobelieve that the system the Bills used on offence was a good one that the players were just so bad that they couldn't execute it.

 

 

I see, so you're saying that the reason we didn't get an LT is that we couldn't fix it all in one year, but that the reason we didn't get a QB is that there's doubtless one here already. Either way you look at it, it's very possible that we simply don't have anyone here.

 

All I know is that when I listened on the radio, all I kept hearing from Kelso was "Evans was open downfield, but Trent either didn't see him or decided for some reason to go to the safety valve. And that was a six yard gain. Fourth and two, and the punting unit comes on." Was it really that difficult to evaluate a hundred plays like that? Maybe they didn't believe in Clausen, but for whatever reason, they didn't get anyone else. Does that mean the guys we have are going to be OK? Not even close. At absolute best, it means they have a year to prove themselves.

 

 

 

They don't have a set LT yet, but have some prospects at this point totry and build off of. If Meredith doesn't win the starting spot at LT, he will go back to RT where he did hold his own and play decent for a young player. Bell is a project that has the potential and atleast needs some more time to develop. LT is a question mark right now, but as Nix said when he started, and around the draft, they can't fix it all in one offseason. And remind me again of the Bills success when they had a great Pro Bowl LT named jason Peters compared to last year when they had a revolving door at LT?

 

 

I'd love it if Meredith turned out to be a good LT, but as I understand it, he's not athletic enough to be the solution there long-term. If he does play there, it's likely to be for one year till we bring in a reasonable prospect or till Wang proves himself ready to be given a shot.

 

And as for the Peters crack, it makes no sense. Jason Peters made us more likely to have success than we would have been if we had had someone worse at LT, but o-lines are only as strong as their weakest player. When you have one great player and a sucky one beside him, our centers during the Jason Peters years for instance, the defense concentrates on whipping the weak one's butt. Great LTs prove their worth on solid o-lines. We didn't even come close to having one. In this case, the past doesn't affect the present. O-lines are only as good as their weakest link, because that's where the defense will attack. This year, the weakest link is going to be our LT.

 

 

 

At WR they have alot of unknowns at this point. The only known one is Evans at #1. Theres still Hardy, a 2nd round pick who spent most of the year hurt, The Boards favorite in Stevie "Future HOFer" Johnson, The possibility of a coaching staff that might use Roscoe correctly or atleast get more out of him, Spiller can be used as a WR, and they picked up a couple of decent WR's in the draft that could have an impact.

 

 

Unknowns? How do you figure Hardy is an unknown? He's been on the team for two years. We know him. Could he improve? Sure. He's far from an unknown, though. Same with Stevie Johnson. But at least those two have only been here two years, and recievers often need two years to catch on. Roscoe has been here five years. If he could get off the line clean against press coverage, he'd be a great reciever. He can't. The only unknowns are Spiller as a WR and Easley.

 

 

 

no pass rush? how do you know that with alot of players playing different positions then last year in a completly new system that everyone was scream and B8tching for all year!

 

 

We don't know it. It's just an extremely high probability. Because up until last year, the players were playing the positions they were drafted for, the positions their physiques were built for, the positions they had experience in playing. This year they're playing positions they have no experience at, that their physiques are not fitted for, and you're expecting them to show a skill - something they've never done well before, something that is arguably the second-most difficult and unusual skill in the league - that they've never demonstrated before and to suddenly do it extremely well? That's unbelievably unlikely. The one guy who might be solid, because he's shown the ability to rush the passer on a high level, Schobel, isn't likely to even be here to try.

 

We're building for 2012. By then we should either have developed guys to fill those spots, such as Wang, Coleman, Batten or, and this is more unlikely, Levi Brown, or drafted some studs to fill the holes.

 

EDIT: As I read my post over, it seems too harsh. I'm sorry for the tone. I'm not trying to attack you, just your points.

[BillsVet]

Russ Brandon was doing his do diligence in putting together a list of GM candidates. The list was brought to Ralph Wilson who wasn't familiar with most of the candidates. Nix was hired by Ralph because the fading owner didn't know the legitimate candidates from other organizations. In Ralph's cloistered manner of doing business he is very uncomfortable with hiring "outsiders". That is why Nix was hired. This is a pure and simple a Ralph hire.

 

Russ Brandon had every intention of doing a professional league wide GM search. The process was short circuited by the tired owner. The paradox in Ralph's amateurish hiring process is that although it was a sham he got someone who is (in my view) qualified and has a credible plan to, in time, rebuild this very fractured franchise.

 

That sounds very logical considering the owner's MO. Where I have an issue is when a 91 year old man is making decisions for a NFL team with such a poor track record.

 

Additionally, how can the franchise hire the best and brightest when everything hinges on one man's health? No one knows, and it's killing the long term planning that each and every successful team does year to year. Heck, we don't even know if the Bills will be in Buffalo by 2013.

[JohnC]

That sounds very logical considering the owner's MO. Where I have an issue is when a 91 year old man is making decisions for a NFL team with such a poor track record.

 

When you are the sole owner of a NFL franchise you maintain ownership whether you are competent or not. There is no way around the baron owner. It is what it is no matter how unappealing it is to us.

 

Additionally, how can the franchise hire the best and brightest when everything hinges on one man's health?

 

The best and the brightest are smart enough to stay away from the shadow of the aged mercurial owner of the Bills. That is if they want to maintain their reputation.

 

No one knows, and it's killing the long term planning that each and every successful team does year to year.

 

Because the owner is approaching 92 yrs of age I don't think long term planning is part of his business model.

 

Heck, we don't even know if the Bills will be in Buffalo by 2013.

 

Check the owners will? The baron owner refuses to publicly say how the sale of the Bills is going to be handled when he passes. That is not a very positive sign. My guess is the owner will simply auction off the team to the highest bidder. Who buys it and where it ends up is not his concern. He could be deceased by then. If still alive the owner would insist on one year extensions to the lease. He, for sure, would not extend the lease long enough to make the franchise less appealing to a potential outside bidder. No matter how old the owner is he will never lose the ability to watch out for his financial interests.

 

I am not trying to be flip. It all depends on the arrangements the owner has made in his will. Knowing how Ralph has operated over the past half century odds are that the team will be sold to the highest bidder.

 

The best we can hope for is that Ralph will allow Nix to do his job with as little interference coming from him. The owner is at a stage in his life where he is getting very frail physically and mentally. So actively getting involved in the running of the franchise is going to be very difficult for him.

[mpl6876]

I see, so you're saying that the reason we didn't get an LT is that we couldn't fix it all in one year, but that the reason we didn't get a QB is that there's doubtless one here already. Either way you look at it, it's very possible that we simply don't have anyone here.

 

All I know is that when I listened on the radio, all I kept hearing from Kelso was "Evans was open downfield, but Trent either didn't see him or decided for some reason to go to the safety valve. And that was a six yard gain. Fourth and two, and the punting unit comes on." Was it really that difficult to evaluate a hundred plays like that? Maybe they didn't believe in Clausen, but for whatever reason, they didn't get anyone else. Does that mean the guys we have are going to be OK? Not even close. At absolute best, it means they have a year to prove themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd love it if Meredith turned out to be a good LT, but as I understand it, he's not athletic enough to be the solution there long-term. If he does play there, it's likely to be for one year till we bring in a reasonable prospect or till Wang proves himself ready to be given a shot.

 

And as for the Peters crack, it makes no sense. Jason Peters made us more likely to have success than we would have been if we had had someone worse at LT, but o-lines are only as strong as their weakest player. When you have one great player and a sucky one beside him, our centers during the Jason Peters years for instance, the defense concentrates on whipping the weak one's butt. Great LTs prove their worth on solid o-lines. We didn't even come close to having one. In this case, the past doesn't affect the present. O-lines are only as good as their weakest link, because that's where the defense will attack. This year, the weakest link is going to be our LT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unknowns? How do you figure Hardy is an unknown? He's been on the team for two years. We know him. Could he improve? Sure. He's far from an unknown, though. Same with Stevie Johnson. But at least those two have only been here two years, and recievers often need two years to catch on. Roscoe has been here five years. If he could get off the line clean against press coverage, he'd be a great reciever. He can't. The only unknowns are Spiller as a WR and Easley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We don't know it. It's just an extremely high probability. Because up until last year, the players were playing the positions they were drafted for, the positions their physiques were built for, the positions they had experience in playing. This year they're playing positions they have no experience at, that their physiques are not fitted for, and you're expecting them to show a skill - something they've never done well before, something that is arguably the second-most difficult and unusual skill in the league - that they've never demonstrated before and to suddenly do it extremely well? That's unbelievably unlikely. The one guy who might be solid, because he's shown the ability to rush the passer on a high level, Schobel, isn't likely to even be here to try.

 

We're building for 2012. By then we should either have developed guys to fill those spots, such as Wang, Coleman, Batten or, and this is more unlikely, Levi Brown, or drafted some studs to fill the holes.

 

EDIT: As I read my post over, it seems too harsh. I'm sorry for the tone. I'm not trying to attack you, just your points.

 

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR POST AND THE TOME OF IT!!!!!! I couldn't have agreed with you more. Very well said.

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

"correct" is a funny way to put it. I'd say the results on the field don't prove it to be the "correct" way at all. I'd rather believe every year and be happy rather than make myself miserable. Some people like miserable though. Everybody should look at it the way that they feel best about...I feel best about enjoying Bills Football whether they win or lose.

That's what makes us all different. No disrespect but in my "Neighborhood" you wouldn't even be considered a real fan with that "GO TEAM" attitude. If you have ENJOYED Bills football lately then we clearly don't come from the same mindset. But again, we hopefully, can agree to disagee.

P.S ... not being happy or being miserable, as you put it, does not mean we enjoy this emotion. On the contrary, the passion and love we have for our team is what is so upsetting to us. And WHEN we win the Superbowl one day we will enjoy the victory more than you could possibly ever comprehand.

[mpl6876]

That's what makes us all different. No disrespect but in my "Neighborhood" you wouldn't even be considered a real fan with that "GO TEAM" attitude. If you have ENJOYED Bills football lately then we clearly don't come from the same mindset. But again, we hopefully, can agree to disagee.

P.S ... not being happy or being miserable, as you put it, does not mean we enjoy this emotion. On the contrary, the passion and love we have for our team is what is so upsetting to us. And WHEN we win the Superbowl one day we will enjoy the victory more than you could possibly ever comprehand.

 

Fantastic reply. I concur