ESPN's Bill Simmons on Trent Edwards

[MyHorseAteTheKid]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100902

 

 

 

Ouch!

 

We've already seen during pre-season what happens when Edwards has both time and playcalling behind him... he looks solid to me. Lets hope the regular season proves Mr. Simmons wrong.

[/quote

 

Poor Trent... I once remember Jim Kelly was asked if there was any chance he would reconsider his retirement? He replied, "Behind that line? Are you kidding me?... That line Jim was talking about was still a lot better than the line the Bills have today... Tom Brady would be average at best under center in Buffalo... All this talk about drafting a QB number #1 next year, I don't see anyone playing well behind this group... My Pick would be two tackles in the first 2 rounds, maybe trading up to get 2 first round picks and using both to get blue chip O'Line help!!

[tbonestake]

There's an opportunity for a "sack" joke somewhere in this analogy.

 

 

Pretty sure when she shuts you down and wants to talk about the 'relationship' is symbolic of Trent's inevitable injury. It is at that point you realize why you broke up in the first place. You go back to school in a few months (the draft) and yo go to a frat party and hook up with some random skank for a quick fix (first rd QB). How am I doing?

[dpberr]

Who's Bill Simmons?

 

After finding out that the one prognosticator of Buffalo's forthcoming doom just graduated from college last year, (an article posted yesterday) it further cements my opinion that I'm jealous that I can't get paid to write opinion, and present it as fact to a national audience.

[bartshan-83]

Simmons is my favorite ESPN writer...but his football stuff is his weakest. He's a monster with the NBA and very proficient with MLB, but his NFL stuff is lower-grade.

 

You can tell how much he knows about a subject by how much filler he inserts. That is his style anyway, but when he is talking about topics he truly understands, the content-to-fluff ratio is considerably less.

 

I thought that paragraph was a pretty good way to talk about fans in denial. The only problem is, it's not applicable to the Bills at all. The vast majority of Bills fans are pretty much done with Trent. This isn't a Drew Bledsoe "he needs more time" situation. It's a "he needs more talent" situation.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

The Trent comment aside (perhaps a little accurate, I know I'm drinking the kool-aid again ), anybody who thinks there are 12 starting QBs worse than Sanchez is a fool.

 

I can't find the link right now, but my roommate found that Football Outsiders did an analysis on Sanchez' rookie season and his metrics most resembled the rookie season of...wait for it...Jamarcus Russell.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

I think the majority of Bills fans think Edwards is an average QB. The fans that think Edwards is going to break out are the same ones who believe Maybin needs time, Donte is a top 5 safety and Nix walks on water. Every fan base has that.

 

Simmons is funny but the better comparison would be, the "college break girlfriend". You come home from college on break, your old girlfriend is still hangin around town, you call her up, "hang out" and in the morning as you wake you realize what you did and say, "Did I expect things to change?"

 

There will be plenty of fans who have that same feeling come week 8 about Trent.

 

 

Continuing on this path, I think your analogy is closer. But the problem here is a misalignment between what people think it takes at QB.

 

I have not seen one post asserting TE is Canton material. The Debate seems to be whether he has the physical and mental ability to run a NFL offense effectively or not? and can he lead the team until we find someone better?

 

The Pro Trent Camp is centered around this rationale:

Is he a franchise QB, probably not. Is he the best option right now including the waiver wire seems so. Do we think the new offensive strategy, modestly improved line, new coaching philosophy and added weapon (Spiller) will make him look more like he did in the first half of 2008 than most of '09. Was the QB we saw in the first half of 2008 winning games? Yep. Cool lets hope for the best.

 

The anti Trent camp is centered around this rationale :

His arm is too weak, he has never thrown over 10 yards, the two times he did, I could have made that throw, he's scared, he is timid, too feminine to play, checks down too much, doesn't go through progressions, can't read defenses, locks on to receivers, has bushy sideburns. AND I WANT HIM TO FAIL SO I CAN SAY I TOLD YOU SO.

 

 

Typically the same crowd that thinks:

- Maybin should be cut, is a bust and will never amount to anything

- Lynch has no value to the team

- Donte was drafted too high

- Spiller crowds the backfield and was a bad pick

- Bell is not an NFL tackle

- I hope (insert name here) Sux so I can say I told you so

 

 

So, since your analogy is about misaligned expectations, I think the expecations (Metaphorically) are to return to the old girlfriend hoping its like it used to be before she started that abusive job and went all crazy. Maybe it's denial, or maybe it's just being a good fan...

Edited September 3, 2010 by over 20 years of fanhood

[mpl6876]

Not a very pleasant article if your a Bills fan and hoping our QB situation will improve greatly. I didn't get offended by the piece but I also didn't find it particularly funny either. I couldn't help but read the comments and think what would we be saying if Jerry Sullivan wrote the article?

[John Cocktosten]

Continuing on this path, I think your analogy is closer. But the problem here is a misalignment between what people think it takes at QB.

 

I have not seen one post asserting TE is Canton material. The Debate seems to be whether he has the physical and mental ability to run a NFL offense effectively or not? and can he lead the team until we find someone better?

 

The Pollannas:

Is he a franchise QB, probably not. Is he the best option right now including the waiver wire seems so. Do we think the new offensive strategy, modestly improved line, new coaching philosophy and added weapon (Spiller) will make him look more like he did in the first half of 2008 than most of '09. Was the QB we saw in the first half of 2008 winning games? Yep. Cool lets hope for the best.

 

The Realsits:[/u]

His arm is too weak, he has never thrown over 10 yards, the two times he did, I could have made that throw, he's scared, he is timid, too feminine to play, checks down too much, doesn't go through progressions, can't read defenses, locks on to receivers, has bushy sideburns. AND I WANT HIM TO FAIL SO I CAN SAY I TOLD YOU SO.

Fixed

[DrDawkinstein]

I have to give it to Bill Simmons because his writing is amusing. That being said, his writing should be left at just that, amusing. He makes some funny observations and quips but his sports knowledge and opinion should be taken with a grain of salt. He is a homer worse than any of us on this board toward Boston-area teams. Again, Simmons is a funny guy, as this article showcases, but his opinion isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

 

 

I think guys like him who are good at their jobs because they're often reasonably funny just say stuff to try to be funny, and don't really believe what they say, or think much about what they are really saying. They are going for the joke, not the validity of the criticism, and readers should consider that. Easterbrook is like that, too.

 

true and true.

 

i read that piece this morning and instantly blew it off. it's obvious how little actual football knowledge he put into that. wrote more about his wife and some reality show. who cares? let us fly under the radar for now.

[flomoe]

I think the majority of Bills fans think Edwards is an average QB. The fans that think Edwards is going to break out are the same ones who believe Maybin needs time, Donte is a top 5 safety and Nix walks on water. Every fan base has that.

Simmons is funny but the better comparison would be, the "college break girlfriend". You come home from college on break, your old girlfriend is still hangin around town, you call her up, "hang out" and in the morning as you wake you realize what you did and say, "Did I expect things to change?"

 

There will be plenty of fans who have that same feeling come week 8 about Trent.

 

I will premise this by saying that I am not and have never been a huge fan of Trent. I honestly hope he does well because as he goes, so do the Bills.

 

The bolded above is probably about as accurate an analogy as you're going to get. We have seen this movie several times with Trent and I personally don't expect things to change. Sure, I hope they do, but his track record tells me that once a different colored jersey lines up across the LOS from him when games count, he will turtle up and become the Trent we all have seen the last few years.

 

I do have to say that Trent does look much better so far this preseason, which I attribute more to coaching than his actual development. I do believe though, that he has matured with his on-field demeanor, which could work wonders with his ability to see the game at a slower pace.

 

Hopefully I'm wrong about Trent and he will become the QB that is needed with this team. Unfortunately we won't know until a little over 9 days from now.

[John Cocktosten]

Pretty sure when she shuts you down and wants to talk about the 'relationship' is symbolic of Trent's inevitable injury. It is at that point you realize why you broke up in the first place. You go back to school in a few months (the draft) and yo go to a frat party and hook up with some random skank for a quick fix (first rd QB). How am I doing?

Great!

A new semester breeds a new freshman class (draft Locker/Luck/Mallet). You partake in the persuit of this great class (draft). You head home in early October for a huge party that your buddy throws and everyone is going to be there. You're having a great time and she shows up with this "look at what you lost" attitude and her new b'friend (Trent going to the Cardinals in FA). You watch her throughout the night and you act like you don't care (Trent's preseason) and BAM! She gets sh*tfaced drunk and causes a huge embarassing scene and throws up all over the house(Trent's still checking down and suffers a concussion in the 3rd QTR). You smile, your buddies give you a reaffirming "attaboy" and you go on with your night (The Bills made the right call by letting him walk). You head back to school and hear that her new guy dumped her (Cardinals cut Trent).

 

And scene!

[ChasBB]

They're all getting their last jabs in because it won't be too long that they'll have to find another whipping boy.

[DanInUticaTampa]

i don't think bills fans are in denial with trent. We know he sucks and has sucked for awhile. Now we are just praying to the football gods that Gaily makes him at least doable and that CJ spillar carries the offense into the promise land.

Edited September 3, 2010 by DanInUticaTampa

[tbonestake]

Great!

A new semester breeds a new freshman class (draft Locker/Luck/Mallet). You partake in the persuit of this great class (draft). You head home in early October for a huge party that your buddy throws and everyone is going to be there. You're having a great time and she shows up with this "look at what you lost" attitude and her new b'friend (Trent going to the Cardinals in FA). You watch her throughout the night and you act like you don't care (Trent's preseason) and BAM! She gets sh*tfaced drunk and causes a huge embarassing scene and throws up all over the house(Trent's still checking down and suffers a concussion in the 3rd QTR). You smile, your buddies give you a reaffirming "attaboy" and you go on with your night (The Bills made the right call by letting him walk). You head back to school and hear that her new guy dumped her (Cardinals cut Trent).

 

And scene!

 

[NewHampshireBillsFan]

The ridiculous thing is that Boston oriented sports commentators and even regular fans have no place for humor about Boston team personnel. You make a joke about Belicheat* and it is considered equivalent to insulting the Pope. By the way the standard line now is ALL coaches cheated in exactly the same way as Belicheat* with video recording but he was the only one that happened to get caught. How absurd is that! And if you make a joke about Brady being a crybaby (which he is) every time he gets hit in a game, they can't believe you would dare say anything negative about the NFL's all time best QB.

 

So NE writers and fans can dish it out but they never, ever can take it. When you mention you are a Bills fan to people here they usually get a little smirk on their face. But it doesn't bother me. Things will eventually change with the Bills fortunes.

[BuffaloWings]

Total, Total Garbage.

These so called experts picked Buffalo for last place WHY, according to them NO OFFENSIVE LINE and failure to draft a LT #1

 

Then they have the nerve to state that fans are in denial when they make excuses for a quarterback with no time to throw.

 

The facts are the facts no matter how you want to write it!

I stopped right there.

 

Simmons - by no means - should be considered an expert. He's a columnist whose athletic activity is likely limited to a beer softball league. Remember that these guys are fans who write because they're good at writing and keeping the readers entertained. I see no reason to take their opinions seriously.

[tbonestake]

The ridiculous thing is that Boston oriented sports commentators and even regular fans have no place for humor about Boston team personnel. You make a joke about Belicheat* and it is considered equivalent to insulting the Pope. By the way the standard line now is ALL coaches cheated in exactly the same way as Belicheat* with video recording but he was the only one that happened to get caught. How absurd is that! And if you make a joke about Brady being a crybaby (which he is) every time he gets hit in a game, they can't believe you would dare say anything negative about the NFL's all time best QB. So NE writers and fans can dish it out but they never, ever can take it. When you mention you are a Bills fan to people here they usually get a little smirk on their face. But it doesn't bother me. Things will eventually change with the Bills fortunes.

Kind of goes along with the state of mind that a lot of people from Boston act under. They are better than everyone SIMPLY because they were born/live there.... Edited September 3, 2010 by tbonestake

[PS 56]

Ouch!

 

We've already seen during pre-season what happens when Edwards has both time and playcalling behind him... he looks solid to me. Lets hope the regular season proves Mr. Simmons wrong.

 

I write these negative and petty stories to sports writer and sports caster laziness. It is very difficult to cover every team on the NFL in depth. So they they don't even bother writing about the teams that were not competitive at the end of last season. So no matter what happens during preseason, they will just revert back to a Bills suck or a player sucks dialog. It makes for easy copy and the fans of other teams like reading it.

 

Bottom line is we will have to see what happens int he season. We will earn respect on the playing field or we won't.

[Another Point of View]

I stopped right there.

 

Simmons - by no means - should be considered an expert. He's a columnist whose athletic activity is likely limited to a beer softball league. Remember that these guys are fans who write because they're good at writing and keeping the readers entertained. I see no reason to take their opinions seriously.

 

If that is the case then this is nothing more then a poke at Buffalo fans

[beggar13]

Wow, another writer slamming the Bills. How original. He need to come up with some better and more original material.