The Hank Bullough era returns to Buffalo

[The Senator]

Back in 85', the Bills started out 0-6 under Hank Bullough and finished the season at 2-14. Looking at the schedule, the only teams that the Bills might have a chance against are Detroit and Cleveland, so at best, the Bills could finish this season at 2-14. But it is very likely that the Bills could join the Lions as the only other team to be winless at 0-16.

 

How does our defense go from looking sub-par/decent in one season, to absolutely pitiful the next? I hope this is George Edwards' one and only season as Bills defensive coordinator. With Gailey, why does he always abandon the run, especially when he is having success at it?

 

I still can't believe that 25 years later, it's deja vu all over again. Are Gailey & Edwards actually Stephenson and Bullough?

Well, Stephenson was 8-8 in his first season here - so Chan's got some catching up to do if he hopes to match that record in his first year.

 

Bullough, OTOH, had 5 years as a DC w/Cincinnati and NE*, and supposedly was the guy that introduced the 3-4 to the NFL - maybe we should hire him back?

 

Seriously, though, let's give Chan Gailey a bit more time, and hopefully some talent in the player department - remember that Levy was 2-5 in first season (after taking over from Bullough), then 7-8, then 12-4 and AFC East division winner. Three years - I believe that's what Ralph said it would take to rebuild in his interview with John Wawrow yesterday.

Edited October 12, 2010 by The Senator

[billsfreak]

Back in 85', the Bills started out 0-6 under Hank Bullough and finished the season at 2-14. Looking at the schedule, the only teams that the Bills might have a chance against are Detroit and Cleveland, so at best, the Bills could finish this season at 2-14. But it is very likely that the Bills could join the Lions as the only other team to be winless at 0-16.

 

How does our defense go from looking sub-par/decent in one season, to absolutely pitiful the next? I hope this is George Edwards' one and only season as Bills defensive coordinator. With Gailey, why does he always abandon the run, especially when he is having success at it?

 

I still can't believe that 25 years later, it's deja vu all over again. Are Gailey & Edwards actually Stephenson and Bullough?

About 4 or 5 months ago I was referred to by yourself as a coward for even suggesting that the Bills would finish in the bottom ten in the league, but not wanting to bet against my team? Are you starting to think maybe they will be one of the worst teams in the league like I suggested?

[Jerry Jabber]

About 4 or 5 months ago I was referred to by yourself as a coward for even suggesting that the Bills would finish in the bottom ten in the league, but not wanting to bet against my team? Are you starting to think maybe they will be one of the worst teams in the league like I suggested?

 

I'll eat a big bowl of crow on that one. You were right, I was wrong. I think a lot of fans (including myself) saw how bad the Bills failed miserably under Jauron and thought with a better, tough minded coach, we could have gotten the extra 2-3 wins a year that Jauron's teams seem to blow in the 4th quarter.

[billsfreak]

I'll eat a big bowl of crow on that one. You were right, I was wrong. I think a lot of fans (including myself) saw how bad the Bills failed miserably under Jauron and thought with a better, tough minded coach, we could have gotten the extra 2-3 wins a year that Jauron's teams seem to blow in the 4th quarter.

No problem. I just thought that you can change coaches, GM's, but if you don't change the players, they are the ones that have to get out on the field and play. Coupled with changing to a new defense that we didn't have the right personnel for, IMO the writing was on the wall. Someday maybe we can look back at these conversations and laugh? Maybe the worst part of it this season is the team looked better under DJ than it does under Gailey.

Edited October 12, 2010 by billsfreak

[Jerry Jabber]

No problem. I just thought that you can change coaches, GM's, but if you don't change the players, they are the ones that have to get out on the field and play. Coupled with changing to a new defense that we didn't have the right personnel for, IMO the writing was on the wall. Someday maybe we can look back at these conversations and laugh? Maybe the worst part of it this season is the team looked better under DJ than it does under Gailey.

 

You're right. It would be great if we could look back at these years and can compare them to the mid-80's when the Bills were horrible, then were built into a Superbowl team. That would be great if lightning can strike the Bills twice.

[tennesseeboy]

I was fan during Hank Bullogh, I knew Hank Bullogh...Chan Gailey...you are no Hank Bullogh.

Hank Bullogh was 4-17 in his tenure with the Bills...something that Chan might look to as a stretch goal given what we've seen so far.

[Jerry Jabber]

No problem. I just thought that you can change coaches, GM's, but if you don't change the players, they are the ones that have to get out on the field and play. Coupled with changing to a new defense that we didn't have the right personnel for, IMO the writing was on the wall. Someday maybe we can look back at these conversations and laugh? Maybe the worst part of it this season is the team looked better under DJ than it does under Gailey.

 

I think you had couple of people trying to bet you $100. You'd be a couple of hundred dollars richer if you accepted those bets.

 

I read the article from John Wawrow that he feels Ralphie is putting together a succession plan, I hope that is true. While I do give credit to Ralphie for putting a team in Buffalo and keeping it here for all these years, he's done a ton of meddling and has made some really terrible decisions, which is why the Bills are where they are now and no respectable GM/coach/player wants to come here. Hopefully that changes with a new owner. Plus, I hope the new owner makes some front office changes, including firing Tom Modrak. Modrak has been here 10 years (which is the same amount of time of the Bills playoff drought)...coincedence?

[nucci]

Back in 85', the Bills started out 0-6 under Hank Bullough and finished the season at 2-14. Looking at the schedule, the only teams that the Bills might have a chance against are Detroit and Cleveland, so at best, the Bills could finish this season at 2-14. But it is very likely that the Bills could join the Lions as the only other team to be winless at 0-16.

 

How does our defense go from looking sub-par/decent in one season, to absolutely pitiful the next? I hope this is George Edwards' one and only season as Bills defensive coordinator. With Gailey, why does he always abandon the run, especially when he is having success at it?

 

I still can't believe that 25 years later, it's deja vu all over again. Are Gailey & Edwards actually Stephenson and Bullough?

Bullough started coaching the Bills after they started 0-4 in 1985 under Kay and were 2-7 in 1986 before he was fired. Just saying...

[Jerry Jabber]

Bullough started coaching the Bills after they started 0-4 in 1985 under Kay and were 2-7 in 1986 before he was fired. Just saying...

 

Maybe I should rename the thread to "The Stephenson/Bullough era has returned"?

[tennesseeboy]

Ralph Wilson got voted to the Hall of Fame for a reason. He has made some of the smartest moves in the course of his ownership of the team and played a HUGE role in the early years keeping the AFL together. He has been loyal to Buffalo throughout. He has made some remarkably good decisions in hiring coaches (Saban and Levy come to mind right out of the box). He has made mistakes over the last half century and appears to have (in my opinion) made one with hiring Nix and Gailey.

 

Ralph will make his decisions regarding the future of the team consistent with his own desires involving, I presume, his family and other heirs. Tax implications, family desires and other factors to which we are not privy will be a part of the decision.

 

Ralph is the owner and he calls the shots. I hope the Bills stay in Buffalo, but Ralph has no obligation to keep them here.

[Typical TBD Guy]

You know what disgusts me? Stupidity. Morons that spout their ignorance all over the page, when it would be so easy - and take no more than a few seconds - to look up a few simple facts. Namely, you.

 

 

1973 9-5-0, Finished 2nd in AFC East Division (OJ's big year, missed wild card spot by one game to 10-4 Cincinnati Bengals)

1974 9-5-0, Finished 2nd in AFC East Division (playoffs)

 

1980 11-5-0, Finished 1st in AFC East Division (playoffs)

1981 10-6-0, Finished 3rd in AFC East Division (playoffs)

 

 

Now you could have easily learned that on your own, before making a total ass of yourself. You could have also just done a simple math operation - based on what I posted - and asked yourself, "Gee, when were the other 8 playoff appearances?"

 

 

(I'll leave it to you to figure out the remaining 4 playoff appearances - think you can handle it?)

 

 

'Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.'

 

 

Idiot.

 

I wasn't implying that the Bills never made the playoffs from 1967-1986, only that their futility back then was on the approximate level of putridity as the 21st century Bills have been now. 3 measly playoff seasons (and 1 playoff victory) in a 21-year span kind of reasserts my point, don't you think? My point is and has been that Ralph Wilson - with respect to the on-field product - is one of the least competent owners in pro sports history. He's probably a Lou Saban and Bill Polian away from being THE definitive worst, and the sad thing is that meddlesome, overbearing Ralph ran those guys off the same way he does with all sorts of other decent football personnel - Knox, Phillips, Butler, etc..

 

What else you got for us besides your trusty sports almanac information? Another Jason Peters rant? A funny Mike Leach quote? Get bent, fu ckface.

[nucci]

Maybe I should rename the thread to "The Stephenson/Bullough era has returned"?

I still have nightmares from those seasons. This year is adding to them.

[Lenigmusx]

And who was the owner of the Bills from 1967-1986? That's TWENTY !@#$ING YEARS on top of the ELEVEN YEARS AND COUNTING that we have right now. You !@#$ing Ralph Wilson apologists disgust me. The bottom line is that he is one of the worst owners in pro sports history, and he doesn't give a !@#$ that the team likely moves to LA/Toronto after his death. Ralph Wilson is Al Davis without the Super Bowl rings.

We did make the playoff's a few times from 1967-1986 and posted winning season in 1973- 9-5 1974- 9-5 1975- 8-6 1980- 11-5 (Division Champs), 1981- 10-6 (Wild Card). Not a rosy picture but not as dysmal as you paint. Right now however we are bad.

[The Senator]

I wasn't implying that the Bills never made the playoffs from 1967-1986, only that their futility back then was on the approximate level of putridity as the 21st century Bills have been now. 3 measly playoff seasons (and 1 playoff victory) in a 21-year span kind of reasserts my point, don't you think? My point is and has been that Ralph Wilson - with respect to the on-field product - is one of the least competent owners in pro sports history. He's probably a Lou Saban and Bill Polian away from being THE definitive worst, and the sad thing is that meddlesome, overbearing Ralph ran those guys off the same way he does with all sorts of other decent football personnel - Knox, Phillips, Butler, etc..

 

What else you got for us besides your trusty sports almanac information? Another Jason Peters rant? A funny Mike Leach quote? Get bent, fu ckface.

Yeah, you were. Idiot.

[Spiderweb]

Well, Stephenson was 8-8 in his first season here - so Chan's got some catching up to do if he hopes to match that record in his first year.

 

Bullough, OTOH, had 5 years as a DC w/Cincinnati and NE*, and supposedly was the guy that introduced the 3-4 to the NFL - maybe we should hire him back?

 

Seriously, though, let's give Chan Gailey a bit more time, and hopefully some talent in the player department - remember that Levy was 2-5 in first season (after taking over from Bullough), then 7-8, then 12-4 and AFC East division winner. Three years - I believe that's what Ralph said it would take to rebuild in his interview with John Wawrow yesterday.

 

Sadly, there's no players on the current roster like Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett, Andre Reed, Jim Kelly, Darryl Talley, Wil Wolford, Kent Hull, etc. To even begin, we would have to hit homeruns on all of our drafts choices for the next 3 years.

[The Senator]

Sadly, there's no players on the current roster like Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett, Andre Reed, Jim Kelly, Darryl Talley, Wil Wolford, Kent Hull, etc. To even begin, we would have to hit homeruns on all of our drafts choices for the next 3 years.

Well, we don't have a Jim Kelly - at least I'm pretty sure we don't - but we might at least have a Frank Reich, if we ever get a chance to see Brohm start a few games!

 

We also might have a Kent Hull in Eric Wood...

 

 

After redshirting his initial year at Louisville, Eric Wood started all 12 games at center for the Cardinals in 2005. He earned Freshman All-American honors by Rivals.com, Sporting News and College Football News. Also an excellent student, earned Academic All-Big East accolades as well. Wood remained Louisville's starting center in his sophomore and junior seasons, starting all 13 and 12 games, respectively. Led by quarterback Brian Brohm, the 2007 Cardinals offense ranked sixth nationally with an average of 488.0 yards per game. Wood earned All-Big East honors in both years, and again in his senior season. He finished his career with 49 consecutive starts at center, the second-longest streak in school history behind Travis Leffew (51, 2002-05). Alongside Alex Mack, Wood was considered one of the best centers available in the 2009 NFL Draft. He has been compared to Brad Meester by The Sporting News, but his instincts and "nastiness" on the field had scouts comparing him to the NFL's old time centers like Mike Webster of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tim Grunhard of the Kansas City Chiefs.*

 

 

As for the rest of 'em, Fred Jackson's a solid player, and Spiller will be a star. Maybe we get lucky in April and find the next Jim Kelly & Will Wolford in the form of Ryan Mallett & Gabe Carimi. Andre Reed was a 4th round pick in 1985 out of Kutztown U. who made his first Pro Bowl in '88 - let's see what this Marcus Easley guy can do. Likewise with Troup, Carrington, Wang, and Moats - let's watch how they develop.

 

One thing's for sure - we're much better off with Buddy Nix in charge of drafting future players than we've been since Polian & Butler...

 

 

Nix left Buffalo with John Butler and A. J. Smith after the 2000 season. He was initially the Director of Pro Player Personnel (2000–2001), but after Butler died, Smith was promoted to General Manager, and Nix to Assistant General Manager. Nix's job with the Chargers was to oversee both pro and college scouting and to be one of the main decision makers in each NFL draft, and was a major reason the Chargers turned around from a losing football team to a rebuilt, winning team. In 2004, three players Nix drafted were selected to the 2005 Pro Bowl. In 2005, six players Nix drafted were selected to the 2006 Pro Bowl. In 2006, eleven players Nix drafted were selected to the 2007 Pro Bowl. In 2007, eight players Nix drafted were selected to the 2008 Pro Bowl. The Chargers won four out of the last five AFC West titles with Nix as Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel, in charge of college scouting and instrumental to the decision making process of their NFL drafts.*

 

 

We can't affect the present or the past - all we can really do, as fans, is enjoy watching young players develop and look forward to the future.

 

(Or, we can whine incessantly about 'The Hank Bullough era returns to Buffalo')

 

 

GO BILLSSS!!!!

 

15 and 5 baby!!!!!

 

 

 

*non-copyrighted material excerpted from Wikipedia

Edited October 13, 2010 by The Senator

[MyHorseAteTheKid]

Back in 85', the Bills started out 0-6 under Hank Bullough and finished the season at 2-14. Looking at the schedule, the only teams that the Bills might have a chance against are Detroit and Cleveland, so at best, the Bills could finish this season at 2-14. But it is very likely that the Bills could join the Lions as the only other team to be winless at 0-16.

 

How does our defense go from looking sub-par/decent in one season, to absolutely pitiful the next? I hope this is George Edwards' one and only season as Bills defensive coordinator. With Gailey, why does he always abandon the run, especially when he is having success at it?

 

I still can't believe that 25 years later, it's deja vu all over again. Are Gailey & Edwards actually Stephenson and Bullough?

 

I truly believe that the NFL wants out of Buffalo.. The worse the team performs, the fewer sell-outs, the easier it will be for this team to move to LA... The area is in a recession that few areas in this country have experienced.. Sine the 1960's the population has shrunk by 1/3 and the decline shows no signs of stopping... I hate to say it but if a lock out happens, the Buffalo Bills could be moved out west and hardly a voice of opposition will be heard outside of western New York!!

[The Senator]

I truly believe that the NFL wants out of Buffalo.. The worse the team performs, the fewer sell-outs, the easier it will be for this team to move to LA... The area is in a recession that few areas in this country have experienced.. Sine the 1960's the population has shrunk by 1/3 and the decline shows no signs of stopping... I hate to say it but if a lock out happens, the Buffalo Bills could be moved out west and hardly a voice of opposition will be heard outside of western New York!!

And moving to LA would be such a fantastic idea, since the Rams and Raiders already failed there.

 

The Bills will be here in the WNY area long after you and I are worm-food...

 

"Given the fact that Ralph Wilson is in the Hall of Fame, and built a legacy on voting against relocation, and the fact that I know the NFL wants a market in this region - and I'm speaking to the Toronto/Buffalo corridor - I can't foresee a team moving out of this region just because it's so valuable as far as its proximity goes," Wawrow said. "I think the history is also there with the number of people from the Bills organization who are in Canton."

 

Link - Wawrow Speculates On Possible Bills Succession Plan (John Wawrow)

[first_and_ten]

Back in 85', the Bills started out 0-6 under Hank Bullough and finished the season at 2-14. Looking at the schedule, the only teams that the Bills might have a chance against are Detroit and Cleveland, so at best, the Bills could finish this season at 2-14. But it is very likely that the Bills could join the Lions as the only other team to be winless at 0-16.

 

How does our defense go from looking sub-par/decent in one season, to absolutely pitiful the next? I hope this is George Edwards' one and only season as Bills defensive coordinator. With Gailey, why does he always abandon the run, especially when he is having success at it?

 

I still can't believe that 25 years later, it's deja vu all over again. Are Gailey & Edwards actually Stephenson and Bullough?

 

The only constant is Ralph. He's the reason this team is a mess. When it comes to hiring coaches, general managers and football people he is cheap. He gets what he pays for. He wants yes men on the cheap. He wants to meddle with the drafts, meddle with who starts at quarterback, etc, etc.

[The Senator]

The only constant is Ralph. He's the reason this team is a mess. When it comes to hiring coaches, general managers and football people he is cheap. He gets what he pays for. He wants yes men on the cheap. He wants to meddle with the drafts, meddle with who starts at quarterback, etc, etc.

So then Ralph would also be the reason the Bills won back-to-back league championships in 1964 & 1965, were one game away from playing Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers in Superbowl I the following season, and won an unprecedented (and probably never-to-be duplicated) four consecutive AFC titles from 1990 to 1993, yes?

 

(Just to make sure you're going to be consistent in passing out blame.)

Edited October 13, 2010 by The Senator