There's competitive greatness....

[#34fan]

Coach John Fox used a phrase in a press conference last week that's really starting to grow on me. That phrase was "competitive greatness" I'm not sure if it was coined first by ex-UCLA coach John Wooden or someone else, but I really like it. Part of the definition of "competitive greatness" is being at your best when your best is needed. Tim Tebow has shown that while he may not be the best QB stat-wise, he'll be there when his team needs him most. His defense will persevere, and fight for him because they KNOW at some point, Timmy will come through. Can anyone say the same thing about Fitz-spastic? The only thing our defense can count on with Fitz is him going three-and-out, or throwing an INT at the WORST possible time. Still, there's a question as to why Fitzy is like this. -There shouldn't be. Tim Tebow played in what is arguably THE MOST competitive conference in college football. He played for the best, and most competitive coach in the game at the time. Tim Tebow prevailed at that level not once, but twice, playing in two National Title games with the Gators. Both of which, they won.

 

Clearly, school and conference pedigree can have a lot to do with manifesting competitive greatness. What about Alex Smith? A few years prior to Tebow's success, He also won a National Title, with the same ultra-competitive coach that Tebow had in Florida. Why does he suck now? Simply put, Alex Smith's college success was a product of Meyer's competitive greatness as a coach. Despite the fact Smith played in a woeful conference, Meyer provided Smith with insight, confidence, and consistency. Three things that Smith never had in his pro career. That is, until now. As a College QB Jim Harbaugh was the epitome of competitive greatness. Again, Harbaugh played in a very competitive division, for an Apex competitor in Bo Schembechler. Although Harbaugh's pro career was a mixed bag, he actually made it to an AFC Championship game in 1995-1996, but lost a close one to the Steelers. Harbaugh is a guy who knows the position, and gives Smith the benefit of every mistake he's ever made. Once again, Smith is imparted with greatness he doesn't posess himself.

 

To be fair, a few personnel moves on the defensive side of the ball, worked out for San Fran as well. Still, Smith has been managing games well, and hasn't been making mistakes to deflate his team. So what about Fitzpatrick? Let's see, he comes from a conference where math-letes and football players compete for tee-times at the local golf course. He honed his football skills under the great Tim Murphy (who?) Former linebacker of Springfield College, the "Birthplace of basketball" (long story) To make matters worse, the Bills have a Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator on his fourth HC job who calls plays from a thirty year old playbook! Not to mention a coaching staff that seems disinterested (at best) in winning games. Forget greatness. Our inability to compete at a fundamental level is a problem that can ONLY be addressed by major personnel changes. Oh, but so-and-so is hurt! and whats-his-face in banged up. Injuries-Schminjuries! If this team is ever going to be good, the excuse-making has got to stop now. IMO We need two things immediately: 1)A head coach (and staff) that can motivate, teach, and develop competitive talent. 2)A QB who can deliver in adverse situations. Right now we have neither.

Edited December 8, 2011 by #34fan

[Poeticlaw]

You and many other who may agree with you have the right to that opinion. However, FITZ does not play defense and the defense has lost more games then any othe aspect of our team.

 

If you are listing two things this team needs its this:

 

1.Fire George Edwards and Hire a DC or promote to DC DW.

2. LT- This is one of the other biggest issues this season though it has been ok its too much in flux need an anchor on that side.

 

Fitz will win games he will not win 16 but he will win 10-11 over a regular season as long as the defense can keep them in games after he puts them in position to win in the 4th qtr and as long as he has time to throw.

 

I read everyone talking about an elite QB you put Brady, Rodgers or Brees behind this line and tell me will they look Elite or pedestrian?

[SactoBillFan]

And then there is paragraphs...

[#34fan]

You and many other who may agree with you have the right to that opinion. However, FITZ does not play defense and the defense has lost more games then any othe aspect of our team.

 

If you are listing two things this team needs its this:

 

1.Fire George Edwards and Hire a DC or promote to DC DW.

2. LT- This is one of the other biggest issues this season though it has been ok its too much in flux need an anchor on that side.

 

Fitz will win games he will not win 16 but he will win 10-11 over a regular season as long as the defense can keep them in games after he puts them in position to win in the 4th qtr and as long as he has time to throw.

 

I read everyone talking about an elite QB you put Brady, Rodgers or Brees behind this line and tell me will they look Elite or pedestrian?

DC Edwards is awful. You can run him and Gailey out of town on the same rail as far as I'm concerned. As far as building a great defense around a seviceable QB, I think that's very hard to do. You need a great FO, and even then you have to get really lucky. As it stands now, Fitzpatrick is playing much closer to Trent Edwards than Trent Dilfer.

[b stein 22]

Archy Manning comes to mind. I think most people would consider him a good QB. Who knows how could he could have been with actual talent. From this I believe that if we give Fitz talent he will be able to produce. Jones and Roosevelt are garbage. Brad Smith is way better then them and he isn't even a wr. If it wasn't for these crap wr's holding Fitz back there would be no question as to whether fitz is a top ten QB.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

And then there's Maude.

[reddogblitz]

Swap our defense for Denver's defense and I wonder how the Tebow-mania thing would work out.

 

Fitz ain't great, but he sure as heck is not the reason we are losing. Our defense is horrible and our WRs are pathetic.

 

Fire Edwards and improve our D to middle of the pack and add a WR or two who can catch the football when it hits him in the hands as well as go up and get footballs our guys simply cannot and all of the sudden Fitz looks a lot better IMHO.

 

Fitz has work to do to improve in the off season as well. But since every year he has played for us he's gotten better, I'm sure he will. Stopping the slow starts would help.

 

And then there is paragraphs...

Yeah, this would help too. I didn't read your whole rant because one long huge paragraph like that is just too hard to read.

[K-9]

And then there's Maude.

 

I used to dig Adrienne Barbeau. She had what I would refer to as "competitive greatness."

 

And a great set of intangibles.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Rubes]

I used to dig Adrienne Barbeau. She had what I would refer to as "competitive greatness."

 

And a great set of intangibles.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Escape From New York. Definitely.

[John from Riverside]

The last time I checked....when a QB goes "3 and out" there are several other humans on the field with him.....

 

- Some miss blocks

- Some drop passes

- Some get tackled too easily

- Some dont look for where the 1st down marker is and run routes that are short of it

 

 

Just sayin

[Just in Atlanta]

Maybe Fitzy doesn't have competitive greatness (I think he does) but I do know he knows how to break up paragraphs.

 

[Mr. WEO]

Archy Manning comes to mind. I think most people would consider him a good QB. Who knows how could he could have been with actual talent. From this I believe that if we give Fitz talent he will be able to produce. Jones and Roosevelt are garbage. Brad Smith is way better then them and he isn't even a wr. If it wasn't for these crap wr's holding Fitz back there would be no question as to whether fitz is a top ten QB.

Jones and Roosevelt are garbage? You left out Aiken, I guess. OK, but what do you think of Stevie, Nelson and Chandler--our actual top 3 receivers all year?

[ieatcrayonz]

I used to dig Adrienne Barbeau. She had what I would refer to as "competitive greatness."

 

And a great set of intangibles.

 

GO BILLS!!!

If you think they're intangibles you're not doing it right.

[Geno Smith's Arm]

Coach John Fox used a phrase in a press conference last week that's really starting to grow on me. That phrase was "competitive greatness" I'm not sure if it was coined first by ex-UCLA coach John Wooden or someone else, but I really like it. Part of the definition of "competitive greatness" is being at your best when your best is needed. Tim Tebow has shown that while he may not be the best QB stat-wise, he'll be there when his team needs him most. His defense will persevere, and fight for him because they KNOW at some point, Timmy will come through. Can anyone say the same thing about Fitz-spastic? The only thing our defense can count on with Fitz is him going three-and-out, or throwing an INT at the WORST possible time. Still, there's a question as to why Fitzy is like this. -There shouldn't be. Tim Tebow played in what is arguably THE MOST competitive conference in college football. He played for the best, and most competitive coach in the game at the time. Tim Tebow prevailed at that level not once, but twice, playing in two National Title games with the Gators. Both of which, they won. Clearly, school and conference pedigree can have a lot to do with manifesting competitive greatness. What about Alex Smith? A few years prior to Tebow's success, He also won a National Title, with the same ultra-competitive coach that Tebow had in Florida. Why does he suck now? Simply put, Alex Smith's college success was a product of Meyer's competitive greatness as a coach. Despite the fact Smith played in a woeful conference, Meyer provided Smith with insight, confidence, and consistency. Three things that Smith never had in his pro career. That is, until now. As a College QB Jim Harbaugh was the epitome of competitive greatness. Again, Harbaugh played in a very competitive division, for an Apex competitor in Bo Schembechler. Although Harbaugh's pro career was a mixed bag, he actually made it to an AFC Championship game in 1995-1996, but lost a close one to the Steelers. Harbaugh is a guy who knows the position, and gives Smith the benefit of every mistake he's ever made. Once again, Smith is imparted with greatness he doesn't posess himself. To be fair, a few personnel moves on the defensive side of the ball, worked out for San Fran as well. Still, Smith has been managing games well, and hasn't been making mistakes to deflate his team. So what about Fitzpatrick? Let's see, he comes from a conference where math-letes and football players compete for tee-times at the local golf course. He honed his football skills under the great Tim Murphy (who?) Former linebacker of Springfield College, the "Birthplace of basketball" (long story) To make matters worse, the Bills have a Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator on his fourth HC job who calls plays from a thirty year old playbook! Not to mention a coaching staff that seems disinterested (at best) in winning games. Forget greatness. Our inability to compete at a fundamental level is a problem that can ONLY be addressed by major personnel changes. Oh, but so-and-so is hurt! and whats-his-face in banged up. Injuries-Schminjuries! If this team is ever going to be good, the excuse-making has got to stop now. IMO We need two things immediately: 1)A head coach (and staff) that can motivate, teach, and develop competitive talent. 2)A QB who can deliver in adverse situations. Right now we have neither.

 

 

He led a huge comeback against the Patriots with some "competitive greatness", as well as one against the Raiders.

 

What happened was the injuries destroyed the starting lineup, and the team (which was already lacking defensively) didn't have the depth to continue to compete.

[reddogblitz]

He led a huge comeback against the Patriots with some "competitive greatness", as well as one against the Raiders.

 

What happened was the injuries destroyed the starting lineup, and the team (which was already lacking defensively) didn't have the depth to continue to compete.

As he did against the Jets and Fish in 09 and the Stealers if 10 if you know who had caught you know what and the Jets this year if you know who had caught you know what. he's put us in position to win several games that we lost due to someone else dropping the ball metaphorically speaking.

 

Fitz may not have "competitive greatness", but he does have "competitive pretty darn goodness" IMHO.

[MDH]

The last time I checked....when a QB goes "3 and out" there are several other humans on the field with him.....

 

- Some miss blocks

- Some drop passes

- Some get tackled too easily

- Some dont look for where the 1st down marker is and run routes that are short of it

 

 

Just sayin

 

It's not a coincidence that Fitz's play went down once the OLine started accumulating injuries and had to be shuffled around. During the first 4 games or so when the starters were all in there and gave him solid pass protection Fitz did a solid job and the offense as a whole looked good.

 

Oline makes the whole thing go. Fit isn't a superstar but he's good enough to win with the right supporting cast.

[#34fan]

I used to dig Adrienne Barbeau. She had what I would refer to as "competitive greatness."

 

And a great set of intangibles.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

I was PISSED when she got ran over by the lincoln in Escape from NY. Barbeau's intangibles were pretty spectacular. She was deinitely one the finest broads of the seveties/early eighties. I mean they hung so perfectly. (her intangibles) Not too low, not too high. Gives me the shivers just thinking about them again. Thanks, man.

[Geno Smith's Arm]

It's not a coincidence that Fitz's play went down once the OLine started accumulating injuries and had to be shuffled around. During the first 4 games or so when the starters were all in there and gave him solid pass protection Fitz did a solid job and the offense as a whole looked good.

 

Oline makes the whole thing go. Fit isn't a superstar but he's good enough to win with the right supporting cast.

 

I agree. And bickering about it won't change anything. As long as Gailey is the coach, I believe that Fitz will be the QB, and they will concentrate on improving the rest of the team (as opposed to spending a high pick on a QB).

[#34fan]

He led a huge comeback against the Patriots with some "competitive greatness", as well as one against the Raiders.

 

What happened was the injuries destroyed the starting lineup, and the team (which was already lacking defensively) didn't have the depth to continue to compete.

That's not how I remember it.

 

Our secondary and LB's generated alot of turnovers early in the season.

Also, Freddy was a rushing MACHINE.

I think the combination of those two made Fitz look better than he actually is.

If fitz was a better leader, he could have built a tradition of high expectations out of those early successes.

To be fair, you could say the same thing about Gailey too.

[b stein 22]

Jones and Roosevelt are garbage? You left out Aiken, I guess. OK, but what do you think of Stevie, Nelson and Chandler--our actual top 3 receivers all year?

I believe that we are one player away from being a top 5 offense. We need a clutch receiver that can win a game for us. We need a Reggie Wayne/Calvin Johnson kind of wr that can dominate a defense. Stevie Johnson is a fine receiver but he is not clutch. Nelson is a key piece for the future. Chandler however, is expendable.

Edited December 8, 2011 by b stein 22