Buddy Nix sure does understand Bills fans

[Captain Hindsight]

I agree, but I think this season will be the moment of truth as to whether their work has paid off or not. I like these guys, but so far we haven't seen a good season, though the team has made strides. I have good hope that we make the playoffs this year. If Mario was on the team last year, we would have won at least 2 more games if not more. And with Kyle, and other healthy players, that should give us another fast start. Just have to draft well.

Wanny heading up the D helps alot. That was a huge addition for us. I really think if we stay healthy enough, we can really compete in the AFCE. I couldnt say that 3 years ago

[BobChalmers]

For me, its been a tough two first years because it shouldn't take 3 years to find a pass rusher, 3 years to fix the O line, 3 years to stop the run. It still remains to be seen if the later two will even be addressed and fixed.

 

I believe the O-Line was already fixed to the extent that they stay healthy.

 

Run defense wasn't nearly the problem last season that it was the previous.

 

Nix said publicly "you can only address so many needs in one season" - this was the year to address the pass rush. They admitted to everyone last year they hadn't addressed it yet.

 

 

P.S. more reality, I look at the Miami Dolphins and see a mess of a team that just fired their HC after going 6-10, and yet that team with a nobody at QB swept the Bills last year.

 

Both Dolphins games were AFTER the injuries had destroyed the O-line, etc. After Fitz had his ribs cracked. After Merriman and Kyle Williams were gone (and I believe George Wilson?).

 

Bills play them in week 4 last season instead and they would beaten the fish as badly as they beat the Broncos and Chiefs. Hypothetical, I know, but I believe that.

 

The real consequence of how dysfunctional the Dolphins are - multiple player sources referring to the GM (Ireland?) as someone who "doesn't always speak the truth" etc. In other words, exactly the opposite of what's been evident about our GM.

 

Turns out having a straight-speaking good-ol'-boy at the helm has a positive effect on the players, both already on the team, and FA's.

[RyanC883]

I wonder what Buddy has in mind regarding our lack of a backup QB. Especially after witnessing the Bears and the Texans last year as well as the the Bills (assuming Fitz's ribs were really hurt).

 

 

This, to me, is the biggest remaining hole. But there appear to be lots of unsigned FA QB's still available. I would imagine we sign someone like Dennis Dixon or another "lower tier" FA who has a potentially high ceiling and fits Chan's system. I wanted Garrard, but my guess is MIA offered him way more money as they had to get someone.

[thewildrabbit]

One thing that Buddy said recently about the team he inherited was that he knew it would take time to turn the mess around.

To argue that he has been unsuccessful thus far because of the team's record is frankly an unfair judgment because we all know how bad the team was. Frankly, the drafts that have occurred since Buddy has been in Buffalo are finally building a team. We will now have to see if the building blocks are going to work but since Day One all we have received from Nix is honesty and an apparent effort to build a winning team.

This is about the one of most erroneous statement made by fans defending Nixly!

 

I suppose you don't recall Buddy Nix in one of his first pressers stating before the 2010 season..."your going to think I'm crazy, but we are not that far away" . Then after the team went 0-8 he changed his tune to "its going to take some time"!

 

Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey didn't inherit a mess, the same basic players that were on the team when Jauron went 7-9 were on the team when he took over. The only thing that really changed was all in inexperienced college coaches from Georgia Tech that Gailey knew and hired from his time coaching at GT.

Look at the core starters from the 7-9 years. In fact Jauron managed 7-9 with both JP Losman & Trent Edwards at QB.

[atlbillsfan1975]

This is about the one of most erroneous statement made by fans defending Nixly!

 

I suppose you don't recall Buddy Nix in one of his first pressers stating before the 2010 season..."your going to think I'm crazy, but we are not that far away" . Then after the team went 0-8 he changed his tune to "its going to take some time"!

 

Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey didn't inherit a mess, the same basic players that were on the team when Jauron went 7-9 were on the team when he took over. The only thing that really changed was all in inexperienced college coaches from Georgia Tech that Gailey knew and hired from his time coaching at GT.

Look at the core starters from the 7-9 years. In fact Jauron managed 7-9 with both JP Losman & Trent Edwards at QB.

Wow.

Once Nix and Chan had time to really work with the team they saw what they had.

Chan was wrong to have George Edwards as his DC, he corrected that.

jauron was and is inept as a HC. H.S coaches display a better understanding of clock management then he did.

Maybe, just maybe Chan and Buddy realized well we can stick with these mediocre guys we have here and probably pump out some more 7-9 or even 8-8, or god forbid a 9-7 team. Now we wont ever get to the play offs most likely or win a play off game, but heck we will be as good as the guys before us.

 

OR

 

They said, man, we need to blow this thing up and start over. Which they have. There is only a handful of guys left from Jauron's era. This team is headed in the right direction. i believe it. To even hint that the Jauron era was anything like this one, shows lack of understanding. And i get you are basing it on just W&L so far.

God i hope the Bills make the playoffs this year. I have seen you post this jauron crap a few times, and it pisses me off.

[thewildrabbit]

I believe the O-Line was already fixed to the extent that they stay healthy.

 

Run defense wasn't nearly the problem last season that it was the previous.

Nix said publicly "you can only address so many needs in one season" - this was the year to address the pass rush. They admitted to everyone last year they hadn't addressed it yet.

 

The Bills were 26th on defense overall, 28th in rushing defense! It was still horrible and almost just as bad. OK, they went from worst in the history of the franchise to 28th

 

Both Dolphins games were AFTER the injuries had destroyed the O-line, etc. After Fitz had his ribs cracked. After Merriman and Kyle Williams were gone (and I believe George Wilson?).

 

Bills play them in week 4 last season instead and they would beaten the fish as badly as they beat the Broncos and Chiefs. Hypothetical, I know, but I believe that.

 

The real consequence of how dysfunctional the Dolphins are - multiple player sources referring to the GM (Ireland?) as someone who "doesn't always speak the truth" etc. In other words, exactly the opposite of what's been evident about our GM.

 

Turns out having a straight-speaking good-ol'-boy at the helm has a positive effect on the players, both already on the team, and FA's.

 

Excuses man, excuses. Whats matters is the won -lost record. Gailey never changed his game plans even when he knew Fitz was injured and he lost his best O linemen. It was always throw, throw, throw putting more pressure on the already injured QB!

Opposing teams and defenses figured out Gaileys short, quick passing scheme by the Bengals game in week 4, and the passing offense started to decline at that point. Look at the game stats for each week, the passing offense stated going downhill long before Fred Jackson's or Eric Woods season ending injuries. It also didn't help the Bills only had one viable top WR on the team.

 

I can tell you guys exactly what will happen this up coming season if Nix doesn't upgrade that O Line. Fitz will get thrown under the bus, and all the blame will fall on him. Then next year everyone will clamor for a QB. If Fitz gets benched or injured you guys will see what that line is really like which might finally get Nix to invest in some upgrades for that line..

 

The Bills still don't have a viable deep passing game like the Patriots, Saints, Chargers have because Fitz doesn't have the time in the pocket to throw deep. This is one of the areas that Nix used band-aids on.

 

 

Bottom line is, because the Bills spent so much on super Mario ( which I am happy about ) that now they don't have enough cap space to pursue a top FA WR for the #2 spot, Nix has stated they will go with what they have on the team. This also means they won't pursue a top FA OT. Think about it, If Nix thought the line was fine last offeseasn then why did he try and sign Tyson Clabo away from Atlanta last year?

[atlbillsfan1975]

Opposing teams and defenses figured out Gaileys short, quick passing scheme by the Bengals game in week 4, and the passing offense started to decline at that point. Look at the game stats for each week, the passing offense stated going downhill long before Fred Jackson's or Eric Woods season ending injuries. It also didn't help the Bills only had one viable top WR on the team.

 

I can tell you guys exactly what will happen this up coming season if Nix doesn't upgrade that O Line. Fitz will get thrown under the bus, and all the blame will fall on him. Then next year everyone will clamor for a QB. If Fitz gets benched or injured you guys will see what that line is really like which might finally get Nix to invest in some upgrades for that line..

 

The Bills still don't have a viable deep passing game like the Patriots, Saints, Chargers have because Fitz doesn't have the time in the pocket to throw deep. This is one of the areas that Nix used band-aids on.

 

 

Bottom line is, because the Bills spent so much on super Mario ( which I am happy about ) that now they don't have enough cap space to pursue a top FA WR for the #2 spot, Nix has stated they will go with what they have on the team. This also means they won't pursue a top FA OT. Think about it, If Nix thought the line was fine last offeseasn then why did he try and sign Tyson Clabo away from Atlanta last year?

 

They tried to sign Meachem, he went some place that over paid for him because they needed a number one receiver.

They tried to sign Clabo because they needed a tackle. In both cases the team that signed them out bid the Bills. And after watching Clabo play last year, the Falcons overpaid for him.

The going price for a proven top DE is what the Bills paid.

 

And who now is left sitting out there to sign for the #2 wr??? The guys who have signed thus far have been given as much money as SJ. I and so would most people here, rather have Mario Williams, over 2 #2 wr's. Our problem was not scoring last year for th emost part. It was not getting to the QB.

[Mr. WEO]

He didn't say accent. It is how he says things. He is very blunt and very forward. Business leaders usually have more finesse when they talk. They sugarcoat things for PR reasons and to get deals done. You could argue that the way he talks hurt us earlier. I can imagine a free agent going to one bills drive and him saying "this team is a mess, we got a lot of work to do, we aren't winning a lot of super bowls anytime soon, but we want you to help us turn it around." I can imagine aj smith handling all the deals and just using nix as an evaluater.

 

Though I think there is more reason than the way he talks as to why he hasn't been a gm before, but I think how he says things might be a big.reason. I never seen a gm be so forward as he is

 

Nah, I believe it was the accent he was describing. Certainly he wasn't saying that Buddy's "blunt and very forward" manner cost him jobs as a GM. That would be even more silly.

 

Guys like Ozzie Newsome, Pioli, Jerry Reese, Ted Thompson, Tom Dimitiroff don't sound like guys who "sugarcoat things for PR reasons" (although I admit I'm not not sure what that means), yet they each got their GM jobs well before reaching their 8th decade.

Edited March 20, 2012 by Mr. WEO

[Kelly the Dog]

Nah, I believe it was the accent he was describing. Certainly he wasn't saying that Buddy's "blunt and very forward" manner cost him jobs as a GM. That would be even more silly.

 

Guys like Ozzie Newsome, Pioli, Jerry Reese, Ted Thompson, Tom Dimitiroff don't sound like guys who "sugarcoat things for PR reasons" (although I admit I'm not not sure what that means), yet they each got their GM jobs well before reaching their 8th decade.

What I meant was everything about him except his football acumen. The way he looks, talks, dresses, acts, etc. A lot of an NFL GM job is PR, marketing, schmoozing, recruiting, putting on a good show for the media, agents and players, as well as contract negotiation. I truly believe that Buddy Nix's look, demeanor and personality kept him from a high profile job the last 20 years before the Bills, and a major part of the reason he was a good fit for the Bills is because they split up the GM duties between the schmoozer/marketer, Russ Brandon, the money guy/capologist/negotiator Overdorf, and Buddy.

 

Your response about southern owners was ridiculous. Of course that kind of guy can own an NFL team, all he has to do is outbid everyone else.

Edited March 20, 2012 by Kelly the Dog

[thewildrabbit]

Wow.

Once Nix and Chan had time to really work with the team they saw what they had.

Chan was wrong to have George Edwards as his DC, he corrected that. Why did it take two years?

jauron was and is inept as a HC. H.S coaches display a better understanding of clock management then he did.

Maybe, just maybe Chan and Buddy realized well we can stick with these mediocre guys we have here and probably pump out some more 7-9 or even 8-8, or god forbid a 9-7 team. Now we wont ever get to the play offs most likely or win a play off game, but heck we will be as good as the guys before us.

 

OR

 

They said, man, we need to blow this thing up and start over. Which they have. There is only a handful of guys left from Jauron's era. This team is headed in the right direction. i believe it. To even hint that the Jauron era was anything like this one, shows lack of understanding. And i get you are basing it on just W&L so far.

God i hope the Bills make the playoffs this year. I have seen you post this jauron crap a few times, and it pisses me off.

The entire core of starters remained the same, they didn't blow up anything. What planet are you from? look at the starters from 2009 to 2010 and tell me what changed?

 

Offense, Fitz was already the starter under Perry Fewell in 09. Eric Wood, Andy Levitre, Stevie Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson. Demetrius Bell. Geoff Hangarter Lee Evans 8 of 11 starters TO was not resigned or it would have been 10 of 11. The Bills really never had a #2 WR last year after TO and Evans, unless you count Brad Smith who never made an impact

 

Defense, Kyle Williams, Poz, Whitner , Jairus Byrd , George Wilson, Drayton Florance, Chris Kelsay, Leodis McKelvin , Marcus Stroud 9 of 11 starters still on the team in 2010 Poz and Whitner would still be starting but they chose to leave Buffalo

 

 

Oh yea they really blew things up.

 

They changed those great play makers, New on Offense 2010 , TE David Martain, FB Corey MCIntyre, ( RT Kirk Chambers retired) RT Mansfield Wrotto RT Cornell Green Oh yea those were great improvements on offense 3 changes FB-TE-RT Only the FB is still a starter, he had 4 attempts for 5 yards

New on defense for 2010, changes DE Dwan Edwards- LB Akin Ayodele- LB Reggie Tobor and Dwan Edwards is the only guy still starting 2011, and he was only in for the 3-4 defense. Spencer Johnson was in for the 4-3

 

 

When will you guys wake up and realize Nix didn't blow up anything. They took almost the exact same starters and fell on their faces

 

 

So tell me, what draft picks from the 2010 draft class started in 2010? 6 players changed and 4 of then sucked so badly they are no longer starting. Perhaps the reason they went 4-12.

[OCinBuffalo]

I was meaning to start a thread on this but I rarely start topics.

 

The irony of Buddy Nix is that he's often been characterized here as a hick. He's also been characterized as being asleep, and too old.

 

In truth, Buddy is very media savvy and this is reflected in his comments all the time.

 

"Believe me we are seeing the same thing you guys are seeing… "

 

"I keep telling you guys and you never believe me…"

 

"It IS harder to get free agents to Buffalo… "

 

And over and over… Buddy reads the papers, listens to the media, understands the frustration of Bills fans and doesn't have the pompous attitude of some NFL execs. He doesn't say thing like "if you start listening to the fans you'll be sitting with them."

Buddy obviously has his finger on the pulse regarding this team and its media and fans and he cares what we think.

 

Buddy Nix is steadfast in his beliefs and confident in his abilities but he does not dismiss those who care deeply about this team, nor those whose profession it is to cover this team.

He tells the truth when he should, and says nothing rather than lie.

 

That's called....competence...and confidence.

 

As far as the accent things goes....

 

well, we get on people for being from Pennsylvania as a matter of course, and mostly because they f'ing deserve it. So, it's not hard to see why we would be skeptical about a couple of chuckleheads.

 

However, this guy is rapidly proving that he knows his business. We've had very articulate clowns running this team for the last 10 years at least, what good did that do us?

[Mr. WEO]

What I meant was everything about him except his football acumen. The way he looks, talks, dresses, acts, etc. A lot of an NFL GM job is PR, marketing, schmoozing, recruiting, putting on a good show for the media, agents and players, as well as contract negotiation. I truly believe that Buddy Nix's look, demeanor and personality kept him from a high profile job the last 20 years before the Bills, and a major part of the reason he was a good fit for the Bills is because they split up the GM duties between the schmoozer/marketer, Russ Brandon, the money guy/capologist/negotiator Overdorf, and Buddy.

 

Your response about southern owners was ridiculous. Of course that kind of guy can own an NFL team, all he has to do is outbid everyone else.

 

Huh? Holy obfuscation!! I made no comment about Southerners and their ability to own an NFL team.

 

My point was a signifcant number of owners are form the south--and owners hire GMs. They would certainly appreciate a Southerner's down home honesty. You claimed it was a liability for Buddy--nonsense. If any other owner thought Buddy was GM material, someone would have made him theirs long ago.

 

Why can't we see how this season turns out before we canonize Nix?

[eball]

He tells the truth when he should, and says nothing rather than lie.

 

That's called....competence...and confidence.

 

As far as the accent things goes....

 

well, we get on people for being from Pennsylvania as a matter of course, and mostly because they f'ing deserve it. So, it's not hard to see why we would be skeptical about a couple of chuckleheads.

 

However, this guy is rapidly proving that he knows his business. We've had very articulate clowns running this team for the last 10 years at least, what good did that do us?

There's something quite amusing about the phrase "articulate clowns."

 

Why can't we see how this season turns out before we canonize Nix?

Funny how that only works one way.

[Kelly the Dog]

Huh? Holy obfuscation!! I made no comment about Southerners and their ability to own an NFL team.

 

My point was a signifcant number of owners are form the south--and owners hire GMs. They would certainly appreciate a Southerner's down home honesty. You claimed it was a liability for Buddy--nonsense. If any other owner thought Buddy was GM material, someone would have made him theirs long ago.

 

Why can't we see how this season turns out before we canonize Nix?

Name one.

 

I assume there have been one or two although I cannot remember seeing any in 45 years of closely watching football. Coaches? Sure. But GM is a different job.

 

It's just a theory, there is no proof anyway, either way.

 

And I am not talking about his abilities as a GM anyway. I am talking about what he says and how he says it. I love listening to him, it's a breath of fresh air. But he still contradicts himself a lot, isn't totally straight forward (it's impossible to be), has surely made some mistakes, and we surely don't know if his plan is working until they prove it on the field and make the playoffs.

 

I like the way he is building the team though, with big, fast, smart, high character guys for the MOST part. It seems to me we are on the right path and this year will be a major disappointment and failure if we do not make the playoffs barring serious injuries to a few key players.

[OCinBuffalo]

Why can't we see how this season turns out before we canonize Nix?

Do you also support Obama? Cause....this just reminds me of the straw-grasping going on with them as well.

 

Similarly, nobody is saying that Nix/Romney is great just yet....

....but you/they know right now, there's a significant risk that everything you/they have been saying for the last 3 years may be determined to be utter horseschit. As time goes on, piece by piece, your/their perception of that risk is...that it's growing, isn't it?

 

Makes you/them quite uncomfortable, doesn't it? Especially when each news item, big or small, after the next, keeps whittling away at your position?

[atlbillsfan1975]

The entire core of starters remained the same, they didn't blow up anything. What planet are you from? look at the starters from 2009 to 2010 and tell me what changed?

 

Offense, Fitz was already the starter under Perry Fewell in 09. Eric Wood, Andy Levitre, Stevie Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson. Demetrius Bell. Geoff Hangarter Lee Evans 8 of 11 starters TO was not resigned or it would have been 10 of 11. The Bills really never had a #2 WR last year after TO and Evans, unless you count Brad Smith who never made an impact

 

Defense, Kyle Williams, Poz, Whitner , Jairus Byrd , George Wilson, Drayton Florance, Chris Kelsay, Leodis McKelvin , Marcus Stroud 9 of 11 starters still on the team in 2010 Poz and Whitner would still be starting but they chose to leave Buffalo

 

 

Oh yea they really blew things up.

 

They changed those great play makers, [b]New on Offense 2010 [/b], TE David Martain, FB Corey MCIntyre, ( RT Kirk Chambers retired) RT Mansfield Wrotto RT Cornell Green Oh yea those were great improvements on offense 3 changes FB-TE-RT Only the FB is still a starter, he had 4 attempts for 5 yards

New on defense for 2010, changes DE Dwan Edwards- LB Akin Ayodele- LB Reggie Tobor and Dwan Edwards is the only guy still starting 2011, and he was only in for the 3-4 defense. Spencer Johnson was in for the 4-3

 

 

When will you guys wake up and realize Nix didn't blow up anything. They took almost the exact same starters and fell on their faces

 

 

So tell me, what draft picks from the 2010 draft class started in 2010? 6 players changed and 4 of then sucked so badly they are no longer starting. Perhaps the reason they went 4-12.

The planet where bringing up a starting line up from 2 years ago is silly. And they fell on their faces because they changed schemes? not saying they did, but they realized you had to take a step back to go forward, big time

use 2011 starters

and better yet lets talk opening day of 2012.

You my friend make yourself look silly.

The other thing i will point out is how much playing time did freddie and SJ and Fitz and Bell see under jauron??

the only good thing jauron did was move Wilson to safety. Thats it.

Edited March 20, 2012 by atlbillsfan1975

[Mike in Horseheads]

Do you also support Obama? Cause....this just reminds me of the straw-grasping going on with them as well.

 

Similarly, nobody is saying that Nix/Romney is great just yet....

....but you/they know right now, there's a significant risk that everything you/they have been saying for the last 3 years may be determined to be utter horseschit. As time goes on, piece by piece, your/their perception of that risk is...that it's growing, isn't it?

 

Makes you/them quite uncomfortable, doesn't it? Especially when each news item, big or small, after the next, keeps whittling away at your position?

 

Very sad your dragging politics into this, and yes I did vote for President Obama and intend to again.

[DanInUticaTampa]

The politics angle was a terrible comparison

[OCinBuffalo]

Very sad your dragging politics into this, and yes I did vote for President Obama and intend to again.

Just an analogy targeted at a specific poster who patently deserves it....and, a hook, for whatever fish comes along and can't see it for the obvious trap it is.

 

Wriggle little fishy...

 

Now, run along. Everything is going to be fine, and, your vote is based on....performance. There. See? I've told you 2 comforting lies to assuage that "not so fresh feeling"....how nice of me.

 

The politics angle was a terrible comparison

You don't know WEO?....actually it's quite fitting. Customized, even.

[DanInUticaTampa]

I don't know weo, but I haven't seen him bring up politics in a football thread. All we need to do is throw religion in there and we will have ten pages of nonfootball talk