OCinBuffalo Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 No, this is not a negative thread. Actually the diametric opposite. Let me explain. In every thread since the draft we find the obligatory "it's only on paper", "we have good parts, let's see if they work together", "I don't want to get too excited", "slow your roll", disclaimer posts, or defense mechanism posts, whatever. I'm talking EVERY SINGLE THREAD. It's as if there is some regulation somewhere, that requires these disclaimers, and some regulator, watching every thread to ensure they are present. Kinda like the small print on commercial that ends with "Not available in NY and CA". Therefore, in order to comply with this regulation posters seem compelled to insert these disclaimers: "Not valid until at least 8 weeks into the season". But, if we look, and I mean really look, at the team, the schedule, the way we played last year, who and how much was added vs lost, right now...are we being idiotsTM with these disclaimers? Or, rather, are we going to be saying "Why didn't we see 3-1, and then 6-2, and now 10-2 coming from a mile away? If another team had done what we'd did this off-season, we'd have picked them to win the SB, not just compete for the 6th seed." Are we so shell shocked/numbed due to the last 10 years(the last time we were GAed to have a shot at the wildcard in preseason) of awfulness, that we can't be objective about it? Understand, I'm not accusing anybody of anything, nor am I saying posters aren't justified in feeling any way they want. I think they've earned that. I just wonder, are we all, including me, being idiotsTM about this? 20 weeks from now will we be asking ourselves, WTF were we thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optometric Insight Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Yes, I just came back from the future and our defense is dominant; they're first in Point Against so our offense easily outscores the other team. But, guys, try not to get to excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Caveman Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxy312 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Fans throw up the caveats because of seasons like last year and like 2008. The team starts off winning games that we don't think they should win and then completely implode later into the season. If you're talking 20 weeks from now, you're certainly just talking about the first half of the season. If they're 6-2 at that point and more importantly playing good on both sides of the ball, I'll be thinking about the playoffs. The problem with years like last year and 2008 is that they weren't. They won games they shouldn't have by virtue of just outscoring their opponents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I'm pretty sure I'm going to look back in 20 weeks and think you were all idiots... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCinBuffalo Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 I'm pretty sure I'm going to look back in 20 weeks and think you were all idiots... Yes, I thought of disclaiming that, but then, since this is a thread about disclaimers...I thought that would be...ironic, to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevWarRifleman Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Over the last dozen years the one thing that's been overwhelmingly consistant is our losing record in November & December!! Yea too many of those seasons it was due to extensive number of injuries. But even w/ those seasons aside, the Bills just couldn't get the job done in games where we were leading in the 4th quarter. In short, we had a front office that didn't get us enough quality ball players all-around, first string guys nor second string for depth. There's a litany of reasons for that, but it all boils down to that. Not enough quality players to win in the most important part of the season, November & December. With that said, yes I'm very optomistic about this year. But the season, like all seasons in the NFL, is about when the weather turns colder, the month is November, and there's 7 to 8 games to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris heff Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Fans throw up the caveats because of seasons like last year and like 2008. The team starts off winning games that we don't think they should win and then completely implode later into the season. If you're talking 20 weeks from now, you're certainly just talking about the first half of the season. If they're 6-2 at that point and more importantly playing good on both sides of the ball, I'll be thinking about the playoffs. The problem with years like last year and 2008 is that they weren't. They won games they shouldn't have by virtue of just outscoring their opponents. "by virtue of outscoring their opponents". Is it possible to not outscoring your opponent and still win? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I'm pretty sure I'm going to look back in 20 weeks and think you were all idiots... No way you'll wait 20 weeks. How could you with all the material we give around here? GO BILLS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 We can come up with many excuses and reasons, but the bottom line is that the Bills have lost 8 of their last 9 games and half of those losses were by about 4 touchdowns. This team has a lot to prove. I'm pretty sure I'm going to look back in 20 weeks and think you were all idiots... 20 weeks? Wow, you're getting patient in your dotage! No way you'll wait 20 weeks. How could you with all the material we give around here? You beat me by a minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy in 4C Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 The Bills landing in the 6th seed is justified in my opinion. On paper we might be better than that. The problem is that we still don't know how good Fitz is and Gailey was out-coached a lot last year. In a playoff type setting, you need a QB and coach and those are both question marks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van_phelaN1 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Yes, I just came back from the future and our defense is dominant; they're first in Point Against so our offense easily outscores the other team. But, guys, try not to get to excited. Hey, speaking of, I found a piece of a custom made walking cane broken off inside my DeLorean DMC-12 this morning. Anything you want to tell me?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAWNDO Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Absolutely not, this offseason has delivered the most hope for Bills Fans in a long time. If the Bills fall flat on their faces this season, that would be the final proof the football gods hate us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van_phelaN1 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I see where the OP is coming from. It does seem rather odd but one only needs to look to last years Eagles team and see what "good on paper" gets you when a team can't pull it all together. Admitedly the Bills have a few things going for them. The offense (for the most part) doesn't have a major transition to go through and can build on what was accomplished last year, with a few new options (Graham, Glenn etc). The defense on the other hand has a new DC, new players (some more MARIO than others). So I guess it all hangs on how well/quickly the defense can come together. The switch to 4-3 shouldn't be too demanding because the personnel seem to fit and towards the end of last season they were starting to use more 4-3 looks But we can argue all of that stuff until we are blue in the face. What this really comes down to is the psyche of us fans. Our disclaimers are a results of a few things IMHO. 1) It is hard to be optimistic about a team that hasn't been to the playoffs in 12 years, especially when during a good portion of those years we were shown bad coaching, bad play and what appeared to be a front office with no urgency to turn it all around. We are now finally starting to see a staff that wants to win and a team being built to do so. 2) We have been burned by optimism before, namely two times recently. Trent Edwards and Co. starting hot, only to fall apart, and then the same scenario a couple of years later with Fitzy and Co, along with this new great coaching staff. This time around if the Bills start 5-1 there will be plenty of people (both fans and media alike) that will be all to quick to remind us that we have seen it happen before. 3) We don't know how to handle success. Chan said it best,(as I paraphrase) you cant hope you can win, you have to expect to win. As far as fans go, we have spent years hoping to win. Until the Bills can put it all together for a season, it is hard to expect them to win. However, to answer your question, I sure hope 20 weeks from now I can tell everyone how much of an idiot I was for being cautious. It would be a great reason to feel stupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 1340817236[/url]' post='2493950']No, this is not a negative thread. Actually the diametric opposite. Let me explain. In every thread since the draft we find the obligatory "it's only on paper", "we have good parts, let's see if they work together", "I don't want to get too excited", "slow your roll", disclaimer posts, or defense mechanism posts, whatever. I'm talking EVERY SINGLE THREAD. It's as if there is some regulation somewhere, that requires these disclaimers, and some regulator, watching every thread to ensure they are present. Kinda like the small print on commercial that ends with "Not available in NY and CA". Therefore, in order to comply with this regulation posters seem compelled to insert these disclaimers: "Not valid until at least 8 weeks into the season". But, if we look, and I mean really look, at the team, the schedule, the way we played last year, who and how much was added vs lost, right now...are we being idiotsTM with these disclaimers? Or, rather, are we going to be saying "Why didn't we see 3-1, and then 6-2, and now 10-2 coming from a mile away? If another team had done what we'd did this off-season, we'd have picked them to win the SB, not just compete for the 6th seed." Are we so shell shocked/numbed due to the last 10 years(the last time we were GAed to have a shot at the wildcard in preseason) of awfulness, that we can't be objective about it? Understand, I'm not accusing anybody of anything, nor am I saying posters aren't justified in feeling any way they want. I think they've earned that. I just wonder, are we all, including me, being idiotsTM about this? 20 weeks from now will we be asking ourselves, WTF were we thinking? Not if Ryan Fitzpatrick was that teams qb. That's the issue. We don't know what we have at qb. Is it fitz we saw in the first few weeks of 2011 or the fitz we saw the first 6 years of his career and the 2nd half of last season. Injuries, to him and the team obviously hurt his play, but we still aren't sure what we have at qb. Some think they know, good or bad, but the jury is still out. We'll see come week 8, like we always say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoutbox Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Remember the beginning of the 2003 season? The end of the 2004 season? The beginning of the 2008 season? How about all those seasons since Rusty Jones left where the IR roster was nearly as large as the regular 53-man roster? I'll start "billieving" as soon as this team stops choking in big games and stays relatively healthy for a full season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optometric Insight Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Hey, speaking of, I found a piece of a custom made walking cane broken off inside my DeLorean DMC-12 this morning. Anything you want to tell me?? Couldn't have been me since I'm a TEEN soo... Hope you find the culprit, DeLoreans aren't cheap, especially the DMC-12. If the person takes it and doesn't return it, you're gonna be in some trouble. May I suggest installing a security mechanism? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van_phelaN1 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 (edited) Couldn't have been me since I'm a TEEN soo... Hope you find the culprit, DeLoreans aren't cheap, especially the DMC-12. If the person takes it and doesn't return it, you're gonna be in some trouble. May I suggest installing a security mechanism? Well I spent most of my money on plutonium to produce the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity I need to power my flux capacitor. Next time I get paid, I will get that security mechanism for sure ...I am assuming you got the Back to the Future reference but you being a teen and all you may have never seen the movie lol. Edited June 27, 2012 by Van_phelaN1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optometric Insight Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 (edited) Not if Ryan Fitzpatrick was that teams qb. That's the issue. We don't know what we have at qb. Is it fitz we saw in the first few weeks of 2011 or the fitz we saw the first 6 years of his career and the 2nd half of last season. Injuries, to him and the team obviously hurt his play, but we still aren't sure what we have at qb. Some think they know, good or bad, but the jury is still out. We'll see come week 8, like we always say. Every team has there Fitz. Giants have Eli Manning who was inconsistent; every time you heard something about the Giants next game and who would win, the analyst would always say,"It depends which Eli shows up." Alex Smith was good and bad at times before last season. Josh Freeman seemed like Tampa's answer before last season and people said all he needed was a good WR. He wasn't as good last year and now fans in Tampa are thinking if the team should get a new QB. So its just hard to guess which Fitz we'll see. Some QB's thrive in pressure and what I've seen from him, he does well under it. It's just hard for me to believe he would collapse when something is forced upon him. Well I spent most of my money on plutonium to produce the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity I need to power my flux capacitor. Next time I get paid, I will get that security mechanism for sure ...I am assuming you got the Back to the Future reference but you being a teen and all you may have never seen the movie lol. I don't see why you wouldn't get the security mechanism first. What's the point in investing all that money into the thing if it gets stolen? I think I caught the second Back to the Future in a marathon on ABC Family so I got the reference. Pretty good movie, wish I was able to catch the first one and stay up longer for the third. EDIT: I bet all the nerds reading this on here are having nerdgasms. They might also be correcting us: "Look at these nubes, using just plutonium. Every body should know it's a 65% uranium, 45% plutonium mix. And 1.21 gigawatts!?!? That would blow the entire thing up, the electrical flow should be at a steady 1.15 gigawatts. These guys are so dumb, no wonder they're Bills fans! Edited June 27, 2012 by Teen Insight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Avenger Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Every year at this time it seems like ther's excitement, and I understand - as fans we all desperately want the team to do well and at this point in the season we're as good as anyone else - 0-0. It's fun to be excited an optimistic. But I have to laugh at how many times fans are polled in May and 80% think the coming season will have us better than .500, and damn near 50% think the Bills will have double digit wins - that's optimism for a team that's had 1 winning season in the past dozen. I agree that this offseason has been particularly exciting with some additions that look really good - who can't be excited about our defensive line? But in all honesty I'm still trying to temper my optimism - the thought of getting all hyped up in May for a team that finishes with 7 wins or less AGAIN makes me want to puke - I'm not doing it. After so many years of getting my hopes up I think being on the pessimistic side is a natural defense - easier to start negative and have the Bills over-perform than the get all crazy and have them crush you when they go on an 6 game skid. Anyway, so much is unknown. How will players perform in the system? Who will get hurt? With some key injuries (Fitz, offensive line, receiver) we could be in some real trouble - surely you remember the days when they Bills couldn't move the ball to save their lives - what if we had Thigpen throwing to Clowney with UFA's at the tackle spots? Nope - you can call me a cranky old man all you want but I'm not going to get worked up until the season starts and the team shows me something on the field - for now its all hype.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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