Patience has been earned by this regime

[Dopey]

No it doesn't. With FA and the draft many teams turn things around in well less than three years. Those teams usually have a good QB situation to build upon. If this team doesn't make the playoffs it will be squarely on Fitz's shoulders and this regime decided he was thier QB. If he fails he brings them down with him. They chose not to draft a young QB to groom, they chose not to bring in any viable back-up, and they chose to give him that contract. If Fitz is the albatross for this team, then Gailey should lose his job.

 

 

 

Dude they have been losing for twelve years, they sell out most of their games when there is still hope, and I would guess merchadise sales in Buffalo are just fine...As Steve Young stated about the enitre NFL, Bills fans have an inelastic demand for the Bills. Add in a battered syndrome mentality for the fans, and you get a fan base that spends money regardless of the product on the field. There is no rationale correlation between on the field performance and money spent on the BIlls.

 

On fitz' shoulders? Based on what? We are 1-1 and he played good in our victory.What if we don't make the playoffs but Fitz plays lights out ? We blame Fitz?!

 

 

I think there is a correlation. I haven't bought a jersey in 8 yrs. Now I think I will buy a 99 jersey. I was not going to wear the jersey of some scrub on our team like we had 3-4 yrs ago.

Most of the games are sold out because they are the cheapest in the NFL. Once the team is bought and loans have to be paid, ticket prices will go up. When this happens, the sellouts will be less frequent when the team is no good vs. plenty of sellouts when the team is a contender. jmo

Edited September 21, 2012 by Dopey

[Mr. WEO]

This board is the wrong place to start a thread about patience.

 

I think both Gailey and Nix have been around long enough to know the only thing that matters is the end result. Gailey says it all the time. These guys know all of the "feel good" crap like changing the culture and having high character players doesn't mean diddly poo unless there are more Ws than Ls on the standings page.

 

What impresses me about both is their dedication to building it the right way. Who on the current roster was starting during Jauron's last season? Fitz, Wood (at a different position), and Levitre on offense, and Kelsay, Wilson, and Byrd on defense. Oh, and Moorman and Lindell. That's 6 out of 22 position players. In 2+ seasons Nix has replaced 16 starters and built an actual bench of depth, particularly on the lines.

 

I'm hopeful injuries don't strike and this team starts to realize its potential, because anything less than a 9-win season is going to be viewed very unfavorably.

 

 

 

6 out of 22 is "significant?" I beg to differ.

 

 

You are not even close.

 

Fitz, SJ, Freddie, Corie Mac, Levitre, Bell, Wood, Kelsay, Kyle Williams, McGee, McKelvin, George Wilson, Byrd, Lindell, Moorman...these guys were all on the roster and most were starters. All have been starters for Chan--15 guys handed to Chan.

 

You could instead make the argument that the only high impact players Nix and Chan have brought in so far are Barnett and CJ, Dareus and perhaps Mario (unless some practice teamer gets a hand in his face). Throw in Chandler and guys like Pears and Urbik if you have to, but that's a stretch. Glenn may be really good, but probably won't be able tell the difference between him and, say, Bell. But LTs aren't high impact players.

 

The most important position has never been addressed by Nix and Chan. There is no QB in development. The backup position has been given the keystone cops approach this off-season. We were treated to a face off between TT and VY. And oh, never mind that--let's just pick up a guy who hasn't caught on with 2 other teams (the last one dumped him for the undersized rookie no one here wanted) in his brief NFL career.

Edited September 21, 2012 by Mr. WEO

[BiggieScooby]

What we do on the road, defines 2012. We have now lost 8 straight. We will need to at least win 3 on the road to have a chance.

[3rdand12]

You are not even close.

 

Fitz, SJ, Freddie, Corie Mac, Levitre, Bell, Wood, Kelsay, Kyle Williams, McGee, McKelvin, George Wilson, Byrd, Lindell, Moorman...these guys were all on the roster and most were starters. All have been starters for Chan--15 guys handed to Chan.

 

You could instead make the argument that the only high impact players Nix and Chan have brought in so far are Barnett and CJ, Dareus and perhaps Mario (unless some practice teamer gets a hand in his face). Throw in Chandler and guys like Pears and Urbik if you have to, but that's a stretch. Glenn may be really good, but probably won't be able tell the difference between him and, say, Bell. But LTs aren't high impact players.

 

The most important position has never been addressed by Nix and Chan. There is no QB in development. The backup position has been given the keystone cops approach this off-season. We were treated to a face off between TT and VY. And oh, never mind that--let's just pick up a guy who hasn't caught on with 2 other teams (the last one dumped him for the undersized rookie no one here wanted) in his brief NFL career.

Let me come at this discussion from a hopefully clearer tack dear Sir.

Nix has been building a team to his design. His methods and his type of players. Amazing how much influence he has gained over the years and showing itself best at the last draft.

The first couple years lots of mistakes were made or lack of corrective actions sunk us lower than we were back then with your respected D Jauron. whom i hold in esteem .

I think the team is beginning the the fine tuning just now. the last previous years were the grunt work and now we can work on details. As Chan mentioned i believe is that we are 3rd year of offensive implementation and its tough to get up to speed for any recent aquired players such as qb's. I guess they feel that player continuity is key ingredient.

The offensive line would be a good example. The defensive line Will be i bet by mid season and the secondary will follow.

If we should discuss the Fitz issue and why we are playing him now,

I am guessing he is stop gap. Chan has had his eye on some draftees and you all know he is not thinking Ryan is franchise. its just the guy we need to get behind while we are finding The Guy.

To The Naysaers. I say just let it roll look for the highlights and look forward to picking up more better players next year.

Like i said i think the fine tuning has just begun.

If we have 3 years of 7-9 we willknow we are stuck in the mud and need to change horses, or trucks jeeps coaches or whatever but sit and spin is no good. improvement from here on is what i expect

Edited September 21, 2012 by 3rdand12

[3rdand12]

No it doesn't. With FA and the draft many teams turn things around in well less than three years. Those teams usually have a good QB situation to build upon. If this team doesn't make the playoffs it will be squarely on Fitz's shoulders and this regime decided he was thier QB. If he fails he brings them down with him. They chose not to draft a young QB to groom, they chose not to bring in any viable back-up, and they chose to give him that contract. If Fitz is the albatross for this team, then Gailey should lose his job.

 

 

 

Dude they have been losing for twelve years, they sell out most of their games when there is still hope, and I would guess merchadise sales in Buffalo are just fine...As Steve Young stated about the enitre NFL, Bills fans have an inelastic demand for the Bills. Add in a battered syndrome mentality for the fans, and you get a fan base that spends money regardless of the product on the field. There is no rationale correlation between on the field performance and money spent on the BIlls.

some teams have been able to get up and running quicker than that. I am sure there are many circumstances for that that i would not pretend to understand. I dont think they avoided the qb situation. But we all know they havent solved it yet either!

 

Good point about this season and the state of the franchise. We keep losing like last year and at least?? half? the fan base will drop out this time. I mean look at the blackout potential this year for teams. Who wants to buy a team and keep it here if we suck?

[Kelly the Dog]

We keep losing like last year and at least?? half? the fan base will drop out this time. I mean look at the blackout potential this year for teams. Who wants to buy a team and keep it here if we suck?

I'd bet anything that it's exactly the same number of potential buyers as there is now, and exactly the same number of potential buyers if the team is good.

[JoeF]

I'd bet anything that it's exactly the same number of potential buyers as there is now, and exactly the same number of potential buyers if the team is good.

 

When there is only 32 of a commodity -- and its a desirable commodity -- there is a steep, steep demand curve.

[Bufcomments]

Nice post. I think the culture change and setting the team up for the long haul are the best things that Nix and Gailey have done. I didn't think so at the time but I think the Spiller pick was directly due to them knowing they were getting rid of Lynch and everyone like him. They have made numerous mistakes, both of them, but with what they were given, and what they have now, to me, is night and day.

 

This, however, is the season. These guys have to produce on the field. Barring catastrophic injury, like last year, this team needs to take the next step and start to put wins on the board. If this team does not make the playoffs, with this schedule, it will be a major disappointment to me and failure of sorts of the Nix/Gailey regime (unless some strange thing happens where they win 10-11 games and don't get in). I was lukewarm about the Nix hire and hated the Gailey hire, but started to like both of them within a relatively short time, and now I genuinely like both a lot. If they don't win now, however, that will be fleeting.

This

We been waiting 12 yrs. My patience ran out after last season after being 5-2.

Show me the baby or buy a new crib .

[3rdand12]

I'd bet anything that it's exactly the same number of potential buyers as there is now, and exactly the same number of potential buyers if the team is good.

well i made an uneducated surmise based on my purchasing experience. If i buy a used car i dont want to have to rebuild the whole thing to get it down the track.

I dont mind a little fixing up though.

Nix has reworked the team to his vision of a winning franchise

For the better i think. Bigger, stronger in the trenches.

[Sisyphean Bills]

You seem to completely miss the point that 9 of those seasons are not Chan and Nix fault.

 

People tend to get a little short sited.....we want a winner....I get it.....but lets not blame Chan and Nix for 9 of those years.

 

Maybe. Or maybe the point is that the group that hired all of the people over that period of time is exactly the same. Which goes directly to why it is important for this team, Nix and Gailey, to distinguish themselves by results as actually different from their predecessors rather than talk about how they are different.