20 years following this team: I've never been more pessimistic

[#34fan]

The best thing I ever did was come up with things to do on Sundays from September-January that didn't include the Bills. Do I follow them? Sure but my Monday attitude is no longer based on Sunday's outcome.

 

1. Unicorns

2. Leprechauns

3. Tooth Fairy

4. UFO's

5. Sundays without the Bills

 

Wait... I may have actually seen a UFO

Edited March 7, 2013 by #34fan

[Billsguy]

I am more optimistic about Marrone than I was about Gailey,Jauron,Mularkey, and Williams. However, the bar has been set extremely low.

 

The only coaches in Bills history that were any good were Saban and Levy. Wade Phillips had a decent won'loss record, but he wasn't a top notch head coach. Chuck Knox had a couple decent years, but the Bills history of head coaches is dominated by miserable failures.

 

Ralph Wilson hired a lot of really unqualified people over his tenure.

[NewEra]

Don't get me wrong--I'm not going to not care the Bills this year. Or not follow the NFL. Or try to convince people not to watch.

 

I'm just genuinely curious: does anyone have any hope whatsoever for the coming season?

 

It's just (to me) mind boggling how inept this organization is.

 

In so many threads on here, for so long, I've defended the decisions the team has made. And when (usually) older posters would say something like "rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic," I would shake my head, thumb out something along the lines of "you gotta BILLieve," and smile coyly to myself knowing that when we won the super bowl NEXT season, i would have the last laugh.

 

I no longer feel that way.

 

THREE years ago, when the bills took baltimore to overtime, pittsburgh to overtime, and then won 4 in a row, it felt like a corner was turned. That was THREE years ago. We were "rebuilding" that entire time. Yet, here we are:

 

4 wins/6 wins/6 wins later. Rebuilding again.

 

No qb, no wideouts, no tight end, soon to be a weak interior line, no line backers, and a franchised safety who will probably walk next year.

 

It's been done to death, but I'll just say it again:

 

Our coach--couldnt succeed on the college level, in a bad conference. Now he's going to outsmart belliceck?

Our O coordinator has next to no NFL experience.

Our QB is unknown.

Our GM did so bad over the last 3 years, that we're rebuilding again. AND WE DIDNT FIRE HIM. were about to promote his protege!

we have no receivers.

we're going to let an olineman walk--to draft his replacement?? why? our running backs were dominant, and surprisingly, our qb didnt get sacked much--now we need to rebuild the oline??

 

If next season is a wash, then we are rebuilding again. Ok, why keep nix?

 

If we are close for next season, then why are we getting rid of these players (jones, nelson, etc.) It's because were not close, we're clearly going to rebuild! so fire nix! start over!

 

And next season, who's coming down the pike?

 

new england twice

pittsburgh

 

 

baltimore

cincy

new orleans

atlanta

 

theres 7 losses right there.

 

6 months til the season starts, but if this season is a wash, whats the point? ANOTHER rebuild?

 

i dont have the patience to prep myself for another 4 win season.

 

i cant believe im going to say this, but i am seriously considering not buying sunday ticket, and not spending my money on this team anymore. its just not worth it. 300+ dollars to watch a 3-5 win team "rebuild" for the 14th year in a row.

 

its so depressing.

 

We would've turned the corner if we would've: A: realized fritz was a bum. B: hired a good defensive coordinator. C: hired a good HC. We will continue to rebuild until we find a good QB and a good HC. Is Marrone the answer? No one knows. We may have 50% of that equation complete. Just need a gdam QB.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Don't get me wrong--I'm not going to not care the Bills this year. Or not follow the NFL. Or try to convince people not to watch.

 

I'm just genuinely curious: does anyone have any hope whatsoever for the coming season?

 

It's just (to me) mind boggling how inept this organization is.

 

In so many threads on here, for so long, I've defended the decisions the team has made. And when (usually) older posters would say something like "rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic," I would shake my head, thumb out something along the lines of "you gotta BILLieve," and smile coyly to myself knowing that when we won the super bowl NEXT season, i would have the last laugh.

 

I no longer feel that way.

 

THREE years ago, when the bills took baltimore to overtime, pittsburgh to overtime, and then won 4 in a row, it felt like a corner was turned. That was THREE years ago. We were "rebuilding" that entire time. Yet, here we are:

 

4 wins/6 wins/6 wins later. Rebuilding again.

 

No qb, no wideouts, no tight end, soon to be a weak interior line, no line backers, and a franchised safety who will probably walk next year.

 

It's been done to death, but I'll just say it again:

 

Our coach--couldnt succeed on the college level, in a bad conference. Now he's going to outsmart belliceck?

Our O coordinator has next to no NFL experience.

Our QB is unknown.

Our GM did so bad over the last 3 years, that we're rebuilding again. AND WE DIDNT FIRE HIM. were about to promote his protege!

we have no receivers.

we're going to let an olineman walk--to draft his replacement?? why? our running backs were dominant, and surprisingly, our qb didnt get sacked much--now we need to rebuild the oline??

 

If next season is a wash, then we are rebuilding again. Ok, why keep nix?

 

If we are close for next season, then why are we getting rid of these players (jones, nelson, etc.) It's because were not close, we're clearly going to rebuild! so fire nix! start over!

 

And next season, who's coming down the pike?

 

new england twice

pittsburgh

baltimore

cincy

new orleans

atlanta

 

theres 7 losses right there.

 

6 months til the season starts, but if this season is a wash, whats the point? ANOTHER rebuild?

 

i dont have the patience to prep myself for another 4 win season.

 

i cant believe im going to say this, but i am seriously considering not buying sunday ticket, and not spending my money on this team anymore. its just not worth it. 300+ dollars to watch a 3-5 win team "rebuild" for the 14th year in a row.

 

its so depressing.

 

lets see how FA and the draft go before you end it all, the silver lining in having a bad season is getting Johny football, so win or lose next year is going to be a great year.

[maddenboy]

here's my take.

 

Buffalo is never trying to win the super bowl THIS year.

 

There are about 12-15 teams who, every year, are trying to win the super bowl THIS year.

 

Buffalo just wants to improve. Well, every team is trying to improve. Every year.

 

To me, the gauge this year is whether they draft a QB with the first pick. If so, they are trying to win NOW. If not, if they draft any other position, they are building for the future.

 

Rinse. Repeat.

[Bill from NYC]

if you need something to look forward to.......there's always the first pick in the draft.

 

Nah. The Bills are awful, but the Raiders are even worse, And they are in cap hell this, and probably next season. That said, in a way we are in worse shape than the Raiders in terms of being tormented, We have cap space and are about to watch one of our only good players walk away.

 

But seriously, how many Bills Fans are surprised by this?

[CSBill]

IF anyone is going to instititue a culture change its Marrone. He had players quit because he was too hard of a coach. Thats the most encouraging thing ive read about this guy

 

Right, same thing they said about Greg Williams; you remember the tough guy fog horn strategy right? . . . and how did that work out?

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I see so much of the same thing coming from Marrone. So far, I'm not buying it, but I do hope I'm wrong.

[ThurmasThoman]

here's my take.

 

Buffalo is never trying to win the super bowl THIS year.

 

There are about 12-15 teams who, every year, are trying to win the super bowl THIS year.

 

 

Right.

 

And the thing that is really irking me the most about this entire process--

 

this whole board, from those who have said they agree with me, to those who say they are cautiously optimistic, agree that we are in "rebuilding" mode.

 

we've been in rebuilding mode for 3 years now under nix, and now we're starting over?

 

He should be fired. today. and i don't think promoting his protege is the answer.

 

the only way i could even remotely be excited about rebuilding again is if brandon had literally fired every single person (besides himself) within the organization, and hired a new gm. and that gm could be anyone from the manager of a pacsun in the mall, to polian, to brain cashman, WHO CARES.

 

the team just needs a new "culture."

 

because right now, there are 2 scenarios at play:

 

either 1) nix is charged with gutting the team nix created

or

2) marrone (with 0 nfl experience) is charged with gutting the team nix created while nix sits upstairs in his office playing mahjong.

 

both of those scenarios are, quite frankly, embarassing.

 

and, if were going to give marrone full autonomy in building the roster, why not hire chip kelly?

 

not trying to convince anyone to leave jonestown with me, but im starting to see how the older posters on here say things like

 

"show me some wins before i buy nfl sunday ticket,"

 

because eventually you reach a point where shelling our 300$ for sunday ticket to see this product all over again seems like a real bad idea, not a badge of honor. and the spin coming from our marketing director errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr team president, sounds the same as it does every year.

 

makes me think of how excited i was when we signed TO, like that was going to put us over the hump, or mario. SMH.

[xsoldier54]

hey now.

 

im not un-relaxed.

 

its not like i close the blinds and listen to coldplay when the bills lose a game on sunday.

 

i didnt post this on teensuicide.net, i posted it on a buffalo bills message board.

 

im not looking for a life affirmation here--im just sharing with fellow (hopefully) fans, the fact that the joy/optimism/hope FOR FOOTBALL that i have felt looking forward to each and every season for the last 20 years (football, not life. football) has been completely sucked out of me.

 

i look at our roster, and i see a team that would get absolutely smoked by alabama.

 

like, the nfl schedule will be out in a few weeks.

 

an event i look forward to every spring.

 

but this year, im just kinda about the whole affair. ok, so we're going to play the patriots 2x? (and lose both) play the stacked afc north (and go 1-3). i mean, maybe something breaks our way here or there and we go, what, 7-9?

 

its just ive done this so many times. gailey was going to fix it, or jauron, or mularky, or williams.

 

and fitz was the future, then edwards was the future, or losman, or bledsoe.

 

its always hope for the best, be crushed by the dissapointment. this year, its expect the worst is coming, and maybe dvr the game and go do something better with my sunday. if we win, watch, if not, move on.

 

if we start 2-5, stop talking myself into the playoffs with a strong 8-1 finish, but just move on with my fall and get things done around the house.

Couldn't disagree with you more. And the Alabama thing? Please. Alabama is a great college football team. They would lose almost every single Sunday against almost all NFL teams, the Bills included. I can't understand where your pessimism is coming from. If they had kept Gailey and his staff, I could understand maybe, but they didn't do that. They canned him and brought in a whole new staff. Free agency and the draft haven't even happened yet, so there's not telling what the roster will look like in training camp, let alone on opening day. Most certainly this coaching staff is more competent than the last. There is talent on this roster already, so it seems to me that it makes sense that the team will be better this year, not worse. Edited March 7, 2013 by xsoldier54

[Dibs]

Don't get me wrong--I'm not going to not care the Bills this year. Or not follow the NFL. Or try to convince people not to watch.

 

I'm just genuinely curious: does anyone have any hope whatsoever for the coming season?

 

I do.

[BillsBackersChicago]

[simpleman]

I feel your pain. It is frustrating knowing that we so desperately need a QB, but there are none available in the draft that you can even dream of drafting for your Franchise QB. Even if we happen to get the best QB available (Geno), he still is deeply flawed and is barely a 50/50 chance of being a decent starting QB. Yes there may a gem QB hidden somewhere in the coal bin of this year's draft pile. But it will be a minor miracle if there is one hidden somewhere in there.. And we are one of 30+ teams that will consider even drafting that hidden gem, so our odds lessen even more.

I always had a problem with blind faith. When I was a teenager I remember the minister telling me I just had to have faith. Well a lifetime later I'm still waiting for proof that there is something to make that faith believable. As with the Bill's, I still keep looking for a sign, but they have not given me any glimmer since the Kelly days. So far this year all I have seen is shedding players. And in coaching, a decent D coach selection. Last year I was excited by Mario being signed. Even that didn't exactly turn out rosy. I want hope, but unlike so many out there that have set the bar so low, I see little to cheer about this coming year. I see a team with a star RB, a decent 2nd WR. We had a decent C to LT side of the OL, with a mediocre right side. Now we will probably lose Lev. We have a good S,, but only for this year, then what? An under-performing D Line with apparent talent that has not performed up to expectations. I don't see the glass as half full, not even a quarter full.

I'm hoping for a decent push on FA signings this year. A decent WR and LB. Some reliable signings at S,TE, WR,CB.

I'm hoping for some luck at the draft. But the past history of this organization and their horrible record make it hard to have much hope that things have changed. Basically the same people are still evaluating talent and making decisions as before. Same scouts, same GM, same FO. Not sure how much influence Marrone will have, or if his input will even be positive. He is totally unproven and unknown either good or bad at this point.

[Harveyj001]

Change is good.

 

My only sad feeling is that over this offseason, the new overall view of winning is getting into the playoffs?!

 

I wish winning the Super Bowl was the goal!

 

But, I'm glad the Bills are shaking things up a bit and are focused on changing the culture of the past 13 seasons.

 

With just 5 days until Free Agency begins...Russ is cheap!

 

"Russ is cheap", that is awesome! I am with you, I also understand where the original post comes from, his reasoning on the coach's success may be off, but I do understand.

[Homer]

And next season, who's coming down the pike?

 

new england twice

pittsburgh

baltimore

cincy

new orleans

atlanta

 

theres 7 losses right there.

 

We'll beat the Pats once giving us 10 wins and a shot at the playoffs

[first_and_ten]

Don't live vicariously through your favorite sports team.

 

Everyone here relates to how you're feeling but you have to separate the Bills fortunes from your own.

 

When/if you're successful in life, the Bills ineptitude won't weigh so heavily.

 

If your life is good, you already know all this and disregard if necessary.

 

Yes, the only way to keep your sanity as a Bills fan

Edited March 7, 2013 by first_and_ten

[first_and_ten]

here's my take.

 

Buffalo is never trying to win the super bowl THIS year.

 

There are about 12-15 teams who, every year, are trying to win the super bowl THIS year.

 

Buffalo just wants to improve. Well, every team is trying to improve. Every year.

 

To me, the gauge this year is whether they draft a QB with the first pick. If so, they are trying to win NOW. If not, if they draft any other position, they are building for the future.

 

Rinse. Repeat.

 

There is no quarterback in the draft worthy of the 8th overall pick. If they pick a quarterback with that pick, they prove that they are stupid.

[cosmo]

...

No qb, no wideouts, no tight end, soon to be a weak interior line, no line backers, and a franchised safety who will probably walk next year.

...

we have no receivers

 

Really, no receivers??? What about the guy that despite injuries, poor QB play and everything else has managed three straight 1000 yard seasons??? I don't know why but you are trying to make this situation sound worse than it is.

[JohnC]

Right.

 

And the thing that is really irking me the most about this entire process--

 

this whole board, from those who have said they agree with me, to those who say they are cautiously optimistic, agree that we are in "rebuilding" mode.

 

we've been in rebuilding mode for 3 years now under nix, and now we're starting over?

 

He should be fired. today. and i don't think promoting his protege is the answer.

 

the only way i could even remotely be excited about rebuilding again is if brandon had literally fired every single person (besides himself) within the organization, and hired a new gm. and that gm could be anyone from the manager of a pacsun in the mall, to polian, to brain cashman, WHO CARES.

 

the team just needs a new "culture."

 

because right now, there are 2 scenarios at play:

 

either 1) nix is charged with gutting the team nix created

or

2) marrone (with 0 nfl experience) is charged with gutting the team nix created while nix sits upstairs in his office playing mahjong.

 

both of those scenarios are, quite frankly, embarassing.

 

and, if were going to give marrone full autonomy in building the roster, why not hire chip kelly?

 

not trying to convince anyone to leave jonestown with me, but im starting to see how the older posters on here say things like

 

"show me some wins before i buy nfl sunday ticket,"

 

because eventually you reach a point where shelling our 300$ for sunday ticket to see this product all over again seems like a real bad idea, not a badge of honor. and the spin coming from our marketing director errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr team president, sounds the same as it does every year.

 

makes me think of how excited i was when we signed TO, like that was going to put us over the hump, or mario. SMH.

 

Let me start off by saying don't pay $300 for the Sunday Ticket. When the time comes for renewal tell the customer service rep that you can't afford the NFL Ticket any longer and that you will only keep it if you can get it for free or at a discounted price.

 

With respect to the faltering Bills they are certainly in another one of their cyclical rebuilds. Is this any different from the other failed rebuilds? That is the issue. In the NFL of today there shouldn't be a long and extended rebuild process because of the fast pace of player movement and the forced departure of good players due to cap considerations. A number of mid-range smart moves can turn an uncompetitive team into a competitive team. What distinguishes a championship contending team from the rest of the pack is the quality of their drafting. Until that changes for this rumpled organization this won't be a serious franchise.

 

If there is one positive that is going on with this organization it is that the owner is no longer involved with the franchise. Decisions will still be made that are perplexing but they won't be destructively weird. The hiring of Levy and even Nix to their positions were to put it mildly inexplicable. I suspect that after this draft Nix will be gone. So there is some hope.

 

As many others have stated over and over the difference between irrelevancy and success is the caliber of the qb taking the snaps. I disagree with a large portion of the posters who don't believe that there are good and impactful qbs in this draft. There are. Until a credible qb is on this roster the on the field malaise will continue.

 

The best way to handle this bumbling organization is to tone it down and be encouraged with the positive steps forward and don't get too discouraged when the inevitable steps backward happen. As San Jose wisely put it keep a healthy perspective on this form of entertainment.

Edited March 7, 2013 by JohnC

[dpberr]

I'm a Pittsburgh Pirates fan when I'm not cheering on the Bills. The Pirates haven't been to the playoffs since 1992.

 

For both teams, I'm optimistic and energized every offseason because I look forward to the year that the teams break their playoff droughts because that's going to feel very very good.

 

And of course you know the year you divorce your teams, it'll happen.

[Ronin]

I think your post shows you still care, which is good.

I started in 1985 and I'm pretty much where you are. For years I followed the Bills to get back to that SB high and this time get the win. But the SB years are so far away now you have to redefine success. Just getting back to the playoffs is the goal now but even that seems out of reach. I'm trying to decide if I will shell out the $300 for Sunday ticket and frankly I don't see much hope this year.

I do see some opportunities though, if nothing else the new regime is finally taking a long view and not just trying to fill seats this year. A lot will depend on QB and there is time for that to play out, so for now I'm guardedly optimistic in the long term.

 

Most people here aren't going to agree with this or even think that it's true, but the problem with this organization is that the entire front office still reeks from Tom Donahoe's influence. The primary guys that he installed are still there and are obviously buffoons. The fact that they get paid to do what some of us could easily do better on a part-time charity basis is irrelevant.

 

They're all still here and even the new FO pretty boy, Doug Whaley, is one of them. So why people seem to think that he's some rising superstar when he's been an integral part of the problem simply boggles the mind. He too hales from Donahoe's Pittsburgh Friends & Family hiring jobs program. This organization is as much good-ole-boy network as any organization in the league if not the worst.

 

Until that changes then anyone expecting anything different does so at their own risk. And for some it's no risk, they have no lives despite lectures of success etc. For the rest of us, we have other things to do and family to spend time with or other pursuits to undertake so that we don't feel obligated to be "good fans" which many simply construe as financiers of this lame organization. X dollars for tickets, $25 for parking, $20-30 for nominal refreshments of high school cafeteria quality, etc., all while watching a poor product in its industry.

 

Being a fan does not mean that one must put up with mediocrity, which we usually don't even get as over the last decade have more gotten pure crap. Being a fan means expecting more and holding accountable those that are supposed to provide it and when they can't, supporting finding people that can.

 

This is an entertainment business lest we forget. Who's entertained by what this team provides? Not me. Clearly not you or the thread starter. So let those that either have nothing else to do with their time and money, and those so proudly "successful" that they can justify wasting their time and apparently overly abundant resources on something akin to the consumer equivalent of Chinese made crap that doesn't work from the moment you take it out of the box that it came in.

 

When this team figures out how to succeed, and does it, then true fans such as yourself and the thread starter, myself, and the many many others that see reality for what it is will come back and support the team. Right now it is not worthy of our support whether some choose to support it or not. This ain't a jobs program for friends of the organization, it's a business, and one that outside the truest parameters of a real free-market business takes money from taxpayers, many of whom are against having their money taken for it, operates as such which should render it even more, not less, accountable.

 

My Bills fan friends and I attended every '90s Bills home playoff game and many of us slept out overnight to get tix at Marine Midland Bank in Rochester, a number of times, to get tix to those games. We also sat in the stadium when the upper decks were all but empty and you could pretty much have your pick of seats in the end zones back in the early and mid '80s upon attending almost any game. So for anyone to suggest that we're not fans merely shows the hubris of other fans.

 

Bottom line, the team's front office sucks moose balls. The marketing and ticketing depts. all but deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for being able to sell the proverbial ice to an eskimo, but after that, the rest of the front office can take their 2 IQ points and rub 'em together to try to start a fire.

 

No one's asking for a perennial Super Bowl winner here, no one. But it would be refreshing to see a team that creates itself with some kind of obvious plan that's evident, and one whereby the coaches do not routinely get embarrassed and outcoached by the most mediocre of coaches in the league not to mention themselves at times. It would be nice to see some competent football for 4 full quarters on a routine basis, win or lose.

 

Who wants to go see coaches that make idiotic decisions, have their teams perpetually unprepared and unable to adjust at halftime, see worse teams beat them, and essentially show up for two or three critical games a season while showing up with their pants down around their ankles for the other dozen-plus!

 

Well, some of those that apparently enjoy that are the more successful among us in life if they are to be believed. LOL The rest, well, probably much like most of the others in this thread that know better, that Marrone, despite being the 100% mystery meat product that he is in the NFL, is going to be a beast just because a bunch of media men told them so. LOL

 

The odds are that on March 7th, 2016, the same people are going to be opining the same things with the next head coach and/or GM in place.

 

For now it's still a free country. I'm with the thread starter though and have been for several years, at least, in not wanting to waste any of my life or resources on something being offered me as a product whereupon I find myself being insulted that anyone would think that I would accept such a shoddy product at full price.

 

At the same time, there's nothing to suggest that those that are "more successful" in life, that spend their money on such a shoddy product are wrong either. If that's what they enjoy spending money on, to me it says more about their standards, and standards as fans, than anything else. But hey, some of us have standards for what we accept, and some don't.

Edited March 7, 2013 by TaskersGhost