Let me explain how the NFL works

[MDH]

Yes they suck a lot but fans have a totally unrealistic expectation for rapid improvement. The minute we lose a game it's time to blow the team up. Do you, GG, really expect the Bills to just come out of one camp and blow the league away? I know I know, 13 years, yadda yadda. But what do you seriously expect a team to just come out of the chute winning every game?

 

I always assume, perhaps naively, that people are just blowing off steam and are not to be taken literally. Hell, I yell all kinds of crap at my TV during a game, I just try to be more level headed once I head out into public (or online.)

 

That being said, the "let's give them time" line every 3 years gets a bit old after awhile. Particularly when you see other teams go from worst to first in a single season. Rationally thinking, yeah, you're right, in general it's going to take a little time and it's not this staff's fault. But people are just fed up with giving this team time. I understand it, it's frustrating as hell.

[birdog1960]

You didn't answer the question. The longer you are bad does it mean you have to be great that much faster? If yes, then how?

 

PTR

no i don't think you correlate time of sucktitude to time of turnaround. that is much more dependent on the quality of the organization. i'd say that's why we hope for a turn around in 3 years rather than 1 (as some good orgs have accomplished) and are repeatedly disappointed.

[GG]

Yes they suck a lot but fans have a totally unrealistic expectation for rapid improvement. The minute we lose a game it's time to blow the team up. Do you, GG, really expect the Bills to just come out of one camp and blow the league away? I know I know, 13 years, yadda yadda. But what do you seriously expect a team to just come out of the chute winning every game?

 

I expect to see improvement in the direction of the team with each successive turnaround effort. I don't expect a SB caliber team on the footsteps of a mediocre 6-10 outfit. But I do expect the front office to learn from past mistakes and try, just for once, to give the new coaching staff the tools to become a competitive team. I do expect the front office to also be very mindful of the new coach's assistant hiring decisions and hold them accountable for the performance on the field and address them during the season.

 

There's a reason that this team has been much closer to the bottom than to the top for 14 years running, despite the great odd against it. That reason isn't far from the head office at OBD.

[Chef Jim]

Yea how do they do that? Good one lol

 

Oh come on that's easy.

 

This was already taken. A better question would be "can you cook retatta in less than 3 hours?"

 

Why yes, yes I can.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Chef Jim

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

 

Get some pasta. Soak it in pickle juice. Let stand for one hour. Open microwave door and set the time to cook.

 

For god sakes don't use a sauce pan! Sparks....

[Dibs]

It's refreshing to me to see that unrealistic optimism gets mocked in a similar manner to unrealistic pessimism on this board.

[Beerball]

It's refreshing to me to see that unrealistic optimism gets mocked in a similar manner to unrealistic pessimism on this board.

We are equal opportunity mocker fockers.

[26TrapDraw]

 

 

Is anyone asking for an elite team this year?

There's elite, there's mediocre, and then there's losing by a TD to the Jets despite a +2 turnover edge and a billion penalties in our favor.

+1

Just saying.

[birdog1960]

discussing the manning documentary with some friends and this came up: archie dissuaded eli from playing for the 4-12 chargers (1st pick) in 2004 draft likely cuz he didn't want to see him waste his talent in a bad orgination like he had to. this brought about his trade for the 4th overall pick (philip rivers) and 2 draft picks. the bills connection? we picked losman in the 1st round in that draft and we later picked up one of the draft picks twice (merriman). if eli wouldn't sign with the chargers, do you think he would have signed with the bills? maybe we haven't had a top qb for years because of this potential scenario which is in turn due of the organizations bad reputation.

Edited September 26, 2013 by birdog1960

[SRQ_BillsFan]

watched the archie manning documentary last night. when his wife was talking about his nfl years and particularly his years with the saints, she lamented him having to work for such a bad organization. not a bad team, but a bad organization. and the pain was clearly visible in archies eyes as she talked. this is what bad organizations do to teams and even great players. and sadly, this is what i feel the bills will continue to do as long as current ownership remains. that's how the nil works, at least at the bottom.

 

What scares me is what will be the financial plan of a new owner. Still a small market club but now with debt. Kind of like Clevland and each new owner there has achieved such positive results.

 

Scary thought. Ralph keeps the budget in check, but not because he is forced to. 20 years could be more of a reality than we think. Our best hope is to get lucky and hopefully we did that with EJ and Marrone or it's more of the same.

 

 

[KD in CA]

thread title of the year! in my opinion. a close second would be "andy levitre" the guy that thought of that title is a f#%^ing genius!

 

I have to go wtih the 'TJ Graham death chart' title. Nurse!

[Clippers of Nfl]

This is a very young team with a lot of play makers and future stars which will continue to play close competitive games, and which I expect to see continued improvement from.

 

Anyone who bails now is going to miss a fun ride.

Like Tj Graham crackers?? Or Leonidas McLovin?

 

Oh and thanks for teaching me how the nfl works. I've been watching for 23 years, but it took this one post to realize how the nfl works. I didnt really understand it. But when you typed it twice, then it finally hit me!!!

[Joe W]

What scares me is what will be the financial plan of a new owner. Still a small market club but now with debt. Kind of like Clevland and each new owner there has achieved such positive results.

 

Scary thought. Ralph keeps the budget in check, but not because he is forced to. 20 years could be more of a reality than we think. Our best hope is to get lucky and hopefully we did that with EJ and Marrone or it's more of the same.

 

For all who preach patience this is the biggest problem. You have a 95 year old owner who's on his last legs and still stays $20 million under the cap despite a 25k initial investment. New owners if they choose to keep the team in Buffalo will have at least a $900 million initial investment - the budget would have to get even tighter.

 

These constant rebuilds assume this team will be here forever.

[birdog1960]

 

 

For all who preach patience this is the biggest problem. You have a 95 year old owner who's on his last legs and still stays $20 million under the cap despite a 25k initial investment. New owners if they choose to keep the team in Buffalo will have at least a $900 million initial investment - the budget would have to get even tighter.

 

These constant rebuilds assume this team will be here forever.

agreed as to the timetable. i was going to bring that up when a 20 year drought was talked about but even the mention of the mortality of the hall of fame owner draws anger here. i don't know though, green bay does pretty well with their "owner" in a small market. i know that such an arrangement can't happen again but maybe we luck into an owner with very deep pockets that really wants to win. maybe the league does a cushy financing deal for the sale in the interest of a better product.

[Joe W]

but even the mention of the mortality of the hall of fame owner draws anger here.

 

95 years in October. Hope he's not buying green bananas.

 

The faux new owner Branden is a tool He's busy counting his ticket inventory