TC in St. Louis Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Somebody asked if Kelly could lead our present team to the Super Bowl. Who knows? But this video will remind many of you what fun we had about 24 years ago.
Uffalo Ills Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Bruce Smith is the GOAT. Best 3-4 DE, just a bit better than Watt, IMO
Fadingpain Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Thanks for posting. I started watching, saw it was nearly an hour long, and figured I'd shut it off after 5 minutes. That was 51 minutes and 36 seconds ago. Great film.
metzelaars_lives Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Bruce Smith is the GOAT. Best 3-4 DE, just a bit better than Watt, IMO It's not happening for GOAT. Just say that you think he is the best ever. It doesn't take that long I promise. Also 40:20. You're welcome. Also you know who really was the greatest of all time at what he did? Harry Kalas.
Uffalo Ills Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 It's not happening for GOAT. Just say that you think he is the best ever. It doesn't take that long I promise. Also 40:20. You're welcome. Also you know who really was the greatest of all time at what he did? Harry Kalas. touche. I personally think GOAT sounds too much like goat. But in this case, I was on a mobile device, so the abbreviation made my life a lot easier. thanks for the reference point.
Mickey Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 So many things fell in to place for that team. Take James Lofton. The guy is the 6th pick in the draft and has one pro bowl season after another on a franchise that, at that time, seemed hopeless. The Packers had to deal with a scandal involving sexual assault charges against Mossy Cade, a defensive back. And then Lofton was charged with sexual assault leading the team to suspend him with a game left in the 1986 season. The Packer's were getting killed in the press and corporations were starting to pull out of sponsorship deals with the team so they cut both Lofton and Cade. Lofton was eventually exonerated but that came too late to save his career in Green Bay. He signed on with the Raiders who had more WR's than they knew what to do with including Willie Gault, Mervyn Fernandez and a young Tim Brown. Lofton, over 30 at the time, was the odd man out and was cut after two seasons. Meanwhile, Nick Nicolau, the WR coach for the Raiders had been fired by them and hired on at Buffalo. Then, Chris Burkett, a WR for the Bills in his 5th year with the team, skips out on a team meeting and quits his job. Lofton, 33 and unemployed at the time, hears about Burkett and calls Nicolau and before you know it, the Bills have a veteran receiver with some gas left in the tank who is 6'4", still runs in the low 4.4's, hasn't dropped a pass in a decade and is a 7 time pro bowler. And as if all that wasn't improbably lucky enough, Lofton had a tryout with Eagles before we had a roster spot open up due to Burkett's tantrum. Lofton was all but signed when Buddy Ryan, the HC of the Eagles at the time, balked at the last minute and passed on Lofton. In just four years with the Bills and only three as a starter, Lofton produced 21 TD's, 2,736 yards and averaged over 18 yards per catch. And he cost us nothing. Not a single draft pick. We get Thurman Thomas in the second round only because of doubts about an injury he had in his senior year. We trade OJ in '78 for a raft of picks including a first rounder in '79 which we use on linebacker Tom Cousineau who refuses to play for us and signs a huge deal with a CFL team. He wants to get back to the NFL in '82 so we trade his rights to the Browns for their first round pick in 1983 which ends up being 14th overall. We used that pick to select none other than Jim Kelly who is only there at 14 because the Chiefs, picking at 7, passed in Kelly and Marino in favor of Todd Blackledge, a QB from Penn State who was out of the league in 6 years. Some of that team was built by savvy personnel decisions but some of it was built on good fortune and the top draft picks that are the only reward for the misery of being one of the worst teams in the league for years.
TC in St. Louis Posted February 17, 2015 Author Posted February 17, 2015 So many things fell in to place for that team. Take James Lofton. The guy is the 6th pick in the draft and has one pro bowl season after another on a franchise that, at that time, seemed hopeless. The Packers had to deal with a scandal involving sexual assault charges against Mossy Cade, a defensive back. And then Lofton was charged with sexual assault leading the team to suspend him with a game left in the 1986 season. The Packer's were getting killed in the press and corporations were starting to pull out of sponsorship deals with the team so they cut both Lofton and Cade. Lofton was eventually exonerated but that came too late to save his career in Green Bay. He signed on with the Raiders who had more WR's than they knew what to do with including Willie Gault, Mervyn Fernandez and a young Tim Brown. Lofton, over 30 at the time, was the odd man out and was cut after two seasons. Meanwhile, Nick Nicolau, the WR coach for the Raiders had been fired by them and hired on at Buffalo. Then, Chris Burkett, a WR for the Bills in his 5th year with the team, skips out on a team meeting and quits his job. Lofton, 33 and unemployed at the time, hears about Burkett and calls Nicolau and before you know it, the Bills have a veteran receiver with some gas left in the tank who is 6'4", still runs in the low 4.4's, hasn't dropped a pass in a decade and is a 7 time pro bowler. And as if all that wasn't improbably lucky enough, Lofton had a tryout with Eagles before we had a roster spot open up due to Burkett's tantrum. Lofton was all but signed when Buddy Ryan, the HC of the Eagles at the time, balked at the last minute and passed on Lofton. In just four years with the Bills and only three as a starter, Lofton produced 21 TD's, 2,736 yards and averaged over 18 yards per catch. And he cost us nothing. Not a single draft pick. We get Thurman Thomas in the second round only because of doubts about an injury he had in his senior year. We trade OJ in '78 for a raft of picks including a first rounder in '79 which we use on linebacker Tom Cousineau who refuses to play for us and signs a huge deal with a CFL team. He wants to get back to the NFL in '82 so we trade his rights to the Browns for their first round pick in 1983 which ends up being 14th overall. We used that pick to select none other than Jim Kelly who is only there at 14 because the Chiefs, picking at 7, passed in Kelly and Marino in favor of Todd Blackledge, a QB from Penn State who was out of the league in 6 years. Some of that team was built by savvy personnel decisions but some of it was built on good fortune and the top draft picks that are the only reward for the misery of being one of the worst teams in the league for years. Snagging Tasker on waivers from Houston was pretty fortunate as well.
metzelaars_lives Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Has anyone else checked out the 40:20 mark in the video yet? If you ask me, that is a major reason why this team was so successful.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Somebody asked if Kelly could lead our present team to the Super Bowl. Who knows? But this video will remind many of you what fun we had about 24 years ago. do you mean IN here?? Do Today's Bills win a Super Bowl with heyday Jim Kelly
metzelaars_lives Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 do you mean IN here?? Do Today's Bills win a Super Bowl with heyday Jim Kelly You tell 'em!
Hapless Bills Fan Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) Somebody asked if Kelly could lead our present team to the Super Bowl. Who knows? But this video will remind many of you what fun we had about 24 years ago. Thanks, Man! That brought it back. That brought it back. Couple of things that struck me: 1) I'd forgotten how good a blocker Thurman Thomas really was and how critical he was to the Bills success 2) I'd forgotten how much the Bills used a fullback to block for Thurman 3) I'd forgotten how much of a downfield threat Kelly to Andre Reed really was. That was fun. That was just a fun interlude. And OK, I'll admit it: who is Mrs. 40:20? Edited February 17, 2015 by Hopeful
Thrivefourfive Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) These are great too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AgrSd9IQhQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdcT2UV6z3g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHGrZkvJhZ4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVJsmSReGJw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAx_OBlnP9U Edited February 17, 2015 by Thrivefourfive
vorpma Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 So many things fell in to place for that team. Take James Lofton. The guy is the 6th pick in the draft and has one pro bowl season after another on a franchise that, at that time, seemed hopeless. The Packers had to deal with a scandal involving sexual assault charges against Mossy Cade, a defensive back. And then Lofton was charged with sexual assault leading the team to suspend him with a game left in the 1986 season. The Packer's were getting killed in the press and corporations were starting to pull out of sponsorship deals with the team so they cut both Lofton and Cade. Lofton was eventually exonerated but that came too late to save his career in Green Bay. He signed on with the Raiders who had more WR's than they knew what to do with including Willie Gault, Mervyn Fernandez and a young Tim Brown. Lofton, over 30 at the time, was the odd man out and was cut after two seasons. Meanwhile, Nick Nicolau, the WR coach for the Raiders had been fired by them and hired on at Buffalo. Then, Chris Burkett, a WR for the Bills in his 5th year with the team, skips out on a team meeting and quits his job. Lofton, 33 and unemployed at the time, hears about Burkett and calls Nicolau and before you know it, the Bills have a veteran receiver with some gas left in the tank who is 6'4", still runs in the low 4.4's, hasn't dropped a pass in a decade and is a 7 time pro bowler. And as if all that wasn't improbably lucky enough, Lofton had a tryout with Eagles before we had a roster spot open up due to Burkett's tantrum. Lofton was all but signed when Buddy Ryan, the HC of the Eagles at the time, balked at the last minute and passed on Lofton. In just four years with the Bills and only three as a starter, Lofton produced 21 TD's, 2,736 yards and averaged over 18 yards per catch. And he cost us nothing. Not a single draft pick. We get Thurman Thomas in the second round only because of doubts about an injury he had in his senior year. We trade OJ in '78 for a raft of picks including a first rounder in '79 which we use on linebacker Tom Cousineau who refuses to play for us and signs a huge deal with a CFL team. He wants to get back to the NFL in '82 so we trade his rights to the Browns for their first round pick in 1983 which ends up being 14th overall. We used that pick to select none other than Jim Kelly who is only there at 14 because the Chiefs, picking at 7, passed in Kelly and Marino in favor of Todd Blackledge, a QB from Penn State who was out of the league in 6 years. Some of that team was built by savvy personnel decisions but some of it was built on good fortune and the top draft picks that are the only reward for the misery of being one of the worst teams in the league for years. Really great post and very true. But as Napolean said "I want lucky Generals!"
metzelaars_lives Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Thanks, Man! That brought it back. That brought it back. Couple of things that struck me: 1) I'd forgotten how good a blocker Thurman Thomas really was and how critical he was to the Bills success 2) I'd forgotten how much the Bills used a fullback to block for Thurman 3) I'd forgotten how much of a downfield threat Kelly to Andre Reed really was. That was fun. That was just a fun interlude. And OK, I'll admit it: who is Mrs. 40:20? I don't know who she is but she is clearly a diehard Bills fan. Also this is why I love Buffalo and the Bills so much: go to 28:29. That is the type of guy who only roots for the Bills. And thankfully, you can still see guys who look exactly like that at Ralph Wilson Stadium in 2015.
The Big Cat Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 My favorite part of this Youtube clip is the FBI warning at the beginning stating--very clearly--the illegality of said clip.
Recommended Posts