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EJ Manuel's Lack of Connection with the Buffalo Community


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This is not a post about whether he has the skills or has improved enough to be the starting QB for the Bills. This is a post about EJ's complete lack of sticking around Buffalo to show he is the true leader of not only the team but of the Bills community. In Buffalo, the Bills mean everything and you can see how Jim Kelly really became the leader not only on the field but by his connection to the fan base. I don't see it in Manuel. He takes vacations for long periods of time and is barely here on the offseason. How often are EJ sightings in WNY seen in the offseason outside of scheduled practices? Rarely. LA and NYC, Florida State sightings? Quite often in the offseason. He always posts about Florida State and is down there as much as he can be. He's always connecting with the Florida State fanbase, and never energizes Bills fans about how he is ready to take this team to the playoffs.

 

I am not an EJ basher. I think he is a hardworking and humble great athlete with a great character. It remains to be seen whether or not he has taken his game to the next level, but I think with the new QB coach and the private QB coaching he has received on the offseason, there is a great possibility that we will see a refined EJ on the field next season.

 

My only issue is the fact that he rarely says the things starting QBs need to say or expresses his happiness to be in Buffalo. I realize the city is lacking a bit, but a franchise QB is supposed to keep any feelings of negativity quiet and blatantly lie about his excitement to be in whichever town he is in, if need be. EJ lacks the fiery passion for the Bills fanbase and I really just don't get that feeling he is realizing what an honor it is to be the face of a franchise in a sports town like Buffalo, or at the very least realizing that no matter what his true feelings are, he better talk as if he is honored and proud. I am not saying that he shouldn't travel a lot or that he should forget his college alma mater, but he should make it quite obvious his first priority besides family, honing his QB skills and connecting with teammates, is energizing the fanbase and proving to Bills fans that he wants to be here and become franchise QB that is a leader also in the WNY community. Rex Ryan has done it successfully and has restored faith, confidence, and pride in this Bills fanbase again.

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So untrue. When he was on Facebook, he would talk about the Bills and community quite a bit. He got rid of it so he wouldn't have it as a distraction in his quest to become a better player.

 

I hope this thread is closed quickly.

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All those #onebuffalo tweets and FB posts can only mean he was hacked!

He also would give shoutouts to players on the Sabres quite frequently too. I remember him posting a picture of him at a Sabres game. I hate even contributing to this thread because it's so unnecessary but I feel I have to defend EJ on this one.

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You do realize Kelly was not a full time Buffalo guy when he was on the Bills right?

 

Just so's ya know, Kelly built a place here in Richmond to move to permanently about 12 years ago. Thankfully, Hunter 's continued success at beating the odds over Krabbe's kept the Kelly's in Buffalo and getting treatment at Children's.

 

Hopefully, you also realize JP lived downtown, was a huge presence in the community and pushing people to move back in the city...and still stunk.

 

This is just dumb

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He also would give shoutouts to players on the Sabres quite frequently too. I remember him posting a picture of him at a Sabres game. I hate even contributing to this thread because it's so unnecessary but I feel I have to defend EJ on this one.

this! I follow him on social media and I have to say I feel the exact opposite of the OP on this.
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This is not a post about whether he has the skills or has improved enough to be the starting QB for the Bills. This is a post about EJ's complete lack of sticking around Buffalo to show he is the true leader of not only the team but of the Bills community. In Buffalo, the Bills mean everything and you can see how Jim Kelly really became the leader not only on the field but by his connection to the fan base. I don't see it in Manuel. He takes vacations for long periods of time and is barely here on the offseason. How often are EJ sightings in WNY seen in the offseason outside of scheduled practices? Rarely. LA and NYC, Florida State sightings? Quite often in the offseason. He always posts about Florida State and is down there as much as he can be. He's always connecting with the Florida State fanbase, and never energizes Bills fans about how he is ready to take this team to the playoffs.

 

I am not an EJ basher. I think he is a hardworking and humble great athlete with a great character. It remains to be seen whether or not he has taken his game to the next level, but I think with the new QB coach and the private QB coaching he has received on the offseason, there is a great possibility that we will see a refined EJ on the field next season.

 

My only issue is the fact that he rarely says the things starting QBs need to say or expresses his happiness to be in Buffalo. I realize the city is lacking a bit, but a franchise QB is supposed to keep any feelings of negativity quiet and blatantly lie about his excitement to be in whichever town he is in, if need be. EJ lacks the fiery passion for the Bills fanbase and I really just don't get that feeling he is realizing what an honor it is to be the face of a franchise in a sports town like Buffalo, or at the very least realizing that no matter what his true feelings are, he better talk as if he is honored and proud. I am not saying that he shouldn't travel a lot or that he should forget his college alma mater, but he should make it quite obvious his first priority besides family, honing his QB skills and connecting with teammates, is energizing the fanbase and proving to Bills fans that he wants to be here and become franchise QB that is a leader also in the WNY community. Rex Ryan has done it successfully and has restored faith, confidence, and pride in this Bills fanbase again.

 

Dude, the guy has a fan-base represented by members of the media and BB fans who are continually proclaiming that he doesn't have "it", is incurably inaccurate, and will never succeed as an NFL QB. He gets benched 4 games into his sophomore season.

 

I'm not trying to diss off the fans or the media - I understand the doubts. But don't you think it's a bit much to ask a guy to embrace a fan base and city that hasn't embraced him?

 

Refrain from public complaint, check. Tune it out and focus on his job and his own improvement, check. Before the avalanche of critique started, he said all that was proper about the Bills tradition and wanting to be here. But until he wins, WTF? Wouldn't it just be masochism for him to be trying to "prove to Bills fans that he wants to be here" and "express his happiness to be in B'lo" where sports media and fans are calling for him to GTFO and make room for his replacement?

 

Winning changes everything. Win, fans will love EJ, EJ will love fans. If Rex comes in and the D screws the pooch and the O underperforms last year, just how long do you think Rex's success in "restoring faith confidence and pride in this Bills fanbase" will last?

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The most played out thing on here (still) is the Buffalo inferiority complex. The city is in the midst of a renaissance and this team is a microcosm of that. Some people can't let go of the "woe is me" BS that plagued WNY for generations. Have some pride and understand that we are good enough. Let's not feed the stereotypes with our insecurities.

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I think it's a good sign. Losman bought a mansion on Delaware, and look how that turned out.

 

Yeah, sucks that EJ bought a townhouse next to the stadium so he could max his study and workout time and minimize travel, instead of a slick downtown bachelor pad

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/171125-ej-manuel-and-titan-dog/?p=3262104

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