BillsFaninNC Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 From Steve Czaben's site Travis Henry is unhappy in Buffalo. The former Pro Bowl starting RB has seen Willis McGahee take his spot (and spotlite) and he’s demanded a trade. The Bills are trying to accommodate him, but so far have found the market pretty soft. Tom Donohoe says he wants no less than a 2nd rounder, when reality might dictate that a 4th round conditional (with the chance it would “float up” to a 2nd rounder with certain statistical benchmarks) is all they will get. You know the RB market is not good right now via trade, seeing as how Shaun Alexander and Edgerrin James were both “on the block” but can’t even get a legit sniff right now. Rudi Johnson thought he’d be much in demand with the Bengals, but had to settle for a modest deal that didn’t come close to breaking the bank. "At the present time, there is not enough interest to make a trade," Donahoe said. "And if things continue in that vein, we would expect to have Travis back again next year." Henry is getting antsy, however. “They said they weren't just going to let me go. I understand that," Henry said. "But here's a win-win situation. ... Arizona has shown interest. They've shown they're ready to pull the trigger. And Donahoe is taking his poor little precious time for some reason." Now, here’s the notable angle to this story. Notice how Buffalo is not rushing to take a huge cap hit just to trade a player who is unhappy. Notice how Buffalo is not pulling a Washington, and trading Henry for ANOTHER running back of similar abilities, as the Skins did swapping the smallish Laveranues Coles for the smallish Santana Moss. Notice how Buffalo is in NO HURRY to make this deal, and how they can even envision FORCING Henry to return next year, despite some lockeroom discontent. Notice how Donohoe is a real GM, not a three-headed Owner-Coach-Lackey set up like Snyder-Gibbs-Cerrato. This story is proof that just because a player is griping, does NOT mean you have to unload him right away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Czaban led off his show in DC yesterday with the Henry "demand" story. He often praises the Bills for having an excellent organizational structure and a real GM...as compared to his beloved Redskins. Its something many Bills fans take for granted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30dive Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 A......Freekin.....Men! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac17 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 I love czabans web site, how is he on the radio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Thanks fo sharing this. This view is a rosy interpretation for the Bills of this situation which stands in balance with the more stark assessments of trade prospects for Henry that they view as quite minimal. My sense is that the thinking Bills fan cannot really know for sure which is right and a reasonable guess is that neither extreme view that everything is under control and the Bills have AZ/Henry and the world right where we want them, or the view that this former Pro Bowler who gained over 1300 yards two years in a row is worthless crap as a player is actually true. The question for me is where in the middle of these two extremes is reality likely to occur. My observations are: 1. The market seems pretty glutted with supply with FAs who have out there or tagged and their teams working to trade them and several RBs likely to go in the first round. Trades may not get done however, and teams with RB needs will have other needs that make them look to a trade or FA for an RB nstead of drafting one. A deal for Travis is certainly possible, but it will be a risky business to hang onto him. 2, The Bills are actually set up to take this risk as essentially Travis has no leverage but to return to Buffalo and back-up WM and put as good a face on it as he can if he has any desire to be a pro football player. He can always pull a Wickey Williams if he wants, but if he wants the big payday he seems to want, if TD does not trade him, he will have little choice but to have whatever face saving meeting and announcement with TD and WM he cares to have and then to suck it up for a season and wait for his chance to prove he deserves a big contract when he hits the next FA market. 3. Who knows what is true, but it is good from a Bills standpoint to see Travis get antsy. The guy in the driver's seat can be calm (or shoul at least act calm). The fact TH is throwing a hissy-fit and particularly that he is labeling TD as the party who is holding out for a better deal is a good sign for the Bills IF TD is reading the market correctly. One thing TD has shown a mastery at in his four years (it sure ain't overall record) is that he has played the market on issues like WM, waiting til the 2nd for Kelsay, stealing Denny from Pitts while they were on the phone, reading first round draft choices as better for the team to trade a year early for free value rather than simply take the 50/50 risk with them, etc show that TD does read the market incredibly well The horrendous Bills W/L record and failure to make the playoffs the last four years stops me from being as much of a total praiser ofthe Bills organizationas Czaben, but overall I feel pretty good about the specifics of Henry's most recent rantings. Since I care far more about the entertainment value provided by Bills on the field and really care less than a rats ass about the off-the field stupidity or charitable works of stars, as long as Henry's pleading for sleeping with a juvenile involves no jailtime abd the DA judged him to be stupid because he believed a minor when she claimed she was 18 and he appears to be simply an idiot rather than a child-stalker. The personality issues are trivial to me. Some folks revere players as fantasy figures. For me they are mostly commodities. Commodities that I really like to have on my team in many cases, but the soap opera stuff is easily ignored by me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 I love czabans web site, how is he on the radio? 284323[/snapback] Hes great if you are not looking for how the backup left tackle for the Bears ran his 40 at the combine last year. Talks a lot more like the common fan. Loves to bet and speculate on conspiracy theories. Good example was this morning drawing comparisons betwwen Bonds taking a year off and MJ retiring for what was whispered then to be a suspension due to his gambling. Talked yesterday for 30 minutes about his BalckJack losses in Vegas, even had a "blackjack" expert on. If you do not get his show, get XM. Bonus is you get TK Stack Money on now from 11-1 on channel 152 for you listening pleasure. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Czaban led off his show in DC yesterday with the Henry "demand" story. He often praises the Bills for having an excellent organizational structure and a real GM...as compared to his beloved Redskins. Its something many Bills fans take for granted. 284298[/snapback] That is so friggin true......I have absolutely no doubt that if TD were gone, Bills fans would be hit with the hard reality of how awesome this guy really is. Thankfully Ralph has said that TD can stay as long as he wants, and I, for one, am thrilled that he feels that way. TD is the man!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 That is so friggin true......I have absolutely no doubt that if TD were gone, Bills fans would be hit with the hard reality of how awesome this guy really is. Thankfully Ralph has said that TD can stay as long as he wants, and I, for one, am thrilled that he feels that way. TD is the man!! 284448[/snapback] Dude, get real. TD sucks. We're five years into a three-year perpetual rebuilding plan because he has done nothing but make crappy draft picks, crappy FA aquisitions that haven't panned out, was cheap enough to let Williams go and STILL has not gotten us to the playoffs. He continues to hold onto a RB who is a worthless, crappy, pedophile blabbermouth with a Wonderlic score that can be beaten by a Palmetto bug...and he does this because he thinks he might get something more out of AZ? Please. He should dump the cancer. But does he? No. Why? Because he's Mr. Ego, that's why. He has something to prove to the world...and when I say the world, I mean the city of Pittburgh. YOU may want to compromise what you're willing to accept from a GM, but not me, cuz I don't compromise anything in life. The goal is the SB, and this guy hasn't even given us a chance to make a run at it, let alone have confidence we can do it. And NOW he wants to start all over again with a new quarterback, an OL that is clearly worse that it's been in years, and NO FA pickups beyond a disgruntled Browns second-hand-rose QB. Yeah. I'd be real upset if TD left. Real upset. I'm already crying about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JinVA Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Dude, get real. TD sucks. We're five years into a three-year perpetual rebuilding plan because he has done nothing but make crappy draft picks, crappy FA aquisitions that haven't panned out, was cheap enough to let Williams go and STILL has not gotten us to the playoffs. He continues to hold onto a RB who is a worthless, crappy, pedophile blabbermouth with a Wonderlic score that can be beaten by a Palmetto bug...and he does this because he thinks he might get something more out of AZ? Please. He should dump the cancer. But does he? No. Why? Because he's Mr. Ego, that's why. He has something to prove to the world...and when I say the world, I mean the city of Pittburgh. YOU may want to compromise what you're willing to accept from a GM, but not me, cuz I don't compromise anything in life. The goal is the SB, and this guy hasn't even given us a chance to make a run at it, let alone have confidence we can do it. And NOW he wants to start all over again with a new quarterback, an OL that is clearly worse that it's been in years, and NO FA pickups beyond a disgruntled Browns second-hand-rose QB. Yeah. I'd be real upset if TD left. Real upset. I'm already crying about it. 284460[/snapback] Welcome back Ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFaninNC Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 Czaben was in Charlotte (NC) for two years. He was a mainstay and one of the best sportsradio voices I heard. He's been in Milwaukee and Washington DC. His XM radio show is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Dude, get real. TD sucks. We're five years into a three-year perpetual rebuilding plan because he has done nothing but make crappy draft picks, crappy FA aquisitions that haven't panned out, was cheap enough to let Williams go and STILL has not gotten us to the playoffs. He continues to hold onto a RB who is a worthless, crappy, pedophile blabbermouth with a Wonderlic score that can be beaten by a Palmetto bug...and he does this because he thinks he might get something more out of AZ? Please. He should dump the cancer. But does he? No. Why? Because he's Mr. Ego, that's why. He has something to prove to the world...and when I say the world, I mean the city of Pittburgh. YOU may want to compromise what you're willing to accept from a GM, but not me, cuz I don't compromise anything in life. The goal is the SB, and this guy hasn't even given us a chance to make a run at it, let alone have confidence we can do it. And NOW he wants to start all over again with a new quarterback, an OL that is clearly worse that it's been in years, and NO FA pickups beyond a disgruntled Browns second-hand-rose QB. Yeah. I'd be real upset if TD left. Real upset. I'm already crying about it. 284460[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Oh well.. point by point Dude, get real. TD sucks. We're five years into a three-year perpetual rebuilding plan because he has done nothing but make crappy draft picks, 284601[/snapback] Like Willis, like Clements, like Mcgee. One coul go beyond these cases that few sane people would argue with and also there is even a case to be made that Schobel was a pick that deserved resigning. that Henry *though hated by many) was a pick chosen for the Pro Bowl who rushed for over 1300 2 years in a row and there are even those who say JJ was a good pick who the Bills should not have let go. Even if you want to ding him for Reed (good production his first year but a loder since), MW (actually folks are hopeful after he sucked last off-season, or Wire (not an awful choice in my book but actually horribly developed by GW/Gray as he never had played safety before) this does not add up to his draft record being consistently awful. Like most draftees some work out and some don;t. crappy FA aquisitions that haven't panned out, 284601[/snapback] Huh? Is Soikes crappy? Has our leading tackler and D captain of a team in top 5 statistically for D two years running crappy. Has Sam Adams been crappy? Lawyer Milloy is overpaid because the market demanded it but I like his production for the team. FA acquisitions were a ke to the improvements made by the team last year. Not making the playoffs is not good enough, but putting up a winning record in the NFL may not be enough but it is not crappy. was cheap enough to let Williams go 284601[/snapback] Huh? Do you mean Jennings? Either he is a bad draft pick if you want to stick with your first point (in tha case letting him go is a good idea) or he should have mortgaged the future and signed him which implies your first point of choosing crappy players is wrong. and STILL has not gotten us to the playoffs. 284601[/snapback] Legi point, but the prime reason for this error is unmentioned in that he screwed up his primary job which is hiring an HC when he hired GW. I assume you passed on this point because he seems to have hired a good one in MM. He continues to hold onto a RB who is a worthless, crappy, pedophile blabbermouth with a Wonderlic score that can be beaten by a Palmetto bug... 284601[/snapback] so what, even if Henry is an idiot you hang on to him until you have to let him go in the hopes some other idiot will take him off your hands (for example NO traded Wickey and Miami has paid the price. Why you would cut him makes no sense to me, particularly since TD didn't even waste time surveying the market he go TH to do the work. I don;t think it iis bad at all for him to try to sqeeze every nickel he can get out of him, why give up for no reason no matter how bad you judge TH to be. YOU may want to compromise what you're willing to accept from a GM, but not me, cuz I don't compromise anything in life. 284601[/snapback] You must not be married and you don't havekids because then you would probably know that life is all about compromise. When raising kids consistency is all important (one friend summarized it by saying whther its a present or a panking give your kid everything you promise them). However, the best thing I have seen is that you have to pick your spots or you will spend all your time dealing wih the agenda of an adololescent. The goal is the SB, and this guy hasn't even given us a chance to make a run at it, let alone have confidence we can do it. 284601[/snapback] And unfortunately changing GMs every 3-5 years will likely not get you there either. And NOW he wants to start all over again with a new quarterback, an OL that is clearly worse that it's been in years, and NO FA pickups beyond a disgruntled Browns second-hand-rose QB. 284601[/snapback] Uuuhh last I checked there was a little thing called the draft, UDFA signings, camp and pre-season before the off-season is even over. This really is not the time to get your panties all in a wad and declare MISSION UNACCOMPLISHED we are doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch19079 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 From Steve Czaben's site Notice how Donohoe is a real GM, not a three-headed Owner-Coach-Lackey set up like Snyder-Gibbs-Cerrato. 284284[/snapback] hell yeah. who doesnt like TD, yall are IDIOTS! GO TD, GO BILLS. o, and if TD said, "Henry will definatly NOT be back in buffalo next season", you can watch his trade value DROP TO A 2ND DAY DRAFT PICK. by saying we are willing to keep him, we maintain leverage and control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 FFS...you disappoint me. I thought for sure your sarcasm detector would have been ringing loud and clear with my post. But I appreciate the rebuttal. I'll forward it to ICE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San-O Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 That is so friggin true......I have absolutely no doubt that if TD were gone, Bills fans would be hit with the hard reality of how awesome this guy really is. Thankfully Ralph has said that TD can stay as long as he wants, and I, for one, am thrilled that he feels that way. TD is the man!! 284448[/snapback] Get off TD man! 26-38, nice job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San-O Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Oh well.. point by point 284645[/snapback] 26-38 He drafts have been mediocre. Take a look at our roster and see how many starters we drafted. About half, and these are all TD guys except Mould. If you have only drafted 10 or 11 starters in four years, you are not getting the job done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven in MD Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 26-38 He drafts have been mediocre. Take a look at our roster and see how many starters we drafted. About half, and these are all TD guys except Mould. If you have only drafted 10 or 11 starters in four years, you are not getting the job done. 284695[/snapback] First, Steve Czaben is a homey. He picks on Snyder because everyone picks in Synder. Deep down inside he loves that the Redskins are making these high profile deals... I have never been a big supporter of TD, but I am willing to give him another 5 yrs to make the playoffs before I get on his case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazykat Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Great. So instead, he'll sit on the bench and then walk next season and we won't see a thing for him. BRILLIANT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 I have never been a big supporter of TD, but I am willing to give him another 5 yrs to make the playoffs before I get on his case. 284706[/snapback] LOL, wow......that's the spirit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad1 Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 26-38 He drafts have been mediocre. Take a look at our roster and see how many starters we drafted. About half, and these are all TD guys except Mould. If you have only drafted 10 or 11 starters in four years, you are not getting the job done. 284695[/snapback] Considering that he replaced 51 of 53 starters during that time, filling half of the staring roster with draft picks over four years isn't that bad. If you stretch it and say that picks in the first 3 rounds should be starters, the goal four years ago would have been to pull 12 starters. 10 or 11 is right on target, when you accept the realities of the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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