Sullivan at it again...

[Rubes]

Belichick probably would have; just as Belichick unloaded Bledsoe on us in order to go with a younger, less proven, but ultimately superior player. TD played it safe; but playing things too safe doesn't get you a whole lot of Super Bowl rings.

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Less proven. Well, I suppose that only playing one year versus 7 or 8 qualifies as less proven, but it's not like the guy didn't just win the Super Bowl or anything. Hardly an equivalent comparison.

 

Had WM ever touched the ball even once for a single carry in a real game prior to the draft, then you may be getting a little closer. Had WM proven that he can carry the ball for even one complete game, then perhaps. It's more like, had WM carried the load as a starter to show that not only can his knee survive, but that he can be a successful starting RB in the NFL, then you're right about near the same comparison.

 

Oh wait, that's where we are right now. Not last year.

[Sound_n_Fury]

Less proven. Well, I suppose that only playing one year versus 7 or 8 qualifies as less proven, but it's not like the guy didn't just win the Super Bowl or anything. Hardly an equivalent comparison.

 

Had WM ever touched the ball even once for a single carry in a real game prior to the draft, then you may be getting a little closer. Had WM proven that he can carry the ball for even one complete game, then perhaps. It's more like, had WM carried the load as a starter to show that not only can his knee survive, but that he can be a successful starting RB in the NFL, then you're right about near the same comparison.

 

Oh wait, that's where we are right now. Not last year.

304996[/snapback]

 

Right on. If you ask me, the jury's still out on WM, to some extent. Last year was a great step forward for him, but he'll be under the microscope in training camp as we wait to see if he's got his speed/burst back.

 

TD will have to find a good, complementary RB in the draft or on the FA market to give me a better feeling about our RB situation.

[todd]

superior player. TD played it safe; but playing things too safe doesn't get you a whole lot of Super Bowl rings.

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Playing it safe - like starting a rookie QB this year or drafting WM in the first place, right?

[Buftex]

i have to disagree with this.......he certainly wasn't right when he condemned the willis pick........and he was even more wrong when he called lee evans a "bust" early in the season......

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I said "usually". So far, you are right, he was way off on the Lee Evans thing (altough I don't remember him saying that, I will take your word for it), but the McGahee thing, is a little different. Sure, he is looking to be a very good player (maybe even great), but the debate could be made that it was still a risky/unnecessary pick. And, I think that was Sullivan's point.

[dave mcbride]

Playing it safe - like starting a rookie QB this year or drafting WM in the first place, right?

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todd - losman is not a rookie. he's a second year player ...

[Kelly the Dog]

I said "usually".  So far, you are right, he was way off on the Lee Evans thing (altough I don't remember him saying that, I will take your word for it), but the McGahee thing, is a little different.  Sure, he is looking to be a very good player (maybe even great), but the debate could be made that it was still a risky/unnecessary pick.  And, I think that was Sullivan's point.

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I don't think anyone in the world would say that taking McGahee was not a risky pick. It's easy to be right when making a generalization like that. Of course it was a risky pick, he was coming off severe knee surgery. Saying it is an unncessary pick is pretty much the same thing. Of course it was "unnecessary", because we had a RB. But risky or unnecessary does not at all equate to "bad" or "dumb". It is a completely different animal to say it was a bad calculated risk, which was arguable then, but has proven to be a good pick over time.

 

Plus, people still almost refuse to acknowledge what TD has stated publicly. He chose McGahee because no one on his board was worth the money they were going to have to pay a first round pick. He thought Mcgahee was worth that risk, and he turned out to be correct.

[Bill from NYC]

>>>>>Plus, people still almost refuse to acknowledge what TD has stated publicly. He chose McGahee because no one on his board was worth the money they were going to have to pay a first round pick. He thought Mcgahee was worth that risk, and he turned out to be correct. <<<<<

 

Yeah, he said that. Are you sure he meant it?

Remember, Travis was all upset and TD needed him to start that season because WM was unable to. He had to be placated.

Besides, Steinbech went just a few picks later and we needed a guard. He would have been a reasonable signing in terms of ability and cost.

I think that TD chose Willis because he has ba!!s, and remember, in those days Travis was still coughing it up consistently.

[Kelly the Dog]

>>>>>Plus, people still almost refuse to acknowledge what TD has stated publicly. He chose McGahee because no one on his board was worth the money they were going to have to pay a first round pick. He thought Mcgahee was worth that risk, and he turned out to be correct. <<<<<

 

Yeah, he said that. Are you sure he meant it?

Remember, Travis was all upset and TD needed him to start that season because WM was unable to. He had to be placated.

Besides, Steinbech went just a few picks later and we needed a guard. He would have been a reasonable signing in terms of ability and cost.

I think that TD chose Willis because he has ba!!s, and remember, in those days Travis was still coughing it up consistently.

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I definitely think he meant it. And I definitely think that Travis' style, lifestyle and fumbling was a factor, too. Just not the major factor. And I think, without any inside knowledge or anything, that he very likely considered taking Steinbach but decided he really wasn't worth that much money. He probably turned out to be wrong, because Steinbach has played well. But that is hindsight. A lot of teams, 32 in fact, didn't think Steinbach should have been drafted in the first round. As I recall he was projected to go anywhere from the late first to the early second, which is where he went.

 

I also think if any of the DL's that were taken before the Bills got their pick, that we wouldn't be having this conversation because TD would have taken one of them (if, of course, that player was rated higher on his board than McGahee). But it just so happened that there was a run on DL's before the Bills chose, and they didnt want to pay Chris kelsay first round money either.

[Bill from NYC]

I definitely think he meant it. And I definitely think that Travis' style, lifestyle and fumbling was a factor, too. Just not the major factor. And I think, without any inside knowledge or anything, that he very likely considered taking Steinbach but decided he really wasn't worth that much money. He probably turned out to be wrong, because Steinbach has played well. But that is hindsight. A lot of teams, 32 in fact, didn't think Steinbach should have been drafted in the first round. As I recall he was projected to go anywhere from the late first to the early second, which is where he went.

 

I also think if any of the DL's that were taken before the Bills got their pick, that we wouldn't be having this conversation because TD would have taken one of them (if, of course, that player was rated higher on his board than McGahee). But it just so happened that there was a run on DL's before the Bills chose, and they didnt want to pay Chris kelsay first round money either.

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And you may very well be right.

I for one tend to not take the words of coaches and GMs as gospel truth, nor do I feel entitled as a fan to be told the whole story. For instance.....TD was certainly not going to state any misgivings he might have had about Henry, right?

[Kelly the Dog]

And you may very well be right.

I for one tend to not take the words of coaches and GMs as gospel truth, nor do I feel entitled as a fan to be told the whole story. For instance.....TD was certainly not going to state any misgivings he might have had about Henry, right?

305108[/snapback]

As a general rule, I would agree. But each situation is different. And I think it is foolish to have a blanket attitude toward these things. Each comment to the press is calculated, especially for a guy like TD. And each one has to be looked at different, looked at in total context, looked at when it was said, and what was asked, looked at in terms of who he is talking about and who could gain or who could lose by what he says.

 

TD is very clever at what he says to the media. But there are certain things that one can read between the lines, or believe that he means it. I did with the first round money comment because he wasn't negotiating with anyone at the time. He had already chosen Willis, and was explaining his reasoning. Every single word he says about Travis now is tainted or tempered by the fact he is negotiating right now for Henry. So he is never going to say a bad word about Henry whether he believes it or not (as far as talent goes I mean) because he wants all other teams to think he thinks Henry is great and he will keep him if no one meets his demands.

 

Once the Henry trade is made, in all likelihood, TD will say all kinds of great things about Henry again, because it does him zero good to give his honest opinion of him if he thinks he stinks as a back. (I don't believe he thinks this one bit, btw).

[Alaska Darin]

All said, I am not condemning TD, just pointing out that Jerry Sullivan is not the complete moron we all wish he was!

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Yeah, he was dead nutz about picking up Brunell last offseason. Sullivan is rarely right and is nothing more than a pandering wanna-be with marginal football knowledge. Saying that what he says eventually ends up posted on TSW isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.

[Buftex]

Once the Henry trade is made, in all likelihood, TD will say all kinds of great things about Henry again, because it does him zero good to give his honest opinion of him if he thinks he stinks as a back. (I don't believe he thinks this one bit, btw).

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Actually, IMO, one of TD's more unflattering tendancies seems to be taking veiled cheap shots at guys once they are gone. He did it with Rob Johnson, Doug Flutie, Gregg Williams and Drew Bledsoe, and I am sure some others. He always says complimentary things, but then makes backhanded insults...

 

I think TD has done a damn good job of making this an exciting team again, but there are times when I think it would be best that he wasn't so blunt...leave that kind of stuff for Jerry Sullivan, we already hate him!