Why is this board so negative?

[corta765]

28 minutes ago, nedboy7 said:

Cause the board is mentally weak and defends its tender ego by constantly lashing out and blaming everything on a coach or player.  They claim they want success yet define it solely based on winning a SB.  They only see negative instead of enjoying some football during one of our most talented and successful stretches of years. Then lash out against anyone who chooses to enjoy and root for the team as rosey glasses or homers.  Deeply hurt tough guy routine.  
 

I have constantly said if Aaron Rodgers career was reversed for when he won a SB and the inability to get back after he would've been deemed a massive choker until that date and the success they had wouldn't have been appreciated until the ring came. I legitimately get angry with fanbases like PIT, DEN, NYG complain about down years or stretches. All of them have basically been in SBs once a decade since the late 70s on, had various levels of playoff success regularly, and made at least a conference title literally every decade since the 70s. Sports is cyclical in nature yet they have managed to excel for very long stretches. I am frustrated like everyone else at the inability to break through yet, but I have had more fun the last 7-8 years then I did the two decades prior and I don't take that for granted. Getting to the start of DEC and playing the "in the hunt game" is not fun or enjoyable.

[C.Biscuit97]

Also if you want to cheer yourself, we could be the Vikings. Talk about an offseason from hell. Plus, 4 SBs losses and one of the best teams ever that didn’t win a SB lost when a kicker who didn’t miss a kick all year missed. 

[Logic]

There are a few answers, all of them reasonable but incomplete.

The truth is this: The board tends to be incredibly reactionary and have incredible recency bias.

When the Bills just reeled off two impressive wins, people are on here talking about which hotel to book near the site of the Super Bowl. When the Bills just lost a last second game by 1 point to a great opponent, people on here are saying the coach and GM needs to be fired and we ought to get a look at the backup quarterback.

This board is a steady stream of great, passionate, and intelligent conversation. But its all on a raft, floating in a sea of exaggeration, hyperbole, trolls, and duplicate threads. You can either climb on the raft and drift about, having a grand old time discussing how Spiller and Parrish were ahead of their time, or you can drown in the deep waters of stupidity. Your choice.

As for why it's so negative right NOW? The last few seasons ended in rough fashion, and this was a rough offseason. Check back after we beat the Cardinals in week one, and we'll be comparing flight prices to Super Bowl city.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

33 minutes ago, nedboy7 said:

Cause the board is mentally weak and defends its tender ego by constantly lashing out and blaming everything on a coach or player.  They claim they want success yet define it solely based on winning a SB.  They only see negative instead of enjoying some football during one of our most talented and successful stretches of years. Then lash out against anyone who chooses to enjoy and root for the team as rosey glasses or homers.  Deeply hurt tough guy routine.  
 

We've been to four SuperBowls. Perhaps if they had won even one of those we may find more joy in losing a home playoff game. 

Me I do not. 

It's Championship or bust. I love that the Rams went all in and got their ring. Do you think their fans care they have struggled since?

That said, you can enjoy the games and the wins as they happen and be disappointed at the end. Those swings in emotions are perfectly natural. Not sure why that is hard to comprehend for this board. Being disappointed and frustrated doesn't mean we don't enjoy the good moments. Because some of us believe McDermott is a fraud and Beane is far from a genius, doesn't mean we can't praise them for their good qualities or their good decisions.

We just don't have to sit back and say it's ok to lose home playoff games, or that the 13 second loss is anything but one or the worst coaching failures in franchise history(for which McDermott still won't own up to it).  Our coaches lost our best chance at a SuperBowl.  The second or third (Bruce and OJ) best player in franchise has to carry the team and now has to do it with the worst group of WRs since 2018. 

 

 

[ColoradoBills]

3 hours ago, Malazan said:

 

The issue isn't different takes. It's that, much like the rest of society, is that extremes on both sides dominate and drive the discussion making it difficult to have a real conversation. Some people seem more interested in their extreme interpretation of events being accepted as reality and it alienates every single discussion that takes place.

 

It's not unique to this forum. Go to the patriots board and you'll see that they have a roiling discussion that Bill Belichick was one of the worst coaches in the league in place of the feelings on McDermott here.

 

There is a lot of truth to that.  As an example, there is a WR thread over 100 pages which is dominated by a few posters who go back and forth

and know they will NEVER change the others' opinions.  It's tiring to read through all that.

 

On a personal note:

I like to talk football strategy and discuss players and coaching as much as anyone BUT when it comes down to it, I'm just a fan.

Football brings out the little kid in me so in the end if I think my dad (QB) can beat up your dad (QB) I don't need to be "realistic".

LOL.

Go Bills.

[GunnerBill]

53 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

I have been posting back and forth with @GunnerBill for a considerable amount of time. He is one of my favorite posters. We don't always agree but I highly doubt that he is "antagonized" by my posts. If my posts were causing him distress (and I see zero possibility of this) I'm sure that he would let me know and I would gladly apologize.

 

As for you, if my posts about my views of the Bills antagonize you all THAT much, I do suggest that you employ the ignore feature. It works well, and I intend to use it on you. i don't think that you bring a whole hell of alot to the board, and I'm fairly certain that we will not miss each other.

 

I confirm I am not distressed. I didn't take enchanted as though you meant literally that he has me under a spell. Because, you know, common sense. 

[nedboy7]

55 minutes ago, <bills4life> said:

Can we get to some AFC championship games? Maybe have a Super Bowl appearance? Anything other than that with a qb like Josh Allen is to say the least disappointing.  Losing with 13 seconds left, fake punts at your 30 yd line in the 3rd quarter in a one score game last year.  Blame has to go somewhere.  It appears you and I have very different measures of defining success.  Early playoff exits, at least to me is not one of them.  

 

It wouldn't be enough.  We both know this. 

Every year ends in heartbreak for 31 teams. 

I criticize MdD and the team plenty.  There is fault is him and the players. 

I just dont post the same ***** every single day on every thread. 

[oldmanfan]

It's a defense mechanism.

[K-9]

10 hours ago, <bills4life> said:

If he can stay healthy, I see no lies here. Bruce and Josh are my favorite players to ever wear a Bills jersey. 

[Pecos Bills]

[corta765]

56 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

Also if you want to cheer yourself, we could be the Vikings. Talk about an offseason from hell. Plus, 4 SBs losses and one of the best teams ever that didn’t win a SB lost when a kicker who didn’t miss a kick all year missed. 

 

To add on since the 98' NFC title loss they got blown out by the Giants when their offense was still humming in 2000, absolutely pure heartbreak in 2009 NFC title when Farve threw that awful INT when they were near FG range to win, and then in 2017 they score the first TD in the NFC title game only to get routed. Since their last SB appearance they are 0-6 in the NFC title game rotating heartbreak with blow out, given they were blown out in 2017 they are due for heartbreak in the next 2-3 years. Legit they are as cursed and traumatized as we are.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 hour ago, corta765 said:

I have constantly said if Aaron Rodgers career was reversed for when he won a SB and the inability to get back after he would've been deemed a massive choker until that date and the success they had wouldn't have been appreciated until the ring came. I legitimately get angry with fanbases like PIT, DEN, NYG complain about down years or stretches. All of them have basically been in SBs once a decade since the late 70s on, had various levels of playoff success regularly, and made at least a conference title literally every decade since the 70s. Sports is cyclical in nature yet they have managed to excel for very long stretches. I am frustrated like everyone else at the inability to break through yet, but I have had more fun the last 7-8 years then I did the two decades prior and I don't take that for granted. Getting to the start of DEC and playing the "in the hunt game" is not fun or enjoyable.

 

Running the table and stealing the division from Miami was pretty fun tho ngl.. 

[Success]

I kind of get it.  There is a caution you build in after awhile - you don't want to be disappointed again, so you lower expectations.  This is pervasive throughout sports.

 

I'm excited and positive about the season, though. I can handle disappointment as a sports fan.  

 

[NewEra]

Because it looks as if our roster took a step back this year, which sometimes happens in the salary cap era.  
 

People (me included) feel that we should have drafted at least 2 WRs in a stacked WR class.  

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

It really isn't just the board.  I'm at a game and people are criticizing players, everyone sucks, mcdermott sucks.   My friend literally turned around and was like... do you want me to buy you a patriots jersey?  

[dpberr]

Negativity and anger is generally the result of an unmet expectation, and for most of us, there' a legitimate pain felt when expectations we have aren't met.

 

To be fair, the Bills sometimes exceed our expectations, like beating the Chiefs in the regular season, or the no-punt game, or getting to the AFC Championship game.  Or you see Josh Allen be cool in the playoffs, and then first game back the next season, he's super erratic. (Jets last year.)  Or they go get Von Miller, and then he gets injured.

 

I think a lot of older fans who experienced the Super Bowl era have a lot of stress from the highs of those championship runs and the lows of the actual Super Bowl game.  The Four Falls of Buffalo is cathartic to some, painful for others.

 

Those types of games and events create significant emotional highs, and it often lures us into reframing an expectation.

[mjd1001]

It could be as simple as some people being like/thinking:

 

I know football better than ALL of you! I am smarter than the coach. I am smarter than the GM. If they would have taken the guy I said I wanted, they would be better!

Look how smart I am!  If they do anything but win the superbowl its just proof that I was right, if they would have done what I posted that they should do, they'd be world champs by now!

 

Its complaining, but its a way for people to just point out how 'smart' they think they are.  They need to point out the negative things as a way of making themself, and what they think, be better.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

1 hour ago, BIGFOOTspaceman said:

OP asked a question...I answered. If you can assume my level of toxicity from answering a question....maybe you're in the wrong profession 🤷‍♂️

 

You should apply yourself better and become more successful instead of fishing for posts to insert your negative view of others unto them.  Doing this must take its toll on your mental health.

 

Assumptions are fun!

My apologies. I just observed yours along with the many other takes of why their level of negativity is so high and your take caught my 👁️‍🗨️, stood out BOLDLY. it doesn't take a professional to see your level of negativity, so it was by no means an assumption, but a real good observation. your list was long and even asked if you need to go on. a post/take like yours, if I may say has a good toll on my mental health, I mean everyone needs a good laugh.   

 

 I just see that if the long list of negative events a team you follow is that long, or even longer, I would have to ask myself why am I still following this team? that is why I said it must take a toll on your "health" as too much negativity can be toxic. it must suck to always have to be so down on your team. I by no means claim the team ranks as one of the best, because they're not. I'm never too high or too low, I'm just grateful there is football on sundays and enjoy watching the buffalo bills, 50+ years now.

 

good bad or ugly. 

 

 

 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, NewEra said:

Because it looks as if our roster took a step back this year, which sometimes happens in the salary cap era.  
 

People (me included) feel that we should have drafted at least 2 WRs in a stacked WR class.  

 

I was definitely open to a 2nd WR in this draft, with how thin we were at the position.  Samuel and Shakir were at the time the only surefire starters - then adding coleman.  I'm not sure a 2nd WR in the 3rd or 4th round makes that much of an impact this season, but it does give you another shot at finding that st. brown, nico collins type of player.  Adding MVS post-draft was a consolation prize for what a depth WR drafted there could have contributed this season, but next season they'll be back in the market for another WR most likely and in a scenario where they need to continue to draft there.  

[SoTier]

13 hours ago, mrags said:

Because some of us are realists and see this organization as wasting the best talented player it will ever have. Because some of us don’t look through everything with rose colored glasses. Because some of us actually want the team to do well at some point in their lives, and they know that the path we are now on is not it. 
 

 

Hardly.  

Some posters are spoiled brats who throw tantrums when things don't go their way because that always worked with Mom and Dad.  

Some posters think that they're a whole lot smarter than anybody who coaches/manages a NFL football team that isn't named Belichick or Reid.

Some posters always see the glass as at least half empty.

Some posters are simply the south ends of northbound horses.