How do you feel about the upcoming season??

[R. Rich]

How do I feel? I can't...............oh never mind.

[LevysEraII]

thanks, but I forgot to add:

I was at the comeback game. There was no lower feeling in the football world when it is 35-3 and the feeling of the finality of a playoff loss sets in and you're sitting there freezing your a$$ off...and for what? I asked myself that question right after Bubba took the INT in for a TD. But I answered the question by staying put in my seat. and you know what? My team confirmed that answer the rest of the contest. You gotta have faith. I had it that day, and I will always have it for my team.

729753[/snapback]

 

That brought a tear to my eye.

[LevysEraII]

Whether the Bills finish the season 10 & 6 or 6 & 10, it doesn't matter to me. I'm excited about the season either way. How can you not? It's football man.

[stinky finger]

I'm coming in with low expectations but hoping to see improvement on the field and from the sideline.

729709[/snapback]

Ditto. This is the first year in some time where my enthusiasm doesn't meet my expectations. They're both low. This could be a good thing. Perhaps a pleasant surprise looms over the horizon?

[H2o]

Looking at the team I think, "Geez, will it ever end?" But at the same time, you always hold out hope that we could pull a St. Louis or a New England ya know. If we're gonna win games, atleast make the playoffs this year. If we're gonna be a bad team, lose them all so we can get Brady Quinn. I guess I don't have any expectations for this year's team, but I don't see all hope being lost either.

[Gary M]

I can't wait for goose season. (Sept. 1)

 

Oh, you mean football, I love football season, If the Bills win, it's a bonus.

[The Senator]

I have never been more excited about an upcoming season - I'm thinkin' 19 and 0 baby!

 

Even pulled an old, from-the glory-days-and-now-too-small t-shirt out of the closet that reads,

 

"In Buffalo, Superbowls are our hobby...See you next year - in Joe Robbie!"

 

Ah, those were the days of unbounded optimism and enthusiasm. Alright, so we didn't quite make it to Superbowl XXIX that year (1995) but hey - that means Marv and Co. have some 'unfinished business' to attend.

 

See you and Da Bills in Miami on 2/4/07!

 

GO BILLS!!!!

[Beerball]

Ditto. This is the first year in some time where my enthusiasm doesn't meet my expectations. They're both low. This could be a good thing. Perhaps a pleasant surprise looms over the horizon?

729807[/snapback]

Double ditto. My expectations are very low.

[Tasker]

Last year we needed 9 or 10 wins and the playoffs to be happy, and that was unrealistic. We were a better team than the five wins we posted. This year nobody really expects us to get to 8-8. I don't forsee the playoffs, but I think the rebuilding will happen faster than people thing, and that a solid season is possible. I see 8-8 a lot more likely than battling for the number one pick in the draft.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

There seems to be more talk about whether Briere is going to be in the fold.

 

I almost feel sorry for Ralphie.

 

 

 

When does training camp start?

 

[Mark VI]

I have never been more excited about an upcoming season

729897[/snapback]

 

I've been saying that every year since I was a kid in the 60's.

 

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, " It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living. "

 

A great time of year.

[Rico]

I have low expectations of the team as a whole for this year, but I have high expectations for a lot of the young talent:

 

JP, Evans, Willis: with Moulds gone, the next Big 3 is finally in place.

 

Roscoe and Everett: someone said it was like having 2 extra Day 1 picks this year, I hope they really shine.

 

Peters: I think he continues to show improvement on his way to the Pro Bowl in a couple years.

 

Schobel: Maybe Cover 2 finally gets him to the Pro Bowl, I think he deserves a spot.

 

Nate and McGee: I think Nate makes a huge comeback (see Champ Bailey 2005) & McGee just gets better & better. One of the best CB combos in the league again.

 

Donte and Ko: haven't seen them in a Bills' uniform yet, but the athleticism shown in college tells me they will be fun to watch.

 

so there's a lot to look forward to IMO... I'm down on the OL (sans Peters) and the interior DL, and I'm not sure about TKO, but I'm hoping for the best.

 

And oh yeah, Meathead is gone!

[Indy Dave]

I can't say I am all that excited, especially about the offense. I've never been excited about JP being our quarterback, although admit to being fooled by the first quarter of the first game last year. Our options are journeymen who don't do anything for me either, although as backups go, they are fine.

 

Our best offensive player is Willis McGahee, a guy I don't trust when things get tough. Hopefully his head is on straight and he earns the label as being a top back. He's capable. Like I said, he needs to be focused and (in his defense) he needs to be used properly by the new staff.

 

As for the line, it was addition by subtraction with regards to getting rid of Williams and Anderson. We'll see how this new unit does; I honestly don't know what to think of this group. People around here love Jason Peters and rightfully so, perhaps. I just know his past so while I think it's great that he's gone from undrafted to starter with a long-term contract in a relatively short period of time, I just worry that he might forget what it took to get him to this point now that he has this contract. Hopefully that won't happen. I really like Duke Preston but I guess I like him more than most people around here.

 

I like Lee Evans but I worry that the lack of a true #2 is going to hurt him. I think we have a handful of guys who are capable of being good #3 receivers. I just don't know if Roscoe, Reed, Price, Aiken or Davis can be good enough to open things up for Lee. I'm reading great things about our tight ends but none of them have done anything in this league, really.

 

I'd be surprised if the defense didn't bounce back after last year's dramatic nosedive. You never know how rookies are going to play, but people in the know have told me that Whitner was an excellent pick. Whether we drafted him eighth or 14th, we got ourselves someone who will be a very good player. In time, I think Youboty, Simpson and McGargo will be good players. I don't think the D will be as good as were a couple of years ago, but no way we are as bad as last year.

 

Love the special teams; no reason to think that unit won't be among the best in the league.

 

I hope that doesn't sound overly negative. The truth is, while I don't think we are that good of a team right now, I have some hope because I don't think there are many good teams in this water-downed, parity-driven league. As for the schedule, it all depends (in my opinion) on the four-game stretch in Weeks 3-6 against Jets and Vikings at home, and then the Bears and Lions on the road. I think those four games dictate our success, or lack thereof, this season. I expect us to be start 0-2 so going 3-1 or better in those four games will determine, in my opinion, if we have a shot at 8-8 or even 9-7.

[John from Riverside]

honestly?  I have never felt less excited about football in my entire life.  Maybe I am finally growing up, no wait, that can't be it.  Lets see, I am going through a divorce, losing the house, trying to find a place to live, the only other Bill fan I watched the games with is gone (wife), my job has taken a real turn fo the worse, I am losing my animals too... but thanks for asking

729725[/snapback]

 

Frogger,

 

I am sorry to hear about that as well....things are not going well at my job either but my situation is in no way comparable to yours.

 

I hope things turn around quickly for you. Please stay in touch with those of us on the wall and we are always ready to listen. We dont need to lose another bills family member (not saying you would do that but...) just know that you can bounce anything off us anytime.....feel free to post to me or pm me anytime.

[John from Riverside]

I fully expect to make the playoffs....even if we get bounced in the wildcard round I will be happy with that because I think we can still get someone in the 1st round that can help us draft wise next year AND we will have cap space to play with.....

 

I think our OT's are on the roster right now....but will just change places......so to me that wouldn't be the way we would go.

[todd]

I feel very optimistic. I'm very, very happy that we have Marv as GM. He's a straight shooter. He doesn't BS. When asked if we were rebuilding, he said yes. Donahoe or GW or MM were never able to admit that fully.

 

So we are rebuilding. And that's a good thing to do. When you admit you are rebuilding you can focus on becoming a better team, and not try to squeeze another year out of a player that isn't working out, or spend a ton of dollars in FA because you think you are "this close" to the playoffs. I'm happy to be in rebuilding mode, because this team would be in for more crappy seasons if that wasn't the goal.

 

That said, I think we have a good chance to win 7 or 8 games this year. Our schedule isn't too bad and we do have a talented roster. Not at every position, but we've got some good players on both sides of the ball.

 

I'm psyched for football season and a rebuilding year.

[rockpile]

I'm not sure if it 5 long disappointing years of the TD regime, not being in the playoffs for so long, the Sabres having a ton of success this past year or something else, but I don't ever remember feeling less excited about a training camp that is about to open. If I had to describe it in one word it would be...indifferent.

 

Hopefully all it will take is one visit to training camp to get pumped up for the season.

729675[/snapback]

 

I am always pumped - football, especially Bills football is about the only sport I love. I do not have the time this year to got to 8-10 practices though.

 

I feel like I do not know this team. They do not even have a starting QB yet. I am hoping they surprise me.

 

But I am not indifferent at all, maybe "guarded" is a better word. Last year I had very high expectations and they were squashed.

 

The practical side of me in 2006 has predicted a 6-10 season - off the cuff on May 15th.