Willis990 Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 This column was written by Michael Felger, Boston Herald and he was covering Bill's presser. A reporter asked Belichick about the legacy of the 90's Bills. Read below: Unfortunately for Polian, he always seems to lose to Belichick despite the grievances. Perhaps that was the backdrop to the second half of Belichick’s presser yesterday, when he was asked an innocuous question about the legacy of the 1990s Buffalo Bills, who went to four consecutive Super Bowls but didn’t win one of them. Belichick was asked how special that run was. “I don’t know,” he said. “I guess it’s good to be there and not be eliminated earlier. . . . I guess that’s good. But when you play in that game, there’s only one champion. I’m sure for whatever good feelings they had about getting there, they had more disappointment about not winning those games.” For those who don’t know, Polian was an architect of those teams, serving as Buffalo’s general manager from 1985-92. “I’m not saying it’s better to not be there,” continued Belichick. “It’s better to have loved and lost than not loved at all. . . . But I don’t think there’s anyone I’ve talked to who has lost that game - and I’ve been a part of it one time (as a defensive assistant on the Patriots in 1996) - you still don’t get a very good feeling. To come up short is a tremendous disappointment in that situation.” Belichick spent several minutes talking about the greatness of the Bills offenses those years, which led to another question: Were they the best team never to win a title? “They had a talented team, but only one of those games was a real competitive game, right?” Belichick said. “The rest of them were, what, 55-10, or whatever they were.” Ouch. That one competitive game came in Super Bowl XXV against the Giants of Bill Parcells and Belichick. Buffalo was the favorite, yet Belichick’s game plan won out. When asked about that game, Belichick did something he rarely does: He directly addressed his Super Bowl success over the years. “For those of us who have more than one child, they’re all special,” Belichick said. “Five Super Bowls (two as a Giants assistant), they’ve all been special. I wouldn’t want to be without any of them.” Polian? He’s childless. He’s served as an NFL president or general manager for three different teams (with Buffalo, Carolina and Indy) over 18 years and has never won a championship.
RunTheBall Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I don't think this constitutes a rip on the Bills, it sounds like a pretty honest and reasonable assessment. Getting to 4 Super Bowls says something about perserverance in the face of adversity, but I think this accomplishment is given way too much importance in the eyes of Bills fans because all of us would rather have been to only one Super Bowl and won it than losing 4 in a row. RTB
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I don't think this constitutes a rip on the Bills, it sounds like a pretty honest and reasonable assessment. Getting to 4 Super Bowls says something about perserverance in the face of adversity, but I think this accomplishment is given way too much importance in the eyes of Bills fans because all of us would rather have been to only one Super Bowl and won it than losing 4 in a row. RTB 811837[/snapback] I don't know... To have won it once and never returned... It would be great. Those 4 years were fun... Because the were dragged on. There is a part of me that would have liked to win it all... Then there is a part of me that wouldn't trade the grim reality for a minute (I know that sounds sick). Now if you said that Buffalo would have went 1 for 4 those years... I would totally agree and take that 1 win over 4 losses. Get what I am saying?
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 Um, where is the ripping? 811838[/snapback] Trick picked up from popular media... Got you to look...
ajzepp Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I don't think you can ever expect someone who has won the big game (let alone 5 of them) to ever allow a SB loss to have much value. And in all honesty I don't disagree with that. It's not a fine line between being the champions of the world and coming in second, even when the game comes down to a missed field goal or a play where the stretched-out receiver is two yards from breaking the endzone. No Bills fan (or Vikings fan, Titans fan, etc) should ever argue that getting to a SB and losing was anywhere near as good as winning. It only makes them look ridiculous. I prefer just looking at those teams from the 90s as what they were - teams with a helluva lot of heart, some huge nuts, and a lot of perseverance. Should they be ranked among the greatest teams of all time? Yeah, I think they deserve some recognition in that conversation. Even though we were never the best in any given year, we still accomplished something unique in terms of WINNING. The bottom line with me is that while Belichick is right that it's painful to have lost one, let alone four, that doesn't mean you can't be proud of what those teams accomplished. Let the non-Bills fans use it as their Bills hating mantra all they want. Who cares? I'd rather go to the dance with the pretty girl and not gotten laid as opposed to never having gone at all.
BuffOrange Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 On the flip side, he seems to think a lot of Josh Reed.
JDG Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I don't think this constitutes a rip on the Bills, it sounds like a pretty honest and reasonable assessment. Getting to 4 Super Bowls says something about perserverance in the face of adversity, but I think this accomplishment is given way too much importance in the eyes of Bills fans because all of us would rather have been to only one Super Bowl and won it than losing 4 in a row. RTB 811837[/snapback] I'll get tarred and feathered for this, I am sure, but I would not. Take the Bucs in Super Bowl XXVII - its great that they won, but I think that the Billls' run of four in a row will be remembered long after that game is mostly forgotten. JDG P.S. And *two* of those games were competitive. If I could take back one play in Bills history, I'd take back the Thurman fumble before the Norwood kick....
Dan Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I don't know... To have won it once and never returned... It would be great. Those 4 years were fun... Because the were dragged on. There is a part of me that would have liked to win it all... Then there is a part of me that wouldn't trade the grim reality for a minute (I know that sounds sick). Now if you said that Buffalo would have went 1 for 4 those years... I would totally agree and take that 1 win over 4 losses. Get what I am saying? 811839[/snapback] I agree. As I've told many a person... if given the choice, I'd take supporting a team like Buffalo that went to 4 consecutive Superbowls and never won... over a team like Baltimore (or TB) that went to 1 and won it, but has never done anything since. Sure, it would have been great to win one; but if we could have won XXV and then never go again... nope, I take losing and returning every year and in the process being THE team to beat for all those years. That was one hell of a ride.
BuffOrange Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I know, that fumble made me sick. Other than the minutes prior to Syracuse-Kansas championship game, that was probably the only time in my life where I actually had a good sports feeling in my stomach. I was sure they were going to win the game. I kept waiting for one of Kelly's outside comebacks to get picked off in the 1st half, but Billy Brooks was open every time. We were just carving them up. The shovel pass at the end of the 1st half was slightly disturbing though.
ajzepp Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 That was one hell of a ride. 811855[/snapback] I agree. Being able to live outside of Buffalo during those years was just awesome. Hell of an experience that I'll never forget.
keepthefaith Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 This column was written by Michael Felger, Boston Herald and he was covering Bill's presser. A reporter asked Belichick about the legacy of the 90's Bills. Read below:Unfortunately for Polian, he always seems to lose to Belichick despite the grievances. Perhaps that was the backdrop to the second half of Belichick’s presser yesterday, when he was asked an innocuous question about the legacy of the 1990s Buffalo Bills, who went to four consecutive Super Bowls but didn’t win one of them. Belichick was asked how special that run was. “I don’t know,” he said. “I guess it’s good to be there and not be eliminated earlier. . . . I guess that’s good. But when you play in that game, there’s only one champion. I’m sure for whatever good feelings they had about getting there, they had more disappointment about not winning those games.” For those who don’t know, Polian was an architect of those teams, serving as Buffalo’s general manager from 1985-92. “I’m not saying it’s better to not be there,” continued Belichick. “It’s better to have loved and lost than not loved at all. . . . But I don’t think there’s anyone I’ve talked to who has lost that game - and I’ve been a part of it one time (as a defensive assistant on the Patriots in 1996) - you still don’t get a very good feeling. To come up short is a tremendous disappointment in that situation.” Belichick spent several minutes talking about the greatness of the Bills offenses those years, which led to another question: Were they the best team never to win a title? “They had a talented team, but only one of those games was a real competitive game, right?” Belichick said. “The rest of them were, what, 55-10, or whatever they were.” Ouch. That one competitive game came in Super Bowl XXV against the Giants of Bill Parcells and Belichick. Buffalo was the favorite, yet Belichick’s game plan won out. When asked about that game, Belichick did something he rarely does: He directly addressed his Super Bowl success over the years. “For those of us who have more than one child, they’re all special,” Belichick said. “Five Super Bowls (two as a Giants assistant), they’ve all been special. I wouldn’t want to be without any of them.” Polian? He’s childless. He’s served as an NFL president or general manager for three different teams (with Buffalo, Carolina and Indy) over 18 years and has never won a championship. 811829[/snapback] There is a lot of negative sentiment toward the Patriots among Bills fans on this board. Seems as though many here want to jump all over them anytime they say anything about Buffalo good or otherwise. Yeah, I hope the Bills can beat the snot out of them Sunday, but how can you not respect the Patriots for what the've done over the past several years? They've had a lot of player turnover during this time, coaching turnover and injuries. Through all of it they have stayed in the upper echelon of the league. Bill B is about as bland a coach publically as you'll find and the players are mostly humble and play smart. Until somebody in the AFC East knocks them out of the top spot, they are the class of the field and deserve the respect they get. That's a great orgaization there.
alg Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 Um, where is the ripping? 811838[/snapback] By not acknowledging the extraordinary feat of going to 4 straight. Damned by faint praise.
MDH Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I agree. As I've told many a person... if given the choice, I'd take supporting a team like Buffalo that went to 4 consecutive Superbowls and never won... over a team like Baltimore (or TB) that went to 1 and won it, but has never done anything since. 811855[/snapback] I think that's a pretty good rationalization but I'd imagine that if the shoe were on the other foot you'd be saying you'd rather have the one title. I've never known a Bills season that didn't end in disappointment. I'd take just one SB win over countless SB losses any day.
Fezmid Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 because all of us would rather have been to only one Super Bowl and won it than losing 4 in a row. Not all of us. I wouldn't trade four losses for one win (unless it meant we went 1-3). I'd rather be great for half a decade than be a flash in the pan like most other teams. Also, the first and last game were competitive; I guess BB never actually watched them. CW
rrsafety Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 There is a lot of negative sentiment toward the Patriots among Bills fans on this board. Seems as though many here want to jump all over them anytime they say anything about Buffalo good or otherwise. Yeah, I hope the Bills can beat the snot out of them Sunday, but how can you not respect the Patriots for what the've done over the pat several years? They've had a lot of player turnover during this time, coaching turnover and injuries. Through all of it they have stayed in the upper echelon of the league. Bill B is about as bland a coach publically as you'll find and the players are mostly humble and play smart. Until somebody in the AFC East knocks them out of the top spot, they are the class of the field and deserve the respect they get. That's a great orgaization there. 811859[/snapback] Good point ... and remember, this is what a REPORTER said that Belichick said, I'd be interested in the full context and full quotes.... I think Belcichick is saying that to a coach losing a Superbowl is a horrible feeling, so trying to turn four horrible feelings into a positive feeling is probably not likely... (however, he might agree that for fans, going to four Superbowls is awesome).
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 I agree. As I've told many a person... if given the choice, I'd take supporting a team like Buffalo that went to 4 consecutive Superbowls and never won... over a team like Baltimore (or TB) that went to 1 and won it, but has never done anything since. Sure, it would have been great to win one; but if we could have won XXV and then never go again... nope, I take losing and returning every year and in the process being THE team to beat for all those years. That was one hell of a ride. 811855[/snapback] Yep! In Chicago... They love the '86 SB, they always talk about how the team was "dismantled" the following year... There is always something... I love those four years, it would be hard to give up three for only one! Tar and feather me also you guys out there!
ExiledInIllinois Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 Not all of us. I wouldn't trade four losses for one win (unless it meant we went 1-3). I'd rather be great for half a decade than be a flash in the pan like most other teams. Also, the first and last game were competitive; I guess BB never actually watched them. CW 811868[/snapback] Wasn't BB the DC for Gints XXV?
Fezmid Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 Wasn't BB the DC for Gints XXV? 811878[/snapback] Yes - and thus that's the only one he remembered as being competitive.
Gainzo Posted October 21, 2006 Posted October 21, 2006 Yes - and thus that's the only one he remembered as being competitive. 811892[/snapback] Great answers Bills fans. BB didn't rip the Bills. He said that his one loss in the SB (Packers '96) was awful. He couldn't imagine 4 of those, especially 4 in a row.
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