Bills on the Clock

[DrDawkinstein]

it was negative, but right to an extent. The Bills do not pay their players. We bring in FA and pay them more than the guys who are here and produced. I do agree we should not have kept McGahee he was going to leave anyway next year. Clements did get way overpaid but we could have locked him up a couple years ago. Spikes and Fletcher should have been retained also.

 

 

so we didnt pay Kelsay? we didnt pay Greer?

 

we pay players who deserve it. not just names.

 

we didnt WANT fletcher. we could have EASILY paid him, but the team is obviously not thrilled with his play. we couldve matched that 5yr/25mil contract. we chose not to.

[CJPearl2]

Am I so biased, as a Bills fan, that I take such issue with these guys? I just saw the piece on ESPN too.

 

Do these guys even watch Bills games? Or do they just look at highlights? Because if they did watch the games last year, they would see that the only serious loss we had was Nate. And there is no way in hell we were going to resign him due to his free agent value. London was too small and not a difference maker at the LOS. Spikes was nowhere near his play 3-4 years earlier (and never will be due both to his injury and his age), and Willis was a constant underachecive that failed to properly pick up the blitz or even learn the playbook.

 

If we trade and sign for Turner (which I think we will) and then draft a MLB (Willis/Poz), we address and UPGRADE two out of three of the positions we are being killed for losing in FA. And this will likely be after the FIRST ROUND ONLY. Think of what we can do with our other draft pick. Also, with AY, we have a sericebale replacement for Nate.

 

I know everyone wants to talk NFL all year long (ESPN, etc..), but how can you properly assess a team at this point in the year, prior to the end of FA, before the draft and even before June 1 cuts???

 

ESPN really does a terrible job assessing teams in the NFL. If you look over the past couple years as to their "expert picks" most are dead wrong. And I hope they are again with the Bills - cuz remember, last year at this time weren't we scheduled to be picking Brady Quinn with our first pick???

[Nanker]

This thing was brutal.

 

I know we can be paranoid as Bills fans but there simply cannot be a question that Mortenson holds a grudge against the Bills. He is incredibly unprofessional.

 

The garbage about "they're not just losing a running back but a very special player" made me laugh out loud.

 

To me, if we had unlimited dollars we should have retained Nate. I understand why we didn't. I like Spikes, and to a degree Fletcher but totally understand why they're gone.

 

Last year and this year are the first time in a long time that the Bills have developed a plan and stuck to it. That is a good thing, not a bad thing. In 5 years of TD our "plan" seemed to change monthly.

 

They drafted for need last year and will again this year. TD drafted for glamour (and maybe for Mort). The only question is what does management see as our need. My bet is that we get Turner if the price is right (2nd rounder or therabouts) and that Willis is our target in the first. Marv and DJ have stated that we need an attacking LB.

 

Bingo! We have a winner! Good post OGTE. Kiper hasn't a clue as to what our coaching staff perceive as needs. And Mort simply cannot fathom nor get by the fact that The Bills biggest "Need" wasn't his long-time lover Tom Donnahoe.

[ABF11]

It's not paranoia.

How special can willis be on a rushing attack that ranked near the bottom of the league?

That was a total contradiction.

And Spikes?

Has he even been on this team the last couple years?

I think I saw his face on a milk box.

They kept saying how awful the bills were last year but criticized us for

unloading key elements of that awful team.

I don't even think they know what they are saying anymore.

 

F**ck ESPN.

 

Let's do our talking on the field.

 

 

This thing was brutal.

 

I know we can be paranoid as Bills fans but there simply cannot be a question that Mortenson holds a grudge against the Bills. He is incredibly unprofessional.

 

The garbage about "they're not just losing a running back but a very special player" made me laugh out loud.

 

To me, if we had unlimited dollars we should have retained Nate. I understand why we didn't. I like Spikes, and to a degree Fletcher but totally understand why they're gone.

 

Last year and this year are the first time in a long time that the Bills have developed a plan and stuck to it. That is a good thing, not a bad thing. In 5 years of TD our "plan" seemed to change monthly.

 

They drafted for need last year and will again this year. TD drafted for glamour (and maybe for Mort). The only question is what does management see as our need. My bet is that we get Turner if the price is right (2nd rounder or thereabouts) and that Willis is our target in the first. Marv and DJ have stated that we need an attacking LB.

[DrDawkinstein]

i guess it could be worse.

 

they couldve all agreed that we will be in the Super Bowl...

 

that woudlve guaranteed us a 4-12 record.

 

i sorta like being under-estimated.

[bluv]

it was negative, but right to an extent. The Bills do not pay their players. We bring in FA and pay them more than the guys who are here and produced. I do agree we should not have kept McGahee he was going to leave anyway next year. Clements did get way overpaid but we could have locked him up a couple years ago. Spikes and Fletcher should have been retained also.

 

Fact is we are re-building again, the national media thinks are team is a joke. They will not get any respect until they start having winning seasons and making the playoffs - something we have not done for awhile. Until all the "negative" talk will continue. I actually like to FA additions so far and am hoping for a great draft, but you do have to admit we did lose alot in FA bottom line we did not pay the players - they did fail to mention Willis problems, Takeo's inj, Fletch age. Clements really nothing to say other than does not get the Int's #'s, etc. although i always felt he was one of the top shutdown CB - so why not pay him are we going to find anyone better or in the draft and eventually have to pay them or more???

We haven't bought in that many free agents. And besides this year we haven't lost that many free agents that we should have kept. Pat Williams is the only player I regret losing as with him we had a DOMINANT run D and he went to the Vikings and now they have a DOMINANT run D. He was overpaid at the time too but not by so much and I think the team was a little cheap and undervalued his importance. But Clemens like Willis wanted to be paid too much to be locked down; they wanted to be paid at the highest players at their position but not be the BEST players at their positions. Clemens is good but not dominant in any form or fashion. WM has talent but hasn't shown it plus didn't want to be a Buffalo Bill.

 

Personally I don't think we are as far off as the national media thinks as I actually watch the team play and didn't just focus on stats & highlights! If the O-line additions can make a difference and we can obtain a quality RB, WM will not be missed and the speed we have at WR can be utilized more as well as get the TE's involved more in the passing game. On D, If they can find the right LB combination that can fill the gaps in the Tampa 2 scheme and allow us to put teams in 3rd and long, opponenets better watch out! If our 2nd year DT's improve with the addition of Walker, we have a D-line than can get after the QB. I hope Youbouty can step in as he is the big question mark but who knows; McGee might be the odd man out when all is said and done!

[cåblelady]

F**ck ESPN.

 

Let's do our talking on the field.

Right on.

[KOKBILLS]

Just saw it as well, and felt like someone had just punched Me in the gut after watching...

 

It was actually a bit comical...Mort starts out by saying he talked to an AFC East Executive last Season who said He would Trade Rosters with the Bills straight up (I'm guessing the Exec was not Scott Pioli)...But Mort basically says most of the good Players are gone now...

 

The thing that surprised Me most was how Woodson especially was talking about McGahee like He was LT...It was WAY over the top...Mel was most concerned about losing Fletcher and Clements and said replacing WM was definitely not the big problem...Woodson makes a comment that Fletcher (almost 32 years old) and Spikes (30 yrs old with a torn achilles on his medical resume) were the Future of the Franchise...OK...I don't think they even mentioned We got Walker back in the TKO Trade...And, this just in ESPN...Darwin Walker is a pretty darn good PROVEN NFL DT...There was a comment about the Bills possibly Drafting at the Top of the 2008 Draft...And of coarse that the Bills are cheap and Ralph is looking to sell...Anyway...

 

They all agreed JP and Lee were vastly improved, Mort mentioned the Upgrades on the OL and the Bills excellent Coaching Staff (yes...He praised Jauron and The Bills DC...I almost fell off My chair...)...Mel says P. Willis is the Pick in Round #1 and Mort comments that it would be a GREAT Pick for the Bills...Mel says Pittman in the 2nd...When they go back to the Studio I think the Ancor makes a quick reference to them trashing the Bills...

 

Same thing as last Year..The Bills suck basically...And these guys were positive in comparison to the way Clayton will trash them over the next few Months...I predict they get mocked in The Draft by ESPN (but not necessarily by Kiper or Berman of coarse) no matter what they do...And this time next Year they get trashed again dispite finishing 9-7 in 2007...

[ABF11]

I think there are a couple of good points here.

Clements should have already been extended.

I really want the Bills to lock up Evans, Losman and Schoebel to long-term deals.

They did at least extend mcgee.

 

it was negative, but right to an extent. The Bills do not pay their players. We bring in FA and pay them more than the guys who are here and produced. I do agree we should not have kept McGahee he was going to leave anyway next year. Clements did get way overpaid but we could have locked him up a couple years ago. Spikes and Fletcher should have been retained also.

 

Fact is we are re-building again, the national media thinks are team is a joke. They will not get any respect until they start having winning seasons and making the playoffs - something we have not done for awhile. Until all the "negative" talk will continue. I actually like to FA additions so far and am hoping for a great draft, but you do have to admit we did lose alot in FA bottom line we did not pay the players - they did fail to mention Willis problems, Takeo's inj, Fletch age. Clements really nothing to say other than does not get the Int's #'s, etc. although i always felt he was one of the top shutdown CB - so why not pay him are we going to find anyone better or in the draft and eventually have to pay them or more???

[The Dean]

It was GREAT, IMO. They noticed all of the negatives and very few of the positives (and they were an afterthought at the end of the show after they already said the Bills would suck this year).

 

BEAUTIFUL!

 

I hope everyone looks at the Bills through those goggles this year.

[bluv]

It's not paranoia.

How special can willis be on a rushing attack that ranked near the bottom of the league?

That was a total contradiction.

And Spikes?

Has he even been on this team the last couple years?

I think I saw his face on a milk box.

They kept saying how awful the bills were last year but criticized us for

unloading key elements of that awful team.

I don't even think they know what they are saying anymore.

 

F**ck ESPN.

 

Let's do our talking on the field.

They only know storylines; since the Bills don't have any storylines then ESPN doesn't care about the Bills or any other team for that matter that doesn't sell stories. The contradiction you speak off is so obvious. While I don't bash WM as mauch as some, ESPN makes it seems as if WM was LT or Corey Dillion; a RB putting up great numbers playing on a bad team; the only good thing that team had! And you are right about TKO; I mean he hasn't played for almost 2 seasons and he might not ever return to form ( I still wish he were on the team though!). He was due a huge bonus so it amde sense to make a trade and pickup a starting DT that's tailor made for your scheme.

[tombstone56]

how about a email campaign ,, ESPN can KMA .from a .BUFFALO BILLS FAN ..... BLOW OUT THERE SERVER

[bills5482]

Screw ESPN....It's apparent that most of them don't even pay attention to Bills games because if they would have done that then they would know the reason behind some of the Bills moves this offseason so far. Players with name recognition (which they are going by) don't win football games. It's players that fit the system of the coaching staff that gives the team the best chance to win and those players that the bills let go obviously didn't fit that mold. So screw the media because they are not the Bills front office and unlike some of us Bills fans, they don't have a clue to what's going on and the reasons behind some of the moves....Ignore the ignorance and let's hope the Bills prove them wrong on the field this season...Go Bills!

[DrDawkinstein]

how about a email campaign ,, ESPN can KMA .from a .BUFFALO BILLS FAN ..... BLOW OUT THERE SERVER

 

 

thats the BEST thing we can do for them. if Mort/Mel get such a reaction from viewers, they will be on TV for the next 50 years.

 

hate em or love em, ratings are ratings. and if a lot of Bills fans contact ESPN about it, theyll be happy that they are being watched/noticed.

[dave mcbride]

PFT on the segment (www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm):

 

 

 

ESPN RIPS THE BILLS

We haven't watched many of the "On the Clock" segments that have been aired on SportsCenter over the past few weeks. Primarily because we rarely watch SportsCenter. Primarily because SportsCenter has become unwatchable for anyone older than 15 who has an IQ higher than 16.

But we saw Sunday's "On the Clock" feature regarding the Buffalo Bills, and we were shocked at how mercilessly Chris Mortensen, Darren Woodson, and Mel Kiper Jr. trashed the franchise.

They focused primarily on the fact that four veterans are now gone -- running back Willis McGahee, linebacker London Fletcher-Baker-Robbins-Oppenheim-and-Taft, cornerback Nate Clements, and linebacker Takeo Spikes. And the trio suggested that the franchise is merely cutting payroll, possibly in advance of a sale of the team.

But they completely ignored the fact that the Bills paid big money to defensive end Chris Kelsay and offensive linemen Langston Walker and Derrick Dockery.

In our view, the piece was fully out of balance, and we were shocked that none of those three guys presented a more accurate view of the team.

First of all, McGahee was moved because McGahee wanted out. Destined to be a free agent in 2008, the Bills got what they could for him now, which was a package including two first-day picks. Though they might have been able to get Clements to take Derrick Dockery money in the fall of 2006, we can't fault the Bills for not getting into the overbidding for Clements in March. He is a solid corner but no Champ Bailey. The Niners clearly overpaid.

As to the two linebackers who aren't there anymore, well, they're both on the old side -- and Spikes possibly is on the down side.

Getting dissed is fine and dandy for the Bills. It's always better to be among the overlooked NFL franchises, since it's easier to catch the teams that are supposed to be "better" on paper off guard.

Depending on whether they can get a top-notch tailback in round one, we think the Bills will be a factor in 2007. Even if the guys at ESPN are ready to write them off.

Then again, it was Mel Kiper who suggested prior to the 2001 season that the Patriots could be the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. Mel was only a little bit off in his assessment.

[PistolPeaTear]

ESPN can hate on the bills all they want. When is espn and its anchors ever right?

 

PFT Put It into perspective:

 

"Getting dissed is fine and dandy for the Bills. It's always better to be among the overlooked NFL franchises, since it's easier to catch the teams that are supposed to be "better" on paper off guard.

 

Depending on whether they can get a top-notch tailback in round one, we think the Bills will be a factor in 2007. Even if the guys at ESPN are ready to write them off.

 

Then again, it was Mel Kiper who suggested prior to the 2001 season that the Patriots could be the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. Mel was only a little bit off in his assessment. "

[unpaid_bills34]

so we didnt pay Kelsay? we didnt pay Greer?

 

we pay players who deserve it. not just names.

 

we didnt WANT fletcher. we could have EASILY paid him, but the team is obviously not thrilled with his play. we couldve matched that 5yr/25mil contract. we chose not to.

 

No we payed Kelsay and Greer. I dont recall what Greeers contract was but i know Kelsay was paid quite nice. These are avg roll players at best. What I am saying is paying the so called "stars and leaders" The big FA (Spikes, Fletch) we bring in to the top Draft picks (Clements and McGahee). We have plenty of good role players. I guess all i am saying is how much is the media hype playing into these guys heads when they have to make up their mind do they want to play here. Fletch, Clements and Spikes up until after the end of last season all wanted to be here, contraray to your opinion are more than just names (look at Fletch #'s), SF is not stupid yeah they overpaid for Clements but he is good as anyone outside Champ Bailey. Spikes was injured but a leader of the team.

[DrDawkinstein]

No we payed Kelsay and Greer. I dont recall what Greeers contract was but i know Kelsay was paid quite nice. These are avg roll players at best. What I am saying is paying the so called "stars and leaders" The big FA (Spikes, Fletch) we bring in to the top Draft picks (Clements and McGahee). We have plenty of good role players. I guess all i am saying is how much is the media hype playing into these guys heads when they have to make up their mind do they want to play here. Fletch, Clements and Spikes up until after the end of last season all wanted to be here, contraray to your opinion are more than just names (look at Fletch #'s), SF is not stupid yeah they overpaid for Clements but he is good as anyone outside Champ Bailey. Spikes was injured but a leader of the team.

 

 

im not completely disagreeing with you. they are more than just names. but there are plenty of arguments about what level they really are at now...

 

but i guess what i was doing a bad job at getting at is, they are the only players the "experts" talk about. and this is due largely because they are recognized names. theyre playing to the lowest common denominator in their reporting.

 

edit: wow, and yes i realized that my brain completely changed gears mid-post... ha! is easter...

[KOKBILLS]

PFT on the segment (www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm):

ESPN RIPS THE BILLS

We haven't watched many of the "On the Clock" segments that have been aired on SportsCenter over the past few weeks. Primarily because we rarely watch SportsCenter. Primarily because SportsCenter has become unwatchable for anyone older than 15 who has an IQ higher than 16.

But we saw Sunday's "On the Clock" feature regarding the Buffalo Bills, and we were shocked at how mercilessly Chris Mortensen, Darren Woodson, and Mel Kiper Jr. trashed the franchise.

They focused primarily on the fact that four veterans are now gone -- running back Willis McGahee, linebacker London Fletcher-Baker-Robbins-Oppenheim-and-Taft, cornerback Nate Clements, and linebacker Takeo Spikes. And the trio suggested that the franchise is merely cutting payroll, possibly in advance of a sale of the team.

But they completely ignored the fact that the Bills paid big money to defensive end Chris Kelsay and offensive linemen Langston Walker and Derrick Dockery.

In our view, the piece was fully out of balance, and we were shocked that none of those three guys presented a more accurate view of the team.

First of all, McGahee was moved because McGahee wanted out. Destined to be a free agent in 2008, the Bills got what they could for him now, which was a package including two first-day picks. Though they might have been able to get Clements to take Derrick Dockery money in the fall of 2006, we can't fault the Bills for not getting into the overbidding for Clements in March. He is a solid corner but no Champ Bailey. The Niners clearly overpaid.

As to the two linebackers who aren't there anymore, well, they're both on the old side -- and Spikes possibly is on the down side.

Getting dissed is fine and dandy for the Bills. It's always better to be among the overlooked NFL franchises, since it's easier to catch the teams that are supposed to be "better" on paper off guard.

Depending on whether they can get a top-notch tailback in round one, we think the Bills will be a factor in 2007. Even if the guys at ESPN are ready to write them off.

Then again, it was Mel Kiper who suggested prior to the 2001 season that the Patriots could be the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. Mel was only a little bit off in his assessment.

 

My New 2nd favorite Web Site said the biased life-long Bills Fan...

[SilverNRed]

Do these guys even watch Bills games?

Nope.