Mortensen and his love for Donahoe

[Typical TBD Guy]

I think Donahoe does deserve a lot of credit for the talent on the Bills roster today.

 

I don't.

 

42 draft picks and 5 offseasons later, and all we have to show for that miserable TD Era are 9 starters:

 

Losman

Evans

Peters

Schobel

Crowell

McGee

Kelsay

Lindell

Moorman

 

And a bunch of nice but still highly replaceable backups, several of which may not be on the roster by September:

 

Schneck

S. Williams

Cieslak

Preston

Everett

Reed

Parrish

Aiken

Denney

Anderson

Stamer

Wire

Haggan

Leonhard

Greer

 

In 5 years worth of time, I would have expected more indispensable "talent." But that's just me. My standards tend to be higher than that of the average 21st century Bills fan.

[Simon]

Simon winds up, throws the curve, that's cut on and missed by the batter...

I hope nobody noticed me going to my mouth before the pitch. And no sir I have no idea from whence that little cut in the ball originated.

[PromoTheRobot]

I have thought about it, and it is time that you and everyone else who feels that the national media has it in for the Bills to just give it a rest. Does it really matter what guys like Mort say about the Bills? That has absolutely no bearing on where free agents go. Dockery and Walker had absolutely no problem signing with the Bills on the first day of free agency.

 

Remember that we have not been to the playoffs this DECADE. How much accolades do we really deserve? ESPN loves a few teams each year that are playing really well. They are all fired up about the Colts, Patriots, Chargers and probably the Bears, Seahawks, and of course the Cowboys. You didn't hear much positive about the Steelers by the middle of last season. Why, because they were playing terrible.

 

You watch, if we get off to a fast start everyone will be praising us. To the casual fan, and the networks that do not go in depth on each team (ESPN), losing all of our name players (Spikes, Clements, McGahee, Fletcher)makes it look like we are gutting the team. But we all know better. The guys we let go were never going to lead us anywhere. Enjoy the draft, and watch Marv and Dick mold this collection of individuals into a very talented TEAM.

 

Other than getting irked by it all, I also don't care about what cretins like Mort and Mel think....EXCEPT that this crap could be affecting our ability to attract free agents. You don't think players pay attention to this stuff?

 

PTR

[JoeF]

I hope nobody noticed me going to my mouth before the pitch. And no sir I have no idea from whence that little cut in the ball originated.

 

Its called a "slight competitive advantage"

 

I look at this from the pundits perspective and I would tend to agree...you lose 6 pro bowlers on Defense in two years (Milloy, Vincent, Clements, Adams, Fletcher and Spikes) and your feature back and the mass media is going to say you suck. It doesn't matter that these players were either

 

1) Not a good fit for the system

2) Way overpriced

3) Showed deteriorating skill

4) Didn't want to be in Buffalo and wouldn't work hard to reach their potential while in Buffalo

 

or some combination of the above...all the ESPN guys and gals are paid to see is that the franchise is being gutted..that's fine--

 

if it bothers you--post about it, vent...but don't expect it to change...

 

We got 2 solid role players (Ellison, Williams) and 2 very solid starters (Whitner and Simpson) on D in last year's draft. McCargo had shown pretty significant improvement before his injury and Youboty lost the year because of his mom's death...that draft could yield 6 starters or rotational role players on D...that's damn impressive...if we repeat that type of draft this year--we contend for the playoffs. Then the same ESPN guys and gals will be talking about our great future with our wonderful young talent..Its a show me world and right now we don't have a ticket to the movie-but a few wins buys us entry...

[Saint Doug]

Is anyone really surprised by this banter from ESPN. Didn't they say the exact same lines one year ago, but instead used player's names like Moulds, Adams, and Milloy? The in the next breath, they stated the Dolphins would be in the SB. This is really old news, we shouldn't care. They are a media outlet, not soothsayers.

[keepthefaith]

if they had asked these questions, then talked about talent in the draft that could shore up these 3 holes, id have a little respect for them. but they ignored this altogether and instead jumped all over a chance to publicly question Ralph Wilson's intentions... totally lame

 

You'll know by the end of August.

[keepthefaith]

Is anyone really surprised by this banter from ESPN. Didn't they say the exact same lines one year ago, but instead used player's names like Moulds, Adams, and Milloy? The in the next breath, they stated the Dolphins would be in the SB. This is really old news, we shouldn't care. They are a media outlet, not soothsayers.

 

They get paid to judge teams and players even when they can't yet be judged. The Bills new offensive line has yet to play a down and some of the players that will replace those that have departed are not yet on the roster. Of course all of the "expert" opinions will continue to flow up until the start of the season and thereafter. Of course we get to read all of the opinions of the experts on this board that have crystal balls as well. And I don't mean testacles.

[BuffOrange]

I have thought about it, and it is time that you and everyone else who feels that the national media has it in for the Bills to just give it a rest.

 

Quoted for truth. I agree that Mort's mancrush on TD is too much and I don't pay much attention to him anymore. But to be fair he was one of the few national pundits who didn't buy into the Dolphins/Marino hype every year in the 90's and gave us our due back then. Peter King picked us to be in the SB a few years ago. Nobody ever cares if they're optimistic and wrong or pessimistic and right; they're only idiots if they're pessimistic and wrong (which was commonplace in the 90's but hasn't happened in 8 years). In the end who cares.

[Buftex]

There is no question that certain members of the media simply have it in for the Bills. Compare it to the sleezy sports journalist in The Natural. Whether it's out of loyalty to Donahoe, or some other sinister motive, the bias is undeniable. What's more, this bias is hurting our ability to attract free agents. Think about it.

 

PTR

 

Honestly, I think there are two things at work here. The first being that very few of these "analysts" know a whole hell of a lot about the actual game of football, and often base their opinions on what other people say...much like a lot of posters here do (although they are not paid for their opinion, so they get a pass). I don't think I have heard one television analyst acknowledge that the Bills seem to have some sort of plan, and are not just willy-nilly cutting all of their "name players". There have been some on-line guys who seem to see the bigger picture, although all are not sold on it.

 

The second thing going on, I think, particualarly on ESPN and ESPN radio, is that there seems to be a memo out there, that Buffalo sports fans are a thin skinned lot, and it is easy (and fun) to get under their skin. More than one ESPN personality has mentioned the volumes of negative emails they get from Buffalo fans, any time they mention anything negative (or can be perceived as negative) about Buffalo...Colin Cowherd has mentioned it, John Clayton and Mortenson too. I really do think the Buffalo "bashing" is a result, in some part, by the whining that Buffalo sports fans have been doing, about the "lack of respect". Everyone just bite their tounge, and I would bet, some of it will go away!

[Paup 1995MVP]

Other than getting irked by it all, I also don't care about what cretins like Mort and Mel think....EXCEPT that this crap could be affecting our ability to attract free agents. You don't think players pay attention to this stuff?

 

PTR

 

 

I think players go where they have a chance to play and make some good bucks. They also want to play for a solid organization from the owner down to the coaching staff and of course in a city where football is king. I think that the only free agent that the current organization did not get that they really wanted was Ryan Pickett last year. Of course, Pickett played for a Packer team whose defense was no better than ours.

 

So no, I do not think what any analyst says about a teams upcoming season has any play on whether they will choose that team. The players' agents and other players around the league keep them in the know as to what organizations have it going on. Don't give these TALKING HEADS so much credit for what they are saying.

[obie_wan]

Honestly, I think there are two things at work here. The first being that very few of these "analysts" know a whole hell of a lot about the actual game of football, and often base their opinions on what other people say...much like a lot of posters here do (although they are not paid for their opinion, so they get a pass). I don't think I have heard one television analyst acknowledge that the Bills seem to have some sort of plan, and are not just willy-nilly cutting all of their "name players". There have been some on-line guys who seem to see the bigger picture, although all are not sold on it.

 

The second thing going on, I think, particualarly on ESPN and ESPN radio, is that there seems to be a memo out there, that Buffalo sports fans are a thin skinned lot, and it is easy (and fun) to get under their skin. More than one ESPN personality has mentioned the volumes of negative emails they get from Buffalo fans, any time they mention anything negative (or can be perceived as negative) about Buffalo...Colin Cowherd has mentioned it, John Clayton and Mortenson too. I really do think the Buffalo "bashing" is a result, in some part, by the whining that Buffalo sports fans have been doing, about the "lack of respect". Everyone just bite their tounge, and I would bet, some of it will go away!

 

not only do the Bills faithful think ESPN has an ax to grind.

 

This from everyone's favorite site to bash - PFT

 

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.

[BuckeyeBill]

These guys went on and on about the loss of mcgahee after revealing the bills were near the

bottom of the NFL in rushing last season.

 

It's funny that they can't fathom that one of the reasons why we MAY have been near the bottom could have been BECAUSE of McGahee not in spite of him.

[dollars 2 donuts]

Did anyone else watch the 'on the clock' feature?

I really dont care what the national media thinks but its a sunday morning and

im bored so what hell?

These guys went on and on about the loss of mcgahee after revealing the bills were near the

bottom of the NFL in rushing last season.

 

These guys went on and on about the loss of fletcher and clements after revealing

how badly the bills ranked on defense last season.

Funny how all of these guys are Donahoe's.

 

Saying they were going in the wrong direction and not mentioning the aquisition of darwin on the D line and barely acknowledging

john dockery. Mort still has wet dreams about donahoe and shouldn't be allowed to talk about the Bills because of how biased he is.

 

BTW .. did anyone catch that nugget where mort said an AFC East coach would love to trade rosters with the bills?

I wonder who that is.

 

And don't get me wrong here. I think Donahoe does deserve a lot of credit for the talent on the Bills roster today.

But he deserved to get fired because he didn't know how to manage any other aspect of his job.

 

Mort really needs to let this go and move on.

 

Happy Easter everybody

 

 

I did see that. It is one thing to say that you disagree with the Bills' moves, speak poorly of them and then say they were headed in the wrong direction...However, this was more than that. This was a bludgeoning of the team and the organization, equipped with conspiracy theories (thanks Morty!) and outright lies (since when does being 8-9 million under the cap equal out to - paraphrase - "unwilling to spend any money").

 

Even though my other comments on this board concerning this subject made me a little sensitive to the a national attacks on the Bills, I was accepting of what some here said when you suggested, "the heck with them, what do they know," but come on, guys, this was ridiculous yesterday.

 

[Bills Fan888]

I don't.

 

42 draft picks and 5 offseasons later, and all we have to show for that miserable TD Era are 9 starters:

 

Losman

Evans

Peters

Schobel

Crowell

McGee

Kelsay

Lindell

Moorman

Of those starters 3 have made the pro bowl and all of them could make the pro bowl. I am not happy with what TD did but he got us some good players for the future.

[WVUFootball29]

That's just gross...

 

I thought that was Chuck Lester who had those