R. Rich Posted October 27, 2004 Posted October 27, 2004 Yeah, me too. I was the smartass "Route 20 should be packed" comment. I think it would be cool to go, if for nothing else to hang out with Brian Moorman. I was just commenting on how i thought participation would drop in such a dispicable season. .. . 87720[/snapback] Actually, if I had more time to take off, I would've tried to go to the meeting. They're just never around a time that I'm up in the area. For instance, I'll be there on Friday, but this month's meeting is already over.
stevestojan Posted October 27, 2004 Posted October 27, 2004 Actually, if I had more time to take off, I would've tried to go to the meeting. They're just never around a time that I'm up in the area. For instance, I'll be there on Friday, but this month's meeting is already over. 87726[/snapback] So, let me get this right, since the #s have changed, you will be Lot1, pole 5?
Guest Guest Posted October 27, 2004 Posted October 27, 2004 Pulled into One Bills Drive to find the stadium lights on and rock music blaring from the PA, courtesy of something called the Heineken Combine - kind of a Punt, Pass, and Kick contest for grown-ups. The winner gets a trip for two to Honolulu next February "to see his/her favorite Buffalo Bill(s) play in a post-season event currently scheduled for 2/13/05."Hmmm - sounds like somebody didn't want to pay the rights fees to use "Pro Bowl"...... Conservatively, I'd estimate at least 50 people inside the M+T Bank Club - so all the smartalecks making cracks about "gridlock on 20A" or "all 8 people who showed up" are hereby cordially invited to get stuffed. Speaker #1 was Howard Simon. He began his remarks by saying something along the lines of "You invited the wrong guy - I thought they'd be 10-6 this year, so I obviously know nothing about football." From the audience reaction, I'd wager most of us had predicted something similar - comments like "yeah, they fooled a lot of us" prevailed. Some of his thoughts, in response to questions from the peanut gallery: Defense is solid, special teams are improved, but the offense is dragging the rest of the team down with it. He still believes a conservative, run-first style of offense is the right plan for this team, if only because their execution in the passing game is so dreadful. Someone asked about the possibility of Mularkey taking over playcalling in the red zone; the way he sees it, the big problem isn't the plays being called, it's the team's inability to run those plays correctly. (Case in point: the red-zone running game. I just broke it down further, to running plays in goal-to-go situations - 13 carries, 15 yards. 1.15 yards/carry. That STINKS. Every single guy on the OL weighs more than 300 pounds; add in a TE or FB blocking and a 200+ pound RB getting a running head start behind them, and you hafta ask - how can this team NOT average more than 41.5 INCHES/carry inside the 10?) At that point, Howard handed the microphone to Erkie Kailbourne. Kailbourne talked about various stadium/marketing issues the team and Business Backs the Bills are trying to deal with. Someone asked him how close the lease deal came to falling through back in '98; he said, "To be candid, it came right down to midnight on November 30th". Yeah, that close. Considering Buffalo's small-market size and economic situation, he's proud of the job BBtB has done. (Justifiably so, IMO.) After Mr. Kailbourne left the meeting, Mr. Simon answered a few more questions. Talk turned to the chances of getting another Bill into the Hall of Fame next year - Howard thinks Ralph Wilson has a better chance than any of the Bills players on the list, but pointed out there's a sizable group of selectors who think the Hall should be solely for players. I asked if Larry Felser's retirement and Will McDonough's passing had made it more difficult for Ralph to get in; he agreed, and expanded that to include any potential AFL-era nominees.... The third speaker was Steve Tasker, fresh from mingling with the "Combine" participants on the field (and taking Billy Buffalo's chopper for a spin while he was down there. Factoid you won't hear anywhere else - "That thing doesn't have any BRAKES!" ) Our own #89 made a point of mentioning some Wallers' complaints about his being-impartial-to-the-point-of-being-anti-Bills. He said trying to call the game objectively is what he was hired to do, but admitted it was tough at times (and hoped his "Yeah!!!" scream wasn't picked up by the mic while Criqui was calling TKO's INT return against Miami...) He said he really doesn't miss playing, or at least he doesn't miss the stress of playing - the pressure of trying not to do anything to let his teammates down. He does miss the togetherness of that team, but still keeps in touch with a lot of the guys. (Something I didn't know - Pete Metzelaars is now the QC coach for the Colts, working for Bill Polian...) He thinks free agency makes it harder to build the kind of cameraderie those Bills teams had, because the rosters are turning over so much faster. Oh, one more thing - in regards to a certain Fin-head's recent remarks before the Bills-Dolphins game, somebody asked him to "set Dan Marino straight about Buffalo". He replied, "I'm not setting anybody straight about Buffalo. You know why? Because the worse they think it is, the less riff-raff we get here." In other words, Dannyboy, go right ahead and stay in Florida! OK, the Diet Coke that fueled the drive home is starting to wear off. Good thing I have tomorrow (today?) off. G'night. 87310[/snapback] So it was exactly as I figured with Steve....it is hard for him to be objective because he cares about this team too much...... Man....Steve Tasker...what a player he was.
R. Rich Posted October 27, 2004 Posted October 27, 2004 So, let me get this right, since the #s have changed, you will be Lot1, pole 5? 87728[/snapback] I should be. My friend will have his cell phone with him, so I'll track them down if I can't find the spot.
Lori Posted October 27, 2004 Author Posted October 27, 2004 Great report Lori, thank you for the info on what took place during the meeting. I have to apologize to anyone on the Booster Club who took offense to the remark I made about all 8 people showing up. I was kidding and basically said it in reference to the frustration that all Bills fans are feeling these days and the fact that the meeting was held in the Red Zone and the Bills offense wouldn't know what to do if they were there. Sorry 87660[/snapback] Ah, fuggedaboutit guys - if I'd really taken offense, I'd have used the :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: instead of the "smiley". It does say something about Bills fans, though, doesn't it? 1-5 and practically unwatchable on offense, and people are still showing up at Booster Club meetings. And still flying/driving in from all over the country for a game against the Cardinals, fer cryin' out loud. What do we have this weekend - NYC, Florida, San Diego just for starters? I guess we really are nuts. I think that's why people are so down on Willis about pulling up on that INT return, and praising Moulds for making the play. We're passionate about "our" team, we buy the gear, we make plans around Sunday afternoons. Some of us put our money into seasons, others set up cross-country travel plans to get to RWS for a game or two, and most of the rest find a way to get the game on TV - Sunday Ticket, sports bar, whatever. All to watch this team. There's even a wedding at the Pinto this Sunday - these two people were planning their special day, one they'll remember the rest of their lives, and the place they wanted it to be was at a Bills game. How do you top that? Yeah, "our" Bills are 1-5. Yeah, they've got a snowball's chance in Hades of turning this season around. And yet, we're still here, still cheering when things go good and going nuts when they don't. Anyone here giving up on being a Bills fan? In return, I think asking the players not to give up either is a reasonable request. Moulds gets it. I'll echo Chuck Pollock's sentiment - hopefully EM's teammates got the message.
Recommended Posts