My analysis on why Ralph kept DJ...

[thewildrabbit]

Some of the unwarranted optimism from some fans gets me. You honestly think because RW DIDN'T fire DJ it was because he wants to hire a head coach next season, when Bill Cowher is willing to return to football?

 

Get a freaking grip will ya, the guy didn't fire Jauron because he didn't wanna eat the 4-6 million it would cost to buy DJ out,then he would have to pay someone else to be the head coach,double whammy.

 

Cowher would want to pick his own GM,which this franchise doesn't even have atm because Wilson is so cheap he doesn't want to hire one. Cowher would want total control over who the team drafted,never happen with Wilson's daughter running the scouting dept and draft.

Any new head coach that was even willing to work in Buffalo would fire every assistant coach on the team save for Bobby April and it would cost more money to hire real assistants.

 

Bill Cowher nor any other high caliber coach will never, ever , come to Buffalo,PERIOD! The owner won't pay anyone over 2 mil and any coach worth a damn wouldn't come to this team because the front office is so deranged,it would take a major shake up to transform the FO into a properly functioning franchise.

 

Like I stated earlier to all the Jauron supporters, I'm certain I'll be hearing a different story next season from all of you when the team is lionesque and the home games are not being shown locally.

[Bufcomments]

After 2 head coaching jobs, the fact which stands out is that Jauron has regressed. He has absolutely no excuse whatsoever for the horrible play calling and time mismanagement that happened this year. No one is perfect. The mistakes that Jauron made, or allowed to happen, would be understandable if he was a rookie HC. He isn't. He's had 3 years to prove himself in Buffalo and instead he's produced 7-9 duds each year.

 

If you can give me any tangible reasons why his 4th year should be any different than the first three, I'm all ears.

 

Three years of playing not to win gets you 7-9, 7-9. 7-9

 

Jauron been in the league to long and you cant reteach his coaching skills

 

so we are going to see the same next year.....and I think that is what makes Bills FANS pissed off

they know Jauron isn't gonna change his style

[Touchdown Tom]

Maybe Ralph secretly liked what Rich Kotite did with the Jet's and Eagles and feels that DJ could have a chance to match his records:

 

Of Rich Kotite: "Counting his last seven games with the Eagles, Kotite lost 31 of his final 35 games as an NFL head coach, for a winning percentage of .114. "

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Here is my opinnion and analysis on what's going on with Ralph bringing DJ back. I still prefer to replace DJ now, but keeping isn't as crazy as our record suggest and does make some sense when you look at the bigger picture.

<7 reasonable points deleted>

 

I think you might be missing the most important point:

 

9. Fans will have 8 months to rationalize and grow hopeful, so it won't hurt the Bottom Line at all

[KOKBILLS]

You have your opinion,I have mine. Apparently you are one of the many hysterical,negative fans that post here. I always try to find the positive in situations,and the poster made many good points in his original post. You can go ahead and dump the team if you wish,I'll be rooting for the Bills whether I agree with RW's decisions or not. Their my team. And when they do turn it around you and your whiny friends will be back,bragging how you've "always been a Bills Fan".

 

Well...

 

I have always been a Bills Fan...38 years and counting...You are no more Fan than I...That much I guarantee...

 

I'll never dump the Bills...I'm neither hysterical nor am I a negative person...I'm actually quite positive about most things in life...But I'm not a fool either and I know NFL Football...I know a loser when I see one, and even if I don't I can just look up the Record...I know when a Team is ill-prepared, unmotivated, and confused...And I know when it's a Coaching problem...And I'm not about to be OK with Dead Dick for another Year...Yes their My Team...But I don't have to like it...I'm not a lemming...

 

So go on and think what you will about those of us who have chosen to speak our minds against this rediculous decision to keep that career loser...Who knows? Maybe by some miracle or Grace of God Jauron will get better at his job and be able to match wits with the likes of Belichick...If you are such a great Fan I would advise putting some cash down on The Bills for next Season because the payoff will be HUGE should they succeed...There's a reason for that though...And all the blind loyalty in the world is not going to help Dead Dick when when The Patsies come to Town looking to dish out their yearly ass whipping...

[granitestatebillsbackers]

--there is a bit of the beaten wife syndrome with some of you great loyal fans

 

Give me a break. This board is full of posers who believe that their season tickets or Sunday Ticket subscriptions entitle them to throw out all reason and common sense, rattle their swords by threatening to cancel everything, and heap disrespect on fans who dare to speak in support of this team. Some of you were around during the late Sixties and early Seventies when there was season after season of crushing disappointment. What makes it so different now? The fact that you are spending money? As I suggested in my original post, nobody is forcing you to spend the money.

 

Let's call your posturing what it is: sandbagging. You're publicly bitching and moaning to buy an option on the right to tell the fans "nyah nyah nyah...told you so" next season if it goes badly. If it goes well, no harm, no foul--you fade back into the crowd of elated posters and all of this will be forgotten.

 

Here's the calculus, if your brain isn't too addled with delusions of omnipotent power and influence because you've had the same lousy RWS seats for the past 137 seasons, blah blah blah:

 

Bills fan DOES NOT EQUAL Dick Jauron supporter.

Bills fan DOES NOT EQUAL Ralph Wilson supporter.

 

You're either in or you're out. If you're a fan, great. If you're no longer a fan, hit the bricks.

[DrDawkinstein]

i like this granite slate guy. more posting please.

[DrFishfinder]

Can you tell me the big difference in Atl and Miami this year besides coaching? Good QB play...did we have good QB play? Not even close. When Trent was playing like an NFL QB instead of a scared puppy, we were 4-0. Even then, he wasnt lighting the field up...Bad QB play is the #1 killer of coaches in this league...

 

So sure, Sparano gets a lot of credit for the turn around, but that team is a completely different team in terms of its roster than it was the year before, and Parcells did that. Pennington, Brown back from injury, Williams, Porter back to form, the trade for Fasano, etc. was the turning point.

 

Atl just got only Matt Ryan and Michael Turner...hmmm...pretty good players to me...could they have a huge impact on that turn around?

 

Balt was already talented enough, so I leave them out of above example, but they too found a young QB to keep building on who is just asked not to lose them the game.

 

All teams do play with injuries, but not team in football has had as many injuries to key starters than Buffalo the last 2 seasons. Last year we had players that would struggle to start in the world league or CFL starting for us. This year our QB, OL, Reed, Schobel, Youboty, Greer, etc. were all hampered a CHUNK of the season, mostly during our season AFTER the 5-1 start and we couldnt recover.

You have good points above.

 

However, that has nothing to do with the awful coaching job that Jauron did this year. Bad decision after bad decision and consistant clock mismanagement have nothing to do with Pennington, Flacco, Porter, Ryan, Turner, Edwards eratic play or injuries to Bills players. Jauron made mistakes that a coach with his experience simply should

not

make.

 

Period.

 

That either is, or is not, true. If you believe that not to be true, fine. Then we agree to disagree.

[DrFishfinder]

An excellent post, A-dawg. It's hard for most here to be reasonable when the team tanked, once again, and it was due in large part, to DJ's coaching, it seems. I want DJ gone, and I'm not happy about Ralph's decision to keep him. But, clearly he went through a process before deciding to stick with Dick.

 

I think that what you outline, is as good as a shot at guessing the process, and the logic behind it, as any. Of course, the small minds of the lynch mob don't care to do any real analysis, and would rather post hyperbole and nonsensical truisms.

 

But, just because I don't join the mob, doesn't mean I'm happy about Ralph's decision.

Ralph "went throught a process before deciding to stick with Dick", is in all honesty, an educated guess and most likely >50% correct. However, my guess is that that guess comes from logic, reasoning and common business sense from the Dean's perspective. I don't think think any of us knows what, if any process, Ralph used. He's 90 years old. Nine zero. Exactly what kind of "process" is a 90 year old mind capable of? My wife's grandmother is 92 and as much as I love and admire her, her mind is clearly not that of even a 70 year old person. She has lived an amazingly rich and storied life, filled with a great many accomplishments. And before she does things with her assets, I'm sure she goes through some sort of "process", the results of which are very questionable in some cases. I rest my analogy.

[The Dean]

Ralph "went throught a process before deciding to stick with Dick", is in all honesty, an educated guess and most likely >50% correct. However, my guess is that that guess comes from logic, reasoning and common business sense from the Dean's perspective. I don't think think any of us knows what, if any process, Ralph used. He's 90 years old. Nine zero. Exactly what kind of "process" is a 90 year old mind capable of? My wife's grandmother is 92 and as much as I love and admire her, her mind is clearly not that of even a 70 year old person. She has lived an amazingly rich and storied life, filled with a great many accomplishments. And before she does things with her assets, I'm sure she goes through some sort of "process", the results of which are very questionable in some cases. I rest my analogy.

 

 

Fair enough. None of us were in the room for the meetings, of have access to Ralph's brain. If any here do, they are holding out.

 

Ralph is 90, and it might take him a while to think through what might take one of us 20 minutes. In a way, that might be a plus, because you know his decisions are not likely to be rash (there is certainly a good chance that he HAS a rash, though). Of course, he just might take a long time to make a bad decision...as I think he likely did here.

 

As far as you grandmother goes, well, I understand. I have some people in my family starting to lose their ability to remember, think clearly, etc...and they aren't 90. I think Ralph has a lot more on the ball than most 90-year old guys, though.

[dave mcbride]

every team does have injuries, but we have been hit exceptionally hard and did not have the depth to overcome it. We don't draft as well as NE...

 

Cassel was not as big a shock either as it was for casual fan. He was playing lights out in the preseason a couple years ago and rumbles were brewing in fan circles of a QB controversy as absurd as that is.

 

I know Cassels mom, worked with her on the TV show "My own worst enemy" this season as she was head of wardrobe. Nice lady, all her sons are pro athletes. He was highly recruited coming out of high school and got stuck behind 2 Heisman QB's then Mr. all world himself Brady. It says something to never have started a game in college as a QB and to still get drafted. Chow said Cassel was his #1 priority to sign after the draft becasue he thought no one would have drafted him since he hadnt started a game. He said if he knew he was on someones radar he would have pushed to use a draft pick on him as he knew his capabilities from USC days.

 

I actually was not surprised by his performance, especially with Welker and Moss to throw to. By the way, off the record, Welker she said is the nicest guy, total class act, humble, and real laid back.

I thought the Bills had very few injuries this year, relatively speaking. The only good player who missed a substantial period of time was Schoebel. Look around the NFL, and you'll see far worse.

[The Dean]

I thought the Bills had very few injuries this year, relatively speaking. The only good player who missed a substantial period of time was Schoebel. Look around the NFL, and you'll see far worse.

 

 

The Bills injury situation this year was nothing like it was in 2007...which was near catastrophic.

 

In 2008, the Bills suffered a few critical injuries, that the team was ill-prepared to deal with.

 

Schobel: The team's premier DE and only bone fide pass rusher

 

Crowell: An early kick in the nuts. Ellison is a nice backup, but once again, he had to start for the bulk of the season

 

Reed: His midseason absence against the Jests. Pats* and Browns really showed on the field...the Bills lost all 3 games.

 

 

Also, the team suffered a series of injuries in the defensive backfield. Fortunately, the team has some depth there. But, the continued reshuffling of assignments exacerbates the impact of any one injury:

 

Youboty: Finally looked like the real deal, and did an outstanding job at the nickel. Gone after wk #5

 

Greer: One of the best cover guys on the team, gone after wk #11

 

McGee: Missed 2 games, and played on one leg against Miami

 

Whitner: Missed 3 games, but played injured and hampered the entire second half of the season

 

 

Then there was Edwards. I would put this in the "ill-prepared to deal with" category, but I don't really think it cost the team much, in terms of wins and losses, as Trent was playing quite poorly and the team was losing with him at QB. Perhaps he was still feeling the effects of the concussion, but since he played his best game ever against SD (right after returning from the concussion) I question that.

 

Now, these injuries shouldn't be used as excuses, as all teams have injuries. But, you can see that Schoebel was not the only significant injury, this year.

[Guest dog14787]

The Bills injury situation this year was nothing like it was in 2007...which was near catastrophic.

 

In 2008, the Bills suffered a few critical injuries, that the team was ill-prepared to deal with.

 

Schobel: The team's premier DE and only bone fide pass rusher

 

Crowell: An early kick in the nuts. Ellison is a nice backup, but once again, he had to start for the bulk of the season

 

Reed: His midseason absence against the Jests. Pats* and Browns really showed on the field...the Bills lost all 3 games.

 

 

Also, the team suffered a series of injuries in the defensive backfield. Fortunately, the team has some depth there. But, the continued reshuffling of assignments exacerbates the impact of any one injury:

 

Youboty: Finally looked like the real deal, and did an outstanding job at the nickel. Gone after wk #5

 

Greer: One of the best cover guys on the team, gone after wk #11

 

McGee: Missed 2 games, and played on one leg against Miami

 

Whitner: Missed 3 games, but played injured and hampered the entire second half of the season

 

 

Then there was Edwards. I would put this in the "ill-prepared to deal with" category, but I don't really think it cost the team much, in terms of wins and losses, as Trent was playing quite poorly and the team was losing with him at QB. Perhaps he was still feeling the effects of the concussion, but since he played his best game ever against SD (right after returning from the concussion) I question that.

 

Now, these injuries shouldn't be used as excuses, as all teams have injuries. But, you can see that Schoebel was not the only significant injury, this year.

 

This team has taken a beating with injuries over the last two years and is a big contributing factor to why Buffalo has struggled and cannot seem to get over the hump.

 

The upside is fellas like Steve Johnson and Leodis McKelvin get much needed experience that only makes us better in the long run.

 

Past posts about lack of proper conditioning as being a factor may have some merit.

[DrFishfinder]

As far as you grandmother goes, well, I understand. I have some people in my family starting to lose their ability to remember, think clearly, etc...and they aren't 90. I think Ralph has a lot more on the ball than most 90-year old guys, though.

I think Ralph has a lot more on the ball than most 90 year old persons too. But that in and of itself is not necessarily a glowing endorsement of his decision making abilities. Pretty much a moot point as the cards have been dealt and I don't see anything changing until the middle of the 2009 season at the earliest. And there would have to be an utter disaster to force a change even then.

[The Dean]

I think Ralph has a lot more on the ball than most 90 year old persons too. But that in and of itself is not necessarily a glowing endorsement of his decision making abilities. Pretty much a moot point as the cards have been dealt and I don't see anything changing until the middle of the 2009 season at the earliest. And there would have to be an utter disaster to force a change even then.

 

 

I can't disagree with any of that.

[NavarreFL_Bills_Fan]

From my point of view, what are the Bill's real options for coaching?

 

There will be a lot of coaching talent this year and next. Unfortunately, I've come to the conclusion that the Bills will not spend the necessary money to go and get any of it. Anybody who thinks we're going to spend big money on the likes of Cowher, or Holgrem is seriously kidding themselves....and I doubt anyone is going to come to Buffalo for the great weather or income taxbreak.

 

The same holds true for talent on the team. Many times I think the Bills draft to not necessarily fortify their team, but manage the leverage they have with restricted FA's, and also players that will hit free agency in the near future....basically just enough to keep them in a good financial situation.

 

For me, I'm sorry, but I feel like the Bills need to earn my fanship back. I feel like I've held on to "hope" for too long. It would be a different story if they were making significant moves, but things just were not working out....BUT, instead, they do just enough to keep us hanging on.

[dave mcbride]

The Bills injury situation this year was nothing like it was in 2007...which was near catastrophic.

 

In 2008, the Bills suffered a few critical injuries, that the team was ill-prepared to deal with.

 

Schobel: The team's premier DE and only bone fide pass rusher

 

Crowell: An early kick in the nuts. Ellison is a nice backup, but once again, he had to start for the bulk of the season

 

Reed: His midseason absence against the Jests. Pats* and Browns really showed on the field...the Bills lost all 3 games.

 

 

Also, the team suffered a series of injuries in the defensive backfield. Fortunately, the team has some depth there. But, the continued reshuffling of assignments exacerbates the impact of any one injury:

 

Youboty: Finally looked like the real deal, and did an outstanding job at the nickel. Gone after wk #5

 

Greer: One of the best cover guys on the team, gone after wk #11

 

McGee: Missed 2 games, and played on one leg against Miami

 

Whitner: Missed 3 games, but played injured and hampered the entire second half of the season

 

 

Then there was Edwards. I would put this in the "ill-prepared to deal with" category, but I don't really think it cost the team much, in terms of wins and losses, as Trent was playing quite poorly and the team was losing with him at QB. Perhaps he was still feeling the effects of the concussion, but since he played his best game ever against SD (right after returning from the concussion) I question that.

 

Now, these injuries shouldn't be used as excuses, as all teams have injuries. But, you can see that Schoebel was not the only significant injury, this year.

Dean, a lot of those guys are JAGs ("just a guy"). Crowell, Greer, Reed, etc. are middle tier players who ain't that great. Look at the Chargers -- LT is a shell of himself, the best rusher in the league (Merriman) misses the season, Gates is hobbled all season, and ... I'm sure there are a bunch of Angelo Crowells on that team that I don't even know about. Half the Broncos defense went out. Big Ben in Pitt seemed to be hurt all season. The Pats lost top-tier players (Brady, Adalius Thomas, Maroney) and Richard Seymour was nowhere near healthy for the first few games.

[The Dean]

Dean, a lot of those guys are JAGs ("just a guy"). Crowell, Greer, Reed, etc. are middle tier players who ain't that great. Look at the Chargers -- LT is a shell of himself, the best rusher in the league (Merriman) misses the season, Gates is hobbled all season, and ... I'm sure there are a bunch of Angelo Crowells on that team that I don't even know about. Half the Broncos defense went out. Big Ben in Pitt seemed to be hurt all season. The Pats lost top-tier players (Brady, Adalius Thomas, Maroney) and Richard Seymour was nowhere near healthy for the first few games.

 

 

The difference between Crowell and Ellison is HUGE. He may be a JAG, but he is in a different class than the alternatives.

 

The DBs may be JAGS, but when the injuries pile up, and guys (other JAGs?) have to move out of their natural positions, it can make a real impact.

 

Still, injuries are part of the game, and the Bills weren't decimated by them, as they were in 2007. But, I wanted to point out that, even though the guys who were injured might not be stars, the damage done was more than their quality status might indicate.

[BADOLBILZ]

Give me a break. This board is full of posers who believe that their season tickets or Sunday Ticket subscriptions entitle them to throw out all reason and common sense, rattle their swords by threatening to cancel everything, and heap disrespect on fans who dare to speak in support of this team.

 

Yeah, those aristocratic season ticket holders and sunday ticket subscribers with their HUNDREDS of dollars of disposable income! Who do they think they are threatening to withhold payment to Ralph Wilson? You are laughably pathetic. You do realize that those embarrassingly rich fans are the people who make it possible for you to watch the Buffalo Bills for free in your comfy chair, don't you? We get enough of curmudgeonese from Ralph, save it for your fellow broken souls.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Yeah, those aristocratic season ticket holders and sunday ticket subscribers with their HUNDREDS of dollars of disposable income! Who do they think they are threatening to withhold payment to Ralph Wilson? You are laughably pathetic. You do realize that those embarrassingly rich fans are the people who make it possible for you to watch the Buffalo Bills for free in your comfy chair, don't you? We get enough of curmudgeonese from Ralph, save it for your fellow broken souls.

 

props to BADOL, haters!