GG Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 If you'll recall, the NFL also did the Bills a big favor by making most of their home games earlier in the year. In prior years, the Bills had to sell December home games in the freezing cold that had little meaning. O'rly? Last 3 home games: 2004 - 11/21, 12/12, 1/2 (Pitt for Playoff) 2005 - 11/27, 12/11, 12/17 2006 - 12/3, 12/17, 12/24 2007 - 11/18, 12/9, 12/23 2008 - 11/30, 12/7 (TO), 12/28 That's some scheduling favor. What was that comment about fact checking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 O'rly? Last 3 home games: 2004 - 11/21, 12/12, 1/2 (Pitt for Playoff) 2005 - 11/27, 12/11, 12/17 2006 - 12/3, 12/17, 12/24 2007 - 11/18, 12/9, 12/23 2008 - 11/30, 12/7 (TO), 12/28 That's some scheduling favor. What was that comment about fact checking? In 2006, the 12/24 game was blacked out because it didn't sell out (note: Marv was GM during this time). So they didn't sell out every game under Marv. Also note that this game was blacked out despite its importance. It was hardly meaningless, as the Bills were still fighting for a playoff berth, thus making the notion that Marv "brought back the fans" absurd. The following season, Chuck Schumer lobbied to have the schedule adjusted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 In 2006, the 12/24 game was blacked out because it didn't sell out (note: Marv was GM during this time). So they didn't sell out every game under Marv. Also note that this game was blacked out despite its importance. It was hardly meaningless, as the Bills were still fighting for a playoff berth, thus making the notion that Marv "brought back the fans" absurd. The following season, Chuck Schumer lobbied to have the schedule adjusted. The 2006 season followed a pathetic 2005, and given the history of Buffalo's attendance, ticket sales dropped significantly in '06, as expected. Attendance rebounded towards the end of '06, and the team played to sold out shops for '07 & '08. Shumer's grandstanding notwithstanding, '07 & '08 still had late season games at the Ralph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Shumer's grandstanding notwithstanding, '07 & '08 still had late season games at the Ralph. The problem the Bills had with their schedule was that the December games in 2006 weren't particularly good draws. Teams like Tennessee and San Diego aren't big draws. Going into December, the Bills had almost 10,000 unsold seats for those games. Note that Marv was very much at the helm during this time, fresh off leading one of the worst Buffalo Bills drafts in recent memory. I guess I misspoke... what I "should" have said was that the Bills' schedule was adjusted to (a) reduce the number of home games in December and (b) ensure that the crappy draws happen earlier in the season. Nevertheless, ganesh's notion that Marv was responsible for bringing back the crowds remains a stretch. In 2007, December home games were against Miami (which usually sells out) and the Giants (a big draw). In 2008, one of the home games was moved to Toronto (against Miami) and the other was the New England Patriots (always a big draw). This was no coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 The problem the Bills had with their schedule was that the December games in 2006 weren't particularly good draws. Teams like Tennessee and San Diego aren't big draws. Going into December, the Bills had almost 10,000 unsold seats for those games. Note that Marv was very much at the helm during this time, fresh off leading one of the worst Buffalo Bills drafts in recent memory. I guess I misspoke... what I "should" have said was that the Bills' schedule was adjusted to (a) reduce the number of home games in December and (b) ensure that the crappy draws happen earlier in the season. Nevertheless, ganesh's notion that Marv was responsible for bringing back the crowds remains a stretch. In 2007, December home games were against Miami (which usually sells out) and the Giants (a big draw). In 2008, one of the home games was moved to Toronto (against Miami) and the other was the New England Patriots (always a big draw). This was no coincidence. So now the argument is that the Bills played against uninteresting opponents rather than played earlier in the month? Keep shifting it. I hear it's Marv's fault that Edwards has played in the top five worst weather conditions in Bills history too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 So now the argument is that the Bills played against uninteresting opponents rather than played earlier in the month? I didn't say it was an "either or," I said it was both. In 2006 4 of the final 6 games were at home for the first time in the team's 47 year history -- a virtual death sentence when the team isn't competitive. Thanks to Schumer's lobbying, the NFL has made efforts to give the Bills fewer home games late in the year. In the home games they do have, they try to make sure that the opponents are good draws. It shows in the schedule the past 2 years. The fact still rings true: Marv is not responsible for "brining back the fans." Fact of the matter is Marv was overmatched as a GM and as a talent evaluator (his horrific 2006 draft and subsequent free agent signings speak volumes). If you're trying to give him credit for filling the seats, you're really stretching it. Carry on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 So they swap out coordinators and promote a guy that has been a journeyman QB coach and in and out of the NFL coaching ranks with an alarming frequency and regularity. This is who they chose to fix the offense in the interest of continuity just like in Chicago. Schonert's contribution appears to be the "we'll outfox people" approach by establishing reverse tendencies in his play calling. Great post SB. Schonert's promotion this time last year was heralded by some to be a great move solely because he replaced whipping boy Fairchild. After one season, it's clear he's not capable to handling the job. That's an affirmation of why he wasn't promoted to OC with TB, NYG, BUF (1st time) and CAR. After the 5-1 start, obviously the QB play wasn't stellar other than at KC, but Schonert's failure to answer 3-4 defenses in the passing game when teams dropped 6+ into coverage is proof to me he's never going to get it. He's not a rookie coach, and he's spent no less than 12 seasons in the league as a QB coach. Someone with that record who hasn't been promoted probably ain't good enough. All of this fits in line with what happened to DJ in Chicago. Lackluster coordinators who aren't in the NFL anymore, and offenses which fell into the bottom third of the league. I listened to the braggodocio in the offseason, but as with Fairchild, it was just talk. Aside from being a terrible gameday HC, DJ's biggest failure has been the lack of finding good coordinators. He's hired 6 in 8 seasons of coaching, and none of them ever were mentioned as candidates for head coaching jobs. Schonert's hopefully the last coordinator DJ ever hires, because DJ oughta be fired after this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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