Ask Tim Graham

[lets_go_bills]

Hey Tim,

 

I have a serious question to ask you. When will your fellow football colleague, Mort, get over the whole Donahoe thing? He still keeps throwing it back in Bills fans' faces.

[Peace Frog]

Hey Tim,

 

Should the Bills try re-signing Angelo Crowell?

[TimGraham]

Hey Tim,

 

Should the Bills try re-signing Angelo Crowell?

 

They could use a player like him, but that bridge is a heap of cinders.

[TimGraham]

Hey Tim,

 

I have a serious question to ask you. When will your fellow football colleague, Mort, get over the whole Donahoe thing? He still keeps throwing it back in Bills fans' faces.

 

I've never understood Bills' fans obsession with what Chris Mortensen thinks of Tom Donahoe. I've never once heard Mortensen "throw it back in the Bills fans' faces." I don't recall ever hearing him say anything incendiary on TV. When Mort does bring it up, it's usually in a chat and as a shot at Ralph Wilson, not the fans. He's a fan of Donahoe. He's entitled to his opinion. Big deal.

[Dawgg]

I've never understood Bills' fans obsession with what Chris Mortensen thinks of Tom Donahoe. I've never once heard Mortensen "throw it back in the Bills fans' faces." I don't recall ever hearing him say anything incendiary on TV. When Mort does bring it up, it's usually in a chat and as a shot at Ralph Wilson, not the fans. He's a fan of Donahoe. He's entitled to his opinion. Big deal.

Tim, certainly agree that this is borderline obsessive and it's not nearly as big a deal as some make it. Having said that, I think what irks fans the most is that Mortensen was full of praise for Wilson during the Donahoe regime, but then suddenly reversed course and has been taking shots at the owner ever since his friend was fired.

 

Any thoughts on Donte Whitner?

[Dibs]

Hiya Tim, thanks heaps for doing this.

I have a question concerning the other big surprise move by the Bills this off-season(cutting Dockery).

At the moment we are currently without a starting caliber LG. Do you have any insight as to what direction the Bills are looking at regarding the position? To me it is quite concerning that outside of the loose rumours regarding the trade for Waters that we could be relying on the draft and a no-name FA(with potential...Hangartner) to shore up the inside of the OL.

[Frez]

Tim, any news on the Brian Waters trade from KC?

[BillsNYC]

I've never understood Bills' fans obsession with what Chris Mortensen thinks of Tom Donahoe. I've never once heard Mortensen "throw it back in the Bills fans' faces." I don't recall ever hearing him say anything incendiary on TV. When Mort does bring it up, it's usually in a chat and as a shot at Ralph Wilson, not the fans. He's a fan of Donahoe. He's entitled to his opinion. Big deal.

 

Tim - I think its fine if Mort doesn't like Ralph Wilson, we all have issues with him, his being personal due to Tom Donahoe. However when the TO story broke, he declared that the "Coaching staff obviously had no say in this decision" and used that to attack Wilson as forcing TO on the team. Since that statement, its been reported that Jauron was for the signing, and Trent Edwards instigated it, yet Mort keeps incorrectly reporting that this was 100% Wilson and continues to attack him for it, tying in his pal Tom Donahoe.

 

Isn't it his job to report the facts and provide opinions based on those facts? I think he crossed a line here as a journalist by creating a false truth to push his anti-Wilson agenda.

 

PS - We're lucky to have you covering the AFC East, couldn't have anybody better!

[TimGraham]

Tim, certainly agree that this is borderline obsessive and it's not nearly as big a deal as some make it. Having said that, I think what irks fans the most is that Mortensen was full of praise for Wilson during the Donahoe regime, but then suddenly reversed course and has been taking shots at the owner ever since his friend was fired.

 

Any thoughts on Donte Whitner?

 

I like Donte Whitner. The thing about safeties, however, is that no other position's naked-eye performance is as dependent on the overall strength of a team's defense. Put Ed Reed on the Bills defense, and he'll look average.

[Dawgg]

I like Donte Whitner. The thing about safeties, however, is that no other position's naked-eye performance is as dependent on the overall strength of a team's defense. Put Ed Reed on the Bills defense, and he'll look average.

I guess that in and of itself is a reason to avoid drafting a safety in the Top 10 when you have other needs.

 

Ed Reed would not look average on the Bills defense... that guy is a straight up freak. But I do agree that Whitner would benefit strongly with better talent around him. Thanks.

 

Also have you heard anything on whether T.O. is going to get to wear #81? James Hardy currently wears that number for the Bills.

[TimGraham]

Tim - I think its fine if Mort doesn't like Ralph Wilson, we all have issues with him, his being personal due to Tom Donahoe. However when the TO story broke, he declared that the "Coaching staff obviously had no say in this decision" and used that to attack Wilson as forcing TO on the team. Since that statement, its been reported that Jauron was for the signing, and Trent Edwards instigated it, yet Mort keeps incorrectly reporting that this was 100% Wilson and continues to attack him for it, tying in his pal Tom Donahoe.

 

Isn't it his job to report the facts and provide opinions based on those facts? I think he crossed a line here as a journalist by creating a false truth to push his anti-Wilson agenda.

 

PS - We're lucky to have you covering the AFC East, couldn't have anybody better!

 

I think way too much is being made of the Trent Edwards text message as the reason T.O. was signed. Edwards himself downplayed it at his news conference today. I'm confident the Bills would have pursued T.O. in exactly the same manner had Edwards not sent the text.

 

And just because Jauron signed off on Owens doesn't mean he was all for it. This is a coach who almost didn't keep his job. If an authority in the front office tells Jauron they're interested in a player, his response will be "Yes, sir."

 

Also, there's a link in my blog to the audio from Mort's appearance on "Mike & Mike in the Morning." Mort does not say it was 100 percent Wilson's idea. Mort doesn't attack Wilson. Mort speculates why Jauron didn't speak on Saturday and says "Ralph Wilson Jr. is 90 years old and wants to get back to the Super Bowl, and that maybe is the reason why this happened."

 

"Maybe is the reason why" is not 100 percent anything, and it's not an attack. I think people are listening so hard for an agenda they misinterpret the message actually being delivered. Mort doesn't mention Tom Donahoe once in the appearance either.

 

I don't see any line being crossed by what Mortensen has reported. He has sources I'd give my molars for. Mort gets paid to get information out of them and give an opinion based on that info. I can guarantee you Mort didn't make anything up, and nothing I have heard him report about the Owens signing would I consider out of line.

[The_Philster]

Actually, the first reports that came out about the Bills being interested in TO said that Jauron was big on the idea of signing TO. So Mort's been incorrectly reporting on it from the start..ignoring reports that came out before ESPN got in on it. (Mort's had a history of being wrong...he reported that Jim Kelly was going to play for Pittsburgh in 1997)

 

Here's my question, Tim.

If TO starts up his antics early with us, it would likely negate anything he can add on the field. But regardless of how he acts, do you think national media attention will be increased for the season by very much?

It does seem that national media attention on the Bills has been lacking for the last few years and it's been speculated that the reason for the TO signing is partly to create a buzz and more interest in the team as well as improvement in the offense.

[Tortured Soul]

I think way too much is being made of the Trent Edwards text message as the reason T.O. was signed. Edwards himself downplayed it as his news conference today. I'm confident the Bills would have pursued T.O. in exactly the same manner had Edwards not sent the text.

 

And just because Jauron signed off on Owens doesn't mean he was all for it. This is a coach who almost didn't keep his job. If an authority in the front office tells Jauron they're interested in a player, his response will be "Yes, sir."

 

Also, there's a link in my blog to the audio from Mort's appearance on "Mike & Mike in the Morning." Mort does not say it was 100 percent Wilson's idea. Mort doesn't attack Wilson. Mort speculates why Jauron didn't speak on Saturday and says "Ralph Wilson Jr. is 90 years old and wants to get back to the Super Bowl, and that maybe is the reason why this happened."

 

"Maybe is the reason why" is not 100 percent anything, and it's not an attack. I think people are listening so hard for an agenda they misinterpret the message actually being delivered. Mort doesn't mention Tom Donahoe once in the appearance either.

 

I don't see any line being crossed by what Mortensen has reported. He has sources I'd give my molars for. Mort gets paid to get information out of them and give an opinion based on that info. I can guarantee you Mort didn't make anything up, and nothing I have heard him report about the Owens signing would I consider out of line.

I think this is what annoyed the Mort conspiracy theorists today, from a chat he did:

 

Andy( Albany, NY): Hey Mort, I'm a lifelong Bills fan and would like your thoughts on the Bills retaining Dick Jauron despite 3 straight 7-9 seasons, along with his coaching staff. It seem to me that the Bills coaches have no play-calling imagination. Don't you think its time for a change?

 

Chris Mortensen: Look, I'm very much on the record that the problem in Buffalo was not Tom Donahoe, wans't Mike Mularkey, isn't Dick Jauron. Why did John Butler run away? You can figure this out but I do think stability is important. If Donahoe hadn't been fired, Mularkey would have stayed and you would be a playoff team by now. Hopefully,it happens for you next year.

[TimGraham]

Actually, the first reports that came out about the Bills being interested in TO said that Jauron was big on the idea of signing TO. So Mort's been incorrectly reporting on it from the start..ignoring reports that came out before ESPN got in on it. (Mort's had a history of being wrong...he reported that Jim Kelly was going to play for Pittsburgh in 1997)

 

Here's my question, Tim.

If TO starts up his antics early with us, it would likely negate anything he can add on the field. But regardless of how he acts, do you think national media attention will be increased for the season by very much?

It does seem that national media attention on the Bills has been lacking for the last few years and it's been speculated that the reason for the TO signing is partly to create a buzz and more interest in the team as well as improvement in the offense.

 

Nobody involved in the process I have spoken to has told me Jauron pushed for Owens. I saw a report that Jauron instigated the Owens signing, but a highly placed source tells me that's absolutely false. Some people have painted Jauron more as a passive observer who didn't protest.

 

With Owens, the national media attention will increase -- win or lose. The only way I can see it fizzling is if he suffers a season-ending injury. Even a nagging injury would fuel the saga.

[TimGraham]

I think this is what annoyed the Mort conspiracy theorists today, from a chat he did:

 

Andy( Albany, NY): Hey Mort, I'm a lifelong Bills fan and would like your thoughts on the Bills retaining Dick Jauron despite 3 straight 7-9 seasons, along with his coaching staff. It seem to me that the Bills coaches have no play-calling imagination. Don't you think its time for a change?

 

Chris Mortensen: Look, I'm very much on the record that the problem in Buffalo was not Tom Donahoe, wans't Mike Mularkey, isn't Dick Jauron. Why did John Butler run away? You can figure this out but I do think stability is important. If Donahoe hadn't been fired, Mularkey would have stayed and you would be a playoff team by now. Hopefully,it happens for you next year.

 

I don't know if I disagree with that. Mort could have thrown Polian's name in there, too.

[RayFinkle]

...With Owens, the national media attention will increase -- win or lose. The only way I can see it fizzling is if he suffers a season-ending injury. Even a nagging injury would fuel the saga.

Tim. Why? Buffalo is the most jinxable sports town in the western hemisphere. This like saying shut out with 2 minutes to go in the third.

[BillsNYC]

I don't know if I disagree with that. Mort could have thrown Polian's name in there, too.

 

C'mon Tim, Polian was a HUGE Wilson mistake...but Mularkey was not taking this team to the playoffs because he'd still have Losman at the helm who is sitting alone in free agency and may be out of the NFL for good. Donahoe drove this franchise into the ground from Johnson to Bledsoe to Losman, to the Mike Williams bust, to firing Rusty Jones, to letting Pat Williams walk, to confiscating fans signs the last few games. That was all Donahoe, and Wilson rightly ran him out of town.

 

Mort needs to check his feelings for Wilson at the door when he walks into work and lose the cheap shots. Bills fans are tired of hearing about Donahoe every time the Bills are mentioned.

 

Edit: TD didn't release Smith/Reed/Thomas, my bad.

[quikchomp]

C'mon Tim, Polian was a HUGE Wilson mistake...but Mularkey was not taking this team to the playoffs because he'd still have Losman at the helm who is sitting alone in free agency and may be out of the NFL for good. Donahoe drove this franchise into the ground from his poor handling of the Smith/Thomas/Reed cuts (2 Hall of Famers), to Johnson to Bledsoe to Losman, to the Mike Williams bust, to firing Rusty Jones, to letting Pat Williams walk, to confiscating fans signs the last few games. That was all Donahoe, and Wilson rightly ran him out of town.

 

Mort needs to check his feelings for Wilson at the door when he walks into work and lose the cheap shots. Bills fans are tired of hearing about Donahoe every time the Bills are mentioned.

Donahoe arrived in Jan 2001; Reed/Thomas/Smith were released after the 1999 season (incidentally, the last time we were in the playoffs).

[Lv-Bills]

I think way too much is being made of the Trent Edwards text message as the reason T.O. was signed. Edwards himself downplayed it as his news conference today. I'm confident the Bills would have pursued T.O. in exactly the same manner had Edwards not sent the text.

 

And just because Jauron signed off on Owens doesn't mean he was all for it. This is a coach who almost didn't keep his job. If an authority in the front office tells Jauron they're interested in a player, his response will be "Yes, sir."

 

Also, there's a link in my blog to the audio from Mort's appearance on "Mike & Mike in the Morning." Mort does not say it was 100 percent Wilson's idea. Mort doesn't attack Wilson. Mort speculates why Jauron didn't speak on Saturday and says "Ralph Wilson Jr. is 90 years old and wants to get back to the Super Bowl, and that maybe is the reason why this happened."

 

"Maybe is the reason why" is not 100 percent anything, and it's not an attack. I think people are listening so hard for an agenda they misinterpret the message actually being delivered. Mort doesn't mention Tom Donahoe once in the appearance either.

 

I don't see any line being crossed by what Mortensen has reported. He has sources I'd give my molars for. Mort gets paid to get information out of them and give an opinion based on that info. I can guarantee you Mort didn't make anything up, and nothing I have heard him report about the Owens signing would I consider out of line.

Tim,

 

It stinks to drag you into the Mort hates the Bills stuff.....but I mean, he's so ridiculous with some of the stuff he says it's just silly. I mean, really, I could ask him in his chat if he likes Chicken Wings and he'll somehow figure out a way to tie it back to Tom Donahoe being the man for the Bills job.

 

I mean, today, he said that if TD was still in charge, he and Mike Mularkey would have this team in the playoffs by now. The guy was no good here, and morale was terrible. If Tom Donahoe and Mularkey are so damn good, why aren't they in charge somewhere else? No one else in the NFL seems to think TD is right for their jobs either.

 

I don't expect you to comment on this, because if you keep commenting about Mort on a Bills message board, you'll just get sucked in deeper and deeper. But seriously, as a Bills fan, Mort is sickening to listen to anymore.

[BillsFan Trapped in Pats Land]

If this goes horribly awry with TO in town, I mean biblical, boils, bats. the slaying of the 1st born...... the whole Kaballah road show......basically a 10 month deal; No loss.

 

All that said. can someone get excited?? The Bills got better, and they are not done.

 

What you think are odds are to get June, Kdieihho (?). Any other free agents available that could be a rotational with a versatile draftee like Everette Brown or Maybin??