Bills are bottoming out

[Dawgg]

Sarcasm is lost on the non-French, apparently. Maybe you'd like to watch some old Jerry Lewis movies...

My bad bro...

Your sarcasm was too good!

[Lurker]

it's another thing to pointlessly defend ineptitude so vehemently.

Doesn't that logic apply to railing against it as well? Maybe more so, in fact...

[spartacus]

One other thing on this franchise bottoming out.

 

Buffalo has refused to make changes to their front office, regardless of their record in UFA, on draft day, and on the field. Management always has another reason not to do something, and we're supposed to accept it.

 

Whether it's naming the stadium, finding a new HC, hiring a real GM, or just firing John Guy, they don't seem to think it's important to improve areas which do not produce. And that doesn't include the players, many of whom are not NFL caliber or start and wouldn't for most other teams. This team refuses to chart a new course, especially considering how much the old one (Levy/Brandon) has failed.

 

now wait a minute.

 

that is just not true

 

in fact, the Bills just today upgraded their front office at the VP level. see below

 

of course it clearly highlights they put a much higher priority on selling tickets, than finding and evaluating players

 

 

 

 

 

Bills hire Popko as senior VP business development

 

Associated Press

Last updated: 3:46 p.m., Wednesday, April 22, 2009

 

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bruce Popko will take over as the Buffalo Bills senior vice president of business development.

 

 

Named to the post on Wednesday, Popko joins the Bills after working for IMG, where he oversaw the international sports marketing firm's golf events. He previously worked as a marketing and business executive with the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets.

 

His responsibilities in Buffalo will include overseeing corporate sales and the team's regionalization strategy, which includes the Bills playing annual regular-season games in Toronto.

 

Popko fills the post vacated by Pete Guelli, who left to become the NBA Charlotte Bobcats' executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer.

[BillsVet]

Nobody in the SB era has missed the playoffs 7 out of their first 8 seasons as a head coach. Nobody.

 

Among coaches with 8 or more seasons as a HC, only Herm Edwards (.420), Leeman Bennett (.420), Bart Starr (.406), Bruce Coslet (.379), Dom Capers (.375), and John McKay (.333) have worse records in the SB era than DJ (.429).

 

Capers and McKay took over expansion teams, with Capers taking over two of them. Herm "you play to win the games" Edwards is in TV, and Coslet made the playoffs once in 9 seasons with NYJ and CIN. DJ will match him this year.

 

If people don't know that Jauron has had enough time to demonstrate he's never getting better, it's plain ignorance and a lack of football IQ. He should have been put out to pasture long ago. But when there's a desperate team looking to cut costs you hire these types of people. And you get what you pay for.

 

EDIT: Ray Perkins coached 8 seasons with a winning percentage of .359. And I forgot Marion Campbell, who came in with a .298. Either way, this group of coaches isn't entering Canton anytime soon

 

Coaches worse than DJ

[BADOLBILZ]

Your post makes many valid points,but most of them are arguable. I know you won't agree,but if somebody had the time and patience,a good argument stating the other side of most of your points can be made. For whatever reason you CHOOSE to see the glass as half empty in every point. You see a LB corp that's very slow and unathletic,I see a LB group that's 1 player away from being damn good. You see the worst OL in the NFL,I see an OL that's definitely in transition but with a good chance to be solid by the season opener. I could go on,but I've made my point. My question to you is,Why do you put yourself thru the agony of rooting with your heart and soul for a team when you have such a downer attitude about the whole situation? Obviously,you have a right to feel and do as you wish. I just don't get it.

 

A lot of teams don't see the precipitous drop coming. They think they have some good players. But in reality they just have too many players who could go either way, and sometimes a lot of them go the wrong way all at once and things spiral out of control. The Bills show all the signs. As for all the people who think the Bills aren't going to drop because they've been 7-9 forever....the old saying applies, "if you aren't getting better, you are getting worse". That's what's happening.

 

As for why I stay a Bills fan. I guess I have it in a different perspective? I follow the team closely, go to all the homegames follow all of college football and the NFL etc.., but it's just a hobby. I am an otherwise very busy person with a lot of responsibilities and assume most others are as well so I guess the question I have is how is it that so many people can't deal with the reality that the team they cheer for sucks because it is being mismanaged. It's just a game folks.

[BADOLBILZ]

Sadly, they will likely not get a football man who has an idea on how to build a team, so this year wont be bottoming out.

 

This may not be the year where their record bottoms out, but there is no lower point than when you realize half way through the season that a major roster overhaul has to be done and that the foundation of the future is not even on the roster yet. Watching 16 games of football by a bunch of crap players and coaches who won't be there when the day comes that the mess is turned around? Priceless.

[BADOLBILZ]

Nobody in the SB era has missed the playoffs 7 out of their first 8 seasons as a head coach. Nobody.

 

My bad. Except Coslet. And apparently Belichick. I remember 3 years ago when people were comparing Belichick's 6 year record to Jauron......now we are in year 8 of the comparison to Belichick's first 6 seasons. Sweet.

[BADOLBILZ]

Doesn't that logic apply to railing against it as well? Maybe more so, in fact...

 

Not at all. I'm simply expressing an opinion, not attacking other posters for expressing theirs.

[BillsVet]

My bad. Except Coslet. And apparently Belichick. I remember 3 years ago when people were comparing Belichick's 6 year record to Jauron......now we are in year 8 of the comparison to Belichick's first 6 seasons. Sweet.

 

C. Biscuit is still doing it. He'll also give the one about Jeff Fisher stunk in the final days of the Oilers, but he rose from the ashes and is miraculously a great coach. I think he wants us to believe that if we give DJ another 4 seasons or so, we'll be rewarded.

 

Everything in your OP will be borne out no later than November. And these fans will be nowhere to be found.

[BADOLBILZ]

Good to see you back, BADOL. I was beginning to worry that T.O. was the final straw ...

 

No, I actually liked the TO signing. The best chance the Bills had at righting the ship this season was to go all in to protect Trent Edwards' and maximize his potential. TO was a positive step. The rest has been sh*t. 3 new starters on the OL, Walker at LT, no starting NFL TE on the roster.......Trent is a dead man.

[ax4782]

This may not be the year where their record bottoms out, but there is no lower point than when you realize half way through the season that a major roster overhaul has to be done and that the foundation of the future is not even on the roster yet. Watching 16 games of football by a bunch of crap players and coaches who won't be there when the day comes that the mess is turned around? Priceless.

 

Last I checked, this season hasn't even started yet. Either way, you are right about one thing. Some changes in the FO are really overdue. That being said, people were saying this about the Cardinals last year and they really surprised people. Not say we're going to do that, just pointing out that there's a reason they play the games. Let's see where we are at the bye week before we get all pessimistic and "bottomed out."

[dave mcbride]

Lofton didn't retire after the Bills, he went on to drop a lot of balls the next year in Oakland. Guy could still get over the top of a defense though. As for the drops, the Owens leading the league in drops thing came from an article after the TO acquisition, but I believe it was actually most drops in the second half of the season. In any event, he used to drop some easy balls, now he's a drop machine. And yeah, he's old. He's from the same class as Keyshawn and Moulds. He's old. And yeah, he had production, but check out the end of Jerry Rice's career. His game dropped out overnight.

 

Good reference to Chris Chandelier. That is the kind of player Edwards reminds me of. He's not good enough to make a difference for a bad team. He's not an elite talent. He is a guy who could one day be a good fit for a good team that is just a QB away from doing something in the playoffs. As for my assumption that he will get hurt........he has always gotten hurt so I would say I more embrace reality than negativity. Making his line worse isn't going to lead to more durability, IMO.

 

And I never said anything about Losman. Fitzpatrick sucks though. He was awful in relief of Palmer last year, despite having Housh and Ocho Cinco, so why do you think so highly of him?

I'm not a fan of Fitzpatrick, but he did actually perform OK in the last 2-3 games last year. Not great, but OK. Certainly better than Losman. I don't think he's the answer of course.

 

Re TO, I'm going to beg to differ because I really do think he's a freak of nature and a far, far better player than either Moulds or Johnson (both of whom were very good in their primes). TO's never had a serious injury like Rice either (a guy whose legs went before his hands!). Rice, as you'll recall, suffered a torn ACL courtesy of Warren Sapp on a reverse in 1997. And let's not forget that Rice had 92 catches for over 1200 yards on the league's #1 offense in his 18th season (2002). And he was freaking 40!! When Rice was 36 in 1998 (the year after his ACL tear), he had 82 catches/1157 yards/9 TDs. In my opinion, TO is a lot closer to Rice than the rest of that great 96 draft class -- better in my mind than Harrison even.

 

I agree with most of what you say, by the way. I just think they have a better chance of ending up 8-8 than 3-13. If you're looking for a team to plummet, look no farther than East Rutherford/Cortland.

[mrpunchy]

2008 Falcons: new GM, new HC, new QB > throwing out what did not work, and trying something new = hope

2009 Bills: sticking with a proven failure of a HC > trying the same thing, and hoping for a different result = ?

 

insanity

[BADOLBILZ]

Let's see where we are at the bye week before we get all pessimistic and "bottomed out."

 

Whooooa, slow down man. To be safe, why don't we wait until after the season is over and we've had a few months to reflect. I mean, where were we last season at the bye week and how did that season end up? You shouldn't rush to judgement.

[C.Biscuit97]

C. Biscuit is still doing it. He'll also give the one about Jeff Fisher stunk in the final days of the Oilers, but he rose from the ashes and is miraculously a great coach. I think he wants us to believe that if we give DJ another 4 seasons or so, we'll be rewarded.

 

Everything in your OP will be borne out no later than November. And these fans will be nowhere to be found.

 

 

Hey man, I'm always here. Are you gonna get some pleasure out of calling me out for having hope in the team? Because if you're a Bills fan, that should be the farthest thing from your mind.

 

All I know is that I'm excited for this weekend and I'm going to Boston to spend a great weekend there hanging out & watching the draft. So while people like yourself are online whining about how terrible the FO and Bills are, I'll be having a great time hanging out with friends talking ourselves up about the Bills season. Advantage C. Biscuit. Enjoy the female dog session online during the draft (because i'm positive no pick will please you) and Go Bills!!!

[C.Biscuit97]

I find it morbidly fascinating that a "glass half empty" post like Badol's can enumerate numerous evidence and football-related arguments as to why the team is headed in the wrong direction, while many of the counter posts contain very little football-related argumentation or are completely devoid of such arguments and amount to "shoot the messenger".

 

Some of the arguments for "glass half full" are: We are not the Lions, we went 7-9. Edwards is the best QB that Jauron has ever had. T.O. is a Hall-of-Famer and he'll carry the team single-handedly from the WR position.

 

Surely, there is more to be positive about. One of the "half full" fans can surely put together a more coherent argument than the one that amounted to "coaching [line play] is overrated unless it is a team other than the Bills".

 

 

Honestly, what's the point? I and a lot of other posters have posted a ton of good things about the team that people like yourself just like to shoot down because it doesn't fit your agenda. But for the last time here are a few more to shoot down:

 

- #1 STs unit

- a defense that improved 17 spots in one season (31st to 14th) with the 4th worst pass rush. improve that, possibly top 10 defense

- While they probably won't be as talented, the o-line will have younger, hungrier players. And they will be hard pressed to give up the 20 sacks the left side gave up last year

- There is a HOF receiver who just caught 10 tds in a "down" year to draw away coverage from one of the best deep threats in football. Reed will be correctly shifted back into his #3 spot, where he is one of the best. Johnson showed a lot of progress and anything we can get from the 6'6" Hardy is icing on the cake.

- Is there a deeper running back core in the NFL than Lynch, Jackson, and Rhodes? I think not.

- McKelvin is a playmaker and will be an upgrade over Greer (who was a good player in his own right but doesn't have the physical talent of McKelvin). Florence is a former starter on a AFC championship team and will now be a nickel back on ours.

- Poz will be entering his 2nd full season and showed a ton of improvement in what was essentially his rookie season.

- For as much grief as Turk gets, in his first full season as Oc, he directed an offense that scored 47 points (I believe there was only 1 td against KC); saw Trent set a franchise record for completion % in a game; put up 150 rushing yards + against really good run ds in NYJ and Pats.

 

Again, I apologize for my positivity. I will go back to my room.

[el Tigre]

Hey man, I'm always here. Are you gonna get some pleasure out of calling me out for having hope in the team? Because if you're a Bills fan, that should be the farthest thing from your mind.

 

All I know is that I'm excited for this weekend and I'm going to Boston to spend a great weekend there hanging out & watching the draft. So while people like yourself are online whining about how terrible the FO and Bills are, I'll be having a great time hanging out with friends talking ourselves up about the Bills season. Advantage C. Biscuit. Enjoy the female dog session online during the draft (because i'm positive no pick will please you) and Go Bills!!!

Hell yeah!

[BillsVet]

Hey man, I'm always here. Are you gonna get some pleasure out of calling me out for having hope in the team? Because if you're a Bills fan, that should be the farthest thing from your mind.

 

 

Honestly, what's the point? I and a lot of other posters have posted a ton of good things about the team that people like yourself just like to shoot down because it doesn't fit your agenda. But for the last time here are a few more to shoot down:

 

You're points are paper thin and certainly not deep. The things you mentioned as being successes are nice, but won't get the team into the playoffs. At least they didn't last year when the Bills had the second best schedule in the league.

 

As many have said on this board, you can be a Bills fan and criticize. We see failure (not making the playoffs) and will say something. I know you're a casual fan and wins and losses don't matter as much. Consider that there are different levels of fandom. And some fans just plain know more than others.

 

The HC is not close to good. The front office lacks a a leader versed in personnel. My second signature says what I feel.

[thewildrabbit]

Seriously the season depends on how well the Bills players play, if the O line can keep Edwards upright most of the games the Bills will have a solid chance to win.

 

In regards to the TO drops,he played with an injured hand and avoided surgery to keep playing. Lets see how he does once the clock starts.

[ax4782]

Whooooa, slow down man. To be safe, why don't we wait until after the season is over and we've had a few months to reflect. I mean, where were we last season at the bye week and how did that season end up? You shouldn't rush to judgement.

 

Yes, because living in a world where there is nothing to be positive about is so much fun. I love to prejudge everything about the Bills, including how horrible they will be every season, BEFORE THE TEAM EVEN HAS ALL OF ITS PLAYERS FOR NEXT YEAR! Considering I'm a psychic, I'm in a position to know exactly what moves the Bills are going to make and can see that in the future we're only going to win seven games this year. And besides, who ever thought that the NFL had to schedule games to be played every year. I never realized that the winners and losers were predestined before the Draft each year, and certainly before training camp gets started.

 

Oh, wait, that's not reality.