Owens, O-line on the agenda at Booster Club meeting

[scribo]

Um, I don't think the media typically staffs too many Booster Club meetings ...

Start 4-12s today. I should probably still be asleep. Ah well.

Well, it certainly appears there was a ton of news value at last night's meeting. If any of the news papers mention anything from this, they better give you due credit.

[Last Guy on the Bench]

Lori, I enjoyed your booster club piece. Tons of interesting info and well written, of course, as usual.

 

(BTW, am I blind or is it not linked on the TBD front page? I actually stumbled onto it from a link on BZone.)

 

I was amazed at how forthcoming and coherent Brandon was. He usually drives me crazy with his deadpan, say-nothing, man-in-the-gray-flannel-suit speak. Secrecy is a WAY overrated commodity in the NFL. Over the long run, I think you build a stronger organizational culture - and that culture includes fans and media, of course - by being relatively transparent, honest, and human. Don't need to give the gory details, but understanding and feeling like part of the team's process is important for coaches, players, reporters, and fans alike, each in their own ways.

 

Anyway, Brandon shocked me with his willingness to describe some the Bills' off-season high-jinks in detail. It was great. Was he drinking? Was his demeanor different than normal? What did you make of it? I'll be happy not to have a Robo-GM (sorry, Robo-COO).

 

[Edit: Whoops, just saw the long thread about Lori's article. Don't know how I missed it. Mods, feel free to merge this into that or close it or delete it or whatever.]

[Kelly the Dog]

cant you read.

 

believe me if they were only i million apart the deal would have gotten done in a heartbeat. you can bet your as- they offered him gross money. its very obvious from there no interest at all stance that he was not negotiating with the bills its hard to negotiate with yourself.

 

the rat simply was not going to play here anymore and their stance proved that.

 

peters signed his deal the year before. he told him to come to camp and they will talk(BY THE WAY HE NEVER CAME TO CAMP). they talked and he told him after lee its you. he was true to his word because @ the end of the year they offered him the largest deal in bills history.

 

what dont you understand?

 

you tell me one team who renegotiates a new deal with 3 years left on it, answer nobody.

 

I understand it all. I understand Brandon putting his out his side of the story.

 

I understand that the biggest contract ever in Bills history was 7 years 49 million for Derrick Dockery, and then it was Schobel at 7 years and 50 mil who was signed "to the biggest contract in Bills history". And if they offered Peters the biggest contract ever it COULD have meant 7+ million just as easily as 8 mil or 9 mil or 10 mil. I would bet anything that Peters would have signed with the Bills for the same amount the Eagles offered. Peters was shocked that the Bills traded him and said so the day after the trade.

 

I understand that Brandon told the fans that all Peters had to do was show up and we would talk about a new contract but left out the fact that they werent going to talk about a new contract until after Lee signed, and under no circumstances were they going to talk about a new contract for last season WHICH WAS THE SOLE REASON FOR THE HOLDOUT.

 

I'll tell you a team that renegotiates a new deal with three years left -- THE BILLS. They did it with Schobel.

[Lori]

Quick, simple answer: He wasn't speaking to the media last night. Same with Jauron.

 

And no, I didn't give it "top story" billing, which is the only way I can put something on the front page.

[Last Guy on the Bench]

Quick, simple answer: He wasn't speaking to the media last night. Same with Jauron.

 

And no, I didn't give it "top story" billing, which is the only way I can put something on the front page.

 

Well, you should give it "top story" billing, because it is the most revealing piece on the Bills to come out in a while.

 

Thanks for writing it.

[Magox]

I understand it all. I understand Brandon putting his out his side of the story.

 

I understand that the biggest contract ever in Bills history was 7 years 49 million for Derrick Dockery and if they offered Peters the biggest contract ever it COULD have meant 7+ million just as easily as 8 mil or 9 mil or 10 mil. I would bet anything that Peters would have signed with the Bills for the same amount the Eagles offered. Peters was shocked that the Bills traded him and said so the day after the trade.

 

I understand that Brandon told the fans that all Peters had to do was show up and we would talk about a new contract but left out the fact that they werent going to talk about a new contract until after Lee signed, and under no circumstances were they going to talk about a new contract for last season WHICH WAS THE SOLE REASON FOR THE HOLDOUT.

 

I'll tell you a team that renegotiates a new deal with three years left -- THE BILLS. They did it with Schobel.

No, I don't believe that to be the case at all.

 

Parker was in charge of the show, and there is little doubt in my view that he wanted to do business with the Bills. He was embarrassed that he didn't get his new client money last year, he was embarrased that the Bills took control of the situation last year. He is used to teams caving in to his demands, and the fact that the Bills didn't, pissed him off. Once he knew there was another market for Peters, he played hard ball right back with the Bills.

If the Bills thought that all they had to do was increase their offer $1 Million more, because what we had heard was that we were offering just south of $9 Million, I'm sure that they would of.

 

I believe that Parker gave them the impression that they were no where in the ball park of consideration making the Bills explore their other options.

 

I was all for wanting to keep Peters, but it was painfully obvious that Parker didn't want him to be here.

 

Remember, it wasn't Parker who was the point man on this deal, and when the Bills rejected him last year, it was over! Specially knowing that his client would be in high demand

[Bufcomments]

Thank You Lori

 

I am certain now that Jason Peters did not want to play here anymore after reading they offered him more money than Lee Evans. WOW that had to be more than 10 million.

 

and I am surprised they want Walker to play LT. Hope he loses some weight to play the left side

[Kelly the Dog]

No, I don't believe that to be the case at all.

 

Parker was in charge of the show, and there is little doubt in my view that he wanted to do business with the Bills. He was embarrassed that he didn't get his new client money last year, he was embarrased that the Bills took control of the situation last year. He is used to teams caving in to his demands, and the fact that the Bills didn't, pissed him off. Once he knew there was another market for Peters, he played hard ball right back with the Bills.

If the Bills thought that all they had to do was increase their offer $1 Million more, because what we had heard was that we were offering just south of $9 Million, I'm sure that they would of.

 

I believe that Parker gave them the impression that they were no where in the ball park of consideration making the Bills explore their other options.

 

I was all for wanting to keep Peters, but it was painfully obvious that Parker didn't want him to be here.

 

Remember, it wasn't Parker who was the point man on this deal, and when the Bills rejected him last year, it was over! Specially knowing that his client would be in high demand

 

I have been told by a very reliable source that it was Peters idea for the holdout. In your scenario you may be right, which means to me that the Bills WERENT offering within a million a year. I think they were offering about 8 mil a year. Maybe 8.5. That's why Peters didnt respond at all, it was three million less than he was asking for, a million and a half dollars less than what he was willing to settle for, and that much less than the going rate that Jordan Gross just signed for.

 

Peters fully expected to play for the Bills. If he just wanted out he NEVER would have said what he did the day after the trade, that he was "floored" when he heard about the trade. He never expected it. A guy who doesn't want to play here and makes every indication he won't sign is NOT floored by a trade. Sorry.

[LabattBlue]

I still believe that Alvin Bowen will have a say in that OLB spot this year. Yes, he is basically a rookie but he was quite the hit at camp last year until the injury. Plus he is the "Compliance Linebacker".

I also don't believe that the Bills are done looking at LB's, even though they said so. They know it's probably the one spot they still need to upgrade and didn't through the draft.

Camp was barely a week old when he got hurt. How big of an impact could he have made?

[Kelly the Dog]

Thank You Lori

 

I am certain now that Jason Peters did not want to play here anymore after reading they offered him more money than Lee Evans. WOW that had to be more than 10 million.

 

and I am surprised they want Walker to play LT. Hope he loses some weight to play the left side

 

Again, when teams talk about "the biggest contract" they almost always mean total dollars, not per year. Up until then, whenever we heard the biggest contract in Bills history, it was Mike Williams for 40 million. Then it was Dockery at 7-49. Later it was Schobel who signed the biggest contract at 7 years 50 mil. Brandon didnt say and didnt necessarily mean more than Lee Evans. All it meant was more than 50 mil.

[PromoTheRobot]

Actually, all it really means is that they offered him 50 million over 7 years, which would be a million more than the most ever offered, 7-49 mil to Derrick Dockery. We still don't know what they offered Peters, but usually when teams use that term it is total contract, as in 40, 50, 60 mil. Evans' extension was 34 mil.

 

I think they offered a lot more than 7 mil, and probably between 8-9 mil a year, and Peters was holding out for 10.

 

It also should put to bed all the nonsense about all Peters had to do last year was come in to camp and they would talk. Brandon explicitly told him come in to camp and we WON'T talk.

Peters showed up out of shape and helped scuttle the season for his team. Maybe in your world you reward people like that. Not in mine.

 

PTR

[PromoTheRobot]

Again, when teams talk about "the biggest contract" they almost always mean total dollars, not per year. Up until then, whenever we heard the biggest contract in Bills history, it was Mike Williams for 40 million. Then it was Dockery at 7-49. Later it was Schobel who signed the biggest contract at 7 years 50 mil. Brandon didnt say and didnt necessarily mean more than Lee Evans. All it meant was more than 50 mil.

Were you in the room with Russ and Jason or you just assuming?

 

PTR

[wonderbread]

I have been told by a very reliable source that it was Peters idea for the holdout. In your scenario you may be right, which means to me that the Bills WERENT offering within a million a year. I think they were offering about 8 mil a year. Maybe 8.5. That's why Peters didnt respond at all, it was three million less than he was asking for, a million and a half dollars less than what he was willing to settle for, and that much less than the going rate that Jordan Gross just signed for.

 

Peters fully expected to play for the Bills. If he just wanted out he NEVER would have said what he did the day after the trade, that he was "floored" when he heard about the trade. He never expected it. A guy who doesn't want to play here and makes every indication he won't sign is NOT floored by a trade. Sorry.

 

Where your argument fails is what you think may or may not be true. You don't know you are just assuming your thoughts to be fact. Nice try Kelly but that dog don't hunt.

[Kelly the Dog]

Were you in the room with Russ and Jason or you just assuming?

 

PTR

 

The quotes in the paper when Mike Williams signed, when Derrick Dockery signed, and when Aaron Schobel resigned were "they signed to the richest contract in Bills history". You may substitute biggest for richest. Lee Evans' extension was for 34 million. You can do the math.

 

The quote about it being Peters idea for the holdout came from a reporter covering the Bills.

 

The quote from Peters himself about being "floored" when the Bills traded him was all over the news and in the Philly papers for a couple days.

[PromoTheRobot]

The quotes in the paper when Mike Williams signed, when Derrick Dockery signed, and when Aaron Schobel resigned were "they signed to the richest contract in Bills history". You may substitute biggest for richest. Lee Evans' extension was for 34 million. You can do the math.

 

The quote about it being Peters idea for the holdout came from a reporter covering the Bills.

 

The quote from Peters himself about being "floored" when the Bills traded him was all over the news and in the Philly papers for a couple days.

Here's another flaw in your arguement: You think that because Dockery got $49M that Bills offered Peters $49+$1 and called it the richest deal in Bills history. You assume that because you want to defend Peters so badly. Brandon could well have offered Peters $10M/yr and he still could have turned it down. All your arguements are based on assumptions. He's gone. It's over. Let it drop already.

 

PTR

[Kelly the Dog]

Where your argument fails is what you think may or may not be true. You don't know you are just assuming your thoughts to be fact. Nice try Kelly but that dog don't hunt.

 

Pretty much every post on here may or may not be true. Except this post: It's inarguably true.

 

But no, I don't assume my opinions are facts. Pretty much everything we know for sure leans toward that conclusion though, IMO.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

So why exactly did Jauron not want people to know Butler was moving to tackle? Belichick would've known as soon as we hit the preseason, so whats the difference?

[Kelly the Dog]

Peters showed up out of shape and helped scuttle the season for his team. Maybe in your world you reward people like that. Not in mine.

 

PTR

 

Well it seems like in mine, and Mark Gaughan and Tim Graham's and most of the rest of the country's world, you do pay that much for one of the best LTs in the game. (I think I was reading Mr. Graham correctly that he would have paid Peters the 6-60, perhaps not). I know Gaughan said it today in his chat. The Eagles sure thought so.

 

I do understand clearly the Bills side. I understand if they didnt think he was worth the 10 mil a year he would have signed for. That's a VERY legitimate stance for the team to take. I think he is, but there are clearly two schools of thought. Most teams IMO would pay him 6-60 if given the option and a need for a LT. That's just my opinion.

 

I always said Peters was wrong and I always said Brandon was right. I've said it directly to you about a dozen times because you keep saying the same thing.

 

My only problem with Brandon, which I said repeatedly, and which was proven by his remarks last night, was that he was lying to the fans. He wasn't at all prepared to talk contract if Peters just showed up. I was slightly wrong about it because I thought there was only one stipulation by Brandon, but there were actually two. Not only was he NOT going to talk contract with Peters for last year, but he wasn't going to talk contract with Peters for THIS year either until Evans was resigned, and who knew when that was going to be a year ago. They negotiated for a year and a half with Evans.

[Kelly the Dog]

Here's another flaw in your arguement: You think that because Dockery got $49M that Bills offered Peters $49+$1 and called it the richest deal in Bills history. You assume that because you want to defend Peters so badly. Brandon could well have offered Peters $10M/yr and he still could have turned it down. All your arguements are based on assumptions. He's gone. It's over. Let it drop already.

 

PTR

 

No, the only thing I was saying was just because Brandon said he offered Peters the richest contract in Bills history, you can't at all assume he meant more than 9 million a year they are paying Evans, and the reason you can't assume that is because three times straight the Bills have used the term "richest in team history" they were talking about total millions, not dollars per year.

 

And we know for a fact that Peters did sign for 6-60 million, which is what I predicted he would sign for, and what I thought it would take for the Bills to sign him, for several weeks before he signed for that amount.

[Rubes]

By the way, in case nobody else has mentioned it so far...awesome work, Lori. Thanks for the writeup.