Fan in San Diego Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 The thing I do not see is why anyone thinks that if Jauron were canned that Ralph would not go forward and make a decision for a new HC with roughly the same MO of high character failure. The common denominator for all the Bills FO failures since the glory days is one and only one guy. 1. The innards of the early 90s Bills teams are set when Polian and Ralph collaborate to pry open Ralph's wallet and draft and sign Bruce. Director of scouts and personnel John Butler also contributes to Bills glory with a great call to get Thurman and a host of other acquisitions of HOF worthy talent and even the hiring of wildman Marchibroda as the OC. The era begins to screech to a halt when Ralph in what pretty much seems as a personal move by him cans Polian, the good news is that the ball has started rolling down the hill and takes a great long run before it is knocked off track by a series of bad football decisions that Ralph has his fingerprints all over. 2. The Bills completely miscalculate how much Kelly has left. Some of this falls on Butler as they waited at least a year too late to draft a replacement for Kelly and ended up stretching to pick Collins (in retrospect hindsight is 20/20 and his career was long enough that a first day choice seems reasonable, but clearly he was from a running school at U Mich and he needed another year of training before he was asked to run a pro offense and we paid for rushing him to start with him having happy feet). Ralph personally miscalculated badly by making a salary cap violating handshake deal with Kelly to reward him in his next contract (my GUESS is this is part of why it took him so long to make the HOF). He ended up paying Kelly a million to simply walkaway without a stink when he got concussed by Jax out of the NFL. 3. Ralph signed the check and had to play a role in the idiotic decision to get Billy Joe Idiot when it became clear the rushed along TC was not gonna make it. 4. Ralph also had to have played a central role since he wrote the checks in the decision to sign Flutie to his incentive laden deal (a good move IMHO) but then stupidly hand RJ a wad of guaranteed dough to be our anointed stater when we had promised Flutie a fighting shot. This stupidity set up a situation where if RJ proved injury prone or failed (one could see from his record in Jax he might be well be injury prone even though he was talented. Ralph signed contracts with RJ and DF which essentially doomed the Bills to a cap disaster if RJ got hurt and DF played like AJ Smith thought he could. Ralph cannot reasonably escape blame for this disaster. 5. The general though is that it was Ralph who completely soured the situation by forcing Flutie to the bench and then starting RJ whom he over-invested in against an Indy team which simply gave up when it became clear from the scoreboard that they were not going to improve their playoff position in that game and Indy LB Bennett ended his season that game. RJ shredded an Indy team going through the motions and lost the last playoff game the Bills have seen this decade. 6. Ralph totally mangled and mishandled the resigning of Butler his last year here, Even if you want to blame the now dead Butler for playing Ralph, Ralph handled the relationship such with Butler that he wanted to play him and he had little plan B if he had even seen Butler playing him. 7. Ralph canned Wado (who deserved to be canned after he publicly gave up with 3 games left to play) but stupidly then tried to appeal his way out of paying him. Everyone told Ralph he would lose and he lost. 8. Having bollicksed up the GM/HC situtation, Ralph then hired TD. Not bad in terms of football knowledge and negotiating balls but horrendous at HC hiring as the last guy he hired Cowher ran him out of Pitts. Clearly having pledged this would not happen to him again, TD hired Administrative Assistant GW to HC the team and together with one hand tied behind their backs (if not two hands) they mismanaged the team leading to GWs firing. 9. Next was the Mularkey episode and this disaster wrought by TD and Ralph leading to TD getting the boot. 10. is the Marv/Jauron debacle- What makes anyone thinks that the results would be any different if Jauron got the boot? Great 9th post. By the way, Are you formally known as PyriteGal that has since learned to be more concise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 The thing I do not see is why anyone thinks that if Jauron were canned that Ralph would not go forward and make a decision for a new HC with roughly the same MO of high character failure. RW may be a wealthy man, but his football acumen is dreadful. Go back and see how he signed OJ just before the regular season in 76. Unfortunately he failed to the notify his HC Lou Saban, who was planning an offense that would not have Simpson. Or how Chuck Knox was not re-signed after the 82 season and left for greener pastures. Knox and Saban were the big reasons behind Buffalo's only 3 playoff appearances (in the NFL) from 1970-1987. RW likes control and struggles with people like Saban, Knox, Polian, Butler, et al. who figure they'll handle football decisions. So why not hire a coach who'll suck but won't question ownership? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 The Bills once wore the colors of the American flag, and regularly went to the Super Bowl. Since deciding the colors of the American flag are not good enough for Buffalo -- the Bills now use a color that's officially blue, but to TMQ is "rusting Russian dreadnaught aft bulkhead cyanic" -- Buffalo has not made the postseason. haha Aaah....So many curses... Moving Training camp from Sleepy Fredonia to corporate Rochester..... Changing the Bills Colors.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjsiepierski34 Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 It's funny because it's so frickin' believable. AMEN. Things will never change because the coach doesn't seem to care and he is about as exciting as watching paint dry. The fans care more about a loss than the team and coach do. At least Ralph seems to get p*ssed off when we lose. Jauron is so boring. The Bills games are so boring. These preseason games have been yawners. We need someone leading these guys with some balls. Some fire. Jauron being a players' coach; I'm just so sick about hearing about what a nice guy he is and how they all like him so much....even that;s BORING. The organization as a whole has become as boring as I have ever remembered. Even when we had Ferregamo under center, at least it was exciting to see him read the play incorrectly off of his playcalling wristband. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven Moses Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 The only team not to make the playoffs in this decade???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I'm going to wait and see. You don't get TO and all of the downside of TO without an intent to use the upside (long passes ticket sales). Fixed for you. Signing TO was a blatant marketing move, not a football move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 The only team not to make the playoffs in this decade???? The Texans haven't made it either. Course they are an expansion team and haven't been around 10 years. The last time we were in was the last time the Lions were in as well. But the Lions suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjamie12 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Fixed for you. Signing TO was a blatant marketing move, not a football move. Why can't it be both? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Why can't it be both? Because Owens can't play tackle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Consider the "GM" and then what his feelings were after the inner-circle met in Detroit at the end of December. I don't believe for a second that Brandon was crazy about having DJ shoved down his throat. No one can market that guy to a fan base starving for success. TO was released on 3/4. He signed with Buffalo on 3/7. Other teams may have been interested, but none were willing to match Buffalo's price, ergo he goes to Buffalo. That was a Brandon marketing move in the wake of keeping DJ, because he knew how season ticket sales were faring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincec Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 The assessment is dead on. My favorite part: "The AFC East test of manhood is playing the Patriots. Jauron has lost all six of his games against New England while coaching the Bills, his team outscored by a humiliating average of 21 points per game in that span. Against the Patriots under Jauron, Buffalo usually rolls over by the second quarter. Jauron never seems upset, or even to care -- he just jogs off the field, then makes excuses." You would've though that the Bills could've found a way to beat NE at least once at home during DJs tenure. Every other team in the AFC East has beaten them. Sadly, I have also come to believe the people who doubt that RW will ever hire a big name coach. Given this, we just have to pray for a lucky hire like Levy or Saban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Having only just now sat down to wath the GB game I have to concur. The team looks terrible, especially the O-line. Wood and levitre may get good one day but they all suck right now. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 The assessment is dead on. My favorite part: "The AFC East test of manhood is playing the Patriots. Jauron has lost all six of his games against New England while coaching the Bills, his team outscored by a humiliating average of 21 points per game in that span. Against the Patriots under Jauron, Buffalo usually rolls over by the second quarter. Jauron never seems upset, or even to care -- he just jogs off the field, then makes excuses." You would've though that the Bills could've found a way to beat NE at least once at home during DJs tenure. Every other team in the AFC East has beaten them. AFC East Coaches that have defeated Bill Belichick since 2000: Gregg Williams, Wade Phillips, Eric Mangini, Herm Edwards, Al Groh, Tony Sparano, Nick Saban, Dave Wannestadt, Jim Bates (interim). AFC East Coaches that have not defeated Bill Belichick: Cam Cameron, Dick Jauron, Mike Mularkey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincec Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 AFC East Coaches that have defeated Bill Belichick since 2000: Gregg Williams, Wade Phillips, Eric Mangini, Herm Edwards, Al Groh, Tony Sparano, Nick Saban, Dave Wannestadt, Jim Bates (interim). AFC East Coaches that have not defeated Bill Belichick: Cam Cameron, Dick Jauron, Mike Mularkey. Cameron coached Miami for one season. The other coached for you know who... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjamie12 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Because Owens can't play tackle. Touche I think he's going to make a very, very, big difference in this offense (if he's healthy enough). It's all about matchups, and without TO, we have... well... we have last year's offense. With TO, we finally have a guy who can make other teams pay for rolling coverage to Lee Evans. TO (or Lee Evans) have the talent to exploit single coverage consistently. With both of those guys on the field you will almost have to single cover one of them... Unless, of course, Trent Edwards continues patenting his 'Drop back, look downfield and then throw to the RB as quickly as possible' method of quarterbacking... (and, of course, there's no reason to think that he'll suddenly stop doing this). So... yeah. Scratch what I said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flomoe Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Where would the continuity be if we fired Dick? The only difference between and Continuity and a Bucket of sh-- is the Bucket!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AF88Bills Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Wow. That article was really an indictment...sad to say that its the same thing average Bills fans have noticed over the course of Jauron's tenure at Buffalo...hopefully, something magical happens this year and the Bills come thru for us. It's been a long time since we've had a season to cheer about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catholic Guilt Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Excellent post on the Bills woes. Jauron should have been fired last year. Is Turner Gill available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Touche I think he's going to make a very, very, big difference in this offense (if he's healthy enough). It's all about matchups, and without TO, we have... well... we have last year's offense. With TO, we finally have a guy who can make other teams pay for rolling coverage to Lee Evans. TO (or Lee Evans) have the talent to exploit single coverage consistently. With both of those guys on the field you will almost have to single cover one of them... Unless, of course, Trent Edwards continues patenting his 'Drop back, look downfield and then throw to the RB as quickly as possible' method of quarterbacking... (and, of course, there's no reason to think that he'll suddenly stop doing this). So... yeah. Scratch what I said. Exactly. I'm one of the few people that actually likes TO, and if the Bills were anywhere near being competitive I'd say it was a good signing. But they're not, and TO doesn't make them so. The most he's going to do is give Edwards experience at looking at single coverages while he's pile-driven into the turf by defensive linemen. And comparatively speaking, receiver was already a strong position for the Bills. The only thing possibly dumber than signing a veteran WR to an already solid WR corps would have been signing a veteran RB to an already solid RB corps... ...oh, wait... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rastabillz Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Usually hope springs eternal during pre season. I haven't seen this much pessimism before a Bills season in a long time. Not that it isn't deserved. For me there has been a black cloud hanging over this team since the middle of last season. Probably the losing combined with moving games to Toronto did me in. Over the cousre of the past several seasons I have gone from hoping to win a Super Bowl, to hoping to make the playoffs, to now hoping the team doesn't move in my lifetime. It's like the orgainization is on life support and we are watching it die in slow motion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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