Shopping for a new team.

[ricogarion]

You are a Free Agent in a month and can sign anywhere,your agent thinks the Buffalo Bills are one of the teams that can use your services.Now your process is to decide wether this team is truly an up and coming team? What benefits do you see in this franchise? What will or will not sell you on choosing the Bills.

[Don't Panic]

Pros: Great fan base, best food in the country, beautiful winters, best summer in the country, blue collar (the way a football town should be), Marv, good community for a family, D that is one step away from being elite, O that is slowly getting better, great special teams, player's coach

Cons: Small market, low spending, possible move in a few years, awful winters, high taxes

Looks good to me!

[Night Train]

The new scoreboard and that ribbon board around the stadium. That will put them in a hypnotic trance, forcing them to sign. :trance:

Hell, Fletcher signed with us after a 3-13 season. It's all perception & :$: . Plus Marv and Jauron have a good rep. A 7-9 team that looks to be improving. The Bills can target a couple key guys or more and get them to strongly consider coming here, little dout.

[RedEyE]

It depends on what the individual is looking for. If they want to be a part of a young team with a tremendous amount of potential, and the position they play is condusive of the teams style, and they don't mind playing for a team that won't pay beaucoup bucks, but will give you an enormous sense of pride in a city with a hometown feel...then they've come to the right place. Buffalo is still one of the few franchises in the league that concerns itself with the game of football and not the bueracratic BS the majority of the league tends to rotate around.

[BillsNick]

Pros: Excellent leadership and front office, strong nucleus of young talented players, loyal fanbase, Niagra Falls, nice areas to have a family

Cons: Weather, small market

[Pride]

For one second stop thinking like a fan and answer this from an NFL players' perspective. Assuming he has heard little to nothing about the Bills other than what he gets from the national media (who hates Buffalo)

Pros: New Scoreboard going into stadium, Up and Coming young QB, A coach that the players like, Marv Levy still in the organization

Cons: Ancient Owner, Old first time GM, Old Stadium, Very little opportunity for national advertising contract, Perennial Loser, 4 SuperBowl Losses, Terrible Offensive Line, Nate Clements wants to leave, Cheap Owner, Cold Winters, Even Colder home games in Nov/Dec/Jan, Uncertainty of organization's future, 4 games last year that didnt sell out even though the Bills were in the playoff hunt for all of them, No Monday/Sunday night games for national recognition.

Sorry, but this is what I feel is the national perspective of Buffalo and the Bills

[gr8slayer]

I question all the "loyal fan base" stuff that everyone is dishing out sometimes.

[Carlton Bailey]

Weather doesn't mean anything to me. I'd go for winning and money. Not sure the Bills can supply either.

[OpIv37]

Pros: Great fan base, best food in the country, beautiful winters, best summer in the country, blue collar (the way a football town should be), Marv, good community for a family, D that is one step away from being elite, O that is slowly getting better, great special teams, player's coach

Cons: Small market, low spending, possible move in a few years, awful winters, high taxes

Looks good to me!

the D is far from being elite- we're at least 4 players away. And I don't think it will be elite as long as we have this stupid Tampa 2 system.

But I agree with pretty much everything else you said.

[Dr. Lecter]

the D is far from being elite- we're at least 4 players away. And I don't think it will be elite as long as we have this stupid Tampa 2 system.

But I agree with pretty much everything else you said.

Yeah, because there are no elite Tampa 2 (or modified Tampa 2) systems in the NFL.

[OpIv37]

Yeah, because there are no elite Tampa 2 (or modified Tampa 2) systems in the NFL.

just one: Chicago. And unless you know how to get an Urlacher, a Briggs, a Tank Johnson and a Tommie Harris within the confines of available FA's, the draft and the salary cap, we'll never be Chicago.

[User Manuel]

Throw enough money at them and Buffalo looks like San Diego.

Call me cynical. They are all mercenaries.

[Jeff1220]

Well, Tampa had a pretty dominant Tampa 2.

As far as weather, while I and many others don't like it, there are some that like the winter season. I remember that the winter weather was a factor in Bryce Paup coming over from Green Bay when he signed w/ the Bills. He was a big snowmobile enthusiast and loves the NE.

[OpIv37]

Well, Tampa had a pretty dominant Tampa 2.

As far as weather, while I and many others don't like it, there are some that like the winter season. I remember that the winter weather was a factor in Bryce Paup coming over from Green Bay when he signed w/ the Bills. He was a big snowmobile enthusiast and loves the NE.

HAD is the key word. They lost some key players and teams are catching on to the Tampa 2 now that it's been around for a few years. Hence, they were up there with Carolina and Miami as far as disappointing teams in 06 and they're drafting higher than we are.

As far as the weather, I grew up in Rochester so snow and cold were just facts of life- I didn't know anything else. But when I moved down here, I was surprised to see how many people were completely put off by the thought of that much cold and snow. I think the weather is a significant challenge in attracting players- I'm sure most of them don't give a damn about the weather on Game Day, but living in it is a significant deterrent.

[Don't Panic]

the D is far from being elite- we're at least 4 players away. And I don't think it will be elite as long as we have this stupid Tampa 2 system.

But I agree with pretty much everything else you said.

I'd say 3... a DE or DT, a LB and a replacement for Clements and we're a top 10/pushing top 5 D.

[HHURRICANE]

Two things that totally changed our fortune in regrads to FA:

1) Marv Levy. Many players look up to him because of how he treated his players off the field. Many former Bills credit Levy with their success after football. His reputation is excellent and players want to play for him.

2) 7-9. Although we didn't make the playoffs or even finish at .500 most players feel good about joining a team on the rise. We won enough games to prove that we are getting better and serious about winning.

Those 2 things are going to help bring talent here. I don't know how the whole Clements thing played out but if it was as simple as "Nate we won't franchise you so you can get you pay day next year" than, as a player, that's the team I want to play for.

[patmoran2006]

Its all about the money.. and thats the way it is.

If Ralph feels like spending big, he'll get some big time players.. If he doesnt, then get ready for another truckload of Robert Royal's and Matt Bowens'

[ricogarion]

I think like in many circles today players want to be wanted now how hard do GM's and such convey that I don't know. If your cold and calculating I'm flat out turned off but one of Marv' greatest attributes is being up front,warm and sincere.That for me is a building block.He is well respected and established so that means somthing also.So far Marv has a good beginning now if Detroit and Mr.Wilson can work with him he may be able to get something done that Buffalo football fans can get excited about.

[Night Train]

Throw enough money at them and Buffalo looks like San Diego.

Call me cynical. They are all mercenaries.

Sadly, it's true.

[raphael120]

ahhh, the koolaid tastes good in february! ;)

[ParanoidAndroid]

Pros: Excellent leadership and front office, strong nucleus of young talented players, loyal fanbase, Niagra Falls, nice areas to have a family

Cons: Weather, small market

An improving team with those two characteristics would be attractive to me besides the payday.

[feelthepain]

For one second stop thinking like a fan and answer this from an NFL players' perspective. Assuming he has heard little to nothing about the Bills other than what he gets from the national media (who hates Buffalo)

Pros: New Scoreboard going into stadium, Up and Coming young QB, A coach that the players like, Marv Levy still in the organization

Cons: Ancient Owner, Old first time GM, Old Stadium, Very little opportunity for national advertising contract, Perennial Loser, 4 SuperBowl Losses, Terrible Offensive Line, Nate Clements wants to leave, Cheap Owner, Cold Winters, Even Colder home games in Nov/Dec/Jan, Uncertainty of organization's future, 4 games last year that didnt sell out even though the Bills were in the playoff hunt for all of them, No Monday/Sunday night games for national recognition.

Sorry, but this is what I feel is the national perspective of Buffalo and the Bills

Best, most realistic post in thie thread. The fact that Buffalo isn't really considered a place you'd love to play or be, that has an effect on the players decision, it's not a high profile place like San Diego, Dallas or Miami. If you could land in a warm weather place with more overall talent as a FA, that is what they're thinking. Money matters, but the Bills can't really compete there either.

[ricogarion]

What does someone from So. Jersey who likes the Dolphins know?

[Luisito23]

What does someone from So. Jersey who likes the Dolphins know?


Werd...:cool:....



GO BILLS!!!!!!

[G. Host]

One con for high profile players: less advertising dollars in area for sposorships and commericals. Even run of the mill players can get some extra money in places like NYC and DC.

[Throne Logic]

I'm thinking that family might play a large factor in regards to coming to Buffalo. In particular, the wife. Unless she's from a cold weather town and doesn't mind the snow, there's gonna be some heavy lobbying for heading south for a contract.

Is Briggs married?

[ricogarion]

I feel with this team as is we are seeing the return to excellence and I think league wide folks in the know realize the Bills are an up and coming team.This aspect alone will sell the Bills as will Dick Jauron and his staff when folks see what he accomplished with lesser talent they realize he has ability and is a quality man as well as coach.Soon FA's will be wanting to come here for no other reason than this is the place to be if you want a good situation and that will sell me!