WM mentions the Phins lol !

[TypicalBill]

McGahee is back to being the tough guy. He's wearing a Buffalo Bills cap, but it's twisted sideways. He has a smile for the ESPN cameras, but a warning, too.


"You should ask the Dolphins if they're worried about that," McGahee says when asked about playing his hometown team twice a year. "They ain't going to be too happy. It's bad news, too, for everybody else that didn't pick me."

The Article (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/sports_e3ba84fe123f91ba0021.html)


i think i love him now lol!
:biggrin:

[Bufftp]

sounds like the chip off the shoulder that Thurm used to motivate him.

[BFBills]

hahaha...soooo coooooooollll!!!

[JayWood]

Thats what we all want to hear. Lets get this guy to One Bills Drive, start a very regimented rehab program, and then lets get ready to yell his name Willissssssssssssssssssssssss

[ArcticWildMan]

I just hope Travis Henry doesn't get a chip on HIS shoulder and quit on us this season. I don't care what anybody says, this will have an impact on Travis and it may cost us dearly this season if he has an attitude change or loss of confidence.

[DraftBoy]

Thats why we signed Olandis, he'll happily take the starter role from Henry this year and leave the year after for a huge contract.

[casdhf]

That doesnt make any sense. Travis wants to play, so he quits? I doubt it. There's nothing wrong with having too good backs.

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by ArcticWildMan
I just hope Travis Henry doesn't get a chip on HIS shoulder and quit on us this season. I don't care what anybody says, this will have an impact on Travis and it may cost us dearly this season if he has an attitude change or loss of confidence.

if competition effects TH that way, then i dont want him on this team. He obviously dealt with the competition w/ bryson and morris very well. we won the job both years.

i really dont think it will effect him negatively either.

i mean, i really just dont see the problem the more and more i think about it. if WM is healthy, we get rid of Gary and WM is the back up. if he is not, then our lineup remains unchanged..

people are worring about TH's "feelings" too much.. this is the nfl, you know.. perform or sit. if Henry were to fold this season, he would embarrass himself and the team that used a 2nd round pick on him. I just dont see that happen. I think we will see henry go for close to 2k in yards.

[HotRod]

Originally posted by ArcticWildMan
I just hope Travis Henry doesn't get a chip on HIS shoulder and quit on us this season. I don't care what anybody says, this will have an impact on Travis and it may cost us dearly this season if he has an attitude change or loss of confidence.

Henry vows to brush off 'slap in the face' (http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20030427/2034039.asp)

I hope you're right and he doesn't quit, maybe this will help him hang on to the ball.

[ArcticWildMan]

If this motivates Travis to not fumble, it will be worth it I guess.

[Stewie]

Nor is there anything wrong with having 3 good backs :) ..

[Tatonka]

Originally posted by ArcticWildMan
If this motivates Travis to not fumble, it will be worth it I guess.

thats the way to look at it!

[ArcticWildMan]

Thanks Hot Rod...guess maybe I have just a teeny weeny idea of what I'm talking about ;)


Quote right out of Henry's mouth:

""I was shocked," Henry said Saturday night. "I really look at it like a slap in the face. You don't draft a running back in the first round to be a backup. Maybe they are trying to tell me something. I don't know. I'm at a loss for words."




What doesn't make any sense now Cas??? Managing ego's is part of the game. The GM or coach who doesn't, has a problem.

[pmoon6]

I always thought Kenny Davis was a good compliment to Thurman,hit the hole faster but didn't have great hands.When Thurman went down (Comeback Game)we didn't lose much.Same Situation?

[ArcticWildMan]

I think Henry/Gary are a lot like the Thurman/Davis combo. Gary has some intangibles that Henry doesn't and would be an excellent guy to step in if Henry was hurt. I bet Henry doesn't mind having Gary around either.

The Henry/McGahee duo is another version of Flutie/Johnson. No way is Henry going to accept McGahee, judging from his comments so far. This has the potential to be a huge locker room distraction.

[Tatonka]

i dont think it will even be an issue this year, as WM will be riding the pine and getting healthy. if henry goes on to have the great season that we all expect, then he doesnt have to worry about anything.

[ArcticWildMan]

We'll know by what we do with McGahee. If we place him on the IR, Travis can relax for a year. If we place him on the PUP, that signals we may want to play him late in the season and may cause a problem.

[Throne Logic]

Not at all like Flutie / Johnson.

Henry is not looked to as the leader of this team.

If Henry doesn't like his situation, he best play real hard so he can set himself up as either the best back on the Buffalo squad or as good trade bait.

[Captain gameboy]

Henry's likely to view this as a akin to a contract year. Nothing wrong with that.

[ArcticWildMan]

If he takes that approach, I'll be happy. It could easily turn the other way and he could sulk and pout. If that happens we are in deep ****!! This year and next year are probably the years we have the best chance at making a SB run (too many contracts come up afterwards). If Travis tanks on us, we just wasted one of our two windows.

[lordofgun]

Henry NEEDS to perform well for his own sake. He's not making a boatload right now, and needs to prove himself for when it's time for a new contract. There's no way on earth he sulks and tanks it, IMO.

[Tatonka]

what makes you think he would sulk and not play well?

these are the quote that stand out to me.

"It's still a team game. That always comes first with me," Henry said. "Willis is a great back, and I look forward to playing with him. But I feel like I'm going to be the No. 1 guy in training camp and I'm going to be the No. 1 guy as long as I'm here. I consider myself as a franchise back, and I'm going to do my part to maintain that level of play the rest of my career.

"This is just another challenge for me. I had to fight for playing time at Tennessee against guys like Jamal Lewis, Shawn Bryson and Onterrio Smith (before he transferred to Oregon) at Tennessee, so I'm not afraid to compete. I'm looking forward to the challenge and proving to everybody that I'm still the best running back on this team."

[ArcticWildMan]

This stands out to me:

"I was shocked," Henry said Saturday night. "I really look at it like a slap in the face. You don't draft a running back in the first round to be a backup. Maybe they are trying to tell me something. I don't know. I'm at a loss for words."


This also stands out and says a lot about his feelings:

"I don't understand the pick," said Henry, who indicated he might not have signed a one-year contract extension if he had known the Bills were thinking of drafting McGahee. "I know that competition makes everyone better, so it should be a lot of fun in practice. But I felt like I proved what I could do last year."



Hate to tell you, but the guy is not happy. His confidence has suffered a big blow and he is just saying all the right things to avoid any problems and to try and keep his spirits up.

TD and GW have some serious damge control to do or Henry's performance will suffer.

[Tatonka]

well.. you are obviously trying to focus on the negative aspect of what he said, and i am focusing on the positive.

i guess the bottom line is.. if he sucks this year, because there is a guy behind him that scares him, then he is a girl and can take a hike. we dont need players that cant perform under pressure.

that said.. he has shown absolutely no indication that he cant handle the pressure. he said he is ready to handle the pressure, and he said he will continue to prove that he is the franchise back. he has handled pressure in the past when he was the rookie and 2nd year player by winning the starting job.

henry is a good player with alot of confidence, and he is a big boy.. he will handle this fine.

[BillsMan80]

Give it time. When Travis speaks with GW and TD, things will be smoothed over. Travis should understand it's not something against his abilities. It's just taking the best player there for us at that point. Would anyone be against Running the ball 600 some times a year?

[ArcticWildMan]

Sorry, I don't buy off on the "if he can't handle the pressure, he's a baby" line.

If he tanks this year, I'm laying blame squarely on TD for making a pick that destroyed the confidence of another player. This would hardly be the first time a player has had his performance suffer because of a perceived lack of confidence by his team.

I really, really, hope that Travis comes out with an attitude and has another Pro-Bowl season and takes us deep into the playoffs and makes it all a moot point.

TD is a fantastic GM, but there is a huge risk in this entire situation that could have horrible ramifications. I just can't look at everything we do with rose colored glasses.

[Typ0]

Points to ponder:

1) Travis Henry always pushes for that last six inches. In that time he gets another three or four 400LB defenders piling on him and he risks losing the ball. The coaches told him about this last season. No one saw him learning the lesson. While the style is exciting, he takes much more punishment than is neccessary.

2) From what I have read McGehee has the potential to be the absolute best player in the league. He is a well rounded back with an excellent head on his shoulders. We're talking about having one of the best players in the league on our team.

3) McGehee won't be playing this season that much. Henry's contract just got extended. Henry is going to be the featured back this season in an offense that is moving more towards the run. He should get 1500+ rushing perhaps 2500 all purpose yards. Without the contract extension Henry would have been biding for a contract at the end of this season and could have been let go in FA. Now we are going to pump him up...and he's ours to trade and get a lot of benefit out of. If MCGahee comes in a couple games late in the season and looks good then has a solid offseason we may not only have one of the best players in the league on the field by picking him, we may also be able to trade for a proven top tier defender and another draft pick in the next draft for Travis Henry. OBD (along with many others) thought McGehee was one of the top picks in the draft. They only have to pay him later first round money. Despite a lot of the banter about why we would take a back, this pick makes a lot of sense to me. If you are so crippled you have to take a second round player with your first round pick just to fill some positional needs you better take a look at the way you have been managing the team.

[Typ0]

Arctic I understand what you are saying too...especially because Henry isn't the brightest guy in the NFL. But he's got to realize, whether it's with the Bills or another team, he's going to get his chances. As long as he stays focused he's going to be playing for the big dollars in two years and he's going to be an integral part of an offense.

[Tatonka]

well said typo

[ArcticWildMan]

One thing is for sure....next season's training camp will sure be interesting!!! It could be a lot of fun watching Henry and McGahee compete!!

[Tatonka]

awm, i think you are making an inaccurate assumption that there is going to be some kind of pressure starting in training camp to compete for the starter spot.

henry is the unquestioned starter. WM will most likely be on the PUP list for at least the first 10 weeks.. i would feel even better if he were on IR to make completely sure his knee is good.

[ArcticWildMan]

No...I'm talking NEXT season. 2004.

[Tatonka]

oic..

well, that is if poor travis doesnt up and quit football before then. :jk: :D

[TigerJ]

I don't think TH will tank this year. The main downside of the situation as I see it is that it creates an intrinsic instability in the RB situation. Rather than having a veteran back who knows he's going to be here for the long haul, they now have a veteran back that will want to leave when his contract is up, assuming McGahee doesn't have a career ending injury. I think Buffalo is best served at this point by telling TH that if he wants out of Buffalo after the season so he has a chance to start elsewhere, they will try to trade him after the season. I'd also tell him the better he plays the more likely he'll be looked at as a starter by the team he ends up with. Hopefully, he'll be worth a first round selection next year for the Bills in a trade.

[ArcticWildMan]

LOL!! Just keep those 15 year olds away from the stadium, and he'll be fine. ;)

[Tatonka]

they would never say that TJ.. never..

you dont tell a guy prior to a season .. hey, play good, cuz if this guy that is recovering from total knee construction returns to form, we are gonna trade your ass.. now go have a good season.

[TypicalBill]

i dont think TD would've drafted WM if he knew it would be bad for the team..i mean whenever they talk in a press conf. or whatever, they always talk about chemistry and if they knew it would harm the club, they never woulda picked him. We could have a future superstar in WM as a backup next season paying him what a rookie makes..i dont think its a problem.

[Typ0]

I agree they won't say anything like that. But I also don't think Henry will be in a Bills uniform to start the 2004 season.

[Tatonka]

Typo.. tell me this then..

say this year we go 10-6 and lose in the second round of the playoffs.. and TH has 2k in total yards..

your telling me that the following year, 2004, which could be our run for a superbowl, that we would dump our starting back who has played great, to go with WM coming off major knee surgery with no starting experience? i dont see that happening either.

[HenryRules]

Almost all positions that we could have drafted would have had a similar impact.

William Joseph - one of Pat Williams or Sam Adams would be thinking, well, they obviously don't want me beyond this year.

Washington (WR) - Josh Reed thinking well, Moulds isn't going to leave and they've brought in a bunch of other receivers, so I guess I have no future.

Kelsay - would have been a waste of a pick cuz we grabbed him in the second, so not going to bother discussing DE.

Witten - Moore and Campbell would both be wondering why they were brought in.

Faine - Teague would be wondering why he bothered to make the sacrifice for the good of the team and switch to C, performing reasonably well considering he hadn't played there in 4 years. Not a good statement to make to the rest of the team or future free agent OL that if you sacrifice and work hard, it means nothing to management.

When you have a deep team, every good player you bring in is going to push someone else to keep their position. It doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.

[Typ0]

If WM is 100% at that time and he can play the way people say he can play yes that is exactly what we do. Remember WM is in our program now. Even if he doesn't play he has a whole season to learn the team on the sidelines and two offseasons to get ready. You parley the value of Henry into another proven player at a position we need to be stronger and you get a draft pick for him as well. I understand what you are saying...but there is a law of diminishing returns when you can't fully utlize a player and you can be stronger at another position. I think the problem a lot of people have is they ask the question "how can we improve a position" instead of "how can we improve the team". As the team gets stronger...it becomes increasingly more difficult to improve. None the less the objective is to improve it to the point you win a championship. A similar situation happened with Price this season. The overall expense of keeping Price was deemed to be of less value than was the benefits of trading him away. Sure he had a great season. But Moulds will probably pick up at least 33% of productivity of Price with Reid also getting a lot more grabs. So the noticability of not having price will not be nearly the value of getting a player like McGehee who very well could be a top two pick for bottom round money. Plus a trade can be had to get us another player in a need area to put us over the edge and we might be able to prop up special teams or another need area though an additional draft pick. If Henry looks a lot more attractive to our inside staff by the end of this season than McGehee then they trade McGehee. I see this as a win situation for us that can help us to achieve exactly the goals you seem to be saying it contradicts.