BillsZone Original: OpIv: Here We Go Again

[shelby]

Enjoy....


Here We Go Again.


For the fourth time in a decade, the Bills are once again starting the
rebuilding process. As Vikings and Jets fans shake off defeat to relish
in improbable seasons, and Colts and Saints fans prepare to watch their
teams in the Super Bowl, Bills fans are forced to watch websites and
news wires for any hint of who the next defensive coordinator will be.


The reality is that two teams remain in the 2009 season, and the Bills have all but thrown away 2010. Chan Gailey isn't exactly a compelling pick as HC, and he will be doubling as OC. The offense desperately needs help at QB, LT and WR, and that would be the bare minimum. The team doesn't even know which defensive scheme they will use next year, yet at a minimum they need help at LB, DT and DE.


This team simply has too many holes to fill for one off-season. Look at the names being tossed around at QB: Brian Brohm, Troy Smith, Michael Vick, Jimmy Claussen, Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford... none of these guys will take this team to the next level. Of all the names that have surfaced, the only one that would be worth the price is Donovan McNabb, and obtaining him is a long shot, at best. And this is only one of many holes.


Add in new coaches (and possibly new schemes) on both sides of the ball, and the outlook for 2010 is bleak. There is likely to be a work stoppage in 2011, and 2012 is the last year of the stadium lease for the Bills.



read more... (http://www.billszone.com/)

[kernowboy]

How do the coaches they have brought in lack experience?

They all appear to have plenty of experience so far. Every coach who has coached elsewhere is in essense a retread.

It's simply a moany article by those who take comfort in moaning

[ddaryl]

We had no choice once again, we had to hire new coahes, and hire a GM. the question is now, are we better off then we were last year going forward.

Time will tell, but this is what happens when an organization runs itself into the ground, the recovery becomes that much more difficult.

I firnly beleive coaching alone cost us many games over the last few years, so using that theory we can have a better seaosn in 2010 then 2009

but it is also very hard to accomplish with the huge changeover we are in the process of. Jauron went 7-9 his 1st season, and he sucked, Maybe Chan can get us a 9-7 season and some hope to build off of.

None the less all of us, wether we're an optomist or a realist or just annoying, are going to have to take the wait and see attitude.... and simply hope that this time is the time we get it right.

[Night Train]

That's why my emotional bond has shrunk drastically in the last few years. I'm still a fan (as my post count shows) but several factors have combined to look at things pragmatically.

1. Wilson is an out of touch owner that worrys more about his reports from the bean counters over winning. His business plan is lazy, due to upfront TV $ and revenue sharing.
2. Buffalo is an extemely depressed area in a state which is a tax hell. That makes long term planning difficult for any sports franchise or business.
3. The NFL has shifted heavily towards the corporate $ and away from the blue collar fan (the backbone of it's success). The good of a few over the good of all. Only large markets can survive, long term.

I love the Bills but they are NOT the beginning and end of football. The sport itself is the best and I enjoy college football more than ever.

It's sad what is going on in the NFL, which is driven by greed like never before but it's something I cannot control. It is what it is.

[Jan Reimers]

A couple of thoughts on Op's article:

1) Ralph Wilson is our owner, and will be until he dies. Get over it. Stop the constant bashing. We all know his weaknesses. It is simply repetitive and counter productive to continue, ad nauseum, to recount his shortcomings.

2) No one knows how much say Modrak had in our draft selection process. Most likely, Donahoe and Jauron were responsible for most of the decisions, at least on the high round selections. If Modrak were such a poor talent evaluator, he would have been fired, like Guy was.

3) Russ Brandon is in charge of the business/marketing side of the Bills, where he has had great success. My guess is that he will let Nix and Gailey make the true football decisions.

4) We have a new HC and staff, and a new GM, so let's at least give them a chance, instead of preordaining them to failure.

[OpIv37]

How do the coaches they have brought in lack experience?

They all appear to have plenty of experience so far. Every coach who has coached elsewhere is in essense a retread.

It's simply a moany article by those who take comfort in moaning

Besides Gailey, most of the guys they brought in are getting promotions to positions they've never had before. And by "retread", I mean "guy who was less than successful elsewhere but is still getting another chance," which is basically everyone on the coaching staff so far.

It's moany, yes, but it has nothing to do with taking comfort in moaning. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. How can anyone take comfort in anything that bleak? It has to do with the reality of a dire situation. Do you honestly think it makes me feel GOOD to see no light at the end of the tunnel for this team? Please.

[OpIv37]

A couple of thoughts on Op's article:

1) Ralph Wilson is our owner, and will be until he dies. Get over it. Stop the constant bashing. We all know his weaknesses. It is simply repetitive and counter productive to continue, ad nauseum, to recount his shortcomings.

2) No one knows how much say Modrak had in our draft selection process. Most likely, Donahoe and Jauron were responsible for most of the decisions, at least on the high round selections. If Modrak were such a poor talent evaluator, he would have been fired, like Guy was.

3) Russ Brandon is in charge of the business/marketing side of the Bills, where he has had great success. My guess is that he will let Nix and Gailey make the true football decisions.

4) We have a new HC and staff, and a new GM, so let's at least give them a chance, instead of preordaining them to failure.

1. Unfortunately, Ralph Wilson's shortcomings continue to manifest themselves in terms of this team's performance on the field, and even bleed over into creating an uncertain future for the team itself. It's impossible NOT to discuss it on a message board devoted to the team that he keeps screwing up. You can ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the room, but I won't.

2. Modrak was around for the Donahoe, Levy, and post-Levy eras, all of which were piss poor. You are correct in that we don't know how much say he had, however, this team has been consistently bad through 3 front offices and he's been a part of all of them. I find it highly unlikely that he's not part of the problem.

3. Brandon does a great job on the marketing side of things. He sells us an inferior product every year, and every year we buy it. I don't mind him in a business/marketing capacity at all, but he has no business making football decisions. If he really leaves the football decisions to the football people, this team will be better off. But I won't believe it until I see it.

4. Pre-ordaining them to fail? What does that even mean? I'm simply stating my opinions. Based on past records, this may be one of those cases where different isn't necessarily better. Also, the new coach and GM are still forced to work under Ralph, Modrak and Brandon, a formula that has not been successful in the past. If they are pre-ordained to fail, it is due to Ralph's poor management and not an article I put on the Internet.

[YardRat]

I can't believe shelby used 'enjoy' and 'OpIv' in the same thread.

If anybody gets depressed reading the article, this may help lighten the mood...

Cheer Up (http://www.philly.com/inquirer/obituaries/)

[chernobylwraiths]

I can't believe shelby used 'enjoy' and 'OpIv' in the same thread.

No kidding.

[ArcticWildMan]

Op would find a reason to complain if we won the SB.

[Dujek]

We bring in a coach that has done nothing but win and you're already condemning him to failure. The guys who he has brought in have had success in their previous roles, and while some of them have had promotions most are taking up the positions they've previously had success in, and we're bringing back the coaches for the two units that showed most improvement last season.

You've been taking shots at the organisation for so long you've forgotten how to spot when a reasonably smart move has been made.

[jamze132]

FYI...

The link took me to the home page instead of the article. Of course, the article is on the home page but I am way too lazy to keep clicking on links.

[Jan Reimers]

1. Unfortunately, Ralph Wilson's shortcomings continue to manifest themselves in terms of this team's performance on the field, and even bleed over into creating an uncertain future for the team itself. It's impossible NOT to discuss it on a message board devoted to the team that he keeps screwing up. You can ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the room, but I won't.

2. Modrak was around for the Donahoe, Levy, and post-Levy eras, all of which were piss poor. You are correct in that we don't know how much say he had, however, this team has been consistently bad through 3 front offices and he's been a part of all of them. I find it highly unlikely that he's not part of the problem.

3. Brandon does a great job on the marketing side of things. He sells us an inferior product every year, and every year we buy it. I don't mind him in a business/marketing capacity at all, but he has no business making football decisions. If he really leaves the football decisions to the football people, this team will be better off. But I won't believe it until I see it.

4. Pre-ordaining them to fail? What does that even mean? I'm simply stating my opinions. Based on past records, this may be one of those cases where different isn't necessarily better. Also, the new coach and GM are still forced to work under Ralph, Modrak and Brandon, a formula that has not been successful in the past. If they are pre-ordained to fail, it is due to Ralph's poor management and not an article I put on the Internet.
1) I am not ignoring Ralph's problems. All I'm saying is, do we have to beat this dead horse in a million repetitive posts, until our eyeballs bleed?

2) As always, given more than one unproven scenario, you choose the most negative one, i.e., Modrak must be part of the problem. He was known as a very good talent evaluator before he came to the Bills. During his time here, he has worked for the egomaniac Donahoe, the old and out of touch Levy (and Jauron) and the Brandon/Jauron team. I wouldn't be so quick to assume he had a great deal of influence over the selection process, particularly when his first draft with Nix appears to be a good one (despite the uncertainty with Maybin).

3) It is logical to think that the Bills hired the 50 year football man Nix to run the football side of the operation, and not to assume that the business/marketing guy - with no real football backgroud - will continue to make player personnel and other football decisions. But that's just me, who still believes that even the Bills (Brandon and Wilson) are capable of making rational decisions.

4) Nix and Gailey work for Brandon and Wison, but not for Modrak. I choose to think that previous coaches and GMs - Donahoe/Williams/Mularkey, Levy/Jauron, Brandon/Jauron failed mostly because of their own inadequacies (helped along by a bad pro player personnel director in Guy). Nix and Gailey are veteran football guys and not automatically doomed to failure.

[Historian]

Op would find a reason to complain if we won the SB.

Perhaps...but that doesn't change the fact that with this piece, he is spot-on!

Well done Brian.

:bf1:

[OpIv37]

Op would find a reason to complain if we won the SB.

Based on what exactly?

Since this website has been in existence, the Bills have sucked, save an 8 game stretch at the end of 04 and a 6 game stretch at the start of 08. You're presuming to know how I would act in a situation that hasn't occurred since you've been aware of my existence.

[Cntrygal]

Good job Op!