Another long, frustrating, likely fruitless offseason...

[bluerosekiller]

... is upon us & I'm already pissed off.
I tried to find something, basicallly ANYTHING encouraging to take from Nix's presser & all it did was further irritate me. I mean, C'MON, when some of the "good news" is that Shawn Merriman will return to the team from yet another round of multiple surgeries next season, it's pretty pathetic IMO.
I mean, the guy is done. D-O-N-E. Badly damaged goods who hasn't given The Bills ( nor any other NFL team ) a thing to be the least bit positive about in years. So, why bother with him?
The fact that opposing teams acknowledged his presence on the line for the couple of games that he was actually able to suit up for early in the season is more a testament about how poor The Bills' pass rush is rather than any real threat he posed as far I'm concerned...
I mean, when are they going to cut the guy loose as a failed gamble that didn't pan out?
Same thing with Marcus Easley & Roscoe Parrish.
Why continue to keep them around when neither one of them has the durability to remain active on an NFL roster?

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

i completely agree with you re: merriman
hes just taking up space on the roster

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

PS: somebody boot me up over the 20K rep will ya?

[imbondz]

I am not having one single emotion for or against the Bills until we make the playoffs. Then I will go crazy. :::

[bluerosekiller]

In my mind, the manner in which The Bills completely fell apart down the stretch in that final game against The Pats was just a reflection in microcosm of the entire 2011 season. And that, to me, was enough to give up on the Chan Gailey "era". I'd seen enough & wanted him gone.
But, I knew that the organization wouldn't go that route. And, upon some further reflection, I realized that what with the plethora of coaching replacements in demand this postseason, the odds of the front office finding anyone better were pretty slim anyhow.
Plus, the immediate dismissal of the woefully inept George Edwards went a long way toward my finding another year or so with Gailey as coachna more acceptable fate. Just HOW much though, we shall see...
Finishing on a 1-8 slide is just awful no matter how you look at it IMO. Even given the mass of injuries to key players. I think competent coaching alone should have gotten them another couple of wins & produced a .500 season based on that start that they they had in the fall.
After the bitter pill that was 2008, I didn't see how any subsequent season could top it as far as gut punches go, but this one just did...
So, it's VERY difficult to find anything even remotely positive about this new offseason we're facing.

[Scumbag College]

Hey!

We signed Scott McKillopp and David Clowney. If you haven't peed your pants in excitement over those two signings you're nuts. The Bills have bolstered their LB corps and found Stevie Johnson's replacement before the playoffs are over.

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

PS: somebody boot me up over the 20K rep will ya?
Lol you guys rock !!!

[BertSquirtgum]

Press conference restored some of the faith for me. I don't know what you watched.

[Night Train]

I'm going to give the off-season some chance, since it hasn't even begun yet. :trance:

Free Agency & Draft. Then look at the roster once it enters camp and see what they're doing with the D, since next season basically hinges on how much improvement they make from one of the NFL's worst.

[DMBcrew36]

Every offseason they do something to get people a little excited again - to try to get people back on board, to sell tickets. It might be free agency, a new scheme, or the draft. Every offseason people fall for it.

After being fooled year after year, some of us have wised up.

[Forward_Lateral]

What's the point of getting pissed off in the offseason? At least wait until after the draft and we see what kind of, if any, free agents they sign.

[Mr. Pink]

I think Roscoe, Easley and Merriman should just be shown the door at this point.

Still optimistic, cautiously optimistic, that some good players are brought in to make us a contender. Although I'm not optimistic by any of the coaching staff to use those guys properly.

[bluerosekiller]

What's the point of getting pissed off in the offseason? At least wait until after the draft and we see what kind of, if any, free agents they sign.

Point?
Well, there really is no point really. All I'm saying is that this past season just left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth & the thought of facing another long offseason is just sort of daunting at the moment.
And then, for the first bit of news to be about the supposed return of a longtime hobbled player, it just set me off a bit I guess.

[Forward_Lateral]

Before the season, did you expect the Bills to win 6 games?

[Mr. Pink]

Before the season, did you expect the Bills to win 6 games?


I did not. However I think the lockout and how long it was made the playing field basically even across the NFL until everyone got up to speed on working together and such. Once that occurred we saw how far away we really were from the better teams in the NFL.

[Pinkerton Security]

Hey!

We signed Scott McKillopp and David Clowney. If you haven't peed your pants in excitement over those two signings you're nuts. The Bills have bolstered their LB corps and found Stevie Johnson's replacement before the playoffs are over.

What big moves have other teams made?

Im becoming more negative with this team as the years go on, but this thread is dumb....its the middle of January.

[mjt328]

I think most people were pretty happy about what Nix said. There was one thing that caught me attention that I didn't like.

He kept saying that next year, we should be "competitive."


I believe it is that thinking that has the Bills in the mess they are in now.


If I'm in the front office, every single offseason is an opportunity to make the team a Super Bowl contender. I'm not trying to be competitive. My goal is to absolutely destroy every opponent that walks on the field.

The Bills mentality is why they keep hiring mediocre coaches and signing mid/low tier free agents. It's why our teams seem to give so much effort on the field, but don't have the talent to swing with the big boys. It's why we always miss the playoffs, but almost never have a Top 5 draft pick.

[ddaryl]

it a new offseason for Buffalo my optimism is renewed blindly

if they suck again next year I will turn the games off mid season and try again in 2013.. Rinse and repeat.

I find it laughable how miserable some of you get. If I was as miserable as some of ya's I would have walked away and never came back.

It's a game... a form of entertainment nothing else. Either find enjoyment or find something else IMO

[better days]

I think Roscoe, Easley and Merriman should just be shown the door at this point.

Still optimistic, cautiously optimistic, that some good players are brought in to make us a contender. Although I'm not optimistic by any of the coaching staff to use those guys properly.

I see no reason to show any of them the door as long as they are under contract until the end of training camp. Especially Easley, he would not be the first young guy to come back from injury & have a great career.

[better days]

it a new offseason for Buffalo my optimism is renewed blindly

if they suck again next year I will turn the games off mid season and try again in 2013.. Rinse and repeat.

I find it laughable how miserable some of you get. If I was as miserable as some of ya's I would have walked away and never came back.

It's a game... a form of entertainment nothing else. Either find enjoyment or find something else IMO

I think some people actually find enjoyment in being miserable & trying to spread it around like a virus.

[Lone Stranger]

Press conference restored some of the faith for me. I don't know what you watched.

I don't know what you got out of it. To me it's same-old, same-old. He didn't say anything we already know.

[better days]

I don't know what you got out of it. To me it's same-old, same-old. He didn't say anything we already know.

Well, for one thing Nix said he was not retiring. There was a 3 or 4 page thread of BS that said he was going to on this board.

I think it sounds like the Bills will sign a few GOOD FAs this off season from his PC.

[OpIv37]

I'm going to give the off-season some chance, since it hasn't even begun yet. :trance:



here's the problem: even if we have a perfect off-season in terms of the draft and signing available players, this team still has far too many holes to fill in one off-season.

Don't ask me to explain how we're in this position every year, or why we're in this position when Nix and Gailey have ALREADY had two complete off-seasons, but here we are yet again.

[better days]

here's the problem: even if we have a perfect off-season in terms of the draft and signing available players, this team still has far too many holes to fill in one off-season.

Don't ask me to explain how we're in this position every year, or why we're in this position when Nix and Gailey have ALREADY had two complete off-seasons, but here we are yet again.

Well, there were less holes to fill last offseason than the year before & there are less holes to fill this offseason than there were last year.

Nix is making progress, I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Pinkerton Security]

Well, there were less holes to fill last offseason than the year before & there are less holes to fill this offseason than there were last year.

Nix is making progress, I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

i like your optimism...i just hope your hope is well-founded.

[stuckincincy]

I think some people actually find enjoyment in being miserable & trying to spread it around like a virus.


Nicely put. :D:

[better days]

i like your optimism...i just hope your hope is well-founded.

Well, last Summer, Chan said the Bills have talent & could compete, but he said they had NO depth.

I think the season proved Chan right. At the start, the Bills blew out the Chiefs in the first game & beat a number of GOOD teams early in the season.

As the season progressed & the injuries piled up, the play of the team dropped dramaticly.

I expect the Bills to add a couple more starters this offseason & improve the depth of the team.

[OpIv37]

Well, there were less holes to fill last offseason than the year before & there are less holes to fill this offseason than there were last year.

Nix is making progress, I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

that's not the light at the end of the tunnel.

It's the light on the front of another train headed straight for us.

[better days]

that's not the light at the end of the tunnel.

It's the light on the front of another train headed straight for us.

I saw this post comming like the light.

[trapezeus]

someone mentioned in another thread, nix needs to prove himself on plan A and Plan b this offseason. last year, they seemed to target some positions of needs and came out with only a few of the pieces. and then they didn't do anything when clabo wasn't there position wise.

this team needs a stable OL setup. bell isn't it. we all know that. but he should come back as a backup because the 5-6 games he does play are very good and dependable. we need to have a hangartner or backup center that is reliable. we can't move people out of their natural positions.

[better days]

someone mentioned in another thread, nix needs to prove himself on plan A and Plan b this offseason. last year, they seemed to target some positions of needs and came out with only a few of the pieces. and then they didn't do anything when clabo wasn't there position wise.

this team needs a stable OL setup. bell isn't it. we all know that. but he should come back as a backup because the 5-6 games he does play are very good and dependable. we need to have a hangartner or backup center that is reliable. we can't move people out of their natural positions.

I agree, but would like someone BIGGER & STRONGER than Hangartner to back up Center & Guard. I was happy when the Bills cut him, I just hope we can get an entire season out of Wood next year.

[bluerosekiller]

I see no reason to show any of them the door as long as they are under contract until the end of training camp. Especially Easley, he would not be the first young guy to come back from injury & have a great career.

Yeah, but this was the SECOND season in a row that he spent on IR.
He's had two years in the league & he's been out for the season during both of them.
So, tell me how many players have come out of that sort of start to their careers & gone on to success?

[ThunderGun]

Don't ask me to explain how we're in this position every year, or why we're in this position when Nix and Gailey have ALREADY had two complete off-seasons, but here we are yet again.

I can explain it...the 2010 draft was completely worthless. We got zero starters out of it. Spiller was the only good player we got, but we already had 2 good RB's, so it's not like he really improved the team all that much.

I can't even fathom how it's possible to draft 9 players in one year, and have none of them make your team better.

[bluerosekiller]

I think some people actually find enjoyment in being miserable & trying to spread it around like a virus.

Not at all.
But, this IS a discussion forum & I thought I'd discuss how I was feeling at the start of this offseason.

[bluerosekiller]

Well, for one thing Nix said he was not retiring. There was a 3 or 4 page thread of BS that said he was going to on this board.

I think it sounds like the Bills will sign a few GOOD FAs this off season from his PC.

And, I'd love to think so better days, but I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid.
I won't believe it until said good FAs are actually signed, in camp & then, on the field.

[better days]

Yeah, but this was the SECOND season in a row that he spent on IR.
He's had two years in the league & he's been out for the season during both of them.
So, tell me how many players have come out of that sort of start to their careers & gone on to success?

Well, the Lions QB Matthew Stafford comes to mind right off the bat.

[better days]

Not at all.
But, this IS a discussion forum & I thought I'd discuss how I was feeling at the start of this offseason.

I was not really thinking of you in particular.

[bluerosekiller]

I can explain it...the 2010 draft was completely worthless. We got zero starters out of it. Spiller was the only good player we got, but we already had 2 good RB's, so it's not like he really improved the team all that much.

I can't even fathom how it's possible to draft 9 players in one year, and have none of them make your team better.

EXACTLY.
And yet, there are those here that are apparently somewhat incredulous that I could possibly be so pessimistic this early in the offseason. I don't get it.
I mean, far be it from me to begrudge anyone their hopes & dreams for better days ahead ( no pun on you intended bd ) for The Bills. Hell, I'd LOVE to be proven wrong come next season...
But, what exactly has this front office done to give anyone faith in them?

[bluerosekiller]

I was not really thinking of you in particular.

Oh OK, no worries. No harm, no foul.
Peace.

[better days]

EXACTLY.
And yet, there are those here that are apparently somewhat incredulous that I could possibly be so pessimistic this early in the offseason. I don't get it.
I mean, far be it from me to begrudge anyone their hopes & dreams for better days ahead ( no pun on you intended bd ) for The Bills. Hell, I'd LOVE to be proven wrong come next season...
But, what exactly has this front office done to give anyone faith in them?

Well, that is the reason I chose that name. With the Hiring of Nix, I saw & still see better days ahead than we have had for the past dozen years or so.