Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

[OpIv37]

How do we fix this problem? People mention it time and time again as far as signing FA's or even locking up players like Byrd. And there are at least a couple of players publicly saying they don't want to be in Buffalo, most notably Darwin Walker and Tony Gonzales.

Look, there are always going to be a handful of players who don't want to be in the cold or who want to be someplace more glamorous, like Miami, NY, DC or Dallas. But that's the minority. You never hear players whining about getting out of Green Bay or Pittsburgh, and they have an outdoor stadiums and weather that is comparable to Buffalo. Hell, I don't even recall crappy teams like St Louis or Detroit having the trouble attracting and retaining players that we do.

Is it just a matter of winning and getting a quality FO? Will nothing change until we get a new owner and/or a domed stadium?

I can understand why players don't want to be here, but it's really getting old. How do we fix it?

[mayotm]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

Simple, start winning.

[OpIv37]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

Simple, start winning.

Is that enough though? Detroit and St Louis don't win, and they don't seem to have the problems attracting/retaining players that we have.

[better days]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

After Marv & Kelly got to Buffalo, players WANTED to come.............Biscuit, Lofton, etc.

I think that is what is needed, a GOOD HC & a GOOD QB. If Marrone & EJ prove to be GOOD, I think soon Buffalo will be a place players want to come to again.

If you watched the Bills yearbook from last year or listen to what the players have to say, most love the atmosphere in Buffalo. A WINNING team, that is all that is needed.

[OpIv37]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

well if winning is all that's needed, then we're in a catch-22.

We can't win without good players, but we can't attract/retain good players without winning first.

[better days]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

Is that enough though? Detroit and St Louis don't win, and they don't seem to have the problems attracting/retaining players that we have.

Who has Detroit or St Louis attracted? St Louis lost both Danny Amendola & Steven Jackson. BOTH will help their new teams win games & were a huge loss for the Rams.

[jdaltroy5]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

well if winning is all that's needed, then we're in a catch-22.

We can't win without good players, but we can't attract/retain good players without winning first.

That's where money comes into play.

[better days]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

well if winning is all that's needed, then we're in a catch-22.

We can't win without good players, but we can't attract/retain good players without winning first.

As Marrone said a culture change is needed. The Bills don't have to get to the Super Bowl to attract/retain players, but they have to show they are on the right path & if a player comes here they may get to the Super Bowl.

Biscuit & Lofton came to Buffalo before the Bills really started WINNING. And while the Bills traded for him, the trade would not have happened unless he wanted to come to Buffalo according to Biscuit.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

How do we fix this problem? People mention it time and time again as far as signing FA's or even locking up players like Byrd. And there are at least a couple of players publicly saying they don't want to be in Buffalo, most notably Darwin Walker and Tony Gonzales.

Look, there are always going to be a handful of players who don't want to be in the cold or who want to be someplace more glamorous, like Miami, NY, DC or Dallas. But that's the minority. You never hear players whining about getting out of Green Bay or Pittsburgh, and they have an outdoor stadiums and weather that is comparable to Buffalo. Hell, I don't even recall crappy teams like St Louis or Detroit having the trouble attracting and retaining players that we do.

Is it just a matter of winning and getting a quality FO? Will nothing change until we get a new owner and/or a domed stadium?

I can understand why players don't want to be here, but it's really getting old. How do we fix it?

OpI, I've lived in 3 NFL cities - BUF, PGH and CIN. Of the 3, BUF fans rip apart a player for any perceived slight, no matter how small, and then proceed to compare him to Satan when he leaves. It's one thing if the player's management are a bunch of jerks (see Mike Brown et al and the 1990's and early 2000's B'gals), but something different if the man in the street incessantly flicks the verbal switchblade.

And yes - I know there are sports markets like NYC and PHI.

How to fix it? Civil behavior?

Awaiting the attacks (he ducks)...

[OpIv37]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

As Marrone said a culture change is needed. The Bills don't have to get to the Super Bowl to attract/retain players, but they have to show they are on the right path & if a player comes he they may get to the Super Bowl.

Biscuit & Lofton came to Buffalo before the Bills really started WINNING. And while the Bills traded for him, the trade would not have happened unless he wanted to come to Buffalo according to Biscuit.

What does a "culture change" mean in terms of real, observable actions? How do we know if they are truly instituting a meaningful "cultural change?" Without some type of action or measurable activity associated with it, saying we need a "cultural change" is just BS. It's the type of business jargon that stupid people use to sound smart by talking without actually saying anything substantial.

[better days]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

OpI, I've lived in 3 NFL cities - BUF, PGH and CIN. Of the 3, BUF fans rip apart a player for any perceived slight, no matter how small, and then proceed to compare him to Satan when he leaves. It's one thing if the player's management are a bunch of jerks (see Mike Brown et al and the 1990's and early 2000's B'gals), but something different if the man in the street incessantly flicks the verbal switchblade.

And yes - I know there are sports markets like NYC and PHI.

How to fix it? Civil behavior?

Awaiting the attacks (he ducks)...

Are you saying Steeler fans didn't rip Big Ben when he got in trouble? Or Bengals fans didn't rip Ocho?

[OpIv37]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

OpI, I've lived in 3 NFL cities - BUF, PGH and CIN. Of the 3, BUF fans rip apart a player for any perceived slight, no matter how small, and then proceed to compare him to Satan when he leaves. It's one thing if the player's management are a bunch of jerks (see Mike Brown et al and the 1990's and early 2000's B'gals), but something different if the man in the street incessantly flicks the verbal switchblade.

And yes - I know there are sports markets like NYC and PHI.

How to fix it? Civil behavior?

Awaiting the attacks (he ducks)...

Yeah well you're talking about an inferiority complex so deeply ingrained in WNYers that you'll never change it. You tell people you're from NY, they think you mean NYC. You say, "no, closer to Buffalo" and all they do is make jokes about snow or being part of Canada. We will always be second fiddle to NYC in terms of political power and tax money within the state. Our sports teams have basically set the bar for futility.

So, people are a bit defensive and sensitive to slights on the city, especially because most of them come from people who have no idea what the hell they are talking about, or are big pansies who need levels pampering beyond what WNY provides just to get through life (see, I'm doing it right now).

As far as claiming players are garbage when they leave, that's just homerism and a defense mechanism. It's psychologically easier to think that a player sucks than to think he didn't want to be here or another incompetent FO let a quality player walk.

[mayotm]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

Is that enough though? Detroit and St Louis don't win, and they don't seem to have the problems attracting/retaining players that we have.

Yes, I think it is. Consistent winning pretty much solves all problems. Look at Green Bay. In the 80's into the early 90's, they were giving away half their home games to Milwaukee. They weren't attracting big name players. Then Favre came along and they've pretty much been winning ever since. They have no problem getting or retaining good players. Players want to be there because they have a legitmate chance to win every year.

[better days]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

What does a "culture change" mean in terms of real, observable actions? How do we know if they are truly instituting a meaningful "cultural change?" Without some type of action or measurable activity associated with it, saying we need a "cultural change" is just BS. It's the type of business jargon that stupid people use to sound smart by talking without actually saying anything substantial.

Marrone changed the culture in Syracuse. If a player did not go to class or screwed up, Marrone put his picture up, letting the team know this guy is a screw up. MANY players left Syracuse because they did not want to get with the program.

He will be more subtle in Buffalo, but an example is when Rogers made a great catch in minicamp & taunted the defender, Marrone told him in no uncertain terms, that is not the Bills way.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Re: Players not wanting to be in Buffalo

Is that enough though? Detroit and St Louis don't win, and they don't seem to have the problems attracting/retaining players that we have.

Years ago in the early 90's before Brett Favre, Green Bay was considered the Siberia of the NFL. Players were threatened to get traded to Green Bay if they didn't do what their teams told them.

Then the Packers started winning. That fixed everything.

Yes winning is enough.