To those that want the team to lose......

[Dr. Lecter]

I do not know where this pseudo-intellectual desire to see this team lose came from or how anybody can see it as a legitimate stance to take (especially those that have played competitive sports in the past), but it is time for them to honestly open their eyes and realize what playing sports is all about.

Throughout the history of competitive sports and its associated fandom, one thing has been a constant. Each and every contest is battle between two conflicting sides who each have one goal in mind - to win the damn game. All sporting events are a time for these conflicting sides to battle to the end, until there is a winner declared. This applies whether it is a team sport, such as football or baseball, or individual sports, such as boxing or golf. We demand, or should demand, that all athletes competing in these events put all of their competitive energy into winning these contests.

This pining to see the Bills lose their games is the complete opposite to what sports is all about. The great thing about sports is that is the ultimate battle between two opposing sides who each have the same goal in mind and that we, as fans, know only one can be successful. The claim to be a fan of sports, while rooting for your team to lose is not only counter productive, but it is also falling into the collective mindset that saying something that sounds absurd on its surface must be a sign of great intellect or of thinking things out more than others. The simple fact of the matter is that it is quite possible to build successful teams without drafting in the top 10 or top 5. And it is even more possible to build horrendous teams despite constantly having these top picks. Enjoy your self gratification and pat yourselves on the backs as some grandiose group on intellectuals that can see why losing is good. Because you are wrong. This team has lost too damn much in the past to think that works.

This week they are playing the Miami Dolphins, with a chance to put a severe damper on Miami getting into the post season. As I do every week, I will root for the Bills. That is a felling that is only amplified when they are playing the Dolphins. Nothing would be better than to watch the Bills beat Miami and help them have their season over as of December 29th.

So continue to root for the Bills to lose, while simultaneously saying you are a Bills fan, under the false pretense that a better draft position is all worth it. This team has been drafting in the top 12 for most of the last 14 years and it has not done a damn thing. Maybe it makes you feel smarter. Maybe it makes you feel like you have “sacrificed” something for the greater good. At it really shows is that you don’t get a damn thing about what sports is all about.

And that is, quite simply, winning every damn chance you get.

Here is to the Bills helping knock the Dolphins out of the playoff chase

Go Bills

[Mr. Pink]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

The Cavs purposely lost to get Lebron James.

The Colts pretty much purposely lost to get Andrew Luck.

The Pens lost to get Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Purposely losing games happens all over sports to get guys who are considered top talents.

I will agree that this year isn't the year to actually do it and especially not at this juncture. They're picking from 9th to 15th regardless of what else they do and there isn't much difference between those two picks. Two years ago purposely tanking games to get Luck would have made sense, hell even getting RGIII. Back in 98 with the RJ/Flutie crap, losing out would have netted Manning instead of this generation of suck.

There are times to do it where it is a benefit but it's not that often and it's not that important when it comes to picking 9th or 12th.

[Ginger Vitis]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

Spiked Lemonade and Tackling Dummy have been on the lose every game for a better draft pick mantra all year. They were pissed off the Bills beat the Panthers in week 2

[sudzy]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

That's the problem, I don't want to lose. I don't want to be the fan of a Bills team that is going to be the 5th -10th worst team in the NFL for the rest of my life, either. And every fan on this board wants the Bills to be a contender again. But, if it means bottoming out to get a franchise QB, so be it. Just stop the 5 to 7 win seasons.

[Night Train]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

Rooting for losses/higher draft picks is beyond ******ed.

Many of these same posters piss & moan that we draft poorly...then hope we lose out for better picks.

[Albany,n.y.]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

I do not know where this pseudo-intellectual desire to see this team lose came from or how anybody can see it as a legitimate stance to take (especially those that have played competitive sports in the past), but it is time for them to honestly open their eyes and realize what playing sports is all about.

Throughout the history of competitive sports and its associated fandom, one thing has been a constant. Each and every contest is battle between two conflicting sides who each have one goal in mind - to win the damn game. All sporting events are a time for these conflicting sides to battle to the end, until there is a winner declared. This applies whether it is a team sport, such as football or baseball, or individual sports, such as boxing or golf. We demand, or should demand, that all athletes competing in these events put all of their competitive energy into winning these contests.

This pining to see the Bills lose their games is the complete opposite to what sports is all about. The great thing about sports is that is the ultimate battle between two opposing sides who each have the same goal in mind and that we, as fans, know only one can be successful. The claim to be a fan of sports, while rooting for your team to lose is not only counter productive, but it is also falling into the collective mindset that saying something that sounds absurd on its surface must be a sign of great intellect or of thinking things out more than others. The simple fact of the matter is that it is quite possible to build successful teams without drafting in the top 10 or top 5. And it is even more possible to build horrendous teams despite constantly having these top picks. Enjoy your self gratification and pat yourselves on the backs as some grandiose group on intellectuals that can see why losing is good. Because you are wrong. This team has lost too damn much in the past to think that works.

This week they are playing the Miami Dolphins, with a chance to put a severe damper on Miami getting into the post season. As I do every week, I will root for the Bills. That is a felling that is only amplified when they are playing the Dolphins. Nothing would be better than to watch the Bills beat Miami and help them have their season over as of December 29th.

So continue to root for the Bills to lose, while simultaneously saying you are a Bills fan, under the false pretense that a better draft position is all worth it. This team has been drafting in the top 12 for most of the last 14 years and it has not done a damn thing. Maybe it makes you feel smarter. Maybe it makes you feel like you have “sacrificed” something for the greater good. At it really shows is that you don’t get a damn thing about what sports is all about.

And that is, quite simply, winning every damn chance you get.

Here is to the Bills helping knock the Dolphins out of the playoff chase

Go Bills

1) Drafting in the top 12 is the problem. The Bills don't lose enough to get the no-brainer picks. The last time they did they got Bruce Smith.
2) We aren't players, we're fans. That gives us the ability to look beyond the next game for the betterment of the team. The "fans" who think like you are delusional player wannabes.

[sudzy]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

Rooting for losses/higher draft picks is beyond ******ed.

Many of these same posters piss & moan that we draft poorly...then hope we lose out for better picks.

What's the answer then? Continue the 3 year coaching carrousel? Continue trying to pass scrubs off as franchise QBs? Stay in that 5 to 7 win category?

[Ginger Vitis]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

This years edition of the Toronto Raptors started the season off 6-12 and at that point traded their 2nd leading scorer Rudy Gay and there are now rumours they are looking to trading their starting point guard Kyle Lowry. There were rumblings in the media they were trying to tank the season to have a better chance at getting Canadian born consensus No.1 prospect Andrew Wiggins. I have to admit the Raptors drafting Wiggins would be the best thing ever for that franchise. And next years draft with likely Andrew Wiggins.. Jabari Parker.. and Julius Randle being eligible 2014 NBA draft class is considered the strongest in years.. It has been suggested a few teams have purposely set it up so they would be awful this year so they could have high pick for the 2014 NBA draft

[Albany,n.y.]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

The Cavs purposely lost to get Lebron James.

The Colts pretty much purposely lost to get Andrew Luck.

The Pens lost to get Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Purposely losing games happens all over sports to get guys who are considered top talents.

I will agree that this year isn't the year to actually do it and especially not at this juncture. They're picking from 9th to 15th regardless of what else they do and there isn't much difference between those two picks. Two years ago purposely tanking games to get Luck would have made sense, hell even getting RGIII. Back in 98 with the RJ/Flutie crap, losing out would have netted Manning instead of this generation of suck.

There are times to do it where it is a benefit but it's not that often and it's not that important when it comes to picking 9th or 12th.

In the NBA the Spurs lost David Robinson for the season & ended up with Tim Duncan. They've won 4 NBA championships with Duncan. Be the worst in the right year, be a championship contender for the next decade.

[SquishDaFish]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

Great posting Lecter. Couldnt of said it any better myself and agree with you all the way

[jdaltroy5]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

The Cavs purposely lost to get Lebron James.

The Colts pretty much purposely lost to get Andrew Luck.

The Pens lost to get Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Purposely losing games happens all over sports to get guys who are considered top talents.

I will agree that this year isn't the year to actually do it and especially not at this juncture. They're picking from 9th to 15th regardless of what else they do and there isn't much difference between those two picks. Two years ago purposely tanking games to get Luck would have made sense, hell even getting RGIII. Back in 98 with the RJ/Flutie crap, losing out would have netted Manning instead of this generation of suck.

There are times to do it where it is a benefit but it's not that often and it's not that important when it comes to picking 9th or 12th.

The Pens did not purposely lose to get Crosby. It was a year after the lockout and everyone had the same shot at the lottery. And I'm pretty sure they didn't purposely lose to get Malkin either considering he wasn't the first guy taken in the draft.

You just named really crappy teams that drafted good players and then speculated that they purposely lost.

[Novacane]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

If there was an Andrew Luck type player we had a legitimate shot atI'd say losing would benefit us in the long run. Since there isn't I hope we win out.

[jdaltroy5]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

This years edition of the Toronto Raptors started the season off 6-12 and at that point traded their 2nd leading scorer Rudy Gay and there are now rumours they are looking to trading their starting point guard Kyle Lowry. There were rumblings in the media they were trying to tank the season to have a better chance at getting Canadian born consensus No.1 prospect Andrew Wiggins. I have to admit the Raptors drafting Wiggins would be the best thing ever for that franchise. And next years draft with likely Andrew Wiggins.. Jabari Parker.. and Julius Randle being eligible 2014 NBA draft class is considered the strongest in years.. It has been suggested a few teams have purposely set it up so they would be awful this year so they could have high pick for the 2014 NBA draft

That's not entirely true either. They traded Gay because he took way too many poor shots and has a massive contract. They've actually played better without him. And they're talking about trading Lowry because his contract is up and they're not sure if he'll re-sign.

Their GM basically came out and said that they won't be caught in no-man's land. They are either going to go for it, or start a re-build.

[Night Train]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

What's the answer then? Continue the 3 year coaching carrousel? Continue trying to pass scrubs off as franchise QBs? Stay in that 5 to 7 win category?

Manuel is already a scrub after playing 8-9 games ???

Then why draft another QB, when we OBVIOUSLY don't know what we're doing in the draft ???

[Mr. Pink]

Re: To those that want the team to lose......

The Pens did not purposely lose to get Crosby. It was a year after the lockout and everyone had the same shot at the lottery. And I'm pretty sure they didn't purposely lose to get Malkin either considering he wasn't the first guy taken in the draft.

You just named really crappy teams that drafted good players and then speculated that they purposely lost.

The funny part is it wasn't the first time the Penguins have gone into the tank for the best player in the draft.

They did the same thing in 84 to get Lemieux. Lord Stanley says it worked in 84.

Pittsburgh won the Crosby sweepstakes because of how bad they were the prior 3 seasons and no not every team had a shot of winning the lottery. There were balls given depending on how poor you were the prior 3 years. 4 other teams I believe, including the Sabres, had the same chance as the Pens at winning the Crosby lottery. So it can be argued they tanked 3 consecutive seasons to get Crosby, Malkin and Fleury and after 3 years of futility they have now been a good team for the past 8. I'd say it worked for them.

It was no secret that the Cavs were losing games to try and get local boy Lebron James. And they succeeded. Even though they eventually lost James to the Heat, this was a success for them as they were basically the Buffalo Bills of the NBA, middling around, picking top 10 but never getting that superstar player to put them into contenders, James turned them into a perennial playoff team and top team in the East. Worked for them too!

The reason the NBA has a lottery? Because the Rockets were accused of throwing games to get the first overall pick. They got Hakeem Olajuwon for throwing a season, I'd say it was a fair trade for them.