Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

[Mudflap1]

Please see the "Nero" thread to read the story that memoirs a lot of this information.

Here are my Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses for why the Buffalo Bills haven't won in his tenure of 5+ years.

**Extras**

11. When questioned about sending in fan mail letter complaints, Tom Donahoe stated "save the postage." (from billsfanone)

Original List

10. Bills are in "salary cap hell." (2001)

9. Doug Flutie wasn't the right quarterback. Rob Johnson had more upside. (2001)

8. Rob Johnson wasn't the right quarterback. (2002)

7. Mike Sheppard wasn't the right offensive coordinator. (2002)

6. Kevin Gilbride wasn't the right offensive coordinator (again). (2003)

5. Gregg Williams wasn't the right head coach. (2003)

4. The Bills didn't have enough salary cap room to sign big-name free agents. (2005 -- four years after "salary cap hell")

3. Drew Bledsoe took the team to a certain point. He was released and replaced as starting quarterback by J.P. Losman. Tom Donahoe in February 2005: "We didn't look at going to J.P. as a step back. We looked at it as a step forward," Donahoe said. "We felt that we probably went as far as we could go with Drew. And that's not acceptable. . . . We want to go further." (2005)

2. J.P. Losman is struggling. Tom Donahoe in September 2005: "People that make predictions, you're crazy. . . . We're going to put everything into this season to make the playoffs. But I'm also not prepared to say that if we don't make the playoffs that it's a bad year." (2005)

1. "Stay Tuned." (2002, but timeless)

Some of my thoughts? Record? 27-40 since his hiring. Given a contract extension (initially unannounced) before this season (terms undisclosed). To his credit, the team is profitable, but not to his credit, we continue to get a mediocre product ON THE FIELD. Loyal fans, right? Yet, when the going got tough in 2003 and the fans were in an uproar about Gregg Williams and Kevin Gilbride, Tom Donahoe declared he was personally embarrassed by the fans of Buffalo, and was ashamed to be a part of the community. Nice vote of confidence to the people that pay his salary, the players' salaries, and Mr. Wilson's salary. Real team guy. Guess what Tom? Maybe you shouldn't be in our community, you don't seem to do your job very well.....

Discuss.

Jon

[LtBillsFan66]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

Good points. He's had enough time to turn the club around completely.

[Iehoshua]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

His extension was premature. We needed to see the results of this season first...

[Mr. Cynical]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

Please see the "Nero" thread to read the story that memoirs a lot of this information.

Here are my Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses for why the Buffalo Bills haven't won in his tenure of 5+ years.

10. Bills are in "salary cap hell." (2001)

9. Doug Flutie wasn't the right quarterback. Rob Johnson had more upside. (2001)

8. Rob Johnson wasn't the right quarterback. (2002)

7. Mike Sheppard wasn't the right offensive coordinator. (2002)

6. Kevin Gilbride wasn't the right offensive coordinator (again). (2003)

5. Gregg Williams wasn't the right head coach. (2003)

4. The Bills didn't have enough salary cap room to sign big-name free agents. (2005 -- four years after "salary cap hell")

3. Drew Bledsoe took the team to a certain point. He was released and replaced as starting quarterback by J.P. Losman. Tom Donahoe in February 2005: "We didn't look at going to J.P. as a step back. We looked at it as a step forward," Donahoe said. "We felt that we probably went as far as we could go with Drew. And that's not acceptable. . . . We want to go further." (2005)

2. J.P. Losman is struggling. Tom Donahoe in September 2005: "People that make predictions, you're crazy. . . . We're going to put everything into this season to make the playoffs. But I'm also not prepared to say that if we don't make the playoffs that it's a bad year." (2005)

1. "Stay Tuned." (2002, but timeless)

Some of my thoughts? Record? 27-40 since his hiring. Given a contract extension (initially unannounced) before this season (terms undisclosed). To his credit, the team is profitable, but not to his credit, we continue to get a mediocre product ON THE FIELD. Loyal fans, right? Yet, when the going got tough in 2003 and the fans were in an uproar about Gregg Williams and Kevin Gilbride, Tom Donahoe declared he was personally embarrassed by the fans of Buffalo, and was ashamed to be a part of the community. Nice vote of confidence to the people that pay his salary, the players' salaries, and Mr. Wilson's salaries. Real team guy. Guess what Tom? Maybe you shouldn't be in our community.....

Discuss.

Jon

Careful now...you're making too much sense in this post.

[frank74]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

he was run out of pittsburgh so why did we think he would do anything in buffalo? the guy is a loser, a fantasy manager, a headline type of guy, who never addressed the real issues of this team. the o-line! he needs to go in order for any hope for this team in the future.

[Mudflap1]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

The only "offensive" thing about the Buffalo Bills these days is Tom Donahoe.

Maybe jp-era is right, perhaps Tom Donahoe SHOULD be doing porn flicks, LOL.....

Jon

[LtBillsFan66]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

How about his "save the postage" line when he talked about fans mailing in letters of complaint.

[frank74]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

the guy is a douche bag and always will be.

[Mudflap1]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

How about his "save the postage" line when he talked about fans mailing in letters of complaint.

Great post! I'm going to edit mine up top and put this one in. If anybody has any others, please post them, and I'll edit my post above and put them in.

Jon

[Mitchy moo]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

Please see the "Nero" thread to read the story that memoirs a lot of this information.

Here are my Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses for why the Buffalo Bills haven't won in his tenure of 5+ years.

**Extras**

11. When questioned about sending in fan mail letter complaints, Tom Donahoe stated "save the postage." (from billsfanone)

Original List

10. Bills are in "salary cap hell." (2001)

9. Doug Flutie wasn't the right quarterback. Rob Johnson had more upside. (2001)

8. Rob Johnson wasn't the right quarterback. (2002)

7. Mike Sheppard wasn't the right offensive coordinator. (2002)

6. Kevin Gilbride wasn't the right offensive coordinator (again). (2003)

5. Gregg Williams wasn't the right head coach. (2003)

4. The Bills didn't have enough salary cap room to sign big-name free agents. (2005 -- four years after "salary cap hell")

3. Drew Bledsoe took the team to a certain point. He was released and replaced as starting quarterback by J.P. Losman. Tom Donahoe in February 2005: "We didn't look at going to J.P. as a step back. We looked at it as a step forward," Donahoe said. "We felt that we probably went as far as we could go with Drew. And that's not acceptable. . . . We want to go further." (2005)

2. J.P. Losman is struggling. Tom Donahoe in September 2005: "People that make predictions, you're crazy. . . . We're going to put everything into this season to make the playoffs. But I'm also not prepared to say that if we don't make the playoffs that it's a bad year." (2005)

1. "Stay Tuned." (2002, but timeless)

Some of my thoughts? Record? 27-40 since his hiring. Given a contract extension (initially unannounced) before this season (terms undisclosed). To his credit, the team is profitable, but not to his credit, we continue to get a mediocre product ON THE FIELD. Loyal fans, right? Yet, when the going got tough in 2003 and the fans were in an uproar about Gregg Williams and Kevin Gilbride, Tom Donahoe declared he was personally embarrassed by the fans of Buffalo, and was ashamed to be a part of the community. Nice vote of confidence to the people that pay his salary, the players' salaries, and Mr. Wilson's salary. Real team guy. Guess what Tom? Maybe you shouldn't be in our community, you don't seem to do your job very well.....

Discuss.

Jon

Brutally honest, i like it

[Mudflap1]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

Perhaps because Tom Donahoe doesn't want to hear any criticisms of the fans, we can compile a list of what the fans really think of the job he's done, and send the final copy to Ralph Wilson and the beat reporters from the Buffalo News. I'm sure they'd find it interesting.

Jon

[LtBillsFan66]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

Anyone know the playoff drought of the teams in the league right now? How do we rank?

[Mudflap1]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

Longest Bills' playoff drought in 20 years. I think that's what I read the other day.

Jon

[Mr. Cynical]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

A little blurb (albeit biased) on TD from his Pitt days...

I don't know exactly how it happened, but obviously, Bill Cowher has ruffled some feathers among the upper echelon of the Pittsburgh press and they've decided to "get him." Screw the media in Pittsburgh... they belong in Philly.

First of all, Cowher and Donohoe both came in in '92. Anybody wanna explain to me exactly what Donahoe did to turn that mediocre team into a contender during that first year? Zip. Nadda. It was Cowher who picked up the pieces of the '80s and coached 'em into one of the winningest teams of the '90s. Granted, Donahoe pulled off the only good draft of his tenure in '92, but none of those players were major contibutors during that surprising turnaround year. Noll and his staff deserve a much bigger pat on the back than Donahoe for already having an outstanding core of players in place (Rod Woodson, Greg Lloyd, Carnell Lake, Hardy Nickerson, Dermontti Dawson, Barry Foster, John Jackson, Eric Green, Ernie Mills, Neil O'Donnell, Gary Anderson, et al).

Critics seem quite content to knock Cowher's performance over the last two seasons... justifiably so. But the plain facts point to the glaring overall lack of talent as the source of the Steelers demise. So why is it that Tom Donahoe, who had FAR more control over personel decisions than Cowher, has somehow not only remained unmolested by the Pittsburgh press, but is almost being hailed as a savior? I mean, the guy is not exactly Art Rooney, Sr., folks...

I have yet to hear even ONE player say he left because of Cowher. The players LOVE Cowher. Yet... Cowher is being cast as the one with the "ego." Cowher is the one the local writers are ripping for "chasing away" Dick LeBeau and Bobby April.

Interesting.

What about Donahoe's public ripping of Woodson, needlessly costing the team it's best player of the last 15 years (and an important team leader)? Woodson (a Pro-Bowler yet again in '99) expressed interest in returning to Pittsburgh before the '98 season, and Donahoe's response was, "We're not the Salvation Army." So he chased Woodson off not once, but twice, and now Rod is a Pro-Bowler for the AFC Central rival Ravens. Hey, great move, Tom. Just one example of a wealth of horrible free-agent moves. Yet, Tom's a God to those in the media. Does ANYONE think we've EVER done well in free agency? And while we're at it, where are the bogus rumors of Donahoe's affair with Kordell's sister? After all, baseless innuendo and insults seem to be the modus operandi of the Pittsburgh press when it comes to Cowher, but the catcalls are mysteriously absent when it comes to Donahoe.

Why is that? You figure it out.

Fact: Historically, Cowher's teams have overachieved, and I'll tell you one thing about Bill Cowher that is irrefutable: Give him a little bit of talent and he WILL win football games. In the span of 2 short years, the Steelers have gone from being one of the most talented, winningest teams in the league to a veritable laughing stock. Why? I've said it before, I'll say it again: An avalanche of free agent losses & draft blunders. The blame for Pittsburgh's downfall, folks, lays squarely on the shoulders of Tommy "Two-Face" Donahoe, not Bill Cowher, who remains one of the absolute best coaches in the league.

The Pittsburgh Media, on the other hand, who seems to be marching in a locked goose-step on this issue, is a disgrace to their profession. The Press may be aligned against Cowher, but the FANS are behind him all the way.

What do YOU think?

Tim McMillen
Webmaster, McMillen & Wife

[footballhottie]

Re: Top Ten Tom Donahoe Excuses

5. Gregg Williams wasn't the right head coach. (2003)

he may not have been the right head coach but his son is cool as hell...and a GREAT football player