Can YOU find a reason to be optimistic?

[DaBillzAhDaShiznit]

I am having trouble.....here's a list of reasons why it is difficult.

1)Our front office is, at the very least, of questionable ability.
Free agency and the draft will be the most immediate litmus test, but we'll
need at least 2 years to make a judgement.
We don't have much breathing room under the cap to make moves. If we
want to change the complexion of this team quickly, we need F/A's.
2) A new head coach who hasn't had a record of success has to make
most fans uneasy.
3) Quarterback---a huge questionmark at this point. I am trying to think of
another team with a worse situation than ours.....and I can't.
Yes, there are other teams with bad situations, and maybe Detroit is the
closest, but most other teams didn't select a QB in the first round within the
last two years.
4) Runningback---Does anyone else question Willis' heart? Apart from that,
I am not sold on our depth. Gates might change my mind
in training camp, but until Shaud Williams slides to the bottom
of the depth chart, I remain disenchanted.
5) Receivers--If Moulds is gone, Evans is our only proven, go-to guy.
While I like Parrish and Aiken, the rest of our wideouts could
fall off the face of the NFL earth and noone would notice.
6) Tight Ends--health is the main concern for me....why can't we catch a break?
Everett hasn't proven himself one way or another yet.
7) OLINE--to put it bluntly, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if we cut EVERY Olineman
on our roster and start from scratch.
8) DLINE--see above
9) Linebackers---Spike's injury can change a player forever, we won't know if he
will be the same player for several more months. Fletcher could
gone, Posey is too average, and the young guys are solid but not
even close to being above average.
10) Secondary--underachieving seems to be part of their gameplan. There is
more skill and potential here than other parts of the team, but
until someone lights a fire under them, they will continue to
underachieve.
**
Ok, so I do feel good about our kickers. But our return game has cooled off, and
we don't know if that will get back to prior form.
--And then I find out that ticket prices are going up....that's the icing on the cake.

All in all, it doesn't seem like a very bright picture.
And I am trying to look at the bright side.
Can anyone help?

[mysticsoto]

I can find a couple of things to be optimistic:

1) Tom Donahoe is gone
2) Mike Mularkey is gone
3) Jerry Gray is gone

[Philagape]

We won't win until we upgrade the O-line and stop the run

[Gunzlingr]

I have no reason to be pessimistic at this point. Talk to me couple weeks into the season.

[Night Train]

We won't win until we upgrade the O-line and stop the run

Ding,ding ding. We have a winner.

I'll wait until training camp to see what we have. Lots of player movement until then.

[mysticsoto]

Ding,ding ding. We have a winner.

I'll wait until training camp to see what we have. Lots of player movement until then.

But, but, but...if we take this stance, then how can we scream "The Sky is falling!" every time a change happens?

[OpIv37]

I have no reason to be pessimistic at this point. Talk to me couple weeks into the season.

no reason to be pessimistic? Did you read the first post in this thread? That's plenty of doubt. Plus we have a no-name Defensive Coordinator and only $6 million in cap space to fill a plethora of holes.

I think we're ****ed- no better than 3rd in the division (I predicted last a few weeks ago but that was before I realized how much of a mess the NY Jets are).

[EDS]

I have no reason to be pessimistic at this point. Talk to me couple weeks into the season.

Agreed.

[BAM]

I'm always optimistic. I was born that way and shall remain that way 'till I die.

Plus, football is not live or die for me. Much healthier to not let it effect my mood as much.

Oh and Marv is back, plus we have hired a pretty good offensive coordinator.

[OpIv37]

I can find a couple of things to be optimistic:

1) Tom Donahoe is gone
2) Mike Mularkey is gone
3) Jerry Gray is gone

I have no reason to be pessimistic at this point. Talk to me couple weeks into the season.

Ding,ding ding. We have a winner.

I'll wait until training camp to see what we have. Lots of player movement until then.

Agreed.

You guys are amazing. I wish I had this ability to look reality straight in the face and just ignore it. I could repeat everything that's in this thread, but it's all been said already. How can you guys possibly look at those things and go "meh, it will be fine".

I swear- some of you could wake up a quadripeligic after your entire family was killed and all your worldly possessions were destroyed in a a house explosion and you'd still say "well at least I'm still alive" as you move yourself down the nursing home hallway by blowing into a straw.

[OpIv37]

But, but, but...if we take this stance, then how can we scream "The Sky is falling!" every time a change happens?

Not every change- firing MM, JG and TD were good changes.

But when the team:

-loses starters and replaces them with back-ups or unproven players
-hires HC's with no record or with losing records
-hires inexperienced/unknown people into high level coaching positions
-makes eye candy attempts to improve positions of need without really making an improvement
-goes cheap on coaches or players

the fans can and should ***** all they want.

[Tatonka]

But, but, but...if we take this stance, then how can we scream "The Sky is falling!" every time a change happens?

aiden says..

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[Tatonka]

i actually am indifferent to the whole thing now..

i was really really pissed a week ago..

but now i will just wait.. i will give the new staff a chance because it is useless to wish and want.. the guys at one bills drive dont give a **** about me or my opinion.

[L.A. Playa]

our record for the 2006 season so far is 0-0 and we are tied for first with every team in the league

[OpIv37]

our record for the 2006 season so far is 0-0 and we are tied for first with every team in the league

oh please- can you really look at our roster and our staff and say we're equal with every team in the league? Despite starting a season with the same record, do you really think the Jets and Titans have an equal chance of winning the SB next year as the Broncos and Seahawks?

And to prove my point: If you had to pick one of the following as our first game of the 06 season, which would you take:

Houston
NE
Pittsburgh
Chicago

I think we all know the answer to that question.

[justasportsfan]

Little is known about the new structure of the team. There's a 50/50 chance that they will succeed or fail . That's a better chance than what we would've had if TD was running the show. a 50% chance is reason enough to be optimistic compared to 0 chance.

[L.A. Playa]

so Op you would choose to just be upset from now until September ?? Sorry football is not that important to be stressing about it is stricly entertainment, hopefully they will do well if not oh well, I am not going to any games in 2006 so doesnt affect my pocketbook or my lifestyle or my blood pressure.

Like Justa said there are too many "ifs" in the offseason to stress about anything at this point and even "if" they dont make the changes that all the professional GM's on this board want, what the **** can ya do any way ?? Either a dont watch any football ever again, or B just root for the team anyway.

*****ing and complaining doesnt make the team change anything and just raises your blood pressure creating health problem and premature death and ejaculation.

[DaBillzAhDaShiznit]

Little is known about the new structure of the team. There's a 50/50 chance that they will succeed or fail . That's a better chance than what we would've had if TD was running the show. a 50% chance is reason enough to be optimistic compared to 0 chance.

I think you are simplifying too much here. Do you honestly think there is just as
good a chance that we will succeed?

What do we have in our favor?

And you can rule out luck, favorable bounces, and referee bias, because those things are unknown (except in a negative light) in Buffalo sports.

[L.A. Playa]

oh please- can you really look at our roster and our staff and say we're equal with every team in the league? Despite starting a season with the same record, do you really think the Jets and Titans have an equal chance of winning the SB next year as the Broncos and Seahawks?

And to prove my point: If you had to pick one of the following as our first game of the 06 season, which would you take:

Houston
NE
Pittsburgh
Chicago

I think we all know the answer to that question.

First 3 games in my book would be Pittsburgh, Chicago, NE start with the best and finish strong, so what exactly was your point again ??

[mysticsoto]

Not every change- firing MM, JG and TD were good changes.

But when the team:

-loses starters and replaces them with back-ups or unproven players
-hires HC's with no record or with losing records
-hires inexperienced/unknown people into high level coaching positions
-makes eye candy attempts to improve positions of need without really making an improvement
-goes cheap on coaches or players

the fans can and should ***** all they want.

Op,

I get the feeling that there is one and only one way any of this coach hiring could have happened to make you happy (if even) and even then, if you got exactly what you wanted, you would still probably shrug your shoulders and exclaim that you're on the fence.

Fact of the matter is there weren't alot of coaching choices to choose from. But we can't dwell on what could've been. We now need to move forward, support the team, and the coaching staff and make any adjustments we may need as we go.

There is no point to getting upset or wishing for something that we don't have. We just have to move on. Complaining doesn't change anything either.

I will wait to see who we draft and what FAs we get along with what systems we are going to implement before I make any judgements.

Let's talk when training camp comes around and we can then see where we are with things...that's about the point I'll start making some judgements on the team...