Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team

www.channel1media.com/billsvoting/

Perhaps you have already heard that BuffaloBills.com is accepting your nominations for the greatest Buffalo Bills players of all time. Position by position. You name your players for the 50th anniversary of the Buffalo Bills. Above are my picks for the offense. Some tough choices actually. (Notice that not many from this current team are in that line-up...)

Maybe we'll even do an off-season show discussing who we think would make the all-time team from the first 50 seasons? We'll see.

For now you can play along here. Pretty cool website the buffalobills.com boys have put together. Have fun voting!

A Good QB Changes Everything

Following two straight fourth-quarter comebacks, the Buffalo Bills are alone atop the AFC East. All by themselves. That has not happened since week 13 of the 1996 NFL season. That is a long time.

We've heard the stats. The Bills are off to their fastest start since 1992. Not since that season has a Bills team started 3-0. And this week with the Bills facing the team who is arguably off to the worst start of all 32 NFL teams in 2008, most consider it a foregone conclusion that the Bills will be 4-0.

The last time the Bills started a season 4-0 was also 1992. Go back another year to find the last time a Bills team started the season with a 5-0 record. They lost their sixth game that year - the year after "Wide Right" - but went on to amass a 10-1 record, cruising to the AFC East crown and eventually, the AFC title.

But let's go back just a couple years. 1988. The Bills were coming out of relative obscurity. Back to back 2-14 seasons, followed by a 4-12 season (which saw the arrival of new - and equally obscure - head coach, Marv Levy) followed by a meager 7-8 season. They had not made the playoffs for six straight seasons, but there seemed to be reason for hope.

A very talented young team was being put together. Largely around stars like Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, and even Andre Reed (from tiny Kutztown State university) and a rookie RB from Oklahoma State, Thurman Thomas. A blockbuster trade had brought LB Cornelius Bennett to town, inspiring more hope from the Buffalo faithful. There was certainly potential...

But it had been so long since there had been a real winner in Buffalo.

All of a sudden though, the wins began coming. 1-0. 2-0. 3-0. People began wondering about this "surprising" team from Buffalo. Robb Riddick kept jumping over the pile for a goal-line TD. Butch Rolle continued to fool everyone as Kelly would fake the handoff and toss the ball to a wide open (little used) TE. (Didn't they watch the film? If Butch was on the field, he was going to get the TD!) A pretty solid offensive line, a QB who was showing he could will his team to win, a budding receiving star, and a scrappy defense - even a kicker who never missed. (32-33 FGs on the season, including an OT game winner that gave the Bills their first AFC East title in many long years.)

This team came out of nowhere to go 11-1, and grab the AFC East from their other four unsuspecting division rivals. And the rest of the NFL.

Flash forward to 2008.

This young, confident Bills team, being built around a young QB, a scrappy defense, a few solid veteran additions, a talented young RB - and even a kicker who never misses - has gotten out of the gates quickly. 1-0 after a blowout. 2-0 with a tough win on the road against a playoff contender. 3-0 following a sloppy performance, turned gutsy comeback. It looks like the sky is the limit for this young team, and it almost looks like we're 20 years in the past... ready to do it all again!

And the thing that gives me more confidence about that is watching our QB manage his offense.

If you take a look around our division - which the Bills currently lead by one game - who else would you rather have at QB in the crunch? Now that Tom Brady is gone, the starting four AFC East QBs are: Edwards, Brett Favre, Chad Pennington, and Matt Cassel. Cassel has looked quite pedestrian, Favre has seemed at best out of step, and Pennington is... Pennington.

Edwards on the other hand has been incredibly accurate, completing 67% of his passes - and much higher in the 4th quarters of all three games. In the first game, late in the third quarter, Edwards sealed the victory with a 30 yard bullet to TE Robert Royal to quickly buoy the Bills from a 10 pt lead to a 24 point lead, and victory. In game number two, Edwards rallied a very tired and heat-exhausted Bills team to a 4 point victory from 6 points down on the road against a team who never loses when leading at home heading into the 4th quarter.

And last week, Edwards looked even more determined and capable as the Bills' field general, picking apart the Raiders secondary in the 4th quarter, leading the Bills to score 17 points - even after the defense gave up a disheartening 84 yard TD catch and run by Johnnie Lee Higgins - giving the Bills the one-point victory at the final whistle.

Folks, what we have in Buffalo is a winning QB.

Cassel is not (yet) a winner. Favre has been, but is not looking like the Favre we have seen the past 16 NFL seasons. Pennington has never been a real winner. Edwards is looking like he is. And he's only started 12 NFL games! He is now 8-4 as a starter, and perhaps his last three games have been his most impressive.

When Tom Brady went down, I said it was way too early to change your AFC East predictions based solely on the loss of one player. It is a team game. BUT... after Miami's 38-13 drubbing of the Pats last week, and after two straight 4th quarter come-from-behind victories lead by Edwards, I am reconsidering. It still feels too early, but with a favorable schedule, and a QB who seems to have the confidence and the ability to rally his team to victory (and the apparent lack of that from the rest of the AFC East) I am truly beginning to believe.

I have said it many times actually. I believe this year is going to be much like that 1988 season. The Bills take most of the NFL world by surprise, and just keep winning. All the way to the AFC East title. Maybe - like 20 years ago - all the way to the AFC Championship game.

Maybe beyond.

We can't know. That is a long way away. It is a long season. But for now, it's fun to be in this Bills fan time warp. It was a pretty fun 6 years from 1988-1994. Maybe this time around, the Bills can finish it off with a big W. The biggest W this franchise has ever posted.

I don't think it will happen in 2008... but, you just never know.

Bring on the Rams, and let's keep this thing rolling!

Most statistical data was obtained from pro-football-reference.com. Some current stats also found at nfl.com.

Good Buffalo Bills Reads

Hey folks. Quick post here just to recommend some Bills-related reading. Most of these books (pictured above in a cool little widget from Amazon!) have been in my recent reading queue... I'm hoping to read Kevin Everett's book soon, too.

Great stories from Bills history, good reads, and a fun way to help the off-season pass a bit more quickly!

Click on the book covers above to check out the books at Amazon. For your convenience, here's a nice bulleted list, too.

• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Buffalo Bills: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping, and Gut-Wrenching Moments from Buffalo Bills History - Scott Pitoniak
  
• Stadium Stories: Buffalo Bills (Stadium Stories Series) - Sal Maiorana
  
• Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Buffalo Bills Football (Game of My Life) - Sal Maiorana
  
• Marv Levy: Where Else Would You Rather Be? - Marv Levy
  
• Steve Tasker's Tales from the Buffalo Bills - Steve Tasker & Scott Pitoniak
  
• Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story - Sam Carchidi

Happy reading!

(Any recommendations? Leave 'em in the comments!)

Great Draft Classes: 1985 Buffalo Bills

With the draft quickly approaching, NFL.com has the "Greatest Draft Class" videos up, and the 1985 Buffalo Bills were #9 on their list. Some fun highlights of Bruce Smith, Andre Reed & Frank Reich. Spotlight on Bill Polian as well, who kind of came out of nowhere to become one of the greatest GMs in football! (Building the 1990 Buffalo Bills, then the Carolina Panthers, and the Indianapolis Colts.)

We don't have Polian, but I really like our past two drafts, and expect more of the same from this one. Might we say some day that the draft of 2007 was one of the top draft classes? (Marshawn Lynch, Paul Pozluszny, and Trent Edwards?)

Again, can't embed, so... here ya go!

Kelly To Reed

I found a cool video on NFL.com today featuring our favorite passer-catcher combo, Jim Kelly and Andre Reed. They were number five in a list of greatest passing combos. They were pretty great! This short video has some great highlights from those years. Reed made some just spectacular grabs!

Can't embed NFL.com videos, so click here to view it at their site.

Enjoy!

The Toronto Initiative

Emotions are all over the map in Western New York these days. A few are excited by the five-year plan that will have the Buffalo Bills playing three pre-season and five regular season games in Toronto, Canada. More seem to be near paranoid that this signals the end of the nearly fifty years of Bills football in Western New York.

And who can blame them? The Buffalo Bills message boards are replete with frustrated fans following not only each move of the plan named the "Toronto Initiative", but all of the comments made by the aging Bills' owner, Ralph Wilson.

"I can't speculate what's going to happen in the future. But don't worry. Don't worry right now," Wilson said at last week's press conference in Toronto. This comment, among others, (including Wilson referring to this "Initiative" as a "trial basis") has led many Bills fans and media pundits to speculate on the Bills future.

With the end of the current 15-year lease of Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, NY coinciding with the end of this "trial" in Toronto, there are many reasons to speculate that the team could well end up north of the Border by 2013. Or even sooner, if Wilson were to die before that time is up, as he has publicly stated that the team will be sold to the highest bidder following his death.

But a closer look at who is saying what reveals that there is much more to be hopeful about for Western New Yorkers. More positive than negative regarding this Toronto Initiative.

First there are comments from the Buffalo Bills themselves. Wilson has repeatedly said - including most of his comments from last week's press conference - that his intention all along has been to keep this team in Buffalo. "We've always been on record saying we were going to try to regionalize our brand north of the border," said Bills new Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon. "We think this is another step in keeping our franchise financially viable in the Buffalo marketplace."

The Bills have already begun to regionalize the team by moving their annual training camp to St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. This has been a big success according to the team. Toronto is merely the "next step" as Brandon says.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (a native Western New Yorker) was asked about the Toronto Initiative in a press conference and responded by saying the Bills "very thoughtfully" put this plan together, and carried it out. He has said the NFL is not looking to expand right now, and said the Bills would play a "limited number of games" in Toronto over the next five years. Granted, five years is a long way off, but his words have to be reassuring to Bills fans. (And it can't hurt that he is a native of the area, and so, a Bills fan!)

Add to these voices the somewhat public rumors that former Bills Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly has designs on buying the Bills when they become available. Kelly is rumored to be building a team of people - including perhaps former Buffalo Bills Thurman Thomas and Steve Tasker, among others - to purchase the Bills following Wilson's passing.

Western New York billionaire, and current Buffalo Sabres' owner, Tom Golisano is one potential investor in Jim Kelly's plan. This past week Golisano was interviewed during a Sabres' game and said, "If the situation arises, I would do what I can to try to keep the team in the area.'' This again buoyed Buffalo fans hopes that this talk of losing the Buffalo Bills was just that. Talk.

In the end, Wilson is right, we can not know what will happen in the future. But it's also true that worrying about the future doesn't change anything either. Bills fans can worry that the team will move (I think that has been a fear of Bills fans since I moved to Buffalo back in 1986!) or listen to the voices of the people who really matter. Sports writers can say what they want, and fearful fans can say what they want, but the people who make the decisions are saying the Bills are staying in Western New York.

And, for now, that's who I'm going to listen to.

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Related Article: 10/25/07 (BBR)

Thoughts From Week Seven: QBs, Willis, Toronto

I have been meaning to write many articles this week. A thorough recap of the game this past Sunday against Baltimore, highlighting some of the pretty amazing things I see in our rookie quarterback, Trent Edwards. Another article breaking down the stats on how the Bills truly did shut down Willis McGahee on his first visit to his old stomping grounds—on his birthday no less. And, I have wanted to weigh in on the whole Bills-games-in-Toronto issue.

But I haven't. And, I won't.

(Quite) Unfortunately, I do not get paid to write about the Bills, and my work load at the moment seems insurmountable. Tack on the fact that we leave for California in less than 24 hours, and yeah... I'm feeling the pressure!

For that reason, here are a few quick thoughts on all of the above topics.

QB Trent Edwards
It is now official. Trent Edwards is the starting QB for the Buffalo Bills. Not just for this week. For good. Dick Jauron said, "Hopefully we won't have to make a change there," in his press conference yesterday. The Bills like what they see in Edwards, and for good reason.

Not only does Trent have a good arm, is very accurate, and can put some zip on the ball, he's also a very quick learner and very confident in the pocket. His abilities to handle the offensive schemes were showcased when the Bills ran the no-huddle offense for most of the game against Baltimore. The QB has to read the defense, and make the call from some pre-set plays in that situation. And he did a great job with it! His confidence and poise in the pocket are demonstrated by the number of sacks he has taken. Some of the credit goes to the offensive line, but much of it goes to Trent for knowing when to release the ball, and where to put it.

One of the more amazing things from Sunday's game was the FIVE offsides penalties Edwards was able to pull the Ravens into! It could have been six, but the call went against the Bills when Michael Gaines jumped at the same time as the Ravens defender. His cadence was excellent, keeping the Baltimore defense either moving backward by penalty, or at least a little hesitant to jump at the snap.

Add to his very good play for a rookie the fact that the team is now 2-1 when he starts (and could, almost should be 3-0, barring the miracle finish by Dallas) and you have a no-brainer decision. Edwards gives the team the best chance to win now, and most likely in the future.

Good decision by the Bills.

Willis Held In Check
When Willis came out on the Ravens' first drive of the second half and just started getting huge chunks of yards, I was definitely worried. I thought maybe he or the Ravens had figured out something, and it was going to be a long day. That was every Bills fan's worst nightmare... Willis running wild on us, leaving with the win.

But he didn't.

Really, the Bills did a great job stopping McGahee all day. An amazing job, actually. I knew what I saw, and what I saw was a great performance by the Bills defense, and a completely shut down performance by Willis. Well, almost completely.

So late that night I broke down the stats. I wanted to see if I had just imagined that we did shut him down. I did not.

On that one drive to open the third quarter, Willis had 4 carries for 72 yards, including the one TD run of 46 yards where the Bills only had ten guys on the field (but I don't think the eleventh would have mattered). Willis finished the day with 19 carries for 114 yards. Take away 46 and he has 18 for 68 yards. That's 3.7 yards/carry. Take away that drive (were the Bills still in the lockeroom or something?) and he has 14 carries for 42 yards! OUCH! That's 3 YPC.

More stats? The Bills held Willis to 1 yard on 2 receptions (and he also dropped one, that was thrown behind him). The Bills also held him to zero or negative yards on 4 carries. 9 of his remaining 15 carries were for 4 yards or less. Mostly less.

The Bills came into the game having done very well against the Jets runningbacks and the Cowboys runningbacks. They wanted to do the same against Baltimore, who are a run-oriented team. And, they wanted to shut down Willis.

They did.

The Move To Toronto
First of all, the Bills are not moving to Toronto. They are merely playing a game or two in Toronto—where many Bills fans reside. All of this speculation is definitely premature, and completely unnecessary. In my opinion, of course.

Here's what we know. The NFL decided that up to two regular season games per year would be played outside of the US through the 2011 season. Their hope is that each team would be able to participate in that. The Bills stated that they would like to be proactive in that experiment by suggesting that they play a game in very nearby Toronto, which is currently a major region that they draw from.

The Bills have played there before. In 1995 and 1997, the Bills played two preseason games in the Skydome. (They won both!) So they are no strangers to Toronto, and those games did not precipitate a move to Canada. They broaden the region that the Bills cover.

Seven years ago, the Bills made a similar move when they shifted their annual training camp to St. John Fisher College in Rochester. There are many Bills fans in the stadium on Sundays who make the drive from Rochester, and moving training camp to their city only made sense. It gave the Bills more of a presence in Rochester, and likely has won them some more fans.

That is precisely what the Bills are hoping would happen with a regular season game in Toronto each year.

This is not without NFL precedent, either. The Green Bay packers played several games a year in Madison, WI several years ago now. They are also a small-market, regional team, and wanted to have a more regional appeal. It worked just fine, as far as I know.

The Bills are not moving to Toronto. The NFL will not allow that. Ralph Wilson certainly won't. And I would say, as much as they are able, NY State will not allow it either. But one game in Toronto, even annually, makes a lot of sense for expanding the reach of this small-market team. Bring in more fans, more corporate luxury box buyers... and the Bills remain in Western New York.

The Bills will likely play a pre-season game in 2008 in Toronto. It remains to be seen what the NFL will decide as far as regular season games there. The Bills have crossed a few hurdles, getting approval on the first stages of this plan. Next is the NFL.

Seems like a great plan to me, and I hope they can make it happen. I'd love for them to play a game over here in Rochester, closer to where I live, but we don't have a facility like the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

So north of the border we go!

(But just for one game.) :-)

Article: "Don Beebe Finds Higher Calling"

[From highschool.rivals.com]

A former NFL wide receiver whose nine-year career was spent with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers, this devout Christian now volunteers his time coaching tiny Aurora (Ill.) Christian High School -– enrollment 376 -– because of his faith.

In nine NFL seasons, Beebe caught 219 passes for 3,416 yards and 23 TDs.

"There's no money involved," Beebe said. "It's my calling. I felt God calling me to coach kids."

When former Bills coach and current general manager Marv Levy asked Beebe to join Buffalo's coaching staff in 2006, Beebe immediately turned him down to remain with Aurora Christian.

"Why do something just for money?" Beebe said. "My passion is here and with these kids."

In four seasons as head coach, Beebe transformed a struggling program into a Class 3A state power by setting examples and building traditions.

He maintains heart outweighs talent.

Read more...

Are The Bills Better Off Without Losman?

With the NFL trade deadline fast approaching, some have suggested (even starting right here with Your Truly of the Buffalo Bills Review) that the Bills should trade JP Losman while they still can. Losman is under contract with the Bills through the end of the 2008 season. That means this season is very likely his "contract" year. His play in 2007 will determine the value of his next contract with Buffalo—or if he is even offered one.

Is it just crazy talk to be suggesting the Bills dump a guy whom they have developed for four years now? This was to be his "breakout" season. He was injured on the first play of the third game this year, so we only saw him play in two games, but it would certainly not qualify as a "breakout season".

In an article following Trent Edwards first start, I echoed the sentiments of Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News when I declared that game the beginning of the Trent Edwards Era. Of course that is premature, but I saw in one game what I have been wanting to see for three years from Losman. I have never been a JP basher. If you had to label me, I would likely fall in the "JP Supporter" camp. I do see the upside of Losman.

But in all of two starts I have seen way more upside from Trent Edwards. Poise, confidence, composure, quick release, quick decision making, accuracy, arm strength... I'd say on all but the last one Edwards possesses at least a slight edge over Losman. The main difference between the two is Losman's 30-plus NFL games to Edwards three. But so far that difference only appears to matter on paper.

Benefits of a Trade
I know trades don't happen that often in the NFL. They are especially rare during the season. However, let's look at some positives of moving JP Losman right now.

• Contract:
  The Bills will be making a decision this year whether or not to extend Losman's contract. Has he shown enough in his four years here to warrant an extension? Maybe the Bills are asking themselves right now, "Has Edwards shown us enough in just three games?" It makes sense to make a move now, if they are going to do it inevitably anyway.
  
  I think the Bills know what they are going to do with him. They know whether they will offer him an extension, or not. If they shop him around, and find a buyer now, they can get something in return. Not sure that happens in the off-season.
  
  
• Controversy:
  Buffalo has had way too many QB controversies since Jim Kelly retired. Flutie/Johnson, Bledsoe/Flutie, Bledsoe/Losman, Losman/Holcomb, and now the playoff-starved fans are sensing another following the excellent play from rookie Trent Edwards. Losman has never won the hearts of Buffalo fans. Not that they hate the kid, mind you. He's just never completely won the city over. Enter Edwards. Enter controversy.
  
  A swift and immediate trade would end said controversy. Trent Edwards has looked more than competent at the helm of the Bills ship. Without the option of going to Losman, there would be no QB controversy. There would be no distraction for the rest of the team.
  
  
• There is a Need:
  I was joking a week or two ago about Atlanta needing a QB (because of how awful Joey Harrington is) but now there are even more desperate teams to talk to. Desperate enough to bring in 43-year-old QB Vinny Testaverde in Carolina! Miami, Carolina, St. Louis, and others are all hurting for a good QB. JP has the physical talent to be that, which earned him his status as a first-round selection in the 2004 draft. Desperate teams may be willing to offer something for Losman based on his potential, despite his track record as a Bills starter.
  
  
• Do it for JP:
  As I stated above, Losman has never won the hearts of this city. He is a likable guy, and I think he is well liked in the locker room. But from what I have heard—and just my opinion from observing Edwards' play—there is more reason for confidence in Edwards as the QB than anything we've seen from Losman in his entire career here in Buffalo. Sometimes it's just good to move on. With a year left on his contract, JP needs to make a good showing, and perhaps with the QB shortage, trading him allows him to do just that, while offering the Bills some compensation for him. (Maybe more than they might get otherwise, since there is an immediate need on several teams.)

So the dilemma for the Bills becomes, do you take a chance on the kid (Edwards), or do you show some loyalty to a guy you have poured four years of development into, who also wears the big C on his jersey. Doesn't that mean something, too? He is one of the six captains of the 2007 Buffalo Bills. That has to count for something.

And I believe that is what Dick Jauron thinks as well.

My opinion is that the right move for the Bills—and for JP Losman—is to move him right now. There should be some willing takers, even in exchange for only a draft pick. (The way the Bills have been drafting the past two seasons, that could be a very valuable pick!) If Edwards is the guy, there's no reason not to.

That said, more than likely we will see JP back under center for the game against Baltimore, and then the NY Jets, and then I am not sure what will happen. If Losman plays up to his full potential, he keeps his job, and the Bills do have a QB "controversy" on their hands. If he's mediocre or worse, he rides the pine the rest of the year as the Bills develop Edwards.

The Bills have until October 16th to decide. My vote is to let the Edwards era begin.

We'll have to wait and see how Levy and Jauron vote.

1988

I posted this as a thread at the Buffalo Bills Message Boards... but thought it might be worth posting here as well. Comments welcome here, but you can also just join the conversation (if there will be one) at the Bills website.

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My first year as a Bills fan (had just moved to Buffalo area one year prior) I got to see a pretty amazing rookie running back rack up 880 yards rushing. Not the magic number 1000, but still decent. Good thing was, he had some veteran help. Between Jamie Mueller's pounding, Robb Riddick's pile-jumping, and Ronnie Harmon's extremely unorthodox one-handed grip on the ball, the Bills had a pretty nice, full backfield. And they made it work.

Rookie Thurman Thomas was the beneficiary of a complement of RBs.

This year, another amazing rookie dons the Buffalo Bills red white and blue, and he also has a decent group around him. From the pounding of Dwayne Wright (or some of our TE/HBs) to the steadiness of the veteran A-Train... and add either Shaud Williams' shiftiness, or Fred Jackson's powerful, determined running to that.

That's a decent complement of RBs.

I think we might have a similar situation to 1988. Lynch (despite the stats in the pre-season) sure seems to have the talent. Not calling him a Hall-of-Famer just yet, but it's interesting to note that though Thurman led the team in yards his rookie season, he did not have to carry the full load.

Nor, I think, will Marshawn.

If our behemoth o-line can open some holes... we could see a pretty decent running game in 2007.

The Thurmanator

As most (I'd guess ALL) of you know, Thurman Thomas was enshrined at the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, OH this weekend. His career forever bronzed in a metal representation of his head.

If you got to see him play, you know what an amazing career it was. (I still contend he is the best overall player in the old NES game Tecmo Superbowl...) The guy led the league in yards from scrimmage ... several times! You can check out all his stats, but most people who watched him know that it was his determination to win, to overcome, that not only set him apart, but for the span of his career with the Bills, was the mark of the entire team.

Maybe it started with the Thurmanator.

If you click the image above it will open a streaming video in RealPlayer of Thurman's HOF speech on Aug 4th. But there are many more things at the HOF site, so click on that link below. There's also a great video up at the Buffalo Bills website, so check that out when you can. Plus, a great article at NFL.com by Vic Carucci.

It's time to celebrate Thurman, so here are some good ways to do it. (Add any others in the comments below...)

• 2007 Class Enshrined (profootballhof.com)
  
• Vic Carucci Article (nfl.com)
  
• Thurman Thomas Tribute Video (buffalobills.com)
  
• Thurman's Speech with Marv Levy's Intro (buffalobills.com)

Football Fan, or Buffalo Bills Fan?

I got an e-mail from NFL.com today, promoting the upcoming Hall of Fame inductions. As a Bills fan, you know that Thurman Thomas will be one of those inductees on August 4th. If money were not an issue, I am pretty sure we'd be there. The e-mail that was sent had each player in their uniform as a collage of NFL players for the header of the e-mail. It was neat. Seeing Thurman with that group of great players... just brought back memories.

But one of those players, Bruce Matthews, is shown in a Tennessee Titans uniform. Now, I remember Bruce Matthews. I believe he mostly played for the Houston Oilers, am I correct? I realize that the Houston Oilers moved and are now the Tennessee Titans, but can't you give the Houston fans something to remember their team by? Yes, they have the Texans now... but come on. Do they even compare? Not yet, they don't.

That got me thinking about the Bills. Rumors have abounded since I first became a Buffalo Bills fan way back in 1988 that our team "might not be here much longer". Rumors of moving the team to L.A., to Toronto... and maybe some other places. But for now, the Bills remain in Western New York, and I remain a Big Bills Fan.

But what if Mr. Wilson passes on in the not-too-distant future? I'm sure he's making some plans... but, you can't know what will happen when someone else is calling the shots. Will they keep the team in Buffalo? With the new contracts that players are signing, I really don't see how the Bills can remain a viable franchise in this region. (Note. I am no financial wizard. So, take my "business sense" with a grain of salt...) I do know that as player price tags rise, the only way to compensate is to charge more money. Who mostly gets charged? Western New Yorkers. Bills fans.

If nothing changes, and the Bills get moved to a larger market to survive, what will you do Bills fan? Will you continue to follow the team? (Any Clippers fans out there still?) Or will you root for the Browns, the Steelers, or whatever team (if not the Bills) shows up just north of the border?

I have to say that if no team were here in Buffalo... I might follow them in whatever town they were moved to for a year, maybe two. But, I really don't think I would continue very long. I am a BUFFALO Bills fan. I am (sorry NFL) not an NFL football fan. Yes, I like football, but my allegience is to my team here in my area. I really don't care much at all about any other team. Ask my wife. She's the one watching the other games on weekends, while I find something else to do around the house.

What would you do if the Bills left town, and 10 years down the road they are still inducting members of those Buffalo Super Bowl teams into the NFL Hall of Fame, but instead they are shown as Toronto Loons, or Los Angeles Gang Members? "This year's Hall of Fame class includes Steve Tasker, from the Toronto Loons." Ouch.

No, Bills fans, I'm sad to say it... if the Bills ever left town, I would quickly forget about the NFL. I would move on to other things. (There actually is more to life than football, though with only nine days to training camp... it's hard to remember that!) I just wouldn't care if the NFL did not have a team in my area.

So listen up, NFL. If you want fans from this area... don't expect us to root for our Bills if they are based in Toronto. Don't certainly don't expect us to latch on to the Browns, Steelers, Jets, or Giants. We're Bills fans. BUFFALO Bills fans. I know I am. And forever shall be.

Go BILLS!

Bills (With Marv) Build Through The Draft

I have been slightly amused lately hearing all of the "experts" (and I do use that term loosely) proclaiming that Buffalo is one of (if not THE) biggest losers in this year's free agency so far. They throw out the big names of the players who have moved on, whether by their choice or the Bills' decision makers. McGahee, Clements, Fletcher, Spikes, and the list goes on. And perhaps there is some merit to the claim that we have not "done well" in free agency... but maybe the Bills aren't playing that game.

I don't pretend to know what goes on in that well-aged head of our General Manager, but I gotta think he's got a plan. Obviously we have all seen that part of the plan is to pretty much refresh the entire team, as there was a good deal of player turnover last season, and there will be again this season. But what else is going on up there, Marv?

I was thinking recently about how Marv came to the Bills in mid-1986, and the Bills didn't win a division until 1988. So, it took Marv just a season and a half to get to the division crown. Even got to the AFC championship in 1988. Not bad.

For kicks today I did a little Buffalo Bills draft research. Now I skipped ahead past the "Bickering Bills" of 1989, and just focused on their 1990 roster... the one that got us to our first Super Bowl. On our Super Bowl roster were 23 players that we drafted, and only 8 of those were "pre-Marv". Now, obviously, Marv had a different role then, but check out our current roster. The current roster holds 24 players drafted by the Bills, and 14 of those are "pre-Marv". So, in one year, Marv has added 10 players to the roster that he drafted. (Yes... I cheated. Peerless Price was drafted by the Bills in 1999, but Marv brought him back, so...) :-)

What it seems like from my vantage point is that Marv likes to build a team from the ground up. Just as Shaw said on his blog earlier, football teams full of flashy guys do not always produce the championship teams. We were spoiled in the 1990s in this town by having a team that was very team-oriented, and yet filled with super stars. And most of those we had acquired through the draft.

Do you seasoned Bills fans recall the reaction to Marv's drafts in those days? I was a new football fan, but I knew enough that we "should" be drafting the best guys from college. I remember wanting us to draft Raghib Ishmail (I forget how to spell his name though...) and other big name guys. "Who ARE these guys???" I would ask when I saw names like Phil Hansen and Don Beebe and other guys from small schools like... Kutztown State? (Andre Reed's alma mater). Marv has a history of building a team of "unknowns".

Go back to the previous article I posted... about the similarities (perhaps) between the Bills and the Sabres. The Sabres came out of relative anonymity to be the top team in the NHL right now - mostly with up-and-coming young stars, not seasoned veterans. Perhaps the Bills are doing the same as they trim away at the older (more recognizeable) names on the roster, and invest in players who might be the next set of recognizeable names. Who knows if in the next couple years, folks might know the names Losman, Evans, Whitner, Ellison, Youboty, etc, just the same as Spikes, Fletcher, Clements, McGahee, Moulds, et. al.

The Bills definitely seem to be putting a lot more faith in the next generation of players than going out and hiring the "current" generation via free agency. I'm pretty sure we'll nab some gems in the 2007 draft as well, given Marv's track record.

Is that way of building a team still possible? Marv and Co. did a great job last year - every player we drafted made the team, and most made contributions. Can he do it again? Will we find players in the draft who can take us back to the playoffs... to winning our division... to dare I say it... THE SUPER BOWL?

It's impossible to know for sure, but I do know Marv has a plan. Free agency seems to keep you from building a team slowly through the draft, because any good players you land in the draft are gone in 5 years. It's almost like college football with the possible turnover from all your players graduating after 4 or 5 years. I don't think that's the best thing for football fans or teams, but it might be good for the players. And somehow... other teams are still winning the Super Bowl... so it can be done! :-)

I think we'll probably be shocked again by Marv's Draft Day shennanigans. Everyone will be aghast at the horribly unknown players filling up our draft roster. But Marv did OK last season, and I suspect he will again this year.

We're building a team here, and I really do look forward to watching the "experts" eat crow later in the 2007 season as the "surprising" Buffalo Bills are in playoff contention, and maybe even in contention for the AFC East crown? I don't think we're ready to win it all, but this team is going to do a lot better than "the experts" are seeing.

At least, that's my expert opinion. :-)