The BUFFALO Sports Bar

[Nickdfresh]

I don't think they had too many choices. The Bills were turned down by many, and they wanted an offensive guy and someone with experience. Apparently Jerry Jones gave him a glowing recommendation. But then, maybe he was just fucking with us?

[Sensible Shoes]

Oh c'mon - who would fuck with Ralph Wilson? And would he know if they did?

[Nickdfresh]

Oh c'mon - who would fuck with Ralph Wilson? And would he know if they did?

Excellent!

[Blackflag]

Buffalo.




That's all I have to say on this topic.

[Sensible Shoes]

Don't be trashin' my hometown. Even if I did say something nasty.

[Blackflag]

I can't trash it, somebody else beat me to it.

[Unchainme]

I'm pulling for the Bills to land McNabb.

am tired of the Raiders pulling everything good into that tornado of suck.

Al Davis needs to retire...and has needed to do that since 2003.

[PETE'S BROTHER]

I'm pulling for the Bills to land McNabb.

am tired of the Raiders pulling everything good into that tornado of suck.

Al Davis needs to retire...and has needed to do that since 2003.

sammy hagar must be part of that team, the suck is unreal.

[Unchainme]

sammy hagar must be part of that team, the suck is unreal.

It's a disgrace.

The Browns and the Raiders have been one of the best in the NFL back in the day and now both are complete shiite

At least Lerner has manned up and owned it that the past couple of regimes havn't worked.

fucking Davis keeps repeating doing the same shit over and over again.

I've considered that a new rule in the NFL, if you don't have a good offensive line and/or a good ground game, you shouldn't be allowed to draft a QB in the first round, period.

[Unchainme]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbLN2z_-VkE&NR=1

Bump

not to bring up any bad memories nick, but look what I found.

Also, fuck this game, it's because of this, Modell chose Belichick over Bill Cowher to coach the Browns, setting off the chain of events that led to the move. Lace out Scott, Laces out indeed.

[Sensible Shoes]

FUCK YOU Unchainme - I'm suing you for bringing on another PTSD episode. You simply don't put that clip where people from Buffalo can see it. May small prickly burrs infest your urethra.

[Nickdfresh]

Retired PA Oil & Gas "Rink Rat" Wants to Buy Buffalo Sabres

Pegula edges closer to buying Sabres

Updated: November 30, 2010, 11:57 PM

Billionaire businessman Terrence Pegula appeared to be moving toward an agreement Tuesday that would make him the next owner of the Buffalo Sabres in a deal that could be finalized in a matter of weeks.

The Buffalo News has learned that the former Western New York resident and longtime Sabres fan traveled to Manhattan on Tuesday night, presumably to sign a letter of intent to purchase the franchise from Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano and possibly meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Pegula, 59, spent much of the day in western Pennsylvania, where he founded his oil and natural gas company before selling it for $4.7 billion last summer.

A source said he later traveled to New York and was expected to meet with league officials Tuesday night or early Wednesday. NHL offices are located in midtown Manhattan.

The league in the past has held important meetings in the late evening, when employees are gone for the day. It was not clear Tuesday night whether Pegula was gathering with NHL officials Tuesday evening or Wednesday.

Pegula was believed to have signed, or will sign Wednesday, a deal that would give him the franchise for an undisclosed amount. Regardless, virtually all signs pointed toward him taking over the franchise within the next two months.

The Hockey News reported Tuesday that he signed a letter of intent to buy the Sabres for $150 million, which the organization denied. A source said the only error in the report was the purchase price. It's believed to be considerably higher.

Another report suggested that Pegula would be introduced at the NHL Board of Governors meetings next week in Palm Beach, Fla. That could not be confirmed Tuesday night. Any new ownership agreement would need approval from 23 owners, which doesn't figure to be a problem for Pegula given his reputation and wealth.

Pegula, 59, whose wealth was pegged at $3 billion by Forbes magazine, did not return calls to his office in Boca Raton, Fla., seeking comment from him or his wife, Kim, on Tuesday.

The Pegulas, who for several years lived in Orchard Park, are longtime Sabres fans and former season-ticket holders. Kim Pegula is from Fairport.

BuffaloNews.com

bgleason@buffnews.com

[Nickdfresh]

Jerry Sullivan
Once an afterthought, Gailey's the ideal leader for these Bills
Coach has earned respect this season, just like his team

Updated: October 15, 2011, 11:57 PM

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On Saturday morning, I was driving to work and listening to one of those NFL preview radio shows when the hosts turned their attention to this afternoon's showdown between the surprising Lions and 49ers.

"One of these two coaches, Jim Schwartz or Jim Harbaugh, is going to be coach of the year," said James Lofton, the Hall of Fame receiver and former Bill.

No mention of Chan Gailey. It figures. The two Jims are the hot new thing, first-time head coaches in their 40s. Gailey is a colorless coaching retread, a self-effacing football lifer who is presumably getting his last kick at the can in a big-time head job.

Gailey is a virtual afterthought when people around the country marvel at this 4-1 Bills team. He was an afterthought when the Bills were looking for a coach, too. We wanted hot names, big resumes, borrowed legacies. How many big names turned them down before they turned to this no-name?

Well, if I were putting together a coach of the year list after five weeks, Gailey's name would be right at the top. There's a lot of good coaching being done in the league, but it's hard to imagine anyone changing the competitive culture of a team is such a dramatic way. Ignored and underestimated, Gailey is the ideal man to lead this Buffalo team. However he arrived at the choice, Nix got the coach right.

"We're all kind of looked at the same, as afterthoughts," said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. "Guys are no-names and all that. But a lot of times, teams take on the personality of their coach. Chan is not going to be too fiery and he's not going to get down when we're losing. He knows there's a certain amount of respect we're trying to earn."

Gailey has earned a lot of respect this season, just like his team. He outcoached two of the sport's giants, Bill Belichick and Andy Reid, in the last two wins. Belichick and Reid are among four active NFL coaches among the top 25 all-time in coaching wins. The other two: Tom Coughlin and Mike Shanahan, who coach the Bills' next two opponents.

So if the Bills win their next two, Gailey will sweep the board against the Mount Rushmore of active coaches. Players often talk about wanting to measure themselves against the best. Does it mean a little extra for Gailey to beat the big-name guys?

"No. Zero," Gailey said. "Good try, though."

Typical Chan. He's not about to toot his own horn. But Gailey has done a marvelous job with this team. All coaches try to motivate. The good ones foster belief by giving their players the knowledge and tactics to become better. Gailey kept the Bills' spirits alive when they were 0-8 last year. He told them in training camp to work toward a higher standard, and to expect to win. The players refer back to their coach's summer exhortations.

There's a level of trust involved. The players have bought in to Gailey's system. They see it channeled through Fitzpatrick, a tough, cerebral quarterback. It says a lot that Gailey allowed Fitz to drop back into his own end zone late in last week's game, with the Eagles mounting a furious comeback, and throw a slant to a marginal pro like Naaman Roosevelt.

The defense has issues, and it gets worse today with Shawne Merriman out and Kyle Williams questionable. But they've been in the right spots, which allows them to take advantage of the opposition's mistakes and get more turnovers than any other team in the league.

But Gailey is an offensive mind by trade, and the offense is the most vivid expression of his coaching vision. We take it for granted after awhile, but it's amazing how many members of the Bills offense were overlooked and disregarded at various points of their careers.

I looked out there last Sunday and realized there was only one first-round draft pick on the offense: Eric Wood, who went 28th overall in 2009. Undrafted players were all over the place: Fred Jackson, Roosevelt, David Nelson, Donald Jones, Erik Pears. Fitzpatrick and Stevie Johnson were seventh-rounders, left tackle Chris Hairston a fourth-round pick.

Even Gailey wondered about his offensive line in the summer. They've been terrific. There has been one false start by an O-lineman this season. You don't think coaching has a little to do with it? In 2009, they had nine in one game here, that ghastly 6-3 loss to the Browns.

That Cleveland game was almost two years ago to the day. Sorry to dredge it up again, but it's remarkable how far they've come offensively in so short a time. Dick Jauron was the coach that day, Trent Edwards the quarterback, Marshawn Lynch the featured back, Terrell Owens the top wideout. They had no idea Stevie Johnson could play.

Gailey has turned a bunch of misfits into an offensive machine that averages 33 points a game. I'm still not sure how. But it gets more difficult now. With Jones gone for at least a month, they're down three receivers from the start of camp. Sure, at times you'd swear Gailey could throw one of the Jills into a four-wide set and she'd make a play.

"He has a knack, an understanding," said Brad Smith. "It's hard to describe. Sometimes, he gets back to basics. Other times, he gets fancy with stuff and formations and guys. But he finds a way to get it done. The numbers speak for themselves."

But attrition will test the nerve and capacity of any general. The NFL is an unforgiving sport. At some point, injuries catch up to you. If you don't have receivers with the speed to stretch the field, defenses will cheat up and dare you to throw deep. Perry Fewell, who coaches the Giants' defense, wanted to be the head coach here. You can bet he'll relish the chance to outwit the man who was picked instead.

Knowing Gailey, he'll take the dare. The Bills beat the Eagles without completing anything long, but you need to keep defenses honest. They plan to use Brad Smith more at wideout, and it would be a good idea to get C.J. Spiller stretching defenses as a receiver.

Don't let Gailey's folksy manner fool you. The guy is sly like a fox. He might not be the first name on any lists, but no one is doing it better right now. Still, I can't help wonder what he could do with a little more talent.

jsullivan@buffnews.com

TheBuffaloNews

[Nickdfresh]

Welp, I think the Buffalo Bills' big free agent splash deserves a mention here:


Mario Williams and Bills’ high-priced defensive line gets off to dominating start
By Associated Press, Published: July 29

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Giggling uncontrollably, Marcell Dareus was still having a difficult time containing his excitement Sunday, a day after getting a first glimpse of the Buffalo Bills’ revamped, high-priced defensive line’s potential.

There’s no question, Mario Williams and Co. looked impressive in their first practice in shoulder pads Saturday, three days into camp.

“Shut your mouth,” Dareus, the second-year defensive tackle said, before bursting into a fit of laughter. “There’s really not much I can say except, what you see is what you get. I don’t think we’re over-rated. I don’t think we’re under-rated. I think we’re right where we’re supposed to be.”

And that could well spell trouble for opposing offenses after the Bills spent considerable time and money upgrading what had been a porous line that also had difficulty generating a pass rush.

None of the problems of the past were evident in a practice that left coach Chan Gailey calling his defense’s performance “dominating.”

No surprise, Williams — the Bills’ newly signed $100-million defensive end — was in the thick of creating much of the havoc.

He and tackle Kyle Williams disrupted a running play so quickly that Fred Jackson barely got the handoff when Mario Williams stopped him in his tracks by grabbing him by the shoulder pad.

Jackson was so surprised that he went up to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and joked: “I think Mario could’ve taken the handoff before I did.”

And that was just one of numerous highlights.

A few plays later, Williams wasn’t fooled by a misdirection play, staying to his left and forcing Fitzpatrick to throw the ball away.

Then Williams and Dareus teamed up by bursting into the backfield to get what would’ve been a sure sack.

Kyle Williams was cautiously impressed, noting this was only one practice.

“We’re still building, but you know it’s always nice to have good days,” he said. “We’ve talked about what it looks like by just looking at the names written down. Sure that looks good. But can we take it and put it on the field? And that’s what we’re trying to do now.”

The list of names are easily recognizable on a starting line made up of the two Williams, Dareus and Mark Anderson, another free agent addition, who’s penciled in on the right side. And then there’s a solid group of established veterans filling backup positions such as defensive ends Shawne Merriman, Chris Kelsay and Spencer Johnson, and tackle Dwan Edwards.

Kelsay considers both the line and defense as a whole as the most talented and depth-laden the Bills have had since he arrived in 2003.

And that’s saying something considering the Bills finished ranked second in the NFL both 2003 and 2004 with a defense that included tackles Pat Williams and Sam Adams, pass-rusher Aaron Schobel, linebackers Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher and a defensive backfield that featured Nate Clements and Lawyer Milloy.

“We had a good defense then, but I think depth-wise, that’s what’s really going to push us over the edge,” Kelsay said. “First day, we are encouraged. We know we have great potential. But it’s all for naught if you don’t put the work in.”

The Bills’ defenders have plenty to shoot for in a bid to improve on last year’s dreadful numbers. Buffalo allowed a franchise-worst 5,938 yards, managed just 29 sacks — 10 of which came in one game — and gave up an average 27 points a game in contributing to the team’s 6-10 finish.

The lack of a pass-rush has been a familiar problem. Buffalo hasn’t averaged more than two sacks per game in a season since 2006, when they had 40.

Mario Williams, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year in 2006, and Anderson were brought in to help provide pressure.

At 6-foot-6 and 292 pounds, Williams’ size and speed have wowed his teammates.

“He’s a man-child,” Jackson said.

And Williams’ presence is what has Dareus giggling.

“He has to be the strongest guy I’ve ever met in my life,” Dareus said. “Phenomenal football player, hands, feet. It’s crazy. We’re going to have fun this year, hee, hee, hee.”

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

© The Washington Post Company

[lesfunk]