"This is a case where the organization really botched up on many levels and continued to compound the errors. It all started when former pro scouting director John Guy wielded a bigger sword than marketing GM Russ "Pants on Fire" Brandon or our beloved former coach Dick Jauron. In making a last ditch effort to keep the over-inflated, penalty prone sack allowing Langston Walker from damaging Guy's already damaged credibility, Guy insisted that Walker be the starting LT for 2009. Unfortunately, training camp saw Walker grossly under-performing and a "Dick's last stand" power play unseated the inflated Walker in favor of a not ready for prime time Demetrius Bell. Unfortunately, rating Bell as "not ready" is akin to saying Tiger Woods has commitment issues."

Possible fit for us?

The first major sports naming-rights deal was signed in 1973 when Buffalo-based Rich Products agreed to pay $37.5 million over 25 years to put its name on the stadium used by the Buffalo Bills. Bob Rich Jr., then the company's vice president of sales and marketing for North America and now the president, says the deal took 13 months to complete and that the relationship between the company and the team stayed icy. "They didn't like having an outsider's name," Mr. Rich says. "But it's not like we're renaming the Louvre."

The Bills declined to comment on the relationship with Rich Products, during their agreement.

"Some people have advocated for years to take the helmet off, take the face mask off. That'll change the game dramatically," says Fred Mueller, a University of North Carolina professor who studies head injuries. "Maybe that's better than brain damage."

"And then, there’s me. I watched Monday’s game with huge intensity, as I’ve watched every single game since 1990. My throat was still raw Tuesday afternoon. But, something odd happened to me in the final five minutes. When Leodis inexplicably blundered…I laughed. And I pretty much laughed all the way home from Calico Jack’s.

My wife thought I lost it. My old friend Gerry agreed with her.

I respect them a lot, so had to ask myself: have I finally snapped? Gone nuts?

That line of inquiry led me to even larger questions: are we ALL FREAKING NUTS for continuing to live and die with this absolutely ridiculous team?

The answers to these questions are beyond me, and I’m at least lucid enough to know when to call on a professional.

Meet Diane Spear, a prominent, Manhattan-based psychotherapist (www.dianespeartherapy.com), and complete non-football fan who agreed to share her thoughts on the Bills, Bills fans and our respective grips on sanity. Following are excerpts of our conversation, at least as far as my apparently delusional mind recalls them:"

Buffalo Bills officials said today they have made no inquiries or plans to study the building of a new stadium.

Bills officials maintain no firm has been contacted and no initiative toward a new stadium has been planned.

Great read about the rookie tour of Buffalo. Nick Mendola is one of the better reads on the Bills out there, very funny in his columns.

Guess the Niagara Falls trip will be another day?

Preview of OTAs via Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.

"All in all, I’m not saying this move would be a bad one for the Bills. It would allow them to move Ellison to a backup role and expand what is already a very deep defensive roster. But I don’t think it would be a significant upgrade to their starting roster."

KC Joyner

Moulds and Reed were among 23 former NFL wide receivers surveyed by the mag on topics dealing with today's wideouts. One interesting question was this: Do you think Terrell Owens' move to Buffalo will end well?

Moulds didn't pull any punches with his response, saying "I think with the right coaching, it will be great. But unfortunately, Bill Belichick's staff is in New England.''

Ouch.

Mark Gaughan Chat:

12:29
[Comment From Your face]
Where do the Bills plan on playing the two lineman drafted early? Is it too much to except Wood playing center as a rookie?

12:31
Mark Gaughan:

Yes. The plan is to play Hangartner at center. Period. As long as they catch on reasonably well, the 2 rookies will be the starting guards. Today, they had Eric Wood at right guard and Andy Levitre at left guard. That's the new middle of the line Levitre-Hangartner-Wood.

"I did ask Bills C.O.O. and GM Russ Brandon about it Sunday. He is definitely interested. He said it is something the team would like to explore. I want to STRESS he said explore. He did not say they're bringing him in and he did not say the Bills were making him an offer. The Bills have room under the cap and it would certainly shore up a position of need for awhile as Hill will be just turning 27 when the season starts."

Best article I've read on the draft so far, without rose colored glasses on:

"The versatility in these drafted players is nice for depth, like having four more players on the roster. But it's a big risk. The Bills haven't had this many projects since they renovated Ralph Wilson Stadium.

So I'm left wondering, how smart was this?

Hasn't Buffalo's personnel department had enough trouble picking players at positions they played in college, let alone where they think they should play in the NFL?

Hasn't Buffalo's coaching staff had enough trouble coaching players at their normal positions, let alone teaching them new ones?

Why make a crapshoot a crapshoot with blindfolds?"

"But how hopeful should we be that Buffalo got it right in taking Maybin and Wood?

Only twice in Modrak's previous seven drafts with Buffalo did he recommend taking a lineman with the team's first pick. Mike Williams and John McCargo became this generation's Walt Patulski and Perry Tuttle.

Linemen, so dependent on others for their success, have been Modrak's Achilles' heel. Ryan Denney, Justin Bannan, Chris Kelsay, Tim Anderson, Duke Preston, Kyle Williams and Brad Butler turned into solid players if not stars.

Williams (fourth overall in 2002), Mike Pucillo, Ben Sobieski, Lauvale Sape, Dylan McFarland, Justin Geisinger, Terrence Pennington, Aaron Merz, and C.J. Ah You went from buzz to bust. Given, as a former coach once said, "A cheese sandwich and a bus ticket.''

Will Maybin be Bruce Smith or Erik Flowers? Will Wood be Ritcher or Williams?

History will be the judge.

Someone else can drink the Kool-Aid."

The weather was great when he strolled into Orchard Park, N.Y. back in mid-March. No icy winds, no lingering lake effect.

"It wasn’t too bad, it was like in the 50s," Pettigrew said. "I know it can get cold though."

Pettigrew met with head coach Dick Jauron and several other coaches, going to Dave and Buster’s for dinner. Pettigrew’s football I.Q. underwent a play memorization test and he talked to the Bills about how he could fit into their offense specifically.

"(Buffalo) felt that I could do both (blocking and catching) so that’s how they thought I could fit in," Pettigrew said. "They felt that I could do both. They didn’t just want to have one guy who could do blocking and one guy who could catch."

Kansas City will receive Atlanta's Round 2 pick in 2010. Will Brandon Pettigrew fall to the Bills' No. 28 pick now?

"It's the typical reaction among Bills fans. When a player demands to be paid the big money, he becomes the embodiment of all that is evil. It's a lot easier, I suppose, than blaming management for allowing an elite athlete to get away by failing to pay market value. The player is dismissed as greedy and duplicitous, and fans nod their heads in disgust."

Anybody else miss the noon start time of the draft with the first 3 rounds being on Day 1? I used to love rolling out of bed, having coffee, checking the papers then heading to the bar and being served a beer as the first pick was read.

It was a great all day event.

Which do you prefer:

A) Noon start with 3 rounds day 1
B) 4pm start with 2 rounds day 1

"In announcing the Peters deal, Eagles coach Andy Reid said success in the NFL is "derived from the strong play of the offensive and defensive lines." It’s a philosophy shared by the best teams in the league.

The Bills have built and blown up their offensive line so much this decade it’s no wonder they haven’t participated in the playoffs since the Clinton administration. "

Could this lead to a trade for Peters:

"As we hear it, Stafford is telling his former Bulldog teammates that he’ll be the pick, and that he’ll receive more than $40 million, guaranteed, under the contract that the team will pay him.

Stafford is characterizing the move as a "done deal."

Found this article to be interesting, having a top 10 pick is a curse as much as a reward, I'm happy the Bills are picking at 11. Rather be picking at 32 but that's a whole other conversation.

"First, the money paid at the top of the draft has gotten out of hand. Even hard-core agent types who previously have argued with us about this issue are now admitting that the values of the contracts at the top of the process are too high."

The reduction means that more than 11,000 tickets will be available for $99. In 2008, just 4,700 to a Bills game in the Rogers Centre were less than $100 per seat. With the restructured prices, 25 percent of all 2009 regular season game tickets will cost under $100 at the domed stadium, which seats approximately 52,000 for football.

There will now be eight price options, ranging from $99 to $275 per seat. Those who have already paid higher prices will be refunded a portion of that money, Rogers’ officials said.

"The rise of spread offenses has created a position filled with bulked-up wide receivers who can run and catch, but offer little as blockers. Tight ends who can block don't add much to the passing game.

"I think it's very difficult to find the guy who can both run and block simply because some of the offensive schemes that they are running in college. ... You don't get an opportunity to evaluate guys getting down in three-point stances," Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith said at the NFL owners meetings. "It's a tough position to evaluate."

The most complete tight end in the draft is Brandon Pettigrew, the 6-foot-5 3/8, 263-pounder from Oklahoma State. Some Internet mock drafts have the Buffalo Bills taking him with the 11th overall selection, while others have him going a little later.

No matter where he's picked, Pettigrew will be the first tight end off the board."

"Levy had us believing the Bills would adhere to a higher standard when it came to player behavior. Three years later, most Bills fans would be happy to root for a team that was in the middle when it came to off-field indiscretions. Right now, they're in danger of joining the Bengals as the poster boys for bad behavior."

Donte Whitner, a defensive back for the Buffalo Bills, was arrested around 3am Saturday morning in Cleveland, OH. Cleveland police have confirmed that Whitner was arrested outside the House of Blues.

The 23-year-old was arrested for aggravated disorderly conduct and resisting police. Whitner has not yet been charged.

Not much new here after Tim Graham's article and Buffalo Rumblings "Trade Destinations" post yesterday.

"With the draft just two weeks away, the Bills have a decision to make. Do they continue to haggle with their disgruntled star and risk another lengthy holdout or do they pursue trade options?

At this point, they might be leaning toward the latter.

It takes two to make a deal, so the Bills have to make calls to gauge the interest in Peters. There shouldn’t be a shortage of suitors for a young (27), talented player in the prime of his career. The big issue though is whether a team would be willing to meet Peters’ asking price of about $11.5 million per year. "