Bleacher Report - Articles by Medicine_Gone_Bad

"Bills After Sunday": Washington Redskins Recap and Pittsburgh Steelers Preview

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:11:29 -0400

I always liked the title of "Bills After Sunday", so now, every week, I will use it as my opening in recapping the previous Bills game and the upcoming match; two opinions in one piece (save the E-Trees!).

Check out my Bio for explanation of the four weekly "awards".

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Awards

White Hard-Hat: Rian Lindell, a kicker that can be in position to pounce and recover a fumble is always a good bet to energize the rest of the team.

Yellow Hard-Hat: The offensive line earned this week's best-unit honors.

Blue Hard-Hat: Special-teams coach Bobby April had his players more prepared to play in this first preseason game

Push Broom: The Bills' third-defensive unit needs to do some cleanup after being pushed around in the fourth quarter by the Redskins. This Bills roster is deep this year, but these players have a chance to impress and sign on with other NFL teams.

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Redskins Recap

Preparation and execution are two of the main goals in preseason and the Redskins clearly were the more prepared team, including the HOF game. You have to wonder if the new Redskins coach has watered down the playbook and it's complexity to give his team a running start.

The good news is that the Redskins only managed a three-point victory over this rusty Bills team and would be no match for a prepared "Bills football machine" at the start of the NFL regular season.

Player notes

Paul Posluszny was outstanding and any player within his grasp was dropped to the ground. He was always utilizing his size and speed. SF 49ers' Patrick Willis has company.

Roscoe Parrish gets better every game, and you will never see him "turtle".

Marshawn Lynch gave everybody a scare when he had eight Redskins on top of him trying to tackle him to the ground. There was real concern for the health of the eight Redskin players.

James Hardy and Derek Schouman had first-string jitters that made QB Trent Edwards look worse than he was.

TE Courtney Anderson showed why he can be very valuable with his size and catching ability. The teams that cut him previously were poor, and the QBs were even worse. He could be rounding into form now and his upside with QB Edwards could be huge.

RB Dwayne Wright had a great run, but then fumbled the ball. As the Packers management would say, "What's his state of mind?"

CB Ashton Youboty had his best game ever.

QB J. P. Losman could regain his confidence in the short game, playing against second and third stringers. He made some nice plays, with Parrish and Hardy making nice catches.

There is no QB controversy in Buffalo for the simple fact that QB Losman luvs to play, QB Edwards luvs to win!

Game Replay

I replayed the beginning of the game, watching the first unit's offensive series and top two defensive series in slow speed.

Two things jumped out.

The offensive line played great! Langston Walker was excellent. Derrick Dockery had his back a couple of times, to cut off the inside from Jason Taylor, and Melvin Fowler went back and blocked a defender. The OL and OL Coach, Sean Kugler, were the best unit, making LT Jason Peters realize that he can replaced.

The OL is always late to get praise but quick to get the blame.

Marcus Stroud is the "impact" player, as advertised. The Redskins' offense avoided him during the first series, but that didn't stop him from making an impact.

When the Redskins ran to the left, Stroud helped keep their OL in check and allowed LB Posluszny to knife through for a tackle. When two Redskins tried to block Stroud, Chris Kelsay snuck inside for a tackle.

When Stroud was in a one-on-one battle, he pushed the defender back about five yards, collapsing the pocket. Stroud will create opportunities for everyone on the defense and make them all better, if they execute.

Bills Killer Red-Zone Offense

Bills' fanbase concerned about the offense? An offensive formation with WRs Lee Evans and Hardy, TEs Schouman and Anderson, and RB Lynch. This red-zone offense would be difficult to stop, even for the Patriots' "Lord Belichick."

Both WRs may need to be double teamed with TE Anderson as an optional lead blocker for Lynch, or a pass route like Schouman. If a play is stopped, then run the no huddle until the defense bites on something.

Everyone covered? Edwards hands off to Lynch, Lynch looks like he has no place to run, looks confused, and then throws a perfect strike into the end zone to an open Trent Edwards. Can't beat these boys!
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Steelers Preview

The Steelers should prove to be the stiffest test for the Bills' offense and defense this preseason, especially with the Colts' Peyton Manning sidelined. Steelers looked impressive on their opening drive against the Eagles and always play a physical brand of football, regardless of preseason or not.

Steelers' WR Holmes looks ready for a huge season and will give the Bills CBs a stern test, with the Steelers defense ready to test QB Edwards' "poise" level.

Have to wonder if Bills' COO Russ Brandon has asked the Bills to step up their game in Toronto to secure a victory, for the sake of future ticket sales, concessions, TV ratings, and media PR.

The additional advantage of winning this game for the Bills is the ability to create a undefeated streak that can be continued with the Dolphins this year. The streak may become useful the next couple of years, with opposition becoming stiffer.

The psychological advantage for the players and fans' excitement can give the Bills a legitimate and dominating home-field advantage.

A victory is not a priority in preseason. The only advantage is dulling the pain of the bumps and bruises the next day. With the city of Toronto potentially being a major financial windfall, look for the Bills to win this game at all costs; with the goal of trying to improve their preparation and execution from the previous Redskins game.

Buffalo Bills Training Camp Report July 28th: "Physical"

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:29:20 -0400

I believe that the single most important day in camp is first day practice with pads on.

Watch how graded stakes horses embrace a saddle in a stall before a race. A horse knows what that saddle means; 1-2 minutes of physically grueling punishment. If a horse is not prepared, it will shy away. If it's ready to run it will be calm and eventually be bouncing on it's toes.

When the pads go on the first day of NFL camp the players know what lies ahead; a punishing camp, pre-season, and a 16 game schedule to qualify for the playoffs; a right to vie for the Super Bowl.

The Buffalo Bills response today?

"Bring it on!"

Overall, very impressed with the depth and quality of the team. The offense had the better of the defense, with the DL being the only concern.

Getting to camp: The Bills have replaced the shuttle buses with yellow school buses; I thought these buses were here to pick up disoriented Patriots fans but later realized that the "Bills MONEY Machine" needs to be greased more often then not. Paid my Dolla and good to go.

Took my spot along the fence and I was surprised to see NFL commissioner Roger Goodel walk by. When he got close I yelled "good job Roger on Favre". He raised his hand in a "Hello / Thank you / Shhhhhhh" sequence and walked by.

Later Bills' owner Ralph Wilson was being driven on his golf cart out of the field area by
us and I pointed my finger right at him and yelled "Wilson you ROCK!" and then gave him the thumbs up. Ralph Wilson smiled in a "Thank you / Where is my security when I need them" look.

Later Bills COO Russ Brandon walked briskly by us. Russ say "Hi", we don't hate you man!
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Disclaimer: I don't take pictures and I don't take notes. I scan the field for plays that catch my eye. I have a list of players that I project to be starters, then backups, and potential impact rookies or second year players (last year 35 out of 80 players in that group).

If a player outside that "group" makes a play, then I check the list and make a mental note. This year my list consisted of 53 players in that "group" and the players outside of the "perimeter" players made so many plays I gave up trying to track them all.

This training camp was far more difficult in observing because of the quality and depth of this Bills team. I am not 100% accurate because of simultaneous events and If if I was pinned to a specific question on a event, I would give you a Coach Jauron answer "I have to look at the tapes".

The Bills overall team progress is great for Bills fans but a pain for those watching the practices!
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Camp started and I was surprised to see the Bills leave their pads on the sideline. They just ran continuous running plays, over and over, 11 vs. 11. QB's rotated with each group and then finished with warm-ups.

They split up with the Punt returners on our end and they had to catch the punts with a football already in one hand. CB McKelvin was very smooth and caught two in a row; impressive!

On with the pads!

WR's were throw over the shoulder passes and all did very well. What struck me the most about watching the the WR's was how Lee Evans "glides" across the field and the rest of the WR's run. Lee Evans is always one of the top 2-3 players that set the example for off season performance. Evans deserves every penny that he gets from the Bills!

What impressed me about the Bills training camp was how physical they were all day. You had the "LBs vs RBs/TE" and "DL vs OL". The winner had to make contact with a coach or object as a "sack". Poz used his speed rather then his strength to get around a couple of times. Crowell was like a pitbull and LB DiGiorgio made it seem like a piece of cake.

They had also three-on-two (like a screen with the ball carrier a WR or RB) and the defensive players had to shake their blocks and tackle the runner. Great and entertaining and RB Wright (he impressed today) really gave OL Chambers (good day) a really good smack.

There was some six-on-seven, seven vs. seven, and 11 vs. 11 match-ups that created some nice plays by alot of players.

Latter in the practice the Bills went 11 vs. 11 and they went with about 15 straight
running plays (QB's, CBs, and WRs were running drills at the other end). LB Mitchell once got in the backfield to break up a pass for Lynch from Edwards so fast that I thought Mitchell was part of the offense play.

The Bills staff really made the practices more physical and entertaining at the same time. The kicker and mat exercises has to go, but not every one of these is a hit. Great job coaching staff for being creative and demanding!

Random Thought: I watched the replay of the Cowboys and Bills Monday Night game and forgot how punter Moorman set the tone of the game (fake punt and run 1st down - then punt on 2 yard line) for the Bills first TD interception. Punting with Moorman and kicking with Lindell is a Bills strength.

QBs: Edwards struggled with the long ball at first but settled down later on and towards the end of practice completed allot of nice passes outside his short-medium zone. I really like Edwards but the coaches need to give him a real kick in the butt!

Edwards beats himself up when he misses a long pass. He needs to remember that mistakes are the best teachers and he needs to embrace them, learn from them, and move on!

JP Losman: You want to strangle him! He shows such swagger and confidence in completing the long ball but just goes AWOL on the short to medium passes.

Seems that the long ball (x-y axis) is quite comfortable to him but the short pass of WR route, pass window, and defender (X-Y-Z axis) causes him grief in the anticipation department. That's Turk's problem, not mine!

Matt Baker made a couple of nice throws with zip and I will be watching him in pre-season as the possible number three QB.

RBs: Marshawn Lynch was EVERYWHERE! Both sidelines, middle, back field, and slot catching passes. I may have to down grade my 18 TDs & 1800 Yards prediction as "conservative".

Fred Jackson is the real deal and made great running plays and nice catches DOWN FIELD as well!

RB Wright stepped up his game and made an impact on both sides of the ball. Great running and one of the best hits of the day! He ALSO caught a ball DOWN FIELD.

WRs: Hardy is UNSTOPPABLE!!!! No way to cover him. I understand now why he had so many TD's in college while being double teamed. Hardy is the short-medium pass range "Randy Moss". Edwards is gonna luv him!

Lee Evans: The Best! Luv this GUY!!!!! Pay him NOW!!!!

Roscoe Parrish: I saw a really tight sweetie who smiled at me but was wearing Roscoe jersey and my wish that he get pasted came true! Roscoe made some great catches and took some tough hits.

It seems that the Bills coaching staff are going to use the sidelines as a "cushion" to prevent Roscoe from getting pasted from the LB and CB at the same time. Roscoe will spread the field for the rest of the team!

TEs: Schouman still amazes me whenever he makes a "Marshawn Lynch" open field move like today or last pre-season.

Courtney Anderson wasn't on my list before but he is now. He made a few plays that caught my eye!

LBs, CBs, S: Whitner got into the backfield to bust up the play but overall they were owned by the offense. How can you not bust up the running game when they throw you 15 running plays in a row?

I will say that the "no tackling" rule in camp takes away the fear that the defense can impose on the offense and will wait until the pre-season games to make any real judgment.

DT: Marcus Stroud was invisible! The DTs are not making any impact and previous camp reports are confirming that. Coach Fewell needs to sit down with his DT "Fource" and get an identity: speed, smarts, nasty, strength? They seem lost!

DEs: Aaron Schobel seems to have a unique "on-off" switch and a short fuse that he saves for his opponents instead of his teammates. Aarron may have to take a swipe or two at the offense to get his DL crew on board. Whitner needs some help and Schobel is the man to do it!

OL: Hard to gauge with ineffective DL but they did their job!

Added Notes: Alot of great hits and very physical at times. Coaches had two QBs throwing at the same time to WRs. Allot of noticeable plays by " perimeter" players!
I was disappointed that the OL didn't make it to the fence for autographs because of storms!

The Bills coaching staff will iron out the DT troubles and the 12-4 prediction still stands!

BTW, sorry for the late, long winded, and blotchy report!

Gotta luv training camp!!!!

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Those of you Bills fans who submit camp reports, we all appreciate them!

More Bills fan submitted reports can be found at:

http://www.buffalobills.com

http://www.stadiumwall.com

Also check the stadium wall for Lori's most in-depth Bills game preview that you
will find ANYWHERE! Very professional!

AFC East Preview: Buffalo Bills Win Division, New England Patriots Miss Playoffs

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:18:19 -0400

Last season, the Buffalo Bills had the world on their shoulders, and the Patriots were on top of the world. This season, the Bills are a team injected with promise, talent, and youth.

The Patriots, the bullies of the NFL last season, are battle weary (Super Bowl and unbeaten-streak hangover) and are entering the season with a depleted secondary. The '08-'09 AFC East divisional winner is changing uniforms.

Buffalo Bills (12-4)

The Bills were riddled with injuries last year, and they were desperately signing players off the street during the whole season. The team went through some serious growing pains last year, but they are now poised to strike quickly in the NFL standings.

The Bills have one of the easiest schedules, and the fact that they don't play a divisional rival until Week Eight gives the coaching staff an extended training camp.

The added height and weight to both sides of the ball gives the Bills a very balanced team.

Potential: top-10 NFL offense with a top-five NFL defense.

NE Patriots (8-8)

The bullies of the NFL last year are in for a rough time. The Patriots ran up the score on their opponents without mercy. In martial arts, you allow your opponent to tap out; but the Patriots just kept laying the beating on.

The NFL brotherhood took notice and will make the Patriots pay, as every team will be ready to lay a hurting on them. The Patriots are the targets and Tom Brady is the bulls-eye. Tom Brady won't finish the season.

Not helping the patriots is a hangover (Super Bowl and undefeated streak) with a depleted secondary.

NY Jets (5-11)

The Jets overachieved in the 2006 season and overvalued their player personnel in the process. When you talk about a team's strengths, starting with their secondary, LBs, and then OL, in that order, you know you're in rough shape.

Eric Mangini will discover that he can't make a living by just beating the Patriots and will be fired at the end of the season.

Miami Dolphins (4-12)

The Dolphins will finally hit rock bottom after losing the first eight games and then going 4-4 in the last eight games of the schedule; giving Dolphin fans some hope for next year.

Management will weed out which players they will keep for the following season. After three seasons, Bill Parcells will find another NFL team in crisis and play super hero again; stealing management and players from the Dolphins for his new team.

Key Positions for Buffalo Bills:

QBs: Trent Edwards is undervalued and overlooked. He took an unexpected starters job in early season, after having only second-string snaps in training camp and preseason.

Expect Edwards to be fully prepared this coming season, and the poised Edwards will be difficult to rattle for opposing defenses. J.P. Losman is still an exciting QB that can bring the whole house to their feet. His consistency has plagued him, making him a possible trade target or decent backup. Progress is not out of the question.

RBs: Marshawn Lynch will explode for 18 TDs and 1,800 multi-purpose yards. Fred Jackson has shown an ability to carry the ball consistently. Wright needs to make an impact in the preseason for playing time.

WRs: James Hardy is a talented red-zone threat that will take some heat off Lee Evans. Roscoe Parrish and Josh Reed will work the underneath. The WRs have the ability to be part of a very dynamic offense.

TE: Derek Schouman moves very well for a big player, and he catches and blocks as well. He will make a noticeable impact in the red zone.

OL: The OL took unnecessary heat last year because of poor QB play and play calling. The center position was a weakness for the Bills last year and still is a major concern. LT Jason Peters has to decide if he loves football more than money by showing up in good faith for camp.

DL: Key additions of Marcus Stroud and Spencer Johnson will give the vastly improved DT unit (Williams and McCargo) added waves of QB pressure and penetration. Last year's injuries affected the DEs the most. Expect Aaron Schobel and the boys to rebound

LBs: The word "NASTY" is the only way to describe the Posluszny-Mitchell-Crowell trio. John DiGiorgio played his heart out last year and will add great depth.

CBs: First round pick Leodis McKelvin is a luxury that the Bills could have only dreamed of last season. He's capable of replacing the PR, KR, and either CB. It would be great to see the Bills have McKelvin target Patriots WR Randy Moss in Week 10.

This will allow him to gradually ease into the Bills' roster and give him a goal to shoot for in mid-season. The Greer-McGee tandem progressed throughout all of last season and will only get better this year.

Safety: Ko Simpson returning will make life easier for Donte Whitner, who was the anchor of the defense last year. Whitner had so many new faces around him that it affected his play making ability.

Whitner has taken on the role of " Mother Goose" to a couple of Bills this season, and his leadership and dedication is seeping through. Why did the Bills "reach" for Whitner in the draft again?

Coaching Staff: Defense coordinator Perry Fewell is probably the most underrated in the league; he's in the top-five with creativity, game planning, and obtaining maximum player effort.

Bobby April will rebound in special teams after having his cupboard left bare all last season with all the injuries. Players were drafted specifically for him this year. Turk Schonert is the rookie offensive coordinator that talks about adjusting the play calling to his QB. It sounds like he's been doing that job for years.

Coach Dick Jauron will be a front-runner for Coach of the Year!

Key Positions for the NE Patriots

QB: Tom Brady will be the NFL trophy for every NFL defense. Since there is no such thing as "running up the score", there is no such thing as "tackling to injure". Brady won't finish the season, but he's still a great QB!

RBs: Laurence Maroney's explosive collegiate form never translated into the NFL, and his stand-up style will put him more on the DL than in the end zone. Maroney and Morris won't carry the Patriots on their backs with their average play.

WRs: Wes Welker and his ability to "turtle" on almost half of his short passes gives him great durability. Welker is extremely fast, and he is a smart player that uses the QB slide effectively to extend himself physically late into games.

Randy Moss is a man among boys, talent-wise, but he hasn't had anything to complain about in Patriots paradise. We'll see when Brady goes absent towards the end of the season.

OL: Tops in the NFL last year, but the NY Giants showed in the Super Bowl how to tire them out by rotating their DL

Defense: The depletion of their secondary, and their LB's taking a notch down, will open the field up for opposing teams. LB Adalius Thomas really needs to step-up.

A spotty Patriots defense will be exposed with too many holes to cover, and they won't be able to get off the field at will like last year.

Dick Jauron, Buffalo Bills' Head Coach, Needs to Step-Up His Game

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:02:12 -0400

The expression of "stepping up his game" is reserved only for players, usually. Buffalo Bills coach Dick Jauron is a player's coach and therefore is subject to the same sayings that players hear on a daily basis.

So how can coach Jauron "step up his game?"

Quick history lesson on Jauron: Exceptional athlete at Yale and still holds several school records (16 consecutive 100-yard rushing games). Jauron began his coaching career with the Buffalo Bills as a defensive backs coach.

As an NFL head coach, Jauron has compiled a career .426 percent winning record while being named coach of the year in 2001; a stark contrast?

So which image is the real Jauron?

I would answer that question by asking how many .400 percent career NFL coaches have been cast aside in the NFL coaching ranks, and of those, how many have earned the title of Coach of the Year?

Last season was probably more difficult for Jauron then all his other coaching seasons put together. It was a coaching clinic 101. The catastrophic injury to Kevin Everett, the incredible amount of injuries to his young team, a raging blizzard deciding the Bills' playoffs fate, and an old-fashioned QB controversy to keep the media-pot stirring.

Through it all, Jauron kept his composure and commitment to his players and coaching staff, while taking many bullets during the press conferences.

It's hard not to notice that the players seem to take their queue from Jauron; like a team leader. The NE Patriots game in Buffalo was the worst performance last year by the Bills' team, after Jauron publicly admired New England in a star-struck tone.

Coach Jauron's best game was a very difficult situation in Washington (Sean Taylor's death) in rainy conditions. Jauron was very assertive and professional in trying times, and his team responded with a gutsy victory.

Hopefully coach Jauron doesn't get caught up in the fad of "icing the kicker". His own kicker said that he doesn't mind the extra practice kick. The right call will be applauded the next day, but the wrong one will be questioned for the rest of the season. It's a 50-50 proposition; let the kicker call the flip.

Another issue with Jauron is coaching until the clock reads zeros. Nothing irritates a blue-collar fanbase more then "punching out" early. Jobs with punch clocks don't allow leaving early.

So when coach Jauron let's his players walk off the field (30-60 seconds left) without even attempting for a long score or a lucky break, it hits close to home.

Coach Jauron and his maturing coaching staff look to reap the rewards of a very difficult season last year. This should allow Jauron to become more assertive publicly about his talented team and their potential success; which sets the tone for a huge Bills season.

When a reporter asks Coach Jauron what his favorite show is to relax with?

Tell them 60 Minutes, coach. 60 Minutes.

Memo to Michelle Wie: "PGA Is Not a Golf School"

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:05:18 -0400

"This is a tremendous opportunity for me to learn from these great players and take those lessons to the LPGA"

I couldn't think of a better opening then using Michelle Wie's quote. It just seems so surreal!

The first question that comes to mind is what lessons will Michelle Wie have learned before she misses the cut, again? Signing scorecards? Playing within your abilities and competition? How to successfully substitute the LPGA with sponsor's exemption?

Michelle Wie added, "It's not every day that a woman is given the opportunity to play on the greatest tour in the world". Well actually Michelle, you have had eight opportunities already, but failed to make the cut each time.

Michelle Wie, in her last 32 tournaments, has missed the cut, withdrawn, or been DQ a total of 16 times; 50 percent average. A sample of her last 10 will give you the same 50 percent average.

Michelle's performance at LPGA's State Farm showed a glimpse of her talent. It would have been a great springboard to enter the Canadian Open with her newly found confidence and stroke. It seems that within the Wie family, instant results override personal progress & development.

Prediction: Michelle Wie will miss the cut in the PGA Reno-Tahoe, then she will follow up a 33rd placing at the LPGA Canadian Woman's Open; her final sponsor exemption of this year.

Sponsor exemptions are a sweet deal for golfers recovering from injuries or poor performances. To a teen encouraged by those closest to her and corporate enticement, it may appear more to be like a punishment; withdrawing as the only possible escape?

Michelle Wie is the only child of her well educated and successful parents, with her mother being a former Korean amateur golf champion. It's quite possible that this sole parental devotion and their driving success is pushing Michelle beyond her capabilities and limits.

Take note that Michelle hasn't finished in the top three since the Evian Masters (2006), a tournament that is not even classified as a major by the LPGA.

Michelle Wie may have been looking forward to going full time to Stanford University to escape the pressures and demands of professional golf.

Little did she know that going back to "school" was the PGA.

Michelle Wie: "No Claus" & LPGA's Sue Witters: "No Class"

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:59:02 -0400

It's not bad enough to deny one of LPGA's budding stars a chance at winning a tournament with outdated and snotty bureaucracy, but now they have to try to humiliate Michelle Wie afterwards?

Michelle Wie was disqualified from the LPGA State Farm Classic after finishing Friday and Saturday in second place. Her crime? She failed to sign her scorecard before leaving the scoring area. Why wasn't Michelle Wie arrested?

The worst part of the incident with Michelle Wie was how Sue Witters, the LPGA’s director of tournament competitions, responded to her crisis. “She was like a little kid after you tell them there’s no Santa Claus,” Witters said.

No Santa Claus? Well, we all know who the Grinch is, don't we?

Michelle Wie has been surrounded by greedy, short-sighted, and selfish individuals managing her career. As a teen she has been continuously groomed and placed to compete with men in PGA tournaments.

Michelle is a young woman that is maturing physically and mentally to handle the daily grinds of professional golf. She should be allowed to develop her game within the LPGA tournaments because she's only 18 years old!

Imagine a Philly horse winning her Maiden race at Belmont and then being continually entered to run against Grade 1 male horses; the trainer would be fired by the owner instantly. That's a certain recipe for destroying a young horse or golfer, depending on your sport.

I hope Michelle Wie learns to laugh at this in the very near future and moves on with her bright future.

Unfortunately Michelle, I can't defend you next time when you break another serious LPGA rule and the headlines read:

"Sue Witters goes after the Easter Bunny!"

Predicted Brett Favre Response: "Kiss My Mississippi Ass"

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:56:25 -0400

So the Packers management thinks they can simply bring back Brett Favre as a backup and resolve this looming public relations war with the quarterback?

A quarterback who is coming off one of his best seasons stat-wise last year.

A quarterback who can summon enough public support nationwide to have the Packers GM and coach for lunch in a public relations scrap.

Brett Favre is not backup material! Brett Favre is Brett Favre!

I am sure he's thinking that if you feel that way you can "Kiss his Mississippi Ass!"

The Packers management may feel obligated to Aaron Rodgers who has patiently stood by and waited for his chance to start. If Aaron Rodgers is a quality QB then he can thank Favre for extending his career by a few years while he tutored Rodgers on the sidelines.

The few extra years of good health that Rodgers gained can allow him to maximize a hefty contract extension in the millions during his prime; thanks to Brett Favre's durability.

I am not a big fan of quarterbacks who stay idle on the sidelines for a few seasons, even with first round pedigree. They are like brand new cars that are left aside and unused for a few years; they just never work right.

A viable option is to trade Aaron Rodgers for a missing piece of the Superbowl puzzle since the Packers and Favre are easily in reach of the NFC title. Let management roll the dice for a Superbowl this year then replace an active and productive legend by utilizing their young QB.

Thus the dilemma created for management is its commitment to Rodgers versus the loyalty to Favre; with the Packer fans sitting in as jury.

The very least that the Packers can do is have a quarterback competition during training camp and pre-season, in which Favre will destroy Rodgers. So how could you justify having Favre as a backup to his backup?

It looks like the Packers management is trying to put their own stamp on this team, an impossibility with Favre hoovering around. Packers management should be careful that they don't stamp their one way ticket out of town.

Oh, and by the way, you can "Kiss his Mississippi Ass" on your way out!

Marshawn Lynch Accepts Responsibilty in "Bump-and-Run" Incident

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:56:28 -0400

Marshawn Lynch completed what was asked of him by local talk shows, media columnists, the Bills' fanbase, and yours truly.

So what's the problem?

On Friday, June 27, Lynch entered a guilty plea in a traffic charge relating to a hit-and-run incident. The fine was $100 and his license was revoked for a year.

It appears that a portion of the public felt it was a slap on the wrist and an injustice to the legal system.

Truth is, the punishment did fit the crime.

Taking a step back and digesting the entire incident, it's apparent that the hit-and-run was immediately down graded to a "bump-and-run" by the Buffalo Police Department. The circumstances surrounding the victim's injuries were purely accidental and unfortunate, and were void of any malicious or reckless intent.

The victim's injuries included minor cuts and stitches before being released at the hospital. It's these minor injuries in an area known for drinking establishments, combined with inclement weather, that gave the Buffalo Police reason to not pursue Lynch more aggressively. There were too many unknowns and variables in this incident to drag him down to the station and be booked on any specific charges.

Lynch was entitled to decline comment about this incident—a right that was slightly tainted with the Buffalo Bills' involvement. Add to the fact, other Bills players were linked directly or indirectly to the incident, this bump-and-run was turning into a public-relations mess for all involved.

In the end, Lynch heeded the advice that many people gave him and accepted the responsibility and apologized publicly. Shall we now critique his performance and motives for doing what we asked?

Some have questioned the very small fine, and compared it to a minor traffic violation.

How many of you would have to risk a civil lawsuit of potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars after paying their $100 fine like Lynch will? How many people may risk being suspended from work like Marshawn might?

No one came forward to testify that Marshawn (visible public target) was intoxicated. Marshawn is a wealthy professional athlete that does not need to "get out" like the rest of us regular working stiffs.

He could have just had an evening out with a run on his favorite social nightspots, without the need to get liquored up or stoned like many people with regular nine-to-five jobs.

Some people in the court of public opinion would like Marshawn to lie upon a cross for us while we nail him for all the sins of previous NFL stars (Pacman) and other public figures, who escaped justice by purchasing an expensive legal defense.

Marshawn would probably decline that role of "sacrificial lamb"—he's going to be too busy rushing for 18 TDs and 1,800 all-purpose yards, leading the Bills back into the playoffs.

"The Bills are Back!"

Russ Brandon Source of Marshawn Lynch's Legal Woes?

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:38:46 -0400

Having Marshawn Lynch take a hit for the team on any given Sunday is automatic with the Bills' stout RB. Expecting Marshawn to take a publicity hit for the Buffalo Bills' mishandling of the alleged hit and run is simply misguided.

Speculation has increased over the possibility that three other Buffalo Bills were in the vehicle with Marshawn Lynch at the time of the hit and run: rookie receivers James Hardy and Steve Johnson, and second-year offensive lineman Christian Gaddis.

According to a Fox Sports article, the three players were subpoenaed earlier Thursday, along with a person police referred to as "a high-ranking member of the Bills security staff."

Bills' COO Russ Brandon was served with a subpoena the same evening as the Buffalo Bills released this statement:

"The Buffalo Bills organization is issuing this statement to respond to media reports that suggest that the Buffalo Bills have not been cooperative with the authorities, which is completely untrue."

Obviously the Buffalo Police Department and the District Attorney have a different view of cooperation as Bills' COO Russ Brandon.

Russ Brandon had taken over the COO position in part as a reward for the increase in ticket sales and Bills fanbase. I would argue that his 11-year tenure had finally harvested success once Ralph Wilson, the Buffalo Bills owner, had hired Marv Levy.

It was Levy who brought back stability, trust, and loyalty, and he based his formula on character. I still remember the snide remarks nationally and locally from the media that felt these two 80-year olds (Wilson and Levy) were over their heads.

Marv Levy cleansed the Bills' locker room and replenished it in two very strong drafts that sent a clear message to the Buffalo Bills' fan-base, "The Bills are Back!"

The Bills' fans have responded in droves, with season tickets sales the highest since 1993.

Filling the shoes of Hall-of-Famer Marv Levy is no easy task, as in this example.

The following year, Levy found himself in disagreement with Norm Pollom, the Bills' national scout and former Director of Player Personnel. Pollom, for whom Marv had great respect, was urging him to take a defensive end.

However, Levy questioned the player's character. As the draft approached, Levy and Pollom engaged in a discussion that lasted five hours. Finally, Pollom turned to Marv and stated, "If you take this guy, Marv, he'll end up in the Pro Bowl!" The ever-quotable Levy responded, "I want a guy who'll end up in the Super Bowl."

The Buffalo Bills' second-round pick WR James Hardy is the missing piece of the red-zone offense that the Bills were looking for, but with a troubled past. Hardy managed to get into trouble soon after the NFL Draft, and the altercation had suggested a weapon was involved. The incident was later resolved, and a portion of the statement that was released:

"I realize what the public perception could be pertaining to this incident; however, that was not the reality of the situation," said Hardy. "This situation that has been blown out of proportion has been very hurtful and frustrating for me and my father. There was a misunderstanding and a misinterpretation of the situation. I would like to first apologize to the fans of Buffalo, and to the Bills organization for any distractions this may have caused."

This statement had raised a few eyebrows within the Bills' fanbase. It was very polished, and it seemed to echo the same remorse that Hardy spoke about during his NFL-combine interviews.

The response was very "slick", and it begs to question if Russ Brandon had any input on the handling of the incident and press release for hardy.

With the Bills organization drafting WR Hardy and his character issues, the new Bills brass had signaled that character is a concern, but not a priority when evaluating talent. The Bills had veered from Marv Levy and the foundation that he had built.

With the possibility of Hardy being in Marshawn's car in the alleged hit and run, Russ Brandon may have felt obligated to protect Hardy, for his own drafting credibility, and for the potential public backlash.

Russ Brandon would have benefited from Lynch and his lawyer stonewalling the police investigation, so that charges would be dropped, preventing any Bills players from being named publicly. Only Marshawn, a Marv Levy draft pick, would take the initial scrutiny from the press and fanbase.

The Buffalo Police Department and District Attorney are in a no-win situation; it's either favoritism or excessive pursuit, depending on how they approached the case. When they felt they were being embarrassed publicly, they played hardball with the subpoena. This grabbed national headlines, surely getting the Bills' brass attention.

If Russ Brandon can wiggle out of the grand jury hearing, he may have another headache with the news that the hit-and-run victim has hired two of the top personal-injury attorneys to represent her in a possible lawsuit.

If there is reasonable ground to subpoena Russ Brandon in this criminal suit, I would imagine he would be required to answer questions on his involvement with Lynch and Hardy in a civil suit. Any possible obstruction of justice would drive up the damages for the victim, with the Bills organization being held liable.

I can see this being settled for between $3-5 million, or the Canadian newspapers will have a field day with headlines of "Four Bills Players Involved in Hit and Run With Canadian Woman". $3-5 million sounds like a good bargain to erase those headlines right around the time the Bills visit Toronto.

Those tactics may be frowned upon outside of the legal community, but they resemble the strong-arm tactics that the Buffalo Bills have used in trying to sell the Toronto game; squeezed within a three-game package of the preseason and the 2009 season.

I don't mind driving anywhere to see the Bills play or practice, with the team that Levy rebuilt. I definitely won't blindly pour money into the Bills coffers if they decide to focus on their marketing success over the accountability and loyalty to their fanbase. I am sure many would change their minds, with tickets sales the first to reflect their decision.

If Russ Brandon was involved in any obstruction of the alleged hit and run, then he has overstepped his boundaries as the Bills' COO, and he has risked liability charges to the Buffalo Bills' organization.

COO Russ Brandon's first priority is the welfare of the Buffalo Bills, including Marshawn Lynch.

"Slick" just won't do the trick.

Opening Closing Quickly For RB Marshawn Lynch

Medicine_Gone_Bad — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:01:08 -0400

Marshawn Lynch has won over the city of Buffalo and fans across the NFL with his speed, agility, brute strength, and his blue collar workmanship. Marshawn refuses to be brought down by a single tackler while continuing to grind out yardage in his self proclaimed "Beast Mode," literally carrying multiple tacklers into the end zone for TDs.

Ironically, it may be an off-field incident this past weekend that can tackle Marshawn for a major loss (financially, professionally, emotionally).

This is an excerpt of the Marshawn Lynch article, including link with readers comments:

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Investigators Want Answers About Hit and Run

The Buffalo Police Department says they've contacted Marshawn Lynch's attorney about the investigation into a hit-and-run accident involving a Porsche SUV registered to the Buffalo Bills running back.

Spokesperson Mike DeGeorge says investigators want answers. "It's safe to say the ball is in their court, and the clock is ticking," said DeGeorge.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=58323

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The first time I had seen Marshawn Lynch was at the Bills training camp last year, first day with pads-on practice. Marshawn was impressive on the field as he was on the sidelines with the Bills fans. My training camp report noted his calm and accommodating demeanour.

http://boards.buffalobills.com/showthread.php?t=3540

Marshawn, along with his cousin and another NFL player, are holding a free football camp for kids at his former high school on July 12th. The camp is part of their community-oriented initiative called Family First.

It's hard to picture Marshawn Lynch behind the wheel of that hit and run.

The picture becomes clearer for me when I read one of the Buffalo local news eyewitness accounts of the accident.

A taxi driver said he saw the Porsche turn the corner and hit the woman behind another couple. The Porsche braked and then left the scene. The woman was left laying on the street with another couple and debris of the Porsche.

I believe that the driver instinctively braked after he hit the woman, realizing that someone may have been hurt. His next reaction was to speed off, consumed by fear.

If Marshawn's silence is because he was the driver of the vehicle, then he must turn his fear into a stepping stone of personal growth and maturity. Accepting responsibility, compensating the victim, and enduring the punishment by the NFL and the court is the only way to do this if he is guilty.

Buffalo Bills fans want to forgive a player who makes and corrects his mistakes. It's players that use the legal system to deceive their fans that upset them.

I am looking forward to going to training camp again this year and watch my nephew proudly wear his 23 Lynch jersey.

I am also prepared to watch Marshawn be suspended the first four games of the NFL 2008 season because of this off field incident. The Bills have a lot going for them this year, including one of the easiest schedules, and they don't play a division rival until mid season.

The Buffalo Bills organization, Marshawn's teammates, and the Buffalo Bills fans have to let Marshawn know that this is the only way to get through this hole.

Hurry Marshawn! It's closing fast.