My ode to the Buffalo Sabres summer: Part 1

Look, I know some of my readers and followers on twitter think I wake up daily and find new ways to hate the Buffalo Sabres. Trust me, I don't want to go on Twitter and strike up fights with other bloggers, who feel that I don't know anything about hockey. Actually, scratch that, I do relish the moments of getting into arguments with people. In fact, I love it. I love to tell the world that I'm right.

However, even when I go on and on about what I perceive to be right, if I'm wrong, I'll be the first to admit it. I don't sugar coat and spin it in a way to make myself look right. I'm not the type that's going to give CPR to a dead horse. If it doesn't fit, then you must acquit. I'm a balls to the wall type of writer, and if it doesn't stick, I'll let it fall to the waste side. In other words, I'm not going to bend over backwards to prove that my point was the correct one. It's all about the bottom line and that bottom line is that the Sabres didn't do enough this summer.
`
1)At least he's trying?
It seems like the new rally cry that I'm getting from Regier Apologists on Twitter is the whole "Well, you don't know if Darcy was on the phone, trying to trade or sign someone." You are right, I don't have a phone tap on Regier's line.

However, I don't have to be a fly on Darcy's wall or an FBI agent to know what is really going on with the Sabres GM. First, lets get to consolation prize that some are trying to pass off; It's the whole "trying" garbage.

Maybe working in a job industry, where no one cares how you get the job done has made me just scoff at the notion. I work in the television industry, which is one of the most hardcore industries you will ever work in. As much as I would bust my ass and work the phone to cast people for game, reality and court shows, if I didn't get the job done, my bosses didn't care how exhausted I was. There was no consolation prize, because it was all about about succeeding. Again, it's the bottom line.

Even if Darcy was working the phone and had stock options for Bass Pro (Sigh) on the table for free agents, he still didn't accomplish his task. I also don't buy the notion that no one wants to come here. How many former hockey players live in the area? I'm sure an extra dollar and a recruiting call from Ryan Miller would have been fine. Seriously though, I really don't think the Sabres were beating the telephone lines as some would want to believe. And even if he was, he still didn't do enough.

Maybe if Darcy was my unborn son and he claimed to study day and night for a final exam, only to get an F, I could give him the old "better luck next time" or "at least you tried" sort of rhetoric. However, if my kid failed the same exam year in and year out, then more than likely, he isn't trying or he's just a dumb ass. In Regier's case, I'll take the former (Although, saying that TC and Roy are top 20-centers would fall under the dumb ass category).

All you have to do is look at Darcy Regier and Larry Quinn's track record when it comes to signing and trading for players during the summer. Since the summer of 2003, the Sabres have added two players via trades (Drury and Rivet) and have ponied up less than 10-million dollars annually to free agents. So, the whole "he's trying" thing is something that I just don't buy because of the Sabres history. I mean, a dog has his day once in a while, right?

What made you think this summer was going to be different? This is the same team that spent less than 3-million dollars last year on free agents after missing the playoffs for two straight years. Coming off a division title, I'm sure Darcy Regier felt absolutely no pressure from ownership to make moves. Of course, making moves would cost money and we all know the bottom line for ownership is to make as much money as possible.

Up next: What the Sabres needed to improve on.

A few things about the first day of training camp

1) Now, I know I haven't exactly been on board with the Chan Gailey hiring, but to actually hear a coach talk with emotion was music to my ears. "We're in training camp, aren't we?" responded Gailey to a question about the first day of practice being in pads. Gailey is old-school and seems like the type of coach that isn't going to cut his guys any slack. "Oh, so you don't want to fly back with the team because you want to hang out with Roy Williams? You don't want to break out the pads until next week? Yeah, you're fired!" Something tells me that we aren't going to see as many players kissing his ass like they were doing with Jauron.

2) Speaking of Jauron, how badly did we hate hearing the guy speak? After hearing Gailey talk, I couldn't help but flashback to some of the awfully bad press conferences that Jauron use to have. Ugh! I'm sure reporters were happy to get some quality quotes from the new head coach.

3) So let me get this straight, one day into training camp and the Bills have already lost two starters (Poz and Kelsay) to injury. I thought the Bills were going to avoid injuries because they hired The Body by Jake personal trainers? Maybe Poz being injury prone has something to do with it? Or maybe it's just blind luck, as Kelsay hardly ever gets hurt.

4) No surprise here that Trent Edwards is listed #1 on the depth chart. Like I said earlier this month, winning the quarterback job only guarantees you a first crack at starting, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to keep the job. Plus, it's a lot easier to have a veteran quarterback take the regins first and then if he fails, you can give the job to a younger player like Brohm.

5) BTW, can we add another nickname for Trent Edwards? Did you see those sideburns? I'm thinking "That 70's guy" would suffice. Something tells me that there's a hot girl behind Edwards decision to grow his hair out. And I'm not talking about a stylist. Sorry, but guys don't grow their hair out unless it's for a movie role or he's being influenced by a hot chick.

6) I don't think Darcy Regier could ever work as a GM in the NFL. No, it has nothing to do with him not knowing anything about football. It has to do with rookie contracts being out of control. You think the raise that Tim Kennedy got from the arbitrator pissed Regier off? What about the money that the Raiders 1st round pick got? Rolando McClain signed a 5-year, 40 million dollar deal. Yeah, something tells me that Darcy would pull his hair out after hearing about that deal.

Your 2010 Buffalo Bills Preview: Wide Receivers edition

The Deal
If you were to look at the Bills roster from last year and compare it to this year, the names and faces seem to be the same. Sure, they added some guys like Andra Davis, Dwan Edwards and the 2010 draft class, but the team really didn't overhaul their personnel. Unfortunately, if there's one position that the Bills are going to look a lot more different at, it's wide receiver.

Gone are veterans Terrell Owens and Josh Reed, who are now replaced by...um...where's the depth chart at? Well, the depth chart doesn't look pretty. Look, it's anyones guess on who the 2nd and 3rd wide receiver will be on this team. Yes, the names aren't that attractive, but you always have to start your career somewhere. From James Hardy to Marcus Easley, this young receiving core are going to have every opportunity to make something of themselves. However, even with opportunity, you are still going to need talent to get the job done.

Say what you will about Terrell Owens (Drops and lack of focus) and Josh Reed (Mostly a disappointment throughout his tenure), but on paper, those guys are much more proven than what the Bills are going to deal with for this season. Last year, Owens and Reed combined for 82 catches and 1,120 yards, which is nothing to write home about. However, those numbers are almost equivalent to the career stats of Roscoe Parrish, Stevie Johnson and James Hardy (1294 yards and 122 catches).

Again, like the quarterbacking, the only thing that most fans can hang their hope on is that Chan Gailey will get the most out of his players that the previous regime couldn't.

The Players
Lee Evans
Last season: 44 catches, 612 yards and 7 touchdowns
Obviously, the biggest debate about the depth chart doesn't concern where Lee Evans ranks. He's number one and is arguably the Bills most explosive offensive weapon. However, he is coming off his worst season to date. Frankly though, since Evans signed his 40 million dollar contract extension, he hasn't come close to producing elite numbers. Sorry, but a guy who makes 10-million a year shouldn't be ranked 88th in catches. Yes, 88th in catches for 2009!!! You want to know what Fred Davis, Mike Thomas and Devery Henderson all have in common? Yup, you guessed it, they had more catches than Evans had and I'm sure their bank accounts aren't as big as his.

Now, here's where most Bills fans and I have differing opinions about Evans. I know that everyone is going to say that Evans production is being affected by circumstances beyond his control. It's the quarterback, it's the play calling, it's the offensive line, it's the weather. I've heard it all to know that I'm not buying it all. Sure, it has something to to do with it. However, he's getting paid to be an elite wide receiver and elite wideouts should be able to make due, without worrying about the environment.

I can recall a number of wide receivers that have been effective during a season without getting the help from a legit quarterback or coach. Calvin Johnson caught 86 passes on an 0-16 team in 2008. Over the years, it didn't matter if it were Matt Schaub or Sage Rosenfels throwing the ball to Andre Johnson. Last year, Brandon Marshall caught 101 balls with the immortal Kyle Orton as his quarterback. Look at Eric Moulds 2000 season, the Bills great had 94 receptions with Rob Johnson starting 11 of those games.

Look, I'm not trying to kill off Evans, but it seems like this guy always gets a pass (Unfortunately not on the field) from the fans and media whenever he doesn't get the ball. I don't know if it has to do with him being a nice guy to the media or that he's really the only superstar (Using the term loosely) on this team. How many years can we let go by where we chalk up a disappointing Lee Evans season to outside distractions?

As for this year, it seems that the Bills have found an offensive minded coach to help with the passing game. As for the quarterback? Well, keep fishing. The main thing going for the Gailey/Evans combo is that at the coach's previous NFL jobs, he has had six different wide receivers go over the 1,000 yard mark for a season. You thought Tyler Thigpen and Mike Tomczak were no names? How about Charles Johnson and Yancey Thigpen? Well, those two guys were part of Gailey's 1,000 yard club.

Maybe Gailey's coaching methods will help Evans become a more consistent player. I'd also like to see him evolve into a more well-rounded wide receiver. No, I'm not talking about gaining weight, I'm talking about catching more than his normal 60-yard bombs. Catching balls in traffic or over the middle is something that the receiver never seems to do enough of. I'm not saying that he fears getting his head torn off, but I'd like to have the coaching staff get the guy involved with running those particular routes.

James Hardy

Last Season: 1 catch, 9 yards and 0 touchdowns
Just like his rookie season in 2007, James Hardy once again inherits the 2nd wide receiver spot on this team. Or does he? There have been some reports that Hardy didn't look good in minicamps (offseason surgery). Even still, how can you not put your former 2008 2nd round pick on the field? I understand that the Bills have a new regime, but you have to give a high draft pick like that every opportunity to get on the field. Even though Buddy Nix and Gailey are inheriting Hardy, it still counts as a team investment and shouldn't be considered as a junk bond...at least not yet.

Hardy is entering his 3rd season, which represents a year that most wide receivers tend to blossom. Hardy's size (6'5, 220lbs) seems to be his biggest attribute, which is something that Evans and Roscoe Parrish lack. Unfortunately, Hardy still hasn't discovered ways to utilize his size. In the few games that Hardy has started, he has had a difficult time in gaining separation from defensive backs and seems to lack the tough, physical play that you would want from a possession receiver.

Another thing going against Hardy is actually his greatest asset; yup, the aforementioned...size. As crazy as it sounds, Hardy may be just too big for Chan Gailey's offense. Gailey likes fast wide receivers that can run precise routes. The type of guys that can run after the catch. I don't think those are Hardy's attributes. If you look at the guys he had in Pittsburgh, Dallas, Miami and Kansas City, the majority of his wide receivers weren't big possession type players. Actually, the top 3 wide receivers on each team were shorter than 6'1 and mostly beat you with skill, rather than size. Frankly, they were kind of like water bugs (Gailey's favorite creatures), and Hardy just doesn't seem like that type of insect.

Stevie Johnson

Last season: 2 catches, 10 yards and 0 touchdowns
Can somebody explain to me why Stevie Johnson has kind of a cult following in Buffalo? Does it have to do with his Twitter page? I mean, the guy only has 12 catches for his career and the only one I can recall him making was his touchdown reception against Denver in 2008. The only reason that I can come up with is that he's an underdog. Kind of like what made people like Fred Jackson.
As of today, Johnson seems to have the lead for being the #2 option for the Bills.

Like Hardy, he's got the size at 6'2, 202lbs, but he seems to have the better speed of the two. Like I said before, Gailey likes speed guys. That's really all I got on Johnson. I mean, what else can I describe about a guy that caught 12 passes for his career?

Roscoe Parrish.
Last Season: 3 catches, 34 yards and 0 touchdowns
Ugh. I'm sorry, but Roscoe Parrish is like the Bills poor man version of Tim Connolly. All you ever hear about is how this guy has all the talent in the world and if healthy, he'll be a game breaker. I'm sorry, but I'm sick and tired of hearing that. Parrish is nothing more than our version of "Dante Hall." He's not an every down wide receiver and like Hardy, he has problems with getting off the line scrimmage against bump and run.

You also have to wonder if the years of being a punt returner have finally caught up to Parrish. The shelf-life for a returner doesn't last too long in the NFL, especially if you are the size of Parrish. We already saw signs of his decline last year, when he was benched after a key fumble against the Browns. It's the same thing that happened to Hall after his 5th season with the Chiefs. Sometimes, Father Time isn't looking at the calender when he arrives, he just gets there unexpectedly.

Now, in fairness to Parrish, this will be the first time in his career that he will be in the slot from the start of training camp. Reed is gone and Parrish seems to be the heir apparent for that spot. Another thing going for Parrish is that he seems like the type of player that Chan Gailey will enjoy designing plays for. Gailey, like all former coaches from the Steelers, likes gadget players who are quick and explosive. Kind of envision what Kordell Stewart was in Pittsburgh as "Slash." Parrish would seem to fit that sort of mold.

Marcus Easley
Look, I'm not going to try and give you a scouting report on a 4th round pick from the state of Connecticut. From what I read online, Easley has the size and speed to become a nice possession receiver for the Bills. I've even read on Twitter and message boards (They are always right), that Easley has a slight chance to become the #2 option for the Bills. Now, I'm all for having the Bills play guys who are young with a lot of upside, but to start a rookie from the 4th round seems a little extreme.

What does it all it mean?
I know a lot of fans/media seem to assume that whoever gets the starting job opposite Evans will become the 2nd most productive wide receiver on the team. However, I really wouldn't put too much stock in that assumption. If you were to look at some of the wide receiving cores that Gailey has coached, it seems like spreading the ball around is his forte.

As Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator in 1997, the Steelers 2nd and 3rd leading wide receivers had 46 and 47 catches (Charles Johnson and Courtney Hawkins). During his last year in Dallas, Gailey showed even more passing distribution by having three players catch between 30-40 balls (Ernie Mills, Chris Warren and David LaFleur). Those numbers may not seem like a lot by today's standards, but the league at that time wasn't like wild west of today's passing numbers.

Of course, it's not entirely up to Gailey to decide who gets the ball in the passing game (The quarterback/defensive formation plays a part), but if the coach represents the major hope for the receivers to evolve, then you have to look at his history. I remember during his days in Pittsburgh, the offense was known to spread the field in 4-5 receiver formations and get all of their receivers involved.

As far as predictions for their actual numbers goes, if Chan Gailey can coach Charles Johnson to a 1,000 yard season, then Lee Evans should be able to rebound from a subpar 2009 season. As for the rest of them, look for a bunch of guys to get between 25-40 catches. Also, because of the quarterback situation, I think the Bills will be a predominantly running team.

Now, if you want me to predict what the depth chart will look like, well, here you go:

1) Lee Evans- Duh

2) Stevie Johnson- Just from reading reports online, it seems that Johnson is a more seasoned player than Hardy.

3) Roscoe Parrish- Roscoe's size makes him the slot receiver.

4) James Hardy- I still think that if Hardy can show any signs of life in training camp, he'll supplant Johnson on the depth chart.

5) Marcus Easley- Selected on day three of the NFL Draft tells me that you're the #5 receiver on an NFL roster.

Aaron Schobel having second thoughts?

Buffalo Bills players are scheduled to report to training camp on Wednesday. Simply put, Aaron Schobel won't be there. He likely won't be there when practice opens on Thursday, but the 9-year veteran told Eyewitness Sports on Tuesday that he hasn't ruled out playing for the Bills in 2010.

Reached at his home in Texas, Schobel told Eyewitness Sports Director Jeff Russo on Tuesday that he's not made a decision on his future, but that at this point he's at least considering coming back next season. That's a change of stance from when Schobel stopped just short of saying he was retiring about a month ago, but the veteran says he's on a diet, working out, and is leaving the door open for a possible return.

"I would say I'm leaning more towards doing it (playing) then I was a month ago", Schobel said on Tuesday. "At this point I'm thinking about it. At that point (a month ago) I didn't want to even consider it. I wanted to enjoy my life like I was done with football. Lately both me and my wife have decided we have to do something." (WKBW)

Mind of Joe

I guess I'm suppose to be happy that Brett Fav...err...Aaron Schobel may decide to finally grace his presence at Bills training camp at some point. Look, I've said it before, I'm not a big Aaron Schobel fan and now that it is becoming clearer that the guy doesn't like training camp, I'm starting to dislike him even more.

Look, I know that in most cases I would chalk up missing training camp as much ado about nothing. However, if Schobel comes back to the Bills, he's going to have to learn a new position and a new scheme. Those sort of job demands should light a fire under Schobel's ass to get to camp, or at least make the Bills press the issue with him.

Now, I understand what Schobel fans will say, "Hey, the Bills have no proven pass rushers and need all the help they can get." I get that logic, but you have to understand that the Bills are rebuilding. Sure, fans will start reading previews about the Bills and the excitement of training camp will make people dream of the playoffs, but this team isn't close to competing. And by the time this team starts contending, Schobel is going to be raising cattle in Texas 24/7. Now, if the team isn't going to do anything this year, then what's the point of keeping Aaron Maybin on the bench? What? So he can work on his special teams tackle celebrations?

The Bills have to get Maybin on the field to find out if he can play or not. Sorry, but Maybin isn't going to learn much riding the bench, especially since he's learning a new position. If the Bills didn't have a young player like Maybin waiting in the wings, then I could deal with Schobel returning. However, Maybin's development takes precedent over dealing with Schobel's retiring or unretiring.

As for what the Bills should do with Schobel if he returns; I say trade him. I know that's easier said than done because of the money he makes, but there has to be a market for a guy coming off a 10-sack year. I think having a defensive end combination of Mario Williams and Schobel would be pretty impressive if you're a Texans fan. As for the Bills on the field, it would be a step back, but in the long run, it would workout for the Bills and Maybin. Now, if the Bills decided to cut Kelsay and put Schobel at the other outside linebacker spot, then I could deal with that as well.

On a side note, you have to wonder if Schobel is just planting the seeds for other teams to at least call the Bills and gage interest in trading for him. This marks the first time since the end of last season that Schobel is showing signs of wanting to play football. Hearing that statement would only entice other GMs to make calls to the Bills and enquire about his availability. It has to sound a lot better to a hear from a guy that wants to play football, instead of staying home with his kids, right?

Lets not forget (Even though the media did when reaching Schobel for comment) that it was just a month ago that Schobel said, "The ball was in the Bills' court" with regarding his future. Now, no one has asked Schobel what he meant by that, but on the surface, the logic seemed to imply that he wanted to get moved and it was up to the Bills to make it happen. At least, that's what I got from it. So, stay tuned.

While the Bills increase in value, it may decrease the team's chances of staying

I'm sure you have all read that Forbes magazine ranked the Bills #33 on its list of most valuable franchises in the world at $909 million. Talk about a stock option going up, as it was only three years ago that the team was worth $885 million dollars. Of course, this sort of news has to bring out media members speculating about the state of the franchise. Some will say that the value of the team proves that we shouldn't consider them small time when their franchise is worth that much. Others will say that it's because of the fan base that the Bills are worth this much.

I'll tell you what I get from the value of the Bills increasing... an added increase in being more scared. Look, for the longest time I've been saying that in order for the Bills to stay in Buffalo, Ralph Wilson has to live for another 10 years. Then maybe, just maybe, the region will turn its economic woes around and be able to bring in corporations to buy luxury boxes at the stadium.

I know most fans don't understand that luxury boxes are the one source of revenue that the Bills are lacking in comparison to other NFL markets. It's the once source of income that isn't involved in revenue sharing. It's also a price tag that corporations in Buffalo can't afford. A luxury box can cost anywhere between $250-500 thousand in cities like Dallas and New York. That's the main reason why the Bills have decided to venture to Toronto for one regular season game a year. They are trying to gain that corporate dollar to compete with the likes of Dallas and New York.

Anyways, my original point is that while the value of the team increases, it decreases the chances for the Bills to find a buyer for the team to stay in Buffalo. Excuse me for sounding morbid, but if Wilson lives for another 5-10 years, the price tag of the Bills may go up to a cool billion dollars. Sorry, but how many companies or people in Buffalo can afford that? Not many and don't give me Jim Kelly's name. You also have to put into account that the new owner of the team is going to acquire a bit of debt right away and has to find a way to recoup it. Sorry, but 50 bucks for a ticket is just a water drop in a aquarium for a new owner.

However, I can tell you that there are probably a number of people in LA and Toronto that can afford the price. You see, that's the problem. The assumption of those close to covering the Bills say that the team will go up for public auction after Mr. Wilson's death. That means open season for any big shot executive with deep pockets that can buy the team and move it. And of course, if the team moves to LA or Toronto, you can sell all those luxury boxes for the going rate. Suddenly, the aquarium has an Indian dancer that can conduct a seance to make it rain.

I don't know about you, but every time I hear that some idiot in LA is lining up funds to build a football stadium with a retractable roof and a movie theater, I start getting queasy. That's why I haven't been one to throw stones at Mr. Wilson for trying to make the Toronto experiment work. The Bills need all the extra income they can get to make the team more economically viable in the NFL. If the Bills in Toronto works, it will only increase the chances of someone actually believing that they can make money off this team upon purchase. I still believe that the Toronto experiment can work, but the majority of that burden falls on the Bills to actually deliver a winning product on the field. No one wants to support a loser from another town.

The other thing that I want to make clear, and I know I'll get sh#$ for it, is the whole "It's the fans that have made the Bills this valuable." Sorry, but that logic is a little bit flawed. Yes, they have something to do with it, but the biggest reason the Bills are worth near a billion dollars is because they are a part of the biggest brand in professional sports, and that's the NFL. I don't care where a NFL team is located (It can be in Alaska for god sakes), the team is going to be worth a ton of money.

Everything that the NFL touches, always turns to gold. You have a billion dollar TV deal, merchandising and corporate sponsors who are begging for a piece of the league. All those side deals make it efficient for the Bills to be able to make a profit before they even sell a ticket. Hell, the TV deal itself pays for the players' salaries. Why do you think the Bills are worth more than the Boston Red Sox? Sorry, but their fans are great too (albeit annoying) and they get way more attention than the Bills will ever get. The simple answer has to do with the Bills being a part of a bigger brand/sport.

Bottom line is this: Since the whole discussion on what will happen to the Bills when Mr. Wilson dies have surfaced (around 2005), it seems that the breaks have been beating the boys. From new stadiums popping up to the NYS economy sucking, it's very hard to be optimistic that this team is going to stay in Buffalo forever. I assure you, this added caveat of the Bills value increasing, doesn't equate to wine getting better with age. Especially, when the city can't even afford the drink.

Just some quick hits for your reading pleasure

-Hey, the Sabres did something this week! OK, not really, but they did resign Patrick Kaleta to a 2-year deal worth a little under 2 million dollars. I'm cool with the move. Seriously though, I don't think you can find anyone in Buffalo who disapproves of the signing because of Kaleta's popularity. I just hope Kaleta plays more than 55 games next year; Especially when you consider that you can find a lot of guys in the NHL that get can get 200 penalty minutes, 10 goals and play 70 plus games a year for that money-

-Seems like the Sabres latest trend is to bring their RFAs to arbitration and try and work out a deal before the actual hearing. By doing so, it eliminates all 29 other NHL teams from negotiating with free agents prior to the hearing. Smart move by Regier. Of course, it would have been nice if they thought of this prior to Vanek receiving a lucrative offer sheet from the Oilers in 2007. Look for them to do this sort of arrangement in the near future, especially if Tyler Myers gets to the summer of 2012 as a RFA-

-My goodness, do you know how many Joe Klofenstein texts I've gotten from the Bills over the years? Way too many for my taste. "Bills brought in Joe for a workout. Bills sign Joe to a deal. Bills cut Joe. Bills bring back Joe" Blah, blah, blah. Enough! Just let this guy walk or play because I just want him to get off my Sprint phone!-

-Can you believe that training camp begins in like 7 days? Look, I know the Bills are going to suck this year, but there is nothing like football season in Buffalo. Sorry, hockey fans, but this is and will forever be a football town. Now, if only the Bills could be as good as the Sabres-

-Is anyone really surprised that the NHL decided to go against the CBA and reject the Kovalchuk contract? I mean, this is the same league that floated a mystery memo after Brett Hull's foot was in the crease and put in a Sean Avery goaltender interference rule at intermission of one of their games. Anyways, I guess you have to give Bettman credit for killing off the idiotic deal. However, what happens in the future for other NHL free agents? Does this set a precedence that if you have more than five bull$hit years on your contract, the deal will get revoked? What if you only have three years that are fraudulent? I think Gare Bear needs to come out and set legit contract parameters on future dealings, or we are going to be treading down some dangerous waters with what you can and cannot do with contracts-

-Because I'm all about conspiracies and speculating (I'm a blogger and it goes with the territory), I wonder if the NHL decided to revoke the Kovalchuk contract because they didn't want him to sign in New Jersey. Look, I live in NYC and I can tell you from first hand experience that New Jersey teams are like the bastard step-children of the area. No one cares about them. Even when the Devils and Nets were successful and reaching playoff Finals, there was little to no fan fair involving the teams. It's very tough to get excited about NJ because the state has a lot of New York City and Philadelphia transplants living there. Plus, being within a two hour radius of two of the biggest sports meccas in country doesn't exactly help. As far as the Devils go, the NHL has seen the impact of the team's success on the league...and it's not much. Some of the lowest TV ratings came from the Stanley Cup Finals involving Jersey against Anaheim. To add fuel to my conspiracy theory, what about the contracts that Hossa and Pronger signed? Both of those contracts involved two hockey markets that are vital to the success of the NHL. The league wouldn't dare stand in the way of Philly and Chicago. Trust me, pro sports leagues want certain cities to be on top and Jersey isn't one of them-

-So do you think if I were to stereotype Bills and Sabres fans, could I get away with saying that Bills fans would party downtown, while Sabres fans would be in Allentown or Elmwood avenue?-

-Back to arbitration for a minute, anyone want to tell me how Clarke MaCarthur was awarded 2.4 million dollars? Seriously? Did the Atlanta GM forget to show the judge Clarke's highlights from Buffalo? Did the judge think he was reading the case for Wendal Clark or Clark Kent? Someone needs to disbar these judges-

-I haven't gotten to my receiver portion of my Bills previews yet, but can we just stop with the getting the ball in Roscoe Parrish's hands? Every year it's the same thing with this guy, "Oh, he's such a dynamic player and should touch the ball 50 times a year on offense." Please, every time the guy got an opportunity before Owens got here, he blew it. In 2007, he started three games for an injured Josh Reed and average less than 3 catches a game. Sorry, but Parrish is nothing more than a poor man's Dante Hall-

-Do you ever think that if the Bills were successful (record wise), would the Sabres be more pressured into making more moves to keep up with the football team's popularity? In defense of the Sabres lack of moves, I've heard some hockey fans mention the following: "Well, at least they aren't the Bills." Gotta wonder if that sort of mindset comes into play when the Sabres are discussing their offseason plans. It's funny, because if you were to pinpoint when Dacry Regier was aggressive in the trade market, it was when the Bills were making the playoffs yearly and were still living off the buzz of their early 90's run. Just saying-

Just a quick Sabres rant

Look, I'm not going to get into my hell bent rage against the Sabres front office. I've actually gone against my promise of July 7th being the day that I would kill the team for not making substantial changes. However, I'm still giving the team more time, AKA, I'm just not in the mindset of pouring out my guts into why this team doesn't care about winning the cup. I actually may save that for a podcast.

However, I'm here to add a little clarity on what is perceived by Sabres apologists, who act as if other Sabres fans that demand change are nothing more than toothless idiots that call the WGR whiner line daily. We all know the Sabres aren't going to sign a guy like Kovalchuk. We have come to the realization that any player that demands 7-8 million dollars a year will never be on this roster. So, don't come out and act as if we are demanding the team to burn money and put Tom Golisano's trust fund for his kid or Monica Seles in jeopardy.

I assure you, we are not. What bothers me is that there are moves that other teams are making that on the surface, seem to be a little one sided. Chicago gives up a bunch of their key contributors for prospects. Yes, I know, apologists will act as if these prospects are the lifeblood of each of these organizations, but if you can get a proven commodity in return, you make the deal. I know in Buffalo we act as if these kids that come from Portland or Rochester are the second coming to Tyler Myers or Daniel Briere, but that's not always the case.

(On a side note, are we like the only hockey market that looks more forward to prospects playing in Buffalo than any other fan base? I seriously doubt that Flyers and Rangers fans are sitting there and drooling about some 2nd round pick playing on the parent club)

Pretty much my rage is towards Simon Gagne. Here's a proven scorer, who has two 40-goal seasons on his resume, traded to Tampa Bay for a bag of pucks and a philly cheese steak. Yes, I know, apologists will mention that he's injury prone. Of course, that logic doesn't come into play when you're talking about the Sabres giving a raise to Tim Connolly...can you say contradiction?

Anyways, Gagne would have been perfect in Buffalo. He's great on the powerplay, has a ton of playoff experience and would be a legit rental (Unlike Torres and Moore) for the Sabres. I mean, god forbid the Sabres actually decided to go for the Stanley Cup for one year. I mean losing their 12th defenseman from "The System" would just jeopardize the space time continuum for the franchise.

Now, before you all send me the emails and comments about Gagne having a no-trade clause, let me put it to you this way: Now, I'm not a GM or a blogger that has the CBA and the bible of Darcy in my night table. I'm just a stupid blogger who wants the Sabres to win the Cup. Now, if that's my goal, I'm calling Philly and I would pretty much double what Tampa Bay was offering. I mean, that's how lame the deal was for Philly.

Now, if Gagne had a problem with coming to Buffalo, then I'd have Lindy Ruff, or Ryan Miller, or Brad Riter, or Luke Russert, or Jim Kelly call him and say that we are a great city that is aiming to win the cup. It's not like Gagne would have to stay in Buffalo for the next 10 years of his life. He's a free agent at the end of the year and I really don't think he'd be that dead set against coming here for 8 months. Maybe I'm wrong. But you know what, at least I would try. And that's all I want from the Sabres.

I don't need a 10-million dollar player. My expectations are small. I just want a player who can put the puck in the net 20-25 times a year and bring other intangibles to the team. I don't need a school lesson on small market economics to know that Gagne's contract would almost equal out to what Tallinder and Mair were making last year. Plus, the Sabres are going to have even more cap relief next year with Rivet and Connolly's contracts up (And I assure you, they are not coming back). Again, it's not about killing off guys that I don't like on this team, it's about getting better. The Sabres don't have too much money tied into the cap for next year and beyond.

Anyways, the majority of this rant was geared towards people who announce on facebook or twitter that they are sick of people who complain about the Sabres. I'm sorry kids, but the Sabres haven't gotten better and we have lived through too many summers where this team has coasted on trying to act as if Tyler Ennis or some dumb ass prospects are the key additions to this roster. I watched all 82 games last year and came away knowing that their success was NOT a team effort. It was mostly due to Ryan Miller bailing this team out. If it's a one man army, then you need to add more troops to the equation.

Rant over.

Your 2010 Buffalo Bills preview: Running Backs Edition

The deal
I know a lot of fans/experts feel that the secondary is strongest part of the Buffalo Bills roster. However, you could make a compelling argument that the running back position has the most promising depth chart. It's a depth chart that includes two former first round picks, two running backs that have a 1,000 yard seasons on their NFL resumes and a renewed dedication to running the football.

My biggest complaint last year with the one/two punch of Lynch and Jackson was that both running backs' styles were just too similar. Seriously, if you switched both guys jerseys and cut Lynch's hair, you really couldn't tell the difference between them. Now, with the addition of Spiller, the Bills have added a thunder/lightning approach with their running back attack.

If you look over the successful running back tandems in this league, the majority of them offer diversity. The Saints had Reggie Bush, who has the ability to zip past defenders with his breakaway speed. Then you have Pierre Thomas, who would do the dirty work by running between the tackles. The Giants, Cowboys and Dolphins are other teams that come to mind that had a similar approach.

If there's one thing that I'm curious/excited to see about this upcoming season, it's how Chan Gailey plans on getting all three of his running backs the ball. Forget trying to get these quarterbacks on track, because on the surface, they are nothing more than serviceable backups. It's the running back situation that has me amped up about the Bills offense. OK, amped is a little too strong of a word.

I just keep on envisioning a scenario kind of like what the Giants had in 2008. The G-men went 12-4 and had a three headed monster at running back with Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw. The trio compiled over 2,500 yards rushing that year and were a key contributor to the Giants success. Sure, the Giants had consistent quarterback play and a stout defense that the Bills only wished to have. However, I can't help but think that with the talent the Bills have in the backfield, why can't we have a running attack like New York did?

The Players

CJ Spiller
Senior Year: 1,212 yards rushing, 503 yards receiving, 16 TDs
Look, I wasn't exactly enamored with the CJ Spiller pick in April. I've gone over ad nauseam about my reasons for the selection and I'm not about to go over it again. Here's the thing you have to know about Spiller, he's not going to be the type of back that's going to carry the ball 20-25 times a game. At 5'11 and 195lbs, he's a little too small to be able to handle the wear and tear of being a every down back. For his college career, Spiller has only carried the ball more than 150 times just once.

Now, the Bills didn't draft Spiller to become the next OJ Simpson, instead, they drafted a guy that could become their version of Reggie Bush. The type of guy who can line up in the slot and can catch bubble or wide receiver screens out of the backfield. A guy that has the type of talent for the coaching staff to devise some passing plays, or in Trent Edwards' case, check downs for big chunks of yardage. If you ever watch the way the Saints and Eagles execute screens to their running backs, it's some of the more prettier plays you'll see in football. I'm hoping that Gailey would be able to open the playbook and be comparable to those teams in running screen plays.

Spiller will be counted on to get the ball in his hands about 8-12 times a game. It wouldn't surprise me to see either Marshawn Lynch or Fred Jackson on the field whenever Spiller is inserted into the game. By doing that, it will make Spiller into the type of player that will keep teams second guessing on whether he's going to get the ball receiving or rushing. Also, he could be used as a decoy. The good thing about Spiller is that he's that homerun type of running back that could break off a 70-yard play. I don't think you could say that about Fred Jackson or Marshawn Lynch.

Bottom line: I'm putting pressure on the coaching staff to be able to design plays that are going to put Spiller in situations to succeed. It can't be the basic Pop Warner (Turk Schonert's words) sort of play-calling that we have seen over the last four years. If it is, Spiller is going to be a wasted pick for this year.

Fred Jackson

2009 Season : 1,062 yards rushing, 371 yards receiving, 4 touchdowns

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you are not cheering for someone like Fred Jackon, you seriously need to get your head checked. Jackson is the type of player that many Buffalo fans can relate too. A guy that had to fight his way to the NFL. The type of player that probably has been told throughout his career that he just wasn't good enough. He's a fighter that Buffalo fans should embrace.

It was only three years ago that he wasn't really even on the football map; playing his games at some bootleg Arena football league. Luckily, Marv Levy was an alumnus at Jackson's college and had gotten a tip from the football coach at the school's program about the running back. In all honesty, it was Levy's best signing of his short, albeit unremarkable tenure as GM. Three years later, Jackson sits atop the depth chart.

Jackson was arguably the offensive MVP for the Bills last year. He probably would have amassed 1,400 yards rushing if he was the featured back and didn't have to split carries with Lynch during the middle part of the season. In a crowded backfield where the running backs seem to share the same qualities in their respective games, Jackson seems to have the slight edge over Lynch and Spiller in being the guy that can do it all equally. Now, by being able to do it all, I'm talking about carrying the ball 20-25 times a game and being a threat out of the backfield.

Sure, Spiller has that homerun threat, but he's not a workhorse back. Lynch has proven to be able to handle the rock 20x a game, but he isn't that explosive in the passing game. Jackson seems to be more of a complete back of the trio.

I've always liked the way Jackson runs. Actually, scratch that, because the funny thing is that when you see him run, he really doesn't seem like he's going full steam to run over someone or break off a 40-yard run. He just does everything in such a smooth motion. He's got great vision and knows how to use his blockers in hitting the holes. He's also very patient when it comes to letting his offensive lineman slide down field during screen passes out of the backfield. In a way, Jackson's patience on the football field almost duplicates his patience for getting a shot at the NFL level.

A lot of people have said that it's Lynch who has the most to prove on this team. However, it was Fred Jackson who seemed to be in the driver seat for getting the bulk of the carries for this upcoming season. By drafting Spiller, The Bills are kind of telling Jackson that he wasn't the answer to their running game. I'm sure that has added more motivation for the Coe product to prove that he truly belongs at the top of the depth chart.

Marshawn Lynch

2009 Season: 450 yards rushing, 179 yards receiving, 2 touchdowns

Look, I'm not going to get into the off the field saga with Lynch. I've gone over it ad naseum and if you need a refresher, then here you go. I'm going to go about it as if Lynch's status with the team is that he's just another running back who lost his job last year.

As for Lynch's on the field production, he had a 2009 season that he would soon like to forget. Not only was he slowed by his 3-game suspension, but he had to contend with a emerging Jackson, who was taking half of his carries. I've always said that Lynch doesn't seem like the type of back that can only get the ball 10-15 times a game and be effective. Lynch's power running game is more geared to reach the next level when defenses are tired and the team is feeding him the ball constantly. Besides the lack of carries, Lynch's other problems were that he danced way too much in the backfield and didn't seem to hit the hole with the velocity he had during his first two years with the team.

Unfortunately for Lynch, there seems to be no change in how the Bills view him and the former Cal product would be so lucky to even get 5-10 carries a game. Now, I'm not going to sit here and discredit Lynch, he's a hell of a talent and may have better physical gifts than Jackson. However, he's coming off a bad season and the team was very active in shopping him around during the offseason, which tells me that the team doesn't think to highly of him. Frankly, if the Bills wanted more than a 3rd round pick for him (good luck with that), it would behove them to try and up his value by playing him more. Having him just sit on the bench isn't going to increase his trade value.

What does it all mean?

People have gotten it all wrong when it comes to Chan Gailey's qualifications. People keep talking about what he has done with the likes of Tyler Thigpen, Kordell Stewart and Jay Fiedler.........ZZZZZZZZZZZZ......but if you were to dive into Gailey's resume even further, the thing that pops out the most for me is the way his teams have pounded the rock (Not talking about Lawrence Taylor's weekends).

In the seven years that Gailey has been a head coach or a offensive coordinator at the NFL level, rushing the football has been his real forte. During his two years as the Steelers offensive coordinator, the team ranked 1st and 2nd in rushing and almost racked up 2,500 yards both years. When Gailey was the head coach for Dallas, the Boys ranked 6th and 8th respectively. Of course, you can't ignore the fact that Gailey had two of the all-time greats at his disposal in Jerome Bettis and Emmit Smith. Things did catch up to Gailey a bit in Miami, as the Fish were ranked 14th and 23rd in rushing, but he was dealing with Lamar Smith as his feature back.

It's going to be up to Gailey to devise a plan to get all three of his running backs the football. I'm talking the wildcat, wishbone, reverses and whatever other gadgets that can be used to get the ball in his playmakers' hands. When I say playmakers, you have to put in account that after Lee Evans, the offensive skill positions on this team seem to be unproven commodities. I mean, the 3rd string running back on this team is more explosive than the 2nd wide out.

I can see Spiller being the type of back that's used mostly in the passing game to go along with maybe 5-7 carries a game. I then can see Jackson and Lynch running the football 10-12 times a game. Of course, if one back is hotter than the other, I'm sure Gailey will go with the guy that's brought him that far. The Bills could just choose to eliminate Lynch from the equation and use Jackson and Spiller as their one/two punch. However, what would be the point of keeping Lynch if the Bills didn't have any plans to use him?

The bottom line: Take away the running backs and the Bills don't really have much of an offensive punch. Their quarterbacks aren't exactly stellar, their wide receives are inexperience (Besides Evans) and the offensive line is..well, bad. People always use the cliche about the run setting up the pass, I think in the Bills case, they are going to need the run to set-up the victory.

Thoughts on T.O. begging for a job and CJ Spiller possibly holding out

Memo to Terrell Owens: Going on radio shows to make the case that you should be signed isn't exactly a good way to go about finding a job. I mean, what's the point? Are New England fans and radio hosts really going to sway Bill Belichick to sign the guy? I think not. It just makes you look totally desperate and totally pathetic.

Oh, and the whole blaming ESPN for his mess, give me a break! GMs aren't going to put any merit on the reports by Ed Werder and Rachel Nichols on T.O. splitting up a locker room. I'm sure the 32 NFL GMs are probably calling their friends on T.O.'s former teams to ask about his behavior. Plus, ESPN didn't even give a rats ass about Owens last year. Remember, Owens was playing in Buffalo and we all know that the World Wide Leader in Sports doesn't care about our feeble town. Maybe Owens is just trying to get ESPN to take notice of him again. Sorry, Terrell, but you are old news.

Anyways, here are the REAL problems for Owens:

1) He wants too much money. By some reports, it's around 5 million a year and he's not getting that.

2) Even if he drops his salary request (like he said on Boston radio), he still drops a ton of balls and is still pretty old.

3) Besides burning bridges for the teams that he has played for (excluding the Bills), you also have to consider that some of his former assistant coaches are now head coaches for different teams. Todd Haley, Steve Spagnuolo, Tony Sparano and Brad Childress all saw first hand what dealing with Terrell Owens can be like. Plus, he's pissed off some great head coaches (Bill Parcells & Andy Reid), who both have like the coaching tree of Sherwood Forest or The Tree of Knowledge in the movie Avatar. I'm sure Reid has given his thoughts on T.O. to Mike Holmgren, who then gave his thoughts to Mike Shanahan, who then gave his thoughts to Gary Kubiak. In other words, T.O. was better off to piss off Tom Cable or Dick Jauron.

4) If Owens wants to blame television for the way he's being perceived, then he should also blame the fact that he's a magnet for those television cameras. Sometimes, coaches don't want to answer the same questions weekly about T.O.'s mindset with the team. Plus, you have to wonder where Owens focus is these days. He's either doing the crappy reality thing or he's trying to be an actor. Some coaches may find that T.O. has just too many things going on in his life.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three reactions to CJ Spiller's possible contract issues:

1) Be afraid, CJ, be very afraid that most Bills fans aren't exactly enamored with athletes that are holding out for a large amount of money. Don't believe me? Just ask Jason Peters and Aaron Maybin when they held out. Even before Maybin had a unforgettable rookie season with the Bills, he was getting a lot of heat for holding out past training camp. As for Peters, fans were just stupid. Yes, I say STUPID for wanting to get rid of him.

Maybe Buffalo fans just aren't use to players holding out. Think about? Who was the last Sabres player to holdout for more money? The two previous Bills players that I mentioned are the last ones that I can come up with. Hell, I think we'd have to go back to Bruce Smith wanting a new deal every summer for the Bills. Bottom line: Buffalo don't really like the concept of "it's just business" when dealing with contract holdouts.

2) As for the contract details, you have to put into account that if NFL teams adapted a "Money Ball" philosophy, you would be smart to NOT offer a running back a new lucrative deal when his rookie contract runs out. Everyone knows that running backs in this league are a dime a dozen and you can find them out on the streets practically. The way running backs are being treated, it would behove an agent to try and get more money for their client's rookie contract. That's why guys like Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson are looking for more money.

They know that when their contracts are up, they may have a problem with getting more money because of their age. Rookie contracts tend to be 5-6 years in duration. Spiller and his agent may be thinking that their best crack at getting the most money- whether he becomes a star or not -may be his rookie contract. Excluding Fred Jackson, It should be noted that the previous four running backs that have been termed as feature backs for the Bills (Marshawn Lynch, Travis Henry, Willis McGahee and Antowain Smith) have never received a second contract from the Bills.

3) As for worrying about the hold out affecting his on the field production, I'm not too worried about it. Like I said during the media's hell bent vendetta against Marshawn Lynch not attending OTA's, running the football isn't something that you need a lot of practice time for. I remember when Emmit Smith held out for the first two weeks of the 1993 season and he still was able to win the rushing title. Last Year, Knowshon Moreno held out and almost amassed 1,000 yards rushing. Plus, the Bills still have two very capable backs in Lynch and Jackson, so it's not like they are going to be missing a lot with Spiller not in attendance.

Of course, we are still two months away from the season opener and things can change, which would make this part of the blog a complete waste.

The Bills selling out two home games really isn't that impressive

What the hell is up with the Bills getting pats on their back for selling out two home games this year? This whole "They are coming out of the gates quickly" is just nonsense. I'm not much of a gambler, but I'd be sure to take the bet that every home opener for the next 15 years is going to sell out. No matter how great or poor the Bills are, it's always exciting to attend a home opener in Orchard Park. Hell, I'll say attending a home opener in every team sport is probably a good time if you're a fan of the team.

It's also about going down to the stadium, firing up the grill, eating salsa and getting trashed. It's about celebrating that football has returned after a 9 month hiatus. Simple as that. As for the Steelers game, come on! Everyone knows that game sold out because Pittsburgh is like three hours away and their fan base travels in droves. I assure you, that crowd is going to have a pro-Steelers feel.

Personally, I think this is going to be the year that the fans will NOT be going out in droves to attend games. I'm not saying it's going to resemble Ralph Wilson Stadium circa 1984, but I think we will have some blackouts in December. TBN reported that the numbers for season tickets this year is currently below 50,000, which would be a drop of almost 7,000 from last year. I think the majority of the fan base attending those games are there for the atmosphere, football and beer. As for the fans staying home, I think they are just done with believing that this team is going to contend for the playoffs. Sorry, but the Bills didn't do much in the offseason to make anyone want to believe in the team for this year.

Bottom line: Saying that the Bills are off to a quick start doesn't cut it if you compare it to last year. The Bills sold out their first three games last year by June 8th and only had to sell out two more games by September. Plus, the home schedule sure doesn't look that attractive. Going into last year, you had home games against the Colts, Saints, Texans and division opponents. As for this year, do you really want to see Detroit, Cleveland and Jacksonville? Sorry, but I've seen one too many Browns games over the years.

Your 2010 Buffalo Bills preview: Quarterback edition

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING STATISTICS MAY CAUSE BRAIN HEMORRHAGING, VOMITING, HEARTACHE, WIDE RIGHTOUROUS, HOME RUN THROW UP, LOSMANITUS, JAURONGERVITIS AND OTHER SYMPTOMS. PLEASE CONSULT A DOCTOR BEFORE YOU READ ON. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

1) A Buffalo Bills quarterback hasn't thrown for 300 yards in a game since the 2006 season.

2) The Bills have had only one quarterback throw for over 20 touchdowns in the last 13 years.

3) The Bills have ranked 25th or lower in passing offense since the 2003 season.

4) Since 1997, the Bills have had 10 different quarterbacks start NFL games.

Yes, Joe Ferguson, Vince Ferragamo and Gale Gilbert must all be rolling over in their graves.

The Deal
The Bills are going on year 14 of their search for the next Jim Kelly. God, I can't believe I was in high school when Jimbo retired. Anyways, the Bills still have the same three quarterbacks that were left on the roster from last year. They took a pass on Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow, Jake Delhomme and anyone else that threw a pigskin last year. The team was reportedly involved in bringing in Donovan McNabb, even though I didn't really believe it. I mean, there has to be a middle ground between Edwards and McNabb. Right?

Frankly, the Bills quarterback situation doesn't look quite becoming. The only thing the majority of us can hang our hat on is that Chan Gailey is going to be calling the plays (Trust me, that's like hanging a cap on a feather if you ask me). Look, I wasn't a fan of the Gailey hiring, but he is without question an upgrade over the likes of Alex Van Pelt, Turk Schonert and Steve Fairchild. However, the question is how big of an upgrade is he? We all know what he did with Jay Fielder, Kordell Stewart and Tyler Thigpen. However, they are still Tyler Thigpen, Kordell Stewart and Jay Fiedler and I'm not sure those are the type of names you want on your coaching resume.

Back to the passing game, everyone knows that this is a quarterback driven league. All you had to do was look at the playoff teams from last year to see who was taking the snaps. In short: They weren't Trent Edwards or Ryan Fitzpatrick like. If the Bills are going to do any damage this year, they need to get some sort of production out of the quarterback position. It was utterly disgusting to see how badly the quarterbacks performed last year. Ralph Wilson said it best, "The Bills have been very boring over the years" and a large part of that is due to the passing game.

It's because of the quarterback play that the Bills decided to go with an offensive minded head coach to try and ride the quarterback ship correctly. Unfortunately, that ship may as well be the Titanic with these three quarterbacks acting as the captains. I still find it funny that this a three headed quarterback competition. I mean, who ever heard of three quarterbacks battling for a starting job? Anyways, in short: Chan Gailey has his work cut out for him.

The Players

Trent Edwards

Career stats:

32 Games-24 touchdowns-25 interceptions-5,498 yards
Well, it wasn't too long ago that Bills fans thought Trent was their answer to the next Jim Kelly. I can remember when Rich Gannon said that Edwards was the most impressive rookie quarterback that he had ever watched on film. Okay, who the hell is Gannon anyway? Of course, there was the start of the 2008 season, where the Bills were riding high and the team burst out of the gates with a 5-1 record. Even Peter King awarded Edwards with the first quarter MVP for that season. The Bills were actually becoming relevant again and it didn't have to do with some bogus off the field signing. It had to do with winning.

Things were going great, except for the fact that the Bills beat some lonely teams at the start of the season and were exploited when the competition got tougher. Not only did the team get exploited, but so did Trent Edwards. Since Edwards 5-1 start, his record in games that he has been healthy to finish is 3-11.

Of course, there are other factors involved with Edwards win/loss record. However, like many experts say, the quarterback will always gets the blunt of the blame. Edwards has gone from being a guy who can work the 10-15 yard passing range to someone that is lucky to even get the ball 5-yards down field. Regression would be a understatement when describing Edwards play over the last 14 games.

He's adapted the names of Captain Check Down and Trentative. He lost the confidence of the locker room last year, in which the team decided to rally around Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yes, RYAN FRICKEN FITZPATRICK! Something tells me that Lee Evans, who hasn't been the same since Edwards took over as the starter, isn't looking forward to having Trent throw him his classic 7-yard outs. Edwards has a lot of work ahead of him to gain the confidence back of the fans, his teammates and yours truly.

I've lived through a number of the quarterbacks who have worn the read & blue uniforms, and Edwards is by far the least popular player of those guys. Just think back to the last years that Rob Johnson, Drew Bledsoe and JP Losman were the starting quarterbacks for Buffalo. Even when those players were on the verge of getting thrown out of town and were hanging onto their jobs by a thread, there was still a small legion of Bills fans that thought they could get their careers back on track. I haven't found anyone to really rally behind Edwards. No one really likes the guy. I think it's just the timing of his career. Fans are just sick and tired of watching these terrible quarterbacks come through Buffalo. I'm sure they are just tired of giving themselves reasons to believe that a crappy quarterback is going to straighten his career out.

Everyone pretty much thinks this will be Edwards last hooray in Buffalo. He's a free agent after this season and by all accounts, this is his last chance at starting in the NFL.

Why will Edwards win the job?
I think the Bills are giving Edwards every opportunity to win this gig. If they didn't think that highly of him, then they would have gotten rid of him and brought in a veteran quarterback. Lets not forget that Edwards was a part of a draft class that had Tom Modrak and Ralph Wilson's finger prints all over it. Say what you will, but I still think it's a collective effort in the front office at One Bills Drive and those two definitely have clout over who they like. Excluding the politics, Edwards still has the most game experience of the three quarterbacks and has proven himself more in the pro game than Fitzpatrick and Brohm.

Why will Edwards lose the job?
Well, because he's Trent Edwards and he kind of sucks. In all seriousness, I think if Edwards loses this job it will have to do with Brohm's performance in camp. Edwards seems to be nothing more than a bridge gap to the next guy. If they see something in Brohm, anything to show that he can evolve at the pro level, he's getting this job. Also, if you were to compare our lasting memories of these three quarterbacks, Edwards left us with the memory of getting injured, checking it down or getting killed on every passing down. Hell, our last nice memory of Edwards was week two against Tampa Bay. Plus, and I know this may sound stupid, but you can sell the "Mystery of Brohm" in the short term as a reason to be optimistic about the Bills chances. I don't think you can do that with Edwards. Hey, it's the Bills and they have never been one to shy away from marketing the team with false prophecies.

What Edwards needs to do
Edwards has to get back to basics. He has to get back to reading his progressions and finding the open receiver. Too many times last year Edwards had the look of a dear in a headlight when dropping back in the pocket. He didn't set his feet, and would make one read and if the guy wasn't open, he would check it down to a running back. It was as if Edwards was scared for his life and wanted to get the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible.

I think what Edwards needs to do is look in the mirror and just repeat the following: "I am Trent Edwards and Bill Walsh said I can play in this league." You can tell by the way Edwards played last year that he lost all of his confidence in his abilities. I'd also suggest for Trent to break out some game footage of the early part of the 2008 season and try and find his swagger. Sometimes, it just starts with yourself. Also, staying healthy would help too.

Ryan Fitzpatrick
Career stats:

27 Games-21 touchdowns-27 interceptions-4,104 yards
Poor Ryan Fitzpatrick. If you were to look closely at his career numbers, they are almost similar to that of Edwards. Yet, if you were to listen to most experts, it would seem that Edwards is head and shoulders above Fitzpatrick in getting the starting job. Lets not forget that it was Fitzpatrick who outplayed Edwards last year and even got a public vote of confidence from Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. Fitzpatrick did something last year that Edwards couldn't do...and that was go deep. Hey, Fitzpatrick was only a couple of yards away from eclipsing the 300-yard mark in a game, which at this state of the franchise, seems to be a watershed moment for Bills quarterbacks...like OJ getting 2,000 yards.

I remember when Fitzpatrick came in relief of an injured Trent Edwards and completed a long bomb to Lee Evans against the Jets. I just remember looking on...as if the sun was shining from the heavens onto the TV screen, as if to say "That's the glory of the forward pass" and then the sound of religious hymns would play out...oooooaaaooooa....Then, of course, I saw Fitzpatrick play against the Texans and knew it was just a farce.

Why will Fitzpatrick win the job?
Like I said earlier, he was the best quarterback of the three last year. That's all I got for you because....

Why will Fitzpatrick lose the job?
Oh, he's not winning this job. I think the problem with Fitzpatrick is that he's already viewed as a career back-up quarterback. Plus, his highest of highs doesn't equate to what Edwards did at the start of the 2008 season. Another thing working against Fitzpartick is that he is really erratic in the short passing game, which is something that Edwards seems to thrive in.

Overall
Don't be sad, Ryan. I'm sure you will get your shot eventually this year, but it won't be in September. BTW, and this should make Ryan feel better, if I were the coach of the Bills and the team was surrounded by all-pros and expectations were the playoffs, I'd think that Fitzpatrick would give me the best shot to win games. However, that's not the point in all this. The Bills have to find someone that can be the future of this team. A guy that can grow with a young club. I don't think Fitzpatrick can be that franchise guy. In fact, I know he can't.

Brian Brohm
Career stats:

2 Games-0 Touchdowns-2 Interceptions-146 Yards
Even with Thurman Thomas being his number one fan, people have absolutely no idea what they are getting with Brohm. The attraction about Brohm is that we don't know what he can bring to the table. I've written before that Brohm may have the most impressive resume of any of the quarterbacks on this roster. Think about, he has only started one NFL game, but at one point he was being touted as a possible first overall selection in the NFL Draft. His senior year of college was awfully impressive, throwing for 27 touchdowns. From what I read online, his stock went down because it was a very impressive croup of quarterbacks coming out in 2008. Of course, it didn't help that Aaron Rodgers blew up after Brett Favre left Green Bay. So he can't really be a bust if he only played one NFL game, can he?

From an entertainment standpoint, I'd rather have Brohm leading the way because I'm kind of over/bored with watching Fitzpatrick and Edwards quarterback this team. Bills fans need something new to cheer for. I don't know about you, but having the Gailey and Edwards connection doesn't exactly get me blood pumping. Now if we are talking about a Gailey/Brohm partnership? Well, I may not drink myself to death by halftime of every single game.

Why will Brohm win the job?
The Bills have to figure out which one of these three guys can be legit starting quarterback, not just for this year, but for the years beyond. If you are only going to judge the statistics and game highlights, Edwards and Fitzpatrick don't seem to be the long term answers. Both guys have had their chances and have failed miserably at doing the job. All we know about Brohm is that he was great in college, but never got a shot in Green Bay. You can make the case that because of his college background, he has a better upside than Edwards or Fitzpatrick.

Why won't Brohm win the job?
Um, the dude was on the Green Bay Packers practice squad a year ago. I mean, he couldn't even beat out a 7th round pick for a job! How many 2nd round picks have you heard of that went to the practice squad by their 2nd year? Not many. Maybe he really is this bad. Lets not forget that no one else in the NFL decided to take a chance on Brohm when he was just sitting there for the taking.

My prediction for the quarterbacks
Hey, if there's something we can enjoy about the Bills quarterback competition, it's how the preseason is actually going to mean something this year. I assure you, I don't think the Bills are going to run their basic playbook during the exhibition season. They are going to want to know what they are getting with these quarterbacks during real game action. As for who is starting, lets lose Ryan Fitzpatrick. He's already been marked as a career backup quarterback in this league and I don't think the Bills are interested in having him start opening day.

I know it's still very early to make predictions because we are weeks away from training camp and preseason games, but I have a feeling that Edwards is going to be the man come September. I don't think this team is as high on Brohm as many fans are hoping for. I mean, this was a guy who was just sitting on the Packers practice squad for months until the Bills decided to sign him. If they really liked him, he would have been on the team over Gibran Hamdan.

I think Brohm is still very raw and just doesn't have enough football reps under his belt to be awarded the starting job. I mean, the guy has only started one NFL game. Edwards is probably the best man for the job at this stage. It's mainly because the guys he's going up against are either not that good or have already been deemed as back-up material.

In all honesty though, I could have just picked a name out of a hat for the starting job. I think this is going to be the year of (Insert scary music) "The Quarterback Carousel." Now, I'll say this, I think because of Gailey's offensive mind, the quarterbacks will play better this year than in years past. However, you just can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh#t. I'm sure you will be hearing this phrase from me a lot this year; The Bills franchise quarterback is NOT on this roster.