2008 Buffalo Bills road trips

by Steve

Alright, I'm bored, and well the Bills season is 6 months away.  We are losing a home game to Toronto which means we only have 7 home games as season tickets.  The good news is, we have 9 road games we can potentially attend.  The Bills play @ Toronto, Denver, Kansas City, St Louis, Arizona, Jacksonville, Miami, New England, and New York Jets.

Obviously the Toronto "home" road game is the closest, at about a 90 minute ride.  But tickets will allegedly be $100+ plus its a stupid other country, fuckin Canada, and we all hate Canada and don't want to support that POS of country but whatever, i wanna go to all 16 games so we'll see.

@ KC

Trip distance: 978.26 miles. Time: 15 hours 17 mins

plane ticket $270 via Delta

@ Denver

Trip Distance: 1524 miles.  Time 22 hours 43 minutes

plane ticket $250 via Delta

@ St Louis 

Trip Distance: 743 miles.  Time 11 hours 43 minutes

plane ticket $270 via Delta

@Arizona

Trip Distance: 2259 miles, 33 hours 10 minutes

plane ticket $340 on Delta

@ Jacksonville

Trip Distance: 1040 miles, 16 hours 13 minutes

plane ticket $235 via Delta

@Miami

Trip Distance: 1391 miles, 21 hours  28 minutes

plane ticket $300 via American Airlines

@ Jets

Trip Distance: 395 miles, 6 hours 35 minutes

@New England

Trip Distance: 454 miles, 7 hours 15 minutes

these numbers were provided via priceline.com perhaps there are cheaper flights but this blog is free and I dont get paid. see you at all 16 games mother fuckers

Where is phase two?

by Steve

Where the fuck is phase two of the Bills free agency? I guess we got spoiled by the big trade to get Stroud and the signing of two quality players in Mitchel and Johnson. But what is going on here? The Bills desperately need a wide receiver a tight end and a few more positions. Russ Brandon even said they were gearing up for as he called it "Phase 2 of free agency". Well when does it start bro?

Ben Troupe was signed away by Tampa, Bryant Johnson has been sitting around with his thumb up his ass for a week, and the Bills have also brought in Mcintyre FB, McCree S, Courtney Anderson TE, and Troupe TE yet have not signed any of these dudes. I guess the F.O. has determined they either want too much money or just aren't a good fit with the squad. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, but there isn't much left in FA that could make an impact in 2008.

So here is the question, is there even anyone out there for fans to even care about at this point? The easy answer probably is no, but I care about Bryant Johnson, I want this dude in a Bills uniform in 2008. Why hasn't it happened yet? True, idiot owners like Al Davis and his office personnel have basically ruined the market for WRs now that they gave $55 mil to Javon 'surgically repaired knee' Walker, but Bryant Johnson doesn't have the credential Javon has. So could he really be that expensive?

Then again there have been reports that no one else is really interested in BJ, this snippet is even more interesting, "Johnson visited the Bills on Monday, where in an interview with the team claimed to have a visit scheduled with the Washington Redskins. The Redskins have since denied having a scheduled visit from Johnson." So is anyone else even talking to this dude?

How about these players, Eugene Wilson, Ben Utecht, DJ Hackett, Tim Rattay, Gus Frerotte, Kris Wilson, Cecil Sapp, Leonard Weaver and Jerramy Stevens? We'll see what happens but everyone knows the Bills need to address WR, TE, QB and possibly FB before the draft, here's hoping its an impact player.


In other news, Takeo TKO Spikes got TKO'd by the Eagles today because he was making too much money. Wasn't that the exact reason the Bills traded him for peanuts last offseason? And how about the prognosticators all saying the Bills were giving up on a still good football player in his prime? Boo yah, here's hoping he doesn't go to the Patriots as rumored.

At least the Bills did sign somone this week, Steve Christie. Well, it wasn't so he could provide competition with Lindell, it was just so he could retire a Bill. I hope it is a cap friendly 1 day deal.

When is Losman going to be traded? I'm hoping either on draft day or the days leading up to the draft but something has to give and it better be before April 27th. (Day two)

SOMEONE GIVE ME A MOCK DRAFT! And a Bills 7 round mock (8 picks,1,2,3,4,5,6,6,7)

Sabres with a must win

by Steve

Rightfully so it has been all Bills and football free agency the last week but, the Sabres did play arguably their most important game of the season tonight, and won. True, Danny Briere was out, along with Hatcher and Gagne and a few others, but the Flyers suck, they're ahead of the Sabres by 3 points and this was a 4 point swing.

As per Sabres fashion, they came out swinging then gave the lead back nearly as quick as it was achieved. However, at least, not in recent Sabres history, they fought back, came out rip roaring in the third period, took a three goal lead, AND never gave it back. Yes, Biron played like shit and Max played outta his mind, but the Sabres won a big game and deserve some props.

It may not matter if they lose two of their next three while Philly gains the two points back that they lost, but for now, the Sabres are very much alive in the playoff race. They have the Capitals Wednesday and the Hurricanes Saturday. Both teams are very beatable, and quite frankly the Sabres need to get at least 3 points out of their next two teams.

I say that mostly because they have the Rangers after that, a team they can't beat, at least recently, then @ Pittsburgh later in the week. Furthermore they have 2 games against Ottawa, a game against Boston and Montreal before March is up. Mediocre teams like Toronto, Tampa Bay and Carolina do appear more than once throughout the month, but I am already counting points in those games. It will be tough to guarantee victories in those games, and beat some of the good teams while picking up points on the Flyers, Rangers, or Bruins.

Lets face it, if this team doesn't make the playoffs it is a complete travesty. An uber meltdown if you will. The front office, the ownership, the managing partner, everything and everybody was a complete disaster, disappointment and failure. Whether it was Ruff, Miller, Goli/quinny/Darc or Roy or $10 million man Vanek, they will all deserve blame resentment and a pay cut. And more than likely will.

If this team fails to make the playoffs not only will it hurt them in not earning about $1 million per home game, it will hurt in season ticket sales in 2008/09 but also merch sales and bandwagon fans. Going from first to not making the playoffs the following year could go a long way in returning this franchise to the dark days, just before the lockout. Ya know, when salaries were high and attendance and goal scoring throughout the league were low. And we would all hate to see that again.

Latest Bills free agency news

• Still no contract for Bryan Johnson although he was in town today. He also has a scheduled meeting with the Washington Redskins according to Chris Brown of buffalobills.com
• Although he has a meeting schedule he apparently 'wants to be a Bill'
  
• Marlon McCree, recently cut by the Chargers is in town visiting with the Bills.
• Russ Brandon was on WGR today. "It is a collaborative effort John Guy and staff in preparation & the coaches including the number crunching of Jim Overdorf."
• 
  

Bryant Johnson a Buffalo Bill?

It is being reported on Sirius satellite radio, channel 2 news repeated the report on their broadcast, but no official word any where on the internet. Perhaps because league offices are closed or because there really is no word yet, but it is being said plays like here here and here that Bryan Johnson is a Buffalo Bill. Something to do the tune of 5 years.

more to come..

Marcus Stroud Buffalo Bill

Marcus Stroud 6'6 306 29 years old

from espn.com

"Stroud is a seven-year veteran out of Georgia that was drafted by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2001 draft. He has been extremely durable until last season when he missed five games with an ankle injury. He is a massive defensive lineman that has unusual quickness and agility for such a big guy. He can be disruptive with his quickness from the inside, penetrating gaps and wreaking havoc in the backfield. He has the size and strength to play two gap defense, keeping blockers off his playmaking linebackers. He shows good lateral range and works hard to make plays all over the field. He has good hand use and can defeat and shed blockers in time to make the play when they run right at him. He has a good feel for blocking schemes and rarely gets surprised by a block coming from the side. Due to his size he struggles at times keeping his pad level down but still plays with natural leverage. He could be more consistent on the field as he has a tendency to take a play off now and then. While it would be difficult to call him a finesse player he could be a bit more physical at times. He is a Quality player with all star potential but needs to show it more often."

The Bills traded a 3rd and a 5th, of which they had an extra of each for the 2008 draft. Evidently the contract was front loaded from what he originally had but the numbers remain the same at 3 years and $16.5 million. OBD ballin

Other rumors of the day are that Bryant Johnson and Ben Troupe are in down and will be visiting with Bills brass Sunday. Also the Bills did contact Javon Walker's agent, granted they were one of 11. WR first round?!?

Bills Brass Make Moves On Day One of Free Agency

byCoast

For the second consecutive year, the Bills front office addressed a glaring need early on on day one of free agency. This year, without a general manager, it was the Bills GM by committee comprised of John Guy, Russ Brandon, Jim Overdorf and Tom Modrak who were in charge and they did not disappoint. Johnny Guy and company brought in probably the second best line backer on the market in Kawika Mitchell and who really knows how good Lance Briggs even is. He has been playing next to a future hall of famer his whole career and may have been a product of the system. 

Mitchell, 28, was a major contributer to the Giant defense who stymied the supposedly unstoppable Patriots offense. In that game he had 3 tackles, 5 assisted tackles and a sack of Tom Brady. A sack of Tom Brady, wow something the Bills haven't seen in years. The Bills didn't have to deplete the wallet to get him either. He inked a 5 year 17.5 million dollar deal. Seems reasonable to me. During the season, Mitchell had 76 tackles, 3.5 sacks 2 forced fumbles and a pick six of Trent Edwards. These are solid numbers. What I like even more is his size. He is 6 feet 1, 253 pounds. Ellison was only 228 pounds. I don't think we need to worry about Mitchell getting trucked by running backs on a consistent basis. Wow what an upgrade. The Bills linebacking corps are all of a sudden respectable and maybe even good. Ellison, Digiorgio being replaced by Poz and Mitchell. I love it.

That isn't the only move Johnny Guy and co. made on day one of FA. Two years ago the Bills signed the high character high motor defensive lineman Larry Tripplett to an 18 million dollar deal. Only problem-he sucks. The Bills front office realized it and finally cut the dude. This is very exciting for Bills fans. On Thursday, Jacksonville said they would possibly trade defensive tackle Marcus Stroud. On Friday, Marcus Stroud was in Buffalo visiting. When dudes come to Buffalo they usually sign because let's face it, people don't want to visit Buffalo for no reason when it is 4 degrees outside. Yesterday, Shaun Rogers was traded to the Bengals for a third and a fifth, then that trade was axed, so he went to Cleveland for a third and corner back Leigh Bodden. With injury problems and some steroid use problems, the Bills could probably land Stroud for something similar to a third and a fifth and who wouldn't do that in a heart beat. The only problem is, if Stroud gets caught using roids again he gets suspended for a year. I am willing to take that chance. Stroud and McCargo can actually be a respectable tandem in the middle.

The Bills also added back up Defensive Tackle Spencer Johnson. The 26 year old Johnson is another smallish guy at 286 pounds but will provide some needed depth with Tony Hargrove's issues. Hopefully Spencer wasn't brough in to start, that would just be ridiculous. I still like the Bills getting Stroud and then having Kyle Williams and Spencer Johnson as back ups. That works for me.

The Bills also released Jim Leonhard, Kiwaukee Thomas, Coy Wire and Anthony Thomas among others. I have no complaints here in fact, I love the Coy Wire release and just don't know why it took so long for it to happen. What a bum. Finally no more number 28 on third downs. Schonert is actually going to use Lynch on third downs and I would rather see Fred Jackson get the token carry than Anthony Thomas. The Bills tendered an offer to Jason Jefferson also. This is the only move I have disagreed with this week by the front office. Jason Jefferson are you kidding me? I got sick to my stomach every time this dude was on the field. With Leonhard getting released, the Bills now lack depth and safety and really are depending on KO Simpson being good because the only other free safety we got is George Wilson, who as far as I am concerned should be cut.

All in all, good start to free agency for Buffalo. Landing stroud is an absolute must and would change the entire look of the Bills defense. Think about a front seven of McCargo, Stroud, Schobel, Kelsay, Poz, Crowell and Mitchell. This is actually respectable and maybe the Bills defense could crack the top 30.