Bills fans hope their team takes a huge plummet in these standings

Bills fans can take heart. It could be worse. They could be fans of the Washington Nationals or Detroit Lions or Chicago Cubs. According to On Numbers, a group that measures fan loyalty and lunacy, those franchises rank as the three most difficult teams to root for in all of sports.

That’s not to say Bills followers have it easy. Buffalo’s football franchise ranks 10th on the list that includes the 122 professional sports teams in North America (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL.) The Bills “earned” their spot based largely on the past 11 seasons, which have seen them post just one winning record and zero playoff appearances. The fact Buffalo has never won a Super Bowl also factors into the equation.

I guess if you pledge your allegiance to one of these underachieving clubs you could wear this like a badge of honor. You could argue that anyone can root for a perennial winner, but that it takes true character to pull for a team stuck eye-deep in mediocrity season after painful season. So a case can be made that fans of these clubs are vastly more loyal than say the fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, New England Patriots, San Antonio Spurs, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Yankees, who can be found at the bottom of the rankings.

Either that, or they are masochists or in a serious state of denial.

By the way, the Sabres can be found near the middle of the pack at 59th. Of course, Buffalo’s hockey fans have had many more reasons in the past decade to feel happier than their football brethren. And that chasm likely has widened in the past several months, thanks to the arrival of deep-pocketed new Sabres owner Terry Pegula.

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Speaking of fans whose patience has been severely tested but now see signs of hope, how about those Pittsburgh Pirates? The Bucs haven’t experienced a winning season since 1992 – the longest drought in the history of North American sports. But today – and, no, folks, this is not a misprint – they find themselves in first place in the National League Central. Keep playing like that and they will be relinquishing their No. 7 spot when On Numbers produces its next list a year from now.

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Fifteen years ago tonight I was in Atlanta’s Olympic stadium (now the Braves ballpark) watching Muhammad Ali stun the world by lighting the cauldron. There had been heavy speculation that famous Georgians Jimmy Carter or Hank Aaron would ignite the big flame. But the Olympic organizers did a masterful job keeping the identity of the cauldron lighter a secret. I remember the 80,000-seat stadium trembling with applause when Ali was shown on the big screen. It truly was an indelible moment.

Ruminating on Bills uniforms, Boeheim's fantasy camp and Detective Columbo

I'm old school when it comes to the Buffalo Bills uniforms. I've long advocated a return to the 1960s uni's with the royal blue jerseys and the classic red, grazing buffalo on the white helmet.

But I must admit, at first glance, I like the new Bills threads, even with the return of the charging buffalo. There is a retro feel, especially with the return to the white helmets, and the color scheme of the jerseys and pants.

They're a marked improvement over the uniform changes Tom Donahoe instituted back in 2002. Maybe the Bills can hold a ceremony where they burn a jersey from that era. It would be a symbolic gesture to divorce themselves from the worst stretch in franchise history.

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Kudos to CEO Russ Brandon and the Bills front office for having members of the military model the uniforms last night at the Ralph. Classy move.

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The announcement that the Jets will not be staging their training camp at Cortland State this summer doesn't bode well for the Bills coming back to St. John Fisher late next month. The lockout is forcing NFL teams to stage their camps at home, and I fear that the Bills will be making a similar announcement if a new labor agreement isn't ironed out by the Fourth of July.

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Jim Boeheim has come up with another creative way to raise money for his charitable foundation. This August, he's staging a three-day fantasy camp for adults 35-and-older in which participants will get to play with and be coached by SU basketball legends, including Pearl Washington, Roosevelt Bouie, Billy Owens and John Wallace. The price is steep ($5,500 per camper), but it sounds like a cool experience for those who really, really bleed orange. Thirty of the 35 openings have been filled. For more information, you can check out Boeheim's website.

Now, to make the camp even more realistic, I think Coach Jim should have a sportswriter on hand to grill the campers after practices and games. For the right price, I would be happy to play the role.

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Looking forward to seeing the inaugural class of the Section V Baseball Hall of Fame honored before tomorrow's Red Wings game at Frontier Field. It's a very impressive group of inductees, featuring a number of Rochester-area ballplayers who went on to enjoy big-league success.

Among them are George "Twinkle Toes" Selkirk, who had the uneviable task of playing right field for the Yankees immediately after they got rid of a guy by the name of Babe Ruth. Selkirk wound up having a nice major-league career, but the bleacher creatures in the Bronx were brutal toward him.

Another one of tomorrow's honorees will be Johnny Antonelli, the former Jefferson High ace pitcher who won 125 games in the majors and was a five-time All-Star and a World Series champion. He's also one of the nicest and most humble men you'll ever meet.

Johnny and I have sat down for several interview sessions. We're collaborating on his autobiography, which will be published by RIT Press next spring. He has some fabulous stories of playing for the New York Giants in the 1950s, when the Big Apple featured three big-league clubs and was the capital of baseball.

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It's a marvelous day for western New York hockey fans, now that the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans have reconciled after a three-year separation. I think it's great that Sabres owner Terry Pegula purchased the Amerks, but let's also give credit to the man he bought the team from - Curt Styres. Styres inherited a minor-league hockey franchise heavily in debt, and lost millions of dollars attempting to revive it. Without his efforts, the team very well might have left town.

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Ah, just one more thing. I was saddenned to hear of Peter Falk's death yesterday. His portrayal of Lt. Columbo, the dis-jointed, cigar-chomping detective in the rumpled trench coat was one of my all-time favorite television characters.

Falk earned his master's degree from Syracuse University in 1953 and applied to work for the CIA, but was rejected. The CIA's loss was our gain, as Falk embarked on a successful acting career that saw him earn two Oscar nominations before his immensely popular 1970s tv series.

Falk lost his eye to cancer at age 3 and early in his acting career a producer told him he would never make it because of his glass eye. Fortunately, Falk didn't listen to that negative nabob.

Falk reveled in telling the story of disputing an umpire's call during a Little League Baseball game as an 11-year-old. At one point, Falk became so infuriated that he actually removed his glass eye and said to the arbiter, "Here, maybe you can use this."

McNabb wouldn't be Bledsoe II, but it's probably a moot point now any way

Not surprisingly, my suggestion that the Bills trade a first-round pick for Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb stirred up some passionate responses. Roughly 60 percent were in favor of the move, but the 40 percent who opposed it clearly were more vehement.

A few readers compared the move to the one the Bills made eight years ago for Drew Bledsoe. But I maintain there are major differences. While McNabb isn’t as good as he was in his prime, he is not the washed-up quarterback that Bledsoe was when Buffalo acquired him from the Patriots. Drew was coming off a life-threatening injury and had lost his job to Tom Brady, who promptly guided New England to its first Super Bowl title. Bledsoe was reborn for about 12 games that first season in Buffalo, then reverted to the sack/turnover-prone QB he had become in the years leading up to the injury that cost him his job. I think McNabb’s statistics from the past two seasons reflect a quarterback who is still near the top of his game, and I believe he has about three solid seasons left.

Another critic compared McNabb to Matt Casell. Again, I don’t believe the comparison is accurate. Casel's football resume included just one successful NFL season (and a lackluster college football career) before he left New England for Kansas City, where he struggled mightily for a bad Chiefs team. McNabb has proven himself over a dozen seasons, and was a three-time Big East Conference player-of-the-year at Syracuse Unviersity.

Many Bills fans are still pining for Michael Vick, saying he would be a better option than the immobile McNabb behind Buffalo’s inexperienced offensive line. Yes, Vick could probably do a better job of running for his life, but he’s been about as accurate throwing the football as SU basketball center Arinze Onuaku has been from the free-throw line. To me, Vick is a much worse option than McNabb, who would bring leadership, an ability to read defenses and a much more accurate arm. Vick is NOT the answer, folks. He was an electrifying player (emphasis on the word WAS) but he never was a good quarterback.

This debate, though fun to engage in, probably has become moot anyway because sources in Philly are saying that McNabb doesn’t care to go to an organization in a serious rebuilding mode. The more likely scenarios include him staying with the Eagles or being traded to Minnesota (depending, of course, on Brett Favre’s status) or Arizona (McNabb lives there in the off-season and the Cardinals aren’t exactly enamored with Matt Leinart as Kurt Warner’s replacement.)

If McNabb’s not an option, then I’m taking a serious look at drafting Jimmy Clausen from Notre Dame. I believe he has the grit, swagger and arm to succeed in Buffalo. Of course, in order to procure him, the Bills are going to have to trade up and be willing to suffer through a transition year while he learns the NFL ropes, surrounded by a supporting cast in serious need of a talent upgrade.

• Happy 201st birthday to Abraham Lincoln. And belated birthday wishes to Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame president Tony Liccione, who turned 61.

• My wife, Beth, is so happy to have her dining room table back now that I’ve finished the heavy work on three different books. Hey, what can I tell you, writers need room to spread all their stuff. (More on the specifics of the books in an upcoming blog.)

• I think Johnny Damon is a fool for listening to super agent Scott Boras and making a ridiculous contract demand from the Yankees. How much money does one person need? Too many athletes and celebrities measure wealth only in dollars and cents. Why not return to a place where you are welcomed by teammates and fans and where you have a chance to win another World Series?

• I was going to try to convince Beth that a trip to the Carrier Dome to watch Syracuse play Sunday would be a great way to spend Valentine’s Day, but I could see how being surrounded by close to 30,000 orange-clad, vociferous crazies might not be considered romantic.

* One of the readers opposed to my McNabb idea said it was a good thing I wasn't the Bills GM. Hey, I might not be qualified, but I definitely think I could have matched the records of the office-holders of the previous 10 years. It's pretty hard in today's NFL to go a decade without a playoff appearance and record just one winning season.

* I'm thinking it's a mortal lock that Wayne Gretzky lights the Olympic cauldron tonight.

If I'm the Bills I'd go hard after McNabb

There are reports the Bills are one of three teams (Denver and Cleveland are the others) to inquire about the availability of Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb.

That’s good news and I hope Buffalo pursues McNabb aggressively.

Although he played poorly against the Dallas Cowboys in late-season and playoff games and will turn 34 on Nov. 25, I believe the former Syracuse star still has plenty left in the tank. He finished 2009 with 22 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 3,553 passing yards and a 92.9 quarterback rating. Compare those stats with the paltry numbers compiled by the Bills QB triumvirate of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Trent Edwards and Brian Brohm, who combined for 15 TD passes and 19 interceptions and just 2,463 yards.

Yes, there are risks in making this deal. McNabb can be sack- and injury-prone, but he would give the team the leadership and experience it’s been lacking at football’s most important position for nearly a decade. If you could squeeze three more seasons out of McNabb that would give you time to draft a quarterback in a later round and groom him for the future. Donovan clearly would sell tickets, and his appeal would stretch all the way to Central New York, where thousands of Orange fans would become Bills fans.

I’d be willing to part with a No. 1 in order to acquire him. Here’s hoping Buddy Nix goes after McNabb as hard as he said he went after Chan Gailey.

• I don’t know much about the two new strength and conditioning coaches the Bills hired, but I like the fact they made a change. The Bills lost an NFL-leading 20 players to the injured reserve list last season, an inordinately high number at a time when the percentage of IR players dropped throughout the league. Yes, many injuries can be attributed to bad luck, but Buffalo has appeared to suffer more injuries than most teams in recent years, so there might be more at work here than just fate. Instituting a new training program can’t hurt.

• There’s been a lot of grumbling about former Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little making the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite lacking glowing numbers. But sometimes you have to look beyond the numbers. Little played behind some terrible offensive lines (think the Bills lines that O.J. played behind before the arrival of Joe DeLamielleure and Reggie McKenzie) for most of his career, and still managed to lead the league in rushing one season. Without Little, the Broncos probably would not have survived and become one of the NFL’s premier and most valuable franchises. I believe he belongs. Just as I believe Andre Reed and Steve Tasker belong in Canton, too.

Call it: Manning 34, Saints 27

A Super Bowl victory by the Saints clearly would be a great story, considering all the trying stuff the city of New Orleans has been through. But there are two words why I don't believe it will happen: Peyton Manning.

The Colts field general is such an incredibly cerebral quarterback who is able to figure out even the most complex defenses. And there have been few players in the history of the game who have been able to elevate the play of those around him as well as Manning has. Look at what he has done despite the loss of all-time great receiver Marvin Harrison, the lack of a solid run game and the tepid backing of a defense that will never be mistaken for the Steel Curtain.

I'm hoping for a close game, but after witnessing two of the most compelling Super Bowls the past two years, we might be due for a clunker, especially if the Saints experience first-time jitters and start turning it over.

Call it Indianapolis 34, New Orleans 27.

* Imagine how different the history of the Colts would have been if general manager Bill Polian had chosen Ryan Leaf instead of Manning. In retrospect, the decision seems like a no-brainer, but at the time the majority of NFL GMs polled said they would draft Leaf. The rap against Manning was that at Tennessee he couldn't win the big game against arch-rival Florida and that he was a mechanical, immobile quarterback who relied too heavily on systems and couldn't improvise on the fly. So much for that scouting report.

* People forget that before the incredible success the Colts have enjoyed this past decade, they were among the dregs of the NFL when they first stole away to Indy. The joke during their early years in the Hoosier State was that Colts stood for: Can Only Lose This Sunday.

* Back to Polian, I can't help but wonder how different the history of the Buffalo Bills would have been these past 16 years if he were still in Western New York as GM and president. Purely speculation on my part, but I believe there would have been at least two Lombardi Trophies in the lobby of the Bills administration building at One Bills Drive.

* I love the fact that we get to watch the 'Cuse play hoops on this Super Bowl Sunday. It sure beats having to watch yet another two hours of mind-numbing football analysis.

* This Syracuse matchup with Cincinnati has all the markings of a trap-game upset. The Orange have been rolling along and have big games with UConn and Louisville at home followed by a Georgetown rematch in D.C., so they could be looking ahead. Plus, the 14-8 Bearcats are a tough out at home, having won 11 of 12 at Cincy's Fifth Third Arena.

Catching up on Wesley Johnson's fall, DeHaven's return and other sporting topics

Sorry folks for the sparse verbiage of late, but I had three books coming due at once, so my words have flowed elsewhere.

That said, it's time to play a little catchup:

* That scary tumble Wesley Johnson took during the Syracuse basketball game the other night evoked sad memories of what happened to late Rochester Royals star Maurice Stokes. Like Johnson, Stokes was undercut while way up in the air, but unfortunately, Stokes landed on his head and wound up almost dying. He suffered encephylitis - swelling of the brain - and never walked or talked again. Fortunately, his teammate, Jack Twyman, became his legal guardian and he and his family looked after Stokes for the rest of his life. Their friendship is one of the truly compelling sports stories of all-time.

* I'm happy to see Bruce DeHaven back in Buffalo as special teams coach. He clearly was made a scapegoat for the Music City Miracle kickoff return that bounced the Bills from the playoffs back in 2000. DeHaven played a pivotal role in Buffalo's extraordinary special teams during the Super Bowl run of the early 1990s. It's too bad the Bills lost special teams guru Bobby April, but landing DeHaven clearly lessens that loss.

* That's incredible that there will be 34,000-plus at the Dome for Syracuse's game against 'Nova later this month, but I'm just wondering why they capped it at that number. One of these days it would be neat to try to move the basketball court to the middle of the football field and shoot for 40,000 or 45,000.

* I get a kick out of people who try to instantly grade college football recruiting classes. NFL teams spend millions of dollars researching prospective pro players and they still get it wrong more than 50 percent of the time. So, when you're attempting to project what kind of college players 17- and 18-year-old high school kids will become, the odds you're going to be wrong are even higher.

* It's great to see former Bills Frank Reich and Pete Metzelaars having success as assistant coaches with the Indianapolis Colts. They are classy guys who deserve another shot at the ring that eluded them in Buffalo.

* I'm happy that Dick Jauron landed the defensive back coach's job with the Philadelphia Eagles. I always thought he was a decent man, who just didn't have what it took to be an NFL head coach.

* And while we're on the subject of former Bills head coaches, New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will be facing one of his toughest chess matches when he tries to stop the cerebral Peyton Manning. If Williams somehow managed to befuddle the Colts Hall of Fame QB, he could put himself back in the running for another NFL head coaching job.

Gailey's hiring by the Bills a surprise, but not necessarily a pleasant one

As this search stumbled on and candidate after candidate after candidate said thanks but no thanks, it became painfully obvious that the Bills would have to settle for an underwhelming choice as their new head coach.

And that’s clearly what’s happened with the naming of NFL retread Chan Gailey as the 15th coach in franchise history Tuesday afternoon.

Because his name hadn’t surfaced on anyone’s radar screen or blog, Gailey’s hiring came as a complete surprise. But not a pleasant one. His coaching resume isn’t much more impressive than the Bills’ previous retread hire – Dick Jauron – and we all know how wonderfully that worked out.

Of course, beggars can’t be choosers.

After Bill Cowher, Mike Shananhan, Brian Schottenheimer, Jim Harbaugh, Russ Grimm, Marty Schottenheimer (am I missing anyone here?) turned them down, they decided to end this embarrassing process and hire a guy who has had moderate coaching success during a much-traveled career that has seen him work as either a head coach or assistant for 11 teams/schools in the past 33 years.

So much for a big splash, or even a fresh face, such as the Minnesota Vikings hot defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier, who reportedly had been the Bills top remaining candidate.

Owner Ralph Wilson had promised dramatic changes after Buffalo completed the first playoff-less decade in the team’s 50-year history. He was going to shake things up from top to bottom. No job was safe. Money wouldn’t be an object, even if it took $10 mil a year to lure the likes of a Shanahan or Cowher. But, on the surface, it appears as if it’s the same old, same old at One Bills Drive, what I termed back in October as the “status woe.”

Gailey, 58, becomes the fifth Buffalo head coach since Marv Levy retired 13 years ago. You’d be historically accurate in saying that Levy was a coaching retread too when he was hired to replace Hank Bullough midway through the 1986 campaign and went on to earn more than 100 victories and a bust in Canton. Of course, Marv had a lot more going for him than Gailey does – namely a talented roster featuring future superstars such as Jim Kelly, Andre Reed and Bruce Smith and a front office led by Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian and shrewd talent-assessor John Butler.

So are there any glimmers of hope with this hire? Any reason to believe the Bills won’t continue to be stuck in NFL purgatory? Let me try to offer a few positives from Gailey’s resume:

• He has NFL head coaching experience, having guided two so-so Dallas Cowboys teams to an 18-16 record and two playoff appearances in the late 1990s;
• He is regarded as an innovative thinker whose work as an offensive coordinator with the Steelers, Dolphins, Chiefs and Cowboys was lauded by his players and peers;
• He comes to Buffalo on the recommendation of Cowher, who reportedly was going to bring Gailey along as his assistant head coach/offensive coordinator when he returns to the NFL sidelines;
• He won’t be queasy about having to work with mediocre quarterbacks such as Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm (I left Trent Edwards off this list because I believe he’s a goner). After all, Gailey was able to make it to four Super Bowls and 11 playoffs in 15 NFL seasons with the likes of Mike Tomczak, Kordell Stewart and Jay Fiedler.

I want to cut the guy some slack, I really do. Just as I want to cut Bills GM Buddy Nix some slack. But it just seems that we’ve been down this road so many times before and the final destination never winds up being the playoffs.

Mark my words: McGwire still delusional

I'm glad Mark McGwire finally admitted what most of us have known for years - that he used steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs during his baseball career. But I'm disappointed to hear him say the juice had no bearing on him producing other-worldly numbers.

Come on, Mark.

If you are going to come clean, come completely clean.

We're not stupid. You never hit more than 49 home runs before in a season and all of a sudden you dial long distance 70 times and hit balls 30, 40, 50 feet farther than you ever hit them before, and we're supposed to believe that it was just your superior hand-eye coordination, some extra bench presses and your Wheaties.

As far as I'm concerned, your mea culpa only made it to second base. If you want us to forgive you, you're going to have to stop deluding yourself that you would have put up those numbers regardless if you were juicing or not.

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Now that McGwire has sort of confessed, will we hear from the other major frauds of the Steroids Era - Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa? Methinks not.

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Hey, at least temporarily, NBC has created some drama in its 10 p.m. time slot. I normally don't watch Leno, but I flipped it on last night just to listen to him diss his bosses.

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If you connect the dots, Buddy Nix probably is hoping for a Schottenheimer father-son coaching combo.

Nix sided with Marty Schottenheimer when the former San Diego head coach was on the outs with Chargers general manager A.J. Smith a few years ago. Nix would like to have Marty be the Bills head coach for the next year or two, then turn the reins over to Brian Schottenheimer, the Jets offensive coordinator, who will interview for the Buffalo head job in the near future. Interestingly, Brian's three NFL jobs before the Jets were with teams his dad coached.

If the Schottenheimer connection fails, Nix might lean to Ron Rivera, the Chargers defensive coordinator.

And I'm still wondering why Brian Billick hasn't been interviewed. I hope it isn't because the Bills aren't willing to pay for the top-flight staff of assistants Billick wants to bring with him.

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Brian Schottenheimer spent the 1999 season as Syracuse's quarterbacks coach under Paul Pasqualoni. Troy Nunes was the QB that season as the Orangemen went 7-5 with a 20-13 victory over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. Schottenheimer left SU after one year to take a similar position with USC, before returning to the NFL. I don't know what kind of relationship Schottenheimer had with Pasqualoni, but I wonder if he would consider his former boss as his defensive coordinator should he become the Bills head coach.

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Although Syracuse is ranked fifth again in the current college basketball poll, they haven't been playing like a Top-5 team lately. I still believe that when crunch time arrives later this Big East season, Wesley Johnson is going to need to become a little more selfish and take more shots. He's definitely capable of carrying a team.

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I don't have a vote, but if I did Kurt Warner would be a first-ballot selection for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He's a two-time league MVP and has a career passer rating of 93.7, which is better than all but a handful of quarterbacks in the Hall.

But the thing that seals it for me is his post-season play. He has a 9-3 record which includes a Super Bowl victory. In those 12 starts, Warner has thrown 31 touchdown passes, been intercepted 13 times and has an astounding 104.5 passer rating.

If that's not worthy of a bust in Canton, I don't know what is.

Opining on dad, movies, layoffs, the Bills coaching search and Goofy Gilbert

Had one of those shocking 'where-did-the-time-go?' revelations this morning when I realized my late dad would have been 97 years old today. He was born on this date in 1913 and died 10 days later in 1971 of a heart attack at age 58. I was 15 at the time and his death affected me profoundly. Those 15 years I had with him were very good ones, despite his declining health, and with each passing year I become more grateful and appreciative for the sacrifices he made for me. Happy Birthday, Dad! I miss you.

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Speaking of father-son moments, Beth and I recently saw "The Young Victoria'' at the Little Theater and we applauded when Matt Garner's name appeared among the credits rolling up the screen. Matt was co-editor of the movie and is son of my good friend and Democrat and Chronicle film critic Jack Garner. What a fabulous feeling that must be for Jack and his wife, Bonnie.

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And while I'm on the subject of movies, my lovely bride and I also saw "Up in the Air,'' starring George Clooney. I can see why the film has created such Oscar buzz. On a personal note, it was difficult watching people being laid off by the cold-hearted Clooney and his young assistant. Having been down-sized by a corporation myself, I could empathize with the real-life displaced people who appeared in the film. You have no idea how devastating and de-humanizing the experience is unless you go through it yourself. This movie does an incredible job of putting real faces on this most cold and cruel numbers game, which sadly has become the American way of doing business in the 21st Century.

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Now, on to other, less personal, matters . . .

* I've written it before and I'll write it again: I hope I'm wrong but I just don't see Bill Cowher winding up as the new Bills coach. And the interview Ralph Wilson had with The Associated Press Friday has only strengthenned that belief. When asked if the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach is interested in the Buffalo job, Ralph responded: "I don't know. You'd have to ask him.'' Cowher isn't going to a place that will sully his reputation. He wants to have a fighting chance to turn a program around, and he probably doesn't believe that will be the case in Buffalo. I think Cowher will return to the TV studio and wait until next year to test the NFL coaching waters again.

* I'm wondering why the Bills haven't yet interviewed Brian Billick, the former Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl-winning coach or Jim Fassel or Marty Schottenheimer.

If they aren't going to sign a former NFL head coach, I'd like to see them take a chance on Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh. I know there's a high failure rate among former college coaches making the leap to the pro sidelines, but Harbaugh has experience as an NFL assistant and his 14 years as a quarterback, playing for respected coaches such as Ted Marchibroda, Mike Ditka and Bill Walsh should be viewed as a major plus for a team that's going to need to develop a QB during this major rebuilding process.

While we're on the subject, is Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier a better alternative than former Bills interim head coach/defensive coordinator Perry Fewell? Yes, Frazier has produced top-rated defenses in Minnesota the past two years, but look at the talent he's had his disposal. Fewell had to make a go of it with fewer skilled players and had to overcome the loss to injuries of five full-time starters and one part-time starter on defense. I'm not campaigning for Perry to become the Bills full-time coach. I just think it would to too tough a sell to Bills fans who would perceive it as Ralph taking the easy way out again. I just wonder how much better a hire Frazier or some other hot-shot coordinator would be.

* I'm not ready to anoint Alabama national champion in football. Let 'em play unbeaten Boisie State, then I'll cast a ballot for No. 1. You know where I'm going with this - a playoff for NCAA Division I football.

* I'm happy Andre Dawson finally earned induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, but I can't believe the voters conitnue to leave Bert Blyleven and Gil Hodges on the outside looking in. And I definitely would have included Roberto Alomar on my ballot if I had one. Yes, I know about the infamous spitting incident, but that was one bad transgression in an otherwise good-guy career. I've never seen a second baseman with more range, and Alomar's offensive numbers are comparable, if not superior, to several of the second sackers already enshrined in Cooperstown.

* Congratulations to Bills receiver Andre Reed for being one of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But I'm afraid his chances of being elected this time around are hurt by the fact there are two other receivers - Jerry Rice and Tim Brown - on the list. Voters don't like to overload a class with a particular position - unless it's quarterback - so Andre probably will have to wait 'til next year.

* Should gun-toting Gilbert Arenas be found guilty of a felony, NBA commissioner David Stern could void his entire contract, meaning Goofy Gilbert will be out $80 mil over the next four years. Perhaps that will send a message to athletes that they aren't above the law.

* And while we're talking about knucklehead athletes did you hear that Bills running back Marshawn Lynch is back in the news for allegedly stealing $20 from a woman at a T.G.I.F. Fridays in Orchard Park back in December? The Buffalo News reported that story this morning. He was going to be traded any way after his lack of production and previous problems, which resulted in a 3-game suspension at the start of the 2009 season. Unfortunately, this further devalues what the Bills can get for him in a trade. In the end, they may wind up having to just release him.

* My picks for the NFL this weekend: Jets over Bengals; Eagles over Cowboys; Pats over Ravens and Packers over Cards.

Bills end miserable decade on a winning note

Some random thoughts about the Bills 30-7 victory against the Indianapolis Colts in Buffalo’s season and decade finale Sunday while attempting to type with my gloves on in the frigid press box at the Ralph:

• How can you not feel good for Fred Jackson? Here is a guy who rose from the oblivion of Division III, paid his dues in the football minors before earning a roster spot with the Bills and making the most of his NFL opportunities once they arose. Jackson finished with 212 yards on 33 carries while frolicking in the snow against the Colts. The versatile Coe College product (yes, the same alma mater as Marv Levy, who recommended Jackson’s signing) finished with 1,062 yards rushing and became the first player in league history to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 kickoff return yards in the same season. Jackson’s proof that the NFL personnel evaluators, despite research more thorough than Sherlock Holmes, still haven’t found a way to measure heart and desire. Jackson clearly has been a diamond amid the ashes of this Bills season, the team MVP.

• Been covering this team for more than a quarter of a century and I’ve never seen worst white-outs at a Bills home game than I witnessed Sunday at the Ralph.

• I’m always astounded to see bare-chested fans watching games in sub-zero wind chills. I don’t care how liquored-up you are, that can’t be comfortable. And I wonder how they must feel the morning after when they’re being treated for frost-bite.

• I thought Perry Fewell did a decent job with what he had to work with during his seven-game audition, which resulted in a 3-4 record. The Bills were competitive in all but one of the games he coached – the 31-3 loss to Atlanta the week before. And I liked the fact his players didn’t run for the bus and instead put in an all-out effort against the Colts “JV’’ team in the season finale Sunday. I think Fewell will be a head coach in the NFL again someday. I just don’t believe the timing is right for him to take over the Bills at this time. I think it would be a tough sell to Buffalo fans who have suffered through a miserable decade and are clamoring for dramatic changes. That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing Fewell back as the Bills defensive coordinator.

• Well, if that indeed was the final glimpse of Terrell Owens in a Bills uniform, it was a memorable one. That 41-yard touchdown reception in the snow and the high-fives T.O. administered to many of the zanies who stayed till the end was a nice farewell. Interestingly, T.O. didn’t totally rule out a return to Buffalo next season, citing the hiring of new general manager Buddy Nix, who coached the diva receiver in college. I don’t see it happening. Then again, I never saw Owens coming here in the first place.

• At least the diehards who braved today’s blizzard conditions got to see Peyton Manning for three series. The dropoff from the legendary Colts quarterback to backup Curtis Painter is like going from the top of Mt. Everest to the bottom of Death Valley. Manning completed 14-of-18 for 95 yards and one pick in a game that amounted to nothing more than a playoff tune-up exhibition for him. Painter, meanwhile, completed 4-of-17 for 39 yards, a pick and a 15.1 pass efficiency rating. He also lost a fumble. Hey, on the positive side, his rating was better than last week, when he posted an 11.2 rating.

• Ryan Fitzpatrick had a decent outing, throwing three touchdown passes and no picks for the Bills. But let’s keep things in perspective. He didn’t have to contend with Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis breathing down his neck. Imagine how miserable life would have been for Fitz if he and his offensive line had to face the Colts sackmeisters?

• It was so cold at the Ralph, I kept waiting for the Zamboni to come out to clear the field during timeouts.

• With Jamon Meredith starting at left tackle, the Bills fielded their ninth different offensive line combo this season.

• ESPN reported that Bill Cowher had interviewed with Buffalo. As much as I would love to see it happen, I’m still having a problem believing the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach is truly interested in coaching the Bills.

One scribe's picks for sports stories of the decade

As this year and decade reaches two outs in the bottom of the ninth, I find myself reflecting on the sports stories I was privileged to cover the past 10 years.

During journeys around the corner and the world, I was able to write about triumphs big and small. And whether it was sweating out the final pitches of my son’s Little League no-hitter, watching Abby Wambach’s euphoria after winning Olympic gold, chronicling J-Mac scoring baskets and a victory over autism or bidding farewell to Yankee Stadium, I was reminded of why I fell in love with sports in the first place.

So, as I prepare my “stories-of-the-decade” list, I’m going to leave the performance-enhancing drug scandals and the tawdry Tiger tales to others. Instead, I offer some stories that resonated with me and my readers.

A WALKING MIRACLE: The initial diagnosis for Kevin Everett was bleak. A day after the Bills tight end crumpled to the ground while making a tackle during the 2007 season opener, doctors told us that his chances of walking again were almost nil and that his life was still in danger. But in the ensuing days, we witnessed a miracle. Everett began regaining feeling in his legs and was able to come off the respirator. Within a few months, he was able to walk again. On Opening Day 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Everett received a thunderous standing ovation as he walked to mid-field to receive an award for courage. It was the most inspiring route I’ve ever witnessed on a football field.

COLOR THIS CHAMPIONSHIP ORANGE: Early during the 2002-03 season I wrote that the Syracuse University basketball team was destined for something special and I wouldn’t be surprised if they went a long, long way in March. Thanks to the hoops heroics of precocious freshmen Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara my words proved prophetic as the Orangemen exorcised the ghost of Keith Smart to win their first NCAA basketball championship in the same building – the New Orleans Superdome – where Indiana’s Smart had beaten them with a last-second jumper 16 years earlier. This SU alum couldn’t help but feel a tinge of Orange pride while witnessing something he had resigned himself would never happen in his lifetime.

THE GIRL WITH THE GOLDEN SHOES: Before the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Rochester soccer star Abby Wambach signed a deal with Nike in which she would wear golden soccer cleats. They wound up matching perfectly with the gold medal she helped the U.S. women’s soccer team win with a goal in the championship game. Having written about Abby since her high school days made the moment all the more special for me. And I couldn’t help but wonder if Nike – the Goddess of Victory in Greek mythology – had been smiling down on Abby, who was only too happy to give her retiring teammate and childhood idol, Mia Hamm, a fitting going-away present.

A PROFILE IN COURAGE: Mike Fennell was a strapping, hard-nosed catcher from Fairport High School who spent several seasons in the Yankees organization before returning to Rochester, where he wound up coaching high school baseball at McQuaid. He had been a teammate of John Elway’s with the Oneonta Yankees and I got to know Mike through friends of mine from Rome, N.Y. who had been teammates of his at LeMoyne College. Mike had a great sense of humor and an iron will, and both traits would serve him well after he was diagnosed with inoperable, non-smoker’s lung cancer in 2000. For the final 18 months of his life, Mike gave us a primer on how to live life even when you know you are dying. The thing I remember most is how his players rallied around him, shaving their heads bald in a show of solidarity after Mike had lost his hair during chemo treatments. The lessons Mike taught those young men had obviously gone well beyond baseball.

MARV AND JIMBO ARE IMMORTALIZED IN CANTON: Yes, it’s been a rotten decade for the Bills, the worst in team history. But the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions of Marv Levy and Jim Kelly reminded us of the glory days when the wins and excitement were in abundant supply at Orchard Park on autumnal Sunday afternoons. Both Marv and Jim gave compelling speeches during their inductions in Canton, Ohio, enabling us to relive those halcyon Bills days of the late 1980s and early ‘90s. I’ll never forget seeing Marv pose near his bust, looking like a giddy youngster instead of a silver-haired 76-year-old. Sheer, unadulterated joy. And I’ll never forget Jim talking about his son, Hunter, who was in the crowd for dad’s induction. Hunter’s courageous battle with Krabbes disease would end in death not long after Jimbo’s poignant tribute to his son.

A SON GIVES A DAD A SPECIAL GIFT: Seven springs ago, my son, Christopher, gave his old man an early Father’s Day present by tossing a Little League no-hitter. As I watched him deliver the final, tense pitches, I was overcome by nostalgic feelings. I thought about the countless hours we had spent playing catch in the field behind our house on days so cold you could write your name with your breath and days so hot even the sun was perspiring. I remembered showing him how to grip the ball and crease his cap and scream “I’ve got it.” I recalled how it hurt like hell when I was catching for him and one of his pitches bounced in the dirt and caromed off my chin or my kneecap or someplace much more delicate. As I reflect now on those moments, I realize those times were about much more than playing catch. They were about a father and son making a life-long connection.

A GOLD-RUSH IN BEIJING: To be honest, I’m not much of a swim fan. I appreciate the incredible dedication and skill it takes to excel in the pool, but it’s just not my cup of tea. That said, I was definitely a swim fan two Augusts ago – I think the whole world was – as Michael Phelps torpedoed his way through the pool at the Water Cube to win his eighth gold medal of the 2008 Olympics to break Mark Spitz’s record. I’m a huge history buff, so it was great being there that day. The funny thing is that I almost missed Phelps’ golden moment. About an hour before his record race, I was barfing in one of the bathrooms at the Ice Cube. Fortunately, I recovered in time to make it up to press row. My up-chucking moment prompted my brother-in-law to inquire if I deserved a medal in “hurling.’’

J-MAC-MANIA SWEEPS THE WORLD: I wasn’t there for that momentous February basketball game at Athena High School when Jason McElwain, the team manager with autisim, suited up and swished six jump shots. But I – and the rest of the planet for that matter – felt as if we were there after the homemade video hit the television airwaves and the Internet and went viral. J-Mac became an international phenomenon, appearing on Oprah and shaking hands with the President. His inspirational story earned him an ESPY for the year’s most memorable sports moment and was immortalized in a book. And there’s still talk that the story will travel from that little gym to the big screen.

SAYING GOOD-BYE TO AN OLD FRIEND: I made my first trip to Yankee Stadium with my dad on Sept. 17, 1966, Bobby Richardson Day. I was just 11 at the time and the sight of that enormous, emerald, ballyard in the South Bronx made an indelible impression on me. Thirty-two years later, I took my children, Amy and Christopher, there for their first big-league ball-game, and I couldn’t help but feel the presence of my late father. I wound up writing a book memorializing The House That Ruth Built two years ago, and was at the Stadium for the final game in 2008. As I sat in the stands following the final out that night, I felt my father’s spirit again. And as I walked out the turnstile a final time, I realized that I was bidding adieu not only to a ballpark, but my youth.

More of the same with Brohm at the controls

The hope was that new quarterback Brian Brohm would somehow defy the daunting odds and provide a sparkling finish to this dreary season and decade of Bills football.

But to virtually no one’s surprise that didn’t happen. Predictably, Brohm looked rusty and the Atlanta Falcons clobbered Buffalo, 31-3, in the Georgia Dome Sunday, ensuring the fourth double-digit-loss season for the Bills since 2000. At 5-10, they will close out the season against Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts next Sunday at the Ralph, and then the housecleaning will begin in earnest.

New general manager.

New coach.

Drastically revamped roster.

There will be no “off’’ in this off-season, and that is how it should be.

Brohm didn’t look sharp in his NFL regular-season debut, finishing with two interceptions and a long completion of just 15 yards. But it’s hard to accurately assess a guy who’s only been with the team for a month-and-change and who worked with the first unit for the first time this week. Of course, it’s difficult to assess anybody behind this patch-work offensive line. That said, it’s a pretty good bet the guy who was claimed off the Green Bay Packers practice squad isn’t the Bills quarterback of the future.

Brohm did seem to find a little rhythm as the game progressed, but his final stat line – 17 completions in 29 attempts for 146 yards – was similar to the mediocrity we’ve grown accustomed to from Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Both of his interceptions were poorly thrown. Still, the first one, intended for Terrell Owens in the end zone, might have had a different outcome had T.O. at least competed for the ball.

The Bills had hoped to take some of the pressure off of Brohm with their run game, but it wound up being almost non-existent. Fred Jackson managed just 39 yards in 13 carries against a Falcons defense that consistently put eight defenders in the box.

Interim Bills coach Perry Fewell’s players didn’t help his case for the permanent job. They wound up being embarrassed by the Falcons, especially by quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw for 250 yards and three scores in workmanlike fashion. And a 10-penalty game on the heels of an 11-penalty game doesn’t convey the idea of a well-coached team. Fewell didn’t help matters when he opted for a 42-yard field goal instead of going for it with his team already down by 24. At that point, what the heck do you have to lose?

The uninspired effort capped a weekend in which Mike Shanahan officially removed his name from the Bills coaching sweepstakes. That was hardly a surprise – the feeling here was that Shanahan was never truly interested in coming to Buffalo and was just using the Bills as a bargaining chip to squeeze even more millions out of Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Still, Shanahan’s announcement, coupled with Mike Holmgren’s earlier decision to rebuild the Cleveland Browns is further proof that Buffalo is not going to land a marquee name to right the ship.

Perhaps that isn’t a bad thing. If Bills COO Russ Brandon needed some encouragement in his search for the right football minds to revive this franchise, he only had to look at the Falcons model. In general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith, they found two relative unknowns who were ready to move into starting roles. Of course, their resuscitation of the Atlanta franchise wouldn’t have been possible if they hadn’t gambled and won with Ryan, the Boston College product who has proven the skeptical scouts wrong.

And whomever Brandon chooses to run the football front office and sidelines will have to eventually gamble and win at the quarterback position, which has been in flux pretty much ever since Jim Kelly hung up the helmet and shoulder pads more than a decade ago.

A forgettable Bills decade is coming to a sad conclusion

ORCHARD PARK - Following Sunday’s 17-10 loss to New England at the Ralph, Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens told us: “This is not the brand of Buffalo Bills football that I think these fans are used to.’’

Au contraire, T.O.

Au contraire.

Owens has only been here for one mediocre season, so he can be forgiven for not knowing that Bills fans are intimately familiar with this lousy brand of football – and have been for a decade.

This defeat – the 13th straight vs. the Patriots and 18th in 19 games in the series – dropped the Bills to 5-9 and officially eliminated them from playoff contention, meaning that for the first time in the franchise’s 50-year history Buffalo will have gone an entire decade without a playoff appearance. That’s right. They are zero-for-the-aughts – and the 21st century.

The Patriots team that took the field Sunday did not play like the jaugernaut Bills fans had grown accustomed to seeing for much of this decade. Riddled by injuries and lacking the swagger and experience they possessed while winning three Super Bowls, Tom Brady’s bunch looked vulnerable, ready to be had. But even during a transition year like this one, New England showed it’s good enough to continue beating Buffalo the way the Harlem Globetrotters used to beat the Washington Generals. Like a drum.

Brady didn’t play like the quarterback who has a bust awaiting him in Canton. He came to town with a 14-1 record, 32 touchdowns, just 11 interceptions and a 102.6 pass efficiency rating vs. Buffalo. He left the two-thirds-full Ralph with a 15-1 record against the Bills, but his numbers – 11-for-23, 115 yards, 1 TD, 1 pick, a 59.1 rating – were very Fitzpatrick-like. In fact, Ryan Fitzpatrick, who should be a permanent backup, tallied better numbers than Tom Terrific, completing 17-of-25 passes for 178 yards, a score, an interception and an 85.1 rating.

The Bills, obviously in a holiday mood, gave the Patriots two big gifts. Both of New England’s touchdowns were set up by pass interference penalties – a 43-yarder vs. safety Donte Whitner that led to Randy Moss’ 13-yard scoring reception with 2:22 left into the second quarter and a 21-yarder vs. Drayton Florence that paved the way for Laurence Maroney’s 1-yard scoring run with 24 seconds left in the half. Interestingly, on both interference calls, Brady, who’s been nursing sore ribs and a sore finger on his throwing hand, under threw his targets.

Buffalo kept the officials busy throughout the day, drawing 11 flags for 124 yards. The Bills started their eighth different offensive line combo of the season, and it showed as the Patriots – despite missing nose tackle Vince Wilfork and defensive end Ty Warren – sacked Bills quarterbacks six times. Rich Incognito, who practiced with the team for the first time Thursday was supposed to add some toughness to the O-line, was nabbed for two holding calls in his Bills debut.

Once again, Buffalo’s offense had difficulties sustaining drives. The Bills converted just 2-of-12 third downs. Both of those occurred on the Bills first drive, which was capped by Rian Lindell’s 25-yard field goal. They are now 6-for-35 on third-down conversions the past three games, solidifying their standing as worst in the league in that all-important category.

Owens’ grasp of the football wasn’t much better than his grasp of Bills history. He managed just two receptions for 20 yards, leaving him two shy of 1,000 receptions for his career. And he lost the duel of the diva receivers to Moss. A week after snatching just one pass and being accused by some Carolina Panther players of quitting during the game, Moss caught five passes for 70 yards and one score. It was hardly a Hall-of-Fame performance, but you would have thought so listening to Moss’ bluster at his post-game news conference. “These shoulders I have on my body, you could put the earth on it,’’ Moss said. “Just to let you know, I bounce back. I appreciate it.’’ And with that, he bolted out of the room without taking any questions.

Though he put up better numbers than he had the previous two weeks when he failed to pass for 100 yards in either game, Fitzpatrick showed once more that he isn’t the answer. The offense was so inept after the opening drive that interim coach Perry Fewell put deposed starter Trent Edwards into the game with 13:14 left in the fourth quarter. The results were disastrous. Edwards was sacked on his first play for a 10-yard loss. Fortunately, for him, the play was nullified by a facemask penalty. Edwards proceeded to throw a pass to Shawn Nelson for a loss of one. He then threw an incomplete pass and was sacked for a 9-yard loss, forcing the Bills to punt. Fitzpatrick was back in for the next series.

Which begs once again the question: Why isn’t Brian Brohm playing? Now that the Bills have officially been eliminated, it’s time to put the quarterback in there and see what he has. And it’s time to play receivers James Hardy and Steve Johnson. Evaluations for next season need to be made.

Are the Bills losing by winning at this point?

A reporter used the term “butt-ugly’’ when asking Perry Fewell about the Bills’ 16-10 victory Sunday against a Kansas City team even more dysfunctional than Buffalo. But the interim coach who is auditioning like hell to hang onto his job was quick to offer a different perspective on beauty.

“I don’t see any ugliness in victory,’’ said Bills coach Perry Fewell, who is 2-2 since replacing Dick Jauron.

“All victories are pretty.’’

We all understand where Fewell is coming from. This is his first shot at being an NFL head coach and he is doing his damndest to remove that temporary tag from his title and convince Ralph Wilson and long-suffering Bills fans to give him the opportunity to resuscitate the franchise with a full-time title next year.

So he views every victory as a feather in his cap. But what’s good for Fewell’s head-coaching prospects might not be what this franchise needs at this point.

The reality is that Sunday’s victory against an NFL dreg improved the Bills record to 5-8 but hurt their draft position. So, it can be argued that this win, or any win during the season’s final three games against New England, Atlanta and Indianapolis, would be ugly because it will adversely affect Buffalo’s draft position and hence its ability to bring aboard the talented players it needs to make a true turnaround.

Being a Bills fan these days is to be conflicted. You want to root for your team to win, but by winning now, your team may lose even more in the future.

***

Some quick observations from Sunday’s, ahem, thriller:

• The Bills commitment to the run paid off as Fred Jackson rushed 20 times for 99 yards and Marshawn Lynch 12 times for 84 yards. Buffalo finished with 200 yards against the league’s second-worst run defense.

• Good thing Jackson, Lynch and the maligned Bills offensive line came through because quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had another erratic day throwing the ball. He completed 12-of-20 for 86 yards, 1 score and 1 pick. He also lost a fumble. In the past two games, he is 21 of 43 for 184 yards with one score and 2 picks. I’m all for seeing what Brian Brohm can do. But I’m afraid that Fewell has a comfort level with Fitzpatrick. A QB change may have to be ordered by either Russ Brandon or Ralph Wilson. The Bills really need to see if Brohm can play or not before heading into the off-season.

• Brian Moorman and Rian Lindell continue to be the dependa-Bills. Moorman boomed a 73-yard punt and dropped three of his four boots inside the Kansas City 20. Lindell, meanwhile, connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts and has now converted a mind-boggling 67 of his last 68 tries from inside the 40-yard-line.

• I’d be worried if Matt Cassel were my quarterback of the future. In addition to being intercepted four times, he twice badly overthrew open receivers on fly patterns that would have resulted in touchdowns. That said, he would have engineered a heroic comeback victory had Chris Chambers not dropped that perfectly thrown pass inside the Bills 5-yard-line late in the game.

• Lee Evans’ disappearance this season continues to baffle me. He had one catch for 11 yards Sunday. During the past four games, the sixth-year wideout has five receptions for 104 yards. He hasn’t caught a touchdown pass during that stretch.

• Terrell Owens’ performance in recent weeks hasn’t been much better. He caught two passes for 15 yards – including a 9-yard reception for a touchdown – against Kansas City. That gives him five receptions for 46 yards and one score the past two games.

• Jairus Byrd, the sensational rookie defensive back from Oregon, continued his ball-hawking ways, picking off his league-leading 9th pass against KC. Byrd’s interception set a new Bills record for most picks by a first-year player.

• So the CBS announcers no sooner sing the praises of the Bills run defense when Jamaal Charles busts free on a 76-yard touchdown sprint with 3:10 to go in the third. The burst put him over the century mark and was the 9th time Buffalo has allowed a back to gain 100 yards this season.

• It was a big day for Buffalo’s Penn State linebackers. OK, so Bryan Scott isn’t really a linebacker, but he’s playing one these days. Scott made 10 tackles and tipped the pass that Byrd intercepted, and Paul Posluszny had nine tackles and an interception.

• Milestones within reach: Byrd needs one more interception in the final three games to tie the Bills single-season record of 10 shared by Billy Atkins (1961) and Tom Janik (1967) . . . Jackson needs 269 yards rushing to reach 1,000 . . . Owens needs 295 yards receiving to reach 1,000 . . . three straight wins would give Buffalo its first non-losing record since 2004. And, sadly, two more wins, would give the Bills a Groundhog Day special – a fourth consecutive 7-9 season.

Bills offense regresses in trip to Toronto

Woe, Canada.

For the second straight year, the Bills offense headed south north of the border.
Thursday night’s 19-13 loss to the Jets saw Buffalo’s “O’’ regress to the ineffective level that has been the norm in recent years . In their two games at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, the Bills have mustered just one touchdown and a total of 16 points. They are now 0-2 in Canada. So much for the home-away-from-homefield advantage.

The match-up everyone anticipated heading into this game – red-hot wideout Terrell Owens vs. Jets lock-down corner Darrelle Revis - turned into a mismatch. T.O. managed just three harmless receptions for 31 yards (it would have been four, but he dropped one), and Revis preserved the victory when he intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick’s underthrown pass to Owens on the Bills final series.

To be honest, I’m not surprised that Revis stuck to T.O. like sweat to skin, because he has a deserved reputation as one of the NFL’s best cover men. The thing that disappointed me more was Lee Evans’ failure to step up against the Jets less talented corner, Lito Sheppherd. The Bills wideout caught a pass for 38 yards on the game’s first drive, setting up Rian Lindell’s 49-yard field goal. But that was it for Evans. He didn’t catch another ball.

Of course, it didn’t help that the guy delivering the ball to him and T.O. had a putrid night. Ryan Fitzpatrick completed just 9-of-23 passes for 98 yards against a Jets defense that man-handled the Bills suspect offensive line. Fitzpatrick was under constant pressure, and often couldn’t step into his throws because guys were being pushed into his face.

Buffalo’s offensive highlight came on its fifth possession when Marshawn Lynch awakened briefly from his season-long slumber. He broke free on a 35-yard run – his longest this year – then scored on a 15-yard run to give the Bills a 10-6 lead early in the second quarter. But that was it for Beast Mode, and Fred Jackson, who’s replaced him in the starting lineup, had an off night with just 31 yards rushing on 13 carries.

The Bills offensive ineptitude was underscored by their conversion of just one of 11 third downs. And that, along with a Jets ground game that rushed for 249 yards, accounted for the 35:10-24:50 discrepency in time of possession.

Of Buffalo’s 13 possessions, seven ended in punts, one in a fumble and one in an interception.

The punts actually proved to be the Bills most potent weapon as Brian Moorman averaged 48 yards per boot and placed four of his kicks inside the Jets 20.

Despite giving up so much rushing yardage, the Bills defense played reasonably well, recording five sacks, including two by Kyle Williams, who is having a solid season.

All in all, though, it was not a very impressive performance by the Bills, who didn’t appear as energized as they had been in their first two games under interim head coach Perry Fewell. You could blame it on the short week, but the Jets were in the same boat.

With the Bills at 4-8, and just four games remaining, I would love to see Brian Brohm get some playing time so we can make an accurate assessment of him. I would definitely give him a look if Fitzpatrick and the Bills offensive has another ugly performance like this one.

New coach "Fewells'' Bills victory vs. Dolphins

ORCHARD PARK – I’m not ready to call off the Bills’ head-coaching search.

I’m not ready to remove the “interim’’ tag from the front of Perry Fewell’s title after just two games.

But I do like what I see from the new guy so far.

And apparently so do his players, who rapidly have become a reflection of their new coach.

Just as the Bills of the past three-years-and-change took on Dick Jauron’s play-not-to-lose, ultra-conservative personality, the Bills of the past two weeks have wholeheartedly adopted Fewell’s enthusiastic, let’s-play-to-win personality.

It didn’t quite work out for them in their fourth-quarter fade last Sunday against Jacksonville, but it worked out marvelously in Sunday’s 31-14 victory against the Miami Dolphins at the Ralph.

This win – which was iced with a 24-0 finishing kick in the final 15 minutes – emphatically, underscored the stark contrast between Fewell and his predecessor.

With 3:35 to go and the score knotted at 14, Fewell rolled the dice. Eschewing the punt (the safe decision; the one that Jauron would have made), Fewell sent in Rian Lindell to attempt a 56-yard field goal. He had missed a 44-yarder earlier in the game, but his coach had faith. And, yes, he knew the repercussions of a miss – the Dolphins would have new life and the ball on their 48-yard-line.

“It was on the cusp of his range,’’ Fewell explained. “He had missed the one earlier and I said to him, ‘Rian, we’re going to need you again.’ It was a gut feeling. I had confidence in him.’’

Confidence no doubt bolstered by watching Lindell connect consistently from that distance in pre-game warm-ups.

Lindell rewarded his coach’s faith with the longest field goal of his career.

“I knew the ramifications,’’ Fewell said. “But I thought at that point in time we could turn the tide.’’

That wasn’t the end of Fewell’s risk-taking.

On the Dolphins next possession, Bills cornerback Drayton Florence intercepted a Chad Henne pass returning it seven yards to Buffalo’s 49 with 2:31 remaining. Most coaches would have run the ball in an attempt to milk the clock. Not Fewell. He had preached aggressiveness all week to his players. If there was an opportunity to make a big play, he wanted them to take it.

On the first play following Florence’s pick, Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick noticed that Terrell Owens was being single-covered. Fitzpatrick immediately audibled and lofted a 51-yard touchdown pass down the right sidelines to T.O.

Buffalo 24, Miami 14.

Ballgame.

Donte Whitner picked off another Henne pass on the Dolphins next possession, and the Bills added a seven-yard touchdown run by Fred Jackson to complete the scoring, but the knockout blow clearly was Fitzpatrick’s bomb to Owens.

“I loved it,’’ Fewell said. “I told (Ryan) you have some big gonads, and I told him as long as he keeps hitting them, keep throwing them.’’

Fewell, 47, spent 29 years focusing on defense. He played defensive back in college and has coached on that side of the ball during his 13 seasons at the college level and his 12 seasons in the NFL, the past five with Buffalo.

So, you might expect him to play it close to the vest offensively, so as not to put his injury-riddled defense in tough situations. But Fewell has proven to have some big, um, guts, too, when it comes to going for it. And although his specialty is defense, he realizes as the head guy, he needs to coach the entire team, not just part of it.

“I told those guys (on offense) that I have confidence in them,’’ he said. “I’ve been over there in the huddle with them in practice. I look them in the eye. I believe in them, and so we’re just working together right now. I think we have good skilled players on the outside (T.O. and fellow wide receiver Lee Evans) and I think that if we get our playmakers the ball then we have the opportunity to score points, so that’s what we’re doing right now.’’

It’s no coincidence that T.O. has 14 catches for 293 yards and two long scores in the past two games after making just 26 receptions for 366 yards and 1 touchdown in his first 9 games.

T.O.’s revival has much to do with the change at quarterback and the change in philosophy – each attributable to the new head coach.

Fitzpatrick isn’t the Bills quarterback of the future, but he is a noticeable improvement over the skittish Trent Edwards. The guy from Harvard completed 17-of-26 passes for 246 yards and a score, and also gained 50 yards on seven carries, one of his totes resulting in a 31-yard touchdown, the longest TD ramble ever by a Bills QB. And don’t forget, Fitzpatrick achieved this playing behind a patch-work offensive line that did a weak job protecting him – yielding six sacks and numerous pressures.

Fewell also deserves credit for the decision to make Jackson, not Marshawn Lynch, the featured back. Like Lindell, T.O., Fitzpatrick and a bunch of other Bills, Jackson rewarded his coach’s belief in him with a solid all-around game Sunday – 15 carries, 73 yards, 2 scores; 5 receptions, 43 yards, and 20.3 yards on three kickoff returns.

Again, I’m not calling for Ralph Wilson to cancel the search. I’d still like to see the Bills owner bring in a head coach with a proven track record.

But I’m beginning to think that Fewell may have the leadership skills and the intestinal fortitude necessary to be a head coach in this league. And that’s “head coach” without the interim tag.

Another Bills defeat, but encouraging signs in Fewell's debut

We learned on the opening coin toss that, thankfully, we no longer are living in the Dick Jauron Error.

Instead of following the illogical tendency of his predecessor and deferring until the second-half kickoff, new Bills head coach Perry Fewell opted to take the ball right away. Yes, I know, Buffalo squandered that first possession when Ryan Fitzpatrick threw an interception, but I liked the aggressive approach Fewell took. It sent a message to his team that “we’re going to go for it right from the start.’’ He was playing to win instead of playing not to lose.

And I loved the emotion and energy Fewell showed along the sidelines and in the play-calling on both sides of the ball. How refreshing it was to see a coach really into the game. I’m not saying you need to be a raving maniac, but neither do you need to act like a walking corpse.

Now, I’m sure many of you are grumbling that the results were the same because the Bills proved to be their own worst enemies once more – committing foolish penalties that nullified a 9-yard touchdown run by Fred Jackson late in the first quarter and a 53-yard bomb from Fitzpatrick to Lee Evans in the second half. But at least this team competed to the very end of its 18-15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills didn’t fold up the tents in the fourth quarter the way they had in the previous two embarrassing losses in the final games of Jauron’s mediocre tenure.

“I thought our guys fought their hind ends off,’’ Fewell said in his post-game news conference.

He thought right.

We finally saw a quarterback not afraid to take chances and throw the ball downfield instead of always taking the easy way out, and dumping it off.

We finally saw Terrell Owens unleashed, with brilliant results – 9 catches for 197 yards and one touchdown on an astute and gutsy call that produced a 98-yard bomb from Fitzpatrick, the longest scoring play in Bills history.

We saw a defense, playing without tackle Marcus Stroud and several other starters, finally turn in a stout performance against the run, limiting the powerful and quick Maurice Jones-Drew to a hard-earned 66 yards on 25 carries. (His longest run was for just 10 yards.)

And we saw one of the Bills truly unsung and most dependable heroes – Rian Lindell – boot three more field goals, giving him 17 in 19 attempts, a dead-on accuracy rate a sliver below 90 percent.

By no means, am I saying Fewell’s coaching debut was flawless. He badly mismanaged the clock in the waning moments of the first half. Instead of taking two shots at the end zone that might have resulted in a touchdown, the Bills were lucky to put three points on the board before time expired. And they didn’t look particularly sharp during the final 50 seconds of the game when they still had an opportunity to move into position for the field goal that would have sent the game into overtime.

But there were a lot of encouraging signs. You have to admit it was a whole lot more enjoyable watching a head coach who appeared to know what he was doing on game day.

It will be interesting to see if Fewell can keep his team playing at a decent level or if the performance vs. the Jags was merely the result of a natural high that comes when a new coach takes the sidelines for the first time.

***

The Bills injury bug-a-boo continues, with three more players – Eric Wood (broken leg), Marshawn Lynch (bruised shoulder) and Seth McKinney (bruised knee) forced out of the game. Wood’s was the most gruesome and costly to the Bills. He is one of the rookie offensive linemen they are counting on for many years to come. Buffalo already is paper-thin on the O-line. They’re going to need to raid other teams’ practice squads to find bodies just to finish the season.

***

We already alluded to the two big penalties, but the Bills also continue to be hampered by their inability to convert third downs and mount any kind of run game. Clearly, the inexperience and constant flux along the line and at quarterback has a great deal to do with that.

With 8:36 remaining and nursing a 15-10 lead, Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny – who, by the way, is playing some outstanding football in recent weeks – stripped Jags quarterback David Garrard of the ball, and defensive tackle Spencer Johnson recovered on the Buffalo 20. But two runs by Fred Jackson produced just five yards and Fitzpatrick was sacked, forcing the Bills to punt it away.
Jacksonville took over at its 32 with 6:28 to go and put together a time-consuming drive for the winning score.

The Bills finished the game converting just 3-of-11 third downs.

***

It wasn’t a world-beating performance by Fitzpatrick, but it was better than we would have seen out of the deposed Trent Edwards. Fitz completed 18-of-31 for 297 yards, one TD and two picks. He didn’t play well on that final drive, which ended in a pass off T.O.’s hands and into the mitts of Jaguars’ defensive back Anthony Smith. But the outcome would have been different and his stats even more impressive had that long TD pass to Evans not been negated. The thing I really liked is how he got Owens involved early in the game, and, how, he was able to talk to the emotionally fragile T.O., even when the diva wideout was stewing on the sidelines.

Sounds like Ralph Wilson means business

My friend, John Wawrow from The Associated Press, had a very interesting interview with Ralph Wilson today in which the Bills owner said he is prepared to revamp his entire football operation after the season and that no job is safe. Wilson also said in the interview that he’s open to making a lucrative offer to land a high-profile coach.

“It’s not about money, it’s about winning,’’ Wilson told the AP. “If it was about money, we wouldn’t have brought in and paid for somebody we know was a great player.’’

Ralph obviously was referring to the signing of the underachieving Terrell Owens to a one-year, $6.5 million contract after the star receiver was released by the Dallas Cowboys in March.

Ralph also discounted reports that the Bills are preparing to interview former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan.

So, let’s dissect this.

First off, I’m glad Ralph is going to hold everyone accountable because the Bills woes obviously go well beyond the poor coaching of Dick Jauron. It also includes a front office that has done a poor job of drafting college players and signing free agents for much of this decade.

It’s also encouraging that Ralph said he is willing to spend big bucks for a new coach and director of football operations because that’s the only way he is going to land a Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, Mike Holgrem, Mike Shanahan, etc.

As I’ve written before, this is going to be a very competitive process because there are a number of bad teams out there courting these big-name coaches, whose ranks also include broadcaster Jon Gruden, who I assume has an escape clause built into that new contract extension he just signed with ESPN.

My feeling is the Bills shouldn’t wait until the end of the season to nab their guy.

I think the ideal situation would be to get somebody in house as soon as possible – not to coach this season, but to evaluate from above the way Bill Parcells did when he arrived in Miami a few years ago. That would allow the new guy to make a fair assessment of his players and coaches with his own eyes in real games. It would give him a huge jump on the holes he’ll have to address via free agency and the draft.

Firing Jauron first step on Bills road to recovery

I don’t expect immediate results at One Bills Drive now that Dick Jauron has been fired and replaced by defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. The team is a shambles, and it’s going to take time and bold moves to pick up the pieces.

Still, I applaud this in-season change by owner Ralph Wilson because it at least shows that he is listening to the legions of frustrated Bills fans who gave up on the overmatched Jauron after a third consecutive 7-9 finish last season.

Jauron leaves Buffalo with a 24-33 record – a dismal .421 winning percentage – and zero winning seasons and zero playoff appearances. He is, by all accounts, a decent man, but he never showed the leadership skills or the passion necessary to be a successful NFL head coach, either here or during his time with the Chicago Bears. He clearly didn’t have what it took to lift this moribund franchise out of the doldrums that has seen it go nearly a decade without a playoff appearance.

Given the lack of talent he was forced to work with, Fewell did a decent job with this defense. He might blossom into a decent head coach, but he isn’t the long-term answer to what ails the Bills.

Wilson needs to do something dramatic – something similar to what he did back in 1978 when he went out and hired the most successful coach available, Chuck Knox. It’s going to cost Wilson a lot of money, and it’s going to mean that he’s going to have to turn the keys to the franchise over to the new guy, the way he did 31 years ago. Knox, who was coming off five consecutive NFC West titles with the Los Angeles Rams, was named coach and vice-president of football operations, which meant he had control over drafts, trades and free-agent signings. In just three years, he wound up turning a team that had lost 23 of 28 games in the two seasons prior to his arrival into AFC East champions.

As I’ve written in this cyberspace before, I’d make an all-out push for Bill Cowher. Let him bring in his personnel evaluators to take over for Tom Modrak and John Guy. Let him bring in his own assistant coaches. Heck, let him bring his own chauffeur and chef if he wants. Let him do whatever he needs to do to change the culture of a locker room where losing has become acceptable, where accountability is lacking.

There are many talented program builders out there for Wilson to choose from – if not Cowher, then Mike Shanahan or Mike Holmgren or Tony Dungy or Jon Gruden. But the courtship needs to begin now, in earnest, because there are numerous other NFL dregs out there in dire need of architects of hope.

This change was long overdue. But it should be viewed as only the beginning. There are people out there who can turn this thing around. It’s up to Ralph to take the next big step. It’s going to take several million dollar bills to ensure that these Bills no longer are counterfeit.

Jauron fired

Dick Jauron finally was fired as Bills head coach. Perry Fewell will be the interim coach. I'll have my thoughts on this in a few minutes.