12/21/24
September 29, 2002
Marino in '84. Bledsoe in '02.:
Being a lifelong Pats fan and a Bledsoe admirer, it's great to see Drew posting some crazy numbers. At the ridiculous pace he's on, he could approach the 48 TD, 4,500 yard neighborhood. Provided the Bills O-line doesn't get him killed first.
So why did the Pats trade him within the divison? Belichick seems to think he's mastered Bledsoe, but still, New England could beat the Bills both times in the regular season and still lose a playoff spot to Buffalo because they are so dramatically improved. There must have been an NFC team with interest...
posted by Conquistador to football at 11:14 PM - 9 comments
owillis, i think a lot of teams are kicking themselves right now. are the tums not working very well?
posted by lescour at 12:01 AM on September 30, 2002
You'd think there'd have been more interest, but it was kind of a buyer's market. Everyone knew the Patriots had to move Bledsoe, so a lot of teams were making lowball offers. And Spurrier thought he didn't need Bledsoe. The Bills got a great deal. And honestly, as a Patriots fan, I could live with Bledsoe beating the Patriots in the playoffs. That sort of thing is practically traditional in these parts after the Parcells incident. Bledsoe's a lot more popular in Boston than Parcells, too.
posted by Bryant at 08:02 AM on September 30, 2002
Bledsoe is looking crisp. I think the year off did him well, you know, the old "eye of the tiger" thing. Bledsoe in a Bears uniform would have been nice. Real nice.
posted by jacknose at 10:50 AM on September 30, 2002
When ESPN initially reported on the trade, they included this quote:
"We're flabbergasted, we're flabbergasted that there weren't more teams that got involved in it," Bills general manager Tom Donahoe said. "Everybody talks about the need for quarterbacks. ... All we know is, we're happy to know that we were in that position and had a chance to do this."But that's how it happened -- the Bills were the only team that was serious about getting Bledsoe, and they went and made it happen. Goody on them.
posted by ajax at 12:25 PM on September 30, 2002
owillis, I quote: "Why, why, why didn't the Redskins pick him up? Why, God? Why do you hate me?" That's because Dan Synder owns the 'Skins now! If they were still Cooke family's, I'd bet he would have ended up there...
posted by carbs at 07:32 AM on October 01, 2002
Actually, picking up a pricey free agent like Bledsoe would be a total Dan Snyder move, but he hitched his wagon (as I have) to the Ballcoach. Jack Kent Cooke's son did a terrible job running the team (SEVEN years of Norv Turner? Make it stop!).
posted by owillis at 01:39 PM on October 01, 2002
How many teams really needed him? Certainly you can figure 10-15 were already counting on that position being filled with a dependable/reliable quarterback. Some were figuring on a qb rotation to begin with, but why throw in what many viewed as a high priced veteran? Granted Rob Johnson, Doug Flutie, Van Pelt in Buffalo makes it an obvious home. Plus all that money Cincy has in qbs. The Bears were an obvious choice in my book, with Booker, White, and Robinson with a solid run game with Thomas, and battles with Favre would ignite more of the Packers/Bears rival. But, as for the Skins. They sure look like a mess at that position. Maybe Snyder will wise up and sell the team.
posted by brent at 07:55 PM on October 01, 2002
Wouldn't he be making Steve Spurrier look like a genius right now.
posted by jc at 03:05 PM on October 05, 2002
Why, why, why didn't the Redskins pick him up? Why, God? Why do you hate me?