by Evans83

From 1984-1986 the Buffalo Bills won a total of eight games. This was arguably the worst stretch in franchise history, and it looked as though this team was going nowhere. The Bills hadn’t made the playoffs since 1981 when head coach Chuck Knox was calling the plays, and after Knox departed following the ‘82 season, the Bills went through three different head coaches. Two of those coaches were unable to utilize most of the player’s talents and the performance on the field showed why. The third head coach was hired midway through the ‘86 season, and something about this well-trained veteran leader was making some of the players take a more optimistic look at the future. This coach went by the name of Marv Levy.

Levy was hired to take over a 4-12 football team and bring them out of the NFL cellar, at least that’s what everyone’s expectation was. Levy not only turned the entire organization around, but he built one of the best football powerhouses the NFL had ever seen. Marv had a professional way of dealing with issues both on and off the field, and it was in his nature to bring in high-character players who expressed the same amount of passion for the game as he did. The Bills quickly improved to a 12-4 record in ‘88 and were just one game away from reaching the Super Bowl. Even with all odds against them, Levy had this team winning football games and soaring to new heights.

Six straight playoff appearances and four straight AFC championships later, fans across the country were recognizing Marv as one of the greatest coaches to walk the NFL sidelines. Future and present Hall of Fame players such as Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed and Bruce Smith all were taught how to utilize the fundamentals of the game against opponents, and they were shown how only a complete team that dominates in every aspect can truly win against the odds. No other team in NFL history had made four straight Super Bowl appearances, and no other team even thought it was possible. From the day Marv was hired to the day the he decided to call it quits will be remembered as the greatest era in Buffalo Bills history.

Fast forward to the current Bills team and you’ll see a young group of players who are reminiscent of those who dominated the late 80’s and early 90’s. Although Jim Kelly may not be under center, the pride and integrity of this team is still in place. Now 81-years old, Marv Levy is entering his second season as the team’s general manager. His appearance may have slightly changed, but his character remains the same.

Levy looks to build this young team from the ground up to ensure a bright future ahead, and after a surprising 7-9 record last year many believe that this can be the start of something very big. Now I’m not saying that QB J.P. Losman is a future Jim Kelly, and I’m certainly not saying that rookie RB Marshawn Lynch is anywhere near the level of Thurman Thomas, but with a few more years of improvement that outlook might change.

Today is August 1st, and teams are now preparing for the long road ahead in training camp. The Bills are still under the radar at this point, and the experts still believe many questions need to be answered before this team has any shot of contending for a playoff spot. This is why predictions can never be made in August, because the higher your expectations are the more disappointment you’re gonna feel when you don’t reach them. Many many teams have been considered preseason favorites, and most of them ended up missing the playoffs completely. Thank God the Bills are nowhere near being a “preseason favorite”.

There is still nine days before the Bills travel to New Orleans for their first preseason game, but you’d be surprised at how fast time goes by you’re as excited as I am about the start of the 2007 NFL season. I can’t say what my expectations are at this point, but I can say that it’s going to be another fun year as both the season begins and my journey begins as a Buffalo Bills blogger. Some of you may feel I’m a little too positive about the Bills, but I don’t care, without optimism there really is no fun at all.

So I hope you enjoyed my first article of the season, and I will continue writing throughout the year. The offseason is finally over and millions of fans across the U.S. are ready for some football!

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