The Executive Emergence

In 2010, as the Buffalo Bills were in the midst of their slide that ended with a 4-12 record and a record 11th consecutive losing season, it was none other than Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix who were the subject of my wrath. The Bills were notorious for losing their great free agents and replacing them with mediocre players until another great one came along and the cycle repeated itself.

However, by the end of the 2011 season, by which time I had already developed a rift with Jerry Reese, Mike Tannenbaum, Sandy Alderson, and Brian Cashman, over losing players and a precived lack of tending to their own free agents, Buddy Nix was on a roll.He extended star RB Fred Jackson, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, and sat through hard-fought negotiations with Pro Bowl WR Stevie Johnson, while also adding great defensive presence Mario Williams.

Meanwhile, Cashman continued to let much-needed talent slip by his fingers, Alderson was chained up by the Wilpon situation, Reese and Tannenbaum had lost many of my favorite players all-time for their respective organizations.

And then there was one.

Nix stood alone as the only general manager who made an effort to retain the critical pieces that can make the Bills a winning team in a period closer than you may think.

Buddy Nix has so far re-signed all of his free agents except offensive lineman Chad Rinehart and Kraig Urbik (who are both RFA's), as well as added notable players such as Mark Anderson and Mario Williams to beef up the decrepit 2011 Bills defense.

If the Buffalo Bills offense can stay healthy next season, and their offense clicks, the Buffalo Bills will be a force to be reckoned with not only in the AFC East, or even the American Football Conference as a whole.

They will be a force in the National Football League, and emerge from the basement as a playoff contender.

Thank you, Mr. Nix, at being the only GM who cared enough to make his team better through retaining his own talent.