GaryPinC

Hmmm, sounds like an occasion to develop an involuntary, nervous clenching. But hey, it was all for science right? And probably paid for with our tax dollars! On a side note, it's been a good 5-10 yrs since some naturalist/biologist has shown off an ape who "communicates" with hand signs. Seems like we're due for the latest version to justify dumping more grant money into projects like this.

Awww c'mon. I truly sympathize with these researchers who so much want their data to fit the hypothesis. I'm rooting for them I tell you, I'm rooting for them. There's got to be some empathy there right? Rats are very bright and socializable. You're right in that it is very impressive given their size and place on the evolutionnary tree. They'd make great pets for people that aren't turned off by their image.

And considering both animals were most likely the same sex (male) you think they would have focussed their paper on this facet. Seems just as likely as empathy.

Emapathy? I love when scientists go over the top in interpreting their data. It doesn't take a huge stretch of the imagination to realize that a highly social rat placed in a foreign (thus stressful) environment would seek out one of its own. This was the clincher for me: "To push the limits of the rats’ goodwill, Bartal and her team pitted a trapped rat against trapped chocolate, forcing a rat to choose which one to release. “These rats adore their chocolate,” she says. The results astonished Bartal: The rats were equally likely to free a rat in distress as they were to free the sweets. To a rat, a fellow rodent’s freedom was just as sweet as five chocolate chips." So said rat is equally likely to choose chocolate chips over freeing his trapped buddy. Nice empathy. Astonishing what gets funded sometimes.

it all comes down to the entrenched, corrupt local government. I'm sure they're licking their lips ready to funnel the money for their own purposes. Buffalo needs an FBI corruption investigation like Cleveland had a couple years ago. It's their only hope to try and force some change in their govt.

Reggie Hodges for the Browns (though he tore his achilles and was on IR this year)

Great. Maybe Chan will let him interview for our open Quarterback coach position.

Don't forget the bandaids for your untreated and probably cancerous forehead moles.

Probably not, those who think Fitzy has a weak arm should spend some time watching Colt McCoy throw. The trajectory and spin of his throws utterly disintegrate over 20 yds.

From the article: 7 coaches in 10 years. Just when you think we've got it bad.....

Don't know if anybody saw this.... http://news.yahoo.com/threat-loose-soviet-nukes-avoided-132845563.html I'm sure it'll inspire at least one movie.

Probably met with Stevie last week and let him know they were interested in resuming contract talks. Stevie said ok and probably referred Buddy to his agent and Buddy'll contact him shortly. Technically a dialogue right?

Thanks for posting this, great article. Doesn't seem like they gave him a large vote of confidence by giving him a 1 yr extension through 2012. Better than not, and if the Giants maintain their defensive dominance Fewell may get a more significant extension. Sounds like up until the Jets game they were considering dumping him after the season. What was most interesting to me was this line: "Before the Christmas Eve victory over the Jets, players lauded Fewell for simplifying things on the defense by eliminating on-field checks and audibles based on offensive formations" and the accompanying article: http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2011/12/back_to_the_basics_giants_defe.html I do believe this was George Edwards' problem as players were out of position or not reacting properly to where the play was going. I also felt that Fewell's defenses for the Bills had similar problems to Edwards' version (especially in the front 7). Certainly a lack of talent for the Bills doesn't help but I don't think it's that alone. There's got to be a balance between scheme complexity and being able to disguise what you're trying to do without confusing your own players. Wanny's run successful defenses so hopefully he realizes this balance and we can look forward to a better defense next year.

Have to agree, I was really impressed by Logan Thomas in that game also. Great throws, confidence running their O, playmaking ability, and seemed to make very intelligent decisions. He's a junior but was red-shirted his freshman year and was really impressive considering this was his first year as a college QB. Probably will stay in school and be a major prospect next year but if he decided to come out I think he'd be a great prospect to study under Fitz a year or 2.

Great post, just wanted to add that Peters also watched the Bills shell out stupid money to Dockery, Langston Walker, and Melvin Fowler then turn around and ignore their best linesman's request to be paid more appropriately. I don't like Peters much(and don't want him back) because of the way he handled the situation but even a higher character person would have been demoralized by this on-and-off the field incompetance.

Definitely looked a lot thicker. Who knows if they'll offer him anything. He had nothing positive to say about his meeting with Buddy, and given that we're talking about our starting LT, I think Buddy's lack of effort says it all. OTOH, we don't know his overall condition like the Bills' medical staff does. Maybe he's too big a risk. But if he leaves and goes on to have a good career somewhere else I'll be pretty angry at Buddy and Chan. Seems like a neverending theme with this organization.

I saw this interview and agree with you. Also, based on his body language and how he answered the questions about whether he'll be back he didn't sound optimistic. IMO Pears and Hairston have trouble handling speed rushers off the ends. I thought Bell was doing a better job this year but was injured too much to get a true idea of his ability. I don't know, this is a tough call but right now I think it's a mistake to let him walk even with his injury problems.

I just looked at your link again and there is a red ascending arrow next to "sacks". When I select the header "yds" it puts the red ascending there and ranks Denver #1. When I select "avg" it ranks Carolina #1. When I select "sacks" it ranks them descending so I click "sacks" again and it re-sorts with Buffalo #1 as per your original link. In this version: http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?seasonType=REG&offensiveStatisticCategory=GAME_STATS&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&d-447263-s=TOTAL_POINTS_GAME_AVG&tabSeq=2&season=2011&role=TM&Submit=Go&archive=false&conference=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=null&qualified=true the Bills are ranked #14 in points per game and total yards per game.

As I look over the data, Philly and Carolina are both better than us in rush avg yds and total yds (just to name two). It appears to me the ranking is solely based on quarterback sacks allowed because this is the only ascending column. Could be wrong though.

My thoughts exactly. It is interesting that they left his phone # unaltered in exhibit B just in case any ladies are thinking about it. You mean instead of stalking he tries coercion? Probably a little better but maybe he lets her off with a warning and gives her his phone # with a quick explain? As one who's been pulled over a number of times, sometimes those guys take forever running your license so he could have worked out this approach.

Thanks for all your points on a great discussion. I would like to add one subjective point from watching this team play this year. I think the overall defensive schemes were too complicated. Losing our veteran leadership, forcing guys out of their natural positions, and having too much marginal talent helped magnify the problem. Even though the defense could play ok in spots, what I realized really bothered me is the lack of situational awareness. I lost count of how many times the opposing RB ran right by one of our front seven who was looking the other way. Often there was no defensive flow to the ball. I think our guys were thinking too much or even unsure what they should be doing on certain plays. Don't get me wrong, we definitely need more talent with our LBs, but I think poor scheme had a significant impact on effectiveness. Hopefully Wanny can get the D on the same page and playing together, whatever scheme he decides on.

Really? I always considered him Jauron-esque in that he seemed to play strong defense, conservative offense and if the score's close take one or two chances to put OSU on top. JMO though.

I can't argue with bringing BILL Polian back as GM, but I would not want him and his GM son to come with him. I've got to wonder if Indy's dearth of talent is mostly because Bill trusted his son too much to evaluate and bring in the talent.

This. Chan always seemed to get a pained look on his face this year when questioned about Stevie's various antics and I just don't think he wants Stevie on his team. That really sucks because Stevie does have some talent and we need all the talent we can get.

Sorry to say, any organized society makes rules telling us how to live our lives (licenses, crimes, taxes, toxic chemicals, exposure limits in the workplace,etc). Society creates rules to preserve order and safety. Smoking is a health hazard to the smoker and anyone exposed to the smoke. I generally believe in "live and let live" and agree that the laws probably go a bit too far when they disallow even an outdoor "designated smoking area", but before these laws began being passed smokers never gave a damn who they affected with their smoking in public. These laws were not made to force smokers to give it up, they were made to correct inconsiderate public behavior by smokers. These laws "protect" me from having to either put up with toxic smoke or go ask the person to stop, which would probably result in an altercation since most smokers fail to distinguish their right to smoke from the right of nonsmokers not to be exposed to their toxic fumes. In Ohio, these proposed laws were voted on by the public in a general election and won easily. The majority voters dictated that the government put these rules in place. It's as democratic as it gets.