May Day 10

Did houston have one live-play infraction today?

It was a joke

Yup. I was yelling well before the snap

Psychologically, I dont think it is that easy. Some people will be dedicated fan no matter what, but most people won't be able to come to terms with the absence of perpetual gratification. The further removed from this era without success, people will slowly start to get hungrier, but it will probably take a long time and require very good teams to turn people on. The Pats situation is on steroids, but I would compare it to the Detroit Red Wings and Atlanta Braves runs. In both cases, they started having trouble selling tickets to non-premier and even playoff games towards the ends. Detroit has taken a huge hit in hockey support as a result of their eternal success. Pittsburgh, post-Crosby is going to start to see a mass exodus of ticket holders. Do people in Boston even get 'up' for any typical regular season game? I remember trying to buy a ticket to Red Sox games when the Sox were still 'chasing' back in the early 00s (I lived in CT). I couldnt even get in for any weekend game for less than $150 bucks. Now, with all the success I could go to most games for basically face value. There is a whole, large generation of Boston sports fans who know nothing but constant titles. I think they will have a very hard time if the Patriots arent perennial contenders. They will likely float to whatever area sports team is doing the best and throw their lot in with that. I dont mean it as a criticism of the guile of Boston fans or people. Its human nature.

Overall, it was a fairly underwhelming conclusion the to 10 'skywalker' movie series, but it needs to end. The 3-front war at the end of Return of the Jedi was a much better climax/conflict/resolution than this. Not a bad star wars movie overall though, but when I think of it in a light of concluding the whole thing... it leaves me disappointed. I just wish we could have seen the continuity with Abrams piloting all 3 movies. The Last Jedi was a complete derailment it seems. I still cant figure out why they just didnt allow Princess Leia to die early on in The Last Jedi. Im ready to move on from the whole skywalker/solo thing. Wouldnt mind some tie-ins and cameos, but overall, need to go elsewhere and start fresh.

on the flip side, how would you feel about being the heir apparent to Belichick? Pretty much impossible shoes to fill Get Cleveland to the playoffs and statues will be erected

I agree. Its been bad lately. Yeah, randomly, and often cuts to commercials. Sometimes, I hear something I swear I already heard, and I look to find out I am somehow hours back in time, etc.

I think of it as a fascinating experiment. No fan base would be able to withstand such spoiling, and this kind of prolonged success would poison any group in sports. 12-4, Division title, home playoff game and many fans react like it is a 3-13 season that just finished. They have had a bye week 9 years in a row! Have hosted a playoff game 11 straight years, and 16 of 17. The last time they had less than 10 wins was 2002 when they were 9-7. They only had 10 wins twice during that stretch. Bill Clinton was president when they had their last losing season. Even that was a 1 year blip of other winning seasons (and a Super Bowl appearance) that go back to 1995. 17 of the last 19 Division championships. Anyone 30-and-under likely have little to no idea of what the NFL is even like without your team almost guaranteed multiple playoff games and a Division Title. People around 40 years old barely remember and the Patriots have been Division Champs for most of their adult lives. How are these people going to deal if/when the Patriots become a regular team, one who has up years and down years, and sometimes even a down-decade? Are they going to lose interest? Pretend they dont care? I dont know. I think it would be tough to come back and support a team who might be 4-5 and looking to stay 'in the hunt' after all this. As Bills fans, we always have the "what if" thing driving us, which is what Boston sports fans had forever.... but championship after championship has brought diminishing returns, and every one seems less significant than the last.

He was a very likeable football character who seems like a really good man. I believe he was the true architect of the hurry-up offense in Cincinnati, right?

Yeah, I could see Gettleman being disposed of with a snap of the fingers if that meant bringing in Belichick. I bet Belichick brings along Caserio as well as much of his infrastructure. Im thinking McDaniels is going to be the Browns' coach (he is an Ohio guy and there are a lot of toys there). If new England loses Belichick, it is 100% over. I meant 're-inventing' the Patriots like the Ravens. Belichick doesnt need Brady.

I think its pretty clear he has been positioning to lean on new england for a multi-year deal on par with top quarterbacks to both stroke his ego, and hit the longevity marks for legacy and future TB12 earnings. The problem is, he hasnt had a real good season, and an expensive, multi-year deal is probably not wise for the patriots. Will Kraft use his veto power to give Brady his deal? I see no reason to think he won't. If so, will this actually be the end of Belichick in New England? I could see him bailing and going to the Giants this time. I dont think he wants to tie his legacy to see if TB12 works on a 45 year old. I also think 3 major Kraft underminings would be plenty reason. Imo this would be the best scenario. I could see belichick re-inventing the patriots like harbough has done the Ravens

Why is it perpetually shedding baggage along with "learning" and "growth"?

what is "del reid"?

Sorry for your loss. Its never easy, and can physically hurt at times. Keep the memories

So, who's crap do we need to give them time to clear out now? They traded a 2nd and 5th for Miller just a few months ago

Botterill needs to go. Tired of his 8 year rebuilding plan that never goes anywhere

Best case scenario is the Pats lose, brady goes on his power play, kraft oversteps belichick and gives brady his 2-3 year deal and belichick walks.

I have mixed feelings on the era and glad its coming to a close. Largely, the bills were irrelevant spectators during all these careers until this season. It didnt even feel like the bills were part of the nfl much of the time in the darkest days of jauron, gailey, brandon, and nix.

It is completely out of character for the Patriots of the past 20 years to look past anybody. A few times they have been caught with their pants down, but never in a potentially big spot like this. As much as it has been the Mantra that Brady doesnt need weapons (and now people insist he isnt doing well because he doesnt have weapons), the Patriots have always appeared like a motivated team who do not take opponents lightly. I just think they are highly beatable and their margin for error has disappeared.

Kraft forcing a multi-year deal to Brady and Belichick walking for the Giants would be the coup de grace

Bills over Texans Titans over Pats Bills over Chiefs Titans over Ravens Bills over Titans - Tear down the posts

While Im conditioned to not touch the hot stove, I'm actually not so sure this time. Objectively, I would rate them as the 3rd or 4th weakest playoff team ahead of the Eagles, Bills, and maybe the Vikings and Texans, and they likely wont play any of those. They havent gotten to a Super Bowl in this Brady/Belichick era without a 1st round bye. Their whole formula is based on the bye week for rest and planning (sometimes even being able to lay off the gas in week 17), then hosting a game (where they have some unexplainable home record) against a team they should beat. Followed by hosting another team, or going on the road with a puncher's chance with coaching, Brady, cheating, luck, etc. Then the Super Bowl with 2 weeks planning/coaching, Ernie Adams, etc. Their two most important offensive players, Brady and Edelman are old, beat up, and desperately needed a week or even 2 off. There is no Gronkowski who seemed to be the one to really bail them out of trouble when they needed it the most (like yesterday). Tennessee presents their worst match-up in the AFC outside the Ravens. Even if the Patriots win, it will be a street fight and they will be limping even more to face a rested KC or Baltimore away from Gillette Stadium. If they win that, they will likely face the other one in the AFC Championship Game on the road. That is a lot of ifs to come out in their favor, and that is before facing New Orleans, San Fran, Green Bay, or Seattle in the Super Bowl. It is impossible to overstate how bad this loss was for the Patriots' Superbowl hopes.

I cant find it now, but someone made a long and well thought out post about how being a fan has been eroded, and nobody cares about winning a Division title anymore. Nothing matters until the AFC Championship Game and everyone have been spoiled and now entitled. Back before this, they would kill to have won a Division and host a playoff game, and now it is like the end of the world and people wishing their own owner is jailed.

Apparently they have a group of fans they refer to as "Garoppolites", and they are "coming out of the woodwork"

I got stuck in the worm hole of reading that forum. There are a wide range of reactions ranging from sheer panic, wanting to run brady and belichick out of town, to defending and making excuses for brady, to expecting them to waltz to another super bowl. I think i would be worried if i were a patriots fan. During this 20 year run, they are yet to make a super bowl without a bye and hosting at least a divisional round game. Its part of the formula. Brady is 42 and seems to want big money and there seems to be some sort of divorce coming up. If not, he is 42, starting to break down, and seems to require an all-star cast as well. Edelman is breaking down, and gronk is sipping margaritas somewhere. There is little in the way of an heir apparent at this point. Would it be bridgewater? Newton? Not really too terrifying. They have a lot of aging pieces with a poor 1st round draft pick, no 2nd, and dont forget about the spygate 2 thing which could bring more sanctions. You have an afc east where 2 or 3 of the teams may have their stuff together for the first time in forever. They are not going to catch the bills sleeping any more, and flores looks like the mcdermott bills circa 2017.