Red

If you pay for HD service, the price actually went down by $45-$55 this year as compared to last. Last year you had to pay an extra $100 on top of the Sunday Ticket rate for HD games. This year, they got rid of 'Stupid Fan', and rolled the HD games into the service. Now, that my friends...is brilliance.

It's true. I cancelled my auto-renewal after last season because I was not happy with having to pay an additional $100 for HD games. I just called to add auto-renewal back to my bill, and confirmed it w/the girl I spoke w/that the new price DOES include HD service as 'super' fan (I call it 'stupid' fan) has been cancelled. She mentioned that they did the same thing w/MLB this year, too. So, if you have an HD service and television, Sunday Ticket actually got cheaper this year. I'm in! GO BILLS!

My wife and I live in Northern VA, and though there are a couple of Bills bars close to where we live (Grevey's and jimmy's Old Town Tavern), the price of going to a sports bar/ restaurant is worse. After 2 burgers, about 4 beers, a couple of cokes, and fries, w/tip it came close to $50. FOR 1 GAME!!! Add that up to $50 x 16 games and you get= $800. Not to mention that I really don't like to not be able to hear the games (because there's too much noise) and have to sit on a wooden stool for 3 hours. So, after 2 games we stopped going. Going to a game is more expensive. Living close to the Redskins and Ravens, the costs are ridiculous! Not to mention the fact that they are NOT the Bills. And tickets are sold out way in advance. No, the cheapest if you don't live in Buffalo is still Sunday Ticket. What really p!$$es me off though, is that my wife and I purchased a nice SONY 47" HDTV last year. One of the things I wanted to do was watch the Bills on Sunday Ticket on the new big screen. I was mad to find that DirecTV charges an EXTRA $100 ON TOP OF THE TICKET FEE ITSELF, to watch the games in HD. The legality of this does not make sense. I already pay extra fees every month to rent an HD receiver, and for HD service to the receiver. The major networks carrying the games ALREADY broadcast in HD. Now I have to pay an ADDITIONAL $100 to view football games in HD? That makes me mad! Last year I refused to pay an additional $100 for an already pricey package. But there's a difference. I watched the games in a sort of blurry looking screen, because they were not HD. Now, I'm probably a sucker, but I'll be signing up again AND paying the ridiculous extra $100 because I want to see the game in greater clarity. Boy, do I feel stupid writing that.

How's he gonna get "flamed"? Though I agree he should just knock it off and/or Gailey should take his blackberry or whatever away from him...Suh got drafted by the Lions. How often do we play the Lions?

That's called anabolics....

The whole ESPN 30 for 30 is amazing. I've seen them all, and the only 1 that I think truly sucked was the Jimmy Johnson/ Univ. of Miami one. It was 1 and 1/2 hours, and just so b-o-r-i-n-g listening to hear how they are so cocky, arrogant, but can't understand why nobody likes them/ are misunderstood, etc. The Raiders one was kind of disappointing, as I was expecting more Raiders and less hip-hop. But the rest have been amazing. The Run, Ricky, Run one was a favorite, as is the 16 seconds one that covered the South African SpringBokks rugby team and their win over New Zealand to usher in the new era of President Mandela. After watching this, I feel that I have a better understanding of Ricky Williams and am now less judgemental on his decisions to throw his career away. I look at him in a different light. This one had the same effect on me that the movie Tyson now has on me with Mike Tyson. I don't look at him so hard anymore.

Quite an interesting way to do business. Up until now, this system of not overpaying for talent has served the Patriots culture of winning very well. The article even mentions Brady not taking what he could probably have gotten in order to make the team more competitive by having more spending cash on hand. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: we are witnessing the beginning of the wheels falling off the dynasty that has been the New England Patriots of the 21st Century. Perhaps key is that the mastermind behind the talent- Scott Pioli- is now in KC turning them around. The older, experienced vets that have been responsible for those 3 Super Bowl wins are retiring (Bruschi, Harrison) or traded (Seymour), or are just not being offered contracts that offset the team structure (Gay). With Pioli gone, the Patriots are not replacing the talent w/similar talent as they did so remarkably well this past decade. Not to mention that alot of the success of that team started with Bill Parcells. I question the handling of Brady if, in fact, the Patriots want to play hard ball and view Brady as somehow expendable given his age, contract, etc. But I don't think the Patriots would try to jettison their ticket to the Super Bowl. At least, I don't think so.

Man, I saw his interview on Buffalo Bills.com today, and I would love it if we could! Finally, the Bills front office got it amazingly right drafting an offensive lineman in the first round. Now, if they could only do it 3 more times.

I'd like to see us make some attempt to shore up the LT position. And I can't believe that Chambers still has a job with the Bills. Flozell Adams would atleast be an upgrade- for the right price. That would give us a season or 2 to get a premiere LT in the draft, or for Bell/ Meredith to develop. I wanted to see a veteran QB like Jeff Garcia brought in, but with the revamped coaching staff that finally has a real QB coach and a running back stable like we now have, I am more content with the QB situation for now. Get us a LT and I'll be happy!

MIA @ BUF W BUF @ GB W BUF @ NE L NYJ @ BUF W JAC @ BUF W BUF @ BAL L BUF @ KC W CHI @ BUF W DET @ BUF W BUF @ CIN L PIT @ BUF W BUF @ MIN L CLE @ BUF W BUF @ MIA L NE @ BUF W BUF @ NYJ L Ah, what the heck? 10-6 it is!

I believe several things need to occur in order for the Bills to have a winning record this season. 1.) The offensive line needs to solidify itself, eliminate drive-killing false start penalties altogether, open up holes and protect the QB. Wood bouncing back and someone taking the LT position are essential. 2.) CJ Spiller adding that explosiveness and unpredictability we need. Busting a few big ones when he looks bottled up ala Chris Johnson would be fantastic. 3.) The return of Roscoe. Not only bringing a couple back in the return game, but also establishing himself as a solid slot/ 3rd down guy. 4.) Nelson to bring versatility and dependability in the passing game back to the TE position. 5.) Hardy or somebody on the roster (Easley, Johnson) taking over and truly becoming a #2 receiving threat opposite Lee. 6.) Defensively, I think the 2 biggest things are the starters staying healthy and becoming much stingier in the run game. With an improved strength program I see health and conditioning not being a problem anymore. If the above take place, and the offensive line is improved and we can pound it out for 1st downs with a very capable backfield, I can see 9-7 by years end. But, that is a VERY optimistic 9-7- depending on the above and more to gel. GO BILLS!

Optimistically, I agree wholeheartedly. I think of 2 things: 1.) Gailey's year as offensive coordinator in KC, and 2.) the effect RB Chris Johnson has had on an otherwise lackluster Titan offense. IF we ground and pound with our impressive stable of RB's that has been amassed this offseason, control the clock, move the chains, etc, etc...that will have numerous benefits for the offense. First, I see the QB gaining confidence and providing our O-line stops false starting (yeah, YOU Bell!) and/ or jumping the snap, the QB position will stop being placed in 3rd and long situations. To have the options of a CJ Spiller busting a big one, Roscoe catching something in the slot on an underneath route, and hopefully an improved TE in Nelson, the Bills may step up and surprise people. Add to that if Hardy can come in and be a true #2 to Lee, then we may truly have the makings of an offense. Second, a tough, mauling running game that produces first downs WILL open up the passing game. Heck, why pass if you can keep getting 1st downs on the ground? Chew up the clock, control the game, wear down the opposing D, and when it comes late November and early December in Buffalo and the temperature drops, our opponents will NOT want to be tackling all day long. This could be the scenario. Add to that improved health and conditioning of the players from an improved strength program, and the old snares that stopped the Bills in the past could be exorcised.

Or being 1 of 2 teams (Denver being the other) that instituted the "Bod Pod" to measure body fat percentage. I'm still a workout warrior, and I can't believe that for a sport such as football that the squat is not THE fundamental exercise in all weight rooms. I read Tiki Barber's workout book last year. That is how you build strength, power, and the like. Increasing tissue strength through resistance training builds supporting tissue- which helps to reduce the incidence and severity of injury. Squats, power cleans, cleans and presses, bench presses, rows, rope pulls, axe work, tire rolls, kettlebells. Strongman-type of things repeated over and over again. I think we can now see why the Bills have been pushovers for the past few years and collapse when faced with any adversity. Here's to hoping that a return to the basics will have the Bills winning again!

I was squatting 405 lbs when I was 17. Heavy, but I would think that the pros with all of their anabolics would be beyond...

Screw core strength. We're not talking about abdominal power here, man. Let's talk about overall body power and strength, especially for the men on the line. Hip strength, shoulder stability and power; chest, triceps, and on and on. These basic moves are essential for building the entire body of power. You would think that anyone employed at the professional level would know their stuff. Club Jauron was terrible.

Yeah, this has me wondering too what to expect this season. Was the scheme holding our players back? Poor conditioning causing most of the injuries? I heard things like that about Whitner- that the reason he has been sort of incognito since arriving is because of the various roles the previous regime was asking him to perform; none of which were the right fit for Whitner. I'd like to think that there was a reason why he was drafted #8 overall other than senility. It's long been clear that Jauron sucked. The weight room makeover is a huge investment in the betterment of the team. It would be amazing to come and find the Bills to be the surprise of the year because all of the talent was being held back by a lack of a plan and terrible schemes.

Young players to step up? I think if Spiller can come in and instantly add the explosion the offense is looking for, we will be well off. Shawn Nelson at TE should start to contribute more in the passing game. #2 pick Hardy needs to prove himself worthy of his draft status this season. I agree that Troupe has an excellent opportunity this season to win a major job- but I don't think that his rookie season is going to be his make-or-break year. He will have some time.

I consider this like the QB position. Since the season ended, and with both a coaching staff and a certified QB coach now on the roster, I like the idea of signing a competent and capable veteran while allowing the others to learn and be groomed to take the reins in 1-2 seasons. I personally think that Jeff Garcia was the best candidate. In regards to our LT position, I think the same thing. Some dirt has come up recently on Gaither (lazy, etc), and I believe that the rumor is Baltimore is asking too much. Flozell Adams is older, but I think signing him (or someone like him) would atleast solidify the position UNTIL either a Bell or a Meredith can take over or Wang develops or we draft a true stud LT. 1-2 seasons is all we are talking about. I think that it makes sense, as LT is really the only hole IMO on the team that has not had any real improvement or hope.

If I remember correctly, in the prime-time, 25-24 home loss we suffered a couple of year back at the hands of the cowboys, Crayton was a big reason why. I like him, and think that he could fill our #2 spot in a heartbeat. He seems below the radar enough in terms of name recognition that I wonder if he could be had for a reasonable (4th-6th rounder) pick...

Now if we could only get Maybin to drop the Frohawk...

Agreed. What we know in fandom is not even the tip of the iceberg. Don't get me started on PED's....

Interesting response, and I'm glad to finally see Trent speak w/some confidence, authority, and stand as an individual. Let's face it, CAL QB's do not exactly have the greatest reputation amongst some people. The belief is that because the weather is so good, the lifestyle is so laid back, etc then the QB is not going to be the tough field general that he needs to be. A QB like Todd Marinovich or a Rob Johnson do little to erase this. But generalities seldom address the reality of the situation. To blanket all QB's heralding from CA as sub-par does attempt to ignore the Tom Brady's. As much as I hate the Patriots and their dominance this past decade, you can't argue with success. Kelly was speaking in generalities, and that is seldom a good thing. And though I am not a Trent groupie, I do think that he has not been given a fair shake in a sound system. I can point to a revolving door of offensive coordinators. A front office that (until now) did not have a clue how to build a team and give the offense the weapons it needs. The porous offensive line that was an afterthought by the front office for the past decade. You can't play QB effectively if you are constantly on your arse. No clear #2 receiver. No certified QB coach, who can build a young rookie, develop the appropriate mechanics, and d-e-v-e-l-o-p the young man. Then add in those concussions, and I think the moniker 'Trentative' is accurate- because he has been literally playing to save his life. The biggest problem I see in all of this is time. The Bills and us fans have been anxiously awaiting the team to replace Jim Kelly for over a decade now. They keep failing, and our patience is gone. Jim Kelly had the benefit of the doubt in that he played behind a line that had Will Wolford, Howard "House" Ballard, Jim Ritcher, Kent Hull, and John Davis. Later, it was John Fina and Ruben Brown. Receivers were Hall of Famers Andre Reed and James Lofton. I'm sure if the shoe were on the other foot, Kelly would be screaming for some protection and not for a change at the QB position. Is Edwards Jim Kelly? I don't think so. Kelly was much more electric, decisive, tough, and a leader to boot. The vacuum at the Bills QB position is what has damaged Trent the most. Somebody needs to step up, and the time it takes to groom somebody has not been made available. Which is why I don't understand why the Bills don't sign a Jeff Garcia for 2 years, coach the heck out of Trent, Levi, and Brohm with the hopes that one of them will emerge with sound tutelage. I always like to look at Steve Young- who is my #2 all-time favorite QB behind Jimbo. He was miserable in Tampa. When he was picked up by San Fran, the 9'ers already had their QB in Montana. Young sat for a l-o-n-g time, learning, studying, and waiting. It was a different league then that did not have free agency, but he was allowed to sit and develop. Edwards was thrown into the fire against the Patriots IN NEW ENGLAND!!! Hardly the best place to build confidence as a young player. I like Trent. I'm not as down on him as most are. He was the talk of the league when the Bills were 5-1 before they played the Cardinals and he got that nasty concussion. When he relieved Losman, we were all delighted because we finally had somebody under center that made quick, accurate decisions and got rid of the ball without turning it over. With Gailey's offense, a strong running game, and under the tutelage of Cortez, I am willing to sit back and expect Trent to break out of his shell of the past few years. I'd like to see a better LT signed soon, but I think Trent just needs to regroup, get some better talent around him, and things will be better. Oh, and did I mention we still need a LT?

I almost completely agree with your Bell and Green offsides thing. The only problem I see with it is that laziness, lack of mental focus, and exhaustion can also be reasons for jumping offsides.

I have to admit to not being too familiar w/Gaither and his abilities. But if my understanding of how the Bills have used tackles (like Langston Walker), the LT is the more premiere position and the RT more of the road grader position if you have a right-armed QB. With Gaither being moved to RT by Baltimore in favor of Oher (whom we should have drafted along w/Wood over Maybin), that would support what you are claiming. And if has motivation problems, I would not offer a 7th round pick for him. I still have bad memories of Mike Williams...

there are some differences between hockey and the NFL. For starters, not too many people tailgate before a hockey game in a parking lot, the way that football fans do. I also don't believe most hockey towns allow tailgating. Alot of times, due to the sheer volume of traffic leaving the stadium after a game, alot of people hang out waiting for things to lighten up. How much better would it be to have restaurants, pubs, retail space all within walking distance after a game? Hockey games are also played, for the most part, on weeknights. Most people have to work the next day. Once the game is over, everyone is going home, not staying in Buffalo looking for something to eat. The NFL experience is a much more involved time than attending an NHL game. HSBC has not thrived because the NHL is a different thing altogether. Furthermore, why consolidate everything WNY has to offer in 1 city? Tourists come every year for the Falls. I say, tell Albany to take a hike, and allow the casinos to build like crazy in the Falls. Turn it into Las Vegas East. Then when people want to spend some of that money on entertainment, they can get on a short high speed train ride to Buffalo along the River (not built yet- but could be w/casino cash). Sabres, Bills, theatre district, restaurant, Niagara wine and history tours, and gambling packages can be created. Keep the money in WNY. The REGION has to work together to flourish. Putting everything in Niagara Falls is a 1 trick pony.