richNjoisy

I figure this is impossible but I would love to own just one game which represents the kind of RB OJ was like. I have tried to describe his running style to my wife - kind of like Barry Sanders except north to south and with the strength of an Edgerrin James. I doubt anyone has any video of OJ though. VCRs came out...what...in the late 70's? Maybe McGahee will look like that this year - hopefully he will have a better home life in any case. sigh

I tend to agree with you (uh-oh Nick , we are dividing again ).... I have always argued that there is no such thing as a RB "controversy" (as opposed to a QB controversy which is very real). Thus, if Travis wants to play - play well when you get the rock. If you want a good contract next year , then play well when they hand you the rock. Complain, and the rest of the team will drill you in practice. This means showing up, shutting up, staying in shape and making the best of your opportunities - on THIS Nick and I AGREE Hey Nick - BTW - good luck with your new Backer's Club!!! RichNJoisy CNJBBB www.cnjbbb.org

Ahhhh Nick this is why neither of us is a GM. I don't disagree with your prediction (aka A Trade) but I do disagree with WHO is in the driver's seat. Let me ask you this: Were you one of the people advocating trading Travis for LJ Shelton? if so, then you would have traded a yet unknown value (to us) for a player that Arizona eventually released (thus of no value) PLUS if we had traded for LJ we would have paid him $3 mil per year for 3 years. Now if you were not advocating that trade, then you got that one right and then you and I only differ in that I DO NOT see Travis holding out forever but - if no trade ensues - he will come in for his paycheck. I am not seeing TH with rose-colored glasses. I see TH as a very capable and cheap backup at a critical position. You see him as a guaranteed zero so any trade will do. We'll eventually see what happens. IMO, I am glad you are not GM Of course, your prediction may come true. I hope not

I see no reason for the Bills to release Travis - his cap hit is only 1.25 mil. if he holds out, the money comes back to the Bills eventually and he gets fined PLUS his contract rolls over. I just don't see him throwing away the money. I honestly don't. This is not your rich sports athlete. He is poor due to well known money mismanagement. Thus, $1.25 mil is a lot of money ( not just to us !) Travis will eventually come into camp where the other players will pound him to make him realize he is only hurting himself by holding out OR some other team will pay the Bills price.

well, as long as he doesn't do it from the upper deck (with the illusional reindeer in front of him) I guess that'll be alright

Sounds good! Now, if the Bills can only hold up their end of the "bargain"..........

Greg Jones is awfully big to be a fulltime RB - he's listed at 250. Seems to me to be more of a FB. How many carries can you expect in the Florida heat from a guy this heavy? 15? 20? (I get tired just thinking about it). This whole Henry issue is interesting since we do not whether the draft pick cost or the contract cost is the bigger issue. If it's Henry holding up the trade, it seems to me that at some point he will bend since his options are 1.) sit out and make no money 2.) come back to Buffalo and sit for 1.25 mil 3.) go to another team for 1.25 or a little more perhaps. A huge contract is not in his 2005 future. Why would any team give up a pick AND sign him to a rich, long term deal? Only in desperation. Travis' best move would be to come to Bills camp and work hard and say the right things. Meanwhile, when a trade is discussed, he should either insist on playing out his contract or work for the best deal possible without risking the trade. -RnJ

Way to go! If the team is doing well, the CNJBBB wil be there. As the date approaches, make sure to remind me and I will have your very own plate of Hot Wings ready for ya. Dang! Now I want wings.....(and beer too, of course)

Thta is my point - not close and we are talking about a player who has been injury prone his ENTIRE career. I am unsure of this but I THINK this is the most serious injury he has suffered (two torn knee ligaments). To expect him to come back from such an injury (December, surgery in January) in 9 months is beyond optimistic even if his name were McGahee - a YOUNG, never-before-injured RB. Taylor is none of these things. A more reasonable timeframe is November for about 50%-75% playing speed and 80%-90% strength. The Jag are stupid to not have acquired another RB by now IMO. With Henry out there, who can be had for a 3rd rounder, I just don't get it.

I agree with your assessment both as to the potential effect on keeping the Bills in town and on your estimation of potential sellouts. My only additional comment is that I think the Denver game WILL sellout since it is against Denver (a good , snow team, who we have played in big games in the past), the fact that it is a national game, the fact that is on a Saturday gives regional fans the day off of Sunday to travel home plus the late start gives regional fans an easy drive up and need only stay over one night. The CNJBBB, in fact, is already discussing a SECOND tailgate (which means, FEZMID, a second chance at CNJBBB wings in Hammer's Lot) for the game. The Bills record and the weather may play a role in this (the former more than the latter certainly - I mean, what does it matter if it snows on our deep fat cooker??) Go Bills! -RichNJoisy www.cnjbbb.org

It must be the almond cookies

Arthroscopic vs full reconstruct? Peh, you media guys...ya think you are doctors now huh? (by the way, they may not have lied....I have had two reconstructs and each one included an arthroscope as well.....of course that's like saying you had your teeth cleaned while also getting a root canal) I repeat my contention, there is no way that Taylor will be ready for training camp in one month if he had a full recontruct in December - especially at his age. From FFmastermind.com: Jags Refuse Comment on Taylor's Knee -- Thu Jun 30, 2005 --from FFMastermind.com # The Florida Times-Union reports Jaguars spokesman Dan Edwards said the team will have no comment on the condition of RB Fred Taylor's knee, but expects him to be ready to start the regular season. HC Jack Del Rio was unavailable for comment on Taylor's contention in a radio interview last week that surgeons performed what he called a "full cut'' on two torn knee ligaments, even though the club announced in January that he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writ....systems/2.html A great read. I don't know if I want the book he's plugging.....but maybe.

Yeh, a bit of a homer. The Fish certainly have big problems and are likely to end the season at the bottom of the AFCE. The Jets have the Pennington issue, one of these days Martin will actually get old, and their defensive line took a hit plus Abraham is holding out. But New England is nowhere near "in trouble". They are huge favorites to win the division and go deep in the playoffs. They are practically everyone's SB pick. The Bills season hangs on how well JP plays. The rest of the pieces except for placekicker and TE are set. The o-line is suspect but serviceable IMO. This puts the Bills way behind in expectations to the Patriots and at or just behind the Jets. I THINK we all will actually know a lot more by the end of August. Can Pennington throw? will be answered. Can JP run a "competent" offense? may also be known by then. Preseason injuries amongst NE, NYJ, and BUF will also give us a clue to what may transpire in 2005. -RnJ

Returning from an MCL and PCL injury generally takes 9-12 months minimum I think the Jag's are dreaming if they think an already injury prone RB can be ready by September let alone by late July. We'll see huh? -RnJ

I think offensive line is the most subjectively viewed position in the game of football. Unlike the other skill positions (QB, WR, CB, DL, LB, RB), OL opinions WIDELY vary even amongst different teams (let alone amongst the media and amongst fans) Having said that, I have no idea how good Verba is. How many of you watch, with any consistency, the offensive linemen of other teams? I love the game of football but I seldom notice any OL's except on my own team and the rare players on opponents we regularly face. The Pro Bowl voting backs me up on this: How many of you , if you even bother voting for an OL, know if they are good or if you have just heard of them? How many times did Ruben Brown get voted onto the PB team? Was he an All Star? "SOMEWHAT" surprisingly, the sports media also seems to know very little. How many of them thought LJ Shelton was a good match for the Bills? Well, the Bills didn't think so. Obviously they had a different opinion as to his skill level. Do the Bills need a new OT? The "experts" say so (sports media and fans). I happen to agree but I JUST SAID I DON'T know jack about linemen I haven't seen play a lot. Which means my opinion is....shall we say....not expert by any means. I have to assume that TD and his scouting, medical, strength, and coaching staff know more than I do as to the skill level of the linemen on the team and available in free agency. If the Bills talk to Verba, then they are interested. If they don't, they're not. -RnJ

Buff - one comment - Your "throw him to the wolves" remark misses the point: Everyone (Except Mularkey) - including JP - commented afterwards that JP was not prepared to go in and that he should have been prepared. The game was over and Mularkey was not happy with JP's work that practice week. he decided to throw in JP to give him a quick dose of very cold water. Could he have gotten injured? Yes Would everyone have been furious at Mularkey if this had happened? Yes But the risk was, in Mike's opinion, worth it to prove several points. 1.) Mularkey is in charge 2.) You better be prepared to play whenever he says so 3.) Don't waste practice time. It also gave JP a chance to play under the worst of circumstances (ie: Behind, late, against a great team in hostile territory) I think Mularkey may be a very special coach. It remains to be seen but he has impressed me with his smarts, ability to learn and most of all by his moxie. No punting on 4th downs from our opponent's 32 yard line anymorre folks. Thank goodness. You practice poorly? Here's your pink slip (Bobby Shaw). Not ready to play - throw 'em to the wolves. -RnJ

I am of the opinion that JP has a thicker skin than his "look-alike" RJ. But, anyway, that horse ain't out of the barn yet. We are favored to win folks. Which means...we might actually win...huh? Go Bills! Prediction 9/11/2005 : Bills 24 - Houston 17

Good point. My bad. To make things worse for ya, Mark and I plan to fire up the cooker no later than 8:30 am on the 11th of September which means you actually COULD be eating them by 8:40 am. The CNJBBB meets this Saturday for "BeerHenge V" or BHV for short. Details at our website. In brief, we will meet, swim, eat wings and grilled food, and drink labatts putting empty bottles at each transient point around my pool. We are certain, one year, that this will attract aliens......anyway, we are willing to try. "course that does mean we hafta drink a lotta beer. sigh.

I think most of us will agree that this argument Drew or JP has been battled to the point of nausea already. Regular readers of the Wall know the doom n' gloom prognosticators and the pie in the sky ones too. It is finally getting close enough to showtime to finally get some feel for this ie: Let's see JP on the field! Both "sides" have merit in my opinion. To the gloom people, I agree that it is rare that first year QB's shine. You can count them on one hand over the history of the NFL. To the pie people, I agree that the setup couldn't be better for JP except for a great offensive line - one huge pitfall to the pie people. But the Bills have a great (not just good) defense, a great running back (probably the best since OJ I think), the Special teams can score and keep opponents pinned deep. Only our kicker is suspect. Plus, our schedule is easy early - which gives JP the chance to come out of the shoot with some W's, even if he plays RATHER poorly. I do disagree however with the "one more year of Drew" people. Drew could not take this team to the playoffs IMO. Can JP? We'll see. Let's play ball - I am certain all of us here are hoping JP is better than we think (pie people too!) -RichNJoisy www.cnjbbb.org - The Place for Wings in NJ AND Hammer's Lot on Opening Day

Bills | Quick Scoring Plays Allowed don't Come Easy Tue, 21 Jun 2005 10:15:14 -0700 Since the start of the 2003 season, the Buffalo Bills are one of three teams that have surrendered the fewest touchdowns in the NFL on scoring drives of four plays or less. There have only been five times when teams scored against the Bills in four plays or less. The Bills allowed an NFL-low one touchdown on a drive of four plays or less last season. From kffl.com "The Bills allowed an NFL-low one touchdown on a drive of four plays or less last season. " ! I would assume that means including after turnovers. Incedible. How, again, did this team not make the playoffs? Go Bills in 2005!

I think I speak for of lot of us when I express my confusion at the total lack of movement to improve the Offensive Line beyond what has already been done, Maybe if Gandy really is better than WE think (a possibility even though we are all geniuses here ) then the lack of additional moves may make some sense. could be who knows?

Uhhhhhhh BFNC - Yes, the people that do what you say ARE A-Holes BUT the more people like you and I "chill" the safer WE will be. Road rage is REAL and never helps. A friend (mentor) of my wife's (RevNJoisy) taught us both to laugh as often as we can at this and say out loud, " Wow! They won!" whenever somebody does something like you describe to us. You and I both know that the real winners will be us and the true losers are the idiots on the road who make driving a competition. My dad taught me day 1: Assume ALL drivers are idiots. No accidents so far.........(age 43)

Hey Fez, These types of articles represent how poorly people understand statistics - which I use ALL the time in my work at NOAA. Just because it makes sense to associate one thing with another, that is often not the case or - even more likely! - is just one element in the equation. yes, speeding is associated with accidents but fatalities are on the rise because of the increase in large vehicles on the roadways (SUVs). They take longer to stop, roll over more easily than small cars, and when they strike smaller vehicles more damage is done to the smaller vehicle than if they were hit by something smaller. Thus, small car drivers AND SUV drivers are dying at a higher rate than ever before. Speeding doesn't help this of course! The article also points out (correctly) how traffic tieups due to increased traffic/congestion etc tend to skew the average driver speeds but they also tend to increase driver frustration which increases ALL drivers likelihood of making a risky move (not to mention Road Rage). Of course, how many drivers do you know who both speed regularly AND use radar detectors? For the life of me, I can't figure out why these are ever legal. I mean, what purpose do they serve other than to help someone break the law? So, the real law breakers will not be concerned with the crackdown. They'll be purring along at the speed limit right past the speed trap. That's America! As Russert's dad would say, "Whatta country!" My road mantra? Never be in a hurry. You'll live longer. -RnJ

I don't know the answer but I can comment that you are correct that MOST games are tape delayed and edited - which means that portions of the delayed games are cut to fit the games into a 2 hour time slot. The cuts are usually from the away team and in the 2nd half. Last year, games were shown within 1 to 3 days after they were played. Some were repeated. Set your TIVO! -RnJ