R. Rich

Yet another wild card who would be a great addition. Personally, I'd hope we address the lines first, but this guy is a tremendous talent. Bio From NFL Draft Countdown

Here's another wild card, though probably less likely as he may not last until the 8th. If he does, it could make things interesting. Bio From NFL Draft Countdown

A possible wild card, if there's any kind of trade down scenario by the Bills. This guy is very impressive, and would be a great addition to an aging secondary. Bio From NFL Draft Countdown

If we can't get Ferguson w/ the 8th pick, I sure hope we land this guy! I also realize that may be a pipe dream w/out some sort of trade up, so all we can hope for is that this guy falls due to other players being sought after. Bio From NFL Draft Countdown

Ngata is the popular pick here, and if we do nothing in free agency to address the DT problem, I guess it wouldn't be a horrible pick for the Bills. The guy is a big, strong 2 gap tackle that should contribute immediately for whatever team drafts him. Bio From NFL Draft Countdown

Here's the player bio NFL Draft Countdown did on Ferguson. I have made no secret that I think he's the 2nd best player in the entire draft (after Reggie Bush) and I hope and pray that he falls to the Bills in the 8th spot. Thoughts?

Ah yes, the old sick call. I remember making that trip a couple times while I was stationed in Berlin. We'd have to get from our job site to the hospital and then back to the site, unless they sent you home for the day (fat chance). It only wasted about half the day, that's all.

I don't mind answering it. Many people here know I work for SSA. You have way more sick time than I do. I may have half of that, but not much more.

And thus the need for the change.

W/ the way things have been going around here recently? Probably.

For what?

Actually, my SCD (service comp date) is 07/07/96, so I'm only about 5 1/2 years away from my 8 hrs per pay period!

I get 4 hrs per pay period, which works out to be 13 sick days per year. Unlike annual leave, we accrue sick leave @ the same rate forever. Annual leave goes from 4 hrs per pay period (first 2 yrs) to 6 (next 13 years) to 8. Only 6 more years 'til I get up to 8 hrs annual leave per pay period!

Happy birthday, man.

I'm still hoping DT is addressed in free agency rather than the draft. I'd be okay w/ us getting Ryan Pickett from the Rams or Ma'ake Kemoeatu from the Ravens. Both are big, 2 gap tackles that won't cost as much as using the 8th overall pick on a DT. W/ the first pick, I'd have some options, depending on how the rest of the draft plays out: (If D'Brickashaw Ferguson is there, no matter who else is still available) Draft Ferguson (If Mario Williams is there and Ferguson is gone) Draft Super Mario (If both Ferguson and Williams are gone) Look to move down: 1. Move down a few spots to draft Tamba Hali, Jimmy Williams, or Michael Huff 2. Move down toward the end of the first round to target any of the following: Jonathan Scott Max Jean-Gilles (I don't think he lasts to the 60th pick) Gabe Watson (big run stuffer AND we get an extra pick) Manny Lawson (this may change if he does well @ the combine, as I expect he will; then he's in the "move down a few spots" category) As long as DT is addressed in free agency, I'd be okay w/ any of those moves.

Here's a few names I'll throw out there in terms of a RT, William. They can be drafted in later rounds, thus saving big bucks yet still getting good quality. After all, do we really need to pay big bucks for another RT??? Andrew Whitworth-LSU Big mauler of a run blocker who will need to work on his pass blocking and footwork, but the raw materials are there. Probably available in the late 2nd, maybe even early 3rd. Troy Reddick-Auburn Pretty good pass blocker, strong @ the point of attack. Massive guy who has farily good technique. Should be available in the 3rd, where we should have multiple picks. Albert Toeaina-Tennessee Huge guy @ about 6-6, 350 who is very strong. Has had some character issues and would have to be researched very well (as the Bills usually do). Could be a value pick for someone in the late 4th/early 5th, especially if he's got his act together. Any of these guys would be decent choices in terms of bringing in a RT prospect, and none would require a first round pick. Trueblood isn't a bad choice either, as he is a big guy who is a fiesty blocker. Thing is, he's 6'9", and tends to play too high quite often. If that doesn't improve in the pros, he's dead meat.

You know what sucks even worse than Tirico, Theeeeeeeeeeesman, Kornheiser, or whoever else they can find to man the booth? Week 1: Green Bay vs Detroit Week 2: NY (doesn't matter which one; just one of them) vs Oakland Week 3: Dallas vs Kansas City Week 4: San Fransisco vs Dallas Week 5: Indianapolis vs Dallas Week 6: Dallas vs Dallas and so on and so on... The matchups are what suck now on MNF. More than ever, considering the show's move to cable, they'll rely on the big market teams to give them their automatic ratings rather than working to provide good matchups. For that reason, I no longer regularly watch MNF. I'll tune in to watch a game now and then, but it's no longer required viewing for me. It won't be until they fix the problem, not the symptoms.

I think Mike Carey is a bit better, but both are very good refs, and I'm surprised one of them didn't get to work the Super Bowl.

I've mentioned that I like Pickett as a solid run stuffer for some time now, but considering the other players you mentioned as free agent acquisitions (LeCharles Bentley, Jon Runyan, Ike Taylor), it might be easier to go after Ma'ake Kemoeatu of Baltimore than Pickett, who is coming off a pretty good year for St Louis and might command more $$ than Kemoeatu, even though he's rated higher than Pickett.

The '05 related threads have been closed for some time now, Astro. I closed the '05 related threads in the Mock Drafts and Top Players forum. I'll be adding quite a few threads to the Top Players forum, probably this evening.

Let's not confuse things. Badly officiated game? Crappy refs? Horrible job by the zebras? Worst officiated Super Bowl in recent memory? I agree. Clandestine, covert operation to undermine the Paul Allen-led, coffee drinking, money earning establishment Seattle has built for themselves? I disagree.

No big deal. I respect your opinion in the issue, but it is your opinion, not fact.

It's true that the refs blew numerous calls in this game, many adversely affecting the Seahawks. It's true that the Seahawks aided in their own loss by playing like crap in the biggest game in franchise history. What I don't understand about all this hysteria is how anyone can say it's true that the game was "fixed". Unless you have some sort of evidence to illustrate this theory (bad calls are not evidence of anything other than the same incompetence we've seen in officiating all season long), what's true is that it was a poorly officiated game. Nothing more.

The Bayou Bengals are keeping the talent rolling in. Then again, I'd expect nothing less from a team in the middle of prime athletic talent (FLA, GA, TX).

Uhh, Clements......Austin was recruited to Penn State about 3 years ago.