Rocky Landing

David Bowie, although he is getting a little long in the tooth.

From what I understand from the article, the A's deal has not yet been ratified, and they could relocate in 2016. But, I think you are making assumptions here. Any deal for the Raiders, or the Bills to move to LA has to be approved by the NFL. I have to believe that any sale of the Bills to a group that was planning on moving them to LA would have that approval ahead of the sale. Otherwise, it would be too risky, and I doubt the NFL would approve the sale, especially if the price were inflated in anticipation of a move to a more lucrative market. If the Raiders have an interest in moving to LA, they could certainly derail that. But, I would think that a group buying the Bills could also derail plans for a Raider move. Either way, it would seem to me that the Bills ownership will be resolved before this Oakland stadium issue is resolved, giving a Bills move the advantage.

More. I want to see EJ play half the series in the first two games, and at least half against the Steelers, and Bucs. We can sit him most of the Lions game. EJ needs to be tuned in the Bears opener. Or, if, as the doubters suspect, he is injury prone, let's find that out in the preseason. Is that harsh?

I'm quite surprised at how many Bills fans there are that aren't from WNY. I'm from Rochester, originally, but have lived in Los Angeles since '91. I know quite a few football fans here, and many of them have what I think of as a band-wagon mentality when it comes to the teams they have aligned themselves with. Consequently, I know Packers fans, Cowboys fans, Saints fans, Bears fans-- all teams with numerous playoff appearances in the last 15 years, or so. But, I've never met a Browns fan, or a Jags fan, or a Lions fan, or a Bills fan here in Los Angeles that wasn't from one of those regions. I realize now that I was wrong. The Bills have a fan base that extends well beyond Western New York. Come to think of it, I think there might only be one team that really fits the description of a team that only people from the team's region are fans of: The Patriots-- the team everyone loves to hate.

Man, it was a freer country back then, wasn't it? Some of the younger posters on here might read the story about kids sneaking in beers and assume that it was bad parenting, but it was just different back then. I remember once, after one of my father's ski races at Bristol Mountain, I was operating the keg, and serving all the adults beers during the after-party and awards ceremony. I was six. Everyone thought it was cute! I can't imagine what would happen today, if a six-year-old were doing that.

The bottom link worked for me, too. The middle link was dead, and the top link was about medical marijuana. Whatchoo smoking', Promo?

I think a lot of fans are sort of in your boat. At the very least, it can be said of everybody posting on here, in July, that we spend more time parsing the game than we do watching it. I'm not sure which I enjoy more, I think it's 50/50. But, that is the amazing thing about football. Does anyone analyze any other sport to the extent that football gets analyzed? With the exception of highlights, does anyone re-watch a baseball game? I can't think of another sport where what is happening on the field at a given time can be so profoundly affected by what had happened ten plays ago. And, the deeper I get into understanding the sport, the more I realize I know jack squat.

This might be an overly simplistic, and even puerile thread topic. But, given the passionate, and, at times, bitter tenor of some of the recent threads on this forum, it would seem an appropriate question to pose: Why are we football fans? And, why the Bills? The latter question is probably about the same for every poster on this forum. Geography. Just about every Bills fan alive was born in Upstate New York, or thereabouts. It's an amazing thing. That cannot be said for every team. I have a friend here in L.A. who is a die-hard Titans fan, and I don't believe that jackass has ever even been to Tennessee. People often become fans of NFL teams that they do not have any geographic connection to. But not the Bills. They are ours, and ours alone. The difference between posters, regarding the former question, 'why are we football fans,' has led to some heated, and even insulting exchanges. In my opinion, football is the greatest spectator sport ever devised. It has something for everybody, regardless of how deep you are willing to go. Statistics, drama, entertainment, strategy, etc. Every type of athlete is represented on the field. I don't believe that any other sport can be parsed, analyzed, and interpreted to the depth than football can. But, the question remains: Why are you a football fan? Is it the dedication to your team? Is it the thrill of victory (and the agony of defeat)? Is it the fascination derived from all the variables, statistics, and/or analysis? Is it just for the fun of it? Some combination of the above? Personally, I find it's a great way to get my family to leave me the hell alone for three hours on a Sunday.

Die thread, die!!!

Is there an actual "0-16 crowd?" I really thought it was just one guy who, mulling his morning coffee and bong load, had authored an ill-advised thread that now won't seem to die.

I've had two ACL replacements. One in '99, and one in '09. Painful. But, assuming there isn't any other significant damage, it's around nine months to a year to get back to about 99%. NOT career ending by any means. And, if he stays to his rehab regimen (I'm sure he will), there's no reason to believe he won't be back to form.

You're better for it.

To the OP: I tried to make it through your entire post, I really did. And, my hat's off to all the forum members who took the time to read this twaddle, and thoughtfully reply. But, for me, the stench of smug self-indulgence was too much to take. I was really only able to more, or less skim the wretched thing. You honestly want to sell the notion that the most enjoyable part of next season should be the bye week? You honestly believe that the best outcome for an organization that is quite possibly on the precipice of being relocated-- possibly several time-zones away-- and is clinging to the depressed economy of Western New York, with wolves at the door, is abject failure? And let's forget, for the moment, that this is a fan site, and consider the players, themselves. Do you have so little regard for the lives, and careers of the 53 dedicated professionals on our team, that you would wish upon them the ignoble distinction that would come with such an accomplishment? You want them, our team, to be a laughingstock? And then, at the end of your long, tiresome post, you have the audacity to beseech the fan base of the Buffalo Bills to "open their minds." Wow.

I say, "The glass is half full!" (Unfortunately, it's half full of sh*t)

This is the offseason.

So, you're a "glass half empty" guy?

Bills beating Pats > USA winning World Cup

What do you have against synchronized swimming?

Well, ACL replacement surgery is fairly routine. They clean out the remnants of the old one, drill a couple of holes in the upper and lower leg bones, thread in a graft (usually from a cadaver, but sometimes cut from the patellar ligament), and anchor it in the holes. Then, a new ligament grows over the graft, good as new. The only question then, when talking about how bad the injury is, isn't how badly torn is the ACL, but whether there were any other injuries that occurred at the time of the ACL tear, like meniscus, or MCL damage. Nice Peter Pan link, btw.

I haven't read anything regarding a suspension.

I mentioned earlier in this thread, Erin Henderson in FA. Was released by the Vikings for two DUIs in six weeks. Eight year vet had his best season last season-- 4 sacks, 2 ints, 69 tackles. He can play inside and outside. Claims he is "on the wagon." Why not? Let's keep it deep.

I've had my ACL replaced twice. It's a long recovery, nine months. But with proper rehab, 100% recovery.

Erin Henderson. He had a decent season last year with the Vikings. They released him because of two DUIs. On the wagon now, supposedly. And, we seem to have become the destination for those with plenty of baggage.

This is what it is to be a Bills fan.

Well, Chris Brown certainly knows more than me. But, I did read his assessment, and it is just speculation on his part-- unless there is another article, or post I don't know about. So, perhaps Lewis isn't as safe as EJ. But, I still suspect that he will be the #2.