JoeF

I sent a note to Sam Adams' players association mail box and he just wrote me back to tell me he appreciates fans like me...so there.... Can't believe he is skipping the Green Bay practice to write me back, but that's okay I guess.

Go to a Sam's or Costco and buy the dozen tin altoid pack (its like $10) and then just give one tin to several members of your team including her--that way everyone can offer her one when she comes by. If she doesn't get it after the first round, rotate it among the team to buy more....

Sad but true T, but I wouldn't limit it to just the Vikings--it was a wake up call to every team and the league.

Mularkey's quote about the old days when he played under Bud Grant: "When I played for Bud (Grant in the early 1980s), there was no water on the field," Mularkey remembers. "But if there was a cattle warning on the radio and the farmers were warned to bring their cattle in, we'd get a water break." I bet he is telling the team that when he was growing up in Miami he walked to school uphill both ways through 5' drifts of snow or beach sand or whatever... I know the emphasis was not on hydration during Coach Moo's time as a player..but I thought the quote was funny...

Good Point on the CBA Ennjay. It will take some creativity, but I think we can get this done now. We can actually GAIN a little cap space this year...Nate's cap hit is about $3.5 Million for this year. Let's say we do something like 7 years, $49 Million--collecting $25 Million in the first three years--including this year which I believe gives us the 5 year amoritization. Contract is: $10 Million up front this year (5 year amoritization) $6 Million additional gauranteed (Not Roster) bonus in '06 (4 year) $4 Million additional gauranteed (Not Roster) bonus in '07 (3 year) Salaries: 2005 Vet Min - $600K 2006 $1.4 Million 2007 $3 Million 2008 $3 Million 2009 $4 Million 2010 $8 Million 2011 $9 Million Cap hits with amoritization: 2005 $2.6 Million (Save $900K this year) 2006 $4.9 Million 2007 $7.83 Million 2008 $7.83 Million 2009 $8.84 Million 2010 $8 Million (all bonuses amoritized) 2011 $9 Million I think this is fair for everyone...Nate is rich in the first three years...Bills get some backend flexibility with no cap hit if Nate is released after 2009. Someone will correct me I am sure if I have the CBA rules wrong..

Maybe we will actually see a real screen pass this year...wow....Drew threw the bullet screen--

Just noticed Kevin Everett (#85) in full uni next to Parish in the one photo. Wonder if he got any work in drills?? Must be making a good recovery.

Sobieski Draft Profile I am no genius--but I can read a draft profile....this track record certainly doesn't scream durability...but you know you should take risks with 5th rounders----if he had gotten himself healthy he had talent. I am talking in the past tense because I believe his probability of making the team this year as one of the 5 guards is about the same as my probability of making the team. Anderson, Chris V, Jermain, Smith, Tucker....all ahead of him on the depth chart plus Geisinger

I think Drew is more challenged post Mo Lewis...Parcells hadn't seen that yet.....

It was Kelly's team though....Fast forward to the last couple of years and this D has worked its ass off---being rated at the top of the league and the O didn't deliver in many. many situations (notice how I did not say Drew--I said the O) and then the leader of the O says its his team......that's what I was thinking. I think JP is saying this because he is the 1st year starter and knows that he has to build a track record of success before talking about his team leadership role publicly..but I still wonder if Drew's comments rubbed some leaders of the D the wrong way and that was a factor in the adios Drew decision or at least made it easier to bid him a fond farewell...

The answer is yes--he did come out of college hurt.....chronic shoulder issues.

Thanks Billsgirl...cool shots. This is like manna from heaven to all us out of towners..really appreciate it.

Why do I get the feeling that Drew will not be the starter by about week 9 or so....and why do I get the feeling that Cowboy fans aren't going to be as nice or a paitient as Bills fans were.. Drew Bledsoe=Dan Kolb...Braves Fans...

Thank God he is still around Lake Erie.....It makes it seem like he's almost back with us. For him to get a job in the NFL must mean the economy is reaching full employment again.....

If you recall JP stopped a reporter yesterday when the reporter asked if JP felt like it was "his team". JP said that he had never characterized it as his team and if he did, he was mistaken. The reporter asked today why he would never charachterize it as "his team". JP's answer....."No player on this team is any more important than any other player. Offense, Defense, Special Teams, we all work hard--running, lifting, etc. We all contribute. To call it my team would mean I am putting myself above everyone and I am not." (paraphrase) Interesting........wonder if there was some bad feeling in the locker room when Drew said this last year. Wonder if there was more bad feeling when Drew didn't follow the coaches advice on the coin toss before the Steelers game last year....

Nice job. You had me at TD's butt.... Welcome to the board.

Nuns have tasers????? Ouch....

Where are the rulers??? The back of my hands still hurt...35 years later...

Could have just been the pickle juice he ingested for lunch backing up on him. Pickle juice will do that to you sometimes.

I am worried about JP as well. Careers are made and lost on first practices after being named starters. All the great ones...Starr, Montana, Elway, Manning..all had great first practices after being named the starter. JP is already behind....Collins, Johnson, Bledsoe, Van Pelt, Flutie--add the name Losman to the pile of unsuccessful Kelly replacements. Into the abyss...

We certainly have the Wisconsin connections on this team to get a read on Wendell Bryant. Krumrie probably talks with Alvarez and his staff all the time. Troy is a legend and Lee played with Bryant for his first couple of years. If the guy is a lazy loser they would know. If he was disheartened by a bad situation in Az --that would be known as well. I remember the holdout--I also think he and his agent did not participate in mini-camps--but I could be wrong there..something about not being comfortable with the insurance in case of injury.

Wow...great photos...what a catch by Roscoe...Thanks Andy...

Mikey, tgreg---great stuff. Thank you so much.

They are probably fully into individual drills right now...I wonder if the blocking sled has beaten Mike Gandy already.....

Poor workouts--that's a shocker with that high performance body of his..... Manuel Wright--Body by the B's -- Bojangles, Burger King and Baskin Robbins with help from Betty Crocker...