Buftex

Well, whether you like it or not, this is a pretty huge story. Get used to it...like it or not, you will be hearing about this all summer... the NFL Network would have been crazy, and not doing their job (they have been on for 60 hours or something like that) if they didn't address it.

I think your opinion on this trade (whoever you are) depends on how you feel about the direction the team is heading. There are some people (you know who you are) who will think that anything the Bills do is stupid, because EJ Manuel is their QB. There are others (I am one) who don't think Manuel was near as awful last season as others prefer to remember...for us, this seems like a very good deal. Essentially, the Bills got the highest rated WR coming out of college in the last 5 years, for a first round pick. We all know, the draft is a crap shoot...but experts seem as sure as they can be, that Watkins is going to be a terrific, upper echelon NFL player. If that happens, I don't see how you can view this as a bad trade. The 4th rounder is not that big of a deal... the Bills have already replaced that #4 with the Johnson trade, and will very likely do some more wheeling and dealing next draft. How often has it happened, in the history of this franchise, that we have come out of the draft knowing that we have just obtained what is, arguably, one of the very best, if not the very best prospect in a draft? If Watkins turns out to be a complete bust, have at...but until then, just quit being so miserable about everything regarding this team. We joke that the misery is part of being a Bills fan...and perhaps that is true. Wouldn't you rather go into a season, for once, feeling like we might be on to something. The franchise (and fans) have developed this "lovable losers" image by doing precisely what everyone always thinks they "should do"...you know, staying put in the draft, picking up some nice to not so good players...and continuing to hold their ground as a solid 6 or 7 win team every year....so they finally swing for the fence on a pick, and a vocal majority whines because they didn't play it safe, like they would have...

Let me preface this comment by saying that I feel more optimistic about this team than I have since the Tom Donohoe years. I love the team they are building...and it doesn't feel like just more or the same, even though the results, record wise were pretty much the same as they have been for a while. As pleased as I am, I am still not sure if I completely sold on Marrone, and his coaching staff. I don't hate them, but I feel like last season left me with as many questions as answers about our coaching staff. I am reserving judgment for now. I think most of my optimism about the team comes from Doug Whaley.

Arthur Moates was a cancer, didn't want to be in Buffalo? Did I miss something?

:wallbash:

TBD can bea really depressing destination at times...

No knock on Stevie, who I like a lot, but I think that is a really good return for him. When you consider all of the star players that don't garner much in trade returns the last few years...I honestly was resigned to the idea that we would get a 6th, or 5th for him at best. Given his salary, a 4th (possible 3rd) is pretty nice. And, as I like the guy a lot, and appreciate him wearing his heart on his sleeve all these years, as one of ours, glad for him to get to go to a contender.

Love it!

I heard, as well (maybe somebody can confirm?) that Martin has given his blessings to Benioff & Weiss to finish the story, if he doesn't live long enough to finish the books. Apparently Martin has some serious health issues?

Content and satisfied so far.

Clowney is the guy mentioned most, that scares me.

As someone who hasn't read the books (and has no intention to do so), I really don't mind spoilers. If the show is good, spoilers aren't going to ruin it for me. When I watch the show, it is normally on HBO On Demand. If you watch it ON Demand, they have these little "discussions" about the episode, with the two series produceres (Benioff & Weiss)... if you have ever watched these little features, you will notice, they always speak about the episodes as if the person watching has read the books. At first, it just seemed like they were giving the characters attributes that weren't really explained by simply watching the show. But as the show progressed, it became more apparent that they are assuming you know what is going to happen to some degree... first time I really noticed it, was late in season one, or maybe early season two, when they were talking about Aryia...one of the producers said something like "this is our first insight into the capacity she develops to kill". At that point, she was still just a spunky little kid... they made some other comments about Littlefingers' feelings for Sansa as well, before it appeared that storyline might be going in the current direction.

He will go #1 if Buffalo trades up for that pick...

We should just have a pinned thread for bitching about WGR.

La Nova...cheese and pep.

Mack the knife...

I will admit, I enjoy "Game of Thrones", and "Walking Dead" (to a lesser degree), but neither is in the same ball-park as "Mad Men". You notice that everything is changing in the world, except Don? Everyone is "evolving", even Roger and Pete...but not Don. He keeps clinging to his old ways. I can relate to his character so well, in some ways... not the lucky with the ladies way... loved when drunk Don confronts the IBM guy "you're not my friend..." Also, the parallel between season 1 and season 7: remember way back, when Don would have his late night conversations with Betty's shrink, where the doctore would tell the husband what the wife was saying... no patient/doctor priveledge for Betty. Then, in season 7, Megan's agent calls Don to tell him what is going on with her, to "get her under control". So, imagine how mystified Don is when Megan gets pissed off about it. The whole dynamic between Don and Sally has been great too. Poor Sally, picking up the worst traits of both of her parents. She can be as fake as Betty, and as cold as Don, at the flip of a switch. You have to wonder how the whole thing ends...but I have a feeling it won't be a happy ending. The way they keep making mention of the fact that Don is now in Lane Price's old office has been hard to miss. We all know what happened in Lanes' office... I wish to hell they would just run the whole final season consecutively...but only 3 more episodes left until next year.

Gotta be Hank Williams Sr.

One of the great singles of all time... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIfxBthfFkg

FWIW, wasn't Whaley on the record, last year as saying Manuel was his choice? I seem to remember somebody, Whaley-hating, linking an article that quoted Whaley saying as much. Now, of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that Buddy had no input, but as you would expect, Whaley, the GM was taking full repsonsibility/credit for picking EJ.

Aw...c'mon...the Hound is pretty cool for a "bad guy". Agree about Tyrion...the guy who plays him is excellent. Like all the great dramas from this modern "golden age" of television, the bad guys all have admirable qualites, and the good guys all have weaknesses... All in all, I find the acting on this show to be very, very good... the only one I find a little off is Dani...but she is pretty hot! And I give her some slack because a fair amount of her lines are delivered, no doubt, in front of green screens, with cgi added in later.

Agreed. I think people are over-simplifying the Golisano/Sabres situation. Golisano did Buffalo (or at least Sabres fans) a great service, and really did save that franchise. Sure, it is possible, if he hadn't somebody else might have, but that is not what happened. He purchased them, with no intention of keeping them long-term... they needed somebody to step in, and he did it. Not sure why so many have animosity towards him. He always made it clear that he wasn't really a "hockey guy", but was getting involved for the good of the community. I blame the Drury/Briere fiasco as much on Darcy and Drury as I would Golisano.

For us non-book readers, the Littlefinger story was pretty big...and it looks like Sansa is just heading from one prison to another...poor kid!

There is a chance, even if the Bills pick at #9 (or lower) they might still manage another 1st round pick...I think this is going to be a very active trade night on Thursday.

Hopefully, if it is a nice night, we will be upstairs on the patio! Technically, the bar is on Nueces, between 6th & 7th street... see you there! Got the night off from work!