Buftex

As great as watching football on tv has become (HD rocks!), intricacies of the game are one thing, but there is just no way you can see everything on tv. If you are at the stadium, and you are paying attention, you can see so much more. I have played/watched for 40+ years (a lot of football...a lot!) and there are still things I can't know if I am not there. Terminology changes, seemingly, out of nowhere....being a bit of a sports/football junkie, I remember, probably around 1999 or 2000 players and coaches starting using terms like "that is the mikes responsibility", or "the will has to make that play"....I spent a good season trying to figure out what the !@#$ they were talking about....now that is common and part of our every day sports vernacular, but it isn't always instinctive, or logical...

Yeah, I get that feeling too. After the way they killed of Jimmy, it wouldn't surprise me to see Eli go too...though the idea that Eli might off himself, after killing Knox has crossed my mind too...kind of lost track somewhere (didn't watch for about three weeks, then splurged on the last three episodes), but does J Edgar know that Knox is still pursuing the organized crime theory? I remember he was po'd when J Edgar "stole" the idea for himself.

Jeff Garica bounced around a lot too...49ers, Browns,Eagles, Bucs, Lions, Raiders, Texans... pretty certain he never started for the Raiders or Texans, but I think he started at least a handful of games for the other 5 teams.

JR, I nornally agree with you on a lot of things..but I think you are way off in your assessment here... while game broadcasts are longer than ever, the amount of time for analysis is less than ever. So, in that sense, the broadcasting game may have passed Dierdorf by, but I think the guy is extremely knowledgable...head and shoulders above the average muckity-mucks who do Sunday afternoon games. One thing this thread re-inforces to me, Bills fans, as a whole, are pretty thin-skinned and have extremely select hearing. And, oh yeah, they hold onto grudges for percieved slights of their team for decades...from the comments here, I think many will only be happy when we have graduates from the Ryan Seacrest school of broadcast doing games. Hear hear! Now, I see saying how much they love "Chuckie" all the time... I think he is about as bad as it gets...it doesn't help that Tirico is as bland as it gets.

You know, the Bills could legitimately have 4 defesive Pro Bowlers this year: Mario, Kiko, Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus. That would be terrific.

Understood...I am too lazy to look it all up...would prefer to just talk out of my ass until it makes some sense I can live with! I guess making it a two player minimum makes sense to a degree...you wouldn't want a good team, say the Sharks, once they had a playoff spot sewn up, sending half their starters down to their farm team, to enhnace their playoff chances as well...so I get that...but Grigorenko is hardly an established star (or even an established player) in the NHL...he has already dominated the juniour leagues...he needs something in-between...

Wow. To the juniors? So, he can't go to Rochester? I am not doubting you, I guess I really don't understand these rules at all. To me, that almost makes it so they have to keep him in Buffalo, whether they want to or not. I know, occaisionally, you get an older vet who goes to Rochester to rehab from an injury (like they do in baseball)...but didn't the Sabres once send Craig Rivet to Rochester (or was it Portland then?) during his 15th season or so, in the NHL? I am guessing Grigorenko doesn't have more than 50 games in Buffalo under his belt.

The Bills have had 13 different starters, they say, since 1999. Without looking, I can only come up with 12. Who is number 13? Did Craig Nall ever actually start a game for us? Or Travis Brown...as I recall, Brown went in on the first series of a game, when the starter (Trent?) got hurt on the first play of the game...so technically, not a start. Rob Johnson Doug Flutie Alex Van Pelt Drew Bledsoe J.P.Losman Kelly Holcomb Trent Edwards Brian Brohm Ryan Fitzpatrick E.J. Manueul Thaddeus Lewis Jeff Tuel Sorry, guess I was typing as you posted....that is bogus...I certainly don't recall any of those "starts" by Brad Smith.

Okay..I mostly agree with you...but Margaret? She has literally been on the show for about 10 minutes the entire season...too much? I like the fact that Rothstein (my favorite on the show) and she are, sort of, unwittingly, in cahoots...there may be more to that down the road...I could have lived with a lot more of both characters this season. I completely agree with you about Jillian. While I loved the whole Chalky story-line, and Nucky/Eli rift that is soon to develop, I hated the whole Jillian thread in this past episode. I think the directors/writers, or whoever, were trying to be too cute with that whole thing...like an old film noir...but it the style was only used for that particular story-line, so it didn't work...it seemed really corny. Also, not sure why, but I can't stand Ron Livingston, the actor who played the Pinkerton. He is like a poor-man's Tim Robbins. I can deal with him going undercover to catch her and all, but the way it went down was rediculous, and not really in keeping with the tone of the show. All in all though, I have enjoyed the season...Chalkie is going to war with Narcise and Nucky, Narcise with Nucky and Chalkie, and Nucky with Narcise, Chalkie and Eli..what could go wrong? Could Nucky call in some help from his friends in Chicago (again) to bust up Eli's meeting with the other bosses...notice Chicago was left out of that meeting...

You talk long enough, into an open mike, unscripted (to a degree) you are bound to come up with a few gems like that per game! Really listen to Phil Simms some time..he is the master of the absurd, but most (I think) feel he is pretty decent. But, I do remember that one as well!

So, anyone up to date with season four of Boardwalk Empire?

Yes! Myers looks so much better in just 4 games... I know it is cliche, but so far, Nolan's team, as a whole, works so much harder than what we have seen the last two years or so...I think that is all most want...to see some effort. I realize they aren't winning a cup any time soon...hell, maybe not even making the playoffs for a year or two...but just don't give me a lazy, apathetic hockey team, and expect to keep my interest for 8 months. I have been enjoying Sabres hockey so much more this past week...I was one of those who never believed Darcy would be fired, so I was in the camp of those thinking the Sabres should try to trade Myers, before he had absolutely no value any more...now I have a little more faith. btw- did anyone catch the Sabres/Leafs game this past Saturday night, watching the Hockey Night in Canada feed? The color guy (sorry I can't remember who it was) made an interesting observation, while noting the "new energy" that Nolan seems to have brought to the Sabres...he said "it makes a big difference when you have a coach who doesn't hate his hockey team...guys can feel that, and it reflects in their play". I am thinking (assuming) he was talking about Rolston, but just found those to be out of the ordinary, and rather strong words, especially from somebody who wouldn't follow the Sabres on a nightly basis..did Rolston "hate" his Sabres squad?

I actually think, all in all, Dierdorf was one of the best Sunday afternoon analysts in the game. I think a lot of people can only remember him from his MNF years (when the Bills were on MNF 2 or 3 times a year)...Dierdorf has admitted, himself, he never could strike the balance on MNF between overstating things, or over-hyping things...because of the stage of MNF, producers encouraged the color guys to be "over the top", and to put their imprint on the game. Once Dierdorf moved to Sunday afternoon games on CBS, I think his performance was much improved...certainly one of the very best that CBS had to offer. Dierdorf knows the game as well as anyone...however, broadcasts now give color guys very little time to break down plays (something DD was excellent at), between advertisement, sponsership announcements, etc etc..so they often can't get their point made in an efficient amount of time...I think people were way too hard on the guy. CBS announcers, in general, are pretty bad...its' a pity, because back in the day (when the Bills were a nationaly relevant team) NBC had a great stable of play by play and color guys. I know I am very much in the minority on this, but I will miss Dierdorf, especially given the alternatives.

Working at the Texas Longhorns/Texas Tech Red Raiders game from 5am-7:30pm...not my ideal way to spend the holiday, but at about $25 an hour (holiday rate!) I can't afford to pass it up...cold leftofvers when I get home!

Admittedly, they would have to start winning at a much greater freqeuncy(2-2 in their last four!), but I don't think they are "out of it" just yet. I am happy for the management change...but I have to confess, I am still a little puzzled by what their motives are right now, with LaFontaine and Nolan in place. I heard LaFontaine say the "plan is still the same" when he took over, but then they made a bunch of roster moves which make me feel they are, at least, trying not to finish with the worst record in the league. I thought they played pretty well in both Toronto games this past weekend, and though the score was 4-1, they were clearly beat (not outworked) by a far superior team in St Louis, last night. They sent all the teenagers back to Rochester, or London, Ont, with the exception of Grigorenko (not sure why, but I think I heard the NHL said they could not send him down...maybe somebody knows?), and seem intent on getting a better look at some "older" youngsters like McNabb and Adam...guys who, for whatever reason, flashed some talent, but seemed to fall out of favor with Ruff and Rolston...good move, as far as I am concerned. I might have kept Ristolainen up, because I thought he was the most solid of the teeny-boppers so far...but what do I know? Scratch that, the only thing I know, for me, the team has become a lot more interesting, even if they do, ultimately, bottom out.

That would be amazing to see him drafted that early...hell, anywhere in the first round would be cool. Linebacker is still a need for the Buffalo pro team!

Not a huge candy guy (red meat is my killer of choice), but when I do, gotta be black licorise or black jelly-beans....for chocolate, a room temperature/sligtly melting Milky Way bar! Your an eccentric!

Kind of been enjoying Tuesday night UB football!

She can sing...

Couldn't they make, like, a Spider Man christmas flick, or a Dark Knight X-mas? It seems Hollywood can only do comic book movies anymore...

If you count AJ, it is 250 million and 1!

Hollywood really sucks!

Your probably right...I am always wrong about this stuff!

Actually, kinda cute!