Buftex

Yeah, I caught that too..just didn't mention it cuz I feel like there are only about 2 or 3 people who watch "Treme"...I really love it.. one, shortened, 5 episode season left..and then it is over. What was kind of cool about the Boardwalk Empire reference to Buffalo was that it kind of put Buffalo in the context of a major American city, as it would have been in the 1920's...normally any passing references to Buffalo are deragotory in some way!

Even if you go back, the Eagles were "contenders" in the late 70's early 80's...as well as a significant part of the 90's. So, they lost two Super Bowls, Buffalo lost 4... I guess some people have a different definition of "heartache" when it comes to sports. To me, there is more heartache involved in sucking, year after year, with no glimmer of hope of really being a team in contention, than winning a bunch of games, and coming up short in the playoffs every year. As painful as that is, I would take that over the Browns fans suffering any day....there are what? 124 major league pro sports teams ? Every year, only 4 of them will be able to say they are champs. and only about 20 can say that they had a real chance to win it all.

Is that percentage of wins/losses in franchise history, or the last 40 years as the OP was using as his gauge? I am interested more in percentage of winning (ie: contending) seasons in franchise history, more than overall franchise W/L record.

I don't have those stats in front of me...but I would guess the Eagles have more winning seasons (or percentage of winning seasons..you can't compare the Jags to the rest) than any of those teams...but I would feel a lot less hearache from getting boucned from the playoffs annually, than I would not even contending every year...I would think there is a lot more "heartache" involved in being a Browns fan..at least perennial underachievers like the Chargers and Eagles can go into the season with a sense that their team has a shot (really there is one winner and 31 losers every season)...when was the last time a Browns fan could feel that way? That is heartache to me... and our Bills are in that neighborhood.

I actually really like what little we have seen of Graham. It is embarassing, to me, when Chan made him inactive early in the season, because he "wasn't ready"...to me, I translate that to mean that Chan wasn't ready to let everyone in on the secret that our QB can't get the ball to our new speedburner WR. As little as Graham has been used deep (normally a screen pass to the sidelines where he has to make something happen to get a first down...which he usually has), from what I can tell, he pretty much always has his coverage beat...

Funny, you probably know this, but the guy who plays Harrow is the same guy who does those Guiness Black Lager commercials...they run them constantly during football on Sundays...weird to see him with a whole face. Anyways, I get the feeling, as protective as he was of Darmody (as !@#$ed up as he was, Jimmy was the only one who was decent to Harrow), and even though he knows Nucky killed Darmody, Harrow will be working for Nucky. I thought they did a great job of keeping Harrow developing...he is kind of a loner, and Jimmy, his one connection to the action, was kind of removed from the equation...looks like he comes back with a vengence...loved the montage of him laying out his guns...he seems like such a tragic figure, you almost forget that when we met him, he was a sniper. I always wonder when these shows start, how far in advance they plot things out. I am kind of wondering if Margaret will be out of the picture next season... I really love this show, but do you get the sense that the creators kind of listened to some of the criticism of the first season (it is too slow) and kind of tried to re-create the show? It certainly has upped the anty on its' violence...the scene with Gyp and the golf club last week was pretty brutal...and I am not squeamish at all...I kind of wodner if they had painted themselves into a corner with Nucky and Margarets relationship, and tried, this season, to write their way out of it..either way, it was certainly done with flair. I will be interested to see if she comes back next season. Of course, I had almost thought the same thing with the Van Alden character, but they seem to have come full circle with him... I am a moderate mob buff...I have a hard time keeping all the historical stuff straight, so I am not always aware when/if they are taking liberties with history sometimes...if I have one reservastion about the show (and it is a small one, becasue I enjoy it so much) is the vernacular that they sometimes use....for some reason (maybe it is just me) I can't imagine them saying some of the things they say, in the 1920's.

What are you basing your list on?

Been wondering, for some time, how Capone/Torrio/Van Alden and the Chicago guys were going to become relevant to the story....the guy who plays Al Capone is great. Really great episode...I hope Eddie doesn't die...I have always enjoyed the banter between he and Nucky. And Buffalo even makes a reference cameo! This episode had all the feel of the second to last episode of "The Sopranos"...one of the greatest hours of television ever...bummed that we are already on the season finale...just when it is heating up...looks like Harrow the sniper is going to jump back into action.

So, I have had Cam Newton as my QB all season...Andy Dalton as my backup. All year, I have started Newton, even though Dalton was putting up better numbers...I was doing well in my league, tied for the best record at 7-2. Then, I lost two games in a row, and fell to the 5th playoff seed. So, I panicked this week...I didn't follow my own rule of sticking with my starters. I started Dalton, cuz I figured he had a sweet matchup against the Raiders defense...the Dalton and the Bengals got off to a huge start, and then ran the ball most of the second half...not bad though...Dalton still got me 26 pts, just above his 22 pt average... So, tonight, I watch as Cam Newton has the first "Cam Newton" kind of game I had been waiting for all season...he scores 46 pts...I lose by 9 points...I fall to 7-5, with one game left in the season...against the toughest team in our league...I will likely fall to 7-6, and have to keep my fingers crossed for some others to lose, just to qualify for one of the last two playoff spots. I hate myself! We play for a rather sizable pot ($11-1200 range) and I just ruined my chances...I am bummed...first the Bills...now this! I fire myself! UPDATE: because I know you all care: Okay, so, I am 7-5...and the 5th seed...two teams that are 6-5-1 are battling it out for the 6th seed. If I am doing my math right, win the last week (a tall order) and I am definitely in...lose, and I am still in, as long as one of the 6-5-1 teams loses...if they both win, and I lose....I am out by half a game!

Thanks for the heads up:

I am with you...I think this team has a lot more talent than what they are showing. It only makes it all the worse.

I think I was one of about 18,000 at Rich Stadium in 1985, when they got one of their two wins of the season, against the Oilers. Shut em out if I recall!!! Now, everyone says they were there!

I guess it is time to hang up my "In Chan We Trust" t-shirt... I will hang it next to my Hank Bullough t-shirt that says "In Hank We Stank"

Per NFL Netwerk: Chan Gailey says that coaching staff will "try more seriously" to win games.

Just because one sucks, it doesn't mean the other can't as well. I don't know how to measure it (wins and losses I suppose), but as bad as it feels rigth now, I much prefer the Gailey teams to anything that Jauron trotted out in a Bills uniform. To me, the difference is, Gailey's teams try to win...Juarons' teams just played not to lose. Neither succeded very often, but one is mildly more entertaining than the other. It was under Jaurons' watch (I still remember the exact moment) that my, mostly unflapable, sense of optimism for the Bills was snuffed out. It was that play where JP (filling in for the injured/inept Trent) tried to roll to his right to throw a pass, against the Jets and fumbled the game away...all he needed to do was kill the clock...I rember, completely spontaneously, and without any thought, I just started lauging hysterically...I had never before had that reaction to a Bills flub! No cursing, no slamming my fists in disgust...just laughed cuz it just felt like the fix was in on Bills fans... I will admit, I got a little excited about beating the Dolphins last week (it was the way the defense played more than anything), and let myself feel that optimism, albeit a little muted...but yesterday it was like, in my mind "okay this season is over...keep my fingers crossed there is another win or two on the schedule...but expect nothing...always nice if they win the game before Christmas (that is what it has come to), but another December of "pre-season" like football...oh well...time to turn my attentions to the Sabres! Now, I have tickets to the last game of the season...a meaningless game against the Jets... I will be up for Christmas, nobody will want to go with me...just a bummer of a season all around.

I recall, many were very open in their disdain for Fewells' defensive schemes, and were in favor of jettisoning him, long before DJ got the hook... I always wondered how much of it was him, DJ, or the talent on hand... from what Fewell has done in NY, it appears that talent is a mitigatin factor in the success of coaches!

Yeah, we don't know if he will be good...but the fact that most of our realistic alternatives are guys who failed, or are inexperienced, makes Whaley a more attractive option, in my book. The fact that he is younger, and came up with a strong franchise only sweetens things for me. And, for as young as he is, he has been around a while. If you believe what you read, the Steelers were pretty high on him. I just think this franchise needs an infusion of youth, and maybe some excitement, from the top. I am just trying to be realistic...sure, I would prefer a proven, vetran guy, but they just don't seem likely to come to Buffalo. Whaley, you would hope, would bring some energy, and would be out to prove himself... remember Bill Polian? While I hear what you are saying, Mr Wilson has experienced a few short periods where dumb luck has put the team on the precipise of good things...I am pulling for the Bills, win or lose, whether I like it or not...so I would prefer not to pin all my hopes on the death of the owner...when that time comes, we can talk..but until then, it appears he is the decision maker for this franchise.

Some are just stupid with foresight too...there is really no defending Gailey's play calling yesterday...and frankly, it has been bad all season...playcalling used to be his strength.

I could swear, when Luck spiked that ball at the end of the first half, the clock hit triple 0's before the ball hit the ground...

God only knows what the Bills will look like next season...but Cable is somewhat intriguing...if we are going the re-tread rout, which I assume we will be. The biggest negative on him (as far as the Bills go) is that he is, perhaps, a little too firey for Mr Wilsons' tastes. Assuming Mr Wilson still has input in these areas, he seems to prefer "gentlemen" types. Honestly, without starting another thread, does anyone really think there is any chance that Nix returns, and fires Gailey?

And even more rare if they are legitmately deserved!

Yes, all the losses hurt...but yesterday, the sting was really felt...after the Dolphins game, I had really psyched myself into thinking the D was turining it around in front of our eyes, and, the rest would follow...D was better than early in the season (but still not good enough) and the offense (and coach...especially the coach) seemed to continue to regress...another December of meaningless games...bummer.