buckeyemike

Is the name of this post "Quite Frankly" or "Quite Frankly, this show sucks"? Mike

I think the current version may be close to having that sort of unity, especially on defense. You don't hear a whole lot about tension between team members, at least on a national level. I don't know what you hear locally, but I get the sense that Mike Mularkey wouldn't put up with dissension between the players. In football, more than other sports, a team wins together and a team loses together. You're right, though; those early 90s Bills teams reach legendary status in Western New York as the years go by. It was so sad to see that pic of the Kelly family as they put Hunter to rest. But it was also reassuring, I'm sure, to see many of Jim's former teammates at the service. Mike

I must disagree vehemently with our esteemed fellow poster. Scarlett is a nondescript beauty (I think she has the type of face that you forget what it looks like five seconds after seeing it), but at least she doesn't have the same type of body that about 350,000 other young actresses have (read: the 12 year old boy look). Let Scarlett enjoy her cheesecake every once in a while. She'll be fine. And I like that body type anyway. So there. Mike

That pic probably isn't safe for work. Unless, again, you're self-employed. Like I am. I was more intrigued with the story down the page about Lindsay Lohan hiring a coach to help her put on weight. Uh, Lindsay, all you need to do is head to IHOP and eat lots of pancakes and bacon. Mike

No argument here. Ralph Wilson basically saved the AFL when he picked up the Raiders' payroll for a while in 1961. Mike

"If I Stand" by the late great Rich Mullins. This song has mostly piano accompaniment (played by Michael W. Smith), with some bass guitar and snare drum thrown in: There's more that rises in the morning Than the sun More that shines in the night Than just the moon There's more than just this fire here That keeps me warm In a shelter that is larger Than this room And there's a loyalty that's deeper Than mere sentiment And a music higher than the songs That I can sing The stuff of earth competes For the allegiance I owe only to the Giver of all good things... Chorus: So if I stand let me stand on the promise That You will pull me through And if I can't let me fall on the grace That first brought me to you And if I sing let me sing for the joy That has born in me these songs But if I weep let it be as a man Who is longing for his home. There's more that dances on the prairies Than the wind More that pulses in the ocean Than the tide There's a love that is fiercer Than the love between friends More gentle than a mother's When her baby's at her side. And there's a loyalty that's deeper Than mere sentiment And a music higher than the songs That I can sing Stuff of earth competes For the allegiance I owe only to the Giver Of all good things. (Chorus *2) And if I weep let it be as a man Who is longing for his home. Mike

Are you speaking of your son Ryan? I remember that you wrote about Ryan in your book, born two days after 9/11. I don't mean to pry...just wondering. Mike

Yep. I called the number. Suffice to say that it is, ahem, a line for those who seek instant gratification of a personal nature. I hung up before they could ask for my credit card number. Curiosity always gets the best of me. Mike

Not unless you're self-employed. Mike

Thurman gets in next year. First ballot. Andre gets in eventually...may take 10 years. Ralph gets in either posthumously, or the year after the Bills win a Super Bowl. Mike

In all seriousness, there are at least 121 replies to that message. I am sure that the Kellys appreciate the messages and the prayers not only from the Dolphins, but from the entire NFL community. Mike

Thank you. God Bless the Kelly family. Mike

Losman will take his lumps. He's young and inexperienced at the NFL level. I'd be more worried if he has a similar year to Roethlisberger last year (set the world on fire through most of the season, then play very badly in the playoffs, ultimately costing your team its best shot at a Super Bowl, perhaps for years to come). Big Ben is looking squarely at a HUGE sophomore jinx season. I just want JP to be consistent, to play hard, and not try to win games all by himself. He's not there...yet. Hand the ball to Willis and make smart play-action passes and adjustments on the run. JP can already run better than Big Ben, so he's got an advantage there. But I'm not comparing the two QB's. For those of you looking for that Big-Ben type season...forget it. The Bills aren't going 15-1 this year. I'd be happy with 10-6 and a wildcard, which they are perfectly capable of doing. Mike

One of the smartest things I ever did was striking out on my own...I set my own hours and never complain about the boss. Make sure you have enough money to overcome cash-flow problems for at least the first couple of years; then get all of your legal ducks in a row. This type of business sounds like you may want to incorporate as well. Mike

It's not corny at all...it's very moving. Mike

Oh, that would be great! I've been to the Packer Hall in Green Bay and the HOF in Canton a couple of times...I think a Bills Hall of Fame would only help to strengthen the franchise. Count me in for at least one trip from NE Ohio!! Mike

I remember that poster. In retrospect, it just screams "LATE 1980s!!!" Mike

This pic was in this morning's Cleveland Plain Dealer. I was wondering when someone would post it. Whoever had 11:06 AM EDT on Sunday is the winner of the pool. Mike

There are those on this board, and you know who you are, that believe that because JP is playing in Buffalo, naturally the media's out to screw him. JP is the one who has to excel. He might not do it this year or even in '06, but I firmly believe that JP's going to be the Man in Buffalo for the next several years. I say, screw the self-appointed experts and so-called naysayers. We're Bills fans, for God's sake. We don't need national affirmation. In closing, I use the following from a sign I saw at the Ralph during the 1993 AFC Championship win over the Chiefs. WE'RE BACK. DEAL WITH IT, AMERICA. Mike

It's Catherine with a "C", by the way. I go with the original. Mike

Wow. I've been on this board going on three years, and I've never really understood what "just give it to them" meant until right now. And I can understand why you're all still bitter about it seven years later. Hey, I still don't like the fact that the Denver Broncos and Elway seemed to get every call and every bounce against my formerly beloved Browns. And the Browns last played for an AFC Title 15 years ago. If you remember a Browns-Broncos game in 1989 where they had to switch ends of the field at the old Dawg Pound when fans in the bleachers were littering the field with garbage and even batteries when the Broncos were driving into that end...well, most of Cleveland can relate with you regarding frustrations with officiating and the like. I can't tell you how many of my friends thought that John Elway got every single bleepin' break there is, from the officials and otherwise. As for who cares about the Bills, I care about the Bills. We all care about the Bills (at least the non-trolls on this board). And we will support them, no matter what the rest of the world thinks. Mike

I was lucky last night...got to see the scrimmage at my local Dave & Buster's. For those of you in Greater Buffalo, you're going to love the new D&B's at the Eastern Hills Mall when it opens this fall. There's no place else quite like it, although I heard it will be somewhat smaller than a full-size one like here in Cleveland (no shuffleboard or pool tables at the Buffalo one, sorry). Mike

The Bills need both players to be healthy, but Willis is a more indispensable part of the offense than J.P. is. Willis does not have a reliable backup, should he get injured. At least J.P. has Holcomb, who has a history of doing well off the bench. Just don't rely on Kelly Holcomb to be your starting QB. What the Bills need to do is to be the best-conditioned team, in order to avoid major injuries and return from the nagging ones every single team has every year. And tell Sam Adams that he can only eat two steaks and six potatoes at every meal. He's too big right now. Mike

This was a scrimmage, not the fifth week of the season. I don't care right now if every media person and publication in America, Canada, and Bermuda dismiss the Bills. As long as the team doesn't read or believe a word of it. Mike

I didn't think it was just me...Sam looked bigger than I remembered. I say he's near 375. Mike