Augie

Last trip we stayed at the Four Seasons in the financial district. It was indeed nicer than most other areas and felt cleaner. The wife usually stays near Grand Central and recently started using an upgraded hotel and she’s happy about that. It does have different vibes as you move about, and certain areas are VERY touristy. I don’t mean to be TOO harsh, because there are so many great things to see and do. But I can’t imagine what that lifestyle would be like. Rather than spend more than what my car is worth for breakfast at the hotel I walked to a Whole Foods looking for something simple. I believe there were 38 check-out lanes for the two story operation, and each line was a mile long. I walked around the corner to some little bodega and grabbed a banana and a bottle of water. Store front after store front of questionable looking businesses, but that is “normal” for these folks. I’m sure having a local show you around would make a big difference. I can’t imagine living there, and what it would cost. It was “the cool thing to do” when my son and his friends graduated from college. A LOT of them moved to NYC, and almost every single one of them left after a few years.

BUT, it felt like he was gonna cry that he had to leave LA. I suspect he will love what the Bills team and fans offer in many ways, and after he collects all those dollars LA is more likely to be in his future than WNY. (I’m NOT blaming him.) He will be a serious pro, but he came off as disappointed and going for the money, IMO.

You think like Kevin in Home Alone! I like it!

They zoomed in to cut out the Uber drivers dashboard. When Bruce got on board, he SERIOUSLY got on stair master killing board!

Moving on to 2022. It’s all you can do, don’t make yourself crazy. 🤷‍♂️

My wife “technically” works out of NYC. Prior to Covid she would be there about three times a month. She was usually around the office near Grand Central, but the main HQ is in the financial district. She always complains that she just sees the airport, the hotel and the office. Just before the pandemic I told her to build a little extra time and I joined her for some great evenings and we went to see To Kill a MocKingbird. We had a great time. In fact, our puppy is named Scout after the play character. Having said that, I had plenty of time to walk around every day. Like 20k+ steps per day. It’s a $hithole IMO and I can’t imagine living there. It was supposed to be a requirement of her position, but she said no way. The boss said it wasn’t a dealbreaker as long as she was willing to do 3 weeks/month in the NYC office. The weekend before the Bills opener last year we were at a wedding in Chicago. The downtown was SO MUCH nicer it was hard to believe. I hadn’t been to either downtown since college days. No comparison, again, IMO. Having said THAT, I want no part of either. The reality is you would live so far out of town you would never see the good parts, or you’d live IN town in a shoe box that would cost a fortune. I’m more a quality of life kinda guy.

He is STILL an NFL quality player. The question is, at what price? And is it worth it to him?

Somebody got called for holding Jerry last season. His dreams are fulfilled. He can go in peace.

I think Atlanta, and I think of a huge, world class city. But it’s still Georgia. Surrounding states feel the same way. I don’t care what people do in their homes behind closed doors. If you can do 5 shots of tequila at happy hour and drive home, why restrict what people do in their own homes. I’m not pro or con on weed, I just like to be fiscally conservative and socially “you stay out of my business, I’ll stay out of yours”. If this is about storing up for WWIII, we’re all screwed. An extra case of soup and a boat load of pasta won’t save me. After years of walking on the beach in Florida, I will suggest we have another shortage: skinny people.

I live in the Bible Belt. I’m safe for a while. I still have crap left over from the pandemic panic. The soups remain, the wine is LONG gone. I will NEVER forget the Friday at the grocery store after the NBA shut down. I think some of the Publix employees are still dealing with PTSD.

It’s probably just gas.

This thread could go for 100 pages full of names I’ve never heard of. It’s the time of year when I cram for the Draft, and at #25 there still a greater than 50% chance I’ve never heard of the guy. After the first round, I just can’t wait to look the guy up, usually. Thanks to all you who study this so maybe I’ve heard of our guys before they get picked.

Hard to hate the idea of a beer on the beltline!

I found that…….noteworthy (for lack of a better word) as well.

I have to admit, I’m curious as hell. I would LOVE some way to get a glimpse of the average net worth and age of the people getting into crypto. Are they all in their 20’s and 30’s? Do any have a net worth of a million? $5 Mil or more? North of that? We are 60-ish, and my wife’s younger sister is a successful professional. She got in cheap, but still has less than $10k as of last check. It’s not 1% of her net worth. How deeply are you invested in this? What percentage of your net worth is crypto, and how old are you? I’d start a poll if I could.

I am certainly no judge, but I’ve heard multiple people say there are only 6-8 true first round talents in this draft, about half of what is more typical. IDK, maybe they are all parroting each other, but getting into the top 8 is crazy expensive. Having said that, maybe there is a guy or two they love, but they expect them to go off the board a half dozen picks ahead of them. We all know Beane likes to hop around, so nothing would shock me.

Well, at least this year I was aware that the Oscars had taken place.

I find myself asking this often. If, for example, you won’t take a QB under 6’, but then I hold my thumb and forefinger an inch apart, and I ask if that really makes the difference between a winning player and a loser. I want guys who are just good football players. Watch the film more than the measurements.

Was it Marcia? Did she burn the house down?

When I was a kid they worked in the offseason, but it was as a trucker or at a loading dock. “Farm boy” strong! LOVE Gabe and what he has showed. I was shocked to see him out there on the first play as a rookie. Covid kind of kept him as a secret present under the Christmas tree. What a gift!

After my banking years I bought into a regional appraisal company on the west coast of Florida, then moved to ATL and worked for an appraisal management company. I then worked leasing high end properties for Sotheby's in Atlanta. (Who rents a house for $10-25k/month????) Having said all that…..I want to confirm that Zillow is hot garbage! It’s easy, and it’s handy, but they have never been inside one of those houses. They are also FAR from current. I had listings that had been off the market for months, and I’d still get calls based on Zillow info. I also have seen multiple parcel sales shown in Zillow as though a single lot sold for that price. It is not to be trusted. It’s OK to look at Zillow (it’s easy, after all), but it’s a mistake to trust anything you see there. There is also this to consider. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-viral-tiktok-accuses-zillow-and-its-competitors-of-manipulating-the-housing-market-heres-whats-really-going-on-11632511943 Rant over, for now.

Go too slow, the idiot behind gets you! I don’t mind driving around town in bad weather, but the highways scare me. I’ve had some life threatening issues going long distance, like when you want to pull over but you don’t know where “over” is, and you’ll just get crushed by a truck from behind. Sometimes it’s better to adjust your plans. YUCK! What a tragedy.

I don’t know who, but I do expect a vet before the draft. That’s how we roll. We should be “in on” just about everyone who is available. That is their job. To what degree is the real issue.

I have a buddy who is building a house (since his problem child burned the old one to the ground…OOPS!). He’s been watching the cost of lumber, concrete, etc almost daily. I can’t imagine a project of stadium size and what the odds are of coming in on budget in this environment. Hopefully things stabilize, for a A LOT of reasons!

Very sad, I always liked his work. When it’s my time, I hope to die in my sleep and not become a burden to my family. I pray this can be well managed by those involved. Hopefully he does well with treatment/therapy.