IndyMark

While I can understand keeping up with ex-Bills that generated enormous emotions (pro and con) I would like to submit this note to TSW readers and posters....."DB is no longer a Bill. DB is no longer a Bill. DB is no longer a Bill. DB is no longer a Bill". By the way, DB is no longer a Bill. And finally, DB is no longer a Bill. Move on - show some restraint - why pick on him? At least TH is still technically a Bill, and once he is an ex-Bill there should be no reason to speak about him. Or keep it up and I will have to resort to posting multiple times everyday on the very emotive subject of "Flutie"

This long time reader - seldom poster sends his families thoughts and prayers to you and yours.....

Amen to that....I allocate 40-45 minutes minimum an evening after I get home from work that both my kids and I go outside and play..anything......soccer, on the playground, etc....but it has to be physical activity......and weather (unless lightening or tornadoes are imminent) is irrelevant. Sure the neighbors, some not all, think I am a nut job, but I see the difference and benefit. It is not easy to do, but I chose to be a parent and understand not everthing I do should be easy.

What, you do not appreciate the power of the Wiggles??? I mean really, a finger in a bowl of chili is so passe.....that is urban legend material and weak at that. But, the Wiggles....that whole concept from marketing to delivery is pretty incredible. And profitable.

...on a slightly more interesting note, did anyone see the link on the page where it substantiated the Wiggles were the wealthiest Australian entertainers? Ahead of Kidman, Crowe, and ACDC...34.5 million in '04 income; this was from $10.2 million in '03. Impressive on several levels.

Too bad about your experience, we were in Florida on the Gulf Coast, Seaside area, late May early June and the weather was absolutely great during that time. Rain in the evening, sunny blue skies all day, nominal humidity, ocean temps on the warmer side....about as near perfect as one could have gotten. We cannot wait to go back. The only rival to that weather I have experienced was in San Diego in the Fall.

(a) Late May: 1 week on the Emerald Coast of Florida (condo rental). (b)Mid July: 1 week in Wisconsin (log cabin) on a lake includes speed boat and pontoon boat.

All well and good to think we hold all the cards at this point, yet if LJ hits the open market all bets are off as to who has the inside track. The cliche of the NFL being all about business means the hightest bidder wins and we normally do not overbid (thankfully I may add). Having said that, signing LJ is not a high stakes issue at this point, imho, so if we can swap second round spots then TD is as close to pure genius on the off-season part of deal making than any GM in the game today. Period.

I respectfully disagree....as it reads. Show me the riddle or insight and then maybe I will change my mind.

Yourself.

"This is just an example of what is to come if you keep smiling"

This is the best reply to this thread. Seriously, whomever started this thread has a hard on for Bledsoe or the poster is a small and bitter man. Why even post this? Again, if you post these type threads you absolutely must expect sarcastic responses....if you don't you are completely stupid and borderline ignorant on several levels of human intellect. Can the mods just remove this stuff?

It is common knowledge that running backs on average last 4-5 years as moderately or highly productive players. TH is on the absolute down side of his career. Everytime TH carried the ball my first instinct was to think "hang on to it" and the second was "don't come up injured". It was never, "he can break this one for a touchdown". TH is not irreplaceable. He was an "ok" back with as many risks as benefits. We will be alright with out him if that is the direction the Bills take.

Home versus Carolina

Pretty captivating and impressive - kinda puts my sidewalk chalk art to shame. Seriously, thanks. I spent 4 minutes watching and do not want any of those minutes back - they were well spent.

Reasonably priced and good value dining in Vegas literally means different things to different people (ie Smith and Wollensky to me is overpriced, but I do not live in Chicago or NYC so the price is relative to Indy and, more currently, Milwaukee for me). Having said that, the Luxor Steakhouse is a splurge restaurant I would recommend highly. I echo the others that the Rio buffet is the epitome of a good value and reasonably priced....get there early (20-40 minute wait sometimes) but it is worth the time and money. No question. Also, some of the older casinos still have pretty stellar steakhouses (Binion's) that match well with the strip but a fraction of the cost.

Absolutely. Figuring this in, I agree. I was targeting my diatribe to those who did not offer the context you share. Thanks for the qualification Bill.

A simple question, how do we know these 4 are better than TD? I agree the GM of the PATS is better than TD. I ground that assertion in data and from where I look the PATS GM just won a superbowl. However, other than that what is the criteria to which we can judge these other GM's? Moreover, if each environment (salary cap, player development, coaching competency, a meddling owner, etc) in which they work is different that tends to compromise any measure of validity. Seriously, I am not being facetious here, but when people want to judge things it can be pretty irritating to hear generalities and absolutes about performance thrown around like hard evidence. I was a believer in DB, yet I had no problem seeing him go based on the hard data that he underperformed. His performance assessment (that he was a poor QB) passed every test of validity I could think of (construct, face, criterion, concurrent, convergent, and predictive) as such I agree......let him go. However, assesssing a GM is a whole different ball game. It is either simple (winning a superbowl) or complex (measures you and I do not even know exist). I prefer to keep assessing a GM simple. As such, the only good ones are the one's that win a superbowl (sorry Polian). There is no data or evidence to for sure indicate there are 4 better GM's out there better than TD (unless you uncover those that have guided a team to a SB victory). As a result, I return to my question what are you basing the performance on? Once that is answered, there will be no reason to continue throwing the verbal "slings" that have been occuring in this thread. Debate is good if there is a purpose. If not, it is counterproductive.

Always remember, when you go fishing you might catch something. If you need help translating here it is, if you are going to make some truly bizzare off the shelf shoot from the hip comment on the Bengal-esque nature of our Bills you better nut up and be ready for an equal reply. I love the logic of the instigators when they get a reply they do not like. "This is a football board and I have the right to blah blah blah". Well guess what, I also have the right to post an equally moronic post. What is the problem? Of course I knew I sounded pompous, jesus did you think I am genuinely like that? The thing is, there is no GM in the league that could do a better job than what TD is doing given our circumstances. The only GM that did a better job than TD this year is the one who one a superbowl. That is it. Living in Colt country, I can say Polian is about on his last leg from a fan supportive perspective for several reasons. First, he is genuinely pompous (as opposed to my staged version - though thanks for the compliment). Second knowing full well there defensive need he drafts Reggie Wayne and Dallas xxxxx (cant remember his last name) with their preliminary picks in 2 of the last 3 drafts or something similar. Do you think those moves are iditoic? I do. Sure his Colts are in the playoffs, but I believe everyone feels they have underperformed for the third straight year. In addition, with arguably the best QB to ever play the game, a phenomonal WR, and a super RB he still drafted offense. Sure this year he went defense a bit earlier in the draft, but not at the positions that were targeted. Again the point being, you can pick on and critique anyone in any profession at any time and have "a point", that is not difficult. As such, you have that right and I have the right to respond accordingly...or any way I want to. It is a two-way street.

With all due respect I would like to refute your points one by one with data, but that would validate your points. And while you probably firmly believe you have "supported" your points, you would be wrong. Your bias is so strong that you do not see that you submit partial and excerpt type points to your arguments. First and foremost, calling the Bills the Bengals of the 21st century pretty much sums up your view and the quality of your analysis, both of which are, what we call in the research industry "weak" or not worthy of refute. Nice try in drumming up a conversation though, it certainly caught my attention, but so do chimpanzees ripping off body parts. Well done. But relax, it is only March, early March at that. You are no idiot though, I really like your submission early on in your post to help show that you "know" how people will respond. A bit of machisimo, no?

FYI, the XUV Envoy will not be available for long as GM announced yesterday they have stopped production. IIRC, sluggish sales is the reason.

Yea right, cuz I am sure all 33 people who care about the NHL are whom TD was trying to hold the truth from Exactly which story do you think drowned out which? You are fishing in the wrong pond. This is a football board by title.

Geez, that must have been a breeze like no other - I cannot even imagine trying to finish mowing the yard with drizzle like that pelting me in the face and shoulders. The amount of shear force winds to tip over a lawn chair like that probably cannot even be measured. Hurricane smurficane.....now that is a storm. I am lucky alright. Really really lucky.

I dunno, maybe the fact that this is a football board?

Bledsoe came off great in the media. And his subsequent correlation between his ability to handle himself in the media and producing wins and a SB appearance did not exist. Who cares how JPL sounds or looks or whatever. We want him to win games. Therefore, he needs to be quiet, very very quiet.