UConn James

The only reason I'd get up early is if my dog nudged me with a cold, wet nose that is his way of saying, "I need to go outside." But he was fat and happy from ham drippings/scraps last night. Got up at 8:30 today. Nice.

You could always do what my old man did back in the '60s. Guy across a horseshoe bar was smoking a big cigar. Guy was kindly asked not to blow smoke in his direction. Guy took a big puff and blew it right at him. Guy had his cigar ripped out of his mouth in one fell swoop, and snuffed out in his mashed potatoes. Guy spent the rest of time while my father finished eating not knowing whether to sh-- or turn purple.

Exactly. Why pay a guy $2M/year and a $25M signing bonus in the top five when you can scootch down to about 15 and get a player who has every bit as much a chance to be a quality player and pay $1M/year and a $5 signing bonus? I hate fans who want to draft a friggin' name. Reggie Bush may end up being worth it, but he's a rare player, and it's not like we have a shot at the top pick, nor do we have the luxury to be picking a RB.

Link.

Looks like Ted "The Hulk" Stevens' brute strength wasn't enough. On one hand, there won't be oil drilling in the short term, and we're going to continue to be beholden to OPEC (tho, we still would be; most of the oil drilled here isn't used here). On the other hand, necessity is the mother of all invention and it will put a fire under our butts for bringing alternative, renewable energy to market.

Unbelievable how? The rich and famous and their children are exempt from depression? A good friend's cousin in Greece killed himself a few years back. The note was very detailed as to why the decision was made; X was not greater than Y when he reflected on where he was in his life, and how, realistically, anything would change. I would argue that not all suicides are irrational. Tho at first blush, this case seems pretty tragic. It is sad that he couldn't work things out, and it's sad that it had to happen in a family that seems so nice in a world full of blowhards. One more example of how this is a pretty cruel world, and only the strong survive.

So, someone needs to work up a statistical analysis of the success of gadget/trick plays vs. traditional "Just f---ing run people over" plays? I think there's a reason other, successful coaches use those calls sparingly, whereas MM does about 6 per game, which can come to about 10-15-20 percent of a day's plays.

I'd like to think that democracy would and will work for them. Otherwise.... But these are people who've lived under rulers of one ilk or another for a few thousand years. They know better than to expect good things from the government, whatever its form --- despot, king, council, whatever. You could call this apathy, maybe, but it's simply a matter of trying to live their lives, get enough food for a day.... They'll vote if they can vote, they won't vote if they can't vote. The world doesn't end and young Sayeed still needs water. Maybe more important is how they deal with the transition from govt with its basis on the "tribal" micro to one that is more "Iraq" macro. So, yeah, the formation of one nation among three constituencies, and a government that works for all of them equally, is going to be a minor miracle.

Read the part about us not even asking for him to be extradicted. They've lost track of him. But I'm sure he's rehabilitated himself. No worry.

Link. Nice. I'm sure it's consolation to Mr. Stethem's family that, in place of justice, there's a Navy destroyer named after him.

Don't know about that. In those last two stints, the HCs who took over those teams led to a lot of playoff appearances on Parcells' work. Carroll/Belichick and Edwards. Maybe he is just that kind of coach --- one who can build the foundation, put up the walls and roof.... maybe a little white siding. Then it takes another kind of coach to come in and work the finer details. But that wholesale-change guy is exactly what we need right now.

He, of all people, knew full well what he was getting when he signed Drew. Got him to one Super Bowl. And I wouldn't be surprised, if Parcells can plug a couple more holes and get some quality backups on their OL, if it gets him to another w/in three years. Then Parcells will retire. Again. It'd be nice, and I'd be all for it. But it's a pipe dream.

Nick, I really enjoyed your blog entry on the Pats game. Sounds like it was quite an experience. Run-blocking was supposed to be one of the strengths for the OL, MW especially. I don't think it's the fault of their play, it's the lack of the OC (now the HC) calling running plays. He outsmarts himself calling pass plays b/c the Ds show 8 in the box. F--- 8 in the box; call a short pass to keep them honest, but a coach with any stones must show that he won't be dictated upon. In his two years as Pitt's OC, MM first used Bettis and his RBs in great form --- didn't matter what or how, Bettis ran over people in the same way he always ran over us; his second year, he went tricksy, effectively benched Bettis and wasn't missed when he came here. And, I'm at the point where I don't know if Willis is the right RB for such an offense, not that this is in reality a "power running team." That's not really the type of offense he made his bones with at the U.

Why would he leave when he's just about built his team to how he wants it?

From the frontpage: [Referencing the bold phrase] He does? That's certainly news to me. His excuse for not using the run is like my nephew saying he won't brush his teeth every night because he doesn't brush his teeth every night. Hard to establish something when you don't do it. And, for the record, I will take a HC who knows that the opponents know what he's going to do, and he runs all over them anyway. Better to dictate the game than be dictated upon and "take what the opponent gives you." Mularkey is a chicken, and I'll say it to his face.

Leave 'im alone. He's on a roll.

Funny how someone who railed against the eminent domain ruling is so quick to forfeit the rights to private holdings of someone else. Oh wait. This is VA-lahjik. Carry on!

'"That's been the story of our season," Bills quarterback Kelly Holcomb said. "We move the ball, then at crucial times we do something that's not smart. Those guys are division leaders over there. It's enough just to beat those guys, but when we beat ourselves, we give ourselves no chance."' I put this through the Bledsoe filter, and look what came up: "That's been the story of the games I've played in," Bills back-up quarterback Kelly Holcomb said. "We move the ball up until the red zone, then at crucial times, I do something that's not smart. Like throw a 2-yard pass on 3rd and 10 or 3rd and 25 or 3rd and 8. Those guys [the Broncos] are division leaders over there, which is something we probably won't see for a while with our combination of GM, coaching staff and players. It's enough just to beat those guys, but when I make decisions that beat ourselves, such as throwing a 2-yard pass on 3rd and 10 or 3rd and 25 or 3rd and 8, and just generally being unwilling to throw the ball down the field when we need it, I give my team no chance." "I look at my statline and see 17/20, and I'm like DoubleU-Tee-Eff? I should be a starter in this league! What does it matter that I can't lead the team to the W? This is my team when I'm in there."

And the pirates! Don't forget about the pirates.

I'm all for a coach with experience, but wouldn't be gung-ho for Mariucci. He went to Detroit b/c he could run the WCO inside the dome. That is his scheme, that is his bread and butter. All due respect, he's a good coach, but he's got a sunny/controlled-weather thing that is out of style with Buffalo. WCO has been tried here before. And most important, I don't think we've got the personnel to pull it off.

Steinbrenner has his 'No facial hair' and 'No long hair' (that's been stretched a bit with Randy Johnson, even tho he does keep it trimmed) rules. People look at the Yankees as being neat, orderly, consumate professionals. That's the image that he wants to present. It's his team. Likewise, if the NFL has an anti-Predator-hair policy, what's there to argue? Their league. Don't like it? Pay a fine or don't play. In the NFL, tho, it's not simply an image issue. I'd say about 80 percent of it has to do with safety. Helmets need to be fitted to the skull to prevent concussions as much as possible. And when another player rips someone's hair/skin out accidentally (or on purpose), who do you think pays the medical bills? Pretty stupid to have the injury report read, 'Out: Mike McKenzie (hair).'

I gave a letter to the postman, He put it his sack. Bright in early next morning, He brought my letter back. She wrote upon it: Return to sender, address unknown. No such number, no such zone. We had a quarrel, a lover’s spat I write I’m sorry but my letter keeps coming back. So then I dropped it in the mailbox And sent it special d. Bright in early next morning It came right back to me. She wrote upon it: Return to sender, address unknown. No such person, no such so. This time I’m gonna take it myself And put it right in her hand. And if it comes back the very next day Then I’ll understand - the writing on it Return to sender, address unknown. No such number, no such zone.

Yes. You don't have to do that online, probably unless you want a specific stamp design. You can just leave a check or $7.40 in the mailbox with a note requesting a book of stamps. I thought that's what you were referring when having the "delivery charge" which would be bs. I don't know about the online purchasing b/c I've never had to do it; got someone on the inside who does it for me. I couldn't speak to the reason for the return. If it worked in the recent past, I don't see why it changed now. But they do want to be sure that the person listed as the sender on a package is the one who is mailing it. I asked 'What if you're mailing a package for someone?' and was told, "You'd probably be better off to just put your name on it."

I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to do. -- Like Sharpe said, there's guys that have hair so voluminous that they need an extra half or full size for their helmets. That presents a serious safety risk. -- With players like Palamalu(?) you can't read the name on the jersey and for some, like the CB in Green Bay, it obscures half of the back number. -- Nevermind the obvious safety concern for having hair pulled out. Like that quote went "Whatever is on the inside of your helmet is yours; whatever is on the outside of your helmet is mine!" -- Comes on the heels of the NBA's dress code policy. I know that some of these guys have a problem acting like a professional, but at the very least, they could make an effort to appear like a professional.

That's what they call the little white trucks. Just asked, and according to the postal regulations, there is NOT a "delivery charge" for stamps. As I said, that truck is a "rolling post office" and if you leave $7.40 you're supposed to get a book of stamps. That's like paying your drywaller seperately for each piece of sheetrock he brings into your house; it's already part of the job description, not an extra charge. I'd bring it to someone's (postmaster's) attention; don't just let it go, man. The carrier could be making a couple hundred bucks a year on the snide. Also, learned that they will not take packages over 16 oz. from a mailbox, even with the proper postage. You must meet the carrier at the mailbox or take it to the post office, where they will ask you whether you have any explosive materials in the package. The clerk is also supposed to verify via driver's license, etc. that you are the labeled sender. They can't open a package... but there are security measures in place for detecting explosives, etc. Kind of stupid for the above reasons. Doesn't do anything for preventing a mailbomb, just that they'll be able to trace it after the fact.