***PetrinoInAlbany***

I wonder if Mularkey isn't one of those guys who can never be wrong. I mean, it's been bugging me that Mike Williams was moved to left guard... You know, shoot off your nose to spite your face, so to speak. There are people like that out there. (Example: Dick Cheney being so upset that someone would question his judgement that he outed a CIA operative out of spite.) If MM has a "people problem" it could be a bigger problem in the long run. Unless you're Lombardi or his reincarnate, I'm not sure you can coach guys who can't stand you these days. I mean, with FA and all. I'd much rather be reading stories right now about how the team is coming together under MM in the midst of all this adversity, instead of the BS press conferences like we got today. Hand me the Jack, please ...

How ironic ... Bill Polian was fired (despite doing a great job in every other area of team management) because he couldn't get along with players' agents, and the team thought that hindered free agent activity and contract negotiations. [That was my understanding, and I won't/can't argue it with you because one source was absolutely confidential.] Anyhow, we've gone from that to hiring a coach who's now alienating the players themselves. MM better be careful. The only slack I'll even consider cutting him is that maybe he sensed that Eric was a threat to create a Flutie/Johnson type rift with the Holcomb/Losman supporters. I mean, as crazy as it sounds, it was plainly obvious to me since September that Moulds wanted to "win now" with Holcomb. So, while I don't believe it's true, I can't say it's beyond the scope of reasonable possibility. This team is in chaos, and chaos is hard to analyze. I will say this: We've got one more win than the Saints ... and they've got a pretty good excuse for being a little screwed up this year. I need a shot of Jack ...

Excellent post! I'd add this suggestion ... Maybe occasionally hire people with a strong Western New York connection. Strive to hire people with connections to the area and the team, not exclusively hiring people who see the job as a stepping stone to a GM job or HC job somewhere else. Like you, I am going to renew my tix (always do, first row seats & don't want to give them up a year before we find the next Kelly/Reed/Thomas combo...) and like you, I care. But the fans in buffalo are among the most informed in the league, and when the organization spouts crap, we all get a little annoyed. GREAT post, man...

I can't tell you how many times this season it's looked to me like Moulds was the only guy who showed up to play. With me, his credibility is very high. Case in point: In the age of the Moss/T.O./Keyshawn WR in the NFL, Moulds criticized the coach for NOT RUNNING the ball. 'Nuff said. My guess is that he's got a better grip on the Bills situation right now than MM ...

An argument could be made that throwing the ball with first-and-goal and a twenty point lead also constitutes "conduct detrimental to the team" ...

No argument. We agree here more than you think. I'm having a problem with the way Mularkey's handling it. I guess what bugs me the most is that this whole mess is going to make people unfamiliar with the team think of Moulds in the Keyshawn/Moss/T.O. light ... and I firmly believe in my heart that the guy is so far OPPOSITE those clowns it isn't funny. Also, if we do indeed KEEP Mularkey, do we want him alienating (read "losing") the entire team? In any organization, the opinion leaders are best not crushed. Question - a sincere one: Do you know if he's a captain right now? Because if he IS a captain, then not only is he an opinion leader, he's also acting like a captain. I honestly don't know if he is or isn't. (I like it so much better in hockey where they stick a "C" or an "A" on the jersey so everyone knows.) Anyone know if he's currently a captain?

I thought it was an odd reference too. I laughed thinking most of our friends in here would think you meant Sam Aiken ...

I only have two problems with your post... 1) Moulds was complaining BECAUSE they threw the ball on first-and-goal and a twenty point lead. That's not consistent with it being an "all about ME" thing, considering he's a WR ... 2) Don't speak for all fans. What Eric is saying makes me shout "right ON!" As a 40 year fan and 20 year season ticket holder, I HATE the "circle the wagons/Donahoe & Mularkey are always right" mentality. He's not doing ME any disservice...

In Organizational Communication we recognize the concept of the "opinion leader." An opinion leader is someone within an organization who carries no official title - manager, spokesman, captain, whatever - no OFFICIAL title BUT who's been around so long - and is so respected by his peers - that he has on occasion to be the one to SAY what all the others are THINKING. Opinion leaders serve a useful purpose. In those times when the 'grapevine' excedes official internal communication on any subject, the opinion leaders are actually useful to management. Often, management doesn't see this. Moulds is saying what everyone's thinking. But you can't criticize or question some people without drawing their wrath. Eric is right. period. Fire Mularkey. Not because of this, but because he's a terrible coach. He wants to SUSPEND Moulds for offering a different opinion?!? Jesus ... fire Mularkey and make him a PP&P moderator.

This one ranks (for me) as one of the most ANGERING. Twenty point lead ... got the ball, first-and-goal ... Hey, let's let Inspector Gadget start calling the plays. Roscoe played QB in high school, so it MUST be clever to let him throw the ball. So, he's wearing gloves ... and a cast ... I'm sure he'll grip the ball squarely and deliver a spiral. How about a Shaud Williams draw ... DRAW ... on a play where nobody east of Missouri is actually looking for a pass anyway. My God, if they had taken three knees and let Lindell try (miss) the FG, they STILL win this thing. I've had it. I'm burning my tickets ...

It's much worse in PP&P. Now that Bush's little war is caving in on itself, and it's becoming more & more obvious that everything I said against this war from the start is proving true, I can't even post in PP&P any more. They've apparently banned me. The only annoying parts of this: 1) They've pinned a post of mine there, so people can flame and I cannot answer; and 2) Some are saying I'm "dodging" their brilliant political discourse by not posting responses. E-mails to AlaskaDimwit & DiCkless Tom (the "moderators") go unanswered, so I guess the moderators are busy trying to paint Murtha as a pinko or something ... Hey, did anybody else enjoy Dick "five deferments" Cheney questioning Murtha's 'backbone'? I loved that one... By the way, Pipe ... loved the subtlety of your analogy. And the Donahoe reference was great... that alone cracked me up. I have screamed for his head as well, admittedly.

Huge difference. The Stones concert was music ... a show ... the product itself. The CMA is a bunch of people patting each other on the back for how good their product is. I'd pay two THOUSAND bucks to see the Stones live again before I'd pay a quarter to attend the CMA ... And, yes, you can lump in all those other BS "music" award shows where people like Seal and Britney Spears clean up despite nobody being able to name an album by either ... Forgive me, but I've always HATED those "award" shows with a passion.

Letterman made a great point last night... Country music fancies itself as "accessable" and "the people's music" and "down to earth" ... Tickets to the CMA? Two THOUSAND, five-hundred bucks apiece. Yes, that's 25 times what I paid a month back to see the Stones ...

Here in Small-bany, we're getting pre-empted for the frickin' Giants!

No doubt... it was Kamil Loud. He caught balls. He blocked. He recovered fumbles on special teams. He inspired poetry!

Drew shredded a Super Bowl team's defense this past Sunday ... but that was with Parcells calling the shots. Coaching matters...

Best bumber sticker I ever saw ... "SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES IF YOU'RE STONED"

<<< This is Ollie. Ollie brings peace & joy.

I gotta admit, with his genes and a 9.2 average after one game, it IS a tad intriguing ... This guy has more potential than ... Eric Flowers!* *special R.Rich reference

Walter Peyton's son played in his first NFL game this Sunday. He only carried four times, but he averaged 9.2 yards-per-carry. Doesn't mean he's going to rush for 4,000 this season ...

The team will divide clearly and irreparably into two camps... There'll be the Holcomb guys and the Losman guys. The Holcomb guys will be afraid to talk to the Losman guys, and vice versa. Instead of working to help develope the younger guy, Holcomb will become a selfish, self-centered media circus. (He might even take up playing the drums...) Losman's development will be seriously curtailed, and we'll all despair knowing that playing the old guy isn't the way to prepare for the future of the position. This will rattle his confidence, and - as a result of the rattled confidence - everyone will deem him a 'head case' and run him out of town. Ralph will take one side, Mularkey another. The team's coaches and officials will get real mean at press conferences when a sportswriter brings it up. My guy, Dave Ragone, might even be this year's (or next year's) equivalent of Billy Joe Hobert. Finally, after the season, we'll sign an aging veteran to "make a run this year" ... But the aging veteran will come here with no mobility. Whaddaya' MEAN it "could" happen... It has happened! (*JUST KIDDING button is ON.*)

(*sigh*) I hear that often in my dreams ...

YES! Everyone in Section 219 was screaming about that. We actually thought he could've gotten an unsportsmanlike penalty even without removing the helmet. (He was advancing - almost certainly to the point of contact - on the official and had to be restrained by a teamate.) When the helmet came off, it should've been a flag. But he was getting the Micheal Jordan treatment all day. (You guys remember the criteria for whether or not NBA refs called a foul on the guy guarding Jordan? It was, "If Jordan's shot DOESN'T GO IN, he was fouled!")

Yeah, and let's bench Willis for Shaud Williams while we're at it. (SARCASM BUTTON "ON".)

Crowell hit him in the head, and you're ALWAYS gonna' get called for that. The first one, however, me and about 78,000 other first-hand, up-close witnesses had a BIG problem with ...