Tolstoy

I am curious: why isn't Roscoe being used more? Didn't he look like a good player in preseason? I seem to remember the defense talking about how difficult he was to cover. Some possibilities: (a) he hasn't fully adjusted to the game yet since coming back from injury. (b) the coaches haven't learned to utilize him. © they just haven't had the right situations to take advantage of his abilities. (d) he is not as good as we thought he was. What do you think? It is kind of puzzling.

Is Willis injured? Has he been back in since the injury?

I recognize that the season is only half over, so please don't get on my case for speculating about the Bills' needs next year. In fact, what looks like a need, now, might turn out to be a strength if a player develops in the next 8 games (e.g. Roscoe Parrish, K. Everett). Conversely, what looks like a strength could also look like a need (e.g. linebacker). Having said that, the Bills seem to have so many weaknesses right now that I am not sure what their #1 draft priority is. Which position is in the worst shape, has the least prospect of player development, and the worst chance of being addressed through free agency? Here is my pick: Defensive tackle (which is depressing, seeing as how we have drafted for this position in recent years) My reasoning: depsite the need to upgrade the O-line, defense is more important than offense. Also, I think the prospect for player development is better on the O-line than on the D-line.

Folks, It strikes me that with OJ's appearance at two recent Bills games, and now his reported effort to find a house in the area, that he feels drawn to the Bills and the Buffalo community. Why? Well, could it be perhaps that he has become a pariah, a social outcast across the nation, and he is looking for some love from the Buffalo community? He returns to Buffalo as the Biblical prodigal son returned home to his father after years of debauchery: both are trying to find security, acceptance, and perhaps forgiveness from those who once cared about them. Here is the question: what should the Buffalo community, and Bills fans, do? Do we continue to shun him on the basis of what most of us suspect he did? Or, do we recognize that whatever he did, it is in God's hands now, and all we can do is grant him the dignity that we ought to accord to all human beings? Thus, should we discourage him from returning to the area, or quietly accept it? Do you say "hello" to him in the grocery store, or ignore him? Do you invite him to the block party, or leave his house off the invitation list? I think I have my own answer to this, but I am not sure if I am right. What do you think?

Nice Post M.! I won't see you at Billy's on Sunday but I hope to be there the following week.

Look, not everyone appreciates soccer, especially those who have never played it. I happen to love the game. I played it as a kid, and still play now, as a 33-old adult with knees about to give out. I love playing it and watching it. Can I explain why? Probably not in a way that is convincing to someone who has never played it. I ask those who don't like it to just lay off. For Pete's sake, why can't you let the rest of us enjoy the game? Are you scared of something? What are you scared of? That soccer will take off in America, and you will be left alone in your room? When there is a national passion about the game (and there will be, give it time), you will care too. You will want your Buffalo soccer team to beat the Miami team as badly as you want the Bills to beat the Dolphins. Soccer is a beautiful game to play, and to watch. It is extremely elegant, physical, and requires peak physical condition. It also doesn't require anything but a ball and a bunch of people. I will be watching the US-Mexico game as closely as I watch a Bills game.

Wow. That thread makes it very hard to dislike Dolphin fans. It makes you realize that there are people of good heart everywhere.

That is the one with the two officers in Napoleon's army, right? Harvey Keital and Keith or David Carrodine. Great movie. I showed it last year for my Philosophy/History movie discussion series at the college I teach at. The student's (mostly males) loved it: females hated it. It seems that men can understand the "honor" thing more than women.

Here is the link: Link

The Bills must be dissatisfied with their D-line if they are going after Corey Simon. It would be a good pick-up for an already very good defense. Link:http://www.nj.com/sports/times/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/112322928129970.xml&coll=5

I think I am becoming a junkie and need my fix.

An article in the New York Times this morning (on line) details the economic rise of China. One figure said it all to me: Workers at a Honda factory in China receive the equivalent of $1.50 per hour, while his American counterpart gets an average of $55 per hour (I assume this figure includes health care, pension, and other benefits). I do not begrudge my fellow Americans a decent wage. I am just worried that we are going to get our asses kicked in the world markets. Wait a minute, what am I saying...we already have gotten our asses kicked by the Chinese in the world markets. ( When is the last time you have bought something made in America?) What really worries me is that with economic power comes political and military power: how long can we Americans hold our position in the world given our loss of industry, the enormous trade deficit to China, and the meteoric rise of China in economic clout? Are we getting spoiled? Is this the inevitable decay that occurs with wealth and affluence?

Who do you think will finish in the top five of the AFC and NFC at the end of this year? Here are my picks (in no particular order--they are just top five material): AFC: New England (until proven otherwise, but they will struggle this year with new coordinators) Indianapolis (still have an explosive offense) Pittsburgh (how can you argue against 15-1 last year) San Diego (a solid team all around) Jacksonville (on the rise) Buffalo (hey, I think they will be good this year) NFC: Philadelphia (still very good) Minnesota (I think they are better without Moss) Atlanta Seattle Dallas (the Drew Bledsoe first-year effect) Green Bay (they still have Brett) What do the rest of you think? What elite teams will fall? What average teams last year will rise to the top?

Why would Travis prefer to go to Jacksonville or Tennessee, when he is just going to back up to Fred Taylor or Chris Brown anyhow? In other words, it is not as if he is being promoted to a starter's position there. As it is, Buffalo would seem as good a spot as any to be a back-up. Buffalo is a team on the rise, with a determined approach to the running game, and a starter who has had major reconstructive knee surgery. I am guessing three reasons: (1) wounded pride: he lost the starting job here, and his ego took a dent. Since the Bills were the hammer that delivered the dent, Travis hates the Bills. (Professional athletes are quite childish in this regard.) This is kind of stupid, however. Afterall, he is just setting himself up for another dent in Jackson. and Tenn. (2) better chance at a starting job: Travis secretly thinks that he has a better chance of winning the starting job at Jacksonville and Tennessee. In other words, he doesn't think Taylor or Brown are as good as he is. (Typical arrogance--is he right? I don't think so.) (3) Just because he said he was never playing for the Bills again--now he has to stand by his words. This is very stupid, but typical of pigheaded atheletes. To be honest, if he would get his head out of his rear-end, I would be happy to have him on the bench, if only for a year. He would be good insurance.

Look fellas, it's quite simple: all life must be respected. That doesn't mean we can't kill viruses, or chop down a tree to build a house, or even kill a cow to sustain ourselves. It simply means we must never wantonly destroy living things (e.g. run over a squirrel for the fun of it). Why? Two reasons: First, because of our obligations to living organisms themselves. An animal (or plant) is not simply a thing (such as a chair or computer). The squirrel is distinct from the chair by virtue of the fact that it is alive (i.e., has a principle of motion and rest internal to it), and has its own natural end and function (to grow into a mature example of its kind, and reproduce), whereas the chair has it's principle of motion and rest external to it (if it moves, it must be moved), and has its end or function determined by us (to support us while seated). Hence, recognition of the being of the squirrel requires that we understand that it has its own appropriate activity and purpose (doing squirelly things), an activity and purpose that has its own intrinsic beauty and value independent of us. When this is destroyed wantonly, you treat the squirrel as if it is a thing (like a chair), and thus make a category error. You are mistaken. Second, because we ourselves wish to be good persons. Wanton destruction of life makes one a hurtful, cruel, and selfish person, qualities that translate into actions towards others. No one wishes to be hurtful, cruel, and selfish. Such qualities will only cause misery and unhappiness to oneself in the end. Hence, we should practice kindness toward all living things for our own sake.

What you are all conveniently forgetting is the human component, i.e., free will and self-determination. Scouts cannot predict with 100% accuracy because the success of a QB, and every other football player, depends as much on the player's own effort, determination, choices, habits, and character as it does on anything else. Do they put the extra practice in or not? Are they pursuing a healthy lifestyle or not? Are they doing the things they need to in order to build confidence, or not? Etc. If these things could be predicted with certitude, they wouldn't be up to us. If they were not up to us, then we are mere automaton's, subject to causes and forces outside our control. If we were mere automaton's, then I had no choice in writing this post. But I know I had free choice in writing this post, as I do in misspelling the next word. Therevore, we are not automatons, and our choices are up to us, and these things can't be predicted with 100% accuracy, and scouting is a pseudoscience. So there. Akili Smith failed as much because he didn't do the kinds of things he needed to, after college, to succeed in the NFL.

Given the needs of the team, I think I would pick Bruce Smith in his hey-day for terrorizing the opposing QB and Kent Hull for his O-line savvy and a great personality to boot

Pink Floyd with Roger Waters would indeed be a thing of beauty. It is about the only rock band I would go see now (the other exception being the Dead re-uniting with J. Garcia!).

Captain Jean Luc Picard would not need to beat the stuffing out of that want-to-be-a-captain Kirk: Picard would just out-think him. Picard had more intelligence in his little pinky toe than Kirk had in his entire over-inflated head. You see, Kirk was a lot like a woman: he never had complete control over his emotions. Picard was a real man: he mastered his feelings in the face of cold, hard, reasoning. Picard read good literature in his spare time: Kirk picked his nose.

My list: NFL Football World Cup Soccer NCAA Basketball (the NBA is barely even a sport) World Series Baseball (regular season baseball is like watching paint dry) That's about it.

Soccer! Hands Down. Can't wait for the World Cup. Just want to rile things up a bit...

Folks, think back to when Flutie replaced RJ, and the offensive line went from porous to fairly good. My point is that O-line play depends in large part on the QB behind them. This line will look better, both in pass and run blocking, with a more mobile QB and a better passing game. Let us just hope that JP can provide both.

Perhaps I am prejudiced by my partiality towards the Bills, but I have to say that if I were the Patriots, Dolphins, or Jets, I would be more worried about playing Buffalo now. It is not the addition of Roscoe Parrish, or a set of healthy tight ends, or another year of the line under a good line coach, or a Willis McGahee who now has one year under his belt--it is the fact that we have a young, mobile QB where we once had Bledsoe. Other teams did not fear Bledsoe. They thought that with pressure, they could neutralize his arm. They were right. With Losman, an unknown, they are not going to be able to tee-off and blitz. Losing two starters is just not that big of a deal. NE loses more starting players than that every year (whether to injury of free agency), and still returns to the Superbowl. Do you really think that the Bills aren't going to be a better team this year, compared to last year? The subtraction of Bledsoe, and the addition of Losman itself merits an offseason grade of B.

The Sporting News gave the Bills a D+ for the offseason--almost worst in the league. They cite the loss of Jennings and Williams. It just goes to show that these football pundits know nothing. Losman could have a great season, and the Bills are playoff material. On the other hand, Losman may not have a great, or even a good season, and the Bills are the same or worse than last year. In other words, it is just too difficult to say. I am just tired of reading speculation printed as intelligent forecasts. Let's get on with the damn season. Here's the link: Link

Money, of course, isn't everything (and you know this already, or you wouldn't be a teacher). Just consider this: The one profession gives you the opportunity to change hearts and minds, to help children learn both intellectually and morally. These children, positively affected, will become good persons in their own lives, affecting others in a positive way. The good you can do here is immeasurable. Your work is meaningful, and others respect you for it. Hell, it is our kids that you are teaching. The other profession gives you the chance to sell cars to people. And make money. Remember why you went into teaching in the first place.