Fan in Chicago

In a way, I am with Bill here. I have not seen his talent do anything special at the NFL level. Call me impatient, but for a team as much in need of immediate help, I would have expected our #9 pick to contribute in a meaningful way in his rookie season. As much as I would like to believe this 'wait for him to develop' attitude, can't we get an immediate contributor for a change ? And this is even assuming we should have drafted a RB in the first place...

As frustrated as I am with the Spiller pick, if Troup, Carrington and Moats turn out to be as good players are Wood and Levitre, I will mostly forgive Nix for being more right on average. Also, this coming year, we may see a similar pattern - the top pick going to a position of less critical need but #2 - #4 being devoted to our need areas. With 5 picks in the top four rounds (as of now), it will be great if atleast 3 are devoted to LB and OL. I have been reading in other threads about how 'happy' the coaches seem to be with Urbik, Wrotto, Pears etc. I simply shudder if we go into next season with that sentiment. If Nix and co are true to their word, they should draft more linemen in the early rounds despite the feelings about the existing right side O linemen.

Comedies: Tropic Thunder, Burn After Reading, Up in the Air (not technically a comedy but still very good), Hott Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Drama/Suspense: Let the Right one In (the original Swedish version); Revanche (Austrian movie, warning: slow but very satisfying), The Town (or Gone Baby Gone which is even better), Moon Action: District 9, Kick Ass, Iron Man 2 (marginally)

Well summarized regarding the draft. What I would like people to remember is that there were very few high level free agents to man the OL. The availability was very thin. The only difference I would make is choosing OL in place of Spiller

Precisely. I would be incredibly disappointed if we go into next season with the same cast of characters on the OL or just add low level FA into the mix. I really want to see high quality FA addition(s) and/or high draft picks. No way the FO gets by with selling us "our young guys are promising" line.

But as a happy ending (from the Tribune article), a car dealership near the Wisconsin border immediately offered him a job because "Cesario ..... said his dealership has already received calls from Wisconsin residents who want to buy a car from Stone."

I would caution against thinking that recycling the same players will yield better results simply because they are one year more experienced. We need a serious addition of talent at the tackle and (with Wood at C) the RG position. If FAs are not available, devote a couple of our rd 2-4 picks to these positions. But lets not go into next season under the same delusions that we have entertained the past several seasons. Hope is not a strategy.

A few random thoughts: - Your boss' excuse is such a load of you-know-what. It sounds hokey and to top it all, the timing of the charges coincides with the same times as when HE is out drinking with her ? - Now he knows that his wife can find out about credit card charges. Unless he is a moron or an over the top pompous !@#$ who believes nothing can happen to him, such charges will never happen again. So the chances of your friend finding damning evidence are significantly reduced from now onwards - Do not put down anything in writing. If you are going to advise your friend, do it face to face. As someone else said, this will blow up eventually and you do not want to be associated with it in any way. - Contrary to most opinions here, I think you should tell your friend what you think and ways for her to confirm or refute the doubts. A PI may be in order. But, again, limit your talk to a friendly, one-on-one, face-to-face discussion only - I think you have several legal recourses to protect your employment when this blows up Ultimately, I think you need to give it a lot of thought and then do what your morals and gut instinct tell you to do. By being in such a moral quandary, it is evident you are a good person with noble intentions. If sh1t still happens to you, there is nothing you should be ashamed of as you are not the perpetrator. Recognize who the villain is in this situation and be true to yourself.

I don't fully disagree with you. I saw him throwing two INTs (albeit only was was entirely on him) and being largely ineffective for most of the second half. My intent was to say that any half way competent QB would have had the same performance while supported by the effective run game and vicious D. There is nothing special about what BR did in this game.

Define 'quarterbacking' . I choose to disagree with your assertion that Big Ben did a good job. Yes, he converted a critical third down to seal the game but he was not very good throughout the game. It was the Steelers D and Mendenhall's running that won them the game.

Let us not count chickens before they are hatched. Easley has done squat in the NFL so far. We will have time next off-season to assess the WR situation if indeed Easley turns out to be a good WR. As of now, way too many 'ifs'.

Right. If we are going to lament those we let go, my vote goes for Dick LeBeau and not the likes of Jonathan Scott

Bears fans to this day cringe at the sentence "all the pieces are in place" (for a Superbowl run) prior to the 7-9 season in 1996

Or HC

This is great news. Not only do we have a good defensive mind on the pay roll but should Edwards' schemes continue to blow even after adding D talent, we have the Stache to take over. Nice move, FO. Solid, solid all the way.

We already have one hypothetical DE in Maybin. Why do we need another ?

I am going to vote for none of the above simply because I would like the OL get some attention in the first 3 rounds. Draft C does but at the expense of LBs. If the first 4 rounds net us 2xOL, 2xLB and DE/DT then I will be thrilled.

I dont mind nasty players but I do mind dirty players. Their style of play can cause penalties at the most inopportune time and can make a difference between winning and losing. I also do not want to take a risk by assuming that a known 'dirty' player from college can scale back that temperament in the pros. Not implying Fairley is all that but if he is, I don't want him.

You know, you really should feel shame

Frankly, it was a trick question to see how many seriously believe Evans is out of gas with the Bills and needs a change of scenery. Trading within the division and esp to the Pats* would say a lot. I would not do the trade unless we use that pick for a superstar CB to shut Evans down :-) (Ok, I kid with that last sentence). Given that you like Mallett, would you make that trade ? I think that if Nix is not sold on Mallett, he would make that deal.

For the Pats* to move up to grab Green, they will have to give up a lot by value chart. I would not cut them a deal. Now let me ask you something in reverse - if the Pats* offered their first or second for Evans, would you trade him ?

Not me. Technically, I wasn't rooting, rooting for either team but was hoping the Pats* would lose (does that mean I was rooting for the Jets ?). I just could not stand seeing the Pats* in the AFC championship game or the Superbowl. And also, I admire the Steelers organization so will be rooting for them to crush the Jets. On the other side, I really want my office mates to sulk on the 24th so wish for a Packers victory (another organization I like just as I do the Steelers')

A-friggin'-men.

First slugfest of the year is on and as usual is a good one so far. I am watching this game but have to bail and take the little lady out for dinner and drinks with friends - none of them football fans

Whether #9 was too high for a RT is debatable. Depends on what you think would have contributed best to the Bills long term success. Considering how little talent we have on the lines, I would have erred on the side of a tackle instead of a RB but we will see. As for trade down, there is no way for us to know - one way or another if there was a willing dance partner. So while it is fun to speculate, it is wrong to bash the FO with such little solid information.