Offside Number 76

Every other decade.

I'm not the guy saying Fitz is the future, but the only way that pass gets completed, and probably the only way it doesn't get picked, is to go too high. Fitz was smart and took the 50/50; Easley brought it in.

Always a favorite of mine.

7%

Which is it? Frankly, I've never viewed the homerun throwback as a solid bad call by the refs. But it was a solid bad call by the Bills to not kick that out of bounds, the way the D was playing lights-out. And yeah, hindsight is 20-20.

This is all I have, and I'm still proud of it: http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/topic/36607-mike-mularkey-general-knowledge-test/

The year before last. I'm still pissed at McKelvin. No, I'm not one of the guys who vandalized his lawn.

You're right; the Ain'ts (I always will call them that) and Raiders are playing on it right now.

Australian media.

Don't bother giving his blog any additional traffic. It's senseless and not worth the read.

"Lindell's three-pointer in overtime came after team-mate Josh Scobee has earlier missed a 53-yard attempt to win the contest."

That was a great call and a great play.

I freaking love the helmets, except I wish the stripes would be of constant width rather than expanding towards the back. But I still love 'em more than anything I've seen since Ferguson. I never loved the reds, and the standing buffalo is, well, just standing around. The buffalo needs to charge.

Great game. Starting O looked great as did starting D. Someone, someday will explain to me the two PI calls that I saw before leaving w/ my date in the mid-third. The first made NO sense at all, unless hand checks are now pass interference. The second was almost as weak. I know, it's preseason for the refs, too.

I hope OP was there tonight to see why Smith will not be the starting QB barring injury.

I went tonight and had fun. And it certainly was "kid's night." The most out of control guy that I heard was a grandfather, WITH his grandchildren, and oh boy, did he let out a few words. But that was the worst. Granted, it's preseason, and I was in seats that I've never been in before (20 rows up and RIGHT on the 50--I'm used to either end zones or the top tier corners when I have the opportunity to go). Not sure what factor was most dominant (the "rich people" seats, the kid's night, the "Make Mom Proud" or the preseason), but it was ok. As for the bolded part, I am going to scream that next time it's third down. That's hilarious, and no one can hear what I'm screaming through cupped hands anyway.

The first question is a tough one; I think it's what this whole thread is exploring. I don't know where the line is drawn, but if it's drawn towards turning the stadium into a Chuck-E-Cheese, I'm against it. (If it's drawn towards turning the stadium into the infield at the Preakness, I'm also against it.) The second question: because high school games are about kids. Kids learning to play a game, kids learning teamwork, kids learning how to socialize with one another in the stands. The atmosphere is different, too. Ever been to a pro game where the whole crowd is chanting "@ss-hoooooole, @ass-hoooole" at a player or a ref? Can you imagine that at a high school game? I know the principal of my high school would have had a conniption if we had done that; probably would have made the next home game closed to non-players. But somehow it seems totally appropriate when directed towards Bryan Cox, you know?

Give 'im heck, Senator.

Because grownups have very few venues where it is acceptable to scream and shout, and blowing off steam is important. Sporting events and concerts are the only two that come to my mind. That doesn't mean that fighting is acceptable. Some loudness, some unruliness, someone screaming "f**k yeah" at the top of their lungs after a touchdown? Fine by me. I don't think the behavior at a pro game needs to be like behavior at a high school game. Not at all. Last time I went to a high school game I was worried because I had two drinks, with some other alums, before the game; I didn't want kids at the game smelling the alcohol. I don't worry about two drinks before a Bills game. There's no way I'd look across the field at some 16-year-old playing for the opponent and call him a name--even a name that doesn't use foul language. I don't feel the same way at all about pro sports. If I want to call Albert Haynesworth an a-hole, I will; if I'm considering a 16-year-old who acts like him, I'm more likely to say something like "wow, someone needs to get to that kid before he turns into Albert Haynesworth." After some more consideration, I'm wondering if I have higher standards for what is "family friendly" than most; i.e., if I'm a little paranoid. Maybe it comes from having lived a few years in the Bible Belt. I'm definitely not advocating violence or drunkenness; I'm saying that a pro game is a place where grownups go to have some fun, and when your child is ready to understand the distinction between how we act at a football game versus how we act in other situations, well, that's when he or she is ready to go.

That's likely true. And although I like hockey better, I do see some merit to what Dareustein said about a "national stage" and all that. Still, I've been following the Sabres since I was a tot, and the Bills since I was a teen. I really, really want a Stanley Cup in this town (but I would of course not turn down a Lombardi Trophy).

There are a lot of us Bills fans out there who simply like hockey better than football. Of course, I could get obnoxious and say something like, "Football is barely a sport IMO. It's less popular worldwide than hockey, and there's no version of it in the Olympics. Plus they only have about ten minutes of action in a game that lasts over three hours." I could say that...but this would be a much better response:

Cup.

It's not a rant; if you read through the thread you'll see that most people are being pretty reasonable, and I'm not worried about disagreement anyway (that's why I started the thread--I already knew my own opinion, I wanted to see others). And they cut off the drinks at the PRO level at halftime; most college stadiums don't sell beer at all (although a few do). Also--I'm a person who thinks "it is all about getting loaded and dump [sic] beer on the apposing [sic] fans head?" I don't think so. Did you read what I wrote? "I'm not a big fan of the way a lot of people act at games."

Cool. Saw something very similar with a ten year old boy in Flyers gear outside the arena after a Sabres game. I confronted the guy who was picking on him. Frankly, it wouldn't make a difference whether it's a kid or a grownup in that situation; there's friendly banter and then there's being a dick. What we saw is the latter.

I'd bet that his site gets more traffic from Bills fans than from the rest of the world combined. I don't think any group has latched onto him like this board has.