Offside Number 76

Sabres. And if it were the Super Bowl instead of the last week of the season, the answer still would be the same.

Read the article, Jack. He has not sued the band or even issued a cease-and-desist letter. He asked that they change their name.

Thanks for the play-by-play of the interview. Interesting stuff.

You could remind your friends that since the merger, the Bills have exactly as many Super Bowl wins and twice as many conference championships as Filly does. And agreed on your main point re: Fitz.

Couldn't have said it better.

If this is true, there should be a spike in crime in these cities from January through September, and I don't think there is.

Some of these guys just don't get it: Just because Fitzpatrick isn't a franchise QB doesn't mean that one was available for the Bills to select.

Bills scout Tom Roth on GR: "Very good player." Played wide receiver in August during the UNC scandal. Versatile; runs hard in between the tackles and hits the hole hard. Very good ST gunner. Also played some defense at UNC (didn't specify the position). Expects him either to be a complementary back or a complimentary back (he didn't spell it out, but I think it's the former because the kid ain't gonna play for free). Good running and catching ability. Decent in pass protection. Not the biggest kid, but very willing and very aware. Was hurt for two or three games this year but still had about 800 yards rushing. Plays bigger than his size. "When you meet him, you'll fall in love with him."

Are you listening to GR's draft coverage? It's excellent.

We'll just call him "Hairy."

Bills scout Tom Roth on GR projecting that he will play on the right side, not left (where he played at Clemson). Tall; tends to get tip at the waist a little bit. Good "anchor versus the bull rush." Looked good in one-on-one battles against UNC, Auburn, SC (Cliff Matthews at end), VT (Stephen Friday at end). Good run blocker; 60% of running plays went his way and did well. Noted that Spiller ran behind him.

I like it and I now feel better about them taking two DBs in the first four picks.

Searcy on GR: He can play SS and expects to contribute on special teams and he also can return punts. Was cleared of allegations relating to academics, but the relevant professor was overseas at time of investigation, so it took time and he missed three games. Was a leader at UNC but knows that he must establish himself as leader in NFL. "Loved" coming into the box to stop the run; played LB in high school. Overall, the kid had a really positive attitude.

Chan on WGR: Good DB who will likely be a strong safety; got "screwed" (his words) out of the first three games of the season due to an academic investigation. I still would have preferred a tight end or an OL. I'm not sure this guy renders Whitner expendable just yet, Rico. EDIT: Sorry, that was Buddy and not Chan.

I can handle one DB, but I'm not happy with the team drafting two. There are too many other needs going unaddressed.

I hate this pick. It's like the Sabres taking another G when then know damned well they need a C. Same with this.

The poll question doesn't match the thread topic. He's the right guy for right now.

Three months ago I was considered a jackass for suggesting him in the fourth or fifth. He wasn't even worth that, I was told. Hmm.

The NFCC is great as is their intro program. And Thoner, you forgot speedskating. That's pretty damned legit.

1) No, they did not create a partnership. If they had, the players would have every right to see the books. But they didn't. 2) The players are employees; as others have said, the owners' financial affairs are none of their business. The NFL dictates the terms and conditions of employment. At the early stage of a player's career, it's a take-it-or-leave it proposition because generally, a player must play for the team that drafted him or not play pro football at all. (Very few players can Elway themselves to a new team.) Later, the NFL still dictates just about every non-salary term of a player's contract. Because there is no real competition, the players are invoking the antitrust laws. This doesn't mean that I see any merit to their suit, btw.

I remember a certain QB who was saying these types of things before he got to the NFL. He seemed to acclimate (pun intended) to Buffalo just fine.

Kaepernick is the best late-round guy out there.

This tells me nothing unless I know how corporations are taxed in other countries. What gets deducted? What credits are available/used? Are the cited tax rates the statutory tax rates or the effective tax rates? Etc. Way too much information is missing to come to any kind of conclusion whatsoever, much less to conclude that the United States taxes its corporations more severely than other countries do.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12801812 Sorry to say, but yeah, it kind of did.

Van Morrison's Astral Weeks album cannot fail.