Whites Bay

Now you're getting it.

Hoffmans?!?! What are you - from SYRACUSE??? NEVER!!!! It's Zweigle's. Do you hear me? ZWEIGLE'S!!!

I flew home from Calgary on Wednesday night; Calgary-Chicago, Chicago-Syracuse. The latter leg barreled straight on, due west, with the Big Dipper on the port side. The weather was more of this goddamn patchy on-and-off-shower-crap that we've been having for a week. I mean, ENOUGH ALREADY. Muskegon, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Detroit, London, Guelph. All patchy with clouds. Then came Buffalo. That's right. Buffalo. Buffalo. The view was just...well, it was just spectacular. The weather had broken, the North Star sat happily above downtown, and the whole city just GLOWED. I know it was just a trick of the light, but I've flown over Buffalo about four million times, and it has just never looked that good. The whole place was just alive. Just...very...proud.

That was funnier than hell. But in all seriousness, I'm a history nut, and would love to watch that film. What was that?

I hate to crap in anyone's oatmeal, but nothing we say, or speculate, or wish, or curse. on this board has any impact on the goings-on at One Bills Drive. No, that's right. Nothing whatsoever. Particularly insofar as it relates to contract negotiations. I've watched this Front Office work its way through dozens of contracts of big-name players whom this fan base has screamed that MUST be re-signed or else it's the second coming of the Old Testament plagues. Oddly enough, the contracts get done, the terms seems fair and equitable to all parties, and the fans on TwoBillsDrive start screaming about something else. Sorry to poop on things. Let's stay focused on Cincinnati. Have a great day.

I remember a cover - and I don't know if it's the one to which you're referring here - that had the tag line that said "Those Bills just keep piling up". It may have been the title of the article for the same magazine issue. Perfect.

In deference to the OP, I'll tell you what... I'll worry about this topic in the week leading up to 1 Jan 2012, which is the next time the Bills play the Pats*. And by that time, who knows? There will likely be an entirely new set of parameters around which to plan. Various people will have been injured on both teams, the schedule may have been flexed, one or the other team might be resting their starters because the playoffs are already locked up (and let's hope it's the Bills!). But as for "Slowing down the Pats* O"? Who gives a rat's hairy ass? If I look at the schedule closely enough, I see...oh, wait! Next week's opponent is the Cincinnati Bengals! It's just me, I'm sure, but I'm guessing Chan and the boys are probably thinking about slowing down the Bengals' O. The Pats* are already getting smaller in the rear view mirror. Looking ahead. It's what winning teams do. Just sayin'...

This is so painfully true that it sends chills down my spine, and leaves my mouth dry.

1) Buddy Nix has shown himself to be a wily old fox, and a shrewd judge of character, in that his first big decision was to have made Chan Gailey his Head Coach. He also fired Tom Modrak. Points must be given for these two moves. Nix also brought in Dave Wannstedt. Smmmoooottthhh........ At this rate, this man is a lock for "GM of the Year". 2) Chan Gailey is a very, very, very good offensive coach. Straight talking, no bullschtuff, creative-as-hell. At this rate, this man is a lock for "Coach of the Year". 3) I'm SO glad that these two men are making decisions related to the roster, and not the inbred idiots on this board. Jesus, step away from the keyboard with this crap. By the way, has anyone seen The Dean? If so, give him my best. The board's not the same without him.

And the same to you and yours as well. Trying out a sports bar 15 minutes before the game presents me the risk of failure. If they're NOT displaying the game, I'm screwed. Can't get back to the hotel in time. And...who knows...I might end up sitting next to some Pats* fan, and who the hell needs that crap? Besides, I'm going to expense it. Bastards. If I'm going to have to burn time on the weekends for the salt mine, they're going to pay for my penance. "Look at Granny Run" - Ry Cooder

Fair enough, SJBF. "All Along The Watchtower" - Dave Mason. You got me on that one. I'm sure there's a ballet there. It's Canada, it's a boomtown (from the tar sands), so there's a lot of money kicking around. I'm not moving from in front of the computer for three hours, so I don't give a damn about the ballet. If they lose, which is the greater probability, I'm just going to be morose. If they win, I'm going to find that ballet, and you'll find me on the 11:00 news.

I know. I know. "At the Stadium, You Mouthbreathing Idiot". For those of us who WON'T be at the game, where will you be? I'm going to be in a hotel room in Calgary, watching it on NFL Gamepass. Wearing my Bills T-shirt, and wearing it proudly. A million years ago, I remember being in a van with family and friends on the way to the 1990 AFC Championship, listening to the pre-game on the radio. I'd slogged my way to every home game that season, and I lived in New Jersey at the time. That's a lot of slogging! As the snow whirled around the van, it suddenly hit me - and I had to share it with the rest of the family - "You know, if we win this, we're going to the Super Bowl". I accept that this sounds stupid, but as a lifelong fan of this franchise, you keep a game-at-a-time mentality. It had only just occurred to me that there was...you know...hope. This feels the same.

But wasn't it a nice article in the Buffalo News? Almost as nice as the article in the News about Ruvell Martin just before he was cut. Tough business. "If Not For You" - George Harrison

Echoing PTR's point, that's the one thing I see lacking in Fitzpatrick's game - the bomb. It might turn out to be an Achilles Heel, in that teams may eventually work to take away the underneath game. Countering this logic, of course, is the sense that he seems to have great field vision, and is able to spread the ball around and NOT get stuck in a predictable groove a la Losman-to-Evans. There's another comparison that should be made between Kelly and Fitzpatrick, and I'm too damn lazy or incompetent to do the research. Question - did the K-Gun offense ever successfully complete 5 touchdowns in 5 drives? I don't think they did during the 1990 AFC Championship, and I don't think they did in the "Never had to punt" game against San Francisco.

Hear, hear. Absolutely. I'm loving 2-0 as much as anyone on the board, but did anyone SEE what Detroit did to KC yesterday? Man, the Chiefs are a BAD team. Everyone should open against the Chiefs. Oakland's good. Not great. Good. One more possession, and perhaps there's not so much effervescence out here. Now...if the Bills take the Pats*....holy moley, schmoley....

I don't know, Crayons. But a four-ton satellite came down in Canada with a boatload of uranium. I don't think this one's coming down with 6 tons of Easter eggs.

Not to get people too alarmed, but...that thing is pretty darn large. 6 tons. A satellite of that size requires a lot of power, and I'm guessing (correctly) that the Energizer Bunny isn't involved. Nor is diesel, nor is wind power, nor are hydrogen cells. I'm guessing that it's not wood-fired, either. A four ton Russian satellite came down in northern Canada in 1978. That satellite had over 100 pounds of Uranium 235. Just sayin'...

A win is an amazing thing. All these posters (including myself) that I haven't seen in so long! So good to see you again! All we need is The Dean and we're back to normal. I'll jinx us. Bills 37-10. I have no rational basis for this prediction. I'll be tossed headlong off the bandwagon, like I have since 1968. So what? The scar tissue has become tougher over the years. Go. Bills. Go. "Twisting My Words" - Lori Carson

This post, actually, is funnier than hell. GILLIGAN!!!!!

Really bad, Scott. In a mind-expanding sort-of-way, but really bad. "Isn't it a Pity" - George Harrison

As I'd mentioned in another thread, Byrd gets a quiet "Play of the Game". The Pope touchdown that was overturned is all Byrd. Byrd knew he was beat, but gave a big swat with his right hand onto Pope's hands. A very smart play on his part, because he knew that body tackling at that point was useless. Pope had both feet in bounds, and it was about to be 14-6 (the score was already up on the board). Because Byrd hit Pope's hands, the ball was technically bobbling in Pope's grasp when he landed. Byrd doesn't make that heads-up play, and the score is 14-7, and the Arrowhead Stadium crowd is right back in the game. It was a huge play that I don't think gets enough recognition.

Dating myself here, but when I was a kid (well, at least when the bald spot wasn't so pronounced), AFC games were carried on NBC, and NFC games were carried on...gasp...CBS. And the ass-clowns on CBS, which included dorks like Bradshaw and Madden, barely gave the Bills a whoop-de-doo back during the Super Bowl run. And now CBS carries the AFC, and gee whiz, Gomer, what do you think they're covering? That's just the way it is. These guys are just pimping their product. But to echo another poster...the bigger question is "Why in God's name are you watching Fox?"

1) Unheralded player of the day? Jairus Byrd. Great open field tackle in the first quarter - just nailed the ball carrier for a big loss to force a punt. Just a great tackle. But the biggest play of the game was Byrd's "whack" on Pope's hands on the apparent TD catch. Watch the replay. Pope had the ball, he had both feet in bounds, and that was 6 points. But Byrd had the presence of mind to bring his right hand from shoulder height into a full swing and slap Pope's hands as he was trying to cradle the ball. The result? Even though the feet were in bounds, the ball was moving. No touchdown. Byrd doesn't do that, and the Chiefs are right back in the game, and so is the Arrowhead Stadium crowd. 2) Freddo. Hey Fred, we need to move the chains. The chains get moved. The guy's nickname should be "Money". 3) Fitz. I hate the beard, but I'm not married to the guy, so maybe I should just let go. He's playing well within the limits of his environment. If your offensive line is less-than-optimal, what do you do? Spread the ball around so that your opponent doesn't get the chance to tee off on you. Sounds pretty simple, but Fitzpatrick seems to have good field vision. I'd be the last person to say that he has Losman's (or Manning's) arm, but who cares? You don't need a cannon if you're able to get that extra 0.8 seconds to deliver because the defense can't outguess where you're going to throw. 4) I hate the Cowgirls more than virtually anything imaginable. But if the Jets lose tonight, guess who will be on top of the AFC East standings tomorrow morning? 5) And MY wife is upstairs, while I enjoy a glass of wine in the man cave. Oh, Faith Hill has a new skin tight black leather outfit this year. My goal for Sunday Night Football this year is the same as last year's goal - go through the whole season with the sound on "Mute" when she's singing. All the eye candy, with none of the idiocy.

Apologies for driving the "Melancholy Express" over a couple of potholes and then onto a sidewalk crowded with children, but whenever I think of Ruben Brown, all I can hear is "Holding, number 79, Offense, 10-yard penalty, repeat third down". Great man, done a lot for Buffalo, can't take anything away from his enthusiasm for the city or from his foundation....BUT.....someone should have used some duct tape to keep his hands down.

Okay, fair enough. I'm no Kiper, but I'll play. I would have picked Ngata. I was totally sold on Ngata. Whitner hit me like a brick in the mouth. Change that ONE pick, and this whole post falls apart.