San Jose Bills Fan

If I'm reading the transcript of Gailey's interview after tonight's (Sunday's) practice, Merriman participated in practice… not sure to what extent: "On DE Shawne Merriman not taking an extra day to rest the ankle that kept him out of yesterday’s practice: He wanted to be back out here. He would not stay out. And that is great. That is the attitude you hope they all have. But he wanted to be out here."

There's an old saying that a minor injury is when it happens to someone else. Anyways, David Nelson's injury is really, truly minor. http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Nelson-gets-fortunate-diagnosis/4add71c5-76cf-4a6d-9501-069b04f81ffd

Besides Revis, Charles Woodson and Ty Law are recent examples of "hands-on" cover men that are/were very successful. One odd thing that happens with these defenders is that they do it on virtually every play to the point where it seems that the officials get "enforcement fatigue" and only call them once a game if that… and they end up getting away with it on the vast majority of pass plays. As a rookie he will take his lumps but as he becomes a respected player in the league, more and more refs will turn a mostly blind eye to his "techniques."

Cain and Lions GM Martin Mayhew were rookies together in Buffalo in 1988 so that makes sense.

Shortly thereafter, Cowboys’ vice-president of public relations/communications Rich Dalrymple chimed in with a reminder that “glory hole” is a common expression in the oil and gas exploration business pertaining to a high-profit drilling site. Jones, a longtime oil man, feigned surprise. “That’s news to me,” Jones said, smiling. Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2012/07/jones-says-cowboys-seek-return-to-glory-hole-days-of-yesteryear.html#storylink=cpy

On the subject of team-employed media and their ability to be objective, there's a Bay Area Giants guy named Marty Lurie who works for the Giants' flagship station, KNBR radio, He is often critical of the team but in a non-incendiary, matter-of-fact, objective, and fair manner. He has the respect of management (both station and baseball club), listeners, and other media members. In other words, it is possible to be objective as a reporter of a team which indirectly employs you. You just have to have "the game" to pull it off… and maybe some fair-minded employers.

When you talk about a player's blocking, you could be (minimally) referring to: 1) Pass blocking 2) Downfield blocking 3) Move or wham blocking 4) Point of attack/line of scrimmage blocking I'm thinking a guy like Dickerson has zero problem using his above average size/agility to be a real pain in the ass to DBs trying to catch a runner in the secondary. He's gonna be a "move TE" or H-back so if there's concern about his blocking it would be numbers 3 and 4. As a movement player I think a bigger hurdle for Dickerson in making the team would be his ability to grasp the offense and his assignments within that offense. The Bills want him to be a weapon so he has to show he is capable of being a weapon… not so much a blocker.

And who could argue with your expertise in the area of below average?

Or to borrow an old saying, "He seems to be a bit light in the loafers… "

As Ah-nold said in one of the Terminator movies, "You on ya own." Sorry to be so non-helpful, btw. Just kinda focused on the future right now, not the past. I'm sure the others can help out on this.

Well it's certainly better than hearing that someone is struggling in the practices.

Merriman is gonna have a huge year for the Bills and will be a major contributor in what will be a smashingly successful season. A lot of guys in this thread are gonna be eating crow and I won't be one of them.

Fendi Onobun might disagree with you!

Wallace and Welker are very different types of players. Not sure how that would work although Belicheat is a crafty one. Either Colbert is: 1) Telling the truth, or 2) He's lying to drive up the price for Wallace I wouldn't take his comments at face value anyways.

"This Year's Nostradammit! Canidates are…. " Trung Canidate? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trung_Canidate

By the way MJT, Can't thank you enough for your comprehensive reports as well as the photobucket stuff. Your dedication is outstanding. Many thanks.

That sentence could still use another word or two at the end.

LMFAO, Tom!!! Gonna have to steal that one!

Your powers of perception are really way off. And as far as your take on The Chroise… there's this thing called "tongue-in-cheek… " But if I have to explain it…

You can see on lots of the BB.com video that the defensive players have to let up before the play "is over" because they can't really hit anyone… so there are probably a handful of plays during each team drill that end up successful for the offense that wouldn't have been had it been real, live play.

Interestingly (to me anyways) the Steelers let go longtime OC Bruce Arians and hired Tod(d) Haley as their new OC so the Steelers are running a new offense this year. In other words, Wallace is setting himself up for a uphill challenge if he hopes to have a big year for any team this year.

Why are you discounting the Dolphins?

Tebow already gets more pub than most starting quarterbacks.

It's highly unlikely that we'll be fooled again?

Funny stuff, you guys! We could have guys in Brady jerseys trying to break it up and subsequently getting pummeled by both the Sanchezes and the Tebows.