fergie's ire

Understate much?

The only player I ever met was one Kirby Jackson at a Montgomery Ward opening in Watertown, NY. Even though it was one of those autograph signing events, and he was in the middle of rehabbing (a knee, I think), he was very friendly and gracious. I was one of those handlers he speaks of and was put in a bad situation because the people running the event posted the wrong time in certain places and he was gracious enough to stay longer because of the mixup and saved the store (and me) from having to face some pissed off members of the public. Very nice guy.

Tuel time, baby!

I seem to remember that at one point two years ago, despite all the Kiko love, that there was some talk that Manny Lawson was our defensive MVP. Last year, he just seemed lost.

I keep thinking back to EJs first pre-season. I remember a game when the offense was terrible and couldn't do anything. Then EJ ran a great two minute drill. It came out afterwards that the communication to EJs helmet had gone out and so EJ had to run the offense on his own...and it was the best they looked all pre-season. That should have told us something right there.

Yes, and Bill Polian was on Mike and Mike saying that "more probable than not" is standard phrasing that the NFL uses in these reports in order to say that that standard has been met. In other words, "more probable than not" is there way of saying "guilty" based on their standard. It is not "dubious" wording in the way that Brady's agent, among others, has tried to characterize it.

Everybody seems to be missing the real earth shattering news from that Baton Rouge news clip. Apparently, our new coach is this guy: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/10/rex-reed-vhs-2-review_n_3574972.html Dang it. That is NOT who I thought the Pegulas signed.

I'm thinking Charlemagne at Roncesvalles.

I would agree. In fact, I think the general perception is that Eric Wood is one of those "good guys." My nephew, who is the type who gets along with just about everyone, went to high school with him. When the Bills drafted him, his comment to me was "not a fan." He made it clear he thinks Wood is a big time jerk. Wouldn't go into details...but for my nephew to act that way, I suspect he was not a very nice guy. I went to the University of Kentucky with Carwell Gardner...a great fullback during the Bills glory years. At Kentucky he played defense and was a walking 15 unnecessary roughness penalty and then got booted off the team for beating a kid with a vacuum cleaner pipe during a frat party. Oh yeah....and let's not forget the man who was the face of our franchise for a while...and generally considered to be a model citizen....one Orenthal James. You can't worry too much about liking a team because they are "good guys" because, for one thing, you just don't know....and for another...you watch them play football, not be citizens.

Seems there has been a real shortage of rumors this year. Seems like last year...and in the strike year when they started the 3 day negotiating period...there were a lot more rumors flying about. For our part, do we have teams staking out the airport around the clock? Who is tracking Pegula's plane? I'm jonesin' for some news.

Easley has been a great special teams player and, as a receiver, we have seen flashes in pre-season and training camp. Honestly, I think if we had a guy who could get him the ball he could be an effective receiver. So, really whether we re-sign him or not is really much more about EJ and his abilities than it is about Easley.

Prior to the 2013 season, most considered the Jets to have less talent than any team in the league, but somehow managed to go 8-8. This past year, the did make some additions with free agents and trade, but by all accounts had a terrible draft. It seems the lack of talent caught up with them.

And the NFL doesn't require teams to hire minority coaches....only to interview them...so why not?

+1 I thought it was a stupid rule when it was first enacted for the reasons cited above...but it was soon clear it worked. One of the problems was not so much overt racism as an ol' boys network. What happened is that front offices would decide on a coach...usually a big name...but be forced to bring someone in for a token interview to comply with the rule...and often they were impressed. Even though they would go ahead and hire who they had predetermined they would hire, they would spread the word that this guy they had in was really impressive...and very soon there were a lot more minority hires.

While I don't think that his problem with the media is what made him quit, I do think that his thin skin led to some of his coaching struggles. He received a lot of criticism about fourth down...and then went for it on a fourth and four early in the game...and when it didn't work out, he refused to go for it late in the game. A number of times, it seemed like Marrone would do something based on criticism he was receiving...but didn't really believe in it and would revert back. He never seemed to have a strong and clear philosophy, which I think is part of his/Hackett's problem. Though, on the other hand, other times he seemed unwilling to "cave" to popular consensus (as with refusing to put Urbik for such a long time). And then there was the weird press conference personality change into a monosyllabic Bill Belichick clone. He just seemed too worried about what the media/fans had to say about him.

I remember Lynch commenting that he was a prisoner in his own apartment in Buffalo. He felt like he was under a microscope and was constantly watched and if he put his toe over a curb he would get arrested for jaywalking. Now, he may not have really been under such scrutiny but he FELT that he was...and made it very clear he was really unhappy in Buffalo. The Bills could have backed up a truck full of money and unloaded it on him, and he still wasn't going to stay here. So, regardless of what kind of runner he has become...it was never going to be for the Bills. The front office managed to get something for him, which, under the circumstances, was about the best we could have hoped for.

He WAS a Pro Bowler in SD, but not only did he suck his first three years, the only reason he had the opportunity to start, and thus make it to the Pro Bowl, was because Rivers held out. The Chargers had already said that they planned to have Rivers start and have Brees permanently sent to the bench, but Rivers missed most of training camp because of contract negotiations. Since he wasn't ready, the Chargers were FORCED to play Brees, who then lit it up....and the rest, as they say, is history.

It's that darn AFC North schedule. It's tough when you have to pull for the likes of Jacksonville and Atlanta to win.

Yeah, I have a hard time understanding why Manziel's was ruled an incomplete pass on review. The only thing I can think of is that they don't think he had full control while bring it back...that it was already coming out before bringing it back. I have a hard time understanding BECAUSE the tuck rule was eliminated. That said, I didn't know anyone thought the refs got the ruling wrong on the Brady play. I remember the day after the play all the commentators reading the rule and saying that with that rule a quarterback could run around pump faking constantly and never fumble, because according to the rule even if the quarterback was pulling the ball back, it was an incomplete pass until the ball was tucked away. Stupid rule...which is why they got rid of it...but since it was in the books BEFORE Brady lost the ball it was the correct call.

So, the point is that in the Manning era the Broncos always lose one home game, but they haven't yet, right?

I agree the guy is a clown and I have no problem with the Bills' celebration...but in an effort to stay classy we should send an apology note attached to a case of maple bars.

Let me preface this by saying that I was one of the wait and see crowd on EJ coming in to this year. I thought I had seen some real promise and that he could develop...but I am starting to think our quarterback just might suck. To those who are defending him based on the 80 yd. touchdown, I'd like people to look at that play again. I don't have the ability to watch a replay...but I will go by memory and others can check it out. EJ gets some pressure and lets the pressure on the right go by him and steps nicely through an opening and rolls to some free space. EJ had seemed unable to find such gaps in the recent past...so that is good, but it gets real bad and real ugly fast. EJ runs horizontally and then angles toward the line. It is on this kind of plays that quarterbacks usually take that big step an really drive into the throw. Even noodle arms like Fitzpatrick can get something on the ball on this kind of play. EJ, instead, takes a weird hop backwards. It's as if a little voice in his head said, "For God's sake, DON'T step into that throw..the ball might come flying out fast. Get your weight on your back foot NOW and throw falling away." Now a look down field. Mike Williams is not wide open. In the NFL getting two steps on a defender is wide open. Mike Williams is completely overlooked by the defense and not a single player is in the same zip code. He sticks his arm up in the air to motion "I'm open" when he sees he has been left uncovered, then he turns to watch the ball....and slows....and stops...and waits. If anyone was even close to him he would have been killed or the ball would have been picked. By the time he catches it a Houston defender has caught up enough to almost cut him off had Mike Williams not been able to out maneuver him with the help of a blocker. In all honesty, in terms of EJ suckiosity the touchdown worries me more than the interception. As for the offensive line problems? There were some problems there, but the "pressure" EJ saw had a lot to do with his own play, too....but that is for another post.

I don't know, if the refs make that call against Woods, they should have made the call against Gilmore when he body blocked the guy about to run past him for a touchdown. The refs allowed them to fight for position...could have called it, but I honestly don't have a problem with the no call...I do have a problem with our teams (and particularly our quarterback's) execution.

Arizona beat the Chargers....and around here the consensus seems to be that the Chargers are the first team that will really test us.