Neo

Thruway Exit 56 Motel. On the sidelines and playing keep away with OJ Simpson after practice. I ran into him at the sports bar at the Hyatt downtown on a Friday before a Raiders playoff game in 1993. He was in town and having a drink with the Raiders equipment manager. It was early and the bar was empty. I broke a personal rule and went up to his table and told him I was a “keep away” kid from Exit 56 so many years ago. He laughed a charming OJ belly laugh and asked me to sit down. We had a beer, together ….. and in a year, the trajectory of his life story changed dramatically. Hero of my youth. Hero of everyone’s youth. Oh, what a story.

There are few goulashes of disjoint ingredients richer in taste than men criticizing views of others in a sexual assault conversation on a sports message board.

Life’s funny. I saw this last night, before you posted it here. The same two things occurred to me. Word for word.

As important as the availability is, I’m thinking or roster construction and the draft. It changes those plans.

Forgive me, I wrote cortisone instead of cortisol. I’ve been telling that story wrong for months! Oooops. Further, after suffering undiagnosed for years, and getting a CPAP in October, I underwent a double bypass in December. Everything’s related. I’m grateful for an oral surgeon’s power of perception and his willingness to speak up.

Ha, I’m inspired and will post again. I was diagnosed in the most unusual fashion. I had a jaw issue and my dentist sent me to an oral surgeon for analysis. I’d never met him. We talked about my jaw (nothing needed) and as I was leaving, he asked, “have you been gaining weight?” I said “yes, it’s crazy, one pound a month for two years no matter what I do.” Total stranger, looked at me, and said “you have sleep apnea.” He saw it in my teeth (grinding) and my jaw (displaced) and my response to weight gain (all night fight means your body is pumping steroids into your blood). Thirty minutes with an oral surgeon and he figured it out. Of course, it had to be diagnosed by my regular physician and a pulmonary doctor … but I am so grateful to the one in a million interaction with someone who noticed and cared. My regular doctor was just telling me “stop eating, fatso!” And my WIFE - suffered in silence with snoring and gasping. She didn’t want to complain!

Walking zombie for two years. Gained a pound a month no matter the diet or exercise. Fell asleep at stop lights. Two nights testing. 52 events per hour. CPAP machine. First night hated it. Second night slept like a baby. Five months, now. I love it. Losing weight. Active. Edit to add: I cried the morning after the first successful night. Sleep deprivation is the worst. I’m teary, now, writing this.

Well, he’s the highest paid running back in history and just got paid like the 20th highest wide receiver. I think this sustains the current value view of the two positions rather than alters it. Everything goes up.

They’re not even close to this. Like every person, family and firm on the planet, they’re maximizing the benefit or revenue they can from their service and circumstance. The “pigs get fed” scenario is so far over the horizon it can’t be seen or imagined. Ninety two percent of the crowd saying “I’m out” ain’t close to “out.” It’s almost a tradition to complain about price increases while lining up to pay them. The NFL has what we want. Like any rational human being, me and you included, it’ll suck all the revenue/benefit/gratification/satisfaction it can out of the arrangement. Markets find equilibrium. I’ll pay, and so will all of us. Network football is an endangered species. Hogs are a hundred miles over the horizon. PS …. contributing factors: Less expensive 85 inch TVs, gambling, fantasy, more expensive stadiums. We won’t recognize the NFL ten years out from now. Since the beginning of time. “Money” is a place holder and scorecard for “what do I have that you want.?

I’m not sure I read anyone say “dime a dozen” except when using a well known phrase in a well understood context. What I have heard many say is that $15 million can be allocated better on a team with Buffalo’s current cap situation and positional needs. I’m no genius, but I wouldn’t pay Cook $15 million even knowing it will cost me more than .833333 cents to replace him.

For the old timers …. The Bills traded Mervin “The Magician” Briscoe to Miami. He won two Super Bowls there, catching more passes than Paul Warfield in one of them. Einstein’s dad is still furious.

Says every arm chair GM on his sofa. I know this particular trade has you vexed, but there’s no logic or reason behind your view. One, we swapped picks. Two, what we do with the picks is what matters. Three, had we “won” the trade, wouldn’t it be awesome to beat your arch enemies? If that’s the case, can you argue you always trade with archenemies? Of course you can’t. You trade with whomever offers you value. Your scouting department determines value. Best be right …

Unpopular, but Miami. Food, nightlife and weather.

Bone-in pork shoulder (Boston Butt) Dutch oven pulled pork. Slaw and baked beans.

No, but few things would make me happier.