UConn James

He, of all people, knew full well what he was getting when he signed Drew. Got him to one Super Bowl. And I wouldn't be surprised, if Parcells can plug a couple more holes and get some quality backups on their OL, if it gets him to another w/in three years. Then Parcells will retire. Again. It'd be nice, and I'd be all for it. But it's a pipe dream.

Nick, I really enjoyed your blog entry on the Pats game. Sounds like it was quite an experience. Run-blocking was supposed to be one of the strengths for the OL, MW especially. I don't think it's the fault of their play, it's the lack of the OC (now the HC) calling running plays. He outsmarts himself calling pass plays b/c the Ds show 8 in the box. F--- 8 in the box; call a short pass to keep them honest, but a coach with any stones must show that he won't be dictated upon. In his two years as Pitt's OC, MM first used Bettis and his RBs in great form --- didn't matter what or how, Bettis ran over people in the same way he always ran over us; his second year, he went tricksy, effectively benched Bettis and wasn't missed when he came here. And, I'm at the point where I don't know if Willis is the right RB for such an offense, not that this is in reality a "power running team." That's not really the type of offense he made his bones with at the U.

Why would he leave when he's just about built his team to how he wants it?

From the frontpage: [Referencing the bold phrase] He does? That's certainly news to me. His excuse for not using the run is like my nephew saying he won't brush his teeth every night because he doesn't brush his teeth every night. Hard to establish something when you don't do it. And, for the record, I will take a HC who knows that the opponents know what he's going to do, and he runs all over them anyway. Better to dictate the game than be dictated upon and "take what the opponent gives you." Mularkey is a chicken, and I'll say it to his face.

Leave 'im alone. He's on a roll.

Funny how someone who railed against the eminent domain ruling is so quick to forfeit the rights to private holdings of someone else. Oh wait. This is VA-lahjik. Carry on!

'"That's been the story of our season," Bills quarterback Kelly Holcomb said. "We move the ball, then at crucial times we do something that's not smart. Those guys are division leaders over there. It's enough just to beat those guys, but when we beat ourselves, we give ourselves no chance."' I put this through the Bledsoe filter, and look what came up: "That's been the story of the games I've played in," Bills back-up quarterback Kelly Holcomb said. "We move the ball up until the red zone, then at crucial times, I do something that's not smart. Like throw a 2-yard pass on 3rd and 10 or 3rd and 25 or 3rd and 8. Those guys [the Broncos] are division leaders over there, which is something we probably won't see for a while with our combination of GM, coaching staff and players. It's enough just to beat those guys, but when I make decisions that beat ourselves, such as throwing a 2-yard pass on 3rd and 10 or 3rd and 25 or 3rd and 8, and just generally being unwilling to throw the ball down the field when we need it, I give my team no chance." "I look at my statline and see 17/20, and I'm like DoubleU-Tee-Eff? I should be a starter in this league! What does it matter that I can't lead the team to the W? This is my team when I'm in there."

And the pirates! Don't forget about the pirates.

I'm all for a coach with experience, but wouldn't be gung-ho for Mariucci. He went to Detroit b/c he could run the WCO inside the dome. That is his scheme, that is his bread and butter. All due respect, he's a good coach, but he's got a sunny/controlled-weather thing that is out of style with Buffalo. WCO has been tried here before. And most important, I don't think we've got the personnel to pull it off.

Steinbrenner has his 'No facial hair' and 'No long hair' (that's been stretched a bit with Randy Johnson, even tho he does keep it trimmed) rules. People look at the Yankees as being neat, orderly, consumate professionals. That's the image that he wants to present. It's his team. Likewise, if the NFL has an anti-Predator-hair policy, what's there to argue? Their league. Don't like it? Pay a fine or don't play. In the NFL, tho, it's not simply an image issue. I'd say about 80 percent of it has to do with safety. Helmets need to be fitted to the skull to prevent concussions as much as possible. And when another player rips someone's hair/skin out accidentally (or on purpose), who do you think pays the medical bills? Pretty stupid to have the injury report read, 'Out: Mike McKenzie (hair).'

I gave a letter to the postman, He put it his sack. Bright in early next morning, He brought my letter back. She wrote upon it: Return to sender, address unknown. No such number, no such zone. We had a quarrel, a lover’s spat I write I’m sorry but my letter keeps coming back. So then I dropped it in the mailbox And sent it special d. Bright in early next morning It came right back to me. She wrote upon it: Return to sender, address unknown. No such person, no such so. This time I’m gonna take it myself And put it right in her hand. And if it comes back the very next day Then I’ll understand - the writing on it Return to sender, address unknown. No such number, no such zone.

Yes. You don't have to do that online, probably unless you want a specific stamp design. You can just leave a check or $7.40 in the mailbox with a note requesting a book of stamps. I thought that's what you were referring when having the "delivery charge" which would be bs. I don't know about the online purchasing b/c I've never had to do it; got someone on the inside who does it for me. I couldn't speak to the reason for the return. If it worked in the recent past, I don't see why it changed now. But they do want to be sure that the person listed as the sender on a package is the one who is mailing it. I asked 'What if you're mailing a package for someone?' and was told, "You'd probably be better off to just put your name on it."

I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to do. -- Like Sharpe said, there's guys that have hair so voluminous that they need an extra half or full size for their helmets. That presents a serious safety risk. -- With players like Palamalu(?) you can't read the name on the jersey and for some, like the CB in Green Bay, it obscures half of the back number. -- Nevermind the obvious safety concern for having hair pulled out. Like that quote went "Whatever is on the inside of your helmet is yours; whatever is on the outside of your helmet is mine!" -- Comes on the heels of the NBA's dress code policy. I know that some of these guys have a problem acting like a professional, but at the very least, they could make an effort to appear like a professional.

That's what they call the little white trucks. Just asked, and according to the postal regulations, there is NOT a "delivery charge" for stamps. As I said, that truck is a "rolling post office" and if you leave $7.40 you're supposed to get a book of stamps. That's like paying your drywaller seperately for each piece of sheetrock he brings into your house; it's already part of the job description, not an extra charge. I'd bring it to someone's (postmaster's) attention; don't just let it go, man. The carrier could be making a couple hundred bucks a year on the snide. Also, learned that they will not take packages over 16 oz. from a mailbox, even with the proper postage. You must meet the carrier at the mailbox or take it to the post office, where they will ask you whether you have any explosive materials in the package. The clerk is also supposed to verify via driver's license, etc. that you are the labeled sender. They can't open a package... but there are security measures in place for detecting explosives, etc. Kind of stupid for the above reasons. Doesn't do anything for preventing a mailbomb, just that they'll be able to trace it after the fact.

belinda.

There's a delivery fee for stamps? That's news to me. That little LLV you see is a "rolling post office" according to the training propaganda. I've seen it. There should NOT be a delivery charge. Something is going on there; as I said, either you have a listless prick for a carrier or a prick for a postmaster. Or both.

Vermeil also calls running plays (MM: "What're those?") to use his workhorse back. Vermeil also has a pair. Look a few weeks back at the goal line when he could have gone for a tying FG with ~3 seconds left.... Gave the rock to LJ and they win. I would sign Vermeil in a second b/c he uses what he has to the best of their ability rather than forcing trickery, quituple reverses and passes to your FB at the goal line in a division that mandates doing power running rather than saying you're going to be a power running team.

Live-in relative works at the P.O. so I get to watch all of the propaganda training videos. There are some stupid policies, that's for sure, but they're there for the whole "CAUTION: COFFEE IS HOT!" reason. This, however, is an utterly useless exercise. Putting the sealed package in the mail for your mailman/woman vs. handing the sealed package to the clerk. They CANNOT require you to show them the contents of the package, and doing so would have lines out the doors, closely followed by everyone using FedEx or UPS. Sounds like you have a listless carrier or an over-officious prick for a postmaster. Maybe both.

I wonder how much one of those would go for on eBay.... Not much, if you're gauging by the supply-side.

Maybe that's why all the Bills fans here have been walking around with bulging eyeballs... (if you've ever heard that joke).

You have to figure that most people involved with the game have had some level of involvement with it from an early age, and either loved it enough and were good enough at what they did to earn the chance to coach at a professional level. You think Mr. Miller walked in off the street and was handed the job or something? 'X position isn't the strongest link on the football team; must be that X coach sucks; why does he suck?; look at his bio; he never played football in college or the pros; voila! he's not very good.' Let me ask you, Mr. Sullivan. Do you like it at the BNews? Does it pay well? I've got a great idea for my doctoral thesis. You wouldn't mind doing all the research and writing the paper for me, would you? While you're at it, there's the oral defense, too.

You're mixing the rules. A team must notify the league a year in advance that it intends to change the design of the regular unis. The team can ask the league office for a waiver of the two-game limit to wear the alternate jersey. This can be done at any time. (You can look at the "Ask the GM" column on BB.com to verify it if you want.) Tho, it's a lot like my 5-year-old nephew asking for a cookie before he eats his veggies.... "Geeeee, let me think..... NO!"

I was pointing out Clements --- guy played at Notre Dame, WTF? Like I don't know this? --- as a coach who's had "playing experience" and has done so well a job that he's been officially castrated as OC.

How 'bout Bobby April? He wasn't a kicker in college or the pros; he was a LBer at a really small school. He must not be a good ST coach. Keep listing the other assistants, OCs, DCs, HCs, GMs, etc. who don't have playing experience yet have had success, and those who have had playing experience yet have sucked. You'll be here for a while. Couldn't have anything to do with the fact that our top two guys (and on several other teams, our top two would be third-stringers) were coming off of knee injuries, and the promising rookie was lost for the season, could it? Nah....

Look at Tom Clements as another indication that the original post's line of reasoning sucks. Also, Jim McNally's success (well, with other teams --- tho how can you blame the man for not making bricks when he isn't given clay?). Playing experience has nothing --- not one thing --- to do with being an effective coach. It's an entirely different skill set, and requires an understanding of the macrocosm of the system rather than the microcosm of the individual player's assignment in said system. Nevermind that just b/c you can do something, doesn't mean you can teach it.