The Senator

Oh you think so, huh? And just what manner of man are you, that can summon up fire without flint or tinder? Thanksgiving weekend - homecoming game - throwback uni's - Fitz, 300 yards, 3 TDs... Bills 30 Steelers 6 GO BILLSSS!!!! Why So SERIOUS?????

I know exactly what you mean - I felt the same way about Luck when he blew the Oregon game in the last 2 minutes. And that's just fine - take Gabe Carimi with the first-round pick, make the o-line even stronger, give Fitz all day to throw, then sit back and smile as he breaks every NFL passing record. (There'll be a new TSW-darling QB every single year, and always better than the previous TSW-darling QB. After this year's BCS Championship game, it'll be Oregon's Darron Thomas that everyone drools over - and trust me, there'll also be at least one TSW idiot posting massive missives on why the Bills would do well to lose every game in 2011, just to get him!)

It's a total ruse, Astro - Nix was actually out at ' The Farm ' to scout our 4th round pick... Owen Marecic

John, I won't try to 'convert' anyone regarding Leach. As I already acknowledged, he's a very polarizing personality and people either like him or can't stand him. I happen to think he's one of the most entertaining figures in college football, but I understand that others don't - that doesn't bother me in the least, nor affect my opinion of those who don't care for him. However, I am always a bit surprised by the intensity of some of his detractors' vitriol. To call a guy with his record of success a 'fool' seems to ignore that Leach: 1) Has a BA from Brigham Young, a Masters in Sports-Science/Coaching, and a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law; 2) Took a losing program that had absolutely no recruiting power at all - getting only the dregs left behind by Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, etc. - and turned it into an offensive powerhouse that rose as high as #2 in 2008, consistently had one of the nation's top-ranked offenses (as he also did when he was OC at Oklahoma and Kentucky), and coached TT to 10 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances, all while immeasurably improving Tech's recruiting ability (we'll have to let the Tech alums decide who's more indispensable - Leach, or chancellor Hance and coach Tommy Tuberville); 3) Placed more emphasis on his players' academic performance than just about any other coach. The Texas Tech football program, under Leach, went from a dismal graduation record to the top graduation percentage of any public institution in the nation - and Leach maintained a substantial staff of tutors and counselors as part of his organization to ensure his players met their academic responsibilities. If pissant Adam James thinks being required to remain in a nearby, open-doored equipment shed or dimly lit media room was harsh, he should talk to former TT receiver (and graduate) Ed Britton... Edward Britton, Texas Tech’s most experienced split end, was demoted before spring practice and further raised the ire of Tech coach Mike Leach this week. After Friday’s practice in 30-degree weather and a few snow flurries, Britton was sent to study classwork on the double-T at midfield of Jones AT&T Stadium. He sat at a desk, in street clothes and a heavy coat with the hood pulled up. “Ed didn’t like showing up and studying at places I felt like he needed to and like the academic people asked him to, so he can go study out there on the 50-yard line,” Leach said. “We’ll take baby steps, and if he does good studying out there, we’ll decide if we’re going to actually let him practice.” Asked if Britton was on thin ice, Leach said, “I’d say that’s accurate. All guys that don’t study are on thin ice, as far as I’m concerned.” Leach said Britton was to remain out in the cold, studying for at least an hour and a half after his teammates had gone in for the day. “If somehow he fails to do that, then that’ll be the last we ever hear of Easy Ed,” Leach said. (Link - Discipline, Mike Leach style: Cruel, unusual and hilarious) Finally, you state that " Leach lost his job and incalculably damaged his career. Losing his career and ability to do what he loved to do will not be made up with a more lucrative settlement. " I would counter that Leach will emerge from this even stronger, and more ' colorful '. He's already been mentioned for the Minnesota vacancy, though that one seems like a bad fit. There are folks pining for his coaching talent at Vanderbilt after Robby Caldwell's short reign ended today. But my bet is that Leach won't even have to stray from his new home in Key West for his new coaching assignment... Report: Randy Shannon Fired As Miami Head Coach I'm sure Donald Trump will once again lobby Miami's president Donna Shalala on Leach's behalf - but if I were Mike, I'd sit tight and wait for Lane Kiffin's job to open up. (I don't see Kiffin lasting beyond next season at USC - maybe not even beyond this one!) However, The Senator will go on-record predicting Mike Leach will be the next head coach at the University of Miami. Leach will never fade into obscurity - quite the opposite, I can't wait to see what he can accomplish running a major program, with top recruits. Also FYI - Mike Leach vs. ESPN: The Swiftboating of a Pirate Captain Mike Leach files libel, slander suit against ESPN, PR firm

Nah - all we do is just draft Wisconsin's entire o-line, then sit back and smile as Fitz breaks every NFL passing record!

Since September 12th, The Senator has been saying... Gabe Carimi After Wisconsin's 83-20 blowout against Indiana last week (29-straight running plays) and today's 70-23 rout of Northwestern, all eyes will be on Gabe in the Rose Bowl - if it's an OT we want, we'll have to use our first-round pick to get Carimi. Oy vey!

I think that one IS possible - most likely the Sugar Bowl. We'll know next Sunday, Dec. 5th.

I wouldn't say you're blinded by Fitzmagic, Cat. Not at all. I'd say you're blinded by too much Cabo Wabo

Not so fast, Ye Ole'... Simply put: Stanford needs Oregon, the No. 1 team in the BCS standings, to beat Oregon State next weekend, and it needs No. 2 Auburn to lose to South Carolina in the SEC title game. An Auburn loss probably would open a spot in the national championship game for No. 3 TCU, which, in turn, would open a spot in the Rose Bowl for Stanford. However... If Oregon loses, it probably would fall to the Rose Bowl, thereby blocking Stanford's path. And if both Oregon and Auburn win next week -- and meet for the national title -- then the Rose Bowl would be forced to invite TCU as the highest-ranked team from a non-automatic-qualifying conference. Link - Stanford's Rose Bowl chances just got a little better (But not much, I'm guessing!) Oh well, Andy would have spent the better part of the game on his ass anyway, staring up at the beautiful Pasadena sky

Personally, I think it would be hysterical - after all the TSW back-and-forth, and all the mock drafts currently having Luck and Mallett as the top 2 QBs, and all the machinations and hypothetical draft scenarios with both going in the top 10 - if both stayed in school.

Should be a great match-up. Hope Lance Kendricks is OK - he looked pretty messed up after the TD catch... Kendricks left during the second quarter of Saturday's game against Northwestern after landing hard on a touchdown catch. Kendricks was spitting up blood after seemingly landing his midsection upon little more than the football as he came to the ground. There's no word yet on the injury's nature, but it was a rather unnerving scene. He had four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown before leaving. Kendricks or no Kendricks, Wisconsin will annihilate Stanford.

70-23, with a quarter still to play! OT Gabe Carimi looks great. QB Scott Tolzien looks great. The whole offensive line looks great. The whole freakin' team looks awesome! (On to Pasadena, that is!)

No, they certainly are not - I've been saying for months now, I'd love to see Dontay Moch in a Bills uniform... Link - 2011 NFL Draft: 15 Underrated Senior Prospects If you’re going to list the smaller, tweener defensive end prospects who would make great 3-4 rush linebackers at the next level, you better make sure Nevada’s Dontay Moch is at the top. The 6'1" 245-pound Moch, who reportedly ran under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash this summer, is the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 20 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks in 2009. And he’s on pace to best those numbers this season. Moch’s unreal athleticism and superior pass-rushing skills should have 3-4 NFL defensive coordinators salivating. Also... Nevada defense moves at Dontay Moch speed If Speed Kills Then Nevada’s Dontay Moch is a Murderer

I was surprised to read that to, though the article does say that's by "The News' count" - (from reading the weekly game threads, you'd think he's been getting beaten 'like a red-headed set-child!') - the article's linked on the TBD home page, but I know a lot of folks come straight to TSW so here it is again... It's Bell's time to shine (Buffalo News/Mark Gaughn)

Seriously, is there a post you don't begin with ' seriously ' ? Mehinks you got 'pwned' by the master himself - chalk up another one for crayonz! (BTW, did you not see the utter asinine stupidity in WEO's remark that crayonz was responding to - particularly since Leach stated several times that a large-scale (in this case, 64-team) playoff system was no great brainstorm of his own, but something that has been around for decades and long-used in just about every other sport except college football?)

Ummm...you do realize the article you linked is six months old??? Still, as long as you went ahead and cited it, compare TT lawyer Dicky Grigg's comments 6 months ago (from the article you cited)... “Mike Leach has been paid what he is owed by Texas Tech,” said Dicky Grigg, an attorney for Tech. “His mistreatment of an injured student-athlete was a breach of his contract and ultimately resulted in Mike Leach’s termination. When he breached his contract, he no longer was entitled to further compensation.” ...with his comments this week - “It takes two to settle. I think that this thing would be better for both sides to get it over with and move on.” Yeah - sure sounds like Leach is the one talking settlement, right? Leach is ready to move forward with the contract suit on which ha received a favorable ruling from Judge Sowder - that's the suit in the article you sited, and also the suit that Tech now wants to settle. The ESPN/Spaeth Communications is a new action that arose out of Adam James' and others' depositions in that wrongful termination case. Try understanding the facts and the timeline before jumping in the deep end of the pool, son.

Wegmans new pitchman extraordinaire... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OChH8nRUzzM

Again, we can draft his brother Glenn (supposedly the best athlete of the 5 brothers) in 2014... Gronkowskis rode high on Sunday - Williamsville family celebrated three NFL wins and a college commitment (Bucky Gleason/Buffalo News)

If that's the case, we should draft a Gronkowski - one should be available in a few years... Glenn Gronkowski

Don't know about the pot, but I'm sure he's already getting all the sophomores he can taste - freshmen too.

Mike Leach is one of those polarizing guys that either amuses the hell out of you, or annoys the hell out of you (particularly if you're an Aggie, Longhorn, Sooner, or Cowboy fan) - I fall into the former camp, and I know you're in the latter. That said, Deano, I'd have to respectfully disagree with your statements. 1) I doubt Leach spends a penny out of his own pocket on this case - it's an assumption on my part, but I'm guessing Liggett is taking this one 'on contingency' and doubt his firm would expend the effort and resources if he didn't think the chances of winning or settling were better than 50/50. 2) Certainly you are more familiar than I am with how media outlets respond to these legal actions, but I think ESPN may have put themselves in a precarious position by backing Craig James - 'The Pride of SMU' - and his pissant kid... A few days after Leach was fired, ESPN’s Dan Patrick said, “There is Adam James, who is the young man who was actually punished for having a concussion.” The lawsuit Leach filled points out that Patrick’s statement may have caused listeners to believe that Leach abused James for having a concussion. The libel suit also claimed that Spaeth Communications was hired by James for “purposes of creating public opinion hostile to Leach.” Liggett said Spaeth posted a video online that Adam James recorded as he stood in the dark. (Link - Sportrageous/Kathleen Sumagit-Rivera - Former Texas Tech Coach Files Lawsuit Against ESPN Inc. and PR Firm) (Spaeth Communications, also named in Leach's lawsuit, is the Dallas public-relations firm that Craig James hired when his son's complaints about Leach went public. The suit claims that Spaeth, which orchestrated the "Swift Boat" campaign against 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry, played a central role in leaking the video footage and accuses the firm of "creating public opinion hostile to Leach." - link ) Reading what has been excerpted from the depositions leads one to conclude that Adam James verisimilitude is dubious and his account of the events, in the days leading up to Leach's termination, quite apocryphal. If the James family did indeed hire Spaeth Communications (the swift-boat firm) to 'spin' their own version of the events, and Spaeth did indeed publish Adam James cell-fone video of his alleged confinement, and Dan Patrick and ESPN (who employs Craig James) did indeed report a one-sided version (the James version) of the events, I would think Leach may have a valid case. 3) I think Leach already has a job - several, in fact. I'd be shocked if Leach isn't HC of a major college program or and NFL coordinator in 2012, after this legal wrangling is finished. In the interim, I'm sure he's 'getting by' nicely with the income from the jobs he does hold - TV color-commentator on CBS College Sports Network, his daily radio show on Sirius, his upcoming book (to be released in January, with - I'm sure - a signing tour), and various other ventures such as Arizona Sports Group LLC But certainly Leach's current legal quagmire is hindering his re-entry into the coaching ranks - Leach said a key to his re-entry into major college football lies in the thousands of pages of court documents tied to his lawsuit against Texas Tech... “I think there’s no question that they clear my name,” Leach said of the depositions in the lawsuit. “The trouble is that enough lies have been dispersed by these people, aided by ESPN, it’s difficult for people to get the clear picture.” Leach remains adamant that people get that 'clear picture' - “We’ll go to trial in a heartbeat, and we’re excited about it,” Leach said in a telephone interview this week. “Beside the obvious fact we’ll be made whole by the contract and the facts prove that, it will also provide a public opportunity to clear my name.” And it looks like Texas Tech is already showing signs of 'caving' - just 4 months ago, Dicky Grigg, Texas Tech’s lawyer, said: "Mike Leach would have you believe that this was part of some great conspiracy going back to when the contract was signed last February. That is ridiculous, and is just a desperate attempt to distract you from the plain and simple truth. He would still be the coach at Texas Tech today but for the fact that he made a terrible decision when he irresponsibly placed a student-athlete with a brain concussion in small dark rooms for over two hours on two separate occasions. He breached his contract and was terminated as a result of his bad decisions, his insubordination and his refusal to help resolve this situation." (link) That's a far cry from what Grigg is saying this week: “It takes two to settle. I think that this thing would be better for both sides to get it over with and move on.” - which implies that Tech would prefer to settle and be done but that Leach may not be willing, and may be motivating Leach/Liggett to also go after ESPN and Spaeth Communcations (the firm that 'swift-boated' John Kerry in 2004). I expect that Texas Tech is resolved that they'll have to throw a ton of money at Leach to get this thing over with, and that Leach will eventually accept that large sum to clear the way for him to resume coaching. I also expect Leach/Liggett view some sort of recompense from ESPN/Spaeth as fitting justice for their part in deliberately propagating the false statements of the James camp. Link - NY Times - Leach Expects Depositions in Texas Tech Suit to Clear His Name Leach could very well walk away with the $12M Texas Tech owes him, plus a healthy sum from ESPN/Spaeth, while taking a year - two at most - off from the rigors of running a major college program. But hey, he always said he went to law school because he wanted to be like Gerry Spence - fighting large powerful institutions on behalf of 'the little guy'.

An excellent argument for not drafting inexperienced children, if ever I heard one!

You should have just scrolled down the page... link I'm guessing RWS will be full of them on Sunday GO BILLSSS!!!! Why so SERIOUS?????

He turned 21 in September, and will be 21 - a child, in NFL terms - when the 2011 season begins.

I'm not sure that ANY did. What's the original stadium of the Buffalo Bills???