The Senator

...no doubt after a splendid feast of ale, moose, and beaver, got all rowdy and burned Buffalo to the ground (supposedly in retaliation for the burning of the Canadien settlement of Newark - now Niagara-On-The-Lake). Link - The Burning of Buffalo Remember that the next time the Sabres kick Toronto's ass.

Quick update - Gist of the original allegation by former Patriettes* panty-waist turned ESPN talking head Craig James is that Mike Leach mistreated James' son, Texas Tech 3rd string WR Adam James by ordering that James be placed in the 'tightest, darkest, space possible' and confined there for 3 hours. Now I'd say that if Leach really ordered James confined to the tightest, darkest space possible, James would have found his face somewhere up offensive lineman Brandon Carter's butt crack for the duration of the teams' practice. (My bet is that James will find his face there eventually, probably sooner than later, unless he transfers out of Tech in a hurry.) First, here is a photo of this supposed dark, tightly confining closet (it's the equipment shed with the white roof) - a rather large outbuilding adjacent the practice field, though probably much cooler and darker (per James' doctor's alleged recommendation), where James also had access to a stationary exercise bike... link - equipment shed photo Second, Leach has never been known to violate any NCAA rules on player treatment, as a wave of former players who went public this week have attested. Not only have many of Leach’s former players already come forward to defend him, but testimonials popping up on the Internet are running roughly 100 to 1 in favor of Leach and against his bosses, Texas Tech’s athletic director Gerald Myers and Tech Chancellor Kent Hance. As far as anyone can tell, here is what happened. On December 16, Adam James suffered a mild concussion. Since he could therefore not participate in contact drills, the coaches had him walking the track. The next day he showed up wearing sunglasses, explaining that the doctor said this would help him recover. Leach, apparently thinking that James was exaggerating his injury—though this is not entirely clear—sent him to the team's equipment room to stand in the darkness. (In some accounts this has been described as a “shed” or a “closet.” I have been there and seen it, and it is a normal equipment room.) According to the James family’s allegations, Adam was forced to do this for the next two days. This is where things get a bit fuzzy. Leach later told Tech officials that he thought James was a slacker. I can confirm that Leach and his coaches thought this about James as far back as March. In one of the coaches meetings that I attended, James and one other player were specifically discussed. Without saying why, Leach told his coaches they needed to get tougher on those players since they obviously felt they were not giving 100 percent. There seemed to be general agreement on this. According to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Leach also told officials that Craig James had behaved like a Little League dad, constantly calling and complaining. At issue apparently was Adam’s playing time. He was not getting a lot of it, was unhappy about that, and according to several reports is already planning to transfer to SMU. (Excerpted from Texas Monthly: Pirate Under Attack. Avast, Ye Swabs! - link) Best to have the facts first, boys, before you even consider faulting Leach here, much less declare him done at Texas Tech. If Leach is done at TT, it will be his own choice - not something forced upon him by insecure AD Gerald Myer, whom Leach embarrassed last Spring in a highly public showdown over his contract extension, or by a spoiled, snot-nosed, 3rd string WR who happens to be a rich son of a former NFL player and current ESPN announcer. BTW - ESPN is televising the Alamo Bowl. I wonder just how happy they'll be with Craig James should Leach - a sure ratings draw - not be allowed to coach that game? (James, who was scheduled to announce the game, has already been removed from the broadcast team.) Myself, I'm intrigued and even hopefully optimistic - Leach is way too smart not to milk this for all the publicity he can get, and while it puts him further in the national spotlight, it also opens the door for the Bills to actively seek their next head coach in one...

Thanks for that news, Joe - have been a bit 'out of pocket' the last few days with the holidays, and attending to a sick relative at Roswell. My guess is that the know-nothing dolts that are part of the anti-Leach campaign will, in a most 'knee-jerk'-like fashion, instantly side with the snot-nosed punk son of former Cheatriettes* panty-waist Craig James - who played alongside Cheatriettes* QB, Tony 'Should Be Wearing a Skirt' Eason. (Wish I could take credit for the 'Tony Eason should be wearing a skirt' line, but attribution must be given to Eason's own teammate, HOF guard and one of the best offensive lineman ever, John Hannah.) Expect obvious Craig James fan and cross-dressing Patriettes* diehard... Mr. WEO ...to lead that anti-Leach brigade, in defense of the 'Doug Neidermeyer-like' Craig James and his soon-to-be-former Texas Tech 3rd string WR son, Adam. Myself, I do think the incident widens the chasm between Leach and Texas Tech AD Gerald Myers, which almost resulted in Leach getting fired last February for wanting to honor his existing contract, and may make Leach once again cast his wandering eye toward other head coaching opportunities - including, hopefully, the one here in Buffalo. Meanwhile, I'd hate to be the a-hole underclassman Adam James, who just got my head-coach suspended on the eve of a major bowl game, and whose college football days are likely over. Wonder just how many Texas Tech mens' rooms he'll be found in this Spring, hanging by his jockey shorts with TT offensive lineman Brandon Carter's worn jock strap draped over his head, and what school he'll transfer to next Fall? When this is all over, Leach will be found to have done nothing too eggregious - certainly nothing more than a Woody Hayes or Bear Bryant or countless others might have done, and the holier-than-thou Patriettes* panty-waist Craig James and his wussier-than-thou, spoiled, snot-nosed son will be the ones doing the apologizing. My guess is that these Lubbock looneys are no match for... Mike Leach, J.D.

Really? 'Cause I do know that Leach was in NYC during Heisman week and - supposedly - appeared very tired due to a couple of 'recruiting visits' he made in NYS that same week. It wasn't stated whether Leach was the 'recruiter', or the 'recruitee', but you - along with much of Bills Nation and the football world - might soon marvel at the Senator's prescience, much like buffaoaggie and aggies throughout the world are compelled to bow before...

Truer words were never spoken, 'aggie - over the last two months, OBD/Russ Brandon was tossing out one big-name head coach after another as the possible Jauron replacement - Shanahan, Cowher, Holgrem, etc., etc. - in an obvious marketing ploy to get Bills fans and season ticket holders more excited than Roman Polanski at a Chuck E. Cheese. Then, as abruptly as inexplicably, the search is suddenly 'on hold' - just hours after learning of the potential availability of one... Mike Leach

Brohm's a pretty sharp guy - scored a 32 on the Wonderlic, and had coaching changes in Louisville where he had to assimilate an entirely new offense and playbook fairly quickly. What doesn't make sense, to me at least, is why AVP wasn't explaining that 'stuff' to BB 5 weeks ago. Van Pelt had to know we were down to one QB in Fitzpatrick, with china-doll Trent Edwards as the backup.

Wow - 11 posts, 2 weeks...might just be a new record for being banned...

Watch Brohm positively shine against the Falcons - 400 yards and 5 TDs... GO BILLSSS!!!!

Fahrfrompuken

Hardy would be running routes with the same discipline and precision as Wes Welker if he had the same mentor that Welker had in college, namely... Mike Leach

When I was there we had a 5-year unbeaten streak, beginning the season before my freshman year! Ad majorem Dei gloriam "To build a school on Kenmore Avenue, is to build no school at all." - Rev. James Van Dyke, S.J.

Sad news. He was a true pioneer of the TV 'sports magazine' format, and would always lighten things up his sportscasts with some offbeat thing like pro-wrestling clips, and NASCAR hi-lites way before NASCAR was big. He was one of the first to make sports news into entertainment. Used to watch him on the local news when I lived there in the early '80s, where his local sportscasts and sunday night 11:30 sports extra reports eventually evolved into his syndicated Sports Machine show - which I believe is the model for ESPN's Sports Center and all similar shows. Didn't know he was ill. RIP George.

Forget Jordan Wynn - the guy we should really be positioning ourselves for 8 years from now is Canisius H.S. freshman Jake Bow. I realize the kid's only 14, 5' 5", and a bit slight at 145 lbs., but he's pinpoint accurate, stands tall in the pocket, and kids tend to sprout at least 7-8 inches once they hit puberty. By 2020 or 2021, we'll be happy we did, as we'll be all set at QB thru at least 2030.

HAPPY NATAL ANNIVERSARIES!!!! Cheers

No question he's being tossed into the deep end of the pool, but he put up some decent #'s at Louisville... link ...and he's going up against the NFL's #30 ranked pass defense. I expect Brohm will do just fine, and that the o-line and receivers corps will rally around the guy and do everything they can to make things work. Watch the guy have a field day throwing to TO and Evans all afternoon.

I read that on another web site too, supposedly from a 'reliable source', plus the story took a week to show up in the Buffalo Snooze - which sure makes it look a lot like someone tried to 'bury' it, but supposedly a FOIL request was filed with the Niagara County Sheriffs Dept. The initial version of the story made no mention of the motorcycle - only Mr. Cejka's strange attire. Guy always gave me the creeps.

Just got back - everyone made it in safely and on time, and with their luggage. Saw all five of those guys cramming into one white Ford Taurus with an old man behind the wheel. Happy Holidays to All!

How the !@#$ would Bulldog even realize if someone is 'lacking in the IQ department'? Guy just spent the last hour whining about someone stealing his moldly, leftover beef lo-mein from the office fridge. That's what qualifies as 'sports radio' in Buffalo.

Hey, you know the rules - if you don't have a link, it can't possibly be true. Anyway, happy holidays!

Shanahan? Seifert? Schottenheimer? Anyone at all?

I'm gonna go with a higher completion % - Atlanta's D is ranked #30 against the pass. 24 for 35 360 yards 4 TDs 1 INT

I'd be disappointed. OTOH, the Bills have Brohm, Fitzpatrick, and Gibran. (I'm assuming Edwards will be gone from professional football next season.) Unless Brohm throws for 800 yards and 10 TDs in the next 2 games, we need immediate help at QB.

Absolutely agree - the Bills needs are LT, RT, DT, DE, OLB. Now, if Sam Bradford should fall to the second round...

Leave Trenters alone. He's 26, wealthy, a bachelor and (former) NFL quarterback, who flew his older sister to Buffalo to move in and live with her. Nothing strange about that.

Ah yes, who can forget Stew Barber - who handled the Tom Cousineau negotiations so masterfully?