Lori

Donahoe had some successes and some failures here, and he did dig the team out of the salcap hell Butler had put them in. One could argue, however, that the QB mess at the end of his tenure was just as sloppy as the one he started with, albeit without the polarized fans. Flutie/Johnson/AVP, or Losman/Holcomb when Losman was still yo-yoing in and out of the lineup? Bottom line: none of the five names on that list has ever won a playoff game. (Obviously, Losman hasn't had a chance to play in one.) And "rudderless?" Yes, I remember the good old days at the end of Donahoe's tenure, when Ralph Wilson had to make a special trip to Buffalo to mediate a dispute between the head coach and the star WR. And the first-hand account of TD standing in the press box during the beatdown by New England, cell phone and binoculars at hand to call down stadium security on people with "FIRE MULARKEY" signs, is pure last-days-of-Nixon stuff. Strong hand at the helm there, as the ship sailed deeper into the maelstrom. So ... I guess Mort didn't appreciate the "TD is the Son of Satan" thread. And to be fair, there are some "fans" who take this game far too seriously, and some of the abuse directed at players and coaches they don't like certainly qualifies as mean-spirited. I would suggest to Mort that this is not unique to Buffalo, but I'd also be curious to hear some of the horror stories Donahoe told him. One more thought: we already have a pretty good idea why Butler left. All Mort had to do was type the phrase "meddling owner," and we'd have understood completely.

As of our e-mail exchange this morning, not yet. Should be soon, though ...

You'll find your answer in this thread ... http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=74955

Tim Graham said he asked Whitner about it following the game, and in Whitner's words, it was "nonsense." Here's the latest AP story, with no mention of Whitner: Saints' Nesbit sues supplement maker after serving suspension Likewise, I didn't find his name on the blog of Fox-31 reporter Josina Anderson, credited with breaking the story: http://community.myfoxcolorado.com/blogs/D..._Sports_Insider

I actually like the idea of using both backs -- pound 'em with Lynch, then let Jackson come in and run by 'em -- but no matter who lines up behind Edwards, that $100 million O-line isn't giving Ralph his money's worth. Just my opinion ...

Sadly, I stopped wondering a while back, because the signs are clear ... and we get a new one every time Gannett or JRC or Lean Dean Singleton announces another round of layoffs because their profit margin isn't rosy enough to please their stockholders. One could even argue that there is no longer such a thing as a "free press" in many places, because the last papers left standing are beholden to their corporate masters. To wit, the powers that be at the Indy Star -- including the former HR guy who's now the publisher at the Rochester D&C -- demanded that the newsroom staff start writing "advertorials," promotional pieces disguised as news. (Thankfully, the union fought it and won.) Today's updates: 3,000 more heads on the chopping block at Gannett, while Craig Dubow readies his golden parachute. Layoffs in Las Vegas. Buyouts in Jacksonville. And the Christian Science Monitor just announced that it's going online-only. There will still be a limited place for newspapers for as long as dinosaurs like you and I are around, cincy ... but after that, who knows? And then who watches the watchers? (Sorry for the threadjack, GBID. Obviously, it's a subject that hits home with me.)

When it's that obvious, there's no use trying to hide it.

Actually, he did do some weekend work for ESPN Radio. Not sure if he still does. Bragging about Mensa, well, I used to do that too. Then I realized how insufferably arrogant it made me sound, and that nobody gives a crap about my SAT scores (the reason for the invite) 25 years later. I can still be insufferable, but not about that. And his antipathy for boards like this one, and the "ignorant morons" who post here, is already well known.

Actually, it shouldn't impact the school board meetings and such (not like a layoff would), because not very many of them take place on weekends. What it WILL hammer is sports coverage, especially if those shops already don't print on Sunday. The Post/Enquirer JOA is a whole nother topic ...

Okay, I was counting Lothridge and Doyle, too, but I'm not sure (and refuse to speculate) on who has which responsibilities. And while some of the locals love to crack on the TH, compared to some of the other dailies I've seen in the region, I think they put out a decent paper. (Whether or not my copy actually shows up in the paperbox is another story, but one that has nothing to do with the folks in the newsroom ...)

At Cincinnati, December ... 12th, I want to say? Maybe the coldest game I've ever been to. But by the midpoint of the fourth quarter, we didn't mind -- because other than the two teams, Bills fans were about the only people left in Paul Brown Stadium. Good times.

Stop it -- you're giving Wacka flashbacks. (Nope, that one was in 1995, although both were prime-time games.)

Thanks for the adulation, but it's in the media guide ...

That would be Aaron Schobel, against the 49ers on Dec. 2. Didn't matter. Bills still got waxed, 35-0.

Kind of tough to get a bunch of 100-yard games when he's averaging fewer than 18 carries per game, yes?

C'mon, Promo -- my weekly has more than that. Three full-timers in sports, including Chuck, the SE. Probably at least twice that on cityside, or at least it seems that way from the bylines I count in the print edition. Managing editor, cityside editor, and yes, there's a Web editor (although he's also a cityside reporter, albeit one who doesn't have a daily byline). One problem: as best as I can tell, he doesn't work weekends. We've talked about the absence of timely updates, believe me. Comes down to this: at midnight Saturday night, when the sports guys are probably pretty close to being the only people left in the newsroom (and busting ass to hit deadline), I'd guess that updating the Web site is pretty low on the priority list. Judging by the timing of the uploads, the TH also apparently subscribes to the idea that if they hold off putting stuff online until people have a chance to buy the dead-tree edition, they might get a few more single-copy sales. For much the same reason, our sister paper in Coudy puts everything on a password-protected site, accessible only to print subscribers. (Us? For all intents and purposes, we don't even HAVE a Web site.) Unfortunately, unless they decide to pay someone to come in on Sunday morning -- after the deliveries are made, in other words -- this isn't likely to change any time soon. One more thought to add: while they should be coming out soon, I haven't seen any circ numbers for the local papers ... but overall, the smaller "community" dailies aren't getting hammered as hard as the metros. It's not like Buffalo, where someone can still find out the local news by turning on the TV or listening to WBEN. Down here, there IS no local TV, and the "news departments" of most of the local radio stations involve someone buying a copy of the TH or the Bradford Era, to read the front page and the obits on the air.

There was only one 11-yard carry by Buffalo in that game. From the extended PBP: Confirmed by video. No. 22, not 23, carried the ball on that play.

Last time I heard that joke, Joe DeLamielleure was telling it. And instead of Steve, the "nun's" name was Thurman. Hilarity ensued ...

The gamebook from NFL GSIS (the official stats given to the media) has 12-44 for Lynch. It also has a notation on the top of Page 1 that it was updated on 10/15, so the ESPN box was probably the original version.

The correct answer is A. From Dick Jauron's postgame press conference: (On the Bills’ injury situation) -“Josh (Reed) and Jason (Whittle). With Jason, I’m not certain what that is yet but I’ll have to go in after this and talk to the trainer and see what that is. With Josh, it’s a strained Achilles, I believe.”

Brees' Saints "triumphed 37-32 over his former side" ... Fantastic stuff. I like the debate thread on that page, too: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A42682089

I don't get much of a chance to listen any more, but Nick's cool. And if the radio thing ever falls through, although I doubt it will, he's got the writing chops to switch to print. Assuming there are any of those jobs left, that is ... Here's the blog murra mentioned: http://www.wgr550.com/Nick-Mendola-s-Blog/1258107 It's in my bookmarks. And SD, the leprechaun thing was a joke from last year's "Whiney Awards" dinner. He even struck the pose ... and yeah, with the beard, it was a pretty close resemblance ...

What, no rebuttal to the 'leprechaun' shot? (That was Thurman's line, right? Yeah, he should make fun of other people's heights ...) Seriously, though ... ESPN. Welcome to the big time. And thanks for filling us in.

We have a new winner! Hey, aren't you supposed to be at work? (Tell Pollock I said hi, willya? Thanks ...)

Oh man, that's heartbreaking. Keep pounding, "Brave Will."