Lori

Christmas Eve. That Titans game should be an all-time classic. All-time classic "run for the bus" game, that is....

And I live in Pennsylvania, an hour and a half from Orchard Park, and the Bills are still considered the 'hometown' team because Pittsburgh is twice as far away from here. So what's your point?

OLN? That means you actually got to see the game? While Adelphia came through for their customers, Zito Media's stance remains, "Wanna watch hockey? Upgrade your cable package." Probably bitter about the whole losing-the-team thingy... Here's my only link to playoff hockey, unless the game is on NBC.

"Bonds on Bonds". Would the network be covering the steroids issue differently if Bonds wasn't practically on the payroll? The recent Caesar's Palace fountain jump, with Suzy Kolber along for the hype. Steve Phillips' mock "press conferences". When did ESPN decide to begin creating sports news? If nothing else, they're providing plenty of fodder for ombudsman George Solomon's column. Like Solomon, I could do with more reporting, less commentary.

re: Evans - I'm looking beyond the raw numbers, and more at his maturation into a solid starting-quality WR. (Numbers don't always tell the whole story. See: RJ's QB rating.) As good as LE's rookie year was, there were still some things he needed to learn... and yes, I believe the overall mediocrity of the passing O affected his '05 stats. Better than '04? Maybe not, according to the statsheet... but I wouldn't be concerned about the slight dropoff in his numbers, either. As for Crowell? He did play well in TKO's absence, but Spikes has (had?) game-altering ability. I have no problem envisioning a combination of big plays and overall on-field leadership from #51 flipping the scoreboard in a couple of those close losses.

4-3 Swordsmen, GG. Can't cut into the 'Association' postgamers to show some actual HIGHLIGHTS, can we now?

Anyone got Schoeny's number? They might need him to suit up Friday night...

Update from Hamilton on the GR feed: Tallinder left the building with his left arm in a sling. That can't be good.

No update yet; "will be evaluated tomorrow" per Ruff's postgame presser. (Thanks, Brad...)

Game misconduct? That's kind of overkill, isn't it?

Amen.

Most excellent. The 90/290 merge just past the airport is another good place for that. Memo to the tools who attempt the pedal-to-the-metal, then cut over to the 290 side at the last possible second move: if some b*tch to your right decides to ride six inches off the back bumper of the car in front of her just so you can't do that? That would be me. Back to the original topic: mostly agreed, but #89's right about I-86 -- on the parts that haven't been recently rebuilt, the right lane is absolutely BRUTAL.

Phew. Just listening to Jeanneret's call was enough to get the ol' ticker pounding...

Since the Jags didn't change coaches during the offseason, I'm guessing Taylor doesn't have to learn a new offense between now and September. Just a thought.

Random thoughts added in italics: Mostly agreed. The only possible arguments could be made for McGee (fewer return TDs, but went from a fill-in for Vincent to a decent starting CB), Josh Reed (bad in '04, not quite as bad in '05), and Evans. Agreed. The only way they could have gotten less of an impact from their first-day picks would be if Parrish had joined Everett on IR, and Spikes' absence can't be overstated. Even with all the other problems you mentioned, this still might have been a .500 team with a healthy TKO.

Right on. What's the standard stock-market disclaimer? Something like, "Past performance does not guarantee future results."

Well shucks, that makes it allllll better.... Heard some interesting TV-viewing numbers on GR this afternoon; let's see if I can remember the correct numbers. Top five markets, ranked by percentage of sets tuned to Game 2 (and this is total sets in the market, not just ones actually being watched last night): 5 - Philly 4 - Charlotte 3 - Richmond (All three had between 1% and 2% share.) 2 - Raleigh, 5% 1 - Buffalo, 23.6% Now tell me, what was wrong with Gleason's column suggesting Buffalo needs the Cup worse than the Research Triangle?

Or a "who gives a rat's patoot?" forum, if we had one...

Seems like I remember hearing Wilkinson was leaning towards retirement.

Really? Not according to the Red Wings, the team they played in their only trip to the Cup finals.

...by handing off to Smith on thirteen of seventeen plays in the Cokeboys' two second-half TD drives in SB XXVIII. Much as I love Jimbo, I don't put him on Elway's level, either. (And for the record, I don't even LIKE Elway. Never did.) But I can remember games #12 took over, practically dragging the Bills to victory by sheer force of will. Count me among those who list the dive into the Miami endzone as JK's greatest play; can anyone come up with a similar "Kodak Moment" for Aikman? A memorable fourth-quarter comeback, perhaps, or a dominating performance? I suppose you could make a case for SB XXVII, although that game was against a beat-up Bills team that probably shouldn't have made it there to begin with. Aikman was coolly, brutally efficient... but he wasn't a game-changer. Hall of Famer, certainly better than Bledsoe, but not on that upper level of truly "Great" QBs. Just my opinion...

And the Bills have won just as many Stanley Cups as the 'Canes.

True, that. Connolly and Cole kind of cancel each other out, but being down TWO of their best blueliners - no, I haven't forgotten about Kalinininin - sure isn't doing Buffalo any favors. shots: 35-19 Carolina faceoffs won: 44-28 Carolina Hate on Miller all you want, Sixer, but this is the third game in a row (and fifth out of the last seven) the other team has carded 30+ shots -- and that doesn't even count all the blocked shots in front of him. Gotta play in the other team's zone sometime...

From someone without TV access: how much do the Swordsmen miss Teppo? Can't be a coincidence that their only losses vs. Philly came with him out of the lineup; sounds like more of the same tonight. Conference finals aren't the best time to be busting out the AHL defensemen, not that Lindy has much choice...

Yeah, right. When was the last time we gave anyone crap for "drinking early and often" ?!?!?