Lori

Don't know how many of you remember it, especially since the game was blacked out in Buffalo, but Young did a credible job of ripping up the Bills' starters a few years back ...

Nope. Largent was the most recent, in 1995. Obviously, Rice will break that streak.

Decent call on the gunners. The STs were doing some work over on the grass while the team practiced in the stadium on opening weekend, and both Johnson and Corner looked like they could adequately fill those roles -- in fact, Johnson made the best play of the session, tightroping along the goal line to down a punt at the 1.

True. Even if he had already signed, there's a chance he'd be back in Maryland right now.

Edited.

Bullpen, where's Wawrow on that list? (And FWIW, if you read any AP coverage of this weekend's festivities other than bylined columns, odds are it'll be his work.)

Per Chris Brown, the HOF is going to make sure the Buffalo-dominated crowd sits through the entire ceremony Saturday night: Ralph goes first, Bruce saved for last. http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2009/08/06/h...turday-evening/ Good luck to the BuffNews guys, Chuck P, and whoever else is making the trip, on hitting deadline for their Smith stories.

I was just thinking the same thing the other night, when Darin brought up Hampton's rambling, interminable induction speech that made us all wish bad things upon him.

Drat. That means Bullpen's going to have to adjust Faulk's ranking in his media hate-o-meter. Dre has a legit argument, but as Cris Carter's travails are proving, it's going to be tough for WRs to get in without insane numbers (and maybe even with them).

To piggyback on your riff ... John, this stream-of-consciousness brilliance makes me wish you were writing Tom Robbins-esque novels instead of covering football practice. (Although I suppose that because this thread wouldn't exist without those practices, they do serve some useful purpose. And I also suppose it's merely a coincidence that Robbins, like The Good Doctor, once graced the pages of a sports section. Something in the water there, perhaps. ) Keep those jingle-jangle fingers flying, my friend, and we'll see you this weekend.

I'll bring the torches. Oh, wait. I need that spot in the car for the cooler. Never mind. Also, Mr. Jameson and Don Julio send their best ...

"Struggles" isn't the word I'd use. Perhaps "dances" instead -- a veritable Astaire of doublespeak.

New posters - Turn off the caps lock! Words in all capital letters means you are shouting.

FWIW, we sat through rain for the 2003 induction. Yeah, we're talking "We're not in Kansas any more, Toto" kind of weather. And I'm not completely sure (working midnights, and sometimes my sleep-deprived memory fails me), but I think they did temporarily suspend a previous HOF game for lightning, resuming after a brief delay.

Because they have to tear down the stage for the next night's game, I can't imagine they'd consider a postponement (although they might be willing to sit through a temporary delay). Nothing about weather issues on the back of the ticket, but the disclaimer does end with this statement: ABSOLUTELY NO REFUND FOR ANY REASON. So ... yeah, we'd probably be hosed.

http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2009/08/05/s...ack-practicing/ Good news for No. 13. Per Chris Brown, looks OK in individual drills.

Worst-case scenario, the ceremony is moved into the gym at Canton McKinley HS next door. If that were to happen, I'm guessing it would be restricted to families and friends of the enshrinees. Here's the Severe Weather Plan from the media info booklet: IIRC, the Fawcett press box is higher than any part of the HOF complex. Yeah, that's where I want to be during a T-storm. (Of course, it would still be better than huddling under the stands or walking back to our cars in a downpour, which is where we'd be.)

I don't mean anything. It's a direct quote, so you'll have to ask Brad what HE meant.

So you're saying the Jets credentialed you, but the Bills didn't. Shocking.

You mean like these? http://users.penn.com/~lori.chase/index.html

Eh... could be.

Pack shorts and sunscreen, folks -- although be advised that you can't take the latter inside the stadium. Latest forecast shows typical Enshrinement Weekend temperatures: highs in the mid-to-upper 80s and lows in the low 70s both days.

Nice job by Florio of hacking up Curran's story to serve his own purposes. Here's the original, with the full quote from Edwards:

I'm shocked, SHOCKED, that Dickerson would express his opinion on Owens so strongly.