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By the way, Harrison Ford is going to be playing Gen. Mattis in an upcoming movie about the April '04 battle for Fallujah.

I also served under Lt. Gen. James "Desert Fox" Mattis. He is a Marine's Marine. He is a true warrior who is not at all interested in the political correctness that plaques us today. He is among the most savvy, determined, focused men I've ever had the pleasure to meet. I would follow him to hell if he asked; in fact, I already did. The General says it the way it is because that is the right thing to do -- not because he wants to offend people. He won me over for good just a few days after I first met him. We just captured an air base in southern Afghanistan. We raised a flag in the middle of the air base, which was called Camp Rhino, and played a tape of the National Anthem each morning. When several photos of the morning practice hit newspapers around the world, our actual unit commander, a colonel, was told by Washington to have the flag taken down. The reason we were told was that an American flag planted on Afghan soil was offending people because it meant to some that we were claiming the land for America. The flag was down for about three hours. The Marines were naturally pissed. This waas less tha three months after 9/11. Gen. Mattis heard Marines talking about it. He realized they were right, so went out with the sergeant major and had a couple of the guards on the gate put the flag back up. He then had the Anthem played again. The whole camp stopped and stood at attention. Right in front of the flag stood Gen. Mattis saluting, which is rarely done in a combat zone. At a large gathering of Marines that night, knowing full well that the media was there, he told the Marines that he didn't care what others thought. He then looked at the journalists and said something along the lines of: "Listen, no one had a problem with the flag raising on Iwo Jima. I don’t care if anyone has a problem with the flag raising here. We don't want this hell hole. As soon as we kill the a--hole terrorists we'll take the flag down and go home." The journalists never reported it and the photographers all apparently kept it in mind and kept the flag out of their images. It would be a real shame, but not at all hard to believe, if this ends Gen. Mattis' career.

Anyone have advice for someone (me) considering a move from NoVa to Newport News?

There is no medal that can replace a life, but at least SFC Smith's heroism will be honored forever. There are at two other soldiers and at least three Marines being considered for the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq. There is also one sailor nominated for actions in Iraq. All of these men paid the ultimate sacrifice. We will be forever indebted to them.

Look, we go over this everytime a team is talking about trading someone. A team will not trade for another player if that player has a short amount of time left on his contract and is unwilling to do a new deal immediately. In other words, Surtain must be willing to sing a new deal right away with his new team, or he can must be prepared to stay with the Fish. This is a standard for everyone. I challege anyone to find an exception.

Why not trade for Surtain quickly (before other teams get in and beging a bidding war) and then turn around and trade him for a first round pick or a top-tier o-lineman? I think this is a real possiblity. We have someone the stinkin' fish need, and they may be willing to overpay -- in the form of Surtain. In the end, we'd come away with a firt round pick for Travis Henry. I'd love it.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I'll bet Travis cannot wait to get his new helmet with that super mean bird.

Actually, I live in Virginia. My taxes would go way up if everyone stopped smoking.

Yeah, and would you say you're not as focused or as patient when you don't get those breaks? I know that described me when I smoked.

*My bad, I should have put an OT on this. The firm wants to save some dough on health care. http://www.wral.com/news/4126577/detail.html I have long thought that non-smokers were better employees -- yes, of course, with many exceptions. Think about this -- those who smoke need extra "smoke breaks," which obviously cuts down on the time they are actually working. If they don't get the breaks, they get “nic fits” and are short-fused with fellow employees and customers. Hey, I smoked for about five years. I am only speaking from first hand experience and observations. I am sure there are many of you out there who smoke and are great employees, but if I owned my own company, I would do what I could to keep smokers off my payroll. *My bad, I should have put an OT on this.

Damn does that have a great ring to it!

commitment = a trait so few talented individuals show

This MUST have been written by someone here. Link

Syracuse was playing around last night. Every time they needed to do something, they went right down and did it. But, man, I hope they learned their lesson -- they need to keep it going to whole game.

I don't think he is GREAT, but he certainly is no where near terrible. There are at least two guys here lying to themselves.

Damn, there are 178,236 signatures on this thing!

TD must get a second rounder! I hope.

Not trying to hide any bias. I don't want to see Drew in a Bills uniform ever again. I'm not worked up, by the way. I know all this is speculation. That's what time of year it is. I see no problem with speculating when you make it clear that that is what you're doing. As I just wrote, TD saying that Drew could be the starter next year is a big change from what TD has said every chance he could since he traded for Drew. He has always, prior to this, been very adamant about Drew keeping his job. I don't think TD is in the business of motivating players. That is the coaches' job. So you don't think TD leaked the story to ESPN? Have you heard TD come out and deny it? Why hasn't he if it's not true? He has denied other ESPN stories in the past -- when they were false. We'll see in the next month or so.

Don't know if you were kidding, but I really think he should do just that. hell, he has the entire off-season to heal up.

Yeah, like taking things at "face value" is any fun. By the way, my opinion was not formed based soley on this comment. I actually have seen TD form a pattern with his comments latetly. He has, much like Moulds did recently, failed to take several easy opportunities to defend Drew. Instead, he opted to say that there were several options to look at. This is not at all like what he did the past two off-seasons where he clearly stated that Drew stil had what it takes. Additionally, Drew was fishing for just such reassurement from TD when he declared the Bills was still "his" team. What did TD respond with? TD leaked a story to his pals at ESPN that he was demanding Drew to take paycut.

I never said anyone was going to be “bending over backwards” for Bledsoe. Actually, I never said anyone would do anything for Bledsoe. Read back and you’ll see I was writing about what I believe TD is trying to do with his latest statements. However, I do believe there are some teams in the league that think Drew still has what it takes to win. I think the Cards may be among those teams. I don’t think trading a late draft pick for Drew is bending over backwards. In reality, I think Drew will be cut and retire. I am just stating what think TD is trying to do right now.

I believe I did, but I must not have been clear enough. In theory TD needs maintain that he he’s willing to keep Drew on team, whether as the starter or as an expensive clipboard carrier. If you’re Dennis Green you are then left to decide whether TD is bluffing or not. If he is bluffing, you just hope no one beats you to Drew – trading for him allows Green to not have to worry about that. If TD isn’t bluffing, then Green won’t get his guy.

Thank you for validating my point. That is why TD is witholding any announcment, IMHO. The Cards would likely work out a new deal with Drew before they’d pull the trigger.

Let's just hope SU blows Rutgers out and no one has to make this difficult choice.

I do believe the Bills passed on these guys at least once each over the past two years.