RuntheDamnBall

Really, so what? Do her looks inhibit her ability to be one of the best at what she does? I'm sure that 1) you guys are all tops in your fields and 2) you have girls banging down your doors, your looks are so impressive. It explains all the time spent on internet message boards. I'd love to see more threads started by the ladies about how good or bad looking male athletes are. You know why you don't see them? Nobody cares. And some dudes call women shallow. What a silly double-standard. And yes, I'm aware I'm going to get a "lighten up, Francis," response from the peanut gallery.

the Land Lubbers the Scurvy Smerlas the Plank Walkers the Peerless Pillagers the Skull-and-Boners Marv's Marauders

I'm going to hijack this one and talk hockey. Looks like a good move on paper. Noticed that 21 of his 43 points last season came on the power play. Anyone watch him much last year? How will he fit in with the Sabres? Darin? Edit: This means our blue line corps thus far looks like this -- TOP 6: Tallinder Numminen Kalinin Lydman Campbell Spacek ------------- BENCH/DEPTH Paetsch Jillson? Janik? (UFA) Fitzpatrick? (UFA) My preference would be to see Paetsch and possibly Janik as our #7/8 guys, if they even keep 8 these days. Let Rory try his wares elsewhere and let Jillson be the first callup hanging out with the Amerks. I wouldn't at all mind if Paetsch plays his way into an everyday role, unlikely as it seems with what the others are getting paid.

Well, while there are priorities, the restricted guys are all pretty much ours or they sit. So they do need to get done sooner or later, but all can opt for arbitration and try their wares there, and it doesn't preclude their agreeing to something longer term until then (though it doesn't look like the Sabres want to go any longer than 3 years these days). In the meantime, the team's lost a couple guys, and it looks good to be retaining one of them who provides a strong vet presence and played well last year -- and to give him a raise. I think something has got to be working on the trade front. There are simply too many forwards (and Marty still left over) to believe otherwise.

In all seriousness, I'm happy they re-signed him.

Not good. Not good at all. This one bothers me WAAAY more than losing McKee. Why? The chemistry between him and Drury, and that this guy just brought it come playoff time and was an enabling force for his teammates on the ice. Grier's loss is going to felt and guys like him don't come around often. Boo.

Scout.com=Darth Vader

Actually, not quite when they thought him up, but a bit after. Everyone's favorite whipping paper had a nice guest column on it a week ago (it's pretty apolitical). Here's an excerpt: The rest goes on to show that Superman was used for a variety of 'causes' throughout his evolution on- and off-screen. Pretty interesting article. As for the movie's non-use -- I wouldn't read too much into it for that very reason. Certainly there are better issues worth worrying about.

Well, of course, anyone would struggle with a linebacker as their number 2 receiver.

Go Jays!

While I tend to agree, I'd like to see Teppo's vet presence back and I like Mike Grier's physical style. If those two can be retained, I say do it. My worry about the McKee contract doesn't really stem from dealing with McKee outright -- I think he's a great guy and a selfless player on the ice and I wish he could stick around. But, no way can we pay him that kind of money under the current cap situation and the team's financial situation. The big worry is if this is the kind of money guys like Jay are getting, are we ever going to be in a position to retain our young stars? Or will we indeed be like the A's -- grooming a lot of great young players who will inevitably end up elsewhere, putting the squeeze on our system to continually produce them?

I think it's going to happen, Bill. I really do. If the line doesn't get this kid killed -- and they have much to prove -- he is going to prove a lot of people wrong. There are ample reasons to hate ESPN, but Ron Jaworski is not one of them, and the recent article about him meeting with Losman is, for me, a serious reason to be optimistic. Definitely respect Jaws and his football analysis. Right on!

I don't like that Romney has teamed up with the rich boozers with the nice-ah-property to fight wind power there.

Libretarian

Believe what you want. If those millions being given to me meant the disenfranchisement of a workforce that got me where I was, I would not take it. It looks bad, and it is bad. I've grown up knowing what it means to not have a lot, and I'm the same person with or without more money. There's no reason anybody at the front end of a corporation should be running away with millions and leaving the people that got them there in the dust with empty promises. I'm not saying it's wrong to make money -- I'm saying it's wrong to do so absolutely at the expense of people who make you that money.

Consider me nuts.

That's the way I feel. This team is primed to surprise. I don't think we're going to make the playoffs, and a lot hinges on our QB and the success of the line. All the same, the expectations are next to nothing on the outside for this team. To my mind, it's exactly the "us-against-the-world" situation you want your team in -- something that will build a team and cameraderie.

I don't know. If I was a top-level exec -- and for sure, there are reasons I'm not -- I'd like to think my employees would respect me more if my ethics trumped my greed. There's a difference between taking a piece of the pie, even a generous one, and leaving everyone else hungry.

And it's hard to do anything when the cornerstone of your defense is out with an Achilles tear, and then the joker lining up on the other side (Posey) is doing his best Eddie Robinson impression. That said, Gray is not a great defensive mind, IMO, and when Pat Williams left his system was exposed. I'm hoping the athletic model that DJ is introducing across the board is a recipe for success and we don't get manhandled on the lines.

Believe me, there were a lot of folks here who weren't happy with Gray and thought the #2 ranking was a paper ranking only. When that defense needed to produce (against Steelers 3rd stringers) it did not come up large. Gray's "blitz blitz blitz" philosophy caught up with him last year when he lost some personnel. Good and great coordinators build a system suited to the personnel they have.

We're due!

My brother lives in Reston and goes to Jimmy's. I can vouch for/second it, having visited there once. They'll even show the Sabres during the regular season. He thought McFadden's seemed a little cold but felt that was probably because he didn't know anybody there.

Darick Holmes by a country mile, my friend, and you know it.

So... celebrity viewpoints shouldn't be paid attention to? Unless they can be used to ridicule a position? Am I warm here?