BuffOrange

I don't know. Kane probably wouldn't have won a cup for Buffalo but I think that's mostly because the other players on the Sabres - like the Cavs - are not any good. I mean Ryan Miller would have a better chance of winning if he were playing in his home state of Michigan. They don't have a single decent player anybody wants. It would be lame for him to blame others because that's not what athletes are supposed to do, but teammates have quite obviously held him back. For me the Jordan thing would be too much to go to Chicago though. I'm not sure NJ/Brooklyn is that stupid - as terrible as they were last year they have better pieces in place than the Knicks and Cavs. I agree it would be a jerk move to leave Cleveland this way. Obviously wherever he goes is going to be on ESPN/TNT weekly. I tend to agree with Plenzmd more than that article about the city not mattering much with respect to endorsements in contemporary times.

Anyone who watched last season without blinders on could see it would've been easier to lose 13 than win 9. Someone explain how we won the Jets, Panthers & Dolphins games again? Oh that's right - Sanchize QB'd the worst game in history (and we still needed all of OT), Delhomme played only slightly better than that when they outgained us 3:1, and Miami thought it would be a good idea to throw a Halfback pass on our 1 after rushing for ~875 yards on their first drive. It's too bad all of these coaches around the league (many of which are ex-Bills) are so much smarter than the clueless baffoons we keep bringing in here. Or maybe people are picking the Bills to suck because they do in fact suck really bad at pretty much every key spot that really matters - QB, OL, and DL. Just a thought.

Fair enough. If that's your only point then I won't argue. I just get tired of the recency bias, how the most recent halfway interesting thing is always supposed to be "the moment" soccer became big in the US (remember the women in 2000?) For most people it's just going to be a distraction every 4 years - a fringe sport - like hockey as somebody mentioned, is likely the best case scenerio. The German guy on espn was right on point I thought. The game needs to be cool in the poor inner cities somehow for us to be a superpower. lol exactly.

Seems like he can neither pass or shoot well. Aren't those things a big part of his job? Yah I have no problem with the way Ghana played. A couple lame moves perhaps but better than your average Euro/South American team theatrics. Yah he blows. Good point

I just threw out '94 as one example. Could've just as easily mentioned "monumental upsets" of "superpowers" Portugal and Spain. ..nobody even remembers or cares less than a decade later. It seems like those indicators you speak of are always youth-based statistics. Some English guy on another board is trying to make himself feel better by saying the US has more kids playing than the UK. Of course what he doesn't realize is our good athletes switch to other sports as soon as they realize those other sports will get them laid.

Except people say this every 4 years and it never happens. It's no more popular this year than it was in '94 when we hosted. In August we'll go back to not caring, just like gymnastics, swimming, and every olympic sport.

What a sham that would've been if the US didn't advance. Getting jobbed out of 2 goals got me thinking about the handball vs. Germany and some of the PK's shots against vs. S. Korea & Mexico in recent WC memory.... So has the US ever benefitted from a call that really mattered? When was the last time they even had a PK? Sure seems like we have to overcome an awful lot to win these games.

I'd go with Lossman. I think there's some recency bias in believing the OL was that much better under Johnson (just as the most recently fired coach is always the worst). Remember that Smith/Linton/Bryson RB trio? He basically had nothing other than Moulds. Also I agree with CBiscuit on something for once - people here make excuses for QB's in general way too much. Edit: Wait I missed these....2 more things I absolutely agree with. What's going on here?

I'm the same age and agree with every word of that. Most of the most common knocks you hear are comical. The Spurs are a good example - because they're the team nobody watches in the finals even though they meet all the "old school" requirements people claim they want to see. Yet I haven't been all that in to the NBA post Jordan I have a difficult time articulating why but I think what I perceive as the predictability has a lot to do with it....I just did not believe for a split second that the Lakers were going to lose to Ok City or Phoenix when those series' were tied 2-2. Hard to say that about any other sport when the favorite is reeling.

Well Tiffany Michelle is a giant c*&t. +100 on Biedle.

Agreed. If you saw her on the street or at a bar you might glare for a second, but you're not going to elbow your buddy.

"I <3 BuffOrange" So much

Yah, 9 isn't much of a sample. Off the top of my head I know Jordan's Bulls were 2 of those teams vs. Phoenix and Utah. On another note it's sort of impossible for a series to be interesting if the road team isn't up exactly 3-2 after 5, which is another reason 2-2-1-1-1 is better. This series would be finished if the Lakers won last night.

I definitely think 2-3-2 is better for the team with homecourt. It's hard to hold serve for those middle 3 games - I don't think it's a coincidence the '04 Pistons are the only team that has legitimately done it when you exclude the Wade/Miami sham.

The girl from 'Rules of Engagement' - not Puddy's wife but the other guy's. OMG, I'm convinced she's the hottest woman on earth atm. Then I look her up and find out she's engaged to Landon Donovan? WTF

I always liked Briere too. Wasn't this board one of many that insisted Drury was so much better due to superior "clutchness"? All of those mouthbreathers have been awfully quiet lately. Hate the Flyers with a passion though. Congrats to the Blackhawks.

Yards, Troegs, and Bells are all excellent.

I don't know if he's the awesome coach some make him out to be, but seriously Lol @ not remembering that. It was absurd. Also for your viewing pleasure, Carcillo

I agree with JVG & Mark Jackson that it's harder for the road team in the 2-3-2 format. If you lose the first 2 games you're pretty much done. Unless the refs give you a couple games circa Wade's Heat. Game 2 is huge.

I'm sure if you visited every homer message board you can find that any athlete ever was hyped up. Lebron James was highly touted when he entered the pros. Trent Edwards was not.

What? When was the last time a 5 seed had homefield in a conference championship game? Or a 4 or 5 in the NBA, much less a 7?

Football & basketball really don't come close to hockey & baseball wrt % of luck involved.

This is spot on. I started rooting for the MJ Bulls (pre championship) when I was a kid. Partially because my older brother did. Partially by default as I hated the Knicks, Pistons, and Celtics. So I don't really apologize for it (who are you supposed to root for when you grow up in Syracuse?) When they won it felt nice, but I would've traded all 6 in a heartbeat for the 1 'Cuse title in '03; which is still the only "genuine" championship I consider to have as a true fan. Oh, the McNabb-hating tards are the best. Because you know, good QB's are easy to find. I guess they don't remember the Bobby Hoying and Ty Detmer eras. But OMG he smiled after an incompletion so he must not care For some reason they love Cunningham though, even though he did squat in the postseason with a ridiculous defense. For the Flyers - their pathetic homer announcer team than whines about every single penalty is enough reason to loathe them. Yah I have 8 more games left, starting with the Sox Saturday. Somehow I always get the Kendrick games Let me know around what dates you're thinking of.

Certain coaches, yah. You only need 1 hand to count them and most of them are retired. Well it definitely matters more than other sports, I agree. That doesn't mean they're anywhere near as important as QB.

Isn't it sort of odd that they paired the only 2 teams that don't dive like sissies in the first game?