bartshan-83

I like it, Frogger! Realistic and productive...not easy to have both in these early predictions.

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers. I'm coming up to Buffalo tomorrow for the wake and funeral. I see Tuesday is a high of 12 degrees, windchill -10? You sure picked a helluva week to go, Gramps.

I think this year (and several others) just further shows that the whole Super Bowl MVP thing shouldn't be considered such a big deal. In the consummate team game that is football, it is silly that we take time out to recognize the most valuable player for a single game and then act like it should still mean something 20 years later. Great, so Peyton is the MVP of Super Bowl XLI by being maybe the best skill player on the winning team of a sloppy game that was decided by inept play rather than big-time moments. Yeah it sometimes shows who steps up when it counts. But just as often it shows who had the best numbers on the winning team...no matter how pedestrian.

Requiem is pretty messed up. I'd also add Monster. Not only is that movie depressing as hell, you (or at least I) get physically sick that Charlize Theron could look so terrible.

I agree with your main premise that what separates Willis from Thurman in terms of fan perception is their performance on the field. However, and I may be remembering this wrong, I wouldn't put Willis' attitude "problems" anywhere NEAR the spectrum of Thurman "I'm the Michael Jordan of this team" Thomas.

2003: We have a proven RB who, while not perfect, is far from the worst starter on the team and is probably one of the best. Solution: Replace him with our highest draft pick while ignoring other needs that could help the team. 2007: We have a proven RB who, while not perfect, is far from the worst starter on the team and is probably one of the best. Solution: Replace him with our highest draft pick while ignoring other needs that could help the team. I love ignoring history...

First thing that came to my mind. No one could pull it off like Hogboy in his day...

My grandfather suffered a massive stroke on Monday and passed away this morning. He was 85 years old and had battled some health problems the last few years, but he was doing relatively fine. Apparently, he had just finished lunch and was putting his dishes in the sink when he collapsed. The stroke caused a 100% blockage in his lower brain stem and he was in a coma breathing with a respirator. Thankfully, his living will was very clear that he did not want to be "kept alive" under any circumstances such as these, so my dad and his brother and sister were not left with the exceedingly painful task of trying to figure out what he would have wanted. They removed the respirator this morning and he died very peacefully. He was from Buffalo (still lived in Williamsville) and is therefore the single most responsible person for leading me down this torturous path we all call being a Bills fan. I joked with my dad that he probably couldn't take seeing another highlight of "Wide Right" this week and decided it was time to check out before he had to endure another Super Bowl. So I just wanted to share the loss of a great Bills fan with many others here whom I consider friends. I hope you all had a grandpa who was as fun, interesting and caring as mine. RIP Grandpa. I'm sorry you never got to see the Bills hoist the Lombardi, but 2 AFL championships and being there to see Mike Stratton throttle Keith Lincoln must have been pretty cool. You will be greatly missed! Rest in Peace James Bart Shanahan 1921-2007

Gotta be a joke...

I've followed Booker's career with some interest as he was supposed to be our #1 recruit my freshman year. The story I heard was that he was going to pick ND and FSU came through with something extra at the last second and he chose them at his ESPN press conference. He was the #1 recruit in the nation and losing him was a big blow to what was a struggling ND team. Anyway, who knows if that story was true, but I do know that we probably made his choice to go to FSU easier. When he visited ND, one of my boys on the team took him around and showed him a good time like they do at all schools recruiting blue-chippers. So they obviously also threw him a girl to entertain him. However, the girl they gave him was this kinda fat, not too pretty Indian chick who had already blown half the team and she was just a freshman. When I found out this was the girl they had tossed him, I pretty much gave up on ever seeing him in a blue jersey. Anyway, I never saw him as much as you Ramius, but my opinion is pretty similar to what you said. Obviously had talent, just couldn't quite put it together. I always thought at first that he was just a bust who couldn't live up to his billing, but as FSU quickly declined offensively over the years, it became apparent that they didn't have much of a clue how to use anybody, let alone Lorenzo Booker. I'd take a flier on him Day 2 just like you suggest. The talent is there and it's not often you can pick up someone with such natural skills at such a late stage unless he has serious injury problems or off-field baggage. Booker's drop will be primarily due to misuse and the general environment of incompetence that was FSU's offensive coaching for the past 3 years or so.

Great news!

One MAJOR difference...in fact maybe TWO: 1. Deuce was PAID. Less than one year before he had just inked a $50 million deal that made him the highest (or at least top 3) paid RB in the game. Dude was set and had no need to prove himself with stats for his next (and most likely ONLY) big contract. Travis was in the midst of building a pro-bowl reputation and compiling 1300 yd seasons in ANTICIPATION of that big contract. All he needed was another couple of big seasons with big numbers and he was going to get his dough. Splitting time with Willis would have jeopardized all that and he knew it. RBs usually get only ONE shot at that big payday...and as it turns out, Travis never got it. Couple that with the financial problems he was already having, and I would say that he was far more agitated and stressed than Deuce ever was. 2. Deuce was coming off of an ACL injury directly after signing his mega-deal. He had no room to pout. He had just signed the largest contract in the team's history and then promptly had a season ending injury that often ruins the careers of most RBs. How was he possibly going to challenge the team's decision to draft the most exciting college prospect in 20 years especially after there was no guarantee that he would ever be able to live up to the contract he had just signed. He was banged up and over-paid. Travis on the other hand watched as we drafted a RB who couldn't even run full speed...in the FIRST ROUND no less! He had just compiled his first very successful season and instead of making a move to help the team (or him directly...Steinbach), they made a move to replace him. I'm not taking anything away from HOW Deuce handled it. He did it like a man and obviously he and his team reaped the benefits. But to say that his situation closely mirrors Travis-Willis is a little bit of a stretch in my mind.

Fair enough...I guess I've just never been a big believer in the "he might get hurt on special teams argument." Yeah, it's a risk, but in my opinion it's so neglible in comparison to what he brings to the table that it's not worth worrying about. He hasn't gotten seriously hurt yet returning kicks for 3+ years (knocking on wood right now) and it's not like an ACL is torn every week in the NFL by a KR. In fact, who was the last player to suffer a major injury returning a kick? I'm not being a dck, I honestly don't know... I don't think he should be the #1 CB, but obviously this could be the case going into the season. But regardless, he is too valuable to remove, IMO. Deion Sanders was the last great CB to play in this league and he was still returning punts when he was 37. I'm sure the numerous teams he returned TDs for never doubted their decision to risk injury to the best player at his position by letting him field punts. I'd be open to throwing Roscoe back there with McGee to give a double threat, but I'd never take Terrence out of the mix.

I didn't see many of those guys play, but I did see Elway several times. I'd slide him waaay down. I give Terrell Davis and Mike Shanahan a whole lot more credit for those Super Bowl wins than I do Elway. Yeah he was gritty and he led them to wins, but I still think he is one great coach and RB away from being remembered as Jim Kelly-Lite in Super Bowl terms. I hate to name Dolphins and Cowboys, but Griese and Aikman maybe?

I understand the value argument, but I am continually baffled by the sentiment that we should remove from play one of the best football players at his position. We are lucky enough to have playing for us maybe the best KR return man of the last 3 years, and yet some people want to replace him?? He was sixth in the league in KR average. Folks, he isn't going to average 30 yards per return every year....only TWO other people have done that in the past 22 years!! Remember that miraculous year in 2004 when he had such a breakout? He had the same KR average as this year! So he scored a few TDs then instead of being dragged down at the 10. If our incompetent offense was worth a sh-- this year early on, then those would have been six-point returns all the same. Dude consistently gave our offense a 1st and 10 between the 40 yard lines. What exactly are you looking for?? It's so rare that any team can say that they have the best player in the league at what they do. We arguably have that in Terrence McGee. Don't fix something that in no way shape or form needs fixing for the sake of making Roscoe Parrish a "better value." Crikey.

That pretty much takes care of it...

I'll help as best I can...I'm pretty sure the only things law schools require for admission are an LSAT score (usually good for about 5 years I think) and a Bachelor's degree. So register for the LSAT (given 4 times per year) and request your college transcript. They will probably also require letters of recommendation, but it can come from employers, not just professors. I go to a small law school in Delaware and I strongly considered doing the evening part-time program because I was working full-time at a law firm. But I decided against it because I figured I could handle part-time work with full-time school. Most evening or part-time law school programs take 4 years to complete (as opposed to 3 for full-time). However, my boss (a lawyer obviously) went to night school at the same school I am at and he said if you take classes in the summer as he did, then 3.5 years is no problem. Good luck!

Good luck, Rock! Must be crazy to step into a whole new world in a matter of speaking (new routine, uncertainty, etc.) but I bet it's probably a little exciting too. Sounds like you have the perfect attitude as well. Hope everything works out great.

I'm no lawyer (yet), but I'm curious as to why the jury didn't nullify the offense in the original trial. It seems to be a textbook example of a situation where they would want to. Is this not a case where jury nullification is applicable? Maybe they didn't know it was in their power? I commented on this back in the original thread, but cases like this further my belief that mandatory sentencing laws are entirely inappropriate. 10 years serves no utilitarian purpose I can think of and is such an overkill example of retributive justice that it is appalling. The judges (at least the supreme court justice) obviously felt bound by the legislature and was it within her power to adjust the sentence, I have no doubt this kid would be on probation. Instead, his life is ruined. Score one for American Justice.

Nice! Loved the Tennessee one.

I'm not a huge JaMarcus Russell fan. I think LSU has had a stacked team for about 4 years and Russell has been a big part of it, but not the deciding factor. I remember LSU absolutely dominating Miami last year in the Peach bowl with Matt Flynn as their QB. This may sound strange, but Russell did not impress me at the Sugar Bowl. I thought he was good, but if his recent stock surge was a result of his performance there, then I think he is a little overrated. He threw lofty passes all night to his WRs who had a minimum 2 step lead on our DBs. He beat up on a terrible defense and still made a few mistakes. If the thought is that he has not approached his ceiling yet, then I can see why he is such a highly touted prospect. I mean, he is an absolute monster. But I think whoever takes him will need to be very patient...not one of Al Davis' known virtues. That being said, Oakland must take a QB and I think the Raiders should take Quinn. I'm not sure if he is #1 overall material, but adding another WR (CJ) would be futile unless they make a move to pick up a real veteran QB (Garcia?). Passing over Leinart last year just turned up the pressure to avoid making a similar mistake (assuming Leinart turns out). Quinn potentially is the type of player you could build a franchise around. He is smart, tough and has better throwing tools than any other QB in this draft. If he continues to progress, then he will become more than an adequate starter in this league. If he has already hit his ceiling, then it could be a frustrating process. He is a very good leader and someone that I think a new coach will trust his offense with. So I'd say 80% Quinn. If it were Detroit in the 1-spot, then I'd say closer to 100%...but I will never bet 100% on any decision Al Davis is about to make. Plus Quinn is exactly the type of QB Martz would want running his offense.

I cannot stop true love...go to her, hebrew melvin. hilarious.

Is JHC seriously Ed?

I look at Michael Turner and the see a very good RB excelling as the result of playing behind the game's deadliest weapon. I would never burn a 1st rounder on him and I'd balk at a 2nd rounder if his contract demands will be huge. This league is littered with never-were RBs who looked great in a part-time role but couldn't cut it as the #1 guy. Having the luxury of an opponent game-planning for a different RB makes your job as a backup a bit easier and when that guy is Ladanian Tomlinson, it's tremendous. Not saying that he couldn't be a very good back in this league. But with the shelf-life on RBs what it is, I wouldn't roll the dice on someone who has already put on a decent amount of mileage and has never been the man. This is not to say I wouldn't want him, but I believe his price will be far too great for what his eventual value will become.

I have no love whatsoever for New England, but I would say that it's backlash to the all-too-reliable reactions of a population of people here who write off every Patriot accomplishment with a lame, conspiracy backed excuse. I don't like the Patriots, and some days I hate them but I try to avoid that. Most days I ignore them. Spending time hating them is still spending time on them. And actively making excuses for why they keep winning is tiresome and ridiculous.