SouthernMan

Exactly right. Mularkey's head coaching record in just under 1½ seasons is above .500, at 12-11. It would be interesting to compare some of the top coaches records after 23 games. I doubt Mularkey's is any worse than theirs. A little too early to throw in the towel on MM as a head coach. The big question I always have is - so who do you replace him with? Do you just keep starting over every 20 games of so if they haven't compliled a record better than .750? He hasn't had the benefit of a decent offensive line that can sustain drives, protect the QB, and keep the defense fresh. Not saying Mularkey shouldn't shoulder part of the blame- it is his team afterall. But realistically, how much better would Beliceck, Parcells, Gibbs, etc have done with the same personnel? I've never known a team to succeed that has a chronically ineffective patchwork offensive line, an average defensive line, and their 2 top quartebacks with about 15 starts between them. Having a good punter ain't the key to making a superbowl run. Mularkey may have to take a good look at how competant Clements as the top offensive guy, buy I think Mularkey is still well within his grace period.

Sure. Yeah. That would have been the smart thing to do. Dump coals on their car. Put turds in the door handles. Superglue the locks. I hope you're not even remotely serious. WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE? 10-YEAR-OLD JUVINILE DELINQUENTS?!?!?!?! What's next - follow her home and ring the doorbell and run off before she answers the door? Call her up and ask if she's got Prince Albert in a can? GROW UP! That's the kind of mentality that perpetuates an unpleasant family atmosphere. If she's like most regulars, she's probably found a familiar parking area where she's comfortable and goes there for each game. Following your advice, Cindy would forever have to be on the lookout for these clowns and start parking somewhere else. Besides being morally the wrong things to do, these acts could have her in handcuffs and hauled off for fingerprinting. Are we having fun yet? And BTW - It's "would HAVE taken the hot coals", not "would of".

I could argue that aisle seats are less preferrable than those in the middle. Sitting on the aisle means having to frequently get up and have my view obstructed by the fellow fans in my row who come and go throughout the game. On the other hand, if you're the one making a lot of trips to the concession stands and restrooms, the aisle is better. Definitely prefer seats higher than lower. Ideally, the higher seats in the lower bowl are best. Club level seats are good too. For my money, lower level endzone and corner seats suck for watching the game. Even worse if you happen to have the scoreboard behind you.

That's what you get for marrying a monkey. As soon as she figured out that wasn't a banana in your pocket, the romance was over, right?

According to the Directv schedule, the Oct 16 Vikings/Bears (NFC/FOX) game was not on one of their HD channels. May be a misprint, I don't know. http://www.directvsports.com/Schedules/Pac...FLSundayTicket/ Per Justman's post: "fox and abc are progressive (better for fast moving sports), cbs interlaced. I find fox & abc better than cbs - nothing to do with hookup ". -Absolutely right. The 720 DPI progressive scan(used by FOX sports) is (in my view) a better picture than the 1080 DPI interlaced used by CBS. CBS is a big dissapointment. They went out of their way to out-bid NBC and others for the NFL rights, but don't give it the same level of technical support that FOX does. CBS has something like a 50 year head start on FOX, and still can't get with the program. For some, HD might not be a big deal. To me, it's like the difference between a fuzzy old polaroid picture taken at grandma's Thanksgiving table or a professional crisp clear portrait taken with a very expensive lens. To some, the Polaroid is just fine. You still get the overall feel. What's odd is that my wife, who's very detail oriented, hardly cares that much if it has HD picture or 7.1 surround. She's just as content with the standard old stereo or mono sound and standard analog picture from the old TV. Optimum experience for viewing is typically more of a guy thing. BTW - that CBS eye logo still freaks me out.

Here's a link, with the rankings and write-ups about each stadium. Interestingly, the writer described the inside of the GA Dome exactly as I had previously - like a big circus tent. And it accrurately described the downtown location as being less than prime real estate. And yes...it is dark and dingy inside and outside. Not sure how Arrowhead got such a high ranking (#13). It's basically the same as the Ralph in terms of sightlines, age, architecure, etc. My guess is the the writer is not as much into football as they are into daydreaming and sightseeing. The writer has a real affinity for open-ended stadiums where you can look out at something besides the action on the field. All the top choices fit into this category. They really get a charge out of the pouring Heinz Ketchup bottle at Heinz field. Maybe the writer was on some elementary school field trip and wrote this article as an English class assignment. Tipping Heinz bottle? Alrighhhty then. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_...29/ai_n14939730

I don't know that it's the worst, but after seeing many dozens of games at Rich/Ralph, there's nothing like being outside. The GA dome is clinical. First of all, it has this horrible color scheme (sort of a pinkish/terra cotta and aqua marine)that looked old and worn from the first day. Secondly, inside, it's like a big circus tent. Give me open sky any day. I get claustrophobic in the place. On TV, it looks like great seating, but I've been in the next to last row up top, and the view reminds me of looking at the bottom of the falls from Goat Island. The action seems like it's very far away unless your in one of the premium seats (that remain empty through most of the games). Thirdly, the downtown locale and site made for limited parking (translation: not exactly tailgate central). With the exception of a few satellite/pirate lots, tailgating doesn't exist. Tailgating is half the fun, especially during "rebuilding" years. At least there's that to look forward to. A downtown location would be great in Buffalo, but unless it came with the same amount of tailgating space, I wouldn't want it. In Atlanta, they encourage everyone to use the mass transit system, MARTA. They're slogan is "Take Marta, it's smarta". It's also boring as hell compared to a few hours of grilling out and communing with fellow fans. The Ralph is still a good stadium. I'm curious where Arrowhead ranks. It was designed by the same architechural firm and built a year or two before Rich.

Venting. I just checked this week's HD DTV schedule, and again, no Bills. I was hoping the Bills might be shown in High Def for at least half of the games this year. Including the upcoming game in Oakland, they'll have had only 2 out of 7 games shown in the high def format. After getting my nice big LCD Sony high def TV, I bought the Directv Superfan package with the primary thrust being to see the Bills in high def. Eight games (½ the season) after next weeks Pats game, and the only high def game I've gotten for my money was the Dolphins game. The Patriots (ESPN game) and Falcons (locally shown on FOX affiliate) were not included in the Superfan package. The NFC (all away games on FOX) have an advantage as they show almost all of their games in high def. Jacksonville, Tennesee, Baltimore, Houston, and Buffalo (all AFC/CBS) are the only teams to not have more than 2 games shown in high def. NE, Atl, Dall, Green Bay, NYG, Phil, SF, & Wash - So far, EVERY game in high def. KC, Pitt, Detroit, Minn, Tampa Bay, Den, San Diego - ALL BUT ONE game in high def Miami, Oakland, AZ, Carolina, Chicago, NO, Seattle, Stl - all but 2 games in HD Cleveland, Cincy, Indy, and Jets, - all but 3. Conclusion: Except for the Jets and Houston, the teams seeing the least amount of HD time are the smaller market teams. Even Indy, who wouldn't be a bad bet for a Superbowl berth, haven't gotten as much attention from the HD schedulers. The NFL generates a shtload of revenue. I hope they'll have some input and influence with the networks next season, and get ALL games shown in high def. It blows that I have to choose between watching games on my JVC 36" CRT television (still a decent picture), or settle for watching on my new TV with a distorted picture and less than sharp picture. Well, that's my rant. (and we wonder why the rest of the world hates us)

So, by that reasoning, if Willis and the boys come riding down your street on bicycles with training wheels and balloons rattling in the spokes, you don't have a problem with that, right? And by the way... no, I didn't celebrate when I scored or made a good play as a kid. I just did it and got back to the team for the next play or kickoff.

When I hear comments like that, it tells me you're not a true dyed in the wool old school football fan. I've heard "casual fans" (usually football challenged and disinterested women)say how much they like the dances. I guess when you can't grasp the basic concepts and rules of the game, those silly little softshoe numbers are probably your favorite part of the event. Those sort of antics are best left for the idiocy of WWF wrestling. Football does not need comedy added to it. It is arguably the greatest team sport on the planet and having it's integrity compromised by those celebrations rubs me the wrong way. It also makes the participants look like total fools. What's always amazed me is how athletes like Deion Sanders try so hard to be ultra cool, and then he does the f'ing gayest dance since the Cristina Ricca bowling alley scene in Buffalo '66. Deion's faggy little dance against Buffalo a few years ago now lives on in commercial ads as the computerized image plastic faced Burger King. Maybe Willis's horsey act will be computerized and turned into an Arby's commerical. "Want some horsey sauce with that sir?"

He gets a $25,000/MONTH pension from the NFL (that's $300,000/Yr) plus all the money he makes from autographed merchandise, personal appearances, murder for hire, satellite piracy, coke dealing, meth labs, etc. OJ's doing just fine without any more movie deals. I believe he could afford a few new pairs of Bruno Magli shoes.

That first paragraph is fairly accurate description of Dan Marino, though who could deny him first ballot entry to the HOF. Fouts, Kelly, Manning, are a few others that have made the HOF that could fit this category. You could say Jimbo was innovative with the K-gun, calling his own plays bit.

I may have missed it, but I haven't seen anyone here comment on the lack of passing down holding calls on the Miami O-linemen. The Bills D-linemen were being mugged all day long to prevent them from getting to Frerotte. They were being tackled and pushed down from behind constantly and the officals hardly took notice. Though not necessarily a hold, there was one play where Schobel was being double teamed and his facemask was practically being pushed over the top of his head. How could an official not see this? Illegal hands to he face anyone? It wouldn't have been so frustrating had it not been for the bogus holding call during the nullified long McGahee run when Josh Reed got flagged apparently when a hangnail got caught on the DBs sleeve for half a second. Reed's holding was a love tap compared to what had been going on in trenches. Maybe because the Bills won, the officiating isn't a big issue. If the 'fins were called for all the holding infractions, they might have broken some kind of all-time NFL record for penalaties in a single game.

I've only skimmed over a few the posts and daily articles, so forgive me if I've missed something, but from what I'm hearing from TD and Co., they realize JP's going to take his lumps and are going to stick with him. I haven't heard anything official from One Bills Drive to indicate that anyone other than JP will be starting. In the column (linked here), http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8927130 , the quotes from TD sure make it sound as if he still has confidence in JP and that he WILL be the starter. He even cites examples of Elway, Peyton Manning, and the up and coming Eli Manning as examples of QBs who have struggled early on. Few QBs are immediate sensations when they first break into the NFL. Marino, Brady, and Big Ben are rare exceptions to this trend. If JP hasn't settled down and shown some improvement by this time next year, maybe then I'll be concerned, though he still may be a couple Septembers away from being seasoned pro. But geez, the guy has started only 4 NFL games. He did well in preseason and his first outing and has had some struggles in the following three games. There've been some dubious calls from upstairs, which haven't helped the situation. The key is that he learns from mistakes and corrects them. This was the undoing of Rob Johnson. He kept making the same bone-headed mistakes and never looked any better 5 years into his NFL career. I know everyone is impatient for success after getting teased last season with playoff possibilities. It's been a long off-season with high hopes, but now it's time for a dose of reality. There are going to be a few more bumps in the road before it gets consistently better. Until then, I expect we'll have some games to cheer about, and a few that got away. The AFC East is wide open right now, with no clear cut front runner. It's not out of the question that the Bills could get a playoff berth with a 9-7 or even 8-8 record if they can get their wins within the division. Hey, it's football season. Still better than reading the draft guides.

Instead of being known as the queen city, Buffalo should be called "The City of Perpetual Whiners". Typical Buffalo paranoia and inferiority complex at work here. Maybe the writer simply wanted to clarify the pronunciation of his name so people don't say it as "lows-man" or "Lawz-man" . It's hardly uncommon in newpaper articles for athletes who are anything less than household names to have the pronunciations shown. But wait a minute..... It must be because Buffalo is a small market team! Yeah, that's it. Isn't there someone that we can sue!?!?!

Me thinks Nick has had a little too much "tea" today. Losing a star player is NEVER a positive, no matter how rose-coloured your glasses. Now, be a good lad and pass the cream. Cherio.

It takes a certain personality to become an NFL coach. These guys are workoholics who put in ridiculous hours and almost never get a day off. Kelly has got it made now. He's a party boy and has plenty of money. He also has plenty of other interests such as hunting, fishing, getting drunk, charitable endeavors(including Hunter's Hope), golf outings, Busch racing, Kelly Enterprises, getting drunker, and of course his young kids. I doubt Kelly would ever have the motivation or interest to spend his days and nights burning both ends of the candle for a job that has minimal security. He's a local hero. Why would he put himself in a position where he can become a target of ridicule and scorn by pissed off fans? Thurman, Andre, & Jimbo have all scoffed at the suggestions that they get into coaching. They're enjoying the good life. No need to change it.

Ofcourse. She's a Tortured Soul, dammit!

It goes beyond just the 2005 draft. Donahoe has overseen five drafts with this club and has done little to address the line. There've been several like Ross Tucker and a bunch of others whose names I can't even remember - all who turned out to be busts. O-line has been a problem for the Bills since Kent Hull hung up his cleats. Is it because of scouting, coaching, schemes, or is it something else? I sure don't know the answer, but I've always believed that a team is only as good as their offensive line. Without the line, the offense sputters and it's 1,2,3,punt. Then, the defense, regardless of talent level, will get worn out and pretty soon, be about as effective as the offense.

Offensive line is the achilles heal (sorry TKO) of this team. We go into 2005 with a 40% changeover from 2004, and when one of the linemen (such as Mike Williams this past week) goes down, that attrition rate goes to a staggering 60%. How many times throughout the years have we heard of the importance of chemistry and continuity for O-linemen? Now, just for fun, we throw in an inexperienced QB. Once the O-line gets it together, the passing game should start to click. It'll be interesting to see what, if any, effect Parrish has when he comes back.

Maybe they'd heard Travis Henry had some weed for sale and were heading out to make a pickup. Don't be some damn judgemental!

I believe FOX can broadcast up to 6 games and CBS only 3. When you take into consideration bye weeks, Thanksgiving week, a couple of Thursday games, and late season Saturday games, there are often less than 14 (exclude the 2 night games on ESPN & ABC) games shown on Sunday. So if the average Sunday has only 12 games, that's roughly 75% of Sunday afternoon games that could be shown in HD. Unfortunately, the premier games are most often in HD and frequently shown locally as the game of the week or double-header. Without local HD connectivity, that percentage goes down. That's kind of my situation this week, Unless the DTV guys can hook me up with local antenna reception, I'm stuck watching in regular old 4:3 ratio analog TV. Worse still is the fact that if I want to watch in my new HD screen media room with the comfy recliners, the picture quality will be inferior to the 36" Sony CRT in the living room. * With the explosion of HD television sales, media rooms, and interest in superior picture and sound quality, I have to believe this will be the final year the NFL will tolerate the unavailablility of HD programming for all games. * This sounds very whine-y in light of the suffering some are experiencing from the recent hurricanes damage. Keeping this all in perspective, I'm very grateful for all I have and I pray that the hurricane victims will one day be able to view the Bills in high def on a big screen.

Agree. Didn't want to say it for fear of being flamed by all the McGahee ass-kissers, but I've seen him play in every preseason game and two regular season games, and so far, he looks very average to me. I haven't seen any fast cuts, hitting the hole with incredible quickness, or running away from the crowd (not counting the east-west routes). Can you say "Ronnie Harmon"? There has yet to be one of those "did you see that move?" moment from him. Put me down as unimpressed.

Yeah. Like here in Atlanta. Saturday the DTV installer guy is coming to install the over the antenna (to supplement the existing HD receiver). Don't know whether it will work or not. We're about 25 miles from the towers, and probably at a lower elevation.

Do you remember?: Pendry was a moron as an offensive coordinator when Rob Johnson was the QB. As soon as Flutie took over, started moving the ball and getting W's, Pendry was a genius and much sought after O-coordinator according to some reports.