loadofmularkey

Thanks. Now that that's out of the way, it seems like this comes up at least once a year. Somebody at the Star or Globe and Mail writes a column about how, "Gosh wouldn't it be great if the NFL were here? And hey friends and neighbors, don't know if you've noticed, but there's an NFL team playing in a very small market just across the lake! We're a big city with lots of theaters and glass buildings! Maybe...they could play here someday..." And everybody gets all riled up and hot and bothered, the topic of professional football in Canada is bantered about, the fact that Toronto is a trendy sports town is brought up because everyone really only cares about the Leafs, a Canadian or two gets touchy because after all S. Ontario is a very important part of the Bills' fanbase, etc., etc., etc. Then a few days pass, then a few weeks and just like that the topic is magically gone again until another columnist is sitting around in the dog days of summer with the Jays well out of it, thinking, "Oh here's something I could write about. Could the Bills ever move to Toronto? Perfect!" So I guess I'll be posting this again next summer.

I never dug this train of thought. I understand that if Miami loses tonight, you'd be more afraid of them next week because they wouldn't want to drop to 0-2 at home especially after all the preseason love. But if they won tonight, wouldn't they be equally as motivated to go to 2-0?? I guess what I'm trying to say is, it really doesn't matter IMO. Besides if the Dolphins' September friends Heat & Humidity show up (as they always do) it might not matter.

That was really bad. Edit: Is everything okay with Rich Eisen?? It sounds like he's trying to channel the ghost of Jon Facenda...and not exactly pulling it off.

King himself has admitted to being a terrible prognosticator in his own column. So there probably wouldn't be too much of a scoop there.

Because, sadly, she has a hit single that gets lots of radioplay....I'm pretty sure I could waltz into a recording studio and record a hit single at this point.

Weird. Earlier in the week, ESPN and the Herald reported Maroney as being out for Sunday's game. Maroney isn't on the injury report and today's Herald says he's expected to see game action. I don't think I've ever seen a coach who enjoys toying with the media as much as BB.

No kidding? Your avatar tag says you're a Professional Cynic. One of your signature quotes implies that the new Commish is packing up the Bills-to-LA moving vans. The other is a reference to lack of loyalty among friends. Normally I'd tell you to cheer up, but I don't think there's any turning back at this point...

Welcome? I don't even know why I'm bothering, but I guess I can't help myself. If you're as smart as you make yourself out to be, you'd know that the team you buy season tickets for now has a waiting list, making it infinitely harder for opposing teams' fans to show up. Not so much the case when the team was dog poop. Eek. 8 sellouts last year. Check the facts bub. Oh, so only Red Sox fans are bandwagon jumpers. Everybody's always been on board with the Pats. Got it. Sure you do. We don't like either of you.

Yep, and you wouldn't get laughed at for assuming W's in both games against the now-untouchable Pats. Although Foxboro was always a tough place for us even in the glory days...

Jay Glazer?? Is that you??

When I woke up this morning I said to myself, "Please let there be another thread on TSW in which anger is expressed toward a national sports media outlet/personality because they believe the Bills to be terrible. PLEASE!". And my prayers were answered.

Yeah this is a little much. I'm watching the game, but I'll settle for the regular camera view on ESPN, thanks.

I'm going to go way out on a limb (and somebody try to hold me back, if you think I'm too out there) but I predict...that...Fast Freddie...will not be a factor in Week 1. Let alone on the Patriots' gameday active list.

I think it's fun to watch an athlete grow up before your eyes, like Agassi. As he got older, he toned his act down (not that I ever thought his "act" was all that wild to begin with). But the hair got shorter (granted he has a receding hairline), the neon clothes went away (granted neon clothes went out of style for good sometime around '92), the girl changed (the annoying Brooke Shields to the likeable Steffi Graf) and he became a family man. Over the past few years he seemed like a real classy, genuine guy and that's why it became easy to root for him, even the ones who maybe didn't at first.

Thanks! Yeah I actually thought about the Fire Tom movement (or lack thereof thanks to Capt. McCluskey & Co. at OBD) about 10 minutes after I posted. Thanks for bringing it up. That really had potential to be a disaster for TD. ESPN, Saturday night...like those cameras weren't going to pick out "Fire Tom" and "Fire Mularkey" signs.

F'ING MIAMI. Always one step ahead of us.

Pats 31 Bills 13 I don't think Buffalo is going to be as big of a trainwreck as some of the 'experts' believe. Somewhere in the range of 6-10 to 8-8 sounds about right. I think JP is on the right track, and steadily improve as the season goes on (as will the whole team) but it's not all going to magically come together in Week 1 at Foxboro.

Your avatar is the monkey from Aladdin. So there's that...

Agassi's farewell was one of the most geninue, emotional outpourings I've ever seen in sports. Maybe the most...the standing O lasted forever and Agassi couldn't stop the tears. The match itself was riveting. As bad as I was pulling for Andre, it was obvious that he was tiring more and more with each passing minute and he knew it too. Despite that, he didn't get blown out of the water. He still had a shot. It just wasn't happening for him today, but I'm glad he at least made his final match a competitive one. Anyone who didn't catch it (and cares) should hope that they replay it on Classic soon. I'm sure they will.

That's how I see it. ND did what they had to do. 1st half went decidedly in favor of GT, Weis & Co. made all the necessary adjustments at the half, Calvin Johnson and the rest of the GT offense was shut down, the Irish scored a couple of times, game over. I do get a chuckle how the exact same experts that were warning about a GT upset (nationally televised, primetime, home opener, #2 team in the country coming in, watch out for C. Johnson, etc.) are the very same ones who are shocked today that ND didn't win in a rout. Next week, is the home opener against one of last season's top teams. Quinn will be relaxed, Weis will have them ready. No need to worry.

I can't believe it took 20 minutes for this post

Pioli must've really liked what he saw out of Fast Freddie's punt return in Foxboro on Sun. nite a few years ago.

Awwww

Yes Donahoe did make some sexy draft day moves (Bledsoe trade, McGahee, trade for Losman pick), found a few diamonds in the rough (McGee, Peters, Crowell) and brought in some high-profile free agents (Spikes, Milloy, Adams). However, IMO these three glaring faults practically overshadow the positives: 1. O-LINE -- He failed when it came to fixing the O-line, plain and simple. It didn't come without trying though. He used the 4th overall pick in '02 on MW, who was supposed to be the cornerstone of the line; the franchise tackle for the next however many seasons. I still think Villarrial was a solid pickup. However, trying to plug guys like Gandy, Teague and Anderson in there was a disaster. If only "Next Man Up" by John Feinstein would've come out a year earlier, he might've known to stay away from Anderson with a 75 and a half ft pole. He lucked into Jason Peters. Greg Jerman and Justin Geisinger were terrible draft picks. Maybe cutting Ross Tucker was not such a hot idea. 2. HEAD COACHES -- This really needs no explanation. He was trying to find the next Cowher (only not quite as powerful when it came to the off-the-field stuff) and ended up...well, you all saw. The thing is--thanks to his success in Washington--GW will probably get another shot somehwere, someday. And his experience in Buffalo might've taught him a few things (like how to be a HC) and he just may end up being successful. I just wish Buffalo wasn't his training ground for three years. 3. EGO/EMOTIONS -- He may have mastered the ins and outs of a salary cap, but one thing ole Whitey never did quite get a handle on was how to keep his emotions in check. I believe (and maybe I'm nuts) that the number of times a GM is supposed to insult his fan base is...zero. TD did it twice in two years. Granted, both were probably intended more for the media but both came out horribly wrong and ended ruffling a lot of feathers amongst the fans. "Sometimes I'm embarrased to be a part of this community" and "If you want to be a jerk, call the other radio station". The last one maybe wasn't bad as the first, but no matter what you think about WGR there are people who listen and call the station who also happen to pay money on TD's product. They felt they were lumped into the "jerk" category and they were pissed. You'd think someone with so much PR savvy might've realized this...but he couldn't help himself. Keep in mind this was all going on at the same time as the EM debacle when Uncle Ralph had to fly in from Detroit and scold everyone and it also right after the disaster in Miami. The already-POed fan base wasn't ready for another shot across the bow from the GM. Honorable mention for this category: Telling us to save our postage in regard to letter-writing calling for GW's job. Honorable, honorable mention: His first year in Buffalo he made a point over telling the fans that "You'll never see my face in the media guide". And he was right...until last season. When a nicely done bio with a glossy picture of Smiling Tom somehow made in there. Don't know the particulars behind it, don't know if he had anything to do with it, all I know is...it took a few years, but his face found its way into the media guide eventually. Honrable, honorable, honorable mention: Defending Mike Williams this past offseason to his real media buddies. Seriously? Really?? TD, give it up my man. Whew. That's why I'm not a TD fan.