Sound_n_Fury

No, it's been confirmed (just saw it at the Barber Shop, where the guy's TV is tuned to Fox 24/7). Sad news for her family and friends. But I gotta say, it's just another of all too frequent series of "Why is this national news?" stories, IMO.

"i dont know where"

Looks like Verba may have some character/legal problems: http://fantasyfootball.usatoday.com/index....rofile&name=496 (Jan. 15, 2005) No charges will be filed in the first alleged rape at the home of Browns left tackle Ross Verba that occured Dec. 17, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Another alleged sexual assault at Verba's Dec. 29 is still being investigated. http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=28322

Verba wants a new 5-year $38 million contract, which is why the Browns may have signed Shelton. http://www.cleveland.com/browns/plaindeale...6411.xml&coll=2 Doesn't look like anything special, although he gave up only 1.5 sacks last year. Here's his 2004 Scouting Report from Scouts Inc. Name: Ross Verba Position: Offensive Tackle Grade: 67 | Key Alert: D Comment: Verba is the epitome of a tough hard nosed over achiever that only has average athleticism. He is a smart player, he doesn't have a lot of wasted motion, and plays with good techniques. Takes good angles to his blocks, does a nice job of keeping the defender in front of his face, and comes off the ball with good quickness. Plays with leverage, and despite his aggressiveness he does a nice job not lunging and as a result, he is not on the ground a lot. He is not what you are looking for in terms of a range LOT that can handle speed rushers off the edge, and in fact, he can have problems with players that beat him with first step quickness. While he appears somewhat comfortable in space, he does not look terrific when going after linebackers or sliding out wide to pass protect and generally making blocks on the move. For all of his aggressiveness, he does not have great power, and big, strong, two gap bull rushers can give him problems when they come over the top.

Let me get this straight. you're equating your list of Bills "gansta's" with Sean Taylor pulling a gun and firing shots at a vehicle? Of the incidents you cite, only Bennett's (BTW, he was a Falcon at the time) was even remotely as severe and it stemed from consensual sex that became a little too painful (don't let that back door hit you on the way out, Corny!). Bennett served 36 days: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2003-12-22-...ault-side_x.htm "He was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Buffalo hotel room in 1997. Bennett pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of sex abuse and was sentenced to 60 days in jail. He served 36. In addition to the jail sentence, Bennett was fined $1,000 and was ordered to pay $617.26 of the woman's hospital bills, perform 100 hours of community service and undergo anger-management and substance-abuse counseling."

Maybe the Texans didn't want to do a 1-year deal, so they let him leave town after his visit. Ross Verba's asking to get out of Cleveland now, but he wants big bucks (five-year deal worth about $38.5 million). I don't think he's worth more than the $2.95 million per year he's getting now, but he does have two years remaining on his contract. Maybe the Bills can swing a deal with the Browns, if McNally thinks Verba could fill the LOT gap for a couple of years. http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindeale...6811.xml&coll=2

Mother's! Boy that brings back memories.... It's on Virgina Place between Virginia and Allen in Allentown. I used to live across the street, about 100 feet away (in a courtyard apartment that looked like it came straight out of New Orleans) when I was in my 20's and it was the best time of my life. JP continues to impress this off-season!

From what I read the last few days, it appears Shelton was telling teams he'd only sign a 1-year deal so he'd be able to land a better contract in 2006. This is probably a big reason why the Bills and the other teams that were looking at him may have passed. If you're going to sign a starting LT, you want to have some stability at the position for more than a year. Shelton's rolling the dice that he'll have a good year with the Browns, then be a priority FA in 2006. Looks like a smart move from his perspective.

Uh Huh!

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/st...B1?OpenDocument After the back problems limited his weight-room work, he plunged to 235. He's at 260 now, which he acknowledged isn't enough for an NFL offensive lineman. So, he's open to a position switch - perhaps to defensive end or tight end. "If I played offensive line, I might be putting myself in a compromising position, being at 265 or 270 pounds," said Turley, who has been rehabbing since early January at the Athletes Performance Institute in Tempe, Ariz. "I'm not demanding that I play another position. I'm just trying to say, 'Hey, let's look at it from a realistic standpoint.' Otherwise, it might take another year possibly to continue putting the weight on."

Maybe this is part of the reason why the Bills aren't interested in Shelton: http://www.suntimes.com/output/bears/cst-spt-bear02.html The Cleveland Browns entered the mix of teams interested in signing free-agent offensive lineman L.J. Shelton. With veteran left tackle Ross Verba threatening to sit out the season, Shelton potentially could step into a starting position. Wherever he goes, it's likely to be for only a one-year deal. If he played an entire season at left tackle, his value would be higher on the market next year than if he played guard, where the Bears want him. Shelton already has visited Houston. Jacksonville and Kansas City also are interested in the former first-round pick of the Cardinals.

In 1992, the Bills sold 57,000 season tickets http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories...ewscolumn2.html

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/e..._celeb_eo/16665

Have our standards fallen so low that we now consider candidates who "can't be any worse" than the ones we've got, rather than individuals who are considerably more qualified??

You got that right. The Canadian media will know long before ESPN or any of the U.S. outlets break the news. They have sources in every locker room and front office in the league. Aside from Don Cherry and Al Strachen, most Canadian writers are top notch (I'd include Jim Kelley in this category, too.) Anyway, looks like a good deal for the Sabres and other small market teams: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Fidli...pf-1066115.html "A couple of months ago, the NHLPA was hoping for a salary cap of just under $50 million US per team. In reality, when the deal is done, it will be far less than that. Perhaps as low as $32-35 million."

Under the old TV contract, each team got only $2 million in revenue. Except for the big 6 markets, the gate and the odd cable deal is still how teams are meeting payroll.

They got a great review for the shows they did in Niagara Falls last weekend: http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050530/1066451.asp

Touchy, touchy...all I said was "yawn." No new ground was broken here. But I do appreciate your comments about the OT posts...

Yawn. Why should they say they want him....it makes no sense to tip your hand from a bargaining position IF they decide to change their mind down the road.

Sorry, as much I liked Jimbo the QB, this region needs someone with a higher Wonderlic score if we're going to have any chance of turning things around, especially after the mess Tony and Joel (who's combined IQs probably don't equal 100) have made of things.

I think Lorena Bobbit should make a surprise guest appearence.... www.ewhite.com/illo/ images/1994/LorenaBobbit.jpg

So I wouldn't have to watch Kyle Turley go postal on TD. Opps, better wait til' he signs a contract....

Vera's dry cleaning in Hamburg used to have the Bills contract, I believe. I doubt they knew much more than who smelled the worst...

Because Florio, in all likelihood, makes his "sources" up and/or talks to the guy who does the Bills laundry.