granitestatebillsbackers

It was that whole curse of the bambino bullsh-t. The media in New England would hype a new brand of ketchup at Fenway if they got their hands on the story. Worst fans in the world. When their teams are doing well, they're all "woo, we rule! woooooo!" and wearing uniforms and putting decals on their cars. When they are not winning, they turn tail and disappear. You couldn't find a Pats fan around here (New Hampshire) willing to show their team colors five years ago. They all were crying in their Narragansetts and whining about how the logo looked like Elvis.

Don't forget the perspective, folks. 40-year fan here. I have never applied all this psychological analysis to my being a fan--just knew that on Mondays after a loss I was in a lousy mood. I love the Bills--good or bad. I'm a native Buffalonian--well, Lackawanna, actually--and am cut from that same get-back-up-when-your-down, kick-em-in-the-teeth mentality as a lot of other folks on this board. Hell, Erie County is bankrupt, the politicians are corrupt and industry is moving OUT, not in. But I love the place anyway--from the beef on weck, Genny Cream Ale and Texas hots to the Scajacquada, Buff State Bengals and Mighty Taco. And somehow, in the midst of it all, the Bills represent for me a metaphor for what my home town has been going through for decades. I hate it when they lose, I'm damned happy when they win and I KNOW that there's a better team in the future. Just the right combination of players and coaches and we'll be in the Promised Land again. We're like our brothers and sisters in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Green Bay. Our team means more to us than just an NFL team. That's the way it will always be, and none of us will be able to turn our back on them regardless of how low they sink. Even here, in the middle of Patriots land, I am raising my son to be a Bills fan. He's going to learn what it means to be from Buffalo, even if he is one generation removed. Keep the faith. GO BILLS!

Damned right! Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Green Bay. THAT'S the NFL. I would love to see the new ownership offer the public a stake in the team. Although...given what's on this board, the annual meeting would be a mess!

It's on TV in the local markets only. On Canada's version of Sunday Ticket. NFL Network will be replaying the game on Sunday night at 8pm (yawn) Game radio broadcasts from Miami and KC in local markets on Sirius.

Yeah, while Mike has the NFL head coach patter down pretty good, he does have a refreshing honesty about him. (You're right about people jumping down his throat about that comment. There will be dozens of replies to this post that do that. Guaranteed.) At one point, he referred to the "hole" the Raiders had dug for themselves, but then quickly said, "not that big of a hole," and then "kind of like the hole we dug for ourselves last season." Nice save, Mike! Now go beat Oakland.

I totally agree with your comment, UConn James. The lines are the key to everything. I just figured it would be interesting to see how many TBD posters would land on the O or D side--and it would be too easy to just check the "do both!" pick.

Once again, a rough paraphrase of what I can remember: Riggins asked Mularkey about the run defense. M said that he thought they were improving each week, but that they were having problem with their gaps and tackling. He said that there are bound to be missed gaps in any game, but if the tackling isn't there you have a problem. He said that Roscoe would be a gametime decision. When asked about JP's reaction to Kelly being named the starter, he sounded genuinely pleased. He said that JP is preparing for each game like he's the starter, and there is nothing in the locker room, meetings, body language or anything that indicates that JP is doing anything other than taking the opportunity to learn. Riggins asked him when JP would get playing time. Mularkey said that he could see JP going into situations where the offense is getting a little flat. He thought there was an opportunity in the Miami game to do that, but he didn't think of it at the time. He is on every Friday, so if I am on the way home from work and catch the conversation, I will be sure to post a brief summary here. If anyone else heard it, feel free to add, correct, comment, etc.

Hey, I'm just a new guy around here. But it seems that there's a lot of armchair quarterbacking (general managering?) related to TD. So, let' strip away all the expert opinions and get down to the basic question: if you are heading toward the playoffs and, ultimately, the Super Bowl in the next 5 years what's your focus?

Good point re: bar reaction. Up here in the Granite State, we make more noise when the Bills get a first down than the Pats fans do for a touchdown!

I've got the prescription for the Bills to get to the playoffs this year, and it's more cowbell!

It's all about "ME ME ME ME ME!" Even if you are the best back, people will respect you more if you prove it on Sunday. Willis is going to have a whole lot of fun in the post-tackle pileups--especially if the pileup is three yards behind the line of scrimmage. And now, every friggin' defensive tackle, guard and back on the Bills' next three or four opponents are going to be chomping at the bit to prove that Willis isn't the best back. Especially the Chargers.

The A-Hole would work well, too. It is a reference to Alameda County or Al Davis. Take your pick.

From the AP (and some Oakland area paper): ALAMEDA - Buffalo's Willis McGahee is proving to be an adept NFL running back. But if things don't work out for him, maybe he will become the next Dave Chappelle and get his own show on Comedy Central. Some of the Raiders' defensive players seem to think McGahee is a pretty funny guy. Speaking to Bay Area reporters via phone Wednesday, McGahee declared himself the best runner in the league, comparing himself favorably to the heavily decorated LaDainian Tomlinson. "I'm the best back," McGahee said. "Case closed." A few hours later, a reporter told defensive tackle Ed Jasper of the boast in the Raiders' locker room, and several nearby defenders immediately took notice. While Jasper widened his eyes in amazement, defensive end Tommy Kelly began to cackle at the top of his lungs. Anttaj Hawthorne, a rookie defensive tackle currently on the Oakland practice squad, asked for clarification, not trusting his ears. "Wow," Jasper said when the laughter subsided. "He needs to put it on paper like LaDainian Tomlinson's got it on paper. Then we'll believe him. Wow. He thinks a lot of himself, don't he? You've gotta give him kudos for not underrating himself. Then again, he's got to know where his boundaries end, too." --- Some comments: 1. Happy 24th birthday, Willis. 2. I think WMcG is a great athlete and a great back. I also like comeback-from-devastating-injuries stories, so it is logical that I have a #21 away jersey. 3. However, I was more than a little annoyed to read this. The Bills need to eat their cheeseburgers, go into the "Black Hole" (ha), be very business-like and take apart the Raiders. Period. Then get back on the damned plane, take a day off and prepare for the Patriots. They DO NOT need to give the Raiders D--which admittedly is not very good--a rallying point to kick their asses. 4. The Bills are looking like one of those teams that opponents will stop looking past. They can strengthen their position by proving it on the field, and talking about themselves in the context of the TEAM. 5. Back when the Bills started their run-up to four consecutive AFC titles, it seems like the same thing happened. They started winning, and you heard individual players talking about themselves and their talent. Then, when things really jelled, every word out of their mouths was about the Bills. That has to happen again--even for this team to get out of the 2005 season with a respectable (read: .500+) and set itself up for a playoff run in 2006.

Sirius NFL Radio confirmed this morning that the game will be broadcast in the Miami and KC market areas, and on Sirius. That suggests that they might do the same with ST. Check your listings!

Hey, if it gets the players fired up, what's the harm? A win is a win. I have contacted Sape in the hopes that he will agree. I will keep you posted on progress.

[/i] From the Buffalo News: The Bills are getting some help from an old Samoan folk custom these days. After the team finishes its stretching at the start of every practice, strength and conditioning coach Brad Roll calls a player to the middle of the field to lead the team in one last calisthenic, usually three jumping jacks. One day each of the past several weeks he has called up defensive tackle Lauvale Sape, who has led the team in a chant from his homeland. Sape was born in Samoa and moved to Hawaii when he was 12. The players like it so much they have done it in the locker room after the past two wins. "It's something my people used to intimidate others," Sape said. "It's to bring the spirits around each other. It's more like a war dance. I've done it since I was young. It happens in our villages and community. Guys like it. It brings out a little spirit." "I'm waiting for him to do a Samoan rain dance or something like that," said running back Shaud Williams. --- Try to tell me it wouldn't be the COOLEST thing ever to hear 70,000+ Bills fans screaming out a Samoan war chant while on D. Sape would be totally pumped, and so would the rest of the unit. The offensive players wouldn't be able to hear the signals, and if they started laughing, Sape would kick their asses. If someone gets the words to the chant on this board, we can get this started.

I meant his effect emotionally. The Pats have problems that go beyond Bruschi. He can't do it all--and certainly can't singlehandedly help their run D.

"I promise you,'' Spikes said, his voice rising with a familiar ring of intensity, "when I come back, I'm going to be like a mad dog in a meat house.'' --- The article reported that the the cast is off and TKO is itching to get back to football. He also said that he knew the injury was coming--the leg had bothered him for a year and the pain flared up in training camp. Great quote, and I think he's serious. When he walks onto the field at The Ralph next season, his presence is going to have the same effect as Bruschi and the Pats.

The Bills aren't--just most of the folks on this board. With Moss hobbled, the Raiders are going to open a whole big can of Lamont Jordan whup-ass on the Bills. That means ball control with a few Collins bombs to Gabriel (who stepped up after Moss left last week) and Porter. According to most of the analysts on NFL radio (Sirius), this is a real "show me" game for the Raiders, so they are going to be pumped. Gray has to come up with some kind of scheme to stop the run. If he can do that, the DBs will take care of business. On offense, same as last week: run Willis and spread the passes around. I'm looking forward to seeing Roscoe roll up some serious YAC numbers.

You would have Tom Brady, actually. Hopefully, JP will learn the same way TB did holding the clipboard, and a few years from now *we'll* have the league's steadiest QB and the Pats will be mucking around with the Jets in the cellar. I'll take the 8-yard passes all day long if they're mixed with an occasional long ball (even Holcombe can do that) and LOTS of running. That adds up to first down after first down, a big TOP advantage, and more Ws. When Parrish returns, that short passing game could be fun to watch. One DB overplays RP and it's off to the races.

Good point about the Moss/Clements battle. Even if Moss is at 90%, it is going to be epic. The guy I am concerned about is Jordan. Great runner, great hands for the passing game. Gray had better do some serious planning for that guy.

I just made a blockbuster trade in my fantasy league two weeks ago for this guy and now he's hobbled. Bad for the Bradford Bills, but good for the Buffalo Bills next week! I just picked up Doug Gabriel--ugh. GO BILLS!! The Beast of the East is BACK! (For this week, anyway.)

He did get away with an atrocity. I don't respect him as a human being, either. But I am not willing to cede Bills history to him--even to merely sully it. In my opinion, too many honorable people have worn the uniform, coached the players, and watched from the stands for the past 46 years to allow the actions of one cretin to mar this team's history.

I share your disdain of the Pats, but there are just three words you need to know to understand why they are going deep into the playoffs--if not to the Super Bowl: Brady, Belichick, Vinateri. Gotta give them their due--probably the greatest clutch QB, coach and kicker in the history of the NFL. Belichick is a shoo-in for HOF. When you consider the list of injuries people were rattling off in prior replies, and then consider that they are going to still win lots of games this year, it is hard to dispute that they are one of the best ever. Injuries, points against--none of that matters because they manage to put up the W more often than not. GO BILLS!

Yesterday, on CBS' coverage of the Bills game, Cross sounded like a Miami homer. He had little to say in the way of compliments about the Bills (not that I was looking for him to rave about our performance), was convinced that the review on the Clements strip was going to ruled down by contact, etc. He got to the point where he was outlining what the Dolphins needed to do to win--as though he couldn't believe that they could lose to the Bills. Today, on the Sirius NFL channel, Cross was talking about the Jets' chances of getting to the playoffs and pretty close to guaranteed that the Jets would beat the Bills next Sunday. Is there someone in the Bills organization make fun of his hair or something? Why is Mr. Cross so negative re: the Bills? Did I imagine all this? Just curious.