John Gianelli

Rest in Peace, Mr. Wilson. Thank you for bringing the Bills to, and keeping the Bills in, Buffalo.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Would they please ban whiteouts?

http://454tobuffalo.wordpress.com/ This blog is by a season ticket holder who commutes 454 miles from Boston! It captures my feelings about last weeks game precisely. Looks like a blog worth following.

On the New England pregame show, they just pointed out that the last 16 Bills head coaches have all lost their season opener, with 12 of those being at home. Wow. Hope Marrone can change that.

A bit of trivia about Gannon. He and Bobby Hoying were both quarterbacks on the Raiders in 1999-2000. Both of them have aunts who are nuns. Both of those nuns served on the staff of the same retreat house. (I know, because I made a retreat there.) Must have been funny to hear them, since they don't have kids of their own, "What do your nieces and nephews do?" "I have a nephew who's an NFL quarterback." "So do I!" "What team?" "The Raiders." "Me too!"

Unless it's on another post, I'd like to hear a few suggestions on what should be our offensive live for the season opener. (Please, don't put in Will Wolford or Jason Peters.)

For football: Don Criqui. Such a classic, and a Kenmore guy. Also Pat Summerall, Ray Scott (minimalist style, as opposed to today's gabbers). Preferred Charlie Jones over Curt Gowdy. For color: Cosell, Madden, Meredith. College: Brent Musburger Most underrated announcer/analyst/reporter: Kevin Kiley. Hockey: Sabres have been blessed with Darling, Robitaille, Wieland, Jeanneret. Baseball: old Indians announcers Herb Score, Joe Tait Wish he were still in Buffalo: Pete Weber Sideline reporters: None. It's a worthless position.

Thanks for the correction. Someone on Facebook said it was called "Erie County Stadium." I don't remember that.

...when the Bills inaugurated Rich Stadium in a preseason loss to the Redskins? Though I missed that one (was in Montreal watching Henry Aaron hit homer 703 in Jarry Park), I was lucky to see a few of O.J.'s big games that year. It was a very, very different feel from the Old Rockpile, much as I liked that place.

Saban Kemp OJ Bruce first two on results, second two on ability

Thanks for all your great work keeping the best football board in the country going!

http://www.thehilltoponline.com/sports/taking-a-look-back-at-the-bison-1.463358#.UWKqqKLvtcw A few years ago someone posted this link, that we actually took it from Howard University.

Surprised I didn't remember Ken Lee, but he had a great game against the Patriots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJfYkoo-Zlc Is that Pat Summerall doing the highlights?

Isn't Pic 3 Billy Shaw? Pic 9 is probably Ken Lee

I realize you're talking about recent years. You're probably not old enough to remember James Harris: Harris was drafted in the eighth round of the Common Draft by the American Football League's Buffalo Bills, and would soon join fellow rookie O.J. Simpson in the starting backfield. Continuing the American Football League's more liberal (than the NFL's) personnel policies, the Bills made Harris the first black player to start a season at quarterback, thus Harris became the first black quarterback to start a game in the history of the National Football League. Harris went on to play well for the L.A. Rams.

This attests the economic power of the NFL,and pro sports in general, and how it rewards elite athletes. He was no better then mediocre, yet was set to make $9.6 million this year. Is there any other profession (maybe Hollywood, hedge fund manager, Wal-Mart heir?) where if you were just able to make it a step above mediocre, you could make $9.6 million in a year?

Unfortunately, I have to agree!

Did anyone watch the video? http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Former-Bills-linebacker-returns-to-architect-Ralph-Wilson-Stadium-renovations/24219635-55c0-4a2d-8dba-9b9a37d9bc86?campaign=BillsBuzz I had to do a double-take at the 3:13 mark. Yes, he did say vomitories. Here's the definition (I assume he's using the third meaning): vom·i·to·ry (vm-tôr, -tr) adj. Inducing vomiting; vomitive. n. pl. vom·i·to·ries 1. Something that induces vomiting. 2. An aperture through which matter is discharged. 3. One of the tunnellike passages of an amphitheater or stadium between the seats and the outside wall or passageway.

On a serious note, there is a test called ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) which assesses the trauma a child experiences before 18 years of age. The higher the score, the more likely the child will use drugs, end up in jail, etc. A sample questions is: While you were growing up, during your first 18 years of life: 1. Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? or Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt? Yes No If yes enter 1 ________ (the entire test is at http://acestudy.org/...h.127143712.pdf) On a lighter note, what would a Bills Fan ACE assessment tool look like? I would start with: While you were growing up, during your first 18 years of life: 1. Did you have to experience the Dolphins beating the Bills for the entire decade of the 1970s? Yes No If yes enter 1 ________ 2. Did you see any of Super Bowls XXV - XXVIII? Yes No If yes enter 1 _________ 3. Did you see any games that Kay Stephenson or Hank Bullough coached? Yes No IF yes enter 1 __________ I suppose we could do a Sabres version too, but that would be for another board.

Hooked up the VCR and just finished watching the tape. Having been there for the game, I consider it a lifetime highlight. No way was I leaving, even when it was 35-3. I had left the Notre Dame - Houston Cotton Bowl, which was Notre Dame's greatest comeback ever, and swore never again. Some things I noticed watching the tape: - how much production values have improved in 20 years - how few distractions there were on the screen back then: no score updates, no down-and-distance, certainly no fantasy stats - they didn't go to the sideline reporters while the game was in progress (the sideline reporter that day was O.J.) - the relative lack of promos for upcoming shows on the network It seemed much easier to concentrate on the game.

Actually in 1991, a few months after Super Bowl XXV, while assigned to our mission in Peru when that country was almost overthrown by terrorists, I was confronted by two men dressed in black with ski masks and machine guns pointed right at me. Turns out they were undercover police, but my last thought before they identified themselves was "God, I only wanted to see Buffalo win a Super Bowl before I die." Imagine the frustration the next 3 years. And the last 13!

I didn't read all his criteria, but no Hank Bullough or Kay Stevenson? Or Harvey Johnson for that matter? Joel Collier?

Jeff Faine is available. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/06/mike-nugents-injury-costs-jeff-faine-his-job/ I've heard of him! But he also was a Pro Bowl alternate a few years back.

I did it. On a service trip to Mexico, instead of going with the rest of the group to visit a sick lady in her home, I went to the priest's rectory to watch the Bills-Titans playoff game on his t.v. Home Visit-Stay Back = Homerun Throwback. Bills haven't been the same since.