Whites Bay

Do we get to start calling out posters by name at this point?

Okay, I'll bite. From where will you be flying? And, by the way, God speed, fellow traveler. "Mistra Know It All" - Stevie Wonder

Really. Especially if I'm running through the same airport on a business trip, because then someone ELSE would be paying for it. It would be compensation for having to be...well, in an airport, on a business trip...

This is a great post - simply because I didn't realize how many of you were as old as I am! I suddenly feel young again! No crisis. I'm glad at this age I can afford the toys that I wanted 30 years ago. Mine is a 1961-vintage 21' Lyman to which I've just finished giving the complete body makeover. Four coats of high-gloss brilliant white lacquer with candy-apple red highlighting. Refinished the transom last weekend; three coats of poly and three coats of Petit "Captain's Varnish". Looks like a fuggin' mirror, if I do say so myself. Even gave her a new coat of anti-fouling paint on the bottom. The piece-de-resistance will be put in within the next 2 weeks - a new 302-block Ford V-8 Interceptor with a Hollie 4-barrel. I can practically feel the wind blowing through my receding hairline. I'm getting younger every year.

Saudi's a great place to dry out. Always leave small footprints. Remember, you're a guest.

Oh, no, Chef. Trust me when I tell you that they know I'm coming. I'm never rude, but very direct. "Excuse me. Thank you". And if they can't get their bag or @$$ out of the way... Airport have been turned into malls in an effort to capture a few more bucks. Phooey. Shop at home.

My first post pertained only to rock concerts. Perhaps the best overall evening of live music I've ever seen was in July 2004 at the Montreal Jazz Festival. My brother and I scored stupendous seats for Oscar Peterson, with Oliver Jones as the "warm up". The final three numbers - sort of an encore - were done with their grand pianos facing each other. Sheer majesty. Now that he's gone, I realize how lucky I am to have seen Oscar Peterson. Even after the stroke, that man was beyond mortal on the keyboard.

I spend FAR too much time in airports. This post is FAR too accurate. #*$@ers! Move your fat *&^%ing @$$e$ out of the way! I don't go to airports to stay in airports. I go to airports to get OUT of airports. On a related note, I saw "Wall-E" on (gee, of all things) a recent flight. Sure. Let's build people movers. Why walk?

I’d made a post last week that got me thinking about life’s randomity. I’ve done some stupid things – things that by all rights should have left me dead or maimed, but I didn’t know these events were risky at the time. I’ll provide a few examples, and would like to hear yours. Bear in mind that I’m not looking for “risks” that you took knowing that they were indeed “risks”. Just stoopid schit that you’ve done that really could have ended in a horrible fashion. 1) Age 14-ish. Grew up on Lake Ontario in Webster. I used to love walking on the ice in winter. One February, the ice “flash-froze” during a cold snap, and the following sunny afternoon I grabbed a stick and walked out on the brash ice more than a mile, all alone, and never told anyone. If I’d gone through the ice, no one would have ever known. They’d have found my body in Oswego in May. I told my Mom this story a few years ago (she’s almost 80 now), and she just went ashen. I felt awful. 2) Age 21-ish. Really loved snorkeling. I was up in the Thousand Islands exploring a granite cliff at about 10’ in depth. I saw a hole that looked passable (I could see light on the other side), and tried to swim through it. I got caught; my shoulders wedged. I couldn’t get through, and I basically only had 30 seconds to live. There were bryozoans all over the rocks, which made it slippery, and after about 20 horrifying seconds, I managed to push myself through to the other side. I didn’t snorkel for a year after that one. 3) Age 40-ish. Not as dramatic, but I’ve put it here because “I should have been old enough to know better”. I was in an antique boat in the eastern basin of Lake Ontario with no cell phone or radio, and used to go riding out into the shipping channel and chase freighters. I didn’t know it at the time, but there was massive residue in the bottom of the gas tank that would clog the fuel intake, and stall the engine with no warning. If that had happened in the middle of the lake… None of these events were planned risks. They just happened. And I’m glad I’m still here. It’s the off season. Go ahead and reply. What random events have almost killed you? "Theme from Midnight Cowboy" - Harry Neilsen

December 1974 Genesis "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" tour at the Auditorium in Rochester. April 1979 Dire Straits "Dire Straits" tour at the Roxy (500 seats, and I was in the 5th row center) in San Diego. July 1979 Grateful Dead "Shakedown Street" tour at Hollender Stadium in Rochester. May 1981 Stanley Clarke...in a pub in San Juan Capistrano, CA. A pub. 50 people. "School Days" as he walked right down our table. Had to grab the beers to keep him from kicking them over as he marched right over our head jamming like no one on this board has the vision to imagine. Un. Fuggin'. Believable. And, yes, it was me who was corrected by DC Tom. But I was not corrected. And I will never, ever, sit down, and shut up, until Tom can prove he's read more Max Hastings than I have.

In other news, Generalissmo Francisco Franco is still dead. Sirhan Sirhan will also never see the light of day.

I'll beat this drum again. And again, if need be. As OC of Miami, Gailey went head-to-head with Satan and took him three out of four between 2000 - 2001 (a Super Bowl year). For me, simply splitting the goddamn series with the Pats* this year would be a triumph. Eternal optimist that I am, I'm expecting this to happen. I just hope the "W" happens in Foxboro so the camera can switch to the crowd filing out in disgust in the third quarter.

I'm in the medical field. Nurses. End of discussion. Trust me - this is not an uninformed opinion.

I think it's a slow night in off-season.

Sorry for approaching LAMP-status, but it's like I pointed out in another thread. As OC for Miami, Gailey went 3-1 against Belicheck and the Pats* in 2000-2001. Let's remember who won the Super Bowl in 2001. Williams, Mularkey and Jauron would have crawled on their collective knees on broken glass for that record. 3-1 against Satan? In my mind, that is not a mediocre coach (and my kudos to you for the correct spelling of "mediocre"). Trust me, home slice, if the Bills work a little Gailey-Magic against Belicheck this autumn and lift the curse, you're the first person carrying him off the field. I'll be right there with you. "Distracted" - Al Jarreau

Herein lies the point, and well done, John. I know - KNOW - they're going to lose a lot more games than they win this upcoming season. But Sweet Jesus, please go down swinging. Enough of this 24-13 knee-down crap. "My Baby's Got a Secret" - Madonna

I think we're on the same page. Apologies if not. Belicheck's strength - well, at least his tenure - has primarily been that of a defensive "guru". (Let's not even begin to talk about a certain Super Bowl.) My point is that Gailey, as OC of Miami, went head-to-head with the Defensively-minded AntiChrist for two seasons - one of which concluded with a Pats* Super Bowl victory, by the way - and took Satan three games out of four. Gregg Williams' record against Satan? Mike Mularkey's record against Satan? Dick Jauron's record against Satan? From this seat, things are looking better and better...

And we're glad for it! Here's a side note that I'm sure others can augment. Bored as I was on a hot July 5th, I did a little research on Mr. Gailey. You know, the coach we love to hate. News flash - as offensive coordinator for Miami in 2000 - 2001, his Dolphins went 3-1 against Belicheck the AntiChrist. (I also looked at his Cowboys tenure, but it doesn't seem that they played the Pats* in 1998-1999). That's a pretty good track record, especially with what we've had around THESE parts against New England*. Is he going to be the second coming of Knute Rockne? Sober up. But 3-1? Thanks, I'll take that. I know the real old timers get all geeked up about the Miami rivalry. I hate Miami as much as the next person, but I want to see some success against the Pats*. I've fuggin' HAD it with that series. I want that curse lifted. I'll take a guy who's 3-1 any day of the week.

It isn't even ignorance. And welcome back, and glad you're doing well.

I agree with you, but with the overall attitude of THIS forum...good friggin' luck. The whiners are in a hiatus for the moment, but will leap in from the rafters after the very first loss of the season. By about October 10th, you won't be able to post anything nearly as optimistic as your above comment without being shouted off the Wall. But to your point - the best part about the Coaching and Front Office team that has been put in place is that - to paraphrase Clark Gable "Frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn". Judging by their comments, Nix and Gailey just couldn't care less about the bitching and whining that they're going to hear over the next two years. Note to the whiners - save your breath.

I couldn't agree more with both points. But, Jesus, did that crack me up!

Further to Rockpile's advice, I'd probably go with the Punta Final Riserva Malbec. It's a great deal at about $14-$15 per bottle, and it's certainly as hearty as any Cabernet Sauvignon you're going to find. You won't regret it with a flank steak. Don't get me wrong - you can get some VERY good Malbecs for a few dollars less! But for the sake of a couple of bucks, for the big Fourth of July meal? Go for it. Unless, of course, you plan to trash your palate with jello shooters around the barbecue, in which case the boxed Franzia Merlot will do fine.

Jeez, Chef, you're starting the kid down that road early! Usually that happens on this board around Week 5 when the Bills are 1-4. Cyanide in July is a bit extreme. Welcome aboard, Van. I'm not kidding - this place gets pretty whiney when the Bills start to tank. Get your posts in now. (And this was in no way a knock on the Chef!)

I can't believe "Weather" is the primary reason driving a potentially multi-million dollar decision. That's lunacy. If all we ever worried about was weather, we as a species would have never left Olduvai Gorge. Jesus, I mean, buy an L.L. Bean parka and heated seats in the Merc. These guys are, by definition, older and more mature. They're not coming to Western New York straight out of college. They've been around the block, they've played out at least one professional contract, and have become seasoned professionals at their craft. They're going to look at where the team is heading, what the chances are of making the playoffs are for the next three seasons (an average span of a FA contract, or the approximate amount of time they're going to be able to play before blowing a knee), and what kind of money is thrown at them. In that order.

Precisely. The Bills have already spent a 7th-round draft choice on a developmental QB; a developmental QB who showed a lot of promise in college (I'm sure someone out there would categorize Brown as "a stud"), a developmental QB who is going to be nothing more than camp fodder/practice squad material this year. Why, in God's name, would the Bills waste the time and effort to exactly duplicate the same scenario? There are only so many roster spots, and a LOT of holes to fill. Pass.