After two consecutive games ridden with complete ineptitude, Buffalo quarterback J.P. Losman is being replaced as starter by rookie Trent Edwards. Bills fans have seen glimpses of their 3rd round pick from Stanford’s potential in early games, with a 3-1 record as a starter including a win over the Ravens, a season sweep of the lowly Jets and a heartbreaking loss on national television to the Cowboys.
While Edwards may not be the next Brady, he does one thing that Losman is seemingly incapable of — protect the football. I can excuse J.P.’s inability to see the linebacker sitting on his passes over the middle, the game moves fast and you have seconds to react. What I can’t excuse is his instinct to loft flying ducks into the secondary as he is being dragged to the ground by three defensive lineman who have been chasing him backwards for 20 yards. That’s not how you win football games, it’s how you give me a heart attack.
Will Edwards be our next Kelly? Only time will convince me if he’s the future of my beloved team, but, for now, in Trent I trust. Go Bills!
Check out a hilarious mock-interview with “Lossman” and “Edwurds” on the topic courtesy of sportsbone.tv.
We all have our own opinion on how Barry Bonds home run record should be remembered in history, but designer Marc Ecko has decided to take a more democratic approach to solving the controversy. After purchasing the record-setting ball at a Sotheby’s auction for $750,000, Ecko started this website asking the public to vote on the balls ultimate fate.
The three options are:
A. Bestow It — give the ball to Cooperstown.
B. Brand It — brand the ball with an asterisk, then give it Cooperstown.
C. Banish It — literally launch the ball into space.
I finally have the defined cheek bones I’ve always wanted thanks to the guy whose stick caught me right across the face on a blind backhand during tonight’s game. Also in the injury report is my roommate, who went full speed into a cement wall, knee first, while chasing a puck. Apartment 4S is going to be low on ice tonight.
This is the only thing that could make me any less depressed today. Chris Drury really needs to give this speech before the Sabres take the ice for Game 4.
I’ve never been much of a fan of soccer. I’m not sure whether to attribute this fact to its slow (see: painfully boring) pace or that it’s only slightly less popular then Extreme Ironing here in the States. Soccer players do have one redeeming quality, though: their ability to exaggerate seemingly harmless contact. I haven’t seen acting this fine outside of a Rob Schneider flick.
I’ve been a Buffalo Bills fan since I was 7 years old. The second game I ever watched was Super Bowl XXV when Scott Norwood booted what would have been the game-winning field goal wide right. While I didn’t understand the significance of these events at the time, I still remember the look on all of the adults faces after that infamous kick. It was a look of unfathomable sadness. As if their dogs had died, Sgt. Slaughter’s leg broke off and someone erased their Etch-A-Sketch masterpiece — simultaneously!
Little did I know that this was only a sign of things to come. Dealing with disappointment is as much a defining characteristic of a Buffalo fan as being drunk or vulgar, so we’re always optimistic that our chance at redemption is near. After this weekend’s Draft day acquisitions and before any regular season games can prove otherwise, I’m going to say that 2007 will be the Bills year. Here are some thoughts on our picks:
Paul Posluszny (OLB | Penn State) has been compared to Chris Spielman, presumably because he is white and a linebacker. All I know is that he can fill a hole in a hurry.
Trent Edwards (QB | Stanford) has experience in getting sacked behind a shaky offensive line. He should fit in just perfectly in Buffalo.
Dwayne Wright (RB | Fresno State) is a talented runner with a history of knee injuries. If only he came with a delusional sense of entitlement he would have easily secured our first round pick.
John Wendling (S | Wyoming) has once again put into question my longstanding beliefs about the jumping ability of white men. Woody Harrelson would be proud.
Apparently Derek Schouman (TE | Boise State) needs to work on his consistency catching the ball, can’t block and is severely undersized for his position. So, a smaller version of Keith McKeller? Awesome.
CJ Ah You (DE | Oklahoma) has a name that would sell lots of jerseys, but not the talent needed to get it there. Why do all the unfortunate names seem to make it big?
Wednesday night I attended Game 4 of the Sabres/Islanders series at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island. This was the first time I’ve been to a postseason game at an opponent’s arena, where the numbers are not in your favor and the wrong colors turn you into a target.
Let me start by saying that I’ve watched Pee-Wee games at arenas bigger than the so-called Coliseum. My seat had literally six inches of legroom, crushing my lanky frame between the seatbacks and forcing my knees directly against my bladder.
After a few Bud Lights I needed to find a men’s room. Once I made it to the concourse, I fought my way through the unending wall of men that was encircling the arena. This couldn’t be the bathroom line, could it? Apparently it could. This place officially sucks.
Insufficient amenities aside, it was the Islander fans that caused me the most frustration. Cheering amongst the legions of Sabres fans at HSBC Arena in Buffalo is an exciting experience, filled with high-fives and borderline delusional optimism. Heckling opposing players and fans comes second to supporting the team we all love. Conversely, cheering against thousands of “fans” with no knowledge of the rules of hockey or even their own team is absolutely infuriating. When I wasn’t being called “upstate trailer trash” or some of their more vulgar taunts, I had to listen to them boo their own captain, Alexei Yashin. And they call themselves fans?
During their arena-led “Let’s Go Islanders” chants, fans were encouraged to twirl arena-supplied towels bearing their team’s logo. While I cannot deny their exceptional ability to clean my face of nacho cheese or absorb moisture in a urinal, I am confused by their name— “Rally Towel”. Does the word ‘rally’ not insinuate the need for a comeback effort? These fans were obviously confused and misguided. Considering this was likely their first hockey game of the season, if not ever, I suppose it’s understandable.
When the Sabres played the Islanders during the regular season, the Coliseum drew a staggering 8,000 some odd spectators to an arena that reaches capacity at twice that number. Meanwhile, HSBC Arena (which holds a few thousand more people, incidentally) has had every game of the season sold out since before the first puck dropped this October. Is there really any question as to which club has a true fan following?
Considering the ignorance of the Islander fans to their team and the sport itself, it’s no wonder they resort to childish name-calling or throwing full beers on the ice in lieu of just cheering for their team. This isn’t to say we haven’t thrown our fair share of things in Buffalo, but even upstate trailer trash knows you don’t throw a full beer— especially if you paid $6.50 for it.
The game itself was very intense, with pretty goals, big hits and solid goaltending on both ends. With about a minute left in the game, Jason Pominville found the back of the net to put the Sabres up 4-2 and seal the victory. As I celebrated the game-clinching goal, a middle-aged man sitting in front of me threatened to kick my ass in front of his young son. As I commended the father for being such a terrific role model, his son give me the finger to which I could only reply “you learned from the best, kid”.
As I exited the arena, another middle-aged man began taunting me saying that my team has never won any Stanley Cups. Is that really the best insult you could come up with? That fact alone is what makes us cheer so loud to begin with. Considering the last time the Islanders won a Cup was the year I was born, I was not impressed. As easy as it would have been to tear apart these idiots for being such pathetic, classless poor sports— I didn’t have to. I let the scoreboard do all of my talking. I hope all of those verbal threats the Islander’s fans threw my way offer them some consolation during a long off-season once we finish them off tonight in Game 5. (UPDATE: my prediction was correct thanks to an absolutely unbelievable save by Ryan Miller with 12 seconds left)
As long as I’m so deep into the topic of hockey, I would also like to take a moment to address all of the people who like to discredit hockey as a sport. Just because it doesn’t carry the mainstream acceptance of some other sports doesn’t mean it’s participants are any less talented or athletic. I challenge you to skate across a sheet of ice in an attempt to knock a small piece of rubber into a heavily guarded net using nothing but a stick. Add in the fact that every opposing player is looking to take your head off and all of a sudden Shaquille O’Neal putting a ball through an unprotected hole only a few inches out of his standing reach doesn’t seem so damn impressive now does it?
Allow me to further my argument with some examples of a player’s actions and their consequences across the major sports leagues:
Basketball: laugh at the ref— get thrown out of the game.
Baseball: balk at a runner— give him the base.
Football: take off your helmet— 15-yard penalty.
Soccer: no joke needed.
Hockey: knock someone unconscious— sit out for 5 minutes or less.
I think I’ve made my points. Go Sabres and long live hockey!
In a rare interview with the press, Hank Aaron announced that he will not be at the ballpark when Barry Bonds breaks his homerun record, stating “Uh-uh. No, no. I’m not going to be around.” Bonds is currently 20 dingers short of Aaron’s 43-year-old record of 755, a number he will likely surpass by the middle of the season.
While most athletes will support the record-breaker by attending the game that their record is broken in, I completely agree with Aaron’s decision to skip out. I honestly can’t believe that Bond’s has the balls to continue playing for the sole purpose of breaking Aaron’s record. Bond’s need to retire before he makes his hitting records, and even Major League Baseball itself, seem more illegitimate. To steal one of the most hallowed records in sports after being exposed as a cheater is roughly the equivalent of saying “up yours” to not only the previous record holder, but the sport itself and everyone associated with it, including the fans.
Hey Barry, I know you’re really depressed and everything, but here’s something to think about instead of whining about how everyone hates you. While you were sticking needles in Jose’s ass for all those years, honest players like Hammerin’ Hank were enhancing their performance the old fashioned way— in the gym and the batting cage. Imagine how upsetting it is for Aaron to watch the record he earned with natural (key word) talent and hard work be taken away and soiled by a juiced-up disgrace like Bonds. I’m with you, Hank. I won’t be celebrating, watching or even acknowledging this record changing hands. If I ever have to see Bond’s name at the top of a record list it had better be accompanied by a large asterisk. Or be a list of the world’s biggest douchebags.
The Florida Gators have won their 2nd straight NCAA basketball championship, with little help from the team’s outspoken star Joakim Noah. After spending a majority of the game on the bench and going 1/3 from the floor, Noah still managed to steal the spotlight during the post game interview— but, this time, it wasn’t with his signature dance moves. When asked how he was going to celebrate the victory, Noah responded:
You’re right, Joakim. I have no idea what you’re talking about. But, I’m sure the university you represent appreciated your idiotic comments during an otherwise image enhancing night for the University of Florida.
