Terry Pegula's first choice for the relocation of last night's game was, apparently, Beaver Stadium at University Park which is in State College, Pennsylvania in an area also known as Happy Valley. It's where the Penn State Nittany Lions play their home games on Saturdays and where Jerry Sandusky perpetrated his evil deeds against young boys, under the not-so-watchful eye of Joe Paterno. PSU is Pegula's Alma Mater and Happy Valley is about a 2 hour drive from Orchard Park. It seemed like a good choice but the league would not approve it because the stadium lacks the communication and video infrastructure for NFL coaching staffs and CBS broadcast requirements. The Rogers Centre was also considered but it was in mid-preparation mode for a music and dance event called "Sensation: Into the Wild". The Carrier Dome in Syracuse was hosting several indoor hockey games over the weekend and logistical considerations would have made it impossible to host the game before today, Tuesday, at the earliest. So, the league settled on Ford Field in Detroit, an modern indoor facility which was available and able to accommodate the Bills requirements for the usual video review and analysis which is part of any team's weekly game preparation. The team and its 53 players, coaches and staff extricated themselves from the snow in Buffalo and flew to Detroit on Friday. Roger Goodell looked a bit nervous in a sideline interview with Steve Tasker as he emphasized that the league did not want a football game to interfere with the needs of western New York citizens.
I liked Scott Chandler's touchdown celebration which was a snow shoveling motion, after he spiked the ball. Then, the disaster that is the New York Jets did the rest as the Bills cruised to their easy win in their first, albeit unscheduled, appearance on a Monday night since 2009. Robert Woods had by far the best game of his career with 9 catches, including a spectacular one-handed grab along the sidelines which wasn't quite as impressive as Odell Beckham Jr.'s catch on Sunday night but was still worthy of inclusion in this season's Bills highlight reel. The defence was solid once again and the Bills had their first blocked punt for a touchdown since 2004. EJ Manuel even came in and performed three successful hand-offs on the last offensive series.
Around 9.30pm, CBS scrolled the result of the Ferguson, MO grand jury deliberations which were that no charges would be laid against the white police officer who shot an un-armed black teenager in August. Overnight riots would ensue in the St. Louis suburb as they would in other US cities. Race relations still have a long way to go in the US, regardless of the specific facts in this case.
The next challenge for Ralph Wilson Stadium and for Erie County is to get the stadium and surrounding area in condition to host a game five days from now. Temperatures reached 65F in the Buffalo area yesterday and there is just no way that the satellite parking lots (most of which are grass fields) can be in any condition to have cars parking on them on Sunday after seven feet of snow has melted on them. The stadium will probably be fine as will the paved lots directly surrounding it but for those going to the game (which I'm hoping will not include me), I would suggest that parking will be limited and extra time should be allowed.
The Bills are now 6-5 and were certainly hoping that the Saints could knock off the Ravens last night, one of the many four loss teams in the AFC playoff hunt. The Ravens won and remain a four loss team. The Bills chances at a playoff spot remain slim but still alive as their Lake Erie cousins, the Cleveland Browns come to Orchard Park on Sunday. The Browns, coached by former Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, are another one of those four loss teams and obviously have a lot to play for.
Tuesday, 25 November 2014
Monday, 17 November 2014
Dolphins 22, Bills 9
November is often a bleak month with little daylight and miserable weather. Its a shoulder season in Muskoka where biking is usually wet and muddy and skiing is still down the road. It is also the only season where we get significant snowfall before the lake freezes, making for often stunning photography - especially when the sun shines on the fresh snow. The photo above was taken this past Friday morning after about 20cm of snow fell on Wednesday overnight and during the day Thursday. The reflections of the snow laden trees on the water makes for memorable late season paddling.
Since CBS decided to carry only the first half of this season's Thursday night games, I was forced to go north for the game. There was no snow on the ground until Gravenhurst on Thursday morning and then I got one of the last bike rides of the season in later in the afternoon in a heavy squall. Then a sauna, dinner and some Thursday night Bills football. This game was going to determine if the Bills long run of non-playoff appearances would continue or if they could make a statement in south Florida and preserve their post-season chances at 6-4. I was not feeling at all confident but through the first half, the offence was decent but was still unable to convert red zone opportunities. The season came apart in the second half which was bleak for Bills fans as Kyle Orton and the Bills offence had no solution for Miami's pass rush. He played his worst game of the six he has started, prompting calls for a return to EJ Manuel. I turned it off when Miami went up 19-9.
Now, the question I have is, once again, how in the world am I going to find anyone interested in seeing the Bills play either the Jets on Sunday or the Cleveland Browns the following week? The Green Bay Packers, one of the league's elite teams, make their once every eight years trip to Orchard Park in week 15 in mid-December and I'm a little less concerned about moving tickets for that game. But, the Jets on Sunday? Really, I ask, who is going to want to go? And, how many more years will I be willing to eat these tickets for late season games after all (or almost all) hope is lost? They would have to go 5-1 over the remaining six games to have a chance at a wildcard and that's just not going to happen.
I saw bits of the games yesterday and the first half of the Patriots game in Indianapolis. I am now really hoping that the Patriots can get to another Superbowl as I just think it would be a good story. After all, its now been 10 years since they won a championship, having lost the big game twice to the New York Giants since then. A New England vs. Green Bay Superbowl is what I would be betting on now and the Bills can help with that as they play each of the those teams in the final six weeks. I'm also hoping that the Browns can grab a playoff spot and the Bills can help with that too.
So, the J-E-T-S come to Orchard Park this weekend. Don't look for CBS to assign its top crew to this one. The game will probably be blacked out and I will listen to a bit of it on the radio in Muskoka. At least, with no paper tickets this year, I won't have to burn them.
Since CBS decided to carry only the first half of this season's Thursday night games, I was forced to go north for the game. There was no snow on the ground until Gravenhurst on Thursday morning and then I got one of the last bike rides of the season in later in the afternoon in a heavy squall. Then a sauna, dinner and some Thursday night Bills football. This game was going to determine if the Bills long run of non-playoff appearances would continue or if they could make a statement in south Florida and preserve their post-season chances at 6-4. I was not feeling at all confident but through the first half, the offence was decent but was still unable to convert red zone opportunities. The season came apart in the second half which was bleak for Bills fans as Kyle Orton and the Bills offence had no solution for Miami's pass rush. He played his worst game of the six he has started, prompting calls for a return to EJ Manuel. I turned it off when Miami went up 19-9.
Now, the question I have is, once again, how in the world am I going to find anyone interested in seeing the Bills play either the Jets on Sunday or the Cleveland Browns the following week? The Green Bay Packers, one of the league's elite teams, make their once every eight years trip to Orchard Park in week 15 in mid-December and I'm a little less concerned about moving tickets for that game. But, the Jets on Sunday? Really, I ask, who is going to want to go? And, how many more years will I be willing to eat these tickets for late season games after all (or almost all) hope is lost? They would have to go 5-1 over the remaining six games to have a chance at a wildcard and that's just not going to happen.
I saw bits of the games yesterday and the first half of the Patriots game in Indianapolis. I am now really hoping that the Patriots can get to another Superbowl as I just think it would be a good story. After all, its now been 10 years since they won a championship, having lost the big game twice to the New York Giants since then. A New England vs. Green Bay Superbowl is what I would be betting on now and the Bills can help with that as they play each of the those teams in the final six weeks. I'm also hoping that the Browns can grab a playoff spot and the Bills can help with that too.
So, the J-E-T-S come to Orchard Park this weekend. Don't look for CBS to assign its top crew to this one. The game will probably be blacked out and I will listen to a bit of it on the radio in Muskoka. At least, with no paper tickets this year, I won't have to burn them.
Monday, 10 November 2014
Chiefs 17, Bills 13
I was feeling a little down yesterday before the game. Despite my best efforts at working my network, reducing the list price on NFL TicketExchange every day since Monday and even dropping by a couple of sports bars in my neighbourhood to canvass interest, I was unable to sell my tickets to yesterday's game. And it wasn't a December game against Jacksonville where both teams were 2-12 either; this was a big conference game between two 5-3 AFC teams played in perfectly good weather and not on a holiday weekend on either side of the border. So, in the end, I emailed my tickets to my fine Buffalo friend and fellow season ticket holder, Joe, who tried to sell them at the stadium but with no luck. Why? One reason, I honestly believe, is that this year we received no printed tickets - just 2 credit cards with the games loaded on them and the ability to email individual "tickets"to third parties who would then print them on their own paper and take the paper to the stadium gate. I had one guy interested on Saturday evening at Gabby's on Yonge Street but when I said that I would have to email him the tickets, he remembered that he had to change the oil in his car on Sunday. Joe tells me that he had the same kind of problem yesterday. A piece of 20lb paper from a home printer, purported to be "tickets" to the game, just doesn't carry the same weight or look nearly as legitimate as printed tickets on card stock with professional imagery - ie, actual tickets. I think I'll call my account rep today to share the feedback. It's not really the $200 value which I forfeited but the idea that seats at the 30 yard line, 19 rows above the Chiefs bench for a sold out game went unused.
On the opening drive of the second half, leading the Chiefs 10-3, the Bills drove down the field and, just as they were about to score to take two touchdown lead, Bills quarterback Jeff Tuell threw an interception at the goal line which was returned for a touchdown and they then went on to lose the game. That was in early November last year. Yesterday's game was eerily similar, except that the Chiefs, rather than intercepting a pass, made Bryce Brown fumble as he was about to rumble into the endzone to put his team up 17-3. After the fumble, Brown's momentum sent the ball bouncing into the endzone where it flipped up and right into Scott Chandler's sure hands. But he dropped it and it bounced out of the endzone for a touchback. The Chiefs would themselves score two touchdowns which would be all they would need.
The problem with these big games is that one team has to lose. And lose the Bills did. I blame myself in a sense as the Bills record with me in the stands is 2-0 and, without me, it's 0-3. Or, maybe it's the dark home uniforms - also 0-3 while with the home white uniforms, their record is 2-0. The Bills dominated the game statistically and could have and should have won. But, as Bill Parcells used to say, you are what your record says you are. And they lost the game to go to 5-4 while the Chiefs capitalized on two fumbles to go to 6-3 and now obviously hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with Buffalo. Now, the Bills have a short week and trip to south Florida to face the Dolphins on Thursday night. Miami also lost yesterday and also stands at 5-4. They will be motivated not to let the Bills sweep the season series from them and seriously jeopardize their playoff aspirations.
There was an Andy Reid lookalike sitting somewhere in the first row yesterday. The similarity was uncanny as he had a red Chiefs jacket, headset, glasses, moustache, clipboard and the perfect body shape. CBS showed him several times on their broadcast. His name is Chris Wilhelm and he's from Lancaster PA. He has been a Chiefs fan for many years and drove 5 hours to the game. He must have been ecstatic when Reid was named Chiefs coach before last season because, although the body shape would still work well, he would have had a hard time looking much like Romeo Crennel.
On the opening drive of the second half, leading the Chiefs 10-3, the Bills drove down the field and, just as they were about to score to take two touchdown lead, Bills quarterback Jeff Tuell threw an interception at the goal line which was returned for a touchdown and they then went on to lose the game. That was in early November last year. Yesterday's game was eerily similar, except that the Chiefs, rather than intercepting a pass, made Bryce Brown fumble as he was about to rumble into the endzone to put his team up 17-3. After the fumble, Brown's momentum sent the ball bouncing into the endzone where it flipped up and right into Scott Chandler's sure hands. But he dropped it and it bounced out of the endzone for a touchback. The Chiefs would themselves score two touchdowns which would be all they would need.
The problem with these big games is that one team has to lose. And lose the Bills did. I blame myself in a sense as the Bills record with me in the stands is 2-0 and, without me, it's 0-3. Or, maybe it's the dark home uniforms - also 0-3 while with the home white uniforms, their record is 2-0. The Bills dominated the game statistically and could have and should have won. But, as Bill Parcells used to say, you are what your record says you are. And they lost the game to go to 5-4 while the Chiefs capitalized on two fumbles to go to 6-3 and now obviously hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with Buffalo. Now, the Bills have a short week and trip to south Florida to face the Dolphins on Thursday night. Miami also lost yesterday and also stands at 5-4. They will be motivated not to let the Bills sweep the season series from them and seriously jeopardize their playoff aspirations.
There was an Andy Reid lookalike sitting somewhere in the first row yesterday. The similarity was uncanny as he had a red Chiefs jacket, headset, glasses, moustache, clipboard and the perfect body shape. CBS showed him several times on their broadcast. His name is Chris Wilhelm and he's from Lancaster PA. He has been a Chiefs fan for many years and drove 5 hours to the game. He must have been ecstatic when Reid was named Chiefs coach before last season because, although the body shape would still work well, he would have had a hard time looking much like Romeo Crennel.
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