It was not a very good weekend for the professional sports teams I root for. The Leafs apparently won a hockey game in Columbus, Ohio on Friday night but, other than that, the loss column filled up as the Jays dropped 2 games to the Royals in the ALCS and the Bills slipped to 3-3 with a loss to the Bengals in Orchard Park. En route to London right after the game, the team has to feel that it has under-achieved through the first 6 weeks. And the injuries at key positions continue to pile up. Assuming that the Bills can handle the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley on Sunday morning, that would leave them at 4-3 entering their bye week. Is there really hope that they can make a run for the playoffs through the season's last 9 games? It doesn't seem likely.
If the Blue Jays are going to win the ALCS, they will clinch in in Missouri as the best they can hope for is a 3-2 series lead after the 3 games in Toronto which start tonight. Games 4 and 5 are 4pm starts as the US networks obviously prefer to have the Mets/Cubs series in prime time, Tonight is a big night for TV watching and many viewers across the country will be working their remotes switching back and forth between the election seat count and the ball game. I like their chances with Stroman tonight.
I almost cancelled my Globe and Mail subscription in June of last year when, to the surprise of many, it endorsed Tim Hudak and his "Progressive" Conservative Party a few days before the provincial election, only to see the Liberals win a majority. The Globe's endorsement this time around is a bit of a mystery as it says that the Conservative Party deserves to continue governing but without Stephen Harper. The party is somehow our best option, claims the Globe, but the Prime Minister has to go and all will be fine. But the Conservative Party, as it now exists, is Stephen Harper and what another incarnation of it might look like after he's gone is hard to say, if not hard to imagine. I'll keep reading the Globe but I do wonder what value there is in endorsing an option which not only isn't on offer but that doesn't even exist. In fairness, the editorial urged the party to return to its roots - its progressive roots and not its Reform roots - by being "fiscally conservative, economically liberal and socially progressive". In other words, a return to kind of values the party held under the likes of Diefenbaker, Stanfield, Clark and Mulroney. There was a good reason why the word "progressive" was dropped when the Reform Party hijacked the PC party and drove it into the right wing ditch. The Globe and Mail may want the party to return to its real roots but it will take more than just a new leader.
Robyn Doolittle tweeted the photo of Harper with the Fords from the weekend and reminded us that it was a photo of the Prime Minister of Canada two days before a federal election. The decision to try to leverage the Ford brand (presumably to rally the base) in the final day or two of the campaign almost seems fitting and, as this is one of his final photo opps as Prime Minister, sort of looks good on him I guess. He's been a mean-spirited and divisive leader. Whatever we get tonight, I'm confident that most of us will feel better about it and that will be a good start.
Commentary on the Buffalo Bills, politics and whatever else is on my mind
Monday, 19 October 2015
Monday, 12 October 2015
Bills 14, Titans 13
The Blue Jays didn't need the three runs from Troy Tulowitski's 6th inning blast to win last night's third game of the ALDS in Arlington, Texas but the team and the player need his bat if they want to win the next two games and go on to the ALCS and perhaps the World Series. The Jays were beneficiaries of a brilliantly pitched game by Marco Estrada and, with an effective bullpen performance, were able to put the pressure back on the Rangers who will not want to have a game 5 in Toronto on Wednesday. R. A. Dickey gets the call tonight with one of either Price or Stroman set to go in the deciding game. Price warmed up in the bullpen and looked as if he was about to enter the game before Osuna finally got up to come in for the 9th. I have a feeling that Marcus Stroman will get the call if there is a game 5 with David Price perhaps pitching out of the bullpen where he almost certainly will not earn the first playoff win of his career. Or another loss. Game time today is 4pm and, on this traffic-laden Thanksgiving Day, I will need to plan carefully as to the timing of my departure from Muskoka and the route I'll take - being sure than I'm back by 4pm - and then come up with a plan on where to watch the game in Toronto.
As for the Bills, I couldn't help but think of the most famous one of Dick Jauron's lines (and there certainly weren't many to choose from) which was "It's hard to win in the NFL". Both the Bills and the Titans can attest to that after yesterday's frustrating and relatively poorly played affair in Nashville. This year's Titans are considered by most observers to be a team in the bottom third of the league and the Bills, well, they're probably in the middle third with aspirations of climbing into the top third. Buffalo's offense was pathetic through the first half but, thanks to a few key plays by Tyrod Taylor and Chris Hogan, were able to generate just enough offense to come home with a road win. Taylor made some brilliant scrambling plays to extend drives but he needs to do a better job of protecting himself or we are sure to see the third incarnation of EJ Manuel before too long. The Bills earned only one turnover yesterday and it was on the last meaningful play before they moved into victory formation. All wins in the NFL are hard, for sure, and road wins are even harder. Just ask the Seahawks who blew a big lead yesterday and let the Bengals pick up their 5th win of the season. Cincinnati travels to Orchard Park on Sunday and the Bills will look to move to 4-2 before heading to London the following week.
With a week to go in the federal election campaign, it still seems to be up for grabs. The parties' strategies, as seen in the latest round of TV ads, is interesting with Harper now reminding us that the election really isn't about him and Trudeau asking us to choose hope over fear and to dismiss the Harper claim that he is the only one capable of managing the economy. I think that the Liberals have good momentum now which they can build on over the next 7 days. I'm not really sure that I want a Liberal government but, like two thirds of us, I need to see the current regime, and its shameful neo-conservative ways, thrown out. Last year, the Conservatives ran an ad which claimed that Canadian values are Conservative values. It wasn't true then and it certainly isn't true now.
As for the Bills, I couldn't help but think of the most famous one of Dick Jauron's lines (and there certainly weren't many to choose from) which was "It's hard to win in the NFL". Both the Bills and the Titans can attest to that after yesterday's frustrating and relatively poorly played affair in Nashville. This year's Titans are considered by most observers to be a team in the bottom third of the league and the Bills, well, they're probably in the middle third with aspirations of climbing into the top third. Buffalo's offense was pathetic through the first half but, thanks to a few key plays by Tyrod Taylor and Chris Hogan, were able to generate just enough offense to come home with a road win. Taylor made some brilliant scrambling plays to extend drives but he needs to do a better job of protecting himself or we are sure to see the third incarnation of EJ Manuel before too long. The Bills earned only one turnover yesterday and it was on the last meaningful play before they moved into victory formation. All wins in the NFL are hard, for sure, and road wins are even harder. Just ask the Seahawks who blew a big lead yesterday and let the Bengals pick up their 5th win of the season. Cincinnati travels to Orchard Park on Sunday and the Bills will look to move to 4-2 before heading to London the following week.
With a week to go in the federal election campaign, it still seems to be up for grabs. The parties' strategies, as seen in the latest round of TV ads, is interesting with Harper now reminding us that the election really isn't about him and Trudeau asking us to choose hope over fear and to dismiss the Harper claim that he is the only one capable of managing the economy. I think that the Liberals have good momentum now which they can build on over the next 7 days. I'm not really sure that I want a Liberal government but, like two thirds of us, I need to see the current regime, and its shameful neo-conservative ways, thrown out. Last year, the Conservatives ran an ad which claimed that Canadian values are Conservative values. It wasn't true then and it certainly isn't true now.
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Giants 24, Bills 10
When Marv Levy coached the Bills, I loved his references to historical events in his cerebral descriptions of football games. "We've liberated Berlin but we haven't won the war yet", he said in a post-game press conference in December of 1990, as the Bills came to within a game of clinching home field through the AFC playoffs. They would earn that home field advantage the following week and go on to lose Superbowl XXV to the NY Giants 20-19. Marv knew a lot about football - and obviously still does as he is now 90 - and had a unique the ability to boil the game down to its highly quotable basics. One of the things I heard him say more than once was that to win games in the NFL, a team need only be able to do simple things well: run the ball and stop the run. These were the two things, as it tuned out, that the Bills were unable to do much at all yesterday against the 2015 Giants in Orchard Park.
The pre-game crew on WGR were suggesting that the game's most glaring mis-match would be the Bills front 7 against the Giants offensive line and running backs. The Giants would have trouble establishing the run against Buffalo's fearsome defensive line and Manning would have to win the game for them. What won the Giants the game was their running game, especially on first down, and their run defense. Just like Marv used to say.
So, after 4 weeks, are the Bills a good team? Are the Giants a good team? Both are 2-2 but this morning, one is feeling much better than the other. The Bengals, Packers, Panthers, Falcons and Broncos are all 4-0 with the Patriots having an early bye this week at 3-0. Will they all make the playoffs? Probably not but its still very hard to tell who's actually good and could contend at the end of the season. I thought the Bills were good after pasting the Dolphins last week then I watched the Dolphins look horrible again against the Jets yesterday, making the Bills win last week seem considerably less impressive. After yesterday's game, it certainly looks like the Giants are good but maybe they'll fall back next week. One thing is clear: the Packers are good.
So, the Bills travel to Nashville next week, scene of their most recent playoff game in January, 2000 which will forever be remembered as the Music City Miracle. Rob Johnson, where are you now? You had that game won and then it slipped away on what I firmly maintain was a forward pass which was ruled to be a legal "lateral" on a kick-off return. I realize I'm referencing a lot of Bills history in this post; its the influence of Marv Levy.
Also, the Bills lost the game yesterday largely because of 17 freakin penalties which cost them 135 yards and two called-back touchdowns. I like how Rex defended his team and said he was still proud of their effort but he will have to address the ongoing issue of discipline if his team is going to find a way to be good this season. Imparting a commitment to individual personal conduct with every player on his team, including temper control and finding a balance between playing with passion and playing within the rules, is a critical part of any football coach's responsibility. Even more important than conducting entertaining press conferences.
The pre-game crew on WGR were suggesting that the game's most glaring mis-match would be the Bills front 7 against the Giants offensive line and running backs. The Giants would have trouble establishing the run against Buffalo's fearsome defensive line and Manning would have to win the game for them. What won the Giants the game was their running game, especially on first down, and their run defense. Just like Marv used to say.
So, after 4 weeks, are the Bills a good team? Are the Giants a good team? Both are 2-2 but this morning, one is feeling much better than the other. The Bengals, Packers, Panthers, Falcons and Broncos are all 4-0 with the Patriots having an early bye this week at 3-0. Will they all make the playoffs? Probably not but its still very hard to tell who's actually good and could contend at the end of the season. I thought the Bills were good after pasting the Dolphins last week then I watched the Dolphins look horrible again against the Jets yesterday, making the Bills win last week seem considerably less impressive. After yesterday's game, it certainly looks like the Giants are good but maybe they'll fall back next week. One thing is clear: the Packers are good.
So, the Bills travel to Nashville next week, scene of their most recent playoff game in January, 2000 which will forever be remembered as the Music City Miracle. Rob Johnson, where are you now? You had that game won and then it slipped away on what I firmly maintain was a forward pass which was ruled to be a legal "lateral" on a kick-off return. I realize I'm referencing a lot of Bills history in this post; its the influence of Marv Levy.
Also, the Bills lost the game yesterday largely because of 17 freakin penalties which cost them 135 yards and two called-back touchdowns. I like how Rex defended his team and said he was still proud of their effort but he will have to address the ongoing issue of discipline if his team is going to find a way to be good this season. Imparting a commitment to individual personal conduct with every player on his team, including temper control and finding a balance between playing with passion and playing within the rules, is a critical part of any football coach's responsibility. Even more important than conducting entertaining press conferences.
Monday, 28 September 2015
Bills 41, Dolphins 14
I can remember the 1989 season opener very clearly. With two seconds left on the clock in a steamy, humid Joe Robbie Stadium with the Bills trailing the Dolphins by four points, Jim Kelly, never known for his ability to scramble, dropped back to pass then executed the quarterback draw perfectly, scoring the winning touchdown. Bills win 27-24. Then, a bit more than three years later, on the same field, in the AFC Championship Game, Kelly led his team to a 29-10 win to earn a spot in their third consecutive Superbowl - where they would be crushed by Dallas 52-17.
Since the series between the AFC East division rivals began in 1966, Buffalo wins in Miami have not been plentiful, although not unheard of either. Through the 1970s, the Dolphins dominated the series, both at the Orange Bowl and at Rich Stadium, making Miami the Bills fiercest rival. The rivalry has continued on, although neither team has tasted much success recently. Going into this season, the Dolphins were considered to be much improved and were favoured by pundits as having the best chance to unseat the Patriots for the AFC East title. It appears that neither the Dolphins or the Bills are likely to overtake the Patriots this season but, if yesterday's game in Miami was any indication, Buffalo looks to have a better chance.
Just like last week, the Bills first series on defence resulted in a three-and-out and their first series on offence produced a touchdown. But, unlike last week, the momentum continued and the Bills cruised to an easy win in the humidity of South Florida before an unenthusiastic gathering of Dolphin fans who had hoped for more from their team in its home opener and especially after losing to Jacksonville last week.
Speaking of Florida, former governor and one-time front-runner for the Republican party's presidential nomination, Jeb Bush, must be wondering what he can do to revive his stumbling campaign. Now that John Boehner has thrown in the towel and effectively turned over the House Speakership to the far-right fringe section of his party (or to someone who is beholden to it), Bush's road to the nomination just got a lot rougher. With Donald Trump still leading in the polls, followed by Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina, Bush, as the "mainstream" candidate, may find that his party chooses a "real" conservative next year. The Democrats clearly hope that they do.
In Canada, we are now three weeks from election day and absolutely nothing is clear. The three way race shows no signs of breaking and it also seems very unlikely that any party will win enough seats to form a majority government. I hope that David Johnson has dusted off his constitutional texts because he's probably going to need them. Take this scenario: The Conservatives win the most seats but are in a weak minority position. Harper has said that he will try to form a government in this scenario. Let's say that Mulcair and Trudeau form an alliance (something short of formal coalition) and they together approach the Governor General and ask him to let one of them form a government the support of the other. They may also make it clear that if he asks Harper to govern, they will defeat that government at the first opportunity and then ask him to let them form a government. Why would he choose to ask Harper to govern knowing that his government would be almost immediately defeated? Would public pressure not push him to ask the quasi-coaltion to govern? Maybe MacKenzie King's mother knows that answer.
Since the series between the AFC East division rivals began in 1966, Buffalo wins in Miami have not been plentiful, although not unheard of either. Through the 1970s, the Dolphins dominated the series, both at the Orange Bowl and at Rich Stadium, making Miami the Bills fiercest rival. The rivalry has continued on, although neither team has tasted much success recently. Going into this season, the Dolphins were considered to be much improved and were favoured by pundits as having the best chance to unseat the Patriots for the AFC East title. It appears that neither the Dolphins or the Bills are likely to overtake the Patriots this season but, if yesterday's game in Miami was any indication, Buffalo looks to have a better chance.
Just like last week, the Bills first series on defence resulted in a three-and-out and their first series on offence produced a touchdown. But, unlike last week, the momentum continued and the Bills cruised to an easy win in the humidity of South Florida before an unenthusiastic gathering of Dolphin fans who had hoped for more from their team in its home opener and especially after losing to Jacksonville last week.
Speaking of Florida, former governor and one-time front-runner for the Republican party's presidential nomination, Jeb Bush, must be wondering what he can do to revive his stumbling campaign. Now that John Boehner has thrown in the towel and effectively turned over the House Speakership to the far-right fringe section of his party (or to someone who is beholden to it), Bush's road to the nomination just got a lot rougher. With Donald Trump still leading in the polls, followed by Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina, Bush, as the "mainstream" candidate, may find that his party chooses a "real" conservative next year. The Democrats clearly hope that they do.
In Canada, we are now three weeks from election day and absolutely nothing is clear. The three way race shows no signs of breaking and it also seems very unlikely that any party will win enough seats to form a majority government. I hope that David Johnson has dusted off his constitutional texts because he's probably going to need them. Take this scenario: The Conservatives win the most seats but are in a weak minority position. Harper has said that he will try to form a government in this scenario. Let's say that Mulcair and Trudeau form an alliance (something short of formal coalition) and they together approach the Governor General and ask him to let one of them form a government the support of the other. They may also make it clear that if he asks Harper to govern, they will defeat that government at the first opportunity and then ask him to let them form a government. Why would he choose to ask Harper to govern knowing that his government would be almost immediately defeated? Would public pressure not push him to ask the quasi-coaltion to govern? Maybe MacKenzie King's mother knows that answer.
Monday, 21 September 2015
Patriots 40, Bills 32
Things started out just fine yesterday. Tyrod Taylor took the opening kick-off and marched his team down the field for a touchdown. The Patriots then went three-and-out on their first possession which included Tom Brady having to take a time-out due to crowd noise, presumably. From that point on, despite mounting a late comeback of sorts, the Bills were outmatched, outcoached and overwhelmed for the rest of yesterday's game in Orchard Park. I presume that the Guinness Book of World Records folks, there to measure crowd noise for a possible outdoor world record, left early.
As I watched each and every one of Rex Ryan's press conferences from the day he was hired last January, through OTA's and training camp and after last Sunday's game, I wondered how his demeanor would change after a loss. He seemed angry and terse. And rightfully so. After building this week 2 game up as the potential defining moment of this season and his coaching tenure in Buffalo, the hype was fully deflated (sorry, had to use it) as Tom Brady passed for 466 yards (a Bills team record) as the Bills had no defensive answer at all. Ryan took full responsibility for the poor game plan and for the undisciplined conduct of his team which took 14 penalties on the day and, at times, lost its composure. Watching the game from home, it was endlessly frustrating and reminiscent of so many games the Bills have played over the past 15 years against New England.
I think that Rex may now regret having let expectations grow too high for yesterday's game. It's a long season with another big divisional game coming up on Sunday. Many teams are 1-1 after week 2 and I hope that coach Ryan and his team can prepare properly for a road game in south Florida against a 1-1 Dolphins team which will be highly motivated after lost at Jacksonville yesterday. The Bills will have to wait until week 11 for revenge when they will face the Patriots again in prime time on a Monday night.
Remember Donald Trump being one of the prospective purchasers of the Bills last year? I'm not sure that he was ever a serious bidder but imagine for a moment the chaos around the team if he had succeeded in buying it. How would the fan base feel about his controversial candidacy for the Republican nomination for President? He might wear a Bills hat instead of a "Make America Great Again" hat and isn't it possible that Tom Brady, apparently a good friend and supporter of Trump, may have felt some sense of mixed loyalty yesterday?
Trump's unlikely campaign momentum has carried him to the front-runner position, for now anyway. I see his statements, and those of some of his supporters, in a good news/bad news context. The bad news of course is that they are divisive, bigoted and often based on unthruths. The good news is two-fold: first, they will serve to pull the Republican party further to the right and force his competitors to play in his space and, second, while there is a shocking level of support for his views among those voting in Republican primaries, that support will fall short among the wider population, thankfully. Among other things, he's pretty much locked up the Latino vote - for the Democrats.
Next week's game is a late kick-off (4.25pm) in Miami. It will be a significant test of how Rex Ryan can re-set and re-focus his team.
As I watched each and every one of Rex Ryan's press conferences from the day he was hired last January, through OTA's and training camp and after last Sunday's game, I wondered how his demeanor would change after a loss. He seemed angry and terse. And rightfully so. After building this week 2 game up as the potential defining moment of this season and his coaching tenure in Buffalo, the hype was fully deflated (sorry, had to use it) as Tom Brady passed for 466 yards (a Bills team record) as the Bills had no defensive answer at all. Ryan took full responsibility for the poor game plan and for the undisciplined conduct of his team which took 14 penalties on the day and, at times, lost its composure. Watching the game from home, it was endlessly frustrating and reminiscent of so many games the Bills have played over the past 15 years against New England.
I think that Rex may now regret having let expectations grow too high for yesterday's game. It's a long season with another big divisional game coming up on Sunday. Many teams are 1-1 after week 2 and I hope that coach Ryan and his team can prepare properly for a road game in south Florida against a 1-1 Dolphins team which will be highly motivated after lost at Jacksonville yesterday. The Bills will have to wait until week 11 for revenge when they will face the Patriots again in prime time on a Monday night.
Remember Donald Trump being one of the prospective purchasers of the Bills last year? I'm not sure that he was ever a serious bidder but imagine for a moment the chaos around the team if he had succeeded in buying it. How would the fan base feel about his controversial candidacy for the Republican nomination for President? He might wear a Bills hat instead of a "Make America Great Again" hat and isn't it possible that Tom Brady, apparently a good friend and supporter of Trump, may have felt some sense of mixed loyalty yesterday?
Trump's unlikely campaign momentum has carried him to the front-runner position, for now anyway. I see his statements, and those of some of his supporters, in a good news/bad news context. The bad news of course is that they are divisive, bigoted and often based on unthruths. The good news is two-fold: first, they will serve to pull the Republican party further to the right and force his competitors to play in his space and, second, while there is a shocking level of support for his views among those voting in Republican primaries, that support will fall short among the wider population, thankfully. Among other things, he's pretty much locked up the Latino vote - for the Democrats.
Next week's game is a late kick-off (4.25pm) in Miami. It will be a significant test of how Rex Ryan can re-set and re-focus his team.
Monday, 14 September 2015
Bills 27, Colts 14
Rex Ryan is a master of media relations. Maybe not in comparison to politicians or corporate communications professionals but, as NFL coaches go, he's smart, savvy and relaxed in front of a microphone. He's a natural. He knows exactly what to say to motivate the fan base and the team and to show the appropriate deference to the team's relatively new owners, Terry and Kim Pegula.
Contrary to one of the main discussion threads from yesterday's season opening game at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor did NOT record his first career NFL start against the Indianapolis Colts. League records will show that Matt Cassel was under centre for the Bills first play from scrimmage, a trick play, in the tradition of the "wildcat" formation, which landed with a resounding thud and resulted in a six yard loss. Ryan explained in his post-game press conference that offensive coordinator Greg Roman conceived the play which went for touchdowns in practice. That led Ryan to brag about the upcoming play to game officials and to Terry Pegula as kick-off approached. Among some of his other comments, Ryan declared that the home crowd was better than the players yesterday, who were "pretty darn good" themselves. In the days leading up to the game, Ryan had called for Bills fans to make the stadium louder than ever yesterday - and they (we) responded accordingly. Noise levels when the Colts were running their offence were as loud as I can recall them ever being.
Taylor did get his first NFL start yesterday, if not officially, and he delivered a poised and confident performance by demonstrating his ability to throw the long ball on a pass to Percy Harvin, scrambling when it was required, showing a nice touch on screen and check-down passes and by not turning the ball over. Taylor has a long way to go before his name goes on the Wall of Fame at the Ralph but the 5th year man out of Virginia Tech likely went a log way towards earning the trust of Bills fans who haven't seen a real answer at quarterback since Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season.
Then, there's the defence. Andrew Luck is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL but the Bills defence contained him and his new look offence with veteran running back Frank Gore by shutting them out for nearly three quarters as the Bills offence staked them to a 24-0 lead. And possibly the Bills best defensive player, lineman Marcel Dareus, didn't even suit up yesterday as he served a one game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Word is that he likes to smoke a little bit of marijuana. The Bills signed him to a contract extension last week and I think he may have smoked a little more to celebrate. Who am I to judge?
Kitchener, Ontario native and undrafted Yale graduate Tyler Varga got a few touches for the Colts yesterday with one carry, one pass reception and two kick-off returns.
Yesterday was a great day to be a Bills fan and to help answer Rex Ryan's call for the crowd to do its part. Next week, the stakes are even bigger as the defending Superbowl champion New England Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady and his entire legal team come to Orchard Park. Can the fans make even more noise next week?
Contrary to one of the main discussion threads from yesterday's season opening game at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor did NOT record his first career NFL start against the Indianapolis Colts. League records will show that Matt Cassel was under centre for the Bills first play from scrimmage, a trick play, in the tradition of the "wildcat" formation, which landed with a resounding thud and resulted in a six yard loss. Ryan explained in his post-game press conference that offensive coordinator Greg Roman conceived the play which went for touchdowns in practice. That led Ryan to brag about the upcoming play to game officials and to Terry Pegula as kick-off approached. Among some of his other comments, Ryan declared that the home crowd was better than the players yesterday, who were "pretty darn good" themselves. In the days leading up to the game, Ryan had called for Bills fans to make the stadium louder than ever yesterday - and they (we) responded accordingly. Noise levels when the Colts were running their offence were as loud as I can recall them ever being.
Taylor did get his first NFL start yesterday, if not officially, and he delivered a poised and confident performance by demonstrating his ability to throw the long ball on a pass to Percy Harvin, scrambling when it was required, showing a nice touch on screen and check-down passes and by not turning the ball over. Taylor has a long way to go before his name goes on the Wall of Fame at the Ralph but the 5th year man out of Virginia Tech likely went a log way towards earning the trust of Bills fans who haven't seen a real answer at quarterback since Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season.
Then, there's the defence. Andrew Luck is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL but the Bills defence contained him and his new look offence with veteran running back Frank Gore by shutting them out for nearly three quarters as the Bills offence staked them to a 24-0 lead. And possibly the Bills best defensive player, lineman Marcel Dareus, didn't even suit up yesterday as he served a one game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Word is that he likes to smoke a little bit of marijuana. The Bills signed him to a contract extension last week and I think he may have smoked a little more to celebrate. Who am I to judge?
Kitchener, Ontario native and undrafted Yale graduate Tyler Varga got a few touches for the Colts yesterday with one carry, one pass reception and two kick-off returns.
Yesterday was a great day to be a Bills fan and to help answer Rex Ryan's call for the crowd to do its part. Next week, the stakes are even bigger as the defending Superbowl champion New England Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady and his entire legal team come to Orchard Park. Can the fans make even more noise next week?
Monday, 2 February 2015
Patriots 28, Seahawks 24
Pete Carrol explained the decision to call a pass on the play which effectively ended one of the most exciting Superbowls in history by simply saying that sometimes the play you call works and sometimes it doesn't. Now that I've slept on it, I don't blame him or the Seahawks for the play call. It's easy to say this morning that it was a bad call but if the relatively high percentage play had worked and the Seahawks had won their second consecutive NFL title, the decision would either be considered brilliant or, more likely, would not be discussed at all. One of the key elements of play calling is to resist the temptation to do what the defence expects and with the winning touchdown a yard away and Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, a pass would not have been what the Patriot defence was looking for. So, it didn't work and the Patriots won. That's the way it goes.
When the Stanley Cup is won, the NHL Commissioner presents it to the captain of the winning team who then (almost always - unless there's a senior player who isn't the captain and has never won a Cup before) hoists the Cup over his head and skates around the ice before handing it to a team-mate. In the NFL, the Commissioner presents the Vince Lombardi trophy not to a team captain, not to the quarterback, not to the coach or general manager but to the team's owner. Robert Kraft now has another one to add to his display case which already had three. Another thing I like about the Stanley Cup is that there is only one of them (well, apparently there are two in case the one presented is damaged) but every year, a new Vince Lombardi trophy is made and the winning team keeps it. So, there are now 49 of them out there.
As President Obama said yesterday in the kitchen of the White House, the most surprising thing to most fans about the deflated ball controversy was that the individual teams have anything to do with the "preparation" of game balls. I think that it is a virtual certainty that this will end before next season and that game balls will be the exclusive domain of game day officials who will test the balls for inflation pressure and other specifications. The league could also come up with a policy which says that, in colder weather, balls are slightly less inflated. This helps with all aspects of ball handling and would make sense in order to reduce the chances of having games with multiple turnovers. The point is that each team plays with the same balls. I say you can bet on it.
So, the games are done but the NFL off-season will swing into full gear with the college player combine next then free agency, the draft, the schedule release, OTA's and then training camps in late July. My season ticket invoice from the Bills will be arriving in my mailbox shortly. I'm not looking forward to paying it with 78 cent dollars but I will.
Here's another prediction: the Bills will have a Monday night home game in 2015 and it will be against the Dallas Cowboys. As tempting as it will be to sell my tickets on the secondary market and recover some of my currency shortfall and the cost of the two pre-season games, I will most likely go. It will surely be the latest that I will have stayed up since the last night home game in 2012.
When the Stanley Cup is won, the NHL Commissioner presents it to the captain of the winning team who then (almost always - unless there's a senior player who isn't the captain and has never won a Cup before) hoists the Cup over his head and skates around the ice before handing it to a team-mate. In the NFL, the Commissioner presents the Vince Lombardi trophy not to a team captain, not to the quarterback, not to the coach or general manager but to the team's owner. Robert Kraft now has another one to add to his display case which already had three. Another thing I like about the Stanley Cup is that there is only one of them (well, apparently there are two in case the one presented is damaged) but every year, a new Vince Lombardi trophy is made and the winning team keeps it. So, there are now 49 of them out there.
As President Obama said yesterday in the kitchen of the White House, the most surprising thing to most fans about the deflated ball controversy was that the individual teams have anything to do with the "preparation" of game balls. I think that it is a virtual certainty that this will end before next season and that game balls will be the exclusive domain of game day officials who will test the balls for inflation pressure and other specifications. The league could also come up with a policy which says that, in colder weather, balls are slightly less inflated. This helps with all aspects of ball handling and would make sense in order to reduce the chances of having games with multiple turnovers. The point is that each team plays with the same balls. I say you can bet on it.
So, the games are done but the NFL off-season will swing into full gear with the college player combine next then free agency, the draft, the schedule release, OTA's and then training camps in late July. My season ticket invoice from the Bills will be arriving in my mailbox shortly. I'm not looking forward to paying it with 78 cent dollars but I will.
Here's another prediction: the Bills will have a Monday night home game in 2015 and it will be against the Dallas Cowboys. As tempting as it will be to sell my tickets on the secondary market and recover some of my currency shortfall and the cost of the two pre-season games, I will most likely go. It will surely be the latest that I will have stayed up since the last night home game in 2012.
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