There has been a lot of issue taken in the past few days with Ralph Wilson's comments. A lot of that has been a hand wringing that it means the Bills will pass on a franchise signal caller because of his comments relative to Ryan Fitzpatrick. I don't think those comments really mean anything (what do you expect an owner to say about his current starting QB?) No, my issue is with something else that Wilson said.

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OK...so someone made a reference to the 12 days of Christmas around here the other day, and I see a Fan Shot of the 2008 Buffalo Bills singing the 12 Days of Christmas (for some reason) and it got me thinking.

If I were to write "The 12 years with no playoffs" what would the lyrics be? Then I thought, "I'm way to lazy to research all that to get correct numbers". So...I ask you.....

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OK, I am trying to tinker with my lineup before the fantasy playoffs starts. I have 1 allowable transaction remaining and this is the last week I can make a transaction (no transactions during fantasy playoffs except for emergencies). My current crop of wide receivers are: Calvin Johnson, Wes Welker, Johnny Knox, Sidney Rice, and Jerome Simpson. I start three WRs each week. I am seeing if there is an upgrade out there for the #3 WR spot. Fantasy playoffs are from weeks 14-16 and I likely am not going to have a week 14 bye. So....Lance Moore is available. Would you pick him up for the remainder of the season instead of either Rice or Simpson? Rice is coming off his 2nd concussion in three weeks, but when he and Tavaris Jackson have both been healthy (which hasn't been often), his results have been pretty good. Simpson, lately has come up with a decent amount of double digit weeks (but just a one last week and a zero a few weeks before that). Again, Knox would likely be my current WR3 this week, but this is about upgrading my bench or the WR3 spot for the fantasy playoffs. I also don't know if I trust a Saints WR for the remainder of the season the way Brees spreads it around. Simpson and Rice have more yards than Moore, but thanks to Moore having 4 touchdowns in the last four games (2 last week), Moore has more points.

Some more info:

Rice's fantasy playoff schedule (if healthy): STL, @CHI, SF

Simpson's fantasy playoff schedule: HOU, @STL, ARI

Moore's fantasy playoff schedule: @Ten, @Min, ATL

So....Should I pick up Moore or keep what I have? If I pick up Moore, who should I drop?

I found it difficult to watch the video the NHL released supporting their decision to suspend Kaleta.  Not because it annoyed me, but because it was a Sabre doing all of that cheap and dirty stuff.  In the past few years, Kaleta has gone from guy who hit everything that moved (and hit it hard) to a guy who headbutts, elbows, and taunts players about their divorces.  He's on the verge of becoming a clown in the NHL.  He also is going to play himself out of a job for his hometown team if he doesn't clean up his act.  Does anyone seriously doubt that as soon as Kassian is ready for the NHL the spot he'll take belongs to Kaleta?  He's Kaleta with offensive skill and he hasn't ticked off the league or begun losing his own fans yet.  I know, he's a top line player and not a bottom line player, but he replaces Kaleta's edge and style, not his actual place on a line.  

You've now officially hurt a team that needs a win streak because you went for a move you've already been fined for.   I wish the best for Kaleta's career in Buffalo, but intentionally headbutting someone?  Knock it off man.

So, I am in a 12 team keeper league. My keeper has been (and barring catastrophic injury will continue to be) Adrian Peterson. This year, the day before rumors of a third surgery appeared in the news, I drafted Peyton Manning in the 4th round. I decided to stash him on my bench and see what happens. My QBs are Flacco and Hasselbeck. I am, however, weak at WR3 and TE. So, should I drop Manning (and hope he doesn't play this year) and pick up Tebow? My thinking is this: I may be able to trade one of those three QBs for an upgrade at WR or TE. No one seems to be biting on trade proposals for Manning right now. Or, should I wait it out and see if Manning comes back for the stretch run. My team is pretty stacked other than that (Forte, Welker, C. Johnson, Peterson). If Manning were to play the end of the season, I'd be hard to beat....on the other hand, it's like holding a lottery ticket and waiting for you numbers to be called, though you know the odds are astronomically against you.

I've been having a hard time getting my head around this Bills team all year.  I am what you might call an "optimistic pessimist".  I always hope for the best and can find reason to be encouraged, but constantly remind myself (and others) of the failures of the Bills and of some of the current players.  So, call this a mea culpa, a brain dump, or whatever you want, but here are my thoughts on this team (notice me still hedging my bets at the end.).

1. This team is for real.  A real shot to be 4-0 next week against a Bengals team that lost their home opener to San Francisco and only managed to score 8 points.  I hope the Bills manage to figure out how to cover tight ends by then b/c Gresham is a nice security blanket for a rookie QB.  As a Bills fan, I don't want to get cocky, but this should be a win.  Let's hope it's not a letdown game.
2. The thing that makes the victory vs. the Pats all the more awesome:  I now look at their schedule and say "That should be a win, that could be a win, they could win that game". At no point am I putting an L down.  I'm putting down a W with a question mark.  They should beat:  They should beat the Bengals, the Dolphins twice, the Titans and the Broncos.  I think they will split with the Jets.  If I am correct, that takes them to nine wins.  10 wins probably makes the playoffs and 11 pretty much guarantees it (I hope).  Will they win three of the following games:  Eagles, Giants, Redskins (I think they win at least one of those games), the Chargers (who I am not impressed with...I see that being a game the Bills win b/c the Chargers don't respond well to adversity or getting punched in the mouth).  That alone would be 11.  Am I crazy?  Am I now a pessimistic optimist instead of an optimistic pessimist.  This will be a great week for me.  Let's hope they come out ready to take the game away from the Bengals early.
3. Could the day have gone any better?  The Bills end up as the lone unbeaten in the AFC.  They have what amounts to a 2 game lead on the Pats and a 1 game lead on the Jets.  That week 16 game could be might important.  The Patriots have to play the Raiders (who might be better than I gave them credit for) and the Jets have to play the Ravens.  If the Bills can take care of business next week, they will be in the drivers seat (there is a sentence I never thought I'd type).
4. Fred Jackson is the man.  Sign him!  Fitz is the man.  Sign him!  Stevie Johnson is the man.  Sign him!  They are the heart and soul of that offense.  Lock them up and do it now.  They've proven that they don't need stud tackles w/ their scheme, so use that money you are saving to lock those guys up.  I don't care if you are paying Spiller starter money, he's not an every down back even if he develops to the fullest of his potential.  Whenever Freddy has the ball, he gets the job done.  Lock him up now.
5. I love Bryan Scott.  I just seems like there are plays he can make where he is the only one on the team capable of making them.  He might get caught in a mismatch with a faster RB every once in a while, but the man can play.
6. Kudos to Leodis for picking off that pass.  I am one of his harshest critics.  When he picked off that pass I said "I will not say anything bad about him for the rest of the game.....actually, I don't think I can do it b/c he will do something ridiculous"  which he did with that lame tackle attempt on Welker that injured Williams.  That said, the impact of that interception was huge.
7. George Wilson - I don't know what to make of you.  All day I was jonesing to come up with a big tackle or pass breakup and it seemed like you were just a step behind.  Then, you pick off that pass.  Great work.  I still don't know what to make of you, but the D in general reminds me of what Pats fans said about their D in weeks 1 and 2.  They get exploited, but when they need a big stop, they get it or force a turnover. 
8. I don't know if I want D. Bell to get paid big time left tackle money, but I know I don't want him to just walk away.  Getting scared into thinking his starting spot was in jeopardy lit a fire under him.  Hopefully they can lock him up for a reasonable price and bring in a young guy to push him a little in training camp.  Real competition might be just what he needs.
9. Chan Gailey - what can I say.  I'd like your team to execute better in the 1st quarter.  I hate that you defer kickoffs (especially to Brady), but you know your team.  They come to play in the second half.  They players and coaches learn from the 1st half and you know you want the ball to start the second half.  And does anyone else here doubt that Dick Jauron would have had Fred Jackson run the ball into the end zone at the end of the game?  Even before the penalty drove them back (Reinhart - what are you doing with a false start on a kneel down), he was determined to take time off the clock to increase the chance of victory.  Also, the announcers never pointed out that the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on NE guaranteed the Bills a victory.  I was yelling "the Bills just won the game" and the announcers were still blabbering on.  I think the Bills might be earning a better announcing crew, no?
10. I like Drayton Florence.  It seems like I'm always annoyed with him b/c he bails on tackles, etc. but the man is always the one to look to when you want/need a game changing big play.  Not just a pick, but taking it back a ways or all the way.  Glad we resigned him.
11.   OK, now to start the things that still worry me (I am an optimistic pessimist after all).  If Donnie Avery can pass a physical, I think the Bills should sign him.  Roosevelt and Martin were invisible.  This team is one WR injury away from serious trouble.  Signing him is very much a win now move and if he's healthy, is a clear upgrade.
12. Man.  DJ drafted all those DBs and now I feel there is no depth there.  How did that happen?
13. The Bills use of the wildcat still disappoints me.  It just seems like Smith is another toy that Chan is still trying to figure out how to use.  If he can be seasons end, that's one more tool in the toolbox.
14. Merriman, where art thou?  He's helped against the run...but, we need a pass rush at some point.  He's supposed to provide it and right now he's as good a pass rusher as Kelsay.  He'll get there occasionally (hopefully) but....
15. Barnett can't commit that roughness penalty.  I, in general, didn't like the lack of discipline in the first half.  That's something that needs to be fixed if they are looking to win the division.
16. The Bills need to load up on pass rushers and secondary help in the draft.  If they can do that and keep most of the pieces on D, they could very well be contenders.
17. I am pissed about the Toronto game.  Here the team is a playoff contender and they have a home game taken away.  I'm usually pissed about it, but I'm more pissed now b/c the game will be really important.  That needs to be fixed no matter how much money it makes.  It's not like the team is unprofitable or anything.

So, there you have it.  I'm loving this team right now, and while they are giving me a heart attack, I think I can finally say that I think this team will make the playoffs.  Did I just say that?  Did I just jinx the team? 

There are reports that there are several teams (Florida and Colorado among them) that are looking to spend big to get to the salary cap floor.  So, the question people are asking is, how will this impact Free Agency?  Does it drive up prices? 

I have two thoughts that probably more directly impact the Sabres below

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The Flyers organization and their fans seem to be very good at making excuses for their losses.  I wonder:  What will the excuse for Game 5 be?  Will it be Lindy Ruff?  Gerbe?  Myers?  The officiating (yawn)?  The booing of the crowd?  Perhaps (if we're lucky) it will be the fact that they have 3 horrible goaltenders (and have for about 15 years)? 

So:  You make the call.  What will be the Flyers excuse tonight?  Did I make the right call above, or will it be something else (that is hopefully more creative and funny...hint, hint).  Most recs wins.

I've been thinking a lot about what I would like to hear the new owner of the Sabres say today.  Ultimately, I realize that it doesn't really matter what he says, it is what he does.  However, below is what his initial statement today would sound like if he had asked me for what I thought.  What do you think?

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted here.  Two reasons.  Life is nuts and I have time to check in, but little time to put any thoughts into anything.  Two:  I don’t have cable anymore for $ saving purposes so I haven’t seen too many games (it was the one reason I resisted cancelling cable, but I think I picked a good season to do it!) so posting opinions about what is wrong is much more difficult from reading commentaries and summaries than it is to do when they are winning and it is obvious as to what is going well.  I’m going to start doing more radio and game threads...I think.

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I'm a realist.  I realize that the preseason doesn't necessarily mean anything, and often doesn't.  But for a team such as the Bills, I think there are many benchmarks that can be used to measure success.  In my mind, tonight will be a success if (Disclaimer:  not all of these things needs to occur, just a few of them to, you know, give me some hope):

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Been a while since I've been able to spend a lot of times on Rumblings other than just perusing the site during my lunch.  So, here's what has been going on in my head...at least the thoughts fit to print :)

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OK, with the Olympic break here, I thought I would be the perfect time to have another caption contest (or two) to kills some of the time we have until the next Sabres game.  Perhaps the Sabres should investigate looking into this  move over the break to help their goal scoring.  Let's see what the warped minds of Die by the Blades can do with this one!  Most recs wins.  Best of luck.

Oh, one more thing:

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

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