so close.... and yet so far away

Made the annual pilgrimage to Buffalo NY yesterday for the Bills v. Steelers... If you have never been, do yourself the huge favour of making Western NY high on your list for that maiden voyage- it would be truly sad if this city lost that team to larger markets like Toronto or Los Angeles as the city's rhythms are so completely in lockstep with success or failure of the franchise.The Toronto /Rogers Media experiment has been, by most accounts, a dismal failure and proves that relocation 90 minutes north does not provide a seamless transition to success. Yes, until you have experienced a tailgate in below zero temps with 80-thousand Bills crazies you haven't quite "experienced" how a community defines itself. Sadly, the on field product has been woeful the past several seasons although you must give this current roster marks for playing hard, down 13 at the half, Buffalo forced yesterday's game against the Steelers into overtime and if not for the skittish hands of Steve Johnson dropping a sure 6 in the end zone would have provided the upset of the day. Wins and losses, though, its all about wins and losses and the Bills find themselves 2-9 and looking to "next year" when hopefully the puzzle pieces assembled by GM Buddy Nix and Head Coach Chan Gailey may start to bear some success...lets hope they do for no other reason that to validate and reward a city which has been faithful and patient for too long.

Why does it seem that the US College football season is so painfully short? I recognize there are weeks still to go between this weekend's Thanksgiving regular season finales, Conference Championships, incessant Bowl Games and finally the National Championship game but it always feels like the regular season is a sprint.... yesterday's Auburn comeback illustrates what a great game this is at the collegiate level, it's too bad I always end up in January wishing and wanting for more...

This side of the border, can Saskatchewan exorcise the demons of last year's Grey Cup disaster and hoist the trophy that should have been theirs to defend. The ghosts of that debacle may be present tomorrow but lets hope if opportunity is there, the Green Riders end up on the winning side based on play on the field not specials teams inability to count..... all that being said: Montreal 31 Saskatchewan 28

Week 12

Couple of musings on the NFL- Week 12-
1. you just knew Cincy was going to find away to pull out a loss against The J-E-T-S last night, a gutsy first half followed up by an offensive sputter in the final 30 leaves the Bengals 2-9 and no doubt Marvin Lewis praying for Week 17 and a chance to start anew. Palmer, Owens, Ochocinco, yeah this team should be better by a lot and although the JETS may be the luckiest team in the league, 9-2 is 9-2 and Gang Green is hanging with the Pats, ready for a showdown in Foxboro December 6th
2. Tip o' the cap to Westwood One radio duo of Ian Eagle and Boomer Esiason covering last night's Bengals/Jets game - Esiason is among the best doing analysis and compared to the Millen and Theismann show on NFL Network, the radio work was light year's ahead.
3. So if you are Jeff Fisher, Bud Adams and Vince Young how do you make this all work out? Bud-back the coach, it's that simple...J Jones would love Fisher in Big D, so do the right thing for the fans in Nashville,
4. Chilly- Happy Trails...not sure you are the best coach on the planet but I am quite certain you did not deserve having the can tied to you from all that is Brett Favre...again ownership, you made your call now lets see if Mssrs Favre and Frazier can salvage something, anything in the weeks to come- not holding my breath.
5. Wow- how bad is Monday nights game? Cardinals and 49er's- could it be Two and a Half Men for the first time this autumn....there is nothing compelling about this one- nada.