Say It Ain't So, Marv!

by Ryan


A text message from Marv Levy just gave me some heartbreaking news: first cuts were today.

I thought I had another day to relish the glory that is dead roster weight, but Marv had to pull the rug out early.

While the release says the most surprising move was cutting Morgan, I was shocked to see D.J Fitzpatrick go. First of all, who cuts a K/P combo like that? Sure, he couldn't put a kickoff or punt past the 15, but he can do both half decently. I think that makes up for it.

Besides, he had the best tackle of the game on Friday. Why not retain him for his ability to make shoestring tackles to save touchdowns? Forget keeping him for special teams, put him at corner and let him loose. The way preseason has looked we are going to need a lot of shoestring tackles to keep the score under 40 this year.

This is a serious blow to me personally. D.J was the first person I could call "Fitzy" since our write in friend Rory straddled the puck in Game 7 of the ECF against the 'Canes. I'm not about to call my punter "Mormy" anytime soon, and Rian Lindell's parents already screwed his first name up enough.

Just a depressing day in sports for us all.

Oh, and Michael Vick yaddayaddayaddaoveranalyzetress regurgitatemurderprisonrapejokeetcetera.

Glad we have that covered.

The Other Half

by Ryan


"Well, at least the first half wasn't so bad."

In most preseason games, taking that statement away from what you watched would be considered a good sign. Sure, your 3rd and 4th string squad may have made some mistakes, but the first team looked pretty good while they were in there.

Friday night was half of that story. While Losman struggled at times, there were the flashes of brilliance we have come to know. Two long outs were executed perfectly, and while 9/20 with one INT doesn't exactly dazzle, we all know what we saw in his 64 yard TD pass to Evans.

Marshawn Lynch(9 rushes for 9 yards) didn't look like the "Money" pick we want him to be, but you just can't say what we will see just yet.

The other half of the story was on the Defensive side of the ball. That side is shaping up to be a train wreck.

There is something to be said about Kerry Collins running you over. But what can you say when it's your first team defense that gets trounced?

The scary thing is that it doesn't feel like an abberation. It wasn't just about Kerry Collins' two touchdowns, or the 28 points against. Again, it was missed tackles and a microscopic pass rush that crippled any defensive stops.

Since camp began, the two major concerns have been the youth on D and J.P.'s development as a quarterback. Three games have passed and we still have those same questions. It's a very startling thing to think about.

After the Falcons game I felt as though progress had been made. The loss wasn't what was important, it didn't mean anything. Friday's loss felt much worse. Take away the aformentioned TD from Fred Jackson and we were officially blown out by the one-two punch of Vince Young and Kerry Collins. Eeep.

There are three weeks until the opener against Denver, and I still have no idea what this team can do. The one thing I do know, however, is that if they don't go out and destroy Jon Kitna and the Lions on Thursday my expectations will dip down pretty low. Jon Kitna thinks his team can win 13 games this year.

If they want me to think we can break even, they better show up.

Ice Bowl-O A-Go-Go

By Chris

Well, it's technically almost official. According to "various NHL sources," The Buffalo News is reporting that the Ice Bowl between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins will be played on January 1 outdoors at Ralph Wilson Stadium on NBC. Still no word on how tickets will be distributed or how much of my paycheck will be going towards them.


An official official statement is supposed to come down from Sabres brass on September 10 and if that doesn't get you pumped for the new hockey season, NHL 08 will be released the next day. My toes are starting to get frostbite just thinking about it. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the game will include an unlockable outdoor rink.

The Other Fast Freddy

by Ryan

Before we get to the sobering reality of last night's game, let us pause to enjoy the fine wares NFL Europa has had to offer.






Yes, the bigger runs were before that, but that was one heck of a shoulder bump there. Fred Jackson knows how to celebrate meaningless touchdowns, my friends.

More on last night's train wreck to follow...

Aflie All Over Your Chest

by Ryan


If you haven't noticed, I'm a big fan of uniforms, especially with the entire NHL overhauling how they roll. So of course I was interested in this press release about the new Senators logo.

After a quick onceover, however, I wasn't as focused on those massive color splotches under the arms as I should be. (Seriously, why is everyone going for that confetti explosion look when they score?)

I mean is it just me, or is the new Senators logo modled after Daniel Alfredsson? Look closely at the giant photo of him top right. You're telling me that crest isn't Alfie with a broom on his head? Sure, nose shape is questionable, but how many people do you know that stare so intently at nothing?

Of course, that picture could have been taken after the new logo is finalized. ("Hey Alfie, look Roman/metrosexual for me in this one..." *CLICK*)

Still, I'm not here to argue for the chicken or the egg. All I'm saying is that there is a strong resemblance betweej that logo and someone on the team, and it certianly isn't Oleg Saprykin.

Actually, this "create a logo in your captain's likeness" thing isn't a bad idea. After all, he is the face of your team. (For better or worse.)

Still, it may not work for everyone. Somehow I don't think this will work. What about this? Wait, wait... I think we have a winner.

Come To Pappin!

by Ryan

Leafs fans rejoiced all over Canada today, as conclusive evidence of an impending Stantley Cup Champoinship was discovered... in Florida.

Now I know what you are thinking (whaaaaaa?), but let me blow your mind here.

Jim Pappin was on the last Maple Leafs team to win the Stanley Cup. 1967. After he got traded, he gave away his ring and disowned the team. The ring soon was lost. Until today.

This is it, the missing link. Pappin's ring is just like The Babe's Piano, and now that the ring will be returned to it's rightful owner, the Leafs are bound to take care of bussiness!

Oh man... this is just like that Tragically Hip song! That ring is Bill Barilko, and now that it's found the Leafs can be good again! Someone call Gordon Downie up, he's got another song coming. He can call it "Underwater Metal Detector Treasure"... or something. Let him work it out, he's the talent.

So while we all order those "Stanley 08" Leafs jerseys, let us gaze upon the face of a champion.

Seattle is a OK.

by Ryan


Sometimes it is very clear just how blind justice is.

The NBA is a league that suspends players based on a slide rule, forces them to shop at Brooks Brothers, and stays mum on tampering from within its very core. In an era in which it seems every major sports league has its problems, it is safe to argue that the NBA suddenly has the worst of it.

So in this dire time of turmoil, David Stern must to be summoned to crack down on unruly behavior in his league from now on. To start, he punishes for being honest.

It is no secret that the new ownership group of the Seattle Sonics is mostly from the Oklahoma City area. It is also no secret that Seattle is struggling to get a new arena deal. Anyone with any sense of timing has to wonder why a bunch of guys from Oklahoma City are suddenly buying a basketball team from Washington. So why is there punishment for being honest?

Now I know there is protocol for these sort of things, which means lying, lying, and lying. But frankly, I appreciate the honesty Aubrey McClendon brought forth. Here is what he said:

"We started to look around, and at that time the Sonics were going through some ownership challenges in Seattle. So Clay, very artfully and skillfully, put himself in the middle of those discussions and to the great amazement and surprise to everyone in Seattle, some rednecks from Oklahoma, which we've been called, made off with the team."

If you are reading this from a rainy Starbucks cafe you are probably nodding to yourself. The man isn't lying; an ownership group swooped in because Seattle can't seem to get an arena deal done. The new owners have ties to an area that has shown a big interest in housing a team. Is there any guess to a possible relocation site if a new building in Seattle falls through? Yeah, I was thinking Moosejaw, Saskatchewan as well.

What bothers me about Stern punishing McClendon and his ownership group is that it is only a measure to save face. He should know as well as anyone what that group's intentions are with the Sonics. Yet when those intentions are revealed to the public you lose your cool? Why not stop the sale instead of fining new owners for having candor about their plans? And why must the ownership group try to distance themselves from McClendon's statements?

It is an interesting parallel to his former protegee Gary Bettman, who has been much more aggressive in ownership struggles. The NHL has taken a much firmer stance on keeping teams in their current markets since the most recent league expansion.

Ensuring owners have local interests in Pittsburg, Buffalo, Ottawa, and most recently in Nashville is a much different approach to letting ownership groups come in with intentions unlike Stern's (or Bettman's). And while some potential owners have been scared away more than once, Bettman has stood strongly behind his vision for the league and the current markets his teams play in.

Whatever effect that will have on the state of the NHL is yet to be determined. However, it is a unique occurance when Bettman out performs his former mentor in any aspect. Stern's decision to fine an owner with conflicting goals seems petty at best, no matter what image it depicts to Sonics fans. Seattle knows what is in store for its basketball team if an arena falls through, just as Sabres fans knew the score when John Rigas was carted off to prison. The same can be said for Penguins fans when Mario was getting tired of running the show.

Hopefully for Seattle's sake the Sonics' fate will be the same as Buffalo and Pittsburgh. If not, one must wonder if David Stern could have done more to prevent a move.

Money is money, but home will always be home.

Welcome Back

by Ryan


This is where the summer ends
In a flash of pure destruction, no one wins
going nuclear, nuclear.
-Ryan Adams


In hindsight, deleting this blog may be the best thing to happen to it.

The good news is that everything is back to normal, comments and all. There is a lesson in this: if you want something bad enough, spam the crap out of Blogger Support until they give in. (In a related story, the rest of the Roost is entitled to punch me in the face at a time to be determined later...)

Sure, the past two days have been exhausting, and I hate myself for being stupid enough to kill it. But I did just get to use a Ryan Adams quote, and being forced to read 120+ posts has helped me gain a bit of perspective on things.

This blog really is in its infancy, but we’ve had to cover a lot of important events so far. Chris Drury and Daniel Briere are gone, and we may have just witnessed the apex of hockey’s popularity in Buffalo.

But what does this mean? Here we are, just fans of the game, writing about what we know and love. But there are so many "hockey fans" around here these days that it’s hard to get a good grasp of what people think. Blogs are popping up all over, analyzing things with absolutes and rash statements about anything involving the ice.

So what does this mean? Nothing. These things shall pass, and sooner or later the genuine article will stay around.

I would like to think that we are the genuine article. I know that this hockey thing isn’t going to fade from my life anytime soon. In fact, I’ve been salivating for a sheet of ice since summer began. This is a part of me, as much as my lack of a jump shot and good dodgeball skills are.

One of the things I’ve noticed about my posts is that many of them involve hope. Personally I feel that hope is a necessity when dealing with the Buffalo sports scene. If you haven’t noticed, we haven’t won anything substantial in decades. This sort of puts you in a pessimistic state when you think about it.

Still, I believe there is something good in sports. No matter how bad your team may be, there can be joy taken from it.

The upcoming Bills season is a perfect example of this. To he quite honest, I’m terrified of this Bills team. It has the potential to be exciting, but excruciatingly mistake-filled. This defense could kill any chance for a winning team at the exact same time J.P. Losman could make "the leap" and play like he should.

Is this unfair? Well, no, it’s football. And if there is anything we have learned from sports it is that it emulates life perfectly in regards to fairness.

Even so, there are going to be moments of joy. I still remember those two 83 yard bombs Evans caught in Reliant Stadium last year. Out of everything, even the loss on Christmas Eve, that is the most vivid memory I have of the season.

So here’s to J.P making the leap, Money making us smile, and some good memories that make it all worth it.

Oh, and always read the warnings when you are pressing buttons. Don’t be an RJ.

Fantasy Football will be the death of me.....

By Jon

Tomorrow is the day that I look forward to more than nearly any other day of the calendar year. That's right ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow is the fifth annual Fig Nuts Fantasy Football Draft.

It's true, folks. I look forward to my Fantasy Football draft more than my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Chrismahanukwanzaakuh, combined. Most will argue that this is a testament to the sad life of which I call my own, and to be perfectly honest, I would be inclined to agree.

A bit of background on Fig Nuts Fantasy football. Started before the 2003 season, a few of my close friends and I started a league based out our hometown of Lockport. Our first season resulted in us scrambling for teams to participate on draft night, and we had a somewhat successful inaugural season with an eight-team league despite none of us knowing what the hell we were doing. The next year we expanded to ten teams, with us switching over to a keeper-league format last year. We had one opening this year, and had four or five candidates to fill that spot (None other than the Roost's own Ryan took that spot). We've come a long ways, and now owners show up to draft night with briefcases, laptops, and dozens of magazines.

I can't really tell you why I enjoy it so much. Truth be told, my Fantasy strength most certainly does not rest in my drafting abilities. Ask any of my league-mates how my quarterbacking trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, and Daunte Culpepper worked out last year. Note to self: Drafting players while thinking, "Hell, one of them has to pan out," is a god-awful strategy.

Furthermore, predictability will reign supreme. I can put a Goose's Roost guarantee that this is what will go down tomorrow night....

1) I will wait too long on a quarterback. Each year I convince myself that quarterbacks are a dime a dozen, and that I will be alright with a David Carr-esque QB leading my team.

2) I won't be prepared. Every single freakin year I promise myself that I will read up, make lists, and go in with a strategy. Guess how much preparation I have done. Zip. Zero. Zilch.

3) I will put too much thought into who will be available at my next pick. I can't tell you how many times I have waited one round too long for a player I want, only to have him snatched up three picks before me.

4) I will put far too little stock in tight ends, kickers, and defenses. Another note to self: A eighth-string wideout is not more important than a first string tight end.

5) I will be heavily distracted at some point. My ADD will kick in, and I will be forced to rush several picks as a result of not paying attention.

6) The team I criticize most will end up being the best team. Regardless of who it is, whomever picks the team that I deem the worst will win the league. Another reason why I suck at this game....

7) I will come out of the draft thinking I have the best team. I won't. Guaranteed.

Despite all of this, I am going to walk into the draft room being the cockiest piece of crap that I can be. I feel like this is my year. I felt like last year was my year, and the year before, and so on and so forth. That's what's great about Fantasy Football, every year is your year.

Now if only we could say that about our hometown team...

Wha ha happened was...

by Ryan

There isn't a braile version of the Goose's Roost.

Now while this is a great injustice and should be taken care of someday, it only proves that if you can see what you are reading. (If you are being read to, man up and use your eyes, sissy.)

That means you can also see the shiny new header we are using. I know it's nothing revolutionary, but it is phase one of redesigning the Goose's Roost in preparation for the upcoming fall. Stay tuned for more pretty things, most of them spawning from MS Paint.

The bad news about that vision thing is that if you look closely you will notice our archives are a bit light at the moment. That's because I accidentally deleted the entire site a few hours ago.

The explanation for this occurance is more complex and utterly stupid than you can imagine; but trust me when I say that the other Roost members will never let me live it down. (Hey, even the best of us have made that mistake...)

Because of this, I am now in charge of reposting every article on this site. So far I have located all of June and a few recent posts. Please bear with me as I scour the series of tubes we call the Internet for my own writing. In the meantime we will operate as usual, and I encourage you to keep coming back for frequent updates.

However, if for some reason you want to find our first post, well, let me know when you find it...

Big Poppa

By Chris

Just to update a previous post, Buffalo Sabres winger Thomas Vanek is now a proud father.

Thanks to the translation generator at dictionary.com for this pretty accurate account from Vanek's website:

16. August 2007

Thomas is proud dad!

With one day delay to the calculated birth date came Vanek junior to the world. Friend Ashley brought a healthy boy to the world.

At 9.35 o'clock local time was it so far: The first common baby of Thomas and Freundin Ashley saw the light of the world in Minneapolis/pc. Paul.

The most important data: The son of our ice hockey Cracks weighs 3.7 Kilos with 53 cm size.

First statement: " The baby is beautiful and very good. Mother and child go it well, everything are ok.

The name is not certain, however in the next days here is announced. Also it will give then here to see the first baby photos.

The team of thomasvanek.at wishes much luck to the young family and all property!

And, Thomas, even though I'm not entirely sure what "son of our ice hockey Cracks" means, the next celebratory cigar is complements of the Roost.

An HD View of Imaginary Football

by Ryan


Preseason games just don't have excitement attached to them. A fan's feelings during preseason football can be broken down into a few simple categories:

1. Oh no that guy's on my fantasy team please get up.
2. We suck because we are hiding the good plays.
3. That 4th stringer isn't that bad.
4. Thank God I didn't pay to watch this.
   

Well, I did pay to go see the Bills' first preseason game. But thanks to the fine folks at Stubhub, I paid a mere $4 for this beautiful view. Suffice to say, the parking cost more than my entire night, food included.

The first thing I noticed when I got to my seat was the new Jumbotron, which is as good as advertised. My camera phone couldn't get a very good picture of it, but let me assure you that the picture quality is as crisp as I've ever seen. My only complaint is that they somehow didn't have room for the timeouts on the main screen. The fact that you could probably watch the game from Batavia on it does seem to make up for that, however.

Just after the kickoff the injury cart went flying by with Ryan Denney on it. Turns out he has a broken foot, which is probably the worst text message the Bills have sent me all season. Anthony Hargrove had a very good game tonight, but with his suspension looming the Bills have suddenly become very weak at Defensive End.

I was let down by the lack of Vick-related paraphernalia at tonight's game. Really thought the ad wizards would have stepped it up for us. Don't you think the PA should have played "Who Let the Dogs Out?" when the Falcons took the field? Shouldn't that be mandatory for all their road games this year?

The good news is that the Joey Harrington Experience is everything it has been advertised. Other than gift wrapping an interception for Terrence McGee he was mostly designated to hand the ball off to "everyone but Jerious Norwood". A young man by the name of Snelling did some damage against the Bills run D, but Coy Wire also blew him up on a shuffle pass from a panicked Harrington.

Poz was a key stopper in a Goalline stand on Hotlanta's first possession, and made a few key tackles in the face of blockers. He continues to look good as a rookie, impressing me enough to consider a jersey purchase.

Marshawn Lynch was much more active in tonight's game, and looked comfortable starting. He was also the coolest post game interview, reminding me again of why I am going to love him in the backfield. Unlike other rookies, he doesn't seem to be prepped on what to say to the press, and was both candid and entertaining with his comments. I personally can't wait to watch him when it counts.

Also looking much more poised was J.P. Losman, who continues to look less frantic in the pocket. His new snapper Duke Preston didn't help him much, and his balls were a bit off at times, but I will take baby steps from J.P., especially in a preseason game.

Trent Edwards looked very good again tonight. Playing the entire second half, he made the throw of the night to Roscoe Parrish for a touchdown. Rolling to his left, he stopped in the face of a defender, set his feet, and threw a perfect sideline pass to Parrish five yards deep in the end zone. I don't smell a QB controversy brewing, but suddenly that draft pick doesn't seem so pointless anymore.

With preseason football it is hard to know what to make of the results, both positive and negative. Anything can be scrutinized and overblown because of the simple fact that the results are meaningless. When the final score doesn't matter, anyone can make one good catch mean a jump up the depth chart; just as one blown coverage is worthy of walking papers.

What does matter was that it felt good to be back in Orchard Park. For the first time in months football was relevant in Buffalo, and while the score didn't matter, it felt good to be a part of it.

Even A Norris Trophy Can't Make That Look Good

by Ryan

Just when we thought this whole jersey redesign was going pretty okay, we get stopped dead in our tracks. I mean sure, there have been some mistakes along the way, but the Panthers unis have sucked since the onset. Still, there have been some positive strides made in the aesthetic appeal of hockey, even in Columbus.

Then the Red Wings had to come and gay it all up.

I'm not even sure what to say about that travesty. Let's face it, folks, it looks like a freaking nightgown from that angle. I'm sure the 80+ crowd in Detroit is going bonkers over the redesign as we speak.

Seriously though, the half moons or whatever the Free Press wants to call them look like garbage. I'm sure some brilliant mind at RBK thought it proper to design a hockey jersey around some frat boy's party getup, but I declare shenanigans on the polo-form. I guess when you consider how many Russians they have on the team, half of those frat tails will be tucked in, but isn't knowing what's there half the terror?

Besides, you can't hide the "C" and "A" going on the right. That's just gay. And here I thought the Sabres had the market cornered on the right chest, but that freaking winged wheel had to get in the way. Now I know it's been done before somewhere in that 82 year history, but it's still going to look backwards, well, forever.

If there was one uniform design that everyone respected and wanted to go unscathed during this disaster of an off season, it was the Red Wings. But could they stay true to the path? No. They tinkered, and it looks like crap.

Say what you will. Tell me I'm going to get used to it. Call me a whiner. Say that the new fabrics can wash my car and change my oil. Whatever. I'm still going to be averting my eyes when the Pinstripe Panthers play Pi Kappa Beta at the Joe. But hey, as long as they stay dry...

An Existential At Bat

by Ryan


I've been thinking a lot about baseball recently.

I guess it's only fair, seeing as it's the only thing going on. If you are new to the site, we have some pretty conflicting rooting interests here in the Roost. Jon is a New York Yankees fan, while I am a firm believer in the way of the Red Sox. And while I won't wuss out and run for president of Red Sox Nation, I am seriously considering getting one of these beauties.

That being understood, you would think I have something interesting to say about the AL East and the gradual slipping the Sox have been doing over the past month. Yet somehow, I really don't know what there is to say. All year I have believed that it will happen; that the Sox will start to lose a few here and there, and the Yankees will get it together at the All Star Break and make a push.

I'm no psychic, they are simply too good a team not to. There is too much money on the payroll for it to happen otherwise. So while the numbers dwindle, and Michael Kay's erection grows, all I can say is I told you so.

It's a strange thing, living here as a Sox fan. YES Network is on basic cable. Do you know what that's like? It's a Holy Day if I can get a Sox broadcast at all, but Satan and Co. has a constant feed going on channel 71. Every day I have to watch "the other guys" while Papi and friends play on a three digit channel I don't have. (The theory is if I save to buy a better TV, I will upgrade to digital HD. It's a preliminary theory at the moment...)

Still, as I sit praying someone beats the Yankees, I can't help but be calm about it. Yes, things have changed since this whole "rivalry" entered my life. It is overstated, yes. It is repeated relentlessly, in fact. But there is a complete truth to it, and something that will never be proven otherwise.

Dave Roberts happened.

Sure, he's on the west coast now, but he took that base, the Sox took that series; and whether anyone else knows it, my life has never been the same.

Every sporting event I've seen from that point on has been viewed with a different pair of eyes. Dave Roberts made the cliche Aiddas made famous come true: Impossible is nothing. It may not always happen, but when it does you will never forget where you were when you saw it.

Let's face it, being a sports fan sucks. You have no control over any aspect of the game. You can't make roster decisions, call plays, or even suggest what logo to wear. (And even when you do, some fruitcake is going to pick Steely McBeam...) It's expensive, time consuming, and emotionally draining.

Yet all it takes is that one moment to make it all worthwhile. Sometimes it takes 90 feet. Sometimes 90 yards. Others 90 seconds. But when it happens, and when you finally get to celebrate what we've dreamed about since childhood; there is no comparison.

Someday it will happen here, you know. It's bound to eventually. In the meantime, I will celebrate Wake two hitting the D-Rays, praying Dice K pulls it together, and Youk and the boys keep hitting. It's a long way to October, but all you have to be is in the hunt to make it fun.

I trust we'll be there.

Maddenoliday

By, Jon

Before I begin writing, I must warn our loyal readers that the statement I am going to attempt to prove may come as a shock to some, and may appall others. I didn't run this idea by my fellow writers, but frankly, I don't care. I guess this is a bit of a disclaimer: The following statement represents the feelings of the author and the author only, and may not be shared with fellow Roosters.

That being said..............

Any person who waits outside of a store at midnight to pick up the newest edition of Madden needs to find a hobby. Seriously.

Did you look around you? I'm sure you felt great about your position in life while you where standing there in your Chad Johnson jersey (Ocho Cinco sure can catch a bomb on Madden) at a video game store that is usually overrun with 12-year-olds sporting thick-rimmed glasses being escorted by ma or pa.

Stores everywhere are sold out by now, without a doubt. Copies will probably pop up on E-bay for well over face value. All to buy basically the same game as last year, just with updated team and player rankings. Wow! What a steal! In fact, I would go as far as saying the game hasn't changed since 2003. Sure there may be new mini-games or whatever other scams they put in there to keep people buying the new versions, and with the new systems being internet capable, you could probably get some sort of patch to update the players and rankings anyways (I am in no way a video game nut, so that could be totally false.) Anyone who wishes to argue with me that this is worth 60 bones and an all-nighter every year will lose. Guaranteed. I will fight that battle to the grave. Try me.

Also, Madden strategy does not equal NFL strategy. The next time someone tries to talk football with me and references a play or anything from Madden, I might drop-kick them. I can't even tell you how many times this has happened to me. You can know everything there is to know about Madden and not know a damn thing about real football.

I'm not saying that every Madden player is like this. I, myself, am I proud owner of Madden 2005 and 2007 (purchased 15 dollars each in 2005 and 2007, respectively). A good amount of my friends play religiously, and can put me to shame with football knowledge (especially fantasy football.) But after witnessing the beginnings of a Madden tournament on a simple trip to my local video store, I'm convinced that the majority of Madden players are simply video game nerds.

But then again, I spend my free time writing for a pointless blog read by a dozen or so people. Who's worse off? You be the judge....

Halloweenhead

by Ryan


People say there is nothing to write about these days. To them I say "bah!" and "bah!" again.

Consider the following: we are on the cusp of a football season that will be at the very least ridiculously entertaining. Considering the youth in our defensive core we may be leaping off the Peace Bridge by week three, but at least we have a starting running back with Grills. These things do matter.

To match that we have a brand new Sabres season around the bend; a season that may be a bit less magnified now that we are currently captainless. For those of you keeping score at home, however, we did not suddenly transform into the worst team in the league. Anyone feeling an 0-82 season coming on may leave now. Same goes for your clowns who bought discounted Flyers gear off NHL.com this summer. You can cuddle with Marty on your own time.


The point is this: we have a good chance at having two entertaining teams playing alongside each other this fall, and that makes me all warm and fuzzy. In fact, October is the beginning of the "sweet spot" of the Buffalo sports season. Both Buffalo teams play from then until at least January; with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years in between. I'm giddy just thinking about the snow.


To illustrate how sweet this fall will be, I'm posting some killer Halloween decorations I saw today. Yes, I know it's early, but this is the blog that went to Sabres rookie camp to see our boy Drew Schiestel in action. We're early risers on this kind of thing.

This is by far the coolest funhouse I've ever seen. There are three points of entry, bats hanging inside, and a skeleton knight and the grim reaper are guarding the door. Although the $300 price tag is a bit much today, you have to consider the UFA market and what it will cost for one of these in two years. You know what, Mr. Lowe, give Sam's Club $500 for it and call it Dustin Penner. The kids will love it.

This one is a bit cheaper, but in all honesty, price doesn't matter with this. If you can't tell, that's a hearse driven by the Grim Reaper. Not only do the lanterns actually work, but the horses' eyes gleam as well. I know Christmas has sort of cornered the market with these inflatable lawn ornaments, but judging from that terrified child running away on the right, I think that is no longer the case. That hearse is going to show up on some rich kid's front lawn, and he'll be so preoccupied with all the other cool stuff he has he won't even notice. Meanwhile, you are stuck with those freaking plastic pumpkins and a hanging cardboard skeleton.

God I hate the Rangers.

Best Saturday All Summer

by Ryan



Just when you think it will never happen, hockey pops up to say hi again. I awoke this morning to find a nice, thick letter from the Buffalo Sabres in the mail, and I am happy to say it was my mini pack forms.

For the record, there are five value, five bronze, 22 sliver, and eight gold games. If you don't feel like doing the math, that's only 40 games. So which game is missing?


Hrm... feels like there should be a Penguins game on New Year's Day in between there. I wonder why we can't order tickets to that? Maybe we will have to go elsewhere to watch that one. Maybe.

Leaving that game off the schedule is suspicious to say the least, but I would be a whole lot happier if something was announced officially. Yeah, that way Bucky and friends could get their tribal gowns out and dance for warm weather. What a guy.

Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.

by Ryan

When you watch as much TV as I do, you eventually recognize a few trends within the advertising shoved down our throats as sports fans. This is a terrifying thing to realize, that you actually watch enough games to know what is coming. Then again, it only means those thirty second flashes of terror are actually working.

So while you watch the actual football that comes with the preseason, I'm watching the commercials and preparing for the worst. Here's what we've got on our hands so far this year.

Alcohol with a side of guilt trip.

For some reason, beer companies have gone from demanding you buy a six pack to ensuring you know just how hard they are trying to make you happy. Apparently showing scantily clad women holding a case of beer isn't what men want anymore; we'd rather be explained the finer details of beer making.

Our friends at Budweiser go to the "expense" of Beechwood aging for their beer. Their latest commercials say so, at least. Oh, my bad guys, I'm sorry I insisted you go the extra mile for my sake. You know what, next batch, just do whatever you want. I don't want to be a burdon.

Budweiser isn't the only one, though. Sam Adams went to the trouble of making sure all their beer is bottled in brown bottles. Every. Single. Bottle. They even made sure to explain to us via motion arrows just how that light moves in and destroys beer. Wow, I'm speechless. Clearly everything that is holy is at risk here. I'm getting amber tint on my windows tomorrow, just to be safe.

But don't forget Coors Light, for God's sake. They brew in the mountains. No, really, and it's freaking cold up there. Like, cold as balls. It's so cold, freaking bullet trains turn beaches into glaciers. And they do it all for us.

I'm not sure when the exact moment beer companies went all Sally Struthers on us, but it's a bit unnerving to see it. I'm not one to get all weepy when a company says they care about me, let alone when a hops pusher claims to care what I personally feel.

I'm not very experienced in these fields, but from what I gather taligate parties are nothing like a wine tasting event. In fact, I'm almost positive that taste is the last thing dwelled upon when football and alcohol are mixed.

Then again, what do I know? I'm just a guy watching commercials. I'm sure those horses were firmly against their beer smelling of rich mahogany.

Yeah, let's manlaw that.

(Kill me)

1-0*

By Chris

So one pointless game down, three to go. That's pretty much what it boils down to, really. Sure a win is a win and we saw some things from the lower-tier guys who might play a few downs in the regular season, but for the most part, it was just a warm-up game for the Buffalo Bills.

In the preseason, stats really don't tell the story, but they do say a lot about the coach's gameplan and which players they wanted involved in the play. And it's hard to argue against that gameplan when it results in a 13-10 win against the New Orleans Saints, even if it is just an exhibition match.

For starters, the Bills passing game was so-so. Craig Nall led the team with 54 yards, with many of them going towards Roscoe Parrish's 43 receiving total. J.P. Losman went 4/6 for 20 yards but the real story with him is how he continues to refuse to slide at the end of a scramble. When recalling his 12-yard run in the first quarter, he said he never even thought about sliding to end the play. That kind of talk allows for doubt about where his head really is in the game.

Marshawn "Money" Lynch only carried the ball twice, gaining a mighty three yards. He may have only been in one series...I'll have to go back during the film session tomorrow just to make sure. What we did get was a whole lotta Fred Jackson. You know his name now. The NFL Europa stand-out busted out for a 17-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He probably should've been flagged for excessive celebration when he decided to hit the Square Button and dive into the end zone. Really unnecessary, but I guess it'll get him on SportsCenter. Whatever, he's got a new fan in me.

Regardless, Jackson made his case for a roster spot and should see more playing time in the coming weeks. He'd most likely be battling it out with Shaud Williams, who gained 14 yards on five carries. Shaud also had two kickoff returns, averaging 22.5 yards. They'll only be duking it out, however, if the Bills even carry four running backs, since Anthony Thomas, Lynch and fourth-round pick Dwayne Jarrett, who didn't look too bad in his pro debut, seem to be locks to make the squad.

The wide receivers were all over the place to be honest. Parrish made some really nice runs to get open, but it's really had to get a good reading on who will be predominantly backing up Evans when Sam "Special Teams" Aiken led the corps with four catches and no one is really sure if Peerless Price, the incumbent #2 put on a jersey tonight. What I'm most disappointed in is the fact that Jonathan "Fast Freddie" Smith decided to go with the "J." initial instead of the "F." this time around.

Rian Lindell's winning field goal was a 54-yarder. I remember back when the guy couldn't hit anything beyond 40, whether he was in a dome or not. He has quickly and silently become a pretty reliable kicker. When that officially happened, I'm still not sure but I've actually got some faith in the guy if the team needs to kick with the game on the line.


The defense can't tackle and seems hesitant to go after the quarterback. And even if they do penetrate the pocket, the can't take the quarterback out of the play. I can see this trend spiraling into the regular season which is a very bad thing. Remember, the Bills don't practice tackling in training camps, so it's all a "hands-on" learning experience when they get on the field. "Hands-on," that is, only if they can get a hold of the guy they're supposed to be taking down.

Paul Posluszny had a nice sack late in the game and led the team with 9 tackles. He still made a few misreads early on, but that'll happen with any rookie. A few bumps along the way is normal, but, for the most part, I liked what I saw from him. Whether he can step up and be a Pro Bowl talent like Shawn Merriman was in his rookie year is yet to be seen, but the kid can only get better.

Cornerback Jason Webster played like absolute garbage. He was burned multiple times by the Saints receivers (Devery Henderson in particular) and looked out of place more often than not. If that guy we saw tonight is the leading candidate to replace Nate Clements, then the team may be in bigger trouble that it thinks.

Reggie Bush+Screen Pass=Easy Yardage. He only rushed for 15 yards on two carries and only had 26 yards on three catches, but he seemed to be involved in nearly every Saints play in the first quarter. For the small amount of time he played, he looked very very good.

And I think Vince Young has better mechanics as a passer than Saints backup Tyler Palko. And that's saying a lot.

So basically, the game didn't mean anything, but it was a fun game and we saw some good plays. The blocked field goal and both Jabari Greer interceptions come to mind, just to name a few. At least they didn't embarrass themselves on national television, even if it is only preseason.

This Buffalo Bills team should be fun and exciting to watch this year, but I'm afraid the youth and inexperience of the defense will keep us out of the playoffs again. Unless they can grow up pretty fast and learn to play like veterans sooner rather than later, I'm afraid we'll have to save the playoff predictions for next year.

Who Needs Madden?

by Ryan


The doldroms of summer will get to the best of us. Yes, not even a fine Stephen Crane novel or mock fantasy drafts can get reasonable people through those early August blues. After weeks of haphazard summer sporting events, it's about time something really peaks our interest.


Finally, today is the day we have been waiting all summer for: the Bills preseason opener is upon us. Now while the boys pack up and get ready to play in New Orleans, we here at the Goose's Roost would like to celebrate football's triumphant return with a little artwork of our own. And what better way to use all that spare time we've had than making Miis?

And so, inspired by the glorious photo to your right, I give you J.P Losman and Marshawn Lynch.



Brooding a bit, I know, but what can I tell you? There is a reason I don't work at Darien Lake sketching people...

I like Marshawn much better, but Nintendo didn't have dreadlocks as a hairstyle. I'm sure if we drafted an asian running back I would have nailed it. If anyone wants to get a real good look at Marshawn, check out 289's take on "Money." I'll be sporting the throwback edition today in celebration of this season's official start.

Go Bills.