K-9

I won't be surprised to find out that wasn't Arya. My money is on Jaqen H'ghar.

I appreciate this perspective, thanks for sharing it. Those were interesting times and I can remember the tear gas clouds emanating from the UB campus during the protests. My dad, a WWII vet, was ready to disown my older brother for participating in the protests and threatening to burn his draft card. Other vets, including our neighbors, helped their sons get to Canada to avoid going, such was their opposition to the war in Viet Nam. Ali took as principled an approach as one could take on the matter and the term "draft dodger" always rankled me given how it didn't apply to him in any context. Dodgers left the country or otherwise became fugitives here, Ali said fine, send me to jail as I'd rather fight this unjust system that had jailed him for 400 years, to paraphrase how he put it. And we never got to see the best fighter Ali was or could have been as a result.

Yeah, Guhle has the athletic chops and can skate with anyone. If princess Dion didn't concuss him last preseason, I'm convinced he would have gotten his 9 game look-see in the bigs. He was having as good a camp as anyone, really, especially the rookies. GO SABRES!!!

Ali didn't "dodge" anything. He faced up to the consequences of his decision and paid for it. Dearly. In the form of being robbed of his athletic prime. Anyone drafted could have done the same thing if they were willing to pay the legal price. He didn't run away.

That seven inch reach advantage of Ali would have clinched it, imo. The Ali between '63-'67 is the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time in terms of sheer athletic ability and boxing intelligence. In fact, I don't think I've ever witnessed a better tactician in any class. On a side note, today I reheard the story of how he tossed his Olympic gold medal into a river after being refused service in a restaurant down south. I still can't believe that occurred in my lifetime.

Ali in his prime, before he was stripped of his title, with a 7 inch reach advantage? Tyson wouldn't stand a chance. I am not underestimating Tyson's quickness so much as you are underestimating Ali's in his prime, before his first comeback.

That sound you hear? That's PA sharpening his pencils. GO SABRES!!!

Circles indeed! Ali moved like no other heavyweight before or since. Tyson would have been no match for Ali's speed, quickness, and reach. Not to mention fight knowledge. For all his superior physical traits, Ali was an even greater tactician. He thought a fight like nobody else. All that, and he was robbed of three of his best prime years as a boxer.

N'eo, that was perhaps the most eloquent post I've ever read in this forum. Thanks. RIP, champ.

No one cheered, just applauded. I see. Spontaneous or not, it was out of line for the occasion. I'm not saying they are evil people; I get they felt great affection for the man and wanted to show it. But that wasn't the time or place. Nothing more to say than that.

It's not maudlin, it's solemn. As befits the occasion. Maudlin is what sad people crying in their beer are. People cheering for an old Jewish veteran laying a wreath and saluting are out of line. They would probably cheer at the changing of the guard ceremony I mentioned earlier. There's a time and a place for that. Solemn occasions such as remembering our war dead is not that time or place.

To me, that has more of the funereal feel I think the solemnity of the occasion demands. Perhaps I'm too fixated on the word "parade" and the hoopla I attach to it. You know, marching bands, etc. That just ain't right.

If the only music heard during the procession were 'Taps' played on a bugle, I might condone the idea of a "parade" on Memorial Day. That might even be powerful. How soon before the spectators grow tired of it though?

Great speech, thanks for posting the link.

It is also a must to see the changing of the guard ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Arlington. Any day of the year, rain or shine. I cry every time. Parades on Memorial Day are downright disrespectful, IMO, and couldn't miss the mark by a wider margin. Then again, these types of ceremonies are about us, the living, far more than they are about the departed.

Memorial Day parades? Parades? Really?

Hoo boy, indeed. The military chose the NFL as an advertising avenue, not the other way around. And the NFL isn't the only big business that wraps itself in the flag. Everybody from Coke to Coors to Chevy likes to trumpet the same tune with waving flags and syrupy Sam Elliot voice overs. Why do you think that is?

Good question. Sure seemed like people didn't know when they castigated the NFL for having the audacity to accept money from the military in exchange for pregame tributes, etc. I think it's because we found out it wasn't genuine or organic which tells me we thought it was which further tells me we just can't stand the thought of devoting all that affection, otherwise.

Why was it deceptive and misleading? Would knowing that the military paid for these exhibitions before hand impact anything? If so, what and how? The NFL never should have felt ashamed in the first place. Why did they feel ashamed? I submit it's because we all know it's not an organic outpouring of appreciation, that it's manufactured, and the league didn't trust is with that knowledge.

The NFL, TV networks, movie theaters, etc, nor the countless other media outlets shouldn't feel bad for receiving part of the ~ $700m the military spends on advertising each year. Why should they? Perhaps we should feel bad for the phony sense of "honor" we bestow before sporting events. We just can't stand the thought that somehow our deep show of appreciation and honor was bought and paid for by the military. This isn't directed at you Smell, but this phony sense of outrage is symptomatic of the phony exhibits of appreciation we partake in to make ourselves feel good about how much we honor our service men and women.

Amen to Lt. Colonel Duffy. His is a much appreciated perspective, especially his thoughts on the collective post-Viet Nam guilt.

I hear that. But in the interest of moving the story along in a limited media form, I can understand. I'm hoping we will get to see some Ironborn raids as they go inland up the various rivers.

Chicago implemented similar restrictions last year and took similar criticism from the media, so it's not like the Bills are the first to do it. In reality, they are just rolling back to what media policy was in the past. Social media has changed the playing field. These aren't reports so much as op/ed offerings in real time. And if reporters have a bone to pick or an ax to grind with a particular player, it gets ugly. Just witness Joe Buscaglia's hatchet jobs on Manuel the last couple years. GO BILLS!!!

You keep focusing on the financial motivation for his decision to play in a top pro league in Europe. Did you ever consider he may have wanted the best chance to improve his game against better competition? Is there a better motivation for a player than wanting to improve? I will never understand your indictment of the kid and, by extension, his family who made selfless decisions to support his dream. GO SABRES!!!

Does PA know you are openly courting Toronto fans? GO SABRES!!!