That Aud Smell

Like you, I think Terry isn't close to parting ways with McDermott. A disastrous start to the 2024 would probably force Terry's hand. This is a very interesting take. Because, seriously: McDermott is an exceptional professional and a good head coach. Many Bills fans will be heard saying or seen to have typed -- in frustration: His record speaks for itself at this point. The inverse (converse? (obverse??)) is also true: His record speaks for itself. He's won a lot of games. He's made the playoffs several times. He's won the division twice (three times?). He's won playoff games. He is a good NFL head coach. There's no disputing that. Not reasonably anyway. I don't think this necessarily plays here with McDermott. Against Denver at the end of the game, for example, he dialed up nearly identical jailhouses blitzes on two consecutive plays (which seemed like bad judgment). This goes to a larger point about his limitations: He seems to lack good feel for what's right in the moment. He's aces at preparing his players during the week. But in crunch time, he seems to lose the thread.

Let's Go, Buffalo.

Absolutely referencing the only .500 that matters. @deluca67! Kit Deluca. That’s a deep cut! Sure. But didn’t recall anything about it.

Nope.

Marisa Tomei (sp?)?

They’d need to win 3 straight - starting tonight - to be above the only .500 mark that matters. Let’s Go, Buffalo! Ooh Ah!

How’s Rosen’s game project? Middle 6? 40 pt player? Defensively responsible? To be clear: I’m spitballing the above with a presumption that he hits his NHL ceiling.There’s always the possibility that he doesn’t (quite) make it as an NHL’er.

Maybe? Idk. The 12 they were running with Knox seemed to get Allen bogged down - which was after early success (Raiders, Miami, Washington). There was also an issue, it seemed, with Knox not being good. Agreed. My seat neighbor at the stadium keens like a grieving Irish grandmother whenever they take 86 off the field.

God help us. Allen’s made it clear by his play: He prefers 11, 10, or empty personnel groupings.

[@PASabreFan voice]: GO ON ….

Per Mike Harrington, Quinn skated on his own today — full gear, pucks. No timetable.

I have no new information, but my sense had been January 2024 at the earliest.

I chuckled. I'm not sure you're reading it in the spirit in which it was intended.

Cozens as a 1C. Oof. I didn't expect him to maintain that .85 ppg pace from last season. But nor did I expect him to revert to his pace from 2021-2022.

And Bar-Bill is clear about where they're located. But the confusion is understandable. Damn near everyone claims to be located in the Village of Williamsville. Indeed, if the Village were big enough to fit everyone who claimed to be located in it, the Village would be larger than the surrounding Town of Amherst.

This is a litmus/Rorschach test of sorts. Do you hear "Bills Mafia" and think of the worst aspects of it? (E.g., Gary from West Seneca getting puke blotto and stumbling up the stairs of the 300s before taking a swing at someone because he thought he heard the guy say something bad about Bruce Smith), or do you hear "Bills Mafia" and think of the best aspects of it (some are detailed upthread). I am firmly in the camp of the latter. Like Ms. Hanesworth said in her poem "Still Here": "They call us Bills Mafia because we are a family." Buffalo Forever. (I don't think the NFL will allow me to embed the video here.)

They’re in full retreat. Thank God. This is an unusual occurrence for the NWS — to make a proclamation several days out about a LES event being likely (pending only precise locations) and then back off that completely. Usually, the NWS just waits and then doesn’t need to backtrack when models change. But after the storms of 2022, I think they’re eager to give as much advance notice as possible.

Conference rival or not (well, not so much this season because the Bills are toast): I like Burrow. That's a shame.

My shifting "location" on this site notwithstanding, I'm a Buffalonian. First pro sports love was the Sabres. I remember the conference finals against the Islanders in ~80 (?) (arguably the best Sabres team ever assembled), but don't have clear memories of the Bills until it was Ferguson/Cribbs/Butler, etc. I no longer follow MLB, but cannot deny being a Yankees fan. I owe that to WPIX being featured in early Cablevision packages and the lovely summer voices of Bill White and Phil Rizzuto (sp?). I only lightly follow the NBA, but will always be a Bulls fan. This is another product of cable tee-vee. A channel called ESPN introduced my nearest in age brother and me to ACC basketball, the perfection of Carolina blue, and some phenom named Michael Jordan. I followed him to the NBA and just enjoyed the hell out of his career. My D-1 sports affiliation lies with my fair alma mater. I like your vibe. Liverpool. YNWA. (I chose them because of scenes from Anfield and that song.)

Especially if they shoot da puck. Go, Sabres.

Always a bit ominous when the National Weather Service tells you nearly a week in advance that a potentially significant LES event is coming. Quote from the local NWS forecaster's discussion: LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/ ... ... LAKE EFFECT SNOW BECOMING LIKELY LATE THIS PERIOD... ... Later Tuesday night with the passage of a cold front, deeper mixing will transport stronger wind gusts aloft to the surface, with near advisory level wind gusts for not only WNY, but also areas east of Lake Ontario. Still remaining breezy Wednesday with cold air deepening aloft. Highs Wednesday will occur early in the day for WNY, while a later cold front passage may allow for temperatures to rise a bit east of Lake Ontario before cooling through the afternoon hours. While the widespread synoptic rain will be ending to the east, the beginnings of a lake effect event will be starting, first off Lake Erie and then Lake Ontario. Thermal profiles during the daylight hours support mainly rain, but with cold air advection aloft, a change over to snow will occur by evening hours. From a climatological standpoint the pattern supports a significant lake effect snow event with the placement and depth of the low pressure system. ... This would include the metro areas of Buffalo and Watertown. ... One concern with this event is the available synoptic moisture. While the pattern supports significant lake effect snow, the deeper synoptic moisture will carry northward of our region with the surface low. ... Still many details to iron out in the next few days as far as band placement and intensity goes. ... [T]he lake effect snow potentially carrying on deep into the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Passing shortwaves aloft from the upstream mid/upper level low will bring some oscillation to the bands of lake effect snow Thursday and onwards. Regardless of where the bands eventually setup travel disruptions are becoming likely from the lake snows, so stay tuned as the forecast becomes fine tuned.

Someday, they'll listen to @PASabreFan and hire a matronly Black woman to belt 'em out.

It was hilarious.