That Aud Smell

Lord almighty - I'm gonna say: If Tremaine were to win DPOY (or just be in the running) and the rest of the team were to mostly hold serve, the Bills would have a better than 50% chance of beating the Chiefs and winning the Super Bowl. I'm a little worried about Star's status. We need a big fella in the middle to let the linebackers roam more free.

Nah, I'm good.

I never got the sense that MSM treated it as an outrageous theory - just one that wasn't substantiated by the science and facts. That said, there may be people within the federal government (maybe Fauci among them? I have no idea) who have some serious 'splaining to do.

I heard someone on the radio talking about how another major hockey organization - the IIHF? - has a rule that prohibits checks on players with whom you're not presently engaged, or something like that. I wonder if that sort of rule will come to the NHL. I know that many heads would ahs-plode if that occurred.

I can't get past the hockeybuzz association. (E5)

The rule book defines charging as involving distance traveled, not when you stop skating. Scheifele had ~175 feet prior to that to build up speed.

Not unfair.

Given the speed and strength of the modern player and game, the Scheifele hit can't be treated/coached as legal or even on-the-edge-desirable. There's no longer any place for it, IMO. I agree with the Tweet that @Thorny embedded upthread -- going that sort of distance to obliterate a guy is reckless and irresponsible. Not for nothing, if Schiefele had actually been intent on preventing the goal, there was, I think, a better way to defend the play (stretching/laying out with your stick, attacking the puck). It looked very much like Scheifele figured he was getting a free shot to send a big message in a long playoff series. That stuff's gotta go. From the comments to the Tweet above. I think this is exactly right.

Baffling. Repugnant. Shameful.

This conversation arises here from time to time. Born when I was, raised where I was, I always had a passing fondness for the Leafs -- the Sabres were my team, but the Leafs were reliably on HNIC. On the other hand: There is something to this. And there's irony in that. My experience with going to games/concerts at the Scotiabank Arena (formerly the ACC) is that the crowd there can be quite corporate and largely dull -- this is especially true for concerts. The folks who can't/won't get into that arena seem to pour over the border and into Buffalo -- and, as a group, they are neither corporate nor dull.

Good tidbit - thanks for posting.

It must be because of all that disgusting over-cheesed pizza that the fans are eating.

That’s been Carl Paladino’s long game. Dude owns scads of property down that way. He’s banking on it.

Also, and not for nothing, it's interesting to see the stadium and arena being discussed together. My recollection is that this study was really a stadium study, and that they were going to take a peek at the arena issues as well. But this press release makes them sound more tied together.

Interesting, to say the least.

The league's relationship with the players is governed by a 500-page CBA. Nothing is easy.

Those vaccinations have a full FDA approval.

*Sigh* It would SO gotdam Billsy for a Super Bowl run to be derailed because Josh Allen, Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis, et al. will have refused to be vaccinated and therefore have to miss time because of COVID-19 issues.

right. the question, i think, is whether a vaccination will be required in order to return.

Maybe January (or early) 2022 following the winter break?

Agree 100%. It's been incredible, really. I think the abnormally dry conditions are playing a role. There is just constantly a film of pollen on my car/van. Who's volunteering other people's kids? It's the right thing to do. Hopefully a super majority of people do it. I'm guessing and hoping that a COVID-19 vaccination will be a requirement to go back to school -- maybe not by September 2021, but as soon as full (?) FDA approval is granted.

Absolutely. I certainly did with mine.

Whatever, IMO. I'm all for anything that gets us to ~70% vaccinated, up to and including $100 Walmart gift cards. Jordan Poyer's wife among them, based on her social media content.