What Gives???

DA, say it ain't so. I stuck up for you when all the Brady Quinn lovers told me that you were nothing more than a flash in the pan. I protested that a proven NFL Quarterback (albeit only one season that crumbled when it mattered most) should be given the benefit of the doubt over an untested rookie. But then you changed everything. Rejecting 3 years and $20 million. WOW, what a turn of events. Good Luck Mr. Anderson. Especially if you take the money and run to a place like Miami or San Francisco or Houston. The Browns looked like an up-and-coming, offensively talented bunch. Braylon Edwards played out of his mind last season. And you turn your back on your teammates after just ONE good season. There must be more to this story. Its the city of Cleveland isn't it? Or maybe the ugly uniforms? Or is it solely about the money? Make it while you can because the shelf life for a QB not named Manning or Brady is shorter than Clear Pepsi.

Hello to all

Well it took him many phone calls and constant nagging so hear I am. Just kidding Dan. This really is a good way to keep in touch. Especially because no one seems to know where you will be from one minute to the next. To every one in the West Coast hope all is well. Same to those on the East... (The better coast, where Mobb Deep rules and Tupac is still dead.) Thats for Steve and Mel. Here on the DC front times have been better. It is going on month 4 with no job and I can't take anymore Sportscenter. Tell me, are they just coming up with these Best Highlights of all time to keep Chris Berman around. My gosh shut up all ready and we will see you next year before football. As for Sportscenter I tried to ban watching it because of the lack of hockey highlights. I mean they can show Westminister Dog show highlights but not so as much of a hat trick or good fight from anybody. So I switched to ESPN news. Quess what...no hockey there either. Well not that I got that out of my system it is time to go back to the job search. Thank god for unemployment. Hope to hear from you all soon!

Oh Dannyboy

#48 was one of my favorite Sabres over the past few years. He was excitable, sneaky, and reminded me of Dave Bagley. Never the best player on the ice, Danny Briere's clutchness helped to make Buffalo a perennial contender for the Cup, just as Bagley's flare for the dramatic ingited a state championship run nearly ten years ago.

The Sabres were so damn close the past two years. The first Stanley Cup in team history seemed to be within reach. I can vividly recall phone conversations with both my brother and father before the third period of Game 7 against the Hurricanes. "Stanley Cup here we come!" I answered both of their calls with trepidation. I am far too superstitous to make those kind of phone calls. And, predictably, in another "what could have been" season, our dreams were shattered over the next twenty minutes. Last year the team fired on all cylinders until hitting the wall during the playoffs. I believe their high-octane offense just ran out of gas. They survived the Islanders and Rangers on heart, relying on last-second victories to outlast teams that looked hungier. But Ottawa was too talented and they flattened the President Cup winning Sabres. Yet another season of broken dreams.

The off-season hurt even more. Both Drury and Briere bolted for more money in bigger markets. And, now they will attempt to carry their new teams to the promised land. Meanwhile, the Sabres are treading water and have yet to establish a new identity. This new group certainly does not possess that "it" factor of previous years. And last night's game versus Philly was a defining moment. Blowing a 3-goal lead. Scoring first in a shootout. Miller allowing the tying goal. And Briere standing at the red line with a chance to not only win the game and equal Buffalo in the standings, but also give us Sabre fans one more reminder of what made him so damn special. If you don't know what happened next, then just use your imagination. Just as Dave Bagley did time after time for the Gates-Chili Spartans, Briere came through when it mattered most.

ESPN viewers are on drugs

Greatest Highlight?

Boise State - statue of liberty play

This has to be some kind of joke. It may not make it past the final four on sportscenter, but getting that far is absurd. Flutie, Immaculate Reception, and 1980 Miracle on Ice are obvious choices. I have no problem with any of those highlights, but Boise freakin' State. A bowl game in 2007 against Oklahoma. Please. Let us not over-dramaticize that moment. It was a nice play. Creative. Deceptive. And Boise State winning that game was a great underdog story. But Greatest Highlight EVER??? Instead of focusing more on the problem, I am here to offer replacements.

The Band is on the Field - Cal v Stanford (it was in the ESPN bracket but lost to one of those plays up above)
Music City Miracle - And not just because of the Buffalo connection
The Block - Hakim Warrick's game-winning block against Kansas in the National Championship game
The Flip - Derek Jeter cutting across the field against the Oakland A's in the 2001 Division Series, intercepting the throw between first base and home, and flipping it to Posada to punch out Jeremy Giambi at the plate.
And, recent nominee, The Helmet Catch - SU grad David Tyree making the play of the Super Bowl and helping take down the previously undefeated Patriots (oh, but wait, pushing this play into top play ever might be premature. Somewhat like saying a Boise State touchdown in the '07 Fiesta Bowl is in the running.)

Ladies and Gentleman

Hola Domingo and fellow amigos. I'm really anxious to get rolling with the upcoming Fantasy Baseball Season. So unless your still figuring out ways to cheat Commisioner Krank, Let's get it on!! Danny, a few problems with your 1982-present Yankees Team. Where is Carl Pavano?!? Wasn't he the fearless hurler who came in for Game 7 of the '04 ALCS to shut down the Rolling Red Sox. Isn't he the one who "earned" about a million dollars for every run he surrendered? HA! When I have time I'm going to field a team of the biggest flops for the Yankees. You probably guessed Pavano will be my starting pitcher. But wait, Kevin Brown (who is on the Yankee payroll until 2017) might object to that. Krank, the $20 you owe me for football can just be my payment for this upcoming baseball season. Are we still cutting teams like previously discussed? Hope all is well with everyone. -Nate

All-time Team

If I had to pick a Yankee team out of players in my lifetime here's the positions:

C - Jorge Posada (honorable mention - Joe Girardi)
1B - Don Mattingly (my boyhood hero over the 90's dynasty 1B Tino)
2B - Alfonso Soriano
SS - Derek Jeter
3B - Scott Brosius
LF - Daryl Strawberry or David Justice (short careers in pinstripes, but i like them both)
CF - Bernie Williams (Melky Cabrera is a few seasons away from overtaking him)
RF - Paul O'Neill

SP - Orlando Hernandez (toss up between him and Pettitte)
RP - Mariano Rivera

DH - Luis Sojo, Kevin Maas, or Shane Spencer

Prime

noun - The period or phase of ideal or peak condition.

I tend to believe that it is difficult to recognize someone "in their prime," if for no other reason than they have to visibly decline, thereby making it possible to assess their period of greatness. Why did I begin thinking about this? Well, I stumbled upon some older Dave Matthews recordings on youtube. Vocally and creatively, I would say Dave peaked somewhere in the late 90's. Before these Crowded Streets was the band's last really good studio album. As for his vocals, it is evident to me that his prime was between say 1996 and 2000, maybe into '01 or '02. This is not to say that he has not been exceptional since that time, but I am speaking of his peak performances. Now I saw a Dave and Friends concert in 2004 and it was amazing, but I still claim the previous statements to be true. I will forever be a DMB fan. Red Rocks and Live at Luther College are superb. So many of my memories from high school and college are linked with certain Dave songs. I feel indebted to the man. But I am also realistic enough to admit that his best days may be behind him. The thing is, no matter what he does with the rest of his life, his legacy will live on for generations to come. Back to my reason for writing, the idea of an individual/group's "prime."

Take Pearl Jam as another example. I became a big fan in the late 90's during my musical awakening. Before that time I honestly thought music played on 98PXY was as good as it got. Turth be told, I will always have a place in my heart for Boys II Men. Back to PJ. I have watched early live performances, seen music videos, and listened to my favorite albums (Ten, VS, Vitalogy, and parts of Yield and No Code). This band kicked ass for a number of years. I would still like to see them in concert, but I will not be privileged to a screaming and jumping Eddie Vedder. And that's a shame. I bought Live on Two Legs and Californication on the same afternoon. That setlist, starting with Corduroy and ending with Keep on Rockin' in the Free World is genius. My love of that live album pushed me to buy the following three Pearl Jam releases (Binural, Riot Act, and self-titled Pearl Jam), each of which had only 2 or 3 above average songs on them. So would I still purchase a 50+ ticket to see these rockers? Without a doubt.

Biggio the new Costanza???

When I heard Craig Biggio, Houston Astro great, was given the title "assistant to the general manager" I could not help but think of our old friend George Costanza. I wonder what Biggio's job description is? Will he be buying tacos for the owner at lunchtime? Is he sleeping under his desk as I type this very sentence?

How about that high school football player accepting an imaginary scholarship at Cal? Doesn't he make Rick Nitto seem tame by comparison?

Anyone hear the new Jack Johnson album? Thus far I give it a B- and while I enjoy some of the songs, I believe most of his previous efforts were superior. Anyone with new musical artists/suggestions?

A book recommendation: "The geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner. It was an enjoyable read that certainly made me think about what is important in life.

I am watching Roger Clemens go down in flames. Andy Pettitte, a good friend of his, blew him in too. Priceless. Roger may end of sharing a jail cell with Barry. An interesting thought: what athlete taking steroids/performance enhancers would be the biggest deal? I say Tiger Woods.

I ask that we begin "heating up the hot stove" to borrow an old-time baseball term for the long winter months. Once fantasy football season ends, our online communication does so as well. (by the way I will forever loathe Kyle F'n Orton, Bears QB that cost me 2nd place) I know all about facebook and myspace (thanks to everyone who posts pictures), but i think some of us can appreciate this forum as well. An arena for our eyes only. Post if you wish. You can ignore all this if you'd like. But as distance and age seperate us, we need a way to remain in touch.