Hey folks,

It's one of my favorite times of the year -- College football season. My preview technically started in a Buffalo.com chat room with UB's Jon Fuller and Buffalo.com's Evan Parker Pierce, looking ahead to the UB season. It was a great time, we had 250+ folks in the room, and I'd encourage everyone to log on to Buffalo.com every Wednesday at Noon for their IMportant people chat series (though I hardly qualify as important). Here are some highlights of the chat. Hope you enjoy, and I'll post another college football column later:


12:02 Buffalo.com - After years of struggling, it seems the UB Bulls football team has arrived - Turner Gill has been steering a turnaround for the program, with a shared MAC East title last year.

12:03 Buffalo.com - It seems the college football world is high on the Bulls for the first time. Jon, why do you think the Bulls are poised for a run this year?

12:04 Jon - Thanks for having me. Buffalo returns 18 starters to a team that won a share of the MAC regular season title last year and the players are playing under coach Gill for the third year. I think everyone is comfortable with the offensive and defensive systems and are excited to go.

12:05 Buffalo.com - Nick, what do you think about the Bulls' chances?


12:06 Nick - I just think it's difficult to not see the positives from a team that lost precious little in the area of assets. There are very few true weaknesses on this team, and one, linebacking, is more of an unknown than a weakness. Plus, senior quarterbacks are all the rage.

12:07 Buffalo.com - Speaking of senior QB's - Drew Willy is a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award - what do you think his prospects are for this year, especially with so many talented offensive skill players coming bakc?

12:10 Jon - Drew Willy is beginning his fourth year as the Bulls' starter, so he is very experienced. He is comfortable running coach Gill's offense and coach Gill is more than comfortable will Willy at the helm. With weapons like Naaman Roosevelt, Ernest Jackson and Brett Hamlin, I think he will stand out as one of the elite quarterbacks in the MAC.

12:12 Jon - As always, the MAC will be a tough league. As far as the East Division goes, I think Miami and Bowling Green will be the teams to watch, However, Temple should be much improved and Akron and Ohio have always had solid programs.

12:12 Nick - The topic of Drew is a terriby enticing one. He's grown every year, and I can remember how excited Howard Simon sounded describing his first game. He's grown in order; confidence, getting rid of the ball and finally, something Coach Gill talked about last year, his body language. As Jon said, too, lost in the Buffalo media's understandable longing for Naaman Roosevelt, is Ernest Jackson's big play ability and toughness in traffic.

12:12 Buffalo.com - Whoops, sorry. Naaman's a junior


12:12 [Comment From BK]
Jon, how is the MAC shaping up this year? Tough or no?

12:15 Jon - Look out for Bowling Green and Miami in the East. They will be tough. Temple should be much improved so the MAC opener with the Owls on Sept. 13 will be a big game.

12:16 Nick - The MAC is a pretty tough contest, but I honestly find it hard to see it as any more difficult than last season. I'm not totally buying into the Bowling Green hype (They're pretty good). If UB can close the deal against Miami, I love their chances in the West. Ball State is the class of the conference, mostly because of quarterback Nate Davis who is a Meast... part-man, part-beast.




12:18 [Comment From GZ]
Who will have a better record this year - the Bulls or the Bills?

12:20 Nick - Well, GZ... The Bills obviously play more games than the Bulls, but in terms of true winning percentage it should be close. I like both teams to be a game or two above .500... Look for the Bills at 9-7, and the Bulls at 8-5 or 7-6 depending on their bowl opponent (Yeah, I said it. Handle it).


12:21 [Comment From DJ]
UTEP has a very prolific QB of their own in Vittatoe...how do you expect the UB defense to handle him?

12:22 Jon - Vittatoe is a very good quarterback, but I think one of the strengths of our team is a defensive backfield. So they should give him a good test. Safety Davonte Shannon was a first-team All-MAC selection last year and safety Mike Newton has nine INTs over the last two years. We are also pretty solid at CBs with Domonic Cook and Josh Thomas.

12:22 [Comment From not the islander]
sean taylor was the only meast, RIP. jon, how about fans? how do you fill the stadium this year? and nick, how do you see WGR covering the team now that you guys dont have the live coverage?

12:23 Nick - In terms of WGR coverage, we'll be there for all the home games and one or two of the road... although maybe I shouldn't say "we." Am I allowed to be honest here? I like the idea of going to the Pitt game, but I also like the idea of adult hops and barley. Also...

12:24 Jon - Tickets have been selling very well. We nearly reached our season ticket goal and the season hasn't even started. We have averaged over 100 new season tickets per week over the last 10 weeks. The community is rallying around this team and their support is very important.

12:24 Nick - I'm a season ticket holder, and I know several of the staff members will be headed to UB Stadium as well... some on the Time Warner TV broadcast (Howard Simon and Jeremy White) and some as true fans.

12:25 Nick - Jon, I'm responsible for six of those season tickets. Is it against NCAA rules for you to buy me nachos at the opener?

12:25 Jon - I think it takes seven season tickets for the free nachos.

12:25 Nick - Son of a....

12:30 [Comment From DJ]
Which player has the best shot of playing on Sunday's?

12:30 Nick - Do we have to go with seniors, Jon? Can I take an underclassman?

12:32 Jon - As far as seniors go, I truly think Drew Willy has a shot. He is big and has a strong arm. His accuracy is also a plus. Other seniors that may get a shot are WR Ernest Jackson and guard Jeff Niedermier.

12:33 Nick - Davonte Shannon is one of the most exciting players in the Mid American Conference. I love watching this kid play football, and he was First Team All-MAC as a freshman. That's ridiculous (in a good way). Even his media guide bio is something to root for (Greatest athletic experience: "Championship. Coming soon...) and (Lifetime goal: Go to Heaven). Nice.

12:33 Nick - He'll play on Sundays... almost guaranteed.

12:33 [Comment From Nate]
I'll be at the Bills game tomorrow. Any chance they'll be flashing the UB score on the big board? I'd like to see UB sports have a stronger presence in the local psyche.

12:34 Nick - Nate, even I picked the UB game... come on, man.


12:34 Nick - Plus, the Bills are playing on four days rest, who are the ad wizards who came up with their schedule?

12:35 [Comment From Nate]
Well, that Bills ticket is already paid for. I'm trying to make it down to Pitt next week

12:36 Jon - I think winning cures everything. Buffalo is a town that rallies around winning teams. Unfortunately, the team has struggled in year's past, so they were more of an afterthought. However, if the team can have a strong year, I think the demand from fans will be there and the media will give us as much coverage as the Bills and Sabres.



12:37 Nick - Also, Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh is legit. Get a sandwich with coleslaw on it. Trust me.

12:37 Nick - and fries on that sandwich. Unbelievably good.


12:37 [Comment From drew willy-nilly]
jon, at what point does UB become the flagship program of new york state? syracuse appears to have serious long-term issues...and cornell hasn't been the same since they went back-to-back in 1921 and 1922.

12:39 Jon - I think UB is ready to become New York's flagship school. I think that coach Gill has this program headed in the right direction and if the team continues it's upward swing. The sky is the limit.

12:39 [Comment From GZ]
I'd like to know - to what extent does winning the MAC, or competing in a bowl, help recruiting?

12:40 Jon - Winning a MAC Championship would do wonders for the program. A MAC title would give the Bulls even more national exposure which in turn helps recruiting.

12:40 [Comment From morning man]
nick, i enjoyed the show this morning when jeremy complained about getting old. i also enjoyed when the old guy called and gave you guys a through scolding. old guys are awesome.

12:41 Nick - Old guys are the best. like Jeremy. He's 29. Might as well buy diapers.

12:41 [Comment From mike]
i like turner gill alot but another great season and he's likely outta here...which I think spells doom and gloom again.

12:43 Jon - If coach Gill would leave, he would leave the program in great shape. In year's past, when a coach left it was because the team was struggling. If coach Gill leads the team to a MAC Championship and decides to take another job, it would be a much easier program to sell to a high profile coach.

12:43 Nick - Again, I'm going to be honest here... I think Turner would only leave for a huge-time job... I mean if he didn't take off for Nebraska, what would it take? I think Turner is legit when he says he signed on for something. I'm not naive enough this think he wouldn't go to a nice program like Oklahoma, UT or Texas Tech, but to just think any job would make him move doesn't seem to fit his demeanor and attitude.

12:44 Buffalo.com - Speaking of doom and gloom:

12:44 [Comment From John K]
What do you think of the article that came out recently saying Buffalo was #3 on most miserable sports cities

12:44 Nick - I hate it and the person who wrote it.

12:45 Buffalo.com - An NFL team on the upswing, a reliably competitive NHL team, and a D-1 football program on the rise? That's miserable? Maybe unlucky is a better word to describe Buffalo's sports history.

12:45 Nick - But there's an aire of legitimacy in it... the truth is... it's the same city who ponied up over $123,000 in our Radiothon for Hunter's Hope, which we were happy to have Turner as a guest on. So if we want to play the tough guy role and be miserable, we're going to have to continue to pretty much be the best people around.

12:45 [Comment From DJ]
who do you guys think will be playing for the national title?

12:45 Nick - A Big 12 team against an SEC team. Does that count?

12:47 Nick - I'll write something more on it later, but if I had to guess... if Auburn's new coordinators work out, they'll come out of the SEC... but I like Florida if Percy Harvin heals well. Also look out for Georgia, as everyone has love for. How bout Oklahoma vs. Florida?

12:47 Nick - Maybe Texas.

12:47 Nick - Or Michigan/UB

12:48 [Comment From Nate]
Also, how effective to recruiting is having players drafted into the NFL?

12:49 Nick - That has to be huge, and not just for recruiting but for the players on the team. I ended up in touch with Trevor Scott after the Raiders picked him up. I think Trevor and Jamey Richard are revered at UB Stadium, and there have been others beforehand (Gemarra Williams, Ed Ellis, Chad Upshaw).

12:49 Nick - What do you think, Jon?

12:50 Jon - Very effective. When a recruit can walk into the coach's office and see a picture of Jamey Richard in a Colts uniform or Trevor Scott in a Raiders uniform, it gives our program a legitimacy in the eyes of recruits.

12:50 [Comment From mike]
i really like florida

12:51 Nick - You have to... I sort of wish the Bills had picked Derrick Harvey, but look what he got paid.

12:51 Nick - My goodness, college football is so much more fun than the pros.

12:52 Buffalo.com - If college football is so much more fun, would you say college football gets enough coverage in this area?

12:52 Nick - No. A resounding no.

12:54 Nick - Places like the Niagara Gazette have really upped their coverage of UB, even though it's not in Niagara County, and The Buffalo News' coverage has creeped up a little bit, but the numbers say that the Sabres and Bills push sales around here. College football fans need to make their voices heard. Trust me, as a member of the media, there are subjects we are dying to cover. You need to tell the people who matter that it matters to you.

12:54 Jon - I think that the media in this town in too focused on the Bills and pro football and in turn that helps the Ralph sell out every week. If UB football had two stories a day in the Buffalo News like the Bills do, I think local interest in the program would take off.

12:54 Nick - It's like those letter writing campaigns to Congress. Everyone says they are going to do it, but they'd rather forward chain mail about some rose that never dies if you send it to 10 people.

12:55 Nick - It doesn't work. No roses at the Mendola house.

12:55 Buffalo.com - We're getting to the end of our lunch hour here, so we'll toss out one final question: UB vs. UTEP - who you got, and by how many?

12:56 Jon - I think it will be an offensive shootout. Both teams have explosive offenses so it should be very exciting. But of course I have to go with UB.

12:56 Nick - Well, UB has some huge question marks at defensive end and linebacker, and I think the latter will be too green to shut UTEP down this early in the year, but I like James Starks to have a monster day, and look out for Ernest Jackson.

12:56 Nick - I say it goes like this...

12:57 Nick - Starks for 135 and a TD, Alex Pierre blocks a punt and the Bulls outlast the Miners, 32-31.

12:57 Buffalo.com - Let's hope for a high scoring affair.

As I'm sure all of you know, watching gymnastics is my life. I sweat gymnastics. Tiny little men and women jump out of my skin when I'm exercising and do backflips and stuff. It's awesome.

Seriously, though, it doesn't matter if you watch gymnastics once every four years or every other hour, a gymnast was hosed this week, and considering the week she had and the manner in which she lost, it's an absolute joke to a wonderful Olympic games.

America's Alicia Sacramone deserved better after a terrible week. Earlier in the games, she made a crucial error that cost the American womens team the gold medal.

Sunday's NBC broadcast showed much worse.

Sacramone finished in fourth place despite landing both of her attempts in the vault (or something like that). Home country hero Fei Cheng landed her first and fell on her second. Her average score still — somehow — was higher than Sacramone, but the punch line came just a few moments later.

Another gymnast landed on her knees, and was given a much lower score than Cheng. It was worse than questionable, it was deplorable, as Sacramone ended up medal-less. It's bad enough the Chinese seem to be using girls just slightly older than infants in these games. This was much worse.

I don't know enough about gymnastics to write more, so forgive me, but I'm as fired up as I've ever been. And to think, my Newcastle United squad pulled off a big road draw at Manchester United. I should be thrilled. Instead, there are little men and women doing floor routines all over my hard wood floors.

Email: nick@wgr550.com

So, I'm home, thank you, and glad to be after a splendid holiday in Italy. It's amazing how your venacular can change after a tour abroad. I've never had, "Did you mean football or soccer?", asked more to me in my entire life.

I'm going to throw up some Italy photos a little later, but I wanted to share some thoughts from the preseason game and the sports stories while I was away. So here's some quick hitters:

A) It took all of an hour for reality to slap me in the face for the 2008 Bills. Can anyone not see the fan base absolutely flipping on the coaching staff if things don't go well? Marcus Stroud, Spencer Johnson and Kawika Mitchell are the key to Dick Jauron's future, which is a bit of a shame, because the defense's success seems sure to be tied into how the secondary performs.

It's also clear that Trent Edwards feels very comfortable in his job - a good thing - laughing on the sideline after a miserable series, but how quickly will the fans turn on him as well, especially if J.P. Losman continues to provide glimpses of what a veteran quarterback should look like. Losman was still erratic even in his completions, but the touchdown to James Hardy was legit, and his patience on the screen play was something we haven't seen. Also, how about his roll-out on the 2-point conversion? Who knew he was mobile? Well, besides all of us? Anyway, remember all, it's one game, and Edwards is definitely your starter. Check in with me after the Pittsburgh game for at least an hour on not only the game, but how Toronto looked on TV. I think we'll all be sick on WGR, right? Tune in.

2) You're absolutely nuts if you don't think the New York Jets are immediately a better football team with Brett Favre, but you're also a little loopy if you think the Dolphins got worse by adding Chad Pennington. Pennington isn't going to win you a Super Bowl, but even his spaghetti arm got the Jets to several playoffs, and the guy is one of the era's more accurate passers in term of completion percentage. Granted so is Kelly Holcomb, but both New York and Miami likely increased their 2008 win total by two last week.

D) Speaking of New York, cute story out yesterday how Brett Favre is "one of the guys" at Jets camp, having to run a lap after a practice mishap. Right. Brett Favre is "one of the Jets" like Michael is one of the Jacksons (For those further interested in the metaphor, Nick Mangold is Jermaine).

5) The Teppo Numminen signing is a good one for the Sabres. Clearly, there's an understanding between the two sides. If No. 27 is still legit, he plays as often as he can and steadies and teaches for either Andrej Sekera or Mike Weber. If he's not-so-hot, he slides in for about half the games. Either way, $1.1 million is totally reasonable for a veteran of his caliber, and as long as the wheels didn't rust and his heart's in order, you could do a lot worse for the money. Another Sabres note, I'm glad they re-signed Portland Pirates captain Tyler Bouck, and not because he's played with three NHL teams. It's good to see the Sabres show respect for the Pirates franchise history.

Brussel sprouts) One of the coolest things about being in Europre is CNN International's 20-minute sports show, because it's a true glimpse into the world sports scene. In Italy, the Brett Favre story was mentioned just once in the eight days I was there. Feel free to envy me. Also, I didn't have to roll with rampant speculation about American roster moves. One day, Manny Ramirez was just wearing Dodger blue in the highlight package. It was a nice separation from the Sportscenter saturation, though I was glad to be back Stateside, with the Internet, for the Bills preseason game and UB Bulls football updates. "Fight, fight for Buffalo...Be proud to fight for your dear Blue and White...So hit 'em high, hit 'em low, throw 'em high, throw 'em low... Fight for your dear old Bulls..."

Aug. 28th at UB Stadium against UTEP can't come quickly enough.

51) Very happy for Padraig Harrington's back-to-back majors after this week. Seems like a classy lad, and I shall visit his country because of his accomplishments (Not really, but we are looking to plan a tour of Great Britain, particularly after a visit by our Manchester friend Ged for a good friend's wedding).

NUFC) Premiership soccer kicks off next weekend in England, and I'm so excited for Newcastle's fresh season of fixtures, even if their opener Sunday is against mighty Manchester United. I read Ged Clarke's remarkable book "Fifty Years of Hurt" about Newcastle, and I learned something about my "football team" of choice (For the record, I chose Newcastle years ago because I thought their beer was delicious).

Anyway, as it turns out, the team I selected is the Chicago Cubs/Buffalo Bills of English football. Always the bridesmaid, it turns out for me as a sports fan. Check out the book (I read it on the plane ride... it's a breeze), and check out the team. You can learn to enjoy the beautiful game at pubs with me all year long.

BDSL) A slap on the back to the Buffalo & District Soccer League for a brilliant set-up Sunday at Nichols school for the 1a and 1b championship games. The school's artificial turf field is exactly what a high-cost prep school should have. My team (Buffalo City Football Club) finished at the bottom of 1b, but being at the side-by-side championship games was a great time, and very well-attended. Hope to be on the championship pitch after the Fall season. www.bdsl.org

Welcome me back or tell me I'm nuts already: nick@wgr550.com

Here we are, the culmination my favorite year in college football and my most prepared year in draft history. I'm ready to be content if Buffalo goes in several directions this weekend, and have a couple ideas of what could set me off in an opposite humor.

So, before Greg Bauch and I hit the airwaves at 11 a.m. Saturday to kick-off 12 hours of draft coverage on WGR, here's a brief review of the impressions I received from the players who appeared in my podcast series, and the date to find them in the Audio Vault. We'll go alphabetically, and throw some video links along the way. Afterwards, I'll detail some prospect movement from the final day of rumorville:

Jabari Arthur, WR, Akron (4/14 Podcast)
— French-Canadian MAC stand-out is big and funny. The kid is a Montreal Canadiens fan who can jump really high without lighting cars on fire. Watch his Day Two prospects.

Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina (4/25 Podcast)
— A+ interview for the likely first-round pick. Big fella, at 6'5", 312 pounds, and models himself as a Richard Seymour of defensive ends. Yeah, that sounds pretty darn good. Polite, professional and humble. First round pick.

Gary Banks, WR, Troy (4/15 Podcast)
— Was covered every day by Troy corner Leodis McKelvin, and said he learned a lot from the highly-touted corner. Also made me think McKelvin is as good as advertised. Calls himself a physical receiver, though he isn't a big guy. Late Round/Priority Free Agent.

Jason Boone, OL, Utah (4/16 Podcast)
— Big prospect heading into this year before a knee injury. Recuperation is apparently going well, and seems like a nice enough guy. From Day One to Day Two after a knee injury... just imagine if you hurt your knee and all the work you did in college lost half it's value. Late Round Pick.

Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville (4/11 Podcast)
— Talking to him about Bobby Petrino, his change in draft stock and all-around approach to quarterbacking made me want him in red, white and blue. Hard to imagine his status won't rise in the wash. First round pick.

Curtis Coker, DT, Oregon State (4/14 Podcast)
— Nice kid, seems to love the game. Very late rounds/Free agent.

Angelo Craig, LB, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Hard-working linebacker from a "blue collar" city who comes from a big family. Early-to-mid Day Two pick.

Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State (4/15 Podcast)
— So impressed with this John McCargo-like defensive tackle. Terrific interview, and excited to followed this former chorus member's career in the NFL. Day One pick.

Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest (4/14 Podcast)
— I'm partial to UB's Jamey Richard if only because of my alma mater ties, but Justice was my first and a quite impressive interview. If the Bills don't go UB, they'll be going earlier to get Justice, and I won't hate it. Late Day One/Very Early Day Two pick.

Haruki Nakamura, S, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Undersized but powerful and quick safety whose entire family is composed of black belt martial artists. Yes. Go search his name on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHApgrJarw8. This guy loves to hit. Late Day Two pick.

Frank Okam, DT, Texas (4/15 Podcast)
— Monster of a man with a National Championship resume. Would be an interesting pick to spell Marcus Stroud. Is a first-rounder in some circles. Also talked about Malcolm Kelly and Limas Sweed. Day One pick.

Brian Paysinger, WR, Oregon (4/15 Podcast)
— Productive receiver who can block. Good interview.

Kelly Poppinga, LB, Brigham Young (4/16 Podcast)
— Tackling machine whose draft prospects improved when moved from outside to inside linebacker. Brother of Green Bay stand-out Brady Poppinga and former Chief/Steeler/Seahawk/Eagle tight end Casey Poppinga. Already did service work in Central and South America. Carried himself very well. Day Two Pick.

Jamey Richard, C, Buffalo (4/11 Podcast)
— Nasty, big, physical center who can play guard and models himself after the Colts' Jeff Saturday. Go Bulls (How's that for unbiased journalism).

Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri (4/22 Podcast)
— Perhaps the best interview of the punch from a guy who would help the Bills immediately. Comes from the spread offense and admits to need to learn line blocking. Brother of recently-retired Carolina Panthers end Mike Rucker, and son of Nebraska state representative. Late Day One/Early Day Two.

Dusty Sprague, WR, Colorado (4/16 Podcast)
— An underdog worth rooting for, this kid from the midwest was both easy to talk to and intelligent. Late Round/Priority Free Agent. Reviewed Sweed and Malcolm Kelly.

Jake Standeford, WR, Purdue (4/14 Podcast)
— Tall (6'2"), blocking wide-out who got the chance to shine in a big bowl win over Central Michigan. Definitely Youtube search his block: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtyChk-quDk. Trust me that will be enough to find him. Devastating. Day Two pick (stock rising).

Limas Sweed, WR, Texas (4/21 Podcast)
— What else can I say about Sweed? Wasn't the world's best interview, but I've been arguing for his being a Bill for a year, and I'm not stopping now. One word: Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AHAhZsrEL4. First round pick.

Jeremy Trimble, WR, Amry (4/22 Podcast)
— Impressive young man who detailed the Army/Navy game for me. Should get a shot in the league. Day Two pick/Priority free agent.

Jeremy Zuttah, OL, Rutgers (4/16 Podcast)
— Great interview. Would love the Bills taking a look at a kid who rose with the Rutgers program. Has a nasty edge to him. Day One pick.

MOVING UP:
—Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State: 6'2" kid who amassed 122 catches. In one year. Wow.
—Chad Henne, QB, Michigan: Very accurate four-year starter who played through injury.
—Branden Albert, OL, Virginia: Good lineman survive hype.
—James Hardy, WR, Indiana: It's the NFL. Do you think they really care about character concerns with a 6'7" wide-out? I don't like it either.
—Balmer
—Zuttah
—Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida: Good wide-out from a good program. Excels in several areas.
—Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma: Seems like the guys who played well in real football are overcoming poor combines. Had a slower-than-usual time on his pro day on the same track as Malcolm Kelly. Coincidence? I think not.

MVP (Most Valuable Podcast) Voting:

1. Fluellen
2. Rucker
3. Justice
4. Zuttah
5. Balmer

Hope to hear from you Saturday morning at 11 a.m., and please don't forget to vote in the "Name my team" web poll on my page: http://wgr550.com/pages/1258107.php?

Email: nick@wgr550.com

There are a number of ways I could've cleverly-titled this column, variations on themes of defense, red hair and soup, but "Sign Brian Campbell" was the choice for a reason.

It's a no-brainer.

There's been discussion on our airwaves about how much Campbell will fetch in the off-season — likely a king's ransom — and arguments about where to throw your money in the "New NHL that closely resembles the old NHL," or NNHLTCRTONHL, for short.

The more you look at numbers, the more it makes sense to pay the man. Performance-wise, there aren't many times fans are watching a replay of an opponent's goal, wondering "What was Campbell thinking?" His offensive gifts are many, the physical play is there, and he eats minutes like the league's best.

Now, after shelling out crazy cash to Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy, and with Ryan Miller's contract on the horizon, it's okay to be a little hesitant to pay Campbell as one of your team's best, but let me walk you through an argument for re-signing the 28-year-old.

First off, he's becoming the most complete defenseman on the team, better offensively than Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman, and a shade better than Jaroslav Spacek in his own end. The numbers don't lie, either:

— His 49 points led Sabres blue-liners, and ranked 18th in the NHL in 2006-07, near young stud defenders like Calgary's Dion Phaneuf and Colorado's John-Michael Liles.

—His 16 points to-date this season rank 8th amongst NHL d-men, despite the Sabres spending a good portion of the early season trying to remember what it felt like to see a red light behind the other team's net.

— He's missed three games in three years, kills penalties and mans the point on a power play unit.

—His 25:07 in average ice time is 13th in the NHL.

— Campbell's recorded 13 points in 34 playoff games, which isn't too far off his production in the more wide-open regular season.

— Calling a guy "Soup" is fun, and the spin-o-rama move is pretty cool.

Of the regular defensemen, only Dmitri Kalinin and Nathan Paetsch are younger than Campbell, although "Soup" is only older than Henrik Tallinder by approximately four months. His 28 years appear to fall right in the wheel house of being able to relate to the new guys and hold weight with the veterans.

If you're asking if I think he should be captain, the answer is yes.

Then, there's the money issue, and there'll be plenty of hemming and hawing. Is he worth three-, four-, or five million per year? Is he more of an Andrei Markov or a Brian Rafalski? Well, how about you check out this list of defensemen and their salaries, and tell me you'd sign them over Campbell:

Paul Mara, NYR, $3 million
Brendan Witt, NYI, $2.8 million
Nick Boynton, PHX, $2.95 million
Brad Stuart, LA, $3.5 million
Sergei Zubov, DAL, $4 million
Mattias Ohlund, VAN, $3.5 million
Cory Sarich, CGY, $3.9 million

Those are all guys in the $4 million range, and several signed last year, in the "New NHL." Campbell is almost certainly a better asset than anyone on the list, and Sarich and Stuart were guys I advocated as Sabres last summer.

Is he Wade Redden, at $6.5 per year, or Chris Pronger at $6.25 million? No. In an ideal world, he should be more in the $3.5 million, Chris Phillips range, but this is also a league in which 475-year-old Mathieu Schneider is making $5.5 million, and still pretty productive. Market value is skewed beyond belief, and Phillips would make a lot more money somewhere else.

Someone is going to pay the man in the $4 to $4.5 million range, and I hope it's Darcy Regier and Tom Golisano. If necessary, I'd be willing go even higher, but I would hope that's unnecessary. Each assist, and minute logged on the ice is another step closer to unrestricted free agency.

A guy like Campbell may be missed more than a Daniel Briere, and while I wouldn't go quite as far as to say Chris Drury, he's getting there. The question you have to ask yourself is does the name "Brian Campbell" fit in your mind as a core-member of the Sabres, with names like Vanek, Roy, Hecht and Miller? All signs point to "Yes."

In summation, I'm only charging 1 percent, Soup. I'll give a lot of it to charity.

E-mail: nick@wgr550.com

510 net yards. 8/11 on third down. 2/2 on fourth down. One punt. Seven offensive touchdowns. One defensive score. 10-0.

What. The. Heck?

Football teams are not supposed to be as good as the New England Patriots. This is going to — by far — be the shortest of my "Immediate Reactions" columns this year, and it has almost nothing to do with it being post-midnight.

Look, I was as hopeful as anyone about the Bills having improbable success against the Pats, but a Bills team without their star running back and with quarterback/wide receiver issues against one of the most cutthroat teams in the history of the NFL.

On the eve of the Whiney Awards, there are already a close-to-record 289 calls to the Whiner Line. Guess who listens to and cut that baby every morning? Yeah, we're going to keep this quick...

— First, the "running up" of the score. I don't have much of a problem with the continuing to pass and attempting to score well into the second half, but I have a number of complaints with New England head coach Bill Belichick, who I think displayed classlessness numerous times (Is classlessness even a word? It's awkward to type. Sounds about time for my weekly apology to Linda Bogdan and the UB English department).

Look, Billy, I know you're trying to get your boy Tom Brady his touchdown record, but don't you think he was in there well after the game was out-of-reach. Also, going for it on fourth down, up 36. Stay classy, William.

I wish I could say I was incredulous the entire time, but I expected it. Belichick's established his modus operandi for 2007, and he unflinchingly presses on.

— I'm not sure what Dick Jauron could've done that would've altered the course of the game entirely, but moving away from Anthony Thomas a little earlier couldn't have hurt. I'm sure the logic was that if you established some semblance of a run with Thomas, the Patriots wouldn't be able to read pass every time he was in there. The Bills offensive line was brutal against New England's pressure, but 11 carries for 31 yards isn't going to cut it. Fred Jackson carried three times for 15 yards, and Dwayne Wright had one carry for one yard. Even worse, Losman tied Thomas in yardage on just four rushes.

— Is there any chance the conversation between the official who threw the intentional grounding flag on Brady and ol' Tom himself didn't go like this:

"Intentional grounding, Tom."

"Oh, good, you know my name. I wasn' t sure if you're aware that I'm Tom $&^%$^%$ Brady and I know %$^$%^& well where the ^&%$%&^$ pocket is."

— For the record, because I think those who call me a "Losman apologist" will appreciate it, here are the incredible stats of all the quarterbacks who have faced the New England defense this year (the final number is quarterback rating for the game):

Wk1- Chad Pennington, 16/21, 167 yards, 4 sacks, 2 TD, 0 INT - 130. 5
Wk2- Phillip Rivers, 19/30, 179 yards, 3 sacks, 2 TD, 2 INT - 74.2
Wk3- Trent Edwards, 10/20, 97 yards, 1 sack, 1 INT - 43.1
Wk4- Carson Palmer, 21/35, 234 yards, 1 sack, 1 TD, 2 INT - 65.7
Wk5- Derek Anderson, 22/43, 287 yards, 3 sacks, 2 TD, 3 INT - 58.9
Wk6- Tony Romo, 18/29, 199 yards, 2 sacks, 2 TD, 1 INT - 91.0
Wk7- Cleo Lemon, 24/37, 236 yards, 3 sacks, 1 INT - 71.4
Wk8- Jason Campbell, 21/36, 197 yards, 3 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 71.2
Wk9- Peyton Manning, 16/27, 225 yards, 3 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 83.1
Wk10- BYE
Wk11- J.P. Losman 15/26, 173 yards, 4 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 74.7

In essence, Losman had the same game every quarterback whose faced the Patriots this year has had. If you live by the quarterback rating, which is kind of silly, he had the fourth-best day against the Patriots this year. I listened to Mike Schopp and The Bulldog's post-game show on the way home, and if you want to lambaste Losman and get him out of the line-up, go for it, but not because of Sunday night. Maybe Howard Simon was right about the whole "free pass" thing. I think Losman starts next week against Jacksonville, and I believe it will be his final chance to "make or break" 2007 for the Bills.

— While the Bills front four did a decent job against the rush in the first half, they should be berated for their lack of pass rush. New England's line is good, and Brady is poised, but come on. You need more from Aaron Schobel and company.

— A note on Brady: he looks like he could take a nap when he's in the shotgun. His body language is that of a guy who barely cares what's going to happen, and then he proceeds to do things like fire lasers in between three Bills defenders. The guy looks he's listening to Coldplay in the pocket. His passes seem to make open receivers appear out of thin air, a la David Blaine.

— I guess it pays to use early draft picks on good linemen. I guess.

— I hope Stephen Gostkowski's foot isn't sore from kicking all those extra points, eight to be exact. Did anyone else feel like Belichick would go for two every time if he didn't think Anthony Hargrove would eat Tom Brady. Love Hargrove on the field, but Brady's the wrong guy to pick a fight with, Big Tony.

— Tough day for Brian Moorman. It's been an off-year for the All-Pro punter, which simply means he's been "pretty good" instead of "incredible.'

— Also, Terrence McGee has to feel like he ran a marathon. After covering Moss and Donte Stallworth up-and-down the field, he had to mentally regroup while returning eight kicks, which would've been nine if Fred Jackson hadn't been antsy.

— Randy Moss is good, but Brady remade him this season.

— Perry Fewell's done an exceptional job as defensive coordinator in 2007, but there were far too many plays Sunday night that began with two defensive backs despite the fact that Wes Welker was in the slot. Angelo Crowell won't work on Welker, and Donte Whitner and George Wilson simply aren't good enough pass defenders yet. Wilson had an especially rough game, and it's worth watching whether Jauron plugs Jim Leonhard back in against Jacksonville.

— Grades across the board were F's, so if I've missed something, just pretend I wrote about it being "substandard," "insufficient" or "lackluster." That should just about cover it all.

Stat line I enjoyed:
— John DiGiorgio, 11 tackles
What's the old maxim? "It ain't the size of the dog in the fight..." The Bills were out-classed Sunday night, but I was impressed that they pushed forward. Hey, it's not much, but it's something.

Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Eight different receivers, 383 yards, 5 TD.
I know they're good, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it. At least we'll be able to tell our grandchildren we saw greatness, again and again and again and again.

Stat line I didn't expect:
— Dwayne Wright/Fred Jackson, 4 carries, 16 yards
That's 4.0 yards-per-carries for the youngsters, and it was extra disappointing for me consider I spent Thursday afternoon writing an article on how excited the kids were to play, and how much the coaches said they believed in them. *Cough* Bull (Expletive deleted) *Cough*

Lastly...
To sum it all up, I'm amazed that I walked out there feeling just slightly worse than I did after the Jets win. It was a foregone conclusion, and while I hate that, it was a young defense that the Brady Bunch tore up in Primetime.

Next week
—I think the Bills of Weeks One through Ten are good enough to beat Jacksonville in Jacksonville, but I also think the Patriots showed the Jaguars far too many ways to exploit the Bills. Marshawn Lynch's status is a big factor in this one, but the Jags defensive line will create a number of issues for Beast Mode as well. My heart's pulling one way, but my brain is saying: Jacksonville 21, Buffalo 18.

The again, I predicted New England would beat Buffalo, 31-20, so what the heck do I know?

The running count...
Here, dear friends, is a list that usually includes the players who have yet to let me down during the course of 2007. With Lynch's injury making him ineligible, this list would likely be down t Roscoe Parrish if I was honest, but do you think "The running count" deserves a free pass for Week 11? If not, it's going to be one player — Parrish — putting the future of the running count in serious jeopardy. So, make the call, and email me with a vote or "yay" or "nay" to a free pass for this list. I'm sure Donte Whitner waits will baited breath.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...

—Terrific to see Kevin Everett looking healthy on the scoreboard. I know I'll continue my well-wishes and prayers for him and everyone with serious handicaps or misfortunes. Important to remind ourselves that we've got a lot going for us. Get better, Kevin.

—Howard Simon Show, Monday morning at 6 a.m., followed by The Coach's Extra Point, with Chuck Dickerson and me at 10 a.m. Let's have some fun, Bills fans.

E-mails: nick@wgr550.com

That was, without question, one of the worst good weather football games played in the history of the NFL, or at least the ones I've watched. Terrible offense on both sides of the ball. Dropped passes, poor passes, poor blocking. Just brutal. The Dolphins are perhaps the one team the Bills have played that are worse than the Jets. I'm going to try and write as little about this game as possible.

Still, the old cliche...

A win is a win is a win.

Right?

Let's check it out.

— First and foremost, the question on everyone's mind: J.P. Losman. The veteran had a lousy first half, as bad as I've seen from him or anyone not named Ray Lucas. The second half was markedly better. This game was essentially the Pittsburgh game, except the fourth-quarter numbers actually mattered. His first-half was wildly-inaccurate, including a terrible interception in the second quarter that could've crushed the Bills' hopes had Miami been anything but inept. A half like that from your quarterback will likely be the death knell for the Bills against most teams.

Enter the second half, and it's very difficult to separate the two in your mind, but Losman went 8-of-12 for 95 yards, with a sack and a miserable throw-away that Will Allen almost took to the house. Still, it's hard to forget that Michael Gaines dropped a sure touchdown on a beautiful touch pass in the third quarter. I won't pro-rate stats, but Losman has now directed the team to three consecutive fourth-quarter wins. Yes, he was an abomination in the opening half, but he's your starter moving forward. Let the hate-filled emails begin...

In fact, the more I think about it, the more Edwards can't be the man yet. The Bills lost two games — Denver and Dallas — that they deserved to win, and won two games — The Jets and Dolphins — that they deserved to lose. Each signal caller was responsible for a win and a loss, so we're fine (Except New England is next week).

— Marshawn Lynch's game wasn't his best, but like the rest of the offense, he was there when it counted. The touchdown run and two-point conversion were both Beast Mode at it's highest. With the exception of the fumble, and the mildly-terrifying injury, he ends up with 61 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards, which works. Hope for his health, because the Bills have the smallest chance to win in the football world with Anthony Thomas or Dwayne Wright as their feature back.

— Were they using new footballs? Marty Booker was simply awful for the Dolphins, who had to have been missing Chris Chambers, as well as a reliable tight end like Randy McMichael seemed to be in every game against the Bills. Buffalo dropped a bunch, too.

— For those who thought Lee Evans didn't go after Losman's passes, here's hoping you saw the Will Allen interception. If you didn't, just picture a mirror image of the Edwards interception against the Jets that some said Evans didn't fight for. Football can be ridiculous.

— At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Donte Whitner has been worth every bit of that eighth-overall pick. He's a solid tackler, a threat around the line of scrimmage and, as we learned against Miami, a motivator in the huddle. At least twice, cameras caught him propping his teammates up after rough spots that would've crippled the team in 2006.

— John DiGiorgio has been adequate, and the Italian side of my lineage is planning a hit on me just for writing this, but wouldn't it be nice to have Paul Posluszny returning for a primetime game against the best team in the NFL? Rhetorical, I know.

— Let's not forget that Josh Reed catch on the right sideline at the very end of the first half. The clock CBS provides which, if I'm not mistaken, is connected to the actual game clock, was at :01 when Reed stepped out-of-bounds. I realize it's the "home clock" benefit, but where in the world was this supposed "home clock" benefit on the onside kick against Dallas? Yes, I'm still bitter.

— With Trent Edwards, I've been a guy who's held third-down conversions in high regard all year, and Edwards has been poor, but Losman didn't direct anything on third-down. One out of 10 on third down.

— One thing you won't hear this week is how the Dolphins had the bye week to prepare for the Bills, but I guarantee you'll hear it an awful lot next week against the Patriots, especially if you-know-who is somehow the starting quarterback.

— Remember last year, when the main concern was Losman's inability to win a game in the final quarter until he lit up the Texans, and Peerless Price may-or-may-not have tapped his toes in the back of the end zone. Three fourth-quarter wins in a row, playing down to the competition or not, seems pretty impressive, regardless of if his performance dug the hole this time around. There will always be a hang-up between the fans, certain media members, and Losman, at least until he's fully out-of-town.

— Not to get too sentimental, but there was something special about the way Chris Kelsay talked about season back when spoke to the press on the first day of off-season work-outs. He's now made two big end zone plays, and would have a nice number of sacks if he didn't spend the first four games of the season playing with spray butter on his gloves (I know he just missed the tackles, but I'm going with the spray butter line. Plus, it makes me think of fresh muffins).

Stat line I enjoyed:
— Terrence McGee, seven tackles, two passes defended
— Jabari Greer, one tackle, two passes defended
The "passes defended" stat isn't one I put a lot of faith in, but both McGee and Greer made clutch plays on the final drive. McGee broke up a third-down out-pattern that would've all but put the Dolphins in field goal range, and Greer broke up a game-ending toss to Booker. Both players have been solid against teams without No. 1 wide-outs, and did a fine job against Dallas, too. The Moss/Stallworth/Welker combination will be a true test, especially with one of those threats being guarded by Kiwaukee Thomas, Jerametrius Butler or Ashton Youboty. At least Tom Brady doesn't use his tight ends. Yikes.

Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Losman's first half... 4/11, 62 yards, INT
Just brutal. Nothing like building confidence with fans and teammates by looking terrible against the Dolphins, although Miami's downfall has been it's run defense, not stopping the pass. His second half was more than enough to keep him as starter against New England, though, if only to avoid quashing Edwards' confidence.

Stat line I didn't expect:
— Jesse Chatman, 27 carries, 124 yards.
A defense that held down Thomas Jones, Rudi Johnson and, for the most part, Willis McGahee had its hands full with the girl who sang "Fast Car?" Oh, that was Tracy Chapman? My mistake. Play on, boys.

Lastly...
Nothing. I'm done writing about this game. Can't we talk about the Sabres? Scratch that. Can't we start tailgating for next week?

Next week
It'll likely be ugly, but take solace in the fact that the Bills play the Patriots tight at least once each season. If it's 21-0 in the first quarter, go ahead and chastise me, but I'm looking forward to experiencing another night game at the Ralph, and I'm also going to be optimistic, and blatantly disregard the reality that is the 9-0 Patriots. Then again, Hey! It's a four-game win streak with three of those coming with Losman in the fourth quarter. Pulling for the defense, but too many questions surround this game... New England 31, Buffalo 20.

The running count...
Roscoe Parrish is on notice for next week, but I can't take him off the list of players who haven't let me down thanks to that wonderful punt-return in the fourth quarter. Larry Tripplett and John McCargo weren't all over the place, but hard to pull almost any defenders off a list after a 13-10 win, even over Miami.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...

—Get better, Kevin Everett

Can't wait to read the spiteful Losman E-mails: nick@wgr550.com