Tonight: Cowboys, Bills

Duh Duh Duhn Duhnnnnnnn

OK, so it’s Monday night, and I’m stuck at work. Luckily, my office comes equipped with a TV, so I’ll have one eye on the paper tonight and the other eye on Monday Night Football … Bills vs. Cowboys.
I’ll add my thoughts of the game throughout the blog tonight … including keeping count of how many times Tony Romo is compared to Brett Favre, keeping count of how many times they talk about how amazed they are Terrell Owens hasn’t blown up this year and keeping count of how many “Buffalo’s a great football town” comments I hear.

8:03 p.m.: Just got into my office from dinner, I turn on ESPN, and already … a Brett Favre comparison. You know, all this talk about Romo has me nervous. Yes, he’s a great quarterback. Yes, he DOES remind me of a young Brett Favre. BUT, he hasn’t started 16 games yet. He’s being built up way too much. I’d prefer he just slid under the radar … and won a Super Bowl.
8:05: Oooh, Bills wearing the retros. I love those uniforms. That’ll mean an extra touchdown for Buffalo …
8:07: Already a “T.O. and Romo” co-existing comment from Stuart Scott. People forget these guys are adults. As for the Bill Parcells comments “I never really had a problem with the guy,” I am happy to see Bill keep his class and take the high road.
8:20: Back to Parcells … I hope somebody prints out his 11 QB Commandments. I still feel like he’s the reason Dallas is 4-0 right now … with just a little help from Wade.
8:25: I love the new MNF promos, but why for the Cowboys and Bills game, did they refer back to an old Bears Monday Night game? For the first four weeks, they always referred back to a team that was actually playing that week. For two weeks, I wondered which MNF Cowboys game they would harken back to … and they do the dumb Bears? So disappointing.
8:36: Michele Tafoya … not even kickoff yet, and a second “T.O. isn’t causing any problems” comment. I love “If the Cowboys start to slide, T.O. will speak up” comment … and “The Cowboys will be holding their breaths.” These are the comments you hear during a game that’s supposed to be a blowout.
8:40:Wow, more than just a “Buffalo’s a great football town” comment, they made a whole skit about it. But actually, this was pretty funny. Poor Buffalo’s going to get kicked.

1st Quarter
8:41: Kickoff, and I just realize nobody can upload WordPress right now due to a technical issue. Oh well, I’ll keep typing anyway.
8:44: Marshawn Lynch breaks one for 16 yards, then the Bills come back down to Earth. I must admit, seeing all the crazy Bills fans go nuts … ack … the Bills just faked a punt. Damnit. Anyways, Bills fans going nuts, I had a terrible feeling I’d see that all night. Now they do a fake punt. Holy gamoly.
8:51: Touchdown Buffalo. Romo interception. Nightmare begins. Bills fans go crazy. Where’s my Pepto?
8:57: Fake punt. Two Romo interceptions. You know … it would be fitting if Buffalo won, considering the Super Bowl embarrassments and the fact that even USC was beaten by 40-point underdog Stanford this week. I’m trying to put a paper together right now, and all I can think about is the “what if” Buffalo won.
Now, Dallas always starts slow. They’ve never scored first, and they haven’t scored a first quarter TD yet this year.
But still…
9:04: Bills stopped on 4th and 1. I just breathed for the first time in seven minutes.

2nd Quarter
9:23: If we lose T.O. to an injury, we’ll be OK. If we lost Patrick Crayton … Marion Barber … Julius Jones … we’d survive. If we ever lost Jason Whitten, our offense would look like the Bills.
Cowboys 7, Bills 7
9:34: We’re in the second quarter, and Buffalo’s driving. Dallas’ defense, which looked awful in Week 1, but has steadily improved, is looking iffy against a bad offense right now. Even if Dallas wins tonight, I don’t quite put them into the same tier as New England and Indy. I think Dallas has a chance next week against the Pats because they’re at home, and it’ll be the most important game played in Texas Stadium since the 1990s, but their defense isn’t quite “there” yet. Hopefully, they’ll find “there” by the playoffs.
Wow, for the first time this year, I just assumed Dallas was making the playoffs without an “if.” I love being 4-0.
9:45: I hate being 4-0. Romo’s third interception is returned for a touchdown.
Bills 17, Cowboys 7. Nightmare. Clowns. Nightmare.
9:47: Another Favre reference AND a “Buffalo’s a great football town” … all in one minute.
10:00: Big, BIG field goal by Folk (whose only miss this year was a block). I feel MUCH better going in 17-10 at the half. Hopefully, this team has woken up.
What a weird first half. Surprisingly, our defense is keeping us in this.

Third Quarter
10:24: The Bills are winning, why are we still getting “Buffalo’s a great football town” comments. You save those for the blowout.
10:25: Good run by Julius Jones … but what’s happened to Marion Barber III? He’s dissappeared the past two games, after such a great start.
10:28: Is it me, or does bobbling the snap last year against the Seahawks make Romo a tougher guy this year? Four INTS in the first half? No problem … I dropped a freaking snap and lost a playoff game last year. I like this guy.
10:30: I’ve received two comments already tonight about Bill Parcell’s 11 commandments … saying somebody needs to print these out.
From lasurferdude: No kidding, Keep on this Bill..! That was excellent advice from Bill, those 11 commandments apply to sports, life everything..! Stay on this Bill..
From one24worship: yeah me too – i’m doing a google search right now – no luck yet but i’ll holler if i locate something… now back to the 4 interceptions in the first half – arrrgh!

10:45: Bills 24, Cowboys 13. You know, I’m hitting that point where I’m starting to say, “A win over New England would erase this…” ARGH!

Fourth Quarter
11:04: I’m working at the newspaper as I do this, so there’ve been a few lapses. I just heard a commentator use the word “Favre-ian” in describing a potential comeback from Romo. If Dallas wins this, I really don’t know how I’ll react. I mean, yeah, we won the game. But this is Buffalo … or maybe a loss is what it takes to wake us up and beat New England.
11:06: Thurman Thomas … we need some Thurman Thomas Super Bowl magic for the Cowboys to pull this out.
11:11: OK, Dallas down by 8, has the ball back … two things are going to happen here. Romo’s fifth interception or a bomb to T.O. (or Whitten).
11:12: Another Brett Favre. “He likes being a quarterback.” Who doesn’t? OK, other than Bledsoe?
11:13: OK, not his fifth interception, how about his first fumble. Geesh.
11:23: WHAT??? Interception!! Sorry, Buffalo, up by 8 and trying to run down the clock, that was a bonehead, bonehead, bonehead play. I love you!! I never use exclamation marks!!
11:26: WHAT?? Interception!! Sorry, Dallas, down by 8, and you’ve already thrown four interceptions, why are you throwing it in the middle of the field? That was a bonehead, bonehead, bonehead play. I hate you!! I never use exclamation marks!!
11:33: It’s the mirrors.
11:41: Dallas 1st and goal with 24 seconds left. Two things will happen: Romo runs it in, or Romo throws INT No. 6, and it’s taken all the way back for a TD. I will cry if the latter happens.
11:41:30: Go Indians! Take THAT, Gordon.
11:42: Touchdown Cowboys … waiting for 2 pt. conversion.
11:44: It’s over. Another T.O. drop. Bleh. 4-1.
11:45: Not that it matters, but why wasn’t pass interference called?
11:46: AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! Onside kick. Onside kick! ONSIDE KICK!!!
11:58: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! Cowboys win! Cowboys win.
Heart attack.

COWBOYS 25, BILLS 24
MIDNIGHT: OK, I’m putting my newspaper to bed. I will have my final words in about 15 minutes.

Latino series

Just one comment from a reader, whose name I hold, concerning our monthlong series on the local Latino community …

“Every single criminal thing in our area is caused by illegal immigrations. I wish to God I never moved to this state.”

There was a lot more to it. I just thought I’d share.