Lookie Lookie, Here comes Cookie!

A star player at Har-Brack High School (Natrona Heights, Pa), in 1953 he led the team to the W.P.I.A.L. co-championship with Donora. As a junior, he was talked into signing a professional football contract with the NFL's Cleveland Browns by Paul Brown. The signing was against NFL rules and likely illegal, and when Brown reneged on his promise that Gilchrist would make the team, Gilchrist left training camp at Hiram College, in Hiram, Ohio, and went to Canada to play. There, in the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU), he received the Jim Shanks (Team MVP) Trophy for the Sarnia Imperials in 1954, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen's Team MVP Award in 1955.

In 1956, he joined the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, helping lead them to a 1957 Grey Cup victory. He spent one season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, rushing for 1,254 yards. He then was traded to the Toronto Argonauts for Tex Schwierer, and played three years in Toronto.[1] In his six years in the CFL, Gilchrist was a divisional All-Star at running back five consecutive years from 1956 to 1960 (there were no All-Canadians selected in those years) and was also an Eastern All-Star at linebacker in 1960. Additionally, in 1960 he was runner up for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award. In his CFL career, Gilchrist recorded 4,911 rushing yards, 1,068 receiving yards and 12 interceptions.

Buffalo. For Real #Buffalife

Discover gorgeous landscapes, a world-class art museum and some of America's greatest architecture. Yes, this is Buffalo. For Real. Presented by Visit Buffalo Niagara and Paget Films.

Welcome to SevenONeSix! The primary focus for SevenOneSix.com is to attract new viewers everyday through natural search engine searches and useful links. Let us be your Buffalo New York Entertainment guide and Business directory with a variety of listings and helpful resources of Buffalo New York Restaurants, Buffalo NY Pizzerias, Buffalo Ny Hotspots, Stand-up comedy clubs and other accommodations in Buffalo NY and throughout Western New York.SevenOneSix.com will be your one touch resource to assist you in finding the right compromise for your stay. See what latest events are happening in the 716 and follow our facebook page for live updates and daily postings!

If you would like to advertise on our website please go our Advertising section for more information.

Thank you,
Danny Scia
SevenOneSix.com

Tribute to BUFFALO NY!

I'm from Buffalo. We eat chicken wings, not Buffalo wings. Jack Kemp is a quarterback, not a politician. We drink Labatt Blue and love it. Mighty Taco always has preference over Taco Bell. Pop, not soda and Pepsi, not Coke.

They are sneakers not tennis shoes. It's a sucker, not a lollipop. Bison chip dip, La Nova Pizzeria, Aunt Rosie's Loganberry, Chevettas Chicken, Peter K's Potato Pancakes and Ted's Hot Dogs are all too familiar...not to forget Taffy's Shakes and Charlie the butcher.

A fake ID is unneccessary, there is always Canada...But we have them anyway. Our bars don't close until 4amm and we DO sell beer in a grocery store (Tops or Wegmans), which always makes for early starts and late nights. Jim's steak out at 4 in the morning is calling it an early night...

We never cuss, but we swear entirely too much. We know that a 65 mph speed limit really means 80. We will cut you off, swear, and give you the finger if you are keeping up AND do it all in the snow, while expecting nothing less in return. Driving in the snow not only comes naturally, it is fun.

We know what Artvoice and Nightlife are and we either love them or try to burn every copy we see. We start the weekends off right at Thursdays in the square while enjoying beer, free music, and an interesting crowd.

We lived through Wide Right, The Forward Lateral, and No Goal. Dubbed by Dan Marino as "the meanest fans because no-one actually wants to live here..."

We all know he wouldn't stand one winter up here. We love the Bills (no matter what) and accept that it takes 2-4 hours to get home from a game. Nothing closes in 3 feet of snow or -20 windchills...In fact, that's how we prefer to tailgate.

We can correctly pronounce, spell, and identify Chippewa, Scajaquada, Lackawanna, Cheektowaga, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Olean, Tonawanda and Gowanda without hesitation. When giving direction it's not "take I-90 to Route 33 east" it's " take the 90 to the 33 east"..."the" is not an option.

We are 30 minutes from another country, one of the seven wonders of the world, and even a few beaches. It's the second largest city in New York.

I AM FROM BUFFALO, a drinking town with a sports problem, and damn proud!

LOVE IT OR HATE IT!

Lindell loses job to Hopkins

PITTSFORD – When the Buffalo Bills used a sixth-round draft pick on a kicker, Rian Lindell hoped the rookie would be a dud.

That would’ve made the situation easier for Lindell. He could compete against the kid and not feel one bit conflicted.

“When I first met him, I kind of hoped he’d be a knucklehead,” Lindell told The Buffalo News on Monday. “Maybe that would give me a little bit of an advantage.”

Dustin Hopkins, though, turned out to be the genuine article.

The Bills conferred the job to Hopkins on Friday by releasing Lindell, the most accurate kicker in club history. Lindell was Buffalo’s longest-tenured player, entering his 14th NFL season and 11th with the team.

Hopkins will be the first rookie to kick field goals for the Bills since Jake Arians replaced Steve Christie in 2000.

“He’s good,” Lindell said of Hopkins. “He’s as advertised. He’s a good kid, a hard worker. He’s going to be good.”

Hopkins learned he’d won the job when Lindell sent him a congratulatory text.

“I find myself kind of in a paradox,” Hopkins said after Friday’s practice at St. John Fisher College. “This is something I’ve worked my whole life for. …

“But at the same time, it’s the bad part about pro sports, parting with a guy I have a lot of respect for and have admired watching for a long time and has meant so much to the community.”

Lindell’s leg has lost power. The Bills drafted kickoff specialist John Potter last year with the intention of carrying two kickers on the roster. The Bills cut Potter during the season because he wasn’t generating touchbacks. Still, former coach Chan Gailey didn’t trust Lindell to try field goals longer than 50 yards.

The team’s doubts about Lindell resurfaced when they drafted Hopkins in April.

Hopkins kicked in the first half of each preseason game. He was perfect on four field-goal attempts, making kicks from 24 and 23 yards in the opener against the Indianapolis Colts and from 39 and 35 yards Friday night against the Minnesota Vikings.

Lindell kicked a 30-yard field goal in Indianapolis but didn’t try any Friday night.

Lindell found the competition to be fair and blamed only himself for losing his job.

“I just didn’t kick like I wanted to kick,” Lindell said. “I should have kicked better. I think I’m better than I’ve showed. I just didn’t hit as clean a ball as I feel I could have. That’s a little frustrating.”

Lindell holds club records with an 83.3 career field-goal percentage, a 92.0 field-goal percentage in 2006, 18 consecutive field goals made in 2007 and 225 consecutive successful extra points.

He ranks second in all-time Bills scoring with 980 points, 31 points behind Christie.

Lindell told The News he won’t retire yet, that he’ll try to hook on with another team this preseason.

“I’ll keep trudging along and hopefully go somewhere and get a look,” Lindell said. “I’ll keep searching for that perfect step, that holy grail of hitting the ball squarely down my line whenever I want. That’s the quest.

“I’ll just have to do it in another uniform.”

But Lindell also declared he’ll forever be a Bills fan. He thanked the team for signing him three times.

“I appreciate all the fans that gave me the benefit of the doubt,” Lindell said. “There are so many that come up to you and say, ‘Go Bills,’ through thick or thin. I suppose it’s easy in a way to be negative with no playoffs or whatever, but there’s a lot of people out there that have always been positive toward me.

“So, ‘Go Bills.’ It’s nice to have a team to root for. I’m all in, man. I love that franchise.”

Drake Coming to First Niagara Center

Buffalo, NY (WKBW/FNC Release) - Drake will be coming to First Niagara Center, with special guests Future and Miguel, on Wednesday, October 16th at 7:30pm.

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 21st at 10am. Tickets are $99.75, $69.75 and $49.75 (includes $2.50 facility fee) and can be purchased at the First Niagara Center Box Office, online at www.tickets.com or by calling 888-223-6000. A random handbill policy will be in effect. A limited number of handbills are available now. All tickets subject to applicable service charges and fees. No service charge applies at the First Niagara Center Box Office.
Dates and times subject to change without notice.

Kevin Kolb: "I'm here to win a Super Bowl. Period." - OH!

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) - The Buffalo Bills have announced Monday the signing of veteran free-agent quarterback Kevin Kolb.
Kolb was an Arizona Cardinal the past two seasons. The 28-year-old is a six-year veteran.

According to Buffalobills.com, Kolb has never played a full 16-game season in his career. This is in part of the fact he's always served as a backup, or was injured. He took over for injured QB John Skelton last season in Arizona.

Kolb will now be competing for the Bills' starting QB against Tavaris Jackson and Aaron Corp.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed per team policy.

For More Football and Sports action, go to http://www.gotaction.com

Thank you!

Chris Melling vs Dennis Hatch (BuFFalo Native) Mosconi Cup 2012

 TEAM EUROPE won the second session of the 2012 Mosconi Cup by three points to two to leave the annual Europe v America match dead level at the halfway stage. There were wins for American pairs in the first and last doubles matches of the day while Europe took both singles matches as well as the second doubles match. With America leading 3-2 from the first day’s play but underdogs at the start of the competition, there was a feeling that both teams would have been happy being tied at the end of the day. It was Johnny Archer, playing in his 16th Mosconi Cup and Shane Van Boening who squared it up in the final match of the evening as they beat the stellar European team of Darren Appleton and Niels Feijen. It was another 5-4 match – the fourth of the competition and the fourth won by the American team – but Archer and Van Boening came with some great shots under pressure to record the win.

 The Europeans got off to a bad start to the session though, as the English duo of Darren Appleton and Chris Melling lost a squeaker to Mosconi legend Johnny Archer and Mike Dechaine. The Americans had lead 4-2 before Europe clawed their way back into it with a pair of quality run outs. At 4-4 Dechaine broke, but Archer missed a fine cut on the 1 ball. Melling was left with a full table pot on the one but it failed to drop and in the end Dechaine took the point with a 6/9 combination. That took the overall score to 4-2 in favour of the away team but Archer was as cautious as a man who has played in 15 Mosconi Cups could be; “It is going to be nip and tuck all the way, any match you could lose it at any time or you could win it at any time. We made a mistake tonight but we have to take advantage of whatever first shot we have and Melling made a mistake to give us the opportunity. “I want to say congratulations to Mike because he felt bad after losing yesterday but he came out today and played wonderful like the champ that he is.”

 Dechaine enjoyed the moment, “It is incredible; I feel I have had to go back to basics with my game because of the crowd yelling and everybody cheering Europe on. I feel that might put some more pressure on them as well because they have to win in front of their own crowd.” That put enormous pressure on European captain Johan Ruijsink as arguably his weakest player Nick Ekonomopoulos went out to face the pick of Team USA in Shane Van Boening. However, the nervy Greek debutant clearly hadn’t read the script as he powered to a 5-3 win to pull his team off the floor and set the York Hall on fire. Aided by one or two rolls at opportune times, Nikos, as he is known in his home country, stayed with Van Boening in the opening stages before the tide turned. At 3-3, the American looked a little less confident than at the outset when he shot into a 2-0 lead. Ekonomopoulos looked a different player from yesterday’s slow-paced bundle of nerves as he moved swiftly around the table punching the cue ball with authority. He took the final two racks to take his team to within one of the Americans. “I feel great, with so many people cheering,” said a delighted Ekonomopoulos. “It was a very difficult game and Shane Van Boening is a very good player, a great player. I tried to be relaxed, I think I was relaxed and I won. We lost three matches 5-4 and I believe we were unlucky. But now it will be better for us I think. I think the crowd helps me, I like to play in front of these people.”

 There was more joy for the Europeans in the next as the dynamic Dutch duo of Nick Van den Berg and Niels Feijen turned the momentum in a big way as they beat Dennis Hatch and Brandon Shuff 5-2 in front of an increasingly vocal York Hall crowd. Everyone was talking about a miracle jump shot that Van den Berg executed to set up a run out at a decisive point in the match. Using a strange looking Perspex bridge, he dug into the cue ball and clipped the orange 5 down the rail. Afterwards Van Den Berg said, “Unbelievable, did I make that shot?! I was running to the table to get the rest and I heard the shot clock so I just totally went for it. “I just couldn’t reach it with my bridge hand so Darren Appleton had said before the match that he had this tool and I said we would never use it! I have never used that before.” Feijen added, “I played horrible shape for him to get there. There was nothing for him to do, he couldn’t reach the jump, he couldn’t reach with the normal cue, the extension was gone and he had only 10 seconds left, so he is running back to the chair to get this thing

. ‘Where is that thing?’ he said, and I said ‘What thing, you have five seconds!’ He runs back, manoeuvres it around and 3, 2, 1, boom he makes it.” Chris Melling piled on the misery for the Americans in the next as he outplayed Dennis Hatch to give the Europeans the lead for the first time in the Mosconi Cup. The boisterous crowd gave ‘The Hatchetman’ a run for his money and he seemed to lap it up but it was Melling who cashed in on Hatch’s errors to run out a 5-3 winner. And in the final match of the day Archer and van Boening levelled it to leave the 2012 PartyPoker.com Mosconi Cup intriguingly poised at five points each. Play continues on Wednesday with more doubles and singles matches commencing 7.00pm UK time.

Gene-ius Ink - You Can't Handle The Truth

Buffalo Native - Professional Pool Player - Uncle Ray Ray

Downtown Buffalo Cruise! #Buffalife.com - Buffalo, NY - Chippewa Street

 Last call is at 4 a.m. in Buffalo, rather than 2 a.m. as in most other areas of the U.S. This is often attributed to the historically high density of industrial facilities and the demand of second and third shift patrons. It is also because New York law allows bars to be open until 4 a.m. (However, local municipalities can override it to an earlier time.) This law was actually designed to accommodate the thriving late nightlife of New York City, but the state's "Second City" has adopted it as well. Several distinct and thriving nightlife districts have grown around clusters of bars and nightclubs in the city. The most visible nightlife district is West Chippewa Street[60], located between Main Street and South Elmwood Avenue.

 The area is home to high-energy dance clubs, crowded bars, trendy coffeehouses, and restaurants. Some of the most popular hot spots in Buffalo New York are: Coles, Mr. Good bar, Side Bar, Geckos, MT Pockets, Shadow Bar, Checkers. Allentown, where bars are as numerous but the atmosphere is a bit more relaxed, is a several minute walk north to Allen Street. Some of the bars on Allen street in bBffalo New York include, La Tee Da, Gabriel's Gate, Brick bar, Hardware, and sample bar/restaurant. Allen Street near Main Street houses several gay bars, while Allen near Elmwood has many bars that feature live music.

Continuing up Elmwood Avenue from Allentown is the Elmwood Strip, which runs about two miles to Buffalo State College.

This strip has numerous small boutiques and restaurants, with few large corporate establishments. Crowds on this strip include everyone from college students to families to the elderly. The city and surrounding Niagara Region also have an active summer concert schedule, a large portion of which are free and easy to access. The events are well planned and are spaced out through the week.

 Artpark on Tuesday nights, Buffalo Place hosts 'Thursdays at the Square', The Canal Concert series is on Saturday nights in Lockport and new for 2008 is a Friday night series on the Erie canal in North Tonawanda.

716 style! LOL

Buffalo Bills hosting the Saint Louis Rams.. Ralph Wilson Stadium

The Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams are two sub-.500 football teams that, thanks to ultra-tight wild card races in both conferences, are still mathematically alive for post-season contention. 

That's the angle both teams will be taking to this game; another apt angle: these are two middling football teams that are bad slightly more often than they're good.

Still, for a Bills team that is still fighting to prove that it's better than last year's 6-10 outfit that started the season 5-2, this Rams team - tough on defense, intermittently efficient on offense and much-improved in their first season under head coach Jeff Fisher - is a good way to measure the team's progress. A win in a winnable game against an evenly-matched opponent is not something that the Bills have routinely turned in. They'll have that chance today.

Russell Salvatore steps up to ensure Bills-Rams not blacked out

Six days ago, the Buffalo Bills revealed they still had more than 10,000 tickets unsold for Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams in Ralph Wilson Stadium.

They've suddenly all been spoken for. The game will be shown on local TV within a 75-mile radius of Orchard Park.

Bills CEO Russ Brandon announced on his weekly WGR segment that local restaurateur Russell Salvatore has committed to purchasing the unsold inventory. That means tickets remain on sale.

The Bills had their first blackout of the season last Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Bills sold out 26 straight games from the start of 2007 and into the 2010 season. But they've struggled mightily since that streak.

Ralph Wilson Stadium failed to fill up for three of their last five home games in 2010 and for each of the final three games last season.

So they needed Salvatore to avoid an eighth blackout in their past 18 games.

Brandon also announced over 10,000 tickets remain unsold for the season-finale against the New York Jets on Dec. 30.

Buffalo Bills’ 34-18 win over Jacksonville Jaguars

They did it in resilient fashion after losing five regulars to injuries, and in sloppy conditions — with a persistent drizzle falling for much of the afternoon.

Fitzpatrick threw two touchdown passes and scored on a 1-yard run. Fred Jackson had 109 yards rushing, and C.J. Spiller scored on a 44-yard touchdown run to provide a spark to an injury-depleted offense that was already missing No. 2 receiver Donald Jones (calf).

The injuries then mounted as leading receiver Stevie Johnson (left hamstring), starting center Eric Wood (left knee) and starting right tackle Chris Hairston (right ankle) all couldn’t finish the game.

The Bills also got a boost from a Mario Williams-led defense that forced two turnovers, had four sacks, stopped the Jaguars on all three fourth-down attempts and allowed just 236 yards.

“I’m not worried about a month ago,” defensive tackle Kyle Williams said, when reminded of how many games the Bills had squandered. “Obviously, yes, we wish we could’ve played this well earlier. But the only thing I can control is what’s in front of me.”

The Jaguars (2-10) played the role of pushover in failing to carry over much momentum a week after they ended a seven-game skid with a 24-19 win over Tennessee.

“We did take a step back,” quarterback Chad Henne said. “It was poor execution on our part.”

After going 33 of 59 for 615 yards and six TDs in his past two games, Henne struggled against Buffalo. He finished 18 of 41 for 208 yards passing. He lost a fumble, after being stripped by Mario Williams, and also threw a game-ending interception that was picked off by safety Jairus Byrd.

Henne scored on a 1-yard run, and also connected with Cecil Shorts III for a 5-yard touchdown a play after Bills backup punt-returner Justin Rodgers fumbled a punt inside his own 10 early in the fourth quarter.

Otherwise, the Jaguars had difficulty moving the ball. After Henne scored to put them ahead 10-7 with 3:47 left in the second quarter, the Jaguars managed just five first downs on their next four possessions, which ended with a lost fumble, a failed fourth-down conversion and two punts.

The Bills went ahead for good with 1:56 left in the second quarter when Fitzpatrick hit tight end Scott Chandler for an 11-yard touchdown.

Buffalo Bills: Almost a Dynasty! #chills

The long wait for Bills fans is over. ALMOST A DYNASTY-  A FAN STORY, a Soul-stirring Documentary About the Buffalo Bills' Super Bowl is almost here. The world premiere chronicling the unprecedented Super Bowl run of the Buffalo Bills,  will be held at the Market Arcade on September 28, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale at the box office at 5:00 p.m. Tickets will sell out, so fans are encouraged to arrive early.

Told through the eyes of the players, staff, media and the fans, ALMOST A DYNSATY - A FAN STORY, breaks the mold of sports documentary filmmaking. Director Peter Tasca's unique approach transports viewers to a time in sports history when all eyes were on the Bills and allows them to experience the same roller coaster of emotions all Bills supporters felt.  "Given the incredible impact this era had on the hearts and souls of all Bills fans I thought the film should focus on their emotions in recounting this amazing time in Bill history," says Director Tasca

Football legend and sports broadcaster, Ron Jaworski says, "The four year Super Bowl run of the Buffalo Bills will never be seen again. This film captures the events and emotions of this unbelievable feat with amazing interviews and stories. This is a must have documentary of the greatest era in Bills history."

Who: Buffalo Bills players, coaches, staff, media and of course the fans

What: World Premiere of ALMOST A DYNASTY A FAN STORY, a new film depicting the
unprecedented Super Bowl run of the Buffalo Bills

Where: Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre at 639 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14203

When: September 28, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

Delving deep into the souls of passionate, diehard and longsuffering Buffalo Bills fans, this film is brought to life by the voices of the fans and key individuals that survived the glory and agony of the monumental Super Bowl run of the early 1990's. Filled with emotion, drama and humor, interviews are woven in with Bills clips to reveal the true meaning of this incredible era in sports history and ultimately force all Bills fans to ponder...would you trade the glory of the run for one?

Buffalo Bills Movie 'Almost A Dynasty: A Fan Story' Coming Soon

Too often, when reflecting back on the Buffalo Bills of the early 90s, the negatives all too prominently swim about at the surface.

Wide right, four straight losses, cursed; those are the phrases that most hear or remember. A litany of losing that stood as a jumping off point for almost two decades of ineptitude.

For fans outside of Western New York, the derision cast down upon you by those who discover your NFL allegiance is almost comical. Such overblown, incredulous expressions, such sincere, yet insulting condolences; I mean, how many of you Buffalo-born haven’t had someone say, “Oh, I’m so sorry” when they find out where you’re from and who you root for… season after agonizing season?

Fathers will force it on their unwilling sons, mothers on uncaring daughters, regaling them ad nauseum about those near touches with the divine, yet always lamenting their “cursed” fate throughout. For those who lived during that time in Buffalo, there is no greater symbol for their plight and their hometown than their Bills; a team so close to greatness, yet somehow denied it in the end and then mocked for it to boot, as if they were silly to even think they could.

“Almost a Dynasty: A Fan Story” (buffalobillsmovie.com) serves, then, as a reminder to those who have forgotten how great their city is and how amazing that team was (and still is) for its loyal fans.

A soon to be released 68-minute documentary from 1derful Film Productions that mixes old footage with new interviews concerning the Bills’ improbable and likely unrepeatable four year run to the Super Bowl, this short film takes a look at what was truly happening in Buffalo during that short blip in time.

1derful Films takes a decidedly fan-centric look at “The Run” using a  patchwork, tatterdemalion of interviews ranging from players (Kelly to Tasker) to locals (Dave Shatzel, owner of local favorite Coles).

Whether it be a casual fan or a broadcasting pro (Chris Berman, or course, is featured), this is a surprising and refreshing take on the often unjustly spat on Buffalo Bills and, more importantly, the inhabitants of the Queen City themselves.

In the trailer, Steve Tasker, former Special Teams monster for the Bills, is quoted as saying, “When it happens there in Buffalo, it’s not even about football, it’s about Buffalo, and it’s amazing”, and that seems to be the directors’ approach to the material. NFL Films can give you better footage of the story on the field and the cold, hard stats of their regular season dominance can be found anywhere on the Internet, but the filmmakers are giving you a different take here.

They’re telling a little known story about a time and place in sports history (yes, history), utilizing an oral tradition older than football, and letting the voices of those who watched it unfold stand right alongside the usual players and coaches soundbites, resulting in something much fuller, more rich.

It’sa modern fairy tale in their hands, with an ending not quite so dark and hopeless as many (even fans) seem to recall. “Almost a Dynasty” tries to shine the light on the hope and joy of a city whose previous claims to fame were really only a presidential assassination and a blizzard (that largely hit south, as the snow always does), looking, perhaps, to find them a piece of the respect they’ve so long deserved (but rarely asked for).

They ask, “Would you trade the glory of The Run, for one?” reminding fans of the excitement (and dumb luck) in bringing such a tremendous amount of talent to Buffalo at one time. For you sports nuts, think the Montreal Expos in 1994, as the list of talented players was just a who’s who of future Hall of Famers.

There was the consistently spectacular Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Andre Reed (along with Metzellars and Hull and Davis and Bebee) keeping their offense continuously in the top 5 (if not first place) in the league, outscoring at will it seemed.

Meanwhile, their defense brought in names like Bruce Smith (a nightmare squeezed into an NFL uniform), Cornelius Bennett (“Biscuit”, described in the film as Mickey Mantle in a football uniform), and Darryl Talley (the ugliest man in football and the driving soul of the team), leading a domination that matched the pace set by the offense.

See what Las Vegas really thinks of the Bills?

Last week, a minor skirmish broke out on my Twitter feed over what Las Vegas thinks of the Buffalo Bills' win total for 2012.

The problem is that too many people view an over/under wins number as a prediction of reality.
Actually, it's a prediction of money.
While some online sites started the Bills out at 6.5 wins, Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened the Bills at 7. LVSC is the world's most influential oddsmaking operation, setting lines for a vast majority of legal sports books.

To further illustrate the concept that win totals aren't based on reality, consider that LVSC has posted early point spreads for every 2012 NFL game except for Week 17 (because many teams bench their starters to get ready for the playoffs). The Bills are favored to win eight of the 15 games forecasted, and probably would be favored at home in Week 17.

So why wouldn't LVSC peg its win total for the Bills at 8.5?

I called LVSC for expert insight to share on the Press Coverage blog. The oddsmaker who answered the phone? Joel Staniszewski, a Sloan native who graduated from St. Joe's and Buffalo State.
What are the odds of that? I should have asked him, but we were too busy talking about Bills wagers.

The first thing to consider about win totals is that they're posted before the free-agency period begins. Buffalo was assigned its 7 without knowing Mario Williams and Mark Anderson were on their way.

"The number is put up based on what oddsmakers think will get the most bets on both sides," Staniszewski said. "A team like the Bills that's traditionally poor, they're going to get a lower number because oddsmakers know that people are going to bet them under.
"The only people that are going to bet them over are homers who want to bet the Bills, which are few and far between."

The perfect scenario oddsmakers shoot for is an equal amount of money on either side. That's guaranteed money because they keep half the wagers plus a built-in commission commonly referred to as "the juice."
To that end, oddsmakers must account for all those people who view the Bills as a perennial doormat and the scarcity of Bills fans who will wager big money to show their confidence.
So when the Bills do make dramatic moves to improve their defense, why doesn't the win total then shoot upwards to reflect how much better their roster is?
"You let the people who are betting determine where you're going to move the number to," Staniszewski said. "You don't want to move the number too much. You've got to be smart with the number, assuming who's going to bet what."

Subtle movement protects the sports books. Suppose the Bills opened at 6.5 wins before free agency and then they signed two of the best defensive free agents on the market, whipping fans into a frenzy and making seven victories seem super attractive.
Sports books couldn't simply switch the win total to 7.5 or 8 because bettors who previously took the over would also bet the new under. And if the Bills finished 7-9, then books would face the possibility of cashing out an inordinate amount of tickets.
Sports books, therefore, must move their lines slowly and based on the money coming in to protect themselves.

And the money -- wiseguy money, even -- has been coming in on Buffalo. The LVSC win total for Buffalo now is at 7.5 wins and creeping toward 8. Money on Buffalo also is reflected at the Bovada.lv online casino, where the Bills' odds to win the Super Bowl have shrunk from 60-to-1 to 50-to-1.
"From what I gather," Staniszewski said, "the people that have bet the over are people that would be considered the sharp bettors, the people you keep an eye on and move the line a little when they bet it as opposed to when Joe Shmoe comes in and bets it.

"Those that are really keen to it know that if the Bills' defense can get even to the middle of the pack and their offense can stay as high-powered as it was in the beginning half of the year, this team can cause some damage."

Buffalife.com: Drake earns audience’s praise

More than any genre of music, hip-hop is entrenched in a battle mentality. Every verse is seen as a chance to stake your claim to the crown, to perpetuate your own myth with a combination of skill and swagger, to make sure anybody who has to follow you will be shaking in his boots. As a result, much of rap music features artists beating on their chests with abandon, obsessively regaling us about their mic skills, bank accounts and sexual prowess. In this battle-minded milieu, Drake stands out as a compelling conscientious objector, an artist with the potential to lead the genre into subtler places. The Torontonian child actor turned rap star makes lush, introspective music with one foot in the club and the other in the confessional booth; it’s a style so moody and personal, you had to wonder if it would translate live, especially in a place as huge and unruly as Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. On Friday night, Drake’s music didn’t just translate, it transcended. From the moment the lights cut out and the stage curtains billowed down, his set felt like something special, an electrifying, sophisticated offering of rap and R&B, running a kaleidoscope of emotions. A sea of worshipful fans got ear-splittingly loud as the star took the stage, backed by an incredible live band that impeccably recreated the compelling R&B soundscapes of his 2011 opus “Take Care.” And Drake earned every decibel of his audience’s praise, rapping with passion, singing with tenderness, exhorting his followers to make some noise with from-the-gut sincerity. He’s called this the “Club Paradise” tour, something that in another artist’s hands would be just an excuse to sing about partying. But this club was rooted in humanity. As Drake delivered lines like “I’m having a good time/They just trying to ruin it,” during a stunning “Up All Night,” slow-motion shots of an owl in flight played behind him, painting a nocturnal existence as something exotic and beautiful, but also unsettling. Then came the coup de grace. After introducing “Forever” as the kind of song the DJ pumps to maximum volume, Drake unleashed a passion that had him hopping around the stage. After this, he crept behind the stage, emerging in a white T-shirt as the band played the opening strains of “Marvin’s Room.” This “Take Care” standout depicts the narrator “drunk dialing” his ex. It was a profound one-two punch, one that cut to the core of why Drake is so important, and beloved — he knows that rap music is all about ego, and that there’s nothing more egotistical than pouring your heart out to the world.

A 'Flying Wallenda' to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope

(CNN) -- Renowned high-wire walker Nik Wallenda has announced he will attempt to walk a tightrope over Niagara Falls between the United States and Canada on June 15, the first person to do so in more than a century. "This has been a dream for so long, since I was 6 years old," Wallenda said at a news conference Wednesday. Wallenda will walk a 2-inch cable attached to massive cranes on each side of the falls, about 1,800 feet across, and 200 feet up from the bottom of the gorge. The crossing should take about 30 to 40 minutes and is planned to take place in early evening. "There's something iconic about Niagara Falls," Wallenda told CNN on Thursday. "There is a history here." According to Niagara Falls Tourism, the first tightrope walker to cross the falls was Jean Francois Gravelet, better known as "The Great Blondin," in 1859. The last person to cross the gorge on a wire was James Hardy in 1896, but Wallenda said he will be the first to cross directly over the waterfall. "The other people all crossed farther down," said Wallenda. The reason it has been so long since any daredevils have attempted the dangerous feat is because Niagara Falls Park banned tightrope walking displays after Hardy's walk, according to Niagara Falls Tourism. Wallenda, 33, was determined to perform the death-defying stunt and lobbied politicians in the U.S. and Canada to get approval. "I can't tell you the amount of times I was told, 'no,' 'impossible,'" he said. "I just kept on fighting." Wallenda's first breakthrough came in September, he said, when New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill giving him permission to perform the feat. At first, Canadian authorities wouldn't allow the stunt on their end, said Wallenda, but finally gave him the go-ahead in February, specifying that they would grant permission for such spectacular acts only once every generation. "This is something that people will talk about for generations to come," said Wallenda. Wallenda says he plans to train in Niagara Falls on May 12 through 22, crossing a practice wire identical in size and length to the one he will cross over the falls in June. Nik Wallenda is a seventh-generation performer in the famed circus family known as The Flying Wallendas. The clan has been doing impressive circus acrobatics and stunts since the 1700s. "My great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda, was my biggest hero in life, my biggest inspiration behind everything I do," Wallenda said in 2011 after he completed the exact 100-foot-high walk in Puerto Rico that killed his great-grandfather, who fell to his death in 1978 at age 73. Wallenda, who calls himself "the king of the high wire," has broken several world records and holds the Guinness Record for crossing the longest and highest high wire on a bicycle.

...It looks like the Bills want $200 million in stadium upgrades.

It looks like the Bills want $200 million in stadium upgrades. What they didn’t say goes without saying: Either taxpayers pony up, or the Buffalo Bills — like their namesake — saddle up.

Complicating the issue is an expiring 15-year lease and the mortality of the team’s 93-year-old owner. Ralph Wilson reportedly has no contingency plan to keep the team here after he is gone. The Bills — valued at $792 million — presumably would go to the highest bidder, who probably won’t be from around here. A likely landing spot is Los Angeles, an NFL-covetous mega-market with wannabe owner Phillip Anschutz eager to launch a stadium project.

We know what the Bills want. Here is, to my mind, what we need:

A Lock-down Lease: A $200 million rehab ought to tie the team here for at least 20 years. The Bills reportedly have hinted at a “clawback” deal that refunds — all or in part — stadium fix-up costs if they bolt. That’s not bad. But it could leave us with a gleaming white elephant for monster truck shows.

“You need an extended lease in return for improvements,” said Robert Baade, a sports economics professor at Lake Forest College in suburban Chicago. “Teams have learned how to make these arrangements less than iron-clad— like if specific revenues fall below a certain point, the deal is off. You have to watch for the loopholes.”

Of course, Wilson could craft a lease that locks the team here, with no exit doors. But the Bills are worth more somewhere else. Locking them here shaves a bit off of a still-astronomical sales price. That would be a noble gesture, given the community’s half-century of support for mostly losing teams. But that, sadly, is apparently not what will happen.

Get the Bills to Pony Up: The stratospheric value of teams, and tougher economic times, have made massive stadium subsidies less digestible for governments. More teams are kicking in — with cash or shared revenue — for new or improved playpens. The Kansas City Chiefs reportedly laid out $125 million for Arrowhead’s recent $400 million overhaul. St. Louis wants the Rams to cover half of a proposed $124 million fix-up. In Minneapolis, the Vikings are reportedly in for $427 million of a planned $1 billion stadium. The Bills should ante up.

Let Albany Carry the Weight: Dennis Gorski’s coup 14 years ago was getting the state to pay the $63 million fix-up bill. The county then forked over all game-day revenue except breathing rights. That looks to me where the bar is set for Mark Poloncarz.

Hope Another Team Lands in Los Angeles: The NFL landscape is less nomadic than it was 14 years ago. Abandoning longtime NFL cities was bad PR for the league, which now slaps a hefty “relocation fee” on stake-pullers. Beyond that, a tougher economy shaved the number of cities offering everything save firstborn children to entice an NFL team. Which — to our benefit — leaves fewer places for the Bills to land.

The anxiety-provoker is Los Angeles, which wants to pirate an existing team, has a deep-pocketed prospective owner and a stadium proposal ready to launch. The L.A. threat has been used by a handful of teams to leverage new or remade stadiums. Its presence strengthens the Bills' negotiation muscle and gives the next owner a juicy relocation option.

“The L.A. card was played in Minneapolis [to land a new stadium],” Baade said, “and I’m sure it has been whispered with Buffalo. I don’t see Toronto as a viable [relocation] alternative, but L.A. is a different story."

I know that fans are jacked up about next season. But the game with the highest stakes for Buffalo will not be played on the field. Let’s not roll over.