On paper, it looks like Bills WR Naaman Roosevelt had a monumental challenge ahead of him if he had any hopes of making the Buffalo roster in 2011. Undrafted out of the University of Buffalo, as a rookie Roosevelt spent most of the 2010 season on the Bills’ practice squad, only earning a promotion to the main roster following injuries to Roscoe Parrish and Lee Evans. He a bit of success, hauling in nine balls for 139 yards in six games, but he hardly set the world on fire.
Now Roosevelt is back in Buffalo’s training camp, trying to compete for a job at the Bills’ deepest position. With Lee Evans, Stevie Johnson, Roscoe Parrish, David Nelson, and maybe Marcus Easley and Donald Jones in front of him in the pecking order, it seemed to me that Roosevelt would be a victim of the numbers game and would really struggle to make the team.
If you’re like me and turn on the TV at night, you’ll often have trouble finding anything worth watching.
This is especially true if you are allergic to NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and its judges – Howie Mandel, Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne.
So that’s one reason why I was happy to hear from Time Warner Cable Tuesday that Fox has finally joined ABC, CBS and NBC and become part of Prime Time On Demand.
Upon hearing the news, I quickly turned to TWC’s Channels 705 (high definition) and 1005 (standard definition) to see what Fox programs was offering via PTOD.
PTOD regulars often can use the Rolling Stones old lament – “you can’t always get what you want” – when it comes to On Demand offerings.
ABC doesn’t offer broadcast TV’s best comedy, “Modern Family,” On Demand but it does offer Jimmy Kimmel Live. CBS offers all three “CSI” series and the two “NCIS” series but I still haven’t seen the much-talked about season finale of “The Mentalist” because that show isn’t On Demand.
Fox’s initial On Demand lineup is limited to “Family Guy,” “American Dad,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “COPS” and “Fringe.” And when I clicked on “COPS” and “Fringe,” I was told that no episodes are available. ”Bones” and ”House” are nowhere to be found. Actually, that’s not true. Repeats have been sold to cable channels.
Things are bound to improve as Fox expands its On Demand offerings.
The mere exercise of looking to see what Fox offers On Demand inspired me to look beyond Prime Time On Demand to see what cable series on Channel 926 are offered On Demand for free.
And I was astonished to see what I had missed all summer on nights when I was desperate for something – anything — to watch.
The biggest surprise was seeing that the second season premiere of the pay-cable series “The Big C” with Laura Linney is being offered via a Showtime free preview to non-subscribers. Similarly, the premiere of “The Borgias” is offered for free. Presumably, Showtime’s goal is for viewers to be so entertained by these free previews that they sign up for the service.
MTV offers several series, including “Jersey Shore,” which just had a record-setting season premiere. I’d rather watch Howie Mandel for 10 minutes than Snooki but some of you might want to see what all the fuss is about. And later explain it to me.
AMC offers the first four episodes of Bryan Cranston in this season’s “Breaking Bad,” which lost me with its incredibly violent season opener. I’ll probably go back some time for episode 2. The channel also is offering four repeat episodes of “Mad Men” for those viewers who can’t wait until March of 2012 to see new ones with Jon Hamm (see above) and company.
FX, the Fox basic cable that has been On Demand well before its network parent, is offering three episodes of the current final season of “Rescue Me” if you want to catch up with the craziness surrounding Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) and his family in the firehouse and out. I highly recommend it as long as you don’t mind occasionally tasteless (but funny) humor. Speaking of which, FX also offers episodes of “Louie,” which recently earned some Emmy nominations for star Louis C.K. for his acting and writing in the series’ first season.
BBC America is offering “Dr. Who,” which still has quite a cult following.
If you missed the premiere of the new Lifetime drama, “Against the Wall,” you can go to Channel 926 and select it.
“South Park” episodes are available via Comedy Central, “The Glee Project” is available via Oxygen, “The Real Housewives of NYC” is available via Bravo and the Debt Ceiling Debates are on via C-Span.
OK, I lied about C-Span. It doesn’t make the list but some programs on channels with limited viewership – Oprah’s OWN anyone ?– are On Demand.
So thank you Fox for finally joining Prime Time On Demand and reminding me where to go when I can’t find anything worth watching on live TV.
pergament@msn.com
The Focus’s average transaction price year-to-date in 2010 was $15,424. This year, despite a few months with the old model, it’s $20,684. Despite this massive jump in the car’s price, in percentage the largest I’m aware of, the cars have been in short supply. They’ve been attracting an entirely different group of buyers, people who could afford a larger car or any direct competitor, but who are choosing the Focus because they like it the best, not because of “the deal.” Six percent of those sold are even the Titanium trim, which can list for over $27,000.
Ingenious!
Until early this year, the Focus sold in the United States was a re-skinned version of the same Focus that was sold here and abroad in 1999. It was a good car then, but in 2010 it had long been lapped by its former competitors. In the meantime, European Foci improved through a significant model change to keep up with other vehicles in the hypercompetitive Golf-class. Based on Ford’s Global C1 platform, available in the US in the still-selling Volvo S40, C30, and V50, the most recent European Focus never made it here because Ford considered it to be an entry-level car. After all, it’s small and Americans equate “small” with “cheap” – at least, they did until $4/gal gas became an everyday thing.
The new Ford Focus is absolutely gorgeous, has a phenomenal and modern interior, has available features – like navi, bluetooth, and park assist – that you’d more commonly find in luxury cars. It’s one of those huge leaps forward that American car makers have been reluctant to make in the past – a reluctance that led to mediocre cars directed at budgets rather than what cars should really be about – making driving fun.
2012 Ford Focus interior
Not to leave GM out of the mix, the Chevy Cruze, brought in to replace the Cobalt, is a world car slotted to compete in the same class as the Focus. It doesn’t have as many available bells and whistles, but it frankly looks and drives better than the current Honda Civic.
What’s next? Domestic automakers have to do a better job of improving fuel economy with power. That means fewer V8s and V6s, and more turbochargers and superchargers, more hybrids that feature engine assist, and for those of you who haul and tow, more diesels.
The race – a group of people all running the same distance at the same time to see who is fastest – is a good candidate for oldest sport. Simple, elegant, timeless; a more basic exhibition of physical skill is hard to find. Its popularity endures, and judging purely by the number of 5K’s, 10K’s, Half Marathons and Full 26.2 ordeals, more people than ever, in every age bracket, are formally participating at all levels of skill.
But humans, being what we are and perhaps growing a bit bored with simplicity, soon jazzed it up. Invent a machine, like the bicycle, and it must be raced. Then combos: run and bike, ski and shoot. The first triathlons featuring the now-standard Swim – Bike – Run started in France in the 1920′s. Trail running and mountain biking organized in the last couple decades, and of course their combination followed shortly as well. The first Tough Guy in Wolverhampton, England took place in 1986. It was only a matter of time before the phenomenon spread.
Hard to believe, then, that the first Tough Mudder event was only a year ago. Now we have Warrior Dash’s, Spartan Race’s, Death Race’s and Muddy Buddy’s (including one held at Holiday Valley this June) all competing in the mud-race genre. Focusing on comaraderie, team work, grueling physical challenge and drinking alcohol at the expense of time keeping and individual accomplishment, mud races are setting attendance records across the country and raising bucket loads of money for charity.
Stepping into that fray is the home grown Finn McCool 4-Mile Odyssey, the brain child of Dan and Anne Horan of Eclipse Multi-Sport. A driving force in securing the nationally sanctioned Nickel City Triathlon scheduled for September, the Horans decided to start their own mud race to raise money for local charities when the national brands passed for larger venues. The gamble has paid off – Guinness signed on a major sponsor, the City of Buffalo and Olmsted Parks Conservancy gave their thumbs up for a three-year contract, and other cities are already courting the Finn McCool event. The Fates are lining up for an awesome inaugural experience.
I’m running the first-ever Finn McCool on Saturday, September 10th in Cazenovia Park, and so should you. Even better, join my team. I’m honchoing the official WNYMedia effort and I want us to make a good showing. The team is open to writers, contributors, commenters, complainers, readers and friends. If you hear of this invitation somehow, no matter how, you’re in. Join me and the expected 1000 other idiots in climbing walls, stepping through tires, wading the creek and hopping across hay bales. Let’s form a big gaggle, wear something dumb, run through a bunch of mud together and then (responsibly) drink beer afterwards til they kick us out.
Nervous because you are a bit out of shape? Who cares – we’re not going to set any speed records. Scared of mud and water and fire and climbing the rope in gym class? Get over it and come out anyway. If you’re in, comment below or shoot me an email at buffalorepat [at] yahoo.com or better yet, let me know on Twitter @WNYMediarepat. I’ll do the paperwork to register us as a team and we’ll meet up at a future BuffCashMob event to plot “strategy.” All you need is a willingness to get dirty and an attitude that won’t quit.
2012 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 Since 1999 Ford has sold over 10,000 specially designed Harley-Davidson-themed pickups. Yesterday they unveiled the 2012 Harley-Davidson F-150, for the first time available in white as well as the traditional black. You can read the full press release here. — Jim Corbran, You Auto Know
It was noticeable from the minute he set foot on the practice field his first day in training camp this summer. Second-year defensive lineman Alex Carrington was noticeably bigger. Twenty pounds bi...
1. In case you missed it during the whole debt ceiling fiasco, the United States Government has set new fuel efficiency standards for cars and light-duty trucks. The increase to a 54MPG CAFE standard brings us closer in line with European and Asian nations and will begin to slowly reduce our dependence on carbon fuels, or at least maximize available resources.
2. Song for Wednesday, Part 1: “Market Diktat” by Jean-Philippe Goude
3. Song for Wednesday, Part 2: “Strawberry Letter #23″ by Shuggie Otis
4. Dylan Ratigan, LIKE A BOSS! A little unhinged, but an epic 5 minute rant on the root of all evil in the political system. For a few fleeting moments on American television, we heard some real truth and honest talk.
I’ve often said that I’m not opposed to casino gaming in Buffalo, WNY, or New York State. What I object to is the Seneca’s exclusivity, and the phony carving-out of sovereign Seneca exclaves in the middle of downtown Niagara Falls, or on the far fringes of Buffalo’s downtown. I don’t think that these cities would as readily cede blocks of property to France or New Zealand, so it makes little sense to do the same to enrich other, tax-free, sovereign nations, at the expense of surrounding neighborhoods and merchants.
So, it’s a good thing that Governor Cuomo is looking to re-examine the constitutional prohibition on casino gaming in New York so that these entities can be properly taxed and regulated, not just by the federal government, but also by states and municipalities. Gambling already exists, and it’s all over the place – the lottery, OTB, racinos. This is the next logical step.
The Painting for Preservation team is heading to North Buffalo this weekend. "Art-In" number seven is taking place at the circa-1897 Fairfield Library in the Parkside neighborhood. The library is located at 1659 Amherst Street near Starin. The Art-In events seek to raise awareness of properties at risk of demolition, distressed and under-utilized locations and their neighborhoods. Artists will start their work at 9:30 and should be finished by 12:30.
Designed by the equally skilled partner of E.B. Green, William Sydney Wicks, the building was originally the Parkside Unitarian Church. Its classical architectural elements reflect the democratic beliefs of the congregation. It was purchased by the City in 1924 for use as a library but has been vacant and deteriorating since it was shuttered in 2005.
Painting for Preservation invites artists of all media, genre, and skill level, observers, community member who want to share stories, and the news media to come out and experience the camaraderie found in making art around a worth-while cause.
Art from all of the Paint-In events will be displayed during the National Trust for Historic Preservation conference in October.
A West Side, two-story commercial building ripe for rehab is for sale. 65 Grant Street at the southeast corner of Arnold Street has a $295,000 asking price. It is located one block north of W. Ferry Street.
The building has 10,440 sq.ft. of space and contains four storefronts and four, three-bedroom apartments of the second floor. One storefront was a former medical office and is in good condition. The balance of the building needs remodeling according to the listing. The current owner recently spent $20,000 on a new roof. Now it needs a new owner and some love ($$$) to add to the revitalization of Grant Street.
Get Connected: Alan Hastings, Hasting Cohn Real Estate, 716. 886.3325, ext. 13
When you take a look at Buffalo’s current roster, two positions simply jump out as freaking terrible: tight end and offensive tackle. The Bills probably have the league’s worst tight end situation…but it really doesn’t matter too much. It certainly seems like the Bills are simply going to spread the field most of the time and won’t have a big need for tight ends.
However, the weakness at tackle is a much larger problem. The probable starter on the right side is Erik Pears, who was cut by Oakland and Jacksonville in recent seasons and hasn’t been a regular starter since 2007. And he’s probably legitimately the best option on this roster to start there. Ugh.
Even more terrifying is the case of left tackle Demetrius Bell. Bell catches a lot of flack from Bills fans, but I’m a fan of the guy. The former 7th-round draft pick was about as raw technique-wise as an NFL rookie is ever going to be coming out of college, but he’s stuck it out and was a serviceable left tackle last season despite playing with an injury and barely practicing. If Bell stays healthy, the left tackle spot won’t be a disaster for the Bills in 2011.
Here’s the problem with Bell: he’s never healthy. Bell missed most of 2009 with an injury and played at way less than 100% in 2010 due to injury. And he’s hurt already in training camp this season.
So let’s make a not-so-bold assumption: Bell is going to get hurt and have to miss a few games in 2011. What happens then? Who steps in?
There’s a few options…but this is scary. Holy crap is it scary.
