May Day 10

I feel like the current uniforms are pretty much perfection

Im still a ways away (although its approaching faster than I want to believe). Right now, I think Tennessee is winning. 2nd Place is somewhere in Arizona. A lot depends on where my kids end up too.

These are all terrible IMO. Some good songs, but not great in 2025 as hype music for an NFL team. Depends on the situation I guess. I think 'Immigrant Song' would be great as an intro/take the field song.

The kid who played joffrey. He was so believable people endlessly sent him hate mail and he was driven from acting forever

Putting a ton of faith in kesselring? And if you add Norris, you have to factor in losing cozens as well, but that isn't how hockey works. You cant just add and subtract aggregate goals. If that were the case, the rangers would have won most cups between 1996 and 2004. If kesselring can make power look like a 1oa pick, we are in business. If Norris can stay healthy and be a #1 center. If their special teams can improve under that SUNY coach in waiting they are grooming. Goaltending needs to come from somewhere. I have little faith these guys can figure it out. Its been sooooo long with so many of them. I cant assume kesselring will look any better than what they have had. Connor Clifton was supposed to stabilize the D and also "be hard to play against". Other than Levi making the nhl club and becoming a vezina finalist, I don't see any way the Sabres can finish better than 6th in the division.

They cant sign anyone. The organization is viewed as a toxic and perpetual failure. It is impossible to argue otherwise. This is way deeper and darker than the Bills' drought ever was.

You have to wonder if they are trolling the fans and dragging their sacks across our faces on purpose. The television coverage is more than complementary and the messaging is clearly heavily filtered. It is to the point where I worry for the sanity of those who have to cover the team for them every day.

I agree. Umpires are very good, and replay is administered in a quick and painless fashion. I actually like the ABS system they have been testing where teams get one or two challenges from the batter and pitcher. It is pretty seamless.

I dont see any indication that Pegula is in any urgency to sell the Sabres... let alone sell them to an outside interest who would relocate the team. Also, he stands to make like $100 Million-Plus for each of these upcoming expansion teams. I do wonder if he had a local off-ramp to rid himself of the Sabres, if he would take the money and run. He does seem to like acting like a hockey executive though and getting his thrills with further ruining the franchise. However, this arena situation is coming to a head and something needs to get done. Arenas in the Keybank Center's age, which were more expensive and nicer at the time are getting major upgrades one after the other. Washington is getting a $500 Million upgrade. Nationwide Arena in Columbus (which is younger than the KBC) just had $400 Million in renovations announced. The Keybank Center is in desperate need of some major updates and will become an increasing black eye for NHL as far as arenas go. Who will pay for it? I dont think the State has an appetite for the political baggage of another major arena project for a failed team who wont spend to the salary cap. Pegula is taking a beating on the cost of the Highmark project and on some level he probably thinks the public owes him for that one. The County seems to be distancing themselves. Many/most Sabres fans wear this armor that the Sabres can never move because the NHL saved them in 2002-2003. Different times. Keybank Center was only 6 years old. The NHL's franchise values were low and fans in the seats were more valuable. Non-traditional markets across the country have taken off since then and have proven staying power (Nashville, Florida, Dallas, Tampa, Carolina, Vegas, and Seattle). NHL teams are now worth more than $1 Billion. Golisano bought the team in 2003 for $70 Million. In my opinion, without a lease and the building the way it is, nobody involved in the NHL would shed a tear or try to prevent the Sabres from moving to a more appealing locale.

The New Orleans and Austin things are new. If there are/is a billionaire interest, and they fail to procure one of these 2-4 expansion franchises, they could target an existing team. The Sabres heading toward no-lease-land in a bad arena, and unprecedented fan apathy would be a prime target.

It was surprising to me, that after his early struggles and mis-steps with the Sabres, Terry Pegula went through the process and purchased the Sabres 'cold'. If it were me, or anyone with a half of a brain, proactively, they would have had/employed people to analyze the organization on many/most fronts. Perform a ground game around the sport and find prospective new staff. This was an organization in a decade-plus playoff drought. I was shocked when Pegula came in and just allowed Russ Brandon to continue presidenting because he knew his way around the building during the purchase/auction process. The entire Bills world wanted/needed this guy kicked to the curb. It shouldnt take a few years of figuring it out. Russ Brandon was the harbinger of the Bills' failures.

Yes. The Ralph I know would have had trouble coming to terms with a lot of these extensions they have handed out and we may have lost a few more players like Dawkins, Knox, Taron, etc. Overall, how would he not be pleased with the results and the new Stadium being built. I do wonder how he would feel though with his family cashing out just before NFL franchise values ballooned to epic proportions.

I dont have that kind of money, but yes. He is worth that much and there was apparently a marketplace of teams willing to pay him. 23 Year old who scores goals and about to enter his prime. They are paying Josh Norris more than that annually. The problem is, the silly past decisions. Owen Power contract, buying out Skinner last year (and not using the cap savings) which was stupid, Samuelsson, and UPL. Also, the Norris thing

It is already too long and meaningless. Add in the silly international stuff and it is endless. Im not sure what the right answer is. I think they should start in mid-late September, season should finish in March, and Cup awarded by Memorial Day. I would also like to see the scheduling change. Would almost rather see an old AL/NL thing where the Conferences are divided. It is a silly imbalance that you compete with Divisional rivals for playoff spots but only play them 3 times, while you have to play the Anaheim Ducks 2 times. Also, 3 points for a regulation win

I say it a lot, but I don't believe there is a worse product in pro-sports than a perpetually bad NHL team. Especially one that purposely avoids physical-style players. The games are a snoozefest. The Sabres play soooo many meaningless games. Add in the terrible arena and awful game presentation, it is a terrible product for, what $40 a seat?

Buffalo, IMO is overrated as a hockey market. We puff out our chests for the "ratings", but the fact is, if me, my uncle Ron, and grandma watch an NHL playoff game, it moves the ratings needle. In LA, they could have a fraction of the rating, yet, many more eyeballs on the screen. People do not really support anything besides the Sabres. We have 2 D1 teams where about 100 people attend. The Sabres have managed to erode their fan base and have not resonated at all with a whole generation of fans (perhaps anyone under 20 years old at this point). Also, sadly for us, the NHL is increasingly moving away from needing the grassroots fans, butts in the seats, anyone to watch at all.... to a large market, corporate behemoth. Franchises are north of $1 Billion. We are getting ads everywhere. Virtual ads, ads on uniforms, increasing amount of revenue suites and premium tickets. Buffalo and Lloyds Tacos cant keep up with Verizon and Walmart. Travelling around for youth hockey is eye-opening. The facilities and organizations I have seen and experienced out of Buffalo are top-class and growing. The rinks put ours to shame. The organizations are better. There are less politics and BS... better coaching, and better players are being produced. A lot of this locally trickles down from the Jr Sabres (another Pegula operation) which is a joke and his little sycophants have their hands all over that as well. Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, LA, Philadelphia, and Columbus all have a better and more thriving youth and amateur hockey scene. Cross the border and it is night/day as well.

One of kevyn adams' few "wins" traded out of here for pennies on the dollar

Kekalainen working remotely in Columbus (not even here for the draft) is very discouraging.

It was wild. There was the Sabres, Bills, Bandits, arena, Healthy Scratch, Harbor Center, Amerks, Knighthawks, One Buffalo, their silly record label, sports agency, etc. I feel like Kim got involved, and even with her meager night school management course education, figured out that Terry was lighting money on fire all over the place. Kim started to reel it in, then had her medical episode. Now fracking Jed Clampett doesn't really know what to do from here.

I believe in Amerks/Rochester fan circles, they have not been pleased with the Pegula era because there has been an unwillingness to spend on AHL vets who typically push teams over the top. It is however, a golden age over the Golisano years of cost-cutting there, sharing with Florida, then bailing. Has Pegula been a good owner for the Bills? It is hard to argue against it. Has Pegula been anything short of an unmitigated disaster into perpetuity for the Sabres? It is hard to argue against it. I will say, you can't 'stumble' into success, especially sustained success in the NHL. Head coaches are not as important nor should be influential. 1 or 2 Players do not move the needle, and there is nobody who would have the same effect as a top-5 franchise QB. You need to have a competent front office on various fronts. Amateur scouting, development, pro scouting, and team-building are paramount.

People forget how the Bills were run just prior to McBeane. Pegula was impressed with Russ Brandon in the purchasing process and they foolishly continued his influence on the franchise. You had a dysfunctional period with Whaley/Brandon/Marrone that culminated with Marrone walking away voluntarily after an OK season to be an O-Line coach. Then you had "dont let him leave the room" Rex Ryan, Brandon advising Ryan what kind of wine to bring the Pegulas and that circus. Then you had Ryan getting fired, Whaley not being "privy" to the coach being fired, then conducting an embarrassing and inhumane "operation human shield" using Anthony Lynn. It was not going well at all. McDermott was a godsend. He has the perfect personality for dealing with Terry Pegula. He earns trust and is a good guy, is respectful, but also forceful and gets what he wants. I also think that even without Allen, his floor is pretty high, and worst case, if we are in QB purgatory again, he can pull off the Mike Tomlin smoke and mirrors bit.

I think he wants out bad. I also suspect that his agent/camp keeps floating balloons out there creating a buzz and a market out of thin air. It happened at the deadline too.

True.... but just the franchise slot alone is valuable. They wouldnt need to be the sabres, wear ugly black uniforms 20 times a season, play in a dump, and have an unqualified balding turd as a general manager. They can be the Houston Aeros playing in the 6th largest TV market within a couple years... with real management

He would make a ton of money on a Sabres sale. NHL properties are very valuable, north of $1 Billion now. The Sabres are not tied to Buffalo for long at all, and easy to relocate to a larger market.