May Day 10

There was a group of jaguars fans near us. They loved this, as well as the unintentional Oasis Wonderwall sing along part of the game earlier. They said they had been to almost every stadium in the league at this point, and nothing comes elven close to the fun atmosphere and experience. stuff helps.

Yes, I came here to post. It definitely seems to have started in the NE 'perfect game'. That game was a party in the stands, it was an extended break and they played it and it was a huge sing-along. They dabbled with it since then, but the past few games, it seems like more of a staple/ritual. I think its been a Michigan Wolverines thing for awhile

I was kind of a fan of the guy, and bought into the idea that he maybe represented a new wave of what coaches are going to be. But I've seen his do some really puzzling game and time management moves that smart nfl head coaches just don't do. The end of the first half of the bills game is an example. It looked like the dolphins quit on him after that. In these situations, they showed him on the sidelines and he looks like a deer in headlights. His hand holding his play cards was trembling in the bills game. They have an inability to beat good teams in games that matter other than when they heat stroked the bills, and the other time they came back on the Ravens. I feel like a non fraudulent coach like Shanahan or John Harbough would have been able to get some points out of a skylar Thompson offense with those weapons. I think he is a disaster that had a couple tricks that were figured out. Players don't respect him and it could get ugly if it goes south.

Id take 1 of 2 against the Ravens/Texans, followed by a big divisional supremacy win @ the Jets. They would be in really great shape in that case. Pretty much a 2-to-3-game lead in the Division, at or near the top of the AFC, with a more manageable schedule in front of them for a bit.

Yes, that might be it. Last I heard, they were actually ahead of schedule. If they can get ahead now, they can mitigate any sort of future delays if/when things get windy, snowy, and icy. Once they get that thing enclosed (which is coming this fall I believe), its mostly interior work and they are home-free.

You have to think the NFL would like to get into Toronto some day still. That is an immense market with a crazy diverse/international population. They unlock Canada by giving them a team. Canadians do like the NFL, but if they had a rooting interest (even though most hate Toronto, they are still Jays fans out of national pride), it would be $$$. Montreal could be down the line too, as that would be an insane NFL market and probably out-do Buffalo in fan lunacy. They seem to really want this London/Europe thing to happen. Logistically, it just seems really hard still. There really aren't any un-tapped US markets, really. You have St Louis, Orlando, San Diego? Most current franchises seem to be under fairly stable footing within their cities. It seems like if the NFL made the bold move of expanding, and bringing in a few more mouths to feed with their media deals, it would be for some big international swings.

The NHL, structurally has made some terrible moves. First off, the watered-down divisions of 8 teams, devoid of rivalries. They made the playoffs Division-centric, but took away all the Division games to play the other conference teams 2x each. We have to see Utah, Minnesota, Anaheim, San Jose, and Winnipeg 2x each, and only play the Leafs 3x. This is terrible design. Just creates a huge glut of unimportant games. The playoff format is also poor. Top 3 in each division getting in with 2 teams as a contrived wild card. It makes the stretch run annoying to follow. They need a major realignment overhaul. Then you have the loser point. The fact that some games are worth 50% more than others in the standings is a travesty of imbalance that should not exist in a professional sports league. It benefits both teams to push games into overtime, and often times, the 3rd period is a slog. Especially in all those cross-conference games. It needs to have 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for OT/SO win, 1 for OT/SO loss, 0 for regulation loss. I honestly would be fine with ties, but realize that is never coming back. I have also felt like the league has needed to consider some playing surface changes and will not be proactive about it. MLB has done a terrific job of enhancing their games with some bold changes. -Just some quick ideas (there are arguments for and against each): -Increase the size of the ice (would have to be a gradual progression over years as teams renovate and build new buildings) Players and refs are all too large and efficient now. they have out-grown and out-trained the playing surface used 50 years ago. There is no room. -Larger nets. Decrease size of goalie gear. -Taller glass in the zones (or playable off the net) -Commercial-Free periods -Re-Seed the final 4 playoff teams (to make any SCF possible) -Power Plays in a tie or 1-goal game (PP for the team behind) extends the time at the end of regulation.

Pittsburgh in general makes me jealous. All those buildings and commerce is what drives it. Waterfront development/parks is not. Out of the rust belt, Pittsburgh carved itself as a top Medical and Tech hub. The locations of the stadiums were not what drives anything. They are in a cool location though, especially the ballpark with the bridge and the skyline. Buffalo has to figure out how to get a lot of 9-5 activity downtown. Large companies. People living and working. Abandoned buildings gone, developers who cant get new buildings up fast enough for people to work and live and shop in.

Coaching

The Indians/Guardians are a really fun team to watch. Scrappy and fun personalities with the most underappreciated player in baseball (Jose Ramirez). Something like 42 come from behind wins and a freak of a closer that is getting (premature) comparisons to Mariano Rivera. It's a top notch front office that has turned into a pitching development factory. They also seem to trade/sell at the perfect times with their stars before they get paid, and almost always make out in the deal.... no matter how frustrating it gets as a fan, they seem to come out ahead in the long run. They lack the payroll the heavy hitters enjoy, but they are really well run And to top it off, they won the lottery last year and got the 1oa pick, an interesting 2B from Australia named travis bazzana I look forward to watching their games every day. We are in their TV market. Mlb rule changes for the pitch clock, relief pitcher rules, and the ghost runner in extra innings are fantastic (and I was against it all in the beginning as a purist). You blink and games are in the 4th inning.

Not counting minor moves like KC to Kansas and Washington possibly to another part of that region... I agree with the chargers. They seem like a vagabond team, and a deal will spring up sooner or later. Carolina just entered a big lease i think, and a bunch of money is being put into the super dome. I'd say the bengals could be the most vulnerable. Their lease ends in a couple years. Owner is cheap. Most teams seem to be on relatively stable local footing.

In a way, I have done that with the Sabres. They used to be my top team, even over the Bills. I was probably known as "that Sabres guy" by acquaintances, and would watch 100% of maybe 98% of all games between about 1987 and 2015 or so. Present-day, I barely watch at all, a few of these seasons probably not a complete period. I still "follow" them, as I know when their games are and if they win or lose. I know who most of their players are. I used to know the entire league, but now have a familiarity with about 10% of the players. The league overall bores me for a few reasons, but mainly the irrelevancy of the Sabres. I actually still own Sabres ST, had cancelled around 2020, they talked me into returning, and I thought Id want to take my kids, but I dont enjoy it. When Im there, the team is boring and I want to leave early. I tried to cancel last year, but they trapped me on small print. I won't make that mistake again. This ownership has destroyed the franchise. Once they go back to the red and black uniforms full-time, I am going to cut that thread that still binds me to the team and be gone forever. I actually returned to baseball big-time to fill the void. I was way into it as a kid, and love it again. Plus NFL and NCAA football interest me. I have fun watching the Bandits too

Rodgers was good. Competent. Lots of dinky dunk stuff with YAC. Patriots looked really unprepared and bad though too. The Jets have more bad coming.

Those are fairly small potatoes in the scheme of things. The roof was an absolute necessity out of safety/functionality. I wonder if a scoreboard could be transferred to the new arena or sold. I believe they run somewhere around $10 Million. A new arena would probably run from $750 million - $1 Billion-plus. However, I will say there is probably little to no appetite for the powers that be to build a new Arena. The Stadium took a lot of political clout. An arena would be a tougher sell due this one being only about 30 years old. Also with the perpetual state of the primary tenant (Sabres). They are going to have to explore this in the coming couple years. The lease ends in 2026 I believe (I have heard 2027 elsewhere), and there will need to be something significant in order for the team to sign another 20-30 year lease. The place probably needs $200 Million in renovations at a minimum (can perhaps subtract the $20 Million just spent). I wonder if Terry, while selling the minority equity stake in the Bills can make a requirement to also buy an equity stake in the Sabres as well? NHL teams are kissing $1 Billion at this point. It would raise cash, and also shield Pegula from accepting all the hockey losses (if the team in fact loses money which, IMO may not be factual any more).

There has been a bit of chatter about the arena in Sabres boards, and a few articles written. The state of the arena is rough. It is also a poor arena when it comes to today's design innovations. The concourses are tomb-like and get congested, especially in the 100 level. The site lines are really bad, the seats all have a gradual incline with little/no overhangs/decks. That makes them far away from the ice/event. The bubble roof is terrible and sucks all the ambience out of the place. Aesthetically, it doesnt look great, and the outside of it is terrible on 3 sides. The seats themselves are falling apart, stained, and disgusting. I liken it to those multi-purpose facilities they made in the 60s and 70s like Three Rivers, Riverfront, Jack Murphy, The Vet, and ending with the Skydome. They pumped out a handful of similar oval hockey arenas in the 90s, just like Keybank Center. Every one of those has (or is about to) undergone hundreds of millions in renovations and improvements. I also add that the downtown arena was built somewhat on the cheap as well compared to its contemporaries, making the need for $ even more. Not all the problems can be fixed with reno. If money werent much of an object, Id be all for razing the thing and building a great arena for the fan experience (I love the new arenas in Detroit and Long Island). Bring the fans closer to the action, lower the ceiling. Open up the concourses.

He is a super important part of that offense. Without him and Brown, they are going to have trouble.

Is burrow still the only one who can beat mahomes?

Quick hit rhythm offense

Bad play by Levis. Awful. But Tennessee decided to get way too cute in the red zone

Head contact. Text book

It really looks as if they don't trust Rodgers... or he is very limited at this point, and they are protecting him

The jets look like dog water

It's an interesting topic, and unprecedented territory. It's a crossroads that was inevitable for the nfl and is now here. Not sure what the right answer is, but it's probably allow the player to choose as long as he is cleared by independent doctor(s). If his family is begging him not to play and he does anyways, that's his personal life/business. The Dolphins definitely seem to be in a bind here. After him playing an entire season, paying him, then seeing him concussed on a seemingly mild play... it's a disaster.

These things get easier and easier to trigger it seems, as we saw with a rather routine collision with Hamlin. I remember Lafontaine at the end, he got his last concussion running into a teammate. In Tua's case, any sort of contact on the field is a danger to trigger a concussion (and one that fired around his part of the brain that makes him convulse on the ground). It's terrible for him, terrible for his team. It'll be a constant state of uncertainty. Do they have the highest paid backup qb in the league?

He has to say he has no plans to retire at this point If doctors tell him he cant/shouldn't play again, I can see miami trying to somehow claim he was going to retire anyway and fight for the $