JohnC

I'm not making any major declarations. What I am saying and it should apparent to all is that they have made a dramatic leap forward especially when you consider where they were in the previous two years. It's highly unusual that consistently bad teams go from being bad to being very good. However, that doesn't mean that you can't recognize that they have in a major way moved up the ranks. We both agree that tanking doesn't usually work in the NFL. On the other hand what usually elevates a downtrodden team is getting a franchise qb. With the drafting of Mayfield I considered that issue resolved. When you have a roster that has known nothing but losing it is not unexpected that the turnaround comes in stages. In my opinion I believe that with Mayfield and the departure of the prior failed coach that this team is ready to take a step forward. I'm confident that by the time this season concludes you will be more receptive to what I am saying about the Browns.

I don't how you have come to the conclusion that they haven't made major strides. The franchise has secured a qb who without question is a franchise qb who is capable of being the exciting leader of a franchise that is more known for its foibles than successes. The Browns got rid of their inept HC and have exhibited an ability to compete with anyone. Their current record of 4-6-1 could have just as easily been 7-4. I'm aware that "what ifs' are for losers but the point is that this once very dreadful franchise that won one game in the prior two seasons is making a dramatic turnaround. Gunner, use some eye wash to clean your very jaundiced eyes. I assure you that you will see much more clearly.

What both Botterill and McDermott had in common is that both of them had a vision how an organization should be shaped and operated. Each of the two had a concept how not only a team should be built but also how the organization should be structured top to bottom. Botterill believed in the Pittsburgh model on how a team should be built and also how important it was to emphasize the development process in the minors. The Pegulas had first hand experience with showmen who were adept at garnering attention and being quotable but an inability to go beyond their shallowness. It doesn't matter what pro sport you are involved in the competition is steep. Not hiring thoughtful and analytical people is a recipe for failure. It's more than building a team as it is building a coherent organization.

Make no mistake about it that the Buffalo market was a deflated and demoralized market. Tickets were tough to give away. Even this season there wasn't a quick buy in by the paying fans. There were plenty of vacant seats in the beginning of this season. There was too much ugly history of bad and boring hockey over the past number of years. It wasn't until the team started to not only win but play entertaining and watchable hockey. I'm an ardent Sabre fan but last year I walked away from watching the team and wasted my Center Ice investment. The change was that the team had to demonstrate that it was worth not only watching but being invested in. They have certainly made the case that this team is worth paying attention to. The fans that they lost along the way of their uninspiring stretch were fans that they didn't deserve to have. Now that this organization is presenting a product worthy of watching they are getting the support that has been so pent up. Over the past number of years this organization didn't deserve support because the product was garbage, as was the entertainment value. Clearly the dynamics have changed around. I'm very happy for the fans. They deserve this success. And now the seats are full with enthusiastic fans. That how it should be.

When Botterill came in he didn't start making major changes just for the sake of making changes and immediately getting his imprint on the franchise. What he did took more fortitude and wisdom. He used his first year to assess the organization from top to bottom. The player exiting interviews were not pro forma end of the season acts. The responses were seriously considered and what he needed to do beyond adding talent was changing the mixture. Obviously, he has done a tremendous job in bringing in talent but just as important is bringing in players who most importantly blend in well and support the younger players. One player who has taken it upon himself to mentor a young player, Mittelstadt, is Okposo. He is having a good season but more importantly he has set the example for them. My belief is that the biggest factor in the Sabres astounding rebound is the play of the goaltenders. The GM brought in Hutton who didn't attract much offseason attention as a #1 goaltender. So far he has been a stalwart player for us. His body of work has been exceptional.

Housley has done a good job in determining what a player's role is and then getting the player to accept it. As you cited Girgensons and Larsson have embraced their role as checkers and penalty killers. Bogo is a player who I thought would be a Housley type of defenseman. He can skate and move the puck. That's the embodiment of a Housley defender. The issue has been his inability to stay healthy. I have felt for a long time that it would be in his interest to be less of a banger and more of a skater and puck mover. Without question he still is the muscle in the pairing but for the sake of more durability he needed to adjust his game.

That is such a great scene!

Scandella is a third to fourth pairing defenseman. He's a functional defenseman who is good in the room. He serves as a placeholder player until the players in the Rochester pipeline move up the ranks.

That's exactly what Biron said on the broadcast.

If I were giving out the first star I would give it to Hutton. He rarely gives up a rebound and he plays with calm. This game was played like a critical playioff game. It was tightly played by both sides. This was two good teams going toe to toe with neither team yielding to the other. They had good players and so did we. Our team's ability to not be affected by adversity is the hallmark of this winning streak. I don't know what else to say about Dahlin. He is going to be the type of player that one says it was a privilege to play with/against and to have seen. I thought Bogo and Reinhardt played well in this game. Reinhardt's scoring pass was tremendous. The wins in this magnificent streak were against good teams. It's not a fluke. The fans are responding to the team and they deserve what they are getting.

I'm considering you a lot less crazy.

I haven't seen Strome play very much so I'm not in position to comment about his prospects. But you can make the contrast between him and Nylander. It was good that the Sabres at first gave Nylander a taste of NHL play so that he had an understanding of the quality of play that existed in the league. But it was evident to him and the club that he wasn't ready. So he was sent to the AHL to develop. He played well in training camp and from what I understand is doing well in Rochester. He is working on his game so that when he does get the call-up he will be ready. Tage Thompson is in somewhat of a similar situation. Although he was with the club he didn't get much playing time. But that didn't mean that he was going to languish as a player. The coaching staff worked specifically worked with him in practice and after practice. He put in the effort and when he got an opportunity to play he was ready. The advantage of young players being sent to the minors is that they get plenty of playing time instead of getting limited, intermittent playing time with the big club. My point is that this franchise has enough talent in Buffalo so that they don't have to scramble for players and prematurely bring up a player who isn't ready. The franchise has been stabilized and the pipeline is working the way it is supposed to work. This is what happens when you have a good GM who has a clear vision on how to run an organization.

What plays do you call for Bortles who is incapable of throwing the ball down the field? It's like tying a boxer's arm behind him and then blaming the corner for bad instructions after the boxing gets maimed. The people who should be held to account are Marrone and Coughlin. They knew exactly what they had in their qb yet didn't go out and get insurance from a capable backup. Bridgewater was on the market and could have been obtained for a reasonable price. Marrone has an old school Parcell's offense that is based on rugged OL play and a tough running game. In that era defense ruled the day. That style of play worked then but it is not going to work in this era of rules that shackles the defense and unshackles the offense. I'm just hoping that McDermott who is inclined to favor the defense is smart enough to adjust to this full throttle era of offensive football. Over the past few years because of fantasy football offensive stats dominate the game to maintain the audience. It's underpinning is a business decision to engage the audience in order to capture it. If coaches can't adapt they will not be watching the games from the sidelines.

If you add Bama's Jona Williams to the mix and then do what you suggest in adding to two free agents to the unit you not only are building a good line but also depth. Look what happened with Jacksonville and their mounting injuries on the line? Their depleted line was being overwhelmed with the combo of Hughes/Williams. I don't see Miller returning next year. He seems to be in the McDermott doghouse. After a penalty that cost us a first down he was taken out and replaced by Groy. He didn't return after that. With a season under his belt Josh Allen should be able to more quickly make his reads and be more decisive in releasing the ball. That in itself should elevate the play of the line. An example of the opposite notion is Bortles's atrocious play. When your qb can't throw the ball down field it creates a tremendous amount of pressure for the OL playing in a one-dimensional offense.

Ever since you hooked up with jboyz you have acted like an out of control moon shine guzzling red neck. You have allowed yourself to be influenced by a bad influence.

That's too long for me. For every beer that I have I require three bathroom breaks. My entertainment preference is for brief but potent.

Living in New Orleans has corrupted you and washed away your Jesuit education. Using bitcoins as your gambling currency and devoted to wrestling. WTF has happened to you!

What has impressed me a lot about Housley is how he has handled the young players. He has steadily increased their roles as they gain experience and confidence. Dahlin is in a separate category by himself in which the coach has allowed him to work his way up to the second pairing and now includes him in the PP. There isn't much to add to what has already been said about him. As long as he can stay healthy he undoubtedly is going to be great because of his natural ability and his desire and work ethic to be great. With Mittelstadt you see him steadily get better each game. And you can see his confidence growing with the way he has more aggressively handled the puck. His offensive skills are evident. But what has made me more optimistic about him is that he is playing hard on both ends of the rink. That shows you that even as a young player he is a responsible player. Playing him with Okposo on his line was a smart move. When they are on the bench Okposo is constantly talking to him. The player who has most recently captured my eye is Tage Thompson. Housley didn't just throw him out on the ice right away but worked with him in practice. He and the staff coached him up in practice so that when he got an opportunity to play he would make the best of that opportunity. From an offensive standpoint Tage has it all. He can skate, shoot and stick handle. The primary concern was his defensive effort. This tall and lean youngster certainly is not a thumper but he is putting in the effort to be a responsible two way player. Over the past few games he has demonstrated that he can be an offensive threat that will help spread the scoring beyond the top line. It's going to be exciting to watch these young players get better as the season advances and hopefully be instrumental in our playoff run and beyond. This is exciting!

What's your assessment of the Bills's RG John Miller. I thought he was going to be anchored as a guard for us for a long time. It just seems that he hasn't solidified his position and his long term prospects with us is very precarious. Is he a system player who was affected by a system change? Does he have slow feet which is a death trait in this league? What's his problem. Sometimes I see him make a clean sturdy block and then other times I see him completely miss as if he is blocking a phantom. If the Bills can draft a player such as Bama's Williams who is a plug and play player and add another interior lineman from free agency our OL can significantly be improved. If Teller can develop then a line that is currently obvious deficient can become better than average. And if you factor in that the qb play can be much better in Allen's sophomore year then the play of the OL should naturally improve. .

You are lucky that you are not dead. There are so many people who are filled with a raging hate and are ready to explode. You could for no good reason be a casualty just for looking at a person. If I get cut off on the road or someone honks at me I just let it go because I know there are so many volatile violent people out there.

Could you elaborate on the stabbing? Did you try to pay your gambling debt to your local bookie with bitcoins?

Let's disco! https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tavares+disco+songs&view=detail&mid=3C07F68225696FDBD6173C07F68225696FDBD617&FORM=VIRE

The past two games were sell outs with raucous crowds. You may not be aware of it but the city is already abuzz as the streak increases.

He is really emerging. Over the past few games you can see him play with confidence. He's got terrific offensive skills. What this staff was working on was to get him to play with a quicker pace when he had the puck. He has earned his playing time and it is going to get expanded with him on the PP. The ROR deal looks better and better. Mittelstadt gets bumped up and Thompson shows that he can play, and in addition we got another first round pick in our pocket. Impressive work by the GM.

My first star again goes to our goalie. Ullmark was excellent all game lone and in the shootout he was sparkling. Both of our goalies do not allow chances from rebounds. This was an even game with the hallmark being fast skating. If your lineup doesn't have in general good speed you won't be able to keep up. Tage Thompson is emerging as a player. He really is impressive as an offensive threat. He can skate, shoot and his long reach stick handling is nifty. He's also putting in the effort to play tough. I really like the way Housley and his staff have handled the young players. Their steady improvement is a tribute to their coaching. It doesn't matter what the score is or the situation the Sabres play their game all the way through. The Sabres have played six games in nine days. That's ridiculous. I'm exhausted! All the victories in this streak have been against good teams. Maybe only Ottawa would be a second tier team but when we played them they were playing well. The Sabres are winning by playing well and tough. No victory in this streak has anything to do with a fluke. It's all about their play. They earned all their wins.