JohnC

I have visited Antietam on a number of occasions. The Cornfield carnage, the fighting at Burnside Bridge and the other locations you mentioned have a powerful effect when you think of the numbers being killed in such a short time span. The Park Service guides give a terrific presentation at the Visitor Center and also on the grounds. The Visitor Center offers an excellent short presentation of the Battle. I agree with you that Antietam (at least for me) has drawn a more powerful/emotional effect than Gettysburg. Maybe because the intense battle was fought in a much smaller space. This was the first time that this line of defense (temporary insanity) was used. The irony in this episode is that Sickles had a wandering eye. http://www.murderbygaslight.com/2009/10/dan-sickless-temporary-insanity.html

The South was under siege and losing the battle of the resources. The Confederates were being strangled in their own territories and time was not on their side. One of his reasons for moving out of the south and into the north is that he wanted to have the Union troops dedicate their resources in pursuing him and not stationed in the south where the inhabitants were surrounded and under siege. It wasn't hubris that afflicted Lee and made him to move up into the North. It was a purposeful strategy in which he believed that winning a decisive battle in Yankee territory would have an influence in forcing the North to come to some political settlement with the South. Lee knew very well that as time went by the better resourced North was going to win the battle of attrition. As far as your belief that legislation was going to end slavery in the south that makes no sense because the south was fighting to secede in order to ferociously cling to their institutions that included slavery. Would slavery have died under the weight of its immorality, as you believe? Maybe so. But how many decades and even generations would it have taken to accomplish that? Your claim that most people believe the stereotype that every white southerner is a racist by virtue of their birthplace is a preposterous notion. Where did you get that zany idea from?

Kris Baker is a gem. His knowledge of prospects from all over the world is at an encyclopedia level. When he is on WGR talking hockey he has a talent for giving a concise summary on any prospect that is brought up. What stands out when listening to him is that he has a genuine passion for hockey and evaluating talent. He is someone worth listening to.

What rush to judgment? He has been embroiled with issues since he began his career. As I said in a prior post the question isn't whether he is a criminal or not as it is whether he is mature enough to play in this league without being plagued with problems that affect his career. As it stands now he will be serving a suspension and will be under closer scrutiny by the league that could jeopardize his career. The problem isn't the first contract. From a talent standpoint you are getting a bargain price with that first contract. But is he the type of guy that you are willing to invest in with a more lucrative second contract? I'm not arguing that you should only select angels who volunteer at orphanages. What I'm arguing is that when you acquire too many of these immature people (not saying bad people) you end up with this constant personal turmoil that in the end doesn't help you as much as you think relative to their talent level.

The issues that have gotten him suspended and have jeopardized his career have little to do with his physical problems.

I'm not going to enter into the fray on judging him a good guy or a bad guy. However, if the discussion revolves around whether he is a mature or immature individual that is another category that directly relates to his profession. Some players are always going to have issues swirling around themselves outside of football. Yet those activities outside of the game directly relate to football. Without engaging in the legality of his conduct his poor judgment off the field has resulted in his suspension and closer scrutiny by the league office that can imperil his career. It seems to me that both Foster and Dareus are the type of people who can't be trusted, especially off the field. I'm not saying they are bad people. I don't know much about Foster but I do know that Dareus isn't a bad guy. But what I am saying is that they are far from being mature adults who can responsibly handle the challenges and temptations outside of the game associated with being a pro athlete. The issues that made Foster drop down to the 31st pick are the same issues that resulted in him being suspended and having legal troubles. He is the type of person that McDermott doesn't want on his roster and want to deal with. In the short run you are missing out on some talent but in the long run you are building a smarter and more mature roster that will prove to be more successful.

I disagree with your stance. Although Dareus wasn't drafted or brought in by McDermott that doesn't mean that he automatically was inclined to get rid of him. When Dareus was playing for a big contract he was one of the best interior linemen in the league. Once he got the bonanza contract his play and effort precipitously declined. McDermott didn't get rid of him because he was linked to a prior regime. He would have loved to have him play at his peak level. This was a player who was one of the best defensive players in the league. You don't think that this defensive minded HC would have loved to have had that elite type of player regardless who originally drafted him? That's not what happened here. Once Dareus had his golden contract secured he became a slacker. His performance didn't come close to matching his cost. McDermott has clearly stated that he wanted players who were committed to their profession. He wants character guys who are self-motivated. He doesn't want to be a coach who has to wake up a player in the film room. And he doesn't want to be a coach who has to constantly harangue a player about conditioning and a jello fat stomach hanging over his belt. Based on his own extended slothful behavior Dareus got himself traded. And it was the right thing to do.

We got what we could get for him. There were other teams interested in him so it is obvious that our GM felt that the Blues offer was the best in the market. Not only did the GM move out a player who didn't want to be here and a player the GM believed that he needed to move but he moved a player with a long term expensive contract. That certainly will help in the not too distant future when he has to re-sign his players and acquire players. As you indicated a more accurate evaluation of this deal will come in the future when the younger player and picks in the deal can be more accurately assessed. Overall, I have no problem with this deal.

This was a fair-value deal for the Sabres and for the Blues. If Tag can develop and contribute then it would be a very good deal for us. As I said in prior posts no one is going to be hustled for or against. We made a deal that suited our interests and they did the same. I really hope that Bogo can stay healthy and play to his talents. He fits in with the Housley system because he is such a good skater. I just wish he would be less of a banger and be more of a skating and puck moving defenseman. That might help to keep him healthier.

You are spot on. There is a difference between accumulating talent and building a team. In both sports you have to have the right mix of players that go beyond talent. Beane is certainly a big upgrade over Whaley and Botterill seems to have a more coherent vision than Murray. What is noticeable and maybe more evident with the football franchise is that the GMs are in sync with the coaches. The Whaley and Rex and Whaley and Marrone tandems were like teammates in a tug of war contest pulling against instead of with each other. It seems that the Pegulas learned from their inaugural mistakes. That's a good sign. I have no problem with what ROR said after the season was concluded. He was being brutally honest describing his feelings about how the systemic losing affected him. I'm not condemning him for being frank about his feelings. I rather have him be honest about how he felt rather than be inauthentic how he felt. Stemming from his exit interview it was evident that he didn't want to be there any longer and the GM basically agreed with him. The "Team Stromcloud: can take their pitchforks and torches and shove it up their lower apertures. This was a deal that was the right thing to do for ROR; and it was the right thing to do for the organization.

I'm happy with the deal. The Blues got the best player while in my mind the key for Buffalo is getting the picks and Tage Thompson, a young player with upside. Botterill was determined to shake up the room and get a better mix. And without question he is accomplishing that. Make no mistake our GM is building for the future. He is trying to piece together some good young players who will grow together. He is a strategic thinker compared to the more tactical former GM. Overall, I like what he has done. Are the Sabres a playoff team? At best a fringe team but a team with an upward trajectory. You are astute, perspicacious and adroit.

I'm very happy that so far the Sabres haven't included Nylander in any of the deals. I'm not giving up on him. I'm hoping that in a year or two he becomes a regular on one of the top two lines. There is too much skill level to be impatient with him. I would like to see more passion from this placid personality. Remember, when imbibing do it slow and steady. Chugging and guzzling are usually done by slobs who end up peeing in the bushes. I like Risto a lot. In my view he should be the top player in the second pairing. Or at best he should be the second defenseman with the top pair. It's obvious that when you are one of the better players on a bad team it affects how a player is used and the amount of time he is used. As you smartly noted at this early stage in his career/development he was called on to do too much.

To introduce us to Mr. Straw Man.

The flip side with dealing with the Sabres is that the teams vying for ROR know that the GM is determined to trade him. My sense in listening to our GM after the season was finished was that he was determined to change the makeup of the room. The centerpiece to that change is subtracting the gap toothed center from the roster. A deal is going to get done but no one is going to be shaken down in trading for our center.

Boterill is determined to rework the room. And he is steadily doing it this offseason. Especially in hockey it's much more than accumulating talent; it's about getting the right mix of players to build a team. Odds are that ROR will be dealt very soon.

Especially Ragland he was not a fit for the scheme that McDermott's was going to run. The LB profile that is accentuated in his defense is an ability to cover. Ragland was a rugged thumper who was more suited in a 3-4 that emphasized run stopping. Also, Darby was not a good fit for McDermott's backfield scheme that emphasized zone play and an ability to tackle. Darby was more of a man to man cover DB. The issue here is not whether they are good players but rather are they suitable for your defense. The recent historical problem for this organization is that has been subjected to a constant state of flux. The constant churning of coaching staffs and changing philosophies has been detrimental to building a stable roster. That certainly was manifested when Rex arrived and changed the defense to the scheme he was married to. The results were disastrous. It's my belief that McDermott is going to have the time to bring in players that suit his approach to the game. Sticking with a plan instead of constantly lurching back and forth on both sides of the ball will be beneficial in establishing a direction and steadily moving forward in a more coherent way.

If a talented player doesn't play well for you he isn't playing well for you. It doesn't matter how much potential you have as a player. In the end it's about production. He wasn't playing to his talent level and his bonanza contract. The onus is on the player. McBeane didn't junk Dareus because of an incident. They dispatched him because of a pattern of behavior over an extended period of time. What you are essentially saying here is that it is the fault of the teacher when the smart kid who sleeps in class and doesn't crack a book and do his homework fails. That is a perverted notion of accountability and responsibility. Maybe a change of scenery with a different coaching staff will work wonders for Dareus. If so, I will be happy for him, What was evident in Buffalo was that Dareus wasn't buying in to what was expected of him. Dareus is not a bad guy. But that is not to say that he was a responsible and accountable person either. The person most responsible for him being traded is the player himself. The Bills have moved on. It was a tough decision but also the right decision.

You are right that the line lacks the overall talent to be a good OL. Players brought in on the cheap such as Bodine, Newhouse, and Ducasse are essentially patchwork players who fill in. And as you astutely noted the constant churning of staff and systems make it even more difficult to get players to fit the systems that are a constant state of flux. When McDermott was hired his intention wasn't to simply the elevate the play of the players he inherited. It was to significantly tear the roster down and rebuild it to reflect his vision of how a roster should be constructed. In my view this is a four year rebuild job. In one year he has dramatically altered the roster and is continuing with his cleanse and redo process. So it is not surprising that a defensively oriented coach initially focuses more on the defense than the offense. Tyrod Taylor had unique traits that severely impacted the OL's ability to pass block. Thus a qb that can make reads and more quickly release the ball will in of itself help the linemen when they pass block. On the flip side because Taylor was such a running threat he forced the defense to account for him. That lack of running threat is probably going to hurt in the running game. My point is obvious that how the qb plays will impact how the line performs. My general point is that it is difficult to address the needs of all your units at the same time. It's nearly impossible to do. The best that can be hoped for with this line is for it to play competently. With some coaching and system stability that is all you can ask for right now.

You are an inspiring example that no one is irredeemable. ? There will be more than enough material to evaluate Peterman when camp and the preseason starts. Those hardened critics who are looking back to last year when judging him this year are not only being foolish but also being silly. In my mind Peterman is not a starting caliber qb in this league. That is not to say that it is inconceivable that he earns a starting job for the short term. He reminds me of Frank Reich. There is a role for him on this team.

That isn't smoke you are seeing. You are witnessing a forest engulfed in a raging fire. One way or the other it is apparent that Boterill is determined to move ROR. And from a variety of sources there are a multiple teams interested in acquiring the center who doesn't have a full complement of teeth. I'm very confident that Nylander will not be included in a deal. If he is I will dramatically outpace you by drinking a six pack of Molson's before the first half of the first game is completed. If I end up slurring my words you should know why. ?

I am saying right now that Nylander will not be included in a ROR trade. He has been somewhat of a disappointment but he is so young that it would be foolish to let a player go who has so much skill. Why be so eager to shed a young talent who is not even 20 yrs old yet? Players develop at different rates. Even if he starts the season in Rochester it is too soon to make a conclusive judgment on him. I don't know if he will turn out to be a good NHL player. But I want to give him the time for him to demonstrate whether that he can or can not play with the big club. Trust me, being patient won't hurt you. You may be pleasantly surprised with the eventual outcome.

Not really. He might have a minor injury he is healing from that is not worth the risk of playing at this venue.

https://recklessdrivingny.com/blog/reckless-driving-buffalo-bills-marcell-dareus/ I'm not an idealist or purist who believes everyone has to fit the angelic mold. In a locker room there is a wide range of people with different personalities and work habits. Not everyone is going to be a work out warrior during the season or offseason. I'm not an ideologue on this issue and allow for some forbearance and flexibility. Not every lineman is going to live up to the Kyle Williams standard. However, when this new regime took over they clearly stated how they wanted to build the roster and the type of diligent people they prefer beyond the issue of talent. Repeatedly, Dareus has failed that standard. That doesn't mean that he is a bad guy but it does indicate that he is not meeting an established standard. In my view I believe that Dareus is capable of being one of the top interior linemen in the league. He demonstrated that elite level of play when he was playing for a contract. After he got it he fell into a pattern of play and behavior that reflected his immaturity and unpreparedness. Dareus wasn't dispatched because this regime didn't want him. When he played at his maximum potential he was well worth his gilded contract. He was traded because he failed to meet his responsibilities on and off the field. It's easy to apply your high standards to the fringe players. But when you apply your high standards to your best players you are sending a message that reverberates throughout the roster. Why do you think that the Bills made the playoffs last year with a stripped down team? They made it because everyone bought in to what the HC was espousing. I like Dareus and want him to succeed. It wasn't going to happen in Buffalo. As I stated before being traded to Jacksonville was the right thing to do for Dareus and for the Bills. I sincerely wish him the best.

I just checked and Nylander is not going to be at the prospect camp. But that doesn't change the fact that if he can develop that it would certainly be a boost for the team, even if it materializes later on. https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/topic/206252-sabres-nhl-2018-19-development-camp-at-harborcenter-june-27-30/?page=10&tab=comments#comment-5162666 As I stated to Plenzmd it would be a terrific boost to the franchise if he turns out to be the caliber of player commensurate to where he was drafted. As you noted it is often forgotten how young he is. I'm not so much concerned that he makes the big club right away this season. What I want to see is he to continue to make strides in his development. He has the talent to eventually be a top two line player. The open question is whether that talent will be realized in this organization. Our GM, JB, is a staunch believer in developing talent in the minors before bringing players up. I believe that he will allow Nylander the time to deveop and be patient with him.

Without a doubt Star will be in shape when camp starts. Not only will he be in shape but it is guaranteed that he won't be driving like a demon scattering the fleeing pedestrians on the sidewalk during the daylight hours. While Dareus is at risk to getting suspended for his immature behavior off the field Star has a history of acting like a mature adult on and off the field, something that Daeus finds challenging. When you make the argument that you are willing to accept one of the higher paid defensive linemen in the league to be out of shape then you have completely lost me. I am less tolerant than you and so is the regime that he was traded from. I wish Dareus well. Maybe a change of scenery will spark a change of attitude. He being dealt was the right thing for the organization that let him go, and hopefully it will work out well for for the organization that he went to.