JohnC

One of the first things that Botterill said he was going to do was to invest and reinvigorate the farm system with a special focus on Rochester. He has done it by adding in tutoring veterans to the mix so that the young players would have models to learn from. He also wanted to create a winning environment and instill a winning attitude. Rochester got to the playoffs this year instead of being mired at the bottom of the league. Botterill has stressed that he prefers keeping his players down on the farm until they become NHL ready. He doesn't like bouncing players back and forth. As exemplified by Nylander you earn your playing time and promotions and not are not entitled to move up the ranks because of where you were drafted. If an undrafted player outplays a higher ranked player then that player is moved ahead of the underperforming player. I'm impressed with Botterill. He is a very measured person and is very analytical. He doesn't make moves for the sake of making moves to show he is doing something. As with McDermott with the Bills the Sabre staff is going to steadily cull this roster and get not only the most talented players but the right type of players so the right mix reinforces the roster. Botterill is more conceptual in managing the operation just as Beane is more conceptual than Whaley was in managing the operation. Acting without a lot of thought ends up being a lot of wasted motion.

It wouldn't work. Students coming in large groups and moving quickly in a short period of time would make it impossible for dogs to do their job. The dogs with their handlers usually work one on one with the person who would be examined. And it also must be factored in that those dogs have to constantly be tested in a training setting to make sure that their smell is both reinforced and still working. In addition, even if the dogs were donated (not always the case), the training with the handler is very long and comprehensive. Not all dogs that go through the training make it. In general, it would be a very expensive proposition for a school system to handle the costs associated with this endeavor.

Most of the top tier pro sports businesses have to deal with player unions. I'm all for it because it creates some balance in an unbalanced relationship. In the big money sports world owners/management and players/workers negotiate to get a reasonably fair deal done for all the parties. The football union is probably the weakest of the sports unions with basketball being the strongest of the unions.

I appreciate your classless response and how you amuse yourself.

You got it wrong. It's not about socialism as it is a smart business model. It's about the exceptional execution of plan that was instituted by millionaire and billionaire owners whose sole ideology revolves around making more money.

A large number of the players that Vegas selected were players that the dispatching teams were willing to let go. Prior to the draft teams were negotiating with Vegas over what player they would offer if a particular exposed player was not selected. Vegas's GM did a masterful job of taking the right players with these side deals. The goalie now anchoring Vegas was a player that the Penquins wanted to let go. He was a heavy cost player with an emerging young and cheaper goalie ready to take the reigns in Pittsburgh. The Penquins felt that Vegas was doing them a favor by taking him and opening up cap space and allowing their young goalie who they felt was ready to be their primary goalie. Contrast how the GM for the Knights handled his job compared to how the former GM of the Sabres did his job. Murray made a lot of loud deals that didn't come close to meeting its expectation. In addition, he drained the farm and now our new GM is in the process of replenishing it again. I don't understand why you would advocate for expansion teams to go through the multi-year struggles of being uncompetitive and unwatchable. That certainly doesn't serve building up the new market and it doesn't serve the opposing markets that have to be subjected to unentertaining garbage hockey. The Vegas model is a success. It should be copied when another expansion team is brought into the league.

I don't think he went to the scene because he wanted show how important he was. I think that he genuinely wanted to do something to help. He was moved to act without really knowing what to do. My sense is that he is a good guy who wanted to do something to help the victims of a slaughter in his community. When he was confronted by someone who asked the simple question what are you doing and trying to accomplish with that gun and flag he was carrying he was at a loss for words. What it came down to was that he was acting without thinking. And it appears by the way he quickly left the scene that he did come to the realization that he was doing something really dumb.

It's really scary the judgment that people can have in such a traumatic situation. My intention is not to mock this individual or even condemn him. As the clip shows he wanted to do something helpful and show his support to the victims in this slaughter. I have no doubt that he is a good fellow. It's just seems that the world that he is in is in certain areas impenetrable to rational thought and discourse. When I saw the clip all I can say is WTF!

The attached link is an example of someone being so stupid and out of touch with common sense that that it is beyond comprehension. The person in the link is wearing a Trump hat. That hat and who he supports has nothing to do with his behavior. He is just an idiot who is clueless to what he is doing. Again, I'm stressing this post is not against the president or against anyone's political beliefs or position on guns but as a demonstration how foolish one can be in such a traumatic situation. What is evident is that the person with the flag and gun actually has good intentions. I'm sure he is a good person. But the exhibition of stupidity is mind-boggling. https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/05/18/armed-trump-supporter-outside-school-shooting-sot.kprc/video/playlists/santa-fe-high-school-texas-shooting/

I never heard of a feminist or anti-feminist say that lying and falsely accusing someone of DV was a public service to domestic violence victims. I have heard of the opposite response that falsely accusing someone hurts the cause which is the opposite of what you are stating. Your response is perplexing.

Again, you missed the point. I'm not interested what is in front or behind the scenes. If you enjoy the series enjoy it. I have no interest in it.

The point that you missed is obvious. Most teams have no interest in participating in this act because they see nothing positive coming from their participation. If you find these episodes entertaining or enlightening then watch the shows. I have no interest in them. It's as simple as that.

If you believe that McDermott is interested in having his team showcased you are deluding yourself. If you believe that Belichick is interested in having the cameras intruding into his training camp then you are out of touch. If you find the Hard Knock experience entertaining then so be it. My point is that it doesn't do anything positive for the team that is being highlighted. You don't think that the cameras won't gravitate to a coach chewing out a player? Or the cameras focusing on a fight between players that get involved in a fight or skirmish? What does that accomplish for the team or players? The Bills have a lot of catching up to do to build a contending team. They still got a long way to go. Having the cameras rolling for public consumption is an unnecessary distraction for a team that doesn't need it. If the Bills, and most teams, exclude the press for much of the training camp then why would they voluntarily be receptive to a Hard Knock crew? The simple truth is that they are not interested in it. They are forced to do it. What does that tell you?

Tavares doesn't need to be informed by his uncle to know about the area and the mediocre history of this franchise. I believe he is going to stay with the Islanders. And if he does decide to leave it will be for a team that can contend for the cup. The Sabres are years away from being a cup contender.

The Browns brought in Scot McCloughan as a draft consultant. He was touting Baker all season long. He was very influential in his selection. https://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2018/02/browns_scot_mccloughan_doesnt.html

Do you believe that McDermott would want to participate in such a fake reality show? Of course he and his staff would want no part of that foolishness. Few people would categorize it as a major distraction. That's your exaggerated characterization. The reality is that many if not most organizations don't want to participate in this silly charade. Participation is not voluntary---it is imposed by the league. This show is designed for self-promoters like Rex who relish acting before the cameras. It favors coaches who have a manufactured stage to showcase their schtick. It is not an activity that serious minded coaches and organizations want to be involved with. I'm not saying that the concept of Hard Knocks is a good thing or bad thing. However, I am saying that it is a stupid and inauthentic show that has no appeal to me or most people.

I just don't see Buffalo being a landing spot for him. Wherever he goes he will garner a bonanza contract. That's not what is going to entice him. This is probably not only going to be his last contract but also his last opportunity to be in a winning situation. He knows what it is like to be stuck in the muck of mediocrity. If he leaves NY it is going for a team that will give him a chance to vie for a cup. Right now that is not in Buffalo. From his perspective what would be the point of going to another team that won't allow him to break out of that suffocating atmosphere of mediocrity. As I have said on other posts I don't see Botterill going for the quick fix at the expense of creating a top to bottom system that is more enduring. Pittsburgh is the model he will be following.

You have to give me some leeway. I'm old school. There is a cautionary tale to be considered. Once the aluminum benches freeze there is a tendency for derrieres to stick to them. Getting back on topic one of the more intriguing issues to follow this season is how Josh Allen is going to be handled. It's my guess that the determining factor is not what the other qbs do so much as what Allen is capable of handling. I see a Mahomes type situation materializing where once the prospect demonstrates that he can handle the position he will be sent to the huddle.

The only thing that Allen is going to develop sitting on the bench for two years is splinters.

Do any of those esteemed papers discuss the qb situation for the Bills or which goalie is going to be in the net for the upcoming game? Or do any of those world renowned media outlets let you know where you can get the best Friday fish deals in western NY? ?

What's the saying? Ignorance is bliss.

We have become a world of tribes. It's gotten to the point that if you engage with the other tribe you are committing an act of betrayal to your tribe. What is lost in this self-imposed segregation is that the other tribe isn't so much different from your own tribe. Sure there are differences but the reality is there is more commonality than one would have expected. When all is said and done by limiting oneself you are not expanding oneself. There's just not much growth in restricting one's contacts. Interacting out of your comfort zone won't contaminate you. It's the opposite. Sometimes one's beliefs are strengthened when challenged with opposing beliefs and sometimes one's beliefs are re-examined and altered when exposed to different beliefs. And that is a good thing.

I subscribe to the online NYTimes mostly for the editorial section. There are columnists that I like and read; and there are columnists that I don't like and don't read. Almost all newspapers are struggling with the challenging economics of the business. I don't know why these two columnists should bother you so much that you would not support a paper that in general you support, especially when you have the prerogative of not reading their columns. Sometimes I will read a columnist that in general I don't agree with or even like just for the sake of getting a different opinion and perspective. I can understand why a sector of the readers don't like Sullivan, Bucky or whoever. However, sometimes you broaden your view by listening to someone you don't agree with. If you find that so intolerable to do then just ignore that section of the paper.

That's why there is no interest in him. They know exactly what they would be getting.

Without a doubt consistent losing over an extended period of time is soul-crushing. You can see it when they play and they face adversity. There isn't a collective belief that they can't overcome setbacks. Paul Hamilton of WGR talks about it all the time on how weak-minded the players are. But let's not get carried away in ascribing the essence of what their problem is: It's a general lack of talent. When compared to better teams with fuller rosters you can see the difference. The Sabres simply don't have enough talent to compete with the serious teams. Scrappiness can only help you in the short term. But over the course of a marathon season the amount of talent jumping over the side-board is going to determine the level of success or failure. Needless to say this team needs more talent.