JohnC

Condolences to you and your family. I'm glad to hear that he enjoyed reading the banter thrown back and forth between discordant members.

This link is a column by WGR's Brayton Wilson reporting that Western Michigan's defenseman Mattias Samuelsson signed a three year entry level deal. He is a big dude! https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-sign-samuelsson-to-entry-level-contract

How do teams play when players have left and departed for locations all over the world? And when is it declared safe to play again for the players and fans? Another issue is if it is determined that in two months it is safe to play then how long will it take for players to practice as a team before the players are prepared to play games again? Before you it know the calendar is not only approaching but also blending into the next season. This season and the playoffs are for all intents and purposes are shot. That is a harsh reality but an obvious reality. Japan reluctantly had to face this stark reality with the postponement of the Olympics for a year or so. The bigger issue is whether people and countries respond intelligently enough so that this plague is not rekindled, which the medical experts say could happen. If this virus is subdued only to reemerge then all sports, amateur and pro, are facing a calamity. As Shrader and you indicated the weighted draft lottery system is the most likely scenario.

Thanks for the link. I'm a believer that one of the most important attributes a qb has to have to successfully make the leap from the college to the pro ranks is the instincts. You can't teach it if you don't have it. J. P. Losman is a classic example of a qb with tools but a lack of instincts that couldn't be elevated even with intensive coaching and effort. I believe that both Burrow and Tua have it. The third ranked qb by many analysts is Herbert. He is the most physically imposing of all the prospects. But there is a mechanical aspect to his game that lowers my evaluation of him. That is not to say that I don't think he can be successful as a pro because he certainly has the tools. But the question about him is whether this academically high achiever has the required instincts that the other two qbs appear to have. I'm not suggesting that Tua is going to be a Tom Brady who may be the greatest qb in the history of the game. But he has some of his traits such as accuracy, touch, ball placement, a quick read and release that should allow him to make the transition to the pro game. And as you know as well as anyone with your knowledge of the Bama program and players he is a sterling person with a drive to be the best. The package is all there. The issue is whether he is durable enough to deal with the punishing pro game.

The attached link is an article by Lance Lysowski of the BN. This article is about Dylan Cozens and his early return home from the juniors because of the virus. According to the article Dylan could have played for Rochester if the AHL playoffs would have been held. It also noted that he wouldn't be able to play for Rochester when the season started next year because he didn't meet the age criteria. I don't understand the inconsistency in the age requirement between being able to play in the playoffs this year and not being able to play in Rochester next year? He playing in the juniors next year will not do him much good from a development standpoint. I'm confident that he will earn a spot on the roster with the Sabres next year. Dylan, Tage and Kahun will all be with the big club next season. (I can't say for sure about Mittelstadt.) I also strongly suspect that Risto or another defenseman will be dealt to add another forward. Steadily the GM is remaking the roster. https://buffalonews.com/2020/03/24/buffalo-sabres-lethbridge-hurricanes-dylan-cozens-nhl-whl-news-2020/

The below WGR link is the Krueger interview on the Instigators. This is the segment that I referred to in the prior post. The second half of the interview deals with his relationship with the Russian team and staff. It seems that his belief in the five on one philosophy (forward line and defense pairing working as a unit) has a Russian origin. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/03-23-sabres-head-coach-ralph-krueger The next link is a column by WGR's Paul Hamilton about Krueger and the immediate aftermath in Montreal when he and the team learned that the season was going to be stopped due to the virus. https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-krueger-hopes-to-continue-the-season

The Sabres signed another college free agent player. The below link is by WGR's Paul Hamilton. https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-sign-college-free-agent-dawson-dipietro I was going to add the Krueger on the Instigator Show link but decided not to because there wasn't much about the Sabres on it. The second half of the interview dealt with his experience playing against the famous Russian team and his familiarity with the players and coach.

There are three or four qbs that will be selected in the first round. It seems that the majority of analysts have Burrow at one, Tua as the second ranking qb with Herbert being the third ranked qb. Do you know which one will have the best career? It won't necessarily be the highest rated qb entering the draft. It will be the qb with the best supporting cast and wise coaching staff that maximizes the talents of the qb respectively selected. As you astutely pointed out Burrow didn't excel in college until the Tiger program modernized its primitive offense with a more sophisticated passing attack designed by a smart coordinator who was brought in to take over the offense. I never understood why such a premier program at LSU with an overload of NFL talent squandered its potential with such an antiquated approach to the offense and qb position. With respect to the Bills the point that I am highlighting here is that the McBeane regime was smart in directing its attention to upgrading the OL (which was done mostly in free agency last year) and upgrading the receiver corps with the addition of Diggs this offseason and the receivers added last year. This emphasis on upgrading the staffing around the qb was done to put their qb investment in the best situation to succeed. Unless the teams selecting this year's upper tier qb prospects follow the same prescription they will be wasting a golden opportunity.

Fantastic analysis. You and Gunner ought to partner and put out a shingle as scouting consultants. Of course if you both combine your talents and create your tandem business I would expect a finder's fee.

What transformed Burrow from being a pedestrian qb in his first year to being a scintillating qb in his second year? I realize LSU brought in a more enlightened offensive coach but there has to be more to his incredible transformation? Even with a pro roster to guide on offense he still was the dominant player driving that unit. That in itself was a testament to his play.

From a pro standpoint and not from a college grading standpoint what is the issue with Rosen that makes the teams he has played for quickly make the determination that he isn't the answer? Is there any reasonable prospect that eventually he is going to play for a team where his assets are magnified and his liabilities are minimized? He was a player I thought had the attributes that would transfer from the college to the pro game. So far I, like many others, have been clearly off the mark. I have a belief that if you invest a high pick for a qb that you need to make it a priority to assemble a credible OL that gives the young and jittery player a chance to succeed. The McBean tandem wisely seem to realize that requirement. It makes no sense to use a high capital expenditure on a linchpin player only to have that player pummeled to submission.

I doubt that the Bengals have any interest in trading the #1 pick to any team regardless what the bounty in return will be. And I believe it is inevitable that the Bengals are going to deal Dalton for a medium pick with the expectation that Burrow will be the starting qb. If that is the case then I doubt that Tua or Herbert would be acceptable options to play right away. The worst mistake for any team to make with the first pick is to over think the situation. If the Bengals have done their due diligence and concluded that Burrow is their best qb option for the next decade then they should simply make the selection and not screw around. I say the same thing with the Redskins. If they believe that Chase Young is a Von Miller type of dynamo defensive player then take him at the two spot. Attached is a 3 minute link with Tod Shay giving his thoughts on the qb issue and this draft. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Todd+McShay+Mock+Draft+2018&&view=detail&mid=6AE0065934CC7FCDABE46AE0065934CC7FCDABE4&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DTodd%2BMcShay%2BMock%2BDraft%2B2018%26FORM%3DVDMHRS

What's frightening about this epidemic as much as the immediate health havoc wreaked on the population are the survival implications for certain businesses after this health issue has passed, and it will. Certain businesses are forever going to be altered, at last for the foreseeable future. Your daughter-in-law, even if she is going to be retained for the near term, is facing a precarious economic environment that is going to result in long-term downsizing. As an example there are going to be more teleconferencing and less out of town conferences for businesses. The occupancy rate compared to hotel capacity is going to be dramatically altered for a long time. Trump's hotel in DC currently has an occupancy rate of 5%. Even when we get back to more normal times the business model in the hospitality industry and revenue expectations will dramatically be altered. The hospitality industry was a growth and a dynamic industry for a lot of regions. That will change. It is a reality that a lot of people have not yet grasped. I offer my best wishes to your future D-I-L who is currently involved in a very precarious industry. A lot of people are reflexively criticizing the Pegulas for not be as altruistic as they think they should be. What they don't understand is that they have used their resources from the energy industry to invest on a grand scale in the hospitality industry. That industry has unexpectedly been severely wounded. And it should be added that the energy industry that they are in isn't as robust as it was. I'm not suggesting that we should feel sorry for billionaires. Certainly they are in a better position to personally cope. But that doesn't mean that the ripple effect hasn't also hit them as it has a lot of people.

Whether Krueger is coaching hockey or not he will be able to sell his services on the lecture and seminar circuit. https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-krueger-is-holding-a-webinar-for-european-coaches

The attached link is a column by Bill Hoppe from the Buffalo News. It's subject is Jonas Johansson and his experience as a call up. The Sabres have a number of young goalie prospects in its system but they have a way to go before being called up on a long term basis. The biggest issue right now is whether Ullmark is a #1 goalie. What is known for sure is that he has moved ahead of Hutton as our primary goalie. https://buffalonews.com/2020/03/19/buffalo-sabres-rochester-americans-jonas-johansson-goaltending-prospects/?view=getnewpost

Life is like a Ferris wheel ride. What is up eventually comes down. What is thought to be unfashionable by the people who are fashionable turns out to be fashionable by the unfashionable people. Or another way of putting it is that what some people consider to be uncool behavior is not only cool behavior but may also enhance your longevity.

You bring up an interesting issue. Assuming Miami covets Tua do they risk another team jumping ahead of them in the draft if they stay at their current drafting position, the five spot? Washington is in an interesting position where they could auction the second pick for a qb needy team and collect a bevy of picks to address a number of their needs. The conventional wisdom in the Md/DC/Va area is that they are going scan the market and then probably decide to draft DE Chase Young at their current drafting spot. I doubt Belichick will give up what it takes to move up to get Tua. That is not to say that he wouldn't covet him. I can't recall him ever giving up a boatload of picks to make such a bold draft maneuver. His history demonstrates that he is more inclined to move down and collect more picks or give up picks for picks in the next year.

No one can say what the future holds for this virus. But it is starting to become evident that there is no quick remedy to this plague. I don't foresee a resumption of hockey for this season, and that includes a version of the playoffs. It's not even certain if a normal scheduled hockey season will happen next season. This virus is going to reside within a segment of the population for a long time. And that will result in the necessity to continue on with some form of social distancing. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/u-s-coronavirus-plan-pandemic-will-last-over-18-months.html

What was most impressive about the above clip was not the receiver's talents so much as the throws. Tua doesn't have a cannon of an arm. But his accuracy and ball placement are exceptional. What increases his chances to make the adjustment to the pro game is that he decisively knows where to go with the ball and quickly releases the ball. It's going to be interesting to watch both Burrow and Tua in the pro game. I think both of them are going to excel. If Tua better adapts to the pro game it shouldn't be much of a surprise.

If you had a choice between Dobbins or LSU's Clyde Edwards-Helaire which one would you select? Clyde Edwards-Helaire is one of my favorite players in this draft. It's unlikely that the Bills will draft a back in the second round but I wouldn't be upset with either Dobbins or Clyde Edwards taken in the second round.

From what I gather the plan to pause payments isn't for the purpose of using that money to stimulus the economy. It is to allow people who have lost income because of the epidemic and can't pay their mortgages. It is essentially a pause in payments for people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own so they won't be foreclosed. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/business/coronavirus-mortgage-payments-banks.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/03/18/fannie-mae-freddie-mac-suspend-foreclosures-covid-19-response/2866184001/

The Sabres signed forward Brandon Biro a four year player out of Penn. State. He was in our development camp. This is a WGR link by Paul Hamilton. https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/the-sabres-sign-penn-state-senior-brandon-biro

Dealing with players infected with the virus is a relatively simple matter. All players and staff will be tested for the virus before resuming regular work activities. That's an easy issue to deal with. The challenging issue is how do you hold a large populated event where some of the attendees will certainly be infected with the virus even after the epidemic of infections has been declared over? If you have five people infected with the virus who are without symptoms in a crowd of 18,000 people you are creating a risk situation that could exponentially spread in a short period of time. I don't see the season or the playoffs resuming this year, even for a delayed and abbreviated playoff schedule. The bigger question is when will the safe conditions exist for the next season to begin? Needless to say we are in uncharted territory on how to conduct ourselves not only as fans but in how we go about our lives. When a new normal replaces the old normal it can be disorienting.

It would be a good situation for him. It's probable that the Bengals will want to immediately install Burrow as their qb. So moving him would be the best thing for the Bengals and also for him. There is an obvious match. The next issue is what is his value on the market. Dalton has been a loyal player for a faltering organization. I would like to see him go to a situation that's good for him.

One of the most intriguing offseason personnel questions throughout the league is which qb are the Patriots going to pursue now that Brady has departed. If I had to guess I would say Dalton. Without question BB is the best HC in the game and arguably in the history of the game. He has had a history of allowing top tier players to leave because of a reluctance to pay players who wanted more money, and his teams still won. Tom Brady is an iconic player who made a decision in his best interest. BB is an iconic HC who also made a decision in his team's best interest, or at least as he perceives it. There is no good guy or bad guy in this scenario. Player movement is an inescapable part of the business that no player or organization is immune from.