JohnC

I scratched out the part I didn't agree with and left the part I do agree with. While others are intensely scrutinizing the safety draft class the focus should be on getting the best qb prospect we can in this draft. Insignificant roster additions at secondary positions don't match a significant upgrade at the primary qb position. If a generation of futility hasn't taught this organization this then it is irretrievably stupid.

If you want to have a team that plays maturely and responsibly you don't bring in people who have consistently demonstrated their immaturity, especially at a position that calls for leadership. When I saw the clip of him jumping out of the stands in a high school game to defend his brother it became clear to me that I don't want such an impulsive and uncontrollable idiot/fool being our qb.

The frenzy over the reputed disorganization is out of proportion with the real issue that haunts this team. The primary issues plaguing this team has less to do with the organizational and power structure and more to do with the talent level of the team. As with most teams in the league success is mostly related to the caliber of the starting qb. For a generation this team has been at a deficit at the most important position in the game. And it still an issue. The Rex Ryan hire was a boondoggle. It set this franchise back. The inexperienced owners got caught up in this huckster's sell act and lively personality. Giving Whaley, the GM, the authority to hire is the conventional way this process should work and the right way to do it. I'm not looking for a genius or novel hire. What this franchise needs is a fundamentally sound coach who can create a climate of accountability. The art of coaching is taking the roster as it is and putting the players in the best position to succeed. Our moronic former coach forced the players to adapt to his system instead of this fool adapting his system to mesh with the talent he had on hand. What a freaking clown!!!! When all is said in done this league is talent driven. The Bills still need an infusion of talent to be a more competitive team. So while people are obsessing about insiders and outsiders criticizing our organization the real issue has to do with the talent on had rather than the structure of the organizational flow chart.

The difference with Patrick Kane holding the puck is that he has a number of high end talents who can finish when the pass is made. And it is widely acknowledged that PK right now is one of the best players in the league right. As talented as he is it still took time to refine his game, as it will for Boston Jack. As I stated in another post with respect to Eichel I think it is a mistake to over coach him and restrict his game. He is a smart kid, a hard working kid and receptive to coaching. As he gains experience his game will evolve and become more efficient and less free wheeling. The challenge for the coaching staff and organization is to surround him with the right mix of players that not only enhances his talents but also enhances the talents of the players he is playing with.

The player in my view who turned around Kane's mind-set and game was Gionta. BG dug the puck out and scrapped when he was playing with Kane and then he would regularly feed him when he was at the net. I'm not suggesting that Kane should be playing on a line with the energetic but fading former star but what I am saying is that he was instrumental in altering his game. Eichel is a free wheeling hold the puck type of player. Is Kane a good fit to play with him? Probably not. But what Eichel and Kane both mutually possess is speed that opens up the ice. I'm leaning toward Kane playing with either Reinhart or O'Reilly or maybe both . O'Reilly is the digger and Reinhart is the consummate passer with great set up instincts. This team has most of the pieces for two good top two lines when it is healthy. Okposo, O'Reilly, Reinhart, Eichel and Kane plus some other candidates are the pieces that need to be properly assembled so that their individual talents are enhanced and manifested. That's where coaching comes in: tinkering and decisions. Just think with the leftovers such as Bailey and Foligno and a solid center a good third line is ready to form.

The Sabres have players who have size, speed and energy in Carrier and Foligno. The problem is do these type of players have the ability to finish? In my view if you have players on the first two lines and they can't finish then they aren't suited to play on those scoring lines. Your Bailey and Kane combo is appealing. Both have size, speed and scoring ability, especially Kane. Although I have been a critic of Kane's too often untamed style of play he has of late played with more discipline and intelligence. The Sabres don't have a surplus of scorers. Kane in the right situation and right frame of mind can score in the 30 plus range. The biggest challenge for the coach is to find the right fit for Kane. Is it better to have high quality passers on his line so he can be a beneficiary of those passes or is it better to have high energy muscle guys on his line so it will have a particular identity? That is the coaching challenge!

Sports in general is so unpredictable. When I was watching this game I got a reverse sensation. The expected team to win played like the victorious team usually does, especially in their own building i.e. without energy. I agree with your judgment on Eichel that he holds the puck too much. But much of the source of that issue has to do with the caliber of his linemates. Moulson is too slow when he is moving up the ice but he can play with him when they are in the offensive end. I have a slight disagreement with you on the handling of Eichel. I think the worst approach to take with him is over coach him and be too restrictive with him. Forcing him to play within a strict system will squash his expansive talents instead of letting it grow with experience. This is a case where the disciplined oriented coach needs to loosen up and adjust to the player rather than force the player to comply with his stultifying system. The key pass on that PP score was Moulson's quick pass from the inside to the outside to Sam and then back to the inside where Jack was. Bang, Bang and Bang!

I'm sure his injury affected how he played. But the perimeter style of game I referred to has been prevalent in his play since he joined the team last year. He has always played hard on both defense and offense. But his game until recently lacked coherency with his linemates. The turn around became evident when he joined the Gionta line. Hopefully, he is learning that playing a more dirty/gritty game around the net is more productive than playing a fancy game around the edges.

The player who has changed his game which has resulted in an improved rate of production is Kane. The going to the net started when he was placed on the Gionta and Larsson line. He went from being a feckless perimeter shooter to a tough hard nosed scorer around the net. He has always been a full effort player but it was wasted effort because his game was detached from the unit. It seems now that he is learning to play as a teammate instead of as a lone ranger. Kudos to him.

My fear is that this ramshackle organization out of desperation is going to take an approach that best gets them out of their non-playoff embarrassment. That to me is not the right approach to take and not the right mentality to take. Striving for mediocrity where the limited vision is qualifying for a wildcard playoff spot is self-restricting. As I stated in prior posts what made the Raiders take a quantum leap is their selection of Carr. There is no doubt that Khalil Mack is a tremendous player and one of the top ranked player in his draft year. He has proved to be a dynamic player. But he is not the player that has changed the fortunes of what was once a very odd franchise to a franchise that is now a serious contender for a SB participant. Their fortunes changed with the selection of Carr. It must also be noted that even with Carr on the roster there GM still went out and drafted Conner Cook, another qb. There are obvious holes in our roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball. This once good defense has been butchered by a stupid HC. There are remedies to patching this defense from the upcoming draft and from the free agent market. But the situation will not be meaningfully altered for this middling franchise until the qb position is significantly upgraded. If there is a position for the GM to be aggressive and bold for it is the qb position. Whaley went full throttle in his pursuit of the talented Watkins when he should have used that same bold approach in his pursuit of a legitimate franchise qb.

I don't accept the notion that a qb shouldn't be taken with a high round pick (first or second) because this is a week qb class. Getting a stud safety or corner to replace Gilmore if he is not re-signed is not going to markedly improve this team. It appears that Whaley is not enamored with TT. Even if he returns as a bridge qb this team still needs to secure a franchise qb to become a serious team. There is no doubt that Whaley feels the pressure to get over the generational hump and get into the playoffs soon. But getting a talented prospect on board, even if it is to be groomed down the line, is still the right approach to take. It seems that this franchise continuously repeats the self-destructive cycle of avoiding going after a high end qb draft prospect and satisfies itself with second rate market qb pickups. Looking back Gilmore was certainly a top ten talent in his draft and he has played up to his talent (for the most part) but he was far from being a difference maker because his position didn't come close to being consequential compared to the qb position. As I stated in prior posts Whaley was very aggressive in securing a top five player in Watkins, a receiver. He would have been far better off being aggressive in securing a Derek Carr caliber of qb who was available instead of taking the more highly rated player on the board such as Watkins. As it turns out as good as Watkins is his talents are being squandered because the person taking the snaps can't utilize him to the extent that his talent merits.

The West Coast and LA area have two top tier qb prospects in Darnold and Josh Rosen at UCLA. It is going to be interesting following each's development. Both are young and inexperienced but both possess enticing talents that pro teams will be salivating over. Each of these two young stud qbs seem to have the "it" factor along with their physical talents.

I don't understand why Whaley didn't in advance prepare better responses to questions that were obviously going to be asked. Maybe it's simply he is not good at speaking publicly under duress. More often being too guarded when responding to questions makes one look foolish to the point of being ignorant instead of being more candid (not totally) and revealing. There is nothing magical about having a successful blueprint for success in the NFL. More often than not the basic element for success has to do with the caliber of qb taking the snaps. It seems to me that this team on offense is designed to be a good running team not because it is the best recipe for success but it is the best approach to take when your qbing is inadequate. What the Rex hire illustrates in spades is that a bad coaching hire not only hinders a team but it sets the franchise back. This constant changing to fix what has been done is like being on treadmill where there is a lot of motion but in the end you are not getting anywhere.

I was never happy with the Rex hire but I don't take much comfort with his failure and departure. The Rex we hired is the same Rex we fired except that he was less motivated with us. The Pegulas made a terrible mistake with his hiring and it was an inexcusable mistake. Rex had a failed record in NY that revealed all his faults and out-dated views on the NFL of today. The new owners became enamored with the lively personality instead of the substance of his abilities and performances. The page is now turned. Let's hope for the better.

Odds are that Whaley will take the higher graded safety over the qb in this draft. It's a conservative mind-set that has kept this franchise mired in the mud. I get the sense that DW is very much intrigued with Cardale even though he is still a major project who is going to take at least a couple more years to smooth the rough edges. Whaley made a bold move in acquiring Watkins, a receiver. He should repeat that aggressive approach in finding a long term solution at qb.

Rex was relieved and glad to be gone. The talkative HC was again facing failure and besieged with criticism. His reputation as a defensive guru was besmirched. The more he tried to fix his side of the ball the more it faltered. Rex had one of the largest coaching staffs in the league because he didn't want to get into the nitty-gritty of coaching any longer. He was so disengaged with his roster that he wasn't even aware that Clay was not going to make the Oakland trip due to his wife's pregnancy. Rex loved the spot light at the podium. At the end the lights were on a man who had nothing more to say and no more excuses to make. In the end the big man shrunk and it was a sad picture. In the long run style never trumps substance. What was inevitable became fruition.

Breaking up the Risto and McCabe tandem didn't make sense to me. The Pysyk for Kuli has not worked out. We gave up a smart and efficient player for a thoughtless and careless player who constantly makes bone crushing mistakes where the puck ends in the net. Gorges is a prideful earnest veteran player who has nothing left. I don't know what to make of Bogo. He seems to have the required size and skill set to be a good d-man but the parts don't come close to the expected production. He goes out of his way to bang but it seems to take away from his focus of soundly playing the position. In addition, that crunching style of play makes him prone to injury. I get the sense that there is a rising irritation in the room with Bylsma. That is not a good sign for a losing team because the frustration level builds up and then blows up.

I stand corrected. Thank you for the more precise information.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's only been one week since I made my proclamation of a toe a week. So far it is 9 toes and counting. That old basturd better get off his wrinkled arse and post before I end up walking with a noticeable wobble.

The season turned around for USC once he became the starter. So it can't be denied that he is the major reason for the dramatic change of fortunes for the team since he has taken the snaps. There isn't an attribute from a physical standpoint and an intangible standpoint such as feel for the game that this kid doesn't have. The kid's a freshman and he will undoubtedly get better. If you want to hold your horses that's fine. I'm not. This kid is a stallion. Some people may have been drooling but not as many as you think. He was an intriguing prospect not because of his limited play in college but because of his physical size and attributes such as strength of arm. The USC qb has a much more refined and poised game as a freshman than most highly touted upperclassmen. On a side note this is one of the best and most entertaining games I have seen in years. Maybe even better than the Young vs Leinart game.

Harbaugh for the Ravens was a special teams coach when he was hired. Marv Levy was a special teams coach for KC when Polian selected him to be the Bills HC.

To soothe your desperation a little more add Guhle to the pipeline that in the not too distant future (hopefully) will make this a less frustrating team to follow. Seeing Toronto on a more rapid pace toward respectability is a kick in the nuuuts.

With respect to the first highlight Whaley is making the selection as the owner stated. However, if the man signing the check for some reason is opposed to the selection (highly unlikely in this case) he has the final say. The boss is the boss. With respect to the second highlight there were numerous reports that DW's preference was Hue Jackson. It's clear to me (obviously not to you) that Whaley was not enamored with Rex as the selection. Can I conclusively prove it? No. Nor you can conclusively prove that Rex was Whaley's first choice. I'm very comfortable and confident of my position on this issue.

I'm a Whaley supporter. Overall, I think he has done a good job. Where he has faltered is securing a good qb, either through the draft or free agency, that will enable his assembled roster to get over the hump into the playoffs. Is TT a viable option? Right now he is our best option but there are limitations to his game that I'm not sure can be overcome. My major criticism with Whaley is that although he is not afraid to make bold decisions, such as giving up a first round pick for Watkins, he hasn't demonstrated the same boldness in his quest for a long term franchise qb. The bottom line is what mostly makes a GM a good or failed GM is his success in finding a quality qb. So far that is an issue that is bringing his evaluation down.

Let's get serious! What did you expect Whaley to say at the presser announcing that Rex the big talker was hired? He said the same platitudes that every other GM would say of an owner's hiring that he was not most responsible for. And he continued with the formula platitudes while he was coaching because it would be foolish to publicly undercut the HC, even though there were rampant rumors that Whaley and Rex didn't have a close relationship. The structure of the communication whereby the HC reported to the owner instead of the GM is telling. The GM went along with the hire but he wasn't the person he wanted hired for the job. Did Whaley agree to the hire of the new owners. Of course he did. But that is far from being enthusiastic about a hire he would not have made if he was the person making the hire. If you want to criticize Whaley for not being more aggressive in challenging the owners selection then that is a valid criticism. But the fact that the owners publicly came out announcing that this next hire is solely his to make (with the approval of the owners) is a clear indication that that wasn't the same process that happened with the Rex hire.