JohnC

With respect to the EJ selection I just don't know what grade Whaley, who was our chief scout, placed on EJ. Even with the drop down in the first round it still was not a value/smart move because he should have had a third round draft grade on him. We can overdose on all the "what ifs" that come in to play in our sordid history of ineffectual qbing. We can list all the good personnel decisions that Whaley has done during his tenure, and he has had many successes. However, it won't matter much in the grand scheme of things if he can't procure a qb that is capable of playing at a much higher level than what we have recently witnessed. Getting the qb position solidified is Whaley's biggest challenge entering into next season. If he doesn't adequately address that issue then the next person waiting in line will be sitting in his former office. Fair or not that is part of the business he chose to be part of. There comes a point where this stopgap approach to the qb position has to stop. It's not good enough and it gets you no where other than watching other teams participate in the playoffs. A generation of futility is long enough.

TT's offense is limited because he is limited. The OCs he has played for (Lynn and Roman)would have loved to have opened the playbook but there were too many plays that he couldn't execute well enough.

I'm not a critic of Whaley. Overall, I believe he has done a good job. However, the measure of success for any GM that is the most important factor in the success of a team is finding a legitimate franchise qb. We don't have that caliber of qb on the roster unless Cardale develops beyond expectation. As far as the contract that TT has or must modify to stay with the team that is not the most important and even relevant issue. The primary issue is whether he is the caliber of qb who can lead/elevate a team into being a serious team. I'm doubtful that he falls into that impactful category. I would love to be proven wrong but the flaws in his game with respect to reading defenses, going through progressions and consistently throwing accurately (in stride to receivers) may not be fixable. Again, I want to emphasize that I believe Whaley has done a good job, especially considering who he is saddled with as a HC. But the bottom line for him or any GM when rating front office performance is how good is the qb taking the snaps. You can be a master of the universe for all the other areas in personnel but if you fail at finding a legitimate franchise qb you are ultimately a failure as a GM. It may not be a fair measuring stick but it is a harsh reality of the business. side note: I would give up all my picks in this upcoming draft and even more down the line for Andrew Luck. The Colts have squandered the talents of Luck by the lack of support they have around him. It is a crime of stupendous ignorance!

I have plenty of fears that you are right. But even if you consider him to be a severely flawed player (can't argue with that view) that doesn't necessarily mean that he can't be a contributor to this team that lacks scoring punch. What aggravates me about his excessive perimeter play and outside shooting is if he would get in the dirty areas around the net he would be much more productive. He is strong and has terrific hands and reflexes to knock in rebounds. The player he should be emulating is Reinhardt and his net presence. His goal in the Carolina game is the type of goal he should be getting a lot more, as was in the prior game when he received a beautiful pass behind the net by Eichel and was in front of the goal to knock the puck in. That's what he should be about----dam it!!!

I understand your reasoning but in my estimation Kane is a top two line player who has the potential to score 25 plus goals. The conundrum with him is that when you watch him play with the top two lines he is playing independently of the other players on the line. Maybe some day the raw talent will be harnessed? Or maybe he will never be receptive to coaching and adjusting his game to better fit in? I'm a little more patient with him than most others because I see an abundance of unrefined talent that if was shaped by more intelligent play it would translate into more production. On the other hand he has been in the league long enough to conclude that he is what he is!

Perfection? What dream world are you living in. You go with what you think is your best option knowing that you don't know for sure that it is your best option. The unknown world of the NFL personnel decisions are made on a calculated basis. Is TT a better or at least a more knowable option than if the Bills get involved in the market for not very attractive qbs? That's the central issue that is facing this lagging organization. And when you factor in the contract situation and future financial commitments if you decide to go with him then that alters the equation on him. How good is McCarron? I simply don't know. What I do know is that I don't have confidence in TT in running a full scale NFL offense that includes making reads and throwing to receivers while they are in stride. Can he overcome his limitations to the point of at least being a functional full scale NFL qb? I have my doubts. What I do know is until the level of play of qb is elevated to a competent level little is going to change for this bedraggled franchise.

He wouldn't do well under Rex and his corpulent brother because they would design a role for him that diminishes his assets and accentuates his weaknesses.

For a little three rivalry game among Canisius, Bonnie and Niagra the arena would be sold out or close to it. The energy in the aud was memorable. During the Bob Lanier era Bonnie was one of the top teams in the country. Calvin Murphy was also another legend who was pound for pound one of the best and toughest players in the country. Another player who was fantastic in the aud era was Buffalo State's Randy Smith. He was one of the fastest players not only in the college ranks but also the pro ranks.

In the spirit of the holiday to accommodate your dislike of the shootout I would then recommend going to a ten minute 3 on 3 OT period. If no team scores (should be rare) the game should be declared a tie with each team getting one point with no shootout incorporated into the system. As with outdoor stadium games (my dislike) the shootout has exhausted its uniqueness and now is more like an unnatural appendage. I have to give the Sabre coaching staff credit for not being afraid to go for the score by being aggressive and not sitting back waiting for the clock to wind down. I have to also give Risto credit for his performances in that up and down tension filled style of play. He is getting more confident and assertive as the season advances. He makes mistakes but he also makes plays. He doesn't have much of a refined or a cerebral game. However, I'll take his bad to get to his good (scoring) which is lacking on the roster. The one thing that he can't be accused of is not playing hard. Another positive about him is that he stands up for his teammates. Bylsma is a good coach for Kane. When his play gets too far out of line and his lone ranger act is hurting the team he demonstrates his displeasure by dropping him down the ranks.

As Alaska Dan astutely noted if the refs would have called the innumerable interference, slashing and hooking penalties that would have opened up the game. Dumping the puck is probably the best way to counter the trap but it is so unappealing to watch. This game was infuriating to watch! How do you think this boring style of play will appeal to the casual fan who is considering following the game with more interest? Bowling anyone!!!!! One way to have fewer shootouts is to extend 3-3 overtime play to 10 minutes. No one can deny that Buffalo is aggressive in the OT and plays to win. Consistent action and great action!

Rob Ray was working the game along the benches as an analyst/commentator. He repeatedly made the same point that you made about the refs not making the calls that were apparent to all. There where numerous times where Boston Jack was hooked, slashed and interfered with that were not called. I'm not arguing for any team to have an advantage due to the officiating. What I'm arguing for is to call the game and enforce the rules so an authentic NHL hockey game will be played. Discretion is part of officiating andblatantly ignoring the rules are not. The Sabres were fortunate to get a point out of this game. I don't care whether one is a Carolina or Buffalo fan this game was a dud because the refs didn't do their jobs. The paying customers deserve their money back. They paid to watch a hockey game; they didn't pay to watch garbage!

I respectfully disagree. This is a deliberate style of play that kills the entertainment value of the game. The reference point is the Jersey Devils under Lou Lamoriello. The Devils with their current GM is trying to change that style of play into a more skilled and open skating approach that was evident when they played in Buffalo. Prior to the game the analysts were describing the suffocating style of play that Carolina was going to use. And they followed that unappealing joyless script. It is understandable why an expansion team would use the style of stifling play due to a lack of talent. That approach for a more developed team is not acceptable from a paying customer's standpoint. Yesterday's game was ugly and boring to watch. I hate it!

If you want a strategy to kill interest in hockey this game is a formula for it. Carolina, and not Buffalo, was the reason for the lack of scoring opportunities and unobstructed play. It was painful to watch. There were less than 12,000 sedated people at the game. There is more commotion at an elderly person's wake than was at this snooze-fest. Carolina was using the New Jersey Devils' style of stifling play that serves as an anesthetic to the numb crowd. The irony with Carolina's style of play is that they have a good skating team with plenty of skill. This organization has no basis to criticize this apathetic market because it plays such a dullard brand of hockey. The franchise forgets that entertainment is part of the equation when marketing the team. The positives I take out of this game is that Nilsson played very well and Bogosian didn't look rusty. He had the hit of the game. Byslma did more line juggling in this game that I have ever seen him do. Getting a point out of this game isn't the best outcome but at least it is something.

Maybe they saw you picking your nose and scratching your arse all through the game? So it is understandable why they would reject your high-five offering. Certainly it is better to reject an enthusiastic hand than be contaminated by a germ fest.

If you are going to the Canisius/UB game give us a report. I'm a Canisius grad so I'll be rooting for the Golden Griffs. I would love to see the local teams including UB, Canisius, Niagra and Bonnie all revive their programs and generate local interest in the college game. UB under Hurley and their present coach has taken a step up. I'm hoping that under Witherspoon that the Griffs can become respectable.

I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment in your post. It perfectly corresponds to my view. The fan base has for a very long time been exposed to the tormenting abuse of irrelevancy and boring hockey. That extended customer punishment is not quickly forgotten and cleansed. Anyone who has a sense of objectivity and fairness has to acknowledge that this franchise has made tremendous strides over the past two years. The rebuilding process started at the tail end of Regier's reign and went into high drive when the new GM took over. This team is a fringe playoff team. (My opinion.) That in itself is a major leap forward that should be acknowledged and appreciated. What will also give our hockey town a boost is the parallel accelerated rebuilding of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I'm looking forward to the not too distant future when this will be a heated and authentic rivalry. As a Sabre fan I am optimistic and excited.

Is your New Year's resolution to diet?

Let's be fair in evaluating last night's game: It was a snooze-fest. Even I was flipping through the channels during the game because of a lack of action. (Why is it when I change the channel and come back to the game I miss a score?) Being candid the Sabres are not an exciting team to watch. The only compelling player to watch on the ice is Boston Jack. Players such as O'Reilly, Okposo and Reinhart and others are to put it mildly not scintillating players, but that is not to say they aren't good players. Put things in perspective. A few years ago the team on the ice was less than a good AHL team. The strategy was to de-construct and tank. Now it is climbing up and moving forward. I'm confident that if and when this team becomes a serious team the fan enthusiasm will follow. As you well know pro sports is an entertainment business. The customer base will become more exuberant once the product becomes more entertaining and serious from a league competitive standpoint. Were not there yet.

The Sabres haven't been a serious team for more than a decade. You don't think that doesn't have a corrosive effect on the fans? When you run a middling operation for almost a generation you don't think that doesn't depress enthusiasm? Until Boston Jack arrived who was a compelling player to follow on a team that was going nowhere? When you refer to teams such as Chicago, Philly and Montreal you are referring to teams that have had successful legacies that have Stanley Cup trophies in their trophy cases. Let's not forget that until a few years ago even Chicago, now one of the best and entertaining teams in the league, not only had a quiet building but an empty building while they were going through their extended doldrums. I'm a Sabre fan who because of the Center Ice subscription can watch a lot of their games. Although this team is not dramatically climbing out of the ditch of systemic mediocrity it is steadily moving up the ranks. You are expecting too much if you believe that fan loyalty and enthusiasm is automatically going to be instilled. That isn't the real world and it certainly wasn't the case in Washington. I live in Md in the Metro DC area so I am familiar how that market responded. It also had its fan droughts. The Sabres are moving forward. Step by step it is putting the pieces together. When this team gets to the point that this team is a legitimate contender the fan enthusiasm meter will correspondingly ratchet up. Side note: What was your impression of the development around the arena and that area?

The Whitner and Spiller picks were not Whaley's picks. The Gilmore pick is a pick that I consider to be a success while you are troubled by it. I'm not absolving Whaley of any responsibility. But to be fair he was saddled with the hiring of an incompetent and loud mouth coach who was not of his choosing. (That is what I believe. ) As far as the contract situation I am not overly concerned with our cap situation. The juggling of finances is a constant for all teams. Some players are over paid and some are under paid. I'm more concerned with the overall talent level of the roster than the contract status of individual players. You have a very scathing view of Whaley that I do not have of him. I don't consider him to be a top tier GM but I do consider him to be a solid GM. What I can say about him is unless he adequately addresses the qb situation in the not too distant future he will be fired by the owner as the frustration mounts.

Although Risto is one of the younger players on the team he is not afraid to assert himself. Tapping that stick and demanding the puck------Goal!!!!! I thought Lehner played a really good game. The difference between winning and losing is so small.

The harsh reality is that if another qb is going to be acquired through a trade or free agency it is not going to be an upper tier qb. Whether Cardale Jones eventually develops or another qb is drafted, even with a high round pick, it still is not going to be an immediate solution. The best that this franchise can do is to get a veteran qb who at the minimum can read defenses and can throw accurately. It is not necessarily going to be a perfect solution but at least a functional qb will be able to run an authentic NFL offense. Our roster needs additions but it is far from being a deadbeat roster that needs major changes. I strongly believe that having a qb who can run a pro offense will make a big difference.

Will the hammers be made in America or China?

Bill, you have allowed the Sammy deal for an additional first round pick turn you into a resolute critic of Whaley. In hindsight the deal was a mistake not because Sammy isn't a tremendous talent but because this infuriating organization didn't have a qb in place to make that selection pay off to the extent it could have paid off. I'll also make the same point over the Clay acquisition. If his value is diminished it isn't because he isn't a good receiver so much as his receiving skills aren't being maximized because our qb performances are inadequate to make full use of the receiving talent. As far as the Brandon lynching craze I just don't get the zealotry against him. He works in the business sector of Pegula's multi-phased conglomerate. The past is not the present. He shouldn't be a target because he is far from the real field of play. Don't get me wrong Whaley is fair game for criticism but the Brandon fixation has me scratching my head.