JohnC

I have confidence in you . Just keep grinding.

I don't want to pile on EJ. He by all accounts is a terrific young man. What can't be said is that he was a victim of circumstances. Whether he was a first round pick or would have been a lower pick he simply wasn't good enough. That is not to say that joining the Bills when he did was the best situation for him or any other qb prospect. However, what is clear is that he didn't have the talent to be a franchise qb in this league. And it is fair to say that he was around long enough and given enough opportunities in a number of locations to demonstrate that he could be a viable qb in this league. He being drafted in the first round is a testament to the systematic and gross ineptitude of this plagued franchise. Hopefully, under this current regime these blatant bad decisions will happen with less frequency.

If you empower your GM you don't need an overseeing authority such as Big Lou. As you pointed out the time to have utilized a president like the dominant Lou is when you are new to the business and starting from scratch. Adding that type of position now to the Sabres would cause needless conflicts between the GM and the Italian boss. Lou did a good job with Toronto but his tenure was not so unsurprisingly short because the operation no longer needed his oversight.

The below link is a 9 min. segment on WGR with play by play man for Edmonton. He talks about Ralph Krueger in very positive terms. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-13-oilers-play-play-man-jack-michaels-howard-and-jeremy-ralph-krueger

The Sabres are not the only team interested in him. It was reported on WGR that Ottawa is also seriously considering him. I would be more than pleased with either Tippitt or Krueger. One story that I read is that Tippitt is our first choice but it appears that he is destined to go to Edmonton. If that is the case then I would be more than happy with Krueger

No one is saying that everything that the Pegulas did was wrong or that their intentions weren't well intended. But that doesn't mean that the decisions they made when they first took over for their respective franchises were wise. With the football team the hiring of the bombastic Rex Ryan was not only stupendously bad but it was odd. The decisions that the Pegulas made with the Sabres when he took over the team were also damaging. Spending a lot of money injudiciously in a cap sport has severe repercussions for the length of those contracts. Belatedly, the Pegulas have learned that the first order of business for an owner of a franchise is to hire the right people to run the operation. To their credit it seems that they have done it.

With both of their franchises there was a learning curve for the new owners. It seems to me that they have learned from their mistakes.

Golden State plays a more entertaining brand of ball without KD. I'm not saying that they are better without him but there is better ball movement and better play from the backups when he is not in the lineup.

When you are tall you are an easy target. Those dam thuggish Russians. https://www.nba.com/article/2019/05/12/kristaps-porzingis-altercation

Sometimes being petty can come back and bite you. Paul is a ferocious competitor. But that doesn't mean that you have to lack a sense of sportsmanship and respect towards your opponent. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2835689-chris-paul-reportedly-denied-stephen-curry-practice-time-before-game-6?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral

Is the price differential that great between Toronto and Buffalo?

The Vegas expansion situation is different from most expansion situations where the newly awarded franchise is made to pay an exorbitant price for outcast players who are at the end of their careers. Their GM, George McPhee, did a masterful job in stocking his team. He had two years to make prearranged deals to not take players in order to take other players. On the other hand our new owners, the Pegulas, were clueless and hired a mixed bag of incompetents to run their franchise. The new owners thought that by spending a lot of money for players that they could jump start their newly acquired team. They followed up with that chaos by hiring Murray who was more into behaving with bravado than being analytical and building the organization from top to bottom. I'm not suggesting that everything he did was wrong but he made enough mistakes to not advance the organization. The tragedy was that those first few years when the new owners took over could have been used for building a foundation. Instead of going for the quick fix they should having been stocking the farm and grooming the players to move up the ranks. It's not a glamorous approach that is going to get a lot of headlines but it is a time tested approach that works and has more sustainability than going for the quick fix. The Sabres have a number of good prospects in the pipeline that are nearly ready, and the Sabres and are in a good cap position to add players from the market and from trades. In addition, the Sabres have an extra first round pick which can also be used in a deal. I'm not making any bold predictions because that would be foolish. But what I am saying is that if the GM acts smartly in utilizing his assets he is in a good situation to make this team much more competitive. Because of our extended recent history of inept management many people think that this plagued franchise is still lost in the abyss. I see it much differently. You have me perplexed when you included Bogosian as a negative influence on the team? I see him being one of the current leaders on the team although because of accumulating injuries I don't see him as a long term mainstay.

When Pegula bought the team and installed a mixed bag of authority in the organization it resulted in chaos. The overspending for useless players resulted in buyouts and a subsequent cleansing of the roster. The next iteration of leadership under Murray resulted in a lot of bravado talk and a lot of action with little purpose. Those two regimes not only didn't advance the organization but it set it back. Murray' s Lehner deal in which he gave up a first round pick for a goalie that Ottawa didn't want to keep was nonsensical. The end result is that Lehner is gone and the pick that we let go could have been used for a second line forward. The accumulation of these bad decisions has sunk this franchise. Not every one of the many moves that Botts has made has worked out. But at least for me I see a coherence and rational to what he is doing. Will our GM be able to sign Skinner? How many of the prospects in Rochester will be ready to move up to the big club? Because of our good cap situation and cap stress for a number of teams will the GM be able be add three or more good players to the roster? What trades can be made to bring in talent that will better balance the roster? { I thought the Montour deal was a terrific deal for us.)How improved will the younger players be? Who is going to be the next coach? There are fans that believe that this franchise is in the abyss. I'm not one of them. The biggest mistake this organization can make is to act out of desperation. That would be a mistake. There is no quick fix and never was. I'm more optimistic than most.

If you are so tormented and aggravated about the Sabres then just take a break from them. There's nothing wrong with taking a sabbatical from masochism. If you believe that I am advocating waiting for five plus years for the Sabres to be good then you are off the wall crazy.

He's afraid that he is going to be good and spoil his naturally bleak narrative. ?

When did I say that this is a sunny day era? You are creating your own fictitious reality to justify your somber outlook. Are you the type of person who goes to funerals to be uplifted? I don't mean this in a mean-spirited way but you are one depressing hombre. You are an unbelievably miserable chap.

You are a cloud on a sunny day. You are depressingly depressive. You strive to be miserable. Congratulations on your inspiring outlook.

This case is going to become a bigger legal entanglement for the government than it is for those who were targeted. The human trafficking justification for the warrant was a pretext to pursue a case against these sex massage establishments. Even if one gives the police the benefit of the doubt it's apparent that it was quickly determined that there was no evidence of sex trafficking. This was an over-reach and abuse of authority. https://www.boston.com/news/national-news/2019/04/22/customers-videotaped-at-spa-in-robert-kraft-case-sue-authorities It always amused me why someone would complain about a thread that they have little interest in and then post in the thread. There is a simple solution: Find another thread that interests you.

That's the spirit! Getting a good coach is essential. Adding more talent to the roster is even more essential.

Is your first name Foster? https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=dean+martin+roast+drunken+comedian&view=detail&mid=62153F15BA8FA09DEE8C62153F15BA8FA09DEE8C&FORM=VIRE

The last paragraph and the last sentence in this link support your comment about the fraudulent basis for the warrant to tape. That's the conclusion made by the Boston Globe who are now disassociating themselves from its initial pursuit of the sex tapes. Kraft and the others caught in the surveillance are not the central issue in this tawdry affair. The bigger issue than paying to be stroked is the inappropriate conduct of the criminal justice authorities. In addition, if there are leaks coming out of the police and prosecuting offices about what's on the tapes and the case in general before there is a trial then that conduct is outrageous and merits an internal investigation. Intimidation and essentially blackmail by the public authorities should not be tolerated. That's where the outrage should be directed towards. https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/boston-globe-withdraws-from-legal-fight-to-obtain-robert-kraft-video/ar-AABbEv6

While you brood I celebrate. Tippett is the man I want behind the bench. I just think that he is the type of coach who is more adaptable to the talent he has on hand rather than be the type of coach who imposes his ingrained system. After listening to this WGR interview with someone from Montreal I would find a Martin selection uninspiring and disappointing. This is an 8 minute segment. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-10-pat-hickey-montreal-gazette-howard-and-jeremy-jacques-martin

I disagree that your view on this pick was a minority view. It was a prevailing view that another back was needed to be added to the mix. Most people probably thought the pick would come at a lower spot. When I watch his clips I think of Darren Sproles. Not from a running style standpoint but from the standpoint that their smallish statures bely their toughness. What I really like about him is his vision and running instincts, traits that Spiller never had. My biggest concern about his running style is that in the pros he is not going to be able to dance around so much behind the line of scrimmage. He needs to tap that inclination down. I'm not sure that McCoy is the one to teach him that. What always amazes me is the amount of tragedy these kids have faced in their hometown. It's so sad. Side note: Why did Canisius's Molson decide to transfer to Seton Hall? Coaching issue or a desire to play at a higher level? He was one of their best players. The loss of both Reece and him are big losses.

Again, you are missing the point. I don't care if those arrested are destitute or billionaires. This case for a minimally charged violation may involve legally questionable "pretext" traffic stops and a questionable surveillance application/warrant. This case should be dropped not only for the prominent rich guy but also for the other nondescript defendants who lack resources. In addition, those people in a private setting who were video taped without their knowledge should be upset. And don't be surprised if they legally respond to this intrusion into their private dealings. With respect to the second highlighted segment related to the application of the same standard under the law that concept also applies to the legal authorities. What Kraft and his legal representatives are challenging is how the police conducted themselves. Are you against him having the right to do so? Are you arguing that the police authorities couldn't/shouldn't be challenged? If you are then you have an odd interpretation of the rights of the accused, rich or poor.

Do you have proof that the banana seen on the tape doesn't lean to the right? What's next a pants down lineup to prove innocence or guilt?