JohnC

Where I disagree with you is that in a low level race the disqualification call has little consequence. If this was a SB game and there was a close interference play at the end of the game I would say let the players determine the outcome. As I said in the previous post technically this was the right call. But for a historical race where the infraction didn't influence the outcome I say let it go.

You can technically call interference in those tight groups all the time. This may have been technically the right call but from a judgment standpoint it was a horrible call. There was no need to make this a historical race because of a post race judging call. Upholding rules without exercising common sense and good judgment has been the bane of the present day sports scene. The best horse in the race won and then it was taken away from him. That's wrong.

Aren't you glad that you didn't listen to Kirby's gambling tip? If he starts talking about Bitcoin my advice is to run.

I don't understand your question. The less talented version of what? If a player is more productive than other players I would prefer him on the roster. You may not be aware of it but the Sabres have their own version of Marchand in Rochester. In fact his model of play is a Marchand style of play. The player is Matej Pekar. Are you go to boo him if he is brought up to the big club?

The answer should be obvious. Marchand would be a much more impacting player. If this was a moral issue I would agree with you. I don't think that his rambunctious style of play should be thought of in that realm.

I'm confident that Marchand would be cheered if he were wearing a Sabre sweater. I'm not criticizing anyone who has a similar view as yours. My point is that from a local sports fan perspective your noble view would be a minority view.

If you review the coaches that the Sabres have considered such as McClellan, Tippett and Vigneault it becomes apparent that the bias is toward coaches with NHL experience. That is not to say that coaching candidates without head coaching experience in the league won't also be considered. The Toronto Marlies coach, Sheldon Keefe, would be an interesting candidate. As far as Gronborg as a coach I am open to him. But doubt that he would be hired by the Sabres. If he wanted to coach in the NHL his best route is to get a minor league job and demonstrate what his capabilities. Responding to the highlighted area my answer is yes.

I'm very confident that your noble view would be a minority view with the overwhelming number of fans in the arena who would be cheering him on. I personally don't like that type of cheap shot behavior either. But I'm confident that Marchand would be a very popular player here as he is in Boston. To a lesser extent Kaleta was our hometown instigative player. He was very popular here.

I also agree that the Sabres are not far away talent wise from being a competitive team. And I believe that in a year or two some of those glaring deficiencies can be adequately addressed. But let's be candid about last year's roster. It didn't have a credible, or close to a credible second line. You are not going to win with any coach with one scoring line and no secondary scoring. In addition, our defensive corps, although improved, still had limitations. I think that reinforcement from players such as Borgen and Pilut should help there. You want to place most of the blame on this team's downward spiral to Housley. I don't accept that facile analysis. It's about the roster. It mostly has been about it and future success will be predicated on that issue. I don't care what coach is brought the more important issue revolves around the talent level.

Brad Marchand on the Bruins is a despicable dirty rat. Brad Marchand on the Sabres is a lovable hamster.

There is no magic man coach who simply by his presence and preferred system is going to turn around a flailing franchise. The primary issue why this franchise has struggled is that its talent level is inadequate. There has been a history of so many bad personnel decisions that it not only didn't advance the team but set it back. I'm not dismissing or minimizing the importance of a good coach. But the real issues relating to success for the Sabres is bringing in more talent and developing your talent. You don't have to be a hockey aficionado to recognize which teams are better and more likely to succeed. If you regularly watch the Sabres that becomes starkly evident.

The attached link is a Buffalo News article by Lance Lysoroski analyzing why this team has failed and what it takes to succeed i.e. patience. It details a list of Sabre personnel moves that were disastrous. The accumulation of bad deals has crushed this franchise and set it back. Hopefully, Botts successfully follows the Pittsburg model of drafting well and player development to get this franchise on the right track. Quick fixes at the expense of smart and patient work has set this franchise back. https://buffalonews.com/2019/05/03/buffalo-sabres-jason-botterill-darcy-regier-tim-murray-terry-pegula-nhl-news/

There's a difference between being stupid and dishonest. It's unfair to label a stupid question a dishonest question. You can be irredeemably stupid and still retain your integrity. Some people shouldn't be castigated for their obtuseness. They can't help themselves.

It's going to be interesting to see how Toronto handles this offseason with a boatload of young talent and fitting in all of those contracts. I was surprised that they signed Nylander and made their cap squeeze even a bigger challenge to work with. Somethings got to give with them. Kadri is an enticing talent to salivate over.

The below link is an interview on WGR of Jeff Blair from a Toronto radio station. There is some tension brewing in Toronto between the organization and Babcock. It's pointed out that there is a lot of impending tough decisions made with respect to the roster because of the cap pressure. This is a 14 minute segment. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-03-jeff-blair-sportsnet-590-fan-toronto-howard-and-jeremy Just curious: What's the difference between an honest question and a dishonest question?

If Plezmd1 prefers Gronborg I will be even more committed to Tippett. You can't go wrong by taking the opposite view he has.

This is just my opinion not based on anything I have heard. My sense is if our GM had a choice between Tippett or Gronborg Botts would select Tippett because he has coached in the league. The attached link is a WGR Instigator segment that talks about players who might be available because of cap pressures. There is also an energetic discussion between Biron and Rivet discussing Risto and whether he should be traded. The segment is 48 minutes. The first half of the link is more interesting because it deals with players who might be available and the Risto issue. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-03-hr-1-instigators

This is another WGR link on a reporter who covered Dave Tippett in Arizona. This is an 11 minute segment. At it presently stands my preference is Dave Tippett to be named the coach. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-03-sarah-mclellan-star-tribune-howard-and-jeremy-dave-tippett

I listened to Gronborg in an interview on WGR. He is quite impressive. This coach is also steeped in analytics as is Tippett. I would be happy with either one of them although I slightly favor Tippett. The link is a 14 minute segment. In the last 4 minutes he talks about our prospects who he is very familiar with. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-03-swedish-national-team-head-coach-rikard-gr-nborg-howard-and-jeremy

I agree with you on the absurdity of the outdated drug policy. The league weed policy is foolish. That needs to change and probably will be changed in the next contract agreement. Where I strenuously disagree with you is that it is inappropriate and illegal for a public authority to have evidence and then sell it. Who ever is involved in such an unethical transgression should be fired and criminally charged. I'm not referring to legal public disclosure of evidence but the selling of it by someone involved in the legal system. Your fixation on exposing a tape of an old man getting a tension relieving anal massage is weird. You are kinky,

Augie switched to another Morgan. His mantra is the bigger the better. Let's play ball. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=morgan+the+kissing+stripper+ball+players&qpvt=morgan+the+kissing+stripper+ball+players&FORM=IGRE

There is plenty of low grade illegal behavior that isn't pursued by the authorities to the extent that this case is treated. But let's put that judgment aside for this discussion. Whether he violated a law or not doesn't mean that he can't vigorously contest the charges and method in which this case was pursued. The bigger transgression in my view is how this case was/is handled. The more troubling issue isn't so much of a two bit statue violation as it is how the public authorities behaved. What's going on here is that the police and prosecuting authority is trying to coerce him into submission by threatening to release the tape/s and humiliating him. That in my view is wrong. There is no doubt that Kraft and his robust legal team is going to aggressively pursue this matter. In the end odds are that they will win. (My opinion.) You may be morally outraged by a 77 yr old widower having his orifice probed by a feminine finger but I am not.

It can't be disputed that Zay in his first two years has been a disappointment. He's been pedestrian at best---and that is a generous evaluation. But it is not unusual for receivers to take some time develop before the talent is exhibited. What we know about Zay is that he was super productive in college at a program that was not a top tier program. So it shouldn't be surprising that there would be an adjustment period for him. I'm hoping that his delayed development is similar to Pittsburg's Ju Ju Smith-Shuster who struggled in his first year or so and then became a very productive receiver to the point that the other loquacious receiver, Anthony Brown, complained that he wasn't be targeted enough. This upcoming season is going to be his make or break year. If he continues to play at his current non-descript level this year he will probably be dispatched. He is never going to be a #1 receiver or maybe not even a #2 receiver but that doesn't mean that he can't elevate his game and be a productive receiver for us.

No matter what your political persuasion was he was he was the type of person who was liked and respected. He was simply a good person with a positive disposition who wouldn't be comfortable in the cut-throat and tribal politics of today. He exhibited his courage and belief in the equality of people when as president of the player's union he stood up for the black players at an all-star game when they were not allowed to stay at a white only hotel and were treated discriminately from the time they arrived in the city. https://news.wbfo.org/post/heritage-moments-buffalo-bills-and-black-players-all-star-boycott-1965

If Kraft and his representation don't have standing then how is it that they are challenging the evidence that would be used in the case against him? What's even worse than a 77 year old widower having a finger probe into his lower aperture is that evidence under the control of the government is being shopped around (at least that is what you are saying). That is both unethical and illegal. That's where your outrage should be directed. This case is a farce. Once that it was discovered that human trafficking didn't occur the investigation should have been concluded.