May Day 10

When I lived in Connecticut for awhile (a NE state where hockey is not popular), I spoke to a number of people about this. Basically, it boils down to the fact that they didnt really grow up with the sport, and never really played it, and thus cannot identify with watching it. They arent emotionally invested in anything, so they don't really care. Going to a game and/or watching it with hockey fans is cool... but no urge at all to start following or going out of the way to watch/attend.

I am kind of worried that they are going to rush to spend that $90 million foolishly (and guaranteed w/bonuses) and also trade up in the draft fearing for their jobs, and digging yet another hole for this franchise.

The Pegulas are involved too much. They refuse/have refused to install a president or a 'strong' GM. They insist on this model of they hire Coach, they hire GM, and they both report to ownership. They have gone with inexperience. Before making these hires for the Bills and Sabres, Pegula stood there and said how important it was to have collaboration on decisions (meaning their own). Terry Pegula was heavily involved with scouting draftable quarterbacks in 2018. The Sabres have had a dubious history of management since 2011 including their team President lasting a few months before a strange resignation sealed away with strong NDAs.

I think this is the problem.

While I disagreed with that column. From what I recall, it was basically slide football back and put a bunch of eggs into the basketball program and take that to a high (national) level. I did think that it made some valid points, and I'm not going to bash a columnist for writing his/her opinion. It did create some dialogue between me and some friends and people online. I certainly don't want these guys locked out and blacklisted by not cow-towing to ownership due to financial and access leverage. Freezing them out because they say negative things (that frankly, are justified) is a weak move and concerning. Think Sal apologizing to McDermott for having the 'nerve' to ask if a punter was receiving some payment or something. I recall many positive columns by Sullivan and Gleason during the Sabres' runs of 2005-2007. When Pegula bought the Sabres, at the PC or just after, he went on some laughable and incredibly naive tangent that the local media should only write positive things about the organization and the players. It kind of perked everyone's ears, but everyone was so geeked out about hearing "multiple stanley cups" that it kind of went by the wayside. TBN mocked him for it (rightly so), and since then there has been a tense feud between Pegula(s) and TBN. Sullivan isnt going to sit there and listen to Pegula (with a booger hanging out of his nose) dictate what he can and cant write about his sports teams. Sorry, Sullivan is in the right, whether you agree or disagree with his opinions. Does Bob Kraft try to shut down that Shaughnessy guy?

I think its crappy, the Pegulas have thin skin, and as owners, deserve to have poop thrown their way. People complain about john Murphy's sunshine and rainbows radio, yet loathe the media who is hard on the team.

thats the USA T0d4y, not USA Today

It must be great to reduce everyone's standards and expectations to the absolute worst, and it be OK. if its last season, I'm buying it. It would be in the best interest to finish low to get the best QB possible in a good QB draft. Keeping decent veterans was puzzling and kept them from bottoming out, somehow. And they also got that chubby rock head Kelvin Benjamin They again kept veterans, and refused to get what they can for McCoy and Hughes. Now the bottom falls out, I am having trouble seeing what the benefit is/was in finishing with a 2-14 record, while building "culture" by playing in like 20 quarters of garbage time (and even having a player quit/retire during the home opener). The team is what they are. And they are the worst Bills team in my memory (1984 to present). I am not going to accept that they are "intentionally being terrible" so they can have the pick of the litter between Bosa, Oliver, or the other D-Lineman at the top of the draft who won't change anything with this team. Just the way they got "Caught" with Allen, forced to make him the starter after 1 half is enough to make anyone question this "plan" that we are supposed to have faith in. Its folly.

I would argue that a wider playoff field increases the value of more regular season games. Now, you might have a monster game every week or so, while other teams in or near the top 4 just need to hold serve against, say Northwestern or Florida State. With a 12 team field where you open spots to other conferences, the Buffalo/Ohio game next week has national implications and interest. Every game in tight division races would be huge. Houston Cougars are looking to hold their Division, and get their chance at UCF and get into the tournament. West Virginia and Oklahoma would be on pins and needles every game, instead of just hoping one or 2 of 4 or 5 teams slip up in the last few weeks. Pitt and Va Tech this weekend would be a big game

i would be on board with that if they werent so stinking old. In the draft with all the QBs, they shouldnt have held onto McCoy, Taylor, Williams, Lorax, Wood, Incognito, etc. They would have had the pick of the litter and not be forced to squander draft assets (and probably have even more with the McCoy trade). This bottoming out is a year late and unnecessary.

This season, I expected, and was comfortable with a 4-6 win season, where they are fairly competitive due to their defense. Much like last season (but last season they were very fortunate for once and their wins outpaced their performance). Probably get outclassed once or twice. What has happened this season is wheels coming off. 5th oldest team in the league. Project quarterback shielded from training camp reps becomes the starter after 1 half due to negligent mismanagement. I don't think the plan was to take 10 steps back this season and become a bottom 1-3 team in the NFL. I agree they had a 3 year plan, and behind closed doors were never planning on being a playoff team in 2017 or 2018. This style of ineptitude is also not planned for though. Wanted to build hard work culture, and that isnt accomplished by playing 20 quarters of garbage time in a season and scoring a TD once every 2 or 3 games.

I think 12 teams would be adequate and amazing. 10 Conferences. Take the winners of the power 5 conferences, as well as the ACC, Mountain West. Sun Belt, MAC, and C-USA would need a compelling criteria to qualify as a Conference Champion. Like undefeated, or 1 or 2 losses with a challenging out of conference schedule. Then fill-in with as many teams as the top 10 allows. Right now, I would go with (shooting from the hip) East: 6 Buffalo/Ohio (or UAB) (or Troy) 3 Georgia 5 UCF 4 West Virginia (or LSU) Byes: 2 Michigan 1 Clemson West: 6 Utah State 3 Oklahoma 5 Washington State 4 Ohio State Byes: 2 Notre Dame 1 Alabama

Why not do this last season when there were franchise QBs available. Instead they were the 3rd oldest team and employed guys who will have no influence on 2020 like Tyrod, Lorax, McCoy, Hughes, Williams, Wood, Incognito. Now they are still the 5th oldest team and the worst. With no QB or franchise-changing player(s) coming out of the ranks.

this is what i fear, and what fans should be tuned into. The whole structure of coach and GM are separate entities and both report directly to ownership is folly. IMO, with both teams, they need an exec between the Pegulas and GM-level to call the shots. They had that with LaFontaine (although inexperienced) and he left due to some unknown hi-jinks (I have heard some rumors of what led to that). When the Sabres and Bills were both without coaches/GMs a few years ago... Terry Pegula was very careful to assert himself (and Kim) into the decision process of everything, and how moving forward everything is going to be done in collaboration. They did not want to cede control to an individual. If this works out, great. But if it doesnt, then they need to find help at the top. Involved ownership will also lead to a shelf life of successful management because a catastrophic rift is only right around the corner.

the QB thing is always a convenient excuse as if it is some external factor thats inflicted on this franchise. Kansas City was very competitive with Alex Smith, who could have been had by the Bills. Once they got a huge upgrade (who was available to the Bills), Alex Smith was available again, was acquired by the Redskins (to replace a good QB the Bills could have drafted), and now the Redskins are leading their Division. The Bills can never get it right. Due to the investment and fearing the optics, they will put all the eggs in Allen's basket for 1, maybe 2 more seasons, likely punting on opportunities to acquire competent veteran QBs and punting on drafting new one(s).

I get indigestion when I think on how good Ohio is and how that game is on the road.

Im not ready yet to accept Botterill (jury is out), but I will admit some moves are looking very strong. Sheary and Skinner change the pace of the whole team (Botterill will be tested with Skinner's upcoming UFA status). Pominville has actually been a good acquisition for Ennis and Foligno (even though Scandella was the target). Needs to draft well, but I fully agree on the emphasis on development and having a strong farm, and Rochester looks really good. With that said, things can go south real quick as we saw last season was a franchise rock-bottom.

It is still a work in progress. The plan is to give these guys a shot at roster building through the acquired assets and cap space. They will sink or swim. It feels like they are sinking, but we wont find out until next season, and maybe even beyond because it is/was a longview plan (which I agree/agreed with). I am troubled by the decisions made around the QB position and the offense as a whole (including philosophy). There are also certain troubling personnel moves (like trading Darby for Matthews and acquiring that tub of rocks Kelvin Benjamin they should have known he was a soft simpleton). The time to make major changes is not now. Or probably not at the end of the season. It will be on the Pegulas to pull the plug when the time is right and the writing is clear on the wall. If that time comes, I really hope they dont grasp around on their own in the dark and employ some experienced exec help to right the franchise.

This is the worst i have ever seen

Zzzzzzzz

I like it better now that I am playing Chapter 2. I do think a lot of the controls are wonky. I was trying to arm my bow while I was in camp to go hunting (Where TF is it)? I was raiding my horse inventory, looking at weapon/item wheels, accidentally eating and drinking things.... only to figure out I needed to be a certain distance away from camp before weapons 'appeared'. Someone is conversing and my character has to stare at it, forcing him to walk at an incredibly slow pace which is annoying. Sometimes the character or horse get stuck in strange movement patterns or directions. I also don't like how, in order to get gold on missions, you need to slog on with a lot of "trip" and dialogue. Typical Rockstar/GTA has always allowed you to "skip" the trips.

Asking those questions would have been a waste of time anyways. McDermott/Beane would get all huffy and provide a non-answer For starters, yes, hanging onto Tyrod is probably a better path than they took Alex Smith would have been great, although a lot of us would be unhappy to give assets (had a 3rd from Tyrod anyways), as would Fitzpatrick. McCown, Bradford, trade for Foles, McCarron staying, Keenum, etc. Im not/was not even a big salvage-2018 guy. I am just troubled that the QB room for the draft's biggest project QB that the consensus said needed to sit awhile and learn contained only Nathan Peterman. As a result, Allen got to "sit and learn" for a half, after losing reps all training camp to McCarron (and Peterman) anyways.

The Simpsons was great once upon a time. It was "edgy" as far as late 80s/early-mid 90s go. Fox was on the cutting edge of that in Simpsons, Married with Children, In Living Colour, etc... The limited stations and syndication made it rock solid. However, along came South Park, Family Guy, American Dad, Adult Swim, etc which pushed the envelope far past the Simpsons, and the Simpsons is pretty much confined to Springfield and the stable of recurring characters.

I would not follow the team to new city. I would probably go all in for UB and get into tailgating for 100% of those games NFL I would adopt the Browns, but never really be emotionally invested.

I think the urge to attack another fan at a football game over results on the field is much stranger