May Day 10

They miss Preston Brown not surprising that the first reaction is again, to attack the messenger.

My One Buffalo App froze at the ticket checker. Luckily, I downloaded the tix into my google pay account and was able to access those. Im sure their ticketing system with an unstable app and spotty wifi coverage doesnt help. We walked up to the game about 15 minutes earlier than we normally do, anticipating possible delays due to the electronic tickets. We were early, about 12:05-12:10 and there was no line at all. But yeah, you need to check the rules twice before going to an event these days. They do not mess around, and wont bend the rules. Also, trying to use a restroom at halftime or get concessions isnt an advisable move no matter where you are. Same with a hockey game at intermission. You gotta utilize TV timeouts or pick a spot in the game you wouldnt mind missing a couple minutes.

I take Joe B's word on almost anything. IMO, he is the hardest worker in the Buffalo media pool and does not pull punches, nor unnecessarily bag on players/management. He is fair. Reading that backed me from the ledge a bit. Its pretty clear that current Bills management is iron clad until the 2020 season starts at a minimum. Might as well see this through. 2018 is likely shot, but Allen didnt look to far out of class, and has 14 games to improve, and we see extensive reinforcements in 2019 and 2020.

Wonder what would have happened had pegula chose marrone, with polian choosing a gm over russ brandon and whaley.

They should have taken that one a lot easier. A few flukey plays kept emu in striking distance.

Yeah, it is nice. We actually went to the Western Michigan game last year (of course had to watch the last 9 hours of it on TV, ha). We did tailgate for both Bills preseason games and he loved it. I may show up a little early with some snacks

This X1,000 These guys would love for the team(s) to do well. It would be like finding water in the desert. More to talk about, more listeners, excited callers, content different than the last monotonous 20 years, national appearances/attention, etc. I couldnt imagine hosting and trying to come up with content in this sports environment for that long. I cannot even listen to it much

Im going.... but not sure on tailgate situation. Going with my 5 year old kid

Well, if anyone is ever going to re-make the Grateful Dead's "Touch of Grey" video, I know where they can find an actor.

I miss John Saunders. That guy would put college football in such a great bundle. His voice was like the background track to the sport.

I think the music in that video sounds awful. Im not an ozzy hater or anything

Im a big fan of robert woods. Great football player. Love his play when he doesnt have the ball

you have to admit. The Bills make it very easy. And it isn't satisfying. I was firmly in full support of Beane/McDermott and believed there was a plan being expertly executed. Until the McCarron trade. Even then, I was like "OK, I guess Peterman probably has the goods to get us through a tough season". But man, was that an unnecessary and foolish risk in hindsight. We have a high end, raw, project QB with a 2nd year 5th round garbage QB not good enough for the CFL as his only mentor. Putting Allen out there to lead the team I watched Sunday would effectively ruin his career. Its tough to go with Peterman. What choice is there at this point. I feel like they are painted into a corner. Then you start thinking of the other moves, like Darby for Matthews, the trade for that slug Kelvin Benjamin, trading up for Zay Jones, trading up for Edmunds (I like Edmunds) minutes after paying a lot to trade up for a QB, the FA signings that are looking especially questionable. As a Sabres and Bills fan, I have been burned so many times, especially under Pegula-run organizations. I cannot trust they have it right when there are a lot of warning signs. If the Bills lost that game 28-20. Im very content right now. As I said earlier in the thread, I was counting on 4-6 wins, and fine with it. Sunday's game was a complete failure

I was fully prepared and comfortable with a lean transition season of 4-6 wins. What i watched sunday was a complete systemic failure

wake me up Labor Day 2019

Should have hired Andy Reid instead of Doug Marrone

Nick mendola is one of the biggest losers i have ever encountered in my life Thats all

Whats the worst loss of my lifetime? This? Or the 2007 patriots flex game?

"We need runners. And tight ends who dont get hurt" -Ralph Wilson

I was more optimistic before recently. I feel like there are a few warning signs. Going into the season with only Peterman and Allen seems like a risky move. Trading McCarron seems like an unnecessary risk. He seems like a great guy and has been through the grind a handful of times. Even on the bench, he brings value. I also dislike trading up to the core. With a QB it is permissible. With trading up for a linebacker though. Although he looked great on the car lot... I dont know. In the NFL, with all the injuries, career unpredictability, etc., many assets > 1 player. They also have one of the older NFL rosters. They have a fairly clean canvas though with all the dead cap money coming off the books. They have a QB with top-end physical talent. They have 10 2019 draft picks, including a pick that could very well be a top 3 pick (I'm content with this being a step-back season). McDermott seems like a very good coach. He seems very detail-oriented, seems receptable to change for the good of the team. He also is a great motivator. Watching him addressing the team makes me want to suit up and run through a wall. Im still guardedly optimistic

I do not know what they did. However, with both teams, they came in without help. It showed with the Sabres as they retained the management... then decided to change it only when it was absolutely boiling over with fans in a series of half-measures. They got rid of Ruff a month into a shortened season, after a lockout, when a new coach could have had a year and a half to prepare. Then, the following season, they got rid of Regier in November, a month into a season again and brought in a completely inexperienced LaFontaine (based on a chance meeting) and a fly by the seat of the pants coach in Nolan. Then months later hired an inexperienced young GM who ran the team into a tree, squandering a staggering amount of organization assets...... The Pegulas again, hired a first-time GM, who, before winning the lottery, made the team worse. Through 7 years owning the Sabres, the Pegulas have not brought in any sort of experience or help at a management level. I have witnessed a string of awful decisions that plague the franchise, often times embarrassing. They have been stuck at the very bottom of the NHL for going on 5 years now. They are paying so much money to people who aren't actively working or playing for them. They have also kept the front office pretty much consistent, tons of nepotism that dates back pre-Pegula, and the franchise from an off-ice perspective really needs refreshing. I thought Ted Black was doing a decent job. You also have other hi-jinks like LaFontaine's "resignation", the situation around Russ Brandon, the unfair dismissal of Ted Nolan, etc. The Sabres have been a disaster and deserve an F. The Bills, is more incomplete. We will see how this works out. It has been a similar path as the Sabres, with trying to make it work with failed management, hitting a tree, and at this point Beane/McDermott = LaFontaine/Murray. Maybe (hopefully) it will work out and the Bills will be primed in the next few years for perennial contention. It is also possible it creates a dumpster fire and sets them back 5 years like Murray did. Then at that point, the Pegulas will need to choose to either get help, or try their hand again at the full interview process and choosing a young executive, who doesnt mind owners helping scout players. Terry Pegula said last Summer that he didnt want anyone else in control but he and his wife, and he really regrets handing some degree of control of the Sabres to a team president. My fear is that owning Sports teams is a mid-life crisis vehicle and these teams are merely a motorcycle substitute.... toys to play with and entertain a man who can afford anything. With that said, I DO like the Pegulas. I love the stability of the teams and resources available, as well as the downtown improvements. They are likeable people, easy to get behind. Someday, they are bound to strike the correct note with a coach/GM combo. I'm about out of patience though with the Sabres (although with the Bills I am willing to wait a few more years before contention).

If i bought a team... during the purchase process i would be scouring the football world and assembling a management team to right the ship and guide the transition and build from the top down Coming in unprepared and sticking with russ/whaley is inexcusable. Especially after burning their hand on the stove the same way with the sabres I would be comfortable admitting i dont know anything and tell management ill be there to accept the lombardi trophy. Not 'scouting' quarterbacks

Where were the Sabres going? They were rock solid, in zero danger of moving. Golisano made the team financially viable and locked in the waiting list (which has now been breached). Balsielle (sp) inquired with Golisano about buying the team and Golisano told him to take a hike as the plan would almost certainly be a move to Hamilton. Golisano has a very unfair reputation with Sabres fans IMO. There were a lot of things to dislike.... Larry Quinn with too much power and full job security, slug uniforms, "1 year contract" revelation that brought carnage in 2006 and later 2007... but HE was the one who stepped up when the team was in REAL peril and there was no owner on the horizon and the team was a shaky investment. He was committed to Buffalo and re-kindled interest in the team that wasnt seen since the 70s and (very) early 80s. The team was financially solvent for the first time since the 80s.

No referendums in NY. Wish we could have some sort of constitutional convention thingy where we could re-organize the cumbersome state government in the interest of the citizens. Oh, thats right. We had a chance to vote for it, but the State Unions executed a fear campaign to sabotage it. We'll get another chance in 2037 though. As far as legalization. A few years ago, it stood zero chance. Then medicinal opened the door a crack and it was very limited. Last year, the barn door on medicinal was thrown wide open with the "Chronic Pain" availability, where almost anyone can get a card. The also just decriminalized it in NYC I believe. Now Cuomo, who was once publicly against it, seems to have changed his tune. He assigned the State Health Dept to perform a study on recreational (expecting mixed results), and the results came back overwhelmingly positive. He has created a group of experts who are now crafting a bill for recreational for the legislature in 2019. We will see how far it gets there... but there is a growing wave. In the states who have legalized recreational, these marijuana law rollbacks seemed to be inevitable after a certain point and it feels like NYS is past the threshold.