May Day 10

There has been numerous mis-steps from the point of purchase and he has ushered the Sabres into the darkest period in franchise history - by far. Last season was WORSE than the McEichel tank year (but a bit better than the Reinhart tank year) and they were trying to seriously win. You really cant deny the awful results they have gotten as owners. And it isnt Regier's fault. It perplexes me that the Pegulas did not have a consultant working with them and analyzing the organization(s) and crafting a plan during the purchase process. They took over both teams and ran them from the seat of their pants and it shows. It wasnt Regier's fault, Marrone, LaFontaine, etc. (LaFontaine did not leave because the Miller trade FYI). The whole Rex/Lynn/Whaley fiasco was a huge organizational amateurish failure. The half measures of not getting rid of the Sabres' stale management, throwing money at it, then forcing Regier to fire Ruff (because the arena crowd was getting ugly) early in the season. Then going a whole offseason and firing Regier early the following season, bringing in someone with no experience, and going like 3 months before hiring a GM. Its disjointed, bad, half-measure management. The Bills were bought and the same pattern happened. I don't think it is from neglect or lack of trying. I like the Pegulas as people and happy they are owners. I just wish they hurry up and figure out that they need to consider getting help at the top and they should get out of the way unless they are being handed a trophy from the commissioner. I am cautiously optimistic with Botterill and Beane/McDermott, but both situations can fall flat on their faces before they get started.

Thats good for the winter and some acts.... but arena shows are actually becoming more uncommon. An ampitheater would bring in all those country and nostalgia acts from Darien Lake. They would also get more who skip Buffalo due to not having a great concert venue. We would also get the 'multi' tours or mini-festivals that don't come to buffalo. The one in Camden, NJ has shows nearly every day in the Summer/Fall. With a good promoter, they can also create their own weekend long festival there.

I predict a heel turn and he will enslave the people of Knox County

I would think he will be more than happy to go to a playoff team with good players to prove himself for a few months in his contract year (he has also never played in a playoff game).

IMO, a state of the art, picturesque brick and mortar amphitheater would make 100x the difference a bulky and underused football stadium would. You can get 20-30K people downtown on the regular and draw from all over the region.

Mind you though, they have done this before too by drastically upgrading the Sabres' player facilities and also adding the Harbor Center. Also bringing in the combine is money spent in an effort to change/build perceptions of the city and organization. All great things and I am very appreciative of that. But with that said, in 7 years they have done nothing but spin their tires with the Sabres' on-ice performance, and before they got Dahlen the phrase "ran the team into the ground" wasnt far from the truth. All this is great, but its for naught unless we see on field/ice results.

Pu didn't really make any headway this past season, but still productive. I would put him into the category of players like Bailey and Baptiste. Its good to have a pile of them because 1 out of 5 or so will pan out to be a contributor in the NHL.

Actually, in my opinion, its quite bad, but nothing can be done. We are stuck with it. I have been to many built in that same time period: Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Philly, Washington, Tampa, Chicago and they all are much better to watch a hockey game in (Washington kinda sux too though). The sight lines are bad. The grade of the seats is way to gradual (Montreal and Toronto have steep upper levels and require railings). Huge swaths of the 100 level are strife with blind spots all over the ice. Approaching and in the corners, the seats become small, narrow, and no leg space. I am not a big person by any stretch and seats in the corners are extremely uncomfortable. The corners of the 300 level are in a different area code. There is also the strange decision to have a huge bubble-dome roof with giant blue walls and duct work that captures and deadens sound and eliminates any intimacy/aesthetics.

Things are actually degrading a bit there. Seats are breaking, plumbing is deteriorating and malfunctioning. And yes, it lacks bells and whistles and general aesthetics. It was built cheaply with bargain materials compared to comparable buildings from that time. Some of the materials are showing their age.

This. Even if they build new, it should be on location. They will need to ask the city for a lot of money for infrastructure, acquire a lot of land, etc which will virtually double the price tag. If they refurbish. Maybe playing one season at either the Carrier Dome or Toronto (BMO or Skydome). It would stink kind of, but we wouldnt have the inferiority complex of losing our team on some sort of rent-to-own deal like the Toronto series

That's a good point.

As I get older, my fan-dom has eroded a bit. The fact that I am now older than 98% of pro athletes hurts, it was much easier to root for who I viewed as adults competing. I have also seen almost every variable. It also hurts that the sabres and bills have been in such an awful stretch. It is rare that there is a game I get emotionally invested in because they don't mean a lot. But those fast starts the Bills have had brings it back. And the Indians' ride the past few years has been wonderful.... and the 2016 series hurt as much as wide right to be honest. I was crushed.

Its for naught if they cant sign him (and not give him outrageous money). They gave up 4 assets for a pending UFA player they might just be trading at the deadline. You would hope Botterill has had conversations and know what ballpark Skinner wants and is prepared to pay that?

haha. I love the unplugged the best, but its more of a greatest hits.... but man, its a masterpiece (cant believe Cantrell had food poisoning). Of their albums though, yes. Jar of Flies. I need to get that on vinyl. I do have the Live at the Moore and listen to it more than I should. Also, re: Rage. This guy kills me

Alice In Chains - Jar of Flies Primus - Frizzle Fry Mad Season - Live at the Moore Pink Floyd - Animals Rage Against the Machine - Self Titled

they are a Gronk injury away from disaster this season

I think it is a matter of relativity and taste. I think you could make a case for 65-74, or 89-98 (ish). They are almost certainly #1 and #2. I think a lot of it is the variety of the music as you stated (while purposely downplaying/narrowing the wide variety of music in the 90s into 2 categories). Also, both time periods saw music intertwine much deeper into many other facets of entertainment and life including politics. In many ways, the 90s were the terminal end of the blues/rock pioneers which brought about/influenced the 65-74 music, which in turn, heavily influenced all genres in the 90s. We had many technological breakthroughs and we had all these mini-movies created for MTV and also enjoyed unprecedented access to the musicians via interviews, cassettes, CDs, and later digital files. The internet was born at a consumer level (which eventually brought about the poisoning of the well). It was the last gasp. I know people are going to yell about current groups, but while some are talented.... I don't believe many create multiple albums full of great material, nor will they be able to tour/sell out arenas in 20 years (not too many can now). We had just as many heavy hitters from the 90s: Metallica, Pearl Jam, Nirvana/Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine, Beastie Boyz, Snoop Dogg, Alice In Chains, Eminem, Boyz 2 Men, Alanis Morisette, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Green Day, STP, REM, Oasis, Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, Ice Cube, Primus, U2, Tool, Cake, TLC, Sheryl Crow, Notorious BIG, Megadeth, Blink 182, 311, Jane's Addiction, The Hip, Dave Matthews, Garth Brooks (and I think some other country stars), Korn, Tupac, Sublime, Mariah Carey (ick), Beck, Tom Petty and a bunch of residuals from the 80s/earlier like Madonna, MJ, AC/DC, GnR, Van Halen, Sting, Ozzy, Neil Young.... and then we have this pile of '1-hit-wonder' songs that exist because everyone was paying attention, watching TV, and listening to the radio. You even have Backstreet Boys and NSync on the tail end of it. I think the 90s were a magical time in music. A lot of it was because it marks the end in a lot of ways, and soon after, most of the music industry has become mostly fishing around to create the catchy song that hits and makes a pile of money. I remember people handing me CDs on the regular telling me to check out this band or that band, and having my spine tingle on the regular. I still recall the moment that someone handed me Rage self-titled and I was wondering WTH with the album cover, then going home and listening to it and being "woke" like 25 years before that was a thing.

she looks better than she did 30 years ago

I always saw the late show as a laboratory for the 'young' producers/employees to cut their teeth and learn how to be on air. Joe B did it and was very rough early and improved. The last kid I thought was rough early on, but he ended up getting better. It was a more fun and loose show where they would be free to talk about stuff like wrestling. It was fine to listen to, but I didnt hang on every word and take things seriously. I havent heard it, but same thing here. Its a young guy trying to practice to hone a possible career. Don't need to take it seriously, and certainly nobody forces anyone to listen. It is a 7-9 shift (I think) and there is a small fraction of the listeners any of the other time slots get. I would also rather have that than pre-canned ESPN radio, that we can hear on at least 1 or 2 other stations locally.

Its a business ethics issue and something he has made a habit of for at least 17 years (to my knowledge). If i am an owner of a company, especially in the current climate of "me too" social media, 24 hour news, quick public opinion, and lawyers at every corner... i do not want to hire a guy i cannot trust in ethical matters when dealing with the other gender. Russ Brandon is not worth the risk or headache. Its not about punishing him for wrong doing. Its about exposing your business to risk that is not needed

Remember when he went to the media and told them the raiders wanted to hire him?

I wonder if there were any terms of his severance that dictated that he couldnt work for any major pse sponsors? New era was trying to fly under the radar and got busted?

he is getting ready for his interview

I lived in Philly/South Jersey for awhile. I would say that climate is a bit more ideal. You get winter, but the winter is cut a bit shorter normally. You do get 1 or 2 weeks in the Summer where the temperature approached 100 degrees with humidity added that makes it unsafe to be outside. You also get a ton of Thunderstorms. I think I could be talked into dropping a few degrees in lattitude. Anything south of North Carolina is way too intense for me though.