May Day 10

Seattle

winning a bowl game to cap the season would be nice too.

Bills in a laffer

I agree the XFL is probably not going to work out. McMahon sounds like he immediately wants to go major league and there is just no way to compete with the MANY billions of dollars of backing the NFL has, as well as 32 historic brands almost every sports are emotionally vested in. This is a much different landscape as the fools club or even the USFL. The layout, orientation, and management of the AAF gives me like 1000% more confidence that league lasts more than 3 years.

BUT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE THOSE SONS OF B****ES STAND FOR THE ANTHEM

I found that. I just sat there and watched the guy counting money for like 5 minutes thinking something was going to happen. Then I walked away

Ohio game is still big. Can clinch the division front door, having beat all comers. 10-1, likely to be 11-1 heading to the MAC Title game. beat Ohio and top 25 ranking might be border-line (end up 12-1 and they probably will be top 25 heading to the bowl, and not 11-2). End up 12-1 and they will probably get invited to a much more prestigious bowl game and get some degree of national attention as a top 25 team that has 1 loss (against a really good team). 11-2, they are just your typical MAC fodder win or lose in the mid-december appetizers before the real games start

Eventually, 'friends' like that find their way out of spouse's lives after marriage... and especially after kid(s). People like that feel like they dont have a lot going on in their lives... so they intentionally/unintentionally strive to make the build up to, and the wedding itself about them. Create drama, disappear when depended upon, etc. Better just brace for it and not depend on this person for anything. It gets more sticky when family member(s) are like this

Looks really good. Didnt like the prospects of the must win game @ ohio

classless and uncalled for

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).