JohnC

You are way off the mark. Fannie Mae was founded in 1938 and Freddy Mac was established in 1970 by congress. They predated Clinton's administration. In addition, both fall in the unique category of having a public/private structure to both entities. So to call them the biggest socialist programs is grossly inaccurate https://www.fhfa.gov/SupervisionRegulation/FannieMaeandFreddieMac/Pages/About-Fannie-Mae---Freddie-Mac.aspx The biggest socialist-like programs this country has is medicare and social security. And it should be noted that an overwhelming number of Americans favor these programs.

Whatever lifeline there is it won't come from the public well. When the well is dry there is nothing to suck up. Do you think that the state or local governments have extra money to contribute to a mostly private project now or in the future? And in this political environment even if the public entities did have the resources the priority for a private project is at the bottom of the list. Kroenke got involved in a mega-project that went beyond building a stadium. His out-sized project included substantial development around the stadium. In his calculation that is where the return on his investment was. What he didn't do or more likely couldn't do is contain the swelling costs in such a grandiose project. Now not only is he having trouble getting the stadium completed because of the cost overruns but when completed the finances will not be able to add up. When you end up with a project where the return on your investment is on the minus side you end up a loser. When you outsmart yourself you end up looking dumb.

I just watched the outtakes before you posted. I peed my pants. ?

Bring on the music and the slow walking shoes.

I have a slightly different take on Krueger. I agree with you that Krueger is like an architect who has a vision on how to not only structure an organization but maybe more importantly infuse it with an ethos. His expertise revolves around organizational structure and psychology. That's why he is able to apply his philosophy in a variety of endeavors such as soccer or even on the lecture circuit talking about what it takes to build successful businesses and maximize the talents of your personnel. Where I'm not so sure about his talent as a GM is that I'm not sure about his scouting abilities which in my mind is the most important component to being a successful GM. Your analogy about Botts being more of a general contractor is a very intriguing observation. I agree with it. But that isn't why I'm critical of him so much as why I'm a little more than tepidly satisfied with him. Although he might not have the personality to take bold moves as some of the top GMs would be willing to do he does have the standard workmanlike approach that can over time rebuild a franchise. I certainly would never put him in the ranking as an elite GM because his approach is very much conventional. On the other hand I do consider him being capable of attaining a solid ranking. As you well know I'm less of a critic of Botts than most. However, the owners have given him the time and resources to implement his strategy to reconstruct the franchise. This is his do or die year. No more excuses.

Attached is a link by AP's John Wawrow. The article addresses the organizational structure of the Pegula sports entreprise and the layers of management involved in running the sports business. My takeaway is simple. If you hire the right people and allow them to run the operation you are more likely to have success. The Bills are an example of that with McDermott and Beane having full authority to make football decisions. The Sabres are the antithesis of that notion as exemplified by the constant churning of hockey staff and the not so surprising outcome. In my opinion what this organization didn't need was more tumult in the organization by firing Botterill who was on the last year of his contract. The Pegulas made the right to decision to allow him to finish his contract. Botterill has been given enough time to implement his strategy to run the hockey operation. Next season is his do or die season. If the team has meaningful success he will be retained; if this team doesn't have meaningful success he will not be retained. And that is how it should be. https://apnews.com/13d5ef6efda7c67b2f2bb67943472709?view=getnewpost

The attached link is TSN Darren Dreger's 11 minute interview with Jack Eichel on his show the "Darren Café". There wasn't much new revealed in his comments. A couple of interesting tidbits were that he works extensively in the offseason with Adam Oates and that Nate MacKinnon is one player who is a friend and likes to follow. Jack Eichel has become very relaxed and polished doing interviews. He has shown a lot of growth in his off the ice activities and responsibilities. He's a terrific representative of the organization. https://www.tsn.ca/dreger-cafe-jack-eichel-on-losing-it-s-been-a-tough-five-years-1.1484837?view=getnewpost

Attached is a 16 minute link with the Amerk's GM, Randy Sexton, on WGR's the Instigator Show. The AHL GM mostly talked about the players on Rochester and whether they are ready to move up to the NHL. Within the discussion he talked about some prospects on the defensive unit. And he also made some very positive comments about Casey Mittelstadt. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/06-10-amerks-general-manager-randy-sexton

As K-9 stated the hospital put out his condition that he was in serious and stable condition. It is a generic categorization of his condition that the hospital is allowed to put out. (If I am wrong on that I would appreciate those in the know to correct me.) Although there are privacy laws it would be likely that if the individual was faking the seriousness of the injury that information would have leaked out. The tape of the incident clearly showed that this 75 year old fell back and hit his head on the concrete after being pushed by the officer. As I said in a prior post: Trust your eyes. Let me add my previously stated opinion that I don't believe the officer acted out of malice and with any intent of hurting this confrontational oldster. It's my opinion that the DA jumped to his conclusion in criminally charging the officer because of political expediency. I believe that this incident involving the officer should have been handled within the confines of the police disciplinary system.

Pilut was a nice young player. But those chronic detractors who are portraying his departure as a significant loss are losing perspective on where he was ranked within the unit. On the Sabres he was at best a third pairing player. The addition of Joki made it likely that Pilut was not going to get much playing time. Joki not only had a similar style of play but clearly he is better and has more upside. The NHL is a league with a lot of player movement. A lot of that movement can be attributed to the hard cap and a lack of roster space. I wish Pilut the best. He did what every player and team does i.e. act in his own best interests.

There are real doctors and medical staff who treated him when he was in the hospital. Not one of them is making the nonsensical claim that his injuries are not genuine. You are a person with no medical background making a medical judgment on an injury that was captured on tape. This is a situation where you should just trust your eyes rather than your inexplicable logic to come up with your fanciful conclusion.

Ullmark is going to be the primary goaltender. Is he worthy of that status? I'm not sure but the hope is that he will continue to progress. If Hutton can get his eye sight issues corrected and return to his backup form then for the short term he is a tolerable. Your perspective is much more negative than my perspective. With a trade for a genuine second center and with internal improvement from the young players on this roster I am more upbeat than you are. Without a doubt there needs to be a reshuffling and better balancing of the roster. I'm more positive than you and many others are that some of the necessary alterations will be made this offseason. If the GM can't make that happen before the later start of the next season then his contract that is concluding will not be renewed.

The FOP doesn't hire. The police department does the hiring. The union is basically making a political statement that demonstrates why it is an obstacle to changing the troubled and sclerotic system.

There are five UFA on the roster. Not all will be back. Some of those players will be replaced with demonstrably cheaper younger players such as Cozens. And if there are trades it will mostly likely be salary for salary. What the organization wants to do from a personnel standpoint they will be able to do. This team is not going to pursue high cost elite free agents. That approach was never in its repertoire.

The business and financial model has dramatically changed. This pandemic has crushed local and state finances. So you are going to get less, if any, public funds for a new stadium. And as SectionC3 stated retail in brick and mortar stores has dramatically been scaled down. The trend right now is not to build new stores but to either tear them down or repurpose them. What is more likely is that a more austere stadium will be built in a location where it is cheaper to build, also including land costs. And that is certainly not downtown. The world has changed not only for the average man but also for the fat cats who buy billion $$$$ sports franchises. You don't think that the Pegula hotel, restaurants/bars and shopping centers have taken a gut wrenching hit? How long is it going to take to recover? Look at the Pegulas' original source of wealth in the energy business? It's in a state of depression. That business certainly is cyclical but when renewable energy is the way of the future the long-term prospects for that business doesn't look so good. My main point is the mind-set of how things used to be does not mean that it will continue to be. The world has changed. You either adapt or go by the wayside. I can't say for sure what the new model will be but I can say is that the old model is less applicable to the new reality.

Although there has been a stall on development due to pandemic I don't see a stadium being built downtown ten or more years from now. Although there is still some open space that could eventually be developed downtown and near the waterfront steadily those areas are being filled with a variety of projects. As these smaller projects materialize there will be less adaptable locations with enough room for a large stadium to fit in. The landscape has dramatically changed from both a financial and urban development standpoint. As time goes on the city option declines.

Hallelujah! We agree on something even though we continue to ride on two different and distinct ponies . ? I contend that if the Sabres can get consistent credible goaltending next season and if the GM can swing a deal that can add a second line forward or maybe if bold two second-line players then this team can be a credible lower to mid-tiered playoff team. This team still has the ability to internally improve because of the young talent already on the roster. Where we fundamentally diverge is that I don't believe that this team is as far away from being good as you do. I consider my expectations to be achievable. If the GM doesn't accomplish these attainable goals this offseason then his contract should not be renewed.

This fellow is too upbeat and mellow to be Plenzmd. And this gent is much more fashionable and has better teeth. Whatever you do don't ask him about the Sabres! His volcanic eruptions are a thing to behold. You need to stand back because the spittle will be flying all over the place.

When your team has a lack of scoring depth beyond the first line your margin of error is small. Our below par goaltending last year allowed so many exasperating pedestrian goals that it was deflating. The "what if" wrenching truth is if the Sabres would have had the same rehabilitated Lehner who performed for the Islanders the Sabres would now be in this altered playoff set-up. That is not to say that it would be a major accomplishment but it would be something that the battered fans deserved to be a part of. If Hutton can return to his standard backup form and Ullmark can be at the point of his development where he is at least a solid number #1 goalie then that is a good starting point for next season whenever it starts.

After reading your post with the quotes that indicate that the staff was aware of Hutton's problems I am even more irritated. On the positive side if Ullmark continues to improve and Hutton regains his form as a backup then that is a hopeful takeaway for next season. Now some of the comments that Marty Biron made about Hutton last week make more sense with this background information. He pointed out that to get the most out of Hutton you need to limit the number of games he plays. He commented that when Hutton is over-used his play demonstrably fades. He argued that it wasn't necessary to replace him as a backup but to limit his usage.

The Sabres had a number of recognizable deficiencies beyond the goaltending. However, with average goaltending, especially during the period of time when Ullmark was hurt, the Sabres could have earned at least another 8 points. Your record is your record regardless what excuses you have to draw from. But if this eye impairment story is true and the organization wasn't aware of it then the blame goes to Hutton. If the organization was aware of it and they didn't seek an alternative goaltender then the organization sabotaged itself in its quest for a playoff. Anyway you look at this story it makes no freaking sense.

I'm sure MIL would be enjoy this clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUI27WhoWBQ

What you stated is exactly how large and other sized demonstrations were conducted in DC. There would be requests for demonstration permits. And that would be the starting point for an agreement on logistics and the routes. In DC it was a special unit run by officials who were very experienced and wise in how to handle demonstrations of all kinds. I'm pretty sure that format wasn't followed in the demonstration that occurred at Lafayette and H St. NW a few days ago.

A positive story of a good young man having his good deeds acknowledged in the midst of an environment of conflict. This link was taken from cnn.com. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/06/us/teen-cleans-buffalo-protest-rewarded-with-car-scholarship-trnd/index.html

You could listen to whomever you want to. I am more inclined to heed his warnings over those who are more dismissive of the risk. The "experts" you listen to are not the same ones I listen to. This virus issue is a complicated issue that the experts are still grappling with. You may believe in a magical solution to this public health issue but I don't. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jun/5/dr-anthony-fauci-warns-perfect-set-spread-coronavi/