Year in review, this isn't pretty.

by Steve

The year ended about as horribly as it started for Buffalo sports fans in 2007. From the crushing defeat at the hands of the Senators after so much hype and promise, to the drafting of a running back in the first round (which actually looks like a great move) to July 1 one of the darkest days in Sabres history to the Broncos game and the Cowboys game, to December 31, 2007 the day Levy resigned. Holy shit what an awful year.

It is tough to put into words the agony defeat and utter-hopelessness a Buffalo sports fan endures on a daily bases. Another 7-9 season, a Sabres team that went from 1st to worst(just about) in less than 1 day, and also from the favorite to win the Stanley Cup to a pathetic afterthought in 5 games in the Eastern Conference finals, 2007 was not a good year for the franchise. Sure there were some high times down at Seymore H Knox plaza but that is mostly an after thought now.

For arguments sake I'll say the loss to Ottawa was worse than losing Briere and Drury, mostly because realistic fans knew they were gone after that over time loss in game 5 at HSBC arena at the hands of Daniel Alfredson. July 1st was just an after thought, because we all should have known with Darc/Quinny at the helm they would fuck it up, and they did, royally.

What might have been worse than losing those two players, well it wasn't actually worse, but the famous press conference after the debacle that was July 1st. We got such classics as "we will be less competitive" and "everyone has to remember this is a two legged horse here" Now Campbell is on his two legged horse out the door.

What a train-wreck of a football season as well. From the first game in September to the last day of December Bills fans everywhere only knew heartache and pain. First was the Broncos game, where the Bills played like shit Losman looked like he wasn't a starter, and Steve Fairchild seemed destined to destroy the team with a lack of faith in his players and a lack of vision and creativity the o-coordinator position requires. Before the game was over we lost are free safety who some including me had high hopes for. Then with less than 2 minutes left a garbage QB took a bad Broncos team down the field didn't spike the ball with 11 seconds left rushed the FG unit onto the field and kicked a game winning field goal with :00 on the clock.

AND it wasn't the worst home loss of the year. The losses continued to pile up as the quarterback play was awful and the coaching staff questioned after every disappointing decision. "Are you ready for some football" Yup Monday Night Football was back in Buffalo. The Bills defense completely owned Tony Homo or so it seemed. Nope the Bills and their idiot coaching staff, rookie QB, and worthless POS o-coordinator cost the team a chance at knocking off an undefeated team at home at night in prime time. The Cowboys scored a late touchdown, Jabari Greer made a great play on Owens to break up a two point conversion. So what happen? The Cowboys recovered an onside kick, completed two passes without a timeout and kicked not one but two field goals to win the game in heart wrenching head splitting agony. Gomer and his group of over rated assholes and piece of shit owner stomped on the Bills their owner their fans and the city. AND it wasn't the most embarrassing prime time loss of the season in Buffalo.

The Bills regrouped, oh wait I forgot to mention also that their 3rd round pass catching Tight End due for a break out season nearly lost his life and certainly lost his NFL career in game 1. They won some games, even got another prime time game SNF was back in Buffalo for the first time since 1994 or something. The Bills lost by 46 to the Patriots it was awful.

BUT they regrouped again, Losman lost the Jaguars game couldn't do anything against Miami, and Trent took over again. Neither QB showed they are worthy starter caliber players in this league. AHH then the Browns game, where it snowed worse than at any game I've ever been to, we couldn't even score a point, Jamal drug dealer Lewis ran roughshod over our team, but at least we exposed them for the frauds they were. Losing to Cinci was a worse loss than any the Bills had in 2007 if you can take solace in that.

The Bills finished the season with 3 straight losses as we all know, but what was more shocking, on the last day of the year things got worse. Marv Levy retired. I wanted continuity for one more season under Marv. A new coordinator, a year for Jauron to learn from his mistakes, and another solid draft. Instead we'll be the laughing stock once again by making John Guy our gm, the o coordinator will be Schonert and I may quit the blog.

Here's hoping for a better 2008 and a solid pick @ #11 to go with our 10 selections in the 2008 draft

WR or Tight end in the draft?

(This was "borrowed" from sn Evans555 on Buffalorange.com )

2000
Peter Warrick (4)
Plaxico Burress (8)
Travis Taylor (10)
Sylverster Morris (21)
R. Jay Soward (29)

4 out of 5 are busts. Burress is a very good player.

2001
David Terrell (8)
Koren Robinson (9)
Rod Gardner (15)
Santana Moss (16)
Freddie Mitchell (25)
Reggie Wayne (30)

1 is elite (Wayne), one is decent (Moss) and the others range from disppointments to flat out busts.

2002
Donte Stallworth (13)
Ashley Lelie (19)
Javon Walker (20)

Walker is the best of this bunch but only has had two good seasons out of his six in the NFL. Stallworth and Lelie certainly aren't #1 WR's that you'd hope you would get with a first round pick. Stallworth only caught over 60 balls once.

2003
Charles Rogers (2)
Andre Johnson (3)
Bryant Johnson (17)

Andre Johnson is on the verge of being a dominant WR in this league. He has suffered from being on a team that hasn't been very good and has been about their only threat on offense. Rogers is a flat out bust. Johnson is a 3rd WR with Arizona.

2004
Larry Fitzgerald (3)
Roy Williams (7)
Reggie Williams (9)
Lee Evans (13)
Michael Clayton (15)
Michael Jenkins (29)
Rashaun Woods (31)

3 of these guys are the real deal (Fitz, Roy Williams and Evans).
Reggie Williams has been very disappointing for Jax considering he was taken 9th overall. Clayton had a great rookie year and followed that up with 3 pretty bad seasons, Jenkins seems like he has turned into a viable option as a 3rd WR, and Rashaun Woods has played 7 games in his NFL career.

2005
Braylon Edwards (3)
Troy Williamson (7)
Mike Williams (10)
Matt Jones (21)
Mark Clayton (22)
Roddy White (27)

Edwards and White are the class of this group. Both have developed nicely and are considered legitimate weapons. Clayton is a servicible player who seems to be no better than a #2 or #3 WR, but still decent.

Williamson, Williams and Jones are on the verge of all being busts. Actually, Williams is already there and the other two are right on his heels.

2006
Santonio Holmes (25)

Is turning into a nice #2 WR that can score from anywhere on the field. Probably would have about 60-65 catches if he remained healthy this season.

2007
Calvin Johnson (2)
Ted Ginn Jr. (9)
Dwayne Bowe (23)
Robert Meacham (27)
Craig Davis (30)
Anthony Gonzalez (32)

Way too early to tell on any of these guys but Johnson's season has to be considered a disappointment for all the hype he had coming out of college. Ginn seems like an exciting player but has only caught 27 passes. Dwayne Bowe is a legitimate horse. IMO, this guy seems to be the real deal. Meacham hasn't seen the field this year and Craig Davis has put up very small stats.

Now for the Tight Ends....

2000
Bubba Franks (14)
Anthony Becht (27)

Both Becht and Franks started off promising but both have faded severely in the last four years. I'd consider both disappointments.

2001
Todd Heap (31)
Alge Crumpler (35)

Both Heap and Crumpler have been very successful in their NFL career. I don't know what else to say abouth either of them other than I'd be thrilled, as I'm sure most of you would be, to have a player at TE like either one of these two.

2002
Jeremy Shockey (14)
Daniel Graham (21)
Jerramy Stevens (28)
Doug Jolley (55)

Shockey is an absolute monster when he is healthy. The other three? Blah. Not much from any three of them at any time in their careers. #2 TE's for sure.

2003
Dallas Clark (24)
Bennie Joppru (41)
L.J. Smith (61)
Teyo Johnson (63)

Clark has developed into a legitimate threat but has other legitimate threats surrounding him that may have helped him. Regardless, his stats are impressive.

Bennie Who???

L.J. Smith had pretty decent stats up until this season in which he has only played 10 games. Solid, but far from elite.

Teyo Johnson is just a step above Bennie Boy in this draft and that isn't saying much.

2004
Kellen Winslow (6)
Benjamin Watson (32)
Ben Troupe (40)

After a slow start in his career due to his own stupidity, Kellen Winslow Jr., has deveolped into maybe the biggest threat at TE in the NFL.

Watson is a decent TE that has had problems staying on the field. Nothing great, but not bad at all.

Ben Troupe started with two very nice seasons and followed them up with two pretty bad seasons where he hasn't seen the field very often. It has been well stated he fell into Jeff Fisher's dog house last season. The potential is there but will it ever be realized?

2005
Heath Miller (30)

At first glance his stats look pretty average...until you see 18 TD's in 3 seasons and 74 of his 117 career catches have been for 1st downs and 18 for TD's. I think he is a very solid player.

2006
Vernon Davis (6)
Marcedes Lewis (28)
Joe Klopfenstein (46)
Anthony Fassano (53)
Tony Scheffler (61)

Davis had a slow rookie season followed up by a pretty solid 2nd year on a very bad offense with bad QBing. He looks pretty darn good to me.

Lewis has had a better 2nd year than rookie season but I would think Jax would like to see a little more from him.

Klopfenstein hasn't been doing good at all in St. Louis.

Fassano is being used as a blocking TE with Whitten on the roster.

Scheffler has had a pretty decent 2007. Seems to be developing into a reliable TE...solid but definitely not spectacular.

2007
Greg Olsen (31)
Zach Miller (38)

Olsen has had a solid rookie season and is on pace for 40 catches.
Miller's season almost looks identical to Olsen's as he also is on pace for near 40 ctaches.
Pretty decent rookie seasons for these two.



Seems the Bills should definitely avoid a WR in the first round of the draft. Troy Williamson of the Vikings seems to be on the outs and either cut or traded in the offseason. Go defense first round and probably second look for a possession WR in the 3rd and look tightend via free agency.

Bills shit and other shit

Here is the Bills home and way games for 2008


Home- NE, NYJ, Mia, Clev, SD, Oak, Sea, SF

Away-NE, NYJ, Mia, Jack, Den, KC, StL, Ari.

Yes, the closest game is in New Jersey.. and you'll either get stabbed or breate carcinogens the entire time you're there so fly to Arizona go to the game there then drive 4 hours and 43 minutes to Las Vegas and blow another huge amount of money I areckon that is what WNY water cooler is doing for the 2008 road trip.

I don't feel like posting anything else so

• Whitner isn't worth the #8 pick
• Schobel sucks
• Kelsay sucks
• Jauron sucks
• I dont give a fucking shit about the Patriots going 16-0 just so they can lose in the playoffs.. Congrats you are playing against maybe 1 Hall of Fame QB compared to about 6 in 1990 maybe more. They are good maybe great, not the best ever or even close.
• I'd rather go 8-8 than move up 3 spots in the draft.
• Fuck the Browns
• Please trade Vanek before the trade deadline
• Why not move Max and Vanek on a line? Both are useless
• Someone give Connolly some Emergen C or EsterC or some bone marrow please.
  
• The Ice Bowl might suck cause i'll be hung over, cold, it might rain, the Penguins suck, the Sabres aren't that good.
• I'm thinkin LB then DT in the draft, get a WR and TE in free agency
• fuck PFW In Jimbo we trust
  

Bills Offseason Preview

The 2007 Buffalo Bills season is over. Yeah, there is a game this weekend, but who really gives a shit? The only thing that can come out of Sunday's game is me hating the coaches more and thinking the players suck more, if that is possible.

So, it is time to take a look at the off season. What should the Bills do? Well, I am going to pretend I am the general manager of the Buffalo Bills, which I know I can do a better job, and discuss what it is that needs to happen. I am also going to try and be rational and not try firing and cutting everyone in sight because truthfully, that is what I want to do right now.

Let's start with Monday, December 31. As much as I want to fire Dick Jauron I can't because the players like him and it would cause some tension around the locker room. Thankfully, that ass hole Fairchild is gone. The only negative is that I wouldn't have the chance to fire his bitch ass since he already has another job. He is the kind of idiot you would just love to fire. The Bills need to bring in an offensive coordinator with a clue. We need a guy who isn't going to try to run the St. Louis style offense in the snow. Who is that guy WTF? No idea but I do know that I would look outside the organization. I would not promote QB coach Turk Schonert because he probably has the same type of mind set as Fairchild. Whoever it is, they will be under the understanding that if they run draws in the 4th quarter down 8 on third and long they are going to lose their job, simple as that.

As far as personnel, this is honestly what I would do. On offense, I would cut Peerless Price and Robert Royal. On defense, Larry Tripplett would lose his job. The dude is making 18 million dollars and is a joke. JP Losman would need to be traded. However, if we cannot get anything better than a 5th for him, ie. a 4th, I would keep him as the backup for 2008. I don't really see the need of getting rid of him so bad next year. He is still under contract. We might as well hang on to him if we can't get anything good for him. Next on the list is Aaron Schobel who is making $50 million. He is terrible. Sadly enough, people around the league actually think this bum is good. Is there any difference between having him out there or Denney or Hargrove? He probably still has some trade value. The Bills could probably get a 2nd or 3rd for him just because he somehow has the reputation of being good. He is after all a pro bowl alternate. I don't know how. Trade the bitch get him outta here.

Finally, March 1 comes around and so does free agency. Let's face it, the Bills biggest need right now is wide receiver, tight end, D line, D end, Linebacker wow there are a lot. The Cardinals third wide receiver is a UFA this year, Bryant Johnson. He is a big body, he stands at 6 feet 3, which is 5 inches taller than the Bills tallest receiver this year (not including Jenkins and Aiken). I would undoubtedly bring him in. Then, as far as tight end, LJ Smith is a UFA. I would make sure I brought him in too. These 2 dudes can help our offense and our young quarterback significantly. Finally, on defense, there is one free agent I would pursue and that is Albert Haynesworth. He may be too expensive and a charecter risk but I would take a look. Defense can be helped in the draft a lot quicker than offense so offense should be more of a focus in free agency.

This brings us to the draft. First round, outside linebacker. If I see Keith Ellison and/or John DiGiorgio in the game not on special teams I am going to fuckin snap. These dudes are little fuckin girls out there. They are so small and are outsized by almost every running back in the league. Ahmad Bradshaw, Jamal Lewis, and Brandon Jacobs racked up about 500 yards in two games. That will not happen if I am running things. In the 2nd round, with Schobel now traded and gone and who gives a shit about him I would take a defensive end with some size or a defensive tackle depending on who is available. I like Johnny McCargo in the middle paired up with some other beast who I would have to say isn't on the team right now. McCargo maked two plays yesterday on the goal line stand and then on the next drive he is out of the game. Screw this rotation. Why does Jason Jefferson need to be in the game ever? I would cut his ass too by the way. In the third round I would take yet another defensive lineman or a center depending on the best guy there. Upgrading the center position would be nice. The only way I would take a cornerback or another position is if there was a steal available.

Finally, the quarterback next year is going to be Trent Edwards. I don't want any competition for the starting job. Competition among the quarterback position is stupid. If he is the guy, he is the guy, period. Bring in an old veteran type like Todd Collins who knows his role. I don't want my guy nervous about losing his job every game .

Finally, why does this team not have a god damn full back playing in Buffalo weather. Screw the H back. I don't even know what an "H back" is. Bring in a beast lead blocker for beast mode. There has to be a full back around in the free agent market.

Projected starting lineup in 2008.
QB- Trent Edwards
FB- Brad Hoover (UFA from Carolina)
HB- Marshawn Lynch
TE- LJ Smith
LT- Jason Peters
LG- Derrick Dockery
C- Melvin Fowler ??
RG- Brad Butler
RT- Langston Walker
WR- Bryant Johnson
WR- Lee Evans

DE- Chris Kelsay
DT- Albert Haynesworth
DT- John McCargo
DE- Anthony Hargrove
OLB- Angelo Crowell
OLB- Keith Rivers (OLB USC, this dude is the best outside backer in the draft)
MLB- Paul Posluszny
CB- Terrance McGee
CB- Jabari Greer
SS- Dante Whitner
FS- KO Simpson

*The Bills could land a starting defensive end with one of their 2 2nd round draft picks (from the Schobel trade) The Bills also have 2 thirds (From the McGahee trade). So I would look to build defensive depth on day one. (Editors note, rounds 3-7 are on day two starting in the 2008 draft)

Shut off the lights

by Steve

A seemingly fitting end to the Buffalo Bills 2007 home schedule came today with mid thirties, rain, and an awful performance. The weather Sunday was, outside of tornado or hurricane, the worst possible one could dream up for a sporting event, especially for the fans. It was absolutely miserable but not as bad as the Bills play.

The 38-21 shalacking today was the perfect ending to an up and down Bills home schedule that saw them play two prime time games, get blown out in one, lose on a last second field goal in the other, and all I can remember is embarrassment.

Not to be all doom and gloom but the season was pretty much over before it started, and it all started at home. The Broncos game was a complete joke, it proved we didn't have a quarterback, a coach, a tight end, not to mention it was a pivotal home game against a conference team.

Things got much worse before they got better. Injuries to Ko and Paul P, Everett, Price then of course week 5. The Cowboys game was the icing on the cake. A proverbial nail in the coffin, gut wrenching infamous loss that will haunt me for seasons to come. But things did improve. Sure they beat up on awful teams, but they did rattle off some nice victories including the Ravens game with McGayhee returning for the first time.

Bills nation had some hope, not only in a quarterback, but in a coach, a team, and a shot at the playoffs with 3 weeks to play. Things came crashing to a halt in the bad weather however, and the teams flaws and major weaknesses haven't been more evident than in the past two weeks. Getting run all over for about 500 yards in two games, a QB that probably has never seen a snow flake before, or at least looked that way, and a WR corps that is abysmal. (Why don't the Bills practice outside in the elements a few days a week? Why haven't we been running screens to Beast Mode all season? Why are Kelsay/Schobel making $75 million? Why is it so grueling to be a Bills fan?)


The 2007 season at the Ralph was a decent one, with both MNF and SNF making a return, the emergence of an elite running back, and 8 strong sell outs, maybe things weren't all bad. You gotta give it to the fans for showing up in full force today especially, and I can only see better things in store for 2008, from the fans, to the QB, to the defense because hey

THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!

by Ark


It’s theday after Daniel Briere got absolutly owned in HSBC with the rematch set for tonight. Briere made an embarrassing return to town for the first time after bolting for free agency this last off-season and signing an 8 year, $52 million deal. Since that deal and Chris Drury’s heading home to his beloved NY Rangers for 5 years, $35.25 million, the Buffalo Sabres “faithful” have been handing it to this team and this organization for the better part of the year, sans the winning streaks. People have called for Regier’s head numerous times, and it sometimes seemed justifiably so. Ruff has been the coach of the year, and Mr. Quinn and Galisano are nowhere to be heard, so Regier took the heat for much of the “downfall” of the 2006-07 Sabres team.
With that in mind, let’s look at how these Sabres (the players filling in for key spots, and the organization as a whole) look right now, moving forward this season and into the future.

First of all, everyone cried when “Danny boy” left. How could we ever replace him? Well, look at Derek Roy’s numbers compared to his. He has 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points with a plus (+)10 which is one of, if not the best on the team. Mr. Briere on the other hand has 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points but has a minus (-) 8, the worst on his team. Then you can think about the contracts. Roy is on the books for 6 years and $24 million. Briere, as mentioned is on the hook for the previously mention 8 years, $52 million. Here’s the kicker... Roy is 24 years old, Briere is 30 years old. Who would you rather have now, all things considered?
Now let’s take a look at Mr. Clutch, Chris Drury. He’s making $7.05 million a year for the Rangers. Our big signing was Vanek at $7.14 million a year. Right now, Vanek is the only player on the Sabres roster making more than $4 million. By comparison, Drury has 8g, 15a and is a minus(-)4. Vanek has played one less game and has 10g,11a, to go with a plus(+) 6. The best part of these deals is that Vanek is only 23, turning 24 in a month while Drury is 31. That means that Vanek will finish this contract out before turning the age of 31. He has way more upside than Drury does. Hopefully his leadership can somehow catch up to Drury’s to make it really worth our while.

Miller (2.58) has a better GAA than Biron (2.69). Biron (.921) has a better Sv% than Miller (.910). Both have 2 years remaining according to NHLSCAP.com on their deals but Biron makes almost $1million more/year. I thought miller signed an extension so I’ll look into it, but I will most certainly take these numbers, especially considering that Miller is 3 years younger. He’s an American boy and has seemingly embraced Buffalo and shown leadership qualities for this young team. I just hope that they can lock the guy up for the foreseeable future.
So with the Flyers losing here Friday, the Sabres now have 2 more points with 33 games played. The Sabres have more Goals For, and fewer Goals Against than the Flyers. The Rangers have 37 points with one more game played and have around 25 less goals but have allowed around 14 less goals because they play a terrible brand of hockey.

So just think about that for a minute Sabre “fans.” Look where the golden boys are now with their new teams, and look where we’re headed. The only players that the Sabres need to worry about resigning are Campbell who is steadily earning more money and then Gaustad, Paille, and MacArthur. You have to figure that unless something drastic happens for Kalinin, he’s coming off the books at $2 million. Then Teppo is off the books at $2.6 million. There’s the money you need to add to Campbell’s $1.5 million salary to resign him. Then you have youngsters that have played in the system early on this year in Weber and Sekera. We’re $3.77 million under the cap as it is right now so I think we can bring back 2 of the other 3 forwards mentioned. Then next year you have almost the same team with the possibility of a free agent or two and a little “hunger in their bellies” of a lot of players who will be playing for contracts .

By contrast, the Rangers have 5 guys making over $4 million, 2 guys over $7 million and Lundqvist is going to be a RFA. Half their team will be unsigned including Shannahan (no big deal) Avery and Straka.

Philly isn't looking too smart for signing Richards to a 12 year deal, $60 something million. Briere on the books until the little dude is 38 years old at $6.5 million. Other guys like Umberger are getting new deals this year; they’re up against the cap this year and are going to be in trouble. So if you’ve somehow read all the numbers, made it this far and are looking to understand everything I’ve said, then listen to this:

The Sabres are just as good as Philly and NY, with a better outlook for the future. We are balanced all over the board. Our best C right now numbers-wise makes $4 million a year which helps set a precedent when negotiating with future players in the organization. We made some tough decisions with players this last off season. I know Sabre “fans” feel cheated but if you don’t want to support the team now, you don’t quite meet up to fanatic standards. We didn’t beat Ottawa with Briere and Drury, and we didn’t win a cup. They had 2 phenomenal years here for us, made a lot of people get on the bandwagon but they didn’t get it done. Love him or hate him, Regier brought us here and has us in good shape for the future yet again. Whether that crystal ball shows a cup in the future is yet to be seen.

Buffalo Sabres podcast

Yup, it is officially Sabres season as the Bills are out of the playoffs. Hosted by Steve, Water Cooler talk breaks down the big home and home with the Flyers, fuckin Briere comin back, big schedule comin up, Ark joins us, holllla!

Powered by Podbean.com

Powered by Podbean.com




right click save as to download to Ipod