Ghost of Dwight Drane

Thanks man. It will be good to look back at in a few years and see how things went. It makes it more interesting to watch the draft unfold too if you really spot a few guys you can root for. I have to hunt down proday video since he wasn't at combine. If a guy you like is there and need, don't touch him. If he is by far the best guy there and you would have to reach at need, anything is possible. We need a #3 back either way as I think White is bad. Ingram is interesting, but with the move to 4-3 he is less of a target. That kid from Cal though.....if he isn't as dumb as a box of rocks...he looks like a champ. I just see such a huge drop in tackle talent. The kid from Iowa looks tough and a gamer, but not worth it at 10. If you want a safe pick, Decastro at guard would give you maybe the top inside 3 combo in the game and you could get by with average tackle play. I really like Adams skillset. He has some baby fat and is bottom heavy, but for such a big guy he has nice feet and is supposedly bright. Martin looks like a safe depth guy. He isn't strong, big, or mobile enough to even think about at #10 in my opinion. He will make a nice #3 tackle for someone who wouldn't kill you if he had to start for a while on either side. I really looked at Glenn with all the hub-bub the past week.......but I can't get excited about it. Pure size he has, but he is so big it hampers his movement and he just isn't smooth enough in close to make him viable for sure at LT. I'd rather take a chance on Adams if I were a team late 1st. I was not very impressed with the combine. I know a lot has to do with on the field, but he may have gotten by on smarts. That's what I love about the combine, it is a snapshot of everyone at the same time to compare athleticism and see who the pure guys are. He has talent no doubt, but he is a little slow to change direction and gets tripped up, and carries himself too upright. Maybe he sinks more in pads, but I am having Mike Mamula flashbacks. Doesn't mean he can't play though.

After going over all the combine video in the positions of need for the Bills, I've made a short list of players that really look like athletes who should be able to help. One thing I did notice is that a few of the guys I fell in love with and could see drafting ahead of projections, had questions about things like consistant effort, injury, or wonderlic. Obviously I can't watch all the tape of these guys or interview, but these are the players that look a cut above the others as athletes and should be realistic targets if they vet out. 1st pick: 2 guys here who I think should be the pick. Hopefully 1 of them is still there at #10, and the decision may be made for you as I find it hard to see both still on the board. #1 Stephon Gilmore - CB South Carolina - Everything about him looks impressive. Big enough, built decent, fluid in changing direction and flipping, quick acceleration. Looks like he can support the run as well. At the combine, he was much more impressive than Kirkpatrick in my eyes and even looked better than Claiborne. Peterson was amazing last year and I can't see Claiborne being as good of an athlete as Peterson. Would feel much better about Gilmore at #10 than Claiborne at #5 #2 Michael Floyd - WR Notre Dame - This kid did everything right and is built like a stud. He is confident, ran the smoothest cross field pass drill by far, and while he isn't known as a burner, at worst I see him as another Stevie Johnson type. He handles himself well and is smart for a kid who had a few drinking issues. Just a confident gamer with all the tools. I think he is safer at #10 than Gilmore, and you can always go grab a true speed type in the 4th round. He was more impressive than Blackmon in what I saw. You won't have to worry about WR for 5 years if you have this guy. There is a huge falloff after Floyd in my opinion, Just like there is after Kalil with OT's. 2nd/3rd rounders: I agree with Buddy that there looks to be a lot of 2nd-4th round talent at CB/WR. Too bad there isn't a Tackle at #10 I love as I think Glenn/Martin/Adams are bottom 1st at best who will get reached on by someone. I hope it isn't the Bills who reach In order of excitement: Mychal Kendricks - LB Cal - Very impressive. Just a pure athlete who brings it. He is short, but has all the tools and is explosive and very smooth in space. His biggest question seems to be smarts and that is a huge concern for an ILB, but his skillset is just so impressive that some team will take a shot on him. If he was 2 inches taller and had an extra 15 IQ points, he's a top 8 pick. Looks much more natural as an athlete than Kuechley who carries himself upright. I could see a team gamble as high as low #1, or teams get scared off and he drops to top of 3rd. Kalechi Osemele - OT Iowa St. - This guy has the potential to be a franchise tackle. Many are projecting him at G or RT, but from the lateral movement I saw, I don't know why he can't be a LT. His conformation for tackle is almost perfect. Wide, but strong not only in the bubble but up top. He changes direction very well. With good coaching and dedication on his part, he could be an absolute steal in the 2nd round. At worst, you probably get a mauling RT who could make Pears good depth in a year. At best you have a Pro Bowl talent at LT. The only other tackle after Kalil that may have as much upside is Adams, but he is bottom heavy and plays too upright. I would love to take a chance on this guy. Casey Hayward - CB Vandy - Really nice corner who is very fluid and great hip flipper. Not a power type, but a guy who is smooth enough to be very good in coverage. He has some power and acceleration to him but not great. Would be almost a can't miss guy to play nickle and should probably be an OK starter ala Florence, but doesn't make you drool. A safe #2 pick who I would love in the 3rd if he fell. Chris Givens - WR Wake Forest - If Floyd is the pick at #10, forget about him. If not, he is an interesting player at #2 and certain at #3. Not big, but he is built solid and very balanced. He wouldn't be the typical #2 you'd look to compliment Johnson, but his skillset and upside would make it worth a shot. I really couldn't knock him except for his size. At worst he is a nice depth receiver that would be a threat in the slot in 4 wides. At best he is starter out of the gate who could get you 50+ catches. Dwayne Allen - TE Clemson - He is very wide-legged when upright and driving and I do not know about his blocking skills because it seems he is inefficient and losing power. However, he is built very well and was smooth as can be in his passing drills. Because there is only 1 other TE worth an early pick, someone will probably take him early. He could be a McKellar type and would be a no-brainer at #3, but I would not reach at #2 and it is almost certain he will be gone by 3. If somehow you trade down in the 1st and pick up an extra 2nd, this is the type of tool you could target with a bonus pick. Antonio Dennard - CB Nebraska - He's a little undersized, but he just does everything very well. I can't get excited about him, but he has no real knocks. He seems like a very safe pick at #4 and maybe even a 3rd, and a guy who should be a depth corner and special teams player who wouldn't hurt you. Fast enough, strong enough, fluid enough....just not huge upside. Would be a steal if he dropped past early 4th. 4th - 7th Rounders: Jarius Wright - WR Arkansas - If you get Floyd at #10, this guy is the perfect double-down in the 4th round. He is small but a burner who is not only fast, but quick. Maybe not the greatest route runner, but is fluid in his motion. Think of him as a more durable Roscoe Parrish with higher football IQ. Ryan Lindley - QB San Diego St - Might be the perfect guy to work with and groom under the security of having Fitz. He is more of a throwback...tall, huge arm, sit in the pocket, not much mobility. However, he is very smart and has an absolute cannon for things like out routes and the long ball. If this was 1990 he'd probably be a top 40 pick. With all the focus on mobility, he would be a very nice project to develop with the bonus 4th round pick. Chris Owusu - WR Stanford - This guy is VERY interesting. Next to Floyd, he was the most interesting WR at the combine to me. His lower body is powerful and he has the quickest turn of foot of any receiver I saw. Looks like if you can get him the ball in stride, he could break away or make 1st guy miss in traffic. Smart and game, but HUGE injury concern with history of concussions. If he was clean, I would say use a 3rd on him in a heartbeat, but given his history he is another like a QB that you use the bonus 4th rounder on and call it a gift that either works or doesn't. Andrew Datko - OT FSU - Perfect for depth. Has shoulder issues, but is smart and seems like a game guy with character. He has height and bubble, but is a little light up top. If everything goes perfectly, he is smart enough and gritty enough to have a long career and start in a pinch. If it goes bad, he never sees the field because of IR. If he slips to 6th he is worth a shot for sure. Who knows where it all goes, but I figure I'd put out the guys I like and will be watching. The tackle position is the toughest to me since it is Kalil or nothing in the 1st. DeCastro is interesting and safe between 10-15 at guard, but really are ok there.

Sad thing is...they are right where they figured to be. Their norm was 86 points with a max out at 90. Dollars to doughnuts that is where they end up, even from projecting 3-4 months ago. You look back and even Toronto was dead on. There was no way they were going to stay flat.....I thought there was a better chance of them headed up, but they spiraled into utter collapse.

I don't know how many people care.....but by losing these last 2....the Sabres have actually given themselves the best chance to succeed in the playoffs. Of course they need to win 3 in a row and have Washington goof a bit, but by taking this breather, they could be poised to springboard up again. There is nothing stopping them from winning another 4 or 5 in a row now. Say you sneak in and it is very possible to split the first 4 and move forward off of that. I know it doesn't look good, but for a real shot this year, they have just set up what you want to see.

I think you and Swamp need to hook up. Piano players are a dime a dozen, but the 3 hardest instruments to swing on are 1) drums 2) trombone 3) bass Anyone play trombone? We could get a SS skype band going.

So should we start calling you "The Pitcher"?

With everyone seemingly so high on the Sabres chances against NY, if that is the matchup, something tells me I will be taking plenty of Rangers in the playoff hockey draft. Value.

that's what everyone seems to be saying..... I hate thinking about betting against the Sabres in the playoffs, but if the odds reflect popular opinion, I may be forced to. Lundqvist was rested this year.....their team hits from top to bottom. It's the playoffs....where the realisation suddenly hits that you top 3 centers are all 160-180 lbs, you have the same leadership core, Miller has played 2 months straight, and guys like Sekera and Sulzer will be under relentless physical pressure as opposed to the regular season. The entire year the Rangers go on a run, take a breather and support themselves at the same level....then go on another run. 5 times now without breaking support. They look to be ready for another run. The Sabres have been out of their minds and that type of parabolic upswing is usually met with a sharp turnaround. Again...it could look a tad different in 5 games from now, but that is setting up to be a quick exit in my opinion...in almost any way you want to look at it.

:huh:

Even better than the Sabres chart is the Caps. If they won yesterday it looked like a stairstep uptrend where they would probably win 3 of last 5 and clinch. Now they are in muddering land. They still can win 3 of 5, but it doesn't look like a threat to go on a win streak now. The Sabres have now blown through the two lines of concern. There is a little resistance at this point from early in the season, but the biggest concerns are in the rear view mirror. Now....this is to get in. In order to advance, you need them to hit a rough patch now...mabye win 3 of 5, but I would like to see at least 2 consecutive losses before the playoffs. Otherwise, if they go in on a flaming streak, it will be hard to keep up that level and they will be due for a smackdown. If they can start to go slow and steady....then I can see where it is possible to grind out 6-7 game series. The Rangers are just a monster. They are my pick to win it all as they are just an aircraft carrier of movement. Boston is calming down now and looks to be ready to progress up, and Pitt looks to have hit a top. Philly could pullback a little too. The Rangers are a thing of beauty the way they setup though. I can see them getting to the Cup in 5 and 6 game series. I will go deeper once the matchups are set.

Okie Dokie. Not a great time for this to happen....but it has. After the win last night, the Sabres have reached the top line of their season long, downward channel. This was defined between games 10-20, and the Sabres haven't reached this level of play since game 19. Thechnically, they are 1/2 point over their projected level, so tonight becomes a huge bet against. If NY wasn't a big favorite yesterday, it would have been worth it to try it then. They have gone 56 games without testing this level of play. I know things have been going well, but it's times like this why I actually follow the charts so closely. The Sabres are -230 to win tonight and Minny is a 2-1 underdog. Even though you can make enough of a case for this being a trap game, I am not even looking at all the logical variables in this. Not only is Buffalo a bet against in a big way according to the chart, but Minnesota with a win tonight would confirm a V bottom in their spiral of a season. They have backclass, so looking for a win tonight to make it 3 in a row is not crazy. The good news is....you win tonight and you beat Washington, and you are confirmed out of that channel. For the first time since game 7, you can honestly talk about a team that can win in the playoffs. It sets up perfectly with the overall record. IF....they win these next 2, they are a fledgling on the upswing. I would want to see them lose 1 or two after Washington, then win their last 3 or 4 games. That would be the only way to think they have a shot at winning a round. They need to clear this channel....come back to test it......then springboard off of it. It will be cutting it close, but if they sneak in, you could build momentum. If that scenario doesn't setup......they just aren't a good enough team to get by with blowing through this level. If they win say 6 of their last 7, I would be concerned they would be setting up for a bloodbath in the first round and lose in 4 or 5. That's all down the road. Considering with the odds tonight I think betting against them is as juicey as a Kardashian backside.....get through tonight first. If they lose tonight it isn't impossible to get in, but it doesn't look good. Tonight is scarier than Washington to me. On a betapalooza note......I don't often give horse tips, but if you watch NBC Sportsnet today around 5:30, the Vinery from Turfway is on. Winner gets into the Kentucky Derby for sure. There is a horse in there called Stealcase. He has shown some talent in his races, but nothing amazing as of yet. I know this horse since he was a yearling and a friend made a great training sale last year with him. My unbiased view was he was one of the top 3 or 4 at the sale. Today he is running on Polytrack for the first time as his first 4 were on dirt. He just GLIDED over the poly in Ocala when training and I think he will be a good longshot today. On paper the race is pretty wide open and he is 3 or 4 lengths worse than the favorites, but he should be anywhere from 8-1 to 15-1+. I know some follow the ponies. Don't do anything crazy as I have no idea how the horse is doing right now, but I figured since it is on TV and I loved the bugger so much I'd chime in.

googly-woogly

Can you bring your own beer stein? http://www.cafepress.com/+am_i_missing_an_eyebrow_stein,101584888

Yuri Khmylev was sweet! Now his daughter is.

This leads me to.....Apple.... The whole idea was to be anti-establishment...even the motto is "Think Different". Well, they are the largest company in the world, and every yahoo has their head burried in some contraption instead of freaking living life. People are so afraid they are going to miss something, that they now miss everything. Things have become so much about the manipulation of technology that we no longer value the theories and concepts actually comprising the information. At least some of our raging liberal authors had this pegged decades ago.

I sliced my nipple off when shaving my chest hair. No, not really......but I just wanted to be part of the manscaping escapades. Manlaw - Own your unibrow

If you like LSU boys......a certain receiver who has the same skillset as Meachum but had a very awkward combine, just may slide down to us in round #2. That is if we don't go Floyd at #10. If we do something at LT before the draft, be it MNeill or Bell, then I can see where Floyd is the pick. If not, they probably go Tackle #1, then WR/CB/OLB/CB the next 4 picks through round 4. Dem dere holes are shrinkin

Most people assume a dormant volcano will remain just that because they don't see lava and ash spewing into the air. The precursor to eruption will happen underground, slowly and out of obvious sight. Once triggered, it happens fast. Congratulations Buffalo fans......

Wanny rockin' the jeans and sportscoat.....man after my own heart.

Bingo! It was so funny. It was when the Home Shopping Network first started, and he had Ted Darling and Robitaille hocking products during intermission. I forget what else there was, but I remember Wowie Housley Cola......they even gave a phone number to call, although in retrospect i am sure it was a 555.

I like these trips down Memory Ln. I agree with X.....Housley was sooooo smooth. That's why people are going to compare his game to Karlsson....but the Swede is a big more plug in stature, which helps. Wowie Housley Cola.......who remembers that bit on April Fools?

Just by limiting your range of motion and changing your mechanics after 30 years, you risk injury. The neck may be a safer fuse than the back because the back is needed for so much more support, but anyone I know with back fusion ends up getting further proceedures down the road and it is a chronic situation. When Peyton is 55, he may look back at how stupid he was to have 900lbs of manmeat land on him in 10 degree weather on Sundays when he can no longer flex his neck. I hope he is ok, but there are just so many variables that come into play. If he really can put it out of his head and is loose, maybe he is fine. The line is in good shape. Kelsay can go inside, Dareus can go outside, Williams can shift, Spence Johnson is a very nice depth guy, Edwards supposedly will be a question, but he is fine for depth, Merriman will be a 3rd down guy and can go standing up or hand on ground, Moates is going to be another guy who will get some pressure outside. Carrington is interesting. The Bills have guys that can shift all-around the front 7 now in this scheme, so injuries will not be as much of a concern. Merrriman is gravy if he plays. As long as 2 of 4 of Williams/Williams/Dareus/Barnett do not go down this year for the season, should be ok. George Wilson will go to the ProBowl this year with this front 7. He will cherry pick some run blitzes that turn into sacks along with a few timing things. I can see him with 5+ INT and sacks this year. Remember also how the first 6 games of the year, the secondary was punishing guys when they hit them. Confidence up front, and they can tee off and time some routes for big plays. I'm interested that they haven't resigned Scott yet. I really like him with this group.

He should be here....remember, he also used to play DT on passing downs back when he was younger. I think they just will go with numbers and be able to move guys around and plan against injury. They are saying Williams is LDE....but Lieno was also a center for 6 games.

Considering he has had 4 neck procedures since he last played.....I'd question things. Who knows.....he's won a SB, he has proven how valuable he is by the Colts frefall, he can do so much more in life because he is a smart guy and set with money.....I'd hate to see something goofy happen. If he was 28...I could see it.

Problem is, Manning is in Crosby territory. Every time he gets hit hard, everyone is going to hold their breath. I don't understand why Manning is coming back. He is a very smart guy and could make millions in the booth and endorsements. This isn't child's play now. One high/low hit, and he could really be in trouble. I'm very surprised he wants back in. Good luck to him.