Ghost of Dwight Drane

Ooooh.....taking Latin class for 4 years finally comes in handy here........

Yeah....that's the thing. Who has the nads to punt on 3rd down, or go to the GM and say..."don't draft that 6'6" 335lb tackle from the SEC in the 2nd, get the 6'2" 300lb guy from Iowa in the 5th...."? There are plenty of statistical plays...... If you take Chz to Red Robin on a Tuesday during day 1 of "the cycle".....good luck. But if you send flowers to her work on a Friday of day 14, then have dinner waiting with a nice bottle of Chardonay when she walks in the door, (ok maybe 3 bottles)...... I'm guessing you're going to Fenwick Close......

You've obviously never lived in hurricane alley! OK...here's one for you. A team of top scientists have figured out that your body is most efficient at healing itself and rebuilding muscle when at complete rest, and between 4-12 hours after vigorous exercise. Should the Sabres move their practices, especially on 2 off days and during training camp, to all night practices in order to capitalize? What are we talking about here? All I keep hearing is about the exact same stuff from every single person that claims "advanced" stats are the way to go. The possession, Corsi, Fenway Park, yadda yadda. I see no new ideas out there. I did a study on offensive linemen last month. 87% of games started on the O-line by named starters under Marv Levy with the Bills and Bill Belichick with the Patriots were by white linemen. An NFL study 5 years ago had the league comprised of 49% white offensive linemen. Levy and Belichick represented the AFC in the Super Bowl 9/26 seasons for a strike rate of 34% as opposed to the expected 12%. Of the 13% of games started by non-white linemen for Levy and Belichick, 41% of those games were started by 3 men, Ruben Brown, Damien Woody, and Bruce Armstrong, who combined for 16 Pro Bowls. I see a very valid avenue here. Just the fact that I took the time to research it because it was so obvious to me over the years and I respect those 2 as the best minds of the game since I have been alive.

They just pretend it never happened and everyone is happy.....

That's fine. I agree. I have 400 channels on my TV. 70% of my viewing consists of 2 channels. 90% of my viewing consists of 7. "Advanced" stats is QVC.

But we should sign a 23 year old computer science virgin to determine the $70 million roster of a team?

YES!!! X. gets it...... The Owners are happy....the Union is happy.......and I guess.....the consumer is happy....for they keep lining up for that bread and making excuses for the bakery. The team has cut costs AND raised ticket prices. There wouldn't be an issue if they actually attempted to field a competitive team the past 2 years. Is the actual food at the arena good? Haven't been there in a while.

If it is 3rd and 17 from your 22, and you have a QB/RB capable of getting off a decent kick, odds are you are going to get a 40-60 yd punt that rolls down the field unopposed and unreturned. It is the smart play when everyone isn't looking for it. Like I said, Rothlisberger has done this at least a half dozen times, but it is usually closer to midfield. But compare her to a classical opera soprano.....the opera singer might have a higher range, be more in tune, and can sight read a new song note for note. Have Ella do Ave Maria, and it might be an octave lower, but she has a shot to move you more than the opera singer. Have that opera singer try and scat 6 choruses of Cherokee, and she probably cries off the stage.....

No...I am not buying a ticket to see the Sabres/Flames in March for $70....or even $5. If they fielded a competitive team, and were in the hunt for a playoff spot, or God forbid....a division title...I would think about it...and those 2,000 empty seats would be filled, and you know it. It's a valid plan called Investment. Econ 101. As for "Pegula is awesome!!! He gave the money right back to me!!!". Let's look at it this way.................... Ghost's Bakery has been around since 1970. Your family always loves going to get their bread there and has done so every Sunday (except in the summer when you are in the Hamptons). It has a long history and loyal customers. In 2006, it got the award for best Bakery in NY, and people would wait in line just to get a fresh loaf Sunday morning. In 2010-11, Ghost sold his bakery. Most of the employees remained however. At the time, Ghost charged $4.35 for a giant loaf of his bread. It cost him $2.40 for each loaf. You faithfully went 41 consecutive Sundays to buy that bread. In 2011-12, Ghost's bakery raised the price of their bread to $4.60. It cost him $2.60 for each loaf. You faithfully went 41 consecutive Sundays to buy that bread. In 2012-13, Ghost's bakery raised the price of their bread to $4.85 a loaf. It cost him $2.70 for each loaf. You faithfully paid for 41 loaves of bread in July, but didn't get your first loaf until 8 months later. In 2013-14, Ghost's bakery raised the price of their bread to $5.00 a loaf. New management noticed something though.....people still lined up for this bread no matter how long it took, or if the ingredients were stale. They made a decision to only bake their loaves 80% as big as they did in 2012. While the price of ingredients went up per pound, Ghost's bakery actually lowered their cost to $2.40 a loaf like it was in 2010 when new mangement took over. You faithfully went 41 consecutive Sundays to buy that bread. Now....a new year comes.....Ghost's bakery is now selling bread for $5.25 a loaf. Each loaf costs them $2.40. Last year Ghost's Bakery was rated the worst in NY. Even though you still faithfully lined up for that bread for 41 consecutive Sundays, management decided that they had to do something about the bad publicity. "Hear Ye...Hear Ye.....If you pay us ahead of time for 41 loaves of bread at $5.25 a loaf, we will give you a $10 certificate to be used on any additional items of your chosing at the bakery this year!!!" So....in the span of 5 years...... Ghost's Bakery went from charging $4.35 for a loaf of bread that cost them $2.40 and was award winning a few short years earlier....to.... Charging $5.25 for a loaf of bread 80% as big as it was 5 years ago, that still costs the bakery $2.40, and tastes like playdough. But!!!......they were nice enough to give you a $10 certificate to buy a Pepsi to wash that playdough down with!!! And you faithfully line up for 41 consecutive Sundays................................

The players would see an extra $10-15 million in salary.....it would keep more tenured players in the game....it would make the league more competitive....thus having more ###### in the seats in February, March, and April, and would most likely extend the average playoff series. Not just for the Sabres....for the entire league. How is that not a good faith plan? Those are all variable revenue streams. It's called Investment. And we went through this....Pegula didn't give the money right back to you. He gave you a credit voucher that can only be used at HIS establishment....which in turn gives a % to the league...with hopes that when you take that extra $20 voucher to the SabreStore along with your son, you hear, "Dad? Why do I have to get the $19 pennant? Why can't I have the Cody McCormick jersey? (ERV $159)"

I don't understand. Is it as simple as increasing THEIR gross revenue? The leagues' gross revenue? If so, it's simple. I'm just showing that it not only increases revenues, but could increase the bottom line. Does the league make more money if buffalo has a playoff game or Columbus? If they get a take of the merchandise...i'm guessing Buffalo. The increase in salary outlay can be argued will retain highly skilled players from bolting overseas, and keep older players playing longer. A more competitve league....more teams in the hunt during the regular season for longer....more fans in the stands...longer playoff series... They just need a PLAN....it doesn't have to work, for them to get the revenue sharing money.Heck, they can submit it and document Richards, Callahan, whoever, rejecting them and their gazillion dollar offer....they can say..."that was the plan, we tried, see?" This is as valid of a plan as raising ticket prices. The problem is....the fans eat all the risk as it currently stands. We played this game 2 offseasons ago when the cap went down. Darcy could have traded Miller/Vanek/Stafford/Myers/Ehrhoff and cut Leino. He could have acquired 5 extra 1st round picks in the 2013 draft, which was deemed much deeper than 2014. He then could have taken advantage of the DECREASE in cap where teams had to release quality players to get under. He could have had 7 1st round picks developing in juniors the past 2 years on top of Girgensons and Grigorenko....then had over $30 million per year to sign 6 or 7 REAL players in the $3-7 million per year range for 3 years. You let all the kids develop those 3 years and sprinkle some in....and meanwhile you have an actual team capable of winning out on the ice. Instead....you got what you got.....and a healthy increase in ticket prices each year.....

Wouldn't a valid plan to increase revenues be: 1) We plan on spending to the cap as to field the most competitive team possible 2) By spending to the cap, given our pronouncement that we already have 800 scouts, the greatest facility and training regiment in the world, and the advantage of a rabid Hockey Heaven fanbase that would be of great advantage in the playoffs, we foresee the team to make it to the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs on average. 3) Because there is no player salary in the playoffs under the CBA, we forsee no cost, and (6 games x 18,000 tickets x $80 seat avg.) , when along with merchandise sales, will bring in an extra $13 million in revenue for the team. 4) Given that with us actually attempting to win and spending to the cap, we will increase the overall competitiveness of the league, thus leading to anticipated longer playoff series for all involved, thus raising league revenues, and net profits given no salary needs to be paid out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5) Ahhhh...who we kidding? I'll just spend $15 million under the cap, hand out patronage jobs at $75K a year to every ex-Sabre still alive....and let those suckers line up the next 5 years as we suck balls....

BINGO!!!! Remember how the Wildcat worked for a good 6-8 weeks because Miami had 2 stud backs at the time? Teams tried to copycat it and now you see it once in a blue moon. The "read option"? Sure, teams still use it as it is a valid scheme....but remember when Cam Newton, RGIII, and Kapernick were the toast of the town and everyone was clammoring it is the way to go? You hear stuff like..."you should never punt"...."always go for two"....yadda yadda.....well, when things are used as regularity and not by surprise, the best in the world tend to spend more time on it and figure it out. I'll tell what the smartest play in the world of football is right now.....if you are inside your own 30 and face a 3rd and 12 or more, your best move is to PUNT out of the shotgun to a team in regular defensive formation. The odds of you picking up that first down and going on to score is small. The extra 10-20 net yards in field position you gain from punting to an empty return lead you to a better chance of scoring on your next drive with a new set of downs, and holding the opposition to fewer net points on the exchange. Who has the nads to try that? Once people figured it out though, you'd see new Cover3 set up with a guy 30yds back....and the advantage would even out over time. Pittsburgh does this with Rothlisberger, but usually only to pin a team down. Right now, the smartest play in finding hockey players is to know which teams value possession and "analytics"....let them chase those players....identify players who have character, skill, and grit who may show horrible (Robyn Regehr anyone?), and then bamboozle those teams for those guys. There are plenty of valid statistics, and they have always been used in some form by evaluators. Again though....when it becomes a trend, it is already too late and the fad should be used against itself. I'm not sure how much of this is really used in the NHL, or how much is pumped up by guys on radio and the internet with a median salary of $34,726....... #analytics Baseball for sure....righty/lefty....speed/stamina of pitchers.....speed/power of batters...shift..sac bunt...it's a thinking man's game and always has been. The roster pool when considering Majors and Minors is much deeper however than hockey. It is easier to find a variable that you think may be a diamond in the rough, and find a few guys who fit the mold....because there are twice as many guys on the active roster come September. If you have a theory...it doesn't hurt as much to try it on a few guys. But in hockey, if you have a theory like....we can win with soft-undersized-skilled centers....you just blew up your team for a decade by counting on 2 or 3 guys......

You know in your heart and soul which one it is......

My guess is that Nolan and TM know he is damaged goods to a point, but there wasn't a high enough return on a trade out there for him because of the contract. They are caught in no-man's land with Myers, so might as well try and work as much magic as you can with him. It all goes back to the "Hug/Kick in the Rear" quote when Nolan first started. He's been handing out nothing but hugs for Myers. You shouldn't have to do that for a guy who is paid to be an All-Star, but it is what it is as this point. My guess is if Risto and Zadorov look ready for full time duty in the top 4 by next year, Myers gets packaged this season with someone for a top 6 young forward.

Amen. I think too many people who think analytics are some great force are people who have office jobs, or like goofing around on computers. Music is one of the true comparative fields. You can either swing, or you can't. Nolan swings like freaking Basie, and he doesn't have time to coddle a bunch of Asian string players from Juilliard to try and get them to trade 4's at the 4th of July concert at the bandshell. Give him the 50 year old with the .18 BAC and a junior high education and he'll be just fine. I also love the stats article linked by Wraith. All this hubbub about how dinosaur-like dump and chase is, with the detail and breakdown, then in half a sentence it excuses the times it doesn't work to "bad defense and weak goaltending". Hey Sparky....maybe the reason the defense and goalie looks bad is because while your puss-laiden guys are wracking up possesion time on a carry entry, the times it goes bad leads to a guy getting destroyed, and the remaining partner caught flat footed. Surpise-surprise....Lindy has his own entry stats he follows. I find it amusing the flack Nolan got for his comments. By definition, if you are so bright and feel that he is left behind by not using analytics because everyone uses them, aren't you proving that he is actually correct because everyone else is valuing assets on the same data, thus overvaluing players on a certain set of criteria? Jimminy-Christmas....you had the modern day inventor of this movement on the coaching staff of the Sabres the past decade plus....and look at what it left you with? The biggest collection of underachieving pussbags this side of Paris, and a historic crash and burn.

There is a better chance the Sports Shrink will have the training staff fill Myers' Gatorade bottles with colostrum than there is of him getting the captaincy. Did you see the strategic pairing of Nolan and Myers handing out season tickets? You don't think that wasn't to get him locked into a car with him for 4-5 hours to feel him out?

RIP Big Fella.... This case doesn't count. Any comedian who isn't full of it knows that it wasn't possible to keep up with Robin Williams' mind. You could script a better set, or have a better short term run....but you are a fat man running for 2nd against a Kenyan in a marathon. As for depression.....that is a real issue. It is difficult to pinpoint it in this case. He worked at such a high speed over every single person alive, that it would only be natural to not have peers to identify with. He was a beautiful human being though. I was "glad" to hear of his Parkinsons diagnosis as it made me understand, why now. His brilliance was enhanced so much by his physical actions and voices....I'm sure he already had those slip and could see where it was headed. In any case, it was nice to see an open discussion about the issues here.

Maybe. Either way it would have been 15 yards on a penalty and he was whining as the sideline told him to hold his horses. I think it's over. You can maybe have a guy mature out of indecisiveness......and that rarely is the case, but you certainly can't excuse cluelessness like he showed in a short span. It was really the Wizzard of Oz moment for me with EJ. I understand that many people warned of his locking on receivers and progressions....yadda yadda....and they were right.....but the one thing I clinged to was that maybe he did have a little "it" factor. Nope. I'm late to the party on this one......

I really don't have the patience anymore....thanks though. It's going to be a reak horserace between the Sabres and Bills to see who can get to 3 wins first. I'm guessing somewhere in mid-November for both of them.......

I gave up all hope after last week. With a young QB you can forgive certain things, and I thought after the draft EJ seemed like a smart, in-control kid, who was polite and could be a leader. He is clueless...... In a span of about 12-15 snaps last week against Tampa (haven't seen the Detroit game).... EJ: 1) With 12 seconds left in the 1st quarter, seemingly wanted to get off another play and then sat waiting for a snap with no urgency and no alternative motive. He wasn't trying to draw an offsides, he was just duuuh. 2) Next play, the LOS is the freaking 20 yard line....which the markings stretch across the entire field in bold paint and double sized hash......he scrambles and has no pressure, then proceeds to throw the ball after running to the 22. 3) He fumbles on a sack that is returned for a touchdown. This one is the best.......he immediately starts whining to the sideline that he was down and didn't fumble. He goes on and on for at least 15 seconds and 4 different pleas for them to challenge...cringing and jumping up and down. Here's the deal supposed leader of the team....it's a scoring play....it's going to be reviewed no matter what, and if you throw the flag...your team gets a 15 yard penalty. To top it off, it wasn't even close. The ball was long gone out of his hands before he hit the ground. That ALL happened in about 3 minutes of possession time. Also glad to see the OL guru is coaching these guys up. Your starting line is a guy with a potential terminal illness who has practiced at full speed for a week....the worst rated guard in football last year who you signed in desperation....a quality center who probably wants to put a gun in his mouth by this point.....a 6'8", 30 something year old tackle who hasn't played guard since junior high....and a 7th round druggie who quit on his team multiple times and walked out of the combine. Oh...and Sammy Watkins has left 3 preseason games with injuries while pretty much not being touched. Go Bandits!!!

Thank You Kind Sir!!! I really have to do some research on this......these numbers make zero sense considering the numbers thrown around for a rink. I'm afraid I will end up with more questions than answers, but thank you for the direction.

Many people didn't like when I questioned the true mission and validity of the Kaleta run HITS Foundation nearly 4 years ago when a groundbreaking was announced on a youth hockey complex in Springville. At the time, the mission was advertised as helping sick and needy children, and touted Cradle Beach and Roswell on the front of their website. Burried near the bottom was a blurb about building an ice rink. Here we are 4 years later and not only did they not go through with the groundbreaking, but they claimed to have multiple alternative sites ready to purchase over the years that "fell through". All of a sudden, it had to be at a specific site in Hamburg, a town which already has ice, and they couldn't gain town approval. "Kaleta"...sued the town. Be it with his own funds or the Foundation's funds for lawyers....I don't know. It was shot down and nothing has been mentioned recently about any ice rink project. The Foundation claimed groundbreaking on a $5.5 million project in 2011 in which they would spearhead and use the 7 figure warchest they had built up through donations and grants to help sick and needy children. What happened? Where is the money? Who controls it? I attempted to go to the Foundation's website, but someone didn't pay the bill and it is offline. If there is a new website out there, please inform me. Now what led me to revisit this is the media blitz with Kaleta the past 2 days. The Sabres and their PR have an article up, have tweeted, and WGR did a feature story. It was about a poor guy who had his special needs van and scooter stolen. While the original story was aired and dozens of people offered vehicles, rides, and cash with no publicity wanted, WGR showed Kaleta come to the house of the man and had his Foundation offer...."to rent a van with accesible controls for a month" for the man while he waited for his insurance check to show up so he could get a new van. Kaleta then name dropped the rental agency who would supply the van. That's a nice offer......probably $800-1200 for a monthly rental........assuming the rental agency even wanted the money after the name drop. Considering the dozens of other under the radar offerings by those that don't have a foundation with 7 figures in cash sitting around...or so we hope....I find the grandizing a bit perplexing. Yes...yes....Kaleta does nice things for the community....a lot of athletes do. God bless him. I hope his Foundation takes care of all that cash well. Here is the original thread from early 2011. http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/19523-pat-kaleta-gets-his-rink/

I just turned my AC thermostat up 3 degrees in honor of Yuri.....