Thwomp!

Bills LB A.J. Tarpley retired from the NFL at age 23 due to concussion concerns today. He does have a degree from Stanford which I'm sure will help in his future endeavors.

How is Drew Stafford's new contract applicable? We took way more committed contact in the trade. Myers had missed 78 games over 7 years, including this year, Bogo 108, Kane 114. Stafford far less. Significant to me. It's OK, we can all disagree. Time will tell, much like the Bills' defense this year, right? I obviously don't like the trade more than almost everyone else, but I'm done discussing it. We'll see if it ever works out. I don't think it will.

I suggest you look at the games played for Myers, Bogo, and Kane throughout their careers. Even this year Myers will play more games than either of them. If Myers is injury prone, I'd love to know what Kane and Bogo are. As for the rest I see you as an over the top cheerleader for everything Murray does and unable to objectively process any evidence to the contrary. Murray had made a couple good moves and far more bad or meh moves in my opinion. His evaluation is far more in question to me than with the vast majority of the board including you obviously.

There are plenty enough veterans here without Kane, Bogo, and lehner. Either let the young picks and prospects grow up together and see what you have or make better trades in which you're not giving up way too much for "concepts" that you've valued too highly relative to their real worth and history.

Damn phone. Obviously meant minority. :P I'm excited too. But it's excitement for primarily the young players that we tanked into, not for the majority of the moves that have been made to build the team thus far.

Just ask Gionta for a couple of his uniforms! :P But seriously, great news!

We completely disagree with each other, mainly because I'm not feeling the love for who we got and how well and often they've played. I know I'm in the vast majority here, but Murray's wreckless asset management concerns me and bears watching in the future.

Lehner? Holding on to players too long at the deadline and likely selling for less? Ala Stewart, McGinn, neuvirth? I'd call the LA deal neutral. McNabb has played a major role for them. A hockey trade if you will.

Nope. I would prefer doing what a rebuilding team usually does and stock young prospects and picks rather than trade those prospects and picks along with tradeable assets for someone else's headaches because you're in love with the "concepts". Myers and Stafford wouldn't be here this year regardless. I just don't like what we got for them. That's the 33% success rate I'm referring to.

Good post. The assets won't always be there, especially at the rate Murray blows through them. I'd like to see a hockey trade that works for us rather than a sell the whole farm for someone else's headache trade which is at a 33% success rate so far. The Fasching trade is a good example of this but the only example thus far.

Talk about narrative. You've got a good one going for a long time. Thanks for pointing out that the injury factor is another way that Murray overpaid in the trade. The players we gave up are far more durable than the ones we got. Add that to us giving up far more assets and taking on far more salary for players that aren't worth it.

I'm hoping that "not caring if they are frequently injured" is not on the list of GMTM's ideal player qualities.

The ROR trade was a good one. The only good one in my opinion. You can look at what we gave up for Kane and Bogo as too much along the same lines as the lehner trade. I'm not sure how reinhart fits in here since we tanked for him, not traded for him. Oh and neuvirth had been in the vezina conversation for most of the year until his injury and Murray did not push hard to sign him even though we needed a goalie, he was ok for us last year, and seemingly would have been OK with coming back here. Our first and neuvirth is better than lehner in my opinion.

What a run! I had about given up. I think Ink is right, Malachi looks like the NBA may be calling him soon.

I took it as another indication for him that he's not cut out to be this type of lawyer. He seemed disgusted that they made his idea so boring. I think he also knew his way was/would be more successful in attracting clients. Everyone is pushing him in the boring direction, but the signs are there that he's ready to go his own way soon. I think Kim is all that's holding him back. If she does take the new job, that may be enough for Jimmy to also change things up.

Well to be clear, Terry never said where he would drill new wells. We assumed he'd frack land not ticket buyers' wallets. :D But overall yes, I believe that they are testing what the market will bear, and with the promise of future success that market will likely continue to bear more and more for awhile yet.

This is where advanced stats and production in the box score interact and conflict at times for me. I and many others love zemgus, and the advanced stats can point to all these good and promising things, but what counts in wins, losses, getting to the playoffs, etc. is production. Goals, assists, even plus/minus. Zemgus is woefully short in those categories this year. I have the same or similar argument with Kane much of the time, especially earlier in the year. Yes the advanced stats can be great and promising, but where's the production? Where's the goals and assists that actually lead to winning games? The advanced stats can be a sign of good things to come, but what if those good things never come and the production never meets the promise, salary, needs of the team, and/or the eyeball test?

I like it. For football too. Probably makes too much sense for it to ever happen though. It wouldn't be too difficult to fill that other spot. As I've said I'm sure UConn and Cincinnati would jump at the chance to join if wanted.

Nope. The only scary thing for me was Bogo's play for most of this year after seeing a lot of promise after the trade last year. You may be permanently on the Bogo bandwagon, but I need to see more consistency and proof that he's capable of being a key piece in the future of this franchise.

Good point. I was about to say I've been in the deepest darkest part of the bunker the whole season, but have moved towards the door recently, but I too would like to see better play before the season is lost. I need proof that he's not one of those guys that can't handle being counted on for a winning team.

Wow. That's crazy. I couldn't even imagine going through that with one of my kids. Glad to hear that things seem to be improving for her. Her step dad's dedication and support has surely helped!

I'm already there. The NFL and the Bills drove me there. I didn't watch any football since the KC game last year. Didn't watch the Superbowl for the first time. Will be not watching the Bills season opener this year for the first time. It's just not worth the time and aggravation anymore. I haven't missed it yet. The only vote I have is with my eyeballs and wallet. It's admittedly a small vote, but it's been cast.

Oh I can't stand Kentucky either. No sympathy here for them or their coach. It's just that you used to have to be in the top few percent of players to declare early. Now it's almost everyone no matter how much or well they've played.

Crap! You might be right. I forgot that scenario. Seems like no one stays anymore if there's even a small chance of being drafted. Hopefully he'll realize that he could use another year and be part of something potentially special next year. I think I saw somewhere that every single eligible Kentucky player is declaring for the draft. It's just absolute craziness.

Agree with your sentiments here. It's the way of the sports world now. Not just this sport. The big East was on its death bed as soon as football super conferences started to form. Basketball just can't compete economically with football. The football version of the Big East (the AAC) is ridiculous anyway. I'd much rather be in the ACC than in a nation wide conference with SMU, Houston, and Tulane. Didn't they try to get Hawaii, San Diego state, Boise, etc?