Wrapping up The Three Amigos

Well, it didn't take long for the Sabres to decide that Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff are going to stay in Buffalo next year and until the year 2030. Seriously, do Ruff and Regier have some sort of pornographic photos of Quinn and Golisano? I honestly don't think these guys will ever get fired. Why should they get fired? Their owner hasn't been seen since James Woods was his guest of honor. The only time Golisano makes any news is when he's deciding on which political candidate to endorse or hating NYS taxes.

Speaking of dirty politics, can the Sabres stop putting down other teams? In response to a question about the Sabres needing to get bigger, Larry Quinn, the world renowned opportunist, decided to throw the Devils and Caps under the bus because their teams were big and are now playing on the 18th fairway. Yes, it didn't sound whiny, but the message was sent. I just would rather have you look at yourself instead of the environment.

Look, from reading TBN and chilling out on twitter, a lot of people feel that the Sabres brain-trust really do want to win. Hell, the way Bucky Gleason described the trio today, I didn't even think Darcy Regier had a pulse in his body. I even felt bad about writing this blog after reading Gleason's column. Bucky made it sound like these guys were coming back from a funeral.

I'm sure they do want to bring a Stanley Cup to Buffalo. However, the cost of the matter seems to be what I have a problem with. I've heard this song and dance before. I've heard this team talking about doing top to bottom evaluations and wanting to win 10 Stanley Cups. However, I can't get over the times that they didn't change the core of the team in the past.

Yes, I get it. Darcy has the master plan that the kids in Portland are going to rise from the ranks and become the team's next Drury and Briere. You know, just like Derek Roy, Tim Connolly, Drew Stafford, Clarke MacArthur and the other endless prospects that have come through the minors were suppose to do.

Look, lets not beat around the bush. Everyone knew that Regier and Ruff were returning next year. Now, the pressure is on Regier and Ruff to try and make some changes to the core of the roster. Honestly, do you really think the Sabres are going to try? I know most fans might be excited with Reiger speaking about change and not knowing if Tim Connolly would be returning next year. Bold men make bold statements. Unfortunately, I don't think Regier has the guts to do anything.

Don't believe me? Go back to last year's non-playoff birth and Quinn saying that the team would be going through a top to bottom evaluation. Hell, he made it sound like he was calling the people who investigated Watergate. Change seemed to be in the air. Fans acted as if the Sabres may have finally gotten it. However, nothing really changed. Yes, the team picked up Steve Montador and Mike Grier. Both were nice pick-ups, but the core players remained the same. If the Sabres didn't make any changes after missing the playoffs for two straight years, what makes you think they will change after winning the division title?

Yes, everyone feels better after hearing from the powers that be. I'm happy as punch to hear that Derek Roy cares. Oh, and my personal favorite, I'm just so happy that the Devils and Capitals lost in the first round. Acting happy about the Caps and Sabres sitting at home is like losing your job, but feeling all is well because everybody else is unemployed. Sorry, but I get nauseous at thinking that the Sabres could have hosted home games for the next two rounds. Sorry, misery doesn't love company in my blog. OK, I'm getting off track.

Here's my bottom line: I don't really listen to what any of these guys have to say after the season. What are they suppose to say? We aren't going to get better? We loved losing to a lesser team? We think Tim Connolly just had a bad stretch? Oh, and my personal favorite from Larry Quinn; Our goal isn't just to win the cup, it's to win a couple of them. Well, Larry, you've been in charge of this team for 7 years and I still don't believe in you.

The problem is that we really don't know whose at fault for the Sabres lack of urgency in making change. Who do we blame for the Sabres lack of imagination with the roster?

Part of me thinks that ownership uses the minor league system as a way to just supplant talent when their contracts get out of hand. Sorry, but Portland should be used in the interest of making the team better, not saving a buck or two. There's no reason why the Sabres shouldn't bring back Mike Grier and Henrik Tallinder. Both guys had nice years and deserve to be retained. However, paying 5 million dollars for the pair, while having the cheap salaries of Mike Webber and Mark Mancari in the minors, may be too good to pass up on.

Hey, I've always said that the Sabres go out of their way to promote their kids to the public. There's a reason why the Portland Pirates play here once a year. Plus, Sabre fans always seem to drop head over heals for the new guy. No matter if it's an AHL goon or a player that is five foot nothing. Those guys seem to represent the biggest hope management can offer us.

Then there's Darcy Regier. Everyone always talks about how Regier is too smitten over his core guys. Regier is the first guy to always defend himself by using other teams as a way to deflect criticism. Honestly though, who does Regier think he is? It's not like his way has brought us Stanley Cup Championships. He's not Ken Holland or Bill Parcells. Sorry, but winning three division titles is a lot more different than winning multiple championships.

Then there's the Teflon Dom himself, Lindy Ruff. Yes, it's against the 10 Commandments of Buffalo Sports to call out Ruff. I think the biggest reason he gets a pass year in and year out are because the fans/media can't stand Quinn, Golisano and Regier. I assure you, 8 out of 10 people in Buffalo think the upper management are a bunch of hacks. Now I'm not talking about popularity being the problem for the hire-ups. I'm talking about incompetence. Ruff seems to be the most level headed dude of the trio. I assure you, if the Sabres were owned by Mark Cuban and their GM was Rene Robert, people would be calling for Lindy's head.

Sometimes, I wonder what would happen if the Sabres decided that enough was enough and went all Dan Snyder and mortgage the farm for a championship. You know how much pressure would be on Ruff if the Sabres had superstar talent? I assure you, people would be calling for his head if the Sabres struggled. Of course, Snyder will never be confused with Golisano. Maybe that's the reason they constantly advertise their own players as being the core and the fans just keep on blaming the players for the team's fault. It makes Ruff look like a great teacher with a bunch of juvenile delinquents.

Look, I know I'm just blowing some steam about the three amigos. All I want is for this regime to change some of the core guys. If the Sabres are so confident in Gerbe, Ennis and Kennedy, then they shouldn't be worried about trading Tim Connolly, Derek Roy and Drew Stafford. Plus, it's not like those guys had a profound effect on the team's success this year. Hell, I could have E.T.'s fingers and count the number of players that were the true core of the team. It's Ryan Miller, Ryan Miller, Ryan Miller and Ryan Miller. OK, there are others, but I think the top six guys are vastly overrated.

Oh, and don't give me that whole market/salary cap excuse as a reason that trades can't be done. Scott Gomez was traded from the Rangers to the Canadians, while struggling and making 7-million a year, so anything is possible. If the Sabres decide to standpat, then those tears that Regier was shedding today were nothing more than alligator tears. Yes, that's harsh. However, these guys have a checkered past when it comes to really going forward on changes.

It's time for this regime to start walking the walk instead of talking the talk. When you have Ryan Miller and Tyler Myers in your back pocket, you can take chances because those guys are going to be your safety nets. We saw what Miller did this year when his team struggled. He carried them on his back. Can you imagine what the Sabres would have done if they had a legit core? I assure you, they wouldn't be golfing right now.

The Top 5 List: Which young players I'd like to step up for the Bills

Now that the Bills 2010 roster has been mostly finalized, I thought it would be a perfect time to hand out expectations for some of the young core players that need to step it up. Yes, 7-9 seems to be out of the question for this bunch, but there are ways to find a silver lining with a non-playoff team. All I'm saying is that if the Bills go 4-12, we can always find some solace in individual players. Unless, those guys don't step up.

5) Wood-Hangartner-Levitre
Yes, the Bills didn't really address their tackle situation this offseason. I could have put Cornell Green and Demetrius Bell in this category. However, I'm not going to waste my time, because I have absolutely no confidence in the duo. I've seen enough from Bell to know that I have seen enough. As for Green, the guy had more penalties than starts last year. So if my confidence is shaken by the tackle situation, you then have to look for others to pick up the slack. This is where the interior line comes into play.

Both Eric Wood and Andy Levitre are high draft picks that had pretty solid rookie years. Geoff Hangartner was a really nice surprise at center for the team last year with his toughness and grit (Sounds like Adam Mair). Hell, at least he was better than Tutan Reyes and Melvin Fowler. However, if offensive line is suppose to be a collected group effort, the end results were quarterbacks getting sacked and running backs getting tackled behind the line of scrimmage. If the Bills didn't feel like adding legit tackles, they are then telling me that their interior line can carry the load for this team.

Obviously, the biggest question mark for the Bills line is how effective will Eric Wood be in returning from a devastating leg injury. Hopefully, he'll be back because I haven't gotten a clue who would replace him. Do we even have back-up guards on this team? I guess they plan on calling the Green Bay practice squad if someone gets hurt. I'm sure if the offensive line plays like it did last year, the tackles are going to get the majority of the blame.

However, line play is all about being a cohesive unit. It's about having anchors on the line that can make the crappy guy playing next to you look better than what he is. It's not too much to ask for Levitre and Wood to make their teammates better. OK, maybe it is with the likes of Bell and Green. I just want to see this interior line gel and open up holes for Spiller and Jackson. Too many times last year we saw running backs getting hit 0.9 seconds after a hand-off.

NFL coaches always talk about having the ability to run between the tackles. The running game is going to be very key for the Bills next year. Hell, is there even an argument that it's the team's strongest point of attack? The trio of inside guys are going to have to carry the load for this team. God knows they aren't going to get much help from the outside.

4) James Hardy
Man, it seems like it was 10 years ago when we saw James Hardy catch the game-winning touchdown pass against the Jaguars. The Bills were down by six points with a little over four minutes remaining in the game. The team drove down the field and were inside the Jags 10-yard line with Trent Edwards lined up in shotgun. Edwards took the snap, looked over the middle and then threw a perfect ball-in traffic-to Hardy in the right corner of the end zone. Touchdown, Buffalo! Trent Edwards is a star and we are going to the Super Bowl. Seriously, that's how I felt at that moment. Gosh, how the start of the 2008 season was such a tease.

Trent's perfect pass and Hardy's size are what made that touchdown possible. That kind of play was exactly what the Bills wanted from their rookie wide receiver. The Bills basked in Hardy's size and wanted him to be the go to guy in the red zone. That's all we heard about the guy when the Bills used a second round pick on him. Well, that was the last play Hardy really made for the Bills. Of course, the guy had a season ending injury late in 2008 and couldn't supplant T.O. or Josh Reed on the depth chart in 2009. With Owens and Reed gone, Hardy, once again inherits the 2nd wide receiver spot on this team.

However, unlike his first year, the pressure is really on him. The Bills decided not to go out and sign or draft a legit number two receiver for this upcoming season. At times during Hardy's rookie year, he seemed to really have problems getting off the line of scrimmage and gaining separation from defensive backs. I remember during a home game against the Jets in 2008, Trent Edwards lobbed a jump ball in the end zone for Hardy, which was intercepted. Hardy was completely out muscled by the corner back and looked as if he could only jump two inches off the ground in trying to catch the pass.

Hardy is entering his 3rd season in the NFL, which represents a year that wide receivers tend to blossom. Just check out Eric Moulds and Lee Evans 3rd year stats. Now, I'm not asking for Hardy to be a 1,000 yard wide receiver this season. However, a nice 50-catch, 700 yards and 6 touchdown year would be an accomplishment. Hey, I'm not asking for a lot. I'm only asking for a former second round pick to achieve his draft status.

3) Paul Posluszny
I'm not going to sugar coat this, but I truly feel that Paul Posluzny is vastly overrated. First off, two of his three years in the NFL have been mired in injuries. Secondly, he plays poorly against the pass and doesn't have the side to side movement that you would want from your best linebacker. And lastly, he just doesn't make enough plays. Sorry, but take away his Polish name and his Penn State background and the guy's jersey wouldn't even be sold at Bills.com.

Now, I'm probably going a little overboard on the Poz bashing. He's an OK player, but he needs to step up his game. It should only help him going into a 3-4 defense, because it means that he will only have to cover half the field with Andra Davis playing right next to him. Poz really needs to work on his coverage ability and make some plays behind the line of scrimmage. You know, be a play-maker.

Look, I know there are other players on this defense that I should be more worried about. Hell, besides Poz, it seems like everyone else is playing a new position on the front seven. However, like James Hardy, I want Poz to live up to his 2nd round selection. If Poz looks average this season, the Bills are going to have to add inside linebacker to their wish list for next year.

2) Leodis McKelvin
Everyone seems to want to scrutinize Marshawn Lynch, Donte Whitner and Aaron Maybin as being 1st round disappointments. But what about Leodis McKelvin? Lets flashback to the corner's first year with the Bills. Even before the fumble against the Patriots, a lot of fans were calling out McKelvin for the start of his rookie year. It took McKelvin almost half the season to even make it into the Bills nickle package.

After Jabari Greer went down with an injury, McKelvin finally got his opportunity to start and really only had one stellar game against the Chiefs...which isn't really saying that much. At the end of his rookie season, McKelvin started six games and recorded two interceptions. I'll admit, it was an OK season for a rookie, but not the type that is going to make you think he's a star in the making.

Then there was last year. Now, I'm not going into preambles about McKelvin's opening night fumble or his lawn care needing miracle grow. Besides those two incidents, I saw McKelvin and the secondary get torched by Tom Brady and company the first week of the season. Yes, McKelvin's year was cut short after just three games, but you have to wonder whether this guy is going to be an elite corner back.

Now, he has shown some glimpses of being a good player. However, after just starting nine NFL games, I really need to see more from this guy. McKelvin was the 11th overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. For being that highly drafted, I need to see a shutdown corner. Not an elite kick returner or someone that bobs his head like Merton Hanks. I want a guy that can shut down Braylon Edwards, Randy Moss and Brandon Marshall.

1)Aaron Maybin
I assure you, I'm going to have a very large microscope planted on Aaron Maybin's crappy Leonard Smith wannabe hair cut during this season. I don't have to get into Maybin's rookie year. In short: it was like a cross between Eric Flowers and Raffi Torres. By some reports, the Bills switching to a 3-4 defense was in the works even before Chan Gailey or Buddy Nix were hired. I don't care what anyone says, but the reason the Bills decided to switch to a 3-4 defense was to try and jump start Aaron Maybin's career. Whether it was inexperience or being undersized, Maybin just didn't look like a true defensive end.

If you look at Maybin, he has outside linebacker written all over him. He's got a nice first step and his game is all about speed. That's exactly what you want from your outside linebacker. Maybe a full training camp and the experience he learned last year will help him avoid back-to-back terrible seasons. Now, I'm not asking Maybin to become the next Lawrence Taylor for his 2nd year. I'm just looking for a sack or two. Maybe a defensive play behind the line of scrimmage. How about a celebration from Maybin that doesn't involve a special teams tackle. I'm just looking for anything that shows progress.

If you want some optimism for Maybin, consider the career of Terrell Suggs. Suggs started his career kind of like the opposite of Maybin. Well, sort of. Suggs played defensive end in college and seemed to be a little undersized when entering the NFL. The Ravens moved Suggs to outside linebacker during his rookie year and he was named ROY with his 12 sack performance. A couple of years later, the Ravens moved to a 4-3 defense and Suggs really suffered from the move to defensive end. Whenever Suggs is playing at end, he hasn't come close to eclipsing his 12 sack rookie year.

All I'm saying is that even if you have all the talent in the world, you have to be put in a position to succeed. Hopefully, Maybin is in the right position to take a run at being a game changer for the Bills. If Schobel retires, the sack leader on this team becomes Chris Kelsay (5.5 sacks last year). Hell, there's no telling if Kelsay will even make it out of training camp with his salary and age. Even with Kelsay in the fold, Maybin has to be the guy to get pressure on quarterback.

Overall
If there's one thing that most of these players have in common, it's that they were high draft picks. Since the Bills decided to keep Tom Modrak and the same scouting staff, it's very important for me to see these younger guys make progress this season. If they don't, it's is going to cast an even larger storm cloud over One Bills Drive. How can we give Buddy Nix the benefit of the doubt when these scouts that are helping him pick players have this sort of track record? All you need is for one cook in the kitchen to burn down the whole thing. If these players can take the next step this season, my expectations would have been met for the Bills. If not, status quo all over again.

Honorable Mention

1) Brian Brohm: At one point, some scouts thought he would be the number one pick in the NFL Draft. BTW, I'd rather have Brohm win the starting job in camp over Fitzpatrick and Edwards; only to have him lose it to Jake Locker in 2011. Hence the reason why I don't want Brohm to break out. :P

2) The entire 2010 rookie class: Hey, we need all the help we can get this season.

3)Donte Whitner: Pssh, that ship has sailed already.

4)Trent Edwards: See: Donte Whitner

Top 6 Reasons: The Sabres lost to the Bruins

I was a guest on Buffalo Sabres Now on Justin.tv. Please click on this link to hear my opinions on the Sabres. Yes, I sound a little crazy, cranky and mad.


Where the hell do we begin with this? Actually, where do I begin? I really didn't think the Sabres were going to lose this series. Frankly, I wanted this match-up. I thought the Sabres top six forwards would be able to beat down the Bruins and their anemic offense. I thought Ryan Miller would outclass a rookie goaltender. I had absolutely no respect for the Bruins and to be honest, I still don't. I think the Sabres felt the same way too. You can just tell in their demeanor after games that they were a rather confident bunch and really, who can blame them? Seriously? Miro Satan? Daniel Paille? No Marc Savard? Easy win, right? Wrong.

So what the hell went wrong with this bunch?

6) Vanek and Hecht Injuries
Look, even a pessimistic monster like myself has a little bit of a heart. The Sabres missed Vanek and Hecht like an alcoholic misses his Jack Daniels and Labatt Blue. Both these players represent the strongest points for the Sabres; best offensive player and the best two-way player. You think Hecht would have helped the penalty kill? You think the power play-which was absolutely horrible during this series-would have gone 0 for a zillion? OK, maybe it would have.

However, I would never have bet against the Sabres penalty killers. They have been lights out this season. I think the loss of Hecht was an even bigger loss than Vanek. Hecht is so vital to the Sabres defensive play and can always chip in a goal or two. Take away Vanek's brilliant five game stretch and everyone would be singing the blues for Jochen.

Then again, the Bruins were playing without their best scorer too. I'm sure the injury excuse will make the rounds at least 4-5 times during the Sabres season ending press conference.

5)Ryan Miller was great, but not super
Look, I'm not trying to fault Ryan Miller here. He played great this series. However, he didn't look like the Ryan Miller from the Olympics. The Sabres needed Ryan Miller to put on his Super Man cape or Batman utility belt for some of these games. Instead, he put on his Wolverine leopard print outfit and couldn't claw the Sabres to victory. Sure, he stole the Sabres a period or two, but he didn't steal a game. Miller needed to do that and he didn't. Yes, calling out Miller may be considered blasphemy in parts of Buffalo, but he...I feel bad, but he didn't go above and beyond to carry us in this series. If I were to tell you before the series that the Sabres would score 15 goals in six games, wouldn't you think that would be enough for Miller?

Maybe Miller was just too tired from the season or maybe he couldn't handle carrying a bunch of overpaid hacks on his team. Maybe Miller should have just left the beard alone and not gone with the porno mustache. In the end, Miller doesn't deserve to be on this list; but man, we needed a game stealer.

4) Has the Sabres oldest backbone cracked?
I've always talked about how I can't stand the way the Sabres front office always tend to make up excuses for their short-comings. From Marian Hossa never winning the Penguins the Cup to Philadelphia and Montreal's spending habits don't equal success. It just always seems that the Sabres upper management make a career out of second guessing everyone else, but themselves.

However, at least we had Lindy, a coach who never makes excuses. A guy who always calls out players and doesn't hide behind the excuses that the front office seems to make yearly. Well, for this series, Lindy reverted to what Sabres management has stood for: Complaining and whining

If there were a Ten Commandments for Buffalo Sports, I'm sure that "Thou shall not call out Lindy Ruff" would definitely make that cut. Well, I'm calling Lindy out. Everything Lindy did in this series seemed to be a little weird or off, didn't it? It pretty much started after game four. Yes, the referees stunk, but Lindy Ruff sounded like a whiny little bitch in his press conference. Look, Sabres played a decent game four, but Ruff/fans were acting as if the Sabres had the first two periods of their lives. Sorry, but you lost that game because your special teams stunk and Boston took it to you in overtime.

After game five, Lindy Ruff then began begging for the NHL to suspend the Sabre killer, Zdeno Chara, because of getting the instigator penalty at the end of the game. Sorry, but it was Paul Gaustad that decided to take a chunk out of Chara's leg during the melee that was deemed to be instigating. Everyone knew that from looking at the replays. Lindy Ruff was just looking for something/anything to get an advantage over the Bruins. Maybe he should have tried coaching the Sabres up on the man advantage instead.

Then, whether you want to say it's calling out or not, he told the media that it's up to Thomas Vanek to play. I've been watching sports for over 20 years and when your coach says something to that effect, he's sending a message. Whether it was overblown or not, Lindy should understand that Vanek is a mental case when it comes to being pressured.

He should have kept everything in house. The press clippings that Ruff delivered seemed more about making excuses and coddling this fragile bunch than preaching accountability. Lindy should have been slamming the penalty box door in between their private parts for the way some of these guys played.

This just didn't seem like the no non-sense coach that we have all learned to love and give a pass to for the last 13 years. I saw a coach that was at his end whits with this team and was trying to look for anything to hide the fact that the team didn't play well.

Now, should Ruff get fired? No, but he needs to be held accountable. How many times can we just sit here and chalk up the Sabres short-comings to personnel? There has to be a reason that Raffi Torres decided to go scoreless for 20 plus hockey games. OK, Raffi could have just sucked. However, if management keeps on telling us that the top six forwards are more then capable of guiding this team to a Stanley Cup, then someone has some explaining to do.

3) Special teams weren't so special
Awful, just awful. I mean it wasn't even close. I've been preaching during the regular season that the power play was something to watch out for and I mean that in a not so good way. There were just too many games this season that the Sabres looked as if they didn't have a clue what the man-advantage was about. At times, it was as if it was a moral victory for them to just set-up the dam thing. Well, all those worries manifested into what was one of the worst special teams performances ever! Hell, the Bills players from the Music City Miracle thought the special teams were pathetic. They looked horrendous this series. Did I mention that already? Someone needs to call Scott Arniel. Better yet, trade some of the star players who anchor that unit (I assure you, way more on that later)

As for the penalty killing unit's struggle, that comes as more of a shocker. Like I said earlier, losing Hecht for the series really hurt the unit. However, you're going against Boston. The Boston Bruins and Miro Satan. The Boston Bruins and their dead last scoring offense. You would think that Ryan Miller and Lindy Ruff's coaching style/system would be enough to weather the storm of the great Bruins power play. Hell, penalty killing and Lindy Ruff teams go hand and foot.

Well, it wasn't to be for this series. What made it look worse was how the Bruins really just had there way with the man advantage. Even when they didn't score, you couldn't help but wonder "Why can't our power play/penalty killing look this way?" They moved the puck gracefully and put a ton of pressure on the Sabres PP unit. I can't even remember seeing an easy kill by the Sabres. Think about that Sabres fans. How envious were you with the Bruins power play or penalty killing during this series? Would you have really thought that was possible two weeks ago?

2) Top six forwards just aren't good enough
Well, not only did the Bruins outplay the Sabres, but so did the Portland Pirates. I'm sure we can all figure out which players I'm talking about. The names and faces remain the same/invisible for the top six guys. Now, should this really be a surprise? All you have to do is check the Sabres archives in my blog. I've been preaching since December that the Sabres undoing in the playoffs was going to be the top six forwards. Everyone wanted to say that I was just being negative and a Jerry Sullivan wannabe. Unfortunately, my worries were very much warranted.

I've gone over ad nauseam about which Sabres forwards I'd like to see packing their bags to Parts Unknown. Tim Connolly and Drew Stafford are the first to go. I'm not going to get into the preambles about these guys. Hell, the dead horse has been beaten enough and is sitting in a container of Elmer's glue. All you have to do is check out the playoff stats. No goals for Connolly or Roy in this series. Jason Pominville had two of the most quietest goals you will ever see in a series. It's just when the Sabres needed a big time goal, it either didn't come or it came from Tyler Ennis and Mike Grier. Enough is enough with these top six guys. They had their shots at being the next Drury or Briere and they choked it all away.

I'm not saying all these guys have to go, but Connolly and Stafford would be a nice start. Hell, even if you can't get fair value for them, at least I would have the peace of mind knowing that the Sabres realize these guys are finished. Plus, would it be a bad thing to see Tyler Ennis and Nathan Gerbe on the first 2 or 3 lines? I'll leave you with this stat; Tim Connolly and Derek Roy have only scored two goals in their last 22 playoff games. Enough said.

1) Status Quo for Management
Tell me if you have heard this one before? The Sabres didn't do enough at the trade deadline. We heard it after the 05/06 deadline when the team traded Mika Noronen for a bag of pucks. We heard it after they picked up Dominic Moore and re-signed Tim Connolly which was portrayed as a legit deadline deal (eye roll). And now, we are going to hear it for this off season. I never thought I would say this, but after living through the Dominic Moore and Bob Corkum era; Raffi Torres brought a new low to deadline day deals. Hell, has anyone ever been benched after being acquired at the trade deadline? I said it before, the Sabres needed a trade in order to compete with the top five of the conference. Well, little did I know that they couldn't even compete with the bottom half.

Management screwed this up. If I could see the question marks regarding the top six forwards, then the Sabres management should have saw it too. Yes, on paper, Raffi Torres looked like his physical play would fit with the Sabres. Well, the dude couldn't even crack the line-up because he was either out of shape or just playing out the string. The Sabres management owed it to Ryan Miller, Mike Grier, Lindy Ruff and all of the fans to make a legit trade for the playoff run. Torres wasn't that guy and they deserve to be bitch slapped for it.

Look, Darcy Regier has done some great things with this organization. He's drafted guys like Ryan Miller, Tyler Myers, Thomas Vanek and a host of other NHL players. However, when it comes to trying to get his team over the hump, he always seems to have a knack to clam up and not do a dam thing. He failed during the President Trophy year to realize that the team needed more grit. For the last two years, the Sabres seemed to only need one more player to at least get into the playoffs. Sorry, but Dominic Moore and Big Bear aren't going to cut. Now, we have Torres to go on the Mount Rushmore of failed trade deadline deals.

Everyone knew that the Sabres had to get better to compete for a Cup. You can only play the Miller and the East is weak card so often. For goodness sakes, when Cody McCormick and Nathan Gerbe are being called up to add spark to your team, you have issues.

In the end, the players gave us a great effort in the playoffs, but they just weren't good enough. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about Darcy Regier's effort.

Overall
Look, I'm very angry right now, more so than usual. I'm sure my year end post will be a lot nicer than this. I'll say this, if you want to sugar coat the playoffs as a learning experience for the Sabres, I'm just not buying that. Prior to this series, the core of this team has played in over 30 games in the postseason. The Sabres had 14 players with playoff experience on this roster. Um, sorry, but these aren't all little kids that just turned 21. Obviously, the Derek Roy's and the Tim Connolly's should have learned their playoff lessons in 2006 and 2007. Those guys are lost causes if you ask me. Hopefully, guys like Ennis, Myers and Gerbe aren't slow learners.

Bottom line: The Sabres problems aren't as complicated to as brain surgery. All the Sabres have to do is trim the fat off some of their top six forwards and re-sign Tallinder and Grier. That's it. Will they do it? Probably not. But at least they are changing their uniforms!! (Double eye roll)

Wrapping up the Draft

SUPER BOWL! SUPER BOWL! SUPER BOWL! Yesssssssss!!!! The Bills drafted a quarterback from Troy! You thought Steve Young and Joe Montana was a quarterback competition? You ain't seen nothing yet! OK, so the Bills didn't really address their quarterback need this weekend. However, I still stand by my comments that this is a rebuilding stage for the Bills. It's going to take years for this team to get better. There's no need for the Bills to reach for a position if they don't think that pick can be an outstanding player. If the Bills didn't feel the draft had a legit franchise quarterback, it's a smart move for them to wait until next year's class.

Now, are the Bills better than last year's team? Well, if you think Chan Gailey is a way better coach than Dick Jauron, then they should be. Personally, I think they are less than a 6-win team. It's going to take time for the defense to transition into a 3-4. Even with the addition of Spiller, the offense is still going to lack quarterback play, a second wide receiver and a left tackle. In Gailey we trust? Not with this bunch. At least not yet.

Now, if you're a smart football fan, you have to realize this isn't going to turn around right away. It's going to take years. I have no clue if any of these draft picks are going to be hits. Some GM's/scouts say that a successful draft consists of having 3-4 players make the transition to the pro game. Like I've said, it's going to take 2-3 years to find out whether Buddy Nix's draft class is going to be successful. On the surface, it would seem as if the Bills addressed their needs on the defensive side of the ball. They found their fat guy in the middle of their defense and acquired depth at defensive end and outside linebacker. It also sets-up the team to go full blown for offense in the 2011 draft.

Of course, it should be noted that Tom Modrak is still the guy in charge of the college portion of the draft. Yes, the same guy who was involved in the drafting the likes of JP Losman, Mike Williams, John McCargo, Marshawn Lynch and Donte Whitner. Honestly, Modrak should have been fired at least 2 or 3 different times. Now to be fair, if the Bills get any sort of production out of Aaron Maybin this year, Modrak will have hit a home run (OK, more like a triple) with his 2009 Draft Class.

As for this year's class, I think you have to give the Bills a grade of....F#$K THAT! Haven't you been listening to me over the last month? I'm not giving grades a day after the draft eneds. I'll say this, if the Bills hit on their first 3 or 4 picks, they won't have to worry about their front 7 for a long time.

Look, draft weekend is all about hope. It's a great weekend for football and its fans. However, in the short-term, the majority of the players chosen this weekend aren't going to put their teams over the hump the first year.

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Quick Hits

--I have mentioned this before, but it bares repeating; The Bills may not have been interested in drafting a left tackle because if that player becomes a franchise guy or even a decent tackle, you're going to have to pay him 10 million dollars a year. That's the going rate for that position. The Bills didn't want to pay that to Jason Peters, so what makes you think they would change their mind for another player?--

--Speaking of Jason Peters, it looks as if the Bills are going to try and make Ed Wang into a special project at left tackle. Nix characterised Wang as still being "developed." I'm sure some naive fans will be pointing at Peters development for a reason to believe in Wang and for that matter, Demetrius Bell. We should only be that lucky. But hey, Ralph Wilson always talks about having a lot of luck to succeed in the NFL--

--Mark my words; Marcus Stroud and Chris Kelsay will NOT make it past training camp. Right now, the Bills have a ton of depth with their front seven. I can't even wrap my head around their three-man front rotation. Same goes for the linebacking core (with or without Schobel). The Bills may be inclined to just say f#$k it and start from scratch with their front seven. Hey, the Bills decided to cut Langston Walker (overpaid) 10 days before the season opener and started a guy that never played a down in the NFL. Plus, I don't really think Stroud and Kelsay are worth the money they are getting paid, and we all know the Bills aren't shy about cutting salary--

--You really can't say the Bills reached for Torrell Troup. Yes, some mock drafts had him going in the third round, but they were still a number of nose tackles available like Terrence Cody. By Buffalo's account, they got the best NT off their board at that time--

--The more I think about it, the more I still don't like the AJ Spiller pick. Buddy Nix spoke very highly of Spiller's return game. Um, I thought the Bills have like the greatest returners in NFL history on their roster? Besides McKelvin's mishap against the Patriots, the guy's more than an adequate kickoff specialist. Plus, if Roscoe Parrish can get his head on straight, the bills will still have a decent return game--

--Look, I think Spiller can be a big time play-maker. However, for Ralph Wilson and the Bills hire-ups to make him out to be a franchise back is a little bit flawed. He's carried the ball more than 150 times just once in his four-year career at Clemson. Judging by his size, he doesn't seem like the type of back that you can give the ball to 25-30 times a game. Yes, I know, he can do other things. However, for the Bills to use a pick that high on a running back that seems to be better served in a running back by committee setting or a change of pace style is a little too high for me--

--Marcus Easley could very easily be the Bills 3rd wide receiver on opening day. You never know what the Bills will do with Roscoe Parrish, whose been on the trade block since last year. Plus, Stevie Johnson and James Hardy still have a lot prove. Hell, Easley could crack the starting line-up. OK, I doubt that, but he'll get some playing time. Easley's game seems to be running after the catch and catching balls over the middle. That's something that was going to be missed with T.O. and Josh Reed gone from the roster--

--I have to give the Bills credit for at least drafting guys to fit in their 3-4 scheme. There was no way they could have undersized Kyle Williams as their starting nose tackle and a bunch of 30 year-old converted outside linebackers. The foundation of their defense has been set by youth--

--We could find out very shortly if the Bills whiffed on not picking Jimmy Clausen. Matt Moore? You would think that a guy touted to be a top 10 pick by some experts; would be able to jump over Moore on the depth chart. I know Clausen must not be happy going in the 2nd round, as it's going to kill his rookie contract. However, he's going into a nice situation with Carolina. The Panthers still have Steve Smith, whose a top 10 wide receiver. They also have a great 1-2 punch in Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams at running back. Their line only gave up 33 sacks last year. If success is Clausen's ultimate goal, he should be a lot happier than Sam Bradford--

--Now to Marshawn Lynch. I know most fans would love to tar and feather him and then drive him to Parts Unknown to get him out of a Bills uniform. However, if the Bills can't get anything for him, why not just hold onto him and wait for a team whose starting running back might go down with an injury? What if the Adrian Peterson goes down with an injury? Don't you think the Vikings would be desperate if their workhorse missed two months? Honestly, is it really going to bother you to see Lynch in a Bills uniform next year? I mean there are bigger fish to fry with this football team than to worry about Lynch being the 3rd string running back--

--I'll leave you with you some optimism. San Diego's first draft pick under Buddy Nix/John Butler/AJ Smith was LaDainian Tomlinson. They decided to build their team around LT, which worked out. Of course, the Chargers didn't get to the playoffs until three years later, when Drew Brees threw for 27 touchdowns. Sorry, but I don't think Trent Edwards is going to eclipse that--

--OK, here's another optimistic comment to leave you. I know the thought of having Brohm, Fitzpatrick and Edwards fighting over the starting job makes all of us sick. But, it should be noted that it's a lot better for a rookie quarterback to walk into a situation where he has more of a complete team surrounding him.

One of the reasons David Carr and Tim Couch failed in the NFL was because they went to expansion teams that didn't have much of a supporting cast. Those two guys were doomed from the start and could never recover from it. Guys like Mark Sanchez, Phillip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco walked into situations where they had great talent on both sides of the ball and succeeded because of that. In the end, maybe it's better for the Bills to build their team in other areas and then have the quarterback position be the icing on the cake--

--Now, I'll say this; I'm more disappointed in the Bills not addressing left tackle than a quarterback. I thought having Bryan Bulaga playing next to Eric Wood would have been an ideal situation for the next 10 years. Take Mike Williams out of the equation, and it's pretty fair to say that there's a better success rate to draft offensive lineman than quarterbacks in the first round--

--Winners for the Bills draft: Trent Edwards and Demetrius Bell. Sorry, but those two guys are starting against Miami--

--Losers for the Bills draft: Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. Get ready to carry the ball 5-7 times a game or fill the Gatorade buckets--

--Lastly, I mentioned this during my Top 5 reasons the Bills will not draft Jimmy Clausen column. By all reports, Ralph Wilson was very high on drafting Trent Edwards in 2007. History shows that if Wilson likes you, he's keeping you around (See: Tom Modrak). He may just think that Edwards needs a legit quarterback coach to steer his career back on track--

My thoughts on day two of the draft

I know what you are thinking. Great, here's Joe, he's going to just kill the Bills for drafting two guys that the general public has never heard of. He's going to curse out the Bills for not picking Clausen and a left tackle. He's just a naysayer, blah, blah, blah. Well, on the contrary, that's not where I'm going.

Look, check my draft archives. I've always stated that I only grade drafts on what needs are filled. I'm not a draft expert and I don't even think the ones on TV are either. I hate the fact that experts give grades on teams before they even put on an NFL uniform. I remember in 2002 when Peter King touted the Bills for having the best draft class that year. Of course, that was the infamous Mike Williams draft. I hate it when fans/media take on a "Now" approach with players being drafted. You always get people who hate or love the selection, and I truly never understood that. You will never be able to rate a draft class until 3-4 years from now. Just because you're drafted as the first pick or the last pick, doesn't qualify you for being a legit NFL Player.

In the end, I only grade what needs the Bills have filled. I've said that the Bills had to draft the best available player on their draft board, not from Mel Kiper's mouth. Yes, I have no clue who the hell Torell Troup and Alex Carrington are. But, I do know that the Bills needed defensive line help. Yes, those guys aren't the sexiest names to be drafted in Bills history. However, if they pan out, they are going to eliminate the issues the Bills have had with their front seven.

Trust me, I got caught up in the moment; wanting the Bills to grab Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd round. Hell, I'm only human and drafting a quarterback would get me a lot more excited about this team. It didn't happen. Again, I have no clue if Clausen is going to be a player or not. No one does. Now, if he rips up the NFL by storm, I'll be sure to send Buddy Nix a package full of anthrax (I kid, sort of). However, if the Bills didn't think Clausen was a legit NFL player, then I'm cool with them not drafting him.

Now, I know you may be thinking that I'm backtracking on my first day rant on CJ Spiller but I'm not. When you have that many needs and it's the first round, you need to pick both the best available/need player. It has to be as even as possible. Spiller just wasn't an even choice in my view.

Back to today, even if the Bills went tackle and QB with their 2nd and 3rd round picks, fans and media members would still be s#$ting on the team. Bottom line: No matter who the Bills picked, they were still going to end this weekend with a number of holes to still fill in.

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I'm actually happier about the 2nd day of the draft than I was about the 1st day. No need for me to get into my first day rant about CJ Spiller (Already documented). Leading up to the draft, I said the Bills needed a legit nose tackle to really make the 3-4 defense work. Now, I'm a little befuddled that they drafted someone that seems to be the same size as Kyle Williams. Both Williams and Troup are only separated by 10lbs in weight and 2 inches in height (That's what she said. BOOM!). However, someone told me on twitter that Williams weight distribution is different from Troup's (No clue how that helps, but whatever).

As for Carrington, all you mock draft lovers should be happy with him, as he was slated to go in the 2nd round by most experts. It's a smart move for the Bills to find depth at defensive end because Marcus Stroud isn't getting any younger or cheaper. Unless he makes all-pro, I firmly believe that this will be Stroud's last year with the team. The Bills don't normally keep expensive, older players around when they are not living up to their contract. As for improving the defense, if there's one thing that the AFC East isn't lacking, it's offense. The Bills needed to address the defense and hopefully, these picks will help them accomplish that.

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Quick Hits

--As for the QB dilemma, like I said, it is going to take the Bills years to become a contender. If they believe that next year's draft class has the heir apparent to Jim Kelly, then they should wait. Yes, I want to poke my eyes out at the thought of Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm as their quarterbacks. However, if you want a brighter outlook, experts are saying there are 4-5 first round quarterback prospects for next year's draft. Plus, the NFL will more than likely have a rookie cap by then. Trust me, that's good for Bills fans--

--I don't want to say I told you so (OK, I kind of wavered on it), but I told you that it wouldn't be a slam dunk that the Bills would address tackle. All you had to do was factor in the following:

1) The team had tackle issues last year and didn't address it.

2) The team used two of their first day picks on lineman in 2009.

3) From 2001-2008, Nix's former employers drafted only two lineman within the first 2 rounds.

4) Ralph Wilson has a history of not caring about tackles.

Look, I get that some of you are going to say that Buddy Nix is the new sheriff in town and that he's a real GM. However, the deputy (Modrak), the parole officer (Brandon) and the judge (Wilson) are still here. I would love it if the Bills decided to address their line play. Bruce Campbell is still available and by looking at a number of the mock drafts, he would be a steal in the 4th round. Then again, so was Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd--

--I totally forgot that Aaron Schobel was still on this football team. What nerve by this guy. You're not Brett Favre! What a fricken joke that the Bills have to still wait for him. I still would love it if they could maybe find a trade partner for him and get a left tackle in return. I have no clue where they are going to fit him on the roster. Excluding Schobel, the team has five linebackers that look to be starters. I guess that can be looked at as a good thing--

--I got two words for you: F#$K ESPN!!! Do they really have to interview Mike Holmgren during the Bills 2nd round pick of Torrell Troup? As if Holmgren turning down an interview with the Bills didn't piss me off enough. This isn't last year when ESPN had an all-day event and needed interview fillers to keep the viewers attention during the 10-hour extravaganza. ESPN had 24-hours to hype the second round to the moon. So what's the payoff for Bills fans? Seeing Holmgren interviewed during their pick.

Not only did you not hear the commissioner's announcement of the selection, but ESPN decided to give about 10 seconds worth of information about Troup. The only info that was given about the nose tackle was Chris Berman announcing the pick and saying the guy was good. That's it. No Kiper, no McShay, not even a dam highlight package. I guess the logical reasons for the lack of incite was either ESPN not having the footage of Troup or Mel Kiper's head exploding after Clasuen wasn't picked--

--BTW, I counted three coaches that turned down the Bills that were on ESPN from 5:45-7:45. Holmgren, Shanahan and Gruden all got some air time. Thanks a lot for saying no. A$$holes!--

--Please, can Ralph Wilson never speak during a Bills press conference? I'm sorry, but every time he opens his mouth, I either turn the other way in shear embarrassment for him or just cover my eyes and ears. Today, he introduced Chan Gailey, Tom Modrak and Buddy Nix as if they had just been hired yesterday. Poor guy--

--Speaking of Ralph, I'm really happy that he admitted that it was his fault that the team was boring over the last 10 years. Too bad he didn't realize this about 5 years ago--

--Is Marshawn Lynch ever going to get traded?--

--Here's the bright side to look at for the Bills; I believed that the Bills would at some point make a splash via free agency or the draft to sell tickets and raise the morale of the fans. You know, that get rich quick scheme that never tends to work on the field. Well, I really don't think Spiller, Troup and Carrington are going to sell a bunch of tickets. Maybe this is a sign that they are serious about starting all over. Then again, maybe the Bills hierarchy know that the fans are going to come anyway--

--Lastly, lets take a moment to realize one thing: Not many rookies make an impact for their football team. I can count the number of rookie players on my hands that had a huge effect on their teams from last year. It takes time for these guys to become pros or busts. It's the main reason why the NFL Draft is complete overkill. I'm not going to give my prediction yet for what I see for the Bills, but I don't think it looks good for next year. I'm not talking 7-9, which is understandable. I've been saying this is a rebuilding process. If my gut feeling is telling me the truth, well, let me start the campaign for 2011:

Jake Locker for President...err...Starting Quarterback for the Bills.

Quick Sabres Thoughts

First off, I hate the NFL Draft. I really do. You want to know why? Because they got me! I wanted to give my full attention to the Sabres game. However, Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen's stock falling was just too good to pass up on. Plus, I wanted to see if the Bills would get their quarterback. Yes, I watched about 50% of the hockey game and will catch the replay on Center Ice. So, I'm just going to wrestle off some random Sabres stuff.

-Look, I pretty much acted as if the end of the world was happening after game 4. I still stand by those comments. However, this series is really far from over. Hell, its the Sabres. They were inconsistent all year; losing three straight and then winning four straight. They now have 72 hours to get Thomas Vanek healthy. They have to beat a not so great Boston team (Sorry, but I still don't think they are that good) in two straight games. Kind of sounds simple, doesn't it? Tonight's game was about five things:

1)Solid effort from all four lines.
2)Finally not losing a lead.
3)Still trying to pile it on when they were out in front.
4)They played all 60 minutes.
5)Outhit the crap out of the Bruins.

-Who the hell needs the trade deadline when we have Portland? I know I've been skeptical about anointing rookies as the second coming, but when Tyler Ennis is your leading playoff scorer, you got things working for you. Actually, it could mean that your team really sucks. But Ennis looks like someone that we are all going to enjoy for a very long time. Whenever he gets the puck on his stick, you kind of get the feeling he's going to do something special. The guy has game-breaker written all over him. As for the other Pirates, McCormick and Gerbe were big time gamers tonight for the Sabres. Lots of energy and hitting from the duo-

-Loved Ryan Miller pulling Miro Satan off the rugby pile up. BTW, no way Chara gets suspended for getting an instigator penalty in the final seconds of the game. Yes, I know, there's some sort of terminology involved that if Chara uses self-defense or something, he gets off the hook. However, this is the NHL. They don't discipline star players, especially in the playoffs. Hell, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the referees use a different rule book for the post season. Which I'm sure the NHL hire-ups will do the same thing when they are looking to discipline star players-

-Love Mike Grier! Takes a shot off his head and is bleeding from behind his ear. Does that stop him? Nope. The guy just keeps on ticking like a Timex Watch. BTW, tied for the team lead in goals for the playoffs. You guys better resign his ass!-

-Sorry, but that's all I have on the Sabres. Like I said, I was watching the draft. But the Sabres just need to play like they did tonight and we will be seeing a game 7 in Buffalo. Prediction in my RJ Voice: "This series is going back to where Millard Fillmore's buried!!"-

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Side Note

You know, I was going to save this for one of My Buffalo Media sports blitz columns, but I really want to get into this for a second. Can WGR at least try and not shove 10 hours of non-stop Sabres coverage down my throat? Look, I get that you work with the Sabres and you have to make money off each other. But for god sakes, they were babbling for hours about Vanek being healthy and that maybe Lindy Ruff was holding him back. It was so convoluted that at one point, I had no clue what the hell they were talking about. Seriously, they literally sounded as if they were making this story up.

However, that's not me beef. I'm just sick and tired of WGR treating the Bills as some second rate franchise (OK, they kind of are) that resembles the Buffalo Blizzard or Buffalo Destroyers. Do I really need to get into the love affair the city of Buffalo has with the NFL and the Bills? The NFL has made the Draft into the second biggest event in the football calender year. Can the hosts at least look at a mock draft to understand what players are available? Can they maybe make a phone call to Mark Gaughan or a NATIONAL draft expert to speak about players available? I mean, if you can have the entire broadcast team of Versus and MSG as guests on your show, you could at least have Todd McShay on. For goodness sakes, Pierre McGuire doesn't need to be on WGR three times a week.

If you're going to have Joe Buscaglia (Who acts as their draft expert) as your go to guy for draft coverage, don't you think he should have been on at least once during Schopp and the Bulldog? Seriously, I don't even think the afternoon hosts interviewed anyone with draft credentials. Now, it should be noted that Buscaglia now has his own show that has aired like 3 times during the last two weeks; at the not so friendly talk show hours of 7-9pm. Bottom line: your "Draft Expert" should be on during peak hours for your radio programming. God forbid the NFL Draft takes away from Schopp and the Bulldog discussing the TV show Lost and Hot dogs.

The only time Schopp and the Bulldog spoke about the draft for more than 10 minutes was when they talked about Tim Tebow. That's it. For the last two months, all I heard was Bulldog drooling (Ironically, like a dog) over the concept of having Tebow play for the Bills. I assure you, the reason why the WGR hosts decided to use Tebow as their draft coverage poster boy was because he's the easiest topic to talk about. Everyone has an opion about the dude and you don't have to be a college football expert to know about him. It's a lazy topic done by lazy hosts who just don't feel like researching anything. Hell, I think they made up the Vanek topic from today just so they can avoid speaking about the draft.

Then to top it off, Schopp goes all (Paraphrasing here), "Well, we aren't really getting many calls about the draft, so lets keep going with the Sabres." Um, Mike...the reason why you're not getting many calls is because you know of only 10 players in the NFL Draft and the Tim Tebow topic can only be rehashed so often. I'm sure if you had a draft expert on the show, taking questions about certain players, you would get some calls.

Yes, the Bills suck. But you shouldn't ignore them. OK, my rant is done.

Bills draft CJ Spiller + Quick hits

So, the Bills went into day one of the NFL Draft needing either a quarterback, left tackle, nose tackle or defensive end/outside linebacker. Of course, you would think the Bills would solve one of these problems today? However, at the end of the day, they still need all of the above.

Shocked. But really, should I be? I mean, we are talking about the Buffalo Bills. Why on earth would you spend your 9th pick in the draft on a running back? I've gone over the statistics ad nauseam! I've mentioned the history of finding ideal running backs in the later rounds. I've mentioned that if you are going to draft a running back that high, it better be when you're a player away from the Super Bowl. Bottom line: Drafting a running back in the first round is a luxury that the Bills CANNOT afford!!!!!! (I could put another 20 exclamation points)!!!!

Look, I get the notion that you are suppose to pick the best player available. Hell, I've been preaching that concept the entire time leading up to the draft. However, the Bills don't need a running back!! Did Fred Jackson have to break OJ Simpson's single game record against the Colts to prove himself? I understand Chan Gailey wanting to find his dam waterbug running back. Hell, I wrote that in my GM column from two months ago. But not at the expense of the 9th pick!?

This marks the 5th time in the last 13 years that the Bills have drafted a running back within the first two rounds of the draft, which is now the most over that span in the NFL. It's also the third first round pick they have used on a running back since 2003. Haven't the Bills understood what happens when you draft a running back that high?

Lets flashback; I know Bills fans hate Willis McGahee and Marshawn Lynch. I get that. One guy is a punk and the other guy hated the city, the nightlife and the women. However, if you look at their numbers with the Bills, they aren't bad. Actually, they are pretty good. Remember when McGahee burst onto the scene in 2004? Remember when Lynch was Beast mode? Hell, people were comparing him to Adrian Peterson during their rookie years. Both guys gained over 1,000 yards. Both guys were regarded as team MVP's. Yes, they were jerks, but they played well when they were starting. What did their stellar seasons lead the Bills to? Mediocrity.

You'd think that the Bills would learn from history to at least try a different tactic. They have wasted 1st round picks on running backs and the end result is the same! Look, I don't think CJ Spiller is going to be a bust. He looked great in college. Hopefully, Spiller doesn't run over some fat chick on Chippewa street and really takes a liking to Dave & Busters. But I cannot stress the fact that you can find running backs/waterbugs in the later rounds. I can't stop writing that Fred Jackson is more than an adequate starter.

I know you're going to tell me that he's a home run threat and can score whenever he gets the ball. Fine. However, you are going to need other players around that are going to help him get those home runs. Chris Johnson is a great back, but if he's not playing behind an all-pro offensive line, he's going David Ortiz without the steroids. Remember last year? We saw defensive players hovering around Buffalo ball carriers at 0.9 seconds after a hand-off. That's an offensive line problem. I just don't get it. I'm sorry. I really do want to get it.

Look, I know you think I'm just trying to be Jerry Sullivan Jr. I do want the Bills to succeed. I want to believe. I was looking forward to this draft. I wasn't going to be critical if they drafted Clausen. I wasn't going to bitch if they drafted Bulaga. I wasn't going to complain about picking Dan Williams or Derrick Morgan. However, a running back? It doesn't make sense. I just can't stand here and not be upset with this choice. The Bills have 3 running backs who are capable of gaining a 1,000 yards. For goodness sakes, their running backs have almost scored as many touchdowns as their quarterbacks. Maybe they will run the dam wishbone offense.

I just don't like the pick. The Bills needed to address other needs. They needed to get away from the luxury picks that Marv Levy and Tom Donahoe use to make. They needed to realize they are rebuilding. You don't rebuild your football team by drafting a running back with the 9th pick. That's why running backs hardly get drafted in the top 10. Instead, the Bills drafted as if they were a player away from contending. Hell, when was the last time an all-pro running back was on a Super Bowl team?

Like I said, I'm sure Spiller will be a fine addition. Running backs tend to be the most explosive players during their first years. However, we saw what a great rookie running back brings to the table for the Bills. And that's nothing luxurious.

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Quick Hits:

-Dam, what the hell happen to Jimmy Clausen? Maybe he shouldn't have thrown his wide receiver under the bus when he was interviewed by Jon Gruden. Honestly, if the Bills somehow traded up and drafted Clausen, I would feel a hell of a lot better with Spiller as my first pick-

-The Tim Tebow watch is finally over! Thank god! I'm done hearing about this dude. I'm glad the Bills didn't draft him. I just feel he's nothing more than a project. No way he starts for the Broncos next year-

-Remember when Bill Parcells was with the Patriots and made the comment about wanting to shop for the groceries? Well, Chan Gailey is definitely hanging out at your local Wegmans. He said in February that he wanted a waterbug/running back off his grocery list. Well, he got that. By reports, the Bills were trying to trade back into the first round for Tebow, which would verify Gailey's love for an athletic quarterback. Yes, Chan Gailey is doing some of the shopping at One Bills Drive. Hopefully, he doesn't burn the kitchen down-

-Here's another reason why the Bills may not have wanted to draft a quarterback with the 9th pick. Quarterbacks that are drafted in the top 10, tend to get more money than any other positional players. For example, Matt Leinart fell to the 10th pick in the 2006 Draft and signed a six-year, 51 million dollar contract. Last year, Aaron Maybin went to the Bills with the 11th pick and received a contract for 5-years, 25 million dollars. That's a big difference to pay for someone that hasn't taken a snap in the NFL. I don't care what anyone says, money is always going to be on the table with the Bills-

-Winner of the 1st round: 49ers drafting Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati. They don't have to worry about their offensive line for the next 10 years-

-Loser of the 1st round: Denver Broncos drafting Tim Tebow. Sorry, but this guy couldn't take a snap under center at the Senior Bowl. As for his new throwing motion, it's a hell of a lot easier to throw the football at the combine/high school field than having Shawne Merriman chase you down on Sundays. Honestly, I'm being harsh on Tebow because I'm so sick of hearing about him. See you in 2011, Timmy-

-Where do I see the Bills going tomorrow? Tough call. Ideally, maybe the Bills will try and get another second round pick and draft a LT and QB. I wouldn't mind seeing Jimmy Clausen and Bruce Campbell playing here. Last year, the Bills had to give up their 3rd and 4th round picks to get back into the 2nd round to select Andy Levitre (51st pick from Dallas). How about trading those picks + Marshawn Lynch for the Vikings 34th selection. Use that pick to draft Clausen and then select the best available tackle at 41. Now, that's just being me. Oh, wait. The Vikings will probably draft Clausen and they don't need a running back. That's it, I give up.

If my Monty Hall approach doesn't work, I can see the Bills going with Bruce Campbell, Charles Brown or Colt McCoy in the 2nd round. Gun to my head; I'm going Charles Brown with the 41st pick (As I don't think McCoy will be there). As for the third round, best available player-

Chat time!!

Real quick. Please join me as I'm going to be co-hosting a live draft chat on Buffalosportsdaily.com. The chat should start right before the draft (7:30). So make sure you stop by and say hello. It's going to be a good time. I'll be sure to crack as many jokes and swear words as possible. Of course, there will be lots of football talk.

Ugh!

Sorry, I'm not going to give you one of my rising/falling stars column for tonight. I just don't have the energy for this. I don't know how brief or long this blog will be. It's going to be all over the place. I'm just going to type away.

I feel bad for Tyler Ennis, Ryan Miller, Lindy Ruff, Steve Montador, Mike Grier, Tim Kennedy, the bloggers, the people who spend money on this team, apologists, pessimists and even the media. In the end, we all have our ways of showing emotion, but we really do want the Sabres to win. Playoff hockey brings out the best in Buffalo.

During the season, I was very guarded about this team. I just didn't think they were as good as their highs or as bad as their lows. Quite frankly, I was more pessimistic than optimistic. However, when the playoffs were on the horizon, I really changed my tune. I wanted to be happy. I wanted to believe. I wanted to live the dream. Well, now I'm awake and I hate my dream. The Sabres just aren't good enough.

I'm the type that wants our teams to go as far as possible in the playoffs. I'm not the type to sit there and say, "Well, at least they made the playoffs." Maybe living in NYC for 8 years and hearing fans rip apart the Yankees for not winning the World Series every year has made me a harsher critic. I just don't believe in excuses. I think they are way overused in the Buffalo sports scene.

My goal is to walk into a NYC office and sport a million dollar grin of winning a sports championship. I want to fly back to Buffalo on the night they win a championship, tip over a police car and get sprayed with tear gas. I don't want to goto a rally and cheer for Scott Norwood and John Rigas. I want to win.

I thought the Sabres gave a great effort tonight. There was intensity, there was battle, there was passion. However, for about 4 minutes in the 3rd period, it was vintage Sabres all over again. Yes, they were some crappy ass calls in the third period. Yes, they are missing Vanek and Hecht. However, you can't give up a 2-goal lead in the 3rd period! You can't do it with Ryan Miller back there! You can't go four games without scoring a power play goal! You can't be a great penalty killing team during the regular season and give up two PP goals against a team that scored the least amount of goals in the NHL.

Plus, you are playing the Bruins! I'm sorry, I just don't feel the Bruins are that good. They have Chara, some gritty guys, a rookie goalie and a bunch of retread Sabre players. Not to mention, they are missing their best scorer.

I really don't wanna get into my disdain for Tim Connolly and Drew Stafford. I've said so much about these guys over the years that it has become overkill. They are bums. End of story. They need to be traded this offseason. I don't care what Darcy Regier says. I'm done with Darcy playing his role as an accountant and telling me about the market. Trades happen in the NHL. Do your job and find someone else. For god sakes, your coach had to recall some dude, who is nothing more than a AHL goon, to send a message to the Bruins in the playoffs??? I mean, what kind of message are you sending to your own locker room? You're not playing the Broad Street Bullies?! Sorry, but Boston's toughness can be very easily matched.

Hell, correct me if I'm wrong, but do you remember seeing a Bruins vs Sabres game during the regular season that I had to worry about them kicking our ass? That's what playoff hockey brings to the table; you play out of character. It's the same thing Ruff always preaches. Is it really that hard to go over to Adam Mair or Paul Gaustad and order them to take out Lucic and Boychuk? The buzz I have to hear on twitter is that we need to start McCormick for the rest of the playoffs? Are you kidding me!? Get some balls, Sabres!

Back to the Sabres top 6 forwards; they are an embarrassment. It's nothing more than a cheap way of saying that we don't have a star player on offense. Using the term top 6 is a way to make fans think the team has a lot of talent. The Stanley Cup is won on star players. The Sabres have one star, and he's not enough to win the Cup.

The bottom line is this; even when the Sabres give the greatest effort in the world, they barely get by. Just look at Game 1, they played great and won by only a goal. Yes, they won the division during a recession year in the Eastern Conference. But if you look at the talent of the top 8 teams in the league, it's not even close. Tim Connolly, Derek Roy and Jason Pominville shouldn't be your backbone offensively. I hate to rip open old wounds, but the Sabres need Chris Drury or Daniel Briere version 2.0. They need that guy who is going to say, "Fellas, get the hell out of my way because I'm scoring the game winner." Besides Miller, they don't have that clutch performer on this team.

Now, if you wanna believe in Tyler Ennis or Mark Mancari, that's fine. However, I must warn you, I remember when guys like Roy, Connolly, Max, Kotalik and Stafford debuted, and everyone was talking about how great these kids were going to be and Regier was executive of the year. Well, where are we now? We have a great goaltender on a below average team.

All I'm saying is the time has come for some of these core guys to get moved. They have peaked. Derek Roy isn't scoring 40 goals. Jason Pominville isn't going to be scary good. It has been three years with this core and it has brought us nothing but pain. They had their shots and they blew it. They tried at times, but they are not good enough.

I can already see into the future of the Sabres end of the year press conference (Hopefully, the jackasses will have one, unlike last year). I can gage into my crystal ball and see them saying that we don't want to make excuses, but...the Vanek injury really hurt us, the officiating stunk, we are against the cap and the Volcano in Europe have the players worried. They will mention some stupid stat that the team has the most wins in the Northeast of the country since the end of the lockout. They will mention Kovalchuk's plus/minus rating. Whatever. They will make something up.

Of course, at the end of their presser, they will reveal their brand new retro home/away jerseys and beg us to buy them. Maybe they will use that money to upgrade their Cellino and Barnes pop-ups during the regular season. God forbid, it's upgrading for all HD games. Yes, if this season ends on Friday, I'm blaming the powers that be. Yes, it has been a played out argument. But I just think the Sabres run their team like a corporation and care only about their bottom line. Trust me, you can care about making money, but you better care about us too. Yes, I'm being irrational and angry. However, I want to leave you guys all with this question:

Do you believe the Sabres management (Regier, Quinn and Golisano) have done enough to bring the Cup to Buffalo?

Thoughts on Big Ben

Dude, I swear, I've gone through way too many Christmas Day mornings to find out that Santa Clause doesn't exist this year. What am I talking about? I'm talking about the Bills. First, it was the coaching search that brought us Chan Gailey. Now, it's Ben Roethlisberger. I woke up today and read that Adam Schefter tweeted that the Steelers were contacting teams with top 10 picks. I thought, "Wait. We have a top 10 pick. We need a franchise quarterback. Big Ben is under 30. We have a great nightlife. Sign me up!"

Of course, Schefter tweeted about 20 minutes later that the Bills said no. Awesome! Look, if you are new to my blog, there are a couple of things you need to know about me and some thoughts about Ben coming here:

A) I don't give a rats ass what a player does off the field! If they want to get wasted and act like they are on Spring Break and a member of the Alpha Betas, go for it. I don't need to live vicariously through an NFL player to make me feel good about my city. In other words, a player represents a football team, not the way of life in Buffalo. You want to know what embarrasses me? Not making the playoffs 10 years in a row! As long as you are busting your ass on Sundays, you can tap that ass whenever you want. If you have kids and they are asking about Big Ben's off the field activities. You just tell them he made mistakes and you should respect women. Simple as that. It's not going to traumatize the kid for life. God forbid a parent has to tell their kid what is right and what is wrong in the world.

B) Big Ben has never been charged with a crime. Yes, he's a scum bag and I wouldn't want my kid sister going to the same bars he goes to, but the law is the law.

C) I assure you, if this isn't a wake-up call for Roethlisberger, then nothing is going to work. I'm sure he's going to be sitting in his apartment for the next five years and just order a Russian made bride to fit his needs.

D) Roethlisberger has done a ton for a football team with an average offensive line and an average running attack. He's won two Super Bowl rings. That's all I need to know about the guy.

E) The Bills need a franchise quarterback. Ben has another 5-7 years left in his tank. It's going to take the Bills at least 2-3 years to become a legit playoff contender. By that time, Roethlisberger will turn 30. That's a good age to be the quarterback of your team.

Here's the bottom line: I don't buy the notion of the Bills not being interested in Roethlisberger because of his off the field activities. Hell, they still had Marshawn Lynch starting when he broke the law twice in less than than a year. They didn't try shopping Donte Whitner when he was tasered outside of a Cleveland night club for disturbing the peace. For goodness sakes, OJ Simpson's name is still on the dam Wall of Fame. I don't even want to get into the rumors I heard about the 90's Bills. I assure you, the Bills don't give a rats ass about the moral integrity of their players.

The reason they said no is the same reason they decided not to pull the trigger on the McNabb deal (Yes, McNabb didn't want to come here, but it was reported the Bills didn't want to give him an extension). They didn't want to pay 100 million dollars for a quarterback. Plain and simple. The most Wilson has ever given a player for a contract is 50 million dollars. That's a tad lower then what Roethlisberger is making.

In the end, you can have Buddy Nix, John Butler, Bill Polian and Vince Lombardi picking your players, but if you don't want to pay for those guys, then what is the point?