Koka Kola, Advertising, and Cocaine

by Ryan

Big news out of Sabres camp today, as the team has signed a five year deal with Jason Pominville Coca Cola, effectively crushing any hopes of having Ales Kotalik Loganberry on tap for the next half decade.



From now on every transaction at HSBC Arena will look a little something like this...



Nah, it's going to taste like ass just like the Pepsi did. Can we start the season now?

Lower Body Fantasy Thoughts

by Ryan

If you don't know about James Mirtle, we can't be friends. Thems the rules around these parts. What makes sites like Mirtle's and Kuklas Korner so useful is that they catch pretty much everything you will need to know about hockey. This is especially helpful when you miss a few days, like I did this weekend.

I'll admit I don't have many thoughts on the Sabres just yet, but I do have quite a few questions about this.

Clubs no longer are required to disclose the specific nature of player injuries. Clubs are, however, required to disclose that a player is expected to miss a game due to injury, or will not return to a game following an injury. Clubs are prohibited from providing untruthful information about the nature of a player injury or otherwise misrepresenting a player’s condition.

I guess that fits the current model, which is Lindy Ruff claiming someone has a "lower body injury" and "will miss some time" while Tim Connolly is wheeled off on a stretcher, clutching his eyeball and screaming in pain. This new rule makes it "playoff time" all the time, and probably will wind up being a better policy than the NFL has. Remember when Tom Brady made the injury report for three straight years? Yeah, I think the NHL is trying to avoid that.

However, here's my question: what impact will this have on fantasy hockey?

You may not be aware of this, but this year the NHL will see a significant shift in attention to the online market. NHL.com is relaunching with more video and online content, and individual teams have been encouraged to develop their site more in order to attract new fans. The Sabres have already stated they would be putting funds into their site and SabresTV, and it will be interesting to see just how committed they are to the product.

However, one of the most interesting moves the league has made is teaming up with Yahoo Sports to offer officially licensed fantasy hockey. This is a major move for a North American sports franchise, and unlike the MLB and MLBPA, which is fighting fantasy baseball at every turn; the league has encouraged fantasy sports as a means of growing fan interest.

How then, does this policy that allows secrecy in player injuries affect a player's status in hockey leagues? Remember last year when Richard Zednick was seriously injured and listed as day to day? There were plenty examples of this kind of absurdity, but that one stands out the most.

So what is going to happen when Shea Weber gets his inevitable injury? Will I have to keep him on my team for three months as he remains day-to-day? Should I drop any player that appears in the injury report? Should waiver wires be reconfigured to allow for "oopsie dropsies" when a player appears to be out long term and instead is dressed the next night?

There are some out there that are more capable of answering these questions than I. Perhaps Mr. Mirtle can shed some more light on it, and let us know how his draft went this past weekend. However, I have a feeling that I'm not overreacting by being concerned about this. There's no way of knowing how far coaches and GMs are going to take this, but if I know anything about this league; it's going to get worse before it gets better.

He Probably Hurt it Here

by Ryan



Goose out 3-4 weeks, as first reported by everyone else. We know he hurt it in a fight on Sunday, but wouldn't you feel better if he hurt it giving Lindy some heat over this whole captaincy business? No? Okay, never mind...

One Day Early

by Ryan

There is something about October that always gets to me. Maybe because my birthday is in October, or maybe because hockey is so close and because it is football season. Maybe, but more and more I think it is because of playoff baseball.



It's no secret around these parts what team I root for. I'm the guy that said I would name my first born Jacoby last year, and I still plan of going through with it. I'm the one that drove to another country to see them three times this year, and the one legitimately bummed out when I got the "sorry you haven't been selected" for playoff tickets to a ballpark seven hours away.

Being a non-traditional fan is hard, but I do put the time into it. I can't possibly watch every game, but following box scores and other blogs has become part of my sporting lifestyle. Knowing Pedrioa's OPS and Beckett's VORP doesn't compare to watching all 180+ games, but it does make me feel like a better fan for it. Because I only watch 30 or so Sox games a year, it's hard to post about them without getting the feeling I am missing something, which is why I usually refrain from doing so.

However, all that changes tomorrow. The playoffs are the time that I do get to see every game, and I can't tell you how excited I am about that. I never feel completely safe with my baseball team, and there's no way I can with Manny's bat missing and a few question marks on the mound, but I am excited about what could happen. Unlike most Sox fans a half decade ago, I no longer dread possible outcomes anymore because postseason baseball is just too much fun.

Yeah, fun, I can call it that now. Sure, it's frustrating and maddening and terrifying and makes you want to slam your head into a wall at times. But, the chills you get when a packed stadium knows that was strike three and roars before the umpire makes the call is something you just can't replicate anywhere else. The sights, sounds, and extraordinary pressure of playoff baseball is one of the best things in sports, and every October I can't help but get excited about it.

This year is even better, because once again the postseason starts one day early. The Chicago White Sox, already late to the party, won last day/night and forced a one game playoff with the Minnesota Twins. At 7:30 tonight, the White Sox and Twins take the field to break the tie. No home wins record, no runs per game, no team ERA. One of the best thing about baseball is that that there are no tiebreakers, just one more game.

Last year we were treated to a tiebreaker in the National League. Rich and I were so excited about it that we did a monstrous live blog that maybe six people read. But it didn't matter because like Rich said, there was absolutely no way we were missing that game.

I can't tell you we will do it again. Hey, maybe we will; but I will tell you that there is absolutely no way any of us miss tonight's game. (Unless you are Yankees fans like Jon and Chris, I'm sure they have are having a good cry over Buster Olney or something...)

You don't need Dane Cook to get excited about the playoffs, but he did read his line right: there is only one October, and so very few Octobers have 32 days.

At the Quarter Pole

by Ryan

There are currently two 4-0 teams in the NFL. The Bills are one of them.

...
...

Wow, that was pretty awesome to type that and mean it. What was I saying? I forget, I keep staring at that number up there and getting distracted. I mean, if you told me the Bills would be undefeated at the quarter pole of the season, well, you would be talking about the Bruce/Thurman/Kelly Bills, and those guys are not walking through that door anytime soon.

To say this is only a big deal is to take the last decade or so of Bills football and say it was a good run. No, no it wasn't, the 4-0 Buffalo Bills are the biggest football story in years in Western New York, and you have every right to be excited about this team.

The Bills have done quite a bit in the first four weeks of the season, defeating two playoff teams from the previous year, completing three fourth quarter comebacks, and effectively murdering a head coach. That's a good run considering at this time last year we were just trying to put a functional defense on the field while Dick Jauron couldn't decide which quarterback he wanted to play peek a boo with.

This year is different. There is no question who our quarterback is, and I have no doubt in my mind he can lead this team effectively. The defense is completely, completely different, and we have Russ Brandon and Marv Levy to thank for that. The post-Tom Donahoe Era has been pretty remarkable when you consider how many draft picks you see playing and making a huge impact. (See Youboty, Ashton) It is a defense that has only looked better as the season goes on, and comes up big late in the game when it matters most.

Still, with all these positives and the fast start, it seems the Bills are still a footnote to the rest of the league. The "4-0 story" goes to the Titans, who have never been there and had their starting quarterback try to kill himself/eat chicken wings after week one. The throwback Jets put up 56 throwback points thanks to the efforts of their throwback gunslinging man-child quarterback messiah and now are the "AFC East story." The Patriots have a bye, and everyone knows what happens when The Best Head Coach of All Time gets two weeks to game plan.

And here we sit, 4-0 with a trip to the Buzzsaw That is the Arizona Cardinals. Once again, this week I will take the shadows and appreciate what I know for myself: the Bills are indeed for real.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

by Ryan

Wooo! 4-0, baby! Playoff time!



Just kidding. We will mull this one over an get back to you in the morning. Maybe have some thoughts on the Sabres as well. For now, consider this: if you had an 84.9 % chance of winning, say, a flat screen TV, you would be thinking about that TV, right?

Just wondering.

Gameday Prep: Bills @ Rams

Oooooh yeah.

Announcers: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots. Great. (Courtesy of Awful Announcing)

Game Distribution Maps: Courtesy of the506.

Depth Charts: Rams, sorry, here. Bills

Stats: NFL.com, ESPN, or Yahoo Sports all do a good job. If you have fantasy teams through Yahoo, you're better off paying the ten bucks for "stattracker", it's a lifesaver. (Especially when you have three fantasy leagues with Yahoo...)

Things They've Been Saying:
- John Clayton on Turk.
- Six new starters for the Rams today.
- Steven Jackson on, well... the Rams.
- Tim Graham on Gibran Hamdan.

Pump-Up Song that Will Melt Your Face Off: "Bohemian Rhapsody", Queen



Anything will do today, I suppose.

Fun Facts:

- Trent Green.

- Lane Kiffin Scott Linehan still has a job!

- Torry Holt is in an interesting situation.

- Some numbers for you to think about today.

Okay, that's it. Game time. I'll be around all day, so if you have a thought drop a line. Comments, email, or our AIM: GoosesRoost28. Seriously, I don't think anyone has ever used that, but it's there if you want it.




Go Bills.

One More

This one has made the rounds, but we are a little short staffed today, as Jon and I are heading to Rochester to see the Cardinals. Sorry for the thin posts this week, but we will have a few things ready for you tomorrow. As Kevin said, this is a big sports weekend in Buffalo.

Most certainly not the last.

I'm Jon, and I approve this message

By Jon

I know we've been embedding a ton of videos over the last few weeks (blah blah blah we're all busy, no time to blog, wah wah wah,) but I found this one pretty hilarious and it's extremely well-done. And it even relates to hockey!

Disclaimer-- I'm not posting this to try and convey any sort of political message. Politics is something we've steered clear of on this site, but I thought this was worth posting.

Saturday

by Ryan

Okay, now I'm excited about tomorrow, and in case you aren't, here's some help.

Any Ideas?

I stumbled across this tonight while searching for some pictures. Here is site I found it on, which seems to collect odd things from the Atomic Age. This certainly seems to fit the bill, so if anyone has any ideas as to what it is I'm all ears.

I would check the Buffalo News but they don't archive anything more than a week old without asking for your first born. Maybe someone lurking out there has the story...

Wednesday

by Ryan

I hate today.

Wednesday, the in medias res day of the week. Some may call it hump day and use it to start looks forward to the weekend, but I view see it completely different. Wednesday is the day where you are the absolute furthest from the weekend, and that means you are the furthest away from football.

We all know how great it feels to win, especially football games. There are only 16 of them, so when you win one it's that much more important. Right after a big game you will think anything is possible. We can make the playoffs. We can win the division. We can host a home playoff game. And so on and so on.

But all that eventually fades, and the worries you had all along come back. I'd say the good feeling a win brings will last about two days afterwards, which brings us to... Wednesday.

Today, I'm worried about everything.

It's one of those sick things being a sports fan does to you. No matter how good something looks I'm going to find the flaws and make sure I'm not quite comfortable. I don't want to get duped, none of us do. We've been there far too many times to go all the way with this thing, and 21 days isn't enough to get me okay with ANYTHING, let alone subject me fully to a football team.

Now I know I should be pretty comfortable with this weekend's game. The Rams are a complete mess, the Bills keep looking better, and Donte Whitner keeps saying all the right things. Still, I see Keller say what I'm secretly thinking in the comments, and then there's Roscoe.

By Friday I know I will be excited and only excited about Sunday, but right now... I'm worried. This is too fun, too good to be true, right?



Nah, we'll be okay.




This week.

A view from the Roost

I can't tell you if this picture was taken from Section 304 or not, but you can't deny that it's totally awesome.



Thanks to John for the link to the picture. Here's the message board post it came from.

Youppi, Fantasy Hockey, and Pound for Pound Strength

by Ryan

If you want to play fantasy hockey with us, we have one spot left open. It's going to be a 12 team league, and we can't draft with odd teams. If you haven't signed up yet and want to give it a shot, go here with the following information:

League ID: 11108
Password: section304

You have about 18 hours before we draft, so hopefully you prepare quickly. Also, this should serve as a reminder to anyone who is playing: we have a draft at 8pm tonight.

- If Youppi and Sabretooth were to get into a mascot fight, Youppi would own.



What a beast. Best anthropomorphic mascot ever, I think. The only Buffalo mascot that could get close would be this thing. Brad's right, we do need to find this guy. Spread the word.

- Speaking of throwback, I have to mention at least twice a year how great the Bills' throwback uniforms look. They should use them all the time. That is all.

- I had my first fantasy hockey draft tonight, and I must say Yahoo did a nice job with the draft portal this year. Be sure to stick around after the draft is over, Yahoo provides a nice draft recap to go through for about 15 minutes afterwards. Pretty cool.

- Their player ranks suck, though. Be sure to have some outside info prepared.

- Here's a decent write up on the Hockeyville game last night. For some reason the AP decided it deserved about seven sentences, but mostly because they suck. If you are using anything but TSN for hockey news, good luck.

- Best quote from that article is about Gerbe:

"He's one of the players we think could play for us down the road," Ruff said. "He's got good speed, a good shot. Pound for pound, he may be one of our strongest players."

Translation: Even though he weighs less than Andrew Peters' bowl movements, he doesn't play like it. He's strong enough to open up doors and everything!

- I know I'm not the first person to say this, but I think Gerbe is NHL ready. I hope he makes the team, and again, I have no idea where to put him.

- Yes, I said the same thing about Zagrapan yesterday, but I honestly think Marek needs some AHL time to get himself set. Training camp will be important for him to stay on the coaching staff's radar with all the new prospects rising fast. Remember, he's never even been called up, and time may be running out with Kennedy/Gerbe/Mancari getting a good look. This will be an important next few weeks for Zags, and even if he doesn't make the team, he's going to need to show us something to insure he gets another chance.



In a way I feel bad for Marek, no matter what he does he is always going to be known as "That guy we got in the Sidney Crosby draft". I think that's what makes me hope he finally catches on. I know he puts in the work while he's up for camp, and maybe someday he can turn out to be a better first rounder than Jiri Novotny. Maybe.

- That reminds me, the new Sabres Media Guide is online as a PDF, if you're into that kinda thing.

- Here's some more Hockeyville stuff to pass the time, really a cool event I'm glad the Sabres had a chance to take part in.

Presented Without Comment

Your starting quarterback for the St. Louis Rams.

Quick Hits

by Ryan

Some other thoughts on the Bills game that didn't fit the theme yesterday:

- Lane Kiffin deserves to be fired. Not stopping the clock late for his quarterback to lob throws down field to no one is just downright stupid. Oooooooooooooh. Kiffin is going to be fired no matter what, I guess he knows that as well as anyone at this point. I feel like we should call the SPCA for him or something, at least they would be humane about it.

- There is something to be said about that Donte Whitner penalty after Billy Bob Whatshisname scored on that slant. The rational fan part of me wants to say it was incredibly stupid to tackle him, especially if it puts your team in an even bigger hole on the kickoff. However, I really want to embrace it for the message it sent.

It sounds like a dumb argument, but when was the last time this Bills defense showed any pride? Forget about chest bumps and Antoine Winfield doing cartwheels after batting a pass down; I mean real pride and swagger. What Whitner did was a penalty, but it was calculated and in a way I think it really helped the team.

Donte was on the Jim Rome show yesterday and talked about it, and he flat out said he didn't like the fact that Higgins was showboating. He got frustrated and wanted to show that he wasn't going to stand for it. That may come off as a selfish play, but I think on a higher level it shows an aspect of leadership this team hasn't seen on the defensive end in so long.

What Whitner did was absolutely about pride. He didn't punch him in the face, or jump on him while he was dancing; he finished his play, late, and paid the price. It may have really hurt the team, but I think it showed his teammates and the fans that they weren't going to stand for it. Donte isn't going to let anyone walk into Ralph Wilson Stadium and disrespect us. Not anymore.

And after all those Patriots games, all those late losses, and all those teams running through our tunnel like it was a home game, I needed to see something like that from a surging defense. Sure, the game was close and they survived, but seeing a player take a stand like that in front of everyone made me feel so much better about this team. If it takes 15 yards or an offsetting penalty to give us that swagger, I'll take it every time.


Some Sabres thoughts while we're here:

- If you missed it, here's the video of the Sabres' third jersey ceremonies. Pretty interesting stuff at the end about how it was made.

- Marek Zagrapan had a pretty good game last night. I really would like to see him make the team this year, but I'm not sure if there will be room. It is still very, very early.

- I have no idea why, but I keep forgetting that Clarke MacArthur can't go to Portland this year. In my mind that would make everything easier.

- The Live Chat Mirtle put on was actually a lot of fun, even though I was completely unprepared to talk hockey at all. Those should be popping up for a few more Sabres/Leafs games, and it would be nice to see some more Sabres/fans get involved in those. We'll keep you posted.

- Tonight the Sabres play in Canada again, this time as a part of the Hockeyville contest won by Roberval, Quebec. Over the weekend Donald Audette and Rick Martin took part in a clinic for the town's citizens. The article is a pretty good read, and at the very least you get to see Youppi dressed up like a linesman. Good times all around.

- The Dukes of Awesome have a solid post about Sabres jerseys which makes me wonder what they think of this monstrosity. Good God.



Also, the new third jerseys are for sale on shop.nhl.com. Please, if you are going to spend the money, make it on that jersey. You really don't have any other options.

Sabres Gameday

by Ryan



Well, behind that is where you want to be, but you get the idea.

This is just something to look over while you prepare for your fantasy hockey draft. We have a few spots open in our league, so send us an email if you are interested. Draft is this Wednesday, so get it out fast and we will get back to you with the info.

In any event, Leafs TV is supposed to have video of the game live, so try that if you really want to watch. The portal may not work if you are in the U.S (TSN's online feed for the playoffs had similar restrictions), but I suppose we won't know that until we try.

I would try to preview this game, but I honestly have no idea what is going to happen. Last time we played the Leafs in preseason Derek Roy exploded for like 18 points. Maybe Adam Mair will be a preseason force again. Who knows.

Nathan Gerbe watch starts now.

If you aren't doing anything and would like to kill some time tonight, stop by Dr. Mirtle's site for a live blog, which I suddenly will be taking part in. Should be some fun.

Looking for Maple Love

by Ryan

Tonight the Sabres open the preseason in Toronto. Exciting, I know. A few days ago I was looking through some things on the Leafs' website and came across this strange ad:


(click to enlarge)

Apparently, Leafs fans love Asian women. This was something I hadn't realized, and I was pretty surprised at the audacity of the ads. I know Toronto is a very diverse place, but to have that kind of ad allowed on an NHL website seems very unlikely. Maybe because it was later at night they are allowed to run that kind of thing. Who knows?

Then again, the team hasn't satisfied fans in years, so it should probably start now.



Oh. Oh no. I take it back.

I am Trying to Break Your Heart

by Ryan

That was the title I considered with about six minutes left in the fourth quarter. JaMarcus Russel had completed his ninth pass of the day, and of course it was going to be the game winner. It was one of those queer little Wes Welker receptions that make you want to slam your fist into a cinder block, and that was before you knew it went for an 84 yard touchdown.

23-14. F--k.

This was going to be one of those games you see replayed in your mind when you wonder why the Bills haven't made the playoffs this millennium. A game they should have had, but they came on too late and let their own mistakes and one bad pass kill them. This was the perfect chance to start the season off well and they are going to lose to a team with nine pass completions on the day.

They are trying to kill me, I really think they are.

A team that doesn't want to end your life just lets you down early, but once again Trent Edwards saved his best football for the fourth quarter. I can't even describe the kind of poise and presence he had out there. If you saw it, start throwing out superlatives to attach to those last two drives and I'll accept them. I don't know what's happened to our starting quarterback over the last few weeks, but I really, really like it.

The only thing I can compare it to is Madden. I myself don't play a lot of Madden, I was a NFL 2K fan because I had a Sega Dreamcast and therefore was very, very misguided as a youth. There was always an advantage based on what game you were playing with friends because I liked 2K and they liked Madden. This discrepancy would always show up late in the game, especially if the person playing with "their" game was behind. The player with a much better understanding of the playbook and defense would come from behind, always in complete control late in the game because of that superiority of play calling.

That was Trent Edwards yesterday. He completely understood how the game should flow, what his options were, and what do do. He may as well have played with an XBOX controller out there on that last drive. It was... stunning. When was the last time we've seen a quarterback do that with a leaping/standing buffalo on his helmet? The answer to that is not in years but decades, and this is a second year quarterback doing it.

No, the game wasn't perfect. The Bills turned the ball over and missed some huge chances. There is room for improvement, and Marshawn Lynch still hasn't gone off just yet. HOWEVER, the Bills did the little things right once again. The defense came through when it mattered, Money came up with a few huge conversions late, and Trent Edwards was everywhere. As of this moment, right now, he is the best starter in the division, and until Brett Favre hops into the particle machine from The Fly I stand by that statement.

Check the paper today. The Bills are atop the AFC East and the Dolphins beat the Patriots. Seriously, Ronnie Brown outscored them himself. Even with all that, the Bills will be known as the "surprising 3-0 Bills" and all you will hear about are the Jets.



We have them right where we want them.

4th Quarter Comeback, Vol. II

Pink hat be damned, Trent Edwards is the Real Deal.

Gameday Prep: Bills vs Raiders

Hey, at least our ridiculously old owner isn't crazy.

Announcers: Don Criqui and Dan Fouts. (Courtesy of Awful Announcing)

Game Distribution Maps: Courtesy of the506.

Depth Charts: Raiders, Bills

Stats: NFL.com, ESPN, or Yahoo Sports all do a good job. If you have fantasy teams through Yahoo, you're better off paying the ten bucks for "stattracker", it's a lifesaver. (Especially when you have three fantasy leagues with Yahoo...)

Things They've Been Saying:
- Big Brother is Watching You
- Tim Graham with more on the Crowell decision.
- Money on playing his hometown Raiders
- Al Davis article that makes the '02 Sabres look like a well oiled machine.

Pump-Up Song that Will Melt Your Face Off: "No One Knows", Queens of the Stone Age



Not the fastest of songs, but the title fits the moment.

Fun Facts:

- Here's a handy timeline of the Raiders fall from grace. It's nice to see Robert Gallery has taken the Mike Williams Road to Success plan...

- Lane Kiffin still has a job!

- The Raiders' best defensive player was booked on a DUI this week. Way to stay focused, boys.

- The Bills haven't started 3-0 in this millennium. Or if you want to look at bigger sample sizes, in over a decade.

Okay, that's it. Game time. I'll be around all day, so if you have a thought drop a line. Comments, email, or our AIM: GoosesRoost28. Seriously, I don't think anyone has ever used that, but it's there if you want it.

One last thing: MGD's playoff picture currently looks like this:




Go Bills.

Magic Numbers

by Ryan

You were just waiting for it, weren't you?

As soon as you heard about the Pominville extension, those numbers started floating around in your head. 5for25. 5for25fivefortwentyfive. It's the phrase that has become cliche around these parts, a benchmark of sorts in an attempt to pinpoint the value of a player in this era.

Well, we were close.

Everyone has been talking about whether they like the deal or not, and I think it's obviously a solid deal for both sides. This summer is the first one I can remember where things went almost as well as possible. No one of significance bailed on the team, no contract talks got out of hand, and players were brought in that will immediately make it better.

But we are still not out of the woods yet. Take a look at the numbers for this team over the next few years. There are three big players entering contract years, and something has to give. Afinogenov, Kotalik, and Connolly all have similar cap hits and similar status as underachievers, and come next fall only one may still be on the roster. With Kennedy, Zagrapan, and Gerbe coming up there will be some turnover, and it will be interesting to see how all that shakes out.

What is important to note is that Darcy went out and got his guys. Regier gets so much flack for just doing his job, but you have to admit he is going about things exactly how he wants. Forget about last summer and the missed chances. Since July 1st everything has moved the way he wanted, even in dealing with Brian Campbell and the development of young talent.

These are his roster moves, his draft picks, and his contract negotiations. What Regier does so well is find guys he likes and trust them to come of age. The system has taken on a different look with the loss of Rochester and subsequent addition of Portland, but nothing has changed about the way he drafts and the way he signs players.

There aren't many expectations for this year's Sabres team, but you can't say that Darcy hasn't put together a roster worth watching. All he can do is sign them and look towards next year. How they perform and respond is up to Lindy, and that's the part I'm less sure about.

Tek and the New Kids

by Ryan


A view from our seats, where we watched the Sox squeak past the Jays 4-3. You don't want to hear me break down a baseball game, so here are some thoughts and a few pictures to pass the time.



See that seat up in the corner? That will cost you $110 bucks on December 7th. Wait, let me get a bit closer.



Yeah, great seat.

- I've never seen that many metrosexual men in one place. I think Skydome doubled for a trendy dance club on Friday. Was Die Mannequin performing somewhere I wasn't aware of?



- Yeah, Papi did a lot of that yesterday. Between that and the huge base running gaffe he didn't have a very good game.

- So its bases loaded with two outs in the eighth, and up comes Varitek. The know it all Jays fan behind me says they should lift Tek for a pinch hitter. I guess as far as most people are concerned that would be a good option, but Francona lets him hit. He grounds into a fielders choice and the run scores. It's 4-3, and here comes Papelbon.



But here's where Varitek is so important. Paps give up a weak hit and misplays it, and the leadoff runner is suddenly on second.



Varitek comes out and settles Papelbon down. Remember that if they lift Tek for a pinch hitter it's Kevin Cash out here talking to Papelbon. Now I don't know what would have happened if Tek doesn't hit, so maybe a few more runs would have scored. Maybe if Varitek isn't even on the team their runs per game would increase and make them a more productive team.

However, what Varitek's true value is what happened last night. He went out and calmed Papelbon down at least three times, and worked through the inning. The game ended with the runner on third and the huge error avoided. A loss last night puts any chance for the AL East title in serious doubt, but Tek came through on both ends despite a bad year statistically.

Situations like this are what makes me think Varitek will be re-signed after this season, even with declining offensive production. The leadership and rapport with his pitchers is something you won't be able to get back with a bigger bat.

- It is more than possible to tailgate outside of Skydome, just be careful to watch out for people begging for change.

- Also, it took forever to get home, but not becuase of ballpark traffic. New Kids on the Block had a concert at the ACC. Yeah, that seems about right.

Sox in Toronto Series: Game Three

by Ryan


I know Fridays are usually pretty busy around here, but I'm actually heading up North to see the Sox one last time at SkyDome. The division is still within reach, and hopefully it will be a good time.

You may see a few things up later on, but expect a ton of posts this weekend. Raiders game, the Leafs on Monday, suddenly we have things to talk about.



Be back soon.

The Most Insignificant Franchise.... revisited

By Jon

A few months ago, we hung this from our rafters....



It looks like we made the right choice.

Hey... doesn't that name sound familiar?

Ånd the Lord hath said unto the Puck Bunnies, Let there be Pominville

Five more years of excellent use of flair and delightful smile.



Oh, we're ready for camp now.

(Some serious analysis once the terms of the deal are disclosed...)

Things for the Morning

by Ryan

- If you are interested, a chapter from Klosterman's Downtown Owl is on Page 2. Seriously, if anyone is reading this let me know, I'm dying to talk to someone about it.

- Time Warner is adding five HD channels, something I suddenly care about. The channels were each added for a specific reason, as you will see:

CNN- Delegates.
TBS- BASEBALL FANS!!!
Discovery Channel- stoners.
Animal Planet- stumpies.
Science Channel- nerdy stoners.

As you can see, I'm pumped about TBS HD, which will be awesome for postseason baseball. Can anyone else smell October coming?

- In a related story, if Time Warner inexplicably drops CBS (which is very unlikely), I will have a dish by that Sunday. Mark my words, Bunny.

- Anyone remember Keith Newman?



Good times!

The former Bills linebacker has been keeping himself busy, and when I say busy, I mean stealing stuff. He may not have been able to tackle Ricky Williams, but at least he knows how to commit bank fraud. Amazing.

- Week two in fantasy went much better for me. Both pay leagues won despite natural disasters and a few injuries, and I figure if I can overcome a hurricane I should be okay the rest of the way through, right?

- I'll leave you with this picture, and the reminder that Lane Kiffin still works for the Raiders as of this post:

They Should Call it the Mats-o-tron

by Ryan



The first new thing hanging in the rafters in years.

We've talked about it here before, but there are some big changes going on at the ACC over the next few years, and this is just the start of it. Jokes about mediocrity (check the comments) aside, the board itself is fantastic, and it certainly does improve the building with regards to other events.

The thing that many sports fans forget is that most owners are concerned about making money and not about actual team performance. Where fans see a $126 million atrium project as money not spent on players, an owner sees it as maintaining a state of the art arena to match his state of the art high-rise apartment complex/television station/offices going up next door.

For Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment the goal seems to be making a profit first and foremost, as all smart businesses should. In a market like Toronto the goal will always be bigger and better no matter how the team below the fireworks plays. It isn't always the right way to build a team, but an owner not concerned with profits is a very, very charitable man.

The grand scale the Leafs are aiming for is downright fascinating: $7.8 million for a really nice, 17-sided TV. Just the price tag for the video board alone is enough to blow your mind, let alone the cost for a few doors and windows. A $126 million "project" shows you just how much money is thrown around in a city like Toronto. It really is no wonder the Bills didn't look into tapping that market sooner, and puts to rest any questions in my mind about the viability of a second hockey team surviving in the GTA.

The Buffalo News' John Vogl had a great point about the atrium project: the entire HSBC Arena construction cost just $1.5 million more than their "expansion". Even with inflation that's a shocking number, one that can be taken one of two ways.

On one hand, for a ten year old building to still be considered state of the art is pretty impressive, especially if that building is sitting in downtown Buffalo. Larry Quinn may not get enough credit for the work he did with the Crossroads Arena Project, but as time goes on he looks better and better for it.

On the other hand, just how far out of our league are we when it comes to keeping pro franchises? If MLSE can throw a few million at a glorified hallway, what chance do we have of keeping a team here once the for sale sign is on the front lawn at One Bills Drive or South Park? Sooner or later Ralph will die or Tom will get tired, and what happens if the highest bidder doesn't have a soft spot for struggling to stay in the green in a quaint little rust belt city?

Buildings like the ACC and Jerryworld are meant to be the pinnacle of venues, but when the time comes, can we even reach the median? If we can't, I'm sure there is a better building somewhere with a vacancy.

I'm Not the Only One Asking

by Ryan


(Click to enlarge, of course)

While we're on the subject of screen capping websites, check out the nice banner Sabres.com had a few days ago:



The rebuilding teams theme must resonate, I guess. I'd make the drive see the Knicks, but without Isaiah Thomas to boo it's just a crappy team playing in a historic building. Hey, that does sound familiar...

Year Three: The Package

by Ryan

I hate the movie Fever Pitch. I dislike it so much, I'm not even linking to imdb to give it the page views. It's a ridiculously stupid example of why most sports movies are awful. The Nick Hornby novel they "based" the movie off of is excellent, and if you want a good view of being a fanatic I'd fully recommend that to you any day. In fact, here.

However, there is one scene in the move I could relate to, and no, not the part where Jimmy Fallon in the restaurant freaking out. Okay fine, I've done that too, but they totally stole that from William Goldman in "Wait 'Till Next Year", another fantastic book. Freaking vultures.

Anyway, that part I relate to is the big package he gets at the beginning of the movie. Ticket day.



There they are, the tickets for Team Mini Pack '08. Beautiful, aren't they? We had some stocks take a tumble yesterday, so we went light this year with the minimum five games. However, we will most certainly be picking a few games up throughout the year, hopefully because the team exceeded our expectations. Maybe a playoff series or two to make us completely broke? We can only hope.

In any event, here are the games we picked. Keep in mind we were dodging some work scheduling issues and trying to run cheap, so don't mock us for only spending $188 each.

Monday, Oct. 27th: Ottawa
Wednesday, Nov. 12th: St. Louis
Monday, Dec. 1st: Nashville
Tuesday, Feb. 24th: Anaheim
Monday, Apr. 6th: Detroit

Some Western Conference love for sure, but we wanted to catch Anaheim and Detroit and the rest fell into place. Any any event, Section 304, Row 9 will be the place to find me, so let me know if you will be in the area and we can get something together. There's always room in the Roost.

Are the Bills For Real?

by Ryan

I've been debating this in my head since James Hardy came down with that catch in the end zone. With only two weeks gone this year, it may be hard to answer this, but that only makes the question more intriguing.

Are the Bills for real?



Seeing that first drive sure made me think so. There are a lot of signs pointing to yes, and factoring in the suddenly weak division only adds to the urgency this team is faced with. However, there are still some big question marks for some, and until those questions are answered I don't think I can be comfortable.

As a matter of fact, I may never be quite comfortable with any team ever, but that's just my paranoid nature. I don't think I'll ever feel safe with the Bills, but the goal here is to at least feel okay considering them a good football team.

The first thing to consider is the level of competition the Bills face. This may be the first time in half a decade the Bills will have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs by way of a division title. The Bills' resurgence along with the decline of the Patriots, Dolphins, and Jets may match up to form the perfect storm for a playoff spot.



Let's put it this way: the Dolphins are rebuilding, and if you think they are worth seven wins this year you are an optimist. Say they finish 4th and be done with it. Now tell me this: did the Patriots or Jets look better than the Bills did on Sunday? Aside from some asinine throws from Favre, terrible play calling, and minimal offensive line performance yeah, the Jets can win the division. Count on that.



However, aside from taking a sack well did Matt Cassel do anything to blow you away? The Patriots said they weren't going to use the "kid gloves" with him, but if that's their version of big boy offense I have some Mega Blocks we can throw on the field to keep him occupied.

The explosive 2007 Patriots minus one major component have put up 17 and 19 points in their first two games against some pretty mediocre defenses, and are 22nd in the league for yards per game. A statistically middle of the road defense isn't going to cut it for New England, and that's exactly what we've seen so far.

The climate is right for a shift in power, and the Bills look like they are taking advantage. Even with New England's easy schedule, the Bills have a nice little stretch of opponents to gain some confidence with, and who knows what a good start can mean for a young team's confidence coming off the bye week?

I'm not saying that the Bills are "good", we still can't know that just yet. What does give me hope is the fact that they have done some things that just look right. When I say that I don't mean Marshawn's dreads look aesthetically pleasing, but rather the Bills are doing the things little that good teams do.

Establishing the run and scoring early. Solid special teams play. Playing through inclement (read: bloody hot) weather. Bouncing back from a bad quarter. Coming from behind late. Stopping big third downs and adjusting to the run. All the little ingredients of a win, all the things necessary to prevent games from slipping away. Aside from a few mistakes in Jacksonville (mistakes that were overcome, mind you), the Bills have played pretty damn near perfect football 120 minutes into the season.

The Seattle game was far too easy to gauge anything, but against Jacksonville the Bills showed is something. They started strong and took control of the game, only to lose control because of a turnover and special teams mistake. Jason Peters missed a block and the hands team wasn't alert enough. These things happen, and anyone who has paid enough attention to the Bills knows what happens next.

It didn't happen this time, though. In past years the Bills would punch but couldn't take a punch. Last year's team doesn't get back up and drive down the field for that winning score, and it certainly doesn't stop the Jags from punching again. This defense held strong after the Jones-Drew touchdown, and it certainly made some big plays with Youboty's tackle late and the McGee interception to end the half.

Brian Galliford at Buffalo Rumblings watched the tape again (something I need to start doing) and agrees that the defense is only going to get better. Once it tackles better and develops its pass rush to compliment great plays in the secondary, this could be quite the compliment to an offense that isn't afraid to get creative.

So are the Bills for real? Yeah, I think they are. So far they look it, at least. Sunday will be another test, but this time it will be an interesting one. First of all, the run defense will be tested with McFadden, but also on a higher level the team will face this: will the Bills play down to their opponent?

Oakland is an absolute mess with Kiffin and the corpse that owns them at odds, and I think Teen Wolf is their defensive coordinator right now. The Bills should win, and it will be interesting to see how they play a team that actually is worse than them on paper.

Yeah, I said it, because right now, the Bills look pretty good. Paper or otherwise.

Forever Young

By Jon

Ed. Note: This column appears in the 9/16 issue of the Albany Student Press, so the style is a bit different then you are used to around these parts. Don't be alarmed...

Vince Young, upset about his lackluster play and recent injury, storms out of his house wielding a gun after mentioning suicide in an earlier therapy session, prompting a four-hour search by police. His concerned mother spouts off to a local newspaper, leading to speculation that the quarterback is battling depression and may be emotionally unstable.

It is a very odd situation, if not completely bizarre. The dramatic elements are better suited for a Hollywood screenplay rather than the front page of the sports section. Journalists across the country were chomping at the bit for the latest news regarding the Young saga, eager to add another chapter to an already juicy story.

Young’s week of hell has provided countless headlines and plenty of message board fodder, but it begs the question: Is this news?

Ever since O.J. and the white Bronco unexpectedly provided a few hours of must-see TV, sports coverage has become more and more concerned with off-the-field incidents rather than the games themselves. Aside from Tom Brady’s injury, the biggest stories in professional football this season have been a soap opera involving a certain over-the-hill quarterback, a man legally changing his name to a pair of Spanish numerals, and now the Young affair.

Young is part of a ever-growing breed: A hybrid of celebrity and athlete; someone whose name you could find on SportsCenter one day and TMZ the next. The pressure of constantly being in the public eye is wearing on him, and the apparent demise of his emotional state is being played out before the eyes of the general public.

Like it or not, this is what the media has become. The average person has become obsessed with the so-called “newsertainment” phenomenon, and the line between a legitimate news story and the latest celebrity gossip is nearly non-existent.

News outlets will print what their readers want to read, and if that story is about a suicidal quarterback on the run with reckless disregard for the privacy of the parties involved, so be it. Does it matter that it was largely personal issue? Is there anyone that would want a situation like that publicized if it were about them? Of course not. But it makes for an entertaining read, and the average reader will devour the drama.

That’s not to say that there weren’t any reportable aspects of Young’s adventure. If the police are called in for a missing-person search it should be reported. However, publishing speculative stories about someone’s depression and suicide talk is nothing more than taking advantage of someone elses unfortunate situation in an effort to gain a few readers.

Sorry, Vince. Your business is now everyone’s business.

You've Gotta Be Kidding Me

by Ryan

We are a few days away from "Puck Drop '08" or whatever they are calling the start of training camp. Because of this, I've been waiting for some news on the season from the team. Something. Anything. Please.

You would think in this age of increased Internet presence the team would do a better job of informing its fans of important events, right? Right.

Today I got an email from the Sabres, and I was excited. Maybe a training camp roster, or maybe just some info about tickets. What about an update on Tyler Kennedy's blog? The possibilities are endless with a new season. With all that money they saved by axing the "Hockey Hotline" format for road games, you must have something pretty amazing ready to roll.

Yeah, something like this:



Wow, I can't wait to hear that homosexual mandolin quartet. Great start guys, be sure to let me know when Matlock is on next, too.

Starting in Goal, #35 Jocelyn Thiebault

Who knew he was Bulgarian?

(Here's the real story if you're interested)

So Far So Good

The Stress Buffalo likes what he sees.

Gameday Prep: Bills @ Jagulars

by Ryan

Yeah, I just dropped a Winnie the Pooh reference.

Taylor and Jones-Drew, respectively.

We've broken down the Jags quite a bit, and now all that's left to do is watch. I thought it would be nice to put some links together that you may need throughout the day. Consider this your Gameday Prep.

Announcers: Gus Johnson(!!!) and Steve Tasker. (Courtesy of Awful Announcing)

Game Distribution Maps: Courtesy of the506.

Depth Charts: Jags, Bills

Stats: NFL.com, ESPN, or Yahoo Sports all do a good job. If you have fantasy teams through Yahoo, you're better off paying the ten bucks for "stattracker", it's a lifesaver.

Things They've Been Saying:
- Vic Carucci on the Bills.
- Michael C. Wright on Stroud.
- Mark Gaughan on Trent not f#$king it and checking down.
- Simmons says Bills with five.
- A real preview, if you're into that kinda thing.

Pump-Up Song that Will Melt Your Face Off: "Wild International", One Day as a Lion



Zach de la Rocha and the drummer from The Mars Volta? Yes, please.

Fun Facts:

- Since leaving the Bills, every team Pierson Prioleau is employed by has a player wounded by gunfire.

- If you want to hate Jacksonville, consider the fact that the Jaguars have to tarp off 9,713 seats in the upper deck just to avoid blackouts. But yeah, the Bills are the team that's not viable in a small market...

- Remember this when you get upset about all that rain we've had over the weekend.



- Marshawn on Marshawn, a must see for any Bills fan. I want to take him saying "championship!" and turn it into a ringtone.

Okay, that's it. Game time. I'll be around all day, so if you have a thought drop a line. Comments, email, or our AIM: GoosesRoost28.



Go Bills.

Mediocre Coach Supports Mediocre General Manager

by Ryan

I had to whip out my thesaurus, because saying "Gretzky thinks Leafs are on the right track" seemed a bit generic. Here's the all important paragraph:

Fletcher spent nearly six years as an executive with Gretzky's Phoenix Coyotes before making his return to the Maple Leafs.

Ah, that makes sense. It's not like there is a conflict of interest there or anything. No personal bias or pressure to say the right things at all. Nope.

In other news, Matt Millen thinks the Raiders looked great last week.

O-S-Who? Redux

by Rich

Ed. Note: Rich started this post at 3:55 AM the night of the National Championship game in January. Needless to say, this never got finished. However, I thought it would be fun to re-live the beating Ohio State took just as, you know, a warm up for tonight. Enjoy.



The BCS National Championship Game started out something like this.


...Aaaaand ended a little more like that. For the second year in a row, The Overrated State University put up a valiant fight was gutted like a fish by an SEC team that many said shouldn't even have been in the game. In the last two national title games, The Fighting Sweater Vests have been outscored 79-41 (And that should be 79-34, because I defy anyone to argue that LSU's defense was concerned with anything other than getting to the sidelines to hug departing coordinator Bo Pelini during OSU's last touchdown drive).

During last year's First Annual BCS Egg-Laying, Florida scored 21 straight points on the Bucks after they ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown. This year, the LSU Tigers dropped 31 unanswered points on the boys from Columbus after they jumped out to a 10-0 lead. Nice work guys, this year you scored twice before folding like a red-and-gray card table. Really, you should be proud of yourselves.

The fact that I've spent the entirety of this post so far ripping on OSU certainly does not mean that I plan on overlooking how good this LSU team is. They were banged up all year (although the fact remains that both of their losses came in triple overtime), but got healthy enough to put on one hell of a show tonight. Their defense upstaged a statistically superior Ohio State unit, and to be honest I'm a little worried on behalf of Trent and Money about the idea of Glenn Dorsey possibly suiting up for the Dolphins next season. (Note: crisis averted) He commanded a double-team on every snap, got better as the game went on, and I haven't seen an interior lineman show the kind of closing speed he flashed on a sack of Todd Boeckman since...I dunno, since before Warren Sapp got old?

Senior QB Matt Flynn also came to play tonight, throwing a career-high 4 touchdowns and consistently handling OSU's much-hyped defense by finding the holes in their zone blitz schemes and hitting the hot receiver. Ohio State would bring pressure from the linebackers, and Flynn would simply take his three or five-step drop and sling it in to a tight end or wideout in exactly the spot where the blitzers came from. Props are also in order for LSU's pass protection, which gave Flynn the time he needed to make those reads.

And of course, I need to mention Les Miles. This guy is quickly becoming one of my favorite coaches at any level in any sport. He...

Isn't very important right now. Who is important is Beanie Wells, who won't be playing tonight. This should be fun...

Chris Mortensen will Devour your Soul

Jacksonville City Nights: Offense

by Ryan

All week I've been paralyzed with this strange fear. You see, I really want to talk about the Bills, but I'm afraid of get ahead of myself. Since Sunday I've been thinking about this team and what it could do, and right after that all I can think about is that it's just one week.

Still, that was one heck of a game. The person who I honestly thought had the worst game was Roscoe Parrish, and he had a punt return for a touchdown. (Seriously, though, pick up your blocks on important third downs, man. Don't cut inside.) I honestly don't know what to expect out of the Bills on Sunday, but there is something we can talk about today: Jacksonville.

You won't hear about this game on ESPN because they've been quite busy this week. However, Jacksonville is supposed to be an emerging threat in the AFC, and they come off a tough road loss to the Titans. Let's see what they have to say about this week's game.

“It’s going to be hot and we love it. I hope it’s a thousand degrees out there. I hope the ground’s on fire. It can be an advantage for us and we’ll take it.”- Paul Spicer

As far as I can tell, that's about the only thing the Jaguars have going for them at the moment. It may be 93-ish on Sunday, but right now their offensive line is in shambles and as we all know, the O-line is everything with a run-centric offense and a developing quarterback.

Two big injuries have hurt the Jags, with four new linemen on the roster. With their starting center (Brad Meester), left guard (Vince Manuwai), and right guard (Maurice Williams), the Jags were already in trouble. Add in the shooting of Richard Collier and, well, that's a shaky looking offense at best. If you don't think Stroud and Co. won't be trigger happy (sorry) on Sunday, you don't know this defense very well.

As far as their running game goes, you know who the Bills will be up against. Last year we saw plenty of Fred Taylor in Jacksonville. He ate us alive and single handily killed J.P. Losman, causing him the emotional trauma necessary to grow a pretty sick beard. Hey, maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

For all the jokes about Taylor's groin and durability, he certainly isn't showing signs of tailing off. Healthy all of last year, he improved upon his 2006 stats and rushed for over 1,000 yards for the 7th time in his career. While his tandem pairing with Maurice Jones-Drew is bad for fantasy owners, the 1-2 punch has done wonders for the Jaguars offense over the past few years. They will be less dangerous with the line depleted, but they have the ability to make bad running plays into two yard gains.

This is where David Garrard comes in, and where I lose faith in the Jaguars offense.

Listen, Garrard is a good young quarterback, but a good young quarterback needs time to throw, and 5 random fat people standing in front of you an offense line does not make. Tennessee's defense had seven sacks last Sunday, and if the Bills manage half as many this week it will be enough for a win.

We don't quite know what the Bills defense will look like against an opponent that can run a clean route, but if the secondary is able to step up against Jerry Porter and Matt "Pale Nose" Jones the defensive line will be getting plenty of coverage sacks. The Bills first two games are a perfect recipe to help them gain confidence, and you can only hope to see them take advantage of the situation.

We'll be back with some Bills links later on, as well as a look at the Jags' defense, which worries us much more.