Random Thoughts: Show me more, Buddy….Sabres continue to struggle…Comparrisons to the 99′ Finals team

I just wanted to make something clear about the Bills new regime. Yesterday was a great first step in the right direction for the rebuilding process of the roster. It was nice for a change not to write a piece bashing the crap out of Buddy Nix and Ralph Wilson. The Bills may have finally showed that they have a plan in place to try and reshape the roster. However, if you all of a sudden think I’m going to drive the parade float with Buddy Nix and company on top of it, you’re sadly mistaken.

There are still a number of things wrong with this franchise. Why are Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick still on this roster? Why is Chris Kelsay being converted to an OLB? Why is Kyle Williams my nose tackle? Why is Tom Modrak still involved with the NFL Draft? Why is Marshawn Lynch still here? Why is Chan Gailey here and not Marty Schottenheimer (OK, I have to let that one go).

Sorry, but when you have so many “whys” with this team, it becomes very tough for me to give this regime the benefit of the doubt.

Yeah, I know, a lot of things can happen between now and opening day. However, patience isn’t one of my better virtues when it comes to dealing with an organization that has constantly gotten it wrong for the last 10 years. I’m still not all the way there in taking this team serious in their rebuilding efforts. Now, I’m getting closer, but I just need more time and more player movement.

Now, some of you may think it’s time for me to let down my guard…and you could be right. However, I’ve seen this sort of player movement before. I got on board when the team added Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker in 2007. Everyone spoke about how the team had finally addressed their offensive line problems. I was still on board with the team when they traded for Marcus Stroud in 2008. Everyone thought the Bills finally had the recipe for a great front four. Hell, I even wrote that Lee Evans and Terrell Owens could become the next James Lofton and Andre Reed for the Bills.

I was completely wrong on all fronts. Sorry, but I’m going to take this relationship between the Bills and myself extra slow. It’s kind of like a girl who just started dating a guy that has a history of screwing girls over. You’re going to be extremely skeptical of the guy, but if he can take a number of baby steps to prove that he’s not the same guy, then this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

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How the f$%k did the Montreal Canadians get within four points of first place? It seems like no one wants to win the North East division. The “Leastern” conference has been just mediocre this year. Only five teams in the conference are in the plus department in goal differential. Can you say Detroit vs Carolina from 2002?

BTW- When the hell are the Sabres NOT going to have games in-hand? It seems like Ottawa has played three more games than the Sabres for almost three years. Catch-up already!

Now, I’m not exactly that worried about the division race. I still believe that the Sabres can win the division and home ice is a little overrated if you ask me. Plus, the conference is so bad that the difference between the 3rd through 6th seeds aren’t really that big of a drop off.

However, I’m extremely worried about how bad this team has been playing over the last two months. Even if the Sabres clawed their way to the 2nd seed in the conference, I still wouldn’t have as much confidence in them during the first round of the playoffs. All of the Sabres problems that we were use to seeing over the last two years have returned. Slow starts, turnovers and losing against inferior teams have reared its ugly head.

Do I really need to get into Dominic Moore…err..Raffi Torres? If he doesn’t score by next week, I think we would be doing a disservice in comparing Moore to Torres. Which would mean that Torres would be entering the dubious company of Bob Corkum.

Memo to Lindy Ruff: If you’re expecting Torres to score more goals, how about getting him new linemates? Playing with Adam Mair and Patrick Kaleta isn’t going to jump start his scoring.

And while we are at it, why in the blue hell is Adam Mair playing on the ice with less than two minutes remaining and the team is trailing by a goal? I don’t care if his line had scored two goals against the Thrashers. I don’t care if Johan Hedberg is scared sh#$less when Mair is in the crease. I don’t care if Mair invaded the Senators locker room to pick a fight with Jarkko Ruutu. That boneheaded penalty that he took against Atlanta was totally unacceptable.

It was the second time this season that Ruff had Mair and company on the ice in crunch time, only to have it blow up in his face. Is it against the rules to double shift Thomas Vanek? My goodness, Mair was waived from this team. Please, just let him go.

I’m happy he works hard, but you know who else works hard in America? The people who say “Welcome to McDonalds.” Sorry, but I don’t see those people running a fortune 500 company and I don’t see Mair being a threat late in a hockey game.

Look, I’m happy the team is going to make the playoffs, but are you really going to term the Sabres season a success if they get beat in the first round? I sure won’t.

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Hey, there is a silver lining with the team’s recent struggles that I’ve discovered. I have been writing all season that the Sabres resemble the 99′ Finals team. That team had outstanding goaltending, good defense and inconsistent scoring. Not only were the teams similar in style, but so were their regular season performances.

The Sabres in 99′ started off extremely strong the first quarter of the season, but struggled offensively and played .500 hockey down the stretch. The Sabres limped into the playoffs as a 7th seed, but were able to sweep the 1st place Senators in the first round and breezed through the Eastern Conference.

Even the late season acquisition of Stu Barnes has an eerie similarity to the Raffi Torres deal. In 17 games with the Sabres, Barnes scored exactly zero goals for the team. However, he was a key part in the Sabres playoff run; scoring seven goals in the postseason. Hey, maybe Torres is Stu Barnes in disguised.

I know, it would take a colossal collapse by Sabres to become the 7th seed of the conference. But hey, I get accused for being too negative, so by thinking that the Sabres recent struggles resemble the 99′ team, sounds pretty optimistic if you ask me.