—Even from beyond the Sabres graveyard, Tim Connolly still haunts us. Obviously, it has been well-documented that I dont think much of #19. Last night, The Globe and Mail had an article on how Connolly was mistreated by the Buffalo media and how some teammates, Ryan Miller mainly, had #19’s back when it came to criticism. Let’s deal with the mistreated stuff first. After the story hit, all hell broke loose on Twitter. It was your standard TBN sucks and Tim Connolly was totally mistreated rhetoric. Let’s get some things straight: First off, Tiny Tim was hardly a nickname that gained as much traction as Connolly’s agent likes to maintain. This wasn’t A-Fraud we are talking about.
I heard Sully mention it once or twice, but it was hardly mentioned by fans or even other media types. Secondly, treated unfairly? Look, I’m not the GM who declared that Tim Connolly was a top 20 center and someone who was going to be our playmaking center. You want to blame someone? Blame the Sabres for trying to BS the public into thinking that #19 was our answer to Briere/Drury. If Connolly was a #3 center like he was in 2005, no one cares or goes after him. By raising expectations for your “star” player, you are putting a target on his back for the media and fans. Connolly never came close to meeting those expectations and because of that, the media has every right to question him.
I know most bloggers hate it when TBN talks about how in other markets, Tim Connolly would be victim to worse crimes than being called Tiny Tim. Well, guess what? They are right. I don’t think Connolly was treated that badly. Give me an example of what was bad. He didn’t score in 29 playoff games! WTF do you want the media to say? He’s a Selke award winning center? Give me a break. They said he was terrible and that was that. It wasn’t any different from what they would say in the other 29 NHL markets. What made it so personal? I can’t think of anything. Really, I can’t. Actually, you know what it is called? Being a pro athlete only to stink and then have the media remind you of that.
Did TBN print a photo of a chicken next to Connolly’s face? Did they send a reporter out to see what he does on his off nights? I think it’s just a case of some people having sour grapes with TBN and looking for anything to crap on them about.
If anything, the article shows me how Tim Connolly can’t deal with adversity and that’s why he couldn’t score when it really mattered. To complain that you were mistreated by a press corp of 2 beat writers and a columnist? Give me a break. The agent made it sound like #19 was being treated like A-Rod. Trust me, the media market in Buffalo is about as tabloid as the Sabres media guide. The major reason why Connolly left didn’t have to do with him hating the press or the fans hating him, it was because Toronto was out of its mind when they offered him almost 10 million bucks for 2 years. Trust me, if the Sabres offered as much, he’s still in Buffalo and his agent tells TBN that he respects Bucky.
On a sidenote, I think the majority of bloggers/fans have fallen prey to the Florence Nightingale effect with Connolly. They just feel bad for him. Anyways, I’m so over the Connolly debate. A salute to him in Toronto.
—As for Ryan Miller sticking up for his former teammate? That’s nice of him and shows that he has his former teammate’s back. I applaud him for pointing out that Connolly changed his game to become a defensive-minded center. I’m also curious as to why Miller never made a point of this last year or even the last 3 seasons. It struck me as a little odd. I also wonder if this sort of thing will have any carryover to the regular season. I’ve alluded multiple times to the fact that Miller had some issues with the press this year. From the Sully and Vogl altercation to ending interviews early because an MSG cameraman spoke out of turn, I think the sh@t is going to go down sooner or later between Miller and TBN. Don’t think for one second the press corp doesn’t put this in the back of their minds. Those guys have memories like elephants when it comes to being called out.
—I don’t know about you, but if the NFL lockout ends, this is going to be the coolest football summer ever! Yes, it sounds insane, but there’s never been a free agency period followed directly by training camp. I think it’s kind of awesome in a way. Go lockout!!! Alright, I’m half kidding, but the next month or so is going to be a lot of fun. BTW, I still don’t care about the lockout. As I’ve alluded to since March, until we lose actual games, it doesn’t matter.
—I think it would behoove the Sabres to move their training camp to Rochester just like the Bills do. If part of the reason for Pegula buying the team was for regionalization, why not have a week’s worth of practices down the I-90? Pretty much make it into a 1-week event like the Bills do when they go down to St. John Fisher.
—God, you have to love ESPN and how they are covering Women’s soccer. Look, I’m not a soccer fan. I will watch when the Men’s World Cup comes around in order to have nice conversations with my father, who is from Italy and feels that soccer is the greatest sport ever. As for the women’s team, it’s a great story and some of the matches have been exciting but the feeling that they’re being overexposed by the fine folks at ESPN is making me feel queasy. I almost died laughing when on Sunday, Sportscenter did one of their top 10 plays segment, about the most dramatic sports moments in history. Not just this year, but HISTORY! And you know where USA’s game-tying – not game-winning but game-tying – goal against Brazil ranked? Yup, #5. What a fricken joke! Yes, Bobby Thomson’s HR was before that. Ridiculous. I’d bet my life savings that if ESPN didn’t have the rights to the World Cup, it wouldn’t make the list. This is just your standard ESPN trying to force-feed something down our throats and it turns this viewer off. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll watch, but I’m not watching ESPN afterward.
—Someone needs to wake up the workers in China or at the clothing factories over at One Bills Drive. I decided to cave and buy a Stevie Johnson away jersey. Yes, I totally understand the issues with making an 85 dollar purchase involving a player who is a free agent next year, but I can’t resist. The #13 jersey is just too hot to not buy. It’s a cool number and an even cooler player. However, when I called over to the folks at the team store, they only had XL and XXL jerseys and won’t be getting regular sizes until August 1st. August 1st?! Come on!! I guess that is a testament to #13’s popularity. Or the Bills mixed up #13 with #11 stock—
—This may be all a coincidence, but I find it odd that the Bills have Poz’s old jerseys on clearance for a cheaper price than Lee Evans and Terrence McGee. Do the Bills know that Poz is leaving and that’s the reason? Of course, it could be that they have too many #51 jerseys at the team store. It’s also ironic that they don’t have any new Poz jerseys at the team store. We all know that the #51 jersey has always been a hot selling item.
—I am curious to see what the Bills will do via free agency. They have always been a strange bunch at times, because when you always think they won’t do anything, they sign someone. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the signings stink (see: Walker and Dockery), but they always seem to come unexpectedly. No one thought they would sign Dwan Edwards last year, but they did. You can even go back to TO and trading for Marcus Stroud. Remember when Marv Levy came out for his stupid “cash to the cap” speech and we all thought we’d never sign anyone again, but they wasted spent 75 million on the offensive line? I know looking back those deals don’t seem to be that big of a deal, but they surprised a lot of fans when they went down. I’ll say this, before Pegula took over, I thought the Bills beat out the Sabres when it came to making changes to their team via free agency in the off-season. Trust me, I am not bragging about either off-season by any stretch.
—If you want my list of needs, it goes as follows: OT, ILB, Back-up QB and OLB.
—Donte Whitner’s favorite writer, Pat Moran, over at Buffalo Sports Daily, has reported to expect for the Bills to re-sign Drayton Florence. If the Bills re-sign him, I think it might spell doom for Terrence McGee and his big contract. I like Florence and I think he was our best corner last year, but I do wonder if the money would be better spent elsewhere. Anyways, if the Bills re-sign him, I approve of it.
—I know the show is as predictable as the end of a Full House episode (it will always work out), but I am looking forward to the series finale of Entourage. The acting can be subpar, but call me a sucker for following around a bunch of dudes with all the money in the world and fame. The series has been hot/cold in my view. If the episode is all about Vince’s career, I’m sold because people loving following movie stars, albeit fictional ones. However, when it features too much of the other guys (IE, Eric’s stupid love story and Turtle dating Meadow Soprano), I tend to get bored. Also, I’m stoked to see Boardwalk Empire return. It’s not TV, it’s HBO!
— I have to say, I broke about 10 of Darren Rovell’s 100 Rules of Twitter. Yes, I want to collect as man followers as humanly possible and then trade them to Heather B. or Katebits. I think it’s only fair. Oh, and I follow everyone who follows me and if you unfollow yours truly and I find out, I will kill you! 😛
—BTW, I know I sound like a total homer when it comes to writing about TBN. However, I get somewhat annoyed when they actually write a nice article about Pegula, FA moves and the Sabres gutty effort to make it into the playoffs, only to then hear people kill them when they challenge the team. Do people only read the negative stuff and then run to Twitter, yelling that “Sully is being a jerk again!” It can’t be a firing squad every day when your only gripe is when the paper is negative.
—If you want me to say something critical about them, they need to get their asses on Twitter and update their blogs more. I’d also like them to conduct some investigative reporting when it comes to what the hell is going on in LA with the new team they are trying to bring in. Plus, I do think there’s a generational gap between the columnists and the younger readers. If the internet is the future for readership, and you tend to think youth when it comes to the web, then you should be geared towards those demographics in certain ways. Hey, Nick Mendola just got let go from WECK. Hire him as a part-time columnist.
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