nfreeman
-
Posts
21,746 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by nfreeman
-
-
21 hours ago, Buffalonill said:
Clearly something was going on in the organization with him or he would still be there correct
There is no doubt in my mind that Diggs forced his way out. The timing makes zero sense otherwise.
21 hours ago, mjd1001 said:His play seems to be sliding.
Eye test: He was finding holes in zones where Allen hit him, but he wasn't making really any great plays, didn't seem to fool guys or blow by guys as much as he did a year or two ago.
Stats: His last 13 games in a row he didn't exceed 100 yards receiving. In those 13 games, 7 of those 13 games, he didn't even get to 50 yards receiving.
Age is catching up to him (and if it is, hes not likely to get better next year and likely might get worse) or Allen doesn't want to throw to him as much. You aren't getting rid of Allen so either of those 2 things are bad.
And the decline in his play, and in his role in the offense, makes it an easier pill to swallow (and BTW he was my favorite guy on the team).
OTOH, I expect him to be highly motivated and have a good year next year.
21 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:Josh Allen had to sign off, right?
So with that in mind, it was obviously time for Stef to move on.Absolutely.
This was posted today by one of the best posters on TSW:
QuoteI got told at the end of the 2022 season that the Diggs - Allen relationship had broken down and they were barely on speaking terms. I don't think that was really the reason for the downturn in performance in late 2023 though, because the previous 12 months they had managed to co-exist successfully on the field.
I think it is a combination of it all. The fact he was no longer best buds with his QB and had the explosive temper moments were sufferable while he was producing at the level he was up to halfway through 2023. Once that production disappeared it was no longer worth the wedge.
20 hours ago, inkman said:His production is on the decline. WR with his skill set typically fall off fast. I wouldn’t be surprised is he’s the 3rd WR in Houston.
20 hours ago, mjd1001 said:If you want to really stretch, Houston gets a guy on the decline, that they either overpay at what? $18m per year? Or the cut him themselves and lost the 2nd rounder they gave up for him. Maybe not this year, but you could have weakened (slightly) an opponent in the conference for the next few years.
Houston has 2 young stud WRs.
I don't think it will happen, but it's not impossible that Diggs will find himself unhappy with his role in the offense there.
OTOH, I heard on WGR that if it doesn't work out, Houston can cut him after this coming season with zero cap hit.
12 hours ago, Indabuff said:I still firmly believe that last year wasn't a decline due to his age; it was due to him checking out.
Well, I think age has something to do with it, but it sure seems like he was increasingly unhappy and problematic. Here is another quote from an excellent poster on TSW:
QuoteYou know what, now is a good time to spill the beans on what I was told earlier this year - In the home Patriots game, Diggs chose to sit out the first drive of the 2nd half because he was upset with Allen's play in the 1st half. It wasn't an injury or part of the game plan. He decided to screw over his team and sit out a drive because he couldn't get over himself.
I suspect other stories like this will come out in the coming days. A couple aren't mine to tell. Guy was a total headcase and a major distraction in more ways than one.
My bottom line on this is that I hate losing a guy who burns the way Diggs does and, like Diggs, who thinks he's a superstar and isn't afraid of anything. Those guys are essential. I also think it's not necessarily a bad thing that his relationship with JA had soured (if that is true -- which I believe it is -- in the last couple of seasons I haven't seen the same joy in their interactions that was evident in the prior couple of seasons). Sometimes, tension within an organization can serve as a competitive/motivating factor and keep people from getting too comfortable -- I kinda think the Sabres need some of that.
Still, sometimes things can get too toxic. When that happens, an organization needs to take action. I think that's what happened here.
I sure hope though that there are some other guys who are among their best players and can provide that burning intensity that Diggs has. I'm not sure who fits that bill. Maybe they'll draft a WR #1 who can provide both production and fire.
We'll see.
-
2
-
1
-
-
23 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:
I really wish they'd have kept Peca as an assistant and then we could have fired Granato this year and seen if things would change with Peca as an interim. As is I see only one good move and that is hiring Lindy Ruff. It's the best PR move, it conjures history, it signals a new era (or return to an old) and if Lindy can't get this lot to perform better you might as well scrap it all. Would he take the job? Probably not.
My dream? Pegula hires Pat LaFontaine as senior advisor for all hockey operations and retires to Florida and then we can all pretend all of this never happened, just a dream, a really really really bad dream.
I think Lindy would take the job in a heartbeat.
-
1
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, Archie Lee said:
I’m not entirely sure what all is encompassed in your comment that “no one in similar circumstances has come up with a faster plan”. I replied to this point earlier in the thread. Being more succinct with this reply, I would argue that it is incredibly rare that a team that is in a full rebuild starts with what Adams started with. The depth of age 23 and under talent that was already in the system AND that was acquired in the trades AND that was enhanced by an immediate 1OA (Power) is quite unique. Adams started with more than most. Quite a bit more in my view.
I completely agree that he started with more young talent/high-end prospects than most, but I think it's also fair to say that he started with more baggage and dysfunction than most.
FWIW, I agree with those upthread who are fine with giving KA another year, but there is no question that this season was a failure on his part. Also, as I've said many times, I'd like a new coach.
-
4
-
1
-
-
On 3/15/2024 at 1:16 PM, JujuFish said:
Went to my first IMAX to see Dune Part 2. That was a fun experience, and the movie wasn't half bad either.
On 3/16/2024 at 11:50 PM, Indabuff said:Dune Part 2:
(1).gif.6c1b1dde5bb89688cc35b1ddaf04d7a1.gif)
Just saw it with my wife. I enjoyed it but I think I liked the first one more. OTOH, my wife liked the 2nd one better.
10 hours ago, LTS said:Blood Sport is so bad
So bad that every time it's on I leave it on and watch the rest of it. "Okay USA!"
It picks up once the kumite starts.
Evidently, it's might be based on a true story, and JCVD's character was a real person, but it seems like quite a few people doubt his stories and believe them to be tall tales, including his description of the kumite and his role in it.
-
1
-
-
4 hours ago, Weave said:
Don’t you go lumping Commando in with trash.
Let off some steam, @Weave!
-
28 minutes ago, ... said:
As they say, it's unsustainable.
The team will hemorrhage money and/or the team will embarrass the league and/or the players will gripe to the union/demand to be traded/etc. where, privately - because ownership is still an old boy's club - Bettman might intervene and light a fire under the organization to do something. Bettman has gone to bat for the Sabres several times over the last many decades so I think he would rather see the team succeed than not.
Those external factors might play a role, but I kinda think at some point it'll be TP realizing that yet another GM hire hasn't worked and he'll pull the trigger, just as he's done 3 times previously.
-
1 hour ago, Pimlach said:
Not gonna happen Rico. You might see a few assistants move, maybe a power play guy brought in.
Enjoy the scoreboard and the roof. That is the extent of real attention Terry is going to pay on this team.
Thankfully, the new COO will have to run those projects. Between the new stadium and scoreboard/roof that guy will be busy.
I think you're right, which is why I can't agree with the OP.
I will say though that at some point KA will start to feel some heat, and I kinda expect it to be next season if they stink again. Nothing lasts forever.
-
1
-
-
I need to see a new coach before I can agree that KA has adopted a take-no-prisoners approach to icing a winning team.
-
3
-
2
-
-
1 hour ago, ... said:
I'm not talking about any of them, I am talking specifically about Granato.
They figured it out. He can't. He's not smart or creative enough. The only asset he would have left after those to tap into would be experience and he has none of that, either.
27 minutes ago, North Buffalo said:That is not correct... he is a technical teacher and developer... what he is learning on the fly is being a motivated hard nose bench coach... can he get there? He has had a few moments but I am not sure he has it in him to take it to the next level and I think that is what we see.
Each or both of you might be right about the particulars, but there is no arguing with the results. Not even close to good enough. And if there are no significant changes, it just seems inevitable that next year will be a repeat of this year.
FWIW, the vibe I get is that the team likes him, but generally treats him like substitute teacher -- i.e. nothing to get too concerned about.
-
2 hours ago, dudacek said:
And/or that they don't have Nathan MacKinnon setting the pace or the tone?
Do people actually find it particularly revelatory the Avalanche practice and play faster than the Sabres?
Don't the Avalanche play faster than pretty much everybody?
Hasn't Granato been urging the team to play faster all season long?
This is not an endorsement of Granato, it's my attempt to point out that there is an equally plausible argument that Mitts' comment illustrates that the Sabres players are immature. That's been their story all season. Those are the cards the coach has been dealt.
Suddenly surrounded by talented, driven adults, maybe it's dawning on Casey that there really is another level.
Or let me put it this way, you add MacKinnon to the Sabres and Granato would suddenly become a much-better coach.
Lindy Ruff coached the Sabres to 82, 72 and 85-point seasons from 2002-05 — or basically 3 straight years of what we have watched this year.
And then Darcy gave him Chris Drury.
Excellent post, as always, but those early 2000's Sabres teams didn't have the the talent that this Sabres team does.
I'll also note that Tuch is 27 -- the same age as Drury was when he was traded to Buffalo. And Tage is 26.
I could be wrong but I really think someone like Torts or Laviolette would get much more out of this team than DG has.
-
2
-
-
I agree that the "never played in the NHL" factor isn't particularly probative, but the more important point here is that Mitts' comment again illustrates that the Sabres are not well coached.
-
1
-
1
-
-
Vancouver is much quicker to the puck than the Sabres are.
Levi is playing pretty well after that crappy 1st goal.
-
1 hour ago, Thorny said:
Messi has double the Instagram followers
In the states? Sure.
Not just in the States. She's selling out stadiums in Japan, Australia, Europe -- everywhere. I have a friend in Malaysia who reports that her poster is everywhere and the taxis all play her music.
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, Sabres73 said:
Scored tickets to Neil & Crazy Horse this summer for an outdoor show at a beautiful location!
In a town in North Ontario?
1 hour ago, Second Line Center said:
I said to my wife she’s bigger than Michael Jackson. I think that’s the territory we’re in with her.Bigger than peak Michael.
I think she is literally the most famous person in the world at present.
-
1
-
-
19 hours ago, Mr. Allen said:
Haha. Ok. Look, you’re obviously a Sabres guy trying to talk Bills. It’s why I typically don’t talk football on this hockey forum because of guys like you. But you clearly don’t pay attention or are a complete Diggs defender.
I’m not talking about him specifically asking for a trade. I’m talking about him being dramatic and a pain in the arse of the Buffalo Bills. I’m not going to get into every moment he’s had. There’s been plenty. Look them up yourself.
You should stick to hockey.15 hours ago, Mr. Allen said:It’s great that you guys are buddies with that poster or might even think he’s pretty darn cool. But the fact of the matter is you guys are on a hockey forum talking football. That’s enough for me to not click on this topic again. All good. Go Bills.
Both of these are obnoxious. Do not communicate like this here.
-
1
-
-
41 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:
Yeah but for the longest time he did look like that time Stephen Hawking fell out of his wheelchair.
This right here is one of the highlights of the season. Outstanding.
-
FTR, I don’t know @PromoTheRobot gets his info, but espn says the Sabres are 5-4-1 in their last 10. Unless there’s some kind of clever NHL standings joke that I’m missing.
-
1
-
-
8 minutes ago, Thorny said:
Keep saying it, it’s fun to be “in the hunt” but that it’s even theoretically possible is significantly more a reflection of how bad this range of the league is this year than any sort of aptitude on our part.
It comes back to the most frustrating thing about the drought: *it’s not hard to make the playoffs*. A team that isn’t good is going to make it and we can’t even be that, ever
We didn’t even need to improve this year, we merely needed to equal our 91 points and we’d likely be in. But instead of attempting an offseason where we actually built on things, aimed for something, didn’t sit on our laurels and left it all to career-year chance, we just ran it back and left ourselves no room for step-back error
its infuriating. If they weren’t allergic to expectations and moving this along as slowly as humanly possible we could have easily been in a position where even the set backs we saw wouldn’t have prevented a playoff berth. We always just run a “if everything goes right” strategy rather than incorporating fail safes in acting like achieving a goal is actually being demanded
It's an interesting question as to what their philosophy was last summer. Clearly they thought they had the bulk of what they needed and that internal development would result in continued improvement.
In goal, I think they thought they had 3 viable candidates -- including the prince who was promised -- and they'd get good goaltending out of whichever 2 of them emerged from the 3-way battle. This is more or less what ended up happening, although it was too late to save their season.
At forward, they thought they were loaded, that TT had arrived as a franchise 1C, that Tuch and Skinner gave them a high-end top line, and that guys like Cozens, Quinn, JJP, Mitts, Krebs, etc would give them plenty of scoring.
On D, they added 2 credible guys in Clifton and EJ, plus a good-looking rookie in Ryan J.
And I think they were in on some bigger names, both at the deadline last year and over the summer, and the players either said no or the price was too high for KA's liking.
Behind the bench, they were happy with their progress so they kept DG.
All of these decisions were, IMHO, defensible in a vacuum -- but clearly the sum total was a major fail. I completely agree with you that KA's work last summer wasn't good enough and that he is accountable.
I expect him to take further real steps this summer, although I unfortunately do not expect bringing in a real coach to be one of them.
-
2
-
-
JFC. So in their stirring rally to make the playoffs, the Sabres are 5-5 in their last 10?
Gimme a freaking break and fire DG yesterday.
-
1
-
2
-
-
Well, this makes it official: KA has admitted that Comrie is a washout.
The Comrie signing -- and retention in the face of mounting evidence that he wasn't up to the job -- is roughly equivalent to Darcy's signing and retention of Patrick Lalime, who was similarly lousy but retained by Darcy for 3 seasons. (Although to be fair, Lalime had a .900 and .907 SV% in his 1st 2 seasons with the Sabres -- but he was 5-13 and 4-8 in those seasons, and then 0-5 in his last season here, and no one here at any point thought he was an NHL goalie.)
In any case, this one is definitely a black mark on KA's record.
-
1
-
1
-
-
Come on Sabres. Give us at least a few more hours of entertainment and a few more days of playoff hopes. It's the least you can do after playing like you didn't give a crap for the first 60% of the season.
-
7
-
-
2 hours ago, Buffalonill said:
Buffalo should bite the bullet and trade him..
in my opinion buffalo made a statement last year basically saying we don't need diggs to be successful.
And I would be Irritated if I was I buffalo fan with his Constant drama on Twitter and his brother Bad mouthing the team and QB
I think the cap hit would basically make it impossible for Diggs not to be on the Bills this coming season. I also think he'll rebound and have a good season, although I can't say I'd be shocked if that didn't happen.
I don't like the drama either, although I kinda think it's mostly just him messing with people. I don't think he's unhappy on the Bills or wants to be traded.
The Bills need his intensity and, if he still has it, his ability.
-
1
-
-
-
2 hours ago, Night Train said:
Samuel was McCaffrey when he played at Ohio St. His last year there he was 97 carries for 771 and 8 TD's rushing to go with 74 catches, 865 and 7 TD's receiving. Blazing speed meant get him the ball.
He's played for 2 bad teams during his NFL time with poor QB play. Can line up anywhere and move the D with his speed. Think he didn't wish to sign here with Allen playing QB ?
Yes they may still draft a WR somewhere..but DL and Secondary have far more needs right now. Kincaid is seen as a motion WR. Diggs, Shakir and Knox as your true TE. They just signed a backup 6-4 WR from Atlanta to go with rookie 6-4 Shorter they drafted in Round 5 last year and hid on IR. They are not lacking in WR depth.
This is an excellent post...but I still want them to draft a game-breaking WR in the 1st round. Among other reasons -- and I hate to say this, because I love Diggs -- Diggs may be in decline.
But in any case the main reason is that I want JA to have a multitude of weapons so that we do not get outscored by you-know-who again in the playoffs.
Buffalo Bills 2024 Thread
in The Aud Club
Posted
I, too, cannot simply read the threads on TSW for the same reasons you can't. I've identified 15 or so excellent posters whose content I follow and IMHO is well worth reading for high-quality Bills analysis.
Also, I agree that he'd still be here for next year if he were a good soldier.