So the last few days, weeks, months, or maybe years have brought us plenty of frustration, right?
Well I woke up this morning determined to list the things I remain either happy, encouraged, or excited about with our sports scene. We don't have a lot of wins, but there are some things worth looking to, that might someday bring us those wins. I know, I know. I needed this though.
So here's my not-so-dirty dozen. 12 things I'm happy, encouraged, or excited about in the Buffalo sports scene:
12.) NFL Draft
The Bills have the ninth overall pick, and are in a position to get a player that can make an impact soon. While I'd like to see them further bolster their wide receiver corps, I'm fully prepared for an edge rusher, or interior pocket collapser to be the pick here. On the defensive line, they have a need to get some cost-controlled youth, and I'd bet that's where they end up going.
11.) NHL Draft Lottery
We're on a roll, right?! Of all the things that could happen to either the hockey or football team this season, this is likely to be the most impactful. A lottery win, or even the second spot could give the Sabres the kind of young forward that you generally only get at the top of the draft. Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko sound like a great idea. Also, let's get that back-to-back lottery win in just before the NHL votes to make it impossible to ever happen again.
10.) Upcoming Offer Sheet Wars
Ok, this one is personal. I don't know if the Sabres are going to offer sheet any players… it'll be difficult because they've lost some of their mid-round picks that make it possible. That said, this is going to happen this year and we can all rejoice that the NHL general managers decide to actually compete with one another.
9.) Stadium discussions
I can't promise that these conversations are going to be fun, and I don't expect the process to be an easy one for those involved, but we are going to getting more and more renderings. Artist renderings = happiness. We will naturally dream of a downtown stadium, Monday night games, playoff berths, and all that stuff. You know it. You get a good look at an artist rendering and you're 15 years down the road with members of your family tailgating for the AFC title game. It doesn't have to be real, it's all just rendered. Seriously though, it's going to be a big topic, for a big build, and that of course means big news.
8.) Eventual retirement of Tom Brady
*Eventual*
7.) Josh Allen
Second-year quarterback Josh Allen is maybe slotted a little bit low right here, but that's because he appears again higher up the board. Allen had a good enough rookie season to get more people paying attention. Just the other day, I heard Colin Cowherd refer to all of the rookie quarterbacks of last year's draft by saying they all did pretty well. Now Jackson, Rosen, Allen, and Darnold all had their problems, and there are differing reasons in all cases. However, Allen's physical tools and ability to use his legs to play heroball made him a bit of a must-watch. Growth is important, and there's a long way to go, but being here for it seems worth it. There's a lot to prove, and an awful lot to gain.
6.) A raised standard at the University at Buffalo
It's sad to see Nate Oats move along, but it's also a success in itself. UB was nowhere when I moved to Buffalo in 2001, and any sort of goals for the athletic department might have been laughed at. Over time, the program has achieved its goal of becoming a springboard to bigger and better opportunities. The profile of the basketball job has been kicked up a few notches. The Bulls are sending Athletic Directors to Power-5 programs. It all adds up to UB being a breeding ground for the next wave of talent, and that means better coaching candidates, and better players as well. Hopefully the hoops team can keep things rolling and the fan interest remains high. I'm sure we'd love to see them take steps further up the ladder and get out of the "springboard" category. That's a great idea, but they had to get here first. In that regard, it's mission accomplished.
5.) Sabres turning the defensive corps
After too many years of Ristolainen, Bogosian, and a cast of others trying to make a real defense corps, the Buffalo Sabres might just be on their way to having a good one. Brandon Montour, Lawrence Pilut, Casey Nelson, and Will Borgen represent a young core of mostly puck-moving defensemen that should reinvent the Buffalo blue line (with another guy I'll mention soon). I bet Ristolainen gets moved. Bogosian maybe… but I think he's valued too much in the room and they might be more hesitant to pull that trigger. The season has been awful. They currently have more good young pieces on defense than I can remember… but that's not a very high bar to clear.
4.) Playoff mode Jack Eichel
Thinking back to the 10-game win streak, and thereabouts, I remember Jack Eichel. He was playing at a MVP level. Dominating on a nightly basis, we saw the player that Eichel can be. Is he that every single night? Nah. There aren't many players that give you their absolute best version of themselves every night, and to be honest, once we get to the point where a season is dead, I just don't care about skating hard to the bench or having any player ramp it up to a playoff level. You can care. I don't. We will head to Year 5 with Eichel next season and hopefully the rest of the team will be good enough to let us see his dominant performances in big games. LeBron James talks about unlocking his "playoff intensity"… proof that some players consciously go to another level at the right time. The season is long, and the Sabres lose all the time. It should have come by now, but Beast mode Jack Eichel is going to show up once this team figures out how to finish in the top-eight.
3.) The Bills defense
Year 1 was opportunistic. Year 2 was top-three in Football Outsiders' DVOA. Year 3 is still to be determined. Bills head coach Sean McDermott has put together a solid defense that, to me, still lacks a total game-wrecker. Tre'Davious White and Tremaine Edmunds are both living up to expectations, if not surpassing them. Add in Matt Milano's emergence, the safeties, and the depth at corner, and it sure looks like McDermott has an eye for which players can jump in and play his defense. Given one more draft, and possibly that edge rusher, or pocket collapser, and there should be a step forward. The Bills haven't been great on defense just yet, with some pretty big whiffs in games along the way… but I'm at a point where I feel good enough to expect the Bills defense to be good enough to keep most games alive.
2.) Josh Allen with a supporting cast
The Bills management group has finally arrived at this moment, where we can depart. I'm using a flying analogy again because the two years building to this one were about planning a trip. They traded players away to get pieces. They moved up to take a quarterback and shed players and salary that they deemed were not for them. I don't agree with every move that they've made and probably would have done the opposite, drafting a quarterback earlier, attempting to build an offensive powerhouse, etc. But that doesn't matter. The vision that Beane and McDermott have had, is closer to coming in to focus. We're finally departing on this trip with these two. That doesn't mean that this is "Year 1". It's "Year 3". The two-year setup ended with a playoff appearance, and a highly drafted quarterback. Finally, I'll see Josh Allen in an offense that has been addressed. The wide receivers are still likely a bottom-10, maybe bottom-five group, but it has been improved, and perhaps the ninth overall pick will help push that up a bit if they go with a receiver. This year feels real. The playoff year was fun, but we knew it wasn't their long-term plan. Last year was the rookie starting so it was training wheels. This time, it counts. They've had a vision… and it'll finally come more into focus. Can't wait for this year.
1.) Rasmus Dahlin
I mean... obviously.
