Kaspers Korner

     Thomas Vanek this past season that he is a very important piece to the future of the Buffalo Sabres.  This offseason will allow Vanek to become a restricted free agent.  However, there is a sign that Vanek is planning to stay in Buffalo.

    The blog website HockeyBuzz.com is reporting that Thomas Vanek is buying a house in Buffalo.  That is a great sign for Sabre fans.  It is a sign showing that his mind set is on getting a deal done with the Sabres.  Also, that the Sabres want him around definately. 

    The major question is how much will get the deal done.  Obviously, Vanek is going to command around the four million mark thanks to Daniel Briere’s arbitration hearing.  One thing is for sure whoever is Vanek’s other wingman is going to help Vanek and himself be succesful. 

     The main objective is not jsut resigning the current stars, but injecting some grit and heart into the lineup.   Some guys that were signed last offseason will go.  The two big names being Ales Kotalik and Maxim Afinogenov.  Both by all accounts should go creating cap space to sign at least one of the captains. 

     From there it is pretty simple to me.  First, Patrick Kaletta must be brought up to be a fourth liner with Adam Mair and Paul Gaustad.  Second, Drew Stafford should be given Max’s wing spot.  Connoly will then center between Pominville, and Hecht.  Then the last line should be Zubrus , Drury, and a Mike grier type player.  If the Sabres resign Briere, put Connolly, between Stafford and Vanek, Briere with his old line, and Roy with Drury.

    Thos are my suggestion and wishes.  As we all know the only thing we can do is wait, and see.

     Thomas Vanek becomes a restricted free agent very soon.  After coming off of a 40 plus goal season it is easy to realize he is due to a big pay day.  However, if another club was to try, and sign Vanek they would have to give up their entire future.

     Last year Daniel Briere was awarded an arbitration award of 4.5 million dollars.  That could easily what Vanek could command.   The question is if teams are willing to pay that, and give up draft picks to get him.

     The number of draft picks that a team would have to give up for signing Vanek to a 4.5 million dollar contract would be two first round picks, a second round pick, and a third. A very hefty price to pay.

     Most sport leagues are copy cats.  The fact is that the Sabres are the model team that everyone wants to be.  With that being said nobody is most likely to pay the price they would have to in order to get Vanek. 

     Vanek for a lot of teams would take them up to the brink of the cap.  Eventhough, the cap is going up it would not be samrt to go right up to it.  Buffalo Sabre fans know about that.  If you do that and want a player at the trade dead line, then you better expect to give up a couple younger players to fit under the cap.

     Lets face it sport fans Thomas Vanek is most likely going to stay here.  Unless, someone wants to go John Davidson offer a ridiculous amount of money, and give up their future.  To that kind of offer I will say by Thomas Vanek, and hello to an influx of a lot of young talent.

     Marques Hills body was discovered a day after his jet ski accident.  The whole tradgedy wpuld of been avoided if he was wearing a life jacket.  For some reason layers still do not learn.

     The most glaring incident where a former athlete failed to take saftey precautions is Derrick Thomas.  Thomas was not wearing a seat belt when his truck rolled over.  He latter would die of a blood clot that went to his heart.  If Thomas was wearing a seat bel he might still be alive.

     The same could be said for Hill.  Hill did not wear a life jacket.  For whatever reason he did not it costed him his life.  Now, a family and acommunity most mourn.

     Athletes need to wake up they are not invincible.  However, they think that they are, and boy are they going to get a rude awakening just like Michael Vick.

     The Buffalo Sabrs revelaed a couple days ago that is will not go up to the NHL salary cap.  The fact is that they should not, because of the fact that it will get them into financial trouble again. 

     The fact is that the Buffalo Sabres cannot afford to go up to the salary cap.  Why, is due to the fact that their ticket price si one of the lowsest in the leagues.  Teams like Toronto according to the Buffalo News make 2.5 times what the Sabres charge for tickets.

      That is the ultimate key fr the Sabres spending.  If the Sabrs keep winning then Sabre management will be able to raise ticket prices, and then will draw more money.

     What does this mean to the players.  Their salary cap figure right now is 28.4 million dollars.  They can probably spend about fourteen miillion dollars additional. 

    They have to keep Thomas Vanek thier leading goal scorere.  He is too valuable to lose to another team, along with chris Drury.  Daniel Briere on the other hand is expendable, due to the fact that he is not big enough fr cup hockey.

    Whatever may happen from now to October will have a huge impact on the Sabres futre.   Only time will tell.

     Problably the worst thing could have happened to Virginia Tech today. An informant Told ESPN that Michael Vick has been involved in dog fighting before he entered in the National Footall League.  The informant went on to reveal information that could do damage to ESPN.

      The problem is that the informant told ESPN that Vick was a heavy better.  He went on to tell that at a fight in 2000 Vick bet 5,000 dollars, and the problem is that Vick was attending Virginia Tech at the time.

      In college it is illegal for a collegiate athlete to receive money as a gift, and also to earn money.  So, where the helll did Vick get five thousand dollars.  Also, where did he get the itial money to buy and raise pittbulls.

     The only conclusion is that a booster gave Vick the money.  Then in turn Vick must have taken the money to fund his pittbull breeding.

     The problem could be very serious for Viginia Tech.  The end result for VA tech could be the loss fo scholarships, and not being able to appear in bowl games for a period of time.  However, the more serious problem would be the further tarnishing of thier reputation.

     It is very saddening to see this possibly happen.  The people at the school will probably have old wounds torn open.  It is just a sad thing to see.  However, the giving of money by boosters is a common thing in college, and unfortunately the school has it coming to them.

     For the past several years Gene Upshaw has been the undisputed king as National Football League Players Association president.  However, someone finally spoke up againts Upshaw, and that person is former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka.

     For months now a war has been brewing between retired players, and current executives among the NFLPA.  Upshaw has been specifically the target of the former players. 

     Their main reason for being so angry.  Simple some of the retired players who retired previous to 1982 are living in poverty.  Yes, I did not make a typo.  Some players are living in poverty and also some others have so many medical bills they cannot pay them. 

     The problem is that the pension benefits that they receiver are nothing.  They could make more working for a Domino’s Pizza than what they get from their pension.  For example Joe Delamielleure, the hall of fame guard, has stated on WGR that he receivers about 1,200.00 dollars a month.  Players in baseball receive about ten times that amount.

      Why is it that former players receive so little.  Simple Upshaw and former NFL commisioner Paul Tagliabue never have even addressed the issue.  You think that Upshaw would listen to his fellow constituents, since Upshaw played in the NFL himself.

     Whatever Upshaw’s reasons are for not addressing the issue.  Ditka and many other former players are ticked off.  With Ditka going on a radio station stating that Upshaw took out an illegal loan you can expect congress to step in now.

     You better be looking over your shoulder Upshaw, because an angry mob is coming after you.  That mob is a angry bunch of former player that deserve way better pension benefits.  After all they are the ones that paid the price and made the game great and as big as it is today.

     So, Upshaw put your money where you mouth is and pay them.

     Darwin Walker came over in a deal that sent Takeo Spikes and Kelly Holcomb to the Philadelphia Eagles.  The whole deal is starting to look real bad from this point of view

     If Walker does not report to the Bills training camp by August 5 he will become property of the Eagles again.  The thing is that the Bills knew before they traded for  Walker that he wanted a new contract.  However, the Bills do not have a lot of room under the cap to do a big deal.

     The deal does not make sense at all with this development.  Why trade for someone who is going to hold out, and might not be able to redo.  It is a very troubling sign.

     The Bills have been a very confusing team this year.  On one hand they have been committed to win.  On the other hand they look like they are rebuilding, due to letting some free agents go.  

    The Bills fate will rely in the development of starting quarterback JP Losman and Paul Posluszny.  However, Walker going back to the Eagles would be a big blow to the Bills development into a playoff team.

     Well it looks like it is up to the Bills contract guy Jim Overdorf.  The Bills development lies in his hands now. 

     John Clayton revealed a major study he did on the quarterback position today.  After reading the article I have only one thought.  Losman is going to have a breakout year.

     In the article published by Clayton today he state that after reviewing four years of data he came to a conclusion.  A quaterback with a high completeion percentage and a high yards per attempt will be succesful.

     Then I went to NFL.com and looked at Losman’s stats from last year.  After reviewing both categories there is only one conclusion to be made.  Losman will have a breakout year this year, and will sneak the Buffalo Bills into the playoffs.

    Losman’s stats were 62.5 percent for completions, and over 7.0 yard per attmpt.  Which, by Clayton’s hypothisis will make JP Losman succesful in this league.  The scary part is that Losman is going in to his second year under offensice coordinator Steve Fairchild’s offense.  Which, should reveal even more improvement for Losman.

     However, Clayton did go on to mention that quarterbacks within these stats still need outside help to make the playoffs.  Clayton in his article mentioned that each team that made the playoffs had a qb in the stats, and a very good defense. 

    The fact is that the Bills season will hinge on the development of second round choice Paul Posluszny.  He is going to be the brains heart and soul of the defense, since he is going to be the starting middle linebacker.  If he has an immediate impact they wil make it, and if not then they will not.

     So, this year fols when training camp opens do not be focused on JP.  Keep your focus on Posluszny and the defense.  I will go out on a limb, and say they wll make it.  Why, smart coaches with a great line of communication from Ralph Wilson all the way to the fans, second year for most of the team in both the offense and defensive schemes, and a solid draft this past April. 

     As many readers know I am an avid reader of the site Pro Football Talk.com.  Slowly but surely it has gained respect by readers, and the national media.  As of yesterday it has finally passed ESPN in breaking NFL news.

     Pro Football Talk.com is one of the best run sites when it comes to NFL news.  Not only does each article on the site has news to report and there is an editorial paragraph in each article.

     The national media respect has been slow to come by until now.  Recently editor Mike Florio has gained national respect.  he has gained that with appearances on the NFL Network, and is now mentioned as the source for the Larry Zierlein episode. In the past most national news sources would report news a couple days after Pro Football Talk.com reported it and never mentioned a word.

     It looks like Sports Illustrated has realized that Pro Football Talk is a force to be reckoned with. In Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback King would go on to mention Pro Football Talk.com several times when talking about the Jake Plummer situation.  Now in its Truth and Rumor section they have cited Pro Football Talk as the source of news on the Larry Zierlein episode.

     ESPN is a different case.  ESPN refuses to recognize Pro Football Talk.  The answer here is simple, and that is Mike Florio is a former employee of ESPN.com.  What company would recognize someone that left its company to start his own site due to his feelings that ESPN was doing business the wrong way.

     The fact is that Pro Football Talk.com is the leader in breaking NFL news.  It has broken major news like Chad Johnson’s locker room fight, Duante Culpepper’s trade, and now the mistake email.  So, all of you that love ESPN just remember when you are reading something it was reported several days earlier at PFT.

     Since the end of the regular season there has been one question on most people’s mind.  That being how much will Chris Drury get to stay with the team.  To me that is not the big question on hand.  To me is Chris Drury a vocal enough leader to get the Sabres to the promise land.

     The problem with Drury is that he is not a vocal leader. A guy that will stand up in the lockerroom, and voice his opinion.  Many times over Drury’s teammates have said that he leads by example. 

      Well that is all good for preparation for a game, but it is not enough during the game.  One thing that I personally learned from experience is that when the chips are down someone has to speakup to rally the troops. 

       Most athletes view speeches, and verbal rippings as learning tools.  Most of the time the one speech that gets everyone attention is usually one tht comes from another athlete.

       I say this with conviction.  If there was a vocal leader on that team the Sabres right now would problably be playing for the cup.  You can tell that there was not one.  After the first period in game three a true leader would stepup and tell his teammates to get their heads out of thier ass, but they never did and you know the rest.

     Do not get me wrong they need Drury.  Also, they already have a vocal leader in Ryan Miller.  He is blunt and to the point, and that is what a team leader does.  I think Miller was not vocal this past season, because of Drury, Briere, and Numminen.

    However, it is Miller time just like on his face mask.  He has proven that he deserves a spot in leadership role on the team.  He was their most consistent player.  If that does not ear some respect I do not know what will.