Kaspers Korner

     For many years now fans of baseball have been suspicious of current players when if comes to steroids.  Well many players better brace for the big shake up.

     George Mitchell got the full cooperation of former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski.  Not oly did Radomslo cooperate he gave the names of players that he sold to.  The names is the piece of evidence everyone has been hoping for.

     Many questions are running through my head right now.  I sit here now wondering when the hell is the report going to come out.  Also, who is going to be on the list.  Then what acions is baseball going to take against these players. 

     I feel like a kid on Christmas day as I wake up to find the tree lined with gifts.  Well today was the ultimate gift for baseball fans.  That gift being the cleaning up of baseball, and the hope that Barry Bonds all time home run king will be erased. 

     Si.com reports that Mitchell’s report will not be made public till after the baseball season.  Also, a person with knowledge of the contents of the report stated, “There is going to be more to this report than people think.”  In other words expect names, details of purchases, basically the works. 

     The fans that thought the game was tainted will get their wish.  That being a good cleaning.  It is about time after all watching a cheater break one of the most coveted records in all of baseball was sickening.

     Former Dallas Cowboys fullback, and now FOX NFL analyst, joined former NFLers fight against the National Football League Players Association over disability benefits.  The important thing though is that Johnston brought a new tatic along with him.

     Instead of bickering, calling names, yelling, and screaming Johnston decided to implement a new tatic.  That being let cooler heads prevail, and plea to commisioner Roger Goodell to step in and do the right thing.

     First, both sides need to put personal feelings aside.  The glaring incident being the Gene Upshaw, “I would break his neck” comments.  Many things have been thrown at each other verbally, but finally a voice of reason has prevailed.

     Secondly, Roger Goodell needs to lay down the law.  Owners have given more than enough to the union.  Now, Goodell needs to step up and tell the union it is tiime to help out. 

     Football is a very violent game.  It can leave you in a wheel chair forever like former Detroit Lion Mike Utely.  I myself suffer from arthritis due to a injury when I played highschool football.  However, many of the former nfl players suffered worst, and have no insurance.

    The biggest problem for may players is the fact that they do not have medical insurance.  Insurace expires after a player has retired, and most players cannot then get any insurance after that.  Thanks to injuries suffered on te field.

     Johnston had a really great point.  The NFLPA has not even for once called a press conferience to put a positive spin on things.  If you are going to be accuse of something most people would speak out against it.

    Hopefully now something will finally get done.  Thanks to the Moose.

     The injury to Ryan Denny has left the defensive end position decimated.  With that many people, including myself, are having serious doubts that the Buffalo Bills will improve this season.

     The unimabinable happened against the Falcons.  Another defensive end will be unavailable for at least the first four games, and most likely the injury will cost Denney half a season.   With Anthony Hargrove suspended for at least the first four games the Bills cannot suffer another injury to the position.

     The defensive line so far this preseason has struggled.  Now, with Denney gone the ability of the Bills being able to stop the run is diminishing.   As the fourth quarter will approach for the first four games defensive ends Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schobel will be worn out.  Thus even more harder for the Bills to win any of thier first six games.

    However, there is a way for the Bills to overcome the defense.  The way you do it is control the clock, and keep the defense off the field. 

     The running back position is very deep now for the Buffalo Bills.  With the running backs consisting of Marshawn Lynch, Anthony Thomas, and Dwayne Wright, and a whole lot of money dumped into their offensive line, the Bills should be able to run the ball anywhere from 40-50 times a game.  That would take the heat of the defense a great deal.

     The one positive that the Bills have going for them in regards to their defense is their ball hawking.  They already have proven that they have a nose for turnovers, and hopefully that transcends into the regular season.  If that was to happen then the defense did its job, no matter how many yards it has been giving up. 

     That is the same way the Bills made it to the Superbowl in one of their four straight.  The defense that year ws viewed as weak, but thanks to turnovers the defense got the job done, and got them into the superbowl.

     So, Bills fans lets not get to down, or ready to panic.  As long as the Bills do not suffer another major injury, knock on wood, the defense should be okay.  It will be time to panic if the Bills defensive line gives up more than 100 yards rushing against the Denver Broncos. 

     However, on the flip side if the give up less than 100 yards rushing then the outlook is pretty good for the defense.  After all, the Broncos are the one team that year in and out are able to run the ball with success consistently.

   First off I want to appologize for the lack of blogs over the last couple of days.  What happens is that I write at night, and writing during the day is very hard to do with a two and three year old kids.  So, what happens is when one wakes up they sometime wakes the other.  Thus killing the ability to type up an article.  I finished my article I started last night so today is a double post.  Now, on to the blog.

     The case of Tim Donaghy giving mafia memebers inside information has been a case that lacked development in the past couple of weeks.  Today that change with a bomshell of a report, and it might just be the knockout punch.

     The associated press is reporting the Donaghy is going to give prosecutersa 20 names that is invovled in gambling, illegal or not.  If proven to be true, just could be the final knockout blow for the National Basketball Association.

    We all had suspicions that there were more people involved.  However, the number of referees invovled in som for of gambling is a huge blow.  A blow that just might end the career of NBA commisioner David Stern.

    Stern has reinterated that Donaghy was acting alone.  Well that might change very soon.  The naming of names will surely bring up someone that is involved in the gambling, and might also be invovled with Donaghy.

    Whatever, the future may hold for this case.  There is one thing that is very clear.  David Stern is a defeated man.  A person without the spark, and fire to man handle the public relations nightmare.  If something is not done now, then the future of the NBA will surely be in doubt.

     It is only the preseason , and already there is one glaring thing that the Buffalo Bills need to do.   That is improve their offensive and defensive line.

     Both lines are looking to be a problem going into the season.  The defensive line is performing to what many people thought it would.  However, the offensive line has so far been a disappointment at best.

    The starting defensive line in the first quarter got a good whipping.  The defensive tackles were horrible, and is starting to make not signing Darwin Walker to a contract extension as a huge mistake. 

     The fact being that both Kyle Williams and John McCargo got no penetration against the Falcon’s starting offensive line.  Considering the huge distraction that they have over them that is bad. 

     If both of the defensive tackles do not show any improvement over the next couple of weeks the only way for the Bills to counteract the lack of penetration would be stunts and blitzes.  That would not be a good idea considering the lack of talent at cornerback.  Blitzing forces corners to go one on one with wide receivers.  Now top that all of with the loss of Ryan Denney it could spell out to be a long season for the defense.

     The offensive line has been one big dissapointment.  Considering the amount of money was spent on that unit they should be able to move mountains with ease, but that has far been the case. 

     There is one bit of hope for the unit.  On one play Marshawn Lynch ran for a ten yard gain in the first half.  Well what is the significance of the play.  Well what happened was that right guard Jason Whittle pulled on the play and executed a perfect seal block on a lineback, thus allowing Lynch to gain ten yards.

     The fact is that the Bills did not have to blow money on either units.  With good smart coaching, and a little imagination, the Bills still can make it a good season.

     The Buffalo Bills have been a team in turmoil over the past several years.  However, last years performance of J.P. Losman and Lee Evans is finally catching on to people in teh national media.

     J.P. Losman being the quarterback is going to get all the spotlight, since he plays the most important position on the team.  However, before last year most of the light that was shed on the position was very negative.  With last years perfomance many of the national media is coming around to what many of us Bills fans already knew.  That being Losman is coming in to his own.

      The expectations are running high this year, especially with the emergence of Lee Evans as an elite wide receiver in the league.  The tandem is now viewed as a potentially lethal combination on the rise.

      Many teams will now be game planning to take out Lee Evans.  However, Marshawn Lynch proving to be the lethal threat out of the backfield will open things up for Evans.  Also, one of the three wide receivers between Peerless Price, Josh Reed, and Roscoe Parrish stepping up and being a reliable target will help also.  My money is on Parrish to emerge out of that group once he gets a shot.

    Parrish might be a surprise for everyone, but not for me.  The instance two seasons ago that Parrish juked out a Cincinatti Bengal cornerback out of his shoe I knew he had what it takes to make it in the National Football League.

    The upcoming season could be a joyus occasion for many fans this year.  I’d say that if the Bills come out even after the first six game, then playoffs here we come.

     As usual I go through my sites looking for what is going on in todays sporting news.  One point caught my eye on Pro Football Talk.com.  A plea deal could not only give Atlanta Falcon’s quarterback Michael Vick some of his career back.  It could also bring down a lot of prominent people in power.

     The Vick case has brought to light many dark realities of dog fighting.  However, the one main glaring point is that many National Football League players could be knee deep in dog fighting as well.  For evidence of this you just have to look at the comments Clinton Portis made that dog fighting is a common thing in th south.

     Vick taking down fellow NFL players would leave a resounding affect on it for years to come.  Especially, if some of these players are also top tier players.   If that were to happen there would be a substantial fall out. 

     The first of that fall out would be the owners.  Many small market owners are looking for something to use against big market teams, and the NFL Union.   Accusations against the likes of fellow prominent NFL palyers would surely bring a lockout, and a major collective bargaining agreement fight.

     If I was in Ralph Wilson’s shoes I would definately use this as evidence that the Union is not deserving of the benefits they receive.  I would be making the rounds to all the owners getting them on board to void the collective bargaining agreement when the option comes up. 

     Also, fans would be standing right behind owners.  After all most of us are sick of seeing these morons make millions and act like jerks.

    So, with all that said what should be taken away from players.  I would love to see free agency eliminated with a soft salary cap.  Also, a limit on players salaries per a year, and the amount of bonus money that rookies receive.  That would be my perfect league.

    In all this upcoming NFL season could be hit by a category five hurricane.  That being hurricane Vick.  The reality is that our beloved NFL will never be the same when the dust settles after the Michael Vick saga

     Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick basically blew off the charges from the federal government.   Now, Vick has to be really concerned, since the other two co-defendants have cut a plea bargain with prosecuters.

     No snitching has become an cultural fixture in the urban setting.  However, when it comes to the federal government  people start singing like stool pigeons.

     The plea bargain agreements seal Vick’s fate, and that being he is going to jail.  Nobody know how long right now, but that is surely going to be for years to come.

     I am enjoying every minute of this story.  A story being of a fooball players with a huge ego.  However, that ego is writing checks that Vick’s body cannot handle. 

    Do not get me wrong I hate the fact that innocent dogs were killed.  However, I am not going to let that thought prevent me from enjoing Vick going up the river without a paddle.

    Vick has an important decicon to make,  However, in the end the only choice that he really has is going to jail.

    Hopefully Vick will not see the light of day, once he is put  behind bars.

     Right from the start there was a very good indication that Atlanta Falcon’s quarterback Michael Vick’s career in the National Football League could be done.  Well it looks like it is going to be official according to Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports.com, and Pro Football Talk.com reporting of the Cole article.

     The first thing that comes to mind is fantastic.  I have been following this from day the dog fighting was discovered on Pro Football Talk.com.  Everyone in the city, where Vick’s old property was, pretty much said the same thing over and over again. Vick was there all the time. 

     Not only did the residents say that Vick was there all the time.  They also gave details of what he was doing, and that people all the time called police about noises from the house.  The most damning testimony comes from the pet store that he buys supplies from.  A worker there stated that Vick was there all the time buying supplies and syringes, and also paid in cash. 

      With a codefendant flipping on Vick, and confirming the summary of evidence there is only one thing to conclude from this.  That is Vick is going to jail for a very long time. 

      Vick will not just be facing six years in jail.  With a superceding indicment coming sometime this month it is easy to conclude that my kids will be adults before Vick sees freedom again.  Most likely the indictment coming down is a gambling conspiracy charge. The a tax evasion charge by the Internal Revenue Service, once the case is concluded.  Both of those carry sentences of up to  20 years in jail.

    By the end of the year Michael Vick will be singing the jail house version of the Wiggles Bow Wow Wow song.  It pretty much goes like this.  Bow wow Bow wow Bow wow wow wow.  Do you give a cat a bone, no.  Give a horse a bone, no.  Vick will get a bone. Right in right in the rear.  In the shower, hey in the shower hey by Bubba. 

   So, Mike my advice is get a recomendation for solitary confinement, becuase if you do not well let just say you are going to be married quickly.

     Many people including myself thought that the Buffalo Bills would be the exception, when it comes to teams with problem character players.  That has been proven to the contrary when Buffalo Bills defensive end Anthony Hargrove was suspended four games for violating the susbstance abuse program.

     To me this is a mind blowing indictment against Marv Levy as a general manager.  Levy preached to people that the players the Bills will bring in will be players with character.  Obviously, that has been prove to be a lie.

    The substance abuse program is a tiered program.  The first violation of it enters you into the program, and the team theplayers is on is notified.  Then the second violation of it gets you suspened.  In other words the Bills knew this guy was a turd when they traded for him.

     The one thing that was proven to be true during Marv’s tenure as a head coach was always take everything with a grain of salt.  For most likely he is not always telling the truth.  Well that was proven again to be true. 

     The Bills have once again proven to Bills fans that the front office just cannot be trusted.  The Bills were winning people over with seemingly honest statements to the media, and promising young talent.  However, in one fail swoop the suspension of Hargrove has taken sails out of their wind. 

      This is just as aggravating to me as to the rest of you.  Hargrove is nothing more than a worthless piece of crap given the chance to make millions of dollars just because he has talent.  I am sick and tired of seeing players like this time and time again.

     So, what is the solution to all this? Well I can fortunately answer that as a business owner myself. Obviously, teams just cannot dump problem players without just cause.  So, how could you send a message to them that enough is enough?  Simple take away free agency, with still invoking a salary cap, and limiting players salaries.

     Free agency has allowed teams to take even more chances on problem character players in the draft.   The reasoning is that if a player turns out to be a problem then you can easily replace him by going out in free agency, and getting a player of the same caliber.

     Well enough is enough.  It is time to make teams pay for taking these kind of players.  All it is doing is tarnishing the game that we love.  Even with National Football League commisioner Roger Goodell coming down hard on problem players is not enough. 

     The fact is that these kind of people will always get into trouble regardless of the rules.  It is not about rules to them.  What it is about to them is stature, respect, and street cred, and these toe of people will do anything to gain it regardless of the consequences.

     Marv Levy and Ralph Wilson better tred carefully for they are now on thin ice.  If the Bills make one more screw up like this people will turn their backs on the Bills. People will just start paying attention and spending their money on the Sabres.  A franchise that tell the truth, even though they make some decisions that make them look like idiots. 

    When the people of Buffalo turn their back on the Bills there will be only one solution to their public relations disaster.  Levy must be fired, and Ralph must sell the team, and that owner must make a firm commitment to Buffalo right away. 

   So, the Bills better think very carefully of what their next move is.  For the wrong one can be very troubling for many years to come.