Month: May 2012

Buffalo Zoo deserves funding for newest projects

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The Buffalo Zoo has been taking steps to add to what is already a gleaming attraction in downtown Buffalo. According to the Buffalo News, the Zoo is preparing to seriously invest in a pair of projects.

From the news:

Construction is slated to begin in July on the first phase of the project, a $4 million plan to turn a 1940s barn near the zoo’s parking lot into a new entrance plaza. The zoo hopes to complete that portion of the project by April 2013.

Whether construction on the second phase of the project — a $14 million plan to build a new arctic habitat with expanded polar bear exhibits — will begin in June 2013 will depend on the zoo’s ability to raise the rest of the money for the project.

Creating a new entrance plaza is long overdue for the Zoo (rhyming is fun). The current entrance is far too small and cramped. Without many in-depth details, I would imagine that the new plaza will have a far greater spread and provide more of a grand entryway.

An overhead layout of the proposed Arctic Edge project. (Courtesy: Niagara Greenway)

I’m fearful that the plaza entrance won’t even get off the ground, however. The News detailed that a barn from the 1940s will be part of the project. I can only imagine the uproar in the preservation community if this barn is to be razed to make way for such a project. After all, progress is not as important as preserving every brick laid prior to 1960. Of course, the barn is part of the adaptive re-use of the project as seen in the project proposal. I have to say it is quite understated, but interestingly attractive at the same time.

The more important of the two projects detailed by the News is the new arctic environment that would include an expanded polar bear exhibit. However, it would seem there are some hurdles left to clear in terms of funding. What is more concerning is the fact that the Zoo could lose their two polar bears if the construction of the new exhibit doesn’t get off the ground. Continue reading →

Buffalo Pipe Dream: An aquarium on the Outer Harbor

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My third Buffalo Pipe Dream will be about a true pie-in-the-sky idea that would probably have little to know chance of coming to fruition in this city and in this economy. After part one and two, this is going to seem a little ridiculous. However, I had brought up the idea before.

I’d like to see a state-of-the-art aquarium built within the Buffalo city limits, not an aquarium that would rival the Georgia Aquarium, but a substantial attraction to the city to boast. Ideally, the aquarium and zoo would work hand-in-hand as one super awesome entity.

Considering the space that would be required for a proper aquarium, the outer harbor would make for a wonderful home for this new piece of development. The amount of empty land would even allow for the Zoo to be built right next door, but that seems unlikely. After all, the recent capital improvements that have been made basically locks the Zoo into place indefinitely. At this point, any changes to the Zoo will require expansion into Delaware Park. There should be no hesitation to do so, either. Expanding the Zoo to help compete with others like the Cleveland would be a wise step to take. Continue reading →

The Instigator Podcast 1.11 – Basement Brigade

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Eric and I tackle a few different topics this week, including a few interesting Tweets, the World Championships and offer some thoughts on the relationship between blogs and mainstream media. Thoughts, comments and criticism are welcome here, 3rd Man In and on either of our Twitter accounts: @3rdmanin @2ITB_Buffalo

2ITB Conference Finals predictions

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With the Conference Finals poised to begin, my somewhat successful prediction rate plummeted in the second round. With Phoenix, Los Angeles, New Jersey and New York advancing, I will try my hand at picking the two teams that will face off for the Stanley Cup.

Phoenix Coyotes vs. Los Angeles Kings

This is the matchup that all of zero people penciled in for the Western Conference Final back in October. Both teams had to scratch and claw over the final weeks of the regular season just to cement their respective playoff berths and each team has received tremendous goaltending.

Mike Smith is doing a fine job backing up the argument that a franchise goaltender in un-necessary, while Jonathon Quick (and Marty Brodeur, Henrik Lundqvist, Pekka Rinne etc.) have done plenty to prove that a legitimate 1A goaltender is a key for playoff success.

Both teams play a pretty boring style of collapsing and blocking shots whenever possible. Each club has a defensive style that chokes out their opponents. They rely on their goaltenders to do the heavy lifting when necessary but typically limit as many shots and chances as possible. Continue reading →

Bikini Hockey League: Good for the sport?

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Women playing hockey in bikinis. Let me repeat that. Women playing hockey in bikinis!

There is an initiative underway to form a made-for-TV “league” made up of two scantily clad teams of women playing roller hockey in slim beach wear. According to reports, the girls will live in a mansion in Tulsa, OK during the tryout period. Sounds like a reality TV winner to me.

The base purpose here is to give people 30 minutes of mindless television by roping together some cute girls, small bikinis and rollerblades. There isn’t much to read into here and the merits of the idea are certainly debatable. However, the fact that hockey will be at the focal point of such an idea (and show) is not a bad thing. Don’t try to convince me of any other train of thought.

If you really think about it, this isn’t all that different from seeing the likes of Kobe, David Beckham, Kate Upton and other celebrities at games in New York and Los Angeles. Not only are celebs heading out to support these teams on their playoff run, their presence is helping to prove that hockey is indeed cool. Obviously fans of the sport are well aware of this fact, but it is the casual fan who will be drawn to the sport by hotties like Upton and Carrie Underwood watching game. Bottom line; this creates interest around the game and gets people talking.

With every playoff game available on (somewhat) basic cable and celebs flocking to Staples Center and MSG, a bikini hockey league should succed in creating some form of conversation about the sport. Don’t mistake this as an effective way to grow the game. It is simply an idea that will serve as effective water cooler fodder. So long as the conversations are geared towards the positive, the BHL will have been a success. However, if there is nothing but negativity surrounding the show, it will be a drawback for the sport.

With the obvious differences of men vs. women, full uniforms vs. bikinis and ice vs. roller; there isn’t much of a direct comparison between the BHL and the NHL. However, creating good conversation about the sport is what is necessary to gain more respect. There is no way to replicate the interest growing in LA, Phoenix and Nashville due to the 2012 Playoffs, but drawing attention to the sport for a reason besides fighting is something every hockey fan is hoping for.

By no means do I expect the BHL to convince ESPN to actually do their job and cover the sport. Nor do I think that this venture will vault the NHL to the stratosphere of the NFL. However, with the NBA appearing to plateau in recent years, hockey could continue to snatch attention from those looking for a different outlet for sports entertainment.

There is certainly a chance that this show is a huge tire fire and makes hockey look worse than any damage the Most Valuable Primate ever could. But I’ll tune in a few times just to see what it is all about, even if it ends up as a glorified MTV Road Rules/Real World Challenge.

Bills take a flier on Young

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On the heels of signing six of their nine draft picks, the Buffalo Bills agreed to terms with Vince Young on a one-year contract. According to reports, it is a one-year deal worth $2 million with an additional $1 million in bonuses.

The signing is almost without risk due to the short term and low hit for the deal. Young will likely compete with Tyler Thigpen for the back-up quarterback position through OTAs and training camp. I’d say he has the inside track for the number two spot thanks to his versatility.

Many have already linked Young’s athleticism and mobility to the system that Chan Gailey runs. The assumption is that his natural talent as a running quarterback will lend itself well to the offense run by the Bills. Obviously he will need to find his way into the offense, but the train of thought is quite accurate. Think of Young as a consolation prize to the “Mike Vick is at the airport” rumors from a few summers ago.

Young’s signing could have a number of implications to players throughout the roster based on the different roles he is capable of filling. First, he has proven himself as a starter in the league and has the raw skills to be very effective under Gailey. Second, those raw skills and his track record certainly makes him a more attractive option (on paper) as compared to Tyler Thigpen. Third, that mobility and speed could make him a viable run/pass option in a Wildcat scheme.

The two players who are most likely to be affected by this signing are Thigpen and Brad Smith. Thigpen is a viable backup, but isn’t necessarily the type of quarterback you would want to rely on for long stretches of play. This is particularly important to consider if Ryan Fitzpatrick is injured or if his game goes to hell. On paper, Young is the better option as a backup. His mobility and history of running a read option offense at Texas also makes him an effective Wildcat quarterback. Brad Smith is a luxury because he can function as your third quarterback, a wide receiver and as a kick returner. However, if you save his roster spot but keep the Wildcat threat, your team is no worse for wear.

Determining whether or not Young is a viable Wildcat option is something that will be up to the coaching staff. But his inclusion in training camp, plus the potential return of Marcus Easley and drafting T.J. Graham could potentially leave Smith on the outside looking in.

If Young ends up being a training camp casualty, the Bills aren’t any worse off than they were prior to this signing. If he earns the backup quarterback job and proves to be a viable threat for the Bills offense, they will have improved without breaking the bank. Signing Young gives the Bills two of the top three picks from the 2006 draft and further assembles raw talent and depth on both sides of the football.

Canalside and Explore-n-More: Why Buffalo can’t have nice things

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Comparing development projects to fables probably isn’t a very good strategy. Typically the first one to the finish line is the project that finds the most success. However, those in charge of planning, approving and building Canalside seem to think slow and steady wins the race.

Canalside: coming, spring 2030! (Date subject to change)

After putting out an RFP for organizations to pitch for museum space to be built on the former Aud site, ECHDC is allowing Explore-n-More to move forward with the initial study for the children’s museum they plan on building at Canalside.

According to Buffalo Rising, Explore-n-More will begin to determine the size, configuration, exhibit space, capital and operational costs of the “Children’s Experience” that will occupy a major section of the Aud Block. This exploratory phase will also determine if Explore-n-More will be capable of raising the necessary funds – to which ECHDC will match on a $1 to $2 basis – to run such a museum. The BRO report also details that a public involvement plan will be implemented as part of the Master Plan process in addition to a Capital Campagin Feasibility Study for another portion of another Master Plan.

All of this nonsense will be compiled as part of a Final Museum Master Plan based on a Feasibility Study and public input which will be completed in May of 2013 before being submitted to the ECHDC and Explore-n-More boards. All of these hoops and hurdles are supposed to lead towards the museum opening on Memorial Day of 2016. 2016!

Whatever happened to lighter, quicker, cheaper? The dumbest tag line in the embarrassingly pathetic history of Canalside is truly taking on its true meaning; dumber, slower, cheaper. So often you hear people rally towards “the waterfront we deserve” only to see the progress crawl along for half a decade. Continue reading →

Sabres crease grows crowded with Lieuwen contract

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The Buffalo Sabres are slowly growing an impressive stable of talented goaltenders at the NHL and minor league level. Their most recent addition was signing Nathan Lieuwen to an entry level contract, one year after he was drafted.

Lieuwen was an overage junior last year and there was even a chance that he could have been signed to a pro deal over last summer. However, he was sent back to the WHL to play big minutes and continue to develop. Now the 6’5” 20 year old will battle for playing time in Rochester with David Leggio and Connor Knapp.

The addition of Lieuwen gives the Sabres five goaltenders under contract and even more talented keepers who sit in limbo entering the offseason. Brad Eidsness was once a promising prospect through two seasons with North Dakota, but he was unseated by Aaron Dell and will likely not receive a contract from the Sabres. Buffalo also signed Jeff Jakaitis to a minor league deal in order to provide Gwinnett with some additional talent. Jakaitis seemed to show some real promise before getting shelved with a season ending injury. There is also the looming status of Drew MacIntyre, who will be a UFA this summer after a very underwhelming season in Rochester.

There is no reason for the Sabres to re-sign MacIntrye this season, but that doesn’t mean the goaltending pipeline won’t be clogged heading into 2012-13. With Ryan Miller the obvious leader of the pack and backed up by Jhonas Enroth, the Sabres also have impending UFA David Leggio along with Knapp and Lieuwen as AHL goaltenders. Continue reading →

At long last, the Coyotes are saved

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While no official deal has been reached, it would appear that Greg Jamison will spearhead a group that has been endorsed by the league to purchase and save the Coyotes.

Jamison is the former CEO of the San Jose Sharks who is famous for making them profitable. Due, in part, to Jamison’s leadership, the Sharks are now a very stable club – despite being located in a non-traditional market. With Jamison at the helm, the league (and Coyotes), Glendale and Jamison are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle twice.

There has not been an official deal reached, just an announcement that an agreement has been reached to dot the Is and cross the Ts in this deal. There is still the looming specter of the Goldwater Institute, the watchdog group that destroyed the last bid for the team. That isn’t to say they were out of line. There is no doubt that they will comb through the final agreement and there is even a chance that they will attempt to put this deal to an end.

What could derail the Jamison deal is the portion of the agreement that will see the new figurehead (if you will) run Jobing.com Arena. If Goldwater determines the agreement to violate whatever silly law they referenced last year, things could get complicated. With no true knowledge of what Goldwater gets all knotted up about, I can’t truly say if this deal will catch any snags. After all, Gary Bettman even noted that they expect to structure the deal properly as to not raise any red flags.

Based on my knowledge of the history of this scenario, I do think that the city paying one of the new owners may upset a group that stopped a previous sale based on the city paying the owner to buy the team. Of course that is a wildly broad way of putting it, but the former deal saw Glendale selling bonds as a way to supplement the sale. Jamison’s group surely has found a way around such an issue, but I do wonder if Goldwater will take them to task over the owner being paid by the city.

Ultimately, I see this deal going through and the Coyotes finally getting some solid ownership. The team has been in Phoenix for 15 years and has yet to make money. That is a pretty terrifying piece of information. I suppose if there was anyone to turn the team around, it would be Jamison. Acting as the ringleader, he will be the one to guide the spending of the investment group he compiled. His experience with the Sharks speaks for itself and bodes well for the Coyotes franchise. Continue reading →

Jackson earns his extension

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A raise worth $3 million for Bills running back Fred Jackson was long overdue. Buffalo’s favorite underdog finally got his contract extension and will be with the team through 2014.

Jackson’s story is well documented. His journey to the top of the Bills depth chart was capped last season when he amassed enormous chunks of yardage before a broken leg sidelined him late in the year. His low salary put Jackson on the potential line of backs to be ushered out of Buffalo by young talent. In fact, Jackson’s emergence was a big part of Marshawn Lynch’s trade.

However, Jackson’s value to the Bills offense far exceeds what Lynch ever did for the team and management recognized that. Maybe he should have gotten his dough during the season, but the Bills made sure not to mistreat him for too long. The contract raises his salary to $4.5M per year and locks up the team’s three best weapons (Jackson, Stevie Johnson and FitzMagic) long-term.

I do expect Jackson’s touches to go down some next season as C.J. Spiller has also earned the right to see some actual playing time. While Spiller’s strong finish may take carries away from Jackson, it gives the Bills the opportunity to build a proper thunder and lightning duo with their backs. Spiller’s waterbug tendencies and recent effectivness on the ground paired with Jackson’s tenacious running style gives Buffalo a terrific backfield combo.

Even with diminished carries, Jackson’s role in the offense will not change. He was the main reason that the lack of a deep passing game wasn’t an issue for nearly seven weeks. Jackson was far and away the team’s MVP and proved it on a near weekly basis. Pairing him with Spiller makes the Bills’ running game far more dangerous as the 2012 season approaches. Continue reading →