Month: July 2012

Peace Bridge remains in neutral

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I am by no means an old person, and that isn’t meant as a slight to people who are older than me. However, I was in seventh grade when serious talks about the Peace Bridge caught fire. Fifteen years later, I have graduated from college, have a job and still trek across the three lane bridge opened in 1927.

Well, probably not.

Fifteen years of some form of conversation on the Peace Bridge dominating most conversation throughout Buffalo. There have been talks of a signature span, a twin span, the common tern, LED lights and even a bit of obstruction. After all, what would any failed project in Buffalo be without some form of obstruction masquerading as preservation?

Perhaps the most realistic plan for the Peace Bridge expansion was scuttled after it was determined that birds would not be capable of flying around an object. Any dreams of a signature span were a little too big for a city like Buffalo that is built on simplicity and little forward thinking. Now, as a city and region, we have devolved to simply expanding the American plaza while keeping the three lane bridge.

Aside from the obvious failure that was letting birds derail an entire bridge, it is sad to think that what once could have been a signature bridge welcoming all to the region has become plans for a re-configured inspection plaza. Things like this perpetuate Buffalo’s defeatist attitude. What is more pathetic is that the agenda of a select few will impact the entire region.

As of right now, the plaza expansion is being held up by a handful of obstructionists who are attempting to save a handful of old houses along Busti Avenue. Note, I did not use preservationist or historic in that last sentence. These people aren’t preserving shit, they’re obstructing progress. In addition, old doesn’t necessarily mean historic. Just cuz Jedadiah sneezed on the corner of the house in 1893 doesn’t make it historic. At some point Buffalo needs to get past saving every brick laid before the Great Depression.

By providing the American plaza additional space for car and truck inspections, traffic on the bridge will flow much better, as will the traffic heading to the I-190. Providing a Duty Free Store is just part of the program. You have a major border crossing and you capitalize on those looking for last minute items. Capitalism works. Continue reading →

Room for links along Route 5

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Back when Joel Giambra was in office, he mentioned that the former Bethlehem Steel site and the Outer Harbor could serve as a grand links-style golf course. If only that could be the case.

Clearly there is enough space for a golf course, but plenty of work needed on the former Bethlehem Steel site.

The Bethlehem Steel property sits along a massive stretch of waterfront land along Route 5 and has been sitting fallow for a number of years. A bit of green development has recently dotted the property, as the Steel Winds wind farm has sprouted 13 wind turbines along the property. Its not exactly brownfield remediation, but it is better than the few pieces of the blast furnaces and coke ovens that still stand.

Just like almost everything else in Buffalo and Western New York, the golf community is in somewhat of a vacuum. There are few premier courses in the area, with the handful that do exist charging a truly premium rate in greens fees. The rest of the courses in Western New York range anywhere from average to terrible with greens fees typically heading in the opposite direction.

Buffalo, by no means, is a haven that golfers from across the nation flock to. There are some gems to play, however. Glen Oak is probably the most impressive course of the bunch as a Robert Trent Jones design. In a few more years, Seneca Hickory Stick (Robert Trent Jones Jr. design) will be equal to the task. Ivy Ridge is a phenomenal track and even Diamond Hawk and Harvest Hill fall into the premium category for courses in the area.

All of the best courses, however, are located in outer suburbs. In fact, some of the best golf within 30 minutes of Buffalo is played in Canada (Thundering Waters, Legends on the Niagara). Diamond Hawk is the closest premium course to the city of Buffalo and that is located across the street from the airport.

Not only does the Bethlehem Steel site provide the necessary land for a golf course, it has a great location. The course is minutes from downtown and would provide vistas that would rival another links course that resides along the shores of a Great Lake, Whistling Straits. Maybe the opposite side of Route 5 isn’t exactly picturesque, but the drive leading up to where the old Bethlehem Steel administration building sits is rather scenic. Continue reading →

It is time for action at Canalside

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At some point in the future Canalside will be a gleaming beacon for the city of Buffalo. A multi-use district rooted in the rich history of the Erie Canal and it’s impact on the city. When that day will come will remain TBD.

A glut of renderings, plans, hopes and dreams have one by the wayside over the past 15 years as a singular direction has tried to be found at Canalside. Every progressive plan has been met by opposition from obstructionists masquerading as preservationists, newspaper columnists with a personal agenda akin to a 16-year old girl and grassroots complaints from NIMBYsand history buffs.

It is time to find concrete activities for these people at Canalside.

The most recent victory for those who oppose was when Bass Pro was officially wiped from the table as an option for Canalside. What replaced the shopping mecca? A hole in the ground, grass and lawn chairs.

Now, Bass Pro was a foolhardy mission. No matter what kind of shopping numbers were used as an example of it’s purpose in Canalside, it was ridiculous to think an outdoor supply store would be a proper anchor for what was to be a regional destination. Losing Bass Pro was indeed a victory for the city and Canalside as it provided space to explore other, more realistic options.

However, it shouldn’t have served as a catalyst for a crowdsourced lawn complete with different colored chairs and a hot dog stand. Depending on your point of view, ditching Bass Pro and rolling out the sod was real progress towards the “waterfront we deserve”. Tell me, does Buffalo not deserve a waterfront with, you know, things to do?

Lately The Buffalo News has deteriorated to little more than a propaganda machine to endorse alternatives to failed projects. Typically it is Donn Esmonde filling his weekly quota of Tim Tielman quotes – no matter how pointless – and Bass Pro potshots – no matter how outdated. For example, a few articles have run covering the plan to convert Ohio Street into a parkway that connects downtown and the Outer Harbor. In fact, Brian Higgins himself penned a piece about the benefits. It was interesting because it always seemed that Higgins’ passion project was the harbor bridge that received minor coverage in the News.

The Ohio street plan isn’t a bad one. In fact, the work being done along that corridor is impressive. It is simply pathetic that the superior plan has been abandoned for one that is so obviously a second or third option. If the funding for the Harbor Bridge is truly dead, then so be it; the Ohio street option will serve the city just fine. Just don’t act as if Ohio street was the first and best option all along. The best option is for both, whether or not that is realistic is a different story.

A harbor bridge would not only provide a direct connection to downtown from the Outer Harbor (keyword: direct), it would funnel people directly into the arena district and Canalside. Of course, there would need to actually be buildings in and around the arena and Canalside to keep people there. Continue reading →

Webster Block proposals on the table

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Both Carl Paladino and the Buffalo Sabres bid for the Webster Block are now open to the public. Both on the City of Buffalo website and The Buffalo News.

Courtesy: The Buffalo News

Paladino released renderings of his plans early in the process in what was likely a play for some positive PR from anyone keeping track of the project. The Sabres proposal, called the Harbor Center, was expected to be impressive and upon a cursory reading of their proposal, it is.

According to documents attached to the news story, Harbor Center will combine a pair of ice rinks on the lower roof of the building and a 200 room hotel facing the lake which looks to take up somewhere north of seven or eight floors.

The rink layout is staggered along the length of the building, as is the hotel. Other details that stood out is the apparent layout of where the restaurant and retail locations would be located. The Harbor Center has a very Torontonian feel to it for some reason. When everything is finished between the Donovan Building and Webster Block, the density and design concepts in that neighborhood will be very impressive. Continue reading →

Field Goals: Going camping

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After Mario Watch, OTAs, mini camps and plenty of water cooler chatter, the Bills are finally at camp. For the first time in a number of years, it is a camp that is opening with quite a bit of promise.

Mario Williams is going to garner most of the attention this summer as fans will be salivating at what he is expected to bring to the Bills defense this season. In addition to Williams, the improvements that have been made to the Bills defense are expected to bring drastic change to a unit that has been largely ineffective the past few years. That change has also turned the spotlight to the offense in some respects.

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s up-and-down 2011 season has left some questioning his long-term effectiveness as a starting quarterback. Buffalo’s hodgepodge of free agents, late picks and undrafted wide receivers is also a talking point for many fans as the team heads to Rochester.

Training camp is all about evaluation and preparation. Every player is under a microscope as the coaches are tasked with turning 80+ names into 53. Even players who are expected to fill starting roles are in a position where they need to perform while also setting themselves up for success for the upcoming season. Just ask Peerless Price what happens when you alligator arm your way through camp.

While I have and will continue to run through the various position and individual battles in this space, I want to take the opportunity to run through a few of the marquee topics at this year’s camp. The fight for the starting left tackle position, corner back and the number two wide receiver role are all things I’ll cover at length. Today I’ll just stick to the big names and expected strengths that should continue to grow during camp. Continue reading →

Flyers gain flexibility with Predators decision

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The Predators took a necessary and expected step today by matching the massive 14-year offer sheet that Shea Weber signed with the Flyers.

This guarantees that Weber will be in Nashville for the foreseeable future. Nashville cannot trade Weber for this year, but it is plausible to think that they could work out a deal with Philly next season if they absolutely need to be out from under that contract. But with most chatter centering around a NTC/NMC for Weber, that seems quite unlikely. Matching the offer sheet also guarantees that the Flyers do not end up with Weber. From the perspective of those who hate the Flyers, this could be both a blessing and a curse.

While Philly will no longer have the services of Weber for the next decade-and-a-half but now have well over $7.8M in cap space to play with. That means they can go whole hog after Shane Doan and Bobby Ryan. Now that the Weber situation has been resolved, Rick Nash has found a new home and with the Parise and Suter sweepstakes long resolved, everyone’s attention will be turned to Doan and Ryan.

Since the Flyers have the financial freedom to explore every option available, they’ll surely big a major player for each of the right wingers. Ask yourself this. Would it be worse to see Shea Weber in Philly for 14 years or see them acquire Doan or Ryan as a result of missing out on Weber?

For me, the answer is Weber. All day, every day. Facing Weber on a regular basis would be far more nightmare inducing than the thought of Doan for three or four years or even Ryan. Weber is plain old nasty to play against – just ask Henrik Zetterberg – and seeing him on a regular basis in the East would be nightmarish. Obviously Doan and Ryan make the Flyers that much better, but not on the level that Weber would have. Plus, the Flyers are simply a potential destination at this point. There isn’t the near certainty that the Weber offer sheet entailed. Continue reading →

Field Goals: Bills defensive line set for drastic change

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The Buffalo Bills defensive front has undergone a massive transition this season. Both in scheme and regarding personnel. Training camp will provide fans, coaches and media the chance to see the new, deeper Bills defensive line.

When Dave Wannstedt decided to switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3, it ensured that the Bills two most dominant lineman would be on the field on nearly every down. While Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus each played a significant role in George Edwards’ porous 3-4 front, they will be able to anchor the defensive interior in an even front.

Think back to the dominance the Bills enjoyed with Pat Williams and Sam Adams or Ted Washington in the middle of their defense. That is what Wannstedt is toying with by allowing those two to line up side-by-side.

Obviously signing Mario Williams galvanized the rest of the front from a talent standpoint. With that one signing, the Bills went from having little pop in terms of pass rushing, to an elite, superstar talent rushing off the edge. Adding Mark Anderson and the speculation that Shawne Merriman has returned to full health provides even more talent on the edge.

In total, the Bills only added two new players. But they represent a 50% change for the defensive front. At the beginning of the year, the Bills were lining up Dwan Edwards, Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus with their hands in the dirt with a mix of either Alex Carrington, Spencer Johnson, Chris Kelsay or Merriman mixed in one way or another. Penciling in the 2012 starters would put Anderson, Kyle Williams, Dareus and Mario Williams down on the front four. Obviously, Kelsay will factor into that competition along with a few others. Regardless, that is an impressive turnover for a defense that struggled mightily in 2011.

Training camp is going to provide an interesting for a number of players, specifically those who aren’t penciled in as week one starters. A few – namely Danny Batten and Dwan Edwards – are facing an uphill battle after being specifically acquired to play in a 3-4 scheme. Others, like Torrel Troup, will simply be battling for a roster spot. Continue reading →

Why buy into rumor sites?

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In case you hadn’t heard, Rick Nash got traded today.

Twitter was more than likely the source of the news for most people considering that Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger are always first out with just about any trade or signing. Both McKenzie and Dreger are proper insiders who have always been credible sources for NHL news.

The reason I bring this up is because at no point today did I turn to Hockeyy Insiderr, Eklund or any other faceless rumor monger. There have been times that I have read through Eklund’s posts or Hockeyy Insiderr’s feed. However, there has never been a time in which I have interpreted what they write as gospel.

Just about any hockey fan could have connected the dots between the Blue Jackets and the Rangers regarding the Rick Nash situation. Going back to the trade deadline, most reports indicated that the Rangers were the team with the most interest and the expendable pieces to acquire Nash. As opposed to other teams like San Jose who weren’t willing to part with certain players to acquire the winger. Sources or not, the Rangers were far and away the assumed destination for Nash.

Perhaps the slow summer has had a profound impact on where hockey fans are gathering information. A safe assumption would be that the lack of real news has pushed more people to search for any form of information. Even if that information comes from questionable sources. Continue reading →

Field Goals: Backup quaterback battle

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Field Goals will be a feature on different Bills topics leading up to and through training camp. If all goes well, I’ll break down the topic before offering three points to the focal point of what I’ve written. Get it? Three points…field goal…

It is the position battle everyone is going to be watching. Ironically, the position battle between Tyler Thigpen and Vince Young could boil down to who ends up holding the clipboard in 2012.

There was no secret that Young was brought in to provide better competition for Thigpen and Ryan Fitzpatrick. He also represents a more viable option as a potential back up. Unlike Thigpen, Young has proven he is capable of winning at the NFL level. In fact, his play could eventually incite a quarterback controversy; that is a fact most came to accept once he was signed.

Considering that the entire team has only been playing in shorts and helmets to this point of the offseason, there isn’t much to be gleaned from how each performed during OTAs and mini-camps. The real battle will begin once the pads are on and the Bills are fully into their preseason schedule.

I’m anticipating that each will see significant time with the first, second and third-team units during the exhibition schedule. Each should get a fair shake with the second unit during practices with that performance having an impact on who has the edge entering preseason games. However, preseason games one, two and four should allow the pair to rotate through with each unit as the coaching staff makes their decision.

Young has to have the slight edge entering camp for a number of reasons. His resume all but speaks for itself , despite his struggles over the past few years. He is capable of winning games and has a versatile skillset that Thigpen just doesn’t possess.

One thing that should give Thigpen an edge is his familiarity with the offense. While Young is still learning most of the offense, this is year number two for Thigpen. While he isn’t as mobile as Young, Thigpen’s been a pupil of Chan Gailey for some time now which favors his ability to perform in this offense. Continue reading →

Few positions up for grabs as Bills prep for camp

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Training camp is just around the corner for the Buffalo Bills and this marks a camp that should provide a whole different look at the upcoming season.

Until this offseason, the past few years have been quite lean for Bills fans. Offseason signings were a bit more prudent and balanced rather than the type that were geared towards making strides in the win column. With so many names already inked into the starting lineup for 2012 (see: Williams, Mario), camp should serve as a tool to dig up quality depth players for the Bills. With depth being one of the main culprits for last year’s collapse; having the ability to dig up quality back-ups could go a long way for Buffalo’s success.

Training camp is a tool used to find sleepers and back-ups. No matter how strong or weak a team is expected to be, your starters are usually set by the time camp is set to open. What is different for the Bills this year is their starters are truly starters.

There is potential for a few starting spots to be taken away from the incumbent starter but, for the most part, the real battles will be for second-team roles.

Cornerback and wide receiver are the two positions with the most competition and the most room for movement. Figuring out who falls where with the linebacking corps will be an interesting competition to follow along with, along with left tackle.

The rest of the positions are going to see more competition for the second unit, with the ultimate goal of finding some diamonds in the rough for the upcoming season.

Thanks to the acquisition of Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, the Bills have the ability to keep an extremely talented group of players on the first and second team. Even the third men through on the defensive line are going to be capable of being contributors for the Bills, this is not a bad problem to have.

The interior offensive line and offensive backfield fall under the same umbrella as the defensive line. There are set starters and talented back-ups who will be vying for playing time. I expect that the players the Bills have brought in to compete to provide the Bills with plenty of options as training camp moves along. Continue reading →