Five more years for the Bills in Toronto? Bring it on.

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News broke today that the Bills Toronto Series will be extended for another five years. That means there will be one home game played on foreign soil until at least 2017.

The Toronto Series has been surrounded with varying levels of criticism and success. Quite often the main complaint is that the game isn’t even close to a home game for the Bills, particularly because of the varying fan affiliations in Toronto. Ticket prices were also criticized at times during the series.

There are obviously going to be steps made to attempt to bring in more Bills fans for the next five years worth of games in this series. At least I hope so. Based on the generally negative reviews that fans (even some players) have had, this will likely remain as a poorly accepted and generally bad ideas the franchise has ever had. It is also looking like it could be the best idea as well.

From 2000-2010 you might say the Bills operated as a small-market, cash-strapped franchise primarily concerned with the bottom line. So many moves that were made seemed to be geared towards trimming cash in various spots in order to make the ownership more money. Even the Toronto Series was practically cash in the pocket for Ralph Wilson.

However, after a year with varied success, the Bills have suddenly become players in the free agent market. Management made a commitment towards building a winning team this offseason and signed new faces and has also kept their best players in town. This appears to be a pledge from management that they want the Bills to be a viable, successful franchise on, and off the field. This pledge was accompanied by a fairly significant investment by Ralph Wilson. I have to wonder, were funds made with the Toronto Series allocated for some of these recent signings? Continue reading →

Sulzer re-upped for another year in Buffalo

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Alexander Sulzer is no longer a rental property. The Buffalo Sabres took him off the market with a one-year $725,000 contract.

Sulzer, who was originally thought of as a toss-in to the Hodgson/Kassian trade was solid for the Sabres in the stretch run and earned himself an extended stay with the club. Sulzer has gone well beyond the pleasant surprise he was in March to a full-blown upgrade for the Buffalo blue line.

Remember, Marc-Andre Gragnani was swapped for Sulzer as each were pending free agents at the end of this season (Gragnani was an RFA). If the Sabres kept him, Gragnani would have likely been tendered on the basis that just about every RFA gets a tender on a yearly basis. That would mean he would have been in the conversation for a roster spot yet again in the fall. Now he is not and most fans are rejoicing over his absence.

Sulzer is now one of eight defensemen who will be vying for playing time next season. If T.J. Brennan is offered – and accepts – his tender, that number will climb to nine. Sulzer fit well as a fifth or sixth defenseman late in the year and showed patience and consistency in the defensive zone. Not to mention, his chemistry with countryman Christian Ehrhoff made for a sound defensive pairing.

I expect to see Sulzer as Buffalo’s sixth defenseman with Mike Weber being bumped to the seventh spot. In fact, I would even go so far as to say Weber is expendable based on this signing. Of course, Weber’s value may not be very high based on what he brings to the table for most teams.

Overall, this signing is very impressive for the Sabres, who received him as little more than a security blanket in their trade for Cody Hodgson.

Buffalo Pipe Dream: A better use for the Cobblestone Parking District

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Note the four massive parking lots smack in the middle of this “district”.

With a trio of pipe dreams on paper, I thought I would share another idea I have been mulling for some time. This will revolve around two massive parking lots and one densely packed neighborhood otherwise known as the Cobblestone District.

Let’s call a spade a spade. The Cobblestone District is horribly named. It should be the Cobblestone Parking District. After all, 75% of the neighborhood is composed of two massive surface lots that are kept empty expect for 100 days a year when the arena is in use. These lots were spawned due to the construction of the arena, but I can’t imagine that this was the only use that planners could have come up with for two such massive pieces of land.

The one surviving block has become a well-used strip of property with some terrific re-use projects anchoring the side of the block that fronts Mississippi St. The back side (Illinois St.) leaves much to be desired, but most of the buildings are at least occupied at this time. There is still a massive black hole in the old smith shop on the corner of South Park and Illinois that has slowly become an albatross for the neighborhood and the building owner. There are plenty of great re-use ideas on the table for that property, but I doubt anything will ever come of it.

A photo from Buffalo Rising showing a terrific re-use for the empty smith shop in the Cobblestone District.

As for the rest; there is nothing. Literally nothing. The streets are paved with Cobblestones but they are utterly pointless as there is nothing that they lead to. This needs to change. There is a slow trickle of development happening on the waterfront and the Buffalo Creek Casino appears to be poised to grow out of the pathetic steel building it currently occupies. By the time these two pieces of the puzzle are complete, I will be 50; but I digress.

The Cobblestone District sits between two very important pieces of Buffalo’s entertainment district. Canalside and the arena make up one bookend and the casino makes up the other. There is a tremendous opportunity for this district to become something similar to Toronto’s Distillery District and act as a solid filler for two major pieces of entertainment in the city. However, the massive plain of concrete needs to rise into something better. I think I may have a solution – or, at least part of one. Continue reading →

Exploring the future of Buffalo’s football stadium

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Let’s be real, the city of Buffalo will never host a Super Bowl. Even if Cowboys Stadium was airlifted up from Arlington, it just isn’t going to happen. So when a $975 million figure comes down for the proposed stadium in Minneapolis, Buffalonians shouldn’t be concerned about the future of the Ralph or the idea of a new stadium in the city.

Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, 67,000 seats. Would this be so hard to put on the waterfront?

The elephant in the room is the glimmering new stadium proposition in Los Angeles. It seems likely that Farmers Field will be built and that the second step will be to relocate a team to Los Angeles. Among the teams whispered about on an annual basis, the Bills, Vikings and Jaguars are three of the most popular. The Vikings are all but removed from the list of potentials with the announcement on their stadium.

I have to think that Jacksonville would be the odds-on favorite for a move. After all, the Jags tarp over a ridiculous number of seats every season and haven’t taken a firm grip in the Sunshine State. Of course, Buffalo’s aged stadium, poor economy and the looming specter of Ralph Wilson’s estate makes the ground the Bills stand on rocky – at best. However, there are ways to ensure the Bills remain in Buffalo forever, and they don’t all require a brand new stadium.

While Ralph Wilson’s estate will not be something that is addressed for a few more years, it is certainly at the crux of many Bills-related discussions. There are plenty of rumors of varying legitimacy swirling about ownership groups led by Jim Kelly, Tom Golisano (please no), Jeremy Jacobs and even Terry Pegula coming in to purchase the team. However, these are indeed rumors and there is no clear heir apparent to Wilson as owner of the Bills. Knowing that there is going to be a group – or one person – that will keep the Bills in Buffalo indefinitely is something that needs to be established in the coming years.

If an ownership group can be hammered out, there will be more clarity towards the future of the team and what direction can be taken regarding a permanent stadium project. The current plan on the table makes plenty of sense. The team, city and fans are not in a position to build a sparkling shrine to the game of football and a balanced renovation project will provide the footing necessary to stave off those sniffing at relocation.

However, there will come a day when a new stadium will be necessary. Whether that is five, ten or twenty years from now, the Buffalo Bills will eventually need a new stadium. What is unfortunate is the team (and city) aren’t in the position to remedy that situation. The proposed renovation project appears to be a broad sweeping plan that will help bring the Ralph closer to its newer, shinier cousins around the league. It is a perfect stop-gap to ensure a number of safe years in Buffalo before a permanent stadium plan can be determined. Continue reading →

Action at BNMC should serve as an example for entire city

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With the University at Buffalo choosing the design firm for their new medical school in downtown’s burgeoning Medical Campus, things are looking up for the city’s fastest growing district.

(Buffalo Rising)

However, the winning firm (HOK), will not be building the stunning design that won out over the other four finalists will not even be built. Knowing that an internationally acclaimed firm will be leading the way to creating an iconic piece of development for a key district in the city is incredibly exciting.

The corner in which the new medical school will be built is should be bustling with action once all of the projects planned for the area are complete. According to Buffalo Rising, Women’s and Children’s Hospital will be moved nearby along with a new build from Ciminelli Development on the corner. All told, it will add up to three more serious additions to the entire district.

What I don’t understand is why the designs originally pitched for this project aren’t being considered for construction? Obviously UB and BNMC thought that HOK was more than capable of running with this project based on their submission. Why wouldn’t that submission be capable of actually being built? Hell, the New and BRO posted the pictures of the rendering as if it would be built. There are probably plenty of people thinking that construction will start on this building in the very near future. But there is  still a year left before shovels will be in the ground. Continue reading →

Do the Sabres struggles trace back to how Lindy Ruff handles his players?

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Over his 15-year tenure, Ruff’s job has been called for a number of times. Fans on the radio and message boards have typically been those leading the pitchfork mob, but the media has even begun to levy more criticism against Lindy Ruff as of late.

Most notably, Ruff’s players have come out to question some of the methods he has become known for. Derek Roy and Ville Leino’s locker clean out day remarks were the two that stood out the most in terms of questioning their coach’s approach.

There was a lot of pieces that were kind of out of place,” Leino said. “Also, they’ve got to work with what they were given. We have a lot of good players and we’re a good team, which we proved at the end. We just didn’t get that chemistry and all that right away at the start, and it was probably too late.

Coaches do most of the work, and obviously players want to be better, too. I think we’ve just got to get more out of everybody, which we did at the end. It doesn’t matter who plays if you don’t get their talents out. You’ve got to try to use everybody with what they’re best at. ~ Ville Leino

Terry Pegula and Ted Black have voiced their support for Ruff and Darcy Regier many times. Black all but confirmed the two would be back for 2012-13 at the All-Star break. When it was announced they would return, there wasn’t too much surprise. However, the long stretch of listless hockey last year and ultimately missing the playoffs has brought more heat on the Sabres’ bench boss. Ruff has been coated with Teflon for a long time. However, it seems as if his coating is starting to wear out.

The base of this argument centers around the fact that the Sabres have not won enough hockey games the last few seasons. As most are quick to point out, the Sabres haven’t won a playoff series since 2007. They also failed to make the playoffs last season and suffered through a season-long string of inconsistent play and injuries.

While Lindy Ruff certainly isn’t the only person to blame for the struggles the Sabres suffered through last year, he is certainly part of the puzzle. Ruff didn’t seem capable of righting the ship at various times. He certainly didn’t sit idly by as the Sabres took a nose dive, it just seemed as if he wasn’t capable of finding the answers with the players provided to him. With reports from people on, or close to the team (like Paul Hamilton) that players had begun to tune him out.

Ruff’s ability to utilize his players properly has long been a knock against him, but usually it was centered on his underutilization back-up goaltenders.  The 2011-12 season brought out a mob of fans who felt he wasn’t capable of getting the most out of his scorers as well. Personally, I think this may be Ruff’s greatest failing. Continue reading →

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 →