Thoughts on the steroid era.

While driving around today, I heard Jim Rome give some insight into the steroid issue of baseball.  I'm pretty much stealing what he said because I agree with it, so these thoughts aren't entirely my own.

Those who used steroids should not be permitted into the Hall of Fame.  They cheated.  Plain and simple.

A lot of people have told me things like "you still have to hit the ball."  Okay, I agree.  And hitting a 92 mph slider might be the toughest thing to do in any sport.  That being said, you are giving yourself an unfair advantage over the competition around you by pumping roids.

What about the kids in AAA who are hoping for their chance to go up to the Bigs who didn't pump up?  How is it fair for them to get trumped by the guy that they watch next to them juicing?  What if they have more talent but get beat out for that spot by a roider?

How about the guys who didn't juice?  They're watching all of their records get watered down by those who cheated.  Jackie Robinson?  Hank Aaron?  Mr. October?  How should they feel?

Now, if baseball were, for some reason, to make steroids legal, maybe my attitude would change.  But for the time being, I can't stand behind McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Clemens, Bagwell, A-Rod etc...

I do love baseball, but I don't love cheating.  The beauty of sport is competition, and I feel it should be a level playing field for all competitors.

Quick post-lockout thoughts.

My wife has told me several times already, "Don't buy us hockey tickets, I don't want to go."

She's pretty upset with the whole situation.  She also gets upset about how much athletes get paid.  Hence, she supports the NLL where most players have to work another "real" job to get by and playing a sport doesn't make them rich.

I don't have an issue with how much athletes get paid.  I understand the supply and demand economics of it all, but watching billionaires argue with millionaires was really frustrating to me.  Especially because the real losers in these situations are the little guys.

The ushers at the arena making $50 a night.

The street food cart owners.

The parking lot attendants.

The local businesses and hotels.

THE FANS.

When you're a fan of something, it's not just a sport.  Last night we went over to our friends' house for the BCS Championship game.  My buddy is a HUGE Notre Dame fan, the biggest fan I know.  He was upset.  I understand his pain.  Last night wasn't just a game with a team.  It was a CHAMPIONSHIP game featuring HIS team.

There are emotional ties to a team if you're a true fan.

I definitely have an emotional tie or two to the Buffalo Sabres.

My wife bought us Sabres tickets for Valentine's Day a few years ago.  Little did we know at the time of the purchase that it would be "Pegula Night."  Seeing the French Connection skate out to center ice and seeing Terry in tears with his arms around them gave me goosebumps.  My eyes welled up.

Before the puck drops at a Sabres game or before an opening faceoff at the Bandits' games, I get butterflies.  My palms get sweaty.  Am I silly?  I don't think so.  I'm a sports fan.

With all that being said, I am not upset with Mr. Terry Pegula, nor am I upset with the Buffalo Sabres organization.  I am upset with the NHL and a few owners and players, but not enough to deter me from the sport that I love.

Let's drop the puck, let's go Buffalo, and oh yeah..."The Sabres are gonna win that cup, ya know they're gonna win that Stanley Cup."

So, This Marrone Guy...

My thoughts on the hire of Doug Marrone?  Well, I'm trying my hardest not to have any yet.

Why?  We've been down this road before.  Many times.  We've heard the same thing put so many different ways over the years.  All of the incoming coaches at One Bills Drive have had some sort of success somewhere with some ideas that make us excited as fans.

I've devised a solution.  I'm not going to make any evaluations of him as a coach until I see something from him.

I always liked Chan.  I liked his mentality at first.  I remember a reporter asking him "What did you say to Ryan Fitzpatrick after he threw that interception?"  Gailey's answer was "Go out there and get us a touchdown on this next drive.  That's a same thing I tell him after he throws a touchdown pass, too."

I liked that idea.  He was even keel.  He was football smart - or so it seemed.

Boy did this last season prove all of those things wrong!  He outcoached himself.  He tried so hard to be smart, he ended up being dumb.  He constantly tried to do things to trick the other teams' defenses versus bringing our best plays and players to the field every down.

How is someone like Rian Lindell supposed to feel?  I know he's "just the kicker," but you put him out there to try a 52 yarder, and then what?  You pull him back to the sideline of course.  No faith in him.  Chan said after the game he had faith in the defense to make a stop after the punt.  If you really trusted your defense, Chan, you'd trust them to make a stop if Rian misses the field goal, right?

Sorry, this turned into a rant about Chan.  I still have so many thoughts about him time here in Buffalo.

Marrone, on the other hand, I'm going to wait to have thoughts about...