Here’s the deal:  When I typed up the Buffalo Wins  A.L. preview earlier this week, I employed the same set of study skills that helped me wade through Buffalo State College 15 years ago.  That is to say, I did no research at all and just pulled stuff out of my backside.  In between that and writing this, the much-anticipated (?) N.L. preview, you know what I did?  I decided to do some legwork because like you, I had a burning need to know who the 7^th guy out of the bullpen will be for the Padres.  Two conclusions after skimming through the “experts” magazines –

1) If these guys want me to drop $8 (!) on one of these, could they at least use the current logos for each team??  

2) Their predictions for the American League standings…ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE NONSENSE I WROTE.  And it all it costs you for this is some memory…..and self-respect?  Anyway, TO THE PREVIEW!

(I had a 3.14 GPA, BTW)

THE NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Hey…HEY YOU!  Have you already been worn down by the Sabres’ death spiral of a season?  Are you ready to punch Todd McShay on first sight still 2 months out from the NFL draft?  OF COURSE YOU ARE!  Well, I have good news for you. 

Major League Baseball is into its 1^st week of Spring Training, and the World Baseball Classic is rapidly approaching.  Not only does this mean Springtime is almost here, but also it’s a happy reminder that there is not a 3^rd Buffalo major league franchise to crush our soul (Joe asked me to do a baseball article.  Blame him. – J.G.) American League predictions for 2013 season!

THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

1) Tampa Bay Rays – Certain things you can take to the bank.  These would include the Rays 1) being supported terribly by the locals, 2) having to lose a player or two every off-season, and 3) Joe Maddon will have them near the top of the division anyway.  And oh yeah, they have David Price and Evan Longoria.  GET OFF YOUR ASSES, TAMPA AND GO WATCH THIS TEAM PLAY!

Warning: This is a very graphic post about what goes into dogfighting. It is pretty graphic at certain points. So, be warn.

To me there exists nothing in this world which, given the right circumstances and given the appropriate amount and manner of retribution, can't be forgiven. The fallibility of our nature and the idea that -- at least here -- we have a measure of freedom to do and think as we please lends to that. People are going to make mistakes. Sometimes, those mistakes will be big ones. But somehow, someway, all of that can be erased under the right conditions, and given time.

In the retrospectives of Michael Vick's largest mistake, we often hear it referred to as the "Michael Vick dog fighting scandal". And that in and of itself is enough to concoct horrible depictions in some people's brains, of cheesy rap music blaring over a fortified dog ring where onlookers straddle over and watch canines fight one another. To some, that is enough.

I have not come to bury the Buffalo Bills.  No, they have done a fine job of that themselves as usual, thank you.

Don’t get me wrong – I want to.  For the kajillionth time in this still young century, the local football team is realistically out of playoff contention before Thanksgiving (but not before wall-to-wall Christmas music.  Gee, thanks STAR 102.5!  Go suck on a hand grenade.).  Like all of you, I’m past the point of saying it’s gotten old.  It just is.

"You can't be half a gangster."

This slogan has been pasted on all the advertising for Season III of Boardwalk Empire. It was a line that was uttered by James Darmody (RIP)  to Nucky Thompson in the series premiere. Over the last two seasons, we've seen the evolution of Nucky Thompson go from politician to crook to now being a full fledge gangster after shooting his apprentice in the season II finale.

As someone who has been such a huge fan of Lance Armstrong for so many years, last night was a tough pill to swallow.

Lance Armstrong probably lost a lot of fans with the statement he decided to release yesterday. While there was no admission of guilt in the 800+ words, there was an admission of surrender. His decision to stop his fight against those who have long accused him of doping has opened the door for quite a bit of scrutiny.

Sorry, Travis. You can’t change that.

This changes nothing for me, of course. In 1999 I cared little about what a bicycle did besides taking me from a-to-b. By the end of his seven-year run I actually cared about the Tour de France and held Armstrong as one of the athletes that I have a supreme admiration for. That admiration will remain, no matter what Travis Tygart says.

As nearly every commentary on Armstrong’s decision has indicated, his decision to quit or give up on something seems strange. As someone who has always fought back and persevered, It was safe to assume the word quit was not in his vocabulary.

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 It’s a move that may make some Buffalonians cringe, but the Buffalo Bisons becoming the minor league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays would be nothing short of a shrewd business move for both parties. Yes, the thought of Toronto being the big brother to Buffalo in a sports-related manner is hardly comforting, but it is satisfying in thinking about the cumbersome prospects a move of this nature presents to both cities and their respective ball clubs.

For the most part, ticket sales for Bisons’ games have been declining for the past decade. A significant percentage of that drop has been since 2009, the year the Mets took over as the parent club to AAA Buffalo. That is the majority problem. Do fans really want to watch Mets’ prospects? The attendance figures trend that question downward.

There were no substantial questions among media or fans regarding Coca-Cola Field (as it is called now) attendance (at least to my knowledge) while the team was associated with the Cleveland Indians from 1995-2008. That partnership was seamless, with people going to the ball park for a cheap night out — and watching a winning team. The Bisons made it to five International League Championship Series’ as part of the Indians organization, winning three of them. Fans were getting great value for their tickets. The Mets have not even fielded a marginal comparison to those teams during the four-year allegiance.