Random Thoughts: Aaron Schobel gets released...Training Camp fights...The history of the Bills 3-4 defense doesn't add up...Excuses for the Sabres

No surprise here that the Bills decided to release Aaron Schobel. Lets go over the reasons why it was a smart move.

1) He's overrated and isn't worth the 8 million dollars he would earn this year. Schobel has always been susceptible against the run and it seems like the majority of his sacks have come off blitzes.

2) He's 32-years old and the team is rebuilding...not a good mix. The Bills need to find as many young players as possible (Maybin) that can actually play in the NFL. Having Schobel start, throws a wrench in those plans.

3) He doesn't want to play here. And frankly, I believe this whole retirement talk was a way to force the Bills hand. I wish he would have just come out and said, "Yo, I don't want to be here and I want out." If you still think his motives were all about finding the fire from within to return, please go back to his quotes from June about the decision being in the "hands of the Bills."

4) Sorry, but you can't come up to camp a week late and then learn a new position. Not going to happen.

Honestly, I wish the Bills would have done this in March. They could have then used the remaining money from Schobel's deal to lure in more free agents. I'm sure the money will now go into Spiller's contract, whenever he decides to sign. The funny thing about Schobel is that even if fans/media come to grips that this was all a ploy to get him released, it's not like someone is going to say, "Well, this will tarnish his career." The reason being is that no one really cares about the guy. It's strange, isn't it? He's 2nd in sacks in Bills history and no one gives a crap about him.

I've been saying for months that the media has done such a piss poor job for the way they have covered Schobel. There was hardly an outcry from the media about him just leading the Bills on about whether he would retire or not. Now that I look back, I think the reason why the media didn't run with the story was because fans didn't really care about him. Hell, I think fans liked Phil Hansen more. I mean, there was more of an outcry for Tim Kennedy leaving Buffalo than Schobel getting released.

Anyways, its been fun, Aaron. You played on some bad teams and I'm sure if you were surrounded by better teammates, you would have been more idolized by Bills fans.

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I'm about 4 time zones late on discussing last week's camp fights, but I have to say, I'm all about nasty practices. Last week's festivities showed intensity and a "Don't take s#$t" approach. I'm sure we all know what happened, Aaron Maybin shoved Fred Jackson from behind and a few of the offensive lineman took exception. The biggest stunner was when Eric Wood yelled for Maybin to "Give some of that money back you aint f'ng earned."

Very creative.

Anyways, I was a little befuddled on how some of the fans/media started calling Maybin out, saying that he was a punk. I'm sorry, but do you know how many late hits happen in training camps? 100's. Maybe watching a bunch of "Club Dick" training camps made people forget that football is a contact sport and this sort of stuff happens.

Anyways, I'm not sure where the comments of "Maybin is a punk" are coming from. Maybe it has to do with him having the Leonard Smith hair cut? Is it because he celebrates a special teams tackle as if he scored a safety in the Super Bowl? Anyways, I'm still trying to figure out what makes him a punk?

I can only come up with three answers to that question:
1) He's probably not the most pleasant player to interview from a reporter's standpoint.
2) Fans are still bitter towards him for holding out last year and view him as being greedy.
3) I've read on some blogs or message boards (They are always right) that Maybin is a little arrogant.

Frankly, those are stupid reasons to not like the guy. So what if the guy is arrogant? Until he smokes weed in his car or runs over a fat chick in Downtown Buffalo, he shouldn't be called a punk.

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Look, I love the 90's Bills just as much as the next guy. Those Super Bowl years were the greatest moments in Buffalo Sports history. I loved every single moment of those years and wish I had a "Hot Tub Time Machine" to go back and relive it. However, I've been reading in certain publications and message boards that going to the 3-4 defense is like going back to the glory years.

Seriously?

In case you didn't know, the Bills ran a 3-4 defense throughout the 90's. However, and this is a BIG HOWEVER, the reason why those defenses were good, wasn't because of the 3-4 defense. It was because of guys like Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett and Darryl Talley. It didn't mater if the Bills were running a 3-4, 4-3, 46, Boeing 747, or The Water Boy Defense, because the defense was still going to be good. Last I checked, Marcus Stroud and Maybin aren't Smith and Bennett.

So, please, lets just lose the connection from 90's, especially with this bunch.

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I swear, I love all you Sabres apologists. You people always find a way to justify any boneheaded decision that the Sabres have ever made. Of course, the Sabres had to let go of Drury/Briere if they wanted to sign Ryan Miller (Even though they could have got them for less than 5 million a year). Yes, Tim Connolly deserves a raise because he's a point a game player (even though he's hurt 35% of the time). Yes, lets be patient with Darcy Regier (Going on 14 years of patience). If you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic.

Now, we have a new spin on the madness of the everyday life of the Buffalo Sabres.

So, let me get this straight, you all believe that this entire Tim Kennedy ordeal was all about the Sabres picking Tyler Ennis over him? Are you fricken kidding me!?! Did you not listen to Darcy's press conference? Did you not hear how many times he mentioned the word "cap" and "budget?"

Hell, I think when Darcy mentioned Ennis being Kennedy's replacement, the apologists simply decided to make that the legit reason. "Yes, if they signed TK, Ennis wouldn't have a shot at being on the roster." Hell, I don't even think Darcy realized that was an excuse until he said it. It probably just came to him while he was talking. I bet the moment that Darcy said that, he probably just realized that would be a great excuse to give to the sheep/apologists.

Do you realize how stupid that logic is? I'll break it down list style for you.

1) If the Sabres liked Ennis over TK, wouldn't they have explored trading him prior to the arbitration hearing? And please, don't give me the lame ass excuse that there was no intrest in him because no other teams picked him up off waivers. I'm sure the reason why Kennedy didn't get picked up had to do with teams knowing that he was going to get bought out. So, if that's the case, why inherit the arbitrator's contract? You can probably get TK for cheaper because he's already going to pocket money from the Sabres. Better yet, Why the HELL would they goto arbitration if they didn't want him to be on the team? What? Did Cellino and Barnes get a percentage if they used their courtroom?

I also love how the apologists, who made Kennedy out to be this "Can't miss kid" when he was with the team, are now acting as if he was nothing but average. Aren't these the same people who have been touting the young players for the Sabres? The same people who talk glowingly about the future? You know, preaching the Sabres company line of overvaluing youth.

Sorry, but I've always said that Kennedy was a nice player, with some upside. But I never, EVER, said he was the future of this team. I'm sure some in the media (Certain WGR morning hosts), mentioned during the regular season that they loved this kid. Lets not forget, this is the same player who Brian Burke picked for the World Championships. I assure you, if the Sabres did look around prior to free agency, TK would have been gone. They didn't shop him around because they thought they could get him cheaper.

2) How many players did Tim Kennedy outplay last year? Well, the first name that comes to mind is Drew Stafford. So, why couldn't the Sabres just buy out Stafford? Better yet, why not have everyone go to camp and battle for roster spots? Of course, I know what the answer is going to be, Stafford would cost more for the Sabres to buy out. Which, of course, kills the logic of it being about Tyler Ennis over Tim Kennedy.

3) Are you really going to pick some AHL goon, who played like three games in the playoffs, over Kennedy? I'm sorry, but the Sabres already have guys like Kaleta, Gaustad and Morrison who can hit the crap out of people. The Sabres were screwed because Cody McCormick already signed his deal. Frankly, I'm sure if the arbitration took place before McCormick signed his contract, the Sabres would have offered him a two-way deal. McCormick really didn't have much of a leg to stand on in negotiating, mainly, because he played sparingly last year and is a journeyman player. Again, it's more evidence that the Sabres didn't anticipate what TK was going to make.

4) Jerry Sullivan made a great point on his blog today, believing that the Sabres were just trying to send a message to their young players that they better NOT think of taking the team to arbitration. I know some will scoff at that notion and think that Sully is just stirring it up because the Sabres and TBN don't exactly see eye to eye. However, that logic wouldn't exactly shock me. Consider this, it's the same organization that suspended Teppo Numminen for having a heart condition. Yes, they are callous, my friends. Plus, I'm sure Larry Quinn was in a foul mood after his Bass Pro experiment blew up in his face (OK, that probably has nothing to do with it..or does it?)

Honestly, this is nothing more than apologists always trying to find a silver lining with the Sabres. I swear, if you were mice and Darcy had a flute, you'd all be at the bottom of Lake Erie. Bottom line: The Sabres didn't want to spend $200,000 for TK. And like they do every year around this time, they reaffirm that they are NOT serious about contending for a Stanley Cup.