How Buffalo might find itself like Chuck Liddell this offseason
B.D. Gallof
Author's note: The following is satire...anything factual or actually insightful is unintended
Last night, I hung out with Rampage Jackson, before his fight with UFC Light Heavyweight champ, Chuck Liddell. We were talking tactics smoking a Padilla 1932 cigar. Rampage was convinced that his striking skills and footwork would win this fight. I agreed.
"Don't let yourself chase Chuck," I told him sagely. "If he backs away, embarrass him for doing so. Remember, his loss to you in Japan still weighs in his head. He will come to you, and you can open up on him"
In Japan, in 2003, Chuck Liddell and UFC honcho Dana White went to Japan for a PRIDE competition that ended with Chuck's corner throwing in the towel as their fighter had his head handed to him. Rampage beat him to the punch, hit him with jabs, wrestled him to the ground, and beat on Chuck in that fight.
Last night's fight was even quicker. Liddell backed away, wanting Rampage to fight like his other UFC victims. Rampage jeered him to come after him. Chuck acquiesced and proceeded to eat two shots. Then he went for a bodyshot which Rampage blocked. Then Rampage caught Chuck with a right on the button...making the Iceman hit the canvas. Ramapge went for the kill and today there is a new UFC Light Heavyweight champion.
Much like a Rampage Jackson punch...reports out of some teams in the NHL is that despite an NHL-wide cap increase to $48 million (or thereabouts), that some organizations will not be at the ceiling despite this due to financial issues.
An excellent report by Tim Graham, of the Buffalo News, also states this plainly. The Buffalo Sabres, despite their stellar season, numerous sellouts and increased merchandise sales, will be one of these teams.
This puts very much in jeopardy resigning Vanek, Drury and Briere. Most have already known that Drury and Briere together will not be retained because of the prices that both will warrant on the open market. However, Buffalo's statements are very poorly thought out due to the many teams that MIGHT consider signing Vanek to an offer sheet, smelling the blood of the Sabres fiscal constraints.
Buffalo, before the free agency period has even started, is backing away...hoping that the fight will come to them. Much like Chuck vs Rampage. Except that some teams are willing to spend. Someone is going to jeer them on, and just might sign Vanek to that offer sheet that breaks the Sabres self-imposed cap and take them to the mat.
And what then?
Will Buffalo respond by matching and destroying their fiscal rhetoric? Or will they let players walk and stick to their guns.
This free agency period will be rife of these stories...about teams trying to play the game and up the financial antes that more lucrative teams are setting. This could be a continuation of haves and have-nots which the new CBA has not leveled the playing field.
As the Detroit's of the league pay premiums for Datsuk, it creates a market for smaller teams to play catch-up, even if they haven't gotten out of the red fiscally.
The one thing that will remain true when the smoke clears:
The rich get richer.
Fini
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