I’M NOT JOSHING…GORDON WOULD BE WORTH THE GAMBLE FOR THE BILLS
The Buffalo reportedly have expressed some interest in troubled wide receiver Josh Gordon.
Gordon had a spectacular 2013 season for the Cleveland Browns:. In 14 games, he had 87 catches for 1,646 yards and 9 TD catches. He had 64 first-down catches.
And – because of assorted drug violations – he has played in a total of five games since. He hasn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 21, 2014.
Gordon has been suspended by the NFL for the past two seasons. He applied for reinstatement March 1 and expects to hear from the NFL office soon.
Assuming Gordon is clean – at least for now – and the NFL gives him another chance, the young and rebuilding Browns are expected to trade or release him.
Gordon is only 25 and obviously has the raw talent to be an exceptional player for any team – including the Buffalo Bills.
I believe the Bills should acquire Gordon by any means necessary – assuming he would cost no more than a second-round draft pick and that he would accept a reasonable contract loaded with incentives for (1) reporting, (2) staying clean and (3) putting up decent numbers as a productive complement to No. 1 receiver Sammy Watkins.
If the Bills figure Gordon were in their future, they could pass on using the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 college draft on a wide receiver and instead select the best available linebacker or defensive back. Buffalo would thus improve significantly in two areas.
The huge risk in adding Gordon is that his demons could return at any time. He could do the franchise more harm than good.
I’d give him a shot and hope he realizes that it would be time to put up or give up.
Adding Gordon is the sort of move that only a desperate team would make. A 17-year playoff drought is desperate enough for me. How about you?
CAN THE YANKEES POST THEIR 25TH CONSECUTIVE WINNING SEASON?
The New York Yankees won again Sunday – 7-4 over the Tampa Bay Rays – to boost their spring training record to a Major League Baseball-best 22-7.
These Yankees are no fluke. They appear to be a legitimate winning mix of veterans and legitimate prospects.
One theory has been that the Yankees are a team of the near-future but might not quite be ready to make the postseason this season. The terrific play by top prospects such as Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird and Aaron Judge has inspired higher hopes.
Some critics (including this one) figured the Yankees likely would see their 24-year winning streak end. The Yankees last had a losing record in 1992 (76-86). We expected the Yankees to start a fresh and lengthy winning streak in the near future. The future could be now.
By the way, the all-time Major League Baseball record for consecutive winning seasons is an amazing 39 – by the Yankees of course (1926 through 1964). That was before free agency and those Yankees had the most money and could afford a top-flight farm system and sweeten the pot in lopsided trades.
Considering how much more difficult it is to dominate in modern baseball, the current streak of the Yankees arguably is at least as impressive as the Ruth-Gehrig-DiMaggio-Mantle days.
The third-longest winning streak in Major League Baseball is 18 by the Baltimore Orioles (1968 through 1985).
For the record, here are the current winning streaks of the 30 Major League Baseball teams: Yankees 24 seasons…Cardinals 9…Dodgers 6…Nationals 5…Indians 4…,Blue Jays 3…Giants 3…Astros 2…Cubs 2…Mets 2…Rangers 2…Mariners 1…Orioles 1…Red Sox 1…Tigers 1…the 15 other teams had losing records last season.
GREAT WEEKEND FOR OUR PRO TEAMS
The Amerks, Knighthawks and RazorSharks combined to make this past weekend a special one for sports fans in Greater Rochester.
The AHL Amerks enjoyed their best weekend of this disappointing season with three straight victories: 4-3 at home Friday over Springfield, 5-4 at Binghamton Saturday and 2-0 at home Sunday against Springfield.
Linus Ullmark posted his first shutout as an Amerk in Sunday’s game and Derek Grant scored his sixth goal of the weekend. He is the goal-scoring veteran Rochester had been lacking. Give him credit for sticking with Buffalo for most of this season but he would’ve made a huge difference here.
The Amerks aren’t going to make the playoffs for a third straight season for the first time since 1978-79, 1979-80 and 1980-81. The only longer losing streak by Rochester was four season from 1968-69 through 1971-72. But it was good to see the team enjoy their sweep last weekend.
The National Lacrosse League Knighthawks beat the visiting Thruway rival Buffalo Bandits 11-10 on Saturday night before 8,765 fans at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
The victory boosted Rochester’s playoff hopes. The top three teams in the East Divisio0n will make the playoffs. Here are the standings:
Georgia Swarm 8-4 record…6 games left (3 home and 3 away)
Toronto Rock 8-5 record…5 games left (1 home and 4 away)
New England Black Wolves 6-7 record…5 games left (3 home and 2 away)
Buffalo Bandits 5-7 record…6 games left (3 home and 3 away)
Rochester Knighthawks – 5-8 record…5 games left (3 home and 2 away).
NLL home teams are 33-25 this season.
Knighthawks rookie Kyle Jackson had another productive game Saturday, with 3 goals and 5 assists. In 13 games this season, he has 22 goals and 29 assists a team-leading (51 points). This year’s No. 1 overall pickj in the NLL draft, Ryan Keenan, has 5 goals and 14 assists (19 points) in 10 games for Saskatchewan.
The Premier Basketball League Rochester RazorSharks finished the regular season with a 112-85 victory Friday at the Washington Warhawks. (Jerice Crouch scored 21 points in the first quarter) anda 101-89 win Sunday at the Jamestown Jackals.
The Sharks will start the playoffs Sunday against with a semifinals game against Jamestown at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
FUN WIN FOR SABRES OVER THE LEAFS
The Buffalo Sabres thrilled their loyal fans with a spirited effort Saturday night in a 5-2 home victory. It might have been the highlight of the season in terms of energy and excitement.
The Sabres obviously would like nothing better than to contribute to the Maple Leafs missing the playoffs. The bitter rivals will meet again in Buffalo Monday, April 3. Inexplicably, Buffalo is 18-2-1 in its last 21 home games against Toronto.
Buffalo has again taken the NHL lead in power-play efficiency: 24.5 percent (54-for-220). Toronro is second at 23.7 percent (52-for-219).
Here’s how Buffalo’s Jack Eichel (No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft) compares this season to Toronto rookie star Auston Matthews (the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL draft):
Eichel – 54 games; 23 goals, 30 assists for 53 points; -9 plus/minus
Matthews – 74 games; 34 goals, 27 assists for 61 points; +5 plus/minus.
SHORT SHOTS
The spectacular Arrogate recovered from a poor start and rallied from last place in a 14-horse field to win Saturday’s $10-million Dubai World Cup. The four-year-old-old horse became the all-time richest horse in history with earnings of $17,084,600 in only eight career races. Inflation is a huge reason for that record, but he’s undoubtedly a great race horse.
Former Red Wings star Chris Colabello was a late cut Sunday by the Cleveland Indians despite a solid spring training with a big-league club: .343 batting average, 2 HRs, 5 RBI and a 1.039 OPS in 17 games.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que has teamed up with the Rochester Rhinos and will have a booth behind the goal opposite the scoreboard at Capelli Sport Stadium this soccer season.
Who could have guessed just a few years ago that three cities would be losing their NFL teams and Buffalo would not be one of them?: St. Louis, San Diego and now apparently Oakland.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO…
Monday, March 27 – Matt Harvey (28)…Buster Posey (30)…Michael Cuddyer (38)…Randall Cunningham (54)…Ed Pinckney (54)…Cale Yarborough (78). Mariah Carey (47) and Quentin Tarantino (54) are invited to the birthday party.
Tuesday, March 28 – Justin Jackson (22)…Derek Carr (26)…Geno Atkins (29)…Luke Waqlton (37)…Keith Tkachuk (45)…Jason Garrett (51)…Byron Scott (56)…Rick Barry (73)…Kevin Loughery (77). Lady Gage (31) can sing Happy Birthday at the party.