...

Just seems pretty high for downtown Buffalo.

Do you have a source for that number?

I'm not sure those are Sith eyes on Rey. Just because she has the funky red lightsabre and the hoody, doesn't mean she was turned or is Sith. However, we're still not sure if she is a Skywalker, while we do know that Ren is. You might be on to something with the earlier comment we discussed. Maybe BOTH are plants. Maybe Ren was forced to walk in the Dark Side early with the hopes that he comes out of it as disgruntled by the whole Force thing as Luke eventually became. Maybe Rey was planted by Snoke as his ace-in-the-hole. Snoke has been pretty lenient with Ren so far, maybe Snoke anticipates some sort of long-distance chess game with Luke, and Rey and Ren are pawns. The C3PO thing is spooky. I was initially like, "naw, has to be angles or lighting". However, I paused that section and took a real look. He does look evil and that part makes it almost look like C3PO is commanding an Imperial Star Destroyer, one of which puts the red ray down on whatever planet that is.

Haven't put a lot of thought or effort into possible twists, but this is the first I'm seeing someone think his bad-guy act was intentional. I kind of like the thought. Hither to, I just thought he was bad in a Anakin Skywalker/Hayden Christensen way - not that he may have been planted. I really do like that possibility.

It's understated by comparison, but I think the character struggles are dead on and the clothes are snapshots of my high school days. Hughes' characters are all overt contrivances so that's a moot point.

I think the clothes are accurate and the class distinctions are pretty accurate as well. I think it also conveys the zeitgeist of the 80's fairly faithfully.

Pretty in Pink. A stereotyped, but accurate, portrayal of teen life in the '80s.

He was a train wreck last season. While he did okay at this past development camp, he was still showing tendencies and characteristics that bothered me about him during the regular season. He needs to bulk up above the waist and then learn how to use his size - it could be the thing that separates him from the typical NHL forward. I don't need him crushing guys in the corner, but I do need him to defend the puck while he has it and bump people off the puck while he's trying to gain possession. He's a 6'5" dude with marginal skating ability who is trying to play like a 5'11" dude with slick skating skilz. To get him playing to his strengths is going to take a lot of work and I'm not convinced he'll get there.

Interesting.

Agreed. No offense to anyone; I understand you have to work with what we currently have, but penciling Tage Thompson into any future slot makes me cringe.

I would not advise on using the Metro Rail to get from KeyBank Center to the Theatre District unless you want to see the worst part of the city. That route takes you along the "legacy" Buffalo that started to die in the late 70's. You would not get a sense of the revitalization happening here, but, instead would get a sense of dread (and the smell of urine). I would advise planning on using ride-sharing to get you around. Depending on the time of year you're vacationing, there could be cool things to do downtown aside from seeing a game. If it's in the fall, you might still be able to take in something at Riverworks and walk the waterfront from the arena to the Erie Basin Marina. You could have your Uber driver take you on a fall foliage tour south of the city. If during the winter, there's outdoor skating at Canalside. You could also look for a show at Shea's which will be cheap compared to NJ and that theatre is pretty unique and historic. If you do beer, there are lots of craft breweries downtown that are worth the time. I highly recommend Big Ditch Brewing Company. I would visit the Darwin Martin House in Parkside. You need to try authentic Buffalo chicken wings if you can. Obviously there's Niagara Falls, but bring your passports and dig the Niagara Falls, Ontario version of the Falls - vastly different experiences. If you've never been in a Wegman's, visit a Wegman's. If you're into history, Fort Niagara is fun, especially if you can catch an event that features food, wine or both. If you're into art, the Albright Knox is great, but they're doing some remodeling, so I would check to see the status. The Burchfield Penney Art Center is cool, too, but it's better if they are having some sort of event to go with the art. Do not forget to look at the UB Center for the Arts calendar. Again, our entertainment here is likely less costly than in NJ so you may as well take advantage and you will need to fill in those 5 days. If you're into rock-n-roll, cheap-ish beer, and dive bars then I would recommend looking at the calendar for Mohawk Place or, for a real gamble, just dropping by the Tudor Lounge. I would not advise visiting Allen Street unless you simply must, although Gabriel's Gate is a decent option for wings. You could plan on an afternoon or evening walking Hertel Avenue, and make sure you reserve time for Lake Effect ice cream.

Not a lot of long-hairs in the greater Nashville area. Kind of surprised.

Exactly. With the gloss/metallic quality, it actually takes on some of the blue and looks green-ish.

Not gonna happen. And you know I know you secretly desire to redesign my kitchen.

You can't redesign my kitchen, either.

Sir, please don't ever ask to design my kitchen.

That thing is frickin' ugly. I do not...repeat: DO NOT...like the gold treatment at all. The only thing cool is the white gloves. I think people are still hungover from the Royal Blue punch being served up yesterday.

Sounds delish!

I've noticed a bunch of those lately. Makes sense it's a sub-category. I like some of them. I think Big Ditch Hayburner might be more in that category than not. By far my favorite IPA these days.

What? There is no room for optimism here.

NE style IPAs?

This is @LGR4GM's mediocre IQ at play, and, likely, confused instruction from a multitude of Sabres' coaches. Again, I think you have to factor in stubborn, inept game-day strategies, too. The question is, which one is the most causal? Is he more stupid than used poorly? Is he more used poorly than not clear on just what he's supposed to do? Seriously, if we on Sabrespace can get to this point in trying to figure out Risto, it is no surprise he hasn't been traded. I think pre-fancy stats NHL clubs would have over-paid for the Risto of today a decade ago, but these days, it's unclear what he is exactly.

In the context of playing with bad players, he might have developed the habit, not out of choice, of trying to cover for them. If his stats improve when playing with players who aren't a sh*&-show themselves, I think this is a possibility that can't be tossed aside.

Unfortunately, I think none of us, including the team, are in a position to know exactly how to parse the Risto situation accurately. It might take a few more years, and Risto on a different team (or, at least, with completely different usage), before it's clear. On an average team with average circumstances I would be inclined to agree with you, but, to me, there's still a lot of grey area. The Sabres have screwed up so much since before Darcy was fired. If there's a good trade for him, then buh-bye. But I don't mind them trying to maximize his value so long as it makes sense in putting this team in the playoffs.