Neo
-
Posts
5,122 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by Neo
-
-
The 2006 teams wins it all without a run of injuries that can be called extraordinary. In 1975, the better team won. I was at the 1975 final game. I lost my 8th grade "Perfect Attendance" certificate because I lined up all night for SRO seats.
-
I live in Tampa and drive to Buffalo twice a year to visit family. Not picking one or two will be like getting north to Charlotte and realizing I forgot my wallet. We're half way there ....
-
Flyers: Luke Adam and a 2016 2nd for Pronger (LTIR 3 years 4.9) + Vinny L (4 years 4.5) + 2015 1st
Do Pronger and Vinny go into the Hall of Fame as Sabres?
-
For my 400th post, I shall declare: I dig that. I noticed the phrase in PA's sentence referring not to a group of guys, but an era. LGR, perfect encapsulation.
-
Yes. I also think there was an intangible quality to the trade for Buffalo. The franchise was in doldrums that wouldn't be seen again until The Core, and LaFontaine was exactly what was needed. The Knoxes were trying to get a new arena built, and suddenly the Sabres were back on the map.
I agree with you 100%.
-
Let's say fortune smiles on us and the Islanders finish last and/or win the lottery and McDavid/Eichel turn into everything they're hyped to be. Does this go down as the greatest trade in franchise history? It has to be top-3 (Hasek,LaFontaine), right?
I've always viewed the LaFontaine trade as a good trade, but not a great trade. Fun fact. LaFontaine scored 385 points as a Sabre, and 447 total NHL points, after the trade to Buffalo. Turgeon scored 1,004 NHL Points after the trade to the NYI.
LaFontaine is iconic. He was expensive.
Oops, just saw PA's comment. Same sentiment.
-
Tim Murray doesn't get hired, hockey organizations form around him.
Awesome ....
I watched his press conference, today. I have this sensation that I'm watching a savant. He was put on earth to be a hockey GM. I'm not convinced he could order wine at dinner or pick up dry cleaning. He is, however, at peace and in control, traveling a path he sees clearly. Like many extraordinary talents, he is frustrated because others seem to be slow on the uptake. He almost seems confused that no one sees what he sees. I find myself more fearful that he'll get bored than I am that he'll fail.
I know, we'll all know more in three years. I described him in the magical terms that I've learned are ultimately revealed to be incomplete. I get it. Man, what a first impression ...
-
In the OPs defense, not that he needs it, I understand the question when asked today. The fact that it's a different question over time is true, but not relevant to me today. Let's ask again then, as well.
Obviously, the Reinhart pick is the most meaningful. I like it very much. But, in the spirit of initial impressions, I voted Lemieux. I expected less "thrill" at 31, and got more. The video of Brendan, and the separate video of Claude, are awesome.
Reinhart, expectation met.
Lemieux, expectation exceeded.
-
Sorta weird since we spent all of last night trying to move up.
"... assuming Demko would be there."
-
My hands remain at my sides.
Everyone talking about St. Louis: Remember when there was a website dedicated to "has he scored for the Rangers yet?" Remember articles like this? http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1999389-martin-st-louis-is-an-easy-scapegoat-for-new-york-rangers-offensive-woes
When it's a Sabre (Vanek), we really criticize this type of streakiness. St. Louis was almost a bust; now it's the greatest deadline deal ever.
Butch Goring ....
-
It is really neat how often young goalies can steal a show. One of my favorite parts of the playoffs, wondering if someone can come out of nowhere and make a name for themselves.
Ed Staniowski ...
-
Can we all agree that, throughout his entire career, Miller has been a good to very good goaltender who can sometimes play lights out and, on occasion, gives up soft goals at what seem like the worst possible time?
For what it's worth, the conversation around Bflo's defense v the Blue's defense has merit. From what I saw watching the Blues after the trade, Bflo's d-zone posture is more aggressive with more attacking the puck and trying to eliminate passing lanes and allowing Miller to face the shooter.
As said upthread, the Blues emphasized shot blocking which, in a sense, required Miller to lean toward the open player. After years of coming out and challenging shooters, he had to stay back so he'd have a better chance of moving laterally to get square after the pass.
Regardless of whether it's Call of Duty or the NHL, if you are most comfortable in being aggressive in your style of play, dialing it back feels like you're not as engaged and are much more reactionary than you'd like to be. And that, in my humblest of opinions, is why he struggled down the stretch.
Can I say I'm down with this?
-
December 2, 1981. I was 20 and a junior at UB. I had a job delivering packaged goods with a retail store near the Main Street campus. I heard a radio story explaining that Gare, Schoenfeld and Smith were traded to Detroit. It was emotional for all fans. For me, it separated my time as a boy, cheering my heros, from my time as an adult, following my team. The passion is unchanged, but the magic of youth disappeared. I grew up with Schoney and Gare. The finals, 50 goal seasons, and fights in the Zamboni corridor went away. Hockey became a sport and a business to me. Important, yes, but painted with the realism brush that touches one thing after another as boys become men. I still love Christmas, but smile when I remember leaving coco and carrots for a jolly old man and reindeer.
-
Pacioretty .. Holding the stick in game seven, with a lead, in the offensive zone .... the kinda thing you look back on ....
-
Miller is sliding around like he did for awhile with the Sabres. Too much overcommitment when he goes down
He misses Corsi.
-
"He can take his'n and beat your'n and take your'n and beat his'n."
Bum Phillips
-
I've confessed before. I'm no scout.
I saw much (all?) of the USA WJC tournament. I absolutely loved Fasching. He became my favorite non-Sabre to watch. Big body, great hands, head and heart. Seemed pretty quick, especially for a big man. He skates. I'd say he was a man among boys, but at the WJC, that description isn't as powerful as it would be if he appeared that way in the NHL.
Steep price. I suspect he's been on TM's radar for some time. As others have said, I appreciate Murray's strength of conviction. He must have been aware of the risks - inconsistency - and moved anyway.
-
The butts that fill the seats, that watch the games on TV. The revenue.
I was unaware they found the press release sufficient.
-
A handful of posters on a sausage-fest fanboi forum does not constitute a "core audience." There are 16 pages of yapping here because the people here like to yap when their inferiority complexes are tweaked.
Who, then, is the core audience that finds the press release sufficient?
-
Sufficiency and milking it to slake the thirst of the 24 hour news cycle are two different things.
GO SABRES!!!
Slake! Well done.
I don't feel we're milking a story, however. We've not learned it. After it's told, I'll resist the urge to slake.
-
That is sufficient.
Sixteen pages of posts asking "why" in less than 18 hours, and headlines throughout the hockey world, suggests to me that it's not sufficient to your core audience.
-
I'm looking at this as follows.
This was either a one off, solely LaFontaine issue, and there will be no domino effect with Nolan, Murray and Patrick. In that case, the hockey product survives and life goes on. Not ideal, but management changes are part of business. If other dominos fall, all bets are off and we're back to a bad product without a vision and direction.
In either case, the handling can only be described as amateurish and bungled. Contrast fanfare and press conferences with leaks and terse statements. Consider the timing. This happened hours after the trade of an iconic player and in the midst of a seven day trading period that the franchise has pointed to as critical in order to climb out of the cellar.
I can get over LaFontaine leaving. The lingering concern is the management of the franchise. Competent professionals making considered decisions, mutually respecting one another, would have staged this to occur post trade deadline and held a cordial joint press conference. Twitter leaks, radio silence, terse three paragraph announcements after the news is already out all point to a fire drill.
We may or may not learn what the issues were or who made what decisions. I do believe one thing, though. For the past twenty four hours, everyone in the organization was scrambling to respond to something no one in the organization was guiding or managing. That's not usually a successful strategy.
What I know: The Sabres have passionate fans and an owner with tremendous financial resources.
What I don't know: Anything else.
-
"What's all the fuss about?"@HaroldBallard
-
What's this wife swapping story, I've never heard it.
Coolest first post ever.
Major Announcement: Buffalo to host 2015, 2016 NHL Combine
in The Aud Club
Posted · Edited by Neo
Enter, stage right.
GMTM: "Good evening and welcome to Buffalo. Islanders, you pick first, again. (Snicker)"
Exit, stage right.