Neo

Preference is when my kid reasons. Bias is when yours does!

I’m not sure I understand the concern or skepticism, but I’ve missed my share of points. JBot prefers leagues that offer preferred agreements when selecting players to develop under the agreements. The agreement advantage benefits all rounds. It is most beneficial in later rounds. In any event ... What’s of interest to me is the dialogue the CHL must have been having for years within its ranks. “What do we gain and what does it cost”? There must be a philosophy behind its structure. That may take some googling!

I have so many similar thoughts ...

The world’s a better place because both brash and humble exist. It’s richer. Humility makes great accomplishments even greater. I will always be drawn to humble.

3 hours and 6 minutes ... I took the under and lost!

Man, a Kjell and Ulf bloodline ...

He decommitted to Michigan and will play pro hockey in .... Switzerland!

Tangential ... the camera shot of Kim Pegula huddling with, and as part of, the brain trust was really cool.

I will add to this important acknowledgement of the effort of others done on my behalf .... and recognize Crusader and Rakii (who gives me a view I still don’t quite understand, sorta like Stephen Hawking did). This and the next round are where re-builds REALLY take place ...

I think of Timrå winger Filip Hållander. He would be an excellent fit for what we think the Sabres are looking to become. icrackmeup...

Berggren ... let the Swedish invasion continue!

They read this board!

That whole series was good stuff ... grateful

Is Bouchard the kid Ligr’s link from the Vancouver newspapers showed as a below average skater? I cannot find it ..

Quite a first round ... May Day, May Day!

I’m watching the draft. When I was a boy, men played hockey. Later in my life, hockey was played by guys my age. Some time ago, it was played by men my kids’ age. Today, it appears children play hockey. Man, the game’s changed, huh? You moved me ...

What better place than here ... Things That Matter, by Charles Krauthammer. I would better say re-reading this collection of columns and essays. I’d found many over the years, week by week. Charles died today. Normally, I’d put a comma after “died” and before “today”. Out of respect, I did not. Charles was no fan of unnecessary commas, your training notwithstanding. Informed discipline should triumph over a bad upbringing. Among the most influential intellects that shaped and guided mine has passed. I have no delusions. Greater influences lesser. Perhaps more than anything else, Krauthammer taught me to fear no word, no idea, when clear critical thought brought either to me. The irresistible force that was his mind was matched only by his confident humility. The two concepts, confidence and humility, are rarely seen together. Neither contradicts nor diminishes the other. The intensity of his thought engendered no fear. Again, I am drawn to two concepts not usually thought of together. When humility coexists with confidence, and when intensity gives no rise to fear, there is whole. Charles Krauthammer, paralyzed and confined to a chair, was unbroken. He faced death the same way he faced every adversity and eventuality, the same way he confronted ideas. That is, he faced death with reason, courage, clarity and warmth. His genuine, gracious, humor moved me yesterday and today. It will move me until and after I join him. Long after I’m forgotten, fortunate people will say “I knew Krauthammer”.

As an aside, I’m not a fan of “Because Buffalo”. Life has given me enough experience to recognize that sentiment in my original inquiry. It has not yet given me the discipline to avoid it at all times.

^ Thank you. I must say, though, that I don’t know the family personally. What brought me here was fate, faith and Father’s Day. I feel only the loss that we all feel. Of course, that’s the immense point.

Excellent ...

I was hoping you’d reply ...

Saw this at HF boards .... #1 for ... Hanifin, #2, and an unprotected #1 next year.

Ok, ok ... what’s with this arthritis thing? Docs?

I’m not sure how the following will affect anyone. I write to organize my world. It brings me peace. I share because you have come to mean so much to me. You’ve shared, I’ve felt, and I’ve learned. No replies needed. I’ll feel you all. Life’s beautiful. Life’s fragile. Kiss your kids .. My wife has a close friend who, along with others in their crowd, visited Friday night. It was girls night out, held in. The five ladies chatted upon arrival as I puttered about, preparing to make myself scarce. Starbucks and Krauthammer essays, for me, while the girls would, well, be girls. As I simultaneously greeted and said goodbye to my wife’s friends, one noticed the teary eyes of another. You can imagine the gentle urges to share. Among friends, she did. It seems her daughter and son in law have two best friends who’d married one another. Well, they’d not actually married. They’d been together for ten years and had three kids. Close enough, today. The couple’s oldest boy and my wife’s friend’s grandson are each eight years old. With parents as best friends, and being the same age, the two boys spend considerable time together in and out of school. My wife’s friend was their regular babysitter. No surprise there. The story continues. Earlier that day, the other family’s boy was with his grandparents. Grandpa has a four wheeler, and took the boy for a ride. Grandpa let the eight year old “drive” while sitting in Grandpa’s lap. Imagine the shrieking joy! As it does from time to time, welcomed or not, expected or not, fate intervened. The fate that arrived was particularly unsettling, cruel, and unwanted. Worst of all, it was the purposeless and unneeded fate that shakes the fundamental beliefs we have and rearranges our world. Did you hear me, unneeded! Fate, it seems, intervened for no good, and considerably bad, reason. I’m sure you’re guessing where this is going. The four wheeler flipped. Grandpa pulled it from atop his now unresponsive grandson. Tampa General sent its helicopter. For thirty minutes, grandpa administered CPR as best he could, alone with his broken grandson. We learned yesterday that there’s been no brain activity since the boy arrived at TGH. His parents spent one last night with their beautiful boy, last night. I picture them crawling into his bed and stroking his hair. It was Father’s Day. Today, the little boy’s respirator was removed. I believe there is a vision, a plan. Reconciling fate’s role is part of what makes us human. Fate gives rise to faith. That conclusion doesn’t come easily to me, today. It’s not for everyone. I have some questions for Him. As I prepared for bed last night, I reflected. All in all, I had a pretty good day.

Go Gators!