Dave Dryden

There is no way TP can win here. If he did nothing, he would be slammed. He brings change, he gets slammed. The media narrative was that Bylsma was bad, but TM OK to good. So to fire both makes the team dysfunctional. Easy to argue. But the team has lots of pieces that are good, and some better chefs might get them over the top. TM did what he had to do, did some good and some bad, but perhaps after 3 years a fresh set of eyes and the proper moves and proper coaching can get the team to the playoffs. I liked TM, but I think this could work. I think Pegula keeps searching for the right guy for him, like I think McDermott is the right guys for the Bills. We shall see-- but I think he will get out of the way when he feels he has the right people in place--right for him and success for the team.

My God-- stop being such a weenie.

9

Exactly. We gave up way too much for Lehner and this just proves it once again. :-)

Actually, she is now 26 and a prosecutor in Annapolis Maryland. I think tonight is a walk down memory lane for her, as she has loved hockey games and the Sabres since she was very small, even though she grew up down here. Father daughter thing. So your point is correct-- she does remember. :rolleyes:

I totally agree. Owners by nature don't know anything about sports, they got rich doing other things and teams are expensive toys that are also a good investment. The Pegulas have put Tim Murray and Doug Whaley in charge of putting the teams together, that is the expertise they are relying on. If you want to say those are bad choices, that's fine. But the Pegulas did not trade for McCoy or sign Clay, Whaley did. As Whaley said yesterday, all the Pegulas do is say, how can we help you make the team better. Bucky reads like a "reporter" for a Middle School newspaper, it has about that level of sophistication. I don't begrudge him his opinions, but they are simply not that well thought out in using "over their heads" language. He seems to be saying they should use the Tom Donahoe model Ralph used for a while, but plainly that management approach did not work. But bottom line is we will keep reading this kind of stuff unless the teams get better and make the playoffs. Until that happens, the Pegulas are just nice people who have not figured out how to build a winner. If they do, they will be management geniuses. If they don't then they can be fairly called inept owners. But we have not had enough time yet to reach a conclusion IMO.

Going to the game with my daughter. It's been a while since I saw the Sabres live. Should be fun.

I know nothing about bull sports.

Well that stuff is and should be illegal. To compare illegal sports where the object is to have animals hurt or kill each other to horse racing is absurd IMO. Bullfighting seems absurd to me. What about hunting-- I don't care for it but will we outlaw that too?

My level is closer to the norm than you think. There are abuses in all walks of life, which is wrong and typically illegal. I'm not sure what other animal sports you have in mind that are legal. There is some dog racing, but that has been mostly eliminated. What are you referring to?

It's difficult to address all your misperceptions. There would be no thoroughbred horses without humans. They are not running around in nature. So I don't get your point-- they would not be around but for humans. To be sure there are some wild horses, but those largely escaped from human breeding as well. The stuff about rich white people blowing their kids future is the worst kind of stereotyping. Horses are not overbred-- particularly high quality horses. Dogs yes, horses no. And I still have my 2 y/o's great grandmother-- she's 29. She has not raced in over 20 years, but she lives life as a pensioner on a beautiful farm in Maryland. When her career was over we took care of her, it was not "game over" as you suggest. She has been a happy camper for years, after having 6 foals. I respect your concern about animals, I really do. But if you look how we raise our food, it is way worse than anything going on with horses. And if there was no racing, the breed would simply die out. I don't think-- as you suggest-- you really understand the horse industry. I love dogs and horses, I'm not out to hurt them but to take care of them.

If you would spend some time around race horses, I think you would feel differently. They get tremendous care and are loved by their trainers and owners for the most part. And they love to run and race. That is what they have been bred to do. I have a two year old named Ice On the Severn, who is such a class act and is one of the happiest animals I know, particularly when he gets to go out with other horses. To be sure, there are abuses, but there is in everything in life. Do you think the NFL is completely humane? I'd much rather be a racehorse than an NFL player in terms of long term quality of life. I mean after next year, all American Pharoah will have to do for 20 plus years is have sex with 120 different mares each year. He will not have any long term concussive issues or commit suicide. What American Pharoah did yesterday was magnificent. It is a time to celebrate a truly remarkable athlete, not get bogged down in throwing out the good in a fruitless effort of trying to make the world a perfect place.

No, that's not right. BU just made him an alternate captain. Why would anyone want to lose Eichel?

I was at that game. We were all chanting Let's go Penguins for the last 10 minutes, as the Sabres victory pushed them past the Flyers. Great game.

You sir, are spot on. Terry loves McDavid.