ska-T Palmtown

I would like to amend my ballot and add @TageMVP for starting this thread. Things have been pretty glum in the Sabres' world and all that orbits it lately, but this thread brought a smile to my dry cracked lips. Good to remind ourselves that we are not the ones responsible for what we endure, merely those brought together by the love of the game and team ... and the misery both can cause! 🍻

Fair point, but I think the parallel is a little bit of a stretch - as it is hard to define an "incident" in this line of employment. One would reasonably think management (Meatballs and GMKA) have had conversations that we, as the public, are not privy to. Only they would be responsible for defining "incident". An interesting, but not quite as stark of a comparison - Jason Robertson is on pace to only put up 78.8% of the points he did last year (109 vs 84, both 82 games) - and I had to sully myself by visiting the Stars' page to find the stats - shudder. Tage (I used P/G due to variations in games played) will only score 62.2% as many points at his current pace. Granted Tage's drop is far more dramatic - but who (other than the team itself) is to say 21% fewer points is not also a massive drop. *and also: "Huberdeau's point production during the 2022–23 season took a significant dip from his previous season with the Florida Panthers, setting an NHL record for the biggest point drop off in NHL history between seasons; falling from 115 points in 2021–22, to 55 points the next season." (from Wikipedia) In only one fewer games. sidenote - did anyone know that Jonny Hubs was this handsome??? Just saying that large point drop-offs are not as crazy as one might think at first glance.

<Disclaimer - I do not share even one tiny shred of the suspicion or hunch or whatever that Tage did what was mentioned above, I merely had a thought and since this is the internet, posted it> I am not defending the putrid take that perhaps Tage was doing something that was not above board ... however, a more real-world example shows the logic is not as far-fetched as what is stated above (I refuse to even retype it): Say you work at a warehouse and Tom has recently started missing days and showing up late. It kinda reminds you of when Bill was doing the same and it turns out he was struggling with a substance abuse problem. This is a somewhat logical association. However, to go around the warehouse and start saying you think Tom has a substance abuse problem without the slightest shred of evidence is a despicable, foul, and reprehensible to the utmost degree thing to do. There is an entire world of things other than what happened to that one guy who, on the surface, seemed to maybe be in a similar situation. Attacking someone's character and moral fiber - even on the internet - is not something that should be done flippantly and on a whim. I don't just disagree with the premise, but disagree with the entire situation we have all been subjected to. 🤮

Too many upthread comments to read, but I am probably not the first person to express a level of admiration for what the Bills defense was able to do after being decimated with injuries. That gives me hope that this team will remain a competitive force in the AFC East, eventually giving rise to the anti-Buffalo luck where all the stars align and we Chicago White Sox our way to a Super Bowl Championship.

Agreed with all of the above - I found SS when I was just looking to get more insight on the team and probably come here more than is healthy for my fragile psyche. @dudacek always gets my attention when posting. Thoughtful, insightful, generally grammatically correct. 🙃

Do you go to the cuh-rib-ee-uhn or the care-uh-bee-ann?

<angry typing noises> oh wait ... that pretty much makes sense. The one counter-point I would have is that Mitts has clearly gotten better - he has obviously been able to put in the work and still host some bangin' COD parties (I started to type LAN party because I am not young, but remembered that is no longer a thing.) As long as the anger are ire would be equally strong if they were wiling away the hours playing Magic the Gathering (like my stupid roommate in college), watching Real Housewives of Somewhere, or MTV's Real World vs. Road Rules reruns, then I have no further issues, your Honor.

I am amazed at everyone's obsession with 20-something year old dudes playing video games. WTF else you think 20-something year old dudes do in their spare time?! I swear to some sort of deity, if someone says "practicing hockey" - I am going to pound the keys on my keyboard even harder next time! No athlete, at any level, can practice 24-7 ... I would wager that Josh Allen, Connor McJesus, (some good at hitty stick guy), and (whomever the best bouncy ball guy currently is) also play video games if they are not an older, stick in the mud, head up their butt, "in my day, we went outside and played" type. For the record, in my day, we did go outside and play ... but that is not the world any more. 🤷‍♀️ End rant - we now return you to your regularly scheduled screaming into the void ...

I was at that dreadful Sabres @ Hawks game last year when the Sabres choked in the third period to a team that was clearly tanking. A friend of mine works for a company that has a box. Me, in my Sabres jersey actively ignoring people trying to get work from me - lol - and watching that implosion.

What if we have two two-game winning streaks back-to-back ... since they only like winning two in a row (not three and four is RIGHT OUT!), let's just talk about streaks in terms of how many two-game winning streaks they have?

I can pretty much feel your frustration through the screen. I hear ya, too. I want nothing more than to cheer for this team; Buffalo Sabres hockey is one of my earliest memories, on TV in our living room. I am a schmuck and still cheer every goal I see, just like I cheered for every touchdown those drought-years Bills scored. Probably fools' gold, but hoping there is some sort of real plan other than "get guys that want to be here" is sorta the only thread I have left to grasp. 😕

Has anyone suggested that perhaps (like, tiny chance) GMKA had a multi-phased plan? Phase 1 was "wanna be here" and "stockpile". I am guessing KA is quite pleased with the potential he has achieved via his draft and stockpile approach. Perhaps now that he knows he has an actual abundance of prospects of a certain ilk at mostly the same positions, he will initiate Phase 2 ... turn prospects back into viable and meaningful pros? I am grasping at straws here ... I know. I am glad we have a solid pipeline of prospects that are not in the NHL, but something about a bird in the hand being worth more that two in the bush and probably a few other proverbs about appreciating the here and now vs pining for a future that may or may not materialize. Thanks for listening to my TedTalk, off to Target and then to drink some bourbon.

For all the angry words thrown around when Li'l J is in the press box - is it possible that DG is actually trying to load manage him as he goes from NCAA to NHL? Benson got more games in WHL so maybe they are thinking he can handle it?

They seemed to relax and just play?

To be fair (? maybe I am just being a homer) - SJ seems content to just clog things up at the expense of them being able to generate any offense?

It seems like most everyone except Mitts put on the "anti-puck" tape today ... passing and catching to day is definitely off. 😞

This is how I feel - I don't think you can point to a lack of effort in this game, but yeah, the result sucks bawlz.

Marty was explaining the basics of how to properly break out of your own zone and calling out Sabres for sitting at the opposing blue line with no speed - lol, LOVE IT! Felt like he wanted to have crayons to draw it so the Sabres could understand it. 🤣

I understood your original point, and I fear it may have been clear that I pretty much agree with what you were saying - more just wanted to "talk shop" about positioning, etc. I totally agree that just being in the way is often times better than being in the absolute wrong spot - 100%. Fear not, fellow 'Spacer - I don't like coming after people for their opinions (at least about hockey), I actually enjoying learning from others' perspectives on this board! 🙂

I admire your ability and willingness to analyze the game - your takes (even when i have a minor disagreement) are generally pure joy to read. Seriously, no sarcasm. I'd quibble a bit with the bold in that the strong side winger in most defensive systems (I guess I am making a big leap that we have one) should be actively supporting the D, so 'hanging out' might just be word choice? Also, normally 2 of the 3 of C + 2xD are assumed to actively pressure the puck - strong side winger picking up loose pucks form the scrum, weak side D (or C, I guess) in front of the net with weak side W at the top of the slot (taking away cross ice passes). Obviously, good offensive teams have ways to overload or defeat such a simple system ... but again I think 'system' is a strong word for the footloose and fancy-free chaos that is often the scene in the Buffalo D zone. I don't know if you look at non-goals, but one thing I *think* I have noticed lately is that when Buffalo gets 3 (or worse, 4) guys at or below their own goal line, they have an enormously hard time breaking the puck out. I think the other teams see this and crash down hard as the Sabres only have 2 men high for breakout. This ties in pretty well with your observations about Cozens (and I have certainly seen Benny do it too, but I still love him) chasing too hard. I think figuring out how to get the puck out of their own zone while maintaining possession - not just firing it around the boards/glass - would also solve at least 25% of the D-zone issues. Anyway, cheers! And here's to hoping for a mid-to-upper range miracle in the second half of the season!

I actually like Reino, but IIRC, he was sent down his draft +1 year for being essentially clueless at the NHL level. I'd wager at this stage in their careers, Benson is ahead. No clue how that pans out 6 or 7 years from now, tho.

Ryan Johnson: July 24, 2001 Owen Power: November 22, 2002 He is older than Power and those four years of NCAA hockey sure seem to be paying off for Little J.

C'mon ... at current paces (of Philly and NJ right now) - the Sabres would need 96 points ... so 56 out of the last 80 they can get ... 0.700 ... at least it is not statistically impossible?

This would make us 7-3 when added to our 4-2. For the this year's team - that is liquid magma hot! 🌋🔥 Might leap-frog a team or two ahead of us with that!

Does anyone else miss that feeling (or heck, even remember it to miss it?) of actually looking forward to a Sabres game? I suppose most of us felt it last spring as the team made a valiant last ditch effort towards the playoffs. But, I remember being a kid during the Patty/Alex years and barely being able to contain my excitement to watch the game - or how mad I was when it was west coast or not on TV. -sigh-