LTS

Well, yes and no. While IPAs are popular there's a tipping point. When the market is crowded you lose out to shelf space, taps, etc. Even if you allocated 50% space to an IPA that's still going to cause a problem for all the IPAs being turned out. I'm not saying they aren't a good market beer, just that it's a crowded market. On the bright side.. my night will be spent here: http://www.oldtoadcaskfestival.com/ Yea.. it's gonna be a good night.

I've had them both in fact. They are fantastic beers. I'm a big fan of Russian River. Pliny has a more aggressive hop schedule even though it does rely very heavily on dry hopping (3 dry hop additions). It has more staying power than Two-hearted but as you know the same basic idea is there. Fresher is better. This is why everyone shows up at The Alchemist to get Heady Topper on the days it is released. There is no better way to know than to experience! I'm a huge fan of this idea.

Two-Hearted is one of those beers that you have to have fresh or you really won't like it much. The recipe is based largely on late addition and dry hopping to produce the massive aroma without a ton of bitterness. That doesn't last long. I know why IPA dominates, it's unfortunate. However, that's the problem with the list. People are so heavily into IPA that the list somehow claims that some other styles aren't great beers. Drank Firestone Walker Abacus, Double DBA, and XVI last night... what a night!

So now I just got lost in YouTube.. so much for a productive work day.

The list is, in one sense, a popularity contest. People vote for the beers because they think it makes them popular. Of course tastes vary and that also has something to do with it. Still, there's a tendency to not want to speak out against the crowd so people will vote what they think is the best. It's why sites like BeerAdvocate are so hard to judge. You get one guy who speaks out against Pliny and people jump on him. You can clearly see that the bias is HEAVILY towards IPA or what are known as hoppy pale ales. If not that then you go to Imperial Stouts... again not surprising. There are also a lot of great beers out there that don't get distribution so they'll never make the list. Lost Abbey is some amazing stuff but the lack of distribution hurts it. Personally? I find Pliny overrated. Part of it is that it's not my thing, but I find the body to be a little thin. It's sad that 90 minute is #3 only because when Dogfish Head used to release Squall (unfiltered 90 minute) it was so much better than 90 minute could ever hope to be. Sierra Nevada gets a good showing in part because of their affordability. I don't know that Pale Ale should be where it is, in fact I am amazed it is. Torpedo is a really great beer and Ruthless Rye is also strong (but I am surprised it rated that high). Founders KBS, this year, was a huge disappointment for me. I thought it was generally a really poor beer. I was pleased to see so many people rate Lagunitas Sucks so high. It truly was one of those beers that blew my mind this year. It was fantastic. On the bright side I've had pretty much all but a handful of the beers on this list. So I feel pretty happy about that.

Fran Drescher or Gilbert Gottfried..

Don't forget the current proposal to partner with SMG to take over operations of Blue Cross Arena from the City of Rochester.

So what is a person who really likes the Sabres and watches the games when possible but doesn't listen to talk radio, visit forums, and otherwise doesn't pay attention to anything related to NHL "news"? What is a person who grew up watching the Sabres and then, due to other commitments, made a choice to invest their time in something else so they could not pay as much attention, and then later, when time permitted came back to what they loved? And that illustrates my points from above... When I had a job that required 80 hours per week of my time and attention I barely had room in my head to think about the Sabres. What does that make me? I'll grant that I am not the same level of "fan" that someone who has a sufficient time on their hands to listen to sports radio, read blogs, columnists, etc. But what am I then if I am not a fan?

I'm still amazed how anyone thought that inhaling smoke into your lungs was a good thing regardless of what tobacco companies knew. As far the chemicals in cigarettes I treat that a lot like the foods today that have all kinds of things in them that people don't want to know about. I think at this point we know enough for people to make an educated decision. We know that concussions have a long-term damaging impact to the brain and that the effects of multiple concussions are more than just cumulative and lead to potential brain damage and other health concerns. Knowing this... each player involved in the sport needs to ask themselves whether or not it's worth it. I'm pretty much convinced that you can't change the rules of the game any more without destroying it. You can work towards better equipment and changes there that might reduce the chances but there is an inherent amount of risk that comes along with the job. We are having this conversation while at the same time people compete in MMA competitions and beat the living crap out of each other. What a grand society we live in. The rules are there, don't hit people in the head. But the game moves fast and it's going to happen and there's nothing you can do about it. I think it's important to understand as much as possible. Elimination of fighting is fine, but the concussions from hitting are worse and that can't be removed. Every step gets you closer to the All-Star game... which no one likes.

These lawsuits are all ridiculous in my opinion. No one made the guy do anything he didn't choose to do and then once injured CONTINUED to choose to do. Hockey players can accept that they are not going to make it on anything other than their ability to punch and walk away from the game. If they decide they want to do it for a $1.6m salary then it's on them. The NHL and NFL have no responsibilities when the violent contact that occurs as part of sport leads to these injuries. They can make rules but you can't take it out of the game without seriously altering the game. If you get hit then a head injury is bound to occur. If you choose to fight you only increase the risk. This article, while certainly informative about his past and what happens to hockey players of his type is certainly not relevant to the lawsuit unless someone wants the feel good story. What was his Plan B? Didn't have one. That's not how you live a life.. that's how you allow life to control you.

Buffalo has drawbacks and it's not Los Angeles, New York, or Boston but who cares? It's not supposed to be. Buffalo has a lot going for it as well. 24 year old single millionaire guys generally don't get to select where they live. They get drafted and signed to their EL and three years later are RFAs. it take a bit longer to escape the clutches of doom that is small market Buffalo unless you get traded. At age 27 players are perhaps less concerned about some of the aspects. What's the draw of a bigger city? Nightlife? Okay. I'm not sure how much nightlife the players enjoy during the season. I'm sure it's there to some extent. However, a $2.5m salary goes a lot further in Buffalo than it does in NYC. Players can afford to live it up even more. They can still fly to NYC in 45 minutes for almost nothing and travel in the off-season. Is that a big deal for them? Who knows.. it's been said time and again that players, once they are here really like the place. That has to count for something. The city is, however, married to hockey. I'm not sure why you argue against it. You may get the same number of viewers in Buffalo as you do in Boston but when the percentages are different it translates into a different atmosphere. The same was true with the Bills when they were winning. The city was nuts for it. In most cities, when you are failing for so many years you tend to become forgotten. In Buffalo you can fail for years and still be the most important topic of conversation. That means that win or lose... people still care. The same isn't true in many other cities, in those cities the teams become afterthoughts.

The Islanders are a joke of a franchise and no one wants to play there. Why? It's because the arena sucks, no one shows up to the games, no one even cares that they exist. Regardless of the quality of the team on the ice Buffalo is an incredible hockey market. The people of Buffalo have proven time and again to be some of the most avid (or easily entertained) fans in the league. They are routinely ranking in the top of the television viewing markets for national games that don't even involve their team. I don't think you are getting that on Long Island. The owner has a proven track record of making completely insane decisions (DiPietro!). The one thing I would PASabre"Fan" would do is leave the anti-fracking hatred at the door. It's become increasingly clear that you have major issues with the concept of fracking and that you are bringing those here to spew hatred against the owner. I'm not going to touch on the ethics and impact of fracking here because this is SabreSpace not FrackingSpace. By the way, nice job insulting the city of Buffalo and the people who live there. We don't necessarily buy what is being sold but we are at least willing to listen to it.

I liked having Sabres games more often but as long as A game is on any given night I'll be just fine with a full season. I only worry when there are no more hockey games to watch. But usually that's summer and I can enjoy the weather!

I don't even care anymore. I've given up judging the past and will simply judge him based upon the actions he takes. I can't change his role with the organization or anything else. If he's the GM so be it, if he's not, so be it. I'd like to see someone else in charge because his record does reflect no Stanley Cups, but I'm not going to waste time worrying if he remains.

I remember thinking that I didn't want him to risk his health by coming back. I was glad they brought him back this year at the contract he had it was a solid signing to help the team. He always played his best and did whatever was asked of him. Making it through the year with no issues was great. He's a class act and all the best to him and his family.

Just because there is nothing posted doesn't mean there aren't opportunities. Your painting is the best possible resume and if it does nothing more than open a path of communication you should go down that road. You never know where it may lead. I'm pretty sure that my mentioning it to one of the equipment managers won't help much, but if I happen to see him I will ask.

It shows him that the team keeps its word and that they believe in him. He learns what players do when there is nothing to play for.. because there is always something to play for. Just because it's not what you want doesn't mean they have given up what they are doing.

I'll still watch what I can because I like hockey and I don't waste time worrying about what the Sabres are going to do tomorrow. I don't hate on the owner, the GM, the team president, or the players. Far too many things in this world are more important than what the Sabres do tonight, tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. It's entertainment, even if the other team is the one that is entertaining. I can't begin to comprehend why anyone sticks around here to torture themselves if they are that upset with the team.

Absolutely amazing work... blown away by it.. no doubt.

Yep. They'll still be rookies next year. That says a lot to me. RIght now, other than a few moments of getting caught in their own zone the Sabres D does not bug me anywhere near what it did earlier in the year. I think some of it is from a change in style but more of it is the willingness to quickly transition the puck up to a forward. Earlier in the year the D would wait for the forechecker to get on them and then try and flip it by with little success. There was a comment by NBCSN when Pysyk flew up into a play to create an odd man chance. He's quick when he needs to be and it stood out there. I've seen it a few times from him.

I think putting McNabb in the AHL this year was less a question of his ability and more a question of going into camp with 9 D on the active roster. Granted McNabb struggled at the outset of the season but he steadily improved until his injury. The other aspects to take into account regarding player development is that there is a new person developing these players. All of the D have shown improvement since the change at coach. Right now I like Ruhwedel and Pysyk.

It's intriguing. I wouldn't be surprised if Enroth plays the majority of games the rest of the way. Perhaps Miller has had enough of the locker room? I've sometimes wondered if players just don't WANT to do a little bit extra for him. I like Enroth, always have. Even when he was slumping I didn't think it was horrible.

I told my son that if Scott scored the world would end immediately as the draw on the electric grid would be too great from systems around the world attempting to calculate the impossible. Good period.. and the refs have missed a lot this game.

I'll be watching.. because it's hockey.

It's a number... I liked what I saw from a kid who had had no practice and just jumped from NCAA. He certainly seemed very fluid on his skates. As for Pysyk, every time I watch I'm impressed how he simply just moves the puck to the forwards as though it's no effort at all. His ability to turn the puck up ice is really impressive. Also, if Ruhwedel turns out to be a find does that say something about the Sabres hockey operations? To have an eye on the kid all season and then steal him from other teams who also wanted to sign him? Granted, the Sabres are in a good position to give a kid immediate playing time.