smj
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Everything posted by smj
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I agree. That was amazing and without that we'd still be in trouble. That was so unlikely!
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Never too early for a Buffalo fan to be a pessimist. Sad thing is we think it will make the blow easier to take but it really doesn't. It would be nice to be pleasantly surprised for once.
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The only way to change the schools is completely change the culture. Too many kids don't have good, caring role models at home who set high standards and expect kids to meet them from grade school on. As a result schools have to adapt and teachers and administrators given more authority to address behavior issues. Instead authority has headed the exact opposite direction to the point where teachers are afraid of their students. Next, since you can't know there is anywhere productive for these kids to spend their time after school, there are no chores to go home to and so much more knowledge to absorb than even a decade or two ago you have to lengthen the school day and make it more productive. Stop spending so much money on infrastructure and spend it on additional periods and tutors and even dinner if need be (inner cities for example). Stop emphasizing sports programs over academics - if you aren't earning it in the classroom you can't play. Get rid of teachers who aren't willing to inspire kids to reach high standards. It's not easy but things aren't going to change without addressing discipline, the quality of teaching and the amount of time adults are mentoring these kids.
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I hate to say it but this is not looking good. Zona will likely lose 3. Ottawa probably loses the next two and Penguins will be up by 3 by the time we get to Saturday and they will have played the night before and they will take off the game against us. I think it all comes down to Columbus....please Columbus kick our rears. I don't even know if Columbus really needs any points against us. It wouldn't be Buffalo if hopes didn't get dashed at the very last second or by a matter of inches. I know I am a pessimist but I think there is a 50-50 shot this plays out.
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I am sorry to say there is no way the DD win any of their last three games. It's up to Buffalo. I am nervous. One thing going for us is IF they manage to beat a good Columbus team they have to play the next day against Pittsburgh and they will be gassed. Of course, knowing our luck, the game will mean nothing to the Penguins and they will rest their starting goalie. We'll get outshot 40-20 but win 4-2. That's Buffalo luck right there. Please Columbus kick our buts!
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Not pessimistic...just very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very cautiously optimistic.
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A couple thoughts...first, the Chicago game showed exactly why the tank is necessary because it shows the difference one great player can make. The Hawks were dead and trailing 3-2 with two minutes left and Toews scores twice?! Amazing. What are the odds that happens and the Coyotes win? I read it was their first regular season win since early January! They forgot to finish their tank. Still I am a Buffalo fan and don't trust the 98% odds we have to finish 30th. I don't think Arizona gets another point which means the Sabres just have to lose one game in regulation. Why do I think it will come down to the Pittsburgh game? And Pittsburgh has broken the hearts of Buffalo fans many times before! Let's get this over with so both tank and anti-tank can come together and never root for another Sabres loss again!
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Yes, the Sabres are playing well right now but we just need one loss or Zona win to get McEichel. Sounds simple. How come as a Buffalo fan I cannot assume this will happen?! It is very sad that 98% odds aren't good enough! Why do I half expect Zona to lose all three and Buffalo to win the next two setting up a showdown with Pittsburgh who has broken Buffalo hearts before?
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I suppose one way to try and find hope in this is that Eichel could be a bust - he doesn't seem dominate when I've watched him plus from his quotes he may very well be distracted by the temptations of success. I think McDavid is a different person in that regard but chances are slim we get him no matter where we finish. So if Eichel doesn't dominate the player we get stuck with could actually be better. Plus Murray, unlike Regier, can wheel and deal and is very creative. Add to that mix when we get close to winning at all Pegula will open the checkbook and buy a good team. That's the best I can do to console myself at this moment. Is it working for anyone else? Someone convince me Strome or Warner could be as good as Eichel.
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I suppose one way to try and find hope in this is that Eichel could be a bust - he doesn't seem dominate when I've watched him plus from his quotes he may very well be distracted by the temptations of success. I think McDavid is a different person in that regard but chances are slim we get him no matter where we finish. So if Eichel doesn't dominate the player we get stuck with could actually be better. Plus Murray, unlike Regier, can wheel and deal and is very creative. Add to that mix when we get close to winning at all Pegula will open the checkbook and buy a good team. That's the best I can do to console myself at this moment. Is it working for anyone else? Someone convince me Strome or Warner could be as good as Eichel.
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Exactly how I've felt. Why are Buffalo sports so painful? Truth is you just have to check out sometimes and it looks like we are headed for more of those times. I have no interest in watching players like Weber and Hodgson who have done nothing until the end of the year next year.
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I have finally decided what my feelings are on this whole crap team that lost every game in the month of January when it mattered. If we don't get McEichel we'll be both bad AND boring which is the worst combination possible. Because watching more of the crap we saw 90% of the season sucks I'll be forced to ignore the Sabres for three plus years because the rebuild is going to take forever and be no fun to watch. Call me a fair weather fan but when a crap team suddenly wins a few meaningless games because they are offended that a few fans, out of desperation, start rooting to get the great player they haven't had in forever I lose interest. The only thing interesting about the Sabres right now is HOPE which is about to be dashed because, as Buffalo sports fans, we know if it is not a sure thing we will never get lucky in the lottery! And don't talk to me about professional pride...where was it in January. Team is a bunch of losers and I hope Murray trades every one of them to Arizona except the rookies. It is just not fair if Darcy Regier gets the first or second pick after destroying the Sabres the past decade and creating the need for a tank in the first place!
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I have finally decided what my feelings are on this whole crap team that lost every game in the month of January when it mattered. If we don't get McEichel we'll be both bad AND boring which is the worst combination possible. Because watching more of the crap we saw 90% of the season sucks I'll be forced to ignore the Sabres for three plus years because the rebuild is going to take forever and be no fun to watch. Call me a fair weather fan but when a crap team suddenly wins a few meaningless games because they are offended that a few fans, out of desperation, start rooting to get the great player they haven't had in forever I lose interest. The only thing interesting about the Sabres right now is HOPE which is about to be dashed because, as Buffalo sports fans, we know if it is not a sure thing we will never get lucky in the lottery! And don't talk to me about professional pride...where was it in January. Team is a bunch of losers and I hope Murray trades every one of them to Arizona except the rookies. It is just not fair if Darcy Regier gets the first or second pick after destroying the Sabres the past decade and creating the need for a tank in the first place!
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Fans at the game better cheer for the Sabres...am I the only one that thinks it is a jinx to root against the Sabres demonstratively? Plus it will motivate the players. Just keep it calm and maybe we can win this thing yet. What bothers me is it is obvious the Sabres aren't tanking and are doing their best. But look at Arizona? I couldn't watch that game after the first period - their D gave us like three breakaways in the first. They have been the team tanking games! Why do people keep accusing the Sabres of tanking? All they have to do is watch.
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Perfect game. Some of the young guys played well, we lost largely because Hackett wasn't very good and we needed to lose because Arizona keeps piling up the losses.
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I agree. The players should understand and know what's going on and not take it personally. Fans aren't rooting against the Sabres with ill will - the fans are rooting for hope. Could you imagine after this whole year if we missed McEichel by 1 point and had bad luck in the lottery (as Buffalo fans you know that would happen)? What a waste that would be and there would be little hope for next year. It's not the fans fault we are where we are. Management made an attempt to field a decent team this year but when they lose 20 games mid-year what are you supposed to do? We aren't tanking but doing the complete rebuild we've avoided for 10 years. New owner comes in with a new vision of actually building the best team possible. Look what he is doing with the Bills...when the Sabres get close enough he'll spend the money to finish the job. If any of the current team is good enough to stay they will benefit too.
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Yes, I agree with you guys. If the players didn't want to be in this position they shouldn't have lost like 20 games in a row this season. Do they feel sorry for fans that paid $100 for seats to watch that crap? Regier tanked the team unintentionally over time and Murray is just finishing the job so we can come back from the dead. If the players don't like fans hoping for McEichel they are welcome to go ahead and real off 8 final wins in a row! At the same time I wouldn't cheer against them because it serves no purpose and is bad form just like booing serves no real purpose. But I wouldn't be cheering if they scored in a meaningless game either. Love it!
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I look at it as the Sabres have sophisticated fans. Not a big deal...they aren't really rooting against the Sabres but rooting for a shot at the best offensive player since Lafontaine. Personally, I wouldn't cheer for the other team because there is no point in that but I would certainly be happy with the outcome.
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I kind of hope the Sabres finish strong so we don't have to live with the tanking label. Arizona beating Detroit did us a huge favor. I think the team can keep playing all out and still be safe. Hopefully we go into a shoot-out this fist game with both teams playing well because we'd be pretty safe at that point. The only thing that could mess up the final result is if we sweep Arizona. It would be nice if we didn't win this first game just because everyone would be happy and could come together again. Everyone could root for a strong Sabres finish without worrying we won't get McEichel. By the way, I don't consider that the Sabres have tanked. The team appears to have given 100% each night and the GM only made logical trades including getting rid of unsigned players which every team not in the playoffs has done every year. The Sabres fans may have tanked but the team has not. I don't think anyone planned on their mid-year slump which put them into this position.
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Clever. I like it!
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I think it would be awesome if the Sabres tied or lost this first home game because that, to me, all but guarantees 30th. The odds are now greatly in our favor, however, if we manage to beat Arizona twice and I think we will beat Toronto the way they are playing and win one other game - that gets worrisome because Arizona would only have 6 games left and I could see them losing every one of them. The tiebreaker is huge because I think the chances are pretty good that we actually tie in points. I think it's a 2 team race at least and the Oilers are safely out of contention. Arizona coming back on Detroit and winning in regulation OT with 5 goals should be the game of the year in this race.
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That's nice but as a Buffalo fan I can't help but still be cautious. Key is a split with Arizona. If we split there are only 7 other games for us and we should be able to avoid getting 6 more points then Yotes or Oilers. Very unexpected good news tonight!
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Just because you are rooting for the tank does not mean you aren't a fan! It does mean you value long-term results over short-term gratification. As someone who has lived in Buffalo for many years I am tied of going into seasons "hoping" to make the playoffs and knowing, once you got there, you'd lose anyway because teams like Boston were built for playoff success and the Sabres were too small and soft to compete. I'd rather stink for 3 more years if the end result was a real team that could be one of the best for 5-10 years and actually have a chance to win a cup. Just like the Bills - I am tired of them being mediocre. I'd like to have a real shot at the Super Bowl every once in awhile. That doesn't make me any less of a fan - just one that isn't interested in boring, pedestrian teams. Getting McEichel may or may not translate into a cup ever but it would be a heck of a lot more interesting than any of the teams Regier ever put on the ice. I hope Murray keeps blowing things up until we have a real team and I don't care if that takes three more years!
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The Sabres have been fun to watch and playing very well lately. It seems like they are just missing a number one line that can score but there are some solid pieces in place. Luckily we are still managing to lose. The Rangers goalie made some great saves. And Lindbeck might be a viable goalie in this league. He isn't costing them games and almost stealing some points. Let's hope they can avoid winning some meaningless games down the stretch and complete the tank.
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what I don't understand is why people complain about the Sabres tanking when Edmonton is doing an even more obvious tank job!