That Aud Smell

Adam Silver is an interesting character. He appeared on Pardon My Take (a Barstool podcast, if you're unfamiliar) at least once and acquitted himself pretty well, I thought. He exhibited a sense of humour, anyway. PMT also had the baseball commissioner on -- I don't recall his name and found his appearance to be excruciatingly dull.

this Gabe Davis/Jordan Poyer paper chase stuff is scintillating. i'm sure Hard Knocks would have had a field day with it. (lol.)

As much as I harbour sports-hate for the guy ... I have to admit this is correct. He became something like a pro wrestling "heel" in a suit.

Indeed. I do sorta hope that he occasionally gets lustily booed by a group of rabid hockey fans when he's out to dinner, at the golf course, etc. p.s. Why the hell is "lustily booed" a common turn of phrase?

I was born and raised on the blue and gold (which, to my surprise, was fairly non-standard throughout the 70s and 80s). I've come to like the red and black, and I enjoy the devotion it inspires in fans of certain vintages. In all events: Go Sabres.

I recall a report about this from earlier this year - January/February. The report was that Bettman had told the governors or their executive committee that he planned to retire some time in 2026. Is there anything new?

Interesting. With Samuel, I've heard over and over that the cap consequences would be prohibitive. I could see Moore being odd man out. Also, is Shavers playing on teams? That changes everything if so.

I always forget about this new rule. So confusing. (And it's sometimes not a hard and fast 3 times or something? Like there are different kinds of elevations?) If he doesn't get put on the Bills 53, I presume that his list of acceptable teams would greatly expand. He visited with the Steelers before signing with the Bills.

Signed to the p squad because he's still rehabbing his knee. I would imagine that he fully expects to be on the active roster once he's good to go. My guess is that Shavers (unless he's a special teamer?) would need to be waived (and then likely re-signed to the p squad). It is good depth to have. I think he'll be on the 53 sooner than later, provided he can get healthy and back in football shape. Meniscus. From latter part of 2024.

Tough news about DeWayne Carter (sp? (out for the season with a torn Achilles)), but, from what I gather, he was sliding down the depth chart before suffering the injury (which also stinks (he flashed early in his rookie year)).

The Tottenham Hotspur stadium comparison is obvious and well-known. This one, I've not heard.

Going to see Ani DiFranco out at Terminal B (or whatever it’s called (Buffalo’s Outer Harbor)) tomorrow. Will she don a Rob Ray jersey for 32 Flavors? I’m assuming an OJ jersey isn’t in play.

Like, you do hear people credibly say: “The Ramones? Sure they were great. But the best DIY punk band ever played in the So Cal valley in the 70s. They never made it big.” You will never hear someone credibly say: “Tom Brady? Yeah, he’s great. But the best QB ever knocked around in a semipro league in Texas in the 1980s.”

The essential, fundamental distinctions between pro sports fandom and music fandom are so vast that I reflexively dismissed the metaphor out of hand.

An interesting philosophical (metaphysical?) perspective. As I think this board makes clear, a lot of fans (supporters? 💀) express their fandom - at least in part - by carefully analyzing what works and doesn’t work with the club’s personnel, strategies, etc. A tale as old as time, really. “Monday Morning” or “Armchair” quarterbacks have been around for decades. I don’t think the foo sh1ts with this. Not even a little bit. Okay - a little bit.

Lame. We may have to bag skate you to get you into regular season form.

That's fair. It gets me to thinking that having a billionaire owner - especially one who once signed off on a slide deck with a slide that had the word "Lifestyle" in its title and contained a picture of his yacht under construction - is a huge obstacle to being a supporter of a pro sports team.

You don’t need to belabour it but you will. Shoutout. In my view, there are real distinctions and this is a fascinating object of discussion/debate. I think about how towns/cities/counties can turn out full force to support some third tier semipro club. What’s going on there? Those people are something other than folks who pore over advanced analytics and wear a vintage Mike Peca jersey (or whatever). Neither one is better than the other, per se, although one’s allowed to have preferences. And as always, there’s a continuum too. Okay, I need the STFU.

you love deploying #fancywords almost as much as @LGR4GM enjoys dropping #fancystats

absolutely for the precise reasons we were debating. (double jinx no take backs.) no idea what you’re on about here. nope. wrong.

Words matter, guvnah.

By these metrics, I'd posit that being a supporter is far more irrational than being a fan. Supporters stick with their club even when all competitive inputs and outputs associated with that club are complete and utter sh1te. That's not a rational response to your favourite team sucking. Fans can be fickle or even fair weather when the club runs aground and takes up residency in the league's basement. That's a rational response to your favourite team sucking. Supporters involve their hearts and souls and will stick with a club no matter what. Fans are more transactional and may jump ship if the team doesn't give them what they want.

I disagree for several reasons. Being "rational" has little to do with being a "supporter." Quite the opposite really. Being a supporter implies levels of commitment, loyalty, and devotion that go well beyond what most "fans" would generally exhibit. A supporter is a true stakeholder -- a person who truly sees the team as theirs (in part anyway). A supporter's commitment to the club is unconditional and unwavering. They support the club in much the same way they breathe. You hear the idiom "fair weather fan," and often that shoe fits. Fans can be fickle. Supporters are not.

Jfresh modeling the Sabres for the playoffs is almost more hope than I can bear. I respect the guy's processes. And his modeling has been good in years past. Good Christ -- may it be true.

well, that changes everything.