That Aud Smell

Bad things, man.

Let's go, Buffalo! I'm apt to know the score midway through the first, and that'll be it until tomorrow. Minxy Wenches.

Did you see the part of the report where Quenneville was in a meeting regarding the abuse and angrily directed that the matter await the end of the SCF so as not to affect team chemistry? Also, it’s form over substance to get exercised about the media calling this guy a Blackhawk player. The use of “Blackhawk player” is arguably stretching the truth a bit — presumably in order to attract eyeballs and clicks — but it’s not stretching the truth to the point of snapping it or breaking it.

This is so helpful. Sincerely. Thanks, bruv.

This is why I post that stuff here. I need perspective.

@Taro T those look off to me as well. The reply about everyone’s CF being better when playing away from him is troubling.

I thought he was doing okay adjusting to more minutes. #Fancystats say that he's sorta sucked? This reply too:

Yep. This gets tricky at times - especially when a closed door is needed to maintain confidentiality.

That’s it, really. Plausible reasons for isolated/one on one time are also important. We must plan accordingly.

This is a very familiar, and terrible, story. Institutions like the Roman Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts were afflicted with this sort of awfulness on a pervasive basis. But the fact is that every institution that offers abusers an opportunity to exert authority (even if it's only some authority) over and have confidential access to vulnerable people (and "vulnerable" can include young adult pro hockey prospects, junior associates in a firm setting, etc.) is susceptible to having this happen.

he did.

I am a recovered Bills fan. The breaking point was fairly arbitrary. The Bills were good-ish with Fitzmagic, and had a road game against the Bengals in like Week 5 or 6. They laid a stinker. I had a house filled with young kids, and I became borderline nonfunctional, I was so angry. My wife definitely said something - whatever it was, it was nicer than I deserved. But I just had the proverbial thunderbolt moment of -- "What the hell am I doing?" For the most part, since then, I'm in it for the upside. If things go south, I disengage and move on to something else, something useful and productive. Choose your adventure, if you will. It's a damnable myth that you must suffer personal torment in order to enjoy your team's achievements. Stated perhaps more metaphysically: I pick and choose the thoughts and feelings that serve my core values. Those that thusly serve and work for me, I engage with. Those that don't, I try instead to observe from a safe(r) distance.

He was having a rough go of it. I started out with radio, and thought they had someone filling in - didn't even recognize his voice. I do wonder about the long-term future. He's a nice man, and a capable broadcaster. He's just not what I want for the voice of the team. I mean - we're already enduring John "Milquetoast" Murphy for the Bills. Can't we get someone dynamic for the Sabres?

I don't quite follow.

Pysyk's defusion of that mini break away - by Stamkos? - was a thing of beauty.

I haven't been this entertained by a Sabres team since the Pegulas bought the team. Okay - maybe the spring of 2011 when they made the playoffs and, at some point towards the end of the season in a key game, Gerbe had that sick spinorama goal. But, really. They're fun to watch - regardless of what the score is. They keep coming, they keep going.

I listened to Granato for the first time this morning on WGR. I liked what I heard, a lot. Granted, if the team weren't taking points in most games, I'd probably feel differently. But that's not the case. They're playing in a way that correlates directly with the things he is saying. Full marks to HCDG. Also, I only recently came to appreciate the fact that HCDG comes from a hockey family - a damn good one too. That sort of stuff matters. Or at least, it can. And I think it does here.

Hey listen - there’s something to this.

Anderson sorta stole that one for us? Whatever. I’ll take it, in any case.

This team is really something.

This is a tough opponent to deal with when trying to hold the line on @deluca67 .500.

Malingering Walruses! Let's go, Buffalo! I watched decent stretches of it - including when and after they went down 3-1. I kept watching after that point because they were playing pretty well. The score notwithstanding, they were very watchable. Which is a stark departure from years past, when I would just stop watching if they got down by a couple because they just weren't much fun to watch.