That Aud Smell

Seriously. The NHL should let Eichel wear a red pinnie during games, as he will probably be unable to keep his head on a swivel after this surgery. More seriously: Neck surgery is no effing joke. My sphincter is and will remain a bit clenched about this, even if only in spirit and not in actuality.

Oh, for sure. I was totally sympathetic to the person telling me the story. Ha. My sense is that his affect is generally pretty flat. The person telling me the story didn't say he acted offended -- it was felt that Dahlin just sort of scowled slightly and then sulked off (probably to try his luck at another bar).

A collateral benefit: There'll be no more need for PSE hospitality staff to feel awkward for denying him an adult beberage when he requests one at a team/PSE function. As the story was told to me: He wasn't a prick about it, but he wasn't cool about it either. In fairness to him, I'm sure he'd have been served in similar situations back home.

Disagree. The neutral response is in-line with what I spit-balled above. Allen said he is "still debating" whether to get vax'd in the midst of a global pandemic. He said that statistics and logic will be his guiding lights in deciding whether to get vax'd. He added that he could go either way at this point on the matter. What statistics? What logic? If you're going off stats and logic (i.e., science), then you're getting vax'd. End of story. This is nothing more than a diplomatically-phrased questioning (i.e., rejection) of the indisputably overwhelming need for mass vaccinations in order to beat this damn virus. Whatever. The greatest QB of all time is into all kinds of nonsense and snake oil remedies, so the fact that our guy is a public health doofus shouldn't hurt his prospects as a franchise QB.

It's right there to be inferred. The both-sides-ism/I'm-just-asking-questions approach is tell-tale -- as is his reference to the Constitution. I would have seen this differently if he had said, more or less: For myself personally, I'm getting vaccinated. It's the right thing to do for society as a whole so that we can move past this thing.** But it's a choice that is going to be personal to everyone. I won't tell other people what they should do. ** Which happens to be what the science says.

Congratulations if you had "anti-vaxer" on the Josh Allen Knocked Off Pedestal Bingo Card.

I think there's something to this. The hassles and risks associated with going to these games are enough to deter a lot of folks who might otherwise welcome an opportunity to be at a professional hockey game, swilling beer, chewing the fat with friends, etc. That said, I am sure that there is some pissed-off fan element to this as well.

Including, maybe, how the media presents content, such as the news. Bit of a chicken and egg scenario, I guess.

^ M&T bought the rights to name the Ravens stadium. This appears to be a fairly common strategy of major corporations: Buy the naming rights to a prominent local stadium in a market where you are expanding.

Breida is definitely lightning to Moss's and Singletary's thunder.

While we’re on the subject: There’s a lot of solid white collar jobs at the local BC/BS. I wonder how many will survive this change.

Beane's on record saying that the ultimate decision on whether to take Allen was his to make. OTOH, the fact that Terry and Kim traveled to Wyoming with Beane, McDermott, and Daboll isn't exactly "staying away" from football matters. Maybe the franchise QB is a unique matter. Anyway: Here's what Allen had to say following the draft: Q: What was your reaction like when you got to meet Terry before you were drafted? Allen: Yeah, so he came out to Laramie, Wyoming. He came out with Kim and the coaching staff and we sat down and we had dinner. We went out there and he kind of saw me throw and he followed me coming back to the facilities about two weeks ago. [I’ve been] getting to talk with him again just get to know him and for him to getting to see how I really ticked. Turns out, he really liked what he saw.

I'd consider it an upgrade. I'm just saying that Karmanos to the Sabres had been rumoured for a couple weeks, at least. Adding Rutherford and his reported stipulation are the bigger news, IMO.

I'd sort of forgotten that The Buffalo News had reported Karmanos was on KA's short list of FO additions back on 3/17. https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/sources-ex-penguins-hurricanes-exec-jason-karmanos-on-sabres-radar-for-assistant-gm/article_b88b8b98-8741-11eb-98ed-179bddd473e3.html

Please wave to me on your victory lap.

Sorry - this is not from published sources. I had one second hand and still have one third-hand connection to people who interact(ed) with Sabre players in team-related off-ice settings. So, take this with a big grain of salt. I’m skeptical, myself - as per usual. I continue to think that the team’s problems don’t actually involve having an undisputed stud 1C.

I agree that Eichel at his best is a top-10 (I’d venture top ... 6?) centre in the league, the world. I also agree that trading him would result in the Sabres getting bad value for an elite player. All that said: I’ve been hearing more lately about how Eichel’s intangibles are lacking (i.e., that he’s just too much of a self centered Masshole to be a proper leader (hence why the team brought in an Eric Staal to help mentor Cozens)). It’s possible that the team is going to have to move on from Eichel in order to rebuild, which would suck. One reason I don’t really buy the narrative: A better leader isn’t going to get a roster of plugs to be a winning team. You need a better roster of players, and a competent coach.

There’s a more charitable reading of that phrasing (they could also call Kim “our owner”) — but the reading that you note is the most reasonable. Poor choice of words there.

Oooh. T.hat might be it? Good eye.

dis dat dat is fun.

Ha! That's not quite apt, but I'll allow it. Fair play. And I think there's something to what you say. In that moment, I would imagine that Gensler (sp?) was sitting there with his eyes widening, thinking "WTF are you saying?!", then the moment had passed, and he was still processing the sh1t that had been spewed. Along those lines, I think the "... ok" was from a guy whose mind was reeling a bit. I am not sure it speaks volumes. I do wonder: Did the show continue from there? Was there a chance to circle back and acknowledge what had been said in the context of that program, and apologize? That may be where Gensler really missed.