That Aud Smell

I heard Suban fetched a modest return. Risto will yield more because ________?

Yeah - it’s a cap dump. Fair post. Bear in mind Risto’s reported inability to be coached, his insistence on freelancing, and his evident low hockey IQ.

I know nothing about this guy. I had 3 beers and told a co-worker that the Sabres acquired Colin White. But it does strike me that this is another shrewd addition by JBOT. I think I like shrewd.

Is that good?

Ahh, yes - that's what I recall. I also seem to recall there being tension because Klinsmann didn't want, say, a Michael Bradley playing for an MLS club. And, yes, the pay to play model is madness. Not only is it an obstacle to getting more quality players into the game, it is also, IMO, a hugely flawed model because it tends to prioritize the business interests of academies over player development. There is a national academy program with a significant presence in WNY. I've watched their teams for several years now. IMO, they do a poor job of developing their players, but a good job of extracting money from well-to-do parents.

That's the gist of it - yeah. And truedat to the balance.

Yeah - I realize I'm treading on tricky ground there. For what it's worth, I've had/made similar observations about male athletes (and artists) as well. I don't think this is gender-specific, but I'll take that under consideration. There's just a certain species of elite-level performer, etc. where I find myself simultaneously admiring and fearing them. Rapinoe's one of them. The other exemplar right off the top of my head (an easy one to pull out of thin air because of his notoriety): Michael Jordan.

Nice work. I think it captures something essential about the subject. I admire Rapinoe very much, for a lot of reasons. I also get the sense that, inter-personally, she might be a difficult person to get along with -- at least insofar as ordinary, normal people are concerned. She just seems so intense, so exacting, so unyielding. Like I said, that leads to admiration on my part. But I wonder if she's able to turn that off in other areas of her life. Anyway. She's a true American badass.

Watching some of the USMNT-Panama game last night, and seeing a US team populated with what I presume were MLS players ... and, yeah. The league's just not up to snuff when compared with the major top flights in Europe. I'd be more okay with that, if there were more freedom for US prospects to train in Europe from a young age and if the USMNT program encouraged its best players to play in Europe. As to the latter, I think Klinsmann as an advocate of that, but I think the tide has turned with the appointments of US-born managers.

Last night, I saw a notification of a like of a post I put here. I was like" HUH?! Russian bots?!" But, no. Really good post above.

any chance this thread's title can get a little more descriptive?

^ That’s great. Dads the world over are familiar with that reality. Dem new babies love their mamas like nothing else.

Devo was formed in 1973, which was several years before the Sex Pistols became a phenomenon. The band recorded this song in or around 1974. It still sounds like it came from outer space, or somewhere not of this earth. Taste in music is inherently subjective, so there's little use in debating preferences. But, as for music that came from the punk scene, if you can't still spin London Calling (not really punk, I admit) and feel moved or inspired, I'm not sure what to say.

Hey - the threads were merged? Respect.

Getting caught up here. I can't believe we drafted the next Paul Gaustad with the 7th overall pick.

Good post. This especially had me nodding in agreement.

Distinguishing between entitled and qualified is fair. My point is really along the lines of “whaddayagonnado?” Almost like, in life, you don’t have to be qualified if you’re entitled. And hey - we’re back to my assessing life as it is (a posteriori) and your assessing life as it should be (a priori). The return of PAngloss! Also, your Southwest airlines analogy is too granular. More apt would be Terry sharpening skates or some such. Come to think of it .....

I guess I understand the posters who wanted a swing for the fences pick. But lol at folks panning the pick of a player who’s 4 or so years from the NHL.

We've been around this carousel a few times, @PASabreFan. Do you find the conversation to be an interesting one? I mostly don't. Would either of Terry or Kim Pegula been hired into the positions they occupy had they not bought and owned the team? Most assuredly not. But they did buy the team. That is the ultimate and final "qualification" for any position within an organization that's been thusly purchased. I think I find it more interesting to talk about whether RaKru was properly qualified to serve as an NHL HC.

you've a mind like a steel trap.

Didn’t the Sabres use Jump Around as a win song for a while?

This isn’t even half a loaf. I want the kooky, hijacked, derailed, personal agenda fueled thread reopened.