That Aud Smell

@PASabreFan: Scrolling through Instagram tonight, and I noticed that the Sabres’ #hockeyfightscancer post is designated as a “paid partnership” ad with Roswell Park. That seems new. And I wonder if it’s a level of transparency that Instagram (owned by Facebook) now requires following the 2016 election.

^ Good take. Also, I am fairly flabbergasted that the team's stated preference to keep Thompson up with the big club -- rather than giving him minutes in Roch -- has apparently worked (to a point, so far). Tip of the hat to that approach. I was sure it was dead wrong to go about things that way.

Slow your roll. That was not the best framing on my part. More accurately stated, I had meant to say they looked old and acted confused and overwhelmed. So, taken together, they appeared to be a crew for whom the toll of time had come. "Addled" might have been another word I could have used. (A word that is frequently associated with old folks who appear confused.) It's entirely possible for a crew of 70 year-olds to have been sharp as tacks and in control of that game. That was definitely not the case yesterday. Um, yes?

This is a good point. Sal from WGR pointed out this morning that 2 of Allen's best throws were erased by penalties (on consecutive plays, no less). Which reminds me: The officiating crew looked and acted old, confused, and overwhelmed.

That video is a lot of fun. Really nice choices of footage - and the slowing the clips down gives me a new appreciation for what happened in those moments. The craftsmanship is noticeable, too. That little bump that 6 and 29 do at the very end happens on a down beat. Again: Fun.

By my count, there were three throws that were poor and his fault. I thought he looked promising. Mind you: He still does not project as the sort of QB I covet. But he showed some stuff yesterday. “Ramsey sucks!” Directed to Jax’s sh1t-talking DB who said Allen was “trash.” Weird take. Not totally unfair. At the time of the draft, a few people said Beane took Allen to become Cam 2.0. It may pan out. I still don’t love the approach, philosophy. I’ll take the QB progress and FA attraction that 8-8 would likely signify. Two vets with HOF/WOF careers. They’ve earned the right to be like “nah.” I read Williams’ quote on the subject. That was some strong old man logic there.

No reason to stop the train rollin’. Let’s go, Buffalo!

This is quite the post, for several reasons.

Why not 8? Let’s go, Buffalo!!

I was over it before I saw that piece. Having seen it, I’m a fan.

Calls to mind a funny riff I once heard on the old trope: Friend: ”I like my coffee like I like my women ...” Me: (thinking he’s gonna say “black and strong”) Friend: (takes a pull from his mug) “... in the morning.”

Not sure why he was, but I suspect it has something to do with this beautiful story:

I’m a bit of an old timer (not as old as some here), so I can summon a (sports) hate for the Flyers that is so real, so pure. There’s no other sports franchise I instinctively despise as much. The Dolphins are a somewhat distant 2nd. I’ll also admit to having become somewhat conflicted over the Umberger hit. Good player. Good kid, from what I heard. Also: Was it clean/fair by modern standards? I’ve never really had that fleshed out.

I have a sense that once he gets into the lineup, he won’t be coming out.

Oh, man. The gotdamn Flyers. GIT ‘EM! Let’s go, Buffalo!!

@TrueBlueGED : Not sure if you addressed it from your perspective, but any sense whether the *recent* metrics have squared with the eye test sense many have (including me) that Risto’s been playing pretty well of late (overall)? Also: I agree wholeheartedly that Risto deployed as a 1D is generally out of his depth. His efforts, I think, are admirable, if also at times maddening.

I dunno. I’m with @PASabreFan - I always pictured Death (Grim Reaper) as more or less what the author of The Book Thief came up with.

For surely.

What's the problem(s) with the Oilers? I'm asking.

All very true. Fingers crossed, indeed. (Also, didn't Baptiste get traded?)

There'd be stronger resemblance if, as others have noted, the team had a larger cadre of guys who'd been together in Roch. When Pilut and hopefully Olofsson get here, there'd be more superficial similarity. But the teams are just built sorta differently. The 2005-2007 squad had a bunch of prospects who spent time in Roch and then all panned out, plus Drury, Briere, and Grier. I am probably missing a few players, and maybe misspelled Grier's name.

It's an imperfect world. But lumping together the proverbial slings and arrows of outrageous fortune with bigoted acts of malice is a mistake, IMO.

I mean this with respect and genuine uncertainty: Did the team play better (faster) without him (Scandella)?

I love how Dahlin had a rough game, but there are still eye opening highlights from him.

He took a hard shot off the ankle. (And took a high sticking penalty while falling in pain.) Pilut time?