That Aud Smell

Yes! The NHL's Paul McCartney worked out with a Quebecois strongman. (Hugo Girard!)

I posted to the same effect -- WC's was more pithy and to the point (and therefore funnier):

okay - that's funny

I don't get the sense that Risto's huge on carefully conceived approaches to things.

Bringing back in Vanek at this point in his career does not seem like a safe bet. I'd wager that he'd be unable to keep up with Eichel, anyway. Some people seem to think Vanek could parlay past glories and cash in one more time. That is a more than uncertain proposition, in my eyes. DAMMIT ALL.

Risto work hard. Risto strong.

^ Yeah - I am sure he's just busting chops. His Twitter profile appears to feature a cartoon depicting the Sabres playing the Red Army (?).

it still might be the best YouTube video ever.

So, this was mostly a salary move by San Jose?

NHL coverage experience with the college newspaper, maybe. TBN seems to be doing two things of late: Aligning itself with the moneyed classes of WNY and throwing expenses overboard as fast as it possibly can.

What do you see in that job description that is inconsistent with the strategy I inferred — that TBN wants to go young and cheap (and perhaps even fungible) with its beat reporters? I read the job description as consistent with that approach. In any case, and as was noted upthread, a 2017 graduate Tweeted that he’d taken a beat Sabres gig with TBN, if only on a probationary basis. As for Moritz, I suspect that TBN will not give more seasoned (more expensive) writers any preferred gigs; assuming Sabres beat coverage is preferred. More likely, they’d look to limit her opportunities, frustrate her ambitions, and hope that she quits on her own (so they can hire a kid with a shelf like of 2-5 years to replace her). Or maybe she just didn’t want the gig — maybe the travel is an obstacle for her.

Is it? I’d thought it was a rule that the US Federation had enacted: That US born players can’t go to Europe to train full time until they turn 18. But I think you must be right, as I reflect on the matter. FFS: We need to pressure Europe to let our up amd coming Pulisic’s in at age 16. Developmentally, that’s when young players can make that big leap — the opportunities to do so here in the US just aren’t there. As Pulisic noted, ~16 year old star American players have their development retarded by becoming the focal point of their teams. I was saying that the policy that prohibits other US players from doing what Pulisic did is the problem. Elite US players have to become more technically proficient in order for the US to take a permanent step forward. I doubt that can happen here in the US.

Sure. It’s a policy that is impeding our best players’ development.

because they're hiring a 24 year-old, whom they'll pay so little that he'll have no choice but to move on in 2-3 years.

I had a good explanation given to me on the Twitter over the weekend. I lapsed into my familiar "yeah, just wait until the next Steph Curry and Russ Westbrook are soccer players, not basketball players" thing, and someone else politely, and I think correctly, chimed in to say: That doesn't actually matter. The USMNT athletes are plenty athletic. It's their lack of technical acumen that holds the team back. Most elite American players don't become world class technical players. Pulisic is the exception that proves the rule -- and, critically, he was allowed to play in Germany at a tender age because of some loophole I do not comprehend.

I am missing some (much) of the context of what they're squabbling about.

Graham and Harrington with a beef. https://twitter.com/ByTimGraham/status/1008760752231067648

Glad to hear that, Eleven. Glad to hear it.

Terrific game plan and execution by Mexico. Germany didn’t look themselves — not as strong in the attacking mid as we’re used to seeing. Twitter going crazy over Landon Donovan’s pro-Mexico ad — but I always pull for CONCACAF in the World Cup.

I can’t figure out what’s crazier: That the Hoffmans did that stuff and are denying it, or that they didn’t do it and are being falsely accused.

Messi? More like Missi. (Saw that one on Twitter.) Also: I feel badly for the guy.

This is a good take. There’s perhaps this fundamental difference between FGMTM and JBOT: FGMTM thought he *knew* who could get it done and he went and got them; JBOT wants to bring in several candidates and see who can win the job(s). Maybe the difference between trusting your own judgment and trusting a process (!!!) of competition?

Okay. For the attentive fans who nonetheless know dip squat about the rest of the league: Why’d MTL get hosed?

BUST!