That Aud Smell

Nor would they be able to sustain the pace.

Came here to post this - was delighted to see it already here!

Posters are picking me up here. I’ve been somewhat inarticulate on this subject on this go around (although I’ve explained it better elsewhere). I feel like I was getting a proverbial “nothing to see here.” To which I say: Nah. There are things to see. And changes that need to occur.

🎶 and it feels good - to be known - so well 🎶

It’s a run on, for sure. But most of what you need is there. The picture is, to me, suggestive of a (metaphysical?) problem that I think will plague this team. The fact that other NHL players take a similar photo is irrelevant, to me. That is, perhaps, unless they are on a team with a similar problem.

I’m debating whether I’m being punked or whether reading (comprehension) is just lacking. In answer to your question @LGR4GM: No.

Do you likewise find pics of one young centre who got a 7-8 year deal based on a small sample size (career year?) congratulating a younger teammate (also a centre) who similarly got extended (big term, small sample size, big year) on a team that missed the playoffs and then regressed and a franchise that is continually setting a record for playoff futility? Context matters. And my theory and point go beyond the mere fact that they’re pictured in the Caribbean together. I want to be proven wrong. I want them to grow up, get tougher, become more accountable, maybe even become a bit less chummy with each other (?). I’m not optimistic — not yet anyway. Oh, and shoutout @Demoted: THIS is a narrative. It’s mine, for now.

I have a theory that the Sabres have too many of the same kinds of guy — that they’re too comfortable and too cozy with each other. That photo is, to me, emblematic of that theory. A theory. I also don’t think what my kids or kids I know are putting on IG has any relevance to the issue.

Ducking a body check may be bad form, but ducking a match penalty for elbowing seems fine by me. I mean, holy hell.

He can certainly look busy out there. For the most part, it's sound and fury signifying nothing.

Sure the Sabres have plenty of well-regarded prospects in their pipeline. But does that prospect pool suffer from the same issue that the club's active roster does? (Too many chill bros.)

Says the poster who then went on to write ~275 words on the subject. Lol. I do respect your admiration for UGA foobaw.

At no point in this exchange have I pushed "a narrative" regarding Diggs. I've asked that we hew to the facts. Also: NARRATIVES INCOMING! +++ At this point, I might even take his play being 40% as good as his interview vibes. At least for starters. He is a ray of goofy sunshine.

With Utah, sure.

Lol - I am sure that Marner had that nuance in mind when he likened himself and his teammates to gods. He is an unserious professional hockey player, that's for sure.

IMO, this is what you should have said initially. He wasn't "bad" for the past 1.5 seasons. He'd had games and even windows of time where he was a true 1 WR. Over that same 1.5 seasons, he had a 7/110+ line against Miami in that wildcard game. He stunk out loud against the Bengals, as did the entire team, really. This past season, he was definitely a non-factor. Did he drop a ton of passes in the playoffs? He definitely dropped one biggie. I think that was the straw that broke the camel's back and prompted the team to move on. F'sho. We need him to continue to be that guy in 2024. It took some doing, but I FTFY.

What an evergreen thing to say. Shoutout to this song, which introduced me to the term (and the related usage hosehead). WAIT! I just realized you were answering my question. Lol. Marner's a hoser. Got it. Take off, Mitch.

No, I meant what I typed upthread. I'm not here to stump for the guy. I am, however, here to ask for fairness and accuracy when people proffer facts. I get the sense you're not into those things.

There's merit to what you're saying. But I think the crux of the problem here is that Marner was making an observation that is often true, would be freely and widely admitted as true, but is not true at the moment. And one of the main reasons it's not quite true and not quite accurate, at the moment, is because of Marner himself. That's the sense I get from Leaf fans online, anyway. Reactions in the nature of "Dougie Gilmour? Wendel Clark? Darryl Sitler? Mats Sundin? Yeah, bud. THOSE guys are Leaf gods. YOU? YOU?! Bro, get a hold of yourself. You're not one of our hockey gods. You're a pigeon." I don't know if I used "pigeon" correctly there. But you get the idea. Edit: "Pigeon" is absolutely not what I'm looking for here- I looked it up. I need a hockey insult for someone who's a high-end talent with no heart. There may not be a hockey term that fits.

Does that include the 8 or so 100-yard games he had over that 25 game stretch?

Marner is rightly getting buried for that comment. Part of me wants to chalk it up to him being a hockey player and hockey players not being the most articulate cohort. OTOH, there's so many different things he could say there. Simpler things. "Obviously, you're playing in Toronto, this is a town where your fans just live and die with the team. Hockey's so, so important here. So we have a lot to live up to." And so on. But he went with "we're ... kind of gods." By which, I think, he just meant "we're gods." From everything I see, the fan base wants him gone.

Lol - I’m such a cheap ass when it comes to media. And you’re a good sport.

Paywall, so you’re obligated to summarize.

I saw a report that the undersized 5th round Edge player from Troy was a high school wrestler. Now, work your magic, Coach!!