IKnowPhysics

Ha, yeah, Capitals also lulzed their way out of the playoffs.

Neat. The chart illustrates the whole story. The team stinks under Rolston for the first 20 games, Teddy is nearly able to stop the bleeding with a terrible roster, but then the trade deadline comes and we just nose dive into a dominant tank victory.

If we have to clear everyone out to change the culture, I get it. If there's anyone I feel for, it's not Doug McKenney, as I feel like improvements could be made. It's probably Jim Corsi whom I think has great experience and a lot to offer as a goalie coach.

Would I be mad? Hell no. We need (at least) one more year of hardcore tanking to properly accomplish our goals. Free agency: We should bring in enough mediocre free agents to fill roster holes, and maybe some support players to be a part of the tank-to-greatness transition. Theses players may or may not be part of the eventual greatness. Ott and Moulson fit here as veteran support-type players. If we pass on those guys to really, really tank hard next year, and wait to get UFAs next year or the year after, I'm not heartbroken. Top pick: If our #1/2 overall needs a year in juniors to continue proper development, so be it- that's not an asset we can risk pooching.

Thank you. I wasn't sure how may folks would get it, but I was pretty sure the ones that did would enjoy it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLEjr4eg8rA

Photoshop your favorite tanking Sabres in... Not in any order: Leino, McBain, Mitchell, Tallinder, Scott?

Who does that? ###### mongoloids.

Some leagues are cleaner than others. Every level of play is a two-way street. Clean low level leagues, players don't care or don't have the over-the-top instinct. Dirty low level leagues, players don't have enough skill or good decision making to not take bad stick penalties. Clean high level leagues, players respect each other enough to use their skill and not play dirty. Dirty high level leagues, players think that extra toughness and the eye-for-an-eye attitude helps their team or their pride somehow. I've played all of those. I much prefer the clean fast game. It's more fun to beat -and be beaten- cleanly. The clean slow game is good if I'm coaching, teaching, or working on a few things myself.

Chara don't surf.

Some analysts think the best thing Garth Snow can do is give us this pick. (posted previously) http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/7154181

J Pominville, #29 in blue and gold? That's the goalie we signed for our NOJHL affiliate in Kirkland Lake.

Sold.

Heh. One tidbit from the article: Garret Kramer's website: http://garretkramer.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY9raEX1AJg

Nick name voting is now open to the floor. According to Wikipedia, he'll be the first Jake/Jacob to play for the Sabres. My ballot: Jake the Snake

I think his personal journey helped him evolve beyond the fire-and-brimstone analysis into the old wise man role. And he's doing a great job with it.

Yes. Hesitation to say "we've hit rock bottom" or "we're at a turning point" or "now we start to improve" is entirely warranted. Until we have bodies on the ice that are developed and capable of playing in this league, we're not going anywhere. There's no bottom, there's no turning, there's no improving. Not yet. And seeing as how some of the kids in the system that are supposed to help save us haven't really even begun to play and develop their pro game, it could be quite a while until we start taking real, measurable steps forward in the performance of this team. On top of that, because we're already looking forward to maximizing our 2015 1st rounder, it could easily be a long, dark winter in Sabre Nation. So embrace it. Enjoy watching the kids grow up. Know every loss could net us better players. Or don't. Stew about the team. Get really miserable.

I think we're in a similar place as other folks: Nolan's got some upside, but no one expects to see it realized until the roster at least starts to get squared away. The down side is: there is no downside. As long as we don't botch the kids' development, the worst thing we could do with Nolan at the helm is lose games, which is something we're very much prepared to do next season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIyixC9NsLI

Yeah, the narrator needs work. Also, the Batman music almost made me spit take with laughter. Related: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdb2w1Yu97E All that said, I agree with the core message.

One more bad year of being good at being bad. Then we get bad at being good, and end up bad, which is expected. And although we'll be worse than better that second year, we'll be better than worse. Which isn't good, but it's not bad. Then from there, I expect better and better not worse and worse, or else it'll be really really bad and no good at all.

Intriguing. Generally I like using a high pick to take the guy you want, even if it's reaching a couple of picks. BUT, if trading down a couple of picks still gets us a great player AND another spin at the Connor McDavid roulette wheel next year or another pick in that "better" draft, that doesn't immediately sound like a bad opportunity. Ah, but who leverages a first in next year's draft to move up a couple of spots in this year's draft? Who does that?

Which I'm not even sure is allowed by the CBA- buyouts may not be allowed to sign with the same team.

I would enjoy listening to that. A link from someone when WGR posts the audio would be much appreciated.

With that, I figured that they may try to do this:

That's kind of nice.