Is Mair really OK?

[PASabreFan]

I'm a little confused about the tests that were done on Adam Mair. One set of tests did not yield the results the Sabres wanted. So they got a second opinion in Pittsburgh and got the results they wanted. Why assume the negative results were wrong and the positive results were correct? What if it's the other way around?

 

I love sports, but sometimes these guys are treated like so much flesh. I'd hate to see Mair cleared to play prematurely. This is someone's brain we're talking about. I believe Jochen Hecht and Tim Connolly were both rushed back into the lineup. They both ended up quickly reinjuring their knees, and not even on violent hits, just turning their skates the wrong way.

 

And has anyone else noticed Danny Briere is having a heckuva time picking himself off the ice after he goes down? I wonder if that abdominal hernia is bothering him.

[Saber61]

with the human brain you can never be sure of anything... however... if mair feels comfortable then it may be good for him to get out there... but if even a little sign of pain from him is shown then he should be held back... damaging your brain is not like damaging your wrist... your wrist heals, your brain does not.

[deluca67]

I'm a little confused about the tests that were done on Adam Mair. One set of tests did not yield the results the Sabres wanted. So they got a second opinion in Pittsburgh and got the results they wanted. Why assume the negative results were wrong and the positive results were correct? What if it's the other way around?

 

I love sports, but sometimes these guys are treated like so much flesh. I'd hate to see Mair cleared to play prematurely. This is someone's brain we're talking about. I believe Jochen Hecht and Tim Connolly were both rushed back into the lineup. They both ended up quickly reinjuring their knees, and not even on violent hits, just turning their skates the wrong way.

 

And has anyone else noticed Danny Briere is having a heckuva time picking himself off the ice after he goes down? I wonder if that abdominal hernia is bothering him.

 

Did you even see the second Connolly hit? If it were not for his brace he would be out for this and next year. And Hecht's was a freak injury. He would have been hurt even if he weren't hurt before.

 

They hit a slump guys. Most teams do. And like most slumps. The Sabres will win a game they don't deserve to on a goal that shouldn't have gone in and things wil be back to normal. They are just playing a lot games in a short time frame. Much of their players are smaller players who will wear down faster. They don't have the extra day in between games they had earlier where they could work things out. A week from now we will be talking about a 4-5 game win streak and home ice in the first round..

[hopeleslyobvious]

Did you even see the second Connolly hit? If it were not for his brace he would be out for this and next year. And Hecht's was a freak injury. He would have been hurt even if he weren't hurt before.

 

They hit a slump guys. Most teams do. And like most slumps. The Sabres will win a game they don't deserve to on a goal that shouldn't have gone in and things wil be back to normal. They are just playing a lot games in a short time frame. Much of their players are smaller players who will wear down faster. They don't have the extra day in between games they had earlier where they could work things out. A week from now we will be talking about a 4-5 game win streak and home ice in the first round..

 

I agree about Connolly and Hecht. I also agree that the schedule has a lot to do with this slump. Not that they are tired, but more that they struggled, and have at most 1 day off to try and turn things around. I am glad this is happening now, because once the playoffs start, they only get a day.

 

I disagree that smaller players wear down faster, especially on this team. I think we're one of the better conditioned teams in the league, and it's going to start to show in a few weeks.

[BuffalOhio]

Did you even see the second Connolly hit? If it were not for his brace he would be out for this and next year. And Hecht's was a freak injury. He would have been hurt even if he weren't hurt before.

 

They hit a slump guys. Most teams do. And like most slumps. The Sabres will win a game they don't deserve to on a goal that shouldn't have gone in and things wil be back to normal. They are just playing a lot games in a short time frame. Much of their players are smaller players who will wear down faster. They don't have the extra day in between games they had earlier where they could work things out. A week from now we will be talking about a 4-5 game win streak and home ice in the first round..

 

DeLuca you're a changed man. I find it much easier to agree with you these days. Congratulations.

[PASabreFan]

DeLuca, according to the Snooze, Connolly's most recent knee injury came as a result of getting his skate caught in the ice awkwardly. Was it on a "hit"? Doesn't matter. I'm not a doctor and neither are you, I assume. But there has to be a high suspicion that the previous injuries played a part in the subsequent ones. Otherwise, it's a very strange coincidence.

 

I guess I don't follow your and obvious' logic. Too many games explains the current slump, but they're going to start winning next week, when the schedule is just as bad. And in the playoffs, it's a game every other night for, hopefully, two months.

 

I think DeLuca got religion. Me? I'm losing mine. Goddamn DirecTV.

[deluca67]

I agree about Connolly and Hecht. I also agree that the schedule has a lot to do with this slump. Not that they are tired, but more that they struggled, and have at most 1 day off to try and turn things around. I am glad this is happening now, because once the playoffs start, they only get a day.

 

I disagree that smaller players wear down faster, especially on this team. I think we're one of the better conditioned teams in the league, and it's going to start to show in a few weeks.

 

 

I agree with this. I think this schedule has worn on them much like a boot camp on a recruit. I think come playoff time they will be one of the stronger teams. ;)

 

DeLuca, according to the Snooze, Connolly's most recent knee injury came as a result of getting his skate caught in the ice awkwardly. Was it on a "hit"? Doesn't matter. I'm not a doctor and neither are you, I assume. But there has to be a high suspicion that the previous injuries played a part in the subsequent ones. Otherwise, it's a very strange coincidence.

 

I guess I don't follow your and obvious' logic. Too many games explains the current slump, but they're going to start winning next week, when the schedule is just as bad. And in the playoffs, it's a game every other night for, hopefully, two months.

 

I think DeLuca got religion. Me? I'm losing mine. Goddamn DirecTV.

 

Connolly, it was knee on knee. He caught a knee (right on the side) while trying to throw a check. Hecht was hurt when he "lost his skates" as Paul Hamilton put it. He basically did an awkward split that strained the knee.

 

It is religion. Religion at the alter of Playoff Hockey . I don't mean to sound 'polly anna'. But from post one all I wanted was a playoff team. I have it. I won't even be mad if they lose in the first or second round. My hockey team is solid on the ice and is turning into a solid Franchise with no more worries about the team moving or lack of support. I guess I could find a thing here (Pyatt) and there to shout about. Right now I'm too busy trying to decide which pizza and wings to go with for game one. :rolleyes:

[Rabbit151]

I'm not sure I agree with the logic of them being beaten down with the tough schedule. I know the team is smaller than a lot of teams and you may be right, they're too small.

 

I expected the Sabres to excel down the stretch. Playing 4 lines all year, missing so many games to injuries and their youth and speed are the 3 factors that gave me those expectations.

 

The superstars on other teams are the ones who should be getting worn down. Alfredsson's line in Ottawa gets tons of ice every game. Jagr's line, tons of ice every game. Not to mention the Olympic rigor while most of our guys rested. Those are the kinds of lines, and teams, that should be suffering right now.

 

It's nice that we're looking for excuses for our beloved Sabres, but there just is no excuse. The Sabres should be eating lines like those two for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

That game against the Rangers the other night, I thought the Sabres deserved to have the majority of penalties against them. The Rangers skated, the Sabres watched. No excuse for lazy play or lazy penalties from this young, rested (comparitively speaking) team.

 

Good news though. I like Novotny. He has the natural touch, I'd like to see more of him. And we'll have a rested Connolly and Hecht for play-offs. Briere and Drury should get some games off too.

[Eleven]

 

Connolly, it was knee on knee. He caught a knee (right on the side) while trying to throw a check.

 

I recall Ruff stating on the radio one or two days later that it was a good thing Connolly was coming off of an injury, because that meant he was wearing a brace and was protected from the hit (as you stated in an earlier post).