msw2112 Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 I love the Sabres and have been a fan my whole life (which is about as long as the Sabres have existed). Like the rest of us, I'm beyond frustrated with the state of the franchise over the last 12-13 years and its present state. I live outside of the Buffalo market, but purchased ESPN+ this season so I could watch all the games. After last year's strong finish, I was on board to enjoy a great season of hockey. I'm at the point where I've given up any hope of making the playoffs. The team is too far down the standings with too many teams in between. The ship has sailed. That said, I do enjoy watching NHL hockey and I enjoy seeing the Sabres play well and win games. They win 40-50% of their games, so there's a decent chance they win on any given night. Many nights of late, they've played well and lost, but at least participated in an entertaining game. Outside of the last game, where he was awful, it's been fun to watch UPL's development. I have enjoyed seeing Greenway score some goals. Clifton has improved a lot since the beginning of the season. Ryan Johnson (also awful in the last game) has been a revelation. Mittlestadt has had a very good season. Even the lowly power play has shown some glimmers of hope in the last week or two. The PK has been leaps and bounds better than last season. So I pose the question to the board: can you enjoy the Sabres on an individual game basis? We know the playoffs are out of the picture and looking at the standings is not a worthwhile endeavor. But, on any given night, they have a decent chance of playing an entertaining hockey game and/or pulling out a victory. Is that enough for now? Can you enjoy it or, given the totality of the season, are you just done? I find myself conflicted, as I really enjoy hockey and it makes me very happy when the Sabres win, but I also realize that there's really not an end to the means this season. How do others feel? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 I can, but I am kind of frustrated, so I don't watch as much as I used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 Can I enjoy them on a game by gsme basis? Yes. And I do, depending on which team decides to show up. What I don’t do is set aside time to watch them. Pretty much the only games I see are the ones on at the bar or brewery I happen to be visiting. If they are on I’ll watch until it stops being entertaining. But if they are not on the tube, I don’t even bother to ask a bartender/server to put it on. It really has become a no effort watch for me. If I have to so much as ask, I don’t see the game. And it’s better than 50/50 that I won’t miss anything. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Believer Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 1 hour ago, msw2112 said: How do others feel? Good post… I’m down in the Lightning Market… I have NHL Center Ice and watch every Sabres game that’s televised… Always entertained… win or lose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd1001 Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 (edited) Yes, that is how I do watch the team. If I have nothing going on, they are about 2 hours of entertainment. If I have some stuff to do, often times the game is still on and its 'background noise' while I work around the house or work on the computer. I only really get slightly upset if I see a game that they lose and is low scoring. Yes, I want the team to win, get better, make the playoffs, etc. But i'm MORE invested in each individual game than I am in the entire season as a whole...because that is exactly how I view them...2 hours of nightly entertainment. Not much more. I think the fanbase is split into two categories...and many of the arguments on this forum between posters is based on that. Some demand changes because of the long playoff drought, the desire for the team to go deep into the playoffs. We all want that, but a portion of the fanbase, well, that is why you watch sports, to win the championship. Others are able to look at things more positively even when the team is losing, because they are a night-to-night fan, rather than a whole-franchise/season-to-season fan. Edited February 21 by mjd1001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastajoe Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 No, because they win just enough to make KA and DG think this roster is good enough if given more time. They’re not going to make the playoffs, so it would be more of a wake up call if they continued to lose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 It's a rare thing for me to watch them live. I usually start them late because I like have a cocktail when I get home from work and talk about the events of the day with my wife. Once we're sick of each other, I head down and follow along with the GDT like it's live. Sometimes I scroll too far and give up some spoilers. If the game looks like it is going south, I'll either fast forward through it our scroll ahead in the GDT to see if it's even worth it. Looking forward to tonight's game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoot da Puck Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 I only watch for the commercials 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmoe Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 I can, and as long as there's hope and progress, I can watch and be happy. Watching some key players taking a step back this year, and looking seemingly disinterested has brought out a lot of negativity in me I never had before this year. Also, KA's acquisitions have ticked me off. We're supposed to have a great advanced stats dept, but Clifton and EJ were both ugly advanced stats wise. They're looking every bit the part. It's like watching Moneyball, but instead of Billy Beane listening to Jonah Hill, he kicks him out of the room and listens to the old guys who like Clifton because "he plays the game the right way" and EJ because "he brings in much needed experience". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 No. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted February 21 Author Report Share Posted February 21 (edited) 59 minutes ago, SwampD said: It's a rare thing for me to watch them live. I usually start them late because I like have a cocktail when I get home from work and talk about the events of the day with my wife. Once we're sick of each other, I head down and follow along with the GDT like it's live. Sometimes I scroll too far and give up some spoilers. If the game looks like it is going south, I'll either fast forward through it our scroll ahead in the GDT to see if it's even worth it. Looking forward to tonight's game. I'm somewhat similar. I'm out of market and in the West, so the game is often already over by the time I start watching it. I need to get home from work, converse with the wife, have dinner with the family, get the kids to bed, do the nightly chores/prep for the next day, and once everything is out of the way, I get some alone time to sit down and watch the game. As the season as become less meaningful, I often shortcut things by putting the game on while I do the chores, so it's on in the background but I'm not sitting down and focused. Usually, I'm done with the chores about 2/3 of the way through the 2nd period and I can sit down and watch the rest. Given that the game is already over, I can fast-forward through commercials and intermissions (sorry Duff and Marty), and cut the watching time down well below 2 hours. And if they are down 2 goals or more, I fast-forward until they are within 1. For better or worse, this has cut the watch time down in a lot of games to 15 or 20 minutes (they fall behind by multiple goals early in the game quite often....), but at least I'm getting to bed much earlier and I'm not wasting my time watching them get blown out. Edited February 21 by msw2112 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimlach Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 2 hours ago, msw2112 said: I love the Sabres and have been a fan my whole life (which is about as long as the Sabres have existed). Like the rest of us, I'm beyond frustrated with the state of the franchise over the last 12-13 years and its present state. I live outside of the Buffalo market, but purchased ESPN+ this season so I could watch all the games. After last year's strong finish, I was on board to enjoy a great season of hockey. I'm at the point where I've given up any hope of making the playoffs. The team is too far down the standings with too many teams in between. The ship has sailed. That said, I do enjoy watching NHL hockey and I enjoy seeing the Sabres play well and win games. They win 40-50% of their games, so there's a decent chance they win on any given night. Many nights of late, they've played well and lost, but at least participated in an entertaining game. Outside of the last game, where he was awful, it's been fun to watch UPL's development. I have enjoyed seeing Greenway score some goals. Clifton has improved a lot since the beginning of the season. Ryan Johnson (also awful in the last game) has been a revelation. Mittlestadt has had a very good season. Even the lowly power play has shown some glimmers of hope in the last week or two. The PK has been leaps and bounds better than last season. So I pose the question to the board: can you enjoy the Sabres on an individual game basis? We know the playoffs are out of the picture and looking at the standings is not a worthwhile endeavor. But, on any given night, they have a decent chance of playing an entertaining hockey game and/or pulling out a victory. Is that enough for now? Can you enjoy it or, given the totality of the season, are you just done? I find myself conflicted, as I really enjoy hockey and it makes me very happy when the Sabres win, but I also realize that there's really not an end to the means this season. How do others feel? YES. Honestly, I really like to win, but I I can enjoy any game if they work hard and play their best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanSlinky39 Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 I love hockey, so yes, I can still enjoy them on a game-to-game basis. This season, the losses are more frustrating than most years, though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 I can enjoy them. Whether or not I do is up to them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 It's the only way I can enjoy them this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader1969 Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 21 minutes ago, Doohickie said: It's the only way I can enjoy them this season. 21 minutes ago, Doohickie said: It's the only way I can enjoy them this season. You mean the last 12 seasons but yes is the answer to the post, I still enjoy watching them and will miss them during the summer 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 (edited) 30 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said: You mean the last 12 seasons Edited February 22 by Doohickie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 Well ya, it's all we ever have. I enjoy any game where I see effort. Even if they lose it can still be enjoyable, but all too often the frustrations outweigh the enjoyment and we are left with that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Super Fan Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 Yes as a Buffalo Sabres fan every season I have circled on the Sabres schedule when the Sabres play the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadians and Toronto Maple Leafs. Those games regardless of the NHL standings are big individual games to look forward to as a Sabres fan. Sadly today I don’t think the young Sabres players have any idea what I am talking about? Because they weren’t here in Buffalo and two I am not sure they really care about the history of the NHL or the Sabres franchise it’s just a job to the players along with another game on this schedule. Let me say that isn’t just exclusive to Sabres players. I think it applies to other NHL teams players today for the most part. The NHL is a hockey job to them nothing really more than that a business. Hence why these fool Sabres players get all hurt when Sabres fans boo or chant fire Don Granato. I have news for the Sabres players you want that to stop play better hockey it’s pretty simple to me in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted February 22 Author Report Share Posted February 22 (edited) Last night was a good example of enjoying the team on an individual game basis. Although they were sloppy for a majority of the game, they got very good goaltending from UPL (again), scored some timely goals, including a breakaway shorty, a tip in by a player in front of the net, and a power play goal on a rebound when a forward was going to the net. These are the things we've been longing to see all season. Although sloppy, it was entertaining. The sloppy play was not lethargic play; rather it was more the fact they played fast and loose (like a pickup game) and that resulted in the puck being turned over a lot. That style won't work against more disciplined teams, but was successful against Montreal, who was equally sloppy and is below the Sabres in the standings for a reason. So, I'll take the win and see what happens next time. It would be interesting to know if their style of play was intentional, given the opponent, or if that's just how things played out their own. Edited February 22 by msw2112 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 No. It's a bad place to be. I am terrified that wins at this time of year only paradoxically extend our misery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 (edited) The best thing about ESPN+ is that I don't have to record the game. I can turn it on at any time and watch from the beginning. I can usually tell pretty early what team I'm getting. If they get behind 2-0 early, I tend to move on with my day now and go on to some other activity or show to watch. So the pattern this season is to watch the first period, see if they have any legs, and if they do continue to watch. If not, not. Last year, even if they got down 2-0, I'd continue to watch because they had the fight in them to come back. This year not so much/ Edited February 22 by GASabresIUFAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted February 22 Author Report Share Posted February 22 3 hours ago, PASabreFan said: No. It's a bad place to be. I am terrified that wins at this time of year only paradoxically extend our misery. I assume you mean that wins now, or improved play, will extend our misery by leading to (a) a lesser value draft pick (picking at a higher number); (b) potential retention of current coaching staff; and (c) fewer roster changes for next season. These are all valid concerns. I'm less concerned about the draft pick, as they're likely to finish in the middle of the pack and have low lottery odds, regardless of what happens, and I'm not dying for huge roster changes. I think there is a lot of talent on the roster now. It would be interesting to see how this roster would perform with a different, more experienced coaching staff. I like Granato. I think he's a smart guy, a good hockey guy, and the players love him. It just doesn't look like it's working. On one hand, their biggest issues last season were goaltending, overall defensive play, and penalty kill. They've improved a lot in those 3 areas. But now, their scoring is way down. Their record is still to be determined, but it certainly looks like the playoffs will be missed again and it's also not looking like they'll match or improve upon last season's record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi2000 Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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