The Players need someone to push them?

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

Granato has said in almost every inteview "they didn't have enough compete", literally after almost every loss where they were terrible in the 1st period. Just so you know I'm not defending Granato at all, he needed to go but this is about the reason Ruff was let go and it was alot of the same as we're talking about here. "Not enough compete", "Accountability" etc. 

Maybe it's time to get the tough guys that we never get so this wont be a problem, seems like a viable solution eh?

I don't disagree at all. It was a thing with the Sabres long before I came to Sabrespace. It's come up over the years many times. Nolan's lunch bucket crew were different but that's about it. My first choice is Gallant without question. 

As for Granato, no need to get into it as it's done and over but he may have talked about accountability but he did not hold them accountable. Too much "growing and learning as a team" talk and too much calm and patient forgiveness along the way. Too much comfort. 

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Sounds to me like he doesn’t believe in the players.  At least me and Meatballs can agree on that.  All this accountability nonsense, at some point the players have to have personal accountability.  They didn’t because that’s not who they are.  I don’t think a big meany coach is going to change that but here’s hoping.  Unless they actually more on from a few of these guys. 

I didn't read that the same way. I see him saying he talked about accountability and he wanted them to step up so to speak, but he didn't try to force them to change or punish them. The wording "I can punish" etc. tells me he doesn't believe in that and so he just talked. It didn't work. 

I'd contrast that with the Torts year ender where he talked about the information they gathered on who would respond to what and who wouldn't and how they can improve with that information. 

In terms of talent we are way ahead of Philly. In terms of culture building we are a big step behind. 

[GoPuckYourself]

12 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't disagree at all. It was a thing with the Sabres long before I came to Sabrespace. It's come up over the years many times. Nolan's lunch bucket crew were different but that's about it. My first choice is Gallant without question. 

As for Granato, no need to get into it as it's done and over but he may have talked about accountability but he did not hold them accountable. Too much "growing and learning as a team" talk and too much calm and patient forgiveness along the way. Too much comfort. 

Agreed and i would really like gallant but my 1st would be Berube, Gallant would be next. I'd take Brindamour over all of them but that's more of a pipe dream imo.

[bunomatic]

12 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't disagree at all. It was a thing with the Sabres long before I came to Sabrespace. It's come up over the years many times. Nolan's lunch bucket crew were different but that's about it. My first choice is Gallant without question. 

As for Granato, no need to get into it as it's done and over but he may have talked about accountability but he did not hold them accountable. Too much "growing and learning as a team" talk and too much calm and patient forgiveness along the way. Too much comfort. 

I’ve said it before but Donnie was too much Kumbaya. Its human nature for many to take the easy route when presented with the choice of hardship or having something handed to you as the two paths to where you want to go. Hopefully the new coach can help mold our guys into resiliant warriors as opposed to the pampered child/men they sometimes appeared to be. 

[GoPuckYourself]

On 4/17/2024 at 8:08 PM, Buffalonill said:

This is kind of embarrassing just means there isn't any leaders on the team yikes

I mean most of us knew this which is why we didn’t want Okposo/ Girgensons back. Neither was pushing anyone to be better in anyway and both 4th line players. 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

Agreed and i would really like gallant but my 1st would be Berube, Gallant would be next. I'd take Brindamour over all of them but that's more of a pipe dream imo.

Oh of course the Brind'Amour dream is definitely the top choice and I'd be fine with Berube too. I favour Gallant partly because of Tuch saying good things about him and with Tuch we already have a bridge between players and new coach so it's a smoother transition. 

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, GoPuckYourself said:

I mean most of us knew this which is why we didn’t want Okposo/ Girgensons back. Neither was pushing anyone to be better in anyway and both 4th line players. 

Ya, I always had a problem with the naming of fringe players as captains. How is a guy like that going to convey "you have to work harder" to some snot nosed diva kid who is thinking "I'm better than you old man". If they were cup winners it might be different. 

It's a critical moment for this team. I really think we either get it right this time, now, or we will fall apart again and have to start all over one more time. 

[Thorny]

Let me guess, a leader will emerge precisely in correlation with the age of the roster becoming more in line with the rest of the league 

The sheer power of this player, or coach, to ensure space time continues operating without a hitch 

 

On 4/18/2024 at 10:12 AM, LGR4GM said:

After listening to the bs coming out of everyone's mouths in that locker room, it occurs to me that this guys allllll thought even in late March that they would be able to pull this out and make the playoffs. This "come to jesus" moment didn't even happen until after Granato was fired and Adams told them what they are all now saying. 

This team needs some adults. Idc what they say or the lip service at the end of the year, they had months on months to fix this and they got mad at fans and acted like they could just flip a switch and make the playoffs. The more I listen to their comments, the more pissed off at the team and organization I become. Completely out of touch with reality of what they were doing and completely leaderless to stand up and say they weren't good enough until it was too late. 

 

It is ridiculous and pathetic that this team thinks Granato being fired is the "wake up call" when MISSING THE F-ING PLAYOFFS FOR 13 STRAIGHT YEARS!!!!!! is the wake up call. 

Again, they don’t associate with the same concerns as the fanbase, was posting about this yesterday. They don’t consider the playoff drought theirs, they all “want to be” sabres but aren’t taking on that particular, defining aspect of who the Sabres are today. They responded most to an attack on one of their own, an attack inside their bubble 

they simply don’t claim the playoff drought. We’ve heard them say it. We heard Tuch say it DURING THE SEASON, “look, I believe we’ll get there, we are the youngest team in hockey” 

 

On 4/18/2024 at 4:47 PM, Weave said:

The flaw in your counterpoint is, there was no finish with a flourish in 22-23.  Someone here already did the work to disprove that.  

Well, they did finish with a flourish in 22-23. Adams failures on this front, though, were 2-fold:

1) determining that stretch was more reflective of the roster than our record last year as a whole. And, much more egregiously:

2) operating as if that stretch was more reflective of the roster than our record last year as a whole. We have the asset base to the extent it’s frankly negligent for Adams not to have taken steps to failsafe our playoff berth for this season, or, shock, aid in a finish higher than our aim of mediocre at best if everything goes right 

[Sabre The Cup]

The players need something like this to come through the locker room door.