swordplay

The Word of the Day is "Swagger"

So, let's recap.  When last we saw our heroes, the season had just ended with most Sabres fans hating the team, hating the coach, hating the GM, hating the president, and the love affair with shiny new owner T-Pegs in serious jeopardy.  For a very large part of the season, Ryan Miller played awfully poor hockey, as did the team in front of him.  Lazy and sloppy were the watchwords of the season.  The team showed very little passion. 

Then, somewhere in late January or early February, when it was almost too late, something happened.  I envision it being a lot like the scene in Christmas Vacation where Beverly D'Angelo goes into the garage, flips on a light switch hidden behind the freezer on a whim, and blinds the entire neighborhood with the brilliance of Chevy Chase's Christmas lighting display. The Sabres, in much the same way, fumbled around in the dark before flipping a switch that blinded the NHL with their brilliance.  Suddenly, down was up, left was right, darkness was blinding light, and the Sabres put together a stretch that got them to within a couple points of the playoffs after being dead last in the Eastern Conference. 

Although out of the playoffs, fans were left with some slight optimism that some changes would be made and the team would come back to pick up where they left off.  Then a couple of key aquisitions were made, John Scott and Steve Ott being the biggest.  And somewhere along the way, Darcy drafted well.  And there was hope.  And then came the lockout. 

I'm not going to get into my thoughts on the lockout, or how it's absurd for players to think a business can stay viable when putting 57% of its revenue to labor.  Suffice to say I was squarely with the owners this time.  What I will say is the lockout left me bummed out about the lack of a season.  It left me not really caring much about the players or what was happening, or if there would even be a season.  At the very least we should have all been blogging once the lockout ended but, as recently as this morning, I was feeling very ambivalent towards the whole thing. 

Then I watched the season opener.

I've been a fan of Buffalo sports teams long enough to know not to get my hopes up this early in a season.  Things can, and often do, go horribly awry with our teams.  But I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised today.  With only a few changes, this appears to be a completely different team from last year's train wreck.  It's obvious that the Sabres finally got tired of being the laughingstock of the NHL.  If the Sabres are looking to change their image, they went a long way towards doing so today.  Which brings me to the topic of this post... swagger!

This team had swagger today!  Not the swagger of the new kid at school who acts tough but is terrified on the inside that everyone will find out he watches Glee and drinks chai tea.  They had the attitude of a team that has strength behind it, and that strength came from Steve Ott.  I'll admit, I only knew a little about Ott when the Sabres traded for him, and most of it was from Googling his highlight reels.  After today's performance, I'd say he's going to be a nice addition to the team.  He made the entire team tougher just by his presence.  Marcus Foligno, no prima donna himself, played like a beast in the presence of Ott.  And Drew Stafford throwing down with Hartnell doesn't happen without Ott and Scott on the roster this year to watch his back. 

I said last season that I don't care about losing games if the team is giving 100%.  While sloppy at times, this team let it all hang out.  And I loved every minute of it.  A perfect example was Cody Hodgson's goal in the 3rd period.  Vanek skates in, shoots, and Hodgson comes screaming in from the parking lot to jam home the rebound.  Another example is that not once but twice, Sabres players hustled to beat out icing calls and keep plays going.  There isn't a single player on the team who would have put that kind of effort in last season. 

And while I'm on the topic of Vanek, five points in one game?  Craziness! Congratulations to him on a huge day.

Again, I'm going to be cautiously optimistic because I'm tired of getting my hopes up only to see them dashed, but today was a great start.  As I said in this post a year ago, almost to the day, the Sabres needed a heart transplant to turn things around.  I'd say they got it with Steve Ott, along with a healthy dose of swagger. 

 

 

Which Do You Prefer? 3 of the Last 5 or 6 of the Last 10?

Since Trevor and Jon already gave their "season over" posts, I figured that I wouldn't bother giving my take on it. I convinced myself that it would have just been redundant, having no choice but to repeat most of the things they already said.

But since then, there has been plenty of news surrounding the Buffalo Sabres. And honestly, I still found myself not really wanting to write about them, but the more I sat and thought about it the less I could help myself.

If you're not aware of what the numbers above indicate, I'll give you a clue: The three and the five relate to how many times the Sabres have missed the playoffs, and the five and the ten explain out of how many years it took to reach those previous numbers, respectively.

So which ones look better to you? The smaller numbers or the bigger numbers? Either way you choose to look at it, both sets of numbers say the exact same thing: Every five years the Sabres only make the playoffs twice. But if you read Darcy Regier's latest comments, he's optimistic because they've actually made the playoffs twice in the last three years. Holy-splitting-fucking-hairs. So we'll just forget that in those two playoff appearances, his team was given the grand honor only eight teams per season get to share: a first round exit. [golf clap]

I guess we can look at the bright side about the last decade as we officially can't say this team's play is completely inconsistent anymore. [yawn]

One thing we can say is the what most of the Buffalo media has already taken care of: How can this team finish such a high-expectation yet disappointing season without explaining themselves in an end-of-season press conference?

Lindy Ruff had already taken care of his guys during their final practice of the season. He berated his players twice -- before and after their longest (and most pointless) workout of the season -- pointing out missteps and errors that ultimately cost them a berth into the playoffs. He singled out veterans for lack of leadership and production but applauded some of the younger players for stepping up and helping their late push.

After this information hit the Buffalo News, some fans that commented were enraged that Ruff spent so much time criticizing his own guys while not taking any time to put some of the blame upon himself.

I definitely understood where these fans were coming from but I felt differently. While I hardly think the perfect time to call out players is in a meaningless practice succeeding the game that found you eliminated from the playoffs, Ruff is still entitled to handling his players as he sees fit. Would it maybe have been a little more beneficial to take this action before the season spun completely out of control? Sometime in December, perhaps? Of course, but nonetheless Ruff was well within his rights. He doesn't answer to his players; he's their boss.

Granted, when I was thinking this at the time, I was expecting that Ruff would have to answer the tough questions from 1) his boss(es) and 2) the media -- with some of these questions taking place in the setting of a press conference.

But the answer was nay to both. I guess we all know now that it doesn't go down that way in Buffalo these days. By the Sabres organization letting Lindy Ruff and Darcy Regier cover their faces with their sport coats and run off to their limousines while dogging hordes of pocket recorders and notepads, it gave me the proof that these two men are untouchable; that they basically answer to no one.

It's a funny feeling as a fan when you know there could be a possibility of great upside if a change was made, but with every new failed season, you still retain a certain fear and somehow know in the back of your head that nothing will ever change. Well not ever, I guess; everybody dies eventually. But still, it's a slap in the face of the fans who pay money to watch this charade -- I know, I know, there are strangely still just as many R&R supporters as there are haters. I'm still working on understanding that one.

But for people like me who figure things won't change (yet still reserve that place in my brain where I hope that I might be wrong someday) feel even more disrespected [enraged] when that fucktard Ted Black rushes out to WGR three days after the season ends so he can announce his unchanged faith in Ruff and Regier.

I mean, couldn't you at least wait a month and fool us into thinking that you looked long and hard for their replacements but couldn't find any suitable prospects? Believe me, I probably wouldn't have bought that either, but it would still beat listening to Black's pompous/cunty -- I'm smarter and better than everyone -- explanation behind announcing the inevitable so quickly.

It leaves me little hope that there will be any success in the near future. I almost want to go out on a limb and say this team won't win anything substantial (even a division title) until they get yet another owner.

Remember, Pegula once said that his daughter would quit playing tennis if she were under the same scrutiny as the Buffalo Sabres are at times. Obviously this belief has trickled down on how he treats his coaching staff, management, and players altogether. And Ruff and Regier's names might as well be Jessie and Kellie, because they now have a boss that is just as comfortable pampering them as if they were his own daughters. This belief has undoubtedly been reflected onto everyone from the top down. And I don't know about anyone else, but common sense would say that this very belief will hold the Sabres back from ever reaching the highest level in one of the most intense professional sports.

So it's a good thing that tennis and hockey don't have too much in common. Because if Pegula really wants to deliver on his initial promise, eventually he'll most likely be forced into changing his outlook on criticism first. And only time will uncover if he'll actually ever be open to that idea.

But currently at least, it doesn't appear to be the end of the world to some fans, but one day even the most loyal Ruff, Regier, Black, and/or Pegula supporters will find themselves turning on one, two or all of them. Patience only lasts so long, and I don't know many people patient enough to wait through another decade of only making the playoffs 40% of the time.

And if your mind works anything like mine does; where a first round exit isn't even noteworthy of making it, you can go ahead and lower that number to 20%.

Better Off Deadline

As I watched the game versus the Rangers last night, I was a bit under the influence (duh?). Being caught in the blurriness of alcohol, I let my imagination start to run wild.

I actually let myself day dream to the point where I was asking myself, "Where will I stand if the Sabres actually make it to the playoffs?" Just observing how they've played as of late, it's starting to seem like it's not as far of a reach as it once was.

Just like Trevor, I've spent the past few weeks rooting against my favorite team. I figured if they would drop far enough out of contention, significant changes would be the next thing to come. Obviously Lindy and Darcy's jobs are safe for eternity, so I've been at least hoping for a shake-up on the ice.

It's gotten to the point where my desire to see them lose has actually been scaring me a little. I've never cheered for the other team before, never. Through good times and bad, I've always been on the side of my beloved Sabres.

I thought, "If the Sabres somehow went deep into the playoffs, how would I just turn down the hate meter?" I'm obviously a true fan at heart, but I haven't felt like one lately. I've legitimately hated these guys (or at least how they've been coached and managed).

To be completely realistic though, I don't think it's anything I'm going to have to seriously worry about any time soon. This team is still missing vital pieces to a Stanley Cup puzzle. Although Miller has played exceptional as of late and Ennis has helped fill the void at center for the moment, they still don't possess the scoring and toughness that's needed to make it four rounds in professional sport's hardest tournament.

So now that I've brought myself back down to Earth, I'm still pissed that the Sabres have been winning so much lately. Why? Because winning now doesn't get you in the draft lottery. Winning now doesn't force the overdue firings of both GM and coach. In Buffalo, winning now just sustains the hell we've already suffered.

This team is so screwed up, I wouldn't be surprised if last night was yet another example of such sustainment. Even though the Sabres suffered a loss in overtime last night, simply escaping MSG with a point was a victory for a team who couldn't buy that point two months ago. A point that surely kept hopes high not only in the locker room, but one would assume in the eyes of management as well.

With the deadline hitting mid-day tomorrow, I can honestly tell you that I'm little more than disappointed. All I wanted was Darcy to feel some sort of pressure. I was hoping he would need to approach the most anticipated day of the season with the idea of, "If I don't it a home run today, it will cost me my job."

Thanks to the recent play of his team, he literally doesn't have to do anything.

And due to the ignorance running through the veins of the ownership department, I would assume that they are comfortable thinking they were right when they decided to buy the injury excuse.

Stafford scored last night, let's keep him, he's so worth it! Roy back checked twice, he's a changed man! A real leader! Miller is the best goalie in the world again! This team is PERFECT!

Trust me, I wouldn't be surprised at all if that was the outlook from Darcy and more importantly, Terry Pegula.

Why do I think that? Why wouldn't I?!

All this team had to do was lose 3 out of their last 4 games. By winning 3, the status quo will be upheld; zero moves (or at least nothing significant) will be made at the deadline -- Darcy thinks his shit players are worth gold anyway; and this team will be primed and ready to sell another excuse when they just miss the playoffs or get dumped in the first round.

This team will continue to refuse to learn from hindsight and scramble to find their spectacles when it comes to having any foresight.

Of course, there's always the possibility that I'll be wrong. But seeing how Darcy has mismanaged his team on this day in most other years (except stealing Briere from Phoenix, of course), prepare yourself. Because there is a great possibility you'll be watching the same team after the deadline that continuously let you down before it. Only now, you'll be hoping that same team can not only make the playoffs, but somehow find a way to succeed if they happen to get there.

An Ilitch Reality

The Detroit Red Wings are the measuring stick of what a hockey franchise is supposed to be these days. Hell, you could make the argument they've filled that bill for almost 20 years now.

However, what you don't hear very often is how many years it took them to become the model franchise that opposing fans and teams alike envy and want to emulate.

Mike Ilitch purchased the Detroit Red Wings in 1982 at the age of 52. It took him until he was almost 70 for his Wings to start their reign as the power house we know today.

So for a Sabres fan, the soonest reality could be the most harsh. We were all excited about (the quality of) new ownership coming to town a little more than a year ago. One thing we failed to realize at the time was how long it may take to un-tip this morbidly obese cow. A cow that has been fucking with our everyday sanity since we could remember. A cow that's been more than eager to eat all of the grass in its field without having the courtesy of shitting on the very ground it stands in order to fertilize that same pasture, which in turn, would sustain its own life.

I guess that metaphor was a bit of a reach (blame the bourbon, again). And it sounds like I'm accusing Terry of taking advantage of our loyalty. But all I'm really trying to say is that Pegula doesn't seem to have the most solid grasp on the whole hockey owner thing. Well, when it comes to winning at least.

I'm not completely sure if Mike Ilitch was once a hockey moron or not. I don't know (and don't feel like researching) if there was a time where he kept around certain players, managers, and coaches long after their welcome was worn out. All I know is that he got it right eventually; a whopping sixteen years.

It's sobering to think that if the same fate applies to the Pegula era, the Sabres will be without a Stanley Cup for 58 long years. We're already at the same number of years without the Cup as Detroit was before they finally got it again in 1997 -- confidently assuming the Sabres won't win it this year, of course.

Believe me, I'm not trying to draw some crazy parallel between Buffalo and Detroit. I don't try and dig for reasons things are how they are or aren't how they aren't. I'm just letting everyone know that it may be a long wait before we see any success.

Terry said he has a 3-year plan. Well, the current example of the modern day NHL once had to multiply that by 5. All we can hope for is that Terry is some kinda secret mad genius he's been disguising through an agonizing patient approach. Or that he is really eons smarter than the hockey archetype we hear oh so much about.

Sadly for me, my imagination doesn't branch far enough out to that sort of optimistic belief. I can at least hope that I'm wrong on this one just once, even despite all the evidence that solidified my doubt in the first place.

Realistically though, it never seems to happen that way for me. So I don't want to jinx it, but here's to the Sabres hopefully bringing the Cup home to Buffalo in 2028! [cringe]

Now Can We Fire Someone?

Or trade someone, or something?

After a week and a half of the Sabres looking like the team we were all promised, they're obviously back to their normal selves. They were only able to hide their true colors for 4 games.  

What happened, Trevor? Did you start rooting for them again? Haha.

Looks like the perfect opportunity to make some moves...again. But don't worry, I'm sure even more patience will be displayed by ownership, management, etc.

I haven't watched, read, listened to, or have done anything else Sabres since the day of the last Rangers/Sabres game. The hard drive on my computer failed and it was in the shop until yesterday. At one point I actually started to miss the Sabres a little bit. Yeah, I was a little surprised by that too. But I got over it fast.

Living in Texas, I actually got to see them play the Stars Friday. From what I remember (I was pretty drunkskie) it wasn't much of a game. Plus, the broadcast was so terrible on Dallas' end, it was almost unwatchable. The pre-game show and intermission reports looked like they were filmed in my parents basement with a home video recorder from the 1980's, and during the game they didn't even include a countdown clock during power plays. When it was all said and done, shitty hockey and poor broadcasting ruined the game and made it pretty unwatchable (at least the play by play guy was better than Kevin Sylvester). That isn't my point though.

All I'm trying to say is that once again I have absolutely no confidence in this team moving forward. My original thought was that we would be doomed for at least the next two years. Judging by the lack of action taken by...well, anybody up to this point, I'm fairly certain that I'll be right.

I can't believe how retarded this organization is. And the fans aren't much help either. There obviously isn't any pressure from any angle that makes these guys feel like getting up and trying to win a game once and a while. It's embarrassing for me. I feel that I've [wasted] a lot of time and money on this team, and if it turns out that winning isn't even  something that really matters to them at the end of the day, I'll be the fool for keeping my belief in them for all these years.

Stop going to games; boo the shit out of them; sell all your tickets to Leaf fans; do something radical for Christ's sake!

It's great that Buffalo people are so supportive toward their city and teams, but it's time to get a little angry and demand that you're worth more than 2nd (or 27th) best.

There are no more excuses. The team is healthy, but still heartless. They have tuned out their coach and the GM doesn't know how to approach the trade deadline. Darcy was foolish enough to say publicly that he isn't sure if he'll be a buyer or seller at the deadline because he believes they may be in playoff contention by then. When asked if he had a list of players he may want to go after in the case of him being a buyer, he couldn't produce one name that he'd rather have than Brad Boyes. That's no shit.

I've always believed that Darcy was a shitty GM. I never actually realized he had no fucking clue at all.

I'm losing interest fast. I love the Sabres but I'm not going to waste my time following them when they don't even have an idea about anything. What's the point? In the short existence of this blog, we've given 10x the amount of evidence someone like Mario Lemieux would need to fire his GM.

But no, the Sabres will just stick with the status quo forever. We'll keep Lindy and Darcy around year after year so they can fail many more times than they have already. We'll keep overpaying worthless cry babies to not show up for games. We won't trade anyone because we're all such good friends.

That's what this team has become to me. Give me a reason to think anything different.

Time to Play for First

First pick in next year's draft, that is.

I actually want the Sabres to lose every single game for the rest of the year. I think they can do it if they really try, but even this team will probably fall ass backward into a few more wins. From a fan perspective, if you can't finish first, you might as well finish dead last. It's only logical. How many times would you've rather not even made the playoffs than had to suffer gut-wrenching conference finals losses?

Not only should we all want Buffalo to get the first pick when the playoffs are no longer a reality, but I’m literally afraid that unless the team drums home its ineptitude by losing the rest of its games, ownership will refuse to clean house.

This team needs a complete and total rebuild, from the GM on down to the coach and players. You could start to sense the stagnation a couple seasons ago, but the stench is front and center now.

On the bright side, it's fun to get something brand new, so ownership and its new management team should enjoy this opportunity because it doesn't come along every day. It's like when you buy a new car. You're always excited to drive it home for the first time and show it off.

The 2006 Buffalo Sabres were fresh and clean and new. They were an exciting new model. But the 2011 Buffalo Sabres are now just old and boring -- we're stuck paying off the same loan as we were before, only now with all the dents and scratches.

It's time to trade in this jalopy for a shiny, new 2012 model. No better way than to grab a superstar with the first pick overall and go from there.

Recent Addition Should Equal Subtraction

A current 12-game road losing streak + a 3-10-2 record in their last fifteen + failure to win back to back games since November 11th + the all-star break staring you in the face + the trade deadline less than five weeks away = The perfect time to fire your coach and general manager

Unfortunately this is all hypothetical. If Pegula was set on making a change, one would think it would have happened long before now. Instead, he decided it would be a better option to preach patience and lean heavily on the injury excuse.

Overall, we're stuck with the decisions he's made (or failed to make) up until this point, but according to my simple math problem, now is as good a time as ever to move forward and change the culture of this franchise.

It's taken some of us more time than others, but the consensus now seems to be simply, "Fire Ruff and Regier."

So assuming a firing could actually occur, this is my logic:

The all-star break will give the Sabres an entire week off. A week that could be used to clean up a mess that was once a slow simmer, but has recently compiled into a rolling boil. We have witnessed a full collapse, it's not going to get any better without some kind of action.

This is ideal. This week off could give a new GM the time he needs to settle in and assess his new team (and coach) fairly. After a couple weeks of evaluation, the trade deadline will be upon us. Presuming the Sabres will be sellers, it would give this new GM an opportunity to immediately start building this team for the future.

Forget about acquiring players in trades. As much as I hate to say it, this season is beyond salvageable, so the new GM should be going after draft picks and prospects. The Sabres are well on their way to getting a top 5 draft pick already, bulking up with more picks wouldn't hurt at all. Plus, trading for picks would jump start the next important move: dumping salary.

The overpaid talent on this team needs to go; preferably by trade. I know Regier hasn't been able to make any (Brian Burke's comments on Darcy have spread like wildfire in recent weeks, they're obviously valid), maybe a new guy can. If not, waiving is the only option. As we look forward to another year of free agency, cap space is a necessity. Let's not forget that Tyler Myers will be making a lot more money next year, too.

A fresh face in the GM chair would be able to judge Lindy's performance accurately as well. He would be able to point out his shortcomings without a friendship getting in the way. He would be able to see how much his coach's soft attitude has negatively affected his team. He would be able to pull the trigger on him, a thing Regier isn't capable of.

***

What are the odds of this happening? I'm afraid to answer that. We'll know in two days whether or not this is just another one of my fantasies.

If I'm wrong (which I probably am), we'll get a real good look at where ownership stands by deadline day. If Pegula trusts Regier enough to make trade deadline moves, we'll have our answer to who will be the Sabres GM next year too.

Honestly, I don't know if I can make it through another season of this much frustration and despair.

Blackhawks Blame Victory on Injury to Patrick Sharp

That's all I wanted to say.

Time to watch Moneyball.

Schadenfreude, Anyone?

I've never really been the type of person to take pleasure in other people's misfortune, but when people seemingly insist on visiting despair upon themselves, it's hard not to laugh.

Or to root them on, for that matter.

As recent events have illustrated, the Buffalo Sabres have not only failed -- and failed spectactularly -- to live up to self-imposed expectations, ownership has also made it clear that there will be no attempt to salvage the season (or to get a jump on improving prior to the summer) by doing anything but adhering to the status quo.

I think Erik might have been a bit too harsh on new Sabres owner Terry Pegula yesterday, but let's not confuse harsh with offbase. The Sabres are indeed the softest team in hockey, a culture that has been instilled by management and reflected by most of its players over the years.

In fact, if I read one more article about Ryan Miller's lip quivering during a post-game interview, I swear I'm going to burn every last one of my fucking Sabres hats. To quote Phil Wenneck, pull yourself together, bro.

Here's where we are: When the face of your franchise is a basketcase, you're pretty much screwed.

Erik commented last night that it's "rather fun" to watch Miller's career unravel before our eyes. I don't share this sentiment. Interesting? Surreal? Yes. Fun? No. I don't want the Sabres to suck (Well, suck enough for the rest of the year to get the first pick in the draft? Sure.) I don't take any pleasure in watching an individual's career go down the drain, especially if he's on my team.

However, what I do enjoy watching is insanity in action. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This is Darcy Regier in a nutshell. So while I may not get much satisfaction watching a player battle psychological issues that could be out of his control, I can't say the same for a GM who has every opportunity to objectively evaluate his team yet chooses to adhere to fantasy as a strategy for success.

Ryan Miller has always been somewhat of a headcase, but I believe he now realizes that every player in the league can beat him over his glove shoulder. He can do nothing about it. He is done.

Let me repeat that: Ryan Miller is done. I take no pride in writing that. He still gets the last laugh because he's a multi-millionaire, but just because an owner, GM, and coach think you can live up to your contract doesn't mean you can. Failing to both realize and act on this now will only further delay the Sabres' reversal of this downward spiral.

The problem is not injuries (you don't see Philly bitching about the loss of Chris Pronger for the season). I hope Mr. Pegula knows this. I hope he was just trying to provide some positive reinforcement while he figures out how to right this ship when he chalked up his team's horrendous play to bad luck. Because if he truly buys the injury excuse -- and let's face it, he seemed pretty convinced last week -- he's going to sell this team well before he wins a Cup.

Terry, this is what complete disarray looks like.

Complete disarray metastasizes itself in things like pathetic excuses when you can't pinpoint tangible reasons for failure. It's just like chemistry, which the Sabres continually say they need to develop in order to find success. But "chemistry" is the word you use when you can't find any rational, tangible explanation for why things work so well.

Just as things often work out unexpectedly and with seemingly little effort, sometimes nothing works no matter what you do.

I may not know much, but one thing I do know is that guys like Derek Roy, Drew Stafford, Ville Leino, Nathan Gerbe, and Tyler Ennis do not suck; they're in a pretty exclusive fraternity for a reason. But despite all the denial by Sabres brass, the combination of players they've assembled just isn't working.

Yes, your guess is as good as mine.

But the job of a GM is to, at minimum, be able to identify this. I've never thought much of Lindy Ruff as a coach, but this poor schmuck just looks lost behind the bench. He has the look of a guy who knows he's lost his team and, if nothing else, he needs to be fired for his own sake (in addition to my own).

In the meantime, the Sabres find themselves mired in a dreadful seven-game roadtrip. Any sober fan knew the Detroit game was over before it started last night; it was only a matter of by how much. The same goes for tomorrow night in Chicago. The word "dismantled" comes to mind. I don't see Buffalo winning more than one game on this roadie -- hell, they've already dropped the first two -- but the only thing that could potentially improve their odds is for Enroth to get the starts from now on until he loses two in a row.

Like it or not, the future is either Enroth or someone else. The options going forward for Miller are 1) buyout or 2) AHL. He is currently untradeable -- who'd give up property and take on that contract? -- and I doubt he'd even be picked up on waivers. He is the definition of sunk cost, and even I don't think Regier is dumb enough to keep him around given his cap hit. (Of course, Regier ideally wouldn't be around to have this decision on his hands.)

There's really no succinct explanation for the state of the Buffalo Sabres -- they've worked hard to create this mess over many years -- but if there's one thing that needs to end it's the incestuousness that defines this team. From the cozy, unhealthy relationship that is Regier/Ruff to the famed "core" that has spent more time together than most married couples, it's just time for a divorce.

And yes, until Terry Pegula and Co. realize this, I'll be reveling in the ignorance and naivete that currently define them.

To paraphrase Phil Wenneck, You actually gonna ride this or are you guys just fuckin' with me?

Taking Notes from Jim Irsay

Even though Lindy Ruff has finally confessed that he won't be blaming injuries anymore, I'm still sick to my stomach that he (and the rest of the Sabres organization) actually resorted to that in the first place. Many fans and members of the media veritably fell into his hands at first, but barring a few stragglers, it seems that most have come back to their senses. I'm proud to say that I never bought the whole injury fairy tale.

Actually, when the Sabres started using this to vindicate their poor play, I recall thinking to myself, "I can't remember anyone or any team that has EVER used injuries as an excuse!"

Then I thought, "maybe I'm wrong; maybe I'm missing something." Maybe there was an occurrence at some point in the past that I wasn't familiar with (I'm not a sports encyclopedia), but I still refused to buy the injury excuse from day one.

Then it happened, just about ten minutes ago. I got home from work and turned on the TV, ESPN News read: Indianapolis Colts Fire Jim Caldwell.

Jim Irsay already fired both Polians two weeks ago, so why would he stop with them?

No one actually believed that the Colts would go anywhere without Peyton Mannning this year, and we ended up being right. But I have a lot of respect for an owner that refuses to use the loss of a quarterback (future hall of famer or not) as an excuse for their failure. Irsay obviously had a standard that he expected his team and coaches to meet, and when they proved incapable, he had enough evidence to take action.

I applaud that.

So Terry, it appears you've been looking in the wrong places for all your answers. You should obviously be making a phone call right now to Mr. Irsay for some guidance on how to run a professional sports team the way it should be.

Dollars and Dreams Aren't Going to Cut It

Well everybody, it seems we aren't so lucky after all. When Terry Pegula took over this team, we all felt for some reason that things would be a little different than how they've transpired. He displayed an emotion and drive to make this team a success, "multiple Stanley Cups" was his promise.

Less than a year later, I can honestly say I'm less than thrilled when it comes to the future of this franchise. I can no longer remain optimistic. Pegula employs a team of coaches and executives that insist on selling injuries, and he's making sure he's the first in line to buy their product. Showing that he has no immediate doubt in their capabilities.

All Pegula is doing is exacerbating a soft culture that existed before he took ownership.

Last year, the Sabres went on a remarkable run to make the playoffs. In the midst of all of this, Pegula took over ownership of the team. Before that point, Buffalo reflected a season almost identical to what we're seeing today. What followed? A team fighting for their lives in order to just make it to the playoffs.

I hear some fans dialing up that old flame for this season: We just need a good second half, you saw what they did last year, right?

I did see what they did last year, but I don't think we can expect much of the same for this one.

Terry was new then, everyone was unfamiliar with him -- probably even a little fearful. Fear is an owner's most valuable weapon.

Look at George Steinbrenner for example. This guy chose to be in the spotlight, demanding success and even calling out his players publicly if he felt it was necessary. Many looked at Steinbrenner as a radical, criticizing him on multiple accounts relating to his handling of situations. I mean, how could you blame him considering the kind of money he was shelling out for some of those guys? What did he get out of it in the end? Almost two handfuls of World Series Championship rings. You can criticize him all you want; you can't say it never worked.

In these most recent times of professional athletics, there aren't many negative things you can do to these guys. Aside from the luxurious travel and dining they experience from day to day, the most important factor (in the NHL especially) is that their contracts are guaranteed. An owner does not have the power to take away the salary of his players. Whether they perform or not, they still get paid.

I'm not trying to turn this post into a discussion about collective bargaining or labor, that would be a waste of time.

A message still needs to be sent somehow though. If Stafford's physical game is more representative of a ballerina than that of an NHL power forward (which is technically what he's supposed to be), or Roy continues to skate as if his tampon seems to be slightly ajar, actions need to be taken to get it through their heads that what they're doing is unacceptable.

If the players aren't going to do it themselves, the coach needs to hold them all accountable. If (or more like, when) he sees guys taking shifts off, bench them. If you don't want to make it entirely individual, maybe punish the entire team for it. I'm pretty sure there isn't anyone on the team that wants to be put through longer, more excruciating practices. Shit, the players' relationships toward each other might end up changing as well: as I believe Matt Ellis and Robyn Regehr would start to take great exception to the slacker attitude of others if it ended up affecting them.

But we shouldn't expect anything to change for the better, as Pegula apparently has just as much of a callow outlook on hockey as Ruff.

As Jerry Sullivan pointed out in his article this morning, Pegula was stunningly "naive and defensive" when it came to criticism, speaking of a meeting the Buffalo News editorial board had with Pegula back in February. Terry also said, "his daughter, a pro tennis player, would quit playing tennis if she was subjected to the sort of criticism [the media] leveled at the Sabres."

So that's what we're dealing with folks, the perfect fit to this soft/bitch of a hockey team: an equally soft/bitch of an owner.

A man, who apparently spends more time wondering how he will coddle the next player that has a bad day/injury, rather than working to fix the obvious problems staring him right in the fucking face. He doesn't get it, and contrary to my initial belief, I now have no idea if he ever will.

I'm actually starting to kick myself in the ass for not developing a liking to the Penguins after years of living in the Burgh. I was reading some articles on nhl.com about their recent struggles with injury and I find myself even more jealous of them as a franchise. I wish Pegula was more like Pens GM Ray Shero when he said, "We're making the playoffs, put it that way" and "Anything less is unacceptable... Just making the playoffs is never our goal."

Even Penguins coach Dan Bylsma refuses to blame injuries for their losing streak before this weekend, saying "At some point you understand there are going to be injuries and you move on and you get ready to play next game the way we need to play."

What else would you expect the troops of the great Mario Lemieux to say? Do you think that he would keep a GM or coach employed if they came to him with the same bullshit excuses that the Sabres like to reference? I'm sure he would retaliate with something along the lines of, "Fuck you bitches, I played with cancer!"

It all starts at the top, and unfortunately for us, our leader is lacking in the leadership department. If he refuses to change his point of view, it's sad to say that we will all be doomed for years to come. So we might just be better off just doing what Trevor said, start auditioning other NHL teams to play the role as the Sabres' successor.

Sorry for the rude remarks Terry, but you have to get it through your head. Ruff and Regier's time needs to be halted. You have enough money to turn this franchise into the Yankees of hockey, but you'll never reach that objective without employing the proper personnel.

Maybe you'll start to realize what needs to be done once the usually great season ticket renewal rate plummets next season; when it starts to take a toll on your pocket. But then again, maybe you won't. From what I've read, the majority of your fan base has a better idea in regards to what's going on than you do.

I Think I'll Be Holding Auditions for a New Favorite Team

Well, we finally have the answer to why Lindy Ruff has relied so heavily upon injuries when trying to explain the Sabres' limpdick performance over the past two months, and it's coming straight from the top. As a Buffalo News article explains this morning, owner Terry Pegula has no plans to make any changes to his team because they've simply been overcome by bad luck.

"What everybody is missing is that I've been carrying around 167 man games," he said by telephone Thursday evening. "Forget about the season. I'm talking about the last 25 games. We've had 18 players go down. It's like a merry-go-round every night. You look on the ice and what are your defensive pairs tonight? Hell, who knows? Who's healthy?

"I think what's important is the number of guys. You can have 167 man games with four, five, six guys out for a long period. Eighteen? Cut me a break. I told Darcy Regier one time, 'If I was you, I would be afraid to get on the plane.' "

In fact, Pegula pointed toward the injury bug for virtually all of the Sabres' troubles this season.

Hey, the guy can think what he wants. Unfortunately for him and for thousands of Sabres fans everywhere, however, he is severely misguided. Maybe I'm just delusional, but Buffalo was playing better with five AHL regulars in the lineup before Christmas than they have been the past few games with a pretty healthy lineup. As I explained just the other day, you can hardly argue that Ennis, Sekera, and Roy are significant losses, and even without Ehrhoff the D is still better than it was last season.

Remember when the return of Tyler Myers was going to be the turning point? Well, they haven't won in the three games since he's been back. Ville Leino? He has no points, much less any goals, since his return two games ago. Jhonas Enroth has had his struggles but he's still outperforming Ryan Miller, yet he nevertheless finds himself relegated to the bench. Maybe Ruff needs to talk to Peter Laviolette, who's benched his newly-acquired $5 million goalie since the Winter Classic in favor of his backup because he obviously realizes paychecks don't necessarily win games.

Terry Pegula is nothing if not a diehard Sabres fan like the rest of us, so it's a little bothersome that he seems unaware that excessive injuries always tend to define this team. No coach is guaranteed a healthy lineup, but it's the great ones that win without one. Yes, the Sabres endured a really rough patch for about two weeks, but even when they were calling up Derek Whitmore and T.J. Brennan, what should not be overlooked is that they were still some of the better players on the ice.

Instead of pissing and moaning about the injuries, Pegula and Co. should be grateful for what they have revealed: that Brayden McNabb is a gold mine, that Corey Tropp makes Pat Kaleta irrelevant, that T.J. Brennan is ready for primetime, and that Enroth is certainly no friggin' worse than their "star" goalie -- who, by the way, gave up two more softies Tuesday against the Leafs.

Injuries are not the reason Drew Stafford, Ville Leino, and Brad Boyes -- all healthy -- cannot score. (The News's John Vogl made a great point this week when he commented that at 12 goals and almost $13 million between them, their goals have cost a million bucks a pop!) Injuries can't explain why Lindy Ruff opts to bench Zack Kassian -- who has much-needed size and no less offensive upside than Nathan Gerbe or Jochen Hecht -- in favor of Matt Ellis, Cody McCormick, and Kaleta. Injuries can't explain why a forward corps costing over $33 million couldn't score even one goal in Toronto last game. They can't explain why the Sabres were the first team in history to fail to retaliate against a player that viciously ran their goalie. And they can't explain why Ryan Miller is closer to a buyout than another trophy.

But don't take my word for it. Here's what Joffrey Lupul had to say about Gerbe after their mini-tussle at the end of the Leafs game Tuesday night: "He had 58 other minutes to play hard all game, and he didn’t. So it’s always a thing that makes me laugh, when a guy doesn’t show up for the game and then, with two minutes left, tries to make something happen."

For the past month I've wondered what other teams must think when they play the Sabres, and I think Lupul has provided a microcosm of reality. You could argue he's just being a prick by making fun of the city and waterfront, and to a large extent that's probably true, but if you read deeper he's illustrating a pretty apparent disrespect for the organization itself.

Teams know the Sabres are soft. The mockery that makes it to the public eye is probably nothing close to what goes on in opposing teams' locker rooms. Even after the Lucic incident, all we got was a play fight from Gaustad during the teams' next meeting, a pretty hard-fought game, and then a return to business as usual: generally spiritless play lacking any sort of consistency and determination. I feel like a broken record. I've been saying the same shit since 2006-07, but ... oh, wait a second ... the personnel hasn't really changed much since then, has it?

So Pegula and the rest of his crew can delude themselves into thinking injuries are the problem here if they like, but it will get them nowhere. In short, they weren't nearly as big a deal as the inherent shortcomings they have revealed.

Amazingly, today Lindy actually acknowledged the obvious and admitted that they can't blame injuries now that only a couple guys are out. But check out this direct quote: "Right now, we're close [to healthy] enough to win games." This is no shit. This is a head coach in the NHL, folks. A coach who flat-out admits that he, at minimum, implicitly communicated to his team that failure was either acceptable or unavoidable (or both) during the injury run. And this is a guy Terry Pegula defends.

So much for all those championships.

I truly hope this team stays healthy for the next couple weeks because I can't wait to see how these guys perform over the next half-dozen games, which include opponents like the Red Wings, Blackhawks, Blues, and Devils. I leave you with one thought: Prepare to be underwhelmed.

What Is This Foreign Sport?

Hate; Spite; Jealousy; Disgust; Revulsion; Repulsion; Resentment; Malevolence; Grudgingness; Invidiousness; Lust: All words that came to mind while watching the Red Wings/Blackhawks game last night.

Some of these words are linked to the feelings I have toward my team, some in envy of other teams (or their fans), or both.

I hate the Sabres right now. I can't stand how lazy they play and I loathe the comments and excuses they make after every game. I still continue to watch though. I don't know why. Maybe because I haven't taken enough time to watch a lot of other teams this season.

One of my favorite things to do is watch hockey, it always has been. I am able to watch anyone. But since I moved to Texas, that just isn't how I spend my free time anymore. The move itself has nothing to do with my interest in the game: Trading in male roommates for your girlfriend plays more the role of why. I'm sure she's less than thrilled when I turn on a Sabres game, but obviously doesn't mind when I watch them. You know, give and take. (I've been to plenty of the craft shows and antique markets that she likes going to...should I have admitted that?) Outside of the Sabres though, if I continue watching other teams, that's just time I'll lose that I could be spending with her. That's not really something I want either.

Yesterday was different though. She spent all day making paella and we watched her hometown Steelers lose in overtime to Jesus Christ and the Broncos. It was a nice and relaxing afternoon. Only, after football, it got kind of boring. Nothing -- and I mean nothing -- was on TV. I searched and searched and searched. The only thing I could find was Chicago vs. Detroit on the new NBC Sports Network, so I figured what the hell?

After watching only three minutes of this game, I realized instantly that I've been settling for inferior hockey all year. It didn't even seem like the same sport. I'm familiar with the long and intense rivalry that these two teams share, so you'd expect the high-energy game that was delivered, but they obviously don't just play each other this way. Players on both teams were hard on the puck: Fore-checking, back-checking, hitting and crisp passing every second of the game. I rediscovered the reasons these two teams are in the upper-echelon of the league (and will be for years to come). These teams proved that you can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't equal that talent with a strong work ethic, you will be rendered useless.

Like I said, I was envious. I don't want to sound like I'm pouting -- I've got better shit to worry about -- but the way the Sabres approach games fucking brings me down. Why can't "Hockey Heaven" look more like Hockeytown?

The responsibility falls on everyone involved. I've said it before, if it's the players: Trade/waive them. If it's the coaching/management: Fire them. But if they continue to remain asleep at the wheel when it comes to making a change, Hockey Heaven will swiftly turn into "Hockey Hell."

I don't blame Pegula for that though. When someone walks in and buys a professional sports team, they have all the right the world to give it whatever nickname they want, warranted or not. But procrastinating in the department of fixing it when realizing it's not what you said it was: INEXCUSABLE!

Assuming the Sabres will miss the playoffs this season gives me hope that a change will at least happen after the season. But like Trevor said, this season could still be salvageable. All you're doing by not making a change now is instilling more doubt into your fan base. It personally makes me wonder if changes will ever be made at all since the obvious first step [fire the coach/manager] should have happened months, if not years ago.

C'mon Terry, will you please just surprise us all? Can you please come out of the blue and back up your once powerful words with some sort of equivalent action(s)? Get rid of this alien form of the game I love once and for all, and bring exciting hockey back to Buffalo. We as fans deserve a hell of a lot more than this.

New Year's Grieve

I want to first say Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you all have a very fun and safe holiday tonight. The long dick of the law will be out trying to fuck all of us tonight, so keep your legs closed and make sure you have safe means of travel home.

Now that that's out the way, we'll get to the Sabres. Last night on the WGR post-game show, the host started out by saying that we should all feel a little bad for Terry Pegula. He mentioned how big of a fan Pegula is and how much desire he has to make Buffalo an attractive place for hockey. Awesome, we all know that story. (Personally, I refuse to feel bad for someone that is ultimately responsible for the success and failure of a franchise, but anyway.) We know about the renovations, the alumni, and the atmosphere he has tried to create. In just months he has already had the ability to attract big name free agents and get one Robyn Regehr to waive a no trade clause. He's done very well so far, but he isn't even close to being finished. All of that was chapter one.

It's time for him to begin working on chapter two. Hoping that Brian [Cozio, I think?] was just making a statement rather than relaying fact, I don't want an owner that sulks and says "woe is me," I want an owner that demands the kind of respect he deserves. Terry proved in just a half of a year that it is very much a privilege to play hockey in Buffalo, so if your coach struggles to get his [men] out of bed in the morning, he needs to be fired; if players continually refuse to "show up for an entire 60 minutes," they need to be traded or waived; and if your GM doesn't have the ability to do that, then he needs to go too.

Knowing how the entire Sabres hierarchy is set up, those steps I just mentioned obviously wouldn't happen in that order, but that isn't my point.

I elected to not watch the game against the Capitals last night. I didn't even check the score once. I was home, I wasn't doing anything important. I just felt like spending some quality time with the wifey (she hates sports, and that's fine). Right before bed I checked nhl.com just to see the score and highlights. You see, even if the Sabres lose, I'll still go back and watch at least the meat of the game, because if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to honestly assess their performance.

Yesterday was an entirely different story. All I had to see was one play. One play that made me not want to watch that game at all: The Derek Roy giveaway at 16:18 of the second period that lead to the Cap's second goal. Now, it wasn't so much the giveaway itself, it was Roy's lackadaisical effort that followed. He barely backchecked, had a chance to take the body on Ovechkin (and didn't of course), and then skated in circles in his own end while Ovi, Semin and Backstrom worked on putting the puck in the net. The Capitals were even outnumbered as the play developed into the Sabres' end. Didn't matter, scored anyway. That play was the culmination of the entire season for me so far.

When I saw it I was furious. I actually considered immediately cancelling my NHL Gamecenter membership on my computer. I mean, what the hell, I can. I pay it in $20/month installments, why keep watching this shit.

Of course I didn't.

Mr. Pegula has said that he wants to make the fans happy. He has said that he wants to do all he can to make this team a winner. Well, what are you waiting for? You call the shots, sir. You have eyes too. You have to be able to see that injuries aren't the issue here. The majority of this team never shows up for an entire game. Injuries or not, when your healthy players don't put forth an effort, it really doesn't matter anymore.

You know, if this team went out and gave everything they had and went 0-82 by season's end, I could care less at this point. I just want to see a hockey team that tries. The irony of that is, if this team actually did give a shit on a nightly basis (injuries included), they would have a hell of a lot better record than they do right now.

It is the season. It's time to start over again. It's time for resolutions. It's time for Terry and Ted to prove a point to everyone. Start the New Year off with a shake-up. This season is all but lost already, so why not start over now? Why not free up cap space, why not pack this organization with future draft picks? If they can't trade any of these overpriced losers, waive them, who cares?! Finish this season with a bunch of no names from the ECHL. It would probably be more entertaining.

If they unload Stafford, Roy, Miller, Gerbe, Gaustad, Boyes and Kaleta, they will have freed up about $23 million in payroll. Money that can be used to go out and get whatever you want come the off-season. If they can't get rid of Goose, Boyes, and Hecht during the season, their contracts are at least up after this year anyway.

The Sabres could put themselves in the ultimate position to build this team up for next season. They'll have more Rochester guys even more ready by then and the NHL free agent list looks a whole lot better than it did last year.

So if Terry wants his words to carry any sort of validity, he needs to take appropriate action to back them up. Sack up, put your money where your mouth is, and do what you've come here to do. You seem like an awesome guy, turn this shit-for-a-team around so we can all stays friends.

Frustration Abounds

I was given one thing to smile about last night. After what has been a hellish week of work so far, my lady and I treated ourselves to the best burgers on the planet for dinner. Driving home with a happy stomach full of fresh beef and quality IPAs, the thought of "Shit, the Sabres are on right now" would eventually sneak in and haunt the back of my mind. However, just as I suspected, by the time I turned on the tube the Sabres were on the verge of once again failing to win two consecutive games.

The Sabres haven't won consecutive games since November 11th. That following Tuesday, the 15th, my brother and I started this blog. Now, I'm hardly a believer of superstition and luck, but sometimes it feels that maybe "Trevor/Erik Luck" has played a small part in this story. Maybe this blog is at fault for the Sabres' shortcomings. Since you're not familiar, my brother (Trevor) was the first to introduce the term "Trevor Luck" to the world many years ago. It's basically the equivalent of Murphy's Law, the lighthearted concept that whatever can go wrong will go wrong. But as Trevor likes to say, "Murphy's got nothing on me." Seeing that, I've kinda stolen his tag line, put my own name in it, and used it for situations I've personally gone through. It's more of a small escape from bad luck, making yourself feel better for something shitty happening. Unfortunately for me, I realize that I'm nowhere near important enough to alter the fate of our beloved Sabres in any way, but it's still funny to say sometimes.

All jokes aside, once again I have absolutely no idea where to begin. Although some fans bought the whole "patience" thing for a couple of weeks, judging by what I read on the Buffalo News' comment page today, their patience has since run out. It seems that now, finally, the consensus among all fans is: something needs to change. As I mentioned in a previous post, depending on who you ask, there are dozens of different opinions and ideas from Sabres fans on who to blame or what to do about all of this.

Since there isn't just one quick fix answer, I'm going to start with the three most important men in this organization.

Terry Pegula: I really appreciate the things he's done, and also respect the man for what he is: a true Sabres fan. I'm sure he thought he was taking the right approach to the situation by dumping a bunch of money into amenities for both players and fans alike. But when those amenities don't bring home any wins (or any home wins...haha), fans suddenly don't care about various upgrades to bathrooms, seating, lighting and Zambonis. Not to sound like an unappreciative asshole, but fans don't want smiles and handshakes, they want the Stanley Cup. And I'm pretty sure that the fans would suffer through the lack of a cup holder in the 300 level if it would get their team to the promised land.

I know that Terry is a hell of a guy, but if he and Ted Black can't decode the mystery that is holding this team back, he at least needs to know to make a change. If he can't, he isn't any more important to me than those Regis boys.

Darcy Regier: He's the man we've all known and loved/hated (your call) for the past decade and a half. Fifteen years ago I was 14. It was only a few years prior that I actually started understanding the differences between players like LaFontaine and May, or Mogilny and Khmylev. Before then, they were all the same to me, they were all just Buffalo Sabres. Now, all of the current Sabres that have a spot on this team are here because of Darcy Regier, and I can't reap the luxury of youthful ignorance anymore. I know where most of them were born and know how most of them got to Buffalo, what round they were drafted in or who Regier traded away to get them. I'm old enough to see the good things that Darcy has done, and old enough not to forget the bad things that he has done. But I'm only going to focus in on the last six years or so.

We all remember the mid-2000s where Buffalo was almost on top of the world. Just one round short on two occasions of playing for the Stanley Cup. Those were the final years of the Briere, Drury and Campbell Sabres. Since then, the young guys that were on those teams now make up the veterans on the current roster. Most of them homegrown. Most of them under-performing. None of them winning a post-season series since.

I'm not going to be one of those "keep bringing up the good ol' days" guys. Honestly, I believe not in any good ol' days, there's no such thing to me. Darcy has made some magical moves in the past. On a couple of occasions, he has traded dog shit and gotten gold in return. I just want him to prove he can let some of his homegrown players go in an effort to get another Briere or Drury. He did it with trades in the past and he's going to need to use those same methods now. He has the green light, so if he can't, then maybe Jon is right (see his comment to his own post).

Lindy Ruff. The outcry for the calling of Lindy's head is getting louder and louder with every new loss. I've written in the past about getting rid of him too. Now that the situation has gotten as complex as it has, I don't even know what to think about the issue anymore. What I do know is: Lindy makes excuses for poor performance; doesn't give any credit to anyone whose name isn't Roy, Stafford, Vanek, Pominville or Miller; and allows his players to acknowledge what needs to be done, but obviously doesn't enforce their own words or hold them accountable come game time. He doesn't know when to pull a goalie either.

Since Darcy has spoken out about how he'll never get rid of his best friend, I'm going to play a little game where I pretend that he never said that.

My philosophy on firing Ruff has been a very elementary one: Relieving him of his duties would only be one small step in the effort to improve this team's performance. Trading players is an extremely tricky thing to do, and it can also take weeks to iron out the perfect deal. So, if you kick him to the curb and the players that already exist on the team don't react the way you'd like them to, you could then assume that the players are the problem. You can move on and make trades after that point. But it's a risk I would definitely take. He's never won anything anyway. Tons of players have come through his system and none of them were able to get it done in the end. So is it the coach's fault or the players'? We won't know until he A) wins a Cup, or B) gets fired, and we get to see what another coach can do. How long will we have to wait for either of those scenarios to play out? Your guess is as good as mine.

The common belief amongst Sabres insiders is that no one is going anywhere. That's just something I can't wrap my aching brain around. I always thought that the world of professional sports was a cut-throat business, where players, coaches and managers need to constantly prove they belong at that level. And if they couldn't prove it, they would be gone tomorrow and you wouldn't even remember their names. In Buffalo, the case seems to be very much a unique one. Their relaxed attitude has them going to the beat of a different drum. Maybe that's the reason this team and its fans have been waiting 40 years and counting.

A great front office is a necessity, especially since the Sabres haven't had the luxury of being in the darkest corners of the basement for years on end. They've never gotten the Crosbys, Lemieuxs, Lecavaliers or Kanes. Okay, they got a Perreault once, but whatever. Personally, I don't believe that top five draft picks make teams what they are. Many argue that point. Some people think the reason the Penguins and Blackhawks are so good is because they went through so many years of sucking ass. That is a bunch of shit, and you know it. What's the excuse for the Red Wings? They have remained competitive and they haven't sniffed the cellar in over a decade. They draft smart and coach well. There was a time that Buffalo did those things well too, but the lack of effort and emotion these days goes to show that the good coaching and drafting days are apparently over.

FIX THIS!

The Dog Days Are (Far from) Over

Is there anything to say anymore? Every day I read about this team. I read what they say in their post-game interviews and what fans and journalists say in reaction to what was said in those interviews. And now, I'm officially lost. There is not one simple answer to this dilemma.

Fire the coach; fire the GM; trade Miller; trade Roy; trade everyone but Vanek! In a nutshell, that's pretty much what I read every day. I'm not saying that I don't agree with those statements, it's just getting old and it's starting to burn me out. I want a change too, I just don't think we're getting one, or any for that matter.

The echoes of the Florence and the Machine song the Sabres used in their promo video for Pegula Day months ago have long faded away into the darkness. I remember the first time watching it, being on the verge of letting go almost 30 years worth of tears from frustration and anger. Welling up as I experienced my first real feeling of hope in I don't know how long. Now as I look back, I can at least allow myself to laugh at the thought that the simple change of an owner could get the same overpaid Sabres core to work on a nightly basis.

Lindy has made some poor choices in the captain's department [again] this year. I'm still trying to see what Ruff sees in Roy and Stafford. Their post-game interviews are so pathetic, appearing more like they're begging for sympathy rather than doing what they're supposed to be: Setting the example for their teammates. And the image of Gaustad not sticking up for Miller against Boston still resonates in my mind. It still makes me sick.

I don't know how the whole captain thing works, I don't know if players ever get their letters revoked. All I know is that I'm in favor of stripping Roy's and Stafford's and giving them to Regehr and Kassian. I know that Kassian is just a kid, but judging by his play alone, he's more of a leader on the ice than anyone. And Regehr just knows what needs to be done. Imagine how frustrating it must be for him to look in the eyes of most of his teammates. By the way, I still think Vanek should be carrying the "C" too.

I don't see this team going anywhere this year. And judging by the patience of Ted Black, I don't see them going anywhere next year either. I do believe that eventually this team will succeed in the future under this ownership, but the array of issues right now are so spread across the board, it's going to end up taking years if they continue to be this patient. Being more of a pessimist, I sometimes wonder if I'll be around to see it when the day actually comes. Ever heard of a Chicago Cubs fan?

This team needs to be gutted. If you ask me who I'd like to keep around, you'd probably be surprised that my list wouldn't even make it to a sixth finger. I'm not going to get into top ten lists or anything like that, just know that beyond Vanek, Kassian, Regehr, and the bunches of the impressive, inexpensive young talent that has come through recently, I don't think you'd notice much of a difference if most others walked.

It's just going to be a process, and it's hard to swallow another year of apparent failure after being so hyped up before the season even began. I guess I should have known better. I guess we all should have known better. That includes Terry Pegula and Ted Black too. They should've known that this team wouldn't even have been for sale in the first place if Regier and Ruff were adequate men for the job. Championships are a great value booster to a team, and Golisano probably would've been a little more reluctant to sell the team if they were winning back when he was around.

Duck, Duck, Goose

I left my house last night around 5:45 so that my girlfriend and I could go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. Being that I'm an hour behind in Austin, TX, I knew that I was at least going to miss the first period. I didn't sweat it too much because I knew that as soon as I got home I could just text my brother, Trevor, to see what happened. And most importantly, why whatever did happen, did.

His reply: shitty start. no hitting gave up shortie and kovalchuk scored on pp.

Trust me, I've had the NHL package for the last four years. I didn't exactly fall out of my seat when I read that. So, I turned on the TV and the first intermission report had just started. It was 2-1... I was a bit surprised by that (he was watching on DVR delay, so the Sabres hadn't scored yet). Still, the only thing that was in the back of my mind was the fear of Jhonas Enroth looking like dog shit. To no surprise, he really didn't. The first goal was a special teams trainwreck, and the second was simply Kovi being Kovi. Keep in mind, there is a reason why Ilya Kovalchuk knocks on the door as a household name in the NHL (outside of the five players that the casual hockey fan can actually list).

Then there was the first Myers goal. I was legitimately happy for him. Not happy that it took a benching to extract the type of player out of him that he should be on a daily basis, but happy nonetheless.

Now, finally being in real time at the start of the second, I expect to see the Sabres flying around, hitting (why would I think that?), and throwing every puck to the net as possible (there was actually a small amount of the latter). Instead, they were overwhelmed by a team that obviously shares none of the same strategy as themselves. Where Buffalo would have crawled into the ever-so-common shell we're all used to seeing, the Devils continued to attack, pushing the Sabres into their own end of the ice while feeling little to no push-back.

Before I knew it, the period is half over, and the Devils win a draw to beat Enroth on an impossible screen... shit balls! Believe me, I was already not expecting a comeback. Especially after the couple of really nice saves that Brodeur actually did have to make in that second period. Those saves surely just further fractured the Sabres' already fragile self-esteem anyway (poor boys).

No need to talk about any more goals. The continuing trend of being out-skated, physically overmatched, and flat out sloppy is getting tiresome to watch, at best. Why does Gaustad have an "A" on his chest anyway? And by the way, it's really irritating to me that he seems to wear it more than Vanek does. The media made an example out of him for his gutless efforts during the Bruins game on Saturday. Don't you think he would have a little bit of a chip on his shoulder from now on? And what was the deal with that one occurance where he and Kaleta came out for a ten second shift in the third? It felt like they expected the Devils to instigate a fight, but since they didn't, their time on the ice was done. Why would the Devils start a fight?! They're winning! Even that dipshit, Pierre McGuire, commented on that.

If this farce keeps up, the Sabres are going to be known as the ultimate laughing stock of the NHL. Even more than they already are. And the pin drops in the arena will be even more prevalent than they already are. I just don't get it. This is worse than what happened Saturday, because it's apparent that there is absolutely no desire from these guys to reverse their image.

If there really is a presumed "iron fist" in this organization [Ted Black] behind the curtain, changes need to be made while this season can still be salvaged. I don't think that Mr. Pegula would appreciate his name being associated with that of a chump after all the emotion he expelled during his inception. He genuinely wants this, right? Well, if not, I'll leave it to the last words that my brother and I texted to each other last night.

Me: they suck, no motivation

Trevor: same ol' shit. this blog will be fun

About That Hit

Okay, I have a confession to make. My immediate reaction to watching Milan Lucic bowl over Ryan Miller was "Holy shit!" As in, I almost couldn't believe what I'd just seen. You just don't see goalies getting run like they did in the '70s and '80s.

But that's not my confession. My very next reaction was hoping that Miller would be shaken up enough that Enroth would be able to string at least five games together. I know, that's terrible. So for that I'm sorry.

Kinda.

Obviously I don't "want" Miller to be hurt. I rarely even hope other teams' players get hurt anymore. I think that comes from having kids of my own now and being able to empathize with other parents. But you sensed that something had to give, and soon. I have no idea what Miller's problem has been lately, but as he was being lit up during the Philly game (which Ruff lost because everyone knew he should've pulled Miller after the second goal), I just remember thinking he either 1) isn't getting laid anymore now that he's married, or 2) knows Enroth deserves to be starting.

That said, I was almost in shock when I heard Ruff was going with Enroth against Calgary on Nov. 4th. I mean, that was the first game of a back-to-back. As I wrote on the Buffalo News blog at some point earlier, Ruff not only should have started Enroth that Friday but on Saturday against Ottawa too if he won. Hey, Ruff's the one who always likes to ride a winner.

But I can understand why he started Miller in Ottawa. For starters, he may just not have his hand on the pulse of his team like I do. But more likely, he (correctly) realized that he could crush Miller's fragile psyche all on his own if he benched him three games in a row.

The Miller-Enroth scandal is nothing if not political. I get it. You can't just abandon the face of the franchise and his six point whatever the hell million dollar salary because some backup's putting up better numbers. Can you?

Well, thanks to Lucic we may not have to find out. Miller's injury should give all of us at least a couple weeks to determine whether Enroth is the real deal or not.

Until then, some quick thoughts on the hit itself and the fallout:

- Of course Lucic ran over Miller on purpose. That's the reason I've wanted Darcy Regier to trade for him the past two years (last year being the opportune time when Lucic had an off-year by his own admission in 2009-10)

- The Sabres' collective lack of retaliation for the hit literally left me in disbelief as I watched them become the laughing stock of the league. So, there are two potential reasons the Sabres did nothing after watching their goalie absorb the biggest cheap shot another team can throw: 1) They don’t like Ryan Miller; 2) Ruff prevented it (either implicitly or explicitly).

As for #1, I have no idea what the team thinks of Miller. If I had to guess, half probably hate him and half probably love him. That's generally the way it goes in a dressing room. But these are hockey players. By the time you're a pee wee, you're always looking for any excuse for a legitimate scrap. Especially when the game's out of reach, which it was by the end of the second period. Translation: Even if you can't stand a teammate, you're still a friggin' hockey player, goddammit!

As for #2, let me be clear here: Ruff's teams have never played with the grit required to win the ultimate prize. I don't think this is even up for debate. Most coaches don't have the luxury of getting two periods to plan their retribution. Lindy had full "slap bet" control for over two-thirds of the game, yet he allowed Barney Lucic to skate away unscathed. What. A. Pussy.

The Bruins and Sabres are simply two different teams. Boston's Cup fate was sealed the moment Nathan Horton was knocked the F out and they rallied around their fallen teammate. The Sabres did the exact opposite last Saturday night, doing their best impression of their coach and tucking and running when it was most important to suck it up and fight back.

Look, Lindy's a nice guy. I know for a fact. He was the celebrity guest at my hockey banquet when I was 15. His wife was pretty hot too, but I digress. In no uncertain terms, the Sabres don't have a rep around the league as a soft team for nothing. It begins and ends with coaching.

- As for Lucic not getting suspended for the hit, I think that was the right call. While the rules state that goalies in Miller's position are not fair game, it's a little difficult to prove Lucic intended for Miller to be concussed and miss time.

But who really cares? This works out swimmingly for the Sabres; it means Patrick Kaleta can steamroll Tim Thomas next Wednesday and only get two minutes. Yeah, yeah ... I realize he'll get 10 games from Brendan Shanahan if he does it because that's just the way shit works in the B-lo, but we've got Corey Tropp. Plus T-Pegs will pay his fine. No worries.

It's the suspense around whether the Sabres even care enough to even the score that has me intrigued.