MattPie

Thanks for the write-up!

You keep saying "kevlar" but I don't think that word means what you think it means. :) Kevlar, as I understand it, is a fabric that is extremely resistant to tearing, abrasion, or puncture. You see it mostly used in bullet-proof (or rather, resistant) garments, gloves for handling sharp things, and a lot of motorcycle applications (gloves, jackets, pants, etc.). IT doesn't protect against impact at all. I have some kevlar stuff in my bike gear, and it feels like somewhat-heavy cotton. Now if you want to talk carbon fiber, that might be more to what you're thinking (light and stiff). The problem there is CF tends to crack or shatter when it's repeatedly hit. CF is fiberglass, but using carbon-weave fabric instead of glass-weave so it's a lot lighter.

And, at the end of next year he may well be gone. Money offered by Buffalo probably won't be an issue, but if he decides he wants to go play for the Seattle Grunge (recently moved from Miami) since they're the odds-on favorite for the cup finals.

How does someone know the cuppy feet part? You seem to be "in the know" so is there place that lists stats (horsestats.com, etc.) or is it message board chatter? Or I suppose you might have direct knowledge of the horses too. :)

While I liked the "Swords of 1000 men" idea that bounced around here a few years ago (catchy and there's obvious sing-a-long parts), I'll say it again: given the last two seasons, I think The Heavy's "How you like me now" with a couple edits would make a great goal song. Cut out (or back) the verses and just use the chrous and bridge.

This! People that complain about Facebook are almost always complaining about things that are easily fixed. "Oh, I get all these game requests!" Block the games as the come along, it takes like 30 seconds and you never have to see that game again. "My friends are constantly posting nonsense food pictures!" Get better friends.

Come on man, bring it: what's a rough estimate of the resonant frequency of the brain? Turns out you're right: Scott Stevens didn't start playing until 1991.

You can, but you can find all manner of fancy bitters on the Amazon.

I like it from time to time, but it tends to be very subtle flavors and not "hearty" eating. I can understand why some folks don't bother. I don't understand, "ewww, it's raw" though. That's just being close-minded.

I found a good post of hfboards earlier but forgot to post it. The other above posts are correct: before there was a draft, teams ran junior teams and your rights were pretty much assigned to the team who owned your team. No draft, so players were courted young, I think I saw Bobby Orr signed with the Bruins when he was 11 (!!!!). At the time, if you were good an NHL team would find you and you'd sign with them. The draft in 1964 apparently only applied to unsigned kids, so it took a few years until the young, signed ones to percolate out of the system. There were still some protections for local players to teams until 1969. It seems like 1970 was the first year the draft was truly open to all teams and players could go anywhere.

Or that was the first year Montreal didn't have dibs any more. :) I took a look at Montreal's seasons since 1970: - I didn't realize the run they were on from 67-80. Am I reading that right, they had 8 cups in 13 years? Yikes! - If you take the "we get dibs" effect out (they presumably got good FC kids in 67-69 and those kids played well for the Habs through the 70s) and start with 1980, they have only two cups.

How many Montreal cups came when they had dibs on any French Canadian players? I'm wondering how that worked, did Montreal just get to submit a list of players they wanted and got? Or did they sit in the call and any time a FC player came up with another team's pick they just yelled, "dibs, you EEnglish pig-dogs" into the phone?

Are you really trying to equate the 96-97 Sabres (who lost to Philly 1-4 in the 2nd round) with Pittsburgh? That's a stretch.

If you're up for a ride, there's a place near me called "The Whip" that normally has decent wings and beef on weck on the menu. It's an "English" pub in horse country, but the manager is/was from Orchard Park NY. For awhile, Victory Brewing in Downingtown had beef on weck on the menu; the chef liked experimenting with local foods. It wasn't bad, but the roll was a little foo-foo compared to a traditional sandwich. http://www.thewhiptavern.com/

I don't understand why it's so pervasive, but it's been a long time since Buffalo has had a decent rep as a city nation-wide. I think it's because the only time Buffalo makes the national news is when we're snowed in. I'm furiously trying to enjoy the 4 weeks of nice weather here before it gets miserably hot and humid here near Philadelphia. These four weeks here is the same weather are what Buffalo gets from June until September. But that doesn't make the news. It's all about air conditioning. Once AC became prevalent, it wasn't as miserable to live in the south so lots of people moved there to get away from the snow. As for the teams, that one baffles me. As you mention, Buffalo fans support their teams through thick and thin (and there's been lots of thin) when many cities would have left them to die. That being said, based on population Buffalo would never be awarded a team now. While Buffalo used to be in the top-10 in population 100 years ago and still respectable 50 years ago, we're near #50 in the US now.

This does seem like a pretty big sell, I'm not sure I'm buying yet. :) Drane, you're making a big deal about the fastest coach to 200/250 wins. Anyone want to look to see how many first-time NHL coaches get handed the keys to the previous year's SCF finalist?

Matt Ellis.

No kidding. I wonder if there's a good place in Lancaster (PA); I'll meet you half way.

Fixed that for you. Crumbles have their uses. :)

I'm sure they do, but I can't imagine ordering anything other than traditional wings if I'm at Bar Bill. Honey BBQ is for when I'm at Buffalo Wild Wings or something (not in Buffalo).

Frankly, I was worried I'd be banned for taking a stand against blue cheese. I stand by my statement: the only reason to put blue cheese on wings is if you don't like how wings taste alone. I can't fathom why someone wouldn't like wings alone though. Many years ago I worked with a guy that went to college in Buffalo and he was giving me about not eating BC on wings. I had to pull the "I've been eating wings since I was 5 years old" line on him. :) Also, I don't put horseradish on beef for the same reason. The beef and roll are so damn good on their own, why would I add something that completely overwhelms that? Celery is for wiping up the bits of sauce in the bottom of the basket. Can't let it go to waste.

It just makes it more like real life. NYI and EDM having been picking (and making trades) by a different set of rules for years!

F that, blue cheese is for people who don't enjoy what wings taste like.

I think California mandates a week of paid leave for fathers. That's something at least.

That would be nice. In theory, I have 3 months of FLMA leave for the birth of my child up until 1 year after the birth. Unpaid leave, that is. I'm not sure how many people can afford to take 1/4 year off without pay, but it ain't me with a wife that isn't working and a new baby (well, at the time, she's 9 mo. now). To make it worse, if I were to take the time, I'm technically not an employee so all my accesses and accounts get turned off and it takes forever to get everything reinstated once I get back to work.