MattPie

Even if Comrie was 100% ready, they'd have used the full two weeks to buy time with UPL playing well. Now they have to make hard decisions.

I thought it unlikely, but the Sabres are actually in striking distance of a wildcard spot. They can "catch" Washington if they win their games in hand as well was maintain the 7-2-1-ish pace they've been on. That's no small thing, winning 5 games over a 0.600 pace. (for 40 games, that looks like 27-16-2 or something), and assuming the other teams don't surge. Standings-watching here is kinda silly, even if it's fun; it doesn't matter where we stand now relative to other teams, because all it takes is 2 of the 6 teams in the neighborhood to surge and the Sabres would need even more wins to find a spot.

I doubt it happens, but sending one of Quinn or JJP down does make some sense. I doubt they want to break that line up, but those two have been getting low ice-time the last few games. I don't think anyone is going to trade for Hinostroza straight up since they'll be waiting to see if he shows up on waivers. The Sabres play here could be to trade and retain 50% of his salary to increase the possible landing spots. I think he'd be below the vet minimum at 50%.

The awful part of this season is Sabres fans have to root for Boston and Toronto a lot.

MIght still be on the breathing tube.

What's amazing about the whole thing is this isn't some early season or meaningless game and everyone still seems to be thinking about the right things. These are two of the three best teams in the AFC head to head at the end of the season. I'm too cynical to have predicted everyone involved would just toss out the football game for the mental health of the players.

I agree. I just hope it doesn't turn into a "well, my cousin is good with money" situation that you see with people/orgs that come into a bunch of money. The NFL Player Handbook does have chapters on money stuff and they do training classes for the rookies and whatnot, so hopefully everyone is thinking wisely. 🙂

I tried at some point as an easier way to consume the old WGR 10am-noon show, but like @Pimlach I just couldn't bring myself to devote that kind of time to it. I just have no tolerance for listen to some bro/jock ramble on for more than around 30 seconds. I do listen to a fair number of non-sports podcasts since it's interesting to learn. That being said, I'm a hypocrite. I've been on a Pinkbike Podcast kick lately as I'm getting back into MTB. That's not as jock-driven as spectator-sport stuff, but it still kinda is.

I kinda wonder about that. I hope they bring in someone with experience managing that kind of money. A few kilodollars like before, and you can have an amateur just give out some money to local causes. This kind of money can do some really good things or be squandered easily.

The current trend seems to be $1/year of age, maybe Joey is 5. There's also a trend that when the kid gets around their teens, you give them a fairly significant monthly stipend. But, outside of food at home, shelter, etc. they pay for everything themselves. Let them see what's it's like to run out of money halfway through the month if they don't budget.

Meh. I don't see the need for JR to discuss a conspiracy theory regarding a vaccine and a football injury on a hockey podcast with absolutely zero backing in fact. He's just looking for an excuse to spout nonsense. Which is on-brand I suppose for him. Players have made thousands of tackles (not to mention hits in hockey and other sports) since the vaccine without issue, drawing parallels here is just scaremongering.

Didn't listen before, certainly not going to now. What dinks.

The only two outcomes I see are: The game goes in the books as a tie They could play it the Thursday or Saturday after the season, maybe, in the case that the result is truly important It'd be interesting to know if there are any guidelines from the COVID era as I know they likely thought through a lot of this with the idea that games would get cancelled more often. I don't remember there being a week between the regular season and playoffs back in the day, maybe that's the contingency.

I think there's a lot more to consider than when they're playing. Think of all the TV contracts, probably chartered transportation and shipping to get all the NFL equipment to the stadiums (wherever they may be), and most of all, all the stuff that's booked at the Superbowl site. Slipping everything a week would be *hard*.

Server should have been more clear. I don't like confrontation, but in a serving staff situation, not leaving a tip doesn't send a message on its own. Maybe you're a jerk, maybe you forgot, etc., the server doesn't know so there's no lesson. I'm not sure they're going to replay your interaction trying to figure out why they didn't get a tip when it probably happens a couple times a week/shift.

FWIW, that's not the same as making the team. Savoie would be eligible for a 9-game tryout (I think), and Kulich being in the AHL could come up and down without waivers.

I don't think the answer to use a really flawed stat because the other stat has a flaw.

Decided to quickly do the math: with 50 games remaining, Sabres need 64 points to get to 98 points. That's 1.28 pts/game aka 0.640 point%, so something like 6-3-1 every 10. Teams currently sitting 3rd in their divisions are between 0.625 and 0.656, so that's the kind of play required. Not insurmountable given the last few weeks, the 7-2-1 Last 10 helped. WSH and NYR also going 7-2-1 in the last 10 didn't help. If the Sabres manage 14-15 points in the next 10, then it'll be interesting.

Here I thought it was hairstyle choice during that time. Thanks! Watching Skinner skate, you do see glimpses of his figure-skating past in there. In a good way, he makes some unconventional but really fluid moves that most players can't do.

My parents are mad at me that I'm not driving my family into the blizzard so I can get trapped at their house for Christmas. WTF. (Ithaca is predicted to get some wind and a little snow; nothing like the lake effect Buffalo is supposed to see)

Non, ma cherie.

Well, it'd be another entry in the "The Sabres always get the wrong brother" discussion.

Don't worry, the Sabres still have a long way to go before they're even on the bubble.

Put Comrie on a conditioning assignment (can you do that with GT?) to Rochester when he's ready to buy more time. If UPL is still playing well at the end of all that, you still send him down and let Comrie prove himself as was the original plan. Despite the good play, the Sabres still have a long way to go to honestly be in a playoff spot after losing a bunch of games; making decisions based on the playoffs this season is premature.

Could Kane replace VO as 3RW? Maybe. I'm mildly convinced that VO is being dragged down by Mitts. Trade Mitts for a mid-level D, see if VO rebounds. If he doesn't, trade him and *think* about signing Kane as a UFA. I don't think Toews is "good" any more, even a few years ago people were talking about his contract being an albatross.