Stoner

Take a step back. How should it work? Think of the most successful sports franchises? Are they swimming around looking for a philosophy or a style? Or has the philosophy been long established and everything fits that philosophy? Terry and Kim clearly aren't equipped to construct the wellspring from which everything else flows. That's why you need a hockey czar. Don't like that idea and want the GM to be it? Fine, but then GMKA's "What is a Sabre?" was a mish mash of pish posh. Where does that leave us? The players fit the coach. The coach fits the GM. The GM fits the philosophy, which has staying power despite the people who come and go. Examples? The Pittsburgh Steelers are a good one, I think. Blitzburgh. Run and stop the run?

Hopefully not — although the devil on my left shoulder immediately tells me I can't argue against mediocrity and living in the past and for blowing the stink off a stagnant franchise and still argue for Rick's return. What I think the RJ50 culmination was all about was a franchise that has so little to celebrate finding something obvious to celebrate. Dev tells me it was PSE going almost over the top so people couldn't say Rick didn't get the proper sendoff. Based on the VP's recent comment and Rick's comment on hoping to work with the crew again, I honestly think it's up in the air and it's the same scenario of lo these many years: Rick and the Sabres will sit down and try to work something out this summer. Health could be a big factor. Brawndo can chime in, but that bruise under his eye was concerning. And the other night when Rick thumbed his nose at Rob, his hand was all discolored. Maybe just aging skin or maybe he's on blood thinners or something.

I am but an innocent rural Pennsyltuckian.

It's interesting how the informal nominations line up with the Top Contributors feature, where people get a vote when you give positive feedback to a post. I'll put Doohickie over the top based on his "votes" in the past month and week. Solid meme work and he often checks my cynicism. (I eventually toss him off with one hand and stickhandle with the other, but he tries.)

Taro, Thorny, MODO and Dudacek join the pantheon of greatness. (If I've lost count, please correct me.)

Yearning?

What, this guy isn't good enough for her?

That's the idea, eventually.

Rick said after the game, in so many words, he hopes to return next season. He thanked the crew in the booth, the people in the truck and the camera operators before saying, "...hope that I'll have the opportunity to work with them again."

So far, LGR and Brawndo have secured spots in the poll. Taro and MODO need one more poster to nominate them. Thorny, Pimlach, inkman, dudacek and Doohickie need two more. Others were mentioned, but I don't think they were nominations per se.

You're listening to Sabres hockey... on GR-55 Off to work. I hope I don't catch wind of any kind of Rick announcement.

Craig Laffey was the victim once. By the way, I have a pic from the Aud of a Je-Je-Je-Je-Jeanneret sign.

Whenever (linesman won't drop the puck) A wild and woolly one! (rare) Kicked that one off into the corner (goalie) Look out! (puck into crowd) That one almost hit the scoreboard! All he's got left is his dignity! (fighter has no helmet, gloves, sweater, shoulder pad etc.) Bob Swados, the late legal eagle for the Sabres, called watching a playoff game "delirious agony" in his autobiography.

Rolled around behind the net A boouuuuuncer! A blast! A Howitzer! A cannon! He rifled that one home! Halfway through regulation time

I beg your pardon. Betwixt and between (rare) They've got their own game going (rare) A-gain (Canadian pronunciation) Uses the boards Rattles it in He would have been gone He hit the goalpost, he smoked it off the pipe (retired, apparently)

Jeanneretisms. Go! Waaaaaaay offside. An acre offside. That'll be icing if he touches it first, he does, and it is! The game is over!

Skinner what?

Same here. I just hope if it is there can be a way for Rick to be there for the big moments to come. Even if he just records a call or two from home watching a replay.

Jeff mailed that one in.

The Best of Rick? Listen to three or four minutes of playoff game without a whistle. That was his brilliance. All the rest was frosting on Mama's sugar cookies.

Blood emergency? Let's help Sid donate some.

That was beautifully done.

I have. Mike Wallace asking RaKru for the truth, or something. How could you forget? MW is LMCMT. It's never been associated with success.

It's not practical to do so, but it would be interesting to see who's been posting during games right from the hopeful beginning to the hopeless end. There are quite a few who fit the bill. No way to pick one... maybe we should offer up The Gametime Poster, sort of like the tomb of the unknown soldier. Reminder that this the season's best poster, not necessarily all-time best posters or your favorite poster. A slight difference, but a different nonetheless. Who's been bringing it in our hour of need?

I've thought about this for awhile now. Everyone else in hockey gets awards, why not SabreSpace posters? Who should win the first Spacey Award? (What's that? I'm being told our lawyers advise against that name.) OK, I don't know what it should be called or what the trophy should look like or how such an honor should be bestowed virtually. I just know we should honor the poster who has been the best among us this 2020-2021 season. Nominations are sought. Name the poster and offer a brief statement of support. Let's say three nominations are needed to move on to a final poll. I'm the clear winner, of course, but since I'm running the process, I'll disqualify myself. I ask the dozens of you, nay hundreds, who were prepared to vote for me to offer your second choice.