Ghost of Dwight Drane

Pegula burned any currency he had with the league after the Regehr debacle......Regehr didn't want to come here. Terry did a nice job of wooing him. 2 years later, the lockerroom was the only good thing about the franchise. Regehr couldn't pack his bags fast enough to get to LA. It took a full court press to get a defensive defenseman in the last few years of his career to agree to come here. We offered Doan a 30% premium and he didn't even mention Buffalo in his decision making process. The city itself is not a bright light to the rest of the world.....then when you throw in the performance and preception of the team on top of it.....people need to be realistic about who will show up and play here.

You forgot the desire to win part....ergo, they aren't coming to Buffalo all other things equal. And it would be more like.....10 minutes at $2.2 million in Chicago, or 16 minutes at $3 million in Buffalo. The types of guys I WANT on my team would take a little haircut to be on a winner. We've had this debate before, and from a personal side....the best times as a musician I've ever had was playing 4th trumpet in a pro of pros band....rather than lead in a mediocre one.

Not that Voukun was BAD.....but the signal it sent so early in the playoffs was very damaging. It's almost like skipping over your ace in the wildcard series of baseball as the heavy favorites....then bringing him out of the bullpen in the pennant when your hitters aren't hitting and wondering why he got shelled. Take your lumps early to show you have his back and don't NEED him....because at some point you will need him. I liked Boston to begin with, but became very confident in them knowing they had ruined Fleury and the team's confidence. It wasn't just a signal to the goalies, it was a signal to that high powered team that, "Hey, I don't think you 18 skaters can win this opening round of 4 with this guy in net, even though you are huge favorites to win the Cup." When they run into the big boys....that sticks in the back of your head. Now Carolina won a Cup by swithching goalies back and forth.....but they were a middle of the pack team looking for sparks to get lucky and keep going. That's where a chemistry move like that could be the right play. When you are supposed to be "the nuts", you ram your guys down the other team's throat....especially that early in the process.

When you are the favorites to win the Cup.....and the top seed....and you bench your starting goalie a few games into the playoffs against an 8 seed, you just waived the white flag and ruined Fleury for the next 4 rounds. You should have been able to beat NYI with DeLuca in net. Now...when they played a top team and really NEEDED a spark to save themselves, everyone in the world including Fleury knew the team had no confidence in him, so he goes in for 40 minutes....doesn't do well....and now you have a broken goalie, a backup who WAS outperforming and now is back to earth....AND no more cards to play while still needing to win 8 out of the next 11 for the Cup. Sorry......benching your starting goalie like that is like using your phone-a-friend on the $500 question of Who Wants to be a Millionare.....

Bylsma's biggest mistake was pulling Fleury and riding Voukun in the first series.... Any manager with balls sticks to his guns and goes with the guys that got him there, especially against inferior competition. That sent a signal to the whole team that he was nervous....and when skipper is nervous, you should be nervous. Boston is put together a lot like team USA was in the 2010 olympics. Maybe not the firepower of a Canada, but guys that will buzzsaw you til the end.

I'll be honest...after watching the playoffs......it's like having made love to a young Sophia Loren, then have to come home to the manic depressive, 280lb wife.... I don't care! Someone wake me when Darcy is MIA......

Under normal circumstances I would take Bylsma, Torts or Vineault 110x over......but we have Darcy as GM, and we will blow....and that would waste a coach...so we might as well feed the Virgin Rolston to the volcano, and when TPegs wakes up in 2015 and understands he had zero clue.....then we can start from scratch. In all honesty, i don't see them firing Bylsma. If they do, look for a swap.....Torts to Pitt, Bylsma to NYR. It might actually work for both. Iginla is the guy they brought in TO match up against those guys, and he was a zero factor. I've watched pretty much every minute of this series and I noticed him 3 or 4 times. I hope he is injured. He did do fine the first series for sure. When the chips were down though...he wasn't in anyone's face.....he didn't make any plays.......I am a big Iginla supporter and wanted him in a Sabres uniform the past 10 years.....but now I must admit it may not be the best option. Morrow showed up a bit more. Kunitz was a disappointment.....and Malkin and Crosby, sure....but Iginla is the type of guy that needs to drive those guys to be great, and he couldn't even drive himself. Look at what Lucic and Marchand did.....those are the drivers to allow the Bergerons and Krejci to do what they do.

Shag Rug Basement....... I love the descriptive food talk....I can't do it. Tonight, having a celebratory Martini (3) and some pemeal bacon and marinated sicilian olive salad. Went all-out guido for the Belmont and have mortadella, capicola, pepperoni, italian sausage, and dayold bread.....with some tub butter on the side. When my gallbladder goes, I'm going to tell the EMT to take me to ECMC so I can room with Jimbo.

I was surprised to hear the whole NBC crew say Bylsma should be fired..... Maybe the Sabres will hire hir......oh......nevermind..............

I love these games...really do. 70% of these guys have stitches, broken bones, and welts......that's the way to play the game...... I have to admit one thing.....Iginla is DONE. He better come out and say he has a broken hand or something, because he was worthless when it mattered. I was very disappointed.

I'm not judging...just interesting how many people wait so long. I'm not the biggest fan of marraige either after seeing so many people in action over the years. I enjoy doing my own thing too much. I can see getting married sometime, but I think I would be like Shrader and pull the trigger fast. But I'm "old" now too and a lot wiser than when i was an innocent pup. It just seems that so many people want to secure not being lonely then are never truly happy. As you can tell, I love hearing myself talk.....so maybe I'll just buy myself a ring?

Wow....there are a lot of Darcy Regiers of decisiveness in the love world........

Terry: "Thanks for not paying attention to your balance sheet and handing me millions of dollars for the next 15 years to name this clunker, while your company's value takes a 40% haircut..........you'll fit right in."

Marfan ;) Their whole D is so composed in their own zone when the intensity is coming on the forecheck. They are willing to take the hits to move the puck and hang on that last split second to make sure it is an accurate move. They are also doing a decent job of clearing the line of sight for Rask. He faced shots, but many were straight on and sounded like they hit a cinderblock because he was so square to them. Really enjoy these guys....Jagr played with such intensity last night, especially in OT. You can tell he knows this is probably his last go-around and can smell it and wants to get it done. And for as much as people hate Marchand.....he has the offensive skill and body of Ennis, yet somehow manages to have the attitude of a beast. Loving watching him play. And I will still have Lucic's baby. The way he put Cooke in a strangle and willed him to the corner after the whistle while talking in his ear the whole time.....that is prision rape stuff right there, and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving dope.

They made a huge effort for the first 12 minutes or so of OT...all out.

Remember when Horton and Stafford used to be mentioned in the same sense? I can watch this til 4am...agree....

Werther's are the currency of choice in Boca.....

And she rides bareback! Nice catch.....

Maybe he and his uncle can build a rink in Springville....I mean Hamburg...I mean nowhere.....I mean, who's got the investment account the past 3 years?......

Man...been battling myself all day on what to do tonight. The odds have shifted around....Pit would have been -130 in Boston if Game 1 was there. The line opened Boston -120...now smart money at the old school places is moving back to Pitt at -120.....which is where my gut tells me the game will want to go. I really think Boston wins in 6 though. They were my pick to start, and if you go back to Carp's charts.....Pitt by losing these two and Boston winning 6 of 7 is the breakout I was expecting from Boston, and Pitt now can correct hard, even into a sweep. While my hockey gut says Pitt tonight...I've seen enough to stick with Boston and give myself the better chance. Should be a great game. I'm thinking 4-3 OT. They went to Voukoun, so Pitt knows they are stuck with him at least. Merlot and Linguine and clam sauce the choice.....maybe for another thread.

The SAP Center.......where the best seat is 3/4 up the lower bowl.......there's also a luxury suite hidden at the top of the arena.

Orioles are pretty. We get all kinds of birds and nests. Between me and next door, we have this year alone, nesting robins, ducks, purple finch, barn swallows, and I don't know where the yellow finches are nesting, but they are all over the place. The swallows are the coolest. They divebomb you, but if you pay no attention they never get you. They are chatterboxes though and eat all the insects so I'll take'em.

F This.......we just need to start a podcast.

Yum! I actually like cicadas.......the noise is at least somewhat musical, building and fading. Haven't heard any yet.....used to the July/August rush.

Happy Birthday BigTallJoe!!! Should I start a new thread to auction off the rights for giving out birthday spankings? Happy Birthday Bio! I'm a $6.75 bid......