Ghost of Dwight Drane

I saw more nice hits in that last 1:30 than in a 3 game span in February.....

Darcy's got the runs Miller and Myers lotus Playoffs why never

If Charlie Huddy had that helmet today.....this board would probably start a petition to make him get a new one with a full cage and a visor......

Shall we compare notes about our childhoods, Clarice?.........

He fought 3 pretty tough customers early in the year and bloodied all 3..... It isn't about Kassian the player in relation to the future at this point....but at that point in time, the dynamic in that video screams out at me. 8-37% of people hate me in every class

I've really watched this close now.....and if you break down the entire exchange and Kassian's body language.....I like Kassian even more, and it shows that his ears were pricked when he saw Ruff doing what he did to Adam. Kassian is winded and down, but gets to his knee. He laughs at Ruff, at which point Ruff drops an F-bomb on him. Kassian is pretty much "whatever"....he actually relaxes and drops his shin back, taking an even more prone position on the ice....that is UNTIL Ruff hits Adam over the head, at which point, Kassian stiffens up and comes to his feet...sensing a confrontation. After Ruff goes back to talking, Kassian hunches over in a relaxed posture once again...and is listening to Ruff......UNTIL.....Ruff hits Adam in the visor with his stick while not even looking.......at which point Kassian looks back for a good second to see if Adam was ok....probably asking himself. "WTF is this guy doing?".......and then a few seconds later as Ruff makes his lunge towards Kassian...Kassian instinctively gets up from his hunched position....and the best part is....he relaxes his wrists as if to be ready to drop the gloves! Kassian wasn't buying Ruff's schtick and in fact had multiple rational, instinctive reactions in preparing for a confrontation. This was Adam's 3rd or 4th rodeo with Ruff and other than ducking the stick a few times.....yeah....maybe he is weak....that's what he showed.....which is exactly why Ruff would go after a guy like that because he knew Kassian wasn't buying it. I didn't need to break that down to get to the conclusion, but since so many people can't seem to see what is happening, I really wanted to look further to make sure I am seeing what I feel to be true.

If he is weak....then it isn't light chiding.....it's identifying weakness and making an example to intimidate you next supposed young prospect who you need to break..."The Lindy Way" He had the guy doing pushups, then in a passive-agressive sarcastic voice starts his little lesson while going back multiple times to lay a stick on the guy....on his head and his eyes. All that adds up to me. The initial pop on the shins.....that would be fine.....a little pop like, "Awe...you should know better Luker!". Maybe if it was a basketball he threw at him and called him a fairy.....the whole country would be up in arms.

I'm just relaying what I heard and saw from someone in the Sabres' top brass....and followup comments the weeks after in interviews. At this point, the ATM machine is still spitting out free dollars, so if that is no longer the case, or I get confirmation by something that happens.....then I will say why I thought those guys were some targets. If I say now....the ATM gets locked down. There is still a chance it was total coincidence, or someone has the most brilliant practical joke in history going....but I think I have a solid beat here. Luongo wasn't one of the people targeted....I just threw it out as an option if Miller leaves and you can't get the 1 or 2 young guys you are looking at in net.

Imagine him doing that to Ott....... He wouldn't Obviously most people don't see what I do in this video and having 16 years of history watching Ruff's body of work. You don't get into people's faces and mess with their eyes.......it's the equal to a baseball manager trying to make a point and spitting sunflower seeds or dip juice just to the right or left of a player, then hitting him in the face with it. Maybe the world is so pussified that it's not a big deal to most? I guess I am not surprised.

Torts has a similar aspect as Ruff, but he displays it in that he doesn't suffer fools lightly. He is more Bill Belichick. His message and antics can wear you out as well. I think they are fine. Even Philly is about to get off the hot seat. Not many people made a fuss. It's as clear as day to me. Within 5 months....the top 2 prospects in your organization that were featured in that video were traded, and burried in Rochester. Is that not enough to make people question the methods? Again....I would have grabbed the stick and launched it, but Lindy knows who he can control....

Starts at 1:10 If you want dance recital videos of Ted Black as an 11 year old.....I keep those in the same video library as well......

Adam sounds real sad Lindy is gone, doesn't he? Lindy swung his stick without looking and hit him in the freaking visor! It was all in the name of disciplining his young, mouldable players.....not a "Sweet Shot Luker!" and a love tap. He has him doing pushups......wants to intimidate Kassian who thinks Ruff is nuts, but Ruff knows Kassian would probably knife him....so he starts out all cute with a shin tap, then cracks him on the head where you hear it across the rink, tries again but Adam ducks....then doesn't look and flails his stick at Adam's eyes where he would have gotten hit in the eye if not for a visor....you can hear it hit the visor. I think the effort, results, and comments since Ruff has left should stand on their own. Ott took over this team, Rolston is telling Kaleta to play his game, Weber is the most steady defender, Leino is freelancing...sure Rolston sat him for a period, but he looked good when back, Regehr got nasty again.......the AHL kids are giving effort. Just the fact that Lindy chose the captain and gave it to a guy he knew would have a hard time speaking up to a serial sex offender dating his own sister........that should clue people in.

Does Rutgers have a hockey team?

When Roy was here playing with Vanek.....how did we not call it The Vienna Sausage Line?

A goal and an assist off the crappy backhand.......Hecht needs to head to Fallsview and plop 5k on the 5 at roulette..... So does paying the IRS.....

In about 2 hours when Angry Eleven shows up, I want you to triple down on those Loritab....and we all can watch a cyber-showdown!

There's something you don't see everyday......

Yeah...Louie is realistic about his success. He found a formula, and calmed his delivery down over the years to really connect with the audience. There are only so many new observations you can make or variations on a theme, but he has done well. I think Chris Rock did that for a while. His show really hit a flow and his delivery was great. In real life he is funny....but nothing as good as his act was. Louie is funny in real life too, but he is pretty introverted from what I can tell...just a real nice guy. I like to read books of comics. Many times I am horribly disappointed with the lack of transfer of skills from stage to pen. Adam Corolla is probably the best writer out there now where you can be just as entertained by his book. His voice carries through the whole time.

I am pretty convinced that the plan is to go after 2 or 3 starpower names....with the goal being at least 1 of them a big forward in his "prime". Now in case I am right, I just want to say that I have no connections with the team, but one of the brass made a bit of a public blunder that lead me on a trail of breadcrumbs. If we would have pulled off one of the giant trades I feel we were looking at, I would disclose it, but since it didn't happen I will sit on it until I figure out for sure just what the heck it means what I learned. I'm saying this because if I was/am right, I don't want anyone getting in trouble thinking someone leaked something ahead of time that was in confidence. This is public info I am going off of. Possibly poorly secured info with not many eyes on it, but public nonetheless. I may seem to be going out of character here, but Darcy really has put them in a good and flexible position going into the draft. I agree with him that players have a premium at the deadline, and picks at the draft. I don't think that we will be using all those picks.....and I don't think they will sit back for 3 years and just let the product go to hell. While I am not confident that Darcy can ever build a winner here, he is executing a plan in my opinion. They now have Plan A and Plan B options........Plan A is move the remaining core, maybe hanging on to Vanek if possible.....and using a combo of those players, their extra draft picks, and prospects.....go get some big names who have a track record of top performance.....and still try and compete with the big boys while understanding they may be a little topheavy. I'm sure they seriously want to find a few centers with size as well....a 1 and a 3. If for some reason the market is locked up come draft time, they do have picks to fall back on and build the future base. I really don't think that is the plan though. If they luck out in the lottery, great....but if they are sitting on pick 6 and say a Bobby Ryan could be had if the Ducks can't make a run this year....then maybe you see Stafford, Armia, the 6 pick and a 2nd in 2014 going for him. You still have Minny's pick and multiple 2nds. Another name to keep an eye on is Lydman is a free agent this summer. Wouldn't be shocked to see Pegula want him back here, ancient and all. I think there was a huge deal being talked about with the Lightning. They ended up going somewhere else for their goalie, but my guess on LeCavalier being a target got hit when he broke his foot. I could also see Conacher being attractive to both Darcy and Pegula given his age and local ties. There was smoke and fire there, but it just didn't work out. Now the cynic in me says Regier got Pegula juiced with some big trade talk, only to pull the plug so he can stick around for all the summer doings for sure.....but he did actually put them in a good position come summer. I guess we have no choice but to sit back and see what happens at this point. My best guess going forward is Miller and Stafford are gone for sure, they talk with Vanek about a possible extension and try to get him a big winger in his prime, and a #1 vet center who may be past his prime but is tough to play against, setting up a legit #1 powerplay unit and top line. Hodgson is your #2 center, and given the ? on Grigorenko, I can see them starting him out in Rochester next year and going to the FA market to find a gritty #3 center who can lead a classic shutdown line. You may see them spend in the 2-3 million range for him. If Miller goes, then they will probably try and pry a young starting caliber guy from someone with picks and prospects. Worst case scenario, they could have enough room to take a shot on Luongo. In a strange way......I'm ok with where they are. I think there is a plan there besides just sucking for a few years. I am not confident it will work or that the right guys will be coming to town, but I am far from huffing and puffing at this point.

I'm still standing pat that Pegula wants superstar names in here, and I am not convinced there will be a full rebuild. It's fine to gather up picks...and overall Darcy did just fine getting those in return this week, but I don't think Pegula wants to wait 3 years for a total gutting. We still have name assets that can fetch name assets.

Sweet. Thought about going. He's really at the top of his game right now. He found out a great formula for a standup routine. I lived across the street from the Miami Improv for a few years and guys would show up unannounced and do a set. Got to see Chapelle, Chris Rock, but haven't seen Louie live yet.

This reminds me......I need to buy the Reno 911 box set on Ebay.......

That might be the sweetest group of people I've ever been lumped with in my life!

Thanks for the heads-up!

I just saw their interviews on TV.....Miller saying he never knows what Darcy is thinking in what he does.....and Vanek like you said, but his expression was like "whatever...he has no clue"....and went on to say he isn't the GM. It's been a buildup from both these guys the past few weeks. Now with Theodore shifting gears and trumpeting how we are going to be great because we have a 1.2% chance of winning the lottery with accumulated picks........yikes. I'm very interested to see the season ticket holder reaction to this. It may be a falling knife....if people bail on tickets and the waiting list sees this, the bid may just collapse. The best part about Darcy staying on is that I once again can burn my leisure cash on other activities.