Marvelo

I remember seeing an interview of Marcel Dionne when he was still a star in the minors, maybe about '70-'71. He went to a Sabres game at The Aud for some reason and in this youthful interview marveled at the how the passionately the crowd cheered for the team, and that's when The Aud only had a capacity of about 10,000. I distinctly remember him saying "that's for me!" Silly me, I thought he'd come to Buffalo after that, but even though he didn't he left an impression that players want to go where they're appreciated, no matter how modestly the team does, like the early Sabres.

Except if they got picked by the Sabres, who rush the wrong kids because of a lack of leadership and had a dinosaur like Ruff running the show. I think a guy like Myers was just brought up too quickly. Sure he won ROY the first year but his skills just weren't up to par and obviously his attitude after the big contract (coming back way out of shape, please!) and the pros catch on real quick. His skills weren't good enough when he started, he didn't get coached the right way and now we're playing catchup ball. It's tough to tell whether a player's going through a mental funk or they just suck. It takes time to evaluate that. With Myers, we can't wait til he's 29 for him to start producing, like they did Chara.

I think at this level, passing, like skating and shooting, should be a skill that's been ingrained so many times, and continues to be ingrained, the muscle memory it takes to make an accurate pass to a teammate in flight should be routine and automatic. When I see a Myers or a Sekera, just to single out a couple players, throw passes in someone's direction that go far ahead of where that player is, I see a passer who has little confidence, control, foresight or understanding, or any combination of those four. If it's a fairly consistent occurrence, I don't think they're at the stage where they can work on it anymore. Those skills should've been honed in the minors. These men are supposed to be professionals, not high schoolers still learning the game.

http://www.wgr550.co...h-back/16016461 Hamilton's been around a long time. He might be fed up with this current roster and blowing off steam but he has a point. This is something many of us have been harping on for a long time. How many passes have we seen from veteran players go completely awry? Do we rub our eyes when a rookie like Mark Pysyk passes better than half the team? The Sabres are a team with good individual players that don't play well together for some reason. Here's another quote from my friend Coach Dennis Chighisola. Could it be that they don't care about each other? Stats should be kept about making blown passes. Those who don't pass well on a consistent basis can't be taught at this level, they should be weeded out. An assist is as good as a goal in my book.

I respectfully disagree with the spectacular part. Sure he's built the business to a great extent but has proven terrible at getting value on the field with his players, much as Pegula. He's tried to buy championships and has failed and continues to fail miserably. Disgruntled Angels and Sabres fans will just not continue to grumble, they'll dwindle, until these owners stop hiring or keeping flunky GMs and keeping stale, incumbent managers and come up with personnel people who actually have vision. I've been an Angels fan and Sabres fan since 1970 and I can see definite parallels between Moreno and Pegula, two nouveau riche types who are meddlesome with their rosters and awful when it comes to building a team. They are both clueless, believe me and it pains me to no end that these are the two sports teams I follow, having totally given up on da Bills.

I don't think Vanek or Miller will get as much as we think. They're both flawed and they're both very expensive. Teams are smart. They scout. They know that Miller will play a spectacular 1/2 game and then give up 2 softies. They know Vanek gets tired or hurt or disappears for stretches of time. For $7 mil a year they'd rather get someone younger with upside. They're not going to give up a lot for their perceived superstardom. We might be surprised as to their lower than expected return. I see TPegs picking up salary when or if they're traded. As for Terry Pegula, as much good as he's done for Buffalo, he's as clueless as the ultra-wealthy ex-billboard salesman Arte Moreno (Angels) as an owner. I think maddeningly the Sabres might continue to hand out these mega contracts to these "superstars" in name only.

Bob McAdoo.

Vanek is a skilled sniper but he gets roughed up and you know he's going to miss time every season. He's not a speed demon anyway and you can tell when he's playing hurt...he plays like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. This might be his best statistical year (with a limited schedule) and he's still injured. Vanek without Pominville is going to be like peanut butter without jelly. He's scored many goals for this franchise over the years but signing the offer sheet with Edmonton didn't give me a good feeling and now that his partner is gone, I don't get the feeling he wants to stay.

#13 here we come.

Thanks for your insight from way out there in Germany, much appreciated. You seem to have a grasp of what these Sabres are about although a fair amount of your focus seems to be on our Germans. Hecht showed me some leadership last night. I too was hoping for a chance at the lottery this year so that we could stockpile young talent but maybe we're just too mediocre to be bad. I'm interested in how the team sucks it up in the absence of the chronically injured Vanek and Leino. It's gotten so bad that I think you really can't count on these two players. Many of the guys on the ice last night represent the long road from Rochester, although it's a relatively short drive. More power to them. Pardy's pass from the point right to Adam's wheelhouse was the highlight of the game for me. Love those jagged teeth on Lukey. Too many bad passes have put us in this position and it was refreshing to see some professional looking passing on our side for a change. (Are you listening Sekera?)

well I guess "Gerber" and Co. beat that sorryass Ottawa announcer's team.

I'm not a Darcy apologist by any means but maybe we don't know the whole story. Maybe it was Golisano that nixed everything and broke things up in '07 with Briere and Drury, although I'm now starting to hear that Briere might've been "player tampering" to set things up. I also tend to think that Rigas was the one who prevented the Sabres from getting over the top w more player acquisitions for the cup run in '99. Regier just kicked butt on 5 sep. deals. I like the forward momentum he has here with his trades, although his draft record has been poor. So it's the drafting that's been suspect in my eyes, not the trading and many of the bad moves of the present -- Leino, Myers, and Ehrhoff and past -- Drury/Briere etc. have been because of the faulty owners and not the GM. And Lindy was no help in forming a team, I really think he was a dinosaur from day 1. Really the only big thing I fault Regier for was not going all out and pulling off the Vanek for 4 #1 picks from Edmonton.

I think Coach Scar got hit in the face with a brick.

Apparently staff for alex bumestrov ( Nikita Filatov 2.0) was close. But maybe we dodged a bullet...and maybe the peg did too.

Ben Roethlesberger has broken both his legs in a car accident. http://ben.roethlisb...on=Pennsylvania

hopefully Darcy can fleece someone today, much like he fleeced Van and Dallas last year.

I like the chemistry w Lukey, his size, his teeth and the rest of the Amerks. Keep him up and keep getting rid of the expensive vets.

Run for the bus! No, don't run for the bus!

You're right, you gotta have heart. After Drury left, Buffalo didn't have a leader. Pominville tried to step up but but it's not in him; he's the closest we have to veteran leadership. Maybe the culture is changing now that Ott's here but they say they're brothers but they just doesn't trust each other. There are too many mistakes every game and they don't have the talent or heart to either build or protect a lead. Daddy Warbuck's $8 million locker room has got to be a weird place right about now.

Kassassin to the minors! http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=419547

Now Kassian's been sent to the minors. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=419547

...and then picks the wrong guys with the draft choices.

I am done with Ennis and Sekera.

who taught this team how to pass? :sick:

"worst ice ever in NHL...?" so says Jack Hillen. I thought Uncle Terry gave us the best ice.