Stormin Norman

Leopold makes my eye glaze over. Do we really find ourselves in need of his services? He's another one of these guys Ruff is enamored with and it's beyond me to comprehend why.

I am a relocated Sabres fan who watched the game on NBC. It wasn't until later when I was listening to the WGR highlights that I heard Paul calling the game. It sounded very good! At the risk of embarrassing myself, has he done it before? Does he have a background announcing games in his career? I really enjoyed his calls - all of them!

The game is at a different speed than Stafford is able or willing to play this year. If you take away the hat tricks he miraculously came up with last year, he had his typical year, which means disappearing for long stretches. Can't believe I just wasted my 200th post saying that.

Stafford was a zombie out there against Boston last night, an image we have seen repeating itself far too often. No energy, no awareness, floating around and taking the night off. But I will tell you this: Thomas Vanek was playing the same way all night until he got drilled. And he got drilled because he was also playing like a zombie. I was at the game watching all the Sabres, particularly when they were away from the puck. I can easily name ten guys last night who were sleep-walking and resembled in no way the type of players you would see fighting for their playoff lives. I can also name ten who were trying and demonstrated a willingness to pay the price to win. Stafford is in the former group. Another over-priced, over-valued Darcy-type player. I read Eleven's original post... could not be more SPOT ON! P.S. I wish no ill will on Stafford; if he has family or medical issues, I wish him well in either regard (and all of it is rumor and conjecture, anyway). But I heard of no such issues prior to him scoring the big contract during his ONE breakout year. ONE and DONE.

EXACTLY the response needed tonight. But it didn't even cross a Sabre player's mind.