I am Defecting

Taro Tsujimoto was kind of a letdown. At least Leino notched some assists.

If you build it, they will come and take their shirts off. Well played Kim. Your daughters must be proud.

I'm happy when you're happy, Ghost. Incoming! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SZk3ynPFlY

Tank vs Chopper, the last 20 years If a tank is defined as a team that has finished in the bottom three in the league at least once in the previous ten seasons, and a chopper is defined as a team that has not finished in the bottom three in the previous ten seasons, then in the last 20 seasons, tanks have won 9 Stanley Cups, choppers have won 11 Stanley Cups. From 1990/1991 till 2010/2011, a team that was in the bottom three went on to win the Stanley Cup within 10 seasons on 15/63 occurrences... putting the tank conversion rate at %24. This is the same success rate as the teams that finish runner up for the Stanley Cup,who win the Stanley Cup within 10 years (5/21). On an aside, only 14% of teams that lose the Conference Finals (6/42), go on to win the whole shebang within 10 years. Of course, teams that win the Conference Finals win the Stanley Cup 50% of the time. Of total teams that made the Conference Finals, from 1991-2011, only 38% won the Stanley Cup within 10 years. In the same 1991-2011 period, the three worst-point-total teams that made the playoffs, went on to win a round that year on 18/63 occurrences... putting the round advance success rate at %29. In fact, from 1991-2001, 3/63 bottom-three playoff teams went on to the Stanley Cup finals that same year. However, a bottom three playoff team went on to win the Stanley Cup within 10 years on only 10/63 occurrences. That's only 16% of bottom three playoff teams that went on to win the Stanley Cup within 10 years. As for your question about needing to win out, the three teams with the highest point totals to miss the playoffs, also have a 10/63 or 16% occurrence rate of winning the Stanley Cup within 10 years. With regards to eventually winning the Stanley Cup, it makes no difference if the Sabres barely make the playoffs, or barely miss the playoffs, though I prefer it when they barely make the playoffs, because they have a 29% chance of winning a round. Analysis The Sabres give themselves the best chance of winning a Stanley Cup if they intentionally win the Conference Finals. However, they cut their odds of winning the Cup within 10 years in half, if they intentionally lose those Stanley Cup Finals. So it's best to make the Cup Finals and not try to lose, second best to make the Conference Finals and try not to lose. It's third best to make the Stanley Cup finals and try to lose, and it's fourth best to tank. It's a bad idea to make the Conference Finals and try to lose, because you'd have a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup by barely making or missing the playoffs. For those of you who are determined to pursue the fourth best available option, here is my extended analysis. The Benchmark: The Hurricanes entered the tank in 02-03, after appearing in the finals 01-02. 3 seasons campaign till ultimate victory. (not counting the the lockout) Best case scenarios: The Penguins entered the tank in 02-03, and emerged victorious in 08-09. 6 seasons played till ultimate victory. (not counting the lockout) The Blackhawks entered the tank in 03-04 and emerged victorious in 09-10. 6 seasons played till ultimate victory. (" ") The Kings entered the tank in 06-07 and emerged victorious in 11-12. 6 seasons played till ultimate victory. Acceptable outcomes The Lightning entered the tank in 92-93, and exited in 93-94, and entered it again in 94-95, and exited again for 95-96 and 96-97, then moved back into the tank for 4 full seasons, and finally emerged victorious 7 seasons later. It was a hard fought, back and forth 12 season campaign. The Nordiques entered the tank in 88-89 and emerged victorious 8 seasons later as the Colorado Avalanche. Conclusions: Winning tank campaigns take an average of 7 seasons to complete, putting the Sabres estimated Stanley Cup parade at June 18th, 2020. The "Pittsburgh model" puts the parade in 2019. In the last 20 years, only 6 teams have used the tank to their ultimate advantage. 76% of the time a team in the bottom three will not win the Stanley Cup. Stay safe in there, fellas.

I always figured 3,000 wells, 3,000,000 gallons of water per well, 9 trillion total gallons total. That's more than enough water to drain all of the Finger Lakes. That takes some mettle. Now it's toxic and he's a billionaire. So he comes in proclaiming Hockey Heaven, and his disciples claim its Pegulaville, and hang signs from the bridges saying that Terry is proof that God loves Buffalo,.and create slogans like One Nation Under God Pegula, and In God Pegula We Trust, I just saw this hockey team fall to the lowest depths that they have ever achieved in the history of the franchise, and it was by God's Pegula's design. There is a void in our hearts that winning used to fill, and in the vacuum that is left, God knows what will creep in. For anyone that thinks that one more year of unprecedented failure guarantees us championships, I must say you have incredible faith, but be careful, "The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." (Thessalonians 2:7-10) Charge him with meddling? Let's bring down the Anti-christ for unpaid parking tickets while we're at it.

John Malkovich as Edward Teach "Blackbeard," in the season finale of Crossbones on NBC, right now. Can't miss Pirate TV. Sabres, Cutlasses, it's all OT.

Breaking Pirate News! Cristopher Walken to play Captain Hook in NBC's December 4th live performance of Peter Pan! Or perhaps you'd rather watch the Sabres at the Lightning that night, for the latest stop in their nationwide tour. This year they'll be performing the largely improvised tragicomedy, McDeath for McDavid. Quite a bit of groundbreaking theatre on the horizon, or should I say. Stay tuned to this page, for when it also involves Pirates.

(a three mast ship appears at Canalside, with Darcy standing at the ship's bow with a three corned hat, and patch on one eye) Land Ahoy! All hands on deck! Mind the Buoys, First Mate Drew! Cast the anchor, Jhonas Cabin Boy, afore we run aground! Arrrrgh! Raise the Jolly Roger! Unscabbard ye cutlasses! Ayoy there!!! We bring Hemorhoids and hellfire and scurvy back to all ye other scurvy curs! We've come to claim back me Myers and Ennis! I'll hang all yer high draft picks from me Block and tackle and throw em in the brig, lest yer hand over me spoils! (Terrified and caught entirely unaware and defenseless, Tim Murray surrenders the Myers, Ennis, and the remainder of the inherited players and picks to the Dread Pirate Darcy) And throw in me Moulson or ther'll be sufferin' like ye can't imagine! Arrrgh! (Tim Murray corroborates, his only hope, that future losses and the resulting high draft picks might replenish his team) Raise the anchor, maytees! Unfurl the main mast! Fair winds and following seas! Three sheets to the wind, ye salty dogs! Straight back to the Phoenix Coyotes maytees! We be headed for a victeerious eight place finish and a gleerious first round exit! Arrrgh! Yo, ho, ho. A pirate's life fer me!

Have at thee, good geetings, woody! Would be a temerous project indeed to row against the current on Nolan's ship. Me be thinking indeed to pluck one of the youngsters out of his sight without him keening knowt. Methinks a Stafford or an Enroth wouldn't be missed, and could be right and left hand mates on my ship. Third or Fourth round picks, I've got a'plenty. After I've plucked em clean and groomed 'em for first mates roles. I'd make a booty plenty. Stafford's entering his prime and's primed for war. Me thinks I'll just use Enroth as me training slave to get the Staff of Jah ready. Arrgh!

Ahoy thee alliterate Pirate! Pirate pushes principles that pundits pass to pupils. There it is, matey.

Avast Maytee! We be Pirates! So sudden we be weddin' the kings daughters, no say? Lest me least sell me mate Grigorenko for ransom to the king, no less. Have at thee with the kingsfolk at thy leisure, but don't spite me my bounty!

Aye, but ye can interpret what ye means by arms, shant thee. Arrrgh. I'm off to the Pirate Thread, with me Sabre and dueling pistols. Have at thee land lubbers!

Ahoy Maytees! Let's pretend you were a scurrilous cadger of the high seas. Let's say you laid your eyes upon some precious bounty on the Sabres team that no one was a'claiming. Firstly, how would'ger get yer hands on such a prize. Secondly, how would'ger cash in? Pirate Talk Only.

The way I see it, Republicans have lost the plot. Perhaps this is because the Republican Party has made progress a dirty word. Voters want healthcare. Democrats win. Voters want peace. Democrats win. Voters want to make a good wage. Democrats win. It's simple, really. The numbers aren't working out for Republicans in Buffalo, New York State, or the USA, because they cannot keep up with the times.

Same truck, separate chambers, in my slice of Hockey Heaven. It's one stream too. Anything that can be recycled goes in one bin, and the many, many, many workers that are hired, easily sort the worry out of your complaints. Maybe they go home from work feeling good at the end of the day, thinking that they saved a few gallons of diesel, and made some decent skrillah as well. The waste removal companies tend to make some decent money on recycling, in my part of WNY. The next step will be using your food scraps to create instant natural gas. If they use two trucks where you live, I sympathize with your complaint. Take em out, I say, Viva la Monkey Wrench Gang!

Win a spot eventually, of course, but it was the first time that I had seen, or ever heard of Samuels-Thomas, and he impressed me.

I sat about 12th row for the second period of the blue v. white scrimmage. I don't profess to know much about hockey. Samuels-Thomas was playing the right wing, just in front of where I was sitting, and he stood out to me. He is big, strong, and fast, I'll say. He used his body well and created some chances along the boards and near the net. He looks like a very good skater, who's not afraid to bang the body, because he wins those matchups. He showed very good effort. He had the man against boys things going on, in the short time that I watched the game. A 20 minute period is not much of a sample size, but I came away from the scrimmage convinced that he had very strong potential as a 3-4 liner. He can make things happen with his size and speed, so I thought, he will probably be an NHL player, regardless of whatever offensive potential he might have. He created chances, and will probably win a spot because of his speed, size, and knack at shielding the puck and banging people off the puck with his body.

Brazil have won it 5 times That's a WC best. Germany have appeared in the semi-finals 13 times. That's a WC best. Germany have won it 3 times. Brazil have only 11 SF appearances. If Germany win a 4th time, this year, does that make them the unofficial kings of the soccer world? I think so.

Can we change the name of this to the wiping your ass with stuff thread? I'm a big fan of the pennysaver and a bidet.

I care for everyone and everything! :devil: Zero ###### given.

I expected N. Korea to easily dispatch of Japan .I felt that N. Korea got lucky vs. the US, despite the 4-0 scoreline. Word has it, though, that the N. Korea players all got drunk and stoned (crunk) after the first two goals vs. China. They may still be suffering the hangover. No way will N. Korea beat a Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Portugal. I expect Portugal to win this match, 1-0.

So, if what you're saying (all of you) is true... then La Fontaine must have been having an affair with the owners wife!!! Involved role, indeed, Kim! Oh snap! She appears to have thwarted him for Nolan! Dang it, Nolan! What's your game? And why do you always have to do this when we are about to contend for a Stanley?

I'm cool with Kim. I like the narrative of the trophy wife outsmarting her stupid husband. I also like the narrative of the attractive and capable wife who takes care or her mentally feeble partner. I wouldn't drool over her, though, given the chance.

I predict that by the end of this year, most of the fans will be convinced that finishing in last place is more prestigious that any other accolade. These fans will be addicted to losing. The reward centers of their brains are already warped. They shall get McDavid, and already be lusting after the next McDavid. They must lose. They must lose eternally. This attitude will spill over to the entire city unless these freaks are stopped. Let's Go Buffalo!

Sick 'em Columbia!!! Silencio Brazil!!