mjd1001

It depends on where you live, where you are coming from..etc. I kinda like(d) indoor soccer where there is a lot of scoring. Other than that, the world cup, MLS, premier league, I have given many, many attempts over the years to watch and I just can't get into it. It does zero for me, I can think of at least 7 or 8 other sports I would watch many times over compared to soccer....HOWEVER.... I agree with you it is becoming more popular. On a recent trip to NY city, we spent time in Queens where my wife used to live and took cabs all over. Local cab companies, sometimes the drivers didn't even speak english. But the one thing that stood out to me, they listened on the radio to Soccer all the time. The NY MLS team I guess. But on a lot of the immigrant community, the non-english speaking citizens of this country...they love soccer. Same thing in Florida. In-laws live in FL (treasure coast area) and my father in law is always bored so he'll talk to anyone. Strangers. The guys that cut the lawn in the comminity. He told us (and then we saw it for oursevles) that he will walk outside and say hello to them and they say 'hi' back but aren't interested in talking. Bing up soccer though...the Brazilian or the Argentine national team...and those guys faces light up and they get excited and can talk for minutes at a time to you about it.

I also remember this: Boston Bruins’ Ullmark Can’t Resist Taking Dig At Buffalo The Boston Bruins just finished a five-game road trip last week that took them through Detroit, Chicago, Winnipeg, Minnesota and Buffalo, and Ullmark didn’t sound like he did any sightseeing tours at one of those wintry destinations after stopping 40 shots in a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden on Tuesday night. “It’s the same thing. We had a long road trip and we didn’t go through the best places on Earth,” said a smirking Ullmark to NESN during some postgame comments. https://bostonhockeynow.com/2023/03/21/boston-bruins-ullmark-cant-help-taking-dig-at-buffalo/ He just might not have enjoyed his time in Buffalo and was looking to go to a somewhat larger/what-he-considered-nicer city to play/live in. Whether you agree with him or not (some will say Chicago and certainly Minneapolis are nice cities), it doesn't matter our opinion, HIS opinion matters and it sure sounds like he likes the living conditions/lifestyle in Boston vs those other cities listed, of course including Buffalo where he spent a few years. Ullmark isn't a guy who only came to Buffalo with another team and saw the airport, the 33 and the Arena, he lived here, and if this area isn't his favorite, getting him back here and happy to be here is just not likely to happen.

Agree. 80 abdsolute max but 70-76 is ideal to me.

No, not really. Many of the people who are happy about this were not saying much about it a week ago. Many that were complaining a week ago are just now saying much now. Sure there is some overlap, but don't confuse individuals with their own agenda for 'group think' of the board.

Truly allows now for the draft to focus on the 'best player available' instead of reaching for a position to 'fill the pipeline.'

I lived in NH about 15 years ago, although only for 6 months. I never knew that. If that is the case, then that might be the best example of their motto "Live free or Die".

Agree about the playing time. Just throwing this out there ,maybe he was playing though a nagging injury and just wanted some time off? I'm not too concerned about thowing him in the lineup to play. I think just being there for practices, getting to know 'some of the guys' and the coaches is going to be the short term benefit. If, IF, Rochester advances AND they are hit with a couple injuries on the back end, that is where I see him playing.

I'm agreeing about Roku. Since the beginning of 'smart' tv's, we have had a few brands across our house. Sony. A couple Samsung TV's. An LG. Our currnet TCL Roku tv is the favorite brand now due to the app system. The pictures is good enough (I can't tell much of a difference between a $500 and $1000 tv), but Roku is my favorite smart system by far.

I agree on the Stanley cup being the most sought after 'trophy'. Its a 'lesser event' than a major, but in golf you have to consider the Ryder Cup. In auto racing, among fans the "Harley Earl" trophy is pretty well known as what is given to the Daytona Winner, and with the Indy 500 this weekend, the Borg-Warner Trophy has to be near the top. But again to the points above, as famous as those trophies are in their sports, you are known as the 'Dayona 500 winner', not the Harley Earl Trophy winner. So this still goes to the Stanley cup. The Ryder cup though? The tournament is named after the trophy.

If you have multiple credit cards, dig down deep into their websites for 'deals' on streaming services. I know our Amex card had some, and one of our other cards did also...they have stuff like "buy a full year of Peackock and get a credit on your statement for 50% back", and there was a deal for Paramount like that too, and one for HBO max late last year (it was for a statement credit each month for 3 straight months.) It shouldn't have to be that complicated, but oh well. If you subrscibe to many of them for a full year you can get a discount on some, and then a further discount on top of that with discount codes or credit card deals on top of that if you catch it at the right time.

Ok, I get that we want to talk about the prospects. That is what we do, that is what message boards are for. And a lot of our 'talking' is making predictions/projections. But to me, it'll come down to camp and preseason. If they are ready, the coaches will see that in practice and camp and games. If they aren't, they'll see that too. We will all know a lot more about them in a few months.

The way playoff games are officiated, specifically when people say "don't let the officials decide the games" If a penalty is comitted at a key time, in overtime, of a playoff game. so be it, call it. If something is a penalty in the 1st period, it should be in the 3rd period. If something was called earlier in the game and it ISN'T called later in the game, THAT is actually the refs 'deciding the game' because they are letting players get away with things against the rules. The best way to not 'let the refs' decide the game is for them to call penalties. When I see a penalty not called late in the game, the first thing that comes to my mind is THAT is when they are having an impact on the game by not doing the same job they did from the start.

It seems like a very narrow survey. I like this topic and keep bringing it up because it is a big one to me. KBC just isn't a good arena (especially when compared to other ones I have been to). A new Arena/EXTENSIVE rennovations are really needed. However, if the money isn't there for that, they have to focus on some 'easier' things. Getting everything broken fixed (restrooms/sinks/toilets, lighting issues, etc). Replace many of the seats, if not most of them. Make the Atrium more fan friendtly/active before games, and is there no way to slightly move the 'special events' metro station a couple dozen feet and cover it/ make an enclosed bridge so you get off of the train and walk directly into the building without going through snow/wind or rain? I know this topic is brought up quite a bit, but my bottom line is..while the bills may have 'needed' a new stadium due to the structure of it.....I think the "Arena experience" is less important to football/a NFL game than it is to an NHL/hockey game and I think the work at the Arena can add to a better experience.

I agree about Murray. But then again, he can then be the type of guy that if you NEED to call him up because of a large number of injuries, he won't hurt you TOO much for short periods. Girgs having no finish is something I partially, but don't entirely agree with. His shooting percentage, while not GOOD, is 10% over the past 5 seasons (Better than Okposo and Peterka, about the same as Mitts, and only 1 percent behind Cozens.) And he doesn't get PP time and has limited ice time, so as far as overall scoring, his goals per 60 minutes is 0.56 over that time. About the Same as Krebs and Mitts, and better than Okposo and Jost (his 4th line linemates). Statistically, he is right in the middle (average) scoring for where most 4th liners are, maybe SLIGHTLY above. Add to that he is avery good forechecker (He MIGHT be the 2nd best on the team behind Tuch, that 4th line pins the opponents in their zone a lot)....and he is a very good Penalty killer (Fancy stats over his career show statistically he is on the ice for less goals allowed per minute short handed than many other teamates, and the 'eye test' watching replays of goals against shows he is rarely out of position leading to a sh goal against.) Put all that together, and I'm not sure whey some people want him gone so badly, saying he produces 'nothing' or is worthless. That just isn't true. He isn't more than a 4th liner, but I would say he is a very good 4th liner.

The only issue I have with that is Murray seems to be a much slower skater than Girgs (which can matter on penalty killing forechecks) and he doesn't have the experience that Girgs does there either. On a 3rd line role Murray may be better, but on a 4th line/PK role that would be a step down.

I totally disagree. Well, not with all of it, his skating is subpar at the NHL level, but he's not washed up. He plays a responsible Defensive game for a forward and I think the 'fancy stats' someone posted back that up. Add that to 10-15 goals and you have a good 4th liner. Worth 2.5m good? This team has cap room this year no matter what so its not an issue. Is he on the downside of his career? for sure. Does he have serious limitations where you don't want him on your top 2 or 3 lines? Yep. Washed up? I don't think yet.

Team success maybe. But that is kinda a given because most players that leave here to go other teams. Individual success/production, not really. Eichel's stats/production is lower in Vegas than it was here, and honestly, the team isn't much (if any) better overall than before he was there. Reinhart is doing well, but his production again, isn't much better than it was when he was here. Risto? He is getting a lot less playing time in Philly than he did here. The big issue is there weren't many players that were good here that left. ROR? Again, went to a better team but his production wasn't much better, it was the case of taking a good player and inserting him to a better team. The list of the next highest producing players for the last decade or so that left is: Evander Kane, Tyler Ennis, Johan Larsson, Marcus Foligno, Jake McCabe, Evan Rodriguez, Bogo, Sheary, Asplund, Scandella, Montour, Colin Miller. That list is a who's Who of mostly players that were not that great to begin with. This team had some big problems the last 10-15 years. Bad managment, bad coaching, bad scouting, and a bad roster of players. A LOT went wrong here.

I'm not sure Savoie is a lock yet. Possible Yes, but even with his age and the rules, there are ways he can be 'around the team and 'around roch' (his allowed games with Buf, stay with the team and practice, and I even heard someone say he can go to Rochester on 'conditioning' assigments). Plus Rosen and Kulich and Savoi aren't likely playing the same role as KO. They are top 3 line guys (probably 3rd liners). This Buffalo team, at least last year, had a different role for the 4th line, one that even an aging KO fits better than those young guys (with the single possible exception of Rousek (who could be taking Jost or Girgs role if he makes the team) Of course, they could transition to not having a typical '4th line' and having that 4th line be a young kids line....and have the 'checking' duties done by comittee. I'd like to see that but not sure they are going to make that leap.

Lot of other things to think about: -Mitts, VO might be on the move or other trades could be in the works? If one of both of them go, that opens up some spots that need to be filled. -Adams seems to be one of the GM's that thinks too much time in the minors isn't a bad thing. Might be the plan for the guys who haven't played a lot of time in Buf to be 'eased' onto the big team...getting a few weeks at a time up here next year, not a roster spot in October. -Might be that Jost isn't back for sure now? Not as confident in Greenway than they thought before they got him?

Does he stay captain though? I think there is a chance he is OK without the letter and just leading by being a 'voice in the room' if it comes down to that.

Certainly worthy of its own thread. Pretty big pay cut, what is his role? Does this mean anything for Girgensons coming back? (I still want Girgeonsons back for sure.) One less spot for a younger guy? Will he be captain again or an "A" or is he willing to not take a letter at all and be a leader without a letter? I guess for a reduced salary its not bad. This year the money wasn't a cap issue for the Sabress anyway. I'm also assuming he had a 'fun' season last year playing with this team and might look forward to the 'forward' version of a "Craig Anderson" type season.

I personally never said he was a cancer that you couldn't win with. I thought he was overrated when he was here, and he would best fit on a team where he isn't the clear cut 'guy' and 'captain....but rather ONE of the top players but not THE top player. I also never thought he was a top 10 player in the league, maybe a top 25 or 30 guy. From what I have seen in these playoffs, nothing has changed my opinion on him up or down. And yes, I love the continued talk about Eichel and other former key players on this team. I know some hate it and want to move on, but seeing how former key players on this team do on other teams...that is part of the fun of being a fan.

They are both pretty bad to me but I have to hard disagree with that. On recent trips to New York City, and in the suburbs of DC, there was a lot of it being used. I think it smells absolutely awful. Smells something like a dead skunk that someone started on fire. I don't like the smell of 2nd hand cigarette smoke or cigar smoke but I can live with that. When I walk by someone smoking weed, it doesn't quite make me nauseous but it's in that neighborhood.

The A-team movie. Hated by the critics, flop at the box office...but I liked it. Is it a cinematic masterpiece? 100% faithful to the series? No, but to me it was a good, fun 2 hours watching it. Don't understand the hate that many have for it.

I have to say something about this. I grew up watching the maple leafs on hockey night In canada so for a while they were My second favorite team. It is listening to the behavior And just How obnoxious they are that actually has driven me away from being a fan of theirs. They are the only team in all of sports over my entire life that I used to like and I really no longer do like because of the fan base. My wife grew up in New York City so I know all about obnoxious new york fans. I lived in Boston for a few years so I experienced first hand Red Sox and patriots fans for years. There are obnoxious fans all over. Listening to maple leaf fans talk and reading some of their social media and message boards, no fan base I have ever encountered Is as bad as they are. Maybe the patriots fans under brady, but certainly No other hockey fan base is even close as being as annoying and obnoxious is they are, especially for how little They have won anything of consequence recently.