That Aud Smell

That's fair. It gets me to thinking that having a billionaire owner - especially one who once signed off on a slide deck with a slide that had the word "Lifestyle" in its title and contained a picture of his yacht under construction - is a huge obstacle to being a supporter of a pro sports team.

You don’t need to belabour it but you will. Shoutout. In my view, there are real distinctions and this is a fascinating object of discussion/debate. I think about how towns/cities/counties can turn out full force to support some third tier semipro club. What’s going on there? Those people are something other than folks who pore over advanced analytics and wear a vintage Mike Peca jersey (or whatever). Neither one is better than the other, per se, although one’s allowed to have preferences. And as always, there’s a continuum too. Okay, I need the STFU.

you love deploying #fancywords almost as much as @LGR4GM enjoys dropping #fancystats

absolutely for the precise reasons we were debating. (double jinx no take backs.) no idea what you’re on about here. nope. wrong.

Words matter, guvnah.

By these metrics, I'd posit that being a supporter is far more irrational than being a fan. Supporters stick with their club even when all competitive inputs and outputs associated with that club are complete and utter sh1te. That's not a rational response to your favourite team sucking. Fans can be fickle or even fair weather when the club runs aground and takes up residency in the league's basement. That's a rational response to your favourite team sucking. Supporters involve their hearts and souls and will stick with a club no matter what. Fans are more transactional and may jump ship if the team doesn't give them what they want.

I disagree for several reasons. Being "rational" has little to do with being a "supporter." Quite the opposite really. Being a supporter implies levels of commitment, loyalty, and devotion that go well beyond what most "fans" would generally exhibit. A supporter is a true stakeholder -- a person who truly sees the team as theirs (in part anyway). A supporter's commitment to the club is unconditional and unwavering. They support the club in much the same way they breathe. You hear the idiom "fair weather fan," and often that shoe fits. Fans can be fickle. Supporters are not.

Jfresh modeling the Sabres for the playoffs is almost more hope than I can bear. I respect the guy's processes. And his modeling has been good in years past. Good Christ -- may it be true.

well, that changes everything.

What in the actual -- I mean. This is an absolute screaming indictment of how the organization views the quality of its safety play right now. That dude is done like dinner.

huh?

I love this energy. Hear, hear. This is an essential point to make and understand (and remember). In Europe (including England, UK, Ireland), the term generally used instrad of “fan” is “supporter.” I’ve posted that here in the past. A supporter is a sight different than a fan(atic). I’ll get back to work on being a supporter.

I use terms like “dormant” and “latent” for my Sabres fandom. It’ll come roaring back once the team’s back on solid footing. This presumes Pegula doesn’t obliterate the franchise before that can occur.

they need some veteran rotational depth on the d-line for the first six games (at least).

for better or worse, he was charting as CB2 on the outside. and that’s before the rookie was injured. this injury leaves them in a bad spot. the lack of a competent safety to pair with rapp makes the defensive backfield the team’s biggest issue.

i’ll still give up a chuckle for his war with Canada Geese. (and, moreover, his campaign to get local government to take it on as a public cause.)

I attended the event that the Golisano school hosted a while back -- was it last year? -- where he announced millions and millions of dollars in gifts to a variety of worthy nonprofits (including colleges and universities) from Western NY and the Finger Lakes region. And now a big ol' gift to Buffalo's Children's Hospital? All jokes aside: I have enormous respect for the guy. Most (damn near all) billionaires do not thusly deal with their money. I wish more did.

Tuch on the national team's 4th (3rd?) line would make a ton of sense. Dude can PK as well, obviously.

My take, unsupported by analytics: He's crashed out since he was asked/forced to do more than play fire wagon hockey for Good Vibes Only FHC DG.

I've been getting such spotty information this preseason. Are there players in the WR corps that are giving the team concern? I've heard several times that the team would likely move on from Curtis Samuel if the finances worked (which apparently they don't). I also saw a couple of "woof" Tweets from the Chicago practice/game re: Elijah Moore's drops. Davis doesn't make sense, I don't think. No special teams role. And the team seems to like Coleman and Shavers as "X" style WRs.

yo whodat, though?

Aye yi yi, man. This is something akin to Stockholm Syndrome. Mittelstadt was a limited and flawed player on non-playoff (Sabre) teams. When he got moved to a perennial playoff team, he crashed out and eventually got traded. Since that trade, he appears to have been exposed for what he is: A tweener/marginal NHL player. But you do it so effortlessly!