IKnowPhysics

Good article from today about Blue Jays fans booing at home: http://metronews.ca/voices/cathal-kelly-on-sport/626312/angry-for-caring-why-toronto-fans-boo-their-own-teams/

I get the sense that each fan has three or four different personas that get acted out, in some ways or others: 1) The way we interact with non-fans or other teams' fans or at away games. This is almost always a "my team/franchise is better than your team/franchise" mentality. Your team sucks, my team is great, regardless of the standings. We attack the other team for sucking and build up our case for why our team is great. Sometimes we're more mature and accepting of our suckitude in casual conversation with other fans, but at the end of the day, we know those other fans can go to hell and we'll defend the Sabres until we die. 2) The way we interact with our own fans at home games. We want to support the team and we paid good money to see something good. We don't want to be let down and we don't want to be embarassed. But here's the crux: Buffalo fans have been let down so many times in often the harshest ways, we don't want to REALLY cheer on the team until we see a reason to do so. We don't want to cheer until we know we're not going to be let down- we have our emotional guard up big time. So, many fans sit quietly, waiting for something good to happen, giving them reason to cheer. They don't want to be the person that emotionally invests and cheers all game only to end up the guy that cheered on the team that lost. Some fans think that's embarassing to cheer for the loser. BUT many fans have been sitting quietly for so long with no improvement (or, this season, some significant steps backwards) that some fans act out on their frustration and boo the team. Then many fans see other fans booing and it becomes easier for them to boo because others are doing it too. 3) The way we think internally in our minds about the team. We want the team to win. So badly. Like it or not, most of us are emotionally invested on some level or another. We have ideas about what they should be doing to get better, but at the end of the day, we're fans of this team and we want them to succeed. 4) (Optional) The way we interact online. Often times it's the same ways we interact in 1) and 2), motivated by or inclusive of ideas in 3). For some, it's a more anonymous and, because of its inconsequence, truthful representation of what we think, want to think, or want other people to think. I could be wrong about this, but I see myself and other fans I'm close with fall right in line with much of this. Myself, I'm not a boo-er. I think if fans are fed up with the booing, they should start a let's go buffalo chant.

To some, the Sabres are so dissappointing, they dissappoint at dissappointing. edit: My only disspointment is that they might dissappoint while dissappointing the dissappointed.

As of today, the Sabres have captured 14 points out of a possible 20 in their last ten games, going 6-2-2, a .700 pace. Currently, they're 4 points out of a playoff spot, with Rangers and Islanders; Rangers have a game in hand. If the Sabres hold this pace, and either of those teams posts a less-than-0.500 pace, they could slip in.

Fill in the blank with 98% of the other ###### we debate, but hey, we still have a forum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JNuqEz_GCQ[/url]

Devils on the run Miller and Myers excel Sabres forever

Topic: Grade these apples. I grade apples an F as a protest against all threads/posts that attempt to further the position that it is somehow OK to give crappy apple pie credit for using good apples but not hold it accountable for being crappy apple pie. Nonsense. This thread's about apples, not crappy apple pie. There's lot of threads about crappy apple pie. And some people think the apple pie isn't even the worst part of the meal.

5/3/95 Never Forget. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8vFHnc4lek[/url]

Word on the street is that Ovechkin was quietly asked to waive his no trade clause and wouldn't do it when he found out it was for Buffalo. And by word on the street, I mean I made all of that up just now, because this thread got stupid in a hurry and I didn't want to feel left out.

If we move him, even as a rental, we'll get good return. He should be able to fetch about what Pominville garnered, and probably a little more. For comparison: Rental: Vanek <-> 1st round pick, 3rd round prospect, 5th round prospect (similar to Iginla) Vanek <-> 2nd round pick (conditional to 1st rounder if they win 2 playoff series), 2nd round prospect, 5th round prospect (similar to Jagr) One year: Vanek <-> 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, 2nd round prospect, 2nd round G prospect (similar to Pominville without the 4th) The trade value thread puts Vanek from a 1st, 2nd, 3rd (like Pominville) up to two 1sts and a top prospect. --- Take a look at his approximate trade value: 2007 Four 1st round picks 2013 One 1st round pick, Three 2nd round picks 2014 One 1st round pick, One 2nd round pick, One 5th round pick Concerning 2007-2013: if you remember that Vanek led the Sabres in goals five out of six years (finished 2nd last year to Pommer) and helped keep this team competitive in a time when not many else were, it helps take the edge off. He's been fun to watch. In my mind, probably worth the price of admission of the difference between three 1sts and three 2nds. Concerning 2013-2014: the opportunity cost of keeping Vanek until the next deadline could roughly be the difference of two 2nd rounders vs a 5th rounder. I think that's a justifiable price for a team-leading scorer for a year, and one that can be paid just to keep this team watchable, but if tear down/rebuild is the only priority, I could understand the other point of view.

Posted by HNIC via Datsyuk. Mildly amusing.

Pominville + 4th nets 1st, 2nd, Larsson (former 2nd), Hackett (former 3rd), very slightly more than most were expecting.

Hockeyy Insiderr ‏@HockeyyInsiderr 1m Source says #Caps trade is for Stafford. Still awaiting confirmation. #Sabres Yesss.

Hockey Central ‏@SNHockeyCentral 49s Luongo on contract: "I'd scrap it if I could right now." Ha! Ian Mendes ‏@ian_mendes 2m Luongo will have an easier time getting out of a cell phone contract than the one he's got with the Canucks. Double ha!

That would be a deal I'd be happy with. 1st, 2nd, decent forward prospect, meh goalie prospect.

Hockeyy Insiderr ‏@HockeyyInsiderr 1m Trying to find details about #Caps deal. Also hearing Stafford could be on the move, #Sabres were pondering trade close to 3PM. For the love of all that is holy, let this be true.

Hockeyy Insiderr ‏@HockeyyInsiderr 1m Source in Vancouver just told me "Luongo asked to be taken off the ice to play a trick on the media." #Canucks @strombone1

Down Goes Brown ‏@DownGoesBrown 1m Luongo pulled off ice early because the Canucks wanted to see his face when he found out Steve Mason got traded and he didn’t. #TradeCentre

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger 1m Gaborik has agreed to trade, but paperwork still has to be filed.

Can't be all. Should be a 1st in there. Not even sure this is real.

HockeyInsiderr calling it done... is he a tool? Hockeyy Insiderr ‏@HockeyyInsiderr 1m The #MNWild have acquired Pominville from the #Sabres. #DONEDEAL #CONFIRMED Another 1 for #HockeyyInsiderr

Oh ######.

Miller to Columbus for three 1st round draft picks? Durrrr