smallmarketguy Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 http://www.niagara-gazette.com/sabres/gnns...eyword=topstory Good closing line: "Can he step up, become a leader and help take this team to the heights the organization now expects in the playoffs? Or will he watch as guys who started the season in the minors keep taking the limelight? Wednesday was Drew Stafford?s night. Again. Will it ever be Zubrus? night?"
Derrico Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 Zubie did have a pair of assists last night, and I thought during our losing streak that he was one of our best players. The guy is strong with the puck and not afraid to throw the body around, two key characteristics that I believe this team is lacking at times. We've got enough finese players, we need a guy like Zubrus in the playoffs.
eball Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 That is an article written by a guy who has obviously not watched the Sabres over the last couple of weeks. Zuby is playing very solid hockey while getting used to the Sabres' system and his teammates. Those of us who actually watch the games are not concerned.
gregkash Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 what eball said. Besides scoring goals Zubrus has killed penalties. He's played solid defense. He has 2g and 2a since coming here.. how many points had Novotny gotten us?
Wraith Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I agree with eball. We had a discussion about Schmitt's articles a couple of weeks ago. Until recently, I thought Schmitt had decent opinions about the Sabres. This contrasted with his writing about the Buffalo Bills, which were amateurish and illogical most of last season. However, Schmitt is beginning to fall into those habits with his coverage of the Sabres, in my opinion. Once again, he seems to be watching a completely different game from the rest of us. In addition, while BN beat writer Graham has an excellent feel for the "pulse of the team," Schmitt seems to lack any ability to read the team, at least recently. A couple of particularly foolish comments Schmitt made that stood out to me: "[Drew Stafford] ...leading the Sabres to a 5-2 win over Washington in a game that?s only true significance was the team?s flipping the century mark on the points meter." This game was significant for a lot more than that: Buffalo ended it's losing streak at home; Buffalo snapped a horrendous power play scoring drought; Buffalo took advantage of a New Jersey loss to pull 7 points ahead in the Eastern Conference with 9 to go; Buffalo took advantage of an Ottawa day off to pull 7 points ahead in the division while still holding a game in hand over them; Buffalo played a complete game and pulled away late. "Zubrus has done little, if anything, to endear himself to the home crowds since becoming a Sabre. He had a pair of assists in Wednesday?s win over his old team, the only two he?s registered since Darcy Regier pulled that trigger." He dismisses the two assists so easily, as if they had no impact on the game at all when in fact those two goals (Sabres goals two and three) were the difference makes, providing the eventual margin of victory as well has completing an excellent second period that launched the Sabres to a blow out. "Fans, too, have noticed his unwillingness to take a hit, his lack of awareness as the puck bounces in his skates and the fact that he rarely finds an extra gear." Having watched the actual games, it is apparent that Zubrus is one of the more aggresive forwards on the team, finishing his checks and seeking out contact. In addition, he hasn't exactly been squandering scoring opportunities with sloppiness, as Schmitt claims. Once again I just don't understand where Schmitt is coming from.
RayFinkle Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I think Zubbie's ice time is a clear indication of how well Ruff thinks he is playing. I think he led all forwards last game....
buckeyebrian Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I agree with the other posters. Zuby's best plays last night didn't show up on the score sheet. He made a diving pass in the offensive zone to get the puck back to the point on the power play, for example. Several times he won puck battles on the boards to keep the play alive. Overall he is a pretty solid player and a good depth addition.
shrader Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 Yes, by scoring the last two goals in a 5-2 win, Drew Staffor stole the limelight. :rolleyes: I love the trend of just looking at boxscores to evaluate a game that has become so widespread recently.
That Aud Smell Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I read the piece, and concluded that the NG writer is (1) an idiot, (2) a writer who's over-reaching for an "angle" on Zubrus, (3) a writer who wrote/conceived most of that piece before last night's game, or (4) some combination of "1", "2" and "3" (mostly the "1" category). Anyone who knows the game and has watched Zubrus closely since he arrived would be constrained to conclude that he's brought a lot to the table, with more on the way. Perhaps not surprisingly (given the opponent), his game last night was his strongest to date. For my own part, I am more than pleasantly surprised at how well his game is matched for playoff hockey. Exemplary in this regard was the diving play he made to keep the puck in the zone in the 1st period -- IIRC, the point from the shot that followed led to Stafford's disallowed goal (??). In any event, that was a terrific play from Zubrus.
Knightrider Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 Zuby really ought to have been first star last night IMO... Stafford is doing a great job, but the game was pretty much in hand by the time he scored.
BetweenThePipes00 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 Schmitt is just trying to make a name for himself by being edgy and showing he is not afraid to rip the local team. Unfortunately, many feel that is the way to move up in that business. But as others have said, he always seems to pick the wrong thing. During football season, he kept railing on Losman even as he was obviously getting better. He probably still thinks the Bills should trade up for Brady Quinn. Now he won't let the Zubrus thing go even though the guy is giving a great effort and just starting to settle in.
ReneRobert Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 When did the Niagara Gazette become a real publication again? When I lived there it was a small step up from the Pennysaver- of course having read that article it apparently still is. The only people unhappy with Zubrus at this point are fantasy hockey players. That's it. To talk about his physical play is just asnine- he's one of the only players on the top three lines to regularly initiate contact with anyone. Why don't we talk about Drury's scoring drought since his injury rather than Zubrus' lack of points- that would truly be "edgy" not just piling on the new guy. Stupid quasi-reporter. The Gazette's attempts at a web presence only compound the embarrassing decline of that paper... By the way, hello from another former Falls resident living in the Philly area! :beer:
JCBoston Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I agree with the other posters. Zuby's best plays last night didn't show up on the score sheet. He made a diving pass in the offensive zone to get the puck back to the point on the power play, for example. Several times he won puck battles on the boards to keep the play alive. Overall he is a pretty solid player and a good depth addition. Zubrus made Briere's goal possible with a strong effort along the boards, behind the net. Without that effort, the puck goes up the boards and Washington has a breakout. Instead, Buffalo scores and starts pulling ahead. Huge play, great effort. Not every play shows up on the scoresheet.
shrader Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 Zubrus made Briere's goal possible with a strong effort along the boards, behind the net. Without that effort, the puck goes up the boards and Washington has a breakout. Instead, Buffalo scores and starts pulling ahead. Huge play, great effort. Not every play shows up on the scoresheet. I just read the article (yeah, I'm bored). You're last line sums it up perfectly. This guy does not mention a single thing other than the score sheet. I wouldn't be the least bit suprised if he didn't even see a single second of the game. Hell, with all the Stafford praise, he doesn't even mention Drew's 2nd goal.
ReneRobert Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I just read the article (yeah, I'm bored). You're last line sums it up perfectly. This guy does not mention a single thing other than the score sheet. I wouldn't be the least bit suprised if he didn't even see a single second of the game. Hell, with all the Stafford praise, he doesn't even mention Drew's 2nd goal. He probably didn't mention it because he had to get to bed early to be up for ninth grade in the morning and missed the third period... :D
Knightrider Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I agree with eball. We had a discussion about Schmitt's articles a couple of weeks ago. Until recently, I thought Schmitt had decent opinions about the Sabres. This contrasted with his writing about the Buffalo Bills, which were amateurish and illogical most of last season. However, Schmitt is beginning to fall into those habits with his coverage of the Sabres, in my opinion. ... Having watched the actual games, it is apparent that Zubrus is one of the more aggresive forwards on the team, finishing his checks and seeking out contact. In addition, he hasn't exactly been squandering scoring opportunities with sloppiness, as Schmitt claims. Once again I just don't understand where Schmitt is coming from. I wonder if he is reading these boards, and think that the talk about him will increase readership. It may, in the short term, too. My favorite local football writer is Chuck Pollock, of the Olean Times Herald. He is a reporter before he is a columnist. I don't think he covers the Sabres, it looks like Bill Hoppe does. Here is the link to last night's recap by him. Based on that article, I think they may have a similar style.
X. Benedict Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 As if your teamates good play can diminish your own performance. :doh: :doh: :doh:
jad1 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 Schmitt is just trying to make a name for himself by being edgy and showing he is not afraid to rip the local team. Unfortunately, many feel that is the way to move up in that business. But as others have said, he always seems to pick the wrong thing. During football season, he kept railing on Losman even as he was obviously getting better. He probably still thinks the Bills should trade up for Brady Quinn. Now he won't let the Zubrus thing go even though the guy is giving a great effort and just starting to settle in. It's a good thing we don't see that type of thing on this board. :doh: Zubrus play along the boards will be huge come playoff time. Stafford also plays strong on the wall. These guys are going to really help to create opportunites off the cycle. It's time to end the Zubrus bashing.
Stoner Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 Tim Schmitt rules! Just kidding. Well he does. Just not last night. While I've been on the fence with Zubrus, I've started to notice what everyone else has been pointing out the last couple of games. It was hard to miss last night, and I wonder how Schmitt did miss it. No one has mentioned the between the legs pass to Mair on the MacArthur goal.
eball Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I read that article again and I was po'd enough to fire off this e-mail to Mr. Schmitt. I hope no one minds that I plagiarized from some of what has been written in this thread today: ----------------------- Tim, I'm a lifelong Bills' and Sabres' fan living in NC, so I have to follow my teams through the magic of DirecTV and the internet. I've admittedly not read a lot of your stuff, but if the articles are anything like today's gem about the 'deficient' play of Dainius Zubrus, I'll stop reading altogether. Did you even watch this game? Zubrus' play has been very solid over the past week and a half in particular, and last night he could have easily been awarded the first star of the game. You believe Stafford stole the night by scoring the last two goals of a 5-2 win? Sure, the last one was a highlight reel in itself, but that hardly overshadows the heady play of Zubrus that directly led to the Sabres' 2nd and 3rd goals -- scored when the game was still in doubt. I don't know your background following hockey, but Zubrus' play along the boards and in the corners has been markedly strong. It is clear to those of us who actually watch the Sabres' games that Zubrus' comfort level with both the Sabres' style of play and his teammates is growing game by game. It is truly unfortunate when writers such as yourself who are looking to "make a name" resort to writing articles based upon your review of a scoresheet, or think they're being 'edgy' by deliberately trying to create a controversy where there is none. Why not talk about Drury's scoring drought since returning from his injury? At least that discussion has some validity. I expect and hope for better. I enjoy reading the local articles because the national stuff lacks insight. Unfortunately, your most recent article fits that pattern as well.
X. Benedict Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I read that article again and I was po'd enough to fire off this e-mail to Mr. Schmitt. I hope no one minds that I plagiarized from some of what has been written in this thread today: ----------------------- Tim, I'm a lifelong Bills' and Sabres' fan living in NC, so I have to follow my teams through the magic of DirecTV and the internet. I've admittedly not read a lot of your stuff, but if the articles are anything like today's gem about the 'deficient' play of Dainius Zubrus, I'll stop reading altogether. Did you even watch this game? Zubrus' play has been very solid over the past week and a half in particular, and last night he could have easily been awarded the first star of the game. I think that it was all very well put. Except I would have added something about myopic douchebaggery, but that is just a stylistic difference.
eball Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I think that it was all very well put. Except I would have added something about myopic douchebaggery, but that is just a stylistic difference. :lol:
Bmwolf21 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 :lol: @ myopic douchebaggery IF (and I think that is a huge if) he responds, please share with us...
Stoner Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I think that it was all very well put. Except I would have added something about myopic douchebaggery, but that is just a stylistic difference. Is that when you are blinded by the light? Sorry.
JujuFish Posted March 22, 2007 Report Posted March 22, 2007 I expect and hope for better. I enjoy reading the local articles because the national stuff lacks insight. Unfortunately, your most recent article fits that pattern as well. After all that, you say his article has insight? :blink:
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