Patty Lalime article at Sabres home page

[nobody]

AN EASY DECISION FOR LALIME

 

 

?Everybody I talked to around the league told me about the city,? he said. ?They said it was a great place to live and raise a family; the schools are great, the fans are great. It sounded like a good deal for me.?

 

Among those he consulted were former Sabres netminders Martin Biron, and Jocelyn Thibault, as well as forward J.P. Dumont.

 

 

Tells you something about Buffalo. He talks to one player who loses out at the #1 tending job, one player who never gets a fair shake at the backup position and one player who the team rejects the arbitration award and they all say good things about Buffalo.

[vasabresfan]

I'm be the first guy to defend Buffalo and am glad that Biron, Thibault and Dumont feel that way. I think that most people would agree that Buffalo is filled with great, friendly, neighborly folks who would give you the shirt off their back. The schools (at least in areas where most Sabres live) are excellent. You can expect a packed crowd of rabid fans on most (if not every night), which has to mean something to you as a player.

 

However, I can't help but notice two things about the Lalime and this quote:

 

1. None of the players mentioned the organization, its personnel, or its business practices. I'd like to see a reputation like the Red Wings get that would make a player say "they really know how to take care of their own" or "it's like a family." That's more the exception than the rules these days though.

 

2. I didn't get the impression that many other teams came knocking on Lalime's door such that he had a difficult decision to make.

 

That being said, he is saying the right things as a backup goalie who will work hard to help the team when he gets his chances and will not be a distraction to the team or a threat to the incumbent starter. I hope this works out well and he gives Ryan Miller exactly how much rest he feels like he may need to stay fresh.

[Goodfella25]

1. None of the players mentioned the organization, its personnel, or its business practices. I'd like to see a reputation like the Red Wings get that would make a player say "they really know how to take care of their own" or "it's like a family." That's more the exception than the rules these days though.

 

2. I didn't get the impression that many other teams came knocking on Lalime's door such that he had a difficult decision to make.

 

 

Great points. I do agree with the original post too though--it's nice to hear at least something decent coming from ex-players. At least they didn't knock the city itself.

 

Of course the sarcastic side of me is thinking new slogan-- "The Buffalo Sabres: #1 choice of washed-up, back-up goalies!" That should gain us some credibility around the league. :)

[will]

i will never get over the ability of some of you to find any way to disparage the franchise, even with POSITIVE quotes from great sources. it amazes me.

 

did you ever consider that maybe those ex-players were responding to his specific questions about the city of buffalo and it's school systems in a conversation with patrick? or that patrick's quote came after a specific question from the interviewer about what he'd heard from former players about living in the city of buffalo?

 

here's another quote from the article:

 

?That was pretty much the deal-breaker when I had the chance to talk to [the coaching staff],? Lalime said. ?They made me feel very good about the organization, about the city and the team.?

 

with all of the interpretation folks have done on ruff's statements last july/august, is there no surprise associated with this comment? that's a rhetorical question, i realize coaches are paid to encourage targeted free agents to sign on the dotted line. but patrick did indeed say something solid about the organization, no?