09-10 Division Champs!

[Sam Williams]

I'd go along with what Jim Kelley said in his Lindy Ruff column recently. The Sabres have been a franchise under three owners that has done just enough to sell hope to its fan base.

 

Jim Kelley is a terrible reporter and always has been....

[LabattBlue]

Jim Kelley is a terrible reporter and always has been....

I haven't followed Kelley as closely since he left the News, but I always thought the job he did when he was there was pretty good.

[Taro T]

Boston has been the biggest impediment. Of the 33 seasons the Sabres played where they did not win the division, here's a breakdown of which division rivals did win it and how many they won:

 

Boston: 15

Montreal: 7

Ottawa: 4

Pittsburgh: 3

Quebec/Colorado: 2

Toronto: 1

Hartford/Carolina: 1

Of course, Pittsburgh was only in the division for about 4 years. And during Moe-ray-all's run of 4 SC's in the late 70's, they were in the Norris not the Adams which would skew the Bruin-Hab stats a bit. Boston is the only team that has ALWAYS been in the Sabres' division.

[Stoner]

Jim Kelley is a terrible reporter and always has been....

 

I don't think he's wrong about this though.

[eball]

I don't think he's wrong about this though.

Just curious -- which franchises in the NHL do you believe are run better than the Sabres? I don't have an answer in mind; I'm just interested in your thoughts. Is Buffalo in the top ten? Top half? Bottom third? And what is your basis for any such ranking? Stanley Cups only? Playoff appearances? Season point totals?

 

When you quote a writer who says Buffalo has done "just enough to sell hope" you're implying they are substandard -- no?

[sabregoats]

I'd go along with what Jim Kelley said in his Lindy Ruff column recently. The Sabres have been a franchise under three owners that has done just enough to sell hope to its fan base.

 

Considering the Sabres have the fourth best franchise winning percentage in NHL history, I would say they have done more than sell hope. The bills are the definition of selling hope, always finishing just around 500. The Sabres have put a consistently solid product on the ice over three ownership regimes. They may not have the Stanley Cups to show for regular season prowess, but they have entertained year-after-year, and it is unfair to not recognize this.

 

From Franchise winning %:

GP W L T OL W%

1. Montreal 5546/ 2849/ 1834/ 837/ 26/ 0.605

2. Philadelphia 2932/ 1468/ 988/ 457/ 21/ 0.593

3. Boston 5386/ 2564/ 1997/ 791/ 34/ 0.558

4. Buffalo 2706/ 1257/ 1022/ 409/ 18/ 0.547

5. Edmonton 1994/ 940/ 763/ 262/ 29/ 0.543

6. Calgary-a 2550/ 1142/ 1010/ 379/ 19/ 0.526

 

edit: I have observed this elsewhere, but couldn't find a better site, sorry it is another message board.

[Stoner]

Considering the Sabres have the fourth best franchise winning percentage in NHL history, I would say they have done more than sell hope. The bills are the definition of selling hope, always finishing just around 500. The Sabres have put a consistently solid product on the ice over three ownership regimes. They may not have the Stanley Cups to show for regular season prowess, but they have entertained year-after-year, and it is unfair to not recognize this.

 

From Franchise winning %:

GP W L T OL W%

1. Montreal 5546/ 2849/ 1834/ 837/ 26/ 0.605

2. Philadelphia 2932/ 1468/ 988/ 457/ 21/ 0.593

3. Boston 5386/ 2564/ 1997/ 791/ 34/ 0.558

4. Buffalo 2706/ 1257/ 1022/ 409/ 18/ 0.547

5. Edmonton 1994/ 940/ 763/ 262/ 29/ 0.543

6. Calgary-a 2550/ 1142/ 1010/ 379/ 19/ 0.526

 

edit: I have observed this elsewhere, but couldn't find a better site, sorry it is another message board.

Maybe we're not using the same definition of selling hope. The Bills don't sell hope at all. Selling hope is getting "close enough" but then spitting out the bit. If they're fourth all time in winning percentage but have just two trips to the final to show for it, what does that say? That top six probably has over 40 Cups. Who's still stringing the fans along looking for Number One?

[Derrico]

I'd go along with what Jim Kelley said in his Lindy Ruff column recently. The Sabres have been a franchise under three owners that has done just enough to sell hope to its fan base.

 

Here I thought that I got through one positive, enjoyable thread without reading some negative post from you. Seriously, does someone get up and ###### in your cornflakes every morning?

[Stoner]

Here I thought that I got through one positive, enjoyable thread without reading some negative post from you. Seriously, does someone get up and ###### in your cornflakes every morning?

Hmmm, I used "pissed off" earlier without the dreaded number sign. But piss is a no no? Or is someone shitting in my corn flakes?

[Raelity]

Maybe we're not using the same definition of selling hope. The Bills don't sell hope at all. Selling hope is getting "close enough" but then spitting out the bit. If they're fourth all time in winning percentage but have just two trips to the final to show for it, what does that say? That top six probably has over 40 Cups. Who's still stringing the fans along looking for Number One?

The way I read those stats is we are way overdue a Cup. No better time than now.

 

GO SABRES!!

and congratulations on the division championship. Naysayers be damned - we are right where we want to be...

[eball]

Maybe we're not using the same definition of selling hope. The Bills don't sell hope at all. Selling hope is getting "close enough" but then spitting out the bit. If they're fourth all time in winning percentage but have just two trips to the final to show for it, what does that say? That top six probably has over 40 Cups. Who's still stringing the fans along looking for Number One?

I think this is the wrong definition. When the organization puts a team out there that consistently makes the playoffs and, with a break here or there, could win it all, that's not "selling hope." The Bills are the perfect example of selling hope, leading fans year after year to believe this will be the season they contend. I just think you're wrong in this instance - but I respect your perspective.

[billsrcursed]

Hmmm, I used "pissed off" earlier without the dreaded number sign. But piss is a no no? Or is someone shitting in my corn flakes?

 

Nice job getting "shitting" through the filter. Mad skills, yo. Mad skills.... :lol:

[Stoner]

Nice job getting "shitting" through the filter. Mad skills, yo. Mad skills.... :lol:

 

I just wish it was easier in real life. Damn hard stool.

 

The Bills don't sell hope. They sell, "Buy tickets or we shoot this adorable black lab puppy."

[Rox11]

The way I read those stats is we are way overdue a Cup. No better time than now.

 

GO SABRES!!

and congratulations on the division championship. Naysayers be damned - we are right where we want to be...

Couldn't agree more ... most didn't think this team would MAKE the playoffs, never mind win the division. Finish strong, but start the playoffs healthy and I think they'll put a good scare on most teams.

[Taro T]

Maybe we're not using the same definition of selling hope. The Bills don't sell hope at all. Selling hope is getting "close enough" but then spitting out the bit. If they're fourth all time in winning percentage but have just two trips to the final to show for it, what does that say? That top six probably has over 40 Cups. Who's still stringing the fans along looking for Number One?

24+2+5+0+5+1=37<40. Take Moe-ray-all and the Sabres out of it and you have 13 wins in just under 200 seasons. (A winning percentage of 6.6% or 1 win every 15 team seasons.) Which isn't all that impressive. Yes the Sabres are under-represented in the championships category but depending upon how you look at it, teams such as the Loafs are either over-represented (14 SC's w/ roughly a 50% winning percentage but not a single win since the league expanded to 12+ teams) or under-represented as they have exactly 0 SC's since the league expanded to 12 teams and no Finals appearances either. And the vast majority of teams in the NHL have 3 or fewer SC's on their resume. It's not like we're still in a 6 team league and the Sabres haven't won in that environment. At a minimum, there are 10 teams in the league that are going to wait over 20 years to win their next (or 1st in many cases) SC. Hopefully the Sabres aren't one of those 10. (I'd like to think that they'll win long before I start cursing the govt. taking away any chance I had @ social security. Must be nice to be an old geezer like you and already have it. ;) )

 

There really are only 3 teams that have significantly more SC wins than they "should" have: Moe-ray-all, Edmonton, and the Isles. And not one of them have won in the last 17 years. Moe-ray-all averaging a SC win every three years for 60 or so years tends to skew the stats quite a bit. (Even w/ the bulk of those coming in a 6 team league it is still impressive; heck, the B's, Rags, and Hawks each only won 3 in the 6 team league over ~40 years.)

 

And not that it matters, but those numbers that Goats tracked down are through the '06 season. Moe-ray-all's winning percentage is now below 60% and Edmonton has fallen much lower as well.

 

I'd disagree w/ you about the definition of "selling hope" as well. The Bills in the '90's did not "sell hope." They sold a VERY good football team that had the 2nd best winning percentage in the decade and beat the NFC 14-2 in the regular season during their Superbowl run (w/ both losses coming in the last game of the season w/ a lot of regulars rested, 1 of which went to OT). The Bills since then have sold hope (we HOPE they're not as bad as they were the last year) and only hope.

[FogBat]

I'm shocked that someone from Buffalo went to the Anchor Bar for wings...

Well, call me nuts (you've said I'm a very strange person in the past), but in spite of the fact that I grew up in WNY, I had never gone there to get my wings. My wife and I had to come back home to lay my dad to rest, so we figured that we would go there to satisfy our curiosity (given that my wife is a Southern girl).

 

At least when it comes to the Anchor Bar & Grill, now I can say that I've been there.

[FogBat]

Here I thought that I got through one positive, enjoyable thread without reading some negative post from you. Seriously, does someone get up and ###### in your cornflakes every morning?

Misery loves company.

[cdexchange]

Well, call me nuts (you've said I'm a very strange person in the past), but in spite of the fact that I grew up in WNY, I had never gone there to get my wings. My wife and I had to come back home to lay my dad to rest, so we figured that we would go there to satisfy our curiosity (given that my wife is a Southern girl).

 

At least when it comes to the Anchor Bar & Grill, now I can say that I've been there.

 

 

I only said it because it's such a tourist trap - overpriced, average wings. But you're right, you gotta try it once, and now you can say you've been there. How were they on this particular night? I hope you've taken her to some better wing places too.

 

I'm very sorry to hear about your father. :(

[spndnchz]

Well, call me nuts (you've said I'm a very strange person in the past), but in spite of the fact that I grew up in WNY, I had never gone there to get my wings. My wife and I had to come back home to lay my dad to rest, so we figured that we would go there to satisfy our curiosity (given that my wife is a Southern girl).

 

At least when it comes to the Anchor Bar & Grill, now I can say that I've been there.

 

Sympathies.

[FogBat]

I only said it because it's such a tourist trap - overpriced, average wings. But you're right, you gotta try it once, and now you can say you've been there. How were they on this particular night? I hope you've taken her to some better wing places too.

 

I'm very sorry to hear about your father. :(

Thank you. I appreciate it.

 

As for the wings, she likes to get the boneless ones from Pizza Hut. Definitely not my favorite.

[FogBat]

Sympathies.

Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

[cdexchange]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

 

As for the wings, she likes to get the boneless ones from Pizza Hut. Definitely not my favorite.

 

 

 

Sympathies again. :sick:

[FogBat]

Sympathies again. :sick:

:lol: At least we're on agreement on this one... (Shhh! Don't tell her I said that.)

[sabregoats]

I just wish it was easier in real life. Damn hard stool.

 

The Bills don't sell hope. They sell, "Buy tickets or we shoot this adorable black lab puppy."

I don't agree with your definition of hope selling, but you are right on the money here. Ralph wilson has been holding the city hostage with his team for over 40 years.