Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson

[korab rules]

I'm not suggesting Ruff is impotent or that Kassian today equates that missing toughness element--- to me, that's the perception being put across in the argument that "Ruff hates toughness" and I was merely using strongish language.

 

an impotent man = Ruff

###### his wife = toughness

heart medication = Hodgeson

Viagra = Kassian

 

I think the Sabres realize they need both skilled centermen and physical forwards, and I think they hedged their bets that Hodgson's potential return was greater than Kassian's. Trading Kassian and his potential doesn't mean Ruff and the Sabres hate toughness. In this case they valued their heart medication over Viagra. If they refuse to address toughness in the forward ranks in the offseason I'll be apoplectic.

 

Furthermore, as far as Ruff "hating toughness"--- an impotent man doesn't hate ###### his wife... he might just need his heart medication more than Viagra.

I read it a little deeper - if impotence (ie having a sh!tty hockey team that doesn't win) is the disease and fooking your wife(ie having a winning team you like) is the goal, you can accomplish that goal by taking viagra, but it doesn't cure the problem, (ie heart disease) that is keeping you from fooking your wife. Under this analogy, Kassian is Viagra - he makes you feel better about your team because he's rough and tough and gives you a b0ner, but he doesn't cure the impotence that keeps you from fooking your wife. Hodgson, on the other hand, is the heart medicine that has the secondary effect of curing your impotence and allowing you to fook your wife like a porn star.

 

I understand this requires some medical knowledge and is apparently not how you intended it, but it was my take.

Edited February 29, 2012 by korab rules

[Punch]

:doh:

I read it a little deeper - if impotence (ie having a sh!tty hockey team that doesn't win) is the disease and ######!ng your wife(ie having a winning team you like) is the goal, you can accomplish that goal by taking viagra, but it doesn't cure the problem, (ie heart disease) that is keeping you from ######!ng your wife. Under this analogy, Kassian is Viagra - he makes you feel better about your team because he's rough and tough and gives you a ######, but he doesn't cure the impotence that keeps you from ######!ing your wife. Hodgson, on the other hand, is the heart medicine that has the secondary effect of curing your impotence and allowing you to fook your wife like a porn star.

 

I understand this requires some medical knowledge and is apparently not how you intended it, but it was my take.

 

Honestly, I no longer have any idea what I intended.

 

EDIT: Actually, now that I see your edited version with clarified terms, that's pretty much where I was going.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Punch

[That Aud Smell]

I read it a little deeper - if impotence (ie having a sh!tty hockey team that doesn't win) is the disease and fooking your wife(ie having a winning team you like) is the goal, you can accomplish that goal by taking viagra, but it doesn't cure the problem, (ie heart disease) that is keeping you from fooking your wife. Under this analogy, Kassian is Viagra - he makes you feel better about your team because he's rough and tough and gives you a b0ner, but he doesn't cure the impotence that keeps you from fooking your wife. Hodgson, on the other hand, is the heart medicine that has the secondary effect of curing your impotence and allowing you to fook your wife like a porn star.

 

I understand this requires some medical knowledge and is apparently not how you intended it, but it was my take.

Honestly, I no longer have any idea what I intended.

 

my favorite posts of 2012 right here.

[nfreeman]

because we need an elite #1 center prospect 10x as bad. Its easier to find grit than talent.

 

Whoa there. Down boy. He's a rookie playing 12 minutes per game.

[That Aud Smell]

It was in the GR interview. Towards the end I think.

 

hearing it now. and, having heard it, his "curiosity" quote now seems much, much less like a jab at kassian and more like genuine interest in how (not really "if") kassian will develop as an nhl player.

 

and, yes, lindy specifically confirms that foligno's progress in the roc. was a big part of the willingness to part with kassian.

[dEnnis the Menace]

 

my favorite posts of 2012 right here.

 

I'd have to second that.

[Claude274]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Kassian+deserves+chance+over+doubters/6227725/story.html

[That Aud Smell]

http://www.vancouver...7725/story.html

 

that is a gloriously derptastic photo they used for the kassian story. (sorry, it will not load here.)

 

this one is almost its equal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

more than anything, i will miss this from The Concept.

Edited February 29, 2012 by That Aud Smell

[qwksndmonster]

because we need an elite #1 center prospect 10x as bad. Its easier to find grit than talent.

This is true, but finding physical top 6 guys is still a pretty difficult task.

[TheChimp]

Kassian has so many attributes associated with him that he has never shown at the professional level.

This is worse than the backup QB syndrome.

Do you attribute players suddenly reaching a new professional level who then strangely stop acting in ways they used to in the lower ranks, do you attribute that to them just forgetting their style of play or to the coaches in their new teams in the higher level forcing it out of them? I personally see it as the latter. Much like Fitzpatrick went from crazy gunslinger to timid INT thrower AFTER that presser where Gailey told the media he was going to "work with Ryan" on his penchant for throwing into double-coverage and taking too many chances with hsi throws. I mention that because of your comment about the "backup QB syndrome", which also illucidates your opinion regarding the Fitzpatrick argument.

 

Players act one way with one coach and then go to another team and many times you see them "revert" back to what they were like before their previous coach got their paws on them, and often they flourish. I expect that's going to be Kassian. As happy as I am to get us another Calder candidate on this club, I am going to always wish we had a coach that, in my opinion, didn't keep trying to get his players to focus on positioning over finishing checks to the point where he screws with their heads.

[Derrico]

Do you attribute players suddenly reaching a new professional level who then strangely stop acting in ways they used to in the lower ranks, do you attribute that to them just forgetting their style of play or to the coaches in their new teams in the higher level forcing it out of them? I personally see it as the latter. Much like Fitzpatrick went from crazy gunslinger to timid INT thrower AFTER that presser where Gailey told the media he was going to "work with Ryan" on his penchant for throwing into double-coverage and taking too many chances with hsi throws. I mention that because of your comment about the "backup QB syndrome", which also illucidates your opinion regarding the Fitzpatrick argument.

 

Players act one way with one coach and then go to another team and many times you see them "revert" back to what they were like before their previous coach got their paws on them, and often they flourish. I expect that's going to be Kassian. As happy as I am to get us another Calder candidate on this club, I am going to always wish we had a coach that, in my opinion, didn't keep trying to get his players to focus on positioning over finishing checks to the point where he screws with their heads.

 

He was a man among boys in junior. He reached the pro level and found out that EVERYONE he plays against is big and strong. He's not up against 17 year olds anymore. If you want to make this into a football analogy it's like CJ Spiller burning linemen in College. Then he gets to the pro level and realizes his breakaway speed is useless when the D is considerably quicker than college ball. It's not necessarly coaching but the stiffer/bigger competition.

 

For the record I'm not trying to slight Kassian. I love the trade but it was having to give something up to get something.

[deluca67]

I don't feel like digging up the post I'm replying to, but this is in regards to the criticisms of Kassian that have occurred since the trading deadline and why they are coming out now....

 

People are letting their critical observations of Kassian be known because there is no longer any rationale for them to "wait and see". We no longer have a vested interest in what he does. Everyone is free to give their postmortem thoughts on his time here because when else are we going to do it? There was no event, no timetable, no incentive for people to join in conversation en masse and give their final thoughts on the kid until now.

 

So no, it isn't that there is a need to come down on him because he's gone - it is just that now is the time to post your "snapshot in time" thoughts of where he was with the Sabres. The fact that I hear Rob Ray saying there have been a lot of organization rumblings about Kassian and his time with the Sabres and in Rochester carries a lot of weight. He also said yesterday they were quietly shopping him since December. This all amounts to Kassian's performance evaluation to date. And while we were all willing to see what he matured into, we no longer have to wait. We no longer have to hope. We no longer have to dismiss any troubling signs. We can just post what we saw and move on...

You mean many posters can only be honest once the player is gone?

 

Oh, I don't, I don't.

 

Again. Full potential. One would be a #1C, the other, a #1PF. And your statement that whatever the cost, the Sabs need a #1C.

 

Come on, man. I don't know what a "petard" is, or how one would hoist himself upon it, but whatever it is, and however it is done, you're there.

 

I still love ya, babe.

When did I make that statement? I believe I said if the Sabres are committed to acquiring a #1 center than they will be able to find a deal for a #1 center. I said that with an established #1 center in mind. I also said it was going to come with a heavy price that the Sabres need to be willing to pay if they are going to get a deal done.

 

I also said earlier I would take Lucic over any #1 center in the league. Someone brought up Stamkos and it made me think. I would still take Lucic over Stamkos. Lucic is such an NHL oddity, there are far fewer Lucic 's in the NHL then there are #1 centers.

[Assquatch]

You mean many posters can only be honest once the player is gone?

That's what you read?

[deluca67]

That's what you read?

People are letting their critical observations of Kassian be known because there is no longer any rationale for them to "wait and see".

 

Seems pretty clear to me.

[TrueBlueGED]

 

 

I also said earlier I would take Lucic over any #1 center in the league. Someone brought up Stamkos and it made me think. I would still take Lucic over Stamkos. Lucic is such an NHL oddity, there are far fewer Lucic 's in the NHL then there are #1 centers.

 

There are fewer Lucic's than #1 centers. But the natural extension of that is more teams win the Stanley Cup without Lucic than win without a #1 center. Having a #1 center increases your chances of a Cup more than having Lucic.

[nfreeman]

I also said earlier I would take Lucic over any #1 center in the league. Someone brought up Stamkos and it made me think. I would still take Lucic over Stamkos. Lucic is such an NHL oddity, there are far fewer Lucic 's in the NHL then there are #1 centers.

 

Well, Lucic is a pretty valuable commodity, but I would rather have Malkin, a healthy Crosby, Eric Staal, Stamkos, Getzlaf and likely a few others.

[darksabre]

Well, Lucic is a pretty valuable commodity, but I would rather have Malkin, a healthy Crosby, Eric Staal, Stamkos, Getzlaf and likely a few others.

 

Wait, you mean talented players can defeat the great Lucic?

[Assquatch]

People are letting their critical observations of Kassian be known because there is no longer any rationale for them to "wait and see".

 

Seems pretty clear to me.

Waiting until you finish reading a book to declare that it sucked is dishonest?

[FolignosJock]

Wait, you mean talented players can defeat the great Lucic?

 

do not speak out against the all powerful lucic simply saying his name brings me to a knee

[TheChimp]

He was a man among boys in junior. He reached the pro level and found out that EVERYONE he plays against is big and strong. He's not up against 17 year olds anymore. If you want to make this into a football analogy it's like CJ Spiller burning linemen in College. Then he gets to the pro level and realizes his breakaway speed is useless when the D is considerably quicker than college ball. It's not necessarly coaching but the stiffer/bigger competition.

 

For the record I'm not trying to slight Kassian. I love the trade but it was having to give something up to get something.

I like your analogy, mostly because we saw CJ indeed struggle early on, but were you watching there at the end of this season? Dude is again a man among boys. Maybe Gailey's playbook is simpler to learn than Lindy's..... Edited March 1, 2012 by TheChimp

[bunomatic]

But that's already not what we were hoping for with the "Concept of Zack Kassian." I wanted someone who was ready to fight anyone, anywhere, at any time. And 1-0 or 1-1 early in the game is a fine time to drop the gloves. Why not? If you're tough and going to win the fight anyway, why not get your team pumped up?

 

Not only is Lucic an amazing fighter, I've never seen him decline to fight. (Maybe he has, but I've never seen it.) Not only does he not shy away from trouble, he goes out of his way to start it. He basically challenged every single Sabres player to a fight by blatantly smashing into their star goalie.

 

I get your point but Kassian is Kassian not Lucic. And a young inexperienced Kassian at that. Its a tough role to play and as others have said he seems to be trying to develop into a hockey player that can fight not a fighter that can play hockey.

[Bmwolf21]

I like your analogy, mostly because we saw CJ indeed struggle early on, but were you watching there at the end of this season? Dude is again a man among boys. Maybe Gailey's playbook is simpler to learn than Lindy's.....

 

I think it was a combination of a) a concerted effort to adjust the game plans to suit his strengths and b) Spiller's adjustments and maturation - he stopped trying to simply outrun everyone and actually started running the ball like a RB, following blockers, and then bouncing outside when the opportunity presented itself.

[TheChimp]

I think it was a combination of a) a concerted effort to adjust the game plans to suit his strengths and b) Spiller's adjustments and maturation - he stopped trying to simply outrun everyone and actually started running the ball like a RB, following blockers, and then bouncing outside when the opportunity presented itself.

Know what? I'm excited for Bills football again, thanks! :D

[deluca67]

Waiting until you finish reading a book to declare that it sucked is dishonest?

If you go to a website designed to talk about that book you wouldn't give an honest opinion? You would say you liked where the story was heading and that the characters were developed even though you really thought the story was choppy and the characters seemed incomplete? It doesn't mean you put the book down. You should at least be able to be honest about where you think the story is at any given time.

[darksabre]

If you want to stick with the book metaphor, discussing Kassian and taking a positive or negative stance on him is like reading half the first chapter (of which half the words are censored out) and then thinking you actually had any idea how good or bad the book was.