Buffalo is still Sports He11, isn't it......

[Doohicksie]

It was a great summer, we had the new seasons to look forward to with the Bills and Sabres.  We knew the Sabres would have growing pains, but the Bills were supposed to be a solid playoff team.

 

So here we are approaching the midway point of the NFL season, and the borderline playoff team that just need Rex Ryan to Build a Bully to get them into the postseason is under .500, and the awesome new Sabres with awesome Disco Dan really pretty much suck in all aspects of the game (even if they look better in their suckage).

 

Being a Buffalo sports fan just doesn't get easier.

[PromoTheRobot]

It does feel like we're cursed.

[sicknfla]

Lived in Tampa now for 20 years. Been here for a Super Bowl and a Cup (was at game 7 when they won it). Can honestly say I have no emotional attachment to the Tampa teams. My heart still bleeds blue/gold and blue/red. AND THAT SUCKS!!

[WildCard]

JACK EICHEL.

 

The dude is a legit superstar. The Bills can go 0-16, and trade their next 5 first rounders for Drew Brees for all I care. We have a legitimate world class talent on our team. I'm not talking all-star, or pro-bowler, or any of that . I'm talking top 5 guy in the league. Nightly highlights, things that are just effortless. When is the last time we watched either team and thought, "Holy , how did he do that? It just looks so...easy" Everything, everything this kid does is on another level. The dude is 18, and he's our best player. 

 

I've spent my entire fandom in mediocrity. Yes, I'm younger and yes, I did enjoy the 2 ECFs, but never in that span of 15 years did I get to see my team with one of the best players in the league. Some of you got to watch the K-Gun, Bruce is Loose, and Hasek win Vezina after Vezina. A lot of us haven't, and a lot more of us seem to have forgotten what that feelings like. It's everyone talking about your team, your players; it's national highlights; it's prime-time games and playoffs every year; it's deep playoff runs and fun offseasons; it's fans, players, and analysts saying "Man, Buffalo just does it right". I can't believe some of you don't have or at least understand this feeling. It's like being the captain of the chess team and out of nowhere the prom-queen wants you. 

 

Every city gets their guys, and every city gets the limelight and the wins and the accolades and, just the overall pleasure that is watching someone so dominating playing in your team's jersey. Playoffs or no, for the last 15 years we haven't had that. We've been close, but we haven't had that guy the entire league is on fire about. We have that guy, and even the Bills and the growing pains aren't spoiling this for me

[3putt]

You might want to cool your jets a bit. Jack has a promising future no doubt. But a lot can happen that prevents him from reaching his ceiling. Hell he isn't a leading scorer among rookies much less the league.

[Doohicksie]

I think the thing that discourages me is I still don't see them playing smart hockey.  I know, I know.... gel and all that, but they don't really seem to be getting anywhere.

[WildCard]

You might want to cool your jets a bit. Jack has a promising future no doubt. But a lot can happen that prevents him from reaching his ceiling. Hell he isn't a leading scorer among rookies much less the league.

Of course a lot can happen, but I'm not going to bog myself down with the "woe is Buffalo" mentality and start worrying that Jack will be anything other than a premier player. 

I think the thing that discourages me is I still don't see them playing smart hockey.  I know, I know.... gel and all that, but they don't really seem to be getting anywhere.

I don't agree with this at all. I have yet to see them make some inexplicably dumb plays. 

[3putt]

Of course a lot can happen, but I'm not going to bog myself down with the "woe is Buffalo" mentality and start worrying that Jack will be anything other than a premier player. 

I don't agree with this at all. I have yet to see them make some inexplicably dumb plays.

 

I don't blame you. But your post said he is a legit superstar. At this point in time he is not.

[WildCard]

I don't blame you. But your post said he is a legit superstar. At this point in time he is not.

:P

[3putt]

I think the thing that discourages me is I still don't see them playing smart hockey.  I know, I know.... gel and all that, but they don't really seem to be getting anywhere.

They are being smarter in certain areas, I.e. Clearing the zone quickly, a disciplined man high forecheck. The pk needs work, and their cycle needs to have a better shot selection. Not everyone can be the bull in a china shop.

 

My other issue is that many are preaching patience now. Where were they when TM started dealing our hard earned picks for veteran NHL talent. Before the draft, we had 6 players from the previous two WJCs. If you believe these are the future studs, the best in their age group, then we had a lot. We added Jack and now have four. I would have liked to use those picks to really stock the system. We now have a goalie on IR, and a center who by his own admission has been a liability defensively. Had we been patient, he would likely have made it fa in 2016 and we would have given up nothing. The fo stoked these expectations even though as a fan they were likely going to need time. I liked the Kane Bogo deal, but even that is looking like a swing and a miss albeit due to freak injuries.

 

I am reserving final judgement, it is just hard to shake the feeling that something was squandered. Flame away.

[WildCard]

The point of stock-piling picks isn't to use them, it's to utilize them. Drafting all of those picks would mean, even if we did hit, paying all of those players at the same time when they came through the system. Instead, we get established, and very young, NHL vets who are locked up long term and at varying years so we can stagger our contracts. I'll take proven NHL talent over the possibilities that are Grigorenko and Zadorov any day. 

 

Drafting is a risky business. If you can move up with multiple picks to get your guy, or trade multiple picks to get your guy, then it's worth doing IMO. 

[Doohicksie]

their cycle needs to have a better shot selection. Not everyone can be the bull in a china shop.

 

I lived in L.A., then Texas (pre-Stars), from 1984 to 1991 and in the age before the internet and Center Ice I stopped following hockey altogether.  I moved to Detroit in 1991 and followed the Red Wings ascent to the Cup in '97, moving back to Texas two weeks after their Cup win.  So... the Red Wings are my #2 team (and my wife's favorite).  I watch them cycle and it's a thing of beauty.  It's a game of keep away in the corner.  They'll make three or four passes, clean, tape-to-tape passes, then all of a sudden a shot a goal.  The Sabres cycle much better this year than last year, but after watching the Red Wings (and they're struggling with a new coach, an aging core and developing youth too, mind you), I realize how far the Sabres have to come to be relevant in the league.

 

I think the thing that bothers me the most is remembering back to the early years of the Sabres, when they would lose 6-4 on any given night but geez they were fun to watch.  The current version can be fun at times but most of the game is frustrating.  I want to believe, but other, mediocre teams come in and just look so much better.  They have systems in place and they actually play their system.

 

I keep telling myself you have a coach who has to learn a team and a team that needs to learn a coach and a new system, and oh by the way half the team never played with the other half before, and to try to be patient; it will take time.  But they just don't seem to be getting there.

 

I hope I look back on this thread in a month or two and it will seem like a bad dream, but I think it's just as likely this thread will still be relevant.

[sicknfla]

JACK EICHEL.

 

The dude is a legit superstar. The Bills can go 0-16, and trade their next 5 first rounders for Drew Brees for all I care. We have a legitimate world class talent on our team. I'm not talking all-star, or pro-bowler, or any of that ######. I'm talking top 5 guy in the league. Nightly highlights, things that are just effortless. When is the last time we watched either team and thought, "Holy ######, how did he do that? It just looks so...easy" Everything, everything this kid does is on another level. The dude is 18, and he's our best player.

 

I've spent my entire fandom in mediocrity. Yes, I'm younger and yes, I did enjoy the 2 ECFs, but never in that span of 15 years did I get to see my team with one of the best players in the league. Some of you got to watch the K-Gun, Bruce is Loose, and Hasek win Vezina after Vezina. A lot of us haven't, and a lot more of us seem to have forgotten what that feelings like. It's everyone talking about your team, your players; it's national highlights; it's prime-time games and playoffs every year; it's deep playoff runs and fun offseasons; it's fans, players, and analysts saying "Man, Buffalo just does it right". I can't believe some of you don't have or at least understand this feeling. It's like being the captain of the chess team and out of nowhere the prom-queen wants you.

 

Every city gets their guys, and every city gets the limelight and the wins and the accolades and, just the overall pleasure that is watching someone so dominating playing in your team's jersey. Playoffs or no, for the last 15 years we haven't had that. We've been close, but we haven't had that guy the entire league is on fire about. We have that guy, and even the Bills and the growing pains aren't spoiling this for me

2+ years ago I said "tanking" for one "superstar " was the whimp way out. Felt we could have built a legit team the way every other team does. Draft well, make some good trades, and sign the right FA's. I know i know " but look at Pitt and Chicago". Horse crap. A million other models that did it the conventional way.

 

With or without Eichel I have hated this era of Sabre hockey with every ounce of my body - to the point of feeling a disconnect. Worse yet we have plenty more "suffering" to go through.

Edited October 26, 2015 by sicknfla

[X. Benedict]

This is exciting hockey with players I'm interested in. The wins may come more slowly, but finally, it is an entertaining brand of hockey, and I think it is going to electric when the wins start coming. 

[Doohicksie]

I think it is going to electric when the wins start coming. 

 

I hope so.

[sicknfla]

If this comes down to "superstars " then we are not winning horseshit in the next 15 years. The superstar in Edmonton is better than ours. Not even close.

 

We have added Kane and Bogo from Winnipeg - what did they win while they were there?

 

We got O'Reilly from Colorado - they have 10x the talent we have. What did they win when he was there?

 

I really hope Eichel is that big of difference.

Edited October 26, 2015 by sicknfla

[X. Benedict]

If this comes down to "superstars " then we are not winning horseshit in the next 15 years. The superstar in Edmonton is better than ours. Not even close.

 

We have added Kane and Bogo from Winnipeg - what did they win while they were there?

 

We got O'Reilly from Colorado - they have 10x the talent we have. What did they win when he was there?

 

I really hope Eichel is that big of difference.

 

If this comes down to "superstars " then we are not winning horseshit in the next 15 years. The superstar in Edmonton is better than ours. Not even close.

 

huh? 

[sicknfla]

huh?

Yeah i tried editing it because everything posted twice. Didn't erase the second McDavid reference.

 

I know that post is over the top and exaggerated but some of this Eichel is God and leading us to the promise land crap is also over the top.

[Doohicksie]

Yeah i tried editing it because everything posted twice. Didn't erase the second McDavid reference.

 

I took it as a repeat for emphasis.

[3putt]

Jack alone will not lead us to the top.  But I think it is important to understand that his value is much more than his production.  If you wish to play a certain style or way, you have to have the personnel to do it.  Jack is very skilled, instinctive and as shown by the open ice hit on saturday, willing to play a well rounded game.  More importantly he does all that at a pace above the league average.  You want to play fast? you need fast players.  You want to be tough to play against?  you need the tenacity to contest everything for 60 minutes.  Jack, Samson, Rasmus, Pysyk. ROR, Kane and hopefully soon Bogo allow you to do that.  Guhle seems to be of that type as well along with Baptiste.  Bailey is interesting in that he seems like the prototypical power forward, but he has wheels.  The question with him is whether he has NHL hands capable of playing at that pace.  I think that is the vision.  Similar tot he Cubs, who have said they want to be deep at each position with each player being equal in their ability to contribute to the player they are replacing.  They do not want 3 stars at each position but 25 stars who can play 3 positions.  I think this is a very sound approach.  What is unsaid is that while you are developing that model you are also shedding some of the assets that do not fit.  I think the sabres are using this time to do make those types of judgments.  

[Hoss]

2+ years ago I said "tanking" for one "superstar " was the whimp way out. Felt we could have built a legit team the way every other team does. Draft well, make some good trades, and sign the right FA's. I know i know " but look at Pitt and Chicago". Horse crap. A million other models that did it the conventional way.

 

With or without Eichel I have hated this era of Sabre hockey with every ounce of my body - to the point of feeling a disconnect. Worse yet we have plenty more "suffering" to go through.

As many pointed out when you said this: most (like 9/10) cup champs drafted in the top five within a few years of winning the cup. Those aren't all "tanks" but they went down a similar path.

[Brawndo]

No hell would have been MLSE successfully purchasing the team. With the Bills improving to a Super Bowl contender the season the GTA Stadium is ready for them to move into.

[pi2000]

The current version of the Bills remind me of the late 80's Bills teams.   Emerging talent, but undisciplined.  Lots of penalties and turnovers, basically just beating themselves.   They're a young team, if they can stick it out another season or two, they'll be OK.    I hope they stay the course.

 

Sabres are about where I thought they'd be.   They're better than last year and certainly more fun to watch with Eichel and O'Reilly.    However, don't forget how bad they were last season... one of the worst teams in NHL history.   It's going to take more than one offseason before "playoffs" even enter the conversation.   The most important thing for them right now is growth and development.    Just imagine how gloomy things would be around here if they didn't finish last in the standings and ended up with the 3rd overall pick?    

[sicknfla]

As many pointed out when you said this: most (like 9/10) cup champs drafted in the top five within a few years of winning the cup. Those aren't all "tanks" but they went down a similar path.

Like many also pointed out at that time. Most teams in the league have a top 5 pick or more somewhere on their roster. I really don't want to rehash all that but the top 5 pick thing is misleading. Buffalo has had a top 5 pick on their roster forever. Didn't mean crap.

[qwksndmonster]

Like many also pointed out at that time. Most teams in the league have a top 5 pick or more somewhere on their roster. I really don't want to rehash all that but the top 5 pick thing is misleading. Buffalo has had a top 5 pick on their roster forever. Didn't mean crap.

Well sure, but this also doesn't really mean anything.  Right now we have C Samson Reinhart (2), C Jack Eichel (2), Evander Kane (4), and Zack Bogosian (3).  That's night and day from Thomas Vanek (5).  This team is built with Samson, Jack, and O'Reilly as the engine, except right now that engine is still an Alexander Mogilny card ticking against the spokes of the front tire.  In a couple of years I'll think she'll be purring like a moose.

Edited October 26, 2015 by qwksndmonster