Overwhelming guilt

[Neo's legacy 61]

I'm pretty (read: very very) new here, been a casual reader and have had like 3 posts for a little over a year now, so I don't know if I'm out of line to just start a new thread and whatnot seeing as I'm not one of the SS veterans here but....I must get this off my chest.

 

I was pro-tank last year and at the end of the season I promised to never ever root against the Sabres for as long as i lived. No matter what. And here I am 9 months later hoping for another 30th place finish. It is a subconscious feeling, not by any means my own choice. I just cannot stop thinking 'hey Austin would be another awesome addition'. I tell myself to STFU and that Jack is more than enough for this team(which is true), but the thought keeps creeping back into my head every time I read game recaps or watch the highlights (military in Hawaii, no time to watch the games live) and i just cannot stop it. It leaves me feeling incredibly guilty as a diehard Sabres fan but I just can't get the thought out of my head. 

 

I also understand that a 30th place finish doesn't guarantee the number 1 pick, but you know what I'm saying. 

 

Does anyone out here have even remotely similar sentiments? I hope I'm the only one. 

 

 

[blugold43]

the odds with the new lottery system are so flattened out, it's just not worth the misery of rooting against them.  google for the nhl draft simulator and you'll see how pointless it is to hope for that.

 

30 place means several guys who should be helping out are not as good as we thought, which really sets the process back a lot.  so i just can't hope for that again.

[Neo]

I cheer wins. I love having a competitive hockey team. I like the players. I'm not looking for losses as part of the path to a cup. I was definitely in the "we've come this far, don't screw McEichal up" camp last year.

 

That said, a low finish won't bother me. I don't want a tank or root for losses, but if we have a top 4 pick, I'll be excited at draft time. I watched the WJC thinking "he's a guy we might get". Most importantly, I see developmental use of talent from time to time that may not be "we need a win tonight" use. I may see that more in posts on SabreSpace. See Ink's Tank 3.0 thread. I think that's smart.

 

Stop feeling guilty!

 

To blugold - I dig the Stu link.

[Doohicksie]

I'm in the same spot where N'eo is.  Rooting for wins, but realistically the teams needs a few more pieces and if we get one through the draft, yeah, that'd be great.

[bob_sauve28]

The tank was worth it. Just watching Jack's goal last night was worth all the misery. But I'm not into it again at all. 

[sabills]

I went into this year with a "anything goes" mindset. Cheer for the wins, ignore the losses, enjoy watching the young guys. Playoffs or bottom 5 again, I'll live with any of it as long as there was some good, and there is some good. 

 

I'll admit I've started getting anxious a couple times for them to be better, but I've reigned it back in. I'm hoping they come out of the all-star break with a ferver and start gelling. Really, this season is turning into what I wanted last year to be: improved skill and excitement, but still at the bottom.

[Claude_Verret]

At this point with playoffs being an extremely remote possibility I don't think there's really anything wrong with this sentiment.  Rooting for a full season tank is a thing of the past and something I don't wish to ever do again, so while I won't actively cheer losses and a last place finish like the past two seasons, I will recognize that finishing towards the bottom of the non-playoff teams rather than the top offers a better long term outlook for our Sabres......and if somehow the Sabres were to win the damn lottery......whoa what a priceless FU smirk we'd see on 'ole GMTM.

[That Aud Smell]

I've actually enjoyed getting a bit pissed off and grumpy over losses. 

 

I'm not going back. There's just no need. Even if the rebuild is taking longer than I'd hoped or expected, I don't feel the need to pull for a low finish.

I'm pretty (read: very very) new here, been a casual reader and have had like 3 posts for a little over a year now, 

 

Also, welcome to the board, and thank you for your service.

 

There's a well-regarded regular around here who goes by Neo.

 

Any chance you might (i) post more regularly and (ii) tweak yer handle?

[jsb]

I don't think this is a tank year. They are 10-10 and 1 in their last 21 games. Not awesome but a definite improvement over the past 2 seasons. Fun to watch at times, I'm also trying to keep my expectations in check but it's nice to pull for victories again and at the same time not be devastated by losses. I agree with TB Johnson that they need a few pieces still but hopefully a little luck in the draft process gets us some additional immediate help.

[Marvelo]

I get nauseous reading about fans who cheer to lose. This isn't what it's all about.

[Sabel79]

 

Also, welcome to the board, and thank you for your service.

 

There's a well-regarded regular around here who goes by Neo.

 

Any chance you might (i) post more regularly and (ii) tweak yer handle?

Duuuuuude... have a look at the handle again...

[That Aud Smell]

Duuuuuude... have a look at the handle again...

 

Sorry. I need a map drawn.

[Sabel79]

Neo...

[shrader]

Sorry. I need a map drawn.

 

The name threw me too.

[That Aud Smell]

Neo...

 

that ain't a map. that's you typing the shared screen name.

[Sabel79]

Ugh. Was hoping Neo would drop in to save me, but unless I need all sorts of medications, it's been revealed that Neo's Legacy is, well, Neo's Legacy. In biological terms. Fruit of the loins.

 

Christ, I need to go to bed.

[That Aud Smell]

Ugh. Was hoping Neo would drop in to save me, but unless I need all sorts of medications, it's been revealed that Neo's Legacy is, well, Neo's Legacy. In biological terms. Fruit of the loins.

 

Christ, I need to go to bed.

 

Wait. Really?

 

Cool, if so.

[Stoner]

Wait. Really?

 

Cool, if so.

You don't see the resemblance?

[darksabre]

I went into this year with a "anything goes" mindset. Cheer for the wins, ignore the losses, enjoy watching the young guys. Playoffs or bottom 5 again, I'll live with any of it as long as there was some good, and there is some good. 

 

I'll admit I've started getting anxious a couple times for them to be better, but I've reigned it back in. I'm hoping they come out of the all-star break with a ferver and start gelling. Really, this season is turning into what I wanted last year to be: improved skill and excitement, but still at the bottom.

This is basically me. 

 

I've said repeatedly that in my mind, if one wants to look at history, this season is what 04-05 would have been if not for the lockout. 

 

I expect we'll have some fun next year. 

[Drunkard]

I think the tank has tempered my emotions with the team. I definitely prefer wins but losses don't bug me in the least (hopefully because I still see improvement and not because I just don't care). When we win it's a good feeling and when we lose I look at how far down we are in the standings and I think about getting one of the top tier players (I don't follow undrafted kids other than on this board but the consensus so far seems to be that there's a drop-off after about the 6th spot). Another stud like Matthews would be great but so would a good right winger or a left handed defenseman.

 

It's gonna take some time for this team to be contenders but the best thing about the team is that all of our best players are young (Eichel, Reinhart, Ristolainen, O'Reilly) and much of the supporting cast is also young (Psysk, McCabe, Girgensons, Ennis, Deslauriers, Kane, Foligno). Most of the guys who are underperforming are older and most of them won't be on the team in a few years.

[ddaryl]

I think it would be justified for us to win the draft lottery this year. 2x's we came in last place but ended up drafting 2nd

 

So this year we improve but win that lottery !!!

 

As for tanking this season.. No.. this team is playing a much better brand of hockey. They're young and getting better. I'm content with the direction the team is turning.

[nfreeman]

First of all, everyone needs to remember that, just like last year, it is 80% likely that the team finishing DFL will NOT get the #1 pick. 

 

Second, unlike last year, the team finishing DFL can fall as low as 4th.  A more skilled number-cruncher than I am will hopefully figure out the odds of that happening, but on a quick view it looks to me to be about 50% likely.

 

Third, I think this season thus far has borne out the concerns of those of us who were always anti-tank:  it's not that easy to flip the switch from losing to winning.  Despite huge turnover, the Sabres, while substantially more competitive than last year, are much closer to DFL than to a playoff spot, let alone contender status.  There are many miles to go before the Sabres get there, and it's at least as likely that they don't get there than it is that they do.

 

Bottom line:  IMHO no one should hope, consciously or subconsciously, for more losses this season -- because more losses this season means more losses next season and the season after that.

[Crusader1969]

The tank was worth it. Just watching Jack's goal last night was worth all the misery. But I'm not into it again at all. 

 

 

this doesn't make  sense to me, Jack Eichel was worth the misery but you wouldn't want to see them lose again for the next 2 months? if you come in last you are guaranteed either Laine, Puljujarvi, Matthews or Tkachuk. Imagine the excitement of having one of these "elite" talents playing with Eichel for the next decade.

 

luckily, I also think Nylander and Chychrun have potential to be stars as well. Therefore,  I don't sweat wins and losses like I did last season (though that could change if we move out of bottom 5).

Edited January 27, 2016 by Crusader1969

[shrader]

I just want to see positive growth from the early 20-somethings (and the teenager).  That's what this entire season is all about.  There's going to be plenty of growing pains, but these are the guys we need to turn this team into something in the future.

[Claude_Verret]

I just want to see positive growth from the early 20-somethings (and the teenager).  That's what this entire season is all about.  There's going to be plenty of growing pains, but these are the guys we need to turn this team into something in the future.

 

Yes, and the ones we will be leaning on most heavily going forward (15,23,55) are the ones showing the most growth as this season has progressed.  I'm not going to cry if they finish DFL again or if they make a miraculous run to lottery purgatory as long as we continue to see maturation from the kids who we need to lead down the road.