Prague Series between Sabres and Devils

[pi2000]

  On 9/25/2024 at 6:08 PM, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Pshhh 12 days, I could knock out half of Europe in that time 😜 but seriously that's a long time. 

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...and only 4 days to re-acclimate before their home opener on the 10th.

Make it make sense!

[French Collection]

  On 9/25/2024 at 8:05 AM, Spun said:

Is anybody going to the Sabres and Devils matchups in Prague?  Any recommendations for visiting Prague?  Does anybody know of Sabres related events during the lead up to the game?

Thanks in advance!

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I was there in May for the World Championships. Lots to see and very walkable city. The subway system is straightforward, you just need to know your stops/ connections. The language is a barrier but there are plenty of English speakers.

[GoPuckYourself]

  On 9/25/2024 at 2:43 PM, That Aud Smell said:

Dunleavy and Ray aren't going.

Feckin' cheapskate organization.

How much more money is it to send a skeleton broadcast crew?

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Is anyone else excited that they aren’t going? I know I am 😃

[Wyldnwoody44]

  On 9/25/2024 at 6:13 PM, pi2000 said:

...and only 4 days to re-acclimate before their home opener on the 10th.

Make it make sense!

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These guys aren't traveling like you or I, they have sports people in sciences I've never even heard of. If I can be jetlagged AF and still manage a hospital Dept full of meth and trauma then these guys with top notch amenities can play a game a little tired 😜

[ska-T Palmtown]

  On 9/25/2024 at 7:42 PM, GoPuckYourself said:

Is anyone else excited that they aren’t going? I know I am 😃

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I'll always have a soft spot in my cold dead heart for Rayzor. I really admire the hockey life he carved out for himself by getting punched in the face and hanging around.

Dunleavy? He has the unfair curse of following the GOAT ... poor guy.

[msw2112]

I have to be honest.  The Sabres are not sending their broadcasting team and I really don't care.  Apparently, some teams send them and others don't.  Even if the reason is simply to save on budget, who cares?

[repster]

Nationally, both games with be on the NHL Network in the US and on Sportsnet in Canada.

If neither team is sending their announcers, I wonder which broadcast they use?

Edited September 25, 2024 by repster

[bg17]

  On 9/25/2024 at 9:34 PM, msw2112 said:

I have to be honest.  The Sabres are not sending their broadcasting team and I really don't care.  Apparently, some teams send them and others don't.  Even if the reason is simply to save on budget, who cares?

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Dunleavy is the worst! Why aren’t they sending Dunleavy!!!

[That Aud Smell]

  On 9/25/2024 at 9:34 PM, msw2112 said:

I have to be honest.  The Sabres are not sending their broadcasting team and I really don't care.  Apparently, some teams send them and others don't.  Even if the reason is simply to save on budget, who cares?

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I care.

The same owner who skimps on sending a contingent of employees to Europe is the same owner who skimps on overall team salary (e.g., the same owner who has a bottom 5 (or thereabouts) salary cap hit even though this team is absolutely not in a rebuild).

[bob_sauve28]

  On 9/25/2024 at 9:34 PM, msw2112 said:

I have to be honest.  The Sabres are not sending their broadcasting team and I really don't care.  Apparently, some teams send them and others don't.  Even if the reason is simply to save on budget, who cares?

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Ray and Dunleavy are just terrible 

Ray is great at talking and saying nothing. 

[bob_sauve28]

 

[Broken Ankles]

  On 9/25/2024 at 4:38 PM, That Aud Smell said:

Sure.

At this point, my gripe is more with Pergament who accepted at face value a representation that it's standard for NHL teams not to send their home broadcast crew for season opening games in Europe.

And it looks like several NHL teams have sent their home broadcast crew to Europe. 

The Sabres won't -- at least not in 2024. 

Did the Sabres send their broadcast team when they went over and got waxed twice by the Lightning?

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This is why I subscribe.  Great reconnaissance on the subject @That Aud Smell.  I’ve been outspoken about my ambivalence towards the Sabres broadcast team, but damn it they should be there for me to have a choice not to listen.  

[FrenchConnection44]

  On 9/25/2024 at 8:05 AM, Spun said:

Is anybody going to the Sabres and Devils matchups in Prague?  Any recommendations for visiting Prague?  Does anybody know of Sabres related events during the lead up to the game?

Thanks in advance!

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Wish I could, since I lived in Prague (Praha) for two years. Such a great city. 
 

Also loved the hockey there! Saw several players who later played in the NHL. And went to several games at Jagr’s home town team, Kladno (not such a great city 😉). 

[gilbert11]

  On 9/25/2024 at 4:27 PM, That Aud Smell said:

The Predators apparently sent their play by play guy in 2022.

This is the ultra basic research that Alan Pergament could not be bothered to do -- he just went with what he was told.

 

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Ah, remember the days when journalists had the integrity to get the news right and had some pride in what was printed/posted?
 

Me neither.

[That Aud Smell]

  On 9/26/2024 at 5:51 AM, gilbert11 said:

Ah, remember the days when journalists had the integrity to get the news right and had some pride in what was printed/posted?
 

Me neither.

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That’s a touch too cynical for my taste.

It used to be the Fourth Estate, for heaven’s sake.

[Doohicksie]

  On 9/25/2024 at 6:13 PM, pi2000 said:

...and only 4 days to re-acclimate before their home opener on the 10th.

Make it make sense!

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Have you traveled internationally?  Much easier going east-to-west.  Since you're chasing the sun, so to speak, the first day is a very long day, and you can spend that extra time sleeping it off without going too hard against your circadian rhythm.  Going west-to-east is a short day and flights often fly overnight.  After an abbreviated sleep you land just as the sun rises.  Even if you have the time to sleep, your body's circadian rhythm is messed up bigly and it's hard to sleep for even a few hours.

My international travel is somewhat limited; perhaps @Wyldnwoody44 can verify/expand on that, when he's not managing a hospital department full of meth and trauma.

Edited September 26, 2024 by Doohickie

[JohnC]

  On 9/26/2024 at 5:51 AM, gilbert11 said:

Ah, remember the days when journalists had the integrity to get the news right and had some pride in what was printed/posted?
 

Me neither.

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I'm confused by your post. What are you talking about and suggesting? Some grand media conspiracy? The Sabres didn't bring in their broadcasters on this European trip. You can reasonably agree or disagree with that lack of hometown coverage, but too much is being made of it. My position is that the local broadcasters should have been included in the trip. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

  On 9/26/2024 at 12:33 PM, Doohickie said:

Have you traveled internationally?  Much easier going east-to-west.  Since you're chasing the sun, so to speak, the first day is a very long day, and you can spend that extra time sleeping it off without going too hard against your circadian rhythm.  Going west-to-east is a short day and flights often fly overnight.  After an abbreviated sleep you land just as the sun rises.  Even if you have the time to sleep, your body's circadian rhythm is messed up bigly and it's hard to sleep for even a few hours.

My international travel is somewhat limited; perhaps @Wyldnwoody44 can verify/expand on that, when he's not managing a hospital department full of meth and trauma.

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There's a really cool sleep calender that let's you adjust your sleep times based on what time zone you'll be in to minimize jet lag, They also have private chartered flights so that will play into it. 

Europe isn't all that bad, direct flights in 6ish hours and a 5 to 6 hours time difference. Once you start getting past that, that's when things get stupid, start doing Asia and Micronesia and yeah, I would def make sure there's more of a buffer. 

 

[That Aud Smell]

  On 9/26/2024 at 12:34 PM, JohnC said:

I'm confused by your post. What are you talking about and suggesting? Some grand media conspiracy? The Sabres didn't bring in their broadcasters on this European trip. You can reasonably agree or disagree with that lack of hometown coverage, but too much is being made of it. My position is that the local broadcasters should have been included in the trip. 

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He was making light of my disappointment in Alan Pergament's journalistic failure (by sardonically suggesting that journalists have been sh1tty for a long, long time).

[Doohicksie]

  On 9/26/2024 at 1:08 PM, Wyldnwoody44 said:

There's a really cool sleep calender that let's you adjust your sleep times based on what time zone you'll be in to minimize jet lag, They also have private chartered flights so that will play into it. 

Europe isn't all that bad, direct flights in 6ish hours and a 5 to 6 hours time difference. Once you start getting past that, that's when things get stupid, start doing Asia and Micronesia and yeah, I would def make sure there's more of a buffer. 

 

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In my experience, US -> Europe was a tough adjustment, and Korea -> US was a tough adjustment
Europe -> US and US -> Korea were much easier.

[Weave]

  On 9/26/2024 at 1:24 PM, That Aud Smell said:

He was making light of my disappointment in Alan Pergament's journalistic failure (by sardonically suggesting that journalists have been sh1tty for a long, long time).

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Pergament has his masters too.

If there is anything the current political climate has changed effectively, it is making the notion that reporters and journalists are inept (at best) or fraudulent (at worst) nearly universal.  This will be our undoing.

The 4th estate was dismantled when media and news were consolidated into a handful of corporate juggernauts.  Journalists are following the direction of their corporate targets, Just like you and I work to do our best within the confines of our corporate goals and targets. Further demonizing them only serves to make the profession less desirable.  We are helping to accelerate the demise of the one element that keeps us aware and informed.

 

[pastajoe]

  On 9/25/2024 at 7:42 PM, GoPuckYourself said:

Is anyone else excited that they aren’t going? I know I am 😃

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They will probably do the radio broadcast from watching on tv.

[msw2112]

  On 9/26/2024 at 12:20 AM, That Aud Smell said:

I care.

The same owner who skimps on sending a contingent of employees to Europe is the same owner who skimps on overall team salary (e.g., the same owner who has a bottom 5 (or thereabouts) salary cap hit even though this team is absolutely not in a rebuild).

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I see where you're coming from, but there's not necessarily a correlation.  I fully agree that I care about spending on hockey operations, such as players and coaching staff.  I'd love to see the money saved on Skinner allocated to a top-6 winger.  I do think that the team's comment that they're saving that money to pay some of their ascending players is more than lip service, as it would be difficult to get a top player to come on a 1-year deal, so large multi-year contracts truly could impact future signings, but that aside, I still agree that I'd like to see more spending there.  Maybe hire some top-flight assistant coaches instead of bringing back the guys who were not successful last season....

I just don't think that spending unnecessary money to send a broadcast crew overseas has anything to do with the product on the ice.  I understand the concept of corporate culture and how skimping on "nice things" for employees can have an impact on the overall culture and the "feel" around the building, but I just don't think that this particular situation has that much of an impact.  The Sabres broadcast team is average, and that's being generous.  They have great jobs that they should be thankful to have....they're not going anywhere and spending thousands as a feel-good gesture to them just isn't necessary.  If it was the norm that all teams sent their broadcasters over and the Sabres didn't, making the Sabres an outlier, I'd understand, but that's not the case here.  If what I read about the situation is accurate, some teams have sent their broadcasters over, but most don't.  If Pegula is losing money on the Sabres, which appears to be the case (talking about cash in and out, not increase in value, which he'd need to sell to realize), it's appropriate to save on certain expenses.  This seems like a reasonable place to do that.  They ARE taking several extra players, who are not likely to play, but that could be insurance against injuries AND some culture building for the roster, which is important.

[That Aud Smell]

  On 9/26/2024 at 5:07 PM, msw2112 said:

I see where you're coming from, but there's not necessarily a correlation.

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I appreciate the response. To me, that's an awful lot of thought devoted to explaining away a cheap owner doing things on the cheap. Terry is not getting any benefit of the doubt from me. He's operating the Sabres as a poverty franchise.

  On 9/26/2024 at 5:07 PM, msw2112 said:

The Sabres broadcast team is average, and that's being generous.  They have great jobs that they should be thankful to have....they're not going anywhere and spending thousands as a feel-good gesture to them just isn't necessary.  

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I don't see the relevance of this.

  On 9/26/2024 at 5:07 PM, msw2112 said:

If it was the norm that all teams sent their broadcasters over and the Sabres didn't, making the Sabres an outlier, I'd understand, but that's not the case here.  If what I read about the situation is accurate, some teams have sent their broadcasters over, but most don't.  

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Well-run, deeply-supported franchises do, anyway.

[That Aud Smell]

  On 9/26/2024 at 5:07 PM, msw2112 said:

If Pegula is losing money on the Sabres, which appears to be the case (talking about cash in and out, not increase in value, which he'd need to sell to realize), it's appropriate to save on certain expenses.  This seems like a reasonable place to do that.  They ARE taking several extra players, who are not likely to play, but that could be insurance against injuries AND some culture building for the roster, which is important.

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Pete ... that you?