June 3, 2008
March 24, 2008
Warning: This Blog to become Even More Obnoxious
Remember last year during the NHL Playoffs when I turned this blog blue and gold and renamed it "Sabreocracy?" Readership stats show that I managed to drive away about half of those who tuned in regularly. It was a nice experiment in how to kill a popular blog.
Well, don't worry. I won't have to change the color scheme this year. The Sabres are not helping.
But I will annoy almost every reader of Sivacracy over the next few weeks with tales of glory from the Texas Longhorn men's and women's teams and the Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team. All of them are marching through the NCAA tournaments this month.
Fortunately for all concerned, orange is an appropriate color for these teams.
I wonder if our pal Michael Madison thinks Stanford has a chance against the best coach and best player in college basketball.
Go Hoos and Hook'em Horns!!!!!!
January 23, 2008
The Downfall of the Dallas Cowboys
November 9, 2007
Baseball screws its best fans once again
Fred Yen explains how MLB's dumb digital rights management schemes left fans who downloaded games from MLB.com without a way to actually watch those games for which they paid.
Well done, commissioner.
November 1, 2007
Sports writers mangling the language like they are coaches
On this week's ESPN Tuesday Morning Quarterback, Gregg Easterbrook (good: Bills fan; bad: anti-Semite) writes:
"New England may have punched Washington in the nose, but on a deep post to Randy Moss, the pass was defensed by middle linebacker London Fletcher, who stayed with Moss deep stride for stride."
What's wrong with "defended?"
A few years ago football coaches started using Warren Hardingesque constructions like "defensed" and "keep contain." What gives? Why must the literate among us perpetuate such violence?
October 22, 2007
I seriously never thought I would see this
My new college football team, The University of Virginia not only has fewer losses than my alma mater, The University of Texas, it is currently ranked higher in the BCS standings.
Go Hoos and Hook'em Horns!
September 28, 2007
My Alercation post on the Yankees' great triumph
Media Matters - Altercation: Slackerish Friday
Name: Siva Vaidhyanathan
Hometown: The Yankee fan section of Charlottesville, VA
Eric:
Admit it. You knew all along the Yankees were going to come back from a billion games behind Boston to scare the crap out of them and (still hoping) perhaps topple them from the AL East perch. At least you knew they would be a playoff team all along, right? All that whining about the NYTimes coverage had be a front for your incessant visions of Yankee greatness that would envelop your sports media world come October.
Now, I have been meaning to write to you about this Times baseball coverage thing. Look, it's just plain silly to even care what the Times does with its sports pages. Who the heck reads the Times for sports? It has had the worst sports section in America since Teddy Roosevelt tried to outlaw football. A section like that, with some of the dumbest sports columnists and most boring reporters can't possibly matter to anyone. Geez, most of the country (including, sadly, me) does not even get east coast night scores in their Times every morning. All the standings are a day behind in the national edition.
But let's try to understand the motivation of Times sports editors. We all know that journalists are trained to follow the best story, regardless of real-world implications or relevance. So what's the best story in New York from April through October? Better bike lanes on 9th Avenue? Floating swimming pools off the Brooklyn waterfront? No. It's the yearly turmoil and drama of the Yankees, the early-season domination by Boston, followed by the annual post-All-Star-Game Yankee surge, the questions about whether Joe Torre still has it (answer: damn right he does), the brilliant personnel moves by GM Brian Cashman, and the inevitable clutch heroics of one Derek Sanderson Jeter. We all knew those things were going to be part of the plot. Why not cover it better than the frustrating hiccups we are hearing from over in Queens?
Oh, and I am sorry and surprised about the prospect of seeing the Mets choke away a season-long lead to, ahem, Philadelphia. I sincerely thought that Willie Randolph would bring some of his Yankee character across the TriBoro Bridge. But, come to think of it, Joe Torre played for the Mets for years and that has not seemed to detract from his performance in the Bronx.
Down here in Virginia, I have had the worst time getting out-of-region games on television. Neither DirectTV (a Rupert Murdoch-owned nightmare with the worst customer service of any company in America -- even worse than USAir) nor DishNetwork (a better company with pathetic sports options) can get me either Red Sox (for the wife, of course) or Yankee games with any regularity. They both offer both NESN and YES, but -- get this -- black out the baseball games! As if there were any other reason to watch NESN or YES! I can't get Comcast Cable to serve my house because it is recent construction and their computers don't believe that my house exists.
So here I sit, an American, with money ready to spend, living in an age of hyper-fast digital communication, and I cannot get anybody to sell me all the services I want. I want to see the Patriots and the Bills every Sunday (I know: why would anyone WANT to see the Bills this year). I want my Texas Longhorns on Saturdays. I want to see the Yankees and/or Red Sox every night. I want to see The Simpsons every Sunday and The Office every Thursday.
DirectTV will get me NFL and MLB if I pay for the premium subscription packages. But it will not let me see any local channels or network feeds. I am not making this up. They blame the FCC. I don't really understand.
DishNetwork will get me local network channels, but it does not carry either the NFL or MLB packages.
And Comcast would get me the baseball and the local, but not the football. Well, that's if they could ever find my house.
Why won't these companies take my money?
Now, I know that with 45 million Americans living without health insurance and thousands of soldiers serving way too long over in Iraq I should hardly be whining about this situation, but do you see where I am going with this? The market does not provide because the FCC does not force the market to work. In too many areas of American life, especially in media, our government facilitates sweetheart deals, exclusive contracts, and fails to insist that utilities compete fairly. Broadcasting is bad. But mobile phone service is worse.
I hope the next administration takes media regulation seriously. There is much more at stake here than sports.
Meanwhile, at least the Yankees will clinch the division against Baltimore this weekend. I get all the crummy Orioles games down here. And I get all the games with that team with a W on their red caps from the league where they let pitchers hit. Sigh.
Oh, and as far as the Yankees' amazing season, to quote Stephen Colbert, I accept your apology.
Eric replies: I admit that I expected the Yankee "surge" deep down, just as I expected that Bush would escalate the war after the country voted in 2006 to end it. As goes Bush and the Republicans ... (In fact, I think the Yankee payroll would just about cover the escalation costs ...) As for the Mets, well, I am indeed without excuses. It's a great game when a team can brag, "Never before has a team that was up seven games with only 17 to go did not make it to the go**am playoffs."
NY Mets' collapse the second-worst in baseball history
Glad I am a Yankee fan!
June 20, 2007
Go Anteaters!
Believe it or not, U.C. Irvine's baseball team continues to advance in the college world series with a 10th inning win against number three ranked Arizona State, in an elimination game no less! I feel like suddenly I've been transported to some parallel universe in which sport actually matters on my campus.
June 12, 2007
The NCAA Goes After Live Blogging
See this story about how the NCAA is revoking the press credentials of live bloggers. Writer Brian Bennett describes how he was ejected from a University of Lousville vs. Oklahoma State game for live blogging here. Given that major newspapers are scrambling to keep up with fast-changing online media by hiring bloggers, this could deal a death blow to the print sports pages now that many of the great sports columnists of the twentieth century have died or have retired from writing. Besides, if one can live blog with a cell phone, what will stop fans from doing it in even larger numbers?
May 22, 2007
Time-Out
Well, I've finally recovered enough from the flu and the spanking that Buffalo took at the hands of Ottawa to comment on the last game and the end of the Sabres' season.
Despite several good (and a couple of great) moments, Buffalo's play never came close to matching their regular season performance. They were healthy, they made a good trade at the deadline, and, by all accounts, they had a tight, happy locker room. Last season's killer (injuries) wasn't really a factor, and this was basically the same team...only better. Okay, I know someone is thinking, "but what about Zubrus' knee injury, which sidelined one of the team's best players?" Yes, that was awful, but no one can blame the Sabres' playoff performance (or even their play during the Ottawa series) on that injury.
So, we move on and think about the off-season. Things like, can the Sabres afford to keep Drury and Briere? (No, only Drury, but if Sparky signs with the Flyers, I will hate him with a white-hot intensity.) Will they sign Zubrus? ( I hope so, although his re-occurring knee injury and not tiny salary might be obstacles.) Will Teppo retire? (Yes.)
Of course, I'll watch the remaining playoffs. If it's a Sens-Ducks final, which is looking likely, I have to pull for the East. If it's a Sens-Redwings final, I have to go with Hasek. Why? Because he's the Dominator.
However, from mid-June until sometime in October, I'm taking a very long time-out from all things hockey.
GO SABRES
May 16, 2007
Three Games To Go
The Sabres are back, baby. Now let's just have more of the same for Game 5 (which is Saturday at 2pm on NBC).
GO SABRES
May 15, 2007
You are breaking my heart
Excuse the lack of posting on my part. It's been a combination of the end-of-the-semester-crunch here at College X and the lead weight in my chest that makes me want to do nothing but watch old episodes of The Larry Sanders Show (we're watching Not Just the Best of The Larry Sanders Show, which is now out on DVD). Remember Duchovny's mancrush on Larry? Or Artie's lost weekend with Angie Dickinson? Oh, sweet television, do your magic and dull my pain.
The Sabres have now dropped the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals to Ottawa and face the embarrassing prospect of getting sweepedswept. [Note: See how whipped I am? I typed "sweeped." Jesus, the bad play is not only affecting my sleep, it's destroying my grammar.] Not to take anything away from the excellent Senators, but the Sabres' play (or lack of) has had more to do with this situation than the Sens' offense, special teams, or goaltending. I've read comments in other forums that claim that Ottawa has "figured out" the Sabres. Um, no. That doesn't explain Buffalo's lack of shots, unwillingness to hit or finish checks, or non-existent power play (during which I scream at the announcers, "Oh, my god, no! Please no more power plays!"). No, there's something else going on. A horrible disease, which everyone on the team has contracted, including Lindy...chronic fatigue syndrome, perhaps? Ryan Miller appears to have been vaccinated or maybe has natural immunity because he continues to play like a professional athlete. So, we'll march on to the end of this series, whether that's tomorrow night or (if we're very, very lucky) some time in the future.
GO SABRES
May 10, 2007
Power-less Play
One team shot the puck at every opportunity, connected on the power play, and hunkered down to help their goalie during the PK. One team did not. For the first time since the 2001 series against the Penguins, the Sabres dropped Game 1 at home.
There is some hope: Emery is no Lundqvist and is definitely vulnerable. Some of the Sabres, most notably Pominville, Goose, and Zubrus, worked very hard. If only the Sabres had managed to get their power play going or at least took more than 20 shots, this outcome might have been different. Let's hope that Game 2 is different. Speaking of Game 2, puck drop is 8pm Saturday night in Buffalo.
GO SABRES
May 9, 2007
love & hockey
Here's the Tragically Hip...the greatest Canadian rock band, the greatest hockey-loving band, and one of my favorite bands...with their tribute to love and hockey -
Puck-drop is tomorow (Thursday) at 7pm in Buffalo.
GO SABRES
May 6, 2007
Round 3? Hecht, yes!
First, let me just say thanks to both teams for giving us such an entertaining series (okay, the last two games). Neither goaltender played his best game today, but both teams were so good (the Rangers power play was fantastic and the Sabres offense acted like, well, their offense) that it made for some very exciting hockey. Some of Buffalo's better regular season players (like Hecht and Afinogenov) finally looked like themselves toward the end of this series, while some of the others (like Drury, Kalinin, and Campbell) continued to be their reliable, steady selves. As for the Rangers fans...what great hockey fans...the salute that they gave their team and the very deserving Lundqvist in particular at the end of this series was so genuine and appreciative.
Next up is Round 3 with the Sens, one of the very best teams right now. They have a history with Buffalo and the teams do not like each other -
Ottawa dominated the regular season, but the Sens have struggled with Buffalo in previous playoffs. It will be a wonderful, awful, exciting, scary series -- no question about it.
GO SABRES
Momentum
Puck-drop is in a few minutes and while the Sabres put on one heck of a show on Friday night, we can all rightfully wonder after several low-scoring periods whether they can carry that momentum over to Game 6. Just hit, shoot, hit, stay out of the box, hit, block, hit, win those faceoffs, and skate, skate, skate. And hit.
Yes, I think they can, I think they can, I think they can...
GO SABRES
PS: Thanks, Kevin, for the photo.
"Beaten by the sweetest of dekes"
May 4, 2007
7.7 seconds, oh my!
Oh, my goodness, Chris Drury scores the tying goal with 7.7 seconds left in regulation. How's that for playoff hockey?
GO SABRES
Puck-drop is just minutes away...
...and I am not worried. Not a bit (seriously). Gaustad is back in the line-up. The defense has looked good. Miller is playing very well. Everyone seems healthy. And I'm told that TPM has mouthed off a couple of times in the press about the Sabres (Drury in particular), which should light a fire under the sleepy offense if Lindy hasn't already. (Thanks, buddy.) Most importantly, they'll be on home ice...nice cold, frozen ice at that. Just what you need if your sport is ICE hockey.
So sit back with a nice plate of wings and blue cheese dressing, open a bottle of Genny, and enjoy.
GO SABRES
April 29, 2007
'TIL TUESDAY
Okay, the ice was really bad, but it's not selective -- both teams were affected. Yet the Rangers looked aggressive and had good offensive pressure throughout much of the game, while the Sabres looked slow, made few shots in the first two periods (sound familiar?), and, unlike Game 2, hit nothing. Despite some questionable calls that went in Buffalo's favor during regulation, the Sabres couldn't produce more than one goal on the power play. Kotalik, Drury, and Briere had their moments, Vanek was fantastic, and Miller made several big saves to keep them in the game; however, Zubrus was invisible, Roy was disappointing (although his blatant, stupid tripping of Avery in OT was sweet), and there were so, so many turnovers. Blocked shots and face offs were pretty much a draw. Both goalies were very, very good. The Phantom Mullet had his best game of the series.
Now, I've predicted that the Sabres will win this series in six, so here's one of two Ranger wins. I still believe that the Rangers have one more win in them at most, but I don't think they can win more than two unless the Sabres just roll over. With the exception of late in the third and both OTs, the Sabres stunk like a dead coyote in I40 in August, and still the Rangers could barely squeak out a win at home. The Rangers were dead in the water if they didn't win today, so they made it happen. Good for them. However, they're still down and they lack Buffalo's depth, energy, and speed. Game 4 is Tuesday.
GO SABRES
PS: Don't you love toothless Shanny? The guy is almost as old as me, has played in the NHL for almost 20 years, and is still one of the toughest, hardest working players. Loved him in Detroit, love him now.
April 28, 2007
Why are these men celebrating?
Wipe that smile off your face. Yes, they won. Yes, that third period was so exciting that I actually stared at a radio broadcast because our NHL Center Ice Online subscription has been a bust so far. Yes, I'm thrilled that the Sabres are up 2-0 on the Rangers in the series, but, gosh, they were so bad during the first 40 minutes that some might say they didn't deserve to win (not me). Some might even say that the Rangers totally outplayed them throughout the first and second (not me, at least not out loud). I've never bought in to the concept that teams or athletes "deserve to win" for working harder, wanting it more, or being nicer. They're professionals, not children, and the team that scores more goals at the end of the game is the team that deserves to win. Buffalo managed, once again, to do just that, but I'm not sure that this sort of play will cut it on the Rangers' home ice.
Good things? Kevin pointed out that Soupy's sportin' his playoff beard, which must be working (see how superstitious I am?) because his excellent play has continued into the playoffs, including a goal and an assist last night. Zu-zu-zubrus had nine hits...nine. That's amazing and makes me love him the most; however, the Sabres had a total of 35 hits last night, while the Rangers only had 17. Finally, even though Buffalo's offense failed to play a full 60 minutes, Miller looked great and kept them in the game, which is what every great playoff goalie does. Like this guy and this guy.
By the way, if you're looking for some more hockey blogging or "hogging" as someone has coined, check these out -
Hockey Buzz.com
Puck Update
Hockey Nation
BfloBlog
Ranger Pundit
GO SABRES
April 26, 2007
The Phantom Mullet
You may ask, "Catherine, why is Jagr the most selfish player in the NHL?" Despite his size (6' 3" and 245 lbs.), sweet hands, and awesome ability to grow one of the greatest mullets in hockey history, he's nothing but a big 'ol baby who whines about everything, can't seem to distinguish between incidental contact and an actual blow, refuses to play through the slightest discomfort, and hurts his team and the team's fans with his selfish, weenie play.
Oh yeah, and if assists didn't count in a player's point totals, he would never pass.
GO SABRES
April 25, 2007
One Hour 'Til Puck Drop in Buffalo
2007 EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE
GAME -- DATE -- TIME -- LOCATION -- NETWORK
1 -- Wednesday, April 25 -- 7:00 p.m.-- Buffalo -- Versus
2 -- Friday, April 27 -- 7:00 p.m.-- Buffalo -- MSG
3 -- Sunday, April 29 -- 2:00 p.m. -- New York -- NBC
4 -- Tuesday, May 1 -- 7:00 p.m. -- New York -- Versus
*5 -- Friday, May 4 -- 7:00 p.m. -- Buffalo -- MSG
*6 -- Sunday, May 6 -- 2:00 p.m. -- New York -- NBC
*7 -- Tuesday, May 8 -- 7:00 p.m. -- Buffalo -- MSG
* if necessary
GO SABRES
Hey! A Team We Can All Hate
GAME 1 OF SERIES 2 IS TONIGHT
Will this series be more exciting than the Sabres-Islanders series? You bet. Why? Because these teams really don't like eachother and that should light a fire under Buffalo, which won its last series, but looked sluggish at times in every game.
And as if being saddled with the most selfish player in the NHL wasn't enough reason to despise the Rangers, they have Sean Avery, the man voted both Most Hated and Most Overrated Player in a poll of current NHLers conducted by The Hockey News earlier this month. Seriously, Avery's a ginormous pest in the mold of Vaclav Varada and Darcy Tucker except that he appears to have a little more talent. Sure, he'll try to fluster the Sabres and if that doesn't work, he'll try to hurt them, but he'll also take a lot of penalties and shoot his big mouth off. If this were last year and we were talking about a younger, untested team, I might worry, but this is the Chris Drury-led Sabres.
Can't wait for those post-game press conferences with Lindy!
GO SABRES
April 19, 2007
Welcome to Our World
I really liked Mark Herrmann's guest commentary in today’s Buffalo News (and kudos to the News for publishing it). He does an excellent job in illustrating why inconsistent officiating in the NHL continues to be a serious problem and how even one call can derail a team.
No one needs to explain to this long-time Buffalo fan how inconsistent and unfair the officiating can be. I was living in Buffalo during NO GOAL and I’m proud to say that I watched nearly every one of the Sabres’ regular season games that year, only to see Gary Bettman hand Dallas the cup after a terrible call that I still can’t understand. I had the added pleasure of flying home to Texas for my grandfather’s funeral the following day with a planeload of still-drunk, extremely obnoxious Stars fans, several of whom didn’t appear to even understand the most basic rules of the game. (Hey, Dallas: Screw you.)
Do I think this is some huge conspiracy on the part of the Toronto-based NHL to punish the Islanders for knocking the Leafs out of the playoffs? Absolutely not, just like I never really believed that there was a conspiracy to screw small-market Buffalo out of the cup in ’99. I think it was a convenient and lazy solution for the league and, ultimately, very, very foolish.
Did I think Witt’s goal in last night’s Game 4 should have counted? Yes. I’m not an official, I wasn’t at the game, and I don’t have access to all of the footage that was captured, but given what I’ve seen and read, I have to say “yes.” If someone has footage that proves otherwise, please send it on, but please don’t tell me that it all evens out because it doesn’t. At least not in the playoffs. Making the wrong call on a potential playoff goal can shift the entire momentum of a game and when you’re talking about the fourth game in a best of seven series instead of 82 regular season games, it can kill a team.
Do I think the Islanders would have won last night if Witt’s goal counted? Honestly, no. The Sabres are the better team and while the Isles have shown that they deserve to be in the playoffs, Buffalo is playing better and looked great at that point in the game. However, both teams deserved the chance to play it out and the fans (including those classy, classy Islander fans) deserved to watch. Despite being the biggest homer, I also like a fair fight.
I only hope that the NHL doesn’t try to “correct” their mistake by making similar calls at the Sabres’ expense in Game 5. There have been several inexplicable calls in this series that have hurt both teams and last night’s “no goal” could have changed the outcome of one of the seven games; however, that’s the league’s problem, not Buffalo’s. The Islanders aren’t out, yet, and the series continues tomorrow night. The Sabres, unfortunately, never got that chance in ’99.
GO SABRES
PS: The first disputed goal from Monday’s Game 3 that Herrmann refers to was a goal. Watch all of the available footage. Ted Nolan, someone I’ve never liked (sorry, Siva), has every right to be furious over last night’s call, but the earlier one was a goal, he knows it, and he needs to stop grouping the two together. It only hurts his case.
April 18, 2007
'Cause Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
After a scoreless first period that looked a little too much like Game 2, the Sabres put three on the board in the second, while the Islanders scored only once...WAIT, make that twice with a second one coming with only eight seconds left in the period. Even with some terrible officiating, shameful behavior from the Islander fans, and a barrage of shots from the Sabres' offense who out shot the Isles 17-2 in the third, there was absolutely no change in the final score: Sabres 3 - Islanders 2.
I only have two stars for a two star effort -
2) Daniel Briere Whatever Briere's problem was in Game 2 (supposedly an injured leg), he seems to have gotten over it and he was back to his annoying, hyperkinetic self, scoring the game-winner and getting in DiPietro's face. What a pest...thank GodDarcy, he's ours.
1) Adam Mair Mair scored the first goal of the night, made five hits, and had a great game overall. He's the kind of player that I love -- not the most talented guy on the ice, but hardworking, lots of heart, and willing to mix it up. Mair reminds me a bit of Dixon Ward, although without Ward's talent for razzing the opposition (Mark Recchi, you dive).
Game 4 is tomorrow evening at 7:30pm on Longuyland.
GO SABRES
April 15, 2007
MOVE ON
SABRES 2 - ISLANDERS 3
Losing one game out of seven is never a good thing, but it's also not a serious problem this early in the series. As a matter of fact, I felt that the Sabres would drop one (along with everyone else) and that it would be because they were out-worked. And that's what happened last night. I could talk about the stats (more or less a tie), Briere's injury from Game 1, speedy Afinogenov (and, yet, still no goal, Max?), Zubrus' continued excellent play, and the pressure that they put on the Islanders near the end, but they had already pissed away a chunk of the game. They played most of the first period like they were sloooooooowly waking up from a long nap, while the Islanders came out fast (for the Isles) and checking and, in general, looking like the team that was there to play some hockey.
Most importantly, the Islanders also had Di Pietro and his bum noggin back, both of which looked just fine even after three weeks away. Di Pietro made several big saves once the Sabres woke up, particularly in the third. A great goaltender can steal a game on his own (see the 1998-1999 Sabres), and Di Pietro obviously was good last night, but he also got a little help from his buddies in the blue and the gold.
[By the way, Detroit just outshot Calgary 51-15 in the West, goddammit.]
Game 3 is Monday night on the Island and I expect Buffalo to come out looking all business. For a treat, tune-in to WGR's post-game call-in show with Brad Riter, a very entertaining fellow who knows hockey and tolerates no nonsense.
GO SABRES
April 13, 2007
Ready Steady Go
Okay, I thought the Sabres looked very good last night. Not mind-blowing. Not oh-my-god-no-one-can-possibly-touch-these-guys amazing, but very good. Solid, steady, efficient, tidy, workmanlike (to quote MSG's Mike Robitaille and probably many others). And really that's what they should have been.
Hits, face-offs, and blocked shots were pretty much a draw, while the Sabres dominated in shots, goals, take-aways, and general coolness. The Islanders didn't look bad (how about that Dubielewicz?), but they didn't look ready for the playoffs either, earning more missed shots, give-aways, penalty minutes, and stringy mullets than Buffalo. And fights? It was pretty tame until the last 10 minutes or so of the third when the chippiness set in. Last night's three stars were Campbell, Drury, and Zubrus -- those were also mine, although I reversed Drury and Campbell.
Garth over at Hockey Buzz summed it up nicely with: While the Sabres are being proactive, the Islanders are being reactive.
Questions until next time:
1. Will Max score or repeat last year's playoffs?
2. Will Di Pietro play? (And will it be too early?)
3. Did anyone else (besides me) dislike SI's puff piece on Drury? I bet he hated it.
4. Now what do you think of Darcy's playoff pick-up? Zubrus is quite the addition, huh? Don't doubt Darcy.
5. Did Pominville really pull Witt's creepy mullet strands poking through the ear holes in his helmet?
6. And, is there another hockey blogger nursing a toddler while typing their posts?
GO SABRES
April 12, 2007
Gonna Win That Cup
And here's a little something to get you in the mood for tonight's game. Sing along if you know the words. You know we're gonna win that cup...
GO SABRES
April 11, 2007
To-Do
Sabres To-Do List
• healthy roster.....check
• 53 wins in 82 games.....check
• franchise record for wins in one season.....check
• #1 in the Northeast Division...…..check
• #1 in the Eastern Conference.....check
• #1 in the NHL, the President’s Trophy, and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.....check, check, and check
Go Sabres!
April 10, 2007
Playoff Hockey: La Vie En Rose
Hold me close and hold me fast
This magic spell you cast
This is La Vie En Rose…
Round one of the NHL playoffs begins tomorrow, and the Sens are choking kicking it all off with the very entertaining Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. My heavily-favored Sabres (gosh, that still feels odd even after the season they've had) will host the Isles at HSBC Arena on Thursday at 8:00pm. The game is available on TSN and MSG, but since we're feeding four these days and, therefore, too tight to subscribe to NHL Center Ice, we're trying out the substantially cheaper NHL Center Ice Online for the playoffs. The full schedule is available here. And to our friends in Toronto, Montreal, and Philadelphia (particularly Philadelphia)...ha-ha.
Go Sabres!
February 24, 2007
Fair like Fair Play not like Fair Sex
In honor of rugby competitions going on right now, check out the excellent performance of prom dress-wearing female players in Asheville. Many of the women said it was a lot more fun than being subjected to the far more painful adolescent ritual that the dresses represented. Cretinous local news coverage here. Speaking of rugby, it's too bad Nike never ran the spot of Amanda Micheli (degraded clip without sound) and instead runs ads like this to symbolize women's sports.
December 29, 2006
A Good Day To Be A Gamecock!
1. The South Carolina Football team beat Houston in the Liberty Bowl 44-36. Not much defensing went on in that game, as may be obvious from the score.
2. The South Carolina Men's Basketball team beat Jacksonville, 80-73. Watched that one live and courtside. I have season's tickets in the crappy nosebleed faculty section, but due to the students being on break and many fans being away at the Liberty Bowl, the Carolina Center was practically empty so my companions and I got upgraded. Only downside to being courtside was the "mascot antics" we were subjected to by Cocky: 
For me, this included getting doused in popcorn and having a giant megaphone placed over my head and pounded on. Good times.
I could hear the Jax coaches shouting, "Don't foul Number 4!" A compliment to that player, I think.
Most fun player to watch is Tre Kelly, but he hurt his leg in the second half. Hope it's minor.
Sure miss Renaldo Balkman:
He skipped his senior year in favor of joining the NY Knicks.
3. In-state rival Clemson lost to Kentucky!
September 19, 2006
Killing Me Softly
My pal Ian Bogost of Georgia Tech has been in the spotlight a lot recently answering allegations that violent videogames could be linked directly to last week's terrible college shooting in Montreal. (My SIGGRAPH co-panelist International Game Developers Association President Jason Della Rocca has also fielded questions from the media.)
Luckily, Bogost has also been getting attention for his work with super-cool Alternate Reality Game developer Jane McGonigal in the launch of Cruel 2 B Kind, a "game of benevolent assassination" played with mobile phone technology. The game is played out in public with "assassins" working in teams of two. At the start of the game, a text message arrives with information about each team's secret "weapon" and secret vulnerability. Names and photographs of players are not disseminated, so total strangers may find themselves involved in the action.
The switcheroo? Opponents battle with what seem to be charming and spontaneous acts of kindness, such as compliments, proffered posies, blown kisses, and sentimental serenades. Passers-by may be confused by the evasive maneuvers of potential recipients facing the overtures of would-be urban Samaritans, but they are also likely to be impressed by the sudden outbreak of public civility and romance. This game should be interesting for anybody who digs Habermas, Latour, or subversion of conventional approaches to violence and gaming. Check out the rules for yourself.
Citizens of New York City can try the game for themselves during the Come Out and Play Festival this coming weekend.
July 16, 2006
For Those Who Miss Watching the World Cup
In honor of the Bastille Day weekend, you can relive a skewered version of the critical moment of the finals on this online game from an Italian newspaper or marvel at these alternative reality versions of the event. What's hard to laugh at is the unconscionable comments of Le Pen and other xenophobes from the National Front before the tournament about France's excellent multi-ethnic team.
June 2, 2006
Until October
Sadly, the run is over. Despite being ranked among the bottom teams by most of the experts at the beginning of this season (we don't need no stinkin' stars), Buffalo had an amazing season capped by a super-human effort during playoffs. I still believe that Buffalo was/is the better team in this series, but so much of the playoffs is about which team can withstand the grueling schedule and hold-off injuries long enough to make it to the finish. The Sabres couldn't do it. First Connolly, then Numminen, then Kalinin, then Numminen, then Tallinder, then Numminen, then Numminen again, and, finally, McKee. It was too much for one team to take, even a team as deep as Buffalo.
Rather than recap the game, which you can read about here and here and here, I'd rather talk about my favorite moment in the playoffs, my favorite moment in every playoffs. The handshake -- is there anything more amazing than the handshake at the conclusion of each playoff series? There's something so civil, so quaint, about seeing grown men lining up to shake hands with and, in some cases, embrace their opponents. You'll not see anything like it in any of the other major professional sports, and it always makes me proud to be a hockey fan. In a world where we villanize anyone who disagrees with us and there no longer seems to be any middle ground, it serves to remind and reassure us all that this is only a game. Besides, there's always next season.
Well, since Siva posted some of his favorite photos of the season, I thought I'd do the same. Here are Eleanor and Peter rooting the Sabres on to victory against the dreaded Flyers.
Go Sabres, y'all.
A must read for sports and politics fans
Riverbend, over at Baghdad Burning, is one of the bright spots of this grueling period. Her post on a neighborhood shop with a Brazilian flag, in honor of the perennial World Cup frontrunner, is, as always, meticuluously structured, witty, and very, very troubling.
May 30, 2006
Beware of Buffalo
Will these posts ever end? Yes, if we're very lucky, they'll end sometime between June 12th and June 19th. Until then, it's game-by-game. Like Game 5, the Sabres were the better team, the 'Canes got some great goaltending from the goalie duo I'm now referring jointly to as "Werberd," and it was another nailbiter that ended with one of the teams scoring during a powerplay in overtime. This time, Buffalo came out on top.
A game twice as exciting as your average game deserves twice as many stars, so here are my six: Miller because no team advances without consistently great goaltending; 37 year old Numminen for showing up with a groin injury to support his team and logging-in four-plus minutes during the first; Pominville for being such a pest throughout the game that he drew some timely penalties; Grrrrrier for making eight, yes eight, bone-crunching hits on Carolina bodies; Briere for scoring the game winner; and, most importantly, Carolina's Weight for taking an idiotic boarding penalty in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which ultimately resulted in Sparky's goal. Thanks, jackass, and please, for the sake of God, stop whining about the officiating.
Don't shave your playoff beard just yet. Game 7 is Thursday in Carolina. Puck drop is at 7:30pm (ET). When the game's over, tune in to WGR550's quite entertaining Brad Riter Show, which you can listen to online after the game.
Go Sabres.
May 28, 2006
Come on-a my house
Other than losing the game in OT, which is a heartbreaker after such a great effort, the Sabres were the better team. Fantastic number of blocked shots, much improved on the faceoffs and shots, and not bad on the hits. What was the problem? I guess you'd call it follow-through, and no one better typifies this than Max Afinogenov. I'd complain about him again, but I don't have the energy. Isn't it odd how Laviolette changes goaltenders like he's putting on fresh socks?
The bright-side is that Game 6 is in Buffalo.
Go Sabres.
May 26, 2006
Stink, Stank, Stunk
Down three of their top four defensemen, missing their best playoff forward, and up two games to Carolina's one, Buffalo came out tonight and...was shut out at home. For a brief part of the first period, the Sabres were the better team. But for the remaining 85% of the game, they looked very, very bad. Yes, Gerber looked good, but you can't give him all of the credit, Laviolette. No, Buffalo helped quite a bit by allowing four goals on 21 shots, losing most of the faceoffs, and not getting enough shots on goal. Lindy was so desperate for some defense that he made good on his threat and put in our hero of Game 5 of the Senators series, forward Jason Pominville, as a defenseman. By the way, I'm listening to Lindy's postgame press conference right now and he's saying that the problem this evening was the power play, not the defense -- hmmm. I don't agree, but I'm willing to acknowledge that he may know a little more about the situation. And Jeff Jillson, bless his heart, was a minus three tonight, so we can expect/hope that he'll be put out of his misery. No more talk about "the bad breaks," boys. On the bright side, Teppo may be back for Game 5 in Carolina, Tree's out of his cast, and Connolly, well, who knows.
Go Sabres.
PS: Earlier this week the Sporting News chose Lindy Ruff as NHL Coach of the Year.
May 24, 2006
"...and believe in the country of me and you"
Goodness gracious, wasn't that second period just the most exciting thing you've ever seen (or heard in my case)? Buffalo made more shots and hits, took fewer penalties (but only just barely), and scored more goals, which is really the only stat that matters. My three stars: Ryan Miller, of course, because he did his job and for that smack he gave an overly aggressive Hurricane forward with his blocker; Jiri Novotny for stepping in to replace a lackluster Thomas Vanek and making five hits; and "Sparky" Briere for scoring two goals (one on the powerplay), bringing Dumont back into the fold, and being soooo good at what he does. By the way, much of the talk in Buffalo right now is about Tallinder being pulled during the last six minutes of the third, presumably due to an injury since it was just reported (11:18pmET on WGR) that he left the building with his arm in a sling. If that's the case, it could mean that the Sabres may be without Numminen, Kalinin, and Tallinder. Jay McKee is very good, but he's not four defensemen. Also, consistency in officiating continued to be a complaint on both sides, but, honestly, when isn't it? Game 4 is in Buffalo on Friday.
Enjoy this photo of Daniel Briere doing what he seems to love almost as much as scoring goals -- talking.
Go Sabres.
May 23, 2006
Probably Not a Tax Write-Off
While hanging out at my favorite sports bar last night for the tape-delay showing of the two Western Conference semifinal clinchers, I tried to assuage my guilt over spending hours in front of the TV rather than my computer or at the library by considering that Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy looks to me an awful lot like the late Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei.
So it was almost like doing real research on Japanese politics. But that might be a stretch. Tanaka, by the way, was one of the major players in the Lockheed scandal, arguably the weirdest to have ever hit Japanese politics. I mean, say what you will about Enron, but I don't expect any ultranationalist porn film actors to crash their planes into the homes of Kenneth Lay or Jeffrey Skilling.
May 22, 2006
As Goes Teppo, So Goes Buffalo?
Despite what the score may suggest, this was not a close game. The 'Canes played a great, great home game. Buffalo was out-shot (35-19), out-hit (25-14), and out-manuevered on the face-off (44-28). Carolina even blocked more shots. Sigh. So, it was pretty much a defeat in every way. Although I have no stars (no stars when we don't win), there were a few bright spots. First, Ryan Miller, overall, continued to look strong in net, particularly in the first. Yes, he gave up that bad fourth goal, but was otherwise solid. Second, the power play seems to be back on track, although the penalty kill was uncharacteristically poor. Third, Cam Ward has yet to look like a goaltender who can win this series, unless he gets some help from the Sabres. Fourth, Buffalo had two goals in the second half of the third and Roy's in the last three seconds of the game was particularly important.
I listened to the WGR feed online, so I can't say that the officiating was a problem, although Jim and Rick were very vocal about inconsistencies. However, I don't know that anyone can blame the refs for NO OFFENSE. Really, 19 shots and a defenseman was the Sabres' shot leader. Afinogenov and Gaustad didn't register a single shot, but, hey, Dumont got one! Drury only registered two shots and led the team in stinky face-offs -- maybe he's just really tired since he logs more ice time than any other forward most nights.
Given everything, I would say that Game 3 on Wednesday could really use an injection of Tim Connolly and, maybe even more importantly Teppo Numminen. The old man. Darcy's big trade that everyone bitched and moaned about and, yet, this guy's out of the line-up twice during the Philly series and we lose both games. He's out tonight and the Sabres...(wait for it, wait for it)...lose. Coincidence? Well, there's got to be a reason that this guy has worn the "A" for so many NHL teams. Speaking of trades made by Darcy that may have initially looked lopsided, is anyone else as glad as I am that crybaby Gratton is no longer around, spreading his poison? Briere is such a sparkplug.
Enjoy this photo of Teppo scratching his ear on the cover of what I think translates to Sports Sheet or not.
Go Sabres.
PS: Thanks, Kevin, for reminding me about Teppo and the Philly series.
May 20, 2006
Eastern Conference Finals: Game 1...
...and this kid is my third star.
Because my very small children are more interested in seeing tigers and lions and leopards up close than a hockey game on television, we taped this afternoon's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals so we could attend the members-only preview of the Philadelphia Zoo's Big Cat Falls habitat and education center. And because Philadelphia really isn't a hockey town (please, let's not argue), there was no chance of hearing or seeing the results of this afternoon's game before we watched it on tape. And because the game involved two of the fastest, deepest teams in the NHL, we didn't fast-forward. No, not once.
Both teams came out so fast that the game immediately looked like the last seven or eight minutes in the third period of a close game -- and they continued to play that way for much of the game. Carolina definitely looked better than Buffalo in the first, but the Sabres improved substantially in the second. The third was just nuts.
My three stars: Ryan "Hit Me With Those Laser Beams" Miller; Henrik Tallinder just because I like the way he's playing right now; and Jay "Big-D" McKee for being his steady-eddie self and for making like a forward (what was that?) by scoring right out of the box. While Carolina took more shots and made more hits (well done, boys), Buffalo blocked more shots and won more of those all-important face-offs that everyone keeps yammering on and on about (including me). Sadly, there's always some bad with the good: Teppo left the game in the first period, which could be very bad if his lower back injury keeps him out for a while -- especially with Tree out for an extended period. I don't know what was going on with Dumont, but he was virtually invisible. Also, Afinogenov continues to piss me off like the frustrated parent of a C+ student who scores really high on all of the aptitude tests. Game 2 is Monday.
Go Sabres.
May 13, 2006
"SCARY GOOD"
SABRES 3 - SENS 2 in OT (again)
The Sens took more shots on goal, made more hits, and won more faceoffs, and, yet, the Sabres won, again. Before the season began, I'd picked Ottawa to come out of the East (didn't everyone?), hoping that the Sabres would make the playoffs and make a strong showing -- something to build on for next season. Wow. Talk about exceeding expectations. Lindy attributes the team's playoff success to "speed and skill" four lines deep. Maybe add youth and buying-in to the Sabres system to that equation. Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals has, yet, to be determined, but it will either be in Raleigh or East Rutherford. Rest up, boys.
My three stars: Ryan Miller, again, for making like a wall; Jason Pominville for not only scoring a shorty in OT, but also for his overall play throughout the playoffs; and Toni Lydman for winning tonight's rotating most-blocked-shots-prize by stopping an impressive 7 shots.
So let's end this evening with the words of Sabres' announcer Rick Jeanneret immediately after the Pominville goal, "Now do you believe? Now do you believe? These guys are good! SCARY GOOD!" Enjoy this photo of Rick, the beloved Ted Darling, and Sabres alum Mike Robitaille and Jim Lorentz.
Go Sabres.
May 11, 2006
Keep Me Hanging On
The Senators beat the Sabres in Buffalo and denied them the sweep by playing better in the first and getting playoff-quality goaltending from Ray Emery. Buffalo actually had more hits and took a few more shots on goal, but they didn't help themselves by allowing Ottawa to take 18(!) shots in the first, taking some stupid penalties (no more diving, m'kay?), and failing to score on any of their five powerplays. For the second game in a row, Chris Drury uncharacteristically mishandled the puck in the Sabres end, resulting in a goal for the Sens. (Could Drury be injured?) Miller looked strong as well, but there are no stars when we don't win. Game 5 is in Ottawa.
Was the officiating bad? It didn't sound like any of the calls changed the outcome of the game, but I was listening to the game online and not watching it. WGR's Brad Riter said pretty much the same thing when the conspiracy theorists called in to the postgame show. Now enjoy this picture of Kerry Fraser and his awesome helmet of hair. By the way, Fraser was named the most consistent official in a recent poll of NHL players.
Go Sabres.
May 10, 2006
The S-Word
Although Ottawa outshot the Sabres for most of the game, Buffalo ended up with a respectable 24 shots to their 28. But it was a combination of solid goaltending (again) from Miller, a b-load of hits (40 to the Sens' 24), and holding their own in face-offs (30 to 29) that earned Buffalo the win in OT. My three stars: Miller for looking like Miller (no more Hasek comparisons now); Grier for making 8 body-punishing hits; and Pyatt for making the game winning pass to Dumont in OT and fighting his way back into the lineup after being written-off by most of us. Despite losses of players like Connolly and Kalinin, Ruff continues to adjust his lines and fill in any gaps, which may be Buffalo's greatest strength at this point in the playoffs.
Game 4 is tomorrow night in Buffalo. Sweeeee.........No, I did not say it.
Go Sabres.
May 8, 2006
It's Miller Time
The Sabres basically played two periods of hockey on the penalty kill this evening and Ryan Miller, to borrow a trite phrase, stood on his head to steal this game from the Sens. Buffalo looked like the Sabres of the late '90s by taking very few shots (17 to Ottawa's amazing 44), playing unbelievable defense, and sitting on a one goal lead midway through the game. Tim Connolly and, perhaps Dimitri Kalinin, may have suffered serious injuries, which would be a huge loss. However, Miller now has the confidence of fans and, more importantly, players.
My three stars: Miller for looking like Hasek; Tallinder for blocking shots like McKee; and Pyatt for punishing Ottawa with 5 hits. No slackers tonight.
Go Sabres.
May 5, 2006
Where Mama Hides the Cookies
Buffalo steals Game 1 in the second round with Ottawa. 7-6 in OT. A goal scored in the first few seconds of three of the four periods, including one by Western New York native Tim Connolly with 11 seconds left in regulation. Man, oh man.
So much of this game was not good -- the goaltending, again; the Sabres' lack of shots (23 including overtime); and the hooking, hooking, hooking. But there was a lot to be pleased with -- offensive juggernauts Derek Roy and Tim Connolly (whom I will never, ever refer to again as "Tiny Tim"); the consistency of Co-Captain Chris Drury; and that surprisingshocking goal from not-the-most-offensive-defenseman Teppo Numminen. But the most important thing was that the Sabres won against an amazing club that's stacked with enviable talent like Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Zdeno Chara. They won in Ottawa. They won the first game of the series. They won.
By the way, what was the problem with the NHL online feed cutting off after the third period? NO OVERTIME BROADCAST? WTF, y'all.
May 4, 2006
And You Can Bore Me During Football Season
Because I am a shameless self-promoter, I'm posting a link to my interview with WBEN from Wednesday morning. I was their "human interest story" for Game 6 of the Sabres-Flyers series. I was actually interviewed twice -- once before the game and again the morning after. This is the second interview. Because I hate being on the radio or television (which makes it hard to self-promote), I am amazed that my anxiety doesn't leap through the recording and strangle me when I listen to it. I didn't want to sound nuts, curse, or do anything creepy. Those being my goals, I think I succeeded. By the way, I'm hoping to post after every game as long as Buffalo's in it. And you can bore me during football season.
Go Sabres.
PS: The above image is courtesy of the US Government. Thanks, y'all.
May 2, 2006
On to Round Two
The Sabres finally finished off the Flyers this evening, granting Derian Hatcher his wish to make his 9:00am tee time on Thursday. Spunky Esche threw an awesome fit in the hallway on his way to the locker room after being pulled in the second. Final score: 7-1. In typical Philly fashion, the lame sports talk radio stations don't even cover the post-game press conferences.
Sabres fans will no longer have to deal with this type of trash -
(By the way, that's a Devils fan getting the tar beat out of him at Wachovia.)
According to the NHL, Carolina just won in OT, which should mean that the Sabres face Ottawa in the second round.
Go Sabres.
My Dad Can Beat Up Your Dad
Usually, I'm far too superstitious or silly or whatever to tempt the Hockey Gods by making any predictions, but I am publicly saying right here, right now that the Sabres will win Game 6 tonight. The building is loud, the drunken Philly crowd can be scary, and the Flyers are heavy with impressive talent like Peter Forsberg and Sami Kapanen, but it won't matter. The Sabres have the will to take it from them tonight. (Feel free to post lots of "I told you so's" and "What were you thinking jinxing us like that!" if I'm wrong. But I won't be.)
I've been meaning to post after the Sabres took Game 5, but other, more pressing things (two demanding toddlers) prevented me from doing so. Really, there's not much I can say. Buffalo was spot-on perfect -- finishing their checks, rolling four strong lines, bringing their defense into the offense, and, in general, skating around anyone on the ice who wasn't in a Sabres jersey. And, even though Ryan Miller has been only okay in the playoffs so far, his efforts and those of his teammates paid off in a shut-out on Sunday afternoon. What did you think of the game? How about the announcers' constant fawning over Forsberg? Any truth to the rumor that Hitch will be out and the BAH, Bobby Clarke, will replace him with The Mighty Quinn?
Finally, The New York Times has run a couple of very nice articles on the team over the last few weeks, and today there's another one about Chris Drury and his relationship with his former BU teammate Travis Roy. Rhett Warrener is one of my favorite former-Sabres and I miss him terribly when this team needs a little grittiness (and humor), but how in the heck did we get Drury for him? Well played, Regier, well played.
Go Sabres!
PS: If you're in the Buffalo area today, tune in to WBEN News Radio 930 if you get a chance, and you just might hear an interview with a local Philadelphia resident who is rooting for the Sabres. That would be me! WBEN's Dave Deppo interviewed me this morning for a story on what it's like to love Buffalo while living in the City of Brotherly Love
April 29, 2006
"We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger"
Well, last night was quite an experience. Although it was a thoroughly obnoxious, idiotic crowd, it was mainly just LOUD. Louder than a Wannabes show at The Hole in the Wall. So loud that my ears rang after the Flyers tied it up in the second. Add alcohol to the mix, and it only became much, much worse.
In case y'all were wondering, no one threatened us with physical violence, even though everyone around us seemed to realize pretty quickly that we're Sabres fans. (Was it my obsessive binocular-stalking and accompanying comments during the pre-game skate? Maybe.) My husband, who is a pretty mellow guy, decided to join the fun and have a few drinks. So, after several beers, he made the mistake of jumping up and screaming "That's what I'm talking about!" (add some gratuitous fist-pumping to get the complete picture) when Briere scored right out of the box, and even that only warranted several boos and one "Sit your ___ ___ down, ___." By the way, we saw at least a dozen men and one lost-looking young woman in Sabres’ jerseys (including a few in the old blue and gold), which just about killed my husband who really wanted to fly our colors. (In the old days, before two, very small children crushed my spirit, we would have shown up in head-to-toe Sabres gear sporting for a fight, but, thankfully, I now have something to live for.) It was a pretty wretched walk back to the car after the game, and I was glad that we weren't being harassed the entire way. However, I might have laughed during my beating given the ridiculous, embarrassing paper helmets that most of the fans wore. Back on the short bus to Kensington or from wherever these goons hail.
Regarding the game itself, I thought the Sabres looked energetic, focused, and very business-like when it began, and they seemed to keep their cool throughout much of it. As always, I didn't feel comfortable with our goaltending, but that may never change since I was totally spoiled by the greatest goaltender in NHL history. I was very disappointed in the number of penalties that we took, and I would have loved to have seen more hitting from our side, of course. Finally, Max Afinogenov, who is lightning on skates, continues to frustrate me after six seasons. All that speed and fancy stick-work mean nothing, darlin’, if my two year old can strip the puck from you. Despite all of this, I actually felt pretty good about the game after the Sabres' second goal in the first – it looked like the beginning of a roll.
Unfortunately, the second period was a killer. The Philly crowd at the Wachovia went nuts after Forsberg's goal early in the second, and it was almost unbearable after Roy missed the penalty shot. Have I told you lately, Mike Grier, how much I love you? This was my first time to really see him in action (other than on television) and WOW, what an asset. I wanted to hug him for that face-saving fourth goal. And, can I say how nice it is to see a black player in a large role on the Sabres team? I can only imagine the grief he gets in some of the buildings. I was also very impressed with Brian Campbell, a player I've never much cared for in the past. He’s always seemed overwhelmed in the NHL, despite some impressive performances in the minors. I can see now why Lindy and Darcy haven't given up on him.
So, y’all, how did it play out on television?
April 26, 2006
And now it's a series
Well, that was disappointing. I didn't expect another 8-2 spanky or a series sweep against any team with Forsberg on its roster, of course, but I'd hoped that they would have played better. On the negative, Teppo was injured early, the Drury line was not there, Miller seemed shaky (as did Esche), and the power play stunk up the place. On the positive, they seemed to rally late in the game, McKee made a very nice hit, and no one lost it. We splurged for good tickets to Friday's game, so I'm praying that we see a better effort. By the way, we caught the game for free online courtesy of the kind people at Comcast, and we got to see Mike and Razor's call-in show afterward. It was nice hearing the old Hockey Hotline music -- felt a little like old times (although I missed Brian nagging Robitaille and Danny interviewing the players after). It ain't over 'til the fat lady Hitch sings. Go Sabres.
[NOTE: Okay, the image of Jay McKee isn't from this evening's game or even from this series. It's from a 1997 game with the Sens. However, it is Jay and he is in the current Sabres jersey.]
April 25, 2006
Umbergered
A new entry for the next edition of the OED courtesy of BuffaloWatchdog at WNY Media Network -
Umbergered v. pl.
1. Getting knocked the f**k out.
2. Not knowing who or where you are.
3. Failing to keep head up.
Umberger's a rookie, so he'll learn. Reportedly, he really wanted back in Game 1 and asked to play in Game 2, but he sustained a mild concussion, so he's out for now. You've got to admire a player like that -- Philly could use more young, tough players who work their tails off for the team. Speaking of toughguys, what about that Robert Esche? Man. Any goaltender who drops his gloves in an attempt to get his team going is someone I'd like on my team. He stands on his head to keep them in Game 1, and the Flyers reward him in Game 2 by neglecting the defense, taking 17 penalties, and in general skating like they're wading in wet cement. There's a lot of talk here in Philly that we'll see a new team once the series moves here for Game 3 on Wednesday, but I can't imagine. All I know is that we have tickets for Game 4 (in Philly), and it will be my first live game since the Sabres and #39 (sigh) buried Toronto on March 20, 2001.
Go Sabres, y'all.
April 24, 2006
Sabres Spank Flyers
For those of you who follow professional hockey (and, really, who doesn't), the Sabres just humiliated the Flyers in an 8-2 public whuppin'. Big money and big names do not a hockey team make and, yes, small and speedy will beat big, dumb, and slow. I kinda felt sorry for the Flyers after the Sabres scored a SECOND hat trick. Naah. Not really. Go Buffalo.
March 14, 2006
My NCAA Predictions
Admittedly, over the past few years, I've become increasingly mired in a kind of inescapable pessimism. With 9/11, the Iraq War, the critical accolades for Sex and the City, the "peak oil" prediction of energy shortages, the environmental tipping point, Abu Ghraib, Van Helsing, it's a little hard to see where the global recovery begins.
Last month, I thought I'd spiraled out of control when I had a weird nightmare in which Dick Cheney tried to shoot me in the face but accidentally hit a wingless bird instead. Imagine my surprise the next morning, when I woke up to read this. Spooky.
Anyway, because my pessimistic gut instinct was correct with my Oscar pick, I thought I'd toss in my prediction, also based primarily on an intense emotional reaction rather than "knowledge" or "research," for the Final Four.
With apologies to Defamer's nightmare Oscar nominations, I make the following picks:
Atlanta Regional winner: Duke
Oakland Regional winner: JJ Redick
DC Regional winner: Duke
Minneapolis Regional winner: Oberlin
My sense is that in the Duke/JJ Redick semifinal, Redick will tire himself out by having to play offense on both sides of the court, though he will hit a record 73 3-point shots, 40 for himself and 33 for Duke. Duke wins.
Duke/Oberlin is a bit easier to call. With some controversy over a Division III team from an excellent-but-artsy liberal arts college being forced to play Duke in the Final Four, the public anger later focuses on several questionable fouls called by the Cameron Indoor Stadium officiating crew against Oberlin players. Among them: one shooting guard called for striking JJ Redick's elbow repeatedly with his forehead, and a forward called for attacking Shelden Williams's foot with his groin.
Final score: 400-6.
Oberlin Yeomen coach Frank "Happy" Dobbs praises his team's courage and effort in a postgame interview, and is called for a technical foul for doing so. JJ Redick takes the five free throws that the officiating crew awards him.
New final score: 405-6.
In the Duke-Duke final, the teams tie, giving Coach K his fourth and fifth national championships. Congratulations, Blue Devils!
Those Japanese Ballplayers
Even Prime Minister Koizumi is expressing anger over the terrible call that allowed Team USA (subsequently defeated by Korea) to edge the Japanese national team in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday. Today at my fitness club, I got an earful from just about everyone, and my acquaintances there are normally unfailingly polite and nice to me. Salon's King Kaufman raises the question that virtually everyone at the sports bar and at my fitness club did: uh, why were American umpires handling an international game played on US soil between the USA and Japan? The other countries in the tournament? They also have umpires -- lots of them. Wouldn't have been too hard to track down a Venezuelan or Dominican officiating crew for the event.
But I was actually a bit more perplexed by something else in the coverage. The owner of the sports bar I frequent had the game on in English with the American sportscasters; he picks up a few phrases now and then, and is especially amused at the pronunciation of the Japanese names. But what fascinated me was that everytime a Japanese player did something that fit into Mr. Baseball-era stereotypes of Japanese baseball, the announcers would call attention to it. As if there hasn't been an extraordinarily diverse inflow of Japanese players since the mid-1990s. Ichiro, praised for being funny before and after games, was described as typically Japanese for his serious demeanor on the field. In this sense, the improbably named Chipper Jones -- so taciturn that if didn't hit a home run every few at bats, I'd wonder if he still had a pulse --also seems kind of Japanese, since he, like Derek Jeter and A-Rod, seems pretty serious during a game.
Whether we think of the weirdly aloof Ichiro, the reportedly friendly but generally stolid Hideki Matsui, the flamboyant and intense Kaz Matsui (an expensive flop for my beloved New York Mets; incidentally, if I had a dollar for every player I could describe as "an expensive flop for my beloved New York Mets," I too would be an expensive flop for them), the volatile Hideki Irabu: I mean, how different do Japanese ballplayers have to get before announcers stop describing one or another as typical?
None of the announcers noted, sadly, that the losing pitcher, Kyuji Fujikawa went after (and almost got away with it) America's most fearsome hitters -- all of them legends in Japan -- with a lot of fastballs, basically challenging Americans on what is purportedly their own turf. How very un-Japanese of him.
Academic note: for anyone interested in Japanese baseball, I recommend the work of Yale anthropologist William Kelly, who is currently finishing a book about the Hanshin Tigers, Fujikawa's team.
December 2, 2005
Finally, a real Congressional priority
In Saturday's Washington Post, Dana Milbank argues that Congress has finally started to remember its position as a branch of the US government, with Sen. John Warner inquiring about why the Pentagon had apparently set loose an cadre of Jeff Gannons onto the Iraq press corps (who are, I guess, being trained in fealty to the Bush administration; only a few more months, and they'll be ready to work independently!), and Arlen Specter pursuing Judge Alito's apparent desire to repeal Roe vs. Wade and, one is increasingly forced to suspect, women's suffrage.
But Milbank misses the take-charge approach of Texas Republican Congressman Joe Barton, who has decided to hold a hearing on college football's fundamentally flawed BCS system. According to the ESPN story:
College football is not just an exhilarating sport, but a billion-dollar business that Congress cannot ignore," said committee Chairman Joe Barton, a Texas Republican. Barton's panel is separate from the House Government Reform panel that tackled steroids in baseball.The committee announcement called the hearing, scheduled for next Wednesday, a "comprehensive review" of the BCS and postseason college football.
"Too often college football ends in sniping and controversy, rather than winners and losers," Barton said. "The current system of determining who's No. 1 appears deeply flawed."
Thank God. I was beginning to worry that -- with their role in zealously checking the power of the White House to start a losing war with misguided intelligence, or in protecting the right of women to take cold medicine without first consulting their husbands -- Congress had completely forgotten about its sacred position as watchdog of which team gets to be called national champion.
And I for one am very glad that one of the Texas Republicans not currently under indictment is leading the charge, which lends the issue the gravity it deserves.
November 17, 2005
FBI Shooting Range, NFL players, Lots of Booze: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Here's a sentence you don't see on ESPN everyday:
The FBI is opening an internal investigation into the fight between Chicago Bears offensive linemen Olin Kreutz and Fred Miller at its shooting range in the Chicago area, Special Agent Richard Kolko said Wednesday.
This intro leaves out the fact that there was a lot of alcohol involved too, but that shows up later in the article. Surprisingly, the fight resulted in only 13 stitches and one broken jaw. When I read that opening, I was imagining some serious John Woo, Hard Boiled-era action.
November 11, 2005
Suck it, Leafs
Sabres 5, Leafs 2
September 10, 2005
Vinsanity
Texas: 25
Ohio State: 22
You suck, Hawk. Oh, and get a haircut.
Texas Fight
Sitting on my big ol' butt, finishing some ribs and cornbread from Lil & Roy's while my husband polishes off the last of the potato salad. The babies are both asleep and the Horns have just scored a field goal, putting them on top of Ohio State. Hook 'em, y'all.
August 11, 2005
Hunter Kelly, RIP
From the Buffalo News: Mourners hail brief, full life of Hunter Kelly
Jim Kelly gave this football fan many wonderful memories and thrills. It's inspiring to think of all he gave to his son, Hunter. Jim Kelly continues to work to make the lives of other children like Hunter longer and more fulfilling.
The Kelly family has asked that those wishing to honor their son make a contribution to his foundation. Donations and condolences can be sent to:
Hunter's Hope
P.O. Box 643
Orchard Park, NY 14127
August 10, 2005
Perhaps the Stupidist Article Ever Written about Sports
Sadly, it's from The Nation's online site.
My buddy Dave has this response to it:
Among other misdemeanors, there’s this: “As the popularity of sports rose among working people, factory owners began to see the benefit of establishing plant teams as a form of labor management. This synthesis bore team factory names that remain today like the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee Brewers.” I hate it when people nitpick, but I’ve gotta here – the Milwaukee Brewers began in 1969, which was hardly the height of the Fordist factory age. The previous Milwaukee team, the Milwaukee Braves, left for Atlanta about 10 years before. And they were the Boston Braves until about 1950.