BoondckCL
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Posts posted by BoondckCL
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Well it finally is official....
we are not going to the playoffs. I'm not sure really what to feel right now because like the players, I'm stunned. We were tops in the conference the last 2 years and everything feel apart this year. Here's how I analyze the season....- The team was very inconsistent. Granted injuries and how young of a team we are but losing 10 straight is inexcusable. There's no way you should have a stretch games like that.
- Adversity. I hope the season really toughens up the team, especially the young guys. YOU CAN'T GET NERVOUS WHEN THE OTHER TEAM SCORES AND YOU HAVE THE LEAD! I just hope the team learns from this.
- Where was the leadership? During the season I barely saw anyone stepping up on this team and taking control of a game. I give Roy and Pominville and I guess Vanek the pass because they WERE the reason we were alive the entire season. We need another leader for this team, but I'll get to that later as you will see.
Now let's take a look at each position and see what the team needs to do during the offseason.
LW - I think we are generally safe here. Vanek is the MVP of the team, Bernier will be better next year, Paille is an above average player, and Peters......well.....he a great fighter
! I don't think we need to improve here because I think that these guys being as young as they are will still get better.RW - Again I think we might be good here. Pominville will continue to be the MVP of the Sabres, Kotalik will being to become Stafford's teacher since he's the veteran of the bunch, Kaleta will only get better, and Stafford still has so much potential. Now as you can see I didn't include someone......Maxi. Before you guys say that he needs to be on the team go back and watch some of his games. Have you noticed he's not much of a passer and how much he tries to do with the puck. HE'S A TURNOVER MACHINE! Granted he's a great 1 vs 1 player but he's just not an all-around good player. I think it's time we think about trading Max and try and see if we can get another veteran or draft pick for him.
C - Might need to do something here. Roy, Connolly, and Hecht are safe. Gaustad seems to be the one I can't put my finger on. He's still a young player will a lot of room for improvement. The only problem that I see wrong with him is his aggressiveness to go after the puck. He was very inconsistent and seemed hesitant to take the hit in the other end. Nevertheless, I still think he will be on the team next year because of his continuing potential and his assists. Mair I think is gone. He just hasn't played well and I think this is one of the areas that we need to get another veteran player to help Hecht teach this team.
D - The achilles heel of this team. This is going to be an interesting area to see what they do. Tallinder, Lydman, and Spacek are guaranteed safe because they played hard all year and are good veteran TEACHERS for our young defensemen (Sekera and Weber). I think everyone else, maybe except Numminen, needs to go. Pratt is getting up there in age, Paetsch seems to nervous out on the ice, and Kalinin just doesn't do enough to help out the defense. We definetly need to get at least 2 good defensemen. We could draft 2 defensemen with both our first round picks or what I think is the way to go....trade up in the draft to get the best young defensemen and sign the best defensemen in FA. This is going to be very interesting.
G - I don't know what to make of Miller. He looked great the previous 2 years but he just fell apart this year. I can't tell if we are seeing the true side of Miller because the previous to years we had a good defense to mask his not so great skills or if it was just an off year. I'm not sure what to make of him, but I think we should draft a quality young goalie just in case. One that can back up Miller and learn from him. I hope this was just a bad year for Miller.
Overall I only see us needing to do 2 things this offseason, improving the defense and possibly trading Maxi while he still has trade value. I saw the team this year like the Bills were last year. They were Inconsistent, very young, and have a lot of potential. I think this year will be a good this for all these young guys. It will show them to play hard for 60 minutes, work hard for next season so they don't have to go through the emotions of missing the playoffs, and listen to the veteran players learn how to improve their game. I don't think we are far from making the playoffs because our young guys will be motivated to make the playoffs and the defense will be better.
Do you know anything about this franchise, or are you just rambling on about a team that you know a little bit about?
Do some research before you make predictions about what needs to be done with this franchise. If you think we should get rid of Kalinin or Afinogenov, and we should keep Hecht and Lydman, than I suggest that you stop watching the games right now (or atleast stop commenting on them).
Yes, I think it would be a wise decision to dump Kalinin, that first round selection from a few years back, and a fan favorite and loyal player like Max Afinogenov. We should hold onto Toni Lydman who looks like he doesn't even know how to tie his own skates half the time as well as we should give Hecht Vanek money.
Now the only area that i agree with you is Miller's play, but once again, do some research, the Sabres have the number one goalie prospect in the AHL right now in Adam Dennis. As for stating that Miller had great defense the last two years is just ridiculous. The defense those years was some of the sloppiest defensive play i have ever seen. In the playoffs against the Ottawa Senators two years ago Miller faced an average of over 35 shots a game, most of which came on the rebounds that the defense did not clear out of the zone.
All in all, i see the Sabres making the playoffs next year if we add a scoring forward to the line up. Relying on Vanek is just not going to do it for this hockey club. And for Vanek's sake, let's hope that Tim Connolly remains injury free next season.
- The team was very inconsistent. Granted injuries and how young of a team we are but losing 10 straight is inexcusable. There's no way you should have a stretch games like that.
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While trying to change a personal e-mail address the characters in the box do not appear.
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Yep, good thing Iran took hostages again and this time is was for only a few days, instead of 400+.
President Tom of Iran must be mellowing in his old age.
He has plenty of time to devekop nukes and use them, why burn out now when there is so much to look forward to?
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LOL...so, a kid who's never played a snap in the NFL is AUTOMATICALLY going to be better than Turner? Ever heard of Ki-Jana Carter?
Yes i have. Curtis Enis too.
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And my hunch is, whoever that RB may be, they will be selected in the 2nd round or later, thus likely excluding them from selecting a RB in the 1st round (aka Peterson).
And for generalee, thanks for the clarification. For a minute there, I forgot I was in a courtroom ("rebut" ???) and foolishly believed I was trying to add to discussion on a message board.
Adrain Peterson > Michael Turner
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Anyone know how to beat 19?
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I'm going to ask the question of the day here. What does Rosie O'Donnell think about all of this?
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i'm on level 15. damn this sh-- is addicting.
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He can't let us in on any of this?
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God owns that monopoly, its part of his divine plan. I ask him when the Bills are going to win the Super Bowl, he's very tight lipped about that too.
Don't bother praying, its useless. God will never budge.
Prick.
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Its not Bush, its God, he's pissed. I talked to him last night.
Any word on my lotto ticket, or the meaning of life? First more important than latter.
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Is your name Sue?
I gotta tell ya, at 2:00 in the morning after a day like yesterday, i just didn't feel like looking anything up.
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It was an Animal House reference, you nitwit!
My God, how can you not know that?
Well done Tom and Ramius!
Holcomb's Arm, not so much.
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did you read the article or are you having a case of LSI syndrome? It took place in Tampa.
I know where it took place, i am not a fully blown retard. Sarcasm in the terms that Buffalo women have a great hand in the actions of Buffalo Bills runningbacks.
But good work picking up om that. Keep up the good work!
this smiley was chosen because it makes fun of LSI, just thought i would point that out too. -
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/492975
His ypc went down after his rookie year, but he does play for the Lions. He does seem to be reliable as a receiver out of the backfield though. I was thinking more about Tatum Bell with this thread though, but threw in Jones name because I didn't know if the Lions were maybe a little tired of him. The main question I have about Jones is if he can stay healthy enough to be a major contributor. He's battled injury the past couple of seasons.
I might take him for a fourth or fifth.
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Kevin Jones sucks but i wouldnt be surprised to see us make a play for tatum bell if the cost is slight.
i liked what i saw out of Kevin Jones a few years ago, but i am not going to act like an expert on his career because i have not kept track of him recently. Any stats?
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Is this code to smoke pot?
I personally think we're into deeper hallucenigeons. PCP, LSD, etc.
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I thought that was a Domanick Williams reference... isn't that what Domanick Rhodes is going by these days ?
No, it is Domanick Williams, the tail back formerly known as Davis.
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Reminder: There will be an important announcement at 2pm EST.
NOTHING FOLLOWS
So this isn't happening until Ocotber?
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uote name='BoondckCL' date='Apr 1 2007, 11:47 PM' post='959743']
I'm willing to bet you end up working for the state of New York one day.
I really tried to avoid this thread. I read this response and stared laughing. STILL I stood strong! I kept reading.
truth be told, I couldn't concentrate on any of the other posts as I was laughing so hard from this one.
You are REALLY a bastard!...and I mean that in a good way.
Thank you ,sir. Coming from you, the term bastard can't mean anything but a complement.
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Williams?
Ricky. There was a post about it earlier, it was a joke but the sarcasm never ceases to flush out those that truly think it is a good idea. I am against it for one, but i am not the GM.
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and for the record, i dont mind short posts (or LSI's posts). and anyone giving lessons on posting needs to stop taking themselves/this message board so seriously. words on a screen guys... words on a screen.
The kid wanted to know why he gets sour feedback, just giving some advice. relax dank, there only words on a screen, right?
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Situations change year from year. LT could break his leg, Larry Johnson could have a bad year ... etc. Or Turner could become just as good as LT or LJ. Or maybe he could bust. Everyone has their preconceived notions and they aren't going to change them now.
To tell you the truth, i am impartial on the entire situation right now. Draft or trade for Turner or Williams. I'll make up my mind when i see more on Turner, how i think he will fit into the Bills' system, and what the price tag is.
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Most of you say what I am thinking or about to say. So instead of an essay you get a sentence or two (except when I post a new topic).
I'm willing to bet you end up working for the state of New York one day.
Sabres Offseason preview
in Off the Wall Archives
Posted
My apologies for the Adam Dennis mistake. Tired and typing a paper for a psychology class. Minor mistake, I apologize.
As for the rest of my post, i stand by it. Lydman is a lot worse than Kalinin in my opinion. You wish to talk about turnover liabilities, go back and watch any of Lydman's games. The guy is terrible on the outlet pass, which is key for our style of play, and is often out of position in our own end, not to mention when he just happens to make a joke of an appearance in the offensive end. It is exactly that...offensive.
Now, when it comes to Max Afinogenov, he is absolutely vital on this team. Teams all over the NHL know that if you want to stop any Sabre attack on offense, all you have to do is line up at the blue line on defense and they will dump it into the zone. You need guys like Afinogenov to leg it into the zone and not just dump around the back of the net, and not be aggressive enough on the forecheck.
As for the comments on Hecht. Defensive? Really? He is not the primary problem on this Sabres team, but my god, the man is mediocre at best.
Now, if I must, I will go back through the old threads and find the thread in which i used the statistics, actual fact, to prove Connolly's worth.