Bringing Down the Hammer

by Ryan

In this pivotal Stanley Cup Finals, the cool thing to do is parade out television ratings and say how awesome/pitiful your hometown is. Good thing for Buffalo, we watch hockey like it's our only hope for salvation in the never ending struggle to live.

However, television ratings are a pretty big load of garbage. Not to get all Wes Mantooth on you, but Nielson Ratings are based on a shoddy system that doesn't take into account televisions with multiple sets, use accurate sample sizes, or rely on consistent data collection. (Sorry, but anything with the word "diary" in it just doesn't sound like "data" to me.

Now while I'm not saying television ratings are useless, they are at the very best an informal guesstimate as to what people are watching. It is indeed pretty fun to say that the NHL "beat" the NBA at something this year, what use are imaginary numbers used to figure out which beer ad to run in the grand scheme of league operations?

What matters is the almighty dollar; and that is what the NHL, a business, should be basing its operations on. So, when you see an article like this, you just have to wonder what it matters who watched NBC on Wednesday.

I could give you an elongated response on the state of the league and the results expansion have given us, but you probably don't come here for that. Mirtle has a nice post on it and some great viewpoints in the comments that are worth reading through. However, what should be addressed here is what this would mean for Buffalo and its hockey team.

The Sabres made money this year, and ticket prices are going up. Still, we have some of the cheapest tickets in the league, and ran at +95% capacity this year. However, if you think we are out of the woods just yet, you haven't been a hockey fan for very long. Success builds interest, and coming off one of the most exciting seasons in franchise history does wonders for ticket and merchandise sales. Even with all the positive signs we've seen in recent years, this team is nothing but a competitive nosedive away from being right back into jeopardy.

The question is, if a team suddenly seeks occupancy in Hamilton, should Sabres management fight it? Does the potential of a consistent revenue stream from Phoenix The Hammer enough to offset the potential of lost season ticket holders/gate revenue from Canadian fans? Winnipeg or Southern Ontario is the next logical place for hockey to go back to, so if the latter is chosen, what hope is there in fighting the move?

Right now it seems absurd to let a team walk into Hamilton and renovate Copps while the Sabres enjoy such success. However, this little run of popularity and positive revenue stream will run out, whether sooner or later. With the dollar continuing to go down, when does the league finally let a hockey team return to the Great White North?

It may not be best for Buffalo, but in the long run, the league may soon realize it is best for the magic word we don't use often enough: viability.

A Look Back on the Winter Classic

by Ryan

Today is that awkward day in between the hockey and the nothing that will envelop us all once the Stanley Cup Finals is over. During that whole "nothing" period I tend to think a lot, and because Game Three had such a great crowd involved, I keep going back to the idea of "home ice advantage" in the playoffs. There is a strong belief that it doesn't count anymore, but many Penguins players swore by their home crowd after the victory.

If there is one thing I do know, it's that I will forever associate the phrase "home ice advantage" with the Winter Classic; and since no one wants to read my thoughts on the usefulness of old buildings in the postseason, let's just go through some pictures from the Winter Classic that I've never posted here. On the heels of the next Winter Classic being announced in Chicago, it makes even more sense to take a look back on the biggest sports day in Buffalo's history. At some point during the summer we will probably wax poetic about it, but for now here are some sights from the day.



Pretty cool looking ice sculpture in the parking lot. Between the inflatables, the sculptures, and the free Amp outside, the pre-game activities were pretty well-rounded for those that don't tailgate as hardcore as others.



The first look at the ice. I know I wasn't the only one that got chills when I entered my section.



The flyover was pretty cool. I thought this one showed just how close they looked pretty well.



Around the curve. I'm sure someone with photo sense could have done better, but I stood the whole game and was just snapping shots while they cleaned the ice.



Yeah all that is snow from the ice. It's no wonder one of the Zambonis broke down...



The NHL flags were a nice touch. They really did a nice job making the stadium NHL-centric, even making "the Rockpile" the "AMP Energy Zone." Okay, so that one wasn't so cool, but you get the idea...



Andrew Peters kissed Ryan Miller. I guess that explains a lot about this season...



What American sporting event isn't complete unless you blow s$&t up? Even after you lose!



This is my favorite picture because although there is absolutely no explanation for this, it seems completely reasonable for a dumpster to be on fire.



Looking back, the pictures don't do it justice. I guess we'll have to wait for the DVD...

Deep Breath Everybody

by Ryan

Wow. What a hockey game. I've been searching through pictures that can accurately describe how good a hockey game took place tonight, but these only come close.




The atmosphere inside that arena tonight is everything I love about postseason hockey, and it flat out put the Joe to shame. Detroit may be "Hockeytown", but what's painted on the ice is pointless compared to the roar that crowd gave when Adam Hall played Plinko for the third goal.



That entire shift was just epic, and the overall theme of the game had that tone. Finally, the Penguins made a series out of it, and Detroit was anything but flat in the losing effort. This was two great teams playing at their respective apex, and it is a shame it took three games to get going.

I know everyone is going to rave about this game, but there is something so satisfying about watching a game that lives up to the hype. Back and forth action, battles all over the ice, broken sticks and helmets askew. It was the kind of hockey game you would never see in November, and with a frantic pace you only see in overtime at the very most.

Game Three may not be the most watched broadcast in NBC's history, and the numbers are going to be big because of reasons already discussed. However, Game Three is the kind of hockey that builds a reputation, a word of mouth effect that movies want to spread so badly. The buzz from this game will reverberate until Saturday, and maybe, just maybe, people will tune in to see what all the fuss is about.

This Finals may not be the best ever, but finally, finally, it's the series we hoped it would be.

Hey Scott, why do you have a job?

by Ryan

In my brief time as an actual journalist I've learned two things. The first is that if a homeless man approaches you claiming he's from Canada and needs money to get back across the border, don't ask him a question about gas prices. The second thing is that many times you don't get to pick the headline attached to your story. I'm guessing that this isn't one of those times.



Hey Mario, why haven't we heard from you?
by Scott Burnside

PITTSBURGH -- On Sunday night, the NHL gathered members of the Detroit Red Wings dynasty of the 1950s. Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Marty Pavelich and Marcel Pronovost regaled a crowd, including the top prospects in this summer's NHL draft, with terrific stories from their glory days.

The event provided a lovely bridge between the young stars populating the current Pittsburgh Penguins-Detroit Red Wings series and the game's rich past.

The NHL did the same thing last year with a wildly successful night involving former Montreal Canadiens greats.

They did that during the Cup Finals? Because, uh... the Habs didn't make the playoffs that year. Carry on...

And why not?

Maybe because they didn't-

This is the Stanley Cup finals, the great showcase for the sport on the game's grandest stage. The NHL has worked hard to fill the finals with all kinds of opportunities to tell the game's stories and increase the league's profile. There are opportunities to talk to the top draft picks and some of the NHL's award winners from the regular season. The GMs will meet in Detroit next week if the finals go beyond four games. Commissioner Gary Bettman always provides his state of the league address before Game 1 of the finals.

Yet there is one hockey great who will remain strangely, inexplicably mute through these Stanley Cup finals --

Hasek?

Mario Lemieux.

Totally my second guess.

The Hall of Fame captain of the Pittsburgh teams that won Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, and who later revived a franchise that seemed destined to wither on the vine in Pittsburgh, maintains his self-imposed media blackout even though his team is in the finals for the first time in 16 years.


When requests are made to talk to Lemieux, either in a one-on-one setting or in a group format with reporters covering the finals, word politely comes back through the team that the man who is the Penguins' part-owner doesn't want to take the spotlight away from his young team.

That sounds just a tad bitter, doesn't it?

What a load of hooey.

Okay, now it sounds bitter.

This has nothing to do with taking any spotlight away from his players. They have been playing in the spotlight for weeks now. And since Sidney Crosby became a Penguin three seasons ago, the spotlight has never been far from this Penguins team.

Absolutely, there must be evil afoot.

No, this is more about Lemieux's detachment from the game or, at least, detachment from having to share his thoughts and feelings about the game.

EEEEEEVIIIILLLLL!!!

Wouldn't it be interesting, as these finals goes on, to hear what Lemieux has to say about the rise of a team that looked to be on the way out of town less than two years ago? What does he recall from his first trip to the Stanley Cup finals? What has he said to tenant Crosby about playing in the event?

We're not talking earth-shattering stuff here, but it is a natural sidebar to the main proceedings here. And what are we talking about, 20 minutes out of Lemieux's wildly busy schedule? Surely he could make room in one afternoon to talk about the game he made such a handsome living from, and still does to this day.

He's right, Lemieux owes us the favor. Don't forget he made money playing hockey, so that means he's obligated to talk to the media at all times. Hell, let's go dig up Gump Worsley's corpse and ask him about the octopus toss. He had a whole list of things he saw Ranger fans toss on the ice back in the day. Soup cans, chairs, a persimmon...

Lemieux's sole contribution to the finals has been appearing with former Detroit captain Steve Yzerman to drop the ceremonial first puck before Game 1. Lemieux presumably was able to squeeze that into his schedule, and it didn't deter him from hustling back to his private box to watch Detroit's 4-0 win.

Should he really be sprinting around to the media inside the Joe during the game? He is an owner that actually, you know, likes hockey. Man I wish we had one of those...

It is both convenient and predictable for Lemieux to hide in the background at a time when the game most needs its relevant stars in place, because it's always been about convenience for Lemieux.

It's curious how suddenly available and accessible Lemieux was when he took an ownership stake in the team because he was owed millions of dollars in the late 1990s. The more attention focused on the Penguins meant more ticket sales and a better chance at either a new arena deal or a deal to sell the team.

So he is supposed to be as available as that at all times? At least Mario is in the city the majority of the time. Some owners don't even sign Paychex in the same area code. Aside from that, doesn't a good owner fight for the spotlight at that time in order to get an arena deal? Isn't that when he should be most visible?

Then, when Lemieux decided he was going to play for Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and was named captain of the squad, he couldn't have been more gracious; but, after that was over, when he didn't need the attention, not so much.


So was he less gracious or less captain-ey? Less of an olympian?

Later, when talks to build a new arena in Pittsburgh broke down and Lemieux was at war with local politicians and officials over funding for the project, he was once again available to discuss the issue. He was prepared to sell the team to whoever walked in the door. A couple of suitors, including Jim Balsillie and William "Boots" Del Biaggio, would undoubtedly have tried to move the team as quickly as possible to Southern Ontario or Kansas City, but that fact seems lost in the renaissance of the team.


Not that anyone could blame Lemieux for trying to get the most out this team financially. He's done his time and served the team and the city well.

Wait, where did all that obligation go? Suddenly he's "done his time"? CONUNDRUM!

But let's not paint this with any other brush than what it deserves.

The brush of contradiction?

The only reason Lemieux isn't making himself available during these finals is because there's nothing in it for him.

And that's more than a little sad.

What's really more than a little sad is the fact that Scott is bitter about not getting his story and so he writes a smear article about the owner in question instead of looking elsewhere for a better story. I guess there are only so many angles to a Finals that currently sits at 2-0, but trashing a hockey legend that doesn't beg for attention seems like a step in the wrong direction.

For someone claiming that Lemieux doesn't properly promote the game, implying that a hockey icon is selfish and irresponsible to his duties as ambassador doesn't bode well for Burnside's duty to promote the game with his "stature" in the medium. When dealing with the mainstream media, under-reported sports need strong writers to give a voice to something they feel is worth spending time on. Good writers, no matter what the situation, find a way to write a story worth reading.

Scott Burnside just proved that he isn't a good writer, and that's more than a little true.

MAN DOWN! (Vol. II)

by Ryan



I'll be honest and say I didn't even see Osgood bite it the first time through. Unlike the majority of the fans in Detroit, I was following the puck around the corner and not waving to the cameras or watching Osgood take the sniper fire. That being said, I think a clear distinction should be made as to how this whole thing affects the series.

Osgood's last shenanigans came at the same time in each series; just at the end of Game Two and about to take a commanding lead in the series. To say the very least, it was completely unnecessary. While I don't think it really affected the outcome of the series in any way, it does set the stage for a Game Three where the Pens have something to prove other than if they can put the puck in the net.

Sure, let's go ahead an say that Petr Sykora (41 PIM on the year) went after Osgood. Okay, he went for an extra bump to send a message after two straight shutouts. However, this isn't Ruutu going after the goalie, and Laroque was in the press box tonight. This is a 190 lbs goal scoring winger with two inches on the goaltender giving him a nudge, and here is what happens after:



When we saw the replay here, we all made the same flailing swim move simultaneously.

The reality of the situation is that the scoreboard is all that matters and we should leave it at that. However, that seems to be exactly the point. This shouldn't matter, and there is no reason to sell calls like this so late in the game. What point is there in causing a gong show at the end of a game in which you've completely dominated? A shutout streak of over two games and you are going to blow a tire behind the net and get one of your star players in a fight with Gary Roberts?

It's unnecessary and stupid to act like that, and I guess you can chalk it up to "veteran savvy" or whatever you'd like, but it's not exactly the kind of leadership I'd like to follow. It's not gamesmanship when there is no game left to be decided.

For Your Consideration...

by Ryan

We don't often talk about how people find the Roost, if only because it seems like an inherently "blogger" kind of thing to do. However, this Gogle search kind of surprised me:

paul posluszny frodo

Now, that is certainly something I had never considered. Poz didn't get a ton of face time with the Bills this fall because of injury. In fact, it's safe to say I'm most comfortable seeing him in a Bills hoodie pacing the sidelines, something that Hobbits never seem to do. However, because I was curious enough in my own regard, I compiled a brief photo-comparison of the two. (Click to Enlarge)



I guess you just have to judge for yourself. Personally, I don't think he looks three feet tall, so that kind of throws the logic off a bit. Maybe he eats seven meals a day?

A Minor Slip Up

Let's see if the Penguins don't stumble out of the gate again tonight.

Memorial Day Minute

by Ryan



With Game Two coming on Memorial Day, there is probably no one reading this.

With that in mind, I think there are a few things the Penguins will have to do to make a series of this. First of all, their forecheck has to, well, exist. One of their strengths is how fast and hard they attack the puck in the other team's zone, and they looked downright sluggish on Saturday. Forcing the Wings' defense to make mistakes will be hard enough, but not getting to them in the first place will make it impossible.

The Penguins 4th line also has to step up. Getting a good shift out of the 4th line is an absolute must in the playoffs, and sets up the rest of your scoring lines with a good energy shift, especially if the opponents top D pair is out. According to Mirtle, that didn't happen in Game One. Gary Roberts being inserted into the lineup may give the Penguins a burst, but the entire team has to work with getting solid shifts out of their weaker lines and try to get Lidstrom and Rafalski away from Sidney Crosby.



Sid himself has to get it together, too. Overall the Penguins looked very, very nervous, and it is understandable given the circumstances. However, I think they will rebound nicely, and at the very least look like a competent hockey team.

After all, the last thing we want is Neil Smith right. Right?

(Much, much more on that Burnside article later...)

Presenting sponsor: Ritalin?

By Jon



The always trusty Wikipedia says that Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder affects "three to five percent of the world's population under the age of 19." The ADD population in Buffalo just got a new summer activity: AF2 Football.

Per the Buffalo News, Buffalo has been awarded a franchise for Arena Football's minor league, assuming they can work out a lease agreement with HSBC Arena. Thurman Thomas will own a share of the team, with Jim Kelly possibly jumping on board as well.

I've been to three AF2 games in our state's capital (Go Conquest!), and let me tell you: This game is made for people with ADD. A four to five second play, followed by ten to fifteen seconds in between plays (complete with obnoxious music played throughout the arena). Touchdowns at the end of nearly every drive, followed by a ridiculous celebration. Annoying game hosts with stupid games and giveaways in between. Repeat this over and over and over again, and you've got yourself AF2 football.

That being said, it will be another excuse to head down to the arena. The season runs on weekends from March through July, which might ever-so-slightly fill a void for those long summers without the Bills or Sabres. Expect the crowd to be much like a Bisons game, with attendees more interested in kicking a few back and socializing than watching football. Also, AF2 rosters usually have a few local kids on the roster, so that may attract a few people downtown.

All in all, an AF2 chance should have a good chance to succeed in Buffalo. They certainly won't draw capacity, but a couple thousand people in the building for each game isn't an unattainable goal. And hey, at least they'll outdraw the Sharks.

No Goal? No Problem.

Well that was a bit uneven. 4-0 the final, and Osgood is still waiting to get past the pregame warm up shots. He had 19 total, and it certianly seemed like less.


Until Monday, that is one sad looking penguin.

The Measuring Stick

Let's see what the kid can do.

'97, '98, and '02, or 87, 71 and 18?

by Ryan


If you haven't noticed, I've had a tough time getting a prediction down. Many of you have already made your picks in the comments a few days ago, and if you didn't, leave them on this one. Since Jon put his down already, it's up to the rest of the Roost to do the same.

Everyone picks the Finals, it's like picking a horse in the Derby; even if you don't know much about it you pick a favorite. For those who really care, there are numbers (which I will use frequently in this post, so thank you Good Doctor...) and rosters and good old fashioned hockey IQ.

Still, with all that at my disposal I'm having a hard time picking between the team that I want to win and the team I think will win. I don't have a "second team" per se, but the Penguins are a likeable bunch that I've followed with a little help from the best photoshop expo on the planet. If there is anyone who I want to win the Cup it is them.

However, there is the analytical part of my mind has said that whoever comes out of the West will win the Cup simply on the strength of that Conference. Take into account how well Detroit has played throughout the year and Osgood has looked thus far and, well, it's hard not to see Lidstrom getting first crack at the Shiny Dish.

That part of my head sees things like WhatIfSports.com's prediction of Wings in 5 and nods in approval. Afterall, when you run a simulation 10,000 times it has to be a better call than your gut, right?

According to the Good Doctor, the Red Wings are older, significantly better on faceoffs, and their star players take more shots. Zettersyuk is on ice more often than the Penguins' trifecta of Crosby/Malkin/Hossa, and Nick Lidstrom is the the best defenseman on the planet. When you look at it like that, how can you see anything but Wings in 5, maybe 6 if you want to be vindictive and make them win on the road?

Still, this blog was started on a whim, and I've been picking with a bias all along. Regardless of how good Detroit looks, there are always those intangibles that can get to you. Remember how scared Detroit looked when Nashville rallied to tie in Game Five? They were one overtime bounce away from being down 3-2 heading back to Nashville, and a crazy bounce (center ice goal) away from Game Six being up for grabs as well. The bounces have gone both teams' ways, and something has to give when the puck drops.

Then you begin to think about how similar Pittsburgh's little team is to our little team from way back when 11 months ago. How can you not want to see them finish the job, just to prove that it can be done?

You think about how important this series is to the game, how big a chance it is for the league to shine. This is about more than numbers here, this is about image and market share and all kinds of buzzwords that the Public Relations team lives for.

After mulling it over, you start to think about fans, that amazing feeling of victory, and personal rivalries with individual friends and family. You think about what this means to the people you care about, and before you know it, you are starting to drift to the other side.

By the time you get to thinking about that time Pensblog Charlie poked you at 3am, you are only wondering how many games it will take.

Before you can change your mind, you type it out and hit "publish"...

Pens in 5.

Equine, Meet Blunt Instrument

by Ryan

Hockey is underrated in the national media. This is true. However, this has an interesting effect on what happens when hockey does get the spotlight: they pound the s$%t out of The Storylines. You know exactly what I'm talking about if you watched the Winter Classic on TV, or even if you saw Danny Briere-gasm on Versus last round.

Another fun development is what happens to the level of discourse in the broadcast booth. Hockey is a fairly complicated game, and so the national broadcast turns into a tutorial on how the game works. Sometimes it is slipped in with ease, and sometimes it sucks as hard as a "Teach Yourself Euchre" book.

Aside from the lengthy explanations of icing and the importance of scoring goals, those Storylines are going to get a lot of play. In order to get you used to them and so you can't complain about them later, here's a sneak peak. Get yourself acclimated now, because it's going to be a long series.

The GOAT- Also known as the Greatest Of All Time if you don't know your Ali. For the first time in the "New NHL" the Stanley Cup Finals feature two large American media markets with bonna fide superstars on both teams. Of course, the hype for this matchup is out of this world. One question given to Sidney Crosby from media day went like this:

"Sidney Crosby...Evgeni Malikin... Pavel Datsyuk... Henrik Zetterberg"

That's it. That was the question. The guy was so excited about the foursome he forgot to pose a question. I think he just wanted to remind everyone who was playing. Yes, it's that big of a deal.

Even the NHL.com staff is getting caught up in the "Instant History" machine. The fact of the matter is that no matter what expectations this series has, it may never reach them. Remember just a few weeks ago everyone was getting ready for the greatest Conference Finals of all time? The first three games of each were almost never in question.

Yes, there will be hockey. Yes, it will be fun. However, you won't know what to expect from these two teams until the game starts, and saying this series will be better than decades of hockey is a hefty wager. However, get ready for the next gear if Game One is anything close to exciting, the expectations for Monday night will range somewhere between "excelsior" and "divine".

Sidney Crosby- I know everyone is sick of hearing about how good Sid is, but the fact of the matter is that he is the real deal. Leading a team to a Finals so young is a big deal as well, and he is the token media darling. Crosby is downright robotic with a microphone in his face, but put a hockey stick in his hands and he can completely change the game. This could be the series that changes his life, taking him to that level beyond outlandish expectations. This could be his Peyton Manning Moment; and as annoying as it is to some, the course of the league rests on his stick.

March of the Penguins- A few years ago the Penguins were moving to Kansas City. Now they are in the Finals and a new barn is being built next door. This is a bit of a swing, and will be talked about until you want to swing a pitching wedge into your TV.

Hockeytown/The Fall of Hockeytown- Does the name really matter anymore? I know there is a big fuss about what city is "Hockeytown", but do you really want to be that presumptuous in the first place and have the title? Let Detroit paint whatever they want on their ice and blame ticket brokers or the economy or African swallows for their empty seats. Whatever.

Party in the Plaza-



So yeah... get back to us on that.

Nick Lidstrom- Did you know he's from Europe? Did you know he's a captain? Did you know he can win a Stanley Cup? Hey! That's never happened before!

There will be more and they will develop over the course of the series. Jesus, look out if Franzen gets involved. He may be the next Fernando Pisani...

Lindy Rough

Word is that gator is a straight shooter for Captain in October.

On Pink Hats and the Bandwagon

by Ryan


So I've been staring at this quote for the past hour.

Sid the Kid, the return of Don Cherry, the old Flyers uniforms, Montreal self-combusting, the four-OT game, Bucci and Barry, Chris Osgood clipping the dude with the butt of his stick, HD telecasts, a Wings-Pens Finals ... I have to admit, I'm enjoying the NHL playoffs. No, really. I even figured out how to find the games on my cable system and everything.

Bill Simmons, 5/22/08

So... what does that even mean? I get it, the postseason has been interesting thus far, it always is; but to see that from a guy who disowned hockey a decade ago and only to brings it out to make fun of... what gives? When did hockey become watchable from the Sports Guy Mansion with J-Bug and Hench on the wings?

I've been working on a few theories over here. The first one is that he's being genuine. Perhaps he is giving hockey a solid look for the first time because of that whole "Hey! The Bruins matter again!" thing and likes what he sees. Sure, the hockey hasn't been fantastic, but when you train yourself to cast it aside as garbage how could he possibly expect better? Perhaps he is finally understanding that the NHL can't live off the NBA model of strong personalities and that good, consistent teams with a likeable core are more important and fun to watch.

So yeah... there's that.

Another possibility is that he's full of crap and ESPN is forcing his hand. He has had some conflicts with The Four Letter recently, enough so that he has his own blogspot operational. Maybe mentioning the Don Cherry on Sportscenter gimmick is a way to mend fences. Heck, throw Bucci and Melrose in there, too!

We all know that this sudden hockey push is a test balloon for ESPN and the possibility of hockey returning, perhaps Simmons decided to help them out by throwing a major voice behind the game at juuuust the right time.

One other option, the one I've been weighing the longest, is that Simmons is simply an elitist. Bill started as just a sports fan, but moving out to LA and watching his hometown become the "City of Champions" has taken a toll on his everyman status. Suddenly he can pick and choose what he watches, he has a power over his audience to tell them what is watchable or like able.

He recommends books and people read them, tells them to follow a "Vengeance Scale" and people ask where their team's performance ranks. Simmons has a strong voice and a strong following, and let's face it, he's a damn good writer. I know I'm not the only one that started in the Internet sports scene reading every word he wrote, even if it was about things I didn't care about. Simmons can write a 30,000 word diatribe about the NBA and people that don't know who CP3 is will read it. That's the kind of power he has.

Because of this reach, he gets to pick and choose what he likes, even if it means throwing a team he loved as a child under the bus. For years all you would hear out of Simmons about hockey was how crappy the Bruins owner was, or that Joe Thornton is amazing and they got hosed in that trade. True as it was, it got old and he clearly didn't know what was going on by his own doing. Once ESPN dropped hockey, it was open season to mock the game.

So my question remains, why the change? Maybe he's for real, or maybe he just sees hockey moving towards relevance again and wants to be ahead of the curve. Regardless of the reason, it is good for the game that he is paying attention. Disgusting, filthy bandwagoner that he may be, for far too long hockey has gone without fringe fans. If it takes Simmons leading the charge of people who don't know what a Blackhawk is, so be it.

Hey, at least he watches the draft.

Roby's Forecast for Today

ISS GON' RAIN!

The Golisano Code

by Ryan



Does anything about that image strike you as odd? Season ticket renewals are nothing new; many people in the blogosphere have already received their forms. However, the button on sabres.com is a bit... intimidating, isn't it?

Think of it this way: do any of the people shown in that picture have season tickets? The photo is obviously taken during a Party in the Plaza last year during the playoffs, so anyone with seasons is going to be, you know, inside the arena. Yes, some people sell seats and maybe it was just a really nice day outside; but it is an interesting, if not subliminal message to send to your season ticket holders, eh?

Renew your tickets, or these people get them.

Now I know the Sabres front office isn't trying to send that message, but the reality is that it is true. How many people are in the Blue and Gold Club? How many more would be interested in seasons but don't want to plunk down that $100 bucks? For the first time in the decade, there is an overwhelming demand for Sabres tickets, and raising ticket prices isn't going to drive that demand down. The Sabres have a groundswell of support, and a few nagging season ticket holders isn't going to make a difference when there are thousands waiting to take their place.

I'm not trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist here, but it is interesting to consider the message sent by this image. The obvious intent of the picture is to show the enormous support Sabres fans have shown the team recently, but when you consider what that means to your bank account, things suddenly seem a bit more dubious. Maybe it is Larry Quinn showing us just how helpless we are in the grand scheme of supply and demand.

---

See Bucky? I can do it too! It's not that hard, man...

Is it Saturday Yet?

by Ryan

First of all, if you haven't read Patrick Hruby's E-Ticket article on Fighting you should definitely give it a look over. With all the press the Roy incident gets and the Bertuzzis and Simons we've seen recently, a work like that can really give you a good perspective on fighting in the game. Just when I really start to rail on ESPN.com's hockey coverage they come through with something completely different. Dang.

Reading a piece like that only makes me want to read The Code that much more. There is a whole world of hockey that people watching the game today miss, and I really want to understand that side of it. My inherent hockey IQ tells me that Andrew Peters is a waste of oxygen and Kaleta will be called a "turtle", but I want to know these things for sure. One thing I do know is that after reading Hruby's work, I may have to hit up a Crunch game this fall.

---

The Penguins/Red Wings match up is one the league would have killed for back in '05. While Comcast Versus would have loved a Flyers/Wings final , having Crosby and Malkin on the big stage will be the opportunity to promote the game the NHL has been waiting for. Think about how well the Winter Classic did against Bowl games on New Year's Day with Sid the Kid on the ice. How much better can the NBC broadcast of Games Three and beyond do with the best trophy on the planet at stake?

Sports Media Watch thinks the broadcast could easily see a double digit increase of last year's numbers. Based on the strong showing the NHL's Saturday and Sunday broadcasts have had thus far, I can't disagree with that. Even with a conflict in Detroit with the Pistons, the national broadcast still has many strong markets (Buffalo included) that will carry a higher number than previous finals with small market teams.

CNBC's Darren Rovell wondered if this year's Finals will bring any new hockey fans to the fold, and to be quite honest, it's a good question. However, what I was more surprised about was this:

In other NHL news, I love the fact that the top selling item on NHL.com throughout the playoffs has been a replica Stanley Cup . As you can see this isn’t just some trinket. It’s two feet tall and it’s $250. Year over year sales for this replica cup are up 34 percent during the playoff period and 45 percent over the regular season.

Really? This?

I mean, that is pretty snazzy, but $250 is a lot to spend on a replica. I will admit that one of my favorite pieces of memorabilia is in fact a mini Stanley Cup, but that was given to me just for attending the first game post-lockout.



While it is very nice, it probably doesn't hold as much value compared to a big boy like that. For example, this is what happened to many of them when the Bruins lost their first game in the "New NHL":



There is a joke to be made about that garbage can but I'll save it. I guess I'm satisfied with a plastic Stanley Cup until we win the real one, God forbid. Some people aren't as content. Hey, it's a better investment than one of those "Stanley 08" jerseys people buy. If I see one more person stand up and wave to the camera in one of those, the Stress Buffalo gets it.

[Thanks to Kuklas Korner for both links]

Sabresfan88 Owns Us All

by Ryan

After three rounds, here are the standings for our little game of pick 'em.

Third Round:

Ryan- 5 points, Nailed Dallas.
Jon- 0 points for the second round in a row. Brian Murray is flat out jealous.
Rich- 2 points, Pens right.
Chris- 2 points, same is Rich.

Coolman856- 2, got Detroit right.
Katie- 4, both picks right.
Becky- 4, both picks right.
Sabresfan88- 6 points, nailed both.
Anon- 4 points, both picks right.

Totals:

Sabresfan88- 22
Chris- 19
Rich- 18
Ryan- 18
Coolman856- 17
Anon (Erika)- 14
Jon- 12
Katie- 10 (Two rounds)
Anne- 4 (One round)
Becky- 4 (One round)

If you'd like to get a head start on picks, the fancy new pop up comments are where to put it. We'll have a big preview for the finals up before the week is over.

Summer Reading

by Ryan

When you are young and impressionable, you are taught that summer is the best of the four seasons. Then you grow up a sports fan in Buffalo and realize that nothing of importance happens during the long days. Here in the Roost, we intend to use up that time to make ourselves better sports fans, and what better way to kill daylight then by reading?

We thought it would be an interesting experiment to share this summer reading with you. So, below is the initial list of books we intend to read this summer. They are subject to change and you are welcome to suggest others to us, but we will make note if there are any changes. Attached to each title is the Amazon.com link to purchase the book, if you'd like to play along.

This post will be attached to the sidebar and updated with a date for "discussion" of each. So far that discussion will be a post breaking the book down, with anyone willing to chime in doing so in the comments. Consider it a book club without having to pretend to read crappy books and gulp down crappy coffee. If you'd like, you can bring your own biscotti, we won't hold it against you.

Kübler-Ross model- Required reading for all sports fans, or anyone who happens to be a human being. This probably won't be a post, but it is good to know as a fan.

The Game, Ken Dryden- Every Habs fan I know will quote this at some point in their life, may as well know what they are talking about. Discussed Here

Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk- The book is always better, right?

Between the Lines, Ray Scampinello, Rob Simpson- Hockey book written by a ref. It has to have some good stuff in it.

Killing Yourself to Live, Chuck Klosterman- If you've read his stuff on ESPN.com, you know why this is included. A great read otherwise, I'm a big fan.

A Season on the Brink, John Feinsten- I've heard good things, and it was laying around in my house. What else am I going to talk about until October, right?

God Save the Fan, Will Leitch- We may not do this one after all, but everyone in the blogosphere has to give it a shot, right?

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson- Just to prove that Rich is indeed not dead.

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Micheal Lewis- Hyped as the "Moneyball of football." We'll be the judge of that. Discussed Here

Ball Four, Jim Bouton- If you don't know, you will soon enough.

For the Love of the Game, Michael Shaara. Again, the movie probably doesn't do it justice.

Blink, Malcolm Gladwell- I've always wanted to read it, and Rich has. Now I have an excuse.

The Code, Ross Bernstein, Marty McSorley, Tony Twist- A bit behind on this one, but it should be well worth the wait. Discussed Here

Live from New York, James A. Miller, Tom Shales- Chris says it will be done in a week or so, so expect to see this one first. (To be discussed whenever Chris reads the last chapter)

---

My guess for the my first book is Dryden's The Game, with a date around the end of the Cup Finals. Setting dates for these things probably won't be an exact science, but we promise you there will be plenty of notice. As mentioned before, if you have any ideas or blatant criticisms of this, feel free to post them in the pop-up comments.

Not Stamkos, but... Somebody

by Ryan

Think back to 2005, when the phrase "Now do you believe?" was still applied to Santa Claus and the NHL was finally reaching a labor agreement. When the ping pong balls were put into place for the Entry Draft, the Sabres were one of four teams (Rangers, Penguins, Blue Jackets, Sabres) with the best chance to get the first pick: three ping pong balls.

I'm sure you know the story from there. The Penguins got the first pick and Sidney Crosby in the process, while the Sabres ended up in 13th (!?!) place and drafted Marek Zagrapan. Today, Marek Zagrapan is nothing more than a name with expectations attached, while Sid the Kid is leading the Penguins out of exile and into the Stanley Cup Finals.

The point I'm trying to make here is that the NHL Entry Draft matters a whole lot more than most people think. Yes, free agency is huge in today's game, but development from within is the only way the Sabres will ever win a Stanley Cup, plain and simple. Take a look at the two teams in the Finals this year and tell me the draft isn't important to their success.

Yes, players like Sykora (Pens) and Rafalski (Wings) were brought in last summer, but it is the players like Staal and Whitney for Pittsburgh and Zetterburg and Holmstrom for Detroit that have been the foundation of these playoff runs. Postseason success is about more than high prices superstars; (I'm looking at you, Danny...) the entire roster needs to be filled with depth and talent for long-term success in spring.

That talent simply cannot be bought for cheap in the free agent market. Heck, take a look at the Red Wing's roster, only five players have a $3 mill/year hit on the cap. After this season that number will most likely increase, but that only shows you how much urgency is in this year's playoffs.

It is fascinating to watch a team like Detroit play knowing how much they do with so little. It is this envy that makes you a better hockey fan, examining what it is that good teams do that your team does not. One of the things Detroit does is draft ridiculously well, and so if you are a Sabres fan, your favorite weekend in June is 20-21st.

The Sabres have actually done very well with draft picks in the past, and even recently Darcy's work seems to be paying dividends. Mike Weber and Andrej Sekera may be the two defensive stalwarts we've been waiting for, and this fall is the first year Marek Zagrapan will be given a serious look at training camp. With two first round picks this year, Darcy will once again be given the chance to pick a player we expect big things from.

If you are big on the draft, this is the site you will fall in love with. (Thanks to Mirtle and Kevin for the head's up) The NHL's official draft site has one of the best set ups for looking at individual players with the best information possible. Just looking over the player bios is enough to get me excited about draft day.

ESPN.com, of all places, has one of the first mock drafts I've seen. With the 13th overall pick, the Sabres "take" D Colten Teubert, ranked 18th overall in North America (reeeeeeeach!!!). Actually, looking over his profile I'm pretty satisfied with the "selection". He certainly won't be making the team this fall, but only Staals do that, anyway.

Speaking of that, Jared is available...

Leaping the Selachimorpha

by Ryan

Does anyone remember when ESPN's Page 2 was good? I do. In fact, like many bloggers out there, Page 2 was my link to the underground. It was a different take on sports, one that reminded you of what you did with friends when watching the game. Bill Simmons was there, Dan Shanoff had the Daily Quickie, and it made ESPN.com something that was more than just "news." In fact, one of the first times I heard of "Deadspin" was on a Page 2 post.

Then something happened. First of all, some of the best writers of a generation died. Ralph Wiley and Hunter S. Thompson died within a year of each other, and suddenly the page seemed... empty. New writers moved in, but Shanoff went on his own, and Simmons moved to his own sub page and stopped writing as much.

In the opinion most people I know, the page went to hell. Now that may not actually be the case, but it certainly took a turn for the worst. I went from an everyday reader to an occasional glance once or twice a week, and even then it was mostly a check on Simmons' page. Once I hit the blogosphere and found people really worth reading, well, it was no contest.

The problem with Page 2 is that they just don't get it anymore. They found a model that worked and ran with it to a fair amount of success. But when your stars disappear and you try to run that model with Jemele Hill, well, good luck buddy. As great as Uni Watch is, he has his own blog with much more content on it and notifies of an ESPN update. No sense in checking for that.

The fact of the matter is that Page 2 has "jumped the shark", and this post is more than enough proof.

I mean, seriously? F#$k that post. How hard pressed are you for content that you need three people to put together something as unfunny and uninformed as that garbage? We get it guys, hockey is a joke and you don't understand it. It's a "niche sport" just like Norby says. Whatever. So stop talking about it. Don't scrape together something about glow pucks and Elisha Cuthbert and expect it to fly.

What bothers me so much about this post is not that it is uninformed (it is) but that people still read this garbage and think it is the mainstream because The Four Letter tells them it is. I may not know much about the corporate aspect of the blogosphere, but reading Mirtle's interview with Greg Wysnyski really makes me think we are moving in the right direction with things.

There is an audience for a hockey blog on a site like Yahoo Sports, and people can read Wysnyski or Mirtle or even a blog like this and decide for themselves how they feel about hockey and how the game itself is growing. You don't have to listen to some talking head tell you what to think; go read someone's blog and decide if that fan is seeing his team right. I know I wasn't reading some San Jose newspaper when Campbell was shipped off, I was on Battle of California seeing what they think of him.

One of the things I've heard said about hockey is that there are not many causal fans, you are either hardcore or not paying attention at all. Looking at our site numbers and the reaction our posts about other teams get, I would have to say it applies to the blogosphere as well. There isn't much room for someone with only a passing glance at hockey to talk about it. There are too many people who give a damn out there that deserve to be read over some retreads trying to make a five-hole joke.

In a way , though, Page 2 is right. This year's Finals match may prove to be something that gets people interested in the game. Playoff numbers are already up a noticeable amount, and the quality of information in the hockey blogosphere is only increasing. That quality of information, however, isn't going anywhere in the MSM. Even with all the vitriol many have for ESPN, it is certainly a big deal and will continue to be until all the little kids named after it sue for damages. Even with a groundswell of independent interest, hockey will continue to struggle with clowns like this knocking the game on major sites.

Even so, it's good to see things slowly but surely changing for the better. Norby and his writers may not care much about Malkin versus Zetterberg, but I know a whole lot of you out there do. That doesn't stop it from pissing the s#$t out of me, though.

When We Last Saw Them...

by Ryan



The Stars were celebrating a victory right underneath Al the Octopus. Dallas is the first away team to win at the Joe this postseason, and so the rage on Al's face is completely justified. Tonight the series shifts back to Dallas and its "college football" atmosphere, whatever that means.

Tonight's game is my favorite kind of playoff game, as I really have no clue what will happen. Dallas has won two straight while Detroit looks tentative and, quite frankly, scared. Turco is still playing lights out, and as good as Detroit's offensive output has been, if Turco keeps his game up the Stars will always have a chance in this series.

People seem to think this series is over, simply because the Wings went up 3-0. Now I'm not a proponent of the "every 33 years" theory, but when a team has clawed back to a Game Six, I think things aren't as clear cut anymore. Dallas is a streaky team that seems to be in the middle of a streak, and a home team in this situation always has an edge.

Detroit's overall strength lies with their rediculous depth, and Johan Franzen exploding is a perfect example of that. His absense is noticable while he deals with concussion-like symptoms, and is only lightly working out. Superstars like Zetterberg and Lidstrom will step up, but guys like Dan Cleary and Thomas Holmstrom are the ones that will make the difference. The defensive effort on both sides has been outstanding so far, and so the third and fourth line players become all the more important in big games.

This post is very Morgan-esque in analysis, but that's because I really have no idea what will happen tonight. That very fact is what makes it so exciting, though. Watching the Penguins crush Philly yesterday was fun, but I expected it to happen. Watching the unknown unfold in front of your eyes is really what playoff hockey is all about; and if it gets to a Game Seven with a trip to the finals on the line...

[shiver]

One thing I do know is that the pressure is on Detroit, and the weight of expectations may once again prove too much for a team on the brink. Hey, it's not like we know anything about that, right?

Thinking Ahead

by Ryan

We haven't talked about the Sabres in a while here, but that's probably because they haven't been doing anything worth talking about. The last time we saw them they were making the usual excuses, taking team photos, and signing hockey cards that I most certainly own.



Now that their season has ended, they have officially lost all form of humanity to fans. In the coming months, the players we have come to know and love begrudgingly accept are going to become nothing more than a name on a roster. These players that we like for their personalities or sweet haircuts will be ground down into digestible numbers and made into the paste that is contract talks.

Now, we have been getting ready for this time of year for a while now. Chris has been playing with salary cap numbers for some time, and we've been taking evaluations on players and yadda yadda yadda it's too early to actually do anything with this.

However, Scott Cullen has been going through some "off-season gameplans" for teams, and a few days ago he did Buffalo. I actually read this expecting to disagree with almost everything, but I was pleasantly surprised with what he had to say. With the exception of a few players (Clarke and The Kaleta! mostly) he did a good job of understanding what the team has to do and targeting players that may need to be moved.

I'd take a second to read it over and consider what he has to say. Take a look at the three teams that are left. What do they have that we don't? We are going to be talking a lot about what we think the Sabres should do this summer, but if you want to kill a few hours at work on a Monday, why not start now?

The Fall of Icarus

Apoligies to Chagall, but Daniel was certianly the star of this disaster.

Wa-ha Happend Was...

by Ryan



Yeah, I think that sums up the night. Well, kinda. Let's take a closer look at that ticket.



Yeah, I... I can explain.

---

So Rich sends me a text at 4:49 PM.

"Let's go to the Bandits game. You down? It's the league championship game."

Of course I say yes. However, I had prior engagements and told him I would meet him downtown, assuming tickets would be set. Well, Rich doesn't have the series of tubes at his current residence and was going to get tickets downtown. Of course, I could have bought 300 level seats at 8:30 this morning and we would have been fine, but what good story ends like that?

As I'm on my way down to the arena, Rich tells me that they don't have seats together anymore. That's fine, we've done this before. To the scalpers! Well, the scalpers happen to have a multitude of like-minded customers to pick from, and the price is just a bit too high for broke people of our demographic. (read: holy crap man, I know where that seat is and this isn't a gold game.) So... now we're in downtown Buffalo and don't have a ticket into the lacrosse game.



Third Row, first two seats. $21 total.

We missed two innings, but we got to see the Bisons take on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Dunn Tire Park. It was a heck of a lot cheaper than paying three times face for a seat next to Mr. Pillar and Big Sweaty Guy in row 10. In fact, there were two people just in front of us that couldn't get Bandits tickets either, so that was fun.

Some things I learned tonight that you just can't get anywhere but minor league baseball:

- IronPigs backup catcher John Suomi has Ricky Martin's "The Cup of Life" as his at bat music. This led to the conversation in which I firmly stated that my MiLB at bat music would be this. Forever.

- Bison on Bison crime is just out of hand these days.

- Dunn Tire is very... old school with their stats. They listed at-bats for everyone (which was helpful, actually) but didn't bother with any on-base percentages or pitcher stats that, well... are more indicative of a good pitcher. Not complaining, just mentioning that no one in the Bisons gameday crew seems to have read Michael Lewis.



After the Bisons won 5-2 and they got done blowing some stuff up to the tune of "God Bless America" we decided to head back down to the Arena to see what was up with our original destination. We got inside the atrium just in time for the last few seconds of the game, and as the crowd flipped out and a few high fives were exchanged, we slipped inside the Sabres Store to see what would be available.

I've never been around for any kind of championship celebration, but it was pretty cool to be there when they first wheeled out the championship shirts and hats. You never really get to see those kind of things happen when you are at a game or at home, so missing out on tickets and just... being there was a pretty interesting feeling.

After buying the obligatory shirt (and making the obligatory "Ethiopian children in LumberJax gear" joke) we just kind of stood around watching people yell and scream. The overall celebration was a bit underwhelming, but I guess they are saving the riot for when the Bills or Sabres do something worth buying a shirt for.

I'm not going to sit here and pretend either of us are huge Bandits fan and fully grasp what this means for the fanbase, but hey, at least Larry Quinn brought us that championship we've been waiting for. Anyone can say the cliches about winning, so I'll just go ahead and say it was nice to walk away from HSBC Arena in May with something to cheer about. Celebrating a banner that actually means something is nice, even if it is going to be orange.

So yeah, that was my night.

If you are looking for the real story, I'd check out USRT. For some reason I can't access their site tonight, but I'm positive they have something of more substance up about the matter.

When I Think Of...

by Ryan

I don't read Buccigross often, but commenter Brian S. brought this to my attention.

Buffalo Sabres: Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, fans, bad management. Rick Jeanneret ("La-La-La-La-LaFontaine!" "May Day!"), Dominik Hasek, The French Connection line, The Aud.

He says not to grade him, but where's the fun in that? My turn:

John Buccigross: Drury Mancrush, Late Night Sportscenter, overrated, reticent, mailbag, only option available.

Now while I do miss NHL Tonight, I don't actively search out Bucci's opinion on things, especially whether or not he thinks management screwed the pooch last summer. Everyone knows things went wrong, it is those that cling to it that are worse off.

Also, I think it's just super that he mentioned the Winter Classic for the Penguins and ignored it with the Sabres. Did he run out of space after listing the mistakes?

Whatever.

Because That Was Really Harsh...

Some people don't like Manny Ramirez. I'm not some people.

There's Been an Accident at the Meth Lab!

The best part about it is that the hole in the fist doubles as a coozie for your Keystone...

Daniel's Reasons Why Not

by Ryan



It's not stated as a question on the shirt, but I do have some answers.

- Your forecheck is abhorrent.

- Danny Briere is playing like a magical diving fairy.

- Steve Downie is a giver.

- Hal Gill.

- Marty Biron is not a bright-eyed god.

- Should have been called the Phaetons.

- This dude gender non-descript person:


- That Malkin kid is kind of a big deal.

- Richards can carry the team, but he can't literally carry the team.

- Upshall avoids the penalty box like Amy Winehouse avoids cocaine.

- Holy God Braydon Coburn's face.

Or maybe it's that the Penguins are a better, faster, more skilled, and better performing team from top to bottom.

That, or God hates you.

About Last Night...

by Ryan

A regular reader here asked me to "go easy" on the Red Wings, so I'm only going to say this:



When it is necessary for an image caption to include the referee's full name, you know someone got hosed. No matter who you want to win that series, and how much you may or may not hate Holmstrom, you cannot possibly say the right call was made last night.

Regardless of how it would have affected the remainder of the game or any of those hindsight-fueled semantics, the point is that the ref made the wrong call. Somehow, the reviews aren't able to overturn a call based on a split second glimpse or judgement call made by someone who could be partially obstructed, but those are the rules. However, when an official has a major impact on the outcome of a game you can't be happy about it. This isn't a late penalty, this isn't an offsides call on a rush, this is taking the puck out of the net and taking a goal off the board. Literally.

If you are a hockey fan you are excited there is a game on Saturday; but if you worry about the integrity of the game, you may be shaking your head a bit this morning.

Golden Mullets, Schadenfreude, and the Man-Power Advantage

by Ryan

When you are watching a game in a Cone of Silence, you tend to have some time to kill. So, I started thinking back on how Versus has been covering the playoffs so far. I really would prefer watching CBC all the time, but I can't get an HD feed here in the states. So... with my TV determining how I watch hockey I thought I'd post about it. Here's what I came up with:

Crowd Shots- So far so good. The schadenfreude from Game Three in Philly was pretty sweet, but perhaps they should utilize the dead air in overtime by showing worried faces in the crowd, much like Fox started doing with baseball in 2004. As much as it has become overkill these days, it is interesting to see how people take crushing defeat, especially when it is "the other team."

Ed Olczyk- This has been said elsewhere, but you are not allowed to criticize the Penguins when you went 31-64-8-10 with them until you were fired and a minor league coach subsequently took them to the playoffs. Yes, MAF has gotten better and it's a small sample size, but you couldn't finish higher than 5th with Sid, Malkin, Gonchar, and a handful of first round picks. I don't care what you think about the Pens powerplay, get your win percentage over Don Cherry's BAC and we'll talk.

The Commercials- The Good:



Solid. Nicely cut. No matter how many times I see it I get excited about hockey.

The Bad:



Congratulations, Versus, you just killed soul. Now Marlena Shaw may be the devil, and I may not ever be able to buy dress pants without trying to beat myself to death with the iron. I should stick to dry cleaning, I think.

The In-Game Interview- TV timeouts come with the first whistle after the 14, 10, and 6 minute marks of each period, unless it comes during a power play. This means that many times the whistle will come with a penalty call, resulting in a power play starting after the stoppage.

Now... one of the most annoying things in the history of mankind is when a power play is interrupted by ANYTHING. This includes you forgetting to flip back to the proper channel after 90 seconds, a picture-in-picture window left on the screen, and an interview taking up a quarter of the screen. Seriously, Versus, what the hell? It's bad enough you decide to talk to Tom Glavine during an even strength situation, but to talk to ANYONE during a power play? Do you guys even like hockey?

I mean, does some woman pop up to talk to the deer's mother in the middle of a hunting show? Didn't think so. Keep your interviews for intermission and in case there is a delay. I don't care what Mr. Willa Ford's sister's mother's second cousin's ferret's name is. At the very least can it until the next TV timeout when there isn't a game-changing power play taking place.

Studio Crew-

Good Lord that is some hair.

[Thanks to The Sports Hernia for taking the screenshot I was afraid to...]

Shootout Camera Angles- I know it's the playoffs and this point is irrelevant, but that "behind the shooter" angle is freaking garbage. On a shootout it is preferable if you can actually see the back of the net so as to tell if it is a goal or not. When your angle puts two people and 30 lbs of padding in between you and that white paint, that sucks.

Don't fix what isn't broken. As awful as some sight lines are in the older arenas, it's a better gig than what you are tying to give us. People watch 65 minutes of hockey and can't even see it end. What is this, The Heidi Game?

---

If there is anything else I forgot, you know where to put it. And if you think I'm just jealous of Engblom's hair, well, you got me.

Big Game Briere: A Photo Retrospective

by Ryan



That looks like a $4 million holding-the-stick-penalty if you ask me. Wait, he didn't get called for it? Even better! That's the market for ya...


TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBEERRRRRR!!!


Briere's line in the biggest game of the season? 1A, 2 PIM, EVEN, 0 SOG, 17:02 TOI.

That makes him a putrid -3, with two shots and 4 PIM in three games against Pittsburgh. But hey, that secondary assists when you were down two goals was awesome. Totally clutch.



Good call, kid.

But... but... he's 6'6"!

By Jon

Meet James Hardy.


James is a big, sure-handed receiver who played his college ball at Indiana. Drafted in the second round, Mr. Hardy is supposed to be quite the compliment to Lee Evans. But you know that already, so let's move on to some fun facts!

Fun fact #1: James played college basketball at IU for two seasons, according to his Wikipedia page.

Fun fact #2: James was a Freshman All-American in 2005, a Third-team All Big 10 selection in 2005 and 2006, and a First Team All Big 10 selection in 2007.

Fun fact #3: James allegedly pulled a gun on his own father after beating the crap out of him this past weekend!

Fun fact #4: James wants everyone to know that it was just a big misunderstanding (link via WNY Water Cooler), much like many reports of assault and brandishing a weapon.

UPDATE: According to the Buffalo News and contrary to the initial report linked above, it looks like the incident was less of a "beating" and more of an "argument."


The Goose's Roost would like to welcome James Hardy to Buffalo! Thanks for being the newest weapon in our offensive assault!

Stick the World's Largest Fork in Philly

Literally.

With no desperation and no transition game, it looks like the Flyers are history. Not that I'm complaining or anything.

So it's going to be Penguins-Red Wings barring any sort of Brian Campbell-esque miracles. Who ya got?

On Bassinets and Briere

by Ryan

The Philadelphia Flyers are giving this series away. Sure, the Penguins are doing the Playoff Triumvirate (Great goaltending, solid defense, timely scoring) very well, and the Hossa/Crosby/Dupuis line is still a monster; but the Flyers have been a joke of a hockey team two games in.

Let's get the disclaimers out of the way first. Yes, the Flyers are having injury troubles. Yes, Timonen going down out of the blue hurts, but you have to overcome injuries. Coburn getting a puck to the face is a freak thing, but maybe he could have ducked if he wasn't worried about what size Malkin's gloves are. (and investigating with his stick...) Having two of your best defensemen go down is rough but you have to do what it takes, even if that means starting Micheal Funk in Game Seven of the Conference Finals.

Besides, there are no excuses for an awful defensive effort when the effort is most of the problem. Playing Hatcher for over 25 minutes/game is never a good start, but you have to get a solid backcheck from the forwards in that case. Defensive responsibility is much more than with your top pairings, and when your 4th line is getting outworked with less than ten minutes to go, well, I doubt Timonen can help Steve Downie much.

There are too many players on Philly just... coasting, and when it is your "best player" leading the charge lackadaisical skate to the blue line you can't possibly claim to be happy with the effort. While Mike Richards is playing out of his mind on both ends, Danny Briere is completely dogging it.

I've never liked Richards much and I've certainly knocked his contract, but I've been very impressed with his play this postseason. The anticipation on the PK to take that Malkin pass and break down the ice was some very smart hockey. While the Crosby line was making ridiculous cross ice passes look easy, Malkin was struggling all game and forced one and Richards cashed in. While he is still a bit of a diver and talks to the refs like he is negotiating their salary for next year, you have to admire his play and how he has stepped up this year. (In many regards, he's like Derek Roy Plus...)

Still, while Richards is shining like an oh-so-bright star, Danny Briere is playing like he wished they hung above his fluffy widdle crib. The best bias-free opinion I can give of Briere's performance is that he is playing like a freaking pansy. That's honestly the best I can do. He is not playing hockey at all. While Vaclav Prospal is digging in the corners and taking checks, Briere is beside the net waiting for the puck to magically drift his way. Repeat for about 20 minutes of ice time.

Now if anyone understands Briere's game it would be a Sabres fan. We've seen the best and worst of his game, from before he was a superstar to when he denies he is a superstar but gets paid like one. But what makes him so good, along with an uncanny ability to be at the right place at the right time, is his ability to play bigger than he is.

It's not about taking on Zedeno Chara, it's about working the corners and winning battles. What made our PP so good at times was when all five guys could get into a corner an win a battle, making a pass to an open man under pressure. For as many backdoor goals he scored with the man advantage, he and Roy could set up countless more with a blind pass from the end boards or by overpowering a 6 foot defenseman.

Briere isn't doing that, and when you couple this complete absence of tenacity with his incessant diving and trying to draw penalties you get a waste of a roster spot. Danny Briere hasn't been playing like a franchise player, and when you are having trouble on the back end, you can't afford not to have great forward play. When was the last time you saw Briere backcheck in a Sabres uniform, let alone in orange and black?

This isn't a vindictive post against a former player. I don't hate Danny Briere, but right now I hate his game. He is playing like a joke, and it's embarrassing to watch. Yes, he took a butt end from Malkin. Yes, he was forced into Fleury on the penalty call. But when you spend your other 18 minutes on ice stationary or flopping to the ground like a wounded elk, do you really expect calls to go your way?

The Flyers' offensive gameplan is a mess. They have no working entry method, and no one seems willing to get the puck deep and take a hit to set up the zone. It may not be the answer, but when nothing else seems to be working the Flyers don't seem willing to change. Biron is playing pretty well, but when you can't get the puck past the other blue line it's only a matter of time before the Pens hit the back of the net.

Tonight it may be a completely different team. Briere may decide to show up, the crowd may get all vengeance-y and may be into it. But after that first ten minutes, if the score is still tied, what do the Flyers do? Dallas hasn't shown they have a third gear. Pittsburgh and Detroit have. Will Philly have what it takes to make a series of this?