Kaleta overkill and other news and notes

By Jon

I was all ready to write an extended, several hundred word post defending Kaleta's play and how he's been handling things, and then dave in rocha goes and sums up everything I wanted to say in a couple of sentences:

"I still have not heard anyone adequately explain to me WHY he needs to fight, drop the gloves, or "stand up for himself" just because he hits hard. He's throwing body checks at guys who have the puck (or just got rid of it). His hits are clean (95 times out of 100). He's not doing douchey cheap stunts like Avery standing in front of Brodeur. He's not aiming at guys' heads like Neil. And he's not driving guys into the boards headfirst like Downney and Hollweg. THOSE GUYS should look over their shoulders. THOSE GUYS should get a beatdown. I equate Pat to someone like Dustin Brown. You don't see people talking about how he's not dropping the gloves too."

Kaleta is the classic "guy you hate to play against but love to have on your team," but for whatever reason, some Sabres fans are complaining. Dave is right -- there is no sensical and justifiable reason that Kaleta should drop the gloves or change any part of his game right now.

If Kaleta pisses off an opponent, drops the gloves and takes a beating, he sits in the box and watches for the next five minutes. If he pisses off an oppenent, takes a beating and then hangs on to his gloves, the Sabres get a power play. Why would anyone want the first option? Lets face it, he's taking a beating either way (I can't imagine he would win too many fights,) and I would much rather have a power play than have the antagonist from Angola sit in the box for five.

I don't care if sticking up for himself is "part of the game", Kaleta should turtle until other teams smarten up -- and I'm not convinced that his enemies are all that smart.

*****

I'm convinced that the collective IQ of all of humanity drops 20 to 30 points in the week leading up to Christmas. Compared to nearly everywhere else in the country, WNYers are generally pretty good drivers in the snow (by necessity), but anyone that drove on Niagara Falls Boulevard at any point over the last few days can attest that the idiot drivers were out in full force.

One of my biggest pet peeves is the vulture that will circle a parking lot twenty times until they see someone leave a store, follow them to their car, and wait until they back out to take their parking space. Save yourself ten minutes and park in the back. It will add less than one minute to your walk, I promise.

*****

Memo to Ralph: Nothing will surprise us anymore. Come clean about Dick. Did he get an extension? Didn't he? We're going to find out soon enough, and frankly I'm not sure how much I care anymore.