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Sports

Hockey Update

The Final Four are set. Sabres vs Senators in the East, and Red Wings vs Ducks in the West. 1 vs 4 and 1 vs 2. I would love to see Sabres/Red Wings… just for the Dominik Hasek angle. But the Ducks are FAST (like the Sabres) and can score… would be an exciting Stanley Cup Final.

But wait… we have to beat the SENATORS first. 🙂

The Sens have been playing great. Great goaltending, great defense and they’ve been scoring. That’s about all you can ask. The Sabres will need to play at least at the same level they did since the last 10 minutes of Game 4 in round two. I think they know that now… so they just need to do it. They’ll need to improve their special teams as well. They showed flashes of great penalty killing but the power play was horrendous. (Save for a couple clutch goals in the last two games.)

Here’s the schedule for the Sabres series vs their hated division rival, Ottawa:

  • May 10 – Ott at Buf – 7pm
  • May 12 – Ott at Buf – 8pm
  • May 14 – Buf at Ott – 7pm
  • May 16 – Buf at Ott – 7pm
  • May 19 – Ott at Buf – 2pm*
  • May 21 – Buf at Ott – 7pm*
  • May 23 – Ott at Buf – 7pm*

* – if necessary.

I see the series going at least 6 games… though it wouldn’t surprise me if the Sabres won in less. It would shock me if the Sabres were beaten in less than 6.

They have had one goal since losing in game 7 to Carolina last year. They’re almost there. Four wins to the Stanley Cup Finals. Eight wins to Stanley Cup Champs.

Go Buffalo!!

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Sports

What It Takes To Win

Sabres vs Rangers in Round 2
I was watching the second hockey game last night, featuring #5 seed San Jose vs the #1 seed Detroit Red Wings. And I noticed what I think the Sabres might be lacking so far in the playoffs.

Yes, they won the first round in 5 games over the Islanders, and have a 2-1 advantage in this series – only because of a 2OT victory where the Rangers played the best they could, and just barely beat us. But, they have not been impressive in most of the games they have played. They don’t look hungry.

The thing our Sabres are missing is the hunger to win. The drive. Whatever you want to call it, I saw “it” in the Sharks last night. The Red Wings might have better players, but the Sharks wanted it more. And they got it.

I’m not sure how (or if?) the Sabres can get that. I have seen them have it this year. People talked about them being able to “flip a switch”. It’s true. They’re scary like that. But the playoffs are for real. If you wait too long, you might not get a chance to flip it “on”.

What I have noticed is that when you finish first there are expectations. From without and from within. The Sabres seem to be playing a little tentative at times – you know, to “not lose”. They have been winning their games, but have been unable to put games away when they have the lead. (One game the Islanders came back when the Sabres had a 4-1 lead… and I think that was more on their effort than on the Sabres tentativeness… they were great that game.)

It’s strange to complain about the #1 team, who has a 6-2 record in the post-season thus far. But… I just notice that they look different than San Jose. And perhaps some other teams. Ottawa really wants it right now too. And they’re up 2-1 in their series. That would be a tough, tough series for Buffalo.

But first we have to win this one.

Game four is tonight in NY. Should be tough, but if the Sabres remember what they have been playing for all season… I’d say you’ll see the Sabres control and win this game tonight. I won’t say easily, but I do think they will control the game tonight.

We’ll see if they have what it takes to win!

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Sports

An Idea For Professional Sports

I was really bothered by baseball getting WAY too much attention from the TV sports segments well into the football season this year, and was talking with Jen recently about how all the sports should get out of each other’s way. We know it won’t happen (thanks to the commercialization of all the pro sports) but wouldn’t it be grand if hockey didn’t go till JUNE, and baseball was actually played in THE SUMMER?

Indeed.

Well, here’s what I think we should see from the pro sports…

Baseball:
Being a summer sport, shouldn’t it be played in the summer time???? Right now, baseball is actually played during ALL FOUR SEASONS of the year. That’s just wrong. The schedule should be more like May-August… with playoffs ending in September. Maybe you even start the divisional rounds in August, and have the World Series around Labor Day weekend. More people could watch/attend, because they’re off work! And then, it’s actually a SUMMER sport!!!

Football:
The Super Bowl should not be played in February. Shorten the pre-season. Football should begin no sooner than August, and the regular season should be September through December. Playoffs are in January, with the Super Bowl being the last weekend of January.

Hockey:
Hockey is a winter sport. (Notice the surface is ICE.) So let’s actually start it in THE WINTER. The season could start in mid to late November… and playoffs could be in March, because it’s still cold in most hockey towns in March. Hockey has no business continuing into April, May and especially JUNE.

Basketball: (and everything else)
This one is weird because it is all played indoors. Could be played any time of the year… and… is. Let’s just shorten the season like everything else. I don’t even know when the official season is, but it’s at least Oct to June. WAY TO LONG.

So… the calendar would look like:

Month Football Hockey Basketball Baseball
January: Football playoffs Hockey Basketball
February: Hockey Basketball
March: NHL Playoffs Basketball
March Madness
April: Basketball Baseball SPRING training
May: NBA playoffs Baseball
June: Baseball
July: Baseball
August: Football pre-season Baseball playoffs
September: Football World Series
October: Football
November: Football Hockey
December: Football Hockey Basketball

Well, that’s how my ideal sports calendar would look at least. 🙂 Throw in the Olympics every couple of years and you’re set. Nothing clashes… nothing drags on. It’s perfect.

Now… who do I talk to to get this plan underway?

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Sports

9-0

Buffalo Sabres New LogoMost of you reading this probably know that I am a big enough Buffalo Bills fan to have my own Bills podcast, the Buffalo Bills Review. I even have a page on the Bills website where they let me post my various thoughts on our team. But so far this season, nothing can compare to the show the BUFFALO SABRES are putting on here in WNY!!!

Oh man… this team really looks like they might go 82-0! I know that’s not possible. Somewhere along the line you make enough mistakes that you lose a game, but seriously… this team is like nothing we’ve seen in Buffalo hockey before. And it’s been so long since the Bills were dominant that it’s hard to remember they were this good!

Last night the Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens to break the record for best start in franchise history of 8-0. During the course of that game, the announcers reminded us of what happened earlier in the season, when the two teams first met. Montreal had a 4-2 lead with only five minutes left!!! Buffalo came back and won in a shoot out (in overtime)!!! Wow.

So far this year the Sabres have an incredibly potent offense (like scoring 9 goals in one game, or two in the last five minutes as I mentioned before.) Beyond potent, it’s so incredibly spread out. There are 10-12 guys who can regularly put the puck in the net. There is no 1st line, or 2nd line on down, as with most hockey teams. We have FOUR first lines. Add to that the defensemen are relentless… amazing shot blockers, harrassing the opposition, good checking… but then the forwards all do that well, too! Add to that arguably the best goalie in the game, and our backup is great too! Wow. This team is scary.

So, if you’ve never watched hockey before… just catch a Sabres game next time they’re on national TV (which they are a bunch this year). You might become a hockey fan. Really. They’re that good!

Go Buffalo!