This is hockey related, but I'm putting in here for reasons that will be very obvious.

I've already reached my limit with people sniping at Miller because of his engagement. I think it's downright retarded, and shows zero class as fans. Yes, the team is playing like trash. Yes, Miller isn't at the top of his game either. But none of that has anything to do with his personal relationship.

Alex tweeted this tonight, and I couldn't believe it. (I don't mean to single you out Alex, but this really got me going.)



A guy does some NHL pub as a marketable NHL player, and he doesn't care about the game anymore? We bitch about how the NHL doesn't market anyone but Crosby, but when they market OUR guy (something which we should be proud of), our guy is now shit for doing it?

Ryan Miller was dating his fiance last year before the Olympics, and he was awesome. He doesn't just all of a sudden turn to shit because he put a ring on it. His relationship has NOTHING to do with his play, yet people find the need to snipe at him about it. I think it's ignorant, and distasteful.

Yes, I know this is something that Alex said, but these little shots have been flying around ever since news of the engagement came out. I think people should man up. If you want to criticize his play, fine. But blaming it on his engagement is fucking retarded.

(And because someone will bring it up, I'm writing this as me. Not as a mod, not saying people shouldn't bring it up or anything.)

look, wanna know what i honestly think? i think miller played out of his mind last year, and set up people for a big fall. miller is a talented goalie, we all knew that prior to last year. but last year was THE year. anyone expecting him to better that should also probably assume pujols to hit 60 home runs next year, and 80 after that. miller caught lightning in a bottle, and boy was it magical.

these people are professional athletes above everything else in our eyes, but they are human beings. who gives a shit if hes engaged? miller is playing his heart out, and the bounces arnt finding him like they were last year. wanna blame miller for this loss? go for it. wanna blame his engagement? thats ferret talk (stafford and his rond back excuse)

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I thought that was a combination of a FB quote and a blog post before I remembered I put it on twitter.

In my blog where I was able to go into a detail that is impossible on twitter (and I kind of said this on facebook too) I explained that my main criticism is that as soon as people see an article about Drew Stafford's band or Thomas Vanek's kids (or Roy's and Connolly's alleged Chippewa antics for that matter), the immediate question is how much those outside distractions are impacting their play. Meanwhile Ryan Miller seems to be the invisible man when it comes to similar criticisms (as I've seen virtually nothing tying his personal life to his hockey performances aside form semi-seriously from myself).

It was a definite cheap shot at Miller and I take full credit/responsibility for it. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to explain that it was more out of a desire to apply the same ridiculous standards to Miller that others have applied to Stafford, Vanek, Roy, and Connolly than it was to convince people that Noureen Dewoulf is Yoko Ono-ing Ryan Miller.

I have always said that I think that Miller is one of the most well prepared players in hockey, but it's frustrating to see him come in and not play to the level we expect. And doubly frustrating when he's held less accountable by the fans for his poor performances by other players.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Nah, I don't mind, it was a definite cheap shot and I pretty much knew that when I posted it. I don't mind being singled out, I strive to be honest, transparent, and accountable, even as an amateur journalist or whatever the hell blogging makes me.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

This is dumb. Miller was dating his girlfriend (now fiancée) last year when he won the Vezina, so to assume that his romantic life is getting in the way of his play is kind of ridiculous. Some bitch on Twitter actually tweeted "He should be engaged to WINNING" when people found out he was engaged.

I can't believe anyone would question his passion or how much he cares about winning every night. No, he hasn't played as great as he is capable of, but I think we should all know that Miller's biggest critic is himself.

And I don't really understand why someone would dislike him all because he's gaining some national attention and doing some marketing. Miller is a perfect person for the NHL to market. He's a great goaltender, he's smart, articulate, and he is genuinely a likable person. I keep tabs on other fans around the league on various blogs and message boards, and the general consensus is that most NHL fans have a respect for Ryan for who he is as an athlete and as a person. All because he's doing a few commercials for ESPN and the NHL doesn't mean he's losing focus or not caring as much about the Sabres. Can you imagine how many sponsorships and ads he's turned down over the years? He's turned down A LOT.

Miller has done a lot for the WNY community, through his play on the ice and by his philanthropic work. Not to mention how he has nothing but good things to say about the city and the fans whenever the subject is brought up. You would think fans would be happy that he's moving onto an exciting chapter in his life by getting married and getting some national attention, instead of lambasting him for it. Be happy for the guy.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

You're kinda the person Alex is talking about Caro... if you've criticized any of the other players for their off-ice decisions.

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This is the point I was trying to make. You could say the same thing about Thomas Vanek (and probably most of the players on the team), but no one ever does.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

That's it. I'm making the rules.

NHL players cannot Marry. They can't date anyone. They can't even get a boner. It's forbidden.
NHL players certainly can't have kids, pretty much prevented in the first rule.
NHL players must not be able to have lives.
AN NHL PLAYER'S LIFE NEEDS TO BE ALL ABOUT NHL, NHL, NHL. THEY NEED TO EXERCISE EVERY DAY AND THEY NEED TO DREAM OF MAKING SAVES OR SCORING A GOAL.

WARNING!: There is an uncontrollable amount of sarcasm in this post. None of these words are to be repeated at home, as they don't mean what they seem.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I have never done that. Fans have no place to judge what a player does in his personal life. The only time I would assume a player is distracted from something in his personal life is if there was an announced death in the family or something of that nature. Other than that, I really don't think fans have any place to judge.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Nah I'm pretty sure I remember Caroline sticking up for Drew Stafford when people were laying into him just for being in a band.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Either epic trolling is epic, or you missed the point.

Regardless, that's a boss Weber quote in your sig.

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mechaphil

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

shit happens. party naked.

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Then people will see the rash...

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

To anyone that doesn't think that getting engaged is probably drawing Miller's mind a little, that's just pure naivety. Dating =/= marriage.

Do I blame the guy? No. I haven't criticized him at all this year.

I put this in my post, BTW.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Damn, it just went from epic trolling to merely humorous lol

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mechaphil

Life's like a bucket of apples. Who the fuck wants this shit, give me some skittles bitch.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

I also believe Miller shouldn't be held responsible for poor play because of his engagement. Even if that's the reason, it's another aspect in his life that's probably more important to him, so we should just lay off him for a while.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Alex isn't saying that, he's using it as a comparison point that if fans were allowed to take cheap shots at Deeroy Jenkins or Connolly or Vanek or Stafford about their personal lives, Miller should be fair game too, validity of the comments or not.

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mechaphil