Don't get me wrong without Miller our system would not be as effective if say Lalime was in net. What I am saying is that out team is good the way it is, why does everyone want change so badly?

Why does everyone want change so badly? Because we want perfection!! LOL

Skyline, Spartan, Fly, netsil, Carubba...

I'm not sure where I wasn't pretty clear already...

Sky, yes it's Miller's job to save their butts. He's my favorite player and I've been shouting to the mountain tops the last two seasons for the team to play more responsibly in front of him. They are doing that now and I'm VERY HAPPY about it. Even still, Miller has stood on his head MORE THAN other top goalies, and bailed the team out on many nights so far. If the top six were playing just a little better, up to their potential, this team would go from winning one goal games to comfortably winning 2-3 goal games more often. A Cup winning team it would be. If I thought the top six couldn't do any better I wouldn't say anything, and I'd still be happy about it too.

Spartan, yeah actually, I'd be happy with a playoff team even if they lost 2nd round. It's pretty damn hard to win a Cup, and there wouldn't be much shame in losing to NJ, Wash, or Pitt. So quite clearly I'm not in the pessimistic crowd when I already have a good perspective. It's called being realistic.

Fly, see above. Just like I said in regard to PSP. I say, "the top six could be better" and people hear, "OMG the team SUCKS I HATE THEM". I'm HAPPY with the team. To make a simple observation that points out the difference between a playoff contender and a Cup contender DOES NOT MEAN I HATE THE TEAM. I can't possibly make it any clearer than that.

Netsil and Carubba, same as above.

my post wasn't directed at you bro because I DO agree with you that our top six aren't playing up to their maximum potential, but they are doing things that are contributing to our current successes, even though, obviously, they should have a few more points on there stat sheets. If you look at it from a salary standpoint compared to how they are contributing, then Miller SHOULD probably be getting a third of the entire cap and the rest of it should be divided evenly amongst the majority of the rest of the team. If anything were to happen to Miller, yes, we would very likely be in a different position than we are right now, but that isnt the case at the moment. But they have proved that Lalime can be solid when needed AND that the team can back him up when needed. We just seem to have a very well rounded team that is playing as a solid unit and that (besides Miller) can only get better from here. Now if we had a solid PP, we would probably be first in the conference and dare I say the league.

No beef here, just my opinion

How do you call that being a realist... we beat all those teams, I would say anyone of those teams against a thriving young team and a hot miller is a coin flip on who would win.

All I got to say is the team is winning those one goal games unlike the past few years, we may have been in more of them now, but we all can breathe a sigh of relief because we know the team most likely won't give up that tying goal.

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God I hate when people say that.

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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

To be honest I doubt Pittsburgh goes anywhere this year, Malkin is incredibly snakebiten and Fluery sucks at goaltending.

Crosby is putting up decent numbers but they won't make the Finals a third year in a row, unless Malkin and Crosby, get really hot, or unless Fluery becomes what he was two years ago, he was downright terrible last year and Malkin and Crosby singlehandingly won games for them.

Jersey seems to get outplayed because they just can't shut down the offense like they used to.

The Caps goaltending situation is still suspect. Varlamov is their future, and is great. But he's been proven to be able to get beat with a very dangerous team in front of him, and unless Semin, Green, and OVIE completely take over I think he still needs some more playoff experience.

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Wheelhouse

Wow, "being realistic" is somehow annoying or offensive to people??

I don't expect a Stanley Cup in any given season, I understand how competetive the NHL is, and can live with Buffalo losing to a top team, or a team with elite players. That makes me realistic. I don't get too high and never get too low. That doesn't mean I don't hope for the best, or feel crappy when they get eliminated, but I can separate emotion from a critical evaluation of the team.

Somehow though Fly, you "...hate when people say that"????? You hate that I'm level headed about the team, or that I just said it? Either way it doesn't make an ounce of sense, no matter how many clap-claps PSP follows it up with.

I mean really, the posters around here that overreact to the ups and downs of a season are more enjoyable?!? I'll be sure to post more topics titled "OMG we're gonna win it all" or "Fuck so-and-so".

I tell ya, this thread is turning into bizarro world. At least netsil and Sky had a reasonable response. Sky, we "could" beat those teams in the playoffs, but there wouldn't be any shame in losing to them. With Broduer, Crosby/Malkin, and a top flite offense you couldn't be too upset with losing unless the team played poorly.

I think that saying 'being realistic' is generally seen as a euphemism for 'I think they're terrible'.

I don't think that applies to your comments, but I just think that's how some people view the comment. Wouldn't take it personally.

Well, I don't discuss things with other people's strange twisted codebook of imagined translations at hand, and it's a little exasperating after I've explained myself multiple times.

Maybe I'll just discuss Sabres hockey via private message with you from now on. I'm sure you're cool with that.

"I'm being realistic," comes off as sounding, "Your opinion is way out there and you're wrong. My opinion is the only sensible and logical one."

I'm sorry. I didn't know it was unrealistic to believe in the players that have lead us to 2nd in the Eastern conference so far.

I'll try to be more realistic next time I post.

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Wheelhouse

The "realistic" comment also has that tone of "negativity".

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

You guys are just reading into it whatever you feel like. PSP, you can believe in the team all you want, but that's not the point. I too feel that the team is capable of winning the Cup this season, but that doesn't mean that I can objectively call them one of the top 3-4 teams - what I think of as Cup contenders. Gee wiz, don't have such a chip over it.

What irks me is when people twist what I say around and go off the deep end with all the "you're so pessimistic" type comments. It sends the thread way off course for no good reason. If I said something ambiguous and let it go I'd understand, but I bent over backwards to clarify and still the off target comments keep coming.

Los9090, I also (as I've stated above) that I'm very realistic about my expectations. Only eight teams get to the 2nd round, so if Buffalo gets that far that's not a bad season if you truly have some perspective about it. Sure I want to see them win a Cup, but so do millions of other fans of worse teams that haven't sniffed success in over a decade. That's just me, with a stiff dose of perspective I can be happy with the team regardless of an obsession for the Cup. That train of thought really shouldn't be so hard to understand.

Some people here are just taking it totally the wrong way, and throwing in some needless hostility along with it.

Exactly. I also think it's a euphemism for people who are generally cynical and pessmistic, so they say it to feel better about themselves. "I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic!" Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night.

I'm not saying that's why you said it, 1980, but that's why I hate when people say it.

Right.

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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

My turn at armchair psychoanalysis -

Some people who react to that statement in that manner have an inferiority complex or a lack of self-esteem. Not that you reacted that way for that reason, fly.

How about this unique concept? Why don't people take a comment or statement at face value, or clarify with that poster if they take offense before jumping to conclusions and ruining a thread?

I know, crazy thought, huh?

Nobody took it public except for Fly, and she was just reminding you that it's not a nice way to make your point.

You could just stop trying to justify it, admit that it's not a polite way to address other posts, and move on.

Now you're suggesting that some people unhappy with it also have low self esteem and an inferiority complex.

You're on a roll.

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Wheelhouse

Ok, Sigmund. Now, I have been having a lot of dreams about horses lately... Can you please tell me what that is all about...

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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

Ok PSP, it's ok for someone to suggest that people "being realistic" have a problem being cynical, but not for me to respond. Whatever.

I think it takes someone with a pretty thin skin to bristle the way you and fly have over someone saying they're "being realistic". It's a rather innocuous comment, and I've never heard of someone having a problem with that statement. I'll remember though to step lightly, use kid gloves, and speak quietly around you and fly, lest I offend with objective observations.

Fly, peruse this article about horses. You might find an answer here...

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art16058.asp

But don't get all sassy when I join in on a silly Freud game that YOU chose to start.