Cautiously Optimistic

I’m trying really hard to temper my response to the Sabres’ hot start, but they’re making it difficult.  They are so feisty! So scrappy!  So seemingly capable!  Plus, they’ve treated me to two exceptionally fun nights in the arena this week.  Detroit was obviously great because of the overall ass kicking domination, and the Islanders was one of those sloppy games that are enjoyable as long as the home team comes out on top (which they did).   The thrill-seeking fan in me is bursting with joy. “They’re so good!  This time they’ve really changed!  They’re never going to suck both offensively and defensively at the same time again!”  WE’RE GOING ALL THE WAY!”  The cautious realist in me is trying very hard to be stingy with the praise.  “Yeah, yeah, this is what they did last year too.”  I even went so far as to read my archives from last October and November in an attempt to put this all in perspective.  (Seriously, you guys.  This is exactly what they did last year.)

What I’m trying to say is that while I’ve LOVED love love loveloveLOVED watching the team these last few weeks, I’m reserving judgment.  They sure seem different this year, but I’ve been burned by them before.

There is, however, one element of this team that has not yet let me down.  That element is the delightful Tyler Myers.

I will NOT reserve judgment on Tyler Myers.  The book is IN on him, and every single page says “Tyler Myers is fucking awesome.”  I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but Tyler Myers is WONDERFUL to watch out there on the ice.  Last night last there was a moment when he brought the puck in over the blueline, involved himself in a legitimate flurry of offensive chances, swung around the back of the net, and was somehow in place to deal with the rebound.  His efforts didn’t amount to a goal, but as the play was unfolding I actually squawked, “Oh my God, I can’t believe how awesome Tyler Myers is.  I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW AWESOME HE IS,” and everyone sitting around us turned to nod in awe. There is something about his playing (and the fact that he’s eleven feet tall) that demands attention.  I can’t take my eyes off him in the arena.

I’m kidding of course when I say “the book is in” on Tyler Myers.  It’s only been a few games.  He’s so young.  It’s a long season.  There is no conceivable way a nineteen-year-old can just plop down in the NHL without some growing pains and some bumps along the way.  But still.

In the last two years we’ve endured a lot of crappy hockey from this team while being told that they have “potential”.  How many times have we heard things like, “The potential is there, but we’re just not executing.”  We’ve become desensitized to the word “potential,” but it’s a difficult concept to ignore right now because Tyler Myers exudes it.  He’s pure and untouched (heh) by the general suckitude that has surrounded the Sabres for the last two years.  All we know about Tyler Myers is his potential.

I find it difficult to look at this roster and think, “They’ve changed,” but having a kid like Tyler Myers on the ice sure helps.  (Mike Grier helps too.)  I’ll be honest, I didn’t see this good start coming, and as a fan, it’s been a welcome treat.

History has taught me not to lose my head over the Sabres right now, but I am willing to say something I didn’t think I would be saying five games into the season: The potential is definitely there.

It’s Chris Butler Appreciation Day!

Okay, I know that this is a rough time to be a Sabres fan, and lord knows I haven’t been lightening the mood with my four day I-WANT-THE-MOST-POPULAR-MAN-IN-BUFFALO-TO-LOSE-HIS-JOB-athon, but tonight, I ask you to join me in setting aside our petty Sabres frustrations.  Tonight, we must celebrate Chris Butler.  We must do it with genuine enthusiasm, and we must do it with joy and love in our hearts.

It’s Chris Butler Appreciation Day! *tosses confetti*

To explain:  This evening, along with 18,690 of my closest friends I trudged into HSBC Arena to watch the team I love take on the Flyers.  You all know the results.  It was pretty brutal.  I attended the game with Heather B, who is always good company, so in spite of the game, I still managed to have a good time.

One interesting side effect of my resent Sabres-related disgust is that I seemed to have reached some type of tipping point.  I think it happened after the Atlanta game.  I just don’t have any more rage, or frustration, or sadness to devote to the Sabres this season. I’m all tapped out.  I really don’t think these guys can hurt me again until October.

BUT, as it turns out, I still have a little joy in the tank.  I know!  Weird!

I had a genuinely good time tonight.  I had fun when the Sabres scored, I groaned when the Flyers scored, and Heather and I had a good time ragging on the team.  It was fun.  (And it really wasn’t until the third period that the Sabres fully tanked, so we got two solid periods of entertainment before things got ugly.)  Anyway, it was a relief to realize that I can still go to the arena, and enjoy hockey, and hang out with my friends without taking every single game so effing seriously.  I’ve let go, and I feel so much better as a result.

So, there we were, fifty-nine and a half minutes into the game with our good spirits intact.  The Sabres were losing 6-3, and as the final seconds ticked away, out of nowhere, they scored.  Obviously, this was a totally meaningless goal, and to their credit, the Sabres on the ice barely reacted.  There were no triumphantly raised arms, there were no fist pumps.  Heather and I actually couldn’t figure out who scored the goal from the replays on the jumbotron, and because of the lack of reaction on the ice, we couldn’t tell from the players either.  We just figured that it was nothing goal.

Well, as I’m sure you all already know, that was not a nothing goal.

That goal, scored at 19:58 in the third period was Chris Butler’s first NHL goal.

That. Sucks. So. Hard.  Just when I think think I’ve escaped any further Sabres pain….they suck me back in.

POOR CHRIS BUTLER!  His first NHL goal came in the final seconds of THIS game?!  The fans, were literally BOOING the team at the time that he scored his first ever goal.

The fact that his first goal occurred in these circumstances is NOT COOL, and Chris Butler deserves better.

One of the things I have meant to do literally all season, is write a post in praise of Chris Butler.  I really like this kid.  He’s so bright and articulate in interviews, and for a rookie, he’s really done a nice job this year.  No, he’s not perfect, but in a season brimming with dull hideousness, I really think Butler’s been a bright spot.

For MONTHS now I’ve been meaning to sing his praises, and to encourage my younger readers to adopt him as a possible crush-worthy Sabre.  He’s a little dopey looking, but in a cute way.  Plus, he’s got Kirby Puckett’s jersey number which probably means very little to you, but to me, #34 is a good sign.

I FULLY endorse Chris Butler, and I give him the coveted TWC, “Cutie Pie Stamp of Approval.”

Approved

After he scored, he had to do the mature thing.  He couldn’t celebrate, he couldn’t even raise his arms in surprise.  Nothing.  He had to continue skating forward, emotionless.  (And for the record, I give him a lot of credit for pulling it off.  Mark that down as another reason to love Chris Butler: “Has the maturity not to make an ass of himself celebrating personal accomplishments while in the context of a team failure.” Check.)

So, today is Chris Butler Appreciation Day!  Today we honor this fine young gentleman who was cheated out out of a celebration that he truly deserved.  Let’s forget about the game, and Lindy, and the playoffs, and focus on Chris Butler.  A first NHL goal only comes along once.  Chris Butler may not have been able to celebrate on the ice, but we can now, on his behalf.

Chris Butler, we salute you!

Tim Connolly Appreciation Day!

WOOOO!  It’s Tim Connolly Appreciation Day!

Now look.  I’ve never been a big fan of Timmy.  By all eyewitness accounts, he’s 100% yucky and I’ve never seen him conduct an interview without a sneer on his face.  He’s constantly hurt, and when he’s not hurt, he’s skating around with his head down.  My fandom began in earnest at the beginning of last season, and in the time I had NEVER seen anything from him that justified the city-wide Timmy-is-a-smooth-headed-God-when-he’s-healthy-itude that we have going on in Buffalo.  Sure, he had his moments last year, but honestly, even when he was healthy, he seemed scarily similar to Max.  All flash, no finish, turnover machine.

I have seen the light.

He may be yucky.  He may be made out of construction paper and scotch tape.  He may be only one hit away from spending the rest of his life in a nursing home.   But Tim Connolly is VERY good at hockey.  When he’s healthy and confident, he’s not just good, he’s phenomenal.  I would go so far as to say he’s riveting.  He was riveting last season too, but more in a “Oh sweet baby jesus, Timmy is going to die.  LOOK OUT, TIMMY!  GET YOUR HEAD UP, YOU EFFING IDIOT. I DON’T WANT TO BE SCARRED FOR LIFE AFTER I WATCH STAFFY DEVOUR YOUR SPILLED BRAINS ON THE ICE,” and less in a, “Wow.  Timmy is like a grand master chess player…only hockey-style.”

So, against all odds and reason, today is Tim Connolly Appreciation Day.  I think it’s unlikely that Timmy will be a Sabre next year, so I’m just going to enjoy him while I can, if only so that I can nod in agreement when all of you longtime fans wax philosphical about what might have been.

In honor of Tim Connolly Appreciation Day I would like to present Timmy with this hazmat suit…..

Actually, this suit is more for the ladies on Chippewa than it is for Timmy.

…..and this set of hockey safety equipment….

Believe it or not, Timmy, but there are actually a wide variety of hockey products available that are specially designed to keep you safe.  Perhaps you should LOOK INTO THEM.  (The cage might not be a bad idea.)

Be well, Timmy.  I like to watch you play hockey.

Thank You Miss A!

A few weeks ago I got the BEST little note in my locker at work from a high school student whose orchestra was playing at Kleinhans. This girl noticed my locker and took it upon herself to write an incredibly sweet note (written on back of a “tuning tendencies” worksheet) for me to find the next day. I’m in the process of reorganizing my office stuff, and I found the note on a stack of papers. It was just as lovely to read today as it was a few weeks ago. I should have done this sooner, but I want to send a hearty thank you to “Miss A” (I’m not going to publish your name on my blog because I don’t have your permission and because I know you are in high school. I’ll err on the side of caution here, but I assume you’ll recognize yourself!) Your note made my day. There are a lot of reasons I love writing a Sabres blog, but getting awesome notes in my locker from badass-hockey-loving-musicians is very near the tippy top of the list.

Thank you, kind reader!

It’s Nathan Gerbe Appreciation Day!

Last night, a wee little fella was named “Most Valuable Fella in the Frozen Four”. The good news for us is that this wee fella, Nathan Gerbe, is a Sabres prospect! Hooray! He is only 3′7″, so he is in fact, quite wee, but I’m assured that he is very feisty.

In honor of our pint-sized collegiate hero, today is Nathan Gerbe Appreciation Day!

Our cupboards in Rochester are bare. We barely have any Pirate’s Booty in there, much less tasty prospects. Let’s get this wee fella signed to a rookie contract posthaste.

He’s totally tall enough, you jerks.

In honor of Nathan Gerbe Appreciation Day, I would like to present Mr. Gerbe with this matching linemate/sidekick……

Gerber (that’s surely what he’s called, right?) and Roy-Z shall be like two tiny peas in a pod.

…….and this picture of Bucky Gleason:

Just trust me on this one, Gerbs.

Happy Nathan Gerbe Appreciation Day, everyone! Drive safely!

Thomas Vanek Appreciation Day!

It’s Thomas Vanek Appreciation Day!

Aww. Our little slag-faced whore is growing up so fast! I have to admit, I wasn’t sure this day would ever come, but today we celebrate and give thanks for one Mr. Thomas Vanek.

All season long the Sabres’ interviews have been all about “leadership blah blah blah inconsistent blah blaaah blech blah HONK blah streakystreakstreak blahblah leadership leadership leadership.” Then one day, Vanek was all, “Fuck this. We’re getting into the playoffs, SO SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE BUCKY GLEASON, ” and then, just like the bearded fella in the Men’s Warehouse commercials, he turned to the camera pointed his finger and said, “Buffalo fans, come playoff time, you’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.” (Okay, that’s not exactly what he said, but that’s what he meant. I’m sure of it.)

Listen, for most of the season, Vanek has been grimacing his way right into the TWC doghouse, but I’m nothing if not forgiving, especially when a dude scores three goals in four minutes to erase a deficit and win the game.  The Willful Caboose is all about giving credit where credit is due.  (In fact, I might owe Tim Connolly a tiny apology.  It’s too soon to tell.)  Thomas Vanek was nothing short of dazzling last night.  He was bewitching.  He stepped up to the plate, and then he picked the plate up and threw it into the Lightning goal.  It would be insane to expect this kind of play with any regularity, but last night Thomas Vanek made me perk up and reset the bar for the rest of the season.

Depending on what happens with Soupy this week, certain people are going to try to tell us that the future of the Buffalo Sabres looks grim. I think Thomas Vanek would beg to differ. Today is Thomas Vanek Appreciation Day in honor of the guy we have locked up for the next seven (hopefully awesome) seasons.

Henrik Tallinder Appreciation Day!

It’s Henrik Tallinder Appreciation Day!

This celebration has been brewing for quite some time. Hank is pretty unassuming, so it’s easy to overlook him, but I want to make sure you’re aware that it’s been years since Hank was last involved in an unseemly Swedish sex scandal, and months since he last had his arm broken. Not only has he been skeletally fit and sexually law-abiding, but he’s been quietly rocking our world with his sound defensive play. Recently, out of NO WHERE, Lindy stuck him in the shootout and he hilariously undressed Marty Brodeur, thus revealing some hitherto unrecognized offensive prowess. Basically, Hank is a stud. You know it, I know it, and HeatherB wrote the book about it; but until today, we didn’t have the statbits to make our case. How do you quantify the awesomeness of a stay-at-home defenseman? I have no idea, but I know someone who does: Acclaimed blogger and statbit analyzer, James Mirtle, has published a list of the top defensive defenseman in the league. Guess who’s at the tippy-top of his list? HANK! What does it all mean? Who cares! I’m drunk on glögg, and it’s Henrik Tallinder Appreciation Day!

In honor of Hank Tallinder Appreciation Day, I would like to present Hank with this IKEA cabinet to house his Appreciation Day trophy and all the other trophies I’m certain his responsible defensive play will earn him over the course of his career……

Some assembly required

…..and this bottle of calcium:

You can never have too much healthy bones.

HeatherB Appreciation Day!

It’s HeatherB Appreciation Day!

World famous blogger, and undisputed Sabres authority, HeatherB, suffered a devastating injury last week. She was attacked by an evil patch of black ice, which caused her to fall and practically break her ankle clean off. There are many totally lame consequences to having your ankle brutally violated by black ice, but the worst one seems to be that you’re not allowed to attend the Ice Bowl. Poor, Heather!

Heather’s husband, MarkB (in a saintly display of solidarity), has decided not to attend the Ice Bowl either; which leaves them with two Ice Bowl tickets to spare. They could sell them for a nice profit, but because they are very good people, hockey lovers, and friends, they have offered them to ME! That’s right! I’m going to the Ice Bowl, baby! (Where I’m sure I will be miserably cold and unhappy. I’ll probably spend the entire time wishing I was in my nice warm home…..with my ankle elevated.)

I am so excited! (But I’m also sure that the Ice Bowl will be totally boring and ultimately disappointing. People who don’t have tickets or who are otherwise disposed should be feeling extremely relieved.) I’m so touched that the B family thinks I’m a worthy recipient of the tickets. I promise to uphold the values of the B’s, by holding a sign that says “Tally Ho” with an arrow pointed down at myself for the entire Ice Bowl. Hank shouldn’t be deprived of his support system just because Heather’s ankle has been compromised.

In honor of HeatherB Appreciation Day, I would like to present Heather with this megaphone:

“Mark! I’m bored and I can’t reach the remote. Also, my ankle hurts and my tea is tepid! Mark!”

 

….and, of course, the highest award that can be bestowed upon a fallen blogger, The Heather Cup:

Each year, the names of bloggers who have shown remarkable courage and generosity in the face of intense assitude are engraved on the Heather Cup. Both Heather and Mark will have a full day to eat cereal/yogurt raisins/margaritas out of the Cup.

Pommerdoodle Appreciation Day!

First, press play on this video and let it set the mood as you read this post.

It’s Pommerdoodle Appreciation Day!

This song was on Jason Pominville’s Player Playlist last night. Someone asked him what songs he wanted played at the arena on game day, and he chose this.

I know. It’s out of control.

It’s amazing the teenage girls in attendance at the game last night survived this brush with such deadly cuddliness. Thank God this song is in French. If the girls had been able to understand the lyrics, there would have certainly been a epidemic of swooning from the balconies at HSBC.

Jason Pominville is adorabe, and I defy you to find a more pleasantly appealing guy in the NHL. I’m convinced that he sleeps on a bed of clouds, and that he writes his girlfriends beautiful love letters in crayon, and that when he’s sad the petals wilt off the stems of nearby flowers. He speaks in giggles. He always falls for practical jokes, but he never gets mad. He’s scared of thunder and vacuum cleaners.

The likeness is uncanny.

Today is Pommerdoodle Appreciation Day because in addition to being a great hockey player, he’s also totally bucking the brutish hockey player trend. Good boy, Pommerdoodle!

Bucky Gleason Appreciation Day!

I bet you didn’t see this one coming!

It’s Bucky Gleason Appreciation Day!

Bucky has got it rough, guys. It’s hard to be so pissy all the time. How would you like it if your job was to be a total downer, day in and day out? Everybody hates him! It’s not his fault that outrageous negativity sells papers. Look at that pleasingly round face. Does that look like the face of a bitter crankpot to you? Heck, no!

It’s hard to be Bucky, which is why today is Bucky Gleason Appreciation Day.

In honor of Bucky Gleason Appreciation Day I would like to present Bucky with this book…..

If we all expected as much as Bucky maybe the Sabres would have won the Stanley Cup by now.

 

…….and this Gateway 960 internal fan:

Bucky’s internal fan has been on the fritz since 1983.