Soothing

In the aftermath of game six, I was mega-glum. I bet you were too. That game was a swift kick to the softest, fleshiest part of my sports soul. I walked into the arena with an open heart and a joyful spring in my step, and I limped out, wincing and clutching my chest.

That game was so rough that after it was over, Jessica and I opted to go home to our respective houses rather than even put one toe in the Harbor Club. This is unusual behavior, but neither of us had the heart to look on the bright side.  If I had to rank my friends in order of those most likely to say, “Eff it! Let’s drink and be merry! The disgusting Flyers will die miserable and alone, but they will NOT interrupt my gallivanting schedule,” Jessica would be right at the top of that list.  So, it’s a true testimony to our heavy hearts that we couldn’t even muster the strength for one postgame “Beer of Commiseration”.

On the sad walk back to our car, we joked that we were going to go home alone and “angry eat” something extremely unhealthy.

Half an hour later we exchanged these photos via text.

Kate

Jessica

Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

_______

Today is a new day.

Today, my hockey train-of-thought (and really, is there any other train-of-thought during the playoffs?) has been a series of pleasant realizations:

– At no point yesterday was I angry with the Sabres. (Okay, maaaybe I was a little angry with Brad Boyes for a few minutes.)

– Ryan Miller has been downright heroic this series. I don’t think it’s even debatable. There are people who are going to point at him and blame him for the lost leads in game 5 and 6, but those people are stupid. Also not debatable. If you took Ryan Miller and put him on the Flyers, this series might have been a sweep. Crunchy has almost single-handedly made this a series.

– The following Flyers can fall down a well for all I care: Mike Richards, Daniel Briere, Scott Hartnell, Dan Carcillo.  This isn’t so much a “pleasant realization,” as it is a helpful focal point for my feelings of disgust and rage. If they fell down a well, I would probably stop by and toss them food and drink so they wouldn’t starve to death, but I wouldn’t help them escape, and I’d be 100% willing to taunt them by repeatedly asking about their recent divorces.

– Hey, at least we’re not rooting for the Canucks.

– Yesterday afternoon the Sabres were down Roy, Hecht, Pominville, Sekera, and for half the game Tim Connolly, and they made a great game of it. That means the Sabres played the second half of that game with Gaustad, Niedermayer, and McCormick as their top three centers.  The Flyers played with Richards, Briere and someone-else-who-I’m-too-lazy-to-look-up as their top centers. To call this series a mismatch at forward is an insult to people wearing plaid shirts and polka-dot pants everywhere. And yet, the Sabres are right there, taking this series to game seven.

– But. Roy-Z might be back on Tuesday! ROY-Z! Think all the way back to when Roy-Z first got injured, and we all thought the season was over, and he told us that he was hoping to be ready for the second round of the playoffs. Oh, how we laughed and laughed at Roy-Z back then. Roy-Z was right, and we were wrong. Hooray!  (Incidentally, Heather and I had a good chuckle the other day joking about how when he said it, Roy-Z probably didn’t believe the Sabres would make the playoffs either. Hopefully he hasn’t been sitting on his ass for four months eating bon-bons and assuming he wouldn’t have to play in the playoffs. Can’t you see Roy-Z all fat and lazy, playing video games, being all, “Wait… WHAT?  They actually MADE the playoffs?! And now you expect me to PLAY?! *looks down at flabby legs* Um, I might need a few days to find my skates.  Also, my stomach hurts. I don’t think I can play. And, um, I think my grandmother died and I have to go to her funeral. And I might be concussed.  Yeah!  I’m concussed! I should go to the quiet room, NOT play in the playoffs. FUCK! Is Pronger going to be there?!”)

– Fuck the Flyers.

– The Sabres were down and out, and then, through a series of minor miracles, beginning with Pegula and stretching down through every rank of the organization, they rose like a phoenix from the ashes. Every single playoff game is a gift.  And now?  Now we get a game seven. Bring it. For reals. If you could go back in time and offer a first round game seven to your December-self, your December-self would be so overjoyed he/she would probably try to make out with your current-self.  (FYI, that’s a variation on a joke of future and past selves that Jessica often tells. She’s a keeper.)

– This team has been a joy to watch, and I’m proud to root for them. Even if they lose on Tuesday 10-0, this season has been a success, and I love them. This sense of peace is something new for me as a fan. The Sabres have already earned my love. It’s a done deal. I hesitated to write about this because in some ways by saying, “I’m okay with them losing” it sounds like I expect them to lose.  But I swear, that’s not the case.

– If there is one thing I’ve learned from watching this Sabres team for the last four months, it’s that we shouldn’t count them out, ever. They might be mismatched, and they might be young, but they have more heart than the Philadelphia Flyers.  Time and time again, the Sabres have found a way to win. And as overpowered as the Sabres forwards are, there is really no overstating the shittiness of the Flyers goaltending. The Flyers are better than the Sabres, but they have a glorious vulnerability in net. The Sabres have given us no reason to doubt them. They deserve our respect.

– Sabres in 7.

Let’s Go Buff–a–lo! WOO!

Comeback To Me

Well.

That game really had it all, didn’t it? A shockingly easy-to-come-by lead, hilariously bad goaltending, the sense that nothing could ever go wrong again, a terrrrrrible second period, terror, Daniel fucking Briere, the sense that nothing would ever be right again, depression, MORE terror (I have to confess, I spent a lot of the 3rd period sitting in silence on my back stoop.  I literally couldn’t stand to watch), overtime, and then… bliss.

Wow.

This team is so young, and so surprising. I’ll admit, after the Flyers tied it, I went to a dark place. I did NOT think they would win this one. I lost a little faith. This is the type of game that I’ve seen them lose SO many times in my four years of fandom. But this team is different from the other teams. This team doesn’t give up, ever. I love that about them. They coughed up a three goal lead and then won in overtime. Hell, I didn’t even know that was possible. The other Sabres teams I’ve watched couldn’t have won this game. It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was gutty. I’m still in happy shock that they won that game.

The Sabres never trailed during the game, but it felt like a comeback win. I lost a little bit of faith, but then it came back.

The playoffs are agonizing and wonderful. I can’t wait for Sunday.

I love this team.

Series Score: 1-1, Splitsville

Here is my recap of yesterday’s game.

1st Period

Redonk shenanigans.

One of the weirdest phenomenons of hockey is that sometimes when two teams play truly terribly, the hockey winds up being super fun. The first period was one of those times. Crunchy was pretty bad, as was the team defense, but we almost didn’t mind because everything else was borderline hilarious. (3-3 tie)

2nd Period

WTF, Sabres?

The Sabres were so stupid in the second period that it’s completely reasonable to assume they all took bong hits during the 1st intermission. Thankfully, the Flyers also apparently took bong hits because they only converted on one of their 3498439728349098 power plays. (5-3, Flyers.  But for realz, the score could’ve been 10-3.)

3rd period:

The Sabres seriously almost came back. Which is absurd. (5-4 Flyers, final score.)

Preliminary Analysis: The Flyers won because they were sliiiiightly less incompetent than the Sabres. But only slightly. It was basically a toss-up.  The good news is that there’s been exactly zero evidence in this series that the Sabres can’t hang with the Flyers. The bad news is that the Sabres basically lost the game for themselves and if they had played this game with only one or two brain cells they could be coming home with a 2-0 series lead.

What we’ve learned: It’s hillllllarious when Goose upends Briere for no apparent reason at the face-off dot. Also, the Sabres and the Flyers appear to be almost the exact same level of awesome/lame. But, when both teams play nearly perfectly, the Sabres win, and when both teams play terribly, the Flyers win.

Final Analysis: The Sabres are slightly better at being really good, and the Flyers are slightly better at being really terrible.  I’ll take it.

Mood: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Suck it, Flyers!

Twitterless: Day One, Sabres @ Flyers

 

UPDATE:  Look at this hilarious photo of Pommerdoodle I found on Sabres.com.

TWUGS!

 

_____________

– Right now I’m in my robe and slippies, watching the Sabre play the Flyers.  It’s currently 2-0, Flyers. Unfortunately, I really can’t say that watching the Sabres skate around like yahoos while the Flyers score at will is any more fun without Twitter than it is with Twitter.  And without Twitter, I have nowhere to log my complaints.

For example, wouldn’t Enroth have been the wise choice today?  Assuming the Sabres lose this game (and admittedly, it’s a little early to make such assumptions since it’s only the first intermission and it’s 2-0, Flyers, not 4-0), now the stinky Sabres kind of need to win tomorrow.  If Lindy had just played Enroth today, then even if they lose to the Flyers, he’d have a refreshed and recharged Crunchy in his back pocket for the Wild.  This isn’t rocket science, is it?

If Lindy plays Miller again tomorrow he should have to forfeit his yellow mustache to the Goalie Rotation Monitoring Guild.  No one that stupid should have possession of a mustache that magnificent.

Did you know that the Sabres now have a suggestion box?

– HEY, wait a minute!  I’m feeling INCREDIBLY negative about this game.  Maybe the Sabres make me angry because the Sabres are bad at hockey!  Twitter is innocent!

– WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  it is SUCH a relief to see Vanek and Staffy combine to score a nice goal.  I think I’m going to suggest that they do that more often. (2-1, Flyers)

– What the hell just happened?  While I’m looking down, there is some sort of kerfuffle near the Flyers net, and I hear RJ say, “Well, I don’t know where the puck is, but Kaleta’s getting a penalty.”  When I look up, Goose is smiling and happily tapping Kaleta on the helmet.  I think to myself…”that doesn’t look like a, too-bad-we’re-going-on-the-PK helmet tap to me, RJ.”  And thus begins the most anti-climactic, slow-moving realization that the Sabres just scored the tying goal in the history of hockey broadcasting.  But the Sabres apparently just tied it!  Hooray! (2-2, tie)

– HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Andrej Sekera just skated all over tarnation and then scored a goal.  You really have to love Sekera. (3-2, Sabres!)

It's true. He's earned it.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!  I AM SO EFFING SICK OF SHORTIES!  DO THE SABRES HAVE ANYONE ON THE COACHING STAFF WHO IS CAPABLE OF FIXING THIS PROBLEM?  BECAUSE I CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WATCHED A GAME WHERE THEY DIDN’T EITHER GIVE UP A SHORTY OR REQUIRE THEIR GOALIE TO MAKE AMAZING SAVES DURING THE POWER PLAY.  BASICALLY, AT THIS POINT, I’VE GIVEN UP ON ROOTING FOR POWER PLAY GOALS AND ALL I DO IS HOPE THE OTHER TEAM DOESN’T SCORE DURING SABRES POWER PLAY.  THIS IS NOT HOW POWER PLAYS ARE SUPPOSED TO FEEL. (3-3, tie)

I WILL NEVER STOP SHOUTING ABOUT THIS. NEVER!

– Okay, I’m done shouting about the shortie.  This game is actually lots of fun.

– Okay, the third period is starting.  I’m scared!  Sabres, I really, really, really, really want you to win this game.  I REALLY WANT YOU TO WIN!  Come on you, guys!  You can do it!  I believe in you!  And when I started this post by assuming that you would lose, that was…Twitter’s fault!  Yeah, even though I’m not using Twitter today, it’s still coursing though my veins.  Twitter made me say it!… or something. *shifty eyes*  Look, I think we can all agree that the important thing is that I believe in you now.

– WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!  If I’d been on Twitter, about three minutes before Pommerdoodle scored you would’ve heard me say, “Pommers is really due for some heroics,” because I SWEAR TO LINDY RUFF, that’s what I was thinking.  That play was really all Vanek though.  Why isn’t Vanek the Captain yet? (4-3, Sabres)

Coaching is incredibly easy.

– I often wonder what it’s like to play in a game like this.  The Sabres just killed off a penalty (here’s a suggestion- don’t shoot the puck directly over the net, Crunchy), and my heart is POUNDING.  I’m, like, physically nervous.  Do the players feel like this?  Or is this just, “ho hum…killin’ some penalties” for them?

– Man I wish Ennis was six inches taller, and fifty pounds heavier.  He’s so fast, and so shifty, and if he had just a little more “oomph” on him, he’d be totally unstoppable.  The way he moves on the ice reminds me so much of Afinogenov, in both good in bad ways.  Good, because he’s dynamic, and difficult to control.  Bad, because, well, I pretty much expect Ennis to hold onto the puck for an hour and then pass it directly to a Flyer.  Thankfully, he’s not actually Max.  But I do wish he was bigger.

– The Sabres have been very capably locking it down since Pommers scored.  (Please don’t make me regret typing that outloud, Sabres.)

– WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!  With an empty net, Montador cleverly passes it to Goose, who cleverly passes it to Gerbe who taps the puck into the open net.  EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL!  I LOVE THE SABRES! (5-3, Sabres)

– WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!  WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THE SABRES ARE NEVER GOING TO LOSE AGAIN!

– Have fun in Minnesota, you lovable, lunks.  Say hi to my Mom for me!

Sabres @ Flyers 10/26/10

Pregame

Mood: Blank.  I’m ready to accept whatever the Sabres throw at me, and frankly, nothing could surprise me.
Favorite Sabre: Luke Adam, welcome to the NHL.  Please proceed to make Tim Connolly irrelevant.
Least Favorite Sabre: Thomas Vanek, you disgust me.
Prediction: Annnything could happen here.  Sure, the Sabres gave it to the Devils good, but the Devils were SUCH a bunch of coach-killing sad-sacks that night.  It’s hard to be all, “Yay!  The Sabres are good now!” based on that game.  On the other hand, they’re playing a road game so they shouldn’t be tempted to “put on a show” or “get too fancy” for the fans.  The Sabres tend to be good when they’re not trying to impress us.  (On that subject: Sabres, I think I speak for all of your fans when I say, “Stop saying you get ‘too fancy’ at home.  You know what’s fancy?  Winning.  You guys aren’t fancy at ALL at home.)
Animal representing my hopes for this game: Lemur

I recently went to the zoo to try to see the baby gorilla and instead of seeing gorillas (they were napping or something.  Lazy, gorillas) we were totally captivated by a lemur.  He was laying flat on his back, sunning his stomach.  He looked ridiculous.  Then, after we laughed at him for awhile, something startled him and he went from “stoner eyes” to “nervous crazy-eyes” in zero seconds flat.  In addition to being amusing, the lemur also gave me an occasion to say, “I don’t understand this guy…..is he like a monkey, or like a rat?”  Answer: he’s like a monkey

After the 1st (1-1)

Mood: Entertained!
Favorite Sabre: Thomas Vanek’s shin pad.
Least Favorite Sabre: Daniel Briere is the worst Sabre EVER.
Summary of events: According to Versus, the Flyers have spent the last 24 hours being yelled at by Laviolette, which is weird because they came out pretty flat.  Vanek’s shin pad scored a power play goal, which was nice.  Then Briere scored a power play goal, and after that they Flyers seemed MUCH better than the Sabres, which was LAME.  Montador is wearing a visor, which is foxy (men with functioning eyes are hotttt).   Luke Adams looks like he COULD make Tim Connolly irrelevant, which makes me want to do a little happy dance.
Animals representing this game so far: A lemur and John Cleese, chillin’.

A pretty good time.  This picture is probably too awesome to represent that period of hockey, but if my post is going to be lemurrific, I HAVE to use this photo, right?   What if the Sabres suck in the rest of the game and I never have a reason to post another good-lemur?  That period might be as good as it gets tonight.   So, if the Sabres play a reasonably solid period, score a powerplay goal, AND Luke Adam pleases, I have NO CHOICE.  John Cleese is in.

After the 2nd (45,000-1) (Okay fine, it’s really 4-1, Philly)

Mood: VERY GROSSED OUT

Favorite Sabre: Poor Crunchy.  He deserves so much better.  I don’t care what Heather B says.
Least Favorite Sabre: Yeah, right.
Summary of Events: Some Flyer scored an UNJUST goal against Crunchy when Briere was skating around behind him in the crease.  Then the Sabres proceeded to be COMPLETELY DISGUSTING for the remainder of the period.  I kind of lost track of the specifics of the suckiness (I was taking solace in chips and salsa and playing Bejeweled Blitz), but you can safely assume that your favorite Sabre deserves to be fired.
Animal representing this game so far: I tried to find a picture of a lemur projectile vomiting (no, I didn’t really), but no dice.  We have to go with this gross baby lemur.

Darn it.  Even gross baby lemurs are waaaaay cuter than the Sabres.  (BTW, how glad are we that I didn’t hold back on the John Cleese lemur?  Right?  Prescience, thy name is Lemur.)

At the End

Dire message to the Sabres: Now look.  I know you guys aren’t that good at hockey, and….whatever.  I don’t understand why you’re so terrible, but here’s my main point: I don’t really care.  I’m currently watching basketball instead of you.  BASKETBALL.

Here’s a picture of a baby photoshopped into lemur costume.

A Few Thoughts On the East

Remember a few days ago when I bitched that, “I hate the playoffs this year,” all pout-y like?

I was out gallivanting last night, so I didn’t watch either of the games, but when I saw the scores I got sucked right back in.  I think that’s one thing I should try to remember about the playoffs.   They take a million years to unfold, so there’s plenty of time to lose and then regain interest as the rounds progress.  I was so grossed out by the Sabres that it took me a few weeks to get back into “casual observer” mode, which is necessary if you are going to attempt to watch games played by teams that you largely hate.  Now that I’ve had a little period of time to recover from the Sabres, I’m pretty amused by the goings-on with the rest of the Eastern Conference.

What the heck is going on here?

Habs: I’m a Sabres fan, and a decent person, so I don’t really like the Habs, but dang it, those little guys are scrappy!   Unless you hate the Habs with a burning passion (I don’t), I think you have to be at least a little intrigued at this point.  I’m incredibly jealous of Canadiens fans.  Cheering for a team that is massively overachieving seems like one of the most appealing things in all of sports fandom.  What could be more fun than that?

(I feel compelled to make a small but totally embarrassing confession here.  This is DEFINITELY might just my playoff goggles talking, but I loooove me some Hal Gill.  He’s gigantic and handsome, and I know his nickname is “No Skill-Gill,” but I don’t care.  I like it when Hal Gill is happy and doing lots of interviews.  I also have a soft spot for Brian Gionta, which I’m not even TRYING to curb because I think a crush on Brian Gionta compliments a crush on Hal Gill very nicely.  It’s as if my playoff goggles are practicing Feng-shui.)

Flyers: Look, I know you guys hate the Flyers, and I’m certainly not in love with them or anything, but COME ON, you HAVE to be rooting for them at this point.  I know it burns to see the Flyers succeed, but try not to focus on that.  Just focus on how uncomfortable, freaked-out, and nervous the Bruins must be right now- poised at the precipice of complete collapse.  Don’t think of it as “cheering for the Flyers” think of it as “cheering for the humiliation of the Bruins, specifically Chara.”

_____

The great thing about the situation in the East is that no matter who emerges victorious, it’s safe to assume they’ll be completely demolished in the Finals.  So, while it feels dirty and wrong to cheer for any of the remaining teams, I think there’s very little risk of permanent psychological damage here.

So, fuck it.  Go Flyers!

Sabres vs. Flyers 11/06/09

Pregame

Mood: I am super tired, and super happy.  I got an unexpected evening off tonight.   While my colleagues in the BPO are playing a concert at Hilbert College, I find myself “rotated off” the concert (That’s BPO-speak for “the stage is too small to hold all of us, so the string sections have to be reduced”), and plopped in the comfy chair, SUPER pumped to watch a Sabres game.
Favorite Sabre: CRUN-CHY!  CRUN-CHY!  CRUN-CHY!  If you don’t love Crunchy right now, you are not my friend.
Least Favorite Sabre: It’s difficult to choose a favorite Sabre when they are chugging along like this, so I’m going to pick on Toni Tone Tony Lydman.  Dude, I’m sorry your groin hurts, but you should ask Adam Mair what happens to guys when they are injured and the team is winning.  Lindy scratches your ass even when you’re healthy, that’s what.  Godspeed, Toni Lydman’s Groin.  Godspeed.
Prediction: Let’s face it, the Sabres have been playing the dregs of the NHL for the last month.  Tonight feels like “Sabres Part 2: Electric Boogaloo.  This Time It’s Personal”.  Unlike everyone else the Sabres have played recently, the Flyers are supposedly good at hockey.  I’m nervous, excited, and eager to see how the Sabres look.  I think this game will be feisty and fun.  I feel like Mike Richards scored at will against the Sabres last season, so I’m hoping someone punches him square in the face tonight.
Home improvement project representing this game: My downstairs half bath.

The plan for today’s post was to run around, taking pictures of all the unseemly nooks and crannies in my house so that I could use them for this post, but unfortch, that didn’t happen.  I have NO idea where the cord that connects my camera to my computer is right now.  It’s packed up in a box, and frankly, that’s all deterrent I needed to scrap the plan.  I’m sorry that it didn’t work out though because it was going to be cute.

All I do lately is paint, scrap, drill stuff, open boxes, and stand back and wonder how in the hell I’m supposed to fix THAT.  It feels like it’s never going to be acceptable in this house.  Ever.  Right now my house is not a very conducive environment for living, but it IS ripe for comedy.  You’re just going to have to imagine the hilarity though, because I don’t have any pictures.

Except this one….

This is what my downstairs bathroom looked like on the day of the house inspection. The previous owner packed up all his knick knacks and took them away, but unfortunately he left a LOT of wood paneling behind.  The bathroom no longer looks like this.  I’ve painted everything and changed all the fixtures.  Now it’s just a bland little bathroom.  It’s a bit sad, actually.  Truth be told, while I don’t want to have this bathroom in my house, I LOVE this picture.  I plan to frame this picture and hang it in the bathroom as decoration.  Heh.

After the 1st (1-0, Flyers)
Mood: Grossed out.  Carcillo is just completely disgusting in every way.
Favorite Sabre: Crunchy is just on fire.  Such a pleasure to watch.  His legs look extra frog-like to me, and that’s just how I like him.  Extra froggy.
Least Favorite Sabre: Roy-Z is tucking his sweater into the back of his pants tonight.  I don’t like it.  I don’t like it a bit.
Summary of events: Well, I’ve seen worse periods, but I’ve also seen MUCH better.  I’m getting the sense that the Sabres are still trying to decide if they want to to be brats all, “HEY!  You guys aren’t letting us win like the Islanders do!” or, if they want to be men.  Ryan Miller had a few nice saves- the kind we are just taking for granted at this point.  And Tim Kennedy did some REAL foxy back checking on a Mike Richards breakaway.  Then, the ugliest man I have EVER SEEN scored a goal on Crunchy, and I added “Carcillo” to the list of people I irrationally hate.  At the start of the intermission report, while I was rattling around in the kitchen, I heard Roby say, “knit one, purl one” for some reason, and then I added “MIKE ROBITAILLE TOTALLY KNITS” to the list of things that are so awesome that I couldn’t care less if they are true.
Home improvement project representing this game so far: wallpaper in the stairwell

This wallpaper is not in my house, but I DO have striped yellow wallpaper IN THE STAIRWELL.  How the hell am I going to get THAT off?  I can’t reach it all, and I can’t use a ladder on the stairs.  Stupid, Flyers.

After the 2nd (3-1, Flyers)

Mood: Oof.  Remember that whole “rotated off” thing?  Well, I wasn’t rotated off, off.  I was an alternate player in case someone called in sick.  As it turns out, someone DID call in sick, and at 5:30 I got a call telling me I was supposed to go to work tonight.  Trouble is, I didn’t realize my phone was out of juice.  I didn’t get the message until 8:30ish, otherwise known as “30 minutes after the concert started”.  Basically, I didn’t show up for work tonight.  This is VERY bad behavior.  I feel awful.  I’m completely horrified that I screwed up like this. This game?  Isn’t helping.  :(
Favorite Sabre: :(
Least Favorite Sabre: :(
Summary of FUTURE events: I am TOTALLY going to hear about this at work tomorrow.  I am going to be accused of purposefully not picking up the phone so that I could watch this game.  (Um, it doesn’t help that I was making jokes about doing EXACTLY that at rehearsal this morning.  I SWEAR THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT.)  My only saving grace in this debacle is that I didn’t actually GO to the game.  Thank GOD I didn’t actually go.
Home improvement project representing this evening so far: mold in the basement

This is not my basement, but it is how I feel right now.

At the end (5-2, Flyers)
Mood: VERY GRIM
Favorite Sabre: Stupid Sabres, stupid phone, stupid everything.
Least Favorite Sabre: Meh.
Summary of events: I definitely got what I deserved with this game tonight.  Also, this has nothing to do with anything, but crockpots are miraculous.  I put a bunch of raw vegetables and meat in there this afternoon, and somehow it’s stew now.  I think crockpots must use witchcraft and black magiks.  Delicious witchcraftery.
Plan for the future: Let’s just pretend this entire night didn’t happen.  Tomorrow is Friday again.  Sigh.

6 Things

1. My schedule over the next few weeks is a NIGHTMARE in terms of hockey.  I missed the opener, and I’ll miss the next two games as well.  It’s almost as if the Sabres checked with the BPO before they scheduled their October games because they wanted to make sure I couldn’t watch any of the games.  Silly, Sabres.  You can stop me from watching your games, but you canNOT stop me from bitching about you.  Oh, no.  You cannot.

2. Yesterday on WGR Jerry Sullivan casually said something along the lines of, “It’s hard to feel sympathy for the 56,000 who have season tickets to the Bills.” Then, later on he said, “I’m getting sick of people saying that if the fans stop buying tickets the Bills will leave town.”  (These are not direct quotes, but they are reasonable representations of what he said.)

I think you have to be an incredibly heartless person not to feel deep sympathy for longtime Bills fans.  That’s all I really have to say about that.

3. If you’re not following Thurman Thomas and Daryl Talley on Twitter, you’re missing out.

I don’t know what’s going on with the visor, but that’s Thurman’s goat, Chompy.  Chompy is quite famous on Twitter.  He is also quite cute.

Both of these guys have embraced the medium in SUCH a charming way.  They respond to our tweets, and they seem to be throwing themselves into the Twitter universe with a spirit of fun. I heart them both.

4. I can’t believe that Sabres don’t play again until Thursday.  Lazy, Sabres.  This schedule is incredible lame.  It’s like “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, hockey!!!” rapidly followed by, “DAMN IT, ALL THERE IS TO WATCH ON TELEVISION IS FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL AGAIN.”

Which reminds me….

5. …Tonight, you must cheer for the Minnesota Twins.  YOU MUST.

6. When I got Sabres season tickets, it was with the knowledge that even if I desperately wanted to, I couldn’t go to many of the games.  (See: previously bitched about work schedule)  So, Robin and I have attempted to share the wealth with our friends.  We’ve sold the vast majority of our unused tickets to our friends at season ticket prices, and in some cases we made sure that specific games went to the people who we thought would enjoy them the most.

One such situation like this was our friend Richard.  Richard is a new Buffalonian, an avid hockey fan, and a native Philadelphian.   He is a Flyers fan so he seemed like the best possible candidate for tickets to the Flyers games.  Now, before you get all outraged that we sold our tickets to the enemy, let me say this: Richard is not the enemy.  I can vouch for him.  He’s a good guy.  I PROMISE that if while sitting in our seats he spills his beer on your girlfriend, or swears within hearing distance of your child, or punches your baby, he will have a VERY good reason for doing so.  He’s a Flyers fan, not a monster.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been doling out the tickets to our peeps, and squaring away all the money stuff, so, it came time for Richard to pay up.  The other day, I got a card in the mail from Richard.

Oh look!  Richard is so thoughtful.  He put the check in an Aud card.

BUT THEN!

NO HE DID NOT!

How on earth am I going to cash this thing?  I can’t bring this into a BANK.  Someone might SEE me with it.  Richard IS a monster.

Ew, Flyers!

I have a confession to make: I lived in Philadelphia for four happy years. Yes, it’s true. I know and love many Philadelphians, and I think Philly is a wonderful city. I have, in the past, cheered for the Eagles, and if I were to choose a National League baseball team to cheer for, I might choose the Phillies. While I lived in Philly, I cared not one whit about the Sixers or the Flyers. (I do remember, in 1999 or so, my friend John telling me in no uncertain terms that the NJ Devils were the most hateful team in all of sports. Heh.)

Since becoming a Sabres fan, I’ve had an odd fascination with the Flyers. I kind of have to assume that had I been living in Philly when I discovered hockey, I might be a Flyers fan right now. I know! It’s mind boggling! Can you imagine if this were a Flyers blog and I was writing scenes starring Joffrey Lupul and Mike Knuble? *shudder* I have even, on occasion, wondered if I have an inner Flyers fan lurking within. I don’t feel like a Flyers fan, but that was a close call, you know? (In all seriousness, I don’t think I would’ve ever gotten into hockey if it weren’t for the energy of a hockey-crazed Buffalo, so my hypothetical Flyers fandom is pretty far-fetched.)

I’ve made a conscious decision not to adopt every grudge and hatred of the lifelong Sabres fan. I’ve found plenty of stuff to fuel my rage without taking into account things that occurred a decade before I watched my first hockey game. Because of this, I’ve generally ignored the constant insistence that the Flyers are our most hated rivals. I’m sure in time I will find my own reasons to hate the Flyers, but until then, they are just another team chock full of ex-Sabres that Bucky Gleason won’t shut up about. Furthermore, I absolutely refuse to hate the Flyers based on the claim that all of their fans are mouth breathing hooligans. Some of my best friends are Flyers fans. What?! I’m serious!

BUT

That orange. All those people in the stands wearing those icky orange t-shirts….blech. And Steve Downie is not right in the head. And “Vengeance Now“? I’m sorry, but that’s an ABSURD motto for such a frequently suspended team. The Flyers aren’t exactly winning me over, that’s for sure.

Let’s just say, I’m really glad I moved to Buffalo before I became a fan of hockey, and leave it at that. :D

GO PENS!

We Need To Talk

Dear Minnesota Wild,

You guys are KILLING me. You are so freaking boring I want to DIE….until the last ten minutes of the game when you somehow ALWAYS end up in a 2-2 tie. Perhaps you and the Avalanche could agree to start the game at the 10 minute mark of the 3rd period. It would save us the fifty minutes of mind numbing, and cut right to the INCREDIBLY EXCITING. I am really into you, but I’d like to see a bigger commitment to keeping me entertained through the first two and a half periods. (STELLAR work in the last half of the third period and overtime, though. Seriously. Well done.)

With love,
Kate

Dear Pittsburgh Penguins,

Carry on.

Kate

Dear Montreal Canadians,

If you guys don’t pull it together and act like the powerhouse you supposedly are, I am going to withdraw my support. I’m serious. Get it done. Or else.

Sternly,
Kate

Dear Washington and Philadelphia,

Please work this out as quickly as possible. You guys playing each other is upsetting.

I don’t care for you guys,
Kate

Dear Devils,

It is up to you to defend the game of hockey. I know you didn’t want or ask to be in this position. You just wanted to play a quick and easy first round and then go home, but the Hockey Gods have spoken. You are the defenders of good, and the Rangers are the defenders of evil. You are only down 2-1 in this series. There is still a lot of hockey left to be played. I know that you aren’t very good at hockey, BUT NEITHER ARE THE RANGERS. At this point, it doesn’t even matter if you win or lose the series. If you win, evil is vanquished until next season, if you lose, the Curse of Brodeur kicks in, dooming the Rangers to years of misfortune. All that matters now is that you put up a fight. Be indignant.

Sincerely,
Kate

Dear Dallas Stars,

Heh. Nice. Keep up the good work.

Kate

Dear Calgary Flames,

No one has benefited from the playoff goggles (tm, IPB) more than you. I’m into you guys. Your fans are incredible, your jerseys are beautiful, and you’re quite feisty with the questionable hits and the crazy goaltender switcharoos. Please don’t literally hurt the Sharks. Just beat them. At hockey.

Kate