[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

As many long time posters know.....I have a theory on Ryan Miller. My theory goes....Ryan has a little secret, and it's not the (I live on Elmwood, own a trendy men's clothing store, and host fashion shows) type of secret. I believe there is a very good chance that Ryan Miller does not have proper depth perception due to a cranial deformity in his early childhood.

At first I was hesitant to come forward with this a few years ago, not because I would open myself up for ridicule (which of course is expected in half my posts), but because Miller is a genuinely nice kid and I truly feel that I am on to something. Well....Miller had his payday, so there is no real harm in revisiting.....and with the new pictures I just came across, it is even more obvious there is a situation here.

While Miller has played very well this year, and his positioning for the first 45 games or so was exceptional, Miller has a history of letting in floating point shots that are seemingly harmless. He led the league in goals allowed from outside the faceoff circle by a huge margin a year ago. Everyone knows the drill. Sabres turn the puck over....a 3rd line forward or #5 defenseman brings the puck up for the opposition.....just as they cross the blue line they let a wrister go while moving...at best scoring, at worst getting it in for a line change......said floater ends up over Miller's shoulder without him even getting a piece of it. How could a guy who is seemingly so focused and in position down low let BS goals from outside go in on a regular basis?

Well..it is quite possible he never developed proper depth perception. I won't rehash all the technicals, but I will point out that craniosynostosis or plagiocephaly as a young child could very well have caused Miller's misshapen head, and in turn, caused an eye problem. The old threads on this go through all the back and forth about "wouldn't the doctors know this?, How can he be a pro athlete with no depth perception?, blah blah blah"....so look up "Miller's goaltending flaw" in the archive, which by the way I did not start.

Here is the new evidence...

My link


Go to photo #9 and #8 and make use of the amazing zoom tool. In both #9 and # 8, you will notice a scar that runs along the upper right corner of his hairline. The scar breaks apart into multiple lines, but the scar lines are consistant with the hairline. This type of scar is consistant with surgery done at an early age in the case of a cranial disorder. I understand that hockey players and people in general can get scars, but the consistancy along his right side and right along the hairline is what makes it standout.

Along with the scar, you will also notice the drastic difference between the right and left side of Miller's face in #9. We rarely see Miller in a full smile, but in this case you can see the obvious discrepency in eye alignment. Notice how his right eyelid is fully swollen yet his left is not. Notice the wrinkles around his right eye, as well as the double crease on his right cheek compared to the left. Of course, the magic eyebrow. Also notice the uneven smile as Miller shows us 7 of his pearly whites on his right side, while only 3 on the left. If you move the zoomed picture to the left and right so you are only able to see one side of his face.....Miller from the left is a good looking young kid. From the right, he looks like my chainsmoking 45 year old uncle who used to have me sit on his lap, even when I was 13.

Now say what you will.......but thanks to internet technology, I believe my point is a bit more validated. The few here who will do the actual legwork of looking at the two possible conditions I outlined, then the effect on eyesight and depth perception from those conditions...may see my point even clearer now.

I have nothing against Miller and am not making fun of a physical deformity. Heck, I talked in a thread about having my ball chopped off at Roswell. I just think that this information is important in understanding both Miller's personality with his over the top focus, as well as his historic goaltending flaws.

[Kristian]

I'm not saying there couldn't be something about this, however I just think his problem with pointshots come from the fact that he constantly has 4+ Sabres in the slot screening him.

I believe the reason for his current dropoff is :

1. Lack of focus - The olympics mean more to Miller than he's letting on, and in the end that could end up costing him the starter job.
2. The team is playing like crap.
3. He's getting worn down.
4. He was overachieving earlier in the season, and is now underachieving. His true level lies somewhere in between.

[rbochan]

 fff.jpeg (19.87K)
Number of downloads: 6

[inkman]

Best. Thread. Ever.

[Patty16]

wheres scully and mulder?

[shrader]

So it's only a matter of time until navybillsfan starts posting again, right?

[SwampD]

I have it on good authority that he is actually a robot. They just put that scar there to throw people off.

[Mbossy]

I think you are correct.

Can you explain Roy's problem now?

[d4rksabre]

So does this technically make Ryan Miller the best goaltender to ever play the game?

[PASabreFan]

Who will star in "Ryan's Song"?

Actually there was guy in a Super Bowl commercial who looked like Ryan.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

shrader, on 08 February 2010 - 09:51 AM, said:

So it's only a matter of time until navybillsfan starts posting again, right?

Don't worry...I'm only hanging around because Webster offered a bet and I tried to take him up on it. He hasn't agreed to as of yet and after Sabres losses to Carolina and Columbus, I am sure he won't. I'll be gone soon.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Mbossy, on 08 February 2010 - 10:29 AM, said:

I think you are correct.

Can you explain Roy's problem now?

Roy?.....he owns $1500 worth of hair product and pleasures himself to new episodes of Entourage. That's his problem.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

d4rksabre, on 08 February 2010 - 11:45 AM, said:

So does this technically make Ryan Miller the best goaltender to ever play the game?

It sure explains why he is one of the hardest working.

[d4rksabre]

Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 08 February 2010 - 12:04 PM, said:

Roy?.....he owns $1500 worth of hair product and pleasures himself to new episodes of Entourage. That's his problem.

:w00t:

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Kristian, on 08 February 2010 - 02:46 AM, said:

I'm not saying there couldn't be something about this, however I just think his problem with pointshots come from the fact that he constantly has 4+ Sabres in the slot screening him.

I believe the reason for his current dropoff is :

1. Lack of focus - The olympics mean more to Miller than he's letting on, and in the end that could end up costing him the starter job.
2. The team is playing like crap.
3. He's getting worn down.
4. He was overachieving earlier in the season, and is now underachieving. His true level lies somewhere in between.

I agree with all of these points. Notice how Miller has been growing a beard the past 3 weeks? Wonder what that is for?

We all know my views on Miller playing anything more than 60 or so games a year. Or any lightweight goalie for that matter.

I like Miller. I am happy he has had success this year. I refuse to support the team until Larry Quinn is found in a Perry St. alley and Darcy is a WalMart greeter.

[nobody]

What did Ghost say after the link? I got distracted by the "Allison Baver off the ice" photo gallery.

Ink, you must be impressed with those thighs.

[shrader]

Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 08 February 2010 - 12:11 PM, said:

I agree with all of these points. Notice how Miller has been growing a beard the past 3 weeks? Wonder what that is for?

He's distracted by how itchy the damn thing is under his mask?

[PASabreFan]

Ghost of Dwight Drane, on 08 February 2010 - 12:11 PM, said:

I agree with all of these points. Notice how Miller has been growing a beard the past 3 weeks? Wonder what that is for?

We all know my views on Miller playing anything more than 60 or so games a year. Or any lightweight goalie for that matter.

I like Miller. I am happy he has had success this year. I refuse to support the team until Larry Quinn is found in a Perry St. alley and Darcy is a WalMart greeter.

Will the beard eventually cover the scar -- foiling the world media's attempt to expose him?

[inkman]

nobody, on 08 February 2010 - 12:29 PM, said:

What did Ghost say after the link? I got distracted by the "Allison Baver off the ice" photo gallery.
Ink, you must be impressed with those thighs.

I was more impressed by this body part
 319623750_tp.jpg (22.02K)
Number of downloads: 26

[PASabreFan]

inkman, on 08 February 2010 - 12:46 PM, said:

I was more impressed by this body part
319623750_tp.jpg

What's his name?