[BetweenThePipes00]

Actually, no, I never thought the new CBA would be about the Sabres going out and buying better players. As far as I am concerned, you couldn't be more right, all the new CBA did was make it possible for smaller market teams to compete by bringing the outrageous teams like Philly back to the pack.

No matter what, the Sabres are always going to be middle of the pack at best payroll wise. They are never going to completely forget about the bottom line. Money is going to be a factor in every decision, and there will definitely be times when we feel they are one player away and they can't go get that guy.

Basically, they need to be the Oakland A's of hockey ... lock up your good young players for as long as possible, maybe deal them for good prospects when they get too expensive and won't sign a resonable long-term deal with you. You have to be better than most at scouting and identifying bargains, etc ...

Is Regier the guy to do these things? I certainly have my doubts. But for some reason I don't have the bitterness and feeling that I was lied to ... I don't ever remember anyone telling us they were going to become the Yankees of hockey with the new CBA. I think they have a good young core of guys, and I think that Ruff is a good coach for the kind of team the Sabres need to be (because he doesn't deal with the egos of superstars well and they are unlikely to ever pay many of them) and I am willing to give them a year under the new CBA to see what happens. If you want to call that blind faith, I guess I am guilty, but I have no illusions of a run at the Stanley Cup ... they will finish 7th or 8th if they arre right and everything falls into place, and miss the playoffs if they are wrong and it doesn't. And heads should roll if they are wrong. So let's see what happens.

[Taro T]

BetweenThePipes00, on Oct 12 2005, 10:04 PM, said:

Actually, no, I never thought the new CBA would be about the Sabres going out and buying better players. As far as I am concerned, you couldn't be more right, all the new CBA did was make it possible for smaller market teams to compete by bringing the outrageous teams like Philly back to the pack.

No matter what, the Sabres are always going to be middle of the pack at best payroll wise. They are never going to completely forget about the bottom line. Money is going to be a factor in every decision, and there will definitely be times when we feel they are one player away and they can't go get that guy.

Basically, they need to be the Oakland A's of hockey ... lock up your good young players for as long as possible, maybe deal them for good prospects when they get too expensive and won't sign a resonable long-term deal with you. You have to be better than most at scouting and identifying bargains, etc ...

Is Regier the guy to do these things? I certainly have my doubts. But for some reason I don't have the bitterness and feeling that I was lied to ... I don't ever remember anyone telling us they were going to become the Yankees of hockey with the new CBA. I think they have a good young core of guys, and I think that Ruff is a good coach for the kind of team the Sabres need to be (because he doesn't deal with the egos of superstars well and they are unlikely to ever pay many of them) and I am willing to give them a year under the new CBA to see what happens. If you want to call that blind faith, I guess I am guilty, but I have no illusions of a run at the Stanley Cup ... they will finish 7th or 8th if they arre right and everything falls into place, and miss the playoffs if they are wrong and it doesn't. And heads should roll if they are wrong. So let's see what happens.

Excellent post.

[M.D. De Luca]

BetweenThePipes00, on Oct 12 2005, 10:04 PM, said:

Actually, no, I never thought the new CBA would be about the Sabres going out and buying better players. As far as I am concerned, you couldn't be more right, all the new CBA did was make it possible for smaller market teams to compete by bringing the outrageous teams like Philly back to the pack.

No matter what, the Sabres are always going to be middle of the pack at best payroll wise. They are never going to completely forget about the bottom line. Money is going to be a factor in every decision, and there will definitely be times when we feel they are one player away and they can't go get that guy.

Basically, they need to be the Oakland A's of hockey ... lock up your good young players for as long as possible, maybe deal them for good prospects when they get too expensive and won't sign a resonable long-term deal with you. You have to be better than most at scouting and identifying bargains, etc ...

Is Regier the guy to do these things? I certainly have my doubts. But for some reason I don't have the bitterness and feeling that I was lied to ... I don't ever remember anyone telling us they were going to become the Yankees of hockey with the new CBA. I think they have a good young core of guys, and I think that Ruff is a good coach for the kind of team the Sabres need to be (because he doesn't deal with the egos of superstars well and they are unlikely to ever pay many of them) and I am willing to give them a year under the new CBA to see what happens. If you want to call that blind faith, I guess I am guilty, but I have no illusions of a run at the Stanley Cup ... they will finish 7th or 8th if they arre right and everything falls into place, and miss the playoffs if they are wrong and it doesn't. And heads should roll if they are wrong. So let's see what happens.

I can only find fault with two of your points.

1) The Sabres are not "middle of the pack" with the cap. They are at the bottom.

and

2) I don't think heads will roll. There is no accountability. If they don't make the playoffs no one gets fired.

Of course that's just my opinion.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I didn't say heads WOULD roll, just that they SHOULD ... I agree they should be held accountable, but I like the team they put together on a limited budget and think they have themselves positioned well for next offseason when there will be a TON of free agents and I think there WILL be some bargains out there that were not there this year ... along those lines, I said they would be middle of the pack payroll wise AT BEST, not that they are there now. they need to have some success so they fill the building and get some home playoff games and have some more cash to spend.
Now, if they pocket that cash and let the team get worse instead of better, I will be behind you 100 percent. I am just giving them a bit of a clean slate with the new world of the NHL and am anxious to see how the season and next offseason play out.

[PromoTheRobot]

DeLuca is just one of those "look at me" posters who lives for bad news. It must be killing him that the Sabres are playing well right now because it validates what Regier, Ruff, and Quinn were saying all along...3 people DeLuca has been ragging forever.

5 games do not a season make, and DeLuca will be the first one with an "I told you so" as soon as the Sabres drop 3 in a row. But the new-look Sabres look to be built perfectly for the new NHL and I think it will be a good season to be a real fan, not a DeLuca fan.

PTR

[Toddkaz]

You have some valid points DELUCA it doesn't make sense to fire Ted Nolan for being coach of the year and getting rid of John muckler a guy who might be right and might be wrong but not afraid to lose his job. But we have people like Lindy Ruff and Darcy who walk that line just doing enough to keep them afloat.

But the Buffalo Sabres Hockey Team is my Team and I cheer for them to win.
Ever here of Pat Falloon? Or Alexander Daigle, or Pavel Brendl Dave Archibald, Bryan Fogarty?

Draft picks from 10 different teams all #1's it happens. If you analize every team they have the same trade marks as the buffalo sabres.

Thats hockey, Buffalo Fans just seem to whine about it more. Guess when you have a lot of losers you are ashamed and fed up.

What do you expect from buffalo DELUCA?

a 39 million dollar payroll? A coack at 3 million a year a GM at 4 Million a year ie Mike Keenan and sell out every game and still lose 20 million dollars??

IF it was your TEAM DELUCA what would your payroll be?
WOULD you take 15 million dollars from your own wallet and take a hit?

_______________________________________________________________
Who the hell buys a money losing company keeps it in a small market and will take a major financial loss of around 10 million(although some will argue)
But yet doesn't love the team??????We are lucky they are here and my guess is enjoy them while they last.
_______________________________________________________________

[Toddkaz]

As for my english i don't really take the time out to spell properly or make valid points because who the f cares you get my point.

I am sorry that i make it hard for you to understand me but it is the same reading DELUCAS posts it doesnt make sense

[BetweenThePipes00]

I don't think DeLuca is a bad fan. I'd rather debate with him where we both give reasons for our points of view than with some posters who don't really have anything to back up what they say except that they love the Sabres so they must be right and DeLuca is wrong.
It doesn't make DeLuca a bad fan because he thinks they are not doing it right. It's OK to love your team and think it sucks at the same time. I'll admit I have seen a lot of negativity out of DeLuca in my whole week on this board, the guy may have ulcers from worrying about what Regier will do next, but so many others put him on the immediate defensive by questioning his love for the team he has no choice but to defend his opinions vehemently.
He may see things a little more black-and-white and more cynically than I do, but seems to me the guy buys tickets and cares as much as anyone on here. Just because he's wrong ;) doesn't make him a bad fan.

[Boo]

PromoTheRobot, on Oct 13 2005, 11:26 AM, said:

DeLuca is just one of those "look at me" posters who lives for bad news. It must be killing him that the Sabres are playing well right now because it validates what Regier, Ruff, and Quinn were saying all along...3 people DeLuca has been ragging forever.

Agreed

[M.D. De Luca]

Sabres Good :D

DeLuca bad :angry:

I think I summed it up.

Try reading the posts before you start trying to figure where I come from.

I started on this board (or it's original incarnation of) two played seasons ago. Where were you during that time? No one on this board can touch me as a fan.

I was there when :

Bert scored #500.

Clint got cut.

Mayday.

And on 'No Goal'....section 305 on the blueline.

I know i shouldn't waste my time. But it gets old after a while when those with nothing to say use me to validate their posts. It's has been done before.

[BetweenThePipes00]

hey man, I'm trying to defend you here even though we sometimes disagree ... don't start with the "No one on this board can touch me as a fan. " crap or it's never going to get better.
Anyone who is open-minded and actually READS your posts can see you are passionate and knowledgable. Don't beat us over the head and stoop to the level of the lowest common denominator on here with your arrogance.

[blugold43]

Boo, on Oct 13 2005, 01:37 PM, said:

Agreed

ahhh...lay off the guy...he can't help himself.

and hell, i have ragging on those 3 forever myself...but i am happy to eat crow all season if it means we're gonna WIN SOME GAMES!

[Taro T]

DeLuca67, on Oct 13 2005, 08:27 PM, said:

And on 'No Goal'....section 305 on the blueline.

DeLuca,

What row and what seats? You have no idea how close you came to seeing me go over the railing when the Sabres tied it up. I jumped straight up into the air and my feet were at least 6 inches higher than the glass. I have no idea how I managed to go straight up, because if I'd have gone about 6 inches forward, I'd now be a Marina trivia question.

Some of my "claim to fame" games were: Gretzky's 77th, 78th, and 79th. (Boo, but it was cool to say I was there and actually not be lying (unlike the 750,000 people that were there at the Bills / Oilers).

Sabres sweeping Habs in '83.

Sabres 14, Caps 2.

Derek Plante game vs. Ottawa.

Rico 49, Rico 49, Gare 49, Gare 50!

PS- Listen to BtP, his advice is sound.

[M.D. De Luca]

dave_b, on Oct 14 2005, 12:57 AM, said:

Sabres sweeping Habs in '83.

That was the Sauve back to back shutouts in the Forum, was it not?

Anyway.

I have to be defensive some times when I see I am the only topic certain posters talk about.

I would much rather talk hockey. That's why I am here. The Sabres are off to a great start where are the posts talking about the start. They are going up against the best goalie in hockey next which will be a great test. They are coming of a solid road game. But there were plays and some players IMO that lacked the 60 minute effort. When I bring it up people bitch and moan how I'm not a fan because I choose to see the flaws.

Oh well.

I would have loved to have been at the Gretzky game. :rolleyes:

How about this for a Topic. Which player today causes you to buy a ticket everytime they play in Buffalo? Right now for me it would be Louongo.

[Taro T]

DeLuca67, on Oct 14 2005, 06:51 AM, said:

That was the Sauve back to back shutouts in the Forum, was it not?

Yep.

DeLuca67, on Oct 14 2005, 06:51 AM, said:

How about this for a Topic. Which player today causes you to buy a ticket everytime they play in Buffalo? Right now for me it would be Louongo.

Naslund and Kovalchuk.

[BetweenThePipes00]

Along those lines, I remember at one point in the early 90s the Kings were coming to town and I was in Buffalo for the weekend ... at the last minute my uncle and I decided to go to the game because who knows how many more chances you get to see Gretzky while he can still really play? We walked up and got the old standing room tickets at the top of the Oranges ....
Gretzky didn't do anything special that night, but man I miss the Aud ... hell I miss Buffalo ...

[Knightrider]

Toddkaz, on Oct 13 2005, 12:38 PM, said:

As for my english i don't really take the time out to spell properly or make valid points because who the f cares you get my point.

I am sorry that i make it hard for you to understand me but it is the same reading DELUCAS posts it doesnt make sense

While I usually don't agree with Deluca's pessimism, I do think his posts are very well thought out. He makes a statement and usually back them up.

You can be a fan of the team without being a fan of an individual on that team. Deluca falls into that category, I think. He is the biggest contributer here and stimulates good debate.

The Sabres have gone through about as rough a time as a team can without folding.
No goal started it. :angry:
Not being able to pay Peca was sickening. :unsure:
Hasek's departure. :blink:
Riga's arrest. <_<
Bankruptcy, the first buyer's inability to close the deal, , Paul Brown and the Portland Sabres, and the league takeover of operations... :ph34r:

I know I didn't really care what the Sabres were doing as much. Who wants to root for a team that might not be there tomorrow? Deluca did.

There is still some skepticism out there as evidenced by the gate receipts. Hopefully a 4-1 start will erase some of that...

As for the spelling and English, you may be making more points than you realize.

[sabres_phan]

Pessimism is all well and good, but...

4-1 BIATCHES!!!

Salary cap my @ss.

[BetweenThePipes00]

thanks for that insightful analysis.

[sabres_phan]

Sorry, buddy, I'm just excited about this young, fast, hard-working team. Analyze everything you wish they had done during the offseason to win "real fans" like yourselves back, but I'll take the Ws and this brand of hockey myself.