Blog Archives
Instigator Podcast #11: Basement Brigade (May 15, 2012)
Another week brings another edition of “The Instigator Podcast” featuring Chris Ostrander of Two In the Box and devout lover of soccer, myself.
This week we discuss the Mike Harrington being the latest to make a smartass comment about blogs, the mainstream media, us venomous bloggers and some Plus/Minus.
Comments, suggestions and non basement-related insults are always welcome. Let us know below or on twitter, @3rdManIn or @2ITB_Buffalo.
Case #19 revisited: Tim Connolly, his potential return and fan opinion
Almost three months ago, we discussed the potential of much-maligned pending-UFA center Tim Connolly returning to the Sabres, in a post we called Case #19: The Sabres might want to resign Tim Connolly.
That post got a lot of interesting feedback, some reluctant agreement, as well as a lot of disagreement. In the time since, Tim cooled off near the end of the year, failed to put up big numbers in the playoffs, and got hurt in Game 6 against Philadelphia, seemingly the death blow suffered by the Sabres. After Connolly took a cheap shot from then-Flyer Mike Richards, Buffalo never recovered and lost in seven games.
Incredibly, even seeing how the team suffered without him, fans were ready to move on without the team’s longest tenured player. The consensus is that he’s not wanted by the fans, whether he wants to be here or not.
When asked by 3rd Man In about the situation, Sabres president Ted Black was gracious enough to offer this:
“Darcy and the hockey department make decisions based on if/how that player can help us win the Stanley Cup. Our ultimate goal is to be as successful as we can be. Keep in mind we want players to be good teammates and good citizens off the ice as well. We’re aware that some players are more popular than others with our fans but the bottom line is we want to win the Cup. If the hockey department feels a certain player can help us accomplish that goal, then we will pursue (or retain, as applicable) that player.”
Basically, they’re going to do what they feel is best, whether the fans are going to love it or not.
In the case of Connolly, it’s a good bet fans won’t take too kindly to his return, despite the constant positive press he has received from The Buffalo News in his tenure as a Sabre.
Oh, I’m sorry, I meant negative. Read the rest of this entry
Things we know: Bucky Gleason <3 Tim Kennedy
Should’ve seen it coming.
I mean, it was set up perfectly. Sabres host the Rangers on Saturday night. The Buffalo News runs “Inside the NHL” on Sundays. Then the lineups were announced last night, and the intelligent Sabres fans collectively let out a sigh of relief. Because we’d all be thinking the same thing:
“At least we don’t have to worry about another stupid Bucky Gleason column about Tim Kennedy.”
But, here we are.
Why the Buffalo News seems to think it’s a good idea by letting their sports department run continually regurgitated, bleeding-heart columns run in their paper is beyond me. We, as Sabres fans, are sick of it already. I hope the rest of Sabres Nation doesn’t mind me speaking for them, but the ones who agree with Bucky tend to be the ignorant type who don’t know things like what league Mark Pysyk plays in (WHL), or knows who Mark Pysyk is (our 1st round pick this year)… or can spell “Pysyk.”
I’ll let the self-appointed leader of discontent take it away:
The past two months have been difficult for Kennedy, much worse than he ever envisioned. He has been waived twice since he was awarded $1 million in arbitration. Sabres fans who watched him go unclaimed snickered, concluding management made the right decision when buying out his contract and releasing him.
Kennedy could have been picked up by any team for $550,000. The Sabres could have claimed him and paid him $716,666, including his buyout for this year. It would have been less than they offered him over the summer and effectively put the bullets back in the gun. They passed. Read the rest of this entry
Adventures in Buffalo sports fandom
The most important thing that blogging has done for the internet is give a voice to everyone.
That may not always be a good thing, as my friend Mike, a past 3MI contributor, pointed out.
From Bleacher Report, by far the premier outpost of sports opinions on the interwebs (to sports what TMZ is to world news), comes this gem entitled “Buffalo Sports Teams: Stop Taking Advantage of Your Fans” from a person called “Alec Joy”.
A quick snippet:
Clearly, we cannot rely on the Bills to create excitement so let’s turn to the Sabres and the focus of the majority of my anger in Buffalo Sports.
Two Words: Darcy Regier.
Yes, the general manager of the Buffalo Sabres, Darcy John Regier is, in my opinion, the worst administrative professional in all of sports. Regier is responsible for the loss of such players as Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Brian Campbell, Clarke MacArthur, J.P. Dumont, and Martin Biron for little, or no, compensation.
I’m not going to touch his arguments, because they’re flat out stupid.
Toronto seems to think they’re taking over. Where do they get that idea?
For Bills fans, this is becoming an awfully nerve-wracking time to think about the future.
As the preseason approaches, talk about the Bills playing in Toronto is escalating, with those habitual wagon-circlers taking on the Steelers in an August 14th exhibition game at the Rogers Centre, two weeks before they play their first game at the Ralph.
There was a “pep rally” of sorts held in Toronto’s business district on Thursday, as the push to gain more corporate support north of the border continues.
There has been widespread speculation about just how many games and how many years the Bills will end up staying in Toronto, with decision-makers on both sides of the border contemplating the potential of a fully split schedule. The prospect of playing four regular-season games a year in Toronto is viewed as one of the final steps before relocation.
I don’t think many people have a problem playing one or two games a year, because it obviously would allow a larger area for economic support to keep our team here, but why would anyone in Buffalo want to throw out a split schedule idea at this point? That should be last resort before losing the team. Read the rest of this entry
