HockeyRhetoric

I grew up watching Dominik Hasek. Actually, I should say I grew up listening to Hasek. I’m not sure when Empire Sports Network started broadcasting Sabres games, but my parents didn’t get cable until I was about twelve-years-old. Even when they finally did, I wasn’t allowed to stay up late enough to watch the finish of most games. My point is that when I would listen to the Sabres on the radio, and I never missed a game, Hasek was great almost every single night it seemed. I have a lot of memories listening to the radio as a kid, under the sheets, with the lights out, hearing RJ’s voice rise on every dramatic save by Hasek. » Read the rest of this entry «

I’ll be honest, I was upset after Chris Neil tried to take Chris Drury’s head off three years ago. I’m obviously biased but it seemed like Neil deliberately targeted Drury and used his elbow as a weapon. Chaos ensued and the league did nothing. I don’t know if it’s coincidental but not even a year after the Neil/Drury hit, Patrick Kaleta joined the team. Maybe Neil wouldn’t have been looking for trouble had Pat Kaleta been on the Sabres at that time. I find myself fascinated with Kaleta. More than anything else, his presence on the team represents a physical threat to break someone’s forehead, legally, at any time. So everyone better behave, or else. What once was a job handled by fighters has been taken over by punishing, and at times dangerous, body checkers. Should that really be necessary?

It doesn’t have to be a player of prominence like Drury, but it could be and that’s all that matters. If it’s clean, if it’s dirty, it doesn’t make a difference because injuries happen on both. Granted, their more likely to happen and are generally more severe on dirty hits. A broken bone is one thing but some hits, especially those to he head, are threatening the life and well-being of the player that is being hit. After it happens, the circumstances are irrelevant; the hit was delivered, and the injury sustained. » Read the rest of this entry «

I’m trying to limit my expectations for the Sabres this year. My heart tells me they will surprise a lot of people and steal the division. My head tells me that they will barely squeak into the playoffs. I really don’t know what to think. I’m excited about the start of a new season though. I honestly like a lot of the players on this team. » Read the rest of this entry «