May 6 2007 (Official "Fire Ruff" thread)

[RazielMoshman]

My names RazielMoshman and I used to be a Ruff supporter. I'm glad to say I'm 2 weeks clean though.

The performance of this team aren't enough to warrant him still having a job here.

 

[beerme1]

I'm interested to see where things stand if we lose tonight and things get ugly against the Pens on Sunday--and with Miller's history against Pittsburgh, they very well might. I'm wondering if we'll hear audible "Fire Ruff" chants on television.

I've been telling people if this scenario plays out, Pegula has no choice but to tell Darcy to Fire Lindy! If it's embarrasing on national tv and directly to many people in PA that he is familiar with and those people are laughing at him, I think that is the end. Imagine being a billionaire and people laughing at you.
Doesn;'t make sense and I would want to put a stop to it.
Although, if I were a billionaire I really would give a crap at the same time.

 

[McCauleyChirps]

Look on the brighter side of things guys, if Lindy turns this team around this year there won't be any reason to fire him!

 

[sabresfan129103]

I'll try to spin this win. The 3rd period just shows that this team is a lot better then their record. They are not playing for Lindy and the only reason they played hard in the 3rd was because they felt bad for Miller. If Ruff wasn't the coach they would give the effort they gave in the 3rd against Boston more consistently.

 

[start winnin]

Fire Lindy

 

[vcv]

WGRZ just aired interviews by Adam Benigni with Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff.

I don't recall the exact question, but Benigni basically kept asking about a coaching change and how close one was.

Darcy's response was something along the lines of "I believe in people changing before changing people" and "I don't think it's close at all [to having to fire Lindy]".

 

[zts1986]

Another game that falls on Ruff's shoulders.

 

[Newcastlesabre]

The fact we lose so many games late on, for me is symptamatic of wider problems in the organization. Be it, spirit, concentration, effort or whatever. These things for me have to fall on Ruffs shoulders.

 

[start winnin]

Does Lindy actually do anything before the game starts?

Fire Lindy

 

[Newcastlesabre]

They just aint responding to him, for whatever reason. thats how I see it

 

[joshjull]

Does Lindy actually do anything before the game starts?

Fire Lindy

He oils up and wrestles Teppo for a donut.

 

[Jame]

WGRZ just aired interviews by Adam Benigni with Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff.

I don't recall the exact question, but Benigni basically kept asking about a coaching change and how close one was.

Darcy's response was something along the lines of "I believe in people changing before changing people" and "I don't think it's close at all [to having to fire Lindy]".

That quote says it all

 

[start winnin]

WGRZ just aired interviews by Adam Benigni with Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff.

I don't recall the exact question, but Benigni basically kept asking about a coaching change and how close one was.

Darcy's response was something along the lines of "I believe in people changing before changing people" and "I don't think it's close at all [to having to fire Lindy]".

...

Who wants to murder me plz someone put me out of my misery

 

[SuperNintendoChalmrs]

I hope he has a nice birthday.

 

[Fire Lindy]

So Darcy thinks Lindy can miraculously just 'change' after 15 years? That's usually not how it works...what's that old saying again?

 

[CrankyJay]

So Darcy thinks Lindy can miraculously just 'change' after 15 years? That's usually not how it works...what's that old saying again?

Fool me once, shame on you...fool me 14 more times...

 

[Fire Lindy]

Fool me once, shame on you...fool me 14 more times...

That works too

Though I was referring to the one about old dogs

 

[Dreakon13]

I don't mean to sound pro-Ruff because I think his time has past like any sane Sabres fan. However, I have to disagree with the OP's reasoning.

Allow me to attempt devil's advocate.

Since 07, we've seen an excellent roster filled to the rim with heart and replaced everyone but the four mentioned with talented kids that have the potential to be great someday (Hodgson, Ennis, Foligno, Grigorenko)... older flash-in-the-pan guys that never really panned out (Stafford, possibly Leino)... average role players (Gerbe, Kaleta, Ott, McCormick)... and guys that debatably shouldn't even be in the NHL (Scott).

That's just the forward squad. The defense beyond Myers (who is having a terrible year so far), Ehrhoff and possibly Sekera... is riddled with vets certainly past their prime and fringe NHLers (or both).

This is a weak team. It has been a weak team since 07. You can talk about how the team has been changed from top to bottom, but changing good parts with average/lousy ones... then constantly changing those average parts with other average parts... usually won't make for a better team. How much of this really falls on Ruff? Maybe it's the coaches job to inject this team with life when they're down on the scoresheet, and make sure they're ready for games. Calm nerves between periods if a game is getting out of hand. Or maybe he's doing everything he can and the roster just doesn't have the talent/desire to back it up.

Is it shocking anyone that average players replaced with average players are still playing average hockey?

 

[Royisgone]

I don't mean to sound pro-Ruff because I think his time has past like any sane Sabres fan. However, I have to disagree with the OP's reasoning.

Allow me to attempt devil's advocate.

Since 07, we've seen an excellent roster filled to the rim with heart and replaced everyone but the four mentioned with talented kids that have the potential to be great someday (Hodgson, Ennis, Foligno, Grigorenko)... older flash-in-the-pan guys that never really panned out (Stafford, possibly Leino)... average role players (Gerbe, Kaleta, Ott, McCormick)... and guys that debatably shouldn't even be in the NHL (Scott).

That's just the forward squad. The defense beyond Myers (who is having a terrible year so far), Ehrhoff and possibly Sekera... is riddled with vets certainly past their prime and fringe NHLers (or both).

This is a weak team. It has been a weak team since 07. You can talk about how the team has been changed from top to bottom, but changing good parts with average/lousy ones... then constantly changing those average parts with other average parts... usually won't make for a better team. How much of this really falls on Ruff? Maybe it's the coaches job to inject this team with life when they're down on the scoresheet, and make sure they're ready for games. Calm nerves between periods if a game is getting out of hand. Or maybe he's doing everything he can and the roster just doesn't have the talent/desire to back it up.

Is it shocking anyone that average players replaced with average players are still playing average hockey?

Is this the long way of saying that Regier is at least as guilty as Ruff in all this?

If so, I agree with you.

They both should be gone.

 

[Fire Lindy]

Is this the long way of saying that Regier is at least as guilty as Ruff in all this?

If so, I agree with you.

They both should be gone.

One thing Regier needs to be blamed for is failing to assemble a team that has forwards that are good both ways.

 

[Jame]

I don't mean to sound pro-Ruff because I think his time has past like any sane Sabres fan. However, I have to disagree with the OP's reasoning.

Allow me to attempt devil's advocate.

Since 07, we've seen an excellent roster filled to the rim with heart and replaced everyone but the four mentioned with talented kids that have the potential to be great someday (Hodgson, Ennis, Foligno, Grigorenko)... older flash-in-the-pan guys that never really panned out (Stafford, possibly Leino)... average role players (Gerbe, Kaleta, Ott, McCormick)... and guys that debatably shouldn't even be in the NHL (Scott).

That's just the forward squad. The defense beyond Myers (who is having a terrible year so far), Ehrhoff and possibly Sekera... is riddled with vets certainly past their prime and fringe NHLers (or both).

This is a weak team. It has been a weak team since 07. You can talk about how the team has been changed from top to bottom, but changing good parts with average/lousy ones... then constantly changing those average parts with other average parts... usually won't make for a better team. How much of this really falls on Ruff? Maybe it's the coaches job to inject this team with life when they're down on the scoresheet, and make sure they're ready for games. Calm nerves between periods if a game is getting out of hand. Or maybe he's doing everything he can and the roster just doesn't have the talent/desire to back it up.

Is it shocking anyone that average players replaced with average players are still playing average hockey?

That's exactly how you sound. It's the same excuse that has been made for Ruff for years. "The players aren't good enough"... that's always been the excuse. Well, sorry... I'm not buying anymore (And I realize that THIS year we have a roster construction problem). When another coach comes in and loses for years, then we can talk.

Until then... Ruff is a coach whose lost touch with everything from the players to the game itself.

Here's What i know about the last 6 seasons :
- It took him over 4 years to put Vanek and Pommer together
- He hasn't won a playoff series while having a vezina goalie in his prime
- He's presided over the complete mental meltdown of the teams most prized possession (myers)
- He literally wanted nothing to do with a physical brand of hockey until an entire season was Kevorkianed by that mentality.

That's enough... right there... to place ALL the blame on him

 

[indigoo]

That quote says it all

Show's you just how out of touch this guy is. He believes people can change over a change in the coach?

It's beyond naive; almost insane. I can't explain. You know what entices change in someone? Desperation so overwhelming that it would drastically alter their current situation. Lindy lives in a bubble over there; he has no reason to change. That quote is evidence.

 

[aceface33]

That's exactly how you sound. It's the same excuse that has been made for Ruff for years. "The players aren't good enough"... that's always been the excuse. Well, sorry... I'm not buying anymore (And I realize that THIS year we have a roster construction problem). When another coach comes in and loses for years, then we can talk.

Until then... Ruff is a coach whose lost touch with everything from the players to the game itself.

Here's What i know about the last 6 seasons :
- It took him over 4 years to put Vanek and Pommer together
- He hasn't won a playoff series while having a vezina goalie in his prime
- He's presided over the complete mental meltdown of the teams most prized possession (myers)
- He literally wanted nothing to do with a physical brand of hockey until an entire season was Kevorkianed by that mentality.

That's enough... right there... to place ALL the blame on him

Well when you put it that way it'ts pretty cut and dried...

On the physicality issue, I think Ruff's constant harping on not taking penalties has the players scared to do anything...but they always just end up taking penalties anyways, so it has no effect.

 

[sba]

"I believe in people changing before changing people"

Everything that's wrong with the Sabres is in this quote.

 

[ZZamboni]

Show's you just how out of touch this guy is. He believes people can change over a change in the coach?

It's beyond naive; almost insane. I can't explain. You know what entices change in someone? Desperation so overwhelming that it would drastically alter their current situation. Lindy lives in a bubble over there; he has no reason to change. That quote is evidence.

And anyone who honestly believes a GM should in a public forum, hint at (or bluntly voice) negative feelings about their coach is

A GM calling out a coach on ANY level publicly is bush league and sophomoric.

What a GM says and does are two different things. Granted Regiers track record in regards to Ruff would say otherwise

This summer should be interesting ... Until then, I suffer.