Official 2015 tank thread IV

[Jim Carr's Rug]

Oh god, the laughs keep coming

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/a-taint-on-the-sport-any-way-you-cut-it-20150118

Yawn. The only thing the Sabres may have done in my mind that is "pro tank" is keeping Nolan on as coach well beyond the point that he's shown he and his chosen staff are unable to implement a NHL level system.

The biggest taint in First Niagara Center is in the press room. I nearly guarantee it.

I would bet dollars to donuts that if Pegula fielded a scrappy team, fighting and clawing their way to 20th place, these trolls would write snide articles on how management was rebuilding wrong and actually shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[TehDoak]

I would bet dollars to donuts that if Pegula fielded a scrappy team, fighting and clawing their way to 20th place, these trolls would write snide articles on how management was rebuilding wrong and actually shooting themselves in the foot.

Yup. Murray is in a lose/lose situation.

Finish last overall? "Intentionally tanking is shameful and the Sabres should be punished"

Finish anywhere but last overall and lose the lotto? "In what was acknowledged as a throw away year from the get go, failing to get one of the two franchise centers is going to haunt this franchise for a long time"

The only real good situation that could happen for Murray is finish outside the bottom 5 and win the lotto. And even then a talking head would chime in about getting lucky, etc.

Professional sports writers are really just professional trolls at this point.

 

[Roof Daddy]

Yes it does but let's not jump to conclusions.

If we do this properly (and finish dead last) we have a solid 1 in 5 chance of getting McDavid!

That works too. We didn't get the top pick last year. We're due!

Think positively.

I believe the 30th team is due to win the lottery as well. The 30th place team hasn't won since 2010 when we did it. Here's to hoping anyway (for both our team's sake).

 

[Beerz]

Yup. Murray is in a lose/lose situation.

Finish last overall? "Intentionally tanking is shameful and the Sabres should be punished"

Finish anywhere but last overall and lose the lotto? "In what was acknowledged as a throw away year from the get go, failing to get one of the two franchise centers is going to haunt this franchise for a long time"

The only real good situation that could happen for Murray is finish outside the bottom 5 and win the lotto. And even then a talking head would chime in about getting lucky, etc.

Professional sports writers are really just professional trolls at this point.

It's not just Professional Sports Writers... it's all of Journalism ... The market is so over saturated. All you need to do is compel a click.

I actually read an article yesterday about the movie American Sniper where the first line was "I haven't seen American Sniper or read the book but here is what's wrong with it" ...

 

[1972]

It's not just Professional Sports Writers... it's all of Journalism ... The market is so over saturated. All you need to do is compel a click.

I actually read an article yesterday about the movie American Sniper where the first line was "I haven't seen American Sniper or read the book but here is what's wrong with it" ...

America Sniper was outstanding, best movie I've seen in a long time.

 

[Takeo]

Oh god, the laughs keep coming

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/a-taint-on-the-sport-any-way-you-cut-it-20150118

Yawn. The only thing the Sabres may have done in my mind that is "pro tank" is keeping Nolan on as coach well beyond the point that he's shown he and his chosen staff are unable to implement a NHL level system.

The biggest taint in First Niagara Center is in the press room. I nearly guarantee it.

"Banking on futures" has been their business model ever since Darcy's little spiel about suffering. It was a built-in excuse for failure and fans ate it up. But the ultimate goal remains McDavid. He can energize the area. For as inept as the organization has been for years now, the end is entirely justified no matter how pathetic the means. I agree with everything in that article and I'm totally fine with it.

 

[Jame]

You don't need an excuse for failure of the goal is mcdavid.

 

[1972]

If you told 30 NHL fanbases they were 36 games away from from drafting a franchise altering player, would anybody want there team to miss out on that? Oh course not. They can lose the next 36 for all I care, 36 games away. That's like 2.5 more months of being an embarrassment. Nolan will be fired, Cassidy will be fired and you will be bringing in two top 3 picks. This will be far in the rear view mirror.

 

[couture23]

If you told 30 NHL fanbases they were 36 games away from guaranteed from drafting a franchise altering player, would any body want there team to miss out on that? Oh course not. They can lose the next 36 for all I care, 36 games away. That's like 2.5 more months of being an embarrassment.

Having the Olympic Break last year was such a blessing. Guess I'll just have to watch more EPL/Champions League now.

 

[TehDoak]

"Banking on futures" has been their business model ever since Darcy's little spiel about suffering. It was a built-in excuse for failure and fans ate it up. But the ultimate goal remains McDavid. He can energize the area. For as inept as the organization has been for years now, the end is entirely justified no matter how pathetic the means. I agree with everything in that article and I'm totally fine with it.

McDavid was never the goal (and still isn't). Even if the NHL draft lotto remained unchanged, getting 1st overall was never more than a 25% chance, even if you could somehow get him.

The goal from the Ruff firing/Pomniville trade forward was to build a new core via high draft picks. Pegula even said if you want a Crosby or Toews, there is only one way to get them, pick near the top. Black went through this in Pittsburgh and knows what it takes. The whole "brand is shot" commentary is complete *********.

No brand was more shot that Chicago...then they started winning. What about Pittsburgh...the team that literally and purposefully tanked to get Mario Lemiux...their brand was pretty damn strong when they won back to back cups. Then when it was time to rebuild, they did.

A planned rebuild is nothing new. There's no "taint", no damage, nothing.

 

[EichHart]

How Buffalo would it be for them to be the worst team in the league 2 years in a row and not get the 1st overall pick either year?

There was a 25% chance for us to win the lotto last year and if we finish last this year a 20% chance. So it's not Buffalo luck we wouldn't win it. It would just be statistics.

 

[Clock]

If you told 30 NHL fanbases they were 36 games away from guaranteed from drafting a franchise altering player, would any body want there team to miss out on that? Oh course not. They can lose the next 36 for all I care, 36 games away. That's like 2.5 more months of being an embarrassment.

That's about it. Secure the prize first then worry about turning the team around with all of the assets that have been acquired over the past few years. This season is going to be forgotten if it shows that it has a real shot at becoming a winner.

Harrington's right about how next year's expectations from much of the fanbase are going to be frustrating, though.

 

[SoFFacet]

Oh god, the laughs keep coming

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/a-taint-on-the-sport-any-way-you-cut-it-20150118

Yawn. The only thing the Sabres may have done in my mind that is "pro tank" is keeping Nolan on as coach well beyond the point that he's shown he and his chosen staff are unable to implement a NHL level system.

The biggest taint in First Niagara Center is in the press room. I nearly guarantee it.

Anti-tankers make me laugh. It's a shame that that one has a platform to spew his idiocy from.

 

[MayDay]

That's about it. Secure the prize first then worry about turning the team around with all of the assets that have been acquired over the past few years. This season is going to be forgotten if it shows that it has a real shot at becoming a winner.

Harrington's right about how next year's expectations from much of the fanbase are going to be frustrating, though.

Harrington is right that they are not going to be Cup contenders next season, but wrong about literally everything else.

Especially this "tarnishing the brand" nonsense. Does he think anyone these days seriously gives a flying ******* about how bad the Hawks or Pens or Bolts were in the years they landed their young superstars? How damaged is the Blackhawks or Penguins brand as a result of sucking hard enough to get Kane and Toews and Crosby and Malkin?

It's nonsense. Once we have our superstars and start winning again (whether sooner or later) not one person will care about how bad this season was. Not the fans, not the players, and not the media.

 

[TehDoak]

That's about it. Secure the prize first then worry about turning the team around with all of the assets that have been acquired over the past few years. This season is going to be forgotten if it shows that it has a real shot at becoming a winner.

Harrington's right about how next year's expectations from much of the fanbase are going to be frustrating, though.

There will be a group who thinks the rebuild is over, sure. But, you just have to look at the Penguins

Pittsburgh's first year with Crosby: 58 pts and finished 29th overall. And that was with Crosby scoring 102 pts his rookie year.

If Crosby can't lift a team out of basement, no single player can.

 

[Beerz]

The strawman argument that Harrington and others spew out that most believe we're going to be instantly good as soon as we get McDavid or Eichel is what drives me crazy.

 

[Puppa2Miller]

Yup. Murray is in a lose/lose situation.

Finish last overall? "Intentionally tanking is shameful and the Sabres should be punished"

Finish anywhere but last overall and lose the lotto? "In what was acknowledged as a throw away year from the get go, failing to get one of the two franchise centers is going to haunt this franchise for a long time"

The only real good situation that could happen for Murray is finish outside the bottom 5 and win the lotto. And even then a talking head would chime in about getting lucky, etc.

Professional sports writers are really just professional trolls at this point.

Early in the season when the Sabres were losing, the Buffalo News wrote how Murray was visibly angry after losses and hinted that he was agitated at Nolan and Nolan's staff for not getting more out of the team.

Then when they started winning, The Buffalo News was writing how it was impossible to tank on purpose.

Now that they are losing again, Murray is supposedly cheering every loss as he has it rigged for the team to finish 30th? Get your story straight, Buffalo News. To do that you might want to hire real reporters.

 

[hizzoner]

There will be a group who thinks the rebuild is over, sure. But, you just have to look at the Penguins

Pittsburgh's first year with Crosby: 58 pts and finished 29th overall. And that was with Crosby scoring 102 pts his rookie year.

If Crosby can't lift a team out of basement, no single player can.

You are right. Most posters however believe that next year they can root for their team to win again. It has been a real purgatory for the last couple of years. We need speed and creativity so badly it hurts--we have the makings of a decent D and good complementary pieces at forward. Reinhart and the first 2 picks in this draft should not only be excellent players themselves but will make those around them better. Sort of like a stew--the best meat and veggies can use the herbs and spices...or even just average meat and veggies...

 

[MayDay]

You are right. Most posters however believe that next year they can root for their team to win again.

Yes. I don't expect them to be instantly great next season. I will, however, be rooting for Ws again.

I'm for the tank this season because it is clearly what is best for this franchise, but I still don't necessarily feel good about rooting for losses per se.

 

[haseoke39]

The strawman argument that Harrington and others spew out that most believe we're going to be instantly good as soon as we get McDavid or Eichel is what drives me crazy.

Exactly. Mceichel isn't the end of rebuilding. He's the end of the beginning. Now you go out and pursue free agents agen worth a damn. You make some hockey trades. You build all the complementary pieces. Were better than most teams team at this point in that we might be able to get a huge portion of the future cup winner just out of the pipeline, but that's the rosy scenario. Most likely the next three summers are all busy with significant additions and swaps.

 

[EichHart]

Yes. I don't expect them to be instantly great next season. I will, however, be rooting for Ws again.

I'm for the tank this season because it is clearly what is best for this franchise, but I still don't necessarily feel good about rooting for losses per se.

I don't know. If we start off bad, it would be quite easy to start cheering for the tank with the draft being in Buffalo and all.

 

[MayDay]

I don't know. If we start off bad, it would be quite easy to start cheering for the tank with the draft being in Buffalo and all.

Don't care. After this season I'm off the wagon no matter how well or badly next season goes.

Rooting for McEichel is a one-time thing.

 

[haseoke39]

Don't care. After this season I'm off the wagon no matter how well or badly next season goes.

Rooting for McEichel is a one-time thing.

Ditto. Were already forced to press our luck in terms of developing and losing at the same time. I can't see us trying the same thing next year and not have it be a net negative.

 

[EichHart]

Don't care. After this season I'm off the wagon no matter how well or badly next season goes.

Rooting for McEichel is a one-time thing.

Agreed. I will be cheering for them to win all next season as well. Well until they are officially eliminated from the playoffs, then its tank on.

 

[RecycledEichel]

I don't know. If we start off bad, it would be quite easy to start cheering for the tank with the draft being in Buffalo and all.

If we are in the same position at the all star break next season I'll still be rooting for wins and be crushed by losses.. I wanna see this team start to grow together.. It may start at the beginning of next year, middle of next year or after next year.. The sooner the better..