Spun

This could work. The current Buffalo convention center is embarrassing. Montreal turned the Forum into a mall with shops, restaurants and a movie theater with some remnants of the history (center ice marker, seating, stories of past events) spread out around the building. The Forum mall seems to do alright but I don't know if it would work in Buffalo. If the Aud becomes a place shoppers avoid because of high school kids "hanging out" at the expense of businesses (such as what happened with Main Place Mall) then the idea may not work. The Forum used to have photos on the walls of past teams but no longer. Maybe someone tried heisting them?

Walt Patulski and Mike Williams. Honorable mention: Tony Mandarich and Ryan Leaf.

I recently re-read the USA Today NHL forecast for 2005-6. USA Today, like so many others predicted the Sabres to miss the playoffs primarily because they didn't bring in any big name free agents. It was a nice ride. Congratulations Lindy! The writers got it right!

I can understand the resentment of having lost to Carolina. However, the Hurricanes are a very solid hockey team. The Canes were able to throw up a defensive umbrella that forced the Sabres wide. Ward was more than adequate in net, the Canes held off the Sabres power play and they came back when they had to. The Sabres squeaked out wins all season but they came one period short of going to the finals. They simply ran out of gas. Losing the OT game in Carolina was a major missed opportunity. As for Edmonton, they gave Carolina a much better fight than I thought they were capable of doing. It was a great series. I was expecting Carolina to win 4 - 0. I believe the Sabres would have had another tight series if they met the Oilers. And as for Carolina fans turning on to hockey, why not? It is a great sport and I am very glad to have it back. Sabres in 06-07 need a serious goal scoring threat and depth at defense. Ryan Miller may have been the second best goalie on the team. Miller is going to get better. Good luck and thanks to Martin Biron. Marty is probably going to be moving on to another team. I can't think of many athletes in any sport who maintained the backup role with such class and professionalism. Biron could have been the man with the Sabres this year with very similar results. The Sabres won't be sneaking up on anybody next year so the challenges will be different. And Lindy Ruff is coach of the year. Congrats Carolina!

Thanks for the archive! It's 12:30 am (PST)! Gotta luv the internet! Interesting start to the show. Some people consider New Jersey as New York and some consider Buffalo as Ohio or Canada! Explain that to Buffalonians at tax time! And Jersey fans aren't selling out the building? Marketing? The Devils have won three Stanley Cups and have a very sizable population. That should be enough marketing! Sometimes the fans make the difference between winning and losing. Didn't the Devils just run off a string of fifteen wins?

Not like I think this is a great idea but it is interesting to ponder. Currently, if you are caught illegally, the Border Patrol pretty much turns you around and drops you off across the Mexican border, if you are Mexican. So, you try again and again until you succeed at getting into the country and living as you can. Well, how about making things so that if you are caught a second time you are incarcerated. Costly? Definitely. An effective deterrent? Possibly. Likelihood of ever being put into practice? Not a chance. As for the US / Mexico border being a good way for terrorists getting into the country, the US should be very concerned. If very poor farm workers from remote Mexican villages are able to penetrate the border with the help of people on both sides of the border, how do you think corrupt individuals in the immigrant trade will respond to even more cash thrown their way by terrorist types? I do think much of what the Prez said in his speech made some sense. The guest worker program apparently worked in the past so why not give it a chance? However, if not pursuing the undocumented because they have reached a certain "time in the country" requirement only encourages more immigrants to cross in hope of future "deals" (amnesty). It already is. Although tragedies such as Monday's van crash along the US / Mexico border happens fairly routinely, my guess is the desperation to get into the US is now greater than ever because of immigration reform. I was surprised that the Prez didn't say a whole lot about the current backlog of those who have tried to enter the country legally. I heard an estimate of ten years? Some Buffalonians might be able to relate to a scenario of your job being eliminated or your employer leaving the country, only leaving you to figure out what to do for you and your family. For those who lost their jobs at Bethlehem Steel and Trico, could you afford to wait ten years to make your move? Smuggler van crash: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/traffic/9221863/detail.html

Smerlas was regularly double-teamed. He was our pass rush before Bruce came along.

I am not sure about the first and third period splits but I believe in the very first season '70-71, Ted Darling was joined by Paul Weiland. "The Sabres have won! The Sabres have won!"

Lindy Ruff needs to be able to adjust as teams will try to trap. New Jersey and their fifteen game winning streak? Fifteen? That is incredible! The NHL record for consecutive wins is 17 by the Penguins in 1993. Ottawa was almost unstoppable in the beginning of the year. They are still very dangerous. Go Sabres! Bring Buffalo that long awaited championship!

Where is the Mayor of Poway? Did he get run for life?

Holy Taro Tsujimoto, Batman!

And the State's individual taxes. And the property taxes (based on current value as opposed to purchase price).

My guess is that it has more to do with frustration. The city has struggled for a long time. Businesses, libraries, churches and hospitals have closed and hundreds of thousands of us had to find a better way to survive somewhere else. Buffalo has been slow to adjust to changing global economics. The weather reputation and reality doesn't help. The facts are that there are other cities who have adjusted well and there are northern cities that do thrive. I wish it was better.

I heard that there used to be schools like that... http://merriamwebster.com/dictionary/focusing

I believe the shootouts had something to do with that. In 2003-4 there were three teams with winning records who didn't make the playoffs, including the Sabres. The Sabres increased their point total from 2003-04 to 2005-06 by an incredible 25 points (85 - 110)!

Thanks!

11 is impressive but when it comes to the playoffs it doesn't mean a lot. The Devils really did stick it to the Rangers in the last week. I would rather the Sabres not play the Devils until they have to. The Sabres did take care of the Senators and Hurricanes at the end of the season which was something they struggled to do earlier in the year.

I agreed with most every post but this one. What the server and the manager did in restaurant 1 was wrong. 100% wrong. As for restaurant 2, that was classy and good business. Word of mouth is a very powerful form of marketing. However, lose the myth of the customer always being right. Understanding why that motto is a falsehood should be common sense. Work in some form of the customer service industry for a while. Then, one will understand better why the "credo" doesn't float. There are too many customers making a living pining for freebies as if they are the only ones on the planet earth who eat, drink and spend money. Sometimes the service sucks because the clientele sucks.

I watched the game without audio in a San Diego sports bar. I don't usually like taunting because I don't take it so well but that was hilarious. The referees skated around like they weren't sure it was what it was! Tee time Gordie! I still don't understand why the Sabres and the Leafs were in different divisions for as long as they were. 51 wins for the Sabres!!! Congratulations, but don't let up. The game against Carolina should be played like a playoff game. How about an encore: http://www.img1.digitalupload.com/ims/pic....573ZOr9R&i=5016 http://www.img1.digitalupload.com/ims/pic....573ZOr9R&i=5013 That was the first shutout for the Sabres this season. Congrats Miller and Biron!

This sounds a lot like a Super Bowl crowd...

I ran into Flutie in a San Diego hotel during his first year with the Chargers. I believe it was a media day luncheon. I told him that the Bills should have kept him. He sort of groaned and kept going on his way! Whatever.

I doubt Flutie would want to play for the Bills again. I sense that Flutie is bitter about his time with the Bills.

Are any of the Shiner beers (brewed in Texas) worth it? http://www.shiner.com/home.html

I don't expect it to happen but I hope the Bills run the Chargers' face into the tundra. 48-10. It still doesn't sit too well.

Usually the previews tip us off to when some major character is going to die. But when I saw Hurley on that cliffside I din't think he was going to jump, I thought the land would give. That was nice camera work on the view downward from the cliff. Libby looks and acts like a granola girl. My guess is that Libby's drug experience isn't limited to the psycho ward. Good drama can frustrate the audience. Knowing that anything "Henry Gale" says should not be believed and having characters (Locke) continue to fall for his ploys is one example. I think it is time that Sayid goes another round with "Gale". A more thorough interrogation of "Gale" should be a priority. Who are the Others and how did they get there? Why do they do what they do? I mean, these people are searching for raspberries and washing their socks when their fellow survivors have been mysteriously kidnapped and murdered. And people continue to stroll from the shore to the caves and the hatch by themselves like they are going out for a gallon of milk? Then, one of there fellow survivors shows up to ask why they are out there all alone. Yeah, that is what I want to know! Answers to many questions are sitting in "Locke's hatch" yet these survivors are carrying on like they are at the Boy Scout's Jamboree! I am looking forward to the returns of Zeke, Dave, Desmond and Rousseau. I wonder if the writers will introduce any more natural freaks such as the Polar Bear and the puff of smoke or if that was simply used to establish a perception of the bizarre daily offerings of island life. Where has the puff been anyways? And Michael's story has to have gotten interesting by now. As for Due South, I thought that show was great but it was on Friday nights which is historically the worst night for television viewership. One exception on Friday's is the successful Ghost Whisperer with Jennifer Love Hewitt, which doesn't need a whole lot of explanation...