Wednesday, March 3, 2010

A Good Thing About Bucky Gleason

Someone said this on Twitter today (and I would credit you but I don't remember at all who it was so feel free to claim it), but if you're hating Darcy Regier today, you're trying too hard. He turned Nathan Paetsch, a guy who barely plays for us, into one of the best rentals available. While any guy named Raffi will always make me think of baby beluga whales, Raffi Torres should chip in some offense (very excited to see a lot of his points are on special teams), add some grit, and maybe most importantly, play hard every singe shift. We didn't get our power play quarterback, but who did? And don't come up on me with Joe Corvo. There was a lot of movement but there wasn't a lot of good movement, I don't think.

I know I've always been a Darcy Regier apologist, but I listened to his comments this afternoon - you can hear them here at Sabres Edge (to hear the whole thing, go with the audio because the video is just an excerpt) - and I think they all make sense. If you agree or disagree, please feel free to chime in below.

For now all I really want to say is that for all my complaints about Bucky Gleason, I actually really love the Bucky-Darcy Regier dynamic. They are hilarious in a press conference. Bucky is such a grandstanding blowhard, taking five minutes to ask a question that should really only take a few seconds to spit out. And then Darcy responds with barely concealed disdain, sometimes explaining things in the same patient-but-not-really tone of voice that I use with my 8 and 9-year-olds when I'm repeating something for the 15th time. It's extremely entertaining.

On an unrelated note, we missed the pregame tonight at our house. I heard it wasn't anything super awesome special, but I really want to see Ryan's ovation. If anyone YouTubes it or comes across it, please, please, PLEASE let me know.

6 comments:

joe said...

Opps, message was cut off..did you see Bucky's article tonight? He makes the same points as you. Is that a sign?

joe said...

Obviously, I'm a grumpy old man when it comes to Darcy. However, a part of me likes what he did today. He traded for a solid rental, whose actually the number one scorer of all the players traded today. However, those dam top 6 forwards are still here!!! I’d have loved if Darcy decided to shake up the team, because some of those guys just don’t get. I really hope his excuse that the summer is where it's at, is going to be the end of some of those turds.

Also, if Darcy loves his Pirates, I don’t see why Matt Ellis or Adam Mair still have to be here. Lets see what those guys can do.

As for the big picture, I think we can all come to an agreement that unless Ryan Miller becomes Captain America, we are going to be one and done in the playoffs. Now, I have absolutely no problem with Darcy building through the draft. Yes, it bores me to tears and makes me envious of the majority of the top 8 teams in the east. But that’s his way and it has worked for Detroit and Pittsburgh. Ugh! I'm becoming an apologist.

However, I just hope that Ennis, Kassian, Gerbe don’t become Roy, Stafford and Kotalik of 2011. Because if that happens, I'm done.

Unknown said...

I saw the title of your post and nearly spit out my coffee. Then I realized you were making fun of Bucky and all was right with the world once again.

James W said...

I'm with you on the "Lots of movement, but not a lot of QUALITY movement" take.

The PP QB Dman was a big piece that the Sabres didn't add. But like you said, there wasn't a guy like that who moved yesterday that had me facepalming.

The one area I kind of wish the Sabres would have shored up a bit would have been at the 3rd/4th line center spot.

Eric Belanger moving from Minnesota to Washington was a guy I would have liked the Sabres to take a swing at.

The problem is that I liked Torres more than Belanger and it could have been an either/or scenario as the Sabres likely wouldn't have given up their 2010 1st for Belanger and that may have been what they would have needed to give up after dealing the 2nd that they had to C'Bus for Raffi.

And on a side note, I wonder if Regier dumped MacArthur just so that Torres can wear #41?

Am I Really Grown Up? said...

The best part of Olympic "ceremony" was when they showed Miller acknowledging the fans. He did a little wave with his catcher, opening and closing his fingers, not side to side. Adorably cute.

Heather B. said...

He makes the same points as you. Is that a sign?

A sign that Bucky is right for once in his life? Absolutely. :D

Joe, I'm totally with you on the top 6 being changed, but I think Darcy is probably right that that's best done in the off-season when everyone isn't trying to give up as little as they can going into the playoffs. I'd love to trade Derek Roy, but he's worth more than 25 games of Joe Corvo. I reserve the right to change my opinion at the beginning of next season if there haven't been a few more changes made.

I don't agree that the Sabres are necessarily one and done this year, but that does depend on them getting back to the boring but efficient system they were effectively playing earlier this year.

And on a side note, I wonder if Regier dumped MacArthur just so that Torres can wear #41?

Hee! The money AND the jersey numbers worked out. He HAD to pull the trigger.

I've decided I really want the Sabres to make a play for Kaberle in the off-season. (If the Leafs miss the playoffs, his no-trade is null and void for the off-seaon.) That would be a huge piece. I'm probably dreaming on that one but hey, sometimes you gotta.