So, how was your sports weekend?
If you’re not from Buffalo, it probably wasn’t as sweet as ours.
Friday night was as good as a Sabres game can get. Jumped out to a quick lead, took the fight out of Vancouver, and beat a pretty good team. I read this over on The Roost about Kaleta, and then I read this piece by Bucky Gleason on the same subject.
Scary thing is that on the whole, I tend to agree more with Bucky, and it’s for one simple reason. Winning is more important than “The Code.” Maybe I’m just getting too old and would willingly sell my soul for a winner, but the day some unwritten rule of how to behave like they did in 1953 on the ice comes before winning a game will be a cold day in hell for me. Maybe it’s because I’m not on the ice, or maybe it’s because I never did more than skate around the Town of Tonawanda ice rink, but honestly, fuck the code. It’s like when Ben Davis broke up Curt Schilling’s no-hitter with an eighth inning bunt, and Bob Brenly called Davis “chickenshit.” Geez, so fucking sorry, but I thought the point was to win the game, not adhere to some macho code that prevents you from making a play with the highest chance of success. And, taking a guy off the ice for five minutes, or four minutes, is one way to do it. We win, they lose, tough shit.
And yes, if Kaleta wasn’t on my team I would call him all sorts of names. But he is, and I love him for it. Although I will say that on Friday night it sure seemed like he made a move to drop the gloves, but kept them on. If that was indeed the case, then that is bull. Other than that, I am fine with how he handles his business.
Then on Saturday we get UB coming back against Army, and the Sabres picking up a point in a game I thought they were sure to lose. That goal by Vanek was sheer witchery, and I really liked the fact that Ruff went to Lalime for that game. Ryan will get his numbers, but I think he would be much better off come playoff time if he ends up with 50-55 games, and Lalime plays 27-32 games. It may hurt his numbers, but it’s not like he’ll be playing for a contract anytime soon, right?
But Sunday was the capper. It was a beautiful morning, and we had a depart time of 0900. Kickass tailgate before the game, and then the unique experience of multiple power outages. I told a buddy this morning that he was one of 75,000 people in the world to see the game in it’s entirety – make that one more reason for you slackers out there to get seasons!
I’m sure it’s been said all over today, but yesterday’s game validated this team. The road win at Jacksonville was dismissed by many in the football world as a decent team beating a good but banged-up team. Yesterday’s game was a good team beating a team that was the darling of many of the football media. Face it, these guys haven’t had to say Buffalo’s name much in the past ten years, and unless you were paying attention to Trent Edwards like we all were, there was no way you could have seen this coming. So I don’t blame the big boys for missing the boat here, but they need to realize this team is for real. Hell, any QB who goes 25-for-30 better get some national love.
Of course, if they could just keep ignoring them for a while longer so the Bills can play the “no respect” card, that would be great as well.
Now they have to take care of some business within the division as they get the Dolphins, Jets and Pats. Teams we hate, and that probably aren’t too fond of us, either, considering the Bills stand in their way for once. Not to lower the bar, but if they get through those games at just 2-1 then they carry a 7-2 record into the Monday Night matchup with Cleveland.
This team is going to the playoffs. How cool is that? As a guy who has shelled out the cash for seasons for a decade, I can tell you it’s pretty damn cool. And overdue.
I always thought 1989 was the greatest year in my history as a Buffalo sports fan. The Sabres were awesome in Rick Dudley’s first year as head coach, and they even made the cover of Sports Illustrated. It was also the year the Bills were “The Bickering Bills”, but I remember it for Jim Kelly’s two-yard run for a touchdown in the opener against Miami. Also, it was the year Thurman Thomas showed us what he could do. It was the start of a magical year, although one that ended cruelly for both teams in the playoffs. This year has the potential to rival that, and I hope everyone is paying attention.
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About the Authors
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Kevin
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Chris
I am a born and raised Buffalo fan since my birth in Niagara Falls in 1977. For reference, my first communion gift from my parents was a replica Sabres Home White Mike Ramsey jersey. I still have that jersey. After stints at Georgetown and the U.S. Army, I have settled in DC where my Sabres, Bills and Hoyas passion runs unabated (I have season tickets to all 3). I believe that while supporting my franchises is good, I believe supporting them with data and statistics is better. -
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The decision for Kaleta to not drop the gloves is coming directly from Ruff. During Friday’s game MSG had a quote from Ruff that said (and I paraphrase because I was drinking) “Patty is doing his job. He’s out there to hit people. He’s doing exactly what we want him to do and we couldn’t give a shit if he isn’t doing what other teams want him to do.”
My main concern with Kaleta’s turtling is the longevity of it all. Like Bucky said, O’Brien didn’t know “the book” on Kaleta. Sooner rather than later these teams will know, and just how many penalties will he be drawing when they know he has velcro gloves?
I like Patty too much to be okay with him becoming a homeless man’s Sean Avery. In a way that was the main point of my post. Bucky’s right, the standings said 4-0 and say 4-0-1 right now, but I worry about the effectiveness of Kaleta down the road if Lindy has his balls in a vicegrip on the bench.
A lot of people seem to differ with me on this, so feel free to tell me I’m completely wrong.
With guys coming back healthy, we won’t have to worry much about Pat Kaleta.
If Connolly, Hecht and Gaustad are there, do you leave a Peters, Ellis and Kaleta in? Or does MacArthur come out to leave a Kaleta in?
Maybe my memory isn’t that good, but I think Barnaby dropped his gloves pretty regularly. He was able to draw opponents into penalties, but he wasn’t afraid to fight. Kaleta is. He was hanging on to Thorburn for dear life in the Atlanta game. If you’re going to take cheap shots at people, you have to defend yourself sometimes. If he wasn’t on the Sabres and from WNY we would hate this kid. I’m starting not to like him very much.
Kaleta is a talentless goon. Comparing him to Avery or Barnaby is insulting to them, as they actually had other hockey skills.
The fact that he takes himself out of the play so often to make (or more often miss) a hit is going to cost us goals eventually.
I am happy that he is helping us win so far, I just think it will catch up to us at some point.
Kaleta > Avery > Tucker > Joe Mesi
Kevin2,
Totally agree. I had the same thoughts about Kaleta ever since I first watched him live. He is not talented. That is not to say he can’t skate, because he fly’s around the ice. In addition, whether he is talentless or not he is one of the more entertaining players to watch on the ice.
My biggest concern has alwasy been that he continually takes himself out of the play to hit someone and as you said will catch up to him at some point. However, he is young and with a coah like Ruff one would think that his game will grow the more he plays. I look forward to watching him in Tueday night against Boston.
“takes himself out of the play to hit someone” = finishing your check. Hockey fundamentals, can’t win without them.
Book? C’mon, I’ve seen too many cheap shots taken and given to think there’s some romanitic notion on a ‘book’. Just because some hack penciled a story on fighting and the manners of hockey players who’d sell their sister for a shot at the Stanley Cup. Stan Jonathan, Chris Nylan, Darcy Tucker, Claude Lemieux, any of the Sutter brothers, Matt Barnaby, Rob Ray, etc… The list can go on forever. Bobby Clarke was one of dirtiest players I have ever seen play – Billy Smith – ask Lindy about that. Pat Flatley, cross checks an Olympic ref in the face when Canada is about to loose the bronze metal game in Sariavo (sp?) – not one of these guys made it to the NHL being nice and honorable.
We can only hope that when Pat Kaleta has to pay the piper that he isn’t pounded too bad, ala Mike Peca against the caps a number of years ago – remember? No Sabre came to his defence as he was SOUNDLY beaten onto the IR list.
Keep it up Pat, Craig Rivet will jump in if need be!
You know, having skilled guys at every position didn’t get us anything in 2006 and 2007. I like the energy that Kaleta brings, and although he may cost the team some goals by finishing his check in the future, he seem to elevate the energy level of his ice mates, and he NEVER hesitates to stand up for his teammates. The kid knows what he needs to do to stay on the team and that is exactly what he’d doing.
No one every said that there isn’t room on a team for guys like Kaleta. That’s the beauty of hockey. Rob Ray would have never had much of a career if he relied solely on his talent. Besides, who are we kidding? You don’t make it to the NHL by being a talentless goon. This kid is doing exactly what Ruff asks of him. Why would anyone fault him for that?
Couple things, Kev.
Yes, “fuck the code”, and let’s get into BEAST MODE!!!
And I don’t think this is my first time mentioning it here, but Brian Radecki and I were in Joe Robbie to see Kelly plunge in for that TD!!!
Sabres on the cover of SI? I didn’t find in the Vault. can you clarify Kevin?
I believe it was Rick Dudley behind the bench and the title was something like “These Sabres are Sharp”, or some other horrible pun. I’ll have to dig it out of the attic.
Connolly, Hecht, and Goose on the ice at the same time? Not in my lifetime. Pray that we get even three games this year where we actually have to choose between Kaleta and Peters.
“We win, they lose, tough shit.” Well said.
I honestly don’t think you can put Kaleta in the same category as either Neil or Avery. Not as tough as Neil and can’t score like Avery can. Then again, I was the guy begging Darcy to pick up Neil after Drury walked so he could hit him again as a Sabre.
kevin2 you’re a moron.a talentless goon? Kaleta had 147 points in 4 seasons for Peterborough that include a 52 point season in 04-05 and a 51 point season in 05-06. in 06 he had 8 goals and 10 assists in 19 playoff games. He is only doing what his coach tells him to. His job isnt to score its to hit. As far as being scared to drop the gloves just go back to his first season and watch the Ottawa brawl. he showed no fear there.
Kaleta’s young; he has a lot to learn. He knows what skills he needs to work on. Like other young players who want to play in the NHL, if he wants to play, he knows he has to play whatever role he’s asked to play on this team at this time. If the opposition is focusing their attention on him and know that he’s going to finish his checks, (and they take dumb penalties to retaliate), they’ll get tired out killing penalties and the Sabres get opportunities to take advantage by scoring some power play goals. We know he’ll be on the short end of a fight. I just don’t see Kaleta becoming another Chris Neil or Sean Avery or any other “dirty” player like some names mentioned above. It would be great if he does eventually develop some other skills besides agitate the opposition — he would be a bigger asset to the team.