Ott gets an 'A', yeah, we got 3 'A's!!!

[PTI]

Vanek, Stafford and Ott.

No 'C' for the rest of the year.

[Mski]

i think its fair not to name a "c" this year... and is more evidence that Rolston wont be the coach next year

[Night Train]

i think its fair not to name a "c" this year... and is more evidence that Rolston wont be the coach next year If Reiger is GM, he most defintely will be here. Rolston owes him his job and will never challnge his power.

[Mski]

i really think Reiger wants to bring in Roy next year as the new HC, thats why Rolston was only given the interim title... as far as not challenging his power, i think Rolston is the type of guy that will do what is right above all else - see the benching of leino after that stupid penalty, then sitting of stafford.. both of wich were actually detriments to the team but done to prove a point

[trapezeus]

make stafford the C. that will ensure he's gone by the draft.

[PTI]

Ott, being Ott, proving he is not a guy who should wear an 'A' or a 'C' for a team:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/steve-ott-sabres-fans-booing-completely-ridiculous-basically-165306013--nhl.html

Basically calling the fans out and calling the fans ridiculous. He is a clown. He is playing some OK hockey, but this is not something that should be said.

[OpIv37]

Ott, being Ott, proving he is not a guy who should wear an 'A' or a 'C' for a team:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/steve-ott-sabres-fans-booing-completely-ridiculous-basically-165306013--nhl.html

Basically calling the fans out and calling the fans ridiculous. He is a clown. He is playing some OK hockey, but this is not something that should be said.

Well I certainly don't agree with what Ott said but I find it rather annoying that you defend a pussy like Derek Roy because the guy has a handful of highlight reel goals from the few times he actually decided to try while you criticize the few guys on this team who actually play with heart and give 100% every shift.

[PTI]

Well I certainly don't agree with what Ott said but I find it rather annoying that you defend a pussy like Derek Roy because the guy has a handful of highlight reel goals from the few times he actually decided to try while you criticize the few guys on this team who actually play with heart and give 100% every shift.

I just thought Roy played well while he was here, others did not think he played well.

[OpIv37]

I just thought Roy played well while he was here, others did not think he played well.

Roy is a second liner at best. If we somehow could have kept Briere and Drury or found players who were equally talented and left Roy on the 2nd line, he would have been fine. But he's not a first liner or a guy you can build a team around. Same with Pominville. As long as the Sabres were trying to build around those two guys, they were doomed to fail.

[GOBILLSGO!!!]

Hey Steve, don't hate on us for simply knowing the difference between good and bad hockey...Sabres = bad hockey

[SkateZilla]

We're a AAA team now... bahhahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[SabreEleven]

" If you want to see a bad product on the ice, continue to boo." This a quote from the WGR article. So the players are blaming the fans for them being bad? That is hilarious. Note to Steve...you suck whether the fans boo or not.

[trapezeus]

something to be said for the "negativity breeds negativity". Our teams suck and we only harp on them more. this comment would have more merit if it was the start of a new season and a new beginnings. i think if we as fans really control their ability to suck, then we should boo so we can get those top picks instead of getting into the playoffs to be beaten in round 1.

then lets start fresh the following year.

i watched that devils game, and it was very pathetic on how the sabres couldnt get it out on a 5-5 and were playing essentially a penalty kill box. it went on forever....the players should be embarassed that they could not get it together sooner than that.

[mightysimi]

You guys are kidding yourselves if you think that fans don't have an impact on the game. Booing the team doesn't help in any way. Of course it is their right as paying customers but really do you want the team to win or not?

[G Wolly]

I agree with him.

Half of our home crowds are fair-weather at best and just want to see a great game after dropping hundreds on tickets and either sit there quietly, playing on their smart phones, chatting at the bar only speaking up when we mess up on the ice.

On the other hand, a crowd can energize a team. I understand his frustration over our frustration. Basically if they aren't producing, then reminding them constantly of that fact doesn't help at all. I'm not saying everyone needs to be uber-supportive and find a silver lining in every pile of ****, just that encouragement can do a lot for athletes.

[Mski]

i think there's another side to Ott's comments too right now.... He's quickly become one of the more popular players on the team, just look at how many times its been mentioned in this forum that he should be capitain. Part of what he mentioned is that he understands what the fans are Booing about, but that the young guys here havent been around for must of why the fans are distraught. So here he is, sticking up for the young guys, putting his neck and popularity on the line by essentially taking a shot at the fans. SHOWING SOME LEADERSHIP, something we havent seen out of this team since Dury left, so its a little offputting, but i think its overall a good thing for him to do

[trapezeus]

the booing is for some really bad stuff though. how many years don't we have a powerplay? why are we still giving up short handed goals routinely? That NJD keep in was like 2 minutes and the guys were gassed, but they were standing there not forcing the issue. i get the contact at the end of the shift works you down and it's exhausting, but they didn't exactly clear the net well so that miller could make a save and hold on.

but i see ott's grander point. i want to believe him, but since 2000, there have been 2 playoff runs worth excitement in buffalo sports. and we've been very optimistic. it's just grown so tiring to watch this. if they know what the issues are fix them. and know that alot of our booing has to do with the management that is being retained...not the players. i think most of feel just as bad for the players.

When drury and briere left, they had to everyone play up a line and they didn't replenish any of hte skill. they left those guys out to rot. I think we do want to bottom out and get back a team that can win.

[mightysimi]

see, that is what a crowd can do for you. How can Miller be on his game with the chants of "Silver, Miller!!" ringing out?

[SabreEleven]

You guys are kidding yourselves if you think that fans don't have an impact on the game. Booing the team doesn't help in any way. Of course it is their right as paying customers but really do you want the team to win or not?

This team was losing way before the fans started booing...Don't like a booing? Do something on the ice. They are booing because you are doing something bad on the ice.

[mightysimi]

This team was losing way before the fans started booing...Don't like a booing? Do something on the ice. They are booing because you are doing something bad on the ice.

I think the team would prefer that if you weren't happy, don't buy a ticket instead of coming in and booing like that. I mean there are some bad teams in the league. Worse than Buffalo, have you ever heard a huge chorus of boos ring out in Calgary? Colorado? It just doesn't help anything. If you are a fan of the team, why wouldn't you be trying to help?

[rbochan]

I'd like to see an alternative article entitled, "Sabres Fans say an 8-7-3 home record is "completely ridiculous"

At least the Bills have never blamed their fans.

[trapezeus]

i just don't think he's blaming fans entirely. he's blaming the mentality. and it is true a lot of hte guys aren't the ones who have created the mess. i think he needs to be told a lot of hte booing is the frustration that new ownership tried to sell us Reiger and Ruff when we had hopes that he'd can them and give us a shot.

but the things they are getting boo'd for is really bad stuff. you got to be able to break it out of your zone more than 1x every 3 minutes.

[PTI]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/yahoo-sports-minute/hockey-player-unsavory-act-083535444.html

Here is your assistant Captain that people want as Captain. Crazy people.

Watch Ott actually lick the Canadians player's visor. He is so not a guy you want as a leader, told you all from the start.

[PTI]

I am at the point where I really don't believe Ott is any kind of an asset to this team, or any team.

[Cali512]

I am at the point where I really don't believe Ott is any kind of an asset to this team, or any team.



Hes exactly what we want. Idc, hes psycho, hes totally fd up in the head. But it gets in opponents heads, and when hes on the ice everyone knows it. There is never a time that hes on the ice and is invisable. He makes his presence known on the ice and is a crazy mother ****er, which i love.

[PTI]

Hes exactly what we want. Idc, hes psycho, hes totally fd up in the head. But it gets in opponents heads, and when hes on the ice everyone knows it. There is never a time that hes on the ice and is invisable. He makes his presence known on the ice and is a crazy mother ****er, which i love.

So, a team leader and captain that takes on purpose retaliatory penalties, skates by the opponents bench and calls them all ****ers, calls out the Sabres fans for booing, and licks opponents.

He sounds like a sore sport whiner with a bad attitude to me. No one would want a kid like that. He is not a good representation of a team leader at all and not even close.

[jimmifli]

http://www.abstractcreations.org/Licky.gif

[rbochan]

Who hasn't wanted to lick Halpern? Be honest.

[Mski]

there's now a pettition on whitehouse.gov calling for his visa to be revoked and that he be deported back to canada because of his comments about "boo gate"