Non-hockey season is sooooooooo boring.

I wish I was able to come up with things to post about but I can't. Ilya Kovalchuk still has not signed with any team and at this point, I don't think anyone really cares anymore. In fact, if he signed with an NHL team, that team's fans might not even give a flying bleepity bleep. I use to respect the guy as a hockey player too because I think he has immense talent (or maybe that was just Atlanta making him look like a superstar)? Unfortunately this stupid waiting game has cost him my respect so whatever Ilya, go do what you want to do. Go to the KHL for all I care.

The Sabres summer has quickly gone from boring, to exciting, to boring again. I need news on anything. I will TAKE news on anything. The last thing they did was sign a forward for Portland, Tim Conboy, and I read he destroyed little Nate during a game here at HSBC? DISLIKE. Welcome to Buffalo/Portland Tim, etc. etc. Just don't kill any of your teammates now. I'm sure Nate is just THRILLED about this.

About a month left until some of the boys will show up at the Amherst Center to warm up for training camp, thank God. I need some hockey in my life. I hope that I'll be able to go out there for a few of them if work doesn't happen to tie me up. If not, then I'll just go the days that I can.

ALSO, the most important news of the day that's actually old news: Ryan Kesler has a Twitter. Have fun kids.

Mark Mancari, you're up.

According to this Sabres Edge article, Mark Mancari has been called up to play with the Sabres since Drew's injured and is playing with Thomas and Derek for tonight's game. Looks like Lindy has a lot of confidence in him tonight to put him on that line and I know with those two guys, he can maybe get something going. I wasn't impressed with him when he was up here earlier in the year (also against the Rangers) but maybe tonight will be different for him.

The Pirates are also playing here today in Buffalo, so best of luck to them so they can defeat Rochester! Go Pirates! Let's go, Buffalo!

Guess whose back? Back again? Patty's back!

Patick Lalime's groin has been feeling a lot better, and now he is resuming his position as Ryan's backup, woohoo! Since the Pirates are up here today playing in a game (right now, actually), Jhonas didn't have to go very far. Probably only in the locker room next door. I have no idea if the Pirates locker room is the Sabres locker room when they're up here. I have to find that out. Anyways, this whole this is great news simply because Tamara and I have a feeling Patty is going to play against Ottawa when we go. It'll be the first meeting between the two teams, so who knows what Sabres team is going to show up against them. Hopefully it'll be a big ol' W on the board.

I had no idea of this until last night, but Mike Grier hurting his groin too? Tamara put it well saying good thing we didn't get rid of Adam...Mike was supposed to 'take his place' too. I like Mike and all, but Adam has a place on this team too still. I don't think Tim Kennedy fits his role, that's for sure. At least not yet. Maybe in a few years. I'm glad that Adam is still here. I have a weird infatuation with him and I don't know why. Maybe it's the blonde hair...yeah.

How quickly did YOU get your driver's license?

"That was great, like having another son in the house. One of the funniest stories ever was how he got his driver’s license. In NY state it usually takes at least a month. Somehow Thomas figured out a way to set the world record for the fastest license. From the time he set down to get the application and the time he actually got the license was like 48 hours. He had to take a 6 hour course, he had to do all these things and he did it just like that. I went with him to the driving test and he passed immediately. I think the examiner was a hockey fan. That was really funny. Nobody will ever get the license faster. Because you had to guess a code on the computer or had to wait at least to wait 2 weeks to get that code. But Thomas simply guessed the code by playing around on the keyboard."

-Steve Bartlett, Thomas Vanek's agent.
What a smarty pants.

Oh, and look at what Joe DiPenta did in Portland:

Craziness.

Sabres sign goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux

Sabres sign native of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

I'm guessing this is to replace Adam Dennis who didn't get a contract offer down in Portland. Someone has to backup Jhonas Enroth and I don't think any of the other goaltenders are ready to make the jump to the AHL yet.

The Pirates would've known how to cheer me up.

It sucks that I'm not going like I thought I was for the past three months.

Back in November, my oldest brother was discussing with my other brother about getting tickets to see the Pirates for the game tomorrow, and I piped up to ask if he'd be able to get me a ticket too. He said I could come as long as I got a ride back home, which I said I would. These months past, and it was never mentioned again. There still hasn't been mention of the game from anyone in my family, so they probably decided not to do it, which blows. I really wish I knew how to drive...I would've taken Sam and we could've watched those Pirates fly around the arena. It would've been nice.

Oh, this problem, plus the fact that I have my final exam in Driver's Ed tomorrow (it's a written exam), so I wouldn't have made it to the arena until like...7 something. Extreme lameness. So yes, this is partially my fault for not keeping tabs on what was going on with this. I'll be bummed if I see my siblings and they talk about it next week if I have a birthday party. I know I'll end up going 'I DID want to go watch them...' because I'm selfish like that. *sigh*

The thought of Thomas having to go on a liquid diet because his jaw is wired shut makes me cringe and nauseated. I can't even imagine the pain he's going through right now.

And hearing Derek is moving up to Thomas' spot next to Timmy and Drew? Good. There is no one else I would rather have take his spot on that line than Derek Roy. I don't care if Derek is a center - it's just so right for him to take his place.

Things I Hate - 10/27

I'll probably do this thing after every Sabres loss because I can't think of anything good to say. These aren't placed in specific order of how much I hate the thing, I just wrote these down randomly after the game was over and done with and I listened to Roby and Kevin drone on about how the Sabres were probably destroyed by jetlag.
ANYWAYS;
Things I Hate:
- Dany Heatley (Always have, probably always will.)
- Finny getting the only penalty in the scrum at the end of the first period. (Seriously, refs? I understand not giving Jason Smith one since he hardly did a thing, but I believe Jarkko Ruutu had a freaking chokehold on Finny.)
- Guys consistently passing to Vanek. (Please don't tell me I'm the only one who notices this. If you know me, I love Thomas Vanek. LOVE HIM. It is obvious. I do not love how guys keep passing him the puck when they have nowhere else to turn to score. If he's not open, DON'T TRY PASSING THE PUCK TO HIM. I DON'T THINK HE'LL BE MAD AT CHA.)
- Missing open nets. (Pommers, I hope you weren't serious when you said if you were in a skills competition you would do the shooting accuracy. That open net was there for you in the second, buddy. And don't get me started on that incident last season against Montreal, ooo.)
- The power play. (2/10. 'Nuff said.)
- Losing to the Sens. (I HATE THE FUCKING OTTAWA SENATORS.)
- Losing to crappy teams. (By the way, they're record before this was like, 2-5. They are second last in the conference, I think. WHAT?)
- Not shooting the puck. (And you wonder why we can't score on the power play. Oh, that's right.)
- MSG-HD (I had to wait halfway through the first period until I could get MSG in HD. Here, they were showing the Rangers/Islanders game on the HD channel. That station is so messed up.)
- Gary Bettman always looking at the camera. (If you're trying to steal my soul, it's working.)

Here's to a better Thursday. Also, I am watching the re-televised game of the Pirates/Baby Pens tomorrow when I get home from my driver's ed lecture class, and since I know they win, I CAN'T WAIT, WOOT. AND THEY'RE WEARING PINK!