| 25 November 2011
I'm thankful for all the replies I got to the last post, and I'm thankful that everyone received it in the way I meant it. After I posted it, I was a little concerned that it came across as anti-Twitter, and that certainly wasn't my intention. I love Twitter. I just got in too far and let it (and other things) kind of overtake my own opinions and feelings. I said this in the comments in case you didn't read them, but I'm sure I'll be back. I think cutting back this month will give me an idea of what I really enjoy and what I'm doing because everyone else is doing it and who I really enjoy and who I'm listening to because they're there.
Anyway, I meant to put this up yesterday, and I completely forgot. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are three Sabres who I'm really thankful for right now.
1. Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller's taken a ton of crap this season. I think the criticism of his play is more than fair. It probably should have started more intensely last season. I think the criticism of his off-ice demeanor is less fair. Or maybe it's fair and it just doesn't bother me that much. I'd like for him to occasionally take more direct blame - I feel like he used to be better at that - but the thing I really love about Ryan is that he's an open book, baby. If he's tired, it shows. If he's cranky, it shows. If he's proud, it shows. If he's happy, it shows. If he's upset, it shows. He gets annoyed with the media. I would too. Yes, I realize it's part of his job to stand there and answer questions. It doesn't mean it's fun and it doesn't mean it never gets tedious. He probably gets annoyed with fans. I would too. Yes, dealing with us and how we feel is part of his job. It doesn't mean it's not occasionally difficult to get booed when you're trying your best or when you're as frustrated as fans are.
How many times do we complain that athletes are always giving us pat answer? (Easy to do when they're getting asked the same questions over and over and over.) All the time. But when a guy gives an honest answer, we hate that too. Ryan does not give pat answers. That means that sometimes his answers are difficult or annoying and occasionally even uncomfortatable. But it also means that sometimes they're awesome, and funny, and thoughtful. I love the fact that Ryan hasn't hidden who he is behind a wall of three word answers. He's still a real person. That's pretty unusual for a pro athlete of his stature.
2. Jason Pominville
For most of his time in Buffalo, I've been pretty neutral on ol' Jason Pominville. I didn't particularly love him, I didn't particularly hate him. I thought the people in both of those camps were a little off their rocker. I think part of that is the way he plays: hard-working, unspectacular, dependable. (Although usually I love those guys - see below - so I have no idea why Pommers stayed under my radar.) I think part of it his personality: cute, sweet, but hidden behind those pat answers I talked about just a couple of paragraphs ago. Nice guy, didn't seem particularly deep or interesting.
By the end of last season, I'd completely flipped on him. I have no idea when Jason Pominville became the heart of this team, but it's pretty clear that he did. I was there the night he got slammed into the boards toward the beginning of last season. The mood in the arena completely changed, and the fans were not the only ones affected. The team looked devastated, shaken up and out of it. They never shook that the rest of the night. The same thing happened when Pommers got hurt in the playoffs. I think the injury in the playoffs also highlighted how important his steady play is. Losing him and Tim Connolly killed the penalty kill and that's still an undermentioned difference in that series, I think. Like that, the Flyers went from struggling to score on the power play to scoring on the power play pretty easily. And again, the team's focus and stability seemed tied to Pommers. When things are right with him, things are right with the team. When things are off with him, things are off with everyone. I'm not the least bit surprised he's the one wearing the C. He's like, a real grown-up now.
3. Jochen Hecht
When you're a kid, there are players who just make you happy. I don't know what changes when we're adults - we see too much, we become too focused on outcome, we're just not as innocent. I don't know, it just seems to happen less. But for reasons I can't entirely explain, Jochen Hecht just makes me happy. I like the way he plays. There is nothing spectacular about it. He's very good at certain aspects of the game - especially on the defensive side - but other parts of his game are very workman-like. But more importantly, I like him. I just do. Something about him tickles me. He's all bashful and mumbly. He does all his interviews while mostly looking at the ground. Those few times he scored in the shootout, he skated off the ice as quickly as he could, like he was afraid they'd change their mind and take the goals away. When he's really, really excited, maaaybe a half smile creeps across his face. He gets to me.
Every team needs a Jochen Hecht. I've jokingly told Kate a few times in the last few months, "Just wait until Jochen gets back!" but I kind of meant it a little bit too. When he's hurt or not playing well, I think it really hurts the team and I think his absence is always underrated. I'll tell you that Jay McKee was my first real favorite Sabre but he was on his way out as I was really falling in love with hockey. When I think back on my first handful of years as a real fan, I'll think of the three players that I unabashedly loved no matter how they played or how they struggled: Henrik Tallinder, Toni Lydman, and Jochen Hecht. Jochen's the last man standing, and I don't know how much longer he'll be around. I'm going to enjoy him while I can. I'm really thankful he's back and looking good. I got your back, Yo-Yo.
