If there was any justice in the world, the Buffalo Sabres would be find them constantly lauded for being the sort of hard-working team-oriented low profile teams we say we want. The Pistons and Patriots have nothing on these Sabres aside from championships.

Of course if there was any justice in the world Tom Waits would sell more albums than Brittany Spears. But I digress ...

They should also find themselves being trumpeted for their foresight in building a young team full of skillful players.

Darcy Reiger, the GM, has long been a punching bag for the fans here for failing to make the big trade. But regardless of what happens this post season, the Sabres are young, skilled, under contract and under the salary cap and that is thanks to Reiger. Billy Beane eat your heart out.

Lindy Ruff has done a phenomenal coaching job this year after spending all of last year down in the minors with many of the rookies: Gaustad, Vanek, Pominville, Miller. Vanek is still a year or two away from being great, but he's clearly on his way.

The best part about this team is that every line is equally dangerous. You never get the feeling that they're just biding time until their scorers get back on the ice. And unlike the old NHL, defensive excellence still shines without it slowing down the game. Jay McKee has blocked almost 240 shots this year -- a NHL record.

It's been a great season and now as long as they don't win it all, we'll get new jerseys next year without the fighting goat on it.

ps- thanks for writing about hockey

The things that I find most exciting about a close hockey game is that the way the waning minutes are so tense. Unlike a basketball game where clock stoppages, fouls and foulshots make the last 2 minutes last for 15 (and often feel longer), in hockey the last 2 minutes usually take somewhere between 2 and 3 minutes.

Of course, every close hockey game isn't as exciting as the SJ-Edmonton game, but compared to any other sport, the end of periods and games, and especially OTs, are far more exciting.

Keep writing about hockey, especially when the Sabres sweep the Sens tonight.

I don't know if Buffalo's inferiority complex is self-imposed or if the rest of the country really thinks as little of us as we think they do. But I will say that this Buffalo team (like the Carolina and Edmonton teams) is incredibly fun to watch: hard nosed, fast paced, end-to-end rush hockey with plenty of hitting without the clutching (and grabbing-- whatever the difference is) of past years.

The country should take notice. But then again, the country should lose weight, read more newspapers and limit their credit card debt too.

In the meantime, my two and a half year old is walking around with his little stick shouting "He shoots and scores!" whereas my five year old prefers longtime Buffalo announcer Rick Jeanneret's signature "Top Shelf! Where Mama hides the cookies!". And speaking of cookies, Wegman's -- the greatest supermarket chain ever -- was having a huge sale of specially decorated red and black cookies, cakes and cupcakes for you Sabres parties, because nothing goes with a Labatt's like a cupcake.

I think the appropriate frame of reference here is not Jim McMahon's "Rozelle" sweatband in 1986 to protest the then commissioner's refusal to allow him to wear a branded sweatband for money, but John Carlo and Tommie Smith's silent protest of racism during the Olympic medal ceremony in Mexico City in 1968.

The point is not to be ambiguous. The point is to make a political statement and spark debate. It would seem that the female laxers have done just that. Mr Sweeney and the Salon editors get to flaunt their shrill, knee-jerk, pc credentials and the many thoughtful (and handful of unthoughtful) Salon readers get to engage in a dialogue about the issues: race, class, justice, media coverage thereof.

Slogans, mottos, bumperstickers, etc are not a replacement for dialogue, but ideally at least, a catalyst for them.

... or even at all.

I know this is only tangentially related to the topc at hand here, but Joe Theismann is unfortunately miked for football games and will soon destroy MNF.

Did any see Theismann's comments on Ricky Willaims? Namely, that as a former Argonaut himself, Theismann doesn't want to be mentioned in the same sentence as Ricky Williams -- who is a disgrace."

What the f#¢k?!

Joe "God wants Joe Theismann to be happy" [that's why I had an affair] Theismann is throwing stones. Joe twice-divorced Theismann who abandonned his wife and mother of his children for Cathy Lee freaking Crosby only to dump her when she became chronicly ill? Good Lord, he makes Newt Gingrich look like Hume Cronyn.

We've gone on about this before and how King finds him not only tolerable, but interesting, is beyond me.

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!