Picking Up Good Vibrations

Well, I think I can speak for most Sabres fans when I say that I was getting a little worried. And it's not to say that all of the Sabres' woes are going to suddenly vanish because of last night's win, but I think a prevailing victory heading into the Olympic break is just what the team needed. Confidence is so essential, and it's just a vicious cycle when a team is losing. The lower they get, the more scared they are going to play which leads to more mistakes which leads to some more tallies in the "L" column.

The break couldn't have come at a better time, and I hope that our players get some much needed rest and they can start off strong in March.

Clearly the win over the Sharks is good for the Sabres, it helps boost their confidence and maybe it reminded them of the good old days when they used to play hockey and when they would actually win games. That would be super. But I also have to say that I'm glad that the Sabres won because I was worrying about our little Olympian...



I think if you're familiar with my blog, you know that I love me some sassy Miller interviews. I've noticed that this season Miller is a lot more composed and even keeled when being interviewed, even after a loss. But after the overtime loss in Carolina, Ryan was, how shall we put it? A little less than impressed with his team. He said he has been pissed off for months and you could clearly see it in his face that he was livid. He's also been part of the problem with the team's losing streak, and I was afraid that our little US Olympian was going to head into Vancouver with a bad attitude and some negative vibes. I know how much the Olympics mean to Ryan and I have to say that I was a tad concerned that our beloved goalie was going to have his Olympic experience a little clouted if he had to go into the Games after a loss against San Jose. So I'm glad that the Sabres looked like their old selves against San Jose and Ryan can head into the Olympics on a higher note. Plus, it will be good for Team USA because he'll have more confidence after of his performance against San Jose and because of the win of course.

Speaking of the Olympics, how cute was the little cermony before puck drop where the little kiddies skated over to our Olympians and gave them jerseys from their respective countries...it was so precious! I loved how the Sabres fans paid homage to Miller by chanting, "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!" during the last minute of the game. It was so classy and I only wish I was in attendance so I could have joined in.

The Olympic break is officially upon us and as I'm sure you all know, I'm very stoked for them and I can't wait to watch Team USA compete. It's definitely going to be interesting and they have their work cut out for them, but that's the fun of it all. They will be competing against the best in the world and it will be fun to watch regardless of what happens. I know a lot of Sabres fans are worried about Miller in the Olympics because we don't want him getting too run down, and believe me, I'm part of the category. But I am just going to enjoy the Olympics and hope for the best because I think it's great that he's there representing our country. I'm a Sabres fan first and foremost, but the Olympics are something special and they only come once every four years, and it's fun for me to see my favorite athlete compete in them.

So if you haven't had enough of the hype that has been surrounded around Miller and Team USA, here are few things to read, watch, and listen while you're waiting for the Olympic action on Tuesday. Bucky Gleason recently wrote a story about Miller, his hockey roots, and his road to becoming an NHLer and an Olympian which was a good read. Amy from Shots Off The Crossbar posted a link to a video that featured Miller's family, including his mom and his cousins which is especially adorable when they talk to Ryan's little cousins and how cool they think it is to be related to him. And finallyyyy, the other day Miller was on the Jim Rome show, and you can listen (for free, yes really!) to the interview here. It's from a few days ago and Ryan just talks about going to the Olympics and they talk about his mask, but it was pretty cool that he was a guest on the show and I thought he did a good job with it.

Well I hope all of my lovely readers had a nice Valentine's Day, and if you don't have a Valentine, don't forget to tell yourself that you're wonderful and give yourself a big hug. And I think it's safe to say that all of us in Sabreland could use a nice little break from the Sabres, and now is a nice time to sit back and enjoy the Olympics!