Usually I interview people but sometimes they interview me.
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This Week's TheNeilShow: Neil Bristow sits down With Brad Riter from "The Brad Riter Show" to talk about the Buffalo Sabres.
Neil Bristow - The Sabres last year looked very soft on the blue line not to mention in the forward position too.Do you think the Sabres addressed those issues in the off season?
Brad Riter - I don't buy into the notion that the team was too "soft." Defensively, they're not physically overwhelming but that's not what they're trying to be. Up front, Vanek is one of the strongest forwards in the league but he uses his strength for good rather than evil. Watch the guy take a Rick Vaive-style beating in front of the net and it's impossible to not be impressed by his ability to STILL get his stick on those shots coming through from the point. Gaustad, Mair, Paille, and Stafford are gritty and Kotalik's physical play is vastly underrated. So, to answer your question... no they didn't address it but that's fine with me.
Neil Bristow - With the first two preseason games behind Buffalo now and the Sabres lost in both games to Toronto and Montreal and i know it's early but anyone stick out to you in those games good or bad?
Brad Riter - I saw about 3 minutes total from those 2 games (and the highlights.) Gerbe's shot was impressive.
Neil Bristow - Watching the Montreal Buffalo game i noticed a player even smaller then Derek Roy and he didn't look out of place that much.Nathan Gerbe is with the team now after winning big in college last year.Do you think 5'5 Gerbe will have a impact with the big club this year?
If so,where will he fit in?
Brad Riter - I assume he'll play in Portland. The Sabres like to bring the kids up through the system before throwing them to the wolves in the NHL. There's something to be said for the humility and work ethic that you pick up by not being handed a roster spot with the big club right away. That said, I've got a feeling we'll see him in Buffalo when the injury bug hits and once he's here, he could play his way into a spot where they can't send him back. I don't expect that, but it's his best shot of making a contribution to the Sabres this year.
Neil Bristow - I personally was surprised that the Sabres gave Pomminville a 5 year deal.In the past the Sabres like to low ball and offer 1-2 year deals.The same went with Ryan Miller this summer.They also gave him a 5 year deal.Do you see this as a good thing for Sabres fans and the city in Buffalo as they look to be locking up guys now instead of letting them go (Drury,Briere,Grier)
Brad Riter - Grier? You really just brought Mike Grier into the conversation? I was going to point out how played out the Drury/Briere conversation is but you took it to a whole new level. You're telling me that in September of 2008, when you think about the Sabres, Mike Grier's name actually pops into your mind? Wow.
There's a pretty obvious trend that people seem to be missing and here it is in a nutshell. The most important number that the team is looking at when making on a decision on what to do with a player long-term is... age. If you're Drury or Briere or Campbell and you're going to be 35 or 36 when the contract is going to expire, you get "no thanks." If you're Vanek (or Gaustad or Pominville or Miller or Roy, etc.) you get "sign right here please." Obviously, other factors play into this but the bottom line is that the front office is looking at value over the life of the contract not just "how will this impact us this coming season?"
Neil Bristow - The Sabres owner Tom Golisano has two new partners in his business.Larry Quinn and Dan DiPofi now have stakes in the Buffalo Sabres club.Should fans be worried that Larry Quinn has this title from what has happened in the past?
Brad Riter - I don't have any inside info on this whole thing, however, I wouldn't be shocked if this has been the case for awhile but we're just catching wind of it now. Upper level management decisions have been made by committee since Golisano took over and I don't expect things to change in any tangible way with this revelation.
Neil Bristow - What are your thoughts on the Sabres "new" third jersey? Looks to me as if they finally got it right after the "slug logo".
Brad Riter - It's another expensive blue shirt that I won't buy. It's fine. Whatever. Have you noticed how, although the old logo is back, you aren't hearing much about it? Even though "everybody just wanted the old logo back" it hasn't created nearly the stir that the new one did. Do you think that MAYBE they had the right idea last time? MAYBE putting out something that looked completely different but also brought back the old colors (basically) might help the team to sell tons and tons of new product?
Neil Bristow - I was reading the predictions in the Hockey News Yearbook recently and was shocked that they picked the Buffalo Sabres to finish 11th in the conference.From the Sabres coming within mere points last year in making the playoffs and having improved slightly in my mind from last year.Do you see them coming close to getting their prediction right?
Brad Riter - I think that if the 2007-8 season re-started today, the Sabres would make the playoffs. The took a few snoozes, ran their goaltender into the ground, caught a few bad breaks, and still nearly made it. They'll get back into the playoffs in 2008-9. Where did The Hockey News pick Buffalo to finish coming off of the lockout?
Neil Bristow - Do you think Buffalo enforcer Andrew Peters deserves a spot on this team?
Brad Riter - From a hockey standpoint, obviously not. But he's a good guy that helps to keep the room loose and you need that sort of thing. Did the Sabres need to pay Marty Biron what they were paying him once Miller became the obvious #1 goalie? No, but he was a part of that team. People don't seem to get that role players matter, and not just on the ice. He's well liked, he's a goofball and a good guy. If they can find room for him on the roster and choose to keep him, I completely understand.
Neil Bristow - The Henrik Tallinder - Toni Lydman pairing on the blue line looks to be coming to a end.Who can you see Lydman pairing up with and who do you see Tallinder playing with?
Brad Riter - Does it really look that way? I'm not arguing, just wondering what makes you say that. If they don't play together regularly, I don't expect there to be a set pairing that sticks together for any significant length of time. I mean, aside from the two of them, name another pairing that has consistently played together under Lindy Ruff (after Zhitnik/Smehlik.)
Neil Bristow - In your mind,who will be the most surprising Sabre newcomer this year? And why?
Brad Riter - If I predict that someone will be surprising and then he is surprising, doesn't that mean I wasn't surprised? I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it seems like you're trying to trick me.
Neil Bristow - With the Sabres with holding money from Teppo Numminen in the past because of his heart condition it seemed kind of unfair the way the Sabres treated him last year.Are you surprised he is back with Buffalo this year? And will the aging defense man help this club this year?
Brad Riter - It seemed unfair to you that the Sabres didn't give Teppo $2.7 million (or whatever it was) to NOT play hockey? He obviously was OK with how things went down and while I wouldn't have placed a bet that he'd be back, I'm certainly not surprised. Reminds me of the James Patrick situation where it seemed as though he was signing for a year to finish off his career and then he just kept coming back b/c of what he meant to the club on the blueline. Again, not to belittle the question, but did you just ask me if the guy who has played more games than any other European-trained player EVER will be helpful to a team that will likely dress a rookie (or 2) on D most nights? (Yes, he's helpful.)
Neil Bristow - Thomas Vanek was awarded a huge contract last season from the help of now former General Manager Kevin Lowe of the Edmonton Oilers.Vanek seemed to underachieve last season.Do you think he turns it around this year with much of the spotlight now off him a bit?
Brad Riter - There were times when it seemed to me that he was carrying that contract around like a cross (the big heavy kind, not the ones people wear around their necks.) I expect huge things from him over the life of the contract and I hope that they get a lot out of him in year 2. They didn't sign him to that deal think "he's going to score more goals next year and then more in the following year and then more after that... this is great!" They signed him b/c they think his production over the life of the contract will justify his cost.
Neil Bristow - I listen to your radio show in Buffalo all the time.You are a personal favorite of mine getting Buffalo news.Can you tell our readers what your up to now and how they can listen to your show.
Brad Riter - Can do. I'm hosting a show Monday through Friday 6-9pm Eastern on AM 1230 in Buffalo (Erie County) and AM 1340 in Lockport (Niagara County.) I've got a lot of stuff from the show at my site, www.buffalomainevent.com Click on "fall lineup" on the right hand side of the page to see the regular schedule of guests. They're mainly football-related right now but once hockey season gets going, I'll be adding to the lineup. I'm also hosting the UB Bulls pre and post game shows. The show has been on the air since mid-March and is growing by leaps and bounds, but I need as much support as I can get. By support, I just mean that I need people to spread the word if they like what they hear. I appreciate everyone who listens... and I'd like more people to know that the show and the site are out there.
Go Sabres! (and Bills... and Bulls,,, and Red Sox... and Buckeyes... and Suns.)
HockeyPrimeTime.com would like to thank Brad Riter for taking the time to spend some time with us.I encourage anyone reading this to check out Brad's Show.
http://buffalomainevent.com
For comments please feel free to email me at neil.bristow@hockeyprimetime.com.You can also join my Facebook group at http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=17736893000
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