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It's my show.
Hey, put a little bit.
I never get this line out the first time.
It's not even good.
Hey, put a little bit more in there, cowboy.
And the bulldog.
What's your degree in?
Kick it ass and take a name!
Not WGR.
Sports radio 550.
Bulldog and I each showing our,
well, I'll say this for myself at least.
Scaredy cat, self.
We want overtime the night.
I'm sure the Sabers are favorite.
Favorite.
I'll favor it.
I combine those two words and made a meal out of it.
Out of it.
Maybe it's a little bit too conservative
to say you want overtime.
I don't care so much about the Red Wings piece.
Whoever that is, I don't think Detroit is bad.
Like, whoever that team is if the Sabers do finish first,
that they get from the wild card,
I mean, it's going to look close, I think.
Boston, Ottawa, Columbus,
Islanders, Red Wings, right?
Probably one of those five.
Maybe Montreal, but I doubt it.
Right, Montreal, I think the,
the likely scenario you run into Montreal
is if Tampa beats you out and you end up in second.
Oh, yeah.
That's happening.
That's in the window.
Like, you know, that might be like this.
I don't even know.
The most likely outcome,
certainly if they fall out of first place, it is.
I think that, but I don't know how likely it is
that they will lose out to Tampa.
For me, that's funny because the whole idea
is all about Detroit.
Otherwise, I don't think I would sign up for overtime
if not for the Detroit.
Like, wanting them to sort of, you know,
get in and so let them get a point off me.
And hopefully I'll get the second one in a, you know,
an overtime or a shootout.
Otherwise, I don't think I would say, yeah,
give me, give me overtime.
I would just, let's play the feud.
I'm going to, I'm going to beat you and knock you out.
Not entirely.
I mean, they're not out if they lose tonight.
But it is a big game.
It's like a 20% swing in their playoff odds.
And even with a win, Detroit is not even above 50% to make it.
That's how, in tough they are right now.
A couple of losses and look what happens.
Right.
That's really what it is.
Yeah.
They've lost a couple of games.
Yeah.
Yeah, it doesn't take much, which, you know,
the Sabers, to me, the reason I'm so comfortable
with where they are and not really focused on the magic number
or when are they going to clinch is that, to me,
we just take a calamitous epic, you know,
and I know, like Buffalo sports fans are waiting to tell you,
like I'm not counting any chickens.
I just think they've been too good for that.
Like they could really, really fade here and still make it.
So I just don't, I don't see them falling out.
So I'm not, I'm not like nervous about their situation at all.
So I don't know, without the Detroit getting a point,
mattering to me, I wouldn't say, give me over time.
803-0550, sale this morning, we'll have sale out at 530,
was talking about, all right, so what's good enough for this year?
And I thought about it.
I know Sal was saying people were telling him,
why is it anything but win the Stanley Cup?
But obviously his point isn't, you know,
what you want to have happen.
The standard cannot be that high,
can't really be that high for any team.
Pretty much.
No, we're going to have to refamiliarize ourselves,
I think, as individual fans and collectively as a fan base
to the realization that, like you already alluded to it,
whoever they play, it's going to be close.
And there's going to be probably some luck involved.
I mean, it's a hockey series.
And we are out of, we are definitely,
I think I am, we all are, I think, out of shape
in thinking about that and how it should be.
It's just, the games are all going to be close
and the probably a couple of overtime games
in every series you play.
And, you know, okay, I hope we find our way, right?
I'm going to need a power play goal here and there, right?
I mean, close game late.
Oh, wow, power play with six minutes to go in a tie game.
You've got to get that goal.
You want to win playoff games and win playoff series.
And that's how close I, it'll be really tight
as awesome as the sabers have looked.
I think they have as good a chance as everyone,
but everyone else has as good a chance as them.
Like it's the playoffs.
So I wanted to find out from fans what is maybe the worst case scenario
but you're still happy.
And I really couldn't think of an answer.
I mean, if they fall apart in the next 10 games
and somehow miss very unlikely given,
like just statistically, then, well,
we'll have to see how that happened and we have that.
But I'm not considering that as a possibility.
I think they're in.
And if they lose in round one, what am I going to do with it?
Rip him.
I mean, I don't, I don't feel like I'm probably going to be inclined to do that.
So it's like the beginning of the bill's run.
You know, you hope that this is the beginning of a run and not just a fluke.
But when that happened, when they made the playoffs,
especially the second time I would say with Alan and lost to Houston.
I mean, there was some, it was a close game and overtime game and it was winnable.
But I didn't feel like it was exactly right to be like, you know, killing them.
You should have been better than that.
Yeah.
And I'm expecting to feel that way about the Sabers.
And I'm going to want to feel that way.
Because I just, the kind of season this has been,
I'm not feeling like this is going to end with sort of like a, oh my god,
I can't believe they did that, you know, kind of a result.
Yeah.
Because it will be close and I want to appreciate what it all is.
So I couldn't, I mean, I was in on the conversation with him.
Yeah.
Morning, but listening to it, I didn't really think that there was a right answer to it.
Yeah.
Because I'm already not satisfied.
But I'm already, I'm already to a point where I think
some scenario where you'd be inclined to be really critical just isn't possible.
Yeah.
I, you know, I like that you mentioned Alan in that 19 season.
Um, because what, what I think while the Sabers being back
at the level they're at at like contender status where someone in the locker room a month ago says
we're here to win the Stanley Cup like Alex Tuck did.
And it doesn't get laughed out of the hockey universe.
Necessarily, I, I didn't see evidence of that.
And I certainly didn't find it like ridiculous that he said that.
I thought we loved it.
All right, you know, like wait, wait a step out and say it.
Um, they are not so they're new to being contenders.
But it's not that there are a bunch of new guys.
You know, there's some there's, you know, new, you know, the trade deadline guys and new guys
this year.
But like even this is Zucker's second year here.
Like he's, he's newer.
But the guts of the team, Thompson, Dalyne, Tuck, power,
Samuelson, like we've been through it with these guys already.
Like Alan was still new enough in 19 like that.
You know, it's a second year.
He's new on the stage and you can kind of a little bit like Drake May this past year.
Like they got farther than the bills.
God, I mean, they won two playoff games and you know, got handled in the Super Bowl.
You know, like, okay.
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Price is very based on how you buy.
Testing season is right around the corner.
And this is when confidence really matters.
When kids take time to review key concepts and strengthen their skills before assessments,
it can make all the difference.
IXL helps reinforce what they're learning right now.
So they walk into every test feeling prepared, capable and confident.
IXL is an award-winning online learning platform that helps kids
truly understand what they're learning.
Whether they're building math confidence,
strengthening reading and writing skills,
or reviewing science concepts.
Designed for students from pre-K through 12th grade,
IXL delivers personalized interactive practice
that adapts to your child's level and pace.
It's an easy, effective way to support learning
as the school year heads into its final stretch.
Studies show kids who use IXL score higher on tests,
proven in all 50 states.
IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the US.
Make an impact on your child's learning.
Get IXL now.
And listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership
when they sign up today at IXLLearning.com slash audio.
Visit IXLLearning.com slash audio
to get the most effective learning program out there
at the best price.
Get more out of every mile when you share the ride to work.
With carpooling, you'll have time to relax,
save money, and pick up new friends.
Commuter connections can help you find carpool partners
who live and work near you.
Even if you're commuting just a few days a week,
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Carpooling, every dollar saved,
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That's commuterconnections.org.
Come on back next year and we're going to keep going.
And not that the sabers are so old
that these guys are going away anytime soon,
but they're also not new.
They're just new to being good.
And that has me feeling a little less like you.
I mean, I'm not trying to set my stage
so I can can rip them liberally
if it goes off the rails here.
But I think they're good enough.
And I believe in it enough that I need a round, I think.
I think I need anything less than at least one round.
Like if they beat whoever they play in the first round
and then lose to Tampa,
you're like, at tip, good job.
Good year, that's a great team, a perennial contender,
lots of stars, lots of guys that are familiar with the whole scene.
It'll sting, but I don't think I'll be,
how did you lose to that team?
And again, it's hockey.
So to be like that about any opponent is maybe foolish,
I feel like they've been good enough
that it would really, for me, it would be a big letdown
if they didn't at least win around.
So that would be my answer, like go into seven games here.
I'd have to admit that's a little bit stronger than where I am.
Yeah. I mean, a letdown, I will definitely feel disappointed
if they don't.
But what will it say about their season?
Maybe it depends on how it happens.
I mean, you want what we're talking about is like criticism.
Well, what form would it take?
I mean, how would they play?
There are certain things I can think of
where this would come to light.
If Thompson goes cold, it'll be that the playoffs came around
and where'd he go?
He can't go cold in the playoffs for his own sake.
I would say goal tending is always this.
And some of that is going to be coaching affected.
Right.
Yeah, it's a little bit of what we got going on
the last 24 hours with Metsa going down
and Timins being up.
And we'll see Lindy Ruff will hear from him
about an hour from now or a little more than an hour from now
once pregame gets rolling.
We'll talk to Paul in just about an hour from now.
You know, did talk about it today that it, you know,
it's not to be a long term thing.
You explained it, you know, we're not practicing.
We got other guys and let him go play in Rochester.
I just hope I hope he comes back.
Or I hope they're right that Timins is some kind of an upgrade
that really gives them something that they feel they're lacking.
Because I don't know.
I mean, I'm worried in this way and that decision
and let's say Metsa doesn't come back
and they go into this first roster is and they lose.
And like we all out here are looking at the numbers
and going, yeah, Timins and Stanley were a problem for you
and you chose that.
You chose to do that instead of this other thing
because Metsa's little, basically, I think that's it.
Basically, like he's small and maybe they don't trust it.
If they end up there and I don't, the jury's out
on whether they're really going to end up there.
Look at heat for that.
Right, they will.
If it goes a certain way, but you know, if they,
their penalty kill is 93% or something
in a first round series win and Timins is a part of that
then like, okay, well, I guess you guys were right.
You needed more size and shot blocking
whatever you need or thought you needed, you were right.
I think Stanley is even more interesting
than Timins for this because that is a,
and this is a little bit like you're stereotyping some,
but that is really an expression of what Kekalainen
or the whole group thought the Sabers needed to upgrade.
Where they needed to upgrade, maybe more than anything else.
Carrick is a version of this too with fourth line
and face-offs and you know, so far so good.
But that was, all right, what have I got?
What do I need?
And you could, because you always need or what?
Depth, you can go trade draft picks for two or three guys
and feel better about what happens if other guys go down.
But Stanley is a specific type that they targeted
because they wanted to be bigger on defense.
And Metza is a sort of, he takes the, you know,
the brunt of that, you know, by getting sent down.
And so that's a specific bet that is definitely one
where there's going to be a referendum on this.
We're going to see if it, right?
We're comfortable.
We have enough.
This is, this is really maybe Metza's problem.
He's, well, he's little.
They've been sheltering him and we all know that.
But still, the metrics are bananas good on him all year long.
But he's little Stanley's big.
It's the playoffs.
We want a certain kind of guy and we feel like
we don't have enough of that.
We got, we got all these puck movers.
The top four are all great.
Even Samus on this become a very active
and reliable puck mover with, you know, in the zone, whatever.
He's, he's a part of that top four.
He's fourth in the pecking order, in my opinion,
from a skill set standpoint.
But he's not, you know, he's not lagging way behind.
So I've got enough of that.
If I'm them, like I could see them looking at their team
going, okay, well, we're really good on that part.
What do we need?
A little more in front of our net and behind our net
and on the walls and a longer stick.
And all just, that's it.
Those Stanley better perform those aspects of his job
really well.
Otherwise, his lack of the other skill sets,
the offensive, the more, you know,
skating and moving the puck parts of the job.
And he's not going to really help you in that area.
So he better have this other stuff locked down.
Otherwise, you're hurting yourself.
Otherwise, it wasn't bad.
You got to get a really worried that,
and that this is really the, the, the, the crux
of the metsa conversation, I think,
is like, are you choosing to make yourself actively worse?
Like, have you, have you, by adding Stanley
and even playing him with Shen, those couple of games,
I think they did.
I think when Stanley got with metsa,
I felt like that stabilized and was good.
And they certainly weren't a problem
without metsa there with Timins on Wednesday night.
Didn't cost him the game or anything far from it.
But it's just one game.
And with metsa, you've got a season's worth
of information here that tells you, you know,
he's, he's helping you, definitely not hurting you.
It's definitely a, the playoffs are different.
Right, gamble.
Yep.
And okay.
I think already,
I mean, you and I are talking about it.
It's our job to be.
I think already, fans are debating this.
I am choosing, I'm choosing not to lose my mind
over Zach metsa, I mean, central Rochester.
I mean, I don't think it's a great idea or necessary.
It's probably not what I would do, but I don't know.
Like, the bet is, not to keep putting it
in the same context, but the bet is, we need to be,
we want to be bigger for the playoffs.
And as such, I've got 10 to 15 games here
to try to work that out and get chemistry
and, you know, sort of figure out what it looks like
and how to play.
And that's why this is happening the way it is.
And Timins, I think is included in that,
but maybe that changes.
Maybe that ends up being metsa or Kessel Ring even,
like they've got options there, depending on the matchup,
how the series starts, you know, it's kind of crazy.
Like, metsa has been sent to Rochester.
I still kind of feel like he is the next guy in
if anything happens to any of the guys
that are gonna play tonight.
Like, I think he still will had a Kessel Ring
on the depth chart.
Kessel Ring, Paul told me, I don't know if I've heard this
anywhere else, but the other night was on pregame
when we were at Roswell and you let to go to the game.
And I talked to Paul for a few minutes there
at the pregame rolling.
And I said like this idea that Timins is going in,
I like it.
Let's see what we've got in case we have injuries,
yada yada, you know the whole spiel.
I said like multiple times on Wednesday.
And I mentioned to Paul, I wouldn't be surprised
to see them do this with Kessel Ring.
And Paul said, you know, he lost his locker.
He's got a folding chair in the middle of a room now.
Now, maybe that changes with metsa going down.
I don't know, but like, that is stark.
Not on the logo, I hope.
Like you write, I don't know where that, but like damn.
Like you were acquired in a trade to be a part of our top four.
And you're, you know, you're like the new guy
that just got called up, you're like on a chair
in the middle of the room.
That's tough.
But I think that might be indicative
of how they are viewing him right now.
He's never really fit in.
And I know the injury stuff is like Paul will always
focus on that.
But it might just be that he never really grasped.
See, the injury thing mitigates everything
you want to say about him.
Maybe he didn't really know instinctually
how to play this way.
The way they want to play,
if they wanted him in their top four,
they might have just, he doesn't, he doesn't have it.
He doesn't feel it.
It's just like the system is, he's not computing it.
I don't know.
Then you get to physically, if you're hindered,
that is going to hurt your chances of being able
to adapt to that.
I don't know, I just, I'm feeling like
talking to different people the last few days.
I don't think they're going to try him out anymore.
I'm guessing I might be overreacting
to this chair in the middle of the room thing,
but that does not sound like a guy
who's about to get in the line up to me.
That sounds more like a guy that if they could have gotten
rid of him, they would have, maybe, at the deadline.
So I'm not, I'm not thinking he fits in here anywhere.
Like maybe even Shan is ahead of him,
which, and it's dark, but it might be right.
Like me.
So we'll see how that all ends up,
those puzzle pieces all get fit together,
but I don't know, I'm kind of shook up about the match.
That also don't want to overreact to it,
but I'm wondering, like talking to Paul
and talking to again, a couple of other people
who are kind of close to the team.
I think I might have misjudged,
maybe I made the mistake of taking Lindy too much at his word
about how he's earned a spot in the line up.
Then he's gone.
And he's two days later, he's, you know,
but again, that's, well, we're gonna try these other guys
and why don't you go play in Rochester for a few days
and then we'll revisit this, you know,
and we'll all get back together.
And who knows, you know, something could happen
in any one of these games while he's down there
that will require him coming right back up.
So I'm just hoping he has not been banished.
And I, I guess I'm not, yesterday I was pretty sure he wasn't
and now I'm not.
You know, I'm not, I can't say,
my opinion has changed about it.
I feel like I know more now and I'm a little worried
that they're scared of him because he's a little.
You usually have pretty good instincts.
All right, I appreciate that.
Like with dogs, right?
The Fred, Fred is a French bulldog, right?
Part French bulldog, only parties.
French bulldog, mini bulldog, and Boston Terrier.
Like it's half one of those and then quarter quarter
the other side, I don't, I can't remember which one.
Well, that's the number one breed right now.
French bulldogs, yeah.
According to the American Kennel Club rankings,
not sure how these are ranked, popularity, I don't know,
adoptions, French bulldog was number one.
We did go looking for, this was Leo's thing.
This is Fred's 10, it's gonna be 10.
So 10 years ago, he sort of championed the cause
of getting another dog and he and my wife
looked for French bulldogs.
And I don't know if it was a price point thing or what,
but they found a breeder that had this dog.
Fred, it wasn't like very Ontario or somewhere
and we knew he was a mix, but French Canadian bulldog.
Right, we got, right, Fred is Canadian.
Margot was Canadian.
So we did get to him through looking for a French bulldog.
So we were a part of whatever the wave of excitement
about French bulldogs, maybe on the front end of it.
Cause if they're the most popular breed now,
we were 10 years early.
Yeah, I think maybe it's been three years,
they've been number one.
All right, I mean, it was a tough blow at my house.
Oh, sure, well, 38th Fred, Fred sends his condolences
to Margot, how does anybody, if not met,
with a pug, comprehend 38th place?
Yes, Margot in her example is very needy.
She will sit and stare at you when you're eating.
I don't eat anymore in the house.
I literally take food to the basement
to avoid the scrutiny, the evil eye, the shame, I feel,
not just giving her the entire plate of food.
But you know, she's wonderful.
I mean, 38th, I just can't even speak almost.
I don't think I can even name 37 other dog breeds.
I'm sure I can't.
This is a real blow.
Pugs behind made up dog breeds.
I don't even know what's happening.
Well, you kind of did name three yourself.
Well, sure, yeah, but I mean, I could probably name 20,
but I won't do that.
38th, what does a pug have to do?
They're very loving.
I get home from work every day, jumps right to the door,
jumps up, I leave for work, she knows my bag.
Maybe it's the time of day, there's a cycle,
I pick the bag up at like 115,
and she sprints to the door to try to keep me
from opening it.
She knows her toys by name.
Well, that is impressive.
She does all kinds of tricks.
Fred does not know jumping tricks and spinning
and high pause.
Fred is not smart.
I hope he's not listening.
He's not, he's not, he's not, if he were,
he wouldn't even get it.
Yeah, right.
He's not that smart.
He's not, he's not.
He could be listening to us talking about him
and not even realizing, like you can, you can do that thing
where you like, you get the toy from him,
and you like, do the fake throw,
and he's gone for an hour.
No one breathes, just like, listen to this.
I think it's getting worse for me.
He walks back in the room, you know,
I'm exaggerating a little.
He walks back in the room and be like, yeah, I still have it.
Where you've been?
Where you been doing?
Now maybe he forgots, you went running at first
and then like, oh, there were some crumbs
in the kitchen and all bets are off.
My dog likes milk.
Yo.
Yeah, huh.
Any other, it's my wife who drinks milk.
So she'll lay on the couch and put the glass on the floor.
Wine, water, I don't know.
But any other drink like a fizzy water, anything else, no interest.
Milk, though, like a cat.
Starts licking into the glass if you let her.
Maybe that's why we're 38th.
Maybe that's a strike against, maybe.
Pugs like milk, I don't know, mine does.
Salcapaccio after sports, sabers and red wings pregame at 6-0 on WGR.
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Auto Trader makes it easy to buy your car online
because the whole process is designed around your once
and must have.
Auto Trader, buy your car online, really.
I'm Spencer and I work at United Healthcare.
Suspenser, why do you care?
I care because my daughter Adeline has special needs.
I am motivated by Adeline who inspires me every day.
I am driven to help families like mine
navigate the healthcare system.
I'm so blessed to lead an amazing team
at United Healthcare focusing on the member experience
and making that better.
I'm Spencer and I'm committed to care.
The ticket, Lady Jennifer of Coons.
Well, many thanks, good sir.
Here is my discover card.
They accept a discover at Renaissance Fairs?
Yeah, they do here.
Discoverers accepted at the places I love to shop.
Get it with the times.
With the times.
You're playing the loot.
Yeah, and it sounds pretty good, right?
Discoverers accepted at 99% of places
that take credit cards nationwide.
Based on the February 2025 Nielsen Report.
