A Few Random Observations...Because I Bloody Well Feel Like It, Thank You Very Much.

This is Norm Abram of "The New Yankee Workshop". Norm is using an electric sander. How's that for random?

As the above heading denotes, here are some random observations. Because I'm bored and you all love it when I do crazy, silly and unexpected stuff like this. Am I right? Hello? Oh well, here goes something:

Anyone notice how many bathrooms are in first-person shooters? Seriously, pop one in and check out said random game's campaign or multiplayer maps...you're almost guaranteed to find at least one bathroom or toilet in there. It has to be some kind of cruel running joke among video game developers. I can imagine a development team, sitting around some kind of Dr. Strangelove-inspired War Room table, smoking cigarettes and brainstorming new ideas on how to incorporate a bathroom in their newest shoot-em-up, as if some kind of celestial force compelled them. My favorite FPS bathroom? How can anyone forget the almighty bathrooms in Timesplitters' almighty "Chinese Restaurant" map? My friends and I still, to this day, crack ourselves up over how amazing the "Chinese bathrooms" were. And believe you me, they were unbelievably unbelievable. Yeah, redundancy is freaking awesome, man.

Who's worse: The Tea Party or CNN? If you don't mind, I'd like to get a little political on your punk asses. I'm not a fan of the so-called "Tea Party". Sure, their rallies are certainly inspiring on paper, but their views are a bit extreme for my tastes. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the "disgruntled citizen"; hell, I think we, as a nation, should protest the status quo more often, it's our first amendment right. On the other hand, I'm against ignorance. When a group of people unites under the banner of ignorance, I'm instantly repulsed. There's no denying that some facets of the Tea Party are inherently ignorant; however, if you watch CNN, you'd think these "new radicals" were the second coming of the Ku Klux Klan. Tea Partiers have criticized the left-leaning network for dragging their image through the dirt, while CNN claims that Tea Partiers are "ignorant and proud" and generally amoral. Which side am I on? Neither. I don't care. They're both ridiculous and overdramatic...and that's the last you'll hear from me about it.

Can Buffalo Sports Get Any More Frustrating? I don't know what to think anymore. On paper, both of our major sports franchises are making some boneheaded, idiotic, bumbling, incompetent and incoherent moves. The Sabres' waiving and subsequent buyout of hometown hero Tim Kennedy over a supposed $200,000 is a headscratcher, one that has already angered many loyal Sabres followers and season ticket holders. No, it certainly isn't the end of the line for the Sabres, nor is it something that will instantly push the Sabres back into mediocrity, but Kennedy's local upbringing, upside and marketability is something that will turn fans into furious whiners. After all, this team still has the inconsistent talents of Jochen Hecht, Jason Pominville and Tim Connolly under its employ. On the other side of town, it's hard to tell if the Buffalo Bills actually exist. Training camp attendance is at an all-time low, hope for the team is dwindling and future franchise player CJ Spiller still hasn't signed his rookie contract. With the release of longtime Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel this afternoon, there isn't much for Bills fans to get excited over...the team is dangerously thin at offensive line, their pitiful starting quarterback, Trent Edwards, was recently referred to as "Justin Bieber" by ESPN's Adam Schefter (evidence here) and their new head coach, Chan Gailey, seems to talk a big game but still hasn't proven that he can lead the Bills back to a playoff berth. After ten years of rebuilding seasons, can you blame Bills fans? Their bitterness is undeniably justified. Even so-called silver linings are subject to endless criticism on the multitude of Bills message boards around the web. After all is settled, only results will be able to convince Buffalo fans to get excited. Quite frankly, Buffalo fans are tired of smoke, mirrors, excuses and empty promises...it's time for some visible proof that these teams can actually compete with some of the higher-caliber franchises in their respective sports.

No, This Soundtrack Isn't Going to Make Me Watch Eclipse. Sorry. The Dead Weather. The Black Keys. Muse. Cee-Lo Green. Metric. What do these bands or artists have in common? Oh yeah, they're all pretty damn good, I'm already fully aware of that. Apart from that, they're all featured on the official soundtrack to chapter three in the downfall of western civilization, known simply as "The Twilight Saga". As intriguing a soundtrack listing as Eclipse's is, however, it doesn't overshadow the fact that it's a representative of a multi-million dollar marketing empire targeted at the young and desperate (hell, even overweight and nerdy guys like myself can find better things to focus our young and desperate eyes on, like the endless amount of hilarious and racy romance scenes in the Mass Effect series, or the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. The World...damn, Mary Elizabeth Winstead sure is cute). I have to admit, though: in an era where the soundtrack is a dying artform, the soundtracks for this series certainly give musical aficionados a lot to talk about. It's just that it's hugely unfair that this music has to be affiliated with such a disposable and low-quality pop culture phenomenon.

Let me know if I should continue this or let it bite the dust by leaving a comment or choosing one of the many "your say" options below. I appreciate it in advance, it helps me out a lot.

The Sabres Are For Real (If They Keep Consistent, That Is)

If Tyler Myers and Ryan Miller continue to lead the Sabres into consistent play, there may be a good chance that Buffalo will be able to compete with the Eastern Conference's elite come playoff time.

The Sabres have a Vezina and Hart contender in goal, a Calder contender on the blueline and a passionate fanbase hungry for the playoffs after two years of near-misses. But what they don't have is the necessary heart and will to sustain momentum. Three years ago, the Sabres were the quintessential representatives of the post-lockout NHL, a fast, exciting and passionate team whose unmatched consistency in the regular season led them to a franchise-best 113 points and the President's Trophy. However, after a disappointing exit in the Eastern Conference Finals that year, the consistent leadership the Sabres once exuded instantly faded. July 1st, 2007 saw the exit (and subsequent overpayment) of co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere to the Rangers and Flyers, respectively. The Sabres of the next two seasons were a team without an identity, a woefully soft and tentative team who would often follow up short winning streaks with longer losing streaks.

In 2009-10, the Sabres have re-emerged from the doldrums and become one of the NHL's hottest teams, thanks in part to the amazingly consistent performance of Team USA standout Ryan Miller in net and overnight success Tyler Myers on defence. For the first time in a long time, the pieces are finally starting to come into place for the Sabres. When they're on top of their game, they're as dangerous as any elite NHL squad.

However, it's when they're slumping that they look like one of the NHL's cellardwellars. It's been two years and the Sabres have still failed to replace the dancing Dannies and Druries in the fanbase's collective imagination. A level of consistency is what is keeping this Sabres team from truly becomnig elite. Throughout the year, players have stepped up and recovered greatly from long slumps, but there's no real "leader" or "motivator" in Sabreland (at least from this fan's perspective), a possible reason why the team hasn't been held accoutable for some of its ugly play this year. Fans have complained about the overpaid and underperforming all year, such as Thomas Vanek (who has failed to capitalize on his outstanding goalscoring stats in 2008-09) and Jason Pominville (who has rarely been as big a factor as he was in his contract year, where he scored an impressive 80 points).

On the other hand, these highly-criticized names have stepped up in big games, making the most of their chances with the onus on their shoulders. Since the Olympic break, Vanek has tallied a handful of multiple-goal games, Pominville responded to harsh criticism with a hat-trick on March 18th in Tampa, Henrik Tallinder has emerged as a worthy compatriat and mentor to the aforementioned Tyler Myers and fan-detested Jochen Hecht has played with a sense of levelheadedness and consistency en route to a career year in the goals column.

There's no denying this Sabres team has some of the biggest and most talented names in hockey. Ryan Miller's performance in the Olympics, for instance, instantly made him one of the league's ambassadors, piquing nationwide fan interest in the Sabres in the process. Tyler Myers has emerged as one of the NHL's brightest new faces and looks to be extremely marketable (given his unconventional size) as well as a possible franchise player for the Sabres in the near future.

Talent and recognition, however, do not singlehandedly compose a playoff-making season. Consistency is paramount, especially for an organization like Buffalo where numerous coaches and management look to be on the hot seat if the season or playoff run goes south. Lindy Ruff, the NHL's longest-tenured headman, has struggled to find ways to keep his team on the straight and narrow this season, often playing inconsistently after a great start. The Sabres haven't been as electric as, let's say, Washington, Chicago or Phoenix, nor do they have the penchant for winning streaks in the high single (or low double) digits.

This may all seem trivial as long as the Sabres make the playoffs, but momentum matters in the National Hockey League. Teams who finish the regular season strongly and well-composed often are poised for deep playoff runs. If the Sabres can keep their winning ways, especially against lower-ranked teams like Atlanta (easier said than done in Sabreland), Florida and Carolina, the momentum they create will carry them far.

No one's expecting the Sabres to emerge as Stanley Cup Champions this year, in spite of Ryan Miller's amazingly proficient and consistent performances in net. In fact, don't expect them to advance past the semifinal round, especially if paired with a team like Pittsburgh, Washington or even Ottawa (who always seem to get the upper hand on the Sabres regardless of their position in the standings). But if the Sabres show poise, consistency and heart...expect them to at least make life very interesting for the Eastern Conference teams that think a Stanley Cup is inevitable.