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(WGR - Bulldog) Growing Pains
Whiner Line caller..."Stop comparing Tyler Myers to Zdeno Chara. He's not Chara." This isn't exactly a cheap shot at the Whiner Line. The point gets made plenty often enough to me via E mail. It's just that I hear the Whiner Line every day after I drop my boys off at school and well that's really it.
Right, of course he's not Chara. Chara is great and dominant and mean and has won trophies individually and, you know, that big team one they give out every spring/summer. He's a captain and climbs mountains for fun in the off season. So no, Myers is not Chara.
Chara is also on his 3rd team. It took him some time to prove that he could be the game dominating wrecking machine he is. And maybe he only did the mountain climbing thing one off season. Whatever.
Here's the thing about the Myers Chara comparison. The Sabres are paying Myers to be Chara right now. Myers got $10 million in July. No lockout changed that. There is no arguing that he's nowhere near Chara-ville in his play. Anyone can see it.
Myers has miles to go and watching him play this season could certainly give you reason to doubt whether or not he'll ever get there. That, more than any other single thing, is what has left the Sabres with 6 teams to climb over just to get to 8th place in this shortened season.
You know what really can screw up your team chemistry? Pay a 23 year old $10 million and then watch him not only struggle, but on most nights, be your worst player. You think you feel let down as a fan, how do you think his teammates feel? How would it go over where you work if your success was dependent on a guy who just got paid that bonus and he showed up at work and not only didn't help you do your job better, he sucked and dragged you down with him? I'll bet you'd go home complaining about him to your spouse.
The idea of Myers getting it together this season is starting to feel more and more far fetched to me. The warning signs were there in the week long training camp when the now fired coach talked about his conditioning being an issue. I know he scored the winning goal on Tuesday in Tampa but don't even waste your breath trying to tell me had any kind of good night. Florida last night was more of the same. Uneven at best. At this point making it out of shifts without a gaffe feels like progress. Myers is still nowhere near where they need him to be. Dominating games and being their best player.
All that said, I'm still not moving him. Should this season continue to track the way it's been going, there will be plenty of conversation about what the Sabres should do with their roster. A last place team should not have a long list of untouchable players, but the giant defenseman still tops mine.
Is this year a good sign? Of course not. Myers got the big check, a lockout happened, and he showed up in bad shape. He let the team down and more than anyone else dragged them down to the bad record they still have. Myers has been largely uneven since a great rookie year and there could be a danger in just expecting him to regain his form. At some point, you have to just accept that he's more the guy who has been largely inconsistent than the player who won the Calder.
I'm just not there yet. He just turned 23. He's 6'8" and when he's not tripping over himself, can really skate. Maybe this year will really embarrass him. Maybe he'll find a way to put on weight and improve his conditioning. Maybe he'll grow up some more this off season.
Maybe he'll still be great. I'm not done thinking about that possibility and am quite sure the Sabres aren't either. I hope so. I know Myers has been here a while now, but he's still a kid. Let him grow.
Whiner Line caller..."Stop comparing Tyler Myers to Zdeno Chara. He's not Chara." This isn't exactly a cheap shot at the Whiner Line. The point gets made plenty often enough to me via E mail. It's just that I hear the Whiner Line every day after I drop my boys off at school and well that's really it.
Right, of course he's not Chara. Chara is great and dominant and mean and has won trophies individually and, you know, that big team one they give out every spring/summer. He's a captain and climbs mountains for fun in the off season. So no, Myers is not Chara.
Chara is also on his 3rd team. It took him some time to prove that he could be the game dominating wrecking machine he is. And maybe he only did the mountain climbing thing one off season. Whatever.
Here's the thing about the Myers Chara comparison. The Sabres are paying Myers to be Chara right now. Myers got $10 million in July. No lockout changed that. There is no arguing that he's nowhere near Chara-ville in his play. Anyone can see it.
Myers has miles to go and watching him play this season could certainly give you reason to doubt whether or not he'll ever get there. That, more than any other single thing, is what has left the Sabres with 6 teams to climb over just to get to 8th place in this shortened season.
You know what really can screw up your team chemistry? Pay a 23 year old $10 million and then watch him not only struggle, but on most nights, be your worst player. You think you feel let down as a fan, how do you think his teammates feel? How would it go over where you work if your success was dependent on a guy who just got paid that bonus and he showed up at work and not only didn't help you do your job better, he sucked and dragged you down with him? I'll bet you'd go home complaining about him to your spouse.
The idea of Myers getting it together this season is starting to feel more and more far fetched to me. The warning signs were there in the week long training camp when the now fired coach talked about his conditioning being an issue. I know he scored the winning goal on Tuesday in Tampa but don't even waste your breath trying to tell me had any kind of good night. Florida last night was more of the same. Uneven at best. At this point making it out of shifts without a gaffe feels like progress. Myers is still nowhere near where they need him to be. Dominating games and being their best player.
All that said, I'm still not moving him. Should this season continue to track the way it's been going, there will be plenty of conversation about what the Sabres should do with their roster. A last place team should not have a long list of untouchable players, but the giant defenseman still tops mine.
Is this year a good sign? Of course not. Myers got the big check, a lockout happened, and he showed up in bad shape. He let the team down and more than anyone else dragged them down to the bad record they still have. Myers has been largely uneven since a great rookie year and there could be a danger in just expecting him to regain his form. At some point, you have to just accept that he's more the guy who has been largely inconsistent than the player who won the Calder.
I'm just not there yet. He just turned 23. He's 6'8" and when he's not tripping over himself, can really skate. Maybe this year will really embarrass him. Maybe he'll find a way to put on weight and improve his conditioning. Maybe he'll grow up some more this off season.
Maybe he'll still be great. I'm not done thinking about that possibility and am quite sure the Sabres aren't either. I hope so. I know Myers has been here a while now, but he's still a kid. Let him grow.