Know your enemy: Stupid Flyers edition

So, I reached over to the boys at Flyers Goal Scored By, which is the Flyers blog for bloguin.com. In full disclosure, when I contacted them, I thought we were just going to exchange a bunch of dull Q&A’s about the match-up. How wrong I was…Anyways, If you want to read my responses to their questions, which were kind of weird, check them out here. All kidding aside, it was a lot of fun to exchange bad jokes. However, you probably won’t learn too much about the match-up.

Q1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Flyers?

A1) The only weakness of the Flyers team that your beloved Sabres are about to play is that we’re too strong. It’s created some issues in the locker room (can’t say which one) this season, especially down the stretch. All the guys were like “I don’t want to hog the puck all night and score 14 goals so I won’t score any.” We ended up tricking ourselves into having a very poor performance down the stretch. In the end though, we’ll end up having tricked the entire NHL, because that’s how you do it. We tried it out last year and we weren’t quite bad enough in March and April but this year I think theclub has perfected it.

Q2) Are you guys worried about the goaltending?

A2) Oh Haaayyylllllleeeeee no. We proved it last year, the Blackhawks extra proved it too. All you need is decent goaltending. Sure a Hextallian performance helps (which we’re obviously ready for with our little Russian Rookie) but you can win the Stanley Cup with Chris Osgood in net. Multiple times, I swear to God. Look it up. Our goal-tending is fine. We lived through a goalie called Roman Chechmanek. The whole city’s been pretty relieved since he left.

Q3) How will the injuries to Pronger, Betts and Briere affect the team? Which player can they not win without?

A3) Briere is actually back as you had the pleasure of seeing on Friday night before we so graciously let you walk right into the lion’s den, Pronger will be back and Nathan Gerbe, Jason Pominville, Tyler Ennis and Tim Connolly will tell your beat writers all about that. And Blair Betts was actually conveived by the Burmis Tree (http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmcdonald/230700181/ ). That’s true, you can look it up. Unfortunately for Sabre fans everyone is healthy and even Nik Zherdev is counting down the minutes until the puck drops on Thursday.

Q4) Prediction for first-round matchup with the Sabres?

A4) We’ll bet you guys something presidential like a case of beer or some cheese steaks or something if the Sabres win. You can decide on the quantity because it’s going to be you guys shipping the prize to us. It comes down to one simple question: How many Mike Richards are on your team? Either a plain old sweep or 4-1, good guys.

Q5) I’d have to say, In Buffalo, the Flyers are easily in the top 3 for teams that we hate the most. It dates back to the 70’s and the battles that the two teams had in the mid-90’s. How do you guys feel about us?

A5) We just became Flyers fans in November so it’s hard to say, personally. From what I hear on the street handing out free coupons for Qdoba, is that we’d go Rangers, Devils, Penguins, Bruins, Caps, Isles (if they weren’t a joke) and then maybe you guys. I mean back when Barnaby played for you and you wore those black sweaters with an actual picture of a Buffalo (what?) on it, yeah, you were a pain in the ass. But we’ve got too much very local and other sport hate that spills into the Flyers rivalries with other clubs. No disrespect, but when we think of fans we want to sucker punch the Sabres are way down the list.

Q6) How has Philly embraced Danny Briere? I know it’s been very up/down with him there when it comes to Philly fans (I remember hearing a story that his commercial was booed at the Arena once).

A6) We loved him and we were displeased real quick, but that’s the good thing about the sports fan in general – real short memories. Briere had an historic post-season last Spring followed by a goal-filled regular season this so we love him. As the team has become more successful his salary has become less of a glaring albatross, whether or not he deserves that money is another story. You put on the sweater and we love you. We’ll bitch about you at times, but we love you (see: Arron Asham).