(WGR 550) -- For over 11 years, Lindy Ruff has felt the heat of coaching in Buffalo, N.Y.
On January 7, 2009, at Salvatore\'s Italian Gardens, he\'ll feel the heat of his friends, as the 2008 Whiney Awards roast Ruff as part of our yearly extravaganza that began in 2007 with Thurman Thomas and four of the best caller to WGR\'s Whiner Line (843.0234).
Ruff revealed his participation during his weekly 8 a.m. Tuesday appearance on The Howard Simon Show. Tickets go on sale Monday at $100, with part of the proceeds going to Camp Good Days and Special Times, Inc. Comedian Nick Bakay and a number of former Sabres are among the participants in the Ruff Roast, and tickets can be purchased by phone or by coming in person to Entercom Buffalo at 500 Corporate Parkway in Amherst.
"Should be an easy roast," Ruff said. "I like the fact that we\'ve got a great cause it\'s going to. I\'ll take part and take my lumps."
His team took their lumps Monday night during a listless 2-0 home loss to Nashville, and Ruff went to Paul Gaustad\'s line in the clutch as opposed to a Thomas Vanek or Jason Pominville.
"The guys that gave us the most were some of the guys who played the least," Ruff said. "You see two or three games each year that go that way, where you can\'t get (anything from your big lines)."
The team has now dropped two-in-a-row and seven out of nine, and Ruff said the team hasn\'t even been staying afloat.
"If you go to the Philly and Islander games, we missed way too many opportunities," Ruff said. "We came out of that and played two really tough contests, went into Montreal... and we gave them some life. We had opportunities to get back in that game. It\'s tough. Five-on-five play in this league is tough, and when you say \'treading water,\' that isn\'t good enough."
The head coach said the team needs to get dirtier in an increasingly physical and defensive league.
"If you look at some of the goals we got in the Pittsburgh and Boston game... battling for the second and third opportunities around the net, the Gaustad banging around the net, the goals aren\'t of the real pretty variety anymore," Ruff said.
He just has to get his players to completely buy-in to an old way of play.
"That mentality, you work on it everyday," Ruff said. "You definitely have teams that come into our building now and are willing and able to play a very patient game. Most of the game last night, they had three guys back, and it\'s a dump-and-chase. We do have the players. We have that mentality, and we have to stay with it and stick to it... We\'ll have success."
Ruff said he doesn\'t have an issue with the cards he\'s been dealt by pro personnel.
"When our roster\'s been healthy, we\'ve seen some good dividends. It\'s tough to evaluate when all of the sudden, you\'ve got a Rivet out, a Kaleta out and a Connolly out. Even a game like last night, you\'re missing Kaleta, that has nothing to do with scoring. I like our roster."
He added that Maxim Afinogenov\'s seat in the press box is not a permament spot.
"It\'s tough. My frustration is his frustration, his lack of confidence now. It\'s not even so much the backchecking part of it that cost us in the Montreal game... We had a 2-on-1 break where Max could\'ve kept driving and shot, or gave it to his linemate who was driving the net, instead he went 1-on-1. It\'s that mentality we\'re trying to change, improve in Max. It\'s a North/South mentality I\'m trying to get through to Max."
Ruff also spoke to the struggles of his No. 2 goaltender, Patrick Lalime, adding that he\'s learned from the past and knows he has to rest Ryan Miller in any event.
"Patty has to be better. The Islander game there was one goal we\'d like to have back. The Montreal game, the Begin goal he could read and probably make a save. When you put your back-up goaltender in, you\'re looking for at least a point out of the game."
Ruff said that the team may have another injury concern, and that he\'ll address it later after more discussion with the team and doctors.
To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 1 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 2 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; tournament; WGR; Jeremy White; Golf; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 3 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 4 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 5 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 6 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 7 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 8 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala;
Big Game Squares Contest Would you like to win a trip to Tampa? Play Big Game Squares for great prizes.
The Howard Simon Show The only sports-focused morning show in WNY makes you laugh on the way to work.
Schopp & The Bulldog Schopp and The Bulldog's entertaining sports talk makes weekday afternoons better.
The Hobby WGR's new show for card and memorabilia collectors
The WGR Ball Girls Find out about WGR Ball Girls' events, check out the photo gallery, and meet the Ball Girls!
