Ooh-Aah - Sabres on the Warpath

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Twenty some years ago hockey was definitely my second favorite sport.

My buddy, Kimball, gifted two season tickets to me and Jeffy and we watched Mogilny and LaFontaine light it up,

The games were fast and the end to end action was addicting.

I don’t know what the hell happened to the sport, first off, and the Sabres organization, secondly.

The game isn’t entertaining to me anymore because it’s so hard to get a shot through because the defense just drops into a box in front of the goalie.

Lots of clutching and grabbing too.

My boys still keep an eye on it, but lately they have also checked out because the Sabres have been horrid for a long time.

About ten years ago, Washington came to town and the boys wanted to see Ovechkin.

The tickets were gold tickets - prices jacked way up to see a true superstar.

Ovi scored as the cost of the evening went over $500 as I bought nachos for the boys.

By the end of the first period it was 4-0 Washington and the Sabres looked like they were out for a leisurely skate.

I could hear people coughing on the other side of the arena.

Ovi scored again in the 3rd and at least my kids remember that but the final was 6-2 and I didn’t do it again.

They didn’t ask either.

Last year they spoke about how bad the arena was. Torn seats. Dirty. A bad game experience with a scoreboard that is out of date and a team that doesn’t show a lot of interest.

They tanked a few years ago so they could get Eichel.

He has two more goals than me, I believe.

They signed a 40-goal scorer to a contract extension that was wildly celebrated around here.

He and I are tied in goals for the season...

...and I can’t skate!

The Sabres are last in the league and talking about firing another coach.

One of the saddest sports moments of my life was when they lost a double overtime playoff game to the Islanders (who won the cup that year).

I distinctly remember sitting in the edge of my Dad’s bed as he asked me about the game.

 I was so sad!

“They’re going to win the cup someday,” Dad said. “Maybe next year.”

I figure that was in 1977.

Still waiting.

It doesn’t look promising.

“We’re gonna’ win that cup. We’re gonna win that Stanley Cup. Me and the Buffalo Sabres, yeah, yeah, yeah!”

Go Yankees!










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