Claude_Verret

The Roby of old will never be back. Can you imagine him saying today "You know, someone has to remind Drew Stafford that this game isn't played by little boys in short pants." He wasn't afraid to skewer anyone and make non-PC comments back in the old days, but it's clear to me that he was told to cut that stuff out at some point.

Does anyone here know the buffalo Is neighborly guy from the Canes games? He is like the anti-Drunkard, a big guy who wears the buffalo horns and a shirt/jersey that says "Buffalo Is Neighborly". I've seen him at most games I've been at and talked to him once or twice. He's usually just quietly mingling with the fans, both Sabres and Canes fans alike, in between periods and post game at the pub that they keep open. I'd be interested to hear what his game experiences are like there.

I could definitely be that guy. If I had a nickel for every time my wife has smacked me over the years for my loud voice that carries...

Why yes! But the Leaf fans have an advantage with the two-fours, we can only buy 'em by the 12 packs down here.

Oh and Doohickie are you banned over there yet? I seem to remember that forum having a very quick trigger with the bans.

No ###### it's because of the fans, a perfectly valid reason to come to despise another franchise. You should add the Leafs to your list though, because what the Sabres fans bring to Raleigh is no different than what Leaf fans bring to Buffalo.

In their eyes we are.

Nice. Good luck my friend,and make sure to read your fan behavior card tomorrow.

Look at Mike Cvik, I've seen more meat on a butchers apron.

I think HockeyyInsiderr used to work there.

But will you still taunt the Canes fans with your folks there? If I was sitting with my mom and I said some of those things I'd be more worried about what she'd do to me than the Canes fans! I won't get a chance to tailgate much tomorrow either, I think my group is planning to eat dinner in the arena club before the game. Plus it's going to be too damn cold to tailgate.

Good to hear.

What do you want to bet?

One would hope that he did, and that it was especially immunogenic for him.

Not to open the can of worms again, but the flu for somebody his age (70?) can be pretty serious.

Another benefit of toning down the constant bombardment of noise pollution is the spontaneous comments and chants you could get during the quieter moments during breaks in the action. Hearing some loud guy yell down from the oranges at the opposing coach or player was great. And who could forget 16,000 fans chanting "HARRIS IS A BUM!!" back at the Aud. I've only been to four or five NHL arenas, but for the two I've been to the most FNC and PNC, the FNC is absolutely cavernous compared to PNC arena. Some people also claim that the Canes mic the crowd and run it through the PA, I never really bought into that theory, but I have to say after sitting in the 300's for the first time there last year I think there might be something to it. The jury is still out.

Damn. Get well soon RJ.

On a flight into Buffalo a few years back, there was a rare air traffic jam event at the Buffalo airport so the pilot took us over Niagara Falls for a look see. That was pretty cool.

Agreed. More organ, less "kiss cam" type stuff would go a long way.

Anyone heard about RJ? Will he be calling the game here in Carolina tomorrow?

Former Cane Bates Battaglia and his brother to compete on new season of The Amazing Race http://www.wral.com/bates-battaglia-on-the-amazing-race-/12010474/ During the Sharks broadcast last night they showed Gomez working out with the team wearing a Sharks jersey, so a signing looks imminent.

These days I don't think fans are spontaneously loud or engaged at many NHL arenas (maybe Winnipeg being the exception). When prompted by the scoreboard fans get loud, but I have always contended that how loud they get is more of a factor of building design / acoustics than the passion or involvement of the crowd as a whole.

He has lost some of his flair from back in the day. There was a clear point in time back when he was the color guy that he got muzzled. He used to come out with a classic Roby-isms at least once or twice a game. Then one day they just stopped cold.

Their D is a mess, but that was projected to be an achilles for them. Talking to some Canes fans, a lot of them have said they like what Semin has brought thus far, but in the few minutes I've caught of both their games he looked unimpressive to me. Which means he will probably kill us on Thursday.

When I had season tix, I used to park for free on the other side of Michigan on the side streets. Not sure if that's still an option?