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Posted

I'm curious. What, besides the Sabres and the game of hockey, gets you fired up? I've never really cared to know where my fellow posters live, what they do for a living, how old they are or even which restroom they use. It's one refreshing thing about the Internet. Unlike the real world, those things don't matter much here. But that also means that the people posting here can seem flat and one-dimensional. PTS and I go way back as "virtual friends." Fushetti and I go almost as far back. Yet, honestly, I know very little about what makes them tick except that they're Sabre fanatics.

 

I'll go first. I've really gotten into photography in the last year. I had an old 35mm camera in my closet for a long time which didn't work, but I finally sent it away and had it refurbished. It's a blast. I deliberately avoided buying a digital camera so that I was forced to learn about f-stops, shutter speeds, film speeds, etc. Nature photography has sort of become my thing. I've taken my share of horrible photos, but I've also nailed a few. I have a macro lens that allows you to get really close to your subject, and I've used it to get some cool shots of wildflowers, spiders, butterflies and the like. Yikes, first I reveal that I watch "American Idol." Now this. :)

 

So, who's next? Come on, it's not that bad.

Posted

hmmmm... thos ethings have changed for me through the years.

 

During high school and college I lived and died with amateur wrestling. In fact, I actually bought new uniforms for my high school team after I graduated... Although I still enjoy it and I was a referee for a little while - that interest has waned quite a bit.

 

When TBD started, that is all I thought about morning/afternoon/and evenings. 24/7. It was the 1st thing I did in the morning and the last thing before bed. That was the era before web design conventions became standard, so I was always tweaking user interfaces and looking for new ways to implement features. In fact, I think I was using PHP/MYSQL since 1999 and that was extremely rare for sports sites to be doing that. Now, it is the standard. Much of that interest has worn off with much of the web converging on design standards.

 

These days, I'm not so sure there is one big thing... I get into home improvement quite a bit. From landscaping and drip irrigation installation to serious moulding projects - I always have something going on in the house.

 

I LOVE electronics (macs, ipods, stereos, speakers, tivo, HDTV) and read about that all the time. I long for the ultimate system that sounds great, looks great, is aesthetically pleasing, is easy to operate....

 

That's about it. I guess I am waiting for my "next big thing"... I have alot of mini-interests now. Maybe joining this adult hockey league will get me going on that.

Posted

I guess I'll go next since PA brought my name up.

 

Sabres have always been my life and death. If they win, I'm happy no matter what else happens. If they lose, watch out.

 

I've played competitive sports (hockey and soccer) all the way through college and that was really the passion behind my life. I now play soccer in the top amateur league in Western New York and have been relegated to playing "bar" hockey in one of the best leagues around but it's not the same when you can't hit. I treat everything in life as I would a sport. I never want to lose at anything I do so I do get fiercely competive when doing anything I care about.

 

My other favorite team is the USMNT (United States Men's National Team) in soccer. I am going to Germany this June for the 2006 FIFA World Cup to follow Team USA. Next to the Sabres winning the cup, having the US win the World Cup is what I want most. The fact that both have a chance this June is unbelieveable.

 

I used to love the Bills but they soared me over with the Donahoe-regime. Everyone love Ralph Wilson but I think he's the sole reason we've been stuck with crap for most of the history of the franchise.

 

Outside of sports, designing/developing websites is my bread and butter. I love it and I hate it. But that's like anything that becomes a job. TV-wise, I'm a SciFi Fridays guy. It doesn't get better than Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galatica.

 

Oh, and Taylor Hicks is my new god.

Posted

I'm a hockey fanatic. I play twice a week, referee most other days, and watch every single Sabres game (except for March 1st against Atlanta - thanks a lot - bastards....).

 

I love the Bills, but lets face it, they suck and will continue to do so for at least two years.

 

I love my wife, and we spend a lot of our time (when I'm not at the rink) fawning over our two little pug dogs, Trudy and Lexi. I truly believe those dogs have saved my relationship with my wife. With as much as I'm out of the house, she needs someone to talk to, and those dogs have provided that. Since we don't have kids, they're the next best thing.

 

In the summer, it's all about boating. Wakeboarding, waterskiing, tubing, etc. on the Potomac with friends and coworkers. I buy the boat, they buy the gas. Works out great!

Posted

Other than the Sabres I am yikes a huge Dolphins fan. Yes I know this will upset a great deal of people on this board but its true. Also i follow anything Michigan Wolverines I can from football to hockey to yes even the softball team.

 

As for stuff away from the Pro sports, I used to run a lot esp. in high school and college where I got my mile time down to 4:44 seconds, and my 1/2 mile time down to 2:02. Never panned out to anything in college because I busted my knee playing basketball in the winter to stay in shape.

 

After college (out with a history major) I really started getting into volleyball. The kind that you see on TV none of this BS high school just hit it over the net stuff. I play a lot and I love it. Wish I had a coach back in the day because I was way better at that than running.

 

Ok few last things before I let this be, other enjoyments are Dogs, Watching Soccer when I can (wish I was going to German), playing CIV 4 on the computer and Madden 2006.

 

Aight Im out.

Posted

interesting idea... i might as well share

 

i'm in my last semester at the university of north carolina at greensboro, where i'm double majoring in marketing and communications. i'm looking for a job in public relations when i get out of here. i formed our club hockey team with a buddy of mine 5 years ago, but haven't played for the past year due to time (full time student + working 30 hours/week) and money constraints. i enrolled at uncg in '99 and will finally be graduating after spending two years in chile ('02-'04).

 

in addition to being a diehard sabres fan i also love the cubs. i was born in chicago where i fell in love with the cubs but didn't know what hockey was til we moved to buffalo and my dad took me to my fist sabres game - watching a 4-2 loss to hartford in 1986 in the upper blues. we eventually moved up to the oranges and settled into row b in section 135. we had seats 1 and 2 for 6 years until we moved to binghamton.

 

i'm also a music freak, yet i don't posess a musical bone in my body. i have two ferrets, mr. littlejeans and dignan, named after characters from wes anderson movies. he is a genius. that's enough about me.

Posted

My turn.

 

I have loved the sabres and bills equally since i can remember. I have not waivered in my allegiance to the bills through their suckitude, or through the sabres financial issues. My family is close to the knox family, larry quinn, and lindy ruff is my old neighbor... I feel a closer personal connection to the sabres than the bills, but my blood will always be red, whiteand royal blue.

 

As for non-sports team interests, well, i just bought a house six months ago so my head is stuck on small home improvements and such. I was really into fixing my friends PCs back in college. I still do that now to coworkers, but not that often. There is a pickup hockey league at Ft. Bragg that civilians, such as myself, could join. Thining about doing that. My wife got me a guitar for my wedding present in 2004, so i'm slowly but surely making progress at self teaching myself to play.

 

I work at an elementary school as a special education pre-k teacher's assistant full time and i'm going to Fayetteville State to get my NC teacher's license. I have a year to go.

 

I am also turning into hank hill in regards to my lawn care. When we moved in last june, the yard was complete crap... sand, weeds, and nasty grass. The first thing i bought after unpacking was a broadcast spreader and about $100 of fertilizer and ant killer. After one growing season, i have made the back yard from 1/4 grass, 3/4 sand to 3/4 grass, 1/4 sand. Progress will be made starting in april.

 

In my spare time, which is about 3 hours on friday afternoons, i check the internet and watch tivo'd stuff. We don't drink (i gave that up for the wife) or party at all... we're both teachers. Basically my wife and i hang out and just do whatever floats the boat when we're not too tired to think.

 

Buffalo is only 11 hours away, youngstown, oh (her town) is 9, so drives home are saved for summer, christmas, and easter vacation. And damn, i need a mighty taco now.

 

There's more, but i'd just be rambling if i went on!

Posted

I don't get to post enough to be a regular but thought it was a great topic...

 

I'm a transplanted Buffalonian living in Hoboken, New Jersey now. I always wanted to get back to Buffalo, regardless of the economy, as I always thought there was so much to be said about the people. Unfortunately for that dream, but fortunately for my personal life, I met a Jersey girl and we got married.

 

I grew up reffing and playing hockey and I am still passionate about reffing. I don't play as much anymore, as one of the prior posts said, it is not the same when you can't hit! I think right now my biggest passion it trying to advance in my brokerage job, helping clients meet their financial goals while putting a little coin in my pocket! Trying to buy a house in this area of the country is extremely difficult and that probably coincides with the goal to make money!

 

Otherwise, my biggest passion is trying to enjoy every day like it is the last - and hope that I see either a Sabres or Bills championship in my life!

Posted

Great thread PA. However, I think I predate PTS. ;) I think he's still bitter at me since I taped over his all time favorite movie when he lent me the tape to watch. I met PA in the 96-97 season on AOL.

 

A little about me...

Hello, my name is Fushetti and I am a Sabreaholic. My real name is Frank, i'm 26 years old and I'm originally from Lackawanna, NY. In 2003 I was moved to Albany by my employer and have been here ever since.

 

Aside from the Sabres, I follow the Boston Red Sox passionately. Their seasons overlap so I always have something to watch. I used to be big into the Bills, but Donahoe has really soured my interest in the team. Maybe Levy can win me back if he can create a winning culture amongst the organization. It really doesn't matter, I've always been a bigger Sabres fan anyway.

 

When i'm not watching sports or working, I hang out with my fiancee (getting hitched this october) and party on the weekends with either my Albany or Buffalo friends depending on my location that specific weekend.

Posted

well im a big Nascar Fan and im also a Pontiac Fiero Fanattic..... Love those little cars... but during hockey season my number one concern is the sabres....

Posted

I've been meaning to get a post in here for a while...

 

I went to the same grade school as SDS, but was a year behind him. I played NT/RT in HS football and didn't wrestle until I had changed schools. My first love is football, but I am starting to wonder if the pro football is worth my interest these days.

 

Hockey was always the thing to do when it was too snowy to play football growing up. A Canadian brother-in-law and my nephew (Leaf fans) has really increased my interest in hockey. I've followed the Sabres pretty closely since the first year Ted Nolan was hired.

 

My UB education pretty much forced me out of WNY. I live west of Boston and work as a phased array antenna designer.

 

My hobbies these days are pretty limited - I have eleven month old twin boys! :wacko: We sold our miniature donkeys last November, but I got to keep my Kubota Grand L3130 to improve the pasture. :) I've a Sheltie I run in agility when I can. Hacking my Audi and pretending to maintain the department website at work are other things I wish I had more time for.

Posted

My hobbies these days are pretty limited - I have eleven month old twin boys! :wacko: We sold our miniature donkeys last November, but I got to keep my Kubota Grand L3130 to improve the pasture. :) I've a Sheltie I run in agility when I can. Hacking my Audi and pretending to maintain the department website at work are other things I wish I had more time for.

 

 

 

what the hell is a phased array antenna anyways???

 

 

I had a sheltie when i was a child, up to a few years ago. Great great dog. Best companion i ever had. He was the miracle dog too... They found a bladder tumor that was cancerous when he was about 4 or 5. Gave the dog 3 months to live. My mom rejected puitting him under and doing the surgery. Well, he lived to be about 15, finally dying of cancer. He was published in a veterinary journal too. I forget what it was called, because the end happened after i was gone for college and pretty much moved out. I would never get a dog that wasn't a sheltie.

Posted

also a Pontiac Fiero Fanattic..... Love those little cars...

 

you mean "death boxes"? :lol:

Posted

what the hell is a phased array antenna anyways???

I had a sheltie when i was a child, up to a few years ago. Great great dog. Best companion i ever had. He was the miracle dog too... They found a bladder tumor that was cancerous when he was about 4 or 5. Gave the dog 3 months to live. My mom rejected puitting him under and doing the surgery. Well, he lived to be about 15, finally dying of cancer. He was published in a veterinary journal too. I forget what it was called, because the end happened after i was gone for college and pretty much moved out. I would never get a dog that wasn't a sheltie.

 

A phased array antenna in a nutshell is like the old satelite dishes that could be mechanicaly steered to multiple satelites, only, it is steered electronicly with no moving parts. They've been used in military applications for 35+ years. Patriot, AWACS, and the AEGIS SPY-1 are the most well known phased array antenna systems. They're part of the devopment of a new class of stealthy surface ships called DDx. They are starting to be introduced as an expensive option in a few car lines as an intelligent cruise control aka (crash avioidance systems).

 

I grew up with Goldens, but I really like the intelligence of at least our shelties. They do cool stuff like a border collie, (they're frisbiholics, my wife has done some herding training with her's too) but they also know how to calm down, too. If you are ever looking for one, I know excellent breeders in Maine (where my dog came from) and Batavia (my wife's dog)...

 

you mean "death boxes"? :lol:

 

They are a fun ride, but I seem to remember noticing in the early 90s the yearly insurance for a Fiero was more than the cost of the car... :blink:

Posted

I grew up with Goldens, but I really like the intelligence of at least our shelties. They do cool stuff like a border collie, (they're frisbiholics, my wife has done some herding training with her's too) but they also know how to calm down, too. If you are ever looking for one, I know excellent breeders in Maine (where my dog came from) and Batavia (my wife's dog)...

I've got a half sheltie / half spitz who looks like a sheltie except he is black instead of brown. His name is Zhitnik and he is a herding Nazi. When the kids were little, he'd go insane when they would roll over and any deer that show up in the yard must be driven back to the brush. He never chases them past the brush / tree line, but deer in the mowed area are a definite no-no.

 

People who didn't have season tickets near us used to think the wife and I were nuts, because any time Z would take a mind numbingly stupid penalty, we would say "bad puppy dog" and they would have no idea what we were talking about. The other season ticket holders fortunately knew / know we're nuts.

 

The cat's name is Max, but I have to admit that is just a fortuitous stroke as we got the cat before #61 was even drafted.

Posted

I love the Sabres because when I watch I can totally get lost in the game and think of nothing else. It's an escape from reality, really. I played floor hockey from 1992 to about 1999 at Arena on Main and the other floor hockey places around town and out in West Seneca. Anyone else a veteran of those places?

 

After 8 at night I'm usually drunk

 

More than hockey I love history. I teach it and read it and have written an unpublished book on the history of Buffalo during the Civil War era. Someday I'll get the nerve to self publish it, but right now its sitting and collecting dust. Right now I'm preparing to teach a course on World War Two. All history intrigues me, not just war, but war is sure a real grabber, isn't it?

 

I'm a passionate Bush hater. Worst president ever, in my opinion. Ok, maybe Pierce or Buchanan were worse, but I didn't have to live through thier presidencies. I'm far from a peacenik but I went to Washington to protest this war because I saw in advance that everything that has happened, would happen. It was all so obvious.

 

I'm a workout nut, running, lifting weights, hitting heavy bag and lately ice skating. I'd love to play ice hockey someday after I become a better skater but I tore up my groin a ways back and am afraid it will never heal.

Posted

I love the Sabres because when I watch I can totally get lost in the game and think of nothing else. It's an escape from reality, really. I played floor hockey from 1992 to about 1999 at Arena on Main and the other floor hockey places around town and out in West Seneca. Anyone else a veteran of those places?

 

After 8 at night I'm usually drunk

 

More than hockey I love history. I teach it and read it and have written an unpublished book on the history of Buffalo during the Civil War era. Someday I'll get the nerve to self publish it, but right now its sitting and collecting dust. Right now I'm preparing to teach a course on World War Two. All history intrigues me, not just war, but war is sure a real grabber, isn't it?

 

I'm a passionate Bush hater. Worst president ever, in my opinion. Ok, maybe Pierce or Buchanan were worse, but I didn't have to live through thier presidencies. I'm far from a peacenik but I went to Washington to protest this war because I saw in advance that everything that has happened, would happen. It was all so obvious.

 

I'm a workout nut, running, lifting weights, hitting heavy bag and lately ice skating. I'd love to play ice hockey someday after I become a better skater but I tore up my groin a ways back and am afraid it will never heal.

 

Book sounds very interesting--I abandoned a novel with a character whose ancestors migrated to Canada through Buffalo on the Underground Railroad. If I ever get back to writing it, would you help me with some background?

 

As for presidents: you forgot Harding, but Bush is far worse anyway. (Waving hello to the NSA!)

Posted

you mean "death boxes"? :lol:

 

there not quite death boxes lol... but i can see where you could get the impression from... alot of bad press... what most don't realise is that it scored 5 stars in crash test ratings from 1984-88, the only car to beat it... the volvo... which by all rights is a tank lol...

Posted

Book sounds very interesting--I abandoned a novel with a character whose ancestors migrated to Canada through Buffalo on the Underground Railroad. If I ever get back to writing it, would you help me with some background?

 

As for presidents: you forgot Harding, but Bush is far worse anyway. (Waving hello to the NSA!)

If you need background I can help, sure. I did a fair amount of research on the underground railroad, but alas, most of it was left 'underground!' Seems to me a lot people came out claiming to have been a part of railroad who weren't. Also, in Buffalo, one guy who took credit for rowing blacks across the Niagara--John Fodik??--was the school superintendant who hated blacks. So he just wanted to get rid of them. Buffalo is also connected to Underground Railroad in the fact that our dear Millard Fillmore signed the Fugitive Slave act into law. I present the facts of the issue to my students every year and ask them if they would have signed it. Most of them would.

Posted

so, back to the antenna thing.

 

 

i used to have a big dish that moved around. c-band and ku-band. We used to be able to "hijack" the network feed coming from the stadium on blacked out bills games. Hense the reason for my RARE tape of the comeback game without the commercials and the guys shooting the sh-- during the break. I remember we had to set the thing to a specific satellite coordinate during strong westerly winds and another for eastern winds. Ah, the old days...

Posted

Alright, I guess it's about time I get around to posting on this thread. I'm just finishing up at school and found out about 2 weeks ago that I got selected for my dream job of being a JAG (as long as I pass the physical and bar exam). So the next few months of my life are going to be very crazy. I have half a semester of school left, and then I get to spend my summer studying for 2 bar exams, all while helping to plan my wedding! Yet, I still manage to catch almost every Sabres game!

 

When I am not busy with all of that...

 

I like to read military history books. Especially books about Special Forces. I also like Sci Fi books.

 

I like Sci Fi and Horror movies, still like playing video games when I have time.

 

When it comes to music I am into a lot of emo, hardcore and indie stuff.

 

I also work out a lot. I lift or do circuit training, and run.

 

Oh, and when it comes to TV: Lost, 24, Firefly, Futurama, Simpsons, Seinfeld, Family Guy (Without Tivo I would never have time to watch anything).

Posted

so, back to the antenna thing.

i used to have a big dish that moved around. c-band and ku-band. We used to be able to "hijack" the network feed coming from the stadium on blacked out bills games. Hense the reason for my RARE tape of the comeback game without the commercials and the guys shooting the sh-- during the break. I remember we had to set the thing to a specific satellite coordinate during strong westerly winds and another for eastern winds. Ah, the old days...

I watched that feed myself, although I never taped them. Satcom T1 or T3 for the C-band CBS stuff, and Ge-K2 for the NBC stuff? I remember the SF game without a punt and 1000 yards of offense, the announcers raving about how good the Bills looked during a commercial break. I always thought of that SF game as the best game the Bills played in that era.

 

Now, if you had a dish, you remember how long it took to switch between satellites. With an array, you could link with multiple satellites for a picture in a picture.

Posted

I present the facts of the issue to my students every year and ask them if they would have signed it. Most of them would.

 

An early example of states rights being abrogated by Southerners as soon as they find it convenient.

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