Sabre fandom: who, what, when, how and why?

[North Buffalo]

We moved to Buffalo in '68 when I was 4.  So in 1970 became aware of hockey mostly because we played a lot of street hockey in the snow on Summitt Ave.  Loved Perrault but Schoenfeld was always my favorite.  Listened to the radio under my pillow because my folks would not let me stay up late to watch past 1st period.  To me Lorenz killing the bat was one my most memorable, the Schoenfeld /Cashman fight and the umpteen times  Gil split the defense and scoring after starting behind his own goal line.

[Marvin]

11 hours ago, freester said:

You were the first non Caucasian in the entire Williamsville school district?  I attended Mill Middle and Williamsville East and I’m older than you. When I attended high school  there were some Indians among my close friends. 

I was as far anyone knew.  I started at Academy.

If I am wrong, I apologise.  The teachers helping the kids beat me up certainly talked like I was the first.

[freester]

53 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I was as far anyone knew.  I started at Academy.

If I am wrong, I apologise.  The teachers helping the kids beat me up certainly talked like I was the first.

I graduated high school in 81 but I didn’t attend elementary school in williamsville. It’s quite possible you are correct. I never appreciated the lack of diversity. I currently live in in atlanta and 2 of my closest friends are huge bills/Sabres fans from buffalo both Indians although they are 10 years younger than me. 

[Scottysabres]

Born the same year as the team. Mother was a huge fan, dated an NHL player for a short period of time prior to her marriage in the mid 60's. As far back as I have memories, I remember going to the Aud as young toe head toddler. Gilbert was my heart stopping hero. I left WNY for a bit, but would always find a way to watch games. I've never felt love for another sports team the way I do for the Sabres. It's not just in my blood, it feels like, well, it feels like it is my blood. Till death do us part.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Now, this is a great thread.

 

[Rasmus_]

 

• When and how did you become a fan? Age 10. 
• Who is your all-time favourite Sabre and why? Alexandre Mogilny. Then slowly followed up by Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville.  Miro Satan, Briere, Campbell are there. 
• Most exciting moments as a fan? Most frustrating? Making the Stanley Cup finals in 1999.  Winning the Presidents trophy in 06-07.   Missing out on McDavid.  Losing to Carolina in the ECF. 
• How would you improve the current team? Second line center, the owners selling the team.  A president of hockey operations that isn't an owner. 

Edited July 12, 2020 by TheCerebral1

[Ogre]

I really like @TheCerebral1’s format so I’m going to copy it.

       •How/when? When I moved to WNY in 95ish. Still trying to like Colorado. The Amerks won the cup and I got all jacked up over WNY. Started tuning in to the Sabres and  BOOM! Cupid had struck!
         •All time fav and why?  I’ll have to answer within my time as a fan. Miller. The later years were rough but that dude... 

        •Most exciting/frustrating?  When I met my wife she knew nothing of hockey and I slowly turned her into a diehard Sabres fan. That was pretty cool. Most frustrating? Some random game around 2010 when I realized that all was lost. I stayed up late to watch a west coast game. Can’t remember who bumbled the puck but it was just so ***** stupid that I punched a hole I my door. I felt great shame and went to da box. I think I started Amerks seasons around then. I knew I would never act like that in public.

    •Improving the current team?  Keep the Pegulas away from operations. They would be fine as owners if they let hockey people handle things. Trust me. The way they’re involved stinks like Aubut’s time with QC. He literally turned the fans interest off. Too involved and too much hockey in QC for people to care anymore.

 

[Broken Ankles]

4 hours ago, Ogre said:

I really like @TheCerebral1’s format so I’m going to copy it.

       •How/when? When I moved to WNY in 95ish. Still trying to like Colorado. The Amerks won the cup and I got all jacked up over WNY. Started tuning in to the Sabres and  BOOM! Cupid had struck!
         •All time fav and why?  I’ll have to answer within my time as a fan. Miller. The later years were rough but that dude... 

        •Most exciting/frustrating?  When I met my wife she knew nothing of hockey and I slowly turned her into a diehard Sabres fan. That was pretty cool. Most frustrating? Some random game around 2010 when I realized that all was lost. I stayed up late to watch a west coast game. Can’t remember who bumbled the puck but it was just so ***** stupid that I punched a hole I my door. I felt great shame and went to da box. I think I started Amerks seasons around then. I knew I would never act like that in public.

    •Improving the current team?  Keep the Pegulas away from operations. They would be fine as owners if they let hockey people handle things. Trust me. The way they’re involved stinks like Aubut’s time with QC. He literally turned the fans interest off. Too involved and too much hockey in QC for people to care anymore.

 

Turning your wife into a die hard Sabre’s fan as an answer is incredibly thoughtful.  Speaks volumes about you and how you considered the question.  Kudos to you both!

[Ogre]

17 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

Turning your wife into a die hard Sabre’s fan as an answer is incredibly thoughtful.  Speaks volumes about you and how you considered the question.  Kudos to you both!

She’s not only adopted hockey but she has some really good opinions about it as well. 

One of the reasons I picked Miller was his Olympic performance. He inspired a entirely new generation of hockey fans. My nephew was flopping all over the floor watching him play.

[Disco]

Ok it's time..

Long time lurker - long time admirer - first post..

On 7/8/2020 at 1:17 PM, dudacek said:

This popped up elsewhere but deserves its own thread.

Tell us about your fandom.

• When and how did you become a fan?
• Who is your all-time favourite Sabre and why?
• Most exciting moments as a fan? Most frustrating?
• How would you improve the current team?

1)  I was 11 years old. I lived in Burlington ON.  My dad's company had season tickets.  My first live game at the AUD was against the RAGS.  Ron Duguay was a rookie and he had a brush cut.  Sabres won 2-0.  Edwards with the shutout.  I then remember witnessing a helmetless Richard Martin sliding into the post and a terrible cuncussion (same game?).  I also remember a very intense game with the Red Army.  We won 6-1 (I think) and Danny Gare sliding into the corner boards while celebrating a goal.  I was HOOKED. I moved in 1982, and currently live in Winnipeg MB.  I am a STH for the Jets (both Jets 1.0 and 2.0).  I love hockey.  Regardless, each year for the last 12 years, I have taken my Dad and my son back to Buffalo for a road trip to see a few games at KBC. As for my son, in these parts, procreation is how you make Sabres fans. He is my best  friend ?

2) Pat LaFontaine for me is my all-time favorite.  Like Capt Kirk, he was (is) a true captain. I would follow him anywhere.

3) Mayday is one of my best moments - No Goal is the worst.  Also, not being able to explain to my 10 year old why Briere and Drury would not return sucked.

4) I don't know how to properly fix this team.  More talent is obvious.  But I can tell you that SabreSpace has been my safety net. I am grateful for this site, and ALL of the posters. Especially while our team tries to figure it out.  So... Thanks to all of you.

[Ogre]

Welcome aboard @Disco!

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Welcome to un-lurkers club @Disco!!

Sent you a beer ...

Very awesome and outstanding user photo.

1, 2, 3, 4 ... followed by 2 minutes, or less, of super fast and super loud awesomeness.

Without The Ramones there would be no Clash, Damned, Pistols etc ...

[TXSabrefan]

On 7/8/2020 at 1:17 PM, dudacek said:

This popped up elsewhere but deserves its own thread.

Tell us about your fandom.

• When and how did you become a fan?
• Who is your all-time favourite Sabre and why?
• Most exciting moments as a fan? Most frustrating?
• How would you improve the current team?

OK guys..

• When did you become a fan?  
  • 1970 when we got the team, I was 12 yrs old.  Have loved them since day one
• Who is your all-time favorite Sabre & why?  
  • Gil Perrault.  I'm sure just about everybody my age feels the same
  • I recall back in '86 or '87 ESPN started broadcasting hockey games.  I recall seeing Gil in one of his last games, felt lucky he was on my team all those years
• Most Exciting moments as a fan?  
  • I lived in the area from when we got the team until 1981.  I can't recall a specific game or goal but the whole feeling around the team was so exciting.  A special memory for me was my mom dropping me off at the Aud in darkness (can't remember if it was night or early morning) to wait in line and get tickets.  I got standing room only, for a Bruins game.  Probably ~ 1973 or so.  I was so excited to get that ticket.  The team was on the rise and everybody wanted to go.  Stood there behind the back row and watched the game, could barely see.
  • I worked in a motorcycle shop during college.  Ric Seiling used to come in and buy parts for his bike.   Fun to interact with a Sabre.
• Must Frustrating? 
  • This tank experiment.  The owners and management have a responsibility to the NHL, Sabre Fans along with the players & organization to field the best team possible at all times.  Does not mean you don't make some smart trades for cap reasons, etc.  Life is short, win now.
• How would you improve the current team?
  • Ralph Krueger has exec skills with sports teams.  I would say trust in him and get Adams the help he needs.  Despite all the frustration, there were times last year where I thought they looked good.  Hopefully the Krueger - Adams combo brings a dramatically new look in the players we acquire and overall approach.

Take care all, I enjoy all the insight you provide

Edited July 17, 2020 by TXSabrefan

[Weave]

OK, I like this one. You can stay.

[CallawaySabres]

Pretty sure it ended 2 weeks after the 2019 winning streak....it was a mostly fun for the 40 year stretch

[DarthEbriate]

On 7/8/2020 at 11:17 AM, dudacek said:

Tell us about your fandom.

• When and how did you become a fan?
• Who is your all-time favourite Sabre and why?
• Most exciting moments as a fan? Most frustrating?
• How would you improve the current team?

Circa 1992 we got a new TV and cable, replacing the Zenith that you had to get up and turn the dial, and suddenly there was this thing called ESPN and it showed live sporting events (or quick replays later that week in the case of auto racing). Pavel Bure and the '93 Canucks got me into the sport, and then in '96-ish I started seeing Sabres games. '97-'98 I was hooked on this particular team. And concurrently, I started hearing Buffalo a lot. Buffalo and Wales (the country), every time I read something or heard a reference or was like "oh, where is that photo from?" it was Buffalo. Or Wales. 

Hasek. He was truly transcendent as an athlete at his position. Execution, improvisation, and a touch of Bantha-fodder crazy.

Exciting? Winning game 1 of the '99 Final --- knowing that the next day I was flying out of country and would miss the bulk of the series. I got home to see game 6....   Props to the '05-'06 run and to getting my Holzinger jersey, getting home, putting it on and watching him net 2 against Ottawa in the quarterfinals series within the next 30 minutes.

Frustrating? Props to: The current constant churn in leadership and the team's direction. From the decision to tank/blow it all up rather than re-tweak, to forcibly tank further, to rebuild too quickly, too draft only defensemen and ...whatever Sheevyn is going to plan to do.   But the absolutely most frustrating things for me were regarding to teams that were ready to win it all and didn't get the opportunity to be their best. Not signing Peca when they had Andreychuk/Gilmour for the season; and that devastating rash of injuries in '05-'06.

Improvement: The all-important 2C. Get a pivot who makes a 2nd line sing and we're in good shape. Yes, the opposition is still going to match up against Eichel. But Eichel's elite now and his line can handle it. Get one more line that can take over a game from time-to-time (And hey, maybe it was Olofsson-Johansson-Kahun at the end of this season... doubtful, but you never know with line combos until you try them).   I say that because Ullmark is still improving and if Hutton's eye can be fixed, he'll be better and hopefully revert to his career platoon-capable guy with a .910+ sv% with our safer defensive structure.

On 7/9/2020 at 2:28 AM, Weave said:

We all knew Stosh and he told all of us the same thing.  Now I’m Stosh.

Hey, I had a great uncle Stosh who also told me that about horseradish. And it's true, we all become Stosh once we have the opportunity to tell that to kids.