RJ States this will be His Final Year Announcing Sabres Games

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

Saddest part of the whole thing is Dumbleavy taking over full-time in 22-23. 😞

...just a follow-up. It has nothing to do with the impossible job of following a legend...he just is not my cup of tea.  Biggest flaw...refuses to remember that he is doing a radio/tv simulcast.  Not everyone is watching on TV.  2nd biggest flaw, using players first and last names during PbP.  Unless one of the teams has players of the same last name, it is annoying and completely unnecessary. 
 

All this being said, I’m sure in the decision makers eyes, he has been a good soldier waiting for RJ to step aside, and he will now be given the full-time gig for as long as he wants it. 

[nucci]

2 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

...just a follow-up. It has nothing to do with the impossible job of following a legend...he just is not my cup of tea.  Biggest flaw...refuses to remember that he is doing a radio/tv simulcast.  Not everyone is watching on TV.  2nd biggest flaw, using players first and last names during PbP.  Unless one of the teams has players of the same last name, it is annoying and completely unnecessary. 
 

All this being said, I’m sure in the decision makers eyes, he has been a good soldier waiting for RJ to step aside, and he will now be given the full-time gig for as long as he wants it. 

👍Ray is the same. He is always talking while the play is going on

[fiftyone]

Noooooooo. Worse than losing any single player -- RJ is the Sabres. 

[erickompositör72]

Would be lying if I said I'm not teary-eyed. RJ, you gave me some of the greatest memories of both my childhood and my college years.

[bob_sauve28]

I just hope he doesn’t open a restaurant and start making commercials like that Salvatore guy. 

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, nucci said:

Ted Darling and RJ. We've been fortunate to have 2 greats. Back then along with the HNIC crew....hockey was fun to watch and listen to

Yes.  It should be no surprise that they were both hired by The Knox Family.  The Knox  era was the best for the Buffalo Sabres in so many ways.  Great teams and great personalities, like Ted and RJ.  They knew how to hire and get out of the way.   Sold out games in The Aud.  Lots of All Star players.   Great entertainment.  

I recently heard a podcast from Don Cherry about Rene Robert and of course he covered the French Connection, The Aud, the fans, the Phantom Sign Makers, and the bars in Buffalo.  
 

We still have a contingent of Sabres living in the area from that era.   

Edited August 20, 2021 by Pimlach

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

Find me any franchise in sports where the most popular name associated with the franchise is probably not a player, but its the play-by-play man.

I am glad that Rick decided this on his own and he is having a farewell tour this year.

Also, the last home game on April 29th 2022 vs Chicago is probably one that I would like to attend if possible, very likely and hopefully the Sabres will give Jeanneret an amazing send off that night at the arena.

[Pimlach]

37 minutes ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

Find me any franchise in sports where the most popular name associated with the franchise is probably not a player, but its the play-by-play man.

I am glad that Rick decided this on his own and he is having a farewell tour this year.

Also, the last home game on April 29th 2022 vs Chicago is probably one that I would like to attend if possible, very likely and hopefully the Sabres will give Jeanneret an amazing send off that night at the arena.

Jack Buck in St Louis,  Harry Carey in Chicago, Vin Scully in LA Dodgers … they all lasted decades and are on equal levels with the Hall of Fame players of their era. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Pimlach

[Stoner]

  

10 minutes ago, Ruff Around The Edges said:

Find me any franchise in sports where the most popular name associated with the franchise is probably not a player, but its the play-by-play man.

I am glad that Rick decided this on his own and he is having a farewell tour this year.

Also, the last home game on April 29th 2022 vs Chicago is probably one that I would like to attend if possible, very likely and hopefully the Sabres will give Jeanneret an amazing send off that night at the arena.

I concocted a likely version of Rick's sendoff, but it wasn't amazing. It was actually too dark even for me. No one should have any confidence that the Sabres will be able to do anything amazing for him. I mean, just get the guy to center ice and the fans will provide the amazing.

Maybe it's me — sure it is — but I'd rewrite the thread title: Sabres announce this is Jeanneret's last season; RJ calls it 'one last run'

I see a sliver of light there, but it's only because I want to.

Edited August 20, 2021 by PASabreFan

[Stoner]

RJ is back!

One more season with RJ.

One last run.

Who says a run is a year?

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, nucci said:

No Eichel goals

Which is too bad because one of his best recent, if not best ever, calls is the Kane Hail Mary to Eichel.

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, nucci said:

No Eichel goals

 

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

Very noticeable … oh well. Didn’t miss Eichel footage 😂

But we did see Rick's reaction to that last-second overtime goal by John.

[Marvin]

He's one thing that all the expats I know love the most about the Sabres -- particularly in the last decade.

It sucks that the team sucks.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, nucci said:

No Eichel goals

No John Scott highlights either.

[Norcal]

Hoping for a few more RJ calls for the ages, he deserves to go out on a high note.

These young kids may provide a few of those opportunities even if they are mostly in losing efforts. 

 

[Stoner]

They won't do it, but if you really want to play a clip of the Best of Jeanneret, find about three or four minutes of continuous action of a Sabres-Bruins playoff game in the 80s. If it ends with a Sabres goal, all the better. That was the genius of Rick on the radio. He delivered the game straight from his mouth, straight into our brains.

[Marvin]

46 minutes ago, Let's Go B-Lo said:

The only thing the Sabres have left to sell is nostalgia. I'm not giving them the click.

There is an immense amount of truth in this statement.  I can't blame you.

I personally listen to RJ calls on YouTube and the records they have sold.

I hate what the franchise has become.

[Thorner]

Sucks to hear he's not in the organization's long term plans to lose. But to be fair Rick would present too much of a "block" on the younger play callers in the system 

6 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

One of my favourite things about the Sabres - a true legend.

Near the very, very top for me in all honesty 

[I-90 W]

I hate that RJs last year will most likely be another really bad one. 

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, nucci said:

No Eichel goals

They continue to be ham-handed 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

Which is too bad because one of his best recent, if not best ever, calls is the Kane Hail Mary to Eichel.

 

[Stoner]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

Which is too bad because one of his best recent, if not best ever, calls is the Kane Hail Mary to Eichel.

It's referenced, albeit in a way that pays homage to Rick and not John.

26 minutes ago, Thorny said:

They continue to be ham-handed 

This was no accident or incompetence though.

[Stoner]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

Which is too bad because one of his best recent, if not best ever, calls is the Kane Hail Mary to Eichel.

I raised an eyebrow at this, but upon further thought — I wouldn't argue the claim. It encompassed so much of his greatness — the anticipation, the goal call itself, the delirious delight, here somewhat understated and better for it, IMHO.

[Thorner]

25 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

It's referenced, albeit in a way that pays homage to Rick and not John.

This was no accident or incompetence though.

Of course it’s not an accident, it absolutely reeks of incompetence. The organization is literally afraid to show or mention it’s star player. They should be acting like he’s a foundational piece that we’ll never move, to maximize return. It reveals their utter fear at calling the casual fan’s attention to this wondrous on ice talent we are about to cash in for magic beans, afraid of drawing the casual fan’s attention, again, to the fact that we can’t seem to ice a winning team with good players. 

Cowardly, incompetent, ham handed. 

- - - 

The last 10, precious years of this absolute Legend’s career were wasted because of a scorched earth tank we are still trying to come back from, all in the name of acquiring one player. The player who was the fruit of that journey doesn’t even get shown ONCE in the video? It’s just laughable. Like, real laughter 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Thorny

[Marvin]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

That was the genius of Rick on the radio. He delivered the game straight from his mouth, straight into our brains.

This may be the perfect way of explaining why Rick and Ted were so great.  I could picture the game in my head with almost no effort because it went from their mouths, to the electronics, through the airwaves, to my radio, into my ears and painted a moving picture in my head.