What's your overriding emotion on this momentous day of Rick's last call?

[matter2003]

Sighing as I think of listening to Dan Dunleavy for the next decade or more.

[Taro T]

22 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Which leads me to... should the Sabres drop the simulcast and have a radio voice?

Is "radio play by play" even a job that will exist in 10 years?

They should.

But, it isn't our money getting spent on that radio-only guy.

For that reason, doubt they do go back to separate broadcasts.  But, we can hope, right?

[woods-racer]

I was hoping they would find a radio guy that would make the call for both radio and tv. The Sabres would have to look at (OHL?) markets that are radio only to find experienced PBP announcers.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, woods-racer said:

I was hoping they would find a radio guy that would make the call for both radio and tv. The Sabres would have to look at (OHL?) markets that are radio only to find experienced PBP announcers.

That would be great.  But TV "play-by-play" has evolved so significantly in the States (and not in a good way) in the last 10-20 years that it isn't likely one would get a fair shake at it if the TV & radio roles aren't separated.

[woods-racer]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

That would be great.  But TV "play-by-play" has evolved so significantly in the States (and not in a good way) in the last 10-20 years that it isn't likely one would get a fair shake at it if the TV & radio roles aren't separated.

Dan is a good tv PBP guy. But not a good BPB guy, the best are in radio.

I personally think a radio BPB guy is the best to listen to weather on radio or tv. Radio guys see the ice better than I do sitting at home and get that mental picture going in your head as you watch. RJ would call a pass before a player receiving the pass enters the picture frame. RJ got the listener portion of my brain exited before my eyes caught up.

It also seems that radio guys get player names correct more often. I'm not talking correct pronunciations, just the correct player no matter how bad they butcher his name.

[dudacek]

41 minutes ago, woods-racer said:

Dan is a good tv PBP guy. But not a good BPB guy, the best are in radio.

I personally think a radio BPB guy is the best to listen to weather on radio or tv. Radio guys see the ice better than I do sitting at home and get that mental picture going in your head as you watch. RJ would call a pass before a player receiving the pass enters the picture frame. RJ got the listener portion of my brain exited before my eyes caught up.

It also seems that radio guys get player names correct more often. I'm not talking correct pronunciations, just the correct player no matter how bad they butcher his name.

It’s also worth mentioning how infrequently Dan has called games from inside the building the past few years.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

Sighing as I think of listening to Dan Dunleavy for the next decade or more.

Try to actually watch as many games on TV then. Your eyes can at least see what’s actually happening on the ice vs. whatever it is DD is describing. If radio is your only option, you’re SOL. DD cannot paint a picture with words for the life of him. He has zero talent for creating theater for the mind. 

He’s really good at features though. 

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

They should.

But, it isn't our money getting spent on that radio-only guy.

For that reason, doubt they do go back to separate broadcasts.  But, we can hope, right?

Allow me to probe deeper. Just relax.

Here's an incongruous question: Given that there will never be another Rick, should the Sabres try and find one?

Young, regional, inexperienced, style nearly fully formed. It worked once. You can't tell me there isn't a young livewire somewhere in the OHL. H/t woods

[BMWR100RT]

The sadness is real. I'm 60 and remember when the Sabres were and expansion team. I didn't follow them right away, but I had older cousins that I looked up to that got me into Sabres hockey and I've been addicted since. My first game (I've posted this before) was the famous fog game, but much of my Sabres enjoyment came from the radio. Even in the 80s when I lived in Westchester I could tune in at night and listen to Rick. Such a constant in my life it's like a relative dying. Even though I know he's still out there and we've never met. Many folks wish they could hang with a favorite athlete, musician, author, etc. Me, I'd have a few beers with RJ. 

 

Edited May 2, 2022 by BMWR100RT

[Marvin]

9 minutes ago, BMWR100RT said:

The sadness is real. I'm 60 and remember when the Sabres were and expansion team. I didn't follow them right away, but I had older cousins that I looked up to that got me into Sabres hockey and I've been adducted since. My first game (I've posted this before) was the famous fog game, but much of my Sabres enjoyment came from the radio. Even in the 80s when I lived in Westchester I could tune in at night and listen to Rick. Such a constant in my life it's like a relative dying. Even though I know he's still out there and we've never met. Many folks wis they could hang with a favorite athlete, musician, author, etc. Me, I'd have a few beers with RJ. 

 

Welcome back!

And I completely understand your sentiment.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

All I can think about is how quickly 50+ years have gone by.

I am getting close to 60 and remember the early days of the Sabres and Rick as if it were yesterday.

Where did the years go?

[That Aud Smell]

I'll echo someone else's sentiment, and in answer to the OP: 

Gratitude.

p.s. That voice of Rick's had a few era all its own. Listen to those calls from the 70s and early 80s. So high-pitched and nasal.

[French Collection]

1 hour ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

All I can think about is how quickly 50+ years have gone by.

I am getting close to 60 and remember the early days of the Sabres and Rick as if it were yesterday.

Where did the years go?

I feel the same way.

I remember asking my parents how old they felt. They were in their 70s at the time and both said they still thought of themselves as being in their late 50s. I am now in my late 50s and I kind of feel like 40-45. Some mornings I feel like 70 though.

I find it interesting that I “feel” about 15 years younger than my actual age, like my parents did.

[North Buffalo]

Melancholy... Ill miss him... I grew up with my radio under my pillow listening to RJ with volume turned down as low as possible so my folks couldnt hear it during the early 70s... now almost 60 myself RJ has been calling games since I was 7 and other than watching TD on TV... I cant think of a more iconic voice and brought games alive for me with nothing but my imagination.

[Kruppstahl]

1 hour ago, North Buffalo said:

Melancholy... Ill miss him... I grew up with my radio under my pillow listening to RJ with volume turned down as low as possible so my folks couldnt hear it during the early 70s... now almost 60 myself RJ has been calling games since I was 7 and other than watching TD on TV... I cant think of a more iconic voice and brought games alive for me with nothing but my imagination.

Your comments here are similar to my own thoughts on RJ's retirement.

My thoughts immediately go back to listening to him at night during games when I had a bedtime and it was earlier than the end time of the game!  My mom would let me listen in bed though.  I can still picture almost exactly my bulky transistor radio and the voice of RJ saying "Cleared but not out!".

I've literally been listening to the man call Sabres games my entire life.  So when he goes, so does a part of me in a way.

I've been fearing the day he decided to retire for years now.

 

 

[North Buffalo]

19 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

Your comments here are similar to my own thoughts on RJ's retirement.

My thoughts immediately go back to listening to him at night during games when I had a bedtime and it was earlier than the end time of the game!  My mom would let me listen in bed though.  I can still picture almost exactly my bulky transistor radio and the voice of RJ saying "Cleared but not out!".

I've literally been listening to the man call Sabres games my entire life.  So when he goes, so does a part of me in a way.

I've been fearing the day he decided to retire for years now.

 

 

Mine is Gilbert Perrault winding up behind the net.... next thing I remember him saying Perrault dekes splits the defense going in on goal he shoots he scores..

[Weave]

I guess my primary emotion is empathy.  Rick’s been at it a long time.  It is clearly physically challenging for him to continue to do it.  It’s got to be hard to come to the realization that it’s time to move on.

You’ve earned the rest, Rick.  It is selfish of us to want you to hang on.

[OverPowerYou]

As a young 8 year old hockey fan in 99 I liked the Dallas stars because they were cool and Mike Modano played for team USA. My parents had just gotten satellite tv so I watched all the hockey I wanted. I quickly discovered this channel called empire sports network and learned that I could watch Sabre’s games. Back then the team was very average and the league was kind of stale as every game would end in a low scoring 2-1 battle but I enjoyed watching it. I knew the Sabre’s of 2004 weren’t very good and still enjoyed playing nhl video games to pass the time. 

When the nhl locked out in 2005 I found myself very sad when football season was over. I didn’t realize how much I had actually missed hockey. When it came back I didn’t really watch much. I was just entering high school and kept busy with other things and football was my main passion so I didn’t pay attention all too much. When the Sabre’s made the playoffs in 2006, wow, I jumped on that bandwagon so hard. That’s when I really discovered Rick Jeanererette. As a 31 year old I look back at those years from 2005-2007 as the best years of my life. My youth. 15, 16, 17 years old. Rick’s voice echoes in my memories. I could say that he is a part of the fabric that made me who I am today.

The first game I went to was February 22nd 2007. I wanted so bad to go to a game. Little did I know the game I went to would be the biggest brawl We’ve seen. Drury got hit probably 10 feet in front of me. When I’m feeling sad I go back and watch that game or listen to Rick Jeanerette goal calls and highlights. It brings me back to the happiest times of my life and reminds me of who I am. 

My son is now 3. He was also born on February 22nd. I can’t wait to raise him to love the Sabre’s. I can’t wait to show him what happened in 2007 on what happens to be his birthday and how I was there. Someday we will celebrate a Stanley cup together. However he will won’t experience it with Rick. For that I am sad. But I’m also grateful that I got to experience Rick and grow up hearing him and have the memories. When I listen to the Drury game tying goal or other memorable highlights it triggers feelings and memories that give me goosebumps and gives me a euphoric sensation every time. That’s equally as good as a Stanley cup 

Edited May 3, 2022 by OverPowerYou

[bunomatic]

For me what Brawndo said about wasting the last 10 years or so of RJs great voice on the mess the Sabres have been resonated with me also what LGR4GM said ‘ thankful ‘. I feel very thankful and fortunate I was around for that hall of fame play by play. RJ was one of a kind. Thank you RJ.

[gilbert11]

On 4/29/2022 at 9:17 AM, msw2112 said:

With all of the RJ hype of late, I had fogotten that Ted Darling was pretty good in his own right.  When I watched Ted Darling broadcasts as a kid, I always thought "How does he know that guy is from North Tonawanda?"  Looking back, I realize how funny that was.  What I also remember about Ted was whenever he talked about tall players (Andreychuck, Adam Creighton, etc.) and their "loooong reach."

Back to RJ, he's truly one of the all-time greats and will be missed.  I'll be sad that we won't get to enjoy his calls anymore.  I don't think he's at that point yet, but I lived in Chicago at the end of Harry Caray's career.  For Harry, it was definitely time to hang 'em up.  He was getting players' names wrong (Ryne Sandberg was "Ryan Sandborn" and such) and forgetting basic facts about the game.  I don't think RJ is anywhere near that level of decline, but as others have said, it isn't bad for him to go out close to the top of his game.  We'll miss you, Rick!

You must be talking about the pucks into the crowd.  I was 10 when the Sabres started so I fell for that too.

[gilbert11]

I look at it this way, since RJ kept putting off retirement, his Sabres broadcast career went into “Ooooooooovertime”!