Sabres’ Refusal to “Salute” Fans Confirmed

[That Aud Smell]

I figured this deserves its own thread.

Harrington quotes an unnamed veteran Sabre (gotta be Okposo), who confirms that, after the “fire Donny” chants amidst the 9-# loss to Columbus, the team decided to stop the stick salute to fans after a win.

What in the actual fu*k.

When does the no-salute policy stop, Kyle? What’s your endgame here, you dipsh1t?

Look, you get to retire and go do whatever the fu*k you’re gonna do, but this is my hometown team. And you and your equivocal soft ass leadership is helping to atomize it. 

[Getpucksdeep]

Oof.  Missed this. Unfortunately it feels on brand for this group.  And I suspect Adams isn't thrilled by it given his "earn it" mantra.  Maybe we see Okposo shipped out of here in the next couple weeks.

[Wyldnwoody44]

They need to save their strength, lifting those heavy sticks in front of 800 fans is tough work. 

I've said it before, this is one of the most unlikeable overall squads I've seen. They just don't have a whole lot of anything, just bleh. 

[Marvin]

I think the anger of the fans is somewhat misplaced, but if you are paying good money to see the team routinely fall behind up to 3-0 in the first period, where else are you going to vent your anger?

[OverPowerYou]

It’s going to be hard to follow this team until Granato, Adams, Okposo, Mittelstadt, Oloffson and Girgensons are gone. Great people, just wastes of space on an NHL team 

Edited February 18 by OverPowerYou

[mjd1001]

It comes down to...the fans can do what they want/boo when they want/chant what they want....and the players can choose to respond the way they are. Its all in each person's right to do so.

HOWEVER, what do the players expect from the fans?  Some of them spending a good portion of their monthly entertainment dollar to see that effort/result, which by the way its pretty direct that the money the fans spend is what pays the players salary....and when the fans witness that effort, do the players expect the fans to cheer for them and wish they better luck next time so their feelings aren't hurt?

You would think that any chant the Fans have..."Fire Donny", "Fire Adams", "Pegula S**ks"....anything should right away be translated in the players heads to a simple "do better".

[Pimlach]

The players no salute policy stopped after the 7-0 win last week.  Even then, they were skating off but were redirected, and some of them went out to the circle.  Big deal for them.     

Ironically, since the home wins are so scarce, most of us never knew this was happening.  My TV feed on ESPN+ does not include post game.  
 

I read the article 3 times.  I am more upset that Granato and Adams could even allow that to be their response.  No one is in charge, to coin an old phrase - the lunatics are running the asylum. 
 

This group lacks accountability in the biggest ways.  The things they say about the 13 year drought, especially alluding to “we haven’t been here for that long” tell me how much, or little, they care.  It’s now beyond the players and it’s infected the coaching and the FO.   

Can it get any worse ?  

 

Edited February 18 by Pimlach

[mjd1001]

3 minutes ago, OverPowerYou said:

It’s going to be hard to follow this team until Granato, Adams, Okposo, Mittelstadt and Oloffaon and Girgensons are gone. Great peoples, just wastes of space on an NHL team 

See, even as fans we totally disagree on the problem.  For me, the reason this team has take a step back has to do with:  Tage and Cozens lack of production, injuries, Power being vastly over-rated at this point in his career, and whatever assistant is in charge of the day to day of the PP.  To me all of those things I listed rank WAY above any that you have listed in terms of what is wrong/needs to change with the team.

Edited February 18 by mjd1001

[Pimlach]

1 minute ago, OverPowerYou said:

It’s going to be hard to follow this team until Granato, Adams, Okposo, Mittelstadt, Oloffson and Girgensons are gone. Great peoples, just wastes of space on an NHL team 

How did Mitts make this list?   He likes it here and wants to stay in the country club. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

The players no salute policy stopped after the 7-0 win last week.  Even then, they were skating off but were redirected, and some of them went out to the circle.  Big deal for them.     

Ironically, since the home wins are so scarce, most of us never knew this was happening.  My TV feed in ESPN+dies not include post game.  
 

I read the article 3 times.  I am more upset that Granato and Adams could even allow that to be their response.  No one is in charge, to coin an old phrase - the lunatics are running the asylum. 
 

This group lacks accountability in the biggest ways.  The things they say about the 13 year drought, especially alluding to “we haven’t been here for that long” tell me how much, or little, they care.  It’s now beyond the players and it’s infected the coaching and the FO.   

Can it get any worse ?  

 

This and the ducking media after games with a poor showing really do tell a tale. 

I get that the media isn't going to highlight anything groundbreaking, but you get paid millions, sit there and answer some questions. 

Your 2023-2024 Buffalo Sabres are a team of woke boys... Not men. 

[Cranky old man]

Okposo has been a gigantic bust his entire career in Buffalo. Talk about wasted money. The Islanders were laughing their ***** off when we picked up that contract. Sabres fans don’t need some fake salute, we COULD use a decent effort every night. 

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

It comes down to...the fans can do what they want/boo when they want/chant what they want....and the players can choose to respond the way they are. Its all in each person's right to do so.

HOWEVER, what do the players expect from the fans?  Some of them spending a good portion of their monthly entertainment dollar to see that effort/result, which by the way its pretty direct that the money the fans spend is what pays the players salary....and when the fans witness that effort, do the players expect the fans to cheer for them and wish they better luck next time so their feelings aren't hurt?

You would think that any chant the Fans have..."Fire Donny", "Fire Adams", "Pegula S**ks"....anything should right away be translated in the players heads to a simple "do better".

It’s not about rights.  I’m sick of people and their rights.  It’s about leadership and accountability - there is none  

It’s about an organization that is so bad for so long that the fans cannot take anymore.  

It’s about a group of players, coaches, and managers that are collectively OVER THEIR HEADS with little hope in sight 

The fans in Buffalo have been too easy if anything. 

Again, the common denominator of all of this madness is down in Boca.   What does he think?   And why would Granato not put a stop to this?  Or Adams not put a stop to it?  Are they that soft too?  
 

[LGR4GM]

46 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I figured this deserves its own thread.

Harrington quotes an unnamed veteran Sabre (gotta be Okposo), who confirms that, after the “fire Donny” chants amidst the 9-# loss to Columbus, the team decided to stop the stick salute to fans after a win.

What in the actual fu*k.

When does the no-salute policy stop, Kyle? What’s your endgame here, you dipsh1t?

Look, you get to retire and go do whatever the fu*k you’re gonna do, but this is my hometown team. And you and your equivocal soft ass leadership is helping to atomize it. 

NSFW. But this team has this energy. 

 

 

[Dr. Who]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

It’s not about rights.  I’m sick of people and their rights.  It’s about leadership and accountability - there is none  

It’s about an organization that is so bad for so long that the fans cannot take anymore.  

It’s about a group of players, coaches, and managers that are collectively OVER THEIR HEADS with little hope in sight 

The fans in Buffalo have been too easy if anything. 

Again, the common denominator of all of this madness is down in Boca.   What does he think?   And why would Granato not put a stop to this?  Or Adams not put a stop to it?  Are they that soft too?  
 

I am the greybeard on a project with a bunch of the Woke types. The juvenile behavior and sense of entitlement is remarkable, and that is not a simple reflection of youth. The culture is damaged in significant ways, and one sees the "snowflake" vibe in a lot of habitual attitudes in an entire generation.

[Derrico]

16 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

 

Ironically, since the home wins are so scarce, most of us never knew this was happening.  My TV feed in ESPN+dies not include post game.  

 

Hahhahah so true.  I’ve been to about a dozen home games this year and seen them win maybe 3 times.  I’m a season ticket holder and had no idea this was even happening. 

I laughed.  Then I cried.

 

[Scottysabres]

To myself in any event, this is much ado about nothing. And what I mean by that is I view the players as more than just the logo on the jersey, they're people. They have emotions just as we fans as people do. Yes I understand 13 years and counting, and yes I get it, we pay their salaries. But I believe they are frustrated as well as we are and while I to expect them to solve the issues holding them back since we can't, I expect emotions from the players.

Meh, if they want to voice their collective displeasure with fans chanting fire Donny, then so be it. I have seen 0 improvement on the home game disasters front, so, fans have good reason to be emotional. If the players want that to change, it's within their ability alone to do so. So raise your sticks, don't raise your sticks, I honestly don't give a ***** either way, but if they'd like the crowds support, then *****'in earn it. Show up at home and earn our loyalty.

Just my 2 cents is all.

[Stoner]

Dumb. Most people don't boo. I've speculated that it could be a very small number of people. A hundred? Who is our acoustics expert?

You're just hurting a lot of people you shouldn't be mad at.

Edited February 18 by PASabreFan

[Stoner]

16 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

It’s not about rights.  I’m sick of people and their rights.  It’s about leadership and accountability - there is none  

It’s about an organization that is so bad for so long that the fans cannot take anymore.  

It’s about a group of players, coaches, and managers that are collectively OVER THEIR HEADS with little hope in sight 

The fans in Buffalo have been too easy if anything. 

Again, the common denominator of all of this madness is down in Boca.   What does he think?   And why would Granato not put a stop to this?  Or Adams not put a stop to it?  Are they that soft too?  
 

Terry is all about it. I can guarantee that. On Day One he was over at the News telling them their negative coverage was affecting the team. "Part of the reason for the quit is in this room."

Of course the fans are another excuse.

TP is softer than... You know.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Just now, PASabreFan said:

Terry is all about it. I can guarantee that. On Day One he was over at the News telling them their negative coverage was affecting the team. "Part of the reason for the quit is in this room."

Of course the fans are another excuse.

TP is softer than... You know.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Fans chanting is part of the game atmosphere.

Players have to take the good and bad.  They never should take out frustration on the fans.  If not for the fans these clowns would be unemployed, well at least not playing a game for big bucks.

Play better and win more or at least try every single minute of every game and you would not have to take anything out on the fans, cus the chants would only be good.

These guys are soft.

Edited February 19 by Sabres Fan in NS

[Indabuff]

I haven't watched a lot of games this year but I have watched games and the consistent problem I've noticed is a lack of effort by players.  IMO, lack of effort is completely unacceptable and it should absolutely be called out. 

***** this team.   You wanna collect that big paycheck?  Either play hard or listen to the criticism.  There should be repercussions for lack of effort. 

[SwampD]

I have always hated the stick solute. 

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Dumb. Most people don't boo. I've speculated that it could be a very small number of people. A hundred? Who is our acoustics expert?

You're just hurting a lot of people you shouldn't be mad at.

I am an audio nerd.   I sure can't tell how many people boo from listening to the TV feed.  I have been to games with booing.  My nephew goes to half the home games.  He doesn't like the booing either but he understands it.  

I would guess the boo birds are at most 3 out of 10, more typically 2 out of 10.  The Donnie chants were barely audible to me.  

I was watching a TNT or ESPN televised home game, it might have been the same Kracken game that Harrington references.  The announcers commented on the booing, laughed about it, and had nothing but sympathy for the fan base.  

[Buffalonill]

Hey Kyle stfu how about you give the fans back money they wasted on watching your sorry ass team 

These Athlete's need a reality check we don't make millions of dollars to throw away 

[That Aud Smell]

16 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Dumb. Most people don't boo. I've speculated that it could be a very small number of people. A hundred? Who is our acoustics expert?

You're just hurting a lot of people you shouldn't be mad at.

This gets at the root of what I’m saying. Not just soft. They’re fu*king idiots.

3 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I have always hated the stick solute. 

Hmm. Interesting take.

How did this evolve? It used to be something done on special occasions, and then became more routine?