Sabres’ Refusal to “Salute” Fans Confirmed

[Buffalonill]

5 minutes ago, Sabres73 said:

I dunno, this whole salute thing is relatively new in sports in the last decade or two. It was fine before the salute came into vogue, and it seems a little gratuitous. I don't care about this at all. It has nothing to do with disrespecting the fans.

I think some are missing the point it's not about the salute 

[Flashsabre]

From Sabres Reddit:

[Mango]

6 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Yes. And I had an immediate stick lift.

I'm still digesting this news... It was mentioned recently on this board and I refused to believe it, then I was relieved when someone said it wasn't true... But how bad is this? It feels downright awful. Like, the last thing that's done before divorce is inevitable.

That's next level captainship.

It has a very "Major League" vibe to it. 

 

[Buffalonill]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Players are human beings and if they feel like the fans aren't with them anymore, it's hard to put on the fake smile. I wonder how much crap they put up with away from the arena?

In buffalo? Probably nothing if it was a big market like Toronto they probably ask for a trade 

[Mango]

7 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

From Sabres Reddit:

Live footage of Dylan Cozens after tomorrows game. (NSFW Warning)
 

 

Edited February 18 by Mango

[#freejame]

24 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm guilty of popping into threads and popping off from time to time so I can't be too mad. But a number of people don't seem to grasp the issue here.

And that issue is obviously…the fans!

[spndnchz]

4 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

In buffalo? Probably nothing if it was a big market like Toronto they probably ask for a trade 

Texas dose it different?

[Buffalonill]

1 minute ago, spndnchz said:

Texas dose it different?

I'm saying if you turn on NHL network or the radio or any NHL media outlet they don't Criticize or talk anything buffalo 

These players have it easy 

[Thorner]

Yikes lol. This group is hard to like sometimes.

Oh well. They’re temporary.

10 hours 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. 

Your last paragraph is exactly it. He isn’t going to be a Sabre shortly. We will be. 

[Thorner]

9 hours ago, Getpucksdeep said:

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.

You mean his “you don’t need to earn anything because we don’t block spots” mantra? It was probably Adams idea lol 

[Thorner]

8 hours ago, JohnC said:

When it gets to the point that we're discussing "stick salutes", we have entered the realm of absurdity. Who gives a freaking dam! Salute the fans for what? For attending a game? I can see the players doing the post-game "stick salute" at the last home game but doing it on a regular basis after a home game renders it a hollow and meaningless gesture. Please stop with this foolishness. 

It’s rather a skill to miss the point THAT clearly lol 

[Mango]

Fans next Sabres game. 
 

 

[Thorner]

7 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

I do not. As indicated in multiple posts of mine (and those of others).

Sometimes I think he willingly ignores the posts responding to him, I don’t really get it 

7 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I think it's hilarious. We're always talking about sending the team a message. Well, they're sending one back. 😂😂😂

Their record does a lot of talking 

[Thorner]

7 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

I don't think anyone cares about "saluting fans" more so the captain and his core don't understand the fans frustration 

Maybe the 5th time explaining it, lucky

[Getpucksdeep]

8 minutes ago, Thorny said:

You mean his “you don’t need to earn anything because we don’t block spots” mantra? It was probably Adams idea lol 

Ugh. Good point those two mantras aren't a great pair.  But I felt the "earn it" piece was at least respectful to the fans. 

[Thorner]

7 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Maybe they feel that isn't worth it for these fans.

Then play for the f*cking millions of dollars ????

you sir have definitively lost the plot 

Like you are on an entirely different book 

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, Weave said:

I am going to take a different stance.  That stick raise IS important.

No coincidence that the practice started with the Rags in MSG.  It is customary after a live performance that the cast recognize the audience’s applause and attendance with a bow and signs of appreciation of their own.  And it happens every night, not just on special nights.  It is a basic, “ you’re welcome” to those that made the effort to be there.

These athletes are performers and absolutely should be expected to acknowledge signs of appreciation for the paying audience. 

Im not going to assume it was KO that led this charge.  But I am deeply disappointed and displeased with whoever it was that championed this idea.  They have forgotten the basic tenet that they are performers first and foremost, and that those in the audience are fundamentally why they are there.

Im glad someone in the organization had the sense and leadership to turn the players around and acknowledge the support of those that were in attendance.  At least that someone had their head pointed straight.

***** with your paying crowd is stupid, at best.

Excellent post 

56 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm guilty of popping into threads and popping off from time to time so I can't be too mad. But a number of people don't seem to grasp the issue here.

All timer 

[Sabres73]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

I'm guilty of popping into threads and popping off from time to time so I can't be too mad. But a number of people don't seem to grasp the issue here.

I think people grasp the issue just fine, but have a different opinion than you.

[JohnC]

28 minutes ago, Thorny said:

It’s rather a skill to miss the point THAT clearly lol 

This issue of "stick salutes" is inane. If the players don't want to do it, for whatever reasons, then that's their prerogative. Who freaking cares! If the players don't want to do this periodic postgame hollow ritual, even if not doing it is an expression of their dissatisfaction with a faction of fans, then so what? 

[Flashsabre]

3 minutes ago, JohnC said:

This issue of "stick salutes" is inane. If the players don't want to do it, for whatever reasons, then that's their prerogative. Who freaking cares! If the players don't want to do this periodic postgame hollow ritual, even if not doing it is an expression of their dissatisfaction with a faction of fans, then so what? 

Yeah who cares.

If the players don’t want to put in the effort to win regularly then so what?

If the organization doesn’t want to make the playoffs for 13-20 years then so what?

If the organization wants to continue to raise the prices on tickets for fans to come and sit through this garbage year after year after year then so what?

If the fans finally say enough is enough and there are 2000 fans in the building next season then so what?

If Terry gets fed up with the lack of fan support and sells the team to Salt Lake City then so what?

[Thorner]

19 minutes ago, JohnC said:

This issue of "stick salutes" is inane. If the players don't want to do it, for whatever reasons, then that's their prerogative. Who freaking cares! If the players don't want to do this periodic postgame hollow ritual, even if not doing it is an expression of their dissatisfaction with a faction of fans, then so what? 

The post win tradition could be Kyle Okposo walking out to centre ice, sucking a balloon dry of its helium and singing Volare: it’s not the validity of the ceremony itself that represents the changed variable, here. You seem unwilling (not unable) to grasp that what people are taking issue with is the *reason* for the change. I truly don’t understand how you wouldn’t understand that *intent* matters. It matters personally, it matters in a court of law, it always matters: context is always key.

You, nor anyone, was arguing previously for the removal of the salute, nor advocating for its worth. But people are reacting to the *reasons why* the players decided to change it. That’s the new information.

What you are merely doing is being willingly obtuse. “Who cares?” It’s enough to say “people care”. The issue here isn’t that you have to care too: it’s that you are refusing to acknowledge others’ contention isn’t about the tradition itself and its worth in a vacuum. It’s the worst form of debate, where one party won’t even acknowledge the reality of the other side: it’s gaslighting. You gaslight a lot 

Edited February 19 by Thorny

[Chair]

18 minutes ago, JohnC said:

This issue of "stick salutes" is inane. If the players don't want to do it, for whatever reasons, then that's their prerogative. Who freaking cares! If the players don't want to do this periodic postgame hollow ritual, even if not doing it is an expression of their dissatisfaction with a faction of fans, then so what? 

This guy is Okposos agent 

[Second Line Center]

I HATE the post game salute.  
 

That said, this is embarrassing.  

[LGR4GM]

32 minutes ago, JohnC said:

This issue of "stick salutes" is inane. If the players don't want to do it, for whatever reasons, then that's their prerogative. Who freaking cares! If the players don't want to do this periodic postgame hollow ritual, even if not doing it is an expression of their dissatisfaction with a faction of fans, then so what? 

The issue is not the stick salute.

The issue is that the Buffalo Sabres players, decided that they disliked something some fans did. So they want to exact a form of RETRIBUTION, no matter how minor, to get BACK AT the fans. That's the issue, they changed something they did as a form of punishment. Again, the fact it's minor is irrelevant. Actively trying to hurt a fan or their experience is quite frankly pathetic.

The players stopped something to retaliate, that's the issue.

Edited February 19 by LGR4GM
Spelling error

[That Aud Smell]

@LGR4GM and @Thorny might have wrapped this one up quite neatly. ⬆️ 

I love the Sabres. 

At the moment? I feel like the Sabres don’t love me.

That will change. And may it change soon.