Buffalo, Success or Failure
Posted 1:18 PM ET | Comments 6
Well Lets start be saying that I believe in Darcy, Lindy, Mr. Quinn & Mr. Galisano. They Brought this team back from near expolsion. Back when the Knox brothers brought the Sabres into the NHL, they had a dream and a hope that this team could and would be great. The Sabres were one of the quickest teams to make the Stanley cup finals. They had Great players and a great following.
Then came Scotty Bowman, whom many consider as one of the greatest hockey minds ever. He dismantled the most storied line in buffalo history to that point. Breaking up the French connection was one of the most devestating moves in the francises history. not only did it make the team chemistry non exsistant it also turned the fans against the team as well. Although we got many good draft picks and players for all the trades Mr. Bowman did, the team was utter chaios. the Eightys were a tough time to be a Sabres fan. 1st Round and out seemed to be the theme, if it wernt for the fact we were in the same division as the lowley hartford Whalers and the even more pitiful Quebec Nordiques I dont believe we would have made the playoffs most of the time.
Now onto the Ninties, With the Free Wheel and Skate teams of Patty LA LA and Alexander the Great, still not outta the first round until MAY DAY, thank you Brad May you will always be a Buffalo Sabre in my book(although if we didnt swap 1st Rnd Picks With the Winnepeg Jets in the Hawerchuck-Housley Trade We may have drafted Kieth Tckuck instead of the Jets), Then Came the Dominik Hasek Era in buffalo. The High Scoring was over and the Shutout was now the way buffalo Brought their game. With the Likes of Defensive players like Mike Peca, and Curtis Brown shutting down the Scoring of every other team in the league allowing Mr. Hasek TWO MVP awards in the NOW Red and Black .
Then came the Dark days. The Scandals and Underhandedness of the New Owner Group after the Passing of the Seymour H and Northup. this New owner group led by Adelphia Millionare John Rigas Lied and Stole from the Organization from the beginning. They hid money in there company and gave losses the the Sabres making it look as though they lost more money than the actually did. For this reason we nearly lost the team al together. but the League came to the aid of the Sabres during the Bankruptcy era. Then, Came the Buffalo Savior. Billionaire Thomas Galisano.
B. Tom Galisano took control of this team and started running it like a buisness and making sure the people he put in charge ran it the same way. I think that His Belief is that if you use Emotion to Run a buisness you will be Bankrupt before you ever get started. He and the Front office have Made many tough desicions that Regular Fans of the Game wouldnt make. Letting the daniel Briere's and Chris Drury's of the World go were not Easy decisions to make. But as is the case in all buisness ventures, you have to take a step back once in a while to look at the future and only then can you be successful. If the Ownership Believes in what they are builing then is this team a Success ?? if the Fans dont get what they want then is this team a Failure??
The Buffalo Organization Has been through a long up and down rollercoaster ride. 37 years with no Championship seems to be a Failure. But if you look closer, the team has been there through thick and thin, High times and Low times. This team is Like a brother to us, it has been there when we needed it and we have been there when it has been at its worst. So really think about this Buffalo Fans, After Everything We have been through has this team made Us better or worse.
THE CURSE OF BUFFALO is a Myth, Just because this team or any other team in the Buffalo area hasnt won a Championship doesnt make them losers. I believe that this team is a Success because it has charcter and a Personallity and a History. How many teams can say they have come back from so much adversity then the Buffalo Sports Francises. I was REALLY upset when ESPN Skipped Buffalo on there City By City Tour. They May not have any Championships in the last 50 years but that doesnt mean that this City doesnt have good sports moments. So I just ask you the fans, do you think that this Francise has been a success or a Failure in the 37 Years its been here. Or do you think that the Best is yet to Come.
Then came Scotty Bowman, whom many consider as one of the greatest hockey minds ever. He dismantled the most storied line in buffalo history to that point. Breaking up the French connection was one of the most devestating moves in the francises history. not only did it make the team chemistry non exsistant it also turned the fans against the team as well. Although we got many good draft picks and players for all the trades Mr. Bowman did, the team was utter chaios. the Eightys were a tough time to be a Sabres fan. 1st Round and out seemed to be the theme, if it wernt for the fact we were in the same division as the lowley hartford Whalers and the even more pitiful Quebec Nordiques I dont believe we would have made the playoffs most of the time.
Now onto the Ninties, With the Free Wheel and Skate teams of Patty LA LA and Alexander the Great, still not outta the first round until MAY DAY, thank you Brad May you will always be a Buffalo Sabre in my book(although if we didnt swap 1st Rnd Picks With the Winnepeg Jets in the Hawerchuck-Housley Trade We may have drafted Kieth Tckuck instead of the Jets), Then Came the Dominik Hasek Era in buffalo. The High Scoring was over and the Shutout was now the way buffalo Brought their game. With the Likes of Defensive players like Mike Peca, and Curtis Brown shutting down the Scoring of every other team in the league allowing Mr. Hasek TWO MVP awards in the NOW Red and Black .
Then came the Dark days. The Scandals and Underhandedness of the New Owner Group after the Passing of the Seymour H and Northup. this New owner group led by Adelphia Millionare John Rigas Lied and Stole from the Organization from the beginning. They hid money in there company and gave losses the the Sabres making it look as though they lost more money than the actually did. For this reason we nearly lost the team al together. but the League came to the aid of the Sabres during the Bankruptcy era. Then, Came the Buffalo Savior. Billionaire Thomas Galisano.
B. Tom Galisano took control of this team and started running it like a buisness and making sure the people he put in charge ran it the same way. I think that His Belief is that if you use Emotion to Run a buisness you will be Bankrupt before you ever get started. He and the Front office have Made many tough desicions that Regular Fans of the Game wouldnt make. Letting the daniel Briere's and Chris Drury's of the World go were not Easy decisions to make. But as is the case in all buisness ventures, you have to take a step back once in a while to look at the future and only then can you be successful. If the Ownership Believes in what they are builing then is this team a Success ?? if the Fans dont get what they want then is this team a Failure??
The Buffalo Organization Has been through a long up and down rollercoaster ride. 37 years with no Championship seems to be a Failure. But if you look closer, the team has been there through thick and thin, High times and Low times. This team is Like a brother to us, it has been there when we needed it and we have been there when it has been at its worst. So really think about this Buffalo Fans, After Everything We have been through has this team made Us better or worse.
THE CURSE OF BUFFALO is a Myth, Just because this team or any other team in the Buffalo area hasnt won a Championship doesnt make them losers. I believe that this team is a Success because it has charcter and a Personallity and a History. How many teams can say they have come back from so much adversity then the Buffalo Sports Francises. I was REALLY upset when ESPN Skipped Buffalo on there City By City Tour. They May not have any Championships in the last 50 years but that doesnt mean that this City doesnt have good sports moments. So I just ask you the fans, do you think that this Francise has been a success or a Failure in the 37 Years its been here. Or do you think that the Best is yet to Come.
Buffalo always gets the short end of the stick as sad as it is. I've visited several times from toronto, the city has passionate fans, not just for hockey. I think the current organization has class, made a couple mistakes recently, but who hasn't. The Fans in buffalo deserve better from the media, but with Toronto and New York so close, I don't know if it'll ever happen. Great Blog, and even though your a division rival, I often cheer for buffalo (always when they face ottawa) Ryan Miller is one of my fav goalies.
The Buffalo Bills won the AFL championship before they merged into the NFL... Bandits have won the NLL championship relatively recently... There is no Buffalo sports curse, perhaps a buffalo city curse (rapidly declining population, enormous loss of jobs)... Look at the leafs for example, haven't won a Stanley cup since the 60's...........Briere wanted to cash in, and Drury wanted to play closer to home. Not the fault of Regier, Quinn or ESPECIALLY Golisano. Tom Golisano is one of the best thing to ever happen to the Sabres organization.Look on the bright side -- we've got Thomas Vanek for the next 7 years, and Derek Roy for the next 6 in Buffalo. Don't you recall the incredible success of that line last season? These are two young guys that will only continue to improve. Not to mention Drew Stafford, Michael Ryan, and Clarke MacAurthur. AND I would anticipate another free agent signing this summer.I can't wait for the 07-08 season! Buffalo is back in the underdog role, which historically has proved itself more advantageous than anything else. (dare I mention this past seasons playoff performance immediately after they won the President's trophy as the no. 1 seed in the league)
well said, sabres will prevail and win a championship for buffalo. i must add that as a canadian living close to the border of buffalo near niagara falls that we have been a huge factor in keeping the team in buffalo. if the stats were given i bet a very good portion on the arena are candadian. i have been comin to games since the aud and began to take in the team and atmosphere, we and mannnny other canadian people and companies stuck with the team thruout the good and bad and it was embarassing watching 13,000 people show up to games. now a ton of people have hopped on the bandwagon....this team and organization is worthy of all of it, this team will be as good as last years, vanek will get 50 plus goals and stafford will be huge, ryan miller will win the vezina....success indeed my friend
vanek_26... you speak true, i believe around 12% of the sabres season ticket holders are from canada and that does not include people that come down for random games. Thanks for your support canada
buffalo, at its finest, is 2nd best. 2nd best were the bills. 2nd place in the east last year were the sabres. you have the 2nd best city in new york. if i were you guys, i'd hope for a 2nd place finish, but i wouldn't hold my breath for a championship! ha!
How quickly everyone forgets, the Sabres did the President's Trophy. Isn't that a championship. I personally have always thought that that was the true measure of a great team. To finish on the op of the heap after a long and grueling season, to me, is a much greater accomplishment than winning a series of seven game sets.Regardless, the fact that the team is still in Buffalo and highly completive is nothing to be ashamed of. I personally feel that management made the same decision I would have made had it been my responsibility in releasing Biere and Drury to languish with their new teams. We need players who want to be Buffalo Sabres and can appreciate their fans.