Rick Jeanneret passes away at 81

[145B4IDIE]

😢 I guess one more beer (and maybe a puff) for me tonight😔 RIP RJ

[Bills!Win!]

1 hour ago, Bubba Gump said:

RJ, the only play by play guy that could yell "HE SCOOOOORES" while his voice changed octaves 4 different times.  He was truly one of a kind.

 

Rob Ray must be crushed. They spent a ton of time on the road together. Always busting each other's balls. Such a sad day.

was he with Rob ray the longest? 

[K-9]

11 minutes ago, Bills!Win! said:

was he with Rob ray the longest? 

I’m thinking that might be Jim Lorentz. He did color commentary on Sabres broadcasts for 27 years, most of which was spent with RJ. 

[Awwufelloff]

So many good memories I don't know where to start. I love you RJ. You're a legend that will be remembered forever in sabres history....rest in peace my friend.

[BillsPride12]

30 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I’m thinking that might be Jim Lorentz. He did color commentary on Sabres broadcasts for 27 years, most of which was spent with RJ. 

RJ and Jim Lorentz were the absolute best together...nobody did it better.  

[TheBrownBear]

Very sad.  RJ is a big reason I became a hockey fan.  His calls were legendary.  I can still remember exactly where I was in our little house in Depew when he made the May Day call.  R.I.P. Rick.

[Nelius]

The voice of my youth. I remember being in a car with my dad, specifically around the Silver Creek exit on the Thruway if I remember correctly, and it was RJ interspersed with news about the first World Trade Center bombing back in 1993. Truly stuck with me forever. Also enjoyed listening to many games in an unfinished basement and then following it up with hours of NHL 1994. Total legend.

[Sierra Foothills]

2 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

A few of my favorites. 
 

Top shelf, where mama hides the cookies!

Lalalalalala lafontaine!,

Alexander the great!

Stopped… by the Dominator!

 

HOLY ZHITNIK!!!!!

[Freddie's Dead]

Jayyyyyyy Peeeeeee DOOmont!

MILLERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Chris Druuuuuuuuuuury!

And the population of Pominville goes up by 1!!!!

OH WHAT A HIT BY CAMPBELL!!!!

 

 

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

r.i.p., sir

[first_and_ten]

R.I.P. Rick, the best to ever do it😢

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

RIP, Rick, this fan will miss you

 

[Matt_In_NH]

He was the best

[Buffalo_Stampede]

No one will ever compare to RJ. His goal calls were legendary but he was so good calling fights also.

[May Day 10]

4 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

RJ and Jim Lorentz were the absolute best together...nobody did it better.  

 

That was the perfect combo.  A lot of people kind of hated on Lorentz at the time... he was kind of a dull captain obvious. 

 

But once he left, the Sabres couldn't ever replace that chemistry.  Even with hall of fame Harry Neale, it was kind of a disaster.  They couldn't have 2 goofballs. They needed the straight man to go with RJ.  Kind of like the Don cherry/Ron Maclean chemistry.  RJ and Lorentz just fit perfectly.

 

 

 

Anyways, this is a day I have dreaded to some degree for about 30 years.  In high school, I'm pretty sure I listened to more rj calls captured on cassette tape than any music album or track.  

He is every sabres fans' surrogate grandpa. It's a tough day.

 

I also regret (although it isn't my fault), that other than 2 seasons, the Sabres were so dismal on the back 40% of his career.  

 

[Bferra13]

Ugh horrible news. Not what you want to wake up to. RIP legend.

[Big Turk]

Guess he went top shelf where Momma hides the cookies...

 

RIP RJ, the best to have ever done it.

 

Rough Day, would have been my Mom's 85th birthday and then RJ dies.

Edited August 18, 2023 by Big Turk

[HOUSE]

What a bummer, RIP Rick

[ExWNYer]

I posted this in 'The Aud Club' boards over on 'SabreSpace'. I'm just going to copy and paste it here, as well:

 

I grew up with all of the Buffalo teams as a little kid (the Bills...and the Sabres & Braves from their inception), mostly listening on the radio because every game in the world was not yet being televised back in that era. My little brother and I would lie in bed listening to RJ calling the Sabres games and Van Miller calling the Braves games, often times as we hid under the covers trying to keep as quiet as possible and contain our excitement to avoid detection by Mom & Dad. My parents are both gone now, too, and with RJ's passing I get another sobering reminder of how pieces of my youth continue to fade away into the ether. When I heard the news last night, my heart sank even though I knew he had not been in great health. When I told my 21 year old Sabre fan son, he was sad, as well. He has known RJ's voice his entire time following the Sabres  and it's remarkable that RJ affected and crossed so many generations and was beloved by all. He will truly be missed and I am happy to have had him as a small piece of my world as a boy growing up in WNY and into adulthood with my own kids. Rest in peace, Rick. YOU were top shelf. Thanks for so many awesome memories.

 

FYI...WGR is dedicating most of the morning show to RJ, playing his calls as people phone in to pay tribute and share their memories. 'Special guests' will be joining the show to do the same. I'd imagine that will be the case all day, as it should be. It's cathartic. Whether you love the station or hate it, it's been a very good listen thus far. Peace.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

I use to watch the Ottawa brawl probably once a week with a huge smile on my face. Rick was the best.