BillsFanNC Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 I've tolerated you long enough. As a North Carolina native let me just tell you based on every comment I've seen you make about my state and its citizens, you are a true representative of class. It's good you're quarantined over in Holly Springs. I know a lot of good guys from WNY who have moved here to Raleigh and Charlotte, watched a lot of good football, and had some fun with them during the Canes / Sabre series. I can only say thank God I've never met you and I pray I never will. People like you are the one of the reasons there's problems in the world. If you don't like North Carolina and the people who live there go the hell back from wherever it is you came from and stop wasting space in my state. It's one thing for someone to make fun of NC and its citizens when you're up in NY and just don't know any better or care. It's another thing entirely to move down here, live in southwestern Wake County, and constantly dribble out your mouth how stupid everyone is and every dumb redneck Hurricane fan can "lick balls". I mean you hate rednecks, farmers, non-hockey fans, people with strange accents, and so on, and you live in Holly Springs, NC. That's the equivalent of someone from Fuquay Varina (that's southeast of you, still in Wake County) moving to a suburb outside of Buffalo and complaining that he/she hates smooth talking, fancy car driving, slick backed hair yankees. What the hell is your problem? 710912[/snapback] Whoa. WTF. Are you delusional?? Please point out where I ever said anything about rednecks, people with strange accents, farmers, or hating the people in NC. If you could read you would have understood that my problem is with people who are from up north and have bailed on their hometown team or have recently jumped on the Canes bandwagon. You being a native and a Canes fan I can respect...provided that you haven't recently caught Canes fever like so many others that I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Assuming the bulk of the team comes back and the few changes in the roster don't adversely affect the magic this team had. I'm sure I will look at it the way you do in a few months, but right now I'm nauseous thinking about what might have been if the Sabres had been able to limit the injury bug to just the top forward and 1/2 of the defense rather than 2/3's of it. The Sabres were ~18 minutes away from being favored in the Finals (for the 1st time ever). They are now ~4 roster changes, 82 games, and who knows what else away from being one of 16 with a dream. They will definitely be back in the playoffs, and if Darcy can keep the team intact may be able to build on this season. But it will be hard for this team to get much closer than they did this time and it will be impossible for the ride to be more fun than this season was. (Even if the final destination is better, the ride cannot be sweeter than this one was.) 710896[/snapback] Actually I could imagine a situation for Sabres fans where it would have been sweeter. Sweeping TO in a series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king bucko Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Whoa. WTF. Are you delusional?? Please point out where I ever said anything about rednecks, people with strange accents, farmers, or hating the people in NC. If you could read you would have understood that my problem is with people who are from up north and have bailed on their hometown team or have recently jumped on the Canes bandwagon. You being a native and a Canes fan I can respect...provided that you haven't recently caught Canes fever like so many others that I know. 710915[/snapback] Oh man, I just went back and checked your posts, I went off on the wrong guy, user name was sorta the same but not, its late, I'm still at work, saw that you were from Holly Springs and lost it. I had to read some crap on here during the Canes / Sabres series and it just burned me bad. Thought you were somebody else. I really do apologize, figures the one time I go after somebody its the wrong guy. In hindsight, should of just kept my mouth shut. Hope you accept my apology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 I'm just the opposite. I despise the "Caniacs". The Canes as a team and an organization I respect for the most part. They have been in NC for 9 seasons, in Raleigh for the past 7. That's more than enough time to cultivate a fan base that will come out and support your team during a 52 win season. They played to a 3/4 full arena for the majority of the regular season. I was at game one of the Devils series when there were easily 2000 empty seats in the upper level. And we all know it took 5000 Buffalo fans to help them sell out their ECF games. 710910[/snapback] [/quote This is kind of like Arizona Rattler fans condemning Buffalo fans for not supporting the Buffalo Destroyers. Hockey is not their thing...give 'em a break. Winning a Stanley Cup will definitely make the fan base grow stronger. Before the Dallas Stars won a Stanley Cup, they had a small, but hardcore fan base. Guess what? Beating our Sabres made it grow, and made it even more hardcore. The Stars have good fans now. That is the way it works. I got a "personal letter" from B. Thomas Golisano the other day, in my email, thanking me for supporting the Sabres (mind you, I live in the middle of Texas). In it, he thanked Sabres fans for selling out 26 regular season and playoff games this year. So, in other words, the Sabres (with their 36 years of NHL hockey tradition) played in front of a packed house for only half of their home games this year. You say that the Hurricanes played in front of a 3/4 full arena at the majority of their games this year. That doesn't sound too bad to me... maybe some of the NC people were out watcing high school football games during the fall... So, should we criticize grandmothers in Buffalo, who wear Bills or Sabres sweatshirts when things are going good, even though they can't tell the two franchises apart most of the year? If one of our teams won a championship, I would fly home asap, to share in the celebration, with everyone, even those who never went to, or watched a game. It is called community. You should hate the team, not the fans! There will still be plenty of material to work with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Congrats to the Canes for taking 7 games to beat a back-up goalie after taking 7 games to beat an AHL defense. L 710902[/snapback] Oh come on. There a high quality team that proved it all season. If there was a team to dislike here it was the Oilers. There pretty much a hack team. Pissonme and Torres can cheap shot with the best of them and Greene is not too far behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILLS4LIFE Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Screw Hartford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanNC Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 This is kind of like Arizona Rattler fans condemning Buffalo fans for not supporting the Buffalo Destroyers. Hockey is not their thing...give 'em a break. Winning a Stanley Cup will definitely make the fan base grow stronger. But you see, hockey IS their thing for a good portion of Canes fans. They just learned about it while following a different team in another city. This is what I can't understand and dislike about a large number of Canes fans. I don't begrudge the novices at all, the game certainly can use new fans. I got a "personal letter" from B. Thomas Golisano the other day, in my email, thanking me for supporting the Sabres (mind you, I live in the middle of Texas). In it, he thanked Sabres fans for selling out 26 regular season and playoff games this year. So, in other words, the Sabres (with their 36 years of NHL hockey tradition) played in front of a packed house for only half of their home games this year. You say that the Hurricanes played in front of a 3/4 full arena at the majority of their games this year. That doesn't sound too bad to me... maybe some of the NC people were out watcing high school football games during the fall... Karmanos was complaining all year about how the fans weren't coming out to see a winning team. The Canes weren't in the black until late in the ECF. This does not bode well for future years when the team isn't making a deep playoff run. So, should we criticize grandmothers in Buffalo, who wear Bills or Sabres sweatshirts when things are going good, even though they can't tell the two franchises apart most of the year? If one of our teams won a championship, I would fly home asap, to share in the celebration, with everyone, even those who never went to, or watched a game. It is called community. You should hate the team, not the fans! There will still be plenty of material to work with! I hear where you are coming from, of course every city has fans hopping on the bandwagon during a championship run, but here it was completely out of control. But still my main gripe isn't with the bandwagoners, it's with the team swappers. They swapped once, so you can be sure that they'll swap again when things are looking so rosy for the Canes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanNC Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Hope you accept my apology. 710919[/snapback] No problem. Congrats on winning the Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Oh man, I just went back and checked your posts, I went off on the wrong guy, user name was sorta the same but not, its late, I'm still at work, saw that you were from Holly Springs and lost it. I had to read some crap on here during the Canes / Sabres series and it just burned me bad. Thought you were somebody else. I really do apologize, figures the one time I go after somebody its the wrong guy. In hindsight, should of just kept my mouth shut. Hope you accept my apology. 710919[/snapback] If you think this is hate, come back here when we play Miami. After that Thanksgiving game where Leon Lett touched the ball and let Miami kick the winning FG, I wished their plane would have crashed on the way back to Miami. What you are hearing is disgust at a team that was not worthy of winning the Cup. You barely beat a team that lost 2/3 of its defensemen and barely beat a #8 seeded team. Our defensemen would have been healthy and the Sabres would have hoisted the Cup last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 A little Brass Bonanza for the Whalercanes...Here's to ROn Francis, Blaine Stoughton, the Howes, and the SHopping Mall 710909[/snapback] *sniff* Probably the sh--tiest part of the evening was when Bettman was handing the Cup over and said something like 'Here's to Peter Karmanos who had the foresight to see how successful this franchise could be here in Raleigh....' :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: Karmanos, :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: Bettman. You both f--ked Hartford over but good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewin Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Went to the game tonight w/ my kids - what an experience. I can appreciate why some Sabres fans have an irrational hatred for the Canes - it actually has caused me some introspection that maybe I am a little over the top with my hatred of the Patriots and their fans. I'v been going to Carolina games since since they moved to Raleigh. I've been taking my kids since they were 2 years old. I know a number of people who are 'founding father' season ticket holders who drove the hour and 20 minutes for every 'home' game in Greensboro the first two seasons. I know many many people who have been loyal fans even through terrible years. My kids are totally into the team and the players. I go to my kids school and there are so many of their friends (8 yrs old) who go to games and are totally into the team. I went to 15+ regular season games this year - and at the majority we ended up running into one or more of my kids' friends. It's great that Buffalo and other cities have a hockey tradition. The fact is, every team had to start someplace. I have lived through the growth of the fan base here from it's inception - and I have to say it's been incredible to see what has happened. It's really exciting to me to have seen the fan base growing here - so many kids coming to the games - you can literally see a generation of new fans being created. As someone who has particpated in that process, instead of just cynically (or/or ignorantly) bashing what is happening here from the outside - I can say I personally think the core base of fans here are amongst the best I've ever seen. There is something to be said when a large part of a fan base is comprised of people who actually had to make a conscious decision to check out and make an actual effort/decision to learn and follow a sport (and whose priorities when attending games do not include getting blind drunk and being obscenely obnoxious ). Something can be said for that - contrasted with some arrogant elitist fans who think they are are deserved some special dispensation simply beacause of the geography they grew up or and that they were 'born into' being a fan. Fans will be fans - and everyone has the right to hate whoever they want. I still find the level of ignorance of people trying to force cliche'd redneck insults on this city laughable. You simply have no clue. Another fact is that there are as many 'bandwagon' Sabres fans as any other city. I go back to Buffalo 3 or four times a year and I do not recall in the past years ever seeing any significant show of support for the Sabres when riding around town. Every city has a large portion of fans who are going to become more interested when they make a run for a championship. One of the differnces here is that many people who 'jump on the bandwagon' will end up really discovering the sport and embracing it for the first time. I think that's a pretty cool thing. It's a good thing! As I said before, I can understand not wanting the team that beat you to continue to win - but many of the attacks against the Canes players organization, players and especially fans to me really are nothing much more than bitterness. I guess maybe kind of like my hatred for Tom Brady and the Patriots.... Nah - *they* really do suck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cåblelady Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Looking on the bright side, this just made the Sabres season a little bit more special. We lost in game 7 to the Stanley Cup champs only after suffering the most unlikely string of injuries. Our Sabres got some much-needed playoff experience this year. Next year...we make our move.... 710890[/snapback] Buffalo fan Mantra: THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR! keep telling yourself that. And Darin....!@#$ THE HURRICANES. There's never been a team that deserved the cup less. Edit: We'll never be so lucky to win the Cup, and now that Brindamour's sh---stained handprints are all over the cup, I'm not sure I want the Sabres to win it. *vomits* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Actually I could imagine a situation for Sabres fans where it would have been sweeter. Sweeping TO in a series. 710917[/snapback] No, winning the game that officially kept TO out of the playoffs would help make it as sweet; but in order to beat TO in the playoffs, they have to make the playoffs. Also, this ride (from the day the league annouced it was reopening for business right through to the horrid last 20 minutes) was a blast all season long. For the 1st time I can think of, there wasn't a guy in the "healthy" lineup that I couldn't stand. This team did not have a Smehlik. (Rory and Peters don't count as they were (supposed to be) bit players that attempted to do what they were asked to do with the limited talents they possessed.) The year the team did beat TO wasn't nearly as enjoyable (overall, although it had its moments, like the TO series and Game 4 vs Dallas) because of the Barnaby circus, the 2nd half slump, and the awarding of that big silver cup to Dallas. Even if the Sabres pulled it off in '99 (and I'm still waiting for them to finish Game 6 to this day), the overall journey wouldn't have been more enjoyable. Although I would be able to die a happy man, having seen my Sabres hoist THE Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 I read something, where the forgone conclusion seems to be that Teppo, McKee and Mike Grier are going to be gone. God, I really hope they don't lose Grier. I know he had an up and down, so-so regular season, but night after night, in the playoffs, he and Drury were our best players. I would love to see McKee and Teppo back, but I can understand losing them. We need to get better on defense, and maybe getting a little younger wouldn't be bad back there either. The way Janek played in the playoffs, it seems like one of these guys, if not both, will be expendable. I would really hate to lose Grier... 710906[/snapback] Grier is on record as saying he won't sign with the Sabres until after he has tested free agency, but I wouldn't say that he is definitely gone. He is not a goal scorer so I will be surprised to see some team giving him a huge raise over what Buffalo paid him this year ($1.364MM). He'll probably get offers in the $1.5-1.6MM range, which I think Buffalo would match. He loves playing with his old college buddy Drury, so if the offers are similar I could see him re-signing with the Sabres. If the Sabres lose out, I'd expect it to be because some other team offered him a 4 year deal and the Sabres were only willing to commit to 2-3 years. (He's 31 and with the physical style he plays, I could see durability issues when he's 34-35.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Actually I could imagine a situation for Sabres fans where it would have been sweeter. Sweeping TO in a series. 710917[/snapback] Actually, knocking the ever-loving sh-- out of the Flyers in 6 was about as sweet as it gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark VI Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!keep telling yourself that. 710951[/snapback] You play Granny in this short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 You play Granny in this short. 710960[/snapback] Yep, that's about right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachChuckDickerson Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Fxck them 710877[/snapback] And their fans. 710876[/snapback] that about sums it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Went to the game tonight w/ my kids - what an experience. I can appreciate why some Sabres fans have an irrational hatred for the Canes - it actually has caused me some introspection that maybe I am a little over the top with my hatred of the Patriots and their fans. I'v been going to Carolina games since since they moved to Raleigh. I've been taking my kids since they were 2 years old. I know a number of people who are 'founding father' season ticket holders who drove the hour and 20 minutes for every 'home' game in Greensboro the first two seasons. I know many many people who have been loyal fans even through terrible years. My kids are totally into the team and the players. I go to my kids school and there are so many of their friends (8 yrs old) who go to games and are totally into the team. I went to 15+ regular season games this year - and at the majority we ended up running into one or more of my kids' friends. It's great that Buffalo and other cities have a hockey tradition. The fact is, every team had to start someplace. I have lived through the growth of the fan base here from it's inception - and I have to say it's been incredible to see what has happened. It's really exciting to me to have seen the fan base growing here - so many kids coming to the games - you can literally see a generation of new fans being created. As someone who has particpated in that process, instead of just cynically (or/or ignorantly) bashing what is happening here from the outside - I can say I personally think the core base of fans here are amongst the best I've ever seen. There is something to be said when a large part of a fan base is comprised of people who actually had to make a conscious decision to check out and make an actual effort/decision to learn and follow a sport (and whose priorities when attending games do not include getting blind drunk and being obscenely obnoxious ). Something can be said for that - contrasted with some arrogant elitist fans who think they are are deserved some special dispensation simply beacause of the geography they grew up or and that they were 'born into' being a fan. Fans will be fans - and everyone has the right to hate whoever they want. I still find the level of ignorance of people trying to force cliche'd redneck insults on this city laughable. You simply have no clue. Another fact is that there are as many 'bandwagon' Sabres fans as any other city. I go back to Buffalo 3 or four times a year and I do not recall in the past years ever seeing any significant show of support for the Sabres when riding around town. Every city has a large portion of fans who are going to become more interested when they make a run for a championship. One of the differnces here is that many people who 'jump on the bandwagon' will end up really discovering the sport and embracing it for the first time. I think that's a pretty cool thing. It's a good thing! As I said before, I can understand not wanting the team that beat you to continue to win - but many of the attacks against the Canes players organization, players and especially fans to me really are nothing much more than bitterness. I guess maybe kind of like my hatred for Tom Brady and the Patriots.... Nah - *they* really do suck! 710938[/snapback] I'm not sure why I'm responding to this post, but here goes anyway. As I am certain you are aware, a lot of the "hatred" of the Pats stems from their "fans" not giving a rat's butt about them until 2001 and them now being as obnoxious as any Cowboy or Fish fan could ever hope to be. I won't attempt to speak for other Sabres fans, but my "bitterness" stems from 2 sources. 1. You will never convince me that the Sabres, when healthy, weren't a better team than your "beloved" Canes. To know that the injury depleted Sabres were less than 20 minutes away from being favorites in the Finals is tough to deal with. Had the Oilers won, I could at least have that bit of doubt in my mind as to whether or not the Sabres could have gotten it done. Right now, there is no doubt. 2. The other source of bitterness is dealing with the "Caniacs". Your team just won the Stanley Cup and you are too concerned about what some Sabres fans are venting. Congratulations on seeing your team win the SC. I desperately hope that I get that same opportunity in my lifetime. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be taking pot shots at the fans of one of the teams the Sabres beat along the road that same night. You appear to be one of the "true Caniacs" that was there back in January and back prior to the lockout as well. With that being the case, and finding yourself at the moment in time that I have dreamed about, why in the world are you worried about what Sabres fans are saying? The biggest "shot" I have seen Caniacs take is that they don't "deserve" a championship. (The redneck stuff, to me is the same as all the the WNY economy sucks and the weather stinks stuff - people taking pot shots not worth responding to.) To me, at least until I read your post, that was a bunch of hooey. While I wanted to see Edmonton win (for reason #1 above primarily and for other reasons as well), it wasn't because their fans "deserve" it more. No fan "deserves" a winner any more than a fan "deserves" a loser (well, other than a Phlyers fan, of course ). After reading your post, I'm starting to believe the people that said Carolina fans don't deserve a win might just be right. Like I said at the top of the post, I don't know why I am posting this, as you weren't rude and I don't know why this bothers me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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