How many "Bills" fans are comforted by Sabres?

[nemhoff]

Having the Bills Shiite the bed again has been frustrating and seeing the Sabes come out firing has been awesome. So yes, it has been sweet to watch and they are dominating.

[BILLS4LIFE]

Sure. At least the Sabres play with heart.

[Buftex]

I think of the Bills and Sabres as the children I will likely never have. Both have their ups and downs over the years...but I love them both.

 

Growing up in Buffalo, I never missed a Sabres or Bills (or Braves) game on tv, and went to as many as possible While I will admitt, the Bills were/always will be my favorite, the Sabres have never been far behind. My only problem with the Sabres over the years, once I moved away from WNY, and to Texas, it was damn near impossible to follow them during the regular season...you might have gotten a game or two on ESPN over the years, maybe more if they advanvced past the first round of the playoffs.

 

I moved from Buffalo in 1988, so I missed, for the most part, almost a decade of Sabres hockey, from 1989-1999. I missed most of the Pat LaFontaine era Sabres. It wasn't so bad, because, for the most part, that just so happened to be the golden era of Buffalo Bills football.

 

It wasn't until the Sabres made it to the finals in 1999, and the advent of the Center Ice package, that I was able to reconnect with them...and I have enjoyed it tremendously. The rule changes that started last season, I think, have improved the game immensely. I can pretty much watch any game on the Cetner Ice package, now, and enjoy it. The fact that the Sabres are kicking ass right now (it is a very long season) aint' hurting anything.

 

As for the Bills...I know I am going to watch every week. I have noticed, however, there are a lot of little "Bills traditions" for me, that have fallen by the wayside the last two seasons. For instance, I used to make a ritual (stupid I know) of buying a new Bills cap every season. Not this year....I used to pour over the team stats a few times a week, and be pretty generally aware of how many cathces each receiver had, rushing averages, defensive stats...now, I could care less. I know the Bills blow, I don't need to waste any more time/energy committing their suckiness and ineptitude to memory. My girlfriend loves it, becuase I no longer flip from sports show to sports show on Sunday nights, looking for Bills highlights...once is enough!

 

Last weekend, I was looking more forward to seeing the Sabres play Boston and Montreal (two old NHL rivals) more than seeing the Bills/Pats. Took in the Rolling Stones on Sunday night...the Bills game seemed more of a chore, an obligation I had to fulfill, before heading out to the park for the show.

 

The Sabres are fresh and exciting right now, the Bills story is just getting old and stale...I have seen it over and over and over again...kind of like Jaws, Jaws II, Jaws III-D, Jaws IV...it just keeps getting more predictable, and worse....but I still gotta see it...

 

In the end, football will always be #1 for me. As much as I love hockey (and I really do) there is a certain flukiness to it that drives me crazy sometimes. And, having never played organized hockey, only watching it for 30+ years, I won't pretend to know all of the nuance of the game. So, football will always be my favorite sport (I won't let the Bills ruin the whole game for me), hockey is a very pleasent distraction. I think you can love both the Bills and Sabres...just like you would your kids...just that one of them needs a little more love and patience than the other now...

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

I root for the town.

 

The Bills have been a disgrace for years. The Sabres are doing the town proud. What do you think?

 

I'm going to Buffalo next weekend. I'll guarantee you I'm not buying Bills crap. I'll be picking up a Sabres jersey, though.

[loadofmularkey]

I root for the town.

 

The Bills have been a disgrace for years. The Sabres are doing the town proud. What do you think?

818343[/snapback]

 

Agreed. I don't necessarily love one team over the other. I can honestly say that it doesn't matter if it's a Stanley Cup or Super Bowl...I just want a champion. I want Buffalo to host a party like it's never seen before, I want a parade going down Delaware Ave and stopping in Niagara Square, I went blue and gold, or blue and red confetti everywhere, I want to see bosses just try to make their employees come to work that day and I want to see Tom Golisano/Ralph Wilson hoist that silver Cup/Lombardi Trophy in front of a crowd of tens (hundreds??) of thousands.

 

Super Bowl aint happening this year.

 

So go Sabres.

 

10-0

[rolly]

Does what the Sabres are doing so far this year make it any easier to be a Buffalo Bills Fan?

 

I haven't lived in Buffalo for 30 years now, but I still follow the Bills and Sabres about as much, if not more, (internet), as I did as a kid growing up in Buffalo.

 

When the Buffalo teams are doing good, I feel good.  When they are doing bad, I feel like ..............empty.

 

I "love" what the Sabres are doing and am more excited about their chances this year to win it all than I've ever been.

 

But man, it doesn't do anything to take away the sting that comes from watching the Bills embarrass themselves.  I know this was supposed to be a rebuilding year, and they weren't expected to when all 16 games.  But to see them get blasted by the Bears, see them lose to the winless Lions, and than watch NE come into our house and treat them like step-children......brutal.

 

If the Sabres win all 82 games and take home the Lord Stanley Cup it won't  make me feel any better about being a Bills fan.

817643[/snapback]

 

It doesn't make it easier to be a buffalo bills fan per say. However, it does make it easier to be a buffalo fan. The only way it would be easier to be a bills fan is if they were competitive.

[plenzmd1]

now, if the Sabres were playing like this is late May, I may be a tad more excited. Don't get me wrong, love watching those guys play, but its friggen hockey, its October and they got 72 more games to play before the season starts. Nobody remember what our first three games agaisn't the Sens looked like last year?

 

Now, I root for both teams equally, and one doing good does not get me less upset over the other playing poorly.

[Buffal0 Bill5]

"raises hand"

[Ray]

If the Bills had an MLS team that went 10-0 would you be comforted? Nationally the NHL and MLS are very close with a slight edge to the NHL. I am very happy for the Sabres---but it's October!!!!! It's great they're off to a great start and gives sports fans in Buffalo something to cheer about. But for me, maybe it alleviates the suffereing of the Bills by 1-2%. Face it, football is king and the Bills are king in Buffalo. So when they stink there is not much to alleviate the pain.

[Oneonta Buffalo Fan]

Having them play this well sure doesn't hurt.

817677[/snapback]

 

i guess

[bigbillsfan12]

blah... just hockey.

[HereComesTheReignAgain]

Get a clue and re-read my statement. I have been supporting both of these teams as long as i could walk. I can spend my $$ however the Hell I want to. If I have a choice to attend a Sabres game over the Bills and decide to do so, I will. That makes me no less of a Bills fan. Have fun spending your money on crap and continue to see zero changes.

 

Have you had season tickets since day one of the rock pile? Didn't think so - Next......

817857[/snapback]

 

 

So if I buy a dolphins ticket I am a fan? Do us all a favor and take your tired rhetoric over to the Sabres board. It's the same thing in every post..."Sabres are great, Bills suck and don't try, I'll spend my $ elsewhere". We get it, you don't like the Bills anymore.

[ExWNYer]

I think of the Bills and Sabres as the children I will likely never have.  Both have their ups and downs over the years...but I love them both. 

 

Growing up in Buffalo, I never missed a Sabres or Bills (or Braves) game on tv, and went to as many as possible  While I will admitt, the Bills were/always will be my favorite, the Sabres have never been far behind.  My only problem with the Sabres over the years, once I moved away from WNY, and to Texas, it was damn near impossible to follow them during the regular season...you might have gotten a game or two on ESPN over the years, maybe more if they advanvced past the first round of the playoffs.

 

I moved from Buffalo in 1988, so I missed, for the most part, almost a decade of Sabres hockey, from 1989-1999.  I missed most of the Pat LaFontaine era Sabres.  It wasn't so bad, because, for the most part, that just so happened to be the golden era of Buffalo Bills football.

 

It wasn't until the Sabres made it to the finals in 1999, and the advent of the Center Ice package, that I was able to reconnect with them...and I have enjoyed it tremendously.  The rule changes that started last season, I think, have improved the game immensely.  I can pretty much watch any game on the Cetner Ice package, now, and enjoy it.  The fact that the Sabres are kicking ass right now (it is a very long season) aint' hurting anything. 

 

As for the Bills...I know I am going to watch every week.  I have noticed, however, there are a lot of little "Bills traditions" for me, that have fallen by the wayside the last two seasons.  For instance, I used to make a ritual (stupid I know) of buying a new Bills cap every season.  Not this year....I used to pour over the team stats a few times a week, and be pretty generally aware of how many cathces each receiver had, rushing averages, defensive stats...now, I could care less.  I know the Bills blow, I don't need to waste any more time/energy committing their suckiness and ineptitude to memory.  My girlfriend loves it, becuase I no longer flip from sports show to sports show on Sunday nights, looking for Bills highlights...once is enough!

 

Last weekend, I was looking more forward to seeing the Sabres play Boston and Montreal (two old NHL rivals) more than seeing the Bills/Pats.  Took in the Rolling Stones on Sunday night...the Bills game seemed more of a chore, an obligation I had to fulfill, before heading out to the park for the show.

 

The Sabres are fresh and exciting right now, the Bills story is just getting old and stale...I have seen it over and over and over again...kind of like Jaws, Jaws II, Jaws III-D, Jaws IV...it just keeps getting more predictable, and worse....but I still gotta see it...

 

In the end, football will always be #1 for me.  As much as I love hockey (and I really do) there is a certain flukiness to it that drives me crazy sometimes.  And, having never played organized hockey, only watching it for 30+ years, I won't pretend to know all of the nuance of the game.  So, football will always be my favorite sport (I won't let the Bills ruin the whole game for me), hockey is a very pleasent distraction. I think you can love both the Bills and Sabres...just like you would your kids...just that one of them needs a little more love and patience than the other now...

818313[/snapback]

 

Very well put, buftex. Like you, I have been out of WNY for years although I do get back at least once a year for a Bills game. I have been a diehard Bills and Sabres fan since I was old enough to remember (I wasn't around for the Bills inception but was for the Sabres). Although I love the Sabres, their success does not ease my Bills pain. I look forward to hockey and give it the full attention it's due around New Year's. I've had a lot of fun following the Sabres early season run and it is certainly nice to have hope for a Buffalo team during the season. But the Bills are still my favorite sports team, hands down. The thing that makes me most angry with the Bills is not their losing but the manner in which they've gone about doing it. They've somehow managed to take my lifelong passion and turn it into borderline indifference. Seven years in a row is waaaaaaaaaay to long to miss out on the playoffs, especially in today's NFL. I don't expect a win every week, but I do expect to see some progress from year to year. I want my passion back.

[Lori]

Yeah. Reminding me that my Habs account for two of the Sabes' victories is very comforting.

 

Now I'm even more depressed. Thanks.

 

[Buftex]

Yeah. Relinding le that ly Habs account for two of the Sabes' victories is very colforting.

 

Now I'l even lore depressed. Thanks.

 

819665[/snapback]

 

 

Okay, forgive le for being so bold...how did you end up a Banadians fan?

[ExiledInIllinois]

I said it before... It is this site that keeps me coming back through the 4 years here... Not the Bills... I view it as more Buffalo/WNY/Surrounding area...

 

If Sabres' Space was similar, I would post there more... I choose here because it has everything: One shop, one stop.

 

For me it really is Buffalo first and that connection... Bills here just happens to be the glue... It could have easily been the Sabres through the last four years for me.

 

It isn't about who is winning... Sure the Sabres are doing better... So you get more excited talk from me about that.

 

Kinda... Funny, because the Drew Bledsoe signing is how I found this place... And it wasn't because of the football side of it... I thought how great it would be for the community to have a marquee player again.. ANY PLAYER!

 

Again... Buffalo first... Bills/Sabres secondary...

 

How many people would visit here it went from a Bills main theme to a Buffalo theme? Merged in with Sabres' Space?

 

I don't buy the hogwash that Buffalo is a football town.

 

There are only two major pro sports in town and they have always been equal...

 

Heck... If we were talking about a pro Buffalo Bocce Ball team... I would be equally as excited...

 

Hence... I am "exiled."

[Lori]

Okay, forgive le for being so bold...how did you end up a Banadians fan?

820035[/snapback]

Hoo boy. I'll try to keep this shorter-than-Pyrite; don't know if I'll succeed:

When I started watching NHL games as a kid, the few games I saw were on Canadian channels (meaning mostly Leafs or Habs) and Guy Lafleur was fun to watch. Oh yeah, and they won. A lot. So my older brother and I both hopped on the sizable bleu-blanc-et-rouge bandwagon.

 

Then, St. Patrick's rookie season coincided with my senior year of HS... and the French Club trip to Montreal/Quebec City, which happened to fall during the Habs-Nords playoff series. Saw the hallowed ground of the Forum, loved the goofy kid who talked to his posts, watched him lift another Cup a few weeks later, had a new all-time favorite player. (Still true -- the only hockey sweater I own with name/number is a red #33, and I was P.O.'d at the franchise for YEARS after Mario bleeping Tremblay ran him out of town.)

 

To be completely honest, though, I'm not immune to the 'hometown' feeling vis-a-vis the Swordsmen. Dad took us to our share of games at the Aud; more recently, the (sadly departed) Empire was a fixture on every TV in the house. So for the seventy-or-so games every year when they're not facing 'my' Habs, I'm cheering for Buffalo.

That's even more true these days, when their fast-paced, exciting brand of hockey reminds me of the game I fell in love with before the Devils and their ilk reduced the NHL to a boring clutch-and-grab-fest back in the mid-90s.

 

Add: Gotta figure out who this "Afgeninov" guy is they just showed on the Sports Machine, though. Michael should really practice pronouncing the names in his highlights....

[Buftex]

Hoo boy. I'll try to keep this shorter-than-Pyrite; don't know if I'll succeed:

When I started watching NHL games as a kid, the few games I saw were on Canadian channels (meaning mostly Leafs or Habs) and Guy Lafleur was fun to watch. Oh yeah, and they won. A lot. So my older brother and I both hopped on the sizable bleu-blanc-et-rouge bandwagon.

 

Then, St. Patrick's rookie season coincided with my senior year of HS... and the French Club trip to Montreal/Quebec City, which happened to fall during the Habs-Nords playoff series. Saw the hallowed ground of the Forum, loved the goofy kid who talked to his posts, watched him lift another Cup a few weeks later, had a new all-time favorite player. (Still true -- the only hockey sweater I own with name/number is a red #33, and I was P.O.'d at the franchise for YEARS after Mario bleeping Tremblay ran him out of town.)

 

To be completely honest, though, I'm not immune to the 'hometown' feeling vis-a-vis the Swordsmen. Dad took us to our share of games at the Aud; more recently, the (sadly departed) Empire was a fixture on every TV in the house. So for the seventy-or-so games every year when they're not facing 'my' Habs, I'm cheering for Buffalo.

That's even more true these days, when their fast-paced, exciting brand of hockey reminds me of the game I fell in love with before the Devils and their ilk reduced the NHL to a boring clutch-and-grab-fest back in the mid-90s.

 

Add: Gotta figure out who this "Afgeninov" guy is they just showed on the Sports Machine, though. Michael should really practice pronouncing the names in his highlights....

820066[/snapback]

 

Thanks for sharing that...I am always interested in why people love certain teams, particularly when they are not the home team.

 

Growing up in Buffalo, the Braves were my favorite Buffalo franchise. When they moved, I was crushed. I loved basketball, as I had played all sports as a kid, but basketball was the only one I was ever any good at. So, I became a Clippers fan. Only problem was, they sucked, and were near impossible to see play on tv, or hear on the radio in those pre-cable days. When Bob McAdoo ended up in Boston, the Celtics became my team. They wore green (my favorite color), they were pretty good, and my all-time (to this day) player was playing for them. McAdoo didn't spend a lot of time there, and then went to the rival Lakers, but I stuck with the Celtics, and have ever since. I can't believe it has been 20 years since they won a championship....