cheating on the Sabres... again

Guys, I promise I really am a Sabres fan. I'm not one of those people who grew up as a Sabres (or any sort of hockey) fan though. I came to hockey on my own, thus I have no family or place loyalties to cloud the issue. That being said, my allegiances have shifted a bit over the years. My first favorite team was the Vancouver Canucks because I was (and still am even if he's not playing anymore) completely enamored with Pavel Bure. I embraced the underdog Canucks as my own team and loved them for years (even with those strugglin uniforms of the early/mid 90s) but eventually, when they traded Bure and Bret Hedican (the last 2 members of the 1994 Cup Final team) I moved on with them to Florida. I didn't have any serious love for the Panthers, though I did enjoy them a bit, and of course Pavel did very well there so I appreciated that. But they were yet another team who barely made the playoffs one year then never again. I do however, own 2 Panthers jerseys, and I am okay with that.

Then came the dark time of Pavel being sent to the evilickyRangers, which we won't really discuss here. I like to pretend that never happened because it wounds me to the quick. There are 2 things about that time that make it almost okay. Bure always wanted to play in New York City, so I'm glad he got his one wish, even if it was THEM, and Gretzky said that had he known Bure was going to be a Ranger, he would have stayed an extra year in the League to play with him. That's about the highest compliment a hockey player could want, I think.

But we won't discuss that time anymore, and of course, shortly after that dark time came a darker time, that of Bure's early retirement due to too many knee injuries that just wouldn't heal. :( He wasn't the first (Bobby Orr and Cam Neely, anyone?) and probably won't be the last to have suffered that fate, but I believe he would have absolutely thrived in the post-lockout NHL and had several more 50-goal seasons in him. 33 is just too young to retire. Alas, I am getting totally off track here.

So anyway my team was where Bure was for years (except the dark time), and the Red Wings. The Wings were my sister's favorite, and the closest team to Dayton, OH *this was before the Blue Jackets* so they just made sense I guess. I followed the Red Wings too, along with the Canucks and later the Panthers. Of course, then the Wings got good and everyone started calling us bandwagoners but I don't care. I know the truth, and you like who you like.

Then came the Devils, or should I say Marty Brodeur. I vividly recall watching game 4 (well all of the finals) in 1995 and being absolutely astonished about this young goalie (in his 2nd season) who managed to shut down the (just starting to come into their potential) Red Wings in 4 games. But more shocking was the way that during the entire post-game/series analysis (and yes, I watched all of it, even though *my* team lost), I don't recall them giving Marty ANY credit for the wins. It was all "Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer and co are great shutdown defencemen, Claude Lemieux is a great agitator, he really got under their skin.. etc etc etc", but no mention of this fantastic young goalie. I was rather miffed for Marty but got over it. I continued to enjoy the Devils on the side, but the Wings were still my main team (and the Canucks at the time too). It wasn't until 2002/03 when I really got a chance to watch a lot of Devils games on their way to the final and a Cup that I appreciated all of the Devils. It started with Marty and grew from there. They are now (and have really been since then) officially one of my TEAMS.

There was also a brief affair with the Blue Jackets, who I actually still enjoy. When Ohio (finally) got a team in 2000, I was very excited. To that point, I had been a hockey fan for 7 years and been to 2 NHL games. I went to 4 that year- 2 preseason and 2 regular season. I got to see Pavel Bure twice (and he scored a goal the 2nd time), and also saw the Red Wings, which was super fun in CBUS, as the rivalry was already underway and there were lots of fans from both teams there. Say what you want about the Blue Jackets and their lack of success on the ice, but their arena and fans and overall presentation (especially in the early years) was contagious and totally fun. Then when I got into minor league hockey in 2001-03, the team in Dayton was an affiliate of the Syracuse Crunch and then the Blue Jackets, so I followed them even more closely. We also got all of the games on FSN so that made for some fun hockey viewing at home too. I still enjoy the Blue Jackets, though I rarely get to see them play (and they always beat the Sabres for some reason.)

And now we come to present times.. and the Sabres. I moved to Western New York in the fall of 2003. I had paid some attention to the Sabres in previous years, but they weren't really on my radar. I went to a Sabres/Wings game in 2000 or something when we were visiting my sis for Christmas. It was a good time, and of course everyone knows about Hasek and Mogilny and all those fellas but I don't really know much about the Sabres of old. My real Sabres fandom starts in 2003/04. We got all the games on tv, so I started watching when I could. And I often found myself listening to games on the radio when I was driving home from working at Niagara University. I still remember listening to one of Derek Roy's first games as a Sabre.. and RJ and Jim Lorenz kept talking about how feisty he was and how fun he was to watch. (I miss that Royzie, can we please have him back?) I followed the fellas with casual interest and was a bit sad and annoyed when they missed the playoffs by ONE point that year! (almost but not quite, remember?)

Then came the season that was no season. We don't want to talk about that do we?

Then I moved away to Salt Lake City, UT. It was not easy to follow the Sabres from there, since I didn't even have cable so I watched no games (till the playoffs) and I was working for a hockey team so I was busy most weekends. But when the playoffs started, and my team was done so I had more free evenings, I splurged and paid for cable for 2 months and boy and I glad I did! I watched as many games as I could (though I often missed the beginning of games with the 2 hour time difference) and I very much remember jumping up and down in my apartment yelling like a maniac during a few of those games. Then the Hurricanes series broke my heart but sealed the love for the Sabres.

Then I moved back to WNY in June and became a proper Sabres fan, and here I am, 3 years later. I've been to lots of games, own some merch and all that and I love the boys, even if they don't always love us back.

So this long rambling history is to tell you something that I did. I feel kinda dirty about it.. but I bought a Dallas Stars calendar. I know, i know, y'all are like SAM, are you crazy? It's the Stars! THE ENEMY! THEY STOLE OUR CUP WITH BRETT HULL'S FOOT IN THE CREASE! I know this.. I know all of this. I saw that game too and I was cheering for the B-lo. But.. I've always enjoyed Brett Hull, I must say and I don't particularly have any love for the Stars either. but... see, they have this calendar. And it's got these pictures.. of the fellas OFF THE ICE! Wearing Armani Suits and sunglasses and looking ohsofine and I just had to. Actually, i was going to be cheap and not buy it. ($20 for a CALENDAR, are you nuts?) but then my best friend bought it for me and how could I refuse a gift?

So I can try and justify it and say I didn't *buy* it, it was a gift, but I'd be lying and we all know it. I can't help it if I'm a sucker for a man in a nice suit. (what can I say? I'm female and hormonal and single LOL) I particularly enjoy Brenden Morrow and James Neal for the record.. and how can you forget Marty (the chirper) Turco and (OLDMAN) Mike Modano? It's a brilliant idea and all the proceeds go to charity so I can feel okay about that but guys.. it's still the STARS and I still feel dirty. But only a little.

I just felt like I had to confess that. I feel bad enough cheating on the Sabres with the Blackhawks (and believe you me, if THEY had a calendar (which I didn't see when I was there) I would have bought that baby in a heartbeat and we wouldn't even being having this discussion) but they aren't THE ENEMY. They are just the guys who took Soupy off our hands, and are raising our native son, Pat "20cent" Kane. So they're okay. They didn't steal any Cups from us and their skates haven't been in the crease. But I didn't live here when it happened so I can be okay with it.

I hope y'all don't defriend me over this. ;)