The Most Classless Fans in the NHL

It seems like everywhere I turned this past season, I found a fan or blogger accusing Sabres fans of being totally classless. We're rowdy, we're disrespectful, and we eat babies and puppies. I admit, I thought this was exaggeration. Someone somewhere acted poorly and Sabres fans everywhere have been paying for it ever since. Well, guess what. It might be true after all.

We arrived at the draft early enough to wander around the Fan Fest dealie (pretty lame unless you're under the age of 10) and Pookie and Schnookie decided to stock up on hockey cards for Project Bicycle Spokes. When they opened a pack and revealed a Daniel Alfredsson card well... the monster took over.

First, before I even knew what was happening, I snatched the card out of Pookie's hand. I was immediately overwhelmed by the urge to draw something - anything! - on it.


And then it got really ugly. I almost hate to admit this because it's so horrible. Please take a deep breath and prepare yourself. I threw the card on the ground in disgust and STOMPED on it. I stomped on it with everything in me and I did it in front of Senators fans including, yes, some very young children. I'm pretty sure I heard tears and shrieks of, "Why, Daddy, whyyyyyy?!?!?!"

I'M A MONSTER!!!! And if you're a Sabres fan, you probably are too. I mean, this isn't even taking into account that I traded "Let's go, Buffalo!" chants with a few fans on the other side of the building towards the end of the first round... WHILE IN SOMEONE ELSE'S ARENA! Classless through and through.

More tomorrow about the actual draft. I'm pretty tired.

Let's Go Buff-a-lo! (Why I Love Hockey - Part 20)

Why I Love Hockey #20 - "LET'S GO BUFF-A-LO!"
During a game last season, the group of rowdies behind us started up a "Let's go Sabres!" chant. I turned to Mark and asked, "Why would anyone in Buffalo chant 'Let's Go Sabres!' when they could be chanting 'Let's Go Buff-a-lo!' That led to a topsy turvy conversation about the pros and cons of each chant and probably involved a lecture about how I should let people chant what they want, but I'm being totally serious when I ask this: Why would you live in Buffalo and NOT chant "Let's go Buffalo!"

Now I know some of the people reading this aren't Sabres fans so you've probably never chanted, "Let's go Buff-a-lo!" To understand this entry, you really should stop and do it right now. Yes, I'm serious. Yes, I am. Go ahead, I'll wait.

It's fun, isn't it? Oh, sure any fan anywhere can chant "Let's Go NAME OF CITY HERE!" But none of them will sound as cool as Buffalo does. New York? No. Dallas? Uh-unh. Tampa Bay? Close but not quite. Toronto? Ha! No other city (or state) has the rhythm, the cadence, of "Let's Go Buff-a-lo!" And it rhymes! It rhymes for crying out loud!

I'm beginning to realize how ridiculous this entire entry is, but I'm telling you, I love the "Let's Go Buff-a-lo!" chant. I'll chant it at the TV no matter what sport or team we're watching. I chant it during P.E. which for some reason - I can't imagine why! - cracks my kids up completely. And my heart warms a little every time I hear it. I love it when - despite thinking I'm crazy when I do it - my kids yell, "LET'S GO BUFF-A-LO!" in gym class. I loved walking down Main Street behind a huge herd of kids, all screaming "LET'S GO BUFF-A-LO!" over and over at the top of their lungs. I loved hearing about concerts at HSBC ending with the crowd streaming out, spontaneously bursting into "LET'S GO BUFF-A-LO!" I loved hearing about the crowd at a Tragically Hip show in Erie, PA calling for an encore by chanting "LET'S GO BUFF-A-LO!" (I also loved the Hip responding by coming out and playing the Rolling Stones' Street Fighting Man, the team's entrance music last season. I'm pretty sure I'm not making this up.)

Is this the most ridiculous reason to love a sport, a team, a city? Probably. But God help me, I do love it. Chanting anything else just wouldn't be as much fun.