K-9

Putting aside what kind of pitiful commentary on sports fans that is, nothing about that news article even remotely equates to advertising in an opposing fan base's newspaper. GO SABRES!!!

Give some thought as to where to draw the line, that is what you're really asking. The purpose of sports doesn't have to be clearly delineated and defined in order for the tenets of hospitality and good sportsmanship to apply universally. If "We love Leafs fans" is disloyal, then "We hate Leafs fans" is loyal, right? The idea that there is a segment of the fan base that would actually prefer the Sabres to take that stance is absurd. On every level. And no, sports and being a fan of a team, is not that important in the grand scheme. I'd ask you to give that some thought if I didn't already think you have. GO SABRES!!!

It's about the "outrage" over the term "We love Leafs fans", attributed to Gilbert in the article and how it would have been preferable for those "outraged" fans for him to use the term, "We hate Leafs fans" as a way for the Sabres to show their "loyalty" to this long suffering fan base. The Sabres have always marketed to Southern Ontario and have always embraced that fan base, regardless of their fan allegiance to the teams they support. It's the right thing to do on EVERY level. Outrage over that is a childish response in my book. I can't fathom how a reasonable adult can hold that position. GO SABRES!!!

I have to justify why hatred for fans of opposing teams that play a phucking GAME is childish? Really? Consider the "passion" you use to justify it summarily dismissed. I'm out. GO SABRES!!!

What term would you prefer? Would naive be better? Sorry, but the idea of hating opposing fans is childish. GO SABRES!!!

How dare that Russ Brandon be good at his job in sports marketing. Still not seeing how Gilbert's response to an out of town reporter's questions for a travel piece is "courting" or that Brandon had anything to do with it. Just glad the tinfoil is till in the drawer. Imagine if it wasn't! GO SABRES!!!

Please don't get carried away here. In the context of this thread and the question posed, the idea of not being welcoming to opposing fans is a childish response. If you choose to make that mean more than I really intend, feel free. But it is not an insult on my behalf. GO SABRES!!! LOL! I DEMAND THAT THE SABRES FRONT OFFICE HATE LEAFS FANS AS MUCH AS I DO!!!

It's obvious because it is wholly attributable to the psychology of fans who identify as "long suffering" which makes it easy to find insult and injury where it doesn't exist and never has. Some fans take the word "rivalry" far too seriously. These are the kind of fans who would actually have preferred Gilbert to say, "We hate Leafs fans" just because their own hatred of the Leafs is so intense. Think of how stupid that is. Really. On any point of the spectrum between the universal code of hospitality to good sportsmanship, it is a childish attitude. GO SABRES!!!

Again, the idea of outrage over the statement "We love Leaf fans" is childish. Especially in the context of Gilbert's role in charge of community relations. Absurd, really. GO SABRES!!!

The "why"? The "why" of "what", exactly? Is it the "why" would the Sabres pursue hockey fans of all stripes to attend games? Or Is it the "why" would Sabres fans think that is a sign of disloyalty? I submit the answers to both are obvious. GO SABRES!!!

The Sabres have been aggressively marketing to Southern Ontario since their inception. Where has all this outrage been all that time or have Sabres fans always assumed that only Sabre fans inhabitant that region?

The idea that business logic and loyalty to the fan base are mutually exclusive concepts is lost on me. Entirely. It's entirely feasible, indeed logical, that the Sabres would seek to maximize revenues AND build a winning team on parallel tracks. Welcoming fans of all hockey stripes is part of the equation, regardless of the misguided and naive notion that by doing so, the Sabres are not being loyal to their fan base. It's a childish notion, actually. GO SABRES!!!

Nice to see. Kid was on a tear before he went down. Hope he regains his form soon. GO SABRES!!!

Agree entirely. That body lean he put on Cowan to set it up was manly. GO SABRES!!!

Are you suggesting the bottom line shouldn't be the bottom line? GO SABRES!!!

Forgive my ignorance, but why didn't Chychrun make Canada's recent World Junior team? GO SABRES!!!

Yeah, the Sabres' front office, in response to a foreign travel writer's inquiries, should do all it can to insult out of town fans rather than welcome them. WTF? PA, I have grown to respect and sometimes rather enjoy your intellect and wit over the years here, but sometimes you jump the rails. And your naivete regarding Harbor Center is astonishing. Gilbert's polishing of the southern Ontario apple has more to do with Canadian hockey moms and dads and tourney participants booking rooms for hockey tourneys than it does with Leafs fans coming to a handful of games. GO SABRES!!!

Thank-you! GO SABRES!!!

If the Wideman incident is attributable to head trauma, then the entire Flames' training and medical staff was derelict in their duties since they saw fit to allow him not to miss a single shift afterwards. Ridiculous. GO SABRES!!!

Dar dar puck battle. Dar dar compete level. Dar Dar.

Tessio was always the smarter one. RIP Salvatore.

We are gonna kick the ever loving crap out of the Rangers tonight. We are gonna go off on a national tv stage. 5-1, good guys. GO SABRES!!!

Relativity applies. GO SABRES!!!

I need a break from these bums. They all suck. How the phuck is that even possible? Blind luck itself oughta net at least one in three plus games.

We are not very good at the hockey. GO SABRES!!!