Revisiting the atmosphere in the arena

[PASabreFan]

So you went with Barbara?

 

No! I went to school with her dad though. Fetching young lass.

[PASabreFan]

Corrected :thumbsup:

 

BTW, part of the reason for the hush in HSBC is the style of play; no end-to-end rushes, not a lot of hitting...just boring, defensive hockey. The only cheers come after a miraculous save by Miller. When it gets closer to the playoffs, the volume will get pumped up. If they win a round, it will go higher.

 

It's funny, though, how the last two "out of town" broadcast teams have talked a lot about the Sabres' aggressive style. They've noted the pinching D, speed and willingess to trade rushes. In Anaheim, the color commentator even uttered the N word when talking about how flimsy the Ducks' 4-0 lead was in the NEW NHL. Something the Sabres and their propagandists in the media don't like to mention. Maybe Lindy is opening things up a bit to try and score some goals. I mean, why not -- you do have the greatest goalie on earth in net, right?

[shrader]

SS, where you can't ###### in a lightbulb or enjoy a ###### driver over at ETC's joint (or TW's) or bend Barbara Walters over and ###### her in the #######. What is this board coming to!

 

Don't ever go away again.

[SwampD]

Don't ever go away again.

Did you really just say that? :blink:

[wjag]

I blame it on the cell phone. Everyone texting during the game and not watching.

 

As for DC vs B-lo, who gets you off your seat screaming more when they have the puck - OV or Vanek?

I was there when OV was hurt. Talked him up to my kids and he gets hurt a few game before we got there.

[wjag]

SS, where you can't ###### in a lightbulb or enjoy a ###### driver over at ETC's joint (or TW's) or bend Barbara Walters over and ###### her in the #######. What is this board coming to!

 

 

You are on fire! :lol: Barbara Walters of all the possible choices? :lol:

 

 

I was thinking Bea Arthur, but I didn't want to gross anyone out.

 

 

So you went with Barbara?

Truly had me ROFLMAO

[darksabre]

Buffalo's style of play has nothing to do with the lack of crowd interaction in HSBC. It all comes down to whether or not you want to stand up and yell or not. And the people who want to yell and cheer and support the team are in the minority on most occasions.

 

I guess maybe I'm spoiled by the atmosphere of college hockey where it's expected that you at least make a little noise and stand up when a goal is scored. If I'm not hoarse and plowing through a bag of Halls by the end of the weekend, I'm not doing my job.

 

The people at HSBC who know their role will undoubtedly cheer. The rest of them assume that since they payed for their ticket, they're entitled to act however they choose. Are they? Yeah, I suppose. But come on. Who pays to go to a sporting event and then sit and watch it as if it were a classical opera?

 

I remember going to a game against Phoenix last year and had the rare treat of sitting in the 100s at center ice. My friend and I felt like we were the only ones there. The family sitting in front of us left halfway through the game after continuously giving me dirty looks. Oh, is my cheering to loud for you? Get the hell out of my arena.

[Mbossy]

Buffalo's style of play has nothing to do with the lack of crowd interaction in HSBC. It all comes down to whether or not you want to stand up and yell or not. And the people who want to yell and cheer and support the team are in the minority on most occasions.

 

I guess maybe I'm spoiled by the atmosphere of college hockey where it's expected that you at least make a little noise and stand up when a goal is scored. If I'm not hoarse and plowing through a bag of Halls by the end of the weekend, I'm not doing my job.

 

The people at HSBC who know their role will undoubtedly cheer. The rest of them assume that since they payed for their ticket, they're entitled to act however they choose. Are they? Yeah, I suppose. But come on. Who pays to go to a sporting event and then sit and watch it as if it were a classical opera?

 

I remember going to a game against Phoenix last year and had the rare treat of sitting in the 100s at center ice. My friend and I felt like we were the only ones there. The family sitting in front of us left halfway through the game after continuously giving me dirty looks. Oh, is my cheering to loud for you? Get the hell out of my arena.

 

True dat. If you don't care just watch at home it's cheaper. There's nothing better than screaming at the top of your lungs and not hearing yourself. B-)

[SwampD]

Buffalo's style of play has nothing to do with the lack of crowd interaction in HSBC.

It certainly doesn't help. All the things that make fans cheer, this team doesn't do.

 

Odd man rushes - we don't get those, ever (I'm not counting Vanek's almost rush last night)

 

Goals - sometimes they are hard to come by.

 

Scoring chances - we don't get many of those either.

 

Big hits - Kaleta realized that he wanted to play longer than 2 years and cut way back on them.

 

Big saves - Miller robs people by positioning, not athleticism. My reaction when he makes a "big save" is usally, "wow, he did exactly what a goalie is supposed to do." Hasek would get himself into trouble, and then get himself out of it with something crazy. For some reason people cheer louder for that.

 

Fights - 'nuf said.

 

 

Here are some things that don't make people cheer.

 

PPs that don't yield a shot.

 

Not being able to keep the puck in the offensive zone because it bounces over someones stick at the blue line.

 

Shots from the point that hit someones skate,..three feet away.

 

Cycling the puck over and over in the corner only to lose it or in the best case scenario, having a centering pass bounce off of someones skate and score (we want to cheer for heroes, not someone who got lucky)

 

Not being able to clear the puck because our wingers are babysitting the play in the corner instead of covering the points and waiting for shot after shot to go into the net and take away our one goal lead in the third.

 

 

It's the system we play and therefore, it's Lindy's fault. The one thing this team does do that makes us cheer is win. But by then it's usually just out of relief.

[Mbossy]

I feel it will be different down the stretch. IMHO.

[nfreeman]

I remember going to a game against Phoenix last year and had the rare treat of sitting in the 100s at center ice. My friend and I felt like we were the only ones there. The family sitting in front of us left halfway through the game after continuously giving me dirty looks. Oh, is my cheering to loud for you? Get the hell out of my arena.

Well, a little more detail might be useful here. To actually cause a group of people to move away from you, it's likely you were doing more than just cheering heartily. Did they have kids (younger than teenagers) with them? Were you cursing and/or spilling beer?

[darksabre]

Well, a little more detail might be useful here. To actually cause a group of people to move away from you, it's likely you were doing more than just cheering heartily. Did they have kids (younger than teenagers) with them? Were you cursing and/or spilling beer?

 

I don't curse at hockey games because I know it's a family thing. Besides, keeping it clean is always funnier because you have to be clever. And I had one beer, which I didn't spill on them. I'm not some drunk schlub who goes to games and makes a fool out of myself. I'm just loud and I like to use it. They just weren't used to real fans being down in their "special" quiet area I guess.

[bottlecap]

I've been to four games this year in Buffalo, 1 in DC and 1 in Dallas. One of those games included opening night against Montreal. Folks want to pretend that the crowds are loud. But after you go to one Caps game, then compare it to a Sabres game, you see the difference. Dallas was on par with Buffalo.

 

I don't buy the mic argument. You can ALWAYS here the refs/benches telling how much time is left in the penalty. The crowds are loud, but not 2005-2006 loud. There was no buzz in the crowd like I experienced in DC.

 

Washington should be abuzz with excitement because they never experienced hockey before Ovechkin. No scoring superstars, no buzz.

[blugold43]

Washington should be abuzz with excitement because they never experienced hockey before Ovechkin. No scoring superstars, no buzz.

yeah i've been to several games there and none of them were loud. but they were all before last season, so i am sure the excitement's picked up. we'll see if it's the start of something real since their pipeline from the hershey bears is loaded with talent- Ovechkin notwithstanding, they're gonna be good for some time to come.

[PASabreFan]

From Vogl's Bruins at Sabres blog the other night.

 

8:06 p.m.: Nice applause for Vietnam vet Bill Sim and his son, Brett of the Army's 2nd Infantry, who are here on Chris Butler's Tickets for Troops program. No standing ovation like every other NHL building, but applause nonetheless.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Washington should be abuzz with excitement because they never experienced hockey before Ovechkin. No scoring superstars, no buzz.

I'm here in the DC area and the only game I've been to this year was the TurkeyDay eve tilt vs. the Sabres where we got shutout...crowd was loud, but I'm counting that as a weekend game. I'm hearing that even weeknight crowds are loud...I was at at Wednesday night game several years ago in Montreal and the atmosphere was great, but it was Montreal where the fans are always into the game.

 

There is a huge buzz for the Caps in town for obvious reasons. I've lived here 25 years and have never seen this much excitement. I watch, wish them well, but I can't get too much into it.

[PASabreFan]

Mike Harrington chimes in in his Sabres-Sharks game blog:

 

3:51 left: Shots are 8-7 for Buffalo in front of yet another sedate crowd here at the mausoleum. We've decided up here there aren't enough characters out there in the seats (remember the Mad Hatters at the Aud?). And before you get cranky on me and say the team isn't doing anything, you should go to a game in Carolina or Washington, where there's a trumpeter in the upper deck in each place keeping the crowd and the team going in good times and troubled ones. These tiresome, stupid blooper videos on the HD board should not be the reason you come to the game, folks.

 

The Sabres miss Kaleta for just that reason. He gets the crowd going with his big hits. Roy made that point to me this morning and said other guys have to make a big hit, a big backcheck (like Roy did earlier in this period) or score a big goal (like Vanek didn't do) to get the crowd going. The players won't say anything publicly but you get the sense they feel the lack of energy here too compared to places they've been on the road.

 

 

[SDS]

Mike Harrington chimes in in his Sabres-Sharks game blog:

 

3:51 left: Shots are 8-7 for Buffalo in front of yet another sedate crowd here at the mausoleum. We've decided up here there aren't enough characters out there in the seats (remember the Mad Hatters at the Aud?). And before you get cranky on me and say the team isn't doing anything, you should go to a game in Carolina or Washington, where there's a trumpeter in the upper deck in each place keeping the crowd and the team going in good times and troubled ones. These tiresome, stupid blooper videos on the HD board should not be the reason you come to the game, folks.

 

The Sabres miss Kaleta for just that reason. He gets the crowd going with his big hits. Roy made that point to me this morning and said other guys have to make a big hit, a big backcheck (like Roy did earlier in this period) or score a big goal (like Vanek didn't do) to get the crowd going. The players won't say anything publicly but you get the sense they feel the lack of energy here too compared to places they've been on the road.

 

Of the many people I daydream about DIAF - the Caps "trumpeter" is among them. Trust me - it is not an asset.

[Eleven]

Mike Harrington chimes in in his Sabres-Sharks game blog:

 

3:51 left: Shots are 8-7 for Buffalo in front of yet another sedate crowd here at the mausoleum. We've decided up here there aren't enough characters out there in the seats (remember the Mad Hatters at the Aud?). And before you get cranky on me and say the team isn't doing anything, you should go to a game in Carolina or Washington, where there's a trumpeter in the upper deck in each place keeping the crowd and the team going in good times and troubled ones. These tiresome, stupid blooper videos on the HD board should not be the reason you come to the game, folks.

 

The Sabres miss Kaleta for just that reason. He gets the crowd going with his big hits. Roy made that point to me this morning and said other guys have to make a big hit, a big backcheck (like Roy did earlier in this period) or score a big goal (like Vanek didn't do) to get the crowd going. The players won't say anything publicly but you get the sense they feel the lack of energy here too compared to places they've been on the road.

 

During a six-game losing streak. Enough. Either show up to a game and make noise (you can make the drive), or shut up about this, already, please. The Arena is not quiet. It isn't "playoff loud," either, but we're not in the playoffs. And whatever Harrington might think, Kaleta does not make the crowd any louder. That in and of itself makes this quote ridiculous.

 

Damn, you really strive to find the negatives, even when they aren't there. Why?

[PASabreFan]

During a six-game losing streak. Enough. Either show up to a game and make noise (you can make the drive), or shut up about this, already, please. The Arena is not quiet. It isn't "playoff loud," either, but we're not in the playoffs. And whatever Harrington might think, Kaleta does not make the crowd any louder. That in and of itself makes this quote ridiculous.

 

Damn, you really strive to find the negatives, even when they aren't there. Why?

 

Don't shoot the messenger. Mike Harrington said it. And John Vogl. And out of town media. And Rick Jeanneret. And Bucky.

 

When a great hockey town like Buffalo sits on its hands, it's a story.

 

Stop striving to cover it up.

 

And, good luck shutting me up.

[PASabreFan]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=D.I.A.F.

 

I think.

[Eleven]

Don't shoot the messenger. Mike Harrington said it. And John Vogl. And out of town media. And Rick Jeanneret. And Bucky.

 

When a great hockey town like Buffalo sits on its hands, it's a story.

 

Stop striving to cover it up.

 

And, good luck shutting me up.

 

I'll concede the last one, PA.