RJ States this will be His Final Year Announcing Sabres Games

[darksabre]

40 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Of course it’s not an accident, it absolutely reeks of incompetence. The organization is literally afraid to show or mention it’s star player. They should be acting like he’s a foundational piece that we’ll never move, to maximize return. It reveals their utter fear at calling the casual fan’s attention to this wondrous on ice talent we are about to cash in for magic beans, afraid of drawing the casual fan’s attention, again, to the fact that we can’t seem to ice a winning team with good players. 

Cowardly, incompetent, ham handed. 

- - - 

The last 10, precious years of this absolute Legend’s career were wasted because of a scorched earth tank we are still trying to come back from, all in the name of acquiring one player. The player who was the fruit of that journey doesn’t even get shown ONCE in the video? It’s just laughable. Like, real laughter 

I'm with you on this. It's not like they're going to exclude other Sabres greats who left the team in less than pleasant ways. No Hasek saves in the RJ highlight reel I guess? So why exclude Jack, a player who hasn't even left yet?

He really should be in the video. It doesn't matter that much to include him in it. Not including him just makes the whole situation look even dumber.

[darksabre]

If someone gets the scoop that RJ hates Jack then I'll re-evaluate my opinion lol

[Indabuff]

Here's to hoping this exposition of ineptitude is able to pull something out of thin air this year for RJ's sake.

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

Of course it’s not an accident, it absolutely reeks of incompetence. The organization is literally afraid to show or mention it’s star player. They should be acting like he’s a foundational piece that we’ll never move, to maximize return. It reveals their utter fear at calling the casual fan’s attention to this wondrous on ice talent we are about to cash in for magic beans, afraid of drawing the casual fan’s attention, again, to the fact that we can’t seem to ice a winning team with good players. 

Cowardly, incompetent, ham handed. 

- - - 

The last 10, precious years of this absolute Legend’s career were wasted because of a scorched earth tank we are still trying to come back from, all in the name of acquiring one player. The player who was the fruit of that journey doesn’t even get shown ONCE in the video? It’s just laughable. Like, real laughter 

I agree with everything you said.  
 

Still, given recent developments, a part of me does not think the “fruit of the tank” belongs in the highlight reel. 
 

[Norcal]

5 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

They won't do it, but if you really want to play a clip of the Best of Jeanneret, find about three or four minutes of continuous action of a Sabres-Bruins playoff game in the 80s. If it ends with a Sabres goal, all the better. That was the genius of Rick on the radio. He delivered the game straight from his mouth, straight into our brains.

These are the games of my youth. Playing sock hockey on the kitchen floor to the echoes of RJs epic calls. Save, Edward's. OR Save, Sauve. Coming in over the line, takes the shaaaaaught, he scoooooooores Gilbeeeeert perrrrrauuuult!!! 

[Pimlach]

8 minutes ago, Norcal said:

These are the games of my youth. Playing sock hockey on the kitchen floor to the echoes of RJs epic calls. Save, Edward's. OR Save, Sauve. Coming in over the line, takes the shaaaaaught, he scoooooooores Gilbeeeeert perrrrrauuuult!!! 

You mean back when we could draft two goalies in one off season, develop them in a professionally run minor league system, and then watch them become excellent citizens and productive NHL players?  

[Eleven]

4 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

It's referenced, albeit in a way that pays homage to Rick and not John.

This was no accident or incompetence though.

You know who the #1 alternative was, right?  A guy completely reviled by this board named Paul Hamilton?  Who, by the way, was amazing in the one Sabres game he did PBP.  I know you all hate him, but wow, he is good at that.

[Radar]

3 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

This may be the perfect way of explaining why Rick and Ted were so great.  I could picture the game in my head with almost no effort because it went from their mouths, to the electronics, through the airwaves, to my radio, into my ears and painted a moving picture in my head.

Unlike Dunleavy. Like the guy but on radio I have no idea of what's happening. Hope he improves.

[Radar]

7 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Jack Buck in St Louis,  Harry Carey in Chicago, Vin Scully in LA Dodgers … they all lasted decades and are on equal levels with the Hall of Fame players of their era. 

Those guys were great. RJ is their equal in hockey and we're so lucky to have had him right here in Buffalo.

[Eleven]

7 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Jack Buck in St Louis,  Harry Carey in Chicago, Vin Scully in LA Dodgers … they all lasted decades and are on equal levels with the Hall of Fame players of their era. 

Buck called and saw a championship.  So did Scully.  Caray (spelt thusly) did not and RJ will not.

Caray went his entire life without seeing one. I've no idea which team RJ favored before 1971, but I hope it was one that won something.

[Norcal]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

You mean back when we could draft two goalies in one off season, develop them in a professionally run minor league system, and then watch them become excellent citizens and productive NHL players?  

And co vezina winners

[Andrew Amerk]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

Buck called and saw a championship.  So did Scully.  Caray (spelt thusly) did not and RJ will not.

Caray went his entire life without seeing one. I've no idea which team RJ favored before 1971, but I hope it was one that won something.

Maybe RJ has been the curse all this time. 

[PASabreFan]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

Buck called and saw a championship.  So did Scully.  Caray (spelt thusly) did not and RJ will not.

Caray went his entire life without seeing one. I've no idea which team RJ favored before 1971, but I hope it was one that won something.

Rick did — I think. It's been awhile since I looked into this, but he was the voice of the 1969-1970 Buffalo Bisons team that won the Calder Cup.

 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Norcal said:

And co vezina winners

… and Donny Edwards had a serious number of Hart Trophy votes in two seasons. 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

Buck called and saw a championship.  So did Scully.  Caray (spelt thusly) did not and RJ will not.

Caray went his entire life without seeing one. I've no idea which team RJ favored before 1971, but I hope it was one that won something.

Actually Carey is a native St Louisan and he was a long time Cardinals announcer prior to his Cubs experience.  He was there covering several World Series championship teams. He left town after being fired for an “alleged” affair with one of the Busch wives. Buck then took over the reigns. Holy Cow!  

[Pimlach]

40 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Rick did — I think. It's been awhile since I looked into this, but he was the voice of the 1969-1970 Buffalo Bisons team that won the Calder Cup.

 

The 1969-70 Bisons AHL Championship season.  Bill Mazur (I think) did the home games and RJ did the road games.  I was really into the Bisons.  My Sylvania transistor radio was stuck in between my ear and my pillow on those nights.  
 

[PASabreFan]

Rick to call 20 games, all at home, per TBN.

[PASabreFan]

Old Buffalo won't be the same...

 

 

[PASabreFan]

 

[Pimlach]

34 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

 

Two power play goals scored by defenseman.  Your goalie gets a SO.  Nice way to win.  I really miss having a good team with good players and good goaltending. Is it asking a lot to get some goaltending on this team?  

Edited August 21, 2021 by Pimlach

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I hated Van Boxmeer when he first arrived and I was ready to send Scotty back to Montreal for what he did.

In the end it worked out pretty well for a few years.

[Gatorman0519]

What a sad way to go out. But age has taken its toll. In his prime RJ is amazing. Our press box will now be subpar like the rest of the team. 

[Andrew Amerk]

20 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

 

I have very fond memories of meeting both Dunn and Van Boxmeer with the Amerks when I was a kid. 

Even fonder memories of the hip checks Hoffard would throw. He runs the Greece Mall now. I believe he scored the winning goal in the infamous Bears-Amerks brawl game in Buffalo where 9 players were ejected after warmups. I was at the game as a kid, and it was insane. 
 

 

April 17, 1987

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A brawl before an American Hockey League game that left a Rochester Americans player injured and nine players ejected from the match prompted calls Friday for a police investigation of sports violence.

Councilman Vincent LoVallo termed the April 11 incident at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium a 'savage attack with skates and sticks' and, in a letter to Buffalo Police, asked whether local law enforcement officials are authorized to probe the fight.

'I'm not looking to take fighting out of the sport. I don't think you can, and that's not my role,' LoVallo told The Buffalo News.

'But it wasn't a fight, it was the use of weapons to maim a human being. They were kicking and spearing.'

The brawl happened when Andy Ristau of Rochester and Jeff Brubaker of the Hershey Bears exchanged words during the warmup for the second game of a best-of-seven league semifinal playoff series.

A videotape of the fight shows the two tumbled on the ice while slugging it out and two other Hershey players, Kevin Maxwell and Greg Smyth, attacked Ristau with their sticks while he attempted to shield himself.

Brubaker continued punching Ristau while the two other Bears speared him. Ristau was also kicked and appeared to go into convulsions during the attack. Other Hershey players stopped Ristau's teammates from rescuing him, and several other fights broke out as a result.

Brubaker and Maxwell were suspended by the AHL for two games. Smyth was suspended for the remainder of the seven-game playoff series, the first two games of which were played in Buffalo because of a previously scheduled circus at the Rochester War Memorial.

Rochester won the first two games and took a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 in Rochester Friday night.

Ristau, who was suspended for one game, was hospitalized for a concussion and bruises on his spine. After spending several days at home, the right winger began practicing with the team Friday, but was not expected to play against Hershey again in the semifinals.

Both Ristau and league president Jack Butterfield said they consider the fight a closed issue.

[Andrew Amerk]

So, would you rather be at his last game in person where you can’t hear him calling the game, or at home watching and hearing everything?

[Zamboni]

15 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

So, would you rather be at his last game in person where you can’t hear him calling the game, or at home watching and hearing everything?

This is exactly what I thought about when my wife and I decided to suspend our season tickets. I already paid $1,500 towards the upcoming season. They offered a deal where if I formally thru an email, ask for my account to be suspended for a year. I can get the exact same seats for the 22-23 season. So they can hang onto the $1,500. And that way i won’t lose my seats or status as a STH. This year (for a few reasons) I’d rather just watch the games at home. I’m glad they offered that choice. Good move.