Here we are. "It’s like Déjà vu all over again."*

[Weave]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

It’s starting to feel Frodo-esque. Have been carrying the burden of this “suffering” (thanks, Darcy, that choice of words really helps complete my analogy) for so long, once it’s eventually gone I’m not personally sure at this point if there truly will be any going back. The hurts are starting to go too deep.

I’m honestly worried about it. I’m worried about how this franchise makes me feel 

Ah, well, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Can’t give  up

We were discussing the Sabres at Thanksgiving dinner and my son made the observation that, “you seem much more interested in the off ice stuff for the team than you are about the on ice stuff”.  He’s totally correct.  I can’t remember the last time I set aside time to watch a game.  Sure, I’ll watch if it’s convenient.  Or if I see on Twitter that the game is compelling I will seek it out.  But otherwise, I get 10x more satisfaction out of this place and following news items than I do out of investing my time actually watching the games. It’s why I rarely discuss tactics and team specifics anymore.  I don’t watch enough to feel comfortable making many observations.

No need to worry about it.  You’ll hardly notice.

[Thorny]

6 minutes ago, Weave said:

We were discussing the Sabres at Thanksgiving dinner and my son made the observation that, “you seem much more interested in the off ice stuff for the team than you are about the on ice stuff”.  He’s totally correct.  I can’t remember the last time I set aside time to watch a game.  Sure, I’ll watch if it’s convenient.  Or if I see on Twitter that the game is compelling I will seek it out.  But otherwise, I get 10x more satisfaction out of this place and following news items than I do out of investing my time actually watching the games. It’s why I rarely discuss tactics and team specifics anymore.  I don’t watch enough to feel comfortable making many observations.

No need to worry about it.  You’ll hardly notice.

I’d notice. The interactions on this board are some of what keeps me going.

But it’s a good point, I’ll watch when the games are on tv up here but rarely seek out a stream when they are not. Mostly what it’s doing is lowering my interest in the league at large: I’m not the guy putting together trade proposals because I don’t even know all the rosters anymore 

[Weave]

12 minutes ago, Thorny said:

I’d notice. The interactions on this board are some of what keeps me going.

But it’s a good point, I’ll watch when the games are on tv up here but rarely seek out a stream when they are not. Mostly what it’s doing is lowering my interest in the league at large: I’m not the guy putting together trade proposals because I don’t even know all the rosters anymore 

Yup.  My days of accurately prognosticating a Roy for Ott deal are gone.  I don’t know ***** about the rest of the league because my interest in the rest of the league always revolved around how it affects the Sabres, and that part has become irrelevant if I am not actively watching.

[PASabreFan]

53 minutes ago, Weave said:

We were discussing the Sabres at Thanksgiving dinner and my son made the observation that, “you seem much more interested in the off ice stuff for the team than you are about the on ice stuff”.  He’s totally correct.  I can’t remember the last time I set aside time to watch a game.  Sure, I’ll watch if it’s convenient.  Or if I see on Twitter that the game is compelling I will seek it out.  But otherwise, I get 10x more satisfaction out of this place and following news items than I do out of investing my time actually watching the games. It’s why I rarely discuss tactics and team specifics anymore.  I don’t watch enough to feel comfortable making many observations.

No need to worry about it.  You’ll hardly notice.

You might even be picking up on the league's marketing strategy. Eyeballs on everything except the game. Giant video boards, gambling, social media, arenas with open areas where fans can mingle and eat and drink, broadcasts where the game isn't called (St. Louis jumped the shark and I don't care who died).

Edited December 4, 2023 by PASabreFan

[msw2112]

Last year, for the first time in many years, I started following the team on a nightly basis.  I got a subscription to NHL Center Ice around the holidays (I don't live in Buffalo anymore) and was able to watch most of the games for the last few months of the season.  I liked what I saw and was extremely encouraged going into this season.  This season, after changing primary TV providers, I signed up for ESPN+ in October so that I could watch the games.  I've watched almost all of them.  Unfortunately, based on my job, family responsibilities and where I live, I cannot watch games in real-time.  I have to stream them later at night, usually after the rest of the family has gone to sleep.  I'm often up between 11:00 PM and 2:00 AM to watch the games, which makes me pretty tired the next day.  When they play well and win, it's worth it, as despite being tired, I'm in a good mood and watching games is one of my favorite forms of entertainment.  The last few games, the fast forward button has been my friend.  They fall behind early, so I just fast-forward to see if they get back in the game, and work my way to the end rather quickly if they don't (which, other than the one Pittsburgh game, they don't).  I also always do everything in my power to avoid "spoilers" - I'm one of those people who don't have a lot of interest once I know the outcome, so I avoid text messages from certain friends, watching other sports with "tickers", going to sports websites, etc.

I've decided that this team is no longer worth the sacrifice of staying up late, even with the help of the fast forward button.  It's not worth being tired the next day.  It's not worth bobbing and weaving for hours to avoid seeing the score.  I'm not completely "out" because I'm going to intentionally follow the scores in real time so that I'm not tempted to stay up late and watch.  It's sad, because if the team made it worthwhile, I'd be all in.

I suppose the way I feel now is the way people living in Buffalo feel about buying tickets.  And perhaps how season ticket holders feel about renewing.  I have not completely given up - I like Granato and Adams and think there's some talent in the organization, but I need to take a break for a while and see if they can get back in the race before I devote any more time to this team.

Edited December 4, 2023 by msw2112

[Ross Rhea]

Can't get rid of GMKA as he might be the only thing that gets Brind Amour here. That would be worth these current struggles.

[Weave]

18 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

You might even be picking up on the league's marketing strategy. Eyeballs on everything except the game. Giant video boards, gambling, social media, arenas with open areas where fans can mingle and eat and drink, broadcasts where the game isn't called (St. Louis jumped the shark and I don't care who died).

Someone from the league might want to let the Sabres front office know that this strategy still requires fan engagement .

[Mango]

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

Someone from the league might want to let the Sabres front office know that this strategy still requires fan engagement .

I think the league likely has a huge gripe with Pegula. We are one of the best TV markets in the country. Buffalo was the 4th most winning (P%) before he bought the team. Now we can’t get more than a couple dozen people in the arena and have been the worst franchise in the league for a decade.

Terry is costing the league money. 

[Marvin]

8 minutes ago, Ross Rhea said:

Can't get rid of GMKA as he might be the only thing that gets Brind Amour here. That would be worth these current struggles.

As appealing as that dream sounds, I can't imagine Carolina being so foolish to let him go.  I hate him, but he has that team playing hockey the right way 

[Warriorspikes51]

This team went from likeable and fun to root for to borderline unwatchable 

[Sidc3000]

3 hours ago, Ross Rhea said:

Can't get rid of GMKA as he might be the only thing that gets Brind Amour here. That would be worth these current struggles.

Where did this Brind’Amour rumor start or people dreaming because the connection of Adams and Brind’Amour? That will not happen. Why would 1. The sign DG to a new contract before this season and 2. Why would Rod want to come to the Sabres? What do they have that the Canes don’t?  

[Pimlach]

7 hours ago, Mango said:

My depressing thought of the day:

That the Sabres pre-Pegula were the 4th most winning (point percentage) franchise in the league. We are now 12th. It takes a whole lot to trash a teams 40 year history in the following 10 years. We had a .564 P% before Terry bought the team and .445 after he bought the team. The Sabres would have to go on a historical 10 year run to counter act how bad we have been. 

The damage that Terry Pegula has done to this fan base cannot possibly be understated. 
 

Talk to young people in WNY,  age 10 to 25, unless they play or have played Ice hockey, they don't even know the Sabres in the least bit.  

[Dr. Who]

Good thing I'm already a melancholic by nature, because otherwise I'd be blaming you fellas for the sadness. Every time I think there's light at the end of the tunnel with this team, turns out it's just a train coming to crush the hope.

[Indabuff]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Talk to young people in WNY,  age 10 to 25, unless they play or have played Ice hockey, they don't even know the Sabres in the least bit.  

My son is eight and plays hockey.  He tells me before these games start that the Sabres are going to lose.   It's ***** sad. 

[Pimlach]

5 hours ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

This team went from likeable and fun to root for to borderline unwatchable 

They can be likable, fun and good again.  Maybe they can turn it around yet.  I just don’t see enough investment by the players and by the FO.  That’s what is so bad about it.  

Edited December 5, 2023 by Pimlach

[ska-T Chitown]

8 hours ago, msw2112 said:

I've decided that this team is no longer worth the sacrifice of staying up late, even with the help of the fast forward button.  It's not worth being tired the next day.  It's not worth bobbing and weaving for hours to avoid seeing the score.  I'm not completely "out" because I'm going to intentionally follow the scores in real time so that I'm not tempted to stay up late and watch.  It's sad, because if the team made it worthwhile, I'd be all in.

This. This x 1000 ... you hit me right in the feels, cuz I had been carrying that around with me for a few weeks now, then you spoke my truth.

[Marvin]

28 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

This. This x 1000 ... you hit me right in the feels, cuz I had been carrying that around with me for a few weeks now, then you spoke my truth.

First, welcome back to the board.

Second, I can't believe that I am getting there too.

[Marvin]

Just musing.  Can anyone else remember the last time the Sabres scored a PPG?   SHG?

[ExWNYer]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Talk to young people in WNY,  age 10 to 25, unless they play or have played Ice hockey, they don't even know the Sabres in the least bit.  

Yeah, the most disheartening thing to me in this whole saga of sadness (and there are many, many things) is the fact that the Sabres have lost a whole generation of potential fans due to a decade plus of organizational ineptitude and ambivalence. Much like the Bills' 17 year playoff drought, young kids had no interest in following a bad team which was providing little excitement or entertainment value. Last year whet some appetites and now this team is as frustrating as ever. They are testing the patience and dedication of even the most loyal of fans. Buffalo fans deserve much better and it's starting to feel like it may never happen. Prove me wrong Pegs, KA, & DG. Please.

[bunomatic]

Can anyone remember the last time the sabres were relevant ? We are talking decades not years. Blocks of 10 years. We are into the second block of 10. Its early but it feels late if you know what I mean. After following this team since I was 10 I can guarantee I will not waste another decade watching this sad sack display of ineptness. I’ll be 60 in another 14 months. KA get off your ass and help all of us get over that hump. Some of us have grown old supporting this team. Patience is a dirty word. I’ve just about run out. Besides, theres more rewarding things to do than follow a loser franchise. Make us proud Kevin Adams. If you can’t get out of the way.