Hi Everyone,
It has taken a while for the disappoint to subside, but it’s finally time for me to admit the Sabres season is over and to send the season ending email. First, for Bills fans I have some news on our 3rd Annual Buffalo Road Trip! After that it’s a pretty long email, so I’ll give you the highlights first: We begin with a wrap up of the Sabres season, then a Thank You from the Staff at the Blue Moon and details on one last party, finishing another thank you from me.
Bills Road Trip
The NYCBBB will be hosting its 3rd Annual Buffalo Road Trip this year to watch the Bills take on the Jets. An added bonus this year is that the Jets game is the Home Opener! I’ve been to the last 3 home openers and they are always a great time. Once again we have reserved tickets so everyone can sit together, and we’ll be sending out more info about this on Friday!!
Sabres Wrap Up
The season ended a week ago today, and I’m still a little shocked that it’s over. Since I’m not a very good writer, I’m going to sum up the season by copying the editorial that appeared in the Sunday Buffalo News entitled “Buffalo Proud of Gutsy Sabres”. I think it does an amazing job of summing up the feelings that this Sabres team inspired, and the hope for the future:
“Disappointment runs deep in Buffalo these days. But pride runs deeper.”
Playing with far more heart than health, the Buffalo Sabres fell one period short in their quest for a trip to the Stanley Cup finals. There was no shame in that loss. When you enter Game Seven with a depth chart that already looks like a scratched-off lottery card, it’s tough to hit the jackpot.
Make no mistake, this Sabres season was all about heart, and hard work, and team play through round after round of adversity. The 2005-2006 Sabres refused to make excuses, but they also refused to quit despite injury after injury. They played their last deciding game on the road with what one Carolina writer called their “37th-string defense” – and that was before Jay McKee got sick. Yet they still led after the first two periods.
With all due respect to the still-standing ‘Canes and Edmonton Oilers, no team in this postseason played with more heart than the Sabres. They demonstrated just how far drive, guts and speed can go in the “new” NHL, and they were good not just for Buffalo – when was the last time you felt this elated about sports in this city? – but for the sport of hockey.
The Sabres are a young team, with still-emerging stars and organization-nurtured talent. They also have major forces behind the bench in master psychologist Lindy Ruff, and in the owner’s box, where Buffalo owes a huge emotional debt to B. Thomas Golisano for launching a championship team from a platform of disarray and prior-owner bankruptcy. Much of this team will stay together. And that’s good. Scary good.”
Blue Moon Thank You
This post season would not have been nearly as exciting if we hadn’t had a great place to gather and watch the games. A big thank you goes out to all the members that suggested places to catch the games, and especially the folks that brought the Blue Moon to my attention. We all had a great time there and the Blue Moon had a great time hosting us. Here is a copy of the thank you that the staff wanted me to pass along to everyone:
“Dear Sabre Fans:
On behalf of the entire staff of The Blue Moon Mexican Cafe, I wish to thank you all for joining us throughout The Sabres exciting playoff run.
We hope that you all had as much fun with us as we did with you. I believe that many new and lasting friendships were formed. I want to invite you all back for a “thank you” party during The Stanley Cup Finals. We still have two Sabre jersey’s to give away (one was sent to us by James Patrick),and Labatt will be sending us more items to raffle off.
I have posted the Stanley Cup Finals schedule on our website, along with pictures from Game 7, so have a look.
Thanks again and see you all real soon!
Carlos, Dave, Harv, Richie, Jodi, Tara, Mari and the rest of the staff at “The Moon”
Thank You Party
As mentioned above the Moon still has a bunch of Sabres stuff to give away. On Monday, June 12th we’ll be hosting a Thank You party for all Sabres fans during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Hopefully Edmonton will have figured out how to win a game by then an keep the cup north of the Mason-Dixon line like it belongs! (whoops, I tried not to be bitter. Oh well.) The jerseys mentioned include a Ryan Miller jersey and an authentic Sabres jersey (fight strap and all)! I’ll be on vacation in Florida and can’t make it but good luck to everyone! Also, they have extended their offer of $3.50 Labatts during the remaining Cup finals games. Great deal.
Thank You
Finally, I want to thank everyone for their enthusiasm during this playoff run. The crowds at the Blue Moon were incredible and I can’t wait to top it all next season. Remember that the last time the Sabres lost in the Eastern Conference Finals, they made the Cup Finals the next year (98/99)!