Hello Sabres and Bills fans!

I’ll keep this short due to the volume of recent Sabres emails. I hope to see many of you tonight!

Sabres tonight at 7pm at the Blue Moon
The Sabres are now 1 win away from the second round after completely dominating the Flyers in a nationally televised game on Sunday afternoon. The game is on tonight at 7pm and we will be showing it at the Blue Moon, 75th and 1st. On Friday we had approximately 30 people at the bar and it was awesome! Even the regular folks having dinner starting watching and cheering with us. If you can make it you won’t be disappointed. If not the game will be shown by OLN and available via radio atwww.wgr550.com.

Draft Wrap Up
Thanks to everyone that made our 5th Annual Draft Party yet another huge success. A whole crowd of Bills fans ate wings, drank beer, and watch a very strange draft by the Bills. Despite the rather curious choices made by the brain trust at One Bills Drive, everyone had a great time. Check out our friends at Bills Daily for a complete wrap up and analysis:
http://www.billsdaily.com/

Here’s hoping for a win tonight because I’m not ready yet for the drama of a game 7!

LET’S GO BUFFALO!!!!

Kevin

Hello all 1,445 NYC Bills fans!

We’re only hours away from the 2006 NFL Draft, and with the 8th pick nobody has any idea who the Bills will end up with. Will they take Broderick Bunkley? Or Jay Cutler? Or will they trade down? Or even UP??? Will they trade for a 2nd first round pick?

Come on down to McFadden’s and join your fellow NYCBBB members to find out the answers to these questions and more tomorrow from 12-7pm at our legendary draft party. We’re expecting a ton of Bills fans (as well as fans of other teams) to watch us make at least 4 first day picks so McFadden’s will have additional staff on. This is our one event that is open to all football fans, so feel free to bring your Giants and Jets fans! This is also our 5TH anniversary! I remember our first gathering when we drafted Mike Williams and traded for Drew Bledsoe!

As a reminder, here are the specials:

From 12-7pm
$35 – All the draft beer (hopefully Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian included) you can drink and wings you can eat
$25 – All the Bud/Bud Lite draft you can drink and wings you can eat
$20 – All the POP you can drink and wings you can eat
$1 off all mixed drinks

This will probably be our only off-season event as your NYCBBB staff members all have busy summers planned, including our own Michelle Girardi who has recently been engaged and will be wed at the Statler Towers in Buffalo next year!

We look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow for what is ALWAYS an awesome time!

Sabres Update – from Kevin Smith
First, a special thanks to everyone that took the time to write in after my last email. Sorry was too busy to write back to everyone. There were a number of great suggestions for places to watch the games, and on Wednesday I check out the most popular suggestion – The Blue Moon on 75th and 1st. It was a GREAT TIME. The owner played college hockey for current Sabres assistant coach Brian McCrutcheon and thus has special interest in the Sabres. They have great drink and food specials and even have a goal light that goes off when the Sabres score. I was promised they’ll have the game on tonight and they even placed a special order Labatt Blue for the occasion (it arrived yesterday)! Here’s the info:

Tonight, 7pm, Blue Moon, 75th and 1st. (212) 288-9811

For those of you that can’t make it, the game will be shown nationally on OLN. As always, if you have any questions email be at kevin@nycbbb.com See you tonight at 7 and tomorrow at the draft party! – Kevin

Quite Frankly
We’ve been told that Stephen A. Smith of ESPN’s Quite Frankly enjoyed Bills fans so much for the Jim Kelly visit, that they’ve extended another invitation to us for their NFL draft pizza party! There’s one tonight at 5:30 and one Monday at 6:30. There will be many top draft picks at both parties, so it should be a great time! You can reserve tickets by calling # 212-715-6800.

Go Bills! Go Sabres!!!

Matt “talkin’ proud and fired up for the draft” Kabel

Hi Everyone,

Once again, bad news. McFadden’s wasn’t able to get the Center Ice package set up in time for tonight’s game. I feel awful the whole situation and I thank everyone for their understanding. At this point we’re going to hold off on scheduling anything further until we have confirmation that it’s up and running.

One alternate option is to listen to the games via the net. Here’s the link:
http://www.nhl.com/radio/index.html

Beyond that the only thing I know of is ESPNSportszone. If anyone knows of any other bars please let me know.

Again, sorry about all the disappointments. At least they’ve won their last 6 games, so maybe we don’t want to jinx things by actually watching them.

Kevin

Hi Everyone,

The Playoffs are HERE!! The first game starts Saturday night. Here’s the details:

SCHEDULE:
Game 1: OLN: Saturday, April 22nd 7:00 PM
Game 2: CI: Monday, April 24th 7:00 PM
Game 3: CI: Wednesday, April 26th 7:00 PM
Game 4: OLN: Friday, April 28th 7:00 PM
Game 5: NBC: Sunday, April 30th 2:00 PM
Game 6: CI: Tuesday, May 2nd 7:00 PM
Game 7: CI: Thursday, May 4th 7:00 PM
(CI = Game is only on the Center Ice package)

Game 1 – CALL MCFADDENS!
As you may remember from earlier this week, McFadden’s does not currently receive OLN. They have a call into Time Warner cable to get this fixed ASAP but it doesn’t look like it will happen by Saturday. They DO have the center ice package and they are currently investigating to see if it will also be shown on that (since MSG is showing the games in the Buffalo area). I don’t have an answer for you right now so please call McFadden’s on Saturday, ask for the bartender Pete, and he’ll have an answer. The phone number is 212.986.1515. Unfortunately I can’t be much more help with this as I’ll be in an 8 (EIGHT!) hour exam for work all day and evening Saturday.

Games 2 and 3 will be shown only at McFadden’s! Be there! I’ll send out a reminder and more details on Monday.

Enjoy the game tomorrow and I’ll see everyone on Monday!!

Kevin

Hi Everyone,

Some good news and bad news. McFadden’s does not currently get the OLN channel, so they can not show the game tonight. As disappointed as I am not to see everyone and get pumped up for the playoffs, the Buffalo News said that they may rest some key players since the game has no effect on their playoff roles.

Now for the good news – McFadden’s WILL order the Center Ice package if need be, so we will be showing the all the Playoff games!! The response to my last email was very positive so I look forward to creating a great atmosphere on our March to the Stanley Cup.

The playoff picture will be finalized tonight and they TV schedules should be worked out tomorrow, so I’ll let everyone know they schedule later this week. Please email me if you have any questions.

Kevin

Hey Fans,

In honor of the day off many of you may have today (not me!), I’ve prepared a history lesson for everyone. Class participation is required. First Question: Where were you on April 14th, 1996? Hopefully many of you are able to say “Memorial Auditorium”, as 10 years ago today the Sabres closed out the Aud with a 4-1 victory over my hometown Hartford Whalers.

Next question: Where were you May 10th, 2001? I was in my dorm room as a junior in college, long before the NYCBBB was a twinkle in the eye of the Matts. The significance of that day? The last time a Buffalo team competed in the playoffs. “Mr. Cheap Shot” Darius Kasperitis floated the Game 7 winning shot over Dominik Hasek in OT to prevent the Sabres from reaching their 3rd Conference championship in 4 years and I still vividly remember kicking a chair, storming around and generally being as miserable as possible. Almost 5 years, one bankruptcy, one lockout, and countless Bills heartbreaks ago.

Final Question: Where will you be watching the Pride of Buffalo and hottest team in hockey fight for the Stanley Cup? Answer: McFADDEN’S!!! In honor of the best team Buffalo has seen in years we are taking McFadden’s out of summer storage bringing back the spirit of Little Buffalo. Here are the details:

McFadden’s will broadcast every Sabres playoff game this Spring with drink and appetizer specials. The have clinched 4th place in the Eastern Conference and will play either the Rangers, Devils or Flyers. If they play the Rangers or Devils all the games will on local TV and will be shown at McFadden’s. If they play the Flyers, most of the games will be OLN. However, some may only be available on the Center Ice package. McFadden’s is currently exploring the cost of getting Center Ice for the playoffs. Please send me a quick email if you would be interested in watching the games at McFadden’s so I can get a idea of the interest in this.

DRY RUN – TUESDAY APRIL 18th
The final Sabres game on the regular season is Tuesday April 18th at 7pm against the Carolina Hurricanes, the top team in the Eastern Conference. We will be showing the game at McFadden’s with sound AND $3 domestic drafts, domestic bottles, and well drinks and well as 1/2 priced appetizers! This is will serve as a dry run for the specials and atmosphere for the playoffs game so please stop by!!

BANDWAGON INFO
In case you are a late arriver to the Sabres Bandwagon, I’ll include the highlights of this historic season so you can be up to speed for the playoff and get FIRED UP!!

– The Sabres play a fast, high tempo, entertaining game, predicated on causing turnovers and using their speed to attack on offense.
– With 3 games left, the Sabres have already tied the team record for Victories with 49.
– They have 263 goals, their most since 93-94 and 6th most in the entire NHL.
– They have strung together numerous multi-game win streaks this season and are currently on a roll with 4 wins in their last 5 games, including 2 wins over the top seeded Ottawa Senators.
– In the Buffalo News co-captain Daniel Briere is drawing comparisons to Pat Lafontaine, Maxim Afinogenov is being compared to the great Gilbert Perreault (skating ability-wise).
– They have amazing depth, consistently playing all four lines. There have been numerous injuries but thanks to major contributions from rookies and career years from other players they haven’t missed a beat. This depth will be a major asset in the playoffs.

Don’t believe it? Come to McFadden’s and see for yourself!

TICKETS
As mentioned above, the Sabres are guaranteed to play a local team in the first round. I currently don’t have info about how to get tickets in the event the Sabres play the Flyers or Rangers. If they play the Devils tickets should be easy to come by since the Devils almost never sell out. If you have a connection to tickets, or want to organize a caravan to an NJ or Philly (or even Buffalo!) let me know and I will help out any way I can.

Hope everyone has good holiday weekend. See you on Tuesday!!

Kevin

Hello all 1,431 NYC Bills fans!

This is definitely the first Sunday email I’ve sent in a long time, but I fear the job will prevent me from getting this out tomorrow before the McKinley movie below. This is basically a City of Buffalo email, so for the Bills fans not from the Queen City, I apologize in advance!

First of all, it has been reported that NY Senator Chuck Schumer is stepping up to bat for the Buffalo Bills. He will be working with Jack Kemp, Tim Russert, and other New York political players to make sure the Bills don’t leave Buffalo. Schumer is especially important as he sits on the powerful Senate finance and judiciary committees, which have jurisdiction over some NFL interests. Love him or hate him, he’s going to be a key player in keeping the Bills in Western New York and its great to know he has our back! Be sure to check out www.BillsDaily.com for details!

Speaking of WNY politicians, I recently read about Denise O’Donnell, the leading candidate for the Attorney General position of New York. Ms. O’Donnell is from Buffalo, was one of the first female graduates of Canisius College, and attended University of Buffalo Law School. First a Buffalonian becomes a Supreme Court Justice, now maybe a State AG!

10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America
This Monday night at 10pm, the History Channel will be airing “Murder at the Fair, the Assassination of William McKinley.”

For those of you that love Buffalo history like I do, this is a one hour reenactment of the assassination of the president during the Pan American Expo in Buffalo in 1901. At the time, Buffalo was the 8th largest city in the country and one of the wealthiest as well! Be sure to check this out!

Also, if you like the movie, do yourself a favor and read NYCBBB member Lauren Belfer’s “City of Light” which is an incredible story that takes place in Buffalo during the McKinley assassination. I read it and LOVED it; it really captures how powerful of a city Buffalo was in the early 20th century. You can buy the book here:
https://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/

Hope everybody has a great week!

— Matt “talkin’ proud and won’t lose the Bills without a fight!” Kabel

Hello all!

So its official, Eric Moulds is now a Houston Texan. The Bills received a 5th round pick in this month’s draft in exchange for Moulds, which we hoped for a 4th rounder but is better than nothing and frees up $5 million in cap room. I’ll miss Moulds, he was a solid player who was never given a solid QB to work with for a long period.

In case you haven’t heard, Ralph Wilson met with Gov. Pataki this week and voiced his worries that the Bills could leave Buffalo. That was the low of my week. Then the high of my week came hours later when Tom Golisano (Sabres’ owner) stated that he may have interest in buying the team to keep it in Buffalo. This is the first small light at the end of the tunnel that Bills fans have seen in regards to our Bills staying put. Who knows if it’ll happen, but at least it gives us SOME hope!

The NFL schedule was released and it looks like McFadden’s and Calico Jack’s will be the place to be in NYC the first 2 weeks as the Bills head to New England and Miami. They then return to Buffalo for the opener which just so happens to be the Jets game! Kevin Smith, our tailgate guru, was licking his chops yesterday knowing the potential of throwing a great outing for this game, which is also Kenny “Pinto’s” 200th straight game!

Oh yeah, they’re ALL 1pm games! However, new NFL rules allow for the later games to be changed to 8pm if there are playoff implications. Here’s the schedule:
http://www.billsdaily.com/schedule/

Draft Party
April 29th, all day drink/wing specials, expecting a HUGE Buffalo crowd, awesome times!

BE THERE!!!

SABRES ARE PLAYOFF BOUND!!!

GO BUFFALO!!! GO SABRES!!!

— Matt “talkin’ proud and love 1pm games!” Kabel

Hello all!

Just got word that McFadden’s will start the drink special for tonight’s Sabres/Devils game as soon as you get there! Just tell Patsy at the door that you’re there for the Sabres game and you’ll receive a bracelet getting you $3 domestic drafts, domestic bottles, and well drinks! The game starts at 7:30 and the special will run until the end of the game. I know there’s a good Sabres crowd heading there to watch it so c’mon down for a great happy hour, talk about the Bills, and root for Buffalo’s PLAYOFF BOUND TEAM!!!!!!

Reports are stating that Eric Moulds will be traded to either the Philadelphia Eagles or Houston Texans as early as today. Recent reports are saying he has just been dealt to the Texans, but details are still sketchy; please check out www.BillsDaily.com for more information as it materializes.

Yesterday, an article on Yahoo Sports stated that JP Losman has also been placed on the trading block. The Bills have not supported or denied this claim, so who knows how accurate it is.

— Matt “talkin’ proud and GO SABRES!!!” Kabel

Hello all 1,452 Bills Fans!

It looks like Eric Moulds’ days as a Buffalo Bill are almost at an end. It’s rumored that he can be had for a 4th round pick in next month’s draft, and that several teams have extreme interest in him. We’ll let you know what happens, be sure to keep and eye onwww.BillsDaily.com.

Onto the fun stuff:

Sabres @ Devils
I was informed that a large crowd of Sabres fans will be meeting up at McFadden’s on Thursday for the Sabres/Devils game at 7:30. During the game, McFadden’s will offer us $3 domestic pints and bottles, and $3 well drinks as well! Come on down to McFadden’s and join us in raising a toast to our PLAYOFF BOUND hockey team! McFadden’s will also be offering similar specials for ALL Sabres Playoff Games!

When you arrive on Thursday, be sure to see Patsy at the door who will give you a special wristband.

5th Annual NYCBBB NFL Draft Party
On Saturday, April 29th, NYCBBB will be holding its 5th Annual Draft Party at McFadden’s! The Bills have four (4) picks on the first day, including the 8th overall pick! As of now, there’s only one player guaranteed to be a top 5 pick (Reggie Bush) so a superstar will likely fall to our pick. To follow tradition, McFadden’s will be offering a LONG drink special on this day that is open to ALL football fans:

From 12-7pm
$35 – All the draft beer (hopefully Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian included) you can drink and wings you can eat
$25 – All the Bud/Bud Lite draft you can drink and wings you can eat
$20 – All the POP you can drink and wings you can eat
$1 off all mixed drinks

It’s going to be a great day, so be sure to save the date!!!

WGR55
WGR55 is now streaming online for free!!! I’ve been listening to it every day for a week, great hearing Bills/Sabres news in the mornings and afternoons. Be sure to signup at www.wgr550.com

Hope to see some of you on Thursday! Go Sabres!

— Matt “talkin’ proud and fired up to have a Buffalo team in the playoffs” Kabel