My Christmas List this Year

Dear Santa,

I'd like to think I've been a good girl this year. I even sacrificed blogging to do big-girl things like get an internship and write a thesis. I try to be nice (except when it comes to Chris Neil), and I try not to overreact (except when properly labeled "Overreaction Central"). I've even stopped throwing things at the TV during Bills games (which may have more to do with apathy than actually being good, but that's beside the point).

With those things in mind, I hope you have it in your heart to deliver at least one of the things that I, as a Buffalo sports fan, am dreaming of this Christmas.

I would like a Sabres win against the Senators on Saturday. Any variety of win would do - I'm not picky. I would just like to see Chris Neil and Jarkko Ruutu, who are always naughty boys, lose to nice ones like Paul Gaustad and Ryan Miller for once.

I would like a young, passionate new coach for the Bills next year. Again, I'm not picky, but someone outside of the current organization would be nice.

I want Paul Gaustad to make Team USA like I haven't wanted anything since that Barbie Dream House when I was seven years old.

I want this year's Bandits season to be even better than last year's, and I want those passionate lacrosse fans to get rewarded with many big wins by their team.

I'm wishing like crazy for Ryan Miller to stay healthy for the rest of this season and for Patrick Lalime to continue to play well so Miller can get some rest.

I want more intermission features like last night's Festivus one with Drew Stafford. I love when the team and Lindy show how much fun they can be because you know that they are in a good place.


And Santa, I would like to send a wish from all of the long-suffering Buffalo sports fans out there. We've been very good and very patient for a very long time. We believe in our teams with the blind faith that kids have in you. I can only hope that, someday, we are rewarded for that undying faith with a championship. Please, Santa, all we're asking is for a reason to believe again.

Finally, I really want nothing more than a happy, safe, and healthy holiday season for all of the fans, bloggers, and readers out there. They and their families deserve the merriest of Christmases.

~Katie

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a very happy holiday season!

Picture Time!

I'm glad to read that everyone around the Buffalo blogging world enjoyed their holidays. I've spent the last few days catching up with family and friends, so I haven't had much time to write.

Also, I feel that there hasn't been much worthy of a post - another uninspired performance by the Bills on Sunday, a sham of a win by the Sabres on Saturday. Anything I could say would only be redundant - about Dick Jauron or the Sabres' inability to close out the worst team in the East.

So, instead, I present a short photo diary of how I've spent my Christmas vacation:

I got some great sports-related gifts for Christmas: Sabres gloves, a new Bills baseball cap, an "I Love Buffalo Lacrosse" shirt to wear in my Bandits season ticket seats, and money to buy this:

I'll have a book review up as soon as I get it and finish it!

Though all of those were great gifts, the best present came from my parents. I've been talking about it forever, so here is my brand new Pommer jersey:

My mom said that the guy at Laux told her that mine was the only jersey with a letter on it - I was so glad that she asked specifically for that. Thanks again, Mom!

Excuse my Christmas morning no-makeup look that I'm rocking in these photos.

Today I received the best belated Christmas gift ever, thanks again to my mom and dad. She was driving by Bases Loaded Sports Collectibles on French Rd., and she saw a sign laying on the ground because of the gale-force winds we've been having. Knowing that they sometimes have Sabres doing signings, she pulled in and looked at it for her slightly obsessed daughter.

Well, it turns out that Andrew Peters and Nate Gerbe were there tonight, and my father took my sister to see them. Naturally, I just had to tag along - I would never pass up a chance to meet the hero of all vertically challenged people everywhere!

Needless to say, Amy and I had a blast. Petey was extremely nice, joking around with the little girls in front of us. He was also cracking endless jokes about poor Nate, saying that he was as tall as Gerbe when he was nine and that Nate may need a booster seat to see over the counter he was signing on.

My sister couldn't wait to see Petey!

Nate was everything I hoped he'd be - little (but taller than me), adorable, and very sweet. He took the time to ask how I was doing, and, when my father wished him luck for the rest of the season, he responded: "Thanks so much; I really appreciate it." The nice thing was, that he actually gave off the vibe that he did mean what he said.

I swear, there was a moment before I left that he told me to "have a great night" with a cute little smile, and I thought I would have to be mopped off the floor in a big puddle of Gerbe-love. Maybe he was just excited to see a girl his age that is shorter than he is, but in the words of every character on "The Real World," I think we have a real "connection" (if by "connection" you mean one-sided infatuation).

I think this is the perfect shade of painfully awkward to make great engagement announcements someday!

Tomorrow morning, I'm heading out to morning practice at HSBC with my younger cousins. I always try to get to one per year, so it should be fun. I'll try to post pictures sometime after!

Happy Holidays!

Today is my favorite day of the year. Ever since I was a little kid, I've always loved Christmas Eve. Between the big Polish dinner we make tonight and opening gifts with all of my cousins, this is always the day I dream about what will be under the tree tomorrow morning.

In that spirit, I present you with my Buffalo Sports Christmas list for the coming year (and Santa, if you're reading this, all of us tortured Buffalo fans have been very good again this year, despite our teams' circumstances).

All I want for Christmas is...

* A healthy Buffalo Sabres lineup for the first time in a long time

* A Bills win over the Patriots on Sunday. I would love nothing more than to knock them out of the playoffs.

* A new coach for the Buffalo Bills (preferably someone with more than one facial expression)

* Paul Gaustad to return to the ice as soon as possible

* A way for Nate Gerbe and Chris Butler to stay up with the big club

* A veteran backup quarterback behind Trent Edwards next season

* To see Maxim Afinogenov in another team's jersey come deadline day (if not sooner)

* A goal scored by Jason Pominville that isn't an empty-netter

* Thomas Vanek to take back the lead in goals from Jeff Carter

* More interviews with Jaro Spacek using the word "pigeon"

* To see all of the years of heartbreak and dreams of "next year" fade into oblivion with that first championship.

* A safe, healthy, and happy holiday season for all of the Buffalo Bloggers and our readers.

Merry Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or whatever it is you celebrate)! May you and your families have a joyous holiday season!

Nothing says Happy Holidays like puppy nap buddies!