Of Freak Goals and Favorites

I'll have more to say tomorrow, but I'm not as disappointed with that loss as I thought I'd be.

It may be because the team played my kind of hockey - tough, strong penalty killing, gritty and chippy.

It may because both goals against were flukes rather than bad plays or softies by Miller.

It may be because Tyler Myers and Tim Kennedy looked great. Myers especially looked a lot smoother and stronger than I thought he would. I really like his game.

It may be because we still ended up with a point.

I think, though, that it's because of one little letter:

Paul Gaustad finally has a "A" on his jersey. He is finally being recognized for the true leader that he is for this team. To see it in a regular season game was so special because it proves that others see him as the gift to this team that I have always seen him as.

To watch Goose and Pommer as assistant captains tonight was special. Two close friends, two roommates, my two favorite players - they are the next generation of Sabre leaders, and I am so proud to own their jerseys. Now I have to get an "A" put on my #28 jersey, and I couldn't be happier.

Maybe tomorrow I'll be more upset, but now I'm too excited to have hockey back in my life to wallow in post-loss depression.

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!

Jason Pominville Appreciation Post

Happy 26th Birthday, Pommer!

WooHoo!!

To My Lovely Pommer on your Birthday,

I hope you are thoroughly enjoying spending a day off with your very attractive girlfriend and all of your Sabre-bros. I'm sure that Goose got you a special new blanket for nap buddy time and Ryan played you a nice birthday song on the guitar. I hope Spacho let you be Pigeon of the Day at practice today. I also hope you did not ruin your birthday by watching that horrid Bills game that I will not even acknowledge with more than a sentence.

Here's to a hat trick tomorrow to celebrate, and I hope you didn't go Soupy-style in your celebrating downtown to the point that I can find youtube videos of you and Goose playing some bad cover song and yelling obscenities. Although I think you would indulge with cupcakes and milk rather than rum and Coke.

~Katie~

In addition to these birthday wishes for everyone's favorite "system-abiding" Sabre, I promised to reveal why I chose his jersey over all the other candidates. When push came to shove, it was the most logical choice. Cap'n Craig and I have been fighting lately (really since he stopped fighting with people on the other team). I still wonder if he's playing hurt, but back to Pommer.

With Pommer's jersey, I still get my dream of having a letter on the front (albeit an "A" rather than a "C"), and he is part of The Core that we all love so much and the Trio (Goose, Pommer, and Miller) that I hold so dear. He does a lot of work in the community and just seems like a genuinely good person. Add to that the fact that he is pretty sweet on the ice as well and that he's my sister's favorite, and I made my decision rather quickly under growing pressure from my mother.

So now I will have the two best roomies ever side-by-side in my room (or at least their jerseys...)

Finally, no Jason Pominville Appreciation Post would be complete without this picture:

I hope you don't have this much trouble with your party hat, Jason!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Things that I'm thankful for today, as a Buffalo sports fan:

*Waking up this morning with both the Bills and Sabres as winners in their last games. It feels like it's been a long time since we've been able to see that.

*Knowing that the guys I'm cheering for are both good players and good people. Whether it's Brian Moorman's PUNT foundation or Donte Whitner's work with the United Way, the Bills are working to endear themselves to this city that loves them so much. With the Sabres, their charity work is one of the reasons I love them beyond all reasonable limits. Between Ryan Miller's Steadfast Foundation, Goose's work with Camp Good Days, Thomas Vanek's new partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, and all the other work these boys do for Buffalo, it makes me happy to know that not all professional athletes are selfish jerks. We're pretty lucky when it comes to having people on our teams that are easy to root for.

*Goose being reunited with his roomie and BFF Pommer on a line yesterday. I didn't see the game, but I do like the way they play together. Goose adds a little toughness to Pommer's finesse.

*The fact that I finally decided on a jersey, and let's just say that I think Goose would be happy with my choice of a certain nap buddy of his:

I hope I look as good in his jersey as he looks in a tux.

I promise to have more on the extreme soul-searching that went into this decision sometime tomorrow.

*The fact that, hopefully, Derek Roy is remembering how a puck gets shot into a net.

*The wonderful reception I've got in my first few months as a blogger. Seriously, I cannot thank all of my readers enough. I started this as simply a place to release the emotions that tend to well up in me over our sports teams. I never expected to have people respond so kindly to the things I write. It's nice to have a little place to call our own as Buffalo fans, and I'm thankful that it's populated with such great writers and readers. Thanks again everyone for making me feel so welcome in this little world.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families!

Celebrating Democracy

Today, I voted in my first presidential election. No matter your party or personal choice, I think we can all agree that this has been a very historic election, and I'm so happy to see so many of my generation taking an interest in the political process and turning out to vote.

In the spirit of democracy, I've posed a new poll question for all of you.

I've just been informed that I'm getting a new third jersey from my parents as my Christmas gift this year. The only thing I have to decide is whose jersey I want.

This decision is taking a lot longer than anticipated because of a mighty struggle between head and heart over declaring my love for a defenseman I've just met.

As documented on this blog, I've fallen hard and fast for Captain Craig Rivet. He's everything I love about hockey players - they're tough, team-first, hard-working guys. He's changed the character of this team (along with Lindy, of course), which he earned the respect of in just a few weeks.

Also, after coming back yesterday at least a week early from knee surgery, I also think he's bionic and superhuman.

Craig Rivet could knock out Chuck Norris

However, I realize that there are some logical problems with this choice. Though I do claim to love Craig, I can't be sure this isn't just infatuation, no matter how certain I feel that this will last (this is why I waited a year to get my Goose jersey). I also know I may only be able to use this for less than three years.

Still, ever since I was nine years old and hopelessly devoted to Michael Peca, I've wanted a jersey with a "C."

So what do you think, loyal and esteemed readers; is it time for me to make this love permanent in stitches and fabric?

This doesn't mean, though, that I will be neglecting my first and deepest jersey-love:

Goose is #28 on my jersey but #1 in my heart

It seems the NHL is feeling democratic today as well with the release of its All Star Ballot, which will be up for the vote on November 12.

The Sabres are well-represented with Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek representing expected choices. There are two relative surprises, however. Derek Roy represents the young dark horse, and Teppo Numminen is serving as the grizzled veteran on the ballot for Buffalo.

So cast your vote when polls open, and don't forget your write-ins for Goose!