Deadline Day Fun!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year, so of course I would wake up feeling like I've been hit by a truck. I don't know how coherent I'll be to keep you updated on all the deadline fun, but the guys from The Goose's Roost are hosting a live chat with a bunch of us Buffalo bloggers all day. I'm going to try and stop in and comment whenever I can, and I'm sure everyone reading this already knows that The Roost is the place to go for great commentary on pretty much everything.

So basically, as I go drink more tea and blow my nose for the 800th time today, you should check this out:

Hold Your Head Up

I never want to see Ryan Miller this dejected again. My heart can't handle it.To see how much emotion he put into that performance, to see how much he cared about representing his country well - it broke me. He deserved all the happiness and accolades in the world, and I wished that he could have found comfort in at least getting the silver when most people didn't think the U.S. would medal.

But he didn't find comfort in that, and, as Sabres fans, I don't think we expected or wanted him to. Miller is a competitor of the highest degree, and I only wish he could have been rewarded for that with a gold medal. The tears in his too-expressive eyes told us all that this game meant so much to him, and it was so painful to see someone who so deserved to win come out on the losing end, when someone who's already accomplished so much (Sidney Crosby) added another layer to his legend.

Though Crosby's legend continued to grow, I think Miller's did, too. Or maybe his legend just got started. Either way, the whole world knows about our little best-kept secret now, and I couldn't be happier. To see the entire focus of America on the skinny, scruffy goalie that we call ours was truly something special. We got to share him with the rest of the country for a couple of weeks, but now he's ours alone again. I'd like to think we may have picked up a few more supporters along the way, though.

I hope what the rest of the country learned about Ryan Miller is what we in Buffalo have always known - that win or lose, he is a class act. This is the goalie who chose to stay in Buffalo and said that he would give up the money to bring a championship to this city. This is the goalie who helps so many sick children in memory of the cousin he loved so deeply and lost so young. This is the goalie who has captivated the Olympics-watching nation with his calm, kind demeanor and intelligent, focused persona.

Ryan Miller has earned all the happiness he can get out of this Olympic experience, which is why I was so happy to see him at the closing ceremonies:

Photo courtesy of Reuters

To see him smiling and enjoying himself, capturing memories of this amazing experience, made me so happy. He looked proud to be an Olympian, as well he should be. He has made an indelible impression in people's hearts and minds across America, and I hope people know that they weren't just rooting for a great hockey player; they were cheering for a great person as well.

I may have been sad to see silver in Miller's hands today, but I think I'll be okay with it come June, if that silver in his hands is from the Stanley Cup. I know it's a long shot, but if the past two weeks have taught me anything, it's that we should all be believers in "Millercles."

Tremendously Tremendous

Now that was a hockey game.

Last night's USA win over Canada was something truly special. No, it wasn't "more than just as hockey game" - it was just that: a hockey game. And a pretty fantastic one at that.

It was a hockey game that made hockey feel like a legitimate sport in America - for even just one night. That game was the talk of the nation last night and this morning, and it was for good reason. End-to-end action, great saves, hard hits, incredible excitement from the blazing start to the frenzied final minutes - this game showcased the best of hockey as a sport.

Olympic victories always carry a special sense of pride, but this one feels even more special. Watching Ryan Miller make 42 saves - some of them truly fantastic - made me feel like our little corner of America played a big part in last night's victory. Because that goalie that everyone is praising, the one that even non-fans are starting to appreciate - he's ours. Watching the world come to recognize Ryan Miller last night was really cool; there's no other word I can find to describe it. Seeing him at the top of the Trending Topics on Twitter and seeing people I never thought would know his name (Ryan Seacrest watches hockey?) tweet about believing in "Millercles" made a great win even greater.

I think it's because we know how much Miller deserves this. We know what a great and generous man he seems to be off the ice as well as the terrific netminder he is on it. There is no other hockey player (besides maybe Goose) that I would like to see in such a positive, national spotlight. He has earned the love he is getting right now, and I am proud to say that he is both my country and my team's star player. I couldn't think of a better representative for the Sabres and American hockey.Congrats, Millsie. This is just one game, though, and the most important are still to come. Here's hoping that he can continue to lead the USA all the way to the podium and that there will be many more "Millercles" to come - for both Team USA and the Buffalo Sabres.

#28 Turns 28

Today is a very special day around these parts. It has been circled on my calendar, plugged into my phone, and written in my planner.

For most of you, today is an important day in the hockey season because the Sabres face their biggest game in a while - playing the surging Senators at HSBC with the hope of keeping our fiercest rivals safely behind us in the battle for the lead in the Northeast Division.

For me, though, today is about more than just a much-hyped hockey game. It's a day to celebrate the birth of our fearless assistant captain with the ruggedly handsome face.

Happy Birthday, Paul Gaustad!

Today is the day that #28 turns 28, and I would like to celebrate with a brief photo essay on the local treasure that is The Goose.

Not only he is a leader on the ice, Goose is a leader in the community. His work with Camp Good Days has helped to make lives brighter for a lot of sick children in WNY. He is carrying on the tradition of Buffalo Sabres really striving to make a positive impact on the city, and I am always proud to wear his jersey. Not only is his charity work inspiring, it also has led to photos like this:

Say it with me...Awwww...

A guy who does all that Goose does on and off the ice could start to take himself seriously, but that doesn't seem to be the case. It takes someone with a good sense of humor to rock a pair of tennis shorts and a sweatband the way Goose can:
There's not much left I can say after looking at that picture, so I'll just end this with my birthday wish for Goose.

Dearest Birthday Boy,

It is my hope that on this, your 28th birthday, you are given the gift of a sound demolition of the Senators, a team that we all know that you hate with a burning passion. I would wish for a hat trick or even a goal for you, but all I really hope for is that you get to spend your birthday night making Chris Neil cry in a corner.I hope you are given the gift of a victory tonight and an important role in it. It would be the perfect present - not just for you but for all of us waiting for a win against the Sens.

Happy Birthday!
Katie

Having Fun Again

Sometimes, it can be a lot of fun to be a hockey fan.

I know that it hasn't seemed like that over the past couple of years, but it's true. Hockey is a sport full of unbridled emotion, nail-biting finishes, and players that wear their passion for their sport and their teammates on their sleeve. It really is a fun, enjoyable sport to watch and experience.

I feel like there were times when I had forgotten that over the last two seasons. Watching hockey and writing about it was more of an obligation, and I was often looking for the answers to why things went wrong rather than what went right (many times because things just simply did not go right most nights).

This season has reminded me that being a fan can actually make you happy more than it makes you crazy and miserable. I'm actually enjoying this team more than I'm getting angry at them. I have hope.

Tonight's game was a game that I would have written off as a loss last season with a few minutes to go in the third period. I would have assumed that we would let a tying goal in with moments left to give the Leafs momentum into overtime. But this season I expected them to clamp down in the final moments and get the win, which they did. I honestly wasn't all that nervous, which I think speaks to the amount of faith I have in this team (or the amount of faith I have in how bad the Leafs are against us).

Instead of wasting time being nervous, I had fun watching us dismantle the Leafs again. That's the way this whole season has been for me so far - with the exception of a few games, I have enjoyed watching this team play hockey more than I was expecting to.

You can see it in the players as well - they're having fun, too. I went to practice on Wednesday, and it was the most spirited, loudest practice I'd ever attended. They guys were all laughing and chirping at each other as they went through their drills. There was even an impromptu game of baseball with Pat Kaleta pitching, Goose catching, and Pommer (later Captain Craig) at bat. It was just nice to see that, while they were still focused when running their drills, they are having fun out there together.

And why not? They have the best goalie in the league, a capable backup whose always there to support Ryan (I'm glad we've gotten to see some "goalie love" between them these past two games, too), balanced scoring, strong defense pairings, and the Rookie of the Year (in my humble opinion) playing for the Blue and Gold. There are lots of things to be proud of and excited about with this team.

I know I'm rambling, and it should always be fun to be a sports fan, but sometimes in Buffalo it's not always fun. But thanks to Myers, Miller, and the rest of the Sabres, it's a whole lot more enjoyable now, and I can only hope that it stays fun long into the spring.

The Decade's Best

The new decade is upon us, and what better time than New Year's Eve to recap the best Buffalo sports moments of the last decade. It's been an up-and-down kind of decade for us as fans - no playoff football, no hockey at all for a year, Stanley Cup playoff runs, and some miracles on and off the playing field. Being a Buffalo sports fan this decade was interesting to say the least, and there was always something to talk about. So for today, I am choosing to focus on the 10 most positive things that happened in the Buffalo sports world over the last 10 years.

As a disclaimer, these are my personal top moments, and they were compiled after much internal deliberation and much discussion with noted experts (ie. my dad). Without further ado, let the happy trip down memory lane begin!

10.) A trio of memorable games: Bills beat Pats 31-0, the Ottawa Brawl and Game 5 of the 2007 EC Semifinals. All three of these games provided something that seemed to be missing a lot in Buffalo sports over the last decade: excitement. When the Bills shutout the Pats to open their season, it was the most excited I've been during a football game this decade. The Ottawa Brawl added even more spark to a rivalry that has defined the decade in a lot of ways for the Sabres, and it proved that we have a coach in Lindy Ruff who is a man with a tough, Buffalo mentality through and through. And I had to include that game against the Rangers because I was there. I saw the Plaza teeming with screaming fans, I heard the car horns in the streets, I felt the energy radiating from every corner of the arena. Here's hoping that the excitement provided in these three games is reflected in the next decade in far more contests and with even more chills, hugs, and cheers.

9.) The Bisons Win the Governor's Cup. In 2004, the Buffalo Bisons took home the Governor's Cup, the championship of the International League. Being there during their postseason run was extremely memorable because I love baseball, and I love when it feels like an important sport in the WNY community. Though the team has struggled lately, for that year they were the best, and isn't that what we always dream of for our sports teams in Buffalo?

8.) March Madness Comes to Buffalo. I was lucky enough to get to see the first round NCAA Tournament action at HSBC Arena in 2007. To see so many people from so many places enjoying what our city had to offer was fantastic, and it was even cooler to see some of the most amazing talents in college basketball right in front of me. As a devout Duke Blue Devils fan, seeing them at their open practice and in a game was an experience I will remember forever. And for the many out there who don't like Duke, I'm sure you will always remember the upset they were handed, one of the most shocking of the past few first rounds, and it happened right in Buffalo.

7.) Bills Hall of Fame Inductees. Though the Bills didn't see the postseason these past 10 years, we were all able to relive a little bit of the Glory Years with the inductions of Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Ralph Wilson Jr. and Mary Levy into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I give Thurman the honor of having the best speech - it was funny, moving, and eloquent. While the present looked dim this decade for the Bills, during those days at Canton fans got a reminder of just how proud we should be to be Bills fans.

6.) Bandits Win the NLL Championship. I'm still a little bitter that this came in 2008, the season before I got my season tickets. But when it happened doesn't matter, what matters is that it did happen. In a decade of futility for most of the Buffalo sports scene, the Bandits brought a championship to the city. Lacrosse fans are some the most passionate fans I've ever seen, and it makes me happy to know that they were rewarded with such a great team and a great outcome. I only wish I could have been in the arena to see it happen.

5.) The 2008 NHL Winter Classic.

Need I say more? For one day, the world took notice of our city and liked what it saw. We were passionate, beautiful, and perfect. Even though the game didn't turn out right, the atmosphere of the day was amazing, and it's something we'll all be telling our kids about someday.

4.) Kevin Everett Walks Again. It was a miracle - plain and simple. He should have been paralyzed - or even worse. But there he was, Kevin Everett, walking on the sidelines of the 2008 season opener.

There was no better moment for the Bills this decade, and I don't even know if a trip to the postseaon could have topped it in my eyes.

3.) UB Wins MAAC Championship. The entire 2008 season of UB Bulls football was an incredible journey to behold. From losers to winners, from embarrassed to respected, one season changed the face of college sports in Buffalo like no other. It made Turner Gill a hero and a Buffalo legend, and even though he has deservedly moved on, he will always be remembered for what he did for that program, that season, and the hopes of college football fans in this city.

2.) The Sabres President's Trophy Season. Think about it - what other season this decade had this city so excited from start to finish? We knew from the first 10 games that it was going to be special, and that team didn't let us down until the very end. Did it end poorly? Yes. Does it sometimes hurt to think back on it? Yes. But it was still the happiest I remember this city during the 2000s for such an extended period of time. From the opening win streak to the Ottawa Brawl and Drury's goal with 7.7 seconds left, they took the city for a ride that season - one that brought crowds to the Plaza and brought people together like I never remember seeing for a hockey team before. It was truly something special - something magical.

1.) Pominville's Shorthanded Goal Sends the Sabres to the 2006 Conference Finals. I know this wasn't the best moment of the decade, or maybe even the most memorable. But I think it was the most positive, the happiest. That goal symbolized that entire season - a player no one had heard of, one who everyone else had written off, scored a goal that never really should have happened. But it happened - just like that whole postseason run never really should have happened if you asked people coming out of the lockout about the "new" Sabres. From the looks on the players faces to the cheers coming from living rooms all over WNY, the joy in that moment was the purest joy of the decade in terms of sports. There was nothing to lose in that moment, no downside or doubts. There was only that "scary good" team that changed the perception of hockey in Buffalo - made it important again. Watch the video of it again, and think if there was any other moment this decade, in terms of Buffalo sports, that made you that ridiculously happy. For me, I know that this was it; the hope I felt after that goal was greater than any other time - I thought they could take on the world, and they did their best to put up one heck of a fight to the end.

What were your top moments of the decade? Think I'm crazy for my picks? I'd love to hear your choices!

Finding a Common Ground

I hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas and that you are continuing to enjoy the holiday season. This time of year always makes me think about those that I am closest to, and it gives me time to reflect on those things that are central to our relationships.

Of course there are the usual things like trust, affection, and, in some cases, genetic ties. But there's also something to be said for common interests. And in a city like Buffalo, one of the most common of interests is sports.

Think about it - How many of you spent time at family holiday parties talking to a cousin or an in-law about Ryan Miller or who the Bills next coach should be? How many of you spent time watching a game with your friends over these last few days or are planning to this week? How many of you knew that someone really knew you because of the sports-themed gift you found under the Christmas tree? Please tell me it's not just me.

Sports bring us together. One of my favorite parts of Christmas day was the few minutes I spent with my cousin and my dad talking about the Sabres this season. It may have just been a discussion about Tyler Myers and the play of a certain #28, but, to me, it's what living in this city - or at least living in my family and with my friends - is all about. I never played sports, but I learned about them quickly because that's the language we speak. Conversations always come back to quarterbacks and powerplays; some game or another is always on TV wherever you are.

I've had so many amazing moments with my family and friends because of sports, whether it was listening to WGR on the radio every morning in my dad's car when I was in high school or cheering on the Bandits with my two best friends every home game last season. My sister and I bonded over trips to Duke University to see the basketball court and autograph signings with Jason Pominville. I love teaching my little cousin about hockey and taking her to open practices because it's something that brings us closer than anything else could.

In Buffalo, family time is often time spent watching the Bills on Sundays, no matter how horrible they are, because it's what we've always done. A night out is often a trip to HSBC Arena, and "big gifts" for Buffalo kids are often hockey jerseys or sticks in addition to iPods and video games.

Over and over again I am floored by the unifying power of sports. At a time of year when family and friendships are focused on more than any other, I am awed by just how much better those relationships are because of the common ground that the Bills and Sabres have provided over the years. They've given us shared enemies, shared heroes and shared dreams.

We need sports - if only to have something to talk about at all of those holiday parties.