It's nice to have slept in my own bed last night but this weekend seemed unreal. A huge win by the Sabres on Friday along with clinching a playoff spot made the trip to Columbus that much more exciting since we didn't have to be nervous about maybe not making the playoffs. Tamara and I left early Saturday morning for Ohio and arrived in the early afternoon. I have never seen so many things on the highway closed for renovations. At least it wasn't like when Denny's was closed when we were heading for Ottawa last season...We arrived at Nationwide Arena pretty early and could already see about 40+ Sabres fans across the street at a local restaurant. There were jeers at Columbus fans of course, and one fan replied back that we could 'go back to the empty arena'. I replied to him that he should come up for a game and then see how empty it is.
The Rivet jerseys were worn for this game and we received several snide remarks from Sabres fans. Tamara and I never had this problem at home but considering we seemed to be the only Sabres fans in attendance who were wearing any sort of Rivet jersey, we were being heckled. It's about the logo on the front, not the name on the back. Of course, after his little scuffle with Tyler Ennis we took the jerseys off. I had my Vanek shirt underneath, it was all good.
Now the Columbus fans...I admire their dedication but yelling at Sabres fans that we're going to get out of the first round and saying 'let's go, Flyers!' is...well. I guess since they had nothing else going for them, they had to say that. There was an old lady one row in front of us a little ways down that was pointing and yelling at me, saying we were going to lose the 'first game'. First sweetie, a playoff series is a ROUND. Secondly, I know some badass elderly women in Buffalo who could kick your ass so sit down. Seriously, Ottawa and Montreal was fine regarding opposing fans. Columbus was brutal. Coming from a team who was only in the playoffs once during their ten years as an NHL team, they think they have a lot of firing ammunition against other team's fans. Please get out of here. It was nice to see the Sabres win their first game at Nationwide, though.
The Philadelphia/Buffalo series is bound to be a good one if Friday night's game is any indication. A lot of aggressiveness and goal-scoring I'm sure. I can see the Sabres winning this round because of their playoff surge, let's just hope I'm right.
6 comments:
As a Columbus fan who was at this game I find it interesting that you don't mention the LARGE crowds of Sabres fans who started being complete douche canoes at least an hour before the game even started. Not by "tearing into" the team itself, but rather the fans and that just isn't cool. Yelling "Jackets suck" is one thing, but to boo, hiss and jeer at fans for nothing more than being fans?Yelling at them to "cross the street" so they don't walk by you IN THEIR OWN FREAKIN' CITY?! No, not okay, not cute, not funny, not clever and I have the feeling that if the tables were turned you and your buds would be the first people throwing punches for this kind of thing.
Nationwide is not know for being filled with mean, angry, rude fans. In fact, quite the opposite, but I guess everyone has their breaking point.
Now, I'm not trying to say that makes bad behavior you might have witnessed from our side okay, because it's not, just that I understand where it might have been coming from.
Your behavior as guests was so far beyond anything I've ever witnessed that I don't even really know what else to say really. Other than a whole hell of a lot of you need to learn what manners and sportsmanship are (and I'm talking as a whole here, because I know that not ever Sabres fan was like this that night).
First, thank you for your comment. I didn't think I would get a reaction like this but it's nice to see fans of other teams commenting.
Honestly, I didn't see any rude behavior from Sabres fans except for the yelling at Jackets fans prior to the game, and a few jerks behind us saying obnoxious things (my best friend and I told them to shut up a few times).
I get involved in 'friendly jeering' as not to yell at someone and say that the team sucks or whatever. I don't go into an arena to be an obnoxious asshole. I heard about Sabres fans being thrown out and I believe our fans are worse on the road than at home since it rarely happens here in Buffalo. On my behalf, I'm sorry for the rudeness and douchebaggery you had to endure with Sabres fans. I'll be one of the first to say that my fanbase is made up of idiots.
Not a problem, saw your link on the Tumblr and decide to have a read, to see what the Sabres fan preceptive was of the night. In all honesty most of the docuhey stuff made me roll my eyes and comment briefly about young male sports fans being overloaded on testosterone and such, but there was one thing that happened, after the game that simply put me over the edge. I commented about it on my own Tumblr: Standing in SOMEONE ELSE’S HOUSE after the game, near the exits, holding signs reading things like “Enjoy the Golf Season”? It seriously had me thinking, for a moment or two, that getting arrested would totally be worth it. I guess I just really wish we could all just have good natured fun and enjoy the sport together even if we support different teams and not have to endure things like this.
All this said, as bad as you guys were you've got nothing on those Pens fans... yikes!
See, that's a little ridiculous. I wouldn't make a sign that says that and take it to a game. We all watched the dedication video - you guys do have a very loyal fanbase from what I had witnessed. The arena is one of the top in the league. Everyone should have just enjoyed it being the last game for both teams.
I think we can all agree on Pens fans being absolutely nuts when it comes to going to games and just their reaction in general. I know a lot of Pens fans who are fairly normal but...holy crap, I have never seen a more insane fanbase. And I used to like them myself.
Oh darn. I was hoping Columbus would put it's best foot forward that weekend. At least you got some good weather for traveling!
P.S. On behalf of the contingent of Pens fans who know how to behave themselves in public, I am truly sorry for the jackassery of the rest. Unfortunately it seems that every fanbase has it's group of obnoxious, reputation besmirching jerks.
Aubrey; the weather was LOVELY! It was so nice to wear shorts for once considering we've been getting snow here lately.
I know a lot of Pens fans who are good people. It just seems there are many who are too biased and really see no flaws with the team no matter what.
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