Pass the Mic
In our latest pass the mic segment we have Heather B. Who used to run the Top Shelf Blog for the Sabres back in like 2006 until like 2014. She’s a librarian by day and a Sabres fan by night.
There have been times over the last fifteen years, the last five or so especially, when I’ve had to remind myself that there was a time I lived and breathed the Buffalo Sabres. I watched every single game and then wrote endless words about it on a blog, constantly in conversations and okay, occasionally arguments, about things like lines and defensive pairings and trades and contracts and Darcy Regier. I had an opinion about everything. But then I went back to school full-time and then we moved to Syracuse for a few years, and I started teaching and as life got busier and fuller and the team got worse and ownership more frustrating, the Sabres and hockey faded into the background. Something I remembered fondly when it crossed my mind but in the way you think about fuzzy childhood memories that you’re pretty sure but not entirely sure happened.
With respect to the fans who have hung in with the Sabres over the last fifteen years - like serious respect to you, friends - I think it’s safe to say that most fans fall closer to me. I feel zero shame about that, just to be clear, and I don’t think you should feel any shame either. Life is short and time and money are precious. If something quits bringing you joy, spend your time and money elsewhere and don’t look back. I read a lot of books, went for some hikes, started playing the guitar, spent hundreds of hours on Zelda games, and sometimes even watched the Bills who somehow got good as the Sabres got bad. I taught, went back to school again, quit teaching, moved to the school library, and then the public library. A lot has happened in the last fifteen years. Probably for you too.
But occasionally the Sabres popped up to remind me that once upon a time I had loved them madly. Mark and I went to Ryan Miller’s number retirement. Some friends and I went to Rob Ray’s Sabres Hall of Fame induction. We made sure to watch the 2025-2026 Reunion and teared up just a tiny bit when Thomas Vanek couldn’t hide how touched he was upon learning that he was going into the Sabres Hall of Fame next season. But it was fleeting, never quite sticking completely, even when we managed to catch a couple of pretty good games. Not even the return of Lindy Ruff got me. My beloved Lindy whose firing was the thing that finally broke me the first time around. It seemed too much like a gimmick, a lazy hire by an organization that didn’t know how to move forward, an appeal to fans exactly like me who’d finally abandoned ship after Lindy went overboard.
Sure the team went on a crazy streak and suddenly seemed good-ish, but come on, we’ve seen spurts of good play a number of times over the years. They’ve never lasted. Still, when my friend Jill texted me in early March and asked if I’d be interested in going to the San Jose game with her and a mutual friend, I was intrigued enough to say yes. And just like that, I suddenly remembered. I remembered the thrill of a screaming, amped-up crowd chanting 1-2-3-4-WE WANT FIVE! I remembered the fun of high-fiving people you’ve never met and will probably never see again. I remembered the pleasure of seeing a player do something special - in this case, Jack Quinn’s first career hat trick. Did I have any idea who Jack Quinn was? No! Still couldn’t pick him out of a line up, honestly. Did it matter? Not one lick! We just all laughed as our friend Adam tossed his hat to the ice from the 300’s. I remembered riding down the escalator surrounded by LET’S GO BUFF-A-LO chants and waving flags and pouring out into the night to the sounds of honking horns and laughing fans. I remembered that the reason I finally fell in love with Buffalo after moving here at 22 was the Sabres. It was the Sabres and the wonderful people that being a Sabres fan brought into my life, many of whom have popped back up lately, one of the super fun side effects of the second half of this season.
After that it was a race to catch up, and you know what, it’s kind of fun! It’s fun coming to the team with a bare minimum of knowledge. It’s fun not knowing enough to dive into the nitty gritty and just go on vibes a bit. It’s fun trying to learn who’s wearing all the numbers I’ll forever equate with 2005-2006 Sabres. I mean, who are these guys?! I have a lap desk that I’ve used for years while watching TV, and it’s entered Bermingham Family Lore because even now, 20 years later under a glob of paint, you can see a trace of the three names and numbers that I scrawled on the desk because they just would not stick in my head, and I was tired of asking Mark who they were every time they had the puck. That scrawl reads:
55-> Hecht
10 -> Tallinder
5-> Lydman
Those of you who remember my blogging days might remember that those three guys turned out to be my three favorite Sabres, the ones I always stuck up for, the ones I still think of most fondly. The best Sabres on those teams? No. My favorites? Yes.
It’s kind of fun to think that maybe one of the guys who currently will not stick in my head - 9-> Norris or so Mark tells me, but I’m not convinced yet that he’s a real guy - will be my new favorite Sabres. I’m pretty sure it’s Mattias Samuelsson - I still love a penalty kill it turns out - although he does score a lot of goals for a more defensive d-man. But you know what? I’ll allow it! Why? Because hockey is fun again!
And y’all. Lindy Ruff. Lindy Ruff! HIRING LINDY RUFF WORKED. I really can’t believe it. During the San Jose game I sent three texts and one email and they all said the same thing: THIS IS A LINDY RUFF TEAM. Everything about the team that night was reminiscent of the best Lindy teams: fast, skilled, and incredibly tenacious. They did not give up on the puck ever. Like everyone else, I was bouncing off the walls after the Sabres clinched the series against the Bruins last week, but I didn’t get truly choked up until they cut to a smiling Lindy walking across the ice. I understand why he was fired all those years ago, but I personally would have fired every single player on the roster and kept Lindy. Lindy, a Buffalo guy through and through, being the one who brought us back to relevance and the postseason? Honestly, it’s a tiny little miracle in a world that seems pretty short on them right now.
Do fans that wandered away during these lost years deserve to enjoy the wins now? Yeah, man, of course they do. I mean, maybe that’s just easy for me to say, fully being one of those fans, but good things are fleeting. Embrace them and enjoy the heck out of them when they come. There’s a spot right next to me on the bandwagon so climb on up. Just remind me, who’s Zucker again?
Buffalo vs Boston: One remembers and one forgets
Being a fan of the Buffalo sports already builds a certain level of emotional endurance. You learn patience, loyalty, anger, and how to keep showing up even when things don’t go your way. What you don’t sign up for—what nobody prepares you for—is dealing with Boston fans.
I’m talking about the whole massholes universe: New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics. It’s not just one fanbase—it’s an entire ecosystem of smugness.
What makes it unbearable isn’t just the winning. They act like success is a birthright. Decades of championships somehow turned into this bizarre sense that they’ve earned the right to be insufferable 24/7. Allegedly, they were lovable losers last century because they were cursed and made like 10 sports documentaries about their sad upbringing. Then they tasted success and it went straight to their heads. It branched off terrible sports careers with Bills Simmons and David Portnoy and a bunch of other dipshits.
And the way they talk—like every conversation is a history lecture where they conveniently start the timeline at the moment things began going their way. You’ll hear about banners, rings, dynasties… but never the part where they spent years in irrelevance before the tide turned. Selective memory is basically part of their culture.
Then there’s the entitlement. Lose one game and suddenly it’s a crisis. Fire everyone, bench everyone, the sky is falling. We were nice to Scott Norwood when he fucked up while Red Sox fans wanted to throw Bill Buckner into the ocean.
Bills or Sabres fans have been out here treating a playoff berth like a sacred event, because we actually understand what it means to wait for something. There’s a humility in that. Boston fans skipped that lesson entirely.
And don’t get me started on game day interactions. You could be minding your business in a Bills jersey and somehow it becomes an open invitation for commentary. Not even clever commentary….just the same recycled lines, like they’ve been passed down through generations along with their championship merch. I’m sure Bruins fans trolled Sabres fans about the 2007 New England Patriots to get back at them after Friday’s game or said their Stanley cup rings are in their ears and they can’t hear us.
You never hear good stories of Boston fans coming to your tailgate to join forces with foods or good conversations. And spare me with Dave Portnoy and his “I love the Bills mafia” schtick as that just reeks of Homelander being friendly with The Seven. Most of the time it’s some asshole from Ontario with a faded Tom Brady jersey who talks shit and tries to pick a fight.
Are Buffalo fans perfect? Not even close. We’ve got our share of loudmouths, sore winners, pearl clutching, grifters, and people who take it way too far. Spend enough time in any parking lot or comment section and you’ll see it. And yeah, if the Bills/Sabres finally win it all, I’m not going to sit here and pretend we’ll suddenly become saints. We’ll be obnoxious. We’ll talk our talk. I’ll probably be unbearable for a while and I’m sure I’ll tell others to chill the fuck out. There will definitely be some Boston early 2000s synergy in us with having a bookcase full of sad memories and then burning those memories for good ones and letting everyone know about it.
But there’s a difference…
Buffalo arrogance, if/when it comes, will come from a place of finally. Finally getting over the hump. Finally seeing it pay off after years of sticking around when there was no guarantee it ever would. That kind of pride doesn’t erase the past..it leans on it.
And that’s where the gap is.
Boston fans, especially around teams like the New England Patriots, don’t just celebrate winning…they expect it. It’s baked in. The struggle years feel like ancient history, almost theoretical. There’s a detachment there, like losing is some kind of glitch instead of part of the deal.
Even at our worst, there’ll still be a part of us that recognizes the next fanbase grinding through it. The ones still waiting. Because we’ve been them. Not that long ago, either.
Boston forgot what that feels like.
Buffalo won’t.
So with that…enjoy the rest of your spring Massholes and realize history is on your side, but the world relishes your failures more than your success.
Stat head of the week
Here is a list of rookie DL/LBs who have had 7 sacks or more in a season since 2010.
Highlights of list
32 players have had 7 sacks or more.
9 players have had 10 sacks or more
Aldon Smith, Micah Parsons, Bradley Chubb, Von Miller, and Josh Hines-Allen make up the top 5.
9 players had more than 20 QB hits
29 players had more than 10 QB hurries
Dad shots
—I’ve gone back and forth on how many Montreal fans might be at the arena for the upcoming Sabres series. I was 11 years old when I went to my first—and only—Sabres playoff game, which was against Montreal. This was over 30 years ago, and there were a lot of Habs fans there. I wouldn’t say it was super embarrassing or anything like that, but they were definitely present.
Part of me thinks that because the Sabres have gone so many years without making the playoffs, fans won’t give up their tickets as easily. If the Sabres had made the playoffs for six straight seasons, where fans might start to feel a bit spoiled by regular appearances, it might be a bigger concern.
On the other hand, it’s not like Montreal has had a ton of playoff series over the last decade. Two of their playoff seasons happened during the COVID era, so their fans may be especially eager to show up. Those games outside of Covid including playing the Caps, Tampa Bay, Penguins, and Flyers. And again, even if it is 6-hour drive from Montreal, there are probably a ton of Montreal Ex-pats in Southern Ontario, including those who probably already have Sabres season tickets.
If anything, I’m not judging any Sabres fans who choose to sell their tickets—it’s their right to sell to whoever they want and make a profit.
I’m just not looking forward to the internet tough guys or the “#illhangupandlisten” crowd being outraged if there are Habs fans in attendance. The Sabres have won playoff series against Canadian teams before—see Toronto in 1999, Montreal in 1998, and Ottawa in 1997, 1999, and 2006. The fans have done enough this year to earn goodwill and you shouldn’t have a heart attack on Twitter if the “ole chant” happens during a Montreal goal.
— I think the Sabres/Bruins series really flipped when Alex Lyon went in for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. For most of the season—even with Lyon’s strong play—it always felt like it was going to be UPL’s net once the playoffs started. At most, maybe they’d alternate a bit. That idea made sense on paper: UPL had the contract, the familiarity with the team, and what felt like the higher long-term upside.
And honestly, Lyon being a journeyman didn’t exactly scream “ride this guy in the playoffs.” It felt more like a nice story than a real shift in hierarchy. There just wasn’t a clear reason to think the plan would change—until the games actually mattered.
Once the playoffs hit and UPL had that bad game 4, everything about Lyon’s game just settled things down. He looked calm, controlled, and totally unfazed in his own end. The saves he made weren’t just routine. They were timely, the kind that actually change momentum and even kicked off odd man rushes the other way.
Five goals allowed in four games tells the story. At that point, it stopped being about projections or contracts and just became about who was giving them the best chance to win right now…and that was Lyon.
—The Sabres absolutely ran through the Bruins in Boston, outscoring them 13–3 in their barn. It felt super easy there and nothing feels better than running a Boston team out of their own building.
—Inject this straight into my veins: Josh Doan splitting two Bruins, driving hard into the boards, basically announcing that Boston sucks, and then casually setting up a goal to Benson in front of the net. That sequence alone felt like a statement.
—Benson honestly reminds me a lot of Matthew Barnaby….at least the version of Barnaby when he actually had it together and wasn’t a giant headcase. Yeah, Benson has a higher ceiling, but Barnaby was that same kind of pest. He was always in your face, throwing hits, starting fights, and still chipping in 15–20 goals.
As a kid in the ’90s, Barnaby was one of my favorites just because of how he played. I soured on him later after hearing more about him post-career, but on the ice, I loved his game. He thrived under Ted Nolan, and then everything kind of unraveled after that as he didn’t mesh with Lindy Ruff or Dominik Hasek. I don’t see that path for Benson, but that ’95–’97 stretch? Feels like a mirror.
—So now the Blade Gang is a thing in Buffalo, and that rise has been insanely fast…probably the quickest I can remember tied to the Sabres. As I’ve posted in previous pieces, the team clearly wants to lean into that 20-something, go-out-and-drink crowd and turn games into more of a party atmosphere. It makes sense when you look at Buffalo Bills culture of the Bills Mafia basically turned tailgating into a brand, even when the team wasn’t good. The Sabres are trying to tap into that same energy.
That said…where did these guys even come from? Part of me wonders if they’re Barstool Sports-adjacent, because Barstool won’t stop talking about them. And it’s wild how fast they got embraced by the Sabres while it took the Bills years to even acknowledge Bills Mafia, and these guys are already beating drums at games. The Sabres and Bills have always had that weird synergy with Barstool, so once they started boosting Blade Gang, it felt like the team wanted that hockey rub.
Now…asking for money to go to Game 6? Careful. That’s how you drift into grift territory. There are better ways like partner with a local bar, host watch parties, build something real and get paid. Still, I’ll admit, it’s entertaining. Respect where it’s due. Just saying…if we start seeing “Blade Gang” pop up in other cities, my radar’s going up immediately that it is a culprit operation by Barstool…Which is fine, even if I hate the Stoolie brand.
—That moment where Sabres fans sang “O Canada” after the mic cut out was awesome. And honestly? “O Canada” is 200x better than the The Star-Spangled Banner. If that’s on a karaoke list at a bar, I’m picking it every time to sing. Ironically, about 10 years ago the Sabres tried to get the crowd to sing along with just the organ and it completely flopped. No one joined in. Guess playoff hockey changes things.
—I’ll happily donate to Donald Trump’s dumb ballroom if it guarantees he leaves office.
—For the Bills to finally get over the hump and make a Super Bowl, it’s pretty simple: the defense can’t implode. Yeah, obvious, but it’s been the story. New scheme, new players= a real unknown there. I’d probably split playoff blame 60/40—defense couldn’t stop anyone in elimination games, but the offense has also had the ball late in three straight postseasons with a chance to win and came up empty. We know what the offense is. The defense is still a question mark to me and I don’t know if we are going to get a Gregg Williams 3-4 growing pains from 2002 or we will get a seamless and better 3-4 transition like Mike Pettine in 2013.
—I watched the Bills Embedded draft episode so you don’t have to. Same formula…Brandon Beane is a genius, everyone laughs at a Pat McAfee joke, and awkward Terry on the phone. One interesting note: after Day 1, Beane was locked in on getting an edge rusher and a CB on Day 2—and they did exactly that. Also, TJ Sanders calling literally everyone “coach” was unintentionally hilarious.
—My Spurs vs. Knicks Finals call is still alive after Round 1. And it’s wild how many ESPN pundits completely lost it after Game 3 like the sky was falling.
—Godspeed to the New Day with leaving WWE. They are the best tag team of this century. Promos, work rate, connecting with fans. No notes.
—Finally wrapped up “The Pitt” and credit to Pandering Pat-Ebert Moran for the recommendation. The acting by everyone on that show is incredible and just the realism of what they go through on it just hits home. Poor Dr. Robby couldn’t go on his suicidal mission as he just couldn’t help but see his ER unit go to hell. The man is a micromanager.
— Joe Buscaglia from The Athletic announced on his podcast that he’ll be taking leave, as his family is expecting their second child in a few weeks. Good luck to him and get those diapers ready.
The more interesting media tidbit, though, was that he said he’s ending his podcast. At least, that’s how it sounded at first. He clarified that he’s not done with podcasting, just that the current feed/show is ending, and he’ll have more details later, which I’d assume will come when he returns from leave.
I’ll speculate here without any inside knowledge, but it does make you wonder what’s next. Could he be joining a podcast network or maybe heading to WGR 550? When the Sabres season ends, so does Sabres Live, which would open up a three-hour block from 12–3 PM. As of now that block has been rotating hosts as Riter/Graham has been on it for the last few weeks from 1-3pm. If I were WGR, I’d make a deal with Graham, Fairburn, and Joe B and have them be rotating hosts during that time and just brand it as “Athletic Radio”….with Brad Riter.
Joe B. giving up his podcast feed is the biggest clue. It doesn’t make much sense to walk away from a subscriber base he’s built for over a decade unless something bigger is lined up. That points more toward him getting poached on the podcast side rather than just hitting reset.
I also noticed that The Athletic app hasn’t updated “The Buffalo Beat” podcast since January. I’m also not sure if Joe B. owns his own podcast or is it a joint venture with The Athletic. Maybe The Athletic is reworking or rebranding its podcast network, and he’ll be part of whatever comes next.
Joe B. was one of the first reporters who really leaned into social media and podcasting over a decade ago. His stint with Fairburn to talk football was always a must-listen for me. I do think the show has gotten a little lost in the shuffle with so many other podcast options and I feel Joe B. needs a cohost to bounce off ideas of. His stint on WKBW with Howard Simon and Matt Bove on Leading the Charge has always been great because of the chemistry the trio has. It will be interesting to see what comes next for his podcast.
—Speaking of ESPN, there’s chatter about Stephen A. Smith getting involved in WWE storylines. Honestly? He’d be a better heel than McAfee—way more naturally unlikable, way better on the mic. Give me something ridiculous like LeBron James retiring, teaming up with Cody Rhodes, and going against a Stephen A–managed faction. Or just go full chaos and run Stephen A vs. Tyrese Haliburton. I’d watch that too.
-What exactly is Pinto Ron/Kenny going to do with this? Cooking meals on this (yuck) or making this into a giant beer chest (Tolerable) or a pisser so you don’t have to wait for a bathroom outside.(Why not?) I also hope the Bills put this through a carwash or whatever that spray is they used in the movie Outbreak to get the spores off their suites.
— Andy’s got an absolutely massive dome. I’m this close to just calling him Bonk’s Adventure at this point. The kid is operating in like the 99th percentile of giant heads for his age. He can basically wear my Bills skull cap, which feels like it shouldn’t even be physically possible.
On the field though, we’ve officially graduated into that 2.5–3.5 soccer range, and you can actually see the progress now. He’s starting to listen and most importantly—he’s finally kicking the ball with some authority. We’ve moved past those soft little love taps that look like he’s gently nudging our cat out of the way.
I’m turning into soccer dad in real time though. I don’t care if he sucks, I just want him to listen. And when he doesn’t or falls to the ground cause he doesn’t feel like running, I have to walk away while looking at the sky and swearing to myself. However, my ace in the hole is to grab Coach Bianca -who goes by Coach Banana and she uses her magical powers to get Andy to listen. Pretty sure he has a crush on her.
— Go buy a Homage shirt plug. If you purchase some shirts following this link, your boy gets a kick back. This Josh Allen Tecmo shirt is pretty cool and new. It also has the Tops cards logo. Also, since Avengers: Doomsday is coming in December and supposed to hopefully save the Marvel Universe, this Deadpool/Wolverine NBA Jam collaboration is pretty cool. Also, this is a total bandwagon Knicks fan Substack, so sign me up for this retro Patrick Ewing shirt and fuck the 90s Chicago Bulls.
Homage is running a 3 for $89 for graphic shirts and if you sign up for the mailing list, you can get 15% off. Just make a bunch of email accounts, yo!
-If you made it this far, thank you very much. If you want more of me, please listen to Pandering Pat’s podcast from Monday and you can hear my hot takes. Also, I will probably start kicking off some offseason pieces that have nothing to do with the current teams. Sorry, but no way can I start writing about OTAs or Sabres draft coverage or roster projections shit. Enjoy the rest of your week and buy a shirt!