Sabres Not Slugs!

The Associated Press Covers the Death of the Slug

2011-03-12T21:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks to John Wawrow of the Associated Press for remembering me from the original Fix the Logo effort. Check out his article (with some quotes from me *wink*) at the link below!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Av0SrPtDthaR29LEMWEEBHl7vLYF?slug=ap-sabres-newapproach

Buffalo Sabres open the "Suggestion Box"

2011-03-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

From the Suggestion Box page at the Sabres website:

With the Sabres returning to their original logo when can we expect to see all of the “Slug” logos removed from the arena?

That will happen. While it won’t be possible to remove each “slug” from the arena immediately, they will be phased out as quickly as possible. Like the red wall in the seating bowl, there are some features of the Arena, such as the scoreboard, that cannot be altered or removed until the off-season because of time and access constraints. However, we will revert to our traditional logo and be “slug free” prior to the start of next season.

Ted Black - President

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's some other great things to come from the suggestion box, such as the painting of the red wall on the 100 level. All in all, I'd say that Terry Pegula and Ted Black "get it" more than Golisano or Quinn ever did, and it's so refreshing to see owners that care. It genuinely feels like the start of a tremendous new era for the Buffalo Sabres and I couldn't be more thrilled. -Drew

Also, an update is forthcoming as Drew Celestino was interviewed by the Associated Press. We will post the article as soon as it is released.

Straight From The Pegula's Mouth - "It's Goin"

2011-02-26T07:26:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you've heard of Jessie Pegula, middle daughter of one Terry Pegula. Perhaps you've seen her on Twitter interacting with a crap ton of Sabres fans. Perhaps you've read her blog (which I inspired her to set up after finding out she guest blogged on Hockeybuzz. JUST SAY NO TO HOCKEYBUZZ.)

Perhaps you've seen this video. Perhaps you haven't. Jump to 1:25. Mission accomplished.

UPDATE: It seems I've made a delightful mess of things. After spreading the news of what was contained within the video - quoting her dad as saying "I don't really like how people call it The Slug but it's goin" - it's been pulled from YouTube. The damage is done. It's out there. It's coming down.

UPDATE 2: The video is back online, albeit with a different title. The aforementioned content is still in place, though.

The Pegula Presser

2011-02-21T20:45:00.000-08:00

You Sabres, Not Slugs! readers may not know this, but I've got my own Sabres blog (Black & Blue & Gold). I found out I'll be attending the Pegula presser as a member of the media and I've been kicking my mind's butt to come up with good questions to ask. One that will definitely be on the list for Terry Pegula is "Reportedly, as a fan of the original uniforms, will you be completing the team brand identity's transition from the 'Slug' to the modified vintage designs?" It can't hurt to ask if the jumbotron and Sabres Store Slugs will be removed.

The press conference starts at 11AM and will be streamed at SabresTV as well as on WGR550 on the radio and Ch. 4 on the television.

Buffalo Bills new uniform update.

2011-02-10T06:48:00.000-08:00

The 'little birdies' are already creeping out and we already have some more details on the forthcoming Buffalo Bills uniform. One detail that is frustratingly disappointing is the mention of navy blue trim. I do not understand why they thought royal blue with navy trim would work when navy blue with royal trim didn't work in the last disaster. Someone from One Bills Drive please email me on that if you ever see this blog, I would like a dialog with you! Why not trim it in nickel or something and drop the navy blue all together!?!?

The update comes from www.uniwatchblog.com Paul Lukas who is the authority on this stuff and his source described the new uniforms.

"These new Bills uniforms are clearly modeled after the later Simpson-era design, including the white helmet, but they’ve been updated to include a tiny amount of navy blue trim.

In my opinion, the navy blue is probably not necessary, but the uniforms do look quite good, and any sort of socks are an upgrade in my book. I wish they would update that darn logo, though. I’ve always preferred the solid red standing buffalo to the blue leaping buffalo, but I don’t think the retro logo works seamlessly with this new set, either. It is what it is. An upgrade, for sure."

Well, It's Official

2011-02-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it's official. The Quinn/Golisano era is over, and the Pegula era is forthcoming. From all accounts, it sounds like it's going to be a great new chapter in the history of the Sabres and I for one am really excited about it.

But with new owners can sometimes come new uniforms. And that's a prospect I dread. The Sabres have FINALLY gotten their uniforms and logo right for the first time since they changed to red and black back in 1996. The thought of yet another change is just unbearable. The logo and uniforms they currently wear are all the fans could ever ask for (and more!).

But... that's not to say we couldn't tweak a few things, right?

My main point of contention is the "sweat stain" gray patches in the underarms. They serve no purpose, and while harmless on the blue jerseys, look horrible on the whites, which are among the classiest in the league, by far. They do live up to their derogatory namesake. They look like dark pit stains. And that's just not cutting it. So, first tweak: lose the gray pit stains. Blue and white will suffice.

My second issue is the continued use of the old slug jersey number font on the helmets. Nit-picky, sure. But it's inconsistent with the jersey number style and only serves as a reminder to the slug era, which is best left forgotten.

Getting into more nit-picky territory are the silver stripes inside the gold stripes on the sleeves and waist of the jerseys. This is one modern update that I don't really mind, but if it went away I wouldn't complain either. They do break up the striping a bit, but I don't know that they're really necessary.

These issues aside, I have no complains and nothing but praise, to be honest.

So, let's hope Mr. Pegula is like-minded and leaves well enough alone. And boy let's hope he's not a fan of the slug...

Dear Mr. Pegula,

2010-11-30T09:11:00.001-08:00

If you are in fact intent on purchasing our beloved Buffalo Sabres, all we fans ask is that you never, ever allow the slug to return, and that our logo remains unchanged from here on out. Thank you sir.

Slug is still around...for good or not?

2010-10-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely ridiculous. Right now as I understand it and hearing some off the record stuff, the 40th jersey is just a one year deal and what I was hoping not to happen most likely will...the slug as a possible third jersey in 2011-2012.

What is even more ridiculous is the Sabres director of Public Relations referring to the logo by its most affectionate nickname. Smooth move...you should have made your intentions for the identity of this team very clear back in September.

“We never said the ‘slug’ was going to go away,” said Michael Gilbert, Sabres director of public relations. “It’s on the scoreboard and elsewhere in the arena.”

Why such a vague quote? Can't he elaborate further? Why WOULDN'T it eventually go away?

I can only hope the 'slug' is only still around while advertising deals already in place that may have included use of the slug logo eventually expire and then...finally that stupid ass logo will too FOR GOOD.

Please tell Frank Cravotta to start cobbling a new slug free scoreboard and locker room board!

The Slug is going to stick around?

It's the little things that matter ...

2010-10-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

Trying to ignore the mess that happened in the new 40th jerseys tonight in Buffalo, I turned my attention to the Pirates. They've been de-slugged:

NY Times article...Quinn points at RBK...Reebok...Re-whatever for the Slug.

2010-10-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

For me this kind of puts a bit of a final stroke on everything the last three years. At the moment, the new 40th Anniversary uniform is only going to be used this season (which could eventually change) but be sure and confident that the slug will never be used to represent the Buffalo Sabres again. From that, the fans, and maybe even the team who seemed glad the slug is gone, can move forward to bigger things.

Buffaslug Among Cartoonish Logos to Go Extinct

Wow

2010-10-01T06:20:00.001-07:00

I don't know about you guys, but I've caught some Sabres pre-season games on TV and online, and all I can say is "WOW!" Those whites look amazing on the ice! I can't wait to see the throwbacks in action now!

But someone send Jonas Enroth the memo: get that slug off your mask.

Can't wait for the season to start! Let's go Buffalo!

Vanek is one of us

2010-09-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Question: You got new/old jerseys for this season. How do you like the return to the original logo?

Vanek: I think they are very cool and, honestly, I’m glad that the old logo has gone now. For me, our throwback jerseys are the best in the league. I loved the buffalo with the crossed sabres already as a kid. I also think that they made a great job with our new third jersey.

(From his personal webpage.)

Success Stories

2010-09-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

Whether or not I was really the impetus for change, two of my recent attempts to eradicate the slug have been successful. The first was a request to WGR550's website manager to change out the slug on the puck for something more current. Here is the result:

The second was a request to Andrew at nhluniforms.com (great website, by the way) to at least change the "2008-" on the most recent slug set to "2008-10". Well, he did me one better:

Now, to see if we can get those slugs off of the Jumbotron ...

Updates: sabres.nhl.com now slugless except some ads, nhl.com now slugless, and Sabretooth now has a third jersey. We're making progress!

A little perspective on the slug's life.

2010-09-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

In a discussion on SabreSpace, I started thinking about the timing of the events in the slugs life. We all know that Reebok played a big role in the design of the slug as part of their vision (which has never been fully embraced by the NHL) for re-branding the league. How much, we'll never know and it's not really an excuse; the Sabres could have and should have said no. However, here, I'm concerned with what happened after. Here's my guess at what happened:

- The Sabres decided that with the new jersey system, they would switch back to the blue and gold for the 2006-07 season, which most fans would agree was a good thing. (Note: that decision likely had to be made long before the 2005-06 playoffs, so it probably wasn't done to cash in on the team's popularity.)

- With "help" from Reebok, they designed and released the slug jerseys, which were met with immediate criticism. Also released, though in "surprisingly" delayed and limited quantities, was a throwback third. That jersey was very popular.

- (Speculation) After seeing the response to the three jerseys (not to mention being under fire after July 1, 2007), they probably realized that they needed to make a change. The league has minimum times for changes, so there would have been some time before the switch no matter what. They also knew that they had a 40th coming up in three seasons.

- Sometime during the 2007-08 season, they decided to release a throwback third in 2008-09 and began working on the design. These things aren't immediate in decision or design, so when you think about when it came out and how long the process takes, this decision was made shortly (one season) after the slug's release. This jersey would be worn for nearly half of the home games for the next two seasons.

- Two years later, the switch is completed with the release of the corresponding whites (and a non-slug third) as part of the 40th season celebration.

So, it seems reasonable that they realized their mistake very early on. They made the decision to start the process as early as the league allowed, but chose to delay completing the process a season (maybe two, depending on how quickly the league would have allowed for switching the second jersey) to correspond with an upcoming important and appropriate (since they are a return to the original logo) franchise event. If that really is the case, then despite the pain of watching the slug for a couple of seasons (nothing excuses its release in the first place), it's hard to criticize them for the time it took to switch.

Ding, dong, the Slug is dead ...

2010-09-18T14:09:00.001-07:00

(Observation: brand labels on pants for all three uniforms. I believe that the previous third jerseys were all just Reebok shells over the top. Does mean that these are actually different pants or, at least, the normal shell is swapped for each rather than covered up by an outer shell? No navy blue pants poking out of the bottom on the third uniforms.)

T minus 6 hours and counting ...

2010-09-18T02:42:00.000-07:00

The slug dies at 11:30 today.

A New Campaign

2010-09-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

With the official passing of the slug at 11:30 this Saturday, SabresNotSlugs needs a new mission. I say that it should be stomping out the last remnants of the slug around internet and elsewhere. I have already emailed WGR's internet design person asking that she remove the slug in the puck, but we should all do likewise whenever we find one (no, I'm not talking about beating up fans wearing their slug jerseys or defacing anyone's property; this is purely a passive, non-violent campaign.)

Other known slugs: HSBC jumbotron (perhaps the most important one to change) and the wire frame on sabres.nhl.com.

Another sign ...

2010-09-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

The prospect camp back in July featured, unfortunately, the slug. However, it appears that was simply because they got the leftovers. Looking a the rookies in training camp shows the practice jerseys are now slugless:

Video here:

Nice goal by Kassian on a great play by Ennis at 0:24. I wouldn't mind seeing more of that combo in the future.

One of the most memorable quotes from the Buffalo News in awhile...

2010-09-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

9/9/2010 article

"The primary jersey and logo from the past four seasons -- derided as the "slug" and largely lambasted since its introduction in September 2006 -- has been phased out."

The Slug Still Haunts... For Now

2010-09-11T06:23:00.001-07:00

According to a news post at WIVB TV's website, HSBC Arena crews are busy painting the ice in preparation for the upcoming season. But sadly, the slug still hangs from the score board.

On the plus side, they've added the 40th anniversary logo to center ice, and is it me or are they painting it in the original royal blue? And dig those stars on the red line!

But come on Quinn. All this effort to rebrand the team, and you still have that thing on the score board? Typical.

My final version

2010-09-08T20:21:00.001-07:00

I don't know why, but I had to put up one final drawing, even though it's based on actual, known designs. I guess it's because this is the point of this whole blog. So, here it is, full of Sabres and with no slugs to be found:

A sharper representation of the new white jersey

2010-09-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

Dave (DRUTKA), talented designer sent me this to illustrate is a less foggy fashion how the new whites look.

I know, the slug is dead, stop complaining...but I really don't like that bottom stripe pattern and don't know why blue wasn't used to match the old white jerseys. It throws the balance of the jersey off from top to bottom...the yellow does not blend with the blue shoulder yoke. Was keeping the stripe patterns the same as the Navy blue jerseys done as a cooking cutting production cost saver? Is the Sabres creative team over their head or something?

Only a matter of time before the camera phone strikes!

2010-09-07T18:16:00.001-07:00

Chris at Icethetics got these up today from someone who leaked the new white road jersey and the new 40th Anniversary sweater. While overall, they look pretty good, the white is not as bold looking as it could be. They might have been better off making the underarms blue instead of silver and making the bottom middle stripe blue instead of gold...like the old jersey below with Pat Lafontaine. I gather that uniform cobblers judged that thin navy blue paired with the silver looks better than than yellow and silver for which I think most will disagree. Keeping the striping patterns the same on both home and away jersey makes production costs cheaper too, surely factoring into the design. Carpandean's mock up of the whites with the Navy bottom center stripe look far better than this leaked photo below of the new whites.

BUT...I'm happy with both jerseys and like the return of royal blue and am very glad there is no baseball script wordmark. I'm hoping the text is actually done in off white but the cloudy picture doesn't reveal that. The only question since these are blank jerseys is where on the new jersey, if at all, will be the player numbers...

Larry must be pretty ticked that these got out a week and change early. That's like 0 for 4 in the team keeping new uniforms under wraps statistic.

Overall, I'm actually suprised that the new 40th anniversary jersey wins here in my opinion. I did not expect the Sabres to go along with something that resembles the old Bisons wordmark at all, either not willing to pay the Pastor family for license to use the mark or out of totally oblivion to what the fans wanted. I was expecting a terrific new white jersey and was disappointed with some of the styling, mainly those stripes, leaving it excessively bland and yellow.

Possible leak of new away in NHL11

2010-09-05T07:44:00.001-07:00

(Hat tip to Tom Doran )

Probably not 100% correct, as EA's jerseys are rarely perfect, but probably pretty close. It has the blue piping, though looking thick like that silver vertical stripes on the Slug jerseys, that I had on my concept.

So, I'm going with:

Phil asked, so ...

2010-09-04T20:32:00.001-07:00

Gentlemen, We Have Details

2010-09-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

The venerable Icethetics got a look at the new white away and oft-speculated-upon third jerseys and while he wasn't allowed to post pictures, he did spill the beans in his latest update to JerseyWatch 2010.

The Away Jersey
Since the last edition of JerseyWatch 2010, Icethetics has learned that the Sabres will wear a new road sweater — a white version of the new home jersey. It features a navy blue shoulder yoke piped in gold and a lace-up collar. To my knowledge, there is no shoulder patch on either sweater.

The Third Jersey
We also have new details on the Sabres' new third jersey. It's royal blue and celebrates the history of Buffalo hockey with a vintage white script across the chest inspired by the old Buffalo Bisons club. Beneath the script and set to the right side is the Sabres' 40th anniversary mark — the retro logo with 19 and 70 inside the blue circle.

The striping is somewhat unusual. Both the sleeves and bottom of the sweater feature two sets of yellow double-stripes — for a total of four stripes each around the sleeves an waist, perhaps symbolic of each decade the team has existed. The collar is yellow with vintage white laces.

Not sure at the moment whether the front of the jersey will feature the sweater number. However, the numbers will be vintage white with blue cross-stitching inside, as seen in graphics displayed on the Sabres' website. The nameplate on the back will be gold with royal blue lettering.

I reserve judgement on how the cross-stitched letters will look until I see them in person, but everything else sounds awesome. Comrades, think you guys can pound out come good looking concepts to post?

Couple more concepts

2010-09-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Glen submitted this with inspiration from the red thirds during the 'Goathead' years.

And WD brought this one to real life using the old Buffalo Bisons script on a current third jersey replica. Looks good.

This is getting to put the Sabres in a difficult spot because many of us are setting the Sabres up for the possible ride in their parade float around Failtown. Reason being there have been so many great concepts and ideas already out there for public viewing and now that I know that the 'Buffalo Bisons' script isn't going to be used, I personally expect to be disappointed and maybe others will too when we see the baseball-type script show up on September 18th.

Another 40th concept...

2010-08-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure where this concept came from (hit me up so I can give proper credit) but it certainly is a front runner in the concept contest. I would easily hand over the dough for this one. Great use of the old Buffalo Bisons script. Now, with most of the mysteries kind of figured out with some good educated guessing, all that is left is how is the 'Buffalo' script will look on the jersey. Anything but the Buffalo Bisons style will be dissappointing and not really a fitting tribute to vintage hockey in Buffalo. I'm hoping for the best come September 18th.

Just for fun

2010-08-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my comment on the previous post, the Puck Drop announcement had this to say about the new jersey: "This classically-designed uniform is a tribute to not only the history of Buffalo hockey, but early NHL jersey designs." I wondered a lot about that first part. I made a "sweater collar" (see insert) that would look similar to Jochen Hecht's undershirt collar from the Winter Classic (Google it; he's just coming on the ice.) I also looked at the logo that is all over sabres.com and thought about all of those crazy stripes that we saw on one of Montreal's centennial jerseys, as well as historical Blackhawks jersey and several others. So, I came up with this:

New 40th jersey...Checkered Numbers?

2010-08-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Sabres Hockey Central has uncovered some more possible details about the new 40th Anniversary alternate. Their source informs and claims that indeed a new white away jersey is set to arrive for the upcoming season and that the new alternate is going to have some unique surprises that may hit or miss with the fans.

"The new 3rd jersey will look very different from anything the Sabres have done before. It will be royal blue with a “Buffalo” script in white across the front, with the player’s number underneath. A vintage logo will be underneath the script with 20 on one side of the sabres and 10 on the other."

Ryan from Sabretake.com came up with a mock-up after hearing the details.

I think the 20 and 10 will however be inside the shield like the 'puck drop' banner that is available now.

I'm a little puzzled with how the Sabres decribed this new jersey in the puck drop announcement. If this is to be a new permanent alternate third jersey from here forward, why have 2010 slapped on the front? If the new jersey is just for this year, then does that mean a slug is coming back as a potential home alternate for 2011-2012? That would be illogical, but possible until the team comes up with another alternate uniform...maybe a gold one? Either way the slug is still on the way out, or at least a minimized role and that pleases me greatly. Now, I just stand confused about the third jersey future probably as much as the Buffalo Sabres are likely to be.

They are about as good as laying out a new uniform and promoting as Nicholas Cage is at balancing his checkbook.

*****UPDATE******

I have a source I trust who said there is no checkered designs involved with the new jersey. They did confirm that the nameplate on the back is correct with the colors used in the mock-up but other than that the quote when shown the picture was "Not even close".

New Anniversary Banner

2010-07-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

Found on the Mini-Pack renewal page at sabres.nhl.com:

(Hat tip to Tom Backyard at SabreSpace for pointing this out.)

Based on hat that Charlie posted

2010-06-26T08:16:00.001-07:00

Much better!!

2010-06-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

It's great to see our new prospects slug-free:

New script third logo on a hat?

2010-06-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Found this in my inbox the other day... It's a newly listed New Era brand Buffalo Sabres cap that could or could not be the script logo that is upcoming on the new Sabres 40th Anniversary sweaters. More of these NHL script hats are being sold online at Lids. What do you guys think?

Another Third Jersey Fan Design

2010-06-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a fan-created design for a third jersey I saw yesterday. I'm on the fence about it - some moments I like it and others I don't. What do you guys think?

What bugs me is how dissident the crossed sabers look as opposed to the rest of the jersey. Otherwise, it doesn't really offend my sensibilities. I just...don't like it sometimes, can't figure out why.

The slug slowly hits the clearance rack.

2010-05-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Another sign that the slug's days are definitely numbered as the online merchants everywhere are slashing prices on their slug inventory with Fathead being one of them. They have dropped $50 bucks off the price off their nightmare inducing four foot wide wall slug. Certainly, we remember the slug flying off the shelves during the Sabres' President's cup campaign but that is because those slimy bastards were stitched a winning team's hockey jersey. Now that the slug has to see itself to the door, I anticipate the gear to move closer inline with the gastropod mollusk's average speed of 0.03 miles per hour.

2010 Draft Hat = No Slug, Of Course

2010-05-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

We know the Slug is dead to rights. But isn't it nice to see little bits and pieces of evidence that further it along?

According to a number of web forums, this is the Sabres' next draft hat:

Besides being kinda ugly, lookit that bright, beautiful crest front and center. No Slug to be found. Amen.

Sabres Not Slugs on Twitter...

2010-05-21T03:42:00.000-07:00

Hey you, yeah you look over there to your right...Sure to be the most trailblazin' craptastic twitter page since Donte Whitner's!!!

What A Little Ingenuity Looks Like

2010-05-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how the chances we're going to get a quality gold third jersey are slim to none, a friend of mine took matters into his own hands to produce his own! Using the Wolverines gold jersey as a base, he made a number of customizations. First, he added the classic crest and shoulder B patches. Then, he added the NHL badge and laces to the collar. Finally, he custom-made a lettering set to turn it into a Perreault jersey. The finishing touch was a Reebok "Vector" badge on the back of the collar to give it a legit look.

Here's some pictures of it:

So, whatdya guys think?

OK, I've had enough time to mourn our early exit.

2010-05-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

On to better things ...

Well...

2010-04-26T19:43:00.001-07:00

At least the uniforms will be better next year.

The players in them, that's another matter...

I feel dirty ...

2010-04-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

... I'm actually hoping to see the Slug one more time this week (and several more times after that.) As much as any of wants to see that thing gone, I won't take much solace in the fact that the Slug will officially be done, if they lose on Friday.

Edit: OK, I got my wish. Now, I'm hoping to see it at least two more times after that.

cough THIRDS cough

2010-04-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

and a nice 2-1 win, too.

A victory for the cause?

2010-04-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

We all know that the Slug won't be back next year. However, with no regular season home games left, has the Slug seen its final game at HSBC?

A poster at SabreSpace "is hearing" that Florida was the final game with the Blue Slugs. In other words, they will wear the thirds during the playoffs at home.

If it's true, then this is a major milestone for SNS!

New Blue and Gold Project is still around.

2010-03-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

And here is the script uniform concept that some of you were talking about that John designed. Excellent.

Fan idea or not, it would be nice ...

2010-03-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

Didn't want people to get the wrong idea. The design would be OK with me.

A note on Charlies link

2010-03-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

I'm going to say that it is just one fan's idea of what the design will look like. Compare the designs that Frank Cravotta works with to a commercial jersey customizer:

Which does the below design look more like?

Another 40th Anniversary third jersey concept?

2010-03-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Sabres colors, paired with the vintage script of the AHL Bisons. It seems to align with the description from Icethetics' recent post from Chris' source. I think this is either a concept idea submission or a real deal 'mockup', which trys to make believable given the marketing language that is spliced along with the picture focusing on creating a look that will pair well with existing team merchandise offerings.

I know it's only a one year 40th anniversary special uniform but this or a likeness of it should please a lot of young and old hardcore Sabres fans alike. I certainly am not the biggest script logo fan, but even though they did go along with Minnesota's idea, they made it unique, not baseball looking, classy, and relevant to Buffalo hockey history. If this is close to the real thing, it will be well received.

If indeed that is a screen shot of a Sabres creative designer's monitor, then that is a well executed drive-by with the camera phone. FTW.

Image from a sportslogos.net forum posting and owned by LetsGoBuffalo83.

New Thirds?

2010-03-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Our friend Chris at Icethetics has a new update about next year's NHL jerseys, and there's some information about Buffalo's new unis, including the new third jersey. Chris has good sources so it sounds like the Sabres are getting a retro-themed third for the 40th Anniversary Season, complete with the original blue and gold colors. Based on the description, Chris mocked this up:

Not too bad, but the baseball-esque script could use some work. Consider that it's just Chris' mock-up. I'd have to see the real deal to make a real judgement. Minnesota's new thirds also feature a traditional script logo, which when first described sounded boring, but once they were unveiled, I thought they looked fantastic. If the Sabres can capture that and make it unique, I think it will be a great looking jersey.

What say you?

Thirds still winning!

2010-02-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

For anyone not keeping count, the Sabres are 8-1-2 in their third jerseys this season. It's previously been noted here that they were equally effective last season.

Here are the numbers as compiled on SabreSpace:

2008-09
White Slugs: 18-17-6
Blue Slugs: 11-11-8
Blue Thirds: 12-4-0

2009-10
White Slugs: 13-12-3
Blue Slugs: 12-5-4
Blue Thirds: 8-1-2

Note: they've worn the thirds on the road twice (in Toronto last season and in Philly this season) and their white slugs at home at least once (against the Flyers this season.) I think that I have them all correct, but may be off by one somewhere.

As an aside, the difference this season compared to last is that they have been winning more in the blue slugs. The white slugs continue to be just above .500 and the thirds continue to be unbelievably good. The blue slugs have gone from .500 to pretty good (12 wins, 9 losses.)

White Thirds Concept

2010-01-22T20:23:00.000-08:00

Just tinkering with the idea of a white third jersey. Took some influence from the Montreal Canadiens. First with the B-logo.

And then with some crossed sabres, minus the gaping black hole the old red ones had.

Keep those concepts coming!

A little inspiration for you jersey designers out there ...

2010-01-22T09:42:00.000-08:00

Since there hasn't been a flood of concepts in response to Drew's message below, I thought that I'd throw out the craziest design that I ever came up with:

Not something that I'd think they'd actually use, but maybe it will get people thinking and submitting. ;-)

More pressure on the Sabres to bring Buffalo a championship...

2010-01-19T11:15:00.001-08:00

Why? Because the Buffalo Bills are more f'd up than Nicholas Cage's checkbook.

The wait is killing me!!

2010-01-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

Larry Quinn once again confirmed that they "will have a new look next season" in his State of the Sabres visit to WGR. I love that it is coming, but I hate waiting!

Oh, and because I forgot, a couple of shots from the Sabres 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs:

Dreeeeeeeeeeeew Stafford!!!

2009-12-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

Was it the benching? Was it the vote of confidence on the penalty shot? Was it the thirds?

Maybe it was all three, but Drew Stafford was on fi-yah last night.

Last minute holiday shopping?

2009-12-24T04:01:00.000-08:00

Whatever you do, please don't go looking for the Clint Malarchuk McFarlane action figure, unless the intented recipient is both a Sabres fan and sadist.

Happy Holidays!

To get the juices flowing ...

2009-12-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

I'm interested to see the concepts that result from Drew's post (see below) and I thought I throw a few old designs out there just to get things rolling. The first set are updated versions of old Buffalo jerseys, while the last set are new concepts. Yes, the Slugs jersey is a joke. These were made at various points mostly in response to people saying "I'd like to see ..."

I'm working on some others, but show me what you've got!

(Giving credit, where credit is due: the actual sabres and the buffalo on the middle concept of the second group came from John Slabyk. I modified the buffalo and the free floating idea was my own.)

New Third Jersey Speculation

2009-12-21T12:18:00.001-08:00

Carpandean's last post got me wondering about the Sabres' potential new third jersey next year. Half the fun of the possibility of new jerseys is all the speculation on what they might look like. It gets fans talking and builds excitement.

If any of you reading this have any ideas, mock-ups, or ideas, please send them our way via the comments section, or hit us up via email at info@sabresnotslugs.com. We'll post your ideas and discuss them at length.

Given a switch is likely ...

2009-12-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

Here's my idea of what our uniforms should look like next year:

I've been slacking ... but Patty has not!

2009-12-13T07:25:00.001-08:00

Whether it was the beautiful jerseys, the conditioning stint in Portland or the fact that DiPietro is due back soon (putting Biron on the trade block), Patty Lalime had the best game of his Sabres' career when he needed it most. Stopping 39 of 40 shots, Lalime looked a bit like Miller in net on Friday. Big win for Patty, big win for the Sabres and big win for the Thirds!!

At least one Sabres player knows how to play in the thirds

2009-11-21T09:06:00.000-08:00

Goose showing again that he's a leader on this team. Unfortunately, nobody showed up in the second and a nice tip in OT left the Sabres with just one point for his effort.

Thirds work in hostile territory, too.

2009-11-14T23:18:00.000-08:00

Tyler Ennis pots his first NHL goal in his first NHL game, as the Sabres battle to a 3-2 win against the Flyers without Stafford, Grier and Lydman. Great game with the exception of one awful PP.

That's more like it!

2009-10-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

Myers played on one knee just to make it fair and the Sabres still won 6-2.

Sabres look for a big start, but come up short.

2009-10-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

Third jerseys and a 6'8" defenseman:

What more could they need?

Puck luck? Less lively boards? (Props to Gionta's hands.) Scoring on two of their 35 shots?

The Lawrence Confirms the Slug is Toast?

2009-10-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

It has long been the worst kept secret in town that the current third jersey will become the primary, and be matched with a road white for the team's 40th Anniversary. But it was also believed that the current home blues, with everyone's favorite Reebok-imposed limp excuse for a logo, would become the third jersey. But that now seems like it may not be the case.

If you skip all of the excuses, half-truths, and pandering spin in the latest interview with The Lawrence himself, Larry Quinn, you'll hear him confirm that a new white uniform is coming next year for the 40th. But that's not all.

He actually says that we're making a permanent uni switch, complete with an all-new third jersey. What does that mean for the ol' sluggaroo?

Could we really be completely slug-free next year?

Let's hope so.

City of Hockey? Oh well, that's not what caught my attention.

2009-09-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

Where's our slimy yellow friend? That's right, once again he's absent.

Edit: anyone else read anything into the ad on page 2 ...

OK, a bit of a stretch on that one.

Quinn Says It Again - The Slug Dies in 2010!

2009-09-11T16:34:00.001-07:00

Perusing Icethetics.com yesterday, I found something VERY exciting - a reader named Kevin sent word that Larry Quinn was on Leafs Lunch yesterday, confirming that the Slug will die in 2010!

I'm listening to the archived episode now, and there's no way to skip forward, so I don't know exactly what he says. Here's the link, though, for the more patient of us heh

http://www.640toronto.com/HostsandShows/LeafsLunch/Audio.aspx

If I make it through to when Quinn speaks, I'll edit this to add what he says.

Guess what is back on center ice this year?

2009-09-10T21:48:00.001-07:00

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs ...

2009-07-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

I give you the new Sabres.com:

Something is missing ... but definitely not missed!

Ok, ok, there's a faded one, but it's covered by a full-color third (is that still the right name?) logo.

Slug ranked 9th in suckitude amongst all sports

2009-07-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

http://sports.espn.go.com/

I would have guessed higher (heck, the Bills got 4th), but since it is all major league sports, I can accept that.

Buffalo Bills White Throwback Uniform...

2009-06-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

Been pretty slow around here awaiting to hear anything new on the Sabres front, but I imagine it does take awhile to pull one's own head out of their ass. In the meantime, if you want to see a sneak peak of the new Bills' white throwback jersey, take a look at Brian Moorman in the RBK photoshoot.

The pants are not true to the authentic originals of the late 60's and early 70's with the gapped striping and I kind of get a NY Giants feel with them, but I'll take it over the excessively striped monochome lameness they wear now.

With it more than likely the Sabres going to a white throwback style jersey in time for the 40th and the slug delegated third or even mothballed, maybe Russ Brandon will ditch his Tom Donahoes for some new Brandon Britches.

Third Logos All Around

2009-05-07T07:13:00.000-07:00

Not much to get excited about when watching the Sabre-less playoffs yet again. However, in watching the Sabres Lunch Hour, I noticed how prominently the third logo is being featured:

While I hope it isn't the only change of the Summer, a move to that logo full time would certainly be a welcome one.

Vanek, Sabres and Thirds Finish Strong

2009-04-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

(Yes, Tellqvist made that save.)

A meaningless game, for sure, but a strong one for the Sabres, sinking the Bruins' bid for the President's Trophy with a 6-1 victory. Thomas Vanek hit the 40-goal mark for the second time in three years (he has 37 in an "off year" last season) with two goals. Finally, the thirds finish with an astounding 12-4-0 record on the season (plus, a 2-1-0 record when using the third logo helmet with the slug jerseys) as compared to the odd 9-10-8 record in the slug jerseys and helmets. In the thirds, they captured 75% of their available points; with just the third helmet, 67%; and with the slug, a paltry 48%. Even more amazing are the win percents for each: 75% in the thirds, 67% in the slug with third helmet and just 33% with slug helmet and jerseys. Your honor (Larry Quinn), we rest our case!

Sabres/Thirds Look To Finish On A Positive Note

2009-04-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row, the Sabres will finish the season with a meaningless game against the playoff-bound Bruins. The only question remaining is whether the third jerseys will finish 12-4-0, 11-4-1 or 11-5-0. Any of those would be impressive, but our cause would be best supported by one more victory ... perhaps its last as just a third jersey.

Versus Commentators Jinx Thirds

2009-04-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

OK, really it was just a case of the (much) better team winning, but it didn't help when mid-game the versus commentators talked about the "magical jerseys" that the Sabres were wearing, pointing out their (previously) 11-3-0 record. Oh well, 11-4-0 is still impressive and they will have a chance to finish 12-4-0 against Boston in the final game of the regular season. Unfortunately, in a case of déjà vu, that game will probably be a meaningless game for the Sabres, just like last year, as the Sabres will likely be around that same 90-point mark, a few short of the final playoff spot.

After two straight seasons defining mediocrity, what better time for a change of image? Hopefully, we'll be seeing a new away jersey next year to match the new homes jersey (current thirds.) Though, I hope that's not the only move that they make this offseason.

Miller Unveils New "Third Jersey" Helmet

2009-04-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

As first broken by Phil in March, Miller has a new helmet to go with the third jerseys:

Not sure that I see the third jersey connection and there are neither Sabres (except the one on the back) nor Slugs. Interesting, but not my cup of tea.

Thirds Face True Test

2009-04-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

The third logo on the helmet wasn't enough to overcome a 3-goal deficit against New Jersey on Saturday, but tonight the Sabres will don their full third uniforms. They will need ever ounce of power that they and the thirds possess to overcome the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings, but prevail they must.

Sabres Hold Off Leafs In Miller's Return

2009-03-27T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well, they certainly turned a 4-0 lead into an interesting game as they allowed the Leafs to score three fluky goals, but Goose sealed the deal making it 5-3. The goal completed Paul's so-called Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight.) Timmy C also potted two and Hecht got a classic-form Jochen goal in the win. The thirds' record climbed to 11-3-0 (plus another 2-0-0 when wearing third logos on their helmets with the slug jerseys) with the victory.

Sabres Face Leafs in Thirds ... Again

2009-03-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

For the fourth time (three at home, one on the road), the Sabres face the Leafs in their third jerseys (that might explain why they are the only team below them that they have a decent record against.) With just nine games left and being five points out of 8th, the Sabres are in full-on must-win mode now. Good time to wear the thirds.

What do I spy with my little eye ...

2009-03-25T23:15:00.001-07:00

The Sabres channeled a little piece of the third logo power into a big third period comeback. How many games have they lost with the slug on their helmets?

Sabres Get A Little Moore, But Come Up With A Little Less.

2009-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Dominic Moore notched his first goal as a Sabre, but the team couldn't hold off the high-flying Flyers forwards, losing 6-4. Former Sabre Marty Biron kept the Sabres forwards in check, while fellow former Sabre Danny Briere scored twice. It was just the third loss in the third jerseys this season, moving them to 10-3-0.

2009-03-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

Another Third Game, Another (Pretty Much) Must Win

2009-03-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

Yet again, due to their poor performances in the slug, the Sabres are facing another game that they can't afford to lose in their thirds. Tonight will be a true test as the Sabres have yet to win against the Flyboys, despite being tied going into the third of the last two. Can the thirds convince them to play a full 60 minutes?

Score of 3-1 leads to 10-2 record

2009-03-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

Thomas Vanek's fir...SECOND goal back from his broken jaw killed the suspense, and Patty Lalime's epic play in the Sabres' crease led the Blue and Gold to a 3-1 victory against the Panthers. The Sabres are trailing the Panthers by two now - two points out of 8th. Next up are the Flyers on the 20th.

"Must Win" Third Game

2009-03-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

If you have to play what, at this point in the season, is as close to a must win game as it gets (they won't face a true "must win" game for a little while, yet), then you might as well do it in your 9-2 third jerseys. Tonight's so-called "four point game" against the Panthers could be the spark that gets the Sabres headed back to the playoffs or it could be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back for the second straight season. Let's hope the thirds' run continues and the Sabres get headed back in the right direction.

Miller honors the third jersey with new mask

2009-03-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

I know this isn't the usual subject matter we would focus on here at Sabres, Not Slugs!, but I found a cool little tidbit regarding Ryan Miller. Stowed away on his website, http://millertime30.com/, Ryan talks about a BRAND NEW MASK he's having finished up to be worn SPECIFICALLY with the third jersey!

In honor of my mask contest I am hoping to have a new design on the ice when I return from injury. Ray Bishop is putting the finishing touches on a mask that I can wear with our third jersey. I wanted to have a little fun and do something different so I have a mask coming that uses traditional Japanese tattoo symbols including a dragon and a tiger which both have great meaning (which would take a long time to explain). I am a big fan of tattoo art but I am too big of a wimp to actually get any work done so my mask becomes that canvas. It will have some very subtle references to the Sabres and some great examples of the classic tattoo art so I am excited to see it as a finished product.

I'm excited to see it, too. Yakuza tattoo art and Sabres logos on a mask together? Sounds epic. I hope to see a ton of pics as soon as he returns to action.

Sabres trash Habs, 5-1

2009-03-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

In one beauty of a game, featuring the departure of Ales Kotalik and the return of both Thomas Vanek and Max Afinogenov, our Sabres trounced the Canadiens by a final score of 5-1. Both Roy and Goose scored twice (Goose with a PP goal AND shorthanded goal), and Spacek used a move on a defenseman I don't think any of us thought he had in him. This win moves the Sabres to within one point of being back in the playoffs, but (almost as importantly) improved their record in the third jersey to 9-2. Congrats, boys - keep doing that logo proud

Post-Deadline Thirds Game

2009-03-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

With a little over an hour left before the deadline, it remains to see who will be wearing the thirds. So far, we may see Tellqvist backing up Lalime and everyone will cringe a little more whenever Tim Connolly takes a hit. Hopefully, more will be coming ...

Either way, we need the team to look good (playing-wise; we know they will jersey-wise) tonight in their thirds.

Costly Victory

2009-02-21T19:50:00.000-08:00

What could possibly be worse than losing your top goal scorer, the fastest to 20 goals in the league, for as much as 6 weeks? How about losing your franchise goaltender. A three point effort by Derek Roy and strong 4-2 win to pass the Rangers in the standings was severely tainted by a high ankle sprain for Ryan Miller after being run by Gomez in the third period.

Thirds return

2009-02-20T21:50:00.000-08:00

The last time they wore their thirds against the Rangers, it turned out well.
The last time they wore their thirds at all, it did not.
Time to play like they deserve to wear these uniforms and put down a conference rival in a critical "four point game".

Ugh ...

2009-02-11T22:15:00.000-08:00

Not much more to say than that. One point in a home-and-home with the Sens? Like their loss earlier in the season to the Maple Leafs, they didn't deserve to wear their thirds tonight.

The Sabres missed their big bodies (Vanek, Goose) in front of the net:

Third Straight Thirds

2009-02-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

For the third consecutive home game, the Sabres will be donning their third jerseys. They are 2-0 on that stretch and a miraculous 7-1 for the season in the thirds. Hopefully, they will extend that to 8-1 tonight as they finish a home-and-home against the Senators. They will do so without Vanek, Goose or Sekera, but with the addition of firecracker forward Nathan Gerbe, who was called up from Portland (actually, he just stayed at HSBC after last night's Pirates game there.)

Sabres hold off Habs

2009-02-06T19:49:00.000-08:00

A hard fought and well earned 3-2 win over a very good Montreal Canadiens team extended the third jersey's impressive record to 7-1 on the season. Man, that's amazing. A message from the hockey gods, perhaps?

(Note: I picked this photo in honor of my jersey and the great play Mair made to setup Paetsch for their second goal.)

Sticking with the hot hand

2009-02-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

The Sabres look to continue their third jersey domination, trying for 7-1 with a win tonight (hopefully, that will be the score, too, so that we can avoid any confusion in the game summary post.) It would also mark the first time that the Sabres have won two straight games since beating the Panthers on January 19th.

Vanek and Miller make it 6-1 with 5-0 victory

2009-02-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

With the incredible (15 saves lol) effort of Ryan Miller in net, and Thomas Vanek's fourth career natural hat trick (and fourth consecutive, no less!), the Buffalo Sabres advance to 6-1 on the season in their new third jerseys. It was a great effin' game. Look for Stafford's goal to be a Top Highlight on TSN.

Back home

2009-02-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

After a season-long road trip, the Sabres return home tonight to face the Leafs. Our boys with be wearing their thirds and there's a good chance that the Leafs will be wearing their (white) thirds. Let's keep our third jersey and 2009 records strong, boys.

Even our opponents know what our symbol should be.

2009-01-31T12:05:00.000-08:00

From sabres.nhl.com:

From coyotes.nhl.com:

Yeah. That says Yashin.

2009-01-22T13:08:00.001-08:00

What could possibly explain this? Was this whale fart huffing diesel fuel? I never thought I would say this, but (deep breath in) I really hope that's their last name on the back of that Vanek jersey. Because if it's not....... That's just fucking retarded. One of the biggest dissapointmemts in NHL history. Thats bad enough. It's like that tub of shit you see walking into Buffalo wild wings with a Ryan Leaf jersey. Except its on a Bills jersey. And it has barf with tiny chunks of cheetos on it. What amount of baby shaking produces a brain capable of such tomfoolery? Yeah I said tomfoolery! I am freaking the fuck out. Listen. I'm gonna make a cocktail and sit down for a minute. Just continue to stare in awe. I have nothing else to say.

P.S. I lied. This jersey should be set on fire and put out with a fifty gallon drum of hobo piss. Now I'm done.

Confirmation of a switch!

2009-01-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

So, I was listening to Schopp & the Bulldog today and they were discussing the Bills celebrating their 50th Anniversary. They were talking about which year should be the 50th given that they were founded in 1959, but started playing in 1960. This led to discussion of the Canadiens' 100th and then Bulldog asked Mike Schopp, "don't the Sabres have one coming up?" Schopp replied "yeah, I learned this when I interviewed Larry ... that they will be going to a white version of that throwback jersey that they wore against the Rangers the other night, because they want a more classic look ... that will be in 2010-11."

Sounds like Larry did, in fact, confirm the switch! Don't know if I can handle another season of the Slug, but at least the light at the end of the tunnel may finally be in view.

***EDIT by Charlie***

Wanted to again give an idea of what the updated white jersey would look like from one of Carpandean's past ideas.

And while I'm at it, it's about damn time. Whether the slug was RBK's idea or not, thank you for distancing yourself from such a ridiculous logo. Now give Frank Cravotta some overtime and get hot working on this white jersey. I don't care if he is on salary or not!

4-0 in 2009; 5-1 in third jerseys!

2009-01-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

The Sabres took a helluva lot of time to get rolling, but they posted a shootout victory over the Rangers tonight, advancing them to 4-0 in 2009 and bringing the third jerseys to 5-1 on the season. Miller's .977% performance looked great in his alternate sweater. Now we've gotta wait almost a whole month to see them again - Feb. 4 against the Make Me Laughs