Welcome to Failapalooza 2013, your headliner, the Buffalo Sabres.

 

    

I had to actually hunt down my password just so I could post this...I never ever everrrrrrr expected to type one more single word on this blog...Crapsnacks was I ever wrong!  

I think Neil Degrasse Tyson can help me better to understand Theoretical Astrophysics more easily than any member of the Buffalo Sabres' Creative Services, Brand Strategy, and Executive departments at explaining how this jersey ever survived the full design process, was agonizingly teased via social media, and will mind-blowingly be offered for pre-order next month.

All involved should be whipped with a belt and grounded.  You have (once again) damaged the team's brand nationwide, took a blow torch to good will, and really let down a lot more fans than you can imagine.

The Associated Press Covers the Death of the Slug

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"

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

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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"

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

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.

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

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...