attention buffalo sports fans

Mike Harrington thinks you're stupid, sort of. This is mostly to demonstrate that I don't only dog the Buffalo News writers. My anger stemming from columns like this isn't that I disagree with them, it's that these clowns do have some sort of understanding of how Buffalo sports work, they just disregard it to stomp all over, well, everything.

Is this the best time in ages to be a Buffalo sports fan? Or is it the worst? Depends on your view. The Bills and Sabres remain tough to stomach

At this point, I'm bracing myself. Here we go again...

but the performances by the fans have never been better.

HUH? Where did this come from?? Is this what happens when Bucky's out of town?

Folks around here are crazy about a football team that hasn't played a single playoff game since the eighth day of this decade. The hockey team has cut off season tickets as people continue to buy into a club that's done virtually nothing to change (apologies to Steve Montador) after back-to-back 10th-place finishes.

Well, shenanigans on the apology to Steve Montador that you don't really mean. And shenanigans on the back to back 10th place finishes. However, I am with him on the Bills complete inability, almost willful at that, to make the playoffs.

The Bills should eclipse the 55,000 mark in season tickets, a figure they've previously reached only in the Super Bowl years. The Sabres, meanwhile, capped their season sales at 14,825. They renewed 95 percent of their total from last year and issued more than 1,200 new season seats to members of their Blue & Gold Club who were on the waiting list.

I know three of those members. When they were called a few weeks ago and informed their turn had come up to buy, all of them had the same reaction.

There was almost no thought. The answer was a resounding yes. The celebration was immediate.

And the truth shall set you free!! Local fans are nuts about these guys, doesn't really matter who it is. I wonder why? Do you have any suggestions?

So what gives here? The Bills and Sabres are struggling to put winning products together but they've never been better at putting together the experience of going to the game rather than staying home on your couch.

And that's what the fans are buying as much as the event itself.

Shenanigans on the Sabres struggling to put a winning product together. The Sabres have a winning product they're struggling to keep healthy. There's a difference. But, hey, at least you get that the experience of being at the game is worth the price of admission.

prices at The Ralph are among the cheapest in the league and sightlines are among the best...As for the games, things were pretty entertaining last year. There was one complete stinker (San Francisco) and one snorefest (New England). But for the rest of the schedule, even the losses were interesting.

So, the Bills are entertaining even when they suck. And, boy, they sure have sucked lately.

Head downtown to HSBC Arena. There were some brutal nights there as well last season (Columbus and Nashville quickly come to mind). But there were some great games (the opener against Montreal, the emotional San Jose win the night after the Clarence plane crash). And there were some losses that were entertaining too...Experience-wise, the Sabres have it all over the Bills, too. A pretty family-friendly atmosphere most nights (Leafs and Habs excluded). A comfortable arena, reasonable tickets (especially for a season seat), spacious gift shop, good food. No worries you'll miss a whole period waiting for a hot dog...The Jumbotron is fun and they have enough music and silliness... All those Friday night games make HSBC the place to be in the entire town during the winter. And having a bunch more Saturday night home games on this year's schedule can only help.

So I give you folks a high-five. Not many other cities out there like this one.

Thank you, THANK you, THANK YOU!! You've finally seen the light! Bucky will have your head! Praising anything that happens inside HSBC Arena is anathema around these parts, unless the happening inside HSBC is the disembowelment of Darcy, Tom, and Larry. I can't say how impressed I am. You certainly won't say anything stupid to ruin it will you?

Now I hope your teams stop taking advantage of you and offer something to really cheer about.

Awww, come on. After a full column's worth of how the Bills and Sabres are NOT taking advantage of us by offering us plenty of entertainment bang for the dollars we spend (especially in comparison to the rest of the league) you pull that? You potshottin' bastard.