What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

I am almost certain Apologist is in this picture.

The Scizz

First things first. Read the Apologist's post from earlier today on this whole Sabres team/playoff run/7-game series/future.  There may be a few minor opinions that differ with the DGWU crew, but overall I think it wraps up what we are all feeling quite nicely.  It really is a great read.

Since Aps covered it, there is no need to keep rehashing the hockey talk.  Excuse the cheesiness that follows, but the shaving of my playoff beard was therapeutic and now it is time to vent. I decided to share two experiences/epiphanies I had on Tuesday night.  First, at about 11:45 pm I was walking the last block towards my apartment in Hoboken, NJ when I saw a big guy walking towards me.  I mean Yeti big.  As I got closer, there was no mistaking the huge B on his chest with a Sabre through it.  He was rockin' the same shirt I had on under my Pommers jersey.  We made eye contact and both of us just nodded and kept walking. No actual words were said.  But with that nod, we communicated a lifetime of love and despair that our Buffalo teams often bring us.  There was no need to stop and talk about it or even say "another tough break, huh?"  All that was needed was a simple nod, and we both immediately knew what the other was thinking.

This may or may not have been the guy that walked past me. It was dark.

Second, as the title of the post says, it has been a wild ride.  Three months ago when we decided to get this blog back off the ground, it just so happened to coincide with the Sabres starting to get their shit together.  As they became came one, the DGWU crew did too.  Many nights out drinking instead of sitting home watching this team alone and absolutely insane conversations that people wouldn't believe happened. We bonded like the Sabres bonded (OK maybe it was totally different, and ours involved A LOT of beer and whiskey, but you get the point).  

Last night after the dust had settled and some extreme vitriol had heaved from all of our collectives mouths, something happened.  We were angry, sad, frustrated, confused.....but about 30 minutes after the game we were happy.  The Apologist grabbed Yachtsman and I (and Grandpa Tim), gave a little speech about how fun our bender had been and we embraced.  Grown men in a packed bar....hugging and laughing. Re-fucking-diculous. And of course we start right back up again on Thursday night when our beloved Buffalo Bills draft 3rd overall (PLEASE LET CAM NEWTON FALL!).
Somehow Nathan Gerbe's peskiness and Tyler Myers' new found bad-assery made us closer.  I have said it before but I'll say it again.  These teams bring people together. THIS team brought THESE guy back together. We used the word "warpath" many times this series to represent the Sabres, but it has become much more.  We are one fellas.  WARPATH.