Buffalo, It's Getting Old Now
Friday · Aug 30 · 2013 | 10:29 AM PDT
Photo from Buffalo Sabres (via Twitter)
Sabres' latest teaser exposes pants shell
You know I'm normally a cheerleader for the teams that do these sneak peeks leading up to a jersey unveiling. But, like many of you, I'm coming around to being less and less amused by the Buffalo Sabres and their excruciating process.
First, these images seem to coming out at isolated moments — though I'll admit we have seen them on Thursdays with some regularity. And second, what's the end date? How long will this continue? Other teams have done teasers this summer, but none have dragged it out for six weeks. And all have given us a final date to look forward to.
Anyway, the Sabres did end up revealing another element of their new alternate uniform yesterday. But in a single tweet, they told two untruths. Did you catch them?
First, this is not a piece of the third "jersey." (Unless they're really going out there with this new look!) Now, maybe I'm nitpicking or maybe I'm just a stickler for language. You know, how words have different meanings and all. And let's bear in mind they actually teased the teaser — posting this tweet 17 minutes before the pants shell photo.
Also, this whole "new aspect" and "you haven't seen yet" language wasn't quite true either. Did you guys forget that the pants were, in fact, among the first things we saw when that video teaser was released back in mid-July? Granted, that video didn't show the yellow portion of the stripe on the side, so we'll call this a half-truth. But was it really worth the extra promo?
I'm usually a fan of these sort of drips-and-drabs reveals. It's often fun to follow along and it quells the appetite for unauthorized leaks. But the Sabres have made some fatal errors. They're taking too long, the releases are too infrequent, and they refuse to say when the madness will end.
What's more, it's not just a handful of jersey nerds whining on a blog in some dark corner of the Internet. The Sabres' own fans are getting tired of it. Just read the replies to the tweets and Facebook posts.
I think that does it. I'll still cover every reveal, because that's what I do here. And I'm genuinely interested in seeing how this all comes together. But I think all that needed to be said. Who's with me?
Reader Comments (25)
Yeah I think you've finally hit the nail on the head. This is pretty much the exact reason why I went on my mini-rant last week. It doesn't leave me wanting more. It leaves me wanting it to end. Although as opposed to the other three teams who did this, I have very little faith that I will actually like what the Sabres come out with. It seems almost "too different", and not in a good way. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but it seems like what this jersey will look like is something you'd expect from a minor league team, not a team playing in the best league in the world.
To be fair, a lot of the negative Facebook posts towards the jersey unveiling are just manifestations of fans frustration with the product on the ice, and get lumped into the narrative of "This organization can't do anything right". That being said, it is getting old
Kevin Y.: Yeah, I was on the fence. Yesterday's tweet from them was the straw that broke the camel's back. If they'd given something legitimately new, I wouldn't have written this post. But by both calling it new and it not being new... yeah. Anyway, it's getting old now.
I like that their showing other aspects of the uniform for example pants, socks, helmets. But come on! Just show the dang uniform!
"But the Sabres have made some fatal errors." -You and everyone else for the past many years
I can't see these turning out good....
I think it's pretty clear that they're leading up to a live, on-ice reveal in camp. Everything is an event these days. The fact the people are talking about it, good or bad, is mission accomplished from a PR perspective. After all, jerseys will be bought regardless of the opinions on how they are using social media to fill a dead spot on the calendar. That'$ all that matter$.
Agreed, despite what one may think of the Sharks new jerseys, they handled the sneaks correctly. There were what, 3 or 4 total then final reveal within 24 hours of the last one?
I sense some serious hype backlash around the corner.
I don't have the problem with a teaser or two. But as you say in your post, the buzz diminishes with each teaser after the first couple. Minnesota put out a couple of teasers and a date. They are ready to go. When will Buffalo be ready to go?
One other flaw is the stripe design. The jersey will cover most of the yellow on the stripe when worn. The transition between yellow and grey should be a few inches lower down the stripe.
Figured a post about something other than their poor roll-out might be good.
I am one of those angry Sabre's fans on facebook, this jersey reveal is almost as long as this season is going to be. At this point I don't care about the jersey at all. The new owner and all the highers up need to wake up because right now all that they are doing are alienating the fans. Drawn out jersey unveiling that never seem to end. Big contracts to players that don't produce, and the players that do don't want to be in Buffalo any more. I've never been sold on the idea of a yellow jersey in the first place. For what I've seen it's going to look like a yellow power rangers uniform than a hockey jersey, Terry said were suppose to be winning Stanley cups not fighting of lizard queen that are attacking Japan.
Hmm.... So far from what I've seen from Buffalo's teasers, I'm likely going to hate the new Sabres third jersey. Those pant shells look horrible IMO. Also, I haven't seen a single Sabres third jersey prediction concept that I've remotely liked.
its gonna be ugly
thats the reason for the prolonging of the unveiling
I think the Wild are doing it right! Once a day for a week! This is just boring! Its not like a new logo or set or somthing like that! its a THIRD JERSEY that will probably be worn a max of 10 times! Gosh me!!!
This is like going in for a colonoscopy. You know its going to be bad you just want to get it over with. I agree with the other poster who said if it were a new logo it may be a little more exciting but its a third jersey. I also hate the slow reveals. I liked how Dallas did it. I don't want to see little pieces of it because you can almost piece the entire jersey together before the reveal. Its like seeing your christmas presents on Dec 15th and then your supposed to act surprised when you open it on Dec 25th. I know I am not making sense that is how much the Sabres jersey reveal is upsetting me.
Bout time Chris.....lol...I'm joking!! My little rant was pretty much that! Like I said, I could understand if it were the original blue/gold color scheme or the logo had changed or a different color scheme but its not! Their current colors/current logo (loved Buf went back to that logo)! Tease 3 or 4 days and then REVEAL more than that then you're just setting yourself up for fan backlash
Imagine the Islanders had done this with their third jersey... It's like they're thinking that they are unveilling the greatest jersey in the world but I think it's gonna be the complete opposite.
The Stars gave nothing
The Canes gave a date and scheduled release pics
The Sharks came out of nowhere, gave like two pics and then released it the next day
The Wild have done the same thing the Canes did
All of these are much better than what the Sabres are doing
Personally, I liked the Stars the best (okay, so I'm a Stars fan) and I wish the logo hadn't been leaked beforehand, I like being surprised at new uniforms
I don't think Buffalo actually has a completed 3rd jersey yet which is why this is dragging on for as long as it has been. It's like their version of Guns and Roses's "Chinese Democracy."
Everything about this unveiling has been and continues to be a disaster. They've managed to aggravate their fans and even the hockey community that isn't their fans all while slowly revealing something that seems to be a yellow version of what Nashville wore their inaugural year. If the Reebok team is the force behind designing this, it seems like they're headed down another buffaslug road.
ZZZZZZZZZZ. Someone wake me when they show the whole enchilada.
ok, really very bored of this now AND we STILL dont even know the damn release date yet!! have a feeling this is going to be even worse than that terrible black isles third jersey.......or the buffa-slug!!
In defense of the Buffalo Sabres, their ability to keep this jersey under wraps is remarkable! Has any other jersey in the NHL stayed secret for so long?
Jersey leaked, fucking horrible