Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Buffalo Sabres = Rick Jeanneret.
It's that simple.
If that was all I wrote, it would still be a fitting tribute to the legendary, Hall of Fame broadcaster, who passed away on Thursday. The franchise and the man who delighted, thrilled, and amazed us during a magical 51-year ride behind the microphone are inextricably linked.
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Whatever favorite Sabres moments you have, Jeanneret's voice will forever be linked to them. You can't talk about the first half century of the Sabres' existence without detailing his immeasurable contributions to the franchise.
Generations of Sabres fans experienced the sheer joy of listening to his iconic calls, and grew to love the team even more because of the man who was always there to describe the action for them.
Wherever you were when you heard the news of Jeanneret's passing, I'll bet it felt like you lost a member of your family. Rick certainly treated Sabres fans like they were a member of his family, and that love was returned in spades.
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I'm so glad the Sabres decided to honor him with "RJ Night" back on April 1, 2022. During a season where a half-filled building was the norm, KeyBank Center was packed with fans who wanted to show their appreciation to the man who bled Blue and Gold - Red and Black for a while - for 51 seasons. I'm sure Rick knew he was beloved by Sabres nation, but to be welcomed to the ice with a two-and-a-half-minute standing ovation must have gone down as one of the greatest moments of his life.
The reasons why Rick is one of the greatest play-by-play men ever, in any sport, are too numerous to list here. Suffice to say he knew exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to say it, every single time.
There are no scripts when it comes to doing play-by-play broadcasting. No one knows how the game will turn out. This isn't professional wrestling after all.
But whatever took place on the ice, in that moment, Rick always came up with the perfect call.
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How great was Jeanneret?
When you hear some of his many legendary calls, not only do you remember the game as soon as you hear the first few words, you are also able to complete the call because you've memorized what Rick ended up saying.
It's like remembering the words of your all-time favorite songs, or quoting lines from the movies or television shows you love.
I'll bet you've spent some time trying to figure out which memorable call from Rick is your favorite. Good luck with that. Once you think you have it, you hear another clip from the past and change your mind.
That is a testament to Rick's greatness. You can find call-after-call, a goal, a great save, a fight, and each one makes you think it is the best of the bunch.
If you saw a highlight reel of some of the greatest moments in Sabres history but the sound was down, I'll bet you'd hear Rick's call of that play in your head.
You have Jason Pominville in 2006 against the Ottawa Senators, where you hear, "These guys are good! Scary good!"
There's Chris Drury in 2007 against the New York Rangers, where you hear, "Who else?! Who else?!"
How about Jason Woolley in the 1999 Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars with "The shot heard round the world!"
And, of course, who can forget the famous "May Day!" call, as Brad May helped sweep the Boston Bruins out of the playoffs in 1993?
When I heard the news of Rick passing, I immediately went to YouTube and one of the first clips I wanted to listen to was Rob Ray "rag dolling" Claude Lemieux in the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Some of his fight calls are just as memorable as the big goal calls.
It wasn't just us, as far as card carrying members of the Rick Jeanneret Fan Club. So many Sabres players over the years have talked about how they couldn't wait to hear how Rick called one of their goals, or a big game-winner, and they'd watch the tape after the game to hear it.
Since the word of Rick's passing came out, I have been going back-and-forth between crying and smiling. The sadness is there, because Rick is no longer with us. But the smiles are there, because of the endless number of great memories all of us have.
Rick's voice will never be stilled. It will be there for the rest of our lives, forever preserved by the incredible body of work he left for all of us to enjoy time-and-time again.
Thank you, RJ.