Going once... Going twice....

By Jon

By now, it's undoubtedly old news that the blue seats from the Aud are being auctioned off. A unique piece of memorbilia to be sure, and as a wannabe memorbilia enthusiast (meaning I'm too poor to be one), I just can't seem to get excited about it. And it is killing me.

I want to have memories of the Aud. I really do. Unfortunately, my age doesn't allow it. My earliest Sabres memories trace back to the 96-97 season, the first year played at HSBC (then Marine Midland) Arena. I'm certainly not at a loss for great times as a Sabre fan. I can't watch a video of Derek Plante blasting the puck past Ron Tugnutt without getting chills, nor can I think of the 05-06 or 06-07 seasons and not think of what might have been. But I yearn for stories of sitting in the oranges and feeling like I was going to fall out of my seat. I wish I could talk about watching LaFontaine or Mogilny fly down the ice, or tell my grandkids about the French Connection, but I can't. In fact, the only event I ever attended at the Aud was a Buffalo Blizzard game (Remember them?)

I would love to place a bid on a pair of seats or a sign from the Aud. But without any sentiment attached, what's the point?

My question to you: Will we remember HSBC Arena with the same fondness that we do the Aud? Twenty years from now, will we be clammoring to buy up the seats from the 300s?

I sure hope we do. As a newer generation fan of the Sabres, HSBC is home. So good luck to all of the older Sabres fans, I hope you get a piece of the Aud. But I'll wait until they start gutting the next arena until I buy some seats.