Since the creation of the Buffalo Sabres there was Rick, and he was good. Scary good.
Rick Jeanneret has been a Sabres broadcaster since their first year of existence in 1970. Jeanneret was the radio broadcaster until their last year in Memorial Auditorium in 1995. That season he began simalcasting, along with partner Jim Lorenz, on both radio and television.
Jeanneret has always been one of my heroes, I still remember watching the Sabres defeat the Boston Bruins for their first playoff series victory in 10 years. I am too young to remember the action of the game, but I will never forget "May Day! May Day!"
There were many memorable nights listening to Jeanneret on the radio when I was supposed to be asleep. These magical nights listening to Jeanneret flash his vocal pipes were part of my journey of becoming the sports fanatic that I am today.
Wednesday night I got my first opportunity to meet Jeanneret and he is exactly what he seems like on television: a genuine person who loves his Buffalo Sabres.
While Jeanneret is broadcaster, one thing that he wants people to know is that he is not a journalist.
"I'm not a journalist... I consider myself more of an entertainer," Jeanneret said.
Classifying himself as an entertainer allows him to be what he really is, a fan of the Buffalo Sabres. At 64 years of age, Jeanneret has considered retiring in recent years, especially before the lockout where he admitted that the game of hockey was boring at times. However since the NHL has returned from its one-year hiatus, a reenergized Jeanneret has renewed his passion and love for the game, claiming that these past two seasons were some of his favorite of his career.
Though at one time Jeanneret thought about hanging up his microphone if the Sabres win the Stanley cup this season, he just signed a new contract that will keep him in the booth at least through next season.
Jeanneret's start to his hockey career was circumstantial at best. He was sitting in the stands of a hockey game; at the time he was a morning radio DJ in Toronto, when the regular announcer went home sick. Jeanneret was asked to fill in, and the rest is history.
Jeanneret is well known in Buffalo for his enthusiasm for hockey and his passionate play calls. While many of these calls are spontaneous, Jeanneret admits to thinking ahead of time about his call on Danny Briere's overtime goal when he screamed "the cookie monster strikes again!" A twist on his infamous call "top shelf where mamma hides the cookies!" Jeanneret admits to being shocked when he saw all of the signs referencing the cookie monster at the ensuing games.
While his voice may rise to a fever pitch at times, Jeanneret has been very lucky to rarely lose his voice during the season. Jeanneret said that the only time he's missed a couple of games due to his voice was when he literally could not talk when he battled laryngitis. Yet he does admit that his voice was very soar towards the ladder stages of Buffalo's four overtime playoff game against the New Jersey Devils. This didn't stop Jeanneret from proclaiming "And this series is going back where Jimmy Hoffa is! Back to the Meadowlands in New Jersey!" after Dave Hannan scored the historic goal past Martin Brodeur.
Jeanneret points to a quote from Bucky Gleason's column from The Buffalo News in showing how much support the Sabres have received as of late. "Buffalo was undeniably and justifiably a mad football town with a hockey team. Dare I suggest the opposite is true?" Though this is true now, the man with the golden pipes is keenly aware that at any time, there could be another shift in fortune, and the Bills could be on top again.
But until that time, Jeanneret is going to enjoy the ride with Sabres on top.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
