Dear Tom Golisano: An Apology From Buffalo Sabres Fans

Dear Tom, or Mr. Golisano, whatever you prefer.

On behalf of the city of Buffalo, Western New York, and Buffalo Sabres fans around the globe, we're sorry.

We could not wait for you to leave when you and your front office failed to keep Chris Drury and Daniel Briere. To be fair, we were right to be angry. You and Darcy royally screwed up. In fact, it was shocking just how badly you all handled it. Just about anyone would have done a better job. It didn't just anger us, it broke our hearts and we never recovered. That's on you and to be honest we will never forgive you for that.

However... we quickly forgot all the good you did. Like, completely gone from our brains. Ultimately you made a mistake. It was a massive one, but a mistake nonetheless and we unfairly did our best to erase you from our history and make you the punch line of every Sabres joke. Boy, were we so incredibly wrong to do so.

When you sold the team to Terry Pegula, we drank the cool aid. We bought everything he said. He would spare no expense after you ran a more frugal team. He promised us hockey heaven. He promised the sole purpose of the Sabres was to win a Stanley Cup.

Man, were we suckered.

You see, you were right. The NHL is a league where you can compete without breaking the bank. It doesn't take money to win a Stanley Cup. It takes smart moves, building through the draft, and finding value in players other teams can't find value in. It takes being smart and patient, not flashy and reactive.

Terry promised us hockey heaven, but we already were living in it. You, Tom, built it.

In fairness, we have a MUCH improved canalside area. We owe a debt of gratitude to Terry and Kim Pegula for that because let's be honest we were nowhere with that area before them. For this, though, we're focusing on hockey. The hockey part isn't bad, it's an embarrassing, absolute failure.

Tom, we arrogantly dismissed you and your ownership of the Buffalo Sabres. While, yes, you made that one mistake, you literally saved the team from leaving Buffalo. You saved the city from having an empty arena. Without you, we do not have canalside, HarborCenter, and the rest of the developments happening because without you we never get the Pegulas.

You were a good owner who made the Sabres viable. We took you for granted. We were unfair. We are sorry. For what it's worth.

Thank you for everything you gave us. Also. Thank you for your Children's Hospitals in Rochester and Syracuse. The amount of good you have done can not be quantified and here we are being petty over a team that plays a game.

They play it poorly, too, but don't tell them... it may hurt their feelings.