Day Four at Apple Hill is the last taste of relaxation before everything gets all topsy-turvy and busy. Until today I’ve just been rehearsing with the other faculty in preparation for our concert on Tuesday, but tomorrow the coaching begins.
So, in celebration of my soon-to-be-over freedom, I drove into town to sit around in Brewbakers for a few hours.
I was cruising around on the interwebs when I made a shocking discovery. Today is the 10 year anniversary of No Goal! Ten years ago I was living in Philadelphia (dude, it’s crazy that that was ten years ago), and I had never seen a hockey game in my life, so the No Goal anniversary has no particular emotional significance to me personally.
But, I imagine some of my Sabres-loving brothers and sisters look upon the event with a frown in their heart, so, in an effort to cheer you up, I will now make an embarrassing No Goal-related confession for your amusement.
Reason #48,937 that Katebits is a num-num
I first saw the famous picture of “No Goal” when I got really into the Sabres in 2007.
It burns! It burns!
I read the story about Hull’s skate in the crease, and of the grave injustice, and learned that Lindy rose to (nearly invincible) power in the aftermath by dubbing the play, “No Goal”.
“It’s a TRAVESTY!” I declared.
The thing is though, while I was perfectly willing to hop aboard the “BUFFALO HAS BEEN ROBBED” train, I didn’t really understand how Buffalo had been robbed. You see, I had made a terrible mistake when I first looked at the famous photo of No Goal.
I….looked at the wrong skate.
I know.
In my defense, when I looked at the photo, I was looking for something controversial. I was looking for a “close call”, and I thought the photograph was the “smoking gun”. The skate that I thought was Hull’s skate is the only skate in the picture that is both visible and even slightly open for interpretation. I didn’t occur to me that Hull had literally been STANDING in the crease. My eyes just went to the skate that looked the shadiest, and that’s where I assumed all the controversy lay.
Of course, had I deployed even one or two brain cells, I could have pick up on a few other “clues” in the photograph.
Katebits is an idiot, case closed.
Oh, but I’m not done.
Here is the true scope of my stupidity: I didn’t just hone in on the wrong skate in that photograph back in 2007, I honed in on the wrong skate for two years. I didn’t realize the truth until APRIL OF 2009. I had been writing a Sabres blog for a YEAR AND A HALF at that point. A few months ago I saw the photograph for some reason, and like a bolt of incredibly slow moving lighting, it occurred to me, “Heeeey…..waaaait a minute…”
Dear Readers, I have many times thought about telling you this story, but I always stopped myself because honestly, it’s really embarrassing. For some reason I LOVE to tell the internet all about how I’m a complete idiot. Telling stories about my near inability to function without protective headgear has been a staple of my blogging from day one, but this one is humbling, even for me.
When I turned on the computer and realized today was the ten year anniversary of No Goal, I couldn’t resist.
(I’m NOT having mini-strokes. This is just how I AM. I know it’s hard to believe.)
The Willful Caboose 
This is hilarious! SIGH, we all have our moments…
Kate, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Honestly now :P
MINI STROKE!!! WHERE WOULD YOU GET SUCH AN INSANE COO-KOO OVER THE TOP DRAMATIC IDEA!! YOU’RE SO SILLY!!!
(I, also, was angry at the wrong skate for at least a year…….let us never speak of this again)
Kate, you’re not the only one. I remember seeing that photo for the first time and saying “But it’s only in by a tiny bit!” before someone pointed out that Hull was that guy in green. And he’s, erm, yeah he’s parked quite far in there isn’t he? Whoops.
Okay, this is my one serious comment on the No Goal thing. I know people don’t like Buffalo fans whining about this ten years later and I know there’s no guarantee that the Sabres win that game or the next game if the goal had been called back. But seriously, look at Brett Hull up there. (The one with HULL on his back.) He’s clearly standing in the crease, which stupid rule or no, was the rule. That goal got called back all season and yet it didn’t get called back for the single most important goal of the entire season. That blows. If it had been your team and they hadn’t won a Cup in the following ten years, you’d would occasionally be whining too. So shut up and let us whine if we want.
I was in an absolutely TERRIBLE mood all day yesterday, and I didn’t want to admit it was because it was 10 years of NO GOAL
Also, Katebits, here’s a video that has Lindy naming it NO GOAL in the medley. It also features some great clips of Sabres history. Enjoy!
Kate, I apologize for veering into crazy defensiveness for a second there. It kind of flies in the face of your “No Goal is zany fun!” tone :P
Heather, is someone telling you to quit whining?! TWC was FOUNDED on the sacred principles of whining! No Goal was an OUTRAGE and Sabres fans should NEVER QUIT BITCHING. Anyone who says otherwise is WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I love the comments on the final photo. That made the entire post for me.
I am SO impressed that you admitted this! I hope you won’t mind if both my husband and I used up several tissues in laughing so hard we were crying – and I thank you for the very first (and possibly only) laughter we will ever emit around the memory of No Goal…
First…you are awesome. This post is awesome. Thanks!
Second…I remember this “No Goal” so well. My husband (then boyfriend)and I where yelling at the TV, “his foot was in, his foot was in, Buffalo was robbed! Dallas sucks!” Edmonton and Dalas had a post season rivalry for years during this time. We were sad to see them win.
Third…never stop whining. Never.
You people are absolutely freaking ridiculous. Case in point:
Everyone understands it was the right call.” NHL Director of Officiating Bryan Lewis said there was no crease violation because “Hull had possession of the puck when his skate entered the crease.” Coincidentally, Hasek and Hull would become teammates on the Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup winning team in 2002.
You idiots may never see this, since this was 10 years ago that this post was made, but whatever. Cry me a fucking river! Waa Waa Waa! Shut up, get a life and win a cup some time, will ya. You guys stay classy.
I wasn’t around to comment on this great post, but this really made me laugh!
This Dallas/Buffalo series was the first stanley cup final I ever followed (I used to record the games at night and watch them afterwards). This was long before I became a fan of Montreal, and I was really rooting for the sabres for this final. I remember feeling outraged by that call. There is no way you guys should stop whining over it (from time to time, that is). Even after you eventually win a cup, you’ll still be entitled to whine about it.
I was absolutely LIVID over that call. I remain virulently incensed about the subject. It upset me it was on Page One of the Buffalo News.
And I’m a Flyers fan…
Katebits, I am totally using your revelation photo as a pick me up whenever I need a really good laugh. I NEVER thought a picture of the “No Goal” would actually make me not cringe. Although it does make me giggle to remember hearing my normally very calm, conservative uncle say “WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!” cause it’s the first and last time I’ve ever heard him swear.
And Heather completely summed up my feelings. We’re not saying we would have won the cup, we’re just saying we shouldn’t have lost it with that horse shit.
love this