For Buffalonians, WNYers and those from Southern Ontario: A tribune to the Aud.

Say goodbye to an old friend this weekend. A huge, huge part of my youth.

http://www.audfarewell.com/

 

Re: For Buffalonians, WNYers and those from Southern Ontario

Someone save me one of those Stanley Cup banners.

 

Re: For Buffalonians, WNYers and those from Southern Ontario

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

Great old barn

 

Re: For Buffalonians, WNYers and those from Southern Ontario

My first NHL game was in that building. I believe it was during the second season of the LaFontaine-Mogilny era. Ahh.

 

Re: For Buffalonians, WNYers and those from Southern Ontario

If you can find it somewhere on the web, our own Elliotte Friedman did a fantastic feature on the Aud last spring.

 

Re: For Buffalonians, WNYers and those from Southern Ontario

Yes, he sent me that. It was classic. Maybe he can re-post it onm this thread if he checks in to check it out.

The original Aud, before the balacony was added for the Sabres' second year, in 1971-72, was a super place. The big lobby, walking up those tunnels to the blues and grays, college basketball doubeheaders, the old AHL Bisons, the Braves ...

 

Wow.....a lot of history, but I'm glad it's receiving a proper send-off. I assume it's slated to be torn down. Has it been used for anything at all since the Sabres left?

 

Nope, There were plans to convert it into a Bass Pro or an Aquarium, but those fell through. I think it's being torn down and a smaller Bass Pro will be built there as well as parking for the Eric Canal locks historic district, etc.

 

Pretty sure it was posted here, right around the Winter Classic.
Yeahhhh ...

Still the only place I've ever seen an NHL game. The first one, when I was 12? Dad just happened to pick the night Gretzky broke the single-season goal-scoring record, and Perreault (not wanting to be upstaged on home ice) answered with a hat trick. Think I still have the souvenir pucks we bought that night.

Nothing like sitting in the cheap seats and watching the fog -- combined with a cloud of cigarette smoke, I think -- descend as the game moved into the third period ...

 

Never saw a game at the Aud but I remember watching a lot of Sabres games from there on ch. 29 back in the day with Ted Darling and - I think - Jim Lorentz behind the mike.

 

Re: For Buffalonians, WNYers and those from Southern Ontario: A tribune to the A



He weeps.
(Note -- the Aud was host to great NBA games as well. Randy Smith may weep, too.)

 

Versus did a short feature on the Aud when they were televising a Sabres game about a month ago. The arena still looks like it did when it closed, with some minor damage from the years of neglect.