Published: October 05, 2008 01:34 am            

MARREN: Fun with Bills and Sabres stats

I promise I’m not trying to jinx the Bills’ against the Arizona Cardinals today. If you’ve read my past sports columns you know I’m very superstitious when it comes to the Sabres and Bills.

While you read along, I’m at home with my Bills hat on backwards, the fashion method that single-handedly led the Bills to four straight wins you know. At least that’s my belief.

Now, while everyone in Western New York compares this Bills team to the Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas teams, I’d like to offer some perspective on how the Sabres and Bills fare when the other is having a successful campaign.

The constant reminders and mentions of the 1990s Bills got me thinking about my youth and watching the two teams during the years I could recall best. At first I thought that us fans only had one good team in any one year more often than not. Never were both teams good the same year.

I was wrong.

That may have been the case the last few seasons, with the Sabres making the playoffs twice in the last three seasons and the Bills missing since 1999, but not in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when I was a kid.

So my memory was bad. Those years were actually some of the best, actually, for Bills and Sabres fans.

From 1987 to 1997, both professional teams made the playoffs in the same year six times. All 10 years at least one team was in (Sabres: ’87, ’94, ’97; Bills: ’95).

Now, for those of you much older than me, I did some quick Internet research to see how the two teams have done, in the same year, since 1970. That’s when the Sabres joined the NHL and the Bills the NFL.

I’ve already shown that in the years I remember watching, but forgot how both teams fared, the Sabres and Bills dominated.

My reason for looking these normally useless statistics up is because of my odd superstitions and the fact that the Sabres’ season starts this week. It’s great the Bills are on a roll, but what does history suggest for the guys on ice?

Since 1970 the two teams have both made the playoffs 11 times. Now, sprinkled in there are a few winning seasons each, which could be considered a success, but I went off playoff berths, since that’s what matters most.

Just 11 times this region had reason to celebrate from late August to May and into June. Not great, but not horrible either. Twenty-one times just one club made it to the post-season. There’s been just nine seasons that Buffalo didn’t have either team in the playoffs.

The last time both teams were in the playoffs — 1999. You’ve heard of “No goal,” right?

The last time the Bills started 4-0, 1992. The Sabres made it to the Division Finals, after sweeping the Bruins 4-0 on Brad May’s unforgettable goal.

The last time the Bills started 5-0, 1991. The Sabres made it to the Division Semifinals.

So, maybe luck is on our side for both teams this year, assuming the Bills continue this wild ride and make the playoffs. Don’t fret, my hat’s on backwards today.

Managing Editor Tim Marren’s column appears every Sunday.

He blogs daily at www.lockport

slugline.wordpress.com He can be reached at 439-9222, ext. 6238,

or marrent@gnnewspaper.com.

        

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