Ten years ago, poor enforcement of a dubious rule awarded the Stanley Cup to the Dallas Stars.

Sabres fans remember it as so much more.

For me, it was one of those "Why are my hands sweating while I watch televised sports?" moments. After each heart-pounding overtime, I had to run downstairs and play video games just to stay awake. The game? "Virtual Bart."

My mom mandated that everyone stay in the same seats they were in when Stu Barnes equalized in the second period. Everything was superstition based, and when Brett Hull got his goal, my parents' immediate reaction was "No goal! No goal!"

We knew the rule. Everyone did. I wonder if it helped or hurt the Sabres more during the run to the Finals, but it stunk. It was "Saturday-night-not-old-enough-to-drink-don't-wake-me-up-for-Church-tomorrow" awful, and it was all part of a disturbing trend. It didn't help that Brett Hull was as smug a winner as you could imagine. I still remember him scoring off a face-off for St. Louis to beat the Sabres in overtime several years before "No Goal."

In the late 1990s, it seemed like Buffalo teams's seasons were only allowed to happen if there was tomfoolery and/or heartbreak. John Leclair scored a goal through the side of the net. Frank Wycheck's supposed forward pass. Pass interference on a Hail Mary against the Patriots. Even St. Bonaventure's thrilling, double-overtime upset attempt of Kentucky in 2000 didn't finish off quite right.

There's no overriding point here, just commemoration of a miserable event. The goal probably should've counted, and maybe we're even close to over it by now. I'd say I'd take it to my grave, but that's embarassing when you consider its a sporting event.

One day, I won't have to feel like I've typed in this tone 150 times. One day, we'll have our names on something special. We get a taste from time-to-time, whether it be the Bandits' MLL titles or UB Bulls' MAC Championship, but I can't wait for the day the whole community is 100 percent behind a title.

I'm ready, but I was just as ready 10 years ago. Stupid Brett Hull.

Email: nick@wgr550.com