Oh, to be in Buffalo, now that New Years' Day is here

I imagine hockey fans of all stripes (or, given the new RbK Edge uniforms, "piping") will be saying this come January 1, 2008, as the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins face off in an outdoor affair at Ralph Wilson Stadium -- the game now being official. What are some of the joys of outdoor hockey on New Years' Day on the shores of Lake Erie?

-- shoveling out your seat

-- your backside spot welded to the frost on the seat when you do sit down

-- 75,000 clouds of breath in rhythm

-- instead of applause that goes, "clap-clap-clap," you get the "thud-thud-thud" of mittens

-- beersicles

-- players wearing lampblack under their eyes (Ryan Miller did it when he participated in the outdoor game between Michigan and Michigan State in East Lansing in October 2001)

-- probability of precipitation ... 100% (hey, it's Buffalo in January...even if the sun's out, it snows)

-- sticks shattering like crystal

-- Marc-Andre Fleury in a toque

-- Lindy Ruff whining about something (ok, he does that indoors, too)

-- Michel Therrien wearing only his suit (he's a tough guy)

And The Peerless guarantees, the weather will not look like this: