Rick Jeanneret Rick Jeanneret John Richard Jeanneret (born July 23, 1942) is a Canadian-born television and radio personality best known as the play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network. Having started with the team on radio during the team's second season in 1971–72, he is the longest-tenured play-by-play announcer with a single team in NHL history. He moved to television during the 1995–96 season and began doubling both television and radio play-by-play duties during the 1997–98 season. He is known as "RJ" within the Sabres organization and by close associates. Jeanneret is
Gris-gris (talisman) originates with the French "joujou" meaning doll or play-thing. It has otherwise been attributed in scholarly sources to the Mandingo word meaning "magic." The gris-gris originated in Dagomba in Ghana and was associated with Islamic traditions. Originally the gris-gris was adorned with Islamic scripture and was used to ward off evil spirits (evil djinn) or bad luck. Historians of the time noted that they were frequently worn by non-believers and believers alike, and were also found attached to buildings. The practice of using gris-gris, though originating in Africa, came to the United States with enslaved Africans and was quickly adopted