Rick Jeanneret when the Sabres played the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa on January 25, 2011. During Jeanneret's vacation, his son Mark and Kevin Sylvester filled in on play-by-play from December 27, 2010 through January 8, 2011. The idea for Jeanneret to take time off during west coast road games during these seasons was that of former managing partner Larry Quinn. On May 26, 2011, the Sabres announced that Jeanneret (and Neale) would only cover home games and 10 to 15 road games for the Sabres in the 2011-12 NHL season. This was in preparation for Jeanneret's pending retirement, in which Jeanneret stated
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