Buffalo Sports By The Numbers: #94

by Budd Bailey, Buffalo Sports Page Columnist

Uniform numbers aren’t merely a way of identifying players in sports. They can be a game.

Admit it, Buffalo Sports Fan. You hear about the number 12 on a shirt, and you can still picture Jim Kelly. Same goes for Bruce Smith and 78. Gil Perreault and 11. (In the case of Bandits’ fans, John Tavares and 11.)

From there, you can start making up lists. Who is the greatest Sabre or Bill to ever wear a particular number? From there, it’s an easy jump to an All-Western New York team of numbers.
That’s what we’ve tried to do here.

We’re counting up from 99 to 0, with our pick for the greatest Buffalo athlete to wear each number. Do you agree?

#94

Aaron Schobel, Bills. You almost had to be in Buffalo to know how good Schobel was – or at least played against him. The second-round pick in 2001 had 78 sacks in 133 games as a Bill. He retired in 2009 after nine years, and never played with any other team. His quiet exit was in character. Others: Mario Williams, Bills; Mark Pike, Bills.