Sadie Steals Their Hearts

Two Viper players from upstate New York have fallen for a local girl named Sadie.


That “girl” is a 1988 Volvo 740 GL, purchased from a Viper season ticket holder for the princely sum of $1000.

The players are John Knisley, from the Rochester, New York suburb of Pittsford, and Mike Zalewski, who hails from nearby New Hartford. When they arrived in Vernon at the end of August, they lacked transportation, so they pooled their resources to buy Sadie.

Here’s what John has to say about the car: “Sadie, she’s a beauty. I can’t put it any better than that. She’s just a beauty.”

Is Sadie a dashing sports car? No, not on your life.

But don’t tell that to John and Mike, who have pasted a “V8” decal and a “TT” decal (for twin turbo) on Sadie’s rear end.

Their parents are pleased with the acquisition because the Volvo 740 is one of the safest sedans ever built, and one look at the sedate older lady tells you that they won’t be out drag racing with their new best girl.

Sadie is what she is – well built, nicely upholstered, roomy, and dependable. She can carry five players and their gear in comfort. And the sunroof allows an opening for transporting hockey sticks.

The lads have experienced an anxious moment, however. As Mike tells it, “We had a small hiccup the other day. She leaks a bit of oil, and I guess we didn’t top her up soon enough. We were at the mall, and about to go. Johnny turns to me and says, ‘Did you turn her on?’ I says, ‘I thought so.’ Then I put her in reverse and nothing happened. She wouldn’t start for quite a while and we were a little worried, but then she went and we got her home for a good drink of oil. She’s been fine since then.”

So, if you see the lads out for a spin in Sadie, wave at John and Mike and honk at Sadie. But don’t try to get them involved in a race. They wouldn’t treat her like that, even though that twin turbo V8 would leave you in the dust.