Buffalo Bills–2014: 1-0 – WK2 vs Miami – Pegulas reach agreement to buy team

[brian_griffin]

I'd like to see Pegula make it a condition of Marrone keeping his job for him to wear a "bro" or "mansierre" under his clothing. Guy has serious "moobs"; jiggling when he trots off the field, jiggling at the press conference podium. Distracting.

 

[FamilyGuy716]

I'm not seeing how this fits into Hockey Heaven?

As much as I'm not crazy about how the Sabres have been managed since he bought them I'm thrilled he's the one who bought the Bills.



Count me as someone who was incredibly unhappy that Wilson didn't sell while he was still alive, but as the process unfolded I believed more and more that he really did arrange a process designed to keep the team in the community.

I've been a Sabres fan since day 1 and I'm thrilled with our position right now. The Sabres are being set up to be a playoff contender for years to come. We just need to be patient and stay the course.

Pegula came in and tried to take a short cut through free agency and it didn't work. So then he decided to gut the team and start from scratch. How is that being mismanaged?

 

[Chainshot]

I wouldn't even bother. Just get who you want as soon as you can. Delaying because the current staff did something average doesn't make much sense.



Yup. I've said for a long time that Ralph was the main reason the Bills never did anything. We'll see if that changes under Pegula.

Being of a certain age -- and having a father who was a complete football nut -- I am in agreement. I remember the bad old days just as vividly as the brief spring under Polian. Letting an all pro quality wideout go over chump change and then buying expensive race horses put my fan-dom in question in the mid-70's. Things haven't changed much since.

I think it was his daughter firing Bill Polian more than anything.

Given their track record, the only periods of even moderate success they have had in their history involve a strong personality guiding personnel decisions -- Saban, Knox, Polian. Meddling from above ousted them all.

 

[ChibiPooky]

 

[Ruckus007]

I've said this previously....Regier had a proven track record. No one in the Buffalo front office has a track record of anything other that Buffalo mediocrity.

I'm assuming that when everything is official, he'll probably bring someone in a Ted Black-style Role and maybe a "President of Football Ops" role. ]

Firings/changes of the coaching staff/front office would come after the season.

Since Butler left, the team has never gone more than three years without changing the GM, coach or both. There's something to be said for trying consistency.

 

[Ruckus007]

I've been a Sabres fan since day 1 and I'm thrilled with our position right now. The Sabres are being set up to be a playoff contender for years to come. We just need to be patient and stay the course.

Pegula came in and tried to take a short cut through free agency and it didn't work. So then he decided to gut the team and start from scratch. How is that being mismanaged?

I didn't use the term mismanaged, right?


IMO, the team's on it's 3rd organizational strategy in less than 3 years since he's taken over. There's a capriciousness in the direction the Sabres have been that's been concerning to me.

And being "set up to be a playoff contender," as you said, doesn't really mean anything until they're actually a playoff contender. And they're only now entering the actually building phase of this process.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Excellent news if the report that Pegula's going to buy the team is true. Don't need me to tell you this, but if he's the owner the Bills are staying in the Buffalo area for the long haul, and I'm sure you're glad that that talking piece will be dead online moving forward.

 

[haseoke39]

I didn't use the term mismanaged, right?


IMO, the team's on it's 3rd organizational strategy in less than 3 years since he's taken over. There's a capriciousness in the direction the Sabres have been that's been concerning to me.

And being "set up to be a playoff contender," as you said, doesn't really mean anything until they're actually a playoff contender. And they're only now entering the actually building phase of this process.

People would've lost their minds if he rebuilt immediately, with a team that just made the playoffs. So he did the best thing he could do in '11, which was given his guy an open purse to try and improve the team.

Two years passed on that strategy and he went full bore rebuild. Which is absolutely the best thing he can do and a far greater sign of commitment to winning long term, since he's swallowing losses while the team sucks. Don't even know where you're getting a third organizational strategy from.

The only way the team is "mismanaged" is if you believe garbage rumors like Terry made them sign Ehrhoff.

 

[Dubi Doo]

To me, it's bigger than the record or lack of success, what have you. The fact is, as despicable as they have been, the Bills are in my DNA...a part of my family...something that - along with the Sabres - my father and I share to an inseparable degree. Even if we continue to lose for a while, it'll be IN BUFFALO and I am thrilled with that.

Same here. I never have high hopes going into any season, but I'm always excited for opening day. My dad and I go to a couple games a year with a bunch of his buddies from work and some of my friends. I also go to a game or two a year with my older brother and a our friends. We have as many as 15+ people at each game. Life would be a lot more bland if it wasn't for Buffalo Bills football and tailgating; no matter how much we suck.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

I didn't use the term mismanaged, right?


IMO, the team's on it's 3rd organizational strategy in less than 3 years since he's taken over. There's a capriciousness in the direction the Sabres have been that's been concerning to me.

And being "set up to be a playoff contender," as you said, doesn't really mean anything until they're actually a playoff contender. And they're only now entering the actually building phase of this process.

They've had two organizational strategies. The first one was "get the Rochester Core over the top," the second one was "acquire elite players." It's just that the source for these elite players shifted to the draft after they went 0/4 on Richards/Doan/Suter/Parise.

 

[Jim Bob]

The formula for success in the NFL is pretty simple, but hard to execute well.

You need a good owner. Which the Bills will have.

Then you need an awesome coach.

And then you need an awesome QB.

Getting those last two pieces isn't easy and why the Bills have been floundering for years.

If Jim Harbaugh hits UFA, perhaps Pegulabucks can get him to OP....

 

[Myllz]

The formula for success in the NFL is pretty simple, but hard to execute well.

You need a good owner. Which the Bills will have.

Then you need an awesome coach.

And then you need an awesome QB.

Getting those last two pieces isn't easy and why the Bills have been floundering for years.

If Jim Harbaugh hits UFA, perhaps Pegulabucks can get him to OP....

They need a GM before a head coach.

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

Purchase price is $1.2 billion, per Schefter.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@ByTimGraham

Jon Bon Jovi to @TheBuffaloNews: On behalf of Myself, Larry Tanenbaum and Edward Rogers, we wish Terry and Kim Pegula all the best ... (1/2)

Jon Bon Jovi to @TheBuffaloNews (cont'd): "... as they continue the legacy and tradition of the Buffalo Bills and the Wilson family." (2/2)

 

[Jim Bob]

They need a GM before a head coach.

If they get Harbaugh as the coach, they need more of a scouting guy than a GM to help with the personnel side.

 

[joshjull]

@pham1717: Folks, Terry and Kim Pegula will run both the Sabres and Bills together. Neither is just in charge.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@JoeBuscaglia
An announcement of the Pegulas being named the winning bidders of the #Bills will drop very shortly. Expecting it within the next 60 mins.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@LaurenBrill4: Per source: Deal is done. Bills are sold for a record-breaking 1.4 billion

 

[Myllz]

If they get Harbaugh as the coach, they need more of a scouting guy than a GM to help with the personnel side.

That's an incredibly giant if.

 

[Djp]

@LaurenBrill4: Per source: Deal is done. Bills are sold for a record-breaking 1.4 billion

Who is this person?

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Who is this person?

Sports Anchor/Reporter at WIVB (CBS)

 

[26CornerBlitz]

WGR CALLER CRIES AT PEGULA NEWS <1:14>

This was awesome.

 

[whiplash]

Any time a season-opening road win against a tough opponent is the second best Bills news of the week, it's been a good week. Awesome news

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@ByTimGraham

Bills officially announce agreement to sell to the Pegula family.

@JoeBuscaglia

It's official: Sale agreement between Bills and Pegulas announced http://www.wgr550.com/Sources-Agreement-between-Bills-and-Pegulas-in-pla/9034669?pid=426012

 

[vcv]

Both the Sabres and Bills announce the agreement. Pretty damn official.