Hey Terry, Do Us A Favor and SELL

[Ace]

I still don’t blame Pegula. He DID hire qualified GMs to run this team and things went poorly.

There is a massive difference between qualified for a GM somewhere…and qualified to steer an organization out of the longest playoff drought in league history. They need EXPERIENCE. Not first time guys who have earned a shot keeping an already built team afloat. Tim Murray wasn’t qualified to rebuild a team. Want proof? Look at his tenure. Jason Botterill wasn’t qualified to rebuild a team. Want proof? Look at his tenure. Kevyn Adams isn’t qualified to run a goddamned lemonade stand. You have to actually show up and do your job.

 

[Tatanka]

It appears Terry has held a grudge against the league for its recommendations on senior management hires to help him in the transition. He now, like Chain points out will not consider recommendations from “hockey people” aboit “hockey people” and insists on hiring his way like he did at East. OK, its his money.

But he is intriqued by the shiny penny, ala the new age thinking ( see Krueger, Ralph). So why not have someone from outside the sport take a look? Someone who can look at the general attributes of what it takes to ice a competitive product consistently.

I had a chance to sit with Theo Epstein at a meet greet for sponsored by the University of Chicago Booth school of bus. He was a speaker. Extremely interesting conversation at the table after he spoke.

Three highlights:
1. Everything organization can identify a path to success. Where they fail is identifying the value required from each element identified in the plan. Many organizations do not want to break down the analysis to its most basic level. The analogy he used was drafting pitchers. He said the numbers indicate that the investment in developing a top 3 starter isn’t warranted. It is more efficient to buy them on the market. Let someone else pour money into a low,probability of success.
2. Success in a sports organization can only be defined by competitive excellence. It drives the business side. It drives revenue, it drives brand value and all the financial fruits come from that.
3. Players, managers, trainers are commodities. Not investments. Buy what you need. Not every position need be the luxury model. Build a base of productivity as measured against the league average and tailor to suit the individual clubs needs. If you have a short right porch and play 81 home games, leverage that with a sufficient number of guys to take it over the wall in those 82 games. The best rh hitter in the league will not overcome the advantage of the lh hitter having an easier threshold of success. Thus having a midland lh hitter and a enough of them gives you more value from a competitive standpoint than an all star rh hitter.

I mention this because I think the only way Terry gets outta the way is if he had someone with a similar vision that could be the liaison between operations and ownership. Theo had Jed Hoyer running the day to day, inquiring on trades etc. he just compared proposals to the plan and used the agreed upon measuring tools as arbiter of whether to make a move. The reality is likely to not change if he is in the decision making process going forward.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Sell to Balsiille and create a regional franchise in Niagara that is within the Sabres 50-mile territory. Buffalo keeps 10-15 games a year and another 25 to 30 on Ontario side. Niagara Sabres

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

Are there any billionaires with WNY ties that would even be considered? Maybe the Rich family?

 

[slip]

Are there any billionaires with WNY ties that would even be considered? Maybe the Rich family?

Jeff Gundlach comes to mind. I know he’s a big Bills fan.

 

[dortt]

I'd be shelling out 10K for season tickets if this team were to move to Houston

 

[Chainshot]

Sell to Balsiille and create a regional franchise in Niagara that is within the Sabres 50-mile territory. Buffalo keeps 10-15 games a year and another 25 to 30 on Ontario side. Niagara Sabres

Trying to split a team between two fanbases doesn't work - see the attempt to milk Toronto out of NFL money with the Bills "home games" there.

 

[Chainshot]

Jeff Gundlach comes to mind. I know he’s a big Bills fan.

Funny that the guy who wasn't a Bills fan bought the Bills and stumbled into making them relevant again while the team he said was his beloved he has absolutely shattered. Who knows? Maybe a Bills fan would make for a better own for the hockey team...

 

[sabresfan129103]

Like, does Terry know that everyone in the hockey world thinks he is a laughing stock? Does he even care? I guess he doesn't.

 

[Chainshot]

Like, does Terry know that everyone in the hockey world thinks he is a laughing stock? Does he even care? I guess he doesn't.

He doesn't live close to the team. He rarely seems to be in the building, let alone in town to feel the weight of disappointment around his tenure as owner. Once they got criticism, he got even scarcer.

And he may think he's doing what needs to be done to not be a laughing stock, but he seems like a rube, a sucker, the easy mark in the room all the time. His execs at the highest levels of both franchises have seemed like they've sold him a bill of goods, bait, that he's taken in fully every single time.

 

[Tijuana Donkey Show]

I really believe the Bills had a "vibe" to them coming into the playoffs. A couple of dropped passes from Sherfield and Diggs, a missed FG, and missed block from Dawkins. If even one of those things go differently we might be playing this weekend.

That said, I think if the Bills managed to win a SB this year he would have sold the team, maybe even to a buyer that would move them. He could have ducked and covered behind the Lombardi and most would have forgiven him.

I don't think it is a coincidence that McDermott and Beane go out of their way to talk about how awesome Terry and Kim are. I think it is clear one side of the street is cleaner than the other and they are trying to extend their good credit to the Sabres.

 

[Tatanka]

He doesn't live close to the team. He rarely seems to be in the building, let alone in town to feel the weight of disappointment around his tenure as owner. Once they got criticism, he got even scarcer.

And he may think he's doing what needs to be done to not be a laughing stock, but he seems like a rube, a sucker, the easy mark in the room all the time. His execs at the highest levels of both franchises have seemed like they've sold him a bill of goods, bait, that he's taken in fully every single time.

He can also pull all of the Bills/Sabres media spends from any outlet who raises any questions severely hampering there revenue

 

[HaNotsri]

There is a massive difference between qualified for a GM somewhere…and qualified to steer an organization out of the longest playoff drought in league history. They need EXPERIENCE. Not first time guys who have earned a shot keeping an already built team afloat. Tim Murray wasn’t qualified to rebuild a team. Want proof? Look at his tenure. Jason Botterill wasn’t qualified to rebuild a team. Want proof? Look at his tenure. Kevyn Adams isn’t qualified to run a goddamned lemonade stand. You have to actually show up and do your job.

Adams would show up and stir the lemonade, he would also refuse to sell any.

 

[Ehran]

I'd be shelling out 10K for season tickets if this team were to move to Houston

And I'd gladly buy some tickets off you, for nights where I could do a 3+ hour drive for the game. (i.e., not weeknights )

 

[MOGlLNY]

You guys can say whatever you want in an emotional response and I get it. But I don’t even live in the city anymore but I would be absolutely heartbroken if the Sabres moved.

For my loved ones gone, for my friends who have invested in themselves in the team, my memories of going together with my family. My dad whose father was the first Canadian season ticket holder for the Sabres. It’s a lot of cherished memories that deserve to be seen out.

Go Sabres. But f*** Terry.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Do you have any source on this?

I mean, some things do line up a bit. The bare bones spending is typical when an owner is trying to move a property.

That being said, the biggest road block to a sale would be the NHL. They defend franchise value. If Terry and Kim wanted to sell the team for 500M, the NHL would stop them. Because that would devalue their current franchises. Essentially, they are going to have to get someone to pay market value for a team with a 25+ year old arena needing probably 10s of Millions of dollars in repairs.

No he’s been misinformed or spreading misinformation because Terry just agreed to upgrade the rink before the season started. So we are stuck with him at least until those are done.

 

[SwordsgoneWild]

I went through the Bills 17 year drought where it eventually tapered off into apathy. I also went through a 10 year drought with the Astros that was capped off with a scorched earth rebuild that saw us lose over 400 games over a 4 year span . Neither hurt nearly as much this 13 year drought of misery.... This team can burn. f*** you Terry.

 

[KeydGV21]

I mean whether you call it a GM or president, he has to hire someone and put them in charge. He did that, and both Botts and Murray were praised hires. I don’t know the difference between hiring a president of hockey operations to help with his hiring decisions—either way an owner has to pick that initial person to run decisions.

I get that the blame always goes upwards, but I have seen bad GMs and coaches not get the job done here. I have not seen Pegula do anything patently wrong

I also will never understand the issue with not hiring an intermediary…

Everyone is upset at who he hires, but just magically believes the person he hires to make hires is going to be good?

 

[May Day 10]

You guys can say whatever you want in an emotional response and I get it. But I don’t even live in the city anymore but I would be absolutely heartbroken if the Sabres moved.

For my loved ones gone, for my friends who have invested in themselves in the team, my memories of going together with my family. My dad whose father was the first Canadian season ticket holder for the Sabres. It’s a lot of cherished memories that deserve to be seen out.

Go Sabres. But f*** Terry.

I once thought that losing the Sabres was one of the worst things that could ever happen. The bankruptcy years were a nightmare of uncertainty.

But I have been beaten down under Pegula's ownership. This is the worst-run team in pro sports. They havent had a legitimately big game in more than a decade, and are not relevant. Management does not serve any sort of nostalgia other than a joke of a jersey retirement. No more Sabres hall of fame. Most of the alumni have been alienated. My favorite player of all time was chased out of here by Kim Pegula, gone with hard feelings forever.

Going to the games is a chore, and I normally itch to leave after the 2nd period. It isnt fun and you just get blasted into your seat with dance music at an uncomfortable volume. Players' personal goal songs sap the atmosphere and are annoying (and undeserved).

I used to watch 98% of all minutes of all games from about 1987 to 2013. Around Housley, I stopped watching completely for weeks at a time, then months. I have probably watched 2 full games in the last 5 seasons.

I could honestly say the Sabres have been completely ruined. All I have is my old games on dvd and youtube and a lot of memories. If they left, I would get sad and nostalgic, but really wouldn't care that much.

 

[May Day 10]

I went through the Bills 17 year drought where it eventually tapered off into apathy. I also went through a 10 year drought with the Astros that was capped off with a scorched earth rebuild that saw us lose over 400 games over a 4 year span . Neither hurt nearly as much this 13 year drought of misery.... This team can burn. f*** you Terry.

The Bills' drought was at least entertaining and they put a generally competitive product on the field with the exception of 2-3 of those seasons.

These Sabres have just been a bottom feeder. Each version of the team I seem to hate more than the previous one

 

[TehDoak]

He tried hiring a guy with no experience except in Terry's fandom. It wasn't the only time he was sold a bill of goods by someone - has happened a lot with the Bills pre-McDermott too. And since that didn't work, he now won't hire someone to be president.

The Lafontaine/Pegula/Murray dynamic should have been a bigger warning about franchise dysfunction than it was. Rumors aside, I think what was established is that Murray went to ownership directly about trading Miller while Lafontaine wanted to re-sign him. The team president and team owner not being on the same page about direction of the franchise, in hind sight, showed the what kind of systemic problems we were going to have with the Pegulas.

I really wish we had a Brandon Beane equivalent in hockey. Someone qualified the Pegulas trust to run the team with autonomy.

I think its important to remember that, Terry specifically, is a fan first. So when we aren't having a good time, he's not having a good time. And now that the Bills season is over, he's going to have nothing better to do than stick his nose in on the Sabres, for better or for worse.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I also will never understand the issue with not hiring an intermediary…

Everyone is upset at who he hires, but just magically believes the person he hires to make hires is going to be good?

That logic applies to the intermediary though. No matter what, Pegula is hiring someone to be a decision maker.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

Respect your opinion, Chain, but I disagree on this one. I don't see clear evidence that the reason the Sabres haven't had success is because of ownership, or that different ownership would immediately solve the problem. I don't want to argue about it though.

I haven't been around here as much since it became clear the season was another lost one, mostly for my own mental health. When I'm upset, I tend to get into unproductive arguments about things I see differently than others, and this is an example of that. I don't see the point of defending the Pegulas at this point, even though I don't think they are the problem personally. People are going to feel how they feel and that is fine.

I just hope everyone here is doing ok despite continued disappointment from seemingly all angles as Buffalo sports fans. I know the toll it takes on me every year. I just try to remind myself that all hope is not lost, even though it might feel like it.

 

[BloFan4Life]

This is not accurate. A non-controlling piece was floated to private equity investors. Without control, it went nowhere. The Pegs wish to hand this down to Terry’s daughter from his first marriage. That has been the plan. It does not appear to have changed at all.

Completely inaccurate. PSE was paying a retainer for over a year with a highly regarded merger and acquisition attorney with the sole intention of working with investment bankers to secure a buyer for 100% of the franchise. When that didn't work, they looked for a minority owner, with the intention of full control in the future. There wasn't a serious buyer and pretty much the only interest was from foreign investors. Since that point, PSE has dismantled and the Sabres are completely separate from it.

Since the Pegula's have taken on the Bills, the Sabres are an after thought. It is a constant money drain and none of the family wants to take on the responsbility. The daughter you speak of, is so heavily involved with the Bills and Stadium building, that she was never around the Sabres offices for years now.

 

[Chainshot]

Respect your opinion, Chain, but I disagree on this one. I don't see clear evidence that the reason the Sabres haven't had success is because of ownership, or that different ownership would immediately solve the problem. I don't want to argue about it though.

I haven't been around here as much since it became clear the season was another lost one, mostly for my own mental health. When I'm upset, I tend to get into unproductive arguments about things I see differently than others, and this is an example of that. I don't see the point of defending the Pegulas at this point, even though I don't think they are the problem personally. People are going to feel how they feel and that is fine.

I just hope everyone here is doing ok despite continued disappointment from seemingly all angles as Buffalo sports fans. I know the toll it takes on me every year. I just try to remind myself that all hope is not lost, even though it might feel like it.

Glad you're okay.

I don't know that things would be fixed. I do know that the fish rots from the head. The only constant in this timespan has been the owner.