The curse of bad ownership

[bottlecap]

The Red Sox's inability to win the World Series in 86 years was not the "Curse of the Bambino." It was the Yawky Curse. In about 100 years, the Red Sox had less than ten hall of famers. The Knoxes were good owners - in the AHL. When they joined the NHL, they were outclassed. Their first mistake was hiring Punch Imlach for this team. Maybe hiring Freddie the Fog would have resulted in a Cup in '74-5 or slightly beyond. The Knoxes were weak owners and were followed by "I'll give you the tools to get the job done" Rigas. We all know how that ended. Now there's Tom Y. Golisano who has pretty much disappeared after refusing to spend what it takes and is looking for a buyer.

 

The Sabres (and Bills) have been cursed with bad owners not willing to go the extra mile in a bad market. That's what the mediocrity and losing has been all about. Bad owners.

 

We need the villagers to get up their torches and throw the bum out and get him replaced with a guy with real class and a passion for the game and the city.

[PASabreFan]

The Red Sox's inability to win the World Series in 86 years was not the "Curse of the Bambino." It was the Yawky Curse. In about 100 years, the Red Sox had less than ten hall of famers. The Knoxes were good owners - in the AHL. When they joined the NHL, they were outclassed. Their first mistake was hiring Punch Imlach for this team. Maybe hiring Freddie the Fog would have resulted in a Cup in '74-5 or slightly beyond. The Knoxes were weak owners and were followed by "I'll give you the tools to get the job done" Rigas. We all know how that ended. Now there's Tom Y. Golisano who has pretty much disappeared after refusing to spend what it takes and is looking for a buyer.

 

The Sabres (and Bills) have been cursed with bad owners not willing to go the extra mile in a bad market. That's what the mediocrity and losing has been all about. Bad owners.

 

We need the villagers to get up their torches and throw the bum out and get him replaced with a guy with real class and a passion for the game and the city.

 

The Knoxes didn't own the Bisons.

 

I wouldn't say they were bad owners.

 

The decision to hire Imlach looked pretty good with the final tied at 2 games in '75. What happened after that is a mystery to me. Like Regier, Imlach might have fallen in love with his team. Or been handcuffed by ownership.

 

I think you give the Knoxes too rough a ride. They tried bringing a Cup to Buffalo by hiring winners like Imlach, Scotty Bowman and John Muckler. All three came pretty close. I think it's safe to say if the Knoxes still owned the team, neither Ruff nor Regier would still be around.

[tom webster]

The Knoxes didn't own the Bisons.

 

I wouldn't say they were bad owners.

 

The decision to hire Imlach looked pretty good with the final tied at 2 games in '75. What happened after that is a mystery to me. Like Regier, Imlach might have fallen in love with his team. Or been handcuffed by ownership.

 

I think you give the Knoxes too rough a ride. They tried bringing a Cup to Buffalo by hiring winners like Imlach, Scotty Bowman and John Muckler. All three came pretty close. I think it's safe to say if the Knoxes still owned the team, neither Ruff nor Regier would still be around.

 

 

Believe it or not, I agree with PA on this.

[dick]

I can't agree with you on this. Punch Imlach did a great job. Recall, that Imlach's time was before free agency. He was limited to the draft, trades, and his expansion picks. He consistently made correct moves, and made the Sabres a contender in short time. The team started in the early 70's and we were in the finals within a few years. Yes, he did not win a championship with the Sabres, but we always had good, competitive teams. Compare that with the Ralph Wilson nonsense of 50 years. Futhermore, Imlach always had good coaches, and was never outclassed, or outsmarted. We were lucky to have him.

[red]

I think that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a perfect example of this, too.

 

Hugh Culverhouse brought the Bucs into the NFL, and then meddled so much and kept them mediocre and a laughingstock of the league for years.

 

As soon as he passes away and ownership changed hands, within a couple of years the team is in the playoffs and then goes and wins the Super Bowl.

 

In Tampa's case, Culverhouse WAS the problem.

 

In regards to the Bills, I think the only thing going against Ralph currently is going cheap on the coaching staff for the past decade. If after this season, the Bills once again miss the playoffs (regardless of record), Jauron must go. But in his stead should not go an unproven- rather, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, Bill Cowher, or Jon Gruden should be the only names on the list and be given coaching AND GM duties (no offense Russ).

 

As far as the Sabres are concerned: I am starting to get the sinking feeling that Golisano/ Quinn are nickel-and-diming the roster in order to take home the big bucks and position the team to be sold at a profit in the next few years. The only thing, the ONLY thing, that could threaten such a plan would be the fan base, but they continue to pay for mediocrity at record levels so I don't see that happening.

 

I am starting to believe that TG and LQ are the NHL version of Culverhouse.

[bottlecap]

I stand corrected...about the Knoxes although I think Buffalo's problems always started with the owner and who they chose to manage the club. I don't know if the Aud or HSBC or Ralph Wilson Stadium were built on an Indian Burial Ground but there's got to be something about the owners always stopping short as a philosphy. Harold Ballard always said that Bflo is a nickel and dime organization that will never win the cup. Now Ballard was clearly insane but I think he got that one right. The no championships, with none on the horizon, is what bothers me the most.

[dick]

We have been unfortunate in the owner's of our teams. Indeed, the owners have taken advantage of the intense fan base in Buffalo. Wilson has milked this team for years. He has made millions off the Bills. He spend his time bitching about the lack of equity in the NFL revenue sharing policy. If he spent half that time seeking top football people, and paying them competitive salaries we would not be in this mess. Golisano won't spend what it takes to make the Sabres competitive. Nothing of the sort ever occurred with the Knoxs and Punch Imlach. Look at the moves the man made. In no time we were a good team. Those were the glory years.

[SwampD]

I really can't wait for the season to start. Even the Bills.

[nobody]

I really can't wait for the season to start. Even the Bills.

 

I concur!

[KK6666]

We need the villagers to get up their torches and throw the bum out and get him replaced with a guy with real class and a passion for the game and the city.

No the bums that need to be thrown out are the politicians and public worker unions that have ruined this economy and turned Buffalo into a small market economy.

 

As far as Golisano and Wilson are concerned they aren't exactly in a prime market.

There might come a time when fans wish they had an owner like Wilson or Golisano.

Consider the money that Wilson could make if he moved that team.

[wjag]

No the bums that need to be thrown out are the politicians and public worker unions that have ruined this economy and turned Buffalo into a small market economy.

 

As far as Golisano and Wilson are concerned they aren't exactly in a prime market.

There might come a time when fans wish they had an owner like Wilson or Golisano.

Consider the money that Wilson could make if he moved that team.

I think Ralph has done quite well by Buffalo. He bought the franchise for nickels... It's worth millions.

[KK6666]

I think Ralph has done quite well by Buffalo. He bought the franchise for nickels... It's worth millions.

Sure, it was a very good investment on his part.

And he stands to make a lot more if he moves the team, especially to a location like Toronto.

 

Yet for now he has passed up that profit and I would be comfortable saying that most people would not.

 

And so in his case I cannot for the life of me see how anyone could call the man greedy.

[Sabre Dance]

We have been unfortunate in the owner's of our teams. Indeed, the owners have taken advantage of the intense fan base in Buffalo. Wilson has milked this team for years. He has made millions off the Bills. He spend his time bitching about the lack of equity in the NFL revenue sharing policy. If he spent half that time seeking top football people, and paying them competitive salaries we would not be in this mess. Golisano won't spend what it takes to make the Sabres competitive. Nothing of the sort ever occurred with the Knoxs and Punch Imlach. Look at the moves the man made. In no time we were a good team. Those were the glory years.

 

Well, call it catching lightning in a bottle or pure luck, but there was that incredible run by the Bills back in the late '80's - early '90's that produced 4 AFC championship teams (Remember?). Polian and Levy were pretty much the best in the business and there was no lack of talent on the teams. Sure, they fell short of the big prize, but to appear in 4 straight Super Bowls is not likely to happen again anytime soon.

 

Don't forget, the Sabres had their moments, too. They lost in '75 to a slightly more talented (and definitely tougher) Flyers team. They overacheived in '99 and went toe-to-toe with a bigger and harder-hitting Stars team and still took them to six games (nearly seven if you count the triple overtime). And who know how things would have worked out if the team's defense were healthy against Carolina?

 

It is very true that for the past few years the Sabres' and Bills' performance has been sub-par. Maybe sub-sub-par. I think there needs to be a real shake-up in the front offices of both teams. (Perhaps Schonert's canning is a harbinger of things to come.) Time will tell - Wilson is 90 and (although it is not nice to say out loud), he may not be around for next season. By leaving the state, I think Tommy G. is signalling that to potential buyers that if they made him a decent offer for the Sabres, he'd accept. Who knows? By this time next year, both teams could have new owners, new GMs and new coaching staffs.

 

I will say that "maybe next year" is ringing a little hollow lately, though. 40 years waiting for a Stanley Cup or a Lombardi Trophy ....I'll be 53 in a few weeks and my patience is not what it used to be. :rolleyes: