So who really is Joe Battista and does he belong with the Sabres

[26CornerBlitz]

Well, that's just it, though. He's not just a fan of the team. He's the third-ranking person in the team's hockey department.

 

 

 

Yeah, yeah.

 

The story would not have rubbed me the wrong way if we hadn't had our hockey guy leave town under uncertain circumstances. Maybe this sort of stuff is totally benign. I hope so.

 

But here's the thing that I come around to: Does TM view all of those guys as part of the Sabres' future look on defense? (Ruhwedel?! Jesus.) Some of them? None of them?

 

Who the hell knows? No one outside of TM and his staff. And I am sure TM likes it that way.

 

So, what's the 3rd-ranking guy in the hockey department who knows dip squat about hockey doing spouting off about it?

 

JoeBa: Shut. Your. Yap.

 

Our "hockey guys" are still here in the persons of Murray, Patrick, and Devine. Much ado about nothing IMO.

[PASabreFan]

No. He's a Pegula buddy with a fancy title, he simply must be up to no good.

 

It's just tea-reading, which can be interesting and productive. We're getting little pieces of the Battista puzzle. He snaps a pic of Vinz and says he "signed" him. He's telling Nolan about the impending trade. He's running over to tell Vinz to get ready. He's tweeting about the future of the defense.

 

From the organ music to the jerseys to front office to the team, it's amateur hour over there.

[SabresBillsFan]

I'm hoping Ruwehdal gets no where near the ice on the future Sabres.

 

I agree. I don't dislike the guy but I believe we can upgrade his spot

[PASabreFan]

The danger here is that Battista, who reportedly has also claimed to be vice president of hockey operations, is getting out front of his general manager. Anything he tweets can be reasonably picked up by sportswriters in other cities. I imagine Ruhwedel's agent also took notice.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

"Vice-President of Hockey Related Businesses".

 

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=36588

 

What the heck does that mean?

[That Aud Smell]

Sounds to me like he's just pumping tires. What all corporate types do when discussing their product.

 

Maybe so. (Or, in the case of TB, flushing them down the toilet. (That's over in the prospects thread.))

 

Our "hockey guys" are still here in the persons of Murray, Patrick, and Devine. Much ado about nothing IMO.

 

Not unfair. But you know of whom I speak.

 

From the organ music to the jerseys to front office to the team, it's amateur hour over there.

 

Here's the concern. It's not unfounded.

 

The hope is that a guy like JoeBa will do nothing to interfere with, or even attempt to interfere with, the work of TM, CP, and Devine.

 

"Vice-President of Hockey Related Businesses".

 

http://sabres.nhl.co...ge.htm?id=36588

 

What the heck does that mean?

 

HarborCenter?

[Jsixspd]

Sounds to me like he's just pumping tires. What all corporate types do when discussing their product.

 

But the thing with this guy - during the LaFontaine departure, listening to national level broadcasts, the commentators seemed genuinely puzzled by the guy's title and his role on the team. They had no idea, from their perspective of analyzing other team front offices, exactly why such a position existed, where it didn't anywhere else.

 

And he seems to be interjected in things, quite a bit. He should have never discussed any of those issues - that should be the GM's job/decision. That sort of thing can cause major controversy behind the scenes, especially if it's viewed as straying into Tim Murray's responsibilities.

 

So what is his actual job? Why is he on the team, other than Terry doling out a big paycheck and benes to a Penn State frat boy buddy?

Edited March 17, 2014 by Jsixspd

[TrueBlueGED]

But the thing with this guy - during the LaFontaine departure, listening to national level broadcasts, the commentators seemed genuinely puzzled by the guy's title and his role on the team. They had no idea, from their perspective of analyzing other team front offices, exactly why such a position existed, where it didn't anywhere else.

 

And he seems to be interjected in things, quite a bit. He should have never discussed any of those issues - that should be the GM's job/decision. That sort of thing can cause major controversy behind the scenes, especially if it's viewed as straying into Tim Murray's responsibilities.

 

So what is his actual job? Why is he on the team, other than Terry doling out a big paycheck and benes to a Penn State frat boy buddy?

 

Is his twitter name JoeBa or is that a joke? I sure hope he doesn't consider himself some sort of JoePa.

 

I think you're confusing commentators' questions about LaFontaine's role for questions about Battista's role.

[qwksndmonster]

A Sabres employee told the fans to just watch the young guys and think about the future? Well gee, thanks.

[K-9]

I think you're confusing commentators' questions about LaFontaine's role for questions about Battista's role.

 

I agree. I also think PLF's role was an undefined layer between the GM's side, which includes ALL hockey operations, and Pegula. TP, in his quest to get PLF on his staff any way he could was a bit hasty in creating an entirely new position without thinking about the hierarchy repercussions. PLF was walking minefields the whole time. I can see why he snapped. Perfectly understandable.

 

As to Battista, I'm curious as to how people around here would see his "meddling" be manifested. What would have to occur before they were convinced Battista somehow "meddled?"

 

GO SABRES!!!

[That Aud Smell]

A Sabres employee told the fans to just watch the young guys and think about the future? Well gee, thanks.

 

I'm all for debate, but let's be fair in how we frame the issue: JoeBa is not really a "Sabres employee" (and all that that connotes), he's the third-ranking member of the hockey department, has an ill-defined title, and has no hockey credentials to speak of. And he didn't merely encourage fans to watch the young guys and think about the future; instead, he was commenting on the "future look" of the Sabres D-corps and was naming names as he did it.

 

The more I think of it, the more his inclusion of a 7th d-man (at best) like Ruhwedel (and impliedly pairing him with Risto (?)) was what irked me.

 

Plus, I read that tweet within 8 hours of hearing that story about how TB was at a STH event talking about potentially flushing Grigorenko down the toilet.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Those two are really competing for the title of Sabres class clown.

[SwampD]

It's just tea-reading, which can be interesting and productive. We're getting little pieces of the Battista puzzle. He snaps a pic of Vinz and says he "signed" him. He's telling Nolan about the impending trade. He's running over to tell Vinz to get ready. He's tweeting about the future of the defense.

 

From the organ music to the jerseys to front office to the team, it's amateur hour over there.

Not that I don't enjoy a good pitchfork and torch session, but isn't it a good thing that he's doing these things and not involved in actual hockey matters? Also, it leaves TM to do the real hockey stuff.

[Claude_Verret]

When/if the Sabres finally win a playoff series again nobody will care who any of TP's cronies are or what they do.

[That Aud Smell]

When/if the Sabres finally win a playoff series again nobody will care who any of TP's cronies are or what they do.

 

That's what worries me.

[qwksndmonster]

I'm all for debate, but let's be fair in how we frame the issue: JoeBa is not really a "Sabres employee" (and all that that connotes), he's the third-ranking member of the hockey department, has an ill-defined title, and has no hockey credentials to speak of. And he didn't merely encourage fans to watch the young guys and think about the future; instead, he was commenting on the "future look" of the Sabres D-corps and was naming names as he did it.

 

The more I think of it, the more his inclusion of a 7th d-man (at best) like Ruhwedel (and impliedly pairing him with Risto (?)) was what irked me.

 

Plus, I read that tweet within 8 hours of hearing that story about how TB was at a STH event talking about potentially flushing Grigorenko down the toilet.

When I read what JoeBa said, it just sounded to me like somebody trying to get the fans focused on the future, or maybe even simpler, him getting excited himself. He named all of our bets defensive prospects, and Ruhwedel because he was actually on the team last night. Him saying that it was the "future-look" Sabres doesn't read to me as somebody asserting their important hockey opinion.

[shrader]

How on earth does this lead to this much discussion?

[TrueBlueGED]

How on earth does this lead to this much discussion?

 

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?type=lea#&navid=nav-stn-league

[Weave]

How on earth does this lead to this much discussion?

 

Have you seen the team on the ice?

[shrader]

 

 

Have you seen the team on the ice?

 

I've also seen the people having the discussion and they'd be doing it regardless of the teams record.

[Two or less]

That's what worries me.

 

Boston fans were saying the same thing about Jeremy Jacobs about 10 years ago. It kinda worked out for them just fine.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

 

Boston fans were saying the same thing about Jeremy Jacobs about 10 years ago. It kinda worked out for them just fine.

 

Islander fans were saying the same thing about Charles Wang 10 years ago. It kinda worked out f.....oh....nevermind.......

Edited March 17, 2014 by Ghost of Dwight Drane

[I am Defecting]

 

 

Boston fans were saying the same thing about Jeremy Jacobs about 10 years ago. It kinda worked out for them just fine.

Following the NHL lockout, about ten years ago, Jeremy Jacobs' team, the Boston Bruins, finished with 74 points, tied for 5th worst record in the NHL. Things looked bleak, but the Bruins kept trying to win. The following year, they finished with 76 points, seventh worst in the NHL, which was slight improvement, but still, a major disappointment, so the Bruins kept trying to win.

 

The next year, 07/08, Jacobs fired Harry Sinden, and hired Bruins legend Cam Neely as Vice President of the team. They kept trying to win, and made the playoffs that year with 94 points. The next two years they made it to the conference semi-finals, and Neely was promoted to President of the Boston Bruins, not Hockey Operations, or Hockey Related Business, but the Entire Organization, because trying to win was of sole importance to Jacobs. The following season, the Boston Bruins, won the Stanley Cup. It took Neely four seasons.

 

Way back in the day, in 1975, under Jacobs' new ownership, the Bruins experienced immediate success, finishing first in the Adams division for 4 consecutive seasons. Under Jacobs' ownership they had appeared in 4 Stanley Cup Finals, but never won it all with Jacobs, prior to Neely's arrival.

 

If we are comparing owners, Terry Pegula inherited a team that finished first in the Northeast division with 100pts the year before he bought the team. The following year, while the Bruins were winning the Cup, the Sabres regressed to 96 points. Having failed to capture any top free-agents talk turned to drafting well. The following year, the Sabres regressed further to 89 pts, and talk turned to rebuilding. The following year, the Pegula's Sabres finished with 48 points in 48 games, and there was talk of intentionally tanking. This season, the Sabres are on pace for 55 points, and 23 wins, among the worst totals in franchise history. We already expect next season to be worse.

 

Intersting factoid: Cam Neely won the Bill Masterson trophy in 1994, and won the Stanley Cup as Bruins team President in 2011. Mario Lemieux won the Masterson trophy in 1993, and won the Stanley Cup as co-owner of the Penguins in 2009. Pat LaFontaine won the Masterson trophy in 1995, and I've never heard of Joey Battista, but he sure as hell ain't Patty Lafontaine.

[PASabreFan]

Following the NHL lockout, about ten years ago, Jeremy Jacobs' team, the Boston Bruins, finished with 74 points, tied for 5th worst record in the NHL. Things looked bleak, but the Bruins kept trying to win. The following year, they finished with 76 points, seventh worst in the NHL, which was slight improvement, but still, a major disappointment, so the Bruins kept trying to win.

 

The next year, 07/08, Jacobs fired Harry Sinden, and hired Bruins legend Cam Neely as Vice President of the team. They kept trying to win, and made the playoffs that year with 94 points. The next two years they made it to the conference semi-finals, and Neely was promoted to President of the Boston Bruins, not Hockey Operations, or Hockey Related Business, but the Entire Organization, because trying to win was of sole importance to Jacobs. The following season, the Boston Bruins, won the Stanley Cup. It took Neely four seasons.

 

Way back in the day, in 1975, under Jacobs' new ownership, the Bruins experienced immediate success, finishing first in the Adams division for 4 consecutive seasons. Under Jacobs' ownership they had appeared in 4 Stanley Cup Finals, but never won it all with Jacobs, prior to Neely's arrival.

 

If we are comparing owners, Terry Pegula inherited a team that finished first in the Northeast division with 100pts the year before he bought the team. The following year, while the Bruins were winning the Cup, the Sabres regressed to 96 points. Having failed to capture any top free-agents talk turned to drafting well. The following year, the Sabres regressed further to 89 pts, and talk turned to rebuilding. The following year, the Pegula's Sabres finished with 48 points in 48 games, and there was talk of intentionally tanking. This season, the Sabres are on pace for 55 points, and 23 wins, among the worst totals in franchise history. We already expect next season to be worse.

 

Intersting factoid: Cam Neely won the Bill Masterson trophy in 1994, and won the Stanley Cup as Bruins team President in 2011. Mario Lemieux won the Masterson trophy in 1993, and won the Stanley Cup as co-owner of the Penguins in 2009. Pat LaFontaine won the Masterson trophy in 1995, and I've never heard of Joey Battista, but he sure as hell ain't Patty Lafontaine.

 

You just won SabreSpace. Well done.

[That Aud Smell]

How on earth does this lead to this much discussion?

 

How on earth can people fail to see this as worthy of discussion?

 

I've never heard of Joey Battista, but he sure as hell ain't Patty Lafontaine.

 

Good post. I'm still not sure there's something afoot here, but I fear that there is.