The Next Coach of the Buffalo Sabres

[SwampD]

Thanks. I needed a new signature.

If nothing else good comes of today, it was a success.

 

 

This whole thing reads like the worst rap battle in history.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Eleven]

This Tweet has disappeared.

 

So has the employee.

 

And WTF happened in here last night?  

[SwampD]

He posts and then disappears for 6 months.  How is that any different from being banned?

 

But anyway, I don't blame the guy.  When someone has been insulting you for years in a very public manner, most can only take so much?  Professional?  No, but I still can't blame anyone for snapping.  I for one don't know why a sports discussion has to constantly turn to shredding the people who cover them.  Whether it's ESPN hate, WGR hate, or Buffalo News hate, it gets stale really fast, yet it winds up being one of if not the most frequent topics here or any other board.  These guys get paid to write about sports, they're not exactly at the peak of society's pecking order.  Why do we care about them so much as to mention them constantly?  I don't need to see a bunch of letters on a screen or a paper to change one bit of what goes through my mind when watching a game.

I don't get the hate either. I also haven't seen Ghost call Wawrow out (or really even mention his name) in years, except when these exchanges occur. I don't know why his panties are in a bunch. Maybe they duke it out over at TBD.

[CallawaySabres]

I

Want

Babs....that is all

[nfreeman]

I love when Warrow drunk-dials GoDD for his six month booty call.

The next time someone complains about us chasing off a reporter "who could have actual information about the team," please remember John Wawrow and the steaming turds he drops here every 6 months. Those posts were like a bad E.E. Cummings acid trip.

 

Thanks for all the inside info. They really raised the level of the discussion.

 

If it were any other poster, he would have been banned, or at least warned.

He posts and then disappears for 6 months.  How is that any different from being banned?

 

But anyway, I don't blame the guy.  When someone has been insulting you for years in a very public manner, most can only take so much?  Professional?  No, but I still can't blame anyone for snapping.  I for one don't know why a sports discussion has to constantly turn to shredding the people who cover them.  Whether it's ESPN hate, WGR hate, or Buffalo News hate, it gets stale really fast, yet it winds up being one of if not the most frequent topics here or any other board.  These guys get paid to write about sports, they're not exactly at the peak of society's pecking order.  Why do we care about them so much as to mention them constantly?  I don't need to see a bunch of letters on a screen or a paper to change one bit of what goes through my mind when watching a game.

I don't get the hate either. I also haven't seen Ghost call Wawrow out (or really even mention his name) in years, except when these exchanges occur. I don't know why his panties are in a bunch. Maybe they duke it out over at TBD.

 

My 2 cents:

 

- That was indeed pretty weird.

 

- I haven't seen Wawrow singled out for criticism.  The print media covering the Sabres has indeed been criticized quite a bit (often by me) -- and IMHO it's been well deserved -- but although the TBN writers have often been named, I don't recall Wawrow being specifically criticized.

 

- In any case Wawrow's posts last night certainly didn't build a strong case for respecting his judgment or his writing.  Coming onto a message board for the first time in months, in the middle of the night, to troll someone?  Weak sauce.

 

JW -- to be clear:  I'd guess most of us here would be very happy to have you here more often and have real dialogue with you on the Sabres.  I certainly would.  But in a public forum there are always going to be a few people who say the wrong thing.  The way you respond when this happen is of course up to you, but if you stick around you might find some good hockey talk and some good ideas for articles and for questions to ask your sources.

[LGR4GM]

The f##k happened in here?

[PASabreFan]

I

Want

Babs....that is all

Babs is the Mrs. I will not allow Mike to co-opt my fantasy name for his wife.

So has the employee.

 

And WTF happened in here last night?  

You're kidding about the employee? He's a sales associate and a (relative) kid. I hope he got told to delete the Tweet and that's it. A fireable offense?

[Eleven]

Babs is the Mrs. I will not allow Mike to co-opt my fantasy name for his wife.

You're kidding about the employee? He's a sales associate and a (relative) kid. I hope he got told to delete the Tweet and that's it. A fireable offense?

 

I'm sure Battista took care of him, if you know what I mean.

[That Aud Smell]

- In any case Wawrow's posts last night certainly didn't build a strong case for respecting his judgment or his writing.  Coming onto a message board for the first time in months, in the middle of the night, to troll someone?  Weak sauce.

 

Extraordinarily weak. JW is, in fact, a very good writer (sometimes great (no small thing when you work on deadlines and have to generate content with frequency)), and he does seem to have some sources (was that one of GoDD's calling cards -- to link JW to LQ? (and is that why JW can't quit Ghost?)). 

 

So, it sounds like JW falls in the Hoppe camp. Or maybe that's the other way around. That is: Beat guys who aren't annoying/condescending/full of their own horse feathers on the Twitter, who can write well (JW > BH, imo), who are serious about their craft, but who, for some reason (that I think is rooted in taking themselves a bit too seriously), can't deal with the vagaries of a message board environment.

[PASabreFan]

Extraordinarily weak. JW is, in fact, a very good writer (sometimes great (no small thing when you work on deadlines and have to generate content with frequency)), and he does seem to have some sources (was that one of GoDD's calling cards -- to link JW to LQ? (and is that why JW can't quit Ghost?)). 

 

So, it sounds like JW falls in the Hoppe camp. Or maybe that's the other way around. That is: Beat guys who aren't annoying/condescending/full of their own horse feathers on the Twitter, who can write well (JW > BH, imo), who are serious about their craft, but who, for some reason (that I think is rooted in taking themselves a bit too seriously), can't deal with the vagaries of a message board environment.

Interesting autocorrect.

[shrader]

Extraordinarily weak. JW is, in fact, a very good writer (sometimes great (no small thing when you work on deadlines and have to generate content with frequency)), and he does seem to have some sources (was that one of GoDD's calling cards -- to link JW to LQ? (and is that why JW can't quit Ghost?)). 

 

So, it sounds like JW falls in the Hoppe camp. Or maybe that's the other way around. That is: Beat guys who aren't annoying/condescending/full of their own horse feathers on the Twitter, who can write well (JW > BH, imo), who are serious about their craft, but who, for some reason (that I think is rooted in taking themselves a bit too seriously), can't deal with the vagaries of a message board environment.

 

The bolded point above, I think there's a bit of that, but also a lot of people around here also take themselves and the message board environment itself too seriously.  To me, this is a place where people come to shoot the spit and talk about the game a bit.  It's not a place to make a name for yourself as an investigatory journalist, no matter how many friends you lose or people you leave dead and bloodied along the way, just so long so you can make a name for yourself as an investigatory journalist, no matter how many friends you lose or people you leave dead and bloodied and dying along the way.

 

I just wish we could go back to talking about hockey instead of it always becoming about the posters themselves.

[DeleteThisAccount]

Dear Mr. Wawrow,

 

I do not make my living as a REPORTER for a NATIONAL PRESS ASSOCIATION who has a FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILTY to the PUBLIC to REPORT THE FACTS OF PRESSING MATTERS TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY!!!

 

So sorry for not responding so quickly.

 

 

 

 

Since you called me out.......here is an offer......

 

 

 

 

I challenge you to a live, 2 person press conference. It needs to be on WGR, or if you have a better idea, I am willing to listen. I want Ted Black available for questioning, and if you want to try and work something out with Gibby, he can come too.

 

You can ask me the first 5 questions. Anything you want. Have I ever been employed by the Sabres? Is my uncle Pat LaFontaine? Whatever you want.

 

We will then go into a 10 question segment with Mr. Black and anyone else if they show up.

 

You get the first question.......then we alternate.

 

At the end I get to ask you 1 question.

 

 

 

You say I have a bully pulpit. I post on a public message board for zero compensation. Let's see if you are willing to have an honest assesment of skills....even when I concede to going on a media outlet which makes almost all of it's revenue off of the owner of the Sabres.

 

 

Whadda say?

 

If you don't have the sources and power to pull that off, then please pass it on to your sources within the organization.......I would be willing to have an hour long, live Q+A with any of the top executives.....Ted Black, Terry Pegula, Tim Murray, Cliff Benson.........

 

Me and Timmy would probably just swap stories of free cashews and jujus, but the offer still stands.

 

it "needs" to be on WGR?

you're utterly delusional to think that's gonna fly. please.

since we're employing our imaginations, why not up the ante and ride into the press conference on flying pink elephants, with cheerleaders in our laps.

why should i care if you've ever been employed by the sabres, or who your uncle is.

 

all i know, is you've been liberally calling out my reputation on this board for years, with plenty of hot gumption and no substance.

 

i call you out, and this is what you come back with. it took you an hour or so to cobble this out? silly ideas and ellipses. geez, you can barely form a complete sentence.

 

how disappointing as i thought you might have been clever.

 

shameful.

 

jw

[MBHockey13]

I have a feeling Murray was never interested in getting input from Nolan about player moves. But I'm sure if Babcock was here it would be a completely different story. I don't think their relationship and how much input Babcock has in the process would be an issue.

[DeleteThisAccount]

Isn't there a crew that cleans up the board in the wee hours?

It's another nice day, but we still have the fog of war. Can anyone definitely nail down what the travel stuff was all about last night? Terry and Mike flew to Detroit, and then what?

 

I'm revisiting the employee tweet. What kind of employee is there on Sunday on Mother's Day and has access to what is going on? Was the tweet unauthorized? Or part of a "get the fans riled up" campaign? And get the media out to the arena and to the airport. Wawrow can boast about having a source, and it's surely someone at the very top — let's call him Shallow Throat — but I wouldn't wait for the Pulitzer call. Again, it seems like a matter of the Sabres wanting the Babcock is here story out there.

 

All that, plus the fact this was one of Babcock's first visits with teams, if not the first, makes me think, again, he's not coming here. Dog and pony show? As Hoppe speculates, maybe a way for Babcock to leverage a Pegula offer? And the Sabres can say, hey, we tried, what can ya do, only one team wins the Cup and only one team can get Babcock. When was the last time the New England Patriots signed Mike Babcock.

What is the source for all this?

 

trust me, the Sabres did not want this out.

 

this isn't leverage either on Babcock's behalf. he is testing the waters placing a priority on:

-- a team's readiness to win.

-- comfort level with ownership and management.

 

jw

[LastPommerFan]

I still get uncomfortable when people don't understand how the internet works.

[PASabreFan]

I still get uncomfortable when people don't understand how the internet works.

It's powered by people. The Internet is PEOPLE!

[LGR4GM]

[Taro T]

trust me, the Sabres did not want this out.

 

this isn't leverage either on Babcock's behalf. he is testing the waters placing a priority on:

-- a team's readiness to win.

-- comfort level with ownership and management.

 

jw

John, any gut feel as to whether this process drags out to the Wings' deadline or gets resolved closer to the end of the WC's?

 

Thanks.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Taro T

[K-9]

Andrew Peters just threw out Tampa Bay as a dark horse team if they don't make the finals. Hmm.

 

GO SABRES!!!

Edited May 11, 2015 by K-9

[DeleteThisAccount]

John, any gut feel as to whether this process drags out to the Wings' deadline or gets resolved closer to the end of the WC's?

 

Thanks.

 

It'll be a couple of weeks. I expect end of May at the latest.

There's enough interest and enough time for Babcock to determine his options, and what's best.

The Red Wings also want an answer soonish, so they can also move forward with our without Mike.

 

jw

[Taro T]

It'll be a couple of weeks. I expect end of May at the latest.

There's enough interest and enough time for Babcock to determine his options, and what's best.

The Red Wings also want an answer soonish, so they can also move forward with our without Mike.

 

jw

Cool. Thanks.

[Eleven]

I still get uncomfortable when people don't understand how the internet works.

 

I get uncomfortable when people don't understand what a fiduciary duty is.

it "needs" to be on WGR?

you're utterly delusional to think that's gonna fly. please.

since we're employing our imaginations, why not up the ante and ride into the press conference on flying pink elephants, with cheerleaders in our laps.

why should i care if you've ever been employed by the sabres, or who your uncle is.

 

all i know, is you've been liberally calling out my reputation on this board for years, with plenty of hot gumption and no substance.

 

i call you out, and this is what you come back with. it took you an hour or so to cobble this out? silly ideas and ellipses. geez, you can barely form a complete sentence.

 

how disappointing as i thought you might have been clever.

 

shameful.

 

jw

 

How about ESPN instead of WGR?

[That Aud Smell]

I get uncomfortable when people don't understand what a fiduciary duty is.

 

Oy vey.

 

This calls to mind X's remark (linked below) that the Sabres aren't some sort of public trust.

 

http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/23339-no-press-conference/?p=687155

 

Fiduciaries are far and few between.

[CallawaySabres]

I get uncomfortable when people don't understand what a fiduciary duty is.

 

How about ESPN instead of WGR?

 

You said Duty

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

it "needs" to be on WGR?

you're utterly delusional to think that's gonna fly. please.

since we're employing our imaginations, why not up the ante and ride into the press conference on flying pink elephants, with cheerleaders in our laps.

why should i care if you've ever been employed by the sabres, or who your uncle is.

 

all i know, is you've been liberally calling out my reputation on this board for years, with plenty of hot gumption and no substance.

 

i call you out, and this is what you come back with. it took you an hour or so to cobble this out? silly ideas and ellipses. geez, you can barely form a complete sentence.

 

how disappointing as i thought you might have been clever.

 

shameful.

 

jw

 

#1) "Or if you have a better idea.....let me know"

 

So let me get this straight........you claim that I have been calling out your reputation on this board for years.......yet, I only see a handful of posts from yourself, most of which are attacking me.

 

Now, I'm not fond of potentially calling you out further, but why would a lead reporter who makes tens of thousands of dollars a year for an international press agency be so familiar with the happenings of an open source of information and opinion such as this message board, about an organization he covers, yet not partake in active conversation on it himself? It seems a little off to me. I mean....MAN!!!....You're the AP sports writer for a major American city!!! You have sources.....and writing skills of the highest level. I mean....you just told me that last night!!! I have to respect that, right? What could any "schlep", as you call posters here, possibly have to offer to such a successful professional as yourself, who is at the highest possible level, that you are able to be so certain in your accusations over a period of years of reading this message board?

 

Hmmmmnnnnn...........

Oy vey.

 

This calls to mind X's remark (linked below) that the Sabres aren't some sort of public trust.

 

http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/23339-no-press-conference/?p=687155

 

Fiduciaries are far and few between.

 

It's always fun to see an international sports writer claim to have been consuming an information source for years, then imply for a fan to go F##k Themself, and when said fan reminds what the job of a reporter consists of, semantics get argued over the metaphorical rebuttal.....

 

At least Wawrow hasn't told me to meet what he'd do to me if he got me alone in an alley yet.........