No press conference

[dudacek]

The Buffalo News has filed its annual Sabres aren't accountable column:

http://www.buffalonews.com/columns/mike-harrington/many-questions-but-sabres-wont-answer-20150427

 

Have at it about your thoughts on the lack of a season-ending press conference if you wish.

 

But I'm more interested in the media/sports dynamic here:

For years the News has felt the sort of entitlement reflected in this column.

For years sports teams have tolerated the media because they needed the coverage.

Have we come to the point where organizations can snub traditional outlets like the News and not suffer any consequences?

 

 

[LastPommerFan]

Interesting proposition. 

 

Have Facebook and Twitter rendered traditional sports media like the news moot?

 

WGR, MSG, NBCSports, these outlets provide an income stream to the sabres. The News provides nothing more than exposure, and if the organization decides that exposure to be net negative, why would they do anything to foster the relationship?

[bcsaberks]

Man. 

 

"And most important, they are the only team to not provide information to their fans about their plans moving forward. This is minor-league stuff all the way."

 

GMTM has been exceptionally accessible and candid from my view.  They'd prefer Darcy saying nothing at a podium, rolling cliche after cliche?  OK then, I guess that's major league, doing the dance.   

 

I think the answer is yes, they can snub the old-timey print outlet.  It certainly works for me, canceled the D&C (Roc) years ago.

[PromoTheRobot]

BN is just doing it for the fans. ...:lol:

[mphs mike]

I read the article as simply another scream by the print media from its deathbed.

I love newspapers - but I will see the end of them in my lifetime, and I'm in my mid fifties!  

[SwampD]

I have always thought those EOY pressers to be really stupid. I don't care one bit that they are not having one.

 

Sorry, Mike.

[X. Benedict]

Dear Sabres,

 

Please have a Mike Harrington conference.

His stuff has become whiney and tiresome

And he needs help differentiating himself from the rest of the internet

Before the world begins thinking it doesn't need him.

[tom webster]

I have always thought those EOY pressers to be really stupid. I don't care one bit that they are not having one.

 

Sorry, Mike.

I agree. If I thought they would be one hundred percent open and truthful with their answers, I would want to have some of his questions answered but its not like they are going to say we didn't want O'Connor because he sucks or he wanted nothing to do with us because we suck.....

[respk]

I don't care whether the Sabres have a press conference or not.  I've heard Murray and Black on WGR and other outlets all season.  As I remember the last couple of press conferences where TBN attended their questions weren't to get information.  The intent of their questions seemed to be to somehow embarrass the Sabres at all costs.  The reporters from TBN almost seemed like they were very contemptuous of the Sabres.  There are reporters that can ask a question, no matter how probing or difficult for the organization to answer, and get a semblance of an answer.  The TBN reporters don't seem to be able to do that.  Those exchanges quickly degenerate into verbal badgering by the TBN. No need to hold that mess again. 

[Eleven]

Wow.  I expected this thread to be full of bitching about the lack of presser.  Am I ever pleasantly surprised!  I'm in agreement with most of the above.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I agree the fans do not care about / need any more press conferences.

 

We want to be able to watch good hockey.  Not hear more lame excuses as to why we aren't able to.

[darksabre]

Definitely could not care less.

[Doohickie]

Entitled whining and nothing more.  Moving on....

[LGR4GM]

Well I think I am a Sabres Fan and I have a pretty good idea of what their offseason plans are.  

 

The players will be evaluated and placed into the appropriate league.

 

He will hire the best coach he thinks is available.  

 

The plan for next year is to get better.

 

Pretty sure he answered most of these questions.

[Kelly the Dog]

If it's an intentional snub I am all for it, although it's probably an intentional snub because the Snews has become unbearable and unreadable with all of Gleason's and Harrington's incessant whining.

 

It reminds me of a scene from Fargo where Steve Buschemi was like the third weirdest guy in the car at one time. When Sully is the third most optimist writer on the staff covering the team, you know you're in trouble.

[Taro T]

Poor Mike, now to get answers to these questions, he'll need to

 

a. get a 1 on 1 w/ Tim Murray;

b. dig around and find sources close to Murray, gain their trust, and speak w/ them; or

c. sit on his butt, stew petulantly, and wait 1 week - 6 months for answers to his questions.

 

Gee, I wonder which of those options he'll choose? <_<

[Sabel79]

If the Sabres were to someday win the Cup, I'm fairly certian all of the children flinging toys out of strollers charged with covering the team for the Buffalo News would immediately be filing reports chastizing the team for winning in 6 instead of 5, or that the players were reckless with the champaigne in the dressing room and someone got wet.  Not that I'm holding my breath, but still... 

 

I just read the BN coverage of the team when i need a laugh.  I have a hard time imagining anyone with a brain taking them seriously.  Hoppe is a setp up, and I'm well aware of his history here...

[Eleven]

Poor Mike, now to get answers to these questions, he'll need to

 

a. get a 1 on 1 w/ Tim Murray;

b. dig around and find sources close to Murray, gain their trust, and speak w/ them; or

c. sit on his butt, stew petulantly, and wait 1 week - 6 months for answers to his questions.

 

Gee, I wonder which of those options he'll choose? <_<

 

My first thought was, "why don't you just interview him on your own?"  Especially since he'll get to ask all of his questions that way.  The team may have instructed Murray not to give an interview.  Still, Harrington's been around long enough to have sources, right?

 

I generally don't have a problem with either Harrington or Graham.  I don't read Gleason or Sully anymore, so I don't know if I'd have a problem with them or not.  They lost me long ago.

 

But in general, these press conferences are a waste of time, filled with canned answers.  

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Murray is TOO honest. Pegula has changed the leadership group and is willing to spend money. His mistakes may have set the team back 3 or 4 years, but there is no longer a weasel in the actual hockey decision department.

 

This is the first year in the past 8 that there is no need to have one. They should bury this toxic cat turd as deep in the sandbox as possible and hope things work out in July.

[Huckleberry]

Not much you can see during an end of year press conference after a year like this.  

Only thing you can do is pull out the old bag of clichés again, and that is not TM's style.

[PASabreFan]

I guess they don't need the local "media" anymore, unless it's their flagship station or something. They can bring in national media people — a former Buffalo guy is a nice touch — give them access and get puff pieces in return. It's Showtime!

 

I don't care that much about the end of season presser. It does show arrogance, which, as Mike points out, is totally unjustified. It is a slight stick in the eye to the fanbase, a lot of whom don't live on social media to receive the team's message that way. But whatever. I will argue we need Mike, because he's one of the few to speak truth to power. Lest we forget, it was his annoying prodding that got Tom Golisano to admit in public that the only directive he gave to Larry and Darcy was to break even.

 

I always find it quite intriguing that, just like a family, family members can trash the family, but God forbid if someone outside the circle does. Then, rally round the flag. This is a historically bad hockey franchise with a public relations approach that has been consistently ham-handed, and that's being kind. It deserves all the criticism and probing it gets from The Buffalo News. And, honestly, it doesn't deserve all the free positive publicity and attention it gets from them. The team is treated with kid gloves all in all. As Mike has said, how would the Sabres front office handle being in Toronto, Montreal, New York, Philly, Boston...

[Tom Backyard]

Murray met with the media at the draft lottery. Answered plenty of end of the year-type questions. That's enough.

[sabills]

Like 95% of sports interviews, I really believe I could go up to the podium and give at least as satisfying and accurate/truthful answers as any they would have gotten from a Murray Press Conference. And I like Murray. I just think most of these things are boring and predictable.

[That Aud Smell]

Dear Sabres,

 

Please have a Mike Harrington conference.

His stuff has become whiney and tiresome

And he needs help differentiating himself from the rest of the internet

Before the world begins thinking it doesn't need him.

 

I feel like what Harrington really needs is a solid punch in the neck.

 

Well I think I am a Sabres Fan and I have a pretty good idea of what their offseason plans are.  

 

The players will be evaluated and placed into the appropriate league.

 

He will hire the best coach he thinks is available.  

 

The plan for next year is to get better.

 

Pretty sure he answered most of these questions.

 

Yep.

 

Poor Mike, now to get answers to these questions, he'll need to

 

a. get a 1 on 1 w/ Tim Murray;

b. dig around and find sources close to Murray, gain their trust, and speak w/ them; or

c. sit on his butt, stew petulantly, and wait 1 week - 6 months for answers to his questions.

 

Gee, I wonder which of those options he'll choose? <_<

 

As Eleven notes, he''' never get "a". He's evidently too lazy and/or incompetent and/or detestable to get "b". But "c", that is just right for Mike. It gives him more time to fap to his favorite baseball nostalgia.

 

Harrington's been around long enough to have sources, right?

 

I don't think Harrington has any sources, no.

 

 

I generally don't have a problem with either Harrington or Graham.    

 

I've probably beat the dead horse into a pulp on this, but I can't stand either of those muhfuggers.

 

I still have to read Graham from time to time because he does have sources and is, I hate to have to admit it, a good writer. Graham did a recent feature -- I can't recall about what or whom -- and I remember thinking "DAMMIT, that was a good piece." But following him on the Twitter put me off of him personally. He really (really) comes off as a smug prick on that platform; one who's never had to answer for why he (*ahem*) chose to leave ESPN to come back to Buffalo.

 

As for Harrington, he's a different sort of a smug prick than Graham, but he has neither the sources nor the writing chops to redeem himself. He's a pud with a chin that started disappearing into his neck in his 30s and who's left to pushing this sort of drivel:

 

"The Sabres don’t want to look back. Fair enough. There’s no reason to belabor the embarrassingly blatant tank that will linger over this franchise forever, regardless of the results it may spawn."

 

I mean -- dear God.

I will argue we need Mike, because he's one of the few to speak truth to power. Lest we forget, it was his annoying prodding that got Tom Golisano to admit in public that the only directive he gave to Larry and Darcy was to break even.

 

I'm all for a local media type that does that. I don't think Harrington does much of that, and, when he does try to do so, he has so little credibility and acumen that I just want to kick him in the teeth (that is, when I do actually read his material (which I do when I feel like being angered)).

 

But I want to give credit where it's due: Did he get that out of OSP? Tip of the hat to Harrington, if so.

[MattPie]

Sabres PR flak: Hi, I'd like to welcome the assembled media to the BUFFFFFFF-A-LOOOOOOOOHHHH SAAAAY-bers end of year press conference. Here's Tim Murray.

TM: First question.

 

Mike Harrington: How happy are you with the result of this season?

 

TM: Well, I would have liked to win the lottery, I hate losing anything. But all in all the team didn't perform as well I thought they would when I made moves last off-season,

 

MH: Why do you hate Jack Eichel? He the best US-born prospect in a decade!

 

TM: I don't hate Jack Eichel, I just hate losing anything. If we do pick Jack Eichel in the draft, he will be a great player for the Sabres and add a much-needed piece to our line-up.

 

MH: "If" you pick Eichel? How many assets are you going to throw at Edmonton to get McDavid? Do you realize how far the team will be set back due to your crush?

 

TM: I'll certainly have a conversation with EDM about the #1 pick but I will only make that trade if I think it makes the team better in the long-run.

 

MH: Why do you hate the season ticket holders? They spend their hard-earned cash on tickets and you haven't done enough to make the team a play-off contender next year.

 

TM: I think the Season Ticket holders will be happy when I set this team up for a long-stretch of playoff appearances.

 

MH: Getting back to the team's performance this year: did you plan on screwing Ted Nolan at the outset or do you consider it a happy accident that you could finish in last place for the lottery AND destroy a treasured icon in Buffalo sports history?

 

TM: Does anyone else have questions?

 

MH: No, answer my questions! The people, the fans, we all deserve it! I am their appointed to get answers! They love me!

Edited April 28, 2015 by MattPie