No press conference

[SwampD]

In my 20+ years of living in the tri-state area, I can't remember ever seeing or hearing an EOY presser for either the Devils, Islanders or Rangers, or hearing or reading about anything said in them, or hearing or reading people complain about what was or wasn't said in any of them,… if they even had them.

 

I just don't know what more could have been said that wasn't already. The Sabres don't owe me (or Mike) anything.

[shrader]

The rest of the funkin league, for time immemorial. See "You suck, Pens, you only won the Cup cuz you tanked for Crosby and Malkin and Staal and Fleury."

 

Jebus.

 

This post just goes to show that people as a whole won't remember the tanking at the end of the day.  The Penguins didn't tank to get any of those guys.  They tanked to get Lemieux... who you did not mention at all.

In my 20+ years of living in the tri-state area, I can't remember ever seeing or hearing an EOY presser for either the Devils, Islanders or Rangers, or hearing or reading about anything said in them, or hearing or reading people complain about what was or wasn't said in any of them,… if they even had them.

 

I just don't know what more could have been said that wasn't already. The Sabres don't owe me (or Mike) anything.

 

Thank you.  I really haven't noticed that the year end press conference is the universal approach either.  But anyway, after a year like this one, isn't the press conference announcing the firing of the coach exactly that?

[qwksndmonster]

Expand your mind, dude. Others disagree with you.

How can Liger expand that which is already infinite?  Millennial power.

[MBHockey13]

The rest of the funkin league, for time immemorial. See "You suck, Pens, you only won the Cup cuz you tanked for Crosby and Malkin and Staal and Fleury."

 

Jebus.

Expand your mind, dude. Others disagree with you.

 

So, walk away. It's time. You'll never be happy and anything the Sabres do from here on out with be forever tainted (in your mind, and mostly only your mind, despite your claims) by their selling off of assets they weren't winning with to get assets to build for the future. You can't enjoy any future Sabres successes, and you're too wrapped up in what you perceive the "rest of the league" thinks. In fact, to you, winning the Stanley Cup would be the ultimate insult to those who hate the Pegulas and their plan for success.

 

So, just walk away. It's over for you.

[X. Benedict]

Sports is entertainment - it really doesn't require a political level of scrutiny as if it were a public trust. 

 

But what I do wonder is why the NEWS hasn't transitioned to more things like this: 

 

http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-buffalo-sabres-1.267947

 

It seems Scott Cullen did some pretty good work without the now familiar complaints that the team isn't helping reporters write their stories. Cover the league. Cover how other teams rebuilt. Cover the available free agents. Cover the available coaches. Ask McClellan directly  if he is interested in the Buffalo job. . 

 

It seems plain to me that without the season ending league-wide many of the bigger questions don't have answers yet. 

The obvious answer is the team needs to get better at every position. That can be done in a statement without a presser. 

[SwampD]

Sports is entertainment - it really doesn't require a political level of scrutiny as if it were a public trust. 

 

But what I do wonder is why the NEWS hasn't transitioned to more things like this: 

 

http://www.tsn.ca/off-season-game-plan-buffalo-sabres-1.267947

 

It seems Scott Cullen did some pretty good work without the now familiar complaints that the team isn't helping reporters write their stories. Cover the league. Cover how other teams rebuilt. Cover the available free agents. Cover the available coaches. Ask McClellan directly  if he is interested in the Buffalo job. . 

 

It seems plain to me that without the season ending league-wide many of the bigger questions don't have answers yet. 

The obvious answer is the team needs to get better at every position. That can be done in a statement without a presser. 

Good post.

[qwksndmonster]

So, walk away. It's time. You'll never be happy and anything the Sabres do from here on out with be forever tainted (in your mind, and mostly only your mind, despite your claims) by their selling off of assets they weren't winning with to get assets to build for the future. You can't enjoy any future Sabres successes, and you're too wrapped up in what you perceive the "rest of the league" thinks. In fact, to you, winning the Stanley Cup would be the ultimate insult to those who hate the Pegulas and their plan for success.

 

So, just walk away. It's over for you.

I'll grant that PA's pot stirring doesn't ring with truth this morning, but don't you ever tell him to walk away.  He was denouncing the Sabres brass while you were still in swaddling clothes.

[That Aud Smell]

Sports is entertainment - it really doesn't require a political level of scrutiny as if it were a public trust. 

 

 

Really good stuff - especially that right there.

 

So, walk away. It's time. You'll never be happy and anything the Sabres do from here on out with be forever tainted (in your mind, and mostly only your mind, despite your claims) by their selling off of assets they weren't winning with to get assets to build for the future. You can't enjoy any future Sabres successes, and you're too wrapped up in what you perceive the "rest of the league" thinks. In fact, to you, winning the Stanley Cup would be the ultimate insult to those who hate the Pegulas and their plan for success.

 

So, just walk away. It's over for you.

 

I understand your feeling this way about what PA is typing, but I am willing to bet dollars to Freddie's Donuts that the-game's-on-and-the-Sabres-are-competitive-PA is a far cry from message board PA.

 

Is it time for someone to unearth that vignette that PA wrote some time ago -- has there been more than one? The one about Lindy being an old man gives me chills just thinking about it.

 

I will clash swords with PA all day long (hell, even cross streams if given a chance), but I don't doubt his love for the team. Even if he might.

 

I'll grant that PA's pot stirring doesn't ring with truth this morning, but don't you ever tell him to walk away.  He was denouncing the Sabres brass while you were still in swaddling clothes.

 

Ha - love it.

[MBHockey13]

I'll grant that PA's pot stirring doesn't ring with truth this morning, but don't you ever tell him to walk away.  He was denouncing the Sabres brass while you were still in swaddling clothes.

 

I just don't see a scenario where the guy will be happy. He doesn't like how they decided to turn their team around, and he feels the rest of the league will view a Sabres Cup win as tainted. Other than the Pegulas selling the team and the Sabres begging the NHL to punish them for their sins by taking away their first round picks, what other scenario would make it OK for the Sabres to succeed scandal-free?

 

And I was playing ice hockey back in the day when you would go to Sabreland for a 6 AM practice for the Wheatfield Blades, and then wait around after to watch the Sabres practice themselves, and then hope guys like Lindy Ruff and Don Edwards and Danny Gare would talk to you after their practice and give you their old Sher-Wood wooden stick. Which they often did.

 

I actually used to sit in the Kenmore Library 8mm viewing booth and have them run the silent movie of the Sabres - Flyers Stanley Cup Final over and over. I was only 4 when that took place so I wanted to soak as much of it in as I could.

Edited April 29, 2015 by MBHockey13

[Doohickie]

If I'm going to battle a wordsmith - then I'm going to point out this isn't right either. Ruff and Regier didn't find the ditch post Pegula acqusition.

 

If you want to say Pegula tried to drive OUT of the ditch and failed... maybe even got stuck worse - then fine. That would be certainly more accurate than implying a team that had a tired coach/GM/core was flying down the highway listening to the Beach Boys and Terry missed the curve and ruined the party.

 

OMG, can't y'all just leave a metaphor alone without analyzing it to death?

[shrader]

I just don't see a scenario where the guy will be happy. He doesn't like how they decided to turn their team around, and he feels the rest of the league will view a Sabres Cup win as tainted. Other than the Pegulas selling the team and the Sabres begging the NHL to punish them for their sins by taking away their first round picks, what other scenario would make it OK for the Sabres to succeed scandal-free?

 

And I was playing ice hockey back in the day when you would go to Sabreland for a 6 AM practice for the Wheatfield Blades, and then wait around after to watch the Sabres practice themselves, and then hope guys like Lindy Ruff and Don Edwards and Danny Gare would talk to you after their practice and give you their old Sher-Wood wooden stick. Which they often did.

 

I actually used to sit in the Kenmore Library 8mm viewing booth and have them run the silent movie of the Sabres - Flyers Stanley Cup Final over and over. I was only 4 when that took place so I wanted to soak as much of it in as I could.

 

I'll clue you in on something.   We have a running joke where PA is incredibly old.  I'm pretty sure he built Stonehenge.

[X. Benedict]

I just don't see a scenario where the guy will be happy. He doesn't like how they decided to turn their team around, and he feels the rest of the league will view a Sabres Cup win as tainted. Other than the Pegulas selling the team and the Sabres begging the NHL to punish them for their sins by taking away their first round picks, what other scenario would make it OK for the Sabres to succeed scandal-free?

 

And I was playing ice hockey back in the day when you would go to Sabreland for a 6 AM practice for the Wheatfield Blades, and then wait around after to watch the Sabres practice themselves, and then hope guys like Lindy Ruff and Don Edwards and Danny Gare would talk to you after their practice and give you their old Sher-Wood wooden stick. Which they often did.

 

I actually used to sit in the Kenmore Library 8mm viewing booth and have them run the silent movie of the Sabres - Flyers Stanley Cup Final over and over. I was only 4 when that took place so I wanted to soak as much of it in as I could.

If the Sabres were Kate Upton. PA would be the one telling us that Kate hasn't been on the Sports Illustrated cover 5 out of the last 7 years. That her best pictures have been photo-shopped, and that her advertisements for Game of War are a major distraction to her modelling career, and that her looks won't last, and that........

 

In many ways he would be right. 

[Doohickie]

Ha - love it.

 

I still swaddle occasionally.  Do you have any idea how expensive the clothes are for that, for someone my size?

[woods-racer]

OMG, can't y'all just leave a metaphor alone without analyzing it to death?

No.

 

I'm partial to ditches, and never tire  of a good ditch metaphor.

 

:nana:

Edited April 29, 2015 by Woods-Racer

[shrader]

If the Sabres were Kate Upton. PA would be the one telling us that Kate hasn't been on the Sports Illustrated cover 5 out of the last 7 years. That her best pictures have been photo-shopped, and that her advertisements for Game of War are a major distraction to her modelling career, and that her looks won't last, and that........

 

In many ways he would be right. 

 

I'm pretty sure PA will go with a Betty Page reference instead.

[LGR4GM]

The rest of the funkin league, for time immemorial. See "You suck, Pens, you only won the Cup cuz you tanked for Crosby and Malkin and Staal and Fleury."

 

Jebus.

Expand your mind, dude. Others disagree with you.

People can disagree with me!? Holy s#!t when did this happen? 

Twitter is an excellent source of information if you know who to follow and you try and find at least 2 trustworthy sources for something.  

[3putt]

Buffalo News sports = Tabloid. The Sabres could win the Stanley Cup and they'd still write something negative to boost/maintain ratings. I couldn't tell you the last time I read one of their articles. 

I disagree.  The moment the Sabres win a championship, they will flip to " I knew it all along" articles.  Stuff like, " while it was deserved at the time, I just knew that they would accomplish this, at this time blah blah." It is the lack of true character to give solid insight and opinion without having to resort to hyperbole and antagonism to generate interest.  Kelly, Felser, Carucci were all good reads and while I didn't always agree, I would read to get perspective.  Now you know the story, if any, before you read the headline.  If the team is not perfect, bitch until it is or the next shiny penny drops.

[That Aud Smell]

This one.

 

http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/3508-lindy-at-103/?do=findComment&comment=24462

[woods-racer]

People can disagree with me!? Holy s#!t when did this happen? 

Twitter is an excellent source of information if you know who to follow and you try and find at least 2 trustworthy sources for something.  

 

Twitter in essence is someone putting random thoughts out into cyberspace for others to read.

 

If two people on the entire face of the earth have the same random thought and post it on twitter, it now becomes fact and  a good source of information ?

 

Believe it or not, I have some doubts about this.

[pastajoe]

GMTM is very open about his views and plans. In fact he's my favorite sports interview because it's so refreshing to not hear the usual cliches. A press conference at this point would only be for the reporters to badger the management about the Tank that a majority of fans understood if not supported. We know the plan, now let's move forward.

[WildCard]

He learned his lesson, but this was HIS 5TH YEAR as owner. If you want to call it his 4th, fine, but then he gets no credit for the playoffs in 2011.

 

He is doing the EXACT same gameplan with the Bills that he started with the Sabres, minus a new coach....and who knows if the coach would have been the same if he didn't opt out.

They are extending every possible contract and throwing giant upfront money at guys. McCoy was a trade, and Clay and Harvin are by consensus overpaid but there were limited options on the market. (Sounding familiar?) Whaley has already told fans to take a vacation next free agency because they will be spending any available money on extending HIS draft picks to giant cash outlays. (Sounding Familiar?)

 

They have a 2-3 year window to actually get the job done, because there is going to be a lot of dead and underperforming money on the books in a few years. God forbid the Bills miss the playoffs this year....it can be the exact same path as the Sabres. At least they have a defense worth investing in, but the QB and O-line is still subpar. They have admitted they are trying the Dilfer/Sanchez plan to grit it out into January. That's a tad scary.

Been staring at this for a day now and I'm willing to concede, I have nothing that points to what he's doing with the Bills right now is anyhow dissimilar to what he first did with the Sabres. I have more hope for the Bills for reasons I won't post in this thread, but the similarity to both inaugural seasons as an owner are uncomfortably similar 

Edited April 29, 2015 by WildCard

[nfreeman]

My 2 cents:

 

- I would've liked an end-of-season presser.  I generally find them informative.  There's also potential entertainment factor due to a possible Harrington temper tantrum.

 

- I don't think it's a major sin not to have one though -- and certainly not to the point where a column like that one was justified. 

 

- If that's what Harrington is spending his time on, it just makes more apparent TBN's overall mediocrity and lack of sources, insight, decent analysis and even general knowledge.

[LGR4GM]

Twitter in essence is someone putting random thoughts out into cyberspace for others to read.

 

If two people on the entire face of the earth have the same random thought and post it on twitter, it now becomes fact and  a good source of information ?

 

Believe it or not, I have some doubts about this.

If Bob McKenzie and Mike Harrington both tweet that the Sabres have traded the 21st overall pick that is a good source of information.  Twitter allows you customize who's tweets you see. So you can follow individual reporters or places like TSN, NBCSN, WGR550, etc... and see things in almost real time.  

 

I feel good in what I read and report back on, on twitter.  Occasionally it is inaccurate but so is your traditional news. The thing with twitter is I am allowed to select my own filter bubble by who I follow.  Right now I follow about 100 ppl.   50 of those are hockey news people or things like NHL and NHLPA. 

[qwksndmonster]

Been staring at this for a day now and I'm willing to concede, I have nothing that points to what he's doing with the Bills right now is anyhow dissimilar to what he first did with the Sabres. I have more hope for the Bills for reasons I won't post in this thread, but the similarity to both inaugural seasons as an owner are uncomfortable similar 

Football and hockey are different beasts.  The Bills'll be fine because: Rex Ryan.  Nothing of the sort occured when TP took over the Sabres, just status quo + Ville and Ehrhoff.

[SwampD]

Twitter sucks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:devil: