Hoss Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 I agree that this was a pretty tough blow to take. Landing Babcock over Detroit and Toronto would've been a big coup and shown we're officially ready to show off what we got through the years of brutal hockey. It would've been a big get and great leverage for any free agents/trade candidates, but it didn't work out. We move on and get the best candidate we see fit. I am pulling for Luke Richardson or Dan Bylsma (even though I have my reservations about him having lived near Pittsburgh while he was the coach). Maybe we've got darkhorse-type candidates in mind with this. Maybe Murray has a bigger personal relationship with some college and junior coaches considering his years of experience scouting their players. Winning trumps all. We'll need to make our statement on the ice this year and going forward. Doubtful that our coach will have the appeal to players immediately like Babcock would have, but the world isn't over yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Daddy Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 But we thought GMTM and Babs were BFF's. What happened there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 I agree that this was a pretty tough blow to take. Landing Babcock over Detroit and Toronto would've been a big coup and shown we're officially ready to show off what we got through the years of brutal hockey. It would've been a big get and great leverage for any free agents/trade candidates, but it didn't work out. Well said. This accounts for about half of my disappointment. The other half is that I think Babcock is a helluva coach, and I really wanted to see him teaching the puck-possession game to this group of Sabres. Oh well. Everyone gets knocked down. It's how you respond that shows your character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 At least the Sabres won't have to give the Wings that third round pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 At least the Sabres won't have to give the Wings that third round pick. No, we will be. For Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 But we thought GMTM and Babs were BFF's. What happened there? No one came close to saying that trolly mcgee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabres Fan in NS Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Well said. This accounts for about half of my disappointment. The other half is that I think Babcock is a helluva coach, and I really wanted to see him teaching the puck-possession game to this group of Sabres. Oh well. Everyone gets knocked down. It's how you respond that shows your character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 ZFG, meet ZFG. Get yer big boy pants on. Sure. I'd RFA all their crappy players even if I thought they sucked. And I'd sign every goon I could to run whatever they will pass as talent next season. these guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Louis Jean @LouisJean_TVA Sources indicate the #MapleLeafs were in talks w/ Guy Boucher this am to make him next head coach. In the meantime, Babcock contacted Leafs. Louis Jean @LouisJean_TVA A #Leafs executive left the meeting w/ Boucher. Worked out a deal w/ Babcock. Boucher came close to becomming head coach. A matter of hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Louis Jean @LouisJean_TVA Sources indicate the #MapleLeafs were in talks w/ Guy Boucher this am to make him next head coach. In the meantime, Babcock contacted Leafs. Louis Jean @LouisJean_TVA A #Leafs executive left the meeting w/ Boucher. Worked out a deal w/ Babcock. Boucher came close to becomming head coach. A matter of hours. This is so intriguing. Would love to know the timeline of it all. Sabres thought they had a deal. Babcock contacts Leafs. Leafs are caught by surprise? What in the world happened overnight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 This is so intriguing. Would love to know the timeline of it all. Sabres thought they had a deal. Babcock contacts Leafs. Leafs are caught by surprise? What in the world happened overnight? It couldn't possibly be they were used as leverage but rather they screwed something up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastPommerFan Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 I just want to cuddle you into my man bosoms right now...... No... They hire Bylsma....and I am getting season tickets. Anyone else and no-go....but the bet would be on if you want. I think the Sabres are poised for a giant springboard improvement under the right conditions. I'm on board with Disco Dan. If we hire him, I'll send you my seat numbers and you can get a seat next to us. Happens to us often when we try to hire someone. Sometimes we get the hire, and sometimes we don't. Sometimes it comes down to money, and sometimes it comes down to something else. It really is just business. If you had a prospect accept an offer verbally, only to find out the day they were supposed to sign that they took an offer elsewhere, you'd judge that person as shady. At least I would, I know I would because it's happened to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewookie1 Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Something tells me Babcock wanted Toronto all along and decided last moment to reach out to the Leafs even while he'd given Buffalo brass no reason to think he wasn't coming here. Then he comes back this morning with another offer from Toronto and Buffalo merely flips him off, business version, and tells him to go to hell. Playing teams against one another is business, what it seems he did is rather shady and underhanded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matter2003 Posted May 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Well, you are right about the taxes -- although the difference is, distressingly, increasingly marginal -- but that quote indicates that Toronto's offer was better than the Sabres' offer -- which bolsters the theory that if the $$ was roughly equivalent, Babcock was inclined towards Toronto. Not when you factor in cost of living it isn't. I'm on board with Disco Dan. If we hire him, I'll send you my seat numbers and you can get a seat next to us. If you had a prospect accept an offer verbally, only to find out the day they were supposed to sign that they took an offer elsewhere, you'd judge that person as shady. At least I would, I know I would because it's happened to me. Yeah I'd lean on the shady side... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumblefish Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 last time I knew, it not a deal till pen hits paper, sad but true money talked and Babs walked, it's not the first time a verbal deal has fell thru and it's not the last, such is the way of the world, a man word in this day and age is always secondary to a signed contract, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Louis Jean @LouisJean_TVA Sources indicate the #MapleLeafs were in talks w/ Guy Boucher this am to make him next head coach. In the meantime, Babcock contacted Leafs. Louis Jean @LouisJean_TVA A #Leafs executive left the meeting w/ Boucher. Worked out a deal w/ Babcock. Boucher came close to becomming head coach. A matter of hours. Isn't that how the Jim Kelly deal went down in 1984? He was all set to sign with the Bills and at the last minute went to the USFL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 True but, using "being played" as motivation or revenge is often part of business too. It will be interesting to see what TPegs might have in store for the leaves because of this perceived slight. Revenge and gotcha is certainly part of politics... Great point. That's part of business too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Isn't that how the Jim Kelly deal went down in 1984? He was all set to sign with the Bills and at the last minute went to the USFL Yeap. Stupid secretary interrupted the meeting. Or maybe it's smart secretary. The USFL might have been the best thing to happen to the Bills and Jim Kelly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Beyond what he might have said — OK, guys, sounds good, I'll let you know for sure tomorrow — what could he have done that would be so wrong? Take the Sabres' deal to the Leafs? That seems like standard operating procedure in a negotiation. I'm getting hung up on the wording. How could a deal have been "in place"? It is. But if what the Sabres have said is true and they thought Babcock had agreed to their deal (to the point of setting up a press conference to announce it if Tim Graham is to be believed), then it's anything but a standard procedure. It's the epitome of not negotiating in good faith and that's never standard procedure. GO SABRES!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Calling the Leafs after the Leafs thought they were out and the Sabres thought they were in tells me he didn't really want the Sabres anyway. Call me cliche, but if so him. A guy has to want to be here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I cannot facepalm enough. This happens all the time. In every industry. He played one offer against another. It happens. Move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotentPowerPlay22 Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Calling the Leafs after the Leafs thought they were out and the Sabres thought they were in tells me he didn't really want the Sabres anyway. Call me cliche, but if so ###### him. A guy has to want to be here. I think this is the key to the whole situation. The guy is a very good coach, but he never really wanted to be here. Period. He found Buffalo a useful tool to get more out of somebody else. The Sabres need a head coach who will put his heart and soul into the team and the region. This could be a blessing in disguise. A head coach or a player who doesn't really want to play somewhere is better off getting out or never coming! It is a business. Pegula has made billions and do you think he has done that without casualties? Don't be so naive. Babcock showed smart business sense, but it was at the Sabres expense; particularly the Pegulas and Murray. The Sabres got the short end of the stick for sure, but maybe it wasn't the worst thing that could happen. The Sabres-Leafs rivalry has always been hot and now it is even hotter. Every Ali needs a Frazier. Rivals will bring the best entertainment. The Sabres have reason to be optimistic. This is no time to panic. I hope GMTM hires a coach with solid NHL credentials and not an unproven AHL coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Daddy Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 No one came close to saying that trolly mcgee New coach thread posts #10, 33, 43, 74 (then I stopped looking) . It was a legitimate question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 True but, using "being played" as motivation or revenge is often part of business too. It will be interesting to see what TPegs might have in store for the leaves because of this perceived slight. Revenge and gotcha is certainly part of politics... Not exactly revenge, but how about paying Disco Dan one dollar more than what Babdick got? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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