Sabres looking for Senior Advisor for Adams and Hockey Department

[Thorny]

38 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

I think it could be What Could KA Even Have Done? ...but that's not funny enough.

Who Called KA an Earnest Howdy Doody? Winds Created by KA's Extra-strength Hair Dryer? Wins Cannot! KA EEE Hath Decreed!

Great, kid!

Don't get cocky

[SwampD]

Not just spelling it out is annoying.

[Thorny]

5 minutes ago, SwampD said:

Not just spelling it out is annoying.

[SwampD]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

..!..

[...]

6 hours ago, Indabuff said:

I never knew there was a Nintendo version of Spelunker. I used to play that game on my Atari 800 XL.

[Pimlach]

Spelunker?   You guys talk about some stuff I never heard of or did.   

Most of you guys played video games, the seniors here had Monopoly, Stratego, and Battleship.  Then on to poker, the race track .... 

[That Aud Smell]

3 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Who Called KA an Earnest Howdy Doody? Winds Created by KA's Extra-strength Hair Dryer? Wins Cannot! KA EEE Hath Decreed!

lol - that’s a good one. definitely a slack jawed Howdy Doody mufugger.

I generally go with “Opie.”

[jahnyc]

Stratego and Risk are the best.

[Taro T]

Not sure that Lamiorello (if he were to come here) is the right guy for the PoHO.  But bringing someone in of his stature does do one thing for the organization.

It gives the team (and more specifically ownership) the greenlight to make wholesale changes.  A refrain we keep hearing is that Adams still has a job because of 2 reasons: 1 Pegula likes and trusts him; but also because 2. Pegula has a reputation for being too quick to fire people and then make significant course corrections from there.

Well, if Lou were the one to say "wtf are you doing with this guy as the GM, and wtf are you doing with Forton as the Associate GM, and wtf is Nightengale doing here, ...; then it isn't "Pegula is off making changes willy nilly again" it's Pegula is listening to a HoF executive (if Lou isn't in the HoF as a builder, he certainly will be when he finally retires and becomes eligible) and finally heeding good advice.

THAT's the biggest thing that ANY potential PoHO or Senior Advisor or whatever you want to call it brings to the or-gan-eye-zay-shun.  Regardless of whether he technically reports to Adams or Pegula; don't think for a moment a guy like that would be afraid of going around Adams any more than Adams was afraid to go around Botterill.

So, though Lou isn't my 1st choice, would love to see him come in because he brings credibility to the team.  If not today, then by mid-season or next off-season at the latest.  Because either that blind squirrel finally finds his nut and Lou doesn't HAVE to say punt anybody (though he still mght),  or the blind squirrel fails once again to land the nut and Lou is there to help ownership make the "no brainer" decision.

Either way - victory.  (Small as it may be; and personally will take a small W now and hope it's the beginning of a streak.)

[JohnC]

18 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Not sure that Lamiorello (if he were to come here) is the right guy for the PoHO.  But bringing someone in of his stature does do one thing for the organization.

It gives the team (and more specifically ownership) the greenlight to make wholesale changes.  A refrain we keep hearing is that Adams still has a job because of 2 reasons: 1 Pegula likes and trusts him; but also because 2. Pegula has a reputation for being too quick to fire people and then make significant course corrections from there.

Well, if Lou were the one to say "wtf are you doing with this guy as the GM, and wtf are you doing with Forton as the Associate GM, and wtf is Nightengale doing here, ...; then it isn't "Pegula is off making changes willy nilly again" it's Pegula is listening to a HoF executive (if Lou isn't in the HoF as a builder, he certainly will be when he finally retires and becomes eligible) and finally heeding good advice.

THAT's the biggest thing that ANY potential PoHO or Senior Advisor or whatever you want to call it brings to the or-gan-eye-zay-shun.  Regardless of whether he technically reports to Adams or Pegula; don't think for a moment a guy like that would be afraid of going around Adams any more than Adams was afraid to go around Botterill.

So, though Lou isn't my 1st choice, would love to see him come in because he brings credibility to the team.  If not today, then by mid-season or next off-season at the latest.  Because either that blind squirrel finally finds his nut and Lou doesn't HAVE to say punt anybody (though he still mght),  or the blind squirrel fails once again to land the nut and Lou is there to help ownership make the "no brainer" decision.

Either way - victory.  (Small as it may be; and personally will take a small W now and hope it's the beginning of a streak.)

I don't see the bringing in of an older hockey front office man with an overall distinguished record but also someone who is way past his prime as a solution to anything. LL was dispatched by another organization because it was time for a change and fresh start. Terry Pegula seems to be insulated from how normal franchises run and resistant to outside advice as to how to get his franchise out of its generational rut. Why is that the case? Because it is the way this stubborn owner wants it to be. 

This clueless owner has the ability to seek advice from many accomplished sources (free of charge) as to why the franchise he presides over is stuck. You don't have to formally hire someone to get some basic advice such as when you hire an ill-equipped person to be your GM, it is likely that the outcome won't be good. And he doesn't need outside expertise to tell him that when he hires someone who wasn't prepared do the job and has not succeeded at the job in five years, then keeping him on the job would never be the solution to digging yourself out of this quagmire of failure. Common sense 101!

This franchise is a ridiculed franchise where players with no trade clauses usually have Buffalo at the top of their "not going there list". This is a franchise where many players not only didn't want to come here but where its own best players were aggressive in getting out. 

Until this obnoxiously stubborn owner decides to be receptive to common sense outside advice that is readily available to him, little will change. This billionaire with the big boat reminds me of the Washington Redskins/Commanders situation during the ownership of Dan Snyder. His interfering and ego driven style of management crippled that franchise for a generation. Once he left the scene with an enlightened owner taking over, the franchise quickly rebounded to NFL relevance again. That's what we have here under Pegula. We have an ownership problem. Until he changes the way he operates, the franchise will continue to fade into hockey oblivion. 

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I don't see the bringing in of an older hockey front office man with an overall distinguished record but also someone who is way past his prime as a solution to anything. LL was dispatched by another organization because it was time for a change and fresh start. Terry Pegula seems to be insulated from how normal franchises run and resistant to outside advice as to how to get his franchise out of its generational rut. Why is that the case? Because it is the way this stubborn owner wants it to be. 

This clueless owner has the ability to seek advice from many accomplished sources (free of charge) as to why the franchise he presides over is stuck. You don't have to formally hire someone to get some basic advice such as when you hire an ill-equipped person to be your GM, it is likely that the outcome won't be good. And he doesn't need outside expertise to tell him that when he hires someone who wasn't prepared do the job and has not succeeded at the job in five years, then keeping him on the job would never be the solution to digging yourself out of this quagmire of failure. Common sense 101!

This franchise is a ridiculed franchise where players with no trade clauses usually have Buffalo at the top of their "not going there list". This is a franchise where many players not only didn't want to come here but where its own best players were aggressive in getting out. 

Until this obnoxiously stubborn owner decides to be receptive to common sense outside advice that is readily available to him, little will change. This billionaire with the big boat reminds me of the Washington Redskins/Commanders situation during the ownership of Dan Snyder. His interfering and ego driven style of management crippled that franchise for a generation. Once he left the scene with an enlightened owner taking over, the franchise quickly rebounded to NFL relevance again. That's what we have here under Pegula. We have an ownership problem. Until he changes the way he operates, the franchise will continue to fade into hockey oblivion. 

So, seriously, you WOULDN'T see bringing in a guy like Lamiorello as an indication that Pegula is changing the way he operates?

How would that in any way be keeping to his modus operandi we've grown accustomed to since Craig Patrick and Pat Lafontaine left?

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

So, seriously, you WOULDN'T see bringing in a guy like Lamiorello as an indication that Pegula is changing the way he operates?

How would that in any way be keeping to his modus operandi we've grown accustomed to since Craig Patrick and Pat Lafontaine left?

Not really. What would be the first thing that LM would advise TP to do without even doing an extensive organizational examination? It would be to find another GM. What credible hockey person wouldn't say the same obvious thing. 

If the owner was going to bring in an outside overseer, then seek out a number of candidates and then select the best one. The owner went the closed route when selecting a new HC instead of opening up the position to a number of candidates. And in my opinion, that would be the best approach to take. (I'm not getting involved in the issue of how good Ruff is as a coach.) It's the limited and restrictive process that TP has used that has failed him. He's got to be less insular in how he manages the franchise.  

[Indabuff]

4 hours ago, ... said:

I never knew there was a Nintendo version of Spelunker. I used to play that game on my Atari 800 XL.

Yeah, not sure if I played it on Nintendo or Atari.  

[tom webster]

11 hours ago, JohnC said:

I don't see the bringing in of an older hockey front office man with an overall distinguished record but also someone who is way past his prime as a solution to anything. LL was dispatched by another organization because it was time for a change and fresh start. Terry Pegula seems to be insulated from how normal franchises run and resistant to outside advice as to how to get his franchise out of its generational rut. Why is that the case? Because it is the way this stubborn owner wants it to be. 

This clueless owner has the ability to seek advice from many accomplished sources (free of charge) as to why the franchise he presides over is stuck. You don't have to formally hire someone to get some basic advice such as when you hire an ill-equipped person to be your GM, it is likely that the outcome won't be good. And he doesn't need outside expertise to tell him that when he hires someone who wasn't prepared do the job and has not succeeded at the job in five years, then keeping him on the job would never be the solution to digging yourself out of this quagmire of failure. Common sense 101!

This franchise is a ridiculed franchise where players with no trade clauses usually have Buffalo at the top of their "not going there list". This is a franchise where many players not only didn't want to come here but where its own best players were aggressive in getting out. 

Until this obnoxiously stubborn owner decides to be receptive to common sense outside advice that is readily available to him, little will change. This billionaire with the big boat reminds me of the Washington Redskins/Commanders situation during the ownership of Dan Snyder. His interfering and ego driven style of management crippled that franchise for a generation. Once he left the scene with an enlightened owner taking over, the franchise quickly rebounded to NFL relevance again. That's what we have here under Pegula. We have an ownership problem. Until he changes the way he operates, the franchise will continue to fade into hockey oblivion. 

I’m sorry, TPEGS deserves a lot of criticism but comparing him to Dan Snyder is over the line. The only reason Snyder is not in jail is because he has enough money and influence to buy his way out. Snyder is a scum bag. Terry is by all accounts a decent human being who has made some big mistakes with his hockey team.

[Carmel Corn]

The longer this goes on, the more I think NOBODY is coming as the Senior advisor.  Pegula himself will assume the role (since he’s been already doing it).

[JohnC]

48 minutes ago, tom webster said:

I’m sorry, TPEGS deserves a lot of criticism but comparing him to Dan Snyder is over the line. The only reason Snyder is not in jail is because he has enough money and influence to buy his way out. Snyder is a scum bag. Terry is by all accounts a decent human being who has made some big mistakes with his hockey team.

It's not over the line. There are obvious similarities between them from an operational (not personal) sense. Terry Pegula as an owner is like Dan Snyder without the sleaze character. Both owners dominated their respective franchises in the manner in which each of them ran the organization. Both of these owners placed sycophants in critical positions whose most important attribute was a willingness to acquiesce to their whims. Both of these rich fellows had similar bad results on the field for an extended period of time and both of these misguided owners dramatically eroded their once rabid fanbase into oblivion. And oddly, both owned big boats. 

 

Edited 7 hours ago by JohnC

[Archie Lee]

22 hours ago, Pimlach said:

In 6 years Adams lack of boldness has got us what?   Nothing but misery.  

I am tired of his excuses, his minimal moves in the off season, and no success.  

Go out get the next Mogilny.  Trade Turgeon for LaFontaine.   Bring in Drury and Briere.  The Sabres had not done nearly enough bold hockey moves in 55 years.  Vegas has done more in 8 years.  Who has a Cup?  

You’re right. In reality, I would prefer Adams and Lou to just Adams. I just hate that Adams now gets to become his own reclamation project, and gets to hire his own Advisor and Assistant. If Adams were fired and Rob Blake hired and Blake announced that he was bringing in Lou as a Senior Advisor, because what Gm in his right mind would not want to learn whatever he can from Lou, I would be over the moon with excitement. With Adams, it is all just a lame-duck-in-over-his-head-GM clinging to the only job he is going to have in the NHL (unless Pegula keeps him on in some capacity). 

[Dr. Who]

9 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

You’re right. In reality, I would prefer Adams and Lou to just Adams. I just hate that Adams now gets to become his own reclamation project, and gets to hire his own Advisor and Assistant. If Adams were fired and Rob Blake hired and Blake announced that he was bringing in Lou as a Senior Advisor, because what Gm in his right mind would not want to learn whatever he can from Lou, I would be over the moon with excitement. With Adams, it is all just a lame-duck-in-over-his-head-GM clinging to the only job he is going to have in the NHL (unless Pegula keeps him on in some capacity). 

Someone could write a book about how not to run a sports' franchise based on the Pegula Sabres. It would be Russian novel level depressing, and too damn long.

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

Someone could write a book about how not to run a sports' franchise based on the Pegula Sabres. It would be Russian novel level depressing, and too damn long.

"It was the worst of times

It was the ... no it pretty much just sucked"

[JohnC]

20 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

Someone could write a book about how not to run a sports' franchise based on the Pegula Sabres. It would be Russian novel level depressing, and too damn long.

You can find the book at your local book store in the cooking section. The title would be: A Recipe for Failure. If not in that section it could be found in the handy man self-fix-it section under the title: Simple Rules On How to Break Things.

[dudacek]

Did the people who think Terry is checked out on the Sabres and just doesn't care beyond EEE see him in Rochester last night?

What only-in-it-for-the-money billionaire leaves his yacht and travels halfway across the country to Rochester to sit in a box with his employees to watch the prospects of the team he doesn't care about?

He's as checked in as any of us on Sabrespace and more than some.

 

[dudacek]

it was interesting that nearly all the braintrust was there together: Terry, Adams, Lindy, Ventura, Staal, Guelli, Appert, another guy I recognized as a member of the analytics department.

But no Karmanos, the guy who is actually most responsible for the team on the ice.

Maybe he was in the bathroom lineup?

Edited 5 hours ago by dudacek

[Mr Peabody]

10 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Did the people who think Terry is checked out on the Sabres and just doesn't care beyond EEE see him in Rochester last night?

What only-in-it-for-the-money billionaire leaves his yacht and travels halfway across the country to Rochester to sit in a box with his employees to watch the prospects of the team he doesn't care about?

He's as checked in as any of us on Sabrespace and more than some.

 

Might be a blessing the Amerks let in 5 goals in front of the brain trust.  

[thewookie1]

13 minutes ago, dudacek said:

it was interesting that nearly all the braintrust was there together: Terry, Adams, Lindy, Ventura, Staal, Guelli, Appert, another guy I recognized as a member of the analytics department.

But no Karmanos, the guy who is actually most responsible for the team on the ice.

Maybe he was in the bathroom lineup?

Lance said he was there

[DarthEbriate]

Good for them. They got to attend a playoff game.