Golisano, Quinn & Brandon enjoy dinner together

[klos63]

Anytime I hear his name I remember his conversation with Rene Robert.

 

Robert: "What's your background, Larry?"

 

Quinn: "I'm a land developer."

 

Robert: "Do you think I could do your job?"

 

Quinn: "No, I don't think you could."

 

Robert: "Then what makes you believe you're a hockey man?"

This means nothing, everyone who posts here thinks they can run a team, a draft, free agency, coach in games..... Edited May 4, 2014 by klos63

[TXBILLSFAN]

 

 

Good post. These anti Golisano posts are far out of touch with reality. Here was a guy who's purchase saved the Sabres. Now the Bills are looking for a savior and Golisano isn't the guy?

I think given other choices, most of us feel Pegula would have deeper pockets, like he is showing as owner of the Sabres. Jacobs has a more proven track record of success with the Bruins, than Golisano had with the Sabres, having won 1 Cup and losing one final. Having said all that, Golisano saved the Sabres and deserves credit for that, he wasn't, by appearances ever a big fan or visible fan and that gave off a vibe that he didn't care or wasn't "into it" --- in the end, I would welcome him as owner ahead of the others being mentioned, except Pegula and Jacobs.

 

My preference:

 

1- Jacobs

2- Pegula

3- Golisano

4- Trump

5- Milstein

 

 

[Born to Run]

I believe Brandon is looking to partner with a local ownership group. Golisano and Quinn to me appear serious. Say what you will about the on field product but to the Wilson family Russ is viewed as a caretaker of the franchise for Ralph as he aged and wasn't up to the day to day operations. He will be a part of any local ownership group and Mary Wilson will see to it. In my opinion the Toronto groups are out because while the Bills were looking for revenue and regionalization all Toronto wanted was the chance to move the team up there when Ralph passed. This notion the team is going to the highest bidder and that bid can't be generated locally is all speculation.It seems that there are plenty of bidders here that could compete with each other just to keep the team here. Quinn can use his creativity by designing a new shape for the league goalposts since the NHL passed on that while he was with the Sabres.

[Punch]

This means nothing, everyone who posts here thinks they can run a team, a draft, free agency, coach in games.....

 

Of course, you prove Rene Robert's point, and it means far from nothing. Quinn was as qualified to run a hockey team as the shlubs here--- but he didn't see it that way and felt the need to interfere. That's why the post lockout era Sabres fell apart and Golisano lost interest in owning a team that couldn't sustain popular appeal or postseason success.

[Kkspike]

Quinn did a great job designing the slug uniform.

[PromoTheRobot]

Quinn did a great job designing the slug uniform.

Laugh all you want but the "slug" was the top selling jersey for a while.

 

We should just accept that any future Bills owner will be less than perfect in some way. Our descriptions of the ideal owner are starting to read like dating profiles on Match.com.

[YoloinOhio]

I think given other choices, most of us feel Pegula would have deeper pockets, like he is showing as owner of the Sabres. Jacobs has a more proven track record of success with the Bruins, than Golisano had with the Sabres, having won 1 Cup and losing one final. Having said all that, Golisano saved the Sabres and deserves credit for that, he wasn't, by appearances ever a big fan or visible fan and that gave off a vibe that he didn't care or wasn't "into it" --- in the end, I would welcome him as owner ahead of the others being mentioned, except Pegula and Jacobs.

 

My preference:

 

1- Jacobs

2- Pegula

3- Golisano

4- Trump

5- Milstein

I don't have a ton of knowledge on this topic but given what I have read from other posters, it seems Jacobs and Pegula would also have the lineage to be able to pass ownership down within the family, so that we aren't in the same boat in 7-10 years when the team really CAN move. Edited May 4, 2014 by YoloinOhio

[Punch]

Laugh all you want but the "slug" was the top selling jersey for a while.

 

We should just accept that any future Bills owner will be less than perfect in some way. Our descriptions of the ideal owner are starting to read like dating profiles on Match.com.

 

This much is true. I am more concerned with Quinn's history of meddling and intractability than with Golisano as a principle owner. It's unsettling for him to rear his ugly head for a 3rd time and so soon after we'd rid of him in 2011.

[ALF]

Age might be a factor when considering estate tax in the future.

[Hail Flutie]

I'm reading the same news as everyone else today. Not being a hockey fan, I know nothing of these guys. It seems to me most people like Golisano, but not Quinn. Just curious to hear why that is. Why did Golisano sell the team?

 

I got the impression that most Sabres fans were excited for Pegula, which led me to believe Golisano was no good.

[klos63]

Golisano bought them good. He didn't build them

why were they good when he bought them? Regier must have built a good team and Ruff coached them well. Who hired Regier? Quinn. Edited May 4, 2014 by klos63

[PromoTheRobot]

I'm reading the same news as everyone else today. Not being a hockey fan, I know nothing of these guys. It seems to me most people like Golisano, but not Quinn. Just curious to hear why that is. Why did Golisano sell the team?

 

I got the impression that most Sabres fans were excited for Pegula, which led me to believe Golisano was no good.

 

Goilisano wasn't the worst owner but he didn't spend money freely either. It's hard to judge TG because of his "mini-me" Larry Quinn. Who knows what decisions were made by TG or LQ or both? The biggest fiasco of the TG/LQ Sabres era was losing both Chris Drury and Danny Briere, two players that were the heat and soul of a Sabres team that went to the Cup semifinals two years in a row.

 

Allegedly Drury was all set to sign a deal around $5M/yr when (allegedly) Quinn held off hoping to drive Drury's price down some more. I'm less clear on what went down with Briere.

 

Ironically Quinn & Regier missed out on a golden opportunity right after when Edmonton tried to sign Vanek away as an RFA. If the Sabres let him walk away they would have gotten the Oilers next four 1st round picks. I don't know if Vanek would have helped them but the next 4 drafts the Oilers picked at or near first.

 

But after the shock of losing Briere and Drury, the Sabres weren't about to risk a full on riot letting Vanek go too. In hindsight it would have been the right move.

 

PTR

Edited May 4, 2014 by PromoTheRobot

[Max997]

I am not a big hockey fan but I am a Flyers fan and I can say they were not going to be outbid for Briere that year.

 

Looking back it was probably the right move for Sabres not to resign him as the Flyers like most teams that sign free agents to these big deals grew to regret it as he was injured a lot and eventually cut him.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Max997

[aristocrat]

The issue was we could have extended danny and chris the year before at 5 mil per and set the team up for years.

[Malazan]

oh, god, every time you think Larry Quinn is gone...he comes back. I'd almost rather they moved than had Quinn involved.

[klos63]

Goilisano wasn't the worst owner but he didn't spend money freely either. It's hard to judge TG because of his "mini-me" Larry Quinn. Who knows what decisions were made by TG or LQ or both? The biggest fiasco of the TG/LQ Sabres era was losing both Chris Drury and Danny Briere, two players that were the heat and soul of a Sabres team that went to the Cup semifinals two years in a row.

 

Allegedly Drury was all set to sign a deal around $5M/yr when (allegedly) Quinn held off hoping to drive Drury's price down some more. I'm less clear on what went down with Briere.

 

Ironically Quinn & Regier missed out on a golden opportunity right after when Edmonton tried to sign Vanek away as an RFA. If the Sabres let him walk away they would have gotten the Oilers next four 1st round picks. I don't know if Vanek would have helped them but the next 4 drafts the Oilers picked at or near first.

 

But after the shock of losing Briere and Drury, the Sabres weren't about to risk a full on riot letting Vanek go too. In hindsight it would have been the right move.

 

PTR

Actually, it wasn't 4 consecutive first round picks, i would have been every other year and to assume they all would have been number 1 overall would have been quite a stretch. At the time, it wasn't a bad idea to sign vanek.

[jr1]

I think Tom just wants something he can flip for a profit like he did with the Sabres

[MarkyMannn]

G & Q get a hold of this team you will never ever see a winner. On top of Drury and Briere, Brian Campbell the following year left. With those 3 players you could cup contend every year

[KollegeStudnet]

I'm for it, but only if Golisano is a minority owner.

[Corp000085]

G & Q get a hold of this team you will never ever see a winner. On top of Drury and Briere, Brian Campbell the following year left. With those 3 players you could cup contend every year

 

They didn't in 06 with a depleted defense. If they didn't win then, they were never going to win. Trust me, I was there. BTW, Campbell lost us that game with that delay of game penalty

Edited May 4, 2014 by Corp000085

[klos63]

G & Q get a hold of this team you will never ever see a winner. On top of Drury and Briere, Brian Campbell the following year left. With those 3 players you could cup contend every year

I'm not saying they did things correctly with free agency, but do you think it's reasonable to sign Campbell, Miller, Vanek , Briere, Drury, Tallinder... as free agents and still have cap space to put a full team together?

[Omar Little]

G & Q get a hold of this team you will never ever see a winner. On top of Drury and Briere, Brian Campbell the following year left. With those 3 players you could cup contend every year

 

This is wrong on multiple levels.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Heisenberg

[Steve O]

One of my best friend's older brother was best friends with TG in high school. He actually asked this person to start Paychex with him. Instead, after making a few million in Rochester, he went off to Colorado and started a restaurant with Billy Kidd (famous skier in the 60's). That didn't turn out so well, he returned to Rochester and got back in to the ski business. After TG bought the Sabres he gave his old buddy a job as sales and marketing director. Long story even longer, my friends brother told us that TG's attitude was that the "team" started with him (TG) and ended with Lindy. The players were interchangeable. This attitude resulted in pretty much what everyone else has said. Hopefully since he is getting on in years he'll be more interested in winning than profit but I'm hoping ownership goes a different direction.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Steve O

[Big Turk]

Goilisano wasn't the worst owner but he didn't spend money freely either. It's hard to judge TG because of his "mini-me" Larry Quinn. Who knows what decisions were made by TG or LQ or both? The biggest fiasco of the TG/LQ Sabres era was losing both Chris Drury and Danny Briere, two players that were the heat and soul of a Sabres team that went to the Cup semifinals two years in a row.

 

Allegedly Drury was all set to sign a deal around $5M/yr when (allegedly) Quinn held off hoping to drive Drury's price down some more. I'm less clear on what went down with Briere.

 

Ironically Quinn & Regier missed out on a golden opportunity right after when Edmonton tried to sign Vanek away as an RFA. If the Sabres let him walk away they would have gotten the Oilers next four 1st round picks. I don't know if Vanek would have helped them but the next 4 drafts the Oilers picked at or near first.

 

But after the shock of losing Briere and Drury, the Sabres weren't about to risk a full on riot letting Vanek go too. In hindsight it would have been the right move.

 

PTR

 

I don't think the same issues hockey had regarding payroll and income would be relevant in football...the NFL is a cash machine and he the way he operated would be a lot more successful with expanded money

 

I'm reading the same news as everyone else today. Not being a hockey fan, I know nothing of these guys. It seems to me most people like Golisano, but not Quinn. Just curious to hear why that is. Why did Golisano sell the team?

 

I got the impression that most Sabres fans were excited for Pegula, which led me to believe Golisano was no good.

 

I doubt it actually happened.

 

Everyone knows when they go out to dinner its at Tempo...

[kasper13]

Larry Quinn is like a cockroach. He was fired after the Rigas fiasco and somehow resurfaced for the Golisano years. What went down in 2007 is this: Sabres had just gone to the Conference Finals for the 2nd straight season. Briere and Drury were both UFA's. During the season, Briere had said he would resign for 5 years/25 million. Sabres refused to negotiate during the season and didn't bother to negotiate after the season and let him walk. He ended up with the Flyers on the first day of free agency (7/1), signing an 8 year/52 million contract. Drury had actually verbally agreed to a contract extension but Darcy Regier never sent the paperwork into the NHL office and never mentioned it and Drury never signed. Story goes is that Regier and Drury agreed to a contract extension, Quinn vetoed it on Golisano's orders and they threw Regier under the bus with the paperwork failure. Drury signed with the Rangers on July 1, 2007. Oilers then signed Vanek to a 7 year offer sheet on July 3rd. Sabres panicked after losing Briere and Drury and matched the 7 year 50 million offer right away. If Larry Quinn ever told the truth, it would be the first time. He lied his ass off about anything and everything to protect his job. What happened at the end of the Golisano ownership was he wasn't interested in having a winning team if it cost him money. His orders were the team could make any trade or signing as long as they didn't lose any money. The NHL had a salary cap and the Sabres had their own salary cap which was much lower. The team had a budget which it could not go over but sure go ahead and build a winning team somehow. The conference finals teams were dismantled and they let Regier "build" what you see today. It was a great day when Golisano sold the team and Larry Quinn got the boot. If the ONLY option for the Bills to stay is Tom Golisano buying them, then beggars can't be choosers but don't expect a winning team for another 15 years if Larry Quinn is involved in any way.

[YoloinOhio]

LOL

BrandonSpikes51 ‏@BrandonSpikes51 33m

Sinatra's flow

Jay Skurski ‏@JaySkurski 19m

Sinatra's is the new Tempo.

[section122hero]

 

 

The Sabres were Stanley Cup contenders IN SPITE of Golisano/Quinn. The Drury/Briere fiasco was a direct result of their micromanaging.

+1

[TheFunPolice]

what did they have to eat?

[nucci]

Larry Quinn is like a cockroach. He was fired after the Rigas fiasco and somehow resurfaced for the Golisano years. What went down in 2007 is this: Sabres had just gone to the Conference Finals for the 2nd straight season. Briere and Drury were both UFA's. During the season, Briere had said he would resign for 5 years/25 million. Sabres refused to negotiate during the season and didn't bother to negotiate after the season and let him walk. He ended up with the Flyers on the first day of free agency (7/1), signing an 8 year/52 million contract. Drury had actually verbally agreed to a contract extension but Darcy Regier never sent the paperwork into the NHL office and never mentioned it and Drury never signed. Story goes is that Regier and Drury agreed to a contract extension, Quinn vetoed it on Golisano's orders and they threw Regier under the bus with the paperwork failure. Drury signed with the Rangers on July 1, 2007. Oilers then signed Vanek to a 7 year offer sheet on July 3rd. Sabres panicked after losing Briere and Drury and matched the 7 year 50 million offer right away. If Larry Quinn ever told the truth, it would be the first time. He lied his ass off about anything and everything to protect his job. What happened at the end of the Golisano ownership was he wasn't interested in having a winning team if it cost him money. His orders were the team could make any trade or signing as long as they didn't lose any money. The NHL had a salary cap and the Sabres had their own salary cap which was much lower. The team had a budget which it could not go over but sure go ahead and build a winning team somehow. The conference finals teams were dismantled and they let Regier "build" what you see today. It was a great day when Golisano sold the team and Larry Quinn got the boot. If the ONLY option for the Bills to stay is Tom Golisano buying them, then beggars can't be choosers but don't expect a winning team for another 15 years if Larry Quinn is involved in any way.

Not that it matters but I agree with this.

[thewildrabbit]

Obviously I'd be happy with any owner that keeps the Bills in Buffalo first and foremost. But I'd sure my cake and eat it too with an owner keeping them in Buffalo and one with the fire to win.

Seriously agree, and not sure what to expect if TG buys the team. All I want is to see a winning Bills team take the field in Buffalo.

 

Larry Quinn is like a cockroach. He was fired after the Rigas fiasco and somehow resurfaced for the Golisano years. What went down in 2007 is this: Sabres had just gone to the Conference Finals for the 2nd straight season. Briere and Drury were both UFA's. During the season, Briere had said he would resign for 5 years/25 million. Sabres refused to negotiate during the season and didn't bother to negotiate after the season and let him walk. He ended up with the Flyers on the first day of free agency (7/1), signing an 8 year/52 million contract. Drury had actually verbally agreed to a contract extension but Darcy Regier never sent the paperwork into the NHL office and never mentioned it and Drury never signed. Story goes is that Regier and Drury agreed to a contract extension, Quinn vetoed it on Golisano's orders and they threw Regier under the bus with the paperwork failure. Drury signed with the Rangers on July 1, 2007. Oilers then signed Vanek to a 7 year offer sheet on July 3rd. Sabres panicked after losing Briere and Drury and matched the 7 year 50 million offer right away. If Larry Quinn ever told the truth, it would be the first time. He lied his ass off about anything and everything to protect his job. What happened at the end of the Golisano ownership was he wasn't interested in having a winning team if it cost him money. His orders were the team could make any trade or signing as long as they didn't lose any money. The NHL had a salary cap and the Sabres had their own salary cap which was much lower. The team had a budget which it could not go over but sure go ahead and build a winning team somehow. The conference finals teams were dismantled and they let Regier "build" what you see today. It was a great day when Golisano sold the team and Larry Quinn got the boot. If the ONLY option for the Bills to stay is Tom Golisano buying them, then beggars can't be choosers but don't expect a winning team for another 15 years if Larry Quinn is involved in any way.

Yikes, after reading some of the posts in this thread I'd almost rather see Donald Trump buy the team. At the very least we could be assured he would want a winning team, and wouldn't tolerate all this losing. Edited May 5, 2014 by FeartheLosing

[C.Biscuit97]

Golisano didn't care about the Sabres. He did Buffalo a favor. The NHL is a crappy, poor league. A lot of the teams lose money. He won't have the problem in the NFL. He saved the Sabres and put them in a better place. I'd welcome him in a second as our new owner.

[papazoid]

we could do worse than Golisano....

 

 

I still prefer Pegula.

[C.Biscuit97]

Seriously agree, and not sure what to expect if TG buys the team. All I want is to see a winning Bills team take the field in Buffalo.

 

Yikes, after reading some of the posts in this thread I'd almost rather see Donald Trump buy the team. At the very least we could be assured he would want a winning team, and wouldn't tolerate all this losing.

 

The Sabres nearly went to the Finals one year and had the best record the next year under Golisano. And spending money does not equal winning.

 

we could do worse than Golisano....

 

 

I still prefer Pegula.

 

I really like Pegula too but I think he's more of a hockey guy.

[Jerry Jabber]

Golisano & Quinn didn't believe in long-term contracts either, which is why the Sabres lost their Top 2 defensemen to FA [Lydman & Tallinder].

[Jerry Jabber]

If people thought Ralph, Littman, and Overdorff were cheap, wait until Golisano & Quinn are running the Bills, you can bet the Bills will be recycling talent as the only rookie contracts they'll extended on will be lower round guys who won't cost a lot of money to resign.

[Buftex]

Good post. These anti Golisano posts are far out of touch with reality. Here was a guy who's purchase saved the Sabres. Now the Bills are looking for a savior and Golisano isn't the guy?

 

 

Agreed. I think people are over-simplifying the Golisano/Sabres situation. Golisano did Buffalo (or at least Sabres fans) a great service, and really did save that franchise. Sure, it is possible, if he hadn't somebody else might have, but that is not what happened. He purchased them, with no intention of keeping them long-term... they needed somebody to step in, and he did it. Not sure why so many have animosity towards him. He always made it clear that he wasn't really a "hockey guy", but was getting involved for the good of the community. I blame the Drury/Briere fiasco as much on Darcy and Drury as I would Golisano.

[May Day 10]

Golisano.... tough subject.

 

On one hand, the team was as successful popularity wise and on the ice as they were in the mid 70s. You cant really fault him too much for sticking with Quinn, Regier, etc... They stupidly dismantled a great team by betting on the wrong horses (Kotalik, Afino, Connolly, Vanek, etc instead of Dumont, Briere). They also learned by fire that their policy (that was once lauded) of short term contracts and players 'earning it' was a disaster. They did get back there and won the Division in 2009-10 and made the playoffs the following year (possibly fueled by Pegula-mania)... but as time proved, that team was built on a house of cards.

 

You cant really fault Golisano for keeping a formula that was apparently very good for a market challenged team trying to stay at even-money. However, as a fan, Quinn and Regier had worn out their welcome and it started to get ugly. Quinn with his blue ice, circular nets, slug logos (the worst logo in the history of hockey and not in a good way)....

 

It makes me shudder that Quinn and Brandon were dining with Golisano as a possible potential owner

[thewildrabbit]

From everything I've been reading the Sabers were gone if TG didn't step in and save them. However, the Bills appear to have several people looking to buy the team who will keep them in Buffalo.

 

The very last thing I want to see is an owner who wants to maximize profits over winning games. I want to see someone come in and change this culture of constant losing.

[seq004]

My biggest question is who in his family would succeed him? I don't want to go through this again in 10 years.