Pegula's Approval

[Steve Billieve]

Polling stronger than bacon . . .

[reddogblitz]

I don't do hockey so I didn't submit a grade for the Sabres.

 

For Bills I gave a B.

 

First winning season in 10 years. Hiring Rex. It's a good start.

 

Better than avg since we finished in the top 1/2 of the league. No playoffs, no A however.

Edited July 28, 2015 by reddogblitz

[May Day 10]

What if you were finishing last for a Peyton Manning or an Andrew Luck? Would that earn an A?

You just don't seem to see past the Sabres last place finishes. They were by design. They were targeting Eichel or McDavid. They succeeded. They traded for Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and Ryan O'Reilly. They accumulated so many draft picks and prospects Tim Murray was able to wheel and deal. How is that not an A?

I put down a 'c'. Haven't seen the payoff yet which would raise it to an 'a'... I'm very happy with where they sit now.

 

Through the ownership so far they have bungled around a bit. Like keeping r&r way too long and only making changes when riots nearly were occurring. Should have been wholesale day after the season but waited until seasons were lost. Also let regier stay and pull out that Ron Rolston joke. The Lafontaine thing was also a bit strange and had an unsavory feel to it. Now this ted black move seems out of left field... mind you ted black has been very kind to the fans and directed a lot of bullets for the organization toward himself.

 

A lot of it was learning how to be sports owners... I do like where the sabres sit now. If we count the commitment to buffalo and other off ice stuff I give them an 'a'.

[Mark80]

I gave him an A with the Bills and B with the Sabres. He held on to Darcy too long and this LaFontaine train wreck was a bit embarrassing for the organization. However, Murray looks to be a fantastic hire and every owner is going to have growing pains. Let's not forget the job that Kim is doing as well though as a co-owner. The non-sports entertainment side of the Sabres has improved greatly since she took over that aspect.

[ALF]

If the Bills spend big money to beef up the scouting dept to find good players in the later rounds that should make a difference.

 

Good trades like for Hughes is a good sign also.

[BarleyNY]

B for Bills. A for effort, C for execution. Glad he's willing to spend and very happy about coaching change, just not a fan of overspending for some of the players they've acquired and the lack of effort/results at upgrading QB spot.

Edited July 28, 2015 by BarleyNY

[Dorkington]

B for Bills. A for effort, C for execution. Glad he's willing to spend and very happy about coaching change, just not a fan of overspending for some of the players they've acquired and the lack of effort/results at upgrading QB spot.

Who would you have gotten at QB this offseason?

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

I put down a 'c'. Haven't seen the payoff yet which would raise it to an 'a'... I'm very happy with where they sit now.

 

Through the ownership so far they have bungled around a bit. Like keeping r&r way too long and only making changes when riots nearly were occurring. Should have been wholesale day after the season but waited until seasons were lost. Also let regier stay and pull out that Ron Rolston joke. The Lafontaine thing was also a bit strange and had an unsavory feel to it. Now this ted black move seems out of left field... mind you ted black has been very kind to the fans and directed a lot of bullets for the organization toward himself.

 

A lot of it was learning how to be sports owners... I do like where the sabres sit now. If we count the commitment to buffalo and other off ice stuff I give them an 'a'.

you rated the Pegulas on PAST history and not what hey have done is a short period of time?

[May Day 10]

"performance so far"

 

there has been a lot of disfunction and a lot of it is self-imposed. Some very bad signings. Should have 'rebuilt' earlier and had a golden opportunity for McKinnon in the lockout season... Haven't gotten any pay-off yet. I believe it is coming, but I don't think the grade should reflect potential future results. Trying to look objectively at the Sabres' past 4 years, I do not think a grade above a C has been earned.

 

 

 

Mind you I really like the Pegulas and dont want a different ownership and I'm extremely grateful of what they have done. The intention of winning seems to be 100% in the right place... but as Buddy Nix kind of said... show me the baby. Its been a tough 4 seasons. Granted the last 2 were by design... and I agree with it. But I think we still need to see on ice results to determine the rebuild as a 'success'.

[Maddog69]

With the Sabres we have the most data. Ran very poorly. Should have nuked the front office. It was obvious it should have happened. Kept trying to bandaid Regier and Ruff's shortcomings with $ which only amplified the issues.

 

Then took a half measure by firing Ruff. Regier continued to putz around with Rolston and eventually the change did come...

 

But then that led to a ridiculously long GM search and the whole LaFontaine leaving thing.

 

Now this.

 

 

I like the direction of the team. If results come, the grade should skyrocket... but for now its been the worst period in team history.

 

 

 

 

Bills is incomplete.

Worst period in team history belongs to the Rigas Era.

[May Day 10]

Worst period in team history belongs to the Rigas Era.

 

 

I meant by record. I havent looked it up, but I would assume the last 4 years are easily the worst W-L record for this franchise which has always been historically reasonably successful (in the regular season).

 

The 'worst' period was brought on by the Rigases (but they werent the owners)... Summer of '01 - '03. Really sucked and was scary. No fans in the arena and games were depressing. I really thought when Hammister pulled out of his interest the Sabres were cooked in Buffalo.

When the Rigases were owners and we didnt know they were looting their company... those were good years, thanks Hasek.

Edited July 28, 2015 by May Day 10

[eball]

Bills - A

Sabres - B (but rising)

[PromoTheRobot]

I put down a 'c'. Haven't seen the payoff yet which would raise it to an 'a'... I'm very happy with where they sit now.

 

Through the ownership so far they have bungled around a bit. Like keeping r&r way too long and only making changes when riots nearly were occurring. Should have been wholesale day after the season but waited until seasons were lost. Also let regier stay and pull out that Ron Rolston joke. The Lafontaine thing was also a bit strange and had an unsavory feel to it. Now this ted black move seems out of left field... mind you ted black has been very kind to the fans and directed a lot of bullets for the organization toward himself.

 

A lot of it was learning how to be sports owners... I do like where the sabres sit now. If we count the commitment to buffalo and other off ice stuff I give them an 'a'.

So basically you'll come around to them once they hoist the cup...maybe.

[May Day 10]

no. Not to that extreme at all.

 

Just them staying on course. Results need to come now in the way of a steady upward trajectory. A 'competitive team' in '15-'16 who finishes between 10th and 12th-ish and shows promise is fine. Then in '16-'17 they need to be probably no worse than very close to a playoff spot... then after that we need to see them rise to join the 'class' of the East.

 

I love the rebuild. They have done it well... but there has been some risks taken that do not have positive results yet. Reinhart/Eichel have 1 NHL assist, E Kane's character flags, huge contract to ROR, dealing away some pieces that could sting later. I like it all, but with no data yet, I don't want to give it an A or B. I don't blame people for looking at future outlook and hopes for a higher grade. There aren't any hard rules here. For this exercise, I only used what has tangibly happened... and also ignored/downplayed the great peripheral stuff that has gone on like the Harbor Center, Combine, Draft, arena improvements, etc.

[RyanC883]

Bills so far: A. The Bills went from the verge of irrelevance to relevance almost overnight. We have become a FA destination without having to basically kidnap them (like w/ M. Williams. Ralph did a great job getting him here!). We have a coach who has been to the AFC Championship game w/ Mark Sanchez and a less talented roster than we currently have. We have a GM who isn't afraid to make daring moves that get franchises places, and an owner who is in it to win it.

 

Bills: A+++++

 

Sabers: GO PENS

 

Also, I'm not a PSU fan, but the hockey arena that Pegs built there is amazing, and helping turn that program into what will be a powerhouse.

Edited July 28, 2015 by RyanC883

[DrDawkinstein]

I gave strong B's for both. Cant give an A until each team makes the playoffs.

 

If I was being a real stickler, I'd go C for now, B when we hit playoffs, and A for championships. But I think theyve done better than just Cs.

[CodeMonkey]

In my opinion, the people that voted A or B for sabres should change their vote to not a sabres fan.

His heart is absolutely in the right place. But you cannot ignore that fact that he has been the owner for 5 years and they are the laughing stock of the NHL. Leagues worst record the past 2 seasons. Knee jerk reactions on vet signings like Ehrhoff and Leino. He is on his 3rd coach in 5 years. And now he fires Black (not a bad thing at all) and replaces him with the sitting president of a NFL team? The GM takes the brunt of the blame (except for the president), but the buck stops with him. His introduction as the teams owner was awesome (I was there), but aside from that the rest has been dismal.

 

I was torn between C and D only because as i said, his heart is in the right place and it is obvious he plans to keep the team(s) in Buffalo. But there is no way he grades out to a B much less an A as the sabres owner thus far.

Edited July 28, 2015 by CodeMonkey

[negativo]

'A' on the Bills. Hard to see where he's done a thing wrong so far.

 

'C' on the Sabres. Back-to-back historically bad teams under his ownership cannot be ignored.

[shibuya]

A+ on both.... Everyone wants knee jerk reactions but Pegula being a billionaire knows that knee jerk reactions don't usually work out as planned

 

he took his time and evaluated the Sabres. Reiger did have this team poised to win the cup after the lockout and we all know Reiger had no pocketbooks to work with, so Pegula gave Reiger a chance, it failed we cut our losses. I see nothign wrong at all with the man making sure hes making the right decisions

 

Same with the Bills, people who want a house cleaning are usually the most un-knowledgeable fans in the game. always stringing up a noose always placing blame, never really looking at the whole picture... The grass is always greener crowd are the ones that would keep these franchises from ever moving forward, and I for one am extremely grateful that Pegula doesn't cater to these fans types..

Edited July 28, 2015 by shibuya

[reddogblitz]

Just them staying on course. Results need to come now in the way of a steady upward trajectory. A 'competitive team' in '15-'16 who finishes between 10th and 12th-ish and shows promise is fine. Then in '16-'17 they need to be probably no worse than very close to a playoff spot... then after that we need to see them rise to join the 'class' of the East.

 

A competitive team in '15/'16 that is between 10th and 12th is either VERY close to playoffs or in playoffs if #10. So you'd be OK and think we're "on course" if we do the same the following year?

 

I think we need playoffs THIS YEAR, or my grade (B) goes down.