DrDawkinstein Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Doc said: No offense as I've heard this many times before and from others, but what are they doing with the Sabres that they're not doing with the Bills? They're not stupid and you'd figure they'd see that the Bills are working great and would want to replicate that with the Sabres. Meanwhile when they took over the Sabres, they kept the same GM and HC who had been taking the team to the playoffs annually, gave them blank checks to improve the facilities, roster and scouting...and they proceeded to suck. I'd say the biggest difference is that they KNEW they were in over their heads with a Billion dollar NFL Franchise, and not knowing anyone in the old boys Football club. So after making their first bad decision themselves (Rex), they realized they needed help and went with an outside consulting firm to find McD. Where with hockey, they are a bigger fish in a small pond Terry has been around it a while and they think they know enough people and what they are doing and are more involved. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 21 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said: I'd say the biggest difference is that they KNEW they were in over their heads with a Billion dollar NFL Franchise, and not knowing anyone in the old boys Football club. So after making their first bad decision themselves (Rex), they realized they needed help and went with an outside consulting firm to find McD. Where with hockey, they are a bigger fish in a small pond Terry has been around it a while and they think they know enough people and what they are doing and are more involved. What outside consulting firm did they go with to find McD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Doc said: No offense as I've heard this many times before and from others, but what are they doing with the Sabres that they're not doing with the Bills? They're not stupid and you'd figure they'd see that the Bills are working great and would want to replicate that with the Sabres. Meanwhile when they took over the Sabres, they kept the same GM and HC who had been taking the team to the playoffs annually, gave them blank checks to improve the facilities, roster and scouting...and they proceeded to suck. Sorry, my memory is a little hazy on all the details now... but as I recall, the Sabres were winding down a somewhat successful run when the Pegula's purchased the team in 2011. They stuck with Ruff/Rieger, logically it would seem, as they had been winning. But that window, for the Ruff/Rieger Sabres was closing when the new owners came around. They purchased the team right toward the end of the 2010-11 season, the last time they made the playoffs. They then barely missed the playoffs in 2011-12, before firing Ruff only about 20 games into the next season. As I recall, the fans were already growing restless with the team, and the notion "Ruff has to go" or "the players have tuned Ruff out" was pretty popular. The owners just weren't (and still don't seem to be) all that well connected in the league. It just seems they have been spinning their wheels ever since. Maybe it is the LaFontaine fiasco that ensued, but for all the coaching hires they have done since Ruff was canned, all have been pretty uninspired, or a little too "outside the box". It seems serious hockey people don't want to go to Buffalo. Time to whatever it would take to get somebody like Claude Julien... Mike Babcock is the only coaching candidate with any sort of real proven track record I can ever remember them going after. And he shot them down. Thankfully, perhaps. It may take some bucks, and swallowing some pride, but turn this into a competitive hockey team, and all the trappings are there for it to be a successful business venture for them. No need for them to sell the franchise, but re-assess how they are running it. Edited March 2, 2021 by Buftex 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 4 hours ago, Buftex said: That is what scares me, a little, about the Bills. Suppose McDermott and/or Beane were to leave, will the make the same mistakes of the past? Or, did they learn anything from the past? Glad they extended both of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 31 minutes ago, Doc said: What outside consulting firm did they go with to find McD? I dont recall off the top of my head, if it was even named, and the only articles coming up on google are behind the Buffalo News paywall. But it was the same type of firm that McNair just used on the GM hunt in Houston (and then ignored all of their suggestions and hired Cesario). Might have to ask Wawrow next time he is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 32 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said: I dont recall off the top of my head, if it was even named, and the only articles coming up on google are behind the Buffalo News paywall. But it was the same type of firm that McNair just used on the GM hunt in Houston (and then ignored all of their suggestions and hired Cesario). Might have to ask Wawrow next time he is on. I don't recall them actually using a consulting firm. All I remember is people saying they should have hired Polian to be a consultant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 I thought I remember hearing that the NFL makes available some sort of assistance/consulting with hires and McDermott was someone who was recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 3 minutes ago, May Day 10 said: I thought I remember hearing that the NFL makes available some sort of assistance/consulting with hires and McDermott was someone who was recommended. I think you're correct and it was McDermott that brought in Beane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4_kidd_4 Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 3 hours ago, Boxcar said: Sorry I just really hate Tim Hortons. Huh, I couldn’t tell... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 55 minutes ago, Doc said: I don't recall them actually using a consulting firm. All I remember is people saying they should have hired Polian to be a consultant. 37 minutes ago, May Day 10 said: I thought I remember hearing that the NFL makes available some sort of assistance/consulting with hires and McDermott was someone who was recommended. Yep, he was definitely part of a "list" they were given by someone outside of the Bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 1 hour ago, May Day 10 said: I thought I remember hearing that the NFL makes available some sort of assistance/consulting with hires and McDermott was someone who was recommended. I'm not convinced even if the NHL afforded this service to new or current owners that the Pegula's would make the right choice. I think Kim once mentioned they were misled. That's a lot of misleading considering they've now inherited or hired Regier, LaFontaine, Ted Black, Murray, Botterill and many other non-hockey personnel executives these past 10 years. There is something wrong in the upper rungs of management there. And there's a common denominator. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 5 hours ago, Doc said: What outside consulting firm did they go with to find McD? Given the Rex fiasco and the repetitive failure at hiring competent Sabres personnel over and over for a decade (hiring a British soccer team's Russ Brandon as Coach has been the icing on this crap cake), clearly Pegula's hiring of McD was an astounding stroke of dumb luck...which has so far worked out well for the Bills and fans. 3 hours ago, BillsVet said: I'm not convinced even if the NHL afforded this service to new or current owners that the Pegula's would make the right choice. I think Kim once mentioned they were misled. That's a lot of misleading considering they've now inherited or hired Regier, LaFontaine, Ted Black, Murray, Botterill and many other non-hockey personnel executives these past 10 years. There is something wrong in the upper rungs of management there. And there's a common denominator. I think they were misled by Golisano... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 26 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said: Given the Rex fiasco and the repetitive failure at hiring competent Sabres personnel over and over for a decade (hiring a British soccer team's Russ Brandon as Coach has been the icing on this crap cake), clearly Pegula's hiring of McD was an astounding stroke of dumb luck...which has so far worked out well for the Bills and fans. It's all dumb luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 27 minutes ago, Doc said: It's all dumb luck. When does Pegula apply some of that to the Sabres? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 (edited) 31 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said: When does Pegula apply some of that to the Sabres? Who cares? This is a Bills board and the team, the most important sports team they own by far, is doing fine. Edited March 3, 2021 by Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountDorkula Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 Harbor center will be sold Next IMO. based on Kims statement that they always wanted to have local businesses run these things. No inside knowledge. Just a gut feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 10 hours ago, Doc said: Who cares? This is a Bills board and the team, the most important sports team they own by far, is doing fine. yet the Bills board is discussing a restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 3 hours ago, Mr. WEO said: yet the Bills board is discussing a restaurant. I think a lot of us are fans of food... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBBills Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 I heard if you buy now it comes with the Sabres team at no additional cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarleyNY Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 21 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said: I'd say the biggest difference is that they KNEW they were in over their heads with a Billion dollar NFL Franchise, and not knowing anyone in the old boys Football club. So after making their first bad decision themselves (Rex), they realized they needed help and went with an outside consulting firm to find McD. Where with hockey, they are a bigger fish in a small pond Terry has been around it a while and they think they know enough people and what they are doing and are more involved. I think they focused on their largest and most profitable investment first. And, yeah, they kept trying until they got that one right. There’s always luck involved and they made some terrible decisions prior to McD, but they were smart enough to move on quickly from them. You can’t get lucky if you don’t do that. IMO their big mistake has been getting involved in so many sports franchises and other investments so quickly. Too many learning curves that are all big ones. They’ll do better if they cut back on their active investments and focus on the profitable ones that they are the most proficient and passionate about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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