What have they done? Man, this is the most good PR anyone ever got out of crocodile tears and a fireplace!
Did you not forgot last seasons delivery of Season tickets by the players, Terry and Ted?!?
It's been 50 games and not one move has occurred to help our last place team, so everyone crying about patience needs to realize we have been very patient, it's just some people don't follow the Sabres hierarchy blindly like most Sabre koolaid drinkers.
Terry and Ted and terrible because all they did was do everything within their power to give their employees the tools to succeed. What owner/management combination does that? Past that, they should have seen the future and realized that last year's playoff squad that got some improved players was going to end up tanking, and preemptively fired everyone in the organization, since the organ guy and ushers were just the same holdovers from the old management group holding things down.
(The preceding post has been brought to you by the word 'sarcasm', and endorsed by the reasonable fans who are sick and tired of you mouth breathers trying to run Pegula and company out of town.)
That "seeds of greatness" quote is just ********, same for the asinine Gretzky comment.
Does he think it's just a bad coincidence that all these guys are having career-low years at the same time? Really? Just bad luck/timing?
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, Ted. When almost your entire team is having the worst season of their career, you may want to start looking higher up the food chain, instead of continuing with the blind loyalty.
I agree, less would be for the best right now. Now, I kind of think that they really want that top 3 pick and I kind of think nothing could be better for the franchise if they do. But that motive is best left unheard.
Terry and Ted and terrible because all they did was do everything within their power to give their employees the tools to succeed. What owner/management combination does that? Past that, they should have seen the future and realized that last year's playoff squad that got some improved players was going to end up tanking, and preemptively fired everyone in the organization, since the organ guy and ushers were just the same holdovers from the old management group holding things down.
(The preceding post has been brought to you by the word 'sarcasm', and endorsed by the reasonable fans who are sick and tired of you mouth breathers trying to run Pegula and company out of town.)
Because he talks with WGR every Friday morning and he can't just say "no comment" to the same old questions every time.
Remember a few weeks ago when he said the "right things" (short of announcing Lindy & Darcy are fired)? Do people expect him to keep saying that every week instead?
Part of their Pegula & Black's responsibility is to show confidence and loyalty (not blind loyalty of course) to their employees.
That doesn't mean they are ho-hum happy behind the scenes about the results and aren't going to take action though.
The meaning of "patience" here is too hard to fully understand without letting things play out. It could mean patience with the current group or patience with their 3-year goal.
I am tired of the over reactive, over analytical whining here. They are trying to support their employees and put a positive spin on a crappy situation. That isnt wrong to do. They have expressed displeasure. Stop worrying about what they say let them do their job and see what happens.
We know its pretty likely that a coaching/GM change is likely not occurring during this season. Regardless, that does not mean they won't be aggressive in how they deal with the team over the next month and team and mgmt over 6 months.
Did you not forgot last seasons delivery of Season tickets by the players, Terry and Ted?!?
It's been 50 games and not one move has occurred to help our last place team, so everyone crying about patience needs to realize we have been very patient, it's just some people don't follow the Sabres hierarchy blindly like most Sabre koolaid drinkers.
Exactly.
Also, your attack on people you don't agree with is really pathetic. Try standing on your convictions, not tearing other peoples down.
Fans hoping for change at the top should abandon their efforts, though. For the umpteenth time, Black expressed his support for General Manager Darcy Regier and coach Lindy Ruff.
"If this was a court reporter, I'd ask to read back the record on prior answers," Black said regarding his support for the NHL's longest-tenured duo.
The players may not be as safe.
"Our commitment is to winning, not to any particular group of players that are labeled as a core," Black said. "Take that for what it's worth."
Black, unlike others in the organization, did not pull out the injury excuse while discussing the struggles. Plain and simple, the players are not performing.
So they are giving Regier a chance to rattle the core, and Ruff a chance to coach this new core. Or so it's hinted…
Quote:
Originally Posted by Myllz
"Our commitment is to winning, not to any particular group of players that are labeled as a core," Black said. "Take that for what it's worth."
Why can't you also apply that to your front office?
The debate over whether management needs to change or the players must change seems like the chicken-or-the-egg riddle.
On one hand, there's merit to believing the players wouldn't perform any differently under new management because of their personalities, skill limits, etc.; on the other hand, it's hard to dispute the notion that the coach's message has become stale and that tasking the same GM who built the current roster to now retool it into a better team is just guaranteeing the same mediocre results in the future.
The debate over whether management needs to change or the players must change seems like the chicken-or-the-egg riddle.
On one hand, there's merit to believing the players wouldn't perform any differently under new management because of their personalities, skill limits, etc.; on the other hand, it's hard to dispute the notion that the coach's message has become stale and that tasking the same GM who built the current roster to now retool it into a better team is just guaranteeing the same mediocre results in the future.
And this is why some fans want to skip the whole chicken-or-the-egg problem by dumping off a good chunk of the roster via trade, etc and firing the current front office. A completely new organizational culture is the only real way to turn the franchise around.
Currently, it's a culture of mediocrity. Mediocre players playing for a team's front office that's satisfied with mediocre performances and results. Can't blame the fans for being outraged at this, unless they've been lulled or cowed into drinking the Kool-Aid of the organization.
The debate over whether management needs to change or the players must change seems like the chicken-or-the-egg riddle.
On one hand, there's merit to believing the players wouldn't perform any differently under new management because of their personalities, skill limits, etc.; on the other hand, it's hard to dispute the notion that the coach's message has become stale and that tasking the same GM who built the current roster to now retool it into a better team is just guaranteeing the same mediocre results in the future.
What the actual problem is isn't what I was getting after. Week after week after week Black has talking about patience and how they want to move ahead with Regier and Ruff. Lately he changed his message a little and has been talking about how they'll be willing to ship "core" players out if it's needed. Why hasn't the message changed about your entire organization? If you're honestly committed to winning (which I believe they really are), why is your entire organization not being looked at? If you're willing to say to the media that you're not afraid to make changes to the "core" of your player roster, why can't you also have the balls to say you're willing to do the same to your front office? Nobody's saying he has to come out and say Regier and Ruff suck and have to go, just make a statement about how winning is the ultimate goal, they'll do whatever is required to reach that goal and because of that the entire organization is under review and everyone is being looked at, front office included.
What the actual problem is isn't what I was getting after. Week after week after week Black has talking about patience and how they want to move ahead with Regier and Ruff. Lately he changed his message a little and has been talking about how they'll be willing to ship "core" players out if it's needed. Why hasn't the message changed about your entire organization?
Maybe it's clearer from the inside that Regier and Ruff really aren't the problem.
So they are giving Regier a chance to rattle the core, and Ruff a chance to coach this new core. Or so it's hinted…
That's what I'm gathering too. Ruff and Regier are on board for at least one more season. It's up to Regier to get Ruff a new deck of cards between now and game 1 of the 2012-13 regular season.
It's very frustrating for me because over the last 14 years, Ruff has had multiple versions of "core" players. He's only been to one Cup Final, riding on the back of the single greatest goaltender in NHL history. What collection of players could Regier possibly bring in over the next 6+ months that would turn Ruff into a coaching genius again? Ruff's proven that even with adding 40 minutes a night in the form of Robyn Regehr and Christian Ehrhoff has zero impact. Actually, and amazingly, it's had a negative impact on his team's performance.
Pegula and Black have already sat in neutral, watching this season swirl down the drain so that they can hang on to their favorite Sabres employee in Lindy Ruff, and throw just about all of the players under the bus.
When you continue to tell the hockey world that it's not the head coach that's the problem, and it's not the GM that's the problem, then every finger that matters points directly at the players that wear the jersey. That's obviously going over exceptionally well in the room.
Change all the faces you want. Change "the core" over as many times as you want. As long as that is the mantra from ownership, the players that wear this jersey will never achieve the ultimate success; because anything that goes wrong is already their fault. Before it even happens.
Maybe it's clearer from the inside that Regier and Ruff really aren't the problem.
Even if that's the case, I'd still like to hear them say that they're looking at everything. I don't like this side-stepping around anything involving the front office.
Even if that's the case, I'd still like to hear them say that they're looking at everything. I don't like this side-stepping around anything involving the front office.
Why, though? You can't light a fire under a coaches ass with threats like you can the players. If the management/coach knew they were under fire, they'd probably be much more foolish with regards to what's best for the future of the organization.
The players, however, can and should be subject to that "worry" that - if they don't perform - they will be dealt.
Problem is, that hasn't happened in the past, and is one of the main reasons we're where we are right now: complacency.
Why, though? You can't light a fire under a coaches ass with threats like you can the players. If the management/coach knew they were under fire, they'd probably be much more foolish with regards to what's best for the future of the organization.
The players, however, can and should be subject to that "worry" that - if they don't perform - they will be dealt.
Problem is, that hasn't happened in the past, and is one of the main reasons we're where we are right now: complacency.
That could apply to Regier, but not so much to Ruff. The only thing he could really do is quit.
As for Regier, Black has already stated they're willing to deal players from the core if it means making the team better, so Regier is obviously free to make trades if he needs to. How can we be sure that he doesn't panic and make a stupid move even without being under pressure? He has to be feeling the heat even without Black or Pegula talking about the front office directly, so there's a chance he makes a stupid move either way.
Why, though? You can't light a fire under a coaches ass with threats like you can the players. If the management/coach knew they were under fire, they'd probably be much more foolish with regards to what's best for the future of the organization.
The players, however, can and should be subject to that "worry" that - if they don't perform - they will be dealt.
Problem is, that hasn't happened in the past, and is one of the main reasons we're where we are right now: complacency.
You don't think Ruff and Regier have grown a bit complacent? They're about to miss the playoffs for the sixth time in 10 seasons in a league in which more than half the teams make the playoffs. And all they hear is about how they "ain't going nowhere," while their bosses implicitly or expressly state that this isn't their fault, and the finger is pointed at the roster, which, of course, Ruff and Regier built together.
These guys are about as comfy as a coach and GM can be in professional sports.
Even if that's the case, I'd still like to hear them say that they're looking at everything. I don't like this side-stepping around anything involving the front office.
I have to hope they are at least considering it. A "Plan B" if you will.
I understand the desire to be a lot more patient with GM/Coach than players, but you always need to prepare.
"This team is the worst group of sucks that ever sucked. If anyone calls and says 'oh hai can we have players" we'll give them everything they ask"
These are still players on this team. Even if they want to trade a bunch of players, they have to maximize value. Throwing them under the bus isn't going to fix the team image of being cheap.
Black is doing what he is paid to do. Be the public face of the press and help take pressure of his employees. If you expect him to come out and throw some one under the bus in the press, you'll be waiting for a long time.
Anaheim **** cans their coach... team doesn't improve much.
Their GM calls out their entire team including their core and the team blows up.
I'm sure that decreased the value of their players.
Black and Pegula preach patience, our team wins 1 game on a 6 game road trip in which they were outclassed for 99% of and everyone from top to bottom feel oh so very comfortable.
You don't think Ruff and Regier have grown a bit complacent? They're about to miss the playoffs for the sixth time in 10 seasons in a league in which more than half the teams make the playoffs. And all they hear is about how they "ain't going nowhere," while their bosses implicitly or expressly state that this isn't their fault, and the finger is pointed at the roster, which, of course, Ruff and Regier built together.
These guys are about as comfy as a coach and GM can be in professional sports.
