Article: McDermott Concerned about PSE Dysfunction

[Kirby Jackson]

11 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Sure they made an early misstep, retaining Whaley and hiring Rex (Marrone could pound sand for all I cared and Khan is making a mistake keeping him around).  Happens to many owners.  But things are looking good now.

 

But what's the solution for the Sabres?  Just leave it all up to Botterill and Krueger?

The solution is to hire the right people, give them the resources and get out of the way.

 

Also, I’m seeing that they are losing $40M-$50M on the Sabres? I haven’t read the article but if that’s true it’s a MASSIVE indictment on them. I worked for a team that finished with one of the worst records in the league, had just traded away the greatest player in franchise history and was owned by the NBA. We sold more new season tickets BEFORE the lottery was completed than any team in the league. It was about having a plan and executing it. 
 

Anyone that says, “winning is all that matters” has absolutely ZERO clue what it takes to be successful. You build elite staffs so that you are insulated as best as you can be from team performance. That’s what the Bills have done for 25+ years. That’s why Russ Brandon was good at his job. They were a successful operation regardless of the record. 
 

Of course it is easier in football but that’s why I used my own experience. It can be done but you need the right people steering the ship. Obviously Botterill is a nightmare but so is Kim. Go get a real GM to run hockey operations and go get a real president to sit over PSE and/or the Sabres. There are a zillion people more qualified to do the job. She had some of them there!! Dave Wheat should have been given total autonomy to run those operations after RB left. That would have been the best move. Empower the right people and get the hell out of the way!!

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

its true that this may be an accurate piece of writing that he put out, but when you have spent years being biased and/or unprofessional, you lose the benefit of the doubt and your work will be viewed as skeptical

 

So that might well be true and I was not commenting on that. I was commenting on this specific piece.

[PromoTheRobot]

8 minutes ago, wppete said:

 

Well without a doubt we are not getting a New Stadium now after this Virus has destroyed and is destroying the NY economy. 

 

It would be bad form for the NFL to be pushing for one now.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

This article seriously ruined my day. 

[thenorthremembers]

Graham had an agenda.   If he wanted to get to the truth he would have included quotes from people who were also happy about working for the Pegulas and then made an assessment on what the real state of things is at PSE. 

 

Something like this is akin to writing a piece called "Dick Jauron Most Underrated Coach of All Time"  citing his one 11-5 season as the reason while totally ignoring his .468 all time winning percentage. 

 

The article is purposefully short sighted and it has everything to do with him being close with Bucky and Jerry. 

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The solution is to hire the right people, give them the resources and get out of the way.

 

Also, I’m seeing that they are losing $40M-$50M on the Sabres? I haven’t read the article but if that’s true it’s a MASSIVE indictment on them. I worked for a team that finished with one of the worst records in the league, had just traded away the greatest player in franchise history and was owned by the NBA. We sold more new season tickets BEFORE the lottery was completed than any team in the league. It was about having a plan and executing it. 
 

Anyone that says, “winning is all that matters” has absolutely ZERO clue what it takes to be successful. You build elite staffs so that you are insulated as best as you can be from team performance. That’s what the Bills have done for 25+ years. That’s why Russ Brandon was good at his job. They were a successful operation regardless of the record. 
 

Of course it is easier in football but that’s why I used my own experience. It can be done but you need the right people steering the ship. Obviously Botterill is a nightmare but so is Kim. Go get a real GM to run hockey operations and go get a real president to sit over PSE and/or the Sabres. There are a zillion people more qualified to do the job. She had some of them there!! Dave Wheat should have been given total autonomy to run those operations after RB left. That would have been the best move. Empower the right people and get the hell out of the way!!

 

 

I commend this post to people. Kirby has been there and done it folks. He has worked in pro sports businesses. I don't expect the average joe on the street to think about things in this way so please listen to people who do understand it.

8 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Why can't it be both? It probably is both. But the Athletic's focus is on one side, the one that damages the reputation of the team owners the most.

 

Have you read this article? https://buffalonews.com/2020/04/19/buffalo-bills-buffalo-sabres-terry-and-kim-pegula-nfl-nhl-oil-prices/  Take a look and tell me if this looks like good journalism to you as well?

 

Yep it does. They can both be. That is allowed.

[PromoTheRobot]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

 

I commend this post to people. Kirby has been there and done it folks. He has worked in pro sports businesses. I don't expect the average joe on the street to think about things in this way so please listen to people who do understand it.

 

And no one is disputing the Pegulas business acumen. They ain't good.

[Lurker]

10 minutes ago, jeremy2020 said:

That out of ~40 people, he couldn't get one to put their name or even an accurate description of their role tells me the writer was more interested in 'dirt' than accuracy. 

 

It tells me that people fear for their jobs (or careers, even if they don't work there anymore).   

 

I can't believe I even had to type that...

[PromoTheRobot]

3 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yep it does. They can both be. That is allowed.

 

But the two stories are 180-degrees apart in focus. One focuses on the business, the other on the personal.

Edited April 20, 2020 by PromoTheRobot

[apuszczalowski]

5 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The solution is to hire the right people, give them the resources and get out of the way.

 

Also, I’m seeing that they are losing $40M-$50M on the Sabres? I haven’t read the article but if that’s true it’s a MASSIVE indictment on them. I worked for a team that finished with one of the worst records in the league, had just traded away the greatest player in franchise history and was owned by the NBA. We sold more new season tickets BEFORE the lottery was completed than any team in the league. It was about having a plan and executing it. 
 

Anyone that says, “winning is all that matters” has absolutely ZERO clue what it takes to be successful. You build elite staffs so that you are insulated as best as you can be from team performance. That’s what the Bills have done for 25+ years. That’s why Russ Brandon was good at his job. They were a successful operation regardless of the record. 
 

Of course it is easier in football but that’s why I used my own experience. It can be done but you need the right people steering the ship. Obviously Botterill is a nightmare but so is Kim. Go get a real GM to run hockey operations and go get a real president to sit over PSE and/or the Sabres. There are a zillion people more qualified to do the job. She had some of them there!! Dave Wheat should have been given total autonomy to run those operations after RB left. That would have been the best move. Empower the right people and get the hell out of the way!!

is the $40-50 Million because the season stopped early? If so I would think all teams right now are losing a huge chunk of revenue also.

Last thing I saw it said they are actually turning a slight profit or at worse breaking even with the Sabres

 

 

[Dr. Who]

6 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The solution is to hire the right people, give them the resources and get out of the way.

 

Also, I’m seeing that they are losing $40M-$50M on the Sabres? I haven’t read the article but if that’s true it’s a MASSIVE indictment on them. I worked for a team that finished with one of the worst records in the league, had just traded away the greatest player in franchise history and was owned by the NBA. We sold more new season tickets BEFORE the lottery was completed than any team in the league. It was about having a plan and executing it. 
 

Anyone that says, “winning is all that matters” has absolutely ZERO clue what it takes to be successful. You build elite staffs so that you are insulated as best as you can be from team performance. That’s what the Bills have done for 25+ years. That’s why Russ Brandon was good at his job. They were a successful operation regardless of the record. 
 

Of course it is easier in football but that’s why I used my own experience. It can be done but you need the right people steering the ship. Obviously Botterill is a nightmare but so is Kim. Go get a real GM to run hockey operations and go get a real president to sit over PSE and/or the Sabres. There are a zillion people more qualified to do the job. She had some of them there!! Dave Wheat should have been given total autonomy to run those operations after RB left. That would have been the best move. Empower the right people and get the hell out of the way!!

Yep. No need to sell the Sabres. Just do this^^^^^!

[apuszczalowski]

4 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

It would be bad form for the NFL to be pushing for one now.

Bills could always put the Stadium downtown close to the Border while 'relocating' to Niagara (Ontario) and try to get the Canadian government to pay for it. Giants/Jets don't play in NY.....

 

(**This was a joke, theres no way the Canada/Ontario government pays for it)

[Lurker]

9 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Why can't it be both? It probably is both. But the Athletic's focus is on one side, the one that damages the reputation of the team owners the most.

 

Have you read this article? https://buffalonews.com/2020/04/19/buffalo-bills-buffalo-sabres-terry-and-kim-pegula-nfl-nhl-oil-prices/  Take a look and tell me if this looks like good journalism to you as well?

 

Roboman.  Do you have an Athletic subscription?     TG gave Kim a full interview, allowing her to go on record and explain her side.     I thought that was quite remarkable, actually.  How often do you get to see a real time rebuttal or response like this?      It's not one sided at all, IMO...

[Best Player Available]

27 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

McDermott and Beane have 2 years left on their deals. They will be looking for extensions as well after the season. 

 

 

Why? 

[Mr. WEO]

16 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

Did he just put the money in a chequing/Savings account?

I'm sure money like that was put into investments and may have been put into stocks in the Energy sector which could be affecting his net worth

I doubt he has all that money sitting in a 'Scrooge McDuck' type swimming pool vault where it protected (although it would be awesome if he did)

 

Oil prices cratered in 2016 too. 

 

Anyway, his business is entertainment now.  If he still had a large chunk of his worth in oil, he's nuts.

[KD in CA]

1 hour ago, Coach Tuesday said:

 

Tim Graham interviewed almost 40 current/former PSE employees, and the feedback was that dysfunction, nepotism, and cost-cutting pervade the organization.  The Pegulas gave a presentation in January, right after the Bills made the playoffs, and one of the stated "three pillars" of organizational goals was "return on investment," which was widely described (and possibly stated by the Pegulas directly, though that seems shocking) as ensuring that the Pegulas can maintain their lavish lifestyle.  There is concern that the dysfunction within the Sabres will spill over into the Bills, and McD allegedly is concerned about it.

 

What a ridiculous point to make, either by the employees in question or the author (no way to know who's really telling the story)

 

One of the 3 pillars of ANY for-profit enterprise is "return on investment."   And usually it's the first pillar.

[PromoTheRobot]

3 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

Roboman.  Do you have an Athletic subscription?     TG gave Kim a full interview, allowing her to go on record and explain her side.     I thought that was quite remarkable, actually.  How often do you get to see a real time rebuttal or response like this?      It's not one sided at all, IMO...

 

I do have a subscription. I am aware of the Kim rebuttal. I'm also aware of the Buffalo News story the same topic. https://buffalonews.com/2020/04/19/buffalo-bills-buffalo-sabres-terry-and-kim-pegula-nfl-nhl-oil-prices/  It reads a weeee bit diferently.

Edited April 20, 2020 by PromoTheRobot

[HappyDays]

I read the article but I don't see how it impacts the Bills. The Bills like any NFL franchise are very profitable, and they seemingly have the right people in charge there. I don't care about hockey. I recognize that the Sabres are poorly managed but what does that have to do with the Bills? What the Pegulas do outside of the Bills means nothing to me. Robert Kraft was caught in a prostitution ring and it didn't bring the Patriots down. I'm sure the Pegulas can handle a tough economy for a few months. I don't see how that means their profitable NFL franchise is in danger.

[MJS]

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

I do have a subscription. I am aware of the Kim rebuttal. I'm also aware of the Buffalo News story the same topic. https://buffalonews.com/2020/04/19/buffalo-bills-buffalo-sabres-terry-and-kim-pegula-nfl-nhl-oil-prices/  It reads a weeee bit diferently.

What!? Same story, two different angles!? Unheard of in this country!

[Buffalo_Stampede]

5 minutes ago, Best Player Available said:

Why? 

Why? Because coaches don't like entering a  final year without a contract extension.