Tim Graham article on Kim Pegula and Bills ownership

[MDH]

14 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

Go Tim Graham!!! Thanks for putting this behind a paywall.

 

Yep, back in the day the news was free…

Wait, what??!!! F’n paywalls!!!

[PromoTheRobot]

8 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

Got lucky hiring the right front office, and got lucky drafting Allen. I think a 3rd party firm actually did the hiring search for McDermott after Rex Ryan flopped. His hires outside of that between both franchises have mostly been duds.

 

Imagine if the Sabres hired a top-10 rookie head coach/GM combo, and got a McDavid/McKinnon level talent at the same position they just drafted Benson. Things would be different…

 

 

 

The Sabres don't lack talent. In fact Lindy Ruff is inheriting a mostly playoff caliber roster that needs a few tweaks. As for why the Sabres have underachieved for so long, it's mostly bad luck. Sure there were a couple of questionable hires. But mostly you look at the names going in and think they were strong. Dan Bylsma was a cup-winner. But he rubbed Golden Boy Jack the wrong way. Phil Housley had a great rep as a player and amateur coach, plus he was a former Sabre. People love that. Jason Botterill as GM, same thing. Former Sabre. Came from the Pens organization where he won a cup. Ralph Krueger was the talk of the league when he coached the Oilers. They all seemed like good ideas at the time. 

 

At least Granato left the team in a better place. They were in shambles after Krueger. Donny got them to within a point of a playoff berth. 

 

There's also this notion that Terry is/was cheap. That unfortunate "maintain lifestyle" memo left a bad impression. Most of that came down during COVID. The Sabres were losing money even before the lockdowns. But people forget the massive contacts the Sabres handed out to players like Ville Leino, Jeff Skinner and Christian Ehrhoff. Those deals somehow made the Sabres worse. Leino never even scored a goal for Buffalo in his final year.

[dollars 2 donuts]

15 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

It’s really sad. The Bills were Kim’s dream. She was going to be a powerful force in the league.

 

 

Thank you Terry and your business acumen.  However, to be very clear, the Bills are still in Buffalo because of Kim.  She was the driving force.  She was also the new face of NFL ownership that the League gladly and rightfully fully embraced.

 

Take your pick of options on how terrible this is.

 

Family...check.

More specifically spouse...check

business leader...check

Bills fan and the reason why they are still here...check.

 

...most importantly her life and the inability to enjoy it as she deserves.  I can't even sit and think about it for too long.

 

God bless you Kim.

 

 

[The Jokeman]

10 hours ago, QB Bills said:

What does it technically mean to be legally incapacitated? Does she have any hope for recovery?

Basically it's someone that can not take care of themselves due to limited physical or mental/cognitive ability. Thus allowing a caretaker to have the legal right to attend to said matters. The more and more I read of Kim's condition the more I am reminded of my own mother who suffered a stroke in October of 2022. While she can talk and walk she has very poor memory and have had to supply her meals on wheels and an assistant to help her keep her house clean/do laundry etc. I'm also to pay all her bills for her.  I really want to put her an assistant care facility as it help more with medical appointments etc. yet my mother is old fashioned and think that they're going to take her house etc from her and goes into a rage every time I mention it. 

Edited May 2 by The Jokeman

[Jauronimo]

14 hours ago, HardyBoy said:

 

They definitely were both on here posting for a bit at separate times until I would imagine Jerry Sullivan's seven burner accounts called them out for not sharing details that would have burned their sources or something.

 

I can't remember all the specifics, felt silly, especially as they seemed pretty engaged.

Some jackass asked TG to "go tell [ESPN personality] to STFU!".  The other CHUDS joined in.  That was his last day.

 

Wawrow was less and less active but there was one final thread where JW defended himself and his profession against a bunch of dudes who insisted he had no inside information or access to the team and that better information was shared more quickly on Twitter.  Much like TG, he said he no longer gets any enjoyment out of participating on the board.

[Draconator]

2 hours ago, MDH said:

 

Yep, back in the day the news was free…

Wait, what??!!! F’n paywalls!!!

 

Back in the early 90s, I delivered the Buffalo News and USA Today. The major issue with USA Today? UB students were stealing the boxes, removing the doors, and fitting TVs inside the box for the ultimate TV stand. 

[Beast]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

The Sabres are his first love. He's not selling. Of course I also said he wouldn't fire Granato. 🤷‍♂️

Now that he has owned the Bills and been involved in the NFL for 10 years, I’d be willing to bet the Sabres aren’t his first love anymore.

[Gregg]

12 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Now that the stadium is a done deal, I can see him selling and just focusing on the Sabres.

 

Terry's favorite sport may be hockey but look at it from a business standpoint. The Bills are a cash cow. The Sabres not so much. NFL teams live in a financial world that NHL teams can only dream about. If anything, he would sell the Sabres and keep his cash cow.

[BigAl2526]

I wonder if Kim Pegula could be a candidate for a heart transplant.  She's certainly young enough, and if she's that debilitated, it sounds as if it would be warranted.  I know heart transplants are still rarer that most other organ transplants.

[DapperCam]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

The Sabres don't lack talent. In fact Lindy Ruff is inheriting a mostly playoff caliber roster that needs a few tweaks. As for why the Sabres have underachieved for so long, it's mostly bad luck. Sure there were a couple of questionable hires. But mostly you look at the names going in and think they were strong. Dan Bylsma was a cup-winner. But he rubbed Golden Boy Jack the wrong way. Phil Housley had a great rep as a player and amateur coach, plus he was a former Sabre. People love that. Jason Botterill as GM, same thing. Former Sabre. Came from the Pens organization where he won a cup. Ralph Krueger was the talk of the league when he coached the Oilers. They all seemed like good ideas at the time. 

 

At least Granato left the team in a better place. They were in shambles after Krueger. Donny got them to within a point of a playoff berth. 

 

There's also this notion that Terry is/was cheap. That unfortunate "maintain lifestyle" memo left a bad impression. Most of that came down during COVID. The Sabres were losing money even before the lockdowns. But people forget the massive contacts the Sabres handed out to players like Ville Leino, Jeff Skinner and Christian Ehrhoff. Those deals somehow made the Sabres worse. Leino never even scored a goal for Buffalo in his final year.

I've watched the majority of Sabres games since ~2004. While it's true the Sabres don't lack talent, you don't get the longest playoff drought of all time (not longest active drought, the longest for any franchise ALL TIME) by having bad luck. I think it's fair to say he's an incompetent NHL owner. By the way, the next closest playoff drought all time is 10 years, while ours is sitting at 13 years. So we're padding an already significant lead.

[DrDawkinstein]

5 hours ago, nucci said:

How can the same owner run one of the best franchises in football while at the same time run one of the worst in hockey? 

 

The main difference is Terry fancied himself a "hockey guy" who knew a lot of hockey people and proactively bought the Sabres so he could spend his retirement being an active/meddling owner.

 

Whereas with the Bills and the NFL, they were kinda pushed into the purchase and quickly realized how in over their heads they were, and were willing to delegate GM and HC searches to outside consultants, and then take a hands-off approach to running the team's football operations.

 

1 minute ago, BigAl2526 said:

I wonder if Kim Pegula could be a candidate for a heart transplant.  She's certainly young enough, and if she's that debilitated, it sounds as if it would be warranted.  I know heart transplants are still rarer that most other organ transplants.

 

Not sure that's even an issue at this point. It certainly wouldnt fix the brain damage she sustained. And she may not be strong enough to handle it.

[RiotAct]

5 hours ago, QCity said:

 

Well it's the QB.

 

… and Beane and McDermott.

[bigK14094]

14 hours ago, Process said:

This daughter seems new to the organization. Has she always been involved with the Bills? Before seeing her at a recent press conference I had never heard of her. 

 

Seems like things are going to be messy going forward. 

 

It's all very sad. 

She is an executive in the Pegula Oil and Gas business.  Moving over to the Bills apparently based on recent activity.  Including reping the Bills (alone) at the last owners meeting.  The ownership sliver gives her standing to be that rep.  Llikely about 1% imho.

[SectionC3]

It’s a very sad situation.  It goes to show that all of the money in the world can’t buy the things that have the most value—health, love, family, etc.  There but for the grace of God go all of us.  I’m sorry that they—and others similarly situated—have to endure this. 

[Marlton Bills]

19 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

He basically lays out here in a few words. Missing is it seemed like Jessica Pegula’s husband would be involved but he was fired. No reason given.

 

 

Do football teams get a step up in cost basis?  If so It would make sense to give her just a small amount now and let her (and/or the others) inherit. 

[Mr. WEO]

20 hours ago, Process said:

This daughter seems new to the organization. Has she always been involved with the Bills? Before seeing her at a recent press conference I had never heard of her. 

 

Seems like things are going to be messy going forward. 

 

It's all very sad. 

 

She used to sell $10 pieces of toast at the food place her dad set up for her a few years ago.  I assume it went bust.

 

20 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Yeah the Bills were Kim's, and now that she is legally out of the picture gives serious concern on what ownership is going to look like going forward.

 

And is Terry going to be as committed financially ( signing bonuses etc.)  As he has been?

 

Why wouldn't he be?

[corta765]

20 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Yeah doesn't sound good.   Maybe the potential sale of 25% has something to do with liquidating part of that asset to distribute to soon to be disenfranchised heirs.   

 

My thought has been Pegula is having Laura take the team and the money he gets for selling 25% is basically a payoff to the other kids not receiving the kid.

[PBF81]

5 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

As for why the Sabres have underachieved for so long, it's mostly bad luck.

 

Got a chuckle out of that.  

 

It has been 13 years w/o playoffs, so ... 

 

 

 

 

[Captain Hindsight]

19 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

Terribly difficult situation.  I’ve read a lot about Terry supposedly being absent and not caring, particularly from Sabres fans.  If this happened to your spouse you’d be with your life partner first and foremost.  Anyone would.  Or should.

I remember a family friend whose husband was dying of cancer. She worked in his hospital room for months and all I could think of was there was no way I could ever do that if my wife was in the hospital bed. I don’t care enough about what I do every day to spend the last few months writing reports 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

20 hours ago, MiltonWaddams said:

“In my day”. Always a beautiful statement 

 

In my day I walked EIGHT MILES to school each day, every day, through three feet of snow blah blah blah...

 

(disintegrates into old-guy talk)