The Buffalo News' Agenda: Get Regier and Ruff Fired

[Weave]

No doubt. But I don't see where anything I wrote contradicts that.

 

 

Close. 4 since the last trip to playoffs prior to the lockout. 2 conference finals, 2 1st round exits.

 

 

OK, so success to you is apparently only winning the SC, which is fine if that is how you are defining it. Now that you are apparently back to your original statement, this discussion is getting tedious.

 

Getting?

[Taro T]

Getting?

:lol:

 

Wasn't sure whether 'well past' would have been fueling the hyperbole so decided to go understated instead. ;)

[IKnowPhysics]

Jim Kelley rarely held back his criticism or his praise and usually supported it with hard fact. Unfortunately, his trainees aren't as faultless: Bucky seems to dole mostly criticism and Sullivan is often light on the facts. Often I'd feel like I had a good handle on what's going on with the team, but then I'd read the columns from those two typing monkeys, and I'd feel like I got dumber.

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/jerry-sullivan/article823322.ece

 

Leino's suggested that Ruff misused players, mentioning "a lot of pieces that were kind of out of place" early in the season.

...Leino saying he had "to think too much" at times. That sounds like an indictment of Ruff's "system," which often has players overthinking instead of trusting their hockey instincts.

 

Yep. Twisting every quote into indictment; mountains out of molehills. I get the impression they're rallying to get Ruff fired before the finals end, but they continuously forget or ignore that Pegula and Black have said they're only considering his performance since they bought the team. Ruff's only 0 for 1 in their era, and most fans have figured out that that's not enough to get a coach as respected as Ruff fired. They're probably also forgetting that many outsiders have praised Ruff for keeping the ship together after being last in the East, finishing 20-8-6 in their final 32 games.

 

They keep beating this horse is that they think it's not obvious that they're pointlessly exploiting post-season depression/anger for readership, still trying to dig for reasons why the team underperformed. That would have been news, about three months ago.

[Eleven]

No one wants to read about the Bisons, is what it really comes down to.

[IKnowPhysics]

Lulz.

 

Can't they start milking draft/free agent/trade talk a little early?

 

Hell, they could sit around playing xbox, substituting the Sabres for Captials in the SC playoffs, and report on the the results of "detailed simulations." It'd be better reading than constant and ineffectual literary dumps on unchanging reality.

[Fire Lindy Ruff NOW]

what a great article.

[Jsixspd]

Is there any GM/Coach regime in all of hockey that has had more long-term control over the product they're putting on the ice than Regier and Ruff? And so little to show for it?

 

Yeah, as Regier points out in that article, two of the last three years they've made the playoffs. Big whoop. And exited in the first round. Does anyone remember their game 6 and 7 losses last year? It was awful. Game 7 was a total embarrassment. They didn't even look ready to play in Game 7, or as if they even cared if they won or not. Philly completely dominated the Sabres in Game 7.

 

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/sports/sabres-season-ends-with-game-7-loss

 

So is Terry Pegula developing a 'bunker mentality' when it comes to his front office and his team?

[deluca67]

Is there any GM/Coach regime in all of hockey that has had more long-term control over the product they're putting on the ice than Regier and Ruff? And so little to show for it?

 

Yeah, as Regier points out in that article, two of the last three years they've made the playoffs. Big whoop. And exited in the first round. Does anyone remember their game 6 and 7 losses last year? It was awful. Game 7 was a total embarrassment. They didn't even look ready to play in Game 7, or as if they even cared if they won or not. Philly completely dominated the Sabres in Game 7.

 

http://www.wivb.com/...ith-game-7-loss

 

So is Terry Pegula developing a 'bunker mentality' when it comes to his front office and his team?

Not being ready to play is a trademark of Lindy Ruff coached teams.

 

This issue with Pegula is that after his purchase of the Sabres and all of the hoopla surrounding the purchase he expected it to be Haight-Ashbury 1967 forever. IMO, he has been taken completely off guard by the negativity surrounding Regier and Ruff and hasn't been able to deal with it.

 

Local media often reflects the attitude of the fan base. At this moment faith is extremely low in Ruff and Regier. On the flip side, faith is growing in Nix and Gailey and I think that is being reflected in the coverage of the Bills. Having the Bills distract fans may be exactly what the Sabres need. Allowing the Sabres fly under the radar for a while.

[Eleven]

Not being ready to play is a trademark of Lindy Ruff coached teams.

 

This issue with Pegula is that after his purchase of the Sabres and all of the hoopla surrounding the purchase he expected it to be Haight-Ashbury 1967 forever. IMO, he has been taken completely off guard by the negativity surrounding Regier and Ruff and hasn't been able to deal with it.

 

Local media often reflects the attitude of the fan base. At this moment faith is extremely low in Ruff and Regier. On the flip side, faith is growing in Nix and Gailey and I think that is being reflected in the coverage of the Bills. Having the Bills distract fans may be exactly what the Sabres need. Allowing the Sabres fly under the radar for a while.

 

We know you don't like the coach, DeLuca, but you don't have to make ###### up.

[SwampD]

Not being ready to play is a trademark of Lindy Ruff coached teams.

 

This issue with Pegula is that after his purchase of the Sabres and all of the hoopla surrounding the purchase he expected it to be Haight-Ashbury 1967 forever. IMO, he has been taken completely off guard by the negativity surrounding Regier and Ruff and hasn't been able to deal with it.

 

Local media often reflects the attitude of the fan base. At this moment faith is extremely low in Ruff and Regier. On the flip side, faith is growing in Nix and Gailey and I think that is being reflected in the coverage of the Bills. Having the Bills distract fans may be exactly what the Sabres need. Allowing the Sabres fly under the radar for a while.

 

Pegula should have never hired the Hell's Angels to do security on Fan Appreciation Day.

 

We know you don't like the coach, DeLuca, but you don't have to make ###### up.

 

You mean like Torts is only good with better teams and Lindy is better with bad ones?

 

When the players themselves say it game after game there is something to it

[Campy]

You mean like Torts is only good with better teams and Lindy is better with bad ones?

 

When the players themselves say it game after game there is something to it

 

But didn't they also say that it was on them, and not the coach, to get mentally prepared to play?

[SwampD]

But didn't they also say that it was on them, and not the coach, to get mentally prepared to play?

..and the cosmic ballet goes on...

[Patty16]

Not being ready to play is a trademark of Lindy Ruff coached teams.

 

This issue with Pegula is that after his purchase of the Sabres and all of the hoopla surrounding the purchase he expected it to be Haight-Ashbury 1967 forever. IMO, he has been taken completely off guard by the negativity surrounding Regier and Ruff and hasn't been able to deal with it.

 

Local media often reflects the attitude of the fan base. At this moment faith is extremely low in Ruff and Regier. On the flip side, faith is growing in Nix and Gailey and I think that is being reflected in the coverage of the Bills. Having the Bills distract fans may be exactly what the Sabres need. Allowing the Sabres fly under the radar for a while.

 

Thats precisely the problem. As for the Bills, the fan base has generally been chastising Nix and Gailey since their arrival. Only the Mario Williams signing has really changed that perception.

The fans, en masse, are reactionary and know very little about running a professional franchise and how the business has to be run.

[deluca67]

We know you don't like the coach, DeLuca, but you don't have to make ###### up.

The dozens upon dozens of times I have brought this same point up during or right after games in which it actually happened is me "making it up?" The Lindy Special is real, and for many of us it happens far too frequently. But please, go ahead with your automated pro-Lindy responses.

[TrueBlueGED]

The dozens upon dozens of times I have brought this same point up during or right after games in which it actually happened is me "making it up?" The Lindy Special is real, and for many of us it happens far too frequently. But please, go ahead with your automated pro-Lindy responses.

 

The problem with your argument is you're assuming the team not being ready to play is because of Ruff. Saying after every lackluster game "that was a Lindy Special!" doesn't make it true. It could just as easily be the players' fault.

[deluca67]

Thats precisely the problem. As for the Bills, the fan base has generally been chastising Nix and Gailey since their arrival. Only the Mario Williams signing has really changed that perception.

The fans, en masse, are reactionary and know very little about running a professional franchise and how the business has to be run.

It remains pure foolishness to try and pretend that fans that have been watching hockey/football for 40+ years continue to be clueless to the inner workings of a professional sports team. Even more so considering the small close nit community WNY is. Just because an individual fan may be blind, it doesn't mean other fans or the fan base as a whole remain blind.

 

The problem with your argument is you're assuming the team not being ready to play is because of Ruff. Saying after every lackluster game "that was a Lindy Special!" doesn't make it true. It could just as easily be the players' fault.

What I'm saying is that it's Lindy's responsibility to have his team ready to play every night. I know the popular defense on this board is that the coaching position has no responsibilities and has no influence on anything that happens on the ice. It's like when Regier supporters try and defend Regier by saying Quinn was the actual GM and Regier was a yes man.

[Fire Lindy Ruff NOW]

Thats precisely the problem. As for the Bills, the fan base has generally been chastising Nix and Gailey since their arrival. Only the Mario Williams signing has really changed that perception.

The fans, en masse, are reactionary and know very little about running a professional franchise and how the business has to be run.

everyone ive ever talked too liked nix and gailey even before the williams signing...

[deluca67]

everyone ive ever talked too liked nix and gailey even before the williams signing...

This is right.

 

I'm not saying the Bills fan base was brimming with optimism. It's getting there. This is the value of bringing in new faces.

[LastPommerFan]

This is right.

 

I'm not saying the Bills fan base was brimming with optimism. It's getting there. This is the value of bringing in new faces.

 

Go back 10 months, that Sabres Fanbase would make the current bills fanbase look like Eeyore.

[TrueBlueGED]

This is right.

 

I'm not saying the Bills fan base was brimming with optimism. It's getting there. This is the value of bringing in new faces.

 

The Bills fan base is becoming more optimistic because the Bills are looking competent, not because they brought in new faces to run things. For example, in the first year of the new regime, Nix got crushed for drafting Spiller (and the draft class as a whole, even now, looks very poor) and Gailey was ripped to shreds for starting the year with Edwards. There was plenty of discontent, even with the new faces. Fast forward to now...same faces as a couple years ago, but significantly more optimism. Why? Because those familiar faces actually appear to know what they're doing, as they have demonstrated through roster moves. But don't pretend for a minute that this will continue if the performance doesn't follow. If Mario Williams gets hurt, you're going to hear the hindsight-chorus of "This guy hasn't been healthy in 2 years and they gave him $50 million! Same old Bills, clueless". And this will probably come from some of the same people who thought bringing him in was a good move *cough* Sullivan *cough*.

 

My point is, despite what happened this season...if the Sabres put together a dynamite offseason like the Bills did, the optimism among the fan base will return regardless of Regier and Ruff still being here.

[TrueBlueGED]

What I'm saying is that it's Lindy's responsibility to have his team ready to play every night. I know the popular defense on this board is that the coaching position has no responsibilities and has no influence on anything that happens on the ice. It's like when Regier supporters try and defend Regier by saying Quinn was the actual GM and Regier was a yes man.

 

Do you blame Hitchcock for the absolute turd St. Louis dropped last night? I don't. I know it's popular conceptually to hold the head coach accountable for his team's readiness, but actually figuring out what is causing a team to come out with a lackadaisical effort is an entirely different animal. Every team in the NHL has nights they don't try hard, don't play well, coast too much...to automatically take that result and say "the coach didn't have them ready!" is just a general BS comment without any substance to it.

[deluca67]

Go back 10 months, that Sabres Fanbase would make the current bills fanbase look like Eeyore.

When the Pegula Crush wore off what happened. Fans realized they were still stuck with the Status Quo. The Bills seem to be actually building something while the Sabres continue to make the same mistake over and over.

 

The Bills fan base is becoming more optimistic because the Bills are looking competent, not because they brought in new faces to run things. For example, in the first year of the new regime, Nix got crushed for drafting Spiller (and the draft class as a whole, even now, looks very poor) and Gailey was ripped to shreds for starting the year with Edwards. There was plenty of discontent, even with the new faces. Fast forward to now...same faces as a couple years ago, but significantly more optimism. Why? Because those familiar faces actually appear to know what they're doing, as they have demonstrated through roster moves. But don't pretend for a minute that this will continue if the performance doesn't follow. If Mario Williams gets hurt, you're going to hear the hindsight-chorus of "This guy hasn't been healthy in 2 years and they gave him $50 million! Same old Bills, clueless". And this will probably come from some of the same people who thought bringing him in was a good move *cough* Sullivan *cough*.

 

My point is, despite what happened this season...if the Sabres put together a dynamite offseason like the Bills did, the optimism among the fan base will return regardless of Regier and Ruff still being here.

They look competent because they brought in new faces and the new faces are doing a good job. Nix and Gailey do not come with the 15 years of baggage the Status Quo has.

[Taro T]

...

 

 

What I'm saying is that it's Lindy's responsibility to have his team ready to play every night. I know the popular defense on this board is that the coaching position has no responsibilities and has no influence on anything that happens on the ice. It's like when Regier supporters try and defend Regier by saying Quinn was the actual GM and Regier was a yes man.

Of course it's Ruff's responsibility to have the team ready to play every game night.

 

What I don't get, is why the need for the strawmen following that statement. You've come up with better defenses of your positions in the past.

[deluca67]

Do you blame Hitchcock for the absolute turd St. Louis dropped last night? I don't. I know it's popular conceptually to hold the head coach accountable for his team's readiness, but actually figuring out what is causing a team to come out with a lackadaisical effort is an entirely different animal. Every team in the NHL has nights they don't try hard, don't play well, coast too much...to automatically take that result and say "the coach didn't have them ready!" is just a general BS comment without any substance to it.

It absolutely falls on Hitchcock.

 

I am beginning to wonder why teams even have head coaches? In the NHL they are obviously not needed.

[TrueBlueGED]

 

They looks competent because they brought in new faces and the new faces are doing a good job. Nix and Gailey do not come with the 15 years of baggage the Status Quo has.

 

That is the ONLY thing that matters. If the new faces were doing a bad job, they'd be getting ripped. GMs and coaches get ripped when they do a bad job, and praised when they do a good job. This is completely independent of how long they've been somewhere.

 

It absolutely falls on Hitchcock.

 

I am beginning to wonder why teams even have head coaches? In the NHL they are obviously not needed.

 

I am beginning to wonder why teams even have players and captains. In the NHL they are obviously not needed. Just get a coaching staff and the franchise will win games.

 

General, absolutist statements are dumb.

 

If a team comes out and lays an egg, it might be the coach's fault, and it might be the players' fault. To de-facto blame the coach is just cliche and lazy.