Shake up in the office PAT LaFONTAINE RESIGNS

[mjd1001]

okay, I have to say that I am at Defcon 2 with this organization right now. We haven't reached full nuke but something is off. I still really like Murray and I am glad Patrick and Nolan are still with the team. That being said something isn't or wasn't right. Maybe PLF was a bit of an EGO guy and maybe it was just he wanted to leave. Hell could be anything at this point but my spidey senses are tingling... the next three days are very important to me.

 

It will take a lot more to get me to that level with the organization. I hope Nolan stays, not because I think he is great but because I like him. He might be great, he might not be...I don't know, but I like him.

 

The rest of the stuff? As long as this doesn't go on and on for the next 2 years...every 3 months....I'm OK. with it. The team is losing, but I LIKE watching young players. I think it is kinda fun watching a team of young guys and veteran "misfits" who aren't expected to win...seeing their reaction when do do win. Yes, I'll actually ENJOY rooting for this vast underdog on players even if they only win 20-30 games the next couple of years. As long as they show signs of progress year after year. The front office part is fun to talk about, but I can't thin it is that much part of the bigger picture.

[Stoner]

Maybe GMTM was (and is) still working the phones and asked Battista to handle this stuff for him. Lots of plausible scenarios that don't involve conflict (outside of an ass-hurt PLF).

 

Maybe. Battista as point man just has a certain smell to it.

[TrueBlueGED]

Other than because of the bias we carry for PLF as a favored all-time player in Buffalo, why should we be surprised that he's got a HUGE ego and an over-inflated sense of what's right AND be willing to go to the mat over it? Those attributes helped make him one of the best players in history. It's part of his makeup and he probably doesn't suffer what he considers "fools" very easily as a result.

 

As I said upthread, HOF players in sports rarely make successful transitions to front office positions. Patty is 0-2 in this department and his short stints in both places is more than a coincidence.

 

Some will feel the need to make this all about TP, the "inner circle" (ALL sports team owners have them BTW), and how dysfunctional they are in order to satisfy some preconceived narratives. But the simple truth seems to be that Patty just isn't cut out for it. While it's embarrassing in the short term perhaps, it speaks well that TP and Co. nipped the unrest in the bud. Would have been far worse to let it fester out of some misguided loyalty to a great player and person that we all love.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Good take. The simplest explanation is that LaFontaine just isn't wired to be a front office executive.

[darksabre]

I don't find that press release sufficient.

[26CornerBlitz]

‏@BuffaloSabres

#Sabres Interim Coach Ted Nolan says his focus is the team. He's putting personal emotions aside to focus on the 22 guys in the locker room.

[wjag]

So Patty got to use TP's corporate credit card for 40 days or so, Must have been a good ride while it lasted.

[K-9]

That's great!

 

 

 

Either the organization structure was set up to have a president because it made sense, or we ended up with a president for some ulterior motive. The difference is important. If no one replaces PLF, it looks really bad.

 

Patty's position didn't even exist before TP created it for him. Not sure how returning to a previous structure looks really bad.

 

I think we'll find out that Patty went all "Polian" on somebody. I hope he didn't use the C-word on TP's daughter.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[bunomatic]

Dreger on TSN is saying that his inside sources have said that there's no power struggle. Nothing wrong, move along. Basically its much ado over nothing.

[...]

I think the fallout from this will result in:

 

Teddy being offered a contract he can't refuse.

 

Patrick taking over as PoHO.

 

No further ripples within the league.

 

Tons more wild speculation until the truth comes out, but the truth will have to come out in some form because the impact of this, ah, event, is swinging too far in one direction.

 

The Sabres will be no worse off in the end.

 

 

[SDS]

Patty's position didn't even exist before TP created it for him. Not sure how returning to a previous structure looks really bad.

 

I think we'll find out that Patty went all "Polian" on somebody. I hope he didn't use the C-word on TP's daughter.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

It looks terrible. Either you identified a preferred organizational structure for your team or you are just making ###### up as you go.

[radiomike]

Dreger on TSN is saying that his inside sources have said that there's no power struggle. Nothing wrong, move along. Basically its much ado over nothing.

 

well hopefully not anymore. maybe the plan was for him to step down all along but in a more diplomatic, timely fashion. if the trade put him over the edge then so be it, but as many have said I couldn't imagine that office of big names and, perhaps, large egos, to co-exist for too much longer.

[26CornerBlitz]

@BuffNewsVogl

Sabres coach Ted Nolan talked with Pat LaFontaine a day or two ago: "I spoke to him just briefly, and he couldn’t tell me what was going on"

 

@BuffNewsVogl

Sabres coach Ted Nolan: "I have to respect what’s transpired, what’s happened and have faith it was for the right reasons."

Edited March 2, 2014 by 26CornerBlitz

[26CornerBlitz]

Ted Nolan Press Conference (3/2/14) <6:24>

[K-9]

It looks terrible. Either you identified a preferred organizational structure for your team or you are just making ###### up as you go.

 

Sure, there's an element of making it up as you go simply by virtue of the fact the position was made up to begin with. I see nothing wrong with a reassessment of the position and the conclusion that it may no longer be necessary. Companies do this all the time. With Murray on as GM and Patrick in house as an adviser, the need for a formal President of Hockey Operations may not exist. Depends on how you look at it, I guess. I just don't see the big problem here.

 

GO SABRES!!!

Edited March 2, 2014 by K-9

[26CornerBlitz]

‏@BNHarrington

Ted Black and Tim Murray are scheduled to speak to the media at some point this afternoon. #Sabres

[Stoner]

Tons more wild speculation until the truth comes out, but the truth will have to come out in some form because the impact of this, ah, event, is swinging too far in one direction.

 

Against Patty you mean? So Patty will come out and try to "clear his name"?

[...]

The truth will set you free.

[TrueBlueGED]

Dreger on TSN is saying that his inside sources have said that there's no power struggle. Nothing wrong, move along. Basically its much ado over nothing.

 

I have no doubt his sources are telling him this. I have serious doubts his sources are being entirely honest. If this was any kind of a planned departure it would have gone down much differently.

[Stoner]

‏@BNHarrington

Ted Black and Tim Murray are scheduled to speak to the media at some point this afternoon. #Sabres

 

I don't know why Ted Black has to be at these things if he's just the "business guy." This is a hockey side story. Terry's gutless. Again.

[...]

 

 

I don't know why Ted Black has to be at these things if he's just the "business guy." This is a hockey side story. Terry's gutless. Again.

 

Well, PLF is not around to put a happy face on it, so all he has left is Black.

[Stoner]

Sure, there's an element of making it up as you go simply by virtue of the fact the position was made up to begin with. I see nothing wrong with a reassessment of the position and the conclusion that it may no longer be necessary. Companies do this all the time. With Murray on as GM and Patrick in house as an adviser, the need for a formal President of Hockey Operations may not exist. Depends on how you look at it, I guess. I just don't see the big problem here.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

The problem is that there was an impression that the president of hockey ops position was created in a smart move to create a layer between ownership and GM. That was probably a generous interpretation on the part of some. Remember that Pat turned Terry down when the GM job was offered. Now it looks like the president position was created for Patty. (That is, if it isn't filled.)

[darksabre]

 

 

Well, PLF is not around to put a happy face on it, so all he has left is Black.

 

Can't Murray just stand on his own?

 

And if it's not player related then can't Terry come give a statement?

[...]

 

 

Can't Murray just stand on his own?

 

And if it's not player related then can't Terry come give a statement?

 

Re: first question, I'm just responding to PA.

 

Re: second question, I don't think TP has the ability to handle this press conference the way it ought to be handled. The best they have for this, now, is Black.

 

 

[TrueBlueGED]

Re: first question, I'm just responding to PA.

 

Re: second question, I don't think TP has the ability to handle this press conference the way it ought to be handled. The best they have for this, now, is Black.

 

Yea, Pegula in front of an open mic is generally a disaster. I'd imagine he would only make this situation worse, and that's saying something.

[darksabre]

 

 

Re: first question, I'm just responding to PA.

 

Re: second question, I don't think TP has the ability to handle this press conference the way it ought to be handled. The best they have for this, now, is Black.

 

I don't like Ted Black. I think that's my problem.