Shake up in the office PAT LaFONTAINE RESIGNS

[That Aud Smell]

I just don't want to go down the road you went. He's just a columnist and it's just a game.

 

fair.

 

Summary?

 

if you listen to the first 4 minutes or so, it's in there. it's not an earth-shattering theory, and maybe it's been stated elsewhere, but he capably articulates the idea that the ownership's plan became one where PLF would be a figurehead, and little else. And that PLF wound up very unhappy with that (even if he helped set the stage for it by declining to be GM). this theory would also help explain the curious decision not to seek to fill his position. how else to explain the creation of an upper-level management position that will not be filled when the guy leaves?

[LGR4GM]

I just don't want to go down the road you went. He's just a columnist and it's just a game.

 

 

 

Summary?

 

No way I'm listening for 19 min.

They Hired PLF to put a face on the franchise but never really wanted him making hockey decisions in the long run. They figured once he got a new GM he would just assume the role of happy face and the Sabres would continue on with him as the face of the management but he would have no power about player decisions. Since PLF still wanted to have input and was told no TM is in charge now, all hell brook lose.

[Samson's Flow]

 

 

fair.

 

[/size]

 

if you listen to the first 4 minutes or so, it's in there. it's not an earth-shattering theory, and maybe it's been stated elsewhere, but he capably articulates the idea that the ownership's plan became one where PLF would be a figurehead, and little else. And that PLF wound up very unhappy with that (even if he helped set the stage for it by declining to be GM). this theory would also help explain the curious decision not to seek to fill his position. how else to explain the creation of an upper-level management position that will not be filled when the guy leaves?

 

They Hired PLF to put a face on the franchise but never really wanted him making hockey decisions in the long run. They figured once he got a new GM he would just assume the role of happy face and the Sabres would continue on with him as the face of the management but he would have no power about player decisions. Since PLF still wanted to have input and was told no TM is in charge now, all hell brook lose.

This theory seems entirely plausible given Pat LaLa's competitiveness and the timing of the resignation. A guy like Lafontaine who is used to being a leader doesn't seem like the type of guy to accept being a figurehead. And it came to culmination right before the trade deadline when the real decisions needed to be made and he was either not consulted or left out all together.

[SDS]

if you listen to the first 4 minutes or so, it's in there. it's not an earth-shattering theory, and maybe it's been stated elsewhere, but he capably articulates the idea that the ownership's plan became one where PLF would be a figurehead, and little else. And that PLF wound up very unhappy with that (even if he helped set the stage for it by declining to be GM). this theory would also help explain the curious decision not to seek to fill his position. how else to explain the creation of an upper-level management position that will not be filled when the guy leaves?

 

Yeah, but he leaves by the dark of night with lips clenched? Too rosy of a scenario for me.

[That Aud Smell]

Yeah, but he leaves by the dark of night with lips clenched? Too rosy of a scenario for me.

 

Not quite. He becomes angry at the role to which he's been relegated. Increasingly angry. Confrontations occur. Maybe there's even talk from ownership (Black, etc.) denying that the desire is for PLF to be a handsome face, a trusted hero, and little more. But nothing gets better. And PLF becomes a problem. And so ownership compels his resignation. The timing of the announcement isn't good, but that's because PLF leaked that it was going down and forced their hand.

[PromoTheRobot]

who's the guest? that theory he has is the best i have heard. it fits the whole story, quite neatly.

 

Bob Gaughan.

[That Aud Smell]

Bob Gaughan.

 

whodat?

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

They Hired PLF to put a face on the franchise but never really wanted him making hockey decisions in the long run. They figured once he got a new GM he would just assume the role of happy face and the Sabres would continue on with him as the face of the management but he would have no power about player decisions. Since PLF still wanted to have input and was told no TM is in charge now, all hell brook lose.

 

It is a plausible scenario. Not only this, but there is a very common dirty pool trick used in the business world. The Sabres after firing Darcy, are basically a hockey startup company. You want "your" people in control, but you also realize that what has been going on hasn't worked...and you have no clue, So....you bring in someone who you know is respected by the entire hockey world and is a hard worker. He goes looking high and low for the best hockey people and puts the whole thing together for you. You really don't want him or need him once the machine is up and running, but you had no clue how to build that machine. Patty does all the legwork...gets a guru like Patrick in here who admitted himself he was here for Lafontaine....gets a folkhero of a coach in here who fans love and gets guys with marginal ability to play like monsters.....and gets a scouts' scout of a GM in here who will work tirelessly to prove he is capable for the long haul in this league as a GM.

 

Then.......you say "Thanks...have a nice day....we'll take it from here..."

 

It's a slimeball move, but all throughout history there is a long list of lifting ideas and letting people more talented do the actual legwork for you, then putting your buddies in to reap the benefits.

[Peter]

It's impossible for me to believe that the concept of tanking for next year was not discussed ad nauseum during the GM hiring, was one of the biggest questions, and that PLF didn't know Murray's entire viewpoint of the concept before he hired him.

 

Haven't we known for at least a year?!? There is no way TN did not know we are in rebuilding mode when he was hired.

[...]

 

It's a slimeball move, but all throughout history there is a long list of lifting ideas and letting people more talented do the actual legwork for you, then putting your buddies in to reap the benefits.

 

If it were like this, I would expect that a police report, or ambulance record exists somewhere.

[Eleven]

Yeah, but he leaves by the dark of night with lips clenched? Too rosy of a scenario for me.

 

That's been my only problem with that explanation all along. Unless the window of opportunity at the NHL was closing, why now?

[That Aud Smell]

It's a slimeball move, but all throughout history there is a long list of lifting ideas and letting people more talented do the actual legwork for you, then putting your buddies in to reap the benefits.

 

it may not be far from the truth. what i would sooner believe is that there may have been no overt, conscious intent to proceed in that manner, but that they planned to do so, just the same.

 

That's been my only problem with that explanation all along. Unless the window of opportunity at the NHL was closing, why now?

 

because the timing was not of his choosing. they signaled to him that it was over, told him to lay low for 2 or 3 weeks, word got out that sh!t was going down, and the sabres had to accelerate his departure.

[TrueBlueGED]

That's been my only problem with that explanation all along. Unless the window of opportunity at the NHL was closing, why now?

 

There had to be some flashpoint event, right? All of this other stuff may well have played into it and been building, but the suddenness had to be caused by something that sent it over the edge.

[nfreeman]

It is a plausible scenario. Not only this, but there is a very common dirty pool trick used in the business world. The Sabres after firing Darcy, are basically a hockey startup company. You want "your" people in control, but you also realize that what has been going on hasn't worked...and you have no clue, So....you bring in someone who you know is respected by the entire hockey world and is a hard worker. He goes looking high and low for the best hockey people and puts the whole thing together for you. You really don't want him or need him once the machine is up and running, but you had no clue how to build that machine. Patty does all the legwork...gets a guru like Patrick in here who admitted himself he was here for Lafontaine....gets a folkhero of a coach in here who fans love and gets guys with marginal ability to play like monsters.....and gets a scouts' scout of a GM in here who will work tirelessly to prove he is capable for the long haul in this league as a GM.

 

Then.......you say "Thanks...have a nice day....we'll take it from here..."

 

It's a slimeball move, but all throughout history there is a long list of lifting ideas and letting people more talented do the actual legwork for you, then putting your buddies in to reap the benefits.

 

I agree that it's plausible, but in that scenario the putative conflict would've arisen between PLF and TM over hockey decisions, right? Not between PLF and Sawyer/Battista/Black, who aren't really involved in those decisions (it seems). And by all indications there wasn't a beef between PLF and TM.

 

Also, I don't see why the Sabres would've wanted to cut PLF loose -- they would've wanted to keep him around for the PR value, recruiting FAs, etc.

 

There had to be some flashpoint event, right? All of this other stuff may well have played into it and been building, but the suddenness had to be caused by something that sent it over the edge.

 

Yes.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

 

I agree that it's plausible, but in that scenario the putative conflict would've arisen between PLF and TM over hockey decisions, right? Not between PLF and Sawyer/Battista/Black, who aren't really involved in those decisions (it seems). And by all indications there wasn't a beef between PLF and TM.

 

Also, I don't see why the Sabres would've wanted to cut PLF loose -- they would've wanted to keep him around for the PR value, recruiting FAs, etc.

 

 

 

Yes.

 

Yeah....from what almost everyone can tell, Lafontaine and Murray were on the same page. Pat's no Rube....he knew what he was getting in Murray.

 

Like AudSmell said....the Sabres may have not consciously set this up to happen, but it did...for whatever variety of reasons. It's probably a Chinese Menu of things.... Flashpoint, for sure. Sabres less than genuine by really bringing Lafontaine in to calm fans and have a 100% respected hockey guy do a job search. Pegula and friends still enjoying being a bit overactive in what they are qualified for. Patty being hardheaded and wanting autonomy in certain decisions. Ted Black getting flustered between Patty and Battista cramming into his "what do I really do here?" job title.

 

 

[K-9]

There had to be some flashpoint event, right? All of this other stuff may well have played into it and been building, but the suddenness had to be caused by something that sent it over the edge.

 

I maintain there were a series of "flashpoints" since Patty came aboard leading to the crescendo we saw last week.

 

Interesting that the majority have no problems thinking the non-hockey people inserted themselves and meddled in the hockey process and yet won't even entertain the thought that Patty may have inserted himself and meddled in non-hockey stuff as well.

 

I think there's a good chance that PLF overstepped his bounds. Which can happen in a newly created role without clearly defined parameters.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Yeah....from what almost everyone can tell, Lafontaine and Murray were on the same page. Pat's no Rube....he knew what he was getting in Murray.

 

Like AudSmell said....the Sabres may have not consciously set this up to happen, but it did...for whatever variety of reasons. It's probably a Chinese Menu of things.... Flashpoint, for sure. Sabres less than genuine by really bringing Lafontaine in to calm fans and have a 100% respected hockey guy do a job search. Pegula and friends still enjoying being a bit overactive in what they are qualified for. Patty being hardheaded and wanting autonomy in certain decisions. Ted Black getting flustered between Patty and Battista cramming into his "what do I really do here?" job title.

 

I don't believe for a second that Terry Pegula didn't want PLF to join the long list of employees that stay with him forever. I think he genuinely regrets losing him.

 

I also think he doesn't take too kindly to being told to phuck off either.

 

It's a balancing act.

 

GO SABRES!!!

Edited March 7, 2014 by K-9

[Peter]

 

 

 

I've said it many times, but it bears repeating: There is no person in the world whom I don't know personally that I dislike as much as Mike Harrington. I no longer read anything he writes, at least not willingly (sometimes he'll end up retweeted in my newsfeed by the BN or Vogl--I like to think that they've had to support him that way because there's a cadre of people who have unfollowed him). This has inconvenienced me sometimes, as there is content that he reports about the team that I don't see/learn in a timely manner. Whatever.

 

I do not know what was in your original post (before any deletions), but I do agree with your general estimation re Harrington.

 

It is my impression that, as time has gone by, more and more people are on to Harrington, Bucky, and Sully.

[LastPommerFan]

What if Nolan was the target all along, and PLF was simply the cost. I mean, who hires a GM without giving them the call on the head coach? This is Nolan's team. A wrong is being righted, and PLF was a victim of the means.

[Kristian]

What if Nolan was the target all along, and PLF was simply the cost. I mean, who hires a GM without giving them the call on the head coach? This is Nolan's team. A wrong is being righted, and PLF was a victim of the means.

 

You mean the reason for this whole mess was that TP didn't want to call Nolan himself?

[LastPommerFan]

You mean the reason for this whole mess was that TP didn't want to call Nolan himself?

 

Or Nolan wouldn't come back to the Sabres (it didn't end well last time) but PLF could change his mind.

[Peter]

What if Nolan was the target all along, and PLF was simply the cost. I mean, who hires a GM without giving them the call on the head coach? This is Nolan's team. A wrong is being righted, and PLF was a victim of the means.

 

I get where you are coming from, but I have never understood the suggestion that there ever was a wrong in the first instance. I realize that a lot of people love TN. I did too up until whatever happened with him, Muckler, and Dom. I also think that he has done a good job after being re-hired (especially compared to Rolston who had no business coaching in the NHL).

 

Yet, I have many questions about everything that happened between the TN, Muckler, Dom fiasco and the day TN got re-hired. In the end, I hope everything works out. Nevertheless, I do not think a wrong had been committed and do believe that TN largely has been given a pass.

 

I know many here may disagree, but, in my view, the "wrong" that was committed vis a vis a Buffalo Sabre coach was firing Lindy - not offering a one year extension of a contract or withdrawing that contract offer to a guy who refused to return the calls of the GM.

 

I also find it funny that some Sabres fans and media were offended when that offer was for one year so that the GM at the time could see how they got along.

 

Yet, people were absolutely giddy when the Sabres/PLF hired TN on an "interim" basis so that whoever was subsequently hired as GM could decide whether he could work with and want TN on a permanent basis.

 

I may have missed it, but I never read Harrington or Bucky (or others in the Buffalo media) comment that it was some sort of travesty that the Sabres/PLF hired TN as an "interim" head coach or that it was some sort of "wrong" such as the one year extension offered to TN after the TN, Dom, Muckler fiasco.

Edited March 8, 2014 by Peter

[Eleven]

because the timing was not of his choosing. they signaled to him that it was over, told him to lay low for 2 or 3 weeks, word got out that sh!t was going down, and the sabres had to accelerate his departure.

 

I can't believe that such a successful businessman would be this stupid. No one signals to an employee that it's over. And it's inconsistent with prior action (firing Regier).

Edited March 8, 2014 by Eleven

[Brawndo]

PLF Speaks!

 

Just not about the situation surrounding his departure.

 

_{http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabres-nhl/lafontaine-breaks-his-silence-but-refuses-to-speak-about-departure-from-sabres-20140309}

Edited March 9, 2014 by BRAWNDO

[MILFHUNTER#518]

What I gathered that was important is that he would not confirm the existence of the non disclosure agreement. If that is not in place, maybe in a couple years we will finally get an answer as to what transpired... I have met the man a couple times, and my brother was even at his retirement dinner and has gotten his box at the Garden a couple times and he is nothing but the best human being in the world. I am sure he had a damned good reason for making the move that he did. Simply one of the biggest class acts around, it is really not a smoke screen

[wjag]

Somehow I feel that Nolan is at the nexus of what went down.