Shake up in the office PAT LaFONTAINE RESIGNS

[LGR4GM]

Oh my lord, a woman who knows what she wants to do and tells the men to do it! How shameful, whatever will we do? How will we handle such a woman?

 

Good for Kim Pegula, keep kicking ass.

[That Aud Smell]

I really do think she's the brains of the operation. For good and for ill. Mostly to the good, I think.

[...]

You guys have a problem with the label "sweet" being applied to a person?  Really?  That's one of the most ridiculous things I've read on the interwebz this week.  It must suck to have to tip-toe through society, getting all anxious making sure you offend no one.  Life is too short for that sh$t.

[K-9]

LaFontaine might still be here if he didn't wake the dead every time he lost his temper. 

 

I don't blame the man for not knowing how to play petty office politics, but going berserk isn't the way to handle it. Not in the least. Patty was out of his depth. 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[darksabre]

You guys have a problem with the label "sweet" being applied to a person? Really? That's one of the most ridiculous things I've read on the interwebz this week. It must suck to have to tip-toe through society, getting all anxious making sure you offend no one. Life is too short for that sh$t.

You've clearly elected to skim over discussion and go straight to your pre-recorded "anti-PC" response. Thanks for posting on autopilot.

[qwksndmonster]

You guys have a problem with the label "sweet" being applied to a person? Really? That's one of the most ridiculous things I've read on the interwebz this week. It must suck to have to tip-toe through society, getting all anxious making sure you offend no one. Life is too short for that sh$t.

Nobody has a problem with her being called sweet. I think most would agree that she seems really sweet. That's her public persona, however. Obviously to her employees she's not going to be the sweet Kim Pegula, she's going to be the boss and run the damn company. Males in a position of power aren't under anywhere near as much scrutiny as women. That's what people are taking issue with.

 

After saying that the only thing keeping black people in the ghetto is black people, I'm recognizing a very clear pattern with you. Not one demographic in the US get as fair a shake as white men. That's a fact, it's not a great con. It's not because people are trying to be sexist or racist, it's because these thought structures have existed in our society for generations and recognizing them isn't a simple task by any means. As a society or at a personal level (but personal is politcal, so whatevs).

Edited January 18, 2016 by qwksndmonster

[ubkev]

Nobody has a problem with her being called sweet. I think most would agree that she seems really sweet. That's her public persona, however. Obviously to her employees she's not going to be the sweet Kim Pegula, she's going to be the boss and run the damn company. Males in a position of power aren't under anywhere near as much scrutiny as women. That's what people are taking issue with.

Scrutiny from whom? The media, the public, the boardroom, the shareholders?

[...]

qwksndmonster, on 18 Jan 2016 - 6:40 PM, said:qwksndmonster, on 18 Jan 2016 - 6:40 PM, said:qwksndmonster, on 18 Jan 2016 - 6:40 PM, said:

Nobody has a problem with her being called sweet. I think most would agree that she seems really sweet. That's her public persona, however. Obviously to her employees she's not going to be the sweet Kim Pegula, she's going to be the boss and run the damn company. Males in a position of power aren't under anywhere near as much scrutiny as women. That's what people are taking issue with.

 

After saying that the only thing keeping black people in the ghetto is black people, I'm recognizing a very clear pattern with you. Not one demographic in the US get as fair a shake as white men. That's a fact, it's not a great con. It's not because people are trying to be sexist or racist, it's because these thought structures have existed in our society for generations and recognizing them isn't a simple task by any means. As a society or at a personal level (but personal is politcal, so whatevs).

 

 

You mean to say no one ever says anything bad about the white, male boss?  WTF.  This is stupid.  You mean white males who don't go along with the very kind of garbage stinking up a thread like this never, ever get called "angry white males"?  Aren't called bigots, or sexists, or whatever else is in the little black (sorry, I meant color-vacant) book of tattle-tailing?  In other words, aren't you scrutinizing Bucky right now?

 

You know what, if you could point me to where the white guys get their ticket to Easy Street and Glory Way, I would like my pass to all of that right now.  Because I haven't received jack sh&t for being a white guy that I recall.  Do I have some sort of minority gene in my DNA that has prevented me from getting all of these benefits for being a white guy?  I'm apparently missing out on a lucrative something.

So, wait, what if Bucky had said "she ain't as NICE as she appears..." as opposed to "she ain't as SWEET..."  - that would be o-tay?

Edited January 18, 2016 by SiZzlEmeIsTEr

[Stoner]

Oh my lord, a woman who knows what she wants to do and tells the men to do it! How shameful, whatever will we do? How will we handle such a woman?

 

Good for Kim Pegula, keep kicking ass.

Is she though?

[That Aud Smell]

LaFontaine might still be here if he didn't wake the dead every time he lost his temper.

 

I don't blame the man for not knowing how to play petty office politics, but going berserk isn't the way to handle it. Not in the least. Patty was out of his depth.

 

GO SABRES!!!

This squares with stuff I heard, fwiw.

[Neo]

You mean to say no one ever says anything bad about the white, male boss?  WTF.  This is stupid.  You mean white males who don't go along with the very kind of garbage stinking up a thread like this never, ever get called "angry white males"?  Aren't called bigots, or sexists, or whatever else is in the little black (sorry, I meant color-vacant) book of tattle-tailing?  In other words, aren't you scrutinizing Bucky right now?

 

You know what, if you could point me to where the white guys get their ticket to Easy Street and Glory Way, I would like my pass to all of that right now.  Because I haven't received jack sh&t for being a white guy that I recall.  Do I have some sort of minority gene in my DNA that has prevented me from getting all of these benefits for being a white guy?  I'm apparently missing out on a lucrative something.

So, wait, what if Bucky had said "she ain't as NICE as she appears..." as opposed to "she ain't as SWEET..."  - that would be o-tay?

For the record, and because I think you and I are in many of the same boats, and because I think we have micro-aggression disease in this country ... I did see this one differently. Sweet isn't nice, and neither is a business attribute I hear often with male bosses.

 

If we were talking about her business persona, and Bucky said to me she's not sweet, I'd say "um, yeah, but back to her business persona ... or are women supposed to be sweet in business settings.".

 

Small thing, but I'm sympathetic to your broader points about language and sensitivity. I call them insults, real and imagined. This one did catch my ear.

[MattPie]

You guys have a problem with the label "sweet" being applied to a person?  Really?  That's one of the most ridiculous things I've read on the interwebz this week.  It must suck to have to tip-toe through society, getting all anxious making sure you offend no one.  Life is too short for that sh$t.

 

It's not too much to ask that people be courteous and be better than falling into cliche.

 

For the record, and because I think you and I are in many of the same boats, and because I think we have micro-aggression disease in this country ... I did see this one differently. Sweet isn't nice, and neither is a business attribute I hear often with male bosses.

 

If we were talking about her business persona, and Bucky said to me she's not sweet, I'd say "um, yeah, but back to her business persona ... or are women supposed to be sweet in business settings.".

 

Small thing, but I'm sympathetic to your broader points about language and sensitivity. I call them insults, real and imagined. This one did catch my ear.

 

I'm generally in agreement. At best, Bucky is being lazy; at worst he's trying to demean a woman using sexist language. Assuming it's laziness for a minute; it's not that hard. Write something, then read it and ask yourself if you'd write the same thing about a man. That's it. Bucky could have just written, "In contrast with Kim's public persona, she's a known as hard-nosed boss within in the company." But then we wouldn't be talking about his crappy column. But, notice that by using a lazy and possibly sexist cliche, we're talking about that and not whatever point Bucky was trying to make. There's probably a lesson in there: no one is going to stop you from writing something that's borderline offensive, but more people are going to take you seriously if take the high road.

[Robviously]

For the record, and because I think you and I are in many of the same boats, and because I think we have micro-aggression disease in this country ... I did see this one differently. Sweet isn't nice, and neither is a business attribute I hear often with male bosses.

 

If we were talking about her business persona, and Bucky said to me she's not sweet, I'd say "um, yeah, but back to her business persona ... or are women supposed to be sweet in business settings.".

 

Small thing, but I'm sympathetic to your broader points about language and sensitivity. I call them insults, real and imagined. This one did catch my ear.

This might be a separate thing, but I do think she cultivates a "sweet" persona to the public.  I saw her at the home opener working one of the ice cream stands.  If she's trying to cultivate an image as sweet, humble, kind, approachable, etc., stuff like that is a way to do it.  And there's nothing wrong with that.

Is she though?

Who cares...we've just witnessed the birth of Concept of Kim Pegula. 

[PromoTheRobot]

I've heard Donald Trump isn't as sweet as he appears in public. #BNsexist

Edited January 19, 2016 by PromoTheRobot

[Jsixspd]

 

What doesn't seem to square with Bucky's take: The Pegulas have moved on from Black and Battista. I'm also not sure why he's pinning the falling-out on Mrs. Pegula.

 

Black is gone, but Battista is still there in his sinecure post.   

 

I could see where it would be galling to an experienced and seasoned hockey executive to suddenly have orders or directives countered by an inexperienced hockey person whose only qualification was being spouse of the owner, if indeed that did happen.   In a sane world, the most knowledgeable and the most qualified person is the person in the center seat.  

Edited January 19, 2016 by Jsixspd

[TrueBlueGED]

Black is gone, but Battista is still there in his sinecure post.

 

I could see where it would be galling to an experienced and seasoned hockey executive to suddenly have orders or directives countered by an inexperienced hockey person whose only qualification was being spouse of the owner, if indeed that did happen. In a sane world, the most knowledgeable and the most qualified person is the person in the center seat.

No, he's not. I'm pretty sure he left before Black. In any event, he's long gone.

[That Aud Smell]

Black is gone, but Battista is still there in his sinecure post.   

No, he's not. I'm pretty sure he left before Black. In any event, he's long gone.

 

JoeBa. Won't see him no more.

 

http://www.diebytheblade.com/2015/8/3/9089587/joe-battista-resigns-from-the-sabres

I could see where it would be galling to an experienced and seasoned hockey executive to suddenly have orders or directives countered by an inexperienced hockey person whose only qualification was being spouse of the owner, if indeed that did happen.   In a sane world, the most knowledgeable and the most qualified person is the person in the center seat.  

 

I can't sort out who's who in this post.

[Jsixspd]

Interesting about JoeBa.   The Sabres website shows him as still there;  

 

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=94184


 Dayum, gonna have to change my title statement -we can't blame it on Battista any more.   :(

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/13371643/joe-battista-stepping-buffalo-sabres-executive

Edited January 19, 2016 by Jsixspd

[That Aud Smell]

Interesting about JoeBa.   The Sabres website shows him as still there;  

 

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=94184

 

Well, the press release is still there. Sure. Because that happened once upon a time.

 

But look at their FO page:

 

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=36588

 

No JoeBa.

[Jsixspd]

Awwww!   :(    

Interesting - I don't see his position - "VP of Hockey-Related Businesses"  even listed.   Apparently the job was created for, and ended, when he departed.  No one else but Battista could do it like Battista did it - whatever it was he did.     

[shrader]

This eluded my attention over the weekend, but here it is from a short piece Bucky did on PLF visiting HarborCenter to watch his son play.

 

http://buckyandsully.buffalonews.com/2016/01/17/a-pair-of-lafontaines-answer-the-call/

 

"My read, based on numerous conversations with people close to the situation: LaFontaine was building a front office that excluded certain Pegula underlings such as Black and Joe Battista. They felt threatened by his power, feared for their futures and used petty office politics to drive a wedge between LaFontaine and Kim Pegula.

The whole thing was asinine, childish and unnecessary. LaFontaine was polite but said little when asked about his exit Saturday.

“It’s been pretty well-documented,” he said. “Do I wish I was here? You know, I came here with a big intention. I’m really enjoying being at the National Hockey League. I enjoyed the time here even though it was short. I did enjoy it. I was happy to see things go in a certain direction as far as the focus and the energy.”"

What doesn't seem to square with Bucky's take: The Pegulas have moved on from Black and Battista. I'm also not sure why he's pinning the falling-out on Mrs. Pegula.

 

So if LaFontaine really was trying to exclude Ted Black, isn't that a major problem?  Say what you want about what Black's role is supposed to be, but if you're trying to exclude the organization's president from anything, you're just asking for trouble.

[That Aud Smell]

So if LaFontaine really was trying to exclude Ted Black, isn't that a major problem?  Say what you want about what Black's role is supposed to be, but if you're trying to exclude the organization's president from anything, you're just asking for trouble.

 

Who knows. I mean, really.

 

I'm sure if PLF were to speak candidly, he'd have a benign/positive explanation for what he was trying to do.

 

And I suspect if you were to ask the same questions of Black, he'd have a different view of the matter.

 

There's likely blame to be shared. Don't try telling that to Bucky, though. The adopted son of Seymour Knox got run out of town, done dirty, and so on.

[nucci]

I really do think she's the brains of the operation. For good and for ill. Mostly to the good, I think.

She does seem smarter than her husband...from what I've seen and heard

[jsb]

OMG.....

You biotch about the Pegulas

You biotch when someone doesn't write nice about the Pegulas

You biotch when the team loses

You biotch when the team wins

What does that make you????

Buffalo Sabre Biotchers!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Reference notes..... stolen but not necessarily word for word from the movie Bull Durham

[That Aud Smell]

OMG.....

You biotch about the Pegulas

You biotch when someone doesn't write nice about the Pegulas

You biotch when the team loses

You biotch when the team wins

What does that make you????

Buffalo Sabre Biotchers!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Reference notes..... stolen but not necessarily word for word from the movie Bull Durham

 

Who're you talking to?

 

I'm asking.

 

Also, I use any excuse to write the word who're.