All about the Babwatch -- Sabres out

[Johnny DangerFace]

Hey, he didn't want to be here, he just wants to lose to the Sabres year after year.

 

No big deal... Let's honor his request!

Oblige him

 

[JJFIVEOH]

I hear Harrington decided to show up at the presser and decided to make an ass out of himself again.

[Eleven]

AM I the only one who ever makes life choices based on family?

 

Definitely not.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

AM I the only one who ever makes life choices based on family?

 

 

Definitely not.

 

 

Me too.

 

What else are you going to base them on?

[MattPie]

I doubt the Toronto media wouldn't have questioned Babcock's character if the situation was reversed.

 

GO SABRES!!!

 

Maybe you're right. They questioned Gorges sanity, but he's not Team Canada's coach.

[Iron Crotch]

So, as I start looking for a new source of income, I shouldn't really involve my family in the decision-making process?  Because, say, if I want to move to Nashville, and my wife doesn't, then, I guess we're not moving to Nashville.  That's how it works here, at least.  Maybe I'm whipped.  As it turns out, after going to Nashville with my wife recently, all of sudden she is okay with moving there.  That doesn't apply to other relationships? 

 

I thought people were made fun of for being so dominant in relationships these days.  I am so confused about 2015.

 

Do you have a $50 million contract on the table in Nashville?  If so, I think your wife might go along with it.   :P

 

These guys are hyper-competitive, motivated, egotistical, driven, etc.  I think Babcock wanted a big raise and he wanted power.  And, I think he wanted to be in the biggest hockey market on the planet (Toronto).  No shame in that.  He played the negotiating game to a tee, which I personally respect.  Then he played the universal "family" card, which works so well in politically uncomfortable situations.  Maybe it was all about family, but I'm suspicious given how often the "family" card is played.

 

In my profession 99% of the time when someone makes a move it is because of "family."  ...only it really isn't.

[woods-racer]

So, as I start looking for a new source of income, I shouldn't really involve my family in the decision-making process?  Because, say, if I want to move to Nashville, and my wife doesn't, then, I guess we're not moving to Nashville.  That's how it works here, at least.  Maybe I'm whipped.  As it turns out, after going to Nashville with my wife recently, all of sudden she is okay with moving there.  That doesn't apply to other relationships? 

 

I thought people were made fun of for being so dominant in relationships these days.  I am so confused about 2015.

 

 

I wanted to move to Nashville area ASAP, NFW says Mrs. Racer (well, much nicer and filled with sound logic) 

 

After second visit, it's in the foreseeable future.

 

Either both are happy in the decision making process, or neither are, there can't be only one winner. 

[K-9]

Was just reading an article a about the press conference and Shanny said that their offer to Babcock never changed. So, Toronto's original offer was the same 10yr, $50m deal he agreed to yesterday.

 

Right.

 

Going to great lengths to fend off criticism that Babcock agreed to deal with Sabres and then shopped it to the Leafs, apparently.

 

GO SABRES!!!

[...]

Do you have a $50 million contract on the table in Nashville?  If so, I think your wife might go along with it.   :P

 

These guys are hyper-competitive, motivated, egotistical, driven, etc.  I think Babcock wanted a big raise and he wanted power.  And, I think he wanted to be in the biggest hockey market on the planet (Toronto).  No shame in that.  He played the negotiating game to a tee, which I personally respect.  Then he played the universal "family" card, which works so well in politically uncomfortable situations.  Maybe it was all about family, but I'm suspicious given how often the "family" card is played.

 

In my profession 99% of the time when someone makes a move it is because of "family."  ...only it really isn't.

 

 

I think the amount of money involved is a moot point.  He was going to get paid no matter where he decided to coach.  So, then the question is, where do WE want to spend the next 5 - 8 years of our lives?

[Stoner]

I hear Harrington decided to show up at the presser and decided to make an ass out of himself again.

Details? Good for Mike.

[JJFIVEOH]

Details? Good for Mike.

This is just word of mouth, I didn't hear it. But apparently Harrington called out Babcock about coming to Buffalo just to get the offer high so somebody else could match it, and then Babcock said the offer in Toronto was actually for less money. 

 

Like I said, I didn't hear it. I brought it up to see if anybody else did. 

[LGR4GM]

Tim Murray on what happened with Babcock: 

 

Tim Murray "we were in negotiations of a contract, knowing full well at the end of the day there isn't a deal done."  "He called us at 11:33am and told us he wasn't coming" "No, there's no deal until he's come and signed a deal" 

[dudacek]

Definitely not.

 

 

Me too.

 

What else are you going to base them on?

 

 

I wanted to move to Nashville area ASAP, NFW says Mrs. Racer (well, much nicer and filled with sound logic) 

 

After second visit, it's in the foreseeable future.

 

Either both are happy in the decision making process, or neither are, there can't be only one winner. 

 

 

I think the amount of money involved is a moot point.  He was going to get paid no matter where he decided to coach.  So, then the question is, where do WE want to spend the next 5 - 8 years of our lives?

 

Thank you. I know corporate culture can require a certain degree of douchbaggery, but it doesn't have to be universal.

Career and money are important considerations, but they aren't necessarily first on everyone's list, even successful people.

Details? Good for Mike.

 

Harrington was fine. He asked a pointed question about Buffalo.

He was doing his job, no badgering involved.

[MattPie]

This is just word of mouth, I didn't hear it. But apparently Harrington called out Babcock about coming to Buffalo just to get the offer high so somebody else could match it, and then Babcock said the offer in Toronto was actually for less money. 

 

Like I said, I didn't hear it. I brought it up to see if anybody else did. 

 

That well and good, but it doesn't really answer the question. I've certainly thought "well, if <whomever> can get close I'd rather go with them even if the money isn't exactly the same".

[Randall Flagg]

Tim Murray on what happened with Babcock:

 

Tim Murray "we were in negotiations of a contract, knowing full well at the end of the day there isn't a deal done." "He called us at 11:33am and told us he wasn't coming" "No, there's no deal until he's come and signed a deal"

Nice. I'm already sick of people complaining about how whiny our organization is. These words are nice to read.

[qwksndmonster]

If we got babcock-blocked by his wife then so be it, thems the breaks.  It appears as if he may have put himself in a much worse position hockey-wise for the sake of his family.  I still think the big stage of Toronto had something to do with it.

[LGR4GM]

Nice. I'm already sick of people complaining about how whiny our organization is. These words are nice to read.

Murray doesn't really seem to care and he had contacted other coaches prior to the Babcock stuff yesterday and also shortly after Babcock told them he wasn't coming. 

[qwksndmonster]

Nice. I'm already sick of people complaining about how whiny our organization is. These words are nice to read.

When I envisioned somebody being whiny, it was never Tim Murray.  He doesn't strike me as the type to lose his cool when the chips fall where they may.

[Stoner]

"People are looking for a smoking gun that doesn't exist."

 

—Tim Murray

 

There you have it. There's nothing to see here, and never was.

 

Good night, SabreSpace.

[X. Benedict]

"People are looking for a smoking gun that doesn't exist."

 

—Tim Murray

 

There you have it. There's nothing to see here, and never was.

 

Good night, SabreSpace.

 

Babcock is taking that pretty girl up the road to the prom. She's prettier. But we win on personality. 

[LGR4GM]

Tim Murray basically just said all the control stuff and screwing the sabres and all of the speculation was basically not what happened.  

[Stoner]

GMTM totally shoots down the idea that control was ever an issue with Babcock. "He never asked for anything."

[kas23]

The "family" angle is PR 101 and most of the time holds little-to-no weight in my experience.

 

Whenever anyone in my profession makes a move it is because of "family"... whenever they turn down an offer it is because of "family"... whenever anyone retires it is to spend more time with "family."

 

Politically, "family" is a universally accepted out for just about any uncomfortable situation. The truth is often something very different.

This is generally true. I've used it before myself. It's right up there with "it's not you, it's me" in breakups. If "family" really mattered in situations like these, then the "family" would've understood this situation would have made him happier.

[That Aud Smell]

"People are looking for a smoking gun that doesn't exist."

 

—Tim Murray

 

There you have it. There's nothing to see here, and never was.

 

Good night, SabreSpace.

GMTM totally shoots down the idea that control was ever an issue with Babcock. "He never asked for anything."

 

It leaves me to wonder where Hamilton (and Graham?) got their angles about the Sabres being "livid."

[LGR4GM]

It leaves me to wonder where Hamilton (and Graham?) got their angles about the Sabres being "livid."

Murray said the only people involved in the talks were Kim, Terry, Mike and Tim.  So sounds like someone somewhere was mad but not anyone who matters.