Sabres president of hockey ops — I'm calling it (again)

[Pimlach]

7 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I think it's kind of ***** to jump on someone like JW.  I think this forum would be better if there were more posters who are close to direct information sharing their insight here.  I also understand that he's not just insight, he's also personality, and that personality clashes with other personalities on the forum.  It would be nice if some of those personalities could lay off a bit and we could get a working relationship with a member of the press that follows the Sabres 

It would also be nice if I won the lottery.  Probably the same odds for either one of those.

Your talking about having a respectful working relationship with a member of the sports media.  Sure, that would be great.  I find it hard to understand why a professional sports reporter would dig up a 5 year old thread to prove he knew more than a fan posting on a forum.   Do you really want a working relationship with this guy?  

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Your talking about having a respectful working relationship with a member of the sports media.  Sure, that would be great.  I find it hard to understand why a professional sports reporter would dig up a 5 year old thread to prove he knew more than a fan posting on a forum.   Do you really want a working relationship with this guy?  

John is great. He’s been with our communities for probably two decades now. He stops into our tailgate at the Bills opener every season and walks around and says hi to all the community members. He has personal relationships with many of our members. They go out to dinner just for camaraderie and he makes visits to our social gatherings before games, when he can.

I think you’ll find you will get out of a relationship what you put into it. 

[That Aud Smell]

59 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

It doesn't feel like we do that a lot. 

Not a lot - but we do.

31 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I think it's kind of ***** to jump on someone like JW.  I think this forum would be better if there were more posters who are close to direct information sharing their insight here.  I also understand that he's not just insight, he's also personality, and that personality clashes with other personalities on the forum.  It would be nice if some of those personalities could lay off a bit and we could get a working relationship with a member of the press that follows the Sabres. 

My general recollection is that he occasionally drops in, flames someone, derides a Sabrespace iconoclast, and then peaces out. To me, there's an underlying vibe that he's benevolently amused by how dumb most of our content is and that he feels we should be grateful that he's posting. Me no likey that vibe.

[SwampD]

6 minutes ago, SDS said:

John is great. He’s been with our communities for probably two decades now. He stops into our tailgate at the Bills opener every season and walks around and says hi to all the community members. He has personal relationships with many of our members. They go out to dinner just for camaraderie and he makes visits to our social gatherings before games, when he can.

I think you’ll find you will get out of a relationship what you put into it. 

I bet John would, too.

[That Aud Smell]

6 minutes ago, SDS said:

John is great. He’s been with our communities for probably two decades now. He stops into our tailgate at the Bills opener every season and walks around and says hi to all the community members. He has personal relationships with many of our members. They go out to dinner just for camaraderie and he makes visits to our social gatherings before games, when he can.

I think you’ll find you will get out of a relationship what you put into it. 

This is good to know. Maybe we niche sport 'Spacers are too sensitive? Perhaps JW's vibe plays better in the hurly burly of The Stadium Wall board? Idk - he's left a bad taste in my mouth 'round here. It probably owes to his position as a paid sports writer. He gets into it with people here, and it often feels like he's punching down (or that he thinks he is, anyway).

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I respect John for his work at AP and think he is doing a great job over there.

Maybe it is just me, but he seems to take things personally and holds a grudge for some posters here when he does not like the take.  It is true what @SwampD says in that the target of old was @Ghost of Dwight Drane, but when he left or was escorted out of SabreSpace it left @PASabreFan as the next obvious target.  It seems that @john wawrow every so often goes out of his way to dig up stuff and spew his junk talk.

It seems to me that John is not very well cut out to be regular contributor on a message board like this where the idea is just to through stuff out there in a just having fun way.  I don't thing any of us take ourselves very seriously and SabeSpace is fun for that reason.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Sabres Fan in NS

[Pimlach]

11 minutes ago, SDS said:

John is great. He’s been with our communities for probably two decades now. He stops into our tailgate at the Bills opener every season and walks around and says hi to all the community members. He has personal relationships with many of our members. They go out to dinner just for camaraderie and he makes visits to our social gatherings before games, when he can.

I think you’ll find you will get out of a relationship what you put into it. 

Correct on the bolded.  That is a basic life lesson.

I have read his comments on the Bills forum and here as well.   I recall that long ago he posted a lot on the Bills forum and then got aggravated by certain posters and cut way back. 

Lets just say I was a bit shocked to see his recent comeback and comments on this forum.  
 

[Weave]

52 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I think it's kind of ***** to jump on someone like JW.  I think this forum would be better if there were more posters who are close to direct information sharing their insight here.  I also understand that he's not just insight, he's also personality, and that personality clashes with other personalities on the forum.  It would be nice if some of those personalities could lay off a bit and we could get a working relationship with a member of the press that follows the Sabres. 

It would also be nice if I won the lottery.  Probably the same odds for either one of those.

Much more eloquently stated than I could have managed.

For some reason I don’t understand this group regularly goes on the offensive whenever a media personality dares to get involved.

Of course, in this case JW seems to have taken the bait and pretty much always finds an opportunity to take a shot of his own.  But we never seem to give a media person the beneftof the doubt that we give any other very part time posters.

[That Aud Smell]

7 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

I don't thing any of us take ourselves very seriously and SabeSpace is fun for that reason.

Sometimes I think back to the HEATED debates that arose from the Pat Kane sex assault case -- in which I intensely participated! -- and wonder: What the f**k was that about?

4 minutes ago, Weave said:

we never seem to give a media person the beneftof the doubt that we give any other very part time posters.

context matters. his status as a Journalist tends to colour what he posts.

[SwampD]

21 minutes ago, Weave said:

Much more eloquently stated than I could have managed.

For some reason I don’t understand this group regularly goes on the offensive whenever a media personality dares to get involved.

Of course, in this case JW seems to have taken the bait and pretty much always finds an opportunity to take a shot of his own.  But we never seem to give a media person the beneftof the doubt that we give any other very part time posters.

Is that really what happened here?

At the very least, a SabreSpace regular would have gotten an “obnoxious” from a mod, if they had acted like JW.

I look forward (like I’ve said a dozen times before) to the next time JW drops in in 6 months and makes every thread about him.

I’m sure he’s a good guy. He’s just not a good SabreSpace poster.

Edited May 5, 2022 by SwampD

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 minute ago, That Aud Smell said:

Sometimes I think back to the HEATED debates that arose from the Pat Kane sex assault case -- in which I intensely participated! -- and wonder: What the f**k was that about?

context matters. his status as a Journalist tends to colour what he posts.

To your first point ... every now and then a very serious subject matter will come up and then we do take things seriously.  I remember participating in that Kane thread and there have been some others over the years, but in general the hockey talk threads are just us spit-balling.

I agree with your second point and that is why we don't see pros on here very much.  John is the only one that I know of.  When he posts good information and is not on some personal vandetta he provides excellent content, as seen last night in the Florida GDT.

I also like how you spelled colour correctly.  Are you sure you are not really born and raised in Ontario?

[Curt]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

I think it's kind of ***** to jump on someone like JW.  I think this forum would be better if there were more posters who are close to direct information sharing their insight here.  I also understand that he's not just insight, he's also personality, and that personality clashes with other personalities on the forum.  It would be nice if some of those personalities could lay off a bit and we could get a working relationship with a member of the press that follows the Sabres. 

It would also be nice if I won the lottery.  Probably the same odds for either one of those.

 

7 minutes ago, Weave said:

Much more eloquently stated than I could have managed.

For some reason I don’t understand this group regularly goes on the offensive whenever a media personality dares to get involved.

Of course, in this case JW seems to have taken the bait and pretty much always finds an opportunity to take a shot of his own.  But we never seem to give a media person the beneftof the doubt that we give any other very part time posters.

I can understand the desire to have someone in the media, with close contact to sources come here and contribute regularly.  That would be great.  However, I think it does a disservice to the people who are here every day to advocate that we bend over backwards to coddle such a person and/or ignore bad or strange behavior.

27 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Not a lot - but we do.

My general recollection is that he occasionally drops in, flames someone, derides a Sabrespace iconoclast, and then peaces out. To me, there's an underlying vibe that he's benevolently amused by how dumb most of our content is and that he feels we should be grateful that he's posting. Me no likey that vibe.

I have not been here nearly as long as some.  Perhaps in the past JW was a cordial contributor. What I have seen is mostly what you describe above.  Sometimes condescending and often thinned skinned.  Very sensitive to any questioning and a general  air that we are lucky to receive any small piece of information gifted to us.  Just my personal takeaway.

[Weave]

4 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Sometimes I think back to the HEATED debates that arose from the Pat Kane sex assault case -- in which I intensely participated! -- and wonder: What the f**k was that about?

context matters. his status as a Journalist tends to colour what he posts.

I dunno.  From my perspective, people in general have put “reporters” and “news people” on a level that used to be occupied by used car salesmen. Hell, the lawyers here get way more room and we all remember a time when that wouldn’t have been very likely.  Sports reporters are very much included in the “liars and not trustable” category that much of the news is in today, and (again in my perspective) it is well demonstrated here.  
 

I don’t think any of it is 1. Justified and 2. Healthy for our country (or Sabrespace for that matter).

[Weave]

3 minutes ago, Curt said:

 

I can understand the desire to have someone in the media, with close contact to sources come here and contribute regularly.  That would be great.  However, I think it does a disservice to the people who are here every day to advocate that we bend over backwards to coddle such a person and/or ignore bad or strange behavior.

I have not been here nearly as long as some.  Perhaps in the past JW was a cordial contributor. What I have seen is mostly what you describe above.  Sometimes condescending and often thinned skinned.  Very sensitive to any questioning and a general  air that we are lucky to receive any small piece of information gifted to us.  Just my personal takeaway.

I don’t think giving benefit of the doubt is bending over backwards.

All of this obviously has historical context. I get PA lashing back.  The comment in the old thread is directed at him. But we see alot more than a PA reaction.  John gets dog piled by folks not involved in the history.  Unnecessary.  That’s all.

[That Aud Smell]

3 minutes ago, Weave said:

I dunno.  From my perspective, people in general have put “reporters” and “news people” on a level that used to be occupied by used car salesmen. Hell, the lawyers here get way more room and we all remember a time when that wouldn’t have been very likely.  Sports reporters are very much included in the “liars and not trustable” category that much of the news is in today, and (again in my perspective) it is well demonstrated here.  

I'm sure that's true. But it's malleable too. No one here really gives a hoot about his position and status as a Big J, until he starts condescendingly clowning on someone -- then his position and status somehow become relevant, even prominent, and resented.

[sabills]

This is a FAN FORUM. No one here knows anything. We're here for wild speculation and discussion and having fun following our team, which has been tough enough over these last 10 years without people calling us out about being wrong about stuff from half a decade ago. JW showing up to drag a FAN for making a wrong prediction FIVE YEARS AGO is unprofessional at best. He should be held to a higher standard because its his freaking job.

Lets all search Warrows posts and find every time he was wrong on here. Christ.

[Curt]

12 minutes ago, Weave said:

I don’t think giving benefit of the doubt is bending over backwards.

All of this obviously has historical context. I get PA lashing back.  The comment in the old thread is directed at him. But we see alot more than a PA reaction.  John gets dog piled by folks not involved in the history.  Unnecessary.  That’s all.

Every time someone digs up a thread that’s more than a few months old the mods here point out that that’s bad and it’s better to start a new topic.

A poster digging up a 5 year old thread to point out where a fellow poster was wrong about something is very weird behavior.  I would think this and generally point it out no matter who it was.

”Unnecessary.  That’s all.”

Thats probably how I would also describe it.

[Flashsabre]

@johnwawrow, why did none of the reporters ask Kevyn how he planned on spending the $20 million this team’s needs to spend to get to the cap floor next season. It was the one question I wanted answered and the one I thought would be asked. Even if Kevyn just gave a word salad it would give us some indication of his mindset on this.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Flashsabre

[WhenWillItEnd66]

I think this subject has always been a waste of time. If you have a good smart GM that actually RUNS the team and the Coach and GM work well together, you do not need another hand stirring the pot. K/A is doing the right thing and is kind of following the Bills path. That's all you need. 

[DeleteThisAccount]

45 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

@johnwawrow, why did none of the reporters ask Kevyn how he planned on spending the $20 million this team’s needs to spend to get to the cap floor next season. It was the one question I wanted answered and the one I thought would be asked. Even if Kevyn just gave a word salad it would give us some indication of his mindset on this.

Because there was the unlikelihood there would be a clear answer on this front, or an answer in which Adams would merely say they'll get there.

I asked a similar question a summer ago, and it went nowhere and, in the end, the Sabres got above the cap floor. I don't spending $20 million is going to be too big of a lift this offseason. And I think it's best they stay closer to the floor at this point then start throwing money at players. The future is bright, but expensive, and that has to be taken into account if this core is going to continue being together.

Two and three years down the road, there's going to be some difficult decisions going to have to be made if the team maintains this trajectory.

 

jw

[That Aud Smell]

14 minutes ago, john wawrow said:

And I think it's best they stay closer to the floor at this point then start throwing money at players. The future is bright, but expensive, and that has to be taken into account if this core is going to continue being together.

Two and three years down the road, there's going to be some difficult decisions going to have to be made if the team maintains this trajectory.

THIS is the good sh1t, jw. Gimme gimme gimme! Especially good point right there.

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

Is that really what happened here?

At the very least, a SabreSpace regular would have gotten an “obnoxious” from a mod, if they had acted like JW.

I look forward (like I’ve said a dozen times before) to the next time JW drops in in 6 months and makes every thread about him.

I’m sure he’s a good guy. He’s just not a good SabreSpace poster.

^^^ Yep! 

[Curt]

36 minutes ago, NJhopelessSabresfan66 said:

I think this subject has always been a waste of time. If you have a good smart GM that actually RUNS the team and the Coach and GM work well together, you do not need another hand stirring the pot. K/A is doing the right thing and is kind of following the Bills path. That's all you need. 

This is an old thread from 5 years ago, before Botterill was even hired.  No one thinks we will hire a hockey ops president right now.

@nfreeman @SDS @spndnchz

Can we please get this thread closed up or something?

[spndnchz]

Nope. This is good stuff. 

[darksabre]

2 hours ago, sabills said:

This is a FAN FORUM. No one here knows anything. We're here for wild speculation and discussion and having fun following our team, which has been tough enough over these last 10 years without people calling us out about being wrong about stuff from half a decade ago. JW showing up to drag a FAN for making a wrong prediction FIVE YEARS AGO is unprofessional at best. He should be held to a higher standard because its his freaking job.

Lets all search Warrows posts and find every time he was wrong on here. Christ.

Speak for yourself buddy.