RUSS BRANDON OUT

[WildCard]

According to TSW, Hamilton on the radio today said there was an incident between McDermott and Brandon which led to McDermott cutting Brandon off from his area of the organization

 

Not entirely sure what that means

Starts at @ 32:20

 

http://www.wgr550.com/media/audio-channel/5-2-schopp-and-bulldog-hour-1

[darksabre]

According to TSW, Hamilton on the radio today said there was an incident between McDermott and Brandon which led to McDermott cutting Brandon off from his area of the organization

 

Not entirely sure what that means

Starts at @ 32:20

http://www.wgr550.com/media/audio-channel/5-2-schopp-and-bulldog-hour-1

Interesting. Russ messing with McDermott's guys? Maybe that's what the Richie thing a few weeks ago was all about?

[WildCard]

Interesting. Russ messing with McDermott's guys? Maybe that's what the Richie thing a few weeks ago was all about?

Worth noting when McDermott was hired, as well as when he/Pegulas were searching for Beane, he was adamant about not having Brandon participate/be there

[Stoner]

No it didn't predate her working for him. 

I dunno. I think Terry tells the story of meeting her in the restaurant and then shortly thereafter asking her out.

 

We can agree on the last point - I think she HAS to be better than Brandon - an individual who many fans including myself have disliked for years, just based on his negative influence on the on-field product, and his oily public statements.  I wasn't even privy to the back story about him, as you are, or I would have outright despised him. 

I'm not sure she will necessarily do better. Russ' job was keeping fannies in the seats, advertisers on the broadcasts, sponsors in the suites, the teams in the news, the brands strong, etc. All that losing for both franchises and they're both making money, or at least in the case of the Sabres appreciating dramatically in value.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but it still sounds like people think Russ was making hockey decisions and given how bad the team has been, Kim can't be worse. There was never any evidence Russ was doing such a thing with the Sabres. The closest we came was Russ meeting Jack in the lockerroom after a game and asking if the sweaters wouldn't be better off made of cotton.

[inkman]

Worth noting when McDermott was hired, as well as when he/Pegulas were searching for Beane, he was adamant about not having Brandon participate/be there

Trust the process

[WildCard]

I dunno. I think Terry tells the story of meeting her in the restaurant and then shortly thereafter asking her out.

They say it right there in the interview. They met in a restaurant, she applied for a job and he never responded. Weeks later he hit her up out of the blue to take pretty prominent job at his company. Afterwards, they started dating 

[Stoner]

They say it right there in the interview. They met in a restaurant, she applied for a job and he never responded. Weeks later he hit her up out of the blue to take pretty prominent job at his company. Afterwards, they started dating 

OK, thanks. That might have to go to the video review and take 11 minutes to sort out.

[That Aud Smell]

Then again, I like my gals preggers, barefoot and lovin' it.

*squints*

[That Aud Smell]

I had not thought of this, tbh.

 

The NFL is planning to take a look at the circumstances that led the Buffalo Bills to part ways with managing partner and president Russ Brandon.

 

Whether the league plans to take any action has let to be determined.

A league spokesman sent the following statement to The Buffalo News: "We will discuss the matter with the club and make a decision in the next few days about what, if any, further steps we will take."

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I had not thought of this, tbh.

 

The NFL is planning to take a look at the circumstances that led the Buffalo Bills to part ways with managing partner and president Russ Brandon.

 

Whether the league plans to take any action has let to be determined.

A league spokesman sent the following statement to The Buffalo News: "We will discuss the matter with the club and make a decision in the next few days about what, if any, further steps we will take."

 

I actually think this is a good thing.  And not surprised that the league will take a look.  

[Taro T]

Haven't looked at the Kim Pegula thread yet as I am traveling. But this thread is REALLY getting away from what is important: the SOB that took over the Sabres business/operations/non-hockey personnel overlord job who, upon the 1st home (preseason) game under his dominion had the f###ing bench doors not close properly blowing up the Kulikov experiment; who also SOLD A HOME game to the league and the Rangers; who also is a self proclaimed maketing Supra Genius came up w/ "Sharpen Your Swords" as their slogan; and also managed to sell at tops 25% of the WJC tickets FINALLY GOT HIS ASS CANNED. THIS IS F###ING AWESOME & means that FINALLY we might actually stop having upper Sabres management start to put winning at least on par w/ making money.

 

F### Russ Brandon & the f###ing horse he rode in on.

 

Name ONE thing on the hockey side of PSE's empire that didn't go to #### after Russ took over. Would be the 1st that was mentioned. Hopefully we lucked into Botterill being good, but HE was recommended to the Pegulas by the league not Brandon. (Though being a former Sabre (for roughly 10 more games than PA), Russ probably felt he was good for marketing regardless.) Russ never (as far as we know) told the Pegulas that they couldn't let him leave the building, nor did he tell Jason how to schmooze the Pegulas (again afawk).

[That Aud Smell]

Epic.

[Stoner]

Epic.

Imma make a cup of tea and re-read it.

[LGR4GM]

Haven't looked at the Kim Pegula thread yet as I am traveling. But this thread is REALLY getting away from what is important: the SOB that took over the Sabres business/operations/non-hockey personnel overlord job who, upon the 1st home (preseason) game under his dominion had the f###ing bench doors not close properly blowing up the Kulikov experiment; who also SOLD A HOME game to the league and the Rangers; who also is a self proclaimed maketing Supra Genius came up w/ "Sharpen Your Swords" as their slogan; and also managed to sell at tops 25% of the WJC tickets FINALLY GOT HIS ASS CANNED. THIS IS F###ING AWESOME & means that FINALLY we might actually stop having upper Sabres management start to put winning at least on par w/ making money.

 

F### Russ Brandon & the f###ing horse he rode in on.

 

Name ONE thing on the hockey side of PSE's empire that didn't go to #### after Russ took over. Would be the 1st that was mentioned. Hopefully we lucked into Botterill being good, but HE was recommended to the Pegulas by the league not Brandon. (Though being a former Sabre (for roughly 10 more games than PA), Russ probably felt he was good for marketing regardless.) Russ never (as far as we know) told the Pegulas that they couldn't let him leave the building, nor did he tell Jason how to schmooze the Pegulas (again afawk).

Agreed. The biggest complaint I heard from foreign fans on the WJC was that ticket prices were outrageous even for games at Harbor Center. Glad he's gone. 

[Georgia Blizzard]

Haven't looked at the Kim Pegula thread yet as I am traveling. But this thread is REALLY getting away from what is important: the SOB that took over the Sabres business/operations/non-hockey personnel overlord job who, upon the 1st home (preseason) game under his dominion had the f###ing bench doors not close properly blowing up the Kulikov experiment; who also SOLD A HOME game to the league and the Rangers; who also is a self proclaimed maketing Supra Genius came up w/ "Sharpen Your Swords" as their slogan; and also managed to sell at tops 25% of the WJC tickets FINALLY GOT HIS ASS CANNED. THIS IS F###ING AWESOME & means that FINALLY we might actually stop having upper Sabres management start to put winning at least on par w/ making money.

 

F### Russ Brandon & the f###ing horse he rode in on.

 

Name ONE thing on the hockey side of PSE's empire that didn't go to #### after Russ took over. Would be the 1st that was mentioned. Hopefully we lucked into Botterill being good, but HE was recommended to the Pegulas by the league not Brandon. (Though being a former Sabre (for roughly 10 more games than PA), Russ probably felt he was good for marketing regardless.) Russ never (as far as we know) told the Pegulas that they couldn't let him leave the building, nor did he tell Jason how to schmooze the Pegulas (again afawk).

 

You nailed it, just multiple that rant by 10X and you'll have the Bills' fan perspective, since he had a couple decades to that fanbase over, literally !

[That Aud Smell]

I can’t post it at the moment, but there’s a Tweet out there that compares and contrasts how Bucky addressed alleged sleazy behaviour by Lesean McCoy and Brandon. The McCoy stuff occurred some time ago.

 

McCoy got dragged by Bucky as repugnant; an immature idiot not worth the team’s time. Bucky acted as a scathing scold.

 

Brandon was treated as a tragic figure - “seduced” by his power and position. Bucky refused to serve as the morals police and said private matters are private.

 

Sod off forever, Bucky. Forever.

Edited May 5, 2018 by That Aud Smell

[Stoner]

From u/Burnin_that_2_Smoke on Reddit: How long were the allegations known against Russ before this was all released to the public?

 

Graham: The inappropriate relationship that became the first domino in Brandon's downfall was one of the worst-kept secrets among the Bills and Sabres rank-and-file employees and prominent people within the local business community. I began hearing about it in early November. The relationship was considered consensual. So, to me, it was nothing more than gossip.

 

How long did the Pegulas know? I can't say for certain, but my information suggests maybe for a few weeks.

http://buffalonews.com/2018/05/04/you-asked-we-answered-is-brandons-resignation-tied-to-metoo/?utm_medium=more_stories

Edited May 5, 2018 by PASabreFan

[That Aud Smell]

Those poor Buffalo News reporters. Will they still get their big ol’ goody bags from Russ at the holidays?

[That Aud Smell]

TBN’s business reporters doing work for Brandon in today’s paper:

 

“I think Russ was a key figure in retaining the Buffalo Bills organization for Western New York,” said Colleen DiPirro, former president and CEO of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, who has known Brandon personally and professionally for years. “And to making them a competitive team from a marketing and ticket sales standpoint, against much larger markets. And he added a level of dynamics to the team that kept pace with the NFL vision and mission.”

 

“Nobody was more dedicated to the Buffalo Bills organization than Russ Brandon,” DiPirro said.

 

+++

 

“The Toronto proposition may have had some negativity in the Western New York community. I thought it was a very creative, outside-the-box thought on how to expand the fan base,” Northtown’s Schreiber said.

 

In fact, business leaders marveled at Brandon’s ability to keep fans buying tickets and to keep businesses tied to the Bills during a period when the team couldn’t sell a winning product.

 

“He was able to tap into the culture around Buffalo, the passion for the team, and able to keep it sustainable from a marketing standpoint,” said Robert Clark, managing director of retail operations for Dunn Tire, the official tire dealer of the Bills.

[tom webster]

I still find it humorous how much Brandon is hated over here. He might be the single reason after RW that the team is still in Buffalo. Finance people were stunned when they saw the books upon commencement of the bidding process. He was positioned to be in the conversation for both baseball and football league executives. Unfortunately, he also had a taste for the ladies and didn't hide it. Anyone that frequented Giancarlo's or similar bars in the area, knew of his reputation. 

No tears shed, he will land on his feet in a less public position.

All that being said, I think Kim will do a great job and look forward to some of her "outside the box" ideas for recreating the arena experience.

[Stoner]

I still find it humorous how much Brandon is hated over here. He might be the single reason after RW that the team is still in Buffalo. Finance people were stunned when they saw the books upon commencement of the bidding process. He was positioned to be in the conversation for both baseball and football league executives. Unfortunately, he also had a taste for the ladies and didn't hide it. Anyone that frequented Giancarlo's or similar bars in the area, knew of his reputation. 

No tears shed, he will land on his feet in a less public position.

All that being said, I think Kim will do a great job and look forward to some of her "outside the box" ideas for recreating the arena experience.

She's had seven years. She has owned the team. She didn't need to give herself a title in order to finally have the power to accomplish something.

[TrueBlueGED]

She's had seven years. She has owned the team. She didn't need to give herself a title in order to finally have the power to accomplish something.

Do you want owners to meddle, or hire people and get out of the way?

[tom webster]

She's had seven years. She has owned the team. She didn't need to give herself a title in order to finally have the power to accomplish something.

That's a fair point. However, i think she realizes she is being judged and her impact will effect more then her own legacy, but future opportunities for other woman going forward.

[Stoner]

That's a fair point. However, i think she realizes she is being judged and her impact will effect more then her own legacy, but future opportunities for other woman going forward.

That's a good point too. I wonder if arena atmosphere is even on her radar.

Do you want owners to meddle, or hire people and get out of the way?

They can meddle in their areas of expertise all they want. They're businesspeople. Hockey people? Even after seven years of owning a team, not so much.

[Wyldnwoody44]

If I own something, that I paid for out of my pocket (from marriage, or self made) then I don't care if people care That I meddle.

I work at a place where administration meddles far beyond what they should do, and they are not experts at all in what we do. But at the end of the day, I have to go along with it, because I'm in a lower tier than them.

 

We can gripe all we want, but they spent the multi million of dollars on their "toy" so they can do whatever they please.