Lehner unloads on Sabres fans, Buffalo media

[Stoner]

https://www.newsday.com/amp/sports/hockey/islanders/robin-lehner-isles-buffalo-toronto-1.29125786

[CallawaySabres]

I would not say unloading on fans at all. He is speaking the truth and the atmosphere is probably the worst in the league right now. If I was a player, it would probably be the last city I would choose. When they are winning though, it's a whole different story.

[North Buffalo]

As well he should... Dark time in his life, fans and media had no idea what was going on and it is not an easy place to show vulnerability when things are going bad, especially when it comes out that you were hiding it and not ready to deal with it.  Can help you hit rock bottom faster.. . 

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

Maybe we should ease up on Phil and Jason.....we don't know what kind of issues they may be hiding.

[Eleven]

Ok, this is an outright lie, either by Lehner or the reporter:

“You would walk out to games and the game hadn’t started and people are already booing.”

 

Also, the Islanders are not really “in” the NYC media market.  Out of eight pro sports teams, the Islanders rank tenth.  I think that team is covered by Newsday and no other paper on a regular basis.  That media market belongs to the Rags where hockey is concerned.

I think the fans supported him rather well. I agree that there is some negative atmosphere.

 

The departure of bucky and sully can only help.

Edited March 29, 2019 by Eleven

[SwampD]

Who?

[New Guy]

He says he moves on, yet keeps bringing up Buffalo without any prompt to do so? It's strange because lots of his prior interviews before he played us were nothing but positive comments about how the team helped him through these problems and he manned up and put lots of blame on him. 

[...]

Just now, New Guy said:

He says he moves on, yet keeps bringing up Buffalo without any prompt to do so? It's strange because lots of his prior interviews before he played us were nothing but positive comments about how the team helped him through these problems and he manned up and put lots of blame on him. 

I agree.  This is a weird...piece.

[DarthEbriate]

I'm inclined to agree with him. For the last 10 years there's been constantly changing guidance from leadership (whoever the leader has been), different constructions of teams (from AHL-tank attempt, to heavy, to speed/finesse), and a lots of fingers to point and criticisms to voice (often deservedly so). But as that swirls around season after season, someone who is battling a disease like alcoholism or depression would have a difficult time.

Going to another place like NYI -- where you're not the end-all be-all of existence, or even FLA where the barn is empty, could be very refreshing. And it doesn't hurt to have a very good coach and some established veteran defencemen to keep your crease intact.

[dudacek]

Lehner was one of the most dumped-on Sabres in my recollection.

He was among the most disappointing players in one of the franchise's most disappointing eras in a market that cares and didn't want him in the first place.

I am well-acquainted with the Vancouver media, the Buffalo media and the Canadian national sports media and fan bases. I am somewhat familiar with many other NHL markets.

Chicken and the egg, sure. Nothing some winning won't fix, sure. But he's right.

 

4 minutes ago, New Guy said:

He says he moves on, yet keeps bringing up Buffalo without any prompt to do so? It's strange because lots of his prior interviews before he played us were nothing but positive comments about how the team helped him through these problems and he manned up and put lots of blame on him. 

He didn't criticize the team at all. And he was almost certainly prompted by the reporter.

Edited March 29, 2019 by dudacek

[Doohicksie]

4 minutes ago, New Guy said:

He says he moves on, yet keeps bringing up Buffalo without any prompt to do so? It's strange because lots of his prior interviews before he played us were nothing but positive comments about how the team helped him through these problems and he manned up and put lots of blame on him. 

Maybe he's relapsed.

[apuszczalowski]

20 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Maybe he's relapsed.

I was thinking that.......

Maybe he needs to look back at how his time.in Buffalo went and instead of criticizing anyone else for what things were like, put the blame on himself first that he wasnt good here and that his off ice substance issues were probably the cause of it.

[shrader]

37 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Lehner was one of the most dumped-on Sabres in my recollection.

He was among the most disappointing players in one of the franchise's most disappointing eras in a market that cares and didn't want him in the first place.

I am well-acquainted with the Vancouver media, the Buffalo media and the Canadian national sports media and fan bases. I am somewhat familiar with many other NHL markets.

Chicken and the egg, sure. Nothing some winning won't fix, sure. But he's right.

It comes with the position too.  Goalie and QB are probably the toughest positions in sports when it comes to getting crapped on if you're not performing up to par.

[calti]

any town with as crappy a performing team as the sabres will have fans and press all over you.

there would be something seriously wrong with the fans and press if they just put happy faces on

almost 10 straight years of crap.

[Weave]

3 hours ago, dudacek said:

Lehner was one of the most dumped-on Sabres in my recollection.

 

Started with Tim Connolly.  Moved to Ville Leino.  Probably Lehner was the next one to really get hammered by the fans.

There is a common denominator here......

[Gatorman0519]

The Sabres have had three good seasons in 20 years, the Bills had one, and that was luck.  Our sports teams have been horrendous for an entire generation now.  It is a losing entrenched culture and city.  That is reality.

[Pimlach]

(I posted this on Bills forum.  Might as well include it here.)

Relative to Lehner talking about a negative atmosphere.   The Sabres “atmosphere” was very positive upon the teams inception and the winning came fast.  The Knox’s were great owners and widely respected. Buffalo Sabres culture was quickly established as a great one. Imlach and Bowman would not have gone to Buffalo otherwise.  Sellouts were the norm. The fans had a love affair with the players that still is there today.  

Regis, Golisano - each had issues but both won and had some success and things stayed positive for the most part.  

The Sabres had a very high winning percentage going into the Pegula years.  No Cups, but mostly winning seasons and many star players.  

 

Pegula’s are very nice people but their teams are just a calamity.  The money wasted on mediocre free agents, firing Lindy and keeping Darcy.   The Ted Black, Pat LaFontaine, etc., sideshow.  I saw and felt  the  “bad atmosphere“ the minute I saw GMTM show in action.  The arena has now become a run down morgue in comparison to others.   There are continued firings going in the PSE management structure even now   

I get what Lehner is saying about the atmosphere being bad.  It was and probably still is bad today.  I also think that Lehner played his part in the bad atmosphere and the losing culture.  He had a role in it.  His did not prepare and play like a true professional.  He did not hold up his end of the contract.  He hid his illness and that hurt the team and it hurt him.  By his own admission he played and practiced while impaired in some way, and did not fully support the cause.  I feel for him like many of us do.  He has a serious illness.  Still, Lehner is accountable for some if that atmosphere.  He was a key contributor.  

We can talk about Kane, ROR, Jack, and Sam too.   We will nevet know what really went on there, but whatever it was it is not good and needs to be over with  

The atmosphere can only be a sum of the parts that it is composed off.  

[msw2112]

We gave up a 1st round pick for Lehner, so expectations were high.  He performed poorly and a goalie's poor performance stands out more than any other player on the ice.  He suffered from mental illness, but the organization, fans and media were not aware of it.  Buffalo is also a small market with a passionate fan base, which follows its sports teams very closely.  If you perform poorly in a highly visible position with high expectations, it's going to be unpleasant.  Buffalo is also a place where people are charitable, compassionate and take care of those in need.  Ask Darryl Talley.

It's a bit difficult to judge exactly what Lehner is saying the article:  is he saying "Buffalo is a bad place" or "Buffalo was a bad place FOR ME DURING THE TIME I WAS THERE?"  If it's the former, Lehner can go F himself; if it's the latter, I'm fine with it.  He needed a fresh start elsewhere and good on him for making the most of it.

[Kruppstahl]

36 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

(I posted this on Bills forum.  Might as well include it here.)

Relative to Lehner talking about a negative atmosphere.   The Sabres “atmosphere” was very positive upon the teams inception and the winning came fast.  The Knox’s were great owners and widely respected. Buffalo Sabres culture was quickly established as a great one. Imlach and Bowman would not have gone to Buffalo otherwise.  Sellouts were the norm. The fans had a love affair with the players that still is there today.  

Regis, Golisano - each had issues but both won and had some success and things stayed positive for the most part.  

The Sabres had a very high winning percentage going into the Pegula years.  No Cups, but mostly winning seasons and many star players.  

 

Pegula’s are very nice people but their teams are just a calamity.  The money wasted on mediocre free agents, firing Lindy and keeping Darcy.   The Ted Black, Pat LaFontaine, etc., sideshow.  I saw and felt  the  “bad atmosphere“ the minute I saw GMTM show in action.  The arena has now become a run down morgue in comparison to others.   There are continued firings going in the PSE management structure even now   

I get what Lehner is saying about the atmosphere being bad.  It was and probably still is bad today.  I also think that Lehner played his part in the bad atmosphere and the losing culture.  He had a role in it.  His did not prepare and play like a true professional.  He did not hold up his end of the contract.  He hid his illness and that hurt the team and it hurt him.  By his own admission he played and practiced while impaired in some way, and did not fully support the cause.  I feel for him like many of us do.  He has a serious illness.  Still, Lehner is accountable for some if that atmosphere.  He was a key contributor.  

We can talk about Kane, ROR, Jack, and Sam too.   We will nevet know what really went on there, but whatever it was it is not good and needs to be over with  

The atmosphere can only be a sum of the parts that it is composed off.  

I have heard others speak of the building these days too.  What's going on with it?  It's still brand new in my mind (!) and certainly a modern construction compared to the old generation of buildings.

What's so bad about it?  What should be improved?

 

 

[Believer]

Lehner has issues... Carries his demons with him... Just proves the truth of the wisdom there is no such thing as a geographic cure to dependency... Good luck to him... The Pegalss and the Buffalo Sabres are good people for supporting him while he was here... 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Mr. Mediocre Sabre hath spoken.

[New Guy]

5 hours ago, dudacek said:

Lehner was one of the most dumped-on Sabres in my recollection.

He was among the most disappointing players in one of the franchise's most disappointing eras in a market that cares and didn't want him in the first place.

I am well-acquainted with the Vancouver media, the Buffalo media and the Canadian national sports media and fan bases. I am somewhat familiar with many other NHL markets.

Chicken and the egg, sure. Nothing some winning won't fix, sure. But he's right.

 

He didn't criticize the team at all. And he was almost certainly prompted by the reporter.

Your first sentence, I'm not sure how you're saying that.

As for the second sentence, I'm not sure and was basing my reply off of the article and nothing more; I'm not sure what the reporter said but that could be possible, but a couple times he brings up Buffalo, he chooses to transition to it on his own it seems.

Edited March 30, 2019 by New Guy

[PerreaultForever]

Umm, chicken and egg Robin. They booed before the game started because of what you did the games before. Nobody booed the guy before he gave us his body of work.

In two games I've seen the Islanders play I noticed he still has all the same old weaknesses. 10-1 the Sabres are too myopic to shoot for those spots though. 

[Ogelthorpe]

Who cares! He is a depressed bi-polar alcoholic,  and obviously he still does care since he is whining about it. Cant wait for his 1st round playoff loss. 

[Weave]

30 minutes ago, Ogelthorpe said:

Cant wait for his 1st round playoff loss. 

This might be the most Buffalo thing ever posted.