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OSP: Tom Golisano BN article


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https://buffalonews.com/2019/09/13/tom-golisanos-buffalo-sabres/?utm_medium=more_stories

Fascinating piece. Besides the tidbit about Golisano being so concerned about the toll being president of the Sabres was taking on Larry Quinn that he sold the team:

  • The Sabres were making a profit under Golisano after the lockout (after selling the team he would say his only instruction to Quinn et al was to "break even").
  • Terry first tried to buy the team in 2009.
  • OSP meddled in Lindy's bidness, bigly.
  • Tom got a call from Trump's attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, about hooking up with his boss in a bid to buy the Bills after Ralph died.
  • Tom met Monica Seles, his future wife, at the Outdoor Classic.
  • And more!

 

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I worked for TG.  Let's just say he wasn't into ethnic diversity.  Moreover, if your name didn't end in a vowel, forget it.  He thought his money made him smart.  On the plus side, he has donated money to good causes.  But, if you want a role model/mentor, look elsewhere.

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I find it interesting the TG was the one who was the catalyst behind Lindy getting away from low scoring. low chance hockey and moving to high octane hockey.

Gives me a smidgen of respect for Ol Sugar Packets.  He def challenged people and expected them to meet the challenge.

 

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It's pretty incredible to think that Terry has owned the Sabres for about the same length of time as Tom did. If Terry sold the team today, what would a profile like the one the News just did on Golisano read like? Take out the donut shop with the rinks on top and what do we have, really? What would the Pegula Legacy be? When stacked up against Golisano, it is putrid. Shocking, even, when you consider the resources poured into the franchise, and the fiscally cautious approach OSP took.

Seriously, give me the Pegula bullet points for what he's accomplished versus saving the team out of bankruptcy, lowering ticket prices, regrowing the season ticket base, launching the Winter Classic, making the playoffs four times, getting into the conference finals twice, having the team as close to winning a Cup as it's ever been...

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30 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

It's pretty incredible to think that Terry has owned the Sabres for about the same length of time as Tom did. If Terry sold the team today, what would a profile like the one the News just did on Golisano read like? Take out the donut shop with the rinks on top and what do we have, really? What would the Pegula Legacy be? When stacked up against Golisano, it is putrid. Shocking, even, when you consider the resources poured into the franchise, and the fiscally cautious approach OSP took.

Seriously, give me the Pegula bullet points for what he's accomplished versus saving the team out of bankruptcy, lowering ticket prices, regrowing the season ticket base, launching the Winter Classic, making the playoffs four times, getting into the conference finals twice, having the team as close to winning a Cup as it's ever been...

Other than ensure both major franchises remain in Buffalo and fueled a renaissance at the foot of Main St, and keeps trying to succeed, not withholding resources like OSP did, I guess the Pegulas have done absolutely nothing.

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I mean, he's not wrong that the Sabres have been an astounding amount of orders of magnitude worse under Terry, who allowed the tank decision to be made, which drove how bad we were for a majority of that time

I'm grateful for the Pegulas for the stability they've brought both teams in regards to their standing in Buffalo, particularly the Bills. But their hockey hirings and decisions are allowed to be heavily criticized and one single witty, well-thought-out poster doing so every couple of months should be easy enough for people to stomach better than they do.

Edited by Randall Flagg
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Pegula seems like a well-intentioned man who has done some wonderful things for the city of Buffalo.

But it is impossible to call his ownership anything other than an utter disaster for the product on the ice.

I am too lazy to comb through the stats, but I would be shocked if you could find a worse seven-year run in the history of the NHL. Detroit, pre-Illitch maybe? Caps after expansion? The Bruins and Rangers maybe, before expansion?

We have been pathetically, historically god-awful.

The best we’ve been was almost mediocre the two Bylsma years, and the only times it has been fun to be a Sabre fan was the summer we acquired Eichel and O’Reilly and the 10-game winning streak.

Basically 6 months out of 84, and 4 of those we weren’t even playing hockey.

It has been a nuclear wasteland.

Edited by dudacek
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1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

It's pretty incredible to think that Terry has owned the Sabres for about the same length of time as Tom did. If Terry sold the team today, what would a profile like the one the News just did on Golisano read like? Take out the donut shop with the rinks on top and what do we have, really? What would the Pegula Legacy be? When stacked up against Golisano, it is putrid. Shocking, even, when you consider the resources poured into the franchise, and the fiscally cautious approach OSP took.

Seriously, give me the Pegula bullet points for what he's accomplished versus saving the team out of bankruptcy, lowering ticket prices, regrowing the season ticket base, launching the Winter Classic, making the playoffs four times, getting into the conference finals twice, having the team as close to winning a Cup as it's ever been...

It is amazing that you lionize Golisano and criticize Pegula.

You know who got the Sabres to the conference finals FOUR times?  Bet you won't lionize him.

But enjoy your trolling.  Hope you catch a bottom-feeder.

Edited by Eleven
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3 minutes ago, Neo said:

Yes, wherever it was located ...

It would have been located right where it is.  It is Bettman who kept the Sabres in Buffalo, not Golisano (even the article makes this clear) and CERTAINLY not Quinn, who didn't have the money to buy the team.

Edited by Eleven
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8 minutes ago, Radar said:

I will defend you on this. I believe he worked to keep the team in Buffalo.

Golisano did step up.  That is fair.

I'm trying to think of another guy who kept a team in Buffalo.  His name doesn't rhyme with "Rump" or "Rongiovi"; that much I know.

Edited by Eleven
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