Paul Hamilton Released by WGR550

[Tondas]

Never glad to see someone let go.  My best to Paul.  He seemed like a good guy.

[Eleven]

8 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Never glad to see someone let go.  My best to Paul.  He seemed like a good guy.

He is a good guy.  And although he's waned a little bit in the last five or so years, he's also been through a lot of personal stuff in somewhat of the same timeframe.

He's a solid radio beat reporter.

Those of you who are glad to see him gone are going to miss him someday.

[LabattBlue]

Not a favorite of mine, but this sucks for a guy that I’m guessing is in his early 50’s, and his entire career has been spent in a small media market.  
 

Best of luck Paul!

[Derrico]

Loved listening to his wgr segments during those 2005-2007 years especially.  Sad day.  His voice just reminds me of the Sabres and has for so long.

[Weave]

I generally enjoyed Paul's segments on WGR on the rare occasions I could get it.  I'll miss his contributions.

[thewookie1]

Maybe the Sabres can bring him in some backup announcer duty or something once RJ retires.

 

He may of been spotty as the years went on but he always spoke from his heart and I'll always respect him for that. 

[nucci]

Plus his wife died of cancer a few years back

[shrader]

12 hours ago, LTS said:

He has connections to existing Canes media people there, I know that. 

They have media people?  It really does seem like a skeleton crew.  The guys on the main station down here covering them are all doing it as pretty much a side job.  They're on regular radio shows and then do double duty during the hockey season.  It doesn't really look like a spot where they're going to be adding people and payroll.

[JohnC]

Has Paul Hamilton called Rochester American games and done some Niagara College Hockey games? 

I wish him well and hope he finds himself back in the business very soon. In my view he's a no frills reporter who is solid at what he does. He seemed able to be critical without being personally harsh. In general he was meat and potato type performer who was usually fair. I wouldn't mind seeing him doing Sabre hockey games as an analyst or as a substitute game caller. 

 

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

Has Paul Hamilton called Rochester American games and done some Niagara College Hockey games? 

I wish him well and hope he finds himself back in the business very soon. In my view he's a no frills reporter who is solid at what he does. He seemed able to be critical without being personally harsh. In general he was meat and potato type performer who was usually fair. I wouldn't mind seeing him doing Sabre hockey games as an analyst or as a substitute game caller. 

 

He's called some Sabres games, even.  He does a great play-by-play.  

[matter2003]

20 hours ago, Taro T said:

Tough time to become unemployed.

Never was a big fan of his, but do wish him well & hope he latches on elsewhere.

Unless you are a software engineer...and then you will probably be unemployed for about a week and get a raise and a better job to boot.

[LTS]

2 hours ago, shrader said:

They have media people?  It really does seem like a skeleton crew.  The guys on the main station down here covering them are all doing it as pretty much a side job.  They're on regular radio shows and then do double duty during the hockey season.  It doesn't really look like a spot where they're going to be adding people and payroll.

Sure, he could do the same.  He could also cover Checkers and Canes.  Keep in mind I am suggesting a radio station pick him up, not the Canes themselves.  Just saying he has ties to some people who are Canes media people...

[shrader]

1 hour ago, LTS said:

Sure, he could do the same.  He could also cover Checkers and Canes.  Keep in mind I am suggesting a radio station pick him up, not the Canes themselves.  Just saying he has ties to some people who are Canes media people...

And I wasn't saying the Canes were cheap.  I was saying the radio station is cheap when it comes to their hockey coverage.  There's too much uncertainty right now, but my guess is he's back covering the Sabres once things restart.

[Brawndo]

Hamilton would be better suited to do PBP moving forward. 
 

Im sure the fact the team has sucked has played a part, but his coverage has tailed off.  Contrast him with the WGR Bills Beat Reporter Sal Capaccio and how much effort he puts into the Bills Beat. He does detailed breakdowns on where every player would fit on the Bills Roster, does breakdowns of each game, granted it’s easier with 16 Games compared to 82, and studies draft prospects and free agents in the form of articles at the WGR Website. He also does multiple media hits, podcasts and uses social media to expand his reach. 
 

Hamilton admitted to not really looking at the prospects two weeks before the 2019 NHL Draft. He also has half of Sabres Twitter blocked to the point where The WGR Account has to quote tweet him and repeat what he said in tweets. 
 

[dudacek]

I thought Paul exhibited a lot of the characteristics of someone who had been doing the same thing the same way for far too long.

[Stoner]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I thought Paul exhibited a lot of the characteristics of someone who had been doing the same thing the same way for far too long.

If I ever get that way, will you shoot me?

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

I thought Paul exhibited a lot of the characteristics of someone who had been doing the same thing the same way for far too long.

To be fair to Paul it had to be difficult for him or anyone else to cover this struggling and middling franchise for such an extended period of time. This Sabre team was not only irrelevant but also a boring team for a long time. It is difficult to manufacture excitement/interest when the cycle of mediocrity is constantly being repeated. It's hard to repackage a damaged product when the same thing is being delivered year after year. 

[FogBat]

On 6/23/2020 at 3:50 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

 

These mega-broadcasting companies got that big by borrowing to the hilt. It's no surprise they are cutting staff. Paul was most expendable right now.

DISCLAIMER: this is not a political post.

Pardon the segue, but I think it’s interesting that you should point this out. 

Can anyone here imagine what might have happened to the Bills had DJT Sr. been able to “buy” them with all of that shady financing he tried to pull off with Deutsche Bank?

The Pegulas have taken a lot of flak from us - including from me. However, we can’t fault them for not having the REAL MONEY on hand to buy our beloved franchises. We may not be seeing any serious results yet, but it is reassuring that the Bills and Sabres won’t be leaving town anytime soon.

Yes, I know, PSE has taken it on the chin like just about everyone else has. But I don’t see how The Trump Organization could have possibly stayed afloat during this pandemic crisis and yet pay all the personnel at OBD . The Bills would have been bankrupt before now.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Crosschecking

[dudacek]

19 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

If I ever get that way, will you shoot me?

Got my SLR locked and loaded.

[IKnowPhysics]

Adam Benigni: Paul Hamilton has been hired by WGRZ to provide on air and online NHL and Sabres analysis.

https://twitter.com/AdamBenigni/status/1276206470862974981?s=20

Edited June 25, 2020 by IKnowPhysics

[LTS]

1 hour ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Adam Benigni: Paul Hamilton has been hired by WGRZ to provide on air and online NHL and Sabres analysis.

https://twitter.com/AdamBenigni/status/1276206470862974981?s=20

Guess he's staying in Buffalo... ?  That's good for him.

[Stoner]

Hammies and cats always land on their feet.

[Broken Ankles]

2 hours ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Adam Benigni: Paul Hamilton has been hired by WGRZ to provide on air and online NHL and Sabres analysis.

https://twitter.com/AdamBenigni/status/1276206470862974981?s=20

This is a great 'demo' for Hammy.    Don't know who watches local news anymore - other than say my parents....#boomergeneration

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, IKnowPhysics said:

Adam Benigni: Paul Hamilton has been hired by WGRZ to provide on air and online NHL and Sabres analysis.

https://twitter.com/AdamBenigni/status/1276206470862974981?s=20

If ever there were a guy with a "face made for radio" ... :lol:

Good for him, but did NOT see a move to TV for him at all.  (Even better, don't get Channel 2 here, so it's kind of win/win from this perspective. ? )

[PromoTheRobot]

On 6/24/2020 at 8:00 PM, Crosschecking said:

DISCLAIMER: this is not a political post.

Pardon the segue, but I think it’s interesting that you should point this out. 

Can anyone here imagine what might have happened to the Bills had DJT Sr. been able to “buy” them with all of that shady financing he tried to pull off with Deutsche Bank?

The Pegulas have taken a lot of flak from us - including from me. However, we can’t fault them for not having the REAL MONEY on hand to buy our beloved franchises. We may not be seeing any serious results yet, but it is reassuring that the Bills and Sabres won’t be leaving town anytime soon.

Yes, I know, PSE has taken it on the chin like just about everyone else has. But I don’t see how The Trump Organization could have possibly stayed afloat during this pandemic crisis and yet pay all the personnel at OBD . The Bills would have been bankrupt before now.

I don't believe DJT would have kept the Bills in Buffalo. He would have immediately moved the team. Or he would have flipped it.