Terry Pegula needs to sell the Buffalo Sabres (article)

[mjd1001]

Full article here:  https://wbuf.com/buffalo-sabres-terry-pegula-sale/

Very long opinion piece, below are just some highlights (not sure about the scouting staff working remotely again, but if they are back to that...wow):

Lindy Ruff is being embarrassed by the organization, he has more wins than any other Sabres coach in the history of the franchise. He’s not the reason this team is awful. Did you know he didn’t even get to choose his own coaching staff? Unprecedented. Their scouting staff is working remotely and not traveling to see players, literally. 

You made massive cutbacks to this organization to save money. If that’s not the truth, that’s the perception, and perceptions are often the unfortunate reality. Once you purchased the Bills, it was all hands-on football. All of your best people, resources, and time go to it, and by the way, that makes sense. The NFL is arguably the biggest thing in the world. Billions of dollars are at stake for you and all the other owners. In terms of business, it’s an incredibly well-run league. The NHL is… not. It's not awful, but it’s conservative, conceited, and way too into itself. It also is not nearly as profitable. The losses you suffer from the Sabres are nothing in comparison to what you bring home from the NFL. As a result, I believe the Sabres are a side project for you. A hobby, if you will. You do love this team; your words about that and your passion for its history are true. You want to be involved with everything out of love… and your ego. YOU want to be the answer. YOU want to know best. YOU want to prove it. The problem is you can’t, and you refuse to move over. 

I think you're too involved. I think you make demands, and regardless of how bad of an idea it is, you have hired yes men to carry out those demands. Bad businesses run this way and ultimately fail. You have to have leaders who push back and, quite frankly, are smarter than you. You own the team because you made billions fracking. You're either an expert at oil or an expert at moving money around. That does not make you an expert in anything else, including running a hockey club. That’s why good owners stay out of the way of the good, smart, and tough people they hire.

 

A couple more from the same site:

 

Why Ryan Reynolds should buy the Buffalo Sabres

https://wbuf.com/ryan-reynolds-buffalo-sabres/

(I do not think Petitions do much of anything, I rarely sign them for that reason. But a petition to Ryan Reynolds to buy the Sabres I would sign.  Not because it would cause it to happen, but it might be a little 'fun' to see how far it went)

 

Sending Santa an SOS (Save Our Sabres)

https://wbuf.com/ixp/1149/p/sending-santa-an-sos-save-our-sabres/

Edited 10 hours ago by mjd1001

[Sidc3000]

I agree 100% with the highlights. This is a hobby for Terry that he can’t spend too much on because of his primary franchise needing every penny he had. Hopefully the money from the new Bills minority owners will ease Terry’s pocketbook so he can invest a little more into the Sabres. 
 

Edited 7 hours ago by Sidc3000

[SabreFinn]

Amen 

[Dreams Burn Down]

This op-ed was nicely articulated and great for the uninformed masses in Sabreland to see.

[PromoTheRobot]

Quote

You made massive cutbacks to this organization to save money. If that’s not the truth, that’s the perception, and perceptions are often the unfortunate reality.

I'm trying to process this:

You did something...

But even if you didn't. we think you did...

And that makes it true.

🤔

 

[Crusader1969]

59 minutes ago, Sidc3000 said:

I agree 100% with the highlights. This is a hobby for Terry that he can’t spend too much on because of his primary franchise needing every penny he had. Hopefully the money from the new Bills minority owners will ease Terry’s pocketbook so he can invest a little more into the Sabres. 
 

It won't.    The man is worth over $12 Billion. How much more money do the Sabres need to be competitive?

are we even talking $20 million?   That should be nothing for him
 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

Their scouting staff is working remotely and not traveling to see players, literally.

I mentioned the return to video scouting as a joke in another thread.  I can’t believe it’s actually true.  

[SwampD]

47 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I'm trying to process this:

You did something...

But even if you didn't. we think you did...

And that makes it true.

🤔

 

Yeah, that stood out to me as a wtf, as well. 

[Sidc3000]

19 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

It won't.    The man is worth over $12 Billion. How much more money do the Sabres need to be competitive?

are we even talking $20 million?   That should be nothing for him
 

 

My understanding, he’s up to $500 million over for the new stadium. Just because he’s worth 12 billion doesn’t mean he has immediate access to it. 
 

 

[Sidc3000]

27 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I mentioned the return to video scouting as a joke in another thread.  I can’t believe it’s actually true.  

I don’t necessarily believe they are 100% video scouting but somewhat a hybrid model which, I bet, many teams use also.

[jad1]

9 minutes ago, Sidc3000 said:

My understanding, he’s up to $500 million over for the new stadium. Just because he’s worth 12 billion doesn’t mean he has immediate access to it. 
 

 

With the limited ownership sale that went through, he can easily afford it now.

Money's not the issue with the Sabres.    

 

 

[steveoat87]

To me the best choice would be if the daughter Laura took over.  She would probably appoint a legit organizational structure and Terry could take the role of the good father getting her set up.  A potential win-win.

[mjd1001]

22 minutes ago, Sidc3000 said:

I don’t necessarily believe they are 100% video scouting but somewhat a hybrid model which, I bet, many teams use also.

The question is, what is ratio of video scouting vs in person for the Sabres compared to other team.  Or, maybe even more so, what is the total time/money they invest into their scouting dept for both in person and video vs other teams.

[mjd1001]

29 minutes ago, jad1 said:

With the limited ownership sale that went through, he can easily afford it now.

Money's not the issue with the Sabres.    

 

 

It shouldn't be. But, there are probably some people that are a lot happer with $10 billion than they are with $9.5 billion. It may not be the 'level' of wealth he has, but the 'direction' of it, or even the speed it is going in that direction.

So, I don't want to say its the money or it isn't...instead, to me one quote is even more important and probably more relevant: 

"You do love this team; your words about that and your passion for its history are true. You want to be involved with everything out of love… and your ego. YOU want to be the answer. YOU want to know best. YOU want to prove it. The problem is you can’t, and you refuse to move over." 

I think Pegula is both very sensative and has an ego. The kind of ego that is a little tiny bit on the vindictive side.  "You do me wrong...I'll exercise my power over you." Or "You criticize me? I'll prove you wrong by doing what I have been doing MY WAY until it works out" (basically, digging his heels in to not admit defeat)

Just my impression of him.

Edited 5 hours ago by mjd1001

[inkman]

23 minutes ago, jad1 said:

With the limited ownership sale that went through, he can easily afford it now.

Money's not the issue with the Sabres.    

 

 

That $$$ is back payment for the over budget stadium.  He’s still cash poor or certainly acts like it.  

[inkman]

My question: Let say he does sell the team and the fans dream team of owner, GM, coach and POHO are put in place.  How long do you think it’s going to take to turn this thing around?

With all the underperforming children on this roster, how is it going to get better quickly?  Trading them pennies on the dollar?  More drafting and development?  It’s going to be another 5+ years before this gets good again. Free agents aren’tt coming.  No one is waiving no trade clauses to come here.  This org is ***** with a capital F.  If these aren’t the right players (they aren’t), they have to build a team, from scratch.  Good luck.  

[jad1]

3 minutes ago, inkman said:

That $$$ is back payment for the over budget stadium.  He’s still cash poor or certainly acts like it.  

He's not.  It's a false narrative.  The issue is that he's supporting a GM who can't find his own d### with two hands and a flashlight.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, Sidc3000 said:

I agree 100% with the highlights. This is a hobby for Terry that he can’t spend too much on because of his primary franchise needing every penny he had. Hopefully the money from the new Bills minority owners will ease Terry’s pocketbook so he can invest a little more into the Sabres. 
 

His “primary franchise” never came close to needing every penny he has. The Bills don’t lose money and they’ve quadrupled in value since he plunked down $1.4b but in 2014 to buy them. I think he just doesn’t wanna spend more than he has to on a business that’s losing money like the Sabres. 

[jad1]

10 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

It shouldn't be. But, there are probably some people that are a lot happer with $10 billion than they are with $9.5 billion. It may not be the 'level' of wealth he has, but the 'direction' of it, or even the speed it is going in that direction.

So, I don't want to say its the money or it isn't...to be one quote is even more important and probably more relevant: 

"You do love this team; your words about that and your passion for its history are true. You want to be involved with everything out of love… and your ego. YOU want to be the answer. YOU want to know best. YOU want to prove it. The problem is you can’t, and you refuse to move over." 

This is just a quote from an opinion piece, based entirely in speculation and wish casting.

Do you really believe that Peguala has this type of ego. Do you think this accurately describes Terry?

He's had a chance to pound his chest over the Bills for almost 7 years now.  His daughter is a world class tennis player.  How many victory laps has he taken over those accomplishments?

He's not Jerry Jones.  Once he finally hires a competent GM for the Sabres, he'll fade into the background like he has with the Bills.

There are a lot of ways to describe Pegula.  Egotistical is not one of them.

[mjd1001]

Just now, jad1 said:

This is just a quote from an opinion piece, based entirely in speculation and wish casting.

Do you really believe that Peguala has this type of ego. Do you think this accurately describes Terry?

He's had a chance to pound his chest over the Bills for almost 7 years now.  His daughter is a world class tennis player.  How many victory laps has he taken over those accomplishments?

He's not Jerry Jones.  Once he finally hires a competent GM for the Sabres, he'll fade into the background like he has with the Bills.

There are a lot of ways to describe Pegula.  Egotistical is not one of them.

Yes, I do think it describes him.

The ego I think is not the same type of Ego as jones..it manifests in different ways.

Jerry Jones will go public...when there is something he wants to say he will look for a microphone and camera, he's going to say out loud for everyone to see.

Pegula shows that ego in the opposite way. When things go bad, he won't go public like Jones, he disappears even more than usual. But that doesn't mean he doesn't 'dig his heels' in anymore to do things HIS way.

Its an opinion piece, but the reason I quoted that is, my OPINION, is that line above is exactly how I feel about him.  My impression, my opinion.

It has nothing to do with 'beathing his chest' and I never implied that. His "ego" is less of a 'beating his chest' and more of a 'standing there with a smug smile' when things go his way.  And he'll let things go bad for a LONG time for the chance to have things go right..but they have to go right HIS way.

[jad1]

9 minutes ago, K-9 said:

His “primary franchise” never came close to needing every penny he has. The Bills don’t lose money and they’ve quadrupled in value since he plunked down $1.4b but in 2014 to buy them. I think he just doesn’t wanna spend more than he has to on a business that’s losing money like the Sabres. 

The Sabres value has increased five times since Pegula bought them for 189M in 2011 (they're valued at around 1.13B now).

The Sabres do not need 'every penny' Pegula has.  

 

[PerreaultForever]

34 minutes ago, steveoat87 said:

To me the best choice would be if the daughter Laura took over.  She would probably appoint a legit organizational structure and Terry could take the role of the good father getting her set up.  A potential win-win.

No idea. Know nothing about her. Would she be competent, would she care? or is she just a little rich girl who will ask daddy for advice? If she hires hockey people and just kicks back and enjoys the good food in the owner's box sure, can't be much worse. 

Ryan Reynolds sure. Everybody wants him to buy them. Vancouver White Caps courting him right now. Ottawa didn't happen so I doubt that he's an option. There's always Snoop Dog. 

[jad1]

7 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Yes, I do think it describes him.

The ego I think is not the same type of Ego as jones..it manifests in different ways.

Jerry Jones will go public...when there is something he wants to say he will look for a microphone and camera, he's going to say out loud for everyone to see.

Pegula shows that ego in the opposite way. When things go bad, he won't go public like Jones, he disappears even more than usual. But that doesn't mean he doesn't 'dig his heels' in anymore to do things HIS way.

Its an opinion piece, but the reason I quoted that is, my OPINION, is that line above is exactly how I feel about him.  My impression, my opinion.

It has nothing to do with 'beathing his chest' and I never implied that. His "ego" is less of a 'beating his chest' and more of a 'standing there with a smug smile' when things go his way.  And he'll let things go bad for a LONG time for the chance to have things go right..but they have to go right HIS way.

Right, so there is no evidence that Pegula exhibits this specific smugness or ego that you claim exists.  Got it.

[Kristian]

36 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Yes, I do think it describes him.

The ego I think is not the same type of Ego as jones..it manifests in different ways.

Jerry Jones will go public...when there is something he wants to say he will look for a microphone and camera, he's going to say out loud for everyone to see.

Pegula shows that ego in the opposite way. When things go bad, he won't go public like Jones, he disappears even more than usual. But that doesn't mean he doesn't 'dig his heels' in anymore to do things HIS way.

Its an opinion piece, but the reason I quoted that is, my OPINION, is that line above is exactly how I feel about him.  My impression, my opinion.

It has nothing to do with 'beathing his chest' and I never implied that. His "ego" is less of a 'beating his chest' and more of a 'standing there with a smug smile' when things go his way.  And he'll let things go bad for a LONG time for the chance to have things go right..but they have to go right HIS way.

That’s the exact impression I have of him as well.

There’s a piece of me who thinks he’d hate it if the Sabres won a cup, if they didn’t do so 100% the way he wanted them to,

[Freeezo]

2 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

It won't.    The man is worth over $12 Billion. How much more money do the Sabres need to be competitive?

are we even talking $20 million?   That should be nothing for him
 

 

It's been cash flow issues-not equity (net worth) for him lately...