Old Guy Sabres Fan since Inguaral Season Rant...

[Standing Room Smoking Cigs]

Saw posts about Adams and replied, but felt this deserves it own topic. Kevyn (what the hell, it's Kevin). Just getting started and don't blame me for paragraphs, I grew up without computers. Mr. Adams is the antithesis of a Sabres GM. Going back to Punch our pedigree for a GM was making bold moves. Punch, (not Ingles), Bowman, Meehan, Muckler and Regier and Murray (Murray flamed but tried). They did the moves, sold the team to the players. Adams, no, blame others, he can't sell Buffalo as a team, a place or woo them with cash. Say what you want say about Pegula but if Adams can't convince that a move is good then why for love of Pete is he a GM. Adams got comfortable. That is a problem. Rant done, old Guy here is going to watch original Matlock..

Edited Wednesday at 06:09 PM by Standing Room Smoking Cigs
Spelling

[JohnC]

3 minutes ago, Standing Room Smoking Cigs said:

Saw posts about Adams and replied, but felt this deserves it own topic. Kevyn (what the hell, it's Kevin). Just getting started and don't blame me for paragraphs, I grew up without computers. Mr. Adams is the antithesis of a Sabres GM. Going back to Punch our pedigree for a GM was making bold moves. Punch, (not Ingles), Bowman, Meehan, Muckler and Regier and Murray (Murray flamed but tried). They did the moves, sold the team to the players. Adams, no, blame others, he can't sell Buffalo as a team, a place or woo them with cash. Say what you want say about Pegula but if Adams can't convince that a move is good then why for love of Pete is he a GM. Adams got comfortable. That is a problem. Rant done, old Guy here is going to watch original Matlock..

You are directing your ire at the wrong person. Who is the fool that would hire someone so ill-equipped to do the most important job in a flailing organization? The silent owner hired someone that no other owner, good or bad, would have even considered for the job. This hire was both odd and irrational. It made no sense then and the outcome should not be a surprise. 

[Pimlach]

6 minutes ago, Standing Room Smoking Cigs said:

Saw posts about Adams and replied, but felt this deserves it own topic. Kevyn (what the hell, it's Kevin). Just getting started and don't blame me for paragraphs, I grew up without computers. Mr. Adams is the antithesis of a Sabres GM. Going back to Punch our pedigree for a GM was making bold moves. Punch, (not Ingles), Bowman, Meehan, Muckler and Regier and Murray (Murray flamed but tried). They did the moves, sold the team to the players. Adams, no, blame others, he can't sell Buffalo as a team, a place or woo them with cash. Say what you want say about Pegula but if Adams can't convince that a move is good then why for love of Pete is he a GM. Adams got comfortable. That is a problem. Rant done, old Guy here is going to watch original Matlock..

The Sabres have had a problem attracting good players, coaches, and front office Execs long before Adams was around. 

I am not defending Adams, he is unqualified and proving himself to be incompetent.  But from Day 1 Pegula has made a baffling string of bad decisions, the biggest being his inability, or unwillingness, to let an experienced NHL Exec run the show.  

You are older, and so I am.  To put it in simplest terms Pegula is the opposite of Knox.   Knox was soft spoken but competitive, and he hired the BEST he could.  Imlach and Bowman were Cup winners.  He let them do the job and he sat in his gold seats for just about every game. A class act all the way.  

Terry proclaimed that the Sabres "reason for existence is to win Stanley Cups!", and then he oversaw the destruction of the team.  He lost games on purpose, he ruined the team culture, and he has destroyed the Sabres brand.  

 

[PonyBoy2]

I am of the opinion lately hoping they trade Dahlin as a favor to him.

He is fast approaching one of the top athletes in any sport to not make the playoffs for a career. 

He's too good to suffer with this team no matter how much they pay him. 

I know this kind of hurts the Sabre's, but he deserves to have a chance to shine in a traditionally successful hockey organization..

Not a rant here, just a feeling..

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

1 hour ago, Standing Room Smoking Cigs said:

Old Guy Sabres Fan since Inguaral Season Rant...

[Standing Room Smoking Cigs]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

The Sabres have had a problem attracting good players, coaches, and front office Execs long before Adams was around. 

I am not defending Adams, he is unqualified and proving himself to be incompetent.  But from Day 1 Pegula has made a baffling string of bad decisions, the biggest being his inability, or unwillingness, to let an experienced NHL Exec run the show.  

You are older, and so I am.  To put it in simplest terms Pegula is the opposite of Knox.   Knox was soft spoken but competitive, and he hired the BEST he could.  Imlach and Bowman were Cup winners.  He let them do the job and he sat in his gold seats for just about every game. A class act all the way.  

Terry proclaimed that the Sabres "reason for existence is to win Stanley Cups!", and then he oversaw the destruction of the team.  He lost games on purpose, he ruined the team culture, and he has destroyed the Sabres brand.  

 

It's true, about hiring the best. Knox was that. Maybe I do overlook Pegula's lack of being 'there'. All the memories of the Knox ownership when my parents had season tickets, my Uncle owning a section of the Reds was '81 when a snow storm hit during the game and the crowd implored Seymour to buy a beer. He didn't buy beers, but he kept the Aud open and paid for food. We got home but my cousin Sin was pregnant and they stayed. The owner was invested.

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

The Sabres have had a problem attracting good players, coaches, and front office Execs long before Adams was around. 

I am not defending Adams, he is unqualified and proving himself to be incompetent.  But from Day 1 Pegula has made a baffling string of bad decisions, the biggest being his inability, or unwillingness, to let an experienced NHL Exec run the show.  

You are older, and so I am.  To put it in simplest terms Pegula is the opposite of Knox.   Knox was soft spoken but competitive, and he hired the BEST he could.  Imlach and Bowman were Cup winners.  He let them do the job and he sat in his gold seats for just about every game. A class act all the way.  

Terry proclaimed that the Sabres "reason for existence is to win Stanley Cups!", and then he oversaw the destruction of the team.  He lost games on purpose, he ruined the team culture, and he has destroyed the Sabres brand.  

 

I'm not going to criticize 'the tank' because I fall into the category of thinking it wasn't a bad idea..it was just executed poorly.

Just Pegula always seemed to come across to me as wanting to get people to think he was a bit more clever than he was. The 'tank' was a good idea and he would get credit for it.  'Hockey heaven', well, it would make local fans like him a lot.  I mean, nothing crazy, just as an owner he is a blend of that stubborn "I'll do it MY way" and "I want people to like me and when they criticize me I'm running away".

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, Standing Room Smoking Cigs said:

Saw posts about Adams and replied, but felt this deserves it own topic. Kevyn (what the hell, it's Kevin). Just getting started and don't blame me for paragraphs, I grew up without computers. Mr. Adams is the antithesis of a Sabres GM. Going back to Punch our pedigree for a GM was making bold moves. Punch, (not Ingles), Bowman, Meehan, Muckler and Regier and Murray (Murray flamed but tried). They did the moves, sold the team to the players. Adams, no, blame others, he can't sell Buffalo as a team, a place or woo them with cash. Say what you want say about Pegula but if Adams can't convince that a move is good then why for love of Pete is he a GM. Adams got comfortable. That is a problem. Rant done, old Guy here is going to watch original Matlock..

Thanks for the post!

Adams as GM is frustrating and confusing, for sure.

How was the Matlock episode?

[Standing Room Smoking Cigs]

3 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Thanks for the post!

Adams as GM is frustrating and confusing, for sure.

How was the Matlock episode?

That whiley old Southern man won the case all is good in my TV world!

[Goldseatsaud]

Another old guy. Since 1970. I just don’t see anything positive there with the franchise.  I look at the standings only. I don’t understand Pegula why he doesn’t care to put a product on the ice. He could fill the house if he did. 

 

[shrader]

1 hour ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not going to criticize 'the tank' because I fall into the category of thinking it wasn't a bad idea..it was just executed poorly.

Just Pegula always seemed to come across to me as wanting to get people to think he was a bit more clever than he was. The 'tank' was a good idea and he would get credit for it.  'Hockey heaven', well, it would make local fans like him a lot.  I mean, nothing crazy, just as an owner he is a blend of that stubborn "I'll do it MY way" and "I want people to like me and when they criticize me I'm running away".

Let's not forget that another team tanked the following season.  Success is, of course, subjective, but tanking does not guarantee perpetual failure.

[Night Train]

3 hours ago, Standing Room Smoking Cigs said:

Saw posts about Adams and replied, but felt this deserves it own topic. Kevyn (what the hell, it's Kevin). Just getting started and don't blame me for paragraphs, I grew up without computers. Mr. Adams is the antithesis of a Sabres GM. Going back to Punch our pedigree for a GM was making bold moves. Punch, (not Ingles), Bowman, Meehan, Muckler and Regier and Murray (Murray flamed but tried). They did the moves, sold the team to the players. Adams, no, blame others, he can't sell Buffalo as a team, a place or woo them with cash. Say what you want say about Pegula but if Adams can't convince that a move is good then why for love of Pete is he a GM. Adams got comfortable. That is a problem. Rant done, old Guy here is going to watch original Matlock..

 Amen friend..

 Grew up with my older brother taking me to Bisons games in the late 60's ( Won the AHL title the last year before Sabres 1970 debut) and saw Gump Worsley and Sabres backup Joe Daley in my 1st NHL game both play Goalie without a mask. Insanity. Minnesota North Stars. 

Samuelsson, Power and Cozens we paid big WAY too soon. Moves like that cast major doubt.

Now he's digging in to justify it and the cap stays tighter. Move the right guys to upgrade. Just have someone else do it.

The office cleaner at night has better ideas..

[No Goal]

4 hours ago, Standing Room Smoking Cigs said:

Rant done, old Guy here is going to watch original Matlock..

Old guy also went to AHL Buffalo Bisons games as a kid back in the 60s. Great hockey. Matlock re-runs ? Real old goats watch Adam 12 reruns til I run out of beer.

[Pimlach]

14 minutes ago, Night Train said:

 Amen friend..

 Grew up with my older brother taking me to Bisons games in the late 60's ( Won the AHL title the last year before Sabres 1970 debut) and saw Gump Worsley and Sabres backup Joe Daley in my 1st NHL game both play Goalie without a mask. Insanity. Minnesota North Stars. 

Samuelsson, Power and Cozens we paid big WAY too soon. Moves like that cast major doubt.

Now he's digging in to justify it and the cap stays tighter. Move the right guys to upgrade. Just have someone else do it.

The office cleaner at night has better ideas..

I loved the late 60’s Bisons.  That was a highly competitive and colorful cast of characters.  
 

I distinctly remember them playing the Amerks when Don Cherry was still playing.  He started a few brawls and jawed and then laughed about it.  I thought that was pretty cool. 

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not going to criticize 'the tank' because I fall into the category of thinking it wasn't a bad idea..it was just executed poorly.

Just Pegula always seemed to come across to me as wanting to get people to think he was a bit more clever than he was. The 'tank' was a good idea and he would get credit for it.  'Hockey heaven', well, it would make local fans like him a lot.  I mean, nothing crazy, just as an owner he is a blend of that stubborn "I'll do it MY way" and "I want people to like me and when they criticize me I'm running away".

It's fair to debate whether the tank was the right approach to take to rebuild the team. Even if it was the right thing to do, there is no excuse that after five years under KA the record and the team' standing should be where it is now. We did get elite players such as Eichel and Reinhard from the draft because of the tank. But to what end? Both players wanted out and both got out. What happens when Dahlin gets so frustrated being stuck in this farcical franchise that he makes it known that he wants out of this cartoonishly dumb situation? 

The stubborn owner has demonstrated that he is so clever that he ended up outsmarting himself and destroying a franchise and fanbase. I'm just so tired of him and his invisible act. He's perplexing and shameless.  

[R_Dudley]

Didn't attend Bisons games but started watching Sabre's from their first season forward. Followed and attended games regularly till I moved away in 92. Used to do half of 1 of a 4 way split on season tics after 75 with my brother in law in the reds which got me 5 games a season minimally and sometimes one or 2 more when one of the other parties couldn't make a game. We always let the group have first dibs on games one of the party couldn't make, loved how we did it, drew cards for picking order 1-4 and then went round robin picking single games with the group until all games where taken.

I would always take a November game for one of the Canadian teams(Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, other), regularly went for the New Years pucks and Tux game, and one in Feb, March and finish in April to psych up for the playoffs.  Was hard to follow from 92-2002 but i did the best  I could long distance and always still came back to Buffalo for a game or two a season with family I still have there. Went to the last Rangers-Sabres game there on 2/22 with Brother, nephew and was pleasantly surprised with how well they played for one game but what a false hope and mirage that was and is for what this team is now. 

Hard to fathom what has happened with the last 14 years of hell vs heaven Pegula has given us fans. I guess I was spoiled having a well run hockey organization and  team for that long. 

Terry please sell the team or finally hire and create an experienced functional organization structure before you totally destroy this once proud franchise.

[That Aud Smell]

F**k yeah - this thread has become the Old Guys Lounge.

[Night Train]

1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:

F**k yeah - this thread has become the Old Guys Lounge.

[Night Train]

Old guy memory for Bison fans...Guy Trottier.  

He was my first favorite player. The last 2 years of the Bisons, he scored 45 and 55 goals respectively. 

Scored 28 more for Toronto over the next 2 years, then played in the old WHA for Toronto for 3 years..

His last season was for the Buffalo Norsemen !  North American Hockey League . 56 games  36 goals and 22 assists !  

Loved him. 

[Thorner]

On 3/5/2025 at 12:15 PM, JohnC said:

You are directing your ire at the wrong person. Who is the fool that would hire someone so ill-equipped to do the most important job in a flailing organization? The silent owner hired someone that no other owner, good or bad, would have even considered for the job. This hire was both odd and irrational. It made no sense then and the outcome should not be a surprise. 

No 

[Thorner]

On 3/5/2025 at 2:18 PM, mjd1001 said:

I'm not going to criticize 'the tank' because I fall into the category of thinking it wasn't a bad idea..it was just executed poorly.

Just Pegula always seemed to come across to me as wanting to get people to think he was a bit more clever than he was. The 'tank' was a good idea and he would get credit for it.  'Hockey heaven', well, it would make local fans like him a lot.  I mean, nothing crazy, just as an owner he is a blend of that stubborn "I'll do it MY way" and "I want people to like me and when they criticize me I'm running away".

It’s the opposite. It was a terrible idea executed to perfection: we finished last. That’s where the “tank was a success” erroneousness comes in. Building out a roster from a scorched earth tank is nigh impossible 

The failure was indeed the strategy 

our failure has been primarily strategy for eons. Our biggest handcuff, by far, by far by far, is that we don’t prioritize winning 

[Pimlach]

I’m down in Fort Meyers.  Played a pretty good round of golf this morning.  Had a very nice dinner with long time friends. Sipping a nice Single Malt.  
 

old can be good. 

Edited Friday at 02:18 AM by Pimlach

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

I’m down in Fort Meyers.  Played a pretty good round of gold this morning.  Had a very nice dinner with long time friends. Sipping a nice Single Malt.  
 

old can be good. 

Things get old in the first place because they work 

[SwampD]

On 3/5/2025 at 1:32 PM, Pimlach said:

The Sabres have had a problem attracting good players, coaches, and front office Execs long before Adams was around. 

I am not defending Adams, he is unqualified and proving himself to be incompetent.  But from Day 1 Pegula has made a baffling string of bad decisions, the biggest being his inability, or unwillingness, to let an experienced NHL Exec run the show.  

You are older, and so I am.  To put it in simplest terms Pegula is the opposite of Knox.   Knox was soft spoken but competitive, and he hired the BEST he could.  Imlach and Bowman were Cup winners.  He let them do the job and he sat in his gold seats for just about every game. A class act all the way.  

Terry proclaimed that the Sabres "reason for existence is to win Stanley Cups!", and then he oversaw the destruction of the team.  He lost games on purpose, he ruined the team culture, and he has destroyed the Sabres brand.  

 

I agree with everything but the first line.