TBN: Darcy on possible changes: 'It won't be the coach'

[Fire Lindy]

When Lindy gets canned, can we get Beyonce to peform "All the Single Lindys" at FNC?

Followed by "If you liked it then you should have put a Stanley Cup ring on it"

 

[5 Minute Major]

Wait... having a plane banner fly over the stadium affected the team's bottom line?

Oh whoever said something about the 1980s Bills.. care to fill me in on the details?

Actually it was the 70's AND 80's Bills.

In the mid 70's, the Bills were in a bad funk. Winning 2 and 3 games, playing in a relatively new Rich Stadium, and drawing 30,000 to 40,000 a game. Ralph went all in and brought Chuck Knox in from the Rams. It was a huge move the gave the Bills credibility again and the franchise had did better and fans came back.

In the mid 80's the Bills had two back to back 2 win seasons. Fans were staying away from the stadium like they could catch the plague if they went. People were also driving around WNY with bumper stickers that read "bring pro football to Buffalo". Ralph, in his own words, decided to get serious again and stop hiring friends to run the show and handed the keys to Bill Polian.

Now, look at the Bills in the last decade plus. For the most part, great attendance. No need to make serious changes.

Fans can have an influence on a professional franchise.

 

[S319R11S16]

I never said or implied that it wasn't a consideration. However, saying that someone flying a banner over a football stadium was the reason the Eagles got good again is, frankly, nonsense.

The Buffalo Sabres have a 3,000 person season ticket waiting list. They just sold more merchandise in a week than they did all of last year. (Albiet at a huge discount, but still.) Just about every game is sold to capacity. Their key consumers, ie, the people that are spending money, ARE spending money. Lots of it. Frequently.

A small segment of self proclaimed experts pissing and moaning about the state of things isn't going to do jack when the building is full every night.

There are only two incentives to change.
1. Ownership isn't satisfied with the performance.
2. Fan support drops off.

We'll just have to see what happens first.

Unfortunately its tough for #2 to happen when you have 16k STHers, 3k+ person waiting list and however many mini pack holders. Tough to think that could drastically change going forward. For this year, tickets are already sold, when 83% give or take of your building is full just due to STHers its going to be hard for them to see any difference.

Even if 5k people dropped their tickets, there would probably still be a close to full building.

 

[DixonWard15]

When Lindy gets canned, can we get Beyonce to peform "All the Single Lindys" at FNC?

Followed by "If you liked it then you should have put a Stanley Cup ring on it"

 

[Prospector74]

You guys need to step back from the ledge. Its not like he can come out and say that he's thinking about making a coaching change as that would neuter Lindy more than he already is. If he decides to make a coaching change, the first you'll hear about it is the press conference announcing it.

That nails it.

 

[Jim Bob]

If this surprises you, you haven't been paying attention.

 

[S319R11S16]

Ok, Regier was asked a predictable question, and he provided a predictable answer. Two things he was not going to say were:

1."If the Sabres do not win their next three games, we are going to fire coach Ruff."

2. "I was going to save this news until the deal is finalized, but we just agreed on a trade with the Penguins. We will be receiving Malkin in exchange for a conditional 5th round pick in next year's draft."

What did some of you realistically expect him to say?

A little more urgency and maybe a few words along the lines of "This isn't acceptable" might be nice.

 

[AlexanderMogilny89]

I'm concerned he's exploring trades for a quick fix. That's my issue. And it's a valid concern.

Again:

WE DON'T WANT A QUICK FIX. WE WANT A SMART, EFFECTIVE FIX.

It sounds like he is trying to make a trade for another bum like R. Regehr or a Boyes type of has been player. How come we couldn't get Semin or even Ribeiro? i would have liked Ribeiro. Instead they trade Roy for Ott. Which wasn't that great of a trade imo. It just seems like other teams can pull in players to make an impact right away while the Sabres are stuck on stupid.

 

[Duddy]

Actually it was the 70's AND 80's Bills.

In the mid 70's, the Bills were in a bad funk. Winning 2 and 3 games, playing in a relatively new Rich Stadium, and drawing 30,000 to 40,000 a game. Ralph went all in and brought Chuck Knox in from the Rams. It was a huge move the gave the Bills credibility again and the franchise had did better and fans came back.

In the mid 80's the Bills had two back to back 2 win seasons. Fans were staying away from the stadium like they could catch the plague if they went. People were also driving around WNY with bumper stickers that read "bring pro football to Buffalo". Ralph, in his own words, decided to get serious again and stop hiring friends to run the show and handed the keys to Bill Polian.

Now, look at the Bills in the last decade plus. For the most part, great attendance. No need to make serious changes.

Fans can have an influence on a professional franchise.

Yeah let's look at the Bills, haven't made the playoffs in the 2000s.
Man, what a great franchise

 

[BowieSabresFan]

A little more urgency and maybe a few words along the lines of "This isn't acceptable" might be nice.

I'm sure he finds the situation unacceptable.

This is making Mt. Everest out of a mole hill.

 

[Zip15]

50% of the forward roster is different than last year. You got rid of two LARGE pieces of the core in the last calendar year.

What the **** else is there to change at this point?

More pieces of the core?

In all seriousness, that'll probably be the inevitable answer. Ruff and Regier stay, someone in the infamous core takes the fall--likely Stafford and/or Miller--and is traded for 75% of the player's talent, but the acquired player has one of the buzz words Sabres fans love ("leadership," "grit," "competitiveness," etc.) so that makes it all better, at least in the short term.

It's going to be a lonely island for Darcy and Lindy in a couple years when they've rid the team of the infamous core, and they still aren't any good.

 

[CrankyJay]

You guys need to step back from the ledge. Its not like he can come out and say that he's thinking about making a coaching change as that would neuter Lindy more than he already is. If he decides to make a coaching change, the first you'll hear about it is the press conference announcing it.

Ted Black just said the same thing on the radio this morning at 8:40...he'll never publicly criticize a member of the organization.

 

[vcv]

Actually it was the 70's AND 80's Bills.

In the mid 70's, the Bills were in a bad funk. Winning 2 and 3 games, playing in a relatively new Rich Stadium, and drawing 30,000 to 40,000 a game. Ralph went all in and brought Chuck Knox in from the Rams. It was a huge move the gave the Bills credibility again and the franchise had did better and fans came back.

In the mid 80's the Bills had two back to back 2 win seasons. Fans were staying away from the stadium like they could catch the plague if they went. People were also driving around WNY with bumper stickers that read "bring pro football to Buffalo". Ralph, in his own words, decided to get serious again and stop hiring friends to run the show and handed the keys to Bill Polian.

Now, look at the Bills in the last decade plus. For the most part, great attendance. No need to make serious changes.

Fans can have an influence on a professional franchise.

And what evidence do you have that it was because of the fan support and not because Ralph got sick of losing himself?

 

[RazielMoshman]

It might be pure speculation but I remember when Drury was here he was brilliant and faceoffs, plus I seem to remember he taught Gausted how to be better at them. Combine that with the winning attitude he always had and I'm wondering if it would be worth trying to hire him as an assistant coach. What does everyone think? I just think we could do a lot worse.

 

[JonathanWashington]

It might be pure speculation but I remember when Drury was here he was brilliant and faceoffs, plus I seem to remember he taught Gausted how to be better at them. Combine that with the winning attitude he always had and I'm wondering if it would be worth trying to hire him as an assistant coach. What does everyone think? I just think we could do a lot worse.

It makes more sense then adams and provides some humor for the critics.

 

[Jim Bob]

A little more urgency and maybe a few words along the lines of "This isn't acceptable" might be nice.

If you were Regier's speechwriter, what would you have suggested that he say?

If he left it at "This isn't acceptable" people would still be killing him by retorting "OK, so what are you going to DO about it???"

I don't care about what Regier, Black, or Pegula SAY (especially on the record). I care about what they DO.

 

[Fire Lindy]

Listening to Ted Black right now, they are really grilling him over Ruff right now. He certainly isn't making it seem like Ruff is immune from being fired.

 

[Zip15]

If you were Regier's speechwriter, what would you have suggested that he say?

If he left it at "This isn't acceptable" people would still be killing him by retorting "OK, so what are you going to DO about it???"

I don't care about what Regier, Black, or Pegula SAY (especially on the record). I care about what they DO.

It will never stop blowing my mind that people get upset about Regier's bland quotes. He's been this way for 15 years, why are people expecting he'll change now? You're right, actions are more important.

Now go offer-sheet Ryan O'Reilly.

 

[Jim Bob]

It will never stop blowing my mind that people get upset about Regier's bland quotes. He's been this way for 15 years, why are people expecting he'll change now? You're right, actions are more important.

Now go offer-sheet Ryan O'Reilly.

And how many times in the history of sports has a coach or GM gotten a public vote of confidence only to get gassed a week or two later?

What people say ON THE RECORD in situations like this hold next to no weight with me.

That said, Regier's history with Ruff suggests that he won't fire Ruff. But I thought that before these comments....

 

[McCauleyChirps]

Listening to Ted Black right now, they are really grilling him over Ruff right now. He certainly isn't making it seem like Ruff is immune from being fired.

This was brutal to listen to. Absolutely brutal. The callers really laid into him.

 

[Fire Lindy]

This was brutal to listen to. Absolutely brutal. The callers really laid into him.

Agreed, I actually turned it off after listening to some of the callers. It wouldn't have been as bad if the callers made some insightful opinions, but instead they were just yelling and going off on rants that Ted had no way to respond to.

I really felt bad for Ted there, the WGR hosts and callers are such idiots.

 

[vcv]

Agreed, I actually turned it off after listening to some of the callers. It wouldn't have been as bad if the callers made some insightful opinions, but instead they were just yelling and going off on rants that Ted had no way to respond to.

I really felt bad for Ted there, the WGR hosts and callers are such idiots.

Absolutely, but in the end it's good to let some fans rant on air, even if it's awkward or comes off poorly. It shows ownership is not hiding from the fans frustrations and to some level understands it.

 

[SamsonReinFart]

It was hard to listen to, but at the same time, it needs to happen. I know Ted Black is a smart man, and I wish we could have Jame or Zip call him up and have a 20 minute conversation, carefully explaining in great detail what needs to happen But at the same time, he needed to hear the frustration of the fans.

 

[start winnin]

The thing about our players is that I don't see the enthusiasm in their game. When other team's celebrate goals they jump into each other like it's the first goal they've ever scored. When our guys score it's just, oh hey nice job, here's a fist bump.

Maybe I'm just nitpicking, but I feel like our guys don't play with a lot of excitement or enthusiasm.

 

[McCauleyChirps]

The thing about our players is that I don't see the enthusiasm in their game. When other team's celebrate goals they jump into each other like it's the first goal they've ever scored. When our guys score it's just, oh hey nice job, here's a fist bump.

Maybe I'm just nitpicking, but I feel like our guys don't play with a lot of excitement or enthusiasm.

That's because the goals don't matter at the time. Oh good, we're back within 1. Joy, we eliminated a shutout, but are behind by 4.

What this team needs is a HUGE goal. An OT winner. Something. Anything?!