Shake up

[grump]

Ted Black is out at the Sabres and Russ Brandon is pres of both Bills and Sabes? That true?

[FisherRd]

I liked Ted Black's approach. He seemed like a fine enough guy.
I'm not a fan of Brandon as Pres simply because he isn't a hockey guy. Granted, I don't know if a hockey guy is really needed, because who knows what the job really entails.

[grump]

Well, Ted Black wasn't a hockey guy if by that you mean a former player or coach. He's a lawyer with background in media management, I believe. His experience was administrative with the Penguins, I think. He did come across as sincere with the fans. Sounds like Brandon was going to be promoted over him and he decided not to hang around. As they did with Doug Marrone, the pros at WGR were already releasing "things they'd heard and saw" about Blacks administration. Funny they never released before if it was newsworthy...and if it wasn't why talk about it now?

[HipKat]

Brandon is a whiz at marketing which is probably what they want from him. Our GM can be the "hockey guy"

[cheekman]

Ted Black is out at the Sabres and Russ Brandon is pres of both Bills and Sabes? That true?

Yeppers.. Black showed nothing with the sabres it was time I have been saying that for the last three years...

So now money bags puts poop boy Brandon in charge of the sabres.. Damn if money bags stops fast that's all you will see is brandons shoes sticking out of his butt.
now russ has to count hot dogs and peanuts for the sabers too.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sabres-...QDBHNlYwNzcg--

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Was not a fan of Brandon for a long, long time. But as time passes, I think he was just doing what his boss wanted.


If what I have been reading about the structure is true...it's a really nice setup...

• Pegula Sports and Entertainment is over the Bills, Sabres, Bandits and Americans. This one group can work deals for 4 teams at the same time.
• Russ Brandon does the business / operations work for both the Bills and Sabres, working directly with Pegula S&E.
• Tim Murray is in charge of building the hockey team, shares roster decisions with Dan Bylsma (to a degree) and Dan Bylsma is in charge of the on ice performance. Both report directly to Terry & Kim.
• Doug Whaley is in charge of building the football team, shares roster decisions with Rex Ryan (to a degree) and Rex Ryan is in charge of on field performance. Both report directly to Terry & Kim.

In a setup like this, Terry & Kim get direct access to all key players. Brandon can focus on building the best house of operations & marketing. Murray & Whaley get to focus on the draft, contracts & roster. Ryan and Bylsma get to focus on the results.

Everyone under Terry and Kim get their 'own house' so to speak, which is attractive to people in those positions. That said, I think Ryan has more power than Bylsma, even though Bylsma has won a cup.


Most important to fans is the direct access of Terry & Kim to all of the key players. This is not a mistake. It's hard to hide sh*t under a system like this.