An ode to WGR 550 and in particular Mike Schopp

[Myers57]

Dear WGR 550. Remember when Golisano saved the team? I certainly do! Remember when the team was bankrupt and ready to move? I have the upmost respect for the man for what he did (and without taxpayer subsidies).

Now all I hear out of your station (and in particular Mike Schopp) is how let Briere and Drury go. GET. OVER. IT. It's like a bad breakup that this city 4 years later still hasn't gotten over.

The sense of entitlement that you have with a team you are VERY lucky to still be covering in the media is what makes this city look pathetic to outsiders.

IMO the best thing that could probably ever happen to this city is to lose the Buffalo Bills, maybe then you will be forced to make something out of yourself instead of leeching onto your heartbreaks of the past.

[Philagape]

What do you mean by "sense of entitlement"? Entitled to what?

[Myers57]

It's just the general attitude people in this city have. You don't relally notice it if your born and raised here, but as soon as you leave for a while and come back you notice, "damn these people have an expecting attitude." Basically nobody takes any initiative here do to something productive for the city, most of the city is former union people who are bitter that their steel mill jobs left them.

Bills leave- The city is no longer defined by the team and will be forced to actually make something of itself

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

I am not going to walk all over Mr. Galisano and what he did when he did it, but if you think for one second the NHL would allow the Sabres to move you are crazy. They have teams that can't fill 15,000 seats, that is what the Sabres have in season tickets.

[YardRat]

GR has been a train wreck for over 20 years.

[RockStar36]

WGR gave him plenty of credit and said it over and over again. If you didn't hear it, sorry, but they did. They also gave him criticism, which is well deserved. They were fair in their assessment.

[Beebe's Kid]

I like Schopp, but he took Briere personally, because they were friends.

They did give Golisano credit, but they did act like they were owed some lengthy explanation of why they let those two go. Golisano did explain...they just didn't like it. He said that they have gotten better production out of Roy and Vanek...that being said, there is no way they are going to go for that on WGR.

[chubluv]

WGR 55 & the Buffalo news are very one sided. Its something we have to put up with. They are the only choice of paper and radio media we have in town for sports coverage. I know it sucks, but what can we do. Even the TV news sports cast is a bout 2-3 minutes long unless a major event is being held.

[MikeInRoch]

Schopp was so much better when he was in Rochester.

[chernobylwraiths]

I like Schopp, but he took Briere personally, because they were friends.

They did give Golisano credit, but they did act like they were owed some lengthy explanation of why they let those two go. Golisano did explain...they just didn't like it. He said that they have gotten better production out of Roy and Vanek...that being said, there is no way they are going to go for that on WGR.

Golisano saying they got better production out of Vanek and Roy was the biggest bunch of BS I ever heard. Briere helped Philly go deep into the playoffs twice (was important both times) and the Sabres have made the playoffs once since.

[Nighthawk]

I like Schopp, but he took Briere personally, because they were friends.

They did give Golisano credit, but they did act like they were owed some lengthy explanation of why they let those two go. Golisano did explain...they just didn't like it. He said that they have gotten better production out of Roy and Vanek...that being said, there is no way they are going to go for that on WGR.

Anybody who knows anything about sports and in particular, hockey, knows that explanation and comparison is garbage and proves they had no idea what they were doing. But hey, if that is good enough for you, then so be it.

[OpIv37]

Dear WGR 550. Remember when Golisano saved the team? I certainly do! Remember when the team was bankrupt and ready to move? I have the upmost respect for the man for what he did (and without taxpayer subsidies).

Now all I hear out of your station (and in particular Mike Schopp) is how let Briere and Drury go. GET. OVER. IT. It's like a bad breakup that this city 4 years later still hasn't gotten over.

The sense of entitlement that you have with a team you are VERY lucky to still be covering in the media is what makes this city look pathetic to outsiders.

IMO the best thing that could probably ever happen to this city is to lose the Buffalo Bills, maybe then you will be forced to make something out of yourself instead of leeching onto your heartbreaks of the past.

Funny how you mention how Golisano saved the team but fail to mention the years of mediocrity that resulted from it. It's 4 years later and the team STILL hasn't recovered from the loss of Briere and Drury, but you're willing to give Golisano a pass because he saved the team? Exactly how long should we permit Golisano to maintain mediocrity simply because he saved the team?

IMO the whole city needs to forget about the past. Forget about the heartbreaks AND the fact that Ralph gave us a football team and Golisano saved our hockey team. It's done- get over it and build something for the future.

You want people to get over the negative stuff that happened in the past (Briere and Drury) but hold on to the positive stuff that happened in the past (saving the team). Either move on or don't- make up your mind.

[hydro]

My favorite is the BS about saving the team from a buyer that would have paid 70million more than Pegula. Guess what? THE NHL WOULD HAVE NEVER APPROVED IT ANYWAY!

[rbochan]

My favorite is the BS about saving the team from a buyer that would have paid 70million more than Pegula. Guess what? THE NHL WOULD HAVE NEVER APPROVED IT ANYWAY!

Indeed. If they won't allow friggen Phoenix to move...

[tampabay25690]

I like Schopp, but he took Briere personally, because they were friends.

They did give Golisano credit, but they did act like they were owed some lengthy explanation of why they let those two go. Golisano did explain...they just didn't like it. He said that they have gotten better production out of Roy and Vanek...that being said, there is no way they are going to go for that on WGR.

The thing is most of you don't know BRIERE could have stayed in Buffalo....He was offered a very fair contract and he went for more $$$$$$$$........
SO I don't blame the Sabres at all because he was never worth the $$$ he made in PHILI........

[chernobylwraiths]

The thing is most of you don't know BRIERE could have stayed in Buffalo....He was offered a very fair contract and he went for more $$$$$$$$........
SO I don't blame the Sabres at all because he was never worth the $$$ he made in PHILI........

I think Flyer fans now think he is worth the money.

If you think the offer he received was "very fair" then you are a Darcy apologist, management homer. Before arbitration, Briere wanted the Sabres to pay him 5 mil a year over five years. THEN when the arbitration award comes along, he gets 5 mil. Darcy was just "astonished" that the arbitrator awarded that and felt the awards were just getting too high (hence he walked away from Dumont's award and then offered him a multi year deal for less, Dumont was pissed). Then, after the season (without bothering to make any offers "the Sabres don't negotiate in-season" (even though they DID with Drury, but that is another F-up on their part) Darcy pulls out the same deal that Briere would have signed the year before KNOWING that Briere would be offered at LEAST 2 mil a year OVER that and was actually offered even more. Sure sounded fair to me.

[Nighthawk]

I think Flyer fans now think he is worth the money.

If you think the offer he received was "very fair" then you are a Darcy apologist, management homer. Before arbitration, Briere wanted the Sabres to pay him 5 mil a year over five years. THEN when the arbitration award comes along, he gets 5 mil. Darcy was just "astonished" that the arbitrator awarded that and felt the awards were just getting too high (hence he walked away from Dumont's award and then offered him a multi year deal for less, Dumont was pissed). Then, after the season (without bothering to make any offers "the Sabres don't negotiate in-season" (even though they DID with Drury, but that is another F-up on their part) Darcy pulls out the same deal that Briere would have signed the year before KNOWING that Briere would be offered at LEAST 2 mil a year OVER that and was actually offered even more. Sure sounded fair to me.

Yep...everything you said...couldn't agree more!

[YardRat]

Either move on or don't- make up your mind.

lol...Kinda ironic, coming from you.

[OpIv37]

lol...Kinda ironic, coming from you.

how so?

[trapezeus]

to be fair, at the time, i thought the $5MM deal the arbitrators gave to briere was ridiculous. Right out of a lockout with salary cap at $38MM, it was a gigantic sum to give to one player. The arbitrators ruined whatever concessions were made at the lockout.

I think that the $57MM salary cap is prolonging the slow death the NHL is on the march to. They need a TV deal BADLY. ONce they let one team not named atlanta or phoenix fail (like they will inevitably), there are going to be serious problems at the NHL.

[Philagape]

The thing is most of you don't know BRIERE could have stayed in Buffalo....He was offered a very fair contract and he went for more $$$$$$$$.........

He was offered the exact same deal he wanted the previous year which the Sabres wouldn't offer. It was a very INSULTING contract.

[Philagape]

Speaking of Briere, I was recently thinking that 2006 may be the single worst year in the history of Buffalo sports.

Ralph Wilson hired Marv Levy, who hired Dick Jauron.
The Sabres doomed their Cup contention by failing to lock up their leaders.

Within a few months, both franchises set back for the rest of the decade and beyond.