[devo22]

pretty harsh piece in regards to Pegula and the front office:

Let’s get to the point: Ted Black saying there was no discord between Pat LaFontaine and the front office was absurd. Obviously, there were major problems at the top. Rather than acknowledge their existence, Black made a lame, embarrassing attempt to con the public into thinking it was an amicable divorce.

Does he really think people are that stupid?

The rhetoric was laughable when stacked against mounting evidence of an irreparable rift between LaFontaine and owner Terry Pegula. Next we’ll hear Black suggest a few ice cubes sank the Titanic and firecrackers ended World War II. It appears we’re back to the same old routine with Pegula and his flunkies in fantasyland.

If everything were hunky-dory, LaFontaine would still be in Buffalo. If he wanted to return to a lesser job in league offices for personal reasons, as Black said, he would have held a news conference and explained as much. Anyone with a conscience would have understood that family comes first, no questions asked, no big deal.

And LaFontaine would have been celebrated for a job well done. He hired the right coach in Ted Nolan and an aggressive general manager in Tim Murray. Together, they were on their way to restoring credibility. Pegula would have thanked him for his work, wished him well and sent him on his way.

Really, it doesn’t get much easier.

Instead, LaFontaine is holed up heaven knows where with tape over his mouth. He’s not returning phone calls. A source close to him said he was devastated over the weekend but feeling better Monday. LaFontaine was passionate about building a winner in Buffalo. If he were at peace with leaving, he would be up front and positive.

I’m positive. I’m positive Black is either lying about the front office or grossly out of touch with his own organization. People are losing faith in him and Pegula by the day. They haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt. If that’s the leadership the Sabres are getting from the top, what does it say about everyone else?

http://www.buffalonews.com/columns/b...oblem-20140303