The Suns yesterday hired Celtics Assistant GM Ryan McDonough as GM, making the 33-year-old the NBA's "second youngest GM." McDonough was chosen over Bucks Assistant GM Jeff Weltman and Spurs Assistant GM Scott Layden after "convincing interviews last week" in Phoenix and Monday in N.Y. Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby said that McDonough “complements his skills and age for the department he runs.” Babby described him “as dynamic, positive and naturally communicative, traits that were not equated internally with his fired predecessor, Lance Blanks" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 5/8).
MONEY MATTERS: In New York, George Root III writes the reason that Sabres Owner Terry Pegula keeps GM Darcy Regier is “because Regier has learned how to keep the seats filled while still showing a profit.” The NHL, “just like any other sports league, is a business.” Pegula can “say that he doesn’t care if he loses money with the Sabres, but he has found out the hard way that it matters a lot.” Root: “When you see your $100+ million investment lose value at a rapid rate, you will do what you need to do to reverse that and get some stability back into the company.” That is “exactly what Pegula is doing right now.” He is “stabilizing his investment and Darcy has a long history of being successful with that” (Lockport UNION-SUN & JOURNAL, 5/8).
TROLLEY TOUR: C&M Marketing Services yesterday “announced plans for a new trolley ride tour along the Packers Heritage Trail, a collection of historic sites associated with the team’s early years.” The trail was “established last year as a walking tour that includes such sites as Curly Lambeau’s office and Vince Lombardi’s church.” Weather permitting, the tours also “will be scheduled around Packers home games in the fall” (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 5/8).
