Guest the pinjockey Report post Posted June 15, 2003 http://espn.go.com/nhl/news/2003/0614/1568057.html A tailgate party, emceed by Joe FUCKING Piscopo is the best celebration they could come up with?!? There is only one reason to not have a parade and that is to not show yourself as having the number of fans to cover about one square block. If you wanted to have this party you could do the parade then go to the parking lot like some teams do. But Joe Piscopo? Come on now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Well, as much as I didn't want them to win, blame the fans for not supporting the team, not the team for not supporting the fans. They've won 3 Cups in 9 years. I wish I lived in a winning hockey state. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest treble charged Report post Posted June 15, 2003 There was an article in the Toronto Star a few days back that said the Devils should have their parade in Toronto (it contained a few jokes along the line of 'It's not like we're going to be having one of our own anytime soon'). It was all tounge in cheek, of course, but anything's better than having some fucking fan fest in a parking lot. The fact that that team has won 3 Cups in the last 9 years is all the proof I need to know that God hates me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the pinjockey Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I won't blame the fans for not supporting them because they are the most god awful boring team in the history of professional sports. Winning is important but if you are not entertaining in the least you aren't going to attract fans to the sport itself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest treble charged Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Lammereilo (I KNOW I butchered the spelling on that one) doesn't care about promoting the league and/or making the game more exciting. He wants to win Cups, no matter how boring the games may be. Of course, that style would probably be better suited to a market where fans will support the team no matter what (Toronto is the first one that come to mind, and probably Detroit, too). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the pinjockey Report post Posted June 15, 2003 It would work in Philly as well because we are so hard up for a championship that the team could have 0-0 games all season then win every game 1-0 in the playoffs and we wouldn't care. But North Jersey isn't exactly a booming market where you can afford to not worry about gaining fans. They weren't even selling out playoff games til the finals were they? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Conference Semis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest treble charged Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't think so. I know they only got 14,000 or so in the first round or 2. I think the league should implement a rule where the Devils have to start every game down a goal, since they can be a pretty entertaining team if they're trying to score. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the pinjockey Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Make the Devils play the entire game shorthanded. That is when they are the most dangerous. I will never understand that. When it is 5 on 5 the play around and stall, then when they get down a man Madden decides to start playing and becomes one of the most dangerous players in the league. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Brush with Greatness Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I think I'm one of the only people to be entertained by defensive hockey. I loved that Anaheim v. Detroit series where Anaheim would not even let Detroit get out of their end in the third period despite the massive amount of individual skill the Red Wings have. Getting guys to buy in and play defensive hockey with such discipline is not something easy to do. Sure, any team can play the trap, but not every team has the right structure to play it well. And call me crazy but watching a team play it well is entertaining to me. Sure, it's not as exciting as fast paced offensive driven hockey but I still enjoy watching it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I like defensive hockey, but it's shown that most casual fans don't. And THAT'S something that I don't like. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest treble charged Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't nescessarily equate high scoring games with exciting games. I mean, 10-8 games usually mean crappy defence and crappy goaltending, while a 0-0 game could feature a lot of exciting end to end rushes with great goaltending at each end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest the pinjockey Report post Posted June 15, 2003 There is a difference to me between a 1-0 defensive game, which can be great, and a "We scored one goal and now we quit trying" game. The Devils show no interest in scoring unless absolutely necessary and it makes for boring games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lightning Flik Report post Posted June 15, 2003 My biggest problem with the New Jersey Devils really is the defensive one goal scored must tank on the defense. That's like my old days of playing Tribes where like a team of 12 on 12 would play capture the flag and 8 of each team sat in their fucking base doing absolutely nothing but tanking. It was the most boringest stuff ever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't nescessarily equate high scoring games with exciting games. I mean, 10-8 games usually mean crappy defence and crappy goaltending, while a 0-0 game could feature a lot of exciting end to end rushes with great goaltending at each end. 10-8 is going overboard. But scores like 6-5, and 5-4 instead of 2-1, and 1-0 would help the league somewhat. It's still a regional sport in the U.S. and that won't change anytime soon, but At least with some scoring. more players become well known and the game could slowly spread. Just make the goalies padding smaller, and scoring will go up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted June 15, 2003 What hockey needs to do is create stars and eliminate about 12 teams... Does Columbus...Jersey...Tampa...Pheonix...San Jose...Atlanta...Nashville... Play an important part... Chop it down to 24 at least and work from there... Enough of this Weekly "Show only Colorado, Detroit, Philly, Dallas and an occasional Toronto to the mainstream US ESPN market".... The biggest achilles heel is LACK OF STAR POWER... What hockey needs is a handsome good looking ass kicking motherfucker whom can kill the puck and score all the hollywood babes and go to Oscars be recongized... They need Wayne Gretzky Pt. II again... "JIGGY" isn't cutting it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 They have those players. They just don't play in big enough markets to substantiate national coverage to ESPN. Marian Gaborik is the future of the league. He's in Minnesota. Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley are two great young players. They are in Atlanta. Vincent Lecavalier, Vinny Prospal, and Martin St. Louis are a good core. They are in Tampa. Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy are a good core for Calgary. West Coast market kills them. Ottawa has a smorgasboard of young, exciting talent. Of course, they play in Canada, and Canada is apparently some kind of barren uninhabited land that ESPN dares not venture to, unless it is necessary. I don't think that you can take out Columbus, Jersey, Nashville and Atlanta. Columbus has JUST been introduced to the league, and they aren't a horrible team. Neither is Nashville. New Jersey are now the Stanley Cup Champions, and it would make the league look like a joke if the Champs were contracted. Atlanta is not that old, they have a young core to build around, and a good coach to do it. They need goaltending and defense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest nl5xsk1 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 What hockey needs to do is create stars and eliminate about 12 teams... Does Columbus...Jersey...Tampa...Pheonix...San Jose...Atlanta...Nashville... Play an important part... Chop it down to 24 at least and work from there... Enough of this Weekly "Show only Colorado, Detroit, Philly, Dallas and an occasional Toronto to the mainstream US ESPN market".... The biggest achilles heel is LACK OF STAR POWER... What hockey needs is a handsome good looking ass kicking motherfucker whom can kill the puck and score all the hollywood babes and go to Oscars be recongized... They need Wayne Gretzky Pt. II again... "JIGGY" isn't cutting it... Good idea about losing teams, but you chose the wrong teams: Drop Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Florida, and maybe LA or Phoenix. ESPN is going to be playing less and less hockey anyways (b/c heaven forbid there's a night without basketball) so just get the NHL Center Ice package and watch any team you want. Star power: Right now is the segue between the old guard (Yzerman, Lemieux, Messier, Hull, Roy) to the next generation (Gaborik, Thornton, Kovalchuk, Naslund, Luongo). Just because the idiots at Sportscenter don't notice it doesn't mean that they're not there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't think Pittsburgh is long for the league at this point. Mario basically gave the city an ultimatum last week; Build us a new arena, or we leave. Seeing as how Mario is their franchise player, and the only real reason that people go to Penguins games, he knows that the franchise won't last when he retires. At least when he was forced into retirement, he had Jagr and Kovalev to fall back on to put people in the arena. Now, with their money problems, they have nobodies. You could take LA, but that's their only real California market team. Anaheim is just outside of the market, as is San Jose. Phoenix was a bad idea from the start. Hockey in a desert?! WTF?! I think Florida is improving, they have the #1 pick in the draft right now, whether or not they trade it is going to be interesting. They could use it to get a forward to build the team around with Luongo and Jokinen, or they could trade it and get a few players and more picks. But, they aren't ready for contraction, they just need players to put people in the arena. They couldn't afford the Bure's anymore, so they traded them. They have a good, young team that is only going to get better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest nl5xsk1 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I picked Florida (the team) for contraction b/c I don't think we need two teams in Florida (the state), and Tampa seems to be the better team right now (so less likely to fold). The only reason that I picked the Kings is b/c the Ducks played in the Cup. When there was the big contraction debtate a few months ago I said the Ducks should be the ones that folded (just goes to show you how much a few months can change the future of a team) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MaxPower27 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Both Florida teams will get better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest nl5xsk1 Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Regardless if they'll get better or not, there shouldn't be two teams in Florida or three teams in California. Fucking Bettman had to over-expand and water down the product. One team in Florida is more than enough, same with limiting it to one or two TOPS in California. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted June 15, 2003 To be fair to the Devils- Where else are they supposed to hold the celebration? Even they know their "parades" are gay but there's nothing they can do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted June 15, 2003 Aren't they getting the new arena that will be RIGHT downtown? So maybe that will help things out a little... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Czech Republic Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't think Pittsburgh is long for the league at this point. Mario basically gave the city an ultimatum last week; Build us a new arena, or we leave. Seeing as how Mario is their franchise player, and the only real reason that people go to Penguins games, he knows that the franchise won't last when he retires. At least when he was forced into retirement, he had Jagr and Kovalev to fall back on to put people in the arena. Now, with their money problems, they have nobodies. You could take LA, but that's their only real California market team. Anaheim is just outside of the market, as is San Jose. Phoenix was a bad idea from the start. Hockey in a desert?! WTF?! I think Florida is improving, they have the #1 pick in the draft right now, whether or not they trade it is going to be interesting. They could use it to get a forward to build the team around with Luongo and Jokinen, or they could trade it and get a few players and more picks. But, they aren't ready for contraction, they just need players to put people in the arena. They couldn't afford the Bure's anymore, so they traded them. They have a good, young team that is only going to get better. The Penguins do seem to have doom looming over them and their weird igloo-looking arena. The only thing that can save them after Lemieux retires is if the league decides that with #66's whole run, including the two consecutive cups, the Pittsburgh Penguins have too much historical merit to let them fall out of existence and either fold or move to Portland or somewhere. If it wasn't for the Oilers dominating the league through about '82-ish to about '90-ish, there'd be no more NHL in Edmonton, methinks. Anyhow: Move or contract the Thrashers, Panthers, Coyotes, Predators, and Hurricanes. As for the thread-topic Devils, you gotta keep them around just so the phrase "Fuck the Devils" can remain a part of the hcokey fan's vocabulary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted June 15, 2003 where do you move them? Back to Canada? BAH! Like NHL will go for that... If they move again it's going to New Orleans or something like that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Czech Republic Report post Posted June 15, 2003 where do you move them? Back to Canada? BAH! Like NHL will go for that... If they move again it's going to New Orleans or something like that... I can see "Portland Penguins" because everyone keeps threatening to move to Portland. As for moving back to Canada, it'll never happen under Bettman, and all we can really do is wish it never happened in the first place. If the Nords, Jets, and Whalers would've just gotten their new arenas, they'd still be around, and the league wouldn't be such a damn joke. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't get PORTLAND... Is there a reason Baseball, Football, Hockey teams always threaten to relocate there? It doesn't seem to be a big market or at least I wouldn't think it too be... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lightning Flik Report post Posted June 15, 2003 If it wasn't for the Oilers dominating the league through about '82-ish to about '90-ish, there'd be no more NHL in Edmonton, methinks. I have to disagree with you there. The Edmonton Oiler fans are ALWAYS there to support the team, even if it's a little iffy to buy tickets. Shit, we buy out 13k in season tickets for the last few years. Considering the arena seats around 18000 (I think the actual number is 18178), it usually has about 14000 a night, so we do good. We just wouldn't have won the cups, that's all. Edmonton is a hockey town, straight and simple. We just aren't money filled like Detroit or them. We wouldn't have folded. *shrugs* Then again, with Calgary here, I don't think Alberta can support two teams for long. Which is a shame because the Edmonton vs Calgary rivalry is the greatest one (and starting to gain flame once again) outside of the original six clubs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Czech Republic Report post Posted June 15, 2003 I don't get PORTLAND... Is there a reason Baseball, Football, Hockey teams always threaten to relocate there? It doesn't seem to be a big market or at least I wouldn't think it too be... I believe it's an affluent market, large enough to carry a team, and just far enough from Seattle or the Bay Area to support a team of its own. Currently, there's nothing in town except the Blazers, so the fans would jump all over a new team in a different sport. There's plenty of room to build a new ballpark or football field, and the Rose Garden is a pretty nice building. Thus, Portland. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
