Comments on: Are They Going To Blow It?

By: Brendan

Brendan — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:04:02 +0000

If I were Sage, I’d still be hesitant to support the Thrashers, in the way that he’s outlined in his previous posts. He wants accountability. Firing Waddell is an important FIRST STEP towards truly implementing change. But, for example, hiring, “Floyd, the Barber/Account,” still isn’t addressing the problem at the GM position. Firing Waddell and hiring Doug Risebrough or Jacques Lemaire would, indeed, show me, and Sage, and all Thrasher fans, that they CARE about the franchise. A payroll of $45 million still isn’t addressing the meaningful changes* that are needed. Yes, I put an * there, quite deliberately. I’ll allow it, (a low payroll,) conditioned upon the ownership fessing up about its intentions to continue building for two (2) more seasons. That would reflect HONESTY on their part. And as long as they bring the fans onboard with that, I don’t particularly have a problem with it, so long as Waddell isn’t the architect of the building project. Generally-speaking, nobody likes building projects.

They don’t. The fans don’t. The GM’s don’t. The Coaches don’t. And the players don’t. So why do it? Answer: Because it’s the most intelligent way to ‘properly build’ a core nucleus of young, fast, highly skilled talent that can serve the organization for YEARS and YEARS to come, so long as they get re-signed in their RFA contracts.

In the above post, I think Sage meant to say “resign” rather than “re-sign.” If Don Waddell gets “re-signed,” that is, EXTENDED on yet another contract, I just don’t know what I can possibly say about that. I must submit that … if the ownership “likes” Don Waddell, and is “pleased” with him, then why wouldn’t they extend his contract? When (and not if,) they do renew Waddell, it ought to be the final confirmation that the ownership bares the largest percentage of the distribution of blame regarding the Atlanta Thrashers Hockey Club.

Only the ownership can bring about ‘meaningful change.’ Sage will disagree with me. Sage will say the fans have the power, with the money in their wallets. Well, for argument’s sake, let’s say only 6,000 fans showed up to home games. Still with me? The ownership decides to fire Waddell to appease the fans, but then … they hire my Aunt Bertha to run the club. My Aunt Bertha is a wonderful person, but she’s only been to one (1) hockey game in her life. And he’s only made one hypothetical draft pick in Thrashers history: 2001, Ilya Kovalchuk. In that regard, I suppose, she’s doing quite well. But she’s just not equipped with the knowledge, background, and judgement to run a hockey team. And there it is. The Spirit may well, indeed, find someone decent to run the team, after they fire Waddell. That’s the power they hold. And not sayyy, the power the fans hold. No fan ever hired a GM. If they (ownership) don’t find someone decent, they are STILLLLLLLL the source of the problem. There’d just be a new GM to amuse and bewilder us all.

By: Rawhide

Rawhide — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:56:52 +0000

Tony C. - You've just been "Ranallo-ed".

By: Tony C.

Tony C. — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:54:29 +0000

flame away

By: Tony C.

Tony C. — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:50:31 +0000

ummm

to resign would be to leave the post.
to re-sign would be to extend his contract.

Not to be a grammar-fiend, but that post gets WAAAAY less confusing when you spell the word properly dude.

By: Glovesave29

Glovesave29 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:35:05 +0000

So Sage…If they fire Waddell, are you going to get in line to get season tickets?

By: Sheep

Sheep — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:41:20 +0000

Saaaage, where can I find some grass to chew???? Then I will protest step by step with yewwwwww.
baaaaaaaa.baaaaaaa
baaaaa.

By: Sage of Bluesland

Sage of Bluesland — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:05:58 +0000

Why on Earth would Don Waddell re-sign?! He has the ultimate job on this planet: complete lack of accountability from either his supervisors (ownership) or his clientele (sheep). He’ll continue to bluster and blunder his way in Thrashersland, saying whatever he needs to in order to deflect and obfuscate–and laugh all the way to the bank.

Re-sign out of some sort of ‘honor’ or ‘respect’?! Now THAT’S funny!

He’s blustering fraud of a GM and a buffoon–but he’s not THAT big of a buffoon.

Face it, until the FANS stop subsidizing the incompetence and make a real effort to get the ownership to take notice, nothing significant will change in Thrashersland. That’s precisely when the “fans” have become part of the problem, as opposed to the solution.

But, hey, if you like minor-league hockey at major-league prices, then…in the classy and respectful words of one of the owners, “Deal with it!”.

That should help you in your decision to continue to give your money to this organization…but it won’t, I know…Emotion still rules in Thrashersland…

By: 12345

12345 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:12:32 +0000

I have to agree, I consider Waddell to be avery dishonest man, who
lies to cover his never ending mistakes. He should resign for the sake of the franchise, we do not need this dishonest human running this team any longer.

By: Shawn@GSG

Shawn@GSG — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:35:30 +0000

The NHL has a history of “changing” the rules in the Finals. The most famous has to be game 6 of the ‘99 finals where Brett Hull scored the game winner for the Stars against Buffalo when his skate was clearly in the crease. That call was made throughout the season, but not in the game and thus the Dallas Stars won their first Stanley Cup. Oh yea, that offseason the NHL got rid of the rule.

By: Libby

Libby — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:19:56 +0000

Hi ranallo 10. Miss you very much. Rawhide, I agree with R Stroz. Can we really trust Waddell? However, I will be patient for another couple of weeks.