Thrashers fans want answers from team owners
If you take a look outside, you’ll see the sun shining and the sky a brilliant shade of blue. We here in north Georgia and in other areas of the south are enjoying some very fine weather, even though it’s just a tease of what awaits us this spring.
However, there is also a dark, menacing cloud that remains camped above Thrasherville. It’s been there since the turn of the New Years and has cast a shadow of misery over hockey fans throughout the city.
Obviously, some of this stems from the current slide that the Thrashers have been on for the better part of a month and a half now…one that has seen them play to a 6-12-5 record since the 20th of December last year. However, Thrashers fans are quite used to the feeling that normally accompanies watching the team fall off the edge of the playoff table ‘round about this time of year. It’s almost a routine in these parts…a time honored ritual that serves as a rite of passage. You can’t really be a Thrashers fan, it seems, unless you’ve suffered through this kind of slump come mid-to-late winter.
But this particular cloud is much darker than those in years past. This one brings with it an additional spirit of gloom and despair that even the most longsuffering and emotionally scarred Thrashers fan is accustomed.
Almost since the day the A.S., LLC purchased this franchise, dark clouds began to hover over Thrasherville: L-R Steven Belkin, Todd Foreman, Ed Peskowitz, J. Rutherford Seydel,II, J Micheal Gearon, Sr., Bruce Levenson, Michael Gearon, Jr., Dominique Wilkins and Bernie Mullin. March 31, 2004 (AJC staff photo)
This year’s cloud that blankets the sky comes with the recent revelation that those who own the team, the group that make up the Atlanta Spirit, LLC, have for some time been trying to sell off the Thrashers. This particular piece of 411 came in the form of yet another lawsuit entered into by the Spirit Boys and contradicts the countless denials put forth by Bruce Levenson, the Spirit Boys and their mouthpiece Don Waddell.
Now for most of us, this little info-bomb dropped on Thrasherville a few weeks back came less as a surprise and more of an insult. For six years we’ve suspected that this bunch have looked upon the Thrashers as their unwanted stepchild and were less-than-caring for their well-being. But to have our suspicions confirmed in such a cold, callus fashion…reading for ourselves the legal filings that stated how they wished to “dispose” of the team…came as yet another slap to the face for the paying customers.
Here’s the latest, as reported by AJC Thrashers beat writer Chris Vivlamore:
“Atlanta Spirit co-owner Michael Gearon said there is now a “sense of urgency” to find additional investors or a buyer willing to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta. If the ownership group does not get additional financial help in the near future the franchise could be sold and moved to another city.”
(Update: AJC sports blogger Mark Bradley just filed his reaction to the story.)
I guess this is just another thing we are supposed to “deal with”, eh Bruce?
As stated above, fans in Thrasherville are also “dealing with” this team making its annual March From The Playoffs. Even though this team has shown a certain degree of improvement this season, they are clearly in need of some help if they’re to make a serious run. Help that comes by way of a trade to shore up the roster.
Unfortunately, these same fans also understand that any such deal may increase payroll over the last several weeks of the season. And given how the franchise has conducted its business, right at the league minimum for the last few years, it’s understandable why many doubt ownership would authorize any such increase in spending.
Also, this is the time of year that season ticket holders are beginning to receive their invitations to renew once again. While I’m certain that each and everyone of them are tickled pink blue that they’ve once again been considered worthy of such an invite, I’m confident that more than a handful of them are considering whether or not this team is still a viable choice for their entertainment dollar.
Oh, it’s not that the hockey market here is not what some had thought it’d be a decade and a half ago when the league returned to this area…quite the contrary, in fact. Atlanta is home to a great number of hard-core hockey fans that love the sport and enjoy it live and in person. But the fans here are now “dealing with” the fact that the same people who have lied to their faces are now sticking their hands out and asking for more of their money.
That’s putting the nice folks in the ticket office at quite a disadvantage, if you ask me.
In light of this…and I’ll speak directly to Mr. Levenson…you and/or any other member of the AS, LLC need to join forces with Waddell and hold one of the other time-honored traditions in Thrasherville, the always much-anticipated, highly entertaining, informative and spirited Town Hall Meeting.
This needs to be done and done soon, because quite frankly Brucie… you got some ‘splainin’ to do.
Yes, Levenson and the boys owe these fans an explanation…an accounting of just what they intend for the team that they love and support so much.
Bruce Levenson, right, owes Thrashers fans an explanation. He should do so face to face and not via a carefully crafted corporate memo (Curtis Compton)
In that meeting, Bruce…or whichever one of the Spiriteers possess the wherewithal to do so…should look these people square in the eye and explain why they have repeatedly misled them about their intention to “dispose” of this team. After all, it’s one thing to lie to a person…multiple times…but it’s quite another to insult their intelligence by remaining silent as if no one ever noticed.
Also, Bruce needs to outline to those assembled whether or not he thinks additional help is needed to seriously make a postseason drive…or whether or not he feels the roster is good enough to do the job in it’s current condition.
That is, of course, if he actually cares enough to formulate any such opinion.
Oh sure, sure. To do this right now would place Bruce in quite an uncomfortable spot as he would undoubtedly have to endure the verbal slings and arrows that would be lobbed his way. I’m sure even he understands that there are some mighty peeved residents of Thrasherville. But an owner with any ounce of integrity…any sense of honor and decency…any shred of common courtesy for those forking over good money on tickets…would do so given the circumstances.
Meeting face to face with Thrashers fans is the one and only way he and the Spirit Boys can even come close to regaining any of the credibility needed to once more ask these fine people to pony up the funds required to remain members in good standing of the Thrashers Season Ticket Holders Club. And that’s a club which, as a direct result of the current ownership group’s influence, is becoming more and more exclusive by the day.
Certainly no one expects any of them to delve in depth as to the issues surrounding this current round of legal action. Everyone understands that when a case is pending it’s wise for all parties to say as little as possible. But what the good people of Thrasherville should expect is a certain level of intestinal and testicular fortitude to be shown by their team’s ownership group…especially in regards to their commitment level to the team they continue asking you to commit money towards.
To date, such fortitude has been sorely lacking. But now would be as good a time as any for these guys to start showing some.
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295 comments Add your comment
Alan R.
February 15th, 2011
11:48 am
Joe Friday – The numbers you posted don’t mean squat. Why? It’s hard for anyone to get excited about a team when that team has had zero on-ice success. The NHL will not look at the numbers, they will look at the potential. The potential of the Atlanta market is huge — we just need to get rid of this ownership, get out of the cellar, get more good players in here, and spend some time in the playoffs.
The better the team plays, the more people will show up. The more people that show up, the fewer seats available, and the more people who’ll have to watch from home.
Iron League 13
February 15th, 2011
11:49 am
ATLFlamesFan – exactly. For cryin’ out loud Stapleton’s 28 years old too, why is he getting this chance? Look at his career, nothing in there says keep him up here at this point, but the proof’s in the pudding I guess. What does he have one point, an assist at that this season with the Thrashers?
Timmy Stapleton
February 15th, 2011
11:52 am
Hey! I have a shootout goal too!! And stop calling me Mighty Mouse Smoothie! I’ll send out Sage’s gestapo if you keep calling me names!
Iron League 13
February 15th, 2011
11:53 am
Smoothie, agreed again. The funny part about the Canadian Dollar is that it’s almost exactly on par with ours, buuut EVERYTHING COSTS MUCH MORE IN CANADA. Besides having a higher concentration of fans by default, I
Iron League 13
February 15th, 2011
11:54 am
can’t see the real benefit. Sorry about that broken up text blunder.
Iron League 13
February 15th, 2011
11:55 am
Tim, sorry I can’t hear you so well, I think you swallowed your chin.
Iron League 13
February 15th, 2011
11:56 am
I’m sorry, that was mean. It’s a nice feature, you rock the chinless look well and I’m sure you’re special to somebody.
Joe Friday
February 15th, 2011
11:58 am
“The only thing that may save us from relocation is this pathetic economy”
Conditions are getting better and companies are spending more, I’m hiring right now . . . we’re not going back to the roaring ’90s anytime soon as there’s lots of problems to work through, but conditions are much improved on the front lines.
Daly’s comments, Bettman’s failure to specifically address Atlanta, and the owners obvious desire to sell the club to anyone (they’d lose less with empty dates in the house and already have filed to recoup losses from their attorneys . . . our 8000 core hockey fans would probably do quite well supporting the Las Vegas Thrashers new AHL affiliate–that’s a financial model that would work here)
Does Vegas have an arena at the ready that could house a team? I was very surprised to see the high TV ratings they had for hockey, Indy as well.
Player to be named later
February 15th, 2011
12:02 pm
Simply stated, this is the worst group or cluster of owners that has ever been assembled in sports history. It just shows you that you do not have to have brains to have money. Look back on the first 4 years of the franchise; 86% tickets sold for a horrible team. So do you think the team would be making money if the owners did not try and B.S. the fans? If Winnepeg gets the team, then they should get 10 years of these owners too then we will see how many happy Canadians will trudge through the Manitoba winters to see this mess. This is Bettman’s mess.
Joe Friday
February 15th, 2011
12:03 pm
“The numbers you posted don’t mean squat. Why? It’s hard for anyone to get excited about a team when that team has had zero on-ice success.”
Try reading again, Alan. The first #s in the links are for the Stanley Cup finals that pitted the Blackhawks vs. the Flyers, those numbers are not for the Thrashers. That’s where the league will look for the potential of this as a hockey market, when places like Las Vegas, Indy, Seattle, Fort Meyers, West Palm, et al are outdrawing Atlanta, then we’re clearly not a “top 8″ hockey market for TV.
The second set of #s is for local hockey here in Atlanta and 6000 to 8000 homes watching isn’t all because we hate the owners. Cripes, I hate the owners and pulled my season ticket money a while ago but I still watch them on TV.
“The NHL will not look at the numbers”
They most certainly will and they most certainly have.
Red Light
February 15th, 2011
12:06 pm
Indianapolis ratings were once keyed by native son Ken Klee’s TV appearances, Now, they are subject only to John Michael Liles and Jack Johnson.
World Be Free
February 15th, 2011
12:10 pm
Well Mr. Rawhide, yet another engaging blog that has motived some real lively exchanges. I read this and I want to head over to the local Publix and stick my arm in the blood pressure machines to see my numbers. Not much to look forward to other than the great exchanges of information we have on the blog and amongst ourselves.
Joe Friday
February 15th, 2011
12:13 pm
I never saw Liles or Johnson playing in the Finals this past year, or are you now gonna tell me I was dreaming that my ‘Hawks won and it was really the Avs or Kings skating the Cup, thanks for nuthin, bub!
Ratings from Game 5 2010 Stanley Cup Finals ‘Hawks vs. Flyers:
Top 10 Markets
1. Chicago 26.0/41
2. Philadelphia 19.7/28
3. Buffalo 10.6/15
4. Pittsburgh 5.8/9
5. Detroit 4.2/6
6. Las Vegas 3.9/6
7. Minneapolis 3.8/7
8. Fort Myers 3.7/6
9. Milwaukee 3.6/6
T10. Denver 3.3/6
T10. Columbus 3.3/5
T10. West Palm 3.3/5
Ratings from Game 6 2010 Stanley Cup Finals ‘Hawks vs. Flyers:
TOP 10 MARKETS FOR GAME 6
1. Chicago 32.8/50
2. Philadelphia 26.8/38
3. Buffalo 13.5/20
4. Pittsburgh 9.7/14
T5. Detroit 6.3/10
T5. Indianapolis 6.3/10
7. Fort Myers 6.1/10
8. Minneapolis 5.9/11
9. Las Vegas 5.7/9
10 Boston 5.1/9
TOP NON-NHL MARKETS FOR GAME 6
1. Indianapolis 6.3
2. Fort Myers 6.1
3. Las Vegas 5.7
4. Milwaukee 5.0
5. Baltimore 4.5
6. Memphis 4.3
7. Seattle 4.1
8. West Palm 4.0
9. Orlando 3.8
T10. San Diego 3.7
T10. Greensboro 3.7
Jason
February 15th, 2011
12:18 pm
Shockingly (and I say that with all the sarcasm I can), I have not hear back from my ticket rep after my letter from last Friday.
That being said, I do want to say that I was lucky enough to join one of my friends who got a gold-signed Valentine’s puck from none other than…Tim Stapleton! I admit it, I was giving him grief (as was everyone else) about the fact that he won the opportunity to meet Stapleton. But when it was all said and done, he was amazingly friendly and down-to-earth. He talked with us for about 15 minutes before it was all said and done about everything from where we live, how long we’ve been fans, etc., etc. Just a great experience.
Shame his attitude can’t rub off on ownership….
Iron League 13
February 15th, 2011
12:21 pm
Red Light – it’s not that I wanna say you’re wrong (I think Sterling needs better pairings and more TOI), but just to point out the obvious differential treatment of certain players for reasons unknown…Burmi. That’s all I have to say about that really, well wait no…Cormier. There, I’m done. I can’t justify how they look much more appealing and are given so much more of an opportunity other than there’s nobody else to dress (LAME).
Hoof Arted
February 15th, 2011
12:24 pm
Best – Blog – Header – EVER!
Joe Friday
February 15th, 2011
12:24 pm
Those Vegas numbers really surprise me . . . is it all northerners down there on vacation watching games? This news was in the Vegas paper last week, some group headed by a guy who’s part owner of the Lakers and Kings wants to build a complex right off the strip, I could see that, go to show one night in Vegas, hit the hockey game the next: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/feb/08/proposal-emerges-build-three-stadium-complex-downt/
World Be Free
February 15th, 2011
12:29 pm
Joe Friday, those numbers from Vegas must comes from the sports bets like the one in the Hilton!
Where do we go from here?
Sage of Bluesland
February 15th, 2011
12:36 pm
Laughing at Alan, who completely missed the point of Joe Friday’s analysis…had absolutely nothing to do with the Thrashers…but, then again, I don’t expect too much from some…
I take issue with someone who stated I ‘keep repeating the obvious’…Huh???
Funny how MOST thought I was nuts when I called Don Waddell out for what he was MANY years ago.
The excuses–from Sara’s spweadsheets…to GaVaSheep’s excuses…to Ranallo- and AlanLambs “incremental progress”….to Joe-Bob-Friday waffling back and forth…to anything put forth by Smoothie…have been far too numerous to count….It has been a difficult road, certainly.
If it were so “obvious”, why has it taken some of you so #$@%%@ long to see it???
But, you were right–it was obvious to some here (wink). Don’t worry, I’ll keep reminding you, though.
There is only one answer now to this completely uncaring ownership and inept management. You know what it is. Those who continue to subsidize this incompetence, in the face of all of the evidence presented, is the problem now. Our ONLY chance is to shake the inertia from the league office by doing extraordinary things (like a complete boycott).
Make the Thrashers bubble-up on Bettman’s desk to the very top. Force him to make a decision. Let’s resolve this issue once and for all–and if it goes pear-shaped, then so be it. I’d rather have resolution and a future–then this neverending state of confusion, inaction, unaccountability, and incompetence which have been nothing but an assault on my intelligence and being as a fan.
Show some self-respect, if you are a ‘real’ fan of the Atlanta Thrashers. This ownership/management group is nothing but an abomination. If you’re a fan of the opponent who comes in here–or a fan of the NHL–then my words mean nothing and don’t apply to you….But, if you truly have the best interests of the ATLANTA THRASHERS at heart, then you know what to do…
alex
February 15th, 2011
12:59 pm
hi Rawhide, like always great article, but i have some doubt about accessibility Mr. levinson. OK we living in democracy compare to Egypt dictatorship i bet you it’s easy to reach Mubarak in his Sinai resort area than Bruce in Washington dc.
Smoothie
February 15th, 2011
1:11 pm
Yeah, those ratings numbers have nothing to do with all of the legalized gambling on hockey, naaah. I bet the ratings are higher in Vegas for all major sports. You need to compare the Vegas numbers for hockey to the NBA Finals and the World Series for the numbers to really mean what you want them to mean.
Alan R.
February 15th, 2011
1:14 pm
Laughing at Alan, who completely missed the point of Joe Friday’s analysis
Don’t sweat it. I’m laughing at you, too. BAAAA, Sheep herder.
Sageless in Seattle
February 15th, 2011
1:18 pm
Screw you guys, I’m moving to Seattle where they deserve hockey. Just look at these ratings figures, pure gold mine up there in the Emerald City. Why hasn’t Bettman moved the Thrashers yet? My boycott has really got Billy Daly all a twitter about the hopelessness which pervades in Atlanta. Why won’t you listen to me and take heed to my Nostradamus-like wisdom??
Midfield
February 15th, 2011
1:20 pm
Rawhide, with all due respect, you’re missing the point. Bruce has long passed the point when he was supposed to explain himself. Now he has been proven – excuse me – a liar, and I mean, it’s the official record, not just my insinuation. This isn’t the time for Bruce to explain himself. This is the time for Bettman to get into the act, if he – Bettman – is serious about what he says.
Cliff Fletcher
February 15th, 2011
1:23 pm
hey lac, there goes your good buddy sage “laughing” at bloggers again for having the nerve to offer their opinion. this is the guy you want us to respect cuz he is right 110% of the time?
respect is earned my friend.
sage-we all called management out years ago just like you. stop trying to act like you were the first to see the issues with this franchise. are you really al gore, did you really invent the internet?
Stan Drulia
February 15th, 2011
1:25 pm
Hahahaha!!! Man. SOB. So all “TRUE” fans of the Thrasher’s should boycott the team. LISTEN TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING!!! You redundant freak! Please don’t tell me that you are a “TRUE” fan… That is a joke. You are the definition of a non-fan. Go watch football and leave us alone to subsidize whatever the F we want to.
Tom
February 15th, 2011
1:29 pm
If any of you have XM Radio try calling in on the Gary Bettman Show Thursday nights at 6 pm. He answers fan questions and bringing the displeasure of the Thrasher’s fans to his attention might work.
While I do not agree with Bettman all the time he does put himself out there with his radio show.
LAC - aka Mr. Sage's lap dog
February 15th, 2011
1:30 pm
I don’t like it when you diss Mr. Sage……
Joe Friday
February 15th, 2011
1:32 pm
“Yeah, those ratings numbers have nothing to do with all of the legalized gambling on hockey, naaah. I bet the ratings are higher in Vegas for all major sports.”
I believe the Nielsen ratings are for households, not betting parlors. But ok, I’ll play along with your standard antagonism in the face of re-al-ity . . . what about the #s for Indy, Seattle, Milwaukee, Fort Myers, Baltimore, Memphis, West Palm, San Diego, Greensboro? What about Orlando? Must be all that legalized gambling going on in Disney World? Mabye Princess Belle had the hots for Buf and tuned in last year for the Finals?
My point in pointing out re-al-ity is that we’re deluding ourselves if we are holding onto some hope about Bettman wanting to hold onto Atlanta because we’re a top 8 TV market. I kept reading that posted here and I believed it to be true. Most of the growth in Atlanta has come from those of us that moved down here from up north. I see Rangers fans, Buffalo fans, Pitts. fans, etc. all show up when their clubs are in town. But mabye they’re not really hockey fans, mabye they’re just there supporting their old team like when Jets come to town to play the Falcons, but if they’re not here, they don’t watch hockey.
For 6 years they’ve tried to sell this club to someone local, to no avail. We better quit pissing and moaning about the Spirit Squad and Don Waddell, they’re almost irrelevant now . . .it’s going to be up to us to do something in the spirit of what the Art Blank save our team.com has going, but much more, we need to get petitions signed, and not by 200, but by thousands, 10’s of thousands preferably, and get them to the league front office and Board of Govs, or this club is going, going, gone . . .
Tom
February 15th, 2011
1:33 pm
NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman broadcasts live on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET on NHL Home Ice (XM Channel 204 and on SIRIUS Channel 208 as part of the “Best of XM” programming package) and NHL.com. The show will re-air on SIRIUS XM Radio, with archived shows available for download via podcast on NHL.com.
The show encourages fans to call in with questions for the Commissioner. To submit questions to NHL Hour call 1-877-645-6696.
CatThrashFever
February 15th, 2011
1:35 pm
If Thrashers had won even 6 more games in regulation, we would be in at least 6th place now…Trade picks for someone!!! NOW before the trade deadline stampede….Versteeg would have been a nice addition, but I guess the players don’t even want to come here in this mess!
Joe Friday
February 15th, 2011
1:35 pm
“This isn’t the time for Bruce to explain himself. This is the time for Bettman to get into the act, if he – Bettman – is serious about what he says.”
Midfield gets it.
“If any of you have XM Radio try calling in on the Gary Bettman Show Thursday nights at 6 pm. He answers fan questions and bringing the displeasure of the Thrasher’s fans to his attention might work.”
Tom gets it.
Forget the Spirit Squad. Forget Don Waddell. Got to stand up for hockey in this town, or it’s gone, all the league knows about is the empty seats and the pitiful TV ratings in Atlanta for the highest rated Final in years.
Geoff Peterson
February 15th, 2011
1:36 pm
BALLS
Smoothie
February 15th, 2011
1:41 pm
Hell, if we could just beat Carolina & Tampa half the damn time, we’d be playoff bound. Guess the A$G doesn’t want the playoff revenue to erase any losses! That might hurt their case in court! Gotta look like the pathetic victims that they are!
bob from account temps
February 15th, 2011
1:42 pm
the asg and the big wadd always tell the truth. you just have to understand that it is the opposite of what they say.
Smoothie
February 15th, 2011
1:52 pm
“Most of the growth in Atlanta has come from those of us that moved down here from up north. I see Rangers fans, Buffalo fans, Pitts. fans, etc. all show up when their clubs are in town”
Same reason Ft. Myers, Orlando and San Diego have good ratings. Retired folks from the North. Not saying you don’t have a valid point but most of those markets can’t support hockey over the long-term. But the fact that the folks in GSO are still watching a lot of hockey as Canes fans just goes to show hockey can work in the south if you grow it right and you don’t treat your fans like crap or lose for a decade straight. Are you telling me Denver should relocate to Seattle because their attendance is down despite a winning team? I just have a hard time believing another market is better than ours because of some TV ratings. If that was the principal basis for decision-making in the NHL, Phoenix would’ve moved to Indy by now. But you’re point about us being the #8 TV market is overblown. But there is still lots of potential. Tough to build a TV audience when you don’t advertise your product anywhere other than your own carrier!
just saying
February 15th, 2011
1:54 pm
Neilsen ratings are garbage. Only 25,000 households have the boxes. That’s less than 0.03% of all American households.
Smoothie
February 15th, 2011
1:59 pm
But you’re point about us being the #8 TV market is overblown*
Ooops, typing too fast, I mean to say you’re right in that the argument about us being the #8 TV market is in fact overblown. But there are a myriad other reasons as to why hockey should work in this town.
Just think how many of the Buffalo, New York, Detroit etc fans would convert to Thrasherdom all together if we could actually put 4 or 5 winning seasons together. But alas, it will likely never happen with this ownership group. I wish I had more hope for new investors, but the combination of a bad credit market coupled with the eroded goodwill of the A$G will deter most potential investors. Would you get into bed with these lying crooks? Exactly.
Either Bettman will intervene when the time is right or we will lose hockey for a second time. Either way, I’m still going to some games while it’s being played in my backyard. Life is too short to get so wound up over bad ownership and stop going to games. It’s not like we’re the first city to ever experience bad ownership and we certainly won’t be the last. Hell, you don’t even have to BUY tkts, they are usually given away if you’re willing ot work some connections. Either way, the A$G is still losing a crap-ton of money. Shame on them.
SomaAtl95
February 15th, 2011
2:05 pm
The biggest problem of all is that no matter what the A$G says, there will not be an interpreter there to translate Bull-spit into English, so having a THM would just be a waste of time and breathable air.
Today is the last day of my XM subscription, I have tried calling the commissioner before but have not been able to get through thanks to the extreme amount of Islander fans that seem to call and complain during the show… and when it wasn’t islanders fans clogging it up it was GB completely fawning over Cindy Crotchby. It is a good suggestion to call though and if given the chance I would ask “Mr Bettman, with all due respect, when is it going to be time to step in and do something in Atlanta like what was done in Glendale and Tampa?” I’m sure after enough people call in and ask the same questions he may actually address more than “We are looking into it”
Rawhide
February 15th, 2011
2:05 pm
Midfield – I hear ya, my friend. I do, however, think the fans have a right to hear from Bruce Levenson or one of the Sucknificent Seven sometime soon though.
Now, continuing with your point…
Tom – I think your call for Thrashers fans to call into the commissioner’s show on XM’s NHL Channel is an excellent idea. Image if the phone lines were clogged this Thursday from fans here insisting the league step in and help fix the mess the AS, LLC have created.
Thrasherville…Thursday, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm eastern time: 1-877-645-6696.
Ask Bettman what he thinks needs to be done about these clowns.
Cliff Fletcher
February 15th, 2011
2:10 pm
stan drool-bag, you are useless too
Tom Lysiak
February 15th, 2011
2:17 pm
Glovesave29 – I saw your earlier comment on your gut telling you Duds is gone after this season. I can’t argue with your gut, but that is something I never understood about him, Ramsay or Torch coming here. You have to believe that all three of them knew about ASG and inquired on the plan going forward. You read on this blog every single day that no free agents will come here because of the ownership and the problems they have created here. If players know the scoop, don’t you know that coaches and management around the league know the same thing and probably even more? Word gets around the league. Remember when the league was already in the loop on the Torch/Bogo thing and most of us didn’t know anything about it? Everyone else knew about it.
So, why would Duds let Waddell talk him into the Asst position? For the promise of moving up one day? Was he that desparate to get out of Chicago? I know Bowman’s daddy was supposedly calling a lot of the shots up there, but Duds could have found a much better situation. Likewise, why would Rammer leave a great Asst position in Boston with a team on the verge, to come to this team? Maybe in his case the draw of being a head coach was just too much. Why in the world would Torch leave the current cup champions, to come be the Associate coach here? For the promise of being the head guy here one day? Was he that desparate? To build their resumes?
I know that I would have done my homework and gotten some pretty big assurances on the future. Like, not planning a move to another city any time soon. And don’t tell me that ASG lied to all of them too. You might be able to lie to the rank and file fans, but I would hope candidates for GM, coaches, etc would be completely informed and bought-in about the real scoop, not the projected one.
Sorry for the novel…..
Acer
February 15th, 2011
2:20 pm
alex…some Egyptian styles protests against the Spirit would be nice. Realistically, fan protests would be great. Love Thrashers, Hate (the) Spirit!!!
tonyb
February 15th, 2011
2:24 pm
Rawhide, your best blog to date. Excellent. I’m glad I’m not the only fan to feel this way.
I also like the reaction in the comments section. I commend every fan of this team for wanting to step up and fight to keep it here in Atlanta. It gets real embarrassing to hear relocation rumors to such backwater places like Winnipeg and Quebec City. We have suburbs in Atlanta bigger than those towns.
The NHL understands that its customers are moving to the south. Nothing will change that. Bettman, I’m sure, is very unhappy with the way the ASG has operated this team. I hope that enough of the real fans make their voices heard to see real action by the league. They stepped in and bailed out Tampa, Nashville, possibly Phoenix and Dallas, we deserve the very same treatment.
I can promise you this. If this team had good owners and management, that arena would be filled each and every night. Hockey fans will drive 100 miles to see their team play. So, lets keep up the fight and save this team.
Puckhead
February 15th, 2011
2:30 pm
Nice thing about a lawsuit for ASG is they can hide behind it ….. Sorry can’t comment until there is a resolution in the current lawsuit. If the last lawsuit held up previous sale possibilities, doesn’t the current suit create the same roadblock?
Badger Bob
February 15th, 2011
2:33 pm
Tom, good observations on RD, Rammer and Torch.
I recall RD saying during the summer that the Thrashers salary budget was “enough to assemble a competitive team”. I am curious if the budget changed, if he really thinks league minimum cuts it, or if that’s just more spin from the A$G/Sucknificant Seven BS Factory.
Hosni Mubarak
February 15th, 2011
2:37 pm
You hang in there, Brucie!! Don’t give ‘em an inch!!
PS. I’m checking out now….
J-man
February 15th, 2011
2:46 pm
With the NHL continuing to be mired in the endless Phoenix Coyotes saga, I think they don’t have the ability to take over the Thrashers as well. I’ve heard that even if Glendale approves the bond issue that there may be a challenge on constitutional grounds and that could take years to resolve. Don’t expect help from the NHL any time soon.
Joe Friday
February 15th, 2011
2:49 pm
“If the last lawsuit held up previous sale possibilities, doesn’t the current suit create the same roadblock?”
Nope. In fact, it’s the lawsuit that they filed that worries me the most. You just admitted to your fans that you’ve been lying to them for years, why burn that bridge unless you don’t care about it?
More importantly, the lawsuit sets up the proof of how they were harmed when they have to announce the sale at a reduced rate because the goods were damaged by the improper contract that prevented them from selling the club earlier at a higher price.
Get The Puck Out
February 15th, 2011
2:58 pm
Rumored that Nikolai Zherdev is going tobe put on waviers today or tomorrow. Well—- we need a winger don’t we??