Do the right thing, Atlanta Spirit…for once
This weekend was already expected to be a very busy one for my family and I. Tomorrow my youngest tax exemption’s JROTC academic team will compete for the national championship, Sunday is his graduation baccalaureate and after that is over we’ll motor down to Savannah. We head there for a college campus tour scheduled for Monday, after which we will make our way back home that evening.
He then graduates Thursday morning, so as you can see this is a very busy time in my household.
I tell you this for a couple reasons. 1). This is why I will not be able to join you all tomorrow at the tailgate party put together by my good friend “Kracker” and, 2). Because of the news that broke last night in the Globe and Mail, I wanted to give you forum to discuss this as the story unfolds over the weekend.
As I’m sure you all have read by now, in the latest twist and turn of this roller coaster ride known as The Thrashers Relocation Saga, last night Stephen Brunt of The Globe and Mail reported that the Atlanta Thrashers were indeed moving to Winnipeg. Brunt says this deal was approved by the NHL board of directors months ago.
“…sources in Winnipeg suggest that the Thrashers had in fact been the primary target of potential owners Mark Chipman and David Thomson all along, and that some months back, the NHL board of governors quietly approved the sale and transfer of the team, pending the negotiation of a purchase agreement between Atlanta Spirit LLC, the Thrashers’ owners, and True North.”
As expected, the league and TNSE as well as other sources quickly refuted this story setting in motion yet another round on the ”Thrashers are moving…no they’re not…yes they are…no they’re not…” roller coaster.
But given the timing, and that this news leak doesn’t come from an internet-based site created solely for the distribution of fabricated stories, I have to say I think this one could pass the smell test.
I mentioned timing because this Saturday at Philips Arena is the scheduled Select A Seat event in which fans are invited down to pick out season tickets and/or simply locate where the seats are that they’ve already ordered. Representatives of the Atlanta Spirit sales and marketing department will be on hand to take your orders.
However, with news breaking that the team is quite probably heading to Winnipeg…leaving Thrashers fans out in the cold…it isn’t hard to imagine that there won’t be a lot of people making their way to Philips to fork over money in exchange for tickets to games that may or may not take place.
And I’m quite sure there will be TV cameras on hand to record this to beam back to points north of the border.
See, if in fact the report in the G&M is accurate, then that means the NHL, TNSE and the greatest cluster flop of an ownership group ever to have been planning this relocation for months and this whole tap-dance of sending Don Waddell out to find possible buyers to keep the team in town has been a shame…and they need cover.
Also making the “timing” here interesting to me is the reports and whispers I’ve been hearing that those in charge of such things have already bugun the inventory, bagging and clearing out of all things hockey related down at Philips Area earlier this week.
So, if you were planning on scooting down to the SAS event or the tailgate gathering of fans I would urge you to continue to do so. Go have a great time with friends and fellow fans…looks like the weather will perfect for it.
But go prepared willing to get your face in a camera and politely let the world know what you think of this situation and the Atlanta Spirit, LLC… the Great Octocluster. Make signs if you wish and give the cameramen something worthwhile to put on video.
Don’t be rude…don’t be vulgar…don’t represent Thrasherville in a negative light. But let the hockey community know what you truly feel and who is directly responsible for the possible loss of this team here.
Finally, to the members of the AS, LLC I make this challenge. If the reports are true and you have been plotting and scheming for months to rip this franchise from this community, then cancel the Select A Seat event scheduled for tomorrow. Do not continue this ruse…this deception…this scam …this tease one day longer. Do not accept a single dollar for tickets to games for a season you know will not happen in Atlanta.
In short, do the decent, honorable and upright thing…for once…and let the fans know today the truth of the situation. Don’t give an eager media looking to depict the turnout misrepresent the reality of the situation.
That way, you can at least say you were up-front and honest with us if even just this once in your disastrous seven years as owners…and Saturday afternoon can be a time of support, remembering and good-byes for those who plan on gathering at the Gulch.
Somehow, given the history, I’m not holding my breath that the honorable thing will be done by the Atlanta Spirit, LLC, (Lies, Lawsuits and Contempt).
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
352 comments Add your comment
Relocationist
May 22nd, 2011
7:23 pm
I’m sure the people in Winnipeg are envious of our traffic, crime rate and substandard public education. Isn’t it about time one of you necks started rolling out the Lewis Grizzard quotes? The Thrashers are as good as gone. Game over.
Mr Bill
May 22nd, 2011
7:38 pm
There maybe a little hope because True North is planning to due a test for season tickets, fans must prove they can purchase three years of season tickets so they can see if they can support an NHL team. After all they would need to see if they will recoup their investment. Fans in Winnipeg have been buying minor league tickets for a good while so if this test fails then the deal will fall apart we may have a chance after all and time is getting short.
ex-ex-STH
May 22nd, 2011
8:41 pm
Hey I would like to hear some more of the players’ thoughts on this. Even Dudley and the coaches. It was nice to hear Thorburn get a few shots in but has anyone thought twice about why Big Buff and Mark Stuart signed extensions so unexepectedly quick. Ol’ D-Wads probably leaked out that this Winnipeg deal was a lot more real than anyone was saying back in early March. Both of those boys will be playing much closer to their hometowns! Does anyone know if either Buff or Stuart plopped down a down payment on an Atlanta property since their re-signing?
Zombie Steve
May 22nd, 2011
9:33 pm
I heard word that came from a source within the Thrashers organization that stated a 3rd group was still in the mix and submitted their terms late last week. This group aims at keeping them here.
Might be too little too late at this point; but I believe this is what has stalled the True Spirit go ahead.
Brendan
May 22nd, 2011
10:40 pm
I don’t believe anything anymore. When the waters are chummed up, everyone wants a nibble of the webhits. At least here, with Rawhide, we get the truth.
Red Light
May 22nd, 2011
11:15 pm
Ladies, Gentlemen, Canadians, Americans, et al.
The deal has not been signed or even agreed to for all we know. All we have is guesswork. So, if the Thrashers do move to Winnipeg, which in my mind is still in doubt for a variety of reasons, then good for them bad for us. We got dealt a bad hand from the start, ownership and management tried to draw several times into a possible inside straight and was left with a Jack high hand.
This isn’t Winnipeg’s fault, Thrashers fans’ fault, the NHL’s fault (even though some believe they have been complicit in it and share in a lot of the blame and I won’t argue that at this point) or the economy’s fault. But lets face facts…this isn’t about rednecks from Georgia or prairie chickens from Manitoba, we’re all hockey fans (some socialists, some capitalists, some brilliant, some not so bright, and both eager to see hockey in their respective towns for 2011-12). On the surface, Winnipeg seems to be holding the best cards right now, but that can change. I have heard rumblings to something similar that Zombie Steve alluded to, and if true, that’s good for Atlanta. Who the heck knows right now? Sure as heck not me. But, the great thing about hockey is that most people enjoy talking about the game, aren’t not prone to childish tantrums, like to poke fun at opposing fans and understand that this isn’t life or death, it’s sport that is sadly wrapped in business clothing.
Point all the fingers you want, but grow up, enjoy the game and remember every time you insult an American or Canadian here, you are insulting someone that you will end up cheering for someday, like Chris Thorburn from Sault Ste. Marie or Dustin Byfuglien from Minnesota. Badger Bob is from Canada and he is a prince. Others are too, and they are all welcome here. And, if you’re not a regular, have the decency to act like one.
We don’t agree with everyone’s opinion, but this is no place for gloating, saying I told you so, denigrating someone’s opinion no matter how much it bothers you. You want to cast aspersions? Do so and move on.
I could post my opinions elsewhere, but I do it here because there are great people to share viewpoints with on this blog, and a darn fine blog master too.
I’ve said my peace, hold out hope for some good news for Atlanta fans, but don’t begrudge Winnipeg if they wind up with this or any other team. I like smart-alecs and cynics, and Lord knows I’ve posted plenty sarcastic things in the past, but there is no reason for being downright hateful on a hockey board. Leave that to knuckleheads like Ben Eager.
Goodnight all!
Lew 39
May 23rd, 2011
6:36 am
I am responding to NHL Commissioner Bettman’s comments to Atlanta Thrashers fans last week on last weeks NHL network’s program on XM
The quote in question:” I understand there may be dissatisfaction (with ownership) there, but demonstrating your dissatisfaction by not going to games is an interesting strategy. It’s your absolute right. But if it becomes a turnoff for anybody who might want to buy the franchise, the long term consequences could be severe.
Is your answer to spend money on a bad product just somebody else might come along and snap it up? You certainly don’t manage the NHL that way, do you? You do your best to bring innovation to the game, create interest in a game that for years has not been able to increase it’s presence and create a foothold with the dollars spent for MLB Baseball or NFL Football. You have searched the earth for the best players to make the game more exciting why? To put cheeks in seats, it’s the cheeks and viewers that bring the revenue.
How could the NHL permit the Atlanta Spirit to continue offering a substandard product to Atlanta without thinking of the results? A better question, what did the NHL do to make the Thrashers a better product. For years these “owners” did not invest in the product. They focused on reducing expense at the cost of the developing a quality product and fans got tired of it. Is that the fault of the fans? The NHL had to see how bad these owners were and you did nothing to make this a better product for Atlanta.
Mr. Bettman, when you shop for a car, do you spend your money to by a quality product or do you buy a car of inferior quality? Your quote was ridiculous and couldn’t be more inaccurate. The NHL has stepped in and helped other franchises, why not Atlanta; you seem quick to lay blame on the fans here and not Pittsburgh or Phoenix. THERE IS ENOUGH BLAME HERE TO GO AROUND, DON’T BLAME THE FANS. Look in the mirror and ask yourself this question; has the NHL done everything in their power to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta or are they looking for a scapegoat (the fans) because they did too little?
I have been a season ticket holder for 8 years and this, Mr. Bettman, is a tragedy!!! Give us a chance with good ownership, don’t let this team go to Canada, let us prove that with good ownership we can support an NHL hockey team.
R. Stroz
May 23rd, 2011
7:44 am
Well done Red Light
Whatever
May 23rd, 2011
8:28 am
@Red Light — Are you now reformed ? Did the “end of the world” talk get you runnin scared ? Your words are thin since you have performed actions that you now lecture others not to do. Same old story. Give us a break.
ZAvalanche
May 23rd, 2011
9:12 am
Nicely said RL. SJ missed a huge opportunity yesterday and now their captain is hurt – to what extent we don’t know. I picked Vancouver, but was hoping for a bit more fight from SJ.
Joe Friday
May 23rd, 2011
9:16 am
Well said, Carl.
Sage of Bluesland
May 23rd, 2011
9:27 am
Lew 39 is correct. To lay all of this at the fans’ feet is abominable. Kincade was doing it Friday afternoon and a few called in to call attention to the bigger problem, to which he conveniently dismissed all and stated he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Bettman and Kincade: two cowards in a pod.
The league office has known of the uncaring attitude of the ownership for years–and did nothing.
Ask yourself this of a well-run organization, such as Chik-Fil-A, for example. If one of the franchise-store owners was acting like the ASG has for so long, do you think Cathey’s internal squad would sit idly by…and then have the nerve to blame the customers?
You know the answer to that.
It’s just a shame that the NHL is not run like some local enterprises….which may explain why such local enterprises want nothing to do with it…
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
9:35 am
Whatever…
If you want to engage me in some back-and-forth fashion with the keyboard, feel free to send me an e-mail…hockey@sportssoutheast.com
Badger Bob
May 23rd, 2011
9:45 am
Well said, RL and Lew.
What is the minimum required income to be a hockey fan? What does your birth certificate need to read in order to love the game?
I have a cousin born and raised in Yuma, Arizona. No family heritage of hockeylove, no backyard rinks growing up, and at least a 4 hour drive to an AHL or NHL arena. Yet he has a room in his home that is a shrine to Wayne Gretzky. Yotes flags fly at his house and he makes that 4 hour trek to Phoenix as often as possible to see the game he loves played at the highest level.
Canadians, please embrace those who love hockey as brothers, even if you believe they have no “birthright” to that brotherhood. If hockey fails in Atlanta it is a sad day for hockey. Cheer the return of hockey to Winnipeg – I for one believe you should have a team if for no other reason than to honor the home of so many NHLers – but to ridicule Atlanta’s fan base is to ridicule the game itself.
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
11:03 am
Sage
Great points, and I could be wrong, but I think the NHL’s hands were tied due to the Belkin issue.
But, one thing that resonated with me was during the 2008 All-Star game, held Jan. 27, 2008 at Philips. You may recall Waddell being quoted then by NHL.com: “We definitely want to keep Marian. I was hoping we’d be further along in terms and dollars and cents.”
During All-Star Game player introductions, I specifically watched one Thrashers owner, as he was easy to spot from the seat I occupied across the ice to his usual seat. When Kovalchuk was introduced, the owner looked like a gushing 14-year-old schoolgirl, with a broad smile and applauding like Kovy was the savior of the franchise. Contrast that to the very muted response from the owner when Hossa was introduced, just 30 days prior to the eventual trade. I knew then and there that Hossa was gone, yet we had to listen to the BS over the next four weeks that they were doing everything they could to keep him.
They entered the break with a 23-25-4 record, going 0-4-1 in their last five. Then, they went 6-2 immediately after the break, and were in a first-place tie for the division lead with Carolina on Feb. 15. Just prior to and after the trading deadline during which Hossa was dealt, they lost eight games in a row.
In my opinion, that three-week period signified the begin of the end for this franchise, as the owners just simply threw in the towel at that point.
They went from 24th in payroll in 2007, 26th in 2008, 29th in 2009, 28th in 2010 and then 29th again in 2011. While the Cap escalated from $39 million (’06) to $44 million (’07) to $50.3 million (’08) to $56.3 million (’09) $56.8 million (’10) and $59.4 million last season, the Thrashers never spent anywhere near the mid-point of the Cap, much less the ceiling.
And, the Thrashers average salary went from $1,616,095 in 2006 to $1,697,206 in 2011, an increase of just $81,111 despite more than a $20 million NHL salary cap increase during those five seasons.
Need we say more about their lack of commitment to both players and the fans during the past five seasons?
And speaking of commitment, did the owners or GM fully disclose their intentions to sell the team with the prospect of relocating prior to signing Buff, Thorbs and Stuart? What do you think?
ZAvalanche
May 23rd, 2011
11:32 am
Not hockey related – My heart goes out to my brothers and sisters in Joplin. That twister was brutal. We bicker about sports and then something way more serious comes along. I feel for the families who lost homes, jobs and most importantly – loved ones. So sad.
ZAvalanche
May 23rd, 2011
11:33 am
Read this this morning: can’t we just get an answer? http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_18100340?obref=obinsite
Hockey Biltong
May 23rd, 2011
12:17 pm
Parlez vous hockey?
Hell yes!!!
C’mon somebody, step up and make it happen here……in the city too busy to Save The Thrashers….
Badger Bob
May 23rd, 2011
12:31 pm
RL, it will be interesting to get the full picture on who knew what and when. I’m not convinced that a move to Winnipeg was a selling point in getting Buff to sign, but we’ll see. Early knowledge of an impending move would explain one thing we saw for the first time last year – the refusal to give away or sell inexpensive tickets. From the Abhorrently Stingy Group’s perspective, why work on building the fan base for the long-term if it increases operating expenses in the short-term?
For his part, Duds is playing it close to the vest and focusing on hockey:
http://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-thrashers/2011/5/22/2184408/thrashers-sell-move-winnipeg-news-rick-dudley
R. Stroz
May 23rd, 2011
12:42 pm
I’ll wager Buff and Stuart knew, not Thorburn
I’d also wager Kovy knew.
R. Stroz
May 23rd, 2011
12:45 pm
In regards to the Dudley interview about where he will be living, he’s been living near Buffalo the whole time he has been the GM for the Thrashers.
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
12:49 pm
Even at just 2.5 times current prices for Moose hockey games, #Winnipeg fans will be asked to commit $4,520.25 per seat for the worst of them to $13,407 per seat for the best of them over 3-year period. Want to buy four of them: $18,081 to $53,628.
Parking, according to http://www.mtscentre.ca:
You can purchase pre-paid MTS Centre Parking at any of four designated lots (Portage Place, City Place, Millennium Library or Winnipeg Square). The parking tickets have a barcode that is scanned at the parking lot. The system allows patrons to pre-purchase parking over the internet (including “print-at-home”), at ticket outlets, or at the MTS Centre box offices. MTS Centre is the first venue in Canada to pre-sell parking in this manner. Parking prices for all events is $3.00, $5.00 or $7.00 (plus service charge) depending on the lot location and the event.
You think the parking prices are going to stay level?
SouthernFriedHockey
May 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm
Well done ASG, well done NHL. To go from hosting the All-Star game to losing the franchise just blows me away. I think when all of the story comes out in the open we will collectively have to pick our jaws up off the floor.
To the AJC: If this comes to fruition, which I believe it will, DO NOT DROP THE BALL! FOLLOW THE STORY. It will be in the interest of all sports fans.
J-man
May 23rd, 2011
12:59 pm
Winnipeg is pretty close to Buf’s hometown (about 2 to 2.5 hours I understand) and he’s got his Stanley Cup. He got a pay day he could live with and I’m pretty sure he was aware via his agent that the team had a very realistic chance of moving. Stuart is a 3rd pair d-man and as such he is looking for security, which he got with a 3 year contract. I think he probably also knew there was some chance the team would move but he wasn’t real likely to get a 3 year deal on the open market. Throbs – totally out of the blue on him. It wouldn’t surprise me if he got told not to worry about it if he asked about the possibility.
Yeah, in hindsight I’m pretty sure that Kovy knew this would be the end result and that is the main reason he left.
I think Kincade is just trying to make people angry to cover up for the fact that he blew it by pimping a pretender (The Balkan) who was never going to save the day.
R. Stroz
May 23rd, 2011
1:04 pm
Kincade can inhale Levenson’s appendage of procreation.
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
1:35 pm
CBA Bylaw 13.7 Expansion Draft, Team Relocation
Any player forced to move as a result of being claimed in an expansion draft, or as a result of a team relocation shall be paid $6,000. (This payment shall not affect or be credited against “moving expenses” to which the player might otherwise be entitled). $138,000 for 23 players.
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
1:55 pm
14.1 Players also get reimbursed up to $3,300 per month for rent or mortgage for six months due to relocation. 23 players = $455,400. Combined with relo fee from above, $593,400.
EA
May 23rd, 2011
2:52 pm
Kovy knew for sure. Does it excuse him for leading the fans on? I have mixed feelings on that one. Maybe he had no loyalty to the ASG and Don Waddell so he decided to wait and see if they would eventually trade him.
What’s going to happen to Dan Kamal, Matt McConnell and Darren Elliot?
Brendan
May 23rd, 2011
3:04 pm
I’m very grateful that Red Light posts here. I’m especially grateful for that enlightening post that said, essentially, that the average player’s salary only grew $81,111 while the league’s cap grew $20 million, from $39 million in 2006 to $59.4 million in 2011. That’s something of an outrage. I’d like to have a breakdown of the “average ticket increase” price over that span of six years. I think, guessing, that it would be shown that while fans paid more for their seats, the players got paid less, “on average.”
In short, the patrons of Blueland paid for filet mignon, but got a baloney sandwich, while being told to “deal with it!”
ben
May 23rd, 2011
3:21 pm
how odd that we have parsed legalese and financial news. my recollection is that we spent many years wanted the team to move or calling for Waddell’s firing. we wanted a good team, and not just, well, a team. Well, the team is moving, to winnipeg. and the internet means we can still keep up with it. and when they move again, as they surely will, we’ll just keep right on following them. and when another team is placed here, because we have 6 million now and more are on they way, when the Winnipeg / Hamilton / Las Vegas / Greater Toronto Whatevers come to call I’ll be wearing my #17 shirt.
I was a fan of this team from the moment I read about it in the Henderson High School library in 1995 or 94. Well Henderson High became a Middle School, and I went off to college. At one time I had to go to a good deal of trouble just to follow my team. I remember when I had to convince my roommate and good friend to drive down from way north Ga because I wanted to see Dominik Hasek tend the net. He rested against a truly bad expansion team. Through the years we only had 1 really good team, and that happened almost by accident. If we’d gotten a pre-existing team, would it still be here? Would those transplanted fans assist us in rooting for “our” team? If McDavid had bought the team or Brian Burke been hired over Waddell, or fans not stayed away in anger over lack of success, or if Jim Ballsillee hadn’t grown into a rich man, or if the Yotes had been sold to True North, or if the ASG hadn’t ever sued each other would the team still be here?
ZAvalanche
May 23rd, 2011
3:37 pm
Brendan – everything I can find suggests that the Thrasher’s average ticket price has dropped over the last couple of years. The numbers vary depending on if it is a premium seat or a regular seat and I am not sure where that delineation is set at – I would figure it is the lower bowl. But the seat prices look to have dropped about 10%.
Tom
May 23rd, 2011
5:34 pm
John Anderson saw the writing on the wall
http://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-thrashers/2011/5/23/2185871/atlanta-thrashers-coach-move-john-anderson
The other shoe
May 23rd, 2011
5:35 pm
Waiting for me to drop?
LAC
May 23rd, 2011
5:48 pm
You gotta feel for Bobby Stewart, the equipment manager… He has done this before.
He was the equipment manager for the Flames when they were sold out from under us by a lyingowner, and now over thirty years later, the same DAMN is happening to Bobby again.
He must be ready to throw in the towel, for sure. Just like a lot of Flames fans, twice is enough.
I hope and PREY TO GOD, that LIAR tom cousins, don waddell and ALL asg owners, have their sould sent to HELL on judgement day, That Will happen, at this point it is the ONLY thing we
can count on. I would love to see the Devil punish geron and levenson with thing that would make your blood curddle… They deserve every thing they get !
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
5:57 pm
John Anderson quotes:
“I think Atlanta is a viable NHL city but they say success comes from the top and you do have to have solid ownership. The owners there, they are very, very nice people but they just don’t want to be committed to hockey.”
“…all they had to do was put in a winner, and it’s very difficult to do when you don’t have an ownership willing to commit to spending the money, number one, and having that type of solid interest in the team itself. And the ownership was fighting amongst itself, what, five, six, seven years? And, that doesn’t help either.”
Anderson said he thinks Kovalchuk was worried about staying in Atlanta because if they spent $10 million/year on him, what would be left for the other 19 players given the budget restraints.
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
6:00 pm
Thanks Brendan!
Badger Bob
May 23rd, 2011
6:09 pm
Bobby Stewart did get himself a Stanley Cup ring, at least…
http://stanleycuprings.net/official-stanley-cup-rings/calgary-flames-1989-stanley-cup-winners
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
9:15 pm
A Stanley Cup ring and then 12 years of bad luck. A nice man who always greets you with a smile and a hello. He should have a banner somewhere someday. T’would be nice if it hung in Philips Arena after a man riding a white horse rescues this franchise from the clutches of ineptness.
Red Light
May 23rd, 2011
9:17 pm
Bruins have five shots in the first 25 minutes of Game 5. Nice effort for the home crowd.
kooboo
May 23rd, 2011
9:20 pm
Thrashers suck. US economy sucks. CDN economy the only economy in the G8 to thrive after the global collapse. The times they are a changing. Even if the Jets sold out every game back in 96 they STILL would have moved given the .60 CDN dollar vs the US and skyrocketing salaries. Now the CDN economy vs the US is very strong; the US dollar sucks; the Thrashers suck; Thrashers owners suck; Winnipeg has the money and the motivation for a team.
Over the long term, forget about the Atlanta economy or how many hockey fans it has – the US economy will continue to slide and our dollar will remain higher. Combine that with Winnipeg ownership that not only owns the team but owns the arena as well as plenty of real estate around the arena and you have the Jets in Winnipeg for a very long time.
Go cheer for your pathetic Braves and Hawks. Leave us alone.
LAC
May 23rd, 2011
9:35 pm
Wrong kooboo, or whatever you are calling yourself, YOU STAY OFF ATLANTA BLOGS with your
anti-USA, anti-Atlanta canada BULL $HIT !
All I know when the tought get going ALL canadians RUN LIKE HELL from anything that is bad for little old canada. Plus if you are STUCK in whinerpeg, good riddence, been there, NEVER want to go back, perhaps THE WORST City I have ever been to, just terrible.
So take you typical canada CRAP and Stick It, After all… It was not a crappy little country like “canada” who took care of business on MAY FIRST !!! We did and we WILL stomp canada any
place any time, so come on down here you pathetic FOOL ! See how long a Whiner like you lasts !
SomaAtl95
May 23rd, 2011
10:03 pm
Something needs to be good news for either city real soon. Rawhides blog is kind’ve a sacred place for us Thrashers fans and we are all guilty of feeding the trolls and attacking ourselves.
Trolls – If you get the team then congrats. Your joy is at our expense, I’m sure it didn’t feel good to lose your team but I seriously doubt Phoenix danced in the streets and insulted your team, city and fans. Some of you have been civil and some have been outright the doucheiest of douchebags. It was been to a point where we are snapping at you for nothing because nobody wants to feel what you felt when you lost the Jets. Take a moment to remember how crushed you were.
Fellow Posters – The trolls are going to be here no matter what – it does give me insight as to why TSN has moderators as some things that are posted constitute terroristic threats. All I can say about us attacking and/or disagreeing with each other is that we all came here because we love the Thrashers (or at least did at one time) and we have always had fun and interesting conversations – the Trolls can’t take that away.
Whatever is meant to happen will happen. If by some shot Atlanta keeps the Thrashers I wonder how the citizens of Winnipeg will react. I’m sure either way we will find out.
EA
May 23rd, 2011
11:13 pm
kooboo- This is the Atlanta Journal. You came on to our paper in our country. Leave us alone.
CrazyDiamond
May 24th, 2011
1:49 am
You just KNOW the Atlanta Spirit brain trust will screw up the deal.
Tom Lysiak
May 24th, 2011
7:28 am
We’ve said it before here, but where in the world is David McDavid? He could theoretically buy all three assets using mostly money he won in the lawsuit on the original deal. That would be the ultimate slap in the face to the frat boys. The only possible way for them to exit gracefully is to take Rawhide’s advice and do the right thing by the city:
Actually make all three assets available for sale with no ties to you.
Agree to hold the team until a new owner for the entity is located.
Complete the sale and make your money.
Spin it that you are doing it solely to keep the Thrashers here.
Make a graceful exit and wait on your court date for your newest legal action.
Yeah, while we’re waiting on that miracle guess we’ll hope the BOG don’t want this to go down ….
Dwayne
May 24th, 2011
8:22 am
Atlanta Spirit Ass Clowns bio will read: Most influential person, John Gacy.
DWTOO
May 24th, 2011
9:00 am
Have purposely stayed away from the blogs for the past few days as I’m tired of the rumors/innuendo/vitrol and venom. As for the Canadian fans who come here to mock us – F’ Off. It’s just sad when someone gloats over the misfortune of others. We’re good hockey fans too – perhaps better – because we struggle to grow a sport that’s not really on the radar here. Atlanta is pretty much a city of what’s popular now. That is the fact. But, that’s no reason to shovel stuff on those who have stuck by their team. We can’t help it that the group that owns the team is a pack of you know whats. And Atlanta fans – IGNORE THE TROLLS. Don’t take the bait.
There’s a great line in the movie Stripes that fits all of us North Americans – We’re mutts! Our ancestors (forefathers) were kicked out of every decent country in Europe.
So concentrate on the problem at hand – someone to step up and keep the Thrashers in Atlanta. And to the W-peg fans. Hope someday the BOG smiles on you with an expansion franchise.
Larry E
May 24th, 2011
9:23 am
You must understand the demographics of the City of Atlanta. They are Hawks fans and could care less about hockey. You would think for a city so badly run and in bad financial shape would do everthing to keep a major league team and support and build the fan base. But NO. Except for for some loyal hockey fans in the city and around, most of the hockey fans are on the north side where the Thrashers should have been playing all along. If Gwinnett arena had been just a little bit larger, it would have been sold out every night. I hope that all hockey fans come out and sellout the Gladiators game this year and show the idiots Bettman and the NHL that it was not the fault of the fans that the thrashers are leaving, but the location and the idiots of Atlanta None Spirit.
Sword of Damocles
May 24th, 2011
9:37 am
“Does not Dionysius seem to have made it sufficiently clear that there can be nothing happy for the person over whom some fear always looms?” Cicero
Henry IV
May 24th, 2011
9:39 am
“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown”