It’s shameful to blame fans if Thrashers move to Winnipeg
The Atlanta Spirit pie chart never worked. The Thrashers' failures are not the fault of fans.
(Updated: 2 p.m.)
Like warped kismet, the Thrashers were scheduled to face the Phoenix Coyotes Thursday night, the same week one of the Atlanta Spirit’s captains of disaster declared a relative state of emergency.
There should have been viewing parties in Winnipeg for this, because there’s a very good chance one of these teams is ending up in Manitoba. These rumors have been circulating for months, and not just from the usual Canadian chamber-of-commerce-type knuckleheads who have a vested interest. The rumors are like dominoes, and they fall like this:
♦ 1) The NHL has assured Winnipeg it is getting a team back.
♦ 2) The Coyotes, who’ve had financial issues since moving from Winnipeg in 1996, went into bankruptcy and now are operated by the league, would move back to Winnipeg if current arena refinancing issues can’t be resolved.
♦ 3) Should Phoenix resolve its problems and not relocate, the Thrashers will move to Winnipeg.
I wish I had a dollar for every time somebody used the term “done deal” with me over the last two months.
Michael Gearon was right about one thing: There is a “sense of urgency.” He just misplaces the blame. For him to suddenly put the onus on the fan base – “The reality is we need fans showing up and we need investors or a primary investor” – for hockey’s lifeline in Atlanta is disingenuous and shameful.
Fans showed up when the product was new and fresh. Fans showed up when the Thrashers won and made the playoffs. But since 1999, the team mostly has been mismanaged and run on the cheap.
Atlanta gets knocked for being “a bad sports town.” Fact is, Atlanta sports fans are smart and discerning consumers because they mandate a reason to spend their money. After being dumped on for most of 11 years since 1999, are Thrashers fans supposed to run through walls for a few good months? Scars take longer to heal.
Gearon, Bruce Levenson, and the rest don’t care. In the past, ownership suggested the $10 million annual Philips Arena naming rights deal was tied to having two tenants. It was a fallback soundbite every time a rumored move came up. Now, Thrashers president Don Waddell claims that’s not the case. If the Thrashers leave, he said, the Spirit merely receives a reduced pro-rated amount. (The Spirit denies an earlier version of the blog that said the naming rights deal was renegotiated six months ago.)
Over a year ago, when the Thrashers sat down to attempt to negotiate a new contract with Ilya Kovalchuk, ownership was apoplectic that Kovalchuk and his agent addressed potential new ownership and the team’s uncertain future in negotiations. Some wanted to cast the failed negotiations as the pro sports cliché of an athlete just asking for too much money. The fact was that Kovalchuk didn’t want to wake up in two years and find out he was moving to . . . Winnipeg.
When he couldn’t get assurances the team would stay in Atlanta, he played his only bargaining chip: He asked for the moon.
This situation is tearing up the insides of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. He doesn’t want to be the guy who allowed Atlanta to lose an NHL franchise for the second time. But he knows it’s a horrible situation created by horrible ownership, which he has called on the carpet before. There is no incentive for an outsider to purchase only the hockey team and keep it in Atlanta. There also is no market right now for the Spirit to sell both teams and the arena rights, even though both have been on the market for at least two years.
The Spirit admits in a current complaint against their former attorneys that they’ve been seeking to sell the Thrashers almost since closing the deal to buy them. How can somebody claim to be putting out the best possible product and at the same time be looking to dump it?
There’s a word for that: fraud.
I’m not sure there’s a way out of this. Even if the Coyotes move back to Winnipeg, the Thrashers will be in the same situation, waiting for a financial archangel the way you and I wait for a winning lottery ticket. It wasn’t right in 1980 when Tom Cousins had to sell the Flame to support his real estate ventures, and it’s not right now.
Gearon said this is an urgent matter. Neglect will do that. But this was years in the making. Don’t throw that into the laps of fans.
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Earlier:
– NCAA investigating Auburn again (not Cam Newton this time)
– Dreaming of Albert Pujols as a Brave
– Roger Goodell should be negotiating, not Tweeting for clicks
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223 comments Add your comment
I want my Beer
February 17th, 2011
4:21 pm
To Non Combative Winnipeger:
You are correct about the Atlanta’s lackluster support for hockey. I was up in Winnipeg for Canada day a couple of years ago, and while my wife and I were watching the fireworks at the Red River park, I overheard some younger Winnipegers talking in depth about the Thrashers! They were more knowledgable about the team than 99.9% of the people in Atlanta. I thought it was hilarious that in order to have a good hockey talk about the Thrashers, I had to go to Winnipeg of all places (my wife’s family is from there, in case you are wondering why).
I agree that the average Winnipeger would definitely appreciate the team more than average Atlantan. That being said, the owners have done a lousy job of stimulating a fan base, and they have no one to blame but themselves for the sorry shape this franchise is in.
Atlanta is a fair-weather city when it comes to supporting their teams. The Falcons were not selling out a couple of years ago when Joey Harrington was leading the team the season after Vick’s trangressions. I think if the Thrashers showed promise, the city would get behind them, but sadly, we may never find out.
JSS
February 17th, 2011
4:23 pm
KLS1
February 17th, 2011
3:46 pm
“Has there ever been a franchise started and killed in such a quick time? Maybe the Charlotte Hornets?”
Nope, the 2nd Washington Senators… They were dead men walking from their 2nd season when the Orioles finally became winners. That team was a mess…
Brendan
February 17th, 2011
4:32 pm
Jeff Schultz, you’re exactly right. This market, and its fans, have not failed. The onus of putting a good product out there falls on the ownership. Ownership must install team oversight. We call that “management.” For almost all of the Thrashers existence, that responsibility fell on Don Waddell.
Hockey hasn’t started in Atlanta … and won’t … UNTIL a ‘committed ownership’ group is installed. Ted Turner ’seemed’ like a good choice, back in 1997, for the team that would start up operations in 1999. But he was pushed out, and Time-Warner stepped in. Corporate ownership, in general, isn’t a good thing. They never pursued Stanley Cup titles. And, we now know that the Atlanta Spirit, LLC, has been trying to dump this team since it acquired it. You tell me, is that ‘committed ownership?’
So, the last time anyone with power CARED about this team … was probably 1998, when Ted Turner told the AJC, “When fans come up with $99 million, they can name the team. Until then, it will be called the Thrashers.” Little did we know that that brazen backlash of authority … would be the last time ownership gave a cr@p about “The Thrashers.”
If the team is gone, it’ll be interesting to see how we view its legacy. Will we treat it with reverence, like we do THE FLAMES, with names like Dan Bouchard, Phil Myre, Curt Bennett, Tom Vail, Tom Lysiak, Bill Clemment, Tim Ecclestone, Willi Plett, Bob MacMillan, Bobby Lalonde, Guy Chouinard, Ken Houston, Rey Comeau, Pat Quinn, and Randy Manery. Will these names be held in the same esteem?: Ray Ferraro, Jeff Odgers, Denny Lambert, Petr Buzek … Ilya Kovalchuk, Pasi Nurminen, Kari Lehtonen, Dany Heatley, Marian Hossa, Andy Sutton, Garnet Exelby, Jim Slater, Johan “Moose” Hedberg, Captain Rat, Scott Mellanby … and some of the newer Thrashers, like Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian? Time will tell.
Jeff Schultz, will the greatest memory of the Atlanta Thrashers … really be … Ilya Kovalchuk pointing his finger at Sidney Crosby, after scoring a goal with Sid in the box, as Crosby skated back to his bench? Will it be the memory of Moose Hedberg going behind the net, only to have the puck carom crazily off the glass into the net, in Game Two of the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs? Will the memory that lingers … really be … the team’s NEARLY ANNUAL appearance in the LOTTERY DRAFT??? Or will it be the shape of Don Waddell’s Head at the podium, while announcing the Coburn for Zhitnik trade, during the 2007 trade deadline?
Or worse yet, will the memory that sustains … be the sight of moving trucks packing up the Thrashers??? I hope not. At least if the team is here, it has some ‘mathematical chance’ of being relevant in the NHL. Jeff Schultz, I truly feel for the good fans of Winnipeg. They saw a team whose sole purpose in the NHL … was to give Gretzky’s Oilers someone to play and defeat in the opening round of the playoffs. Point of fact, the Jets/Coyotes franchise is 2-17, in 19 playoff series. The Coyotes have not won a playoff series in Arizona. So, if the good folks of Manitoba are feeling nostalgic for a team with uncaring ownership and no playoff wins in a decade, they certainly have found a ‘carbon copy’ of their beloved Jets. I just hope that if this team moves, that Don Waddell will be REQUIRED to remain on with the franchise. Let the good folks of Winnipeg … be careful what they wish for. They just might get it. Just like WEEE did, when hockey returned to Atlanta. Honestly now, the Atlanta Knights won a Championship in 1994, and every hockey fan in the area enjoyed them. They were evicted to bring in 10 years of a franchise that principally served as the NHL’s farm system (Heatley, Kovalchuk, Coburn, Lehtonen) and schedule fodder for the teams whose ownership was at least ‘trying to win’ rather than ‘trying to sell.’ Teams like Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Carolina all finished below the Thrashers … then won Cups … while Atlanta continued to wallow in obscurity. These passionate hockey fans of Atlanta … truly deserved better.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:34 pm
Thanks Vince.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:35 pm
Buckeye — Talking about Georgia? I honestly haven’t read headline or story today, but heard last few mins on radio. Def. a bad loss.
Glackie Jeason
February 17th, 2011
4:36 pm
Let’s combine basketball with hockey, and call it basketballskey. Talk about fouling, wow, we’d see some major T’s. Everybody wears skates, and you get four points for a windmill slam if you stick your landing. 100 points if you slapshot the ball into the net from the half court line. Now that would draw a crowd. How ’bout it Atlanta?
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:38 pm
Thanks, Steeldawg. I agree that hockey gets the short end of coverage sometimes but TV chases ratings and newspapers chase pageviews and unfortunately NHL has dropped down totem poll behind most other sports. Some people say if they get more coverage, more people would show up and/or watch. But it’s like the chicken/egg argument (not sure if media is the chicken or the egg in this argument).
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:39 pm
Joe Friday — League is talking publicly about this, other than to there’s no plans to move team “at this time.” League loves Atlanta market but hates the ownership situation. Bad combo.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:41 pm
Sage of Bluesland — Thanks, although I wouldn’t apply too much blame on Stan Kasten for any of this. Things already in place when he stepped in as president and was gone when Spirit took over.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:43 pm
Bluelander — Forget the “covenant.” I just don’t find it applicable for this reason: If Gary Bettman will allow a team to move, it will move. If he doesn’t want a team to move, it won’t move. To me, nothing else matters.
Brendan
February 17th, 2011
4:44 pm
JSS, the Kansas City Scouts lasted but two (2) seasons before relocating to Denver, CO, to become the “Colorado Rockies (NHL).” But during their time in K.C., I kid you not … they had a stretch of 44 games that saw THISSSS as their record: 1-36-7. That’s nine out of a possible eight-eight (9/88) points. Today, that franchise is known as the New Jersey Devils, with 3 Cups, and 4 trips to the Finals, and six berths on the CF, I believe.
Wanna hear a pathetic franchise’s story? Try the Oakland Seals, based in the Bay Area of California. They entered the league in EXPANSION (1967-68) and changed their name three times (3x). They became the California Seals. And then, the California GOLDEN SEALS. That didn’t work, and they up-n-left for Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Barons lasted two seasons, and were dissolved in a merger with the Minnesota North Stars, who today … reside in Dallas, Texas, as the Dallas Stars. That’s a franchise whose early history is just as pathetic as the Thrashers, pretty much. Though, I suppose, they did win three (3) playoff games in 1969. But back then, the league consisted of only 12 teams, and I think eight of them made the playoffs. I’d have to double-check that, though.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:44 pm
JSS — David McDavid a “crackpot”?
Right. Better to have this stability. (Chuckle)
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:45 pm
Thanks, Mooseberg.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:46 pm
@Jeff Schultz … I’ll Tweet to my followers.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
4:47 pm
Thanks Brendan. Agree — fans deserve a lot better.
Ted Striker
February 17th, 2011
4:49 pm
Vandy loss was tough. Stegeman was rocking. Was like Kentucky or UF was in the house. 14 point lead probably 24 minutes in.
Then….Vandy took it. Won’t say UGA gave it away. Vandy just took it. Kudos to them.
I think this was one of the tougher losses Fox has had. I just got that impression from him after the game.
Tweets that mention It’s shameful to blame fans if Thrashers move to Winnipeg | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
February 17th, 2011
5:04 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Johnson , Mr Poopypants. Mr Poopypants said: RT @AB_BuyThrashers: http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2011/02/17/its-shameful-to-blame-fans-if-thrashers-move-to-winnipeg/?cxntfid … [...]
dmr
February 17th, 2011
5:20 pm
Michael Gearon has been the disillusioned one from the get-go. He is like a poor man’s Al Davis. I own a sports franchise, so I am smarter than you…whoever YOU may be. You could be one of the best GM’s or coaches; he still knows more in his mind.
If Atlanta really wants hockey to stay here; DON’T GO TO GAMES for now. Force the hand of the ASG to relinquish this property. No investor in his right mind would put his fortunes into this club until the likes of the ASG are long departed.
Blame yourself for this…NOT THE ATLANTA FAN BASE.
The real Bill
February 17th, 2011
5:21 pm
Let’s fill the arena and chant Spirit Sucks until our throats bleed.
The world needs to know that there are fans here and we are fed up with the lousy excuse that we are forced to call owners.
More like abusers.
JSS
February 17th, 2011
5:26 pm
Brendan
February 17th, 2011
4:44 pm
“JSS, the Kansas City Scouts lasted but two (2) seasons before relocating to Denver, CO”
I remember the Scouts and the Seals all too well… The WHL/WHA/NHL wars made the NHL stupid, playing hockey in Oakland was an appeasement to CBS which had the hockey TV contract. The same one that gave Schultz his beloved Kings. There really wasn’t a market for the NHL in a expansion team. The old WHL Seals had a loyal following. Kansas City was another case, they were in that mix too… KC had a new arena and it seemed logical at the time since the Kings had just moved into new Kemper Arena as well… They never averaged over 8,300 fans in a 17,000 seat arena… Their time in Denver was a totally different story… There are lessons here to be learned about the “grass is always greener” philosophy of franchise hopping for current franchises from these franchises… The now Devils chased success for 13 years (first winning season) and 20 years before finally catching lightning in a bottle with their “neutral zone trap”
He asked about “alienation of the fan base.” DC wanted to love the Senators. They 3 owners in 5 years. The last one borrowed the money to buy the team. Lord Bowie didn’t tell anybody about it… When it finally got out, the gig was up! It
WingsRule
February 17th, 2011
5:27 pm
Atlanta IS the worst PRO sports town, but owners need to take most of blame. Najeh, when the Braves & hawks can’t come close to selling out PLAYOFF games & Falcons “fans” are bailing in the 2nd qtr vs. packers, it’s clear that no one really cares about any of these teams.
JSS
February 17th, 2011
5:31 pm
@ Jeff Schultz…
Yes, “McDavid” is Bud Adams Jr.! He doesn’t fool me one bit with his “corn pawn” smarmy act! The ASG are liars but McDavid is a crook car salesman! No thanks to that!
MF
February 17th, 2011
5:37 pm
@WingsRule-Go back to Michigan. You come here for the good jobs, nice weather and quality of life and then turn around and dog the town and it’s teems. Go back to the cold.
Willy
February 17th, 2011
5:42 pm
Going to see an Atlanta Spirit team is like paying a chef who hates food to cook your meals.
WingsRule
February 17th, 2011
5:43 pm
hey, at least I show up to see the Thrashers (who I also cheer for) & Hawks. I love this town, but stop sugar-coating it–it’s a terrible pro sports town. Great college football/hoops city.
CMC
February 17th, 2011
5:53 pm
If the Thrashers go, they won’t be taking any of the ASG people with them to Winnipeg – they already have a great ownership group ready – Mark Chipman is one of, if not THE best owner in the AHL. The Manitoba Moose are the model way to run a hockey franchise. Imagine how great an operator he had to be to sell a franchise back to Winnipeg fans after the Jets were stolen from them by Phoenix! He is backed by David Thomson who is one of the wealthiest men in the world. Both men love hockey…..it’s only a matter of days until Winnipeg returns to the NHL I’m afraid…….
Manitoban
February 17th, 2011
5:54 pm
As a Winnipeg fan, I feel sympathy for Thrashers fans. Back in 1996, we went through the same thing. We had a poor ownership group, an antiquated arena owned by a incompetent publicly owned group who would not throw a bone to the Jets, and a pragmatic government who were not going to subsidize a hockey team while the province was in recession. If you look at Atlanta, I see a similar situation.
The Jets were never really given a good chance, as the NHL forced the team to completely dismantle the 1979 Avco Cup winners. It also didn’t help we were in the same division as the Oilers and Flames in the 80s (the highest the Jets achieved in the standings was 4th in the NHL, but we still ended up third in our division). That said, it was a huge blow to civic pride when they left, and tens of thousands rallied to try to save them from moving. I suggest watching the movie “Death By Popcorn” (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6405669483655957433#) to see how things played out in Winnipeg.
Remember, like with Winnipeg, it was never a problem with the fans. Even with better attendance and higher ticket prices, I don’t think that the Thrashers would have stood a chance with this apathetic ownership group. I think this team will be moving to Winnipeg next year, and may already be controlled by the ownership group in Winnipeg. They Byfuglien deal makes sense in that regard, considering that he grew up only a couple of hours south of Winnipeg.
Updating the Thrashers’ and Coyotes’ ownership situations | The Vancouver Canucks
February 17th, 2011
6:00 pm
[...] the Atlanta Thrashers’ ownership situation is becoming less and less solvent by the day: In a Thursday blog, [the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Jeff] Schultz reveals the Thrashers changed their tune [...]
Peter
February 17th, 2011
6:04 pm
Gee isn’t this the same ownership group that gave Joe Johnson a mega STUPID Deal ?
DUhhhhhhhhhhh……. they suck as owners and as a group in general. We will never even have a real Basketball team………who shows up for either team here in Atlanta ?
JP
February 17th, 2011
6:11 pm
I’m a Toronto sports fan – and I wish the best of luck to the Thrasher fans. It would be awful to have your favourite team relocate. I would like to see Winnipeg and Quebec City get franchises, but it’s never enjoyable to see it come at the expense of another city.
Also, apologies for the Canadian commenters that tend to seem pleased about these kind of situations. Losing the Jets and Nordiques (plus the Expos and Grizzlies) in a ten year span was a major blow the pride of many Canadian sports fans, and it’s made some pretty bitter.
Best of luck to you guys!
Who wants to buy the Thrashers? A Hollywood filmmaker has interest | ProHockeyTalk
February 17th, 2011
6:12 pm
[...] in Atlanta just might be because the owners that bought the team were looking to get out and the fans have a hard time buying into a team that the owners aren’t really trying to do anything with. Still, it’s positive to see [...]
Paddy
February 17th, 2011
6:49 pm
Jeff, You have kept the fans appraised of this disaster the best you could under journalistic ethics. That is appreciated. We fans that love hockey have smelled a rat for a long time. ASG is by far the worst thing to hit this community since Eddie Haas was named the Braves Manager. What ever it takes, get these creatins out of our town!!!!
Paddy
February 17th, 2011
6:54 pm
Wings Rule… we don’t know who you are but your comments say you are ill informed and lack a good Southern decency. We have no patience with your kind down here. Try a blog in Dayton, Ohio!!
5150 UOAD
February 17th, 2011
7:26 pm
Juat for a twist ask TYLER PERRY to see if he and some buddys want to buy the THRASHERS. That would be Totally Unique to the South and Hockey. Rich Black ownership of a Hockey team in the South could be a real draw. Maybe. Tyler Perry has TPS I mean TBS in his hip pocket. Maybe he can sell the product to the ATL market better.
Brendan
February 17th, 2011
7:49 pm
JSS, I always kinda chuckle when I hear fans say, “This is as bad as the Inaugural Season.” Really? That season fetched 37-points, after 82 games. I don’t go into any remaining Thrasher game wondering if, maybe, it could result in a win. Of course, it could result in a win. Back in the Inaugural Season, I took every win as if it were a playoff game win. ‘Cuz man, that team was bad. But not even close to the 1974 Washington Capitals, who won 8 games all year, banking 24-points, I think. That … was an exercise in futility. Though, the KC Chiefs 1-36-7 stretch of season makes Washington’s year sound a bit better.
Jeff Schultz
February 17th, 2011
7:50 pm
Paddy, thanks. Eddie Haas — before my time.
JSS
February 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
Brendan
February 17th, 2011
7:49 pm
“JSS, I always kinda chuckle when I hear fans say, “This is as bad as the Inaugural Season.” Really?”
They are dramatic aren’t they? I’ve said it before, it can be much worse! I don’t say that to excuse that mess that Time-Warner and the ASG drop on us literally…
Diehard
February 17th, 2011
8:27 pm
The owners conduct is so outrageous it is hard to believe they are this arrogant and stupid. Perhaps they are putting a low payroll team on the ice and openly insulting the fans so nobody shows up and it will justify moving the team like the owner from the movie Major League. Hard to believe any owners could be so shameless.
Freddie's Falcon
February 17th, 2011
8:30 pm
Peter: That what I said. If this ownership group pays Joe Johnson more money than King James they must be the biggest bunch of morons on the planet.
snoopy
February 17th, 2011
9:52 pm
There’s hockey in the ATL?? Move….. No one cares…
TheAntiMe
February 17th, 2011
10:12 pm
Of course it’s the Atlanta fans fault, Jeff. Why wouldn’t it be? This ownership has poured billions of dollars – (OK, at least $200,000 or so into the Thrashers) and have won 5 NHL championships over the past 6 years – (OK, they have made the playoffs once or twice in the history of the franchise and could have won it all – (even though they have never come close to winning even one playoff game).
What do you have to do to get these ungrateful Atlanta hockey fans to show up when you have a top-notch ownership that pours every single resource imaginable into their Thrashers only to have the fans disgracefully fail to support these highly successful owners who care only about the fans and nothing at all for themselves?
Brent
February 17th, 2011
11:27 pm
I’m a hockey fan and I’m ready to see this team leave town. They are an embarrassment to the city in general and to the NHL specifically. And the NHL has A LOT to be embarrassed about since Atlanta Spirit took the reins here, namely an unforgivable lack of due diligence when researching this band of shysters’ bid for ownership. Hockey hasn’t failed in Atlanta; the NHL failed Atlanta hockey.
Brendan
February 18th, 2011
1:12 am
Another tough ‘regulation time’ loss for your Atlanta Thrashers tonight. No worries, though. All it takes now is a 17-7 record, down the stretch. Piece of cake.
Has this team really only won six times in the past 23 games?
Mr. Tony Geinzer
February 18th, 2011
4:16 am
I wish I could bring my future babies in the future to see Hockey in Atlanta, but, Ownership is a Farce.
dawgma
February 18th, 2011
6:50 am
Thank you JS. I was a season ticket hoder for 3 years when this team came to town. I spent $250 per game to watch these jerks (the mgt group) drive two hall of fame potentials (Heatley & Kove) out of town, bicker like fat spoiled babies over ownership and blame everyone but themselves.
I was not in favor of this “mgt by committee” setup and it has proven out to be a disaster. I almost puked hearing Gearin on the radio this week blame:
1 – The lawyers who wrote a defective contract.
2 – The fans
3 – Everyone but themselves.
They are cheap bastards who deserve to lose their fortunes. Go blame someone who cares ’cause it ain’t the fans problem.
Paddy
February 18th, 2011
6:54 am
Jeff……Eddie Haas replaced Joe Torre as Braves Manager. To me that ranks up there with these Maroons from the ASG as our towns biggest embarrassment. Eddie never lied to the fans like the ASG. Liars can’t ever be trusted.
Big Al
February 18th, 2011
7:46 am
Who really cares if they leave town. Hockey is a third rate semi professional sport. Even more, it is a northern sport. If it was not for the fights, TV would not even carry hockey.
Larry
February 18th, 2011
7:54 am
“Atlanta gets knocked for being “a bad sports town.” Fact is, Atlanta sports fans are smart and discerning consumers because they mandate a reason to spend their money.”
Best Sports Quote of the Year!
Touché, Mr Schultz
ss
February 18th, 2011
7:56 am
Jeff,
Do they have an arena that can support an NHL club? It doesnt make sense that a team would go back there since it didnt work the first time.
If i recall correctly, their buidling isnt big enough and isnt updated with the boxes and all that stuff to support an nhl club.
The Winnepeg area can beg all they want, but it probally wont work there again if it failed once.
The Spirit sucks and i hope the hawks choke the rest of the season!
Thank You…
gt
February 18th, 2011
8:07 am
Northeastern transplants are the only reason we have hockey. It works better in Florida which has a large population of Canadians and the black socked and sandled northeasterner wintering there. I am surprised Arthur Blank who is soaked in the garb and ways of that section of the country, with the pencil hair mustache and the mobster clothing, doesn’t buy the team. I guess he can’t come down to court side and be with his team, in the third period. May fall on that ice and bust his his….