Thrashers, Atlanta were never given a chance
Thrashers fans tried hard to keep hope, season after season. But the deck was stacked against them. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
(Updated: 12:30 p.m.)
This is how it ends: With the weasel of a commissioner not stepping foot in the city, with another season passing without a playoff game, with a lying ownership group maintaining it did all it could to save a franchise that in reality it spent most of seven years wrecking.
Atlanta has lost an NHL expansion team to a Canadian outpost for the second time. The Thrashers are going to Winnipeg just like the Flames went to Calgary in 1980. A press conference was held in Winnipeg, while the Thrashers sent out this warm-and-fuzzy news release: “The Atlanta Thrashers announced today that they have entered into an asset purchase agreement with True North Sports and Entertainment …”
This isn’t about the fans or the market or certainly Gary Bettman’s fictional “covenant” with fans, which I believe he left in the same sock drawer with his conscience. It’s about greed and abandonment, plain and simple. It’s about a disingenuous ownership group, which had long lost any semblance of credibility, serving up fans swill and gruel and then wondering why the turnstiles sleep at night.
They’ll tell you they care. They don’t. They’re walking away with a fat check. While you mourn the loss of a franchise, they’re waving goodbye with one middle finger.
The NHL is leaving a city that never really was given a chance. It’s going back to a city that it left 15 years ago and that has grown by about 60,000 people and a couple of doughnut shops since. They will be discussing this decision one day at business schools, right after the sections on Charles Ponzi and Enron.
Atlanta didn’t fail. The franchise failed. But the NHL doesn’t care about that. This is a league that survives on franchise fees and relocation fees. It collected $80 million from Ted Turner for an expansion fee in 1997. (He joked in the Board of Governors meeting that followed that he could’ve saved $70 million by purchasing the Flames from Tom Cousins for $10 million. Nobody laughed.) The league reportedly will collect another $60 million for permission to move the Thrashers to Manitoba.
In five years, when another failing franchise wants to move into Philips Arena, Bettman will be happy to collect another fat relocation fee, and he’ll deliver the same canned, phony speech about how he always believed in this market. The guy has told so many lies, it’s a wonder he’s not an Atlanta Spirit partner. (One postscript: Bettman referred to them as the “Atlantic” Spirit on Tuesday.)
Now living in Calgary.
There are hockey teams in Tampa and San Jose and Raleigh, and I could go on. There’s still one inexplicably in Phoenix, which the NHL is floating for another year, maybe because Bettman plans to retire and open up a pawn shop there one day. Is Atlanta an inferior market to any of those cities? Or does product have something to do with it?
There was no reason to do this now. When the Phoenix-to-Winnipeg deal fell apart, the NHL (which owns the Coyotes) was out $170 million. Bettman panicked. So he crossed out Phoenix and wrote in Atlanta. But why couldn’t he have waited a year to see if another owner for the team
Now living in Winnipeg.
emerged? Winnipeg wasn’t going anywhere. Was Bettman that desperate for the $60 million?
“I have absolutely no doubt that this market can support an NHL team,” said Bob Hartley, a native Canadian, a Stanley Cup winner in Colorado and the only coach to get the Thrashers to the playoffs. “It’s a huge disappointment to see the Atlanta franchise leave before so many other cities in the league. I loved it there. My last two years in Atlanta were as exciting as what I went through in Colorado. We had only two [home] playoffs games but it was a Stanley Cup atmosphere. But Hoss [Marian Hossa] left, Kovy [llya Kovalchuk] left, I was gone. It felt like the organization was drained of its energy.”
First player: Damian Rhodes. First draft pick: Patrik Stefan. First coach: Curt Fraser. First general manager: Don Waddell. That was only the beginning. Eleven seasons: one playoff berth, no wins.
Turner was followed by AOL/Time Warner, a bad marriage that was followed by an even worse one: Atlanta Spirit, LLC. Hossa saw no future here. Kovalchuk, given so many misdirections by part-owner Bruce Levenson in negotiations, wasn’t even sure the team would stay. Both wanted out.
There never was a commitment. There never was hope. There never was a plan — at least not one that worked.
A city just lost a franchise. While you mourn, they laugh. It’s nothing less than shameful.
By Jeff Schultz
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1,115 comments Add your comment
mj700
June 2nd, 2011
12:28 am
I like the fact that Atlanta is a college football town, first and foremost. The fans really shell out the bucks to travel an hour east to watch a perpetually mediocre SEC team who have about the same chance of winning the SEC every year as the Thrashers did with the Stanley Cup.
Thrashers Fan
June 2nd, 2011
12:34 am
It’s funny how people will only look @ select information to try to prove their case instead of using the overall picture (attendance).
Rob S
June 2nd, 2011
12:44 am
In the modern game, NO free agents are going to want to play there
Gimme a break. When FA’s bolt the Thrashers, it’s “bad owners” but when they bolt the Oilers it’s “crummy city”. I understand civic pride, but you’re overdoing it. It’s just a hockey team, Atlanta didn’t become some national laughingstock because they lost their team to lowly Winnipeg. Property values didn’t collapse. Believe me, I understand the feeling, Bobby Hull left the Blackhawks to go to Winnipeg.
Players play where the money is. Period. They play where the money is and they live in the off season wherever they feel like. Most free agents in all sports prefer to work in a different city than they live because the celebrity status makes living and working in the same city too distracting.
I’m sorry you lost your team. If insulting Winnipeg makes you feel better, knock yourself out. I’ll quote Steve Goodman: “But you the living, you’re still stuck with the Cubs. So it’s me that feels sorry for you.”
NewYork is RED HOT!!
June 2nd, 2011
1:25 am
SouthBeach in 5!!
Somethin in the Water?
June 2nd, 2011
1:26 am
Enter your comments here
fus92
June 2nd, 2011
1:50 am
Here’s a thought………. MAYBE people of Atlanta should have BOUGHT TICKETS!
P&M
June 2nd, 2011
9:01 am
@Thrasher Dawg – perhaps you should read beyond the first few lines od text in the news and understand that only 2-tranches of tickets were opened to existing season ticket holders of the Manitoba Moose (AHL team). another two open today and then all tickest go on sale to the public on Saturday.
Kelly
June 2nd, 2011
9:16 am
Hey, if denigrating Winnipeg does it for you, go ahead. Sticks and stones… And nobody gives much credibility to a bully anyway.
But nobody STOLE the Thrashers. Your owners hung a for-sale sign on the team and a buyer responded.
Blame Bettman all you want, but he was constantly hounding Waddell and ASG about what they needed to do to survive in Atlanta and they failed to pay heed. And this talk that the suit with Belkin delayed a local sale is just bull: it may have delayed CLOSING a local sale, but it certainly wouldn’t have delayed preparing a local sale for closing contingent upon resolving the lawsuit. But if believing lies makes you feel better, knock yourself out.
Atlanta = 10.1% unemployment
June 2nd, 2011
10:02 am
These Atlanta folks don’t get it. When the tickets are finally available for the general public on Saturday, they will all be gone that first day.
The attendance figures quoted about Atlanta are funny. Selling lots of really cheap tickets and padding attendance numbers didn’t help the bottom line for ASG. I was at a game in Atlanta where attendance was officially called 13, 000. There was NO WAY there were more than a couple of thousand in the seats. It was like a morgue in there. No wonder Thrashers are looking to flee that kind of environment. They will be appreciated here.
On a last note, I’ve been to Atlanta a few times. I’ve been to most major cities in North America in the course of business. Sorry – there are some nice US cities and I have to say Atlanta is not one of them. It’s a city of gangs with lots and lots of problems. With the freedom to live where ever I want, I am happy to stay here in my outpost. Definitely would never be Atlanta.
GoalChanger
June 2nd, 2011
10:25 am
Sage of Bluesland: YOU ARE THE ONE WHO IS IGNORANT! Danny Heatley and Illya Kovulchuck might have played together as rookies; BUT I know had they played when BOTH GUYS WERE AT THE HEIGHT OF THEIR SCORING GREATNESS AND HAD THEY PLAYED ON THE SAME LINE, the line would have been as potent as the Mike Bossey, Dennis Potvin, Brian Trottier line of the N.Y. Islanders. HAD THE THRASHERS HAD A HEATLEY-KOVULCHUK-HOSSIER LINE; THE THRASHERS WOULD HAVE WON 4 STANLEY CUPS AND I AM STANDING BY THAT PREDICTION! P.S. I saw reports on the news that the accident occurred in Dunwoody. If it happened in Buckhead its the fault of the news reports and not me. So you get your facts straight.
Grumps
June 2nd, 2011
10:33 am
Look at our “eskimo’s”
http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1297170486725_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x
http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1297170477217_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x
the gooch
June 2nd, 2011
10:36 am
Go Vancouver. Viva Canada….Yankees and Canadians are awesome…Kiss it Atlanta I got the NHL sports package. I never cared for the Thrashers anyways. I’ll see you at the Gladiators games when they play the big teams like the Reading Monarchs.. Yippeee. ATL SUCKS as a sports town everyone knows it!!!
the gooch
June 2nd, 2011
10:37 am
ohh and Winnipeg im glad you got your team back…
Gwen
June 2nd, 2011
10:47 am
I recently read your colunm about the thrashers going to Winnipeg. How do you know that Winnipeg is an Outpost? Have you ever been here? Yes, I understand that the fans are upset about losing the team, but Winnipeg went thru the same thing 15 years ago. We just sucked it up and said that one day we would get a new team and believed in that……so ,look 15 years later we are back on track.Please don’t trash a city just because we have the team…we didnt do that when Jets went to Phoinex. Maybe you will come to ThePeg(our affectionate name) and see how truly great our city is and how we welcome all people. Please don’t run it down anymore and we are not in the Artic circle nor do we live in igloos.
Jared
June 2nd, 2011
10:54 am
They just couldn’t get enough people in the building every night. I went to a Pens away game @ Atlanta in 2009 and I was amazed of how many Pens fans were there and how many Thrashers fans were there. It probably could have been recognized as a home game for Pitt. There was probably a little more then 5,000 thrashers fans and the rest were Pens.
BullDurham
June 2nd, 2011
11:01 am
I dont know why so many people are so up in arms about the Thrashers. Gosh, geez…when the thrashers first started they played like pure TRASH. So much so that i thought they should have been renamed to the TRASHERS. Of course since then they have become good and made the playoffs several times. The Thrashers will be sorely missed but never forgotten. Hockey will get another chance in atlanta and hopefully this time hockey will survive.
BullDurham
June 2nd, 2011
11:29 am
The Thrashers had been playing so poorly this season so I guess to avoid ANY FURTHER PUBLIC EMBARRASMENT, the team was sold so they can thrive in an environment that is more conducive to HOCKEY–CANADA, WHERE HOCKEY WAS BORN.
illputitoncspan
June 2nd, 2011
12:17 pm
Hey Grumps… There were a couple more shots of the blond that you should have posted. When you get a chance why don’t you do that. Thanks in advance! Also, no more pics of the brunette. She’s beat!!!
illputitoncspan
June 2nd, 2011
12:26 pm
ASG was never going to sell the Thrashers. Because I’m guessing they never offered the operating rights to Philips along with the team. Who would ever buy the team without also having the operating rights to the building?… NOBODY!!! Sorry Mike, you really didn’t try that hard to sell the team.
Not a basketball fan
June 2nd, 2011
12:48 pm
The Gladiators are Fine- they can survive. besides- winnipeg has no system yet- al lthey owned was a AAA franchise that fed players to Vancouver. DO NOT ATTEND ANY events at PHILIPS. I hope ASG goes bust! All they cared about was suing each other. David McDavid should have been the owner and not these clowns. Ted turner knew more about hockey than these guys. Laura Turner- how could you let your husband be affiliated with these traitors! Atlatna will not forget. Do not use ANY of these people as lawyers! Vote with your dollars. Support GWINNETT hockey!
GhostofIlya
June 2nd, 2011
12:56 pm
Heard you on the Fan590 yesterday afternoon, Jeff. I can understand and sympathize with your feelings, and do think the league gave Atlanta the short end of the stick particularly considering what we’ve seen going on in Phoenix.
You’re right, ownership and management failed the franchise. But I wouldn’t take knocks against Winnipeg, the city or its people. If anyone, they can sympathize with Atlanta’s plight over the loss of the team. But I’m willing to bet, through thick and thin, they’ll put up more of a fight to keep the franchise in the city if it ever comes to that than Atlanta did.
Welcome back Winnipeg. Atlanta, so long. Too bad your entire second existence was marred with complete and utter failure both on and off the ice.
Whether Winnipeg fails a second time is to be seen. But I’ve kept thinking to myself through this whole process that if Atlanta was given the opportunity of a second chance to fail, then sure as heck Winnipeg, in the home of hockey, deserves another one as well. Looking forward to watching Winnipeg playing in front of loud/raucous crowds every night than having to fight my way through seeing a sheet of ice surrounded by a bunch of empty seats.
Anonymous
June 2nd, 2011
1:56 pm
While it’s true that the owners botched the holy hell out of the Thrashers franchise, there are franchises that survived it. Look at Atlanta’s old division rivals, the Lightning. Their first owner, some Japanese guy who never even set foot in AMERICA, much less Florida. The team nearly rotted. But the NHL stepped in and forced him to sell it- luckily for them, to a group that kept them there. Did the same thing have a chance to occur for the Thrashers? Yes. Is it Bettman’s fault that it didn’t? No. The city got f*cked by bad owners, bad ice, no free agent interest, and a horrible playoff record. The players can’t be blamed for poor play when ownership never really got behind them. But if, as the ASG press release suggests, the team was a community asset… Why isn’t the community in ownership? Atlanta, you could have saved your team if that were true- After all, Glendale’s choosing to do so for at least one more year to keep the Coyotes (who were botched even worse, and falsely declared bankrupt, though that situation is another story). We’ve known Buttman is a sh*tty commish, we’ve seen it for years.
Sadly, the BoG isn’t going to reject the move out of hand. Winnipeg NEEDS an NHL franchise. That city bleeds for this game, and you won’t find more loyal Coyotes fans (albeit wearing Jets jerseys) even in Arizona. Hope that maybe Atlanta will be back in a season, when the Coyotes are still ownerless. Between a huge TV market with a low fan base, and a little city with an entire province behind it as fans, the latter wins every time. Less TV bucks, sure, but more merchandise sales and more $$$ for the NHL.
I hate to see you go, Thrashers, you were the little engine that could. Sadly, ASG made the mountain too high for you to climb.
Hockey Fan
June 2nd, 2011
4:58 pm
Sad to see the community lose this team. The Spirit Group has to take the majority of blame. Not that they feel any remorse. Saw this interesting blog entry by a guy who covered the Thrashers during the 06-07 playoff season… He said very much the same thing. Thought it was worth passing along.
http://take2sports.typepad.com/take2sports/
Bettman the Moron
June 2nd, 2011
5:09 pm
Hey the gooch…Winnipeg didn’t get their team back….their team is in Phoenix. Winnipeg stole the Thrashers from Atlanta so how can it be their team?
Bettman the Moron
June 2nd, 2011
5:12 pm
Hey Grumps….how did you get Atlanta girls to pose in those pictures for you?
Another Glad Fan
June 2nd, 2011
5:38 pm
To Lou:
I feel your pain, man – but don’t sell the Gwinnett Gladiators short. ECHL definitely ain’t NHL, but trust me … even if it takes you a 45 minute drive, it’s definitely worth the trip. I know I was surprised at the talent level and expertise of AA players nowadays, and I think anyone would be amazed at the quality of the total product they put on the ice up in the ‘burbs. And from what I’ve heard, it’s been tough for them over the years to make it in here the A-T-L …you definitely haven’t seen or heard much about them in the local media (the AJC, local evening newscasts, and sports talk radio just plain ignore them) and there was never ANY support from those, uh, folks at ASG. Even though some of the top Thrashers prospects got assigned there, you never heard anything about them or the team. It’s like it needed to be kept as some kind of secret that the organization even had a minor league affiliate playing just up the interstate in Gwinnett. Heck, I swear I can’t recall ever hearing about a single promotion between the Thrashers and the Gladiators over the years, and not once did I hear anything about what was happening “down on the farm” on Thrashers broadcasts or see anything on their website – and they’ve been affiliated for 8 years. I wonder how many Thrashers fans have ever supported their own farm team and attended even one Gladiators game over the years … stark contrast to what the Braves do for and with their AAA team up there.
Anyway, take it from me – on weekends without the rush hour mess on I-85, it takes about 15 minutes from Spaghetti Junction to get to the Gwinnett arena, so don’t give up on pro hockey – just switch your loyalty, support and allegiance to a team that deserves it. For simply enduring their association with the Thrashers, some might say they’ve already earned it.
From the Peg
June 2nd, 2011
5:41 pm
This article is hilarious, this writer is so uninformed its actually really sad, no wonder the game didnt grow here if this is the guy spreading the news to the public.
I’m not here to gloat, I lost my Jets and know exactly what you fans are feeling right now. But as someone else with common sense already said, why are you insulting Winnipeg?, have you ever been here? Didnt think so
Why are you complaining about a team being in San Jose? LMAO do you even watch hockey
The NHL doesn’t survive on relocation and expansion fees lol
Here’s a bit of info for you, I’ll save you the trouble of looking it up which you wouldnt have anyways. there were 6 teams in Canada last year and they accounted for 40% of league revenues and none of them were receiving revenue sharing. Atlanta was a drain on the league losing 130 million dollars in the last 6 seasons.
At least in Winnipeg we have reporters that can actually do some research on facts before they go on a rant.
You guys lost your team for the same reason I lost the Jets 15 years ago, there was no one that wanted to own the team in that city any more and the local governments refused to help. This reporter is asking for more time to find an owner well according to this media outlet they tried for over 2 years lmao-ever talk to anyone in your office buddy? Thats why Phoenix still has their team, a prospective owner wants to keep them in Phoenix and the city has chipped in $50 million the last 2 years
Seriosuly Shultz your a hack
And to the Atlanta Thrashers fans, sorry guys I know it sucks but put the blame where it belongs
BomberRiderFan
June 2nd, 2011
6:44 pm
Don’t blame ASG. Yeah they put a bad product on the ice, but when they put the team up for sale there was NOBODY who wanted to buy it because everyone knew it was a money loser. And there are a lot of deep pockets in the Atlanta area.
BomberRiderFan
June 2nd, 2011
6:50 pm
As for bad product, Edmonton has had some of their worst teams ever the past few years and haven’t been in the playoffs for about 6 years or so…. yet try to get a ticket to one of their games. 100% sell-outs. Edmonton has 780 000 people in the city. That’s only 130 000 more than Winnipeg. If you are a true fan, you stick it out through thick and thin. The year the Jets only won 9 games (1980) they were still getting 13 500 on average… and that was great for that time period (the league average then was 12500). Shoot look at the LA Clippers…. and they have to compete against a REALLY good team in their own city.
Sage of Bluesland
June 2nd, 2011
7:02 pm
My vote for “Tin-Foil Hat” comment of the blog goes, hands-down, to GoalChanger. The rampant grammatical errors provide a mere side-entertainment for the leaps of illogic.
For just a brief example, let’s look at this gem: “HEATLEY-KOVULCHUK-HOSSIER [line]”
Not sure who “Hossier” is, but I’ll assume it’s Marian Hossa. It’s funny, but we traded Heatley FOR Hossa….Thus, this is a virtual impossibility.
It’s really embarrassing….I sort-of feel bad for doing what I do at times–but computers and blogs simply aren’t for everyone–and not everyone adds any value.
Dude–before you significantly embarrass your ignorant self again, please do some requisite research; some very basic research. For a person who didn’t even know two of the most prominent Thrashers players even played together, now you’re debating what the newscast informed you? Really?
Sad, really. Funny, too. Please post some more–I need the laughs in this dark time. Yep, a surefire winner for the coveted “Tin-Foil Hat”…
Go Jets Go!!!
June 2nd, 2011
8:31 pm
Thrashers were never given a chance?? Really?? I’m sorry but despite its huge population, Atlanta is just not a sports town, unless you are talkin’ NASCAR or the Dawgs. Just look at the facts, Over the past decade, despite population growth, the Thrashers have been in the bottom three for attendance. That is with ticket prices in the bottom half of the league. The Hawks have been the WORST supported franchise in the NBA over the past decade and that is with prices 20% below the league average. Even the braves, who have won 4 pennants and a wild card in the last decade are a middle of the pack team in terms of attendance, and that is despite the second cheapest tickets in the league. Face it, Atlanta doesn’t give its sports teams a fair chance!!!
You can make fun of winnipeg as much as you want, but, they will have sold out ALL of the available season tickets come Saturday for the next 4 years (I might add those tickets are the 5th highest cost in the league). Not bad for a town with a couple of doughnut shops Eh???
GO JETS GO!!!
(Maybe you can get the Coyotes when they leave next year)
Bettman the Moron
June 2nd, 2011
11:41 pm
To Go Jets Go!!!: Obviously, you know nothing about Atlanta, so please stay in your arctic home on the prairie and STFU.
To BomberRiderFan: Keep drinking the ASG kool-aid dude. When did they put the team up for sale? Six weeks ago? They only exited litigation in January so the team has only been on the market for several months…yeah, that’s some serious trying all right. Also, since they own Phillips Arena, they were insisting that any new owner would have to be a tenant paying rent to them (they would also get all the concessions, etc). No potential buyer would EVER take that deal. In short, ASG put everything into the Hawks, ignored the Thrashers, and Bettman the Moron did NOTHING to help save this franchise. While he was out in the desert yelling through a bullhorn for the salvation of the Coyotes, he never once stepped foot in Atlanta. This whole process was quick-tracked and railroaded through and the inept NHL never once stopped to realize the potential they had here in Atlanta. The reason the NHL will always be nothing more than a fringe league is because they do idiotic things like move teams from markets with 6 million people to towns in the arctic with one traffic light and a 7-Eleven.
To From the Peg: I think this article by Schultz is spot on. And not here to gloat? Please….go back to your igloo until next season arrives. You’ll have the Thrashers to entertain you soon enough.
The Truth
June 3rd, 2011
2:42 am
@Bettman the Moron
You really need to step back and take an more objective view on the Thrashers situation.
Canada is not the reason the Thrashers failed, the lack of fan support for the team was the reason
ASG tried a lot of things to drum up team support, including thousands of free tickets every game.
Had more of the paying fans shown up, the owners would have had the capital to hang on to the Hossas’ and the Kovalchuks.
The real headline should be that Atlanta never gave the Thrashers a chance.
SA Joe
June 3rd, 2011
2:59 am
Schultz et all– no need to bash Wpg.
Blame it on the owners, blame it on the poor product on the ice, front office mismanagement, alienation of fans etc.
yes Phillips arena is an excellent venue, 8th largest metro area in the USA, nice city etc—– Bottom line team was losing money– even post NHL lockout with cap etc—- owners not willing to lose any further—- and no one willing to step up to the plate locally. Buyers with money in hand.
You have now had 2 chances with NHL–and its gone
you need owner
arena
fan base/ market
I am usually not a fan of teams moving– eg sonics to OKC– but in this case I wish the old thrashers well in Wpg and significant success. May Lord Stanely pay a visit as well
Mark
June 3rd, 2011
10:42 am
Atlanta managed to lose TWO hockey teams. It may be permissible to lay the sole blame of losing one hockey team on the ownership group, but to lose two (the Flames in 1980, the Thrashers in 2011) points to a problem with the city. Hockey has a loyal, dedicated following, and its support is cultural. In my hometown of Philadelphia, which has a majority-minority population, my 9 year old son, who is Latino, is the only child of color on his hockey team. My sense of Atlanta is that the caucasian population there is more interested in NASCAR and football — again, a cultural thing.
Fact Police
June 3rd, 2011
12:09 pm
Dear GOAL CHANGER:
Jane, you ignorant slut … before you “contribute” again to any blog, please secure your GED.
1) Danny Heatley’s tragic accident occurred in Buckhead, not “Dunwoody”.
You are a doofus.
2) Dan Snyder was not a “friend and goalie”, he was Heatley’s best friend and a center.
You are a total doofus and obviously retarded.
3) The accident that claimed Snyder’s life was not the result of a “drinking binge”. An exhaustive police investigation (for which Heatley reimbursed the department $25,000) revealed that Heatley was guilty of reckless behavior, driving at an extraordinarily excessive speed, and failure to maintain lane/operating his high-performance luxury sportscar in a totally irresponsible manner. NO EVIDENCE OF A DUI WAS EVER INDICATED OR PRESENTED.
And with that, you’ve attained to the status of a slandering doofus and a human dingleberry. You should be publicly flogged to within an inch of your worthless life, after which you should be crosschecked across your lying, bucktoothed chops by Thrashers defenseman Eric Boulton”ier”.
I don’t expect an apology – you’re obviously not intelligent enough to comprehend that you owe one.
But shame on you.
True North Strong & Free
June 3rd, 2011
12:43 pm
Hey Winnipeg=Poverty, comparing the cities proves the point. Atlanta SHOULD HAVE WORKED! 2 sold out playoff games does not make a solid fan base. When you have a population in the metro area that exceeds the entire populus of the Province of Manitoba – you should be able to get 17,000 fans. Playing in front of 4000 to 8000 people a night is brutal. Granted the ownership group couldn’t get out of their own way and Hossa’s take was right. They hockey team was a minor inconvenience for them – it was all about the basketball. Why do you have to sell the city to the other teams in the US? Either the hockey is good or it isn’t – plain & simple. Last time I checked most teams didn’t have trouble filling seats when Green Bay came to town – not that I have anything against that city but by your criteria, its not a major metropolitain city so why would anyone care to watch that team. I also seem to remember the Atlanta Braves having empty seats at their playoff games as well so its not just hockey. Atlanta doesn’t get behind their pro fanchises like some of the other cities.
illputitoncspan
June 3rd, 2011
1:21 pm
SA Joe, clearly you have never been in Philips. The arena sux!!! Who was the moron who thought putting all the suites on one side was a good idea.
GoalChanger
June 3rd, 2011
1:48 pm
Fact Police: You are completely wrong. I heard news reports on tv that the incident happened in the streets of Dunwoody. If it happened in Buckhead that was the mistake of the media and not me. Furthermore, I dont need to be forgiven or need an apology becuase the parents of Snyder clearly forgave Heatley and pressed no charges against him. Why cant everyone just forget it and move on? You know why they cant? Its the same reason why Heatley left town and couldnt take the harrassment and the backstabbing against him. Every sports talk show sports radio and tv show hammered Heatley into the grave. They continued to bash Heatley unrelentingly that Heatley couldnt take it anymore. Therefore, Heatley went to thrasher management and asked to be traded. If the fans had forgiven heatley and not slaughtered Heatley on the talk shows, Heatley would have stayed in Atlanta and played for the Thrashers, and subsequently the Thrashers would have won at least 3 or 4 stanley cups. It always happens that way when you have two hall-of-fame players, playing together. It happened with Wayne Gretzgy and Yakki Kurri of the Edmonton Oilers (multiple cups); and it happened with the NY Islanders with Dennis Potvin, Brian Trottier and Mike Bossey. THE THRASHERS WOULD HAVE WON FOUR STANLEY CUPS IF THE FANS OF ATLANTA DIDNT DRIVE HEATLEY OUT-OF-TOWN, AFTER THE SYNDER FAMILY HAD ALREADY FORGIVEN HEATLEY. THE FANS NEVER FORGAVE HEATLEY, AND HEATLEY DIDNT WANT ANY PART OF ATLANTA ANYMORE. THEREFORE, I AM NOT TO BLAME FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO THE THRASHERS. ITS PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO ARE TO BLAME FOR THE THRASHERS DEMISE.
LeeWestwood
June 3rd, 2011
1:57 pm
Goal Changer: You are exactly right, my man. HAD ILLYA KOVULCHUK AND DANNY HEATLEY HAD PLAYED TOGETHER FOR A LONG STRETCH OF TIME, THE THRASHERS, IN MY ESTIMATION, WOULD HAVE WON AT LEAST 3, POSSIBLY 4 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS. The fans of Atlanta drove Heatley out of town and they should accept the result of the Thrashers leaving town.
Sage of Bluesland
June 3rd, 2011
2:01 pm
…Where do you even begin with such tripe? You, GoalChanger, are an embarrassment of ignorance.
It’s not even humorous anymore.
Stop blaming the media and this “phantom” report you allegedly heard on the simple location of the accident. It’s funny, but I also heard the reports–and they clearly stated “Buckhead”.
It’s also funny to read this outlandish claim that “if Heatley and Kovalchuk played together, we would have won multiple Cups”….Uh, chief, it takes MORE than two superstars to win a title.
Like a goaltender.
Like a complete defense.
Like a non-shoestring budget.
You are dismissed, child. Put your tin-foil hat back on and leave the internet blogs to the adults.
GoalChanger
June 3rd, 2011
2:55 pm
Sage if Bluesland: If what you say is true that it takes MORE THAN TWO SUPERSTARS to win multiple cups than what about the greatest hockey player of all times in WAYNE GRETZGY along with his hall-fame-sidekick YAKKI KURRI. THOSE TWO TEAMED UP TO WIN THREE TO FOUR STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS IN EDMONTON. IT ONLY TAKES TWO HALL-OF-FAME GREATS TO PULL THIS OFF. HAD THE FANS OF ATLANTA HADNT CHASED OFF HEATLEY, THEN HEATLEY AND KOVULCHUK WOULD HAVE TEAMED UP TO EVENTUALLY WIN 3 TO 4 STANLEY CUPS. I DONT CARE WHO DOESNT ACCEPT IT, IT IS THE TRUTH.
Grumps
June 3rd, 2011
3:23 pm
Uhhh Goal Changer, Gretzky not only had Jari Kurri but also had: Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson, Grant Fuhr, etc. They had a tonne of talent when they were a dynasty. As an aside, all of those players i mentioned are in the Hall of fame. So you had three forwards, two D and a goalie on your team who are all HOF’ers.
Just sayin.
Grumps
June 3rd, 2011
3:26 pm
Make that one D. Not two. And four forwards not three
Fact Police
June 3rd, 2011
3:40 pm
To Goal Changer – er, make that Fact Changer:
And more doofus-speak is spewed … because the Snyder family ultimately forgave Heatley for his irresponsible actions behind the wheel doesn’t validate your defamatory assertion that the tragedy was the result of a “drinking binge”. In fact, if there had been any evidence that Heatley was impaired by alcohol at the time of the accident (which occurred on Lenox Road in Buckhead), he would have been criminally charged, prosecuted, and sentenced – no matter how earnestly the Snyder family would have pleaded/begged on his behalf.
Amazingly, it just doesn’t occur to you that your erroneous references and inaccuracies are so profound that they nullify any legitimacy you may have thought you had relative to the topic of this blog. Forget the site of the accident … forget that you referred to Snyder as a goalie … forget that you didn’t know how to spell the last name of one of the Thrashers more recognizable and prominent former players … and I don’t dispute that you may THINK you have some sort of valid point about extrapolating on the Thrashers legacy. Heck, what if Crosby or – hold the phone … Gretzky had been on the same line with Heatley and Kovalchuck … whoa – now THAT’S a Cup-hoarding dynasty!
The bottom line is this … you simply shouldn’t be permitted to participate in this type of forum – period. Nothing we can do about it unfortunately, but it has allowed you to post factually inaccurate information that rises to the level of slander. Just because you’re a cowardly, uninformed, ignorant doofus who can remain anonymous doesn’t absolve you of responsibility for the outrage of accusing Heatley of driving under the influence.
Wait – I have reconsidered. You are not a doofus after all, because that would be an insult to doofuses … you’re not my ex-wife, are you?
Shame on you – again.
GoalChanger
June 3rd, 2011
4:06 pm
All I can say is that the thrashers were ROBBED out of at least FOUR LORD STANLEY CUPS. My original point is that sometimes luck or fate of mishaps change the landscape and the outcome of the reality of a team. My original point was had Heatley and Snyder decided to stay in for the evening and never went out joy-riding, both players would have still been playing for the Thrashers along with Illya Kovulchuck and in my opinion it would have OPENED THE FLOODGATES for great free agents to join Kovulchuk and Heatley. Maybe Sidney Crosby would have joined us and as I pointed out before, the thrasher dynasty would have been kicked off and started. Of course it never happened and people out there are blaming me for the lack of the Thrashers successs and eventual demise. Its sad but true, but I had nothing to do with it and I dont care one way or another. I wont apologize for anything because I reported what was relayed to me on the news.
area 204
June 3rd, 2011
4:44 pm
@ winnipeg = poverty
wow…what loser you are…man…I’m sure that more then a few people from my hometown have been unable to contain their enthusiasm about the NHL coming back and for that I apologize. Its not fair that they seem to be rubbing it in b/c we know what its like to lose a team. But you are a total loser. Have you ever even been to Canada? probably not. You are the prime example of the kind of person that gives your fellow countrymen a bad rap. Just b/c you can’t get a girlfriend don’t be hating on every one else…By the way….winnipeg economy = good….Atlanta economy =toilet…
KellyinWinnipeg
June 3rd, 2011
6:17 pm
I can understand the bitterness towards Bettman and the ASG; WE went through it 15 years ago, BUT, taking shots at Winnipeg isn’t necessary or fair. Atlanta HAD their second chance; this is ours. Over 7100 season tickets, most with a FIVE YEAR commitment have been sold in 3 days. The general public haven’t even has a chance to buy tickets yet. I’ll be thinking of you Jeff when I’m cheering on our team and having a doughnut. As for the fans in Atlanta, WE KNOW how you feel and I wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone.
The Truth
June 3rd, 2011
8:53 pm
LOL Goal Changer
Yakki Kurri…
You forgot his other linemate Chopper Semenko.
His close your little bitty eyes Yakki, whenever Chopper fought anyone who tried to rough up Yakki is still talked about around the league.
Bettman the Moron
June 3rd, 2011
9:18 pm
KellyinWinnipeg…..if you know how we feel and you all have sympathy for us, then your city and your ownership group should have insisted on taking back your original team in Phoenix or getting an expansion team.