T1B

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Ed ... 69997.html

Beautiful news coming out of central Alberta. Nice to see the players get a tangible example of what they're doing to their once-lucrative careers.

The thing both parties (NHL and NHLPA) seem to be missing is that in the end, we are the ones holding all the cards. We are pissed off and it should scare them that we might not be back.

Get a fucking deal done before more damage is done!!

rack Red Deer...that was brilliant,800 in a 6000 seat arena.

Fans don't want to see the Ryan Smyth traveling mullet show. They want to see him in an Oilers uniform playing against the Calgary Flames. Or the Red Deer Rebels (bet they draw better than 800). Not these half assed exhibitions.

The Red Deer Rebels sell that building out on a nightly basis. Red Deer is a fairly wealthy community with a lot of hockey fans; many of whom are die-hard Oiler fans. In a normal hockey year, an exhibition like this would probably do quite well.

It's funny seeing Comrie in that picture. He's got a pair on him to do a charity game in Edmonton after what he did to the Oilers. RACK the fans for not showing up. To put it bluntly, until a deal is done, the NHLPA can go play with themselves...literally.

This means nothing, and it will only strengthen the NHLPA's position.

Sincerely,

Otis

JD wrote:The Red Deer Rebels sell that building out on a nightly basis. Red Deer is a fairly wealthy community with a lot of hockey fans; many of whom are die-hard Oiler fans. In a normal hockey year, an exhibition like this would probably do quite well.

A lot of hockey fans in a mid-sized city in Canada? Hard to believe. Seriously, I know what you mean. Usually those exhibition things are charity related and are followed by autographs and player good will. But this is hardly a normal year.

I would had prefer a 0 or 12 over a 800 but still want to rack the Red Deer hockey fans who were not at the game for making a statement by not showing up.

JD wrote:Get a fucking deal done before more damage is done!!

Damage, you said it. Spring is here and thousands of hardcore hockey Canadians fans are now realizing that they can survive through winter without hockey.

--->I'll take NHL/NHLPA fucked for 1000 Alex

~~~Daily Double!

Hapday wrote:This means nothing, and it will only strengthen the NHLPA's position.

Sincerely,

Otis

You're right about one thing... that means absolutely nothing.

Now what may have an impact is if only 800 show up to see the game in Hamilton on April 2nd.

Otis wrote:

Hapday wrote:This means nothing, and it will only strengthen the NHLPA's position.

Sincerely,

Otis

You're right about one thing... that means absolutely nothing.

Now what may have an impact is if only 800 show up to see the game in Hamilton on April 2nd.

We'll see. While Red Deer obviously doesn't represent all of Canada, the fact that they sold out for an old-timers game the night before says a lot.

Remember, Otis, that this is a Ryan Smyth and Friends thing, not a Mats Sundin and Friends thing. If they should be able to do well anywhere, it should be in the heart of their fandom at home in Alberta.

But I suppose you may have a point, as the Leaf fan lemmings in southern Ontario would probably flock to see Mats Sundin and his friends.

In a building that seats 6,000, the NHLers drew 800 - tops. About 100 of those were parents and grandparents of the 30 atom players who laced up for the first intermission and several others were 2-for-1s. It made a Road Runners game look like Woodstock.

Bet most of those 100 left after the first intermission.

Less than 12 months ago Chris Dingman was winning a Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay. Last night he was on a line with Darcy Hordichuk and Louie DeBrusk.

Bwahahahaha, maybe they should have signed up for jobs in the ECHL, Scott Gomez is on the way to league MVP for Alaska.

Smoked Meat wrote:I would had prefer a 0 or 12 over a 800 but still want to rack the Red Deer hockey fans who were not at the game for making a statement by not showing up.

JD wrote:Get a fucking deal done before more damage is done!!

Damage, you said it. Spring is here and thousands of hardcore hockey Canadians fans are now realizing that they can survive through winter without hockey.

--->I'll take NHL/NHLPA fucked for 1000 Alex

~~~Daily Double!

Fine point. We already know 95% of the U.S. never cared to begin with. But if the GWN can do without it, then the players are really screwed. A lot of miscalculations on their part. They'd be wise to get whatever they can now. Replacement training camp starts in about 5 months....

They are destroying the NHL everyday this goes UNNOTICED. I mean look at us. 8 guys or so discussing a non-existant league. The US fan is gone. ESPN coverage? The frozen 16 and that's it.

The NHL just shriveled its own balls up and withered them off the vine with this lockout.

The Winnipeg date has been cancelled. I'm not sure why, but if it has anything to do with lack of ticket sales this tour is officially a disaster. Can you name a more hockey-starved city than Winnipeg?

The Winnipeg Arena would be pretty empty, they are drawing 8500 a game for the AHL Moose.

JD wrote:Remember, Otis, that this is a Ryan Smyth and Friends thing, not a Mats Sundin and Friends thing. If they should be able to do well anywhere, it should be in the heart of their fandom at home in Alberta.

But I suppose you may have a point, as the Leaf fan lemmings in southern Ontario would probably flock to see Mats Sundin and his friends.

Perhaps JD but permit me to qualify my post by saying that I still haven't seen the lineup of players in the Ryan Smyth and Friends tour.

Whereas the lineup for the Hamilton game has been up and promoted for weeks on end now..

Plus, in all honesty, if I was going to pay to watch a charity or exhibition game I'd be more inclined to watch the stars of old rather than a group that were locked out this year.

Apparently others did as well...

Donovan wrote:The Winnipeg date has been cancelled. I'm not sure why, but if it has anything to do with lack of ticket sales this tour is officially a disaster. Can you name a more hockey-starved city than Winnipeg?

quebec city?!?

scritti wrote:

Donovan wrote:The Winnipeg date has been cancelled. I'm not sure why, but if it has anything to do with lack of ticket sales this tour is officially a disaster. Can you name a more hockey-starved city than Winnipeg?

quebec city?!?

Nope. Based on several accounts from friends and acquaintances I'd go with Winnipeg as a more hockey-starved city. Qc has gone bitter when they lost the Nords, many have grown disillusioned from that experience. However, college football has picked up quite a bit there and the sport is booming throughout the province.

Smoked Meat wrote:

scritti wrote:

Donovan wrote:The Winnipeg date has been cancelled. I'm not sure why, but if it has anything to do with lack of ticket sales this tour is officially a disaster. Can you name a more hockey-starved city than Winnipeg?

quebec city?!?

Nope. Based on several accounts from friends and acquaintances I'd go with Winnipeg as a more hockey-starved city. Qc has gone bitter when they lost the Nords, many have grown disillusioned from that experience. However, college football has picked up quite a bit there and the sport is booming throughout the province.

Hey do you think they'd be interested in buying a CFL team?

Sin,

Owners of the

Otis wrote:

Smoked Meat wrote:

scritti wrote: quebec city?!?

Nope. Based on several accounts from friends and acquaintances I'd go with Winnipeg as a more hockey-starved city. Qc has gone bitter when they lost the Nords, many have grown disillusioned from that experience. However, college football has picked up quite a bit there and the sport is booming throughout the province.

Hey do you think they'd be interested in buying a CFL team?

Sin,

Owners of the

Quite frankly, I don't think Qc wants a CFL franchise. Better chance with Moncton or Halifax.

Quote:
Randy Turner:
Free Press Sports Guy Wrote:

It time for the NHLPA to get real.

Excerpt:

But the fact remains that times and attitudes change. Just look around.
Never has the typical Canadian hockey fan been so sympathetic to an NHL owner. Never has the voice of the players union fallen on so many deaf ears. And never has the relationship between player and fan been so detached.

Now the players can blame the fans for being misinformed. They can cite the media for lack of support. They can continue to spout tired old lines about "lying" owners not worthy of their trust.
But in the end, they're going to lose. They already have.

When are they going to realize that the game doesn't need the players - the players need the game.
How do we know this? Because everytime a player retires - no matter how Great, no matter how Magnificant - another will come along to take his place. And another.
No matter what player leaves his team - no matter how revered, no matter how instumental - another will fill the void. And another.

If todays NHL player couldn't look at what transpired in Winnipeg last week, where the old legends were adored and the current ones ignored, then they're not paying attention.

Maybe they never were.
------------------------------------

You know when the very people who make a % their living off of these tards, turn on these tards, they must be tards. :wink:

BtW...Wpg drew above 12,000 for the Legends Game.

Hapday wrote:

Otis wrote:

Hapday wrote:This means nothing, and it will only strengthen the NHLPA's position.

Sincerely,

Otis

You're right about one thing... that means absolutely nothing.

Now what may have an impact is if only 800 show up to see the game in Hamilton on April 2nd.

We'll see. While Red Deer obviously doesn't represent all of Canada, the fact that they sold out for an old-timers game the night before says a lot.

20 000 in attendance... outdoors on a night with snow and a driving rain...

JD, what that says is that unlike Red Deer, people around southern Ontario were willing to look past the lockout and support the players drive to raise money for charity.
Props to them.

Exactly Otis. The people in Red Deer weren't willing to look past the players' ridiculous stance in the lockout. They voiced their opinion in the form of an empty arena. Props to them.

If they wanted to support the charities, there are other ways of doing it. No need to condemn the people in Red Deer who didn't go to the game.

Otis wrote:

Hapday wrote:

Otis wrote:You're right about one thing... that means absolutely nothing.

Now what may have an impact is if only 800 show up to see the game in Hamilton on April 2nd.

We'll see. While Red Deer obviously doesn't represent all of Canada, the fact that they sold out for an old-timers game the night before says a lot.

20 000 in attendance... outdoors on a night with snow and a driving rain...

JD, what that says is that unlike Red Deer, people around southern Ontario were willing to look past the lockout and support the players drive to raise money for charity.
Props to them.

Just as the Red Deer snub said nothing about the lockout, so did this appearence in Southern Ontario. Oh, I forgot. Southern Ontario is all that matters, right? :wink:

Hapday wrote:Just as the Red Deer snub said nothing about the lockout, so did this appearence in Southern Ontario.

I won't argue that point. You're the one that said "We'll see...", well we have seen. One small town in Alberta chose not to support a charity game put on by NHL players and a city that has longed for an NHL franchise for years chose to support their efforts to raise money for worthy causes.

Hapday wrote:Oh, I forgot. Southern Ontario is all that matters, right? :wink:

Only come election time...

Otis wrote:One small town in Alberta chose not to support a charity game put on by NHL players and a city that has longed for an NHL franchise for years chose to support their efforts to raise money for worthy causes.

That "small town in Alberta" is a city of nearly 100 000 people, and as mentioned in this thread already, is home to probably 50 000 Oiler fans. You'd think if anyone is interested in Ryan Smyth and friends, it'd be them. But they weren't.

I guess Winnipeg isn't a city that has longed for an NHL franchise for years? They snubbed Ryan Smyth too, ya know.

I think the attendance in Hamilton probably had more to do with the novelty anyhow. Not to mention Hamilton being one of the bigger union towns this country has to offer...

Otis wrote:

Hapday wrote:Oh, I forgot. Southern Ontario is all that matters, right? :wink:

Only come election time...

Not this time. :twisted:

JD wrote:
I think the attendance in Hamilton probably had more to do with the novelty anyhow. Not to mention Hamilton being one of the bigger union towns this country has to offer.

Not to poli-bastardize your point; but they did also re-elect Sheila Copout, which does say a whole bunch about their lacking in common_sense.

tough love wrote:

JD wrote:
I think the attendance in Hamilton probably had more to do with the novelty anyhow. Not to mention Hamilton being one of the bigger union towns this country has to offer.

Not to poli-bastardize your point; but they did also re-elect Sheila Copout, which does say a whole bunch about their lacking in common_sense.

RACK!!