I understand that but we have to be realistic. The odds of the NHL expanding beyond even 30 teams doesn't seem very likely and even if they did ATL would not be one of the front runners. We also have to realize that Atlanta has had 2 cracks at the NHL and both times the end result was the team packing up and heading north of the border. Minor league hockey has had some success in the Atlanta area, the Atlanta Knights drew very well in the few seasons they were here and won the Turner Cup and the Gwinnett Gladiators have always been in the top 5 in attendance and have made the playoffs in 7 out of 9 seasons and even managed to make it to the finals in 2006. I'm sure there are many cities that have supported minor league hockey for decades that would love a crack at the NHL(Milwaukee comes to mind) so the odds are certainly stacked against Atlanta getting a third try so I am just going to take whatever cards are dealt.
I understand the odds are next to nothing that we get a third shot (or first REAL shot with competent ownership). I also agree minor-league hockey is better than no hockey.
All I'm saying is that I will NEVER accept that mantra that Atlanta is merely a minor-league market.
You can see me as Sisyphus or some crackpot if you like, but I will NEVER stop advocating Atlanta's case as an NHL market, even if I never live to see us get the fair shot we deserve.
I will not let those (people) at A$G and (Bettman and the BOG who allowed them to destroy us as a market) break me.
Last edited by Trade Legwand: 03-24-2012 at 09:24 AM.
Reason: Filter
As would I. Did you ever go see the Knights? Fun, cheap, and they won more games than they lost. I'm done supporting the NHL in Atlanta. If they somehow get another NHL team(anything can happen)I'll go when somebody gives me a ticket.
I was there the night the Knights won the Turner Cup- the Omni was absolutely rocking- the building couldn't have been any louder if it had been the Stanley Cup final- those were some good times- we had the Bulls in Birmingham and the Knights in Atlanta- saw a TON of hockey during those days.
Before the Jets came back, I really liked cheering for Nashville. I liked the structure of the organization, the drafting strategy, they way the prospects are developed, and especially the crowds. I thought that if Winnipeg ever got a team back that Nashville would be an excellent organization to emulate.
I understand that there is a lot of hate for Winnipeg here, but I would hope that people can understand that a few internet tough guys who claim to be from Winnipeg and post anonymously on forums do not represent an entire community.
If that was so, and we took the worst internet poster on every forum as an indication of their city, which city would be immune?
Anyway, I do really hope that Nashville has a long playoff run this year. Well run organizations deserve it. I just hope at some point people can stop using the horrible actions of a small group of people, to color their perception of a much larger group.
I understand that there is a lot of hate for Winnipeg here, but I would hope that people can understand that a few internet tough guys who claim to be from Winnipeg and post anonymously on forums do not represent an entire community.
I believe that most levelheaded Atlanta fans don't blame Winnipeg or TNSE, at least from what I see anyway. The market as a whole sees ASG as a giant joke and it continues with their mismanagement of the Hawks.
I admittedly have been rooting against the Jets (though Thorby, Burmi, and Enstrom continue to be my favorite players), however it's just out of jealousy.
As a new chapter has begun, I've been very happy with my new favorite team. The fanbase has been great and my few visits to Nashville have been awesome. I'm heading up for tomorrows game and I can't wait!
I understand the odds are next to nothing that we get a third shot (or first REAL shot with competent ownership). I also agree minor-league hockey is better than no hockey.
All I'm saying is that I will NEVER accept that mantra that Atlanta is merely a minor-league market.
You can see me as Sisyphus or some crackpot if you like, but I will NEVER stop advocating Atlanta's case as an NHL market, even if I never live to see us get the fair shot we deserve.
I will not let those (people) at A$G and (Bettman and the BOG who allowed them to destroy us as a market) break me.
I'd like to believe the NHL can work here too because i've seen just how nuts Philips can get(I was at a game against the Sabres in I believe March of the 06-07 season when the Thrashers won in OT and the place erupted). I remember listening to part of game 1 of the playoffs on the radio and hearing just how loud the LETS GO THRASHERS chant was and thinking to myself how I wished I could of been there. That said there would nothing wrong with having 3 major league franchises and 1 strong minor league franchise in hockey. Hell I even think the Knights outdrew the Atlanta Hawks when they both shared the Omni. Either way lets support the Glads and hope maybe an AHL team comes sometime in the near future. Oh another thing is we as fans need to push the Atlanta media into covering the Gladiators, put pressure on 680 or 790 AM to pick up the Glads so their games can reach a bigger audience and thus hopefully attract more people into the arena.
Last edited by Trade Legwand: 03-24-2012 at 09:26 AM.
Reason: Edited quote
I don't really have too much problem with that interview. He said he was excited to go (blah blah usual stuff). He said the guys would see the difference in playing in front of a sold out crowd and and an empty building. Coming from Chicago, he knows what it's like to play in front of an exciting crowd. I didn't take it as a slam on the fans and I'm usually pretty sensitive about that. I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as what Ladd said "there were nights when the building was empty and we wished we weren't there."
Byfuglien didn't rip Atlanta, but did say he was glad to play in front of "real" fans And that playing in a packed house would make the players play better. Note to Byfuglien your getting paid millions of dollars to play hard every night and the house may have been packed more often if you gave more effort when it wasn't. Fans didn't want to pay hard earned money to see you give half an effort!!!
Byfuglien didn't rip Atlanta, but did say he was glad to play in front of "real" fans And that playing in a packed house would make the players play better. Note to Byfuglien your getting paid millions of dollars to play hard every night and the house may have been packed more often if you gave more effort when it wasn't. Fans didn't want to pay hard earned money to see you give half an effort!!!
What interview was that? I hate to put him on my "bad list" but absolutely will. Last summer was so miserable for us Thrashers fans. Anytime there was an interview I held my breath listening hoping they didn't bash us.
i certainly don't hate winnipeg the city or their fans. there are quite a few that annoy the hell out of me but i know that isn't everyone and that all fan bases have those. i despise the team itself, but that's really just because it's easier to hate it than to try to like it in another city. honestly in two seasons i'll probably be indifferent to it. by that time there's a good chance that some of enstrom, slater, thorburn, hainsey, and little will be gone. then it'll just be another team to me really. a couple players i like, a couple i don't, and otherwise a lot of indifference.
Quote:
Originally Posted by videofarmer
I was at the next to the last Glads home game last Friday. I went to the Kelly Cup Finals when the Aces won the series in 2005. If they end up facing off in the finals again this season, I may have to go.
Truthfully though it's a little tough for me to follow the Glads game to game. The players change a lot and I can't keep up. I miss Vigilante and Schell! I also just don't get as excited as I don't feel invested in the team.
i grew up, hockey wise, on brad schell, guillaume desbiens, dave caruso, colton fretter and jon awe. i remember milan gajic's tying goal in the last game of the eastern conference finals the year they went to the finals as my favorite hockey moment besides kovalchuk's goal in the playoffs.
Me and the wife will be going. I'll be in my old, old Bondra or Heatley Jersey and she'll be in a Jets Clitsome jersey. She made me get her that as soon as she heard that poor guy's name.
Like much of the season, I'll probably be cheering for both teams.
Really excited to see Radulov!
We're in section 115.
What time do warmups start?
Me and the wife will be going. I'll be in my old, old Bondra or Heatley Jersey and she'll be in a Jets Clitsome jersey. She made me get her that as soon as she heard that poor guy's name.
Like much of the season, I'll probably be cheering for both teams.
Really excited to see Radulov!
We're in section 115.
What time do warmups start?
I'm honestly not sure about the TIME warm ups start, but I just know that when the countdown clock in the arena hits 16:00 they come out lol
Me and the wife will be going. I'll be in my old, old Bondra or Heatley Jersey and she'll be in a Jets Clitsome jersey. She made me get her that as soon as she heard that poor guy's name.
Like much of the season, I'll probably be cheering for both teams.
Really excited to see Radulov!
We're in section 115.
What time do warmups start?
Glad I won't be the only one with mild schizo-cheering problems today! I'll be wearing my BatBird Thrashers jersey and my son will be wearing the light blue one. On the road right now. We'll be there for warm-ups!
The league was so ready to be rid of ASG they were willing to sacrifice the Atlanta market. My point is, it should have never been allowed to get to that point. By the time they showed Savard the door, it was obvious to anyone with two good eyes that this was more than just bad asset management. These people set out to ruin the product and drive the fans away so they could be rid of the Thrashers. The league let them get away with it while saving a doomed team in the desert for just one more season. It's hard to imagine another major league pulling such a stunt.
ATL got thrown under the bus for the NHL to try and save face on the whole PHX fiasco IMHO.
