Tampa Bay coach rips into Davidson and Wilson - Page 2 - Detroit Pistons Fan Community

mikhail1973 · #11 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roscoe36

Hockey doesn't sell in the south. First you don't have the tradition, and two, a lot of those teams are expansion franchises. Tough to build a ticket base with a diluted talent pool and poor finishes in the formative years of the franchise.

It is a big factor considering that they've had a fairly successful team down there.

roscoe36 · #12 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 07:49 PM

I don't believe you can sell Hockey consistently in warm weather climates. The kids don't grow up playing it, and with the advent now of satellite television and the internet, being a long distance fan of a league that doesn't exist in your city or state gets easier and easier.

Hockey is a niche sport. Like Nascar. I wish the boneheads at the League Office would show some humility, recognize it for what it is, and play to those strengths (like Nascar).

Maybe they could partner with Nascar and offer a northern circuit with bobsleds, and Nascar could make their southern drivers wear Dominik Hasek masks when they drive.

coynejeremy · #13 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 12:11 AM

What kind of moron complains about his bosses' bosses to the media? Anywhere in the world, this gets you fired. LB would have been canned before such words had time to leave his mouth.

Nemo · #14 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 09:44 AM

Always believed the NHL shoulda been limited to about 12-15 teams. Included would be Canada, The Northeastern United States, St. Louis, and <Denver>

mikhail1973 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo

Always believed the NHL shoulda been limited to about 12-15 teams. Included would be Canada, The Northeastern United States, St. Louis, and <Denver>

I'd love to see something like this:
EAST
Group 1
Boston
Buffalo
New Jersey
NY Islanders
NY Rangers

Group 2
Montreal
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Quebec
Washington

WEST
Group 1
Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota
Ottawa
Toronto

Group 2
Calgary
Edmonton
St. Louis
Vancouver
Winnipeg

8 games against the teams in your group - 32 games
6 games against the teams in your division - 20 games
2 games against the team in other division - 20 games
Total - 72 games
Problem is when we come to the playoffs. If we to have 16 teams make it to the post season, it renders the regular season practically useless since only 1 team out of the group won't make it. Cutting down to 8 teams will make for the more competitive regular season, but will shorten the playoffs.

mikhail1973 · #16 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 03:08 PM

The Winnipeg Free Press Online Edition

Quote:

THERE'S plenty about NHL economics that doesn't pass the sniff test, and the latest transactions involving the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators have the aroma of fetid cheese.

Because let's get this straight: in their 14 years of existence, the Lightning made a profit only once, in 2004, when the team won the Stanley Cup.
And in the last seven years of operating the club, owner Bill Davidson claims to have lost north of US$70 million. The previous owners lost an estimated $120 million on the Lightning.
So Davidson, who purchased the Lightning in 1999 for $115 million, is now going to unload it on a group led by former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean for an alleged price tag of $200 million?
Let's remember that Davidson is a man of substantial wealth. He's said to be worth about $3.5 billion, a fortune amassed in the auto glass industry in his hometown of Detroit, where he also owns the NBA's Pistons and the Auburn Palace. MacLean, on the other hand, is clearly a front man for a group of around eight or nine owners that have yet to all be identified. One is his friend and real estate developer Jeff Sherrin and another partner is television executive Oren Koules, who was also executive producer of the Saw horror films.

Seriously, are these the kind of guys who can afford to lose $70 million? Because unless their now silent partners are exceedingly wealthy, the framework of this proposed ownership group in Tampa is sketchy at best.

coynejeremy · #17 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail1973

The Winnipeg Free Press Online Edition

The Auburn Palace? Sheesh. It sounds like we live in a Wizard of Oz movie.

Nemo · #18 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail1973

I'd love to see something like this:
EAST
Group 1
Boston
Buffalo
New Jersey
NY Islanders
NY Rangers

Group 2
Montreal
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Quebec
Washington

WEST
Group 1
Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota
Ottawa
Toronto

Group 2
Calgary
Edmonton
St. Louis
Vancouver
Winnipeg

8 games against the teams in your group - 32 games
6 games against the teams in your division - 20 games
2 games against the team in other division - 20 games
Total - 72 games
Problem is when we come to the playoffs. If we to have 16 teams make it to the post season, it renders the regular season practically useless since only 1 team out of the group won't make it. Cutting down to 8 teams will make for the more competitive regular season, but will shorten the playoffs.

You really thought this one out................looks good.

Have a playoff with 12 teams. The division winners get a first round Bye. Teams would play hard for that................

mikhail1973 · #19 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo

You really thought this one out................looks good.

Have a playoff with 12 teams. The division winners get a first round Bye. Teams would play hard for that................

You'd have to make the first round the best-of-3, otherwise the break for the winners would be too great. It could be best-of-5, but it would be stretching it. Even if you start playoffs with 1-day break after the regular season, the division winner could be sitting for 10 days if the series goes all 5.