dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Feb 11, 2018 20:36:01 GMT
I reckon we might get the old "if you score 3 away from home you should be getting a point" after tonight.
Faryna scoring 4 is pretty telling to me. After his last season he's exactly the sort of player Panthers should've gone all out for. But we'll have been outbid. By a team with an already far more expensive squad. With a 3,000 capacity arena.
Instead, we have to sign a completely new to the league team every season because it's cheaper.
The Cardiff owners do my head in, because they're exactly what I want at Panthers - and the antithesis of Black.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Feb 8, 2018 21:57:39 GMT
The problem is that in Black and GM's eyes we're not failing. Look at our average attendances.
This is entertainment, not competitive sport - everyone just needs to accept that and either live with it, or stop going (as I have).
It goes far wider than Panthers. The CC pairings being decided mid-season to ensure that the arena clubs avoid each other and maximise gate receipts. The POFW seedings seemingly being made up as they go along to ensure the big teams make the final. The consistently bizarre DOPS rulings. The plastic supermarket bag with the "dubious balls" for the CC draw.
Can you imagine the FA getting to the 5th round of the FA Cup and announcing that teams can now choose who they want to play? Or Shearer pulling the same ball out of a Sainsbury's bag twice in a draw?
It sounds ridiculous when you think about it, but that's what it is. The infamous quote from Todd Kelman, who is pretty influential in the running of the league these days, tells you all you need to know - "we're not competing with other sports teams for people's money, we're competing with the cinema and X Factor" (or words to that effect). And that's how the league is run.
As I say, accept it or move on. As horrible as it is, the 100 or so people on the Cage are never going to drown out the 6,000 in the arena who are there instead of watching X Factor...
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Feb 4, 2018 21:02:04 GMT
Great hit in the first period, rolled back the years a bit. Can’t get him away from the loudest part of the whole arena though...! The Hull accent is really odd. I always thought it was in Yorkshire but I've just found it's in Canada isn't it? www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Hull,+Gatineau,+QC,+Canada/@45.4300994,-75.7248013,15.26z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x4cce034729c5d671:0x6ed9ec6df9522dc0!8m2!3d45.428731!4d-75.7133658?hl=en
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Feb 4, 2018 9:00:54 GMT
The uni deals are just another way for Black to save some money. Get the “franchise” players in on uni deals, so all you have to pay for is the fillers. Perfect.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Feb 2, 2018 21:08:56 GMT
This captain who gets told what to say by the media guy who is new to Ice Hockey? “Bad loss wasn’t it Stevie” “Yeah it was” “Galbraiths good normally isn’t he Stevie” “Yeah he is” ”Not looking good is it Stevie” “No it’s not” Can’t think why this team can’t get motivated?! It usually goes.... “Now,didn’t really go to plan eh Stevie” “Definitely” “Now,didn’t get the bounces Stevie” “Definitely” “Now,I bet the guys are itching to put it right tomorrow eh Stevie” “Definitely” “Now,I guess it’s one game at a time Stevie” “Definitely” “Now,that was just like yesterday Stevie” “Definitely” “Now,in fact it was just like last year Stevie” “Definitely” 🙄🙄 You missed off: "Apparently there are good seats still available Stevie" "Definitely" "Would you say that the louder the roar, the bigger the score Stevie?" "Definitely"
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Feb 2, 2018 21:06:09 GMT
WOW! If I were a player in his team I would be absolutely inspired by that!! He's a legend!
Blimey. And where's that accent come from? Stevie, you're from Hull - stop trying to sound like you're from Saskatoon. I work with plenty of people from other nations, but I don't start to talk like them.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Feb 1, 2018 20:17:54 GMT
To be honest I thought the 20 games was very harsh!
The 6 for the bit on the ice seemed like much ado about very little - yes he left the bench, but it was the end of the game, and he didn't even fight anyone - in fact, kept his gloves on the whole time. It's not like he's completely lost it and started beating down on people. Put it this way - that part of this incident and Fretter got the same ban...
Then for the 14 games for punching the fan, yes he was obviously very wrong, but the DOPS explanation doesn't tally with the video they're supposedly describing at all. Like him moving his stick from one hand to the other apparently to get his fist free to punch the fan. At that point I don't think he's even seen the fan, let alone heard him, and I'm pretty sure he changes hands to open the door, as every player always does as they leave the ice.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 26, 2018 21:43:22 GMT
Amidst the increasingly poor, increasingly bizarre articles about Panthers' season, this is surely the cream of the crop. This is Corey explaining the standard pre-Christmas demise this season. In summary, his explanation is that it's not because of injuries and...well, that's about it. The best he seems to come up with is that "Nottingham is Nottingham". Anybody any idea what that means? I'm not sure what this article was getting at, but I wish Matt Davies would either push for answers and be a proper journalist or not bother at all. This type of article serves no purpose other than the further bemusement and confusion of fans. www.nottinghampost.com/sport/other-sport/injuries-cost-recent-years-dont-1126366
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 20, 2018 21:26:24 GMT
Will do guys. In all seriousness, as much as I enjoyed that period, it leaves me with a feeling of frustration as to what might have been. We’ve no doubt got a bad period on us though as usual so even at 4-0 it could still be a bumpy ride. Yes, what might have been. The frustration is that since December we never know which Panthers team would turn up. We clearly lack consistency. Key questions to ask 1) why is this so?, 2) Why does it keep repeating (Yes, us supporters have noticed it for few seasons now!) 3) How to stop it? Basic questions people! Us supporters don't want to lose interest, nor stop supporting, but the team management has been letting us down, repeatedly. I'm sorry but our form hasn't lacked consistency at all - it's been very consistent. It's not like we're winning 7-0 and then losing 7-0 the next game. We're generally just losing - pretty consistently.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 19, 2018 21:48:56 GMT
What I would like to see, and there is no chance what so ever of this ever happening, is teams that do run a surplus and there are probably a few, I would like those team to invest that money into either the leagues infrastructure or development structure. Put money into the Junior game or the national team. . This type of arrangement has been discussed by Black etc in the past. And it's similar to the EPL's old "luxury tax" whereby there was a wage cap, which you could break if you wanted to, but for every pound over the wage cap spent, the club would have to pay into the league kitty which was used to prop up the smaller teams. It was suggested for the Elite league, but the Black/Moran argument was "why should we work so hard to fill our arena just to subsidise the Edinburghs of the league who do nothing to promote their product?". I can kinda see their point, but it's a very simplistic viewpoint and it's difficult to believe it's not driven by Black wanting to get richer. Imagine if the top 6 in the Premier League took that stand and didn't share the TV money.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 19, 2018 17:54:38 GMT
Interesting topic.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that Black doesn’t spend anything like what he could do and pockets the remainder. But he’s a businessman with no emotional attachment to Panthers and knows that crowds are increasing regardless of how bad we are. Why would he spend more? If people here, Nottingham born and bred, saw a club from a city they had no affiliation with, in a sport they know nothing about and don’t care about come up for sale with a big fan base, a shiny new arena/stadium on the horizon which you weren’t going to have to pay for etc etc, would you do any different? It’s a business for him - never going to be anything different.
Regarding whether the whole thing’s fixed, I can see where people are coming from. I admit there have been games early in seasons when the referees have been so unbelievably biased against us that it was difficult to believe the result wasn’t pre-determined to a degree. I remember a game against Belfast a few years ago and walking out saying “the league have decided it’s their turn then”....and they did win it! Probably a total coincidence and just a bad refereeing performance but the fact I even thought it, and that this thread is already two pages long, says it all.
And there are easily ways we could “manage the players” priorities to ensure they didn’t compete in the league. For a start, NA players don’t value the league. It’d be very easy to tell the players “the play offs are the most important thing for this club” and they’d think that was entirely normal.
And this could be done subconsciously too - organising nights out during the season, allowing them to stay out late in Belfast, making training start later in the morning than they’re used to etc. That sort of culture will very quickly influence the players’ level of commitment without them ever questioning their own integrity and professionalism.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 16, 2018 21:28:15 GMT
The most disappointing thing is that it looks like it’s going to be another huge crowd. And there’s the problem - that’s why all of these things we complain about continue and will never stop.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 14, 2018 10:16:53 GMT
That’s a good point actually. We’ve been VERY lucky with injuries this season. Just as well really or there’s no way we’d be making the play offs.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 13, 2018 21:38:54 GMT
Well it's between Devils, Giants and Flyers for the title. And only one of those wasn't completely obvious when you saw the rosters signed at the start of the season.
Panthers playing for a play off position now - best is 4th, worst is probably 7th.
Well done Corey, Black and GM - another cracking season for Panthers' 6,000 fans!!
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 13, 2018 7:35:05 GMT
Back to the Shalla replacement. There’s no point now is there? Might slightly improve our chances in the CC and play offs but they’re such a lottery anyway it barely seems worth the gamble.
Nice one Panthers - another season done and dusted in December.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 10, 2018 20:22:05 GMT
And I've no idea what he's planning to teach, but presumably he won't be able to teach French because he's not French, never be able to teach history because he wasn't alive when it happened, never be able to teach science because he's never been a scientist.....
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 10, 2018 10:25:15 GMT
Another angle to this Oakford/Green thing is that it just typifies the cushy, pampered nature of the entire Panthers organisation - and, in fact, UK hockey in general.
Imagine if there was an equivalent to Match of the Day over here, where very highly regarded former pros spent hours on end highlighting every tiny mistake they made. Or if the press weren’t controlled by GM and actually asked tough questions and criticised. It’s not just Panthers either - look at Fitzgerald’s grump about Westerdale daring to criticise their heavy loss in Belfast. And that wasn’t particularly scathing by any means - basically just said they looked tired after such a long run of games and lacked discipline.
Or is this just a problem with modern society??
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 9, 2018 17:09:42 GMT
Yeah I’d say that if you’re upset by fans being annoyed with an 8 game losing streak then professional sport is probably not for you. I don’t think people like him realise how easy they have it playing hockey in the UK. Adored by some fans regardless of results or how good you are (and if you can’t accept criticism from fans then you also can’t accept praise), very little pressure (as McGrattan continually mentioned as a big plus) and huge job security and certainty.
I remember my first NHL game at NY. The netminder was pulled because they were losing and was replaced by an 18 year old rookie making his debut. He made a mistake which cost a goal and almost the entire 17k crowd turned on him, booing, jeering and shouting abuse at him. I’d like to see Oakford’s reaction to that!
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 6, 2018 18:48:09 GMT
The thing that’s interesting with this is that Black and Moran will have pound signs in their eyes thinking how amazing it is that they’re maximising revenue from every single fan. The thing they don’t account for is how many fans this puts off. I’ve spoken to many very long term fans who fell out of love with it because of exactly this. So whilst they might get an extra few quid out of some “customers”, they’ve lost a load of paying fans... Very old fashioned.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
DOPS
Jan 4, 2018 22:17:24 GMT
Post by dp on Jan 4, 2018 22:17:24 GMT
Hard to argue with the latest one from DOPS... that video shows what a complete and utter tosspot Jay Rosehill actually is - including clips showing the reasons for his previous suspensions (of which the one against Sheffield was easily the least offensive). DOPS on RosehillIt also backs up what I've said about Finnerty as a coach right from the start - well before this season - that he recruits and encourages goons & idiots... after all, Finnerty knew what Rosehill was like at Braehead and still brought him along with him to Manchester. Quite frankly, British ice hockey would be much better off without either of those idiots involved in any way whatsoever. Just goes to show it's all about opinions! As you were writing this, I was writing that I thought the suspension was crazy! Agree about Finnerty though....
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 4, 2018 22:15:48 GMT
Another joke review on Rosehill today. Has he upset Tony Smith or something??
DOPS is just killing the EIHL.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Jan 1, 2018 17:14:34 GMT
DOPS decision to ban Rosehill for the game against Sheffield today is a very strange one. Their explanation of the ban is extremely over the top and that type play/hit happens every game. At most it is 2+10 for checking from behind with an additional 2 mins for interference, it has never been worthy of a game ban. It begs the questions, are the league using the independent panel still and have their been other influences to get Rosehill banned to stop it from being a blood bath? Yeah this is bizarre. Again, VERY difficult to believe the league is being run independently when this type of decision continually happens, and continually happens in Sheffield's favour. It's not a dangerous play. He doesn't go in full blooded at all - it's a gentle shove, happens all the time. And it may be close to the boards but it's not hard enough to be able to cause any harm against the boards. Put it this way - compare it to Shudra's on Lee - no contest as to which is worse, more dangerous, more reckless, more likely to cause injury, more against the rules....
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Dec 29, 2017 21:08:41 GMT
The thing with all of this though....look at the "On Ice" section of the Panthers website. Look at the forwards in particular and compare them to Cardiff's - it's just nowhere near a title winning set of forwards.
But then a lot of us said that before the season started and were shouted down. I was slightly less pessimistic when we signed Perlini, but us doing even OK still relied on Clarke having an incredible season based on who else we'd signed.
Corey is rightly taking a load of the blame, but you put Lord in charge of our squad and he wouldn't be top of the league. But is it Corey's fault for poor recruitment? Black for not spending enough? GM for not spending enough? Brock Wilson's implication that GM/Black are leading to players underperforming? (which is by no means the first time I've heard that)
Who knows? All I know is that whatever the cause is, we've finished mid table for the last few seasons whilst generating the most revenue in the league.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Dec 28, 2017 21:40:43 GMT
I don't think so.....are Gagnons actions twice as bad as Fitzgeralds ? Fitzgerald jumps Gagnon. He is 3rd man in. Also breaks free from a linesman. I'd have given Gagnon 3 and Fitzgerald 2. But how does Shudra get away with nothing ? We've seen lesser checks than that incur suspensions. all Gagnon did was instigate a fight with Shudra and then roughed up Valdix a bit, he might have been aggressive with Shudra, but he doesn’t deserve 3 games for that. Exactly. Saw some people on Twitter saying "how come Fretter got 6 games for the same thing?". Well Gagnon doesn't cross check him to the back of the head for a start. This is just hockey. It's not even "old-skool hockey", it's just hockey. Someone checks your captain to the head then they have to take the consequences. And the consequences here were nothing more than the minimum you'd expect really. Same with Fitzgerald - if he'd done any less than this in retaliation then he'd have been letting his club down. Game penalties to Gagnon and Fitzgerald, possibly Match for Shudra. There also used to be a rule that you couldn't get an instigator penalty, even in the last two minutes, if it was in response to an incident that was deemed a game penalty (or match, can't remember which). That was a good rule.
|
|
dp
Jim Keyes
Posts: 966
|
Post by dp on Dec 28, 2017 21:35:35 GMT
Another rubbish statement from DOPS full of massive contradictions. Saying Gagnon started the whole incident? Just after you've clearly shown and stated that he was reacting to a check to the head on Lee?? So Shudra started it then?
|
|