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Post by Carnell on Aug 23, 2006 7:55:29 GMT
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Post by KimThePanther on Aug 23, 2006 8:08:20 GMT
"This season's full fixture list is scheduled to be released on Monday of next week in the wake of a big league sponsorship announcement at the weekend."
Hasn't it been next Monday for the past three centuries?
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Post by carolle on Aug 23, 2006 8:17:20 GMT
Doubt if these games were "drawn" at all.
I think "picked" should be the word used.
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Post by Lord of the Rinks on Aug 23, 2006 8:46:27 GMT
Doubt if these games were "drawn" at all. I think "picked" should be the word used. If you look at the others apart from Manchester v Belfast, it appears to be regional. |
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scottgirlie87
Jade Galbraith
if it don't kill you, it only makes you stronger
Posts: 167
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Post by scottgirlie87 on Aug 23, 2006 8:49:37 GMT
When are the matches because on the panthers website there are only three games in the fixtures are?
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MP
Paul Adey
Hail hurts and rain is cold. Summer in the mountains
Posts: 6,811
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Post by MP on Aug 23, 2006 9:10:23 GMT
I think "picked" should be the word used. Ooohh Carolle - you cynic!  ;D ;D |
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Shorty
Paul Adey
Still here for Private Messages
Posts: 6,636
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Post by Shorty on Aug 23, 2006 9:24:45 GMT
Oh crud. On holiday that week :-(
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Shaggy
Forum Moderator 
Am I a cynical idealist or an idealistic cynic?
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Post by Shaggy on Aug 23, 2006 9:39:08 GMT
Not impressed. First of all - I'm with Carolle on this one.... there's no way this match-up was "drawn".... here we go again, let's pick Nottingham and Sheffield to face each other.... AGAIN! <yawn> Secondly - so it's true... 4 teams are automatically through to CC quarter-finals, the other 6 have group games to qualify. What a load of cobblers.... all should be equal. It's a farce.... Thirdly - ANOTHER freaking week to wait for the fixtures?  I suppose I should be grateful that they've actually given us a date, but I'm not. This is nothing short of incompetent stupidity on the part of the league..... however good the sponsorship deal may be, it does not justify this delay in releasing the fixtures. If there is any reduction in away travel this season, the league have only themselves to blame. On some things, I think the EIHL have been making improvements... but quite obviously they still have a LONG way to go! |
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sunbeam
David Clarke
The Panthers don't do league titles. Not even Carlsberg can manage that!
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Post by sunbeam on Aug 23, 2006 9:40:09 GMT
So some teams play a Q/F to go through to the semis and some are in a three-team group stage? Sounds a tad bonkers. Neil Black must have been so relieved when he got Sheffield rather that end up in a group with Edinburgh and Hull. Phew! After all it is a bigger rivalry than anything in Russia, Scandinavia, Germany etc. I wonder who the new league sponsor is........  |
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Post by dodit on Aug 23, 2006 13:00:16 GMT
Not impressed. First of all - I'm with Carolle on this one.... there's no way this match-up was "drawn".... here we go again, let's pick Nottingham and Sheffield to face each other.... AGAIN! <yawn> Secondly - so it's true... 4 teams are automatically through to CC quarter-finals, the other 6 have group games to qualify. What a load of cobblers.... all should be equal. It's a farce.... Thirdly - ANOTHER freaking week to wait for the fixtures? I suppose I should be grateful that they've actually given us a date, but I'm not. This is nothing short of incompetent stupidity on the part of the league..... however good the sponsorship deal may be, it does not justify this delay in releasing the fixtures. If there is any reduction in away travel this season, the league have only themselves to blame. On some things, I think the EIHL have been making improvements... but quite obviously they still have a LONG way to go! I agree with everything you said shaggy. Also on the groups i think that it should be 5 in a group and the top 2 go through to make it a whole lot easier and fair on all the teams. |
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Shaggy
Forum Moderator
Am I a cynical idealist or an idealistic cynic?
Posts: 10,995
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Post by Shaggy on Aug 23, 2006 13:06:01 GMT
Not impressed. First of all - I'm with Carolle on this one.... there's no way this match-up was "drawn".... here we go again, let's pick Nottingham and Sheffield to face each other.... AGAIN! <yawn> Secondly - so it's true... 4 teams are automatically through to CC quarter-finals, the other 6 have group games to qualify. What a load of cobblers.... all should be equal. It's a farce.... Thirdly - ANOTHER freaking week to wait for the fixtures? I suppose I should be grateful that they've actually given us a date, but I'm not. This is nothing short of incompetent stupidity on the part of the league..... however good the sponsorship deal may be, it does not justify this delay in releasing the fixtures. If there is any reduction in away travel this season, the league have only themselves to blame. On some things, I think the EIHL have been making improvements... but quite obviously they still have a LONG way to go! I agree with everything you said shaggy. Also on the groups i think that it should be 5 in a group and the top 2 go through to make it a whole lot easier and fair on all the teams. I suppose that there could be the argument that not all of the teams could get ice time to allow group games in 2 groups of five.... to be honest, I don't see that as a valid reason. If ice time is such a problem (possible with 10 teams now in the league, 27 league home games) then I for one would prefer to see the first league games against each team being also counted as the CC group games, as has happened in the past. This announced setup just seems too patchwork to me. |
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andyd
Ken Westman
THE logo!
Posts: 2,719
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Post by andyd on Aug 23, 2006 14:27:12 GMT
These are all the QF's just that two QF's are straight games and two are effectively being played between three teams...only the top one in each three team group will "qualify" for the SF's along with the winners of the two team ties.
Utterly barmy...someone in British hockey is crawling around on the floor looking for their marbles. Nothing new there.
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Post by spik on Aug 23, 2006 14:38:17 GMT
Thats how I read it 'andyd' TWO games to give TWO semi's.
TWO groups of THREE and the top of each group make the other TWO semis.
Bonkers and unrealistic as an even contest.
No to this , NO to anything that these people EVER arrange.
one.....have , maybe, 4 teams play out a first round to determine who joins the other 6 in a quarter start...or
two.....TWO five team groups...or
three...one group of 4 and TWO groups of 3 teams
Is this too simple or what?
Would like to se this draw and then see the remaining teams names in the hat after it.
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Post by dirtyden on Aug 23, 2006 14:39:02 GMT
How do these people in charge think up these things, it's so poor it beggars belief.Brewery and drinking come to mind.
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Post by Rumpole on Aug 23, 2006 14:56:40 GMT
I can see both sides of the argument. The problems with Cardiff's rink; the availability of arena's (don't forget Belfast didn't enter the CC last year because of this problem);
2 groups of 5 means 8 matches per team if each plays the others home and away, meaning 20 matches per group needing to be arranged. I agree that doubling some matches up for both league and cup purposes would reduce this, but I would have preferred to see last season's semifinalists seeded, with the other 6 teams being drawn for 2 preliminary matches and 2 byes to provide the other quarter finalists.
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sunbeam
David Clarke
The Panthers don't do league titles. Not even Carlsberg can manage that!
Posts: 3,862
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Post by sunbeam on Aug 23, 2006 15:33:15 GMT
Bar maybe Belfast and Manchester, this system has been purely devised to maximise income for all the teams. Everybody knows that Panthers and Sheffield are determined to play each other 8 times a season. It's been debated on here many times.
Panthers and Sheffield are happy with the £££ on offer and the other teams get two home games instead of one.
For the owners they are more concerned with a system that makes cents rather than sense. It is just a shame that they can't be honest about it instead of pretending this was an open draw.
I wouldn't blame Sheffield fans if they are wondering if the coin toss went,
'tails and we play in Sheffield on Friday, heads and it's Nott'm on Saturday'!!
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Post by spik on Aug 23, 2006 18:09:44 GMT
Sunbeam....Correct.
Rumpole.....I agree but no byes for last years cometition finalists.Thats last year , this is another season and no leg ups are needed. Just draw up 4 names to play out a first round.
The two leagues of 5 neither need to play everyone. You play those in your group twice (once at home and once away) giving you 8 games in total before a semi. Anyone who prefers that method arranged by Elite rather than this I will eat my hat.
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Post by Heanor Lair on Aug 23, 2006 18:54:21 GMT
A little bird tells me that 2 people ( 1 from Shuff and 1 from Nottingham) encouraged whoever was making the draw, to make sure that Shuff and Nottm were drawn against each other.
Obviously its a blatant money making exercise.
But they won't be getting my money, the bookies in Northern Ireland will be getting my money that weekend, because I'm off to Belfast to the DownRoyal Racecourse for the All Ireland race meeting ;D
Regards
HL
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Adam
Chick Zamick
Posts: 7,519
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Post by Adam on Aug 23, 2006 19:45:10 GMT
This is what Mr S*mms wrote on Steel Talk...
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MP
Paul Adey
Hail hurts and rain is cold. Summer in the mountains
Posts: 6,811
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Post by MP on Aug 24, 2006 0:12:47 GMT
Have to agree with Dave Simms on this one.
This CC format is far from desirable but I can sympathise with the various clubs and their needs and aspirations. At the end of the day, all teams need to make enough money to keep afloat and give us some hockey to watch.
It would be great to be able to take an overview of British hockey and put everything to rights, but in reality it's still a hand to mouth existence for just about every club in this country - they have to get money in from the paying public to keep going.
I'd like to see the Challenge Cup become more akin to the Autumn Cup of yore, and shorten the League program to accommodate it.
Fixtures are a real headache no matter how you look at it. The arena based teams (some at least) would prefer a shortened fixture list whereas some rink based teams would be happy to play more games.
As ever in British hockey, there's no easy solutions.
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Post by spik on Aug 24, 2006 8:21:40 GMT
MP....Your so right about the CUP needing to be made more of a cometition akin to the old AUTUMN CUP. So there is no excuse for doing things the way they have. Lessen the league, make a GOOD Cup competition and let those wanting extra games arrange something else.
Rubbish as regards Mr.Simms saying that we dont know what hard work goes on behind the scenes. He does not know his ice hockey fans.
WE do know that things are always harder than assumed , that things have to be worked on, I know that because of the things I have done in the past the tables are turned and the 'Professional' Officials do just as he states, scorn or even worse ignore people.
Yes , people work hard but when they do just as they please, rather than whats for the best.People are going to complain.
If the people who buy into this product go away I am afraid it's from their decisions.
One season we get a thrown in British Cup tournament. Then the next season when an additional tournament to surfice the clubs wanting 'extra. games can be put in....it is not done , in favour of 'building' up some rediculous made up schedule.
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Post by keefe a.k.a Donk on Aug 24, 2006 8:23:29 GMT
ive got a better idea.... why dont we have the captains from each team turn up to one arena, and stand centre ice. Someone from the EIHL can come out with 10 straws, 8 of which are short, so the 2 teams that pick the long straw then play each other in the final. Before this event, all captains should be briefed that 2 straws will be a different colour, one gold and one orange... these straws are only to be picked by the nottingham and sheffield captain repectively.... suprise suprise, the two coloured straws are the long ones, and hey presto we have ourselves a completely unplaned, accidental, innocent nottingham v sheffield challenge cup final cutting out all the rubbish qualifying bit.
Then we can hold the final in london, and have the confetti pour down with 3 seconds left to go, and it will be like the good old days!!!!
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sunbeam
David Clarke
The Panthers don't do league titles. Not even Carlsberg can manage that!
Posts: 3,862
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Post by sunbeam on Aug 24, 2006 10:02:35 GMT
At least Simms is being honest. Why couldn't the Panthers had said something similar? If this is the most suitable format then say so. Don't spin it into something it ain't.
Bottom-line is that it's the end of August and the fans still don't know the fixtures. Hell, the fans don't even know how many competitions there are going to be this season....
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Post by spik on Aug 24, 2006 16:50:04 GMT
I guess (I hope) it will be the CUP , Laegue and Play-Offs as it should be. Bar the inclusion of a new Cup made up part of the way through a season or some rule change or decided made when certain moves have been made.....things that normally go with this sport these days. Oh, but then again we are to either expect/accept ot know there was nothing better an option because say anything and your a mere supporter who should know better.
But thats the point....we are never told anything.
As you say sunbeam saying something is better than nothing.
Perhaps, 'we are awaiting news of Cardiff before we go ahead with fixtures' or 'Some teams want more fixtures and others cant meet any more within schedule already made, thus ALL teams have agreed to a Cup quarter as stated'.......NO, leave us in the dark, let us mull then complain then assume then officials can come out the woodwork and scald us.
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;D ;D
