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Post by stratford on Sept 25, 2010 13:25:45 GMT -4
its not the atmosphere at the ccc. you see this happen quite often, a team is in a rut, then goes on the road and comes out of it. maybe it is the oressure of playing at home, not sure what it is, but it happens in all sports, pro or amateur Nope, I'm pretty sure it's the atmosphere of playing in front of the most negative home crowd in the league!! And seeing that only 1100 locals care enough to come out and watch in a building that seats over 3000. Put this Rocket franchise in Sydney for the past 8 years and see how the home crowd reacts
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Post by 2forroughing on Sept 25, 2010 15:44:34 GMT -4
any highlights of this game?
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Post by L'il Boy on Sept 25, 2010 18:42:03 GMT -4
Nope, I'm pretty sure it's the atmosphere of playing in front of the most negative home crowd in the league!! And seeing that only 1100 locals care enough to come out and watch in a building that seats over 3000. It seems to me that you don't mind drinking or playing hockey with some of those "poison" fans, when you're around these parts, or when they're around your parts.
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Post by Deer on Sept 25, 2010 23:20:53 GMT -4
Nope, I'm pretty sure it's the atmosphere of playing in front of the most negative home crowd in the league!! And seeing that only 1100 locals care enough to come out and watch in a building that seats over 3000. It seems to me that you don't mind drinking or playing hockey with some of those "poison" fans, when you're around these parts, or when they're around your parts. Damn right I don't. ;D Just because I'm friends with a select number of Rocket fans I've had the pleasure of meeting doesn't mean my opinion changes of the entire atmosphere/culture going on in the PEI Rocket organization. Granted, your guys' team looked good this weekend. But the Rocket have come to CB and looked good on weekend back-to-backs before, only for the season to still end up getting screwed up.
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Post by Deer on Sept 25, 2010 23:23:01 GMT -4
any highlights of this game? Unfortunately there aren't - the proper equipment wasn't in place, there were a few snags this opening weekend what with the new renovations in our building. As many of you saw on the Friday night Eastlink broadcast, the Paradis-Duffy-Nestrasil line was dominant... and was again on Saturday. Paradis and Nestrasil with excellent first two games as Rocket players.
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Post by L'il Boy on Sept 26, 2010 8:54:15 GMT -4
Damn right I don't. ;D Just because I'm friends with a select number of Rocket fans I've had the pleasure of meeting doesn't mean my opinion changes of the entire atmosphere/culture going on in the PEI Rocket organization. Granted, your guys' team looked good this weekend. But the Rocket have come to CB and looked good on weekend back-to-backs before, only for the season to still end up getting screwed up. Odd.......yesterday, you painted all Rocket fans with the same brush.....making it seem as if it were our fault....... It does seem all the Rocket needed was to get away from the poison atmosphere of their home rink and home fanbase! ;D Nope, I'm pretty sure it's the atmosphere of playing in front of the most negative home crowd in the league!! And seeing that only 1100 locals care enough to come out and watch in a building that seats over 3000. Not one word was mentioned about the Rocket organization.....just a crticism of PEI fans. But, as stratford said, take the Rocket out of PEI, and put them in Cape Breton for the last 8 years, and tell us that you wouldn't be negative. Personally, I'd rather spend 2-3 hours at the CCC with the "most negative home crowd in the league"......every one of those "poison" fans.....than spend 5 minutes talking hockey with you, because, clearly, you have no idea what it's like to be a Rocket fan.....to wallow in mediocrity, year after year, while other teams have winning seasons and long playoff runs (unless, of course, you're a Maple Leafs fan)
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Post by countryboy on Sept 26, 2010 13:29:53 GMT -4
On the topic of living in glass houses and throwing stones.....
CB fans have had their own burden they carry, so to speak regarding their team.
Despite seeming to have a contender nearly every year (save for this year) they can't get it accomplished in the playoffs.
Their fans have had their heart strings snapped on more than one occasion as their strong squads have failed to reach championship status.
Last year they inexplicably loaded up for a run despite strong horses Saint John and Moncton (who brought back Riopel at the trading period). Instead of conceeding and selling many prized assets (Adam, MacNeil) to support the future Memorial Cup bid, they went out and acquired Lagace, Legault and Dion, finished 3rd in the division bowed out after 5 playoff games in Round 1 (same as mediocre old us).
In 08-09 they had 96 points, 2nd in the division and had a strong squad (Slaney, Culligan, Haddad, MacNeil... Roy in net) and bowed out in round 2 to Quebec in a 7 game marathon series.
In 07-08, with 16 y/o Roy in net they overachieved and finished with 86 points... 3 back of the division lead (Halifax and SJ tied) before bowing out to rival Halifax in rd. 2.
In 06-07, Cape Breton was 2nd in the division behind eventual Presidents Cup winner Lewiston. They had future NHLer Pavalec in the net and guys like Fergus, Ouellet and James Sheppard. This strong lineup took them all the way to game 7 of the 3rd round before bowing out to Val-d'Or.
In 05-06, the Eagles were 3rd in the division, had a decent team with 17 y/o Sheppard and Pavelec in the net and bowed out to Bathurst in round 2.
In 04-05, the Eagles were on the downswing after their 04 run and finished 3rd in the division with 75 points and were eliminated by Gatineau in round 1.
The one that really hurts (probably still) was in 03-04 when the Eagles were the toast of the league... 103 points.... 2nd overall. They were legitimate contenders with the likes of Guenette, Cyr, Bernier, Dixon, Picard, Ramholt and had 2 strong goalies in Houle and MA Fleury (back from NHL at midseason). But the team, having had a 1st round bye, bowed out in round 2 against Chicoutimi. They won the first game but then dropped 4 straight to a team that finished with 75 points...28 below them.
Prior to this we didn't have a team on PEI, so I'm not familiar with CB's performance, but I'm told that in the pre-Pascal Vincent years things were pretty bleak from year to year.
The Eagles seem to (almost every year) give their fans that sense that this MUST be the year, only to have the rug ripped out from under them each and every time.
To think of the phrase "It's better to have loved and lost then to have never have loved at all". Well, both are miserable and while we've never loved at all as PEI fans (in the sense we've never been there), the CB fans have loved and lost many, many times over (in the sense they've never been able to go over the hump).
It's tough to be Rocket fan... but it's tough to be an Eagles fan too. There are many, many frustrated fans in Cape Breton.
I'm sure that when deer gets around to responding to this he'll make the comment that only on places like CB and PEI would we share our sob stories and try to figure out who has it worst.
cb
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Post by wingman on Sept 26, 2010 15:02:19 GMT -4
One thing that Cape Breton has had that PEI has never had are competitive teams to follow, and through the years they've had some good teams to watch. They've entered seasons with teams they know will do good that year and were a team to beat because they've had the players and also competent management/coaching....when was the last time Rocket fans can say that going into a season.
As much frustration Cape Breton fans have had over how some of the playoffs have gone for them, I would gladly switch organizations/management they have had because they've had at least legitimate hopes and legitimate contending teams. This is something Rocket fans has never been able to experience the whole time since the Rocket have come here and something that Savard has never ever delivered for his team's fanbase and their support of the team.
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Post by L'il Boy on Sept 26, 2010 15:54:01 GMT -4
I really don't give a rats ass about what Cape Breton has done on the ice over the course of its tenure in Sydney. That's not what we're discussing here.
My whole point is the fact that deer painted all PEI fans with the same brush, which was uncalled for. I would expect better from a knowledgeable hockey fan like him.
What we have here on PEI (piss-poor management of a hockey team), I wouldn't wish on any fan, in any area.
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Post by countryboy on Sept 26, 2010 16:29:51 GMT -4
I don't know......
I won't call the atmosphere at the CCC poison....but it's hart to talk atmosphere for the 3 games at the CCC so far..... because there was hardly a soul there!
I'm optimistic (hopeful?) that things will get better. The team is better than it showed in the 3 games at home.
We may not beat SJ, Moncton and Bathurst every night... but we should be able to compete with them.
We're now off for a stretch and have a chance to string together a run of a few wins. Coming up we have BC, Hfx, Vic, RN, VD, Vic, RN between now and Oct. 17.
I'll not predict we run the table.... but if we play as we did on the weekend we should take 5 of 7 of that stretch.
But, we need some wins fast with the hopes we get a few more bodies back in the rink.
cb
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Post by juniorcormier16 on Sept 26, 2010 20:57:45 GMT -4
Rocket are actually starting to look like a team out on the ice instead of playing in one spot of the ice... Good weekend of bonding on and off the ice looks like the road trip worked, for now should be interesting as they have about 6 days off should be well rested and ready to take on Baie-Comeau on Friday night.. should be a good test for the rocket to as baie comeau is 1-5 right now So hopefully the rocket can come out with a first win of the season at home ...
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Post by bois on Sept 27, 2010 7:59:26 GMT -4
schedule is in our favour for October indeed... let's hope the boys can string together some wins and that might bring a few bodies back to the rink.. much easier to sell a winning team than a losing one (haven't we been saying that for years??)....
i do agree with mboyan tho........ deer did take an unjustified shot at PEI fans... not something I'd expect from him either
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Post by mikeb on Sept 27, 2010 8:09:14 GMT -4
As an outsider looking in.... amusing read. Which set of fans has more to feel miserable about. In the short term (last 2 years) Hfx has you guys beat followed closely by Bathurst.
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Post by SteveUL on Sept 27, 2010 8:24:53 GMT -4
One thing that Cape Breton has had that PEI has never had are competitive teams to follow, and through the years they've had some good teams to watch. They've entered seasons with teams they know will do good that year and were a team to beat because they've had the players and also competent management/coaching....when was the last time Rocket fans can say that going into a season. As much frustration Cape Breton fans have had over how some of the playoffs have gone for them, I would gladly switch organizations/management they have had because they've had at least legitimate hopes and legitimate contending teams. This is something Rocket fans has never been able to experience the whole time since the Rocket have come here and something that Savard has never ever delivered for his team's fanbase and their support of the team. You may not want to switch with them right now ... Durocher's building decisions over the last few years are up there with Savard ... and if Durocher is allowed to continue for too long then CB may start a run of mediocrity just like PEI fans have had to deal with. But |I agree ... no fanbase could remain positive over an 8 yr period if given the teams Savard has assembled and torn apart year after year. The only one to blame for poor fan support and fan apathy is Savard Jr.
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Post by Deer on Sept 27, 2010 12:22:46 GMT -4
I probably shouldn't have said what I said, but mboyan threw quite the hissy fit - I can't say I expected such a strong reaction from anyone on here considering you guys often refer to your own rink as "The Morgue."
And no I didn't intend to paint every single individual PEI fan with one brush. I was just making a generalization on what the atmosphere usually seems like at the CCC. You can speak in general terms without it meaning that what you're saying applies to every individual. I think anyone on here would agree if someone said that fans at the Bell Centre in Montreal can be unduly harsh at times. People in the sports media say that all the time. But when they say that, nobody takes it as them meaning that every individual among the 20,000 fans in that building is a harsh boo-bird.
And I'm well aware that most of the negativity is caused by Rocket management and how poorly-run the organization has been aside from the first year. I know that's the reason why the building is half-empty and the atmosphere is usually bad. I actually thought it kind of went without saying, but obviously I should have been more clear about it. The fact is, whether it's the fans' fault or not (and for the most part it seems like it isn't), the CCC has become a place where fans are conditioned to pretty much expect the worst to happen. And that general negative cloud, which won't go away until fans are given something to cheer about on a consistent basis, probably rubs off on the team and could be a contributing factor in the unbelievable number of poor starts and awful efforts on home ice over the past 5-6 years.
Were my comments meant to be blunt and kind of snarky? Yeah sure, and maybe I shouldn't have went that way - but then again half the fun of these message boards is the odd chirp here and there. Were they meant to be personal insults against individuals? Not a chance, sorry to those who took em that way.
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