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Post by dogcatcher on Aug 31, 2007 5:43:09 GMT -4
Cormier, Langan deserved a better shot with Sea Dogs
Sports mailbag Former coach doesn't believe locals got a fair shake
Published Friday August 31st, 2007
Appeared on page B11
It was with disappointment and somewhat disbelief that I read in Monday's Telegraph-Journal that two local minor hockey standouts had been released from the Saint John Sea Dogs without getting the opportunity to play a single shift in any of the club's six exhibition games. I understand that the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is very competitive and the urgency to win at that level is paramount. As a former player of three seasons of Junior A hockey in Ontario, I know hockey is a business. For this reason alone, it amazes me that two local kids with above average work ethic would not be given every opportunity to play themselves out of a job instead of just trying to earn a spot on the local major junior team.
From a ticket sales and marketing perspective, I feel it would be a real coup for the Sea Dogs to have the opportunity to sell the homegrown product.
I consider myself lucky to have coached Michael Cormier and Andrew Langan in their early years. I witnessed first-hand the raw ability, talent and work ethic that has made both players top assets to whatever team they excelled with. It really is unfortunate that the Sea Dogs' organization did not recognize two character individuals who were sent packing too early in the season.
Greg Sanford
Rothesay
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Post by chillywack on Aug 31, 2007 6:02:28 GMT -4
Sounds like a homer local fan who's pissed his boys didnt make the team.  |
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Post by mrlittlewolf on Aug 31, 2007 6:39:45 GMT -4
In the words of bill friday "dragnet" The facts man simply the facts!!!!!
No way do they sit the home exibition game if 1.you are trying to bring fans back 2. you want them to go down to mature and let them see what strides they need. The Sea Dogs dropped the ball on this one!!! As for the announcing we are now the laughing stock of the Q!!!!
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Post by berner on Aug 31, 2007 6:55:26 GMT -4
Dropped the ball? Because two locals who weren't ready to make the team didn't play in an exhibition game? I can understand that sentiment to a degree, but this is making a mountain out of a molehill. Two local boys not playing in an exhibition game will have no impact on fans compared to icing a winning team.
I never heard anyone on the Dogs staff disputing the kids have talent, heart and work ethic. The kids need to develop more, what's the big deal?? I'm sure neither of them wanted to be given any special treatment, and they weren't. That in itself will make it that much more of an accomplishment for them if either can crack the lineup in the future.
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Dogs 08-09
Rookie
Hungry for a taste of the playoffs!
Posts: 165
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Post by Dogs 08-09 on Aug 31, 2007 7:12:29 GMT -4
Dropped the ball? Because two locals who weren't ready to make the team didn't play in an exhibition game? I can understand that sentiment to a degree, but this is making a mountain out of a molehill. Two local boys not playing in an exhibition game will have no impact on fans compared to icing a winning team. I never heard anyone on the Dogs staff disputing the kids have talent, heart and work ethic. The kids need to develop more, what's the big deal?? I'm sure neither of them wanted to be given any special treatment, and they weren't. That in itself will make it that much more of an accomplishment for them if either can crack the lineup in the future. Great post berner I agree. Simply put they were not ready for this team, this year. With or without an exhibition game they were not going to make it. Do we want local talent or a winning team...I go with winning team everytime. This means I want the best 25 or so guys on the ice whether they are from Saint John, N.B., London, ONT. Victoria, B.C. |
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Post by elementz on Aug 31, 2007 7:13:02 GMT -4
They are 16 years old for cripes sake. That dosen't mean they will never play in the Q. What if Mike Neil wasn't on the Sea Dogs as a 4th liner in our 1st year, would we have lost 1000 fans...I don't think so.
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Post by canucklehead on Aug 31, 2007 8:32:30 GMT -4
The bottom line is simple and I've said it before 6 games is not alot of time to get the roster down to the 22-25 players not to mention getting all the different line combos figured out.
It's obvious to me they were never going to be on the team but that doesn't mean the coaching staff wasn't impressed by the players they just need a year to develop and bulk up alittle bit. They kept the guys in camp so they could continue to learn as much as they could at the Q level before the team went to Gagetown.
They didn't drop the ball JB knows what he's doing when it comes to coaching and he knows they need to take full advantage of these exhibition games to get the troops prepared for Game 1 not try and figure out the line combos fduring the regular season.
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Post by themagician on Aug 31, 2007 8:51:06 GMT -4
They are 16 years old for cripes sake. That dosen't mean they will never play in the Q. What if Mike Neil wasn't on the Sea Dogs as a 4th liner in our 1st year, would we have lost 1000 fans...I don't think so. They did lose 1000 fans after the first year and the crowds are probably not up from last year. Bottom line here is that JB and the Seadogs had an opportunity to win some points with local fans and bring in a few extra tire kickers to check out the first pre season game IF they had dressed the local kids. Sure, they wouldn't have made the team this year, but guys like Richer and particularly Lewis were never going to make it either but they played a game in Moncton. The game is a business, but there are two major facets to the business which are winning hockey games and selling tickets. JB and the Dogs could have appealed to the hearts and subsequently the wallets of local people if the boys had played. And another key fact is that both guys are more than capable of holding their own in an exhibition game against a half assed Moncton lineup. Not giving Langan and Cormier a game does not help attract people who are already down on this organization and I think we all know there are a few around town. |
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Post by berner on Aug 31, 2007 9:06:39 GMT -4
Losing fans after year 1 of an expansion team in a league new to the city has nothing to do with local players. At all. You seem to imply that Mike Neil not being on the team last year cost the Dogs 1000 fans, and you know as well as anyone that couldn't be further from the truth. Talking about 16 year olds in an exhibition game here. The only impact there would have been had they played at HS is maybe a few extra $5 tickets sold (and I mean ONLY a few), and no sour grapes comment from their old coach in the newspaper. Again, the people of this city have been quite clear when it comes to local hockey. Ice a winner, we'll buy tickets. Plain and simple. Trying to make big deals out of things like this is bizarre... I can only guess it's because Dog fans are so anxious for the season to start that any little thing gets put under the magnifying glass until there's something more to talk about come mid-September. Then again, I know your take on it magician - one big conspiracy with hidden agendas, right?  |
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Post by canucklehead on Aug 31, 2007 9:38:41 GMT -4
It's an exhibition game I don't even know why this is an issue!
If someone won't support the Sea Dogs because they didn't play 2 local kids in a damn exhibition game then they were never fans to begin with. They won't lose 1000 fans or even close to that number just because the 2 locals didn't play a bloody exhibition game. Their former coach is bitter cuz the boys he coached didn't make the team this year get over yourself coach!
People will have different opinions on the issue for as long as the issue looms but the bottom line is they are building a team to try and win hockey games and I've said it a million time they need to be prepared to start at Game 1 of the regular season not wait til Game 10 to figure out your line combos. They spent 2 games making cuts giving them 4 to figure out the different line combos and D pairings not alot of time.
They were kept in camp to continue their training at the Q level so when they come back next year they will know exactly what to expect and they will be prepared for camp and will both have a good chance of making the club next year and being a year they should be looking to make a run they should be thrilled with that.
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Post by dogbert on Aug 31, 2007 9:59:22 GMT -4
Sounds like a homer local fan who's pissed his boys didnt make the team.  |
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Post by habh8er on Aug 31, 2007 10:48:57 GMT -4
I wonder how long it would have taken for the crap to hit the fan, HAD they actually played in that home game... I can almost hear it now "they were the best skaters on the ice ...it's only one game, didn't get enough ice time ,they were used in the wrong situations...and on and on...They didn't make the team people... get over it ...Please.. I'm sure the players have turned the page on this...it's too bad their has to be so much finger pointing, and conspiracy theorys floating around..as was said before sounds like "sour grapes" ..I think it was handled fine as is.
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Post by mattandd on Aug 31, 2007 11:37:55 GMT -4
I wonder if this coach actually asked himself if this rant will be appreciated by these boys he respects so much. Somehow I doubt it. If he'd thought back to his Junior A time, maybe he'd remember the pride you have, and that at this point you'd want to move on and strive for next year with the knowledge you gained from camp.
As for attracting fans, come on, I doubt that on some cold November night, someones decision on whether or not to go to a game is that a local played the first exhibtion game. It'll be to go and hopefully some ass kickin'.
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Post by Judas In My Mind on Aug 31, 2007 11:52:58 GMT -4
It's a big deal over nothing really. I could care less if we have any local players on the team or not. I don't know why he didn't just cut them in the list of names released before the exhibition games. They basically were kept around for...a few practices involving players not dressing, pretty much. Keeping them on the team, especially after not dressing for the Moncton game, could easily give locals the impression it meant they would be dressing at home.
Like I said to me it doesn't matter at all but in hindsight JB probably should have cut the local kids before the home exhibition game, instead of after it. Then no false impression that one might get to see them play Saturday night.
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Post by InsideScoop on Aug 31, 2007 12:05:40 GMT -4
I think mostly everyone here is on the same page, that JB pretty much did the right thing...and he could have cut them before the game, instead of making them sit in the stands as "a part of the team"....Local kids are only going to draw so much attention. The only way a local kid is going to draw more then even 150extra fans a night is if he is a flat out stud on the ice, or a guy who fights everynight and wins everynight. People didn't come out in rows to watch Mike Neil play because he was just an avg 3rd/4th line guy in the Q. Bottom line people come to watch entertaining hockey, if they want to watch local kids there is Mid AAA...
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