MAPLE LEAFS SUCK

[Rob MacLennan]

That's a very generalized statement! What would throwing more money at the team do? They have a salary cap..

Not a whole lot, but what would throwing money at the appropriate players do?

[invictus43]

Not a whole lot, but what would throwing money at the appropriate players do?

So you're saying Brian Burke is a dumb-***? Or that he's not motivated to attain the appropriate players to allow them to be successful because fans keep paying? I really don't think it's that simple. It's a great feel-good kinda rant..like when people complain about the price of insurance..but I really don't think there's one simple answer..

[Baggsy]

So you're saying Brian Burke is a dumb-***?

Nope. He's laughing all the way to the bank! It's the fans...

[invictus43]

Nope. He's laughing all the way to the bank! It's the fans...

Bahh...it's so many things..years of poor drafting and scouting..dealing picks..playing in a fish bowl (who says any players that would be "saviours" would actually want to play here?!?! Lecavalier did (does?) not want to play in Montreal..)..listening to fans..getting rid of good players for nothing (Larry Murphy..)..and a lack of a central motivator as well. It's mesmerizing to watch a team's confidence go right through the floor because of the expectations and scrutiny of the fans and media.. A lot of hockey is confidence and team buy-in..look at Ottawa..last year they were terrible..this year, they're looking like they might make it. Not a lot of personnel changes other than the coach. Tampa has had their ups and downs..not a lot of it due to players.. Toronto is a black hole for sports..

[whetaus-tr]

Tonight, the whole crowd was cheering "GO BLUE JAYS GO" as the Leafs were losing 1-7 to Flyers.

Didn't know if I should be laughing or crying lol

[Rob MacLennan]

So you're saying Brian Burke is a dumb-***? Or that he's not motivated to attain the appropriate players to allow them to be successful because fans keep paying? I really don't think it's that simple. It's a great feel-good kinda rant..like when people complain about the price of insurance..but I really don't think there's one simple answer..

Did I say it was simple, or limit it to just Burke? Apart from him being a pussy, as evidenced by how he reacted in a recent interview with John Moore on CFRB, he's obviously the wrong man for the job. That's just another symptom of the real problem; the ownership.

[arent_we_sarcastic]

Please, my Harley was a hell of a lot more fun to ride than my ST1300. give it a rest with the oil stains BS

I don't believe I mentioned anything about leaking oil in the original post. I was just pointing out the common theme that both companies focus more on the merchandising aspect of their product than the actual product itself.
Don't come whining to me if your Harley leaks oil.
Pass the Kool Aid....

[HDRod]

I don't believe I mentioned anything about leaking oil in the original post. I was just pointing out the common theme that both companies focus more on the merchandising aspect of their product than the actual product itself.
Don't come whining to me if your Harley leaks oil.
Pass the Kool Aid....

I believe there was a comment about dodging oil pools in the parking lot, n'est pas? Point being, this is a Leafs thread ... the Harley bashing was unnecessary and well off topic. My Harley didn't leak a drop of oil, nor did any of the Harleys I rode with that weren't liquid cooled. Good for them for making some coin off merchandising. Good for the Leafs too for that matter. I love my st1300, but it's no where near as fun to drive as the v-rod. Clearly someone at HD was thinking about making an exciting product and not just a t-shirt. Try something before you make up your mind about it.

As for the topic at hand ... there's no way this is MLSE's fault save the stubbornness of keeping BB around. Four consecutive years of missing the playoffs and broken promises would have most GMs tossed. They gave BB carte blanche, as they (and everyone else in this city) was certain he was the saviour. Like good ownership, they let the hockey geniuses take over. Unfortunately, nothing BB has done has panned out in the fans' favour. He has what, one more year left? I assume they'll let him ride it out and re-assess after 2013 based on next year's performance. MLSE did exactly what the fans wanted, get Burke, give him the reins. Not their fault.

go sens go!

[Baggsy]

Is it something like $8,000+ per seat for the good seats?
As long as some people thing that it's money well spent, there will be no significant change.
Sure, they'll fire the coach, and maybe buy some big name player who is now past his prime, but the team will still struggle hard to make the playoffs.

It might take someone who's paying those people to start taking away some of the excess money before something happens.

Every once in a while the owners blink and sell the team, because they know just how fast things can go south.

[Kool]

Leaf ownership and management suck.....the players I feel sorry for. We are the centre of the Universe...we have the best players and supposedly greatest hockey people in the world here in Southern Ontario...but we are a disgrace as a team and a organization....I mean WTF? Oh ya...we make the most money...we must have the most stupid fans then....err right?

[invictus43]

Leaf ownership and management suck.....the players I feel sorry for. We are the centre of the Universe...we have the best players and supposedly greatest hockey people in the world here in Southern Ontario...but we are a disgrace as a team and a organization....I mean WTF? Oh ya...we make the most money...we must have the most stupid fans then....err right?

We don't hear about it, but check out the Montreal nonsense going on right now if you can. Two years ago they were close to winning the Cup..this year, they're firing an assistant coach..then the head coach..then the GM..and the whole time they're talking about French this and communicate that..wow..good luck with that! They're looking for Pierre Lacroix to save them..the guy's not young anymore!! He's going to Montreal to pick up that pile of crap?? Not likely! Ok..Patrick Roy will save them!! Yeah, a guy with NO NHL GM/coach experience..zero..nada..HE'S gonna save you?!? They rode Patrice Brisebois out of town..the guy was probably one of their better defencemen of the last 20 years!! Another hockey black hole..

[mxs]

Don't WANT to win? I don't think I ever said that. I fully believe that the players want to win. They wouldn't be out there, if they weren't a competitive lot. The truth is that ownership doesn't have any pressing reason to put together a winning team, because they're getting what they want out of the one they have; profit.

Sorry, very much disagree. You said that they (I presume you meant the owners not the players ... but it really doesn't matter) are not about winning (which to me is the same as not wanting to win). It's just plain false to think that the owners would not want to win. Of course they do, because they could charge even more (which Leafs owner would not want that?). What other incentive do they need??

What does it mean to put together a winning team? The have bona fide GM, who just fired a pretty reputable coach and replaced it with another one. The only think they have not done is to sign or draft a star which is not easy to do in the new system. So to sum it up, when money talked they were hiring not very good GMs (so the teams were not that good ...). When cap got significantly lower and rules of bargaining changed they finally got a GM with a good resume, but they cannot "buy" anymore players. So it will take a long time to do the right thing ..... but they absolutely want to win, not to do a favor to you or me or the companies who are buying expensive seats and suites, but to make even more money from merchandise, TV contracts etc.

[mxs]

Did I say it was simple, or limit it to just Burke? Apart from him being a pussy, as evidenced by how he reacted in a recent interview with John Moore on CFRB, he's obviously the wrong man for the job. That's just another symptom of the real problem; the ownership.

I didn't know it will take hockey topic to disagree with you on so many levels (and I am not a Leaf fan, not at all) ...

I am not a fan of Burke (I don't like people who seem to be upset 24/7 ....), but I respect the guy. He knows what he's doing and most people would agree (based on his GM resume). The interview you are talking about was very subpar work of the radio host. How would you react if someone would have asked you the same question? ... what an idiot, Moore that is. Just looking to make headlines, right? And he did so, for a brief moment.

**********
Q: One last question for you, Brian Burke, changing coaches is always an option, but a lot of people on a panel I was hosting this weekend said it was time for the general manager to be changed.
Burke: “Well, I haven’t heard that. And I don’t know what panel you were hosting. That’s up to ownership. I wish you’d told me before you asked me to do this interview that that was going to be your last question, a nice little cheap shot before you get off the air.”

***********


You really think that this the one question proves that he's the wrong man for the job??? And then you mention ownership again???? Why?

BTW, who would be your choice for the GM? I am just curious.

[Rob MacLennan]

I didn't know it will take hockey topic to disagree with you on so many levels (and I am not a Leaf fan, not at all) ...

I am not a fan of Burke (I don't like people who seem to be upset 24/7 ....), but I respect the guy. He knows what he's doing and most people would agree (based on his GM resume). The interview you are talking about was very subpar work of the radio host. How would you react if someone would have asked you the same question? ... what an idiot, Moore that is. Just looking to make headlines, right? And he did so, for a brief moment.

**********
Q: One last question for you, Brian Burke, changing coaches is always an option, but a lot of people on a panel I was hosting this weekend said it was time for the general manager to be changed.
Burke: “Well, I haven’t heard that. And I don’t know what panel you were hosting. That’s up to ownership. I wish you’d told me before you asked me to do this interview that that was going to be your last question, a nice little cheap shot before you get off the air.”

***********


You really think that this the one question proves that he's the wrong man for the job??? And then you mention ownership again???? Why?

BTW, who would be your choice for the GM? I am just curious.

I think that one response shows that he's a big whiny baby. You really want a GM who can't answer a question that's obvious and reasonable, especially given that the very thing happened in Montreal? Unlike most of the people who have an opinion on that interview, I was actually listening to it at the time.

As to the option for a replacement, how about the GM of every team that finished above them in the rankings?

I mentioned the ownership for exactly the reason I've stated, more than once; they only really care about the bottom line, not the sport.

[Baggsy]

Sorry, very much disagree. You said that they (I presume you meant the owners not the players ... but it really doesn't matter) are not about winning (which to me is the same as not wanting to win). It's just plain false to think that the owners would not want to win. Of course they do, because they could charge even more (which Leafs owner would not want that?). What other incentive do they need??

What does it mean to put together a winning team? The have bona fide GM, who just fired a pretty reputable coach and replaced it with another one. The only think they have not done is to sign or draft a star which is not easy to do in the new system. So to sum it up, when money talked they were hiring not very good GMs (so the teams were not that good ...). When cap got significantly lower and rules of bargaining changed they finally got a GM with a good resume, but they cannot "buy" anymore players. So it will take a long time to do the right thing ..... but they absolutely want to win, not to do a favor to you or me or the companies who are buying expensive seats and suites, but to make even more money from merchandise, TV contracts etc.

Gee, if everyone's wanted to win for so long now, what happened?