THE CUP!!!!!

[MACHINEMASTERG]

i hated to see it go down south but ...hats off to the lighting ....

[Bullines]

You don't want to know what I think about it...and I'm an actual Flames fan (not one of the bandwagoners) The CBA is just one of many things that the league needs to remedy.

[Philcott]

It was a great run for the Flames but a disapointing (for the players) end. Thanks to them for once again uniting the country in sport. I am always amazed at the effect hockey has on this countries people.

 

Greg,

 

quote:

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i hated to see it go down south but

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What an understatment.

 

quote:

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...hats off to the lighting ....

---

Good for them, they played back and won the cup. At least there was 17(?) home grown Canadian boys on the team.

 

Chris,

 

What is CBA?

 

Would you call it bandwagoning or uniting for a common cause?

 

Phil

[Sparky112]

My little girl & I have been going to see lighning games for years. with the youth and talent on this team be prepaired for a very deep tan on LORD STANLYS CUP. A hard faught post season and formidable opponents so you've got to admit THE CUP belongs here.

 

I just hope we'll (true fans) will be able to afford to take the family to games next season.

[Bullines]

quote:

---

Chris,

 

What is CBA?

---

The CBA is not the Calgary Betternot Advance conspiracy theory that makes a lot of sense

 

The CBA or Collective Bargaining Agreement is a set of terms between the NHL and the players union (NHLPA). It's regarding things like salaries, merchandising and so forth. The NHL lost ~$260 million dollars. This is mostly due to insanely high salaries and weak hockey markets (Ex: Carolina, Florida, Phoenix, Nashville, Atlanta, etc). The current CBA expires this summer and a new one is due. If the NHL and NHLPA can't agree on a new agreement (and at the moment it looks like they're miles apart) there will be a lockout (read: no hockey) until an agreement is made.

 

Along with the CBA, I think the leage needs to "fix itself" regarding rules and procedures.

 

quote:

---

Would you call it bandwagoning or uniting for a common cause?

---

I'm not against the bandwagoners. I'm just one of those that have been a Flames fan before they were Stanley Cup champs, when they missed the playoffs for seven straight years and still am today. C'mon and join. With Sutter at the helm, the Flames' future is looking good.

 

[ 06-08-2004, 11:17 AM: Message edited by: Bullines ]

[KevinPro61]

Sorry to bore the non-hockey fans, and I am sure to upset the Canadians on the forum but I feel impelled to say something. I am 43 years young and have been a hockey fan all my life, have played it and now have a son that plays it. The right team won. Unfortunately for the game the Lightning represented good and the Flames bad. The Flames throughout the series chose to at times use illegal hits and elbows to try and take players off their game or out of the game. These players have been playing the game for a long time and know what they are doing when they take these actions, there is no excuse. The finals provided some exciting hockey by some exciting players, (Igilna, StLouis, Khabibulin, and Kiprusoff), and I hope the league realizes the good guys won.

[Bullines]

quote:

---

Unfortunately for the game the Lightning represented good and the Flames bad. The Flames throughout the series chose to at times use illegal hits and elbows to try and take players off their game or out of the game. These players have been playing the game for a long time and know what they are doing when they take these actions, there is no excuse.

---

You don't want me to chime in on this one. Both teams handed out their fare share of iffy hits. The only difference is that the Flames got penalized more often. Example: Ferrence's hit on St. Louis in the last minute should not have been called Charging. He barely took two strides and thus does not constitute charging. St. Louis was cut in the forehead....by his own stick. The hit was shoulder-on-shoulder. It was a very clean and hard hit (and those hurt, believe me).

 

In game 6, Cullimore is sprawled out but trips Iginla with his foot as he's about to clear the zone. Puck stays in and the Lightning score the game winner. Saprykin does the same thing last night, is penalized and Tampa scores. Neimenin hits Lecavallier from behind...game misconduct and 1 game suspension. Roy hit Gelinas from behind...no call. Tampa were no angels out there by any means. Remember, a strong forecheck is not dirty play.

 

All in all, I'm proud of Calgary. To knock off three division champs in the playoffs with one of the smallest payrolls in the league should be viewed as a highly successful season in my opinion. And you can't top the support that the Flames' fans showed...in any sport for that matter. Maybe if Tampa had more drawn-out series beforehand (the Habs and Islanders...cakewalk), maybe the outcome would've been different.

 

Next year (if there even is hockey next year)...

 

Go Flames Go!

 

[A-ron1286490684]

I was actually rooting for the Flames since it was our old coach and our old goalie in the finals but during the series with the Sharks I'd have to say that the Flames were definately on the favored side of the refs.

 

quote:

---

The only difference is that the Flames got penalized more often.

---

The conduct in Calgary at the end of game four against San Jose was disgusting and had all the cheap shots you could ask for in a series. Twice in the series Nabakov was charged blatently without the opposing player's momentum carring them in and there were no calls! Maybe that played into officiating in this series?

 

Having said that I think the Flames should have not even let it go into an overtime in game six. I would have liked to see them win but hats off to the Bolts.

 

And what an exciting third period that was last night.

[Bullines]

quote:

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The conduct in Calgary at the end of game four against San Jose was disgusting and had all the cheap shots you could ask for in a series.

---

Every team is guilty of that at least once (and most likely more) in a season.

 

quote:

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Having said that I think the Flames should have not even let it go into an overtime in game six.

---

Actually, they didn't, but that didn't seem to matter did it? Conspiracy theory alert!

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Hockey's in trouble guys, and it seems the players (NHLPA} and a select few owners of big market clubs are too stupid to see it. The league is hemmoriging cash and is in danger of going into oblivion. Baseball (which has by far WAY more fans than Hockey) has only recently begun to recover from the problems of the last strike. Hockey can't afford to take that hit. They'll never fully recover.

 

JM2C

[Bullines]

James is right. The NHL is in a sad state right now. A crook might have been running the show, but between the mid-70's and late-80's the league was perfect. Then they brought in Gary Bettman as the commisioner and it's been downhill ever since. He can go back to the NBA for all I care. Bettman needs tha boot!

[Philcott]

James,

 

quote:

---

Hockey's in trouble guys

---

Can I be so bold as to guess you mean "the NHL" is in trouble. Hockey is alive and well in arenas and backyard rinks all across North America (and I don't mean Michigan and Illinois here.) and Europe.

 

Chris is right about Bettman screwing with hockey. I just can't stand the way the beady eyed little ba$tard has sold out to big markets and changed the game. Saturday afternoon games???? Non-decisions about Bertuzzi!!! Goalies roaming the rink like they are untouchable.

 

That said I was entertained throughout the playoffs. Thanks to all the players and coaches.

 

Now if only Sutter would calm down a bit at his press conferences.

 

Phil

[Bullines]

quote:

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Now if only Sutter would calm down a bit at his press conferences.

---

I'm glad Darryl said the things he did. Someone needs to stand up and call out the league on the dumb things that they're doing. Imagine if ALL of the Sutter brothers joined him

 

Actually, toss Bettman alone in a room with Ron MacLean (for non-CBC viewers, Ron MacLean is the host of hockey on the CBC as well as the co-host of the "Coaches Corner" segment with the infamous Don Cherry). I've never seen anyone make Bettman squirm like Ron

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

---

...Can I be so bold as to guess you mean "the NHL" is in trouble...

---

Yes, that is what I mean. Basically Professional Hockey is in trouble. Even here in sunny SoCal youth Hockey (and adult hockey) is alive and well. Leave it to the "grown ups" to ruin a kid's game.

[Camdude®]

i prefer to play shinny on my local pond anyway.

[Philcott]

Chris,

 

I was making a joke. Darryl is as mellow as they get.

 

Phil

[Bullines]

quote:

---

I was making a joke. Darryl is as mellow as they get.

---

I thought you were refering to the little jabs that he throws at the league from time to time. Albeit you're right, he does it in his trademark laid-back monotone voice

 

Apparently in the locker room, though, he's everything but mellow

[KevinPro61]

Here here all sports are alive and well at the youth level. With the enthusiasum of the players and fans at the high school level. Ill save the $150. and enjoy a high school game in any sport.

[n_tydingco]

Pro hockey is in trouble the same way pro soccer is in trouble -- mainstream Americans don't appreciate the game unless you can score in bunches.

 

Youth hockey -- at least out here in my neck of the woods -- suffers from being too expensive for many folks to want to bring their kids out to play. There aren't too many companies willing to put out some money to subsidize the outrageous cost of ice time.

 

Over the last couple of years I've spent over $10k (USD) for my Atom/Squirt aged son to play. This year already promises to be another mile$tone year. But I love the sport and my son loves to play. We're in Edmonton later this month for the Canadian AAA Challenge at the mall.

 

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Hockey is the only sport we don't let the kids even try to play. Too expensive. Let's see, play hockey.... eat... play hockey...eat... hmmmm, what to do, what to do??? It's about $400 + ice time, equipment, etc...

 

Shoot, football is bad enough at $185 for like 8 games. Baseball is still the best bargain. $90 for around 20 games. Even if I bought my kids new Catcher's gear, gloves, and bats every season it would still be cheaper to play Baseball.

[Bullines]

This is true. I almost drove my parents into the poor house thanks to hockey. Playing AA was bad enough, but when I started to play AAA towards the end...it would be upwards of $1000 per season. That $1000 doesn't include equipment, tournament expenses (hotels..which you're in every other weekend, food, etc). Plus there was hockey school in the summer months

[Chris Rizzo]

It's a sin the oldest trophy in North American sports is in Flordia!! What rinks were they playing on in 1893 ???? They did earn it though.

 

I was happy to see Andrychuck hoist the cup...I vividly remember his early years in Buffalo, where I saw many a game at the old War Memorial Arena. Is Mike Robataille still doing Hockey Hotline?? what a character..

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Yeah, the cup may be in Florida, but the hands that hoisted it were Canuk weren't they???

[Bullines]

quote:

---

Yeah, the cup may be in Florida, but the hands that hoisted it were Canuk weren't they???

---

By my count from their roster...

 

Canada: 15

USA: 3

Russia: 2

Czech: 2

Sweden: 1

Slovakia: 1

Ukraine: 1

 

And James is technically right. The Cup will spend little time in Tampa Bay as it usually resides in Toronto at the Hockey Hall of Fame for most of the year. When it's not there, it's in the hands of each of the winning team's members as they take it to their hometowns during the off season. Technically speaking

[Jack Mitchell]

Geez guy's, please chill on the obvious

 

Everybody knows the home of Lord Stanleys cup belongs with Toronto and the Maple Leafs.

 

 

Regards, Jack