spring needs to come soon, my float rod is ready for some trout.

i miss fishing but at least 3-4 games a week holds me over!
- big_dion

I am looking forward to golfing...

Took it up again after about 25 years basically not playing. Spent all last summer finally getting my driver a little bit worked out, only to end up ruining my ability to hit any other club properly and I scored worse last summer than my once-every-5-years round before.

But, I am looking forward to spring!

You will be nominated for an Eksy for this post.
- Atomic Wedgie

I don't even have a speech prepared, get on it Wedgie.

Hey bud, how goes it?
- LeafMan

my right fingertips have an interesting silverish hue from a 3 hour rehearsal yesterday lol

other than that, same ol same ol. yourself?

I still think the Coyotes can work really well.

They just have to give it a little more time.

And maybe offer some sort of incentive - like buy a ticket, and get a key chain.

It's so close to working.

Just be patient.
- Atomic Wedgie

The train just crossed over into Panama.

Maybe you should start doing something about it.

For the record, it was never Bettman's idea to move the team to Phoenix.

People need to stop saying this.
- Atomic Wedgie

yes but you have to remember it was bettman who wouldnt allow Balsille bring the team into Hamilton.

Bettman allowed the PHO team and has backed it up all the way, its failed worse than the leafs 50 year rebuild, need i say more? lol

spring needs to come soon, my float rod is ready for some trout.

i miss fishing but at least 3-4 games a week holds me over!
- big_dion

took the snowmobiles ice fishing 2 weeks back...no hut...friggin cold....caught a smelt ...buddy sliced open his finger on the ice auger...so we had to head back into civilization to a hospital for stitches...blood everywhere, all over the handlebars of the sled...buddy wrapped it up tight in paper towel and electrical tape for the 40 km trip home...interesting day.....and we'd do it again

You can see it coming...

My hope is that something *changes* this year with Nonis in charge. My fear is that nothing will change, no hope now, no hope later.

The Leafs are the only team to not even make the playoffs since the last lockout. That is absolutely fcuking pathetic and unforgivable for the wealthiest organization in the NHL.
- Aetherial

my right fingertips have an interesting silverish hue from a 3 hour rehearsal yesterday lol

other than that, same ol same ol. yourself?
- Dozzer

lol, nickel tips. haha

Same old problems, there is always something not working right, half my time is investigating problems. *sigh*

hahah its starting to stick!!!

as for pheonix the problem is they stuck the arena in a suburb.. dumb dumb dumb

a suburb is fine if the market is already hockey friendly, fans will make the trip. otherwise you should put your venue in a major city core when trying to establish a new market.
- Dozzer

yeah not a smart decision in any which way, but that was the decision and they are stuck with it for now.

i just think there are so many other markets that would do better, which is why it bugs me. and for the love of god, canada is hockey, bring the teams here.

They used to have an average 15k a night in the Phoenix downtown arena (17k capacity), now they can barely get 9k even giving the tickets away at 20 bucks and a free hotdog. Really dumb move.

It's a sick arena too, when I went on vacation there me and my Dad watched 4 games for 50 bucks each
- AdamFrench

From what I understand, the old arena was a terrible place to watch a hockey game - many obstructed seats.

Kinda like what the Brooklyn Islanders are going to encounter.

It's funny how everyone believes that the new arena is going to make the Islanders a financial success.

I'm not saying it won't; I'm just saying that without seeing the lease agreement, theres's no way to tell. I've read everything from $4 million to $14 million a year in rent -and the big question remains as to how much luxury box revenues the Wanger gets, and how much will be retained by Puff Daddy, or whatever in the hell he is called.

You can see it coming...

My hope is that something *changes* this year with Nonis in charge. My fear is that nothing will change, no hope now, no hope later.

The Leafs are the only team to not even make the playoffs since the last lockout. That is absolutely fcuking pathetic and unforgivable for the wealthiest organization in the NHL.
- Aetherial

enjoy your day

- Two_For_Truth

Who is the Leafs fan being held?

For the record, it was never Bettman's idea to move the team to Phoenix.

People need to stop saying this.
- Atomic Wedgie

For the record, who's idea was it?

Furthermore, who allowed it to go through?

It's 1970s urban planning thinking. The Skydome proved it to be bad urban planning - hell, even Jane Jacobs admitted she was wrong about the destruction the Skydome would cause by locating it downtown.

Same with the Panthers, by the way. That franchise will never, ever be successful in its current location.
- Atomic Wedgie

it would of been far better of the design wasnt so well.. 80s

if you want to build a venue in a city core you need to follow the city's current architectural model.

not that its on the same scale but the JLC in London here was done this way, using the same brick laying techniques and even some of the original brick from the buildings taken down to make room for it. so even when the arena becomes dated, it will still fit the motif of the london downtown, and wont look like such an eye sore.

the skydome has a huge flaw in its design. it became dated very very quickly.

- Two_For_Truth

The tearless retina

took the snowmobiles ice fishing 2 weeks back...no hut...friggin cold....caught a smelt ...buddy sliced open his finger on the ice auger...so we had to head back into civilization to a hospital for stitches...blood everywhere, all over the handlebars of the sled...buddy wrapped it up tight in paper towel and electrical tape for the 40 km trip home...interesting day.....and we'd do it again
- JIMI-JAMES

cool story and bummer about his finger, hahaha quite the journey it sounds like!

lol, nickel tips. haha

Same old problems, there is always something not working right, half my time is investigating problems. *sigh*
- LeafMan

always the way... better busy than bored i guess tho right?

it would of been far better of the design wasnt so well.. 80s

if you want to build a venue in a city core you need to follow the city's current architectural model.

not that its on the same scale but the JLC in London here was done this way, using the same brick laying techniques and even some of the original brick from the buildings taken down to make room for it. so even when the arena becomes dated, it will still fit the motif of the london downtown, and wont look like such an eye sore.

the skydome has a huge flaw in its design. it became dated very very quickly.
- Dozzer

i love the dome!

For the record, who's idea was it?

- Two_For_Truth

Jerry Colangelo.

Furthermore, who allowed it to go through?
- Two_For_Truth

The NHL Owners.

And I know that you are such a brilliant businessman that you would have done 100 things different, but for the record, the only other alternative was to fold the franchise.

the skydome has a huge flaw in its design. it became dated very very quickly.
- Dozzer

Yeah but to be fair here, the Dome was the first of its kind in the world. The "design" had to be driven in large part by the function.

In terms of the interior design. Yeah, it might be nicer now to have a boutique ballpark, but at the time, we had a franchise that was about to blow up the attendance record books. The intent was definitely function > form.

yeah not a smart decision in any which way, but that was the decision and they are stuck with it for now.

i just think there are so many other markets that would do better, which is why it bugs me. and for the love of god, canada is hockey, bring the teams here.
- big_dion

canada may be the home to hockey but thats not where the big money is

plain and simple

the money is in the US markets.. and truth is.. for all its flaws the game has had nothing but an upwards curve in viewership in the states.

people need to stop looking at a market by attendance only. thats just a minor part of it. there is so much else going on that drives income for the NHL.

ex: you are the NBC brass. you tell Gary that in order to secure a major network TV deal that the NHL MUST have at least this many teams in this time zone, this many teams in this time zone.. etc etc.

the money gained by that deal will far outweigh attendance income. because its not just the money NBC doles out to the NHL, its also advertising revenue etc. Larger sponsors and bigger cheques will come the NHLs way if they are represented across the target markets for their sponsors

sadly, its not just about the game and the fans anymore. its a money making machine. and the truth is, the income generated league wide by having a team in pheonix likely outweighs the losses the team takes a=on a yearly basis.

not to mention the tax write offs, which is a whole other ball of wax.

it would of been far better of the design wasnt so well.. 80s

if you want to build a venue in a city core you need to follow the city's current architectural model.

not that its on the same scale but the JLC in London here was done this way, using the same brick laying techniques and even some of the original brick from the buildings taken down to make room for it. so even when the arena becomes dated, it will still fit the motif of the london downtown, and wont look like such an eye sore.

the skydome has a huge flaw in its design. it became dated very very quickly.
- Dozzer

The 80s design was much in keeping with the neighbourhood at the time.

People seem to forget that the area surrounding the Skydome was largely derilect. The neighbourhood hadn't gentrified - hell, you can credit Skydome for creating the entire entertainment district.

West of Skydome, there was absolutely nothing.

And for all the griping about the Skydome's design, it actually does the job it was designed to do perfectly: be a multi-purpose venue that can be booked solid for a variety of events.

Yes, it sucks for baseball and football. But it's a jack of all trades, master of none. In terms of dates booked, it's still one of the busiest stadiums in North America.

Yeah but to be fair here, the Dome was the first of its kind in the world. The "design" had to be driven in large part by the function.

In terms of the interior design. Yeah, it might be nicer now to have a boutique ballpark, but at the time, we had a franchise that was about to blow up the attendance record books. The intent was definitely function > form.
- Aetherial

amazing how focusing on short term gain can cost you long term

tis the way of life in toronto it seems

amazing how focusing on short term gain can cost you long term

tis the way of life in toronto it seems
- Dozzer

Hey, slow down here.

The Skydome was paid for by taxpayers.

Building a boutique baseball stadium would have been an even greater disaster.

cool story and bummer about his finger, hahaha quite the journey it sounds like!
- big_dion

good thing we stayed sober...if something happens...which it did....when you're out in the wilderness in -20...everything changes and the fun disappears fast....survival mode kicks in when there's blood involved...but hey we caught a fish