Such a strong word... I would say oversaturated... tired of hearing about them... along those lines
- saskoil21

The media is in it to sell advertising for maximum revenue, get the maximum bang for their buck. And they get their biggest ROI when the talk about, or televise, the Leafs. It is simple marketing and economics. If they could raise more advertising revenue talking about the Oilers, they would. Period. Just that it isn't the reality. Sorry, but the oversaturation, as you call it, is market based and simply is what it is.

Anyway, if you are tired of hearing about the Leafs, why are you reading Colin's blog, and every comment posted about it?

I watched an interview this morning from Bolland where he went on to say how the Leafs were the biggest thing in hockey, and it got me to thinking - if this is the case, and many accept it as such, why is it then that the most financially successful and "beloved" team in the NHL can't seem to get it right?

As a fan, like you, it stands to reason that we should question a team that is placed before you. It appears that mediocrity at best, is what the organization has been able to produce and yet we as fans continue to express the same sentiments every passing season - Well there's always next year.

As someone who writes, plays, and watches a lot of hockey, the notion that the Leafs are the Center of the hockey universe has bothered me. While I certainly understand that the NHL is strictly a form of entertainment, fans behind the Leafs support the heck out of their team and are not often rewarded.

Now, it's apparent that with 30 NHL teams not every team can be "the best" every year...but this particular organization displays similar trends every so often that doesn't provide confidence in their fan-base for their future....correct me if I'm wrong.

Again, the blog (as I offered) was meant to be a discussion toward the team being considered as the "center of the hockey universe" than it was to be a bashing of said team. People have different reasons for which they chose to follow a team. Some fans jump from team to team and show no loyalty while others stick to one team for their lives, regardless of their success rates.

And that's where I had hoped the conversation would go.
- Colin_Dambrauskas

Well Colin I understand where you are coming from but the whole 'Center of the Universe" thing, or as Brian Burke called it 'The Vatican of hockey" just has to do with media exposure because of the major networks all being based in Toronto.

I can understand why people in other parts of the country get tired of hearing about a clearly mediocre to bad team, but the fact is there are more people in the GTA than all of many provinces so you have to max out the advertising bucks.

I do think there is a limit though. Fact is as many boomers with great memories of the Leaf winning teams from the 60's pass on the days of automatic sellouts will be a challenge if the team does not excite the next generation of fans.

There are more kids playing cricket than hockey in Scarborough and Brampton, two huge suburbs .

The gravy train will not last forever, the Leafs need to win and they know it.

Well Colin I understand where you are coming from but the whole 'Center of the Universe" thing, or as Brian Burke called it 'The Vatican of hockey" just has to do with media exposure because of the major networks all being based in Toronto.

I can understand why people in other parts of the country get tired of hearing about a clearly mediocre to bad team, but the fact is there are more people in the GTA than all of many provinces so you have to max out the advertising bucks.

I do think there is a limit though. Fact is as many boomers with great memories of the Leaf winning teams from the 60's pass on the days of automatic sellouts will be a challenge if the team does not excite the next generation of fans.

There are more kids playing cricket than hockey in Scarborough and Brampton, two huge suburbs .

The gravy train will not last forever, the Leafs need to win and they know it.
- Rang

See and that's just it....I was going off the mere "impression" that all players want to play there...its the constant media inflicted notion that Toronto is the greatest place to play and that any boy who grew up anywhere remotely close to the Leafs, wants to become a Leaf one day.

I re-read the blog, and it was certainly not one of my better blogs. Didnt get my point across well enough. But like I said, I was trying to challenge the idea, more than the fact as expressed through the media and many fans...

This same write up appeared in a Toronto paper the other day.... A+ for originality.

Colin Dambrauskas: The Center of the Hockey Universe, or the Ugly Baby?
- Colin_Dambrauskas

It's the center, get over it

I watched an interview this morning from Bolland where he went on to say how the Leafs were the biggest thing in hockey, and it got me to thinking - if this is the case, and many accept it as such, why is it then that the most financially successful and "beloved" team in the NHL can't seem to get it right?

As a fan, like you, it stands to reason that we should question a team that is placed before you. It appears that mediocrity at best, is what the organization has been able to produce and yet we as fans continue to express the same sentiments every passing season - Well there's always next year.

As someone who writes, plays, and watches a lot of hockey, the notion that the Leafs are the Center of the hockey universe has bothered me. While I certainly understand that the NHL is strictly a form of entertainment, fans behind the Leafs support the heck out of their team and are not often rewarded.

Now, it's apparent that with 30 NHL teams not every team can be "the best" every year...but this particular organization displays similar trends every so often that doesn't provide confidence in their fan-base for their future....correct me if I'm wrong.

Again, the blog (as I offered) was meant to be a discussion toward the team being considered as the "center of the hockey universe" than it was to be a bashing of said team. People have different reasons for which they chose to follow a team. Some fans jump from team to team and show no loyalty while others stick to one team for their lives, regardless of their success rates.

And that's where I had hoped the conversation would go.
- Colin_Dambrauskas

Just because the leafs haven't been successful lately, doesn't change the appeal or magnitude of playing hockey in Toronto.
Your blog was another boring backhanded attempt to take a shot at the leafs and suck in leaf haters to do the same.... And you know it
Yawn.

You blog, not write. Please don't minimize the word. It use to be a form of art.

Colin Dambrauskas: The Center of the Hockey Universe, or the Ugly Baby?
- Colin_Dambrauskas

Great blog. Keep up the good work.

why not just ban the trolls for disrupting converstations?

I can count to at least 2.
- CanadianBodmon

Fixed