The Preds now have won two in a row, which brings us back to .500 on the season. (16-16-2) This, after a 5 game losing streak which was the end of what has been a miserable December for the Preds so far. So far, the Preds have gone 4-7 in December, sending the Preds from a playoff team, to one of the worst teams in the league. In October, after starting 2-0, and looking much like the Preds team from lsat season, the guys went 2-7 to finish October at 4-7 overall. (Including the 6 game losing streak.)
Then, the Preds woke up in November, going 8-2-2, and losing back-to-back games only once the entire month (11/17 & 11/19 against St. Louis, one of which was in a shootout) They became the talk of the league once again, and all seemed to be well. Then, as mentioned earlier, December came, and once again the Preds hit the skids. It seemed that as the weather outside cooled, so did the team. The Preds have 4 games remaining in 2007, and as we enter 2008, the question is, which team will show up for the stretch run? Will it be the team that found ways to win, or the one that found ways to lose leads late in games?
And furthermore, if the team that has apparently taken the ice in December continues to play the same way, what will happen to the fans? I have to say, the game against the Kings on Saturday was a great one, both on the scoreboard, and in the stands. But, if the Preds have another 4-7 month, (or worse, the Preds play 14 games in January) will a Peter Forsberg-type of trade be enough to get people to believe in the team?
I'm certainly not saying that if the Preds struggle in the upcoming month, that the team is doomed, but will the fan support stay at the level it's at now? I certainly hope so, and I feel that with the ownership situation finalized, the team can now better focus on what lies ahead, which is a run to the playoffs. Poile has pretty much been given the green light to make moves as he needs to, and knowing Poile, something could very well happen. Poile is known as one of the most brilliant minds in the game, and is one that could very well make a move that would make the Preds a contender once again.
But, in the meantime, the Preds must find a way to play more consistant, or else the team will be in deep trouble when the season begins to wind down.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Proof that Nashville IS into Hockey!
While reading a blog on Hockeybuzz.com (http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=10418), I read that despite the seeming apathay from all sides, hockey is in FACT growing in Nashville. Greater Nashville Area Scholastic Hockey, or "GNASH" for short, is starting this season with 20 teams representing 28 area schools. This number is up from 19 last year, and seems to be continually growing since its inception in 1999. Here's the numbers there, let's say for the sake of math, that there are 20 players per team, with 20 teams in the league, that's at least 400 high school age hockey players in the Nashville area ALONE! Then there are leagues in Knoxville and Memphis to consider. There is plenty of hockey being played here.
So, with that said, those that say that the NHL doesn't "belong" in Nashville, there's proof that it in fact DOES belong here, and that it is a tremendous benefit to the community. Besides, as I've said before, I'd MUCH rather a kid look up to a hockey player, of whom most are great people off the ice, and are rarely if ever arrested, than a football player, who seems to have problems all the time
But, is this being covered in the local media? No. And if it were, it would likely be thrown in with the scores from Austrailian Rules Football. Yet another case in the long line of disrespect that this team receives, even from the people that SHOULD be behind this sport.
Also in our paper yesterday, was a nice little article about how our current owner, Craig Leipold, will "cash in" when the sale is completed. Yeah, he's really gonna roll in the dough with the expected $30 million that he stands to make on the deal. I can see Leipold now doing a dance cause he made a whole $30 mil, and now he can escape Nashville! Get the hell out of this place! Fact is, there has been a lot of negative publicity towards the owner since his announcement in May that he was selling the team. Much of it is undeserved in my opinion.
Consider this, if Leipold had never come to Nashville, we wouldn't even HAVE a NHL team to save! Not that we should be kissing the ground he walks upon, but he certainly doesn't deserve the treatment that some feel he does. Again, he could have very easily have passed on helping Nashville get a team, so let's thank him for the ten years he was the owner, and look toward the future. The Arena was built in the mid-90's to attract either a NBA or NHL franchise, and lucky for those hockey fans around here, we got the latter. I am very appreciative for what he has done, and what he has accomplished, and I in a sense, told him that. I'm very happy with him, and I hoppe he can sell the team to the local group, and all of the lease deals get done.
Well, hopefully the Pred haters out there (in Nashville) will someday wake up to see the value of having a NHL team here in Nashville. If they don't, and if those who actually MATTER don't, then it will be very dark on Bradway next winter.
Here's the link to GNASH: http://www.usahockey.com/gnash
Nashville Youth Hockey League (NYHL): http://www.nyhl.com/
So, with that said, those that say that the NHL doesn't "belong" in Nashville, there's proof that it in fact DOES belong here, and that it is a tremendous benefit to the community. Besides, as I've said before, I'd MUCH rather a kid look up to a hockey player, of whom most are great people off the ice, and are rarely if ever arrested, than a football player, who seems to have problems all the time
But, is this being covered in the local media? No. And if it were, it would likely be thrown in with the scores from Austrailian Rules Football. Yet another case in the long line of disrespect that this team receives, even from the people that SHOULD be behind this sport.
Also in our paper yesterday, was a nice little article about how our current owner, Craig Leipold, will "cash in" when the sale is completed. Yeah, he's really gonna roll in the dough with the expected $30 million that he stands to make on the deal. I can see Leipold now doing a dance cause he made a whole $30 mil, and now he can escape Nashville! Get the hell out of this place! Fact is, there has been a lot of negative publicity towards the owner since his announcement in May that he was selling the team. Much of it is undeserved in my opinion.
Consider this, if Leipold had never come to Nashville, we wouldn't even HAVE a NHL team to save! Not that we should be kissing the ground he walks upon, but he certainly doesn't deserve the treatment that some feel he does. Again, he could have very easily have passed on helping Nashville get a team, so let's thank him for the ten years he was the owner, and look toward the future. The Arena was built in the mid-90's to attract either a NBA or NHL franchise, and lucky for those hockey fans around here, we got the latter. I am very appreciative for what he has done, and what he has accomplished, and I in a sense, told him that. I'm very happy with him, and I hoppe he can sell the team to the local group, and all of the lease deals get done.
Well, hopefully the Pred haters out there (in Nashville) will someday wake up to see the value of having a NHL team here in Nashville. If they don't, and if those who actually MATTER don't, then it will be very dark on Bradway next winter.
Here's the link to GNASH: http://www.usahockey.com/gnash
Nashville Youth Hockey League (NYHL): http://www.nyhl.com/
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