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2.20.2013

Reality Check, Playoff Position

Ok... let's just back up a step (again) and let's try to calm things down and think about things rationally.

This argument between the "whiners" and the "apologists" is just ridiculous and I'd like to think that the readers of this blog are above this crap.

To the "whiners": Yes the team isn't good, the franchise is a loser franchise and hasn't even been moderately good in 5 years.  All of this is true and I would never deny it.  You accomplish nothing by coming on this blog and whining about things. If you have the guts... call Russ and complain directly to him. It's really passive aggressive to come on a fan blog and complain about the team after every single loss and then stay quiet after they win a game or two. It's hollow.

In the long term, should the Seattle organization compete with the big boys? Sure! There shouldn't be anything holding the franchise back outside of the decisions being made about players and personnel. On the other hand, expecting this team to compete with "anyone" THIS season? That's crazy. This team isn't that good. They aren't anywhere close to Portland and they have to play perfect hockey to compete with the top 5 or 6 teams in the conference. So I think it is perfectly reasonable to be happy with getting 5 out of 6 points against teams like Everett or Vancouver? Why you say? Because those teams aren't easy for THIS team to beat!! They had to actually play well to beat those teams.

So settle down a little. Nobody is telling you that you're wrong... you're just whiny. Everyone on here is well aware of how bad the team is and how bad the franchise has been for the last couple of years and there isn't anything any of us on here can do about it.

As for the "apologists": Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm not sure I understand why people come on this blog to complain every time the team loses... yet things are pretty quiet when the team wins... BUT... understand this.  This franchise hasn't been really truly good since the 1989-90 season. There is a reason why this fan base is beat up, skeptical, whiny, annoyed and quite generally pissed off after every loss and every losing season. A lot of them (myself included) have been watching the same mediocre crap (or lately crap crap) for a very long time and it gets quite tiresome to "wait til next year" every single year.

So I can understand the frustration of the "whiners". I just don't agree with the way they express it.

I stopped moderating comments a long time ago. I want fans to come here to voice their opinion and frustration. I don't always agree with it... and I wish the whiners would enjoy the WINS as much as they hated the losses (they don't) but I'm not going to stop them from doing it.

Now... let's actually talk about some hockey real quick.

The 5 points over the weekend were huge, as Seattle pulled 2 points clear of Everett and 5 points clear of Prince George. This is huge for two reasons. One, it puts Seattle in an improve situation to make the playoffs and no matter how I feel about the team making the playoffs just to get stomped... there is no question the franchise would benefit financially from getting back into the playoffs. The home playoff games are important and especially if Seattle somehow found a way to get more than 2 of them (obviously that's going to be tough).

Second, getting into the 7th seed (and keeping it) should make for a much more competitive series. Seattle hasn't sniffed a win against Portland with Carruth in net but they have played both Kelowna and Kamloops pretty tough at home (and been trashed on the road). Getting that 7th seed gives me some hope that Seattle might play either of those teams tough at Showare Center and who knows, maybe steal a game or two.

16 comments :

Anonymous said...

As a long time sth I can say that watching them lose every night and show no signs of improvement is what is painful. Most of us just want signs that better times are ahead. And looking at the young core of this team I can't say they are any closer than we were 3 years ago. The clincher is the fact that you have franchise changing players drafted and are likely to miss out on all of them. It always seemed we were in neutral but now we are stuck in reverse. I don't care who whines or who doesn't but these are the reasons why people are starting to lose any patience left in the franchise.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this, Tyler. I love reading your blog (and will continue to do so), but I stopped reading/posting comments a long time ago because I just get tired of the negativity.

Anonymous said...

Tyler:

Well said, I am a big a Winterhawk fan, but loves hockey and the WHL. It has been a part of my life since I was 7. I enjoy your read.

Keep it up.

Anonymous said...

::shrugs:: For my part, I'm a whiner because this team has teased us for four years. They've started decently, in the neighborhood of .500 for most of the first half for the last few seasons, then cratered around the break, and struggled after it. The glimpses of talent, of what this team can do, make the recurring failures far more disheartening.

I love the wins, but I've not yet learned to trust that they'll come, because they simply don't, at least not with any consistency.

The Birds are still my team, and I love them win or lose, but I don't think for a moment that this team deserves equal amounts of praise and derision for a product that has been mediocre to terrible for years.

Dean said...

First, I love Tyler's posts.

Second...we are frustrated. We continued to hear the team is rebuilding year after year. People get tired about the excuses. Will Russ remove himself not likely but your blog gives people a chance to complain. It's not good, in today's economy or any economy, to watch this team lose game after game.

We complainers are fans but have enough! I sent a letter to Seattle Times, last year, asking Russ to resign as CEO. The letter was published...didn't do any good. Rush is still making decisions. So don't tell me to write the office or anyone else. I did my part.

I complain because I like my kids to witness a win at home. This team has no expectations in winning against the tougher teams regardless winning at home....again Russ's problem. We bitch because there is no other option...your blog is it for most us....congrats!

Seriously, for the die hard fans that are tired of the complaining...get over it! This team is in seventh place, best it has been in years but some of us want more. We are only voicing comments on the matter...we were promised more by this time.

btw..if you haven't donated to the hockey challenge...do so! Worthy donation on your part. McDonald Houses in Seattle, there are three due to the need, needs your support.

Anonymous said...

This team "SUCKS", lose to Everett at home?, why waste the fuel traveling to Vancouver.

Anonymous said...

Welcome Back You Negative Nancy's of Seattle! I am sure you will have a happy Monday now.

Anonymous said...

Yes, please don't complain about this great team. You might hurt their feelings.

Anonymous said...

To the person who says the team is good at the first part of the year but then tanks after the break...a winning team wins off talent and skill the first half of the year and after the break, it's all about coaching!! Seattle has not had a coach in how many years???

Anonymous said...

Jeez we didn't have a Coach when Nachbauer was here, oh wait he's doing just fine elsewhere, we didn't do good when Sumner was here, we haven't done well with Konowalchuck. It ain't the coach it's the person pretending to be a GM.

Anonymous said...

I don't think the coaches are completely off the hook, but nor is the majority of the blame theirs. I think there's enough to go around. Players, coaches and ownership.

As for the negative fans, of which I'm one, I'd like one of these people so virulently opposed to the position that this team is in fact deserving of criticism to come forth and tell me just why this team, as constituted now or constituted at any point in the last four years, is worthy of anything else?

Anonymous said...

No one is saying the criticism is not warranted. Good gosh, they've barely won 20 of 70 games the last 4 seasons. The criticism of the "whiners", was the fact they go silent when the team wins a few games, but as soon as they lose again, they all come back out of the woodwork to lambast the team. It's as though they are waiting for them to lose. I'll criticize when they play poorly but I'll also give them credit when they win.

Anonymous said...

all this blog does is beg for money and whine about how shitty the team is.. im out going to go follow a real whl team

Thunnex said...

I know right... because begging for money for sick kids with cancer who are 3000 miles away from home is something that is totally against "blog" policies and also totally has an effect on whether the team wins or loses.

Don't let the door hit ya...

Anonymous said...

I heard that Nachbauer wanted to come back and coach the Thunderbirds (family lives in Seattle?) but Farwell nixed the move and hired coach K instead. (In my opinion, he needed another "yes man" like Sumner.)

reply to anonymous at 10:46

Tim Waldal, fan from start said...

Tyler, you do a great job of writing and being fair. I wish there were more opportunities to enjoy a win and get a discussion about how much of a playoff run can we make. The playoffs are also beneficial to our young players. The opportunity for more practice and to get a feel for the increase in intensity that comes in the postseason. Also, they usually call up a young kid or two.

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