G
Gurtholfin
Guest
Re: WISCONSIN Hockey Vol. XXIV - Craziest Season Of All Time
So if you didn't enjoy that game, you're not a hockey fan or as another said, you don't recognize offensive chances when you see them? You could say that but I could just as easily say that many have gotten to the point of settling for anything as long as it results in a victory. Guarantee you that Gopher and Sioux fans would be complaining about last night's style of play and my guess is that many of them are actual hockey fans. Sux that I'm agreeing with them more and more on this subject.
The place was flat last night and it wasn't just because the students weren't there. It's because nothing was happening and as time went on it started to feel like one of those games where nothing ever would happen. We've seen this all too often over the past several years. One game like this here and there would be fine, but even when we play marginal teams, we struggle to generate offense.
I'll give LaBate credit for scoring, but it wasn't exactly a skillful effort. He carried the puck unopposed through the neutral zone, took it wide and shot. It was a soft goal. Guarantee you the goalie wants that one back.
Everything that many were complaining about earlier in the season (when we were losing) was on display last night throughout that game. Lack of individual offensive talent, system play, the trap, inability to finish, 4 lines of indistinguishable grinders. Yet because we won, it was a really exciting game.
Interesting.
I have a feeling that if we lose that game 1-0, those complaints might have crossed more than a few minds.
My concerns with this and really the only reason that I'm going on and on about it is the dwindling attendance. This hockey is not must see. Even for me who lives hockey every day of my life.
In talking to other season ticket holders around me (when there are actually any around me), their complaints are starting to center more and more around how boring the style is and that they don't feel any buzz or reason to make coming to the games a priority due to the lack of atmosphere and how unappealing what they're seeing below them is. It's how I feel too.
At least 90% of the seats around me (in the 200s) are empty every game. These used to be full nearly every game just a few years ago. This isn't just the economy. Fans are walking away.
This needs to turn around. It can be said that winning would cure all of these woes, but we are winning and it was exactly the same anemic sized and comatose crowd that we've seen all this year and much of last. I get that nothing's gonna change overnight, but with Miami in town and a 10 game streak, I foolishly hoped for more. You know, top 10 team, 10 game streak - the casual fan will come out. The ones who gave up their tickets over the past couple of seasons will come out for this. Nope.
The crowd that is there wants to get into it. There were noticeable surges in the crowd last night when a good defensive play was made or a tough save or a couple of the offensive chances that we got. These were not driven by the student section, they were driven by what the crowd was seeing. You know, the product on the ice. Unfortunately, they are so few and far between (especially the offense) that the place just falls back asleep for 10 minutes (or more) at a time between them.
Maybe it looked great on TV. I see that I'm the only one (on here) complaining.
It's getting to the point though where I don't feel a need to pay for and go to see this in person. For me, the point of going to a game live is to be able to experience it with a crowd and feel the energy in the building. I've been in half full buildings were the energy has been great, so the staleness cannot be blamed only on the size of the crowd. The women's game against Harvard that we won in 2OT all those years ago comes to mind.
If the atmosphere continues to be stale, why would I pay $100 a game to go when I can sit in my den with a fire and watch the game on the flatscreen? Just like I'm doing right now watching my Blackhawks pee on the Kings' parade, but I digress.
I didn't just come up with this over the past 24 hours. My discontent has been growing over the years and it's getting worse as I don't see anything changing for the better long term based upon what I'm seeing on the ice.
Some will say, good riddance. Don't go. Give up your tickets. You're not a real fan.
To those I'd say, go to the KC and tell me if you really think you can lose even one more person like me. There aren't people lining up to take my place.
So many, including the family of 4 that sits to my left that had the tickets since the KC opened, already have left. My coworker who gave up his seats last year after over 30 consecutive years - btw, he's a salesman doing very well financially. He didn't stop going because of the economy.
To those I'd also say, p-i-s-s off. I've paid my dues. I can be a fan from my couch and my laptop from now on like most of the rest of you. Nothing invested other than time.
Alright. Manifesto/Super Rant done. Promise.
Hoping for 2 goals tonight!
I'll try to be more open minded tonight. Oh yeah, and a better fan of hockey.
So if you didn't enjoy that game, you're not a hockey fan or as another said, you don't recognize offensive chances when you see them? You could say that but I could just as easily say that many have gotten to the point of settling for anything as long as it results in a victory. Guarantee you that Gopher and Sioux fans would be complaining about last night's style of play and my guess is that many of them are actual hockey fans. Sux that I'm agreeing with them more and more on this subject.
The place was flat last night and it wasn't just because the students weren't there. It's because nothing was happening and as time went on it started to feel like one of those games where nothing ever would happen. We've seen this all too often over the past several years. One game like this here and there would be fine, but even when we play marginal teams, we struggle to generate offense.
I'll give LaBate credit for scoring, but it wasn't exactly a skillful effort. He carried the puck unopposed through the neutral zone, took it wide and shot. It was a soft goal. Guarantee you the goalie wants that one back.
Everything that many were complaining about earlier in the season (when we were losing) was on display last night throughout that game. Lack of individual offensive talent, system play, the trap, inability to finish, 4 lines of indistinguishable grinders. Yet because we won, it was a really exciting game.
Interesting.
I have a feeling that if we lose that game 1-0, those complaints might have crossed more than a few minds.
My concerns with this and really the only reason that I'm going on and on about it is the dwindling attendance. This hockey is not must see. Even for me who lives hockey every day of my life.
In talking to other season ticket holders around me (when there are actually any around me), their complaints are starting to center more and more around how boring the style is and that they don't feel any buzz or reason to make coming to the games a priority due to the lack of atmosphere and how unappealing what they're seeing below them is. It's how I feel too.
At least 90% of the seats around me (in the 200s) are empty every game. These used to be full nearly every game just a few years ago. This isn't just the economy. Fans are walking away.
This needs to turn around. It can be said that winning would cure all of these woes, but we are winning and it was exactly the same anemic sized and comatose crowd that we've seen all this year and much of last. I get that nothing's gonna change overnight, but with Miami in town and a 10 game streak, I foolishly hoped for more. You know, top 10 team, 10 game streak - the casual fan will come out. The ones who gave up their tickets over the past couple of seasons will come out for this. Nope.
The crowd that is there wants to get into it. There were noticeable surges in the crowd last night when a good defensive play was made or a tough save or a couple of the offensive chances that we got. These were not driven by the student section, they were driven by what the crowd was seeing. You know, the product on the ice. Unfortunately, they are so few and far between (especially the offense) that the place just falls back asleep for 10 minutes (or more) at a time between them.
Maybe it looked great on TV. I see that I'm the only one (on here) complaining.
It's getting to the point though where I don't feel a need to pay for and go to see this in person. For me, the point of going to a game live is to be able to experience it with a crowd and feel the energy in the building. I've been in half full buildings were the energy has been great, so the staleness cannot be blamed only on the size of the crowd. The women's game against Harvard that we won in 2OT all those years ago comes to mind.
If the atmosphere continues to be stale, why would I pay $100 a game to go when I can sit in my den with a fire and watch the game on the flatscreen? Just like I'm doing right now watching my Blackhawks pee on the Kings' parade, but I digress.
I didn't just come up with this over the past 24 hours. My discontent has been growing over the years and it's getting worse as I don't see anything changing for the better long term based upon what I'm seeing on the ice.
Some will say, good riddance. Don't go. Give up your tickets. You're not a real fan.
To those I'd say, go to the KC and tell me if you really think you can lose even one more person like me. There aren't people lining up to take my place.
So many, including the family of 4 that sits to my left that had the tickets since the KC opened, already have left. My coworker who gave up his seats last year after over 30 consecutive years - btw, he's a salesman doing very well financially. He didn't stop going because of the economy.
To those I'd also say, p-i-s-s off. I've paid my dues. I can be a fan from my couch and my laptop from now on like most of the rest of you. Nothing invested other than time.
Alright. Manifesto/Super Rant done. Promise.
Hoping for 2 goals tonight!
I'll try to be more open minded tonight. Oh yeah, and a better fan of hockey.
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