Thread Tools

Display Modes

MjM2xtreMe · 08-24-2006, 05:44 PM

Just a heads up to those who read the torono sun. According to Al Strachan, MLSE should dump the Raptors to save money for the Leafs. First of all who is this guy? Somebody said it on this board but yeah its people like him that makes it seem easy to become a sports writer. Full article will be available tomorrow.

Quote:

So isn’t it about time the Leafs did something to reward those fans? And wouldn’t that be doubly true if MLSE were to make a profit in the process?

The answer is simple. Dump that money-losing aggregation known as the Toronto Raptors

.

http://torontosun.com/Sports/2006/08/24/1773882.html

nwt · 08-24-2006, 06:02 PM

**** Al Strachan

**madman** · 08-24-2006, 06:05 PM

that is what happens when sports writers have too much time on their hands

**ballocks** · 08-24-2006, 06:41 PM

this is obviously just a piece to elicit anger from the raptors fanbase. it irks me not because i'm a raptors fan, but because this writer still sees it as a 'solution' of some kind after all these years to punish his audience. al, specifically, has been making these 'contributions' for a long long long time- and he continues to pump them out like gas. that hurts.

i don't like tabloid journalism- if i hate anything, it would have to be that- and it troubles me when it's seen by such a massive audience (as i'm sure is the case here). we're just breeding another generation of tabloid junkies, imo, who get no satisfaction from it but continue to need it- in spite of the pain it causes to others (everyone). it's a total drag and sort of makes me wish i lived in the medieval times instead to simply avoid it.

in terms of his actual suggestion, you can conceivably stop reading after the first line: "... isn’t it about time the Leafs did something to reward those fans?" i mean, let's forget the fact that that wouldn't necessarily be much of a 'reward' for anyone in toronto- let's just forget about that for a second- what kind of 'reward' do leafs fans deserve in the first place? why do they deserve a reward? like, that suggestion is sprouted from the mouths of the media first, imo, and later gets into the heads of the fans (e.g. "we deserve a reward? uhh... yeah. i guess we do. hell yeah we deserve a reward! where is it?!?! gimme!"). that's the initial problem, imo.

quite frankly, i think mlse has done its best to put a winner on the ice and the court- its decisions have been questionable, of course, but the chicago bulls of the 90s and the edmonton oilers of the 80s also made questionable decisions. from a purely financial perspective, i think mlse has done it all already. that's not to say that financials represent everything (there's more to it than that, i know), only to point out that the premise of this article (i.e. that the raptors repeated $$$ losses are hamstringing the maple leafs) is invalid. what would the leafs do with the implied "extra" cash that they wouldn't be doing anyway?

and look at that, i just wasted my time with a rebuttal. that sucks. these writers just bring me down, i wish the world wouldn't resort to its tabloid media drug habit forever. i wish we could step past it already- or at least make an attempt. the way it seems today is worse than it's ever been, really, and why do we continue to punish ourselves? we're like masochists of the highest order... but this is all for another thread on another board in another world.

peace

anniebananerz · 08-24-2006, 07:07 PM

Al Strachan.

I have don't know who he is and from the looks of that article, getting familiar with his writings would just be a waste of my time.

MjM2xtreMe · 08-25-2006, 06:43 AM

Here is (Weird) Al's full article

Al Strachan article

Steve Buffery rebutts in "The Last Word"

Steve Buffery's Rebuttal

zing!

JuniorNoboa · 08-25-2006, 07:27 AM

Someone should explain the concept of economies of scale to Al Strachan - knob.

**shookem** · 08-25-2006, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuniorNoboa

Someone should explain the concept of economies of scale to Al Strachan - knob.

Someone did, Buffery.

Quote:

Al, you know this.

The teams operate as two separate businesses and the selling of the Raptors would not affect the financial viability of the Leafs in any way. As it is private operation, MLSEL does not release specifics on how much, if any, money the Raps lose. But consider this — the NBA signed a $4.6 billion US TV deal in 2002, worth approximately $765 million annually. The Raps receive a lot more money from TV than the Leafs ever will. What does each NHL team receive from that OLN package? A box of Sudafed and $37? Or has it reached the point where the NHL has to pay TV to televise their games?

Another reason Al believes it’s a good idea to get rid of the Raptors is that the ice is poor because they have to put in the floor for at least 41 basketball games a year at the ACC.

True, I suppose.

But Al, what do you tell the hundreds of workers at the ACC: “Sorry gang, in the name of better ice, we’re getting rid of the Raptors, so count on working 41 fewer nights a year. But hey, Darcy Tucker’s happy.”

Al says the ACC usually is half-empty for Raps games. I guess that means the ACC holds 35,000 people. The Raptors averaged 17,057 fans last season, which is pretty good for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in four seasons.

The Raps have cracked the top 10 in NBA attendance in eight of 11 seasons.

As for giving back radio time to hockey fans? Al, I assure you, the Leafs are well represented on the airwaves in this city.

Didn’t you catch those updates on Nik Antropov’s tennis game? Wasn’t that fantastic?

And Leafs Lunch. I mean, wow. Not only did we get to rehash the Hal Gill signing a million times, we get hourly reports from the Bill Watters holiday compound in fabulous Orillia.

“Looks like Wilber’s barbecuing chicken breasts this afternoon. Nice goin’ Bill.”

No one’s arguing the Leafs don’t outsell the Raptors.

But so what?

Every city has its most popular team. In Toronto, it’s the Leafs. The Raptors, however, have a very loyal fan base. And unlike Leafs fans, they don’t sip martinis and nibble on sushi all night and clap when the scoreboard tells them to.

However, Al is right about some of the ridiculous signings the Raptors’ braintrust have pulled off over the years. But a dopey general manager is no excuse to sell a franchise.

I hate to break this to you Al, but the 1960s are over. The next time you’re back in Toronto, take a look around.

This ain’t the Toronto I grew up in. (I was going to say the Toronto you grew up in, but you’re a Windsor boy).

Many — I would say most — new Canadians relate to basketball more than hockey. You may not like it, but there it is.

http://torontosun.com/Sports/Columni...5/1774796.html

anniebananerz · 08-25-2006, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shookem

Someone did, Buffery.

http://torontosun.com/Sports/Columni...5/1774796.html

The Raptors do have a very loyal fanbase.

TRON · 08-25-2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

And think of the radio air time that could be returned to hockey fans.

this line seriously made my laugh out loud, absolutely ridiculous statement

I can't believe a sports writer could be so clueless
Al Strachan

**madman** · 08-25-2006, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MjM2xtreMe

Here is (Weird) Al's full article

Al Strachan article

Steve Buffery rebutts in "The Last Word"

Steve Buffery's Rebuttal

zing!

Buffery really got him good, i was laughing at how much of an *** he made Strachan look

**ballocks** · 08-25-2006, 11:52 AM

ok, so it comes out. this was all a game from the get-go. "you take this side, i'll take this one." that makes it a little easier to swallow but still, strachan's points are so childish, off-the-wall, confused and desperate that it makes it clearly appear like an argument for the sake of an argument. that's a total waste of time, imo. you guys can find something else to do.

even buffery's column is bizarre: "Al, this rebuttal comes from a guy who loves hockey, a guy who lost his front teeth, broke two shoulders and suffered numerous other ailments playing the game we love." is that supposed to prove his love for ice hockey? "i love hockey because i lost my limbs on the ice."

i'd love to eat right now because i just ate.

peace

Thread Tools Display Modes

Thread Tools

Display Modes