How to fix the Columbus Blue Jackets’ mess

February 5, 2012 By 1 Comment

columbus blue jackets

 

Back in November, I wrote a two-part article titled ‘Who’s to Blame for Columbus Blue Jackets’ Mess?’  In Part One, I identified senior Blue Jackets management as the primary culprit to the mess.  However, team majority owner John P. McConnell has expressed his full support of Blue Jackets team president Mike Priest and General Manager (GM) Scott Howson during meetings with the entire ownership group

It should be noted, however, that McConnell’s proclamation incensed the fan base to the point of staging a mass protest demanding that changes be made to these two specific senior management officials  Given the apparent “vote of confidence” by McConnell, any changes to this sector of the organization don’t appear imminent.

But that is not to say that changes cannot be made to improve the fortunes of the Blue Jackets, albeit they won’t be recognized until next season at the earliest.

[Read more...]

‘Occupy Nationwide’ a Resounding Success

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

occupy-nationwide

Yesterday, approximately 300 fans gathered in front of Nationwide Arena, the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  They gathered to express both their love for the team and their disdain for the announcement that, in spite of easily holding the NHL’s worst record at 13-30-6 despite also possessing the NHL’s 9th highest team payroll, that Blue Jackets Team President Mike Priest and General Manager (GM) Scott Howson’s jobs appeared to be safe:

This news angered the masses in Columbus to an unprecedented level, both in the city’s history and in NHL lore.

Enter ‘Occupy Nationwide’.

[Read more...]

Patrick Kane Wins Shootout Contest With Superman Homage

January 28, 2012 By 1 Comment

The NHL All-Star Game, as is the case with the rest of professional sports’ mid-season clashes, is often derided as being a meaningless exhibition that people take way too seriously, but for those fans that can appreciate the fun that the players have with it, it is actually a cool spectacle.

[Read more...]

‘Occupy’ Movement Has Carried Over To Columbus Blue Jackets Fans

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

CBJ

It is said that if you push a person so far, they will eventually push back – that believe has now become reality for Columbus Blue Jackets fans.

The Blue Jackets easily occupy the 30th position in the National Hockey League (NHL), posting a horrid record of 13-30-6.  Were the Blue Jackets a rebuilding team with a limited team payroll that would be understandable.  However, Blue Jackets ownership ‘opened up the wallets’ to the tune of $64.3 million which was the 5th highest payroll at the beginning of the regular season and 9th, currently.

Last week, an ownership meeting was held with all ownership groups to include Nationwide Insurance who now have 30% ownership stake in the Blue Jackets. During the meetings, a topic of discussion was on Blue Jackets management’s plan to fix the deep ills that have made the Blue Jackets a national embarrassment.

[Read more...]

Stanley Cup MVP Declines Obama White House Visit Due to Political Differences

January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

obama

Back when the Chicago White Sox won the World Series, I listened to a lot of right wingnut extremists tell me things like

“How dare he (then Sox manager Ozzie Guillen) disrespect the President (then George W. Bush) by waving the Venezuelan flag instead of an American one.”

“How dare Guillen bring the pennant to Venezuela, to Hugo Chavez, no one is above a trip to the White House.”

Well, I said then that the President is a man, he doesn’t walk on water, he’s a man. I hated W. and I was all for anyone who wants to snub him, go ahead and snub him.

I’m a Barack Obama supporter and now that a championship winning athlete is snubbing him, someone I approve of, I still the say the same thing- If you want to snub him, Tim Thomas, go ahead and snub him.

[Read more...]

World’s Hottest Vancouver Canucks Fan: Cobie Smulders (Photos)

January 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This site’s third highest ever single post is a collection of ten extremely attractive Canadian female celebrities.  I came up with the idea upon returning from the Great white north this past Canada Day.

Canadian actress and former model Cobie Smulders, known for her role as Robin Scherbatsky on the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother .

The 29 year old is an avid Vancouver Canucks fan, and has made reference to that through her character Robin on the show.

[Read more...]

Should Ken Hitchcock win the Jack Adams Award?

January 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

st-louis-blues

 

The St. Louis Blues have ascended to the top of both the Western Conference and NHL rankings, a feat more remarkable considering their struggles at the beginning of the season and during the prior two disappointing seasons.  While the Blues possess a solid mix of gritty veterans and young players, their success has directly been related to a sole personnel move: the hiring of head coach Ken Hitchcock.

The Blues started the 2011-2012 season with a quite unremarkable 6-7-0 record and were mired in a funk of sub-mediocrity, having missed the playoffs for the prior two seasons after finally returning to the playoffs in 2009.  In the process, the Blues fired Andy Murray in the middle of the 2009-2010 season then had Davis Payne coach the team for the remainder of the season and throughout the season that followed.

[Read more...]

Sunday’s Three Stars: Shaw, Stalberg Shine in Win Over Sharks

January 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Patrick Sharp has been out of the Chicago Blackhawks’ lineup for the past four games, but it hasn’t slowed them down one bit. Buoyed by performances from guys up and down the roster, the Hawks have been scoring goals, playing solid defense, and most importantly, picking up points. This weekend was no different, as they got a point yesterday against the Detroit Red Wings, a team with an insane home record this season, and they did it again Sunday night as they took down the San Jose Sharks 4-3 at the United Center.

[Read more...]

Blackhawks’ Late Surge Gains Pity Point, But Wings Prevail

January 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Some sporting events have momentum swings that seem to occur in nearly every minute of action, but the tilt between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks was not one of those events.

Through the first 40 minutes of Saturday afternoon’s matinee between the Red Wings and Blackhawks, there was little doubt as to who the better team was on the ice. Sure, the Hawks got a huge break when Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard flipped a puck from behind the net directly to Andrew Shaw, but the Wings were the class of the Central for those 40 minutes, outshooting Chicago 29-11 and outscoring them 2-1. As soon as the third period started, however, it became a hockey game.

[Read more...]

Will Firing Scott Arniel Make a Difference or is it just not Enough?

January 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

arniel

The Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Scott Arniel this morning.  Through one and half seasons as the Blue Jackets head coach, Arniel posted an overall record of 45-60-18 but since his 14-6-0 start posted a record of 31-54-18.  Additionally, the Blue Jackets have posted only eight regulations wins in their past 63 games.

Former Minnesota Wild head coach and current Blue Jackets assistant head coach Todd Richards will take over the coaching reigns for the remainder of the regular season.  Richards posted an overall record of 77-71-16 over two full seasons before being fired at the end of the 2010-2011 season.

[Read more...]

Sharp Out 3-4 Weeks; Is it Panic Time for Stan Bowman?

January 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 

Patrick Sharp in pre-game warmups

After going largely unscathed on the injury front for the first half of the season, the Chicago Blackhawks have been getting bitten by the bug in a big way in recent weeks. You have Marcus Kruger out with a concussion (although he is skating now and should be back soon), Daniel Carcillo down with a knee injury that he sustained on his incredibly stupid hit on Tom Gilbert against Edmonton, and Steve Montador just came back from the injured reserve list. Although those guys are all supporting characters in the narrative the Hawks have written so far, one of the prime time players is going to have to be replaced with an understudy for a while.

[Read more...]

Blackhawks First Semester Report Card: Serious Cup Contender?

January 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Toews needs to keep his scoring touch going.

With Friday’s 4-0 loss at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche, the Chicago Blackhawks reached the 41-game mark of their season, meaning that half their campaign has come to an end. While the old adage of “time flies when you’re having fun” certainly can apply to a big chunk of those games, the same cannot be said about the way the Hawks ended this stretch of schedule.

Despite being only one point out of the lead in the Central Division, the Hawks have been reeling as of late, dealing with injuries to players like Marcus Kruger and Steve Montador and also losing three games in a row, at least two of which would have been deemed winnable just by looking at the schedule. Falling to the Oilers, Flyers, and Avalanche may not be a season killer by any stretch, but it certainly doesn’t bode well for a team that is going to be getting into a very road-heavy portion of their schedule in the coming weeks. [Read more...]

« Older Posts