AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > October > 04 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThrashers must build on last year’s success
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Winning a division title, making the playoffs and avoiding indictments puts the Thrashers in exclusive company these days for an Atlanta sports franchise. Some would settle for just one of the three.
But as the franchise opens its eighth season tonight, the high-water mark of last year — which went from postseason to postmortem in roughly seven minutes — has given way to familiar themes.
The coach’s future is uncertain. The general manager is catching heat. Ownership is forever in flux. The team is thin at center and on defense. The team’s three biggest stars — Kari Lehtonen, Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk — all have significant issues, regarding contract, maturity or stability.
These are supposed to be the good times, right?
“It’s not surprising,” Bobby Holik, the team’s new captain, said of the perceptions. “Nobody will pay attention to us until we play well. We’re tucked here into north Georgia. People in Canada or big markets are not going to talk about us. The bottom line is, we haven’t done anything worthy for them to talk about us.”
The regular season opens with Washington tonight and closes April 5. Somewhere in between, the franchise’s future may be defined.
If the Thrashers miss the playoffs, last season will be viewed as an aberration, a housecleaning is possible and, given this city’s bandwagon tendencies, hockey’s future here might circle the drain. Make the playoffs — and make a dent this time — and there’s hope.
You remember hope, don’t you? It passed through town, just before Game 1 against the New York Rangers. Some teams lose playoff games, then patch holes. But after the Thrashers suffered a four-game sweep by one of the league’s mid-level teams, you wondered if the walls or foundation needed replacing.
Coach Bob Hartley has had time to think about this. Yes, the team needed more speed, more youth. Yes, Kovalchuk needed a new center. But many of the team’s problems flowed from the head.
“I’d say we were mentally tired at the end,” Hartley said. “I’m not ready to say we were mentally weak.”
There’s a very fine line there.
The Thrashers are suspect at center, even with the signing of Todd White. They are undersized, even in a redefined league that emphasizes speed. But every team in the salary-cap era has holes. How the Thrashers function will be less because of size and skill than it will be their craniums. Losing exposes issues.
“As soon as we lost that first game [to the Rangers], I could feel that we froze,” Hartley said. “It’s not a matter of being mentally weak or mentally strong, it’s being mentally ready, and it’s tough to be ready when you don’t know what to expect. I really felt when Kari bobbled that puck [in Game 1] and they scored that [clinching] goal, the players became like steel rods on the bench.”
Lehtonen carried the Thrashers for part of the season. But he struggled in the playoffs with “one so-so game and one awful game,” he said. He admits it took a while to let go in the offseason.
Nobody has ever questioned Lehtonen’s talent, but his resiliency is another matter. He’s come to expect the skeptics. “Two years ago it was: I don’t have any experience at this level,” he said. “A year later it was: I’m always hurt. Now everybody is questioning whether I can do well under pressure.”
Hossa is the team’s best all-around player. But he floundered in the postseason and is in a contract year. The fact he hasn’t re-signed is some indication he wants to take a temperature of this team. Don’t we all.
Kovalchuk is the team’s most dynamic scorer. He was one of the few who played with passion in the playoffs, even if still prone to occasional meltdowns. But if White can’t keep up as his new feeder, all bets are off.
The roster has four rookies, including one, Brett Sterling, on Kovalchuk’s line. The added speed should help the penalty killing. Having Alexei Zhitnik for a full season should help the power play.
What does it mean?
As Holik said of the playoffs last year, “What we learned is we weren’t ready.”
There’s no official clock. But time might be running out.
Permalink | Comments (47) | Post your comment | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Thrashers / NHL
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By chainshaw
October 4, 2007 8:29 PM | Link to this
As opening night approaches, I would like to thank you for the Buzz Kill! The Atlanta Spirit would like to thank you for your huge help in getting people excited to go to the games.
I would not expect any more from the newspaper who will not even link our NHL team to the home page.
By dj
October 4, 2007 8:46 PM | Link to this
Jeff Schultz must build on his own ego. That was the worst beginning of the season column I have ever read. In fact, I feel like I just lost 2 minutes of my life. The THRASHERS are the only team in Atlanta to make the playoffs. Sorry they couldn’t spend there time this offseason killing dogs, choking on a baseball bat, or having 800 illegitamate children like the rest of our teams do. Instead of this article, how about you write something about Kovy getting named Alternate Captain. How about that for a show of maturity? Or better yet, how he beat the hell out of Sean Avery b/c the NHL wasn’t going to do anything with a New York player so there ratings can go up. Your ridiculous, go back to watching Braves reruns, or join Terrance Moore on writing an article how hockey players are racist b/c they don’t support Vick. This is by far the best sports team in Atlanta and you write such a negative column. I hope the next time you walk out of your office Garnet Exelby is there to check you into the freaking wall.
By DungeonK
October 4, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
And you call yourself a fan? This article would have been decent a month ago, but there is no reason to preach gloom and doom going into what looks to be a promising season. Go back to using interviews as the basis for your articles.
By goodrat
October 4, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this
“…given this city’s bandwagon tendencies, hockey’s future here might circle the drain.”
Publishing garbage like this isn’t exactly encouraging those bandwagon fans now is it?
By ed
October 4, 2007 9:23 PM | Link to this
“There’s no official clock. But time might be running out.” On who, or what? Hartley? Kovalchuk? Waddell? Thrashers? Lehtonen? Hockey in Atlanta? Britney Spears? The steam locomotive? Not a good column, Jeff. Kinda feeling some Thrasher hate here. That’s your prerogative as a columnist, but it seems a little shallow and petty. The hockey fans you’re presumably writing for are excited that the season is here, and not rehashing every ghost from the past. You’re missing the point entirely, and that’s not a good thing for a sports columnist, wouldn’t you agree?
By Jeff
October 4, 2007 9:24 PM | Link to this
Didn’t your mother ever tell you that if you don’t have anything good to say to keep your mouth shut!
This team is on the verge of a new season, that means a new beginning. To anybody paying attention last year we know what happened. The Thrashers are the only bright spot in a barren wasteland of sports here in Atlanta and in case you didn’t notice that noise last April it was 18000 fans rocking the top of Phillips Arena..and we’re going to do it again this season..
By Bob
October 4, 2007 9:29 PM | Link to this
Schultz is paid to stir it up, and ask the tough questions. It’s good to be a fan and support your team no matter what, but it’s also important to hold the team and the management accountable.
Schultz is right, there are a lot of questions about this club, people may not like to hear it, but that’s what he’s paid to do, ask the tough questions.
Now Schultz, if this team suprises and looks good after 10 or 20 games, you have to come back and give them your props, right?
By Brendan
October 4, 2007 10:04 PM | Link to this
There’s little doubt, as we stand on the precipice of this new season, that there’s “cautious optimism.” As opposed to unbridled enthusiasm.
I know everyone loves to just dump on Schultz, but if/when accountability needs to be called into question, Schultz will be there. This is the 8th season of this franchise. He’s right. If it falters, last year will be dismissed as an “aberration.”
Now, I don’t like that characterization any more than the rest of you. But if I told you that a team had played out eight (8) seasons with one (1) playoff berth, and zero (0) playoff wins, would you give it a standing ovation??, and demand everyone in management get healthy contract extensions?
PUT … YOUR HAND … DOWN. Can’t you be honest about that? Jeff Schultz asked, “You remember hope, don’t you?” I certainly do. I’m VERY HOPEFUL about this new season. I’m “excited” by the team getting younger and faster, with promising rookies like Enstrom, Popovic, Little, and especially Brett Sterling, a former Hobey Baker finalist. (Think Heisman candidate, football fans.)
But I also remember “honesty,” too. I’m a huge Thrashers fan, but I haven’t drunk any kool-aid, either. If this team falters, I expect changes. I also “trust” Don Waddell to make those changes. If Hartley must be fired, then so be it. What if that works, hmmn? Will you be *angry if that works? I won’t. I’ll be glad the team is back on track.
But I also don’t want to think “negatively” about this season. C’mon now, folks! The Southeast Division is WIDE OPEN. Some teams didn’t improve themselves all that much. Some did, but did the Caps and Cats really “turn the corner?” Time will tell.
**GO THRASHERS!! Hockey is alive and well in Atlanta. Wins put butts in seats. Just you watch if this team is 8-10 games over .500 at Christmas.
By Your Mom
October 4, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this
If you don’t have anything nice to say…shut your pie hole!
You suck!
That is all!
By Robbie Burke
October 4, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
Hey Schultz, I liked you better on Hogan’s Heroes when you admitted you knew nothing.
By Josh
October 4, 2007 10:45 PM | Link to this
Jeff I bet you didn’t watch a Thrashers game for the first time until the playoffs…stick to writing about what you know which is nothing, which would be good for all of us….Attention AJC: Hire columnists that know what they are talking about!
By Rawhide
October 4, 2007 11:13 PM | Link to this
Well, I guess if you can’t get good coverage of the team,…..anything will do.
The main crux of the column is that there are several issues concerning the Thrashers,….no argument there.
But, what I don’t understand is this,….the Thrashers have gotten better each year under BH. I expect nothing less this year. This team will be faster and stronger on defense. Sutton playing on Lon-gilsland this year is addition by subraction, (and let’s be honest, the NYI logo looks like a big orange turd, doesn’t it?). Klee taking his place brings stregth to the blueline and Enstrom will bring a lot of speed and great puck handing out of the back.
I’m concerned about our depth at center,…this will probably have to be addressed around the trade deadline.
Not too many teams have the 1-2 tandem between the pipes that we are afforded. This will save our butts more times then not.
One last thing,…….when was the last time the Hawks fielded even an average team?? The last time they made the playoffs,…it was in the OMNI, right? Before the Thrashers played their first game. You can set off a cannon in Philips when that pitiful team takes the court and not even come close to hitting someone in the stands.
But here we are discussing the possible “circling of the drain” by the NHL franchise if we fail to REPEAT a trip to the post-season… and not that sorry band of losers who haven’t made the playoffs since the Clinton administration.
GIMME A BREAK!!
GO THRASHERS - CREAM THE CRAP-ITOLS!!
By kracker
October 4, 2007 11:19 PM | Link to this
Same Schultz, glass half-empty and not willing to wait for bad play to pan the team.
It seems you wish the team to do poorly. I can’t imagine why.
By JayBird
October 4, 2007 11:40 PM | Link to this
Schultz is paid to give his opinions and he does in this case. He brings up some very good points and as someone pointed out earlier, you can be a fan of a team without drinking the kool-aid. Are you people so insecure that you can’t take someone pointing out the flaws of your team? Grow up, everything in life isn’t rainbows and unicorns!
Those of us who can think objectively about the Thrashers realize there are troubling issues. Can anyone besides Kovalchuk, Kozlov, and Hossa score goals? Will our defense be good enough stop Kari from facing a ton of shots? How will the rookies respond to the NHL? Will we be able to resign Hossa?
As far as Schultz talking about the bandwagon effect, he is dead-on. Every team in Atlanta and including UGA have a tremendous amount of bandwagon fans. Think about it, how much did Thrashers attendance increase throughout last season? How about the Falcons? Vick isn’t there, neither are the crowds. How about the growing bandwagon at Tech? And worst of all is the UGA jumpers. I won’t even mention the Braves! I understand alot of the peole who live in Atlanta aren’t natives but that isn’t much of an excuse. There are enough native Atlantans and Georgians to fill arenas and stadiums for every game. But as we all know, they won’t show up until its cool to be a fan.
By ATLThrashersFAN
October 4, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this
I have to agree that it was the worst article I ever read for a sports team that is on the verge of opening its season! Yes, we may not live in Canada where hockey is like football here but we have HOCKEY. I am a season ticket holder and I will go to the games to scream my heart out and support out team no matter what. That is what a true fan does!
I EXPECTED MUCH MORE FROM THE NEWSPAPER BUT I CAN SEE THAT MY HOPES FOR COVERAGE FOR OUR ONLY NHL TEAM WILL ONLY GET LOUSY ARTICLES! LET’S NOT EVEN GET STARTED ON THE NEWSCASTS THAT ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS OF INFORMATION! HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS GET MORE THAN THAT AND IT’S PATHETIC!
GO THRASHERS! 06-07 SOUTHEAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS!!!
By rockdr99
October 5, 2007 12:09 AM | Link to this
Way to go Brendan — I like your comments — Let’s face it, Jeff sees his job as one of being inflamatory and negative — Of course there are issues, but we are better this year than we were at this time last year —
There are two keys — First, we must survive a brutal opening 14 games —We won’t really have the measure of this team until Christmas —
Second — Our young speed must have a chance to develop and mature — This is not Hartley’s strength — If he can’t solve this challenge, then he is probably not the long term coach for this team —
Ticket sales are up, which is encouraging —
As an original season ticket holder, I am cautiously optimistic that this will be a year of progress, but it may not be in the form we think — It may be a step back before we can move forward —
I am grateful for Craig Custance and his thoughtful, insightful coverage of what we are and what we are not —
Jeff, it rained today, so that means you didn’t see your shadow — That means we get to have six weeks of peace before you pick your head up out of your pile of grits and agitate us again —
By The Falconer
October 5, 2007 2:20 AM | Link to this
Well at least Jeff Schultz isn’t a columnist pretending to be a beat writer anymore. He’s just a columnist now and gets paid to express his opinion.
Yes, the Thrashers have question marks. Look around the league and you’ll see that under the salary cap only about 5 teams out of 30 don’t have big questions marks.
With the cap structure it is nearly impossible to cover all three areas of goaltending, forwards and defensemen. Virtually every team is missing something.
Go look at the Cup Champion Ducks—they have huge holes in their offense with the departure of Selanne and S. Nidermayer. Guys like Getzlaf and Perry MUST step up for them to remain a top team.
So the Thrashers need a young players to step it up this year. Isn’t that the also the case in New Jersey, which lost Gomez and Rafalski? They MUST get production from Parise, Zajac and Paul Martin to make the playoffs again.
So instead of pointing out the fact that the Thrashers have holes like most teams, or that the Thrashers are selling more tickets than in recent seasons Schultz has chosen yet again to focus on the most negative possible story line in his column.
I remember him running down the team when it was terrible but there are real reasons to be excited and interested in this hockey team—unfortunately Jeff Schultz doesn’t seem to be aware of them.
By ranallo10
October 5, 2007 3:07 AM | Link to this
Your ridiculous, go back to watching Braves reruns, or join Terrance Moore on writing an article how hockey players are racist b/c they don’t support Vick.
I hope the next time you walk out of your office Garnet Exelby is there to check you into the freaking wall
You got me laughing there dj, funny stuff.
JayBird, I think the problem people have with this article is that the team is coming off it’s best season in it’s short history, and the last two articles by Schultz were negative about the team. Schultz writes articles about the Thrashers at about three points during the season — the beginning, the trade deadline, and after everything’s over (playoff elimination this season). For someone who writes so little about the team, maybe he should re-think his posture when stating mainly the negative in each article.
For arguments sake (to those who’ve mentioned the “truths” he approaches in this write-up), anybody can simplify a team into glaring weaknesses, and claim impending doom for a franchise. Try it at home sometime…if Kolzig stops being able to block shots, Ovechkin suffers a junior slump and doesn’t score 50+ goals, Nylander hurts a finger playing bingo with his AARP friends, Semin gets deported, and Pothier decides to move back to Atlanta, the Capitols could find themselves in the cellar of the Southeast!!!
It’s been six months since Schultz attempted writing about the Thrashers. The last gem was an expose on the obvious (being swept in the playoffs), which by the definition of “obvious” means the article is not exactly necessary. And Bob, the AJC isn’t exactly the WWE, they don’t need a villain (Schultz?) and hero (Custance?) to maintain a storyline and fanbase.
Feel free to flame, but I’m just playing the Devil’s advocate.
By Blueflash
October 5, 2007 6:20 AM | Link to this
What’s going on with Schultz? We’ve come off of our best season and he prefers to dis the team on opening night? Maybe he feels he gets more readers when writing controversial as opposed to complimentary. Yeah, that’s gotta be it.
By Tom
October 5, 2007 8:05 AM | Link to this
You have gone from ignoring the Thrashers to basically trashing the team before the season has even started. Given your lack of knowledge of the team and hockey perhaps you should stick to writing about something you know, what that may be escapes me
By Tommy
October 5, 2007 8:13 AM | Link to this
Am I the only one getting sick of the relentlessly negative sports coverage coming from this paper?? Of course the Thrashers have some holes—welcome to the NHL, Jeff. Then again if you spent more than 3 minutes a year paying attention to the sport you may have noticed that by now. Sure the Thrashers could have some key injuries, flame out at 75 points and miss the playoffs. Then again Lehtonen could recognize his potential, Kovalchuck could score 60, the team develops a good chemistry and they could win the conference. But of course don’t write THAT in the column. No, just run the team into the ground, just like the AJC does with every other franchise in Atlanta, and then later write columns wondering why attendance is down…
Idiot.
By Bob
October 5, 2007 8:48 AM | Link to this
Schultz is paid to give his opinions and he does in this case. He brings up some very good points and as someone pointed out earlier, you can be a fan of a team without drinking the kool-aid. Are you people so insecure that you can’t take someone pointing out the flaws of your team? Grow up, everything in life isn’t rainbows and unicorns!
Those of us who can think objectively about the Thrashers realize there are troubling issues.
I’m reposting your comments here, Jaybird, for accuracy and effect. You’d think Schultz set off a stink bomb at the high school pep rally the way some of these ninnies react.
This is a professional sports franchise worth millions and many of us have paid $10s of thousands over the years supporting the team with little to no result.
Ranallo, I didn’t see Craig playing cheerleader or good cop to Schultz’s bad cop in today’s paper, I read Craig pointing out the same problems and asking the same questions, albeit not as harshly as old Schultzie. It doesn’t suprise me that you don’t understand that it’s Schultz’ job to stir the pot (and get the knee jerk from ninnies like you and your buddy dj), one day you’ll wake up out of Ranallo World or mabye not.
By Mary
October 5, 2007 9:14 AM | Link to this
Jeff Shultz, please go away and NEVER write about hockey again. We are pumped up about tonight. Could you have been anymore negative?????
By JayBird
October 5, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this
Bob, I totally agree with you, CC brought up many of the same issues and people didn’t complain. I guess all of the anti-Schultz posters don’t like an “outsider” writing an article about their team.
I am pumped up about tonight as much as anyone and don’t think Schultz is trying to ruin it by being negative. People, please take off the blueland-tinted glasses and realize that every article written about the Thrashers isn’t going to be positive and encouraging.
By Another voice
October 5, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this
Schultz is right. I see a so-so year ahead with maybe a #7 or #8 seed looming. The Canes will be back after the dreaded Cup swoon, plus Tampa Bay will be 10 points better than last season with Gratton, Ouellet, Hlavac, etc. The Caps will be better and so will the Panthers with Vokoun in net. What did the Thrashers do to improve? I hope no one mentions Perrin. Even if Atlanta gets into the playoffs, what’s the point if Hossa disappears again as he usually does? Yeah, Schultz is definitely on to something here.
By storstark
October 5, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this
The issues with the team Jeff addressed are valid, his timing is TERRIBLE. I have had my buzz building for weeks now and have moved from pure pessimism after the free agency opened up, to slow-building, cautious optimism, to who-flipping-cares-because I love this team no matter what and I’m just excited about the season starting. Then Captain Buzzkill comes along and deflates the tires on the bus. Shultz, I have defended you in the past and think these points are worth addressing WHEN the team shows that it is not going to be better than last year. Until then, SHUT UP. Barry Melrose knows a lot more about hockey than you do and he picked Le Thrash to win the division again.
Statement: “With the cap structure it is nearly impossible to cover all three areas of goaltending, forwards and defensemen. Virtually every team is missing something.”
Response: The cap moved up in the offseason and Thrashers are way under it. Bad argument.
Question: “When was the last time the Hawks fielded even an average team?? The last time they made the playoffs,…it was in the OMNI, right? “
Response: Yes, but this is ATLANTA, and that particular sport would be very popular if all we had were one crappy college team. Atlanta is second largest NBA playoffs viewing audience despite having a terrible team.
By Bob
October 5, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
Jaybird, and I think some of these goofs don’t even realize Shultz isn’t an outsider. He was the first beat writer the AJC had for the Thrashers. I think Schultz covered the club for the first 4, mabye 5 years. Then they had Curtright and Manasso, now Custance.
This isn’t high school and today isn’t the pep rally for the good ol team. It’s the drop of the puck on another long grueling season. It’s a good thing for the local rag to hold the team accountable and ask questions. This is nothing compared to what you’d see in a New York, Boston, Toronto, or multiple other hockey towns.
By ranallo10
October 5, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this
I figured “The Program” would troll around here to give a response to my post, and it never surprises me how much “The Program“‘s opinion differs from my own.
What’s funny Bob is that when you look at all of the individual posters on this blog, about 90% of them tend to have the feeling that Schultz has poorly timed this type of article. 4 posters however agree with you, and that this is responsible journalism and is nothing short of the usual.
You’re missing the fact that his last article about the Thrashers was 6 months ago, and was cut from the same cloth (perhaps rightfully so in light of the dismal playoff “performance” for Atlanta). The timeliness of this particular article is within 24 hours of opening night…a night in which the team is being HONORED for a division championship, something no other team in Atlanta has claimed since 2005.
People here complain about the timeliness, and the consistent negativity. Some argue the facts that every team has a weakness, and such an article can be written about every team in the NHL (thus making this a useless article). They’re not asking for sunshine and lollipops, they’re asking for accountability out of the local columnists.
He was the first beat writer the AJC had for the Thrashers
Just because you write about hockey, doesn’t mean you KNOW hockey. “The Program” should know better than to make such an ASSumption.
This is nothing compared to what you’d see in a New York, Boston, Toronto, or multiple other hockey towns.
New York, Boston, Toronto, or multiple other hockey towns are just that…hockey towns. This sort of “coverage” of a franchise in a struggling market does nothing to help the franchise. There is one newspaper in Atlanta, how many are in the cities you mentioned? You’re comparing apples and oranges.
By Someone who know the Sport
October 5, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
MORON DUMBARSE This is one of the reasons I stopped buying the AJC a long time ago. Write about a sport you understand.
By stendec
October 5, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
Can hardly wait for puck to be dropped later tonight. Too much to expect championship repeat? Probably so. First and foremost, Thrashers MUST receive quality consistent goaltending from KL or whoever can provide it. That is top concern. Gunners need to average over three goals per game. Defense cannot allow over three goals per game average. Physical toughness needed. That was obvious in embarrassing debacle against Ranjerks. Looking for good things this season. It all starts in a few short hours. GO THRASHERS! Drop the puck already.
By Brendan
October 5, 2007 12:39 PM | Link to this
I must be honest here. I am very excited about the Banner raising tonight, and that Commissioner Bettman will be on hand to witness it.
But while I’m being honest here, division titles aren’t the goal. And yes, Don Waddell knows this good and well. If the Thrashers move into the second round of the playoffs this year, but don’t win the Southeast Division, how many of you are going to SCREAM about it? Beeee honest.
Oh, for Pete’s sake, put your hand down. You’re embarrassing yourself. You want the playoff results more than the raising of the banner. So does Don Waddell. So does Bob Hartley. So does the Atlanta Spirit Group. It’s more money/profit. And better results. So, while I am excited about the banner hanging from the rafter of Philips Arena, it’s far from the “Be all, end all of existence.” The banner I want to see hanging at Philips Arena says, “Stanley Cup Champions” and is either preceeded or followed by a Year.
By ranallo10
October 5, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this
Come on Brendan, everybody has the big goal in mind. Nobody said it’s the end all be all. People feel that the Thrashers deserve credit when credit is due. They won their Division…how many other Atlanta teams can claim that right now?
This team has a glimmer of something special for the first time in their short history and you assume all of us fans are content with merely showing up in the Playoffs?? No, we’re HAPPY we got to the playoffs, and won the division, but we were disappointed we didn’t go further, and expect to do so this season.
By Brendan
October 5, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this
I assumed no such thing, Ranallo. I did not assume that fans are merely content for a playoff berth. What I said was “division titles aren’t the goal.”
If you look around, fans are very happy about the raising of the banner tonight. I am, too. I have no objection to winning the division again this year. But, for me, that’s not the goal of the upcoming season. I am very hopeful and optimistic about the possibility of playoffs, and advancing in the playoffs.
By Brendan
October 5, 2007 1:52 PM | Link to this
I want to be clear here. I don’t think many fans would be angry if the team doesn’t repeat as SE division champions, so long they make the playoffs and do well once there.
But I am hearing some “chatter” on various message boards about how if this team doesn’t win the division this year, that it’s stepped backwards. And that the goal has to be “repeating as champions.”
I don’t agree with that. The goal ought to be making the playoffs and advancing as far as possible into those playoffs. Not just getting there. I would be false to assume that merely getting to the playoffs is the goal.
Okay, I guess for some fans, maybe it is. I just have a higher set of expectations for this team.
By Bob
October 5, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this
ranallo, as usual, you completely miss the point.
The point is that it’s Schultz’s job to get you, and dj, and these others into a tizzy. He seems to be quite successful at it too, you lemmings are just eating up that chum he tossed in the water for you.
I haven’t looked, but I would hazard to guess that if you go into Schultz’s other blogs, you will find some of the same names above, that we’ve never seen on the hockey side, yelling at Schultz to shut up, go away, you know the routine. I think that you’ll find that on many of his stories, most people are disagreeing with him. You know why? Because, that’s his job, you ninnie, to get you and dj et al to kneejerk.
It’s Schultz’s job to sell papers and bring your eyes to this web site for ad dollars. Seems like he’s doing a pretty good job of it, no?
Also, in what dreamland, wait never mind…in Ranallo World you think that it’s a newspaper’s job to help the health of the sports teams franchises in town? Huh? I roll my eyes when you type naive stuff like this, This sort of “coverage” of a franchise in a struggling market does nothing to help the franchise
Where in the world did you get the idea that it’s a newspapers job to help out the local franchises? Uh, no it’s not. Unless you go to Chicago where the Tribune Company (for now) owns the paper and the Cubs, I could see the local rag pumping up a franchise if they own it, but I don’t know of any others, and I certainly haven’t seen the AJC’s name amongst the Spirit partners.
Brendan nails it on the head, again, as usual. I would gladly give up a Division title this year for 2nd place in the division and a long run in the playoffs. Sign me up for that program.
By Jen
October 5, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this
If you take a look at Mr. Schultz columns you will find that he is most prolific when he can smell “blood in the water.” He plays the role of old crumudgin for all the local franchises, and he does it well. It really isn’t worth getting worked up over.
Just look for his last 5 positive columns and see how far back that search takes you.
By Andrew
October 5, 2007 2:27 PM | Link to this
Jeff, horrible article. Go ahead and write all your negative feelings, its a free country. But for god’s sake man, its the day of the opener! A new season is about to start, I’m getting excited, and I just spend three minutes reading about every issue, possible issue, and stretech of the truth to make the team seem bad as humanly possible. Thanks bud.
By Jeff Schultz
October 5, 2007 2:40 PM | Link to this
Hello again … For those who wondered whether I read the blogs, the answer is yes, always, whether positive, negative or borderline profane. OK, now we’ll clear the air a little. 1) Question: Was the column really that negative? Primarily what I did was write about the issues facing this team. I never wrote, “This team is awful” or “This team is great.” Fact is, it showed itself to be neither last year. (Or maybe both, depending on the week.) For those who believe the AJC (basically Craig and myself when it comes to hockey coverage) has been overly negative about the team, I would invite you to read any out of town or national publication/website about the Thrashers and you’re going to see the exact same things addressed. I can assure you, I didn’t get up in the morning and think, “OK now, what can I make up that’s really negative.” 2) I’ve addressed this you-don’t-know-anything-about-hockey thing before, which I find kind of amusing. But I’ll address it again, since a couple of you blogged on it. I’m 48 years old and I’ve been attending and watching hockey for about 40 of those years. My family owned season tickets in L.A. I later covered the Kings, several Stanley Cup finals and the first three seasons of the Thrashers’ existence. I have seen and/or covered the sport at the junior, college, minor league, major league and Olympic level. So if you want to challenge my knowledge about high school hockey in Michigan or Minnesota, I suppose that’s up for debate. 3) For the record, I have no great feel for how the Thrashers will do this season. The plus is they’re younger and have more speed. The minus is they’re inexperienced and they’re trying to blend eight new faces into a lineup that still appears thin at center or defense. But if the team does well, I’ll write they’re doing well. If they do poorly, I’ll write that. That’s the way it works. 4) Finally, for what it’s worth, I love the passion. Hockey fans obviously don’t equate to fans in other sports in terms of numbers but the passion has never been an issue. But if you want the sport treated like a big-time sport, understand that means the whole package. That means crediting a team when it does something right and criiticizing when you believe it does something wrong. It means examining issues as you would any news story. If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to address them. I just got out of a two-hour lunch with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Atlanta Spirit owners Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon Jr and l other AJC writers and editors, including Craig. I’ll be at the game tonight, eagerly looking forward to seeing what this new team brings to the table and l’ll write about it for Saturday’s paper (and AJC.com Friday night) Many of you also send me private e-mails, which I’m generally good about answering, if you prefer not to blog publicly. Thanks Jeff
By Bob
October 5, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this
*He plays the role of old crumudgin for all the local franchises, and he does it well. It really isn’t worth getting worked up over.
Just look for his last 5 positive columns and see how far back that search takes you.*
Bingo.
It ain’t me It’s the people that say Men are leading the women astray But I say, it’s the women today Smarter than the man in every way
By Bob
October 5, 2007 2:59 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the comments, Jeff. No need to show your credentials, those of us that know and understand the game could easily see that you’ve followed the game for a while.
To answer your question, no the article wasn’t that negative. Some just tend to knee jerk if everything’s not a pep rally for the franchise. It’s your job to ask the questions and hold this and the other franchises accountable, kudos to you for doing it effectively, I’d actually like to see more of it out of the AJC on this and other sports.
I’ll look forward to the article and some info you gained from lunch with Gearon and Levenson (feel free to gloss over the Bettman stuff).
By ranallo10
October 5, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
You’re right Bob, and Jen — Schultz does his “job” rather well. I never said otherwise. There’s probably a reason he seemingly never responds to the comments on his articles … he’s usually being bashed by the comments (so why acknowledge them?).
But Bob, come down from your horse for a second though and think about what you just said.
“Where in the world did you get the idea that it’s a newspapers job to help out the local franchises? Uh, no it’s not.”
Maybe it’s just me, but when you’re the ONLY paper in town I think it’s a bad business practice to alienate your audience by driving them away from your product, and the product that helps fund your paper (hockey). I’m not saying Schultz did anything wrong…he stirred the pot and many people got upset about it. I just think that maybe it’d be a little more responsible for him, AS A JOURNALIST, to understand the scope of his audience, and to not continually doubt the teams whose existence help pay his salary. How many posters claimed he’s the reason they don’t buy a paper anymore? That’s a pretty big impact solely based on his “role” at the newspaper. This article reeks of him being told “right a season preview of the Thrashers” and him deciding to turn it into a “why the Thrashers will inevitably flop” piece.
TO be honest, this blog turned bad when “The Program” decided to come and cast his ‘veil of truth’ over those that berated Schultz, in his quest of hockey enlightenment for the masses. (If you don’t get the references, that’s you Bob).
People can knee jerk, why call them out for it?? Some of them had valid responses, but I get the feeling you didn’t read them because you were too busy judging them since they didn’t agree with you.
Your points are fine, and have some truth to them, but they are not the only response. Their points are fine too, and also have some truth to them. Deal with it, people don’t always agree with you (and from the looks of it the majority of the people who posted on this one column don’t). Does that make you wrong?? No.
Seriously man, it’s not the end of the world when I disagree with you. What’s funny is I really don’t on this topic, but I rather enjoy playing devil’s advocate and getting you into a tizzy. Plus I’m a megalomaniac and enjoy seeing “Ranallo World” in bold letters in every one of your posts. It’s a sense of accomplishment for me to know you think of me so often.
By tim
October 5, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
Jeff Schultz, put your article up to bad timing. I think there are a lot of questions that most teams have going into the season. There probably won’t be too many well rounded teams with no holes because of the salary cap. I’m excited about this season. I’ve been a Thrashers fan for about 5 years and a hockey fan for about 1 year. I’m a novice but I see reason for excitement concerning this team. Speed upgrade, Zhitnik will be here all year, and a division championship to defend. Go Thrash! See you in blueland tonight.
By ranallo10
October 5, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this
Jeff — In my opinion, an article becomes negative when you do not write a single positive aspect about the team. The article then smacks of irresponsibility as the article clearly favors one fact or issue based OPINION, without approaching both sides of the story. It reeks of biases that fester from something unspoken in the article itself. The passionate fans (and possible those that don’t like your writing style) IMMEDIATELY took offense to the tone of the story, and the timing. Thus you see the immediate backlash to the story.
But hey, thanks for posting your case, it’s not often I see you responding to criticisms thrown your way from these boards. That’s honorable of you.
I personally do not mind the article, and am merely trying to make logic out of the clearly brash statements made from one side of this disagreement. My thoughts are that an article with a few more of the positive aspects that several people mentioned (you, Rawhide, The Falconer, dj, etc) would give this type of season preview piece more credibility.
Course, that’s just my thoughts.
By Bob
October 5, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this
ranallo, you’re having a banner day, good to see you’re warmed up in time for the start of the season! You’re just stepping in it every time you write something, aren’t ya?. First you call him out for not knowing hockey, then he posts his credentials that he’s been following hockey for longer than you’ve been alive.
Then you write he never responds, after he just responded. Oops again.
Then you’re calling him out by saying that people wrote up above that they didn’t buy the paper because of him. Um, Sparky, they’re on the AJC site giving the AJC web site hits and making them ad revenue while they’re here posting vitriol at Schultz. Oops again.
Maybe it’s just me
You’re startin’ to get the hint.
Controversy sells papers, ranallo. There’s no such thing as bad publicity. I guarantee you the Thrashers would take bad pub over no pub every day of the week.
By JayBird
October 5, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this
As for positives, Schultz did say Hossa is the teams’ all round best player, Kovalchuk is a dynamic scorer, and Kari is talented (tongue planted firmly in cheek!). I look at this article as the compliment to Ben Wright’s article on the Blueland Blog. Wright says we will better this year with the changes. I sure hope he’s right.
As far as the home paper promoting local teams, there is a fine line there. Yes, if possible, columnists should point out the good things. But at the same time, they shouldn’t ignore questions and issues within said team. That is responsible journalism. It would be a crime if every article about every team was completely positive. Every team in this league has questions starting the season and most of the fans are somewhat optomistic. I like that national columnists are picking us to finish last in the Eastern Conference. I like being the underdog, flying under the radar.
By ranallo10
October 5, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this
I agree JayBird, though the tongue and cheek out of context comments are really the only way one can pull positives out of this article. I continue to state I’m being the Devil’s advocate here, as I personally do not care what one hockey writer thinks about this team (Eklund and Buccigross make two, so maybe I should say “two” hockey writers). I’d rather be the underdog than the heavy favorite…you’re never guaranteed to meet expectations, so I’d rather exceed them than fall short. (Bob, feel free to infer what you want, I already know you will.)
Bob, since I’m an Atlanta sports fan in general I do tend to read more than just one post from Mr. Schultz per year. I know he’s somewhat better knowledged than the average poster on his boards. I would like to know where I ever said anything to the contrary. My quote was “just because you write about hockey doesn’t mean you KNOW hockey”. That fits many people, and interestingly enough is worded so that you can make inferences from it. I’m glad you did the usual playing along and immediately inferred the incorrect, it makes things more enjoyable.
Also, I wrote he “seemingly never responds”. Does “seemingly never” = never? No, it seems to be never. Jeez, it’s liking teaching a special needs child a foreign language, I have to write everything out for you in the simplest form possible before you can’t take it completely out of context. Yet somehow you find a way to do it. You’re on top of your game.
“The Program” however is right about the AJC.com visits those people give this site, which is precisely the reason writers like Schultz keep their jobs. Some people don’t tend to realize that each hit on this site helps generate revenue for the paper, thus negating the fact that they no longer intend to buy a newspaper. I wouldn’t be surprised if they often click advertisements too. It’s the benefit for this paper being the only major newspaper in town. You can understand the conundrum those people are in — they don’t want to give money to the AJC, but they have to read the AJC to get local news.
Now that we’re seemingly clear (tricky me just used the s-word again, will you be alright understanding?)…is there anything else you’d like to misquote or take completely out of context? I’m in a good mood today so I have no problem continuing this.
By Tommy Hawk
October 5, 2007 10:18 PM | Link to this
As usual… thrashers suck!! Good call Shultz!