Let the hate build up Sharks fans....goood. goood....

[MrPerson]

You may become a hockey town yet.

[VMSMI]

1. Why are you up at 1:10 AM?

You could be talking to your GF, who grows hotter by the minute.

[MrPerson]

2. Cause I'm an asshole.

[VMSMI]

3. LOL

Don't let it turn into a hemorrhoid.

Do you know who I am?

[cboy4]

4. And a lazy-ass lawyer.

[MrPerson]

6. You bitter bitter man. You still have the Giants.

[cboy4]

7. It's constructive criticism. A successful lawyer would be

going over case work.

That's why you struggle both in the courtroom and finding clients who accept you.

[MrPerson]

9. Don't make me laugh.

[cboy4]

11. That's why you're unsuccessful. You don't listen to other

people trying to help you get better.

[Forkboy]

12. Don't take his bait.

You live in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. He lives in Pittsburgh, a city that made East Berlin look inviting. You won before he even joined DU.

[MrPerson]

14. If I lived in San Jose, I would not be camped in front of a TV or computer.

So I agree with the Forkboy.

[cboy4]

16. I'm suddenly a big Bruins fan in the east.

lol

[Midlodemocrat]

77. .

:rofl:

[Forkboy]

78. See the fun you miss down here?

And you thought the Lounge was where the action was at. ;)

[Midlodemocrat]

85. Oh, I am so totally going to start hanging around in here.

:rofl:

[madinmaryland]

98. Nice post, FReeper. Go back to the lounge!!

:hi:

[MrPerson]

13. You, go put away your Sharks gear, Sparky.

I'll worry about whether I'm successful or not.

[cboy4]

17. No, I won't until someone has won the Stanley Cup.

I'm satisfied that the better team beat us.

[inthebrain]

30. Yeah, the eight seeded Anaheim Ducks!!!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

Oh wait..... I thought you were the better team. Winning the presidents trophy and all.

[cboy4]

33. I stated that I thought the better team won.

I don't find it particularly embarrassing losing to the Stanley Cup champions of a couple of years ago.

But what I do find embarrassing, the NY Islanders. The laughing-stock of the NHL.

[inthebrain]

37. I didn't know Joe Thornton played for the Islanders

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[MrPerson]

5. I'll call tomorrow.

[VMSMI]

8. :)

I'm at a loss for wit.

[VMSMI]

10. BTW,

Last she checked, she has lost a lot of weight.

Not that that matters.

[MrPerson]

15. I know you're hot.

[inthebrain]

18. We Islanders fans would like to thank the Sharks for choking

We have your 26th overall pick to go along with the 1st overall, 31st overall and 37th overall.

Four picks in the top 37 of a deep draft. I couldn't be happier.

Oh, and thanks to the Pens for beating Philly. That gives us another third rounder.

[rpannier]

19. Sadly, I think the Isles will screw it up

I like the Islanders (was a big fan during the 70's and 80's, even when they sucked).
But the ownership they have now seems oblivious to how to run this team.

[inthebrain]

20. They came away from last years draft

having the highest rating of any team by the ISS.

Bailey I think was the right pick. He's definitly got future captain written all over him. I wanted to kill Snow for trading down but played the rest of that draft brilliantly. He also followed up with the Streit signing which has to be hands down the best UFA signing of last summer.

His moves at this years deadline came up spades.

Snow has already stated he's picking either Tavares or Hedman. He's not trading down this year.

The Milbury days are clearly over. Snow is not fucking around and proving to be one of the better GMs in the league.

[rpannier]

21. I hope you're right

Here's to a better '09-'10

[inthebrain]

22. I think they contend for a post season spot

right up till about mid March.

They'll make the post season in 10/11.

[rpannier]

23. Not unrealistic.

I do like your line of thinking.

Too many people get caught up in the "We're gonna take it all this year!!!"
Then spend the next year bitching and whining about how the team needs to trade this guy or that guy.

To your credit, you think long-term.

:toast:

[inthebrain]

25. LOL

We've learned our lesson the hard way in Islanders Country.

You don't build great teams in this league signing UFAs left and right. Look at the mess the Rags, San Jose, Calgary and Toronto are in right now. Heck Toronto can't even get out of their own way and start a rebuild because of the mess they've gotten themselves into.

Vancouver is gonna be the next big embarassment in these playoffs. Mainly because I'm not convinced that Luongo can elevate a team above their level of incompetence. Also because that team is built like crap with duct tape and pipe cleaners.

Chicago has chemestry and right mix. Their D is also ten times better than Vanvouvers.

[cboy4]

26. Of course they'll screw up. They're the Detroit Lions of the

National Hockey League.

At least we don't have to watch them on Thanksgiving.

[inthebrain]

28. Really?

Because I think we've at least won some stuff in our history. By the time we were as old as your franchise we already had four cups under our belts. Nor were we the perenial laughing stocks of the league for as long as you were.

How's Joe Thornton? Has he suprassed Alexei Yashin in post season points yet? I hear he's knocking on Mike Bossy's door!!!!!

[cboy4]

31. You're trying to impress we with achievements that are more

than a quarter of a century old?

FAIL.

[inthebrain]

34. Do you have any acheivments?

Like I said, when this franchise was as old as yours it already had four cups. Even before that managed to get to the third round on a regular basis.

So please, save it for the Vancouver fans. At least you can talk trash to them and hold your head up high. They have a past that's almost as embarassing as yours.

[cboy4]

36. Here's what I don't do. I don't say after every shitty

San Francisco 49ers season, yea but they have five Super Bowl trophies.

You are in such denial that your team is light years away from even getting back to respectability.

Unreal.

[inthebrain]

39. Well you can't say that because you've never won anything

Sorry, but that's just where the spoils land.

You don't have any bragging rights. Especially when you are attacking a franchise who's history, even despite the emabarassment of the Milbury Spano days, is still better than yours. Light years better.

When the Isles were on top they won. The Sharks haven't done so presently nor have they in the past.

Even when they were middle of the road they managed bang heads in get to the conference finals in 93 and the mid to late seventies. Something the Sharks can't do.

And when they sucked they sucked. Something we know the Sharks are capable of when they suck and even win the presidents trophy.

[cboy4]

41. The NY Islanders must be thrilled to have you as such

a brainwashed fan, throwing ticket money at them.

No wonder they never improve. They're under no pressure with an arena of complacent fans like you.

[inthebrain]

42. Really, so when the Sharks sucked you didn't go to the games

Yeah, I am real fan who lives and dies with his team.

When they were embarssing (Hint that was also in the years we made the post season) I admitted to it.

The Isles are doing all the right things to build a great team right now.

The sharks have not and don't look to do so in the future. I am certain that if you are really nice maybe one day Kyle Okposo and Josh Baily will give you an autograph.

[madinmaryland]

62. WTF? cboy says "You're trying to impress we with achievements that are more

than a quarter of a century old?"

:rofl:

Good one cboy4. You going to follow your own advice!

:rofl:

DUzy worthy!!!

[Forkboy]

55. Count on it.

They could have the fist 10 picks in the draft and they'd still find a way to fuck it up.

[inthebrain]

56. That didn't happen in 06 or 08

Sorry but the Milbury days a long gone. It's over.

The Isles have done a great job of stockpiling talent. last years draft they compiled six of the ISS top thirty players. They've been drafting flawlessly the last three seasons and I expect that to continue.

They picked Dibenetto in the sixth round last year. He was Stamkos' line mate and the knock on him was that all his numbers to that point was because of Stamkos. This year he finished top five in juniors.

They selected Petrov in the third round who was ranked behind Filatov in euro skaters. His upside is supposed to be much higher.

[Forkboy]

57. I know all that. My argument was they would still find a way to suck in spite of it all.

:hide:

[inthebrain]

60. With building right come sucking for a while

That's how it goes in this league.

Pittsburgh, Washington, Boston etc all went through. They didn't go out and build their team with Duct tape like Calgary, Montreal and San Jose. That's whay all those teams are golfing right now.

The isles draft Tavares and they are set to contend with the Washingtons, Bostons and Pittsburghs of this league. They will be deeper up the middle with Tavares, Bailey, Nielsen and Weight than even your sharks.

Their D corp with Sutton, Streit, Gervaise, and Witt is pretty solid.

It gets better as Hamonic, Ness and Kessel move up the pipeline. They are only gonna add to it.

Again, the Milbury days are over. They haven't even come close to fucking anything up. Snow is not moving any of his assetts. Brian Burke already tried to pry away the first overall pick and Snow laughed him off the phone and offered San Joses 26th for his 7th overall.

[cboy4]

58. Your goal next season should be to finish second to last with the worst

record in the NHL.

Anything else is unachievable with that crappy team of yours.

[inthebrain]

59. Even though they aren't that good

Should the isles choose to move their assetts they are still worth a whole hell of a fuck lot more than anything on your San Jose Sharks roster. You'd be lucky to even land a B level prospect for anything on that roster right now.

Your system is shit and there's nothing there to replace what you stand to trade away this summer.

Brendan Witt's value right now is much higher than that of Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. You wouldn't even be able to touch Bailey, Okposo and Bergenheim.

[cboy4]

61. The bottom line is the Sharks will make the playoffs yet again

next year and the Islanders will not.

It's humorous that you think your team is in a better position than mine?

I have every confidence the Sharks management will tweak us to be even better next season.

[inthebrain]

63. Yeah, throw more duct tape at that mess

That'll work.

The Sharks clearly need to be ripped apart and rebuilt. You don't have any assetts in terms of draft picks that are gonna get you a guy that's gonna make a difference. Your best Defencemen is Dan Boyle, after that there isn't much. I have a hard time believing that what's left is gonna crack top four on most teams in this league. Even a team like the Islanders.

Your team is built like crap from the goal out. It's not a good team and that's why they sit where they are right now. You got to where you are because you play playoff hockey in the regular season. All the old fogies in your line up know this.

Did you really think the sharks were gonna make noise with Rob Blake, Claude Lemeiux and jeremy Roenick? Those guys couldn't get a contract anywhere else in the league. That should have keyed you into the fact that something was severely wrong in Sharkville.

Even worse, you have nothing in your system to replace with them with. But that's why they were signed in the first place.

Again, my team made the playoffs in 5 of the last eight seasons. The outcome was the same as yours. They chose to do the right thing and rebuild from scratch. Your in no position to laugh at that either.

[cboy4]

64. You don't know what the Sharks are going to do in the

off-season.

You talk like they're some doomed organization that's keeping the same roster for 2009-10.

They just got eliminated last night. I'm giving them time to straighten things out.

And I'm not laughing at the Islanders. Again, I'm only amazed at the way you talk as a last place fan lecturing a first place fan. It should, of course, be the other way around.

[inthebrain]

65. It doesn't work like that in hockey

Where you finish in the regular season has very little weight in this game. It's what you do in the post season.

I'm not really out to crap on your team. I'm just happy to have that pick more than anything.

I'm just stating a fact that the reason they finished where they finished is because of the way they are built. The core is rotten and there isn't a lot of chemestry. You just fired your coach because of simialar results as this season.

This time out it ain't gonna be the coach that pays the price. It's the players.

I don't really care if you laugh at the Islandes. Nobody was convinced that they were gonna contend for a post season berth this season. Even the the management clearly stated this season was gonna be focused on developing Okposo, Baily, Bergenheim etc. So it doesn't really matter to me. I know those guys in a few years are gonna be in better shape than San Jose is now.

[cboy4]

66. I hope you're wrong about that. I can't see how the team

with the best record in the NHL is going to crumble as badly as you predict.

[inthebrain]

67. They just did

Quite frankly Anaheims D did all the work.

San Jose's was innefectuual from top to bottom.

[cboy4]

68. I know they crumbled in the playoffs .. I'm talking about next

season.

I fully expect them to be in the playoffs and hopefully do better.

You can't say the same about the NY Islanders.

[inthebrain]

72. The Isles with a healthy Dipietro

Anything is possible for them. Personally I think the Isles contend for a post season berth till about mid March and fall off. But if Dipietro is healthy for a fill season anything can happen. That guy can carry a team on his back.

San Jose is not young and don't have a lot of upside. They don't really have anything in their system either. Sorry, but given the age of the team and the system it only gets worse for them from here on out. Not to mention they are full or post season chokers.

The west has a lot of younger teams on the rise as well. There's Edmonton, Los Angeles, St Louis, Phoenix and even Chicago that's very young. The Sharks as an older facing those guys that are another year more mature are not going to have it easier.

The East is pretty much the same story. The Islanders, Panthers, Penguins and Bruins are all fairly younger teams. The Islanders with the addition of a Tavares are not a cake walk to play next year. They're gonna have a group of guys that can put the puck in the net. Also a D corp with Witt and Sutton that's pretty mean.

You're not assured of anything.

[cboy4]

24. Wow, an Islanders fan who isn't afraid to be associated with

that train wreck of an organization.

But at least you play in a new arena.

Oh, wait.

[inthebrain]

27. If I had to choose which franchises skin I'd rather be in right now

I'll take mine.

The Sharks I would have to say are the bigger train wreck. Man would I hate to be associated with that mess this summer. Heads are gonna roll there and it ain't gonna be pretty.

At least when we were on top we walked away with some hardware. Even before then we at least banged some heads and sent some people packing.

Sorry, but I'll take my mess over yours.

Maybe you should sign some more UFAs.

[cboy4]

29. Oh believe me. I'd rather be associated with a franchise

that wins every year and at least makes the playoffs.

Of course it's disappointing and frustrating that they choke, but to claim you'd rather cheer for an organization that fails year after year is more than ridiculous.

And it's certainly unbelievable.

[inthebrain]

32. Oh, believe me. We can make the playoffs and lose to

It ain't that hard.

We also have four cup banners hanging from our rafters that proves we can win also. So your not one to point fingers claiming that our franchise "fails year after year".

This franchise had one of the greatest dynasty ever in pro sports. Winning 19 straight playoff series in row. meanwhile, your team can'e even manageto string together three.

Oh, and your franchise right now is the bigger laughing stock. You're out in the first round and don't even have a first round pick to show for it. That's freakin embarassing as hell especially when you just won the presidents trophy.

But I'm sure you'd rather that than the hard ware that comes in early June.

[cboy4]

35. LOL. No, apparently you can't make the playoffs or you would

have been in them this season.

I don't think a fan of a team that finished 20+ games under .500 is in any position to brag.

Your franchise absolutely sucks. Your first step toward getting better is recognizing your situation and stop apologizing for your horrid management.

[inthebrain]

38. Again, my management is not horrid

and not nearly as bad as what you have in San Jose.

The Islanders made the choice to build their franchise the right way. Rather than build with popsicle sticks and duct tape like the Sharks. Snow's desire was to build through the draft which is what all teams that become great do.

The Sharks are not great nor are they on their way to becoming great. If Sharks fans are not screaming for that team to be busted apart right now they are dumber than the ones up in Toronto. In Toronto they didn't make a conscious effort to bust that mess up. They ran out of dollars and gas to do anything else to make that team better.

Right now you couldn't give Thornton, Marleu and Nabakov away for a bag of sticks. They are perenial chokers and the backbone of your franchise.

I think if you asked any NHL fan right now they would gladly take Josh Bailey and the opportunity to draft Tavares or Hedman than that trio mentioned above.

Your franchise is in the position it is in because it's poorly managed. It's going to take good management (which you don't have) to get it moving in the right direction. You don't have that.

[cboy4]

40. I don't disagree that my team needs some changes.

I'm simply responding to a last place fan mocking a first place fan.

If you can't recognize that, you're as ridiculous as your franchise.

[inthebrain]

43. Sorry, but there's losing and pretending your something to be proud of

That's embarassing when you are supposed to be built to win.

Then there is losing becuase your franchise is doing the right thing. Which is what the Islanders are doing right now and is not embarassing. That's what the Sharks have been doing and can not figure out that they need to bust that turkey up and start anew.

Your franchise is embarassing. It's a joke that pretends that it isn't.

Don't worry though. Vancouver is gonna get stomped in this next round by Chicago so you won't feel so bad for long. That team is a team that's really fooling itself to be something that it isn't. At least you'll have something to laugh at and not feel so funny about it.

[cboy4]

44. Again, it's not fun being the Ottawa Senators of the league

right now, but I'll take going to playoffs versus finishing in the basement any day of the week.

Hopefully your joy of the Shark's failure continues to keep your mind off what you have in Uniondale.

[inthebrain]

45. Yeah, i don't want to think of any cup banners

And the fact that in order to get the 26th overall pick all we had to do was trade Chris Campolli. Not win the presidents trophy and get killed in six by an eighth seed.

Not to mention openly brag that I don't follow my team when they stink. See, you could move the Sharks out of San Jose and no one would care. Especially if you did it in a down year. That team has no loyal fans to speak of.

You fully admit to that given that you don't go when they stink. You still go when they are poorly managed.

Which is kinda funny.

Sorry, but you haven't won any bragging rights at all. As a matter of fact, you've never really won anything.

[cboy4]

47. I knew it was only a matter of time before you hid behind

the "by an eighth seed" shield.

Of course, anyone who knows about hockey understand that Anaheim finished one OT point loss from finishing as a 6th seed.

They are better than San Jose and it will be interesting to see how they play against Detroit.

And where did I say you don't follow your team when they stink?

Your hatred of San Jose is shocking.

[inthebrain]

48. Quite the contrary

You tryed making fun of me because I do follow my team when they do stink.

Yeah, the Isles finished two points away from Paying Atlanta in the first round three years ago. Your point? They were a Chris Simon whack to Hollweg's grill away.

At the end of the day they were not good enough to earn that seeding. That's one of the reason's for it.

You finished 26 points better than the team that just wiped you out in six games.

And no, I don't hate San Jose at all. I just think it funny that you follow a team that hasn't won anything and think you can bust on a franchise that has. The fact that you call them a laughing stock and perenial losers who can't do anything right actually makes you look worse. Especially if you take that franchise and compare their first 16 years to your first 16 years.

You don't come up smelling like roses in that comparison.

[cboy4]

49. The only smell going around is the stink of almost finishing with

the worst record in the National Hockey League.

Your joy of the Sharks postseason chokes and your denial that you have nothing to brag about is equally as shocking.

[inthebrain]

50. Nope, we did finish with the worst record in the NHL

Goes to show how much you know.

But it was done honorably as they were playing the kids most of the year. They had a good finish.

It's not like they were Ottawa, Colorado, or Phoenix.

At least when we were as good as the Sharks we didn't choke. Sorry, but it's true.

[cboy4]

51. Well, I was going to congratulate you by admitting no other

team in hockey is worse than yours.

But then I read that you actually believe your team is as good as the Sharks.

Can you assure me you haven't been drinking?

[inthebrain]

52. How much better are you than us? You just lost to a team 26 points below you

in the post season. You're certainly not better than them.

Where do you place yourselves?

About where the Florida Panthers sit?

Minnesota?

Nashville?

How about Buffalo.


We could really go for the money and say Montreal.

Yeah, those are some mighty big shoes to fill.

I'd rather get the top overall pick in the draft than be you right now. Just remember that when the 26th spot in the draft comes up that could be the Sharks. Instead, for your stellar season and post season choke, all you have is the 56th overall pick to show for it.

Reach for the stars my brother!!!! And I don't mean the Dallas Stars.

[cboy4]

53. There's nothing more funny, and frankly disgraceful than listening

to a fan of the worst team in the National Hockey League gloat and talk trash.

It's astonishing.

[inthebrain]

54. Learn how respect is earned in this sport

Then talk.

[cboy4]

69. What's the supposed to mean? The Sharks deserve respect

despite their failures in the playoffs.

Boston had almost an identical record as us. Are you going to say the Bruins don't deserve respect if they happen to lose in the playoffs?

[inthebrain]

70. Maybe from you

To the reast of the league they are a laughingstock.

Boston can not get away with bowing out in the second round. That would be a huge fail on their season. They get to the conference finals and it's cool for them.

The won best record in the East in 03. They got killed in the first round. Nobody respects a team that wins a top seed every year and gots walloped out of the post season in the first.

[cboy4]

71. That's crazy. How can a team be a laughingstock winning

their division year after year?

Yea, they lose in the playoffs, but that's doesn't earn them the laughingstock classification.

You are just trying to push my buttons. There's no shame losing to Anaheim.

[inthebrain]

73. There's tons of shame in losing to Anaheim

they missed the playoffs last year.

And don't even try to convinve yourself that this is the very same team that won a cup. JS Giguere wasn't even between the pipes.

You choked and played like crap. Like you always do in the post season.

The payoffs is where is counts not the regular season. Take the hint. Why do you think everyone is begging the Sharks to get rid of Thornton. The guy is a proven playoff dud.

The Sharks are a team of chokers. Nobody respects or fears chokers in the post season.

[cboy4]

74. Of course there's no shame in losing to Anaheim.

They are better. The better team won.

You need to stop looking at seed position, and evaluate the team as a whole.

Hiller is better. He was unreal.

It doesn't matter whether anyone fears the Sharks in the post season or not.

That doesn't have anything to do with what they accomplished during the regular season, when they mowed down the league.

And here you go again .. a last place fan lecturing a first place fan.

If Anaheim beats Detroit, are you going to admit you were wrong being so critical of the Sharks, referring to them as a laughingstock?

[inthebrain]

75. Umm lemme think about that....

Nope.

The sharks have a history of choking in the post season. And yes, it matters. I know you don't want to deal with it but that's your choice. Because you choose to dismiss it doesn't mean it's no longer relevant. You go out and do the same thing next year winning the presidents trophy everyone is still gonn tag you as playoff chokers and a first round knock out.

Go to a real NHL town and talk this kinda BS. Nobody is gonna buy it. Every fan across the league is talking what a mess San Jose is in right now. You're not respected. The post season is the real deal.

The difference is here is that I don't pretend that anyone should respect my team. I would say that as a franchise and it's past is much deserving of respect. They have a place in NHL history and sports of having assembled one of the greatest dynastys ever in any sport.

Another fact that people do respect about the Islanders is their willingness to build through the draft and not take short cuts.

You team is everything that's wrong with going out to build a contender. That's why there is no chemestry. Not only that, the fact that none of em can put the puck in the net when it counts.

Detroit is a proven winner. Don't even pretend you are on the same level as them.

[cboy4]

76. How could I possibly have said or insinuated the Sharks are

on the same level as Detroit, when I've already told you a hundred times I think Anaheim is better?

You say you don't pretend anyone should respect your team, but then you go on and on implying people should respect them because at least they're supposedly rebuilding.

Not only that, you crap all over the Bay Area by telling me to go to a real hockey town.

The Sharks have to be respected for building a winning product in San Jose.

Watch this and then tell me we're not real hockey fans. That's ridiculous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNolzDKcKiU

[inthebrain]

79. You're claiming that a president trophy winning team

that can pack their building in the post season makes you a real hockey town.

You think San Jose is up there with New York, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal etc.

Sorry, but you have a loooooooooong ways to go. Those towns, the fans bleed with their teams through thick and thin. In the summer, even after losing seasons of no post season and finishing in the lottery, the itch is still there. Come mid July it feels like the off season has gone on for way too long.

They hold draft parties on June 26th.

The papers cover who's doing what in Juniors, college and the AHL. Folks want to get as much in info as to what is going on in the Euro leagues. TSN.ca is probably visited at least three - four times a day by those fans.

Folks stay up till two sometimes three in the morning scanning sports talk radio for anything hockey related.

Sorry, but San Jose has a very long ways to go. It comes with years of trying to build a cup contender and falling flat. It comes with a lot of bitterness that winning your division means nothing. The cup is everything.

Fans that have been through know there is more to winning in this league than just making the post season or winning your division. It's the years it takes to build a team right through the draft and smart trades. And still you are not guaranteed much.

[Upton]

80. San Jose may not yet be on a par

with everyone of those towns you mentioned but it is still very much a hockey town:

Jeremy Roenick on the early playoff exit:

“This whole town is so hockey oriented. You wouldn’t think it, but it’s one of the best hockey towns that I’ve ever seen,” Roenick said. “It’s frustrating to me as a player to know that fans put all of their heart and their hope into us. And when we fall short, they hurt so bad. It’s almost like they bleed with us. It’s hard not to feel their passion. That’s why it’s so frustrating, knowing that we’re not bringing more for them. When you go to the arena at 4 in the afternoon, there’s already people waiting there. You just don’t see that in other places.”

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks/2009/04/28/day-1-of-an-off-season-that-the-sharks-werent-expecting-to-start-for-quite-a-while/

[cboy4]

81. Once again, puting words in my mouth. I didn't affirm or deny

San Jose is "up" with any city.

I was simply pointing out your ridiculous accusation that the Bay Area is not a real hockey town.

And by the way .. we don't pack our building just during the post season. We pack it year round.

You're getting more outrageous by the minute regarding your hatred of San Jose. You don't know anything about how we act in the off season, now do you?

And I'm beginning to think you're jealous that we make the playoffs every year while you stay up.

Yup, I do.

[inthebrain]

82. Sorry, San Jose is not a real hockey town

It just isn't.

You're talking about a team that finished with the best overall record in the regular season. That's not really a challenge to pack that house. Everybody loves a winner no matter what sport it is. Your arena is full of crickets in down years and years the team is mediocre. Nobody cares about hockey there in those years. You go to any of those other places

Every sports city packs the house when the team is winning. Even the Florida Panthers managed that in 96.

[Upton]

84. You're wrong again

the Sharks fans have filled HP Pavilion to at least 95% capacity every year of their existence.

http://hockey.ballparks.com/NHL/SanJoseSharks/index.htm

[inthebrain]

87. You should look at those numbers again

Someone is diddling with them.

This is your aveerage attandance in the first two years of your existence.

91/92 10,888

92/93 11,045

http://www.andrewsstarspage.com/index.php/site/comments/nhl_average_attendance_since_1989_90/

[Upton]

88. Those years were at the Cow Palace

which held 11,089 for hockey...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cow_Palace

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SJ_Sharks

[Forkboy]

89. I'd say that 16 years of 95% capacity is pretty damn good.

Probably better than many long standing hockey towns.

You also left out the fact that The Islanders, playing in their "real" hockey town, drew less in 91/92 than the Sharks did. Not very good fan support for a team that brought the area 4 Cups in a row.

Islanders avg attendance
91/92 - 10,039
92/93 - 12,036

Sharks avg attendence
91/92 - 10,888
92/93 - 11,045

While we're at it, let's compare avg attendance figures for the following years.

93/94
NY - 12,171
SJ - 16,593

94/95
NY - 12,574
SJ - 17,190

95/96
NY - 11,356
SJ - 17,190

96/97
NY - 12,496
SJ - 17,420

97/98
NY - 12,025
SJ - 17,101

98/99
NY - 11,258
SJ - 17,149

99/00
NY - 9,748 (pitiful)
SJ - 17,291

00/01
NY - 11,332
SJ - 17,468

01/02
NY - 14,459
SJ - 16,994

02/03
NY - 14,931
SJ - 17,351

03/04
NY - 13,456
SJ - 15,836

05/06
NY - 12,609
SJ - 16,831

06/07
NY - 12,886
SJ - 17,422

07/08
NY - 13,640
SJ - 17,411

08/09
NY - 13,773
SJ - 17,488

[inthebrain]

90. The Colliseum only seats 16,000

2000 of that is standing room tickets.

So in effect, you're really looking at 14,000.

Secondly, the average ticket prices right now are at $53 a ticket. $20 more than it costs on average to go to a sharks game. We're not even including cot of parking which boosts that up to nearly $70 just to get you into the door.

San Jose in their innaugural could not manage to sell out their own building of $11,000. You've already have one team move out of there (The golden seals). You were a dead last team and did not draw that well. Most teams in the League would kill to average has much as the Isles do despite their performance on the Ice. Many have also cited that Newsday Subscribtions are primarily driven by Islanders fans.

I was actually pretty shocked to see those numbers for San Jose as high as they are. Although I do think something is off with them. I recall watching many games on ESPN and ESPN2 where that place was a ghost town.

With the actual seated attendance of about 1400, the Isles fell roughly 300 short of sell outs with an average ticket price of $50.

TAKE THAT!!!!

[Forkboy]

91. Lot of excuses for fans that are supposedly great hockey fans to not go see their team.

You've already have one team move out of there (The golden seals).

I live near Boston. Still want to talk about hockey towns, Mr. Expansion? :shrug:

[inthebrain]

92. Funny, I live IN Boston

I'm two hops and a jump from the Banknorth Garden.

[Forkboy]

93. And? Doesn't change your argument about the Islanders and Shark attendance numbers..

You could live in the Arctic for all I care. :shrug:

[inthebrain]

95. I never actually claimed the isles were currently outselling anyone

But if you really wanna go at it over the Boston thing.

What happened to all the complaints about stingy Jacobs? All the fans vowing to stay away because of him?

I wouldn't exactly call the Boston fans "great fans" either. That's pretty evident in the fact that they were threatening to move the Patriots before Parcells showed up on the scene.

I don't recall their being a lot of interest in Celtics before last year either. I sold a lot of Celtic tickets and couldn't even manage half of face value for em.

[Forkboy]

96. "I never actually claimed the isles were currently outselling anyone."

Yes, we know. That was conveniently left out of your talk about real hockey towns.

What happened to all the complaints about stingy Jacobs? All the fans vowing to stay away because of him?

Bruins attendance from 99/09 / record
99/00 - 16,323 - 24-39-19-6
00/01 - 15,433 - 36-30-8-8
01/02 - 15,404 - 43-24-6-9
02/03 - 15,029 - 36-31-11-4
03/04 - 15,133 - 41-19-15-7
05/06 - 16,211 - 29-37-16
06/07 - 14,764 - 35-41-6
07/08 - 15,384 - 41-29-12
08/09 - 17,039 - 53-19-10

Not mind blowing, but pretty good for a team that didn't win a single playoff series until this year. Especially while the Pats won 3 Super Bowls, the Sox 2 World Series and the Celtics 1 title. A little bit of competition for the fan's sports dollar, wouldn't you say?


That's pretty evident in the fact that they were threatening to move the Patriots before Parcells showed up on the scene.

If you live here you know the story behind that, and that it had to with Kraft trying to squeeze the state for funds to build a new stadium. But you knew that.

Btw, you got ripped off on your Celtics tickets. They were filling the building to 85% - 90% capacity before last year.

Attendance /% of capacity / record

06/07
16,843 - 90.4 - 24-58

05/06
16,899 - 90.7 - 33-49

04/05
16,001 - 85.9 - 45-37

03/04
16,201 - 87.0 - 36-46

02/03
17,293 - 92.9 - 44-38

Not bad for a team that went 182 - 228 over that stretch.

Now, stop trying to shift the conversation away from your previous assertions about San Jose not being a hockey town. The distractions are obvious, and easily dealt with.

[inthebrain]

99. You were not fiulling that building to those numbers

Those are tickets sold.

Those people were not showing up to the games.

Kraft tryed bilking the state for money AFTER the NFL was considering to move the Pats in 93. So nice try.

San Jose sells their tickets for about $35 a pop over the last three seasons.

San Jose $33.00 $33.00 $39.23

Compare that to the Isles over the last three seasons.

NY Islanders $44.01 $44.01 $50.43

This season that managed roughly 700 short of sellout for the SEATED capacity of about 14,000 a game. It's more expenive to go to Islanders game just with the ticket alone. The product on the ice has not been as good as San Joses. San Jose when they were this bad could not sell out an arena of 11,500 in THEIR INNAUGURAL year.

Their ticket prices are a drop in the bucket by comparison. With those prices and the teams regular season performance there is no excuse for them to fall short of 100% capacity. They don't have the crappy snowstorms that effect people driving to the games. Something that Boston with it's public transportation system can circumvent.

If San Jose was so assured of daily sell outs their ticket prices wouldn't be so low.

[Forkboy]

100. More dodges.

Why don't you just admit that you were wrong about San Jose not being a good hockey town? It would save you a lot of embarrassment.

[inthebrain]

102. If it's such a great hockey town

Why are the ticket averages for the last three seasons $35 a pop.

They've nary a year where they charge above the league average. Their ticket prices this year are nearly ten dollars below the league average. One would think that a "great hockey town" would be able to manage the league average in ticket prices.

BTW; Speaking of Boston. I used to work at the Fleet Center as a part timer. They were cutting staff at Celtics games the year before they won. The attendance at those games was not at 90%. Not even close.

[Upton]

94. You don't understand very much about SJ do you?

SJ is presently the third largest city in Ca....yet until the Sharks, they had no major sports franchise. It was always having to go 40 miles up the peninsula to see the Giants or 49ers...and still it wasn't theirs. What I'm saying is, the Sharks have become a source of civic pride for SJ, Santa Clara Co. and all of the South Bay ....they compete with no one directly for the sports dollar. You're thinking of Phoenix or some other struggling NHL city....SJ is a success story.

BTW, The Golden Seals were in the '60s and actually played in Oakland.

[cboy4]

97. See how little you know about our situation here?

You cite attendance figures for San Jose two decades ago before the Shark Tank was built.

This is what I'm talking about.

So can you please go ahead and apologize and admit you were wrong?

[inthebrain]

101. I'm not entirley off base

In seasons comparable to the Isles you couldn't sell that place out in you innaugural season.

Your ticket prices are also freakin dirt cheap.

If they were as low in the standings as the Isles have been with comparable ticket prices, you're lucky to pull 10,000 fans at that rate.

[cboy4]

103. You know what? If you want to talk hockey and debate

the differences between the Sharks and the Islanders, I'm more than willing to do that.

But when you start diving into the ridiculous, I'm not interested.

You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about when it comes to how many people the Sharks would draw whether they're good or bad.

So yes, you're entirely off base and you're beginning to irritate me, which never leads to anything pleasant.

[madinmaryland]

105. "But when you start diving into the ridiculous, I'm not interested."

Classic, cboy! Now you know how most of us feels about some of your commentary here.

[cboy4]

106. Was I addressing you or I was I talking to someone else?

Perhaps you should run along and reflect on the Pirates' three game sweep.

[madinmaryland]

108. Perhaps you should reflect on the fact this is a PUBLIC message board.

[Forkboy]

109. You keep backpeddling.

I like the qualifier "entirely". Now you're down to the ticket price argument to bolster your claim that SJ isn't a hockey town. For a guy defending a team that averaged less than 10K one year in a region as rich as Long Island, this approach doesn't hold much water.

If they were as low in the standings as the Isles have been with comparable ticket prices, you're lucky to pull 10,000 fans at that rate.

Hypothetical opinion with no way for you to prove or disprove. Thus, it's useless.

[inthebrain]

110. Nope, thats been proven

The Sharks couldn't sell out an arena in their inaugural that held 11,000 people.

That's not speculation.

That's fact.

Their record was just as bad as the Isles. Their ticket prices were less.

[Forkboy]

111. Dude, you have to go back almost 20 years to prove your point, such as it is.

Are you saying that Long Islanders are just cheapskates and won't pay a little extra to see their beloved Islanders play? Is that why they drew less than 10K? An extra $15-$20 bucks drove off thousands of "dedicated" hockey fans in an area as rich as Nassau County?

San Jose is also the 2nd highest city to live in in the United States in terms of cost of living, behind only San Franciso, with New York 3rd. No city in Long Island is in the list, which goes 276 cities deep worldwide.
http://www.expatinch.com/html/intl_cost_of_living.html

[cboy4]

112. You said it better than I could,.

Notice how he's now speechless.

[inthebrain]

113. Really?

That's why they have to charge so much less and couldn't sell out an 11,000 seat arena in their innaugural.

Long Island is not a city. And, guess what!!! A lot of Islanders fans commute from NYC to go to the game. Many of them fighting through miles of gridlock traffic to get there. Also a lot of em are from Suffolk county.

The Islanders are not a city team, they are a regional team. Uniondale is not a major city.

And so now your positing that it is "cheap" to live on Long Island. Now that's freakin ridiculous. In comparison to the Sharks ticket prices, on ice performance the last ten years, the Isles draw better.

The Islanders are not a team that draws a lot of suits. These are working class folks going to games. Many of em work in contruction, highway department, Teachers. Grumman was the number one employer on Long Island for many years and the loss of that company meant thousands of people out of work.

The situtation on Long Island economically is not that far off from what you see happening in Detroit.

BTW; you can thank many of these so called "undedicated Islanders fans" for padding the Bruins attendance stats over the years. On the three nights a year they played here the BanknorthGarden was 1/3 Islanders fans. Same with the fans who also traveled from Buffalo, Toronto and Montreal.

And it's not like you were a lottery team. Your ticket prices are comparable to the Islander with better on ice results. You also get you share of corporate ticket sales (something the Isles don't really benefit from)

And your looking at a season where the previous owner went to prison for lying about his worth. The current owners fire saled the franchise to get the payroll under 10 mill. Meanwhile you Boston fans were bitching about Jeremy Jacobs?

You wouldn't draw that well in simialar circumstances in Boston. The situation with the Pats before 93 was nowhere near as bad. Nor at any point with Jeremy Jacobs as owner.

The Isles had 7 sell outs this year. COUNT EM!!! 7 in year they were dead last in the NHL with ticket prices averaging 50 bucks a pop.

[Upton]

114. Look who's dead last in the NHL in attendance

That's right...the NY Islanders

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2009

Edit: Thought you'd be interested...The Sharks' only non-sellout home game was back on Nov. 4 against Minnesota, when the Tank was 313 short of capacity.

[inthebrain]

115. The arean is small

They would be at the bottom or close to it with nightly sellouts or even 95% capacity. Right now there attendance resulty are comparable to the high ticket prices and on ice performance.

Nice try though.

Look at you last year.

A year you made the post season only five spots above!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2008

Look at you this year, a year you won the east!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2009

What's up with those die hard Boston fans filling the place to 91.5%

This Isles this season managed 84% in a year they were dead least with ticket prices comparable to you.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

Way to fall on your own knife, Caesar.

[Upton]

116. Are you drunk?

before responding next time...take a look at who you're responding to.

I was pointing out the Sharks 100% attendance rate, compared with the Islanders being dead last...nothing to do with the Bruins, so I'm not sure how I fell on my own knife.

[Forkboy]

117. ....

That's why they have to charge so much less and couldn't sell out an 11,000 seat arena in their innaugural.

It's a factor. To think that the cost of living in an area doesn't affect how people spend their money is silly.

And so now your positing that it is "cheap" to live on Long Island.

No, just that it's cheaper than the San Jose area.

The Islanders are not a team that draws a lot of suits. These are working class folks going to games.

I know, that's one of the things I like about them.

BTW; you can thank many of these so called "undedicated Islanders fans" for padding the Bruins attendance stats over the years. On the three nights a year they played here the BanknorthGarden was 1/3 Islanders fans. Same with the fans who also traveled from Buffalo, Toronto and Montreal.

You mean all 2 games per year in Boston against The Islanders? I'm sure that jacked up their season average by a ton! :eyes:

Buffalo and Toronto fans coming all the way to the Garden in mass numbers? Uh huh. Montreal I'd believe. Many of their fans came here over the last few years, at least until this one.

By the way, by your logic, wouldn't all those Ranger and New Jersey fans who travel to Nassau be padding the Islander numbers? And even then they couldn't get 10K one year (which honestly is both stunning to me, and pitiful to see, no matter how you slice it).

And your looking at a season where the previous owner went to prison for lying about his worth. The current owners fire saled the franchise to get the payroll under 10 mill. Meanwhile you Boston fans were bitching about Jeremy Jacobs?

Sorry your team has crooked owners, but that's not our fault. We bitch about Jacobs because Boston expects winners every year. He wasn't doing much to keep up with the other three pro teams, and the team's payroll was sucky. The criticism is merited. Just because your team has criminals as owners and can't run a team doesn't mean other cities shouldn't expect a good product. Maybe you guys should have bitched louder earlier than you did. You might have been rooting for a team that mattered this year.

You wouldn't draw that well in simialar circumstances in Boston.

More hypothetical opinion in lieu of facts.

The Isles had 7 sell outs this year. COUNT EM!!! 7 in year they were dead last in the NHL with ticket prices averaging 50 bucks a pop.

I know, it's pretty impressive. But your initial argument was whether San Jose is a good hockey town, not whether Long Island is. I think Long Islanders are great fans (and a hell of a lot cooler than Ranger fans in general). I also think San Jose has established themselves as a good hockey town as well, which is borne out by the fact that they consistently draw good crowds despite their own lack of success over the years.

And let's face it, sports is the ultimate in "what have you done for me lately". In that regard, San Jose is better than Long Island, plain and simple. That doesn't make Long Island a bad hockey town, just as the Sharks lack of success doesn't make them a bad hockey town.

Why you feel this desperate need to denigrate San Jose and their hockey fans is beyond me, unless rooting for such a lousy team for so long has made you highly insecure in your hockey fandom. Even in the Bruins lowest days I still appreciated fans in other cities. Hell, I even like Montreal fans.

And with that, I think we're done here. Well, I'm done at least (the Sox just tied it up in the 8th). You can say your mind and have the last word. But it's pretty stupid to knock a town where the fans have been fine to satisfy something inside yourself.

[inthebrain]

118. Uhh, you charge 30$ for tickets you're going to get good attendance numbers

in todays sports market.

The Isles in the year they drew 9,000 was the height of their turmoil. You will never see a situation that bad probably ever again in pro sports. You had Spano go to jail and the new owners trying to move the team off Long Island at the start of the season. They claimed the scoreboard was unstable as reason to break the lease and packed up everything in the teams office.

Some of those guys are now in jail. This situation was due to Gery Bettmans mismanagement and sloppy review for buyers.

You had fans getting involved politically long before this started. There were thousands of fans camped out in front of the county supervisors office and well as the Town of Hempstead pleading with them to nullify Milstein and Glucksterns ownership. There were probably more people going to those events than going to the colliseum.

Right now the Isles fans are in the process of overthrowing town supervisor (Republican Kate Murray) for stone walling the new arena. Those events are drawing between 5,000 to 10,000 people. You're not going to see that much dedication to a hockey team in many areas to the country. Very doubtfull in San Jose.

The Isles don't get a lot of Devils fans showing up to their games. You do have tons of Isles fans going to Devils games. You also have a lot of em going to Florida and Tampa games. Mainly because these folks foolishly followed Grumman when they located some of their offices down there. Many of em are transplants.

If you though Jacobs was bad you ain't seen nothing till you've seen the pigs at the trough. After they didn't get their way (Bettman decided to mediate before the county stepped in on those crooks) the owner retalliate against the fans by trading off the whole roster. That payroll for that season was at about 10 mill.

The Rangers this season acounted for 1 sell out this season.

As far as competing with the other team. The Islanders have to compete with the Giants, Jets and Knicks. In years they make the post season also the Mets and Yankees. Using the excuse that the Boston teams have to compete with eachother is ridiculous. Those teams reschedule the start times to accomodate each other. They are not competing with eachother.

The Bruins only drawing 91% of capacity in a year they won the eastern conference is pathetic. Sorry, but that's just sad. San Jose and their 30 dollar tickets while leading the league in points is not impressive either.

[inthebrain]

119. BTW

I didn't start the pissing match.

I stated I was happy with the draft pick from the Sharks loss.

Too which, Sharkboy pretty much called me a sucker for spending money on the Isles to which he termed "A joke of a franchise and perenial losers".

That's why I busted on his franchise. And 30$ tickets no matter where you play is gonna bolster your attendance numbers. Hey, the cost of living is cheap in Detroit. They had to beg the Columbus fans to come to the games for their first round playoff series. I suppose those people are bad fans given the cost of living.

[inthebrain]

46. BTW; The Ottawa Senators could at least win a playoff round

You're much more embarassing.

[MrPerson]

83. San Jose sounds like a great place to live.

[VMSMI]

86. It's near San Francisco, chap.

[cboy4]

104. Wow. A lawyer who doesn't know where one of the largest

cities in California is located.

At least he has you to explain various 6th-grader level facts.

[MrPerson]

107. So you say it sucks to live in San Jose?

My mistake.

[Onceuponalife]

120. Isn't awesome

that the Sharks garner so much attention here?

You guya all LOVE them. You really really love them!