117 replies to this topic

[Daniel]

Dude, it hasn't worked. From a guy who has said not winning the Cup is a failed season his restrictive style has not produced great results recently. There are several teams with "non-control freaks" as GMs that have been much more successful(on and off the ice) over the past decade than the Devils, and that's the truth. It worked with the Devils and Nets 10 years ago, but it's not working now. It's a "what have you done for me lately" society like it or not. Gratification my ass. All I'm asking for is something different, not for him to get canned yesterday.

There's a reason why this team has a PR/public image problem, and it ain't just because of geography or the clueless Canadian media.

Who would have done a better job? True there were the bad post-lock out free agent signings, but they didn't really prevent Lou from signing anyone else who was out there that was any good. And with the exception of Nieds and Rafalski, who were going to leave anyway, all the players who weren't re-signed turned out to not be that good for their new teams or at the very least are nowhere near as good as the money they got paid on their new deals (Gomez, Martin, Gionta).

The one bad draft pick that Lou's made since the lock-out has been Tedenby. Not so much that he'll never be any good, but that the Devils were in a position to draft Eberle before they traded down (John Carlson was also available). Still, no Hugh Jessiman caliber disaster picks.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Dude, it hasn't worked. From a guy who has said not winning the Cup is a failed season his restrictive style has not produced great results recently. There are several teams with "non-control freaks" as GMs that have been much more successful(on and off the ice) over the past decade than the Devils, and that's the truth. It worked with the Devils and Nets 10 years ago, but it's not working now. It's a "what have you done for me lately" society like it or not. Gratification my ass. All I'm asking for is something different, not for him to get canned yesterday.

There's a reason why this team has a PR/public image problem, and it ain't just because of geography or the clueless Canadian media.

How many teams since the '80s Oilers do you see winning Cup after Cup? That doesn't happen anymore. And you should've expected some level of dropoff from 2003 on...Devils started losing defensive stalwart after defensive stalwart after Cup #3. How was Lou supposed to find replacements for Stevens and Niedermayer? A great lunchpail-type in Daneyko? You seem to think the party should never ever end, just because, and if there's ever a downturn, right away someone else's way must be better...that is SO fair-weather. There is a cyclical nature to this business...for the Devils, it's Cup contenders to Cup pretenders, but at least they're consistently making playoff appearances. The Devils' "down" cycles under Lou have yet to result in multiple seasons of irrelevance.

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976, 15 March 2012 - 02:23 PM.

[GA Devil]

Well, now we know why LeBrun graced the Devs with kind words in the power rankings. It was to make this crap piece by Buccigross more SHOCKING!!!!

Seriously, how self important does Buccigross and ESPN come off here? I haven't watched anything non-hockey related on ESPN for near a decade now. And this is from someone who loved watching Olbermann and Patrick do SportsCenter.

Also, how out of touch is Buccigross if he's surprised he stirred up a hornet's nest by calling this Rangers team the '03 Devils. Rangers fans got mad? SHOCKING!!!!

By the way, that '03 Devils team was fricking AWESOME! If the '01 team had the same amount of heart and tenacity and rising to the occaision that the '03 team did, the Devils brand would be just peachy, thankyouverymuch.

Lou said it best, "The best way to bring in the fans is by winning." Should the current team make some noise in the playoffs, virtually all the concerns in regards to branding disappear.

[DevsMan84]

Well, now we know why LeBrun graced the Devs with kind words in the power rankings. It was to make this crap piece by Buccigross more SHOCKING!!!!

Seriously, how self important does Buccigross and ESPN come off here? I haven't watched anything non-hockey related on ESPN for near a decade now. And this is from someone who loved watching Olbermann and Patrick do SportsCenter.

Also, how out of touch is Buccigross if he's surprised he stirred up a hornet's nest by calling this Rangers team the '03 Devils. Rangers fans got mad? SHOCKING!!!!

By the way, that '03 Devils team was fricking AWESOME! If the '01 team had the same amount of heart and tenacity and rising to the occaision that the '03 team did, the Devils brand would be just peachy, thankyouverymuch.

Lou said it best, "The best way to bring in the fans is by winning." Should the current team make some noise in the playoffs, virtually all the concerns in regards to branding disappear.

Again even when the devils were winning cups they still struggled to fill the building.

Devils could win the cup this year and next year they will still struggle to fill the arena. Just a way of life of devils fans with the way things are.

[GA Devil]

I'm just not equating "brand" with "filling the building." The Devils brand isn't nearly as dire as Bucci makes it to be. Anecdoctal evidence #1: Don't the Devils have the largest fan club in the NHL? Anecdotal evidence #2: the Devils have a healthy fan representation in the stands in rinks where they're the visitor.

[DevsMan84]

I'm just not equating "brand" with "filling the building." The Devils brand isn't nearly as dire as Bucci makes it to be. Anecdoctal evidence #1: Don't the Devils have the largest fan club in the NHL? Anecdotal evidence #2: the Devils have a healthy fan representation in the stands in rinks where they're the visitor.

Well you used a quote from Lou and I was just countering.

You are correct in #2 and I think I remember a few years back a poll was taken and the devils were found to have the second best travelled team after Detroit.

As for #1 that is a maybe, but I wonder how many are active members or just people who paid the $20 and then only just get the useless newsletter. I used to be part of that club years but never attended functions since almost all are in Bergen or Essex county area and I'm in southern Somerset county and the members are well let's just say an interesting group of people. Plus I can imagine a lot of teams have fan clubs but they do not require a formal sign up so hard to keep track on the numbers.

[Satans Hockey]

Good crowd tonight, place was pretty full for a weeknight game against a western conference team.

[iamtheprodigy]

Good crowd tonight, place was pretty full for a weeknight game against a western conference team.

I think it was a College Night. I know my school (TCNJ) had a trip. Wish I could have gone, but I had to work.

[GA Devil]

Well you used a quote from Lou and I was just countering.

You are correct in #2 and I think I remember a few years back a poll was taken and the devils were found to have the second best travelled team after Detroit.

As for #1 that is a maybe, but I wonder how many are active members or just people who paid the $20 and then only just get the useless newsletter. I used to be part of that club years but never attended functions since almost all are in Bergen or Essex county area and I'm in southern Somerset county and the members are well let's just say an interesting group of people. Plus I can imagine a lot of teams have fan clubs but they do not require a formal sign up so hard to keep track on the numbers.

So, I did use that quote from Lou. Alzheimer's / ADD / THC scatter-brain sucks!

As for who's active in the fan club or not, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that they are willing to wave goodbye to $20 to join.

[mouse]

Well, now we know why LeBrun graced the Devs with kind words in the power rankings. It was to make this crap piece by Buccigross more SHOCKING!!!!

Seriously, how self important does Buccigross and ESPN come off here? I haven't watched anything non-hockey related on ESPN for near a decade now. And this is from someone who loved watching Olbermann and Patrick do SportsCenter.

Also, how out of touch is Buccigross if he's surprised he stirred up a hornet's nest by calling this Rangers team the '03 Devils. Rangers fans got mad? SHOCKING!!!!

By the way, that '03 Devils team was fricking AWESOME! If the '01 team had the same amount of heart and tenacity and rising to the occaision that the '03 team did, the Devils brand would be just peachy, thankyouverymuch.

Lou said it best, "The best way to bring in the fans is by winning." Should the current team make some noise in the playoffs, virtually all the concerns in regards to branding disappear.

It was a fair article, discussing a legit problem, namely that the Devils do a ton right, but still can't draw a crowd. The Rags point illustrates how stupid Rags fans are, and is somewhat newsworthy. At this point, I would not be insulted if someone compared our currect team with the Rags, nor would I be shocked. As a hockey fan, I can acknowledge that the Rags have ridden elite goaltending, forward depth and a tough, no name (I know Girardi was an all star and Staal has a famous family, but still) group of blueliners to the top of the conference, and it would not bother me if the Devils were able to do that in the playoffs(hopefully the d gets better...). If Rags fans can't accept that being compared to a team that WON THE FVCKING CUP is a compliment, that's just idiotic, and there's nothing wrong with Bucci pointing it out.

[devlman]

I'm just not equating "brand" with "filling the building." The Devils brand isn't nearly as dire as Bucci makes it to be. Anecdoctal evidence #1: Don't the Devils have the largest fan club in the NHL? Anecdotal evidence #2: the Devils have a healthy fan representation in the stands in rinks where they're the visitor.

Good point. Our brand is actually very good. Everyone in the NHL knows what the Devils stand for. Attendance is a different issue.

[GA Devil]

It was a fair article, discussing a legit problem, namely that the Devils do a ton right, but still can't draw a crowd. The Rags point illustrates how stupid Rags fans are, and is somewhat newsworthy. At this point, I would not be insulted if someone compared our currect team with the Rags, nor would I be shocked. As a hockey fan, I can acknowledge that the Rags have ridden elite goaltending, forward depth and a tough, no name (I know Girardi was an all star and Staal has a famous family, but still) group of blueliners to the top of the conference, and it would not bother me if the Devils were able to do that in the playoffs(hopefully the d gets better...). If Rags fans can't accept that being compared to a team that WON THE FVCKING CUP is a compliment, that's just idiotic, and there's nothing wrong with Bucci pointing it out.

And where did I get on Bucci for pointing it out? I give him demerits for being surprised he got grief for it. You say if the current Devils was the, oh I dunno, the '92 Rangers (just picking a team out a hat here, I have no idea what or who the '92 Rangers were), a large number of Devils fans would bristle at the notion. It's part of the rivalry.

**edit** I should say that if the Devils were compared to the '94 Rangers then a lot of Devils fans would bristle that Kovalchuk could be favoroably compared to Kovalev, or Clarkson to Graves (OK, maybe that's stretching it a bit, lol).

Edited by GA Devil, 18 March 2012 - 09:04 AM.

[lazer]

no, were offended that this years rangers are being compared to a cup winning team, its disrespectful to the 2003 Stanley Cup Champs.

the rangers dont like being compared to a cup winning team? fine by me.

[Steven M.]

Again even when the devils were winning cups they still struggled to fill the building.

Devils could win the cup this year and next year they will still struggle to fill the arena. Just a way of life of devils fans with the way things are.

That could be debatable. I was only 10, and 13 years old during the 2000 and 2003 Stanley Cup years (I don't remember 95', obviously) but I feel as though hockey is very healthy right now, and a Cup run would certainly bring on a new influx of fans.

[DevsMan84]

That could be debatable. I was only 10, and 13 years old during the 2000 and 2003 Stanley Cup years (I don't remember 95', obviously) but I feel as though hockey is very healthy right now, and a Cup run would certainly bring on a new influx of fans.

As someone who attend ended many games between 91/92 to 2003, they always had trouble filling the arena then when we were winning. I doubt that will change now.

[Steven M.]

But was hockey as popular in the 90's as it is now?

Legitimately asking this by the way

[devlman]

As someone who attend ended many games between 91/92 to 2003, they always had trouble filling the arena then when we were winning. I doubt that will change now.

See benefits of Pru over CAA.

[DevsMan84]

See benefits of Pru over CAA.

Honestly do you really think we will see higher attendance if we win a championship all because of the prudential center?

Earlier in this thread everyone was trying to say we don't get great attendance because of a crowded sport market even when we were winning cups. Now you are saying it is because of the arena we played in.

Which one is it?

But was hockey as popular in the 90's as it is now?

Legitimately asking this by the way

It was 4th out of the big 4 sports here in America then and still is to this day. It will also always be behind football, baseball, and basketball.

Id say about the same.