vandypred

But how do we get hockey fans? We have to have a hockey team. Your logic is essentially asking for the chicken to come before the egg in this case. We do have a fanbase that follows the team year-round and is growing. Yes it's a newer team in a non-traditional market; but it is growing. A sucessful team if properly marketed will do well here. We currently have a cruddy marketing guy right now in Steve Violetta the came from the San Diego Padres that tends to turn off local businessmen and turn the local media against him and the team to an extent. Hopefully we'll have some one better very soon. Plus major league professional sports teams are new to Nashville and local companies don't necessarily see the tickets as business tools; but as luxuries. They get Titans season tickets because they are on Sundays and don't affect their business schedules. The don't think about taking clients to a game in general. Seems like a no brainer to me; but its not my money either. My next question is: Would you consider St. Louis a good hockey town? Before you answer that, let me refresh some history about the Blues from the early '80's. The Blues had been in the league for 12-13 years at the time and the newness had long worn-off, attendance was sagging, had competed for a Presidents Trophy w/ the Islanders in '81 with a quick exit from the playoffs happening each year, and the then-owners Ralston-Purina (you know them from Dog Chow and Cat Chow) was looking to dump them even though they had a talented group with Joey Mullen, Doug Gilmour, Bernie Federko, and Brian Sutter among others. They were pegged to move to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan as a result of RP trying to sell to a group there until the NHL stepped and barred the sale and move to Saskatchewan until Harry Ornest stepped in and bought the Blues and kept them there. I was worried that I would have to start like the Flyers or something as a kid in STL. Heck when Detroit rolled into the then-Checkerdome in those years, they were horrible and fought all of the time it seemed, so y'all weren't an option. I see a lot of similarities in the plight of both franchises'; but Nashville seems more way stable than the Blues did because Leipold doesn't want to dump the team but rather get a local partner(s) to help increase corporate sales. The turmoil of the possible relocation prompted younger fans to attend games and eventually these folks had kids that became hockey fans if not Blues fans. 15-20 years later they were considered one of the strongest markets in the NHL. I see the seeds of that starting to happen here. It just takes time. Good knowledgable fanbases are built over time. Geez, how long have the Wings been around? Like since the 1920's? You have to be patient w/ young children because they often feel bullet-proof, make rash generalizations as a result of inexperience, and get caught up in the moment. k?

So I take it you're an Alabama Crimson Tide fan ??? Perhaps they should play some 'Skynyrd'? Sweet Home Alabama, perhaps. I'm not a country music fan; but I recognize the need to associate with a major billion dollar industry in its town. Tim McGraw is a major name in music that people all over the globe recognize. I don't follow NASCAR; but I know who Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are. Unfortunately, Detroit has a name in hockey that folks w/ a casual interest in hockey or want to see what it's all about, recognize and check out a game. There's a percentage that will be clueless. Wouldn't it be better to help them learn and help keep NHL hockey in the South and thrive, where you can see your beloved Wings once in a while? You had to learn hockey from somewhere and I'm sure you asked the same questions at one point in time. It's not that big of a deal and good way to meet people and make contacts from time to time. As far as Pete and Terry go, I like them for the fact that they are goofballs and seem approachable. The kind of guys you could go out and have a beer with and feel like you would fit in just fine. Plus Terry has won Cups as a player and as a coach, so he know hockey as well as a bit of homerism to keep the fans going. Heck, there are a lot of times folks down here think he has a 'man crush' on the Red Wings the way he talks about them. They are way better than the Columbus guys. Those guys put me to sleep.

I thought about this topic too in Nashville with the 'upper body injury' reports to Foppa and Legwand. I almost wonder if the players have marginal injuries with the standings being what they are, why play them until they are healthy enough to go full tilt? The teams in the West projected to be in the 5-8 spots are all good, physical teams and could beat anyone given a hot goalie (which all of them could easily have). Why kill your players to get a 1 seed when a 4 will give you essentially the same battle w/ them more physically ready? Plus you get to see the metal of the prospects in the system being asked to compete at a high level and breed confidence they can step in in the event of an injury and perform. If you ask me, last night showed both organizations have good depth for the future. This division is going to be scary good for a while once the Blues, Hawks, and Blow Jackets get their acts together.

Geez.... you sound like you should have been born a Cubs fan!! At least I got to see my Cardinals take two championships in my lifetime. And all of the BS I got from friends and family in STL when the Rams beat the Titans. Kinda wierd when I started cheering against STL winning... Do you still pull for Philly or have you seen the light?

Should be a fun one!! Hope y'all go home unhappy!!!

As a former denizen of the Gateway City (leader in crime to boot suckuz!!!), it was very easy to have extreme prejudice towards the Wings since the mid-80's, so I understand some of the crazy stuff from Blues fans. There is a direct correllation to the poaching of Demers from the Blues to the rise of the Wings in the 90's and they played second fiddle to the Wings and spent almost as much on salaries and acquisitions trying to buy a cup themselves. Sounds like sour grapes; but it does suck when you have to drink it. A lot of folks their tend to think that all culture culminates the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. I was one of them till I transplanted in the 90's to NashVegas. So I had history in the Wings rivalry in Blue colored glasses. Always respected them; but the players they had acquired at trade deadlines were generally always a result of poor league economics and helps fuel the perception that they we're 'buying' players because they could afford players like Lang, Chelios, and Shanahan. A lot of the time, perception is reality in their minds view. I always hated seeing Shanny do so well in Detroit when he was shipped to Hartford for Pronger by Keenan in just one of the many cruddy moves the Blues have done over the years and Hull in the red hurt too. Plus looking so much like the old Soviet teams in uniform and machine-like prowess doesn't help the guys like me that grew up on the other side of the winged wheel and experienced the Miracle on Ice... make assumptions (plus it seemed like y'all had Stevie Y and a bunch of 'ov's for a few years). But I'm in Nashville now for the long haul and love having a good team. Some of us are more exuberant and childish than others. I've always been courteous to Wings fans as they do show up for their team and help attendance. I've had many Michigan transplants in the office and we have had some good banter over hockey over the years. A lot of the homer sounding posters on our boards is a result of expansion to a certain extent; but also of pent up angxst over what was once a hopeless cause to being one of seeing the light. People get stupid in success. But I see a lot of homer comments here too that I find funny and rediculous at the same time. Just remember, there are rednecks everywhere, they just seem to show up on TV from here more because of the music industry and fan fair. Trust me most of the locals leave when that lot shows up. Tourists thinkin' we all wear cowboy hats and western wear and wearin' it to fit in is hilarious to watch. Expect us to get better over time and a deep playoff run will help to cement tohe corporate base that most other teams enjoy. Y'all have it based on success and longevity. We're less than 10 years old in a non-traditional market and will take a hot run like the 99 Titans had to the Super Bowl to really captivate the business community and buy into them.