Thoughts on Cigarron, Ownership, etc
by ExcellenceThroughGuesswork on Jul 22, 2010 9:27 PM EDT
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PrintWhile I do try to take this in with a grain of salt, this city has never had an ownership figure come out and say what all the fans would love for an owner to say. The only thing we've seen/heard from Bud Adams in years was the finger to Bills fans. And with the Preds, *former owner who does not warrant a mention* just kinda putz'd around during the honeymoon era, then raced out the back door. Tom Cigarron seems to be a different type of owner, much more hands on with a group behind him. After the jump, I'll rant about this and such.
What he does mention in his radio address on 104.5 was the idea that increasing and bettering the team/assets will create more value for the franchise as opposed to just holding on to what you have so tightly you don't grab anything else. Take a look at the Blackhawks. Bill Wertz didn't want to spend a dime, he just wanted to turn a profit. His son Rocky had different ideas. Now you can't get tickets to a Hawks game even after they raised the prices. Wonder who turned a bigger profit there?
It's a nice little thing that he sits in the lower section (listed the section on the radio) and goes through the usher just like we do. And yes, I love that he mentioned about the fact I have to shuffle around my beer to show my ticket to the guy and try not to end up wearing Bud Light cologne the whole night. To the blue collar fan who doesn't get to go to every single game like myself (ME STRONG RETAIL WARRIOR!!!) it is nice to see someone coming from the same place. Maybe its a cheap play to the fans, maybe it's real, I don't know nor care. I need to remind myself and others that most of the fans in the arena are not members of the lunatic fringe. At least, not yet. Everyone's money spends the same, and if some guy thinks that makes a difference to him enough to buy a ticket, I'm all for it and everything else that prevents spilled beer and popcorn.
There are three things on my mind on where the franchise goes from here-
- Is this guy for real? The kool-aid tastes great and all, but I'm not finishing my glass until Weber is resigned. Hell, we pulled off the smartest free agent signing of the summer with Lombardi. I'm already too excited for words to describe for this season, but I just don't want to be let down by the ownership for promises they can't deliver. Dear Lord I hope he does, nothing that is not related to the divine return of my savior would make me happier. Seriously.
- The growing fanbase. Have a look at the UFC for a second, and rewind the clock some. In 2002, most people didn't know it was still going and having events. 2003/2004 the UFC lands a show on a newly renovated cable network, targeting a niche audience. What happened then was magical- people started watching and felt part of an exclusive following. Soon after, everyone wanted to join. Nowdays, you can't pump gas without seeing some tool in a Tapout shirt (available at your local Ross or Marshall's). The same thing can happen for hockey, and especially here. We're still the minority here.
- Perfect timing. The NFL looks like it's heading for a long battle between the NFLPA and the owners regarding the salary cap. As Charles Barkley said today on the Dan Patrick show, the NBA could be heading for it's worst stretch ever if UFA's keep banding together; "It'll make even more teams in the league unwatchable." (Um, the league itself is unwatchable to me... but whatevs) Hockey can be right there to fill the void. To the average guy, the lunch pale/grinder/tough guy persona that is cherished by the league (and that the Preds usually take on) is a nice contrast to the millionaire quarrels that stand to hurt both the other two aforementioned leagues.
In closing, it's a great time to be a hockey fan, especially here in Nashville. The front office may finally be able to use the same tools that the enemies have owned for years...
...and one can only wonder what David Poile can do with some real money. He's already proven how smart he is (ditching ArWon't, getting a prospect for him, signing a better, younger player for less money), having the capability to build and retain talent should keep that smirk on him for a while.
Maybe even Trotz will crack one.
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Outstanding
The NFL lockout situation is a really intriguing one. You never want to wish bad on the other local team, but undoubtedly the Preds would get a big short-term boost if they didn’t have to compete with the Titans in the first half of a season.
More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.
To be honest with ya, I truly don’t care what the Titans do. I know many of you do and it would be nice to have a winning tandem of teams here, it doesn’t have a bearing on what hat I wear to the lake. While yes, I do kinda support the Titans more than any other NFL team… they’re an organization that isn’t run with a touch of class outside of Jeff Fisher. I grew up on football, and have lived here most all of my life… but this town needs a team that represents itself well and embodies what WE ARE about. We’re not stripper slapping face stomping finger gesturing prima donnas who hold out for guaranteed money since we worked too hard.
No. We saddle up and get it done.
by ExcellenceThroughGuesswork on Jul 22, 2010 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Can you explain to me how the Titans don't have class?
Graphic Designer/Researcher/Writer at Music City Miracles.
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by Aditya T (smashville) on Jul 22, 2010 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Second.
I’ve got to hear this.
If I hit a hole-in-one on this grand slam the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate.
by jasonkylebates on Jul 22, 2010 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions
The front office locks out franchise quarterbacks from the facility rather than face him like a man and release him. The owner flips off fans from his box. They never laid the hammer on Adam “Strip Club Punch-Out” Jones until the NFL took action. Players, when not stomping on terrible towels, have stomped on players.
While yeah, everyone is going to have a tantrum once in a while, the team does not value character enough at all.
by ExcellenceThroughGuesswork on Jul 22, 2010 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions
now that's a good bit of cherry picking
The McNair thing is unfair. they couldn’t be there to his face because the who staff was in LA and it was an insurance thing
Also, Bud wasn’t flipping off fans, he was flipping off the Bills’ owner, and that part goes back a long way
Pacman just did a bunch of little things that looked worse than they were until the shooting, at which point everyone knew he was gone.
Goodell wouldn’t have allowed the Titans to set the punishment for that because he wanted t set the precedent that he was the law and order commissioner Tagliabue never was.
There’s no defense for Albert, but Albert deserved a second chance, and he made good on it.
To refute his point I’d say guys like Bulluck, Finnegan, Eddie George, Chris Carter, Chris Hope and several others have tons of character and do lots of good work in the community. Besides, if you’re really worried about ‘character’, you’ll love the rookies they drafted this year: up and down the line they went for squeaky clean leaders.
Music City Miracles blogger and official Jon Bovi tour manager.
Chris Carter!
All he does is catch touchdowns!
Christie kicks it high and short...Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25...He dishes it back to Wycheck...He throws it across the field to Dyson...
www.manningface.com
by Michaeltastic on Jul 23, 2010 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Haha
I figured you mixed Kevin Carter and Chris Sanders
Christie kicks it high and short...Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25...He dishes it back to Wycheck...He throws it across the field to Dyson...
www.manningface.com
by Michaeltastic on Jul 23, 2010 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions
The NFL in general doesn’t seem to have much class. Granted, the Titans are one of the more admirable organizations and I cheer for them to the death but still.
On the Forecheck: preaching the Predators' gospel to the unwashed masses.
by Chris Burton on Jul 23, 2010 7:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Titans games = too expensive.
It’s really unbelievable to me, that in the upper nose bleeds, far above the field – it’s still $40-50 to see a game there. The “upper goal zone” is not nearly that far from the ice, and is still a pretty decent view for what you get for $10-20/game.
I love hockey and football, though hockey has become much more prominent in my mind. And I feel like part of this family, this small group, and closer to the team though I haven’t ever really met any of them! I mean I got a signed puck from Rinne for just filling out a survey! Also, after his 5-0 big win over the Wild – I have the shirt Rinne threw over to me after he was announced as one of the stars of the game.
Anyway, I’m digressing here. Point is that the action is more exciting, it’s cheaper, I’m closer to the playing area, and I get to see more games. Hell, I’d like to see some Titans games or Crimson Tide games, but man those are even more expensive! I didn’t even go to Vikings games back in MN (still a fan) because it was $40 minimum there too plus $20 to park downtown! Not even friends would go unless they were given tickets. Easier to watch the big screen at home or go to a BWW and get food and beer for half the cost.
Besides, I think if we go deep just once like Conference championship/SC round, the rest of the fanbase will wake up. This is the next step. Winning the SC right away would be awesome, but if the team can just push a little further – then more money will open up and this management group will be able to push them to the ultimate goal.
by DonBorvio on Jul 23, 2010 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Look who's getting the last word in now...
Great post!
And nothing would make me happier than eclipsing the Titans as Nashville’s best pro team.
nice work, great post! i dunno about the whole UFC thing. let’s not forget, they got a network tv deal and it was a disaster! completely unwatchable. i do agree that the Titans (and most of the NFL) are a bit lacking in the class department. i can’t believe they are talking about a lockout.if you listen to talk radio, they gush on and on about how the NFL rules all sports in America, then talk about a lockout in the very next breathe. what’s the deal? can they really not figure out how to divide up the billions of $$ they rake in? makes me sick. NHL had a lockout because they had serious issues, and i think, for the most part, alot of those issues were hammered out. how do you guys think an NFL lockout would impact Preds attendance?
different animals
i dont know about the ufc comparison either. i like the titans, but think the nfl and its players are just different than the nhl and its players so i dont think the titans are noticably better or worse than most teams. now to the preds ownership. i AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY on ciggaron. i will always appreciate the group of owners that kept the team here, but by this time last year begun to feel they needed to sell, hopefully to someone commited to nashville but also committed to winning. i had lost alot of confidence in them and primarily freeman. i too am enjoying the kool-aid so far, but like you havent finished the glass. i was very much excited by toms emergence as the ownership leader, arnotts trade, lombardis signing and the recent announcement by the bankruptcy trustee. lets drop the puck.
Put the NHL kool aid down!!!
I’m glad that the Preds have some real leadership at the top. Mr. Cigarron seems like he is the real deal. According to the latest Forbes Magazine no NHL team made the top 50 most valuable teams in sports. This is done worldwide. The NHL will still be lacking the other spots because it has no LEAGUE fan base. There are plenty of Predators fans but most if not all do not follow the NHL. Once the preds make their exit from the playoffs interest in the playoffs dies. You use the UFC comparison. Who other than the hardcore UFC fan recognizes Brock Lesnar. If the Stanley Cup finals had been Montreal v San Jose the overnight ratings would have been in the gutter. Even with the number three and number four tv markets the Cup finals were still getting creamed by the NBA both locally and nationally. I am glad we have real leadership at the top but your view of NHL as a rising juggernaut means you have had a little to much KOOL-AID.
not true
most of the predator fans follow the nhl. i actually dont know ANY that dont, but im sure there are some. i dont think the writer ever implied the nhl would be a “juggernaut”. he only used the ufc as an example of a sport that has grown quickly and hoped hockey could do the same.
by predswilrule on Jul 26, 2010 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Do not make me laugh!!
Who are these fans. Not the ones I sit by. I am either educating them on some of our players or the other team(other than Detroit) to who the good players are. I never have this problem at a Titans game. The fans I sit by from game to game know who the good players are on both teams. Why? The NFL has a league wide fan base, the NHL simply doesn’t or it is much smaller. TheTV ratings prove it. The best that can happen for the NHL is to get back on ESPN so they can have a sports juggernaut pushing their sport. They do it all the time for NBA in the spring, NASCAR over the summer and College Football/Basketball in the fall and winter. The NHL must get back on ESPN in the next tv contract.
To me, this is one of the major failings of the local sports media. When it comes to talking about hockey, even the good ones stick mostly to the Preds, who they’re playing that night, and that’s about it.
There’s precious little discussion of the league at large, which is why I have an “Around the NHL” section on my daily links posts.
More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators. Catch me on Twitter at @Forechecker.
im not joking
read the posters on here and the other sites listed and you will find lots of posters that know hockey far beyond the preds. im sure there are fans such as you describe, but if you are having to educate them i really dont consider them a fan as much as someone out for the night. dont get me wrong, thats great, but a big difference from people like you or i. i agree that our, and hockey in general, needs a bigger fanbase, but you sell our true fans short thinking we are as casual as those you seem to be seated near.
by predswilrule on Jul 28, 2010 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions
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