Ken Campbell of The Hockey News dumps on Nashville

In not-so-breaking news, Ken Campbell makes an ass of himself poo-pooing all the positive press the Nashville Predators have received in recent weeks. Perhaps The Hockey News' senior douchebag would be interested to know that paid attendance was up by 10%, with giveaways down by roughly 20%, before the playoffs even began. No, rather than look at the facts, this hack merely looks around and wonders why all markets can't be like Toronto.

Thanks to OTF reader Ken (not Campbell, obviously) for passing this along.

about 1 year ago Dirk Hoag 34 comments 0 recs |

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"Just because they won a playoff round doesn't mean the Predators have finally becoming a burgeoning hockey market"

Confused syntax from a closed mind.

by Hockey Hillbilly on May 19, 2011 11:25 AM EDT reply actions

My goodness. This is almost unfathomably bad.

His facts are bad.

His logic is bad.

His writing, structurally and otherwise, is worse, and he couldn’t come across like a bigger meathead if he tried.

This is professional trolling, which in some cases, is humorous (see: Lambert, Ryan). Ken Campbell, on the other hand, is a sad, strange little man. I wish him numerous Shea Weber shots to the midsection.

Lemme quote the late, great Colonel Sanders. He said "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken."

by Chris Burton on May 19, 2011 11:27 AM EDT reply actions

What I hate is the page editor’s inference by the quotation in the middle of the page that makes it appear that that “The team will continue to have trouble selling tickets” was said by Pekka.

Nevertheless, it’s crap like this that caused me to jettison THN a long time ago. In every issue we found multiple jabs at Nashville that were subtle and patronizing, almost to the point of mockery. Allow me to edit the start of Campbell’s piece.

Every spring, the swallows return to Capistrano and right around the same time The Hockey News takes a condescending view on the Predators as THN’s trademarked brand of Hockey Snobbery, posing as journalism, begs to be taken seriously.

by OddManRush on May 19, 2011 11:38 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I agree

That was a low blow and the quotation mark was an intentional misquote cheap shot to Peks and Smashville. He, We, should demand a retraction on the entire article….But read my post below and it wouldn’t be worth it.

by SFPredsFan on May 19, 2011 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions

You are right…

by OddManRush on May 19, 2011 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Mr. Campbell has hated on us since Day 1. When we hoist the Cup during the parade down Broadway, he will still write things like this. Some people just gonna hate.

by HartnellsMop on May 19, 2011 11:58 AM EDT reply actions

Completely omits

Blake Geoffrion – our first home grown Predator. I think his addition to the team alone is a huge indicator that hockey interest is growing in the south.

Is this guy related to Colin Campbell? They are both pointless.

online 24/7 at www.chas-e.net

by Chas-E on May 19, 2011 12:09 PM EDT reply actions

hahahahahahahahahaha

In the top right corner:

Can’t get enough Campbell? Click on THN.com for Ken’s exclusive blog.

I’d love to see the number of clicks that got. Who would actually think to themselves, “Yeah, I want to read more of this guy’s stuff…”?

I live in the OC.
The one in OH.

by MattBen on May 19, 2011 12:11 PM EDT reply actions

ken campbell, if you like facts….not your guy..

what a TOOL

by Christopher Seth Rhine on May 19, 2011 12:31 PM EDT reply actions

If left up to the campbells of this earth, hockey would be a canadian only sport……Which shows a mind so narrow, so devoid of commen sense, it boggles the mind.

Here is hockey, still the stepchild to football, basketball, baseball, NASCAR, and soccer, no major TV deals ( Versus is not major) and this guy does not understand the concept of growing the sport.

If hockey were left to play only in Canada, dare I say the money flow hockey enjoys today would be as narrow as this guys mind. All of Canada could watch every game and revenue couldn’t be generated as it is today. If this " writer" had his way, he would kill his sport.

I wonder what the revenues, TV, advertising ,and…err…SALARIES OF PLAYERS would be if we follow his advise, close down all the southern, or better yet, American markets????

I’ll tell you what it would be….THE KHL.

by Predator Don on May 19, 2011 12:34 PM EDT reply actions

Here's what I posted on Hockeybuzz...

I love how he compares Nashville to the Islanders and the Flyers.

The Islanders and Flyers when they won their Stanley Cups only had FUTURE HALL OF FAME TALENT:
Clarke
Bossy
Parent
Just to name a few…

And what exactly have they done since then? Oh yeah, they have just as many Stanley Cups as we do…ZERO. What a boob

by HardCorePredFan316 on May 19, 2011 12:39 PM EDT reply actions

Is he from Pennsylvania?

I am a little confused by the whole closing argument. While clearly he knows nothing about the Predators issues off the ice, which have hindered the construction of our team’s depth, it is shear irony that he picks the flyers to make this argument since weren’t some former Predator players key cogs in Philly advancing? or how about the Pens in the last decade….really was the difference maker not Sidney Crosby? Did it really matter who Michael Jordan’s coach was or was he just a dominant force? Also how many teams were in the league when Philly and NYI won their cups?
He must forget that we are in the same division as Detroit and Chicago? Does anyone know what seed we were vs. which seed we lost to every year in the playoffs?

by Predmonton on May 19, 2011 1:01 PM EDT reply actions

I Don't Get It

Why is there so much hate towards other markets in hockey? There’s always this “we love it more and have loved it longer than you” vibe among the cities. You never read that an NFL journalist from Dallas bashed Houston and questioned their right to even have a team. I can’t swear but I’d bet the farm that a Red Sox beat writer ever wondered in print why the Brewers are allowed to exist based on their franchise’s losing history. It’s only in hockey that this type of ethnocentrism runs rampant. Can we just agree that the phrase “traditional hockey market” defines every place in the world outside of 10 cities and thus is useless? Ken Campbell’s type of writing will continue and those of us outside of those 10 cities will never gain acceptance, no matter how many Cups are won or how many tickets are sold. Our only option is to ignore them and keep playing.

by klallen77 on May 19, 2011 1:13 PM EDT reply actions

There's a certain amount of hockey snobbery in the NHL that doesn't exist in other leagues

I think that’s because the NHL has always been viewed as the 4th sport or less and hockey fans take that personally. And rightly so. Fan support and butts in the seats means more to hockey on and off the ice than anything else. When’s the last time you heard anyone bitch about empty seats in the NFL, NBA, or MLB. The Canadians are super pissed they don’t have more teams and I agree with them. So when they see empty seats in Phx, Atl, Fla, etc.. they go off. Anytime there was a call for relocation, Nashville was at the top of their list….Not anymore. Now they are saying Bettman finally got a southern hockey market right.

by SFPredsFan on May 19, 2011 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I dunno about that

If you remember, a couple seasons ago the Jacksonville Jaguars were having to “remove” seats from their stadium to prevent their games being blacked out locally due to the NFL’s stupid broadcast rules. There’s been relocation talk about the team for a while now; even going so far as to claim the Jags will be moved to Toronto or London.

I don’t follow NBA or MLB that closely, but I believe the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves were having trouble filling seats (granted, they were a horrible team at the time) a while ago. Not sure if it’s still an issue or not.

I don’t think it’s an exclusive problem to hockey, but it just seems more prominent because the NHL has more teams in trouble at the moment, coupled with the regional bias that the other sports lack.

by Old Kentucky Shark on May 19, 2011 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought about the Jags too

But you’ll see them go to LA and Buffalo to Toronto before any team overseas. But i still think hockey fans are differant because alot of Canadians and northern market fans hate southern market teams or anywhere that the ponds don’t freeze over in the winter. It just pisses them off to see ANY empty seats when they want more teams up north. You don’t see that kind of passion with fans of the NBA, MLB, or NFL.

by SFPredsFan on May 19, 2011 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

I don’t think an NFL team will ever move to London; the travel logistics alone are completely nutty. People keep talking about it anyway for whatever reason, I’m not sure.

And yeah, there’s definitely a regional bias in hockey (north vs south) that doesn’t exist in the other sports, even though you could probably make some entirely inane argument about how baseball shouldn’t be played in places where winter starts before the season ends.

My main point was that the butts-in-seats problem exists in other sports, and people do bitch about it, it’s just not as prominent.

by Old Kentucky Shark on May 19, 2011 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't put much credence in what the THN or Ken Campbell writes. Other hockey fans sure don't.

As evidence, the same articles about the Oilers getting a new arena in THN generated 3 comments while the TSN had over 120 in the same time period. The ONLY thing that matters is that the Preds and our fans are part of the NHL family now. We’ve been accepted by other fans and media in the league….and that takes a lot to accomplish. Most Canadian and Northern markets had no clue about Smashville….until our run with the Nucks. They only had astonishment and praise at EVERYTHING Smashville. Why Ken Campbell wrote this bullshit only he knows and I doubt he’s ever been to a Preds game. That’s why I go to TSN for my hockey news….and OTF. BTW….If I see Ken Campbell at a Preds game, I’d like to kick his ass, but I’ll just ask what do you think about Smashville now?

by SFPredsFan on May 19, 2011 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

I love when Ken Campbell shows his ignorance… gives me a target. :)

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=35946

I just couldn’t resist.

You're welcome...

by SlapShot Radio on May 19, 2011 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

Dude is just trolling for hits……I’m not going to oblige.

by Tim P on May 19, 2011 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

this hack merely looks around and wonders why all markets can’t be like Toronto.

They can’t… someone has to make the playoffs… :)

You're welcome...

by SlapShot Radio on May 19, 2011 1:43 PM EDT reply actions 8 recs

I was just typing the same thing and was ready to hit the POST button when your comment came across. Since you beat me to it, I get to REC your comment.

by Griz-ATL on May 19, 2011 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I've hired myself as his editor

Correct statements in green
Things that need work in red.

Linky

by Youarethegovt on May 19, 2011 2:18 PM EDT reply actions 8 recs

Nicely done..

+1,000

by HardCorePredFan316 on May 19, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Superb with great comments!

by OddManRush on May 19, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Most-excellent work there! Shared it with friends, including fans of the Leafs, Canadiens, and Lightning. They enjoyed it as well.

by LuvthePreds on May 19, 2011 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

The Hockey News….. its pretty sad when you make the Tennessean look good

I'm sent here by the chosen one

by Creeping Death on May 19, 2011 2:39 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Too bad The Hockey News is glossy now...

No fishwrap comments.

by HardCorePredFan316 on May 19, 2011 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

He fails to mention the multimillion dollar deal that their local team, the Leafs, should be seeking form Gillette. What better spokes person to have for your company than a team that never has to grow a playoff beard and can stay clean shaven all the time? He gives the Preds a hard time about making it to the second round? Correct me if I am wrong but the Leafs didn’t even make it to the first round of the playoffs. I guess they can take comfort in knowing that if there was a consolation tournament for the teams that didn’t make, they would be a high seed just behind the Hurricanes. The best thing about his article is that tomorrow I can go back to not knowing who the hell Ken Campbell is. If I wanted to read about hockey news,a magazine in Toronto would be the last place I would go look…. maybe be the first place I go look if I want to see something about a team that consistently misses the playoffs or if I wanted to read about what golf courses are the best in April. Campbell’s soup should higher this guy. Not only do they both share a name, they both make their money from sucking

I'm sent here by the chosen one

by Creeping Death on May 19, 2011 3:04 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Ah, there’s just no accounting for ignorance/stupidity. amazing how total morons can get a national audience, eh?

"I am you, you are me, and we are all together" Beatles

by amyinsparta on May 19, 2011 6:32 PM EDT reply actions

He rips on us but fails to mention anything about Canadian hockey teams short comings. Take the Leafs. Since 1998, when that team had been around for oh I don’t know a really long freakin time, they have gotten passed the 2nd round twice. Since the lockout, they have made it to the playoffs a total of 0 times. Now for hockey giants in a hockey town with people who “know” hockey, isn’t that kind of embarrassing?

I'm sent here by the chosen one

by Creeping Death on May 19, 2011 6:43 PM EDT reply actions

Hey, why's this guy such an asshole?

by Lil cutie on May 19, 2011 7:31 PM EDT reply actions

I'm no genius...

…but he sounds a bit jealous to me.

by phogg25 on May 19, 2011 9:33 PM EDT reply actions

Ken Campbell

is not well liked in Vancouver either, he always writing garbage about the nucks as well. All the media guys who traveled down to Nashville for round 2 raved about the city, and all the great hockey fans. They also love the proximity of the rink to all the restaurants and night-life in Nashville and how this adds to the atmosphere on game-day. I have put a trip to Nashville to watch the Nucks play on my list of things to do in the next couple of years.

Ryan Kesler for MVP

by thegreek on May 20, 2011 2:29 PM EDT reply actions