My email exchange with the author:
Me:
"Love how you addressed '10 minutes before the game,' but not during. Was a decent crowd for a team out of the playoffs. Oh, all the Devil jerseys? That's what happens in the vacation destination for all the northern snowbirds...or maybe you forgot that we were having nice weather when the rest of the US was snowed in?
Purgatory?? Did you miss the playoffs two years ago? Sold out arena, same when we went to the Cup. Problem isn't the fans pal, it was the former owners. Cohen and company couldn't get out of their own way, and my parents (as well as many others) decided not to give their hard earned money to those clowns. I don't like it, I hate that transplants who would sit next to me would don a different jersey when their 'hometown' team was in town and cheer wildly when they had a Panther jersey on nights before, cheering them on the same.
It's different here, a lot of transplants and fans who won't pay for rubbish, but they'll come out when you show that you're worth a damn.
I guess, though, that you (like so many others) forgot that Boston, Chicago, Washington, and Pittsburgh all had worse attendance when their teams were bad. It only happens here?? Once in what, 15-16 years have we made the playoffs and there's still a good showing? I'd say that's pretty good, but you'll only pour on the hate, cause we don't 'deserve' a team in the south, right?
Educate yourself a bit, please. See how much the game has grown since they've been here. Hockey rinks, the game is in schools, recreationally...the game is loved here, but keep thinking you have us pegged. We're used to the know-it-alls here in 'purgatory.'"
His reply: "there were 7000 at the game"
I responded with:
"7000 huh? Yeah, you're one to take seriously. Using your own eyes you could've seen that.
http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=400485242 (link is to ESPN who provides attendance numbers.)"
Him: "that's incorrect
you clearly weren't there
i have loads of photos
sorry, but this is the worst hockey market in the nhl"
My reply: "You clearly don't know anything about Club Red, and it sure seems you've forgotten about VIP areas and luxury boxes.
I wasn't there, I watched on TV. Not hard to tell there were a lot more than 7,000. Further, my roommate WAS there and says you're as off your rocker as I say you are.
Pictures, huh? Like the one with the Zamboni on the ice? That was clearly before puck drop. Or did you take em a few minutes before or even up to 5 minutes after periods?
My eyes work, so do all my friends'.
I never said we weren't one of, if not THE worst, but you have absolutely no desire to understand why. You don't care to learn how the game has grown. All you want to do is bash the team. You're wrong. I'll say it over and over again, even though I know it'll fall on a mind made up out of ignorant stupidity"
His reply: "I know why
the arena location is hilariously stupid
Not to mention it's in florida"
My reply: "Yeah thanks, just as I said, you're only interested in being obnoxiously ignorant. Congrats, you're article may be full of garbage, but you achieved being obnoxious and ignorant.
South Florida is pretty built out, as an FYI, and it's stupid? You can get there within 20-30 minutes from most areas and is surrounded by freeways.
What else ya got, or are you gonna pull out numbers that aren't true and pics that don't reflect the reality?"
He has yet to respond. As Bugs would say, "what a maroon!"
