*OFFICIAL* Guelph Storm 2013-14 Season Thread

[battfan888]

Its been nearly 48 hours since the championship's been won and I'm still not exactly sure what to say.

Crazy emotions for me going from losing my team a year ago, joining the Storm fan base and watching them defeat my old team for the Championship is something else.

Its funny also the difference in thinking from the start of the season.
At the start of the year I knew Robby Fabbri was very good but wasnt 100% sure he could be a #1 centre at least this season, good thing I dont make my money as a scout.

A lot of people, myself included figured bringing in Justin Nichols was a good start but that he wasnt the answer. I bought in with Nichols a bit earlier than most I think and was quick to defend him all season. I still wouldnt say he is the best goalie in the league but he was good enough. He had some fantastic games during the playoffs, especially in the London series.

I thought Kerby Rychel may have won himself the MVP when he scored those 2 goals to win the title but at the same time I can't argue with Robby Fabbri winning it. Zack Mitchell also would have been a good choice.

I know many people may think I need to keep things in perspective here but considering I'm a mid 20's guy with no wife or kid I think I can say in confidence that Friday was easily one of the happiest moments of my life.
Just like when McGinn scored the winner in Game 3 I was jumping up and down like a 4 year old with my knees hitting my gut.

Again its hard to put into words so I will just shame some of the pictures I took.

 

[storm2storm]

Congratulations Storm fans, a very well deserved championship.

If any Storm fans want a DVD copy of Game 5 free of charge, just send me a PM and I'll send it out. Consider it a prize

I like prizes...lol

 

[yanksrule*]

battfan

With all due respect....dont you find yourself a little bit of a bandwagon jumper...you decided to cheer for the number one team in Canada...it is not like you have anything invested in this team up to this year....just saying

 

[London*]

With all due respect....dont you find yourself a little bit of a bandwagon jumper...you decided to cheer for the number one team in Canada...it is not like you have anything invested in this team up to this year....just saying

After reading his posts, I kind of thought the same thing.

You say you've been a Brampton fan for years, travelled to all OHL arenas to support the Battalion, etc etc.

They move to North Bay, and you're no longer a fan?

I understand you wouldn't want to make the 3 to 4 hour journey all the time, but why did you have the pick the best team in the OHL randomly this year, go against your life long team, then act all emotional about a victory?

There are several teams in the same area, if not closer than Guelph, why'd you happen to pick the front runner in the league?

 

[StormSurge9]

With all due respect....dont you find yourself a little bit of a bandwagon jumper...you decided to cheer for the number one team in Canada...it is not like you have anything invested in this team up to this year....just saying

I'll defend him here. He jumped ship in the off-season, well before anyone had any idea just how good this team was going to be. Let's remember that Guelph was going into the season with Michael Nishi and Matt Mancina in net. Imagine how much different the season would have gone without Nichols.

 

[London*]

I'll defend him here. He jumped ship in the off-season, well before anyone had any idea just how good this team was going to be. Let's remember that Guelph was going into the season with Michael Nishi and Matt Mancina in net. Imagine how much different the season would have gone without Nichols.

I think Nichols was average, you put the above average defense the storm possess and by far the highest scoring offense in the league, some average goaltending statistics are going to be produced.

I definitely didn't have Guelph being the best team in Canada, and having a 108 point season in the off season myself. So if he jumped ship before it all began, it's definitely more understandable.

I still just personally wonder why he became a fan? In the other thread it seems like you're a big fan of travelling to games, why abandon the team? I love to see fans that are die hard for teams that aren't always the most popular or successful, shows true loyalty.

 

[EON]

I'll defend him here. He jumped ship in the off-season, well before anyone had any idea just how good this team was going to be. Let's remember that Guelph was going into the season with Michael Nishi and Matt Mancina in net. Imagine how much different the season would have gone without Nichols.

yes, but to be fair, a lot of people knew Guelph would be a very good team this season. Just about everyone predicted them finishing at least top four in the western conference, if not higher.

 

[yanksrule*]

I think Nichols was average, you put the above average defense the storm possess and by far the highest scoring offense in the league, some average goaltending statistics are going to be produced.

I definitely didn't have Guelph being the best team in Canada, and having a 108 point season in the off season myself. So if he jumped ship before it all began, it's definitely more understandable.

I still just personally wonder why he became a fan? In the other thread it seems like you're a big fan of travelling to games, why abandon the team? I love to see fans that are die hard for teams that aren't always the most popular or successful, shows true loyalty.

I agree......its not like he has suffered through the heartache of years past...actually it is quite nauseating

 

[watcherofhockey]

I agree......its not like he has suffered through the heartache of years past...actually it is quite nauseating

Oh please, get off your high horse. This isn't Network 54.

The guy is well documented that he purchased Guelph season tickets last summer once the Battalion move became official. Yahoo even put out a recent article on how he travels to the games from his home.

Your two posts are quite nauseating and if they're any indication on what we'll see moving forward, please avoid pushing 'submit reply'.

 

[London*]

Oh please, get off your high horse. This isn't Network 54.

The guy is well documented that he purchased Guelph season tickets last summer once the Battalion move became official. Yahoo even put out a recent article on how he travels to the games from his home.

Your two posts are quite nauseating and if they're any indication on what we'll see moving forward, please avoid pushing 'submit reply'.

Commendable, any hockey fan is good in my books.

 

[Caje]

[/URL]

They let people go onto the ice and pose with the trophy?! Damn, can't believe I missed out!

 

[Caje]

With all due respect....dont you find yourself a little bit of a bandwagon jumper...you decided to cheer for the number one team in Canada...it is not like you have anything invested in this team up to this year....just saying

It's pretty gutless to create a new account to call someone out. Afraid to show us who you really are?

 

[London*]

You only get to hold the trophy if you aren't a pre-existing Guelph Storm fan, and you agree to buy season tickets

 

[Stormbringer]

yes, but to be fair, a lot of people knew Guelph would be a very good team this season. Just about everyone predicted them finishing at least top four in the western conference, if not higher.

If any of these posters got to meet this young man, you would know that he is a gentlemen and a true OHL fan. He would still cheer for Brampton if they had a team. They do not. So he picked a team that he could go and watch live and cheer for. End of story.

 

[London*]

If any of these posters got to meet this young man, you would know that he is a gentlemen and a true OHL fan. He would still cheer for Brampton if they had a team. They do not. So he picked a team that he could go and watch live and cheer for. End of story.

And there's absolutely no problem with that, anyone who supports the league in general is great.

In the same right, I'm sure he expects to get a bit of crap for following the Storm, with Battalion in his name, being the thread starter of the Battalion thread, and being the main poster in it.

 

[Stormbringer]

There has been very little discussion on the job Mike Kelly has done in assembling this team. Getting Nichols for a third round pick. Trojanovic for a third round pick. Rychel and Ebert for essentially Milne and Garlent plus a pick or two. Not to mention Pierog. Outstanding work.

 

[Stormbringer]

And there's absolutely no problem with that, anyone who supports the league in general is great.

In the same right, I'm sure he expects to get a bit of crap for following the Storm, with Battalion in his name, being the thread starter of the Battalion thread, and being the main poster in it.

Thats the point, he should not get any crap for supporting the Storm. I am sure that he will be a major poster and lead guy in the Guelph thread next year. I might even give him my blog name since it is a really cool name. For the record, I stole the name from a great Deep Purple song and album name.

 

[London*]

There has been very little discussion on the job Mike Kelly has done in assembling this team. Getting Nichols for a third round pick. Trojanovic for a third round pick. Rychel and Ebert for essentially Milne and Garlent plus a pick or two. Not to mention Pierog. Outstanding work.

The amount of picks he got back for Milne and Garlent was incredible.

But don't you think the amount of picks sent to get Rychel and Ebert were an overpayment?

It did seem like this was the year for the overpayment with picks for whatever reason.

 

[geo105]

Overpayment for an OHL championship, I think not.

 

[StormSurge9]

The amount of picks he got back for Milne and Garlent was incredible.

But don't you think the amount of picks sent to get Rychel and Ebert were an overpayment?

It did seem like this was the year for the overpayment with picks for whatever reason.

We didn't get any picks back for Milne, he was included in the deal for Rychel and Ebert.

But getting four second round picks back for Garlent was a steal. Not to mention getting Pierog who played an important role for the team in the playoffs.

So even if we send a high profile prospect to Windsor and get some picks back (Hearing Luke Kirwan). This team would have a lot of ammo to make any rebuild fairly quick.

I thin Kirwan will be a stud at the junior level, but that doesn't even matter at this point. Winning an OHL Championship was the goal and I would gladly trade future assets to get that championship 10 out of 10 times.

 

[HLLYWD99]

With all due respect....dont you find yourself a little bit of a bandwagon jumper...you decided to cheer for the number one team in Canada...it is not like you have anything invested in this team up to this year....just saying

I will also defend 888, he supported the troops for years and they yanked the team out from under him so he chose Guelph because there is no way he could stomach Mississauga.

And you are a Jag Off.......just sayin!

 

[battfan888]

I thank those of you level headed people who have come to my defense.

I will admit if you dont know my story and all you know is that I was a Battalion fan and now a Storm fan it seems a bit convenient that I picked the best team in the league.

However most people have seen my article.
People know how much I loved the Battalion and yes if they were still in Brampton they would still be my team. Just because the Battalion decided to be one of the very few exceptions in the history of moving franchises to keep their exact same identity doesnt mean I have to keep liking them in North Bay. Sometimes I think people wouldnt give me so much flack if they were the North Bay Centennials or something.

Something that a lot of people DON'T know is exactly why I picked Guelph of all teams. Most people realize yes I was never going to cheer for Mississauga. But what most don't know is I have been going to Storm games since 2007 on nights when the Battalion weren't playing. I bought a Storm jersey back in December 2008 because even then the old black Storm jersey was my favourite one in the league. About 2 weeks after getting said jersey Thomas McCollum was traded to the Battalion. Since then Guelph and Brampton completed several trades and a lot of players have played for both teams.
I always cheered for Guelph unless they were playing against the Battalion.

When it was announced the Battalion were moving back in NOVEMBER 2012 I figured then I would eventually have the Storm as my #1 team.
I was going to become a Storm fan this season even if they were predicted to come in last place. I will be back next year, and the year after etc.

Even if Brampton got an OHL team back (I dont see it) I'm not even sure I would go back. I didnt quit on the Battalion because they had lean years or something, they LEFT TOWN. For me to stop being a Storm fan they would probably have to leave town.

Frankly when (I cant remember the posters name) used the term nauseating to describe my switch I was kinda floored that my switch bothered somebody THAT much and for some reason I am now answering to you even though I dont have too.

MOST Brampton fans and all the North Bay fans I've met totally understand my switch, and all the Storm fans have welcomed me with open arms
I've been watching OHL hockey for 10 years now, so forgive me if I got emotional about the team I now cheer for winning a league championship, something I've never got to experience before in my life.

Anyway I hope that clears things up once and for all, and if your still "nauseated" at my switch than you can kiss my you know what.

Also somebody asked me how I got on the ice.
Eventually a lot of the families started going out there through the zamboni enterance. My buddy and I were still in the stands watching when he noticed somebody we know isnt family out there. So he having bigger balls than me decided to see if anybody would stop him from going out and nobody did so I followed.
We got pictures with players and pictures with the Robertson Cup.
We made sure to only grab players when they were free and not celebrating with family and only grabbed our pics with the trophy when no team guys were around it, they won it not us.
That above picture of me was after all the players had left the ice and moments before somebody came out to get the trophy, I took one photo for somebody else after mine and the trophy was taken away and we finally left the ice around 11PM, we were the last to leave the ice.

 

[Caje]

Frankly when (I cant remember the posters name) used the term nauseating to describe my switch I was kinda floored that my switch bothered somebody THAT much and for some reason I am now answering to you even though I dont have too.

The fact that they bothered to create a new account just to say that crap tells you all you need to know about them. It's just a pathetic troll.

That's awesome about getting on the ice though. I got a picture with Bertuzzi and saw a bunch of Storm players taking pictures/giving autographs after the game, but didn't stay there that long afterwards. Kinda regretting leaving early now though.

 

[Stormbringer]

We didn't get any picks back for Milne, he was included in the deal for Rychel and Ebert.

But getting four second round picks back for Garlent was a steal. Not to mention getting Pierog who played an important role for the team in the playoffs.

So even if we send a high profile prospect to Windsor and get some picks back (Hearing Luke Kirwan). This team would have a lot of ammo to make any rebuild fairly quick.

I thin Kirwan will be a stud at the junior level, but that doesn't even matter at this point. Winning an OHL Championship was the goal and I would gladly trade future assets to get that championship 10 out of 10 times.

Yes, I understand there may be more to the deal depending how far they go. Whatever the additional cost in player/players, it is worth it.

 

[Blind Gardien]

This thread is at the 1,000 post limit... please continue discussing the Storm and their Memorial Cup run here:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1668623