Pre-Game Talk: PRE-ECF Thread (B/C Why not?)

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I'm expecting Ferland to be dialed in. He's lost a lot of market value, imo, in the past few months between the declining production and the battles with injuries. He can make a lot of that back with a strong close; score a couple goals, throw a couple big hits and win a fight or two, and he can get back to Tom Wilson territory.

Depends on what his injury is and how "recovered" he really is. If he's not 100%, then don't need him fighting.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Its crazy, I'm seeing Bunch of Jerks apparel literally everywhere around town right now. Being around here in 2002, 2006, and 2009, I can't recall the Canes ever having that amount of branding take over the region like this before. Sure, there were shirts and car flags before, but I'm specifically seeing the Bunch of Jerks stuff everywhere. The only times I really ever saw the Redneck Hockey stuff for the Canes was the sign a few fans made in the 2006 run that got air time on TV. In fact, the guys who dressed up as Dumb & Dumber back in 2002 felt more authentic to our fans than RH. That just felt too forced.

I wasn't a fan in 2002 and I can't recall any real identity attached to the 2009 team. I'll agree though, that the Bunch of Jerks identity is lightning in a bottle comparable to the 2004 Red Sox's self-proclaimed "Idiots" identity that the team embraced wholesale.

Not surprised, it seems like there's a line at every store in the arena to buy BoJ shirts during every game. At the end of this run, I wouldn't be surprised if they sold 50k+ of those shirts alone.

And that's before you realize they also made hats, pucks, shot glasses, car stickers and car magnets with the slogan as well.

As an aside, if we do get an outdoor game, you know the special uniforms are going to have every Name on Back be 'JERK'

That'd be likely no. NHL rules are pretty explicit that:

9.2Numbers - Each player listed in the line-up of each team shall wear an individual identifying number at least ten inches (10'') high on the back of his sweater. Sweater numbers such as 00, ½ (fractions), .05 (decimals), 101 (three digit) are not permitted. In addition, each player shall wear his surname in full, in block letters three inches (3'') high, across the back of his sweater at shoulder height.

 

[Unsustainable]

Ferland is going to come back and average 10 hits and 2 goals per game

 

[Unsustainable]

 

[Tryamw]

Its frequently sold out there. I’ve never quite understand how teams allow themselves to run out of trendy apparel during playoff runs. Maybe there’s some benefit to selling out and losing potential customers I don’t get. Shrug

eta: does anyone know where I can get the boj HAT? I’m not really into the shirts. Do they only sell them at PNC? Can’t find them anywhere online?

Not I.

as to running out. I can't see a benefit that isn't a bad one. Minimal payments for unused apparel

 

[Weltschmerz]

Ferland is going to come back and average 10 hits and 2 goals per game

I like the way you think.

 

[Tryamw]

I like the way you think.

How about 2 hits and 10 goals

 

[Roboturner913]

It will eventually be played out, and annoying, but it's manna from heaven at the moment. It sure beats the redneck hockey thing they had going in 2006.

I don't know, I think it has legs. Because it's rooted in something very real ever since the Carolina Hurricanes became a thing.

It doesn't necessarily have to manifest itself in "bunch of jerks" type slogans or trolling everything Don Cherry says. But the "hockey's old guard hates us" stuff is kind of on point. Seriously, if you want to get the loyalty of a bunch of people from the south, pit them against the "northern elites." That **** is marketing gold.

 

[DaveG]

It may end up sticking around precisely because it's organic, and because it started with people co-opting an attack on the team (and now the fanbase), rather than pure sloganeering from the marketing department.

The Redneck Hockey thing was just grating to my nerves, and being less engaged with the Canes at the time (I was living in Charlotte) I frankly found it to be kind of embarrasing to be associated with that as a hockey fan. Given the identity of the fanbase today, and the demographics of the Triangle in general, I think they put their money on the wrong horse with that whole campaign. You don't see anyone at games doing the "redneck" schtick anymore... surprise surprise, that contingent disappeared as soon as the playoff bandwagon stopped.

Whereas I can guaran-goddamn-tee you that in the year 2039 we will be see 30-somethings wearing newly-printed "vintage" Bunch of Jerks shirts and talking nostalgically about Storm Surges. That's the difference between marketing and culture.

I, for one, absolutely LOATHED the Redneck Hockey thing when it was going. It was like "hey let's jump on the thing that actually least represents the fanbase". It wasn't an us vs them thing, it wasn't something organic from the fanbase or the team, it was entirely forced. By the 2008 season is was thankfully DEAD never to return. I'm all for biting our thumbs at the elitists that are out there, but Redneck Hockey wasn't the way to do it. Bunch of Jerks may be, since it's simply rooted in fun and frankly not giving a shit what anyone else thinks.

Bunch of Jerks is going to have staying power because of how it came about. Hamilton is organic in multiple senses. The 328 stuff and the Oak City Supporters are organic. That's the stuff that sticks with a fanbase, and with a team. Anything that's forced quickly goes to the wayside with very few exceptions.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Ferland is going to come back and average 10 hits and 2 goals per game

You said "Average". So he has 5 hits, 1 goal and then leaves half way through the 2nd period of his first game with injury?

 

[Unsustainable]

You said "Average". So he has 5 hits, 1 goal and then leaves half way through the 2nd period of his first game with injury?

That’s on you

 

[RodTheBawd]

Dundon is a marketing machine, I highly doubt we'll ever see anything resembling Redneck Hockey again with him at the helm.

 

[NotOpie]

Ferland is going to come back and average 10 hits and 2 goals per game

How about 2 hits and 10 goals

Why not both...

 

[Tryamw]

Why not both...

Even Better..

 

[zman77]

 

[zman77]

 

[ChuckW]

And there are people out there who think Dundon and Cherry colluded on this plan.

Cherry's been hating the Carolina Hurricanes since we were the Hartford Whalers.

 

[Tryamw]

And Boston looks to advance

 

[3CanesInTheBox]

Assuming Boston finishes this off--which in these playoffs may be a big assumption still lol--I've been thinking of our theme for the series. I've been watching my childhood fave Mighty Duck movies and I think they fit the Team Iceland (Mighty Ducks 2) vibe pretty well lol.

 

[HisIceness]

vs.

 

[Wolfpuck]

Broons in 3 lol

 

[Canes]

Boston is the toughest matchup left in the playoffs, IMO. So if we beat them no one will say we didn't earn it. Now it's time for the boys to go earn it.

 

[Roboturner913]

anyway,yes, Boston

just beat they ass

 

[Tryamw]

Boston is the toughest matchup left in the playoffs, IMO. So if we beat them no one will say we didn't earn it. Now it's time for the boys to go earn it.

No we wouldn't have earned it regardless of whom we played. We may not win but of course we earned it.

 

[3CanesInTheBox]

Boston is the toughest matchup left in the playoffs, IMO. So if we beat them no one will say we didn't earn it. Now it's time for the boys to go earn it.

Welp, at least we're rested up lol.

I'm assuming it will get really ugly between the fans. At least last round was pretty peaceful.