News Article: [SB Nation] Was it worth it?

Ice-Tray

Registered User
Jan 31, 2006
16,288
8,100
Victoria
I still cheer for the boys when I watch games, and that’s really all it’s about for me.

I like the squad, I like the direction, I find the future looks bright.

What’s the big deal? Why endlessly looking in the rearview wishing things had been different, especially when not a single one of us had any effect on any of it at all?

Silly waste of time, if championships are all that matter for a few of you, you’re far better served to bandwagon jump each year, it’ll be the best decade of your lives!

Problem Solved :)
 
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Dingle

summer is gone
Nov 22, 2019
765
208
I still cheer for the boys when I watch games, and that’s really all it’s about for me.

I like the squad, I like the direction, I find the future looks bright.

What’s the big deal? Why endlessly looking in the rearview wishing things had been different, especially when not a single one of us had any effect on any of it at all?

Silly waste of time, if championships are all that matter for a few of you, you’re far better served to bandwagon jump each year, it’ll be the best decade of your lives!

Problem Solved :)


I am okay with a broken ankle, if it came off a wagon with the Stanley cup on it. My ankle heals, I have a championship to celebrate.
 

BonHoonLayneCornell

Registered User
Oct 16, 2006
15,227
10,450
Yukon
G...there is a phrase about "better ruling in Hell, than following in Heaven". Take a look at what the win for the Raptors has represented. It is okay to burn a decade, if at the end a title. It is okay, to slump after a title and endure a bad decade. But the questioned being asked is: are the 3 instances of success, with no title and I will argue limited true achievement, worth it?

That is the initial posts question?

The team wants you to scream; YES. Thus forgiving them, thus enduring the rebuild. Making it alright. So, run back to the arena, all is well. Run back to your TVs, IPAD, cellphones, etc.

There is a pretty good sized group, saying : NO.

and the steady decline since ~ 2010 in fan attendance, including empty seats in the 16-17 playoffs, that suggest that fans, believe NO. There has been no bump in attendance after any of the 3 playoff moments they describe.
It's all a very complicated question with a lot of gray area.

I think striving for championships from an organizational standpoint is important even if you're small market team. You have to at least pretend that's the goal or you're in danger territory of complete apathy from your fan base. The appearance of that being your goal is important imo. I also don't think Dorion should shy away from the reality of the budget so much, there is room for acknowledgement and in some ways can get the fans on your side.

I think that is partly where this team has lost its way and a big reason for the loss of fan interest and attendance. It became too obvious that hockey and winning was not always the priority and that Melnyk was just not willing to get out of his own way to let it happen.
 

Dingle

summer is gone
Nov 22, 2019
765
208
It's all a very complicated question with a lot of gray area.

I think striving for championships from an organizational standpoint is important even if you're small market team. You have to at least pretend that's the goal or you're in danger territory of complete apathy from your fan base. The appearance of that being your goal is important imo. I also don't think Dorion should shy away from the reality of the budget so much, there is room for acknowledgement and in some ways can get the fans on your side.

I think that is partly where this team has lost its way and a big reason for the loss of fan interest and attendance. It became too obvious that hockey and winning was not always the priority and that Melnyk was just not willing to get out of his own way to let it happen.

you are the wisest person on here G.........Whitehorse..Man, you may further from Ottawa, than I am to Liverpool
 
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BonHoonLayneCornell

Registered User
Oct 16, 2006
15,227
10,450
Yukon
you are the wisest person on here G.........Whitehorse..Man, you may further from Ottawa, than I am to Liverpool
The bolded I assure you is not the case ;)

Whitehorse is a beautiful place. I like the slow life. Every time I go to a big city, I'm reminded of why I love it here. That said -40 celcius here today...

Would love to travel to your neck of the woods one day. One day.

I attempted to move to Ottawa briefly while my brother was at Carlton U, but only lasted a few months.
 

swiftwin

★SUMMER.OF.PIERRE★
Jul 26, 2005
23,559
12,935
I don't get the question....

Was cheering for the Senators worth it? Worth what? I didn't give anything up in order to cheer for the team.

Also the whole "if you didn't win a championship then it was a wasted decade" is nonsense. The two stand out runs prior to this decade were in 2003 and 2007, we got two great runs in 2015 and 2017 on top of a publicly humiliating the Habs in 2013. It was a great decade for a tiny team with no money that is owned by a decrepid con artist.

If, when I die, the Sens haven't won a Cup, will my fandom have been a waste of time? Of course not.

You can really tell the author is 21 years old :laugh:

100% this.

This is something that's been on my mind for a while. We've been blessed with some pretty epic moments in the last decade. People need to understand that there are 31 teams in this league. Only half make the playoffs, and only 1 can win the cup. If not being the 1 out of 31 to win the cup makes you miserable, then you're going to have a miserable time cheering for any team in the NHL. This franchise has won more playoffs games than any other Canadian team in the last 20 years. By a pretty significant margin. People need to learn to be more grateful about things in life.
 

swiftwin

★SUMMER.OF.PIERRE★
Jul 26, 2005
23,559
12,935
It became too obvious that hockey and winning was not always the priority and that Melnyk was just not willing to get out of his own way to let it happen.

I don't even think winning is the big issue when it comes to attendance. It's the marketability. The Sens are still a business just like any other business. The team is spending far less on marketing than in the past. The team traded away all of their marketable players. The team is still in the old building. They have to compete with improved HD TV and internet services. Prices are higher than ever. There's nothing new to draw the casual fans.

If we had a new arena, and took the time to cultivate the marketability of guys like Tkachuk and Chabot, the attendance would rise a ton, even if we're not winning a ton.
 
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BonHoonLayneCornell

Registered User
Oct 16, 2006
15,227
10,450
Yukon
I don't even think winning is the big issue when it comes to attendance. It's the marketability. The Sens are still a business just like any other business. The team is spending far less on marketing than in the past. The team traded away all of their marketable players. The team is still in the old building. They have to compete with improved HD TV and internet services. Prices are higher than ever. There's nothing new to draw the casual fans.

If we had a new arena, and took the time to cultivate the marketability of guys like Tkachuk and Chabot, the attendance would rise a ton, even if we're not winning a ton.
Well put, I agree.

I didn't mean winning in the sense of putting W's on the board to put butts in the seats as a direct correlation, but more the attitude and messaging of the organization. The messaging has been all over the map over the years imo.
 

Stylizer1

SENSimillanaire
Jun 12, 2009
19,276
3,689
Ottabot City
100% this.

This is something that's been on my mind for a while. We've been blessed with some pretty epic moments in the last decade. People need to understand that there are 31 teams in this league. Only half make the playoffs, and only 1 can win the cup. If not being the 1 out of 31 to win the cup makes you miserable, then you're going to have a miserable time cheering for any team in the NHL. This franchise has won more playoffs games than any other Canadian team in the last 20 years. By a pretty significant margin. People need to learn to be more grateful about things in life.
Where does terrible manageent fit in?
 

Stylizer1

SENSimillanaire
Jun 12, 2009
19,276
3,689
Ottabot City
100% this.

This is something that's been on my mind for a while. We've been blessed with some pretty epic moments in the last decade. People need to understand that there are 31 teams in this league. Only half make the playoffs, and only 1 can win the cup. If not being the 1 out of 31 to win the cup makes you miserable, then you're going to have a miserable time cheering for any team in the NHL. This franchise has won more playoffs games than any other Canadian team in the last 20 years. By a pretty significant margin. People need to learn to be more grateful about things in life.
The issue has to do with how management have screwed up for 10 years and are still allowed to continue.
 

swiftwin

★SUMMER.OF.PIERRE★
Jul 26, 2005
23,559
12,935
The issue has to do with how management have screwed up for 10 years and are still allowed to continue.

A) Management has changed alot in the past 10 years. The GM changed (rip Murray), the AGM's moved around (Tim Murray is gone).

B) In the past 10 years, we've won 23 playoff games. That's good for 16th in the league. Right smack in the middle. Considering the financial constraints, I'd say that's above average performance. Not to mention the fact that we were one of the most successful franchises in the previous decade, therefore didn't have the benefit of high draft picks in the 2000's like many of the 2010's powerhouses have.

C) Let's be honest. The idea that management has been terrible the past 10 years is just a figment of your imagination. Nothing I say will change these delusions you're having.
 

Stylizer1

SENSimillanaire
Jun 12, 2009
19,276
3,689
Ottabot City
A) Management has changed alot in the past 10 years. The GM changed (rip Murray), the AGM's moved around (Tim Murray is gone).

B) In the past 10 years, we've won 23 playoff games. That's good for 16th in the league. Right smack in the middle. Considering the financial constraints, I'd say that's above average performance. Not to mention the fact that we were one of the most successful franchises in the previous decade, therefore didn't have the benefit of high draft picks in the 2000's like many of the 2010's powerhouses have.

C) Let's be honest. The idea that management has been terrible the past 10 years is just a figment of your imagination. Nothing I say will change these delusions you're having.
Delsusions are firing the whole team in favour of inept management. Nowhere in professional sports does this happen except in Ottawa. When Murray traded away players in 2011 that's when we should have bottomed out. Instead we were given a slew of coaches, minor league misfits, and excuses. Melnyk is as much to blame but it was managements job to "build" a contender. They didn't even come close. But what do I know other than starting a thread in 2013 asking if this team was going to be average for years to come. If only we were that good.

None of Murray's coaches are in the NHL. Tim Murray is somewhere, probably.

Found this article on Tim Murray. Sounds exactly like Dohrion.

Sabres still paying for the sins of Tim Murray
 
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swiftwin

★SUMMER.OF.PIERRE★
Jul 26, 2005
23,559
12,935
Delsusions are firing the whole team in favour of inept management. Nowhere in professional sports does this happen except in Ottawa. When Murray traded away players in 2011 that's when we should have bottomed out. Instead we were given a slew of coaches, minor league misfits, and excuses. Melnyk is as much to blame but it was managements job to "build" a contender. They didn't even come close. But what do I know other than starting a thread in 2013 asking if this team was going to be average for years to come. If only we were that good.

So, inept or average? Make up your mind.

You're ranting and rambling with no direction or facts.
 

CanadianHockey

Smith - Alfie
Jul 3, 2009
30,547
513
Petawawa
twitter.com
You guys are kidding me if you'd trade our decade that included two runs and a romping of the Habs for a complete rebuild in 2010. It's way more entertaining watching playoff hockey than 1st overall pick and first overall pick. Take that from a guy who likes Edmonton, a franchise in rebuild the entire decade.
 

Neil Patrick Harris

Now sponsored by Zoom™
Aug 23, 2008
6,496
3,155
Ottawa
The problem this decade hasn't necessarily been one of a lack of playoff success - there's certainly teams in the East that did less in the playoffs than we did, so much as a lack of consistency. We got two good runs in this decade, but the team was never consistently good enough to be considered a contender. That's what I miss when I think back to my early days as a fan.

I'd generally agree with what many in here are saying - this feels like a decade where the Sens were always on the brink of breaking through, but never did. We put together some good squads, but were always missing something. And with how loud the ownership controversy has become in the past few years, I'm not exactly looking back on this decade as some magical time.

Championships can be overrated sometimes. It's about the memories, not the jewelry.

Compare the ECF journey Sens had a couple years ago to say the GS Warriors losing one game all playoffs on their way to the last chip. Drama creates the excitement and I'd rather be part of an exhilarating run than a chip with no drama whatsoever.

No offense intended, but this sounds like the type of things fans with no chips say to make themselves feel better about not having a chip.

You guys are kidding me if you'd trade our decade that included two runs and a romping of the Habs for a complete rebuild in 2010. It's way more entertaining watching playoff hockey than 1st overall pick and first overall pick. Take that from a guy who likes Edmonton, a franchise in rebuild the entire decade.

I don't think it's exactly fair to compare a normal rebuild to whatever it was Edmonton did this decade :sarcasm:
 

DrEasy

Out rumptackling
Oct 3, 2010
10,908
6,568
Stützville
A bubble team most of the decade, with a couple of exciting playoff runs but also many acrimonious departures, and ending with a complete sh*tshow. Yeah, I think I prefer the 00's.
 

JD1

Registered User
Sep 12, 2005
15,985
9,548
Delsusions are firing the whole team in favour of inept management. Nowhere in professional sports does this happen except in Ottawa. When Murray traded away players in 2011 that's when we should have bottomed out. Instead we were given a slew of coaches, minor league misfits, and excuses. Melnyk is as much to blame but it was managements job to "build" a contender. They didn't even come close. But what do I know other than starting a thread in 2013 asking if this team was going to be average for years to come. If only we were that good.

None of Murray's coaches are in the NHL. Tim Murray is somewhere, probably.

Found this article on Tim Murray. Sounds exactly like Dohrion.

Sabres still paying for the sins of Tim Murray

I think your 28 minutes is up for the year
 

Dingle

summer is gone
Nov 22, 2019
765
208
Hey, as bad as it is here and as angry as we are:

You had a TV sports reporter in Boston suggesting Cassidy is on thin ice.
With Gallant available, there is a buzz to get him.
And, at least some voices have had enough of Chara !!!!!! and bad mouthed him !!! Big Zee..Kinda shows you, the grass is not greener on the other side

On a team in first place. That just went to the cup final.

To paraphrase Marv Levy; "where else would you rather be?"...Right here.

Hence forth all negative comments are off the table and disallowed. We will only complain about the cold and overpriced beer. It's okay to complain about taxes..But not too loudly, 160 K of you work in government and we need to pay you..After Phoenix, you are owed.

I have to be careful, if I veer off the thread topic, it gets deleted and I get more warnings. So..Yes and No it was not worth it.

Get on sites for other teams. It will make you feel better.
 

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