I didn’t want to rain on anybody’s warm and fuzzy feelings about the Year Ten kick off and the home opener. That’s the reason I’ve held on to this post since the Finland Fiasco. After last night’s game I’ve come to the conclusion that I just need to start trusting my instincts. Here’s the post I’ve been holding since the games in Finland:
More Questions Than Answers
Ten years into the Wild franchise and we’ve got no definition, no set path, no clear vision for the near future or the next ten years. The team exceeded expectations early in the Wild’s infancy but that glorious run in 2002/2003 is a very distant memory at this point. We’ve gone from being billed as Gaborik’s team to being his bitches as he skated out of town without any regrets. We’ve gone from the Lemaire era to the I-dunno-wtf-we’re-doing era. Most say this is Mikko’s team, and I don’t think that’s a wrong assertion. Heck, Vicki and I (along with fans who’ve been there game in and game out over the seasons) have been calling Mikko captain for far longer than he’s been wearing that C. He’s been the one constant over the last five years. Gaborik showed up on the ice when he felt like it. Bruno was summarily dismissed and then graciously came back. Wes is gone. Yeah, there’s Schultz but really – he’s only just started coming to camp without 10 extra pounds to lose and in the right mental frame of mind. We’ve seen lots of other players come and go over the years, at trade deadlines or at the end of contract terms. We’ve seen a change at the helm and said goodbye to the only father figure we had to that point.
Ten years later, the Wild marketing team wants you to buy in to the whole "Year Ten" thing like there's been a boatload of successes to celebrate during those ten years. We're being hammered with the 10 best games, the 10 best moments, the ten best players, the 10 best bowel movements...I digress. The whole Year Ten concept is truely based on that run to the Cup in 2003. Wake up! That was 7 friggin' years ago and we've been just short of the laughing stock of the NHL since then thanks to Doug Risebrough and an owner that let him run wild - no pun intended.
Being a lifelong hockey fan in the state of Minnesota, there’s nothing like the smell of a brand new hockey season. On top of that we’ve got a new owner, new GM, new coaching staff, a whole lotta new players in the last year – sounds like a new start, right? Yet, there’s no ‘new team’ smell. The new owner states he’s in this to win it, not lose. The new GM states he’s not waiting for push to come to shove when in need of players or trades. The new coach touted a 'run and gun' style of play that would put pucks in the net and a division/conference leading points total on the board. Well let's see: the new owner is already claiming losses in the ten million dollar range. The new coach already finds himself on the career dissipation watch while still using that irritating ‘compete factor’ phrase.
How does that make you feel towards this franchise? What am I feeling towards a team that ties my soul to this state when nothing else does? I'm disgusted - and it’s okay to feel that way toward your hockey team. I'm not a blind homer who does the rah-rah-sis-boom-bah dance that signifies mindless fans who think losing is a great thing and a group hug is all we need to get through the hard times. Is this feeling of disgust aimed at the owner, the GM or the coach? Sure, there’s enough blame to go around but I have to admit that I’m really disgusted with the players.
How is it that other teams in the NHL can put it all out there night after night, regardless of who’s coaching or GM’g or their given styles of coaching and GM’g? How do other teams get through adversity such as traded star players or injured star players? Yes, players come and go from teams. But so do coaches and GM’s. Yeah, I get that you can’t fire a whole team of players. But let’s look at things openly and honestly. How many years has this team been horrible on the power play? Way longer than Coach Richards has been here. Don’t kid yourselves – this ‘newfound’ power play kick the team is on isn’t because the team has gelled or is clicking. How long have we been trapped in our own zone thanks to horrid defensive play? Way longer than Coach Richards has been here. How long have our players not given 100% for an entire game? Way longer than Coach Richards has been here. How long have the players not been held accountable for their actions? Way longer than Coach Richards has been here.
And yet, who will be accountable for all of this? The head coach will take the fall. So, let’s say Richards is outta here before the end of the month. Then what? More excuses about how the team will need to gel with the new coach and yet another system? In the blink of an eye we’ll be on the other side of the first half of the season with nothing more to show for it than an empty arena with no hope of making it to the playoffs.
Here’s a word of advice to outgoing Coach Richards. Some have accused Richards of being emotionless – and they wouldn’t be wrong. Well Todd, you’ve got nothing to lose at this point so let your effinghiemers fly. Let the guys have it when they don’t want to play in any given period. Don’t be afraid to use that interview in between periods to call out individual players for their horrid play in the previous period. It’s become painfully clear that the whole Minnesota Nice thing isn’t really working. This whole ‘not in front of the chidren’ approach isn’t exactly working either. Throw a tirade on the bench, get jiggy with it and call out some names during those post game interviews. This isn’t a private matter between coach and players. I don’t know if you and the rest of the Wild management have figured this out yet but your fans/season ticket holders pay your salary. Stop singing the praises of a team who only showed up for five minutes of the entire game. This ain’t Tee Ball for Toddlers. Not everyone is a winner and gets a trophy to ensure nobody’s feelings are hurt.
News Bulletin 10.17.2010:
Well, it seems that my angst, along with many other's has been heard. According to Russo's Tweets, it sounds like our coach doesn’t plan on going down without taking some players with him. It’s about time. The fans booed the team off the ice after the first period last night against Columbus and rightly so. Once again, the players made a conscious decision to take an entire period off. Once again, the players made us fans (all 17,000 non-sell out fans, that is) look like idiots for continuing to support this team. Read Russo's Blog for the full scoop.
I'll let you chew on this while I step off my rant box and take a deep breath. I'm sure I'll hear from all the "can't we all just love the Wild blindly" fans that think it's sacrilege to ever say a disparaging word about the home team. Whatever. Grow a pair and schedule a vision exam because you need a reality check, not a group hug.
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