And The Moron Of The Year Award Goes To...

I got a call from a friend today asking me if I'd read Russo's  column this morning.  I had.  I thought the article had some interesting points. 

1. The timing of the team's latest implosion is occurring during the season ticket renewal push for 2011-2012.  At least Craig didn't raise the ticket prices like he did last spring for this current turd of a season.  Thanks again to our owner for making me, the upper deck fan who has most likely been hit hardest by the Second Great Depression, carry the biggest financial burden in this, our much-ballyhooed Year Ten.          
2. Management has nothing of real value to offer for a high-scoring center during the off season, outside of Brent Burns...who incidentally is playing the absolute WORST hockey of his career right now with only 9 games left in the season. 
3. Chuck Fletcher doesn't have a clue any more than Todd Richards does.  Chuck doesn't think now is the time to "reflect on this season, look ahead to the summer or discuss the anguish felt during Sunday's seven-goal loss."  He's quoted as saying "I know what last night feels like because I've lived it for 24 hours."  Dear Chuck, If this isn't the time to ponder which players need to be sent packing and whether or not you and Todd have jobs come April 11th, then I don't know when a good time will be.  Maybe you can figure that out when you're recovering from the shock of having been fired.  This fan can only hope.
4. Chuck believes in the power of inconsistency - "There's a lot of pride in that room," Fletcher said. "I respect the players and how hard they played this year, and I know the character is that room."  Pride...huh?  Is it pride that drives these paid professionals to mail in games whenever they feel like it?  Is it pride behind the players who give up the minute a quick goal against is scored?  There's character??  Really???  It's character when the captain of the team repeatedly whines about the fans and the local media for taking the team to task?  It's character when a player publicly voices disappointment when nothing was done during the trade deadline...on a team with no cap space and the only Wild player of any value was one of the 2 or 3 only reasons this team was in the hunt at all at that point?
5. Of the following UFA's there's only one worth keeping, IMO: Andrew Brunette, John Madden, Antti Miettinen, Chuck Kobasew and Jose Theodore.  I'm sorry to all of you Madden Lovers but he's a bust with this team.  There's a reason John's always smiling out there on the ice - because he's getting paid huge money to do nothing.  Miettinen will find himself back in the Euro league after one more season on a different NHL team - if he lasts that long.  Kobasew is 4th line material and we've got plenty of young kids in Houston ready to make their debut for a lot less money.  Jose needs to be a number 1 goalie and I wish him nothing but the best for his future and his family...in the Eastern Conference ;) 
6. The following trade bait players should be packaged as one piece and offered up with a bag of used pucks for a bonafide scoring center: Brent Burns, Nick Schultz and Pierre-Marc Bouchard.  I'm sorry PMB, but Burns' terrible play lately makes it impossible to trick, er - I mean entice any other GM to make a serious trade with us. 

Close your eyes.  Picture a fork.  Now picture a roast: beef or pork, doesn't really matter - whatever your preference is.  Now picture the fork stuck in the roast.  That's the Wild, folks.  They're done - dried up - tasteless and overcooked.  A cheap piece of rump or bottom meat that's been asked to masquerade as prime rib.  Not that we thought a playoff run was anything but a pipe dream going into this season.  But, as a true fan of the team you love and live for...you catch yourself hoping against hope, in the back of your mind during those rare moments of great play on the ice that they just.  might.  do.  it.  Then reality sinks in as the team, who's only consistent mode of operation this season has been the curse of inconsistency, takes a collective dump at center ice.  And yet, Fletcher and Richards see the pride and character in the room of players who have worked so hard this season.  Somebody's been drinking the Kool Aid...

• The most valuable point Russo made in his article: 

"But before they can hit the links, it is incumbent on the Wild's paid professionals to show some pride and play the game the right way these final nine games...

Or, it will get really ugly around these parts."

In case Craig Leipold needs some help deciphering that - it means season ticket holders are ready to send a message to your wallet.  Do the right thing.