"Triumverate"? More like crap-umverate! Haha!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
... okay, kidding. But as anyone who has End of the Bench, Bethany's Hockey Rants, or The Neutral Zone Trap on their feeds has seen in the past day, these three Blue Jackets' bloggers will be doing their own previews of the team and the Central Division as a whole in the near future. Drew/Truth, Beth, and Sarah are more than capable in doing such a thing, and I wish them the best when they're coming up with witty and/or thoughtful things to say when it gets to be their turn.
Sadly, although I'd received an e-mail from Dave at Gorilla Crouch asking if I wanted to take part, I never got back to him in time to take part. Ultimately, it's probably for the best, as I just have so much on my hands at the moment as it pertains to classes, classwork, and real work. But that's just how it goes sometimes, right?
A few things before I partake in my article critique of something in my SPM book, though.
1) As was first noted by someone over at the HFBoards, the TV schedule for the Blue Jackets is now official. 75 games will be aired on FSN Ohio, along with one game against the Dallas Stars on Versus. Although I know I'd seen somewhere else that the Jackets were supposed to play one game on NBC against the Red Wings, NHL.com's team schedules has yet to make mention of it. So for now, just assume 76 games will be aired on TV in some form or another.
Compared to last season, this is down by 4 games. There's two less games on Versus, and one less game on NBC, while FSN Ohio has stuck with 75. It's unfortunate, but the reality is that Columbus is probably a pretty horrible draw on national television. It's sad, because two of the most amazing games last season on Versus actually came from the Jackets: that early season and hard-fought win over Detroit, and then that amazing comeback win over the Boston Bruins in December.
2) Last week, I decided to head down for the Blue Jackets' locker room sale. Given, I don't exactly have the cash to go buying game-used hockey sticks or some of Pascal Leclaire's goalie pads, but the fact that I was able to actually go inside of the locker room and see what it was like was reward enough for heading down to the Arena District. The two biggest things that stood out to me were some of the things I saw in the locker room, and then something out of the locker room.
First, I was able to catch a glimpse of the fully finished ice at Nationwide. And let me tell you, it's beautiful. That star/Ohio flag logo right at center ice is made of awesome and pride-inducing emotions. Additionally, the center ice line has stars on it instead of just white dashes, something which a friend had told me was originally tossed out as an idea as far back as one or two seasons ago, but until now was soundly rejected by whoever controls that thing.
Secondly, the locker room itself was just cool to be in. The TV in there is giant, and the stereo system they have in there is quite nice. Something else I noticed was how other people who were going in there were quite ... well, quiet. It was almost like you were walking in to a church. And honestly, I liked that. Try going in to an NBA or an NFL locker room, and you'd probably get nothing like that. It isn't so much that I shun people who are loud and raucous in places like that, as much as I think the reverence of being in an NHL hockey locker room just seems to come over NHL fans more than most people who are fans of the other sports.
And third ... On my way out, I happened to bump in to quite a few different people. Let's see ... first up, Dan Fritsche happened to stop by the locker room, and gave some teen one of his sticks, free of charge. Pretty cool of him to do. Then there was Jeff Rimer, who was definitely friendly enough. I got to admit, he did look a little bored whenever he wasn't talking to anyone and just lounging on one of the benches, however the fact that he was probably going there to mingle of his own voalition means that shouldn't be held against him.
The meeting of the day, though, was seeing Scott Howson. Although I didn't say much outside of "Hello, Mr. Howson" as me and several other fans shared the elevator back to The Blueline, it was just being around him that struck me with a bit of awe. It was a little embarassing when, after exiting the elevator, one of the fans who was asking for his autograph said how much he was looking forward to him "saving the team" or something similar. I am sure that Ken Hitchcock probably felt a little sheepish when El Owner John McConnell said something like that when introducing Hitch last season, too.
On one final note, I was speaking with some of the people at The Blueline who were working that day to help run the sale, after they spotted me looking at the new Blue Jackets' jerseys. Considering where I am, I just asked on a whim if they'd be sold at a Dicks' or some other sporting store once they're released, since that is closer to me than the store itself, or even the Chiller Easton, which is still somewhat close to me now.
They told me that if I wanted to get a jersey right away, my best bet was to go to The Blueline on September 14th, or to one of the Chillers. Apparently they'll be the first to sell the jerseys in-person for a full week, before anywhere else is able to sell them. Besides, that's probably for the best, as getting personalizations through them is a lot more efficient than dealing with some other groups out there (shop.nhl.com, I'm looking at you).
And that's about i-- ... no, wait. Actually, now that I think about it, there is one more thing I should mention, only because there's been such a clamor about this both on the HFBoards as well as other places for a while now.
While at the locker room sale, being escorted on down to the locker room itself, it's worth mentioning that there was something coming from the seating and ice area that caught my eye. Loud, loud booms.
A cannon, as most Blue Jackets' fans know, is something that there's been quite the fervor for, for at least a year or so now. Now, given, it could have very well just been someone playing around with some sounds in the SFX booth, to see how a cannon-like sound would ... well, sound like, when played during a goal.
But it's worth noting that I also took note of a yellow flash coming from behind some of the pulled back drapes which led in to the lower aisles. I don't know of many sounds that also come with visuals, people.
And that's what I got. Take that as you will, as I have to now get to my studies.
Labels: CBJ Front Office, CBJ Players, dan fritsche, scott howson, slice-of-life, television
Summer sweeps!
Saturday, August 04, 2007
With seemingly deft actions, Scott Howson has begun to quietly clean up the Blue Jackets' front office. In his wake, four scouts have either left or been asked to leave, as per this report by Aaron Portzline.
But that isn't the big story here. No, the big story -- as I found out first sometime yesterday when I saw this post by Sarah over at The Neutral Zone Trap --is that Assistant General Manager Jim Clark has been asked to relocate to Syracuse, where for the final year of his contract with the Blue Jackets he will run the Syracuse Crunch organization. After that, you can just as well assume that that is it for Clark's time with the Jackets.
Ultimately, this is for the best. Putting aside my like for Mr. Clark from a more personal perspective of having bumped in to him once or twice, there was always the nagging feelings out there -- not just my own, but from many Jackets' fans -- that Clark only got his position based off of his connections to Doug MacLean. Now don't take that the wrong way and assume I am saying that Clark doesn't know anything about hockey. If he didn't, he would have never even broke in to the National Hockey League in the first place as an executive.
But as I had stressed time and again, he all but followed MacLean from Detroit, to Florida, to Columbus. It smacked of cronie-ism, without any sort of legitimate rationale beyond friendly connections.
Still, despite my contentment with this move, I can't help but feel surprised that it happened so soon. As was mentioned, Clark only had one year left on his contract. Maybe there was pressure to move Clark out?
That question is rhetorical, by the way. Howson, in the article by Portzline, goes on to say that the new Assistant General Manager is someone who was going to be moving on very soon if he did not get new responsibilities, or a new challenge. Who is that person?
Meet Chris MacFarland. Head of the team's hockey operations since back in 2001, MacFarland has been around the team since the very beginning, first coming on to the scene sometime in 1999, a year prior to the 2000-2001 inaugural season.
Sadly, I lack a lot of information on Chris, leaving me to just go off of what I know from seeing him around. In my personal opinion? He's smart, and he knows what he's doing. He wouldn't be getting this promotion if he didn't, after all. He's a friendly guy, which makes sense since -- as his biography on the Blue Jackets' website states -- he handles so many things for the team already, which include volatile issues such as salary arbitration, and negotiations and communication with the league over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. If those were his responsibilities, I have no doubt that he's ready for a shot at Assistant GM.
I'm sure either Portzline or Michael Arace will have something more fulfilling on MacFarland sometime during the upcoming week. I'd like to hope so, since I am sure many people, including myself, are hoping for something a bit more in-depth concerning his time involved with the Jackets, how sources in the organization view him, and the like.
But that isn't the big story here. No, the big story -- as I found out first sometime yesterday when I saw this post by Sarah over at The Neutral Zone Trap --is that Assistant General Manager Jim Clark has been asked to relocate to Syracuse, where for the final year of his contract with the Blue Jackets he will run the Syracuse Crunch organization. After that, you can just as well assume that that is it for Clark's time with the Jackets.
Ultimately, this is for the best. Putting aside my like for Mr. Clark from a more personal perspective of having bumped in to him once or twice, there was always the nagging feelings out there -- not just my own, but from many Jackets' fans -- that Clark only got his position based off of his connections to Doug MacLean. Now don't take that the wrong way and assume I am saying that Clark doesn't know anything about hockey. If he didn't, he would have never even broke in to the National Hockey League in the first place as an executive.
But as I had stressed time and again, he all but followed MacLean from Detroit, to Florida, to Columbus. It smacked of cronie-ism, without any sort of legitimate rationale beyond friendly connections.
Still, despite my contentment with this move, I can't help but feel surprised that it happened so soon. As was mentioned, Clark only had one year left on his contract. Maybe there was pressure to move Clark out?
That question is rhetorical, by the way. Howson, in the article by Portzline, goes on to say that the new Assistant General Manager is someone who was going to be moving on very soon if he did not get new responsibilities, or a new challenge. Who is that person?
Meet Chris MacFarland. Head of the team's hockey operations since back in 2001, MacFarland has been around the team since the very beginning, first coming on to the scene sometime in 1999, a year prior to the 2000-2001 inaugural season.Sadly, I lack a lot of information on Chris, leaving me to just go off of what I know from seeing him around. In my personal opinion? He's smart, and he knows what he's doing. He wouldn't be getting this promotion if he didn't, after all. He's a friendly guy, which makes sense since -- as his biography on the Blue Jackets' website states -- he handles so many things for the team already, which include volatile issues such as salary arbitration, and negotiations and communication with the league over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. If those were his responsibilities, I have no doubt that he's ready for a shot at Assistant GM.
I'm sure either Portzline or Michael Arace will have something more fulfilling on MacFarland sometime during the upcoming week. I'd like to hope so, since I am sure many people, including myself, are hoping for something a bit more in-depth concerning his time involved with the Jackets, how sources in the organization view him, and the like.
Labels: CBJ Front Office, Syracuse Crunch
There's a party over here, so you might as well be here, etc. etc. etc.
At least that's what David Vyborny seems to be thinking. Or he hopes a party's about to erupt in Columbus in the very near future.Why do I assume that he has such a train of thought, you ask? Because Veebs has gone from standing firm on his decision to play out his contract (done after the 2007-2008 season), to agreeing to pursue a new long-term contract.
We could go on and on with rampant speculation about why Vyborny is deciding to stick around, but the fact of the matter is that the one remaining original Blue Jacket still playing for the CBJ is willingly coming forward to see if he could stick around longer. While Vyborny has never worn the 'C' for the Jackets, he still could be considered something of a team leader due to his seniority on the team.
But beyond his seniority, it's the fact that Vyborny is the team's best playmaker, completely unselfish with the puck (though any Jackets' fan will admit that sometimes we want to just strangle him for not shooting the puck!!). That's one reason why he is the franchise scoring leader.
As for that 'speculation' I mentioned before, my opinion is that he sees something happening within the organization that perhaps us, as fans, can't always see since we're not privy to behind-the-scenes details. But the changing of General Managers, coupled with a "slow and steady" approach to the team building process by Scott Howson -- partially by necessity and partially by Howson's own volition -- can only help to make the draw of staying on for something big all that more appealing to Veebs.
A new post will be coming a little bit later tonight, so sit tight, readers. While you're here, why not check out Skraut's newest Blue Jackets music video over in the media box to the right? I finally had time to put something new in there.
Labels: CBJ Front Office, CBJ Players
