GDT: Game 39 Sun 4/7/13 Wild @ CBJ Sunday 6:00 EST

[Crede777]

Last night was a miserable showing by the team. I didn't boo but honestly can't blame those who did. Getting shut out at home during a big game... tsk tsk.

 

[major major]

So now we can't boo? What is this golf? Maybe we should hold all applause and/or boos until a stoppage in play?
These are professional athletes getting paid tons of money. If it hurts their fragile little egos to get booed at home for bad play they probably should find a different profession.
That being said if it is amateur sports I rarely boo unless it's an absolute knucklehead move, and kids (high school and below) never boo.
But pro athletes make tons of money - if they play well they get cheered, if they play poorly they hear about it.

"If it hurts their fragile little egos to get booed at home" then that hurts the team, which means we all have to watch a shattered bunch because of your booing. And money has nothing to do with it. $2 million dollars is a ridiculous sum of money, but it doesn't buy you a completely different psychology then a lowly paid player. Please remember that we're still talking about human beings here.

 

[CapnCornelius]

"If it hurts their fragile little egos to get booed at home" then that hurts the team, which means we all have to watch a shattered bunch because of your booing. And money has nothing to do with it. $2 million dollars is a ridiculous sum of money, but it doesn't buy you a completely different psychology then a lowly paid player. Please remember that we're still talking about human beings here.

And now, the flip side of the coin...

While I personally am not going to boo these guys, you are deluding yourself if you think that any of these guys are so horribly bothered by this that they gave it a moments thought when they game was done or even cared that much during the game.

Yes, we are talking about human beings here, but we're also talking about guys who have played, by this point in their lives, hundreds of hockey games. A smattering of boos in one game is a trivial event in their athletic careers and in their lives. I doubt it is the first or last time any of these guys were booed by their own fans.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Well, I tried to get this thread back to substantive discussion of the game itself.

Boring.

 

[NotWendell]

Average Talent + Heart > Superior Talent - Heart
Average Talent + Heart < Superior Talent + Heart
Average Talent - Heart < Superior Talent - Heart

 

[db2011]

I don't know how you can think on one hand that players enjoy it when you're cheering for them and on the other hand that they're highly-paid professional athletes who couldn't care less when they're booed. Why is playing on the road so tough, then?

Anyway, EDM raised a point worth considering. Why didn't Atkinson and Calvert get more PP time? They are disruptive, it would seem in a tight spot when little else is working, putting them on the power play would have been a worthwhile chance. Why wouldn't Richards have explored that, beyond "seniority"?

Could it be that he didn't want the young guys on the ice with so many boos raining down on them? (couldn't resist)

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Anyway, EDM raised a point worth considering. Why didn't Atkinson and Calvert get more PP time? They are disruptive, it would seem in a tight spot when little else is working, putting them on the power play would have been a worthwhile chance. Why wouldn't Richards have explored that, beyond "seniority"?

Could it be that he didn't want the young guys on the ice with so many boos raining down on them? (couldn't resist)

I think he is secretly trying to get Jarmo fired.

 

[cbjfaninmo]

Anyway, EDM raised a point worth considering. Why didn't Atkinson and Calvert get more PP time? They are disruptive, it would seem in a tight spot when little else is working, putting them on the power play would have been a worthwhile chance. Why wouldn't Richards have explored that, beyond "seniority"?

I think he is secretly trying to get Jarmo fired.

I don't think EDM has that much clout.

 

[blahblah]

I don't know how you can think on one hand that players enjoy it when you're cheering for them and on the other hand that they're highly-paid professional athletes who couldn't care less when they're booed. Why is playing on the road so tough, then?

I suggested in a previous post that if were bothered by it the next day. I'm sure that most don't like it when it's occurring. I'm not sure anyone is suggesting that booing is a motivator.

FYI, I only enjoyed cheering when I had time to think about it. Otherwise it was noise in the bad ground. That energy created an adrenaline boost and made me more focused. However, I'm not sure how it affected others. It was never a discussion point beyond "Man it was loud.". I, for one, never was bothered by booing unless it was misdirected at an individual. If anything I focused a bit more. The fans were booing because they needed more from the players. Others it bothered more, but I never really heard anyone get too worked up over it unless it was constant and directed at an individual.

To this team, if they even noticed it last night it's not something they are used to of late. I'm sure they took it in stride.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

i'm not sure anyone is suggesting that booing is a motivator.

Unless he really does mean booing "of" fans.

hah. People who boo once the game is over may be idiots, but the booing of fans during the game is actually a motivator.

 

[SuperGenius]

I don't know how you can think on one hand that players enjoy it when you're cheering for them and on the other hand that they're highly-paid professional athletes who couldn't care less when they're booed. Why is playing on the road so tough, then?

Anyway, EDM raised a point worth considering. Why didn't Atkinson and Calvert get more PP time? They are disruptive, it would seem in a tight spot when little else is working, putting them on the power play would have been a worthwhile chance. Why wouldn't Richards have explored that, beyond "seniority"?

Could it be that he didn't want the young guys on the ice with so many boos raining down on them? (couldn't resist)

For the record, the 'boo' talk wasn't so much about hurting anyone's feelings as it was the idea that it's a) unproductive/not supportive and b) mostly stupid.

Regarding the powerplay, it seems Richards was going more for size and puck protection than speed. Can't say I agree with it, but I'm sure he had a reason. Umberger didn't help justify it by having an exceptionally bad night fighting the puck. Their defense and PK did a great job after the first period at closing off space and forechecking like mad. They completely took speed out of the equation and each trip out of the zone was challenged tightly. The frustration was palpable as the game wore on.

I know it's crazy, but at some point we should probably recognize that Minnesota did many things very, very well from the second period on. Combine that with 'heavy leg syndrome' and you get this kind of result.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

 

[blahblah]

Unless he really does mean booing "of" fans.

Cool, I didn't see that post. I'm sure he's in the vast minority in that opinion.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

 

[Hello Johnny]

I was at the game, but I was saying boo-urns. Don't look at me.

 

[db2011]

I suggested in a previous post that if were bothered by it the next day. I'm sure that most don't like it when it's occurring. I'm not sure anyone is suggesting that booing is a motivator.

FYI, I only enjoyed cheering when I had time to think about it. Otherwise it was noise in the bad ground. That energy created an adrenaline boost and made me more focused. However, I'm not sure how it affected others. It was never a discussion point beyond "Man it was loud.". I, for one, never was bothered by booing unless it was misdirected at an individual. If anything I focused a bit more. The fans were booing because they needed more from the players. Others it bothered more, but I never really heard anyone get too worked up over it unless it was constant and directed at an individual.

To this team, if they even noticed it last night it's not something they are used to of late. I'm sure they took it in stride.

ah, that bad ol ground, we know it too well

When I'm witnessing an event and the crowd is going bonkers I love it. I think it's pretty thrilling to hear a collective expression like that, and when the players respond and the whole dynamic shifts. But I'm not big cheerer myself, either. I always think I should work on it. Maybe if the beers were cheaper

I'm sure there's an argument for booing as a motivator, and I bet there are players for whom booing is motivating. Not directed at you, but I feel like this is a young team playing lights out for a long stretch and I'd rather show them gratitude.

 

[Derby]

She sat behind me last night.

 

[SuperGenius]

Something good did come out of last night, and no one can boo this:

CBJ camouflage jersey auction raises $22k.

https://www.facebook.com/CBJFoundation

 

[Derby]

Something good did come out of last night, and no one can boo this:

CBJ camouflage jersey auction raises $22k.

https://www.facebook.com/CBJFoundation

I suppose you snagged one?

 

[blahblah]

ah, that bad ol ground, we know it too well

lol, oops.. Back ground.

 

[CapnCornelius]

I don't know how you can think on one hand that players enjoy it when you're cheering for them and on the other hand that they're highly-paid professional athletes who couldn't care less when they're booed. Why is playing on the road so tough, then?

Anyway, EDM raised a point worth considering. Why didn't Atkinson and Calvert get more PP time? They are disruptive, it would seem in a tight spot when little else is working, putting them on the power play would have been a worthwhile chance. Why wouldn't Richards have explored that, beyond "seniority"?

Could it be that he didn't want the young guys on the ice with so many boos raining down on them? (couldn't resist)

In all my years of viewing a variety of sports at all possible levels, I'd say the ratio of cheers to boos is quite high. Think about it--how often is the road team really booed? When they enter the ice? After a particularly vicious hit on a home player? There just isn't that much booing of the opponent by home fans.

Teams don't play as well on the road for a myriad of reasons, but booing is probably not anywhere near the top of the list. Think about it--they traveled across the country to get there, they didn't sleep in their bed the night before, they've been away from their family, etc., etc. Tons of reasons playing on the road is harder. A smattering of boos doesn't make a home game the equivalent of a road game.

 

[NotWendell]

In all my years of viewing a variety of sports at all possible levels, I'd say the ratio of cheers to boos is quite high. Think about it--how often is the road team really booed? When they enter the ice? After a particularly vicious hit on a home player? There just isn't that much booing of the opponent by home fans.

Teams don't play as well on the road for a myriad of reasons, but booing is probably not anywhere near the top of the list. Think about it--they traveled across the country to get there, they didn't sleep in their bed the night before, they've been away from their family, etc., etc. Tons of reasons playing on the road is harder. A smattering of boos doesn't make a home game the equivalent of a road game.

Getting booed/booing of the home team/silence on the road = cheers at home

 

[arudick]

Tough one to swallow. Bad showing for sure but can't let heads dip and confidence get destroyed. JJ was the one who said on NBC vs Detroit at the beginning of the year that this team is playing with a chip on its shoulder because no one is giving us a chance. Its still the same. Gotta keep that prove everyone wrong mentality. Not an easy task for a team like the Jackets. Still doable. Bounce back vs SJ hopefully! So much work to be done though and no room for error at this point.

 

[mnblueliner]

As a Wild STH whose other favorite team is the CBJ, let me tell you the Wild get booed a lot- expectations are high and the play has fallen off a lot lately. I don't boo the Wild but I guess if you buy a ticket, boo if you want (I'll holler encouragement all the louder).

Last night was not a good night for the Jackets, but the past few games the Wild looked much worse than what the Jackets gave last night- and credit the Wild, they finally played another good game. Also it looked like the addition of Gaborik and Comeau kinda disrupted the Jacket's chemistry - but that happens.

I believe the Jackets are a team heading in the right direction. As a CBJ fan I credit the players a lot, but I give even more credit to Richards and the coaching staff. They are getting great play from this team and getting them to play above their "talent level" a lot of the time. Word is that no one likes to play the Jackets- when is the last time you heard that? Add to that some good players in the pipeline, 3 first round picks and Jarmo at the helm and I think the future is bright.

So enjoy the ride. Maybe this will be the year, maybe not- but it looks like good times are ahead, and its a lot more fun to cheer!

 

[db2011]

In all my years of viewing a variety of sports at all possible levels, I'd say the ratio of cheers to boos is quite high. Think about it--how often is the road team really booed? When they enter the ice? After a particularly vicious hit on a home player? There just isn't that much booing of the opponent by home fans.

Teams don't play as well on the road for a myriad of reasons, but booing is probably not anywhere near the top of the list. Think about it--they traveled across the country to get there, they didn't sleep in their bed the night before, they've been away from their family, etc., etc. Tons of reasons playing on the road is harder. A smattering of boos doesn't make a home game the equivalent of a road game.

Yes those are all good reasons why the road is tough. I was also going to mention in hockey the line changes.

I just meant a general atmosphere of support versus one of hostility, though I don't know where that would fall on the the spectrum of reasons why the road is tough. But if we're willing to say that the sense that crowd "has the backs" of the players then the argument that they're paid too well to let the crowd reaction get to them kind of comes up short.

Now, the guys who get paid well enough not to care about the fans' reactions should be the refs, but we've seen a bird that flies in the face of that one!