Well we'll have to agree to disagree I guess, but from a management perspective it's much better to set aggressive (but possible) objectives, even trough it might mean failure. Then to set low objectives that are very likely to be attained, but might very well end up not letting the team reach 100% of their potential, and make permanent mediocrity and laziness part of the culture of the team.
No, in my experience, people work a lot better "under pressure".
You're talking about something very different than I am.
You are talking about objectives the Owner would set for his management team. I'm talking about objectives he is stating publicly for potential fans to hear and hold as expectations.
What I'm saying isn't about trying to reach the playoffs by their 3rd year....it's telling the potential fans that is the plan "or else".
He can tell the future President, GM, Coaches, players and bus driver that the franchise's objective is to go 98-0 in year two for a Stanley Cup win. It would be ridiculous....but go nuts. They would read that as meaning he wants to be the best they can possibly be as soon as possible.
Telling potential fans you want to be in the playoffs in year 3...tells them if they don't make it, it's a failure. Now you have to answer to why it failed, how is it going to be fixed, who is responsible for the failure? So now people expect change when change might not be necessary. If you don't change things and again don't make the playoffs....even more answering to do. If you do change and don't make the playoffs...you might have made things even worse.
I saw his comments as the start. The start of falling short and the start of the excuses. "The initial approach and goals set weren't realistic, we need to go back to the drawing board." Then 10 years later a shake-up of the front office after 3 years will be blamed for the following 5+ years of mediocrity.
His ambitious plans for now should be getting to 10,000.....then actually getting a team. Now potential fans aren't even on that page....they're seeing playoff games in 3 years for a team that might never exist. The whole thing is ridiculous.