Oh Goodee Another Season Ticket Holder Meeting

[photo: Colin Purrington, Flickr, "Angry Mob Attacking Charles Darwin"]*

Checking the old Email, I came across a missive from the Atlanta Thrashers inviting me to the annual Season Ticket Holders' Threnody/Don Waddell Mea Culpa Meeting far below Philips Arena in the Hawks' practice court. I'm told there will be "light hors d'oeuvres."

I suppose I should go, for the sake of Chronicle Journalism, but I really don't want to. What will go down is all too predictable. Don Waddell will once again perform his note-perfect Cheshire Cat act, reassuring the customers that things will be better in the near future, acknowledging Epic Failure while magically deflating fan frustration through changing the subject and his patented charm-hypnosis ("We didn't KNOW that Erik Christensen wasn't a top-line center" and such) while various enraged season ticket holders throw Truck Nuts and demand to know why DW never emails them personally to listen to their ideas about free agent signings.

Interestingly, Bruce Levenson won't be present at this year's festivities. It's safe to assume, I think, he'll have important courtrooms to be in on the day of the meeting (March 6th). This year, it'll just be Don Waddell, who is not only General Manager, but (as they never tire of reminding us) "Executive Vice President" as well.

*Don Waddell is in no way comparable to Charles Darwin. For one thing, Darwin was a guy who actually understood natural selection and evolution.