Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Tony Danza and Brimming Chapeaus. GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators

(slightly updated below)

We'd like to begin this game day post by apologizing to all of our readers for being on steroids during our historic acts of blogging. Now then, moving on:

It's a sorry thing that Tony Danza has never served in a Senate of any kind. If he had, this game day picture might make more sense. But alas, the Senators aren't on my mind today. Not even that frosty Mormon who's in trouble for being the re-incarnation of Strom Thurmond, or something (the story's too boring to follow).

What IS on my mind? Well, Who's the Boss? of course. It's on my mind normally, but after reading the latest Dave Pagnotta article at the Fourth Period, I think the show's title has special relevance for our Thrashers:

Waddell and Co. have presented a number of different offers, but they fall far from what Kovalchuk is looking for, term wise.

I understand where the Thrashers are coming from, and it's extremely unfortunate. Their ownership group is, for lack of a better term, a mess. The Thrashers have been trying to lure additional investors, but it's been a difficult sell. Add to that the uncertainty of Kovalchuk sticking around beyond this season and you're in a very tough position.

At the same time, Kovalchuk is concerned with the future of the franchise and isn't interested in a short-term fix (or contract).

Kovalchuk, Grossman, Waddell and part owner Bruce Levenson all got together at the end of October to map out a game plan. According to a source, it was the first time the green light was given to start contract talks.

Instead of jumping at the chance to sign Kovalchuk right away, the team was focused on bringing in new investors and it took two months before contract negotiations finally picked up.

Oh for God's sake. The Falconer has already published a good post on the unfortunate likelihood that this is true, or at least seems consistent with what we already know about the Atlanta Spirit. His central point is that as much responsibility as Don Waddell shoulders for the Thrashers, the team's problems won't be resolved until it finds new owners. If this Pagnotta report is true, then this is the Spirit's true coup de grace. Delaying contract talks with their team's biggest star, one of the biggest in the league? There's nothing that excuses that. Like the Falconer says, even if Waddell were fired tomorrow the team would still be mired in all kinds of problems, problems that are the fault of its ramshackle and endlessly confused owners.

I hate (love) to blare my own horn, but your Chronicle has been making this point for going on 2 years now. Waddell, while not entirely bad, is in his mistakes a symptom of a larger problem. The problem's name is Atlanta Spirit, LLC.

At this point the team's owners remind me an awful lot of something Christopher Hitchens once said about John le Carré in a very different context. Their "conduct...is like nothing so much as that of a man who, having relieved himself in his own hat, makes haste to clamp the brimming chapeau on his head." It's sort of an analogue of "you made your bed, now lie in it." They've pissed in their hat; now they have to wear it.

All that said, for tonight: Go Thrashers.

UPDATE: Oh ho ho, look at these fancy new line combinations.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Send the fucking ASG on a "goodwill" tour of Afghanistan. FIRE WADDELL.

FrenchCatalogues said...

I just wish that some Russian Oligarch would save us. Pay Kovy with oil and arms dealing money. Oh well, piss on you Atlanta Spirit.

DowntownATL said...

I am beginning to think that the single greatest indicator of Don Waddell's competence is that he has not quit this job.

j_barty_party said...

Holy shit! A Frenchy sighting!

Chances are a Russian Oligarch will be saving Kovy when his agent prices him out of a long-term UFA deal in the NHL!

Fellas', we MUST win tonite. No Spezza, no Alfie, NO EXCUSES! If we don't these 2 points, then we shall never win again. Or even if we do, it won't matter. Win tonite and it won't hurt as much losing to Buffalo. Then we've got games against the Canes (2X), the Kitty Kats, the Buds and Tampon Bay.

Carpe diem! And save the season.

FrenchCatalogues said...

It's hard to be sighted when your computer is being worked on for over a long period of time, but at least you see me in person enough Speaker.

My solution to all this horseshit is simply... kill the bitch. Apply that where needed.

Mortimer Peacock said...

Yeah, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if Kovy winds up in Russia at the end of this year. I can honestly see DW keeping him past the trade deadline and then seeing him run off to Oligarchland. Sigh.

Cutting your losses and knowing when to quit = part of mature humanhood. The Thrashers organization has never quite understood that.

Mortimer Peacock said...

Kill the bitch!

j_barty_party said...

Yeah and I reckon I'll have to see your ass tonite as well! I'm intrigued by the new assortment of line combos, but not much else.

Well, I'm excited for bourbon!

Kill that damn bitch!

CaptainStefan said...

HOW F*****G LONG will it take Anderson to put Bogo and Enstrom back together? or at least shuffle the D? Most of our goals against in this part slump have come from 5-skater defensive breakdowns. We can deal with 3-skater brainfarts, but if the D-pairs don't work well, nothing will!

(Quoting the PS3 commercial)
COME ON!
I know, right?
WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM???

h said...

If Antro can play I like those lines with Antro going to 1st line and Thorburn taking Boulton's place......Schubert AND Boris playing? I hope our penalty kill guys are ready to go as we will need them. Over/under on penalties with those two guys is 3 PLUS at least one 5 minute fighting penalty where there really isn't a fight.....win 5 of next 6 please so my stomach won't hurt as much....

FrenchCatalogues said...

I'm sorry these combos are that of a re-tard

Mutton Sourdough said...

Hell yeah boys! Boults was an assist away from having the Gordie Howe Hat Trick tonight. Ive only seen the boxscore so far though. When I first saw the boxscore I thought "Man, where the hell was THIS kinda stuff?? Whitey AND Kozzy AND Little got on the scoreboard tonight!"

Maybe putting Boults with Slobber and Toad did the two of them more good than I was afraid it would.