Whats wrong with the Habs? - now 10th and out of a playoff spot

[Lusty Pig]

That sound......wait for it............nope, don't hear a thing. That's the sound of someone not giving a shit and who has a life.

 

[joelcairo]

Exactly right General. As I've been saying for ages the Habs are not good and have not been good for years. (I'm being charitable - I could have said decades.) That doesn't mean they're bad people, it just means they are not a good hockey team in today's NHL. Of course, speaking the truth usually gets you crucified by the true believers...but I notice that now even many of the true believers no longer believe! They are disappointed and wringing their hands in grief, anger and wonder. I'm not, because my vision was always grounded in reality.

 

[gohabsgo]

That sound......wait for it............nope, don't hear a thing. That's the sound of someone not giving a shit and who has a life.

then why post on this thread ?? some people are passionate about their team, and don;t to see them lose, whats so wrong with that??

 

[joelcairo]

then why post on this thread ?? some people are passionate about their team, and don;t to see them lose, whats so wrong with that??

Actually gohabsgo I have to admire the persistence of you and your fellow Hab-lovers: it does take great faith to stand by a team that will probably not win a Cup again in their lifetime. Unfortunately for you and your fellow fans, the Habs have been gonehabsgone for many years. As a team they are about as exciting and talented as the color (?) plaid, but it is reassuring that there are still people who dream the impossible dream. In all sincerity, more power to you and yours. (PS: I am not a Leafs fan.)

 

[joelcairo]

Must admit that the Canadiens do serve a purpose: they produce the same effect as sleeping pills without any danger of becoming addicted!

 

[XXXClusive Agency]

Actually gohabsgo I have to admire the persistence of you and your fellow Hab-lovers: it does take great faith to stand by a team that will probably not win a Cup again in their lifetime.

La prochaine coupe du Canadien est p-e moin loin que tu penses Avec Gary Price qui s en viens pour bien tenir le fort et toutes les bon jeunes comme komisarek higgins grabovsky plekanec kostityne Chiptura Latendresse et les autres qui poussent tu vas p-e rester surpris dans un avenir tres prochain !!

 

[Techman]

I've heard this arguement before and frankly, i think it's a bunch of manure! For one, the media pressure isn't as worse as it is in Toronto. Many in Mtl say it's the same, but it's not...it's much worse in Toronto....they have 4 big local newspapers that cover & scrutinize the team as compared to 2 in Mtl. They have 4 sports-oriented tv channels covering the Leafs at all times: The Score, Leafs TV, TSN & Rogers Sportsnet.....the Habs have pretty much just one, RDS....i mean, channels that almost entirely dedicate their coverage to the team. They are pretty much even at the radio coverage level.

The players from Ontario all dream and want to play for the Leafs. Several players have even taken pay cuts in order to play in Toronto. Some do leave stating that the media pressure is insane, but they often welcome a return after spending a few years in hockey oblivion and most state that it's nice to be back in a hockey market and hockey atmosphere where hockey doesn't take a backseat to the 3 other major sports, bowling & arena football. So this arguement that Quebec-born players don't want to play in Mtl is in my opinion, total b.s and a lame excuse. They'd probably say the same thing about playing anywhere in Canada. And if someone doesn't want to play for the team, then "get the hell out of here" is what i'd tell them. I'd only want players who are happy and feel privileged to put on the team's uniform. As for the tax situation, it's not much worse in Mtl as it is in any other Canadian city. I"m sick and tired of hearing these lame excuses.

The difference is that in Toronto, the channels that cover the Leafs tend to revere the team. Here when the team starts to slide, the press, especially the french press, attacks the team mercilessly. When was the last time a Toronto reporter forced his way into an injured players hospital room to take photos as happened here with Koivu? Or digs into the players' personal lives as happens here in this city much too often? This city destroys it's own.

The tax situation is also much worse here in Quebec when compared to other Canadian provinces. I believe that the taxes they pay are up to 20% more than in the rest of the country.

When it comes to the habs, there is no other team in any other city that receives as much scrutiny in the press. Probably only the Yankees come close. It's literally 'the only game in town'. Some players can deal with it but most can't and don't even want to try.

 

[Sam]

Having spent time in both cities and followed the media coverage of both teams, I'd say the media coverage is much more vicious in Montreal.

In Montreal, there are guys like Rejean Tremblay who try to make it a french vs. english thing.

When the french press started agitating for Vincent Lecavalier to sign with the Habs, Lecavalier shut them up on the spot by signing a long term contract with the Lightning.

When the Habs were a dynasty (or even a good team), it was a dream come true for Quebec players to play for the team. No longer.

 

[gohabsgo]

6-3 Pens final score

Yvon et Pierre on RDS sound soo sad especially after Pittsburgh's 5th goal

 

[joelcairo]

My god I'm shocked - shocked I tell you! - that the Pens humiliated the Habs (not!).

Great first goal by Crosby.

Lousy perforformance by the Habs, but what else is new? Don't blame them: they want to win but they're just not good enough and never again will be. Sorry to stick a pin in your dreams Martin (and Pablo and the other true believers) but that's the way it is.

 

[gohabsgo]

Why didn't Bob go out and get a good goaler at the trade dealine?? Abby didn't look too good tonight, 25 saves on 30 shots Montreal will come back and beat the Leafs tomorrow night, I'm sure of it !

GO HABS GO !!

 

[Cosmo]

Bad goaltending for sure,but not on the first goal.Sid the kid was simply beign himself:amazing!
He had four guys on his back yet managed to get a great shot.Give him credit for that one at least.It was a perfetct top corner.
As for the other goals,well even if Habischer is not the only one to blame,he is a big part of the problem,but not THE problem.Where were his defencemen on Roberts goal?Did they forget that hitting is allowed in this league?
He(Roberts) could have had eggs in his pants and shirt and they would'nt have been broken.Pathetic!
Souray is only playing for the powerplay,when it's 5 on 5 he's playing like he doesen't care.
They can get away against ordinary teams such as the Blues,Islanders and Maple Laughs but against good teams like the Pens,Sabres and Devils they're simply beign outclassed--not enough talent,and if on top of it your ''top'' players don't give 100%,you're cooked.

cosmo

 

[Techman]

It's a total mystery why the team didn't do anything at the deadline. It's also a piss off that Gainey has never made any statement to the press since the deadline passed. Considering what they have done with their draft picks in recent years, giving up even a first round pick to get some goaltending help for the rest of the year would have been a bargain. No matter how the team has been playing, management has to share the blame for it's current problems. How can you expect the players to give their all when the GM does nothing to help? I understand keeping Souray for a playoff run, but when you don't try to improve things and get him some help what do you expect to happen?

As far as Abby is concerned...get him out of the net. The team has no chance with him behind them. I'd rather see them bring up Price and let him get some experience, win or lose. With Abby, they'll be shining up the golf clubs in no time.

....but they're just not good enough and never again will be.

joelcairo, are you a fortune teller now? No one expected the habs to win the cup this year. But if Huet had not been injured, they would have at least made the playoffs. Will they ever again become the dynasty they once were? No, of course not. No team ever will, due to the way the game has changed into a business where the dollar means more than winning the cup does. Will they ever win another cup? I would say that they will. They have at least as much chance as any other team to improve themselves into being a winner again. Even the Leafs may one day win the cup again...not in my lifetime though.

 

[Cosmo]

Techman,

I don't think they'd be allowed to bring up Price since he's still junior and is team is not eliminated yet.Otherwise they would have done it long ago IMHO.

Joelcairo,buddy,

I was born in January 1967,the year Toronto wo their last Stanley cup.
So I never saw them win it and I don't think I ever will do.
And I intend on living at least till I'm 90!
So we are actually in the midle of a verrrryyyyy long drought for the Laughs.

You said the Laughs were not your team,then who is your team?

cosmo

 

[Techman]

Cosmo, I believe you are correct about Price's status. If his team is either eliminated or their playoffs end, would they still have time to bring him up?

About Toronto...they were talking about the modifications made to the Stanley cup, removing some rings from the current cup to allow for new names to be added, and they said that it won't be long before the Leafs are no longer on the cup at all! What a shame!

 

[joelcairo]

Hey Techman, no I'm not a fortune teller. I suspect you aren't either, in spite of what your crystal ball tells you about the Maple Laughs. (I agree with you on that one by the way. I don't think either Montreal or Toronto will ever again win the Cup in my lifetime or yours. And as unlikely as Toronto is, Montreal is even more unlikely because no good players want to come here.) Even though I'm not a fortune teller, my predictions are sure as hell better than Picasso's...but then again that old Pablo always was a wide-eyed dreamer.

Cosmo, you could live to be 190 (never mind a paltry 90!) and I still don't think you'd see either of these inept squads win the Cup. By the way, no team is "my" team because I'm not an NHL player - I love it when people say "my" team even though the closest they get to the ice is when they click the remote. I do like the Red Wings though - consistent quality and the best owner in the NHL; an organization that always had class even when they went through losing years, and an organization with a respect for tradition. Not to mention the organization where Gordie Howe played 25 of his 26 seasons in the NHL and where Stevie Yzerman played his entire career.

 

[Cosmo]

A classy organisation,indeed.
I wonder if Chelios will beat Howe's record?

cosmo

 

[joelcairo]

A classy organisation,indeed.
I wonder if Chelios will beat Howe's record?

cosmo

Possibly although I doubt it. I thought Messier might tie Howe's record for seasons and break his total games record but he decided to retire just one season and 11 games short. Howe's longevity records of 26 seasons, 25 with the same team, and 1767 total games are all pretty amazing - even more so when you consider that this doesn't even count his years in the WHA. Not only that but he played until he was 52 freakin years old!

 

[gohabsgo]

Halak was great, especially in the shootout last night. Carbo needs to go with him the rest of the year, while Abby rides the pine. Montreal will make it in 8th place !

GO HABS GO !!!

 

[joelcairo]

Hey gohabsgo if you're going to ride the dream you might as well dream in technicolor: maybe this year will mark the start of 10 consecutive Cups for the Habs.