Sunday, July 05, 2009

What is this guy's problem?

This isn't the first time that Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch has gotten his knocks in on the Thrashers. In his latest article about the miracle re-signing of Rick Nash (he of the "I'm sure I could get more money after this year if they don't make the offer that I want" statement), right off the bat in the opening paragraph, he says this:

Star winger Marian Hossa wouldn't even negotiate a contract extension with the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2007-08 season, so he was traded to Pittsburgh. Jay Bouwmeester took the same path out of Florida this season, ending up in Calgary last week. Unless something changes in Atlanta, the Thrashers risk losing Ilya Kovalchuk before or after next season, too.


Helpful to research crap before you write it. Hossa and Waddell were in some sort of negotiations for a good bit of the season before Hoss decided to leave so he could join a ready made winner, lose, join another ready made winner, lose, and then leave to torture Chicago.

Kovalchuk basically had to tell Waddell "I want Antropov" and he gets Antropov. He probably had some sort of say in the Kubina signing. Talks start with his agent halfway through July... things are seriously looking up for the Thrashers and there's a good chance Kovy re-ups here.

What is exactly with this guy and his need to rip on the Thrashers? Same amount of time in the league - 10 years. Same amount of superstar talent coming and going. Same number of actual superstars - 1. Same number of phenom goalies - 1 (I give Kari benefit of the doubt). Same number of playoff wins - 0. Is he trying to make the BJ's into something they're not? "Yeah, we're not amazing, but at least we're not Atlanta - har har har!"

Nice inadequacy complex. Hm. At least we've managed to have a Divisional Championship banner hung. The highest you guys have ever finished - 3rd place, is it? We might not be the best team ever, but we really don't deserve the pot-shots taken at us by a columnist whose team name is an abbreviation for oral sex.

5 comments:

Wayne in AL said...

There were rumors on Iceman's AJC.com that DW was looking at both Alex Tanguay and Alexei Kovalev...I'd much prefer the former; Kovalev is usually refered to "enigmatic"...

aaron said...

Portzline is a joke of a writer; he can't get enough page hits writing about the Jackets, so he's gotta stir up crap with the whole "rip-the-non-traditional-markets" thing. It's an easy way to get "cred" with the other sunbelt-bashers.

Laura (aka Hildymac) said...

Basically... and the funny thing is, the BJs have been ripped on by people for being in a "non-trad" market too, although I would consider them to be one, and their fanbase is surprisingly good. Their problem, like ours, is their record and the fact that they're just basically, um, average.

Wayne, I'd prefer Tanguay to Kovy #2 as well... apparently Pittsburgh fans would like to see Kovalev back on the Pens. Now's their shot.

Mortimer Peacock said...

Haw haw teh Trasherz suk. Aaron Outsider (not Aaron Portzline) is right: bashing the sunbelt teams is the easiest, laziest way in the world to establish "serious hockey journalist" cred. What an douchehat.

Laura (aka Hildymac) said...

He needs to hop on some sort of "make fun of Canadian teams" bandwagon. Let's see... Vancouver just signed ANDREW RAYCROFT... the Leafs have no goalie... the Habs are a fire sale, the Sens are a mess, and the Flames are basically a family run business. Good lord, pick on THEM.

 
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