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Burke speaks out on Lowe’s comments
July 10th, 2008, 3:10 pm · 43 Comments · posted by Dan Wood, Staff writer
Nearly a week after Edmonton Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe took a series of potshots at the Ducks and some of their players during radio and newspaper interviews in Alberta, Ducks general manager Brian Burke responded Thursday.
Choosing his words carefully while trying not to run afoul of a directive issued during a Monday conference call by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that Burke and Lowe cease a public feud that began when the Oilers pried then-restricted free-agent winger Dustin Penner away from the Ducks with a five-year, $21.25 million offer sheet last summer, Burke felt compelled to answer four specific points made by Lowe in a Friday interview aired on Edmonton’s Team 1260 radio.
Burke spoke on the topics of the Anaheim market, Ducks right wing Corey Perry, Ducks rookie winger Bobby Ryan and Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer.
Regarding the Anaheim market:
Lowe to the Team 1260 on Friday: “He’s in a pathetic hockey market where they can’t get on any page of the newspaper, let alone the front page of the sports.”
Burke in a Thursday conference call with Ducks beat reporters: “The Anaheim Ducks don’t have to take a backseat to anybody based on their performance over the last three seasons. No NHL team has played in more playoff rounds in the last three years than Anaheim. Detroit has played in the same number, which is eight. No organization, if you add their NHL and AHL teams, has played in as many playoff rounds as Anaheim and Portland, which is 14. I believe the next closest is 12.
“So the Anaheim Ducks can, I think justifiably, say that no team in the NHL has outperformed the Ducks at both levels, or at the NHL level, in the last three years. No one has won more than one Stanley Cup. We’ve averaged 103-plus points. So the team itself has nothing to be defensive about or apologize for.
“More importantly, we believe our fan base is as supportive and as rabid and as loyal as any fan base in pro sports, not just in the National Hockey League. We’ve played to 77 (consecutive home) sellouts, which I believe is the third-best streak in the NHL. All of our suites are sold. Club seats are at record levels. No one can question the commitment and support and loyalty of the Anaheim Ducks fan base. We believe they’re the best fans in professional sports.
“We also feel we’ve achieved this in a market that’s absolutely jammed with competition, with 10 other professional sports teams and several major-college programs that generate the type of coverage that pro teams dream about – USC football, UCLA basketball and on and on. I can’t go through the entire list. We feel we get great print coverage. We feel we get fair electronic coverage, and when I say fair, I mean equitable fair, not fair as in fair to good. Considering the crowded marketplace we’re in, we don’t have to take a backseat to anybody or apologize or be defensive about our market or our media coverage.”
Regarding Corey Perry, whom the Ducks re-signed to a five-year, $26.625 million contract on July 1:
Lowe on Friday: “Corey Perry is a hell of a player. What I really want to say about his (Burke’s) bickering about parity and the salary cap is if you’re unhappy about them, then trade him (Perry) our way. We’ll be glad to have him.”
Burke on Thursday: “It is our understanding that NHL member clubs are not entitled to express interest in the services of a player belonging to another NHL organization. Our understanding is that such an expression of interest constitutes tampering. We have asked the league to investigate whether a tampering episode has taken place. We’ve asked them to make a full investigation into that. We will have no further comment on this, and whatever the league’s decision is, we will abide by that.”
Regarding Bobby Ryan, whom the Ducks selected second overall in the 2005 entry draft, behind Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby:
Lowe on Friday: “I’ll tell you this. They have not much coming. Bobby Ryan has been a questionable pick at No. 2.”
Burke on Thursday: “The Ducks believe that players belonging to another organization should be exempt from criticism by the Ducks. We think such criticism is unwarranted, unless you’re talking about something a player does or says that affects our team. Otherwise, we believe that players in another organization should not be criticized by the Anaheim Ducks. Bobby Ryan needs no defending. He’s a wonderful young prospect. He had an amazing playoff in the American League. For Bobby Ryan to have been dragged into this in any way, or criticized in any way, goes outside what we believe is the treatment players should receive.”
Regarding Scott Niedermayer, whom the Ducks signed to a four-year, $27 million contract in 2005:
Lowe on Friday: “Don’t even ask me about Scott Niedermayer. I’ve already lowered myself in terms of (talking about) how they acquired him. That’s a story for another day.”
Burke on Thursday: “We signed Scott Niedermayer as a free agent in the summer of 2005. There were no allegations of impropriety of any kind at that time. Now, an impression has been created that there was impropriety. We have asked the NHL to conduct a full investigation into the signing of Scott Niedermayer. Once they have done so, we expect to be exonerated of any misconduct, and then we expect the league to act appropriately. We do not feel it is our place, for example, to create an impression of wrongdoing or misconduct on the part of another team without being able to back it up.”
Burke stressed that he is “a hundred percent” confident that the NHL will find no wrongdoing on the part of the Ducks with regard to the signing of Niedermayer, and said that he and the Ducks will respect and abide by any and all decisions made by the league regarding the Perry and Niedermayer matters.
Burke also made points of not responding to personal comments made by Lowe, such as that Burke is a “moron,” and said he had no problem with action taken by Bettman.
“The NHL has stepped in and stopped the fight, and we respect that,” Burke said. “We believe the NHL has a perfect right to do that, and we intend to abide by the league’s directive, which is to stop the criticism. There is no question in our minds, or no defiance. I consider the public debate to be at an end, because that is what the commissioner has ordered. I don’t view this as continuing the debate. This is responding to specific jabs that our team needed to address.”
Burke escaped sanctions from the NHL, according to league spokesman Frank Brown.
“Mr. Burke’s comments pertained to his own market and his own franchise, which is consistent with the parameters asserted during the conference call this week,” Brown wrote in an E-mail. “We expect this to be the last public discussion.”
Brown did not address any potential league investigations of the Perry and Niedermayer matters.
The Oilers offered little in the way of response.
“We will be respecting the league’s request and will not be discussing this matter any further,” the team said.
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How pathetic is pathetic? Los Angeles Angels is the answer. If the fans cared…..they’d let the stupid owner know it’s not okay to call a team who won a world championship as the Anaheim Angels by some other town name. DUH……that’s pathetic.
Hate to say it, but Edmonton Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe has it right. I gave up being a Ducks fan after Selanne and Neidermayer pulled their primadonna late starts and cost the Ducks the season. Add to that their classless GM and their criminal team owner, and I don’t want any part of the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks don’t get good press in southern California because they do not deserve any, plain and simple.
The Ducks are the subject of alot of critcism from other NHL teams around the league because we have the most talented team in the league and everyone wants to play here. As far as news coverage, the comments are just flat out incorrect. The only big paper in O.C. is the register and Ducks news is as important as anything else that they report. During the season they frequent the front page every day.Oh…. and “JIM”, you aren’t fooling anyone. You are either a band wagon jumper or a kings fan. I am not sure what is worse. GO DUCKS!!!!
haha when they are doing good, it seems that everyone in orange county is a fan. when you ask a ‘fan’ a question about the game or the team they kind of look at like you are talking a foreign lang. it is sad when a revival fan can tell you more about the team you totally love then what you know.
the ducks are a joke and they always will be, i dont care how great they have done….blah blah blah. they will always be the team named after a movie and wanted to stop the fighting in the NHL so more families would go to their games.
Goggles: Yea, that’s why they hired Stu Grimson and Todd McEwen in those first few years…to stop all that fighting!!!
Goggles, I think you’ve fogged up and exposed yourself for the very thing you criticized - a wannabe fan who doesn’t know hockey.
If you count the number of Duck fans in SoCal, it would dwarf those fans in the small markets of the Cold North - where front page news is cousin George’s prize winning cow!!
Seems to me that the league should be taking a good look at Mr. Lowe and give him his due. He comes across as a man who’s trying to get back at a former opponent for having been made to eat his own words. After all, they ended up paying an awful lot for a player who couldn’t live up to the pressure that comes with a huge salary. Kevin Lowe’s an all around simply class-less act. Orange County on the other hand is very lucky to have a team that treats its players well while at the same time respecting others and just in general showing that while one needs to be tough to be good at it, ice hockey is not a sport for houligans.
Burke cracks me up. He is right on and he is FUNNY.
The follow up (in your face - slam to Lowe) on “tampering” (while potentially serious consequence) reminds me totally of his pulling of no punches when talking about that “brown noser” (Wilson) in San Jose.
Please interview Burke more often!
Anyone willing to publicly attack the Ducks organization, BEWARE!
You are all pathetic idiots. I’m suspecting you must be fans of that little hockey team across town at Staples.
Well said, Googles….by the way, how have your L.A. Kings been doing?
[...] -Ducks general manager Brian Burke defended Anaheim as a hockey market. [...]
Does anyone else find it odd that Brian Burke had free-range to take shots at Kevin Lowe all year, but the first time Lowe says anything back Gary Bettman stepped in and said “enough boys”.
Bettman’s pandering to American fans and clubs is absolutely shameful, the man doesn’t know hockey and doesn’t have anything close to respect for Canadian fans and organizations.
Brian Burke is playing the role of the fool in this scenario - his pride’s been hit by square-on shots from Kevin Lowe, after openly insulting the Oilers clubs, players and fans over the last year. But, rather than just sucking it up and keeping his trap shut à-la-Lowe, he’s asked the NHL to step in. It’s on par with a kindergarten bully tattling after one of his victims stands up for himself.
Shame shame shame on the NHL and shame on Brian Burke.
i do not understand why bettman does not take action against Burkie as he obviously broke the cease and desist order… (is it just a case of one lawyer looking after another lawyer)
Yech. Are you guys from Edmonton or something?
Thank you Mr. Burke, we could of never won the cup without your efforts. Im a fan of the NHL and of The Ducks and will always be. Mr. Lowes comments are just plain ignorant, and are below the belt.
Hockey coverage in Canada vs. the US is night and day. So is the passion for the game in most markets. It’s Canada’s past time, full time.
Burkie will be out of here as soon as he finds a good place in Canada anyway. A lot of hot air in that balloon.
Jim
Give me a break. The Ducks are one of the best clubs in the NHL. Their games are a happening for those people looking to be entertained, and they have all the aspects of the type of team and franchise that serious fans treasure and look for. That’s why the building fills up every night and in case people have forgotten - that is what it is all about.
Thank God that Burke is an outspoken guy, and for once we don’t have to deal with a bunch of politically correct BS. How often do we find that these days!? The fact that the Ducks are in the media in Canada says enough. They would like to dismiss us, but they can’t.
Burke is doing a helluva job and he can count on this fan any day.
As for Samueli, he’s a great owner and philanthropist. We has paid his legal dues. Leave him alone. Do you want Disney back?
Jim, you obviously weren’t much of a fan anyways. Brian Burke has one of the best hockey minds there is today. Everything that he has touched in the sport has turned to gold. He turned the Canucks around from being horrific to playoff contenders with a solid roster that could compete for several years, only to falter under new management. He also brought a championship to Anaheim, which speaks for itself. Players love playing for him and his peers respect him. He is a straight shooter that calls it like it is and is very detailed in his comments.
Kevin Lowe on the other hand has made very unprofessional and questionable comments that harm the league and the sport. You’re right Jim, he’s the man.
And this is why Ducks fans like Burke. Even with a gag order, he manages to phrase a response where appropriate. Lowe is a weasel trying to say that OC has no hockey market or to criticize another team’s player(s). Yeah, OC doesn’t compare to Edmonton as a hockey, but you could say that about Vancouver, as well. Why? Because what the heck else is there in Edmonton?
As for the franchise itself - who cares how it got started? Facts are - they have good hockey people in place, some of the best players on the planet, and the only set of Stanley Cup rings in California. The Kings or Sharks couldn’t do, despite being around longer. You could throw the Golden Seals in there, as well, if you wanted to go back that far.
The days of the Disney-fan stereotype are OVER and have been for awhile. Kings fans can’t seem to get past 1993, for whatever reason - I’m sure it has nothing to do with how that team has performed for the last 15 years.
Brian Burke is the best Hockey Mind ever to arrive in Southern California. He got the rest of the pieces to Win the Stanley Cup…any other comments about his being too gruff or classless is pathetic and ignorant. He is not here to be Mr. Public Relations, he was brought in to do something no one else has done on the West Coast. That is WIN THE CUP! All other negative comments are made by people who either don’t like hockey or are just to ignorant to understand how hard it is to Bring a Championship to Anaheim and need a little cheese with their whine.
plain and simple….Burke can dish it out but he can’t take it. Comments he made like calling the Oilers ‘dirty bastards’ started this whole mess.
jim Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
July 11th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Hockey coverage in Canada vs. the US is night and day. So is the passion for the game in most markets. It’s Canada’s past time, full time.
Burkie will be out of here as soon as he finds a good place in Canada anyway. A lot of hot air in that balloon.
Jim
What a bunch of Morons! Burkie is a no class guy - and you don’t judge him by whether he has won the cup or not!
Anyone that doubts Burkies abilities and knowledge of hockey sure doesnt know much about him. Try a little research. I have been a die hard duck fan since 93 and season ticket holder. There is a big difference between ducks fans and kings fans. Our fans go to the game to enjoy the sport, not just show up because its the place to be seen by people. The last three years have been phenomonal!!! Other teams would love to have what we have!!! The true “morons” out there are the one who criticize what they have no concept of knowledge on. Get a life people!!!!
I am truly amazed by all the comments from non ducks fans, let me rephrase that, non hockey fans. The only conclusion I can come up with is they are not true hockey fans or duck fans. Anyone that knows about hockey and the cap and such, would recognize the injustice done at the price bid for Penner by Lowe. Unwarranted, as was seen by Lowe this past year I am sure. That is what the whole issue was over. Fair market price for the player, not making a rediculous offer to steal a player. As for Burkie, no one in our town has to stand up for him, his record does that, just in case some of you like goggles or jim want to do some research. We have had season seats since 93 at Anaheim and have not missed one single game since they began. We support our team and know the game!!! The ducks have not always won, and yes, we took from crap from other teams fans over the name, performance, and such. But, we are true fans. We still go to the games and support our team, good or bad, win or lose. We go to enjoy hockey. Not like the fans at Staples who go only to be seen at a game. We had season seats for LA prior to Anaheim and attended many games. At least Anaheim fans are courteous enough not to get up and walk to the beer stand when play is on, unlike our team in LA’s fans. We watch the game, not chit chat with our neighbor. A lot better than some of the johnny come lately fans who reappeared after the Ducks won the Cup. Where were they since day one? Hockey knowledge? It is easy to take a cheap shot at our fan base in orange county. You want to truly discuss knowledge, or just blow hot air. Bring it on!!!! There is more to supporting a team than leaving because a couple of players didn’t start the season. I respect the position Anaheim took to give Selanne and Niedermeyer the time and room to make a difficult decision for the game they have loved and given so much to their whole life….Good job Burkie!!!! In case you don’t get it Jim, its’ called respect. Something I doubt you will ever recognize. As for fan loyalty and support, OC fans have nothing to be ashamed of. Look at the intensity and noise level all season long. I can honestly say that I am a Duck fanatic….I have been seen with my helmet and duck atop it at many a playoff game. I wear it proudly in support of our team. As silly as it may look, I am proud to exhibit my support…how do you show your team support Jim? Oh, I forgot, you gave up your tickets…true sports fan….talk about band wagons and johnny come latelys…….Game on!!!!! Lets Go Ducks…
Is the Ducks owner still facing a handful of felony charges? Thought so!
Brian Burke is an idiot blowhard.
1. Tampering? Give me a break. The league is going to laugh at that accusation.
2. 77 straight sellouts? Those seats may have been sold. But there certainly aren’t people in those seats at game time. Anyone who has ever been to or seen an Anaheim game on TV will admit that the place is half empty every single night. Burke knows this and so do the few fans. Lowe is right in that its a pathetic hockey market. Tune into an Oilers game and not only will it be sold out but every single seat will have a person in it.
3. The “Ducks”? Nice name. What a joke.
I think Mr. Lowe is mad because he just remembered that he sign a player to a big time contract……. pen… penner, uh thats it Dustin Penner. I guess Dustin was well worth all that money ehh Mr Lowe. He did play 82 games for the second season which is good, but he had only two more point then the year before with The Ducks. So I guess throwing $21.25 million for two more points is worth the price, good choice Mr. Lowe, go win a cup!
Anyone who thinks Brian Burke is a good GM should consider the following:
1. Have a look at the Vancouver canucks record and roster in the time he was there. He did nothing with that team. And unfortunately his pal Nonis took the fall for it. Nonis pulled off the deal of the decade for Luongo but it wasn’t enough to fix the mess that Burke left.
2. Bryan Murray built the Ducks stanley cup winning team. Burke took credit for it.
3. Is there something about “cease and desist” he doesn’t understand regarding this tiff with Lowe. Looks like a moron, smells like a moron. I think he might be a moron.
4. Burke signed Kunitz, Perry, Giguerre and Getzlaff to ridiculous salaries. Lowe didn’t make him do that.
5. Everyone should have a look at http://www.nhlnumbers.com to see the Ducks salary and contract status for the next few years. This team will be devastated at the end of 2008-2009. He hasn’t signed anyone but the afformentioned Kunitz, Perry, Guiguerre and Getzlaff to anything more than this year. Safe bet that Anaheim will be in the toilet and have the top draft pick after the 2010 season. What a great GM.
6. Conversely, have a look at what Lowe has built in two short seasons and the prices he has paid. He’s paying Penner the same as what Toronto is paying Jeff Finger. As Lowe said last year, in a couple years, Penner will look like a bargain. He was right.
7. It wasn’t until the final round of their cup run did Anaheim have a full house at their arena. For the first three rounds of the playoffs, the place was about half full. Pathetic enough during the regular season, but during a cup run??? Please. There might be a few pure hockey fans in Anaheim like Doyle Lee, but most haven’t a clue. Move that team up north to real hockey territory where it will be appreciated.
and one more…
8. Burke signed Bertuzzi for $4MM/yr last year after Penner left. About the same money as what Penner earns for the same points and a huge legal liability and fanbase liability. Then Burke bought him out after only one year. Genius move.
The Ducks embarrassed us all? Since when were you on the ice with the team?
Cry all you want about Burke, all that matters is The Ducks won a cup. Is that NOT the job of the GM, isnt that what he’s paid to do. It doesn’t matter how he does it, as long as the end results are met. Most of the whiners here root for other teams and if Burke was your Gm and won a cup, you would defend him as well as Marty did Wayne. ALL THAT MATTERS IS WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bryan Murray and Brian Burke both built the team, and Burke gave Murray plenty of credit for the guys that he drafted and had on the team when he (Burke came in). You are probably not even a Ducks fan if you don’t remember that the 2003-04 team finished well out of the playoffs and had some players (and payroll) that didn’t fit into the Ducks’ new system.
There were four players on the Stanley Cup team that were on the team in 2002-03 Stanley Cup Finals team. Of those four (Giguere, Pahlsson, McDonald and R. Niedermayer) only Niedermayer was acquired by Murray. In 2003-04, the Ducks defense consisted of Carney, Ozolinsh, Salei, Vishnevski, Havelid, Sauer, and Skoula. NONE of these dmen were on the 2006-07 team. Burke brought in Pronger, Niedermayer, Beauchemin, O’Donnell, Huskins and DiPenta on defense. Burke also traded Fedorov (and got Marchant and Beauchemin) and Sykora, and by shedding their salaries and freeing up cap room, Burke was able to sign Pronger the next summer. On offense, besides Fedorov and Sykora, Leclerc, Prospel, Rucchin, Schastlivy, Krog, Ward, Chistov, Smirnov and Severson were also gone. Brian Murray did do an excellent job in the draft, and as I said Burke has always given him full credit for that. And of the undrafted college free agents brought in by Murray still with the Ducks in 2006-07 (Penner, Kunitz and Shannon), all were signed by David McNab who is still with the Ducks (he also signed McDonald, Krog, Miller and Carter).
In regards to the “cease and desist” order, obviously you have difficulty in reading comprehension. According to Dan Wood’s blog entry you are responding to:
Burke escaped sanctions from the NHL, according to league spokesman Frank Brown.
“Mr. Burke’s comments pertained to his own market and his own franchise, which is consistent with the parameters asserted during the conference call this week,” Brown wrote in an E-mail. “We expect this to be the last public discussion.”
The NHL didn’t see Burke’s recent statements as a violation of the gag order. So YOU ARE WRONG.
And you think Kunitz, Getzlaf and Perry’s salaries are ridiculous? Firstly, chances are Getzlaf and Perry wouldn’t be getting what they are if Penner didn’t get signed to HIS RIDICULOUS contract. Penner didn’t deserve what he got after basically ONE good year. Getzlaf and Perry have had two very good years, and Getzlaf in particular was outstanding in the SC playoffs. Funny how Perry and Getzlaf weren’t the young players who got benched during the playoffs and Penner was. And if Burke didn’t sign Getzlaf and Perry to what he did, they would most likely have been targets for offer sheets for more. Getzlaf and Perry are worth more to the Ducks than Penner was and if the Ducks had met Lowe’s stupid offer sheet, the Ducks would have had even more difficulty signing Perry. I would pick Perry over Penner any day. Getzlaf and Perry made Penner a better player, not the other way around. If you look at Penner’s stat’s from 07-08 from 06-07, he got a whomping TWO MORE POINTS. This was despite most of his goals coming on the power play and despite playing more minutes and more quality minutes (on the power play and on the first and second lines). Both Getzlaf and Perry had better years in 07-08 despite playing less games than Penner. Penner got a 844% increase in his annual salary. Wow, those two more points were really worth it.
Jeff Finger is overpaid. He’s a middling player and yet he is getting overpaid. Sound familiar? Who drove that market up? Not Burke. Getzlaf and Perry on the other hand (no pun intended) are not overpaid. If you think Penner will be a bargain at the end of his contract, so will Getzlaf and Perry, probably more so because they will probably out produce him and will be three year younger with even more upside.
In 2008-09, the Ducks will still have Getzlaf, Perry, Kunitz, Pronger, Giguere and Hiller, and a boatload of cap room. And some of their young defensive prospects should be NHL ready, if they are not this season (Salcido, Mikkelson, Mitera). They will also probably re-sign some of their own UFAs. They will have to rebuild, definitely, but they are hardly devastated as you say.
You were obviously not at the Pond in 2006-07, or at the end of 2005-06. You’re being ridiculously over the top by saying the arena was half full. That is a bunch of b.s. The 2006-07 playoffs were completely sold out in every round.
Bertuzzi was a mistake, but his signing had no connection to Penner’s offer sheet being matched. Bertuzzi was signed in the beginning of July as insurance in case Selanne did not come back. Penner’s offer sheet came later and would not have bee matched regardless of whether or not Bertuzzi was signed as an UFA.
We Won? Guess I missed last year.
Hey DucksHockeyFan1 Says!!
Ahlers/Hayword better than Miller/Fox??..you’re seriously on crack!! Every penalty called on the Ducks is a horrible call according to Gayword. Call the game as it is not b/c its your team. Obvious penalties are what they are but Gayword would never call it that way. The other guy is ok but as long as Gayword opens his trap, it just ruins the game. Anyhow, to each thier own…
Bob Miller is the Chick Hearn’s of hockey, like it or not.
As for players wanting to come play in Anaheim?? I find that hard to believe. They just all come for the $$ and thye just happened to have it at the time of all thier signings. Pronger came here b/c that’s where his wife wanted to come here…Oilers were forced on that one..Ducks are on a high right now but there’s always a bottom..as they were before and will be again!
Either way, the Ducks are a good team..but the fans are far from it.
Go Devils!
I gather that skater8 is talking to me…. You are either Brian Burke or judging by your name an 8 year old who’s parents don’t limit his computer time. Hard to tell which.
A few comments:
You said, “Burke gave Murray plenty of credit for the guys that he drafted and had on the team when he (Burke came in).” Like I said, Murray built the team. Looks like you agree with me.
I’m pretty sure I understand “cease and desist”. It means not another word on the subject. Looks like neither Burke, nor you, nor Frank Brown understand what it means. But since Burke is Bettman’s former baggage handler its plainly obvious that he gets a lot of leeway in continuing to say whatever he wants. The NHL has been very weak on this issue and I’m sure they’ll rationalize letting Burke keep on yapping all year.
Regarding Perry, Penner, Getzlaf…. blah blah blah. I’ve heard all that argument before from Burke. blah blah blah. Penner went into an injury riddled team that was rebuilding. The fact that he got the same number of points as the year before is pretty impressive. Other than that I really don’t care who you’d pick and why.
Regarding what Burke paid Getzlaff and Perry. It was a LOT more than what Lowe got away with paying Penner. Judging by the stats I’m not sure he needed to do that. Getzlaff maybe, Perry no. Kunitz? yeah right. What percentage increase were each of those pay raises?
You said, “In 2008-09, the Ducks will still have Getzlaf, Perry, Kunitz, Pronger, Giguere and Hiller, and a boatload of cap room. ” You’re exactly right. And thats exactly what I pointed out. Obviously you will have a lot of cap room if you have absolutely no one signed other than those 6 players. Duh. Did you think about that as you typed it?
Not sure you’re listening to what I’m saying about Anaheim’s attendance. There is no questioning that they have sold out a lot of games. However, selling season tickets to individuals and corporations does not mean that those people actually show up. I watch a lot of Anaheim games on TV and those games might be sold out but there certainly are not people in those seats. You need to have your eyes examined. Those are empty orange seats you’re seeing, not people in orange t-shirts.
Obviously signing Bertuzzi had nothing to do with Penner. My point was that the dollar figures were about the same. Burke could spent $4MM much more wisely than on a scumbag like Bertuzzi. Calgary is overpaying Bertuzzi too but at least they’re in the right ballpark.
I await your response because like Burke it seems like you need the last word and that you have trouble containing yourself.
skater8, a couple of Yes or No questions: Do you think it was right for Brian Burke to make the comments he did towards Kevin Lowe and the Oilers organization after the Penner signing? Also, do you think he at all embarrassed the Ducks organization and fans with this behaviour?
skater8, how long did it take you to type all that? that was hilarious.
Skater 8, you burned that jollydude to a crisp!! that was awsome.
Um, not really Chris. After all that blah blah blah there are a few things that are still true: Burke is an idiot, the duck pond is half full every night, and it seems that the only one who really cares is skater8. Skater8 is delusional and isn’t enough of a fan base by himself to make the Anaheim market anything but pathetic. Quack Quack.
Wow….. good come back Jolly, nice! So Burke is an idiot, I guess thats how you feel about USA Hockey, ok then. Oh by the way its not The Duck Pond, umm try The Honda Center and I wasn’t aware The Ducks played every night. Hmm fan base I guess Im number two that cares, ok you got me on that one. Well thanks again, really enjoy your comments or is it miscomments. GO DUCKS!!!!!
chris and skater8, I applaud your support of the Ducks. I am a proud supporter of the Ducks as well. I’m also a realist. As much as you want it to be, Anaheim is not a hockey market. I have no shame in admitting that. The fact that we’re not a hockey market doesn’t stop me from enjoying the game. Also, as a Ducks fan my initial reaction to the numerous comments Brian Burke made towards the Oilers was that it was highly unprofessional and childish. Burkie has obviously done some good things for this club but if you just focus on his actions towards the Oilers after the Penner signing, you have to admit that he was an ‘idiot’.
Hey Jollydud, you are a dork. How many games have you gone to at the Ponda Center? Every game that I went to was at least 90% to 100% full. What are you talking about 1/2 full? DORK!!! Hey Jollydud, you want to hear a stupid name for a team, the Reign, wow what a great name…..oh, by the way, it’s the King’s new minor league team name in Ontario, Calif. A good name could have been the Knights or since it’s a minor team of the Kings, maybe the Jester’s, which by the way for the low IQ King’s fans is the King’s fool.
To reach more fans, street level campaigns and promotional events might work. More youth involve means more impact on others.