Congratulations Ducks and Brian Burke

[Michael Scheltgen]

Now it's time to do away with Avs. Good luck! The Canuck's
newsgroup is rooting for you :-)

Cheers,

[Don Tootin']

Glad to still have you on board. Gotta dispatch the 'diques so we can
put away all of Alberta. This one's for the state of BC, our north
coastal bros.

[Michael Scheltgen]

Post by Don Tootin'
Glad to still have you on board. Gotta dispatch the 'diques so we can
put away all of Alberta.

Hi Don, You think Edmonton will get by Nashville? I hope so,
but not counting on it.

This one's for the state of BC, our north

Post by Don Tootin'
coastal bros.

You'd better be careful calling BC a state, a thin-skinned
Canadian is bound to flame (pardon the pun) you.

Cheers,
Mike

[BobInBoulder]

Post by Don Tootin'
Glad to still have you on board. Gotta dispatch the 'diques so we can
put away all of Alberta.

Hi Don, You think Edmonton will get by Nashville? I hope so, but not
counting on it.

Wow, your head really IS out of the playoffs, isn't it? And here I thought
they knew hockey in Canada.

[Michael Scheltgen]

Post by BobInBoulder

Post by Don Tootin'
Glad to still have you on board. Gotta dispatch the 'diques so we can
put away all of Alberta.

Hi Don, You think Edmonton will get by <SAN JOSE>? I hope so, but not
counting on it.

Wow, your head really IS out of the playoffs, isn't it? And here I thought
they knew hockey in Canada.

LOL! What are you talking about?

[BobInBoulder]

Post by Michael Scheltgen

Post by BobInBoulder

Post by Don Tootin'
Glad to still have you on board. Gotta dispatch the 'diques so we can
put away all of Alberta.

Hi Don, You think Edmonton will get by <SAN JOSE>? I hope so, but not
counting on it.

Wow, your head really IS out of the playoffs, isn't it? And here I
thought they knew hockey in Canada.

LOL! What are you talking about?

you cheated

[BobInBoulder]

Post by Don Tootin'
Glad to still have you on board. Gotta dispatch the 'diques

Clever reference to the Quebec heritage meant to imply what, exactly?

The Avalanche, since they moved to Denver, have created the most wildly
successful hockey market in the U.S. Getting close to 500 sellouts in a row
and counting. 2 Stanley Cups (and they don't win those in Quebec because
Montreal never trades Patrick Roy to Quebec). More playoff series victories
than any other team in the NHL over the past 10+ seasons. Consistently high
regional NHL playoff TV coverage ratings, even when the Avs are not involved
in a series. A rink complex (in Westminster, NW of Denver) with more adult
hockey teams than any other in the country. 2 NCAA championships for the
University of Denver in the last 3 years. 1 minor league team north of
Denver that sells out every game and won a league title (CHL) last season,
another CHL team closer to Denver that begins play next season.

And this compares to what, a huge metropolis that can't even sell out an NHL
playoff game? Now that is embarrassing.

Still, I say Ducks in 5. Your boys are playing really well.

[The Fig]

On Thu, 4 May 2006 16:23:41 -0600, "BobInBoulder"

Post by BobInBoulder
And this compares to what, a huge metropolis that can't even sell out an NHL
playoff game?

And which metropolis would this be?

The Fig

[BobInBoulder]

Post by The Fig
On Thu, 4 May 2006 16:23:41 -0600, "BobInBoulder"

Post by BobInBoulder
And this compares to what, a huge metropolis that can't even sell out an NHL
playoff game?

And which metropolis would this be?

OK .... would you consider Anaheim to be part of the greater LA area? Maybe
megapolis would be a better term? And you do know that they didn't even
sell out game 6 of the Calgary series, didn't you? Just seems weird ... but
then again, the area can't even support an NFL franchise.

[The Fig]

On Thu, 4 May 2006 17:35:37 -0600, "BobInBoulder"

Post by BobInBoulder

Post by The Fig
On Thu, 4 May 2006 16:23:41 -0600, "BobInBoulder"

Post by BobInBoulder
And this compares to what, a huge metropolis that can't even sell out an NHL
playoff game?

And which metropolis would this be?

OK .... would you consider Anaheim to be part of the greater LA area? Maybe
megapolis would be a better term? And you do know that they didn't even
sell out game 6 of the Calgary series, didn't you?

No, I didn't know that. There were no tickets available according to
friends who tried very hard to get them, and the L.A. Times also
reported it as a sellout.


Just seems weird ... but

Post by BobInBoulder
then again, the area can't even support an NFL franchise.

There's more to it than that. At the time, the black-out rule applied
to all games that weren't sold out. The Rams played in the L.A.
Coliseum with a seating capacity of 100,000, much larger than just
about any stadium then and most certainly any stadium now. When the
Rams moved to Anaheim and the Raiders moved into L.A., the fan base
was split and we still had the black-out rule to contend with.

That said, no one really cares anymore.

The Fig

[Don Tootin']

Only as much as Boulder is part of Denver.

Don't let Arte Moreno fool you. Anaheim isn't in the same county as
Los Angeles, and, aside from being 28 miles away physically, are
demographically and politically worlds apart. To Los Angeleans, there
is no life below the 60 freeway, and particularly behind the "Orange
Curtain." Anaheim, and Orange County as a whole, has tried to
establish its own identity, particularly since the departure of the
Rams (more on that in a minute). The US's largest tourist attraction
is in Anaheim, not Los Angeles.

We couldn't support the football teams we had for several reasons. 1)
The Raiders made it clear during their tenure in Los Angeles that they
never belonged to us. From the word "go," Al Davis was leveraging us
against Oakland. 2) The Rams, while maintaining the Los Angeles
moniker, played south of the "Orange Curtain" (see earlier reference).
They had no local presence and were "too far away" to be an LA team.
3) Georgia Frontiere did absolutely nothing to encourage people to SEE
the Rams.

As for the dearth of fans at Game 6, the Angels were playing right
across the freeway, the local papers and radio suggested no tickets
remained (I called and was rebuffed at the ticket office), and people
are still trying to get a feel for the new, non-Disney owners. Plus,
we have two NBA teams in the playoffs. Might have been factors.

[BobInBoulder]

Post by Don Tootin'
Only as much as Boulder is part of Denver.

Some people consider Boulder part of the Denver metro area. Other people
consider it to be a different planet.

Post by Don Tootin'
We couldn't support the football teams we had for several reasons. 1)
The Raiders made it clear during their tenure in Los Angeles that they
never belonged to us. From the word "go," Al Davis was leveraging us
against Oakland.

You don't need to tell us Bronco fans what an ass Al Davis is. ;)

Post by Don Tootin'
As for the dearth of fans at Game 6, the Angels were playing right
across the freeway, the local papers and radio suggested no tickets
remained (I called and was rebuffed at the ticket office), and people
are still trying to get a feel for the new, non-Disney owners. Plus,
we have two NBA teams in the playoffs. Might have been factors.

Luckily for us (hockey fans here) the Avs are infinitely more popular than
the Nuggets or the Rockies.

[Don Tootin']

Simply to imply that they'll always be the Nordiques to me. No slight
intended to Denver.

I lived out by Iliff and Chambers and was truly among the first 88K at
Mile High Stadium during the baseball Rockies home debut. Also used to
catch quite a bit of Pioneer hockey, best friend was in the music
department, dated a soprano at Condi's alma mater (she graduated from
Cherry Creek, don't hold it against her), and watched more than a few
NHL games from the comfort of the Sigma Phi Epsilon house. Still can
remember the smell of the Purina plant on the I-70. Not to worry, my
Denver credentials are rock solid.

Of all the moves made in the NHL, the two that have never sat well with
me are les Quebecois sojourn to the Mile High (much preferred the
Rockies) and the North Stars heading south. Nothing against the new
hosts, but the Habs had a natural in-province (fixed that Michael)
rival and the more teams in French-speaking metropolii, the better.
Denver/Salt Lake works well for the NBA and history has established the
Broncos/Raiders, but the 'lanche have no geographic rivals.

[Michael Scheltgen]

Post by Don Tootin'
Simply to imply that they'll always be the Nordiques to me. No slight
intended to Denver.

When one considers how well current and past Denver hockey teams
have done they have a lot to be proud of. The Avs and the ex
Colorado Rockies (Devils) have won half the Stanley Cups this
past decade.

[BobInBoulder]

Post by Don Tootin'
Simply to imply that they'll always be the Nordiques to me. No slight
intended to Denver.

Some people us it to slam the notion of hockey in Denver. Which is really
silly, seeing how successful it is here.

Post by Don Tootin'
I lived out by Iliff and Chambers

I grew up in Aurora and went to high school near there. And my girlfriend
of 4 years lived very close to that intersection. It's a small world, but
I'd hate to have to paint it.


and was truly among the first 88K at

Post by Don Tootin'
Mile High Stadium during the baseball Rockies home debut.

Me too, even though I don't like baseball. The initial support the Rockies
received was beyond ludicrous. Too bad the owners drove the franchise into
the ground.

Also used to

Post by Don Tootin'
catch quite a bit of Pioneer hockey, best friend was in the music
department, dated a soprano at Condi's alma mater (she graduated from
Cherry Creek, don't hold it against her),

I hated Cherry Creek growing up. Bunch of rich kids driving luxury cars
with names like Biff, Buffy and Tiffany.

Post by Don Tootin'
and watched more than a few
NHL games from the comfort of the Sigma Phi Epsilon house. Still can
remember the smell of the Purina plant on the I-70. Not to worry, my
Denver credentials are rock solid.

Saw my first hockey game near that plant at the old Denver Coliseum. The
Denver Spurs of the Western Hockey League back in the early 70's.

Post by Don Tootin'
Of all the moves made in the NHL, the two that have never sat well with
me are les Quebecois sojourn to the Mile High (much preferred the
Rockies) and the North Stars heading south. Nothing against the new
hosts, but the Habs had a natural in-province (fixed that Michael)
rival and the more teams in French-speaking metropolii, the better.
Denver/Salt Lake works well for the NBA and history has established the
Broncos/Raiders, but the 'lanche have no geographic rivals.

and yet the best rivalry in hockey over the past decade has involved the
Avs. Not a geographic rival, but a rare one that has peaked interest in the
game periodically among the masses. To me, Minnesota losing a team to
Dallas was comical. Sadly, Quebec City was truly too small of a market to
support an NHL franchise, even though I know their fans were/are very
passionate for the game.

[Don Tootin']

Me too, even though I don't like baseball. The initial support the Rockies received was beyond ludicrous. Too bad the owners drove the franchise into the ground.

What really disturbed me was the fanatical attraction women had to
Dante Bichette. Sure, he could hit at Mile High, but Dante Bichette?
To each their own, I suppose. It was exciting to be there for the
birth of a franchise (Lord knows the local NBA franchise had died
numerous deaths--birth was a novelty), but the ownership wasn't enough
to shift my loyalties from Dodger blue.

Saw my first hockey game near that plant at the old Denver Coliseum. The Denver Spurs of the Western Hockey League back in the early 70's.

Mine were all Pioneer games until moving back to Southern Cal. Gotta
love the ol' WHA.

and yet the best rivalry in hockey over the past decade has involved the Avs. Not a geographic rival, but a rare one that has peaked interest in the game periodically among the masses. To me, Minnesota losing a team to Dallas was comical. Sadly, Quebec City was truly too small of a market to support an NHL franchise, even though I know their fans were/are very passionate for the game.

I'll give you that, though I wonder if the elitists in Joe Louis Arena
would feel the same. I've been a bit stingy with the term "rivalry"
since listening to Angel fans last year calling the Yankees, Dodgers,
and Red Sox their rivals. They missed the Cardinals and Indians for
the quinella. I was lucky enough to grow up immersed in some
incredible rivalries--Giants/Dodgers, Broncos/Chiefs/Raiders; the ones
that carry over for generations. It seems now if two teams go seven
games in a series, they're called rivals.

I like that Colorado and Detroit have been going strong for about a
decade there, that both teams have ruined the other's seasons, and, at
least on the part of the brick and blue, there's some real animosity.
I like that the former 'diques did some dental reconstruction on Kris
Draper and that we got to see the best offense money could buy square
up against the best goalie human limitations could allow. On ice, it's
great, but that seems to be where the rivalry really ends.

CU/Nebraska works because of proximity. San Francisco/Los Angeles has
the NoCal/SoCal ferocity that would be as intense if there were NO
sports franchises. There is no commonality between Denver and Detroit.
Colfax Street, at its worst, is no "8 mile." Detroit is auto
manufacturing, Motown, and urban decay whereas Denver is home of the
cheeseburger, epic skiing (A-basin and Keystone for me), and economic
prosperity (from mining to 17th Street). Heck, people go to Denver on
purpose.

From that aspect, it seems only coincidental that the two teams have

become rivals, which seems unlikely to go for the long haul.