Congratulations Blaze

[Finny]

Finny, do I detect a hint of bitterness? The fact is, the league don't have draws do they so let's just deal with the facts eh. The stats show ( and you should know)that Blaze won more points than anyone else. Yes I agree with you, it will be very interesting to see how Thommo does next season if Calder takes some of his team mates with him to Glasgow. As for Thommo splashing cash, surely you remember when we were known as the cheque book club, there weren't too many complaints then was there when we were actually winning things and not 'living in hope'

Not bitterness no. Dissapointment that we didn't challenge further - yes.
I simply found J.B.'s comment rather strange. They won the league by a point, and then suggested that other teams still had a long way to go before they caught up with Thommo's tactics.
My point about draws and OT was simply to emphasise it. Belfast were effectively one regulation goal away from winning the league. To then suggest that Thornton is a long way away from Thompson is both arrogant and wrong.

If it was aimed at the rest of the league who didn't spend as much as Coventry, Belfast and Nottingham - well then that's just laughable.
And no I didn't complain when we were winning things by spending the most money. But then I wasn't going around denying it and suggesting it was down to the coach.

 

[osh]

Finny, you are using literary licence to misinterpret what JB said just to suit yourself. He admits Blaze were a poor team ( by their usual high standards I suppose ) but despite injuries and suspensions were still good enough to win the league. He goes on to say a lot of work needs to be done by a few coaches to get close to Thommo. He doesn't say those coaches are the Giants, Panthers or Devils coaches does he, perhaps he is refereing to those at the bottom of the league ? You are the one mentioning Thornton, not him. You are the one who has mentioned Thommo's tactics, no one else. Yet despite all this, and for all your many previous accurate posts ( some inaccurate it has to be said) and obviously your good knowledge of the game, can't even bring yourself to say a teeny well done to the title winning team. I'm jealous of them winning again I have to say, but not bitter, which your post certainly smacks of. I'm sure JB is big enough to reply himself, but I think I've covered it somehow. Anyway onwards and upwards. Let's hope for a win over the Steelers to enjoy the play off weekend even more eh. Cheers.

 

[Finny]

Well done Blaze.

There you go, no bitterness from me. If I was being bitter I would have pointed out all the times the Blaze have benefitted from having match penalties overturned etc, but I won't.

My reply was a question to J.B. asking them to clarify what they meant. If it was aimed at the coaches who have less to spend than Coventry, then that is very unfair. It would be like asking Martin O'Neil and David Moyes why they aren't beating Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea to the league title.

 

[nmase20]

osh your personal vendetta does get rather boring.
I think it is quite clear that J.B was making reference to the top teams of the league not the bottom teams, its quite obvious that they have money issues not coaching ones. Finny's post don't seem bitter in the slightest to me, he's just stating a fact, that the other coaches don't really have that much work to do.
Seeing as its oh so important to make myself a good little supporter i shall add, WELL DONE BLAZE!

 

[Gingers Husband]

osh your personal vendetta does get rather boring.

I must admit I find it a bit tedious as well.
As for the Blaze, I begrudge them the title due to the actions of Cambell this season and the way the league has been run. The game after he had his match penalty overturned he scored twice I think and picked up M.O.M. If he had sat the game out as he should have maybe the Blaze would have lost that game and Belfast would be celebrating.

 

[osh]

osh your personal vendetta does get rather boring.
I think it is quite clear that J.B was making reference to the top teams of the league not the bottom teams, its quite obvious that they have money issues not coaching ones. Finny's post don't seem bitter in the slightest to me, he's just stating a fact, that the other coaches don't really have that much work to do.
Seeing as its oh so important to make myself a good little supporter i shall add, WELL DONE BLAZE!

Nmase20; For your information, I have no personal vendetta with Finny or anyone else. If you see it that way, that's your problem and as I've already answered Finny and he has replied, thats fine by me also. It's not at all quite clear what JB meant in his post, it was Finny interpreting that as the top coaches just like you are doing. I've disagreed with Finny in the past, that's what forums are for, when I feel someone is wrong I don't mind saying so. Finally, it's not 'oh so important' for you to make yourself a good little supporter in my eyes at all. I was merely stating in the original post that we consider ourselves good supporters of ice hockey, yet next to nobody offered their congrats to the Blaze. If you've got a problem with that, then, you've got problems imo.

 

[osh]

osh your personal vendetta does get rather boring.

I must admit I find it a bit tedious as well.
As for the Blaze, I begrudge them the title due to the actions of Cambell this season and the way the league has been run. The game after he had his match penalty overturned he scored twice I think and picked up M.O.M. If he had sat the game out as he should have maybe the Blaze would have lost that game and Belfast would be celebrating.[/quote

See my post to nmase20; I'm not in the slightest bit concerned what you, or anyone else think of any of my posts. If you find them tedious, don't read them. You begrudge them the title, that's fair enough by me.

 

[J.B]

How does that work? Neilson and Thornton weren't that far away. If the league had draws instead of overtime - the Giants would have won the title.

Will be interesting to see how the Blaze do next season if Calder takes his buddies with him to Braehead as expected. I guess we will see Thommo do his usual trick of splashing the cash to get the better players from other EIHL teams.

Well Nottingham have had hardly any injuries this season, clearly have the most talented team in the league (as shown by their thrashings of the Blaze this season at the NIC) and even had the luxury of carrying spare imports for most of the season and yet it is Thommo doing a lap of honour with the bowl again. Same applies to the Devils to a lesser extent. Spending at the full wage cap, not many injuries and at times outstanding. You can argue about budgets etc but that suggests to me that Thompson is the big difference here between the winners and the teams who were close but no cigar. I'd have Belfast, Nottingham and Cardiff as favourites ahead of us for the play-offs in one of games (Thommo has a pretty appauling cup record) but over 56 games, he certainly gives his team the edge.

And I don't see a great problem with Calder going to Braehead (pretty surprised though as didn't really see him as a coach). It is pretty obvious that this team has probably seen it's best days and could do with a bit of freshening up.