OTE Discussion

Today is a pretty huge day as far as the MLS bid as The Gene is meeting with the MLS Commissioner and the Mayor. They will manage to squeeze in some coverage somewhere in between the NFL, Kulka's dental appointment, Versage's golf club fitting and schoolgirlish take on former 67s performances at the AHL All-Star Game, a relatively small amount of Senators coverage, etc.

Should be interesting.

Just heard it. Im pretty excited about this MLS franchise. Melnyk said we're down to 5 contending teams.

Melnyk confirming again that Sens struggle because of a new system, still believing in turnaround (although I think its just to calm the fans down). Murray and Hartsburg probably not going anywhere in the next 2 years.

I prefer stability in this management/coaching group to firing them and hanging on to players that aren't delivering.

I enjoyed listening to those two poking holes in the MLS bid. The Gene, on the other hand, is meeting with all levels of government and investing time and money in studying the situation and proceeding accordingly.

marakh wrote:Just heard it. Im pretty excited about this MLS franchise. Melnyk said we're down to 5 contending teams.

Melnyk confirming again that Sens struggle because of a new system, still believing in turnaround (although I think its just to calm the fans down). Murray and Hartsburg probably not going anywhere in the next 2 years.

It's got to be lip service. He can't be this blind. Sure they may turnaround, but this season is done. I am starting to think more and more that they are buying time until the deadline when they can start making significant changes.

Would be nice to get MLS in Ottawa. I'd love to catch a game when I'm back in town.

hemlock wrote:It's got to be lip service. He can't be this blind. Sure they may turnaround, but this season is done. I am starting to think more and more that they are buying time until the deadline when they can start making significant changes.

Would be nice to get MLS in Ottawa. I'd love to catch a game when I'm back in town.

Or he could say that we are as good as done and that everyone might as well stay home because there's nothing to see at Scotiabank Place. This team and this organization wants to get into the playoffs. Don't kid yourself.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

hemlock wrote:It's got to be lip service. He can't be this blind. Sure they may turnaround, but this season is done. I am starting to think more and more that they are buying time until the deadline when they can start making significant changes.

Would be nice to get MLS in Ottawa. I'd love to catch a game when I'm back in town.

Or he could say that we are as good as done and that everyone might as well stay home because there's nothing to see at Scotiabank Place. This team and this organization wants to get into the playoffs. Don't kid yourself.

On the other hand, Bryan Murray said he's gonna bring some farm players up for the rest of the season...
They KNOW the playoffs are unlikely to be reached. They just don't want to blow it up, but they certainly, IMO, want to trade all the upcoming UFAs, and inject a youth movement, have a good draft and reaload for next year.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

hemlock wrote:It's got to be lip service. He can't be this blind. Sure they may turnaround, but this season is done. I am starting to think more and more that they are buying time until the deadline when they can start making significant changes.

Would be nice to get MLS in Ottawa. I'd love to catch a game when I'm back in town.

Or he could say that we are as good as done and that everyone might as well stay home because there's nothing to see at Scotiabank Place. This team and this organization wants to get into the playoffs. Don't kid yourself.

Wanting to do something and actually doing are two different things though. I want this team to make the playoffs as well, it's just not realistic at this point. Rip off a stretch of 8-2 or something and then there might be a reason to believe.

hemlock wrote:Wanting to do something and actually doing are two different things though. I want this team to make the playoffs as well, it's just not realistic at this point. Rip off a stretch of 8-2 or something and then there might be a reason to believe.

All Melnyk really said was that it was possible to turn it around and the talent is there to pull it off. He's well aware of the odds. It's not up to him to do it and really can't blame him for wanting it. They pretty much need 4-game stretches of 3-1 all the way through with a couple of hiccups on the way. Hardly impossible.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

hemlock wrote:Wanting to do something and actually doing are two different things though. I want this team to make the playoffs as well, it's just not realistic at this point. Rip off a stretch of 8-2 or something and then there might be a reason to believe.

All Melnyk really said was that it was possible to turn it around and the talent is there to pull it off. He's well aware of the odds. It's not up to him to do it and really can't blame him for wanting it. They pretty much need 4-game stretches of 3-1 all the way through with a couple of hiccups on the way. Hardly impossible.

No it's not impossible. Believe me, I realize my outlook is pessimistic. Having played a .350 clip for the first half of the season, doesn't inspire confidence that they can suddenly turn it on and play at a .750 clip though. I'd love them to prove me wrong.

hemlock wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

hemlock wrote:Wanting to do something and actually doing are two different things though. I want this team to make the playoffs as well, it's just not realistic at this point. Rip off a stretch of 8-2 or something and then there might be a reason to believe.

All Melnyk really said was that it was possible to turn it around and the talent is there to pull it off. He's well aware of the odds. It's not up to him to do it and really can't blame him for wanting it. They pretty much need 4-game stretches of 3-1 all the way through with a couple of hiccups on the way. Hardly impossible.

No it's not impossible. Believe me, I realize my outlook is pessimistic. Having played a .350 clip for the first half of the season, doesn't inspire confidence that they can suddenly turn it on and play at a .750 clip though. I'd love them to prove me wrong.

Well, they did the opposite last year, so we never know

hemlock wrote:No it's not impossible. Believe me, I realize my outlook is pessimistic. Having played a .350 clip for the first half of the season, doesn't inspire confidence that they can suddenly turn it on and play at a .750 clip though. I'd love them to prove me wrong.

You're not being pessimistic at all. You're being just as realistic as Melnyk is being. That's my point. And he, along with most fans, will hope for the best and expect changes if the best isn't achieved by March 3rd.

Versage has mentioned Brendan Bell 5 times during this broadcast.

Kulka is picking "demographic" numbers out of the air to make his "point". LOL

It boggles my mind that they actually let Kulka interview people. His interviewing skills are worse than Stu's (scary, that is...), and he tortures the English language something fierce.

And, as we heard today, neither has any concept of prioritizing the issues in order of importance. Hands up how many out there needed to hear 10 minutes of Kulka describing his dental escapades. Right, that's what I thought.

Anyone given any consideration to an internet station? podcasts? something to ease the pain?

Acrobat wrote:It boggles my mind that they actually let Kulka interview people. His interviewing skills are worse than Stu's (scary, that is...), and he tortures the English language something fierce.

And, as we heard today, neither has any concept of prioritizing the issues in order of importance. Hands up how many out there needed to hear 10 minutes of Kulka describing his dental escapades. Right, that's what I thought.

Anyone given any consideration to an internet station? podcasts? something to ease the pain?

Hmm, personally, I can't stand Elliotte Friedman, and they let him do it on National broadcasts.

wprager wrote:Hmm, personally, I can't stand Elliotte Friedman, and they let him do it on National broadcasts.

Yeah, Vanilliotte is painfully bland.

They have taken to looping Jason Spezza's indifferent post-game remarks for comic effect. I dig it!

Way to go fellas!