BE-LEAF-ABLE

That's true. There's clearly a split of sorts "up there". Those who want to move the team is the right direction (up), those who don't know what they're doing, and those that just don't care to begin with. I honestly think that at least some part of this team does want to win, and is willing to do what it thinks it needs to do change this team into something other than the predictable. It must be a very small part though, 'cause in the end things never make any sense.

I guess how it takes them 3 weeks to "almost" get a trade done that other teams could complete in 1 - 2 days could be an example of the inchesion this team has

In the end, the majority of ownership is probably garbage, 'cause in the end they either get what they want (which turns into a disgrace on the ice) or they clearly don't care.

I never liked Rogers, but if they're gonna' do what they gotta' do... well, I don't know. I wish there was some other way. Either no one wants to take leadership in this organisation, or no one can. In the end, yet again, it's all just a mess.

Mark Cuban? Why would he go to Canada for a Hockey team? I have no idea, but he's crazy, and it makes no sense at all... but I wouldn't mind it.

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"It's not the way it's going to be. We have to be very, very patient and build this the right way. We have to go through a process. It may be painful. I hope it isn't. But we're prepared for all the bumps and pratfalls and potholes in the road ahead. I'm prepared for it anyway, or I wouldn't have come." - Ron Wilson, Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

canadiancreed

Maybe he could have more pull on Little Napoleon to get a team in Hamilton then Balisee?

Amoroq

The board knows crap about basketball and when they see attendance drop for the Raptors they knew they had to hire a basketball guy and got a guy who is 2 time exec of the year and probably one of the smartest guys in that sport.

Now with hockey, most on the board think they know the game, the players, the gms etc etc etc enough to think they are experts. They need someone to come in, sit them all down, light their cigars and slap them with the cold hard truth. They don't know Jack about hockey!! Give them all accounts to yahoo sports and let them run a team that way and let the experts run the real team.

Its too bad about JFJ, his true value will be never known. Who knows how well or even how much worse it could have been, had he full autonomy like his counterpart for the Raptors, Colangelo.

JFJs true value was/is player drafting and development, just take a look at some of the stats of the players drafted in late rounds under his watch. Not too shabby. Oh well, moving on!

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My Local OHL Team Niagara IceDogs
The Scoreboards
"Dont worry, if the Leafs made a run for the cup, the security guards at the HHOF would stop them."

canadiancreed

Your points puts it exactly. Attendance = loss of revenue, and thats' what these folks need to react. Now look at hockey attedence in Toronto. It's probably up there with death and taxes as things that are guarenteed to happen without fail. The board knows (and before them, Ballard) that they can throw out choad and the zealots in blue and white will pack that arena to the gills every night for every game. Why pay more or get better or even try to get better when your paying customers both at home and now through pay-per-view are telling you with their wallents that they support that way things are being done now, and really have been done since the late 60's.

Amoroq

This argument just doesn't make logical sense to me. In the pre-cap era they were always one of the top spending teams, and since the cap have always been pushed up against it. I really think there are 2 factions who think they know whats best and which direction to go in and the board is split 50/50 hence the stalemate.

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My Local OHL Team Niagara IceDogs
The Scoreboards
"Dont worry, if the Leafs made a run for the cup, the security guards at the HHOF would stop them."

MaCabe

At one side of the stick JFJ inherited a crap pile when it comes to the leafs, he had one season and then a cap was put in place, a cap which the prior season's leaf's had doubled int he season prior to the cap. He wasn't able to go out, like GMs of the past and pick up big name guys.

On the other side Fergie has tied down a lot of money for a long period of time to players that may not need it. I still defend the McCabe signing and feel his contract is market value when in comparison to Souray and Jovo, but players like Kubinia seem to have been excessive and really seemed to hurt his already threatening cap problems.

Also when considering what he has let go I almost question his reasoning, I am still in the Lindros camp and think that he was the character guy who allowed Sundin some breathing room, but in his absence nobody seems to have stepped up. With all that said under Fergie we has 4-5 different young guys cracking the top two lines defensively and offensively and we have players such as Stajan, Antropov and Poni who have come out of the woodwork and are finally living to their potential. Finally you look, not at the major signings, but the minor ones that Fergie has pulled off and some of them have been quite impressive. Bates Battiglia, or Boyd Deauveax (sp?) come to mind. I think Quinn picked Kilger up off waivers from Montreal, but Fergie has definitely identified his importance to the success of this franchise. Bottom line though is Fergie is well on his way to making Maple Leaf history, in the bad way (and in this franchise it is hard o make significant additions to the negative history), and with all the pluses he hasn't been able to get it done, and if he lasts to the end of the season and the leafs are on the outside again, he is gone or at least he should be.

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