I'm Divorcing The Philadelphia Flyers

The following blog was originally written for The Hockey Herald and can be found there by following this link: http://www.thehockeyherald.com/?p=3000

After 30 years of marriage, I'm leaving the Philadelphia Flyers. The reasons can be filed under irreconcilable differences which culminated in today's non activity at the NHL Trade Deadline. This breakup was not brought about by today's inactivity alone. Rather, it was caused, over the years, by issues that led to the necessity of today's inactivity.

One of our major issues is the Flyers lack of fiscal responsibility. Though I said I'd stand behind them no matter what, I have become disenfranchised with them throwing dollar after dollar at players past their prime who, in the end, bring nothing but hardship and stress to our marriage. Some were fleeting, and easy to get over. Adam Oates and Paul Coffey immediately come to mind. Others were more difficult to forgive. I still bear the scars of Luke Richardson, Mike Rathje, Chris Gratton, and Scott Hartnell, to name a few. And after those players leaves, I'm left to pick up the pieces and tell them "Thanks for trying, at least I know you want to win."

Another issue we have is the Flyers failure to find responsible insurance to look after our most prized possessions. They haven't provided a quality goaltender since our tenth wedding anniversary, the end of Ron Hextall's first tour of duty. Over the past 20 years they bought bogus policies off of everyone from Dominic Roussell to Roman Cechmanek. But, when we needed the goaltending to be there the most, it was nowhere to be found. I still can't believe I let them talk me into Jeff Hackett!

The final reason, and this one may be a bit vain, is that their old friends, who are quite arrogant and stubborn, are always around. And, it's apparent that they mean more to the Flyers than I do. The Flyers say they need these people around because they are a link to the glory days, the foundation on which the Flyers legacy was built. But, I wasn't even born when those Stanley Cups were won. And the game has changed so much since then. I appreciate friendship and loyalty as much as anyone. But, know your friends limitations. Maybe the Flyers shouldn't have let Bob Clarke be the GM for so long. I mean, the man is still fighting The Cold War. I thought that when they replaced him with Paul Holmgren things would change. But, alas, it's just more of the same. Dinosaurs trying to survive in a world that no longer exists for them. The Flyers have insisted on giving these "Friends" important jobs in the organization. They wouldn't listen to my plea to move on from them in order to save our marriage.

After our last separation in 2004, when the Flyers and I were apart for a year. They came back and promised me they would be different. They would try to make our marriage work within the new rules of the NHL. But they quickly reverted to their old ways and signed Derian Hatcher, a typical "Flyers" guy. and so, that spring, without fail, they left me broken hearted once more.

It wasn't always this way. There were plenty of good times. The 35 game unbeaten streak when we were newlyweds. And even though we were robbed that night on Long Island by Bobby Nystrom, I knew that there were good times ahead. The runs to the Stanley Cup Finals in '85 and '87. Hanging out with The Legion Of Doom.

But, the problems began to outweigh the good times. And the Flyers most recent failures with their roster, both financially and in the misjudgment of talent, and their stubborness to move on from the past, has left me with no other recourse. And, today was the result of those failures. The Flyers are no longer able to do the things needed to make this marriage work. So, I must let them go. But know that I do so with a full heart. I won't find another team, that would be too awkward. Even though that Patrick Kane is a lot fun to watch.

-Mike Tursi

2010 Winter Games & NHL

Below is a link to my collaborative article with Crash The Crease blogger Dustin Leed. We discuss hockey's impact on the average sports fan during The Games, and the pros and cons of the NHL sending players to Sochi in 2014.

http://www.crashthecrease.com/2010/03/02/2010-winter-games-the-aftermath/

-Mike Tursi

An Open Letter To Philadelphia Sports Fans

Dear Philadelphia Sports Fans,

I know, more often than not, we do not see eye to eye. Despite sharing the same neighborhood, we are vastly different. I don't even have a rooting interest in most of your teams. Except the Flyers, and I take issue with some of their fans too. Though not always, I tend to side with the national media's perception of you But, you have to admit, you don't make it easy to defend some your actions. Snowballs at Santa, Booing a possibly paralyzed Dallas Cowboys wide receiver.

Well, enough about that. I'm writing to tell you that, on the topic of Donovan McNabb... You are right! The national media has been in love with McNabb since the day he was drafted. And, I guess I can see why. From a distance, he seems to be very successful (for more on this phenomenon, see Peyton Manning). But a closer look reveals that McNabb isn't all that the sports pundits make him out to be. By the numbers, his career may, in deed, land him in the Hall of Fame (For more on this see one of my previous posts: http://bit.ly/4r16Uu ). But in a league where ultimate success is measured by Playoff performances, most notably, Super Bowl championships, he falls remarkably short and deserves your questioning of his abilities, if not your venom.

In the future, the McNabb era may be reflected upon with a measure gratitude. After all, the Eagles have been one of the 21st century's most successful NFL franchises. But they have repeatedly fallen short of their ultimate goal. And, it should be noted, they've fallen short of that goal, more times than not, as favorites. McNabb's Eagle teams have always beaten the opponents they were supposed to, during the regular season, before the pressure got taken up a notch. In a league where team success greatly relies on quarterback success, McNabb and the Eagles don't measure up.

So, don't let the national media bash you on this one. Arm yourself with the stats. But also arm yourself with the story. McNabb certainly isn't Ryan Leaf. But when the day is done, he'll be a lot closer to Dan Marino than he will be to Joe Montana.

Your friend,

Mike Tursi

The Debate: NHL Players In The Olympics

My original idea for this post was to show that as North American professional sports leagues became more worldly, the debate should be laid to rest as to whether or not it's fair that pro athletes be allowed to compete for their country. After all, this isn't 1992, when a Dream Team of NBA superstars traveled to Barcelona & wreaked havoc on the Basketball events of the summer games.

But an unofficial poll on such social networking sites as Twitter and Facebook has shown me that there are many people who are very much divided on the topic. And, I found that it wasn't nessecarily about balance of competition, or even whether pros should be allowed to compete in what is usually an ametuer event. Rather, the biggest debate was about how the layoff will effect the league that the players regularly play in.

This has become a bit of a moot point for the NBA, since basketball is a summer event and the NBA plays during the fall and winter months. But, in hockey, it's quite a hot topic, because the NHL is forced to take a two week hiatus. So who's right and who's wrong. I'll give you both sides, then I'll give you my opinion. After that, you can decide for yourself.

Pros:

The NHL is no longer a North American league. It may be the most global of the four major sports on the continent. This influx of European and Russian athletes has infused a sort of Olympic feel in the league's day to day operations (The NHL even experimented with a North America vs. The World All Star format). Allowing it's players to compete on a world stage can only help grow a sport so desperately seeking real estate among it's bigger, more popular brothers.

Piggy-backing on the above point; having NHL players guarantees world class competition. Each game in the tournament is a mini All Star game. Again, not a bad showcase for a sport trying to grow in popularity.

Olympic teams have competitive balance. Unlike the 1992 Dream Team, allowing NHL players to compete for their countries has leveled the playing field.

The stereotype regarding the desires of the athletes are no longer divided by region. It was always presumed that North American players grew up with dreams of winning a Stanley Cup over an Olympic Medal. Conversely, it was assumed that players who came from overseas to play in the NHL didn't have the passion to strive for the Stanley Cup and were only here to collect a paycheck and showcase their talents. Now all players get to compete for both. North American players learned the value of playing for their country while European and Eastern Asian players developed a desire to compete for Lord Stanley's Cup. *NOTE* I stress that these are stereotypes. In no way am I disputing the validity of an athletes desire to compete. At any level, or for any trophy.

Cons:

What about the NHL? Is a two week hiatus a good thing for a league trying to grow in popularity. Sure, hockey fans will be paying attention to the Olympic Games. And it doesn't hurt that the host country is hockey crazed Canada. But, the lights will be turned off for two weeks. Any modest fan who was becoming a little more curious about the NHL might be turned off, especially since NBC hasn't done much to put hockey at the forefront of its broadcasts. You have to do a little channel surfing to find the games. Will that mildly curious fan just stick to alpine skiing and figure skating? Even Snowboarding gets billing over hockey on the NBC network of Olympic channels. Does the NHL, and the game of hockey itself, need another sport to compete with? *NOTE* Hockey can be found on every channel in Canada, this argument only applies to the United States Markets.

Team momentum will no doubt be affected by the break. Teams like the Flyers, who had just seemed to find a positive rhythym, are stopped in their tracks. And who knows if they can find that groove again when play resumes. This works both ways. Teams on slides, the Devils and Penguins come to mind, could be aided by the break. It might allow them to regroup and come back with a new slate to work with. My point is, how is that fair to the competitive balance of a league which has obviously worked very hard to achieve such a balance in the first place.

Chemistry is another element bound to be affected. Most of the league's players are home with family, while a small percentage rev up the concentration levels to compete for their countries. This may cause teammates and linemates to be on different pages when play resumes.

Injury and fatigue are probably the biggest points in the argument against NHL players in the Winter Games. Yes, we all have National Pride, even million dollar athletes. But these men collect paychecks from teams counting on them to produce revenue, excitement, and ultimately, a championship for their fan base. What if one of them is seriously injured during the Olympics? It would not only impact that player's season, but quite possibly, the fate of his team. After all, we're not talking about the Donald Brashears of the NHL playing in this tournament. It's the Crosbys and Ovechkins. Players that the NHL depends on. Also, it is said that The Stanley Cup just might be the hardest trophy to win in all of sports. The NHL Playoffs are a grueling marathon. How will players respond after having already exhausted so much in pursuit of Olympic glory?

My Take:

Despite the risk of losing the casual viewer, or even losing a player for the season due to injury. I like having NHL Players in the Olympics. I've long said, you're either a fan of hockey, or you're not. The NHL shouldn't concern itself with chasing casual fans. It has one of the most loyal fan bases in all of sports, and should play to that strength. As for injury; any one of us could get hurt walking down the street, that shouldn't even be an argument.

The Olympics create a unique opportunity to showcase the many talented athletes who play in the NHL, and can provide hockey fans everywhere with an opportunity to witness the game played at it's highest level. And if the casual fan wants to hop on board for the ride, so be it.

Lastly, as I mentioned above, we all have National Pride. It's not the players fault that some smart business men decided to start leagues that allowed lots of people the opportunity to make lots of money. National pride knows no dollar sign. If my country has terrific players, I want them playing for my team to help my country gain international bragging rights.

- Mike Tursi

A Perception of Philadelphia Sports Fans; From The Inside

This past Saturday, I took a ride to visit my parents. The 40 minute ride, spent listening to Sports Talk Radio, was just long enough for me to become even more perplexed at the attitude of the average Philadelphia Sports fan.

Now, before you bash this post. Or lambaste me as an outsider who doesn't understand what it means to be a Philly sports fan (more on that later). Let me give you my credentials, which will validate why I can expound on this subject. I was born and raised in South Philadelphia, mere blocks from the sports complex. I am a lifelong Flyers fan, though I don't have a rooting interest in the other pro sports teams who reside here. I have attended Flyers, Sixers, Eagles, and Phillies games quite frequently throughout my life. I am a proud Philadelphian. Also, I have traveled to many other sporting venues, both famous and infamous, and have seen how the other half lives. Such trips include Wrigley Field, Fenway Park (for Yankees/ Red Sox), Yankee Stadium, The Belle Centre in Montreal, Le Collise in Quebec, the then named Corel Centre in Ottawa, both the Capital Center and Verizon Center in Washington, The Miami Arena in Florida. I have spent significant time in Pittsburgh, Michigan, and New York among other places.

Now that you know about where I'm coming from, let's start start with why I got the idea for this post in the first place. Friday night, Kobe Bryant, supposed Phialdelphia Son, came to Philly with the Lakers for a less than anticipated matchup with the Sixers. Kobe was booed. And the venom had spilled over onto Saturday's air waves. They talked about how Kobe doesn't respect his roots, talked about how he wanted to "rip Philly's heart out" in the 2001 NBA Finals, and my favorite... he was a Mets fan growing up. I took issue with most of these. And came up with a laundry list of things I still don't get about Philly sports fans.

I get the passion. I appreciate the passion. It is better here than in most other sports cities. But it's misplaced... maybe misrepresented. There is a small town atmosphere that hovers over this city. And it leads to an almost single mindedness when it comes to sports. An athlete must be a blue collar type, hard nosed and willing to crash into a wall. That's why Lenny Dykstra and Bobby Clarke are adored here. It's also why athletes with tremendous ability, like Mike Schmidt, are regarded with an air of caution. He (Schmidt) was so good, he made it look easy. Too easy. People say he didn't try hard enough.

Also, if you are from within these city limits, you are expected to carry that passion for Philly wherever you go. And if you don't, you are scorned. And if you aren't from here. People think you should just go away, because you are not one of them and couldn't possibly understand. Meaning, you don't know what you're talking about.

But, the behavior that perplexes me the most is the outrage one receives if someone from Philly is not a fan of one the city's four professional teams. It goes back to that single mindedness that I mentioned earlier. They won't talk about other teams on the airwaves, you're shooed off the air if you even try to bring it up. If you are a fan of another team, you're deamed a fraud, a bandwagon jumper, and your knowledge on the subject of sports will be forever speculated with no real basis.

I can't explain why this attitude persists here. Maybe it's jealousy? Jealousy of more successful cities with more successful franchises. I think it's the losing. Sure, teams win here. But it's in spurts. Glimpses of winning sandwiched between decades of frustration. Whatever the reason, it confounds me. And it will continue to confound me.

-Mike Tursi

Saints Providing More Than Joy For City Of New Orleans

In August of 2005 a mighty Hurricane smashed into the Gulf Coast of The United States. In it's wake, it left one of America's greatest treasures, The City of New Orleans, submerged in a dark abyss. As with any tragedy that befalls fellow citizens, Americans quickly responded, and gave whatever they could to help the flood ravaged city. But, as with all things, the spotlight of the media eventually faded, and the tragedy was removed from the American collective conscious.

Almost 5 years later, the effort to rebuild still goes on, . Many people continue to devote countless hours to rebuilding the Parishes and infrastructure of New Orleans. And, it's citizens can use any boost they can find to keep the morale strong. Enter The New Orleans Saints.

Throughout America's History Sports has always been there to help us heal, rise, and give us a respite from the realities of tragedy. From "The Green Light Letter" That President Roosevelt wrote to Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which stated that "baseball would provide a much-needed morale boost to those on the homefront and to American service personnel overseas." to more recent examples, such as the Yankees in 2001. They put the City of New York on their collective backs and provided, not only the citizens of the Big Apple, but the country as a whole, with a few hours of relief each night with an amazing run to the World Series. There's also the Michigan State Spartans, who, in 2009, in the wake of economic meltdown in the auto industry, made an improbable run to The Final Four in which their home state was the host.

And now, there are the New Orleans Saints. Though they were always a mainstay, the Saints seemed to be background noise to the Jazz, Gumbo, and decadence that defined New Orleans. But in September of 2006, when the Saints returned to The Superdome for the first time since Katrina, there was something different about them. In the years that followed, the Saints rose to the upper echelon of the NFL. But now, as New Orleans continues to quietly put the pieces back together, their community is united by a common bond. Football. Last Sunday, the Saints defeated Brett Favre and the Vikings in overtime to reach their first ever Super Bowl. This magical season has given the people who are struggling to put their lives back together a few hours each week to put aside their worries and concerns and focus on something that can bring them joy.

So, as you prepare your Super Bowl Parties, and hope that you can avoid being too hung over for work on Monday morning. Remember that there might be one team out there playing for a little bit more. They're playing for a community that is continuing to try to rebuild and heal. And we all can appreciate that.

-Mike Tursi

Looking Back On The 2010 Winter Classic

I am not a fan of gimmicks used in sports. And, I usually have some dispute with the NHL regarding it's frequent rule changes regarding overtime, shootouts, and an outdated and ineffective point system. But when it comes to The Winter Classic, the NHL has hit it out of the park.

What began as The Heritage Classic, six years ago; The Winter Classic has evolved into a must see New Year's Day event. The concept was modeled after a college hockey rivalry game, called "The Cold War", played outdoors between the University of Michigan and Michigan State. The Heritage Classic, played in Edmonton, Alberta between the Oilers and Canadiens, drew a record viewership on CBC.

Five years later the name of the game was changed to The Winter Classic. And thanks to things both controlled by the NHL and elements that were beyond their control, a hockey event like no other was born.

In 2008, the first NHL Game ever played outdoors in the US took place at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium between the Sabres and Penguins. With the snow falling, NHL Super Sensation, Sidney Crosby gave the visiting Penguins a dramatic win with a goal in the shootout, and the Legend of The Winter Classic was born.

The following year, the NHL bested themselves by reaching far back into, not only Hockey's rich past, but also the past of America's National Pastime. An epic showdown between two of the Original Six NHL teams in a venue almost as old as Lord Stanley's Cup, Wrigley Field in Chicago. The game once again lived up to the billing, with the Red Wings getting a come from behind victory over the Blackhawks, their old rivals. TV Ratings increased by 12%. The legend was growing.

In July of 2009, the NHL announced this year's Winter Classic site. Sticking with a formula that seemed to be working, they selected a sporting National Treasure as a venue and another old rivalry as the competitors. The Boston Bruins would host the Philadelphia Flyers at Historic Fenway Park in Boston.

Pageantry was the Hallmark of the pregame festivities. A banner of Bruin retired Jersey was hung next to the retired numbers of Red Sox Heros of yesteryear. Honorary Captains were brought in from the height of the teams rivalry. Bobby Clarke for the Flyers and Bobby Orr for the Bruins. Their arrival sent the mixed crowd into a frenzy that never seemed to ebb for the rest of the afternoon, as the crowd remained on their feet for most of the game.

As for the game itself; once again, it lived up to the billing. A gritty, almost playoff like atmosphere engulfed the old ballpark. And, as if written by a Hollywood script, The Broad Street Bullies' Dan Carcillo and the Big Bad Bruins' Shawn Thornton were combatants in The Winter Classic's first ever fight.

The Bruins have been unwilling participants in many of the Flyers historic moments. Philadelphia's first Stanley Cup was won against the mighty Bruins, and it was into a Bruins empty net that Flyers goaltender, Ron Hextall would score, becoming the first goaltender ever to shoot and score a goal in the NHL. This game had that feel as the Flyers clung to a 1-0 lead late in the third period. But this epic game wouldn't go the Flyers way. With the shadows growing long as the sun faded behind the Green Monster, the Bruins were able to tie the game late, and then send the Fenway Faithful home happy with an overtime win. The Legend appears to be here to stay.

Next year there will be another venue and, hopefully, another great game. Maybe a return to Canada. Though it will be hard to ignore the big market of New York City and the Bright Lights of the newly christened Yankee Stadium. The Rangers have been considered in the past, most recently as the Bruins 2010 opponent. Wherever the venue and whomever the team, the NHL just needs to continue to ride this wave of good will and good fortune. Congratulations NHL, you've certainly found a Classic in this event.

-Mike Tursi