Chairman How's Glorious Army
Significantly Lowering the Bar Since 2008.

Well. Let’s see if we remember how to do this…

Listen, what can I tell you — I really never expected to do this again. If I’m totally honest, I’m not really sure exactly why I am. I suppose it’s this feeling of unfinished business, a feeling like I should really see it through to some kind of better ending. Whatever it is, I’m really not harboring any kind of expectations here, and I guess you probably shouldn’t, either. In the end, though, you’re here, I’m here…why don’t we see where this baby goes? We owe each other that much, at least.

If you haven’t seen it, my esteemed partner put up a poll earlier in the week asking what the biggest problem of the season is. While the problems on the ice are many and glaringly apparent, I’d like to throw a new wrinkle into the question. Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be a very, very different feeling in the stands this year? From where I sit, there is a strong undercurrent of hostility among the fans (not ALL fans, relax) when it comes to this particular group of guys. The boos have seemingly gotten louder and more genuine, almost as if there’s an honest and growing dislike for this team. Obviously, I can’t speak for everyone in the building, nor do I claim to, but there’s just something different about the restlessness among the natives this year.

I’ve thought about it, and I think it is a long-simmering frustration that is beginning to boil over. It seems like there is a growing feeling among the diehards that everyone, both in the stands and on the ice, would just as soon have the season end now rather than play out the rest of the schedule. There really hasn’t been that one unifying theme or moment to rally around this season, and it seems like we’re all just going through the motions. Let’s all be honest with ourselves for a moment — season ticket holders, if you hadn’t already paid for your seat, would you still show up to see these guys every night? That’s not meant to be a shot at the on-ice product…not totally, anyway. It just seems like we’re all showing up out of habit; we show up, do what we normally do out of instinct, then go home.

Then there is what seems to be the growing realization that, really, this is as good as it’s going to get. If we’re all honest with each other here, this train wreck of a season can’t be pinned on Player X being hurt or called up for an extended period of time. Really, it can’t. Personally, I don’t think it would matter who is in the lineup on any given night, more often than not it’s just not going to work out as well as any of us may hope it will. That’s frustrating, and I think that it’s starting to show. After two decades of mediocrity, the natives are restless, and the Gong Show mentality that typically fits into Crunch hockey isn’t enough anymore. People want more. People want a winner, and it’s simply not possible right now.

Many have pointed out that the organization had a wheelbarrow of money to throw at an outdoor game to drum up some publicity and ticket sales, but that money would have been better utilized on roster moves. I’m not going to argue that, but with that comes the old chestnut about the organization not being able to sign its own players and use its own money to better the on-ice product. We’ve all beaten that horse to death a million times over through the years, so much so that it isn’t even worth discussing. In the end though, it all points to the same thing — any desire to ice a winner is tripped up by any number of circumstances that no one seems to be able to — or want to — change.

I guess what it all comes down to is a very simple question…does anyone really feel like they are getting their money’s worth anymore? It seems that the answer, with increasing frequency and volume, is no. Nothing surrounding this team, from a roster cobbled together seemingly two to three weeks after every other team during training camp, to seat upgrades being done in an entirely halfassed fashion due to bureaucratic ineptitude, to a scoreboard that may very well never actually show up, to a team that more often than not seems like it can’t get out of its own way, gives off an indication of value for the money, time and effort put into following it.

It is that sinking feeling of diminishing returns that has made me not want to renew my tickets for next season. I’m fine with not going 80-0 and winning the Cup. I’ve always been (somewhat) realistic about this franchise being what it truly is. Even so, I’ve always been able to hang my hat on getting at least an equivalent amount of entertainment for my investment. I can’t really say that anymore, and it seems that the number of people who can’t say it along with me are growing with every uninspired loss. I don’t claim to know the answers for fixing the mess that the Crunch organization has become, but I feel pretty confident in saying that I’m not alone in feeling more than a little ripped off, and without some kind of proof of commitment on someone’s part, be it in Syracuse, Columbus or wherever, there may very well be a lot of empty seats in the War Memorial next season. Whether or not anyone will actually care, however, is the bigger question.