With that in mind, I'll give you the Five Reasons it would be good if he became involved, and the Five Reasons it would be bad if he became involved.
First, the good:
- He would replace one or both of Oren Koules and Len Barrie, immediately making the team at least 20% more respectable and legitimate. Inevitably, Koules and Barrie will engage in an entertaining pillow fight over exactly who he's replacing.
- He has a limited role in the ownership of the Boston Red Sox. While I don't like the Red Sox (or any Boston team for that matter), experience in sports is a good thing.
- He's known to be "innovative and aggressive." Sounds a lot like Vinny Lecavalier.
- He's estimated to be worth over $500 million.
He would stabilize the financial situation,and allow everyone in the organization to concentrate on
what they are actually supposed to be doing.
For Rick Tocchet, that means coming up with good line combinations.
- Is in no way, shape, or form involved in the production of overrated, crappy horror films.
Now, more importantly, the bad:
- Don't Trade Vinny would lose approximately 35% of it's material if one of the Ringling Brothers leaves the management group.
- He evidently has no experience in hockey, which might
lead him to believe that Brian Lawton is not a complete idiot.
- Is involved with Boston sports, so he's probably an arrogant, classless jerk, that has his
- Since he's made a career out of investment and finance, probably has no real interest in team success, and just wants to make money.
- Has already created a rumor that Lecavalier will be the first to go. If this happens, the entire organization will collapse. People will lose their jobs, homes, and families. All hope will be lost. I'll start gaining weight, quit shaving, consider going out and playing jacks in the middle of the nearest highway, and start crying myself to sleep every night like an alcoholic widow. Don't Trade Vinny will be abused, neglected, and eventually shot down like an old, arthritic, washed-up race horse. (This is not Haiti. I'm not that insensitive.)
Yeah, you hit the nail on the head with the "he's just in it to make money" bit. If you want to know where a franchise goes when that happens, just look at the Blues under Bill Laurie.
ReplyDeleteLooks like someone else agrees with us: http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/31133-THNcom-Blog-Vinik-buying-Bolts-would-signal-bad-news-for-team-league.html
Yeah, I'm pretty terrified. Despite what Tocchet thinks, this team will be lost without Lecavalier. We have a TON of young players, including Stamkos who, like Lecavalier, is a number one pick. You better believe that Lecavalier is "raising" him in that locker room.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say "He's already created" the rumor aobut Vinny. Look at the source -- pro Montreal Ken Campbell. Look at Ken's writings the past few days adn there are two agendas in his writing: Anti0Bettman and Trade Vinny. He even ties the two together at one point.
ReplyDeleteBut more player-personel changes in general are a distraction to the club. The potential is there with any ownership change.
Very good points. And yeah, I would never indicate that this is the first time a Vinny rumor has come up. I was just meaning that the first we've heard of this guy involves moving Vinny.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny in sports how, whenever a new owner takes over a team (owners are generally supposed to be hands-off), like you said, there are usually players moved?
It should be a whirlwind as this deal does, or doesn't happen. Here's hoping that at the end of this, Vinny is still our captain.