Frustrated

Ok I might have snapped a bit today.

I am just so tired of reading all the negative media and negative comments about the Phoenix Coyotes, enough is enough already.

First we have the Canadian media always looking to show how much we are in the hole and that the team would do so much better in Canada (I am not going to dispute this fact here). We even have ESPN getting in on the bandwagon. The Coyotes come out and basically say there is nothing to worry about, but yet the rumors persist.

Second we have the comments on these articles. They are almost always negative and dissing the Coyotes franchise and their fans.

Thirdly we have the so-called fans that post on places like Azcentral.com. There is a group of posters (or one person with multiple screen names) who claims to be a fan but has nothing positive to say about the team, ever. They don’t even post when the team wins, only when they lose. Also, even some of the fans that seem to support the team turn into negative Nelly’s when we lose. Yes, I was disappointed in last nights game but there is a huge difference between constructive criticism and ripping the team apart. The fans that are usually good are even fighting amongst themselves on the site.

And lastly, there is no local news coverage on the Coyotes. When they win or do well, we don’t make the front page of Azcentral. We do get on there when we lose though. The media needs to help in building the Coyotes up. It’s so frustrating only seeing two seconds of the Coyotes on the news but the Cardinals don’t even play and they get 20 minutes.

So what pushed me over the edge today? I got my Coyotes News and Notes email and there was this article about the Coyotes struggle on the road by Ulf Samuelsson, the Coyotes defensive coach. It talked about how with the young guys they need to adjust to the schedule and travel in the West and about how the Coyotes home record was so much better at home compared to the road and last season. I scroll down to read the comments and find this:

John (Posted 2009-01-14 16:22:21)In Phoenix, they play to a half-empty (or worse) arena. Not exactly motivation to bust your butt is it? What a mistake it was to put an NHL franchise there!

It really pissed me off so I posted before I thought (I usually work very hard not to speak or post before I think, I have gotten in trouble for this as a youngster). This is what I posted:

Hey John, why don’t you try reading the article? It’s about Phoenix on the road. They have a much better home record this year. It’s called reading comprehension, you should try it sometime.

Seriously, the article did not talk about the Coyotes struggle at home because they are actually doing well this season at home. John apparently can’t read.

There are serious hockey fans here and ones that know what they are talking about. There are even some that were born and raised here. I am just sick of all the negativity surrounding the Coyotes and wish it would just go away. I do what I can to promote the Coyotes but sometimes it feels like it is all in vain. I don’t know what else I can do but continue to support them by buying tickets, talking about them, and writing this blog. It just makes me depressed that there are people out there who would celebrate if the Coyotes left Phoenix. If another team left their town, I would feel sorry for the fans there. I felt bad for Nashville a couple of years ago when they were struggling.

Are there other teams going through this currently and I just don’t know it because all I see is the Coyotes articles or are we all alone? If anyone knows, please let me know. I would like to see what is going on with other teams and what they are doing about it.