tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post515704983502590023..comments2024-03-05T19:21:13.252-05:00Comments on Eyes On The Prize: Vinny Will Be A Hab One DayRobert Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-64747301239290457662007-11-24T15:50:00.000-05:002007-11-24T15:50:00.000-05:00Thanks Gary, for the kind words and giving me a na...Thanks Gary, for the kind words and giving me a name I can better respond to.<BR/><BR/>I'm of two minds when it comes to booing opposing players. I don't hate if it is happening for a reason - like Crosby and his foolish antics from last year. But - it should never last beyond the context of one game. <BR/><BR/>Booing somebody for something they did last game, or last year, is just classless. Booing a player just because they are good, is plain dumb.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure that Vinny re - upping with TB can be interpreted as sending any message to Canadiens fans about how he feels about the city. When he inked that contract extension, I recall certain things he said about being surprised to receive such a large offer. It was perceived, with cap realities being new then, that owners were tightening up. It is quite likely that when Lecavalier was offered such a generous sum, that he barely paused to think twice before signing.<BR/><BR/>Next time he signs, things will be different. He'll be close to 30, and may look for different challenges. Where the Cup looks headed then will have alot to do with it. I doubt that he would remain with TB if they weren't a competitive team.<BR/><BR/>It will be interesting to watch what Montreal does in the next off season in regards to the following year.Robert Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-2227855654541651442007-11-24T15:26:00.000-05:002007-11-24T15:26:00.000-05:00Sorry Robert, I'm the first anon, Gary.You have a ...Sorry Robert, I'm the first anon, Gary.<BR/>You have a lot of work here, and your opinions make us think as well. <BR/>Every Habs fan would like to think of Vinnie playing on the team. At 20 minutes he would still be a game breaker. But, like Crosby, he went away when he was young. For eight years they form bonds in other places, see other things, marry, buy, invest in a circle of friends. Like Biron and Briere. Montreal needs something else to hook them when available, and I think that something is class.<BR/><BR/>Me, I couldn't believe when Crosby was booed at the Bell. The cameras caught the sudden reaction in his stride, and then on his face. Something changed inside him at that moment I think.<BR/><BR/>When Vinnie signed the extension you mention a lot of Habs fans felt he was sending a message. At the time there was a lot of talk about where Vinnie belonged, he re-signed with Tampa.<BR/><BR/>Now Vinnie or Crosby could write their own endorsement and contract tickets in Montreal, in Canada. But money isn't everything. When you have a choice it becomes often times, secondary.<BR/><BR/>So when Overchkin (sp?), Jagr, Crosby, or Vinnie come to the Bell, and make such beautiful moves, why can't the crowd just go quiet for a second and then applaud in admiration and respect. Sometimes those qualities are returned.<BR/><BR/>I am sorry if I implied Vinnie was booed, I do not recall if he was. Jagr and Crosby were.<BR/><BR/>GaryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-74498904507678974982007-11-24T05:43:00.000-05:002007-11-24T05:43:00.000-05:00Thanks for clarifying - signing in as Sam L at the...Thanks for clarifying - signing in as Sam L at the tail of an anonymous post works just as well for me. I believe you may have signed in a Sam once before - I recognize the name.<BR/><BR/>Specalutive posts such as this are great fun, but I would not post on it if I didn't have some sort of sixth sense intuition.<BR/><BR/>All through Habs history I have had a knack for predicting future Habs while such players were with other teams.<BR/><BR/>The first two I got right were Pierre Larouche and Denis Herron.<BR/><BR/>A little later on, I guessed Bobby Smith correctly, but was way off on Kevin Lowe.<BR/><BR/>In the early 1990's, I recall naming four players to my best friend, three of which became Habs.<BR/><BR/>I got Muller, Damphousse, and Turgeon - Theo Fleury was my slip up.<BR/><BR/>The last prediction I had right was Yannick Perreault.<BR/><BR/>Since then I've had two strikes - J.P. Dumont and Paul Kariya.<BR/><BR/>I cannot say from where these strange intuitions come from, but they do not happen very often.<BR/><BR/>The most recent "crystal ball visions" I've had, other than Vinny, involve Markus Naslund, Martin Brodeur ( I don't understand why! ), Francois Beauchemin, and Chris Draper.<BR/><BR/>I wake up some mornings with these transactions in my head. I've given up even trying to explain them to myself.<BR/><BR/>I'm likely more psycho than psychic, but it is an enerving trait, based on a 50/50 success rate.<BR/><BR/>Until I prove to myself that I am a total idiot, I'll go with my hunches.Robert Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-3608738521522114632007-11-24T04:25:00.000-05:002007-11-24T04:25:00.000-05:00lol, I tried Robert! For some reason I can't logi...lol, I tried Robert! For some reason I can't login with my gmail account.... it used to work, I think. Anyways, I'm anon#2 - Sam L. I'll remember to just sign my name in the future.<BR/><BR/>Yeah, it is just speculation for now, and fwiw, I have a gut feeling we'll see Lecavalier in bleu, blanc et rouge too.... but I'm cautious. He could get married to an American, Montreal's salary structure could change, TB might change theirs in order to keep Vinny, Toronto might become a Cup contender and go after.... wait... maybe not that last one.<BR/><BR/>Sam L.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-67335012655969480912007-11-24T01:32:00.000-05:002007-11-24T01:32:00.000-05:00Anonymouses - Please, both of you, LOL, could you ...Anonymouses - Please, both of you, LOL, could you reply to my posts with some type of identifiable name in the future. It would greatly help me in knowing who exactly I am speaking to, and it would also help me separate your replies from those who choose the same name only to act less respectively.<BR/><BR/>I would greatly appreciate the commaraderie of knowing who I am dealing with, especially since both your comments are really prodding me to think so hard for decent comebacks to such intelligent and well thought out questions.<BR/><BR/>Thanks.<BR/><BR/>In reply to Anon 2's comment:<BR/><BR/>Your question about where an athlete chooses to play is very relevant. Considering athletes are very different from one another - you are correct in suggesting how hard it might be to predict.<BR/><BR/>In Vinny's case, as his father is a die hard Habs fan, and that Lecavalier wears the number of his idol, I truly believe his "unexpressed" Habs desire is something he would want to look into when the time comes.<BR/><BR/>A few years back, when Lecavalier was having great troubles with the TB organization and it appeared he might be traded, he never mentioned any team as a preferred destination.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't put much stock in those "naive" childhood desires ( a la Crosby), Lecavalier is now a grown man capable of distinguishing between a risky move and a career enhancing once.<BR/><BR/>Should he desire some sort of after career hockey related job, he'd have his pick in the province of Quebec. Should he want to step into the media, coaching, or even team ownership, returning to Montreal would slam doors wide open for him.<BR/><BR/>Of course, I'm speculating a great deal here. It is just that many things seem to fit into the when, where, how and why he would want to make Montreal his destination.<BR/><BR/>I guess we'll just need to wait and see.Robert Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-69705169068140304672007-11-24T00:49:00.000-05:002007-11-24T00:49:00.000-05:00I hope that you're right too Robert, but it's so h...I hope that you're right too Robert, but it's so hard to predict. I think as fans we don't put enough consideration into where a player wants to live while doing his job. Will Montreal need to have a superior team/environment in 09/10 so that Vinny will choose Montreal over a warmer climate, say Anaheim? I guess it might be different if he had expressed a deep desire to play with the Habs, but I think the business of hockey would have altered that early naivete.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-71208586846017509252007-11-24T00:45:00.000-05:002007-11-24T00:45:00.000-05:00Brian - Kinda, sorta, but not neccessarily.Lecaval...Brian - Kinda, sorta, but not neccessarily.<BR/><BR/>Lecavalier was one year away from complete free agency when he inked the expension he is currently on. This contract kicked in last season, and he is in the second year of the three year deal.<BR/><BR/>The Lightening signed all three of its stars one after another after they'd won the Cup and Lecavalier likely didn't foresee the stranglehold all three salaries would place on the team's future.<BR/><BR/>Vinny has never become a UFA and thus has never held negotiations with any other team but Tampa.Robert Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-35002509565230987042007-11-23T22:17:00.000-05:002007-11-23T22:17:00.000-05:00didn't he already have his chance to sign with mon...didn't he already have his chance to sign with montréal and he passed it up?Bryan Driscollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05475775968417506054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-33791158425094599032007-11-23T19:07:00.000-05:002007-11-23T19:07:00.000-05:00They've never booed Vinny - I don't think! Briere ...They've never booed Vinny - I don't think! Briere earned his night of boos by using the Canadiens to leverage a better deal with Philly at the expense of Habs fan's (not mine!) hopes.<BR/><BR/>One night of getting on his case sent a message. The next time, absolute silence will send another.<BR/><BR/>It's kind of weird about Vinny and montreal - it's just something i have always had a feeling is bound to happen. Hopefully the Canadiens don't go sending a whack of players to get him and have the patience to wait out 2 more years.Robert Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16631806704699552307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31438400.post-63813768938689095162007-11-23T18:01:00.000-05:002007-11-23T18:01:00.000-05:00I hope you're right Robert. Usually people like to...I hope you're right Robert. Usually people like to stay with their friends, or if they do move, to play with friends. I really think that if the fans at the Bell cheered players like Crosby and Vinnie when they came to play that those players, and others, might just think "You know, I like this place."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com