Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dciem.UUCP Path: utzoo!dciem!jeff From: jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey Subject: Re: Re: Let's give some respect to the Vancouver Canucks Message-ID: <1704@dciem.UUCP> Date: Tue, 8-Oct-85 08:44:59 EDT Article-I.D.: dciem.1704 Posted: Tue Oct 8 08:44:59 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 8-Oct-85 09:26:29 EDT References: <7564@watrose.UUCP> <664@alberta.UUCP> <7569@watrose.UUCP> <669@alberta.UUCP> <7586@watrose.UUCP> Reply-To: jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) Distribution: net Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada Lines: 37 Summary: > Well, I guess what you mean here is that a team's current ability > should be based on their previous year's performance. > > I don't know if I agree with that totally. Sure the previous year indicates > something. However, I think a team's past few years may give you a better > indication of what you can expect from a team. I disagree. When a team has a year like the Canucks or Rangers had last year, a lot of people will say, "they had a bad year; they're really a much better team than their record last season indicates. They'll return to their previous level this year." However, it just doesn't work that way. The record over an 80 game season is a pretty good indication of the direction in which the team is heading. The Chicago Black Hawks were a great team in 82/83, but they followed it with a terrible 83/84. Everyone said, "they were just unlucky. They had a bad year and a lot of injuries. They'll be great again in 84/85." Well, they were better, but nowhere near as good as in 83/84. I'm sure I could think of several other examples, and the only exception I can think of is the Montreal Canadiens. But their quick recovery was due to the fact that they started a rebuilding program, whereas most of the teams that have a big sag in one season don't make many player changes because they figure they still have the people that got them where they were two years ago, so those same people can get them back there again. Getting back to the Canucks, sure Tom Watt is a great coach, and they may be slightly improved, but it's going to take a big sag by the Kings or the Flames to get the Canucks back in the playoffs. And I don't care how much Ranger fans think Don Maloney's absence hurt the team, they won't be much better this year either. I know not everyone agrees with me, and we could argue back and forth about it forever, so if anyone disagrees, there's no need to say anything unless you can name some teams that have come back to their former level after one bad year. -- Jeff Richardson, DCIEM, Toronto (416) 635-2073 {linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,floyd}!utcsri!dciem!jeff {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!dciem!jeff