Nashville Predators Fanatics

When I receive my new Sporting News or Sports Illustrated in the mail I often turn to the (oh so brief) NHL section, mostly to see whether there might be any significant mention of the (increasingly significant) Predators. FINALLY! See the recent issue of Sporting News magazine: it has the first substantive article on the Preds in a major sports magazine since SI did a piece on them a couple of years ago just after the (dreaded) Forsberg trade.  Good press, it cites the Predators scouting, coaching, and work ethic as models for small market teams in the NHL (and, by implication, for teams in any major sport).

Play-wise, meanwhile, this is starting to look like the breakout year.  The second round year.




Category: NHL

Nashville Turns Attention To Preds

The city of Nashville is rapidly becoming a different kind of sports town.  You walk through the Mall and you see sporting good stores, there are people wearing Volunteer Jerseys, Titan Jerseys, and Predator Jerseys and yes there are even a sprinkling of Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee hats.  Nashville has embraced the variety of sports offerred in Middle Tennessee. 

There seems at least in talking or listening to the different fans that there is no conflict amongst the teams and who they root for.  What I am saying is at least in Nashville the folks around here are letting the Season have its way with them.  During college season, i.e. football, they root for their local college team.  One case in point is a fan that I observed over the course of a couple of weeks.  He has Tennessee Flags that he hangs on the window of his truck.  They are there on Friday.  He brings them down on Saturday night after the game and puts up his Titan Flags.  Well, guess what, now he puts up a Predator Flag. Heck, I didn't even know they had those.

Tennessee is a little slow in the East at being full bore to all the professional sports, but believe me, it is catching on. The funny thing is however they are not ashamed of their teams and everybody knows who they are.  This brings me to my point.  The Predators are gaining more space in the local papers than ever before.  People are still catching on and a lot of them are children and grandchildren. Nashville will be a hockey Mecca in another generation.  I grew up and saw the Nashville Dixie Flyers before they folded.  It was great but once they were gone I could no longer become messermized by the scraping of the skaters blades on the ice, the slamming into the walls, and eye appealing movement up and down the ice.  One of the things that appeals to the young generation is the movement on video games.  Well it is like watching a fast paced video game when you come to hockey and more and more due to price, I think it fits right into the the affordability of region.

Nashville is turning their attention to the Preds.  We came into this season not expecting to make the playoffs.  All of a suddent Chicago is in first and here we are in 5th overall and only 4 points behind.  We actually are tied for 4th with 47 points.   JP Dumont and Martin Erat are becomming household names amongst Predator fans.  The keeping of Steve Sullivan has energised the fan base.  Barry Trotz shook up the lines and all of a sudden we are scoring and doing things we never thought possible. It appears more than every if we keep up doing the small things that the Predators Playoff Chances are a Real possibility.  What do you think? 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all and now will someone pass me the egg nog?

   

Category: NHL

I am so thrilled at how this season is shaping up.  I know we have a lot of hockey left to play but the product on the ice is nothing like the one I saw early in the season when we got shelled 6-1, 5-0, etc.  Will this be the year of the first round playoff win??? One can only hope.



Category: NHL

Well, we may not have a lot of posts, but it looks like the doubters and anti-expansion "isn't Nashville in Alabama?" types are more and more cautious about posting digs against our "damn strong" hockey club. Granted we need the first round win.  But ten years in, this looks like a team that can play like it belongs at the top and knows it. History is starting to matter: we're now firmly above .500 _total_ since beginning as an expansion club (not a relocated club) in 1998: 364-342-60-36-18 (0.513).  Four out of the past five years in the playoffs and a gritty near miss last year.  Also a tenacious attitude to belonging in the league.  I can remember Red Wing and Devils fans celebrating on Broadway 6 years ago like they owned the place.  Do you really want to play an away game here now? Go cell block.


Category: NHL

The boys are looking great right now! Hope they can keep it up...

Category: NHL