Get Your Popcorn Ready - JULY 23.08
Entry posted by Chuck Stanley
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<table align="center" border="0" width="80%"><tbody><tr><td><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2008/02/chuckstanley_sm.jpg" align="left" hspace="4">Summer means blockbuster movies and blockbuster NHL free agent signings. The similarities between the two could spark another Oliver Stone conspiracy theory.
1. Great expectations often become great disappointment.
One evening many years ago, a friend called and asked if I wanted to go to a movie. “It’s a great show!” he said. “It’s about this guy who gets captured by the Irish Republican Army and then becomes friends with one of his captors!” With my hopes raised, my friend took me to see… The Crying Game. The moral of the story? Great expectations often become great disappointment.
Rumours of several big names coming to Vancouver made it hard for Canuck fans to contain their excitement on the eve of free agent season. However, it didn’t take long for reality to hit and prove most of those rumours as wrong as The Love Guru (The Leafs winning the Cup? Only in Hollywood!). It’s too bad - the disappointment of missing out on high profile free agents makes it harder to appreciate the younger, faster, grittier and more financially prudent team Mike Gillis has assembled so far.
2. “We paid how much for this?"
Many people ask this while walking out of most Eddie Murphy movies. This winter, Bruins and Leafs fans will ask it when they remember their team is paying Michael Ryder $4 million per season or Jeff Finger $4.5 million per season. These two may be the NHL’s answers to Norbit and The Adventures of Pluto Nash.
3. The big budget, seemingly endless epic.
I feel the same angst and agony watching the Mats Sundin saga slowly unfold as Elaine did watching The English Patient on Seinfeld. “I can’t take this anymore! Why doesn’t he just decide, already! How long could it possibly take? Decide…..decide….DECIDE!!!!!!”
4. Small investments can pay off.
Little Miss Sunshine cost $8 million (less than Mats Sundin’s potential annual salary!) to make and premiered with very little fanfare. It brought in over $100 million, 2 Oscars and a Best Picture nomination.
Small investments can pay big dividends in the free agent market, too. Ryan Johnson, the speedy, versatile, forechecking and shot blocking specialist, was signed by the Canucks for 2 years and $2.2 million. By next spring, it could prove to be the best $2.2 million this team ever spent.
5. People will try to predict the ending.
I remember watching a movie many years ago that was ruined by some know-it-all who was telling everyone how he thought it was going to end. “My sources are telling me that Han Solo is really Luke Skywalker’s father.” he said, for half of the theatre to hear. “Another very reliable source from Western Canada is telling me that there is a high probability that Princess Leia could be Yoda’s love child”. How did I deal with this guy? I turned around, told Eklund to pipe down and ignored him for the rest of the movie. I now treat rumour websites the same way.
A great summer movie is full of emotional highs, unexpected twists and pleasant surprises. I know Mike Gillis is trying to produce a blockbuster summer of his own for Canuck fans. The off-season is far from over, everybody. Get your popcorn ready.</td>
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