It's Only A Matter Of Time Before Players Don't Want To Sign In Vancouver.

[Monteeun]

1) All those awards and stats you listed add to the pressure he has to perform better then he does in the playoffs, and better then Schnieder. Cory has already overshadowed him with some stats. Cory just plain consistently plays better.

2) He makes 6, 714, 000 a year. Who doesn't know what they are talking about again?

3) I agree that all the greatest goalies of all time had bad games and were pulled. Especially like last game when most of the goals were defensive break downs and not really Luongos fault. Same thing happens to the best of the best. But it isnt just one game anymore. Schnieder has shown that he can consnistetly play better than Luongo. He just plains gives me more confidence than Luongo does when he is in goal.

Players all across the NHL take salary cuts to play on teams that are contending. Who wants to pay 9 million (a Sedin and a half), for Ovi? Def not a contending team.

[leftwinglockdown]

I do not think he is being ignorant at all and from your post I think you should take your own advise and grow up. Fans will always "boo" players when they feeling they are playing bad, why are people surprised ! Sure Luongo was somewhat a victom of poor play by the team, but by no means was he focused for the game. Luongo on a good night would have only allowed mybe one of those goals.

Without the fans there would be no money to pay the players my inlighten one. The fans buy the tickets, they buy the merchandise, they pay for tv ect. here is a more professional explanation:

Wage determination in professional sports

This is an excerpt from Sport and Public Policy, edited by Charles A. Santo, PhD, and Gerard C.S. Mildner, PhD.

In a perfectly competitive market, in which athletes’ wages are equal to their marginal revenue products, only two factors can explain increasing player salaries: (1) an increase in marginal product or (2) an increase in marginal revenue. The first factor is straightforward; a player who improves and contributes more to the team receives a higher wage when the time comes to renew his contract. The second factor reflects demand, and it is driven by willingness to pay—the willingness of fans to pay for tickets, of networks to pay for broadcasting rights, and of advertisers to pay for slots during those broadcasts. To a large extent, athletes’ salaries are high because willingness to pay is high. In other words, fan interest in professional sports causes salaries to be large.

[smackyo23]

Jason Botchford is way off base saying Luongo is the team MVP this year, sure he's had a decent year overall but definitely not team MVP, I would put Hamhuis or Higgins above him in that regard and possibly 1 or 2 other players....sorry but calling Luongo the team MVP with the numbers he's put up this season is homerism in its truest form.

[smackyo23]

Technically speaking, we're only talking about the fans who pay for tickets to watch the game in this situation. Yes, fan support in the form of money is what keeps this team running but what percentage of a player's salary is from just ticket sales alone? We do not know these exact numbers, if you can point them to me, I will concede this point.

But looking beyond this and at the arguments being made in this thread, does booing your starting goaltender on a first place team with 3 games before the playoffs as if we're Toronto or Montreal or any lottery team missing the playoffs for another year seem conductive to success? Now, this is surely a matter of opinion and in my opinion it seems quite stupid to do so. Not just stupid but also classless. Now, I totally realize that the fans have very understandable reasons to do what they did. They're tired of seeing a goalie that has in certain instances failed them and I get that but it is also completely reasonable for the media and others to criticize the parts of this fanbase that choose to do so. This is a fanbase that has been acknowledged as showing lackadaisical support during games (source: Bieksa), gone through a ridiculous number of goaltenders as well as 2 post-SCF riots.

When Bob Mckenzie called us the melodrama capital of Canada, he was not completely off-base as parts of this fanbase has historically exhibited such traits. Trash the goaltender all you want but don't complain when you're portrayed in a negative light; freedom of speech does not mean you're free from the consequences of what you say.

[cool story bro]

Hit the nail right on the head, one of the best posts on this topic I've read.

- Concise

- Clear

- Thought out

- Coherant

- Fair

- Intelligent

[wai_lai416]

I agree that team MVP has Hamhuis and Higgins in the conversation but does no one remember the stretch the team played I think in late Jan to early March where the only player who was showing was Lu and he basically won them all those over time and shoot out win's almost by himself??? Without that stretch of goal tending at that time we wouldn't even be talking about the Presidents Trophy again this year, we'd probably be 4th or 5th in the west right now.

[doobie]

This is great blog material, thanks guys!

[Armada]

This is great blog material, thanks guys!

[DooBie604]

Technically speaking, we're only talking about the fans who pay for tickets to watch the game in this situation. Yes, fan support in the form of money is what keeps this team running but what percentage of a player's salary is from just ticket sales alone? We do not know these exact numbers, if you can point them to me, I will concede this point.

But looking beyond this and at the arguments being made in this thread, does booing your starting goaltender on a first place team with 3 games before the playoffs as if we're Toronto or Montreal or any lottery team missing the playoffs for another year seem conductive to success? Now, this is surely a matter of opinion and in my opinion it seems quite stupid to do so. Not just stupid but also classless. Now, I totally realize that the fans have very understandable reasons to do what they did. They're tired of seeing a goalie that has in certain instances failed them and I get that but it is also completely reasonable for the media and others to criticize the parts of this fanbase that choose to do so. This is a fanbase that has been acknowledged as showing lackadaisical support during games (source: Bieksa), gone through a ridiculous number of goaltenders as well as 2 post-SCF riots.

When Bob Mckenzie called us the melodrama capital of Canada, he was not completely off-base as parts of this fanbase has historically exhibited such traits. Trash the goaltender all you want but don't complain when you're portrayed in a negative light; freedom of speech does not mean you're free from the consequences of what you say.

[Vancanwincup]

Technically speaking, we're only talking about the fans who pay for tickets to watch the game in this situation. Yes, fan support in the form of money is what keeps this team running but what percentage of a player's salary is from just ticket sales alone? We do not know these exact numbers, if you can point them to me, I will concede this point.

But looking beyond this and at the arguments being made in this thread, does booing your starting goaltender on a first place team with 3 games before the playoffs as if we're Toronto or Montreal or any lottery team missing the playoffs for another year seem conductive to success? Now, this is surely a matter of opinion and in my opinion it seems quite stupid to do so. Not just stupid but also classless. Now, I totally realize that the fans have very understandable reasons to do what they did. They're tired of seeing a goalie that has in certain instances failed them and I get that but it is also completely reasonable for the media and others to criticize the parts of this fanbase that choose to do so. This is a fanbase that has been acknowledged as showing lackadaisical support during games (source: Bieksa), gone through a ridiculous number of goaltenders as well as 2 post-SCF riots.

When Bob Mckenzie called us the melodrama capital of Canada, he was not completely off-base as parts of this fanbase has historically exhibited such traits. Trash the goaltender all you want but don't complain when you're portrayed in a negative light; freedom of speech does not mean you're free from the consequences of what you say.

[DooBie604]

I agree the booing of Luongo was classless. I can see the frustration of some fans thinking here we go again right before the playoffs and Luongo playing "Jackal and Hyde" again.

The percentage of ticket price towards a player's salary does not matter it could be as low as 0.1 percent per ticket sold or per 10 tickets sold, the fact is the buyer is still paying for some of that salary.

Once again I do not agree with the booing of luongo, but can see why some of the fans did so. Anyhow the whole situation is being blown way out of proportion. Vancouver is not the only city with melodrama fans, there is just so many Canucks fans everywhere that it's easy to take notice.

[Amish Rake Fighter]

Chelios warned Belfour not to sign in Toronto because of this garbage.

Now Toronto has to overpay for free agents

[Cakeman]

Jason Botchford is way off base saying Luongo is the team MVP this year, sure he's had a decent year overall but definitely not team MVP, I would put Hamhuis or Higgins above him in that regard and possibly 1 or 2 other players....sorry but calling Luongo the team MVP with the numbers he's put up this season is homerism in its truest form.

[Cakeman]

He can't sign anywhere, he's an RFA. But clearly this team doesn't deserve good talent right now the way we're treating our bests.

[NuckNuckNucks]

have u not learned from CDC yet?? When luongo wins.. well he better damn be winning coz we are paying him so much.. and then when he lose.. Schneider>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Luongo.. what Luongo can do Schneider can do even better etc etc etc... so by that logic.. who cares Luongo played great during that stretch? Schneider coulda done the same if not better. you got to remember.. these are the same fans that's calling for AV to be fired 2 weeks ago...

[Vancanwincup]

Technically true, a small percentage is still a percentage but the fans can't act so classless and then turn around and wonder why everyone classifies us as the worse fans. You take into account the riots and the booing and the support we give our players and the constant whining about performances of every player and our coach and GM even when we are at the top of the league and it does seem like the fans here are melodramatic more so than most markets. The Leaf and Habs fan may boo and jeer but let's face it, their team sits at the bottom of the league.

If you go to the same place every night to eat and always got great service from a waitress and then she suddenly messes up your order one night, and you give her crap for it really loudly in front of everyone. It may be justified in your head but to those people around you, you still look like a classless tool.

[Mauii]

I hate to quote Tim Thomas but as he said "I didn't think it was my job to pump his tires." Point being Thomas had one goal and that was to win the Cup and not concern himself with the nonsense that was going on around him...and he only had something to prove to himself, his team and city. At the end of the day... you work hard..show results and the rest will follow.

[elmariachi]

Being at a Canucks game has become to elitist. Higher ticket prices shiiteer fans

[Get real canuck fans]

Wow. based on padded stats of a backup goalie.

Vancouver's media and bandwagoneer groupies will turn on Cory half way into the season like they've done with all the other goalies. They will eat the ginger and that is a shame.

[NuckNuckNucks]

Agreed. We need the real passionate 'die-hard: with a vengeance' fans in the crowd, not the ones who go to the game for the sake that they can afford to go to the games.