Wow, has it really been more than five months since I've blogged about the Thrashers? That's mildly depressing, but given how the season ended, I'm not all that surprised, really. I mean, le Thrash handed over Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis (PWEE!) to the runner-up Pens, finished in the bottom three teams in the NHL, and pretty much bottomed out.
By the beginning of April (i.e. the end of the season), the Thrashers had zero identity. There was no coach to speak of, with no real hints as to who the replacement would be. One of the league's superstars (Marian Hossa) decided that Atlanta wasn't close to providing the winning environment he wanted dearly and departed. The "captaincy" of Bobby Holik was nonexistent. And no one on the team had anything to play for. Hell, they couldn't even play the role of spoiler because Washington was the real deal after the trading deadline in March and all other Southeast Division "threats" were nowhere to be found. It was terrible.
Needless to say, this off-season left a lot of room for changes. Literally. With the departures of Hossa, Holik, and the recent buyout of defensive pilon Alexei Zhitnik, the Thrashers had tons of money to spend with free agency signings occurring, starting on July 1. To add to that, the salary cap increased yet again for this upcoming season, and with that increase, the Thrashers had to spend a good amount just to reach the salary floor of $40 million.
So when July 1 came and went, nothing was accomplished. Sure, we probably attempted to bring in some of the bigger names that would've provided instant gratification (i.e. Wade Redden or Brian Campbell), but all was quiet. After July 2nd, all that we could muster up was a younger defenseman from Columbus, Ron Hainsey. Gone were the Campbells, the Reddens, the Rozsivals, the Commodores, and the Streits from the defensive pool that could've helped strengthen our blueline. To add insult to injury, we needed a good forward to help out Kovy (something that he's missed since Savard left two seasons ago). Did I mention that the only player we signed as of right now is defenseman Ron Hainsey?
Two areas that hint at promise for next season are the hiring of John Anderson as head coach and the drafting of defenseman Zach Bogosian. Anderson will attempt to coach the youth of the Thrashers, something that wasn't a priority while Bob Hartley was calling the shots. Considering how things have gone in the AHL with his old team, the Chicago Wolves (i.e. the Thrashers' farm team), I think Anderson is in a good position, along with most of the younger guys who attempt to land themselves a roster spot come October. Bogosian appears to be the next Ray Bourque, Scott Stevens, Bobby Orr, and/or Chris Pronger. For a kid who isn't even close to being past his teen years, he has a lot of weight on his shoulders already for this organization. With someone this young, there's absolutely no telling what's next for Bogo. He could bust out of the gates early and validate every bit of hype or he could take a while to mature. But considering that Anderson is the new head coach, I'm positive that the necessary steps will be taken for this kid's development into a full-time NHL defenseman for the Atlanta Thrashers. If Hartley was still in charge, I'd be terrified. I mean, look what happened to Braydon Coburn. Ugh.
So now that a few things are actually shored-up for the team, there are still holes that need to be addressed in order to calm the masses. Before noon on July 1st, there was a TON of promise with this team. While some had their doubts about the prospective dollars that could be handed out to certain free agents, the sky was the limit for the Thrashers. Technically, we could've signed two BIG NAME players on Tuesday and still probably had room for another slot, or maybe two, to fill. The real problem with this is, as The Falconer wisely stated on his blog, no one wants to come to the Thrashers. The ownership is in shambles and hockey isn't viewed as high on their radar. There isn't much respect (hockey-wise) for our General Manager, Don Waddell. And I'm sure that the drawn-out process of getting Hossa to re-sign last season (which led to his departure) didn't help things at all. Atlanta is not perceived as a winning franchise. As a result, no bigger named players want to come here because why play for a team that isn't committed to winning? It's a good point, and this is what makes signing players so difficult for the Thrashers. You then are at the point of baiting players with tons of money and open promises. If the Thrashers made the playoffs in the past few seasons, I'm sure that free agents wouldn't be so hesitant to sign with us because of that winning reputation (or at least hard-working). But with one post-season appearance in the team's history, no post-season wins, and nothing else to really show for it, it's incredibly difficult to persuade elite players to play here. It's a terrible position to be in, but the Thrashers have to make the best of it now and try to bring in the real players, the ones who will instantly make a difference, in the coming seasons.
So we'll see what happens in the coming days and weeks as the fall draws nigh. We still need to address the holes at defense and land a GOOD forward. Who from this list do you think provides the "best fit" for the Thrashers at this time? Personally, I wouldn't mind a Brendan Morrison, Paul Mara, or even trying to go after San Jose RFA Christian Ehrhoff (depending on how their cap situation is).
I don't know what to think anymore. I was definitely one of the people who was checking online constantly on Tuesday to see if we signed anyone notable. Then I was checking sporadically on Wednesday, only to find out about Hainsey. It's still non-stop checking just to see if we added ANYONE.
A bunch of drafted kids from last month (as well as older fellas from previous drafts) will attend the upcoming prospect camp next week in Duluth. I'll do my best to make it up there for a day or two and come back with some pics of the new-uns.
Happy Fourth of July!
Showing posts with label speculation is eff'd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speculation is eff'd. Show all posts
2008/07/04
2008/01/29
State of the Thrashers?
A Temporary Remedy?
While the NHL event is long gone (bew!), I somehow found an airing of the AHL All-Star Game on CSS this evening. Initially I figured that the broadcast was live, then I found out that this was merely a taping of the event from last nite. And even though I know the outcome of this so-called "Triple A" exhibition, I still feel compelled to watch. A few Thrashers prospects were involved in the game, including those who received some NHL exposure earlier in the season (Brett Sterling and Joel Kwiatkowski).
After watching the first period (it's in between periods right now), the thing that stands out to me so far is the goaltending. Of course, the tempo of the game is a litte mixed (some lax play because of no consequences and some entertaining moves because of the same), but the goalies in the first played rather well. Toronto prospect Tukka Rask and Carolina journeyman Michael Leighton exhibited some strong play, with Rask actually coming out of the net at one point during the action to take the puck from the right circle while surrounded by a few players to gain control of the puck and clear the zone. Basically, it was like a move that Hedberg would do during a typical game situation. Something like that would garner some criticism because of the goalie coming so far out of the crease during what should be a pretty intense situation. In an All-Star Game setting, however, this is met with comments like, "Oh, what a showman!" It probably wouldn't be that "showy" if he bumbled the puck and that play yielded a goal. Either way, it's clear that the players know that all-star games are for the fans and they play up to that completely.
As the second period gets under way, I'll update some more tomorrow (fingers-crossed!) on how I feel about the rest of this game. It makes for pretty neat watching though.
Returning to the Fold
Tomorrow nite the Thrashers start to unravel the second half of the season. Well, maybe that wasn't the best of words to use. As of late, the Thrashers' play hasn't been the best... or even close. After an incredible win in Detroit a few weeks back, the Thrashers haven't been the same since. Actually, it seems that inconsistency is quite a consistent theme for our birds. They'll play mightily against some of the strongest teams in the league (as shown during matchups against Ottawa, Pittsburgh, and obviously Detroit) and then fold completely against weaker opponents, teams they should either matchup fairly evenly with or teams that they should really dominate (i.e. Columbus, Edmonton, Toronto, etc.). Team chemistry somehow went AWOL a few weeks after Don Waddell assumed the throne behind the bench. Kari Lehtonen was left out to dry in several of these matchups and was actually a good reason why the Thrashers defeats weren't complete washouts and complete massacres. Ilya Kovalchuk's hottness has definitely cooled in the few games prior to the All-Star break and then there's the omnipresent cloud hanging over Marian Hossa's head of "TO RE-SIGN OR NOT TO RE-SIGN?"
It's really not that hard to be a Thrashers fan. I mean, the team has some of the most potent offensive players in the league with Kovalchuk and Hossa. When the goaltending is on, Kari Lehtonen is up there with the league's elite between the pipes. And there's the bright star that is Toby Enstrom on the Thrashers blueline squad. There is always a bunch of promise with this team and when they perform, they are top-notch. However, when the other players appear sometimes during games (or not at all), it's more difficult to rush to put your Thrashers sweater over your head prior to walking into Philips Arena for a game. With the current state of the team, you often wonder which Thrashers team will show - the team that can easily win the Southeast Division or the team that will get crushed by the local Mites.
As the calendar flips to February and there is no re-signing of Marian Hossa, trade talks will certainly escalate as the trade deadline draws nigh. He is probably the most appealing free agent to the league once the season ends and July 1st arrives. But what to do with this sitation? Do we trade Hossa to a contender and hope and pray that we get equal (or greater?!) value for our superstar or do we pick up the play so that re-signing in Atlanta doesn't seem like a chore? Is there even "equal value" in the league to trade with to make something like the possible Hossa trade seem fair?
What is certain is that the Thrashers absolutely need to pick up the caliber of play and make a push for the playoffs. Eric Perrin has proved his worth during shorthanded opportunities, but what about even-strength play or even on the man-advantage? For a while there, Todd White was racking up points like woah. His production has since dropped and it appears as if he has plateaued. And what about Slava Kozlov? These players definitely need to pick up their game in the next two months in order to play a little longer in April. I know they can do it just as much as you do. Do these guys feel the same fire though? We'll see, starting tomorrow nite against Pittsburgh.
While the NHL event is long gone (bew!), I somehow found an airing of the AHL All-Star Game on CSS this evening. Initially I figured that the broadcast was live, then I found out that this was merely a taping of the event from last nite. And even though I know the outcome of this so-called "Triple A" exhibition, I still feel compelled to watch. A few Thrashers prospects were involved in the game, including those who received some NHL exposure earlier in the season (Brett Sterling and Joel Kwiatkowski).
After watching the first period (it's in between periods right now), the thing that stands out to me so far is the goaltending. Of course, the tempo of the game is a litte mixed (some lax play because of no consequences and some entertaining moves because of the same), but the goalies in the first played rather well. Toronto prospect Tukka Rask and Carolina journeyman Michael Leighton exhibited some strong play, with Rask actually coming out of the net at one point during the action to take the puck from the right circle while surrounded by a few players to gain control of the puck and clear the zone. Basically, it was like a move that Hedberg would do during a typical game situation. Something like that would garner some criticism because of the goalie coming so far out of the crease during what should be a pretty intense situation. In an All-Star Game setting, however, this is met with comments like, "Oh, what a showman!" It probably wouldn't be that "showy" if he bumbled the puck and that play yielded a goal. Either way, it's clear that the players know that all-star games are for the fans and they play up to that completely.
As the second period gets under way, I'll update some more tomorrow (fingers-crossed!) on how I feel about the rest of this game. It makes for pretty neat watching though.
Returning to the Fold
Tomorrow nite the Thrashers start to unravel the second half of the season. Well, maybe that wasn't the best of words to use. As of late, the Thrashers' play hasn't been the best... or even close. After an incredible win in Detroit a few weeks back, the Thrashers haven't been the same since. Actually, it seems that inconsistency is quite a consistent theme for our birds. They'll play mightily against some of the strongest teams in the league (as shown during matchups against Ottawa, Pittsburgh, and obviously Detroit) and then fold completely against weaker opponents, teams they should either matchup fairly evenly with or teams that they should really dominate (i.e. Columbus, Edmonton, Toronto, etc.). Team chemistry somehow went AWOL a few weeks after Don Waddell assumed the throne behind the bench. Kari Lehtonen was left out to dry in several of these matchups and was actually a good reason why the Thrashers defeats weren't complete washouts and complete massacres. Ilya Kovalchuk's hottness has definitely cooled in the few games prior to the All-Star break and then there's the omnipresent cloud hanging over Marian Hossa's head of "TO RE-SIGN OR NOT TO RE-SIGN?"
It's really not that hard to be a Thrashers fan. I mean, the team has some of the most potent offensive players in the league with Kovalchuk and Hossa. When the goaltending is on, Kari Lehtonen is up there with the league's elite between the pipes. And there's the bright star that is Toby Enstrom on the Thrashers blueline squad. There is always a bunch of promise with this team and when they perform, they are top-notch. However, when the other players appear sometimes during games (or not at all), it's more difficult to rush to put your Thrashers sweater over your head prior to walking into Philips Arena for a game. With the current state of the team, you often wonder which Thrashers team will show - the team that can easily win the Southeast Division or the team that will get crushed by the local Mites.
As the calendar flips to February and there is no re-signing of Marian Hossa, trade talks will certainly escalate as the trade deadline draws nigh. He is probably the most appealing free agent to the league once the season ends and July 1st arrives. But what to do with this sitation? Do we trade Hossa to a contender and hope and pray that we get equal (or greater?!) value for our superstar or do we pick up the play so that re-signing in Atlanta doesn't seem like a chore? Is there even "equal value" in the league to trade with to make something like the possible Hossa trade seem fair?
What is certain is that the Thrashers absolutely need to pick up the caliber of play and make a push for the playoffs. Eric Perrin has proved his worth during shorthanded opportunities, but what about even-strength play or even on the man-advantage? For a while there, Todd White was racking up points like woah. His production has since dropped and it appears as if he has plateaued. And what about Slava Kozlov? These players definitely need to pick up their game in the next two months in order to play a little longer in April. I know they can do it just as much as you do. Do these guys feel the same fire though? We'll see, starting tomorrow nite against Pittsburgh.
2007/10/15
Lineups-R-Us, or How the Thrashers Determine Their Future
With all of the talk about today's announced lines and changes in the defensive pairings, I figured I'd chime in with my amateurish drivel.
At this morning's practice, the trio that had the most energetic impact on the ice during both the Devils game and this morning's workout was the "kid line", which consists of Haydar/Little/Sterling. Everyone's buzzing about this line and its potential for success. I certainly agree with that. Bryan Little didn't spend much time in Chicago last season, but I'm assuming that while he was there, he did share some shifts with either one of those two gentlemen, if not both. It's certain that Haydar and Sterling have something going on because you can't end up AHL MVP and AHL Rookie of the Year - respectively - without having much help. In all honesty, they tore up the scoring last year with Chicago. All three know each other and two-thirds of 'em have spent significant time playing together. I see no reason to speak out against these three fellas and what they can bring to the table. I don't care that they are "AHL players" or "rookies" or whatever! I'm thinking it's guaranteed that they won't play much against a top defensive pairing of any team that they face. With their talent and what they've brought to the table already, I think that, in time (meaning, in a few games, which I can handle waiting that long), these guys will seriously bring some depth that this organization has lacked for a long time now.
As far as who chills out in the press box for the game, I'm in favor of giving Chris Thorburn a legitimate chance to prove his size and worth. It's no secret that the Thrashers are not in the upper third of the league in terms of dominating figures on the ice. I'm pretty sure that they aren't even in the second third. Everyone's concern entering the season was that the defensemen were small, the forwards were small, and that they wouldn't be able to match up against the more commanding teams of the league. As of right now, that's kinda true. Enstrom has done a great job at being a defenseman, but he's more likely to get knocked around than, say, a Greg deVries. Putting Thorburn out there with Eric Boulton and possibly Bobby Holik is a line that's a good bet on mixing things up on the ice and throwing the body around, something that probably wouldn't hurt (in theory).
But who to bench? First season aside, Jim Slater has been nothing but, well, annoying and frustrating. From watching him play, I can tell that he really has the passion to play in the league. I'm just not sold on his abilities. Even in today's practice, there were some missed passes and some skating errors. This kind of play definitely occurs in high-pressure situations (i.e. penalty killing) and that's not acceptable. I wouldn't have a problem of benching Slater or even Brad Larsen in favor of adding Thorburn.
Defensively speaking, I'm surprised no one has brought up the idea of pairing Mark Popovic with Enstrom. The kids are represented in the forwards, so why not paid them together on the blueline? I think that a pairing like this, with other pairings like the announced pairing of Zhitnik/McCarthy and, say, Havelid/Exelby. Exelby's physical game could be something that Havelid appreciates... but the other announced pairing of Havelid/Enstrom doesn't sound that bad either. With my lines, Klee would sit and that's ok.
Perhaps my rookie pairing is too inexperienced to handle the NHL full-time. I don't know. But at least it's somewhat encouraging that Hartley is willing to change things around. Then again, we all know that he's rather apt to change things at the flip of a switch.
I'm not a hockey coach and I certainly have no formal education with regard to establishing hockey lines and creating chemistry from scratch. I just wish that we stuck with the opening nite lineups for about three games, determined how well they worked, and then make the necessary changes. Hartley, as I mentioned, makes changes as he sees fit and benches players for whatever reason. Give things a chance and maybe things will develop, and maybe they won't. At least some options were exercised and that's all that matters.
LET'S GO THRASHERS!
At this morning's practice, the trio that had the most energetic impact on the ice during both the Devils game and this morning's workout was the "kid line", which consists of Haydar/Little/Sterling. Everyone's buzzing about this line and its potential for success. I certainly agree with that. Bryan Little didn't spend much time in Chicago last season, but I'm assuming that while he was there, he did share some shifts with either one of those two gentlemen, if not both. It's certain that Haydar and Sterling have something going on because you can't end up AHL MVP and AHL Rookie of the Year - respectively - without having much help. In all honesty, they tore up the scoring last year with Chicago. All three know each other and two-thirds of 'em have spent significant time playing together. I see no reason to speak out against these three fellas and what they can bring to the table. I don't care that they are "AHL players" or "rookies" or whatever! I'm thinking it's guaranteed that they won't play much against a top defensive pairing of any team that they face. With their talent and what they've brought to the table already, I think that, in time (meaning, in a few games, which I can handle waiting that long), these guys will seriously bring some depth that this organization has lacked for a long time now.
As far as who chills out in the press box for the game, I'm in favor of giving Chris Thorburn a legitimate chance to prove his size and worth. It's no secret that the Thrashers are not in the upper third of the league in terms of dominating figures on the ice. I'm pretty sure that they aren't even in the second third. Everyone's concern entering the season was that the defensemen were small, the forwards were small, and that they wouldn't be able to match up against the more commanding teams of the league. As of right now, that's kinda true. Enstrom has done a great job at being a defenseman, but he's more likely to get knocked around than, say, a Greg deVries. Putting Thorburn out there with Eric Boulton and possibly Bobby Holik is a line that's a good bet on mixing things up on the ice and throwing the body around, something that probably wouldn't hurt (in theory).
But who to bench? First season aside, Jim Slater has been nothing but, well, annoying and frustrating. From watching him play, I can tell that he really has the passion to play in the league. I'm just not sold on his abilities. Even in today's practice, there were some missed passes and some skating errors. This kind of play definitely occurs in high-pressure situations (i.e. penalty killing) and that's not acceptable. I wouldn't have a problem of benching Slater or even Brad Larsen in favor of adding Thorburn.
Defensively speaking, I'm surprised no one has brought up the idea of pairing Mark Popovic with Enstrom. The kids are represented in the forwards, so why not paid them together on the blueline? I think that a pairing like this, with other pairings like the announced pairing of Zhitnik/McCarthy and, say, Havelid/Exelby. Exelby's physical game could be something that Havelid appreciates... but the other announced pairing of Havelid/Enstrom doesn't sound that bad either. With my lines, Klee would sit and that's ok.
Perhaps my rookie pairing is too inexperienced to handle the NHL full-time. I don't know. But at least it's somewhat encouraging that Hartley is willing to change things around. Then again, we all know that he's rather apt to change things at the flip of a switch.
I'm not a hockey coach and I certainly have no formal education with regard to establishing hockey lines and creating chemistry from scratch. I just wish that we stuck with the opening nite lineups for about three games, determined how well they worked, and then make the necessary changes. Hartley, as I mentioned, makes changes as he sees fit and benches players for whatever reason. Give things a chance and maybe things will develop, and maybe they won't. At least some options were exercised and that's all that matters.
LET'S GO THRASHERS!
2007/08/06
Dust off yr BLUE
I guess it's about time that I start getting back into the mix of things. Here at WE WANT DUNHAM!, we care about two things and two things only - hockey and music (we'll get to the latter in a bit). Seeing how there's minimal hockey news going around (unless you're REALLY - read: obsessive - into arbitration discussions and salary developments, which, uh, God help you), there aren't many posts going on around the Thrashers blogosphere. Prospect camp came and went in the blink of an eye... yes, of course, there was the great free agency domino effect that took place in early July... and now, well, there's tons of speculation and, yep, rumors. Personally, I'm no good at any of those two things. I'm too casual of a fan to really start wide-spread inner thoughts and feelings on the subject of my beloved hockey team and their competition. But, since I'm on the topic...
The Thrashers went into this summer's free agency period with a few question marks. A majority of the team's salary is tied up in marquee players such as Ilya Kovalchuk ($5.5 mil) and Marian Hossa ($7 mil) and other overpaid players, namely Bobby Holik ($4.25 mil), and perhaps the addled Steve Rucchin ($2.4 mil). With all of that committed to the upcoming season, the organization was hard-pressed to come up with suitable talent to further the Thrashers "acknowledged" successes from the previous season. Apparently feeling their needs didn't fall into the success plan for this next season, the Thrashers cut ties with Eric Belanger, Jon Sim, Keith Tkachuk, Greg deVries, Andy Sutton, Shane Hnidy, and, most recently, J.P. Vigier. As such, their "replacements" (can you even call them replacement players? uhhh...) are as follows:
Todd White
Eric Perrin
Ken Klee
Chris Thorburn
Pascal Dupuis (resigned)
So, the Thrashers dumped a lot of defensemen in favor of the experienced Klee and the newcomers (TBA, really). They also picked up a solid (yet not true "first-line") center in White, while washing their hands clean of Tkachuk and Belanger. Personally, the times I saw Tkachuk and Belanger on the ice, I didn't feel a bit of regret in going after either prior to the trade deadline last year. "Walt" brought a bunch of personality to the ice each shift and I really felt like he and Kovalchuk developed good chemistry during their brief time together. Also, it was clear that Belanger had a solid impact on a team that was somewhat lacking in the "center with initiative" department, scoring nine goals and fifteen points in a 24-game span.
While I'm still as excited as ever for this '07-'08 season to get started, I'm still questioning these moves. I don't feel that secure with any of them, except the Dupuis signing. Then again, who really skipped around the block when word came down that the Thrashers picked up Eric Belanger from Nashville, from Carolina, in a matter of minutes? I've read random things online about Todd White from Minnesota Wild fans and they've had nothing but positive things to say about his play and his camaraderie with teammates. That's encouraging and all, but I'm still not sold. I think I was one of the few who got mildly excited about Steve Rucchin's addition to the team last season, and I saw how that panned out. The White signing comes off as a similar move to me. Then again, there's more room for surprise with White because I'm admittingly unaware of him; with Rucchin, I clearly remember the role he played on the Anaheim team that went to the Stanley Cup finals years ago, therefore, I knew what kind of player we acquired. And Eric Perrin? We'll see. Still not sold on Klee, either.
There's the free agents we signed and then there's the other side of the issue - dealing with n00bz. This season, expect quite a few, more than the recent Thrashers fan is used to. With just Klee, Zhitnik, Havelid, Exelby, and McCarthy on the current roster, that leaves open at least one more slot on defense. AHL players like Mark Popovic and Boris Valabik will get serious looks during training camp as will up-and-coming European stars Ilya Nikulin and Tobias Enstrom. Surely one of them will make the opening day roster, but who? And how quick will this player fit into their role of NHL defenseman on a daily basis? I don't know, but the thought of that leaves me scratching my head a bit. For offensive flair, we're relying on Brett Sterling, Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, etc. to step up and fit into the NHL roster as well. As a Thrashers fan, I absolutely heard A LOT about these players' roles on the team in Chicago (AHL) - how Sterling was AHL rookie of the year, how Haydar broke scoring records, how the chemistry between those three players was apparently tight. But we need to be reminded that we're talking about the AHL here. I remember the only preseason game I went to last season included some plays from Brett Sterling (including a few points on the board?), so he probably can compete at the NHL level, but I'm still unsure.
Basically, there are too many question marks surrounding this season and I'm hard-pressed to see immediately past them. Granted, things might work out and all of my doubts and fears about this team will be laid to rest and there will be even more success come April of '08.
But like I said, I'm super excited about hockey again. I can't wait to see how these new players play, how the players we've come to know will fit with the n00bz, how the n00bz will fit into the grand scheme of things. I remember reading a story during the off-season in The Hockey News about the big prospects that Anaheim had - do the names Getzlaf, Perry, and Penner ring any bells? While maybe the talent level isn't as high with the three Thrashers prospects I mentioned earlier as it is with the three Ducks, I kinda get the same vibes from our three birds. Inserting Krog into the lineup midseason didn't have much of an impact, and Haydar didn't even register on anything that I can remember. And looking at their roles during their short stints with the team, it was hard to develop into anything with 14 games and four games under Krog's and Haydar's belts, respectively.
Who's to say what this season holds for the Thrashers, and the rest of the Southeast Division? Will there be a new division champion at the end of the season, as the trend has been? Or will the "big three" - Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay - still race for the top? How about Florida or Washington - will they be the dark horses that no one is counting on? I don't know, but I'm getting more and more psyched for this upcoming season.
Bring it on and let's raise that banner!
The Thrashers went into this summer's free agency period with a few question marks. A majority of the team's salary is tied up in marquee players such as Ilya Kovalchuk ($5.5 mil) and Marian Hossa ($7 mil) and other overpaid players, namely Bobby Holik ($4.25 mil), and perhaps the addled Steve Rucchin ($2.4 mil). With all of that committed to the upcoming season, the organization was hard-pressed to come up with suitable talent to further the Thrashers "acknowledged" successes from the previous season. Apparently feeling their needs didn't fall into the success plan for this next season, the Thrashers cut ties with Eric Belanger, Jon Sim, Keith Tkachuk, Greg deVries, Andy Sutton, Shane Hnidy, and, most recently, J.P. Vigier. As such, their "replacements" (can you even call them replacement players? uhhh...) are as follows:
Todd White
Eric Perrin
Ken Klee
Chris Thorburn
Pascal Dupuis (resigned)
So, the Thrashers dumped a lot of defensemen in favor of the experienced Klee and the newcomers (TBA, really). They also picked up a solid (yet not true "first-line") center in White, while washing their hands clean of Tkachuk and Belanger. Personally, the times I saw Tkachuk and Belanger on the ice, I didn't feel a bit of regret in going after either prior to the trade deadline last year. "Walt" brought a bunch of personality to the ice each shift and I really felt like he and Kovalchuk developed good chemistry during their brief time together. Also, it was clear that Belanger had a solid impact on a team that was somewhat lacking in the "center with initiative" department, scoring nine goals and fifteen points in a 24-game span.
While I'm still as excited as ever for this '07-'08 season to get started, I'm still questioning these moves. I don't feel that secure with any of them, except the Dupuis signing. Then again, who really skipped around the block when word came down that the Thrashers picked up Eric Belanger from Nashville, from Carolina, in a matter of minutes? I've read random things online about Todd White from Minnesota Wild fans and they've had nothing but positive things to say about his play and his camaraderie with teammates. That's encouraging and all, but I'm still not sold. I think I was one of the few who got mildly excited about Steve Rucchin's addition to the team last season, and I saw how that panned out. The White signing comes off as a similar move to me. Then again, there's more room for surprise with White because I'm admittingly unaware of him; with Rucchin, I clearly remember the role he played on the Anaheim team that went to the Stanley Cup finals years ago, therefore, I knew what kind of player we acquired. And Eric Perrin? We'll see. Still not sold on Klee, either.
There's the free agents we signed and then there's the other side of the issue - dealing with n00bz. This season, expect quite a few, more than the recent Thrashers fan is used to. With just Klee, Zhitnik, Havelid, Exelby, and McCarthy on the current roster, that leaves open at least one more slot on defense. AHL players like Mark Popovic and Boris Valabik will get serious looks during training camp as will up-and-coming European stars Ilya Nikulin and Tobias Enstrom. Surely one of them will make the opening day roster, but who? And how quick will this player fit into their role of NHL defenseman on a daily basis? I don't know, but the thought of that leaves me scratching my head a bit. For offensive flair, we're relying on Brett Sterling, Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, etc. to step up and fit into the NHL roster as well. As a Thrashers fan, I absolutely heard A LOT about these players' roles on the team in Chicago (AHL) - how Sterling was AHL rookie of the year, how Haydar broke scoring records, how the chemistry between those three players was apparently tight. But we need to be reminded that we're talking about the AHL here. I remember the only preseason game I went to last season included some plays from Brett Sterling (including a few points on the board?), so he probably can compete at the NHL level, but I'm still unsure.
Basically, there are too many question marks surrounding this season and I'm hard-pressed to see immediately past them. Granted, things might work out and all of my doubts and fears about this team will be laid to rest and there will be even more success come April of '08.
But like I said, I'm super excited about hockey again. I can't wait to see how these new players play, how the players we've come to know will fit with the n00bz, how the n00bz will fit into the grand scheme of things. I remember reading a story during the off-season in The Hockey News about the big prospects that Anaheim had - do the names Getzlaf, Perry, and Penner ring any bells? While maybe the talent level isn't as high with the three Thrashers prospects I mentioned earlier as it is with the three Ducks, I kinda get the same vibes from our three birds. Inserting Krog into the lineup midseason didn't have much of an impact, and Haydar didn't even register on anything that I can remember. And looking at their roles during their short stints with the team, it was hard to develop into anything with 14 games and four games under Krog's and Haydar's belts, respectively.
Who's to say what this season holds for the Thrashers, and the rest of the Southeast Division? Will there be a new division champion at the end of the season, as the trend has been? Or will the "big three" - Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay - still race for the top? How about Florida or Washington - will they be the dark horses that no one is counting on? I don't know, but I'm getting more and more psyched for this upcoming season.
Bring it on and let's raise that banner!
2007/02/25
Lucky Sevens?
So yeah, it's been a while. The ladyfriend and I went to Raleigh to enjoy an away game that was a great one (more on the experiences with this later). We enjoyed the Tampa game from the comfort of our homes, and got disgusted at the gnat that is Martin St. Louis. And we enjoyed sneezing, coughing, and whining during the heartless and mistake-filled loss to Carolina last night.
And then there are these two trades that Don Waddell put together in the past couple of days.
I guess now's not the time of year to start slacking on updates or anything, really.
Just addressing these trades, it's pretty shocking that there was a straight-up trade with Philly, Coburn for Zhitnik. Coburn provided promise for the next few years. Immediately, he didn't come into the team's framework for success. And I'm guessing that's understandable. I mean, after Waddell's ridiculous "guarantee" that the Thrashers were making the playoffs last season, he really needed to pull through this season. But looking at both of these trades (Zhitnik, and Glen Metropolit and everything under the kitchen sink for Keith Tkachuk), it just seems to me that we overpayed a ton for players for the present.
Like I said, Coburn provided promise for the future, and we gave that up for an aging Zhitnik. And then we give up Metropolit (who was an early fave of mine, just because of that name that I always mispronounced, and I preferred it that way) and a bunch of draft picks for a NAME. Sure, Tkachuk can provide that spark and has some great seasons under his belt. But now? I don't know, it just doesn't seem that much like a great deal. Especially with all that we gave up.
Look around the league and you'll see somehow other teams are figuring out the trade market. Carolina gets Anson Carter (who also could provide a great spark, but has yet to find any kind of chemistry this season with Columbus) for a fifth-round pick in '08. Anaheim shops out young d-man Shane O'Brien to Tampa for some goalie and a first-round pick in '07. Despite Carter having a career season with the Sedins in Vancouver last season and having nothing going on in Columbus, I still think that he's nothing to really laugh about. On a team like Carolina, he can cause some serious damage for the opposition (especially division-rivals Atlanta). So to get a legitimate threat for sooooo little is pretty outstanding. And once again Anaheim works their magic by planning for something big later on and getting a first-round pick in next year's draft for #4 or #5 defenseman to the Lightning. Don Waddell should see something here, things that were put on the table already and figure out how the market works. I'm sure that Waddell made an offer to John Davidson and either JD jumped at the chance or really twisted DW's arm (and leg, and neck...) to get this deal done for Tkachuk.
It's common knowledge that this is a big season for everyone - fans, players, GMs, and coaches. With these moves, Waddell gambles tons for instant success. Will all of this work pay off in the end and the Thrashers will not only make it into the playoffs but be a legitimate threat once there? We'll see. But with these moves, it's apparent that playoffs-or-bust is not what's being looked at here. Everyone knows that what the team brings to the table is playoff-worthy, but how far could the current team go? Would a quick first-round exit really mark a successful season for this franchise? Personally, I don't feel like that's really much of an accomplishment - to squeak into the post-season and then find ourselves with an early exit.
Stack the team now, try to really make a statement for the rest of the season and hope it lingers into the next season and then maybe more success will come. I'm assuming that's the mentality behind these trades. Regardless, I'm hoping that these moves put a cattle prod up the team's collective ass and get something started. After last night's effort against Carolina (and the defensive lapses that resulted in a few goals), it's clear that something needed to be done. Here's to hoping that this works out and that we once again sit at the top of the Southeast Division at the end of the season.
And then there are these two trades that Don Waddell put together in the past couple of days.
I guess now's not the time of year to start slacking on updates or anything, really.
Just addressing these trades, it's pretty shocking that there was a straight-up trade with Philly, Coburn for Zhitnik. Coburn provided promise for the next few years. Immediately, he didn't come into the team's framework for success. And I'm guessing that's understandable. I mean, after Waddell's ridiculous "guarantee" that the Thrashers were making the playoffs last season, he really needed to pull through this season. But looking at both of these trades (Zhitnik, and Glen Metropolit and everything under the kitchen sink for Keith Tkachuk), it just seems to me that we overpayed a ton for players for the present.
Like I said, Coburn provided promise for the future, and we gave that up for an aging Zhitnik. And then we give up Metropolit (who was an early fave of mine, just because of that name that I always mispronounced, and I preferred it that way) and a bunch of draft picks for a NAME. Sure, Tkachuk can provide that spark and has some great seasons under his belt. But now? I don't know, it just doesn't seem that much like a great deal. Especially with all that we gave up.
Look around the league and you'll see somehow other teams are figuring out the trade market. Carolina gets Anson Carter (who also could provide a great spark, but has yet to find any kind of chemistry this season with Columbus) for a fifth-round pick in '08. Anaheim shops out young d-man Shane O'Brien to Tampa for some goalie and a first-round pick in '07. Despite Carter having a career season with the Sedins in Vancouver last season and having nothing going on in Columbus, I still think that he's nothing to really laugh about. On a team like Carolina, he can cause some serious damage for the opposition (especially division-rivals Atlanta). So to get a legitimate threat for sooooo little is pretty outstanding. And once again Anaheim works their magic by planning for something big later on and getting a first-round pick in next year's draft for #4 or #5 defenseman to the Lightning. Don Waddell should see something here, things that were put on the table already and figure out how the market works. I'm sure that Waddell made an offer to John Davidson and either JD jumped at the chance or really twisted DW's arm (and leg, and neck...) to get this deal done for Tkachuk.
It's common knowledge that this is a big season for everyone - fans, players, GMs, and coaches. With these moves, Waddell gambles tons for instant success. Will all of this work pay off in the end and the Thrashers will not only make it into the playoffs but be a legitimate threat once there? We'll see. But with these moves, it's apparent that playoffs-or-bust is not what's being looked at here. Everyone knows that what the team brings to the table is playoff-worthy, but how far could the current team go? Would a quick first-round exit really mark a successful season for this franchise? Personally, I don't feel like that's really much of an accomplishment - to squeak into the post-season and then find ourselves with an early exit.
Stack the team now, try to really make a statement for the rest of the season and hope it lingers into the next season and then maybe more success will come. I'm assuming that's the mentality behind these trades. Regardless, I'm hoping that these moves put a cattle prod up the team's collective ass and get something started. After last night's effort against Carolina (and the defensive lapses that resulted in a few goals), it's clear that something needed to be done. Here's to hoping that this works out and that we once again sit at the top of the Southeast Division at the end of the season.
2007/01/21
Coachella 2007 - The **** of the ******
Something just needs to be said about what's happened in the past 24 hours of Coachella news. Upon getting home last night at 3AM, I found an email in my inbox from Coachella stating that a presale was going on as I read it, and that the password was, well, ROXANNE. While the news of the presale was a pleasant bit of info to come home to, the password let loose a major hint of something to come.
You see, this story broke earlier this month about The Police stirring the pot about reuniting (and feeling so good?). This would be huge if it did happen because The Police are pretty international and pretty mega-star. And we all know about Coachella's ability to pull off reunions like nobody's business. So rumors started to swirl about The Police headlining a night at the first three-day Coachella this year. Then there was some more talk... and then there was the password to the presale in the email that I just mentioned. Could this really be a sign? Or could Goldenvoice have a little humor by steering the Coachella faithful in the wrong direction as we steered the general public off course when people posted a fake lineup in 2006? We'll see, because the next bit of info is pretty big.
After the news of the presale (that's pretty exclusive, BTW - if you want info, email me or leave a comment), I found out that Los Angeles mega-station KROQ posted on their website (as of today, 2006/01/20) that their morning show would announce the 2007 lineup, in its entirety, on Monday morning. Is all of the speculation finally coming to an end or are we being spoon-fed bands as we were last year? Time will tell, but I know there are a ton of people who will be turning their dials to 106.7 FM in California. I know I'm prepared for whatever comes out this time around. Last year I was caught off guard completely with Tool and the lack of knowledge of any of the other lower-tiered bands. Even that none of the headliners are glaringly obvious to outsiders yet (despite the bit about The Police that's still not confirmed, just - uh - speculated), I'm sure we're in for a treat in April.
On my checklist so far, I can sign off on everything. I'm basically committed on every end possible. I'm taking my first venture to LAX in quite a few years (especially since I've travelled to Palm Springs for the past three years) and driving into Indio that night on Tuesday. It'll no doubt be weird to drive a minivan solo for about two hours in lands that I am completely unfamilar with. Let's just hope that I don't somehow ride into Compton with a sky-blue minivan, listening to Nada Surf's newest record or something.
Next is the condo that we secured. Once again, after staying in hospitable Palm Springs, we're moving to Indio, to a place that's actually a block away from the polo fields. Too bad the blocks in Indio are HUGE. Note here:
"C" denotes the polo fields (the big 'L' on the lower left) and the green arrow provides a general area of where we'll be staying (I have the road correct, just not the actual location). Pretty tight, right? Hopefully the walk back is worth it to not sit in traffic for about an hour and then drive back about 30-45 minutes to Palm Springs. I think walking that distance will be accomplished in less than an hour and a half.
And let's not forget that Coachella is three days this year. To adjust our stay, we're staying in Indio from Wednesday to Monday, with me chillin' it up in Los Angeles Monday evening and catching an early flight out on Tuesday. I just have to figure something out for that Monday - do I do touristy things since I haven't been to LA in over 10 years or do I find a decent show going on and do that? Seeing how I have a few months to figure that out, I'm really not worried about this aspect of the trip yet.
With everything said and done, all that needs to come is a lineup and that seems to be imminent. Hard to believe that this is happening so soon, and it's even more difficult to swallow that everything is going to speed up as the event comes nearer.
Like everyone else with a blog or is on the message boards, the lineup will be out on Monday and everyone and their mother will have it posted. I'll follow suit, surely with a big grin on my face to finally cement the fact that I'm on my way west, baby!
You see, this story broke earlier this month about The Police stirring the pot about reuniting (and feeling so good?). This would be huge if it did happen because The Police are pretty international and pretty mega-star. And we all know about Coachella's ability to pull off reunions like nobody's business. So rumors started to swirl about The Police headlining a night at the first three-day Coachella this year. Then there was some more talk... and then there was the password to the presale in the email that I just mentioned. Could this really be a sign? Or could Goldenvoice have a little humor by steering the Coachella faithful in the wrong direction as we steered the general public off course when people posted a fake lineup in 2006? We'll see, because the next bit of info is pretty big.
After the news of the presale (that's pretty exclusive, BTW - if you want info, email me or leave a comment), I found out that Los Angeles mega-station KROQ posted on their website (as of today, 2006/01/20) that their morning show would announce the 2007 lineup, in its entirety, on Monday morning. Is all of the speculation finally coming to an end or are we being spoon-fed bands as we were last year? Time will tell, but I know there are a ton of people who will be turning their dials to 106.7 FM in California. I know I'm prepared for whatever comes out this time around. Last year I was caught off guard completely with Tool and the lack of knowledge of any of the other lower-tiered bands. Even that none of the headliners are glaringly obvious to outsiders yet (despite the bit about The Police that's still not confirmed, just - uh - speculated), I'm sure we're in for a treat in April.
On my checklist so far, I can sign off on everything. I'm basically committed on every end possible. I'm taking my first venture to LAX in quite a few years (especially since I've travelled to Palm Springs for the past three years) and driving into Indio that night on Tuesday. It'll no doubt be weird to drive a minivan solo for about two hours in lands that I am completely unfamilar with. Let's just hope that I don't somehow ride into Compton with a sky-blue minivan, listening to Nada Surf's newest record or something.
Next is the condo that we secured. Once again, after staying in hospitable Palm Springs, we're moving to Indio, to a place that's actually a block away from the polo fields. Too bad the blocks in Indio are HUGE. Note here:
"C" denotes the polo fields (the big 'L' on the lower left) and the green arrow provides a general area of where we'll be staying (I have the road correct, just not the actual location). Pretty tight, right? Hopefully the walk back is worth it to not sit in traffic for about an hour and then drive back about 30-45 minutes to Palm Springs. I think walking that distance will be accomplished in less than an hour and a half.
And let's not forget that Coachella is three days this year. To adjust our stay, we're staying in Indio from Wednesday to Monday, with me chillin' it up in Los Angeles Monday evening and catching an early flight out on Tuesday. I just have to figure something out for that Monday - do I do touristy things since I haven't been to LA in over 10 years or do I find a decent show going on and do that? Seeing how I have a few months to figure that out, I'm really not worried about this aspect of the trip yet.
With everything said and done, all that needs to come is a lineup and that seems to be imminent. Hard to believe that this is happening so soon, and it's even more difficult to swallow that everything is going to speed up as the event comes nearer.
Like everyone else with a blog or is on the message boards, the lineup will be out on Monday and everyone and their mother will have it posted. I'll follow suit, surely with a big grin on my face to finally cement the fact that I'm on my way west, baby!
2007/01/14
Why can't we sit and wait?
So, just take a minute and go over to coachella.com and, when the shockwave/flash stuff loads, click "MESSAGE BOARD" on the right side of the site. Hell, if you don't even want to go that far, just click here. Aside from the cliquey Coachella Lounge, the two most active areas of the board are Line-up/Artists and Rumors/Gossip.
Why?
This is the time of year that everyone who has paid a stop to the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival looks forward to... at least in ths present time. (Things will actually get much worse when festival time rapidly/slowly approaches.) Everyone is FREAKING OUT about who's going to play this year's rendition of the best music festival in the States... and even the world.
You know, typically with events like this, you can usually pick out a sure-fire headlining act that will most-likely be there. With my knowledge of the event, I know that in '04, it was announced New Year's Day that The Cure were headlining a night of the festival... and eventually news leaked out that the Pixies were ending their first tour in 12 years (and obviously reuniting) at Coachella. 2005 was met with a ton of speculation about Coldplay and Nine Inch Nails, eventual headliners. There was a lot of hype around those two acts as they both had new releases in that year. Festival-goers were even spoiled for the '06 lineup when it was announced that Depeche Mode were headlining a night... all the way back in November of '05.
We really should've known something was up though when it was pretty much a surprise that Tool was brought on to hold the other half of the weekend down last year. Really, no one saw that coming, because there was a ton of speculation that surrounded the recent (at the time) announcement that Billy Corgan made about The Smashing Pumpkins getting back together. So many just assumed that was the case.
I mean, just look at how crazy us Coachella lovers are. Of course, there's always speculation and gossip and rumors about who's gonna play, who should play, who won't have a chance in hell playing, who is dead and will play, etc. Last year, a Coachella message board member actually took things another step and made a mock-poster that included all of the bands (at the time) who would've been good bets at Vegas to be at Coachella. And I guess when it comes down to it, it's not that hard to come up with a fake poster, especially when the lineup looks pretty damned realistic and, well, good. Here's last year's real lineup, with the fake beneath it.
Uh... pretty good right? But also... pretty damned obsessed, no? Exactly.
With that said, the chaos that's going on currently over at the boards is pretty intense. People live for this annual event, myself included. So to say that Coachella fans are passionate is probably the biggest understatement of the day (hey, it's early). But where one aspect of it stops, another picks right up. If there's no lineup, there's intense questioning and ruling out. If there is a lineup, the next step is figuring out who you can see if sets do not conflict (which those aren't announced until a few months later). When set times arrive a day or two before the actual event, people just go apeshit when they realize that the two bands they wanted to see the most were playing simultaneously.
And then there's Coachella.
And then there's the following year and the cycle repeats itself!
Basically, it's a shame that we all have to pull our collective hairs out each winter to try to figure out who's gonna be where come the end of April. This year is even worse because no one has any kind of clue who the real marquee bands are. Smaller bands have been "confirmed", and that's even worse than being on the bill. When something's "confirmed", that basically means you're going by word of mouth or myspace or something. Kids ask bands at shows, "Hey, you guys going to Coachella this year?" When the answer is, "Yeah, we'll see," that's kinda like a "confirmation", which is kinda ass. That's word of mouth, and never to be 100% trusted. And then there's the new method of proving something's gonna happen - bands posting Coachella on their concert itinerary. Yeah, that doesn't work for me either... basically because it's myspace. Sure, it might be as official as a website if the band is running it, but I still don't buy into that as something to get invested into. Artists that are "confirmed" through these means as of right now are Silversun Pickups, Hot Chip, !!! (chk chk chk), and, what's worse, The Arcade Fire.
There's also the next step of "confirmations" that includes bands that are actually strung through the media and put into print. Some of these can be pretty solid, as they come through reputable sources. Pitchfork, for example, is pretty reliable and they are not there to drag themselves through the mud, all in the name of speculation. On the opposite end of the spectrum is NME. Last year, they didn't know any better and actually reported the fake lineup and put it into print. (Click here for NME running the story that TSP are back... but I cannot come across the actual story about the fake.) So when bands are rumored through online publications that they are playing (this goes out to you, Lily Allen, Lupe Fiasco, and Fountains of Wayne), this is one step closer to being confirmed, but you still cannot strip them of their "confirmed" nature just yet.
Lastly, there's the highly formulaic method of proving someone will be at Coachella. Sometimes bands tour California when it's convenient to the dates of the festival. Apparently there's some sort of agreement that bands sign when they are contractually-bound to performing at Coachella that they cannot play in the Los Angeles area a few weeks before or after the festival. So people often figure that if a band is touring southern Cali near the end of April and that there's the omission of any dates near Los Angeles that said band must be playing Coachella. This currently applies to Explosions in the Sky, Blonde Redhead, and Kaiser Chiefs. All of these bands are making stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, or elsewhere during April trips out west.
So, the moral of my story? Why don't we just wait for things to happen? It's kinda like clockwork that the lineup gets posted at the end of January or early February at the latest. Tickets then usually go on sale a week or two following that announcement. So why freak out about who's playing, get excited about rumours, then get pissy about the actual lineup because RUMORED BAND isn't playing at all? I've just exhausted myself of the whole entire thing with waiting and hoping and crossing my fingers. C'mon - it's Coachella, people. There's always something for EVERYONE. To really put forth significant effort into looking in the deep recesses of the internets for a glimmer of hope or NOTHING, that's just fruitless. If nothing's come out now (and considering we're about two to three weeks away from the lineup getting posted), I really don't think anything's going to change until the day arrives. And, kids, it'll be soon! No need to be all scientific and put on your lab coats and figure out systematically the formulas for what makes a "perfect Coachella fit".
With all of this said (haha), I'm going to offer my own wishlist. If none of these bands make it, I'm sure that there will be better acts. If some of them make it, I'm ecstatic. We'll see.
Smashing Pumpkins
The Arcade Fire
Air
Lily Allen
Explosions in the Sky
Do Make Say Think
Mono (can you tell I'm on a big post-rock kick right now?)
Silversun Pickups
Portishead
Cold War Kids
Caribou
The Breeders
Supergrass
Stars
Emily Haines
¡Forward, Russia!
Doves
Eels
Spiritualized
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Sean Lennon
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's
Les Savy Fav
Harry and the Potters (!)
Imperial Teen
Feist
If even five of those bands are there, I'll be pretty damned happy. I wanted Supergrass so bad last year, I'm hoping that maybe I'll be able to see them sometime... and at Coachella, that would be awesome.
But until then, I'm just holding out until the day of days comes and THEN that's when things get interesting.
Why?
This is the time of year that everyone who has paid a stop to the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival looks forward to... at least in ths present time. (Things will actually get much worse when festival time rapidly/slowly approaches.) Everyone is FREAKING OUT about who's going to play this year's rendition of the best music festival in the States... and even the world.
You know, typically with events like this, you can usually pick out a sure-fire headlining act that will most-likely be there. With my knowledge of the event, I know that in '04, it was announced New Year's Day that The Cure were headlining a night of the festival... and eventually news leaked out that the Pixies were ending their first tour in 12 years (and obviously reuniting) at Coachella. 2005 was met with a ton of speculation about Coldplay and Nine Inch Nails, eventual headliners. There was a lot of hype around those two acts as they both had new releases in that year. Festival-goers were even spoiled for the '06 lineup when it was announced that Depeche Mode were headlining a night... all the way back in November of '05.
We really should've known something was up though when it was pretty much a surprise that Tool was brought on to hold the other half of the weekend down last year. Really, no one saw that coming, because there was a ton of speculation that surrounded the recent (at the time) announcement that Billy Corgan made about The Smashing Pumpkins getting back together. So many just assumed that was the case.
I mean, just look at how crazy us Coachella lovers are. Of course, there's always speculation and gossip and rumors about who's gonna play, who should play, who won't have a chance in hell playing, who is dead and will play, etc. Last year, a Coachella message board member actually took things another step and made a mock-poster that included all of the bands (at the time) who would've been good bets at Vegas to be at Coachella. And I guess when it comes down to it, it's not that hard to come up with a fake poster, especially when the lineup looks pretty damned realistic and, well, good. Here's last year's real lineup, with the fake beneath it.
Uh... pretty good right? But also... pretty damned obsessed, no? Exactly.
With that said, the chaos that's going on currently over at the boards is pretty intense. People live for this annual event, myself included. So to say that Coachella fans are passionate is probably the biggest understatement of the day (hey, it's early). But where one aspect of it stops, another picks right up. If there's no lineup, there's intense questioning and ruling out. If there is a lineup, the next step is figuring out who you can see if sets do not conflict (which those aren't announced until a few months later). When set times arrive a day or two before the actual event, people just go apeshit when they realize that the two bands they wanted to see the most were playing simultaneously.
And then there's Coachella.
And then there's the following year and the cycle repeats itself!
Basically, it's a shame that we all have to pull our collective hairs out each winter to try to figure out who's gonna be where come the end of April. This year is even worse because no one has any kind of clue who the real marquee bands are. Smaller bands have been "confirmed", and that's even worse than being on the bill. When something's "confirmed", that basically means you're going by word of mouth or myspace or something. Kids ask bands at shows, "Hey, you guys going to Coachella this year?" When the answer is, "Yeah, we'll see," that's kinda like a "confirmation", which is kinda ass. That's word of mouth, and never to be 100% trusted. And then there's the new method of proving something's gonna happen - bands posting Coachella on their concert itinerary. Yeah, that doesn't work for me either... basically because it's myspace. Sure, it might be as official as a website if the band is running it, but I still don't buy into that as something to get invested into. Artists that are "confirmed" through these means as of right now are Silversun Pickups, Hot Chip, !!! (chk chk chk), and, what's worse, The Arcade Fire.
There's also the next step of "confirmations" that includes bands that are actually strung through the media and put into print. Some of these can be pretty solid, as they come through reputable sources. Pitchfork, for example, is pretty reliable and they are not there to drag themselves through the mud, all in the name of speculation. On the opposite end of the spectrum is NME. Last year, they didn't know any better and actually reported the fake lineup and put it into print. (Click here for NME running the story that TSP are back... but I cannot come across the actual story about the fake.) So when bands are rumored through online publications that they are playing (this goes out to you, Lily Allen, Lupe Fiasco, and Fountains of Wayne), this is one step closer to being confirmed, but you still cannot strip them of their "confirmed" nature just yet.
Lastly, there's the highly formulaic method of proving someone will be at Coachella. Sometimes bands tour California when it's convenient to the dates of the festival. Apparently there's some sort of agreement that bands sign when they are contractually-bound to performing at Coachella that they cannot play in the Los Angeles area a few weeks before or after the festival. So people often figure that if a band is touring southern Cali near the end of April and that there's the omission of any dates near Los Angeles that said band must be playing Coachella. This currently applies to Explosions in the Sky, Blonde Redhead, and Kaiser Chiefs. All of these bands are making stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, or elsewhere during April trips out west.
So, the moral of my story? Why don't we just wait for things to happen? It's kinda like clockwork that the lineup gets posted at the end of January or early February at the latest. Tickets then usually go on sale a week or two following that announcement. So why freak out about who's playing, get excited about rumours, then get pissy about the actual lineup because RUMORED BAND isn't playing at all? I've just exhausted myself of the whole entire thing with waiting and hoping and crossing my fingers. C'mon - it's Coachella, people. There's always something for EVERYONE. To really put forth significant effort into looking in the deep recesses of the internets for a glimmer of hope or NOTHING, that's just fruitless. If nothing's come out now (and considering we're about two to three weeks away from the lineup getting posted), I really don't think anything's going to change until the day arrives. And, kids, it'll be soon! No need to be all scientific and put on your lab coats and figure out systematically the formulas for what makes a "perfect Coachella fit".
With all of this said (haha), I'm going to offer my own wishlist. If none of these bands make it, I'm sure that there will be better acts. If some of them make it, I'm ecstatic. We'll see.
Smashing Pumpkins
The Arcade Fire
Air
Lily Allen
Explosions in the Sky
Do Make Say Think
Mono (can you tell I'm on a big post-rock kick right now?)
Silversun Pickups
Portishead
Cold War Kids
Caribou
The Breeders
Supergrass
Stars
Emily Haines
¡Forward, Russia!
Doves
Eels
Spiritualized
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Sean Lennon
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's
Les Savy Fav
Harry and the Potters (!)
Imperial Teen
Feist
If even five of those bands are there, I'll be pretty damned happy. I wanted Supergrass so bad last year, I'm hoping that maybe I'll be able to see them sometime... and at Coachella, that would be awesome.
But until then, I'm just holding out until the day of days comes and THEN that's when things get interesting.
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