tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post5782865397167190492..comments2024-01-15T09:53:40.089-05:00Comments on Black Aces: Pressure Mounts On PhillipsJeremy Milkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09719907099819957578noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-74090403401282740682011-02-17T20:15:35.238-05:002011-02-17T20:15:35.238-05:00SENS makes some really good points.
I was at a ga...SENS makes some really good points.<br /><br />I was at a game with my five-year old son, who was cheering relentlessly (we were shutout), and the lady sitting in front of us put her fingers in her ears in the 2nd, politely asked us if we would mind keeping it down in the 3rd, then left when we politely said we wouldn't. <br /><br />Vanilla fans want a vanilla team. That's why Fisher and Phillips are so loved here.<br /><br />pgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-77455369614050398252011-02-17T13:33:26.495-05:002011-02-17T13:33:26.495-05:00"This summer we saw how much support he actua..."This summer we saw how much support he actually had."<br /><br />Would that be the 8 people at the Spezza rally?<br /><br />I think you'd be surprised how few people actually give a rat's ass about the players on this team in general. A large part of the population just wants whipping boys and targets for their discontent. The Senators are a great target since they're professional athletes.<br /><br />Funny story:<br /><br />I've been around Ottawa since the mid-70s and the biggest Sens fan I know is from NEw Brunswick. He came here and adopted the city immediately and is a HUGE Senators fan. We call him "The Only Sens Fan" since he's so loyal. Ottawa is a pretty apathetic, cynical, sniping city. Some guy on the Team 1200 said he'd boo Phillips if he didn't waive. Another email did the same. <br /><br />If Phillips stays, he should sadly expect some boos and some vilification. It comes with the territory of a city that prides itself on being cheap and turning on its own and eating them whole...where are you now Alanis, Paul Anka, Tom Green & Phil Giroux, etc. etc.<br /><br />Just my 2 cents.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08610062908421272131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-5581468003912772152011-02-17T13:27:45.169-05:002011-02-17T13:27:45.169-05:00"Phillips apparent refusal to waive, and sugg..."Phillips apparent refusal to waive, and suggested the best way to go about changing his mind would be to start a "character assassination" against him.<br /><br />Real classy stuff there."<br /><br />Has Bryan Murray EVER been classy?<br />Remember when he ran Paul Kariya out of Anaheim, claiming a contract misunderstanding? How about when he threw multiple coaches under the bus? Or when he mentioned Carrie Underwood after trading Mike Fisher (tawdry reference, low blow).<br /><br />P.S. Remember when Tampa Bay ran Richards out of town? It was ugly. But hey, they're the talk of the town and no one cares about that anymore.<br /><br /><br /><br />"The very fact that he wants to stay in Ottawa should prove that he's a player the Senators should keep in town, and not pawn off for a draft pick that likely won't pan out anyways."<br /><br />No, it shows that he's a loser, and that he's comfortable loser at that that doesn't want to take a chance at winning. Just like Murray and just like the other core players. <br />If Phillips cares so much about the team, he'll let the team trade him and we'll get a pick.<br /><br />As for not sending six rookies on "D", hasn't LA done that? Why pay 3.5 to Phillips to produce 5 goals, 18 assists and a -30 when you could pay a rookie salary entry level deal for the same result, plus the guy would be 12 years younger?<br /><br />Same goes for Spezza. Why pay him 7 million when you can draft a center, put him on an entry-level deal and get him to grow? Then you pay him 3.0-4.0 and when he carries your team into the playoffs you think of upping him.<br /><br />Enough sentimentality here folks. This team can't get it done. Its core players are old and slow and unproductive. Time to send the horses to the glue factory and ice some young geldings that will mature into studs.<br /><br />I sure as heck Murray isn't sentimental about #4. If he wants to stay, let him take a pay cut and there should not be a NMC in that contract.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08610062908421272131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-8612442035381757232011-02-17T13:08:35.876-05:002011-02-17T13:08:35.876-05:00The coaches don't be seem to be doing a good j...The coaches don't be seem to be doing a good job with the defense. How does Carvel keep his job? Seriously. That department needs a house cleaning.<br /><br />We use to have one of the best defenses in the league.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-53846882341358796432011-02-17T13:05:37.614-05:002011-02-17T13:05:37.614-05:00Truthfully, I am 100% behind Phillips staying. I t...Truthfully, I am 100% behind Phillips staying. I think he has taken a lot of flak for an abysmal year but can turn it around if we put him in a role we KNOW he flourishes in - part of our dedicated shut-down pairing (Cowen, anyone?) <br /><br />To me, trade him and resign him if he is willing, but if he isn't, fine. The guy has made it clear before that his preference is to be a Sens lifer and I think that plays into a hesitation to don another jersey even for two months. All I would ask is not to mess around with us and either deal him or sign him on Feb 28th. Right now the fanbase needs clear, definitive moves - no "will he stay or will he go" UFAs after the deadline. <br /><br />Phillips has been my favourite dman since Chara left and I truly feel that he has earned at least another contract with us where he can redeem himself, even if its just and one-or-two-year. He's a veteran, responsible D with a fierce loyalty to Ottawa, a team that has seen too many trade-requesting prima donnas like Corvo and Dany Dbag. We need guys who will instill a sense of pride in this team into the youth movement and guys like Alfie, Spezz and Phillips, guys who want to hang in and turn it around, bad times ahead be damned, have the attitude I want to see throughout the lineup in the years ahead.johnny_spectacularhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16411490041527620981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-60503054744390887832011-02-17T10:18:24.433-05:002011-02-17T10:18:24.433-05:00Major BM disliker here, but we have no reason what...Major BM disliker here, but we have no reason whatsoever to believe that if he were to make a move, it would be with Phillips' wishes in mind.<br /><br />If Phillips wants to help the team so badly though, why wouldn't he accept a trade, play out of a hotel room for 2-3 months, then resign in the summer?<br /><br />BTW, we have coaches to teach players how to play defense, not guys who are worst in the league in +/-.<br /><br />It's funny how all you guys want a rebuild, but don't want anyone moved out of town. Do you really think trading jarko and kovalev is going to turn this thing around?<br /><br />pgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-40543964039727089542011-02-17T00:04:36.739-05:002011-02-17T00:04:36.739-05:00The NTC is part of his contract. End of story.
It...The NTC is part of his contract. End of story.<br /><br />It's no different than if a team goes up to a player who is making $3M a year, and says "You know, you didn't play well this year, why don't you take $2M instead".<br /><br />Should a player feel the pressure to do as the team says? Hell no. A deal is a deal.<br /><br />Phillips doesn't owe anyone an explanation, and no player in a similar circumstance does either. As long as the clause was negotiated as part of the contract, it's not right to make the player look like some kind of villain.<br /><br />But, even still, the pressure being put on Phillips is really wrong when you rewind the tape back to 2007. Look up some of the newspaper articles that were written that spring. Many of them talked about how Phillips could fetch $5M on the open market come July 1, 2007.<br /><br />Before the playoffs started, Phillips signed for $3.5M with a NTC. It was pretty clear that he left money on the table in exchange for more control over his career in the form of a NTC.<br /><br />In that case, the NTC was used the way it should be used. It was not handed out as candy. It seems that it was given in exchange for taking a lower salary.<br /><br />All that aside, the fact is that he has a NTC today, and he has every right to use it without feeling any guilt whatsoever.<br /><br />Many GM's in the league have a policy that they do not talk about player transactions unless they happen. Doug Wilson comes to mind.<br /><br />What I'm getting at, is that if Phillips exercises his NTC, how would the fans even find out unless someone leaks the info.<br /><br />If the Sens do line up a deal, and Phillips says he wants to stay, why would that information even get out. The only purpose of such a leak would be to tar Phillips. That would not be classy. Won't look good to UFA's in the future.<br /><br />Jeremy, you also mentioned that a lot of fans would be all over Phillips if they found out that he refused to waive the NTC. I don't doubt you. But, I also think that that number is smaller than we might believe.<br /><br />I think Phillips has a large, but silent, fan base that would like to see him stay.<br /><br />It was just a year ago that a vocal minority were trying to run Spezza out of town. This summer we saw how much support he actually had. I think Phillips also has a lot of support.<br /><br />Although, I would never expect for it to be represented in the mainstream media.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215652504344172254.post-65863636137523218202011-02-16T22:33:48.306-05:002011-02-16T22:33:48.306-05:00Phillips got a no-trade clause because the team re...Phillips got a no-trade clause because the team respected his contributions to the franchise and to the community. The best thing the franchise and the community can do is to respect Phillips' wishes, should he choose to excercise his no-trade clause.<br /><br />That's my opinion, anyway.Peter Raaymakershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10883553886241429786noreply@blogger.com