Hurricanes Embrace Role of Underdog
by Bob Wage on May 8, 2009 2:46 AM EDT
31 comments
Earlier this week, Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy published an interesting article asking why the Carolina Hurricanes never get any credit for winning from the mainstream media. When they defeated New Jersey in round one, it was because they were lucky, Marty Brodeur had a bad day, and the Devils were off their game. When they beat Boston in games two and three of this series, the reasons given were because the Bruins felt "fat and happy" for game two and simply played poorly for game three. Apparently, the results had nothing to do with the way the Hurricanes played.
One could go so far as to call the Canes, the "Rodney Dangerfields" of these playoffs, but the lack of respect is nothing new for this team, or the franchise.
What does it mean when many in the media continue to mock the team by not calling it by it's proper name? Even now, 11 years after the move from Hartford, the team is often referred to as the "Whaler-Canes" or the "Ex-Whalers". Outsiders might ask, what's the big deal? But when was the last time you heard the Phoenix Coyotes being called the "Ex-Jets" or the Colorado Avalanche being referred to as the "Nordique-Avs"? Was Calgary ever chided for "stealing" the Atlanta franchise?
The Hurricanes were one of the hottest teams in the NHL during the last month or so of the season and compiled a record of 13-3-2 from March 1st to the end of the season. During this stretch they set a franchise record with 12 consecutive wins at home and tied another record by winning nine games in a row. There were a few murmurs around the league that no one wanted to face this team during the playoffs, yet when the series against New Jersey was announced, the Devils were favored.
Then of course when the next series against Boston came about, the Canes were given so little chance to win that they might as well have not even bothered to show up. But so far the underdogs are holding their own.
These 2009 playoffs could easily remind fans of the 2002 run, as the Hurricanes advanced through each and every round as heavy underdogs. They were given very little chance to beat the Stanley Cup Champion Devils in round one, but eliminated them in six games. In the next round against the Montreal Canadiens, they were supposed to fold under the intense pressure of playing at the Molson Centre. Instead, the team also bested the Habs in six games.
Next up came the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team decimated by injuries. But the Original 6 team was still favored to put away the fluky team from the Southeast. We all know how that ended up, another six game wrap for the Canes.
Of course the magic ended when they could not match up against the All Star team from Detroit, but Carolina still gave them a heck of a battle.
It was deemed that Carolina was just "lucky" that postseason because they won several games in overtime or on last minute, come from behind victories. But after a slow start during which it was rumored that head coach Paul Maurice was close to being fired, the team went on a points streak late in the season with the help of some key acquisitions made before the trade deadline. (Bret Hedican, Kevyn Adams, and Kevin Weekes).
See any similarities to this season?
Even in 2006 when the team competed for the President's Trophy for most of the year, they had their doubters. The club was favored against the Habs in round one, but the Devils had won 15 games in a row and looked unbeatable to several experts in round two. After the Canes made quick work of them, many pundits picked the Sabres to win in the Eastern Conference Finals. To this day a few folk still claim the Sabres would have won that series if they were healthy, totally disregarding the fact that the Hurricanes had the better record during the regular season.
Now as the Hurricanes lead this series 2-1, they are still the underdogs according to the oddsmakers. And don't expect anything to change as the playoffs continue. It's too difficult a concept to accept that the lowly Carolina Hurricanes might actually have a pretty darn good team with a successful system and a decent coaching staff.
Underdog or not, the team seems to embrace the role and has a history of success while being disrespected. Perhaps it's for the best?
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yep
On that 2006 Buffalo series. They forget that two of those major injuries occurred in the first two games. That was an even series, and we ended up being the deeper, healthier team by the end of it. That’s part of winning playoff series.
It is actually 12 years since the move.
But who’s counting.
There is this myth that the Whalers were popular in Hartford. The fact is the Whalers had at best a cult following. One reason was that the team was not a winner. CT fans are all for winners and don’t care for the rest. UConn Basketball is popular as long at the teams are near the top of the polls and the Big East. And even then they do not always pack the Civic Center (now the XL Center) or Gampel Pavilion. The other big reason is that to the NE is Boston and to the SW is New York. That will always be the big problem, divided loyalties. Too many fans of the Bruins and Rangers did not switch to the Whalers for the entire 18 year NHL existence. They simply were, well, jerks.
Another factor in the respect battle is ESPN. One anchor, Steve Berthiaume, would always say “former Whaler” almost every time and ex-Whaler appeared in a Sportscenter highlight. It drove me bats. They never said “former Jet” or “former Nordique”.
There is also this perception that Raleigh “stole” the Whalers. That is simply not true. The only odd thing about the move was that Karmanos announced the team was leaving but did not yet have a place to move too. There were some rumors that he thought about moving them to Detroit (no kidding), and he did have a connection to Phoenix. He also toured Columbus. But someone else already had a deal with the NHL if a team were to go there. Karmanos would have to give up a part of the team to that person to go there. Then he settled on Raleigh.
You folks know the rest. The slow early years led to a lot of ridicule. Mostly from hypocrites up here with our “Mayberry” and “Hooterville” jokes. Nobody is laughing now. Now they are saying nobody will show up once the team has an extended downturn. In other words they need something to justify their anger and this is all they have left.
It is really too bad we lost the team. But we let it happen. I could go on some more, but I would just be rambling. I am sure someone will attempt to contradict this but I don’t care. Connecticut’s loss was North Carolina’s gain, even if your arena plan was a giveaway corporate welfare deal to a billionaire owner (Ha Ha Ha).
Unfortunate truth
I just spent a few days in the Hartford area. You’d never know there once was a NHL team there. I looked high and low for some form of Whale stuff. Couldn’t even score a T-Shirt. A small glassed in display at the airport is all that I saw of the team ever being there. When I asked around it was 50/50 as to if the person even knew of the Whalers, let alone a clue where to shop for items.
I was amazed and disgusted. Our little southern market puts them to shame. Absolute confirmation that franchise was unwanted up there.
A
no respect
If Anyone Noticed On Sportscenter On Thursday Not One Time Was The Canes Mentioned, But If The Bruins Would Have Won The Match Wednesday Night It Would Have Been Headlines. Go Huricanes
I doubt that.
If the Bruins had manged to win that it would have gotten about as much mention as the Canes did. Enough of the bruised ego. The media is going to Crosby and Alex O. National attention is not on the Bruins anymore than the Canes.
Oh My God......
All these comments really hit home to me. I was listening to Bob Ryan on 850 the buzz yesterday. His first comment was " Let me first say….there is absolutely nothing special about the RBC center and the noise level in that place. It is no different than 10 other arenas around the league. It is no louder and no advantage to the Canes. ………….. later he said he was forced to come down to cover this seemingly usless series. He said he is a basketball guy. He would rather watch the Celtics. Very offensive. WHAT A JERK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the attitude that lead to the team leaving Hartford. This bitterness comes from years of losing to Montreal in the playoffs. These people have seen nothing but losing from their teams both the Whalers and the Bruins in the old Adams division. They are miserable because of their lack of support. That lack of interest led to the team relocation. Now it is all about sour grapes.
The biggest jackasses in this lack of respect is clearly ESPN. The fact that they now are part of the programming of 850 and 99.9 is unbelievably insulting to me. They are happy to insult everything that is Canes but they want to be involved in their success on the local level. They are just bitter that the Canes moved and later that Bettman wouldn’t bow down to them. I say Horray to Bettman and the league. Verses does a great job with hockey. ESPN waited 40 minutes to show the Canes highlights from game 3. They even showed European Soccer before The Canes. Their website had NASCAR before the NHL for months before they switched it. They are pathetic. It is so blatent that they have embarassed themselves over this matter.
I have never seen a franchise dragged through the mud like this. I will say this. Barry Melrose is great. He is the lone light in a sea of black that is ESPN. He just likes great hockey. He knows what the Canes are about. It is like he is sparing with the other idiot commentators on the Hockey talks. I have a lot of respect for that guy. He knows hockey. He is the only guy that I saw that picked the Canes over Boston. He is objective. Tampa Bay was way off on his firing. Verses needs to hire him away from ESPN. ESPN does not deserve him.
This is my way to fight back.
ESPN SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob Ryan(Boston Globe) SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Canes are a professional team. They have been operating at the highest level both on the ice and off for more than 10 years. We have the best GM. We have the best clutch players in Eric Staal. We have the best Captain. We have the best team. They hate it. They will never let it go. They think the NBA is the future………..good luck with that thug league.
When the Canes win the cup again this year……it will not lead Sports Center. I guarantee it.
Jealousy sucks too.
I just re-read my post.
That was a good post. I still feel the same way. Go Canes. I feel better now.
Our Canes
I really think you are making too much of this . I never hear anyone talk about the Whalers.
The main stream national hockey press TSN, Hockey News, USA Today, even SI (remember Jeff O’Neil on the cover?) treat Carolina fairly. Jim Rome has interviewed
Eric Cole and a number of other players over the years.
Too some extent, the Montreal – Toronto axis of power has never fully accepted the concept of southern NHL hockey. So, we are cast in the same group with Tampa, Florida, Nashville and even the Capitals.
The other element to consider is the reputation the franchise has with NHL players.
Carolina has a reputation within the player community as a high class organization ,
with supportive fans and a friendly media. You hear it and read it from ex players all the time. Ask Cullen and Aaron Ward whether they would prefer to play for the Rangers or here.
Agreed
I agree— the traditional power brokers (Toronto, Montreal, Boston, NY) never really took to the idea of teams in the sunbelt. While some of the markets continually proven their point with poorly run franchises and even poorer fan support, I dont think the Canes really fall into that category. Its not like this is the first time that the national media was clueless when it came to hockey. Its not just Carolina that gets the shaft with ESPN, its everyone not named Ovechkin or Crosby.
I’m an outsider— but in no way, shape or form would I compare the Canes to organizations like the Thrashers or the Florida Panthers. It looks like they know what they’re doing— both with their players and with their fans.
Cheers,
Matt
www.viewfrommyseats.com
Hurricanes are the exception to the Rule.
Them, and the Dallas Stars.
Phoenix, my God……..
move them to Hamilton already! Winnipeg would be nice, but the Arena there is still too small.
No, not Hamilton – that would destroy the slugs (not that I want the slugs to succeed, but we don’t need any more franchises to die). Needs to be a little farther north, but still within an easy commute to TO (because the area could EASILY support a second team – rumor is that there is a 20 year waiting list for season tickets for the leafs)
by Andrea's evil twin on May 8, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Keep in mind Bob Ryan just found out he’s taking a 23 percent pay cut, which is better than the Globe shutting down but surely makes him unhappy. He needed someone to vent at … ta-da!
Blah,
only newspaper worth reading is the Wall Stree Journal.
Even they have a Sports page (note the single tense) now!
Bob Ryan was on ESPN radio this morning talking about how we need to give Manny the benefit of the doubt, because it’s just ‘Manny being Manny’, and he maybe just didn’t think to ask if that shot he was getting contained performance enhancing drugs. Totally ridiculous. Clearly, this guy has a different way of thinking…
Chew on this for a while.
Perhaps some of you guys have not paid too much attention to ESPN. It is subtle at times but the overtones are there. I have relatives from Hartford. This bias is real. They hate Karmanos. We thank them everytime we get together for sending us our TEAM. I wouldn’t care except this crap out of ESPN affects the revenues and ultimately the viability of the league and the Canes. They need to get off the soap box and at least act impartial. Hell, they have enough money, why not buy Phoenix and move them back to Hartford. It is a big deal. It is nearly slander. It is definately damaging to the image of the brand.
Bob Ryan
If Bob Ryan is unhappy, get another job. Same option as the rest of us. I am sure he gets paid handsomely. I have seen him on the reporters on ESPN too. I am sure there is money there. I know this, he probably won’t be working for the Canes. Way to go, just keep limiting your options. Maybe he can go work for Manny as his drug runner. Good fit….you need to be thinking differently to do that job.
Jim Rome
Jim Rome is not on the Canes haters band wagon. He is a fan first. This is really limited to ESPN brass getting their panties in a wad. G-string I would bet.
Why would anyone watch ESPN nowadays anyway? We now have channels soley dedicated to each individual sport. I havn’t watched ESPN ( other than MNF ) in about 2 years. We all like to slam ESPN for not giving our Canes the credit they deserve, vote with your remote. There’s no one making you watch it. We don’t need them anymore. Wht would you get your NHL news from a channel that doesn’t think enough about the sport to even air any games? Plus NHL Network has better coverage. ;)
Satan is just a coping mechanism for monotheists.
I used to watch ESPN every morning while I finished getting ready, then got NHL Network and started watching that. Now that I have a 20-month old, I watch “Handy Manny” each morning. They really oughta give me a Nielson box.
by Cory Lavalette on May 8, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions
……..and THAT’S why I don’t have kids. I’m too damn greedy with my time, and what little money I have. I’d MUCH rather spend it on electronics than on diapers. But, I thank you, because if everyone was like me, the planet would be sparse.
Satan is just a coping mechanism for monotheists.
don’t knock Handy Manny till you’ve seen it. I think, without NHL Network, I’d pick it over ESPN if by myself. :D
by Cory Lavalette on May 8, 2009 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions
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