Ken King on the Fan now

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Well the product he was selling before was better, so you don't have to do the sales job too much. Now he's trying to sell a used Yugo. Things change.

Come now. It's not a used Yugo. It's a used Elantra. And he's trying to pass it off as a luxury sedan.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by atb

What I got out of it:

- Thinks based on body of evidence they have (from being in the crowd games) that the fans are supportive, love the way they’re playing, the style of play, and the effort. The fans feel a sense of grimness but are supportive.

- While things with management may seem quiet from an outside view, there is lots going on behind the scene.

Message to fans is:
- Patience
- Gratitude for loyalty
- Thinks Flames fans are the most optimistic in the world
- Understand that the plan they have is not for public discussion
- Nobody should believe that there is no discussion taking place within the organization

- Denied any meddling has/is going on. They have never stopped anyone from what they’re doing, or forced anyone to do something.

- They are working hard to get this right

I want to throw a pocket dog and a beer at Ken King. Patience?! Are you !@#$ing kidding me?

Your organizational stance is to have no patience. Win now, even when it's impossible.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by atb

What I got out of it:

- Thinks based on body of evidence they have (from being in the crowd games) that the fans are supportive, love the way they’re playing, the style of play, and the effort. The fans feel a sense of grimness but are supportive.

- While things with management may seem quiet from an outside view, there is lots going on behind the scene.

Message to fans is:
- Patience
- Gratitude for loyalty
- Thinks Flames fans are the most optimistic in the world
- Understand that the plan they have is not for public discussion
- Nobody should believe that there is no discussion taking place within the organization

- Denied any meddling has/is going on. They have never stopped anyone from what they’re doing, or forced anyone to do something.

- They are working hard to get this right (pretty sure this has been said word for word multiple times over the past few years)

For the bolded part are fans really going to tell KK to his face how horrible they think the makeup of the team is and what a crap job management is doing? Most would be polite, so i am not sure if thats a good way to guage the situation.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

"We do our jobs, we let them do their jobs. Our definition of meddling would be, would we stop someone from doing what they wanted to do or force someone to do something they didn't want to, but that never happened."

- King on Hockey Operations

Interesting that he has gone out of the way to define what "meddling" means in his context. Certainly some semantics can be argued there.

I do think Sutter had free reign when it was clear he had the ability to make deals around the league and pull the rabbits out of the hat as GM. When things tightened up a bit and the Phanuef thing went south after that season, those above him wanted a secondary set of eyes, and the reigns were pulled back from Sutter's autonomy, from powers above him.

Sutter gets canned, Feaster talked himself a good game to get the full time gig, but also I am guessing those above him retained the deciding power, and, knowing Feaster was going to be a yes man for the most part. Thus then, techinically those above Feaster aren't "meddling" if Feaster is saying he goes along with it 100%.

IMO.

[SportsJunky]

nm

[MissTeeks]

Really? We've gotten to the point of threatening physical violence against him?

[Badgers Nose]

waste a pie on KK? not worth it

certainly not worth wasting a pocket dog

[EddyBeers]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Really? We've gotten to the point of threatening physical violence against him?

That is a fan who has lost their patience, the patient fans would never do that. Thankfully most of the Flames fans are patient and apparently they are the most gullible, er optimistic fans, in the NHL.

[SportsJunky]

Oops, I guess that does sound violent when I read it back. I take it back.

[MillerTime GFG]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Really? We've gotten to the point of threatening physical violence against him?

Throwing a pie/hot dog/beer doesn't "exactly" constitute physical violence in the way you're suggesting. I don't think anyone is actually threatening him. Cam down.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Kaine

Code for no plan. Stay the course.



Seriously tho I don't expect to hear anything of value from KK. Just the usual PR.

To be fair, is he really going to give out the specfics of what they plan or doing? There are still almost 3 weeks of games. And if he starts talking details, then people are going to say "Isn't that the GM's job to be talking about that"? Can't fault him for that.

Originally Posted by atb

What I got out of it:

- Thinks based on body of evidence they have (from being in the crowd games) that the fans are supportive, love the way they’re playing, the style of play, and the effort. The fans feel a sense of grimness but are supportive.

- While things with management may seem quiet from an outside view, there is lots going on behind the scene.

Message to fans is:
- Patience
- Gratitude for loyalty
- Thinks Flames fans are the most optimistic in the world
- Understand that the plan they have is not for public discussion
- Nobody should believe that there is no discussion taking place within the organization

I believe there is a lot going on behind the scenes, not necessarily all good. I do think patience is needed, for at least 3 more weeks to see what comes out of it. Winning or losing, although you can start to get frameworks and scenarios set for the trade deadline and free agency, it takes two people to dance on trades, and results (for the Flames and others) around the league do factor into what may or may not happen/be available come the first week in April.
I do think the offense is more exciting, look no more then Bouwmeester for exhibit a). Its the rest of the roster that Feaster or whoever, going to "speedy and skilled", is why they do ok against the Vancouvers and Detroits, but then pasted against the bigger Kings and Ducks.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by browna

Interesting that he has gone out of the way to define what "meddling" means in his context. Certainly some semantics can be argued there.

Oh Flames management and their interpretations!

[CGY12]

Not a fan of Ken King in the few times I've heard him speak. Agree for sure with the poster who said he sounds like a greasy salesman. They need to turf this guy.

[Igottago]

Really guys, what has any other management team in the league been revealing in interviews lately? We are around the corner from the trade deadline, everyone is going to keep things pretty quiet right now, they are busy working on potentially huge changes. Let's put the pitchforks away for a little bit longer, see what they do, then hear what they say. It's not realistic to hear them divulge their entire strategy right now.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by EddyBeers

It was an interesting interview, you could definitely tell who butters the FAN's bread, Ryan was tip toeing around even talking about the on ice product at first and they did not bring up the O'Reilly thing at all.

Pretty sad when you can't ask hard questions. O"Reilly should have been brought up. When KK talked about meddling, Ryan should have put a hypothetical situation out to see hear his reply. Something like : If Feaster came to you tomorrow and said "we need to trade Iggy, theres a great offer on the table and we need to act quickly" , what would your answer be Ken.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

In fairness, I think its in response to CP... today, a few people mention there is no news from Flames management for 14 days ("silence period") ... an hour later, KK hits up the local Flames radio and covers some of the hot topics on CP. KK is just being a firefighter here... an interview for a sake of interview, doesn't sound like he has anything to really say.

CP is a great source of information, from a community of people who want to discuss hockey and truly help each other with questions and concerns they may have in any aspect of life.

It does not however impact how Ken King goes about his day in any fashion (despite him logging on or whatever a few years back). People here can put way to much weight into what they believe this online forum is.

[CaramonLS]

Is 960's radio contract up at the end of the year?

I believe the last one was in 2008, so it would be 5 years now.

[nik-]

It likely doesn't have anything to do with CP, but King could be the first one speaking as a litmus test of the fan base. Put him out there first, let him spin, let people calm down, then Feaster talks later?

It is pretty incredible how MIA the guy has been since the garbage "we won't comment on it further" press release.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Kavy

CP is a great source of information, from a community of people who want to discuss hockey and truly help each other with questions and concerns they may have in any aspect of life.

It does not however impact how Ken King goes about his day in any fashion (despite him logging on or whatever a few years back). People here can put way to much weight into what they believe this online forum is.

I would say as president of the team, his job is a large part to interact with fans and clients... and in the past 10 years, even before CP became big, I've seen targetted messages and repeated rumours show up in the media after mentioned on CP. We might not dictate it, but if there is a fire on CP, Flames mgm team historically works fast to put it out.

After all, how else would you explain a mid-afternoon sudden interview by the president of the Flames, to say a lot of nothing? Think that was in KK's weekly agenda on Monday?

[Bluzman]

The President of a NHL team that has gotten past the first round once since 1989 preaching patience?....LOL