[McG]

there is some very intriguing analysis on this thread; some excellent thought provoking posts.

i thought i was going to read "win a couple of games at the end of a season when losses are better organizationally", which was cited repeatedly during the flames wins at the end of the season.

a culture of excellence means there is a continual reinvention of the best practices and processes from around the world in terms of physical and mental strength and development, and more sports than just hockey. all too often the flames (and other teams in the league) default and isolate themselves from the broader world of sports and proven management tools.

to me, the flames culture needs to be examined closely. i don't find it acceptable at all to consider some of the mistakes that have happened to the team that seem to be "unlucky" at the time, but on broader analysis and with the fullness of time seem foolhardy in the extreme. some examples of this are the R O'R saga, the continual drafting of the same type of player, the inability to develop those players anyways, and a complete inability to win when required which leads to .500 hockey. no drafting, no development, no playoffs.

others said it better than i have in their posts, but this is the time for the flames to embark on a journey that takes a look at their entire organization, top to bottom, and leverages the best that the world has to offer. while barcelona's "more than a club" is probably not realistic, i don't see why aspects of that success couldn't be repeated. multibillion dollar sports conglomerates need to keep up, and as a part of the nhl machine the flames need to manage the development cycle and be ready when it is "our turn".

without a top to bottom analysis and moving away from "old time hockey" styles, we are destined to never get the success that is deserved.