Saddledome Event Recap - Brian Burke State of the Union

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

One other thing Burke said which I forgot to mention in the OP was that he felt there is not a single cup champion since the Ducks won it in 2007 that would beat that team in a series, in fact he thinks that Ducks team would kick the **** out of a number of them. He just said that team was a tough, mean team to play against. Followed it up by saying he wishes there was a way to measure that kind of stuff.

Burke thinks the team he helped to build was the best in the history of hockey? What a surprise.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

One other thing Burke said which I forgot to mention in the OP was that he felt there is not a single cup champion since the Ducks won it in 2007 that would beat that team in a series, in fact he thinks that Ducks team would kick the **** out of a number of them. He just said that team was a tough, mean team to play against. Followed it up by saying he wishes there was a way to measure that kind of stuff.

Ricardo Grit Index

Actually it is an interesting question as the league looks more at analytics - how DO you measure physicality, which while not the be all end all is still a significant factor in the game particularity in the playoffs.

[jlh2640]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Iginla can't be a bad leader, he won a Messier award!

This notion of him being a bad leader is a joke. Absolute joke. Just because he led a different way does not mean he was bad at it. Gio is a different type of guy and maybe he excels as a leader more. But saying the best player in franchise history was a bad leader is a joke.

[Vinny01]

I have been to a Burke event before and I am not sure how truthful he is with everyone. He showed a inspirational video that he advised Gulutzan showed the team in training camp. Now I can assume he just got that mixed up with something else or the video was completely redone as it had highlights from this years Super Bowl, and several Flames highlights from this season.

Either way it is always a pleasure to hear a member of la agent speak and take questions from the fans.

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

One other thing Burke said which I forgot to mention in the OP was that he felt there is not a single cup champion since the Ducks won it in 2007 that would beat that team in a series, in fact he thinks that Ducks team would kick the **** out of a number of them. He just said that team was a tough, mean team to play against. Followed it up by saying he wishes there was a way to measure that kind of stuff.

Did you tell him about RGI?

[IgiTang]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

That was sure the big take-away from that great post.

Honestly, it's so tiresome what you do here. You're a boring, petty poster.

Not unlike yourself...

[Calgary4LIfe]

That playoff physicality is so hard to measure. I mean, they keep track of hits, but often an interpretation of a hit varies from arena to arena. Also, a Ferland hit is not the same thing as a David Jones hit, yet statistically there is no difference.

You can see that one hit is more violent or heavier, but it is such a difficult thing to accurately capture statistically.

[Benched]

thanks for sharing dieHARDflameZ!

Very interesting stuff.

[GioforPM]

On the Wideman thing, IMO:

a. That doesn't seem like Wideman, based on his past reputation. He was always known as a good team guy.

b. That said, it's gotta be tough, no matter what comes in the paycheque, to be sat at this point in his career, and watch the team win without him. And to read the comments, both fair and unfair, that he is garbage/was the cause of losses or Brodie's woes, etc. And if he truly didn't mean to hit the linesman, which I think is a real possibility, his career and his team have been massively penalized because of an accident. This ain't an excuse for poor practice habits and attitude, but it sure is a reason.

c. The local reporter might have a bit of confirmation bias in him as well. I've seen plenty of examples of people having a view of a player, then seeing "proof" of that opinion, in innocuous occurrences. This has been especially so with Wideman.

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

This notion of him being a bad leader is a joke. Absolute joke. Just because he led a different way does not mean he was bad at it. Gio is a different type of guy and maybe he excels as a leader more. But saying the best player in franchise history was a bad leader is a joke.

‘How did you get the team to play that hard?’ ” said Gulutzan, now 45. “I remember that was one of the questions I asked him after their playoff run. I hadn’t seen a team play that hard. And Darryl’s answer, I still remember, was: ‘I didn’t. I didn’t do it.’ He said, ‘Once Jarome and the leadership got on board and together, they looked after it themselves.’

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Burke thinks the team he helped to build was the best in the history of hockey? What a surprise.

He said best since 2007. Still not sure I'd agree with that though. The '08 Wings and '12 Kings would give them a pretty good run.

Pretty interesting about Wideman. While l get there is a human aspect to it and he's not happy about being benched, he has literally no one but himself to blame. You sign a massive 5 year contract. You negotiate a NMC. YOU have to live up to your end, which is to produce at a high level the entire duration. Unfortunately, players and agents see $$$ signs and thinking about your production the last year or 2 of a contract is the last thing on your mind when youre about to put pen to paper.

Still, the Flames are a better team without him and that's plain as day to see. My care level for his feelings being hurt are at an all time low. And this is coming from a big Wideman fan since he signed on day 1. Sorry Dennis. I'd much rather see you in the press box and the Flames winning, then you playing to appease your hurt feelings and the Flames keep losing.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Cole436

Not surprising about Wideman. I served a table of Gio, Stajan, Brodie, Versteeg and Wideman a few weeks ago and he was not a very likeable guy at all.

If Wideman is the most hated guy in the organization, why is are the veteran leaders (especially Gio and Stajan) going out with him?

I fully believe that Wideman is not happy, and probably not giving it hard in practice. I have a feeling that GG's meetings were more in the nature of "keep your chin up" than "you are a loser".

[jaikorven]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If Wideman is the most hated guy in the organization, why is are the veteran leaders (especially Gio and Stajan) going out with him?

I fully believe that Wideman is not happy, and probably not giving it hard in practice. I have a feeling that GG's meetings were more in the nature of "keep your chin up" than "you are a loser".

I have zero knowledge to pass on or anything, but maybe they are trying to control a potential loose cannon when they are out...again I don't know, just giving a possible explanation if the OP has been given correct information with what the reporter stated?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

He said best since 2007. Still not sure I'd agree with that though. The '08 Wings and '12 Kings would give them a pretty good run.

Looking back at it though that team was pretty stacked.

Giguere and Bryzgalov as your goalies.

Prime Pronger, Niedermayer, and Beauchemin on the back end.

Selanne, Kunitz, McDonald, Getzlaf, Perry, Penner up front. Pahlsson, Moen, & Niedermayer were an elite shutdown line in that playoffs.

Would be some great series - but I'm not sure I'd bet against a healthy Pronger and Niedermayer in their primes.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by jaikorven

I have zero knowledge to pass on or anything, but maybe they are trying to control a potential loose cannon when they are out...again I don't know, just giving a possible explanation if the OP has been given correct information with what the reporter stated?

I have zero doubt that the OP heard what he said. I do know that some local sports reporters are blowhards who substitute their own opinion for facts (i.e. "I hate Wideman. The organization must hate him as well. Therefore he is the most hated guy in the organization").

[jaikorven]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I have zero doubt that the OP heard what he said. I do know that some local sports reporters are blowhards who substitute their own opinion for facts (i.e. "I hate Wideman. The organization must hate him as well. Therefore he is the most hated guy in the organization").

Okay and that's fair. I was just throwing it in as a possible. We will never know the real inside story the way the team does either way.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

Sorry, I just want to clarify it was not Burke who was discussing the Gio vs. Iggy captain debate. That was one of the local reporters.

They also added that at the time, Iggy very much had the attitude that "who else has scored 50 in a season on this team? I don't need to play defence."

Again, given the source I would take it with a grain of salt but I did want to share with you all what was said.

Does his name rhyme with Derick Spancis?

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ

He was the last one to leave the ice and his effort out there was incredible.

Both him, Freddie Hamilton, Lazar and Bennett all stopped to sign autographs for a young kid that was there watching practice on their way off the ice.

That's awesome to know! We are very lucky to have him! I follow him on insta and man does he seem like a down to earth type of guy.

[smiggy77]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If Wideman is the most hated guy in the organization, why is are the veteran leaders (especially Gio and Stajan) going out with him?

I fully believe that Wideman is not happy, and probably not giving it hard in practice. I have a feeling that GG's meetings were more in the nature of "keep your chin up" than "you are a loser".

Yeah, I'm with you. It's possible he is the most hated amongst management based on his poor performance and lack of professionalism. I'm sure all the players are still buds and trying to reel him back in.

I could see the media person exaggerating a bit when he/she is selling their point of view but for sure I think it's obvious there is a lot of animosity there between Wideman and the organization.

[Enoch Root]

I feel bad for Wideman.

I wanted him out of the lineup, and I am thrilled that we got Stone, but he is in a tough situation now - which is fine, in and of itself, but the way people are piling on him now - most hated player in the organization? #### off - is unnecessary and over the top.