Milwaukeehockey.com

Entering the fourth quarter

February 28, 2008

The regular season is now 75% complete. 60 games down, 20 to go. And I have some real concerns of the Admirals chances to make the playoffs.

If the season ended today, they would make the playoffs by a single point in the standings. However, Peoria and Quad City have played fewer games and are within a few points of elbowing their way past Milwaukee.

For the Admirals to succeed at the tail end of the season, they will have to be better than they are at the tail end in a typical game. They tend to be outplayed in the final twenty minutes. If comparing an Admirals game to a horse race, the Admirals would be a thoroughbred that fades after the 3/4 pole.

In the first 60 games, the Admirals have only outscored their opponent in the third period 17 times (28.3%). And it's happened only 6 times in the last 29 games (20.7%). They are not battling back often enough when they are losing, and they are blowing leads too often.

The photo at the top of this entry is of a piece of paper posted in the Admirals locker room to teach the team how to play with a lead. One paragraph. To me, it comes across as a statement that you would hope a pro hockey player would already be aware of.

Then again, there are postings in my workplace that state the obvious. Stuff I don't bother reading more than once. Let's hope the coaching staff is passing along the message by doing more than just putting stuff on the wall.

Another concern I have is with the power play. Ranked 19th in the league, and all too often we see the team struggle to even gain the zone with a man advantage. At times I wish they could be allowed to decline a penalty and continue playing 5-on-5.

If the Admirals hold on and make the playoffs, I hope they finish 5th in the division and get to cross over to play against weaker North division teams in the first two rounds. Anything can happen in the playoffs, but I like their chances in the first round against Toronto a lot better than Chicago right now.

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Somebody posted a comment on my previous entry pointing out the story of the Bradley Center seeking a title sponsor for the building.

The Bradley Center was a $90 million gift to the city by the late Admirals owner Jane Bradley Pettit in 1988. Many feel that it would insult her generous legacy by giving her gift a corporate-sponsored name.

Wanna be angry at someone about it? Blame the Bucks.

To keep the NBA team from leaving to a more lucrative market, the BC grabs it's ankles and bites it's lips while the Bucks use and abuse it. Not only do the Bucks play rent-free, the BC payed them over $7 million dollars last year!! A number that increases each year.

In addition, the Bucks receive 27.5% of concession revenue from all events at the BC, as well as revenue from merchandise and suite sales. Because of this, I haven't spent one dime at the BC food stands in almost 2 years.

The Bucks are spending $62.6 million dollars on their 15 man roster. Eleven players make more than a million. Eight players make at least three million. Michael Ruffin makes over a million and averages 1.3 points per game.

I feel that if the BC secures a few million a year in corporate sponsorship, then the Bucks will want even more money to stay put. In fact, it's inevitable. They have long term contracts with five players that generally increase in price each year. Next season, ten players are already under contract for about the same amount as the fifteen from this season, meaning that five more player contracts will blow that total up even higher.

It's just a matter of time until that growing fiscal irresponsibility becomes too much for the blue collar Milwaukee market to endure. The sooner the Bucks leave, the better.

Regardless of whatever name shows up on my ticket stub in the future, I will always call it the Bradley Center.

posted by Todd # 3:07 PM

Comments:

Congratulations on 10 years! I have been following your site for the last 3 to 4 years and enjoy your viewpoints. I went to the Providence game last night and I wish that when the Admirals cross the blue line and go into the offensive zone they don't curl and look for a trailer, instead attack the net and the trailer go for a rebound. Other than that they are a pretty entertaining team this year.

Go Admirals!

# posted by

Anonymous : March 1, 2008 1:52 PM

How has the Rockford AHL experiment been going? Have you talked to any the team's fans about how they've enjoyed the AHL vs. the UHL? They seemed to really support the old IceHogs, has the support grown now that the level of play is better and the team is associated with the Blackhawks?

# posted by

Anonymous : March 13, 2008 11:23 AM

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