That last poll? About the #1 draft pick? It’s irrelevant. Brant James article in the St. Petersburg Times this morning shows why. Steve Stamkos will indeed be the top pick for the Lightning.

Why so sure? Because when a sports franchise employs a Hollywood marketing blitz comparable to what has been used the last year for The Dark Knight (in theaters later this summer) hyping a prospect, you know they are big on them.

Seen Stamkos?

(hats off to the guys who thought up the flash mob viral marketing, if it was Koules people or an ad agency somewhere in the Bay area)

I gave no coverage to the Lightning winning the Draft Lottery… But I will ask you for your thoughts on what the Lightning should do with the pick.

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And While we’re at it — and local media lacks any coverage of this stuff — head on over to MyNHLDraft and view some fo the mock drafts and other draft and prospect information.

I’ve gotten used to the New York Islanders pulling stuff like this and I’ve also gotten used to the Tampa Bay lack-of-Devil Rays pulling this on a cost effective platform in the past…

But a nine year investment in a rookie? This takes things to new risk levels:

“This is obviously fairly unique,” Friedman said. “But it was something both sides had interest in really exploring and talking about. And both sides had to make some concessions along the way to get to this point.

“… We have to stay open minded. The economics of the game and us being a low-revenue team, we have to think differently and take chances such as this to keep our nucleus in place as long as we can.”

The salaries for the first six years of the agreement are guaranteed, with the team holding a one-year option for 2014 season and a subsequent two-year option for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The contract guarantees $17.5 million. If the Rays exercise both options, Longoria would earn more than $44 million over the life of the nine-year agreement.

“Fairly Unique” does not begin to explain it. But Longoria was signed on the cheap considering what has has already accomplished and what he could command on an open market… IF he pans out (and even if not — scrub players are getting obscene money in MLB in recent years).

Before the season, I had given my buddy Keith soem grief about Calgary throwing a wad of cash at Cory Sarich. Not that I don’t like Cory, not that I feel Cory doesn’t bring anythign to the table or doesn’t contribute, I just think he got paid too much in his new deal.

Well, this Sarich hit from the other night has turned into celebration and a rallying point for Flames fans:

Cory’s gone but not forgotten in TB. i revel in his moment.

(yes, it’s been forever since I posted, this isn’t hockey talk alone though, so….)

How come, every time there is expressed outrage in the sports world, the fans cannot take it upon themselves to organize and petition or organize in one form or another for or against some tactic or move that has been undertaken by the powers-that-be of the sports world?

All of this jumped out into my mind Tuesday evening as a baseball fan complained about advertisements showing up on players uniforms while the players were in Japan for MLB’s opening series between the A’s and the Bosox. The horrid thought of MLB uniforms turning into NASCAR jumpsuits or stock-cars marred with stickers and advertisements was what led the person to post in the first place about the atrocity that is advertisements on uniforms.

Through my sports-fan experience over the years, I’m well aware of Baseball and other sports selling out where and when they can. Anywhere to make a few extra bucks — stick a sign and grab that cash you can. I’ve seen plenty of idiotic naming-rights battles (the freshest one being Wrigley Field in Chicago) and ridiculous names that come from it. I can understand fans being pissed off about this stuff…

…but has anyone noticed how little fans actually try to organize and openly revolt against such things in any given sport?

Why does cynicism or despair grasp the heart and mind of sports fans that they can’t find a common center and voice disgust together and show those powers-that-be their unified force? Why do we take such a lax view when we’re openly distraught over a change to the organized sports and pro franchises we love and cherish?

There are three examples I can think of off the top of my head — two from hockey, one from baseball. All have transpired the last ten years:

1) National Hockey League Fan Association: Probably the most notable organized attempt by fans in pro sports that I know of. The NHLFA was founded by a pair of disgruntled Ottawa Senator fans and gained traction in and around the hockey world for a brief time but never took off. In close to ten years the NHLFA claims under 30,000 members even with it’s repeated attempts to draw in the disenfranchised NHL fans that feel powerless to certain changes that Gary Bettman and others in the league have put forward. There is universal disgust among the hockey faithful at any given time, but there is no acceptance of a unified effort to give fans a say in the league.

1.a) The NHL Lockout of 2004-05: It was the biggest opportunity for a unified group to represent the fans at the bargaining table or perhaps gain Gary Bettman’s or Bob Goodenow’s ear. But instead of a unified effort, there were a number of small groups that would try to start fresh and organize there own anti-lockout faction. In the same light, I can re-tell a personal anecdote of creating a form email that would be sent to both Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux pleading for their intervention in the lockout. When I brought up this form both on Boltsmag and on message boards I was posting on at the time, it was met with cynicism and apathy. “Why would they listen? They don’t care.” “it’s not going to do anything, nice try though.” Over and over again the same dissatisfied, despondent response to the attempt to organize in mass.

2) The Montreal Expos: This is the biggest example of how both the feeling of entitlement and a cynical attitude can only help bring an end to something you love. Where indolence and apathy brought on by disgust did not save somethign that was indeed beloved. Montreal did have a baseball fan base. It did have passionate fans that loved the Expos. But it also had fans that felt entitled to being treated better than they were treated. Fans that took that entitlement and would revolt from the luxury of their own personal computers and over the Internet (but no where else). Even then, they were apathetic to do this revolting widely online and instead prefered to bitch and whine in their echo chamber. You can’t sway opinions by complaining about Jeffery Loria in one forum and not enlightening people to yoru plight. You can’t rally yoru own fans by feeling entitled to the team treating you better BEFORE you’ll openly revolt.

3) Rory Fitzpatrick: 2006-07 brought one of the best viral marketing campaigns I have seen by pro sports fans. Unfortunately it was awash in absurdity, it still is the #1 example of fans organizing. It’s just a shame that they had to do it as a joke. Starting with a small group of fans on hockey message boards, this started grabbing much more light in the eyes of the blogosphere and th mainstream meadia just after I blogged about it. Yet the movement was real and was ultimately stopped at the top, and likely to the relief of Mr. Fitzpatrick who was said to be embarrassed about things, it showed a sports example of what can be accomplished when fans unite. The NHL had to intervene tos top things…

Looking at the three examples (four) I can only note the personal gratification in each case — fans do not jump out to do work unless they feel personally gratified by the results. How do fans accomplish that feelign besides chatting with other fans and getting kudos in their discussions? they see that gratification through their personal commitment to a sport or team. But beign active to prevent a change? Even that action goes beyond many a loyalists personal comfort zone. While the power of the Netroots (and I mean this broadly, not in a partisan political sense but internet organizing by and large) can accomplish much, one has to wonder if fans can find satisfaction while taking action for/against a change to something they love?

Of course, what to revolt against or unite against is always subjective… It’s tradition infringement that tends to unite fans of any given sport. if Major League Baseball infringes on it’s uniforms and starts placing advertisements upon battling helmets and jersey’s - will fans do more than express disgust online and go outside their personal comfort zones? What level of grievance must sports fans experience before collectively dissenting and showing the force which they yield as a voice, as an opinion and as a consumer?

See a negative? Follow it with a positive… I can’t confirm this but Dan Boyle inked a six year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Forty Million Dollars over six years almost guarantees Brad Richards will be heading out of town tomorrow.

Which really upsets me.

Boltsmag is four years old at this point late int eh month of February and I’ve made no secret of the fact Brad is my favorite player. That being said, I also know he has grown unpopular with the Lightning regulars due to lower production numbers than Vinny and Marty. it doesn’t justify his cost. He has the potential to be a top line center and hasn’t gotten that opportunity due to Vincent being in the lineup… But taht contract of his will limit those who can show interest in him.

Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal’s second tenure in Tampa Bay is over. He has been dealt to the Flyers for Alexandre Picard. and a draft selection.

Prospal has paved hsi way out of town by performing well in a contract year as well as fueding with Lightning head coach John Tortorella. Of course, Jay Feaster lays a goose egg of sorts in this deal — more defense, Jay?

many fans are worryign this sis the begining of the end for the Lightning… Jay Feaster will not be a popular man in tampa tomorrow afternoon if the rumors remain consistent that Brad Richards will be leaving as well as Dan Boyle.

The Tampa Bay Rays have been doing much to improve their image the last few eyars since Stu Sternberg took over the team. But you want to know one quick way to tear all that down with fans who are sick of the scandals, sick of the fact baseball has been sullied by BALCO and artificially inflated stats?

Explore signing Barry Bonds.

A great young nucleus with some new veteran additions this winter… Ruined by bringing in the biggest blowhard in pro sports.

Got a post-mortem season poll for the Bucs up over at Sticks of Fire regarding the team’s direction. Please head on over there to vote, kvetch and all that jazz.

The site note I have to bring up is a change to the anti-spam plugin employed here at Boltsmag. I’ve just switched to the built in anti-spam Akismet plugin for Wordpress due to a conflict inspired by Spam Karma on my other blogs. The technical mumbo jumbo shouldn’t effect many (or any) on Boltsmag but if you suddenly find your comments locked-out, please get in touch with me over the problem.

OK, so we’ve reached the midway point of the Lightning schedule. I’m not much of the one to go through players and hand out grades… But I don’t think the idea is bad either. That’s why, I’ll let you guys handle the ratings.

Below is a list of every player currently on the Lightning roster. In each poll (listed below a players name) you will have the chance to rate the player from 1 to 5. 1 will represent terrible while 5 represents superb…

Of course, comments are open for discussion about players, their performance so far this season… Torts, Feaster, Palace Sports, OK Hockey and Absolute Hockey… Everyone that’s been part of the “party” this season. So please, chat away.

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